That Was Then, This Is Now

Scripture Reading: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

I haven’t traveled extensively, but have stepped foot in Washington, D.C. and Washington state; Toronto and Tijuana; Burlington, Wisconsin and Bermuda and several places in between. All have been memorable, but none so memorable as my trip to Israel. In my planning, I anticipated “walking where Jesus walked” and experiencing the Holy Land first-hand. Nothing - not even Pastor Gabe’s telling us how life-altering it would be - prepared me for what happened there.

I’m an “outline,” step-by-step, measure-twice-cut-once kind of person. This first, this next, then this - you get the picture. Why was I so surprised that the itinerary didn’t start in Bethlehem and end at Calvary? I mean, if I were to walk in His steps, wouldn’t we go where He went, the way He went, in the order He went? I am so glad we didn’t, as it enabled me to concentrate on where I was, rather than ponder the next location. So I focused on each step, which, by the way, is good advice when walking the sandal-polished stones of Jerusalem’s ancient streets! 

With each step where Jesus’s feet touched, “Jesus was HERE!” filled my thoughts…the small portion of stairway leading to the temple, still visible since He first walked those stones;  the tortuous path to Golgotha, including one spot His blood and sweat most assuredly dripped onto the pavement; the Sea of Galilee’s sandy shore; the short path between Peter’s house and the nearby synagogue; the actual stairs He climbed to Caiaphas’s house; and the Garden of Gethsemane. 

It happened in the Garden. Beautiful. Quiet. Peaceful. Yet, in the stillness, was an awareness of Jesus’s agony as He cried out to the Father, beseeched his companions to watch with Him, sweat great drops of blood, and surrendered to the perfect will of God. Imagining how it was, I prayed step-by-step through that Garden, telling myself again, “Jesus was HERE!” Suddenly, overwhelmingly, I sensed His presence, and heard Him speak to my heart, “I am here with you NOW!” There. There it was. As awesome, as inspiring, as emotional as it was to have planted my feet where He had planted His, it was there, in that Garden, that He reminded me in no uncertain terms that He is with us in the NOW. He agonized in the Garden there and then so He could be with us here and now. In every moment, every day, every triumph, every trial, He IS with us… in the exciting and the mundane; in the stress and the calm; in the joy and the grief...not WAS, but IS… Is. With. Us. He lives in the perpetual NOW! I will always treasure having followed His footsteps there and then, but more precious is knowing He’s walking with us here and now. Is your walk difficult? He’s walking with you. Are you plodding through grief? He’s beside you. Are you dancing with joy? He’s dancing with you. In every circumstance, we can embrace Him, His peace, His joy. Here. Now. Forever!

“Lord, thank you that because of your immense love and perfect sacrifice, your everlasting presence is with us in every circumstance and situation. May we always be aware of that presence, knowing you are with us always, for you have said in your Word, “Never will I leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).  Remind us that you are walking with us every step of the way...when we rejoice, when we grieve, in special celebrations or in everyday routines. Let us long to know you more and more on our daily walk with you, as we study your Word, listen for your voice, and submit to your will. Amen.”

Finding Family

Scripture Reading: “Let all that you do be done with love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

On November 15, 2020 I was baptized at The Point, and this is part of my testimony that was written on that day.

Church has always been a part of my life, and I’ve spent 50 years attending church, serving, teaching, and volunteering. However, I recently began feeling that God was leading me to make a change. My church family and activities were things that I had always enjoyed, but now I seemed to be on a quest for something deeper and truer to the real message of Jesus. I considered making that change and searching for more. 

So I began praying for direction and set out on my journey. Part of my plan was to visit a few local churches. A friend told me about the Point, and the first Sunday I attended just happened to be a celebration of the Point’s 10th anniversary! There were balloons, kettle corn, and other fun surprises, but what stood out most to me were the love I experienced, prayer, and a strong sense of family. I loved that visit and felt a connection from the first welcoming handshake.  The next Sunday I returned, and even without all the extra celebrations, the love, prayer and sense of family were still there, and were just as energizing and illuminating as before.

Soon I signed up for Growth Track, which has been very helpful to me in discovering my personal strengths and “purposeful design.” I’ve found several opportunities for serving and enjoy it very much. I’m also excited about the small groups I’ve attended and cannot speak highly enough about them and the way they continue to promote a strong sense of family. I highly recommend both of these programs to any new believers or members.

Yes, I felt at home that very first day. And now in our new church facility, the message on the wall reminds me of an amazing concept: “Love God, Love People, Love Life.” In fact, I have been focusing on LOVE, and find that it is a superpower! Jesus is my guide and example. I’ve also been reading God’s Word, journaling and praying the scriptures.

