Category: Blessings

What Does it Really Mean to “Abide”?

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, or the attaining of all perseverance and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light- Colossians 1:10-12 NASB

I have a weird confession that will undoubtedly trigger a little judgment:

For pretty much all of my Christian life the book of John has not been my favorite gospel. TOO MANY WORDS. I get that it is the fan favorite of nearly every Christian in the history of Christianity. However, I have always been more of a Matthew girl. It’s just better suited to my personality and preferences. I’ve read through John a couple of times. It just hasn’t been my jam. I always figured that’s why there’s four gospels, everyone gets to have a favorite. 

Well. 

I made a commitment this year to get to know Jesus better. Part of getting to know Him better has meant reading through ALL the gospels as many times as possible throughout the year. It occurred to me that if I really get to know every story about Jesus I will (hopefully) glean some fresh insights regarding Jesus in the process. So, I’ve been reading through the book of John (again) and truth-be-told, this time around I have kind of fallen in love.  I judged John harshly. He’s wordy (which bugs me) but I have noticed some things I have never really noticed before. He is more mystical and transcendent in describing Jesus. He is also much more straight forward in describing all the sin and ickiness lurking in the hearts of the Pharisees and Sadducees (John 10:25-39, John 11:45-51). Nor does he pull any punches concerning God’s expectations of His people (John 16). I really like all that.

Anyhoo. 

This past week I got to John 15 and the passage on the vine and as a result I have done a lot of thinking about the whole notion of abiding in Christ. What does it mean? How do we do it? Are there things we can do to do it better? I am convinced abiding is not something that just happens. The text seems to indicate it is possible to be a regular church attender and Bible reader and still not abide in Christ. Abiding is a choice we make (John 15:4-11, Romans 11:21-22) and if we choose not to make that choice there are some severe spiritual and practical consequences (John 16:1). In order to abide we must:

Practice spiritual self-awareness-

Spiritual self-awareness means we wake up every day and make an assessment of our behaviors, attitudes and overall spiritual state (2nd Corinthians 13:5). Then we ask the Holy Spirit to show us what needs to change and how to make those changes (John 16:7-8). Spiritual self-awareness is more than just outward goodness. Spiritual self-awareness means we look deep within ourselves and admit we need growth and transformation even if we look okay on the outside.  Spiritual self-awareness means we do level best to know our own hearts so that we can conform more to the image of Christ in our thinking as well as our outward behavior (Romans 8:29, Colossians 3:10). Spiritually self-aware people see the little signs that indicate all is not well in the spiritual health department. Little signs spiritual health is slipping can include (but are not limited to) salty language, telling lies, harshness, judgment, insensitivity, too much worldly entertainment, a lack of willingness to forgive others and an increase of sinful behavior (Galatians 5:18-21, Colossians 3:5-10). If these signs become noticeable the first step is to repent. Repentance begins with admitting to God as well as ourselves that we have done wrong. When we repent, we ask God to give us clean hearts and right thinking. If our hearts our right and our thinking is biblical any desire to sin and wander will be greatly diminished. 

Allow the tough stuff of life to change us for the better- 

The entire end-goal of the Christian life is transformation (Romans 12:2, 2nd Corinthians 3:18). In order to transform we must willingly let go of attitudes and behaviors that keep us from becoming Christ-like. Jesus tends to use the tough stuff of life to reveal what needs to go and what needs to grow (Hebrews 12:10). Every pain we experience, every relational difficulty we encounter, every time we give into anger or some other baser behavior is an opportunity to ask Jesus what we can learn from the situation. Jesus will prune what needs to be pruned whether we ask or not,  but we get more out of the process if we choose to lean into it. 

And finally: 

When we abide we are intentional about seeking deeper relationship with Jesus daily- 

Jesus loves each of us so much that He doesn’t want to be a part of our lives. He wants to be all of our lives. Jesus is always near us. He is always seeking us out in order to cultivate deeper closeness and intimacy with us. Whether or not we have a close relationship with Jesus is up to us. When we learn to hear His voice willingly let go of the junk that holds us back we slowly but surely become holy in all we do (Isaiah 35:8, 2nd Corinthians 7:1, Hebrews 12:14, 1st Peter 1:14-16) Holiness is the key not only to truly abiding in Christ but also to finding true delight in living the Christian life. 

Four Choices that Keep us Moving Forward Spiritually-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation- 2nd Peter 3:14b-15a NIV

One morning this last week I woke up late and a lot less than rested. Nonetheless, I was determined to do my regular devotional reading. It just so happened that the only Bible in the room was a chronological Bible. Chronological Bibles aren’t bad, but every book and even some events are in historical order rather than the traditional format. Because everything is in a weird order, I knew it would take me literally forever to find the books I’ve been reading (Luke and Colossians). I simply did not have time for that nonsense. So, in the interest of getting to work on time I chose to employ a devotional technique I don’t actually recommend. I did this thing where I flip open my Bible and whatever I open to is my spiritual food for the day. In the interest of honesty I will admit I totally aimed for the New Testament. Once I attempted this technique without aiming for the New Testament and ended up in Jeremiah fifteen. Not good. Nothing but death and bad news in that chapter. I spent the better part of a day wondering if God was trying to tell me something.  

So anyway. 

My Bible flipped open to book of Hebrews. I was pretty happy because I really like the book of Hebrews. Then I realized I was in the middle of Hebrews five. I ended up reading 5:11-6:12. Truth-be-told, so far as encouragement goes it wasn’t much better than Jeremiah fifteen (this is why I don’t recommend this method). However, there was a lot to chew on (metaphorically speaking) once I leaned into it.  

