Growing In Grace

Posted on January 16, 2015 by suemariericker

My hope for the New Year is that I will continually grow in the knowledge and grace of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Spending time with Him is a good way to nurture our relationship; however, understanding and cultivating what could be a rather conceptual attribute – not so easy to set up a course of action.  …so I decided to study the word “grace”.

I admit to an extremely limited understanding of grace—if asked to define it, I would pop off with the standardized answer, “unmerited favor”.  I could also assure you that it is something I don’t deserve and I can’t earn.  As my study progressed, though, I realized that I have a very one-dimensional view of a three-dimensional truth; the Holy Spirit through the apostle Peter also confirms the multifaceted character of grace:  “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God…” (1 Peter 4:10).  I so focused my attention on the “unmerited” aspect of grace that I gave little thought to God’s gifts and His favor!

When I think about God’s favor, my thoughts are drawn to the angel’s words as he spoke to Mary, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus…” (Luke 1:30, 31).  God showed His favor to Mary through allowing the life of His Son to grow within her—the same is true for us, too.  Paul referred to the life of Jesus growing in the life of believers in his letter to the Galatians when he wrote, “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you…” (Galatians 4:19). 

The book of Ephesians includes one of the greatest statements about grace:

 “But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:4-10).

The outflow of God’s grace in our lives is the “good works” that God prepared for us—we receive salvation by faith and we are designed for good works; we are not saved by good works.  As we grow in God’s grace, His favor will become increasingly evident through the good we do.  This thought dashes any “what’s in it for me” attitude about what it means to “grow in grace”.  Instead, when we realize that, at a time we were our most despicable – “dead in trespasses” – God showed His great love for us, how can we do less for those who have not experienced His saving grace?

My little “yeah, but…” brain-button is pushed with these objections:  “But what about those terrorists who are shooting people, bombing businesses and communities, abusing children, wreaking havoc all over the world?”  “…and what about extortioners and school shooters?  I’m pretty sure I can’t love them or show God’s grace towards evil men and women!”  These are not easy questions and glib answers do not communicate the heart of God.  Jesus instructed us to “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44, 45).  His instructions seem more immediate and personal, and growing in grace exemplifies our ability to follow them.

That doesn’t necessarily answer the bigger questions about the presence of evil in people and in this world; however, I do not think we will ever grasp God’s grace until we see within ourselves the potential for the vilest, most brutal sins. 

God’s grace is rich in wisdom and discretion:  “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence” (Ephesians 1:7).

Grace is necessary for godly service:  “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28).

Unique abilities and characteristics are gifts of His grace:  “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:  if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6-8).

Our lives are changed by the grace of God:  “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11, 12).

Grace is good for our hearts:  “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace” (Hebrew 13:9).

And a characteristic of our speech:  “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:6).

I am so grateful for the grace of God!  I look forward to continuing this journey into the realm of God’s grace and experiencing His immeasurable favor throughout all the days of my life!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on January 3, 2015 by suemariericker

I haven’t written anything for the past few weeks because I was staying in a hotel room and with my daughter and granddaughter—since I posted my “official” Christmas blog,  I figured that I was off the hook as far as writing was concerned since I was swept up in travel and the activities of the holiday season.  The beauty of the season and the celebration of Christmas church services reminded me that Christmas is not over and will never be over for those who believe in Jesus and have entrusted their lives into His capable hands.

As the visits with friends and family, the lights and the sounds of the holidays, and the cheerful greetings surrounded me, I could not help but think of Jesus’ words when the Pharisees wanted to silence the crowds, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).  No matter how the enemies of Christ seek to silence His followers, in spite of the antagonism of atheists, Christmas will continued to be celebrated, His disciples will continue to praise Him, and grateful hearts will not be silenced.

Routines get shaken up with the holidays, though quiet times are not difficult to find if one is willing to look for them.  There is something about all the activity, however, that tends to separate me from a precious awareness of God’s presence and grace while my Bible reading and prayer seem to diminish slowly, one day at a time.  Different surroundings create unique distractions and interestingly, when the focus of this time of year is, for most, intentionally Christian, I become so entangled in activities that my relationship with Him slackens—I am still saved, He is still my friend, yet the conscious time I spend with Him diminishes.

All of the holiday “activity flurries” seem to come to an abrupt end on January 1st—and often, guilt over many of the holiday excesses form New Year’s resolutions:  More exercise, less food, new diet, better budgeting, more Bible reading, less TV, etc…  I think I wrote last year that I don’t make resolutions because I have failed at as many as I, with a firm set to my jaw, have formulated.  I do want my life to change, though, change that is initiated and accomplished by the Potter’s hand forming me, and the Holy Spirit at work in me.

After all the joyous gatherings of family and friends around dinner tables, in family rooms, or at churches, it is quite easy for me to slip into an a rather self-conscious, self-condemning analysis of what I ate, what I did or didn’t do, what I said or didn’t say instead of just enjoying the sweetness of relationships and celebrations of life.  It is easy to forget that much of Jesus’ ministry took place at dinner tables, a wedding feast where He supplied the wine, and picnics where He supplied the food—one time for 5,000 men, besides women and children (Matthew 14:21) and another time, 4,000 (Matthew 16:10).  We frequently hear teaching about Jesus withdrawing to spend time in prayer to the Father, but He also was very social—not just teaching but also dining with sinners and Pharisees.

John came fasting, Jesus came eating, and both troubled the Pharisees:  “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘His has a demon.’  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!”  But wisdom is justified by all her children” (Luke 7:33-35).  Both men were right, of course—Jesus, because His is also God, and John the Baptist because he was guided by the Holy Spirit.

Enjoying a fulfilling life has nothing to do with the rules and restrictions we place on ourselves, nor the permissions we give ourselves; rather, fulfillment comes from our relationship with Jesus and experiencing the fullness of His Spirit.  So instead of obviously measurable resolutions, my hope for this New Year is to continue growing in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior—interesting that the Holy Spirit pinpoints through the apostle Peter growing in grace instead of better rule keeping.  Grace and knowledge of Jesus go hand in hand!

I also look forward to confronting flawed beliefs about myself, as well as faulty religious ways of thinking, with the truth of God’s Word and by “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).  My desire is “to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in [my] heart through faith; that [I will be] rooted and grounded in love, [that I] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that [I] may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

The new year is an excellent time to look back and acknowledge the faithfulness of God, through the difficult times and the pleasant ones; it is also a wonderful time to look forward to new adventures in faith and His faithfulness—let us anticipate the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, press on into knowing Him, and eagerly await His soon return!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Anthems of Our Souls

Posted on December 13, 2014 by suemariericker

I love Christmas time!  …though I do not enjoy seeing the rampant commercialism promoting covetousness and greed.  I love Christmas music, particularly the Celtic carols and tunes wafting through our home this time of year.  I love baking; I love sending holiday greetings and giving gifts, particularly to my grandchildren.

I have to intentionally pull myself back to reality a bit, though, and remember that not everyone is experiencing the joy I feel as carols play and Christmas lights sparkle.  For those who resent our joy and want to put an end to the festivities, you will never be able to stop Christmas, though people have been trying to silence Christians for centuries—never successful, yet never ceasing to try. 

There is so much activity and so many demands on my time and attention during the holidays—but I do not want to forget those whose season is not merry and bright.  I recall Jesus teaching His disciples, “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’  And the King will answer and say to them ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’” (Matthew 25:34-40).

It takes intentionality to tear my eyes away from the demands of the holiday season to see the needs of those who are struggling.  …to give a gift to someone I do not know, to volunteer time at a city mission, to give a meal and a blanket to a homeless person, to find a way to help and encourage those who are being persecuted for their faith.  Many opportunities exist, though it may take a bit of time and effort to search for them—what an amazing effect it would have if every Christian reached beyond their families, beyond the familiar or easy, to touch the heart of God by showing kindness to “one of the least of these”, particularly during this time of year!

I wrote a poem, something I haven’t done for many years!  It is hard work, but some of my thoughts come to me with a bit of cadence, so I thought, “why not try?”…

Festive banners and twinkling lights

Brighten homes and stores,

The air is filled with joyous songs—

And trees with ornaments adorned.

 

Snapping and crackling, the air is charged

With excitement all around.

The holidays so magical,

‘Tis the season, oh so profound!

 

Yet, not all is what it may seem,

And bright lights hide the pain,

A broken home, a battered child,

And homeless people bound by shame.

 

Wounded hearts and a warrior’s cry,

As the battles still rage on,

No sugarplums, but nightmares haunt,

Waking and sleeping, our bravest ones.

 

A hospital bed, a nursing home,

A face turned towards the wall.

Violence raging through the streets

While anger hides fear’s anguished call.

 

And people fleeing, scorned, and killed,

Or imprisoned for their faith—

With the hope of Christmas in their hearts

Yet tragedy etched on each face.

 

Not everyone sings the Spirit’s songs

Rejoicing in the Savior’s birth.

And until the day His Kingdom comes,

There will be no peace on earth.

 

So sing praise to Him who the Father sent

To make us whole again,

Joining hearts and hands, spreading God’s great love,

And sharing His redemption plan.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Recognizing Strongholds

Posted on December 4, 2014 by suemariericker

It has been several years now since I first listened to teaching about strongholds in a Christian’s life; my first reaction was something akin to, “I’m saved, filled with the Spirit, so no problems here!”  Time has shown me something different—as long as we are in these bodies and in this world we have the capacity to sin; and when we sin we have the capacity to develop strongholds in our attitudes, our actions, or our beliefs.

 Paul addresses the problem in his second letter to the church at Corinth:  “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

 Spiritual strongholds are well-fortified beliefs, attitudes, or patterns of behavior that contradict the Word of God, His identity, and His character—while our minds are the primary battlefields, spiritual battles can only be fought with spiritual weapons such as Scripture enlivened by the Holy Spirit, faith, prayer – and repentance. 

 I started tearing down spiritual strongholds (though I didn’t realize it at the time) when I began confronting doctrines from my upbringing that could not stand alone on the Bible without the underpinning of “supplementary” books and teachings.  I also remember in the early 1990s, when I was a single mom with 3 kids, confronting a stronghold of unbelief.  I looked at scriptures such as this one:  “Do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ …For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things” (Matthew 6:31-34), and realized that I had the choice to believe my circumstances or believe the Bible.

 Not having my prayers answered in ways that I hoped or expected, often brought me to a point of introspection of “what have I done wrong?” or “there must be sin in my life”; however, scripture confirms our responsibility to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness rather than our own.  The stories of Joseph and Job also affirm that we do not have to do anything wrong for adversity to arise—instead, we are presented with opportunities to grow in the grace and knowledge of God’s faithfulness to care for us.  In fact, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

 …which brings me to the stronghold of self-righteousness.  I think most people recognize Pharisaical self-righteousness, characterized by the attitude, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11), or the rather naïve confession of the rich young ruler, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth” (Mark 10:20); yet it is easy to forget that law-keeping and behavior modification hint of self-righteousness rather than God-righteousness.  It is by grace we are saved, through faith—salvation is God’s gift to us because “good” is not inherent within us (Romans 3:10); and it is God’s Spirit who changes us “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

 Fear is a powerful stronghold that keeps people in bondage instead of experiencing the freedom we have in Jesus:  “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Romans 8:15).  Fear has many faces—one I have struggled with is the fear of deprivation, which often fuels a stronghold of covetousness or a longing for more than I need—more food, more clothes, more electronic devices, or the latest updates, the list goes on…

 Strongholds frequently are built on the permissions we give ourselves; “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey…” (Romans 6:16).  Yet Jesus came to set us free, “to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound” (Isaiah 61:1).  We also have Jesus’ declaration, “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).  It is a process of staying close to Jesus, though – “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples, indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31, 32).

 I am learning some of my own stronghold triggers; they usually start with “I need…” (a drink, chocolate, a new iPhone…) instead of, “I need Jesus, who supplies my every need” and “I need the Holy Spirit who works in me to will and to work for His good pleasure; often “I need…” means “I want…!”  The epistle of James addresses this issue, “You lust and do not have.  You murder and covet and cannot obtain.  You fight and war.  Yet you do not have because you do not ask.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:2, 3).

 Sometimes I protest “I can’t…” while the Holy Spirit is gently whispering “You can!” (Philippians 4:13).  And other times I stubbornly seek to defend “my rights”, forgetting that Jesus gave up all of His rights for me.  

 These strongholds in no way comprise a complete list of my struggles; in fact, one of the most insidious strongholds I have battled is a judgmental, critical attitude. I can easily trace it back to my family growing up, though I can judge no one nor blame anyone for my sins.  I am grateful that God is so gracious to equip us with mighty weapons to pull down strongholds.  Taking my thoughts captive by speaking scripture into my fears and the broken places of my life works powerfully to counteract the inaccurate messages my circumstances, my thoughts, and my attitudes send me—which is why knowing scripture is so essential!

 Confession – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). …and repentance—“Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord; let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven” (Lamentations 3:40, 41), which speaks of completely surrendering my soul and body to God.

 Most of what I write in this blog directly reflect the things God is teaching me and the work He is accomplishing in my life—this one is no exception.  The hope I have for myself and all of God’s people is that we will continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Corrupt Operating Systems

Posted on November 23, 2014 by suemariericker

I was planning to write about something else today until I ran into a glitch with my computer; fortunately, I have another one I can use until I can get things worked out with the one where my files are saved. For the most part, I do not like to put too much effort into drawing spiritual relevance from some of life’s challenging circumstances, but I recognize that God uses these moments to teach me scriptural truths. Also, one of Jesus’ most familiar teaching techniques was to tell parables, extracting kingdom principles from daily life experiences.

 So here’s my story:

 I was wandering around online the other day, looking for some free photo editing software—I can’t afford the prices many publishers are asking so I figured I could find some free or inexpensive software. I like adding scripture to pictures (some pictures are ones I took, some are my daughter-in-law’s). I thought the way I was editing was a bit clumsy and I wasn’t getting some of the effects I hoped for. You can probably guess what happened next…

 I found a program that I thought might be safe, so I began to download it. Soon my anti-virus sent up a yellow warning flag, but since it wasn’t the red warning of death, I proceeded. I became increasingly uneasy and eventually halted the process—but it was too late to avoid damage. Things went downhill rapidly from there as my computer was infected with a couple of viruses and some rather irritating adware. In the efforts to clean up the “infections” I managed to get rid of the viruses but I just couldn’t seem to get rid of the bad-ad programs. The downside is that while I was so frantically trying to get rid of the bad stuff on there, I managed to foul up my operating system in a way that it wouldn’t connect my browser to the internet—my computer connected to the web, but it didn’t matter because without the browser, there was nothing I could do online (like post my blog).

 As I was praying about my computer the next morning (after staying awake well into the night trying to resolve the problems), the Holy Spirit began speaking to my heart. He reminded me that we live on a battlefield with an enemy who makes every effort “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). In fact, the book of Psalms offers some great insight into some of the characteristics and activities of the enemy:

  • He is a strong enemy (Psalm 18:17)
  • The enemy is oppressive (Psalm 43:2)
  • The enemy is full of wrath, he hates us and brings trouble to God’s people (Psalm 55:3)
  • He damages churches (Psalm 74:3-8)
  • He blasphemes God’s name (Psalm 74:10)
  • The enemy brings reproach (Psalm 74:18)
  • Satan and his minions persecute souls, crushes lives, and causes people to live in darkness (Psalm 143:3)

The good news is that God is greater than our enemies “because He who is in [us] than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

 The enemy is aggressive; the apostle Peter warns “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Just like the issues I had with my computer, we run into problems when we do not heed the counsel and warnings God gives us throughout scripture—when we make excuses or exceptions for ourselves, ignoring His eternal principles. For instance, when we disregard the admonition, “do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers…” (2 Corinthians 6:14), or we make compromises by not putting to death “fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). God gives us warnings in the Bible for our benefit and protection—“And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place” (2 Chronicles 36:15).

 Every person sins and falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and if we confess to Him, God is faithful to forgive us and cleanse unrighteousness from our lives (1 John 1:9). However, just as I couldn’t connect to the internet because of a problem with my files, there is a point where we can experience silence in our relationship with God—“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18).

