How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Romans 10:14-15

My feet are not pretty. Thanks to the titanium hardware and pins in both feet that permanently align my first and second metatarsals, at least my bone structure isn’t scary to look at anymore. And because I’m not a mani-pedi kinda gal, my toenails are rarely perfectly shaped and popping with bright colors. (I’ll let you in on a little secret: In my oh-so-low-maintenance way, I tend to paint my toenails before some fancy event where open-toed shoes are a must…then I’ll repaint them after that color has completely grown out. Insert your eyeroll here.) 

The Bible’s definition of beautiful feet is a bit different—it’s not about heel scrubs, colored gels, or even little fishies nibbling dead skin (yes, this is a thing). According to the Prophet Isaiah (52:7) and quoted again by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans (10:15), “beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news.” Beautiful feet carry the gospel message of saving grace to a lost and broken world. And as believers, we are called to tell the world about Jesus, making disciples and teaching all the nations what Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:16-18; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8).

So, as vital as it is for believers to live out our faith in demonstration of who we are in Christ, being salt and light in the ever-deepening darkness around us, we can’t stop there. We have to open our mouths and speak the words of salvation so the Holy Spirit can do His thing—bringing the walking dead to life. But this can be intimidating and downright scary. What if we say the wrong thing? What if we’re confronted with arguments that we can’t effectively counter or are asked a question we don’t know the answer to? What if we’re mocked? 

There is so much to say about our role in spreading the good news of Jesus, why it’s so important to be obedient in this, how it’s our job to speak truth and life but not our responsibility to do the saving, and what tactics are best to evangelize. And there’s a lot written about these topics by many brilliant theologians and apologists. What I’d like to do here is simply challenge you—and me—to open our mouths. Mostly me. I love Jesus! I can’t get enough of studying His Word. Because I was dead and have been made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10), I want others to know and believe! That said, I can be a great big scaredy-cat in sharing the gospel when I’m not sitting safely behind my keyboard.

So, here’s a challenge I was recently given that I’m also setting before you, dear friend: Write down a 30-second (or one-minute for those of us with more verbosity) gospel presentation. And step two: Practice it—to your spouse, a friend, or the mirror. Let’s be ready to give a reason for the hope we have in Christ Jesus (1 Peter 3:15). In other words, let’s file down and moisturize our rough heels, choose a bright nail color (or a clear coat, for you guys), and step out in faith with beautiful feet—sharing the good news of Jesus with those around us.

Lord, I am not ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16)! Forgive me for not telling others about Jesus when the opportunity has come. May I be prepared and have the courage to open my mouth, allowing the Holy Spirit to bring the dead to life.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10

Are you a “cruiser”? My husband and I just went on our first one—in fact, it was the first weeklong vacation the two of us have taken in our 30 years of marriage. You can imagine how excited we were to get away together…and away from work, to-do lists, daily decisions, etc. Since booking it in November, we anticipated a mix of relaxation, adventure, and intimacy with one another and with the Lord.

Unfortunately, the pirates started attacking even before we stepped foot on the ship.

It would sound almost comical if I recounted the numerous cannonballs shot our way just within the 48 hours before we departed (physical, financial, digital, etc.)…you’d laugh only so you wouldn’t cry. (I, however, did plenty of crying.) Moreover, I know many of you can relate with those “when it rains, it pours” seasons of life—and often, those “seasons” occur over a matter of days. Suffice it to say, that we almost did not go on the trip at all, but decided that we would, albeit with a shift of expectations due to one particular battle injury. 

Again, I’ll spare you the details, but it took a couple days of swashbuckling pirates before we could put down our swords and relax a bit. We had to identify the enemy’s plans of attack and his efforts to spoil our time together celebrating our marriage. (He’s not a big fan of marriage. Pirates much prefer drunkenness, licentiousness, hostility, and gluttony, all of which were ubiquitous aboard the ship.) 

But the weather was perfect, I read three novels and started a fourth, and we enjoyed new foods, impressive shows, and fun entertainment. Despite a few combat wounds, the pirates were unable to destroy the joy of our vacay.

