Three Steps to Connect with God

1) Have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. People get hung up on religion, but knowing God is all about relationship. Jesus came to earth as a man and died in my place (and yours) on the cross, because I am a sinner. Being a sinner means I’ve missed the mark. If you’ve broken one of the 10 commandments, you’ve probably broken all of them, even in just your thoughts. Jesus said what a man thinks, he does in his heart. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." (Mt. 5:19-20)

Tough to hear, but I’m right there with you. Jesus bridged the gap by becoming the ultimate perfect and holy sacrifice to wash away our sins and rising from the dead, He showed He has ultimate power over life and death. 

Recognize you’re a sinner and ask for God’s forgiveness. Receive His gift of grace, that only Jesus can give—forgiveness and salvation, which He paid for. 

That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:7-10)

2) Read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. The Bible is God’s word given to man. This holy book is God’s side of the conversation and how He communicates with us. Do you need comfort? Read Psalms. Psalms 23 and 103 are good places to start. Do you want to understand the historical and spiritual origins of humankind? How religion/relationship began? Read Genesis. Do you want to better understand who Jesus is and the salvation He brings? Read the Gospel of John. Do you want to learn more about humankind’s destiny? Read Revelation.

Any or all of these books are the proverbial tip of the iceberg. There are 66 books in total, filled with His story, covering the full spectrum of life.

3) Spend time in prayer. Talking to the Lord is our half of the conversation. “Why?” do you ask, if God knows my thoughts, do I need to pray? Parents of young children know what they need and often what they want, but there’s nothing sweeter than hearing these things they wish to confide. The Lord, as well, wants us to come to Him, realizing He is what we need. We are strengthened by our prayers. He inhabits our praises!

Deciding to receiving the Lord into your life, by His grace, is inarguably the most important decision you will ever make—it’s a decision for eternity. He’s always there for you. As in any relationship, we must converse: listen and communicate to maintain our closeness. Will you make a move to connect with God? He’s waiting!

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)

Motivation for July - Writer's Terror!

Is writer’s block just that? Let me word it another way: Is there really such a thing as writer’s block? I have never liked that term. I know I can write when I put my mind to it. There are so many characters and stories in my mind, waiting to get out, that it’s not for lack of material.

Then there were the times that I was drained physically or emotionally that, try as I might, it didn’t seem I had enough emotion to write into my character’s lives. At one point, I even felt the Lord’s gentle voice telling me to “rest”—at least from writing fiction—and I began to write devotionals for a time. That was a good learning experience for me.

After I became unemployed again in early February, I thought how great it would be to have plenty of time to work on my writing. However, that was part of my problem. I no longer had to reserve my writing time for twenty minutes or so at Starbucks before work, or during lunch and hope to find additional time on the weekend. I had a whole day before me, so why not start with coffee and email, then write a blog post. When I was done with all that I needed to get going and run errands, clean or cook. Before I knew it, another day was gone and I would go to sleep with thoughts in my head of how wonderful it would be to write tomorrow.

"The Scream" by Edvard Munch {PD in the US}

Some days I accomplished a little, but what was stopping me from digging in and racking up those word counts? I read books that encouraged writers to keep writing, saying encouraging me to write over 2,000 words a day, that it wasn’t that difficult. I took the advice of keeping a writing appointment each day, but still wasn’t making the kind of progress I wanted.

Each day I would look at that rectangle of white on the screen and the words rolled around in my mind, but they didn’t make it quickly onto the page. I’d ask myself where I should start or what should come next, but I would begin with trepidation. Only after I had taken some time and worked myself into the “zone” was I able to relax.

What was causing this block to my productivity? Fear caused my lack of confidence and snail like pace. My internal editor was on high alert and critical of everything.  The fear of failure lurked within, holding me back.

Then I decided to read Jim Denney’s, Writing in Overdrive, where he hypothesizes that some of the world’s greatest writers did their best work in compressed amounts of time, giving themselves to the pure joy of writing. Hmm . . . I’d also read over and over that if you write a first draft, you give yourself something to work with—it doesn’t have to be perfect the first time around.

Talking with other inspirational writers who were very productive, I was invited to participate in a group, which keeps you accountable for daily word count, but most importantly, they prayed for me. It was the first time in my writing life I prayed a different way for my productivity—and for others’.

Making a word count goal for the month, giving it to the Lord and sharing it with others made a difference. I started to take off and really enjoy writing again. No longer was it a mechanical process to be feared, but a story freely taking shape. Mind you, my draft will need plenty of editing and rewriting, but I have another novel manuscript first draft nearly finished.