I have always assumed Hebrews five and six is mostly about the dangers of backsliding. However, after spending a good part of my day meditating on the passage, I really think the author is getting at something a bit deeper. The passage is less about going backwards spiritually and more about what happens when we stop making the effort necessary to go forward spiritually. The consequences of spiritual inertia are never good. We stop producing good fruit, we lose spiritual knowledge and we stop caring about we are called to live in this world (Ephesians 4:1, Philippians 2:14-16, Colossians 1:10, 2nd Thessalonians 2:12, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). If the whole messy mess goes on long enough, we can fall into serious sin, become a disgrace to God’s reputation and even become spiritually useless (Hebrews 6:1-8.) 

Yikes. 

Nobody wants that. In the interest of avoiding all of the above negativity I want to share four choices that will keep us moving forward spiritually: 

Choose discernment and wisdom where relational “experts” are concerned-  

Our culture has reached a weird new low. “Experts” actually teach that animosity, ongoing resentment and unforgiveness is the healthiest emotional option for most people most of the time. This is played out in our cultural obsession with boundaries, estrangement and cutting friends and family off for the filmiest of reasons (rudeness, thoughtlessness, toxicity). Counselors and even some pastors no longer instruct individuals on how to work out their issues or forgive. Because we are ultimately all sinners this teaching feels right and sensible, but it is worldly to the core and horribly ill-advised (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12). Hanging on to resentment is always a bad idea, because holding on to resentment is a fast track to bitterness. Bitterness is a destructive and defiling (polluting, corrupting, ruining) force in our lives (Matthew 6:12-15, Ephesians 4:29-32, Hebrews 12:15).  

Never forget that faith is a muscle- 

Contrary to popular belief, faith is not something Christians receive fully formed and ready to put into action (Luke 13:19). Faith is more like a muscle that must be used and worked regularly for it to reach its full potential. Practically speaking, this means every situation we come up against in life is an opportunity either for our faith to grow stronger or weaker (1st Corinthians 10:15, 2nd Thessalonians 1:3). Faith grows and becomes more robust anytime we choose to do what God tells us to do (James 2:17-26, Hebrews 11). Conversely, lack of obedience guarantees our faith will be feeble and inadequate when we need it most. 

Lean into the hard things- 

There are some obvious blessings to living in this age. There are there also realities to this living in this age that make life challenging from a spiritual perspective (2nd Timothy 3:1-5). That said, God’s people are called to lean into the tough stuff of life (John 16:33, James 1:1-4, 1st Peter 1:6-7, Revelation 7:14). This is true even though our every instinct we have tells us to retreat when life becomes challenging. Leaning into the tough stuff is how we make a difference in the lives of others. It’s also how we become wise and discerning. Consciencely choosing to seek Jesus and grow through the difficulties we experience is the key to leaning into the tough stuff. Leaning in with a mindset of faith prevents spiritually passivity and keeps us moving forward.

And finally: 

Keep our eyes on the prize-

The prize is more than just eternal life in heaven. Eternal life will be amazing but it’s not the real prize. The real prize will be hearing Jesus say upon our arrival, “well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:20-28).   The real prize comes to those who choose to do the hard work of living a life faithfulness, spiritual forward motion and leaning into every lesson God wants to teach us. 

Five Signs of Good Spiritual Health-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment


A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart- Luke 6:43-45 NLT. 

Here’s the thing:

It is totally possible to be a Christian and be a flaming-hot-mess spiritually speaking (James 1:8).  Unfortunately, salvation does not automatically make one spiritually healthy, wise or able to walk out the commands of Scripture without some help and training. All that comes with sanctification (Romans 6:17-22, 1st Thessalonians 4:1-4). Unless someone is saved immediately prior to death (Luke 23:39-43) sanctification is a life-long process all Christians must go through in order to become holy in their actions and attitudes (Romans 12:1-21, Colossians 3:1-25, 1st Peter 1:13-16, 1st Thessalonians 4:1-8). Because sanctification is so critical most of the Apostle Paul’s letters were written to take unruly and spiritually unhealthy believers to a place of spiritual maturity and holiness (Hebrews 12:14, 1st Thessalonians 5:14). Paul understood that flaming-hot-spiritual messes do not glorify God, lead people to Jesus or become the salt and light they were created to be (Matthew 5:13-15, 1st Peter 1:13-16). 

So, what does spiritual health look like? 

Some would say the answer is found in the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s difficult to argue against that logic. No Christian with an iota of biblical understanding would be opposed to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. The apostle Paul was spot on when he said that “against such things there is no law”. However, every fruit is an outward behavior that can be faked. Therefore, unless the fruits are combined with deep spiritual work aimed at heart change those behaviors are just outward goodness absent any authentic heart change (Matthew 7:21-23, 2nd Corinthians 11:13-15). No one wants that. Following are five signs of good spiritual health:

We Understand the waywardness of the human heart-

Scripture teaches even the nicest people have hearts bent towards self-deception (Jeremiah 17:9, James 1:22-24).  This basically means the heart wants what it wants and will do a lot of shady maneuvering to get what it wants. All this can get done with very little (no) sorrow about the choices involved in getting what it wants. Even God-fearing Christian people are capable of an insane level of self-deception.  Self-awareness is key when it comes to our hearts. We must make a practice of ruthlessly examining our motives and thoughts (2nd Corinthians 13:5). When we learn to examine our motives and thoughts for self-deception, we automatically become less prone to sin and therefore more spiritually healthy. 

