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Dear Friends,

Last week we looked at ways we can make reading the Bible the cornerstone of our “Spiritual Fitness Plan.” If we want to step closer to God, it simply makes sense to spend more time reading the Book that will help us keep from stumbling. “Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.” Psalm 119:165 (NLT)

The second building block in our Spiritual Fitness Plan is prayer. In Ephesians 6:18 the Apostle Paul tells the Ephesians, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” In First Thessalonians 5:16-18 he proclaims, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Taking time to pray isn’t something we should do once in a while; it is something we need to do while we are doing everything else. Making daily prayer part of our Spiritual Fitness Plan can help us deal with our past, find guidance for our present, and build hope for the future.

There is a joke that would be funny if it weren’t so true: Q: How many psychiatrists does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: Who cares? They spend most of their time trying to figure out how to remove the old bulb.

Rather than focusing on the path in front of us, we can become so preoccupied with the “would haves,” “could haves,” and “should haves” that we become blind to how far we have come. And we have come a long way — “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”  If we let him, God will take out those “old light bulbs of our past” and give us the opportunity to shine for Him. Prayer can help us internalize this truth.

We read in Philippians, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Do you need assurance that God loves you in spite of things you may have done … or things done to you? Take your concerns to God in prayer and trust his answers.

In her book Uninvited: Living Life When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely, Lysa TerTeurst writes, “God’s love isn’t based on me; it’s placed on me.” Later she explains, “He waits every day with every answer we need, every comfort we crave, every affection we’re desperate for, while we look everywhere else but at Him … We run at a breakneck pace to try and achieve what God simply wants us to slow down enough to receive. Fully. Completely. Perfectly. In Him. With Him. By Him. We just have to turn to Him. And sit with Him. No matter what.”

Jesus spoke about the perfect Spiritual Fitness Plan in John 15:7 (ICB). “Remain in me and follow my teachings. If you do this, then you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you.”

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ

 

Dear Friends:

Millions of Americans have joined the Fitbit® craze. Just in case you’re not into the latest tech-gadgets, let me explain what a Fitbit® is. A Fitbit® is a pendant-size or wristwatch-size device that monitors your physical activity and motivates you to do more. Fitbit® fans establish goals for the number of hours they sleep, the number of steps they take, and the number of calories they burn. It is not unusual to see a Fitbit® fan jogging in front of the television set, refusing to go to bed until they reach their 10,000 step goal. One “Fitbit® aficionado” we know even jokingly asked a friend to wear her Fitbit®, explaining that she was running behind her step goal and needed help catching up.

I’m teasing about people who wear Fitbits. One of the essential elements in any fitness program is keeping track of your progress. In fact, the Apostle Paul probably would have owned a First Century “Fitus-Bitus” if such a device had been available. “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should.” Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:27a (NLT) “

Of course, the Apostle placed a much higher priority on measuring spiritual fitness. “Athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step.” 1 Corinthians 9:25-26a.

How can we keep track of our spiritual fitness? Is there a metaphorical “Spiritual Fitbit®” we can rely on to help us measure the steps we take towards God each day? Actually there is; it’s our Bible. My Grandma Alice was a devoted Christian. I can’t count how many times I would visit and find her sitting in her lounge chair carefully reading her King James Version of the Bible. The pages were dog-eared, and so many passages were highlighted that you figured you might as well read the whole page. She took Psalm 119:105 seriously. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Grandma Alice’s Bible showed that her favorite exercise was spiritual jogging.

By contrast, we can be like the “fitbit® aficionado” referenced above who thought someone else could get her steps for her. Our “Spiritual Fitbit®” — our Bible — won’t do us any good unless we make it part of our daily routine. If our only exposure to the Word is on Sunday, our spiritual fitness program needs a tune-up.

Know your Coach: An indispensable first step in a spiritual tune-up is to make sure you have the right Fitness Coach —Jesus. “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” Romans 3:22 (NLT)

Set your goals: Next we need to make sure we have set the right spiritual goals. King David wrote in 1 Chronicles 16:11, “Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.” In Psalm 25:4-5 he wrote, “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. If we are going to seek Him, shouldn’t we rely on the one Book that will show us how to find Him?

