Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

God’s Everlasting Love on an Ordinary Day

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Jeremiah 31:3b “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

God's Everlasting Kindness

Dear Kids,

Everyone longs to experience true love! Knowing that someone deeply cares about you and is willing to demonstrate it daily keeps you going even on the worst days. It is rare to find this kind of devotion from people here on earth. But there is Someone who delights in you, is fully committed to you, and regularly expresses His love in large and small ways. Just open your eyes and heart so you can appreciate His every day little gifts.

Holidays Often Bring Weariness

It was a beautiful weekend. Time with family and friends celebrating Easter revitalized our understanding of all God has done for us through Jesus. How could we not recognize God’s great love for the world when recounting the greatest sacrifice made on our behalf? But after the festivities ended my spirits drooped. Adrenaline from all the activity and festivities subsided and I felt a sense of weariness now that all the excitement was over.

The Monday morning alarm reminded me that the holiday had gone and it was time for another ordinary day to begin. Pushing myself to get out of bed, I decided to jumpstart my morning with a walk. The sun was just starting to peek out over the horizon and the awakening sky beckoned me.

God Demonstrates Love Every Day

As I strolled down our lane, breathing in the crisp morning air, a fresh outlook dawned. God demonstrated His great love many years ago by dying in my place. But even on an ordinary Monday morning He continued to demonstrate His love by brightening my day through small things. My step picked up as the cool but comfortable breeze caressed my hair and the sunbeams kissed my cheek. I determined to open my eyes to notice more of His special gifts.

One by one I added to my mental list the surprises I discovered: robins in the trees, a mourning dove cooing in the field, a neighbor’s rooster crowing “Hello!” as I walked by, four deer lazily crossing the road, and a gurgling creek singing with the rest of creation. As I headed back home a stunning pink sunrise exploded over the landscape. My heart almost burst in awe when through God’s handiwork I clearly heard His gentle words “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

God’s Everlasting Love on an Ordinary Day

Holidays come and go. Celebrate them with joy and let them draw you to God’s lovingkindness. But open your eyes for signs of His everlasting love on all the other, ordinary days too. His sweet gifts can be found every day of the year. You just have to look for them.

Love,

Mama

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Resurrecting Excitement Through Easter Traditions

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Luke 24:5b-6a “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen.”

Excitement Through Easter Traditions

Dear Kids, 

Holidays provoke different memories for each of us. The traditions we participate in shape the way we think and feel about certain days of the year. That is why it is important to wisely develop and sustain our Easter traditions. They can be the fertile soil for resurrecting the excitement of our beliefs if we understand the why of our actions.

Easter Memories

I have many memories of the Easter season. I understood from childhood the importance of the celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection from the grave. While my family enjoyed the prevalent cultural traditions of Easter baskets and egg hunts, we focused more on the true meaning of the holiday. I can remember a sense of excitement welling up from the message that Jesus stymied death by rising again after three days. Even as a child this news gave me hope for my own future.

When you children were younger we sought to build special memories that would point you towards Christ. For years we would watch a short clip of the movie, Jesus of Nazareth, every night during Passion Week, culminating in Jesus’ death and resurrection on Easter Sunday. But even the smaller things served to remind us that this was a special time. The new special Sunday outfits added to the festive atmosphere, and the celebratory dinner with family, featuring lamb cake, served to spotlight the greatest event in history.

Small Reminders Can Make a Difference

I’ve noticed in more recent years that some of these traditions have slowly faded. Even at church, you don’t really see the attenders sporting new Easter attire in the way they did in years past. With such busy lives many of the small observances during Passion Week get set on the back burner. When we don’t take the time for all the small reminders the excitement of the season dissipates in the regular grind of every day life. But this is not how it should be.

Resurrecting Easter Traditions

So this year I’ve decided to resurrect some of the old traditions in order to tune in to the incredible blessing of Jesus’ gift of salvation. Join me in spending the week meditating on the events that occurred so many years ago. Attend a special service, daily read a pertinent passage of Scripture, watch the story of the Passion on your TV, dress in your Sunday best, and pull out the Lamb cake recipe. These and other family Easter traditions remind us to celebrate Jesus!

He has risen!!

He has risen indeed!