We seek to align with God on every issue- 

The Greek word for repent (metanoia) does not mean what most of us think it means (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Acts 3:19). Most of us have been taught that “repent” means to change one’s behavior and go another direction. In reality, “repent” means “to change one’s mind”. Once our thinking is aligned with God’s heart on the issues then we are to go in the direction God’s word tells us to go in. The meaning of this one little word teaches us one can be truly obedient to God unless they are in alignment with His revealed truth. This means we should ask God daily to reveal areas of our thinking that are out of alignment with God’s revealed truth. Proper thinking on the issues of life is the foundation spiritual health. 

We love others deeply but know that love is more than friendliness or being “nice”- 

Christian love is difficult in a culture that has redefined love to mean “being nice” or “affirming” a person’s choices no matter how stupid or unbiblical those choices happen to be. Authentic Christian love believes the best of people, fights endlessly for the good of others and prays like a lunatic for those who are lost and hurting.  However, authentic Christian love never affirms or celebrates any behavior, or attitude Jesus did not affirm or celebrate (1stCorinthians 13:4-7). 

We have a moral compass informed by Christian truth- 

We live in an upside-down world that has redefined morality. There are many voices teaching abortion is a gift, greed is good, homosexuality is just another relationship option, and gender is a choice mortals get to make. These same people teach that hate is acceptable (even virtuous) so long as the hatred is aimed at those who disagree with the social standards of our time (2ndTimothy 4:3-4, 2nd Timothy 3:1-5). This makes it absolutely necessary followers of Jesus develop a moral compass independent of popular culture and fully informed by the Bible (Psalm 119:105, Matthew 7:24-26, Hebrews 4:12). 

And finally, healthy followers of Jesus must:

We seek to be filled with both grace and truth- 

Grace loves people unconditionally and truth tells them where their actions and attitudes will lead. It is no easy task to do both at the same time. Jesus is our guide when it comes to this issue. One of the first things the Apostle John tells us about Jesus is that He was filled with both grace and truth all at the same time (John 1:14). Our Lord was not filled to overflowing with grace some of the time and bursting with truth at other times. He was always gracious and He was always truthful. Spiritual health demands we strive to do the same. 

Three Game Changing Commitments for the New Year-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you- Exodus 12:2 NASB 

I tend to be a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to the New Year, although this was not always the case.  As a child I was fascinated by the whole concept of the New Year.  The notion of getting of a brand-spanking-new-year complete with an opportunity to self-improve felt like a gift to my immature brain. Young Lisa would daydream endlessly about becoming a better person in the new year and swear off all of her bad habits.  These dreams tended to lack any real strategy. Young Lisa did not yet know hope is not a replacement for strategy and hard work.   As a result, young Lisa’s high hopes for a better version of herself would typically be dashed no later than mid-February, when her resolutions to eat less sugar and be nicer would fall to pieces in a frenzied fit of cookie eating after yelling at one of her brothers. 

As a young pre-Christian adult all the New Years hullabaloo felt like a societal construct designed to shame people into doing things they should do all the time, not just at the new year. New Years eve also felt like a weird excuse to overindulge one last time before dealing with the results of all the overindulging that was done in November and December. After becoming a Christian, I found myself frequently annoyed by those who I (secretly) felt over over-spiritualized the new year with “words from the Lord” and Christianized versions of New Year’s resolutions. I also felt a lot of shame over my judgmental spirit. 

Sigh.

All that to say New Years themed posts have never really been my thing. The few I have written I don’t like very much, and if the number of reads they received are any indication, neither does anyone else. Nevertheless, this year I feel inspired to set my curmudgeonly ways aside and try again.  My inspiration is taken from Exodus 12:1-12 where God gives His people parameters for the Passover feast. The instructions given (if followed) would save every first-born in the land from certain death. The Passover feast was more than just a set of instructions regarding a particular situation. Nor was it just a celebration of God’s power or commemoration of a miracle. Passover was also intended to be the start of the New Year for the Israelite people (Exodus 12:2). Imbedded in God’s commands for the Passover are some incredibly useful guidelines that if put into practice become a real gamechanger for any new year. Those guidelines include:

Making a daily commitment to doing life God’s way – 

God’s instructions in Exodus 12 are insanely specific. Nothing was left to chance, nor was there a lot of wiggle room for interpretation.  Everything from the choice of the entrée to what they were supposed to wear while eating the meal were commanded by God. This indicates to me that the life of faith is not meant to be a DIY affair (Leviticus 18:4, Deuteronomy 7:11-12, Matthew 16:24, John 14:23-24). There was only one way to observe the feast of Passover. There’s only one way to get right with God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1st Timothy 2:5) and there is only one way to live a life of faith (Matthew 7:13-14). One very practical way we can commit to doing life God’s way daily is taking passages such as Romans 12, Colossians 3 and 2nd Peter 1:3-11 and make them our blueprint for day-to-day living. 

Make Christian community a priority-

Exodus twelve teaches that the life of faith is meant to be done together, rather than solo. No one was allowed to celebrate the Passover alone. Every family was to check in on the other families around them to make sure that everyone was with someone during the Passover celebration. This is (in my opinion) an indicator into exactly how important community is to those who wish to follow Jesus.  When we have close relationships with other Christians we are protected from false teachings because most false teachers tend to do their most damaging work secretly one-on-one with newer and weaker believers (2nd Peter 2:1). Community also safeguards believers from discouragement (2nd Corinthians 13:11, 1st Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:12-14, Hebrews 10:24-26). It also ensures our views are challenged in a way that can only make us better and wiser (Proverbs 27:17). It is no surprise that the greatest growth in the early church occurred when the church made relationship and community a very high priority (Acts 2:42-47). 

