Happy Music Monday - Christmas: The Christmas Song

One last song, and the Christmas season wouldn't be complete without the Nat King Cole classic.

Happy Music Monday - Christmas: O Come All Ye Faithful

The amazing talent and signature sound of Celtic Woman.
"Sing, choirs of angels..." this is how it must really sound!

Happy Music Monday - Christmas: O Holy Night

Acapella version of one of my very favorite Christmas carols by one of my very favorite country music artists, Martina McBride

Happy Music Monday - Christmas: Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child

I dare you to watch this and not dance. And clap. I actually have the Mariah Carey version on my iPod and LOVE LOVE LOVE it, and listen to it every day during the Christmas season. Mariah's version is fabulous, but Kelly and Fantasia give her a run for her money!

Flashback Friday - the most wonderful time of the year

I realize I didn't have a Random Thought post on Wednesday, but here it is anyway -- what's with all the glitter on Christmas decorations? Seriously, do we NEED all that?? Even if you don't buy any of it, you can't even walk thru a Walgreens without it sticking to you. I'll be vacuuming and dusting that stuff up until the next Hokie football season.

Speaking of Hokie football - once AGAIN, headed to the ACC Championship! And yeah, we were 0-2 with a loss to Div I-AA JMU, but who's counting?

Team Stilwell

Flashing back to the previous week, let me just say that we had a FABULOUS Thanksgiving weekend. We started the day with the Drumstick Dash 5K to benefit the Roanoke Rescue Mission. This was their highest turnout - 11,500 runners and walkers! And I'm proud to report that Susan Lower and I ran all but 1/2 mile, which is pretty remarkable considering neither of us are runners.

My inlaws fixed a fabulous dinner for us that afternoon and even invited my parents to come! My mother-in-law is a great cook so we left their house STUFFED, and the eat-a-thon continued throughout the weekend with my tons-of-fun Rinehart family:

Friday night - big turkey dinner

70+ for dinner this year.
It was an off-year (most of the cousins didn't come)

SO much good food and SO much to catch up on!

The seasoned physical therapist (Gina)
advises the potential PT (Sarah)

Heated round of Speed Scrabble
(BTW notice all the Hokie-wear)

 

My brother-in-law Andy.
Our family's version of "Man vs Food"

Hidden Objects - it's hard not to get addicted to it!

Mexican Train Dominoes
The sisters don't like the way their big brother is playing

My beautiful cousins -
we discovered the cutie on the right shares a birthday with me!

We took Sarah back to JMU on Sunday, which means we spent a fair amount of time on I-81, which is where you DON'T want to be on a holiday weekend. But the kids are back and getting ready for exams, and I've got the house decorated and ready for them to come home. In less than 2 weeks. Not that I'm counting or anything.

Happy Music Monday - Christmas: What Child Is This

I promise this version will give you chills, one of the most unusual and BEST vocal pairings I've ever heard - Andrea Bocelli and Mary J Blige
And it's available on iTunes so hurry and download it!

Random Wednesdays - Thanksgiving

This is my favorite time of the year, even more than Christmas. What could be better than a huge meal with the people you love to kick-off the beginning of all the Christmas fun?! Plus it reminds me to reflect on all the things I'm thankful for, and there are a heavenly PLENTY of them.

Things like:

• family and friends
• living in America, and in particular SW VA
• food, clothes and shelter
• opportunities
• creature comforts that are too many to list
• God's grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, comfort, joy, hope... the list of blessings that coming from knowing Christ Jesus are too many to list!

Look Ma, no NG tube!

Something else I'm VERY thankful for, and not just on Thanksgiving day but EVERY day, is good health. Some of y'all know this is a BIG one for me considering that I spent back-to-back Thanksgivings recovering from surgery. The first one (2007) was spent IN the hospital with a nasogastric tube (aka a hose up your nose). The next year (2008) I was released one day before Thanksgiving. Even though I had NO appetite, at least I wasn't in a hospital bed!

Some of the things that blessed me to no end during that time was the outpouring of love, prayers and help from my family and friends. We always had something good to eat, and lots of my sweet friends were sensitive to my queasy stomach and brought things they knew I would enjoy. My girlfriends would take me out for car rides so I could get out of the house. My sister Janet took me to run errands, and she and my bff Susan Lower decorated my house and put up my tree BOTH years, and that was a blessing beyond measure.

I learned a lot of lessons during that time, and I do mean a LOT, but one of them that really stuck is the power of the pen. Oh my gosh, I got SO many cards and notes during that time! That was one of the biggest encouragements, and nothing was better than walking to the mailbox (which was sometimes my exercise for the day) and finding a note from a friend. They seemed to miraculously come on a day when I was feeling down and convinced my crazy health-rollercoaster would never end. Note-writing seems to be a lost art in our world of electronic communication (which you know I LOVE) but there is something about a handwritten note. It can often seem like an insignificant thing to do for someone, but it's something the Lord can use it to speak to their heart.

So I keep a stash of note cards and stamps in my desk and I try to send notes to people as the Lord lays them on my heart. I go through periods where I'm pretty good, but this fall I've been a little lax. As I was praying for my friends who've lost family members in the last year, the Lord reminded me that their hurt will be particularly deep this year. Then I thought of friends who have had other losses like jobs and relationships. And some of my friends are just plain HURTING. Would they like to know that I'm praying for them and remembering that this Thanksgiving and Christmas might not be as easy to celebrate?

Team Stilwell

People all around us are hurting and needy, so one thing we're doing as a family Thanksgiving day is running in the Roanoke Rescue Mission's Drumstick Dash. (Actually, it won't be as much running as it will be powerwalking interspersed with an occasional jog!) This is one of their biggest fundraisers and helps the Rescue Mission do what it does best - reach out to the less fortunate. It was SO much fun last year and we saw lots of folks we knew, so we're making it a family tradition - as long as nobody is in the hospital!

Happy Music Monday - Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone

Wow, it's been way to long since we've heard from Chris...

Honor Your Father & Mother

Today I taught one of my favorite Life Group lessons as we studied Ephesians 6. I love this practical letter and I love the tidy way it's written: chapters 1-3 are WHO we are in Christ, chapters 4-6 are HOW we are to behave. Like a lot of our congregations, the Ephesian church didn't seem to have any glaring problems, so this letter from Paul was a lot like a friendly pep talk. Who couldn't use one of those from time to time!

