November 4, 2018  by

Do You Need the Bible to Get to Heaven?

 

I was speaking at an event recently and this question came up, Do you need the Bible to get to Heaven? 

I said no. 

Don’t get me wrong. I love God’s Word. It’s full of directives and suggestions to make my life work. It’s packed with comforting verses and encouraging words. There are hundreds of miraculous accounts to inspire and encourage.

I’ve read the Bible cover to cover multiple times and have actively studied the Word of God for decades.

I once drove ahead of a tornado to rescue my Bible from destruction because a lifetime of wisdom is written in the margins of that book! It’s one of my greatest treasures, but I don’t worship it. God is not comprised of Father, Son and Holy Bible. 

I believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant word of God, but we don’t need the Bible to get to heaven. The thief on the cross didn’t have a Bible. Millions of Chinese believers have no Bible. I don’t need a Bible to get to heaven.  I need Jesus to get to heaven.

The Bible can’t save me!

When we read the Bible, it’s not so much that we gain knowledge, it’s so that we meet the Author. We don’t need to know the letter of the law as much as we need to understand God’s great love for us. When we put more emphasis on the Bible than the author, we can run into trouble. Holy Spirit’s will tell us all the things that Jesus wants us to know. (John 14:26)

The Bible teaches me all about Jesus’ coming, birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension. It recounts the way or through whom I access heaven, but the book itself doesn’t save me.

It’s the author who saves me.

I love God’s Word because I love God. I read it and study it so I know God more intimately and understand his character. I love God’s Word, but it only point me to Jesus. Only by trusting and following the Author and Perfecter of my faith am I saved. 

Read the Bible, but worship the Author. 

Prayer: Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit and and keep me focused on you as I study your Word. Teach me about you. Teach me how to live. Help me to know and trust and follow you to the end of my days. In Jesus Name. Amen

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October 21, 2018  by

Does God Give You More Than You Can Handle?

Has anyone told you that God won’t give you more than you can handle? I’ve heard it plenty! And there was a time when I believed that nonsense.

Then I buried 2 husbands and my mama in four years. God definitely allowed more than I could handle!

I’m sure you can relate! Haven’t there been seasons when the kids were little and you got no sleep and thought you were losing your mind? When someone you loved was addicted or abusive and your feared for your sanity and safety? Hasn’t there been a time of lack, sickness, or upheaval in your life that you thought would crush you?

Of course there has. That’s when God does his best work. It is in the times of upheaval that we run to him for the healing, rescue, answers, resolution or miracle that is way beyond our own control or ability.

If we could manage to manage everything in our lives on our own, why in the world would we need God?

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October 14, 2018  by

3 Keys to Avoid a Meltdown

What season are you in?
Busy but beautiful? Easy and comfortable? Stressed out and crazy?

It’s fall in the midwest and that means an explosion of colors outside the window and roaring fires inside. It’s the season of comfort food simmering on the stove and pumpkins lining porch steps.

Fall launches women’s ministry and my weekends are packed with great places to proclaim the Name of Jesus and teach the Bible. I meet lots of lovely women and we belly laugh, cry and pray together.

It’s the best!

Have you had a season like that, busy but beautiful? Has God moved or whispered or maybe you’ve had a break through? Secretly, you wonder if God must love you more than he did yesterday. That’s how it feels when your passion partners with God’s purpose for you.

But then comes the attack.

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September 2, 2018  by

Are You A Bathtub or Shower Girl?

There is something you probably don’t know about me. I haven’t taken a shower in years.

Shocked? Don’t be. I prefer my hygienic ablutions to include a bathtub of hot water to the pelting streams from a shower head.

There is something calming that happens in a bathtub that I can’t duplicate in the shower. A bath soaks away the day’s stresses and messes. It’s like a baptism every night. The day is washed away and I’m ready for the next.

Even when I’m in a hurry.  I can take a “skinny” bath and get the desired result – cleanliness – which is an imperative for every day. But I much prefer a deep, hot, relaxing soak. When I get out of the tub, I’m not just clean, I’m refreshed.

I often read in the tub. (You can’t do that in the shower!)

Like most of us, I read for work, research, and recreation.  My top two bathtub reads are Guideposts and Just Between Us. I read books and of course, and I read the Bible.

When it comes to Bible reading for recreation, I’m not an over-achiever. I won’t make it through in a year – or anything close.  I read one chapter a day and it takes me about three years to go from Table of Contents to maps.

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July 29, 2018  by

Want To Know A Big Secret Of Mine?

I’m not sure if I should brag about this or whisper it like the big secret it is.

I wore the same outfit everyday for the entire week! I wore it to the dentist on Mon., out to dinner with girlfriends on Wed., for a FB live on Thurs., to get my hair cut on Sat., to church on Sunday and around the house the rest of the week.

Same outfit every day!

It was so freeing not to have to think about it. And, no mountain of laundry at the end of the week!

There are other benefits, too. I don’t know about you, but I can get so bogged down with the smallest details that it that it keeps me from making real progress on anything!

The tiniest of decisions can hold my momentum hostage.

