Barbara's Banter

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

The Bible says to pray for those in authority over us. (2 Timothy 2:1-2) In fact, Paul exhorted believers to do so. Why? Paul gives the reason, “…so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life…”

I’ve thought about this scripture a lot this election year. I can’t ever remember having two candidates who were more disliked and distrusted than the two we have running:  Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and Donald Trump for the Republicans. Most people have just determined to vote for the lesser of two evils – whichever one that may be.

Politics has never really had a good reputation.  I’m not sure when politics became such a dirty business, but some of the quotes I found were pretty old.  So here are a few nonpartisan quips to lighten the mood for a heavy election.  We even have some choice jabs from the greatest philosopher of all – Anon.  I wonder if he’s Democrat or Republican?

“We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.”  Aesop

“I’ve always said that in politics, your enemies can’t hurt you, but your friends will kill you.” Ann Richards

“The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but they have demonstrated time and again that they have the management skills of celery. They’re the kind of people who’d stop to help you change a flat, but would somehow manage to set your car on fire. I would be reluctant to entrust them with a Cuisinart, let alone the economy. The Republicans, on the other hand, would know how to fix your tire, but they wouldn’t bother to stop because they’d want to be on time for Ugly Pants Night at the country club.”  Dave Barry

“The biggest problem with political jokes is that they get elected!” Anon

“In our age there is no such thing as ‘keeping out of politics.’ All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia.” George Orwell

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.”  Groucho Marx

“Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hardworking, honest Americans. It’s the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then, we elected them.”  Lily Tomlin

“We need a law that will allow a voter to sue a candidate for breach of promise.” Anon

“The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet.”  Mark Twain

“Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.” Robert Louis Stevenson

“In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.” Napoleon Bonaparte

“Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” Ronald Reagan

“Politics – ‘Poli’ meaning ‘many’ and ‘tics’ meaning ‘blood sucking creatures.’” Anon

“Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even when there is no river.”  Nikita Khrushchev

“Politics has become so expensive that it takes a lot of money even to be defeated.” Will Rogers

What about God?  Is He a Democrat or Republican?  According to this quote He’s nonpartisan.  “Although He’s regularly asked to do so, God does not take sides in American politics.”  George J. Mitchell 

Consider this… The Bible says to pray for those who are in authority. (1 Timothy 2:1,2) These quotes give you even more reasons why you should.

Suggestions for practicing this choice…

Pray for this election.

Pray for this election.

Pray for this election.

Pray for this election.

Pray for this election.

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

One of my favorite biblical images comes from Daniel 2:31-36. The king had a dream. He envisioned a great idol with a head of gold, a breast and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of brass, and legs of iron. It was a stately image with the strength of metals and ores.

However, this seemingly strong idol had feet made of part iron and part clay. Therefore, when a stone smote the image at this most vulnerable part, it broke into pieces and the idol fell down. You see, dried clay is easily fragmented when hit just the right way.

Of course, this was a dream, but I think there is a life lesson there for all us. God is not an idol; He’s the real thing. His feet are not made of clay. When we look to Him, we will never be misled or disappointed.

However, many of us tend to look to other people instead of God. We make idols of people, forgetting all humans have clay feet. In other words, no matter how wonderful we think people are, they will eventually disappoint us. It can happen with those we love such as a mother, father, sister, brother, mate, child, or friend. It can happen with those we set up as authority figures, those we admire, we mentor or who mentor us. People are human.

Those we are closest to or look up to the most have the greatest ability to hurt or disappoint us. It may happen in a tone of voice we don’t like, or a comment that hits us the wrong way. Or maybe they just flat out make a big mistake and it doesn’t matter how much they apologize, we just can’t forgive or forget. Let’s face it. All people are human and have clay feet. And when that rock of offense hits those clay feet, the wonderful image we have of a person comes tumbling down.

We focus on scriptures like Matthew 18:6 or Mark 9:42 that say it would be better to drown than offend one of God’s little ones. We focus on scriptures like 1 Corinthians 8:13 which tell us not to deliberately offend. Good stuff…but rarely do we focus on scriptures like Psalm 119:165, which says, “Great peace have those who love thy law and NOTHING shall offend them.”

Most of us are not the “little ones” in Christ. We’ve been around awhile. We might even be considered, perish the thought, the “old timers.” If we are too quick to impute a wrong motive, look for the hidden meaning, or over evaluate every statement people make, perhaps we are lacking in some of that peace that comes from loving God’s law.

Even Paul said to follow him as he follows Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Paul knew he was human and would make mistakes. Paul had the ability to disappoint. He even disappointed himself with his own humanness. (Romans 7:18-21) But he also knew that Jesus Christ never makes mistakes.

Consider this… Jesus Christ has a pure motive in how He deals with us. Jesus Christ is love. Jesus Christ does not have clay feet. And guess what? Jesus Christ just might live in that person you think is deliberately offending you.
So maybe we should cut each other a little slack. Maybe we should accept that apology. Maybe we should overlook that comment. Maybe it wasn’t their tone of voice that was off but our hearing. Maybe they didn’t even say what we thought they said. Maybe they are just struggling to live the Christian life like we are.

Let’s make a deal. I’ll try not to throw stones at your clay feet, if you’ll try not to throw stones at mine. Of course, we may slip up. After all, we are only human.

Suggestions for practicing this choice…

Try not to be so touchy.

Try not to impute motives into what others do.

Try to give the benefit of the doubt.

Try not to take everything personally.

Remember that people are human – just like you!

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

 
They say everyone has a “doppelganger,” an exact double, somewhere. Imagine it – a person who looks just like you.

When I was in line at a salad bar a few years ago, a man came beside me and asked if I liked my new roof. I looked perplexed. He said, “Remember me? I’m John! I’m the one who put the new roof on your house.”

“Um,” I said. “I think you have me mixed up with someone else.”

“You must be kidding,” he answered in disbelief. I assured him it wasn’t me. “Are you a twin?” he asked.

“No! There’s just one of me,” I said.

“Well, there’s someone else who looks exactly like you,” he responded.

To which I replied, “You must be kidding!”

So there is someone out there who looks exactly like me. What a scary thought! I’m not sure whether to think “What a lucky girl!” or try to send her a sympathy card.

Many people make a living looking like others. Look-a-like celebrities are hired for parties, events, and variety shows. They look, talk, sing, dance, and act like their celebrity counterparts, but there is one difference. They are not the “real deal.”

We also have look-a-like contests for everyone from the Beatles to Dolly Parton to Hannah Montana to Cap’n Jack Sparrow. If Elvis knew how many look-a-likes he has running around, he’d rise from his grave and have a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. There’s even a “Do You Look Like Your Dog” contest. I don’t even want to think about that one.

Look-a-like contests can be tricking depending on who judges them. Take for example the Charlie Chaplin look-a-like contests from years gone by. As silent movie star Chaplin’s popularity grew around 1915, so did look-a-like competitions to see who could imitate his “tramp” character from his movies. Chaplin was fascinated by these contests, so he decided to enter one in San Francisco. According to Joyce Milton’s biography Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin, he failed to even make the finals. It’s pretty sad when you don’t even look like yourself. He was the “real deal” but the judges couldn’t see it. They had preconceived ideas about what the real Chaplin should look like.         

What if we were to judge a Look-A-Like Christian contest? Would we be able to tell the real ones from all the others? After all, they aren’t all walking around with golden halos over their heads. Plus, we all have pre-conceived ideas of how Christians should look and act, based on what we have been taught.

Consider this… When Jesus came to earth, people didn’t recognize Him because He didn’t act or look like their preconceived idea of the Son of God. In the eyes of the world, He was the illegitimate son of a carpenter. He drank wine, ate with sinners, broke certain Jewish laws, got angry occasionally and, to be honest, ticked off a lot of people. By today’s Christian standards, Jesus might be like Charlie Chaplin – and not even make the finals. Jesus was the “real deal” but few could see it.

Maybe that’s why the Bible says to guard against being quick to form opinions about others. After all, we might be forming them based on bias or preconceived ideas.

While it’s true Christians should all be “doppelgangers” in reflecting the light and love of Christ, they do not all reflect it in the same way. They aren’t carbon copies of each other. The most righteous person in the room might not be the pious one reciting scriptures and preaching, “Repent, ye sinner!” He might be laughing, drinking a beer, and yelling “Bingo!”

Suggestions for practicing this choice…

Try not to be critical of others. Give people the benefit of the doubt.

Extend grace, not judgment or condemnation to others.

Don’t expect all Christians to look alike, act alike, think alike, talk alike, dress alike, etc. God did not intend for Christians to all be yellow pencils or cut from the same cookie cutter. Another Christian’s differing opinion on a topic may be just as valid as yours.

Guard against setting up your own standard of righteousness instead of God’s. That’s what the Pharisees did.

Remember that we are all a work in progress – not the finished product.

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

Most of us have heard the phrase: “It is what it is!” A few years ago I decided to accept my “it is what it is” moments instead of fussing and fuming about them.

Say you are seated in a restaurant, they bring the menu, and you notice there are no prices. You are too embarrassed to ask what the items cost or to leave, so you order. When the bill comes – “it is what it is” – and you pay it, but the tip may be a little low.

Say you are traveling and have car trouble in a remote town. There is only one lone gas station and you need your car fixed. When the bill comes – “it is what it is” – so you just pay it.

Life is full of what I like to call “it is what it is” situations. Some are inconveniences such as: Your child gets sick at school and you must leave the big meeting you planned to go get him. You have a really, really bad hair day. Your car won’t start and you are late. You get lost. Men forget to shave. Women get a run in their panty hose. “It is what it is” – so you deal with the situation.

Some circumstances are just soooo unfair: The other person gets the promotion. A debilitating illness strikes a loved one. Your girlfriend breaks up with you. Someone gossips about you. You do the work; your superior takes the credit. “It is what it is” – so you cope.

Other things may be unfair but you get the benefit: You get the promotion when the other guy should have gotten it. You survive the accident when you should have died. The cop didn’t give you a ticket even though you were speeding. “It is what it is” – so you rejoice!

You can’t control life, but with God’s help you can control your reaction to it. That’s what the first part of the serenity prayer is talking about.

“GOD, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…”

The serenity referred to here is not complacency to what we are going through. The prayer goes on to ask God for “courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” This serenity is a peace that can only come from God. It passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:6-7) We don’t need to fret or worry. We know God is with us. This kind of peace or serenity can only come through participating in a relationship with Jesus. (Romans 5:1)

Much of life is a mystery. We don’t know what will come next all the time. It is what it is! I think God planned it that way. If we knew everything, we wouldn’t need faith. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. It is what it is! Fortunately, we know who holds tomorrow. And God will see us through whatever lies ahead, if we let Him.

Consider this… The great “I AM” (John 8:58) can help us make it through any “it is what it is” situations that come along in our lives!

Suggestions for practicing this choice…

Read this poem once a week.

The Serenity Prayer 

GOD, grant me the serenity

to accept the things

I cannot change,

Courage to change the

things I can, and the

wisdom to know the difference.

Living ONE DAY AT A TIME;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardship as the

pathway to peace.

Taking, as He did, this

sinful world as it is,

not as I would have it.

Trusting that He will make

all things right if I

surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy

in this life, and supremely

happy with Him forever in

the next. Amen

(by Reinhold Neibuhr~1926)

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

I’m a big believer in starting the day with God. Some mornings I start by saying, “Good morning, Lord!” Other mornings I say, “Good Lord! It’s morning!” Yes… I know it’s an old joke… but quite frankly, I can honestly say that’s how I feel.

One year my writer’s conference roommate was amazing! It didn’t matter what time we went to bed, she got up each morning dedicated to getting at least an hour of prayer and another hour of Bible study done before starting her day. Four or five or six o’clock! It didn’t matter. I’ve gotten to know this woman fairly well and this is still her normal routine. She’s very consistent – no matter where she is in the world, no matter what her daily schedule holds, no matter what! She’s truly an extraordinary person whom I admire greatly. I almost felt guilty telling her not to worry about the light shining in my eyes when she got up… I could sleep through anything.

Now don’t get me wrong! I really am a big believer in starting my day with God. Time with God in the morning gives us strength to complete daily tasks, brings us peace in the midst of the normal worries we face, and keeps us focused on God instead of little irritants we tend to blow out of proportion. It helps us to hold our tempers and speak words of kindness to others. So I strive for extended prayer and study time in the morning.

And although I strive for it, I don’t always succeed. Sometimes my spirit it willing, but my flesh is weak. At least, that’s my biblical excuse and I’m sticking to it. (Matthew 26:41) Perhaps you can identify!

However, all is not lost! There’s no need to think our day is doomed. We can still be consistent in, at the very least, acknowledging God first thing when we wake up – even while we are still in bed. It’s amazing what a quick little, “Thank You, Lord, for that great night’s sleep” can do to make us mindful of God’s presence all around us. If we didn’t sleep very well we might say something like, “I didn’t sleep well last night, Lord, so I’m going to need a little help to make it through the day. I still know this is the day you made, so help me rejoice and be glad in it.” If we oversleep we might say, “Wow! Look at the time. Thank You, Lord, for that extra sleep. Now please help me get moving and stay focused on You!” We can invite God to have a cup of coffee with us. We can talk to Him on the way to work in the car. We can let Him know we love Him and thank Him for His unconditional love towards us.

Consider this… We don’t start the day communing with God because He requires it or because He will be displeased with us if we don’t. Starting the morning with God is a little gift we give ourselves. It sets the tone for the day and keeps us focused on the spiritual, not the physical. We should want each day to be sanctified, set apart for God’s purpose. It’s doubtful that can happen without starting the day with Him.

Suggestions for practicing this choice…

When you get up each morning say, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24)

Start each day thinking about all the wonderful things God has done for you instead of all the things you are worried about.

Make a date with God to spend time with Him every morning and strive to keep it. If you fall short, don’t give up and don’t get discouraged! Don’t let discouragement rob you of this special time with God.

Commit to reading a verse of Scripture each morning – maybe before you even get out of bed. Yes, it would better to read a whole passage and that’s what we should work toward. However, if time won’t permit you can still read a verse and meditate on it while you are getting ready for the day. Psalms or Proverbs is a great place to start.

Each morning, tell yourself that yesterday is gone and today is full of new possibilities. Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren 

If beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, what do I see when I “behold” myself in the mirror? Usually I see an older, slightly overweight, flawed individual whose gray roots are badly in need of a touch up. Most of us feel we fall short because we live in an airbrushed society obsessed with physical beauty. It’s bound to influence how we look at ourselves and how we look at others.

If we try to set a guy friend up on a blind date, the first thing he might ask is, “What does she look like?” We might say, “She’s nice, intelligent, well groomed, has a sense of humor, and just won the Nobel Peace Prize,” but he would probably still say, “Sure, but what does she look like?” Let’s face it, magazines don’t run issues of the 50 wittiest people in the world; it’s always the 50 sexiest men or 50 most beautiful women.

It’s true that beauty is subjective. Different people have various ideas about what they consider beautiful, for beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Unfortunately, most of us “beholders” have been bombarded with digitally enhanced images through television, movies, and magazines. Media has determined what is beautiful and we have subliminally been programmed to buy their idea of beauty. To them the phrase “inner beauty” is just another way of saying “uggglllyyy!”

Although difficult, we need to think of beauty the same way God does. Nowhere do we see God using outward appearance to determine someone’s beauty. In fact, he cautions us against using such criteria for judging another’s worth. When God’s prophet Samuel was looking for the next king of Israel among the sons of Jesse, he thought he’d found the right one. Eliab must have been a tall, handsome hunk – what everyone thought a king should look like. So much so that when Samuel gazed on Eliab’s “hunkiness” he said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” (1 Samuel 16:6)

However, God had other ideas because He said, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.” (1 Samuel 16:7) In other words, it didn’t matter if Eliab was one the 50 hunkiest men in the world and looked like he should be a king; God was looking for something else which he finally found in Eliab’s kid brother David – a lowly shepherd.

God went on to say, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Try telling that to People Magazine!

Perhaps we should start beholding beauty the same way God does. He’s not looking at a person’s shiny blonde hair, blemish free skin, slim hips, and new Prada shoes. He finds a heart full of the fruit of His Spirit more appealing. (Galatians 5:22-23)

When we look for the beauty in others, do we look for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?

Consider this… When God beholds beauty He doesn’t look for something that is “skin-deep.” He goes much deeper – into a person’s very heart.

Helen Keller said, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen…they must be felt with the heart.” Great perception, don’t you think? Especially, since it came from a blind woman who knew how to behold the beauty all around her.

Suggestions for practicing this choice…

God says, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing…” (Proverbs 31:30) Fashions go out of style and external beauty fades but godly character remains. Ask God to help you not judge others based on outward appearance.

Look for the hidden beauty in even the most difficult person. Mother Teresa said, “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”

Don’t put down those who don’t have the same idea of outward “beauty” as you do. I’m still trying to figure out why Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is considered so beautiful. Mona doesn’t do it for me, but Leo must have seen something there I missed. When others look at us they might not see much, but God considers us a masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

Ask God to help you to view others as He views them – a child of God.

Ask God to help you view yourself as He views you – His child whom He loves.

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

Since our past, present, and future sins have all been forgiven, some Christians think they can get away with sin. After all, when God forgives He “remembers our sins no more…” (Hebrews 8:12; 10: 17). That is true, but although God forgives, He doesn’t magically wipe out the consequences of our actions. He has set a law in motion called cause and effect. In biblical terminology it means we reap what we sow.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Galatians 6:7-9)

We may choose to ignore this fact, but in our hearts we know it’s true. While reaping and sowing are agricultural terms, a more modern way to say it might be…

• What goes around comes around.
• Things come back to haunt you.
• Your sins will find you out. (Numbers 32:33)
• You play; you pay.

Some may put off participating in a relationship with Christ feeling they want time to “sow their wild oats.” After all, won’t God forgive us? Yes, He will. He will forgive us for our sins, but there is an aftermath. Sin is like driving a nail through your hand. Forgiveness pulls the nail out and allows healing, but it doesn’t take away the pain or the scar that remains.

As the old saying goes: Sin will take you farther than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay, and keep you longer than you want to stay,

The reaping what you sow principle applies in every aspect of our lives. Abusing our bodies shortens our lifespan. Going against our conscience leaves the mind dull, impacting our ability to make wise decisions. Repeatedly losing self-control results in anger, envy, outbursts, cruelty, and so on. Constantly giving into what we know is wrong results in developing bad habits that become a part of who we are. These type of actions hinder us from living the full and abundant life God desires for us.

Consider this… Many think God sits in heaven looking for sinners to zap with an electrical shock. He doesn’t have to do that. Sin carries its own penalty, without extra help from God. It’s like drinking slow poison. Eventually it all catches up with us. In the end, no one gets away with sin. Not because of a vengeful God, but because we reap what we sow.

Suggestions for practicing this choice…

Do not view God as a vengeful God, out to get you. God loves us and wants to help us stop hurting ourselves.

Make a list of seeds you personally need to stop sowing. Are you sowing anger, lust, greed, hate, strife, resentment, discontent, etc.?

Sow good seeds to reap a good harvest – seeds like love and kindness. Make a list of five things you can do today to show kindness to others and do them.

Stop doing stupid stuff! Realize everything you do doesn’t just affect you, but those around you. Every time you say, “I probably shouldn’t do this” then guess what? You probably shouldn’t do it – so don’t do it!

Live your life as if everyone can see what you are doing, because in this day and age, almost everyone can see what you are doing.

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

Jesus told people to be of good cheer – sometimes in the direst of circumstances. The life lesson is that although on the surface it may not look like we have anything to be cheerful about, maybe we do.

Jesus told a paralytic, “Be of good cheer!” Why? “…because your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:2) We have God’s forgiveness and pardon.

Jesus told His disciples who thought He was a ghost walking on the water, “Be of good cheer!” Why? “…[Because] it is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) We have Christ’s presence so we have nothing to fear.

Jesus told His disciples, “Be of good cheer!” Why? “…[Because] I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus said that because He has overcome the world, we can have peace in the midst of trouble.

So no matter what we are going through, we always have Christ’s pardon, presence, and peace. That may not make us feel like laughing, but it should at least make us smile. Even during hard times, we should be able to muster a faint smile – and there simply is no excuse for not smiling when things are going well in our lives.

What better way to show we are Christians than by smiling? Studies show that even forced smiles have a positive effect on the people smiling and those around them. Smiling is a universal language everyone understands. Smiles are contagious. Smiles are proven to reduce stress and anxiety, release endorphins, and strengthen the immune system.

I’m not saying we need to grin like idiots all the time, but William Barclay said, “A gloomy Christian is a contradiction of terms.” At times Christians might be sad or somber, but they should never be gloomy. Gloomy means having nothing to look forward to and a pessimistic outlook on life. Think of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh who says, “Sure the sun is shining now, but I’m sure it will rain.” Or when someone said, “Good morning,” Eeyore replied with, “If it is a good morning, which I doubt.” Unfortunately, I’ve known some Christians like that!

Consider this… Paul said that Christians can be sorrowful, yet still rejoice. (2 Corinthians 6:10) If we truly understand and appreciate Christ’s pardon, presence, and peace, we can smile! Jesus said to be of good cheer. I don’t think He meant it as a suggestion.

Ideas for practicing this choice…

Each day you wake up, force yourself to smile. It helps set your mood for the day.

Before you answer the phone, smile. It will make a difference in your voice tone.

For one day, draw a smiley face on the back of your hand and every time you look at it force yourself to smile. (I recommend ink, which will come off with rubbing alcohol. If you use permanent marker you may be smiling for a month. Although worse things could happen.)

Force yourself to smile a little at people you meet throughout the day. Don’t overdo it or they’ll think you are up to something.

If you feel yourself getting gloomy whisper, “I have Christ’s pardon, presence, and peace.” Then smile and say, “Thank you, Lord!”

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace…”

Years ago I heard a sermon about this verse. The preacher wasn’t totally advocating a “name it and claim it,” “blab it and grab it,” or “health and wealth” gospel, but he did give the impression we should boldly ask God for what we want and if it’s good for us, good for everyone around us, and just plain good – God will give it to us.

Well, that’s what I did… and guess what? God didn’t give me what I wanted. Imagine my disappointment! My faith was a bit shaken because I felt like I was taking a giant leap of faith to make a request boldly. I also felt like my lack of faith prevented me from getting it.

Is our faith a bit wobbly when God doesn’t give us what we want – when clearly we know it would be the best for everyone concerned?

Ah…but do we really know what is the best for everyone? We may think we do, but maybe we don’t. God sees all and knows all. Only He knows what is best for everyone! Is it our lack of faith that prevents a request, or God’s faithfulness to doing what is best that makes the difference?

So what does it mean to come boldly before the throne of grace?

Actually this passage isn’t about our boldness per se – at least not the kind of boldness we associate with this word – like being brash, brave, daring, etc. The whole passage is letting us know we can have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, our High Priest. We have direct access to Jesus Christ! We don’t need to go through another person – a priest, a minister, a guru, a psychic, or an angel to get to God. This direct access thing is a big deal and was not really possible for the common man before the death of Christ.

In Old Testament times, the High Priest was the mediator between God and the people. Only he could enter the Holy of Holies in the temple. (Hebrews 9:7) The Holy of Holies was a special place, considered the earthly dwelling place for God’s presence.  A veil or thick curtain divided it from the rest of the temple, where man could dwell.

However, when Jesus died for our sins, that veil or curtain was miraculously “rent” or torn from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:50-51) God no longer dwells in temples made of hands. (Acts 17:24) The way to God the Father is not through the temple, but through Christ His Son, because Jesus is now our High Priest. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

And Jesus, our High Priest, came to earth, lived among us, and totally understands everything we go through. (Hebrews 4:14-16) He feels our pain. He knows our weaknesses and temptations. So when we talk to Him, He “gets” us! He understands us. He knows where we are coming from. Therefore, we can come “boldly” before Him.

The Greek word for boldly here is “parrhesia” and it means to be frank, outspoken, and even blunt. We can tell Jesus exactly how we feel. It’s not about making bold requests we want God to fulfill like some big sugar daddy in the sky. It’s about being honest without fear of reprisal. It’s about pouring our hearts out to the One who understands and having confidence in Him to do the best thing for us. We come boldly to Him so we can obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Consider this… We don’t have to worry that we are praying in the wrong way, at the wrong time, with the wrong stance, etc. We have a High Priest who looks beyond all that to our hearts. God doesn’t want to punish us; He wants us to realize how much He loves us! You see, it’s not our faith or lack of faith that makes the difference in our prayers; it’s God’s faithfulness!

Suggestions for practicing this choice…

Talk to God all day long. Tell Him honestly how you feel. If you are happy say, “Lord, I’m so happy! Thank you for your blessings!” If you are sad say, “Lord, I’m so sad. Please give me yourcomfort.” If you are confused say, “Lord, I’m so confused. Help me to see your will in this mess.” If you are angry say, “Lord, I’m so mad. Please help me not to say something I’ll regret.” Get the idea????

Ask God to help you trust and have confidence in Him.

Pray for God’s will to be done, not yours.

James 4:3 tells us, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” If you want better answers from God, try asking better questions.

Repeat or sing this often throughout the day: Jesus loves me this I know…

Another Year of Choices

By Barbara Dahlgren

Once Jesus asked his disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” Some said he was John the Baptist, some said Elias, some said a prophet and so on. Jesus was no doubt curious.

When Jesus asked Peter, he replied, “You are Christ, the son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-17) It pleased Jesus that Peter realized this. After all, Christ knew who He was even if those He came in contact with weren’t quite sure.

How about us? Do we know who we are?

Once we turn our lives over to God, we belong to Him. And from that very moment our identity changes and we become new people. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:24) Sometimes just knowing who we are can make a difference in how we live our lives. Here is just a sampling of who we are:

• We are God’s children (John 1:12, Gal. 4:7)
• We are loved. (John 3:16, Col. 3:12)
• We are Jesus’ friends. (John 15:15)
• We are accepted. (Romans 15:7)
• We are chosen. (Eph. 1:4, Col. 3:12, 1 Thess. 1:4)
• We are redeemed. (Ephesians 1:7)
• We are justified. (Romans 3:24)
• We are saved, not condemned. (Romans 8:1)
• We are free, not slaves. (Rom. 6:6, Rom. 8:2, Gal. 4:7, Gal. 5:1)
• We are heirs. (Rom. 8:17, Gal. 4:7, Eph. 1:11)
• We are dwelling places for the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 6:19)
• We are led by God. (2 Cor. 2:14)
• We are righteous. (2 Cor. 2:15, 2 Cor. 5:21)
• We are blessed. (Ephesians 1:3)
• We are alive in Christ. (Ephesians 1:4-5)
• We are complete in Christ. (Col. 2:10)

Our identity is now in Christ. All these attributes are who we are in Christ, not earned by us but freely given.

Consider this… The Bible says as a man thinks, so he is. (Proverbs 23:7) How we perceive ourselves makes a difference in how we act, how we react, and how we live.

So who do you think you are? We can’t afford to get caught up in who others might think we are.  We have an abundant life and rich inheritance. After all, we are God’s children!

Suggestions on practicing this choice…

What we say to ourselves (self-talk) has a major impact on how we view ourselves, how we function, and how we come across to others. Let’s not bombard ourselves with negative put downs like: Nobody loves me; I’m stupid; I’m fat; I’m worthless; I’m ugly; I can’t do anything right; I’m a jerk! Okay, we may be a jerks at times, but we are probably not stupid, fat, worthless, ugly jerks who can’t do anything right. Besides God always loves us – ALWAYS! Give yourself a break!

Replace negative thoughts with positive, truthful thoughts like: Jesus accepts me; Jesus does not condemn me for my mistakes. Others may think we’re jerks, but Jesus loves us. (Actually Jesus may think you’re a jerk, but guess what? He still loves you and will definitely help you be less of a jerk if you ask Him.) Whatever is true and positive – think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

View God as a loving Father with open arms, always ready to embrace you.

Focus on spiritual things. Fill your mind with prayer, God’s Word, and meditation.

Say to yourself often throughout the day: “I am a child of God! My identity is in Christ.” And pray to yourself often throughout the day: “Lord, help me to reflect this identity in the little things I do and say each day.”