- Life Happens
As a young Christian, one of the biggest challenges I had was understanding that God knows my circumstances, no matter how big or small. He is always with me. He isn’t surprised by my getting sick, getting in a car accident or losing a job. God knows that “Life Happens.”
Matthew chapter 8 gives us a great example of this. Jesus was in Capernaum and had just finished healing Peter’s mother-in-law, casting out spirits, healing the sick, and speaking to a multitude.
Matthew 8:23-27 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. [24] And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. [25] And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. [26] And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. [27] But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Jesus got into a boat to go to the other side of the lake, and His disciples followed Him.
Let’s think about what happened next.
Did Jesus know that the storm was coming? – Yes
Was Jesus peaceful? – Yes, he was sleeping.
Did Jesus have the power to protect His disciples? – Yes, He had just done miracles in Capernaum.
We, like the disciples, often let three things stop us when storms come.
Fear – The disciples saw the storm around them and fear take control.
As a Christians, we are not to fear; God will be with us through difficult situations.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Obstacles – The disciples had followed Christ into the boat, and then the storm came. As Christians, we are often called to take a “step of faith,” like stepping into the boat. But when a storm comes, we lose faith to trust God. We must remember God will be there with us, even when we don’t understand what we “see” Him doing.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Lack of perseverance (doubt) – the disciples started to panic; they were about to sink. Christ was in the boat with them. He was sleeping peacefully. The disciples had just witnessed Christ do many miracles at Capernaum, seeing His Power, but yet they panicked. They wanted an answer “NOW!”. As Christians, we can “panic.” We do become impatient, or don’t like how things are “working out and our faith goes away. God does not always make things clear, but He promises to be there with us and help us through the difficulties we will face.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
I wish I could have understood this better as a new Christian; it might have saved me many times of doubt and fear. I hope you will be encouraged by this truth that God is always with you and will never leave you alone in a storm.
- Getting to know HIM
What do you do when you want to get to know someone?
Spending time, a lot of time with a person. Go out to lunch. Get to know someone by asking questions about their values, family, interests, goals, background, experiences, etc. Talk about your dreams, etc. Getting to know someone is just talking to them. Have face-to face interactions.
When we become Christians, if you are like me, I knew very little about God and the Bible. So how does a Christian get to KNOW God? Well, I am not an expert in this, but for me I started by praying to Him. I shared my thoughts, my dreams, my thankfulness for His gift of salvation, my desire to learn about Him, and the fact that I didn’t know how to learn about Him.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
After being saved, I was a new creature (so are you if you are born again believer) – I had different desires, and I had the Holy Spirit living within me.
Romans 8:9a But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
We cannot physically speak with God, but think of it as writing letters to a “pen pal” (do they still have those???) Your prayers are letters you send to God, and through Bible reading and study, and attending Church, that is God writing back to you. Slowly over time, you will learn what God values, and learn about His values through the examples we have in the Bible like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Esther, Mary, and the Disciples.
God in the Bible tells us He will show Himself to us when we ask. Actually, I believe It is easier to get to know God, than it is to get to know a person. People are not always willing to listen or to make time in their busy schedules for you. But God promises and does both.
Jeremiah 29:12-13 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
All you need to do is pray, read, study, attend church, and be willing to learn.
Will you call upon Him?
Will you pray to Him?
Will you seek Him?
Will you search for Him?
REMEMBER! God promises that He will be there and listen to you!
- He will Not Twist Your Arm
Have you ever had someone make you do something you didn’t want to do, they “twisted your arm?”
Life is full of choices. At times we get to choose what we want, other times we do things because we “have to”, and still other times we get to choose. What career, whether to marry, having children, buying a home, what friends we have and so many more. With any choice, we do several things:
- Set priorities – decide what is most important and give time and energy to it
- Adjust Attitudes – choose to be grateful, positive, and persistent
- Set Social interactions – choose to be with others who want the same thing.
