DEVOTIONS

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Thank You Church

Jennifer White

Thank you church! I’m talking about the local church that I’m a part of, although I’m also thankful for the universal body of Christ. I’ve never been so glad to go to the house of the Lord as I have been in 2020. The pandemic shook us up pretty good. Churches have faced difficult times throughout it’s existence. Each era of difficulties are unique but there has always been one common theme, the threat to extinguish the church. Our 2020 challenges may not be as extreme compared to times past, but that doesn’t mean they are insignificant.

I know the local church is not perfect. It’s filled with sinners saved by grace who happen to be in different stages of spiritual growth. Some are babies, some are mature, and some are stunted in their growth. God loves them all and they all have a part in the local church.

Church is essential to me. It’s where I find accountability, encouragement and growth in my Christian life. I love contributing my time, talent and treasure to it. It’s the place where we greet one another, comfort one another, forgive one another, serve one another, build one another up, pray for one another. See the pattern? It’s all about one another. God made it that way because He wants us to think of others more than ourselves.

This year, I thank God for the local church because I saw it stand strong in turbulent times. I saw it step outside the box and be flexible. I saw the people of the local church go wherever the church went. Online, outside, or indoors. I saw more gratitude from our members for each other, the preacher, the teachers, the choir, our ministries and especially the altar.

Do your best to be involved. We are all a part of the body and it can’t function as effectively without all the parts. Yes, even with it’s faults, flaws and imperfections I am thankful for my local church.

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Thank You 2020

Jennifer White

Thank you 2020! Chances are you haven’t heard that one unless it was said sarcastically. 2020 can be described in so many ways. Many want to forget it, but some want to cherish it. It’s been a curse and a blessing. 2020 has been one of the most difficult years for some people. Sickness, death, loneliness, depression, unhealthy, anger, frustration, financial hardships and fear. 2020 has been one of the best years for other people. Slower pace, more family time, cooking at home, improved health, new found focus, money saved, things cleaned out, and peace.

No matter which description fits your 2020, one thing is common for all…we won’t be getting 2020 back. Some of you are saying hooray to this news, and some of you are sad to see it go. Let me remind you of how the Bible describes our time here on earth. The scripture says our life is like small particles of moisture that suspend in the air for a few moments and then POOF they disappear.

I don’t know what 2020 was like for you and none of us know what is to come in 2021. I don’t want to be ungrateful for any year, day, hour or minute that God gives me here on earth. All of it is for my good and His glory. Our job is to live for God all the way to the finish line.

So thank you 2020 for the lessons I’ve learned, the reminder of how fragile life is, and for helping me realize that I need to live more for others and God.

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Treasures Unseen

Jennifer White

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

When I was working in my yard last April, I moved the plants out of the basement. I had stored them during the winter season. I wanted to see if there was any hope of reviving them for spring. I looked at this one little plant, and it looked completely dead to me. It was dried up, the soil was hard as a rock, so I set it aside to be carried off to the compost pile. Five months later, I saw it had never been moved, but when I came closer, I saw beautiful pink blooms among the weeds and hard soil. I had given up on this little plant. I thought there was no hope for it. It was so far gone, dead and useless. I sure was wrong. Come to find out, my mother in law had seen it in the yard and gave it a little water. Several days later it came back to life.

Isn’t that how we are with the people? Especially those closest to us. We give up on them. They walk so far away from God, that we think there’s not a chance they will come back. We look at the outside and think there’s no hope. God can use someone, or something to bring that person back to Him. It’s not our place to decide there’s no hope for someone.

I want to encourage you to keep praying. Keep hoping. Don’t give up on that prodigal child, no matter how far it seems they have gone. God can still revive them, despite the weeds and hard soil in their life.

I’m glad God never gives up on us!

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Mountains & Valleys

Jennifer White

Mountains & Valleys(1)I Kings 1:28 KJV  “And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.”

