Living Examples

Romans 15:4

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

Good morning Zebras,

I read an interesting fact about zebras the other day.

The article said when baby zebras are born their mothers block them from seeing any other member of the herd. They do that to ensure the baby zebra can recognize her mother’s unique pattern and not get her confused with another female zebra. For the baby it is a matter of life or death because they need to be able to recognize their mother because she is their food source.

Of course, the implications for parenting are huge. Our kids, just like the baby zebra, imprint on us and they tend to follow the example that we set. Often times I wish my kids would just “do what I say rather than what I do,” but they don’t. They are excellent little mimics and a wonderful mirror to my faults as well as my strengths.

But beyond that I think there is even a greater lesson to be learned. The Bible says that when we receive Christ we are “born again.” And with that birth comes a new life.

I am one of those people who beat the statistics and accepted Christ as an adult. I was raised in a non-Christian home and never had any Christian role models to follow. After I was saved I had no idea what I was supposed to do so I looked around at other Christians to see what they did.

Unfortunately, I got a rather muddled view of the Christian life.

Not all Christians pursue God with the same fervor so knowing who to follow is huge. Paul tells the church at Corinth to follow him as he follows Christ, to imitate his life as he attempts to imitate Jesus’. And that’s really good advice.

All of us should be trying to follow Jesus, to imitate the life of “grace and truth” He lived here on earth but if that seems too difficult for you, find someone else who is doing it and follow them.

Eventually that’s what I did and it worked out well.

Now I find that’s one of the reasons God gave us the Bible. So that we can learn from Abraham, Moses, David, Paul and others, what it really looks like to live a life of faith.

Love,
Jill

Faith Like Potatoes

Hebrews 11:6 (English Standard Version)

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him

Good morning Zebras,

Last night we watched Faith Like Potatoes. It was a really good movie based on a true story of a white farmer in South Africa. I don’t want to give too much away because it is a movie worth watching but suffice it to say the story revolves around having real faith.

The main character does some wild things for God, but at the end of the movie even his family and Christian friends think he may be going a little too far. His pastor, who is also a little concerned, tells him “There is a fine line between faith and foolishness.”

But is there?

Didn’t Noah look foolish as he built an ark? Didn’t Joshua and his men look foolish as they marched around Jericho? Didn’t David look foolish dancing before the Ark of the Covenant? And didn’t Peter look foolish getting out of the boat to walk on water?

Or did he?

For a moment Peter felt the thrill of doing the impossible while the rest of the disciples watched. The Bible doesn’t say how many of the disciples were in the boat with Peter, it could have been all of them. But only Peter overcame his fear and got out. The other eleven could have done the same thing but they didn’t. They just sat and watched.

If you are tired of sitting and watching, if you want to get out of the boat and do the impossible, good! There are enough mediocre Christians in the world already, God wants a few that are willing to look foolish. Those are the ones He can REALLY use!

My son once said to me that one sold out Christian can accomplish more for God than a thousand who are just slightly interested. The choice is yours.

Love,
Jill

Think Right, Do Right, Feel Right

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Good morning Zebras,

Today’s verse is one I often reference when speaking to women. Women have very active brains, we are always thinking about something, so it is important to know what we are supposed to think about. And this verse tells us.

One of the best things I think you can do for a friend who is ranting about some situation is to simply ask “Is that true?” Taking our thoughts captive to the truth of God’s Word is the first step in growing in Christian maturity.

Recently I heard this verse and the verse that follows: Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. summarized as Think Right, Do Right, Feel Right. And the more I think about it the more I like it.

What we think affects what we do and what we do definitely affects how we feel.

For example, if we think serving God is a privilege because God doesn’t really need us to get His work done we will be honored that He chose us and serve with joy. But if we think that we are doing God a big favor by helping him out, we tend to serve with arrogance and pride.

Or if we think that God owes us something, anything, even life, we tend to be ungrateful and demand more. But if we realize that God does not owe us anything, that every breath we take is only because of God’s grace, our attitude changes.

And then there is our time and our money, given to us by God to be used for His glory. Hording either doesn’t make you feel good.

One of my life lessons is the story out of Genesis where Cain comes to God all mopey and depressed. He is sad because God did not like his offering as well as He liked his brother’s. Look at God’s response. “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?"

Basically, Cain, you did wrong, you know it and now you feel bad and you won’t feel better until you change the way you are acting.

Many Christians want to believe they can live with one foot in the world and one foot with God, but that is not Biblical. That is American. We want our “cake and eat it too.” We want to live our livf however we want AND we want the blessings and peace of God. But it doesn’t work that way. The Bible says we have to let go of one to get the other and whether we acknowledge it or not, inherently we know it is true.

Love,
Jill

Dance, Dance, Dance

Matthew 15:8-9 (English Standard Version)

"'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

Good morning Zebras,

I don’t know if you have ever had the unpleasant experience of loving someone who just wants to be friends, but I have. For me the weird thing was they did all the right things, they were nice to me and they spent time with me, but their heart wasn’t in it, at least not the way I wanted it to be. And I could tell.

Or maybe you have children who obey you but they don’t really want to. They are doing it because they have to, not because they love you and want to please you. And although you appreciate the obedience it feels hollow because something is missing.

The thing that is missing in both cases is love. They may like you, they may respect you, they may even fear you but the love that you want them to have is not there.

Now if you and I with our limited knowledge and ability can discern a person’s heart, what chance do you think we have trying to hide our heart from God? Not much.

Man looks at the outside appearance, he looks at the religious things that we do and thinks, “Oh, there is a person who loves the Lord. They go to church every Sunday; they tithe the correct amount, they serve in ministries and feed the homeless. They are a wonderful Christian.”

If our heart is not in it God is not fooled.

God does not want us to work so hard on the outside appearance. He wants us to work on our hearts. He wants us to love Him so much that the mere thought of Him makes us want to dance.

But you do not fall in love with someone by doing a million things for them; you fall in love with them by spending time with them and getting to know them. It is not the “doing” it is the “being” that will get you where you want to go.

There are probably a lot of things you think you need to do to be a good Christian. But there is only one thing that is really necessary and that is a heart and life totally devoted to God. If you have that EVERYTHING else will fall into place.

Love,
Jill

The Day After

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Good morning Zebras,

The Monday after Christmas weekend, that just sounds like a day made for the blues.

But it doesn’t have to be. It is up to you.

Many of you I’m sure had a wonderful Christmas and you are sad that it is over. Just as many of you had a disappointing Christmas and you are dealing with that. And I can relate because I’ve had both. Dealing with Christmas depression is usually just part of the holiday season.

But this year I accidentally did something that changed my perspective. I didn’t serve Christmas dinner until the twenty-sixth. I was so tired after making a big breakfast that I decided I would just make Christmas dinner the next day. And I loved it. Not because it got me out of cooking on Christmas day but because it reminded me that Christmas is not a day it is a lifestyle that extends far beyond December twenty-fifth.

For the world Christmas is a one day extravaganza, but not for us. For us it is just another day to celebrate the birth of Jesus, something we should be celebrating every day. And I was reminded of that yesterday while I was making dinner.

Why do we make such a big deal out of Christmas? It is just a day like any other day given to us by God for our enjoyment. Or maybe a better question is why we don’t make a bigger deal out of the three hundred and sixty four days that aren’t Christmas.

Jesus Christ, whose birth we were celebrating, came as a baby, died as a man, rose as the Son of God and is coming again. The party isn’t over. It is just beginning.

Prior to Jesus’ birth we were trapped in our own sin, powerless to overcome the evil that lived inside of us. But now because of His birth, death, and resurrection we are new creatures, not new creatures for a day, but new creatures for eternity and what you did or did not get for Christmas doesn’t change that. So rejoice!

If you are struggling this morning it might be because your hope was accidentally in the wrong thing this Christmas. If it was in what was under the tree, or any other earthly expectations, then you might be disappointed. But if it was in Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of your faith, then don’t worry you got everything you wanted.

