by Catherine McDaugale | Nov 13, 2023 | Christian Living, Thoughts
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 106:1 (NKJV))
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching – a time for family gatherings and expressions of gratitude. (And a time to wonder, Where did 2023 go?) It can be hard to give thanks if you’re going through a difficult season. Yet, God wants us to give thanks “in everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)).
It’s challenging to have a thankful heart when we’re focused on the bad stuff or the hard things. Although our feelings are very real, they can keep us from seeing the bigger picture. Instead of showing us the truth, those feelings give us tunnel vision.
But as a born-again believer, you have a lot to be thankful for. You are God’s child, and your heavenly Father is amazing!
If you’re having trouble finding reasons to be grateful this Thanksgiving, here are 20 reasons you can give thanks no matter what you’re going through. Take a moment to look up the verse for each one. Then meditate on how awesome that truth is!
- God is good (Psalm 100:5).
- God loves you (John 3:16; 1 John 3:16).
- God is always with you (Psalm 139:7; Matthew 28:20).
- God will never leave you or drop you (Hebrews 13:5).
- God will strengthen you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God will help you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God will uphold you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God is strong and mighty (Psalm 24:8).
- You are safe in Jesus’ hand (John 10:28–29).
- God thinks about you more than the number of grains of sand (Psalm 139:17–18).
- God’s thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace (Jeremiah 29:11).
- God hears your prayers (1 John 5:14–15).
- Jesus is praying for you (Romans 8:34), and so is the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26).
- God understands your thoughts (Psalm 139:2).
- God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28).
- God is conforming you into the image of His Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29).
- God will complete the work He has started in you (Philippians 1:6).
- Jesus is preparing a place for you so you can be with Him (John 14:2–3).
- Jesus will come again (John 14:3).
- One day, God will make everything new (Revelation 21:5).
So, “[e]nter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)). Focus on who God is and all He has done and continues to do for you. Choose to be filled with gratitude as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Oct 16, 2023 | Christian Living, Life, Ministry
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:39 (NKJV))
Difficult people can be . . . well . . . difficult. So, what should you do when you encounter them?
It’s tempting to try to get away as soon as you can – or avoid them altogether. Let’s face it, sometimes we wish we were high up on a mountaintop where they can’t find us. But that’s not what God wants us to do. Instead, the simple answer is that you should love them.
We all have difficult people in our lives. I’ve heard it said that if you can’t think of anyone then you’re the difficult one (haha). But seriously, we can all be “difficult” at some point or another. So, dealing with difficult people is just a part of life.
Jesus told us how we should treat others. And He didn’t qualify His commandment based on how the other person treats you. Jesus said,
“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))
Who is your neighbor? It’s common in the English language to think of your neighbor as being limited to the person who lives next door to you. However, the Greek word for neighbor is plesion, which means any person who comes across your path.
Jesus’ commandments can be simply put: love God and love others. And how are we to love them? The Greek word for love in that verse is agape – the kind of love with which God loves us – a self-sacrificial love. It’s the highest kind of love.
In First Corinthians 13, we learn more about agape love. It tells us,
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (NKJV))
Jesus calls you to be patient with the person who irritates you. He wants you to be kind to someone who has been disrespectful to you. He wants you to love others as He loved you.
It’s a high calling. And it’s one you can only fulfill when you’re walking in God’s Holy Spirit. You can’t love with His agape love if you only have your own selfish desires in mind.
So, the next time you need to deal with a difficult person – while talking on the phone, by responding to a text message or email, or while she is standing right there in front of you – ask God to help you love that person with His agape love. Pray for guidance about what you should do and what you should say. Ask Him for His love to flow through you and into that person’s life.
In short, love each person God puts into your path. Be patient. Be kind. Don’t be proud or rude. And don’t demand that you get your own way. Choose to do things God’s way and love others with His agape love as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Sep 18, 2023 | Christian Living, Spiritual Growth
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. (John 13:23 (NKJV))
How close are you to Jesus? Are you walking right beside Him?
When I was thinking about it the other day, I remembered a family I had seen walking to the park on a sunny afternoon. The parents walked steadily down the path. Yet, their kids either lagged behind, darted ahead, or ran all around them. At times, the kids were on the path. But other times, they were out in the field, pushing the boundaries of how far they were allowed to go.
It was apparent that each child was focused on his own agenda. Most of the time, they didn’t walk closely with their parents. And the farther away they got, the louder their parents had to shout so their kids could hear them.
Our walk with Jesus can be like that. We don’t always walk closely with Him. As God’s children, we can be like the kids in that family. Sometimes we get way out ahead of Jesus, slow way down, or go off the straight and narrow path, doing our own thing. The farther we get from Him, the harder it is to hear what He’s saying.
And God doesn’t shout at us. Instead, He usually speaks to us like He spoke to Elijah.
When Elijah ran away and hid in a cave, God told him,
“Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. (1 Kings 11–12 (NKJV))
God didn’t shout at Elijah. Instead, He whispered to him.
And God speaks to us in the same way. He often speaks to us in a still small voice. So, if we’re not close to Him, we won’t hear what He wants to tell us. If we don’t draw near to Him and pay attention, we won’t be able to hear Him whisper.
But if we’re like John, so close that we could rest our head on Jesus’ chest (John 13:23), or like Mary, sitting at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:39), we’ll be able to hear Jesus whisper to us. We’ll be able to hear everything He says.
If you want to be close to God, He’s given us a beautiful promise. When we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). God lets you choose whether you want to be close to Him.
So, how close are you to Jesus? Are you close enough to hear Him whisper to you? If you’re not, take God up on His promise. Draw near to Him.
- Spend time in His Word, the Bible, finding out what He wants you to learn.
- Put on a worship song and praise Him.
- Talk to Him all throughout your day.
- Meditate on His power and might.
- Keep your thoughts focused on Him.
