Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.   

Philippians 4:8-9

I love lists. My desk and kitchen counter are littered with sticky notes filled with them. There are lists that accumulate items that need to be purchased at the next Walmart trip. Others remind me of project due dates for various clients. And other lists are general to-do prompts containing tasks that I get to cross off with giddy satisfaction. (If I accomplish something that is not on said list, I will immediately write it on there just to put a definitive line through it. Can I get an “Amen!”?)

These verses from the letter of Paul to the Philippians are some of my favorites! Although I could probably say that same thing about verses from almost every one of the 66 books of the Bible, this practical exhortation is pretty special. Here, Paul provides a very specific to-do list…and he follows it up with a promise. (This section of Paul’s to-dos-with-a-promise actually starts in verse 4, so take some time to dive into this whole chapter.)

First, he tells us what to dwell on (think about). This is awesome, because it’s so easy to occupy our minds on the negatives, whether it’s our own faults and failings—or the world’s. Instead, we’re given a clear list of what we ought to be thinking, pondering, and meditating about. And it’s a tall (and challenging) order! We’re to dwell on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and praiseworthy. I don’t know about you, but my mind does not naturally go to these kinds of things. Rather, keeping my thoughts here takes a lot of intentionality.

Next, Paul urges us to practice (do) what we learn from his letters, his actions, and the whole of God’s Word. Much like those thought-life instructions, these behavioral directives require deliberate effort. First, we need to know what the Word says—we must read and study it. Every day. When we know what’s required of us, we can take steps in the direction of obedience. We won’t be perfect, of course, but the more we learn and understand, the easier it is to do.

Finally, verse 9 ends with a promise: The God of peace will be with you. Similar to the promise in verse 7, which tells us the “peace of God” will guard our hearts, Paul is saying that when we practice the things, we will have peace. The more we learn and do, the closer our walk with God. Friend, God is peace, and He makes peace with us through Jesus. And He will give us perfect peace—peace that is incomprehensible to the natural mind—when we choose to follow His to-do list.

Thank You, Lord, for giving me clear instructions in Your Word for walking through this dark world and walking closer to You. May I dwell daily on Your Truth.

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.     

Psalm 27:13 (NASB)

As I sit to write this, there’s certainly a lot going on in our nation and world to anguish about. Cultural upheaval, vitriolic divisiveness, fearmongering—and a global pandemic (about which there is much cultural upheaval, vitriolic divisiveness, and fearmongering). Prices are going up, and product availability is going down. Evil is being called good, and good evil; darkness is being put forth as light, and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20). When I scan the mess around me, it is easy to hang my head in despair (even though the Bible is very clear that all this is to be expected). 

But God. Those words are so amazing, aren’t they? A quick search brought up 43 accounts of “But God” in the Bible—and that’s just in one translation!

The Psalms are always a great place to land when distress and sorrow start creeping into our mind and heart. David, in particular, is so authentic as he cries out to the Lord in desperation, fear, anger, or frustration. However, he always comes back around to “but God” and how the Lord’s immutable attributes are a safe harbor for his soul. Let’s look at Psalm 27. In this single song, David confidently proclaims that the Lord is his light and salvation, and that there’s no reason to fear his enemies and evildoers. He goes right from that certainty to crying out for God not to abandon or forsake him. He then leans in to ask the Lord to guide his steps in Truth, especially as others falsely accuse him and breathe out violence against him.

But then it’s as if David looks in a proverbial mirror to remind himself of the main thing: He knows the goodness of the Lord—His grace, mercy, and salvation—so there is no reason to despair.

Friend, both the Old and New Testaments are filled with reminders to keep our eyes on God, whatever our circumstances. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed today—due to health issues, grief, financial woes, or relationship challenges—know that He is the lifter of your head (Psalm 3:3). Like David, gaze into the mirror of your soul and take to heart these reminders from God’s Word:

• When I am anxious, He gives me peace (Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27).
• When I am weak, He strengthens me (Isaiah 41:10). 
• When I am afraid, He frees me from all my fears (Psalm 34:4).
• When I am weary, He takes my burdens (Matthew 11:28-30).
• When I am hopeless, He is my hope (Jonah 2:7). 
• When I’m not sure which way to turn, He’ll guide my steps (Proverbs 16:3). 
• When I am in distress, He will comfort me (Psalm 91:14-15). 

Lord, let me never forget that You are my refuge and strength—a very present help in times of trouble. There is no reason to despair as long as I keep my hope in You.

