Life is a Process

 By: Joanne Viola

 

Moses is a most intriguing person to consider, no matter how familiar we are to his story.

Moses was born to a Hebrew woman at a time when a decree had been made to kill all Hebrew sons at birth. He survives due to the plans of his mother to hide him in a basket and let him set sail down the river.

Found by Pharaoh’s daughter, he lives the first forty years of his life in the Egyptian palace. He is surrounded by opulence, every luxury known to man, education, and position.

He spent the next forty years in the Midian region shepherding stubborn sheep, which probably prepared him for his leadership role, yet unknown to him.

It is here in Exodus 2, in the middle of this narrative, that we are given a most interesting insight:

“Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. 
Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; 
and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.” 
(verse 23, NKJV)

That is so it – time holds a process.

But what we need to remember is that God holds all of time, and He is overseeing the process.

Process, as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is a natural continuance marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result.

God is in the process of working all things out according to His plan and His purposes. And He does all this in His own way.

“Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, 
we have received an inheritance from God, 
for he chose us in advance, 
and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” 
(Ephesians 1:11, NLT) 

It was at eight years of age that Moses finally saw the plan unfold to which he was called. It was then that God revealed Moses was to be the one to lead God’s people out of Egypt into the land He had promised them.

Our lives, too, will go through a process. Paul, in writing to the early believers, was confident God would work in their lives. And we can be assured that God is at work in our lives as well.

“For I am confident of this very thing, 
that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” 
(Philippians 1:6, NASB)

Our lives go through a process,
fulfilling the plans and purposes
of our most loving and gracious God.

 

Reflection: 
Have you ever had to wait for God to unfold His plan in your life? How have you seen the process better prepare you?

 

Image by Mollyroselee from Pixabay

 

Peace with God

 By: Lauren Thomas 

Is peace a feeling? Sure. When we feel peace, we have a sense of well-being, tranquility, serenity. Most people enjoy a sense of peace and calm. In fact, some people build their lives to increase feelings of peace. (It’s me – I’m raising my hand here.)

 

But peace is not just a feeling.

 

(And as someone who can put too much value in my feelings…)

 

Peace is an “objective reality, not just a subjective experience.” I came across this phrase in my ESV study Bible when researching Romans 5:1. And I can’t get it out of my head!

 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1 ESV

 

For context, Paul is writing about the justification and reconciliation we have with God through our faith in Jesus Christ. Because of our faith in Jesus, we have peace with God. There is literally peace between us and God.

 

Even if I don’t “feel” peace, I am guaranteed peace between me and God. And that is where peace really matters, right? Because any sense of peace is artificial without having the peace that comes through reconciliation with God. Romans 5:1 reminds us that through faith in Jesus, we do have the kind of peace that really counts. Without this kind of peace, we have no real peace.

 

Regardless of my feelings, I have peace with God.

 

I – and all of us really – can’t always trust feelings. See Jeremiah 17:9. Our feelings matter. Our feelings can give us important information. Our emotions can feel really good or really bad. But they aren’t always accurate markers of what is real. Romans 5 assures us of our peace with God, but sometimes we don’t/won’t “feel” that we are at peace with God. Praise God, He is bigger than our feelings.

 

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 

1 John 3:20 ESV

 

Today, remember that by faith in Jesus, you have peace with God. Even if you don’t “feel” peace, you have the peace that matters more than any other kind of peace. It is an objective reality.

 

Reflection:

Can you think of a time that your feelings did not reflect truth? What is your experience of peace in your relationship with God? How can you remind yourself of your peace with God today?

Spiritual Growth

By: Jenifer Metzger

Recently while listening to the Candace Cameron Bure Podcast, Candace and her co-host, Priscilla Shirer, were talking and something Priscilla said struck me.

Years ago Priscilla and her family were at the mall and headed up to the next level by way of the escalator. Her son, around five or six, was being mischievous and got on the down escalator and tried walking up. Of course, as a mom she was likely frustrated and maybe even a little worried about her son getting farther from her. He wasn't make much headway to getting up to where he needed to be, so finally she told him to ride it down and come up the correct side, the up side of the escalator. Finally, he just stopped. Stopped trying to go up. Which meant, he automatically went down.

The lesson Priscilla shared in this story, and the lesson that struck me is in this life if we don’t make effort to go up, we will go down. 

If we want to go up, if it is our desire to grow spiritually but yet we don't put some effort in and take some steps, we are automatically going to be declining in our spiritual growth because we are standing on something -a sinful world with an enemy after us- that's going down.

It is easy to show up at church on Sunday, maybe serve in a ministry, sing worship, say "amen" during the sermon, and shake the pastor's hand on the way out the door. It is easy to say a quick prayer before our meal. It's easy to "like" that image with a Scripture verse on social media. It is easy to do all the good things. But if we are not making effort to actually grow, we won't grow.

So how can we grow spiritually? What intentional steps can we take?

This book of instruction must not depart

from your mouth; you are to meditate on it

day and night so that you may carefully

observe everything written in it. For then you

will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Joshua1:8 CSB

Be in the Bible. The Bible isn't just an accessory for your church outfit. It isn't just a nice coffee table book. It is the very Word of God. It's His heart, His character, His plan for your life, His instruction, and His communication. We can't call ourselves a Christian if we aren't in the Word of God. We need to be reading it regularly and we need to be studying it regularly. We will never grow spiritually if we are not in the Bible.