- Develop Habits – make daily routines and stick to them.
Choices are a process of making decisions that direct your life. As a Christian, the most important choice we make is whether or not to serve the Lord. I am not talking about just going to church once in a while, but wholeheartly serving. Making God a priority in your life.
Jesus has already shown us that we are a priority in His life.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man (Jesus) is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus wants us to seek Him, but he will not force you to serve Him.
Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
When we choose to serve Him, He will help us…
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
He will provide for our needs…
Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
God will not force you to serve Him, but promises to be there when you do!
- Mini Me
Back in December 1990, I was very sick; I had several days where I could not keep food down and was out of work for about a week. My body was at the point where even a drink of water would send me into the bathroom and violently expel it from my body. Every time I stood, I felt as if I was going to collapse. My caring husband took me to our family doctor, who immediately sent me to the hospital – I was extremely dehydrated. The next 24 hours I spent getting 3 bags of fluids, sleeping, and having tests done to see what was the “problem.” Our caring doctor stopped in and told us what the cause of the sickness was…I was going to have a baby. Okay, not a problem but a blessing.
Knowing that I was going to have a baby changed things. I had to deal with morning sickness for another few weeks, then everything went well, and on June 1, we welcomed a beautiful baby girl to the world. Over the years, we had our struggles and the “normal” childhood accomplishments – first word, walking, going to school, graduating high school, and completing college.
One day, me and my daughter, Tami, went out to lunch, and the waitress asked us if we were twins. I loved it, but my daughter groaned and said, “she is my mother.” At that point, I had been a Christian for about 25 years, and I realized that she was a “Mini Me,” we look alike on the outside. But what about on the inside?
I had made sure that she was healthy, educated, and had a Christian upbringing. She attended Church regularly and went to a Christian school, but had she learned to love the Lord for herself. As a parents, we can give our children the tools and make sure they “do” all the right things, but it is ultimately their choice to serve the Lord.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
I have been blessed to see my daughter grow into a lovely woman and more importantly, a Godly one. She has her own relationship with the Lord and has chosen to serve Him. Once I asked her why she chose to follow the Lord, and she said, “Because I saw you always be faithful to the Lord even when things were hard.”
Jesus himself told his disciples after washing their feet.
John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Moms and dads, if you learn one thing today – be a Godly example to your children. Not just by making them do the “right” things, but by doing them yourself.
This picture was taken at a women’s Bible retreat in Minnesota. I have to say that I am blessed to have a Mini Me….well, maybe not so “mini” she is six inches taller than me. 😉
- Delayed
I am sitting here at the airport, flying home after visiting my sister. And guess what happened? My connecting flight is delayed. Not just a few minutes but THREE hours! I like to have a schedule. I schedule almost everything. My family thinks that I am weird. I have schedules for bills, for work, and I even have my housework on a schedule. As Christians, we should do things in an orderly fashion.
1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
But what happens when life throws you an interruption, a delay?
Do you get frustrated? Do you throw a temper tantrum? Do you just push on with your schedule? OR do you stop and look for the opportunity that is put before you?
The Bible gives us the perfect example: Luke 10:30-37 Good Samaritan
Here is the reader’s digest version. A man was traveling and was attacked by robbers. Three men passed by: a Priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan. The first saw the wounded man and walked by, the second saw and stopped to look, but continued on his way. The third had compassion on him, tended to his wounds, took him to a place to take care of his wounds, and even paid for his care.
When delays come, do you ignore them, do you act “spiritual” and stop and pray about it, or do you change your plans, see the problem, and act? Being flexible is difficult, but when you allow yourself to stretch to meet others’ needs, you will reap some wonderful blessings!
The next time your schedule is delayed, take a moment and look for the opportunity God has put in front of you.
- Why Study the Word of God?
As I began preparing to write this post, I had to think back and ask myself, “Why did I want to study the Word of God?