Then, stay close to Jesus and listen for His voice as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Sep 4, 2023 | Christian Living, Ministry
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him [Jesus] and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” (Luke 10:40 (NKJV))
On the one hand, it’s easy to judge Martha. We can look on from afar – knowing Jesus’ admonition that Mary had chosen best by sitting at His feet and hearing His word (Luke 10:39, 41–42) – and quickly condemn Martha for not doing the same thing.
But on the other hand, could you imagine if Jesus was at your house for dinner? Wouldn’t you want everything to be perfect? You’d likely get out the pretty place settings and cook a delicious meal. You’d want all the finest for Jesus. Not to mention vacuuming, ensuring that the bathroom was clean, and picking up the toys that had been strewn all over the floor.
It’s important to remember that serving isn’t bad. And it wasn’t bad for Martha to want Mary to help her. Martha’s desire for Mary’s assistance – in and of itself – wasn’t wrong. Maybe Martha thought that, with Mary’s help, she’d be able to finish all that needed to be done so she too could sit with Jesus.
But the order Martha did things was wrong. When we’re serving Jesus, the order is always relationship first and then serving.
Without relationship, our works are meaningless from an eternal perspective. Jesus told us, “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)). Jesus taught us that we need to abide in Him because, without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).
God has planned days for us (Psalm 139:16) and prepared good works for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). But we cannot know
- what He has for us,
- how He wants us to do the work, or
- have the strength to do that work in His way
without abiding in Jesus. We need to start by spending time with our Lord and Savior, at His feet, hearing His word.
We can do a lot of things for Jesus in our own way and in our own strength. But those things won’t have any eternal value.
We see evidence that Martha was doing it in the wrong order. We know that she was serving in her own strength because she was complaining. She told Jesus, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?” (Luke 10:40 (NKJV)). In other words, “It’s not fair. I’m doing all the work!”
We also see that this happened with the church in Ephesus. They were doing a lot of works. But they were doing those works in their own way and in their own strength. It had become all works and no relationship. And Jesus’ response? He said, “I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4 (NKJV)). Ouch!
But Jesus gave them the remedy. He told them, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” (Revelation 2:5 (NKJV)). He wanted them to remember the most important thing – their relationship with Him; turn back to Him; and do those things they did when they first came to know Him.
Remember when you first came to Jesus? You wanted to spend time with Him. You desired to be close to Him. And you were overjoyed at the opportunity to be in His presence and learn about whatever He wanted to show you.
So, let’s stay close to Jesus. Let’s keep the order straight in our lives: relationship then works. Spend time sitting at the feet of Jesus, hearing His word. Praise Him for who He is. Be present with Jesus and look to Him for direction 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 | Jun 12, 2023 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Spiritual Growth
The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. (Psalm 119:160 (NKJV))
Food is a funny thing, isn’t it? On the one hand, we need food to survive. Without food, your body will use its stores of fat and muscle until there is nothing else to sustain it. Studies suggest that we can only survive about one to two months without eating food.
On the other hand, we can abuse food by eating things that are unhealthy. Brain imaging has shown that when a person eats sugar, it stimulates the brain in the same way that drugs, like cocaine, do. The bottom line is that eating certain food leads to health while other food leaves us overweight, sluggish, and sickly.
It’s the same with spiritual food. There is spiritual food that leads to life. And other food that will lead to death.
The source of our spiritual food is crucial. We can get caught up in listening to things that sound good to us. Yet, they aren’t true. The Bible warns us that
a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. (2 Timothy 4:3–4 (NLT))
When we eat unhealthy spiritual food, it leaves us sluggish and sickly – in a spiritual sense. It moves us farther away from, instead of closer to, God.
We must remember that only one source of spiritual food is founded on truth. The rest are derived from lies.
And the source of that truth is God’s Word, the Bible. As Psalm 119:160 teaches us, all of God’s Word is truth. To be spiritually healthy, we need to be nourished by the truth found in His Word.
Indeed, Jesus’ Words are life (John 6:63). He is the bread of life (John 6:35, 58). And, we can feed on God’s faithfulness (Psalm 37:3).
When we eat healthy spiritual food, our walk with God grows closer and more intimate and our faith is built up. We are stronger and able to withstand spiritual attacks from the enemy because we are firmly grounded in God’s Word.
So, let’s commit to eating healthy food – the spiritual food that leads to life. Spend time in God’s Word, the Bible, every day, feeding your soul. Stay spiritually healthy so you can walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | May 29, 2023 | Christian Living, Life
Jesus said, “‘[Y]ou shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30(NKJV) (quoting Deuteronomy 6:4))
Without a doubt, I’ve had days that don’t start off well. Those days often begin with me waking up late. I jump out of bed and hurry to get ready and out the door. Inevitably, a day like that leaves me frazzled and anxious. And I never seem to make up for the time that was lost at the beginning of the day.
On the other hand, days that start well begin with prayer. On those days, I wake up and focus my mind on God. I take the time (in bed or in the shower) to talk with God and pray through what Jesus told us is the greatest commandment: to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).
Those days always go better. With a good start, I’m able to prioritize what’s important and rely on God throughout my day.
I challenge you to try starting your day well. Instead of going over all the things you need to do the moment your wake up, reorient your mind to God. Then pray through the first and greatest commandment.
Here’s an example of what that might look like.
Abba, Father, You are an awesome God. You made me; You are my Creator. And You made this day. Please help me to love you with all of my mind, heart, soul, and strength.
I give You my mind. Please help me to meditate on You – on who You are and all You have done for me. Please help me to keep You first and foremost in my mind throughout the day. Help me to remember to come to You with everything that arises today – to seek Your wisdom, guidance, and strength. Help me to consider You in every decision I make.
Please protect my mind from spiritual warfare. When an unwelcome thought enters my mind, help me to take it captive to the truth in Your Word.
