It's About the Cross

   It’s About the Cross is a song by Go Fish. The song talks about how Christmas isn’t just about the manger, angles, shepherds, star, or wise men. Christmas is about the cross. We celebrate Christmas as the day that Jesus came to earth as a baby. God sent his Son down to be a human so that he could be with us forever.

   The whole Bible is a love letter to us. The Bible centers around the story of Jesus. Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. God made the law to show that no one can be holy and perfect. God cannot be with anything that is not holy so he required blood sacrifices as atonement for sins. That is, until God sent the perfect sacrifice.

   See, Christmas is great. It is the start of Jesus’ story on earth. It is the start of our redemption. But, if Jesus wouldn’t have completed his work on the cross we wouldn’t have the greatest gift of eternal life with God. Matthew 20:28 says: “Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Without Jesus’ ultimate act of service we would perish.

   That’s why we need to thank God for what he did for us. Not only that, but we need to share this message with others as well. Matthew 28:19 says: “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.” We need to share the news that God loves everyone. He does not want anyone to perish. He wants all to come to him.

   As the season comes to a close I encourage you to remember that the Christmas story is great, but it’s only the beginning. Without the cross the work isn’t complete. I also encourage you to spread the good news with those around you.

   It’s about the Cross by Go Fish (video here).

   Image from here.

Listening: Samuel Hall of Faith

   “Listening to God-which is a key part of practicing His presence-is not a method, but a walk with a person” (Leanne Payne).

   Samuel’s story began before he was born. His mother promised to give her son to God if she would be allowed to have a child. Therefore, Samuel was called to ministry before he was born. Samuel was a boy and was taken care of by Eli. Eli was a priest but he did not necessarily follow God.

   Samuel was a boy and he was staying in the house of the Lord. He heard a voice. Samuel ran to Eli; and Eli told Samuel he did not call him. It must be the Lord. Samuel went back and when he heard the Lord call again he said, “Here I am.” Then the Lord spoke to Samuel. From that point on Samuel listened to the Lord and obeyed him.

   Samuel could have chosen to say “I do not want to be a prophet of God. It was not my choice to listen and follow God.” But, Samuel chose to follow God. God may be calling you to do something. You have a choice: you can either listen to God or disobey him. If you disobey then you may end up like Jonah where you run away and God’s plan still comes about. But, if you choose to listen to the calling God gives you, you could reach so many people for his glory.

   So, if God talks to you will you listen? If you are called to do something will you choose to obey?

   1 Samuel 3, John 14:15, John 8:47
   Image from here. 

All I Want for Christmas Is You

   All I Want For Christmas Is You is a song about a woman singing all she wants for Christmas is a certain person. All she wants is that person. She doesn’t want any presents. Christmas is a time where we think of gifts. When we think of those gifts we usually think of things. We don’t usually think of wanting a person. However, this song proves that sometimes all you want/need is one special person.

   If you were to sing this song, who would you sing it about? Would you sing it about your child, significant other, or a relative that lives far away? Hopefully, some of you see where I am going with this. The only person that we need in our lives is Jesus. All of the things on earth are temporary. If we don’t have Jesus we will perish.

   John 14:6 says: “Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" There is no other way we can have eternal life. We should be singing All I Want for Christmas Is You about Jesus. If we are not singing it we are going to perish. God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for us. John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God loves us that much that he would give us the greatest gift. He gave us his Son.

   This Christmas I encourage you to think about what God has done for you. He has blessed you with everything you have. He has also given you eternal life. All you need to do is choose to accept his gift.

   All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey (video here).

   Image from here.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

   We Wish You a Merry Christmas is a song about wishing others a merry Christmas, go figure. It is a song we typically hear and think of during Christmas. It is a short song and one that we may get tired of hearing by now in the season. By this time kids are hyped up, which mean you probably are dead tired because you have to keep up with them. Also, traffic is horrible. Christmas music and movies have been playing for almost 2 months and you may be saying “can this just be over?”

   This is when we need a reminder of why we celebrate Christmas. Luke 2:8-14 says:

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

   This is the reason we celebrate Christmas. We celebrate because God sent his Son to be our savior. We can have joy through the crazy commercialized Christmas nowadays because we know that that’s not what Christmas is really about. Christmas is celebrating that God came to save us. That’s why we can still sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas with joy even though we may be tired of the Christmas crazy.

   I encourage you to remember the reason for the season; and to have an attitude of joy through the crazy.

   We Wish You a Merry Christmas by the Muppets (video here).

   Image from here.

Receiving what Was Promised in God's Time: David Hall of Faith

   “That old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing” (Martin Luther King, Jr.).

   David was probably one of the best kings of Israel. He followed God and chose to obey God’s commandments. David was promised that he would become king. He was blessed by God when he defeated Goliath, he married the King’s daughter, and was a major part of the King’s army. David was set up in Saul’s household. He probably thought that he was going to become king in that traditional way. God had different plans.

   Saul began to hate David because Saul thought David would take his kingdom. Saul even tried to kill David many times. David had the chance to kill Saul twice. David had an army behind him. He even had people offer to kill Saul for him but David refused. David knew that he would receive the promise in due time. He refused to do what was wrong in order to gain something for himself.

   Nowadays many people say do what you need to do to get ahead. Success is measured in how quickly you can get to the top. It does not matter how you get there or who you have to trample. But, God tells us to do the opposite. We are to love everyone and we are not to repay evil for evil. It is our job to trust God and let him bring about his plan in due time.