What made the most difference in curing my writer’s terror? Accountability, prayer and allowing myself to enjoy writing again each played a big part. I still have my slower days, but pushing and challenging myself to a larger word count than usual helped turn writer’s terror into creative productivity.

May you go and achieve even more!

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May Saturday Spiritual Uplift - Ants in the Pantry!

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Eph. 6:13-18, NLT)

Something moved. I saw it from the corner of my eye. For a moment I excused it as a shadow, but I had a hunch it was more than that. After I had pulled a couple of napkins from their basket in the pantry I stopped and lifted it—and screamed. Jointed black dots on a hodgepodge of legs scrambled from the disturbance and the light—ants. I soon discovered they were actually foraging the honey, which had dripped onto the shelf in a couple of spots. One of those sticky places I had inadvertently overlooked.

I pulled everything off that shelf and the next. Soon my countertops were covered with bags and boxes from rice to cereal, canned goods, crackers and more. What a mess! I peeled fairly new paper off the shelves. I wiped down anything remotely sticky, tossed out anything that hadn’t been sealed properly and was sweet. I bagged up the remains and waited.

We had squashed as many ants as we could catch, but still, some hid in the crevices. I had scrubbed the shelves clean, and each evening a few less ants returned. After a few days of enduring messy counter tops, I was able to place clean shelf paper and rearrange the cupboards, returning the contents. Every evening I was on ant patrol. Each day I found less of them and eventually I sprinkled cayenne pepper on the shelves to keep them away, which seemed to help.

Me. Against. The ants. Though I have a bigger brain and more brawn, the ants had been a formidable foe, an irritation to overcome in their relentless pursuit of honey. Even the Lord told us in Proverbs 6:6: Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.
 Learn from their ways and become wise!

We have a greater foe in the spiritual realm, an invisible foe: A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:10-12, NLT)

Yet God is so much greater than the devil and his army. We have an infinite resource in in the Holy Spirit. He battles on our behalf in ways we can’t even fathom. Invisible ways. Sometimes, when our prayers our answered, the veil is peeled back and we see the victory that Jesus has won. Perhaps someone we’ve been praying for many years comes back to the faith or newly finds it, loved ones are freed from the grip of deceit or addiction, marriages are restored; we ourselves, have our eyes opened anew to truth. Perhaps the Lord gives us supernatural grace to endure something in a way we didn’t think possible. Whatever it may be, we have a glimpse of victories in a holy, invisible realm. How much more haven't we seen of the Lord Jesus, commander-in-chief of His own army, winning on our behalf?

Don’t give up hope or quit the battle. The Lord’s power is so much greater than
the accuser of the brethren, infinitely more so than my power over the ants,
for which I am very thankful.

Lord, please help us to put on Your armor each day, to remember that Your power is beyond all others and to know that You are always with us, fighting our battles. Help us to rest in You. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Saturday Spiritual Uplift - Can You Sit Still?

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. (Luke 6:12-13)

Doctor appointments, writing, cleaning, lunch with friends, cooking, sometimes working at a dental office, exercise, devotions, reading, research, church and the list goes on. I always thought life would slow down once my kids were grown, but it seems more stuff fills the hours than ever. When I find myself anxious, worrying about the future, looking for direction or just feeling down, I know that it’s time to be still. And listen . . . as I read God’s word and pray.

Why is it so difficult to find the time? Jesus prayed all night by himself! After having people clamor around Him for healing or blessing, to see miracles or ask questions, He must have felt drained sometimes. We know Jesus slept sometimes, like He did when He napped soundly in a boat during a storm. How did He find the time to spend all night basking in fellowship with His Father? If He wanted He could have made time stand still and made the night longer, so He could have time to sleep too. Somehow, I think He didn’t do that, but experiencing life as we do, limited himself to the same twenty-four hours as his disciples and others around Him.

Yet I struggle to slow down for an hour, for a half-hour, sometimes even for ten minutes. The radio blares out news or music, laundry or vacuuming demand my attention, the cat whines for a treat.

When I was a young mother, the constant needs of my children competed for my attention. I can understand Jesus' disappointment in the Garden of Gethsemane when his followers couldn’t stay awake long enough to pray with Him hours before His death.

A few weeks ago, I took some time reading my Bible, praying and listening. The listening part seems to be the hardest, but I pray for the Lord to open my eyes and ears to what He is showing me. I wasn’t up all night, but took some extra time a couple of different mornings. He filled me up and gave me peace, speaking to my heart in a way beyond what I expected.