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks

in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 CSB

Pray. Prayer is our communication with the Creator. It doesn't have to be eloquent and we don't have to use big words. I can't tell you how many times my prayers are me sobbing to God so hard I wonder if He can understand my words -He can. Martin Luther even said, "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." That is how important prayer is to our spiritual life and growth. If we aren't praying, we will never grow spiritually.

And let us consider one another in order to

provoke love and good works, not neglecting

to gather together, as some are in the habit of

doing, but encouraging each other, and all

the more as you see the day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25 CSB

Go to church. Regularly attending church is important. We hear a word that God has given to our pastors, we worship corporately with other believers, we can be encouraged by others, and we have the opportunity to serve. Our souls long for the fellowship with other believers. Church attendance is something we should make a priority.

Therefore repent and turn back,

so that your sins may be wiped out,

Acts 3:19 CSB

Repent. We all sin. No one is perfect except Jesus Himself. Daily we fall short and we sin. The difference between unbelievers and believers is repentance. We need to repent of our sin and regularly ask God to bring to our mind any unrepented sin. Repenting isn't just saying "I'm sorry" and it certainly isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card to go back to the sin later on. It's being sorry, but it's also making a full turn away from the sin and striving to never do it again.

Like walking the wrong way on an escalator, sometimes our efforts to grow spiritually can seem to take far too long to reach where we want to be. But if we keep pressing in, we will make progress in our journey. But if we just stop working to growing spiritually, we will stay stagnant and eventually risk being pulled down with the sin of the world. Sister, don't let that happen. Be purposeful in growing spiritually.

Discussion:
1. Think over the last few months. Which of these areas do you need to work on right now?
2. Have you felt stagnant, like you aren't growing at all but desire to grow?

Names of God Series: "Getting to Know Yahweh"

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: John Towner

"God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” ~Exodus 3:14

It is in this passage wherein we first find reference to a most meaningful and recognizable name of God: Yahweh. The name He reveals to Moses, "I am Who I am", is translated from this very name.

In essence, the meaning of the name Yahweh points to God's eternal, self-existent nature. As we read in Genesis 1:1 recently, "In the beginning, God". God has always existed - His nature is from eternity past to eternity future. He is known as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. And this eternal Godhead is not reliant on anyone or anything for His sustenance. God is self-existent, able to live on forever without the aid of anyone. Our God is self-existent and has always and will always exist. 

This should come as a comfort to us, His people. Just as Moses needed this realization of Who God is, so we, too, also need this truth ourselves. 

God, in His great mercy and grace, revealed Himself to Moses as being the self-sustaining, eternal One - a revelation that would serve Moses well in the days following with the big and scary calling God had placed upon His life. He would need to rely on this truth as he dealt with an angry and murderous Pharaoh, learned to handle whiney Israelites, and journeyed through the wilderness for decade after long decade.

The same can be said for us.

We, too, need to know God is the eternal One. We, too, will find comfort in the reminder of God's  self-existent nature. He has always existed and will always exist, which means that no matter what we may face in this life, no matter what we will be called to, no matter what we endure, the Lord will be with us, helping us and sustaining us every step of the way just as He did for Moses. 

And that is a comfort to all our hearts, amen? Let's rest in that truth today, friends. 

Reflection Questions: 

1) What stands out to you about the meaning of the name "Yahweh"?

2) What implications does this name and its meaning have for your everyday life?

3) How can you encourage someone else with what you learned today about the nature of God and what it means for the ups and downs of our daily lives?

A Better Recipe for Life

 By: Joanne Viola

 

There is so much we have yet to learn. Much of life will require constant learning, exposing ourselves to information, knowledge, and experiences which will cause stretching and growth. This will only occur as we remain willing to be taught and have the knowledge imparted to us. 

At times my family will ask me for a recipe, or how to cook something. I am terrible with measurements as over the years, I have come to the point of adding ingredients through experience. It’s the pinch of that, and a sprinkle of this method.

Easy for me to do, most hard for others to duplicate. And yet, recipes are needed in order for a dish or meal to turn out well.

Following a recipe may also require some altering for the good of certain ones.

As our family has grown, we have had to take into consideration:

• those needing less salt intake
• those needing less fat
• those with peanut allergies
• those allergic to tree nuts
• those with an allergy to strawberries

In other words, not everything is good for everyone. Paul seemed to know this:

“All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. 
All things are lawful, but not all things edify.” 
(1 Corinthians 10:23, NASB) 

Let’s look at this verse in another version to gain deeper insight:

“All things are legitimate [permissible—and we are free to do anything we please], 
but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). 
All things are legitimate, 
but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].” 
(AMPC) 

Here Paul gives us a better recipe for life. Basically, he brings it down to simply this: “Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.”

Let’s go back to the food and recipe situation … Strawberries are a fruit which is good, healthy, and packed with vitamins. Yet to the one who is allergic, eating them will then require the use of an EpiPen. Same is true of the one who cannot eat tree nuts; and still the other who cannot eat peanuts.

Some good questions to ask ourselves may be:

• Will this be beneficial, or profitable, in my life?
• Will this be beneficial, or profitable, in the Kingdom?
• Is this good or best, in the eyes of God?
• Will this grow good character?
• Will this deepen my spiritual life?

Much the way we fine tune a recipe for the health of our lives,
we need to do the same spiritually.
Remember: “Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.”

 

Reflection:
Has there been a time you went outside of a recipe and created a disaster? What wisdom have you discovered in Paul’s words?

 

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash