“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

I walked into the spacious church library, a room filled with books by some of Christianity’s greatest authors. The volunteer librarian that day was a woman of mature years, a Christian committed to Christ and to the church. At the moment of my visit, she was munching on her lunchtime sandwich but still totally available to visitors.

But what was that voice I heard in the background? An angry voice derided what he considered to be the “wrong” people currently in office. I spied a small radio that the volunteer had turned down low. She was listening to a talk show host during her lunch hour. With millions of words surrounding her, words that could instruct, encourage, turn her more fully to the face of Christ, she was listening to the angry words of one man.

In his book, Good to Great in God’s Eyes, author Chip Ingram relates the results of research on the effects of media on how people think:

One of (the) studies attempted to determine the impact of a five-minute radio program that was filled with negative news stories… After evaluating the listeners who were daily exposed to five minutes of bad news…four discernible effects were shown: (1) they were more depressed than before; (2) they believed the world was a negative place; (3) they were less likely to help others; and (4) they began to believe that what they heard would soon happen to them.

After the Apostle Paul encourages Christians to think about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,” he goes on to give the outcome of such determined focus: “And the God of peace will be with you.”

Radical opinions—on any side of the spectrum—can disturb our peace. God’s plan for our thinking brings peace.

Father, I want to fill my mind and heart with Your words and Your thoughts. Teach me to be a careful consumer. May I often speak of You. Amen

Question: Whose words are you listening to?

It got me thinking about my own marriage to Debbie.  One memory in particular stood out.  Debbie and I were still young, living in Manitoba.  One day, Debbie and I were out for a walk when we spotted a note pinned to the railing of the bridge ahead.  Curious, we read the note.  It was addressed to my wife!  Debbie would often come this way on her walks, and a stranger had been watching.  Following.  Admiring.  The note left a phone number and invited Debbie to give him a call.  I was enraged that someone was stalking my wife. We left the note where it was, and kept walking.  Only minutes later, we looked back and noticed a man stop and pick up the note.

Leaving Debbie behind, I ran back to my house in time to see the man pull away in his truck.  Within seconds, I was in my own vehicle, chasing him down the road.  I pulled ahead of him and then slammed on my brakes, forcing him to stop. I physically hauled him out of his car, slammed him down on the hood, and shook him.  “Are you stalking my wife?” I yelled.  He denied it, until I pointed the note in the back of his car. Still shouting I yelled  “You leave my wife alone and never go near her again because I will use every resource I have to stop you!”  I’m one hundred percent sure that if not for God, I would have hurt the guy badly.  I was that furious.  That was the end of him coming anywhere near our house or that bridge.

Maybe you’re appalled that I lost my temper.  To this day, I shake my head over how rashly I behaved.  But I’m not sorry that I acted so swiftly and decisively to protect Debbie and our marriage.  And that incident taught me more than few things about love and commitment.

So often, when people think about commitment they think about what they stand to lose.  If I give myself to this person, I’ll lose my freedom.  It will cost me so much – so much time, so much money, so much energy.  What if the sacrifice is too great?

Yes, commitment involves loss.  But it also involves enormous gain.  When you make those vows, you gain a lifelong ally, a refuge, a protector.  Someone who will fight with you and for you, for the things that matter most.  Those vows Debbie and I made were what compelled me to run after that man.  Because Debbie had pledged herself to me, I trusted her; I didn’t need to stop and wonder whether I had misread the situation.  Because I had pledged myself to Debbie, I leapt to her defense.  I risked my own safety to make sure she would be safe.  Commitment makes a new kind of love possible: deeper, more courageous, more adventurous.  True love is not possible apart from true and total commitment.

Think about this in the spiritual realm.  So often people worry that if they pledge to follow Jesus, God will ask them to give things up.  He might; it’s true.  But we’ve got it backwards if that’s what we focus on.  Because giving ourselves fully to God actually involves enormous gain.  Satan sets out to destroy us.  But picture this:  the Creator of the universe grabbing Satan and shaking him.  “You have no idea who you’re dealing with!  Stay away from my child!”  That’s the kind of power and love we have on our side when we’ve given ourselves completely to Jesus.  (If you doubt me, try reading Romans 8:28-39 every day for a week.)  And when you’re sure of that love and power, you’ll find yourself loving God and loving others more courageously and more freely than you ever imagined.

