God’s not dead. He is alive. He dwells in the hearts of His people. He is intimately involved in the affairs of man.
And His Word is not dead. His Word is living and active still today, still piercing to divide soul and spirit, still discerning the thoughts and intentions of your heart.
It is a beautiful thing to willingly surrender your life to the living God of the universe who created all things, including every star in the galaxy and every living creature on earth. (That includes you!)
But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.
Jeremiah 10:10a ESV
We bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
Acts 14:15b ESV
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2 Corinthians 6:16 ESV
(Jesus) said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me
I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning
Then I repented of my sins and won the victory
Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior forever He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood He loved me ‘ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood
I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing
How He made the lame to walk again and ’caused the blind to see
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit”
And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory
The LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.
Deuteronomy 20:4
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When I was an outgoing, confident young girl, I loved to sell stuff to strangers. I loved working at my grandma’s antique shop. I loved going to craft fairs with my aunt and uncle to sell their handmade pottery. I loved selling the “newspaper” that I wrote, typed and illustrated in my second floor guest-room office.
Most people don’t like to be sold stuff (Ask me sometime about my experiences with telemarketers and time share salespeople) … AND most people don’t like selling stuff that they’re not personally sold on themselves.
As a 23-year-old who knew next to nothing about home ownership, I tried selling real estate … then I tried selling Usborne books at home parties, but I didn’t feel right trying to convince people that they should buy books at full-price when I preferred checking them out at the library or buying them second-hand.
But as a disciple of Jesus Christ, I want to tell EVERYONE about the best, greatest, most fantastic way to living a life of meaning and purpose.
The love of Christ compels me – both the love that I have received FROM Christ and the love that I feel FOR Christ. I am compelled to share because I believe so deeply in what I have to offer others.
Jesus is so much more than the most magnificent house or the latest and greatest vacuum cleaner or the most life-changing kitchen gadget.
The good news is more important than anything Fox News or CNN could ever broadcast.
The gospel is worth more than any earthly possession that the Home Shopping Network could ever carry.
So, sisters and brothers, we have to stop seeing ourselves as peddlers of useless wares and optional gadgets … and instead see ourselves as Heralds of the King of kings and Messengers of God Most High.
Don’t know how? Do you need some help? Comment below or leave me a message, or check out my YouTube channel for some helpful videos about sharing the gospel:
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV)
“And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23 ESV)
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35 ESV)
“It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” (1 Peter 1:12 ESV)
“So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20 ESV)
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)
Have you ever felt like your life was purposeless?
I felt that way for the first half of my life. I compensated by working extra hard, trying to prove my worth to anyone willing to notice me.
Then, the God of purpose came along and turned my world upside-down — in a good way. Believing that the God of the universe had INTENTIONALLY created me changed everything. I was no longer the result of a crazy series of chance events, a random variety of molecules having evolved over billions of years out of primodial goo. No. I was a child of a Holy God who had a plan and purpose for making me.
So, today on this 28th day of August (8/28), let’s remember
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.Romans 8:28 ESV
I hope you can take 5 minutes to learn how you can share the gospel using your personal testimony. In my personal testimony, I share how God gave me purpose in my life. Each of us have a unique purpose and a unique testimony to share. Let’s share it!
“And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'” — Acts 26:15-18 ESV
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…” 2 Timothy 1:7-10 ESV
Rather than reading this and wishing that I could do anything I please, I’m choosing today to be thankful that God is on His throne and I’m not.
It might please me to sleep all day and eat peanut butter chocolate ice cream all night. It might please me to thumb through my Facebook feed for hours and bingewatch HGTV shows. But God … God is good and what pleases Him is always good … so I’m choosing today to be thankful that He is God and I’m not.
How about you? What are your thoughts about God’s total sovereign power … and your lack of it? ❤❤❤
“If deep in our hearts we suspect that God does not love us and cannot manage our affairs as well as we can, we certainly will not submit to His discipline.” – Elisabeth Elliot (Nor His Word or His plan for our life.)
The more we know the Lord’s loving goodness and mercy, as well as His almighty power, the more we will trust Him and His plans for us.
You can know God. Imagine that! God has given us His Word, so we can know and trust Him. The more you know and trust Him, the more closely you will follow and obey Him.
God has a unique purpose for each of us. We need to hear this today more than ever. God is particularly glorified in the incredible variety of gifts, talents and colors of the people He has created in His image.
This is part 1 of a 2-part series, “Unique and United.” Check out part 2 “United” tomorrow!
The beauty of this song is magnified by the beauty of the unique individuals joining together to worship God.
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God
Corrie Ten Boom
I hope you enjoy this guest post from my one and only sister, Kristan, which she wrote last week on May 6.
I had never really heard this quote before, but during the quarantine I have been doing some coloring pages of Bible verses and inspirational quotes and this was one I had colored. Last week I gathered some homeschooling books to send to my sister Kim. (That’s me!) I went through the pictures I had colored and included this one in the box.
Yesterday, Kim posted on Facebook asking suggestions on how to honor Brady (Kristan’s son who passed away 23 years ago) and 2 others on “Giving Tuesday”. The first suggestion was a comment made by Bobby (Kristan’s women’s Sunday School teacher) for a fundraiser T-shirt with that exact Corrie Ten Boom quote!
Wow! I immediately commented, asking Kim if she had received my box yet. She actually had received it, but hadn’t opened it yet, letting it sit for a few days first (Coronavirus craziness). She went and opened it and found the coloring page!
Neither one of us had heard this quote before, but in God’s amazing providence there it was, at just the right time.
It is amazing how God works! I had no idea, but God knew!
So in these crazy times, if you are feeling uncertainty, fear, or even grief, remember to never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a KNOWN GOD!
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God most high?
Shall I go to church every Sunday morning and Sunday night?
Shall I attend Wednesday morning Bible studies and Wednesday night choir practices?
Will the Lord be pleased if I post Bible verses every morning on Facebook and every night on Instagram?
What if I homeschool my children from birth to high school graduation or put them in the finest Christian schools?
Shall I wear long hair and long skirts and bake homemade bread and desserts for my family?
He has told you, O woman, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.
To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. Faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.
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