Lessons from Mistletoe

 What comes to mind when you think of mistletoe? It's likely your thoughts are  linked to a Christmastime tradition—a small section of greenery that's known as a kissing plant. Whoever passes beneath the mistletoe at the same time is supposed to kiss one another. It's a fun tradition (mostly) and one enjoyed during the holiday season. But mistletoe isn't just for Christmas, and it may surprise you to find out that it's a plant considered to be a parasite. Yep—that pretty bunch of greenery with white berries is a parasitic plant.

One day in November of last year, my husband and I were playing around in the front yard with our puppy when he noticed a new growth on our pear tree. He recognized it right away as mistletoe, grafted into the branch of our Bradford pear. I had never seen that before on the trees on our property, and it was discovered that two of our trees had a rogue growth of mistletoe. This encouraged me to read up on this plant and do a little research—having a landscaping business, it's great to know about these things. What I discovered had an astounding lesson—a great lesson for us as Christians. 

Mistletoe finds its way to a host tree from a bird who carries the seed of the plant after enjoying their white berries. Gross as it sounds, a bird passes the seed through droppings in the safety of the tree branch. As that seed lays, it may or may not grow and attach itself to the new tree. If conditions are ripe for the seed, it will successfully germinate and penetrate the bark of the host tree. As it grows, it steals nutrients from its host plant. While mistletoe grows relatively slow, over time, the host tree will be deprived of essential nutrients and loses its health.

Mistletoe must be removed completely from its host, or it will eventually destroy the tree it's attached to. The only effective way to remove it is to cut away the affected branch—cutting it off at least 12" under its attachment. Pulling away the mistletoe without taking the necessary steps will not destroy the parasite and regrowth can be expected. Now think about the lessons this plant can teach us as it pertains to sin.

Just like mistletoe, sin can destroy our "tree" if precautions are not taken. While we all deal with the daily wrestlings against temptation and sin, some are allowed to take root in our lives and while it's a seemingly slow process, Satan uses his  resourcefulness to allow that sin to penetrate us and slowly dismantle our testimony for Christ. He may whisper that it's okay—normal—and no big deal. And so it grows and removes the nutrients from our spiritual healthiness. It's in essence, a parasite of the worst kind.

Because of the prevalence of sin, we often become quite numb to its presence in our lives. I know I don't "examine myself" as we read about in the New Testament, as often as I should. And even when I do, I often fail to recognize the sneaky ways Satan filters into my mind with prideful thoughts and a need for control. If I don't realize its grip on me, that parasite grows and grows. The only way to remove it successfully is to remove it completely and allow Jesus to wash me clean. 

As my son sawed off the two branches with mistletoe growths, my heart was reminded of the need to purge sin from my own life at its root. If I fail to, it will grow and begin to take over the health of my "tree". I'll never look at mistletoe the same way again, and honestly, I think it's another amazing reminder from creation that teaches us godly principles and demonstrates our need for rescue from a holy God. 

May we be ever mindful of those seeds that come in the form of temptation—words we want to say, and things we want to do and filter them through what Scripture teaches us. Will they honor God, or will they take root and bring about spiritual decay or ruin that will bring dishonor to God? May we carefully guard our testimonies and prune any root of sin that we've allowed to germinate in our hearts and minds. 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, ESV).

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2, ESV).

An Accurate View of God

 Many people grow up with a warped view of God. He may be thought of as a huge etherial Creature that sits on a giant throne in some distant land in the sky. He's harsh, and ready to strike when you make a wrong move. He is impersonal and disinterested—unless you mess up. He makes rules that feel like punishment, and likes to hold back good things from us. He labels things as sinful that our nature naturally wants (sex outside of marriage, recreational drugs, excess alcohol, the love of money, etc)—depriving us. He's angry and menacing and watching with critical eyes. This view of God is completely wrong, and yet many people hold thoughts along these lines.

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15, ESV).

Other people fall on the other end of the spectrum and see God as a hip Friend in the sky. He loves us all (true) so much, that He will overlook our sin. He changes His mind about what His Word clearly says based on popular opinion of the present day. He's an "anything goes" kind of God who turns His face from sinful choices because He is our Friend and doesn't want to upset us or make waves. He's a God who takes every "good" person home to heaven when they die, no matter if they were a true believer or not. This is another completely false view of God that many hold as truth.

Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth (Psalm 96:9, ESV)!

The truth is, neither of these views is accurate. God is gracious and full of mercy, but He is also holy. God's holiness demands respect and reverence. God is also loving and kind, yet demands obedience, repentance from sin, and our whole hearts—a living sacrifice. He is fair and just and always in control. He isn't subject to change, which we should find refreshing and encouraging—we never have to wonder what He expects because He never changes. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8, ESV).

God is our Creator, and as such, He understands us perfectly. He knows what is bad for us and can cause us heartache and pain—that's why He asks us to keep our bodies pure. He doesn't hold things back from us to make us miserable; He asks us not to do certain things because they will damage us. God longs to have a relationship with each one of us, and yet He leaves our pursuit of Him as a choice we must make. He will pursue us, but He will never force us to choose Him. 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20, ESV).

Having an accurate view of God is important if we are to know Him and serve Him. The only way we can know Him is to come to Him through the Father. How is this possible? By putting our faith and trust in the gift of the cross of Calvary. There, Jesus died to put away sin forever, calling us to believe that He is the Son of God who died to rescue us from sin and hell, and rose on the third day, victorious over death. This truth is what we call 'salvation'—an act of acceptance in what Jesus accomplished for us on that cross. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16, ESV).

Once we come to intimately know Jesus as our Savior, our view of Him should change. The more we study the Bible, the more we learn about Him. The more we pray and spend time with Him, the more clearly we see and understand Him. We won't have a warped view—we will begin seeing the truth of who God is through the lens of time spent learning and communicating with Him. 

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105, ESV).

God wants us to know Him—and He knows us better than anyone else ever could (and still loves us)! How we live and love as Christians has a loud voice. Our behavior reflects on our Savior. May we each live in such a way that the world has a clearer picture of who our God is, and that through us, they may have a desire to know Him better.

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15, ESV),

The Inadequacy of the Messenger

 For anyone who knows me well, you know I'm a big fan of listening to Chip Ingram from Living on the Edge Ministries. It's a great way to get my day started, and I am daily challenged by his teaching. One of his messages recently broadcasted, really struck a chord with me. The point he chose to drive home was this: the power of the gospel is in the message, not the messenger.

Maybe like me, you often feel inadequate to share the good news of the gospel  with others. You feel that one better suited may be the preacher in your church, the famous author who cranks out best sellers, or the missionary with the huge following in remote areas across the globe. It's easy to feel that they have a much larger platform, making us feel inferior to share the best news we know. 

Somedays it is hard as I approach even a simple blog post. Does what I say even matter? So many other authors are so much better at writing than I am. Even within the ministry of the devotional website I manage, I wonder at times if it's making a difference. And maybe you wonder the same in your circle of influence. It can cause feelings of insecurity or insignificance that comes from one source: Satan. 

Maybe you don't write, speak publicly or have a specific mission you're involved in. But here is the encouragement for you—you still carry the Voice of the Messenger. Whatever you feels disqualifies you is simply inaccurate. Think of who Jesus used to get the Message out to the world—He used simple fisherman. He used people who had betrayed Him. He wasn't looking for the most eloquent speaker or the most educated to share His message—He was simply looking for people who would be obedient to the calling to share. 

Honestly, I've used the mentality of "let my life be my testimony" method when in reality, I lack the courage of speaking out—of allowing His message to escape my inadequate lips. I also feel there must be a million other more capable people to spread His Word, and that's because I also fail to remember the lesson behind Chip's message: the power is in the gospel! This levels the playing field and equips all of us who believe to have the ability to share, knowing God will handle the rest. 

I don't know about you, but that takes a lot of pressure off for me. I don't see myself as being a great evangelist with a host of hungry hearts hanging onto my every word—but that's okay! I don't have a best seller out there, even though I do enjoy writing—but that's okay! I don't have a large platform of people, but if I obediently share with the few in my circle of influence then God can bless that. That's because it's His Word and He doesn't need me to do anything spectacular, the gospel is spectacular on It's own! 

So if you have days like I do, where you feel unable or unsure that you have much of a voice when it comes to sharing the gospel, don't let that discourage you. Instead, pray that God will open opportunity for you to speak to even just one. If only one person came to salvation through your simple obedience to share the message, then God did a great work through your obedience. We don't need big. We don't need fanfare. The gospel is where the power is; it's not in us. Today I challenge you to pray for courage to share this Good News—even if it's just with one person. Pray that God will equip you as the messenger, and that His power will work through the Message of the Gospel, transforming lives. What a privilege it is to share the best news we know!

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples (Psalm 96:3, ESV)!

And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15, ESV).

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16, ESV).

Dear Heavenly Father, equip us as messengers to share Your Message, and may we remember that the power lies within the gospel, not ourselves. In Your name we pray, Amen!

His Hands and Feet

 It's a message we have heard many times within church walls—the commission to be the hands and feet of Jesus. In short, we are co-laborers with Christ which is quite a privilege. Who better to serve alongside than Jesus Christ? And yet the reality is, we allow so many things to distract us from sharing this responsibility with those hurting and in need of the gospel. We often are takers from others in active service for the Lord, and do not do our part in giving ourselves. In order to serve alongside Christ, we need to lay aside our own selfishness and desire for personal comfort. 