Some call it a mob mentality. People stop thinking clearly and allow emotion to rule. They say things they later regret. These verses describe the scene in Jerusalem when Pilate wanted to release Jesus. The crowd asked for the release of Barabbas the murderer and demanded the crucifixion of Jesus.

That kind of mentality doesn’t always require a mob. This passage makes me think about my own loud shouts and insistent demands on God. Too often, I want what I want – not what He wants – and I want it now!

Obviously God is not like Pilate who knowingly and willfully did wrong in order to save his own skin. God is holy and righteous and just. Yet I wonder if sometimes God gives me what I ask for, even when I ask for second best.

God longs to give me things for my ultimate good – things that will draw me into closer relationship with Him, glorify His name and develop the qualities of Christ in me. Those things don’t always look good from my short-term, earthly perspective. I occasionally see them as uncomfortable, difficult or painful.

My arrogance shows when I insistently make demands of God. Do I know better than He does? Do I want my own way, regardless of what is best?

Gracious God and Father, please don’t give me what I ask for when I ask for the wrong things. Help me to stop demanding and instead be still and know that You are God. You are all wise and all powerful. Help me to want what You want. Amen

Questions: What is the difference between persistent prayers and insistent demands? How do we know how to pray for what God wants?

Two paths are laid before us. In the garden of Eden they were pictured as two trees, one leading to life and one to death. In the law they were pictured as blessings and cursing’s, the result of choosing between obedience and disobedience (Deuteronomy 28), and here the new testament describes them as the choice of whose voice we follow, Jesus voice to abundant life, or the enemy’s voice, leading us into agreement with him, where he can steal, kill, and destroy.

Jesus great desire is for us to have life and that it be abundant. He has given everything for that purpose, and from His perspective it is done. Now the “ball is in our court,” and receiving abundant life is based on our choice to seek Him through the word, to listen carefully for His voice, and to respond to what He says to us. His leading requires our following! If we will choose to take the time to do this, He will teach us and manifest Himself to us, and as we align with Him, His will, and His word, we will experience the abundant life.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NKJV

 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

This is a very familiar passage of scripture, but take a minute to consider the faith of the second criminal. He feared God. The other criminal mocked Jesus, but this man knew he deserved the death sentence. He believed Jesus lived a sinless life. The criminal knew Jesus had done nothing wrong.

He believed Jesus was God’s Anointed One. He understood that one day God would send the Messiah to save His people. While others doubted, this man recognized the truth in his dying moments. He believed Jesus had the power to save him. Even though Jesus hung dying on the cross next to him, this criminal asked Jesus to remember him. Death could not prevent Jesus from receiving the kingdom God established for Him.

What about us?

Each of us deserves death because of our deeds. We cannot show contempt for God and escape His justice. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)

Jesus, the sinless Son of God, has the power to save us. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) No situation, no sin, no shame is too great for His power.

Gracious Heavenly Father, give me faith like the criminal who died next to Jesus. I believe You have the power to save me. Amen

Questions: What do you learn about faith from the criminal? Where in your life do you need to experience the power of God?

Have you ever ended up having a really good conversation with a stranger?

I have.

A few weeks ago, I talked to a man on the streets of Vancouver who stopped to watch the dramas that we were performing. “What’s going on here?” He asked. I told him we were a Christian drama group that does dramas that share about life and people’s struggles, and he said, “Yeah, I thought the guy in the white shirt might be a prophet or something.”

I asked him what his spiritual background was, and he told me he was raised in a non-Christian home, but had some great experiences at a Christian camp. He wandered away from following Christianity and is now practicing certain aspects of Buddhism, which he said give him a lot of peace.

In hearing him talk, I started thinking a lot about the peace that he was seeking. It seems like peace is something that people are after these days–maybe it’s because we live in a world with lots of distractions, technology, and busyness. Maybe it’s just because we’re finally starting to realize there is something missing inside.

In Isaiah 53:5, it says, “But he [Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” This is a common theme in our dramas, and we share with people about how because Jesus died on the cross, we don’t have to worry about paying for our sins, those terrible things we do. All we have to do is ask Jesus’ forgiveness, and we can receive the peace that he offers us!

Jesus also tells us in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

What it comes down to is that we need to believe in him, ask him to forgive us, and then honour him with our lives. In return for giving up all of our sin and shame, we get a ton of peace in return. Sounds like a good deal to me!

Want to know more about this peace you can have? Click here!

“…I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.  But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.”  (John 6:53-54, NLT)

I don’t understand God sometimes!   To be honest, it’s really most of the time. Why doesn’t He clearly reveal Himself to me?  Why does He often leave me guessing at who He is and what He is doing? I have these great expectations about God and what He could and should do and I get frustrated and disillusioned when I don’t see Him behaving the way I think my God should.

My husband had a cousin who found love at the age of 40 and married a man who had lost his wife to cancer.  He had three children, who longed to have a mother again.  They had prayed for three long years and she was their answer!

Her wedding was such an amazing celebration – so full of life and joy.   But only 3 months later we were in that very same church holding her funeral.  Her husband and her children were devastated! I found myself questioning God. It seemed so senseless and even cruel! How could there be any good in this?

When my son was in high school he experienced an incredible amount of loss and disappointment in a six-month period.  As a result, he became disillusioned with God.  I begged God to show Himself to my son, “He needs to see You and know that You love him.  Will You just prove to him that you are God?”  But it didn’t happen that way and my son struggled in his faith.

Why does God do that?  Why doesn’t He feel compelled to meet our expectations?

After all He is God!   You would think that because He wants everyone to come to Him, He would be out and about proving who He was and what He could do.  So why doesn’t he do that?

As I was reading my Bible one day, I came upon a passage that echoed this struggle I was having with God. Jesus was speaking to His followers and He was explaining to them that He was the Bread of Life. Look at his controversial words, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.  But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.”  (John 6:53-54, NLT)

Really?! Who wouldn’t be confused by those words? It goes on to say that many of his disciples said, “This is hard to understand, how could anyone accept it?”  (No kidding!) 

Many of his followers turned their backs on Jesus that day and so He turned to his twelve disciples and asked them if they were going to leave Him too?  Look at Peter’s reply, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69, NLT)

Do you see it?

Peter says, “WE BELIEVE and we KNOW you are the Holy One of God.”

I believe what Peter is saying here is that even though we don’t understand You . . . even though You aren’t meeting our expectations of what we think a Messiah should be . . . even though we can’t see the Way we will TRUST you. And I love what he says right before that statement.  “Lord, to whom would we go?”

Times without number I have heard Peter’s words echoed by other followers of Jesus in times of disillusionment, “Where would we go?  How could we ever walk this road without Him?” I’ve come to the conclusion that we cannot compel God to prove who He is.  He will do it in His time and in His way.

His WAY is the way of faith.

So when I am disillusioned because my God is not meeting my expectations, I CHOOSE to believe, to trust that His way is good.  I turn my eyes back to the cross. For how can I question His goodness, when He willing laid down His life for me?

Question: Can you choose to believe and trust God, despite your circumstances?

“But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:32)

One line stood out to me as I read the story of the lost son. When the angry older brother confronts his father about the party he’s thrown for his younger brother, he uses an interesting phrase. “But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!” (Luke 15:30)

He calls his younger brother, “this son of yours”.  Does that sound familiar? We use similar words when we don’t want to be connected to, or take responsibility for, a particular person. If I tell my sister, “Your Dad needs help,” I expect her to do the helping not me. If I say to my husband, “Your son cheated,” I’m suggesting he should take responsibility for the child’s behavior and address the problem.

The older brother in Luke 15 didn’t want to have anything to do with the rebel who returned home. The parable makes his attitude crystal clear. But look at the father’s response. He turns the phrase back on the older brother by calling the lost son “this brother of yours”. In essence he’s saying this lost boy isn’t just my son, he’s also your brother.

Just like the father in the story, God draws us in. He shows us we need to care about the lost, the troubled and the rebellious. God rejoices when a sinner repents of her ways and returns to Him. But that’s not enough. The rebellious one isn’t just God’s child he’s also our brother. We need to join in the celebration.

God, I confess that sometimes I’m not happy about a rebellious person coming back to You. In a twisted way, I think Your mercy lessens the value of the effort I make serving You. Forgive me and help me to rejoice over “this brother of mine”. Amen.

Questions: Why do we need to join in the celebration of a sinner coming back to God? What keeps you from joining the celebration?

“But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’” (Matthew 14: 27)

I was driving home from town. The roads were slippery; it was dusk.  In the ditch ahead I noticed a large dark mound. I peered into the semi darkness to see a huge moose that had met its fate along the highway. I wondered about the driver who had hit it.

