He Picked Me!

by Ricky Chelette, Executive Director

Can you remember that time when teams were picked? A group gathered, "captains" were selected, and the process began. You stood, vulnerable and hopeful. Would they call your name? You prayed you weren't the last pick, but last was better than not to be picked at all. In those brief moments, you believed your worth depended on the mention of your name.  

Ephesians 2 is about being picked. Take a moment and read the chapter. It is a treasure-trove of rich, biblical theology that fills volumes of scholarly work too great for us to cover in this devotional. But within this passage, there are a few profound truths that fill my heart with wonder, gratitude, and praise for the ones who didn't get picked. Maybe you are one too. Here's what grabbed me: 

1.  The truth is, I shouldn't make the team. I'm wicked through and through (2:1-3). God sees it. He knows my sins, the obvious ones, and the hidden ones. He sees every sin, and He sees yours.

2. God sees something in me that I don't see in myself (4-10). I don't have the skills, the perseverance, the determination, or the will, but that's okay with Him. He's initiating in me something I can't even imagine, given from His heart, because of His great love.  It is a gift, not based on my labor but His amazing love. And He has a plan for me, a plan He made before I was even a thought, and He empowers me to accomplish it. 

3. God sees that I was outside the circle of the "chosen" (11-17) And rather than demand I prove my worth by performing, a request He knew would bring greater anxiety, He offered me peace (16-17).

4. God chose me, called me near to Himself and to others of His family, and adopted me into His household – as a real part of His family – and He put His Spirit within me.

I can hardly get my mind around the work Christ had to do to pick me to be a part of His family, but the entire Bible gives testimony to His work of love.  The prophecies, the promises, and the pain of His crucified and then resurrected body, cause me to be overwhelmed with praise and gratitude!   My worth is not in the mouth of men, but in the choice of my Savior, Jesus Christ, who knows me and calls me His own. 

Have you based your worth on man's estimation of your abilities? Have you been striving to be good enough, holy enough, committed enough, or worthy enough?  You can't do it. The Bible says we can't earn our way into God's family.  But if you believe in Him, you will hear His voice calling your name today.  When He picks you, will you follow? 

United We Stand... Against God

by Ricky P. Chelette, Executive Director

The story of the tower of Babel is one of those ancient biblical texts, too familiar, and rarely fully understood. If you've never read it, give it a read. It can be found in Genesis 11:1-9.  Here's the gist of the story:  After the flood that destroys most of humanity over their wickedness, faithful Noah and his family begin the repopulation of the earth at the command of God.  You would think that after being witness to such raw power and catastrophic devastation (the flood), every succeeding generation would have trembled at their inclination towards evil and embraced obedience to God – but life is rarely that linear or straightforward.  

But despite Noah's great story of salvation and redemption, the sin-sick reality of our Adamic condition continues to shine through humanity's existence. 

Like our father, Adam, we continue to believe that we have a better way of doing things than simply trusting in God's instruction. Rather than obey the commands Noah's family received in 9:1 (the very same command Adam and Eve received in Gen. 1:28), Noah and his descendants decide not to scatter but to gather in one localized clan.  You can't fill the earth if you are not spreading out throughout the earth.  

It doesn't seem like that big of a deal to 21st-century readers, but God saw beyond their disobedient actions to their sinful hearts and His bigger plan for redemption. He always does. Though they had labored and built a fine city with a tower reaching towards the heavens, this was not what God commanded of them.  As they built, their pride grew.  They, like Adam and like us, believed the praise of accomplishment was greater joy than the pride-crushing obscurity of obedience.

In an act of great mercy, and within His salvific plan or redemption, God spared sinful man annihilation and confounded their language, forcing them to do what He had so kindly commanded them to do. Soon the earth would be filled with various tribes and tongues who would, upon His return, eventually praise the name of their Redeemer.

The brilliance of God's scattering ensured that one united clan, indwelt with Adamic sin, would not be able to snuff out the message of redemption. A remnant of God's faithful would always prevail. Eventually, the message of the gospel would be fully revealed in Christ for a final chance for salvation to all who would, by faith, entrust their lives to Him. Out of confusion and chaos, He brings order and redemption.

What is God asking you to do?  How have you resisted Him? Are you working for Him or against Him? Thank Him for His grace and patience with you and decide today to follow Him wholeheartedly. 

Friends

by Ricky Chelette, Executive Director

"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." Prov 13:20

Friends are so important in our lives. "A recent Harvard study concluded that having solid friendships in our life even helps promote brain health.

Friends help us deal with stress, make better lifestyle choices that keep us strong, and allow us to rebound from health issues and disease more quickly. Friendship is equally important to our mental health. One study even suggested spending time with positive friends actually changes our outlook for the better. "

But how do we find good friends? Here are some basic characteristics to look for: 1. Are they honest? 2. Do they bring out the best in you? 3. Do they push you towards Jesus? 4. Do they encourage and/or challenge you? 5. Can you laugh with them? 