Love,

Mama

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Caring For People: A Ministry Pattern to Follow

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Luke 5:16 “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”

Caring for People

Dear Kids,

The path to service is often a long and exhausting one. For example, men or women who desire to run for public office spend inordinate amounts of time and money pushing their name in front of the voters. They develop a plan, gather workers, and try to make their ideals known and acceptable to as many people as possible. They have a goal and run towards it at full speed. While I believe it is admirable to pursue any type of ministry, I also believe there is a time when you need to step back and rest.

Recently, I have read a number of books about former United States presidents and their runs for public office. In her book, Pivotal Tuesdays: Four Elections that Shaped the Twentieth Century, author Margaret O’Mara compares four different elections and how they changed history. Although I didn’t understand every detail of the multi-faceted nuances of each election or political ideal, I did ask myself, “What is one take away from this book?”

Caring For People is Exhausting

One consistent theme for most candidates was the incredible amount of activity they invested on their endeavors. My head spun when I read about the thousands of speeches, handshaking, party attending, relationship developing, non-sleeping, super charged, high speed, railway train living that most of the candidates endured during their run for office. Add that to perfecting people skills, word massaging, and emotion milking, and you have one exhausted man or woman who may or may not finally attain a huge personal goal.

When I compare this type of focused determination with the way Jesus approached ministry on earth I see a great disparity. Jesus also spent many hours teaching and ministering to crowds. He spoke with and healed numerous individuals. He traveled to touch the dying and confronted evil spirits torturing their hosts. Yet He also understood the importance of finding time alone to commune with His Father. There were times when He purposefully sent the crowds away to give Himself and His disciples time to rest and recuperate from a busy day.

Jesus Took Time to Rest and Pray

Sometimes He slipped away to focus on His closest followers. Other times He knelt alone to pray in a quiet and deserted place. These times prepared Him for even more effective ministry. While alone, He gained strength for the assignments of the day, and understanding of His Father’s will. At the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, despite these moments of pause, He finished all that God had called Him to do. Staying in high gear every moment of every day was not necessary to fulfilling His calling on earth.

Caring for people on any sort of level can be exhausting. Running for a public office takes a lot of time and money, but so does any type of care ministry. The opportunities to touch someone never end. But running full speed ahead to meet needs does not guarantee a successful effort.

Follow Jesus’ Pattern of Caring for People

I learned some things from my most recent book. First, I will never be President of the United States; I just don’t have the energy to run for public office. But most importantly, the best way of caring for people is not to drain yourself dry. Find out what God has called you to do and work hard, but regularly slip away from the crowds to rest and pray. This is how Jesus fulfilled His calling, and it is a pattern we also should follow.

Love,

Mama

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A Spiritual DNA Test for God’s Children

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1 John 3:9 “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

Dear Kids,

<a href='https://www.freepik.com/vectors/background'>Background vector created by pikisuperstar - www.freepik.com</a>In recent years DNA testing has become easily accessible for those who wish to discover information about their biological family. Genealogy hobbyists can trace their ancestry farther than they ever could before. Other inquirers seek to find out information regarding their health risks. And still more just want to discover where they came from. The availability of these DNA tests has unveiled a wealth of information, and in some cases uncovered family secrets. If you want to know more about your biological family background, DNA testing can help you know where you came from. But if you are wondering about your spiritual lineage there is a spiritual DNA test you need to consider.

John’s Spiritual DNA Test

The Apostle John wrote the book of 1 John expressly to believers in Jesus. His goal was to help them know for certain that they have eternal life. Throughout the book he gives the reader various assessments to help them evaluate their standing with God. One of these stems from the fact that true believers are born of God.

God, in His great love, provided a way for anyone to become His child through faith in Christ. Consequently, those who are truly born of Him will demonstrate certain characteristics. At our spiritual birth God places His own seed, the Holy Spirit, within us. From that point on, we begin to develop and display certain characteristics coming from our new spiritual genetics. This “DNA” received from our heavenly Father determines what we look like and how we act. And these qualities reveal our true identity to the world.