Build a team: “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.” Proverbs 15:22.

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Proverbs 18:20 (NIV)

The above Scriptures remind us that a support team can help us move toward improved spiritual fitness. Joining a small group or participating in a Bible study can put you in contact with others who are taking important steps towards God.

Set aside time: In the first verse of Ecclesiastes we are reminded, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”  It is also important to set aside specific times to work on our spiritual health. One couple we know has a period of devotions each morning and prayers of thanksgiving at bedtime. King David wrote, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening.”

Add resources: When you’re ready to kick your spiritual workout into high gear, there is a plethora of resources you can tap into:

1. Today most churches have sermon archives and/or small group studies on their websites.
2. Christian Bookstores offer a wide variety of devotionals such as Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest, Max Lucado’s Grace for the Moment, and Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling.
3. Study Bibles, Reading Plans, and Commentaries can help you gain a deeper understanding of what you read in the Scriptures.
4. If you have access to the internet, there are two free resources you may want to check out: https://www.blueletterbible.org/ and https://www.biblegateway.com.
5. Our personal favorite resource is Biblegateway which allows us to search 54 different English translations of the Bible.
6. There are audio versions of the Bible that you can play on your Iphone or Mp3 player as you work out.
7. This Fall the Museum of the Bible is scheduled to open in Washington, D.C. https://www.museumofthebible.org/
8. Perhaps you would like to share with others steps you are taking that bring you closer to God. We encourage you to leave a comment at www.becausewelovehim.wordpress.com.

Scripture for the Week: Psalm 37:23 “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”

Blessings, Your Friends in Christ

Dear Friends,

Do you remember the Etch-A-Sketch® we played with as children? You could scribble anything you wanted on them, and then with a shake of the tablet or a twist of the wheel erase what been had written and start again.

Unfortunately it takes more than a shake or a twist to erase our negative thoughts. Memories of how we have been hurt by others, or thoughts of how we have intentionally or accidentally hurt others can leave deep emotional scars. How, we wonder, can we obtain a tabula rasa — a clear slate — a mind not troubled by old experiences, guilt, or pain?

Clearing the slate involves forgiveness. It starts with the words of Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer. “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

I find enlightening the explanation of this Scripture in Matthew Henry’s Commentary: “This is not a plea of merit, but a plea of grace. Note, Those that come to God for the forgiveness of their sins against him, must make conscience [the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one’s conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action] forgiving those who have offended them.”

Sometimes we have been hurt so badly we cry, “Do you not know what THEY have done to me? Jesus responds, “Do you not know what I have done for you?”

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13 (NLT)

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes hang on to guilt from my own past wrongs like a dog fighting for a bone. I know that confession — telling God what he already knows about us — is a starting point in erasing negative thoughts. I also believe    1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Nevertheless, it can still be a challenge for me to forgive myself. Ever feel that way?

Digging for answers, I read Proverbs 28:13: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” My eyes stopped at the word “renounces.” What does it mean to renounce one’s sins? The Reformation Study Bible offers this explanation: “The orderliness and well-being in one’s life is linked to an intensely personal relationship with God. Unconfessed sin is the ultimate disorder in life. Confession and repentance lead to a restoration of a right relationship with God, based on mercy.”

We are told to confess and repent, with repentance being a commitment to feel and show that you are sorry for something bad or wrong that you did and that you sincerely want to do what is right. As the old saying goes, “If you want to show me you are sorry, don’t do it again!”

In 2 Corinthians 7:10, we are warned that there is a difference between true repentance and “wordly sorrow”. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” With this in mind, it is important to make sure that our “repentance” is prompted by our grief over how we have offended God, not just remorse over the immediate consequences of our actions.

Recently I heard a pastor say that confessing your sins to someone you trust can help you to heal. That’s biblical. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16. Of course, we should always choose our person to confide in with Proverbs 11:13 in mind: “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.”

 In our confessing, we also need to avoid being like the thief who is compelled to return to the scene of the crime. If we repeatedly return to thoughts of a particular sin, it’s time to ask the Holy Spirit to help us forgive ourselves, and trust that God already has.

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:8-12

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ

Dear Friends,

How would you feel if you were listening to a sermon when the pastor paused, smiled, then before he continued his sermon said, “But to you who are listening?“ Would you be offended? Would you wonder if he thinks his teaching is so powerful that everyone should be listening? What if you had heard what the pastor was saying — but in truth —you hadn’t really been listening.

Perhaps the pastor realizes that hearing is passive, listening is active. Your brain is amazing, but it can’t process more than one conscious thought at a time. You can’t wrap your thoughts around a discourse on the Sermon on the Mount, for instance, if you are worrying about the pork roast you left in the oven. Your mind may flip from the Beatitudes to the pork roast, but you will not be actively listening when your mind is in pork-roast mode.

Another problem is perceptual filters. If we like someone and they are saying things we agree with, almost anything they say is OK. If we don’t like them or if the message touches a sore spot, almost nothing they say will be acceptable. We need only look at the ministry of Jesus to know this is true. Contrast the reaction of those who followed him with the scorn of the Pharisees:

“When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching … “ Matthew 7:28 (NIV)

^“But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” Matthew 12:24.

Back to that hypothetical pastor who inserted into his sermon the words, “But to you who are listening.” It could be he was borrowing from another sermon.

In Luke 6:20-22, we read: Looking at his disciples, he (Jesus) said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.  Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.   Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you     and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward   in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.”

At this point Jesus offered a contrast that may have caused a portion of the crowd to tune out.

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.  Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.  Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.”

Jesus knew that some in the crowd would have stopped “listening” because they had other things on their mind. Some would have tuned out because Jesus had bumped into their perceptual barriers. Jesus knew that even he couldn’t hold everybody’s attention so he continued, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Jesus emphasizes the importance of listening later in Luke when he says, ““So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.” Luke 8:18 (NLT)

In proverbs we read, “The mind of a smart person is ready to get knowledge. The wise person listens to learn more.” Proverbs 18:15

Romans teaches: “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”

None of us has “20-20” hearing 24-7! Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit will help us to listen with ears tuned to God’s frequency, more frequently.

Blessings, Your Friends in Christ

 

Dear Friends,

Coincidence or miracle?

Anne had just returned to her apartment from out-patient eye surgery, and the burning in her eyes was almost more than she could bear.

“Dear Father,” she prayed. ”Please send someone who can go to Walgreens to get the eye drops I need.”

A soft knock on the door and the kind voice interrupted her prayer. “I was thinking about you and wondered if there was anything you need.”

She opened the door to find her friend Bonnie who had missed her birthday and had stopped by to drop off a gift. The real gift came when Bonnie was able to pick up the prescription her friend had just prayed for.

Several Scriptures come to mind:

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16b “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers.” 1 Peter 3:1 “The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer.” Psalm 6:9

In this instance, God answered the prayers of a righteous person by having a friend arrive at just the right moment.

Of course the skeptic will say that this was just a coincidence. Actually, Bonnie had just decided that morning to visit Anne. Had she arrived early, Anne would not have been home. But rather than going directly to her friend’s home, she stopped by the Automobile Club to pick up her new license plates. It took much longer than expected to get the plates, so she stopped for lunch before driving to see her friend.

Bonnie didn’t see a vision like Ananias did in the Acts 9; she didn’t hear a whisper like Elijah did in 1 kings 19 — but we believe that, as we read in proverbs 16:9, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

Merriam-Webster defines a miracle as an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God. Do you see the amazing things that happen in your life as coincidences or as miracles? Psalm 66:5 invites us to “Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!” Expect a miracle today.

“Coincidence is God’s way of being anonymous.” ― Laura Pedersen,

Verse for the Week:

“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NIV)

Blessings, Your Friends in Christ

The plates Bonnie picked up are a reminder that Jesus Christ loves you too!