That is, until we finally arrived home, wiped out from a five-hour drive on little sleep and no food. With the trip over, our guard was down…and our enemy saw an opening for one final assault. And he went in for the kill. Because that’s what the pirate of our soul does—he comes to steal, kill, and destroy everything that the Lord created to be good (John 10:10). What should have been a homecoming of reciting the joys of an almost-thwarted vacation turned into a vicious fight of epic proportions. Reflecting back, I can see it clearly: that devious snake chose the perfect grenade crafted from 30+ years of careful observation, pulled the pin, and tossed it between us at just the right moment. Bloodied, battered, and exhausted after letting the enemy get a foothold with his lies and accusations, we grasped for Truth and did not go to bed in our anger (Ephesians 4: 25-27). As I write this, it’s a new dawn. And I’m trusting in the Lord’s new mercies—as well as my husband’s and my own. 

So, what’s the spiritual point in my true-confession saga? Friend, our enemy’s time is short. He is getting more desperate to prevent the lost and blind from being saved…but he’s also doing his best to minimize the effectiveness of those of us fighting for the Lord. And what better way than turning us against each other? Let’s all be aware of the pirating efforts around us—the condemnation, the twisting of truth, the robbing of peace and joy. Be sure you face each day with your full armor in place (Ephesians 6:10-17). And never, ever drop your shield or your sword…because the pirates are very real.

Lord, forgive me for giving the enemy a foothold. You’ve equipped me with everything I need for victory—including the very power of the Holy Spirit within me. Don’t let me be blinded by lies or forget that I’m fighting a battle that You’ve already won.

“I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid.”

Genesis 3:10

Although I’ve read Genesis many times over at this point in my walk with Christ, a wonderful Lent devotional I’m doing this year included Genesis 3:10, and four words popped out at me as if I’ve never seen them: “and I was afraid.” The devo author also noted (yet not even as his main point) that when sin entered the world, so did fear. He moved on, I did not. 

It struck me to the core that there was no fear—and no fear of God—before sin. No shame, no hiding from God. No separation from God. Just a perfect relationship (with God and between Adam and Eve) of unashamed love and unabashed joy.

And then my mind leapt to what seems like a lifetime ago, when my two boys were toddlers. Their unashamed love and unabashed joy (before their perspectives were filtered with the dimness of realty). Another toddler observation is this: when they do something wrong, they hide. Somehow (well, not really “somehow”, but because they’re made in God’s image with God’s law written on their heart—Hebrews 8:10; 2 Corinthians 3:3), they know two things: (1) that they did something wrong and (2) that there will likely be consequences/punishment for said thing. Because they are tiny people, the hiding is cute—especially when they think they’re “hidden” because they can’t see you, so in their little minds, you can’t see them (as by simply covering their eyes to become unseen). 

Another toddler thing (not so cute) is this: when they want to do what they want to do, they run away from us parents who would say otherwise—or at least they’d try their best to do so. They pull with all their might to free themselves from mom’s hand. They struggle for release from being held in daddy’s arms (usually to keep them from harm or trouble). Oh, toddlers.

Oh…us.

Doesn’t this sound just like us in our relationship with our Father God? It all started in the Garden with our original earthly parents, but nothing’s really changed. We sin (because we’re sinners), and we hide from Him as if, like said toddler and his momma, God doesn’t already know where we are. And when we want to go our own way—to think we have the better plan than God does—we pull away (or run away, as the case may be). We pry our ignorant little hands out of the Father’s to pursue our fleshly desires at the altar of self-worship. Because of the fall in the Garden, this is our propensity as humans: to sin, to hide in shame, to try to be the god of our own life. The result? Fear and separation. Fear of judgment and punishment (even if subconscious), fear of being found out. And we create distance from the Creator who loves us and designed us for perfect relationship with Him.

So (and this is where the toddler analogy breaks down), we can and must choose to run back to the Father. In confession and repentance—and forgiveness. Sin leads to fear. There’s fear of admitting our sin (confession) and a then refusal to repent (turn and go the other direction)—usually because of shame or pride. And, friend, when our sin leads to fear and hiding and separation from God without stopping the cycle, our just Father will judge us. There are consequences for being out of right relationship with Him. But when sin leads to confession and repentance, our Father is quick to forgive (1 John 1:9; Ephesians 4:32)! In this repentance that leads to forgiveness, fear evaporates (2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 1:9; Psalm 34:4)!

As believers made right with God at salvation, we still do the above cycle to lesser and lesser degrees in our sanctification journey. (Until we’re perfected with the Lord, that’s our plight in this fallen world.) However, for those who have not yet surrendered their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, it’s an ongoing lifestyle, this fear and running. But it doesn’t have to be! All it takes is admitting there’s a problem, confessing that only Jesus can make the way of reconciliation, and BAM! Forgiveness and a new life of wanting to please God are yours! Again, there is the battle against the world system, the enemy, and our flesh on the road Home, but this walk can be fearless when we stop fighting Him to go our own way…and simply trust the loving, forgiving arms of our heavenly Father.

Father, You are Good. And You are Just. But when we are in right standing with You through Jesus, there is no more judgment to fear (1 John 4:18).

How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:29-31

There’s a common phrase used in our culture since about 2020 to warn easily “offended” people that they’ll be hearing information that goes against their delicate feels and sensibilities. I’m of the eye-rolling ilk on this topic but am going to use said phrase to start this particular Biblical message, because it’s a topic that Christians simply don’t like talking about. So, here you go: TRIGGER WARNING.

You know when you have one of those weeks (months, years), when there’s a certain providential point that seems to come across every other sermon, podcast, and devo you encounter…one which coincides with the Bible reading your doing? It’s like the Lord is saying, “Hellooooo! Do you get it yet?” Well, I’ve been digging into Revelation of late. And I’ve most recently been in chapters 5-16—stopping there, in fact, to write this. (You see where I’m going, don’t you?) I’ll jump right in then.

Judgment is coming. And for those who reject the Lord, the impending terror and eternal suffering is deserved. There, I said it. Despite the vital message of God’s love for everyone, His immense patience with us to turn from self-idolatry, and the fact that Jesus made a way of salvation for all who call on His name…despite all these amazing, grace-filled truths, there’s another truth: in the end, for the ones who vehemently hold fast to “I’m my own god” and stand firm on the lies of the enemy and this world system, God will take vengeance. Rejecting the free gift of mercy means there will be no mercy for them in the end (Hebrews 10:26-31; Deuteronomy 32:35; Revelation 15:5-7).

This is a terrifying prospect. And there are volumes that can (and must) be said about this message—and, of course, there is plenty of fodder for study from Genesis to Revelation. So here, I’ll focus on two points. First, believers don’t need to take revenge (Romans 12:19; Proverbs 20:22). That righteous anger that wells up in the face of global evils against the innocent? The anguish felt at the persecution and murder of believers around the world (which is greater now than in any other time in history)? The personal discrimination/mockery we experience at school or at work because of our faith (which is only going to grow from now on)? We can endure trusting that God’s got it. The perseverance of the saints comes from knowing (a) our salvation is sealed and we’re destined to be with the Lord forever (Revelation 13:10) and (b) God will take His vengeance—and their suffering will be great (Revelation 14:11-13). 

Second, the prospect of unbelievers separated from God (2 Thessalonians 1:9) and tormented forever with fire (Revelation 14:10) must inflame us to share the Good News of Jesus. And it’s not just “their” impending doom that should motivate us. Yes, those who willfully reject the Holy, Living God and the finished work of Christ on their behalf deserve the horrifying judgment. But, friend, so do we! Our sin and self-idolatry placed us in the same exact category, slated for eternal suffering. We were dead, lost, blind—destined for hell. But we heard the Gospel! We learned that our separation from God was reconciled by the work of Jesus on the cross. His victory allows us to be free from condemnation (Romans 8:1). We accepted this amazing gift of grace, of the imputed righteousness (that is, we are given the righteousness of Christ). Instead of God’s vengeance, we get undeserved mercy. And it’s from this perspective—the fact that we were once on Team Doomed and now we’ve got victory in Jesus—we must go and tell. Let’s go share the Good News of our undeserved mercy and the bad news of the deserved, merciless judgment for rejecting Christ.

Lord, Your mercy is beyond comprehension. We all deserve Your judgment—but Jesus came to the rescue. May we share this Good News of hope with the dark and broken world around us.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.… And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:13, 17

Time for an embarrassing confession. (You can laugh out loud, roll your eyes, or totally identify. And, whatever your eschatological take, I only share this to help make a spiritual point from this Biblical text.) A few weeks back I was waiting for a friend’s arrival for tea at 6 am on a Friday. My hubby was out of town, so I prepared our hot beverages in anticipation of the visit with my sister in Christ. But she didn’t show. After about 15 minutes, I started texting…no response. So, I texted her husband to see if she overslept…no response (and I know he’s up early as well). Did my mind go to, “Oh, it’s a Friday, maybe everyone is moving slowly this morning. No biggie”?

Uh, nope. Where did my mind go? Well, (here’s the embarrassing part) my thoughts leapt right to a panicked conclusion: The rapture has happened, and I am still here! My heart started racing, I started calling out to the Lord…and I texted another sweet sister, who I know heads out to work at o’dark-thirty. Guess what? No response. Full-on anxiety attack ensues—and I, dear friend, do NOT panic or worry easily. “Could it be?” I wondered. “Could I really have missed being called Home?” I ran through all the reasons for soul security: My radically changed life from Day 1 of surrender, my obedience through the years, the supernatural forgiveness I’ve extended, the fruit-bearing journey of sanctification I’ve been on for 25 years…what have I missed? How could it be? I lamented, “I’m just a big faker—I’ve been fooling myself.”

Well, my friends all texted back within minutes. Eternal-hell crisis averted. But then I landed on the truth, thinking, “Oh, Satan, you little piece of skubalon! Your tricky lies and threatening condemnation got me there for a bit—I’m sure you and your minions had a good laugh! But you know what, loser? I have the last laugh, because Jesus wins, and you’re gonna suffer for eternity!” Praise the Lord!

I share this early-morning saga with you as a mutual reminder of the Apostle Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 6:10-17. Paul urges us to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” And then he gives us the tools to achieve this stance. There are a ton of commentaries and sermons on the armor of God, so (per my story above) let’s focus on verse 17a: the helmet of salvation. See, Paul isn’t just talking about the fact that our salvation, in and of itself, helps us stand against the schemes of the devil—it is the assurance of our salvation! The enemy will do his level best to discourage us through doubt, fear, and condemnation—to hiss in our ears lies like, “Are you kidding me? How can you be saved? Look at how you talked to that customer service rep yesterday!” Or “Don’t forget about all that sinning you used to do!” Or “You don’t read your Bible daily or pray very often—if you were saved, you’d do a lot better!” All lies!!! Lying is Satan’s first language, and he is very proficient. 

Friend, every day we must put on the helmet of salvation—the assurance that once we surrendered to Jesus as Lord and Savior, accepting the Great Exchange that takes us from death to life (Ephesians 2:1-10), that the “It is finished” means just that. Our sins (past, present, and future) are paid in full. When that transformative transaction was made, it’s a one-and-done. No matter what our walk toward Heaven looks like (our sanctification process)—and it will be very different for all of us—we are in fact walking Home. And reminding ourselves of this Truth is a key element to defeating the enemy’s tactics in our life.

The full armor is vital because our enemy is wicked and powerful. And if we don’t protect our minds with the holy helmet of salvation assurance, we leave ourselves wide open for attack. Guarding our thoughts sets the foundation for a victorious battle (1 Thessalonians 5:8; Philippians 4:4-9). Our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and reserved for us (1 Peter 1:3-9). So, whether you envision a cowboy hat, baseball cap, beret, or beanie, cover your head with the confident hope of your salvation. And get ready for the fight. 

Lord, may I be prepared daily for the battles of this world with the armor You’ve provided, starting with joy—and assurance—of my salvation.

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encouraged by grace

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…

Philippians 2:14-15

I’m a cold-natured person—I always seem to be freezing. When we moved to Florida, I was so excited to bask in the year-round warmth. It didn’t even dawn on me that because it’s often hot outside, everywhere you go has the AC blasting. Thermostats are set to “brrrr”—so, no matter the month, my daily wardrobe includes a sweater. I must respond to the environment. Only in my own home do I get some control over the temperature. With power over the thermostat, I can set it on “ahhhh”.  

This creates a great analogy for the Christian life: Do we respond to the various environments around us by accepting the temperature in the room that reflects worldly ways and attitudes? Or do we live like a thermostat, creating a God-glorifying environment that is noticeable to others (and may even change their behavior)?

Actually, the Bible has a lot to say about thermostat living—about creating a temperature around us that reflects and honors the Lord. First, there’s the words we ought to use—and not use. In Proverbs, we’re reminded that a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (15:1) and that gracious words are sweetness to the soul (16:24). King Solomon (the author) even warns us that death and life are in the power of the tongue (18:21). New Testament authors also share hard truths about our speech—the Apostle Paul lists for us how to talk (Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29)…and how not to talk (Ephesians 5:4; Colossians 3:8; Philippians 2:14). And James spends most of chapter 3 cataloging the power of the tongue.

It’s not just our words, though. The Bible gives us solid direction on the right attitude settings for our thermostat. We’re to keep our eyes on the Lord, remembering His steadfast faithfulness and standing firm on His promises, so that our glances around at this broken world do not break us. Because our thoughts inform our emotions, which produce our actions, we’re to keep our mind focused on what is honorable, right, pure, and excellent (Philippians 4:8). Throughout each day, we’re to exude the Spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We rejoice in all circumstances (even in pain, persecution, and our proverbial prisons)…letting our gentle spirit be what everyone sees (Philippians 4:4).

These exhortations make up the ideal setting (tap-tap-tap—is this thing working?). Yup, it never ceases to amaze me how often I’m just a thermometer in my life, responding in frustration or anger, saying and doing the things I hate—and not saying/doing what I know I should (Romans 7:15-20). 

But we cannot strive in our own power to live the thermostat life! Praise God, we believers have the Holy Spirit living in us, available to empower us to live God’s way (when we yield to Him). And, friend, in this fallen, dark world full of broken people, we must set the temperature to “hope”! Through the grace we received in Christ Jesus, we’ve been changed, transformed from the darkness of this world to something new—to light and life! And everywhere we go, the temperature should change! 

Every day (at work, in school, at the grocery store) is an opportunity to move the proverbial dial. We can set the temperature instead of setting our own attitude to match the situation around us. Are your coworkers griping? Don’t play along—shift the conversation. Waitress cranky? Sincerely ask how she’s doing—and ask how you can pray for her. Conversation heating up, with rising volume? Answer softly with a desire to understand. Getting worked up in anger or envy while scrolling through your socials? Shut ‘er down and look up in praise and thanksgiving for all the Lord has done.

Preachin’ to myself here, but I want to set the thermostat, so that the way I live (my attitude, words, and actions) points others to a loving and holy God (Matthew 5:16). It’s so easy to fall right into the temperature of the room—to be part of the crowd, accepting the cold and putting on a sweater. Instead, let’s set the temp and tone for those around us. As we click the dial to “Glorify the Lord”, we’ll shift the whole environment, creating a noticeable change that just might change lives forever. 

Lord, may I consistently talk and act in a way that reflects who I am in You, setting a temperature for others that points them to You. 

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:56-57

I love my church. Our leadership (and hence all the worship—in teaching, song, activity) is Bible-based and Gospel-centered. We constantly celebrate the amazing gift of saving grace through faith alone in Christ alone. And we live in the freedom that comes through His Word. Plus, every week, the Lord ushers more and more people into His family through the Good News being preached. It never gets old.

In recent months, the pastor of my church has commented within various sermons that, although the moment of salvation is about surrendering to Jesus as Lord and Savior to experience the transformative freedom in Christ, the Christian life is also war. This is fact. When we join team Jesus, we become enemies of this world, of Satan, and of our own flesh. So, at salvation, we join the fight. This sent my mind reeling to human war, especially as the current geopolitical scene heats up. Then my mental trail led to how men and women enlist in the military to serve our country…or how men (currently only men) may also be drafted to fight, should the situation warrant it. I won’t share my cerebral meandering to the “election” versus “free will” theological chasm, and how one would mean Christians are “drafted” and the other would mean we “enlist”—that is a digression for another day. Suffice it to say that one way or another, believers are at war.

And this is where it gets interesting, Biblically speaking. Is the battle ours to fight? Or does the battle belong to the Lord?

Throughout the Old Testament, we find exhortations to trust the Lord with the fight (of course, in these verses, they typically referred to actual war). See 1 Samuel 17:47 when David trusted God to fight for him against Goliath and 2 Chronicles 20:15, when the Lord assured Judah that the battle was His, and sure enough, the enemy actually defeated themselves—check it out! And in Exodus 14:13-14, before the Red Sea parted, Moses told the Israelites to stop freaking out and be quiet—the Lord would fight for them. These verses can certainly be applied to the proverbial battles of our lives as well.

The battle does belong to the Lord…and so does the victory (1 Corinthians 15:56-57). On this side of the cross, we are privileged to understand that the Real Battle has also been won on our behalf—the Victory that all those other miraculous victories pointed to. As Jesus said before He gave up His life, “It is finished” (the debt is paid, the war is over). If you haven’t heard it yet, listen to the Shane and Shane song, You’ve Already Won, which speaks to our spiritual fight through this world from the vantage point of the Lord’s victory…

…because, although the battle is won, We. Still. Must. Fight.

And as we do, the Lord is with us (Deuteronomy 20:4)! He gets our weakness, pain, and temptations (Hebrews 4:15-16), and He will never leave us or forsake us in the battle (Isaiah 43:2). And He will strengthen us (2 Thessalonians 3:3). But we must also be prepared for the inevitable battles! The Apostle Paul reminds us who our real enemy is and gives us the full battle plan in his letter to the Ephesians (6:10-18).

So, are we to fight—and keep fighting the good fight until the end (as Paul wrote time and time again)? Or does the battle belong to the Lord? The answer is YES! We do fight! However, we fight not for victory, but from victory! Jesus Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33), and because of His victory, we who trust Him in that victory, are more than conquerors (Romans 8:35-39)! So, friend, enlist in God’s army, put on your armor…and join the victorious fight.

Lord, until You return or call us Home, this is war. May we hold fast to Your victory and fight the good fight until then.

encouraged by grace books

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I’ve been thinking about growing older lately. Specifically, my own aging process. Firstly, it’s amazing how when you’re 30, people who are in their 50s seem so stinking old…until you’re 50. Then, it’s astounding how young the fifth decade of life becomes in the scheme of life. See, in my head, I’m still in my late 30s or early 40s. This self-perception abruptly ends, however, when (a) I talk with someone in that age range or (b) I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror. Then I reluctantly acknowledge, “Nope, I am definitely not there anymore. I am old.” 

To be clear, I’m in my fifties. And although I’m decades away from slowing down too much (Lord willing), there are clear signs of the length of road behind me. Waking up with an injury, for instance. Or being nagged by new random pain, seemingly relocating from day to day. Or not being able to come up with the right word for a concept. (This one is pretty frightening for me, as I make my living coming up with the right words.) And it can all be quite disheartening.

But the Apostle Paul has God-inspired wisdom for us on this topic (as he does on most topics). Now, as he was writing to the Corinthian church, he wasn’t technically talking about getting older, but rather the physical consequences of affliction and persecution that he and other believers were enduring as the Church was growing (2 Corinthians 7-11). However, I love verses 16 through 18, as applied to physical aging: We don’t have to lose heart as our outer person is decaying, because our inner person (who we really are) is being renewed every day! The aches, pains, memory lapses—even disease and illness—are “momentary, light afflictions” compared to our eternal life in glory with the Lord. In the previous chapter, too, Paul wrote that because of our hope in Christ, we are being transformed into the Lord’s image from one degree of glory to another (3:18) through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

As the length of our journey in this world increases, we are simply closer to Home. In fact, I believe that the decaying (i.e., aging) process is a sweet reminder from God that we don’t belong here. As long as we’re tethered to this world, we’ll retain the “earthen vessel” (2 Corinthians 4:7) we’ve been given. But we’re in a shedding phase, of sorts. Like the miraculous metamorphosis of a caterpillar to butterfly, we’re meant to slough off our own natural man (day by day, year by year) to more clearly reveal the new nature of Christ’s righteousness given to us at salvation. 

Friend, let’s delight in our decay! Because with it, our true nature—the treasure that the Lord created us to be—is being revealed. And one day (decades from now or tomorrow), when He calls us Home, we will be fully transformed, with a glorious, resurrected body, unburdened by pain, tears, or sin. So, with each new ache or frustrating memory lapse, let’s thank the Lord…it just means we’re that much closer to our joyful flourishing in heaven.

Father, as I struggle with the pain and decay of my body (and this world), may I remember that my home is in heaven and my Real Life is yet to begin.

encouraged by grace books

Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 

Ephesians 4:29

If you’re looking for a particular book of the Bible to dive into this new year, I highly suggest Ephesians. You can literally spend months lingering over, meditating on, praying about, and—definitely applying—these amazing, inspiring, convicting words from the Apostle Paul. (I love this book so much—chapter 2:1-10 in particular—that it’s meaning is now illustrated in a large new tattoo on my right upper arm.)

For now, let’s talk about talk. Paul, among other writers of the New Testament, has a lot to say about the words that come out of our mouth as believers. At salvation (the moment at which we surrender to Jesus as our Lord and Savior), we are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). By God’s amazing grace, our old sinful nature is gone…but, we are still living in our old fleshy selves, in a fallen and broken world that is currently managed by our enemy, Satan. So, we spend our lives of grace growing in our likeness of Christ. We renew our minds (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23; Philippians 4:8), and we—through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us—lay aside/put away some things and put on other things.

This is where our words come into play. In verse 29 of Ephesians 4, Paul shoots straight: “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Let’s break this down.

When Paul uses “unwholesome word”, think rotten, spoiled food. (I know we’ve all experienced taking off the lid of some Tupperware stuck way in the back of the fridge and immediately being slapped in the face with a terrible stench of spoiled whatever-it-is-because-you-can’t-tell-anymore. Yup, it’s just like that.) When we talk to or about others in a way that is bitter, slandering, untrue, or unkind, it’s like speaking with a rotten stink. But Paul doesn’t leave us with what not to do.

We are to speak words that are good for edification. In other words, words that encourage, uplift, instruct…even when we are corrective, we’re to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). And our words are “according to the need of the moment”—fitting the occasion, as the ESV says. That means we have to think about where we are and who we’re with, being highly intentional before our thoughts reach our tongues. Plus, our talk is to extend grace to those listening to us. This is key. See, we’re saved by grace—a gift given freely, unable to be earned! And our lives are sustained by grace, moment by moment, as we are on our way Home. The grace given to us by the Lord must be our standard—the measuring stick by which we assess our words before they leave our mouths. When we speak, brothers and sisters, let’s speak grace.

[Paul goes on in chapter 4, verses 31 and 32 (and the next chapter, for that matter) to describe more ways we talk and walk out our faith, so go check it out for yourself!]

Lord, as a new creation in Christ, may I, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me, speak only life and truth and grace to others to reveal Your amazing grace to a dark world.

Encouraged by grace books

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

The most amazing thing about saving grace is that it is a free gift—not as a result of anything we do, so none of us can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is in Christ alone, through faith alone. We can’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. In every other religion (and even within the denomination I grew up in), you have to do, working your way to the finish line…hoping you did enough for your eternal reward. When I came to understand and accept what Jesus accomplished on the cross, conquering sin and death for me, the knowledge of “do” versus “done” brought overwhelming freedom. I no longer had to constantly strive to do better, do more, do enough. It is finished (John 19:30).

For me, that acceptance of amazing grace was 25 years ago. Since that time, I totally get the do-versus-done truth—and try to share it often. I know I can’t earn my salvation—and I don’t try. But my efforts to try and earn value in the eyes of the Lord (and others)…well, that’s been a different story. 

In response to His grace, a believer wants to do for the Lord (serve)—that’s the natural (or rather, supernatural) outpouring of salvation. We do out of love God and love for others (the top two commandments) and bring God glory. But when we take action because we think the Lord will “love us more”, that’s where we go so wrong! Nothing can make God love us any more—or less—than He does! And no “bad” action can separate us from His love (Romans 8:31-19). What’s more, it’s also easy for us Christians to get caught up in serving the Lord to show (or prove) ourselves worthy of His grace and love. 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that our service/action is primarily motivated by “being seen”. In fact, we could very well have jumped into serving because the Holy Spirit within us lit a flame of passion that aligned with the gift(s) we’ve been given. But then, thanks to that tricky, deceptive enemy of ours, we start thinking, “Oh, people will know what a ‘good Christian’ I am by how involved I am in church activities!” Or we hope, “With all this ‘doing’, God is certainly seeing greater value in me than before.” But then, Satan, who’d been waiting for those misguided thoughts, pounces and accuses, “Oh, how prideful you are! Look at you trying to look good to others—you don’t really care about God!” It’s a vicious cycle that leads only to dark places.

Does the Lord want us to do for Him and others? Yes, of course! But our value to Him (and to the Body of Christ) is not in the doing. Our activity is meant to be an outpouring of who we are! The Lord has given each of us a unique personality, gifted us with spiritual gifts, and placed us in a particular time/place for His sovereign purposes. We don’t have to be obsessed with, “Lord, what do You want me to DO for You?” We just need to abide in who we ARE in Him. The better question is: Lord, who have You made me to BE? Then, we simply walk in that. The result? Unspeakable joy (and even greater freedom) that rises to complement that amazing grace.

Lord, as a child of God, I am created to be who You say I am. May I not get trapped by the “doing”…but rather, let my service to You and others be a beautiful expression of my “being” in You.

encouraged by grace series