During this process I’ve read a book by Bob Goff- Love Does. The author wrote one line that really stands out to me – “Love is a DO thing.  It’s an energy that has to be dissipated.” This is what The Point is living and what I am aiming to do as well. “We love each other because He loved us first.” (1 John 4:19)  Indeed, God is love, and He graciously puts us in church families where we can receive and share that love with others.

“Thank you, Lord, for your great love for us, and for leading us to walk with you each day. As we follow you on our life’s journey, please guide us into all truth and use us for your kingdom. We love you and give you glory and praise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Achievable Goals for 2021

Scripture Reading: “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

Do you like to set goals in a new year? I read somewhere that almost half of Americans make New Year’s resolutions but only 8% stick to their goals. I am definitely not in that 8% successful group! My resolve to be a goal-oriented person starts strongly at 6 a.m. but by 5 p.m. I can have a completely different attitude. For years I gave up making formal resolutions because adhering to them was so tough. It was discouraging to set a goal and miss the mark time and time again. “Maybe I’m not setting the right goals,” I eventually concluded. “Maybe there’s a better way to help my growth and development. What does God think about all of this?” I wondered.

We’re far enough into 2021 to see it will require a lot of flexibility to function well. Amidst a different set of challenging circumstances, the prophet Isaiah realized something special about God’s people. He noted that are we being *made* by God’s hand. We are clay, not a finished project yet, still in the development phase.

When a work of pottery is being created, it is the maker who chooses how to shape the object. The potter decides what to make the clay into and what traits it will have. Our development process is the same. God, our Potter, is molding us into something new. He picks our features and purposes. He shapes us into what He wills us to be.  

In a world of Covid, personal, political, and economic crises, God shows us through his word he wants to mold our hearts and lives. He desires to shape us into His pre-planned pottery! God has goals for YOU in 2021.

As you consider setting resolutions for this year or lament the ones you have already made and broken, what would it look like to embrace what God is teaching you in this season rather than make plans exclusively based off human objectives?

Ask God specifically what traits He wants to birth in you in this season. What are His goals for your heart? Recently, He showed me that He wants me to become more mature by learning patience. And thank God, He has given me an abundance of opportunities to embrace it and practice patience in this crazy world! What is God molding you to be? Rather than fighting against the process, how can you welcome the Lord’s goals for you and embrace the ways He shapes you? You will find incredible purpose and success this year if you seek the Lord’s objectives for you, because God never fails at His goals.

“Father, You are the Potter and I am the clay. I surrender to You. Soften my heart and show me how You want me to grow in this season. I want to embrace Your work in me, not fight against it.”

Faith Over Fear

As I was taking a walk, I stopped to chat with a neighbor, and we mentioned that we missed visiting with each other. She suggested we could sit on my porch at a distance, but since I feel the cold easily, that doesn’t work for me in the winter. I offered to invite her into my house, but she quickly responded with a fearful, “No, I don’t go into anybody’s house right now. We haven’t seen our children and grandchildren in a long time.” I completely understand her fear - this disease can be deadly. 

So we turn to God and what He says. We try to live our lives trusting Him especially in the hard situations in our lives. He says repeatedly “Do not fear, be anxious for nothing.” We want to live our lives obeying what He says and trusting Him rather than living in fear. 

There needs to be a balance between just trusting that we will not get the virus and, therefore, living without any caution (going anyplace we want, being with many people) or going the opposite way and giving into fear that cripples us, leaving us terrified. 

What does God say to us about fear and living with His wisdom? 

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

We can depend on the absolute truth that God is with us and He will strengthen and help us.  There is no maybe about it. When fear assails, and it will, we can put our faith in this truth. Take time to affirm this truth to yourself – God is with me so I don’t need to let fear cripple me.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

Anxiety and fear will come given the current environment in which we live. But when it comes, this verse tells us what to do. Bring our fear to God in prayer with thanksgiving that He is in control in every situation, including COVID, and then experience His peace to guard our hearts and minds.

So as you stop letting fear guide your life, there is still the question of how to live in a world with COVID. Pastor Gabe has been preaching much about God’s wisdom as we study Proverbs. Rather than fear guiding us, we want God’s wisdom to guide us.  James 1:5-6 tells us to ask God in faith without doubting for wisdom and it will be given. When you are not sure what to do, where to go, and where not to go, what people you can see, seek God for His wisdom. He promises to guide us. He will guide through His Word, His Spirit and counsel of others.

“Heavenly Father, I am thankful that You are sovereign and You have not given me a spirit of fear but power, love and a sound mind. I confess that sometimes I have let fear guide me during this time. Thank You Lord for forgiving me because of Jesus’ death for me. I put my trust in You and seek to hear Your wisdom through Your Word, Your Spirit and counsel of others. Use my life during this time to reveal You to others.”

