by Catherine McDaugale | Nov 4, 2024 | Christian Living, Life
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22 NKJV)
Last time, we looked at 26 ways God works in your life. Now, we’re going to shift from what God does to what He asks us to do. So, here are 26 things the Bible says you should do – again from A to Z.
A: Abide in Jesus.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (John 15:4 NKJV)
B: Be still.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalm 46:10 NKJV)
C: Commit your way to God.
Commit your way to the Lord . . . . (Psalm 37:5 NKJV)
D: Deny yourself.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24 NKJV)
E: Exalt His name.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. (Psalm 34:3 NKJV)
F: Forgive others.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. (Colossians 3:12–13 NKJV)
G: Give thanks.
[I]n everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV)
H: Humble yourself.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6 NKJV)
I: Be immovable.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV)
J: Be joyful.
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. (Psalm 5:11 NKJV)
K: Keep God’s commandments.
If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15 NKJV)
L: Love God and others.
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37–39 NKJV)
M: Make disciples.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . . (Matthew 28:19a NKJV)
N: Draw near to God.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8 NKJV)
O: Offer praise to God.
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV)
P: Pray all the time.
[P]ray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV)
Q: Clothe yourself with a quiet spirit.
Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. (1 Peter 3:3–4 NLT)
R: Rejoice.
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NKJV)
S: Sing.
Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! (Psalm 47:6 NKJV)
T: Trust God.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 NKJV)
U: Keep unity.
Endeavor[] to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NKJV)
V: Add to your faith virtue.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. (2 Peter 1:5–7 NKJV)
W: Watch for Jesus’ return.
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:42 NKJV)
X: X-amine yourself.
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified. (2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV)
Y: Let your yes be yes.
But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No.” (Matthew 5:37a NKJV)
Z: Be zealous for good.
But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always . . . . (Galatians 4:18a NKJV)
I challenge you to take one of these each day: meditate on it and then do it. Be a doer and not just a hearer of God’s Word as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Oct 21, 2024 | Christian Living, Life
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:13 NLT)
God made a way for us to come to Him. But He didn’t stop there. After you’re born again, God continues to work in your life.
Here are 26 ways God works in your life. From A to Z, let’s discover some of the things He does for us. Stick with me, it might get a little tricky when we get to X, Y, and Z.
A: He answers you.
Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV)
B: He blesses you.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12 NKJV)
C: He cares for you.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6–7 NKJV)
D: He defends you.
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. (Psalm 5:11 NKJV)
E: He equips you.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV)
F: He forgives you.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NKJV)
G: He gives good things.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17 NKJV)
H: He helps you.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)
I: He invites you to come to Him.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 NKJV)
J: He gives you joy in His presence.
You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11 NKJV)
K: He keeps you in perfect peace when you’re focused on Him.
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)
L: He loves you.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NKJV)
M: He molds you into the image of His Son, Jesus.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29 NKJV)
N: He never leaves or forsakes you.
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b NKJV)
O: He orders your steps.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. (Psalm 37:23 NKJV)
P: He protects you.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2 NKJV)
Q: He quiets you.
He will quiet you with His love. (Zephaniah 3:17c NKJV)
R: He restores you.
He restores my soul. (Psalm 23:3a NKJV)
S: He sings over you.
He will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17d NKJV)
T: He teaches you.
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true – it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. (1 John 2:27 NLT)
U: He understands you.
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. (Psalm 139:2 NKJV)
V: He values you.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7 NKJV)
W: He is with you.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4 NKJV)
X: He x-amines you.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart. (Psalm 26:2 NKJV)
Y: He yearns for you.
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? (James 4:5 NKJV)
Z: He is zealous for His people.
For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (2 Kings 19:31 NKJV)
Look at this list when you feel like God has forgotten you. He’s at work in your life right now. And He’ll continue to work in your life each day. You can trust Him. Remind yourself of His great love for you as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Joanna K. Harris (Guest Post) | Oct 7, 2024 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
In the movie The Ultimate Gift, a wealthy man dies and leaves his grandson a series of strange gifts. The grandson only wants to know how much money he inherits. However, he can’t find out until he receives each unusual gift, such as work, problems, giving, etc.
Too often I’m like the grandson – waiting for God to give me the “good stuff” while being frustrated with the strange gifts He has bestowed. Philippians 1:29 (NIV) says, “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.” It’s taken a long time, but I’ve finally learned to see suffering as one of God’s unusual gifts.
God’s Word has a lot to say about suffering. Suffering isn’t just part of living on earth; it’s also part of God’s plan. He uses it for our good.
I know it doesn’t feel that way. Suffering feels painful, depressing, hopeless, devastating . . . I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to live with broken health. I’ve experienced the agony of losing loved ones. I’ve been misunderstood and mistreated. I’ve experienced all this and more. Suffering hurts. Yet, Jesus promised His followers we would suffer, and He filled His Word with encouragement for those who are suffering.
Suffering produces character, maturity, and hope (Romans 5:3–4; James 1:2-4). Those who suffer for what is right are blessed (1 Peter 3:14). Suffering allows us to receive God’s comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3–4). God uses hardship and suffering to train us for holiness (Hebrews 12:7–11). Still, even with these encouraging verses, sometimes it’s hard to see suffering as a gift.
There are three specific benefits of suffering I’ve experienced that help me accept this strange gift with gratitude.
1. Suffering has given me a desperate dependence on God’s Word.
When my life was mostly problem-free, it was easy to think I was spiritually mature and had all the answers. Once suffering hit, nothing made sense, and I realized how desperately I needed truth. Psalm 119:92 (NIV) says, “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.” Only God’s Word gives the understanding about God and life that I need to endure trials and hardship.
There have been days when, desperate for answers, I opened my Bible and read, and read, and read . . . until finally, I found the answers or encouragement I needed. The psalmist wrote, “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life” (Psalm 119:50 NIV). Not only does God’s Word provide needed answers, it also holds precious promises that bring great comfort. Through suffering, I’ve discovered more of the riches of God’s Word, sufficient for every day and every need.
2. Suffering has produced deeper fellowship with Jesus.
In Philippians 3:10 (NIV), Paul said, “I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings . . . .” Through suffering, I’ve learned more about who Jesus is, what He’s like, and how He works. Everything I’ve suffered, Jesus also experienced.
I’ve encountered Jesus’ presence and grace in every situation, and I’ve found that He is enough. When every source of happiness this world offers was stripped away, I discovered the “inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8 NIV) of simply knowing my Savior. Paradoxically, sometimes it’s only through pain that Jesus can open our eyes to the joy He alone offers.
3. Suffering has taught me to keep an eternal perspective.
It’s easy to be comfortable and at home in this world – until we experience suffering. Then everything changes. Suffering has made me ask questions like: Why am I here? What is my purpose? What am I living for? I understand now that God created me and put me on this earth for Himself and His glory – not just for my comfort or happiness.
In 1 Peter 4:1–2 (NIV), Peter says that one who has suffered doesn’t live for himself anymore “but rather for the will of God.” I only get one life. I’m thankful that suffering changes my perspective and keeps me from wasting my life on selfish pursuits. Suffering reminds me that right now is just the “warm-up” while eternity is the “main event.” Paul said, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18 NIV). Understanding this has changed the way I think, what I desire, and how I live. Suffering helps me keep my eyes on heaven, my true home.
I don’t like it, I often complain about it, but I don’t doubt that suffering is a special gift from my loving heavenly Father. At the end of The Ultimate Gift, the purpose of all the strange gifts is revealed. They prepared the grandson to receive his inheritance. God has a purpose too. He knows what we need. Sometimes suffering is the most precious gift we could receive. In the end, we too will understand how God used it to prepare us for our eternal inheritance.