Love,
Jill

You're Not Alone

John 10:4

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

Good morning little Zebras,

I had no intention of writing to you today, but it has already been established that my intentions and God’s are not always the same.

Before I wander off to make breakfast for my family, I felt I had to drop you a quick note.

We have so many ways to communicate with one another. We can text, we can tweet, we can e-mail, or we call, but we still haven’t been able to do what God has always been able to do, which is speak to our hearts.

Twice this month I wanted to talk to my kids but I didn’t have a way to do it. Once they had forgotten to bring their phones, and once they were at school where phones are not allowed. Both times I prayed and asked God to tell them to call me and they did.

You might think it was just a coincidence, or luck, but I know better. I know my God who lives within the hearts of my children prompted them to pick up the phone and call me.

This morning God has prompted me to “call you.” He wanted to tell you that even if you’re alone, you’re not. He is there with you and although it may not feel like it, it’s true.

He also wanted me to tell all those Zebras who are surrounded by people who don’t “get it,” (family and friends who think you’ve gotten just a little “too religious,”) that you are not alone either. You have Zebras sisters all over the country who understand.

Today of all days should be a day of joy and peace for those of us who love and follow Christ. Don’t let Satan steal it away from you. Listen to God and believe what’s really true.

For those of you reading this who are fortunate enough to have a family who loves the Lord, who have been able to spend the day just as you wanted, please take a minute to stop and pray for your Zebra sisters who are less fortunate.

Please pray they are encouraged and strengthened.

Pray God speaks to them as only He can and pray they realize they’re not alone.

Understanding that is the true heart of this ministry.

Much love,
Jill

Merry Christmas

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.

Good morning little Zebras,

I have been struggling the last few days trying to hear God’s little small voice through the noise that is Christmas. Not that there is anything wrong with all the cookies, trees, lights, and presents but for me they were obscuring God’s voice.

Last night I was talking to my kids about it. I am so used to hearing God speak that His silence has me a little disturbed and I wanted their perspective. Both of them said the same thing that God was still speaking but His voice was being drowned out by all the noise and busyness of Christmas.

Then Nick gave me a great word picture. God’s voice is like a pebble in a puddle. It is easy to see the pebble when the water is still, but if you drive a truck through the puddle, you muddy up the water and the pebble disappears. No matter how hard you try you won’t be able to see the pebble until the water calms down.

So this morning I got up early, while everyone was still asleep and asked God what He wanted me to remember this year about Christmas.

He wants me to remember that He keeps His promises. Thousands of years before Jesus’ birth God promised to send a Savior, and He did.

Preparing for retreat I have been spending a lot of time studying the life of Abraham. And although he didn’t use to be one of my favorites, he is now. There are so many lessons to be learned from his life, not the least of which is that God can be trusted to keep His promises.

God does not promise things and then change His mind. Nor does He not promise us something He can’t deliver. And He wants me to remember that.

He wants me to quit being like Peter walking on water one minute, sinking the next. He wants me to believe that He can do the impossible and live accordingly. He wants me to know that He is in control of all situations and to quit worrying. He wants me to focus on Him and His faithfulness instead of my shortcomings. And He wants me to quit thinking up back up plans in case this “God thing doesn’t work out,” because the God thing ALWAYS works out. He wants to increase my faith.

I have no idea what present God has for you this Christmas, but I know He has one. Don’t be too busy to open it.

Love,
Jill

Refocus

Luke 10:41

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.”

Good morning Zebras,

I don’t know about you but I am really struggling this year. I have the tree and the lights and I know that “Jesus is the reason for the season” but I still “ain’t feeling it.” I don’t have any of that excitement that is supposed to surround Christmas and I have lost the joy that I had before all this started.

So this morning I asked God why. And although I didn’t get a specific answer I got a few suggestions.

As much as I don’t want it to, Christmas adds stress. The cookies and goodies that are everywhere are like living in a mine field for me. To you they may be harmless treats but to me they are snares that trip me up because of my wrong thinking.

The Bible does not forbid cookies, or goodies, our culture does. And fifty three years of living in a culture that values thinness over godliness has got me all messed up. The truth is God cares more about what comes out of our mouth than what goes in.

Then there is the stress of not doing enough. If you manage to avoid the traps of the world there is still other Christians to keep up with. Trying to be godly among the godly is a battle that no one can win, because the moment you start playing you are in sin.

And then of course there is the money. Knowing how much to spend and what to spend it on can drive a person crazy.

Of course the sad thing is I feel close to God almost all the time, but right now when the world says He should be the closest He feels the farthest away. And why is that? I think it is because I have reduced the amount of time that I just sit in His presence listening to Him speak.

Preparing for Christmas and the retreat have me very task orientated, but God is not in the tasks. He is in the still small voice that speaks when I make time to listen.

As Christians we know that Jesus is always with us, even if it doesn’t feel like it. So if you are finding this Christmas season to be stressful check to see if you are focusing on the wrong things. If you are, grab your Bible and stop. Spend some time at the feet of Jesus, I think that is why He came.

Love,
Jill

For God

Matthew 6:1

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Good morning Zebras,

I told my husband last night that I probably didn’t need to write to you today. Most people are so busy getting ready for Christmas they don’t have time to sit and read z-mails. He agreed but God didn’t.

This morning during my quiet time I was thinking about the fact that I didn’t have to write to you and planning what to do with the extra time when God decided to have a chat with me. “Who exactly are you writing for Jill? Are you writing for them or are you writing for Me?”

Of course the answer is both, but primarily I am writing for God. I am writing because God has told me to and although sometimes that makes me feel a little crazy I know I still have to obey. So even if not a single Zebra has the time to read this today it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I have been obedient to God and I have done what He has asked of me.

One of my biggest struggles in life is remembering that I am not here to please men (or women) but to please God. He created me, He owns me, and He is the one who has the ability to provide for me and bless me. Pleasing Him is way more important than pleasing men.

In the Old Testament Saul learned that lesson the hard way. He let the behavior of the people affect his actions and it cost him his kingdom. God removed him from the throne and replaced him with David. Why did Saul give in to the people? Because Samuel, the prophet, was late. Saul needed Samuel to make the offering to God but he wasn’t there so Saul did it himself. And God was not pleased.

Of course since God is sovereign and in control we know Samuel was not really late, he arrived just when God wanted him to because God was testing Saul. He failed.

God does not change His instructions to us based upon the behavior of others. He tells us what he wants us to do and He expects us to do it. Period!

So, here’s today’s z-mail and if no one reads it that’s okay because I didn’t really write it for you I wrote it for God and He always checks His e-mails.

Love,
Jill

Overburdened

John 14: 27

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Good morning Zebras,

I woke up feeling burdened this morning. (It could be a sugar hang over-but that is a different
z-mail.) The joy that should be the hallmark of a Christian’s life was definitely eluding me.

Last week I heard a Christian say: "Life is hard and then you die.” At the time it struck me as wrong. But this morning I thought maybe she was right. Maybe life is just awful and hard and all I have to look forward to is heaven.

And then I went to God's Word to see what He had to say about the matter.

Life is tough, that’s true. Jesus told us that in John 16:33, but in the same verse He promised us peace "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

How can both possibly be true? How can the world be hard and yet we still have peace? But Jesus promised it more than once.

In Matthew 11 He said: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Does your burden feel light? Is your soul at rest? Maybe the problem is you are wearing two yokes. Animals only wear one yoke at a time, but we humans try to wear two. We wear the yoke of the world and then we add on the yoke of Christ, so instead of making our life easier it makes it more difficult. And to make matters worse we don’t really know what the yoke of Christ is.

The yoke of Christ is not all the work you do for the Lord, it is not the list of things you need to do to live a righteous life. It is nothing that you have to do other than change the focus of your life - instead of worrying about the things of this world, trust God and worry about getting to know Him more.

I think a lot of Christians think if they devote themselves to Christ, He will take things away from them. They won’t get to do all the things they enjoy doing. But it isn’t true. God is not the big bully in the sky; He is our heavenly Father who desires only the best for us and has the ability to do it.

God did not send Jesus to make us miserable, we were already miserable. He sent Him so that we could have a joyful and abundant life-now and also in eternity.

Anyone who tells you differently is mistaken.

Love,
Jill

Fool for God

Joshua 10:11

And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

Good morning Zebras,

This morning I was praying about a situation in my life where I have done everything I feel God has called me to do and yet I have not yet achieved what I believe are the desired results. And God brought this verse to mind.

Now you might think that this is an odd verse to find comfort in, but you would be wrong.

The Israelites under Joshua’s leadership had gone into battle just as the Lord directed. If I remember correctly their enemy was bigger and stronger than them yet out of obedience they faithfully went and did what God had called them to do.

And look how He responded. He killed more of the enemy with hailstones than the Israelites did with their swords. How cool!

God does not abandon His obedient people. But I think the question is: Are we doing our part? Have we bravely done what God is asking of us even if it is scary and makes no sense or are we waiting for God to act first?

Notice God did not bring the hailstones until the Israelites were in the battle. He did not supernaturally act until the Israelites moved out on faith.

And I think the same principle still applies.

If you want to see the supernatural hand of God you need to have faith and trust God enough to do what He is calling you to do. You need to be willing to look a little foolish and move out in faith.

A couple of weeks ago I watched Evan Almighty. If you haven’t seen it, it is a modern retelling of Noah and the ark. God asks Evan, a rising star in the political world, to build an ark. At first he refuses but eventually God makes it clear that Evan has to give up everything and build the ark. So he does and everybody laughs.

One reporter mockingly asks him “Why would God pick you?” I love Evan’s reply. He looks straight into the eyes of this man who thinks he is so smart and says “God picks everybody.” Suddenly, to me, Evan doesn’t look like the stupid one.

Love,
Jill

Inspiring

Hebrews 12:1-2a

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Good morning Zebras,

I have started in earnest to prepare for the upcoming Zebra retreat. And although I vowed not to write about it in my z-mails, I can’t seem to help myself because what I am learning is all I can think about.

The focus of the weekend is the pursuit of God so I have been looking at men whose lives demonstrated that principle. David, Paul, Moses and Abraham all did amazing things but it’s their relationship with God that most inspires me.

Abraham is called God’s friend, Moses talked to God face to face, David is the only man who has the honor of being a “man after God’s own heart” and then there is Paul.

Paul considered EVERYTHING in his life rubbish compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus and resolved to know NOTHING except Christ crucified and the power of the cross. Is it any wonder that he did so much?

Now God doesn’t need us to start a nation, or to lead His people out of Egypt, and most of us will never be kings or missionaries but we can all have the same intimate relationship with God that they did.

But it is up to us. We have to follow their examples.

Abraham left everything to follow God, Moses had to be humbled, and if you read David’s psalms I think you will see how often David prayed for a pure heart towards God. Paul just never forgot. He never forgot that moment when Jesus came to him on the road to Damascus and changed forever the direction of his life.

All of us, if we are saved, should have that road to Damascus experience. Maybe not as dramatic but we should all remember when Jesus first made Himself real to us. And each one of us has the ability to pray for a heart that is totally devoted to Him. And we all can obey God if we choose to because we have the Bible, which is God’s revealed will, and the indwelling Holy Spirit, two things Abram lacked.

I don’t know about you, but realizing that these men weren’t inherently great but became great because of their obedience and devotion to God is very inspiring.

Love,
Jill

Be Carful

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Good morning Zebras,

“Pride goeth before a fall.” One of those sayings everybody says which sound like they should be from the Bible but usually aren’t. This one, however, actually is. And yesterday I experienced firsthand the truth of that statement.

Yesterday I had a lot of trouble writing the z-mail. There were so many thoughts swirling in my head I couldn’t decide exactly what to write. I would start down one path only to change direction in the middle of the page. Every attempt was a muddled mess.

One topic that I wanted to write about was the importance of trials in our lives. How God uses trials not only to grow our faith, but to show us how much we have changed. Trials are actually just little tests and lately I have been doing pretty well.

That’s where the pride came in. I FOOLISHLY started thinking “I sort of like trials. I think I’m growing. Things that used to upset me don’t seem to bother me anymore; I just give them over to God. Maybe I am getting the hang of this Christian thing.”

WRONG!!!

The only reason I was having a semblance of success was because I had my eyes riveted on Jesus. It had nothing to do with me; it had everything to do with Christ. And the minute I looked away I tripped.

Maybe you can relate. If so-take heart! God knew you were going to blow it before you did and He made a way for you to make it right. 1John1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Falling is normal, remaining down is not.

And since I want to be mature and complete, not lacking anything I still cautiously, with fear and humility, say that I sort of like trials. Not because they are fun, but because they are necessary. They do grow my faith by giving me a chance to depend on God and they do show my spiritual progress. But they also show me areas where I am too easily tripped up, areas that still need work. Areas where I need to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Love,
Jill

Life and Doctrine

1Timothy 4:16

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Good morning Zebras,

Stop and really look at today’s verse.

Paul is commanding us to watch our lives and doctrine closely. To pay attention not only to how we act but what we believe. And why are we supposed to do that? Because it says, if we do, we will save not only ourselves, but those who listen to us.

Isn’t that cool? Isn’t that what every Christian wants, a life that makes a difference?
I know I do.

But to do that, I have to watch not only how I live, but what I believe. Because what I believe effects how I live. And I know from personal experience that living a life based on what I think the Bible says is not the same as living a life based on truth.

But figuring out the difference between the two is up to us.

God has given us pastors and teachers to help us learn God’s Word, they are given the task of equipping the saints, but they were never intended to replace God. Otherwise God wouldn’t have put the Holy Spirit inside of us whose job it is to lead us into all truth.

And He wouldn’t have given us His Word and commended people for studying it.

Acts 17:11-12a
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed,

Listening to a great teacher is good, going home and examining for yourself that what they said was true only makes it better.

Love,
Jill

Christmas Parties

1Peter 3:3-4

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

Good morning Zebras,

It is December and the official madness of Christmas has begun. If your church is like mine the message from the pulpit is “Resist the madness-remember the real meaning of Christmas!” God did not send His son to earth to make sure that every child got every present that they wanted. He sent His son so that everyone got the present that they really needed which was a right relationship with God.

But one topic I have never heard addressed at church is the dreaded Christmas parties.

Maybe you love Christmas parties, if so this z-mail might not be for you, but personally I don’t care for them. They are without a doubt one of the most stressful social occasions of the year. Now I am not talking about the fun gathering of friends and family, I am talking about the mandatory work parties that we are obligated to attend.

Trying to lose ten pounds in a week, shopping for a new dress, not to mention hair, nails and make-up can turn what should be a fun occasion into a stressful nightmare.

More than once Gary and I have had an argument over his work Christmas party.

And why?

Because I felt insecure, worried that stacked up against the people he worked with I was going to look like a house frau. Rather than supporting my husband’s need to go to the party, I would fight and complain the whole way. Even if by some miracle I was the “best looking one in the place” I wouldn’t have been in God’s eyes. Because making my husband’s life miserable is not pleasing to God.

In hindsight I should have worried less about what the world values and more about what God values which is treating my husband with the honor and respect he deserves.

Love,
Jill

Sword of the Spirit

Ephesians 6:17b-18a

the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Good morning Zebras,

Today we come to the last piece of the armor of God.

Up to this point we have been putting on defensive weapons, things that allow us to stand against the devil’s schemes, but today we take the offensive and grab up our sword.

The sword is the only part of the armor that Paul defines for us. It’s clear the weapon we are to use against Satan is the Word of God. Jesus modeled its use for us in Matthew 4 where He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus responded to every temptation put before Him by quoting the Words of God. It is written… prefaced each response.

Do you know what is written? You should.

Memorizing and meditating on the Word is not an option IF you want to live a victorious Christian life. Jesus used Scripture to combat the attacks of Satan so should we!

Jewish people used to memorize entire books of the Bible. They didn’t have written copies of the Bible to haul around with them, so what they had in their head was it.

How much do you have in your head?

God did not give us His word so that we could carry it to church on Sunday or decorate our coffee tables. He gave it to us so that we could attack the enemy. He gave it to us because He loved us and He knew we were going to need it.

When I was younger my sister, out of love, bought me a membership to a gym. It was really sweet of her and it would have been a great gift IF I had used it. But I didn’t and unfortunately having a gym membership is not the same as going to the gym.

The same is true with God’s Word. Having a Bible is not the same as using it. If you never open it, if you never mediate on it, if you never memorize it, you will never change.

God gave His word to us out of love. He REALLY wants us to use it.

Love,
Jill

Helmet of Salvation

Ephesians 6:17a

and take the helmet of salvation

Good morning Zebras,

I tried to write this yesterday, but after an hour and a half of trying to figure out what to say I gave up. I have learned that when it “don’t come easy” there is something wrong.

And there was.

Yesterday as I tried to write about the helmet of salvation, I wrote about the importance of guarding our minds. I wrote about taking every thought captive and about thinking on things that are lovely and true. I wrote about our responsibilities as believers.

It was all true, but it wasn’t the point of the helmet. The helmet is made from salvation and that isn’t about us and what we are supposed to do, it is about God.

God has given us our salvation. We didn’t do anything to earn it. It is just a free gift, something that we are supposed to “take.” When we do it transforms the way we think.

Before Christ we were all concerned with the things of this world. A basic “what you see is all there is” mentality. We were driven to get “it all” because this is all there is to get. Sayings like “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” and “He who dies with the most toys wins” drive us on to grab with both hands everything the world has to offer.

But after salvation God opens our minds and we realize that isn’t true.

What we see isn’t all there is, in fact it is only a shadow compared to what is to come. And “what is to come” is a new heaven and a new earth and eternal life in the presence of God. We begin to understand what is unseen is WAY greater than what is seen.

That is what it means to wear the helmet of salvation. It means our thinking has been transformed. Now we know this world is not our home, that Christ has conquered the power and penalty of sin, that we are new creatures in Christ who do not need to give in the worries and demands of this world.

It means we have hope.

Love,
Jill

Shield of Faith

Ephesians 6:16

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Good morning Zebras,

Today we are picking up our shield, a shield designed for battle.

In the Roman world that would have been a two foot by five foot shield covered with leather. For Christians it is our faith.

The Bible defines faith as having confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. It is believing in the power and promises of God even when every ounce of common sense tells you not to. It is what the ancients were commended for.

And it is absolutely necessary if you are going to withstand the attacks of the enemy.

Notice the verse says: with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. It doesn’t say IF the evil one decides to send some arrows your way this shield would be helpful, nor does it say there will be only one or two arrows. It is written to remind us that the evil one does send flaming arrows and he sends a lot.

I used to be rather embarrassed to talk about Satan. I thought it made me look stupid. Believing in God is one thing, but believing in Satan, well that’s quite a different matter.

But that was a mistake. Satan loves nothing better than for us to think he does not exist. Then he can go about his business of spreading lies, hate, depression and self-doubt without ever being recognized. We just think we are having a bad day or that we are “a mess.” We don’t put up our shield because we don’t realize we are under attack.

That’s why it is important to walk alongside other Christians and really be honest about what’s going on. They can help us recognize the arrows of the devil and encourage us to pick up that shield. They can help us to think truth and recognize lies.

The Romans used to lock their shields together and march against the enemy like a solid wall. Christians need to do the same. A lone Christian is easy prey.

Satan is a busy guy. You never know when he will shoot an arrow at you. That’s why we must always walk by faith using our shield. Because if we do not, by faith, quench Satan arrows they will light a fire within us, steal our joy and cause us to disobey God.

Love,
Jill

Gospel of Peace

Ephesians 6:15

and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Good morning Zebras,

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving weekend. Last week I started a series on the armor of God and I have continued thinking about it ever since.

We started with the belt of truth, the first piece to be put on and the piece that holds everything else in place. Getting your thinking in line with the truth of Scripture is a task that is so worth the effort. Understanding that God is holy, sovereign, all-powerful, good, loving and on your side is a truth that will change your life.

Next we put on the breast plate of righteousness, which is the right standing and divine nature given to us by God through the cross. Living like we are children of God is necessary for our good mental health. No one is happy as an underachiever.

Today we get to the gospel of peace which Paul compares to shoes.

When I was young the most important thing about a shoe was its looks. I was willing to sacrifice comfort for fashion but walking nine miles a day as a letter carrier cured me of that. Having a shoe I could walk in all day was crucial to getting the job done. I gained a new appreciation for good shoes

Recently I have gained that same appreciation for the gospel. I used to think that the gospel was only for the “lost.” The fact that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose again on the third day was great news but you really only needed to hear it once. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Getting up each morning and putting on the gospel is the best thing a girl can do for herself, because the gospel is the greatest demonstration of the love and power of God. Christ’s death and resurrection reconciled us to God and defeated the power of sin. It is the reason that we can walk through the difficulties of life with peace. And wearing it gets us ready for whatever lies ahead.

Maybe I am the only mother who almost always says to their children, “Are you ready to go, do you have your shoes on?” before leaving the house. But I don’t think so. We all know that it is important to have physical shoes on to go anywhere.

And it is important to wear the right shoes. We know we need to match our shoes to the task at hand. As Christians our task is to reach others for Christ and for that we need the “shoes of the gospel.” Fortunately they go with everything.

Love,
Jill

Breastplate of Righteousness

Ephesians 6:14

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

Good morning Zebras,

The Armor of God is a portion of Scripture I often return to. It seems so simple and yet so difficult at the same time. I know that these are things we are supposed to put on to protect us from Satan but I struggle with the exact meaning of each piece.

Yesterday’s z-mail on the belt of truth got me started thinking about it again.

The belt is the first piece we are commanded to put on and it is the first piece a Roman solider would put on as well. Unlike Americans who use belts for decorations the soldiers put the belt on first because it was the piece that held the rest of the armor in place. And according to my son it was the piece that hung down and protected the legs. (Funny until this morning I never noticed that there were no pants.)

The next piece is the breastplate of righteousness. This piece of armor was made of metal plates or chains and covered the soldier’s body from neck to waist both front and back. It symbolizes the believer’s righteousness in Christ, the righteousness that God has imparted to us because of our faith in Jesus.

But according to The Bible Exposition Commentary it also symbolizes the righteous life that we are supposed to be pursuing. And it is important that the two match up.

Satan is the accuser, but he cannot accuse the believer who is living a godly life in the power of the Spirit. The life we live either fortifies us against Satan’s attacks or makes it easier for him to defeat us.

As a teacher I can tell you some of the most miserable children in my class were often “gifted” children who were not “living up to their potential". Their parents were usually displeased with them and they were often displeased with themselves. The disparity between their abilities and their performances made them unhappy and left them open to attack. They were the only ones who could rectify the situation.

Spiritually, according to this commentary, the same is true of us.

Love,
Jill

Belt of Truth

Ephesians 6:11-12

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Good morning Zebras,

Every day I become more and more convinced of the truth of this statement.

Take yesterday for example, my kids had an event they needed to go to that was an hour away. Since I am recovering from surgery and can’t drive and their father was at work they needed to drive themselves if they wanted to go.

Katherine is a good driver, but she only drives around town and I was a little nervous about her driving somewhere she didn’t know in bad weather, but I prayed about it, gave it over to God and sent them off with instructions to call when they arrived.

But they forgot. And Satan had an opportunity to cause mischief.

“God is going to test you”, he whispered, “He is going to let your children die to see if you really believe what you say.”

But that is not the way God works. God does not need to kill my children to know my heart. He already knows my heart and He knows what I believe. And killing my children to prove a point is not consistent with the character of God.

So instead of worrying I prayed. And God prompted them to call.

Satan knows my weaknesses and he will say anything and do anything to get me to doubt God. He knows my past and he knows which buttons to push to make me crazy. And he knows yours too.

Satan is a liar; in fact he is the father of lies who is constantly prowling around looking for someone to destroy. That is why it is so important that we do not walk around unprotected. God gave us armor and we need to wear it, starting with the belt of truth which holds all the other pieces in place.

Love,
Jill

Building Foundations

Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Good afternoon Zebras,

A friend recently told me the medical community has come up with a new theory about broken hips. They used to think people fell and broke their hips, now they are thinking maybe the hip breaks causing people to fall.

That makes sense to me. I never could understand why some people could take horrible falls and break nothing and other people would break their hips just bending over to pick up their paper. But it makes sense if it is the hip that gives way first. If the foundation gives way a person is going to fall.

The same is true in the Christian walk.

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to be able to weather horrible trials, fixing their eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of their faith while others, in similar situations crumble?
I think it has to do with their foundation.


Jesus said in Luke 6:47-49
Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."

No one else can build our foundation for us, nor can we stand upon someone else’s. We each must build our own, by accepting Jesus' finished work on the cross, studying God's Word, obeying what He reveals and spending time in His presence in prayer.

Love,
Jill

Know Truth

2Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Good morning Zebras,

Last night I watched a movie about William Tyndale, the man in the 1500’s who was led by God to translate the Bible from Greek and Hebrew to English. Prior to Tyndale’s work only the priest and the clergy had copies of the Scriptures and people were being put to death for learning it.

The thought was that the common man could never understand the complex thoughts that are contained in the Bible and it would only confuse them. Therefore the people needed church leaders who were better educated to explain it to them.

Unfortunately they didn’t always explain it accurately.

In the old days before there were fancy machines to do it for us, people were taught to recognize counterfeit money by studying real money. I guess if you look at real money long enough it is easy to spot a fake.

The same is true with the Scriptures. The best way to recognize false teachings is to have spent time looking at truth.

Yesterday on Facebook someone tried to comfort a friend who was suffering with “God never gives you more than you can handle.” But that is not true and it is not comforting. Of course God gives us more than we can handle, but He never gives us more than He can handle.
The verse that is being misquoted is 1 Corinthians 10:13 which deals with temptations not trials. God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Trials have a whole different purpose. According to James trials are given to test and grow our faith so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Biblically we should be rejoicing in our trials and fleeing from temptation. Not the other way around.

William Tyndale gave his life so that we could have a Bible of our own. But having one and never reading it is no different than not having one at all.

Love,
Jill

Working Together

1Corinthians 12: 12-14,18

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many…God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

Good morning Zebras,

Lately I have been struck with the interdependence we have as believers. Just as sin entered the world through one man, havoc and discord can enter the body of believers the same way. One person, who does not watch their “life and doctrine” closely, including their tongue, can cause a lot of problems.

On the other hand salvation also came to the world through one man and one man or woman totally committed to God can bring a the presence of God into any situation

All of us understand the allegory of the body that all parts need to work for us to be healthy and happy. We can function without one eye or one hand or one foot, but we cannot function as well. And we cannot function at all if the heart decides not to work.

And we all have been in work situations where one person, or two or even three do not “pull their weight.” For whatever reason they just don’t do what they are supposed to do and everyone suffers.
So it is with the body of Christ.

If you do not make to time in your busy schedule to sit at the feet of Jesus everyone around you suffers.

Too often we think of the work we need to do for the body is the tasks we need to accomplish, the bulletins we have to fold or the classes we have to teach, but the real work begins before that. It begins with your relationship with Christ and with prayer.

I am a better person after I spend time with Jesus. And so are you. And we are both more in tune with what God is asking us to do.

Love,
Jill

You Have Worth

Psalm 139:13-14

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Good morning Zebras,

Yesterday I watched Chariots of Fire. It is a movie I have watched before and I thought it was about Eric Liddell, the Olympic runner who, in 1920, refused to run on Sunday. But after reading a book about him and then watching the movie again, I would say that it isn’t really about Eric at all. It is about why you run.

The movie has two main characters, Eric and Harold Abrahams. Eric is a missionary’s son from Scotland who knows God has made him fast and uses it for His glory. Harold is an insecure Jewish man who feels left out of the English power world and uses his running to “beat them one by one.”

Eric runs from strength, Harold runs from need.

In one scene Harold is sharing with a friend his fears about the upcoming Olympic race. He says he feels like he has 10 seconds to prove his life has worth. How sad!

Now I know this is Hollywood and that conversation probably never happened but the idea still makes me sad. In fact I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it.

We can never have worth outside of our relationship with God and our life will never have any meaning if He is not the center of it. It doesn’t matter how much you do or how hard you work, or what you accomplish, worth, like love cannot be earned.

God gave us worth when He created us. It is not something we have to strive for. It is something we have. But too many women don’t see that. They think they are worthless, or at least worth less than they are so they run and strive and wear themselves out proving that they have value.

Ladies you have value-God made you. But unless you slow down long enough for God to tell you that Himself you are never going to believe it.

Love,
Jill

You Are Loved

1John 4:19-20

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

Good morning Zebras,

I love you and God loves you, but not in that order.

I was praying about what to write this morning when I got a call from a precious Zebra sister. When I told her how much she meant to me she started to cry.

“Jill,” she said, “if you really knew me you wouldn’t think so highly of me.” And then she proceeded to share with me the reasons that she is not worthy of my admiration.

It broke my heart. But what made me even sadder is realizing that too many women feel this way.

Isn’t it funny that when someone we don’t know tells us they love us we think, “You can’t love me you don’t even know me.” Yet when someone we know tells us they love us we think “You wouldn’t love me if you really knew me”

Both are the wrong way to think about love.

As humans we think of love as something that can be gained and therefore lost, but that isn’t God’s view of love. God loves us because He IS love. It isn’t about us at all, it is all about Him.

I love this lady because she is my sister in Christ. A precious woman who loves the Lord and desires to live a life that is pleasing to Him. Not because of what she does. And that is why I can love Zebras I have never met. I do not love you because I know you; I love you because of God.

Have a wonderful weekend little Zebras, knowing you are loved far more than you realize not because you are a “good girl” but because you are “God’s girl.”

Love,
Jill

Goodness vs Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Good morning Zebras,

This month our “herd” (what we call Zebras) is pondering on the grace of God. The herd meeting is Saturday, so yesterday Women’s Ministry sent out a reminder which included the following questions to help people focus on what God would have them share. How have you seen God's grace in your life? Where is God currently showing you His grace? How can you show God's grace to others?

I have to be honest when the e-mail came in I was in a BAD mood. I had been arguing with my husband and the last thing I was focused on was the grace of God.

But reading the e-mail changed all that. I started thinking about the grace God had shown me in the hospital. The surgery went well, I had a private room, my nurse was named “Joy” and the device they used to keep my leg immobilized felt like my dog was sleeping on my feet.

Laying there in the hospital I felt the loving hand of God and began to praise Him for being good but He stopped me.

“What have you learned?” He asked.

“That You are good not because of what You do but because of who You are. And even if everything had gone wrong You would still be good.”

“Right, so this is not proof of my goodness, but an example of my grace.”

Some people might say that I am splitting hairs that “goodness” and “grace” are the same thing, but they’re not. They are always listed as separate attributes.

I could explain to you the theological explanation but I think it would be WAY more fun if you figured it out for yourself.

Love,
Jill

God's Greatest Gift

Psalm 139:5-6

You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Good morning Zebras,

Yesterday morning I was reflecting upon my hospital stay and praying about what to write to you. When I called Janet to tell her that I was “back on the job”, I found out she had already posted a z-mail for the day. Since I was having trouble organizing my thoughts anyway, I took that as a sign from God and took one more day off.

This morning I got up and read what Janet had posted and I had to laugh, it was perfect.

Learning to “be still” is something that has changed my life.