Freedom from the Mindset of Captivity

Scripture Reading: “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.” 2 Peter 2:20

I learned several years ago that having a “mindset of freedom” went along hand-in-hand with living a life of freedom, however, I also came to realize that one could definitely exist without the other; we can be deemed free by knowing Christ Jesus and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, but still have the mindset and actions of a captive. I was saved at the age of 33, after I entered into a discipleship/rehabilitation program. Before going into the program, I had struggled with addiction for twenty-two years, not to mention my childhood that was filled with deep hurt and trauma. So, by the time I had come to the end of myself, I was physically and mentally shackled to addiction, negative thinking, and to the ways of the world. I knew exactly what it meant to live according to the flesh and to be a captive and slave to sin. After giving my life to Christ, I truly believed in my heart that I had been set free and that I was forgiven, but my mind wasn’t on the same page as my heart. No, my mind was still a prisoner to what it once knew, and it would take a daily conscious effort to align my mind and heart to God’s Word so that I could fully live out the gift of freedom that I had been given.

There was one scripture that stuck with me from the very beginning of my journey, and I saw with my own eyes the warning of this verse come alive in the lives of those who would turn back to their old ways after being saved. 2 Peter 2:20, was the verse of awakening for me and I took heed to this warning, and I never went back. Day in and day out, I asked God to not only work in my heart, but also to work in my mind. I developed the habit of living out the Word in my daily life and putting it to practice so that my brain would develop a new way of thinking, and my new thoughts then became new actions. And then the day came, I finally experienced freedom from the mindset of captivity, my heart and my mind were working together in harmony and not separated from one another.

What I came to understand was that it was just as important for the heart to experience transformation as it was for the mind, and I understood by the warning of this scripture that one can certainly exist without the other; and when they exist separate from each other, we are only partially free. Jesus came so that we could live a life of complete freedom, mind, body and soul! It had become clear to me that I had a choice to make (as we all do), that I was either captive to my thoughts, or that I was going to take my thoughts captive; one of these always leads us back and the other always leads us forward in the fullness and freedom to which we were called to live.

“Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your transformational power! Lord, I ask that You would break down the prison walls in the minds of those that are still in captivity and that they would begin to experience the fullness of freedom in Christ Jesus. Amen!”

Steady

Scripture Reading: “My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul.” (Psalm 108:1)

During one of my grad school moves, I distinctly remember struggling to carry out my mattress. The problem was not that it was too heavy. No, this poor little guy was flimsy as could be. So much so, you could barely lift it. And the accompanying bed was not much better - I don’t know where it came from, but I am pretty sure it was free. The wooden slats that held up the box springs tended to fall out during the night. One thing was made clear; it was time for a new bed! And not surprisingly, once I made that exchange, both my sleep and my back improved. 

Sometimes our spiritual lives are a lot like that sad mattress. They may look good on the surface (as my bed did when covered with a bedspread and pillows), but “flimsy” is a more accurate description when we take a closer look.

When things get tough, our natural tendency is to give up, run away, hide, pretend, or point fingers. But God has something better in mind. Through His power, we can be strong, secure, steady, and stable.

Recently, I have been challenged by Ephesians 6:13, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” This section of scripture repeatedly urges us to stand firm. In other words, it is not automatic. We have to work at it.

Our spiritual strength is linked directly to the armor of God. Do you know what the first piece of armor listed here is? The belt of truth. We don’t grow strong by ignoring our shortcomings, but rather by facing them head-on. Standing firm always begins with truth.

For me, this involves identifying unhealthy thinking patterns and replacing them with God’s Word. Recently, I took the time to address some of my weaknesses in the form of a declaration. Here are a few examples:

• I am content and satisfied. (Psalm 131)

• I am chosen to display the character of God. (Colossians 3:12)

• My prayers are powerful. (James 5:16)

• I have a ministry. And it matters. (Colossians 4:17)

• I am steady. I don’t give up, and I don’t quit. (Ephesians 6:10)

The start of a new year is the perfect time to “pull back the covers,” so to speak, and examine our hearts and minds. Take a few minutes to reflect on the following: 

• What is it that causes you to grow “flimsy”?

• What unhealthy thinking do you need to replace with a declaration of truth?

• What does God have to say about your shortcomings and weaknesses?

“God, my heart is steady because You are steady. I choose to stand firm – not giving up, not running away, and not giving in. You are powerful, strong, and trustworthy. You never leave me, and You never forsake me. I can trust in you, even when life is insecure. I can find peace in chaos, strength in the storms, and joy in the trials. Amen.”