Friends have an incredible influence on our lives. Because we often spend significant time with them, their attitudes, language, gestures, and even interest can greatly influence us. If they are wise, we can become wiser. However, if they are foolish, they can easily influence us to make poor choices. 1 Cor. 15:33 (NIV) warns that "bad company corrupts good character." We need to be careful who is influencing our heart, mind, and soul. 

Christians need to have friends who are not believers. However, it is even more critical that our closest, most influential friends, be those who are like-minded, growing in Christ, and seeking to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. 

But if we are going to find good friends we also have to be the kind of friend we desire. Far too often, we seek to get from others what we are unwilling to be ourselves. We can't approach friendships as a way of simply receiving what we need. We have to be willing to invest in the lives of others, sacrifice time and energy for them, and stick with them through the difficulties that life will bring. 

Take a moment and read the story of Jonathan and David (1 Sam. 18). Some want to make their friendship something more than it was. But as we realize the context of their eastern relationship - a cultural reality that was much more expressively intimate than that of western cultures - we see two who become brothers, who genuinely cared for the good of the other, and were willing to sacrifice for the other. Their friendship is a beautiful picture of the kind of love Jesus had for us when He laid down His life for us (Jn. 15:13). What kind of friend are you? How might you be a better friend to others?

Chicken Sandwiches, LGBTQ+, and Our Hope

By Ricky Chelette

I rarely address issues that are breaking in the news. But, the recent announcement of Chick-Fil-A's withdrawal of support for the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes signals one more momentary win for the forces of darkness against the forces of light.  Once again, pressure from the pro-LGBTQ+ community, media, and secular worldview has influenced a company to deviate from their strong support of Christian organizations and agencies to a compromised position that is more acceptable to the loudest voices in the culture. 

At first glance, this could be discouraging, and in some ways it is, but even more discouraging are the countless churches who have also chosen to compromise truth for convenience and public acceptance.  These churches have abandoned the foundational truth of God's sovereign design for humanity as male and female, for lesser expressions of personal privilege that align with whatever feelings we are having at the moment. Most often, these compromises of truth seek to communicate the grander motive of being "move loving," but in fact, they are just the opposite. It is only in knowing the truth that anyone is genuinely free.  Lies enslave and steal hope. Truth brings life and empowers hope. 

If we are unwilling to uphold biblical truth, we are complicit in blessing all forms of idolatry, self-aggrandizement, and heresy. We abandon the Creator and His reign in our world, and we assign to His creatures (we humans) the ability to create ourselves in our likeness, desires, and pleasures. In the mix of it all, God becomes a silly old soul to ignore rather than a sovereign Lord to obey. 

I love Chick-Fil-A. I love the company, their bold proclamation of biblical principles in their corporate founding, and their delicious food. I was among the thousands of individuals who went to Chick-Fil-A on the day they were to be boycotted by the pro-LGBTQ+ crowd. I felt as though they were one of the few privately-owned, mega-companies who were willing to stand strong for their faith in the face of opposition and misrepresented claims. 

But I love the power of the gospel even more. I love how the work of Christ on this earth, on the cross, and in the resurrection ensures the reconciliation of man and the transformation of his/her heart and life if he/she believes. I love, even more, that the power of the gospel enables humanity to be all he/she is created to be. I love that the gospel communicates that we are not accidents, mistakes, blunders of a deity, or merely bodies to be recreated, but intentional creations, fearfully and wonderfully made to reflect the image and glory of our Creator God in this world.  I love that in spite of the discouragement such corporate and institutional decisions can have on those seeking to follow the way of God, believers can still have hope. 

Dan Cathy, CEO of Chic-Fil-A, made this statement that started his company’s controversary. It was a bold statement of truth and compassion which rallied many who believed the Word as he did: ““I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.’ And I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”

Our hope does not rest on the approval and cheers of men, corporate entities, LGBTQ+ advocates/allies/friends, or the culture.  Our hope is in the Bible upon which we choose to entrust our lives and our souls. Our hope is the grace given for now, because of the cross, and the future grace that empowers us to remain until the end.  Our hope rests in the promise that The King is coming to make all things new, to bring heaven to earth, and to judge the living and the dead.  Our hope has a name, and His name is Jesus.

Unsatisfying Fruit

by Marsha

Fruit that Leaves you Unsatisfied

The prevailing assumption today is that people are much smarter and more advanced now than all previous generations.  Yes, technology has advanced to an amazing degree, and medicine has made great strides in finding out how our bodies work and how to keep them healthy, but does that automatically mean we are smarter?  Some would even contend that we are better, or more virtuous than our ancestors.

Despite the advances mentioned above, I think a case can be made that we are virtually the same as all generations that have gone before us, and that we keep falling for the same temptations that tripped them up.  It’s easy to run through the stories in the Bible of characters who failed, sometimes spectacularly, and think that we would not have made the same mistakes.  If we slow down and look carefully, we will see that we are just the same.

The story of Adam and Eve is familiar to us, but perhaps too familiar to have much impact on how we think about ourselves.  Try to imagine what it would be like to live in Eden.  It’s almost beyond our comprehension to think of a place with jaw-dropping beauty, a perfect climate, no biting insects, no dangerous reptiles or predators of any kind, no thorns or brambles – just peace and beauty as far as the eye could see.  We don’t know his exact age, but Adam was handsome, young, healthy and strong…no allergies, no vision problems or malfunctions in any of his systems.  He had the companionship of all the creatures in the world, and none of them wanted to hurt him.  Despite this abundance, God saw that he needed a being like, yet unlike, himself to make paradise complete.

God created Eve to fill that void.  Like Adam, she was created in perfect health, was beautiful and possessed qualities that complimented Adam’s.  We cannot even imagine a relationship of such perfect harmony.  They enjoyed each other’s company, worked together harmoniously and never argued.  Wouldn’t you give anything to live in a world like this?  All they had was one simple rule.  Out of all of creation, they had only one limitation – don’t eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden.  How much simpler could it be?

Here is where we begin to see how much we are like these first two humans.  All of us have at least ONE thing in our lives to which we know God has said “no.”  It may be a relationship that is forbidden, or a heart attitude like pride, laziness, selfishness or greed.  It may be an activity that is not inherently bad, like movies or the internet, but we have taken it in the wrong direction, a direction that we know does not honor God.  Why couldn’t Adam and Eve have just directed their attention to the abundance of everything else around them that was NOT off-limits?  Why can’t we do the same?  It seems that the forbidden things call loudly to us, sometimes in every waking moment.  What drives us to focus so much on the things we can’t do or can’t have?

At least part of the reason for our focus on the forbidden is that we start to believe lies about ourselves and God.  We convince ourselves that if we just had that thing (for argument’s sake, we’ll assume there is only one forbidden thing we desire), our lives would be so much better, or perhaps even perfect.  We fantasize about how possessing this “thing” would enrich our experience.  The thing/person/relationship appears to be a neutral entity and we cannot imagine why God would deny us this innocent enjoyment.  Remember the original limitation?  How could a simple fruit be a bad thing?  We never expect that there will be difficulties if we get our heart’s desire because we wrongly assume that our fantasies about the future are accurate.

Then we begin to build a case against a God who would prevent us from this harmless “happiness” that is just outside of our reach.  Surely God doesn’t understand us or know the deepest parts of our hearts, or He would change his mind.  Perhaps He understands how much we want this wonderful thing but doesn’t care?  He is either clueless at best or unfeeling and remote from our pain at worst.  Who would want to obey or love a God like that?  We tend to forget that Jesus came specifically to experience the human condition with all its hurts and temptations.  He does understand and is the one we should run to.  He was the only one who has ever successfully focused His affections on God instead of His desires.

As we build our case against honoring God’s “no,” we tell ourselves that since we want something so benign, we are justified in ignoring God’s command.  The consequences won’t be that bad.  Maybe God won’t even notice, just like we assume He hasn’t noticed or listened to our pleas for this thing.  If He’s not powerful enough to give us what we want, maybe He’s not powerful enough to follow through with consequences either.  Maybe He’s lying to us about the severity of the consequences because we have already questioned His motives and His reliability.

The escape God has provided us from this trap is to focus on the blessings of our relationship with Him, made possible through our relationship with Jesus.  The joy of walking “in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3) with Him is more satisfying and more lasting than the brief taste of a fruit that soon becomes bitter.    If we train our eyes to look to Him always for satisfaction, we can learn to be satisfied with the Living Water that quenches the thirst and the Bread of Life that satisfies our deepest hunger.

"I've Had Enough!"

by Marsha

People won't have time for you if you are always angry or complaining. ~ Stephen Hawking

Discontent, blaming, complaining, pity cannot serve as a foundation for a good future, no matter how much effort you make.~ Eckhart Tolle

Complaining…we all do it, and we don’t see it as a serious problem.  It’s so common that even people in the non-Christian world (as in the quotes above) recognize that it’s not the best way to live your life.  Of course, the reason non-Christians would advise against complaining are based on the fact that it impacts YOU negatively, not because it violates any moral code.  

Complaining is so ubiquitous that many of us have rationalized that it is actually a sign of how aware we are of injustice or evil in the world. If only the government wouldn’t do such and such.  If only my boss didn’t treat me the way he/she does.  If only those other drivers wouldn’t act that way. If only God would remove this person (or this temptation) from my life, and on and on.  Is complaining just a minor personality flaw that only impacts me negatively?  Surely that’s not a sin that God has much of a problem with, is it?  

It might surprise you to know that many verses in the Bible are devoted to the topic of grumbling and complaining.  God calls it to our attention quite early in the Bible, as early as the second book of the Old Testament, Exodus.  