How Does the World Associate With Us

One indicator of our relationship with God is how the world associates with us. Those who are not God’s children don’t know God, so they can never understand who we are and why we live the way we do. Our family dynamics are foreign to them, so they will not approve of our decisions and lifestyle. Instead they will find fault and despise what we hold dear. This hatred should not surprise us, but should instead give us confidence that God truly is our Father. And some day when Jesus comes back, even more evidence will come to light as we reflect His image and glory.

Another test of our spiritual family genetics is how we live our lives. God can’t sin. Therefore no one born of God will practice sin. This does not mean that God’s child will never mess up, but his or her daily lifestyle will not be one of intentionally and constantly choosing to go against God’s commands. Instead, the true child of God will naturally emulate His Father by making righteous living his standard.

God’s Children Reflect the Love of the Father

Thirdly, God’s true children reflect the love of the Father. Just as God loved them and gave them a family heritage, they will in the same way love their brothers and sisters in Christ. They replicate Jesus’s sacrifice in their interactions with other family members, and they show the truth of the words they speak by their deeds.

Just as the advent of DNA testing opened up an avenue for individuals to discover their true biological identity, so John’s tests for identity provide a framework to reassure believers of their own spiritual heritage.

Positive Answers to the Spiritual DNA Test Bring Confidence for God’s Children

You can have confidence that you are God’s child. Does your life remind people of your Father? Do you resemble His Son? Do the Biblical truths that you say guide your life result in affirming deeds? Positive answers to these spiritual DNA test questions will reassure you and inform others that you truly are a member of the family of God.

Love,

Mama

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Who and What Do You Love?

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1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of  the Father is not in him.”

Dear Kids,

In recent years T-shirts with sayings on them have become a real craze. The wearer selects apparel with a goal of sending a message to others. You can tell something about the person by what they choose to say. But there is a more accurate way to evaluate the inner values of the message sender than the words emblazoned across their chest or back. This is discerned by the way they live on a daily basis.

Messages in a T-Shirt Medium

I am intrigued by some of the messages people send through the T-shirt medium. Some messages are in good taste. They may even share a word of encouragement such as a comforting Bible verse. On the other hand some of the quips are downright rude, telling those who approach them where to go or who’s the boss. Other sayings share information about the wearer like “I ‘heart’ my boyfriend” or “I ‘heart’ my cat.” This points to what the person believes they value most. But just because someone has a phrase printed on a T-shirt doesn’t mean the words are necessarily true. If a supposed cat lover kicks her cat every time it rubs against her leg, the action reveals the real heart of the matter.

Many people profess to love God. They may do all the “right” spiritual things such as attending church regularly, dropping money in the offering plate, and singing in the church choir. These individuals may even sport spiritual T-shirts, possibly even one that reads “I ‘heart’ Jesus.” But when it comes right down to it, the way they live their everyday lives will soon reveal their true heart love.

Do Not Love the World

John instructs his readers to consider long and hard about who and what they really love. He tells them, “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” Of course, he is not saying that it is wrong to care for your boyfriend or your cat. He is talking about priorities within this world’s system. The world, run by Satan, doesn’t recognize God as supreme ruler and organizes all its passions – the desires of the flesh and the eyes and the pride of life – apart from God. Anything in our life that takes precedence over God and His purposes fits into these categories.

John goes on to say, “If anyone loves the world, then the love of the Father is not in him.” Those who make materialism, pleasure, beauty, or relationships apart from Christ their main goal in life show with whom they identify and what they truly love. When the world’s priorities rise to the forefront, then a person’s heart values become clear. And love of the Father and love of the world can’t coexist.

Live Your True Heart’s Passion

So have you thought about your own life? Maybe it’s time to evaluate where your priorities truly lie. Do not love the world or the things in the world because they quickly pass away. Instead, seek to do the will of God and give Him precedence in every area of your life. Then everyone you meet will be able to read your heart’s true passion . . . even on the days you aren’t wearing your “I ‘heart’ the Father” T-shirt.

Love,

Mama

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Jesus, Our Advocate With the Father

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1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.”

Dear Kids,

There are many experts today who purport that humans are innately good. But this is not what the Bible teaches. Ever since Adam and Eve chose to disobey God sin entered the world and infected the entire human race. The worst and the best of us now continually struggle against an inborn desire to do wrong. Outward actions condemned by society and hidden inward attitudes both reveal our fallen nature. But God’s children have recourse when we go astray.

Humans Are Not Innately Good

Sometimes I wonder why I am still shocked when I hear that a person has intentionally taken something that belongs to someone else. I guess I tend to assume everyone is honest and respectable. But unfortunately that’s not the case. There are just some people who think it’s their right to take things that don’t belong to them.

Thieves are experts at getting what they want. They will pocket pieces of jewelry or some small item from a local store when they think no one is watching. The business owners, after discovering the loss, must go back to their security cameras to try to identify the culprit. But recently I was completely floored to hear that some bold character stole another person’s chicken coop. Who does that? Who steals a chicken house? Perhaps it’s someone with homeless chickens. But more likely it is someone who has a twisted understanding of right and wrong.

Everyone Harbors Sin in His or Her Heart

While it is easy to condemn the mischief of a local thief, it is much harder to look within our own hearts and admit the sin harbored there. A prideful glance, an envious thought, a festering grudge, though unseen by others, is still sin in God’s eyes.

As God’s children we are called and given the power to live above sin, but God knows we will still stumble at times. It is not until heaven that we will finally be completely free of our tendency towards wrong. But we no longer need to fear God’s wrath and judgment. On the occasion when we do sin we have an advocate with the Father. His name is Jesus.

Jesus Our Advocate Before the Father

Jesus, our defense attorney, stands before God on our behalf and pleads our case. He has already paid the price for our sin when He died on the cross. His blood satisfies justice and we are forgiven. What an incredible gift!

Now, lest you think you are welcome to do whatever you want without regard for propriety – like harboring a bad attitude or stealing a chicken coop perhaps – think again. God’s children should always live, outwardly and internally, in a way that brings Him glory; a life free of sin. But if at some point you slip up, don’t despair: Jesus, your advocate, will plead your case with the Father. He already bore the punishment for your offense. So run to Him for forgiveness. In a world where no one is innately good He is your only recourse!

Love,

Mama

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Taking a Walk in the Light: Encouragement When Spiritual Leaders Sin

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1 John 1:6-7 “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Walking in the Light

Dear Kids,

Have you ever been devastated by the news that someone you respected has fallen into grievous sin? Over the years there have been many high profile people, even seemingly godly people, whose secret lives were hidden behind a cloud of darkness. On the outside they appeared to be following God’s ways, but in private they were completely different people.

God is Light

The Apostle John defines God as “light in Whom is no darkness at all.” He is radiant and holy, and His perfection is totally incompatible with man’s sinfulness. John tells us that in order to have fellowship with God we must walk in the light. When we do so, God shines a spotlight on our sins.

The spotlight may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but it is crucial to staying in good standing with God. When we realize that something is not right in our lives we can immediately receive forgiveness and cleansing by confessing and determining to repent.

Those Who Walk in Darkness Deceive Themselves

A problem occurs when we hide from the light. Many try to duck into the shadows when something is wrong. They no longer walk in the light of God’s presence, but stumble around in the dark. Soon their sinful thoughts or actions begin to fester and grow. They continue to live a lie until one day everything gets out of control and the truth is revealed.

Unfortunately prominent spiritual leaders are not exempt from this danger. Those who act like they are close to God, but walk in darkness deceive themselves and others. In time, God brings the truth out into the open and, sadly, many followers are often left struggling to understand what happened.

Walk in the Light

But don’t lose hope! There is a way to overcome. Don’t follow anyone, no matter who they are, down a darkened path. Instead keep walking where God’s light brightens your way. If you walk in the light, as He is in the light, you can have sweet fellowship with God and with one another.

So, step out of the shadows. Allow the One Who loves you to probe and purify you. He is Light in which there is no darkness at all!

Love,

Mama

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Remember Your Creator: Lessons From a Wise King and an Abandoned Building

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Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them.”

Dear Kids,

The older you get the more you understand the brevity of life. Each person is here only for a short time and no one truly knows what tomorrow will bring. The blessings we have today could evaporate into thin air tomorrow. So it behooves the wise man or woman to learn from the past and to plan for the future, but to live wisely in the moment. So while you are young, remember your Creator and serve Him well.