Jesus spent a whole night in prayer before He came down from a mountain to call twelve of His closest followers to become His apostles. Do I take the time to seek Him and His wisdom the way I should before I face a large task? Or jump at a chance to say, “yes” to a job I’m not sure I should do? Or “no” for that matter? Not often enough!

Hands in Prayer by Otto Greiner
1900

As I ponder these thoughts, I’m thinking I need to make time for a mini-retreat even once a month, whether it’s an hour or two or a half a day, I need that special fellowship with the Lord which will provide guidance and strength. While my children were growing up, I liked to sneak off to a coffee shop with a journal and a Bible for a couple of hours. Now I have the whole house to myself. What about you? How will you find time to be still?

Father, help me to make the time I need to spend with You. Please open my eyes and ears to your voice. Don’t let me become distracted by the cares of this world, but to follow the example of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Please feel free to share how you make/find that special time alone with God.

Hungry Yet? (Saturday Spiritual Uplift)

When David wrote Psalm 23 I wonder what
he had in mind when he wrote You prepare a feast for me 
in the presence of my enemies. Was an army marching toward him while he was out having a picnic? Was he having a great feast after a battle victory? Or is he talking about the sheep—munching the grass safely while the shepherd fended off the wolf? What does this look like in our world? I realize it’s symbolic, but I wondered about believers suffering in poverty and persecution. Is there a feast available to them?

My conclusion was even in trying circumstances, I have a feast available to me in God’s Word and in talking with Him through prayer. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty . . .” And John describes Jesus as the Word in the beginning of his gospel: 

In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Reading the Bible, times of prayer and fellowship with God nourish the spirit, giving us direction, even if He’s asking us to be still, trust and wait on Him. Read the Psalms and He repeatedly whispers of His unfailing love and care for us. In the work of the Holy Spirit we are led to truth and He helps us in our weakness. Jesus left us a gift of peace: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

The eternal part of us is strengthened and we have hope again, so that we continue to live for Christ, body and soul. Romans 8:35 and 37 says: Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 

Jesus is always with His children and makes spiritual food available to us daily. The question is: Am I hungry enough to partake? Or has my heart at times grown cold and self-sufficient?

Heavenly Father, please keep my heart soft to hear the voice of your Holy Spirit and open to see your work. Help me to be hungry for your Word and wisdom, to be closer to You and more like Jesus.

Saturday Spiritual Uplift - Unburdened

Unburdened

When it comes to my back, I am a sort of a wimp. I’ve experienced enough muscle spasms and been to enough physical therapy sessions to persuade me to be more cautious. My left leg is ¾” shorter than my right and tends to throw things out of balance. I am careful with what and about how I lift.

A couple of weeks ago I found myself without my handy husband there to help lift a 35 lb. container of the concentrated weight of kitty litter. On that gray, chilly day in the pet supply store parking lot, I braced my one foot against the bottom of the cart and the back of my leg against the bumper of my Chevy Venture. I grasped the handle of the bucket and prayed that I wouldn’t pull my muscles any more than I had, when I’d hurt them the day before. I looked up and saw a young man coming out of the store. He glanced my way and I averted my eyes, so that he wouldn’t think I was looking for help. Actually, I was thinking that I hoped he didn’t think I looked like the pathetic weakling I am.

Before I managed to muster the strength I needed, the dark-haired guy was standing in front of me. “Can I help you with that?” I could barely stutter out a question of whether he truly minded, by the time he hoisted the container into the back of my minivan. And as I went to pick up the second one, he wanted to assist me with it as well. I thanked him profusely. Another gentleman asked if he could take my empty basket, so I didn’t even need to return it to the sidewalk. I climbed into the driver’s seat of my car, relieved the Lord had provided me with help, when I least expected. I breathed a prayer of thanks.

A stranger, who didn’t know anything of my thoughts, worries or limitations had offered to take the problem of lifting the kitty litter into my car, into his hands. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us: Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (NLT) My Heavenly Father, who created me and knows me intimately, longs for me to unburden myself, to give Him the fears on my heart, the worries I hold onto for loved ones. The worry lines embedded in my forehead attest to the fact that I don’t leave it with Him enough.

Yet, my worrying cannot change a thing. Praying and leaving these things is letting the Lord do the heavy work. He is always near my side, offering to help. He asks that I obey Him and take Him up on His generous offer one day at a time.

Psalm 33:20-21(NLT)

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.

In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

Matthew 6:34(NLT)

. . . don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.