No sooner had Moses delivered the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt than they began to complain.  They complained when there wasn’t water.  They complained when they didn’t know where they would find food.  They complained when they were tired of manna and wanted to enjoy the variety of food that they had in Egypt.  They complained when they didn’t get meat to eat. In fact, there are ten different episodes in Exodus where the people grumbled against God for what He had provided for them…and what they felt He wasn’t providing for them.

It’s easy for us to think that we wouldn’t have done the very same thing; that we would have been thankful for all that God had done for us. We believe that our grumbling and complaining is much more justified…or is it?  When we don’t take the time to reflect on all the blessings God has given us, we’re marching down the same road they did.  If we keep going that direction, we will also end up in a wilderness experience.  

If you are in a bleak wilderness today, or if you have realized that you’re lacking in thankfulness but overflowing with grumbling, it might be time to take an inventory of what God has done for you, and not just lately.  

Start with the things that you take for granted most days. We live in a country where knowledge about who Jesus is and how He can become our Savior is easy to find, and we are free to worship Him openly.  Few of us have gone hungry or been lacking a roof over our head.  List as many things as you can think of that illustrate that God loves you and is concerned for your welfare.  

Next, compare that list with whatever it is that is causing you to grumble and complain.  Considering all that God has already done for you, do you really think He doesn’t love you, that He doesn’t see you, or that He doesn’t care?  Probably many of the things on your blessing list you never even thought to pray for, yet God provided them for you.  

Complaining is bad for us, but not because it will alienate us from our friends.  The harm that complaining does is alienate us from fellowship with our Heavenly Father.  We can’t have peace of heart and fulfillment in life unless we are connected to Jesus with a spirit of gratitude.  

Jesus, we ask your forgiveness for our attitude of grumbling and complaining. Help us remember your goodness and your blessings to us, and spend more time praising you than bemoaning our difficulties.  Thank you most of all for giving us eternal life and forgiveness of sin.  In Your holy name, Amen.

Loving the Hard to Love

By: Robert Jacobs 

Let’s face it, there are people in our life who, for various reasons, are hard to love. With the holidays upon us, I am sure that many of you have thought about what it will mean to interact with these hard to love people, particularly those in your family. Often, we believe (at least subconsciously anyway) that those who have wounded us deeply deserve to be as miserable as they have made us, supposedly fulfilling our desire for justice. 

But what do you do if that person seeks forgiveness? What do you do when they attempt to restore a broken relationship? What if they yield to Jesus Himself and find the peace and wholeness that He offers? If they abide in Christ, they will have their shame, sin, and reproach washed away by His blood. Will you be happy for them? Will you shout for joy that they have found wholeness, or will you be bitter that they have the peace of Christ that they do not deserve? 

I was the latter. My father and I had a rough relationship which resulted in my receiving substantial emotional wounds. Toward the end of his life, my father became a faithful follower of Christ, abiding in Him and finding the peace and purpose that can only come from His hand. I, however, was bitterly implacable. I literally said to my wife, “Do you know who this man is? He does not deserve the peace of Christ in his life!” I believed that his sin disqualified him from the Grace of Christ and that no one should have anything to do with “that man.”

We see a similar situation in one of the healings that Jesus performs. Upon entering Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by and he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mk 10:47) The crowd following Jesus turned to Bartimaeus and rebuked him, telling him to be quiet (Mk 10:48). In other words, those who were following Jesus did not think Bartimaeus was worthy to talk with Christ. After all, he was blind, a disability that this society believed to be the result of a moral impediment (Jn 9:9).

Are we this crowd? Are we those “following” Jesus only to preclude those who need him the most? Sure, we may say that we want the lost and the hurting to find Christ, but does that include those who have wounded us? 

As the story with Bartimaeus continues, Christ does hear him and calls him to Himself. After this, those following Jesus changed their toon, telling Bartimaeus to “cheer up” because Christ had called him. Strange how their attitude only changes after Jesus rebukes them through His actions. 

There is a lesson here for us. Just as our sin does not preclude us from following Christ, so also does other’s sin not prevent them…even those who have wounded us deeply. If we are honest, none of us deserve to follow Christ. From the moment of our conception, we were all rebels and traitors against the kingdom of God (Ps 51:5). 

By the grace of God, I began to make peace with my father shortly before he died. Yet if I had celebrated his embracing of Christ rather than rejected it, much more healing could have taken place. 

But what about you? Is there someone hard to love in your family—someone who has hurt you badly—that is trying to restore a relationship with you, yet you will not allow them to? It could be that God is calling you to allow that person to tangibly experience the forgiveness of God in their life by you forgiving them. 

This is not to say that we do not need to have healthy boundaries with our family, and by no means do I think you should place yourself in danger. However, I do think that when we correctly remember how much we have been forgiven by Christ, it is much easier to offer forgiveness to others and celebrate a reconciled relationship. If we forget how much we have been forgiven, though, we become hard and bitter, claiming our woundedness as a kind of identity. 

This Christmas love the hard to love. Seek to be a good gift to others rather than looking for others to be a good gift to you. Because with the Spirit in you, you are indeed a good gift to everyone around you. 