And finally, 

Make a commitment to be ready for whatever God brings along- 

The Passover was to be eaten fully clothed and in a state of readiness (Exodus 12:11). No one was to be barefoot or beltless. The idea was that everyone should be ready to hit the road the second God commanded it. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Jesus frequently warned His followers of the dangers of not being ready to do His will or for His return (Matthew 24:44, Luke 12:35). God promises blessing and favor for those who choose to be ready to do His will no matter the season (Psalm 119:173, 1st Peter 1:3-6, Revelation 19:7). Therefore, there is no better commitment we can make all year long than to be ready and willing to do whatever it is God is calling us to do at a moment’s notice.

Four Strategies for Being the Light of Christ in “Terrible” Times-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you- Isaiah 60:1-2 NASB

We live in terrible times. 

We just do. I am not being excessively dramatic, just stating an obvious fact. I will not belabor my point with a bunch of examples of how bad things have gotten, although I would have no problem doing so. Instead, I will point you towards 2nd Timothy 3:1-5. It’s pretty much where the whole stupid world is living right now. Paul’s words read like a brutally honest review of the social media page “Am I the A**hole?” or really any other social media page anywhere. 

It says:  

 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! NKJV

None of this comes as a surprise to God (Psalm 139:4, Isaiah 40:20, Hebrews 4:13).

God saw this whole messy muddle coming (we just read the prophesy). God also knew exactly how hard and discouraging it would be for His people to live in this period of human history (Galatians 6:9).  Knowing our current situation was ordained by the Almighty begs a critical question: 

What does God expect from His people in terrible times? 

Truth-be-told God doesn’t ask a whole lot those who live in terrible times (or any time for that matter). He doesn’t ask us to change the world. Nor does He want us to hide from the world and exist in a bubble surrounded only by church people. He for sure does not want us to live in a La La land where we pretend everything is great when it isn’t. All God really wants us to do is find ways to shine in the darkness (Isaiah 60:1-3, Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:15). 

That’s it. 

We are to shine the light of Christ in the darkness of our times. That’s it.  We are not called to change anything in our own power. He just wants us to shine His light in all the dark places; He’ll do the rest. We do that our part by 

Refusing to complain or grumble- 

We become a light that shines in dark places when we cultivate a heart attitude that glorifies God and wins people to team Jesus (2nd Chronicles 7:14, Proverbs 4:23, Mark 11:25, James 4:6-7). It’s simply a fact that no one in the history of forever has glorified God or won anyone to Jesus with grumbling, complaining or faultfinding (Philippians 2:12-15). It just doesn’t happen. We must do what God has called us to do (serve others, love others, provide for human needs) with a spirit of joy and love. This is not always easy, and it certainly doesn’t come naturally to anyone.  In order to obey this command, we must choose to walk in the Spirit at all times and in all situations (Galatians 5:13-16). The Holy Spirit gives us all the power we need to live a life of joy in a hard world. 

Loving the jerks anyway- 

All people are sinners (Romans 3:23). As a result, no one is really worthy of God’s love and grace. Nonetheless, God chooses to love people anyway, regardless of whether or not they are worthy of His love (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1st John 3:1). Christians are called to be like God (Matthew 5:48). This means loving unlovable people (jerks) is a big part of our assignment as Christians. It is not easy to love an unlovable person; it helps to remember that from a biblical perspective love is less of a feeling and more of a decision. God wants us to show love to people whether we feel loving or not (1st Corinthians 13). Thankfully, God rewards obedience. Therefore, loving feelings almost always follow the choice to behave in a loving manner. 

Choosing holiness in a world that just doesn’t get it- 

Christians are called to be holy (1st Peter 1:15-16, Hebrews 12:14). Holiness can be defined as: being set apart from sin, walking in truth, adopting right behavior and choosing moral goodness (2nd Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 4:24, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). Choosing to be holy is a challenge in a world that truly believes such things are only for nubs and fools. Nonetheless, when we choose holiness, we purify ourselves, grow in our knowledge of God and point dying people to a holy God that loves them.

And finally, 

We must understand what we’re dealing with in these times-

The times we live in are not terrible because the average Joe or Jane just woke up one day and decided terribleness is where it’s at.  Our times are terrible because we are nearing the end of all things (Daniel 12, Matthew 24, 2ndPeter 3:3). This means that people (unsaved and saved) are literally taking their cues on how to live from demonic teaching (1st Timothy 4:1). People are being told by social media, self-help books and even some clergy and counselors that contempt, hate, estrangement and hostility are all forms of self-care that lead to peace, freedom and personal happiness. The behavior we see is just an ugly byproduct of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18). Christians cannot make a real difference using the weapons of this world (hate, estrangement, hostility, division). We shine in the darkness when we use the weapons of heaven: love, grace, kindness, holiness and truth. 

Becoming a Difference Maker-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds- James 2:17b-18

The very first thing the Bible says about human beings is that we are made in the image of God (1:26-27). This rudimentary theological fact manifests itself in a profound longing to create beauty, build, discover, reproduce and conquer the unknown and unconquered. This universal desire is real-world evidence of the image of God being played out in the lives of ALL people. It does not matter if a person chooses to acknowledge God or not. God’s image is still in them and so are all the aspirations and longings that go along with it. 

All people want to make a mark on this world. 

For those who do not know God this desire is most often revealed in a desire to make money, control events or rule over others and make oneself known (famous). For those who are born again (John 3:1-15) the longing to make a mark on this world should shift into a desire to make God known. If a Christian is correctly discipled, they will, over time, become more God-centered than self-centered (Matthew 28:19-20, 1st Peter 2:9). Therefore, a mature and growing Christian does not want to make a mark on the world simply for their own gain or recognition. A growing Christian wants to make a mark on this world for the good of other people and the glory of God (Matthew 28:16-20). For believers in Jesus good works or making a difference in this world is not optional, nor is it legalism. It is literally what were saved for (Matthew 5:13-16, Ephesians 2:8-10, James 2:17-18). Too often, Christians become discouraged from making their own mark on the world for Jesus because they see the notoriety of “famous Christians” like a Charlie Kirk or Billy Graham and think their contribution to the body of Christ will never have a huge impact, so it’s pointless to try. This is a lie straight from the pit of hell, intended to keep Christians focused on the earthly rather than the eternal.  Every believer was designed by God to reveal God to the world through good works they do in their day-to-day lives. 

The story of Tabithia (Dorcas) is found in Acts 9:36-41. She is the ultimate example of an “average” Christian who became a difference maker by taking her gifts, talents and abilities and using them for the good of others and the glory of God. Tabithia was a woman known throughout her church and community for caring for the needs of others. She was a seamstress who made clothing for the poor in her community (a very big deal back in the day). Presumably, she didn’t just make clothing she also told others about Jesus as she provided for their needs.  Tabithia made such a huge difference in the lives of the people in her community that her death created a huge void in the church and a bit of a crisis in the greater community. So much so, that some of the men in the church went to great lengths to find the apostle Peter in hopes that he could raise her from the dead so that she could continue her ministry. We become that kind of a difference maker by doing the following: 

Make a regular habit of seeking the Lord- 

When we seek God with all of hearts through prayer, Bible study and deep reflection on our Bible study, God reveals Himself to us in very real ways (Jeremiah 29:13, Psalm 105:4, Isaiah 58:2).  The more we know God and the deeper our personal experiences go with God the more spiritual power we will have to make Him known. When we know God intimately, we naturally become good representatives and ambassadors of God in a world that desperately needs a clear vision of God (2nd Corinthians 5:20). 

Find your gift and use it- 

Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift as well as some natural talents (1st Corinthians 12:4-11, Ephesians 4:7-8). Find your gift then ask God to show you how to use it to reach the maximum number of people.  

Figure out what needs to be done and do it-

There is no end to the things that need to be done inside the four walls of the local church. Many of the things that need to be done are not glamorous. However, when they get done God is honored and people are changed. There are people who need to be greeted, coffee that needs to be brewed, meals that need to be made, worship that needs to be led and children that need to be taught the word of God.  By choosing to serve in whatever way is needed in your local church you will glorify God and be used to bring about spiritual transformation in others (Romans 12). 

Don’t pursue followers-

Sadly, in our world many Christians decline to do what they can for the kingdom because they want to do something people will notice and get excited about. Truth-be-told other Christians may or may not notice or care about your contribution, but God will. God sees everything and rewards those who diligently serve Him (Matthew 6:13, Matthew 25:21, Revelation 22:12).

And finally,

It’s critical we remember that the things we do in our own power and strength will amount to very little in this world (1st Corinthians 3:10-15). It’s only things we do out of the overflow of our relationship with God that result in transformation. If you make a practice of seeking God and His righteousness first, the difference making is sure to follow (Matthew 6:33). 

The Biblical Blueprint for Surviving a Painful Personal Betrayal-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer- Romans 12:11b-12 NASB

Hurt and betrayal happen in this life.

Both are the sad but predictable outcome of living life in a fallen world (Genesis 3:16-19, Romans 5:12, John 16:33). 

Perhaps the most crushing hurt is the kind that occurs due to a personal betrayal. A personal betrayal can be defined as an event where someone we love and/or trust to do right by us does us terribly wrong. Infidelity, meanness, a falling-out, slander, deception and breaking a confidence are all common forms of personal betrayal.

  The biblical patriarch Joseph (Genesis 37-48) is the biblical poster child for surviving a nightmarish personal betrayal. Among a bunch of other personal calamities Joseph’s own brothers sold him into slavery.  There is no rational justification for their behavior.  Joseph was young and a bit full of himself, but he didn’t do anything awful enough to warrant that kind of treatment.  His brothers were just jealous jerks who lacked impulse control and basic human decency. Joseph’s story is a tough one to read but it gives us with a blueprint for dealing with the pain of betrayal in way that makes space for God to do big things in us and the people around us. In order to survive a personal betrayal, we must:

Do what God puts in front of us to do- 

Joseph could have become an angry person; he had every reason to be. He could have allowed his hurt, anger and depression to harden into bitterness and hate (Hebrews 12:15). No one would have blamed him. He could have curled up in a ball (metaphorically speaking) and just kind of tapped out of life. That reaction would have made sense. He didn’t do any of those things. Instead, he did what God put in front of him to do and he did it all really well (Colossians 3:23).  By making that hard choice, he prevented all the above-mentioned issues, and he changed the course of human history. Most of us will not do anything as historically dramatic as Joseph did. However, we will avoid bitterness, hate and depression if we choose to invest in our relationships, look for the good and honor God in whatever work He gives us to do in the midst of a betrayal. 

Understand the nature of the situation- 

In a very real sense, every betrayal is deeply spiritual (Ephesians 6:10-12). God does not cause people to betray us (Romans 5:12, 1st John 1:5, James 1:13, Romans 8;28). That said, personal pain is one of those things God will use for our good (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28) and Satan wants to use for our destruction. In the aftershock of a personal betrayal the enemy will swoop in and whisper that God allowed this awful thing to happen because God doesn’t really see us or love us. The enemy will work overtime to get us to turn away from the only one who can truly give us the help and comfort we need in our deepest pain (2ndCorinthians 1:3-5).  When we understand the spiritual battle at the root of every betrayal it makes it easier to run towards God instead of away from Him (Psalm 17:6, Psalm 30:11). 

Choose to hold on to your integrity- 

Anytime we experience deep pain or loss it’s normal to want to give into fleshly responses like lust, unforgiveness and revenge. This can even morph into a feeling that we are somehow entitled to sin in whatever manner we choose. If we give into temptation our character will wither and nothing good or life-giving will come out of our trial (James 1:12).  Joseph understood this reality. When the opportunity to find consolation in illicit sex came his way, he ran (Genesis 39, 2nd Timothy 2:22). When he was forgotten by a man who owed him a huge favor, he overlooked the offense (Genesis 40, Proverbs 19:11). When he had the opportunity to extract revenge, he blessed those who sold him into slavery (Genesis 45, Romans 12:19). Choosing to hang onto our integrity in the darkest of times gives God space to bless us both in the middle of the mess as well as in the long-term (Genesis 39:19-23, Genesis 41).

Feel out opportunities for reconciliation when they arise- 

Not every betrayal will end in joyful reconciliation (Genesis 45). People don’t always change and as a result reconciliation is not always possible or even wise.  However, it is critical we do what Joseph did and feel out the opportunities for reconciliation when they present themselves, but we need to do it wisely. In what can only be described as a very weird series of events Joseph kept his identity secret and tested his brothers. He gave them a series of tests and then carefully scrutinized their behavior to see if they had changed enough to make reconciliation realistic and healthy (Genesis 42-44). Like it or not, forgiveness is a requirement in a betrayal (Matthew 6:15) reconciliation is not. That said, we are never more like God than when we forgive and then reconcile with people who have wronged us (Matthew 5:48). Therefore, it should almost always be considered. 

And finally, 

We must choose to allow God to work on us and in us in the midst of the betrayal. Betrayal is a given in this life. We live in a fallen world inhabited by sinners. That being said, we get to choose what comes out of us when we are betrayed. We can choose bitterness and hate, or we can choose to let God work in us and on us.  If we choose to let God mold us we will come out of it something beautiful the Father can and will use for His glory (Isaiah 61:3-4). 

The Four Kinds of Trouble Caused by Bitterness-

Lisa M. Price2 Comments

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you- Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV

Bitterness is bad. 

Really bad. 

In every reference to the emotion of bitterness, the Bible either clearly identifies bitterness as a sin or as the direct consequence of sinful human choices (Ecclesiastes 7:26, Proverbs 5:3-5, Proverbs 17:25, Jeremiah 4:18). Christians are straight-up commanded not to be bitter (Ephesians 4:31, Hebrews 12:15). The writer of Hebrews warns that bitterness is especially problematic for Christians because it triggers a unique kind of “trouble” for believers (Hebrews 12:15). It’s not overstating facts to say bitterness is an exceptionally toxic spiritual poison.  When we allow bitterness to take root it produces a playground for the enemy of our souls (Ephesians 4:26-27, 1st Peter 5:8). It also defiles (ruins, taints, corrupts) both the bitter person and the people they love. 

Yikes. 

Bitterness produces a special kind of trouble, one that has the power to trip of even the best and brightest of God’s people. That trouble includes:

Hindering our ability to worship God-

One of the biggest spiritual issues with bitterness is that it profoundly impairs our ability to worship God. At the heart of all genuine worship is a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving (1st Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 107:7, Colossians 3:16). It is literally impossible to be grateful to God and bitter at the same time. It simply cannot be done; salt water and fresh water cannot come from the same source (James 3:10-12). A person can worship God or they can hang out in the bitter barn. No one can do both. Additionally, I have observed it is very common for bitter people to simply quit church altogether. This is because a bitter person struggles to worship God freely and worship is the primary reason Christians gather. If you are a Christian and worship holds no appeal to you, or worse yet annoys you, bitterness is likely an issue. 

Becoming bitter short-circuits the only good thing that can come out of a trial- 

It’s simply a fact that if we experience enough trials in rapid succession without processing them properly, trials will make us bitter (Ruth 1:1-21). However, it is also true that trials serve a valuable spiritual purpose (1st Peter 1:5-7, James 1:2-4). Trials refine us and help us to understand what’s important in life. Trials also give us a deeper and more profound longing for heaven, unless we allow ourselves to become bitter. If we become bitter due to trials all we get out of them is cynicism, broken relationships and lost spiritual opportunities. If a trial (or series of trials) has left you angry, reclusive or depressed bitterness may be to blame. 

Bitterness hinders our spiritual purpose- 

God could rapture His people off the planet as soon as they come to faith in Jesus. He’s fully capable and it would make things easier for us, but He doesn’t. Instead, God leaves us in our families, friend groups and communities for the specific purpose of being His faithful witnesses to a lost and dying world (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8). One of the chief objectives of salvation is to become as much like Jesus as we possibly can so that the unbelievers and skeptics around us see Jesus in us and want to know Him better (2nd Corinthians 3:18). Bitterness makes effective evangelism nearly impossible, partly because bitter people reflect God poorly.   

Bitter people make people bitter- 

I am convinced that with a few notable exceptions, bitter people don’t intend to make other people bitter, but they do. Bitter people spread bitterness like a bad cold because bitterness makes people entirely self-centered.  The constant self-focus leads the bitter person to do outlandishly thoughtless and just plain mean things to the people they care about most.  Sadly, the bitter person is so self-focused they are either blinded to what they are doing to others, or they feel justified in their behavior. When someone is routinely hurt or mistreated by someone being eaten alive by bitterness, they quickly become bitter themselves, this is how bitterness “defiles many”. 

Bitterness is never inevitable; it can always be avoided or dealt with. The best way to avoid bitterness (or deal with it effectively) is to routinely examine our lives (2nd Corinthians 13:5).   Ask yourself the following questions:

Do I become excessively angry at the sins or folly of others?

Do I lack grace? 

Do people annoy me for no reason? 

Do I have a pattern of cutting people out of my life? 

Do I routinely make bad decisions because I refuse to take advice from others?

All of the above are signs of a bitter spirit. 

Anger, resentment and irritation are the precursors to bitterness. Anytime we begin to feel those feelings on a regular basis, it’s a sign bitterness is beginning to take root in our hearts. The antidote to bitterness is honest prayer and a willingness to forgive those who hurt us (Matthew 18:21-35, Mark 11:25, Luke 6:37, Colossians 3:13). We must make a habit of sorting out our hurt, pain and disappointment with life and people before the Lord. Honest prayer is rarely a one and done when it comes to correcting a bitter spirit. We must be willing to take our feelings before God until our hearts soften, and we are walking in alignment with the God who forgives completely and loves without limits ( John 3:16, Acts 10:43, 1st John 3:1, Psalm 103:12)

How we Position Ourselves to Receive God’s Blessing-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you- Hosea 10:12

The dictionary defines blessing as:

The act of blessing someone or something or a thing that is conducive to happiness or personal welfare. 

Most Christians (as well as many non-Christians and nominal Christians) would define blessing as a God-centered blend of both definitions. A blessing (in the Christian sense of the word) is when God moves on our behalf in a manner that brings greater personal happiness or benefit to our lives.

Okay, so I feel the need to give a little disclaimer before digging into today’s topic, so here goes:

We live in a fallen world. Nowhere in the Bible are blessings guaranteed to anyone (Hebrews 11:1-39).  It’s simply a fact that many (most) of God’s best and brightest walked through some incredibly difficult and trying situations, some received tangible blessings in this life others in heaven (Naomi, David, Daniel, Esther, Peter, Paul, Jesus). There is no guaranteed blueprint for obtaining God’s blessing and favor Nonetheless, we can live life in such a way that we position ourselves to walk in the blessings of God.

With that out of the way, I will return to our topic J

 Basically, there are two types of blessing in the Bible: conditional and unconditional. An unconditional blessing is a blessing everyone gets just for showing up. Life is a blessing; air is a blessing, sunshine and rain fall on both the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Therefore, sunshine and rain are unconditional blessings. 

 Most blessings fall into the conditional category.

Eternal life is a relevant example. Literally, anyone can receive the blessing of eternal life (John 3:16, Romans 6:23, Acts 2:21). However, to receive the blessing of eternal life one must accept God’s terms and conditions (faith in Jesus, repentance). Those are conditions (Acts 3:19, Acts 20:21, Romans 2:6-10, 1st John 5:11-12). The same is true for nearly every blessing found in the Bible. The following choices do not guarantee our life will always be easy and stress free (this is not heaven). These choices do position us to receive blessing and favor. 

It all starts with:

Believing in God- 

Positioning ourselves for blessing always begins with believing that God is (Hebrews 11:6, getting to know God and choosing to walk with Him in our day-to-day lives (Genesis 5:21, Genesis 6:9, Micah 6:8). A big part of walking with God is obeying Him. The Greek word for believe in the New Testament can also be a synonym for obey. If we really believe in God, we will make a real and resolute effort to obey Him. 

Living a life of honesty- 

God thoughtfully gave us a short list of the things He hates (Proverbs 6:16-19).  Lying makes the list twice. The only exception to the “no lies rule” is lying to save a life (Exodus 1:15-20, Joshua 2:1-14). Other than that one notable exception, God demands honesty from His people.  Lying, shading the truth and play-acting at being something or someone you are not (a hypocrite) is the fast-track to a life devoid of God’s blessing and favor (Proverbs 19:5, Psalm 26:4, Matthew 23:1-23). Conversely, a life of honesty and transparency positions us to receive God’s blessing and favor (Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 12:22, Psalm 15:1-5, 1st Peter 3:10). 

Choosing humility- 

Jealousy, selfish ambition and vain conceit are all either a form of pride or a natural consequence of pride.  God hates pride. (Proverbs 6:16, Proverbs 16:18, 1st John 2:16).  Prideful people will not take advice, as a result they don’t grow or learn (Proverbs 1:1-33, Proverbs 11:4, Proverbs 12:1, Galatians 6:3). Furthermore, prideful people put themselves and their desires above the needs of others (Philippians 2:3-4). This creates all sorts of chaos and pain for everyone (Proverbs 13:10). Humility on the other hand is thinking about ourselves less and others more. Humble people know they don’t know everything, so they are curious about how others think and do life, this naturally leads to wisdom and care for others. God loves to bless the humble (James 4:10, 1st Peter 3:8-9, 1st Peter 5:5-6)

Doing good- 

God loves those who choose to do good to the best of their ability (Proverbs 2:7-8). Doing good does not guarantee blessing but it certainly sets us up for it. 