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

Romans 8:33

The word “reproach” isn’t often used anymore. But it’s a pretty powerful word. It can be described as “blame conveyed in disapproval and discredit.” Or, more simply put, it is “disgrace.” Just reading those words puts a pit in my stomach—how about you? To experience reproach is no fun and brings feelings of shame and regret. 

As fallen humans, we sin. Because we are separated from God, we all seek to fill our God-shaped void with any means. Maybe it’s people, things, substances, or self-idolatry. But nothing will satisfy—and, often, our pursuit becomes more and more desperate. We may feel regret, but we turn to the next thing in hopes of approval and peace. In full transparency, before I came to trust Jesus as my Lord and Savior, my life choices could fill a small book with the one-word title: Ashamed. 

And Satan—the enemy of our soul—loves this. His goal is to keep us separated from God, so he hisses in our ear, day and night, about our past failures and regrets. But God provided a Way of reconciliation. Jesus Christ built a bridge between fallen mankind and God through His death and resurrection. Accepting this gift of grace brings us true peace and satisfaction. 

When we admit our sinful nature, not only is He faithful to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), but we no longer live under condemnation (Romans 8:1)! We are presented faultless before God (Jude 24). Beyond merely blameless (without blemish), we are made beyond reproach (Colossians 1:22)! This means that no one can bring a charge against us (Romans 8:33). Satan may still be hurling accusations about us to God, but, friend, none of them will stick against we whom Christ has reconciled (Revelation 12:10).

God sees us now as we’ll be in heaven when we’re glorified (that is, when we stand before Him after death). Right now, He views us clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. Our response—the way we walk through this life—is, as John MacArthur says, to “practice becoming what we are in reality before God” (Colossians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 3:18). We will continue to sin, of course, but we repent and keep moving forward in pursuit of holiness. Through our relationship with Jesus, we will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11).

Isn’t this amazing news? When we surrender to Jesus, that God-shaped void is filled. We are made new, washed as white as snow. And we can joyfully hold fast to the Truth of Psalm 34:5: We who look to Him are radiant, and our faces will never be ashamed.

Heavenly Father, thank You for making me holy and blameless. Thank You that, through Jesus, I am beyond reproach from my past, present, and future sins.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.       

Ephesians 2:19

When we are “alienated” from someone, we are estranged from them—separated. The relationship is damaged. If you’ve experienced this with a friend, for example, something likely happened to create this sense of disconnectedness. Maybe it was a deep disagreement or lack of forgiveness. Today, in fact, alienation between friends and family is happening at an alarming (and very, very sad) rate because of the current cultural divisiveness.

But, friend, did you know that the very first experience of alienation happened with our original parents—Adam and Eve—in the Garden? When they chose to sin and ignore God’s plan for their lives, their perfect relationship with Him was broken. They were alienated from God, and their sin opened the door to bodily death and earthly demise. And because of that first sin choice, we—every human-race relative of the First Couple—are also estranged from God.

But God, through Jesus Christ, reconciled Himself to us (Colossians 1:21-23). He restored that perfect relationship we were originally created to have. Does that mean we are “perfect” humans once we accept the sacrifice made by Christ on our behalf? Not at all! But our relationship with God is made right, and we are made righteous to stand before our righteous God. It is in response to that restoration that we walk in the direction of obedience, standing firm on God’s Word, and becoming more and more like Jesus as we move through this world.

And as one alienation ceases, another one begins.

See, once our relationship with God is restored, we must then alienate—separate—ourselves from this world. We cannot be in the world and of it. We can no longer love the same things the world loves while we love and serve the Lord (1 John 2:15-17). We become “aliens” in this life—we’re no longer citizens here but in heaven (Phil 3:20). And as citizens of heaven and servants of the King of kings, we are called to be holy (set apart) as God is holy (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:15).  

Ah, but we must also separate ourselves without isolating! We can’t hide away our newfound light under a basket (Matthew 5:14-15; Mark 4:21; Luke 11:33). As citizens of heaven, we are also meant to be ambassadors of our King—resident aliens who share the good news of restoration to those who are now alienated from God. 

Lord, thank You for restoring my relationship with You through Your Son, Jesus. May I represent Your kingdom well.

This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.

2 John 6

As Christians, we are called to obey God’s Word—the Bible. The whole thing. “That’s a lot of stuff,” you’re probably thinking. But, during His earthly ministry, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ summed up everything into two rules: Love the Lord God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34-40). On one hand, there are just two “simple” commandments…but on the other hand, they truly do encompass the rest of the Bible—and it’s a definite challenge to stay on track.