Hope for the Holidays

by Bonnie Scasta, Women's Ministry Director

The holidays are said to be the most wonderful time of the year. And for many, there is magic and wonder all around. 

For others that are impacted by sexual and relational brokenness, however, the holidays are filled with pain and loss. This time of year—traditionally filled with merriment and spent with loved ones—is instead lonely and quiet. Because of deep family divisions, unmet expectations, cruel words, and/or being forgotten, the celebration of Our Promised Savior is often over shadowed by sorrow and deep despair.

Though families may be broken, wounds run deep, expectations are repeatedly crushed, and people who should come through continue to fail, there is hope to be found this holiday season! 

As we approach Christmas, keep these three truths close to your heart:

God sees and cares about your pain.

Grief and loss have very little place in our culture. We are often taught through our experiences, in particularly the reactions of those closest to us, that our pain is to be shoved aside and hidden.  We believe the lie that there is no space or time to be sad over the broken things in our life or our family.  

However, over and over again we see in scripture that God sees and hears the cries of his people in pain (Ex 2:23-25).  He is not asking you to shut it down, avoid it, or act like everything is ok.  Instead, God is asking you to bring even the most painful things to him. When we do, we can be confident that just as Jesus wept over the loss of his friend, he will weep with us as well. 

^“And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” – Ex. 2:24-25

God is near to the brokenhearted. 

Not only does God care about our pain, he is near to it.  His presence makes all the difference (Ex. 33:3-4).  If you are brokenhearted over the loss of a relationship, over the strife between you and a loved one, at the consequences of your own sin, or for any other reason, God is near.  Ask him to reveal his special nearness through these difficult circumstances and believe that you are not alone, regardless of how alone you may feel.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Ps 34:18

There are no hopeless situations.

Jesus himself was raised from the dead.  He is in the very business of bringing dead things to life.  The disciples thought all was lost after Jesus was crucified and many returned to their old lives or hid scared.  Jesus, however, had other plans and it changed history.  He came to set the captives free, bind those that are brokenhearted, and bring gladness to those who mourn.  Set your hope on Him and see what he does!

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.” –  Is 61:1-3

Be encouraged that no matter what ashes you may be mourning, our savior has gladness and beauty to come.   As you take your pain, sorrow, or loneliness to Him and rest in his deep, abiding love that is near, there is great hope regardless of what the days ahead hold. 

The Leper in the Tree

by Robert Jacobs

My 14-month-old daughter loves to dance. Though still fine tuning her balance and coordination, she dances (as the saying goes) like no one is watching. Although she will dance to anything with a rhythm, including my more spirited readings of Hop on Pop, she prefers the upbeat kid’s songs they play at Sunday school. Snagging a few albums on-line for our dancing pleasure at home, I regularly clear the dance floor in our house for jam sessions that include favorites like “Jesus Loves Me,” “Father Abraham,” and “If You’re Saved and You Know It.”

As we listened and danced one afternoon, we came across a song I had not heard in a long time: “Zacchaeus Was A Wee Little Man.” It’s a silly little song from my childhood that tells the story of a minor character in the Gospel of Luke. Appearing in no other gospel account, the interaction between Zacchaeus and Jesus is a brief, 9 verses that is often glossed over. If not passed over like an appendix to the larger narrative of Luke, people simply remember the story as “the one about that short guy,” as the title of the song indicates. Yet as I listened to the song, I realized that there were many profound truths in Zacchaeus’ story. 

Luke records that as Jesus was passing through Jericho, word of His presence in the city came to the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus. Desiring to see this Jesus that he had heard so much about, Zacchaeus ran out to the street where Christ was passing by. Unfortunately, “he was short [and] could not see over the crowd” (Lk 19:3). Determined to see this holy man he had heard so much about, he ended up climbing a tree to see over the crowd. When Jesus came to the tree, He called out “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today” (Lk 19:5). This shocked the onlookers, for when “the people saw this [they] began to mutter, ‘He (Jesus) has gone to be the guest of a sinner’” (Lk 19:7). 

As I thought about Zacchaeus sitting up in that tree, I realized that he was content to simply see Jesus rather than interact with Him. Though the text does not say so, I am sure he thought he would never be worthy of actually meeting Jesus and talking with Him. And based upon what I know about human nature, I bet he must have thought he did not deserve such an honor because he knew he was stained with sinful actions (see his reaction to Jesus in verse 8). Like a leper keeping his distance, Zacchaeus sat in the tree, grateful to even get the opportunity to see Christ. Yet Jesus was not satisfied with Zacchaeus simply seeing Him. No. He wanted Zacchaeus to experience Him on a personal level. 

Many of us are sitting in our own trees. We think that because of our sin stained hands, Jesus does not want anything to do with us and that we are lucky that we even get to see Him from a distance. However, this is not how Christ works. He is calling out to us as we sit isolated in our trees. He wants us to not simply see Him or know about Him, but to experience Him, to intimately follow Him as His disciple. It is true humanity has a sin problem, yet we must remember that the solution to our sin problem is in the arms of Jesus and nowhere else. 

