Sonshine!

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. Colossians 2:13

The Christian community at Colossae was being led astray by false teaching. Jewish mysticism had become a serious problem. These mystics wanted a return to Jewish customs, and proclaimed they could move in and out of Heaven and visit with the angels. A residual arrogance appeared, removing Christ as the center of worship.

Paul, a Jew, sets the record straight! Circumcision, the irreversible physical distinction between Jewish men and all others on earth, is NOT what brings about salvation. God sent His Son who brought everlasting life through His death. Only one way to Heaven? Yes! Through the cross! This is worthy of great praise and worship.

Have a great Midweek!

Gretchen

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25

There must have been marital issues in the early church. There must have been disputes about who got to have the last word, and it must have been ugly or Paul would not have written these words of instruction. Christian homes are not exempt from gender role issues. However, who is designated a slave and who has the right to be a petty tyrant isn’t Paul’s directive. It is unity rooted in LOVE!

The scripture proceeding this states, “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” There is no mention of the word LOVE in this verse, but I go to church and submit myself to worship and service because I LOVE the One that died for me! Christian community, especially families should model a right relationship with Jesus and each other. (For appropriate definitions of love see I Corinthians 13)

Years, (I mean years!) ago my stay at home mother became ill with the flu. During her incapacitation my dad made the best potato soup I ever remember tasting for four little children! He kept up with the dishes and the laundry too. It wasn’t about who was meant to do what, it was about taking care of this important and intimate relationship. He acted out of love. In turn, my mother packed the household more than once and stepped into the unknown because dad felt the call of Christ to go into a new community and spread the Gospel. Her actions were indicative of her great faith in her Savior and the husband called to serve. It’s all about love!

Have a great Tuesday!

Gretchen

Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Genesis 4:1

When I was a young adult studying to be a teacher I had to take a class called Child Development. Covering everything from conception to puberty and all the nature versus nurture in between was quite alarming. Simple math gave me concern that by the time 3% of children have hearing impairment, 3% have vision impairment, 3% have this or that and so on……upwards of 100% of children suffer from disease or handicap! What did I take away from this? Mankind is a miracle!

When Eve gave birth to her first born, she gazed down and saw the wonder that he was. Every tiny fingernail and every curl on his head was a most precious gift from God, a miracle. And the curse of child birth was totally irrelevant. Her baby was perfect in every way!

The human race is so much more than the result of sex. We habitually take our existence and others for granted, but you are not the will of man, you are the loving act of God. Gaze upon yourself as Eve sees the first man born of flesh and then look around. With the help of the LORD we are here. Chins up! We are a wonder, full, miracle!

Love,

Gretchen

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” John 11: 25

The Jews in Judea were seeking to kill Jesus. The Jewish establishment was growing very uncomfortable with Jesus’ message and expanding popularity. Then, Jesus learns that his very good friend Lazarus, from Bethany, a town in Judea, has become ill. Lazarus’ sisters send for Jesus. Jesus’ disciples advise against His response due to the current political climate surrounding Him.

In verse 4 of this passage Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death.” The disciples thought He meant the illness wasn’t terminal. In verse 11 He says, “I am going there to wake him up.” The disciples argued that if he was only sleeping why bother to go at all? Jesus bluntly told them, “He’s dead.” (verse 14) So the disciples decide that if Jesus is insistent on going, He will not go alone.

The continuing story tells of the sister’s grief and many who have gathered to comfort them. Jesus tells Martha, Lazarus will rise again and Martha agrees, indeed he will resurrect in the last days. Then, Jesus spoke the beautiful words above! Jesus is the resurrection today! Not ages from now, today!

No one in this story could imagine the terror of the coming days. In just a few weeks Jesus would be crucified. He did not want to leave His friends and followers without hope, not even for three scary days. Lazarus was the opportunity to show that death did not have the last word.

We often live as though Jesus is the resurrection and the death. STOP! Jesus said, “ I am, The Resurrection and The Life!”

Have a wonderful Weekend!

Gretchen

You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me. 2 Samuel 22:40

David’s life has come to an end. He looks back and sees his personal failures, but they fall irrelevant in the face of God’s mercy, grace and constant presence.

THE ONLY THING RELEVANT IN YOUR LIFE IS WHAT GOD SEES, YOUR LIFE RESTORED. If David can stand confidently before God with a grateful heart, so can you.

Fear of past sins will destroy a forgiven present. Sins aren’t covered, they are washed away, dissolved, swirled down the drain never to be remembered again. Hallelujah!

Have a great day!

Gretchen

“Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:16

This verse is the final passage of what is now known as the Davidic Covenant. David is a warrior king, but peace has come and he has united his tribe Judah with the other tribes of Israel and established Jerusalem, then known as The City of David, as the political and religious center by returning the Ark of the Covenant. David decided he would build the first ever permanent house of God. Nathan, God’s prophet to David, commended the plan until God directed otherwise.

God’s response was this, “No David, you will not build a house for Me, I will build a house for you, and it will reign forever.” This is known as the Davidic covenant. Solomon, David’s son, would later build the temple.

Throughout David’s story he was the unlikely hero. God saw in David what others could not. In return, David repeatedly looked to God for his identity rather than family, friend or foe.

God designed you, so let Him define you and direct you. You will forever be in Good Hands.

Have a great day!

Gretchen

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Titus 3:9

You don’t have to go to every argument you are invited to. – Bryan Jones to his daughter Gretchen.

This Pastoral Epistle was written to Titus who is given charge overseeing many pastors on the island of Crete. He must have had great strength of character. Opposition to the Christian messages was prevalent. Engaging in heated conflict proves counterproductive. A positive ethic focuses on overcoming evil with good.

Unprofitable and useless are strong words with very unpleasant implications. Who has time for that? However, it is hard to argue with someone doing something loving and kind. The Gospel message of hope and peace garners far more attention than petty controversies over who’s who in a moment that will soon pass away.

Feel free to turn down those invitations!

Love,

Gretchen

“Look, He is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of Him.” So shall it be! Amen. Revelation 1:7

The purpose of apocalyptic scripture is to see the whole history, the big picture, of mankind and know that God will reign supreme in justice.

As a graduate with honors from the School of Hard Knocks, degreed in “Refuse Wise Counsel”, nothing frustrates me more than people that just won’t recognize God’s authority, power and love, and learn from the lessons of those that have gone before them. Reading the news, living in a world gone terribly wrong, exhausting one’s self in an effort to leave the places you share better than you found them, brings a defeated end to the day, but the absolute assurance that grants peace is knowing God wove every atom, every molecule, of the universe together and He knows what He is doing. I don’t need to understand, I don’t need to huff and puff, I just need to love and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ……God will judge in due time and all will be right.

Have a Fabulous Tuesday,

Gretchen

So then, if you know the good you ought to do and don’t do it, you sin. James 4:17

Humans tend to build castles in the air, or rigorously put away for a rainy day. Tomorrow means a great deal to us. Regardless of which plan we have for the future, we have one. In fact, we are shamed by the financial community if we do not. But James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the early church says these things in verse 17 concluding his words on planning for a future found in verses 13-16.

To define sin is simple. It is any act of opposition to God’s Divine and loving plan. There is no hierarchy of sin, disobedience is disobedience and the payment for sin is eternal death, separation from God and hope of Holiness forever! We are called to do good, but we get terribly distracted with our accumulation of security measures that we forget there is a world in need of Jesus.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are the Hands, Feet, Ears, Eyes and Heart of Jesus. Tomorrow has no guarantee and if it doesn’t come, the only thing that matters is your righteousness. If you are going to leave something behind, leave a legacy of love.

Have a lovely day,

Gretchen

But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 2 Samuel 12:3

King David had an affair with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, an Israelite special forces soldier. When Bathsheba conceived David tried to cover it up, but Uriah’s noble character made this impossible so David had him killed. (This story is covered in chapters 11 and 12 of 2 Samuel) Using this ‘social’ story, Nathan, God’s prophet, attempted to draw David’s awareness to the magnitude of his sin.

Nathan tells of a rich man with many sheep acting with incredible selfishness. When a traveler came along he took the poor man’s only sheep to feed to his guest rather than deplete his own flock. David is quick to anger at this wicked man’s blatant disregard for others, but he doesn’t readily see its parallel to his own actions. David had everything and still wanted more, at great expense to others. An unchecked, covetous heart has no moral boundaries.

The Holy Spirit calls to us before and when we head toward trouble. God doesn’t want us there, it is not part of His plan for us to go there. Guard rails exist on the straight and narrow path of Righteousness. Don’t climb over them. It is not okay to justify risky moral behavior. There is NEVER an acceptable reason to sin. The cost of eternal life is not worth it.

Have a great weekend!

Gretchen