Understand this, you will be tested! Jesus says, “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 NIV) Interruptions in daily life can be tests, like those I had this past week. Those tests helped me measure my true intentions regarding this blog. Although delayed, I wrote notes, read my Bible, prayed and found peace with God’s timing. Anxiety, frustration and a feeling of inadequacy vanished and my heart heard better what I needed to learn. Someone somewhere has had the same feelings. Tests will bring out your Christian character, as was the case with Hezekiah (2Chronicles 32:31) and so many others in the Bible. Be confident there are ways to pass them.

TESTED HOW?

Consider: You hadn’t taken three steps forward when suddenly you were cursed with words that pierced the silence and burned your ears. In the face of your fear, before they could pierce your heart, physically shaken, you asked God to help. People were standing as witnesses to the onslaught. From a place called ‘boldness in the Spirit’, your heart’s eye saw the pain inside the person cursing you. You responded reciting scriptures the Holy Spirit gave you to say, and there was quietness. You know this person, although not intimately and saying his/her name, step into the shade together where you pray together for understanding, healing and peace of God in the situation. Witnesses are amazed, and you give thanks to The Father for divine wisdom and peace. Something has forever changed. It’s you.

It’s you facing all kinds of tests: abandonment, bullying, conflicts, cruelty, cursing, denial, disappointment, falsehood, injustice, loneliness, sickness, struggles, suffering, temptations, tension, turmoil (insert your own terms). Or you just had a flat tire or your child wrote on the wall! How you respond determines the outcome. DIGGIT?

TESTED: DON’T GIVE IN – DIG IN!

Remain steadfast and immovable in your faith. Pray, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 NIV) Be confident in your helper. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 NIV) Tap into the strength greater than yours. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) And be assured that greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1John 4:4

TESTED: DON’T SHUT UP – SPEAK UP!

Make your heart’s song like this. “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love, for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” (Psalm 59:16 NIV) Be as obedient as Moses. “Now go, I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:12) Speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15 NIV) Check what is in your heart, for from it your mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45b NIV) Speak words of wisdom and give understanding (Psalm 49:3 NIV) because your wise words can bring healing. (Proverbs 12:18 NIV)

TESTED: DON’T GIVE UP – LOOK UP!

Lift your eyes to the hills; your help comes from God. (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV) As the Lord appeared to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14 learn about humility, repentance, and God’s forgiveness. Be assured that your love for God matters. (Psalm 91:14-16 NIV) and that the Lord is your shepherd. (Psalm 23 NIV) By it all and through it all may God have honor and glory. Remember, someone is watching your sermon!

© Linda Pope 2014

DISCLAIMER

The opinions, examples and citations in this blog are not intended to be the sole source for help in daily Christian living. If you are experiencing physical, emotional or psychological challenges or abuse it is within the teachings of the Bible to seek professional help. Seek help.

DO WHAT!? BE A SERMON.

The silver bracelet I had given to dad was lost. He’d gone on a business trip and left it in the hotel room. A maid turned it in and the manager contacted my dad. It arrived safely a week later. She chose to do what was right. Everyone in our home never forgot a nameless woman, who preached a sermon without speaking a word.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17 NIV) Having just addressed the church on worship the Apostle Paul’s words seem general, perhaps intending to avoid legalisms in the early Christian church. They inform our lives as Christians today.

Whatever you do, every action, from providing maid service to conducting a board meeting of a Fortune 500 company, the indwelling word of God should manifest itself. How can Christians choose actions?

DO HOW? BE LEAD BY THE SPIRIT.

Pray, ask for help: “Teach me to do your will for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:10 NIV) The nameless maid showed self-control by not keeping a bracelet or maybe she did what she would have someone do for her. (Luke 6:31) I suppose she had Holy Spirit power, showing compassion and thought the bracelet special to its owner.

The Holy Spirit can lead us to choose compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience (Colossians 3:12-13) and bear fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

DO WHY? IT’S WORSHIP TOO.

Actions speak louder than words. In our daily activities we can choose to worship as our response to the perceived presence of the divine, a presence which is holy. God is everywhere, all the time; on our jobs, in our households, on the bus, in our vehicles, everywhere. We have opportunity to show others how magnificent, faithful, patient, forgiving and amazing God is. “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” (John 15:8 NIV) Make whatever you do be your worship as glory to Him.