As holiday decorations begin to fill our homes and churches, remember that the whole point of Christ’s advent was so that he could be Emanuel, God WITH Us. Whenever you see a Christmas tree this season, think of Zacchaeus—the man who was content to simply watch Jesus walk by but that Jesus desired to know personally, calling to him to Himself by name. 

Hope for the Holidays

by Bonnie Scasta, Women's Ministry Director

The holidays are said to be the most wonderful time of the year. And for many, there is magic and wonder all around. 

For others that are impacted by sexual and relational brokenness, however, the holidays are filled with pain and loss. This time of year—traditionally filled with merriment and spent with loved ones—is instead lonely and quiet. Because of deep family divisions, unmet expectations, cruel words, and/or being forgotten, the celebration of Our Promised Savior is often overshadowed by sorrow and deep despair.

Though families may be broken, wounds run deep, expectations are repeatedly crushed, and people who should come through continue to fail, there is hope to be found this holiday season! 

As we approach Christmas, keep these three truths close to your heart:

God sees and cares about your pain.

Grief and loss have very little place in our culture. We are often taught through our experiences, in particular the reactions of those closest to us, that our pain is to be shoved aside and hidden.  We believe the lie that there is no space or time to be sad over the broken things in our life or our family.  

However, over and over again we see in scripture that God sees and hears the cries of his people in pain (Ex 2:23-25).  He is not asking you to shut it down, avoid it, or act like everything is ok.  Instead, God is asking you to bring even the most painful things to him. When we do, we can be confident that just as Jesus wept over the loss of his friend, he will weep with us as well. 

^“And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” – Ex. 2:24-25

God is near to the brokenhearted. 

Not only does God care about our pain, He is near to it. His presence makes all the difference (Ex. 33:3-4).  If you are brokenhearted over the loss of a relationship, over the strife between you and a loved one, at the consequences of your own sin, or for any other reason, God is near.  Ask him to reveal his special nearness through these difficult circumstances and believe that you are not alone, regardless of how alone you may feel.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Ps 34:18

There are no hopeless situations.

Jesus himself was raised from the dead.  He is in the very business of bringing dead things to life. The disciples thought all was lost after Jesus was crucified and many returned to their old lives or hid scared.  Jesus, however, had other plans and it changed history.  He came to set the captives free, bind those that are brokenhearted, and bring gladness to those who mourn.  Set your hope on Him and see what he does!

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.” –  Is 61:1-3

Be encouraged that no matter what ashes you may be mourning, our savior has gladness and beauty to come.   As you take your pain, sorrow, or loneliness to Him and rest in his deep, abiding love that is near, there is great hope regardless of what the days ahead hold. 

Mud and Miracles

by Ricky Chelette, Executive Director

In our world of antibacterial soaps, germ aversion, and highly advanced medical treatments, we generally don't associate mud and spit as treatments for congenital birth defects. That is, unless you are Jesus.

Not recorded in any of the other gospels, John 9 is a unique account of Jesus performing a miracle. Though the entire chapter is rich in Kingdom significance, His use of mud and spit in verses 6-7 reveals something important about the way Jesus works:

He spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva.  Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (Which means Sent).  So he went and washed and came back seeing. (Jn 9:6-7)

Why did Jesus spit on the ground and make a mud pie to heal the man? Is there mud in the middle east that brings sight to the blind? Why did the man have to walk through town and wash in the pool of Siloam? Are there minerals in that pool that bring sight to the blind? Why didn’t Jesus just speak a word and restore the man’s sight? Why command a process before the healing happened? 

As you look at the miracles of Jesus, what you discover is Jesus often asks people to participate in some way in the miracle only He can do. It is not that their performance makes miracles happen; in fact, that is far from the truth.  However, I believe that Jesus knows there is much for us to learn in the process of our healing.  By participating in the process of our healing, we learn to trust the voice of our Savior, discovering the depth of our brokenness and the power of God. 

The blind man only knew himself as the label people placed upon him – a blind beggar.  Sometimes we too hold on to what it is we have always been, not realizing all that God has called us to be. We also sometimes believe that because “this is the way it has always been,” this is the way it will always be. The beauty of the gospel is there is hope for transformation. Change happens. We can become new creations in Christ if we are willing to embrace the words of our Savior and obey them.

The man’s healing was instantaneous in one sense—he washed and then saw (v. 9)—but an even more significant change took place in the man’s heart as he embraced the process of Jesus’ revelation of Himself to the man through the man’s obedience. 

In order for the blind man to experience healing, he had to let go of his former identity as a blind man and embrace his transformed reality – a healed disciple. He could not continue to hold on to old ways of living and believing because now he had sight. He was no longer walking in darkness but had seen the Light, and it forever changed him. 

