Category Archives: Christian Growth

Bible Study Guide ~ There is Life After Tragedy, Christian Growth, Encouragement

STUDY GUIDE FOR CHAPTER 9 ~ THE WOUNDS

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A note from the author:  If you need a breakthrough in your life that can set you free, this study guide is for YOU! I can personally testify that what you read here can change your life, the path you are on, and the direction you are going! If you are suffering from tragedy and loss, these words will bring refreshment and healing to your wounded soul. What have you got to lose except your pain—why not give it a try? ~ Sarah Jane

1. How Jesus Deals with Our Wounds

The wounds that stay with us long after a significant life event are simply what I call “leftovers.” While leftovers from dinner may be desirable, the leftovers from close-up and personal tragic events are not. No way! But like all leftovers, we eventually have to deal with them.

My favorite Bible story about how Jesus treats a wounded person is found in Luke Chapter 10:30-37. Let’s go there.

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. 31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

In my book, There Is Life after Tragedy, on pages 76 & 77, I explained this story like this: I asked the readers to see Jesus as the Good Samaritan and themselves as the wounded person. That is a powerful way to personalize this story about Jesus and His care for us. In the following exercise, we will identify all of the things Jesus did for the wounded person—YOU.

As you read each of the sentences below, write your name in every blank.

1) Jesus saw _________________.

2) Jesus had compassion for __________________.

3) Jesus went to ____________________.

4) Jesus poured oil on ________________’s wounds.

5) Jesus bandaged ________________’s wounds.

6) Jesus carried ___________________ to a place of safety to recover.

7) In that place of restoration, Jesus was ______________’s caregiver.

8) Then, Jesus made arrangements for ______________’s short-term care by paying someone to provide the care.

9) Next, Jesus paid in advance for ________________’s long term care and promised to cover all future expenses.

WOW! How much more could Jesus have done to ensure that the wounded person recovered, or that you and I recover from our wounds? Nothing more, because His promises are as good as His actions. He cares deeply about healing our wounds.

2.  Why the Wounds?

In my book, I tackled why we have to suffer in life. Unless we have an extremely healthy family, we will all have to deal with the hardships that come with death and disease. And unless we ourselves die at a very early age, we will all have to bury a loved one. As hard as it is to believe, even as a Christian, suffering and death become a normal part of life.

In Chapter 9 of my book, I included a poetic writing that I wrote during my husband’s two-year battle with cancer. It was titled “Why the Wounds?” and is found on Pages 78 and 79. If the title suggests that God has good reason for our suffering, it’s because He does. I ended the poem with these words: “For out of the anguish of the soul, revelation is birthed.”

I’m sure you are thinking, “What does that mean? I thought God was a good God.” I’ll try to explain. In order for us to grow up and mature in this Christian life we are going to encounter pain, wounds, hard circumstances, loss, and yes, more pain. But each of those have a “silver-lining” tucked inside of it. It may take years of growth before we recognize what the “School of Hard Knocks” is all about, but we will eventually come out on the other side of our trials and realize that we have indeed grown. We now see more, know more, and love more than we did before, because revelation was birthed in us!

In the Chapter 1 Study Guide, Section 4, we recorded a “memory that still hurts.” Look back at Chapter 1 to find what you wrote down. Is it possible that your memory had a silver-living you didn’t see then; but later you realized that something better happened because of it? If you didn’t write down anything in Chapter 1, recall at least one event in your life that caused pain, yet later resulted in great value to your life. It could be as simple as not getting a job that you applied for, but instead, God led you to a better one. Briefly describe your experience.

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A baby doesn’t enter the world without pain to itself and also to its mother. Yet, painful births (i.e. trials; circumstances; changes) are something very valuable to us. But we must not forget to look for those eye-opening moments that make a huge deposit into our lives. However, if we stay locked in self-pity and angry at God, we will miss the revelation He intended for us to receive.

3. Climbing Higher in God

If we can accept that God uses our pain to bring about change in our lives, then our part is to be receptive to what He is doing in us. That brings us to this thought-provoking question: “Have I ever used my pain to climb to a higher place in God?” My answer has been “Yes” many times, because I learned over time to trust God with my suffering, my losses, and my pain. I bet you have too.

A higher place in God simply means we are now in a better position to see what is happening around us. In other words, we get a better view from up there! The response of saying, “God, I’m content right where I am,” doesn’t work out well. God has a passionate heart of love for each of His children, and His eternal goal is to shape us into the image of His Son, Jesus. In fact, refusal to cooperate with the Creator of your life, will only cause Him to pursue you relentlessly until you yield to His shaping. This will become clear as we read Hebrews Chapter 12:5-6a.

5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves….”

Do you have a story of God’s careful shaping of your life as His beloved child that brought you to a higher place of understanding and blessing? If so, write it below.

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4.  Identify Theft ~ How Can We Prevent It?

One of Satan’s greatest tricks against us when we are wounded is to separate us from our true identity in Christ. He tries to convince us that God doesn’t love us or this wouldn’t have happened. Or he uses the age-old condemnation trick of telling us that we are hopeless, useless, and actually lost from God. If he can get a foothold into our lives, be assured that he will steal our true identity, kill us by drowning us in grief, and destroy any proof that we are a child of God. Did you get that? The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy! (John 10:10)

Satan did that to me and I spent months drowning in sorrow and self-pity. And then one day, I got mad at that thief and started fighting back. I wrote down all the positive things that I am—my true identify in Christ Jesus! And then I read it to the devil himself. As my faith began to rise up on the inside of me, I took back my identity and my life! And you can too! Below describes who I am when I am holding the Hand of God. (Pages 82–83 in There Is Life after Tragedy)

HOLDING THE HAND OF GOD

The road may be rocky, but I’ll not stumble. Fiery darts may be hurdled, but they’ll not penetrate my life. Storm clouds may darken the sky, but I’ll come out on the other side. The whole world may look hopeless, but it is not my home. For I shall run and not be weary; I shall walk and not faint, while holding the hand of God.

Therefore, my hope is sure. My light is shining. My way is bright. My heart is steady. My faith is strong. My peace is unexplainable. And my world is safe, while holding the hand of God.

My will is surrendered. My motives are pure. My vision is clear. My mind is set. My purpose is determined. My goal is reachable. And my agenda is His agenda, while holding the hand of God.

My strength is renewed. My wisdom is from above. My thoughts are just. My words are full of grace. My meditations are acceptable. My song is filled with praise. And my only desire is to please Him, while holding the hand of God.

Dear One, my heart hurts for you. I know what it feels like to have the world spinning around you, and you desperately need for it to stop. But you now know that God cares about you, and you have powerful scriptures that tell you He loves you, He cares about your wounds, and the enemy cannot have your identity. So, encourage yourself, and claim a breakthrough right now in Jesus’s powerful name, and He will hear and answer you!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, only you know the deep wounds in my life and how desperately I need your help. I believe the scriptures that I read above, and I want to be healed from all of my brokenness. I call out to you to heal me, and today I reclaim my identity: I am a Child of God! I am yours and you are mine. Thank you for loving me and answering my prayer. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Bible Study Guide ~ There is Life After Tragedy, Christian Growth, Encouragement

STUDY GUIDE FOR CHAPTER 8 ~ THE PURPOSE

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A note from the author:  If there is one study guide that has the potential to reach into your broken heart and bring healing to your life—it is this one. Please read it closely and intently. Please watch the special video section. I am praying for you to find the answers you have long sought after. This could be your day for wholeness! ~ Sarah Jane

1.  Can There Be Purpose in Tragedy?

Finding purpose is perhaps the hardest thing to handle after a tragedy. We would likely think: What purpose could this tragedy possibly have? Obviously, there is no good thing anywhere to be found here.

Yet, we know that absolutely nothing misses the eyes of God. He is the only One who can see over the horizon and know where this event can stir the hearts of people. His greatest goal is always to get the attention of the lost among us—the eternally lost members of mankind.

Those who have been closely impacted by a tragedy will struggle to see any good from it whatsoever. However, God’s Word tells us what was meant for evil, He can use for good. In this lesson we will take a close-up look at the tragic story of young Joseph and see what we can learn about God’s ability to use tragedy for good. This concept is sure to stretch us—but that’s okay. God is always stretching us to make us more like Jesus.

2. The Tragic Story of Joseph

The story of Joseph, son of Jacob, grandson of Issac, and great grandson of Abraham, is told in Genesis Chapters 37 through 50. It is a story of jealousy, revenge and evil, but also a story of kindness, forgiveness, and love. Joseph was the favorite of the twelve sons of Jacob. His father loved him very much, and all the others knew it. To make things worse, Joseph began having spiritual dreams about who he would someday be, yet bragging to his brothers didn’t work out so well. In hatred and spite, they wanted to kill him; but one brother talked them into sparing his life and selling him to slave traders.

Young Joseph found himself in the land of Egypt as a slave, far away from his beloved-child status. Yet, everything he touched worked in his favor—until one day it didn’t. Still, Joseph never forgot His God. He landed in prison for many years because of false accusations against him. Yet, regardless of Joseph’s living conditions, God never changed His plan to use him for a big assignment—to save the known world from famine. The very dreams Joseph had been given as a young lad eventually became reality. Joseph was made the Prime Minister of Egypt, where he oversaw a seven-year plan to store up food for a seven-year famine.

The tragedy of Joseph’s life included being separated from his beloved father and only full-blood brother, Benjamin, and living the life of a slave. After he was thrown in prison, he likely thought his life was doomed. One would think that everything optimistic about Joseph’s future had been thwarted. But God always has another plan even when it seems that the great enemy of our soul has won.

After the death of Joseph’s father, his brothers feared that Joseph would take revenge on them and their families. That is where we will pick up the story in Genesis Chapter 50:15-21 in the New Living Translation.

15 But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said. 16 So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us 17 to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 18 Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. 19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So, he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

Did you notice how Joseph described his life that had certainly gone amuck? Did you hear any resentment or revenge in his response to his guilty brothers? Did you hear any words of bitterness in his assessment of the lemons in life that he had been handed? You’ve probably heard the statement about lemons: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

What did Joseph do with his lemons?

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What do you think his brothers deserved?

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3. Finding Purpose in Hard Things

I do not intend to make light of tragedy in any way, because there’s nothing light about it. The tragedies in Joseph’s life could have caused years of hatred for his brothers; an incessant desire to get revenge; and a permanent root of bitterness. Let’s also remember that because of Joseph’s high position in Egypt, he had the power to have all of his brothers executed. But that is not what Joseph did.

Joseph took the exact opposite route in dealing with his lemons: he looked to God. He recognized that God had good intentions for all of the intense training he encountered as a slave. He literally said, “He (God) brought me to this position.” Lastly, Joseph added purpose to his pain and suffering: “So I could save the lives of many people.”

Do you think that Joseph was just another superhero in the Bible, or do you think all of God’s chosen ones have the same opportunity to make the choices that Joseph made? Explain your answer.

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Finding purpose in a tragedy is difficult to say the least, but it is doable. Yet, it won’t come to us unless we have this one thing: a change in perspective. Having a change in perspective basically depends on how we process what happens to us. For instance, it isn’t uncommon for a person to accept a victim mentality about their life’s lemons. They truly see themselves as a victim.

It’s somewhat like Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh stories. Eeyore was an old grey stuffed donkey who was down about everything—the weather, the seasons, the neighbors, and even his friends. His pessimistic, gloomy disposition showed up in every conversation he had. And if we are not careful, we can have the same perspective about life as Eeyore had.

But I have good news for every one of us—be it those who survived tragedy or those who are simply disillusioned with life. God did not do any of the things that caused your tragedy or your unfortunate circumstances. God is good all the time, and we can take that to the bank. In fact, if God is good all the time, then bad things that happen to us cannot be a result of God being not good. That’s impossible! Yet, the enemy of our souls continually thinks up bad things to do to us, just like Joseph’s brothers did.

Fortunately, in God’s Word we find out what is really happening to us, as well as what we can do about it. Let’s look at 1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT ~ “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”

Did you get that? You are not the only one suffering at the hands of the enemy! And there is something you can do about it. We are to stand firm, be strong, and use our faith! God’s Word is energized by the power of the Holy Spirit and when we claim it for ourselves and walk in it, we can have the same overcoming perspective as Joseph had. He moved from being a victim to being a powerful witness for the goodness of God!

My paraphrased version of Joseph’s perspective goes like this: “It’s okay what you guys did to me. You meant it for evil, but hey, God had a greater purpose for my life. He used your ill-treatment to train me and prepare me for the 2nd highest job in the known world, in order to save the lives of many people!” Read that again.

4.  Special Video Section:

Dear ones, if you can grasp the power available to you through God’s Word and His great love for you, you can start to see your tragedy in a whole new light. Below is a link to a five-minute video by Joyce Meyer, that is one of the greatest testimonies of a modern-day application of God’s power that I have ever heard.

I have read about and watched Joyce’s testimony about being sexually abused by her father repeatedly as a child and a teenager. Yet this particular video takes us beyond her pain and opens to us the mighty work of restoration that God performed in her life. I include it not only as hope for those who have suffered at the hands of another person, but also for those who have thought God handed them lemons and they are stuck with them. But God didn’t do it, and we are never stuck with what the devil intended for evil. Be sure to watch it to the end. The following link can be clicked on or copied into your browser.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, you and you alone know the deepest hurts in my heart. I have suffered for many years and feared that I can never be free from this pain. But today, I see a light at the end of the tunnel that I have never seen before. For the first time, I have hope that you see me and love me, and you have a plan to restore my life. I ask you to do just that—today. Send me the person or people that can help me start toward the new pain-free future that you have planned for me. I thank you now for this powerful new truth in my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Christian Growth, Coronavirus

How Will the Church Emerge from COVID-19? ~ My Wish List

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“These are the times that try men’s souls,” wrote Thomas Paine. The year was 1776, the same year the thirteen American colonies broke from their mother country and declared independence as a free nation. They were brave men and women who fought for what they believed in, who they were, and the future they desired. Their trying times gave birth to the greatest nation on the face of the earth—the United States of America.

Our trying times should give birth to something greater as well. We should never be the same person when we come through trying times and out on the other side of pain and struggle. God allows such times because they test us to see what we’re made of. Are our hearts right before Him? Are our motives for a worthy cause? Do we want the thing bad enough to sacrifice something to obtain it?

I can’t help but wonder what changes COVID-19 will bring to us. For some reason God has allowed it, and it has and will affect so many things about our lives—what we do, where we go, how we act and react to a new normal. And then there is the Church—will the Church of Jesus Christ emerge better than we were before COVID-19? Could God be using these trying times to iron out our wrinkles so we will be ready for the Bridegroom when He comes? And what might the new normal for the Church look like?

 

 

I have a few things I would like to see change ~ my wish list, if you will.

Number 1: Christians would be one with each other, just as Jesus is one with the Father. If God has done anything in this season it is to marginalize the denominational lines that divide us. These divisions of separation need the searing hot iron in God’s mighty hand to smooth out those deeply embedded creases. Our pet doctrines need to melt away or at least be shelved. (I won’t be holding my breath on that one.) Our prejudices and jealousy must not exist in our new normal. All arrogance and pride should be gone as we emerge from this pandemic storm.

Number 2: Another change I would like to see is the leveling of the playing field among Christ’s followers. During this time, we see famous spiritual leaders, teachers, televangelists, singers, writers, speakers, etc. now standing shoulder to shoulder beside the weakest among us. We all recognize our desperate need for Him. We all feel the same stress. We all feel the same uncertainty. We all feel the same neediness. Our one heart’s cry that rises to the heavens in true harmony (something that doesn’t happen often) is this: “Oh God, we need YOU!”

If we’ve learned anything during this season of unrest, it is that the church building is not the church. Our denomination is not the church. Our platform and style of worship is not the church. Since those things are not the Church, then it seems apparent that we must now figure out what the Church of Jesus Christ is actually supposed to be.

Could it be that a conceit for our way of doing things and a disdain for other’s way of doing things will have no place of expression on the other side of the pandemic? Oh God, may this be true! Lest we stand together as one unified body of born-again believers, our religious freedoms will vanish before our eyes.

Could it be the efforts to grow our church, our brand of Christianity, our form of worship will cease and be replaced with all of God’s children serving Him and each other in one accord and waiting before Him? After all, wasn’t that the atmosphere that set the stage for the coming of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts? Wasn’t that the very match that lit the fires of revival and church explosion? It was!

During this season of seeking the Church’s true place in God’s Kingdom, it should be the desire of our hearts that we emerge from COVID-19 as a changed people—less divided, less critical, less proud, and more like our Savior who gave up everything for us? Do we owe Him anything less?

As the Church seeks to find our new normal, may we keep in mind that before the Church can love the world, we must first learn to love each other.

Somehow, I believe that Jesus’ wish list for His Church may look a lot like mine.

Blessings to all as we face the new normal of Christianity. ~ Janie

Christian Growth

What Revival Looks Like ~

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The man of God plows deep this week. Things buried beneath the surface far too long are turned upward, exposing them to the Light of the World. The Sun of Righteousness has work to do in His field.

There is a stirring—a breaking up of what is not in clear sight. Yielding to the sharpened plow, hidden things are disturbed and dislodged from their dark, comfortable places. With each subsequent pass the heart-soil is tilled over and over—pulverized until useful once more—and made ready for good seeds to sprout, grow up, and produce a harvest.