In those few seconds as I looked and wondered I suddenly found I was turning toward the ditch myself. I quickly corrected and, feeling the ice under my tires knew I had better keep my eyes focused on the road.

I realized again just how quickly an accident can happen when my eyes are taken off the road to adjust the radio, rummage for my cell phone or look at what is passing by.

It reminded me of the saying, “Where you focus, you follow.” Or, “Where you look, you go.” What is capturing your attention these days and occupying your thoughts and line of vision? Make sure it’s where you want to end up. Make sure it’s how you want to spend the currency in your “time bank.”

Can you identify the primary focus of your thoughts these days?

Is it concern and worry for a family member?
Is it your work and a project you are on?
Is it someone you are falling in love with?
Is it someone who has hurt you?
Is it your finances? Or fear of the future?
Are you focused on your health?

When we put Jesus in the center of the main thing that occupies our minds we gain a strength and find a footing that holds us steady and secure no matter what uncertainty faces us. When we leave Him to the side of the picture and focus on the things that swirl around us we often find our footing unsure and our clarity blurred.

I love the story from the Bible of Peter who was in a boat in the middle of the night tossed about by the wind and waves. He looks out and sees Jesus walking on the very waves that are buffeting his boat.  He is afraid of the storm and of the form on the water. Jesus calls to him, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. Come to me.”

Peter steps out of the boat and moves toward Jesus, amazingly firm footed on the waves! But as he lifts his eyes from Jesus and looks at the turbulent sea fear overtakes him. He begins to sink. Immediately Jesus reaches out and pulls him up asking, “Why did you doubt me?” (Matthew 14:22-36)

Whatever is front and center on the stage of your mind today, invite Jesus into it. Focus your eyes on Him. Take courage. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let doubt tumble you into the waves of stress and worry. Jesus is able to keep you steady and His hand is ready to pull you above the waves even if you falter.

“Where you focus, you follow.” Focus on Jesus today as the center of your circumstances and watch how He will lift you from the waves and give you courage and strength and wisdom.

Lord God,
Many things occupy my thoughts today. I choose to put You in the center of my focus. I take courage in You to help me, strengthen me and give me the wisdom I need today to keep on the road of faith and not end up in the ditch of doubt or swallowed by waves of fear. Thank you for Your power at work in my heart and mind and in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Questions: Where is your focus? How can you turn your eyes back to Jesus?

“For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.”  (Colossians 1:4-5, NLT)

What kind of reader are you?  Are you one who likes to read the ending before you start the book?  Or are you a reader that never reads the ending of a story first?

I confess that I’m the kind of reader who never reads the end of the book.  I love to be kept in suspense throughout and to have my mind racing all over the place trying to figure out the end. However, I also love to read books over and over, especially the ones that are my true treasures.  And I still enjoy them even though I know the end of the story.  Reading them is like sitting down with a dear friend that I haven’t seen for a while and getting reacquainted.

In her blog “Educating Alice,” Monica Edinger confesses that she reads the ending first.  She shares that when reading a series of books where she has gotten to know and care about the characters that she needs to read the ending.  Look at her reasoning, “I knew as I began reading that I needed that worry set at rest so I could get into the book to enjoy the adventure, to find out how they made it safely to the end.”

She also gives another reason why she might read the ending first, “I might find it slow going and rather than immediately quitting, I might check further along to see if something there made it worth continuing.”

Just like a reader who reads the ending of a book first, we, as followers of Jesus Christ, know our ending – we will one day see Jesus face to face! 

But why don’t many of us live like we know our ending? Monica says that once she knows the ending she’s able to set her worry at rest and enjoy the adventure.  Shouldn’t that be the case for us as believers?  Shouldn’t we give our worries and fears to God and enjoy the journey God has set us on?  Shouldn’t the hope we have be a light to the world?  Shouldn’t our lives radiate our faith?

Look at what Paul says about the Christians in Colossae, “For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.”  (Colossians 1:4-5, NLT)

They KNEW their ending and it allowed them to live freely, enjoying the adventure.  Was it easy for them?  No!  But their HOPE was in the future and it kept them from quitting or getting discouraged. Let us live like the Colossians with CONFIDENT HOPE because we too, know our ending!

Question: Can you place full trust in our Lord today and let Him take care of your worries?