Daily Encouragement: Post-modern Idols

Television. Money. Success. Work. Sports. Food. Shopping. Possessions. A Man.

These can all be considered idols of the post-modern age. We no longer carve or form statues of animals as idols we depend on to fulfill our needs. Instead, our idols today are much more insidious--they become our idols without us placing them on the mantle and bowing down to them.

An idol is anything we go to in order to meet our needs that is not the Almighty, all-sufficient God. Here's what He says about it in Leviticus 19:4:

"Do not put your trust in idols or make gods of metal for yourselves. I, the Lord, am your God."

Going back to the ten commandments again, we see more detail, "Do not worship any other gods besides me. Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god!" (Exodus 20:3-5a)

Idolatry shows what our heart is focused on, what we turn to when we're empty, lonely, financially or spiritually broke, or just plain bored. If we turn to anything but God we are dividing our affection for Him and going after something else that cannot truly satisfy our needs. Our loving Father wants to protect us from the inevitable disappointment and disillusionment of going after these false gods. The one thing He's after is our heart, and He will never let you down if you seek Him to satisfy all your needs.

Today, precious sister, I encourage you to examine your life, your habits, your choices--ask the Lord to reveal any idols you may have set up in your heart and determine to cast them down with the help of the Holy Spirit living in you.

by Wendie Beddingfield

pictures by Stella Levi, Michal Zacharzewski, D. Sharon Pruitt, leonardini

Daily Encouragement: Honoring God

Right after "be holy," we come across two more commands in the same sentence...

"Each of you must show respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest, for I, the Lord, am your God." (Leviticus 19:3)

These both go back to Exodus 20 and the ten commandments, and they actually deal not only with our relationship with God and our parents but also how we benefit by obeying them.

The first regarding our parents carries a blessing with it: "Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will give you." (Exodus 20:12) We are to respect and honor our parents because of who they are--not because they are good parents or love us or have taught us well. Just because they are our parents. Honoring and respect when you are adults and out on your own, as my husband put it last night while talking to our children, looks different that when your are younger. As an adult you are not required to do everything your parents say, but it honors them to seek their advice, to listen to their counsel and to forgive if you have been hurt by them.

The second regarding rest on the Sabbath shows honor to God: "Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God." (Exodus 20:9-10) And we find the design for the Sabbath wasn't for God to set arbitrary rules to keep us in line in Mark 2:27 when Jesus said "The Sabbath was made to benefit people and not people benefit the Sabbath."

We see from both of these commands that while they do honor God and our parents, they are really more for our benefit, health and well-being than the ones we honor.

Here's a personal example of application:

Last year when I was working on laying the foundation for the women's ministry at New Hope, I knew I needed to address my personal life as well, specifically, I had to ask the question, "How am I going to keep a Sabbath day each week if I was working on many Saturdays and Sundays?" And, "How am I going to teach my children how to do it if I was working on their Sabbath?" I had to go "outside the box" as many people who work all different kinds of hours on various days have had to do. I decided after a few weeks of prayer, thought and trial and error, that my Sabbath day would not necessarily be the same day every week, and I didn't have to spend the day doing nothing, but I needed to find something that I truly enjoyed and that would rejuvenate me (that was not tied to the work of the ministry).

Because I am doing this, I feel a greater peace and see God's blessing all around. I find that when I have chosen not to have one during a certain "busy" week, I am dying for my day of rest the next week, and it is not missed again.

All this to say that the Sabbath will not look the same for everyone. If you are required to work on Sunday, this does not mean that you give up keeping a Sabbath. It was created for your benefit; God designed you to need it.

Today, I encourage you to seek God and ask Him first, "What can I do to show respect for my parents this week?" And second, reflect on how you keep a Sabbath day of rest. You will be honoring God and yourself by obeying these commands.

by Wendie Beddingfield

picture by Robert Walker

Daily Encouragement: Holy Roller

Sometimes we look at the laws that God has laid out in the Bible and see them as being oppressive and picky and too difficult to follow--maybe even as we might have seen the rules our parents required us to follow as children. As I grow older, have children of my own, and study God's word more, I see these laws more in the light of God's desire to protect us.

