Category Archives: Faith

Encouragement, Faith, Holidays, Reflections, Vision

Encouraging Thoughts for Your New Year ~ 2024

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I suspect that we all live with regrets since we are human. But the bigger issue is: What do we do with those regrets? I have had a dream for most of my life that I would one day become a writer. Trust me, I have paid my dues. I started out writing poetry about lovers, births of babies, birthdays, anniversaries and Christmases; and then moved on to prose for tributes, eulogies, etc. Yet each little start made me realize it wasn’t exactly fulfilling my lifetime dream. I simply treated it like a wishful thinking hobby. I thought I could entertain people by skillfully creating a trek down memory’s lane that would bring delight to my readers. Yet, my life as a writer remained unsatisfied.

I eventually came to the place where I believed my gift of writing—making things rhyme, challenging hearts, and making people smile—was more than a gift. It was a calling. So, I set out to do something about my dream—I wrote a book and published it. That book went live in August of 2022. Oh, don’t get me wrong here. It’s not that I have attained any great success, but guess what? I have reached some lives with my voice in print.

My book, There Is Life after Tragedy, is about a tragic event in my father’s family that took place before I was born. As a speaker, a new door opened for me to speak to various groups about the loss of love and life; about grieving and learning to live again; and telling the good news of a loving God who understands our pain and never lets us walk alone. I hear from people regularly that my book has touched their lives deeply.

Recently, I connected with two uncles in my mom’s family that I haven’t seen since I was a teenager—all because of my writing. Now, after many years, a delightful connection has been made that is currently bringing joy to all of us. And as an added bonus that I wasn’t expecting, my book was a named a finalist in the American Writing Awards Competition for 2023. We just never know what God has in store for our gifts.   

As I stared at a blank piece of paper this week thinking about what I would like to change about my life (you know, this thing we do as the new year rolls in), these thoughts flowed from my pen: If I could change anything about my life, I would take my dreams more seriously; I would follow those desires of my heart more intently; I would have more confidence in the gifts God has given me. If my mind were to summarize what my heart is saying, it would sound like this: If I could change one thing about my life, I would spend more time writing!

How about you? Do you have an unfulfilled dream of writing, painting, singing, woodworking, or whatever gift you may have that still hangs out in the backyard of your mind? Deal with those regrets about what you haven’t done by making a start to fulfill your dream. Regardless of your age, pay attention to your gift. Acknowledge it. Call it what it is. Use it. Exercise it. Grow it. Consider God in the equation and talk to Him about it. And by all means, use your faith. And if your gift is writing, then write, write, write—with all of your might!

Go ahead and make my statement work for you and your gift: “If I could change one thing about my life, I would spend more time ______________.”

Just fill in the blank and go for it! Our God is a God of surprises! Happy 2024 to all ~ Sarah Jane

Image by <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/cute-composition-with-hearts-books_1120554.htm#query=book%20background&position=15&from_view=search&track=ais&uuid=87e2386f-c5f0-4519-a089-a2cd97917441″>Freepik</a&gt;

 

Encouragement, Faith, Lordship of Christ, The Last Days

King of the World

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If only we could turn off the blaring problems around the globe like we turn off the television set, we would likely give a big sigh of relief. There are certainly plenty of issues that cause us to fear—such as war, turmoil and hatred reaching explosive levels in many countries. But isn’t this what we’ve always thought the “last days before Jesus comes back” would look like?

Regardless of our political or religious differences, we can all agree that these are serious times. We generally look for someone on the main stage to stand up and say, “Don’t be afraid! I know what to do. Everything will be alright.” Yet, like me, you could believe that most politicians are untrustworthy; true leaders with character and courage are scarce; and what is terrifying is called good, and what is good is called terrifying.

I can’t help but share with you some amazing words that I came across just this morning. They are perfectly fitting for today!  I believe our faith in God will be refreshed and encouraged as we find instructions for what to do in times like these. Naturally, they come from God’s Word—the Words of Life—as found in Psalm 96. The Passion Translation is just that—passionate about the person being described for us.

 Psalm 96 ~ King of the World

“Go ahead—sing your new song to the Lord! Let everyone in every language sing him a new song.

Don’t stop! Keep on singing! Make his name famous! Tell everyone every day how wonderful he is. Give them the good news of our great Savior.

Take the message of his glory and miracles to every nation. Tell them about all the amazing things he has done.

For the Lord’s greatness is beyond description and he deserves all the praise that comes to him. He is our King-God and it’s right to be in holy awe of him.

Other gods are absolutely worthless. For the Lord God is Creator-God who spread the splendor of the skies!

Breathtaking brilliance and awe-inspiring majesty radiate from His shining presence. His stunning beauty overwhelms all who come before Him.

Surrender to the Lord Yahweh, all you nations and peoples. Surrender to Him all your pride and strength.

Confess that Jehovah alone deserves all the glory and honor. Bring an offering and come celebrate in his courts.

Come worship the Lord God wearing the splendor of holiness. Let everyone wait in wonder as they tremble in awe before him.

Tell the nations plainly that Yahweh rules over all! He is doing a great job, and nothing will disrupt him, for he treats everyone fair and square.

Let the skies sing for joy! Let the earth join in the chorus. Let oceans thunder and fields echo this ecstatic praise until every swaying tree of every forest joins in, lifting up their songs of joyous praise to him!

For here he comes, the Lord God, and he’s ready to judge the world. He will do what’s right and can be trusted to always do what’s fair. ~ Psalm 96:1-13 (TPT)

While it looks as though the whole world is in disarray, take heart. King Jesus will be coming soon to set up His kingdom on earth! Never doubt that He will put all things in order when He comes. We could say, “He will square things up!” The bizarre nonsense will disappear, and King Jesus will reign in peace, truth and righteousness. What is good will be called good, and what is evil will be called evil, as judged by the King Himself.

Victory days are just ahead for all true followers of Jesus Christ! I hope and pray that you are one of them. If so, go ahead and give that big sigh of relief, and then share the good news in this psalm with your friends and family. If you’re not a follower of Jesus Christ, tell a Christian friend or acquaintance that you’d like to meet Him. They will be happy to introduce you to the true King of the World!

~ Sarah Jane

Coronavirus, Encouragement, Faith, Holidays

Being Disciples on this Strange Good Friday

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God is the originator of all good things—so the Bible tells us in James 1:17 (NLT) ~ “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.”  In other words, everything in heaven and on earth that is good comes from the one true God. Even that dark Friday when His Son was tortured, beaten, slapped, cursed, insulted, jeered at, spit upon, and nailed to a wooden cross turned out for our good.

 

I’m sure that Friday didn’t feel good as Jesus’ mother, brothers, and beloved disciples looked at the cross in unbelief. I can imagine thoughts like this going through their heads: What just happened? How did we get here? This is not what we bargained for? This is not how following Jesus was supposed to turn out! Is God anywhere to be found?

 

We’re talking about real human beings here—His disciples. Oh, they were not highly-educated men of position and power, nor honored high priests in the Jewish synagogue. Truth is—each of those men was basically an unknown member of society and a nobody as far as the world was concerned.

 

And on that Good Friday when Jesus died, all their hopes and dreams for being a somebody died too. The hopes that they had found the promised Messiah just got deflated. All dreams of being in Jesus’ official cabinet when He set up His kingdom on earth vanished as well. They were actually in hiding for minutes, hours, and days not knowing where they were in the bigger scheme of things. No doubt they were bewildered. It surely must have felt as if hell had won.

 

Today, on this Good Friday in April of 2020, it somewhat feels the same way for us modern-day disciples. We are hold-up in our homes due to COVID-19 safer-at-home orders spending minutes, hours, and days not knowing where we are in the bigger scheme of things. There is hardly any normal life to be found. It has affected all of us—crossing all lines of division—wealth, race, education, religion—and marginalizing us into one big category—bewildered! And it surely feels as if hell has won.

 

Aren’t we asking those same questions: What just happened? How did we get here? This is not what we bargained for? This is not how following Jesus was supposed to turn out! Is God anywhere to be found?

 

But wait—the truth is that one dark afternoon at Calvary changed everything for Jesus’ disciples then and now. I guess we could say it was a game-changer deluxe! In that fateful moment when Jesus declared “It is finished,” the curse on mankind was broken and the redemptive plan of God was accomplished. In just a few days, that dark moment would yield to a glorious resurrection morning. Great joy would fill the hearts of the disciples when they realized that Jesus was alive forevermore!

 

You see, the time hidden here in this dark moment of a world pandemic is only for a few days. We too will have a glorious resurrection morning and Jesus will appear to us once again. Our hearts will be filled with joy when we understand that just as He had not abandoned His disciples then, He has not abandoned us now. And since we serve a game-changing God, who knows what good will come out of this dark time? Who knows what it could mean for us who believe that He always keeps His promises, and that everything He ever told us will be just as He said?

 

It is in our best interest as modern-day disciples of the Living Lord to trust our faithful Father and believe that this too is indeed a Good Friday! He has never failed us yet!

 

May we celebrate this strange Easter as disciples of great faith! Blessings to all ~ Janie

Amazing People, Faith, Humility

An Unusual Man of God

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We have had an unusual revival at my church this week with an unusual evangelist. I can’t say that I have ever met a man of God like Dr. Charles Graham. Actually, he is quite unusual and has blessed my life in a quite unusual way.

 

Brother Charles is African-American and a highly gifted singer. He has a doctorate degree in music and has ministered around the world. His music alone is worth every minute given to attend a service. But his unusual-ness goes far beyond his music and his delivery of the Word of God to his audience.

 

One thing that has come to the forefront this week is that Charles is unusually like his Savior, Jesus Christ. He is perhaps the most humble preacher I have ever met. He has an unusual depth in his spirit that clearly shows through his unusual presentation of the gospel. No one could possibly doubt that this unusual preacher lives what he preaches.

 

Several years ago I read a book by Frances Havergal titled “Kept for the Master’s Use,” in which she encourages followers of Jesus to actually follow His example. You see, Jesus’ entire life was given completely for the Father’s use.

 

I’m afraid that most of us would have to say that we live as we choose and then trust the grace of God to cover our mistakes. Not so with Jesus. And that is how I see Bro. Charles. His testimony of unusual faith tells us that at every turn, every decision, and every stage of life, he waited on God to show him the right way to go, the right choice to make, and the right attitude to have in order to be the most useful to his Heavenly Father. How unusual.

 

As he shares his life’s story from growing up in the cotton fields in the South to singing before kings and presidents, his unusual humility and surrender to the will of God are enormous. He has shown us what it means to live by faith,  and how through his unusual obedience, has seen the fruition of that faith. His book “No Back Doors” is worth a read.

 

If he has said it once, he has said it at least a hundred times this week: “I don’t know it all, but I’m growing.”  What an unusual statement since many Christians today think we do know it all and have reached a place where we don’t need to grow anymore. He has challenged us to press in closer to our Lord.

 

As for me, my life has been forever changed in an unusual way by this unusual man of God. But that in itself is not unusual—since I serve a God who often moves in unusual ways. ~ Janie Kellogg

 

 

Devotional, Faith

Now He Is Near

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On Sunday the Pastor used two really big words: transcendent and immanent. I thought I knew their meanings, but then decided a little research might help me better understand these terms as attributes of God. Transcendent describes God as being divine, heavenly, supernatural and otherworldly, while immanent defines Him as existing in and extending into all parts of the created universe—inherent within something. Still confused? I am.

 

Here is an illustration might help us get it. I remember watching a Sesame Street program years ago that attempted to teach my young grandson the difference between the words far and near. I expect that many of you can picture it as well: one shaggy character moves several feet away from another shaggy character, and in a deep, gruff voice pronounces the word “far.” Next, he comes right up close to his friend and pronounces the word “near.” He repeats this amusing activity over and over: “Far—near; far—near,” until he is out of breath.

 

In very real terms, it is a picture of what God has done for us. Once He was far away from us; in fact, the Bible tells us that we were alienated from Him. But then things changed! This magnificent, divine, all-powerful God did the unthinkable—He came into our world as one of us! In other words, He came close to where we are and is no longer other-worldly. Through His Son, Jesus, He has come very near—even so close as to live within our hearts.

 

 

Although He was far away at one time—now He is near.

 

It’s still an amazing thing to me that God, the Creator of the Universe, would love me that much—to send His only Son into this sin-infested world to find me! I think that I may never get over such an unimaginable fact, and I hope I don’t. I pray this mind-boggling truth never become commonplace—for it took me a long time to believe that God did it for me.

 

After years of searching for the transcendent God, my tiny mustard seed of faith began to grow and I called out to Him to come near. And Jesus did that very thing—He came to me. I was 23 years old at the time, and more than once I had walked church isles, prayed with preachers and counselors, cried at altars, and been water baptized. But it wasn’t until the day I asked Him to come and at the same time believed in my heart He would, that I experienced the immanent Christ move into my life. The Apostle Paul described that transition like this:

 

Don’t forget that you Gentiles (that’s you and me) used to be outsiders….In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.  Ephesians 2:11-13 (NLT)

 

Transcendent—immanent.

 

Far—near.

 

Have you ever had this amazing life-altering experience that moves us from being far away from God to being very near to Him? If not, invite Him right now to come near to you. He is longing…looking…and waiting…for you to ask.

 

Without fail, it will be the best decision of your life. ~ Janie Kellogg

Anxiety & Depression, Encouragement, Faith

Can Broken Things Survive?

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A few weeks ago when I was having one of my anxious days, my son sent me a picture of a broken-down tree. The caption on it was “keep fighting.” This picture speaks volumes to my heart.

 

 

Since trees can neither think nor make decisions, let’s just pretend for the moment that they do.

 

This broken-down tree could certainly have taken the victim approach to life. After all, something catastrophic happened that altered its future—forever. As a victim, it could bemoan its circumstances, since trees are supposed to stand up—not lie down. It could compare itself to all the normal trees standing tall and straight, and determined that it will never be a beautiful tree. It could consider itself too far gone—fallen too low to fulfill its purpose on the earth. And what about its environment—trees rarely survive in the middle of a body of water. Its chances are not only slim, but near impossible.

 

Choosing to be a victim of one’s circumstances is a hard life. Victims look for someone to blame, and then much of their time and energy is spent lamenting what has been dealt to them. How many have said: I’ll never make it in this set of circumstances? If only things could be different. If only this had not happened. If only things could go back to being the way they were…before. If only….if only….if only….

 

Yet, here it is—a broken-down tree that is a shining testimony of what a tree is created to be—branched out in beautiful foliage, producing oxygen, shade and a resting place for those sparrows God watches over so carefully. And all of that—in spite of its circumstances.

 

Is it not a tree that chose to “keep fighting” and make the most of its brokenness? Is it not living proof that broken things can indeed survive?

 

A few months ago the popular syndicated columnist, political commentator and Pulitzer Prize winner, Charles Krauthammer, passed from this life. In a documentary on Charles’ life, Fox News commentator Bret Baier made a profound statement about him that I won’t soon forget. Now it only becomes profound when you know that Charles suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a diving accident when he was in college. As a result, he spent the remainder of his life in a wheel chair with only limited use of his arms and hands. Yet, Charles finished college and medical school on time, graduating with his class. He changed careers somewhere in midstream and spent many years in Washington DC as a political journalist. He had a wife, one son, and is a best-selling author of “Things That Matters.” He is highly esteemed in the media and political circles around the world.

 

Here is the statement Baier made about him: “Charles Krauthammer lived life as if the accident never happened.” Seriously, I think I gulp every time I read that statement.

 

How did Charles do it? How did he not succumb to being a victim of his circumstances? He kept fighting…against the odds. He was somewhat of a creative genius and he used the resources given him—his intelligence, his wit, and his charm to build a life that mattered.

 

And our thinking tree—what did it do? It kept fighting too…against the odds. It used the circumstances dealt to it and the resources given to also build a life that mattered.

 

I hate the anxiety that I now live with, and I really wish it wasn’t here. I hate it most when it catches me off-guard and causes me to think I’m less than I used to be, that I am a victim of some sort, or that I’ll never be normal again.

 

But like a broken-down tree or a broken-down life, I have a choice. And so do you. Here is the question for us today: Can we live life as if the thing never happened? I’m pretty sure I just gulped again.

 

I’m still not over that picture—that broken-down tree surviving…against the odds. I printed it and keep it where I can see it every day. And I have decided what I’m going to do—I’m gonna keep fighting! I hope you do too. ~ Janie Kellogg

 

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

Devotional, Encouragement, Faith

Somewhere Around Half-Past Midnight ~

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I’m not sure of the exact time, but somewhere around half-past midnight the Lord spoke to me. He entered my swirling, crowded mind and said words I longed to hear. So many other nights I had struggled with the same dilemma, but this night was different.

Isn’t God always waiting to enter our world, yet it can only happen when we allow Him to. When He comes to us, He will always in all ways bring newness.

Newness is challenging to most of us. Actually, we prefer to hang on to what we think we know—the way we’ve always thought and always done. The mindset that we can’t change anything holds us captive and inaccessible to that newness the Holy One longs to bring to us. The very newness we need is indeed being held back by the oldness. Why is it that we love the old so much?

~the old comfortable way

~the old easier way

~the old acceptable way

~the old habitual way

~the old normal way

~the old approval of others way

~the old—the old—the old.

Clearly the old keeps us from the new. It presses hard against our minds in order to push out new ideas, fresh thoughts, or different patterns so that WE WILL STAY WHERE WE ARE.

Yet, God’s Word speaks loud to this issue in Isaiah 43:18-19, “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”

My heart cries, “O God, I want to see it, but I fear I’ll never get there!”

I seriously wonder how I will ever be able to see it with looking so much at what is here standing in my way. Can’t there be a compromise? Surely there can be part old and part new.

How can I move into that which is new for me unless I keep some small hold on what is—well, more comfortable? Can’t I take baby-steps while still grasping my steady past?

His gentle voice assures me that I can do this thing—this newness—if I will take His hand and let Him lead me to higher ground, a broader place. “It may not be familiar now, but it will be later,” I hear the still small voice speak.

Hebrews 11:8 tells of another saint who faced newness. “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.”

Abraham went without knowing where he was going! Really? That shoe could fit here—the not knowing part. God knows I have such a need to know. And what if this new place feels shaky, like Jello under my feet; or life-threatening like the waves that overcame Peter; or painful like the risky road of the Apostle Paul?

He assures me that my faith can pass this test if I will keep my eyes glued to the One holding my hand. That I can launch out into these unchartered waters of newness if I trust the One who bids me “come,” yet at the same time turn loose of the old that bids me “stay.”

Just as sure as the sun rose over the Kiamichi Mountains east of my house come morning, somewhere around half-past midnight I surrendered: “Yes, Lord, I will follow you into this newness.”

There’s just nothing in the world that compares to laying my head down on my pillow, falling fast asleep with heavenly peace encircling my heart, and waking in the morning to the newness of God fully alive in me.

How about you? Is God bidding you to walk into some newness that you have been resisting? ~ Janie Kellogg

“Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. Matthew 14:23 NLT

Faith, The Secret Place Secrets

What to do with a Dead Vision ~

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What comes to mind when you hear the words “dead vision?” Here is what goes off in my head: Done. Over. Finished. Expired. Lifeless. Nada. Nil. Nothing.

I was recently tempted to call a promise of God—that has not yet been fulfilled in my life—dead. You know what I’m talking about because you have one too—the vision God dropped into your heart years ago, and you are still waiting for it to happen.

As I pondered the cause for the delay, I wondered if I had done something to hinder God from fulfilling His word to me. No sooner than I put that issue to rest (by asking for forgiveness for whatever I might have done), another accusation quickly surfaced to replace it, and then another, and another. You will recognize them, because you’ve heard them too:

“Maybe I didn’t hear God right. Perhaps I am believing for something God never promised? I must be daydreaming to think this could come true. It’s impossible. Did I just make this up? I might as well face it, that vision is dead!”

A few days ago a daily devotional reading by Amy Carmichael spoke to this very issue. She wrote:  “Our Lord Jesus has taught us to call the dead, the living.”1

It’s true. Hebrews 11:12 says: “Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky….” We know this as the fulfillment of God’s promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah very late in life. And in Romans 4:17 we read, “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”

We are given a clear example of the good-as-dead body of Abraham and the obviously-dead womb of Sarah being called the living. By all accounts their vision appeared to be totally impossible. Yet, in the remaining verses of Romans 4 we read how Abraham found the faith and the courage to call those dead things, alive.

Contrary to hope, Abraham believed in hope. (vs.18)

Not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead since he was about a hundred years old. (vs. 19)

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief. (vs. 20)

He was strengthened in faith and gave glory to God. (vs. 20)

He was fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to perform. (vs. 21)

Notice the verb phrases in these scriptures:  believed in hope; not being weak; did not consider; did not waver; was strengthened; gave glory; was fully convinced. These are the steps Abraham took while waiting upon God to fulfil the vision.

More modern-day language may sound like this: Don’t give up. Hang in there. Keep on keeping on. Stay the course. Trust when you don’t feel like it. Praise God anyway. Speak positive words of faith. Reaffirm your confidence in God.

Is it too late for us to apply these powerful verb phrases to our vision? Of course not! What if we were to defy the odds, disregard what we see, dismiss what we feel, disarm the voice of our enemy—and call our dead vision—alive! After all, if God Himself says something is alive, then it must be alive!

Hasn’t the enemy of our souls taunted us long enough with doubt and unbelief? As sons and daughters of Abraham, our father of faith, let’s tell God that we still believe He will fulfill His promise to us. Then we can move forward as if it is true, simply because God said so. ~ Janie Kellogg

Small footprintKey Scripture: When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do.~ Romans 4:18 [The Message]

1Amy Carmichael, Whispers of His Power, CLC Publications, Ft. Washington, PA, 1982, Pg. 121

Faith

Rest ~ It can be yours for the right currency

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I think most all Christians believe that God intends for His children to be at rest—at least spiritually. We know we are called to work to spread the Gospel to all the world, to teach and train our children and new converts in the things of God, and certainly to wage war against the forces of evil; but spiritually, we believe that God wants us to be “at rest” in Him as our Heavenly Father.

 

As earthly parents, we do not want our children, especially small children, to be concerned about where their next meal is coming from, the growth of their college fund, the cost of their health insurance, or much of anything for that matter. We want them to be kids—to be light-hearted and carefree as they live life. After all, we are responsible for the big things, and there’s not much that kids can do about heavy issues anyway.

 

Why then do we think our Heavenly Father is any different? Did He not say that He clearly takes responsibility for what we eat, and drink, and wear? And what about tomorrow or the future? Didn’t He tell us not to worry about heavy issues like those? Isn’t He the only one who can do anything about those things anyway? Personally, I believe God says to us: “I’ll allow you to be human, if you’ll just allow me to be God!” 

 

Recently, we talked about entering God’s rest from Hebrews Chapter 4—a chapter rich with nuggets of insight for us. Here are a few of them:

 

  • It is possible not to enter this rest.
  • Entering requires faith, not just knowledge.
  • God was angry with those who failed to enter.
  • Everything has already been accomplished for us to enter.
  • All who enter must cease from his own works as God ceased from His works.

 

We have read these truths over and over. We think we understand what they mean, but we continue to live otherwise.  We continue “not” to believe God’s rest is for us. We continue to strive to please God with our human accomplishments. We continue to work to make God happy enough to let us enter there. Yet, based on these truths from Chapter 4, these things are simply not what is required.

 

Receiving things from God seems to trip us up. Just how do we get God to release His promises to us? I believe that God has a currency—a heavenly currency—that must be used in God’s economy. It is the one thing that God accepts when we come to get something from Him. That currency is FAITH! God has set in motion that everything that comes from Him can be obtained ONLY by using this currency. Scripture verifies my belief:

 

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”. (Hebrews 11:6)

 

When we come to God for rest and do not come with faith, but with complaining, or self-pity, or offering up our good deeds, we are attempting to use some other form of currency. And God says “I won’t accept that currency. You must enter my rest on my terms, and my terms are by faith!” Can we not hear Him saying to us “Take me at my Word! Stop doubting me! Stop trying to earn it! Stop trying to coerce me! Cease from your works and simply believe ME!”

 

Do you get it? God wants us to stop trying and start believing! We must repent for trying to get there any other way; for blaming God that it’s too hard; and for trusting in our own works. It’s time to humble ourselves, believe God, and approach the throne of God with FAITH in our hands and our hearts. Thank Him that He provided it free of charge to us—except to believe Him. Thank Him for doing all the work and letting us off the hook. Our works don’t look so great anyway.

 

If you’re broke—dead-broke with no faith in your pocket whatsoever—ask our generous God to give you some. He longs to do that for you. If you come before Him with FAITH to enter that rest, it’s a guarantee that He’ll receive it and you will at last GO IN! ~ Janie

Faith

Who Said Whitney Houston Couldn’t Sing?

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I was recently shocked and saddened by the death of Whitney Houston, perhaps the greatest female vocalist of our time. I was even more shocked to learn that for much of Whitney’s career she struggled with thoughts of inadequacy, such as “I can’t sing good enough,” or “I’m not pretty enough.” Someone tell me how that happened.

 

As a singer and choir director who barely makes the grade—that would be me—I can’t even go there. Those thoughts are absurd. Whitney Houston had a voice to die for! You know what I mean. It’s the same thing those of us who are cheesecake lovers say about cheesecake—cheesecake is to die for! We say that about something we really desire. I can’t help but wonder how many young girls around the world would give their two front teeth to sing just half as good as Whitney Houston, me included.

 

A Whitney-Houston-kind-of-voice will come along perhaps only once or twice in our lifetime. Her perfect pitch, sharpness of tone, incredible range, and the soothing melodious sounds that came from her voice were unmatched. It was angelic in many ways—perhaps the greatest vocal gift God ever bestowed on a human being. And it was truly that—a gift from God.

 

Why then did Whitney think she couldn’t sing good enough? Good enough for what? When you are the best, who is there to compare yourself to? Would you like to know who told her she couldn’t sing? There is simply one answer to my question:  a gross lie of that magnitude could only have come from the father of lies—Satan himself. Yet, it seems impossible that someone as talented and beautiful as Whitney Houston could have doubted her amazing gifts. If we do not yet grasp the power of Satan’s lies, we need only to look at the tragedy of Whitney Houston’s life.

 

Remember that we are in a war—a war of words. God speaks words of love and life to His created sons and daughters, and Satan comes along and announces that God is not believable. As it was with Eve, the resulting outcome of our lives depends on who we choose to believe: God or Satan. When we choose to believe God, we can have the abundant life Jesus promised to believers. When we choose to believe Satan, our lives can be difficult, troubled, and eventually taken from us. The Bible says that Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). His tactic to take us down always begins with a lie.

 

Please don’t miss my point:  It is critical that we know which voice to believe, because that is the voice we will act on. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:12, “I know whom I have believed.”  Do you know who you believe? As our beliefs and values are currently being shaken to the core, it is essential that our lives are built on a solid foundation—a foundation of truth. A life built on sinking sand has only one destiny—destruction. Whether we realize it or not, every life is built either on truth or on a lie. There is no neutral ground. If you do not know God’s voice today, you have a great deal of homework to do. The day of testing is upon us, and we must clearly know WHO to believe.  ~Janie Kellogg

 

Note: If you have questions or desire help in knowing God’s voice, please feel free to contact me through the comment feature on my website. Your comments can remain confidential.