“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12

The Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do to you.

You know what I like so much about the ESV version of Matthew 7:12? It flips the sequence of the Golden rule to the way you actually think. — Don’t you think about how someone is treating you before you think about what you are doing to play into the situation? Don’t you first look at the speck in their eye or try to throw the first stone?

Jesus wants us to reflect and act on what we wish others would do. He desires that we take the first step toward healing. That we listen to His Word and act upon what it says, not tell someone else what they are doing wrong. Just one verse after His call for us to do this, Jesus acknowledges that this way of living will be HARD, but it will lead to an Abundant Life.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14

My girls are now in 9th grade, the hardest year of schooling I had because of the friendships I lost. My girls are now experiencing the pain and hurt I had hoped they would’ve missed. It’s hard, and sometimes as their mom I feel fully defeated in how to help – I literally feel like I’m failing as a mom. Because I know there are always 2 sides of each story and both parties in every relationship play into the problem. But then, in God like fashion, Jesus reminds me through His Word how to encourage them to live.

In my 9th grade year, I was hurt by the closest friends I thought I had, but I began to treat others the way I wanted to be treated and made so many more friends, even eventually making amends with my old ones. Jesus’ way was hard, but it gave me life and lessons that grew me closer to Him and allowed me to be more like Him.

Where are you feeling hurt today? Why not live like Jesus Golden Rule and treat others the way you wish to be treated. It’s the Hard Good Way to live.

“And Salmon The father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the King. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah.” Matthew 1:5-6

In the middle of two short sentences describing the genealogy of Jesus we see three unlikely women. Rahab, the prostitute, Ruth, the widowed Gentile, and Bathsheba, the wife of another man. God used each of these women to bring about an earthly king as well as the one true King of the universe, Jesus.

Nothing can disqualify you from being used by God for His big plan. Actually, when God decided you and I were to be born, he already had a plan for how he was going to use us. He knew the flaws we’d have, the mistakes we’d make, and He still wanted to use us to bring Beauty from the Ashes, Joy from the Sorrow, and Freedom from Captivity.

Nothing you’ve done or have yet to do will disqualify you from the Call God has on your life. In all seriousness, your flaws and trials are what magnify your call, and qualify you to Glorify the Lord as an oak of Righteousness, planted specifically by Him.

There is so much in my life that I once thought disqualified me, there’s so much on a regular basis that I feel like negates my call. But God reminds me daily, that He’s using all my mess for His Plan even when I can’t see it or understand it. Each day I wake up and hand everything over to God, and then I pick up the cross, the call, He’s called me to bear and I do my best to follow and Glorify Him.

He can use YOU too! Don’t give up, keep going, keep laying it all aside and follow Him on the path He has specifically for you. He wants to use all of you: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the sad, to Glorify Himself in the masterpiece He’s creating.

“And I fell on my face. As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.” Ezekiel 43:3b-5

Every morning, I get on my knees, place my face to the ground, and I pray.

God can and does hear your prayers no matter where you utter them, no matter if they’re silent, no matter if they’re loud. Whether You say your prayers in the car line, the shower, the dinner table, on your walk, or in your bed, God hears them, but there is something so different about getting on your knees to pray — something so Holy.

Intentionally, every morning, I walk my way to the recliner in our living room, the one toward the east, picturing the Lord before me on his throne, and I get down on my knees. Its in this moment that I humble myself, trusting his authority over me — his Lordship – allowing his glory to shine forth as I pray. In this place, I give God my full attention, no earthly distraction, so I can speak to Him and he can speak to me. I desire His Spirit to fill me and His Word to breathe life into me, as all I have is Him before me.

I can pray wherever, whenever, and I do – but it’s my morning prayer where he lifts me up and fills me up for the day ahead.

For years I’ve been intentional about my mornings with God. Waking before the rest of my house, hearing from Him before I hear the world. It’s from this intentionality, this daily rhythm in my life, that the morning after my son died I went to the same place, the place I’d seen Him before and the place I trusted I’d see Him again. I got down on my knees and even with no words coming from my mouth, my heart was held in His hand and He breathed new life into me. Just as Ezekiel saw in His vision, as I humble myself before the Lord, He lifts me up into His presence. I see His Glory because I look for His Glory. I feel His presence because I seek His presence. Every. Morning.

Are you desiring to hear from God? Are you wanting so badly to feel His presence, to see Him, to know Him, to be held by Him? Do you pray and yet you feel like you can’t hear Him? The world can easily distract us from hearing His voice. Would you try this for me, would you go to a place, a quiet place — put a chair before you, picture God there….and humbly get on your knees, placing your face on the ground, and pray. You can start by just being silent before Him, then let Him breathe His breath into you, and pray. He can hear you anytime and all the time, but I’m hoping you can hear Him and feel Him and experience God in this intentional time.

“I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.” Ezekiel 34:22-23

The leaders of Israel had led their people astray, caring for themselves and their ego, instead of their people. They turned from humility to pride and served only themselves. Yet God, in His Sovereignty and Love promised to send a Shepherd leader that would look to the needs of His sheep and “feed them”.

This type of leadership was so important to God that Jesus brings it up again when He comes to Peter after the resurrection. 3 times Peter denies Jesus, and 3 times Jesus calls Peter back to be the leader he was created to be….a shepherd, a Servant Leader that feeds His Sheep!

“He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:17

In Ezekiel 34, God reprimands the leaders of Israel, calling them shepherds that only feed themselves. He said they were selfish leaders, looking out for their own needs, and not those of the “sheep” – the people they were called to lead. God promises to send the sheep a true Shepherd that will feed them, that will lead them, that will care for their needs and restore them to Himself. This shepherd was and is Jesus.

When Jesus came to this earth, he references this leadership again as he is restoring Peter back to himself. He calls Peter to be a servant leader, a shepherd like him. Early on, Jesus told Peter he was to be the rock that the church was founded on, but Peter went astray. Here, Jesus is telling Peter that the calling on his life is still there – lead the people well, serve them, feed them: the truth of the gospel, so they may know and love Jesus.

This leadership – servant leadership – shepherding, is the same leadership Jesus calls all of us who lead to. This type of leadership is what will heal the world, bless this land, provide for all God’s children. Jesus fed us and feeds us. He is an eternal example of a humble, servant leader – He is the Good Shepherd. And we are to follow his lead and feed His Sheep, not ourselves.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23

Remember this, even on your darkest day, as you lay your head down to sleep, as you toss and turn through the night, God’s mercies are new each morning, and you can have hope as the sun rises around you as the first ray of light pierces the darkness.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

God never changes even when our circumstances do. He is love. He is faithful. He is kind and compassionate. He forgives us our sins and remembers not our transgressions. He is mighty to save.

“You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’ “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life.”
Lamentations 3:57-58

Our God’s heart breaks with our heart because he is near to the brokenhearted. He will walk through the fire with us. He can part the waters before us. And he will sit on the ground with us when as we are being stoned.

“Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them…..And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.” John 8:2,7-8

Early in the morning, Jesus gave this woman HOPE. Early in the morning, he brought light into a dark room. Early in the morning, this woman was given the opportunity to look up to the heavens instead of down to the ground in shame. And just like this woman, Every Morning, Jesus gives us Hope in a New Day.

Have Hope TODAY; no matter your circumstances, God’s mercies are new every morning – Great is His Faithfulness!

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

If I were a betting woman, which I’m not – I bet that today you find yourself in a place where you just need someone to talk to you. You need someone to tell those deep things hidden within you, the hard things you’re going through. You have questions and want answers, you see atrocities and want clarification. You need some type of answer to your WHY?!

We all have questions, none of us can see and know all things, and right now it’s hard to figure out what is truth and what’s a lie because everyone is on such polar sides. But God — he knows and he wants to share with you Truth – Unsearchable things – Peace.

“Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans 11:33

Just yesterday, I got to spend some quality time with my quite with-it, 96 year old grandmother. She was needing some help with a bill she just wasn’t understanding, and it wasn’t because she was 96 – it was because it was quite confusing. After reviewing all her files, I ended up having to just call the company and they were able to clear up all the confusion and give us the answers we needed. Even though we don’t think of it first, even though we try to figure it out for ourselves, sometimes the only way to get the answers we need are by making the call.

God is the only one that can answer all your questions. He is the only one that can calm an anxious heart. He wants you to call him, he wants you to ask of him deep things, and he wants to guide you into a deeper knowledge and wisdom.

Anytime I’ve been hurting, anytime I just need answers to my deepest wounds, anytime I just don’t understand… I have gone to God. I have asked and he has answered. I have prayed and he has held me there and filled me with his peace. Even when he doesn’t give me the answers I’m looking for he always gives me the peace I need.

Call to him, all you who are weary. Ask of him your deepest questions. Let God be your source of TRUTH. His wisdom is unsearchable, his understanding — beyond comprehension, His Peace — beyond Belief.

“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord: “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:16-17

Over the past 100 Days, I’ve joined my girls in a guided journal devotional on bravery called, “100 Days to brave,” By Annie F. Downs. This is a BIG year for them, high school, new school, new people, more people, and a lot of unknowns. I wanted them to intentionally walk into high school with a Brave Heart, ready for anything that comes their way. Because, you see, when we walk with intentionality into the doors God opens for us, that is Brave! And in those moments we Shine for Him, we live our Best Life, the one God planned for us.

In the passage above, Jeremiah walked through the open door God gave him with bravery even when he was in his darkest moment and the future for him was unknown. Jeremiah, at this point, is imprisoned. His country and his people are taken captive by Babylon. Everything that once was at peace and beautiful in Israel is now being destroyed. But God tells Jeremiah to be an example for all the people and buy his cousins field in the land that is in an upheaval.

“so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver.” Jeremiah 32:9

This act of bravery by Jeremiah was an example for all the people to believe and see that their land would once again be restored, and they shouldn’t give up living just because they couldn’t see what the future held.

“This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. Once more fields will be bought in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’
Jeremiah 32:42-43

Isn’t this what we do as well? We take a look at our current circumstances, we notice the darkness, all that’s going wrong, and think…I’ll just wait for a better time. I’ll wait until my life turns around, until the economy straightens out, until I have that job, until I find that perfect person (you’re going to be waiting forever…nobody’s perfect, but somebodies perfect for you), until, until, until that door closes and the process starts over. Yet God tells us not to wait on our own plans, only to wait on Him. He wants us to walk bravely with intentionality through the door He opens for us each day.

Over the past 100 Days, my girls and I have stepped bravely into many unknowns. We’ve set up boundaries, yet pulled walls down. Each one of us has found more bravery to do the things we were afraid to do, yet felt God had called us to. One daughter went out for something she had never even thought of and found a passion for it. Another always had a passion for one thing, but opened her eyes to see God also calling her in other directions. Each morning I pray that God allows me to Dream Dreams and that I walk bravely though whatever door He opens for me that day. And not only am I dreaming again, but I’ve seen Him open doors that have been closed for years allowing me to do what I’m passionate about, investing in and encouraging others.

When you live bravely, with intentionality, you live fully in the place God has for you no matter what your current circumstances look like. Go Live Bravely!

“Testing will surely come.” Ezekiel 21:13a

We literally awaken every day into a sinful world where there will be testing. A testing of our faith, of our witness, of our life, of our loyalty. Yet in this testing, we have Jesus.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

It’s not whether testing will come, it’s how we handle the test that matters. We have the ability, through the power of Jesus, to stand firm in the fire. Each persons temptation will be specific to their own desires or sin nature, so to get through the test we have to be prepared.

Think back to when you were in school or watch your children as they prepare for tests. Each one is different in their study habits but no matter how they learn, there’s only one way to be confident in passing the test. Through preparation of some sort on the material that is to be tested, you can pass a test. I’ve seen my children ace tests and fail tests; I’ve watched at times where they just coast by. I have seen teachers have grace and give extra credit and have no mercy and take points away. This is the same in the tests we encounter in our life, if we are prepared, we can pass them but if we squander our time the chance is we will fail.

Even Jesus was tested, and through his testing, Jesus witness gives us an example to live by in our own tests.

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1-4

Jesus was prepared for His Test and here are 4 things we can take away from his life and test as an example in our own testing.

1. Train up your mind by listening to and reading the Bible.
   1. Jesus listened to his parents and the teachers in the temple as much and as long as he could from the time he was weaned from his mom.
   1. He began engaging in scripture reading as soon as he could read.
2. Engage your heart by praying and journaling.
   1. Jesus would take all of his thoughts and concerns, all of his questions to God in prayer.
   2. His Word was taken as truth and written down for the world to see and know him for years to come.
3. Set time to study and refresh.
   1. Jesus went to the temple each year and would stay as long as he was allowed to learn and eventually teach others what he knew.
   2. Jesus got up before the day to go to God and be prepared for what was to come.
4. Take negative thoughts captive.
   1. Jesus would hear the lie from the devil and respond with truth.
   2. Jesus told Satan to get back because He worshiped and served God alone.

Testing will come and Jesus gave us an example to live by, but sometimes we won’t be prepared because we lose track of time and get strangled by the world. When this happens, when we fail, thank the Lord, we still have Jesus and He pours out his grace and mercy on us just like the teacher with extra credit and a curve.