From Darkness to Light

Posted on August 9, 2013 by KD Manes under Salvation

Have you ever stumbled out of bed in the middle of the night and ran into a wall? I’ve done that a few times, mostly when away from the familiarity of my home. . . . Thank goodness for light!

Light . . . I love seeing the sunlight streaming through the clouds, painting the evening sky. I love viewing God’s creation in radiant color and clarity. I also enjoy the sun’s warmth on a cool day, and the ability to see while biking so I don’t crash into the bushes.

SUNLIGHT

For all of you trivia fans, here are some interesting facts about the sun (source: http://www.goldenkstar.com/facts/sun-interesting-facts.htm):

The sun makes up 99.86% of the mass of our solar system.
The energy being emitted from 1 square centimeter of the sun’s surface is enough to burn 64 light bulbs of 100 watt.
The earth receives 94 billion megawatt of energy from the sun. This is equivalent to 40,000 times the power requirement of the United States.
It takes up to 50 million years for energy produced at the core of the sun to reach its surface.
If a drop sized matter from the core of the sun is placed on the surface of the earth, no living organism will survive for a distance of 150 km from that drop.
An area of the sun’s surface the size of a postage stamp shines with the power of 1,500,000 candles. . . . That’s a lot of candles!

SON LIGHT

Shortly after the last night of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles celebration—where large torches lit up the skyline—Jesus spoke to the people from the temple where offerings were placed (John 8:20). Candles were burned here to symbolize the pillar of fire that led the Israelites through the desert at night (Exodus 13:21-22). The pillar of fire represented God’s presence, protection, and guidance. In this context, Jesus said:

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

Without Christ, we are spiritually lost due to our sin. This ends in spiritual death and eternal separation from God. I doubt we can fathom just how dark and horrible such an existence is.

Is Jesus the light of your world? He will lead you to safety, wisdom, victory, and truth.

Knowing God

Posted on August 2, 2013 by KD Manes under Salvation

“Knowing about God is crucially important for the living of our lives. As it would be cruel to an Amazonian tribesmen to fly him to London, put him down without explanation in Trafalgar Square and leave him, as one who knew nothing of English or England, to fend for himself, so we are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it. The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business, for those who do not know about God. Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfold, as it were, with no sense of direction, and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.” – J.I. Packer, Knowing God

Trafalgar Square

What we believe about God and what we believe about ourselves shape how we pray (or don’t pray). Some people view God in the same vein they see their earthly father. Some see Him as an angry authoritarian. Others view Him as a disinterested bystander. Sadly, many have been hurt by a church. These people may view God as a bully, hypocrite, or suffocating perfectionist. From cosmic genie to “people are their own gods,” the list varies from person to person.

So, who is the true God?

What if our understanding of God is skewed? I know I’ve been guilty in the past of placing God in a neatly packaged box.

Hebrews 1:1-3 says:

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His own Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

God is not whatever, whomever, or however our minds construe Him—apart from the Bible. To clearly understand God we need to get acquainted with His Son, Jesus, “the exact representation of God’s being.” God gave us the Bible, not just for the sake of knowledge, but also that we might come to Him and personally know Him.

The New Testament Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—present the life and teachings of Jesus. Each book focuses on a unique facet of His character. If you have never read any of them, I recommend beginning with John. Led by the Holy Spirit, he provides clear evidence that Jesus is the Son of God and by believing in Him we may have eternal life.

How has your understanding of God been shaped by family, friends, culture, church?

Do you know the truth about God?

Do you know God?

In His Time

Posted on July 19, 2013 by KD Manes under God's Call

I love to water ski. Gliding across the water gives me a sense of adventurous freedom.

Of course gliding only happens after mastering standing up, which is the most challenging part. But my Dad taught us kids a cool trick.

If we timed it right, we could step off the dock with our ski and presto—sail across the water atop our slalom ski. By holding a body’s length of rope in the left hand while holding the ski handle in the right, we’d wait. . . .

As the rope straightened between us and the boat, we stepped.

Of course the following usually occurred when stepping too soon: We dipped under the surface before flying over the ski; or the ski handle jerked out of our grasp; or both.

When we stepped too late, we jerked forward landing face first.

Timing

Thankfully, God—who marks the seasons—knows when we’re ready for the next step in our life journey.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

Maybe you have availed yourself to God and are waiting for His direction. It takes courage, surrender, patient trust, and determination to step out in faith to follow Jesus to unknown places.

Maybe God has birthed dreams and desires in your heart, but your God sized dream sits dusty and defeated on the shelf.

If you are struggling and feel stuck, don’t give up. Keep seeking God. Be faithful in the daily responsibilities where God has planted you. Our sovereign God has a reason for our waiting seasons. Being loving and protective, He doesn’t want to send us into His service unprepared. He knows what we need and is intimately engaged with us in every step of our journey.