The nineteenth chapter of Leviticus is full of laws regarding our relationships, so we will break it down and focus on a little at a time. First, with our relationship with God....

"The Lord also said to Moses, 'Say this to the entire community of Israel: You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." (Leviticus 19:1-2)

The first thing that God says here to His people is "be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." How exactly is this possible? I sure don't feel like I'm holy like God is holy.

For the Israelites, it was actually only possible if they kept all the laws perfectly, and because this really wasn't possible, God sent Jesus and then the Holy Spirit to dwell in believers. So, as followers of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit within us, and we are made holy, so we are "no longer subject to the law." (Romans 6:14)

"But now we have been released from the law, for we died with Christ, and we are no longer captive to its power. Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit." (Romans 7:6)

This, of course, does not mean that we throw out the law altogether. No, God actually holds us to an even higher standard where even lustful thoughts are considered adultery. (Matthew 5:27)

I 1 Peter 1 we see this command again to "be holy":

"So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ. Obey God because you are his children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God--who chose you to be his children--is holy. For he himself has said, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:13-16)

Walking in the Spirit enables you to do all of this....you truly can be holy even as He is holy by His power and His grace.

Today, even if you don't feel holy, I want to encourage you to accept this truth and even speak it out that you ARE holy because you have the Holy Spirit within you as a follower of Christ and your job is to let your actions reflect the truth.

by Wendie Beddingfield

picture by Nat Arnett

Daily Encouragement: Laws for Life

This week we're going to look at a couple of chapters in the book of Leviticus. Now, before you go and decide to click back over to your Facebook page, bear with me because there are some really clear instructions on living a godly life included in this book and it's not all rules about how to slaughter a sacrifice or being "clean" or "unclean."

I was recently asked about what the Bible says regarding homosexuality, and I know many Christians are confused about this issue because our society is encouraging this kind of lifestyle everywhere you turn. Our children are growing up inundated with the idea this this is normal and must be accepted, and yes, the people themselves should be accepted and loved, but the lifestyle....well, here's some instruction on that and a few other issues of sexuality directly from God's word:


"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Say this to your people, the Israelites: I the Lord, am your God. So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all my regulations and be careful to keep my laws, for I the Lord, am your God. If you obey my laws and regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord.

You must never have sexual intercourse with a close relative, for I am the Lord. Do not violate your father by having sexual intercourse with your mother. She is your mother; you must never have intercourse with her. Do not have sexual intercourse with any of your father's wives, or this would violate your father.

Do not have sexual intercourse with your sister or half sister, whether she is your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether she was brought up in the same family or somewhere else.

Do not have sexual intercourse with your granddaughter, whether your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter; that would violate you. Do not have sexual intercourse with the daughter of any of your father's wives; she is your half sister. Do not have intercourse with your aunt, your father's sister, because she is your father's close relative. Do not have sexual intercourse with your aunt, your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative. And do not violate your uncle, your father's brother, by having sexual intercourse with his wife; she is also your aunt. Do not have sexual intercourse with your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife. Do not have intercourse with your brother's wife; this would violate your brother.

Do not have sexual intercourse with both a woman and her daughter or marry both a woman and her granddaughter, whether her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter. They are close relatives, and to do this would be a horrible wickedness.

Do not marry a woman and her sister because they will be rivals. But if your wife dies, then it is all right to marry her sister.

Do not violate a woman by having sexual intercourse with her during her period of menstrual impurity.

Do not defile yourself by having sexual intercourse with your neighbor's wife.

Do not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

Do not practice homosexuality; it is a detestable sin.

A man must never defile himself by having sexual intercourse with an animal and a woman must never present herself to a male animal in order to have intercourse with it; this is a terrible perversion.

Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the people I am expelling from the Promised Land have defiled themselves. As a result, the entire land has become defiled. That is why I am punishing the people who live there, and the land will soon vomit them out. You must strictly obey all of my laws and regulations, and you must not do any of these detestable things. This applies both to you who are Israelites by birth and to the foreigners living among you."
(Leviticus 18:1-26)

Today, I encourage you to "be careful to keep [His] laws....If you obey [His] laws and regulations, you will find life through them."

by Wendie Beddingfield

picture by Billy Alexander

Daily Encouragement: Conversations with God

So much of the Bible speaks to prayer and talking and listening to God, and many times the best we seem to come up with in prayer is a short, memorized script that we say at mealtimes and bedtime.