A Strange and Unsettling Experience

I had a strange and unsettling experience this past week. My colleagues and I spent many hours at an empty school building in our county. A beautiful new complex now houses the many teachers, administration, and students who used to occupy the halls and rooms of this now abandoned building. So we were cataloging and taking pictures of excess equipment and supplies to sell at auction.

Remember Your CreatorAs we traipsed from room to room I couldn’t rid myself of a certain sadness stemming from the deafening silence and the leftover remnants of bustling days gone by. Teachers’ nameplates still identified each classroom. Forlorn plants sat on dusty desks, and dog-eared posters with encouraging slogans hung dejectedly on the walls. The whole atmosphere reminded me of a ghost town from an old TV western.

But the thing that hit the hardest was outside the school cafeteria. After eating lunch I stepped into the hall and noticed the area where morning announcements used to be posted. Out of curiosity I took a closer look at the page curling on the board. It was dated Thursday, March 12, 2020 – the day before everyone set their normal lives and routines aside to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. At the end of the announcements was this postscript, “Have a good three day weekend!”

No One Knows What Tomorrow Holds

No one knew that day they would not be coming back to this school in the same way they had done in the months and years before. Teachers taught and students learned online for the rest of the year. When everyone finally returned to a somewhat normal setting, it wasn’t to this old building. All the needed items were hurriedly moved to the new complex, but the morning announcement from March 12 remained on the board outside the cafeteria as a reminder of how quickly life can change.

A very wise man, King Solomon, understood the brevity of life. He spent his days seeking pleasure and fulfillment in all the wrong things. But as an older man, when life had worn heavy on him, he advised others to remember their Creator in the days of their youth. He learned from his past that all he had sought after was vanity that evaporated like a mist. He had wasted a good portion of his life and now time was short. He entreated his listeners to seek the only Person worth living for. The Creator and God of the universe is the One Who never changes. When life takes a hairpin turn He alone remains constant.

Remember Your Creator

So take a lesson from a wise, old king and an abandoned school building; learn from the past and plan for the future, but live in the moment. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, because tomorrow comes quickly, and only He knows what it will bring.

Love,

Mama

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Bearing Fruit For Eternity: God’s Power, Our Destiny

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Colossians 1:10  “ . . . so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God . . .”

Dear Kids,

A holistic perspective of a person’s life reveals many things. Accomplishments, failures, and growth stand out in full color against the backdrop of time. Most people hope the final portrait of their life will show memorable contributions to this world. Yet so much depends on circumstances beyond one’s control and on decisions made in the face of these circumstances. However, the lives of God’s obedient children are guaranteed to make a lasting, positive impact on the world. The Holy Spirit is the active Agent in such an impact, and the writer to the Colossians calls this impact “fruit.”

Destiny and Power

I enjoy a good biography. Reading about the lives of men and women who have accomplished great things is so inspiring. Recently I finished the book Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, by Jon Meacham. The author points out that world leaders desire to impact history in a positive way. Yet so much depends on the circumstances at hand and how the public responds to the actions taken. These circumstances typically color our memory of the office holder.

As God’s children it is natural that we also want to make a positive impact on the world, no matter how big or small our sphere of influence. The Holy Spirit puts a desire in our hearts to love others as Christ loved us. This awakens a longing to share God’s truth that changes lives. But often we become discouraged as we wonder if our lives are making a difference.

Bearing Fruit for Eternity

Paul the Apostle wrote a letter to the Colossian church. He was thankful for all the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who loved others so well. He assured them that the gospel message they had received was increasing and bearing much fruit within the world as it was within their own hearts. He prayed a beautiful prayer asking God to fill them with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that they would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all respects and bearing fruit in every good work. The ability to make a difference in the world comes from God’s strength and not our own.

It’s easy to look back over history and judge the impact of great men and women of any era, their accomplishments and their legacies. But often a Christian’s life isn’t as clear or grand at first glance. Someday, though, when we get to heaven, we will have the perfect perspective on how God answered prayer and added our own legacy to the great portrait of the spread of the gospel story.

Making an Eternal Impact

So let’s pray with Paul that through God’s power we will walk in a worthy manner, please the Lord in all respects, and bear fruit in every good work. Then, despite unforeseeable events and circumstances, we can be assured our destiny will make an eternal impact.

Love,

Mama

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