by Catherine McDaugale | Apr 8, 2024 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 (NKJV))
What is God’s will for you? If you want to find out, the best place to learn about His will for your life is by reading the Bible. The Bible expressly says that certain things are God’s will. To get you started, here are seven things that are God’s will for you.
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“Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NKJV))
God’s will is for you to be cheerful at all times. How can you do that? By meditating on God’s faithfulness – who He is and all He has done for you.
When you’re focused on yourself, it can be hard to be full of joy. But when your focus is on God, you can rejoice every time.
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“pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV))
God wants you to be in constant communication with Him. Make a daily appointment with Jesus to spend time with Him one-on-one. Use that time to praise Him for who He is and all He’s done, thank Him for the blessings in your life, bring your concerns to Him, and intercede for others.
But then also talk to Him throughout your day. Ask Him for guidance in making a decision. Thank Him for an easy commute. Pray for strength to love someone with His love. Praise Him for providing food for you to eat. Pray for healing when your kid falls on the playground. Talk to Him about everything. Nothing is too small or too big. Take it all to Him.
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“in everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV))
No matter what’s going on in your life, you can be grateful for all God has done for you. God wants you to give thanks “in” everything.
Despite your circumstances, God has forgiven all your sins. At the very least, you can thank Him for that. You can also thank Him that, one day, you will get to be with Him where there will be no more death, sorrow, pain, or crying (Revelation 21:4).
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“respect all human authority” (1 Peter 2:13 (NLT))
It’s God’s will for us to respect all of the people who are in authority over our lives. That includes the pastors at your church, a boss who doesn’t lead well, and those who don’t align with your political ideology. Why? So, your honorable life will “silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you” (1 Peter 2:15 (NLT)). People will compare any allegations with what they see in your life.
Besides, it’s God who “puts down one, and exalts another” (Psalm 75:7 (NKJV)). Ultimately, it’s God who puts people into positions of authority to accomplish His perfect will. We don’t always understand why. But we can trust that God knows what He’s doing.
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“abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NKJV))
God wants you to be pure: to abstain from sexual immorality. As the New Living Translation phrases it, “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” As that passage goes on to explain, “God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NKJV)).
And be vigilant, not only about what you do, but about what you watch, read, and let yourself think about. Pray for God to help you to be pure and holy. Ask Him to reveal if you’re doing anything that He doesn’t want you to do. If He shows you something, stop doing it.
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“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 (NKJV))
I’ve included this one and the next because, even though they don’t expressly say, “This is the will of God,” they were spoken by Jesus (who is God). Jesus said, “You shall,” which means it’s mandatory. God wants you to love Him. And how much? Not just a little bit but with all your heart, soul, and mind.
God wants us to give Him everything we are and everything we have. If you hold back an area of your life, you’re not loving Him with all your heart, soul, and mind.
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“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39 (NKJV))
God also wants you to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Who is your neighbor? It’s not limited to the person who lives next door to you. Instead, the Greek word for neighbor, plesion, means any other person that you chance to meet. In short, everyone is your neighbor. If someone crosses your path, you are to love them as you love yourself.
So, those are seven things that the Bible says are God’s will for you. Take God at His word. Start applying those truths to your life. As you do, you will draw closer to Jesus. Then, God will reveal more of His will for your life 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 | 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 | 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 | Feb 6, 2023 | Life, Thoughts
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1 (NKJV))
Are you looking for the Father’s love? Many of our fathers were absent. Some rejected us. Others left us. And some just weren’t around while we were growing up.
God designed us to love and be loved by our fathers. So, we crave the love that we should have received from them. And, we go to great lengths to try to substitute it with something, anything, that feels like love.
I’ve had three fathers in my life. Two were earthly; One is heavenly. One was biological, another willingly supported me, and the third adopted me as His daughter. One was absent for most of my childhood, one came into my life when I was a teenager, and One patiently waited for years for me to turn to Him.
My biological father wasn’t around after my parents divorced when I was young. But I always craved his love. And, although a benevolent man stepped into my life to be a father figure to me, I still wanted love from my own father.
After I was grown, I reconnected with my dad. One day when we were spending time together, I suddenly realized, This is what I had been looking for all those years. It was an epiphany of sorts. God created us to be loved by a father.
Years later, I finally surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. At that moment, I was adopted as one of God’s children. He had chosen me!
And then I had a true epiphany. As I felt the Father’s love wash over me, I knew that this was what I had been searching for all those years. I was home. I was loved. And it was better than I could have ever imagined. As our heavenly Father, God designed us to receive His love.
Are you still looking for the Father’s love? Your heavenly Father is right there waiting for you to come to Him. He loves you so much that He sent His own Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for your sins (John 3:16).
Come to Him. Accept His love. Become His daughter.
Only then will you be able to enjoy the love of your Father 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 | Aug 15, 2022 | Life, Ministry
Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 (NKJV))
Don’t you love to hear stories about how different couples met? They’re as individual as fingerprints – no two are alike. Some got to know each other in high school and have been married for decades. Others met in an online gaming site, through friends, or even while commuting to work on the bus. There are couples who fell in love at first sight, while others took years for the relationship to develop.
The story of how I met my husband is as distinct as any other. We first saw each other at a McDonalds while we were at lunch in high school. Then we saw each other again at a mutual friend’s house. A few months later, we met at a cast party for a high school play.
We became friends, going on short road trips, eating dinner, hiking, and hanging out. He was always there when I needed him – through good times and bad. As the trust grew, I fell in love. But it would still be a while before I would admit my feelings. And a few years before we would become a couple and get married.
Salvation stories – accounts of how you met your first love, Jesus – are just as unique. God is awesome. He doesn’t work the same way twice. I’m sure that the way I came to know Jesus is very different from the way you met Him. Each one is beautiful, intricate . . . impossible.
But God.
God meets us right where we’re at. He pursues each one of us, desiring for us to see all He has done so we’ll fall in love with Him. When we do, “[w]e love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 (NKJV)).
Jesus is so patient, so kind, so loving. He’s a gentleman. He knocks on the door of your heart and patiently waits to see if you’ll open the door to invite Him in. He doesn’t ever force the door open.
I was thinking about how my love story with my husband parallels my salvation story in certain ways. Like my husband, I saw Jesus a few times before I actually met Him. When I was young child, I saw Jesus during Sunday school classes. Then, as a teenager, I saw Him again at Bible camp one summer. But it would take longer before I met Jesus. I didn’t take the time to meet Him and get to know Him until many years later.
Although I grew up going to different churches, I was unwilling to submit myself to God, to do things His way. Instead, I relied on myself. I had many goals that I wanted to accomplish – things I thought would make me happy. Yet, after I had achieved most of them, I was still miserable, unsatisfied, and empty inside.
During that time, I finally sought God with all my heart for the first time in my life. God promises that when you search for Him with all your heart, you will find Him (Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13). And I did.
When I finally opened the door of my heart and invited Jesus in, I got to know Him and learned to trust Him. And then I fell in love.
Although my circumstances didn’t change, my perspective on life was suddenly different. I no longer feared death. I felt a deep contentment in His love. Needless to say, my life hasn’t been the same since.
God began changing me from the inside out, one issue at a time. He began by showing me that the music I was listening to and some of the movies I was watching didn’t glorify Him. Not only that, the music and movies weren’t building me up but tearing me down. He showed me the importance of my thought life. And He implanted desires to serve Him and others. The work He’s done in my life has been amazing.
So, how did you meet your first love, Jesus? What’s your salvation story? Take time to record your testimony. Then tell someone how God brought you to Him. Let’s encourage each other by sharing how we met our first love, Jesus, as we walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | May 23, 2022 | Life, Ministry
“He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.” (Genesis 5:2 (NKJV))
The Confusion about Gender
The other day, I googled the question, “How many genders are there?” The search produced a variety of answers, many from medical-sounding websites. Based on the dates of those articles, it became clear that the number had been rising. Recently, people had come up with over 70 ways to self-identify.[1]
The idea that you get to choose your gender is becoming entrenched in our society. You’ve most likely heard about the effects, including
- the ability to get a passport or a driver’s license without specifying your gender;[2]
- discussions about the singular “they” to be used as “a generic third-person singular pronoun in English”;[3] and
- confusion about the biological implications of being male or female, such as the introduction of a pregnant man emoji, the mocking of a state governor for saying men can’t get pregnant,[4] and the elimination of gendered restrooms.[5]
The movement has also targeted our children with picture books about their gender options and school districts “educating” them on that subject.
The Truth about Gender
In the midst of the confusion, it’s important to go to a reliable source for the truth. And there’s no better source of truth than God’s Word, the Bible. As we see from the verse in Genesis, God created gender. And God’s Word is clear – there are two. God made them male and female.
It’s no surprise that biology supports this truth. Our DNA shows this very thing. A person either has a Y chromosome and an X chromosome (a man) or two X chromosomes (a woman). A person can try to change his or her gender with clothing, hormone treatments, or surgery. But the person’s DNA remains the same.
The Bible teaches us that God made the first woman, Eve, from a rib in Adam’s side (Genesis 2:21-22). Man alone was not good (Genesis 2:18). So, God made Adam a helper who was comparable to him (Genesis 2:18).
Importantly, God loves men and women equally. He doesn’t love a man any more than He loves a woman or vice versa. Both men and women are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Yet, equal doesn’t mean the same.
God made us differently. Generally, men are physically stronger than women. And women can bear children while men cannot. There is a purpose for our different reproductive organs. After God made Adam and Eve, He told them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28 (NKJV)). God made us male and female so the earth could continue to be populated.
In this upside-down world where good – God’s design – is now being called evil, it’s important to remind ourselves of this truth. Internalize it. Choose to believe the truth and not the lie. It’s not for us to decide how we were designed. That is within God’s purview. He alone has that authority.
If you struggle with this truth, meditate on what God has told us in His Word. In addition to Genesis 5:2, read Genesis 1:27, Matthew 19:4, and Mark 10:6. As our Creator, God defines who we are and how we’re made.
Talk to God about what you’re thinking and feeling. He won’t be surprised by what you say. Come to Him and ask Him to help you accept His truth.
Your Responsibility as a Truth-bearer
As a truth-bearer, you have a responsibility to “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him” (Colossians 1:10 (NKJV)). What does that mean in this context? Here are three things that will help you to “walk worthy.”
1. Remember Where You Came From
Don’t forget who you were before God saved you. We “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 (NKJV)). As Paul reminds us,
“Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people – none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NLT)).
Paul lists some sins that may have been a regular part of your life before you decided to follow Jesus. One that most, if not all of us, used to practice was the worship of idols. I’m not talking about a little statue that you call your god and bow down to like ancient cultures once did (and some existing cultures still do).
Worshipping an idol means that you have made something more important than God. It might be money, a job, power, family, or even yourself. These are things that many people commonly prioritize over God. If you’ve ever done so, that is sin.
And your sin is not any better than the sin of self-identifying as a gender that God has not given to you. It’s only by God’s grace that you were saved. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)). You were not saved by anything that you have done.
2. Consider God’s Love For that Person
Just like you, that person was made in God’s image. And God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for that person’s sins – not just yours. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 (NKJV) (emphasis added)).
God doesn’t love you any more than He loves that person. And He wants that person to come to repentance like you did. God is patient toward us, “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)).
3. Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus
If the gospel is offensive on its own terms, that’s okay. The Bible tells us that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV)). But if you’re offensive, that’s another thing. In that case, you aren’t loving people like God loves them. If you’re obnoxious or hateful, you are misrepresenting God.
You can meet people where they’re at, just like Jesus did. You don’t have to get angry with them or tell them that they’re living in sin the first time you meet them.
As you get to know the person, you can share your testimony – who you were before Jesus, how God brought you into a relationship with Him, and what God has done to change your life since then. Tell the person about the work God is doing in your life.
Then, if you get an opportunity to speak the truth, you must do so in love. You can hate the sin without hating the person. Send up a quick prayer to God in your mind, asking Him to fill you with His Spirit to help you handle the truth well. Ask God for His wisdom and guidance as you share His truth.
Tell the person what God’s Word says about gender. However, don’t forget to share the truth about God’s love and all that He has done for him or her.
With these things in mind, let’s stand for the truth. But let us not forget where we came from. And obey God’s command to love others as you love yourself (Matthew 22:39). Love the people God has placed in your path with His love as you walk by faith with Him.
*Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
[1] Shaziya Allarakha, MD, “What Are the 72 Other Genders?,” Medicine Net, Feb. 2, 2022, https://www.medicinenet.com/what_are_the_72_other_genders/article.htm.
[2] U.S. Department of State, “X Gender Marker Available on U.S. Passports Starting April 11,” Mar. 31, 2022, https://www.state.gov/x-gender-marker-available-on-u-s-passports-starting-april-11/; Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles, “Change Your Sex,” https://dmv.colorado.gov/change-your-sex.
[3] American Psychological Association, “Singular ‘They,’” https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/grammar/singular-they.
[4] Gabriel Hays, “Gavin Newsom savagely mocked as ‘disgusting transphobe’ for claiming men can’t get pregnant at abortion rally,” Fox News, May 5, 2022, https://www.foxnews.com/media/gavin-newsom-mocked-disgusting-transphobe-men-cant-get-pregnant-abortion.
[5] Kyle Morris, “Chicago Public Schools eliminating sex-specific restrooms to ‘increase gender equity,’” Fox News, Dec. 2, 2021, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chicago-public-schools-moves-to-eliminate-gendered-restrooms.
by Catherine McDaugale | Feb 10, 2022 | Christian Living, Ministry
It’s become common in our society to wear masks. I’m not talking about the cloth covering that we’re required to wear in some places because of the pandemic. The mask is the disguise we put on when we go places.
How often have you taken part in a short exchange like this one at church?:
“How are you?”
“Good, you?”
“Doing great.”
Sure, it may be true. Everything in your life might be going well at that moment. But sometimes, it’s not. You may be feeling discouraged. Or you may have just had an argument with your husband in the car while you were driving to church. Even so, when you walk through the door, you put on your best smile and act like nothing is wrong.
The Bible tells us, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 (NKJV)). What is the law of Christ? When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He responded,
“‘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))
The law of Christ is to love God first and then to love your neighbor as you love yourself. One way to love your neighbor as yourself – to fulfill the law of Christ – is to bear one another’s burdens. The word “bear” means to take up in order to carry. When you bear someone else’s burdens, you come alongside that person and help her to carry the heaviness of her problems.
In another place in the Bible, God tells us, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 (NKJV)). We shouldn’t just share our victories with each other. We should also share our discouragements, our trials, and our difficulties.
By listening to someone who has a heavy burden, praying with her, and pointing her to Jesus, you can help her remember that she is not alone. By lending a helping hand, you can help someone who isn’t able to do something by themselves.
Yet, how often do we do that? Many times we’re wrapped up in our own little world, thinking about our own lives. It’s so easy to focus on what’s wrong in your own life.
When we’re focused on ourselves, we don’t pay attention to those around us. If we don’t make ourselves available to fulfill God’s command, we miss out when the Holy Spirit prompts us to check in with someone.
And it goes both ways. You may be the one with the burden – the one who needs that encouragement or help. The person greeting you when you come to church may be more than willing to listen. But many times, we don’t practice this verse because we’re unwilling to let our guard down. We don’t want to feel vulnerable. We’re afraid of what others will think.
Let’s stop being so concerned with appearances that we keep ourselves isolated. That’s exactly what the enemy wants. Instead, if you’re going through a difficult trial, ask a trusted sister in Christ to pray with you. Be willing to receive the help you need to carry your burden.
And make yourself available to help another in need. Ask God to give you spiritual eyes to see when someone needs your help in carrying a burden. In this way, all of us can fulfill the law of Christ. Let’s purpose in our hearts to do so as we walk by faith with God.
* Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Jan 27, 2022 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Thoughts
God is amazing. Each time I take a few minutes to contemplate the fact that He created the universe, I marvel at how powerful He is. The Bible teaches us that God made the heavens just by speaking.
“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6 (NKJV)).
That’s incredible. God spoke, and it was. Look up at the night sky. Our omnipotent God formed all that you see by His word.
Now think about the vastness of space. Scientists still don’t know how big the universe is. But the distance to the sun – the nearest star – is 93 million miles away. Let that sink in – 93 million miles. Can we actually grasp how far that is? And they estimate that it would take 100,000 years to travel across our galaxy, the Milky Way.
Scientists also don’t know how many stars are in the universe. They estimate that there are 100-400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy alone. That’s not a typo. Billion. It would take about 11,574 days just to count to one billion (assuming you could go without sleep for that long).
Not only that but there are more than 200 billion galaxies (each with another 100-400 billion stars) and maybe even 10 times that many.
Those numbers are astounding. It’s really hard to wrap your head around them. I can’t actually quantify how many stars are up there. I’m guessing that you can’t either.
But God knows exactly how many stars He created. The Bible tells us that God “counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4 (NKJV)). The extent of God’s knowledge is astonishing. I have trouble even remembering the names of a few people I meet, let alone trillions upon trillions of them. Our God is bigger than we could ever fathom. Praise God!
Have you ever had a chance to get out of the city and gaze up at the night sky? The number of stars that you see is extraordinary. It’s a beautiful sight. If you have that opportunity, take time to meditate on the fact that our awesome God is the One who created each star and knows each one by name.
Better yet, God knows each one of us. He knows, and understands, our thoughts (Psalm 139:2). I don’t know about you, but I don’t even understand my own thoughts part of the time. And “the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30 (NKJV)). Have you ever tried to count how many hairs you have? If not, don’t bother. Seriously, it’s an insurmountable task that will just leave you frustrated.
God knows everything about us – the good, the bad, and the ugly. And yet, He still loves us. God loves us so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).
So, remember God’s power. Meditate on His might. When you have a problem, don’t evaluate it based on your own strength and resources. Instead, look at whatever you are going through in comparison to our all-powerful, remarkable God. If God could speak the universe into existence (and He did), He can handle anything that comes your way.
And God wants you to cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)). Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Ask Him for help. Then trust Him to handle whatever it is. He will give you direction. God will guide you. He will go before you and help you.
Then look up. Take in the beauty of the stars God created. Remind yourself of His power and might. Stand still in awe of God. “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:9 (NKJV)).
* Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
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.
