Don’t Know What to do? Little Miss How To

Yesterday my son told me about a new social media trend called, “Little Miss”. They are funny graphics of a big smiley head with titles like, “Little Miss Loves Scalding Hot Showers” or “Little Miss Cries When She’s Happy”.

It’s a clever campaign that gets people engaged as they tag people that come to mind.

As I read Romans 12 today, the tangible how to’s made my heart soar, & then I chuckled, thinking, I must be a, “Little Miss How To”!😂

Y’all, the Word of God is not some antiquated, dusty document that’s irrelevant to our current times!

Quite the contrary, it’s alive & active, sharper than a double-edged sword cutting through cultural distraction so that Truth & freedom may follow! In fact, it’s THEE GREATEST how-to book on the planet! Every tidbit of wisdom we will ever need may be found therein!

Here are some highlights:

BODY | Give your bodies to God. Don’t copy the behavior & customs of this world.

MIND | Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

HUMILITY | Don’t think you’re better than you are, be honest in your evaluation of yourself. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

LOVE | Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love with genuine affection.

HONOR | Take delight in honoring each other. Do things in such a way that ALL can see you’re honorable.

LEADERSHIP | If God’s given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.

PROPHESY | If you have the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.

HURT | Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them, pray that God will bless them.

REVENGE | Never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.

EVIL | Never pay back evil with more evil. Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

If you made it through the list, I’m confident that Little Miss How To has shared something from God’s Word that impacted your heart!🤗

His Word NEVER returns void, it’s why we can open it on the daily with GREAT expectation that the Holy Spirit will whisper some tangible how to’s! The only way we can truly worship God is by staying anchored to His word! Give it a try!👊🏽

#OneYearBible #July

July 29th One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 24:1-25:28

ROMANS 12:1-21

PSALM 22:19-31

PROVERBS 20:8-10

A Reminder When You Feel Like Your Life Is on Recall

My son recently received notice that his car is on recall due to some reported problems. In this age of technology, I’m a bit surprised, but I’m sure there’re a cazillion factors to consider when making a car so I’m grateful for the free fix with the recall!

As I read 11:29 today, I smiled because it reminded me that, unlike my son’s car, God’s Word will never be recalled. Paul gives a bold & unwavering promise that brings great comfort when various parts of life feel like they’re on recall 😉

He writes, “For God’s gifts & His call can never be withdrawn.”

There are 3 words worth considering:

Gifts - this is the free gift of God’s grace that one receives without any effort of his own

Call - God has invited all people of all time to receive his gift of salvation & the blessings that accompany it

Withdrawn - This is something irrevocable, done without regret because it was done with deep conviction & true concern

God’s gift & calling on YOUR life is immutable & unalterable. He made the decision to call you, out of deep conviction of His love for you, just the way you are, in the very state you’re in…There’s nothing you can do in your life that would alter your timeline in such a way that would negate His gift & call!

There is an irrevocable nature of God, an unchangeableness that brings great comfort when we simply take Him at His Word.

What He promises, He WILL fulfill!

What He purposes to do, He WILL do!

He will not change from or repent of His Word!

It shall be fulfilled regardless of the variables we face!

Numbers 23:19 promises that:

“God is not a man, so He does not lie.

He is not human, so He does not change his mind.

Has He ever spoken and failed to act?

Has He ever promised and not carried it through?”

I’m not sure what variables are fluctuating in your life right now, but I sense that God is calling each of us to come to Him, our unchangeable, rock-like foundation who never waivers on His Word!

Father, we praise You that You don’t change Your mind. We may not understand all of the “whys” behind the varying “whats” we face, but we take great comfort knowing that even though circumstances may change, Your irrevocable Word will not!

#OneYearBible #July

July 28th One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 21:1-23:21

ROMANS 11:13-36

PSALM 22:1-18

PROVERBS 20:7

Goodness Doesn’t Equal Salvation

Years ago I had a conversation with someone about salvation. They insisted that if a person lived a good life, their salvation must be secure.

The premise was that this person couldn’t be that good without God, so surely the goodness was evidence of salvation.

I understand the logic, but I often think that logic can be a stumbling block to receiving God’s grace-filled, free gift of salvation.

We think if we live a life “good enough” that we will secure our place in heaven, but here’s the thing about goodness:

It is the EFFECT of the grace of God & thus cannot be the CAUSE of our salvation!

This idea of “work” is the very antithesis of “grace”.

Work involves a claim. If someone owes you a debt & then pays it, it wasn’t done by favor or grace. You have a claim on what they owe & there’s absolutely no favor when they pay what is due. It is purely transactional.

Grace, on the other hand, cannot be grace unless it’s free. What comes from grace isn’t connected to debt, but given IN SPITE of debt owed. It is free favor doused with unmerited love & is purely relational!

Here’s a simple Simon summary:

WORKS - I do work, I get paid. 

GRACE - I do NO work, yet my tremendous debt is paid.

Paul writes about this contrast in Romans 11, concluding that grace & works cannot coincide as causes of salvation.

If a person is saved by work, it’s not a matter of favor, but of debt. It contradicts the very idea of saved by grace!

We’re saved by God’s free & undeserved grace alone. It’s His great pleasure to grant us His grace because of His (often unrequited) love for us!

And here’s the kicker…we ALL have sinned in some way & carry a sin debt we can’t pay.

But God in His inherent goodness, sacrificed His sinless Son SO THAT our debt CAN be paid, free of charge, no work involved, but simply receiving His free gift of salvation. That’s it! 

Jesus, when we follow You as Lord, Your goodness overtakes us in such a remarkable way that the effect of Your Presence becomes visible in our lives! Onlookers might call the effect good works, but we know that it is tangible evidence of God’s grace & Your Lordship! Use our lives to lead many to God’s loving place of undeserved grace!

#OneYearBible #July

July 27th One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 19:1-20:37

ROMANS 10:14-11:12

PSALM 21:1-13

PROVERBS 20:4-6