Living a life of wisdom- 

The Bible instructs people to live wisely, according to God’s precepts (Psalm 51:6, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 2:1-6, Proverbs 6:6, Proverbs 10:8). When we don’t live wisely, life gets messy, and blessings become scarce (Psalm 10:4, Proverbs 12:4, Romans 1:21-23). Too often people make unwise choices and then become bitter when they fail to receive God’s blessing. Here’s an example, let’s say Joe or Jane Christian is praying for a godly spouse, but Joe or Jane spends the bulk of their time with non-Christians doing all sorts of non-Christiany things. Joe and Jane go to bars and pot shops trolling for dates. They rarely attend church. Eventually they meet a special someone who claims to be a Christian. This special someone rarely attends church.  During their premarital counseling they were told by the Pastor to wait to get married. They disregarded his counsel. They get married and it’s a disaster. PLEASE, for the love of all that’s good and decent, don’t misunderstand this point: I feel deep compassion for anyone trapped in a bad marriage or any other ugly and unfortunate situation. I have certainly made my fair share of stupid choices and have no room to judge. The point here is not to shame anyone but to encourage wisdom in the way we live, because wisdom invites blessing. 

There is nothing wrong with wanting God’s blessing and favor as long as we want God at least as much as we want what He can bless us with. 

The Blessing Many Christians are Missing out on-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep ourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life- Jude 20-21 NKJV

Weird but true fact.

There are actually classifications of different kinds of sin. 

Seriously. 

That’s how absurdly rebellious the human race is (Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:23). There is a very real need for us sort and organize our sin and disobedience (Romans 10:3). 

Insert face-palm here. 

All sin essentially falls into two generally recognized categories. First:

There are sins of omission (James 4:17). 

A sin of omission is electing NOT to do something we know we ought to do. We sin by omission when we ignore needs or when we willfully decline to do good deeds when we can. Sins of omission don’t feel like a big deal to most Christians. In reality they are a much bigger deal than they appear to be on the surface. Anytime we willfully refuse to do what’s right, our heart gets a little bit harder towards God and people. When a human heart becomes hard the possessor of that heart becomes less able to understand God, His word and His will (Mark 6:52, Mark 8:17, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 4:7). This sad state of affairs leaves us a hop, skip and a jump away from much bigger and much badder sins (Proverbs 4:23) Yikes. Equally, as critical, our rewards in heaven will be connected to the good we did (or didn’t do) on earth. Refusing to do good means eternity/heaven will be much less than it could have been (1st Corinthians 3:10-15, Matthew 6:1-4, Matthew 10:44, Matthew 16:27, Ephesians 6:8, 2nd John 1:8). A loss of future reward may not feel like a big spiritual deal now. However, scripture warns it’s something we will be aware of in the hereafter. 

There are also sins of commission (Exodus 20:3-17, 1st John 3:17-18, 1st Corinthians 6:9-10)

A sin of commission is a sin we commit on purpose fully aware our actions are wrong. Basically, anything the Bible expressly forbids is a sin of commission. Therefore, it is a sin of commission to steal, covet, commit adultery and lie. Sins of commission are a very big deal. In our Christian culture we tend to downplay all sin, even sins of commission. Anytime a Christian tells a lie, slanders another person, has sex with a someone who is not their spouse or resentfully covets another person’s stuff other Christians tend to say things like “there’s grace for that” and there is. However, there are also plenty of warnings about taking grace for granted and testing God (Deuteronomy 6:16, Luke 4:12, 2nd Corinthians 13:5, Hebrews 10:29). We would be wise to pay attention. 

Seriously.  

Okay so. You’re probably asking yourself:

When are we going to talk about blessings? Is there a point to all this dreadful sin talk?  It’s bumming me out. 

Yes. Yes, there is. Thank you for asking.

There is one sin in particular I wanted to talk about because I am convinced it’s a huge deal. I am convinced our failure in this one area is at the root of our lack of blessing. Our failure in this one area shows up all over the place. It shows up in our failure to pass on our faith to our children. It shows up in our high rates of moral failure. It shows up in our failure to transform our culture. It shows up in the hardness of the hearts unbelievers we interact with. The worst thing about this sin is that it doesn’t really feel like a sin. It doesn’t feel like anything. A respectable Christian can commit this sin every-single-day of their lives and never feel an ounce of conviction and miss out on all sorts of blessings in the process.

This sin is… drumroll please…

 The sin of neglecting to pray or refusing to pray. 

Before you roll your eyes, blow me off and go read something else, hear me out. This one matters. A lot. This is because prayerlessness is one of those rare sins that is both a sin of omission and commission all at the same time. We all have opportunities to pray where we just choose not to. Prayer is also something Christians are commanded to do (Matthew 6:6-13, James 5:16, Ephesians 6:18, 1st Thessalonians 5:17, Philippians 4:6, 1st Timothy 2:1). 

There aren’t very many sins that are a both a sin of omission and commission all at the same time. This makes not praying a huge deal.

I know all the objections (mostly because I have made all these arguments at some point). They are:

I’m busy.

I don’t know how.

Prayer is boring.  

My prayers don’t get answered so why bother?  

At different points in our lives all of the above objections are true. However, none change the fact that we are commanded to pray. The command still stands. I do not wish to heap condemnation on anyone. Rather, I want to encourage everyone everywhere to pray. There was a time when I was guilty of prayerlessness.  I would pray over my food or when life got scary but I lacked a consistent prayer life and it showed. I was spiritually powerless. Then my life went to hell and I learned to pray. Don’t be like me. Don’t be a slow learner. Be better. Be smarter. Get in on the blessings early.

Just start praying. Prayer isn’t a “go big or go home” undertaking. God just wants to hear from you. Start small. Make a practice of praying the Lord’s Prayer when you wake up in the morning (Matthew 6:9-13). Turn off the streaming services and podcasts and pray instead. Pray for your family while you drive to work. Pray for revival as you fold the laundry or wash the dishes or mow the lawn.  Pray for your church/pastor while you walk to get the mail. Pray for your spouse while you get ready in the morning. Just pray.

Trust me. 

The more you pray the more you will want to pray because prayer is addictive.

In a good way.