A Family of Faith (Psalm 42:4)

Today's scripture: Psalm 42:4

I love the fact that when I find myself with a group of Christ-followers, I'm with family. Since I don't have children of my own, and my own family is spread across the country, I find myself seeking others to be my "family."

I've found family at church ("... the house of God") and in small groups. I've found family in pockets of believers at past jobs.

There's a reason why we're told not to neglect fellowship with other believers (I apologize: I'm having a bit of fibro brain this morning and can't remember the passage this comes from ... I think it's in Hebrews?). Being around other people who share our faith and believe in our Lord helps us to grow in our own faith.

Seeing how the Lord answers others' prayers reminds us that He always does. Hearing stories about His provision assures us He always will provide. Reading of how He's miraculously intervened in difficult situations gives us confidence that He still does miracles today.

While it is important to be in a good, Bible-teaching church home, we can find those "multitudes" that lift up "voice[s] of joy and praise" in so many places. Work. Someone's home.

Just find that place where you feel surrounded by the love of Jesus. Find that family.

You'll be so blessed when you do.

The Blessing of "Family" (Psalm 40:9-10)

Today's scripture: Psalm 40:9-10

One of the greatest joys I have in being a Christ-follower is that I'm part of His family. I have brothers and sisters all over the world, and I can rejoice with them when God works in and through them.

I love sharing stories of God's faithfulness. It's one of my favorite things to do. I love hearing stories of His faithfulness as well. When I'm feeling discouraged or doubtful, sometimes just hearing about how God has worked in someone else's life gives me hope.

I think this is one of the reasons God calls us to "assemble" with other believers. We certainly need to listen to God's word through the teaching of godly men and women, but it also gives us the chance to hear what God is doing.

This is also why it's important to be part of a small group. When you meet with the same group of people regularly, you share stories. You have a front-row seat to God's work. I have had the greatest privilege of being part of a small group for the last two and 1/2 years. We know each other very well. We see God's hand through amazing blessings, and we see His comfort through the deepest pain. Without fail, my heart is blessed when I hear of God's righteousness, faithfulness, and lovingkindness through their stories.

We really do need to "proclaim" God's faithfulness and not "conceal" it. Through stories of God's faithfulness, our faith grows.

If you're not already in a church where you hear truth, I pray you find one. If you're not part of a small group of believers with whom you can share God's stories, again, I pray you find one.

Proclaim His truth. Share His stories. You will be blessed.

God's Family (1 Timothy 5:1-2)

Today’s scripture: 1 Timothy 5:1-2

If you’re a follower of Christ, you’re part of a world-wide family. Anywhere you go, you can find a Bible-believing church, and immediately, you’re with brothers and sisters.

I’m blessed to speak for women’s events and retreats, and it never fails to bless my heart. Sometimes, I speak at events that are miles from my home. I’ve never been to these places, and the only contact I have is by phone and email with the heads of the planning committees. But when I arrive, I am invariably embraced by sisters I’ve never met. In an instant, I’m with family.

We are blessed to be a part of God’s family, and we should cherish and honor our relationships with our brothers and sisters. There is no place for gossip or maligning in our family. No pride. No dissension. No resentment. No jealousy.

Rather, we should genuinely love, support, and celebrate each other. Doing so delights our Father’s heart.

Your Very Large Family (Colossians 4:7-18)

Today's scripture: Colossians 4:7-18

We who follow Christ are part of a family—a very large family. And what an amazing blessing that truly is.

Have you ever stopped to think about how blessed you are to have brothers and sisters in Christ wherever you go? How many times have you travelled to an unknown place and met a fellow believer? Suddenly, being with that brother or sister overshadows whatever uncertainty you may have in that new place.

Or have you moved from the safe and familiar, and then have found a church home? Immediately, you're part of a family again. When I moved from California to Tennessee, I found a new small group of women who have become my sisters in Christ. We come from very different backgrounds, and our journeys are very diverse. But because of our love for Christ, we are sisters, and we genuinely love each other. We pray for each other. We rejoice in answered prayers. We support each other.

I have a wonderful biological family, and I love each and every one of them. However, they're all far from me, geographically. And so I feel tremendously blessed that I have my family of sisters who love me and hug me and offer the support I can't always get from my own family.