At age 18, I learned IN THE BIBLE that God loved me and sent His son Jesus to die on the cross to make a way for me to go to Heaven. I was a sinner, and my sin should separate me from heaven and God for all eternity. Christ paid my sin debt,giving me eternal life.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2 Corinthians 5:21 for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
If the Bible could show me that – What other truths could I learn in the Bible? Here are my three reasons to study the Bible for yourself.
Reason #1 – I want to know more.
If God could show me my need for salvation and how to get it in three verses, what else could I learn?
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Reason #2 – It is good for me.
God’s Word is going to show me how to successfully live the Christian life.
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Reason #3 – To grow as a Christian.
I was new to the Christian walk, a baby, and I needed scripture to show me what God wanted for my life.
If you are just beginning your Christian Walk, here are a few guides/helps on how to study your Bible.
- Have tools available – pen, highlighter, paper, Bible – this is all you need to start.
- Set a specific time – schedule it! It can be just a few minutes to start.
- Begin with prayer – ask God to help you understand and apply what you learn to your daily life. James 1:5
- Be Consistent – You will grow in your faith the more you study. Romans 10:17
- Meditate on it – God promises to help you, when you spend time studying His Word. Joshua 1:8
- Memorize it – I will give you understanding to live a Godly Christian life. Psalm 119:11
Two things to remember:
- If you don’t understand something, write it down – keep reading – many times as you continue to read, the question will get answered. If not, ask a Godly Christian friend to help you understand.
- If you can do nothing else, JUST READ, don’t worry about understanding everything. It takes time to learn the Bible. (I am still learning more from the Bible every day, and I have been doing it for over 30 years!)
Make your study time yours! – not Mom or Dad’s, family or friends – but YOURS. Yes, group Bible Studies are good, BUT you need a personal time with the Lord, one-on-one. Friends and family will not always be there. God promises He will. Hebrews 13:5b “I will never leave thee or forsake thee.”
Not sure where to begin, start in the New Testament book of John, then go to Romans.
I will pray for you as you begin to study God’s Word.
- Keeping your Heart
What is the condition of your Heart?
We have an example in the Old Testament—King Amaziah, 2 Chronicles 25, where we learn three things from his story.
2 Chronicles 25:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
When your heart is not fully in tune with God, “a perfect heart” that is when problems come.
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
2 Chronicles 25:2-3 Amaziah did follow the Lord’s commands
As the story continues, in verse 5, Amaziah was going to go to battle against the Edomites (children of Seir). Amaziah had hired an army to go to battle with him. A man of God came to Amaziah and told him not to use the army he had hired because the Lord was not with them. If he took the hired army, he would fall before the Edomites. Verse 9 tells us that Amaziah was worried about the money he paid the army. He doubted that God could provide for his needs.
- A divided heart causes you to Doubt God.
After Amaziah had a great victory against the Edomites, verse 14, “he that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.”
- A divided heart causes you to Stray
Amaziah chose to go against God’s commands; he chose to worship false idols and went after the gods of the people he had just defeated. God was angry with Amaziah and sent the man of God to Amaziah, but he refused to listen to the counsel of the man of God in verse 16.
- A divided heart causes you to Turn from God.
The three verses below will help you to keep your heart. God will be with you when you choose to serve him with your whole heart. I challenge you to memorize them.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Whoever has your heart will determine the direction in your life?
Have you checked your Heart?
- Do the Obvious
When I was first starting in Bible college. I was given some beginner courses to help me as I began to learn about the Word of God and having a Christian Walk. – This was pretty foreign to me as I was raised going to Church maybe once a year, and we never read out of the Bible, and prayer was only done before bed, maybe, and before Thanksgiving dinner. So, this was all new to me. I had teachers and friends try to give direction, but it was several years after being saved when I found a section of scripture that gave a simple place to start having a Christian Walk.
1 Thessalonians 5:15-22 – each verse gives a simple, straightforward action for new Christians.
v15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
- Be FORGIVING – remember Christ forgave you while “we were yet sinners” Romans 5:8
v16 Rejoice evermore.
- Be JOYFULL – Doesn’t mean walking around with a “fake” smile on your face, but that you rejoice that you are saved!
v17 Pray without ceasing.
- PRAY consistently, it doesn’t mean 24/7, but have an attitude that you need God’s direction in your daily life.
v18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
- Be THANKFUL – take time to remember your blessings and thank God for them!
v19 Quench not the Spirit.
- GODLY SURROUNDINGS take steps to avoid things, people, and places that will draw you away from God.
v20 Despise not prophesyings.
- Read your Bible – DAILY DEVOTIONS – make your personal time with God a priority, not an afterthought.
v21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
- STUDY YOUR BIBLE – Dig into God’s Word; if you don’t understand, ask questions. You need to know God’s Word for yourself, so you can share it with others
v22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
- Keep your TESTIMONY – separate yourself from ungodly people, places, and habits that are not God honoring.
I encourage you to begin your Christian walk with these 8 actions. The Christian life is not difficult. It is living as the Bible tells us and believing God Himself wrote it. We just need to “Do the Obvious.”
- Friends
God made us to be social – we all need other people in our life. God did is this so that we can have a relationship with Him, but also so you can have encouragement and support you throughout your Christian walk. We need Godly friends. Let us consider Job. Job had 3 friends who came rushing to his side when they heard about his tragedy.
For those of you how are unfamiliar with Job’s story. Job was a very rich good man who loved God very much. God had blessed Job with many things. A large family, seven sons and three daughters, and a lot of animals 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys and many people living and keeping his home. One day Satan came to talk to God and said that Job would not love God if he had not blessed Job with so much. God gave Satan permission to take the things away from Job, but Satan was not allowed to take Job’s health or his life. Satan then took everything, Job’s animals and his children and after this happened Job was sad, but he never turned from God. Again, Satan, spoke with God and said that if Job was not healthy, he would not love God. God gave Satan permission to take Job’s health but he was not allowed to take his life. Satan then caused Job to be covered in sores from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Job’s wife even told him to curse God and die. With all that, Job never sinned against God. He knew that he should accept both the good and the bad, and that God was always with him.
This is when Job’s 3 friends came to visit.
What do you think they said to Job?
Job’s friends talked to him and told Job he must have done something wrong and sinned against God. That this was God punishing him for his wrong doing. Job knew he had not sinned against God and his friend did not believe that Job had been faithful to God.
Job’s friends failed at being Godly friends! Instead of lifting Job up, they only added to Job’s heartbroken condition.
The Bible gives us clear direction on what a Godly friend should be.
Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1 John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
As a friend we need to be there to uplift and encourage not find faults in our friends. Friends can help you as you seek to walk with the Lord or they can pull you away.
Remember that your actions affect your friends also…
Do you draw your friends closer to the Lord?
Do you encourage Godly actions?
Do you show God’s love to them?
What kind of friend are you?
- Drawing a Blank
As I began looking for another Stepping Stone to share with you this week. I would start one then just not be able to finish it. Then begin another and still didn’t come together the way I wanted. So, I took a few days and just did my normal devotions and prayer time and just thought some more and still nothing else seemed to guide me to a topic for this post.
I decided to share one verse that became special to me early in my Christian life.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Many times, throughout our Christian walk God will bring verses to light and they become a “favorite.” We often time memorize it and continue to lean on the truth found in it during difficult times.
Having grown up in a poor family, I didn’t have all of the things my friends had. I wore second-hand clothes, never had the “brand-name” shoes, most of our dinners were fried potatoes and beans. There were times when I felt that I did not have what I wanted…but I had what I needed.
Once I was saved, God used this verse to show me three things.