Just as God has marked the physical seasons, he also has marked our personal seasons.

All the days ordained for me were written in your [God’s] book before one of them came to be.” – Psalm 139:16

God’s timing often differs from ours (Isaiah 55:9). In my post, My Lifeboat, I share how I struggled through a waiting season during my college days. A more recent trial and waiting period is shared in Humpty, Hubby and Me.

When our God inspired dreams appear like a mirage and Satan flaunts our flaws, it’s the perfect time to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

It’s also a good time to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5). He wants us to cast our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). He can handle all our frustrations and disappointments.

The great “I Am” intervenes in His perfect timing.

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.” – Isaiah 64:4-5

When God says “go,” let’s step with Him. The water may be choppy at times, but He will enable us to cross the waves. He will be our shield and rampart (Psalm 91:4).

*Check out Justin Ng’s Timelapse of Mount Bromo in Indonesia that he filmed over a period of 10 days—an awesome reminder of God’s power and creativity. (Hint: if the video loads slowly, you can click the blue HD and bars at the lower right.)

Of Preteens and Curve Balls

Posted on July 5, 2013 by KD Manes under God's Call

“Mom, watching Grizzly bears are for little kids!”

I’m not sure when my boys first decided that being seen with me, their Mom, was uncool. But this morning was no exception.

Disgruntled may be a mild term when I “dragged” them out of the house. It’s an opportune time, I reasoned, for mother-son bonding. We had three hours to hang out during my daughter’s VBS session. However, I forgot the stores wouldn’t open for an hour.

STRIKE ONE.

Can’t go wrong with Italian Sodas.

HOME RUN! Oh, no . . . foul ball—a little more month left than money. Oops!

Well, the surprise library visit to watch the Guinness World Record holding magician will be a hit.

Guess I didn’t know the record he held was for bouncing bubbles. Read the fine print K.D.! Maybe the fine print also stated his primary audience—preschoolers. My boys didn’t crack a smile when he dangled nine spoons from one arm and one from his nose while pulling out a six foot spoon from his bag.

STRIKE TWO.

What’s on my windshield? A parking ticket?!

“Way to go, Mom!”

A few sparks erupted, but not the holiday ones.

STRIKE THREE. “You’re out!”

Good thing I imagined this Ump, or I might have tackled him!

Finally, we arrived home. Then I discovered . . .

my blouse is inside out! Lovely.

STRESS

We all experience stress—frustration in relationships, work, finances, sickness, unmet expectations, or just the daily grind.

The Apostle Paul shared the following while chained in jail:

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation . . . . I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13

Did he say in every situation?

Positive Paul—confined inside a smelly cell—knew excruciating poverty, abundant wealth, and everything in between. But he learned to find real joy independent of changing circumstances. How?

He threw all his energy into knowing and obeying Christ (Philippians 3:8, 12-13).

Paul also knew the guilt of striking out because he once persecuted Christians. But as Christ transformed him, he shared how to overcome the guilt of failure:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” – 3:13

When our hope is in Christ, we can look forward to what God will help us become.

How do you respond to life’s curve balls? If you—like me—blow it, don’t give up. The game’s not over.

Let’s keep our eyes on the ball—Jesus Christ. He supplies inner strength and joy, even when facing unpleasant circumstances.

Thirsty?

Posted on June 21, 2013 by KD Manes under Salvation

Nothing beats a cup of cold water on a hot summer day.

Just as our bodies hunger and thirst for physical food and water, our souls hunger and thirst for spiritual food and water.

One of my favorite Bible stories is Jesus talking to the woman at the well (John 4:1-26). No respectable Jewish man would be caught talking to one like her. For she was a despised Samaritan woman, a member of the mixed race that the Jews hated. She was also known to be living in sin.

I love that Jesus crossed all barriers to share the good news of the gospel with her.

In the heat of the day, Jesus stopped by the well where she was drawing water. He said to her:

Will you give me a drink?” – John 4:7

Surprised, the Samaritan woman said:

You are Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” – v. 9

Jesus answered:

If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water . . . whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – vs. 10, 13-14

What did Jesus mean by “living water”? Several Old Testament verses speak about thirsting for God as one thirsts for water (Psalm 42:1; Isaiah 55:1; Jeremiah 2:13; Zechariah 13:1).

God is called the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9) and the spring of water (Jeremiah 17:13). Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah by forever quenching a person’s thirst for God (John 4:25-26). Only the Messiah can give this gift that satisfies the soul’s desire.

Are you spiritually thirsty? There is only One who can forever quench your thirst. His name is Jesus.