Over the past year God has taught me that He is holy, sovereign and powerful, that He is far greater than I ever imagined Him to be and far more capable.

Not only is He worthy of my worship and admiration, He is also worthy of my obedience.

He has taught me that obedience is a privilege not a chore. He doesn’t need my feeble efforts on His behalf but He desires them and then uses them in ways far greater than I could ever imagine.

He has taught me that it is better to follow Him and seem stupid than follow the wisdom of the world and be stupid.

He has taught me that He is always with me-ALWAYS!

He has taught me that eternity is real and that this world is not my home.

And He has taught me that He loves me.

Knowing that God has “enclosed me behind and before” used to make me a little nervous. It did not offer me the comfort it did David. I did not want anyone, including God, telling me what to do. But that is because I didn’t know God.

My Bible lists the theme of Psalm 139 as: God is all-seeing, all-powerful, and everywhere present. God knows us, God is with us, and His greatest gift is to allow us to know Him.

And I couldn’t agree more.

Love,
Jill

Discouraged?

2 Corinthians 10:5b

…we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Good morning Zebras,

Yesterday morning I woke up discouraged. No BIG reason, just a lot of little things that needed to get done adding up to too much to do in one day. You know the feeling-done before you even get started.

When I sat down to do my quiet time my Bible opened to Matthew 28 and my eyes fell upon the heading Jesus Appears to the Women. Since I am a woman I was curious about what Jesus had said to them.

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

What struck me about this passage was Jesus’ attention to their feelings. The women were happy Jesus had risen but they were also afraid. So Jesus personally came to reassure them. That is so cool! And He does the same thing for us through His Word.

God knows we are emotional creatures. He made us this way. I was feeling discouraged and it felt wrong. But feelings aren’t sin they are just feelings that need to be dealt with. So I did a word search on “discouraged” to see what the Bible had to say.

What I found was very encouraging. God told His people numerous times in the Old Testament not to be afraid or discouraged because He knew they would be both.

All of us get discouraged; all of us want to throw in the towel. That’s why God gave us verses like these:

Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

1 Chronicles 28:20
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

And even though I didn’t write to you yesterday, it wasn’t because I was discouraged, it was because I got distracted. But that is a whole other z-mail!

Love,
Jill

The Matrix

Ecclesiastes 12:13

The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil

Good morning Zebras,

Last week I watched The Matrix. It is not a Christian film and it’s rated “R” so I’m not recommending you watch it, but there was one scene I can’t get out of my mind.

The film depicts a future in which reality as perceived by most humans is actually a simulated reality created by machines to pacify and subdue the human population, while their bodies' heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source.

Obviously the entire movie is far-fetched. Human beings are not batteries for intelligent machines that have taken over the world. But what was interesting to me was how the machines kept the humans from seeing reality.

They kept the humans so focused on the false world that they were creating that they never noticed they were actually asleep in a pod being used as batteries.

I think Satan uses a similar trick with us. He keeps us so focused on the world and the things of the world that we forget what our main purpose is, which is to glorify God.

Nice cars, nice houses, good jobs and a good education are all great things but they are not why God saved us. God saved us for one reason, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.

But we keep getting distracted.

The scene that I keep thinking about happens right at the end of the movie. “Neo” the hero, finally “gets it”. He finally understands that the world he “is in” doesn’t really exist. It’s just a bunch of computer codes creating a reality simulation. And because of that he can live differently. The computer can no longer fool him because his eyes can see the truth.

It is difficult not to get caught up in the “things” of this world. Not just the worries and the problems, but the blessings as well. It’s where we live; it is what is all around us. But in a way it isn’t what is real. At least it is not what is eternal.

Love,
Jill

Not Quite Right...

1 Corinthians 12:14-16

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.

Good morning Zebras,

On Tuesday I wrote a z-mail about watching what you say. I knew it sounded a little harsh but I had my husband and another Zebra read it and they both said it was fine. I knew it was what I was supposed to write about, so I sent it, but I still had a nagging feeling that it wasn’t quite right.

When I went to check the “watering hole” on Facebook to see if any Zebras had responded, I saw that God had prompted Laura, a Zebra I’ve never met, to soften the edges. Her response was perfect. I copied it and sent it out to the women of my church who do use Facebook, so they could have the additional insight.

The only concern I had left was the blog. I thought about posting Laura’s comment but it seemed like a lot of work, so I said a quick prayer and trusted God to take care of it.

Yesterday, I found out that I forgot to post the blog on Tuesday. I wrote it, I saved it, but I never pushed the publish button. Maybe my z-mail without Laura’s response would have been too harsh for some people and I think God intervened.

I could have done nothing Wednesday, I could have said “This just doesn’t seem right. I know it is a little off. I don’t think I’ll send it.”

But if I had given in to those thoughts, I would’ve missed a great reminder from God: “It’s not about you.”

God doesn’t ask that we be perfect, He only asks that we be willing to try. He has given all of us different abilities, personalities and talents. No one is an island, no one is always “right” and everyone is important to the Body.

It is easy to say “I’m not good enough, I think I’ll quit.” It is much harder to know you are not “good enough” and try anyway.

Love,
Jill

Acceptable Offering

Genesis 4:6-7

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Good morning Zebras,

Yesterday I woke up depressed. I didn’t want to get out of bed. I just wanted to pull the covers over my head and be left alone. But of course I didn’t. I knew it was self-pity, which is a sin, so I got out of bed and fled to the Bible to talk to God.

He took me to this verse. A very familiar verse to me, one God has used many times when I am depressed. It always makes me look at what I am doing that is causing me to feel so sad.

Yesterday I thought it was because I haven’t been going to the gym. I know I am supposed to go to the gym to strengthen the muscles in my leg before surgery, but I don’t like the gym and I find every excuse in the book not to go.

But this morning I realized it wasn’t the gym at all, it was the fact that I was hanging on to a ministry that God had clearly told me to let go.

The funny thing about all of this is, of course, that is the context of the verse. Cain has brought an offering to the Lord. He has “done” something for God, but the problem is he hasn’t done the thing God asked him to do. Either he did what was easier or he did what he wanted to do, we're not sure, but we know it was wrong because the text says: The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.

And look how Cain reacted: So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Cain got angry and depressed.

Doing God’s work without God’s blessings is tiring, draining and depressing. But doing God’s work with God is the most amazing experience in the world.

Leaving a ministry that you love, that you know God called you to is never easy, but it is Biblical and necessary if you want God’s blessings upon the work.

Love,
Jill

Say What???

2 Timothy 1:11-13

And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Good morning Zebras,

Over six months ago I prayed to see God as He is and not through my American eyes and the result has been that God has “grown.”

Of course we all know that God doesn’t really grow, He’s as “big” today as He was yesterday and just as big as He will be tomorrow because He is unchanging. Immutable is one of His attributes, but my perception of Him has certainly grown and I don’t believe I am anywhere near finished.

This has all made me very sensitive to certain words and phrases Christians say, words that are really quite harmless but perpetuate our misunderstanding about God.

For example, someone shared on Sunday “It is difficult to trust God.” And I heard God say: “It shouldn’t be.” I have said those exact same words a hundred times, but is it really difficult to trust God? I don’t think it is IF we really know who He is. If we know He is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving, trusting Him should come easy.

Secondly, Christians sometimes say “God needs me to ....” No, He doesn’t. It doesn’t matter what you are talking about God didn’t need you to do it. In His sovereignty He allows you to do things, He desires for you to do things, but He doesn’t need you to do things. God can use rocks-He really doesn’t NEED our help.

A related thought is “God has to…” as if God owes us something. He doesn’t, we owe Him. God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness, it is our responsibility to add to it. He has already given us eternal life, and He didn’t have to give us that, everything else is just gravy.

And finally, Christians love to pray “God be with us.” God is always with us. He lives inside of us. He walks with us every day, through everything, at all times. We never need to pray that God will be with us.

As I read the New Testament, I am constantly challenged by Paul, Peter, John and the rest of the apostles. I keep thinking “How did they do it?” How did they stand up to torture and persecution and hardships? How did they keep going and not get discouraged.

What I have decided is that they knew God.

Love,
Jill

Choices

Jonah 1:2

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.

Good morning Zebras,

There are a lot of lessons in the book of Jonah, but I think my current favorite is: Just because the ship is at the dock doesn’t mean you should get on it.

We all know the story. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to tell them to repent but Jonah didn’t want to go. He had his reasons. The footnote in my Bible says:

Nineveh was a powerful and wicked city. Jonah had grown up hating the Assyrians and fearing their atrocities. His hatred was so strong that he didn’t want them to receive God’s mercy.

So Jonah ran. I can just see him running to Joppa, praying all the way. Maybe he was praying as I do when I don’t want to do something. “Dear Lord I know you told me to go to Nineveh, but maybe I heard You wrong. If You really want me to go, close the door to my escape and don’t provide a ship. Then I will KNOW You want me to go to Nineveh”

I can just imagine his relief when he saw that ship! “Yeah, I don’t have to go! God provided a ship and I can sail in the other direction!”

We all know the rest of the story. God really did want Jonah to go to Nineveh so He provided a storm, a big fish and a little readjustment to Jonah’s attitude.

In life we are all faced with choices. One looks hard and one looks easy. One is the way God wants us to go and one is the way that makes sense. Following God and obeying His commands does not appear to make sense. It does not appear logical to the world and sometimes it doesn’t even appear logical to other Christians.

That’s why we have to rely on God. James writes: But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,


Often times as Christians we pray for open and closed doors, clear signs of God’s purpose for our life, and that’s good, but I think it is even a greater test of our faith if He leaves both doors open and trusts us to pick the right one.

Love,
Jill

Honor God

1 Corinthians 1:26-27

but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

Good morning Zebras,

I did something yesterday I never do I sat down in the middle of the day and watched a movie. For some reason I was tired and when I got home from running errands I popped Facing the Giants into the DVD player and plopped down on the couch.

Now I figured most Christians had seen this movie, but I guess I was wrong. Last night at Awana I mentioned it to two ladies and neither one of them had seen it. It is a great movie, and I recommend you watch it, not because of its acting or its cinematography but because of the truths about God it contains.

I think there are three main truths in this movie: nothing is impossible with God; do not be afraid because God is with you, and if you honor God He will honor you. Truths, when applied to our lives, will transform it from the mundane to the spectacular.

Last week I read the life story of Eric Liddell, the Olympic runner who refused to run on Sunday giving up his chance at a gold medal rather than dishonor God. His country, which up until that point had loved him, turned on him. They wanted their medal and they wrote horrible things about him in their papers. But Eric would not be swayed. He knew that honoring God was more important than peoples’ opinions or a gold medal.

Since he wouldn’t run on Sunday he was given the opportunity to run in a different race on Monday. It was a long distance race and Eric was a sprinter but Eric agreed and God honored his obedience. Not only did he win the race, he set a new World Record. If this sounds familiar it is because his life story was made into the movie Chariots of Fire.

Facing the Giants is a fictional story, Chariots of Fire is not, yet they both teach the same truth, if you honor God He will honor you.

God does not need hugely talented people, He does not need the “best and the brightest", He does not need people who think they are doing Him a favor by helping Him out. He needs us, people whose hearts are set upon honoring Him above all else, because it’s not about us, it’s about Him. He is Sovereign Lord, able to do anything He desires to do. And amazingly He desires to honor us when we honor Him.

Jesus said: So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. And I think that is the ultimate honor.

Love,
Jill

Give An Answer

1 Peter 3:15b

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Good morning Zebras,

Last night I had to take my mother-in-law to the emergency room. She was having an irregular heartbeat, which thankfully turned out to be nothing, but it gave me some time to sit and pray about my talk for Saturday at the Ladies’ Tea.

As I’d shared earlier this week, I think I’m going to be talking about the hope Christians have and what that means, so of course today’s verse came to mind. The more I prayed and thought about it the more I realized it is quite a challenging verse.

First, as Christians it’s assumed the “hope we have” will be evident to others. Peter said “be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks.” That means people are supposed to be asking. Do people ask you? They don’t ask me.

And second we are to have an answer when we are asked. Do you have one? A good one? Or is it just “I have hope because Jesus loves me.” That’s true, but incomplete. Jesus loves everyone; remember He came to save the whole world not just us.

This morning I decided I needed more information so I did a word search on “hope.”

This is what I found. Our hope is in Jesus, but not just because He loved us and died on the cross for our sins, but because in doing so He made a way for us to be reconciled to God. When God made man it was intended they would “walk together.” God would provide all their needs and they in turn would worship and love Him.

The Fall ended that. Instead of the perfect life God designed for us, we got a life riddled with sin, AND we got separated from God. A holy God cannot indwell a sinful people.

That is what Jesus fixed and I believe, the real reason for our hope.

I have hope because I know that Jesus’ finished work on the cross allows me to approach the throne of God, to take every concern and request to God, who will hear my prayers, not because of me, but because of His Son and He will answer them. I have hope because I know God, the maker of heaven and earth, who holds in His hands all power and authority, loves me because I love His Son and put my faith, not in my abilities, but in Christ’s. I have hope because God put inside of me the Holy Spirit, the power that raised Christ from the dead, allowing me to live a victorious life and sealing me for all eternity as His. And I have hope because I know if I needed God to part the Red Sea for me, He would. He’s just like that.

Love,
Jill

Getting It Right

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Good morning Zebras,

I sure can see how Christians get confused.


I was taking my son to school this morning and he was dreading the day before him. It is cardio day in PE which means a LONG run and then he has a presentation in ACDECA that he stayed up until 1:00 am preparing. Public speaking isn’t his favorite thing and no sleep is only making it worse.

So being the good little godly mom that I am I tried to encourage him with wisdom from the Bible.

I started off with today’s verse. God has made this day and we are command to rejoice. But that didn’t seem to help so I pulled out: As a man thinketh so he is, and went on to expound on the fact that if he thinks he is going to have a bad day he will, but if he changes his thinking, he can change his day.

After I dropped him off I started thinking about what I had said. It sounded way too pop culture to be from the Bible so I came home and looked the verse up in context. I don’t want to explain what it says, but trust me it doesn’t say what I just told Nick.

Then I looked up today’s verse as well.

Psalm 118 starts with: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. And includes such wonderful truths as: In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. And The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Ending as it begun with: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

After reading the whole Psalm I was sure it must have been written by David after one of his many victories, but again I was wrong. The author is unknown and the theme is listed as: Confidence in God’s eternal love. God’s love is unchanging in the midst of changing situations. This gives us security.

The Bible says All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. But I think that only works when we actually know what it says.


Love,
Jill

You'll Get In!

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Good morning Zebras,

This morning I had to run off to the doctor’s and get a “medical screening” to see if I am healthy enough to have surgery next month. To be honest I was a little nervous, I wasn’t sure I was going to pass.

So I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when the doctor said I didn’t need to come in because all we had to talk about was how healthy I am. He told me I have absolutely nothing wrong with me and my cholesterol and blood pressure are both really low. In fact my “bad cholesterol” is exactly what doctors hope for. Then he went on to say, “You just got good genes.”

And that is the truth. I have done nothing to warrant test results like that.

I do not eat five fruits and vegetables a day and exercise thirty minutes a day. I do not avoid fatty foods or sugar. I do nothing different than the average person and yet I am, according to the doctor, REALLY, REALLY healthy.

We have been studying The Book of The Revelation, (as Precepts calls it,) some of us are struggling with the fact it can be depressing. Since Revelations was written to encourage believers, it seems wrong that we are finding it depressing. This morning I was praying about why we’re discouraged by this study.

“Dear Lord,” I asked, “Why are we not encouraged about a book that reassures us You win?”

And this is what I came up with, maybe somewhere deep down inside we have a little doubt about whether or not we are on “the winning side” Maybe we are afraid, like I was today that we are “not going to pass” the test.

But just like the test today was not dependent upon what I had done, being on the winning side or God’s side is not dependent on us.

I think inside all of us are afraid we’re not “good enough” to be on “God’s Side” or to get into heaven. We aren’t. But Jesus is and He’s our ticket in.

From the very beginning it was never about us, it was always about God. God chose Abraham, He chose David, and He chose us. All we have to do is believe.

Love,
Jill

Hope

Hebrews10:23

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful

Good morning Zebras,

Awana conference season is over so my focus is shifting away from training the faithful to my next task which is the outreach event for our church. On the way home from Reno I was praying about what I should say and trying to switch gears in my head. You don’t say the same thing to the lost as you do to the believer. Or do you?

Jesus chastised the religious leaders for their hardened hearts and religious rituals. He trained, warned and encouraged the disciples and He taught forgiveness to the lost. But to everyone He gave a message of hope.

And that is what I think God wants me to talk about on Saturday-hope.

From the time we were little girls we all had hopes, but too often those hopes are not fulfilled. Maybe Prince Charming never came or he came and he wasn’t enough. Maybe we didn’t become the doctor, or lawyer, or Indian Chief that we dreamed of or we did and we found out that it was just a “job”. Maybe God did not give us the family we had hoped for or He did but then He allowed them to be taken away. Or even worse maybe everything is “perfect”, but something inside of us is still sad and often times we don’t even know why.

I have a friend that used to say, ‘Low expectations are the key to happiness.” Basically if you don’t hope for a lot then you are happy with what you get. And I have found that to be true. There is nothing worse than dashed hopes. But I don’t think it is Biblical.

I think God would say that the key to happiness is hoping in the right thing.

As Christians our hope is in Heaven where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Our hope is in the Supreme Ruler of this world who created all things for His pleasure and continues to guide and direct the events of this world. Our hope is in something far greater than anything our eyes can see. It is in Jesus, the Son of God, the author and perfecter of our faith, the perfect High priest who lives to intercede for us with the Father, who is faithful and able to do everything that He has promised and He promised would never leave us nor forsake us.

The lost don’t know the hope we have in Christ, but too often, I think we forget.

Love,
Jill

Fear NOT!!!

Psalm 34:7-9

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

Good morning Zebras,

Anyone who does not study the Old Testament is robbing themselves of some amazing truths. It is where we see the power, holiness and majesty of God, but it is also where we see His grace.

Over and over again God told His people “do not be afraid.” He knew facing the enemy was frightening but He wanted to reassure them He was with them and He would take care of them.

But often they didn’t listen.

In this week’s BSF lesson Ahaz, the king of Judah is told not to be afraid of the advancing armies and to “ask the LORD your God for a sign” and trust Him. But he didn’t. Even after the LORD said “It will not take place, it will not happen” he did not believe and chose instead to place his trust in men and made a treaty with the enemy.

How stupid we think …but really, are we any different?

If we were faced with an advancing army how many of us would have the faith to stand and wait for the deliverance of the Lord, without trying to help Him out just a little?

Not me, at least not usually.

But I think that’s what God is trying to teach me. He keeps painting me into a corner and watching to see if I will wait for Him to rescue me. Do I believe He loves me and will do what is best for me or is it all just talk?

Paul wrote, in his last letter to Timothy, the following words which clarify for me his ability to stand up for the gospel, to suffer any hardship, punishment or shame, and to go beyond what seems humanly possible for his faith: I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.

Do I know God that well? I’m not sure, but I know I want to. So I pray boldly like Moses when he requested to see the glory of God: Dear Lord, if you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you (more) and continue to find favor with you

Love,
Jill

Getting Up Early

Mark 1:35

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Good morning Zebras,

I have gotten lazy and quit taking my own advice, or I should say I have quit taking God’s advice.

I have been a firm believer for years that it’s REALLY important to get up early in the morning and set your day before God, but lately because of my schedule, I have gotten rather lax. Since I don’t have a fixed schedule to keep now, I’d slipped into the REALLY bad habit of doing my quiet time after I got my family out the door.

I would never have done that when I was working because I knew if I didn’t get my quiet time in first thing in the morning there was a good possibility I wouldn’t get it in at all. But since I have time, I figured there was no reason for me to get up at 5:00 in the morning to spend time with God when I can just do it at 8:00 after they leave. That lets me have a whole extra hour of sleep. (Yippee!)

This morning God showed me my error. For some reason when I woke at 5:00, I didn’t roll over and go back to sleep like I have been doing, I got up and wandered downstairs to chat with God. And I then realized what I’d been missing.

There is something so special about having the first thoughts that go into your head be from God. It sets the tone for the whole day and it gives God a chance to speak to me before I get distracted.

How could I have forgotten how wonderful it is?

When I did a word search on “early in the morning” I found Abraham got up early in the morning to sacrifice Isaac, Moses got up early in the morning to confront Pharaoh, David got up early in the morning to go meet Goliath, Joshua and Gideon both got up early in the morning to lead the Israelites into battle, Job got up early in the morning to offer daily sacrifices for his children and according to Luke 21 all the people came early in the morning to hear him (Jesus teach) at the temple.

Isn’t that amazing!

Ben Franklin is quoted as saying: Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Now I don’t know about the healthy or wealthy part but if you get up early and seek God I know it will make you wise.

Love,
Jill

Great News!

Revelation 4:1-2

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.

Good morning Zebras,

I know God is laughing at me.

For fourteen years I have avoided the book of Revelation. There was no way I wanted to read that “dark and scary” book. But God had other plans and I am so glad He did.

During the summer we did the first part of Revelation: Chapters 1-3 and now we are studying Chapters 4-22 and it has been one of the most encouraging studies I have done in a long time.

First there was Revelation 3 where God tells the faithful church at Philadelphia He has put before them an open door no man can shut. What an encouragement! If you are faithfully doing what God has called you to do, no man will be able to stop you, because God has gone before you and cleared the way.

And then last night we had this beautiful picture of heaven with God in control and on the throne. The video tape was excellent; Wayne Barber was so excited about God being on the throne it was impossible not to get excited with him. He said “If you can catch of glimpse of God on the throne you will never worry about anything again.”

So true.

Really understanding God is in control and this life is just a wisp frees you up from worrying about a WHOLE bunch of things that do not really matter.

The Bible says God knows what we need and He will give it to us. In Matthew 6 Jesus tells the disciples: So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

None of us know what tomorrow will bring. But God does and even if the very worst thing you could possibly imagine happens, God is STILL in control.

Love,
Jill

God's Gift

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Good morning Zebras,

When Nick, my son, was eight he got me a concordance for Christmas. I asked him to write something inside to help me remember when he had given it to me and maybe a favorite verse. So he wrote: “2003 and 2004 I hope you like it. I wanted to write my favorite verse Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

I was looking at it the other morning and I thought that is a funny verse for a kid to have as a favorite. But the more I thought about it the more I realized it is probably a very comforting verse, especially for a kid.

Kids are in the position of constantly being corrected. As parents we are always telling them what they are doing wrong. Hopefully, we are also telling them what they are doing right, but if we are honest with ourselves we might have to admit the corrections outweigh the praises.

Since we don’t correct other adults in the same way, kids might begin to feel like they are the only ones who mess up.

The truth is we all “mess” up. The Bible says There is no one righteous, not even one and If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

I think, too often, we think of sin only in terms of what we do. If we are doing “good” things we are good and if we are doing “bad” things we are bad. But it isn’t what we do that makes us sinful and unrighteous it is who we are. Since the Fall each of us were born with a sin nature. Nothing we did, just who we are. And the only way to change that is by accepting Christ’s finished work on the cross.

All of us, no matter how “good” we were, were sinners, and all of us, no matter how bad we were, can be saints. Because none of it is dependent upon us, it depends upon God.

That is why Paul can write with such conviction: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And really understanding that will set you free.

Love,
Jill