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV).
Joanna K. Harris grew up as a missionary kid and then served as a missionary for two years. During that time, she felt called to write. However, she then suffered through more than a decade of chronic illness. In her trials, Jesus taught her more about His grace. She writes to encourage others with God’s grace – always greater than our need. Joanna has authored more than ten books for children and adults. You can sign up for her newsletter and receive two bonus chapters of her devotional memoir on her website: gracepossible.com.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Sep 9, 2024 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b (NKJV))
What an amazing promise for the believer: God’s presence. God will not leave you, dear sister. He is always there.
There is nothing you can do to make God leave. He is faithful, even when you are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). Why? Because He can’t deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). That means God cannot contradict who He is.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)). And He is faithful. Isn’t that awesome?
There’s power in remembering that God is with you. The One who created the universe just by speaking is near.
The enemy wants you to forget this promise. When you think you’re alone, you’re vulnerable. If your eyes aren’t on your Savior, you’re distracted. And when you’re trusting in yourself instead of God, you’re ineffective. Worse, if he can make you fearful, you’ll be immobilized.
We need to remember the promise of God’s presence. God is with you. You don’t have to be afraid.
If you want to try to do it yourself, He’ll let you. But when you rely on and trust in God, He will
- help you and uphold you (Isaiah 41:10);
- be your refuge, a safe place (Psalm 46:11); and
- be your strength and your shield (Psalm 28:7).
So, remind yourself daily of the promise of God’s presence. Keep your eyes fixed on the One who will never leave you or forsake you. His grace is sufficient for you, and His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Write Hebrews 13:5 on a sticky note. Put it on your mirror so you’ll see it in the morning. Memorize the verse. Hold on to this promise. And then walk by faith with the One who will always be by your side.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Mar 4, 2024 | Christian Living, Life, Thoughts
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27 (NKJV))
The Source of Peace
Where can you find peace? The source is God. As Isaiah said, “You [referring to God] will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)). And like we saw in the verse above, Jesus told His disciples that He would give them peace (John 14:27). So, peace comes from God.
But how exactly do you get it?
Go to the Source
If you want peace, you need to go to God. He is the source of peace. You won’t find that peace in the world because the peace from God is a “perfect peace” (Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)) that “surpasses all understanding “(Philippians 4:7 (NKJV)).
How do you go to God for peace? Philippians 4:6–8 (NKJV) gives us the answer. It tells us,
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.
Based on these verses in Philippians, here are three steps you can take to get peace:
-
Pray
Talk to God and tell Him what’s on your mind. Ask Him for help with whatever situation you’re going through or for wisdom about a decision you need to make. And ask for his peace to quiet your mind.
-
Thank God
Come to God with a heart of gratitude. Thank God for who He is and all He has done for you. Be specific. For example, you could thank Him for
- saving you,
- forgiving all your sins,
- His ability to help you – no matter how big your problem is,
- His promise to always be with you,
- walking with you through your trial,
- the ways He has provided for you in the past, and
- anything else you can think of.
Being thankful to God will prepare your heart for the third step.
-
Meditate
Focus your mind on God. Don’t try to stop thinking about what’s making you anxious. Instead, replace those thoughts by thinking about things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. God’s character and nature and the ways He has blessed you fall into these categories.
Meditate on how God has been faithful to you – on all the things you thanked Him for. Learn about God’s nature by reading His Word, the Bible. To name just a few, God is good, holy, powerful, and loving. Training your mind to think about God’s character and faithfulness will build up your trust in God.
As we saw in Isaiah, the person whose mind is “stayed” on God will be in “perfect peace.” Why? Because that person trusts in our awesome, amazing God.
While your mind is fixed on God, that peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind. So, follow these three steps: pray, thank God, and meditate on your beautiful Savior. Then, you’ll have peace as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Aug 7, 2023 | Christian Living, Life, Thoughts
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13–14)
There was a time when I felt like I would never be able to live in the present. Like everyone else, I have a past. And like many others, I spent a lot of time looking back – thinking about things that had happened to me and regretting the choices I had made.
I was stuck. And I didn’t know how to change my thinking. I had been doing the same thing for years. It was like I thought I could solve a puzzle by replaying an event over and over in my head for the umpteenth time. But there was no puzzle to solve.
Then one day, I found the Biblical tools to help me. I was browsing in my church’s bookstore and saw a sermon series on CDs. (Remember when we still played CDs in our cars?) The series was called Free From Our Past. I bought it, thinking, Well, it couldn’t hurt.
And it turned out to be one of the best investments of my life. In the sermons, Pastor Ed Taylor teaches Biblical tools that can help you to walk in freedom. God used that sermon series to teach me how to let go of the past hurts and live in the present.
By living in the present, my relationship with God grew stronger. I could walk more closely with God because my mind wasn’t focused on what once was. Praise God for that!
And now, Pastor Ed has released a book based on that sermon series called Free From Your Past: learning to live the life you’ve always wanted. If you struggle with ruminating on your past or know someone who does, I encourage you to get a copy of his book (from Calvary Church’s bookstore or on Amazon) or listen to the sermon series on the church’s website for free.
So yes, you can live in the present. You can learn Biblical principles that you can apply to yourself. By applying God’s Word to your life, you can enjoy the time God’s given you today. You can stop wasting time and making new regrets.
In the Bible, Paul gives us a great example of letting go of the past. Before Paul started following Jesus, he persecuted the church. Innocent blood was on his hands (Acts 7:54–8:1). I’m sure he had many regrets. Yet, he was able to accept God’s forgiveness and live a life committed to doing what God had for him in the present. Paul purposefully forgot his past (the things that were behind him) and reached forward to what God had in store for him (Philippians 3:13).
Let’s commit to being like Paul – forgetting those things that are behind us (the past hurts and regrets) – and reaching forward to whatever God has for us now. God has fashioned days just for you (Psalm 139:16) and has prepared good works for you to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). Stay in the present, living in the days God has made for you and doing the work He’s prepared for you as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Jul 10, 2023 | Life, Thoughts
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:13–14 (NKJV))
We like to place a value on things, don’t we? And that value can be affected by many factors. A huge factor in determining value is the item’s maker.
For example, a painting by me would be worth next to nothing. Whereas, a painting by Claude Monet sold last year for over $3 million. A pair of jeans sold at a department store may cost about $50. Yet, if you buy a pair with the designer label Khaite, it’ll set you back $440. And while a small Hermes handbag can cost over $22,000, you can buy one (and a well-made one at that) from other sources for less than $200.
So, how much are you worth? When it comes to people, our culture values them mainly by their looks, accomplishments, and possessions. Those who are homeless are often treated like they’re not worth as much. In contrast, an actor, a politician, or a savvy businessman will likely be placed on a pedestal.
Given our cultural standards, it’s common to compare ourselves to others. And when we do, we can end up devaluing what we think we’re worth. In a few moments, we may look at another woman and determine that we’re not as
- pretty,
- smart,
- well-dressed, or
- well-spoken.
Or we might watch someone’s highlight reel on social media. Her life seems perfect with flawless pictures of family, travel, and selfies. And after the comparison, we may decide we’re worth less or even worthless.
But your worth is not determined by how well you’re able to entertain, dress, or put on your makeup. It’s not dependent on whether you’ve been successful in your career. Instead, it’s based on your Maker.
You are valuable because you were made by God. He made you in His image (Genesis 1:27) and formed you in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). You are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). And you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
Because you were made by God, you matter. He made you uniquely you for His glory. He even fashioned days for you (Psalm 139:16) and prepared works for you to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). Praise God!
So stop comparing yourself to others. Because, really, there’s no comparison. God only made one of you. Instead, ask Him to show you the days He has made for you and the works He has prepared just for you. Then walk in those days, praising your Maker as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Jun 26, 2023 | Life, Thoughts
So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:34 (NLT))
Are you worried about your future? Are you anxious about whether . . .
- your company is going to lay people off;
- gas prices will continue to rise;
- you’ll be single your entire life;
- your kids will turn out well; or
- you’ll even be able to have children?
Do you fret about what next month or next year will bring?
It’s easy to worry about your future. All you have to do is look at a newsfeed and stories about crime, the economy, and the way people treat each other can quickly raise your anxiety levels. And circumstances in your own life can overwhelm your thoughts in an instant.
But God doesn’t want you to be worried about your future. Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). And He taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11 (NKJV)). In other words, focus on what you need day by day.
Even in the Old Testament, God oriented His people’s focus on the day at hand. When the Israelites were wandering in the desert for 40 years, God provided them with their daily food – that heavenly bread called manna – one day at a time (Exodus 16:15-16, 19). If they gathered more and left it for the following day (unless it was the day before the Sabbath day), the manna “bred worms and stank” (Exodus 16:20 (NKJV)).
God doesn’t want you to worry about your future. He wants you to trust Him with tomorrow. He already knows what your future holds, and He will help you through it all if you’ll let Him.
Instead of worrying about your future, Jesus invites you to abide in Him (John 15:4). The word abide means to be present or remain. We need to live one day at a time and be present with Jesus. If you’re worrying about something in your future, you’re no longer present with Jesus today.
You are safe in Jesus’ hands (John 10:28). But you can’t enjoy being in that safety if you’re somewhere else in your mind. So when you catch yourself worrying about your future, stop it! Choose to focus your mind on today.
And yes, it’s a choice. We can meditate on the unknown. Or we can focus our minds on what we know – the things God tells us to think about. The Bible tells us to fix our thoughts on things that are “true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable”; it exhorts us to “[t]hink about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8 (NLT)).
You can purposefully shift your thoughts by choosing to think about
- how God has provided for you in the past;
- the promises God has made to you in the Bible;
- the way God saved you and how He gave you eternal life when you surrendered to Him;
- the blessings God has given you; and
- the things you are thankful for.
Put on some worship music and sing praises to God. Read His Word and seek out the promises He has made to you. Make a list of the ways God has been faithful to you in the past. Take a walk and count the different varieties of flowers you see along the way.
So don’t worry about the future. Don’t be anxious about what may or may not happen tomorrow. Instead, choose to live one day at a time while abiding in Jesus. Be present with Jesus and walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | May 15, 2023 | Christian Living, Ministry, Spiritual Growth
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit. (John 15:8 (NKJV))
Do you want to glorify God the Father? If so, ask yourself how much fruit you’ve been producing. The Bible tells us that we glorify Him by bearing much fruit.
What is Fruit?
In addition to other fruit (see, e.g., John 4:36; Ephesians 5:8-9), the Bible teaches us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22 (NKJV)). Those qualities describe Jesus. Jesus is love. He is patient. Jesus is perfectly all of those things.
You may or may not have had those qualities (to some extent) before you started following Jesus. But after you came to Him, the Father began the process of changing you into His image.
If you look at your life before you came to Jesus and compare it to your life since then, you will likely see a difference. You’ll be able to see more and more of the fruit of the Spirit the longer you walk with Jesus.
How do you produce fruit?
We can’t become more loving, patient, kind, gentle, etc. on our own. In teaching us about fruit, Jesus used a metaphor in which He compared Himself to a vine and us to branches (John 15:5). It’s a great metaphor because it helps us to easily understand Jesus’ teaching by looking at a grapevine or a tree.
Have you ever seen a tree straining to bear fruit? Of course not. A silly image comes to my mind of a little face on the tree, clenching its jaw and branches, hoping the fruit will pop out.
Like the tree, we don’t need to strive either. We can’t produce fruit on our own. Instead, it’s a process of letting God work in and through you. You still participate. But it’s only through the strength of God’s Spirit that we produce fruit (Zechariah 4:6).
Jesus told us how to produce fruit. When we (as branches) are attached to Jesus (the true vine), we’re abiding in Him.
If we’re not abiding in Jesus, we can do nothing, and we won’t produce fruit (John 15:5). But when we abide in Him, we bear fruit (John 15:5). The fruit naturally flows from you when you abide in Jesus.
Just like a branch on a grapevine won’t produce any grapes if it isn’t attached to the vine, we won’t produce any fruit if we’re not attached to Jesus. A branch that is detached from the vine dries up, withers, and dies. The branch needs the nourishment it gets from being attached to the vine or it won’t be fruitful.
How do you produce much fruit?
Jesus said that we will bear “much fruit” if we abide in Him and He in us (John 15:5 (NKJV)). So, what does it mean to abide?
The word abide means to be present or remain. We need to remain in Jesus, to be present with Him. You’re not abiding if you get a little closer but aren’t attached to Him. If you’re reading your Bible and saying repetitious prayers so you can check it off your list, you’re not abiding.
But if you’re
- relying on Jesus for everything as you go through your day,
- reading the Bible because you want to learn more about Him,
- praying because you need His strength or direction
- singing praises to Him because you’re thankful for all He’s doing in your life, and
- obeying when you know God wants you to do something,
then you’re abiding in Jesus.
And, abiding some of the time is not enough. We need to abide in Jesus all of the time. There is a direct correlation between the amount of time you spend with Jesus and the amount of fruit you produce.
So, be present with Jesus all day, every day. Then, watch the fruit grow in and through your life as you walk by faith with Him.
Photo by Rohit Tandon on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Mar 20, 2023 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Life
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. (John 11:5-6 (NKJV))
God’s timing is always perfect. And so is His will. If you’ve been waiting, it’s easy to think that the perfect timing was yesterday. Or right now. We get caught up in feelings. So, we often default to wanting something to happen as soon as possible.
But God’s timing really is perfect. He’s outside of time. And His reasoning isn’t clouded by feelings. He also knows all things – from the beginning to the end. He knows the perfect timing for something to happen.
And God knows if something would even be good for you. If you’re waiting for an answer to prayer, remember that the answer might be no. Yet, even if something is God’s will, that doesn’t mean it will happen when you think it should.
God knows when something will bring Him the most glory. He loves us and knows what’s best for us.
Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, Martha, and Mary (John 11:5). When Lazarus got sick, Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick” (John 11:3 (NKJV)).
Because Jesus loved them, you might expect that He would have gone to them as quickly as He could. Yet, it was because Jesus loved them that “He stayed two more days in the place where He was” (John 11:6 (NKJV)).
Jesus waited. Jesus didn’t go to them the moment He heard the news. Why? It wasn’t God’s perfect timing.
Jesus is God. He knew the perfect time to go because He knew what He would do.
By the time Jesus headed toward Bethany, Jesus knew that Lazarus had already died (John 11:14). Jesus told His disciples, “And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe” (John 11:15 (NKJV)).
God’s timing was perfect. But Martha and Mary couldn’t see it. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days (John 11:39). And each one told Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32 (NKJV)).
But God had a plan. Jesus prayed,
“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” (John 11:41-42 (NKJV))
Then Jesus “cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus come forth!’” (John 11:43 (NKJV)). “And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth” (John 11:44 (NKJV)).
Could you imagine? Jesus showed them in a tangible way that God had sent Him. He demonstrated His power over death when He raised Lazarus from the dead. Only God could do that.