My husband and I have to work to encourage our children to push themselves a little further to think about someone else and pray for them. Wow--what a struggle!

As adults, though, we too can certainly be that way, always focused on what we need or want right now without much regard for our sick or hurting friends and neighbors. We also can forget the awesomeness of the Almighty God to whom we are praying--taking his power and might and favor for granted.

Today, precious sister, I would encourage you to go a little further, a little deeper, and maybe even take yourself out of the picture when you pray (or at least at the end of the list), and ask for God to move in the lives of the people that come to mind when you are praying. And don't forget to continue watching and waiting for God's answers!

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18)

"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith." (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)

by Wendie Beddingfield

picture by Julia Freeman-Woolpert

Daily Encouragement: Lesson Learned?

God's object lesson for Jonah....

Yesterday, we read how Jonah had asked God to go ahead and kill him because nothing he had predicted had actually happened. So today we are going to look at God's response as the conclusion of our look at the book of Jonah.

"The Lord replied, 'Is it right for you to be angry about this?'

Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see if anything would happen to the city. And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah's head, shading him from the sun. This eased some of his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

But God also prepared a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant, so that it soon died and withered away. And as the sun grew hot, God sent a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. 'Death is certainly better than this!' he exclaimed.

Then God said to Jonah, 'Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?'

'Yes,' Jonah retorted, 'even angry enough to die!'

Then the Lord said, 'You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. And a plant is only, at best, short lived. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?'" (Jonah 4:4-11)

We don't see if Jonah had a change of heart with this, but we do see a glimpse of the heart of God for people "living in spiritual darkness." He uses the plant and the worm and the weather to help put things in perspective for Jonah, and he doesn't accuse Jonah outright but was gentle in His question to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry?"

I distinctly remember one of God's object lessons in my life which I recently shared at a women's retreat. I had been angry, disappointed and bitter toward God because of a third miscarriage--we had prayed and prayed for this little one and I was pretty sure I had heard from God that he or she would be healthy and go to full term, but at 10 weeks it was no more. It wasn't until weeks later when the nurse at my ob/gyn pointed out God's hand in my life--the cancer in my body was discovered early enough that it had not spread. Through that whole traumatic experience, God was saving my life! That was when I realized it was NOT right for me to be angry with God. I was immediately overwhelmed with gratefulness and sorrow for my wrong attitude.

What about you? Have you ever experienced one of God's object lessons? Are you in the midst of one even now? I encourage you today to again step back and try to see your present circumstances within the big picture--from God's perspective--and consider if a change in attitude is required.

I am proud of you, sister, for seeking to hear from God, for pursuing Him. No matter where you've been or what you've done, God's heart is for you to draw close to Him and see that He has your best interest at heart. Remember, "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28)

by Wendie Beddingfield

picture by Robert Proksa

Daily Encouragement: Judge Not

a little more on Jonah....

If you know the story of Jonah, you might remember that after God decided not to destroy Nineveh, Jonah got upset with God. Jonah said, "Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily you could cancel your plans for destroying these people. Just kill me now, Lord! I'd rather be dead than alive because nothing I predicted is going to happen." (Jonah 4:2-3)

Do you get the sense that Jonah was not focused on the people of Nineveh but on himself? He had put himself out there...shouting a warning about the destruction of the city, and then when the people turned away from their wickedness (what God really wanted for them), He relented and did not do what He had threatened. Jonah was so wrapped up in the fact that what he had predicted did not come to pass that he could not see how his obedience led to the salvation of an entire city!

Jonah did hear from God--twice.

Jonah obeyed the second time, doing exactly what God had commanded.

Jonah expected God to follow through.

If this were you, how would you react when God chose to show compassion and not bring judgment? Would you focus on how you failed, how God made you look bad, or would you rejoice in the change of heart of another person?