 As I scrambled desperately to get my computer fixed, several error messages popped up advising me that only the administrator could perform the particular action I was attempting—and since it is my computer, I was allowed to make those changes. It reminded me how effective my best efforts are at fixing and maintaining my own life apart from God’s intervention and Holy Spirit restoration. “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:3-6).

 Actually, this really does have a lot to do with what I was going to write about today—recognizing and tearing down strongholds in our lives. Lord willing, I will finish it next time…

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Confession (Addendum)

Posted on November 18, 2014 by suemariericker

I wanted to write more in my recent posting built on the adage, “confession is good for the soul”; but as it was, the post was getting rather long so I decided to save it for another day—this being that day.

I wanted to comment on the quote from Shane Claiborne, “To all nonbelieving, sort-of-believing, and used-to-be-believing friends:  I feel like I should begin with a confession.  I am sorry that so often the biggest obstacle to God has been Christians.”  As clever as that statement is, it holds an authenticity we must consider—that sometimes our words, actions, and behaviors do not rightly reflect God’s Word or His character.

I think most Christian are also familiar with the saying, “Christians aren’t perfect; they are just forgiven.”  Although true, that statement makes me a little nervous because it comes off a bit defensive and as a justification for sin.  I do not know the intent of the person who coined that phrase, though I admit to a bit of frustration about the violent actions and hateful speech of some who profess to be Christians—because there is no way those behaviors can be justified by someone who is growing in the “grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Jesus told this parable:  “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?  How then does it have tares?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’  The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’  But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn”’” (Matthew 13:24-30).

Jesus’ words confirm that there are those in churches, who associate with the body of Christ, that do not belong to Him; in fact, their presence amongst us is because satan plants them there.  That reality is difficult to grasp in the midst of a service with a dynamic worship and compelling Biblical teaching—yet we must believe Jesus’ words.  As Paul journeyed to Jerusalem, he called together the elders from the church in Ephesus and warned them, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.  Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears” (Acts 20:29-31).  Not all people who confess to be Christians are His disciples; and not all people who attend church are Christians—sometimes the actions or words of those people serve to cast a dark shadow on the name of Jesus.

There is also the problem of “carnal” Christians, those who claim to be saved but don’t live like it—“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God” (Romans 8:5-7).  Paul identifies some of the works of the flesh in his letter to the Ephesians:  “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like” (Ephesians 5:19-21).

I have seen the comments of many who equate all Christians with terrorists, and yet will vigorously defend Muslims proclaiming that not all are jihadists (that is not to say all Muslims are terrorists, rather that some people will not afford Christians the same latitude as Islamists).  So I wrestle with wanting to apologize for the acts of a very few people who claim to be members of a church, or Christians, and knowing that I cannot compromise the righteousness of God.  I do not want the activities of satan (“for we wrestle not against flesh and blood…” Ephesian 6:12) or the carnal words and lifestyles of some Christians to present obstacles for unbelievers, yet Jesus proclaimed “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34); then He continued by telling his disciples that divisions may come in their most intimate relationships, declaring, “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (verses 38 & 39).

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul wrote, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.  For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). 

There are always going to be people who are offended by Christians, who are unwilling to recognize His many disciples quietly serving the poor, the children and helpless, the displaced, the broken and wounded of this world.  Our best response is not to be defensive or argumentative (which are ineffective); rather, to follow Samuel’s example of praying for God’s people “For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.  Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and right way” (1 Samuel 12:22, 23).  And to pray for all people, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Value of a Human Life

Posted on November 8, 2014 by suemariericker

For the most part, I avoid hot topics and controversial issues, not because I am afraid to share my opinion; rather, because many other blogs cover those matters quite well, while my objectives are to consider personal perspectives and growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

But two things intersected this week that spurred my thinking about the value of a human life.  The first was the doctor-assisted suicide of Brittany Maynard and the other was a statement made in our community group:  “We each personally play an integral part within The Church.”  As Christians, every one of us has significance and divine calling to be a part of the Body of Christ, but without a public ministry or a specific talent it is easy to forget that.