© 2014 Linda Pope

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Most of us know that statement isn’t true. Words can destroy dreams, kill hopes and make wounds that last a lifetime. With our mouths, and using modern technology of the internet our words soar like arrows, pierce others like bullets and can cause massive destruction.
SAY WHY?
James 3:1-12 describes how difficult it is to tame the tongue, declaring that taming the tongue is like placing a bit in a wild horse’s mouth, a rudder of a ship unable to steer its course, or a spark that sets the entire forest on fire. And, what we say, spoken or written, can hasten the spread of gossip, slander, exaggeration, lying, manipulation, complaining and bullying. Out of our woundedness comes our response. Squeeze a tube of toothpaste too much, and you’ll find most of the contents not only on the toothbrush, but all over the sink! What we have inside, what we think of the other, the situation, ourselves, comes out. Most of us know an email, text or tweet sent with all caps indicates screaming, the tone of the message. Likewise, our tone; condescending, angry, vengeful, jealous, envious, bitter, or indifferent will inflict damages.
SAY HOW?
In the moment, stop; breathe, count to ten or more and ask yourself; 1) “Why am I angry?”,2) “Am I speaking from my own hurts?”, 3) “Is what I’m about to say intended to hurt or heal?”, 4) “Will what I say damage any relationships?”, 5) “Do I see the other as created by God, just as I am?”, 6) “Does what I am going to say glorify God?”, 7)“Do I need to say anything at all?” (Proverbs 13:3) Our words have great power and reflect more about what we think than we realize.
SAY SO!
Pray! Ask for Holy Spirit power for self- control. Be prepared. Study God’s word, memorizing scripture (remember the toothpaste tube; inside is what you think). Try to respond positively to insults (Proverbs 12:14, 16, 18), have courage (Psalm 18:30), look for good in others (2 Samuel 1:17-27), determine why you are angry (Romans 2:1).
Commit to love people, but not the wrongs done to you (Mathew 5:44), and love will spread like a fire (1 John 4:11-19), producing tangible actions (Hebrews 13:1-5). Finally, speak life because it comes from the very breath of God (Gen 2:7) and is to His glory.

© 2014 Linda Pope

WHAT SHAPED YOUR THINKING?

Even in Christian households, not everyone has experienced the complete and forgiving grace of a loving God. When you were a child, perhaps your family moved many times or you had one parent, were raised by someone else or were abandoned. Life seemed crowded with stipulations, or maybe there was no guidance at all. As a child you may have faced bullying, teasing, rejection, ridicule, people cursing you and at you, beatings and unbelievable harshness.   Or the love you received was based on your performance. What you experienced shaped your thinking and now, you often see the world through your child-eyes.

To cope perhaps you pouted, cursed, threw tantrums, hit, bit, beat or spit upon what you didn’t like, withdrew to an imaginary world, acted out and rebelled against whatever you thought was wrong. Just maybe, you got caught up in a gang, over achieving, drugs, excessive drinking and accepted anyone into your life that seemed to fit your needs and thought like you.

Tick tock; time has not stood still. You’re older, thinking the same way and expecting a different outcome.  It’s time to change what you think.

“When I was a child I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man (woman), I put childish ways behind me.” 1Corinthians 13:11 (italics mine). Seems easier said than done.

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR THINKING:

• Receive God’s unfailing, everlasting love

Psalm 139, John 3:16, John 9:5, John 14:6

• Change what you know, acquire and treasure wisdom

Proverbs 1:2, Proverbs 8, Job 42:2, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 51:6, Psalm 139, Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 8:32, 1John 3:1-3

• Pray/spend time alone with God

Daniel 9: 17-19, Matthew 6:5-13, Matthew 26:36, 1Thessalonians 5:17, James 5:13-16

• Feed your faith and doubt will starve to death/ Bible study

2Timothy 2:15, 2Timothy 3:16, Romans 10:17, Ephesians 2:8

• Seek Christian fellowship/Christian counsel

Psalm1:1, Matthew 18:20, 1John 1:5-7, Galatians 6:1

• Ask the Holy Spirit to help

John 14:15-18, John 16: 5-11

• Ask forgiveness/Forgive yourself and others

2Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 86:5, Matthew 6:12-15, Luke 6:37, Luke 17, 1John1:9-10

• Repent (turn away from…..)

Ezekiel 14:6, Ezekiel 18:30, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:14-15, Luke 13

• Grow/Mature

Psalm 1, Matthew 13:18-23, John 15:5, Romans 6:5, Ephesians 4:15, 2Peter 3:18

• Let it go/trust God and commit your ways to the Lord

Jeremiah 29:11, Philippians 4:8-9, Philippians 4:13

(resources: www.crosswalk.com, http://www.biblestudytools.com)

WHY CHANGE YOUR THINKING?

As the saying goes, “You are what you eat”. And, you say and do what you think (know). If you know that God is love and full of grace and mercy and that you are created in his image, now is the time to glorify God by bearing fruit (John 15:8, Galatians 5:22-23). You represent the creator. Think about that. (Philippians 4:8)

©2014 Linda Pope

Recently, I’ve been singing the lyrics of Walter Hawkins’ song “What is this?” I first heard it more years ago than I want to disclose. It resonates in me, but I didn’t recall the title correctly. My memory had stored a refrain, “Whatever it is…Whatever it is…Whatever it is, It won’t let me hold my peace.”

Wanting to get the lyrics right and prepare for this posting I went on an internet journey and exploration. One particular website asked for explanations and interpretations of the lyrics. The it in the context of this wonderful gospel song is relevant to the it we’ll consider shortly.

What is this (it)? Could it be that which God caused to appear at the right time and right place to meet the needs of His people? Manna in Exodus 16:13-36 was a small round grain or flakes, which appeared around the Israelite camp with the dew each morning. Manna may have come from the question the Israelites asked when they first saw the flakes,”What is it (man hu)?” The first bread of heaven came with restrictions, provided nourishment for the day and for a limited time.

In John 6:30-58. Jesus states that He is more than Bread of Heaven, He is the Bread of Life. He is the greatest gift of grace. And anyone who believes He is the Son of God, was crucified, buried and rose from the grave… has life. And He kept his promise; the Holy Spirit showed up at Pentecost and is present living and filling and helping and guiding and comforting any believer in Jesus Christ, especially in time of trouble. Jesus, the Bread of Life is eternal; entered history at the right time, for all time.

For the Israelites it was supernatural food to sustain life. For Christians it is supernatural Holy Spirit power to live because of and for Christ.

In the context of DIGGIT®, what is it? It is everything or anything (pronoun), of any number or kind (adjective) and is used to represent the crucial moment upon which an outcome depends. Proverbs (a book in the Bible containing short nuggets of sayings expressing well-known truths or facts), says in Chapter 16, verse 3; “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” (NIV) Summation: Trust God and do your part.

DIGGIT® asks us to consider all that we think, everything we say and anything we do in the moment because the outcome (our living) is to glorify God. Paul, an apostle of Christ, addressing the church at Colossus, gave a strategy for living a Godly life; “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17 NIV

God is present. The more we study our Bibles and learn his character and pray, the more we become aware of what we think, say and do. In community we have opportunity to help one another and achieve optimal outcomes in living a Christian life. As we’ll discover in future posts it (whatever it is) ain’t easy.

In the Moment!  Right Now!

The best way (for optimum digestion) to eat a meal is one bite at a time. Similarly, the optimal way to gain spiritual understanding of life in Christ, through DIGGIT® is to consider the meaning(s) of each word in the acronym. Will this second post glorify God?  I pray that it does, focusing on the first word in the acronym: DIGGIT®: Does It Glorify God If Tested?

Definitions are important. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language definition of does; present tense, third person singular of do, a verb (action word) meaning to behave or conduct oneself (perform, execute, put into action, etc.).  Context is crucial. As early as Genesis 4:7 the Bible records the Lord speaking to Cain, “If you do what is right…” (italics mine). Simply stated God asked Cain a right now, in the moment, at the present time kind of question.

Right now, in the moment you’re reading this post.  In another moment you may post a comment. This moment and the next will be immediate, the present time.  The moment will pass, but the effect of an action (or even an inaction) can last a lifetime.

Throughout the Bible there are scriptures referencing do, does or doing.  A Bible Concordance (an index of words for Bible study specific to the translation, either KJV, NKJV, NIV, etc) is helpful in finding them.  In my studies I particularly am drawn to Psalm 143:10, Jeremiah 22:3a, Luke 6:31 and Colossians 3:17.  I invite you to explore, consider the context and be spiritually fed.

As we explore Christian living, sharing DIGGIT®, let us keep in mind and heart an omnipresent (always and everywhere present) God, whom we aim to glorify in the moment, right now!

©2014 Linda D. Pope

The questions we ask determine the answers we get.

WWJD was popular the year we launched The Way: For New Believers, a confirmation workshop series for youth ages 12-18. During a session I asked a young man (caught doing other than he should), “What Would Jesus Do?” He answered honestly, “I know what Jesus would do, but I’m not Jesus.” I was stumped.

There had to be a better question which could connect what he knew about Jesus’ teaching and ministry with his responsibilities as a Christian. Afterall, this was a series to help youth make more firm (confirm) their faith in Jesus Christ. So, having prayed and searched scriptures, I was reading the Book of John and the DIGGIT question jumped off the page.

“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” John 15:8 (NRSV). Glorify God! A simple enough statement. But, how? Did what the young lad was doing at the moment reflect back to God what God deserved? Not likely. DIGGIT, Does It Glorify God If Tested? Central to Jesus’ teachings and his mission during his ministry was the moment to moment glorification of the Father. “It” has broad and moment to moment definitions.

I’m not sure how but I do know why DIGGIT ® became a registered trademark in 2003. Under the umbrella of DIGGIT Ministries we have graduated more than 150 youth, broadened the questions and understanding of the adults who helped guide these sessions. DIGGIT® has opened doors to conversations across generations and faiths.

I look forward to discovery, teaching, conversation, understanding, and growth toward mature Christian life for all believers. Future questions could include: What’s the “It”? What’s the standard for “Testing”?