Today I encourage you to look for God's hand working in the lives of others, rejoice when He chooses to show compassion for others rather than bringing judgment because we "ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and our own sin deserves death, but He chose to have compassion. He loved us so much that He sent His only son to die on the cross to save us from an eternal separation from Himself. We did not receive what we deserved, so let us not demand judgment on others but be compassionate and pray for the restoration of their souls.

by Wendie Beddingfield

picture by Billy Alexander

Daily Encouragement: "Freak"

more on Jonah....

"Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit up Jonah on the beach, and it did." (Jonah 2:10)

Jonah was miraculously saved from being digested by the fish and was given a second chance to obey. God then commanded Jonah again to go to Nineveh and deliver the message of judgment, and that's just what Jonah did.

"On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds" 'Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!'" (Jonah 3:4)

Now imagine the city of Dallas on a weekend with an event like the state fair going on. How would you react if someone from Oklahoma City (or any place outside of Texas--can't help it, I'm a Texan) strolled into the crowds of the state fair yelling, "Forty days from now Dallas will be destroyed!"? Yeah, you'd think that he was insane or a "freak," but something unexpected happened in Nineveh.

"The people of Nineveh believed God's message, and from the greatest to the least, they decided to go without food and wear sackcloth to show their sorrow. When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in sackcloth and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: 'No one, not even the animals, may eat or drink anything at all. Everyone is required to wear sackcloth and pray earnestly to God. Everyone must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will have pity on us and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.'" (Jonah 3:5-9)

Our God, Jonah's God, is so amazing! What would seem like an insane thing to do turned out to be the exact thing this city needed to turn their hearts away from evil and pray to God. Even better, read what happens....

"When God saw that they had put a stop to their evil ways, he had mercy on them and didn't carry out the destruction he had threatened." (Jonah 3:10)

Not only did God give Jonah a second chance, He gave an entire city a second chance!

So how would you react if God called you to do something that would make you look insane or look like a "freak?" Would you turn and run the other way, or would you step out in faith and see what God would do through your obedience? It could mean salvation for someone else....who can tell?

by Wendie Beddingfield

Daily Encouragement: Seeing God's Hand

More thoughts on the book of Jonah....

"Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights." (Jonah 1:17)

Where could he go? What could he possibly do? He certainly didn't have his iphone to check his e-mail, get on Facebook, or play Angry Birds now did he? He couldn't even call a friend to share what an awful predicament he was in. Nope. He was all alone--except for God.

"Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish." (Jonah 2:1)

This wasn't one of those, "If you get me out of here I'll serve you all my life" kind of prayers that people say when they want to try to bribe God into rescuing them or a loved one. It went like this...."I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the world of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!....When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the Lord....For my salvation comes from the Lord alone." (Jonah 2:2,7,9b)

This was a prayer of thankfulness for God rescuing him from drowning by sending a fish to swallow him--even though he did not know what would come next!

We see throughout this book that Jonah has some issues with God, but this prayer shows a grateful heart, one that can see the hand of God in his own life. Even when he was in dire straits--he saw how God kept him alive.

So what is your predicament? What is your attitude toward God--is it desperate for deliverance only, or is it grateful for His salvation from a fate worse than what you are currently experiencing?

"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand." (Philippians 4:6-7)

I encourage you today to look for God's hand in your life, step back and see the bigger picture, and thank him today for all he has done.


by Wendie Beddingfield

Pictures!

If you weren't at New Hope yesterday or missed the slideshow of pictures from the retreat at the end of the service, you can view it here:

Women of Hope
Princess and the P's Spring Retreat
Slideshow (click on this link)

This video uses QuickTime, in case you're having difficulties viewing it. I'm not a computer expert; that's my husband, Gabriel; so I hope you are able to view it, too!

Daily Encouragement: Awesome Power

Today I am drawn to the minor prophets in the Old Testament--lots of short, not-necessarily sweet prophecies of judgement and then some sweet words of restoration. The book I settled in on is the book of Jonah.