I also understand the crippling effects of hopelessness and depression—believing that my life held no particular significance, my existence was of no benefit to anyone else, and the emotional pain too unbearable; so I am in no place to judge (no one is) the decision made by Brittany Maynard to end her own life.  I also know people who live with chronic pain, choosing to live in the grace of God.  I just feel very sad that she did not believe that her life had value apart from her suffering and did not recognize a God-given purpose for her time here.  I also do not know if she had a relationship with God through Jesus Christ; and if she did not, her eternal destiny holds much more suffering than what she escaped from by ending her life.

There are not easy, rubber-stamp responses for some of life’s tragedies, the results of fallen humanity.  We have life affirming tenets of Jesus, who identified himself as “the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6) who proclaimed that he came that we “may have life, and that [we] may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).  The Holy Spirit ascertains through the Psalmist’s prayer that we have a “measure of days” (Psalm 39:4); and in Psalm 139, a chapter which identifies the beginning of life before birth, David recognizes God’s destiny for all the days of his life:  “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well….Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13-14, 16).  Solomon also recognized, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:  A time to be born, and a time to die…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2).

My step-mom suffered from severe dementia the last few years of her life, and as I witnessed her decline and saw unscrupulous people take advantage of her vulnerabilities and deplete her estate, I wrestled before God with why He was allowing her life to continue—it seemed like no life at all, her mind was gone but her heart kept beating.  I don’t have an answer but I do have scriptures that validate her existence; and I know that “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s] ways higher than [our] ways, and [His] thoughts than [our] thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).

Human life has value because God gives us value—so much so that He willingly sacrificed His life for ours.  He took the punishment for our sin that we so rightly deserve so that we may have hope and a life that is impossible to earn—life without tears, without pain, without suffering, and without death.  “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.  In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory”  (Ephesians 1:11-14).

Within our inwardly focused, personal rights defending, and bucket list-creating culture, it is difficult to see beyond our own comfort and desires to the fact that life holds so much more for us.  Jesus proclaimed that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45), and He reminded His disciples after washing their feet, “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.  Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him” (John 13:15, 16).

Quality of life has much more to do with what we give or do for others than ensuring our own ease or happiness.  In fact, scripture reminds Christians, “do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).  And, “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Every individual is significant because God creates life—it is not up to us to decide who should live or who would be better off dead—it is not up to us to determine any one person’s value to God other than the fact He gave His life for theirs.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

…Good for the Soul

Posted on November 5, 2014 by suemariericker

Confession2

I think most people are familiar with the adage “Confession is good for the soul”.  I attempted to find out the source of the saying and discovered that it is a Scottish proverb, though the complete maxim is, “Open confession is good for the soul”.  It was an interesting search because there are varying opinions on the value or effectiveness of confession; and some people are defensively opposed to it (most opposition comes from those who are not Christians).

I found several other quotes that I like:

“To all nonbelieving, sort-of-believing, and used-to-be-believing friends:  I feel like I should begin with a confession.  I am sorry that so often the biggest obstacle to God has been Christians.” ~Shane Claiborne

 “God removes the sin of the one who makes humble confession, and thereby the devil loses the sovereignty he had gained over the human heart.” ~Saint Bernard

And…

“Forgiveness is always free. But that doesn’t mean that confession is always easy. Sometimes it is hard. Incredibly hard. It is painful to admit our sins and entrust ourselves to God’s care.”  ~Erwin W. Lutzer

My perception of “how to be a Christian” has certainly shifted over the years.  I once felt that I needed to appear religious and give no inkling to the struggles inside—the struggles against the flesh, impatience, anger, broken relationships, a broken heart, to name a few.  The fact remains that no matter how “spiritual” or good I tried to appear, it didn’t solve the problems of my fallen nature.  Trying to be “better” or to “do” Christianity as a façade, is a religion like so many others, it is not saving faith and it is not relationship with God, our Creator and heavenly Father.

But there is no doubt that I am a sinner; I still make mistakes, some are my awkward humanity at work and others are sin.  It is interesting that I can feel more shame about a cake that slides into the front of my shirt and covers me with frosting than a judgmental or discontented attitude!  In fact, overlooking or denying our fallen nature is sin – “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8, 9). 

I have no difficulty admitting to myself that I am a sinner (except when I am in denial about something or figure I can fix the problem on my own).  Transparency, openness about my failures is much more difficult.  Presenting a “got it all together” face to the world, particularly when the frosting on the shirt is all so obvious, though, is essentially denying the sin that still exists in me.