If you're a follower of Christ and you don't have this kind of loving, supportive "family," I encourage you to find a church—a God-honoring, Bible-believing church—and experience the wonderful blessing of knowing your many brothers and sisters.

Family! (Colossians 2:1-5)

Today's scripture: Colossians 2:1-5

One of the greatest gifts—among so many—about being a follower of Christ is the fact that we're a family. Those of us who believe in and follow Christ are brothers and sisters. What I love most about this is, no matter where you go, you can find a whole new set of Christian "siblings."

When my husband and I relocated from Southern California in April 2015, one of my few regrets was leaving my church and a faith-based theater I was involved with. I knew I would miss my “family,” my brothers and sisters in Christ. But one thing I knew; when we “landed” in Tennessee, I would find a new church home and a new “family.” It took a few months, but I have not only found a church home where God is revealing my “fit,” but I am also part of a small group of wonderful women who pray for me and with whom I fellowship.

It's such a blessing! And as Paul writes, even when we're not physically with our Christian brothers and sisters, we're still part of His family. All those wonderful Christian friends I left behind and whom I will rarely see in person are still my “siblings.” We are still part of the same family. I know they pray for me and love me. As I do them.

What a wonderful gift!

A Benediction (Philippians 4:21-22)

Today’s scripture: Philippians 4:21-22

We enjoy so many blessings as children of Jehovah God. He’s our refuge (Psalm 46:1-2). He provides for our needs (see yesterday’s blog). He’s our Shepherd, who walks beside us in the valleys (Psalm 23). God the Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior. We are redeemed and justified through His death and resurrection.

So many blessings.

There’s another wonderful blessing that I particularly love. We are part of a family. Have you ever been on vacation or traveling for business, and you sit next to a stranger? As you chat, you find out she knows our Lord. Suddenly, you’re no longer strangers. Or you move across town—or across the country—and you find a new church home. Immediately, you’re part of a family.

I love it!

And so today, I leave you, my family, with Paul’s benediction: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

God's Household (Ephesians 2:19-22)

Today's scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22

It’s such an amazing thought: We are part of God’s household. We are sons and daughters of the King of Kings. Christ is the cornerstone of the church, and we are its members. And that’s amazing, too.

But, I especially love the thought of being God’s daughter. I love my earthly father, but we don’t have that strong of a relationship. For a while, I struggled with the idea of a loving father, one who cared for me no matter what.

When I finally recognized how much God loves me—unconditionally loves me—I understood what a Father really is.

He is gentle, compassionate, and caring. He protects His children and provides for them. He’s a refuge when things are difficult.

I can crawl on my Father’s lap when I’m sad. I can reach my hand to Him for His strength when I don’t have any of my own.

And I can’t wait until I see my Father face-to-face. What a moment that will be—in the arms of my Abba—my daddy.

Unity (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Division amongst Christians has been an issue since the beginning of the church, and it’s heart-breaking. We who follow Christ should be examples of unity and harmony, love and compassion.

Instead, we fight over nonessentials like real wine or grape juice, or sprinkling or immersion. Hymns versus praise songs. Traditional versus contemporary. Even worse, just like in Paul’s time, we get caught up in whose pastor is better or more eloquent, or which church is bigger.

Heartbreaking.

How it must break the heart of our Lord as well. Jesus came to bring life and truth (John 14:6). He came to heal the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18). He came to save us from our sins and bring eternal life (John 3:16).

We who have received such amazing gifts should be grateful and strive to live as Christ did. And that would not include divisiveness. We need to love each other. We need to help and serve each other. We need to be brothers and sisters, living only to bring glory to our Lord God.

So why isn’t this how we live?

Being With "Family" (Psalm 42:4)

Today's scripture: Psalm 42:4

I love the fact that when I find myself with a group of Christ-followers, I'm with family. Since I don't have children of my own, and my own family is spread across the country, I find myself seeking others to be my "family."

I've found family at church ("... the house of God") and in small groups. I've found family at one of my favorite places to be—LifeHouse Theater in Redlands. I've found family in pockets of believers at past jobs.

There's a reason why we're told not to neglect fellowship with other believers (I apologize: I'm having a bit of fibro brain this morning and can't remember the passage this comes from ... I think it's in Hebrews?). Being around other people who share our faith and believe in our Lord helps us to grow in our own faith.