I give You my heart. All of my dreams and desires are in Your loving, capable hands. I release them to You, knowing that You know what’s best for me. I thank You for being my good, good Father whose will for me is perfect. So, I pray that You will do what seems good to You with each of my desires. Your will, and not mine, be done.
I praise You that my soul belongs to You. I am Yours. Thank You for saving me and forgiving all of my sins. I am so grateful that You did what I couldn’t do on my own. I thank You for keeping my soul secure in Your hands.
All that I am and all that I have is from You: my body, time, possessions, and money are Yours. Please help me to be a good steward of what You have given to me. You have blessed me with so much. Help me to glorify You with all that I do today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Then don’t forget to think about the second commandment: to love others as you love yourself (Mark 12:31). Look for opportunities to show kindness to those you encounter. Be ready to give practical help to those God puts in your path. Let someone get in front of you while you’re driving in traffic, smile at someone you pass by in the hallway, hold the door open for someone, or pray with someone in need.
As you begin each day by praying and focusing your mind on our loving, beautiful God, you’ll have the best start you could have to your day. So, start your day well. And then keep your thoughts focused on God as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | May 1, 2023 | Christian Living, Life, Ministry
Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34 (NKJV))
Can we love others like Jesus? Jesus commanded us to do so. And Jesus wouldn’t tell us to do something we couldn’t do.
Yet, it’s a high bar (to say the least). Jesus loved us (and continues to love us) with a perfect love. A love that is patient and kind. One that’s self-sacrificial. A love that’s a verb – an action – more than a feeling.
So, can we really love others like that? Let’s take a few minutes to look at just a few examples of how Jesus loved when He walked on this earth.
- Jesus was available.
When Jesus heard that His cousin (John the Baptist) had been beheaded, Jesus “departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself” (Matthew 14:13 (NKJV)). It sounds like Jesus wanted to get away to mourn. But the crowds followed Him (Matthew 14:13).
What did Jesus do in response? Did He tell them to go away because He needed time alone? Did He hide and hope they would leave? Was He rude to them?
No. When “He saw a great multitude,” Jesus “was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14 (NKJV)).
Even in His grief, Jesus made Himself available to serve the people who came to Him. He set aside His own feelings and helped them.
- Jesus was patient.
When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, Thomas wasn’t with them (John 20:24). They told Thomas that they had seen Jesus. But Thomas didn’t believe them. He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25 (NKJV)).
About a week later, Jesus appeared to His disciples again. And this time, Thomas was there (John 20:26). Did Jesus rebuke him for his unbelief? Did He ask Thomas what his problem was or criticize him?
Jesus didn’t do that. Jesus was patient. He told Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing” (John 20:27 (NKJV)).
Jesus met Thomas where he was and helped him to believe. Because Jesus was patient, Thomas was able to come fully to Jesus, calling Him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28 (NKJV)).
- Jesus served.
The night before He died on the cross, Jesus got up after dinner, “laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself” (John 13:4 (NKJV)). Then He poured water into a basin and washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:5).
In Biblical times, people wore sandals. When they traveled, their feet would get dirty. So, each house you entered typically had a basin of water and towel ready for visitors to wash their feet.
And if you were wealthy and had servants, they would assign the lowest servant to wash peoples’ feet. As I’m sure you could imagine, washing someone’s feet wasn’t something you wanted as your occupation.
Yet, Jesus – God Himself – was willing to serve His disciples in this way. He likely got down on His knees, serving those who should have been serving Him.
Earlier in His ministry, Jesus had taught His disciples that, in order to be great, one needed to be a servant (Mark 10:42-43). He told them that “whoever desires to be first shall be slave of all” (Mark 10:44 (NKJV)). Jesus then revealed to them that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 (NKJV)).
Jesus put His teaching into action. He showed His disciples that no task was beneath them. Of course, the next day, Jesus would demonstrate the greatest sacrificial love of all – when He died on the cross for our sins.
Can we love others in those ways? The answer is yes – and no.
It’s hard to love others as Jesus loved us. To be sure, it’s impossible without the help of God’s Holy Spirit. We need to ask God to help us. We need His power
- to make ourselves available when we don’t feel like serving,
- to be patient when others have a hard time believing, and
- to serve in self-sacrificial ways.
So, we can love others like Jesus with God’s help. Take time to meditate on the ways Jesus loved. Decide to follow Jesus’ command. Then ask God to help you love others as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Apr 17, 2023 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
Jesus said, “I am the true vine . . . Abide in Me . . . .” (John 15:1, 4 (NKJV))
Where do you live? I’m not talking about your address. We can be in one place physically with our minds somewhere entirely different.
Jesus instructed us to abide in Him. Abide means to stay in a given place – to be present or remain. We should remain in Jesus. In other words, we should live in Him with everything we are, including our minds.
If we live with our minds focused on Jesus, we’ll be attached to Him. Jesus is the true vine. In the metaphor, the Bible compares us to branches (John 15:5). A branch must be attached to the vine to get the nutrients it needs to grow and produce fruit.
But we can only get that sustenance from the true vine. We can try to get it from somewhere other than Jesus. There are other vines. Yet, those vines won’t give us what we need. Only Jesus is the true vine.
When we connect to something other than the true vine, we end up empty. Unfulfilled. Depressed. The false vines are detrimental to us and poison our minds.
So, where do you live? Where is your mind most of the time?
Do you . . .
- binge-watch tv shows or movies on Netflix or some other streaming service, numbing your mind to reality?
- ruminate on your circumstances, replaying something that happened over and over again?
- dwell on your finances, worrying about where the next dollar will come from, bills that need to be paid, or how to get more money?
- obsess about your appearance – the clothes you want to wear, how to do your makeup just right, how to fix your hair, looking in every mirror you pass by?
- constantly think about food, planning what you will or won’t eat, where you will get it, and how good it will taste?