God’s timing was perfect. If Jesus had quickly gone to see Lazarus when He got word that Lazarus was sick, it wouldn’t have glorified God in the same way. And if He had healed Lazarus in their presence or from afar, they wouldn’t have witnessed Jesus’ power over death.
So, as the days, months, and even years roll by, remember that God’s timing is always perfect. He hasn’t forgotten about you. He hears you. Trust God as you walk by faith with Him.
Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Sep 12, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Ministry
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 (NKJV))
Each year my church hosts a Refresh Conference for people who serve in the ministry. It’s a time set aside to encourage and rejuvenate those who come. During the conference, we study God’s word, pray together, sing praises to our amazing God, and fellowship with each other.
Such a conference can sound exhausting. Attending the conference necessarily takes time out of your schedule. Instead of your usual Friday night relaxation or entertainment, you’re up late worshipping the Lord at the church. And your time of sleeping in on Saturday morning? Well, it’s not going to happen that week.
Yet, when the conference ends on Saturday, people will leave energized. They’ll be reinvigorated to continue doing God’s work. It seems counter-intuitive. How can less sleep and less relaxation result in more energy?
In Isaiah 28, we get the answer. In that chapter, God gives a remedy to those who are weary. He tells us what will give us rest and refresh us.
God said,
“This is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest.” And, “This is the refreshing.”
. . .
“Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” (Isaiah 28:12-13 (NKJV))
The remedy for weariness is going through God’s word. That’s why hearing expository teaching will refresh you. We feel better as we go through the whole counsel of God – precept upon precept, line upon line – learning about everything God has revealed to us.
As Psalm 19 teaches us, “The statutes of the Lord are right; rejoicing the heart” (Psalm 19:8 (NKJV)). Learning about God’s ways causes us to rejoice and be glad.
When you take time to learn about God and apply His truths to your life, you are letting your good Shepherd Jesus lead you. Jesus will lead you “beside the still waters” and restore your soul (Psalm 23:2-3 (NKJV)).
The Hebrew word translated as “still” in Psalm 23:2 is the same Hebrew word translated as “rest” in Isaiah 28:12. The word means resting place. When you spend time with Jesus and let Him guide you, He will take you to a place of rest.
And Jesus wants us to come to Him with all our worries and anxiety. Jesus invited those “who labor and are heavy laden” to come to Him and promised He would give them rest (Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)).
Jesus is the One who will truly give our souls rest. Zoning out in front of the television while watching a movie may be enjoyable. But you won’t be refreshed afterward. If you’re physically tired, a good night’s sleep will help your body to function properly. Yet, when you wake up, you may still feel as burdened as you did the night before.
So, do you need to be refreshed? If you need that rest, here are some things you can do:
- Read God’s word every day.
- Take time to worship God and talk to Him.
- Spend time in fellowship with other believers.
- Be intentional about learning what God has revealed to us in the Bible, precept upon precept and line upon line.
- Go to a church that teaches through the Bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse.
- Attend conferences where you can sit under solid Biblical teaching.
If you do these things, your soul will be refreshed. And that refreshment will help you to walk by faith with God.
*Photo by Herbert Goetsch on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Aug 1, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. (Psalm 71:14 (NKJV))
Most of us have been disappointed at some point in our lives. And as we get older, we’re likely to have more. It comes in many different forms. A failed or difficult marriage. Singleness despite a desire for a husband. Wayward children. No children. Or maybe your life just didn’t turn out the way you thought it should. If you could go back, you would have made different choices.
So, what should you do with your disappointment? Here are three things to help you with those nagging feelings:
1. Take it To the Cross
I love the expression, “Take it to the cross.” Yet, it can be thrown around too haphazardly. It’s what some would call Christian-eeze – language that only insiders understand.
But it simply means to talk to God about it. Pray. Tell God about your disappointment, and then give it to Him. Let Him handle it.
The Bible instructs us to cast all our care on God because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). The word “cast” means “to throw upon.” When you throw your disappointment to God, it’s out of your hands and in His capable hands. He will handle it for you.
I like Craig Groeschel’s suggestion of using a “God” box in his book, Winning the War in Your Mind.[1] You can use any box – one you buy that looks pretty or even just a shoe box. When you have a care, concern, or disappointment, write it on a piece of paper and put it in the box as you pray, giving whatever it is to God.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that the box is God or even a representation of Him. It’s simply a visual reminder that you’ve given it to God – that you’ve thrown it in His hands and have decided to trust Him with it. If you start worrying about it again, you have to go and take it out of the box. Anytime you do, it’s another visual reminder – this time, that you no longer trust God to handle it.
It’s a powerful thing because that’s exactly what we do when we say we’ve given something to God but then continue to worry about it. Stop doing that. Leave it in God’s hands. He knows what He’s doing. And He’s more than able to handle any problem you have.
So, take your disappointment to the cross and leave. . . it. . . there.
2. Remember that God’s Grace is Sufficient
The Bible describes how the apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh that he “pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from [him]” (2 Corinthians 12:7-8 (NKJV)). We don’t know what the thorn was. But it must have been something that really challenged him if he begged God three times to take it away.
Despite Paul’s pleas, God didn’t take the thorn away. Instead, God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)).
At this news, Paul could have thrown himself a pity party. But he didn’t. He was likely disappointed to some extent. The thorn was something that had impacted him in a very real way, and He wanted it to be gone.
Yet, we discover in the next part of that verse that Paul didn’t allow any disappointment to keep him from doing what God had called him to do. He proclaimed, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)). Paul chose to trust God. He decided to believe that God knew what was best for him.
It can be difficult to do this. It’s not easy to choose to trust God when your feelings have taken your thoughts hostage. But God’s grace is sufficient for you too. Just like Paul, if you turn to God and trust Him – no matter how you feel – His strength will be made perfect in your weakness. God is enough for you.
3. Enjoy Your Relationship with God
When you’re feeling disappointed, it’s easy to get focused on what you don’t have and forget what you do have. It’s so important to realize that, although very real, feelings can lie to you. You may not have everything you wanted. But if you’ve decided to follow Jesus, you have the best thing ever – God Himself.
God loves you. He’s promised never to leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). His Holy Spirit lives inside of you (John 14:16-17). He is with you right now.
Spend time getting to know God better. He has revealed Himself to us in His word, the Bible. Take a moment to contemplate God’s amazing love for you. Put on your favorite worship song and sing to Him, praising Him and thanking Him for all He has done. Talk to God throughout your day. Ask Him for wisdom and guidance. Live your life like He’s right there beside you every moment of every day because He is.
As you give your disappointment to God, remember that He is all you need, and enjoy the relationship you have with Him, God will help you through this time. Continue seeking His plan for your life as you walk by faith with Him.
* Photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash
[1] Craig Groeschel, Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2021), 178-179.
by Catherine McDaugale | Jun 6, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.” (Psalm 39:7 (NKJV))
Many of us are waiting for something. Maybe you’re going through a trial that seems like it will never end. Or maybe God has given you a promise that has not yet come to fruition. What should we do while we’re waiting?
In short, we should trust God. And “let patience have its perfect work” (James 1:4 (NKJV)).
Waiting for a promise to be fulfilled may seem like a trial in and of itself. Waiting is hard – especially in our culture. We’re not used to waiting for anything. Instead, we’re used to getting things the way we want them, when we want them.
We have fast food. On-demand movies. Giga-bit internet. People get impatient if they have to wait for more than a few minutes in a drive-through. Some even get irritated and leave (or worse). We stream entertainment at our fingertips whenever we want it. Our internet is now so fast that everything works in an instant, even on our phones.
Gone are the days of patiently cooking your own food. Many don’t remember dial-up internet that binged and bonged for a minute before it even connected. And then it would run so slowly that you could get up and do something else for an hour while you were waiting for something to download. Literally.
So when we’re going through a trial, we want it to end now. Or, better yet, yesterday. We don’t want to wait for a promise; we want it to happen immediately. Right?
Sometimes, God does deliver you out of the trial. It started, you prayed, you trusted, and bam! It seemed like God delivered you out of it instantly.
Other times, God gave you a promise that was fulfilled soon after He gave it to you. You were overjoyed by His blessing. You couldn’t believe how quickly God had worked.
But then there are those times when you’re not sure if God is listening. You wonder if He’s doing anything or if He even remembers the promise He gave you. You cry out, “How long must I wait?”
God’s timing is perfect. We need to wait for Him. In the waiting, God is doing a work in us. He’s using that time to change us.
It’s easy to get our priorities mixed up when we’re in pain. When we’re hurting, our focus can get stuck on the trial or the unfulfilled promise. But that’s not where our attention should be. We need to remember that we’re not waiting for something, but on Someone.
Our eyes need to be on Jesus. Our hope lies in Him and Him alone. Refocus your eyes; change your depth of field. Stop focusing on your struggles and fix your eyes firmly on Jesus. Remember all that He has already done for you. Recall how He brought you up out of the miry clay and set your feet on a rock (Psalm 40:2).
When we wait on God, instead of something else, He will strengthen your heart (Psalm 27:14). And “those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)).
God has a plan. And He has a time for that plan to happen. He is working all things together – not just in your life but in the lives of others as well. God is doing a work while you’re waiting. Even though you can’t see it, God is working. He never sleeps or slumbers (Psalm 121:3-4).
Trust Him. Wait on Him. Be patient while He works.
In the meantime, here are three things you can do while you’re waiting:
1. Read the Bible
Take time each day to nourish your spirit. We tend to focus on our physical needs and forget that our spirit has needs too. When was the last time you forgot to eat food? I have heard of some people who say things like, “I was so busy that I forgot to eat.” But for most, our stomachs readily remind us when we need to eat. (And often too frequently. Sigh.)
But it’s easy to get distracted with whatever we’re doing and forget to spend time reading the Bible. Set aside a regular time to be in God’s Word
- getting to know Him better;
- finding out what He likes and what He hates;
- discovering what He wants you to do and what He doesn’t want you to do; and
- learning about the amazing things He has done.
As you draw near to God, He has promised to draw near to you (James 4:8). And, as your relationship with God deepens, you’ll be able to trust Him and be patient in the waiting.
2. Pray
Pour out your heart to God. Tell Him how you’re feeling. He knows what you’re going through is hard. And He will be there to listen to you and walk with you through it.
In the waiting, you may question the truth that God loves you. But that is the truth. Because He cares for you, He wants you to cast all your care on Him (1 Peter 5:7). The word “cast” means to throw. God wants you to throw your worries to Him. When you do, it’s out of your hands and in His. His hands are able to hold all your cares. Let Him help you.
3. Worship
Praise God for what He’s going to do in your life and for the things He’s already done. When you’re feeling down, put on your favorite worship music and sing to Him. As the psalmist encourages us,
“I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” (Psalm 9:1-2 (NKJV))
As you sing praises to God, something awesome happens. When you started singing, your spirit may have felt heavy. You probably didn’t even feel like worshipping God. And it may have been difficult for you to even get the words out of your mouth.
But as you praise Him, as you continue to sing, your spirits are lifted. You feel lighter, calmer – even joyful. Your disposition actually changes while you’re worshipping our beautiful Savior. He is so good to us!
Have you noticed how the psalms often begin with despair and end in hope? The process of taking your cares to the Lord and then praising Him despite your pain results in lifting your spirit. Your circumstances haven’t changed. Yet, your perspective has. You are able to see the size of your problem in light of our great God. Take time to praise Him every day.
So, in the waiting, wait on God. Take time to read His Word, pray to Him, and praise Him as you anticipate how He will work. As you do, you will grow closer to God as you wait by faith on Him.
*Photo by Guilherme Stecanella on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Apr 25, 2022 | Christian Living, Life
“. . . forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” (Colossians 3:13 (NKJV))
When someone has wronged you, forgiveness is likely the last thing on your mind. The pain cuts deep into your heart. Thoughts like, “How could she have said that?” or “How could he have done that to me?” run through your mind. You justify withholding forgiveness because you feel like they don’t deserve it.
Before we talk about why you should forgive, let’s start by defining our terms. Forgiveness means that you release the person’s debt – the debt that was created by the wrong. It does not mean that the person’s words or actions were okay. It’s only a decision to no longer hold that wrong against them.
Moreover, forgiveness is not the same thing as reconciliation. You can forgive without the relationship being restored. The trust that was lost is not necessarily regained. Depending on the circumstances, that person may still not be a part of your life and may not even know that you’ve forgiven them.
With that in mind, here are three reasons you should forgive:
1. God Told Us To
The main reason we should forgive is because God told us to. As we see from the above verse, God commands us to forgive. It tells us that we “must” forgive (Colossians 3:13 (NKJV)). The word “must” means that it’s mandatory. It’s not optional. We don’t get to decide if we want to forgive. The Bible doesn’t say, “You can think about whether it’s a good idea.”
Because God told us to forgive, we should be obedient to do what He’s asked us to do. Frankly, this should be enough. (Drop mic, exit stage right.) But if you’re still not convinced, there are two more reasons you should forgive.
2. You’ve Been Forgiven Much
Second, you should forgive based on the forgiveness you’ve received from God. Going back to the verse in Colossians, the Bible teaches that you must forgive “even as Christ forgave you” (Colossians 3:13 (NKJV)). When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother, Jesus told him a parable.
In the parable, a king was settling his accounts with his servants and saw that a man owed him 10,000 talents (Matthew 18:23-24). That probably doesn’t mean much to you since we don’t have talents in our monetary system. But at that time, 10,000 talents would equate to payment for 60 million workdays.[1] Yes, million. If you divide that by 365 days in a year, you come up with about 164,383 years. Obviously, it would be impossible to work off that debt.
Because the servant was not able to pay the debt, the king ordered that the man, his wife, his children, and all his possessions be sold (Matthew 18:25). The man fell down before the king and begged him to have patience with him (Matthew 18:26). So, the king “was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt” (Matthew 18:27 (NKJV)).
The servant then went to a fellow servant who owed him 100 denarii (100 days’ wages), “laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying ‘Pay me what you owe!’” (Matthew 18:28 (NKJV)). When his fellow servant begged him to have patience with him, “he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt” (Matthew 18:29-30 (NKJV)).
When the king found out about it, he called the servant and said, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” (Matthew 18:32-33 (NKJV)). So the king “delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him” (Matthew 18:34 (NKJV)).
Jesus then said, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matthew 18:35 (NKJV)).
Like the servant in the parable, we have been forgiven much as believers in Jesus. The price of our forgiveness was costly because we have sinned against an all-powerful, almighty God. Jesus had to die to pay that price. He was brutally beaten and hung on a cross. Yet, Jesus willingly died because of His great love for us.
In turn, any infraction against us pales in comparison to our sin against God. Because we have been forgiven much, we should forgive those sins committed against us.
I’m not trying to minimize your pain. That pain is real. The offense may have been great. Your trust was probably violated. Relationships may have been ruined. But any sin against us is like the debt owed to the servant by his fellow servant. And our sin against God is like the debt the servant owed the king – one that we would have never been able to repay.
3. It’s Good For Your Health
Finally, you should forgive because unforgiveness is bad for you. It’s a heavy burden. Until you forgive, that burden is always with you. When you see the person or think about them, whatever they did comes to mind. Your anxiety rises as you dwell on it. You become bitter as you replay it over and over in your mind.
The anxiety you experience has an adverse effect on your body. As the Bible teaches us, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression” (Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV)). Of course, medical studies corroborate the Bible’s claim. And I’m sure you’ve experienced anxiety at one time or another in varying degrees. It’s never a good thing. When you forgive, you feel lighter and your anxiety is relieved.
So let’s obey God and forgive those who have wronged us. God knows what is best for us. Let’s always remember how much God has forgiven us. You’ll reap the benefits as you draw closer to God and walk by faith with Him.
[1] Earl D. Radmacher, ed. NKJV Study Bible – Notes. n.p.: Thomas Nelson, 2019. Olive Tree Bible Study App Edition.
by Catherine McDaugale | Mar 28, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Ministry, Spiritual Growth
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV))
Have you noticed that God doesn’t usually give you the whole picture when He asks you to do something? It’s like putting together a puzzle when you don’t have the front of the box. You’re not sure what it’s going to look like when you’re finished. You can’t see how it will turn out.
For example, you may feel God prompting you to text someone a Bible verse but you have no idea why. You may feel uncomfortable because you’re worried what she’ll think. Later, she may tell you that the verse was exactly what she needed at the time. However, when you sent it, you didn’t have that insight.
Or God may give you a vision with just the first step. He shows you what He wants you to accomplish overall but doesn’t give you the details. Until you take that first step, God doesn’t give you the next one. You have no idea how God is going to take you from step one to the vision’s completion. You don’t have the whole picture.
A few years ago, God gave me a vision about writing a book about His faithfulness. I had never written a book before and didn’t have any idea how it could come to completion. God had only given me the first step. He wanted me to write about how He had been faithful to bring me through a difficult time. It wasn’t until I completed that first step that He gave me the next one. As I followed His direction, God guided me step by step, giving me everything I needed as I stepped out in faith to do the next part.
After the book was completed, I could look back and see the whole picture. I could see how God had met me where I was, each step of the way. And that first step – the one that was so hard to take – didn’t even make it into the book. It was necessary to start the process, and God used it for me personally. But the first step was never meant to be part of the book.
Each time God gives us something to do, we really want the whole picture, don’t we? We think it would be helpful to know all the details. We believe that we would be more confident if we knew each step we would need to take, what would happen in response to each step we took, and how God would work in each situation
Yet, if God gave us the whole picture, we wouldn’t be walking by faith with Him. Instead, we would likely move forward on our own.
Moreover, having the whole picture wouldn’t necessarily help. The truth is that we might not be able to handle the whole picture if God gave it to us up front. It might be too overwhelming for us to take it all in.
We see an example of this in Moses’s life. When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He gave Moses many of the details about where He wanted Moses to go, what He wanted Moses to do, who He wanted Moses to talk to, what He wanted Moses to say, and how the people would respond.
- First, God told Moses to go and gather the elders of Israel together, what he should say to the elders, and how the elders would respond (Exodus 3:16-18).
- Second, God told Moses to go to the king of Egypt with the elders, what he should say to the king of Egypt, and that the king of Egypt would not let the Israelites leave (Exodus 3:18-19).
- Finally, God told Moses that He would do the work so that the king of Egypt would let them go and they would leave with the Egyptians’ riches (Exodus 3:20-22).
In short, God gave Moses the whole picture.
When God was finished, we see that Moses was still stuck on step one. Moses asked God, “But suppose they [the elders] will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’” (Exodus 4:1 (NKJV)).
God had just told Moses how the elders of the Israelites would react. God told Moses that they would believe him – that they would “heed” his voice (Exodus 3:18 (NKJV)). But Moses was focused on himself and his own abilities. It’s like he shut down after that first direction. Maybe he began thinking about it, trying to figure out how it would all work.
Did Moses even hear the rest of what God told him in that moment? We don’t know. But it must have been overwhelming to hear about it all.
How often are we like Moses? We also get stuck on the first step. Instead of trusting God and stepping out in obedience, we get anxious. We ask ourselves, “How could I do that?” Or we worry about what people will think. For that reason, it would be easy for us to get overwhelmed if God gave us more than that first step.
Rather than focusing on our own abilities – or lack thereof – we need to trust God. God is able to help us with everything He wants us to do. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)).
So stop waiting for that step-by-step plan. Don’t worry about whether God’s given you the whole picture. Step out in faith when God gives you that very first step. Trust Him and see the amazing things that He will do.
*Photo by Benjamin Zanatta on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Dec 16, 2021 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Thoughts
I have been asked, “How do I meditate on God’s word? How does Biblical meditation work?” So I thought it would be valuable to take some time to reflect on the subject.
Before we begin, it’s important to recognize that Biblical meditation is different from the meditation practiced in yoga and other disciplines, in which you seek to empty your mind. The basic tenant of Biblical meditation is to fill your mind with the word of God.
The Greek word for meditate means to reason or think on. We see that word used in Philippians where Paul tells us to “meditate” on certain things.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8 (NKJV))
Instead of using the English word meditate in that verse, the New Living Translation tells us to “[f]ix your thoughts on.” The idea is to ruminate on or contemplate what the Bible is telling you. It’s an intentional act of purposefully thinking about God’s word. Following five basic steps will help you to do so.
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Choose a Bible verse
Decide which Bible verse you want to think about. Is there a situation that’s been troubling you? Do you need direction for something in your life? Are you curious about what the Bible says on a particular subject? Or do you have a favorite verse that you want to reflect on?
Some Bibles have a concordance at the back that can help you find a verse. If you don’t have a concordance, many Bible apps have a search feature. Or you can ask a pastor or leader at your church for Bible verses on the topic you want to meditate on.
Don’t get overwhelmed by choosing a verse. If you have a list of verses that someone has suggested, start with just one. After you have spent time meditating on that verse, you can move on to another one.
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Memorize or write out the Bible verse
After you decide which verse you want to meditate on, memorize the verse or write it down on a 3×5 index card. Memorizing the verse or writing it down makes it convenient to think about or look at. Otherwise, you will need to have your Bible open to the verse. Making the verse more accessible will help you to meditate on it more frequently.
I have found it easiest to meditate on verses when I have memorized them. By committing the verse to memory, you can literally think about it any time of the day or night, regardless of where you are or what you are doing. For example, if you are driving your car, you can go over the verse in your mind. Or if you wake up in the middle of the night, you can direct your mind to the verse and go over it word by word.
If you’re not good at memorization, use a 3×5 index card. The card is a good size to slip into your pocket, your purse, or to put by your bedside so it’s convenient to read. And, the act of writing the verse and looking at it often will help you to memorize it.
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Pray
Before you being meditating on the verse, pray and ask God to help you understand it. Ask God what He wants to reveal to you. The Holy Spirit teaches us all things (John 14:26). He is the One who helps us to understand and internalize God’s word. Without the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we are not able to learn what God wants to show us.
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Meditate
Recall the verse in your mind or read the verse slowly. Think about each word. Ask yourself the basic who, what, where, why, and how questions. What is the verse’s context – where is it in the Bible and what are the verses around it? Who is talking in the verse? Who was it written to? What does it say? What does it mean? Think about what the verse tells you about God. Ask yourself how the verse applies to your life.
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Apply the verse
While you are meditating on the verse, God will show you what it means and how it applies to you. When He does, the final step is to apply it to your life. The Bible instructs us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22 (NKJV)).
Live out what God has revealed to you. If you have learned that God doesn’t want you to do something that you’ve been doing, stop doing it. Conversely, if you realize that God wants you to do something that you haven’t been doing, start doing it. Once we discover God’s will, we should align ourselves with what He wants us to do.
Choosing to meditate on God’s word will bless your life. As the psalmist taught us, the blessed man is the one whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). Let’s be like the blessed man and take time to meditate on the Bible each day as we walk by faith with God.
by Catherine McDaugale | Oct 16, 2021 | Christian Living, Spiritual Growth
Walking by faith doesn’t mean closing your eyes or sticking your head in the ground, so you don’t know what’s going on around you. Instead, it’s a choice to focus on God. It’s a decision to continue doing things God’s way and trusting Him for the outcome, despite what’s happening in your life.
I’ve heard people say that Christians need to take a blind leap of faith to trust God. The insinuation is that you need to leave behind all reason and follow God solely based on emotion and a lack of thought.
But that isn’t true. God has given us the Bible. In those pages, God has revealed Himself to us. He tells us what He likes, what He hates, where we came from, where we are going, and much more.
As we consider the things we read in the Bible, God invites us,
Come now, and let us reason together. (Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV))
And Jesus told us to “count the cost” before deciding to follow Him (Luke 14:27-30 (NKJV)). Jesus warned us that it wouldn’t be easy. God wants us to ask questions about who He is and why we should follow Him.
It’s only after we decide to follow Jesus that God instructs us to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)). Still, the direction is not to close our eyes. Instead, the Bible tells us that we should be “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)). The Greek word for “looking” means to turn our eyes away from other things and fix them on Jesus.
It’s like a horse walking with blinders on. The purpose of the blinders is not so the horse can’t see at all – the blinders don’t go over the horse’s eyes. The blinders are placed on the outer sides of the horse’s eyes to keep the horse focused on the road in front of him. The blinders keep the horse from getting distracted by the things around him. In a similar way, when we walk by faith and not by sight, we must keep our eyes on Jesus.
We can get distracted by the things that are going on around us – things we have no control over.
- Every day, the news informs us about people who are killed, storms, wars, disease, and many other horrible things. Our thoughts can be consumed by those awful things.
- We can become divided over social issues. It’s easy to get caught up in arguments about whether everyone should or shouldn’t be vaccinated, the effectiveness of wearing masks, and how the government should or shouldn’t be handling the pandemic.
When we get sidetracked by these things, we are derailed from God’s plans for our lives.
Don’t misunderstand me. You shouldn’t ignore the things that need to be taken care of in your life. It is important to care for your family and be a good steward of the things that God has entrusted to you. God has placed people into your life for a reason. He wants you to love those people, help them with their needs, and tell them about Him.
Yet, first and foremost, we need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. We need to spend time with Him, reading the Bible, praying to Him, and worshipping Him. As Jesus taught us, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 (NKJV)).
We are unable to care for the people in our lives the way God wants us to without first being empowered by Jesus. Jesus gives us the strength we need, gives us direction, tells us which way to go, and tells us the things we should do. When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we’re not distracted by the things going on around us.
There’s a beautiful hymn written by Helen Howarth Lemmel that encompasses this very idea. The refrain of the hymn encourages us,
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
So, keep your eyes wide open as you follow Jesus. Turn your eyes upon Him. Spend time with your Savior. Take in all that He wants you to see.
by Catherine McDaugale | Oct 2, 2021 | Bible Study, Life, Thoughts
Have you read about Jacob, Leah, and Rachel in the Bible? Each time I read about them, I tend to look at it from Jacob’s perspective – a love story with obstacles placed in the path of the hero. But the other day, God showed me Leah’s point of view. Before we turn to Leah, let’s remind ourselves what happened to Jacob.
In obedience to his parent’s request, Jacob traveled to their relatives’ country to find a wife (Genesis 28:1-2, 5; 29:1, 4-5). When Jacob saw Rachel, he fell in love (Genesis 29:9-11, 18). Jacob agreed to work for Rachel’s father, Laban, for seven years so he could marry Rachel (Genesis 29:18). The years seemed only a few days because of his love for her (Genesis 29:20).
At the end of the seven years, it was time for the wedding (Genesis 29:21). The day had finally come for Jacob to marry the woman he loved. But on the wedding night, Laban had Leah (Rachel’s older sister) go into the wedding tent (Genesis 29:23). The following morning, Jacob realized that he had actually married Leah (Genesis 29:25).
How could Jacob have married Leah, thinking she was Rachel? Commentaries explain that the traditional wedding attire included a veil that would have entirely concealed Leah’s features. The veil, along with the alcohol that would have been consumed during the wedding feast, would make it possible for Jacob to unknowingly marry Leah.
Jacob was upset. And rightfully so. Laban had tricked him into marrying Leah because it was customary for the elder daughter to be married first (Genesis 29:26). Yet, Laban also agreed that Jacob could marry Rachel if Jacob worked for him another seven years (Genesis 29:27). Eventually, Jacob also married Rachel (Genesis 29:28-30).
So that’s Jacob’s point of view – he received the short end of the stick from Laban. He ended up marrying a woman he never intended to marry, a woman he didn’t love.
But now let’s look at it from Leah’s viewpoint.
First, we know that Leah was not beautiful like her younger sister. The Bible tells us that her eyes were “delicate” (Genesis 29:17 (NKJV)). That either means she couldn’t see well or she had blue eyes instead of the more accepted brown eyes of her culture. Although that may not seem like a big thing, the contrasting description of Rachel as “beautiful of form and appearance” shows us that Leah was not attractive like her sister (Genesis 29:17 (NKJV)).
Second, we know that she watched Jacob pursue her sister. Jacob was attracted to Rachel, not Leah.
Third, her father had her sneak into the marriage tent to deceive Jacob into marrying her. How do you think she felt knowing her father thought the only way a man would marry her was to be tricked into doing so?
Finally, the Bible tells us that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah (Genesis 29:30). Leah was married to a man who didn’t love her. That, in and of itself, would be difficult. But the situation was compounded by the fact that her husband was also married to another woman that he did love. And that other woman was her sister.
But God saw that Leah was unloved. (Genesis 29:31). So, God “opened her womb; but Rachel was barren” (Genesis 29:31 (NKJV)).
Given Rachel’s barrenness, it appears that Leah tried to get Jacob to love her by bearing him children.
- When Leah had Jacob’s first son, she named him Reuben, which means, “Look a son” (Genesis 29:32). And Leah said, “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore my husband will love me” (Genesis 29:32 (NKJV)).
- Then Leah bore Jacob a second son and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also” (Genesis 29:33 (NKJV)). So she named him Simeon, which means heard (Genesis 29:33).
- Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a third son (Genesis 29:34). Leah said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons” (Genesis 29:34 (NKJV)). She called him Levi, which means “joined to.”
For several years, Leah tried to earn Jacob’s love by bearing him children. You can feel her pain – always feeling second rate to her sister, married to a man who didn’t love her, trying to win her husband’s love, and wanting to feel loved.
Then something changed. Maybe Leah finally realized she was looking to the wrong one for love. We don’t know what caused Leah’s heart change. But she stopped focusing on what she didn’t have and started looking at what God had already given her.
So when Leah had her fourth son, she said, “Now I will praise the LORD” and named him Judah, which means praise (Genesis 29:35 (NKJV)). She learned to praise God – not for her circumstances but in her circumstances.
Maybe you feel like Leah – plain, overlooked, and unloved. No matter what your circumstances are or how invisible you feel, the truth is that God sees you. And God loves you. God loves you so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for your sins so you can have a relationship with Him (John 3:16).
God has not overlooked you. Just as God saw Leah, God sees you. And when you come to Him, like Leah did, praise will flow out of your heart.
by Catherine McDaugale | Sep 1, 2021 | Bible Study, Ministry
The Bible gives us many examples of faith, some so amazing that it’s hard for me to wrap my head around them. One of those was Abraham. When God told Abraham, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land I will show you,” Abraham “departed as the Lord had spoken to him” (Genesis 12:1, 4 (NKJV)).
Did you notice that God didn’t tell Abraham where he was going? Instead, God told him that He would show him, meaning God would show him at some later point in time. Yet, Abraham immediately obeyed. He packed up his household and left. Abraham didn’t ask a bunch of questions and drag his heels. He trusted God and did what God told him to do.
Noah is another radical example of faith in God. One day, seemingly out of the blue, God tells Noah that He is going to destroy every living thing on the earth with a flood (Genesis 6:13, 17). And God instructed Noah to build an ark that would hold Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives, and two of every kind of every living thing (Genesis 6:14-16, 18-19).
Could you imagine? One day, you wake up and start taking care of the things you need to do that day. Then God tells you that He is going to destroy every living thing with a flood.
What would you do if that happened to you? I would likely have questioned God. I would have wanted to know more of the details.
How will the flood happen?
When will it happen?
Will I have plenty of time to build the ark?
Where am I supposed to get all of that wood?
Do I really need to put pitch on the inside and the outside?
Wouldn’t it be sufficient just to put the pitch on the outside?
Would three decks really be enough to hold everything?
But the Bible doesn’t tell us that Noah questioned God. Instead, after God finished telling him how to build the ark, the Bible tells us that Noah did “according to all that God commanded him” (Genesis 6:22 (NKJV)). Noah was obedient to do what God told him to do.
Later, after the ark had been built, God tells Noah to go into the ark with his family because “after seven more days” He would cause it to rain on the earth (Genesis 7:4 (NKJV)) We know that Noah obeyed God because in the very next verse the Bible tells us that “Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him” (Genesis 7:5 (NKJV)).
What would you do in that situation? I know what I would do. I would ask why I needed to go into the ark when there were still seven more days before the rain was going to start.
But Noah had great faith. He immediately obeyed God. We should also respond with immediate obedience when God tells us to do something. We shouldn’t procrastinate, questioning God, before we finally decide to do what God wants us to do.
What if Noah had waited to go into the ark? What if he thought, “I could wait a few days and still go in five days before the rain starts, that would be plenty of time.” We don’t know what would have happened because the Bible doesn’t tell us.
Maybe something would have prevented Noah and his family from going into the ark if they had waited. Maybe nothing would have happened. Either way, the fact that Noah immediately obeyed God shows us that Noah had faith. He believed God and did what God told him to do because he trusted that God knew the best way to do what needed to be done.
And Noah’s faith pleased God. Noah is named in the revered “Hall of Faith.” The Bible tells us,
By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV))
Let’s be like Abraham and Noah, trusting God with our lives.
What is God calling you to do? Maybe He’s calling you to serve at your church. Or maybe He’s asked you to pray for or encourage someone.
Maybe you’ve questioned God about what He’s called you to do. You may think you’re not good enough. Or you may be worried how the person would react if you asked to pray for her.
Don’t worry about whether you are good enough or what other people may think. God will equip you to do what He’s called you to do. And we should be more concerned about disobeying God than how other people may respond to us.
When you hear God speaking to you, telling you to do something, step out in faith. Instead of questioning God, be obedient. Do what God has asked you to do. Let your life be a radical demonstration of faith that will encourage others to walk by faith with God.
by Catherine McDaugale | Aug 1, 2021 | Ministry, Thoughts
As I was reading through Genesis the other day, I came to the part where Abraham’s servant goes to get a bride for Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham asked his servant to swear that he would not take a bride for Isaac from one of the women in the land where they were living but that he would go back to his family for a bride (Genesis 24:2-4). The servant did so and traveled to the place where Abraham had once lived (Genesis 24:9-10).
After the servant came to that place, he went to the well in the evening when the women would go to draw water (Genesis 24:11). Then he prayed.
O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, “Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,” and she says, “Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink” – let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. (Genesis 24:12-14 (NKJV))
While he was still praying, Rebekah came to the well to draw water (Genesis 24:15). When he asked Rebekah for a drink, she agreed (Genesis 24:17-18). Then Rebekah offered – on her own – to draw water for his camels (Genesis 24:19).
This was no small task. A camel is a desert animal that can go a long time without drinking water. But when it does, a camel will drink about 30 gallons. And the servant had brought ten camels with him (Genesis 24:10). That’s about 300 gallons of water that Rebekah had to draw from the well!
God had answered the servant’s prayer while he was still speaking it. Amazing. Then it struck me. This is not the only woman we meet at a well in the Bible. And the two women were so very different.
We meet the other woman in the book of John. Jesus and His disciples were traveling from Jerusalem to the Galilee, and Jesus “needed” to go through Samaria (John 4:3-4 (NKJV)). Going through Samaria would break the Jewish practice of going around Samaria. The reason it was a big deal for the Jewish people to travel through that area is another blog post in itself. For our purposes here, let’s just say that it was not a common thing to do.
When Jesus and His disciples reached a certain well, the disciples went into the city to buy food (John 4:6, 8). But Jesus sat by the well on the edge of the city (John 4:6). As we read further, we see that Jesus had a plan for a woman who He would meet there.
What a stark difference there was between the woman Jesus ministered to and Rebekah:
- Rebekah was a young, beautiful woman, while the other woman was older (Genesis 24:16; John 4:18).
- Rebekah was a virgin; the other woman had been married five times and was living with a man who was not her husband (Genesis 24:16; John 4:18).
- Rebekah went to the well in the evening, which was the usual time women would go to draw water because it was cooler; the other woman went at noon in the heat of the day, probably to avoid the other women (Genesis 24:11; John 4:6).
In short, Rebekah was vibrant and ready to begin a new life; the other woman was broken and likely felt worthless.
You may be more like Rebekah: younger, raised in a good family, eager to serve the Lord. Or you may be more like the other woman: feeling run down, regretful about wasting portions of your life by living in sin. Whatever your story, whatever your past, it’s not too late. God can still work through your life. The amazing thing we see from these two women is not what they did but what God can do.
Regardless of where you are in your life, God can do His work through you if you are willing and available. The important things the two women had in common was their availability and their willingness to be used by God for His purposes.
When asked if she was willing to go with Abraham’s servant to become Isaac’s bride, Rebekah answered, “I will go” (Genesis 24:58 (NKJV)). Rebekah didn’t hesitate. She was willing to go to a different land and become a wife to a man she had never met because it was God’s plan. The night before, the servant had recounted the oath he had sworn to Abraham, his journey to find a wife for Isaac from Abraham’s family, his prayer at the well when he arrived, and God’s answer to His prayer “before [he] had finished speaking in [his] heart” (Genesis 24:34-47 (NKJV)). She witnessed the servant’s praise that he gave to God when the prayer had been answered (Genesis 24:48, 52).
Rebekah went even though it must have been scary, going to the unknown, which would change her circumstances for the rest of her life. Yet, she went. And God blessed Rebekah with being the mother of Jacob (whose name was later changed to Israel). Rebekah’s grandchildren became the 12 tribes of Israel from whom the Messiah Jesus would eventually be born.
The other woman also chose to make herself available to do God’s work. After meeting the Messiah Jesus, she left her waterpot to go into the city to tell everyone about Jesus (John 4:28-29). She brought the men of her city to meet Jesus (John 4:30). As a result of her testimony, many of them believed (John 4:39-42).
Whatever your story, God has a purpose for your life too. He has fashioned days for you (Psalm 139:16). Will you choose to make yourself available to walk in the days God has made for you?