If we want to walk in freedom, we must let go of ties to the past and embrace our new identity in Christ. We can’t hold on to old ways, old beliefs, or old labels that others placed upon us. 

The man born in darkness becomes the herald of the Light to those still trapped in darkness. What an incredible irony that a blind man—thought to be blind because of his sin or that of his parents—schooled religious leaders who believed they were righteous but weren’t. The gospel indeed uses, in the words of Paul, the “weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor 1:27).

Are you willing to go through whatever process God has in store for you in order to fully embrace the transformation of God’s healing in your life? Are you willing to let go of your “plan B” and fully trust in God’s transforming power? Once transformed, are you willing to declare the light, so others may “see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven”? We are all blind in some way. May His light penetrate our darkness and allow us to see our new identity in Him, reflecting His light to a world in darkness.  

Where’s the Power?

I feel terribly inadequate in most areas of my life, but especially when it comes to sharing my faith in the world in which we live.  Don’t you?  

When I write a devotional or prepare for a message, I pour over the words and sentences for hours, contemplating how they will be perceived and received.  I often wonder if my words will sound wise, inspire, convince, or stir the faith of others. But if this is truly my aim, then I will indeed fail. Why? Because I can’t make any of those things take place in another person’s life.  

Far too often you and I are spiritual posers, pretending we have wisdom and power but not genuinely connected to a source beyond ourselves. As a result, we craft lofty words, present well-planned messages, even have pointed and particularly parsed conversations, all in the hopes that our “wisdom” will somehow save someone.  We are mistaken. 

Paul understood that what hindered so many in his culture was not the lack of good rhetoric, teaching, or prose, but people’s desire to create their own wisdom or truth.  Greek and Roman scholars and philosophers would often debate freely and fervently. Paul was able to engage in these activities as he was well educated, a Pharisee among Pharisees, and a student of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).  Paul knew, however, that his faith did not rest in the wisdom of men, but the power of God. In 1 Corinthians 2:2-5, he states it plainly: 

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God).

As I read newsfeeds and social media post from liberals to conservatives, Christians to atheists, I see lots of the “wisdom of men.”  Our world is hungry for the next great sound bite or turn of phrase. We look for bits of wisdom, but rarely for the source of all that is wise.  As a result, our world is filled with an ever-increasing division between (for lack of better identifiers) “left” or “right;” “conservative” or “liberal.”  

In trying to stake out claims and positions, we overlook the demonstrations of God’s power seen all around us.  We miss God’s power in the transformed lives like those who attend LHM.  We miss the beauty of God’s people giving sacrificially and generously towards those in need. We overlook the kindness of God through the believer who personally feeds the poor, invites others into their home who feel displaced, or who simply sit by the side of one who is hurting or grieving.

Let’s be honest. It’s easy to scream at problems everyone sees and make a name for yourself. It’s not easy to live a life fully surrendered to a Savior who gave His life for your redemption. The former only must be loud in the moment to be heard.  The latter must be submitted every second of the day for a lifetime.  

If we want to change our world, we must do so through our faith consistently demonstrated. We need to worry less about our wisdom or abilities and more about the power of God. We must continue to speak of Jesus and Him crucified and the amazing ways the gospel has radically transformed our lives. We must be like Paul who was eager and willing to risk all to share the power of God he had personally experienced so that others would trust, believe, and follow Jesus and thereby be transformed!

Do you believe God’s power is sufficient for the hurts and needs of your life? Are you sharing what God has done in you and for you with others so they may see the power of God at work? Are you living a life dependent upon your wisdom and cunning, or trusting in the power of God?

The truth is, we are all inadequate to do the God-sized things we are all called to do. I know I am. But I have a God who is more than able, more than capable of taking my inadequacies (and yours) and turning them into trophies of His power and wisdom.  As we submit to Him and follow Him, we will be blessed beyond measure, and God’s power will be on display for all the world to see and believe.

Standing Strong?

By Ricky Chelette, Executive Director

One of the great joys of ministry is walking with people on the journey of faith and watching them mature in Christ. I enjoy seeing people learn to take their eyes off constant introspection and fix their gaze determinedly on Jesus. I love it when peoples’ lives begin to see more victories than defeats. I get excited when I hear of people purposefully serving others, being actively involved in a community, and seeking to pour out what they have learned into the hearts and lives of others. 

But I have also learned that spiritual growth doesn’t exempt us from temptation and, in some ways, can set us up for failure. You see, difficulty develops dependence while success develops independence.  As much as we all hate the statement, it is particularly true in the realm of spirituality.  

It is difficult to be dependent on God when things are going well. We tend to relax our disciplines, think we know the Word of God well enough, and lower our awareness of sin's pull. Let’s face it. When things are going well, it is easy to think, “Thanks, God!  I got this.” 