Seeing how the Lord answers others' prayers reminds us that He always does. Hearing stories about His provision assures us He always will provide. Reading of how He's miraculously intervened in difficult situations gives us confidence that He still does miracles today.

While it is important to be in a good, Bible-teaching church home, we can find those "multitudes" that lift up "voice[s] of joy and praise" in so many places. Work. Someone's home. Even a faith-based theater.

Just find that place where you feel surrounded by the love of Jesus. Find that family.

You'll be so blessed when you do.

In Harmony (John 17:22-26)

Today's scripture: John 17:22-26

Unity. This is an ongoing theme throughout Jesus' prayer. Unity is defined as "the quality of state of not being multiple: oneness" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Another definition is "a quality of being make one: unification." My favorite, though, is "a condition of harmony: accord."

I love harmonies. I love singing harmonies. I love listening to choral music with eight-part harmony that blends together so beautifully, it sounds like one voice.

We who follow Christ are to live in unity with each other. We are to be harmonious. Jesus is one with the Father. They are inseparable parts of a whole. To tear one part out would be to destroy the whole.

It should be the same with us. We should be so intricately woven together that to lose one part would be detrimental to the whole.

I was listening recently to Rick Warren talk about how his small group rallied around him after the death of his son earlier this year. As soon as they heard, they surrounded him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They even spent the night at his house that first night.

That's unity. Do you have a group of fellow believers with whom you are that unified? We all need to be part of something like this. We need to be in harmony with the body of Christ as a whole, but also with a small group of people that will embrace us, hold us accountable, convict us, encourage us.

Just as the Father and Son are in perfect harmony, so too should we be.

Jesus' Prayer (John 17:1-12)

Today's scripture: John 17:1-12

Back to John ...

Today begins a three-day meditation on a prayer of Jesus; indeed, it was His final prayer before the cross. These words should offer tremendous encouragement for us because, not only was He praying for His disciples, but He was also praying for us (see John 17:20, which we'll look at tomorrow).

In today's verses, Jesus prayed for several things. He prayed that the Father would glorify Him and that He would give eternal life. I love the definition of "eternal life" here: "that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." If we know God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—we will have eternal life. Eternal life begins the moment we commit our lives to Jesus!

Jesus also prayed that those who followed Him would "truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me." Those of us who have committed our lives to Him understand that He is the Son of God, sent by the Father to provide salvation from our sins.

Then comes the most encouraging thing we see today: Jesus knew He would soon be leaving earth and ascending to heaven. He knew His disciples would be alone, so He earnestly prayed, "... keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are."

Jesus no longer walks the earth in human form, but we are not alone. We are being "kept" in the name of the Father. He protects us and cares for us. But we're also not alone because we're part of God's family. We are surrounded by brothers and sisters with whom we can pray, study God's words, and learn from. It's so very important to have Christ-following, Bible-believing friends, and one of the reasons is that we need to be guarded from the wiles of the enemy.

Come back tomorrow because we're going to continue looking at Jesus' prayer—for you!

Family (John 2:12)

Today's scriptures: John 2:12

I love how the Bible includes some very human things that Jesus did. On several occasions, Jesus just, in our vernacular, hung out with His friends. Today's verse says that He stayed a few days with "His mother and His brothers and His disciples." Just hanging out with those He loved.

Family is very important to God. He created the first man and woman and told them to "go forth and multiply." In other words, they were to start a family.

I know it's not the case for everyone, but I love my family. Although we're spread across the United States—literally—I have no doubt that I could call on any of my family members, and they'd do what they could to help or provide comfort. We may not be geographically close, but we genuinely love each other. And I would love to be able to hang out with them for a few days much more often than I'm able.

I don't know what your family was like. I don't know if you're close to them. I pray you are. But know that you're part of God's family. If you don't have a blood family close to you, find a spiritual family. I have a small group of women who truly have become family to me. We call each other "sister," not only because we're sisters in Christ, but because we genuinely love each other. We pray for each other, and we share in each others' joys.

We all need family. Even the incarnate Jesus needed His family. So spend a few days with yours ... or at least give them a call!