Not by Chance

It’s not a coincidence that you’re reading this today. Nor is it by chance that you may have just talked to someone about this very subject: Every thing happens for a reason. Some Christians call it “Divine appointment,” because everything happens at its appointed time in its appointed place.

In the book of Judges, chapter 7, Gideon was about to set out for battle. Yet, he still had doubts about whether or not God was going to deliver the enemy into his hand. So the Lord told him to go down to the enemy’s camp that night. When he did, he overheard a conversation between two soldiers. One was retelling a dream that he’d had—a loaf of barley had tumbled into their camp and knocked down their tent. The other soldier realized that this was a sign that their army was going to lose the fight to Gideon. Encouraged, Gideon ran back to his camp and set charge against the enemy, where he was victorious.

Was it a coincidence that Gideon overheard this conversation? Was it by chance that he just happened to be in the right place at the right time? Gideon is just one of the countless examples the Bible gives us of how things work together as part of God’s plan.

Even the most tragic events produce the most wonderful works of the Lord. Does that mean that God wants us to suffer so that He can perform miracles in our lives? Absolutely not! But the world is sinful and as long as we live in this world, we will experience our share of suffering from time to time. Yet, as Christians, we can rest assured because as Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It all happens for a reason.

I don’t need good luck, because I have a great God!

A Gift for You

Easter, like Christmas, is one of the most important holy days (or “holidays”) on a Christian’s calendar. On Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by giving gifts to one another. Yet on Easter, we celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection with the greatest gift of all—salvation.

Luke 24:1–8 is the basis of our Easter celebration, “He has risen!” To understand the significance of that, remember that we were born into sin. And sin has a cost. Death.

When Adam disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, he brought sin into the world. Because of the impropriety of one man, the entire world had to suffer the consequences of sin. Back in the days of Moses, to repent for their sins, God’s chosen people had to make sacrifices of animals. Blood for blood. And they couldn’t sacrifice just any animals, they had to be the best of the flock. Now, the Old Testament prophets promised that this would not always be the case. A great Savior (or Messiah) would come to pay the sin-debt once and for all.

Generations later, along came Jesus, born of a woman through the Holy Spirit. Part human, part divine, and God himself. He was the perfect sacrifice, the best that humanity had to offer. He spent about 3 years teaching the Word of God, performing miracles, and building up disciples who would continue to spread the Word. In spite of His wisdom and evident holiness, the religious leaders of the time could not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Convinced that He was a heretic, the religious leaders convicted Jesus of blasphemy had had Him crucified.

Jesus endured torture and crucifixion, dying a humiliating death on the cross. In actuality, for those who followed Him at the time, all seemed lost. But it was His resurrection that proved His divinity. Jesus demonstrated power over death! And it all began to make sense—Jesus, who was able to even raise Himself from the dead, allowed himself to be persecuted, humbly submitting to the beatings and insults. He endured the persecution and gave himself as a willing sacrifice—a perfect specimen whose blood was shed to save us from our sins. Just as one man (Adam) brought the penalty of sin into the world, one man (Jesus) was able to redeem us from it. This is why Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Celebrate Easter all year long by sharing the gift of the Good News with others. Pray this prayer with them, which accepts the gift of salvation: “Lord, I know that I have sinned. But I believe that Jesus lived a life without sin, that He died as a sacrifice for my sins, and that he was raised from the dead so that I might have everlasting life. Jesus, please come into my life. Be my Lord, my Savior, and my friend.”

What a wonderful gift!

Are You Smiling?

You may have seen it on the street. Maybe on your way to work or while shopping at the mall. Hopefully, you saw quite a few the last time you were in church. I’m talking about a random, cheerful, open smile, that warmed your heart and made your day. Of all the ways that we as Christians can spread the love of God, the easiest may be through a smile.

Yes, it’s no secret that I’m part of the smile ministry. Coworkers, friends, and complete strangers have often commented on my “smiley” disposition. And every now and then, I’m accused of “smiling for no reason.” But one of my favorite Sunday School arts and crafts remnants is a small pillow that puts it all into perspective. The pillow says, “Smile, Jesus loves you!” So even when I’m having a hard day or if I’m going through a particularly rough trial, if you ask me, “Why are you smiling?” My answer will most likely be, “God is good!”

Interestingly enough, the word “smile” does NOT appear in the King James Version of the Bible. According to my keyword search, not even once. The closest mention of smiling comes from Proverbs 15:13 which says, “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” And to me, that verse speaks volumes.

If we let our circumstances dictate our countenance (the expression on our face, or our outward appearance), then we would walk around half the time with a smile and half the time with a scowl! Let’s face it, in life, we have good days and bad days. But when we have joy within—the joy that comes from knowing the love of Jesus and having a relationship with God—then our heart is not affected by our circumstance. We may have hard times, but our spirit is not broken. We may have pain, but we are not hopeless. We may be down, but we are not out!

When others see your smile—especially in times when they know you are going through difficulties—it speaks to their spirit. It lets them know that in spite of your circumstances, you have something that is going to get you through. And often, it’s infectious. You may soon find them “smiling for no reason,” too. What a great opportunity to share the joy of the Lord!

No matter what the circumstance, we can have a cheerful countenance. Smile, Jesus loves you!

Your New Season

This is an exciting time of year. The snow is melting, the temperature is rising, and the daylight lasts longer (by the way, Daylight Savings Time begins today). Of course, this is all the prelude to the lovely spring season. But many of us aren’t just making a transition out of winter, the Lord is preparing us for other changes in our lives. Are you ready for your new season?

There have been times recently where we’ve felt like we just can’t win for losing. One disappointment has come after another. And just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse, something else came along that was even more devastating. The more we’ve tried to get ahead the further we’ve gotten behind. For many of us it’s been a miserable season in our lives.

In a beautiful passage from Song of Solomon 2:11-12, a young lover eagerly anticipates the new season with her beloved and says, “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” Aren’t we looking for the same signs of change?

Just like the single blade of grass that appears with the first sign spring, the Lord is sending you glimmers of hope. Pay attention to the signs of change around you. Maybe the frozen job market is starting to thaw, or your monthly payments are starting to make a dent in your bills, perhaps there’s even a chance to rebuild a broken relationship, or maybe healing from a sickness has begun. Are you ready for the new season?

In the cycle of life, the winter of our lives is followed by the renewal of spring. Get ready—a change is going to come!

The Movie vs. The Book

When Hollywood adapts a popular book for movie audiences, it is often met with criticism. “The book is better,” is commonly grumbled. Often, the book itself rockets to the top of the best seller list, as people grab it from the shelves to compare the written word to the silver screen. They want to see for themselves if the characters, story line, and ending stay true to the original. One of the best-selling books of all time is the Bible. But as Christians, can we spot the differences between the original text and the Hollywood version?

I remember once talking to my Sunday School class about the life of Moses. When explaining why he had to flee Egypt (Exodus 2:11–15), one of my students piped up, “Because he accidentally killed one of the Egyptians.” “Accidentally?” I replied, “No, I don’t think so.” But my student went on to explain how it happened in The Prince of Egypt. Or, in other words, how in the PG-rated Hollywood version, the scriptwriters and director felt it was better to have Moses kill someone accidentally than to have audiences know that he committed murder, as the Word clearly states.

While the imagination and artistry involved in theatrical productions of Biblical accounts are entertaining, we need to be careful to consult the original. And yes, even the beloved Easter season favorite, The Passion of the Christ needs to be viewed with a careful eye. There are a couple of scenes that are fused with more Hollywood creativity than Biblical accuracy. One that comes to mind is the frightening torment of Judas after the betrayal. Possible? Yes. Accurate? No. the depiction on screen is not accounted for in the Bible (Matthew 27:3–5).

As Christians, we should feel free to enjoy entertainment that is positive and uplifting. And it is encouraging to see writers, actors, directors and others sharing their talents in this way—when they have so many other options. Biblically-based presentations are a great way to introduce people to Christ and positively represent our faith…let’s just be sure we know the difference between the adaptation and the original.

I enjoyed the movie, but the Book is better!

God Says, “Move”

In the children’s game, “Simon Says,” the leader calls out orders for the rest of the group to follow. “Simon says, put your hands in the air. Simon says, spin around.” As long as the order begins with “Simon says...,” the group must obediently follow. But if the order is missing the directive from Simon, such as, “Now, sit down,” those who follow are out. As Christians, following orders from God is similar—but it’s no child’s game.

God wants a “Simon Says” type of mindset when it comes to His people. A great example can be found in Numbers 9:15–23. There, we read the account of the Israelites who were led by Moses out of bondage from Egypt and into the desert. They were set apart as God’s chosen people and were headed to the land that God promised their ancestors. As God led these hundreds of thousands of people through the desert, He gave them direction in the form of a great cloud. When the cloud hovered above the Israelites’ camp, they were to stay put. But when the cloud moved, they were to pick up their things and move. Sometimes the cloud stayed put for months or years. Sometimes it moved in a matter of days. Each time, the Israelites obediently followed. When God said, “Move,” they moved!

Years ago in my Sunday School class, we would occasionally play “Jesus Says” at the end of our session. It was a great way to get my students to burn off all that extra energy, but I hoped that it also helped to get across an important point. When Jesus says something, we are to follow it obediently. And if we decide to follow someone else or our own way of thinking, we’re in trouble.

Some may say, “If only it was as simple as having Jesus standing before you, telling you exactly what to do.” But the truth is, that’s exactly what He does. How do we find out what Jesus says? It’s easy:

• It starts with prayer. Opening the lines of communication with God allows us to tune our spiritual ears to His voice. When we pray, we go before God, making ourselves available to hear what He has to say.
• We need to study His word. Reading the Bible gives us great insights to the direction God has for our lives. Don’t know where to start? Read the book of Proverbs. It’s a collection of wisdom that gives you basic truths and instructions that can enrich your life from day to day.
• Acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said He would never leave us or forsake us. His Spirit resides with us and walks with us. The Holy Spirit has been described as a still, soft voice. If we listen, we’ll know exactly what Jesus wants us to do.

When God says, “Move,” I’m going to do just that!

Down, But Not Out

For many of us, the year started off with a bang. We made plans and we made promises. We declared our resolutions for the year: To lose weight, to save money, to be more organized, to stay focused. And here we are, two months into the year, and how are we doing? We’ve gained a few extra pounds, we’ve splurged on unnecessary items, we’ve lost track of our organization, we’ve gotten distracted. Yep, we’ve fallen down. But don’t worry...we’re not out!

The best intentions are often thwarted by minor setbacks. Just when we are starting to get into the groove of a new way of living or doing things, up creeps an old habit that throws us off our new rhythm. Unfortunately, this is the point when many of us throw up our hands and say, “Aw, forget it! I can’t do this!” (For those of us who are in denial, think about it. It really is THAT easy to give up.)

Old habits may occasionally trip us up, but we shouldn’t give them the power to defeat us. Let’s say you’ve decided to cut back on junk food this year. But you somehow ended up on your living room couch surrounded by a bag of Doritos, a box of Entenmann’s donuts, and a pizza delivery on the way. This is not the time to throw up your hands and say, “Well, that’s it! I’ve failed!” Instead, acknowledge, assess, and affirm:

Acknowledge that you’ve fallen down. This may include taking it before the Lord in prayer.
Assess what triggered the set back. You may realize that there may be situations and stimuli you may need to avoid in the future.
Affirm your commitment to reaching your goal. Then brush yourself off and try again!

Even Paul acknowledged that he faced difficulties along the way to achieving his spiritual goals. Philippians 3:13–14 says, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The key here is that Paul teaches us that in order to reach the goal, we have to keep going, in spite of yesterday’s setbacks or shortcomings.

I’m going to keep pressing on toward my goal. I may have just gotten started, but I’ve gone too far to turn back now!