Marc heard the burden in Dan’s voice and, after a warm greeting,  just listened for awhile.

“I’ve been shepherding this flock the best I know how — counseling crumbling marriages, meeting with people looking for spiritual answers and encouraging my team of Sunday School teachers in their work. Of course I’ve been studying my Bible, diligently preparing for sermons and finding time for prayer, but there’s just not enough of me to go around. I’m really questioning whether I’m cut out for this,” Dan confided.

The wise pastor answered gently, “Well, Dan, you’ve got that right. There isn’t enough of you to do everything, but there is enough of God. Sounds like you’re seeing yourself as a vending machine for your church, dispensing comfort to this one, healed relationships to another and so on. That’s not your job as a pastor. It’s not even our jobs as Christians. We’re not the source of healing and answers, just directional signs to point people to the true source – Jesus Christ. I’m glad you’re clinging to your personal prayer time; some young guys actually let that slip and that’s really a recipe for disaster. But put yourself in the right frame of mind when you minister, counsel and pray – especially for your church members. We are the cripples’ friends.”

“What do you mean?” questioned Dan.

“Remember the crippled man in Capernaum? His friends had faith that if they just got him to Jesus, then Jesus would heal him, but when they got to the house where Jesus was teaching it was packed. There was no way in so they went up. I wrote that in my Bible by that story — when things are impossible, look up. The friends lifted his mat up on the roof, tore a hole in the roof and lowered their friend down right in front of Jesus. The friends got the cripple to Jesus and He healed Him, not them. In your prayer and counseling, don’t carry the burden of healing and transforming people yourself. That’s the Holy Spirit’s work.  We just carry the sick to Jesus. When I pray and prepare to counsel people, I often envision that picture of the friends lowering the cripple through the roof before Jesus – and I find I carry people to Him best when I’m on my knees.”

A verse to ponder:
When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”  (Luke 5:19-20)

And if you want to read the whole amazing story from Mark 2:1-12 (The Holy Bible, NIV, 1984, Zondervan)…

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

¹ A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷ “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹ Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralytic, ¹¹ “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Get on your knees – and God will amaze you.

She remembered being overwhelmed when the twins came home, but there was so much family and help then because everybody knew how challenging twin newborns could be. Yet ever since she brought the new baby home 2 months ago – she’d felt left on her own. Everybody thought she could make it on her own – and at first, so did she. But she was becoming less and less convinced. It felt like everything was falling apart. She couldn’t seem to do anything – finish laundry, straighten up the house, get to the grocery store, nothing.

More and more all she felt was overwhelmed and lonely, but she couldn’t possibly let anyone come over with the house and herself in such a mess. Ladies from church had called and past work associates had asked to come to see the baby. Her answer was always, “I’ll call when I’m ready for company.” She kept pushing them away, consequently getting lonelier and lonelier.

Jolted from her downward spiral by a ringing cell phone, Barbara slowly started digging it out from beneath clothes on the couch. It was Carolyn. She and Barbara had been friends since middle school and had seen each other at their best and worst.  Carolyn was also a mom, but her kids were older. She knew what Barbara was going through and knew exactly the help Barbara needed.

“Hey Barb, I know it’s hard for you to get out right now. I’m going to the store. What do you need? Milk? Bread? Snacks for the twins?”

Barbara’s first temptation was to say, “Nothing,” but that would have been an outright lie. So she quickly spouted off the things she noticed missing in the pantry and refrigerator that morning. “Milk, Cheerios and some fresh fruit, would be great,” she got out, “but the house is a mess. Just knock on the door and I’ll come get the groceries from you and bring you some money. Let me know how much it is.”

An hour later there was a knock at the door. Barbara waited to be sure Carolyn had time to drop the groceries and leave before opening the door, but Carolyn wasn’t about to miss this opportunity to personally check on her friend. When Barbara opened the door, crying baby in arms and toddlers tugging at her sweater, Carolyn knew what to do. She walked right through the open door, arms full of groceries far beyond what Barbara had asked for, and dug deep in a bag to find special toys and treats to occupy the toddlers. The delighted twins scurried off with their goodies. Then Carolyn took the crying newborn in one arm from Barbara, amidst weak excuses for the condition of the house, and put the other arm around her exhausted friend.  Before Barbara knew it, she was escorted upstairs to her room with orders to sleep. Carolyn assured her the baby would be fed and the twins would be taken care of. Feeling like she had permission to be off duty for the first time in weeks, she collapsed on her bed in relief and exhaustion.

Hours later Barbara awoke, glancing at the clock. She’d been asleep for four solid hours and felt like a new person. And when she went downstairs, she thought she’d moved into a new house. Carolyn had fed the baby who was napping peacefully. The twins were occupied and happy. Carolyn had folded laundry, straightened up the whole downstairs, washed and put away dishes, put five bags of groceries in the pantry and stuck a pan of lasagna in the oven.  Barbara didn’t even have to think about dinner.

Clouds had disappeared and afternoon sun was streaming in the window. Barbara’s friend had rescued her. For the first time in over a week, Barbara had hope that there would be easier days and she felt strength to go on. She realized the difference accepting a little help made and realized how she had been pushing people away, feeling like she had to get everything in order before she could let anyone close.

Sometimes we do that in our spiritual lives, too. We try to keep going in our own strength, not realizing – or not being willing to accept – that we need God’s help. So often we sense that things are falling apart more and more – relationships, careers, finances. We think, like Barbara, that we need to get all of the messes in our lives straightened up — all our bad habits under control –  before inviting in the One who wants to give us help. Like Barbara’s friend, God has seen us at our best and at our worst, and He knows exactly what each one needs. He wants to lift our burdens, clean up our messes, fill the pantries of our souls with more than we could ask or imagine, put His arm around us and take us to a place of rest and refreshing. He wants us to wake up to new life in Him. He’s standing at the door, waiting for us to open it and ask Him to come in.

So how can I invite God into my life to experience His help and rest?
If you are feeling weary or burdened, Jesus is eager to come into your life and give you rest. All you need to do is invite Him in. Find a quiet place where you can pray. Simply tell Jesus — who is God — you’re sorry for trying to do things on your own in your own way. Tell Him you realize you need His help, His forgiveness, for not having done things right. Tell Him you accept His death on the cross as having paid for those things and that you want Him to come into your life and give you strength to do things the right way, His way. Ask Him to guide you from now on and He will.

Bible verses to ponder:
Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

If you want to be sure you have true forgiveness from God…if you want a fresh faith start — pray the prayer below. God will accept it immediately. You don’t have to fix your life before coming to Him in faith. He made you. He knows how to fix it better than you, anyway. He just says, “Come. Put your life in my Hands. Be the clay. I’m the Potter, prepared to transform your life.”

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for loving me, for paying the price for my sin that I could never pay. Thank you for being my personal Savior. Thank you for making it possible for me to  have a new start, a transformed life — abundant life now and eternal life in heaven. Jesus, I invite you to begin leading me by Your Holy Spirit so that I can live a new life. Thank you for the best Christmas Gift ever — salvation.

BIBLE VERSES TO PONDER:
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 64:8
Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Luke 2:1-20 The Birth of Jesus

¹ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to his own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

I hope your Christmas is a joyful celebration of YOUR Savior’s birth!

Merry Christmas
from
Life-Changing Words

I was first awed by the vast, chilly waters as a child. Growing up in Michigan, I’d heard a lot about the great lakes. But seeing Lake Superior’s beauty and power up close is like seeing Star Wars in 3D instead of 1960s black and white TV. I’d heard that song about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald a thousand times, but standing in the cold water that took her down and gazing at the ship’s bell brought up from the bottom — a memorial to those who lost their lives — was sobering. Humbling. How could I have lived in Michigan all these years and missed out on this?

Maybe this happened the same way we live day in and day out and totally miss God. He sends us regular newsletters heralding His beauty. Blazing red-orange sunsets. Frosty white winter forests. Big blue wonder-filled newborn baby eyes. And His power is evident as volcanoes erupt, rivers surge and thunder explodes in the sky. Yet, we so seldom consider His Presence.  Consumed with daily busyness, we forget to pack our bags and seek Him out, to make the trek and dip our toes in the refreshing waters of His Words.

Maybe it’s time to begin a regular habit of going to meet God. We miss out on His infinite beauty and power when we settle for hearing stories about Him from someone else. We should at least consider packing our own bags, heading to the quiet shore and wading in His Word, the Bible, for ourselves. He has already come a great distance to express His love for us! He came all the way from heaven and went all the way to the cross. I certainly don’t have a good excuse not to go daily to my knees and His Word. How about you?

Bon Voyage!

Have we done the same thing with Jesus Christ and the greatest sacrifice ever? His death bought our eternal freedom — if we accept it. As much as we are indebted to our military men and women who have given their lives to defend us, shouldn’t we be even more grateful to the One who gave His life to define us – as new creatures, no longer enslaved to sin?  It is His sacrifice that enables us to look with hope to the day when we’ll be reunited in heaven with all believers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our earthly freedoms.

Let us be sure to give those who sacrificed so much for us the honor due them. Military men and women we should remember with our gratitude and love. Jesus Christ we should remember with our gratitude and lives.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Have a blessed Memorial Day as we remember together.

So Justin went back out to tell his friends, but quickly got caught up in a heated battle of King of the Hill on top of the monkey bars — totally forgetting about lunch. As his friends got hungry, they went home to ask their own moms for lunch leaving Justin to come in by himself. Surprised, his mom asked, “Where are your friends? Didn’t you tell them to come in for lunch? Immediately, Justin knew he’d dropped the ball.

And sometimes, so do we. Many of us know the good news that the penalty for our sin was paid on the cross by Jesus’ so now we are living in the joyful, abundant new life promised through His resurrection. Yet we can still get caught up in our own pursuits. Sometimes we, too, are so distracted by our own struggles to become King of the Hill that we forget to tell our friends what Jesus has done for us.

Why is it important to tell our friends? Well, if they don’t understand that Jesus paid the price for their sin, if they don’t invite Him to lead them in their new life, then they will miss out on way more than lunch! They’ll miss out on the heavenly banquet — a joyous celebration that will go on forever. I don’t want to see Jesus in heaven and have Him ask me, “Where are your friends? Didn’t you tell them?” How about you?

Verses to Ponder:

John 1:41 — The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).

Mark 16:15 — He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

How like the snow is the miracle of God forgiving our sins through Jesus Christ. Like the falling snow, Jesus’ trials, scourging and sacrifice on the cross took hours. Yet at the moment we wake up to new life in Him by faith in that sacrifice, suddenly God sees us covered in a pristine layer of pure, dazzling white — the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Like the footprints covered by the snow, Jesus’ perfect life and perfect sacrifice cover yesterday’s dingy sins. And when the morning of new life by faith in Jesus dawns for each individual, God the Father sees each of us as beautiful to look upon because we bear the righteous image of His obedient and beloved Son.

It’s January, 2010. Have you put on the dazzling white covering of Jesus’ righteousness by believing that His death on the cross is for you and your sins? Who in your life needs to hear that a fresh start, a sparkling snow-covered morning awaits them if they will put their trust in Jesus and allow His purity to transform their lives?

Scripture to ponder…
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” — from Isaiah 1:18

I thought the season in which we celebrate the birth of Christ would be a good time to share what new work He has been doing in my life — thus the lapse in devotionals from Life-Changing Words. God has called me to share His Word with women through  an international Bible study called Bible Study Fellowship.  (www.BSFinternational.org) This involves studying a Bible passage, preparing weekly training meetings for our leaders and weekly  lectures for our ladies. It is a joy and a privilege, as well as a huge responsibility. I always want to be diligent to handle God’s Word with care.

So what does this mean to Life-Changing Words? With 3 studies published, I have decided not to write another one this year so I can focus on learning this new responsibility. (All studies are still available to your families at www.Life-ChangingWords.com.) Much of my creative energy has gone into preparing lectures lately and I am still learning to balance BSF and family responsibilities — which is why there has been a lapse in monthly online devotionals. I hope to soon have a system where I can get them up and running again!

So in short, the Life-Changing Words haven’t gone away, most of them are just being spoken at BSF on Monday nights. I believe that this is all part of God’s plan and preparation for whatever lies ahead — and I remain willing to serve Him in any way He calls.

Total availability and obedience is is the spirit in which Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby. This is the spirit with which His children serve Him best. May your Christmas celebration be filled with His Presence!

Passing  on His Grace,
Cheryl

Disappointment isn’t only for the birds. In a broken world, we humans often end up saying, “I can’t believe it,” too. I can’t believe they fired me. I can’t believe he’d destroy our marriage. I can’t believe it’s cancer. Sometimes life sticks us with old tire rubber, too.

But what I didn’t tell you about that bird is that he lives in a place of abundance, a large wooded area I pass daily where his next meal is never more than a swoop or two away. Oh, the next meal may not come in exactly the form he wants. He may get rabbit instead of squirrel, but God always has the right thing prepared for him.

The same is true for us. If we’ve chosen to follow Jesus as Savior, we live in a place of abundance, too. He always has the right thing prepared for us. God does provide faithfully for His children. The next job may not be exactly what we envisioned. The marriage may have to undergo counseling and transformation. And even if the cancer is unbeatable, God promises His children the perfect joy of heaven. There’s no doubt about it. We live in a broken world. Sometimes it’s rabbit instead of squirrel. But even if God’s only provision in a moment of trial is His Presence, it is — after all — the Presence of the God who loved us enough to die for us so that we might be with Him forever. We can trust Him when He says, “My grace is sufficient.”

The next time you find yourself stuck with tire rubber, I hope you are filled to overflowing with His Presence!

VERSES TO PONDER…

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  Matthew 10:29-31

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?  Matthew 7:9-11

And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
1 Peter 5:10

Broken lives, while not always so obvious, are often just as painful as that tooth. Poor choices, bad habits and outright mistakes tear apart our relationships. Cruel words wound us and others deeply. Shattered relationships and dreams rend our hearts. Yet like the jagged tooth, these are just symptoms of a balance problem; the true cause of a crumbling life is an off-kilter relationship with God. (He is to be first in our lives, with everything else second.)

The good news is God’s office is always open and He can fix anything. Like Rebekah’s tooth, the fixing process isn’t always fun, but the results are wondeful and well worth it! The broken tooth was made hole, even stronger than it was before because of the dentist’s special bonding material. (Just like God’s supernatural power and love heals and strengthens our lives.) The black driveway grime was polished away leaving a sparkling, white tooth. (Just like spending time in God’s Presence and Word slowly polishes away sin and dysfunction, leaving a brighter life that can reflect His love to the world.) The end result for Rebekah was a more beautiful smile than before the tooth was broken. (She had already had one front tooth longer than the other from a previous Leap Frog incident and the dentist fixed that, too!) God can have the same amazing effect on our lives — and offer us the exciting promise of spending forever with Him in the perfection of Heaven, too.

Where are you broken and when will you sit in God’s chair (through prayer) to ask Him to fix it? When will you give Him permission to do whatever it takes to make you whole, strong and more beautiful — and then cooperate in the process?

By faith in the name of Jesus this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. (Acts 3:16)

Dear Friends,

Please understand that, though God is able to to heal every physical ailment, He does not always choose to. He knows what it takes in every life to create a heart totally devoted to Him — which, since He is amazing, Almighty God is what He deserves. God knows and wants what is best for each of us, so He is right in being more concerned with our closeness to Him than our merely having a life of ease and comfort.

A more beautiful smile than before!