But there’s very good news: First, when we choose to surrender our lives to Jesus, accepting His free gift of salvation by grace, we are immediately given the Holy Spirit to live in us, empowering us to walk the walk of obedience. We’re not traveling alone, in our own effort!

Second, we are called to step-by-step faith. Sometimes, when we have our eye on the long game, the thought of traveling there in perfect stride the whole way can be really overwhelming. Plus, most times, God doesn’t necessarily give us the “big picture” of His will—but He will give us the first step…and this is where we can have confidence. The first step of faith is what He wants of us. Look at Abraham. He was called to go. He was promised an inheritance, but wasn’t told where to go. God told him to step out in faith, and he did (Hebrews 11:8-10).  

Finally, as long as we’re living in this broken world, housed in our decaying body, we will not—cannot—be perfectly obedient. We will sin and fall short. I always get encouraged by the Apostle Paul. His transformation after his encounter with Jesus was amazing. He went from persecuting and overseeing the death of Christians to being the evangelist of all evangelists (and being persecuted himself). He was brilliant and passionate and dedicated to bringing as many people to Jesus as he could. He set a very high bar. But even Paul wrote about how he did what he didn’t want to do (sin) and didn’t do what he knew he should (Romans 7:14-25).  

Picture obedience to God’s Word as walking on a stone path (a path laid upon the narrow road we first stepped upon at salvation). As we walk toward our eternal Home, we will trip up. We’ll place our foot to the right or the left of the stones. We may even meander or backtrack a bit. But, dear friends, we must keep putting one foot in front of the other, with love of God and love for others as our guide. Let’s keep moving in the direction of obedience. 

Lord, obedience to You is love. As I make my way Home, thank You for the Holy Spirit and Your Word to help me walk in a way that glorifies You.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

The “end times” began the moment Jesus ascended into heaven, right after He gave His disciples the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). And it has lasted over 2000 years, with each generation believing that the Lord would soon return. This is a good thing, as this anticipation has motivated Christians to live as if Christ will come back at any moment—an attitude that keeps us focused on the things of heaven and, hopefully, makes us evangelism-minded. But now, as my pastor says often, “we are at the end of the end times.”

Is this the “worst” things have been since Jesus walked this earth? Well, I can confidently say that it’s most certainly more terrible than I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. As a U.S. citizen who has been relatively aware through my teen years and adulthood of national and global goings on, I believe that the Apostle Paul’s list in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is clearly manifest. Just looking at America through the lens of those verses (“lovers of self, lovers of money, abusive, ungrateful slanderous, without self-control, brutal, treacherous, lovers of pleasure…”), I see a very different country than the one I grew up in.

If there was a coin that was, on one side, printed with “The end is near,” what would be on the flip side? For believers and unbelievers alike, it would clearly be inscribed: “The time is now.”

For believers: The time is now to focus on the Gospel truth. With cultural “realities” now arguable on every side and “truth” having become relative and individualized, we must know God’s Word (the Bible) and stand firm on it. To know the absolute Truth of God means we are less likely to be deceived by the lies of the enemy. The time is now to be faithful in word and action, living out God’s Truth to be a shining light in the ever-growing darkness. And the time is now to share God’s Truth with others. With illness and death in the forefront each day, people are thinking more and more about what will happen to them after death. We, brothers and sisters, have the answer.

For unbelievers: The time is now to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. No one denies that we live in a broken world full of broken people. And that brokenness (sin) separates us from a relationship with God. But God sent His Son into the world to live the perfect life we cannot live, die on the cross to pay the penalty we deserve, and rise victorious over sin and death. Accepting this gift of grace restores our relationship with God, so we will live forever in His holy presence. 

Friend, we don’t know exactly when the “end times” will end. But whether Jesus comes back for His followers today, next year, or 1000 years from now, the “end is near” because our own end is near—the going death rate for humanity is 100%. So, if you know the Truth, live it and share. But if you’re unsure what death will bring, please accept the Truth of Jesus Christ. The time is now.

Lord, the global situation seems to be pointing to your imminent return. May I be bold and unashamed to share Your Truth with others.

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

We adopted a new dog a little over a year ago. Her name is Caroline, and she is probably about five years old—but no one really knows, because all her remaining teeth are little nubs. (The vet has told us it’s from being kept in a cage and incessantly chewing on the bars.) Anyway, what we do know is that she’d been in shelters and foster homes for about a year before we adopted her, after being picked up in pretty bad shape from a life on the streets. We don’t know how long she was homeless, but she was rescued with two of her puppies that were already teenagers. One of her back legs had been badly injured—probably broken after being hit by a car—and the way the bones healed left that leg about three inches shorter than the others.