Israel defeated the Assyrians in war despite the odds against them. Not very long after the battle, a prophet came to Ahab and warned him of another attack by the Assyrians which would happen in the spring. The Assyrians worshiped man-made gods. The idea of worshiping one living God didn’t make sense to the Assyrians. Since the Israelites defeated the Assyrians on a mountain, they naturally thought the God of the Hebrews was only in the mountains. The Assyrians thought they could defeat the Hebrews if they could get them in the valley because they believed their God only lived on the mountain. God was very offended by the Assyrians attempt of “putting Him in a box” or labeling Him. The prophet informed Ahab, at the request of God, that the Hebrews would defeat the Assyrians once again in order to show the world that He is Lord.

You probably have heard the familiar phrase, “God on the mountain is still God in the valley”.  It’s almost a cliché  We say it and even sing it in church, but we forget the truth of this thought when times get tough. We naturally think God is good when things are going our way, but when they aren’t, we ask, “where is God, when I need Him?” Truth is, God is with us in both the mountains and the valleys of life.

There are so many mountain top experiences in the Bible; Moses crossing the red sea, Elijah when the fire reigned down from heaven, David killing Goliath the giant, Joshua at the battle of Jericho and the walls tumbling down, and Peter at Pentecost where thousands were saved.

There are also many valley experiences where we see God’s hand at work. God picked up the pieces after Adam and Eve sinned. God literally forced Lot out of the city of Sodom and Gomorrah before it was destroyed. God crafted a miraculous plan for Ruth’s life after her husband died. God took care of Jonah in the belly of the fish while teaching Him a lesson. Jesus had compassion on the woman at the well and gave her living water. God was with Paul in prison and extended him grace to endure. Paul even encouraged others while in that place.

God is with us in the big stuff and in the little things. He is everywhere, just being God, knowing, caring, working, and in total control like always.

3 Things to Remember When You Are in the Valley.

1. God is with you everywhere. God is on the mountain, in the valley, on the sea, in the fog, in the sunshine, in the daytime and in the nighttime. God created you and knows the details of your life. He is walking with you every step of the way.

2. Stick to the battle plan. Satan’s strategy is the same as the Assyrians. He wants to get you in a valley, where you feel weak and defeated. God’s battle plan is found in His Word. You must read it, meditate on it, apply it and fight the enemy with it.

3. Glorify God with your life. When you go through valleys in life, you will have heartaches. Times will be tough, and it may feel like the odds are against you. If you let God fight your battles, then He will be glorified. Your family, friends, and the world will know that He is Lord.

Yes, God is the God of the mountains and the valleys. Our life is made up of victories and losses but God is there through it all. Look to Him, lean on Him and glorify Him!

 

 

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Old is New Again

Jennifer White

Old is new again

Isaiah 43:19 KJV “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

“Everything old is new again” is a quote I’ve heard many times. It’s very true in fashion. Who would have thought puffy sleeves and pleats would make a comeback? Or that buttercup yellow would be a cool color again? I’ve noticed some other things are making a comeback since the COVID-19 pandemic and honestly, I’m loving it.

I wanted to make our family some masks to go to the store during the quarantine. I watched several tutorials on sewing them. I pulled out my sewing box, sewing machine and looked for my sewing supplies. It had been years since I had sewn. It was something I used to do 20 years ago, but it became easier and cheaper to buy whatever I needed at the store. Sewing is new again.

I blew the dust off my old cookbooks. I picked out family favorite recipes that had not been made in years. I have been making menus for our family meals again. Eating out had become so convenient that I was only cooking a few times a week. Cooking is new again.

One of my favorite things about Easter is getting a new dress. Cleaning out my closet was a daunting task that I tackled during this quarantine. I knew I had more clothes than I needed. I ended up making a pretty big stack to donate. As I looked over my dresses in my closet, I decided that this year an “old” dress would be my new dress for Easter. Contentment is new again.