The Church is a place people are drawn to when they have a need. Sometimes, we judge the motives of those who come asking for money, groceries or help. We allow someone else to step in and help, but we feel most comfortable when it doesn't fall on us. But the reality is, the Church is a place people come for not only spiritual help, but a need they feel is more important. As believers, we know that the priority of Jesus was always meeting spiritual needs, but He often did that only after He addressed their physical needs. 

Take physical hunger, for example. Now I don't claim to understand real hunger even though I've been hungry, but for someone who is actually in serious need of food or water, their ability to think and reason is limited until that need is met. Or someone suffering from deep, searing burns on their body need pain management in order to think straight. Removing the discomfort allowed the people who came to Jesus to focus on what truly mattered—their spiritual need. 

Why is spiritual need the primary focus? The easiest way to answer this is because this need is the only need that transcends time. Physical discomfort is limited to our lifespan, but our spiritual need impacts our eternal destination. How foolish then to ignore our greatest need, brushing it aside for something less impactful. Jesus always sees past where we are now, to the place He wants us to be—in Heaven with Him for all eternity.

But back to being His hands and feet. In what ways has He called you to step in and actively meet the needs of others. Some may not have the finances to give money, but can instead offer their help. There are myriad of ways to step in and actively serve your part within the body of Christ. Perhaps the best place to start is to begin really seeing people. This means we not only watch, but listen. Only when we transfer focus from ourselves to others can we begin to see their needs. 

If you're like me, you have a natural fleshly desire toward selfishness. How seldom I give at personal cost to myself. Too many times, I give only after meeting my needs, and also most of the things I want. Because of this selfishness, I often miss the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. 

We have a real need in our communities that are the responsibility of Christians to recognize and help meet. Whether it's a financial need, an emotional need, a spiritual need or a need for help, may we be willing to not only notice it, but to do something about it. I think in our moments of true generosity, Jesus allows us to experience a joy that no material possession can match. When we fulfill our purpose as believers, we fill ourselves with blessing. May we all be sensitive to the needs of others and actively pursue our purpose within the body of Christ.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it (1 Corinthians 12:27, ESV).

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV).

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10, ESV).

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45, ESV)."

Dear Heavenly Father, give us eyes that see, and ears that hear. Then Lord, may we be willing to push aside our own selfishness and step in to be Your hands and feet. In Your name we pray, Amen!

Is Covid19 dividing God's People?

     The more time I spend on social media these days, the more discouraged I feel. Not only is our country at war-over this virus and racism, but the church is also experiencing division based on the handling of these sensitive issues. From the wearing, or not wearing, of masks, to the decision of how we should be worshipping, and to the outrage over racial comments, it's clear that we are under attack from no other than Satan. The church has always been his target- that isn't news to us, but the way this whole thing is going down is very concerning to many of us.
     I've never seen a people so bent on their freedom of doing whatever it is they want to do. Government mandates mean nothing these days, and there is little to be done about those who wish to violate the orders given to us. As christians, this should shame us. "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Romans 13:1). When we consider this scripture, we should be convicted to follow the mandates set before us by our governing authorities, and by obeying them, we please our God. If we are asked to wear a mask, then wearing one is pleasing to God, and considerate of our fellow believers and the watching world.
     We also have the authority of our church leaders to consider. My prayer, and my hope is that each leader is gleaning the opinions and desires of each one of their sheep. Decisions should not be based on personal opinions, but for the good of the whole body under their authority. Be sensitive to the issues at hand. Be mindful of the safety of the flock. By taking each person's thoughts and feelings into consideration, your sheep are so much happier to follow you. Many an issue has divided churches, and this one seems like one of the bigger issues we have faced in recent years. "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you" (Hebrews 13:7). Our church leaders are facing big decisions-we must respect them. 
     Ever since the Garden of Eden, Satan has been out to destroy anything that will bring glory to God. It causes my heart to shudder when I think of how thrilled he must be as he watches us deal with the situations at hand. Brother turning on brother. People refusing to worship. Leaders refusing to make their church a safe place. People refusing to follow the mandates of our government. Hurt feelings. Selfishness. Pride. Saints withdrawing from the fellowship of other believers. Fear. Paranoia. Anger. God-help us see You in the middle of all of this, beckoning us to follow You through it all. Help us to recognize the selfishness and pride in our own hearts, and abandon anything that divides God's people. Help us to toss out our own agenda, and remember the importance of seeking to live out Your purpose in our lives. Help us to listen with compassion to others. Help us to lead by example, and be a bright testimony bringing glory to our Heavenly Father.
     Father-forgive us for our straying hearts. Shine Your Light through the darkness and evil in the world around us. Help us to keep it out of the doors of Your individual testimonies. Deliver us from the attack of the evil one, and give us clear minds and hearts, willing to always build up and encourage others. You are a good Father, and we are Your people. We stray, and we fail You so often-but in this, we pray that our hearts would turn to You for direction. May each who watches us, see only You~