Barbara's Banter

Short and sweet thought for the week…

One popular Christian song goes, “We bring the sacrifice of praise into the House of the Lord…” I’ve never really thought about offering praises to God as a sacrifice. Usually I’m praising God for His goodness, His blessings, His answered prayers, His Creation, His protection, etc. It’s a sort of joyful worship response coming from a thankful, appreciative heart.

However, in the Old Testament, sometimes acts of worship included an animal sacrifice. Unblemished animals were sacrificed to symbolize atonement of sin and reconciliation with God. Something innocent had to die in place of the sinner. Through this, people were taught that true worship involves surrender and sacrifice.  

In the New Testament, we find Jesus Christ dying for our sins and becoming our ultimate sacrifice. This ultimate sacrifice gives us even more reason to praise God. Still, this does not seem very sacrificial on our part and the Bible indicates there are times when praise should include a sacrifice from us.  

“Therefore let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share for with such sacrifices God is well pleased (Hebrews 13:15-16).”

Making certain sacrifices by doing good to others and sharing is definitely one way we praise God.  However, I think another way we offer the sacrifice of praise is by lifting praises to God even when things did not turn out the way we wanted. Perhaps we were diagnosed with cancer, a loved one died in a car accident, we lost our job due to a company downsize, or a drug addicted child played havoc with our family life. Maybe we don’t feel like praising God during dire circumstances.

However, that’s when we truly bring the “sacrifice of praise” because it takes all we have within us to lay our will on the altar and trust God for His outcome. When we praise God in spite of situations, we offer up to Him our belief, our confidence, our hope, and our faith.

In Psalms, we are told that God does not delight in sacrificial burnt offerings, but rather He delights in a humble spirit that places faith and trust in Him no matter what comes our way (Psalm 51:16-17).

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, though
the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield not food; Though the
may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls–Yet I will
rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation.” ~Habakkuk 3:17-18

Short and sweet thought for the week…

On the surface, the word abide seems like something passive, not requiring much effort. We just exist in the glow of God’s love. There is some truth there, I guess. After all, Websters defines it as to dwell, reside, remain, stay, or continue.

The Greek word for abide in the New Testament goes a little deeper. It’s “meno” and means not only to stay or remain but be true to, persevere, walk with, get close, be near, and withstand. Abide is a verb which means it requires some action.  

Jesus tells us to abide in His love by keeping His commandments (John 15:9-10). We are told if we abide in God’s Word, we are truly His disciples (John 8:31). This has a two-fold meaning because not only are we to abide in God’s Word, we are to abide in Jesus who is “The Word” (John 1:1-4). Plus, we are to let Jesus abide in us. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. If we nourish ourselves through what He offers, we bear much fruit. That’s one of the fringe benefits of abiding in Christ, because without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Throughout John’s writings, we learn that abiding in Christ is a deliberate choice and takes a bit of conscious effort on our part. It requires a close relationship with Him which means to know Him intimately. Abiding means we absorb His teachings and emulate His example of love. Abiding means we persevere when we feel like giving up. Abiding means we ask Him to fill us with His thoughts, motives, desires, wisdom, discretion, and discernment. Abiding means we yield to His will and not ours. Abiding means we confidently trust Him in every aspect of our lives.  

I think abiding in Christ means we love Him more than anything else. May our desire be to make our heart His home. If we abide in Him, He will abide in us (1 John 4:13).

“He who says he abides in Him ought himself
also to walk just as he walked.” ~1 John 2:6

Short and sweet thought for the week…

John 14:1 says, “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

That’s not easy to do since troublesome news seems to be a major part of life. It comes when we least expect it. I don’t know about you but this past year has held a lot of unwelcomed surprises. Some loved ones have faced debilitating hardships. Others have lost their battle with life threatening illness. Another has slipped into that dark abyss known as dementia. It’s all so dreary and leaves me weary.

Yet, we are admonished to not let our hearts be troubled. I think the only way to stay mentally prepared for disheartening news is by continually keeping God in the picture. If we don’t fix our eyes on Jesus instead of what surrounds us, we will definitely lose hope (Psalm 141:8). Our only hope is in the Lord (Jeremiah 17:7).

When we keep our focus on God, we are not shaken when bad news comes because our hearts are steadfastly trusting Him (Psalm 112:6-7). God is our refuge, strength, and ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1-2). Whatever we encounter, God is with us.

Our goal should be to stay in a perpetual relationship with God. Rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and thanking God in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). God’s presence in our lives is the only way to have peace when troublesome times comes our way.

“Peace I give to you…Let not your heart be troubled…” ~ John 14:27

Short and sweet thought for the week…

Our lives are busy and filled with tasks to be done. The world can be a rough, unrelentless place that leaves us tired and weary. The Christian life is one of duty, service, and outreach to others. Sometimes it’s difficult to show love to others, much less ourselves.

However, the Bible says to love our neighbors and ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). So, there is no need to feel guilty for being kind to ourselves. Perhaps we need to be more gentle and forgiving to ourselves, realizing we are a work in progress and a child of God. Maybe we need to take a day off, enjoy a sunset, eat out, look at nature, read a book, or rest to decompress, so God can replenish us.

Jesus was not above taking a nap on a boat, savoring a delicious meal, walking in the mountains, or spending time with dear friends. While doing this, He showed us how to replenishing ourselves so we can have more capacity to devote to others.

Getting rest must be an important part of this process or why would Jesus say, “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).”

Being able to rest is a gift from God. He set an example by resting after He created everything (Genesis 2:2-3). God never grows weary, so this was a choice He made. Sometimes it’s a choice we need to make as well. We will never take time to rest if we are waiting for our “to-do” list to get done. Believe it or not, everything does not depend on us. If that were true, we wouldn’t need God.

One of the greatest ways to be kind to ourselves is acknowledging that God is in control of everything, even if we decide to show ourselves a little love by breaking our exhausting routines. God did not intend for us to work ourselves to death. We have time restraints and certain limitations that God does not have. That’s why we can rely on Him to hold things together without our help. God is at work even when we are not.

God gives us permission to be kind to ourselves. Plus, if we are kind to ourselves, we are more likely to be kind to others.

“The merciful man does good for his own soul…” ~Proverbs 11:17

Short and sweet thought for the week…

Romans 12:1 (NIV) says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

God has shown us enormous mercy. Instead of death, He offers us life. He forgives our sins and gives us new purpose through Christ. In response to God’s great mercy, Paul urges us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God.

For a vibrant, young person, it might be a big sacrifice. Someone who is physically beautiful and teeming with natural abilities has much to offer God. However, for me, perhaps not so much. What would God want with my worn-out, wrinkly body that shows years of deterioration? No matter how many exercises I do, vitamin-pills I take, or miracle creams I use, I cannot halt the signs of the aging process. Fortunately, our usefulness to God is not based on outward appearance or being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound…or even being able to leap anywhere anymore anytime.  

It is only because of God’s mercy that He even wants me at this age! More than my outward body, He wants what’s inside—my heart (1 Samuel 16:7). While our physical bodies wither and shrink with time, our hearts can become bigger and more agile.

Yes, by God’s great mercy we offer our bodies, whether young or old or somewhere in between. We take our eyes off ourselves and fix them on a merciful, loving God who accepts us and works within us for His perfect purpose.  

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God;
this is your true and proper worship.” ~Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Short and sweet thought for the week…

The term four-letter word serves as a euphemism for words that are often considered profane or offensive. We call them “dirty words.” Unfortunately, many of us think the word obey is a dirty word. We don’t want anyone telling us what to do. While it’s true we want our children or perhaps employees to obey us, we don’t relish the idea of us obeying anybody else.

However, the Bible clearly states a Christian life should be one of obedience.   

The book of Leviticus is full of detailed procedures, rules, and rituals the Israelites were expected to obey to show they were God’s “treasured possessions…and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6).” These guidelines were purposely designed for Old Covenant times.  However, times change. 

When Jesus came to establish a New Covenant, things would be different. No longer were godly people identified by their rules and rituals. Their identity would be in Christ. Jesus did not come with a list of regulations. He came with His teachings and the law of love, which we are encouraged to follow (Romans 6:16).

Another word for obedience in the New Testament is the Greek word “hypakouo” which means to listen or harken. Another word for commandments might be instructions. Therefore, we need to pay attention to Christ’s instructions and heed what He says.

In Old Testament times, the Israelites were recognized by their rules and rituals. In New Testament times, Christians are recognized by their love for one another (John 1:35) and by obeying Christ’s commandments (1 John 5:2-3).

All of Christ’s instructions are for our benefit and it is to our advantage to obey them. Christ does not demand obedience. It is a choice we make. We don’t obey so God will be good to us. We obey because God has been good to us. Our obedience is a response to what God has done for us. It shows God that we love Him and that we know He only wants the best for us (John 14:15).

Next time we hear the word obey, instead of thinking it’s an objectionable four-letter word, why not equate it with another four-letter word? LOVE!

“If you love Me, keep My commandments” ~John 14:15

Short and sweet thought for the week…

My favorite high school English teacher once remarked that if she were marooned on a desert island and could only have one book, it would either be the complete works of Shakespeare or the Bible. As a teenager, I thought that an odd statement. However, I have come to realize that some really do consider the Bible merely a great literary accomplishment rather than the actual word of God. That is a bit sad.

However, with that being said, I think those of us who believe the Bible to be God’s divine revelation miss much by taking every scripture too literally, since it is full of similes, metaphors, personifications, parables, anthropomorphisms, symbolism, and hyperboles which make it all the more interesting to read.

For example, a hyperbole is a deliberate overstatement or exaggeration for effect. You might say, “I died of embarrassment,” but you really didn’t die. You might say, “I am older than dirt,” but dirt is pretty old, so that is not really true. How do you know today is the worst day of your whole life because your life isn’t over yet? Am I really as hungry as a horse???? Actually, I am pretty hungry at the moment so that might be literal.

Anyway, the Bible is full of figurative statements to drive home a given thought. These are not meant to be taken literally, but poetically or figuratively which means a figure of speech used for exaggeration to emphasize certain points. God inspired authors to use these to intensify warnings, aid our understanding, or add poetic examples to an already rich text.     

We don’t need to literally see a camel go through the eye of a needle (Mark 10:25), get a plank out of our eye (Luke 6:41), or cut our arm off (Matthew 5:29-30) to understand the meaning of what is said. Jesus is not literally bread (John 6:35), the mountains don’t really sing (Psalm 98:8) unless someone is up there yodeling, and God doesn’t have feathers (Psalm 91:4). Well, I guess He can if He wants. After all, He is GOD! 

Realize this…at least one third of the Bible is written in poetic form. So, there is a fine line between taking the Bible too literally or too figuratively. Sometimes we need to ask for God’s wisdom to help us discern the difference.

“He shall cover you with His feathers, and under
His wings you shall take refuge…” ~Psalm 91:4

Short and sweet thought for the week…

Job once said, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” (Job 11:7 NIV). I guess my answer would be no, not really.

The word fathom sounds so ancient and biblical. Spiritually, it must mean more than just understanding, but deep, deep, deep understanding. After all, one of the meanings of fathom refers to measuring depth. Although it is not used often in scriptures, fathom seems to challenge us to seek a deeper understanding of everything pertaining to God.

To be honest, there are so many things about God that I can’t wrap my mind around or fathom. I think that is a good thing. God is worthy of our praise because His greatness is hard to grasp (Psalm 145:3). Who can relate to One who is everlasting and never grows tired or weary (Isaiah 40:28)? The depth of His wisdom and knowledge are endless (Romans 11:33). From Him and through Him and to Him are all things (Romans 11:36).  Who can fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11)?

How can we fathom God’s love? It is unfailing, full of kindness, and unconditional. God’s love comforts, calms, and restores us when we hurt. His love strengthens our souls and lifts us up when we are down. His love delivers, pardons, encourages, guides, and blesses us. His everlasting love flows to us without limits or conditions. Which is a good thing, since we could never do enough to earn such favor.

Yes, God’s love like so many wonderful things about Him is hard to fathom. God’s love is wide and long and high and deep (Ephesians 3:17-19). It is there when we want it. It is there when we need it. It is there for us all the time.

If we could comprehend God’s greatness and totally understand how He does what He does, He would cease to be God. However, because of His infinite greatness He is able to do so much more than we could ever imagine with our finite minds (Ephesians 3:20).

Perhaps these deep mysteries of God are not to be fully understood, but accepted, embraced, and appreciated. 

“Can you fathom the mysteries of God?” ~Job 11:7 (NIV)

Short and sweet thought for the week…

Most of us would like to blame our bad behavior on life’s pressures. However, stress does not cause ugly attitudes; it only reveals them. It’s when we are overworked and tense that the real us manifests itself. That’s when we need to be twice as vigilant to guard our mouths for the untamed tongue can do much harm (James 3:3-10).

However, deeper than guarding our tongues, is guarding our hearts for our words will reflect what is in our hearts (Luke 6:45). If we are bitter, resentful, judgmental, or disobedient, it will become evident in what we say. We can refrain from speaking, but sooner or later these efforts will be in vain. The heart steers the tongue and our words will eventually reveal our true attitudes. 

Proverbs says to guard your heart because everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23)! Our hearts determine how we live our lives. Therefore, we must be mindful of what we allow in our hearts. As we strive to capture destructive and disruptive thoughts, we can change them before they get out of control (2 Corinthians 10:5). This is done through prayer and by focusing on what is true, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy—attributes of God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (Philippians 4:8).    

We want hearts filled with love, hope, compassion, and forgiveness (Romans 5:5). Next time we are stressed or under pressure, may our hearts reveal a love for God that overflows into everything we do and every word we say.    

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything
you do flows from it.” ~Proverbs 4:23

Short and sweet thought for the week…

Fathers are supposed to provide a secure feeling for their children. That is not always the case in today’s society. However, we as God’s children can always depend on Him to make us feel safe and secure (1 John 3:1).

When a baby enters the world, that newborn child is usually wrapped in a warm, secure blanket. This analogy can be used to describe what God does for us. The world can be a scary place, but God wraps us in His love, shields us from Satan’s attacks, and provides a refuge of protection. His care and comfort offer security in an unsecure environment.  

We can feel secure because God will never abandon or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). When we need guidance, God gives us His wisdom (James 1:5). When we are weak, God gives us His strength (Isaiah 40:29). When we are in trouble, God can save us (Zephaniah 3:17). When we need peace, God calms our spirit (Philippians 4:7). When we need comfort, God gives us hope (Romans 15:13). When we are lost, God finds us (Luke 19:10)! If God is for us, no one can prevail against us (Romans 8:31). 

People think that lots of money will provide security. So, they work hard in pursuit of worldly riches. Even Job who was one of the richest men in the world knew not to place his hope in gold, but in God (Job 31:24-28). Paul taught Timothy the principle of not putting trust in money, which is unreliable, but trust in God who can supply all our needs (1Timothy 6:17).   

Security is strongly related to whom or what we trust. Once we accept Jesus as our Savior, we become God’s children. That means we turn total care and full responsibility for our lives over to Him. This is really the only way we can have the security we crave. 

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” ~Psalm 56:3