   So, if someone wrongs you will you take vengeance upon them? Will you love those who wrong you? Will you trust that God has a plan for you?

   1 Samuel 24, Romans 12:17-21, Luke 6:32-42

   Image from here.

Jingle Bells

   Jingle Bells is a song about riding in a sleigh. It sounds like a merry time. Few of us have actually taken a ride in a sleigh pulled by a horse. I know I have not. However, I have seen some movies where people do take rides in sleighs pulled by horses. Many times those people enjoy the sights. They get to slow down, see the Christmas lights, see the snow, and cozy up with a blanket.

   Jingle Bells reminds us to slow down. You may be thinking “how does a song about loud bells help us remember to be silent and have solitude? I am up to my neck in Christmas crazy right now.” That’s the point. Around this time of the season many people are fed up with Christmas. That’s why, when we start to feel overwhelmed, we need to stop. We need to slow down, take some time for ourselves, and spend time with God.

   Matthew 6:6 says: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” This verse is hard for some of us to follow. It is especially difficult when we are very busy, like around Christmas. That’s why we may need to carve out time for just relaxing. If we don’t slow down and spend time with God, then we run the risk of burnout and hurting those we love.

   So, I encourage you to spend time in silence and solitude this week. Take some time to read the Bible. You could even refresh your memory on the Christmas story. Just make sure you take time for you and God so that you can be ready to face the Christmas crazy.

   Jingle Bells by Oh My Genius (video here).

   Image from here.

Helping Those who Hurt You: Jephthah Hall of Faith

   “The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others” (Albert Schweitzer).

   Jephthah was a judge of Israel. The funny thing was that Jephthah was kicked out of his family because his mother was a prostitute. He settled in another land. Then one day Israelites came to him and begged him to be their commander. The Ammonites were fighting the Israelites. Now, if you were kicked out of your family would you want to help them out? Probably not, and Jephthah did not want to help them at first. Then he was offered the chance to be the head of Gilead.

   Jephthah could have just looked out for himself. The Ammonites were not fighting him. Yes, Jephthah did receive the reward of being the head of Gilead, but he chose to help the people who wronged him. He could have just gone about his life and let the Ammonites destroy Gilead. Jephthah stepped out in faith and chose to fight against the people who were fighting his people and God was with him.

   We may be called to help people out who hurt us. It is not easy to love our enemies but God calls us to do that. He calls us to love others in faith.

   So, will you help those who wrong you? Will you trust in God if he calls you to help someone you may not want to help? What can you do to help someone today?

   Judges 11, Philippians 2:4, Matthew 5:44
   Image from here. 

Deck the Halls

   Deck the Halls is about decorating for Christmas. The song talks about being jolly and merry. Some people love decorating for Christmas, others tolerate it, and some just don’t like it period. I enjoy decorating for the most part. However, sometimes it can be a pain. Sometimes it just becomes something else I need to add to my list. Sometimes it just makes my family argue instead of focus on how lucky we are to have each other. What does the Bible say about how we are to feel about decorating?

   The Bible doesn’t specifically say anything about decorating for Christmas, or even Christmas in general. However, it does talk about how we are to do tasks in our everyday lives. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

   When we get the lights out and they are all tangled it gives us a headache, is our attitude showing that we are doing this to reflect God’s glory? When the mixer and oven both are not working when we are making Christmas cookies, is our attitude showing that we are doing this to reflect God’s glory? When the tape isn’t cooperating when we are wrapping presents, is our attitude showing that we are doing this to reflect God’s glory?

   It’s not always easy to have a good attitude when things are not going the way you expect. If we don’t have a good attitude then we won’t be reflecting God’s glory. This Christmas I encourage you to remember that when you are decking your halls that you are not just doing it to make it look nice or have fun, you are doing that to reflect God’s glory.

   Deck the Halls by Reliant K (video here).

   Image from here.

From Weakness to Strength: Samson Hall of Faith

   “Try to look at your weakness and convert it into your strength. That’s success” (Zig Ziglar).

   Samson is the person we think of when we think of when we think superhero. Yet, Samson is also the epitome of failure. He had it all: looks, family, strength, wit, and God’s blessing. He threw it all away for what? A girl who did not believe in God. Samson failed over and over again. How could he be in the Hall of Faith?

   Have you ever failed? Did you ever sin? I know we all have. Here’s what is important about failure: we cannot give up. We fail and God forgives. In the end Samson went back to God. He prayed and God gave him back his strength. For so long Samson was relying on his own strength. Even though he was the strongest man in the world, he still had many weaknesses. God can use those weaknesses for his glory.

   Samson would never have had the chance to destroy the temple to Dagon if he would have chosen right all the time. God knows we will fail but he can use those failures for his glory, as long as we stick with him and choose him in the end. That’s not to say we should purposefully sin. It is saying that God loves us even when we do sin.

   So, when you fail what will you do about it? Will you choose to use your weaknesses for God’s glory?

   Judges 16, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 34:17-20
   Image from here.

12 Days of Christmas

   The song The 12 Days of Christmas is about a person giving his true love gifts each day. Each day the girl would receive gifts from her true love. This song reminds us to give gifts to others.

   We all have gifts. And, around this time of year especially, we think about giving and receiving gifts to and from others. However, sometimes I think we focus too much on receiving gifts instead of giving them. And, if we do think of giving them, we may also think about what we will get in return.

   Matthew 25: 35-40 says: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

   Jesus calls us to give to others. It is true that people cannot always repay us for what we give them. But, that’s not why we should give gifts to them. We should give gifts because God calls us to. We should give gifts because that’s how we show love to others. We should give gifts because God gave us the greatest gift: his Son died for us so we could have eternal life.

   This Christmas when you hear the song The 12 Days of Christmas I encourage you to think about giving to others, without expecting anything in return.

   The 12 Days of Christmas Straight Note Chaser (video here).

   Image from here.

Trust and Obey: Barak Hall of Faith

   “When you feel like it’s too hard to obey God, remember that He will never tell you to do something without giving you the grace, power and ability to do it” (Joyce Meyer).

   Deborah was a prophet who was leading Israel. Sisera was harassing Israel at the time. Deborah sent for a man named Barak. Barak was to lead 10,000 Israelites against Sisera. To this Barak says that he wants Deborah to go with him. This does not seem like faith.

   In the end Barak and Deborah go and defeat Sisera. Even though Barak does not obey God right away in the end Barak follows orders. He trust and obeys. Would it have been better for Barak to trust in God right away? Yes, but in the end he chooses to obey God. That is what is important. We need to try to be like Barak. When we are called to do something we must trust and obey God.

   So, will you obey God no matter what he calls you to do? Will you trust that God has a plan?

   Judges 4, James 1:22, John 14:15
   Image from here.

Appreciation Challenge: Thanksgiving

   As you know, I like to challenge myself with something out of my comfort zone; or, something I think is a need in the world from time to time. This past month I challenged myself to show my appreciation to at least 1 person every day. I may have said "I appreciate you" face to face, given someone a gift, or sent a text to someone. A few things happened when I did this.
   1. The person ignored it. Maybe she/he didn't know how to answer. Or, she/he looked at it and moved on with her/his day.
   2. The person said thank you.
   3. The person said thanks and said she/he was thankful for me too. Then we started talking more about how things were going in our lives.
   4. The person said thank you and then asked if I was leaving somewhere or dying.
   I found all of these responses interesting. However, one of the more interesting is that people thought something bad was happening to me. I think that people are not used to getting random notes of appreciation so they assume the worst. What if we made if so that everyone felt appreciated every day? What would the world be like? Now, I'm not saying we should appreciate to the point of people feeling that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. But, people should feel loved.
   Philippians 2:3-4 says: "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." We are all unique. We have different abilities, interests, and talents that God has given us. What if we focused on appreciating other's abilities, interests, and talents instead of tearing them down? What if we were thankful for those people and things we have in our lives? I encourage you this thanksgiving to show your appreciation, not just for what you have in your life, but also for who is in your life.

   Image from here.

Crazy Odds: Gideon Hall of Faith

   “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor” (Elon Musk).

   Gideon was a simple man and the least in his family when the Lord called him to action. At first, Gideon was unsure that God made the right choice in asking him to take on the Midianites; but, in the end, Gideon did what God called him to do. Now, in the time of Gideon the Israelites had many enemies like the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern people. Gideon already faced a crazy amount of enemies.

   Gideon took his men and camped near Midian. God told Gideon to get rid of some of his men. Okay, so Gideon already faces so many enemies and God told Gideon to get rid of troops? He has the odds already stacked against him and now he is to have more odds against him? In the end Gideon has 300 men left. They used jars, trumpets, and torches to defeat the Midianites.

   God proved again that he can do what we think is impossible. Gideon must have looked crazy to others and he may have even thought he was crazy. In the end Gideon chose to follow God. Gideon trusted God even though he had crazy odds against him.

   At times we may feel like Gideon. We have incredible odds stacked against us. People are not lifting us up like they used to. Bad things continue to happen to us over and over. Or, we just may not feel like we can go on because of many things happening at once. God works through what we think is impossible. With God everything is possible. If God can defeat a huge army with three hundred men using only trumpets, jars, and torches can’t God defeat what you think is impossible?

   So, will you trust God if he calls you to do something? Do you believe that God can make the impossible possible?

   Judges 6-7, Matthew 19:26, Jeremiah 32:17

   Image from here.

Repenting Faith: Rahab Hall of Faith

   “Repentance means you change your mind so deeply that it changes you” (Bruce Wilkinson).

   Not too many women are mentioned in the Bible, let alone in the Hall of Faith. However, one woman who is mentioned is Rahab. Rahab was a prostitute. Why would a prostitute be in the Hall of Faith? One only has to look at her story to find out.

   The Israelites had just come to the area of the Promised Land. Now they just had to win the area. Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, was a smart tactician. He sent spies into Jericho in order to scope out the area. While the spies were in Jericho they had to find a place to hide. They entered into the house of Rahab. Now, Rahab was told by the King of Jericho to give the spies to him. Rahab could have given over the spies. In fact, she should have. She had no ties to these men and if she would have given the men over she may have been rewarded.

   Instead, Rahab said the men had come to her but they left the city. She then told them that they may be able to catch the spies if they hurry. The men left and Rahab went up to the roof where she had hidden the men. Rahab said she knew that the Lord had given this land to the Israelites. She had heard all the wonders that their God had done and wanted to join them. The spies agreed that she could come with them after they defeated Jericho.

   Rahab seems like an unlikely candidate for the Hall of Faith. However, in Rahab we see the epitome of repentance. She made her living doing something that most men and women despise. She decided that she no longer wanted to live that life. Rahab saw what God had done for the Israelites so she decided to turn away from her past life. She would no longer have money coming in and she would have to leave her home. But, she would gain a life with God. That is why Rahab is in the Hall of Faith. She gave up everything to follow him.