Living with my daughter, who is in the Navy, has given me a rather unconventional perspective on life as a Christian—moving every two to three years, finding a new church family to fellowship with that holds to the same beliefs and Biblical values that we treasure—and then moving again.  It is a blessing to see my daughter and my son, who is in the Air Force, press on in their Christian journeys, seeking Bible-based churches and fellowship wherever their orders send them.  There have been some spiritual deserts, but it does not stop my kids from following Jesus.

There are all kinds of reasons to avoid church or particularly the closeness of a small group fellowship (moving frequently being one of those reasons); but I have seen some amazing things happen when a group of people get together, study the Bible, and share with openness and humility the broken places in their lives—seeking prayer and support.  I am blessed to be in a group (that respects confidentiality) with my daughter, to hear her bare her heart, with no religious façade, knowing that, as Saint Bernard so succinctly stated: “…the devil loses the sovereignty he had gained over the human heart.”

James, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote in his epistle, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16).   As painful as it is “to admit our sins and entrust ourselves to God’s care”, it is even more difficult to entrust our sins and weaknesses to others, who may not so readily forgive.  Yet, there is amazing value in close friendships; scripture teaches, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17).  And the apostle Paul counseled, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1, 2).

I realize that James gives us an equation—“confess your trespasses to one another” + “pray for one another” = healing.  I also recognize that it is easy to bemoan my failures and complain about my weaknesses (while commiserating with another who shares my foibles) without adding the dynamic of prayer – I do this all too often.  However, it is Jesus who heals the brokenhearted, frees the captives, and opens prison doors to those who are bound—only He has borne our sorrows, was wounded for our transgressions, and carried our iniquities. 

As we seek Him, loving and supporting one another in the unity of the Spirit, we will begin to experience life in the Body of Christ as He designed it to be.  Such an amazing gift but we don’t always see it that way; no wonder the enemy seeks to cause divisions, unforgiveness, and discord!  Much of what the Holy Spirit teaches through Paul’s epistles has to do with relationships within churches and between individuals.

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” 

(Ephesians 2:19-22)  

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Supernatural!

Posted on October 26, 2014 by suemariericker

“What supernatural event from the Bible is your favorite?  Why?”  These questions were posed at our community/home Bible study group this past week.

Wow!

Those are not easy questions—there are so many miraculous events to consider, how do you choose?  For example, what can be greater than an all-powerful God speaking the worlds into existence?  …and that same God offering every person alive the opportunity to have a personal relationship with Him?

Consider the supernatural power of God when the waters of the Red Sea parted and the children of Israel were able to cross through the midst of the sea on dry land.  …and God continues to work miraculously to deliver His people from oppression and bondage.

We cannot possibly forget about the miraculous birth of Jesus to the young virgin, Mary, or the feeding of at least five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish.

I recognize that Christendom’s most significant supernatural event is the resurrection of Jesus—no other act of God offers so much hope, so much promise of life, both now and throughout eternity.  “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

However, a different instance of God’s sovereign power at work came to mind when I read those questions—it is recorded in the seventeenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel.  When Jesus and His disciples arrived in Capernaum, the temple tax collectors asked Peter, ‘Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?’  He said, ‘Yes.’  And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?’  Peter said to Him, ‘From strangers.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free.  Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first.  And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you” (Matthew 17:24-27).

I understand that these few verses hold a key to Jesus’ identity, but that is not what grabs my heart when I think about this amazing account.  Instead, this story reminds me that the one who spoke the world into existence has amazing, inconceivable ways to provide for His people.  His creativity and resources exceed our comprehension—our thoughts and imaginations are so limited when it comes to God’s ways of taking care of us.  I am learning to release my opinions and expectations, so that I can experience the joy of His surprising ways.