To be clear, the Bible doesn’t say we should never think about these things. It doesn’t tell us it’s a sin to enjoy wholesome entertainment. Instead, those things shouldn’t consume us. They shouldn’t separate us from the true vine.
Examine yourself. Be honest about where you live. Is your mind immersed in those things? Or are you living in Jesus?
Are you . . .
- reading the Bible and learning about the things Jesus wants to share with you?
- talking to Jesus as you go throughout your day?
- praising Jesus for who He is?
- thanking Jesus for all that He’s done?
When we remain in Jesus, we’re in the best place we could be. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11 (NKJV)). There’s joy when we stay connected to the true vine. There’s a calm delight in being where we’re supposed to be.
So, I’ll ask you again: where do you live? It’s your choice. You can decide to live in the true vine, Jesus. Or you can waste your time on something that will have no eternal value.
Let’s choose to remain in Jesus so we can walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Apr 3, 2023 | Bible Study, Life
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14-15 (NKJV))
How stubborn are you? Are you unwilling to alter something that you know God wants you to change? Many in our society are stubborn – unwilling to yield or turn from the direction they’ve chosen.
And we’re not the only ones who are stubborn. God referred to the Israelites as “stiff‑necked” (see, e.g., Exodus 32:9 (NKJV)). I love how that gives us a visual of our stubbornness. When a person is stiff‑necked, she is unwilling to turn her head from the course she wants to take.
We see this play out when the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. At one point, the Israelites complained about the manna (the bread from heaven) that God provided for them to eat. They called the bread “worthless” and said they “loathe[d]” it (Numbers 21:5 (NKJV)).
“So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.” (Numbers 21:6 (NKJV))
Then, in His graciousness, God directed Moses to make a serpent and put it on a pole, so “everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live” (Numbers 21:8 (NKJV)). Moses did so. And anyone who was bitten lived “when he looked at the bronze serpent” (Numbers 21:9 (NKJV)).
Such an easy remedy, right? You would think all of them would have looked at the serpent. After all, the only thing they needed to do was open their eyes and turn their heads.
Yet, the Bible doesn’t say that all of them looked and lived. If they refused to look, they died. If anyone was stubborn, it would cost him his life.
The same thing is happening today. The penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23). And all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). So, each of us is facing death.
But God has given us a remedy too. He loves us so much that He “gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 (NKJV)). Jesus was lifted up – like the serpent on the pole – so anyone willing to look to and believe in Him will have eternal life (John 3:14-15, 36).
Jesus paid the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross. It’s a free gift. One only needs to accept and open the gift that’s been given. “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13 (NKJV)).
So, how stubborn are you? Are you willing to turn your head to look to Jesus and believe in Him? I’m ashamed to say it took me 37 years before I was willing.
If you haven’t already, turn your head and look to Jesus. Believe in Him. Don’t be stiff‑necked. Don’t be stubborn. Your stubbornness could cost you your life.
Instead, believe in Jesus. Accept the free gift of salvation He’s given to you. Yield to Jesus. And then walk by faith with Him into eternity.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Feb 20, 2023 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 (NKJV))
Remember that cute guy in high school? The one you stared at every chance you got. You were nervous every time he walked by you in the hallway because it might be the moment he would finally notice you.
What would you have done if he had written you a note? I’m guessing you wouldn’t have set it aside to read later. You wouldn’t have put it in a place you could see so you would remember to read it – yet, never actually get around to opening it.
And I’ll bet it didn’t go unread so long that you finally committed to waking up at 6:00 every morning to read three lines a day until you had finally finished reading it. Then, when you did read three lines on the morning you managed to drag yourself out of bed, you probably wouldn’t have forgotten what you read almost immediately after you read it.
I would be surprised if that’s how it went down.
No, the moment you had that letter in your hand, it would have set your heart on fire. You wouldn’t have hardly been able to wait until you had a moment to open it. And then you would have devoured it. You would’ve taken it all in, reread it multiple times, and literally held it close to your heart.
Why? You loved him and wanted to know what he said.
It’s the same now with my husband. When he writes me a note, I want to read it as soon as I can. I want to know the words he took the time to pen. I know the note will reveal something about what he thinks and who he is.
It’s about relationship, isn’t it? In a relationship, you want to know the other person. You want to
- hear his voice;
- discover what he likes;
- find out what he hates; and
- be close to him.
You read something he wrote because you get to, not because you have to.
So, why is it so hard to read the Bible sometimes?
God has written down things for you to read. The Bible is literally God’s word. And when you take time to read it, the Holy Spirit teaches you what God wants you to know in that moment.
The point is that we make time for the things we want to do. Are you reading the Bible because you think you have to – as an item on your checklist? Or do you open it up and read it because you get to?
Check your heart motivation. If you find that you’ve been reading the Bible mainly because you’re supposed to and not because you want to, ask God to give you the desire to read His word.
God wants you to know about the things He loves and the things He hates. He wants you to know Him better. God wants you to know how much He loves you. And His words are life (John 6:63). If you truly want that desire, God will give it to you.
So, open up God’s word and devour it. Take it all in. Think about God and who He is – not because you have to but because you get to. Keep God in your thoughts all day long as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Jan 23, 2023 | Christian Living, Life
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35 (NKJV))
What have you done for me lately? Have you ever heard that song from the 80s? In it, Janet Jackson bemoans her boyfriend’s inattentiveness and his failure to do things for her. That idea is ingrained in our culture. You know, why should I do anything for you if you haven’t done anything for me?
It’s not uncommon to hear people say things like,
“What’s in it for me?”
“How am I going to benefit from it?”
Or, “There’s no point in doing it if I don’t get something out of it.”
It’s all about me, isn’t it? It’s about what I will gain from an interaction, a job, or a relationship.
Sure, maybe it’s not that overt. But I’ve heard women complain that their husbands never help out around the house with chores. And, I’ve heard them say their husbands can just deal with something on their own because they never help them with problems that arise. Essentially, they’re saying, “What has he done for me lately?”
Relationships can leave you feeling empty when the other person seems to only take and not give. Maybe it’s not a husband but a friend who’s only focused on herself. Or it could be parents who take more than they give. You’re their child, after all, so you wish for once they would focus on your needs instead of their own.
Relationships aren’t always trouble-free. We all have someone in our lives who can be difficult. It could be easy to start thinking, What have you done for me lately?
But it’s not about you. And it’s not about me. It’s not about what someone else should be doing for you. It’s about what Christ Jesus has done for each one of us.
As born-again believers, we’ve given our lives to Jesus. As the Bible teaches,
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 (NKJV))
Jesus died on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. When we were born again, we became His. Our lives belong to Jesus.
And Jesus wants us to love others. He calls us to live self-sacrificially. When we do, His love flows through us and impacts others.
Remember what Jesus’ love is like? His love
- “suffers long and is kind”;
- “does not envy”;
- “does not parade itself”;
- “is not puffed up”;
- “does not behave rudely”;
- “does not seek its own”;
- “is not provoked”;
- “thinks no evil”;
- “does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth”; and
- “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NKJV))
So, instead of asking, “What have you done for me lately?” let’s love others like Jesus wants us to love them. Let’s show others that we are Jesus’ disciples as we walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Jan 9, 2023 | Christian Living, Life
“If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:15-16 (NKJV))
When Jesus prayed for His disciples, He did not pray for God to take them out of the world (John 17:15). And before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15 (NKJV)).
We’re not supposed to isolate ourselves, go off the grid, or move to a remote area where there aren’t any people. Doing so would be contrary to Jesus’ command to preach the gospel to everyone.
In addition to staying in the world, Jesus commanded us to love others (Matthew 22:39). Yet, we’re not supposed to be in love with the world or the things in it.
If you’re longing for the things in this world, you’ll be distracted by stuff that doesn’t matter. Meditating on getting what you don’t have – like a new car, house, purse, or jewelry – will keep you from whatever God has for you. Jesus warned that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)).
We see an example in Lot’s life of what can happen when you fall in love with the world.
Lot was Abraham’s nephew. He had been with Abraham for years before they separated. And, we know that he worshipped God because the Bible tells us he was a righteous man (2 Peter 2:7).
But Lot’s priorities got mixed up. He fell in love with the world. It started when he “lifted his eyes” toward Sodom (a picture of the world) and saw that “it was well watered everywhere . . . like the garden of the Lord” (Genesis 13:10 (NKJV)). Lot liked what he saw and wanted it for himself.
Then Lot’s actions followed his eyes. He “chose for himself,” moved, and “pitched his tent” near Sodom (Genesis 13:11-12 (NKJV)).
Lot did what he wanted based on what Sodom offered him, instead of asking what God wanted for him. He chose to be part of a place where the men “were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord” (Genesis 13:13 (NKJV)).
Later, Lot moved into Sodom and lived there (Genesis 14:12). Lot had fallen in love with the world and wanted to be part of it.
By the time God destroyed Sodom for its wickedness, Lot was “sitting in the gate of Sodom” (Genesis 19:1 (NKJV)). He had become one of them. As Jon Courson noted in his commentary on this verse,
Like every other city gate in biblical times, the gate in which Lot sat was a large area at the entrance of the city wherein the city leaders would give advice and render civic decisions. The fact that Lot sat in Sodom’s gate indicates he had become a leader of Sodom.
Lot compromised to get what Sodom offered. He didn’t make an impact on Sodom. Sodom impacted him. As the Bible tells us, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (1 Corinthians 15:33 (NKJV)).
Lot didn’t even influence his own family. When Lot told his sons-in-law to get up and leave because God was going to destroy Sodom, they thought he was joking (Genesis 19:14).
In the end, Lot didn’t gain anything from Sodom. It was all burned up when God “rained brimstone and fire on Sodom” (Genesis 19:24 (NKJV)). He even lost most of his family – his daughters and sons-in-law (who refused to leave) and his wife (who looked back intently toward Sodom and became a pillar of salt).
We won’t take anything with us either when we die. The only eternal difference we can make during our lifetime is to abide in Jesus and do His work.
So, don’t be like Lot. Don’t fall in love with the world. Instead, keep your eyes fixed firmly on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2). Be set apart for God – in the world but not of it – as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Dec 12, 2022 | Christian Living, Ministry, Spiritual Growth
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV))
Do you want all God has for you? God has fashioned days for you (Psalm 139:16). Although we’re not saved by good works, we are saved by grace, through faith, for those good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). God has prepared those works for you beforehand that you should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
God wants to do things in and through your life. But He won’t force you. He gives you the choice. Yet, when you say no, you miss out on so much joy.
So, I’ll ask the question again: Do you want all God has for you?
If you do, you will need to be persistent and focused. And you’ll have to watch out for discouragement. Unfortunately, discouragement can come from well-meaning sources.
Toward the end of Elijah’s ministry as a prophet, God told him that Elisha would take his place (1 Kings 19:16). So, Elijah went and threw his mantle – his garment or cloak – on Elisha (1 Kings 19:19). Elisha then followed Elijah and became his servant (1 Kings 19:21). By being Elijah’s servant, it prepared him to be God’s prophet.
Now, you may know that Elijah was one of two people in the Bible who never died. Instead, God took Elijah home to be with Him in a chariot of fire by a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). When it came close to that time,
Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.
Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?”
And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!” (2 Kings 2:1-3 (NKJV))
The same thing happened two more times when Elijah continued on to Jericho and then to the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:4-6). Yet, Elisha was persistent. Each time Elijah told him, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on,” Elisha declared, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” And he stayed with Elijah.
And even when others asked him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” he kept on. He didn’t stop. Elisha didn’t get bummed out or sidetracked. He was focused.
If Elisha hadn’t remained persistent and focused, he wouldn’t have received all God had for him. After they crossed over the Jordan River, Elijah said to Elisha,
“Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”
Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” (2 Kings 2:9-10 (NKJV))
Did you catch that? Elijah told him, “if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” That means if Elisha had gotten sidetracked or discouraged at any point and hadn’t stayed with Elijah, he wouldn’t have seen Elijah when he was taken up in the whirlwind. And then he wouldn’t have received a double portion.
It makes sense, doesn’t it? God won’t give you more to do when you’ve already decided to stop doing what He’s already entrusted to you. If you’re not faithful with what God’s already given you, He’s not going to add anything to your plate.
We see this principle repeated in the parable of the talents. The servant who hid his talent and didn’t even try had his talent taken away. But those who used their talents were given more (Matthew 25:24-28).
So, the question remains: Do you want all God has for you? Or are you only pursuing what God has for you halfheartedly? If you’re not all in, seeking all God has for you, you could miss out.
I know the path can get hard. Sometimes the circumstances make continuing on to the next place difficult. It can feel cold and lonely. But let’s be persistent and focused. Let’s choose to be women who seek all God has for us as we walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Nov 28, 2022 | Christian Living, Spiritual Growth, Thoughts
You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. (Nehemiah 9:6 (NKJV))
When someone introduces a speaker, he’ll tell you a little about the person. You’ll learn who he is, where he’s from, and why he’s qualified to tell you about the topic he’s speaking on. But God needs no introduction. He just is. He always was. And He always will be.
So, the Bible doesn’t start by giving us God’s credentials. Instead, it simply says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 (NKJV)). God is God, and we are not.
Yet, we try to put God into a box sometimes, don’t we? We try to define Him. Or we try to bring God down to our level by making Him smaller and quantifiable. Like Natalie Grant lamented in her song, King of the World:
I try to fit You in the walls inside my mind
I try to keep You safely in between the lines
I try to put You in the box that I’ve designed
I try to pull You down so we are eye-to-eye
When did I forget that You’ve always been the King of the world?
I try to take life back right out of the hands of the King of the world
How could I make You so small when You’re the One who holds it all?
It’s the old story of us wanting to be God. Before Eve sinned, Satan tempted her by appealing to her pride. He told Eve that her eyes would be opened if she ate the forbidden fruit. He promised that she would “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5 (NKJV)). He insinuated that God was trying to hold her back and keep her from being all that she could be.
I think we all make the mistake of trying to put God in a box sometimes. Our pride rises up, and we think we know best. We try to make ourselves equal to God. Yet, when we do, we’re making an idol.
Countless people before us have tried to minimize God by making idols of wood, clay, stone, silver, and gold. They gave those idols human characteristics that they could understand. But those idols were not God. As the Bible tells us:
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat. (Psalm 115:4-7 (NKJV))
Idols cannot help us. They cannot see, hear, or do anything. They are lifeless.
You can’t make any image that would even come close to representing God. And you can’t fit God into a box. The almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing God cannot be contained or recreated by His creation. Our Creator exceeds our understanding.
And that’s a good thing. Anything you could hold in your hand or fully grasp with your mind would not be able to help you. Anything you make is limited by your own resources.
But our God is limitless. He is the One who made the heavens and the earth. He is the One who made you and me. Our God is bigger and more amazing than we could imagine. Praise Him!
So, don’t put God in a box. Don’t try to diminish who He is. You can’t hold Him in your hand. But God’s holding you in His as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Oct 24, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1 (NKJV))
How do you live for God? The Bible instructs us to give our lives to Him. We are to offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice.
What does that mean? Living for God is a moment-by-moment surrender to Him. It’s about doing things His way and not the way you think you should be doing them.
If you’re born again, you are indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). God is with you every moment of every day and night. So, remind yourself of His presence. Pay attention to Him. As you surrender to God, listen for the direction He gives you.
For example, when you wake up in the morning, acknowledge that God is with you. Ask Him what He wants you to do that day. Sure, you may already know that you’re going to work. Or that you’ll be homeschooling your kids. Yet, God will guide you throughout your day.
When a thought comes into your mind that you should open your Bible and spend time with God, take the time to do it. Instead of checking your email or spending time on social media, use that time to seek God.
Before you begin reading, ask God to speak to you and teach you something He wants you to learn. Then when He shows you something He wants you to stop doing, obey Him and stop doing it. Likewise, if God shows you something you should be doing, obey Him and start doing it. If you ask God for help, He will help you.
As you go through your day, pay attention to the Holy Spirit as He guides you. When you’re talking to your colleagues at work and one of them starts gossiping about someone, you may start to feel uncomfortable. You know God doesn’t want you to gossip. If the Holy Spirit is prompting you to politely leave the conversation, obey His guidance and leave.
Then, that evening, maybe you start watching a movie you’ve been wanting to watch. Everyone has been talking about how good it is. But then you hear them use Jesus’ name as a curse word or there’s nudity. You think, I shouldn’t be watching this. God has said that I shouldn’t “misuse” His name (Exodus 20:7 (NLT)) and that I should abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3). When you have that thought, obey God and turn it off.
God’s Holy Spirit will lead you all throughout your day. When you decide to live for God, He will guide you. Listen for His voice and obey Him when He speaks to you.
Change the station when a song comes on the radio that has profanity in it. Listen when He tells you not to send an email in anger. Repent when you realize that you said something you shouldn’t have said. Forgive someone who’s wronged you.
Living your life for God is a moment-by-moment surrender to whatever He wants you to do. It’s a choice to live a life pleasing to Him.
Can we do it perfectly? No. As Paul lamented, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate” (Romans 7:15 (NLT)).
But praise God because He is so gracious to forgive us when we mess up. “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)).
So, live for God. Surrender your life to Him as a living sacrifice. Choose to listen to His voice as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Sep 26, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45 (NKJV))
Words are powerful. They can build one person up and tear another down. Inspire or crush. The words you say can make the difference between a great day with your husband or a cringeworthy one.
And your words reveal the state of your heart. As the Bible teaches us, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person” (Proverbs 27:19 (NLT)).
Bitter people spew venom – words that sear and scald. And hurting people use caustic words that wound others. As they say, hurting people hurt people. Misery loves company, doesn’t it?
So, what do your words say about you? Do they reflect your relationship with Jesus? Can people tell from the things you say that you’ve been spending time with Him?
Listen to yourself when you talk. Do your words glorify God? Edify others? Or do your words reveal a heart problem?
For example, God commanded us not to take His name in vain (Exodus 20:7). God told us, “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse His name” (Exodus 20:7 (NLT)).
The word vain means empty, worthless. God’s name is holy. It is the name above all other names. It is far above “every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:21 (NKJV)). When His name comes out of your mouth, it should be used with reverence and awe.
Yet, it’s common in our society to use His name carelessly, recklessly, or even as a curse word. The exclamation, “Oh my God!” or its shorthand “OMG!” falls out of kids’ and grownups’ mouths alike. When it does, the person usually has no intention of actually calling on Him.
And the speech of many is peppered with the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus without any respect for His beautiful name. You hear it on the streets, on colleagues’ lips, and in movies and television shows. It’s so commonplace that many who profess to be Christian don’t think twice about hearing it or carelessly saying it themselves.
As James taught us, “And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” (James 3:10 (NLT)).
If you notice that your words reveal a heart problem, pray to God. Ask Him to reveal the state of your heart. Bitterness often results from a lack of forgiveness. And careless words can demonstrate a lack of respect for God or an absence of love for those around you.
Once God shows you what you need to take care of, confess any sin. Then ask God to help you forgive whatever needs to be forgiven and to give you a greater respect for Him and more love for others.
We need to be careful with our words. Remember that the words you speak make a difference in the lives of those around you.
Let’s be women whose words encourage and bless the people in our lives. Let us use words that are “fitly spoken” – ones that are “like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11 (NKJV)). Let our speech glorify God as we walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Aug 29, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Ministry
God said, “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all my will.” (Acts 13:22 (NKJV))
The other day, I was reading an article about Stanley Jenkins. I’m pretty sure you’ve never heard of him. I hadn’t either. Stanley lived from 1884 to 1967. When he died, he left no wife or children. He’s not known as a man who did something incredibly noble. Instead, he’s credited as the inventor of the corn dog. [1]
That’s his legacy – corn dog inventor. A man who obtained a patent for a machine to skewer and deep fry hot dogs dipped in a corn meal mixture.
Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a good corn dog from time to time. But after you’re gone, is that all you want to be known for?
It got me thinking, we only have one life. When your time is up, what will people say about you? What will you be known for? Inventing a food dish? Or someone who loved God?
David was known as a man after God’s own heart. He was known as a man who would do God’s will. Wouldn’t that be a beautiful way to be remembered?
It sounds like a high standard. Maybe you’re thinking that’s something you could never live up to. Yet, David wasn’t perfect. He made many mistakes. He not only committed adultery but tried to cover it up by having the woman’s husband killed (2 Samuel 11:2-5, 14-17). It wasn’t perfection that gave David this legacy. It was his love for God and his faith in Him.
When David heard that Israel was being taunted by one of the Philistine giants named Goliath, (1 Samuel 17:4-11, 23), he asked, “[W]ho is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26 (NKJV)). David knew that Goliath was not just challenging men, but God Himself.
So, when Saul told David that he wouldn’t be able to fight Goliath because he was just a youth, David assured him that the Lord – who delivered him from the lion’s paw and the bear’s paw as he shepherded his father’s flock – would also deliver him from the hand of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:37). David trusted God.
Not only did David openly trust God before all the people, he also expressed his love for God. When the ark of God – the place where God would meet the high priest once a year – was brought up to Jerusalem, “David danced before the Lord with all his might,” leaping and whirling before Him (2 Samuel 6:14-16 (NKJV)).
David gives us a good example to follow. We should aim to be known as women who love God and trust Him.
In your life, are you known as a woman after God’s own heart who will do all His will? Do those around you even know that you’re a Christian? What evidence is there of your love for God?
I’m not suggesting that you do things to call attention to yourself and what you’re doing so people will notice you. Jesus warned us not to be like the Pharisees who loved to “pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men” (Matthew 6:5 (NKJV)).
But if you live your life loving God, being sensitive to His Spirit, and willing to step out in faith to do the things He asks you to do, people will know you love God. As you abide in Jesus by reading the Bible, talking to Him, and worshipping Him, it will be evident that you’ve spent time with Him.
And as you live a life of obedience, your life will bless others. Don’t be afraid to pray with someone He asks you to pray with. Be bold to share with others what God is doing in your life. Make yourself available to serve those around you.
As we do these things, we will become known as women after God’s own heart. So let’s commit our lives to Jesus as we walk by faith with Him.
Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
[1] Kerry J. Byrne, “Meet the American who invented the ‘clean, wholesome’ corn dog,” Fox News, Jun. 10, 2022, https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/meet-american-invented-corn-dog.
by Catherine McDaugale | Jul 18, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood! (Isaiah 10:15 (NKJV))
It’s easy to take credit for the things that God is doing in and through your life. But the truth is that God deserves all the glory. He is the One who should get the praise. That’s because He is the one who
- made you;
- gave you certain abilities and intellect;
- gives you strength each day;
- puts each breath in your lungs; and
- guides you with His Spirit.
When we do God’s work, we are tools in His hand – like the ax or the saw in the verse above.
It seems ridiculous to imagine an ax looking back at you with a wink and boasting, “Look at all the wood I chopped. Aren’t I the sharpest, strongest ax you’ve ever seen?” You know that someone made the ax and sharpened it. And the strength and guidance of the one who was wielding the ax was responsible for the wood being cut.