Chapter 6 is a familiar passage to a lot of us, mainly because it follows the dreaded chapter 5. Paul has just addressed the relationship between husbands and wives (namely submission, which is actually a good and helpful thing if people would take the time to learn what it really IS). He now continues his instruction on harmony in the home as he turns his attention to the parent-child relationship:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'--which is the first commandment with a promise-- that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." ~Eph 6:1-4

For many in our class, our child-rearing days are long past. Even though it is hard to discipline kids, no matter WHAT age, the benefits are SO worth it. Undisciplined children are never happy or satisfied, and they are disappointed in relationships because they can't always get their way. They also don't respect authority in the home, which means they won't respect authority OUT of the home. It's a parent's job to train and instruct their children so they can be mature adults who know who they are in Christ and how they are to relate to others. Even when our children are adults, we can still instruct and train by talking to them about our mistakes and the things that concern us as we age.

And aging parents... that's something many of us are dealing with now. There are special considerations with aging, particularly when mental faculties become impaired. I have several friends whose parents are in the throes of dementia and Alzheimers. How tragic it is to watch your parents become forgetful, lose their independence, and even forget who you are. There are tough decisions to be made and they can often put family members at odds with each other. While there are no easy answers and every situation is unique, full-time supervised care is often in the best interest of the parent and the family grieves over those decisions.

Sometimes family dysfunction makes it difficult to honor and care for parents, but regardless of the level of dysfunction in the family, and since we're all flawed I would dare say that every family has at least a some level of dysfunction, our parents have made sacrifices for us and love us and it's our responsibility to honor them. In fact, we are commanded to honor them AND it's the first commandment with a promise - if we honor our parents, things will go well with us and we'll live a long life!

(Please understand that I'm not trivializing dysfunction. When there are serious issues like abuse, it's VERY important to find a godly professional counselor who can help sort through those issues. Healing isn't easy but it IS possible. We serve a God who raised Christ Jesus from the dead and He can also breathe new life into dead or dying relationships.)

We brainstormed some ideas about how we, as adults, can honor our parents. We came up with a great list:

• spend time with them
• talk with them
• ask questions about their history
• understand their personality
• ask them for advice
• include them in your life
• be thankful for them
• look out for their best interests
• forgive them 
• be gracious to them
• respectfully listen to them tell stories over and over and over :)

(I will confess that I am more than mildly convicted here and have a lot of room for improvement.)

One funny thing we admitted is that every parent has eccentricities and idiosyncrasies, and they seem to become more pronounced with age. To protect the innocent (and keep peace in the family) I won't list any of them here, but YOU KNOW what I'm talking about! Sometimes we feel like we need to step in and try to correct them,  but that's not always the case. Sometimes it's just something that gets under OUR skin and others find endearing and amusing. And that led me to this epiphany:

If it doesn't endanger their LIFE (physical health and safety) or their LIVELIHOOD (financial situation, well-being, independence), LET IT GO. Understand their individual personality and temperament, and appreciate their uniqueness. And when you feel yourself groaning or feeling frustrated, just take a deep breath and remember - they are providing you with stories to tell your grandchildren!

Being able to graciously and patiently smile at little irritants will go a long way in keeping harmony in the house, and more importantly it will set an example for OUR children, because before long WE will be the aging parents with the idiosyncrasies and eccentricities ... How will we want our children to treat US?

Flashback Friday - here come the kids!

I am beside myself with joy because the kids are coming home for Thanksgiving -- for the WHOLE WEEK and we are killing the fatted calf!  Well, not literally since we don't farm but I HAVE stocked up on all the necessary snacks and comfort food!

So here's the plan: my sweet Sarah wants to sit on the couch in our PJs, eat Lime Tostidos and watch West Side Story. Then we'll break open the white cheddar popcorn and watch Sound of Music if we can't find a copy of My Fair Lady. The guys will roll their eyes and probably head to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch 15 football games at once. What-EVER

One thing I won't be doing much of is shopping. I will confess that I have purchased exactly ONE Christmas gift, a special something for a certain JMU freshman. I bought said gift when I was shopping with my BFF Sandi in Scottsdale. Last week my VT sophomore informed me that his Xbox got the "red ring of death" which sounded bad enough but then he told me it was FATAL, which means... everybody knows what he's getting.

Something cool I discovered is that I had been shopping and didn't even KNOW IT! Now granted, I can be a little scatterbrained at times (alright, a LOT scatterbrained), but that wasn't the case for once! The Gov brought in a bag of new clothes today, and they turned out to be MY Christmas gift to HIM! And I did QUITE a job! I'm not sure what all there was in that bag but I did see several new dress shirts with French cuffs, which is unusual for my preppy and conservative husband. So I've checked HIM off the list - which is a relief since he's the hardest person ON EARTH to shop for.

So really, I'm doing pretty well considering I've only actually "shopped" once! I'm going to try to get some decorating done while the kids are home since I can't bear the thought of decorating the tree by myself. No sir-ree, NOT going there. So the kids will help me and then take their own little trees back to college with them!

They told me they've been listening to Christmas music ALL MONTH. And it's not even Thanksgiving - what's up with THAT? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas music but... November??

November is a month for giving thanks...
for family, friends, good health, good doctors, good medicine, a favorable report, a restful sleep, a tasty meal, a comfortable home, a pretty drive, a beautiful sunset, a warm rain, a morning walk, a new adventure, an encouraging word, my little dog, a belly-laugh, a crossword puzzle, my morning  coffee, a fudgy brownie, a hot shower, clean water, warm bread, an interesting book, a happy song, fuzzy socks, tender care, a long embrace, a fresh insight, the right word, a call from someone you love, a knowing look, an inside joke, accomplishing a goal, feeling safe, knowing you're loved...

And then the really important things - Jesus, grace, mercy, forgiveness, freedom, faith, opportunities...

Every single day there is SO much -- THANK YOU, LORD!!

Random Wednesdays - I love my gadgets

Way back in the early 80s... and I mean the 1980s... when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was a student at Virginia Tech, I majored in computer science. The primary reason I did it was to secure gainful employment after graduation. My parents were old-school and told me (1) they would only pay for 4 years of college,and (2) at the end of the aforementioned 4 years I needed to have a job.

Mind you, it wasn't the perfect career match for me, of which I had an inkling during my sophomore year. Aside from the challenge of problem-solving, I didn't enjoy programming and I did what every floundering second-year student does - I took a career placement evaluation. Of course it confirmed my suspicions that I wasn't well-suited to a career in programming, but what I WAS suited for didn't pay enough to keep me out of my parent's house. So I stuck with the original plan and graduated with a BS in Computer Science, and it served me WELL, in more ways than one.