Somewhere in the process an exchange is made: uprooted feelings, grudges, mindsets, opinions, and prejudices are replaced with repentance, compassion, mercy, love for more than one’s own, and a gut-level desire to serve rather than to be served.

Seeds of hope are planted within that freshly cultivated ground—hope of being alive again and fit for the Master’s use.

Thank God for plowing His field. ~ Janie Kellogg

 

 

Christian Growth, Encouragement

What Do We Really Want From God?

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The ink was barely dry in my journal after I finished writing What Does God Really Want from Us? when the Holy Spirit prompted me to turn that question around—What do we really want from God? Interesting thought, but doesn’t He already know what we want from Him?

 

Of course, the answer is yes, but I sensed that I was being pressed to look deeper into my soul, as to what I want from God—well, other than salvation, health, protection, finances, and success! After all, don’t we all want a life of well-being? I think that is commonly true, but I knew in my heart of hearts He was asking me a pointed question: What am I expecting God to do for me if I am living for Him?

 

I recently listened to an audio devotional called “The Slippery Slope of Discontentment” by Mike Harland, a spokesman for Lifeway Worship. Being a worship leader himself, Mike was able to speak into the lives of other worship leaders about how we assess our ministries. He said we often blame our lack of success on what we don’t have. We say that if we just had more resources…more choir members…more great soloists…a better sound system…a different pastor…a bigger facility…more time…more, more, more. That, my friend, is indeed a slippery slope.

 

My preacher son, Brent, has a saying that fits here as well—“More isn’t always better.” It’s sad to admit that our culture, including church culture, has taught us to believe if we had more of whatever, we would be happier, more successful, accomplish greater things, and last but not least, we could bring more glory to God.

 

So, do I know my own heart? What am I reaching for? What do I expect to be the end result of my efforts and my sacrifices? Am I expecting God to make me a great writer? A great singer? A great choir director? A great speaker or teacher? A great soul-winner? Am I expecting more and greater gifts, or am I content with the ones God has given me?

 

I don’t have the answers to all of those questions, but I am asking the Holy Spirit to show me my own heart. I fear we have allowed much positive thinking and destiny-driven preaching to sway the church toward discontentment rather than embracing God’s true plan for our lives.

 

In his best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren tells us that we were born for a purpose—God’s purpose in putting us on planet earth. God knew beforehand what gifts and calling we would have; He knew in advance our circle of influence, our level of education and opportunity; and He knew what we would accomplish during our time here. In fact, God saw it all before we were born. “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16

 

So are we actually doing what He purposed for us or are we off on some detour doing our own thing? If He determined that our influence would be a small circle rather than far reaching, will we be content? If He decided that we would be a simple servant doing the Father’s will rather than great in the eyes of the world, will we be content with that also? What if He has chosen for us to suffer for His glory?

 

I don’t have the answers to those questions either, but I do know that many Christians, including me, always seems to be reaching for something greater—yet never quite getting there. Ever wonder why greatness eludes us? If God chooses that our lives bring glory to Him as an ordinary person—not some superstar—shouldn’t we submit to His choosing?

 

I think the best response to What Do I Really Want from God, is this:  I want God to show me His ordained purpose for my life and then help me be content with whatever He has chosen for me—not something great that I’ve dreamed up on my own. ~ Janie Kellogg

 

Christian Growth, Encouragement

What Does God Really Want From Us?

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Have you ever thought about what God wants from you? I know I have. When we listen to various preachers, teachers, and authors, we’ll likely get a lot of different answers. They will vary from things like “dying to self” to “crawling up in God’s lap and calling Him Daddy.” The first one makes us squirm and the second makes us squirm, too. No one wants to die to self because it’s painful, and many of us don’t know God well enough to crawl up in His lap.

 

This morning I asked myself that question and the Holy Spirit dropped a rather simple answer into my heart. It is so simple that we only need to look at our earthly fathers to confirm it. Whether a heavenly Father or an earthly father, what they want is for their children to make good choices in life. Making good choices today will ultimately result in a life that glorifies either father, heavenly or earthly.

 

The Bible gives us a great story about making choices—the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:39-42. I suspect there’s not a woman alive that hasn’t heard that story—you know where Martha is killing herself in the hot kitchen and Mary is relaxing at the feet of Jesus. We mostly relate to Martha because we’ve been there and done that. But Jesus had strong words for Miss Martha. He said that Mary had chosen “what is better” and it would not be taken away from her.1

 

Let’s analyze their choices. Martha was concerned about much serving. Sounds like a good choice to me, especially if I’m having lunch at her house. But her little sister made a different choice to sit at the feet of the Savior and learn from Him. Surely much work ranks higher than just sitting, doesn’t it? Did Jesus really mean that spending time with Him is more important than serving others? But what about church work—wouldn’t it rank higher? Probably not even church work, or ministry, or missions. I seriously believe Jesus is telling us here that nothing trumps time with Him.

 

If that is the case, then we can determine that time in His presence outranks all other activities, bar none. But there is good reason behind Jesus’ position. You see, there are great benefits that come along with making the choice that Mary made and Jesus so adamantly defended. It’s like putting the oxygen mask on yourself before putting it on your child in an airplane emergency. You’ll be of little help in saving your child’s life, if you haven’t taken measures to save your own.

 

Jesus knows that if we will sit at His feet and drink in the spiritual refreshment that comes from being in His presence, we are then—and only then—equipped to go out there and love the world He sent us to reach. And that, my friend, is a life that will glorify our Father!

 

Think about it like this: With one simple daily decision to spend time with God, we can give Him what He wants most from us—to make good choices. While I am clearly aware that we can’t reduce pleasing God to one single choice, it is a place to start. In fact, we can bring a smile of approval to our Father’s face before this day is over. Go ahead, be a Mary and sit for a spell! ~ Janie Kellogg

1Luke 10: 38-42 ~ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Christian Growth

More Than Physical Therapy

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It felt really strange, almost as if my head had been gently detached from my body and laid to the side. I was learning to trust my highly-recommended physical therapist as she tried to put my head back where it belongs. This was my fourth therapy session, and each session was growing in intensity. I wondered what she would do next.

 

Apparently, I had injured my neck at some time in the past, and now my head was off-center. It had been this way for so long that my new center felt more comfortable than my true center. Yet, my charming young therapist was determined to get my head on straight once again.

 

She worked the muscles on either side of my neck, removing the knots that had developed. A stretch here and a pull there—attempting to relieve the pain I had endured over the previous four months. She said the stretching and pulling would strengthen my neck muscles so they would eventually be strong enough to hold my head in the correct position. That should stop the pain.

 

As I contemplated her strategy, I thought about the spiritual struggle I was currently going through. Perhaps my physical condition and my spiritual condition had some things in common. Could it be that some of my spiritual muscles were sagging and I had found a more comfortable place to exist that wasn’t my true center? Things like slouching in prayer or slacking in Bible Study; yielding to selfish thoughts rather than Christlike ones, and even stooping to self-pity because things weren’t going my way in an important area of my life. Could it be that the worst symptom of all was my drooping faith to believe that God was still in control of my circumstances?

 

As my therapist continued to do her highly-skilled work on my neck, I smiled at God. I had caught a deeper meaning of my therapy session on that beautiful spring morning. Yes, my neck muscles were being strengthen to do what they were designed to do, and now I clearly saw that it was time to strengthen my spiritual muscles as well—the muscles that keep me on true center—true to God and true to my inner being—a woman after God’s own heart. Who knows, maybe some of that pain will go away, too! ~ Janie Kellogg

Christian Growth, The Secret Place Secrets

The Goal Posts Have Moved

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Redefine the gospel—that’s the best way I know how to describe what God has done in my life over the past ten years. While I’m not sure I can explain what I thought it was before, I do know that today I see the gospel differently.

The goals for my life are no longer to be healthy, wealthy and wise. They are not for people to like me, accept me, or support me. In short, the goal posts have moved. Things I once thought important are not important to me now.

It began in 2005 when God led me to attend a Christian writer’s conference. I came home from that conference with this sobering revelation: I’m not sure I even know what the gospel is; but I do know that I don’t have much of anything to write about.

Looking back, my evaluation of myself was right on. As a result of that conference, I discovered the writings of Philip Yancey, Andrew Murray, Henri Nouwen, Amy Carmichael, and many others. After ten years of delving deep into those writings, my mindset about the gospel has clearly changed, and so have my goals.

A few days ago I decided to write down the things that are important to me now—my new goals you might say. Please don’t misunderstand—I am not listing things I have attained. In fact, I may never attain them; but they are the things I press toward.1

    • To please my Heavenly Father in every word, thought, and action.
    • To obey the Holy Spirit in all things, every time He speaks to me.
    • To be humble before God and others, choosing the lowest position.
    • To bring glory to God and God alone.
    • To love His church, striving to bring unity in the Body of Christ.
    • To love the unlovable so they will know and feel the love of God.
    • To be willing for God to use me whenever and however He chooses.
    • To give more than I have ever given, withholding nothing from my Lord.
    • To give the Holy Spirit full possession of whole being—my house as His house.
    • To be aware of His presence inside me and commune with Him continuously.
    • To guard my heart so there is never a bitter drop of anything to spill out.2
    • To seek for every ounce of pride in my heart to be eradicated.
    • To hide His Word in my heart, committing it to memory.
    • To hide my life so completely in Christ that others see Him, not me.
    • To make every day a day with Jesus. (A day without Jesus is a day wasted.)
    • To be aware of His opinions on life, politics, and people rather than my own.
    • To have ears that hear and eyes that see from God’s perspective.
    • To be courageous enough to share the Good News with everyone I meet.
    • To be bold enough to speak truth whenever truth is challenged.
    • To keep the main thing, the main thing. (Eternity)
    • To accept what He chooses to give, rather than what I want to receive.
    • To remember that my sin caused Jesus to suffer and die. (Own my part in His death)
    • To cherish the dust at the foot of the cross.3 (a most holy place)
    • To be determined to live for Him and to die for Him.

 

This was a great exercise. I recommend that you do it too, and see what your list looks like. You might be surprised.

Today, I believe I am much closer to knowing the true gospel. I am also much closer to having something to write about. ~ Janie Kellogg

Small footprintKey Scripture: I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.1

Small footprintKey Quote: “St. Paul counted the loss of all things as nothing that he might know Him who he already knew; and the soul, suddenly illuminated by some fresh outshining of the knowledge of the love of God shown forth on Calvary, does not stop to measure how much or how little it knew of that love before. Penetrated, melted, broken before that vision of love, it feels that indeed all it ever knew was nothing, less than nothing.”4 ~ Amy Carmichael

1Philippians 3:14; 2Amy Carmichael, If, CLC Publications, Fort Washington, PA, Pg. 35; 3Ibid, Pg. 53; 4Ibid, forward.

Christian Growth, The Secret Place Secrets

I Can Do This!

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Many of us are familiar with the story “The Engine that Could” and love the psychology behind those famous words, “I think I can, I think I can!” We have been taught from childhood that if we think we can do something, then we can. And we’ve carried that mindset on into life, believing nothing is out of reach for those who apply themselves.

 

This early self-esteem teaching has also found its way into our Christian beliefs. By our words and actions, we proclaim: “I can do this!” We often quote the words of the Apostle Paul with the main emphasis on the “I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”1

 

There is one problem here—God is not looking for people who can do this; rather, He is actually looking for those who cannot. The Bible tells us: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”2

 

While Moses was leading God’s people out of slavery in Egypt, the Red Sea miracle was for one purpose—to show the power of God. It had nothing to do with the power of Moses, or Aaron, or certainly the frightened Children of Israel—but the magnificent power of the Almighty.3

 

The fact is that God purposely led the Children of Israel into an impossible predicament where they could do nothing for themselves.4 Nothing within their own power could deliver them from that set of circumstances. They clearly could not do this! It would take nothing less than a miracle of God to rescue them.5

 

Do you ever wonder why God doesn’t allow your life to stay nice and normal? Believe it or not, in spite of our early training in self-esteem, the problem actually lies within the statement: “I can do this!”

 

Leaving the normal—our comfort zones—will always require us to be stretched. While we don’t like the stretching, it is the trips outside the normal that place us smack-dab in the middle of circumstances where God is able to show Himself strong. How else could God use our lives to display His power if you and I always lived up to the self-esteemed position of “I can do this?”

 

The short answer is—He can’t. Many people can handle the status quo—the unsaved, the unbeliever, the atheist—all can do this. Without challenges, the whole world can do this. But that is not what God’s children are called to do. We are called and chosen to show the world His power and His greatness.6

 

We will find ourselves questioning God when difficult times come our way if we do not understand His purpose. The complaining Children of Israel certainly didn’t; in fact, they literally thought it would be better to go back into slavery than to walk outside their comfort zone! Sound like anyone you know?

 

If our lives are yielded to the purposes of God, we should expect to find ourselves in impossible situations on a regular basis so that His power can be shown to the world through our powerlessness.

 

That is the very substance miracles are made of: Our weakness + God’s power = Glory to God! And the formula works every time.

 

If you and I desire to be used to bring glory to God, we must be willing to be s—t—r—e—t—c—h—e—d! Are you? If so, God is looking for you! ~ Janie Kellogg

 

Small footprintKey Scripture: But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.4

 

Small footprintKey scripture: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.6

 

1Philippians 4:13; 22 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJ); 3Deuteronomy 4:37; 4Exodus 9:16 (NIV); 5 Exodus 14; 61 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

Christian Growth

Revival ~ Will it come and when?

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Nearly all of us say that we want Revival to come. We want an outpouring of God’s Spirit on us and others. We’d like to see huge masses of lost humanity turn to God. Our nation could certainly use a sweeping move of God, resulting in a return to moral values, honesty, purity, and goodness. Who among us wouldn’t like to see our churches filled to overflowing with people hungry for God? Bring it on! But will it ever come and, if so, when?

 

Good questions that I would like the answers to. Just this morning I was seeking God for that very thing, and in His faithfulness, He spoke to my heart. Afterwards, I wasn’t so sure I really wanted to hear the answer, but I wrote it down just the same.

 

I had been thinking about what is the greatest battle in my life. I determined that it is not the struggle to climb the corporate ladder, to make great financial gain, to store up for retirement, to become a VIP (very important person), or to have a huge influence anywhere for that matter. The biggest battle in my life is overcoming self. We must remember who self is or none of this will make sense: Self is Satan’s representative in my life and yours, inherited from the fall in the Garden of Eden.

 

Please bear with me for another writing on self. It’s not that I’m obsessed with the notion of dying-to-self; but since the awareness of who self is, I have gained clearer understanding of many of the gospel writings. It has been revolutionary, to say the least.

 

Now back to the garden—I can’t help but wonder if Eve had known who the serpent was, would she have made a different choice? If she had known that she was dealing with God’s greatest enemy, disguised as a serpent (the most beautiful of God’s creation) would she have even given him the time of day?

 

What about us? What about me? How often in a day’s time do I listen to God’s greatest enemy by way of his representative inside me? Is that not high treason on my part? Does it not align me on the wrong side of things? How can I knowingly choose to fight on the opposing side of right? Or am I like Eve, I don’t know who I am talking to so I take the bait? And like Eve, if I had just known it was Satan, I might have made a different choice. Really?

 

O God, open our eyes and let us see who it is that we are listening to! Is he not clothed as an angel of light? Does he have some slick story for me about how mistreated and abused I have been, and how, if only I would listen to him, things would get better? Will I look back and think with regret “If I had only known I was listening to a deceiver!”

 

It is actually quite simple to sort out who we are listening to: If our thoughts feed or benefit self in any way, we are listening to the voice of God’s enemy! Satan’s representative is actively trying to get us to fall for selfish lies and untruths. I am quite certain that we are listening.

 

Only you and I can determine if we are going to continue to listen to God’s enemy and our enemy. If we continue to feed on thoughts that lead to accusations, resentment, unforgiveness, ugliness, hatred, and evil of any kind—WE ARE BEING TRICKED!  We have yielded our members as instruments of unrighteousness (Romans 6:13), and we have aligned ourselves on the wrong side of right. What we need most is not sympathy from our friends, understanding for those who feel our pain, or for God to fix a bunch of other folks. We need a trip to the foot of the cross for repentance while we plead for a heaping portion of God’s great mercy!

 

We are more valuable to the Kingdom of God, not when we know the answer or preach the answer or write the answer, but when we BECOME the answer. How long has it been since we have been on our knees repenting before God for yielding our members as instruments of unrighteousness and begging for God’s forgiveness; actively and purposefully forgiving others; and then if necessary, asking those we have offended for their forgiveness as well?

 

God made it very clear to me this morning: When this happens among My people, revival will come.

 

We say that we long for REVIVAL and REST. Please don’t miss the word rest here. Yet, God offers it to us—if we are willing to do the hard work of repentance. But wait, God said that we don’t truly want it:

 

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, “In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength; but you would have none of it.” (Isaiah 30:15)

 

The answers to the questions: “Will revival come and when?” are clearly up to us—God’s people—not the unsaved, or the ungodly, or those sinners. I know where I’m spending the afternoon. “Oh, the cross; oh, the cross; the cross is my confession.”1

 

Thank You, Dear God, for not giving us rest until we have done what you require of us! ~ Janie Kellogg

 

1Kari Jobe, The Cross is My Confession