The Gifts in my Pocket

I have been teaching on Spiritual Gifts for many years. Recently I taught a three part lesson on this topic to my bible study group and God gave me a wonderful, fresh new take on this subject. After all these years of teaching and studying Spiritual Gifts, I have finally found a way to visually help us grasp ahold of where to focus and place our priorities when following hard after the Lord and using our gifts. I hope it is as helpful to you as it has been for me.

First let's look at some scripture:

S - Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.  Romans 12:4

O - If you have studied anything about Spiritual Gifts, you know that these are not "talents" or "hobbies" or interests. The scripture says that Spiritual Gifts are used for serving others and to share God's grace. But this doesn't just mean go out and feed the homeless or help build a house for a veteran. Serving in some capacity to help others is what we are ALL called to do, YES. Using your Spiritual Gifts is more than that and goes a step beyond.

At the point of salvation, when you accept Christ, you are acknowledging that you have messed up, that you cannot do life on your own, that you cannot save yourself, that you recognize that Jesus gave His life for yours and the debt has been paid. When you accept THIS gift, the greatest of ALL gifts, then the Holy Spirit enters the picture and indwells with you for all eternity as you live your life on earth. Our ONLY purpose is truly to serve the Lord as a response to what we have been given. It does not come from a place of obligation but of GRATITUDE for the life you have been given. (2 Cor. 9:6-8) It is up to us, with God's help, to direct others in His direction. Our Spiritual Gifts are the "tools" that we have been given to do that. To commune with and serve the Lord God Almighty is what we were created for so let's not waste it.

Does this mean it could be while you are working at your vocation or hobby? Yes. Does this mean if you are a student you could be using them while going to school and working some hourly wage job? Yes. Does this mean you could use your gifts while being a stay home mom, raising kids and volunteering? ABSOLUTELY. It says we use them as faithful stewards. So whatever we have been given, we need to be wise in how we use it, relying on HIS guidance and direction.

As faithful stewards, that means that if we are the "toe" in the body of Christ, and we try to act like the "elbow" then we will continually fail at what we are trying to accomplish and be frustrated, disappointed, and unfulfilled. We will go through life continuing to search for our purpose and our "calling". Not necessarily right away, but maybe after a time. So if you have taken some time to discover and be prayerful about your Spiritual Gifts, but aren't feeling fulfilled, chances are you are not using them in the right area. The scripture says we make "one body" and if the "toe" is not working right, the body of Christ could be limping a little :) Sometimes this just means you are working with kids when you should be working with adults. Or maybe you are working with the wrong people/personalities. There are many reasons why you could feel things are not working right so instead of praying about a specific request, maybe it's time to ask God to show you and be open to listening for His direction.

God in His infinite wisdom, in reality, will find a way to accomplish His purposes for He will use those that are making themselves available for His service. Sometimes certain parts of the body may feel as if they have been amputated. It is time to see a surgeon to get re-attached and the great surgeon of course is Christ! After all, it says that we belong to all the others and just because we may feel lost or disconnected does not mean that we stop "belonging". We can be reconnected!!! Glory to God!!! Unlike a toe that has been frostbitten, that may be cut off, God restores in every way when we rely on Him. NOTHING is impossible for God!

A - So how does this apply to YOU? Ask yourself these questions:
1. Do I know my top 4-5 Spiritual Gifts?
2. Am I using them?
3. Am I fulfilled while using them?
If you do know them, GREAT! Let's put them to work. If you haven't put them to work yet, consider what gets your heart racing and look for how you can use your Spiritual Gifts in that area. If you are putting them to work but feel like you're going 90 miles an hour, maybe it's time to take a step back.

That's what happened for me 7 years ago and now I can say that I have found a way to say "no" and not feel guilty (I am someone that likes to say YES). Here's what I do...I discovered all of my spiritual gifts and ranked them in order. There are about 4 that are at the top of my list, then another small cluster, and then the bottom group. I divided this up based on looking at the scores of the assessment and finding the natural break in numbers...looking at which ones were closest together. Gifts are never used alone but always with another gift and sometimes, you use one of your top gifts in combination with a secondary gift so it's important to look at both of these categories.

Here is a visual that God gave to me one day that I find helpful in focusing on what I say yes to and what I need to say no to:
Your bottom group of gifts, those go in your back pocket. You do not usually notice what is there in your back pocket until you need what's in there. So leave those alone...don't look at them, think about them or give them any of your attention. Out of sight, out of mind. These are probably not really your gifts...they are low numbers for you but are usually things that we are ALL called to in service. If Hospitality is in your back pocket for example, like it is for me, then the only time you pull it out is when a need arises - I only use this gift a few times a year when they need people to serve hotdogs at our church's Fall Festival, a community outreach, or on Christmas Eve when they need someone to serve cookies. I don't need to feel guilty that I am not on the meals team, making and bringing meals to people all the time. Yes, I need to help when a friend is in need because this is what is asked of ALL of us, but this is not a gift that I should be giving all my time and attention to on a regular basis. I should not be volunteering to be a coordinator for something in hospitality, like a serve team or for a big event. That's just me. Think about what this might be for you.
Your middle group of gifts, those go in your front pants pocket. You can slip your hand in there and pull them out as needed. They are easily accessible and ready to use in partnership with your top group...kind of like a "side kick" in a super hero movie. In my middle group is Intercessory Prayer and I pull it out in partnership often with my top gifts of Encouragement, Faith, or Teaching. It is in complement to where God desires for me to give my main focus, so I pray with friends and those in my bible study group as requested. I do serve on the Altar Prayer Team monthly but other than that I am not called to be a major part of the prayer ministry. Think about what this might be for you.
Your top group of gifts go in your shirt pocket...you know that little pocket you might put a pen in close to your heart? These are the gifts you keep close to your heart and are indicators of where you should be spending your time. I pull these out weekly if not daily. I volunteer for things where I can use my gifts of Teaching and Faith primarily as a small group and discipleship leader on a regular basis. If it is not a ministry where I will be using my primary gifts weekly, I say no to committing to that ministry. I am not always perfect at that and I have had to sometimes bail on commitments I've made for various reasons but this generally works for me as a guide for where to serve. Think about what this might be for you.

There is no substitute for prayer. You cannot make decisions on how to use your Spiritual Gifts without prayer...you just can't. Oh you will try. You will say yes to things because they sound fun, or someone "needs" you, or your friends are doing it, or maybe you don't know your gifts yet so you're trying things out. That's ok. But if you aren't praying about what GOD wants you to do, even if it's a GOOD thing, then chances are great that you will end up either burned out, having to get out of your commitment, or delaying the blessings that God has in store for you. God WILL bless you when you are serving in the right area. I'm not talking about monetary blessings...I'm talking spiritual blessings. When you are within HIS will, it always works out...even if it's challenging or patience is required. It ALWAYS works out in HIS time when we are seeking Him. That's a promise I can make.

If you would like to take a Spiritual Gifts assessment, here is one that I have used that is easy to take and is an easy starting point. There are others out there and God may build up in you a stagnant gift for a time so be open to retaking an assessment again to continually rediscover how God is going to use you at different stages in life.
Spiritual Gifts Assessment

Finally, I think a discussion on Spiritual Gifts is very relevant at this time of year, when we are shopping and gift giving and making our wish lists. Let us all remember the greatest gift is Jesus and the gifts that we receive from the Holy Spirit, in our Spiritual Gifts, are to be used and not wasted. Don't let fear or other obstacles get in the way of what God is calling you to do. Don't wait another day to BLESS someone and help them know the living Lord by using YOUR gifts.

P - My prayer today is for all those that know you to be encouraged to seek out a knowledge of their Spiritual Gifts and to be strengthened to use them. Help all of us Lord to be courageous, even when it's hard, to follow YOUR will and to be in prayer continually about what that means in our own lives. Open our ears to hear. May we be slow to speak and quick to listen. May we have the courage to say no to good things when it means we can say YES to the best things. I thank you Lord for your word that equips us and empowers us to know you more. And I thank you for your son Jesus who is the ultimate gift...may we always be grateful with our purposeful service. Amen.

The American Dream and Finding our "Treasure"

Today I am posting because tomorrow is the 4th and I will be with my family and serving at my church instead of blogging! I am sharing something I wrote on yesterday's scripture reading. I will warn you...it got pretty long and I admit I had a lot of thoughts to share, so sit down when you have an hour or so :) It's mostly unedited because I was just writing away. I have been reading a lot lately about the current political and social debate issues and so I have been influenced by some to join in the discussion on "freedom". Before I wrote this I had been reading and viewing a lot of video discussion by other theologians and ultimately this is for me about what the Bible has to say. However, for more insight, after you read my thoughts, consider investigating some input on related issues with the following:

Tim Keller and Albert Mohler discuss "what is morality" and how do we judge what is "harmful". This elaborates on the issue of "independence" and "freedom"
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/09/20/what-is-morality-other-than-harm/

Tim Keller references in the above discussion a book by Andrew Delbanco called "The Real American Dream" and there is a NY Times review of this book from a secular view that I don't necessarily agree with on all points but does conjure up some interesting discussion
After viewing the above video for context, Read the article here http://www.nytimes.com/books/99/11/07/reviews/991107.07rortyt.html

I am currently reading JD Greear's book called "Gospel" and here is an interesting perspective (video discussion) on the gay marriage debate
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/07/03/how-can-homosexuality-be-wrong-if-it-doesnt-harm-anyone/

And you can go even deeper into this with Voddie Baucham's article on "civil rights"
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/07/19/gay-is-not-the-new-black/

And finally, here are just some interesting facts on "9 things you should know about Independence Day and the Declaration of Independence"
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/07/03/9-things-you-should-know-about-independence-day-and-the-declaration-of-independence/

Please share your thoughts on anything I've written or on the above commentaries. I am always open to reflecting on other opinions and ideas that are shared in the spirit of MUTUAL understanding.

SOAP devotional for July 2, 2013

S – Matthew 6:19-34

¹⁹ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. ²² “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. ²³ But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. ²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? ²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? ³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God^[d] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. ³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

O – There really is SO much here that we can learn. What strikes me most this time in reading this passage again (for the 100^th? time) is vs. 22 talking about the eye providing light to the body. I’ve never really focused on this part that says your body is filled with “darkness” when your eye is bad. And then it goes on to say that if you “think” you have light but you really have darkness, how DEEP the darkness is. To me this is like going to the eye doctor and finding out you have cataracts or that you need even a minor adjustment to your vision with glasses. You have been walking around and maybe not even aware that your eyes were working so hard to see clearly when all of a sudden you put on some glasses or have surgery and VOILA! You can see clearly! It’s like euphoria when you realize how clear your vision is!

Another observation I haven’t really thought about before until this reading is the lilies of the field and how God cares for the “wildflowers”. God cares deeply for these flowers that really know nothing of God’s greatness and therefore if He cares for them, we should assume how much more He cares for us. If you think about it, no one plants wildflowers…they just grow, wild and out of control. This makes me think of kids that are for whatever reason left to basically raise themselves…they grow “wild and out of control”. This doesn’t always mean they are bad kids. I think it depends on which road they choose to take. There are kids that are neglected, abused, run away, etc. Some of these kids choose to make something of themselves in spite of their situation. They work hard in school. They look for mentors and ask for help. There are “rich” kids that raise themselves or have a nanny because mom and dad are busy making the dough or playing tennis or busy with their “charity work”. Many of these kids may see the disadvantaged in the world around them and choose to focus on the good they can do instead of the loneliness they may feel. I used to teach a bunch of kids that lived in apartments and were what we called “latch-key kids”. They came home to an empty house because maybe they were being raised by a single mom working two jobs or doing shift work at weird hours and these kids had to be responsible enough to cook their own dinner and do their homework on their own. I don’t think these parents didn’t care for their kids, I think they were in a tough spot and felt they didn’t have much choice.

A – Today in reading this I feel like there are a lot of puzzle pieces in my head that are coming together to create a picture of the American Dream. This week we celebrate “Independence Day” and the birthday of our country becoming an independent nation. There are people all over the world that seek to come here to work, and go to school, and live the “American Dream”. MANY are crossing the border from Mexico illegally every day because if their children are born here then they will be American and have a “better life”. So many people think we have it so good and in reality we have it better economically than probably 90% of the rest of the world…is that too high of a number??? Probably not…there is a LOT of poverty around the world. However, I would like to venture an idea that we are really no better off than any other country and are not setting a very good example of using our “independence” for good. Now stay with me because I have a lot of thoughts that I’m trying to communicate clearly…I hope this makes sense.

My Grandfather, Michael Varro, was born in Hungary (in a part that actually became Romania after WW2) and immigrated as a child with his father and brothers to Saskatchewan, Canada. His father desired to make a better life for his children after his wife died and spent everything he had to come over on a ship to North America. He worked for the railroad and they lived in a boxcar. They had nothing. My Grandfather found the Lord as a young man at a revival and hitchhiked to California to go to Bible College. He met my Grandmother and they had 5 children (one died at the age of 4) and were missionaries to Taiwan and China for over 30 years. He became an American citizen shortly after my Dad was born in Alaska, before it was even a state. Ok, so that’s the short version and one branch of the family tree on where I came from. I share that because that is MY personal foundation for living the American dream…and yet, it’s not. My Grandfather came here for a better life and chose to become an American citizen, and yet he never desired to “get rich” or make a name for himself, and he definitely didn’t stay IN America to live out his purpose. His “American Dream” was actually to seek God and serve Him. I didn’t know my Grandfather well and honestly I resented him a lot when I was younger because he always seemed to care more about his “work” and what God wanted him to do than his family. However, I have come to the realization as an adult that he was simply doing what he believed he was called to do and he knew that God would take care of the rest of us. He was not “worried” about his family because he had a confidence in God’s provision. Now maybe he did actually take that a little too far…he was flawed as we ALL are in relationships to some extent because he didn’t always see that God’s provision for families is a loving, present father/grandfather. We all could use some help in the area of HOW to love our “people”. But what I have learned from his example is that our true purpose is to follow the Lord’s call and let HIM worry about the rest.

In this passage in Matthew, God is trying to teach us about DEpendence on Him. We are often so busy pursuing the “American Dream” and paying our bills and seeking that ONE thing that will make life “better” (if I only had a new car, if I only had an extra $100, if I only had a boyfriend, if I only had a better job, etc.), and even trying to figure out our PURPOSE that we are missing our true PURPOSE. If we look at the wildflowers of the world and how so many kids that are raising themselves are becoming “independent” in their thoughts because they are thinking “I don’t need anyone because I know how to take care of myself”. We as a society are doing them and ourselves a disservice because we are becoming a society of like-minded people. We are becoming more and more “independent” as a nation when God is trying to draw us to Him and become a DEpendent people. We think “The world has let me down…I can do this on my own.” And God says “You need me. I’m here to help. I am already working along side you and AHEAD of you. I have a ‘plan and purpose’ for your life”. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Just look at what is happening in our courts and political arena right now. The social issues that are getting everyone heated are causing division and greater independence. They are about personal “freedom”, “choice”, “civil rights”. We are dividing ourselves into small minority groups, even among Christians. We are speaking up for what we believe in, which is GOOD, but we are losing track of HOW we are treating each other and therefore creating MORE division. The plain truth is that we are not all playing nicely in the “sandbox” and we are all trying to take our ball and go home, but the REALITY is that we are a NATION that is a community, whether we like it or not and we need to GET ALONG. There really isn’t any “independence” when it comes to living in a community, unless you’re the unibomber living off by yourself in the woods somewhere. We all have neighbors and co-workers and drive down the road together. Our kids go to school together or play at the park together. Our dogs go to the same vet and we go to the same doctor’s office. There isn’t really “independence” when we must interact with people every day. And I would venture to say that I think the key here that relates to the “American Dream” is that we are getting so focused on our “cause” that we are forgetting what is at the root of it all. Life is really about relationships and we are doing a STINKY job at the “golden rule”.

Which brings me back to focusing on the scripture at hand. The primary message here really is we are not to store up treasures on earth, nor are we to worry about our needs, and we are to seek and serve God. This is our purpose. We have become a very secular society of late and so many do not understand or embrace this purpose. Many believe that we are just here and we are to embrace the “YOLO” way of life, not concerned about anyone else…this is REAL “freedom” right?  What I do shouldn’t concern you and you are free to do what you want to do as long as it doesn’t affect me. Is this really the society that we want our kids to grow up in?  We all just go to work, earn our money, take our kids to Disneyworld, sleep with who we want in secret, drive the speed limit when a cop is around, maybe kick the dog when we get mad, cheat on our taxes a little, tweet some thoughts out to cyberspace, lie to our mom about why we can’t come home for Christmas, and celebrate when we get a bonus by buying a boat. We are mostly living a good life and our “bad choices” aren’t really affecting anyone. Is this really such an awesome way of life compared to Egypt, or Serbia? Maybe it is in the political spectrum or economically. I don’t know. I’m glad we’re not having riots and civil war for sure, but it actually makes me sad that we are living this way. I really believe that working for the “American Dream” and then turning on the news and watching us all hate on each other or being left with BAD relationships is not really a “dream.” I think it’s possible that some that aren’t focused on living the “dream” are actually happier???

I realize this is getting super long so here’s one last thought. Personally I believe we live in the best country on the planet. When we have a crisis we draw together…like 9/11 or the Boston marathon bombing. Recently when firefighters here in Houston were injured and killed, there were people giving blood and raising money for the families. I have seen strangers that are not even Christians return found wallets and give money on the street just because they are good people that want to do a good thing. I think MOST of us want to do the right thing and help out our fellow man. I think there is GOOD in all of us. Don’t even get me started on the debate about Christians being the “good people”. That’s not the GOSPEL. The reality is that we are a HURTING, lonely, lost, prideful people that want to fill the empty hole we feel every day with STUFF that can’t ever fill it. And this brings me back to the part about the EYE. We “covet” what we SEE every day. I got this line from the movie “Silence of the Lambs”…this is the BEST bad movie ever! The serial killer guy coveted what he couldn’t have and therefore it drove his bad behavior. He justified his bad behavior because the world had wronged him and maybe there was probably a little psychosis going on. Unfortunately I don’t think we are really much different. We justify our behavior because it’s “not as bad” as a serial killer or it’s not as bad as someone that we JUDGE as worse than ourselves. Let’s take a reality check. If I SEE the next car I want to drive and I focus on what I need to do to get that car, what would stop me from stealing it, or working two jobs and neglecting my kids so I can buy it? Is that really any different? If I am a lonely woman who’s husband travels a lot (and this is not me by the way :) and fill my loneliness with ice cream while WATCHING Channing Tatum in “Magic Mike”, am I really so satisfied that I will be “happy” with my husband when he gets home? Or vice versa and I'm the husband that travels a lot and WATCHES the adult channel in the hotel room. Will I be satisfied with my wife that I SEE isn't as skinny as she used to be after having the kids and eating ice cream while I'm gone? If I am an investment banker and I SEE a great deal of money every day, would it not be easy to dip into some of it a few cents here, a few cents there and no one will notice, and justify it because I work hard and deserve it? I’m not saying wanting a new car and working hard for it, or watching Channing Tatum, or eating ice cream, or working in investments is BAD. The point is, we ALL are going to WANT something and does any of this really bring us the “American Dream” in the end? And what happens when we finally achieve this “goal”…we turn our attention to the NEXT thing, that’s what. This is really a lie we tell ourselves because we are never going to be satisfied until we are focused on SEEKING and SERVING God. That’s it. That is God’s plan and His design when He created us. We will continue to debate what is “freedom” and “independence” and “right and wrong” and who is “entitled” to whatever for all eternity until we actually embrace the idea that GOD’S LOVE, His sovereignty, and His provision are the answers to all of our questions.

 

P – Lord God, my prayer today is that we would “seek and find” YOU! I pray for our country and all those that are trying to live the “American Dream” by working to get more money, find satisfaction in achievement, jumping on the political bandwagon, or fill the empty loneliness. Lift the veil of discontent and lies, Father, that we might find satisfaction and treasure in YOU.  And I pray this for myself and my family as well…that we would each know our purpose and that we would hear YOUR voice loud and clear above all others to know what it is that you desire for us to do each and every day. Lift the burden and temptation on each of us to feel that we have to do it on our own, or juggle it all, or even seek satisfaction in the world. The world in and of itself was not really designed to meet all of our needs and your plan for us is a perfect one. I pray that we would all embrace your design to be fulfilled in YOU and you alone. I pray that we would SEE you in all your glory in the world but not be swayed to become OF the world. I pray that our eyes would be opened to see what breaks your heart and that you would equip us to go and DO what you call us to do. My heart is full Lord for a desire to share how much you love us and I am thankful that you SEE us in our own little spot among so many of your children…you see EACH of us and love us no matter what we’ve done, providing all our needs. On this week of celebrating our freedom, I celebrate the FREEDOM I have to worship and follow you and the FREEDOM I have in Christ! WOW! What a gift to know that I will not ever be separated from you Lord. Thanks be to God!

Trust In His Unfailing Love

My SOAP devotional for May 20th

S - Psalm 13
1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

O - In this Psalm David the author is not afraid to pour out his anguish at the Lord's feet. He asks "how long" 4 times in the first 2 verses. We see the depth of his distress and yet as he prays we see him regain his hope in the Lord. David finds strength in prayer and a focus on the "big picture." David was impatient and yet he trusted that God would carry out His plans for David's life, in spite of his perceptions in the here and now...the struggles that David faced with his enemies.

A - This is so my life right now. The enemy would have me believe that I have enemies here on earth. At times it seems that I have been defeated and that the Lord is not acting on my behalf like I would like Him to. I find myself falling into that trap of wondering where God is at work in my life???? And yet at the same time, I know I can pray and bring my burdens to God's feet. I am hopeful and confident that He hears me when I cry out to Him. In my despair He reminds me that He is holding me up. And I have peace to focus on the promise that He has a plan and purpose for my life.

P - This is my prayer Lord Jesus. That I would simply trust in you. That I would sing praise, even in the midst of feeling overwhelmed and overburdened, because you are so good to me. I see your blessings and I give you praise. In the words of "Johnny Appleseed": The Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed. The Lord is good to me! Amen.

Fearless Faith

This is my SOAP devotional for 5/3

S - Acts 7:59-60 (New living translation)
59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

O - Stephen, in the midst of pain and dying, prays for his persecutors. We see the same compassion at Jesus' crucifixion as well. Stephen was bold not only in standing up for his faith but also in speaking up as well. This was basically the launching pad for the persecution and scattering of these new believers, as well as the expansion of the church. This was a tragic event with amazing consequences for the greater good. Stephen is an amazing example of acting in God's service regardless of the fear and obstacles you may face.

A - Oh that we all would be so bold. Not that we should face the same persecution, but that we would be that loyal and committed to what God calls us to do. For me, this is so personal in what we are doing RIGHT now in adopting "A". We are being obedient to what we believe God is asking of us, regardless of the fears we may be facing. Inviting a teenager with many life experiences to join our family is a huge step for all of us...it is in some ways scary but also EXCITING and an incredible honor and blessing that she is willing to trust us. I look forward to see how God is going to take the tragic events in "A's" life from her past and turn them into something amazing. What a blessing that we get to be a part of it!

P - In a word, Lord, I have fears! I KNOW that your word promises that fear does not come from you. I believe that you are bigger than any fear I might face. Help me to continue to put my faith ahead of the doubts and fears that I may see in my head. Keep the enemy far away from me, that I will embrace the confident faith that I already know is your spiritual gift to me. Oh Lord, how you love us and I thank you for the provision you have already shown in "A's" life and I thank you in advance for the work you will do to show your "purpose and plan" for her (Jer. 29:11) Amen.

Good Fruit!

My devotional reading from Jan. 8th

S - Matt. 3:10b
"...every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire."

O - Trees are intended to produce fruit. Trees that do not produce fruit are really useless and have no purpose. John the Baptist is writing here and uses the same analogy for the Jewish leaders that were so consumed with self-righteousness that they were missing the point of following God's ways.

A - It doesn't do any good to be "religious" or "spiritual" if you aren't producing "fruit" that benefits others. John the Baptist was talking about God's way before Jesus had begun his ministry but Jesus' way is God's way and Jews and Christians should be the FIRST ones to reach out to ANYONE who doesn't know the truth. However, this doesn't mean that we throw our fruit in their faces either. All too often I unfortunately see Christians misuse their fruit and leave a bitter taste in someone's mouth. We are all trees that will eventually be lost in "the fire" if our roots are not planted in Jesus' soil but making this CHOICE does not mean it is our duty to be self-righteous and selfish with our fruit. Fruit is for sharing.

P - Father, I pray that I am always pleasing to you in the fruit that I produce. May it always be sweet and never bitter. Amen.