**When I think on this story, I can't get visions of the Veggie Tales movie "Jonah" out of my head. The songs were especially catchy, so I have "Jonah was a prophet, ooh, ooh..." and "the God of second chances" looping in my mind while writing this piece. I highly recommend Veggie Tales to all parents of kids 8 and under (teenagers like them, too.)**

Okay, back to Jonah. In case you've never read the story, God called Jonah to go to this city called Ninevah that was full of wicked people, and Jonah was to tell them that their city would be destroyed because of their wickedness. Jonah opted to go in the opposite direction, however, in order to run away from God. Well, you can't really run away from God, and neither could Jonah. While on a ship, the Lord caused a violent storm to threaten to sink the ship, and Jonah knew it was because of him. Jonah admitted it was his fault and asked to be thrown overboard, and although hesitant, the sailors "threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once!" (Jonah 1:15)

Here's the kicker that I hadn't really caught until today..."The sailors were awestruck by the Lord's great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him." (Jonah 1:16)

The Lord's consequences for Jonah's disobedience was the storm. Jonah's heart was convicted and in order to save these sailors, he knew he must get off the boat. I don't really know what was going through his mind then, but there must have been a great heaviness in his heart, and he asked the sailors to throw him over--maybe because he just couldn't do it himself. When they did, God did exactly what Jonah had predicted and the sailors were "awestruck" and became servants of God Almighty. The power of God and his wonders and miracles draw many people to Himself. Even in the consequences of our sin, God can and does use these "heavy" times in our lives to draw others.

There is much more to come in this little book of Jonah that we'll catch tomorrow, but for today, sweet friend, I want to encourage you that even while suffering in the consequences of past (or even current) sin, God can use this, too, to draw you back to Him as well as outsiders who are looking on--seeing the mighty hand of God!

picture by Zhongde Liu

Daily Encouragement: Ears to Hear

When I sit down to read or study the Bible, even before I open the cover, I often ask the question, "Lord, what do you want to say to me this morning?" Sometimes I sit in silence waiting to hear something, sometimes I have my journal out and begin writing, and other times I ask to be directed to a passage of scripture.

God speaks to His children in many different ways, and when we don't hear Him speak in the way we expect, we can get frustrated and disappointed and even feel inferior to those that say they do hear Him. But Jesus said that we would recognize His voice:

"I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! For a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't recognize his voice." (John 10:1-5)

So is it that we have just not learned what it means to listen? I liken this to a true musician. Either by gifting or years of practice, a musician is able to hear aspects of music that most of us non-musicians cannot even detect because our ears have not been trained. So then the question is how do we become trained to recognize His voice?

Here's my opinion and experience in this: spend time with Him.

Spend time reading His word, asking for Him to speak through the scriptures. Spend time in prayer, praising Him for who He is, confessing your sin, seeking His wisdom and guidance and help, listening and watching for His answers. Spend time meditating on a verse or passage, dwelling on it. Spend time with other believers, especially those that share how God is speaking to them and listen--God uses all of these ways to speak to His children, and we will recognize Him if we will take time getting to know Him and take time to look for Him and listen for His voice.

Precious sister, don't give up the desire to hear from Him, don't give up believing He will speak to you--lean in and develop your relationship with the Father by spending time with Him and watch and listen for Him intently as you do.


photo

Daily Encouragement: No Fear

I just love how when God sends a heavenly messenger to someone in the Bible, He always starts off with "Don't be afraid." Even when Jesus appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, he started off saying, "Peace be with you."

Our Father knows us very well; any time the unexpected arises, it catches us off guard and we tend to lose our peace and panic-mode sets in. The messenger must first calm the person down, reassuring them that God is in control, and then he can go on with the rest of his message.

This verse in Daniel is especially for you today if you are struggling with fear, anxiety or operating in panic-mode:

"'Don't be afraid,' he said, 'for you are deeply loved by God. Be at peace; take heart and be strong!'" (Daniel 10:19)

The reason you can choose to be at peace, take heart and be strong today is because "you are deeply loved by God." He's got it all under control and has your best interest at heart. He has already given you courage and strength; you only have to take it! May the peace of God be with you today!

Daily Encouragement: Not Ashamed

"I know that you sincerely trust the Lord, for you have the faith of your mother, Eunice, and your grandmother, Lois. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord." (2 Timothy 1:5-8a)

This is Paul talking to Timothy, his son in Christ, encouraging him to be bold and share Christ without fear.

In a conversation with God I had recently, I asked Him, "What do you want to say to me?" and His reply was, "Too timid; stand strong. I am more.... I am not powerless. I am not timid. Want to be like me? Speak out using what I have given you and be the bold, mighty woman of God I have made you to be."

In those first two words, "too timid," I broke down--I broke down because I knew He was right. Not condemning, just truth.

And as I look at this passage in 2 Timothy, I see that it lines up very closely with my conversation with God, but what I heard was personalized just for me, just how I needed to hear it. God is NOT powerless nor timid, and His desire is for us to draw on His power to share our faith in Christ with boldness, share what Jesus has done to change our lives, what He can do for those who do not know him.

You don't have to be a Bible scholar or travelling evangelist to share your faith--all you need is a relationship with Jesus and a willing spirit to go wherever, do whatever and and say whatever He calls you to. You, sister, are a mighty woman of God! I encourage you today to take the first step and ask Him, "What do you want to say to me?" and be ready to listen.

Daily Encouragement -- Fighting For Your Thoughts

Being joyful does not depend on what's going on around you--it's the result of "right thinking" in the midst of your circumstances. Just like loving someone is a choice, you can choose to be joyful.

What generally causes us to go down the road of depression is our choice to allow lies to penetrate our thoughts without challenging them with the truth. I encourage you today to read the following from the book of Philippians and check out the steps below for tips on doing combat for your thoughts:

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers [and sisters], let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:4-8)

Step 1: Ask yourself this question: "Is what I'm thinking about true?"

As Christians, we know that the word of God is true, and it addresses all sorts of issues in our lives, so we can use it as our guide for right thinking and also as ammunition against the lies.

Step 2: If you're unsure of the answer to the first question, ask yourself and ask God this next question: "What IS true? (in my life, in this situation...)

"True" also means "real." Things in the past and things in the future are not real today--the things of today are what we know as true or real. When you think about what is true, don't forget to include what the Bible says about God and about Jesus and the Holy Spirit--these things are always true!

More questions to ask: "Is what I'm dwelling on honorable and right? Is it pure, lovely or admirable? Is it excellent or praiseworthy?"

Step 3: Speak out what IS true--let your ears hear it and make the choice to believe it. Do this as often as you are tempted to believe the lies about yourself, others, God or your situation.

The battle over your thoughts is one that Jesus has already won, all we have to do is stay engaged and make the choice to depend on the Holy Spirit to infiltrate our hearts and our minds with His truth and you will find yourself choosing joy--what a victory!

photo by Cristina Chirtes

Daily Encouragement -- Truth Teller

Recently, a friend of mine was sharing how she had endured some stress and anxiety over what we might call a lie of "omission" -- meaning she allowed someone to believe a lie by simply not explaining the situation she was in. The stress and the anxiety came when she had to perpetuate the lie by pretending, sneaking, and careful maneuvering, but she was afraid feelings would get hurt if she came out and told the truth.

So what do you think? What would you do in a similar situation in order to spare the feelings of someone you really care about?

Let's take a look at a few verses to see what the Bible has to say:

"Do not steal. Do not cheat one another. Do not lie." (Leviticus 19:11)

"And then you will no longer need to be ashamed of yourselves, for you will no longer be rebels against me. I will remove all the proud and arrogant people from among you. There will be no pride on my holy mountain. Those who are left will be the lowly and the humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the LORD. The people of Israel who survive will do no wrong to each other, never telling lies or deceiving one another." (Zephaniah 3:11-13a)

"You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness--righteous, holy and true. So put away all falsehood and 'tell your neighbor the truth' because we belong to each other." (Ephesians 4:24-25)

"Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church." (Ephesians 4:14-15)

It may seem like the "little white lie" would be a good way to keep from hurting someone we love, but we are in essence rebelling against God and showing Him that we do not trust Him enough to take care of us or the other person if we speak the truth -- in love.

Today, sister, be aware of what you say (or omit) and make every effort to be a truth teller--in this you will honor the LORD and the people you come in contact with.

Daily Encouragement -- Mighty Heroes/Heroines

Late last year I was studying in the book of Judges to try to understand better the time in which the events of the book of Ruth occurred. These "judges" were the heroes God raised up to lead the Israelites to victory over their oppressors like the Canaanites or the Midianites.

In the sixth and seventh chapters, we see that Israel is crying out to the Lord for help because they were "reduced to starvation by the Midianites," and God's response was to send a prophet explaining what they had done to get them into the mess in which they found themselves. However, God also appeared as an angel of the Lord to a young man, the least of his family, and his family the least of all the tribes of Israel, and this young man's name was Gideon. And do you know what the angel of the Lord said to him? He said, "Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!" (Judges 6:12)

Okay, now this young man had been interrupted by the angel--he had been threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to keep any Midianites from seeing that he had food. He was sneaking around; not quite a mighty hero if you ask me. Gideon had not done anything heroic--not yet; in fact, it took him several tests to finally believe that it was actually God that appeared to him and that the Lord would do what He said He would do before he led any men into battle (you just have to go and read Judges 6 and 7 to get the rest of the story).

So we see God speaking to Gideon's potential (not what he had done but what he was going to do) by calling him a "mighty hero." Did you know that "the Lord is with you," too, if you have made Jesus the Lord of your life? That also means you have great potential in you as well to be a mighty heroine who is being raised up to help set the captives free and bring hope to the hopeless through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ who is in you.

You are a Mighty Woman of God! I encourage you to accept this truth as your own and walk confidently in the power of His Spirit today.

Daily Encouragement -- A little wisdom

Proverbs is chock-full of all manner of words of wisdom and instruction for living. You can read a short passage everyday and go and apply it to your life that very day in a very practical way.

Here's one that jumped out at me early this morning as I was reading Proverbs 15:

"A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash." (Proverbs 15:14)

I encourage you today to go to Proverbs, read a section and pick out a verse or two that speaks to you. Write it down; dwell on it, maybe even memorize it. You, sister, no matter what your background, education or your circumstance, can be a wise woman, too!

Daily Encouragement - Students and Teachers

Sundays are often the highlight of my week, what with seeing lots of friends who share my faith in Christ, music that is inspiring and draws my mind and heart toward God, but also having the privilege of hearing a sermon--one that is relevant and challenging--shared by one of the best pastors I've had the honor to serve under.

I love the word of God. I love to read it, hear it, study it, discuss it, ponder it, teach it, and be changed by it. So, when I read the following passage in Nehemiah some time ago, I was greatly encouraged in what Ezra and some other Levites did after the wall was rebuilt around Jerusalem around 444 B.C.

"Now in midautumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled together as one person at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey.

So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the scroll of the law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people paid close attention to the Book of the Law. Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.

Then Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, 'Amen! Amen!' as they lifted their hands toward heaven. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground."

--Hang in there with me, sister, this is good stuff and you need to get the context here!

"Now the Levites--Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbathai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah--instructed the people who were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people to understand each passage. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, 'Don't weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.' All the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the law.

And Nehemiah continued, 'Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!'

And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, 'Hush! Don't weep! For this is a sacred day.' So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood them."
(Nehemiah 7:73b-8:12)

The word of God is available in mass quantities in America in multiple translations. In addition to that are commentaries, books by topic and books on the books of the Bible, and we have teachers and preachers on television, radio and even the world wide web (you can catch my pastor here: newhopechristian.org).

The thing that encouraged me in this passage was the example that Ezra and these Levites set for future pastors and teachers and the value of reading the word of God out loud and then explaining the meaning so that the people could understand, and then Nehemiah spoke up at the end encouraging the people, "Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!" (Nehemiah 8:10)

We're not going to automatically understand everything we read in the Bible. We need the Holy Spirit to teach us, and God uses other people to teach us as well. If you feel called to teach, start a dialogue with God about what, how and to whom you are to teach. And we're all called to be students of the word--not just on Sundays, mind you; so what are you going to do today to continue in your education?