As it happened, I DID secure gainful employment immediately after graduation and I enjoyed working 8 years in the industry. (At the end of those 8 years I was a young mama with 2 babies, and it was time to move from systems support to domestic diva - a position I completely LOVED!)

More importantly, I gained a level of comfort and confidence with programming electronic devices, which been a skill that has paid off HANDSOMELY. My vcr NEVER blinked "12:00" and I embrace every programmable gadget that enters our house, much to the delight of the Gov.

Anybody who knows me AT ALL knows that I love my Blackberry and that little piece of plastic polymer is of great value to me because it has become my brain. It contains all my contacts, my calendar, my lists, my notes, my tunes I can't live without, my email...

And then there is my iPod... I won't get started on that except to say that it does almost everything that my Blackberry does except to function as a phone (which my Mac buddies tell me is my next frontier - iPhone)

And I have to mention my netbook. This little laptop has been halfway around the world with me, and is one of the handiest things I own. All I need is a back-up flash drive and I'm in business!

Way back in the day we couldn't imagine the technology that we have now. The thing that blows my mind is the storage - my co-workers and I never dreamed we'd need more than a gigabyte for personal/home storage, and we knew of a terabyte but couldn't even fathom that kind of storage. I've got a 16G memory card in my Blackberry that's the size of my pinkie fingernail and you can get a terabyte of storage at Staples. And for those of you who may be wondering, after terabyte comes petabyte. (No clue what comes after THAT.)

Technology is so cool - Just think of how far we've come with cell phones in the past 5 years, and what will they look like in another 5 years? Smartphones will be dumb, petabytes will the new standard, and who knows what kinds of apps we'll be using, but I'll be the geek studying the user guide and scouring the online forums to figure out how to use them all.

BUT... if something terrible happens and we end up gadget-less, I can always pursue the career I was best suited for... and this is not a joke:
Funeral Director.

Go figure.

Happy Music Monday - Better Than A Hallalujah

I love everything about this one: lyrics, photography, melody, Amy Grant's sweet voice...

Flashback Friday - from Ridgecrest to Richmond!

It's been a long and crazy week, but a really good one! I've spent the bulk of the week in Black Mountain, NC at Ridgecrest Training Center.  Lifeway Women put on a fabulous training event for women's ministry leaders.  Lots of great speakers, lots of great messages, lots of great worship, and lots of great encouragement for a group of tired leaders who love to serve but need an occasional jump-start!

I always like to look back at an event like this and try to condense what I've learned each day into a sentence or two, and then at the end try to boil it all down to a central thought. And this was it (for me) -

• SEE them - those who are outcast or hurting or falling through the cracks
• GO to them - to where they're comfortable, which isn't within the church doors
• CONNECT with them - build relationships and share life
• CONTRIBUTE to their lives - share Jesus with them, help them with practical needs, study the Word with them, speak truth into their lives

While I was there I got to hear some great speakers, including some newer voices - Margaret Feinberg and Kelly Minter. These gals are eloquent and passionate about their relationship with the Lord and are just sweet FRESH voices. I didn't have a lot of interaction with them but after hearing them both and looking over their published material, I'd describe Margaret as earthy and thoughtful, and Kelly as outdoorsy and compassionate. I really liked them a lot and I'm looking forward to reading their stuff.

And then there are those I know and love and got to see up-close-and-personal...

Angela Thomas

Travis Cottrell & Becky

FBCR Friends
Marcia, Becky, Jean, Bev,
Diane & Martha

It was also great to hang out with some of the gals I serve with on our Women's Min team at FBCR.

Four of us toured the Biltmore Estate in Asheville before we headed home. To call the Vanderbilt's mountain retreat expansive and opulent is a gross understatement. It's beyond amazing.

Christmas Lights at the Biltmore

After a long drive home, I tossed in a load of laundry, kissed the Gov, hit the hay and even slept IN. All the way to 7:30! After a couple of errands, I jump BACK in the car to get Sarah and take her to Richmond where we'll shop, hang out with Chaz and then watch our beloved HV Titan cheerleaders compete in the VHSL State Cheerleading Championship. This will be Sarah's first tournament in the stands, so it'll be bittersweet. We'll try to counter that bittersweetness with a stop at the Cheesecake Factory. 

That should do the trick :)

Random Wednesdays - the fascination of our God!

First there was Happy Music Monday, because it's always good to start the week with a happy song in your heart. Now there is Random Wednesdays, because... well, just because. My family knows I have a lot of random thoughts, some deep and some not-so-deep. It's not my fault. God puts ideas in my head and I need them to come out. Maybe some of y'all can relate to my random thoughts, but if not - at least it'll make you ponder. Or laugh. Or roll your eyes. Whatever.

Today I was thinking about fireworks. At last week's Thursday Night ESPN College Football game, where my beloved Virginia Tech Hokies squeaked out a win over Georgia Tech (for heaven's sake, don't get the Stilwell men started on that), there was a huge fireworks display after the game. Remember how exciting it was to watch those as a little kid? Well, the little kid in me still thinks they are pretty exciting. This is probably because the little kid in me is more prominent than the grown-up in me. Anyway...

Historians tell us that the Chinese invented fireworks in the 12th century and they are still the world's leading manufacturer and exporter, but who came UP with that? Seriously, the idea of treating gunpowder to produce a kaleidoscopic shower of sparks, stuffing it in casings, layering the casings in a tube, and then igniting the tube and launching it into the sky? How amazing is THAT??


And how FUN is it to think that our Creator God, who spoke the world into existence and holds all things in the palm of His hand, put that idea into some Chinese dude's (or dude-ette's) head back in 1100-something?

As fascinated as I am with a flashy fireworks display, I want to be even more fascinated with God. He is the Author of fascination, wonder and delight and as I sit in His presence each day, not only do I want to find forgiveness, comfort, wisdom, grace, peace, joy... but I also want to find energy and excitement and amazement!

God can never run out of ways to thrill us, but I confess that it's something I don't really ask of Him. Oh, I spend time doing all the usual "prayer things" such as ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) but I wonder what He would do if I asked Him to fascinate me? Oh, I know He's not obligated to fascinate me, but that can't be a common prayer request, so I bet He'd at least chuckle! And just maybe... hmm.

Because I LOVE to study His Word, I suspect that will be the vehicle He uses most of the time. But He also  knows I'm constantly amazed at the beauty in nature with things such as sunrises, sunsets and flower blossoms. And expressions in art like building designs, dance steps and chord progressions.

I think it's fascinating the ideas He puts in people's heads.

All photos are used by permission of Jerald Winter Photography, my fabulously talented brother-in-law. Check out his magnificent photography!