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July 22, 2018  by

3 Ways to Renew Your Contentment

Do you ever have what my friend Lauren calls a MOMENT?
You know what I mean?
Everything is just “fine” and then you get triggered.

Something hits you sideways and you have a MOMENT.

Maybe you had a Facebook moment when you saw that
you weren’t included in a party or conversation or outing.

Maybe you had a home improvement moment
as you watched all the options HGTV had to offer.

Maybe you had a Pinterest moment when you
tried your best to recreate the image on your computer screen
and it was an unrecognizable failure.

Maybe you had a travel moment when you had high expectations of
Swanky Suites but ended up at Bob’s Sleep Palace?

Maybe it was
your car, or
your house, or
your kids, or
your boss, or
your husband, or
your scale, or
your mirror …
and you just had a MOMENT!

The MOMENT dissolved your contentment.

My MOMENT came at the Tax Guy’s office.
I thought we had a great year, but Tax Guy suggested I find a “real job”.

My Contentment asked my Confidence for a date
and they took off for parts unknown.
The evil twins, Discouragement and Dissatisfaction,
moved in to take their place.

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July 8, 2018  by

Are You More Like Mary Or Martha?

If you are more like Martha than Mary, I have good news! My friend, Katie M. Reid has just written a book called, “Made Like Martha: Good News for the Woman Who Gets Things Done”(which includes a 5-week bible study for individuals and groups). It comes out July 12, but I wanted to give you a sneak peek.

The Secret to a Good Soul Cleaning
By: Katie M. Reid

Modern Marthas don’t usually blow things off. They are conscientious and aim to please. We get A’s for effort, not E’s. We work to excel. We strive for perfection. We run as to win the prize. Even if we don’t get gold stars or gold medals, it isn’t for a lack of trying to offer our best.

If someone told me that all my efforts were in vain, I think I might cry (or get ticked, or be tempted to give up…depending on my mood or time of the month). Daily, my brain works overtime, trying to solve problems, tackle schedules, and successfully manage all that is on my plate.

The Army slogan, “Be all that you can be,” was a favorite of mine, and I lived it. Until, I tried so hard to be all and do all that I set myself up for failure. I kept trying to be an acceptable sacrifice. The problem was, I was trying to purify and holy-ify myself to be pleasing in God’s sight and the eyes of most everyone else too.

The duties of being a good Christian started to become drudgery as I tried to perform flawlessly.

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in Bible / God / Life Lessons 1 comments
June 24, 2018  by

Can Too Much Togetherness Lead To Turmoil?

Is there such a thing as too much togetherness?

Dave and I just got back from a conference in Toronto, Canada. We were TOGETHER for six days. Joined at the hip together!
In the car.
In the hotel room.
At the conference.
Eating.
Sleeping.
Driving.
Learning.
Ministering … together! 

It was great, but I have to admit, I was happy to be home and get back into my routines. To have a little “me” time. You know what I mean, don’t you?

This morning (first day home) while I was having my quiet time, Dave came in and said, “Oh, good morning! Let me get my coffee and sit right next to you. We haven’t spent any down time together for a while.” 

Honestly, at first I thought, “Arrgh, I do not have time for a meandering conversation or meaningful togetherness right now! I have to unpack, do laundry, take a friend in for a colonoscopy, pick up something for dinner, write my Journey to Trust girls to see how they are doing with their studies, finish my blog and make a dessert for tomorrow night! I do not have any more time for you!” 

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in Bible / Friendship / God / Life Lessons 0 comments
June 17, 2018  by

Who’s Your Good Daddy?

It’s Father’s Day and I hope you have a man in your life worthy of celebrating. A father who loves and protects you. A husband who partners and parents with you in life and ministry. A spiritual guy who guides you with wisdom.

I hope your day is full of BBQs and fire pit conversations. I hope you laugh about silly stories and old memories. If that’s true for you, celebrate that man well today. Buy the coffee cup that says #1 Dad and spend time together.

The ugly truth is that many women do not have a good father figure in their life.

Broken homes lead to broken hearts, and
broken hearts lead to broken lives.

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May 20, 2018  by

When Your Beautiful Day Turns Suddenly Gray!

What a season I’ve had.
It’s been so busy but beautiful!

I launched a discipleship system called Journey to Trust to come
alongside women and guide them into a deeper relationship with
God and it’s going great!

I’ve had lots of speaking engagements and God
gave me inspired messages to share.  I prayed and laughed and
cried with women in cities all over the midwest.

It’s been wonderful.

Have you had a season like that, busy but beautiful?
Maybe God has moved or whispered or have you had a break through.
It makes you think he must love you more than most.  🙂 

Right after Elijah has one of the biggest God-moments in the Bible,
we find him hiding in a cave, fearing for his life (see 1 Kings 19:1-9).

What?

Don’t judge. That happens to me.  A lot.
I have an encounter with God at an event.
I experience God’s presence and pleasure in worship.
I pray with a woman and she is set free!
I have a conversation with an event planner that’s a perfect fit for my talks.
My hair turned out perfectly.  (remember, don’t judge)
Life is so good!

Then I get slammed! 

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