It took a few months for her to get used to us—and for our other middle-aged dog, Bella, to stop trying to eat her. But Caroline is super-snuggly and affectionate, and she turned out to be the perfect addition to our family. She’s scarred up and a little wonky, and she can be pretty anxious.

But there’s one thing that’s particularly noticeable about this sweet little dog: she is always just so happy to be here. Her tail is always wagging—which actually also wags that back leg that hangs a few inches above the ground. (It’s quite adorable.) Her eyes are bright and shine with a noticeable gratefulness. 

What an amazing lesson for us broken, scarred, and slightly wonky people who have been rescued by the grace of Jesus Christ. Like Caroline, we were all once lost in this world. Many of us—including myself—were caged by besetting sin, seeking ways to get out…but these efforts often caused more self-damage than freedom. Some of us may even carry permanent scars from the bad choices we made. 

But God did not leave us in our brokenness. He sent Jesus, His Son, to pay the penalty for our sin and declare victory over death (John 3:16). When we accepted this gift of grace, we were given a new life—made a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We were transferred out of darkness into marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) and made citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20)! Like Caroline, we have a new family, a new home. 

When we wake up each morning, we may not exactly jump around with glee, goofily roll around on our backs, and want to immediately hit the outdoors in full-on discovery mode. But, sweet friends, do we open our eyes to the wonder of a new day—a fresh gift from God, full of new mercies and potential? As we go about our day, do we bask in the wonder and beauty of God’s amazing creation? Are we overflowing with gratefulness for the eternal hope we have as a child of God?

Life is challenging right now for every one of us. But, as followers of Jesus Christ, we have joy unspeakable to which we can cling each day—despite the relentless bad news from the media. We have a Savior who will never leave us or forsake us, no matter how long we are isolated from others. Despite the vitriol and divisiveness in our culture and world, we have the Prince of Peace. 

Lord, help me to be thankful at all times, in all circumstances, appreciating the multitude of gifts you lay out in front of me each day.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.  

Matthew 16:24

Back in the 1970s and 80s, the lemon-lime soda brand 7UP had a very popular tagline that immediately boosted sales of the fledgling pop: The uncola. The marketing firm that came up with the campaign pitted its light flavor and lack of caffeine against the opposing qualities of the very popular cola brands. Coke and Pepsi were the standard—still are, really. (In fact, 7UP has all but faded away to its lemon-lime competitors like Sprite.)

This fun fact came to mind when I was thinking about Jesus’ words to His disciples, found in three of the four Gospels: “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23; Mark 8:34). Can there be any stronger words than these in direct contradiction to our “me” culture? From the self-love (self-esteem) movement to ubiquitous social media selfies, “What’s in it for me?” seems to be the bottom-line modus operandi for most people these days. But, here, Jesus is exhorting us to embrace “unself” living.

Did you know, friend, that love of self is Satan’s top Rule for Life? When we seek to fill our lives with pleasures of the flesh and earthly pursuits, our focus will remain on ourselves. Our enemy loves that. And self-obsession makes a natural progression to pride, which precariously teeters on the edge of a big fall—Satan knows that, because he lived that outcome. (Self-obsession can also take a darker turn into depression—either way, Satan will be doing a happy dance.) I can almost see his mouth drooling as he watches us stomp our feet to get things “our way” and, to that end, turn to people, things, social media, and substances (and even to hatred and vitriolic divisiveness) to attempt to meet that need.

But when we accept the free gift of salvation—the finished work of Jesus that paid the full price for our redemption—it’s not about us anymore. We no longer live in the flesh, for ourselves. We live, by faith, for the Son of God who loved us so much that He gave Himself for us, dying and rising again in victory on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 2:20; John 3:16). In response to being made a new creation, completely righteous in God’s eyes, we surrender to His will for our lives. (Note, sweet friends, that pursuing God’s will versus our wants is not to “earn” God’s love—it’s our response to being made His child.)

When we are emptied of self, we can be filled with (surrendered to) the Holy Spirit, Who is given to us at the moment of salvation to live in us as our promise, counselor, and guide. This results in a fruity life (check out Galatians 5:22-23)! And when we come to the end of ourselves, our precious Lord can use us in big ways to serve others for His glory and to be a light pointing to Him.