Happy Music Monday - All Of Creation

I love the lyrics to this song, and the photography on this one is great. This band's name says it all: Mercy Me.

Happy Music Monday - Anybody Wanna Pray

One of my favorite ladies -- CeCe Winans!

Rock The Vote

“Rock The Vote” is a movement that was established 20 years ago to inform and involve young people in American politics. This non-partisan, non-profit group uses technology, popular culture and the entertainment industry to reach this growing demographic of voters. Until its inception in 1992 there had been a decline in voter registration and participation in 18-29 year olds, but RTV boasts involving millions of young voters in the political process since the 2004 election.

Truthfully, every voter has the potential to “rock the vote.” Each of us has a responsibility to be informed and know the issues. Some helpful websites are www.virginia.gov (or whatever your state is!) and www.usa.gov. These sites will direct you to their Board of Elections where you can find out where and how to register and where you go to vote. You can also enter your address and find a sample ballot with each office, each candidate and a link to their website, and also the list of referendums. Along with the political party websites, www.gop.com and www.democrats.org, partisan sites and local media sites (television and newspaper), there are also private sites such as www.govguru.com and www.politicsdaily.com that also have interesting information.


Not only should we know the issues but we should also know the candidates. Our choices now will affect our children and grandchildren and it's important to have strong leaders.Former President Ronald Reagan said it well: “Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation.” With the political posturing and negative campaigning that's so popular, it's hard to know what/who to believe, but we can learn a lot by asking some simple questions, such as:

• What is their record of service? 
• Do they vote strictly along party lines or do they vote according to what is in the best interest of their constituents? 
• Are they present for all (or most of) the voting sessions? 
• What are their core beliefs? 
• How have they behaved when their character has been tested? 

There will be MANY issues that arise during an elected official’s term so their character is important. As Will Rogers remarked, “We only get to vote on some man; we never get to vote on what he is to do.” 

The Christian voter has at least two other responsibilities. The first is to know if/how an issue is specifically addressed in scripture, and our stance should line up with His Word regardless of how unpopular it may be. The second is to pray for those who govern us and to remember that God is Who is ultimately in control and He can use anyone to accomplish His purposes, Christians and non-Christians alike.

A great example of how God used a pagan king is found in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23. God moved in the heart of King Cyrus of Persia to release His people from captivity and allow them to return to Jerusalem. An interesting fact that is often overlooked in this account is that God told the prophet Isaiah about His plan for Cyrus. Isaiah recorded that God would “stir up one from the east” and call him in His service (Is 41:2). God also referred to Cyrus by name and even called him His “anointed” (Is 45:1) and said “I will raise up Cyrus… He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free…” (Is 45:13). Even more interesting? God gave Isaiah this message before Cyrus was even born – over 100 years before his reign!

We can never underestimate the sovereignty of God and the plan He has for His children. He desires that we seek and follow Him, regardless of who governs us. Issues WILL arise, but we can claim the promise God made to King Solomon: “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron 7:14)

There is sin in our nation. In reference to the National Day of Prayer Franklin Graham said, “I want to see our nation humble herself, confess sin before God, and ask for His forgiveness. If we, as a nation, did that, we would see healing come to our country.” Christians have a responsibility to lead the way and agree with the Old Testament prophet Daniel who prayed, "We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and rebelled; we have turned away from Your commands and laws (Dan 9)." Daniel was a godly man but he was willing to intercede and confess the sins of his people.

We also need to pray for our leaders... for them to be men and women of character and principle. For their hearts to be transformed. For wisdom, knowledge and discernment. For their safety and the well-being of their family. For the Lord to put godly people in their paths as advisors and support staff. For their courage to stand up for what is right, regardless of what is popular. To guard against greed and immorality. To remember that they serve the public and not special interest groups ...

This week I heard a great address by Dave Earley, a professor at Liberty University. His theme was prayer and he continually asked the audience the following questions:

• Do you believe God can do things bigger than you?
• Better than you?  
• Faster than you? 
• More long lasting than you?

These are rhetorical questions, to be sure, but do we believe these things on a scale as broad as our government and the political arena?

God most certainly CAN change our country, but He's looking for a few good men (and women) who will be faithful to storm heaven with prayers for our nation. Then GOD will rock the vote!

Some noteworthy sites:
www.nationaldayofprayer.com
www.christianvoterguide.com
www.prayandact.org

Happy Music Monday - Jesus Saves

Chart-topper from another of my favorite Christian artists, Jeremy Camp.

Living Stones

Builders are finishing a construction project near my neighborhood. For months we watched it develop: site prepped, footers dug, foundation poured, walls built and roof laid. It’s taken several months to complete but the new office building almost ready to be occupied.

I think it’s interesting that both Paul and Peter refer to the Church as a “building.” Of course there is a tie-in to the Temple and we know that we’re individual temples where the Holy Spirit dwells, but all of us together also make a spiritual building.

Paul taught that the foundation of the Church had been laid by the prophets and apostles with Jesus being the Cornerstone (Eph 2). Imagine a flat area of ground that’s been surveyed and marked off, picture the cornerstone being positioned in the right place, then the foundation stones laid around it.

Peter continued that word picture adding that we are living stones (1 Peter 2). Now imagine a mason with a pallet of stones, except instead of being static and constant, the stones are constantly moving and changing shape! How impossible would it be to build with THAT? Except…

We have a Master Builder Who has a plan for His Building and is breathing life into each of those stones. Each one should be growing and being shaped by the Builder as He moves and positions and fits them in to just the right place to serve just the right purpose.

I wonder what kind of stone I am. I hope I’m strong in the right places and malleable in the weak ones. It’s encouraging to look back at the changes in my life and see where I’ve grown and matured; it’s not-so-encouraging to look back and see some of the same old weaknesses and struggles. But each day brings me one step further in my journey with Christ Jesus and hopefully one step closer to being more like Him.

I think it’s curious that He’s morphed my spiritual gifts over the years. In our study of Ephesians, we see a list of spiritual gifts in chapter 4 and in preparation for my lesson last Sunday I emailed our class and encouraged them to take an online analysis. I remember doing this years ago when I was young and newly married, and I remember how relieved I was that I scored really low on teaching! Twenty-three years of marriage and many life lessons later, guess what my highest score was? Yep, TEACHING. (Never let it be said that God doesn’t have a sense of humor!)

The Master Builder has moved my stone around the building several times, and He may move it around several more times before I breathe my last breath. It’s never easy to be pulled up from a position we’ve been in for a while and it usually takes some smoothing and chipping to fit into the new spot, but if it makes the building stronger and pleases the Builder, I’ll gladly do it.

Do you know your spiritual gifts? Click HERE to find out!
This is a good survey and also gives an analysis you can have for future reference. God hasn't called us to warm the pew on Sunday, He's called us to a faith that actually does something! 
Check it out: James 2

Happy Music Monday - I Will Rise

My family won't be surprised by this week's pick. I get to see this guy LIVE on Thursday, and he is one of my FAVORITE Christian artists ever -- Chris Tomlin.

Happy Music Monday - Our God Reigns

I've decided to perk up my Mondays by posting a great Christian song! I'll try to mix it up, but it won't take long to figure out who my favorites are... and they're all available on iTunes. I know that 'cause they're on my iPod...

Today it's Our God Reigns by Brandon Heath.
Have a blessed week!!

Revival & the Jewish Fall Feasts

I love autumn in Virginia. I love the cool temps, the clear skies and the colorful leaves that blanket our gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains. As the days shorten and the leaves fall, it reminds me of the "old" passing away.

This time of year also marks the celebration of the three Jewish fall feasts:

• Rosh Hashanah (New Year) or Yom Teruah (Day of the Sounding of the Trumpet), 
• Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and 
• Sukkot (Feast of Booths). 

The fall feasts usher in the Jewish new year and are a reminder of the need to have sins forgiven. This gives a fresh start to the year because there is a sense of renewal and celebration as they remember God's faithfulness to them as a nation. The Lord ordered those feasts to help position them to walk faithfully with Him to receive His blessing. 

Evangelical Christians sometimes observe a similar time of renewal and celebration. We call it revival, and like the Jewish fall feasts, it should be preceded by a very important event - repentance.

Repentance, the changing of our minds from our way to God's, prepares us to come before Him. David understood this as he penned Psalm 24. "Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart... He will receive blessing from the Lord." Before revival and renewal can take place in our lives, we need to be clean. God will reveal our sins and weaknesses so we can understand how we got to this place, and when our thinking is in line with His, He will begin His renewing work and show us how to proceed.  

Too many times I just want God to bless my mess. My calendar is full of good things and I want God to work within those to help me further His kingdom. And that's perfectly fine and right when He leads me in those good things, but if I want true revival and renewal, I need to be willing to lay all of those things at His feet and let Him sort through it.

I want to look at these four aspects of my life:

• Spiritual - the way I relate to God
• Physical - the way I care for my body
• Mental-Emotional - the things I think about
• Relational - the way I interact with others

I can put on a good "game face" and look like I have my act together and let me tell you, I am GOOD at it. But God sees behind the game face and knows what's strong and what's weak and what's duct-taped together with good intentions. What is amazing is that He loves for me to dump it all out before Him! Things like...

• I used to be diligent about memorizing scripture, but I'm slacking now.
• Cooler temps = warm food, and this time of year I have a weakness for anything that begins with "apple"!
• I used to read for pleasure. I can't remember the last "fun" book I read.
• Sometimes people get on my nerves. Sorry, but they do. There are times I'd rather do ANYTHING than go out, even clean my house!

Those are a few of the G-rated, superficial elements of my mess. Only He knows what lurks beneath the surface and I want Him to show me where my issues run deep. If I don't deal with those deep roots, they will surely send up more shoots and I'll have to keep dealing with the same kinds of things over and over!

So I will sit at His feet and pour out my heart. (This is a good time to brainstorm and keep a journal!) Then I will pray and ask Him to convict me of the sinful behavior I need to stop. And His Spirit will also reveal the need to cut out some good activity that's keeping me from something better. I'll prayerfully make those changes until I have the peace that I'm where He wants me to be. I won't get legalistic nor will I get lax, and I won't try to tackle every single issue I have and kill myself attempting to be perfect! But I WILL trust Him to give me the grace I need to work on the things that need to change right now.

Little by little He will transform my mess into something that is focused, Christ-like and God-centered. It won't look like what it did, but it's all good because the "old" needs to pass away so the "new" can come.

But it all starts with clean hands and pure hearts...

When Church Leaders Sin.

As long as we take breaths in this life, we will fall short of God’s standard for our lives. But when a popular pastor such as Bishop Eddie Long comes under fire, the whole Christian community is understandably shaken.

We look to our pastors and leaders to inspire us and set an example for us to follow, but often, because of their magnetic personalities or stately demeanors or stellar reputations, we put them on pedestals. And that is a dangerous thing, for them AND for us.

Christians understand the importance of placing our faith in God ALONE because He is the only One Who will never let us down. Each of us has issues and weaknesses in our lives and we all struggle against our flesh in one way or another. We constantly battle against desires, attitudes, and weaknesses so it’s important for us to guard against situations that could cause us to stumble or fall. All it takes is one slip up… just one weak moment in the wrong place at the wrong time… and the course of our life is forever altered.

King David is a great example of this, and the full account is in 2 Samuel 11-12. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and his weak moment not only led to his personal downfall, but set the stage for the entire nation of Israel to fall. His lust for the beautiful Bathsheba led to an adulterous affair, an unplanned pregnancy and then the death of one of his most dedicated warriors.

But David wasn’t alone in his deception. He sent someone to find out about her, then sent messengers to get her, then called on his commander Joab to help him in the cover-up. Because of David’s position as king, those men probably felt as though they had no choice but to obey his orders. God, however, knew how to get David’s attention. He sent the prophet Nathan.

Nathan courageously confronted David and his sin, and an interesting thing happened.

David confessed. David repented. David cried out to God and asked for forgiveness. He didn’t call a press conference and deny the allegations. He didn’t cover up the dirty details. He didn’t rally his advisors around him to defend his actions. David owned up to what he did and, even though there were far-reaching consequences of his sin, David was still blessed and honored by God. David was still a man after His Own heart (1 Sam 13:14).

WOW. After ALL OF THAT, God still blessed him (1 Chronicles 17) and allowed the second son born to him and Bathsheba to reign as king and build the temple that would house His presence. David’s house would be established forever, even though David committed grievous sins. But that’s how God is when we cry out to Him brokenness like David did in Psalm 51.

God will redeem everything we give to Him, but He won’t redeem anything we keep from Him. When we come to him in brokenness and humility, confessing and acknowledging our sin and repenting of it, God is faithful to forgive us and restore us to a right relationship with Him. Then we make it our goal to learn the hard lessons from the consequences of our sin, and to be restored and walk faithfully before Him.

Innocent or not, Bishop Long isn’t the first to be involved in a scandal and he certainly won’t be the last.  Any time a leader is accused of misconduct, it’s incumbent on the church leadership to investigate the allegations. After the investigation has taken place, whoever is in the wrong should be confronted and disciplined and the attitude they should have is one of contrition, humility and repentance. If they confess and allow the congregation to help with their restoration (and the goal of any church discipline must always be restoration), a great deal of healing can take place in both the life of the individual and in the body of believers.

It’s important to remind ourselves that evil is increasing in these last days. Satan knows his time is short so he is cranking up the pressure, especially on the Church. He isn’t omniscient but he is observant and he is crafty. He looks for our weaknesses and then tries to use them to exploit us. He can’t snatch us from God’s hand, but he can steal our joy and cause us to be ineffective IF we don’t guard against his schemes.

1 Peter 4:7 tells us “The end of all this is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so you can pray.” He continues in chapter 5 telling us, ”Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering…”

Bottom line: our church leaders and pastors need our prayer! They have daunting tasks to begin with and it’s even more serious when you add the element of spiritual warfare! Here are some great verses to personalize:

• 1 Corinthians 10:13 – Lord, thank You that no temptation will come upon [leader] except what is common to man, and we thank You for Your great faithfulness – that [leader] won’t be tempted beyond what he/she can bear and that You will provide a way out for him/her. Please help [leader] to recognize that way out and walk through it!
• Colossians 1:10 – Lord, we ask You to help [leader] live a life worthy of You and to please You in every work: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of You.
• 2 Peter 3:14 – Lord, help [leader] make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with You.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, so dig into the Word and begin praying it for you and those you love! It's active and alive and sharper than any two-edged sword!!

Phoenix Shout-out

I just got back from 5 fabulous days in Phoenix!! What a great time we had promoting our trip to Israel next March.  It is going to be another amazing trip and we are praying for the Lord to open doors for more folks to join us, so if you're interested -- let me know!!! Click here to visit the site and download a brochure.

Dr David Barnes, John Rinehart, Med Skeens, me,
Don Schepemaker, Michelangelo & Jon

It was a whirlwind trip that began when we got into town on Wednesday. Our friends Anita and Mark had us over for a fabulous dinner. Thursday was a flurry of activity at Southwestern College, talking with the students at chapel, a panel discussion on ministry, then lunch with the team. What a great Christian college and any college student that is interested in going to Israel with us can get 3 college credits through Southwestern!

Bowling at Lucky Strike

Then we hopped on the light rail and headed downtown for a fun night out. Michelangelo took us to a really cool place - Lucky Strike Lanes. I wasn't prepared to bowl, but it was such a fun time and the food was great!! And Don was The Man... seriously... 180+ is pretty impressive.

me, Rosie & Sandi

Friday I got to have lunch with two of the sweetest women I know, Sandi and Rosie. Sandi and I have been friends since we met on our 2009 Israel trip, but we were only Facebook friends with Rosie... until now. We enjoyed a 2+ hour lunch and got to know Rosie better. What a precious lady and what a remarkable testimony she has. Then Sandi took me to Fashion Square Mall to visit with our friend Glenda... and of course SHOP... 'nuff said :)

Friday night we went to Cibo Urban Pizzeria in downtown Phoenix. What a fun night! If you live in Phoenix, you have to visit this cool downtown bistro. They have a great menu, yummy desserts and live entertainment. Michelangelo and Jon put on a great show to promote his new cd: The Come Away Project. You can download it on iTunes or buy it here on cdbaby. Great alternative Christian rock, and you won't be disappointed.

Jon & Michelangelo
These guys will be blessing us in Israel

I got a little work done on Saturday before the party at Rick and Debbi's house. What gracious hosts they were and they allowed us to show photos of our past trips to Israel and explain our Holy Land ministry to some friends who are interested in making the pilgrimage with us. I recently blogged about our experience and vision, so click here if you'd like to read about what makes our trips distinctive.

Worship at Kineo

Sunday morning was a special blessing because I got to visit Kineo Church, a vibrant and dynamic church plant in downtown Phoenix. Jeff Skeens is a fresh, young, energetic preacher who is on-fire for Jesus. The Lord's hand is all over this faithful group, and it'll be exciting to see how He uses this fellowship for His kingdom.

And one last shout-out to Med and Gail Skeens - Dad and I can't thank you guys enough. Your gracious hospitality went above and beyond anything we could have hoped. We loved meeting your sons and their families, and you are truly blessed and you are truly blessings to everyone around you. And thanks a bunch for letting me take a catnap on your couch Sunday afternoon. The red-eye back to Roanoke was... hmm... let's just say, less than restful...

I'm so blessed to have these friends, these precious brothers and sisters in the Lord. I love the Body of Christ and how we have an instant bond because of our faith in the Lord Jesus. I'm constantly amazed at Who He is and What He does.

The Power of Prayer in the Life of a Christian

What is prayer?  Simply stated, prayer is talking to God.  I find it interesting that so many Christians are uncomfortable praying.  I can understand being uncomfortable praying in public, but praying should be as natural to us as breathing.  So why isn’t it?

I think some Christians make praying harder than it needs to be.  Some feel their prayers are more meaningful or carry more weight if they’re offered in a church.  Some think prayers are only for certain times.  Some think that praying is best left to the professionals – vocational ministers, lay leaders and those who are “good at it.”

But praying is actually pretty simple. We can pray anywhere and anytime, and ANYONE can do it! We just need to understand a few simple components.

When we pray, our focus turns to God and away from ourselves and the world.  Sure, our worries and cares are still there, but our focus isn’t there.  We focus on God so we can know Him better and understand His will in our situation.  He doesn’t expect us to come to Him with a head full of potential solutions and a mouth full of eloquent words, He only expects us to come in:

• Humility – understanding that only He has the big picture for which He alone has the answers, and 
• Faith – believing that He will answer us and wants what's best for us.

Prayer has four basic components:

• Praising Him – for Who He is (almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing, sovereign…)
• Thanking Him – for what He does (the blessings He gives us, even blessings-in-disguise)
• Confessing to Him – the sin that is between us (because it affects our ability to listen to Him)
• Asking Him – our needs and the needs of others.

One of my favorite prayers in scripture is found in Ephesians 1:15-21:  "For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come."

In this prayer, Paul praises God as the source of hope, wisdom and power; Paul thanks Him for the friendship he has with the Ephesians; and he asks God to enlighten the eyes of their hearts so they can experience Him more fully.

Paul asked the Lord to give them a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, not so they would be smarter, but so they could know Him better. And then Paul prayed for their hearts to be enlightened. He didn’t ask the Lord to give them higher IQs or expand their ability to comprehend deep doctrinal issues, Paul prayed for their hearts because a tender heart is far more important to God than a brilliant brain, and that is happy news for ALL of us.

Paul also talks about the power that is available to them (and us). Through the presence of the Holy Spirit living in us, we have the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. Think about that expenditure of divine energy for a minute: all the demonic forces of evil came against Jesus, and He DEFEATED them. Satan’s goal was to keep Jesus dead and in the grave, but He arose and ascended to His Father’s right hand. If you’ve ever seen The Passion of The Christ you’ll remember the gruesome image of Jesus hanging on the cross after His scourging. And three days later all of those lacerations, wounds and bruises were healed. There were scars, but He was whole. Think about the POWER that accomplished that feat alone! As we pray, do we realize we have access to that kind of power? Do we LIVE like we have access to that kind of power?

One of the biggest sources of earthly power is the Hoover Dam.  Its generators can provide electricity to 1.7 million homes, but somebody somewhere needs to flip the switch that starts the engines that release electricity to those homes.

Imagine there is a heavenly barrier like the Hoover Dam that holds back God’s blessings and power.  God can provide those to us, but He wants somebody somewhere to flip the switch of prayer so He can release them to the earth.  Oh, to be sure, God can do WHATEVER He wants WHENEVER He wants to WHOMEVER He wants, but He has designed prayer as our way of communicating with Him.

Prayer is also a way we can encourage others as we pray for them and with them.  As we pray for each other, we remember their needs and concerns and are not always focused on ourselves.  As we pray with them we can help them to focus on God and encourage them to be persistent and faithful as they wait for His answer.

Another amazing thing about prayer is that it’s not only about us in the earthly realm, but it’s also about God Himself.  God desires fellowship with us, and as crazy as that seems, it blesses Him when we pray!  Let that sink in – we BLESS God when we communicate with Him in prayer.  WE BLESS GOD.  Wow.

So let’s talk to Him. It’s not hard.  In fact, it’s just a breath away.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” ~Eph 3:20 (NIV)

9-11 Anniversary

Few days in American history have shaken us as much as September 11, 2001. Images of the two airliners crashing into the Twin Towers, smoke billowing from the windows, dust rising as the buildings collapsed in New York City... fires raging at the Pentagon in Washington DC... fiery blazes from the crashed United Airlines Flight 93 in rural Pennsylvania...

Then we watched determined first responders dressed in full gear rushing down crowded streets, frightened survivors struggling to learn what had happened, grief-stricken families hearing heartbreaking reports...

Those images evoked a feelings that covered the full emotional spectrum: horror, shock, relief, confusion, sorrow, joy, disbelief, anger... You name it, we felt it that day.

Nine years have now passed and many security measures have been enforced, all of which are designed to help us feel safe. But in a world filled with evil, injustice and uncertainty, how can we fight our feelings of despair?

En Gedi

David experienced a similar time in his life as he was running from King Saul in the barren Judean wilderness. Those desperate feelings found their way onto the page when David penned Psalm 142.

He envisions his enemies hiding and setting traps for him, of being chased and feeling all alone. He was faint of spirit and felt that no one cared. There was no place of rest for him and in the eyes and estimation of the world, his situation seemed dire at best.

Saul's army was large, heavily armed, blood-thirsty and determined. David was outnumbered, tired, depressed, hungry & thirsty. In his desperate cry to the Lord he poured out his heart, but even in his cries he acknowledges that God:

• is merciful (v1)
• listens (v2)
• knows David's way (v3)
• is his refuge (v5)
• is his provider (v5)
• can rescue him (v6)
• is good to him (v7)

In the last verse, David asks God to deliver him, but not so he would feel safe or could go back home. David asked God to deliver him so he could PRAISE HIM and testify of His goodness to him.

Praising God in the midst of a trial is often difficult. When we're in the throes of grief, uncertainty, tragedy, or confusion our natural response is to focus on the problem so we can find an answer. But many problems in life don't have answers, or don't have answers we can see. How then do we refocus our minds from problem-solving to praising?

I've found these steps to be helpful in my life:

• Humble myself before God. Remember that He is with me, He is sovereign and He is all-knowing. He alone knows the full scope of my problem and He is in control.
• Pray and trust Him with the problem. No matter how overwhelming it may seem, He will use it to work out His plan (Romans 8:28). As I pray, I remind myself that Jesus is praying for me too (Romans 8:34) - how amazing is THAT?
• Ask Him to teach me. I want Him to show me all the lessons I need to learn so the trial isn't wasted on me (I don't want to have to repeat any lessons).
• Call on friends. No matter how alone we feel, God has put people in our lives who will pray with us and for us, and there are friends who are blessed when they help us. Don't be a blessing robber!
• Thank Him for my deliverance. He has my deliverance path already planned so I ask Him to give me the strength, insight and wisdom I need to move forward.
• SING! Psalm 22:3 tells us that He inhabits the praises of His people, so put some worship music on and SING!

Our nation did some of these things in the aftermath of the Sept 11 tragedy because people tend to turn to God during a tragedy. But when time passes and life gets back to a semblance of normal, God is forgotten.

May that NEVER BE! We can let the anniversary of this tragedy remind us to be a people focused on God. Let’s continue to pray for those who lead us, those who defend and protect us, and especially for those who are affected by tragedy of any kind. When we’re able, let’s freely give and lovingly serve! And when tragedy comes our way, and it WILL, remember that as Christians we are always secure in Christ (John 10:28), and we are NEVER without hope.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." ~2 Cor 4:16-18 NIV

Welcome to She Knows, She Grows!

Today we start a fun new Bible study at our church, "She knows, she grows!"  Each week we'll look at a current event and see what the Word has to say about it.  As I work on these lessons, I'm amazed at the timelessness of God's Word. It's always fresh and can teach us about ANYTHING that's happening in the world around us!

What would Jesus do? Based on the classic novel “In His Steps” by Charles M. Sheldon, the WWJD movement introduced a long line of merchandise such as jewelry, bumper stickers, bookmarks, bible covers, t-shirts, desk plaques, etc. WWJD merchandise is still widely available and is intended to remind us that no matter WHAT happens, we should respond in a way that Jesus would.

But think for a minute about ALL the things that are going on in the world. Things are happening EVERYWHERE and, because we live in the age of information, we are hearing about a lot of them through television, radio, newspapers, magazines, internet… they even FOLLOW us now on our cell phones!

Personally, it’s information overload. In fact, I stopped watching the 11:00 news because after I had watched it I couldn’t fall asleep!! Seriously, how CAN you relax and drift off to sleep when we learn taxes are going up, or chocolate causes cancer, or Brett Favre is retiring? AGAIN!!

Whether we watch the news on TV or listen to it on the radio or read newspapers or magazines or internet reports, news reports are designed to alert us and make us think. It’s important to remember that news reporting is a BUSINESS – photographs and videos are strategically shot, stories are carefully written, and the scripts are thoughtfully read by reporters and news anchors.

I love to watch and study newscasts. I think it’s interesting to see what stories lead and close the newscast, the transition from national news to local news and from hard news into something like health or entertainment or sports. I notice the music they play. I pay attention to the words and phrases that flash on the screen to get your attention. I study the news anchors – I watch their facial expressions and listen to their voices – how they use tone & inflection & how they modulate their voices as they read the stories. Even the backgrounds and colors and fonts are carefully chosen and positioned. NOTHING on a newscast is random – everything is intentional and is designed to help us with the way we process the information, which is highly complex.

People can see the same event and have different responses and perceptions of it. A simple example: Thanksgiving. What comes to mind when you think about the Thanksgiving holiday?

No doubt there are images of pilgrims, baked turkeys, food-laden tables, autumn decorations and people being together.

Some people imagine big families with lots of little kids running around and people laughing and playing games and having a great time. Somebody else might envision long hours of grocery shopping and cleaning and decorating and cooking and washing dishes. Someone else may think about being alone or volunteering to work that day.

So when each of us thinks about the topic of THANKSGIVING, different images come to mind that stir different emotions in us that cause us to have different reactions to it because it represents something different to each of us.

The person who would rather be alone may have memories associated with a fractured family, and may feel sad or resentful. To her, Thanksgiving may represent something she always wanted but never had.

The person with the long to-do list may feel unappreciated because the responsibility of the "family fun" falls to her. To her, Thanksgiving may represent an obligation.

And for the person who has happy memories and joyful feelings, could she still be thankful if she was experiencing a heartbreaking loss?

Regardless of our emotions, experiences or expectations, we can have the mind of Christ. We  need to identify WHY we react a certain way, push past the messages of the world, then look at what the WORD has to say so we can adjust OUR thinking to match GOD’s infinite and unfathomable mind.

God’s thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), and we’re instructed in Romans 12:2 not to follow the pattern of the world but to be transformed by renewing our minds. The word "renew" comes from a word that means “renovation – a complete change for the better.”

The way we start our mental renovation is to know God’s Word. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is living and active, and like a double-edged sword. When we KNOW what the Word says about something, we can think and pray about what is right (Phil 4:8). “Right-thinking” will transform our minds because at the exact time we need it, the Holy Spirit will pop that verse in our heads. This “AHA!” moment will give Him the chance to remind us that  1) God is still on His throne, 2) we’re secure because our hope is in Christ, and 3) we need to share with the people around us (who are AMAZED at the quiet confidence we have) the hope that we have in Christ.

No panicking, no stressing, no fretting – just the same confident assurance that Jesus had, and we’ll DO what Jesus would DO.

If you're in the Roanoke area and would like to join us, please do!! This class is open to the public. We meet at First Baptist Church downtown from 6:00-7:00 PM in Room A-310 (Church Parlor). Each week we'll address a different topic, there is no book to buy, any homework is optional, and a handout with scripture is provided in case you forget your Bible! This is a great way to introduce your friends to the study of God's Word. Discussion is encouraged so feel free to come any time and bring a friend!

Ephesians 1a - RICH Blessings in Christ Jesus

How would you define the word "RICH"?  Having lots of money? Owning a lot of property? Driving a luxury car? Do you picture Bill Gates? Donald Trump? Warren Buffet? Or do you imagine something dark and smooth and chocolately?  (Thanks, Marcha!)  Webster's Dictionary defines it as having wealth or great possessions; abundantly supplied with resources, means or funds; wealthy; abounding; of great value or worth.  Strong's Concordance includes full, abundant, plentiful.

By cultural standards, being rich means having the finer things found in the world; but by God's standards, being rich means sharing the blessings found in Christ Jesus. As Paul greeted the church in verses 3-14, he unpacked a veritable treasure chest of infinite and eternal blessings that he wanted those faithful saints to remember:  In Christ, we are

• chosen (elected, v4)
• predestined (v5)
• adopted (v5)
• graced (v6)
• redeemed (v7)
• forgiven (v7)
• graced some more! (v7)
• knowledgeable (v9)
• for the praise of His glory (v12)
• included (v13)
• marked (v13)
• sealed (v13)
• given a deposit (v14)
• given an inheritance (v14)

In those verses Paul mentions all three persons of the Godhead: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Although Three in One, Each is distinct and Each plays a part in our salvation.  The oversimplified bottom line is: God chooses us, Jesus redeems us, and the Holy Spirit seals us!

(One of my commentaries described the Holy Spirit as God's engagement ring to the bride of Christ - a promise of the wedding to come. What a great metaphor - it makes me long for the wedding supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19!)

As believers in the age of grace, it's amazing to ponder the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives: 

• indwells us (John 14:17)
• comforts us in our grief (2 Cor 1:4) 
• convicts us of our sin (John 16:8)
• encourages us in our struggles (John 14:26) 
• rejoices with us in our victories (Zeph 3:17)
• speaks to us through God's Word (1 Cor 2:13)
• directs our steps (Is 30:21)
• transforms our minds (2 Cor 3:18)
• reveals God's truths (John 16:13)
• gives us peace to guard our hearts (Phil 4:7)
• equips us to serve (1 Cor 12:7) 
• speaks through us to encourage others (Eph 5:19)
• marks us as believers (Eph 1:13)
• seals us to secure our salvation (Eph 4:30)

And that's just scratching the surface! One day in Heaven we'll look back over the course of our lives and see everything He did.  We'll see that He moved in ways we never knew and blessed in ways we couldn't have imagined. 

How then shall we live? 

With humble hearts - our blessings aren't because of anything we've done to deserve them, they are because of the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus. With forgiving hearts - Christ forgave us, so then we must forgive others. With grateful hearts - our blessings have been freely given, so we should freely give and serve so we can be a blessing to others. 

As we continue our study of Ephesians, we'll see several words repeated throughout the letter: grace, power, mystery, riches, faith, body/church, and inheritance. We'll also see a phrase repeated, and it's found ten times in verses 3-14 alone: in Christ Jesus.

No amount of money, real estate or things will ever truly satisfy us. No millionaire lifestyle will fully secure us. A delicious dessert may sate our appetites for a time, but the infinite, eternal and rich blessings that our souls desperately long for can only be found in Christ Jesus.