   What about you? Would you be willing to give up your old ways for God? Would you give up everything to follow him?

   Joshua 2, Acts 3:19, 2 Peter 3:9

   Image from here. 

Faith in the Impossible: Israelites Hall of Faith

   “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God” (Corrie Ten Boom).

   One group of people who get a bad rap in the Bible were the Israelites. They had this constant pattern of trusting in God and then not trusting in him. When thinking of people who complain in the Bible, it is easy to think of the Israelites. They complained about being taken out of Egypt, they complained about getting manna, they complained about giants that they would need to fights, and over and over again they complained. Why are they in the Hall of Faith then?

   One thing I cannot stand is when people lump groups of people together. Whenever people hear about the Israelites we tend to think of all the complaining. But, not all the Israelites complained. Not all of the Israelites turned away from God. There was always a select few who followed God.

   We also have to put ourselves in their shoes. The Israelites were taken away from everything they knew. They had many crazy things happen to them and through it all they trusted God. When they were at the Red Sea they did not know that God would part the waters. They did not know they would be led by a pillar of fire and a cloud. They did not know that God would provide manna for them from ravens. Over and over the Israelites trusted God when crazy things happened. I mean, how would you feel if you had birds bring you your breakfast?

   We may not have crazy events happen like that today. But, at times, we do have to have crazy faith. God calls us to do many things and some of them may be difficult to do. In those times we need to remember the faith that the Israelites had.

   So, will you choose to have faith in God when the impossible seems to happen?

   Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11
   Image from here. 

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

   I have played on many soccer teams in my lifetime. Some of them I enjoyed more than others but I’m sure you could say that about just about anything in life. However, I will say that there was one team I enjoyed playing on probably the most: Lancaster Bible College Women’s Soccer Team. I learned so many lessons and made so many connections on that team. I miss playing very much.

   This season I had the privilege of getting to assistant coach for the LBC Women’s Soccer Team. Like any season, we’ve had ups and downs. But, there is a reason why I enjoyed playing and now coaching for this team. Other teams talk about teamwork. Teamwork is vital to the game of soccer. If you don’t have a team that works together and supports each other you won’t go very far. The LBC Women’s Soccer team is different in the way that we are on more than one team together and the fact that both of those teams have the same goals.

   You may be thinking: isn’t the goal of soccer to score more than the other team and win? Yes, that’s the basic concept; but this team is about more. This team loves each other. They work hard for the same goal: to reflect God’s glory and love others through soccer. If they win a game the reflect God’s glory by being humble. If they lose a game they reflect God’s glory by congratulating the other team. If they go into a tackle and foul the other player they reflect God’s glory by helping that player up or checking on her. If someone on their team makes a mistake they reflect God’s glory by telling that person, “it’s okay, you’ll do better next time.” If they go into overtime the reflect God’s glory by pushing each other to keep playing hard.

   The love that these girls have for one another is a great example of how we are called to love one another. John 13:34-35 says: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” These girls play their best not just to reflect God’s glory but also out of love for one another. They remember that when they are tired they need to push themselves to keep playing because they love each other.

   Because these ladies worked so hard during the season to love one another and reflect God’s glory in all they did they have made it to playoffs. I’m so proud of these girls for facing adversity and pushing each other to win. Today they play in their first playoff game of the season.

   Good luck ladies! Remember to keep reflecting God’s glory and loving each other. Play for one another today. Play for the audience of One. You've got this! <3
   Image from here.

Doing What You Are Called to Do: Moses Hall of Faith

   “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase” (Martin Luther King Jr.).

   When thinking about faith it is easy to think of Moses as one of the most faithful people in the Bible. He gave up the throne in Egypt to follow God and be with his people. Then he listened to a burning bush and went back to Egypt. While he was there it was far from easy for him. His own people were against him, he had to go back to Pharaoh’s court, and he was performing miracles against people which made others dislike him even more.

   When Moses first went to Pharaoh, Pharaoh made the work for the Hebrews harder. In fact, even after the plagues started the Hebrews suffered the first three plagues along with the Egyptians. Moses was probably not the most popular person on top of he probably had doubts about his ability to deliver the Hebrews. But, here’s the thing, Moses wasn’t the one delivering the Hebrews, God was. Moses was just the person God used to deliver the Hebrews. God didn’t stop there. He guided Moses’ steps toward the Promised Land.

   In our lives we may be called to do things we don’t want to do or things that may make people upset. We must remember that God has a plan through it all. Even though Moses and the Hebrews had to go through plagues and other problems God always had a plan. God will always help us through our problems, just maybe not in the way we expect.

   So, when God calls you to do something hard will you choose to do it? Will you trust God even when difficulties come your way?

   Romans 8:28-30, 1 Corinthians 1:26, Colossians 2:23-24

   Image from here.

Wearing Your Costume: Halloween

   Halloween is a time where children enjoy dressing up and pretending to be someone or something they aren't. Some adults enjoy that as well. I know I enjoy acting and pretending to be someone totally different than my normal personality.
   But, have you ever thought about the fact that we all are already wearing costumes? When people ask you "who are you?" You may answer in different ways. You could answer with your name, your job, your lineage, etc. But is that really who you are?
   In the past I have written about identity. All of those answers to the above question is what people think their identity is when in reality it's not their true identity. For many years psychologists and scientists have argued over what part of the body makes us who we are. Is it our body, mind, soul?
   The body you are in is just a costume of who you are. Your body isn't who you really are. It is just a temporary costume you wear. Paul discusses this in 2 Corinthians 5:1 "For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." The tent is our body. These bodies we have are temporary. Any aches and pains we have on earth we will not have when we get to heaven. That's comforting if you think about all the pain many of us have gone through and will go through.
   Now, that doesn't mean we are not to care for our earthly costumes. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." God wants us to care for our bodies because we are reflecting his glory. He created our bodies and cares about not only our bodies, but us as well. He cares about our soul. That's who we really are. He died for our sins so we could be with him. He died so that our souls could be saved.
   So, do you believe that who you are is more than just your body? Are you taking care of the costume God has given you? Do you believe that Jesus died so that you could be saved and be with him?
   Image from here.

Facing Death: Moses' Parents Hall of Faith

   “Pray, and let God worry” (Martin Luther).

   An interesting group of people in the Hall of Faith is Moses’ parents. We all knew what Moses grew up to do but without Moses’ parents he would not have existed to be the deliverer. Moses’ parents risked the wrath of Pharaoh. They could have been killed because they hid a baby boy, which was a direct order against the king. They hid him for three months and then Moses’ mother did something every mother fears. She let her child go. She made a basket, put her child in the basket, and put the basket in the river.

   Moses’ parents faced many challenges at this time. They had to work as slaves, take care of their children, hide their youngest child from the guards, and all the while they faced the fear of death. Could you imagine facing all of that? Then you also had to give up your child! Through it all they trusted in God.

   We may not face death today but we do face a lot of stress. We also have to give up different people, places, and things. When we give up those things we need to remember that God opens and closes doors for a reason. If Moses’ parents had not let Moses go in faith then he would never have become the deliverer of the Israelites. When we face pressure and lose things we must remember that God is always by our side.

   So, would you have the kind of faith Moses’ parents had when facing pressure? What will you do when you face challenges? Do you believe that God has a plan for your life?

   James 1:12, Romans 12:12, Romans 5:3
   Image from here.

Forgiving Faith: Joseph Hall of Faith

   “There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love” (Bryant H. McGill).

   Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob. He was good with dreams, handsome, and Jacob’s favorite son. His brothers hated him for obvious reasons. In fact, some of them hated him so much they wanted him dead. Instead of death, Joseph was sold into slavery. Because of his brothers Joseph became a slave, was tempted, was falsely accused, was thrown in prison, and was forgotten by people he helped.

   According to the world's standards, Joseph had every right to be upset with God and with his brothers. He could have given up and not done his best. But, because he did his best the Lord was with him (Gen.39.2). Joseph had test after test in order to make sure that he would trust in God through it all.

   Joseph became second in command in all of Egypt. He was put in charge because he trusted in God. Joseph could have taken an army against his brothers when he was first put in command but he did not. He just wanted to move on and forget about them. But, God has a tendency to not let past hurts go untouched. Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt. Joseph had all the power and I am sure no one would have questioned him putting these men in prison or even killing them.

   In the end Joseph tested his brothers and saw their hearts had changed. He was betrayed in the worst way and yet he still forgave them. He did not forgive them on his own though. He forgave them by the grace of God. He realized that God meant this plan for good. Joseph had faith in God and his plan. Without that Joseph would not have become the man with one of the greatest comeback stories in the Bible.

   So, will you trust in God’s plan? Will you choose to forgive others even when they betray you?

   Mark 11:25, Ephesians 4:32, Genesis 50:20

   Image from here.

Never Give Up: Jacob Hall of Faith

   “Never give up on your dream… because you never know what the Lord can bless you with” (Kelly Rowland).

   Jacob was quite an interesting person in the Bible. When he was young all he seemed to care about was power. He was a trickster. He tricked his brother, Esau, into giving up his birthright. Jacob then went to Laban’s home where he wanted to marry Rachel, Laban’s daughter. The irony was that Laban tricked Jacob into working 14 years for him rather than 7. Jacob ended up marrying Leah and Rachel. Even though Jacob sinned against his fellow man and God, God blessed him.

   Jacob went back to his homeland. On the way he was worried about what Esau would do to him. Jacob stayed on one side of the river while his family was on the other side. During the night Jacob wrestled with a man till daybreak. The man even touched Jacob’s hip so it was wrenched while he was wrestling with him (Gen. 32.22-31). The man said “let me go, for it is daybreak.” Jacob refused to let the man go until the man blessed him. The man blessed Jacob.

   Jacob did make many mistakes but he never gave up. That is why God never gave up on him. Jacob had faith in God. It took Jacob a little bit to grow into his faith but that’s the beauty of it. Once we know God, we don’t stay like babies in our faith. Our faith grows. Jacob grew and never gave up. We can learn this lesson from a trickster. Never give up on God because he never gives up on you.

   So, do you need to grow in your faith? How can your faith in God grow today? Will you choose to never give up event though it is hard?

   Genesis 28-32, Galatians 6:9, 1 Peter 2:1-25

   Image from here.

Teaching Children the Ways of God: Isaac Hall of Faith

   “The family should be a closely knit group. The home should be a self-contained shelter of security; a kind of school where life’s basic lessons are taught; and a kind of church where God is honored; a place where wholesome recreation and simple pleasures are enjoyed.”~ Billy Graham

   The Bible does not mention Isaac much. We see him when Abraham is required by God to sacrifice him. I am sure that was a major experience for him. But, then the story somewhat goes on to talk about Isaac’s wife, Rebekah. Then it moves on to discussing Isaac’s sons, Jacob and Esau.

   Does that mean we cannot learn lessons from Isaac? No! Isaac is mentioned in the Hall of Faith for a reason. Isaac followed God and his commandments. Did he make some mistakes along the way? Yes, he favored one son over another. But, in Hebrews 11 we find out Isaac blessed his sons. Isaac taught his sons to love God. He brought his children up in a home where they were taught right from wrong.

   Children are our future. Isaac knew this and made sure to teach his children the ways of God. Isaac knew his job was to teach his children the ways of God. But, Isaac could not make his children believe. His children did fail in certain ways, but eventually they learned right from wrong. Thus, why Isaac is in the Hall of Faith: Isaac teaches us to bring up children and teach them the way of the Lord.

   So, will you teach children the ways of God? How can you bring your children up in the ways of God?

   Genesis 25:19-Genesis 27, Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 29:15

   Image from here. 

Giving Up Your Glory: Sarah Hall of Faith

   "What are you really living for? It's crucial to realize that you either glorify God, or you glorify something or someone else. You're always making something look big. If you don't glorify God when you're involved in a conflict, you inevitably show that someone or something else rules your heart” (Ken Sande).
   One person in the Hall of Faith that may confuse some people is Sarah. Sarah was the wife of Abraham. She followed her husband and helped him make some not so good choices. Why would she be in the Hall of Faith?
   In Genesis 15 Abraham receives a covenant with the Lord. He is told that he will have a son and his descendants will outnumber the stars in the sky. In Genesis 16 Sarah tells Abraham to sleep with Hagar so that Abraham would receive what God promised. Now, this seems like Sarah isn't having faith in God because she's not waiting for God to work. However, Sarah was doing something many people now days would not do: reflecting God's glory. 
   Sarah could have said to Abraham that she did not want Hagar to have a child. Sarah could have been selfish and said, "I must be the one to bear the child of promise." Instead Sarah sacrifices her place as the head of the household and let's Hagar bear her child.  
   Now, we all know the rest of the story. Hagar mistreated Sarah, Sarah mistreated Hagar, God says Sarah will have a child at the age of ninety, Sarah laughed, Isaac is born, and Ishmael and Hagar are sent away. It kind of sounds like a soap opera. But, the point we need to take from all this is Sarah is in the Hall of Faith for a reason. She had faith and would have given up her glory in order to make sure the covenant was fulfilled.
   So, will you choose to reflect God's glory? Will you choose to follow God's plan and trust in him?

   Genesis 16, Genesis 21, 1 Corinthians 10:31

Giving Up Everything For God: Abraham Hall of Faith

   "Imagine what God would trust you with tomorrow if you trusted Him more today...” (Simon Lawton).
   Abraham was the start of the nation of Israel. However, when God chose Abraham he was far from perfect. Abraham worshiped other gods but when God called him to leave all he knew Abraham went.
   On this journey Abraham learned many things and was given great promises from God. God promised him land, children, and blessing. Abraham had to go through many trials before he received the promised child: Isaac. 
   Abraham loved Isaac as evident in Genesis 2:2 "Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac" He finally received what he was promised then God said this: "go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you."
   Abraham was asked to give up his most precious possession just because God asked him to. Abraham could have said no. It is evident from other passages that Abraham did not always trust God. This was Abraham's final test to see if he would trust Him. Abraham took Isaac and did what God called him to do. He stepped out in faith and trusted that God had a plan to keep the covenant He had with him. Would you be willing to give up your most precious possession for God? That's the kind of faith Abraham had.
   So, would you be willing to give up everything for God? Will you trust that God has a plan for your life?

   Genesis 2, Galatians 2:20, Matthew 19:21
   Image from here.

Special Edition: Bieber Family Benefit

   Sometimes life just gets you down. You may have some hard problems. During those times, it's important to have people come alongside you. Hebrews 10:24-25 says "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
   The Lancaster Bible College Women's Soccer Team has banded together this year to support one of their players in particular: Avery Bieber. Her father, Andy, is in a battle of stage 4 Gliobastoma. He has gone through many treatments to get rid of a brain stem tumor but the tumor has grown suddenly.
   The LBC Women's Soccer Team team is hosting a benefit for the Bieber family Saturday, September 21. There will be T-shirts available for donations toward the family's expenses as well as a bake sale.
   These girls have been so supportive of all of their teammates, not just Avery. This team bands together through good and bad times. They believe in each other, encourage each other, and pray for one another. It is inspiring to see a team that is truly living out the way Christ has called us to live.
   You can find out more about the Bieber family and the benefit here. 

Faith During Criticism: Noah Hall of Faith

   "To learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings." George Mueller
   Noah was on the earth during a time of great wickedness. God looked throughout the earth and found only one righteous man, Noah. Could you imagine that? If you were Noah how would you feel? It would be neat for God to say you are righteous. But, then you would be alone in your faith. I don't know bout you but if I did not have godly friends I am not sure I could face some of the trials I go through. 
   Then, after God finds Noah faithful, God tells Noah to build an ark. Mind you, there may not have been rain before this time and God told Noah to build an ark on land. If you were a bystander what would you be thinking? You would probably think Noah was crazy, especially because he is building a large ark on land. More than likely Noah received criticism for what he was doing. 
   This is a time when no one believes in God, Noah is building a boat on land that is huge, and it probably took years to build this ark. Just picture what physical, mental, emotional, and even spuritual pain Noah and his family must have gone through. But, if Noah had not followed God in faith what would have happened? We would not be here today. Without Noah being willing to follow God we would not exist. 
In life, we may be asked to do crazy things. But, we must remember to be like Noah and follow God's plan no matter what criticisms we get.
   So, would you have been willing to do as Noah did even through the criticisms he probably received? Will you be willing to do what God calls you to do no matter what trials you face?
   Genesis 6-8, Psalm 119:133, James 1:12
   Image from here.

Walking With God: Enoch Hall of Faith

   “Those who walk with God, always reach their destination” (Henry Ford). 
   Enoch is one member of the Hall of Faith that we do not know much about. What we do know is that he lived to be 365. In today’s standard that is pretty impressive, but back then it was not that impressive. Many people lived to be anywhere from 700-1,000 years old back then. Why is Enoch in the Hall of Faith if all he did was live 365 years?
   Genesis 5:24 says: “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” That still does not seem that special unless you dig into the words. The Bible goes into detail in a lot of genealogies. The reason behind that is important but in this case we need to pay special attention to the wording. “God took him away.” Enoch was so faithful to God that Enoch did not have to die.
   I am not sure I could imagine being so faithful to God that I would not have to die. Other than that we don’t know much about Enoch. We do know that he “pleased God” (Heb.11.5-6). He walked with God so much that he was able to reach his destination: Paradise with God, without having to go through the pain of death. Now that’s what I call faith. 
   How can we walk with God? We need to spend time with him.  The way to do that is pray and dig in the word. Just because we do that does not mean we will not have to die. What it does mean is that we will be doing what we are called to do: walk with God in faith.
   So, will you choose to be like Enoch and walk with God? Will you spend time with God? Will you have faith and trust in him?
   Deuteronomy 5:33, Hebrews 11, Genesis 5:21-23
   Image from here.

You Gotta Slow Down: Labor Day

   Have you ever said to yourself: "I wish I had more time to relax," "I'm too busy to relax," or "I have too much work and I'm exhausted." If you are like me, you have probably said something along those lines before. I have found that as we get older we just become more and more busy. That's probably why there's so much anxiety, stress, and crankiness nowadays.
   I think that we are forgetting something that is very important, not just to our physical health, but our mental health as well. We need rest. This is not a want it is a need. In Genesis 2:2 God does something we may not expect "On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work." Did you catch that? God rested after his work was complete. Does God need to rest? No, he doesn't. Why did he rest? Because, he is the ultimate example for us. He rested because we are to rest. God wants us to work and do our best. But, if we don't rest, or we don't spend time with God, we will get burned out.
   This idea reminds me of something my Aunt used to have. She had this plastic turtle with rubber legs that moved. I thought is was so cool because I didn't have a real pet at the time (bare in mind I was like 5 when I first saw it). The turtle also sang a song that went like this: "You gotta slow down, you're moving too fast. You gotta slow down, let go of the past. You're working too hard, you know it's true. You gotta slow down, and take some time for you."
   Yes, work is important. God calls us to work hard to reflect his glory. But, he also knows we need rest. If we overwork ourselves it will harm our mental and physical health. As well as, we will not do as well at our work and probably hurt others emotionally. That's why we need to listen to the turtle. We need to slow down. We need to relax. We need to spend time with God. It's a hard balance, but an important one nonetheless.
   So, are you overworking yourself? Do you spend time with God each day? What can you do to make sure you rest when you need it?

   2 Timothy 3:16 and Exodus 34:21

   Image from here.

Giving God Your Best: Abel Hall of Faith

   "No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving something behind" (George Washington Carver).
   Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had learned their lesson in the Garden. They taught their sons to love God and obey him. 
   Abel loved the Lord with all his heart. He loved God so much that he was willing to give God his very best. He trusted that God would provide why he needed to survive. 
But, Abel's story seems to end in sadness. His brother, Cain, was jealous because God seemed to love Abel more than him. In anger Cain killed his brother. It seems like Abel's story ends there. If your dead you can't do much more on earth right?
   Wrong, Abel's story is a testament to us. In Hebrew 11:4 it says: "By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead." Did you catch that? Abel still speaks even though he is dead. He followed Mr. Carver's quote: he left something behind. He taught us to love God and always give your best. 
   This is the lesson for us... even in the darkest times we need to give our best. God speaks through our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Even though his life was cut short we still learn a lesson from his life. God is at work even when it seems hopeless. Trust in his plan.
   So, will you choose to give God your best? Will you trust in God's plan?
   Genesis 4, Colossians 3:23-24, 2 Timothy 2:15
   Image from here. 

Hall of Faith Series

   “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe” (Saint Augustine).

   One part of scripture that has interested me was the Hall of Faith. The Hall of Faith is found in Hebrews 11. There are many different people mentioned in that passage and some of them are surprising. That is one reason why I am beginning this series.

   Another reason I am starting this series is because faith is not easy to have. In today’s world we have many people fighting against us. We are called so many names like hypocrites, lunatics, etc. Some of us in other countries are even persecuted for our faith.

   How can Christians trust in God when we have so much against us? How did these people end up in the Hall of Faith when they faced so many difficulties? Stay tuned for the series to find out what we can learn from those in the Hall of Faith.

   P.S. As an introduction to this series check out this Youtube video for Casting Crowns Song Voice of Truth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcuiuIwtpa4

   Hebrews 11

   Image from here.

Are You Humble?

   When I was in middle school I was going though a book for Sunday School. Each week we had to answer questions for the lesson. One of the questions was: "Are you humble?" Answer that question for yourself before you go on.
   If you answered no, then you may actually be humble. If you answered yes, then you probably are not humble. This is a trick question. If you answer yes that means you have pride, which is the opposite of humble.
   Luke 14:11 says: "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." If you puff yourself up like a puffer fish all the time you may seem good to others and yourself on earth. But, that's not what God looks for. God looks for those who are humble. Look at the bible. God uses many humble people in his plan: Abraham, Gideon, David, Mary, Peter, and many more.
   God even tells us in the greatest commandments to be humble. Wait, isn't the greatest commandments to love God and love others? Yes, and if you love God you will love others and put them first. That's being humble. It's called having humility. Which leads me to Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."
   If you have humility then you look to other's interests first. You may be hungry but instead of feeding yourself first you feed your friend. You may be hot and tired but you let your co-worker take a break first. That's what being humble and having humility is. You show God's love to others by putting them first, without looking for recognition.
   So, are you humble? How can you show God's love today?

   Image from here.

Choosing Sides

   So many times we feel like we need to fight against each other. I'll give you some examples:  men vs. women, street smart vs. book smart, pro-life vs. pro-abortion, Christian vs. Atheist, etc.

   You get my point. Many times we think we need to choose a side. We fight against each other in many ways. My question is why? 

   John 13:34 says "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." We are to love others like Jesus loved others. Did Jesus go around fighting his brothers and sisters? Yes, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees. He calmly told them the word of God and left it at that.  

   You may be saying: "I'm not Jesus. I'm not perfect. I lose my temper." Yes, we lose our temper, but our goal is to emulate Jesus. We will never be perfect and Jesus still loves us. However, we are to try to grow to be more like him each day. 

   Does that mean we are to be tolerant of sins? No, at least not in the way the world thinks tolerance means. We are not to just sit back and say "your truth is your truth. My truth is my truth." We are to spread the Gospel as Matthew 28:19 says "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." That doesn't mean we should get out our bibles and thump people over the head with them. It means we should spread the Gospel in love as Jesus did. We serve others as Jesus did. 

   Sometimes I think we forget that Jesus came because he loves us. He came to defeat sin so he could be with us. I have been saying, in some of my blogs, that we are at war today. Our battle is not with each other. Our battle is against sin and Satan. The bad news is that some people try to fight this battle on their own. The worst news is that some people embrace sin and Christians try to fight against those people. Yes, we should not accept when others sin. But, many times we tend to judge those who sin. We are not the judge, God is. We can hold one another accountable but we are to do that in love. If we don't do it in love how are we to spread the Gospel? People will not want to be a part of something where they feel judged. We can say, "I don't approve of what you are doing, here's why (show bible verses). But, I still love you because Jesus loves you.  

   Now, lest you think there is only bad news, I will tell you there is good news. The good news is we don't need to fight against each other; and we don't need to fight the battle against sin on our own. The great news is that Jesus has already won the battle. We don't need to fight against sinners. We don't even need to fight against Satan on our own. Jesus fights with us and he already won for us. We can choose to rest in that and use his word, as he did, to fight battles we face. Because, we still have our own battles to face.  

   That's why I'm saying I think it's time for us to stop picking sides. We are all human. We all mess up. We all sin. We don't need to fight against each other to make that worse. What we can do is lovingly keep one another accountable. What we can do is encourage one another. What we can do is spread the Gospel through his love. 

   So, are you fighting against your brothers and sisters? Do you lovingly keep others accountable? Are you spreading the Gospel in love?

   Image from here.

Helping the Lost Get Home

   “See, that’s where I belong. That’s home. That’s why I came back, ‘cause you don’t have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can.” This is a quote said by Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Through this whole movie Bilbo is battling with his own emotions. He has to decide what he will do. He has to decide if he will join the dwarfs in their quest, or if he will stay at home in his comfort zone.

   It is an interesting tale because Bilbo has not been outside the Shire, his home, ever. And that is why I find a particular scene from the movie so profound. It is the scene where Bilbo says that quote from above. Check out the scene here.

   At the beginning of this scene Bilbo has a choice. He could have easily run away. The dwarves always doubted him and he would just be proving them right. He has not been much help up until this point on the quest. In fact, he has been more of a hindrance than anything. But, Bilbo does not run away. He wants to prove to the dwarves that they were wrong about him. And, he does. He comes back in order to help the dwarves get back home.

   I have written about the concept of home before (link here). It is difficult for some people to feel like they have a home. But, for Christians, no matter where we go we can have confidence that our home is heaven. Home is where the heart is and our hearts belong to Christ. Non-Christians do not have a home.

   In the clip Bilbo said that he has a home but the dwarves do not. Bilbo is like a Christian. He is always willing to help others no matter the cost (at least toward the end of the movie). Bilbo wants to help the dwarves get home. That is how Christians should be.

   We need to be willing to help others no matter the cost. We have a home, and we know that home is in heaven. But there are lost souls out there who do not know Christ. Christians need to follow the Great Commission. We need to come alongside unbelievers and show them that they do have a home. They can have a home in Christ.

   Also, throughout the movie, Bilbo is an example for the dwarves. All the dwarves know is how to fight and pillage in order to get what they need. Bilbo is innocent and always tries to do good by people. He becomes the dwarves’ friend and is able to influence the dwarves in a good way.

   Christians too need to become friends with unbelievers. That way we can influence them in a good way. I’m not saying that we need to do the things that our unbelieving friends do. I am saying that we can talk with them, get to know them, and show them the light of Christ by leading by example.

   So, are you following the Great Commission? Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone in order to reach others? Are you being a role model for non-believers?

   Joshua 1:9, Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 1:8