Most people have a curiosity about or fear of the unseen, supernatural realm.  Satan and his cohorts have a way of making the demonic domain intriguing, captivating inquisitive minds with spiritualism, ghosts, hauntings, the occult, astrology, Ouija boards, fortunetellers, witchcraft, vampires, and zombies, to name a few of his traps.  There is no harmless dabbling, visual exposure, or ventures into darkness without effects on the minds and souls of people—I bring this up because Halloween is approaching.  As much as I resist writing about holidays or current events, the Holy Spirit quickened to my heart the fact that most people exhibit a fascination with the unseen realm; however, we need to be careful about the things we expose our lives to, and the hearts and minds of our family members.  “You are all sons of light and sons of the day.  We are not of the night nor of darkness.  Therefore let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:5, 6).

The prophet Isaiah warned, “Stand now with your enchantments and the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth—Perhaps you will be able to profit, perhaps you will prevail.  You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from what shall come upon you.  Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame; it shall not be a coal to be warmed by nor a fire to sit before! (Isaiah 47:12-14).

There is power in darkness—“…giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14)—that attracts the unsuspecting.  Yet through fully equipping ourselves with armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) we are able to stand “against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in heavenly places” (v. 12).

There are some defining characteristics between the kingdom of God and the demonic realm—the most obvious is the contrast between light and darkness.  “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret” (Ephesian 5:8-12).

The contrast between the hope of life and a focus on death:  Jesus said, “I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:9, 10).

Many demonic devices inspire emotional responses from an undercurrent of fear to outright terror—many people are obsessed with being frightened and scaring others; however, fear resides in the spiritual domain and Christians are wise not to feed it.  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).  And, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:18, 19).

This time of year many people encourage themes and engage in activities that promote, whether subtly or intentionally, the kingdom of darkness.  Be wise in your choices because we have an enemy who is pacing the earth “like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1Peter 5:8).

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Focus!

Posted on October 21, 2014 by suemariericker

I suppose the “up-side” to doing embarrassing things is that they give me things to write about in my blog. I learn things in a “hands-on” sort of way, but I would prefer relegating that aspect of my personality to new skills instead of life principles.  Ah well, I have recovered sufficiently since this past week, so it is time to sit down and write.

I was searching for a house number in an unfamiliar part of town. My sense of victory at finding the address was eclipsed by the fact that I wasn’t watching traffic and narrowly escaped a collision as I attempted a left-hand turn in front of an oncoming car.  My daughter’s panicked yell broke my concentration and I was able to brake before an accident occurred.

Without a doubt, the strongest emotion I felt was shame. I also was pretty mad at myself for being so careless, so focused on one thing that I neglected the other.  I do not like making mistakes, particularly the ones that have the potential to hurt others.  I am also grateful that “the angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).  I also recognize that faith in Jesus relieves us from the shame we so rightly deserve:  “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in you heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture says, ‘whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame’” (Romans 10:9-11).

That is not to say there isn’t a place in a Christian’s life where shame might have a rightful place: “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34). Sometimes there is a place of slumber in our lives where unrighteousness resides—it is not easy to recognize and even more difficult to admit our brokenness.  Often we hide our critical attitudes, selfishness or greed, ingratitude, bitterness, anger, or unforgiveness (to name a few) underneath a cloak of self-righteousness.  However, evidence of our sinful attitudes frequently slip out through the words we speak, or in our actions and activities.

All too often society has a greater impact on the church than God’s people having an impact on our culture. We frequently bemoan our governments, the problems we have with others, disappointments, or our circumstances—feeling justified, yet neglecting God’s perspective so readily available in His Word.  For example:

  • “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13:1).
  • “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1, 2).
  • “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1, 2).
  • “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16).

I recognize (and am quite sure that many others experience this) how easy it is to focus on circumstances, my comfort, or the effects of another’s behavior on me while not realizing that my attitudes and words are violating these scriptures—I am complaining about leaders in government instead of praying for them; I am criticizing the actions of others without recognizing that I am judging them, and my words belie an underlying attitude that, even though I quote the scripture, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28), I really don’t like the way He works!

To the church at Colossae, Paul wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3).  We have both the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) and the indwelling Holy Spirit to assist us in doing that—to assist us in knowing God, to taking our thoughts captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), and to draw our minds to things above.  “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:5, 6).

The good news is “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).  Let us keep our focus on Jesus, seeking to know God and walking according to the Spirit of truth!

Posted in Bible Study, Christianity | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment