Sticks and Stones and Words...

Image Credit: Pinterest

*I do my best thinking in the shower.  I don't know if it's the one place where I can get lost in my thoughts or the calming sound of the water, but I just can't help but allow my mind to wander.  These words came to me a few weeks ago in the shower, but I didn't feel like it was the right time to publish.  However, in light of the upcoming election and some other current events, I feel compelled to share.  Regardless of your thoughts about Jesus or the Bible, I think we can all agree that words can encourage or destroy.*

The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.

~Proverbs 18:21~

NIV

Words kill, words give life;
    they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.

~Proverbs 18:21~

The Message

The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words.

~Proverbs 18:21~

God's Word Translation

Like many others, I have thoroughly enjoyed connecting and reconnecting with friends and family through Facebook.  I even have a handful of acquaintances that I have never met, but have become connected with through other friends or just online.  I joined Facebook in 2008, less than a year after my first baby girl was born.  And the only reason I got an account was to see the pictures my sweet friend was posting from her time in Italy.  It seemed so innocent and fun.  And it was.  My parents and grandparents and sister and other family could watch my babies grow up.

But the way we interact with social media now is no longer fun nor innocent.  We have lost our self-control in the security of anonymity and the ability to speak our minds without having to be face-to-face.

We all have hurts.  We have all been wronged.  And too often we feel justified in what we say or what we do.  But do we stop and consider who we are hurting with our words?  This past weekend my pastor hit our congregation with these words:

"Words can bruise our souls.  They have the power to hurt and the power to help.  

Our words always lead to action.  Your words can either turn or burn.  

Our words can turn people toward grace, love, and mercy - or - they can burn and destroy.  

Your tomorrow will be shaped by the words you say today.  

Words are neither temporary or neutral.  

An unwillingness to acknowledge the power of our hurtful words hurts those around you.  

Your words are not a reflection of your situation, they are always a reflection of your heart.  

Let's be people who fight for things and for people - not against them." 

~Phil Eubank~

When we hurt and retaliate with our mouths, are we aware of who gets caught in the crossfire of our words - of our pain?  Do you care?  Or are you so concerned and so motivated and so determined to be right and have the last word?  Does Jesus call us to be right or to be loving?  Are we to condemn or affirm God's love for those around us?  Do we take captive every thought and represent the Lord well (2 Corinthians 10:5)? 

If you love Jesus, I think at the end of our lives, we all desire for our Savior to say to us, "Well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25).  But what about at the end of each day or hour or minute?  What is Jesus saying about your words - about your thoughts - about your actions right now? 

In the final verse of Psalm 19, David proclaims these words to the Lord, "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

Are our words pleasing to the Lord? 

Are our thoughts pleasing to Him? 

Who are we striving to impress - man or God? 

Whose opinion do we care about?  
Do our actions and our words and our thoughts convey who our Lord is?

All too often we get caught up in our hurts - in the things that bother us - in our desires or our wants - and we take to Facebook or Twitter or Instagram.  We gather fellow friends who are hurting too and we play on their hurts to strengthen our convictions in our own hearts and in our own pain. 

But is this right?  Is this what is pleasing to God?  Will He say, "Well done," to what our words say?  

Our hearts will feel the feels.  We cannot always control what happens to us and how we feel about it.  But we need to take control of our minds.  We are in control of our words.  We are in control of what we say and what we write and how we interact with others.  

Regardless of if you feel justified in what you said or what you think or what is in your heart, our job everyday is to be Jesus to those around us.  Are you being Jesus?  Are you being the love of Jesus to those around you?  Can they see His light shining through your heart and through your pain and in your shame or your bitterness?

So I challenge you to ask yourself today, "What I posted on Facebook - what I tweeted about - what I found a picture of and posted on Instagram - would God say to me, "Well done good and faithful servant?"

Here is the link to Phil's Message: A Careful Fight

Ash Wednesday

image credit: stmarkssouthborough.org

We have borne the image of the man made of dust,

we will also bear the image of the heavenly man.

1 Corinthians 15:49

Today is Ash Wednesday - the day when many Christians allow themselves to be reminded of just how human - how broken - how in need of a Savior they truly are.

Here's a little background information about this day.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent - the 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter.  Many Christians use this season to fast from something - snacks, sodas, caffeine, social media - as a way to quiet their hearts and depend on Jesus.  Why 40 days?  Because that is how many days Jesus fasted in the desert before He was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11).

If one attends a service on Ash Wednesday, they will most likely have a cross made from ashes placed on their foreheads, with the words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," said to them - a reminder of Genesis 3:19 and Ecclesiastes 3:20.  The ashes are made from the palm branches used in the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration.

But what does all of this mean?

Russ Ramsey, author of Behold the King of Glory, writes:

"The ashen cross is an outward sign of both repentance and hope.  It is a way

to repent of our rebellion against God and 'confess our sins one to another'

(James 5:16).  It is appropriate to enter into a season of celebrating the finished

work of Christ by assuming a posture of repentance, confessing our need for a Savior."

As I spent time reflecting on these words and on this day, I began to wonder why we need a day or a season to assume this "posture of repentance."  Shouldn't this be the way we live our daily lives?

It's almost unfortunate the way we compartmentalize our faith.  We discipline ourselves for a day or a season, and then move on to the next.

• Ash Wednesday - repent
• Lent - fast 
• Maundy Thursday - think about the Last Supper and Jesus' arrest
• Good Friday - reflect on Jesus' death on the cross
• Easter Sunday - celebrate the resurrection
• Thanksgiving - be thankful
• Christmas - celebrate the baby Jesus 

I loved last year during Lent when we sang the chorus from 'O Come All Ye Faithful' during worship.  Because shouldn't we adore Jesus all year long?

And this past Christmas Eve, the wooden manger prop on the stage was transformed into a wooden cross - because Jesus was born and had to die so that we can be born and do not have to die.  He left heaven so that we can join Him in heaven.

It is a complete story, and to truly understand the beginning of His life, you have to understand the end.

Russ Ramsey continues to write, "On Ash Wednesday we admit our limits and acknowledge the brevity of this life..."

But the challenge is to not be limited by this one day or this one season.  May we be people who reflect and repent and remain thankful and celebrate throughout the year.  May we maintain a "posture of repentance, confessing our need for a Savior" each and every day.


***These words were as hard to write as they may have been to read.  Please know that I wrote these words in my journal this morning to myself, as a reminder to me that I need to practice this in my own life.  I am not calling anyone but myself.***

Read Your Bible

Our church just released the results from a survey that we had been asked to take a few months ago.  The first number they put up was a big one: 88% of those surveyed say they are regular attenders of the church, meaning, they attend 3-4 weekends per month.  That's a high number, but I was encouraged.

But the numbers started to fall when asked how many people attend Bible Studies or other weekly events.  And then the question about how many people read their Bibles on a regular basis popped onto the screen with a whopping 18%.

Yikes!  That's a HUGE gap!  And the number one reason for not reading was not time management or a priority thing - it was lack of discipline.

I get it.  It wasn't that long ago that I was feeling swamped with life and had good intentions but never got to it.  In fact, that's me with exercise right now...but I digress.

What finally kicked my Bible booty into shape was getting involved with a study.  I joined a real Bible Study in my friend Donna's house and had a community around me.  It transformed how I read the Bible and how I studied it.  Every time I picked it up I was learning more and feeling more confident and comfortable.  The Bible is complex and can be confusing and is a big book!  But the more you read it, the less complex and confusing it seems.

So here's my deal as of October 2, 2014.  I have to wake up early to do my study - and most days I look forward to getting up, making a cup of coffee, and opening up my Bible while the house is still quiet.  Sometimes I light a candle and I Christmas I move downstairs and set up shop in front of the Christmas tree!  But find what works for you.  It's a trial and error, hit or miss.  But don't give up!!!

• I like to use a Study Bible when I study the Bible.  My husband reads just a regular Bible with no study notes, but I like to learn a little more about what certain words mean.  I sometimes will take the time to Cross-Reference certain verses.  The study notes also help me understand more about the individuals in the Bible and the authors of the books.  Study Bibles come in nearly every translation.  I tend to lean toward the NIV, which is right around the middle if you were to put the translations in a line from KJV to The Message.

• The purpose of the IF:Movement is to Gather, Equip, and Unleash Women.  The IF:Equip part is an online Bible Study which reads through one book of the Bible at a time.  You read about 15 - 20 verses a day and then listen to a 2 - 3 minute video where 2 of the IF ladies discuss the portion of Scripture.  I then journal my own thoughts to help me process what I read.

• She Reads Truth is another online Bible Study that I enjoy.  The first study that I did with the She Reads Truth community was the Advent study last December.  The best way for me to study Scripture is by reading a few verses at a time and then journaling about what I have read.  She Reads Truth enhances that by having a short devotion to read with the Bible verses.  Sometimes we study one book at a time and sometimes it is more of a subject study.  Earlier this year we studied the word Justice and what that looks like according to the Bible.  Right now (October 2014) we are studying 1 & 2 Peter.

2 Corinthians 13, Galatians 1-2

2 Corinthians 13, Galatians 1 - 2

¹⁰Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
~Galatians 1:10

This verse in Galatians always stands out to me. Who am I trying to please? Am I more interested in what the world, or sometimes the church, thinks about me, or am I consistently concerned with what God thinks? If I'm honest, I would probably have to say that more often than not I worry more about what my peers will think than my Lord and Savior.

Why is it that we concern ourselves with worldly ideas? Why do we care what someone else thinks of us?

I know so often there are things that I should say (and sometimes things that I shouldn't say) but I don't (or I do) because I know that it is what is expected of me. Wouldn't I be reflecting Christ much better if I stopped myself and thought about what God would want of me?

I know this is so obvious, and yet, I still struggle with this.

Lord, please give me the strength and conviction to please you with my actions and words, regardless of what the world around me thinks.

Take Two

For those of you who are still with me, thank you. The past few months have been crazy, and my faith has been tested, but, in the end, the Lord's timing has been perfect, and I can see that in every situation. So many prayers have been answered, and He is so good and faithful. I will be sharing some of my experiences with you throughout the year.

But, a new year calls for a new plan! And I am so excited about this one.

Last year I shared some information about studying your Bible that my pastor had shared with me. He is a firm believer that one must be intentional about studying the Word, and I wholeheartedly agree!

My pastor has developed a reading program called The Power of 3. Basically, the entire church will be reading the same three chapters of scripture each day. His hope is to usher our congregation into good study habits. He has designed a study plan as well as a blog to share experiences and insights.

So, if you're anything like me, you've probably resolved to spend more time reading your Bible. I never know where to start, and often times end up reading my favorite books over and over. But, I know I need to know the whole Bible. I love this idea because I won't be doing this alone.

I would strongly encourage you to join me as I journey through the Bible. Please feel free to comment here or at The Power of 3. There you will find daily conversations on the Bible reading for the day. Here, I can't promise that I'll post something everyday, but I will be doing my best.

You can learn more about studying your Bible here:

• Studying Your Bible Effectively
• Why Study Your Bible Daily
• Something to Think About
  

If you want the reading plan, go to The Power of 3 website. There you can download the reading plan that we will be following. The schedule begins tomorrow, January 6th! I can't wait!!!

Studying Your Bible Effectively

Today I'll conclude the notes from my pastor's sermon this past Sunday about studying the Bible.

How can you make daily devotional time more effective?

A. Set a daily appointment: Ps. 5:3 "In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."

1. What are the two best time frames for you to have your devotional time?
2. What are the two best places for you to have your devotional time?

B. Determine your pace and plan:
You need to establish a pace and time frame. Try filling in these blanks to help you get
started:

1. I want to start by reading _____ chapters a day.
2. I want to commit to reading the Bible _____ minutes a day.
3. I want to use the following Bible reading plan:
* The Bible in a year
* Cover to cover and chapter by chapter

C. Read God's Word: Ps. 119:18 "Open my eyes that I may see the wonderful things in your
law."

1. Pray: Ask God to open your spirit.
2. Read: Read the Word.
3. Underline: As you read, underline verses that speak to you.
4. Isolate: Review the things you underlined and isolate one part that you underlined and
make that your verse for the day.
5. Journal: Use a notebook and write a paragraph about what that verse speaks to you and
what you can do as a result of its reflection.

D. Apply the Word: James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and deceive yourselves. Do
what it says."

Here are some great questions to ask yourself:

• Is there a promise for me to claim?
• Is there an example I am to follow?
• Is there some sin or weakness I need to avoid?
• Is there a command for me to obey?
• Is there a new thought about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit?

Sermon notes by Pastor Gene Roncone

A NOTE FROM FRIEND CHICK

I whole heartedly believe that we each need to be in the Word daily. This is our spiritual nourishment that the Lord has so graciously provided for us. However, read the Bible to learn what God has for you. Pray for knowledge and wisdom before you begin reading each day. What I don't necessarily believe is that it is essential to read through the Bible each year. Personally, whenever I make this my goal, I become so determined to keep up with the reading schedule and forget to learn from my reading. Don't get caught up and overwhelmed. Often times I only read one chapter a day, searching for that scripture that the Lord wants to reveal to me so that I can learn. Believe me, it's awesome when the Lord speaks to you through His Word! He's amazing!


Also in this series:

• Something to Think About
• Why Study Your Bible Daily

Why Study Your Bible Daily?

Yesterday I mentioned that my pastor had spoken recently on Biblical study and why it's so important. I wanted to outline a few of his notes for you.

He broke his sermon up in two parts. The first part had to do with why daily devotions are important.

The scripture that my pastor referenced was Exodus 33:7-11:

The Tent of Meeting

⁷ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. ⁸ And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. ¹⁰ Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. ¹¹ The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Why You Need Daily Devotional Time:

A. Relationships need nurturing: Ex. 33:8,11 "...whenever Moses went out to the tent...The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend."

B. Daily life can distract us from God: Ex. 33:7 "Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the 'tent of meeting.'"

C. You need to hear God's voice: Ex. 33:9 "As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses."

D. You need it to keep growing: 1 Pet. 2:2 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation."

Notes from Pastor Gene Roncone