And our dark, selfish world can definitely use more “unself” right now. 

Lord, help me to daily empty myself of “me-ness” and surrender more fully to You. Let my life reflect less of me and more of You.

But You, O LORD are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head. 

Psalm 3:3

I don’t know about you, but it’s really easy (albeit, somewhat necessary) for me to keep my head down and just move forward through each day. I stay focused on the task at hand, from when my eyes open until they close again at night. And if I have no task, per se, my intentional efforts are to find distracting activity or amusement. (Picture those three monkeys, one covering its eyes, one its ears, and one its mouth…that about sums it all up.)

Because when I look around these days, I’m bombarded by fear mongering, mental and emotional assaults, unconscionable lies, and ludicrous irrationality—not to mention vitriolic hatred and divisiveness that is being purposefully generated.

The problem, though, with keeping our heads down in focused diversion, avoidance, and self-protection is that it can eventually lead to head-hanging discouragement. As believers, we know we are to keep our eyes on the Lord, acknowledging we are not of this world—we are citizens of heaven through the gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. We know this, but oh, how challenging it can be sometimes to lift our eyes to the Father.

Praise God that He is the lifter of our heads when our chins seem heavily weighed down! When we are pressed in on every side and feeling stuck in the mire dredged up by the enemy, the Lord is our shield and rescuer! Psalm 3 is just one of the beautiful prayer-songs written by David eloquently expressing what we may not be able to—but need so desperately. 

We can cry out to the Lord, as David does in this Psalm (and many others), saying, “Lord, enemies are rising up, surrounding me, telling me all is lost. But You, Lord, protect me. You lift my head, so I can keep my eyes on You. You give me peace, so I can rest at night. Each day, I know you’ll sustain me—I don’t have to fear men…what can they do to me, anyway? You are the Righteous Judge of all, my God, and You will strike down Your enemies. Salvation is of You, as well…and blessed are those who run to you for safety.”

Sisters and brothers, let’s not allow the enemy to discourage us. It’s his favorite and most effective tool, really. Remember, moment by moment, that the Lord is on His throne. Nothing is taking Him by surprise. Yes, our eyes must remain on Him—our Hope. But when you (and I) are so burdened and heavy-ladened that your view consists of dirt and rocks, cling to the Truth that God is the lifter of your head.

“Lord, You are the King of kings. Although the battle rages, You have won the war. Thank You for being the Strong Tower into which we can run and be safe. Thank you for keeping my chin up when, in my own power, I cannot.”

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35

My memory isn’t great—and it’s not just because I’ve surpassed that big 5-0 mark. Ask my friends from high school and college, and they’ll tell you that whenever we’ve gotten together through the years to reminisce, I’m usually the one who shakes her head and says, “Nope, I don’t recall that.” But play a song from 1982 that I haven’t heard in 30 years, and I will be able to sing every word. 

That being said, when I was reading John’s gospel recently and got to verses 34 and 35 of chapter 13, a song I learned in elementary school came rushing back—tambourines and all. (I spent seven years in Catholic school, so my peeps out there can give me an “Amen” to the tambourines…although, there aren’t any “Amen” shoutouts during Mass. But I digress.) The song is “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” (Hoping to find it the 70s version on YouTube, I discovered that the song has actually been recently remade. Sadly, no tambourines.)

Anyway, the lyrics tout unity among brothers and sisters in Christ, asserting that believers will recognize each other by the love we have for one another. This brotherly/sisterly love is a reflection of the love Jesus has for us—love He ultimately displayed through His death and resurrection for our salvation. 

Have you ever started chatting with a stranger, say at Walmart or the tire store, and just recognized a certain something in them—a light perhaps, or an unmistakable spirit-level connection? That’s Christian love. An attraction we have toward God’s people. It’s pretty cool, actually.

But more than that, we are called to love these brothers and sisters out of obedience…even if we don’t like them very much. And our Apostle friend John had a lot to say about this too. “If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20). Ouch. This love is also evidence of our reconciliation with God: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him” (1 John 3:14-15).

Many years ago, I read a cool saying (it would actually make a great tattoo): “Be the moon. Reflect the Son.” God loved us so much, He gave His only Son so we could have eternal life (John 3:16). So, how about it, friend? When we meet brothers and sisters in Christ (from strangers to Sunday School classmates), let’s demonstrate reflective love. 

Lord, may I “be the moon” as I interact with Your children—my brothers and sisters—and love them in response to Your love for me.