"Pilgrim" Book Review

God has blessed Ruth Chou Simons with incredible talent, not only as an artist, but also in distinctly communicating God's amazing love for us. As I was reading her new book, "Pilgrim," I could hardly wait to turn each page to see the next beautiful work of art. 

I think we all struggle with grasping the fact that we are made righteous through the finished work of Christ on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). Ruth shares the truth of The Gospel with clarity and encourages us to keep our eyes on Jesus. "Perhaps you've tried to outrun lack and limitation with your own resources. Take heart, friend. God desires for you to rediscover, or realize for the first time, that He alone is your sustainer." (Pilgrim, page 150)

"Pilgrim" is a phenomenal book and I hope that you will take the time to read it. It will encourage your heart, challenge your thinking, and nourish your soul.

Walk by Faith

I was recently talking to someone who was struggling with adversity. They were convinced that God was punishing them for a past sin. I was reminded of my own shortcomings and the fact that we have to be intentional about keeping our minds on what is "true and right." (Philippians 4:8)

2 Corinthians 5:7 says "For we walk by faith, not by sight." That sounds simple, but it takes constant reminders from God's Word for the reality of that verse to permeate our thoughts. If we are constantly dwelling on our past mistakes, we are walking by sight and will consequently live in a state of discouragement. 

The Truth is that we are "the righteousness of God in Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:21) And when it comes to our sins, God has removed them "as far as the east is from the west." (Psalm 103:12) In other words, He doesn't even see them anymore. When He looks at us, He sees His precious child who has been washed clean with the Blood of the Lamb. "For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

Walking by faith involves a constant renewal of our minds. And it reaps a reward of knowing God's will for our lives. What more could we ask for? "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Romans 12:2

My Big Brother, Tom

My biological brother, Glenn, died at birth, so I never had the blessing of knowing him. But somehow, I imagine that he would have been a lot like Tom Green...an endearing mix of annoying older brother with wise confidant and encourager. Tom and Sherry are precious friends and have walked with me through so many phases of life. I would even go so far as to say that their prayers and encouragement saved me during some of the darkest days of my life. For that I am eternally grateful.
God gave Tom amazing insight into the Word of God and he shared it with so much clarity. I was privileged to sit under Tom's teaching ministry for many years in South Florida. I was raised in a very performance-oriented home and had a skewed concept of God's expectations. I could never measure up to my own expectations, let alone God's. But hearing the Truth of how Jesus lived a sinless life for me, because I could never do it on my own was enlightening. The realization that He had to become a man and die a cruel death...taking the punishment for my sin and making me whole and blameless before God seems obvious now, but was a new revelation 40 years ago. I had never known such freedom and began to understand why Jesus said, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
And so to my big brother, Tom Green, I will always appreciate the amazing gift of your friendship, but most of all, I am grateful that you shared the Truth of The Gospel with me in a way that changed my life forever. I know that Jesus is welcoming you with open arms saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Our Defining Moment

Have you ever thought about your defining moment? Would it be something that makes you proud or brings you shame? Perhaps it involves a diagnosis, a traumatic event, or the demise of a relationship? If the memory causes you pain, perhaps you wish you could have a "do-over."

Peter tells us that "Your great enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8) The devil likes nothing more than to remind us of our failures, regrets, and disappointments. He knows this will stifle our joy and peace and cause us to question God's love for us.

What if we choose to make Jesus' victory over sin and death OUR defining moment? "He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities." (Isaiah 53:5a) "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (Psalms 103:12)

We can rejoice in spite of our circumstances! God provided the ultimate sacrifice and offered us the amazing gift of His Son's defining moment! His gift supersedes anything we could ever say or do and we have victory over our enemy when we rest in His provision. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) We find our true identity in Christ.

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:16)
 

God's Amazing Color Palette

 

Autumn has been taking her sweet time showing off her fabulous colors this year, as if refusing to change might somehow delay the inevitable. However, we have been having some cooler weather, a fact which has been beckoning me into the woods. And so, today I ventured out to my favorite trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I was surprised to find that the forest floor was already layered with gold, orange, and brown. As I started out on the trail, I looked intently for the gravel hidden beneath the leaves, not wanting to leave the “beaten path” because hopefully that would mean I would be less likely to step on a snake. I can't help but imagine how well an eastern diamondback would camouflage himself under this blanket of leaves.

The breathtaking photo ops were endless and I'm pretty sure that today's total number of pictures taken would top my list, if I had one. My eyes were in a constant state of motion, gazing at the colorful treetops against the blue and white backdrop and back to the vibrant carpet beneath my feet. This hike was destined to be a saunter instead of my normal quick-paced attempt at aerobic exercise. And surprisingly, I was not put off by this fact, in spite of my need to burn calories. I was distinctly aware of the need to savor each moment.

Toward the end of my hike, the wind picked up and suddenly I was captivated by leaves swirling and dancing all around me. It was a magical moment and evidence that this particular hike was truly a gift from God. Rain was predicted later in the day and I knew that the combination of wind and rain meant that the lifespan of this year's deciduous leaves was already coming to an end. Even though it seemed to me that they had just started changing, I was keenly aware that fall is fickle, sometimes giving us weeks of visual pleasure and other times losing her leaves almost before they've been allowed to show-off. This year seems destined to be the latter.

Instead of driving straight home after my hike, I decide to go the opposite way and enjoy a picturesque winding road through the forest. Again, the leaves were falling from above like golden snowflakes, this time covering the asphalt. I drove slowly, opening my moon roof to capture the beauty of the canopy overhead. I remember reading a book many years ago that described how each of us worships God in a different way. My inclination has always been to worship God through His creation. It's where I sense His presence most intensely and so again I thank Him for allowing me to experience this spectacular fall day in such a memorable way. “Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of His name! Tell the world how glorious He is!” (Psalm 66:1-2)

Review of When Strivings Cease by Ruth Chou Simons

Apart from The Bible, When Strivings Cease is one of the most beautifully written descriptions of the simple, yet profound truth of The Gospel that I have ever read. Like Ruth, I grew up in a performance-based home, where I often felt like my best was never good enough. Embracing the reality of what Christ did for us on the cross will set us free from our performance mentality. As Ruth so aptly put it, “The answer we're looking for isn't the latest and greatest strategy for self-improvement; it's the transforming gift of amazing grace.” When we find ourselves continually striving to live up to God's standards, Ruth reminds us that “realigning your mind, heart, and identity to grace, not works is a daily battle.” If you find yourself weary from always trying to measure up, this book is for you. “The truth will set you free!” (John 8:32)

What If?

It grieves me to see/hear family and friends arguing about vaccines and viruses. We are all entitled to an opinion, but the enemy is having a field day as we are pitted against one another on so many current issues. Jesus had a lot to say about the way we are to treat each other and even “outsiders.”

What if God asks you to forgive those who disagree with you? He does. “Love your enemies.” Matthew 5:44

What if God wants you to treat your enemies with kindness? Jesus said, “Do good to them that hate you.” Matthew 5:44

What if God asks you to pray for those who have offended you? He will. “Pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

What if people only see us arguing and bickering with each other? Jesus reminds us that “everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

What if you only have one opportunity to share God's love with someone? Pray that you will “conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.” Colossians 4:5

What if you need to respond with grace instead of righteous indignation? “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6

What if you know you're wrong and need to repent? “Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

What if we spent more time seeking God's opinions than defending our own? “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children God." Matthew 5:9