First, God will provide my physical needs! My family has never gone hungry, we have always had clothes, some are even brand-name and new, and we have been blessed with a home that we use for church functions and show hospitality to the saved and unsaved people God puts in our lives. Second, the Lord also has provided for my spiritual needs. He gave me a Godly husband, daughter and son-in-law who are faithfully serving the Lord. We are blessed with a loving Church family at Northwoods Baptist Church. Third, I have the Word of God, that continues to show/teach me more about our Lord and Savior each day.
We have a wonderful God who is worthy to be praised and served! I can truly say that God has supplied all my needs both physically and spiritually.
So now, I am going to ask for your help.
Please take a moment comment and share your favorite verse and a blessing you have experienced in your walk with the Lord.
- Are You Listening?
Recently I found that I was unable to hear out of one of my ears. A cold, led to an ear infection, then to a long period of ringing, and almost a total loss of hearing in my right ear. I never realized how much of a difference being able to hear clearly made in my everyday life.
After three weeks of my hearing not returning, I was getting a bit concerned. I was starting to think about all the things that I might have to stop doing – can I do my office manager job effectively, can I still teach my Sunday School Class, will I still be able to sing in the choir? All these thoughts in my mind…then a still small voice said to me, “Those things are important but have you been listening to Me?”
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not hearing “voices” but, God will at times allow us to go through things to help draw us back to Him. Remind us of our need to be close to Him so we can hear His voice
I was physically making an effort to focus on what others around me were saying. I also made it a priority to make sure that my speech was not overpowering, because when you can’t hear yourself, you often speak louder than needed. I was putting in the effort to make sure I could hear what was happening around me physically.
But how was I doing spiritually? Was I listening to what God wanted me to hear with the same effort?
I can honestly say that I was not putting in the same effort in, when it came to spiritual things. You might be saying to yourself, “I thought you have been saved for over 30 years?” Yes, I have, but I am still human and a still a sinner who gets my priorities mixed up at times. I was not listening carefully. But our God is faithful, even when we are not.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God helps us through these mixed-up times. The Lord will use things in our life to make us “examine” ourselves and get us back on track.
2 Corinthians 13:5a Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.
Lamentations 3:40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
So, my question for you is, “Are you listening?” It is never too late to turn again to the LORD.
- Yesterday
Do you ever find yourself saying “remember when”, “I remember the time…”, or even “I was so much fun when we…” of course you do, we all do it. We remember the “Yesterdays” the times spend with family and friends the days when we were young and set out to conquer the world. Those are good things to remember. But when you find yourself saying “I wish I had…” “If only I had done this instead…” and even “why did I do that” or “I should have said this…” Those are the thoughts that can either keep us in the “yesterdays” or help us to move forward.
In Isaiah 43 the Lord himself speaks to Jacob and tells him:
Isaiah 43:18-19 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
God wants us to move forward and not allow our past to stop us from serving Him. When we dwell on the “what if’s” we all tend to get discouraged.
Later in that chapter in verse 25 God states “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God when we confess our sins to God, He forgives them, he blots them out, He forgets them.
If God doesn’t remember our past sins, then we should not allow them to stop us from moving forward.
This is Satan trying to stop you from moving forward in your Christian journey.
2 Corinthians 11:3 – But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Satan is subtle and will use your own thoughts against you. Don’t allow him to deceive you into thinking that you are not valuable to God. Remember if God can use 12 simple men (fishermen, a lawyer, a tax collector and peasants) to change the world he can use you!
I will leave you with a verse to help you when you get discouraged, this is a promise from God when you choose to serve to Him.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Through life we walk a path that can lead us in many different directions.
When we are young those paths are often directed by our parents, school teachers and other people that cross our path.
As we grow older our paths become our own, sometimes smooth easy going other times we struggle and suffer heart aches.
I have experienced many things and encountered a variety of people along my path. There were times when I overcame obstacles and times when I stumbled. Through it all the Lord used key moments to draw me closer to Him. I hope some of my experiences will help you along your life path.