Paul understood this human tendency to pull away from discipline and toward self-sufficiency.  He recognized it in his own journey of faith. (Remember his thorn in the flesh to keep him from becoming too proud (2 Cor 12:7)?) But Paul also knew the history of the children of Israel as he writes in 1 Corinthians 10.  There Paul tells of Israel’s great deliverance from the oppression of Egypt. God moved and provided for Israel in mighty ways: from the parting of the sea and being “baptized into Moses in the cloud,” to drinking from the “spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”  The children of Israel were people who should have been deeply devoted to God. Yet in the midst of God’s provision and deliverance, they took up idol worship and left the God they loved.  

Paul warns that though we live on the other side of Jesus’ incarnation, cross, and resurrection, we too have similar inclinations for becoming complacent in our relationship and devotion to God.  He puts it bluntly: “let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor 10:12).  

No one is exempt from sin. I am one decision away from disaster every day!  The devil is my adversary, and the fallen world is his playground. He is crouching at the door, at every turn, ready to pounce on me just when I think I am doing well (1 Pet 5:8). And the devil is after you too!

But there is good news for the church in Corinth and for us. Even in our moments of greatest temptation, our God will provide a way of escape. “God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor 10:13).  

This is a rich verse, pregnant with meaning, but note the last line: “able to endure it.” Most of us would like to vanquish all temptation. Sometimes God’s solution is not to remove temptation, but to strengthen us in the midst of it so we can endure. Through that endurance, we are better able to run the race set before us and finish strong. Nothing is proven until it is tested and there is no victory in the test without perseverance.

Are you feeling confident in your relationship with the Lord? I pray you are, but don’t allow that confidence to be posited on your ability rather than your dependence upon the One who is able to keep you from falling. He alone can provide. He alone makes an escape possible. Be vigilant and stand strong!

Failure Isn't Fatal With Jesus

By Ricky Chelette, Executive Director

I hate to fail. Don’t you? In fact, I hate it so much that it scares me, or at least that is the way it felt when I was young. If there was even a hint that I could not victoriously compete, I often simply did not participate. This isn’t a good trait (just to be clear) and seriously prevented me from trying many things that I might have enjoyed but feared I would fail. 

When I became a Christian in my late teens, I realized that the American ideal of always being number one was not biblical.  However, I soon discovered that there was a new fear of failing, and this one was much more profound — I feared that I would fail as a Christ-follower. 

As I have grown in my Christian faith, I have realized we all fail Jesus. In fact, He was and is the only righteous one. And unlike my perception of failure as a youth, my failures don't have to be the end of the world. 

Peter was like you and me. He failed.  There are few characters in the New Testament that lived more boldly or failed more profoundly than did Peter. I love that scripture doesn’t hide his frailty, his impulsivity, or his sin. 

Peter was the first disciple chosen and the leader of the twelve apostles. This rough-around-the-edges fisherman was passionate in his love for Jesus.  When Jesus washed the disciples' feet, Peter wanted not just his feet to be cleaned, but his whole body! (Jn 13:9)  When Jesus was arrested, it was Peter who drew the sword to defend his master and cut off the ear of the priest's servant (Jn 19:10). Despite this love for Jesus, all four gospels record Jesus’ prediction of Peter’s failure: “This very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” (Mk 14:30; Mt 26:24; Lk 22:34; Jn 13:38). 

Imagine the horror Peter must have felt to hear those words from Jesus? But it gets even worse. At Jesus' arrest, Peter lurks in the crowd and indeed denies Jesus three times. Upon his last denial, Luke records these few words that are pregnant with emotion and meaning: 

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.' And he went out and wept bitterly (Lk 22:61-62).

Have you had a moment like that? You know you did something terribly wrong, and just as it happens, you realize you have sinned against God.  Your heart sinks. Your countenance falls. Your soul aches. You feel as though your failure will forever define you. 

Peter was there, and we have all been there too.

But praise God, that is not the end of the story!  After the resurrection of Jesus, Mary meets the angel at the tomb, and he gives her a message, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you (Mk 16:7).” 

“[A]nd Peter…” The angel specifically singles out Peter from the other disciples. Yes, Peter failed at one of the most crucial moments in Jesus’ ministry, but Jesus did not give up on Peter, and He doesn’t give up on you and me. Jesus saw Peter beyond the moment of failure to the movement of faith Peter would lead. He saw in Peter what Peter could not see in himself. Jesus sees that potential in you too. 

Though we have all fallen short of the glory of God, our past failures do not define our future. Jesus invites us, as he did Peter, to repent of our sins and follow Him. The great hope in scripture is it is filled with people who failed but have a relentless Savior who redeems. 

You may be struggling with the sins from your past that continue to haunt you, bad choices you made this weekend or even last night. Those sins are not who you are, and they don’t have to be how you live your life. Jesus tells us, “the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (Mk 1:15).” 

After the resurrection and his restoration, Peter went on to be a great evangelist. Acts 2 records that Peter’s preaching at Pentecost ushered in some 3,000 new believers. He was a pivotal leader in the church in Jerusalem and was eventually killed for his faith. Allow your failure to fuel your faith. Seek forgiveness and repentance and see the great things God has in store for your future!