My perspective on life is new again.  Excitement about going to church and looking forward to spending time with my friends. Appreciation for essential workers such as; cashiers, farmers, truckers, medical workers (to name only a few) is new again.

There are additional activities that I have seen made new again. Checking on our neighbors, planting gardens, spending time outside, sending notes of encouragement in the mail, singing hymns, and praying.

This verse from the old testament is new again.  “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19 KJV

God is doing a new thing. He is changing things in this world and making a new way in a difficult time.  I hope to see more old things become new again. I want to see our churches revived, our freedoms appreciated and an urgency to make what matters most important in our lives again. It looks like everything old is new again and I’m loving it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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God’s Promises in the Fog of Life

Jennifer White

Growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I have driven through the fog numerous times. It seems to get hung above the creeks and rivers and in between all the mountains and valleys. It’s always worse at night and in the winter time. You can be driving along and suddenly become surrounded by thick, smoky clouds of fog. Frantically you begin looking for lines on the road to guide your way. The road lines become your only source of getting through the fog, unless you happen to get behind a big truck. If that happens, you start praying that the trucker can see the road ahead because you are putting your life in his hands!

Driving in the fog reminds me of the problems in life. You can be going along the road of life and suddenly you find yourself in a spot that seems foggy. The road that was once clear, becomes hard to see. Feelings of fear, and helplessness surround you. Survival mode kicks in. You begin looking for something stable and reliable to depend on, just like the road lines.

God’s promises are just like those road lines, they are dependable and will guide your way through foggy times in life. Sure, we read His promises in the Bible. We know they are true. We even tell others to rely on them, but so often we are afraid to trust them. In the Bible God promises that He will fight for you (Exodus 14:4), that He loves you (John 3:16), that He gives strength to the weary (Isaiah 40:29), that He will never leave you (Deuteronomy 31:8.) and hundreds of other promises. What we do with God’s promises determines how we get through the “fog” in life. The area between believing and receiving God’s promises is faith. When we put our faith in God’s promises, He will lead us right through the trouble in life that seem so unclear.

We are not promised a “fog” free life, but we are promised that God will guide us through it. Unlike following that big truck and hoping the truck driver can see, we can rest assured that God sees what’s ahead and He will not lead us wrong. Put your faith in God’s promises. Eventually the fog will lift and you will see clearly again.

This post was inspired by a Sunday school lesson my very talented mother in law taught.   

 

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Lessons from a Christmas Bell

Jennifer White

The cashier said “you sound joyful” as the bell attached to my key chain was ringing. I was busy unloading my cart and forgot to even say hello. I smiled and said “Merry Christmas!” I was glad my little bell was ringing and changed my thoughts from busy to cheerful and attentive.

The little jingle bell attached to my keychain has provided me several opportunities this week to share the reason for the season.

When I think of bells 3 things come to mind.

First, we use bells to alert everyone of something important. Such as; a wedding, class dismissed, or it’s supper time!

We can be like a bell and alert everyone that Jesus is God’s gift to mankind. He was born so we can be saved. We can alert the world about the good news that Jesus loves them.

Second, we use bells to make a joyful sound, especially in music.  Singing Jingle Bells is so much fun when bells are played.

We can be like a bell and spread joy and cheer everywhere we go. Find something kind to say to people. You never know who is struggling with life. Kindness makes a difference.

Last, have you ever covered bells with your hands and tried to play them? If so, you know they just go thump! Covering the bells causes them to be dampened. The sound is sad not bright and cheery. Dampened bells are used during sad times; they were played at Princess Diane’s funeral.

Are you letting something dampen your “bell”? It’s easy to let Christmas activities cover us up and we no longer “ring” like we should.  Don’t let the worries of this life dampen your spirit. Find the true joy of Christmas and let it fill your heart. Carry a little bell with you as a reminder to ring out with the love of Christ.

“Come on, ring those bells, light the Christmas tree,
Jesus is the King, born for you and me.
Come on, ring those bells, everybody say,
Jesus, we remember this Your birthday.”

