Patio Time With God

I'm sure it will be no surprise to you that I love communication.

I enjoy talking to my loved ones about feelings, ideas, life, and God.

I cherish genuinely spoken repentance; deliberate, persevering discussions to resolve conflict; shared sorrows and joys.

That's one reason I enjoy remembering a Saturday morning in 2013 when I sat on the patio with my granddaughters who'd spent the night. 

While they sipped my grammy coffee (milk flavored with a little decaf coffee and lots of sugar), we talked little-girl-Grammy talk.

They told me about the mistreatment of a handicapped child, someone's rude comments about a birthmark, and tattoos. 

And I told them about a problem I had in fifth grade.

We'd played grocery store, watched Veggie Tales, drawn pictures, and eaten out the night before. But this patio time was my favorite part. 

I think God feels the same.

He loves hanging out with us, listening to our stories, and telling us His (Revelation 3:20; Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 34:18; Psalm 147:11; Isaiah 1:18).

This sweet memory challenges me to daily schedule patio time with Jesus. How about you?

You might enjoy this 1-minute devotion which expands on this theme: 5 Benefits of a Coffee Date with Jesus.

Why not add some more of God's Word to your schedule by having a 1-minute devotion delivered to your email each weekday. Sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

 

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Biblical Key to Overcoming Worry and Stress

Temporary problems don't usually worry us.

The things that scare us are difficulties with an unknown "time limit." For example:

How long will this Covid pandemic continue?

What if my child never turns from his destructive lifestyle?

What if my marriage never improves?

What if my health continues to deteriorate?

What if I never find a good job?

God knows we have a tendency to project our worries into the future and He comforts us with this command:

"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34).

We can handle each day's problems because God is present and He's helping us—giving us His strength, comfort and peace. Then, at the end of the day, we can rest in His arms knowing He'll be there again tomorrow.

Faith is a day by day walk, and the most important note we can write on tomorrow's date on our calendar is this: "Jesus will be there."

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Let these passages sooth your weary, worried soul:

Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." 

Isaiah 41:10: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." 

Isaiah 40:29: "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."  

Romans 8:39: "neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  

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What Exactly is a "Jesus Freak"?

How do we respond to extreme faith and radical obedience?

Sometimes we call someone a Jesus freak because they're weird. But sometimes it's because they make us feel ashamed by their extravagant love for God. 

Did you know that Christians aren't supposed to be balanced?

We sometimes say we need to "balance" grace and truth, justice and mercy, love and obedience. But it's not really an issue of balance. 

What we really mean (or should mean) is that we want to discover how our God perfectly blends all of these qualities at the same time. We don't want to stress one aspect of His character at the neglect of another.

No, "balance" is not a desirable Christian quality. We should strive for extreme, revolutionary, world-changing, life-sacrificing, over-the-top love for Jesus.

Paul expresses this beautifully in Philippians 3:7-14.

Being a "Jesus freak" is actually a natural response to God's incredible love!

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Why not add some more of God's Word to your schedule by having a 1-minute devotion delivered to your email each weekday. Sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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Correctly Evaluating the Cause of Your Problems

"Why is God doing this to me?"

My friend's husband left her for another woman, and she was understandably hurt and confused. But she was asking the wrong question.  

I reminded her it wasn't God. It was her husband who was hurting her.

Unfortunately, I sometimes ask this same question when the sins of other people cause me problems.

That's when I need to remind myself that God has given each of us a free will. He never causes sin or evil, but He allows it in our present world (Romans 8:22-25). 

Jesus explains it concisely in John 16:33: "In this world you will have trouble."

But God does more than that. He gives us overflowing love and comfort to deal with our present problems and promises an eternity free from sorrow (2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Revelation 21:4-5). 

That's why John 16:33 doesn't end with the word trouble:

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  Jesus

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Why not add some more of God's Word to your schedule by having a 1-minute devotion delivered to your email each weekday. Sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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Thanks! I Needed That!

Getting back on track when you're facing challenges and sorrows...

I was talking to a Christian sister and fretting about some problems.

My friend suggested I read some of the devotions I write. 😊

Sometimes we need friends to get us back on track. Just because we know the truth doesn't mean we obey it. That's why honest friendships are invaluable (Proverbs 27:6; see We Need Friends, Not Fans.)

After talking with my friend, I headed for my Bible and God spoke volumes through these two passages: 

Matthew 6:25-34 

1. I'm loved by God (v. 26).

2. He knows my needs (v. 32). 

3. I can handle one day at a time as long as I don't project my problems into the future (v. 34). 

Philippians 4:4-9 

4. Rejoicing in my salvation is important (v. 4). 

5. Prayer overcomes anxiety (v. 6). 

6. Thanksgiving is essential because dwelling on my blessings brings peace and perspective (vv. 6-9).

Thanks, sis, I needed that!

See 90% of the Time We're Wrong to get more Scriptural advice about worry.

Want to do a quick Bible study on this devotion? Then head over to Bite Size Bible Study.

 

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King David's Key to a Healthy Faith

It's not about being sinless, it's about being repentant...

King David committed some big sins. But his life is remembered as godly because of one major aspect of his character.

David had a remarkable ability to honestly repent of his sins. He knew that unrepentant sin would separate him from God, and he loved God too much to let that happen.(1)  

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us." 1 John 1:8-10(2)   

Christians who minimize their sins build walls of carnality, hypocrisy, and weakness in their lives. They may claim "that's just the way I am" or offer other self-defense excuses.

In contrast, there are Christians who honestly face their sins and humbly repent. They typically display 6 Aspects of Godly Sorrow. Most importantly, they bring purity and renewal to their relationship with God (Psalm 51:10-12).

When we sin, let's sincerely repent!

I encourage you to compare David's sincere repentance with King Saul's insincere repentance: Anatomy of an Insincere Repentance. 

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(1) "Repentance" as used in Scripture (e.g. 2 Timothy 2:25) involves a change of heart and mind. If we repeatedly confess a sin without determined efforts to avoid it, we have not sincerely repented of it.

 These passages should inspire us to be honest, humble, and repentant:

Psalm 66:18: "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened."   

See I'm Not Listening.

James 4:6-10: "'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.' Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

Isaiah 66:2: "These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word."  

Psalm 145:18: "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."

Psalm 51:17: "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." 

(2) The Greek word translated "confess" in this verse means to promise, agree, confess, declare. It's more than simply admitting to a sin. It's agreeing with God that what we have done is wrong.

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first 4 devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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6 Tips to Make Scripture Memory Easier

Let's quit memorizing excuses, and start memorizing Scripture. 😊 Because “hiding God’s Word in our hearts” has far-reaching benefits (Psalm 119:11). 

Some suggestions:
  
1. Painless Memorization: Recite the same verse every day until you memorize it. Then add another verse and do the same.

See 3 Ways to Focus on Jesus When You're Busy.
  
2. Mutual Memorization: Memorize a passage each week with a friend so you can keep each other accountable.

See The Blessings of a Peer Mentor.
  
3. Musical Memorization: Advertisers use music and catchy jingles because these things help us remember. Try "singing" Scripture passages using familiar tunes or make up "Scripture jingles."

See Do You Know Your Burger Better than Scripture?   

4. Retro Memorization: In the 1970's many of the praise songs were straight Scripture, and you can still find many of them online. Listening to these songs as a new Christian greatly helped me memorize Bible verses. 

See Music Appreciation. 
  
5. Artistic Memorization: Draw pictures and symbols, use outlines and bullet points to help visualize and remember passages.

See Creative Bible Study and Journal is a Verb.
  
6. 3X3 Memorization: This method explained HERE is based on Psalm 119:97.
  
Why not make it your goal to memorize at least one new passage each month.

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I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first 4 devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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Accentuate the Positive

A biblical cure for discouragement...

I remember an old Bing Crosby song my mom used to sing called "Accentuate the Positive." 

Its lyrics encouraged a positive perspective on life, and they remind me of an even better lyric from Philippians:

"Rejoice in the Lord always ... in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things ... And the God of peace will be with you..." Philippians 4:4-9 

Christ promises a perfect eternity filled with joy beyond our imagination.

This allows us to "accentuate" the positive no matter how hard our circumstances.

Here are some ideas that can help us focus on good things even when we're in the midst of uncertainty and difficulty:

1. Pull out the picture albums and thank God for all the good things in your childhood.

2. Keep a Happiness Diary and don't miss a day! 

3. "Gather" Stones of Remembrance. 

4. Write a note of thanks to people who have helped you grow in the Lord. 

5. Focus on helping others, a great way to Beat the Blues. 

6. Do a Philippians 4:8 Detox. 

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If you want to hear Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters sing this song: Accentuate the Positive. I actually prefer Ella Fitzgerald's version Here.   

 FREE E-BOOKLET:

Why not add some more of God's Word to your schedule by having a 1-minute devotion like this one delivered to your email each weekday. Sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet that will help you add joy and depth to your Quiet Time. Find out more HERE. 

 

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Winning Another Kind of Jackpot: Money versus Wisdom

She lost the lottery but her daughter gained wisdom and values...

Gloria Mackenzie, 84, stepped in front of Mindy Crandell, 34, in the lottery ticket line. The store clerk noticed and offered to let Mindy go first, but she declined. 

That gracious act cost Crandell $590.5 million because Mackenzie won the Powerball Jackpot with a ticket that Crandell would have purchased.

Surprisingly, Crandell has no ill feelings. 

"It could have been us, but things happen. Sometimes it's better to be patient than right. I knew we were teaching our daughter* the right thing," Crandell said.

Let's set aside the issue of gambling/lotteries for the sake of discussion: What if your decision to be gracious cost you millions. 

Would you respond like Crandell?

I don't think I would.

But Scripture confirms Crandell's attitude.

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! Proverbs 16:16

Situations like these define our real values. 
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See also: Philippians 2:3-4;   Romans 8:28

* Crandell's daughter was with her in line
Source: ABC News

Good Skeptics - Acts 17

Christians should study Scripture for themselves so they recognize error...

In seminary they taught us the difference between eisegesis and exegesis.

Eisegesis = starting with a belief and searching for Scriptures to support it. This typically involves taking verses out of context and twisting their meaning. To see an example: Popular Teachings of Joel Osteen.

Exegesis = the opposite of eisegesis. It means studying Scripture carefully to form our beliefs.

A number of dangerous philosophies are based on eisegesis, and many Christians unwittingly accept them because they usually appeal to our fallen human nature.

We should question any philosophy that is as popular in the world as in the church. Being politely skeptical like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 prevents us from being taken captive:

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:8 

Have you accepted teachings without testing them with Scripture? I give an example of eisegesis used to support the self-esteem philosophy HERE.

To do a very short Bite Size Study on this devotion, click HERE.

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