Or let’s put it in more conventional terms. Let’s say you’re making vegetable soup for dinner. You went to the store to shop for the ingredients, washed the vegetables, and used your knife to cut them up just right. What if your knife started bragging about all of the work it had done?
You would know it was just a tool you had used. It didn’t do the work. Instead, the knife was used by you to accomplish your purpose of making the soup.
The same thing happens when we do God’s work. God works in and through us to accomplish His purpose. We shouldn’t take any credit for it because God is the One who did everything. He equips us for the work, prepares the way before us, and gives us strength through His Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. We are tools in His mighty, capable hand.
Although we make ourselves available and submit to His plan, we cannot please God with our own efforts. We need His help to do His work the right way. As Jesus told 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)).
So, don’t get full of yourself. Resist the urge to steal God’s glory. As my pastor said the other evening, if your head gets too big, God might take a big pin and pop it. God won’t give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8). Humble yourself or, one day, God will humble you.
Instead, give credit where credit is due. Praise God for all He is doing in and through your life. Tell others about the amazing things God has done. Share with them how God equipped you, helped you, and gave you the strength and ability to do His work. Remind them about the way God lined up certain things so it was possible for Him to work through you in that situation.
And, remember that God deserves all the glory. “Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!” (Revelation 19:1 (NKJV)). He is the One who will be exalted among the nations (Psalm 46:10). And one day, every knee will bow to Him (Romans 14:11).
Let’s exalt Jesus’ name now, remembering that we are tools in God’s hand as we walk by faith with Him.
* Photo by Alexei Scutari on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Jun 20, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth, Thoughts
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NKVJ))
War is real. Countries invade other countries. Lives are lost and devastation follows. It’s no surprise. Jesus told us in the last days we would “hear of wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6 (NKJV)).
But did you know that there is a spiritual war going on around you? A battle is being fought at this very moment in the spiritual realm. As the Bible explains, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)).
We’re at war. And many don’t even know it. That war is being fought over people’s souls and Christians’ lives. Although we can’t see it, it doesn’t make it any less real.
We get a peek into this spiritual realm through God’s prophet, Elisha. When Elisha and his servant were surrounded by a great army with horses and chariots, the servant was afraid (2 Kings 6:15). Wouldn’t you be afraid too? I would. But Elisha told his servant, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16 (NKJV)).
I’ll bet at first the servant thought Elisha had lost his mind. Maybe he looked at himself and then at Elisha. Yep, there were only two of them. Two. . . versus a great army. What was Elisha talking about?
Elisha then prayed that God would open the servant’s eyes so he could see (2 Kings 6:17). “Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17 (NKJV)).
That must have been an amazing sight. Elisha’s servant was able to put on spiritual glasses (so to speak) to see what was really going on. He had the privilege of seeing what most are unable to witness.
We get more insight into the spiritual realm from another one of God’s prophets. Daniel had prayed for God to give him understanding about a vision. But his prayer wasn’t answered for three weeks.
When an angel came to answer his prayer, he told Daniel that his words had been heard “from the first day” he had “set [his] heart to understand” (Daniel 10:12 (NKJV)). Yet, the angel had been delayed by “the prince of the kingdom of Persia” – a fallen angel or demon – until Michael the Archangel had come to help him (Daniel 10:13 (NKJV)).
In the spiritual realm, God’s angels are battling against fallen angels. And the stakes are high. People’s souls rest in the balance. As Jesus warned us, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10 (NKJV)).
If you’re a believer in Jesus, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). You belong to God; your soul is secure. Still, the battle rages on around you.
Satan tries to keep you from drawing closer to God and from being effective at doing God’s work. He knows that God uses people to reach other people. So, he tries to render believers ineffective.
His tactics have been the same for generations. In the garden of Eden, Satan tempted Eve to sin by appealing to
- the lust of the flesh (she “saw that the tree was good for food”);
- the lust of the eyes (“it was pleasant to the eyes”); and
- the pride of life (it was “desirable to make one wise”) (Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)).
When Eve got her eyes off God and on herself, “she took of its fruit and ate” even though she knew she wasn’t supposed to eat it (Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)).
And Satan continues to use these three things to tempt us. He tries to get us to satisfy
- our flesh (It’s okay if I flirt a little; my husband never pays attention to me like he does.);
- our eyes (I know I can’t afford it but that outfit would look great on me.); and
- our pride (She deserved what I said to her. Doesn’t she know who she’s talking to?).
Out of these temptations arise distractions, irritations, addictions, and misplaced desire. And those things take our focus off God and places it on ourselves.
So, what do we do? We need to use the spiritual weapons God gave us to fight the war. As we see from our verse above, those weapons are “not carnal,” which means they are not of this world. Instead, they are “mighty in God.”
If we look in Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul tells us about the spiritual armor God gave us to use in this fight. He directs us to “put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13 (NLT)).
Paul then tells us more about this armor. Let’s look at one piece – “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17 (NKJV)). Did you know that you can use the Bible to protect yourself? You can.
The Bible is a powerful weapon that you can always rely on. That weapon is “alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)).
Jesus used the word of God to counteract Satan’s temptations. Each time Satan tempted Him with something, Jesus quoted from the Bible (Matthew 4:3-10). As He did, Jesus withstood every temptation that came His way.
That’s why it’s so important to memorize Bible verses. When you’re in the middle of a spiritual battle, God will assist you by bringing those verses to mind. You can then speak God’s word out loud to resist temptation.
When we use the spiritual weapons that are mighty in God, we are able to fight the battle. “By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)). Let’s arm ourselves with the spiritual weapons God has provided so we can live a life pleasing to Him. When we keep ourselves pure, God will be able to do His work through us to reach the lost as we walk by faith with Him.
* Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash