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Unmet Expectations

Jennifer White

Unmet Expectations

Philippians 4:1-13

My 10- year old son wanted to order a wagon online with the birthday money he saved. We found one on e-bay that looked like a great deal.  It was exactly what he thought he needed. I looked at it and thought it was reasonably priced so we ordered it. A few days later it came in the mail, and to our surprise it was a doll size wagon. Why didn’t I look at the dimensions and all the details?  The picture was so deceiving. Needless to say, it was not at all what we expected. We were able to send it back for a refund.

We do the same thing in our life everyday. We see people or possessions that look great and we think that’s exactly what we need, only to find out later it wasn’t what we expected. The damage is done to our heart or to those around us and there is no way to “get a refund” in life.  We end up living with unmet expectations. How many times have we found ourselves saying these things? I’m not happy with my life, I feel so ugly, I hate my job, if my kids were only like their kids, I wish my husband took me on trips, everyone else gets to, this old car is so outdated, my house is too small….

What does it mean to be content? Being content doesn’t mean throwing up your arms in reluctant acceptance, it means you are satisfied to the point that you are no longer disturbed. Paul is not talking about content with laziness, un-spiritual things or sin. Paul is speaking of contentment with our place in life, possessions, and loved ones. I have found in my life that spiritual growth produces contentment. Summer-Pineapple-Fine-Apple-Printable-by-Happiness-is-HomemadeLet’s look at Philippians 4:1-13 and see what the Bible says about dealing with unmet expectations.

Mentor & Motivator (Vs. 1-3) In these verses we are encouraged to get along with others. I realize injustices can bring discontentment, but to the best of our ability we must work on keeping peace. Great joy is found in helping others. Everyone needs a model, a mentor or a motivator, or possibly all 3 at the same time. We often hear the advice that we shouldn’t follow people, but Paul said follow me as I follow Christ. Could someone follow you as you follow Christ? You can always find someone who needs encouragement.

REJOICE (Vs. 4)
Praise God in all circumstances- good or bad. That is easier said than done.
When you get down or start feeling discontent, stop, drop and roll out 10 blessings. Sometimes our expectations are so great that we don’t praise God for the little things in life.

MODERATION (Vs. 5)
Moderation here means -show restraint, not indulgent, avoid extremes. Learn to be content with less materially. Try a spending fast. Make do without going to the store for every little thing. Make a recipe from scratch, plant a garden, eat from your pantry, or stay home. Practice the 1 in 1 out rule meaning if you buy something, get rid of something. If you want a new outfit shop in your closet and create a new outfit with the pieces you have. Maybe downsizing would be a good option for you, clean out your kitchen and donate food items and cooking utensils. Most Americans can downsize their clothing by 75% and still have too much.  A smaller house and simple life style can be refreshing. Try changing the messages around you by reducing exposure to social media, TV ads, magazines, and stores.  Even our behavior should be moderate. Uncontrolled anger, and extreme mood swings heighten the discontentment in our heart. It ispineapple Standrefreshing and rewarding when you live in moderation.

DON’T WORRY, Just Do It (Vs. 6-9)
God will supply your needs, not your greed’s. Worry is a bad habit. It’s another way of saying “God, you don’t love me, and I don’t trust you.” Rest in Gods provisions. We tend to want God to work out our problems according to our expectations. When our plan doesn’t work we are hit with unmet expectations. Either God is enough, or He isn’t.  We trust Him for our salvation but we don’t trust Him to meet our needs. Whenever I try to get ahead of God and make my own way, I find that I regret it. God’s solutions always work out better than my own. God says in His Word to just do it and He will give you peace.
pineapple bush

LEARN CONTENTMENT (Vs. 10-11)
We never stop learning in this life. Contentment is a learned virtue that comes mainly by experience. Think about Joseph in Genesis 50:20. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

We don’t know Gods plans. Don’t dwell on the “should, could, and would” of this life.
Most of us live in the future more than in the present.  Live passionately for today. We pursue the treasure at the end of the rainbow and rarely drink deeply at the well of the present moment, which is all we ever have. Circumstances do not make us who we are, but they reveal who we are. We are responsible for our actions, attitude and responses. I’ve heard that “contentment is a state of the heart unaffected by the outward circumstances.”

Contentment is not found in having everything, but in being satisfied with everything we have.
pineapple words
CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY WHERE YOU ARE
Happiness is a choice you make every day. For a happy life, want what you have. When we have the doldrums, or hit a plateau in our life, we tend to compare our circumstances with those around us. I have often heard it said that the greenest grass is usually found above the septic tank. So be careful when looking at other people who seem to have everything, you don’t know what is going on underneath. We have so much to enjoy in the life God has given us that comparison will only set us up for disappointment.

Comparison is the enemy of contentment and it does 2 things: It makes you feel better about yourself or makes you jealous. There will always be someone else who possess a greater quality or quantity of what we think we should have. Because of this, comparison leads to covetousness. Instead of loving our neighbors, we find ourselves loving what they possess. Love people, then you will be happy for them. We can be content when we put our hope in His character rather than in our concept of how our lives should appear.

pineapple sayings Rely on God’s Power (Vs. 13)
Choosing to be content will only come when you rely on God’s power to change your heart and mind about the expectations in your life. When you set yourself up with unrealistic expectations you will never be content with who you are and with what you have. Sometimes God meets our expectations differently than we think.

Trust God and the process He is taking you through. Live to Glorify Him and then your expectations will become the same as God’s expectations for your life.

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Make Bright the Arrows

Jennifer White

I used to be fascinated to watch my dad practice shooting his bow and arrow in the backyard. He was a skilled hunter and it looked so easy…. until he let me try it. It took so much strength to draw the bowstring back, control the arrow and hit the target.  My arm shook as I pulled the tight bowstring back and when I let go of the arrow, the string popped me in the face and the arrow landed only a few feet away from me. I wasn’t hurt except for a sore arm and wounded pride. Archery is a skill that must be honed in order to be successful. It was a necessary skill for warriors in the Bible days. In Jeremiah 51 Babylon had fallen and the Israelites were told to get ready for battle. I found some life lessons in these verses about bows and arrows.bow and arrow girl

 

The Arrow

The Shaft- Made from common wayside brush. The Fletcher straightens it and polishes it and makes it useful.  Believe it or not an arrow bends as it leaves the bow. The shaft is flexible and meant to take the force of shooting without breaking. Some are designed to take even more force, but will have a farther reach. We are common people with twisted lives. He makes us righteous and straight by His power. We are able to do more than we can possibly imagine through God’s strength.

Feathers guide the arrow, give balance and stability. We have “feathers” in our life to keep us on the right course. The Holy Spirit, Bible, Godly friends, teachers, parents, and our pastor are the feathers in our life.

The Nock fits the arrow to the bowstring so the power can be applied to the arrow and released. God’s power is applied only when we are under His authority and in His will.

The Arrowhead the business part of the arrow. Set goals and aim for them. Sharpen your talents and skills so you can make a difference in this world. What you learn, develop and study today will be used in the future.  “The battle is won the day before because that is the day the archer makes bright his arrows”.

Make Bright the Arrows (Vs. 11)

11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.

The order given to the soldiers meant they were to prepare their weapons. Making bright means to shine and sharpen their arrow.  In a certain sense, every believer is an arrow in God’s hands. God has a mission for each one of us to accomplish and a mark for each one of us to hit. The whole purpose of an arrow is to hit a planned target. The purpose of our life is to hit the mark that God has ordained for us.

Draw Back Your Bow (Vs. 12)target bullseye

12 Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.

Set up the Standard– This is to protect you. What standards are set up in your life? The life of your family? The life of your children? Do you have a standard for clothing, television shows, movies, social media, music, friends, and speech? If there are no standards set in your life, you will regret the decisions made in the heat of the battle. There must be a preparation time.

Make the Watch Strong-How can we strengthen ourselves for battle. Are you tired, run down, negative, not reading your Bible, praying? Strengthen yourself spiritually and physically by praying, eating healthy, exercising, being positive and reaching out to others.

Prepare the Ambushes- Have a plan of attack for when evil comes your way. Fellowship with believers who are strong in their faith, mentor someone who needs help, use daily check lists to keep yourself on task. Too much free time allows for unwanted things to creep in such as depression, and selfishness.

The phrase “Make Bright the Arrows” encourages us to allow God to sharpen us but it also reminds us to mentor others. We should have a quiver full of people we have help “sharpen” or influence in our life time.

Get ready warrior to draw back your bow and aim for the target God has for you!

 

 

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Are You a Happy Camper?

Jennifer White

School is finally out and it’s a beautiful mid-June, sunny, summery day. It’s that time of year when I see RV’s being pulled down the highway.  I watch the happy campers with all their camping gear get ready to hit the campground for the weekend. What a great way to enjoy the season of outdoor living

“Happy Camper” was a very, annoying term that was popular when I was a kid in the early 80’s.  The definition is “a satisfied person who is cheerful” but was usually used sarcastically.

When I was growing up my family didn’t camp in a RV on a campground, but we camped in A-frame tents on the banks of the lake. It was wonderful to wake up to the smell of eggs and bacon being cooked by mom on a black skillet over the campfire. The peaceful, lake waters sloshing on the banks, and the excitement of going fishing with my dad would encourage me to wake up with the sunrise. You could say I was a happy camper, well at least until I had to walk 1/4 of a mile to a bathroom, rub aloe on my sunburn, or throw away the little Debbie cakes that the ants found before I did.

The phrase “Happy Camper” makes me think of the Israelites. They flipped-flopped their way through 40 years of being “Happy Campers” or “Not Happy Campers” it just depended on their circumstance. Today we do the same thing in our life. We base our attitude on our feelings, which can be misleading, instead of God’s promises.  In the following passage of Deuteronomy chapter 1, we find the Israelites as not very happy campers.

Compasses and Maps

Deuteronomy 1:21 Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

had a plan for the Israelites. He gave them 3 very clear instructions. 1. Possess the land 2. Don’t be afraid 3. Don’t be discouraged.

God has a plan all mapped out for your life. Are you praying and reading the Bible, so you will know His plan? If you aren’t sure of His plan for your future, then right now do what God has already commanded. 1. Pray 2. Read the Bible 3. Fellowship with believers 4. Tell others about Him.  Like following a compass, His plan becomes more clear as you stay on the right path.

Calling All Scouts

22 And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.23 And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:24 And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eschol, and searched it out.25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us.26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God: 

 

In verses 22-26 the Israelites are doubting God’s plan. They were not “happy campers” when it came to trusting God. They decided to scout it out for themselves to see if there was something good in their future or not. Faith was hard for the Israelites. Possibly their many years in bondage made things seem too good to be true. They even became rebellious after the reports came back that the land was good. I have found in my life that peace usually comes after I step out on faith, and not anytime sooner.

Kum-ba-ya by the Bonfire

30 The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; 31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. 32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God, 33 Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.

The Israelites needed a pep talk. They needed to hear reminders of the past and promises of future victories. God had provided for them this far and He will continue to lead them safely. When are we going to let God fight our battles and stop trying to win them in our own strength? Complaining leads to discouragement which makes us miss the blessings of life. This cycle becomes a pattern that must be broken. You can break the pattern. Remember God’s faithfulness in your life and let Him fight your battles. He will lead you to a place of another victory.

Are you a happy camper today? If not, you can be one by reflecting on God’s goodness and by making a conscious decision to be aware of God’s presence in your life every day.