Category: General

by Rebecca Zickert

And God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. God saw the light was good and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day and the darkness he called night. And there was evening and there was morning — the first day.

GENESIS 1: 3-5

“There was evening and there was morning…” These words from the first chapter of Genesis radically disrupted the rhythm of my mind. It removed me from a rut from which I so desperately tried to be released for much of my life. In reading this chapter it dawned on me, He didn’t say “there was morning and then evening.”

My weekdays are often a rush, beginning with an alarm, perhaps a few hits of the snooze and then a dash into the new day. I have attempted to wake when there is still quietness in the house and before my mind haunts me with the “to-do” list, but as much as I’d like to be a morning person, I seem to fail again and again.

“There was evening and there was morning…” God’s words. Not man’s. We are taught and try to live knowing God’s words are for our good. They are better than any other ways this world could offer. Yet the patterns of this world tend to take over. Evening, in the book of Genesis, came before morning on the first through the sixth days, and on the seventh day He rested and “blessed” it.

As I pondered these words this January, I decided to see if God really intended a new day to begin at sunset. The following Sunday, as the sun was getting low in the sky, I began to feel excitement as my new day (Monday) was moments away. Because of my new thinking, the beautiful thing is my Monday did not begin like a typical Monday with a frantic, dreaded rush. Instead, it was ushered in with a prayer in the quietness of the evening and downtime with family, which was followed by a long eight-hour rest awakening to the last 10 hours of my Monday. What a difference! Oh, how I loved and looked forward to the setting of the sun each day and knowing the world’s night was my next day’s beginning.

I’m discovering that a new rhythm does not just flawlessly happen. To alter the time my brain views as the start of a day and to practice beginning a new day while everyone else is still in yesterday requires new, transformed thinking. I offer myself grace because I don’t want to go back to my old pattern, and I enjoy the peace in this new way.

As I came to the end of my first week, I knew that in Genesis 2:2-3, God rested from all of His work. I wondered, “Could I, too, practice a day of rest (Sabbath)?” It would mean I’d have to fight the urge of finishing up all that didn’t get finished. I worked excitedly through my Saturday during the daylight knowing that as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon, my work would cease. When it did, I exhaled. What was done was done and what was unfinished would remain so over the next 24 hours.

I went to my room and began my Sabbath by candlelight, in the darkness of the beginning of my day. I read a passage from Douglas Kaine McKelvey’s Every Moment Holy. * (I replaced “morning” with evening and “yesterday” with last week):

Meet me, O Christ, in this stillness of morning.
Move me, O Spirit, to quiet my heart.
Mend me, O Father, from yesterday’s harms.
From the discords of yesterday, resurrect my peace.
From the discouragement of yesterday, resurrect my hope.
From the weariness of yesterday, resurrect my strength.
From the doubts of yesterday, resurrect my faith.
From the wounds of yesterday, resurrect my love.
Let me enter this new day (week), aware of my need,
and awake to your grace, O Lord, Amen.

I had to fight to keep the Sabbath free of work. My mind can be very persuasive, but the fight was so worth it. The peace I received by following God’s Word seemed to spread to those around me, and even when it didn’t, His peace kept me grounded. I was awestruck by that day, wondering why I hadn’t done this before. It was a sweet gift but I still wondered, “This couldn’t happen every Sunday, could it?”

A time for God.
A time for family.
A time to rest.
A time to rejuvenate.

I’m going into my fourth month and I have to say, I never want to miss a Sabbath again. It truly is given by God to us for a reason. It is His gift to us and is so sweet if we embrace it. Life is full of challenges, whether it’s Monday or Sunday, but I have yet to experience a Sabbath that didn’t end at sunset with me in awe of how wonderful God’s blessings are if we choose to accept them.

*Every Moment Holy – New Liturgies for Daily Life © 2017 Douglas McKelve

by Pastor Joe Pullen

And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed Him. And going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed Him.
MARK 1:17-20, ESV

Ever wanted desperately to change something about yourself? Ever wanted to have a life that was far bigger than you ever imagined it could be? Great news! Today’s Scripture passage speaks about how Jesus invites us to become our fullest, best self so we can join Him in His mission to save the world from sin and evil.

Peter and Andrew were as ordinary as they come: just lowly fishermen trying to eke out a living. They were disciples of John the Baptist and saw the baptism of Jesus. Then one day, as they were fishing, Jesus came and invited them to be His disciples by saying, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Shortly after Peter and Andrew said yes to Jesus, Jesus invites James and his brother John to follow, and they also say yes.

Jesus’ invitation demonstrates that our relationship with God is one of mutual accountability and differing roles. As disciple-makers, we need to know that when making disciples as Jesus did, there is my part, God’s part, and their part. In this invitation, Jesus the disciple-maker does His part by inviting the men to follow. Their part was starting to follow Jesus. God’s part (via the Holy Spirit) was creating the desire to follow Jesus – and then changing them while they did. It is in the act of following Jesus that the Holy Spirit changes us to become more like Jesus.

Jesus is invitational and He is King. As King, He had the authority to expect those He called to respond fully and immediately. For both pairs of brothers in the scriptures above, their response when Jesus called was “immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” The Holy Spirit helped them see Jesus as King and worthy of fully abandoning their possessions, their work, and their family to follow Jesus without delay.

I want to be more like those men. Peter showed real guts when he left it all behind and went all in with Jesus. Andrew showed through his actions that he knew how fortunate he was to be called by the King. James and John said goodbye to their dad so they could pursue Jesus. Imagine what our church’s impact could be, imagine the joy and fulfillment in your life, and imagine what your relationships would be like if we all consistently responded to Jesus with immediacy and fullness!

Lord, give us hearts like these first disciples to respond to You immediately and completely whenever You speak to us. Help us see You as these first disciples did – to look at You and hear Your words – and know that You are worth all that we have. Give us boldness to live the kingdom purpose You have for us as You change us into fishers of men. In Christ’s name, Amen.

by Andrea Sloma

The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, and who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

PSALM 14:2-3, NIV

The beginning of Psalm 14 can sound pretty disheartening and maybe resonates with our own feelings about what we see around us. We’ve all had those days. The kind where you look around and see nothing but brokenness and despair. You lay your head on the pillow at night and wonder, “Is there anyone or anything good left in this world?”

Like David, the author of this psalm, you are not alone in your questions.

Psalm 14 starts off with David talking about people who say, “There is no God,” and who go about life doing whatever they want. Yet, in the midst of what is turning out to be a pretty discouraging passage of scripture, God offers a glimpse of hope.

But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.

PSALM 14:5, NIV

What this verse tells us is that even though someone can get so caught up in living a corrupt, evil life, completely devoid of Christ, they still cannot escape the presence of Christ. Not because they are looking for it, but because of those who choose to walk in it.

Part of our call as Christians is to draw people to the presence of God in this broken and fallen world. God is full of grace and mercy. He wishes to enter the lives of everyone, even those who have turned their back on Him, even those who deny Him. People are not the enemy but instead the battleground that we fight the enemy on. For some people, their only encounter with Christ and the Gospel may be what they witness in you. There are people this week who will only see God if they see Him in you; if they see Him in your actions, if they hear Him in your words.

Be the salt and light of the world.

MATTHEW 5:13-16, NKJ

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

MATTHEW 5:16, NKJ

Dear God, there are so many people in this world who have chosen to live life their own way and do not seek You. It can be so disheartening to see the evil and corruption in this world. Yet Psalm 14 ends with a promise of salvation and restoration for Your people. You always have the victory in the end, Lord. Thank you for never leaving us without the hope of our future victory in You. I pray that we draw people to your presence; in our home, our work, and our community. May our life be a testimony to Your goodness, mercy and redemption. Let others be so captivated by our light that they choose to seek a life of surrender and obedience to You.
Amen.

by Pastor Joe Pullen

…The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.
MARK 1:15, ESV

In our last two devotional blog posts, we’ve been discussing the impact of Jesus’ statement that the kingdom of God had arrived. We have learned that a kingdom requires:
A Domain
A King
Absolute Authority
Citizens

As we study the rest of the very first sentence Jesus spoke about the gospel, let’s remember that it is King Jesus who is speaking. His domain is heaven and earth and everything within them, and He is the One who has absolute power and authority over His domain. When He gives the command that follows His declaration about the arrival of the Kingdom, He has every right and privilege to issue it. Also keep in mind that the kingdom came to earth because of God’s love for the world (John 3:16).

What did our loving King command? He commanded us to (1) repent and (2) believe in the gospel.

Now, up until just a few years ago, my mental picture of being told to repent involved a fire-and-brimstone preacher behind a pulpit, wagging a judgmental finger at me, yelling, “REEEEPENNNNNNNT!!” (Twisted, huh?) Repentance was associated with shame and feeling less-than for the Lord, and so like many others, I didn’t spend a whole lot of time practicing admitting my sins. I hid them instead, letting them fester in the dark corners of my mind like mushrooms feeding on the manure of my secrets.

But little by little, God revealed to me through His Word and His people, that my lack of repentance actually created my shame and feelings of unlovability. He helped me begin to see repentance as the wrapping paper around His gift of forgiveness. I needed to shed the wrapping paper of my sins to get to the beautiful gift He had purchased for me through His Son, King Jesus. That changed everything for me.

Repentance comes from the Greek word metanoia, which means a change of mind. Unlike in our day, in biblical times, there wasn’t any distinction between thinking and behavior. Your behavior revealed your thinking. When Jesus says to repent AND believe in the gospel, He is saying, in essence, “demonstrate your belief in Me through the action of repentance.” Jesus spent three years in public ministry and this was His very first command. So, the command to repent had to be significant, but why is that?

I don’t presume to know the mind of God, but His Word teaches us that it is in expressing faith and obedience in Jesus that He affords us the gift of salvation (Rom. 10:9-13, Matt. 7:21, James 1:22, Rev. 20:12). Even better, the desire to follow Jesus and receive His gift is also sparked by God through the Holy Spirit (John 15:16, John 16:13)! Repentance, then, is God affording us the opportunity to be relieved in our conscience and hearts, no longer bearing the weight that sin and secrecy thrust upon us. It’s King Jesus commanding us to do something incredibly good for us – to release ourselves from shame, guilt, despair, hopelessness, and regret. Repentance is the place where God allows us to break agreements with evil – that I’m bad and unworthy, that no one would love me if they really knew me, and that because of my shame I have to meet my own needs due to my fear of rejection by God and others. Repentance is God’s amazing “do over” in life. What a gift!

Finally, repentance is more than turning away from sin. Repentance equally means turning towards God! King Jesus is telling us that we can turn towards the God of the Universe, who dwells in inapproachable light, whom no one has seen face-to-face and lived! The King is saying, “My cure for your shame and the sin of your past is to turn towards Me and know that I am looking back at you in love.”

Why don’t you just stop right now, turn towards God, repent of your sins, and enjoy His loving gaze upon your life?
Jesus, we thank You that Your plan for us is to release us from sin, shame and guilt, and that You willingly offer us the chance to be seen by You with eyes of love. It’s so amazing that you don’t want us to miss it, so You made it Your first command to us. Help us receive that command with joy and embrace it to the fullest. In Your name we thank You. Amen.

by Pastor Joe Pullen

Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

MATTHEW 9:35-28, ESV

If you read my last devotional blog post, you read about the significance of Jesus saying the kingdom of God is at hand. Please take a few minutes to check it out if you haven’t —  those thoughts are the foundation for today’s devotional.

When Matthew 9 takes place, it was over two years after Jesus said the kingdom of God is at hand, and He’s still preaching that same message – the gospel of the kingdom. How many pastors do you know that could preach the same message for over two years and still grow the crowd? I’m pretty certain I couldn’t do that. It must have been vital for Jesus to stay on that message so consistently. Why did He do that?

I believe that Jesus wanted people to think differently about life on earth. Jesus was born a man and grew up like the rest of us. At 30, He was baptized and the Holy Spirit descended on Him. After that, He began caring for people through miracles and the power of His Word. In this passage of Matthew, He’s at it again, preaching the kingdom and healing every disease and affliction. But what comes next is even more mind blowing to me.

Jesus told the disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers. After they did, Jesus sent His disciples out with these instructions:

Proclaim as you go, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.

MATTHEW 10:7-8, ESV

Notice what He did here because it’s easy to miss. He called His disciples to go do exactly what they had seen Him do: preach the kingdom gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. This is how the kingdom grows: through disciples doing what Jesus did through the power of the Holy Spirit.

As followers of Jesus, we too have been instructed AND empowered to go where Jesus went, say what Jesus said, and do what Jesus did, as we love like Jesus loved! 
Jesus has entrusted to us the greatest mission ever – to make disciples all over the world. Have you embraced His call to be a disciple-maker? If you do, you will quickly find that the power of the Holy Spirit will empower you to do all that He’s asked of you and you will be able to do accomplish anything for the sake of the gospel.

Embrace it, knowing the full power of heaven has been given to you to do whatever He’s asked you to do.

Would you be so brave to ask God to reveal to you someone who needs the gospel of the kingdom, and then go and share it with them? Would you use the power that Jesus has given to you to heal the sick and afflicted around you? It might just be the most rewarding thing you ever do.

by Pastor Joe Pullen

Now after John had been arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

MARK 1:14-15, ESV

When Jesus first spoke publicly about the gospel, He didn’t mention Himself at all even though He is the central figure of it. Isn’t that curious? Instead He spoke about a time, or a period of waiting, that had come to an end, and how the kingdom of God had arrived. Let’s take a look at what He meant with this statement,  because it has direct implications on how we should respond to Jesus and live our lives — and the rest of the gospel story builds on this earth-shaking statement.

Jesus said the time is fulfilled. Jesus taught here that the gospel is far, far more than God’s plan of salvation. The gospel is what God did ‘In the beginning” in Genesis, all the way to last word of Scripture (“Amen” in Revelation), and everything in between. Genesis marked the first time the natural world revealed the God of the supernatural, and Revelation is “The revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1). It’s all the gospel.

Why does this matter? When sin entered the world in Genesis 3, the domain of the created world transferred from being gifted to men and women to rule and subdue it, to being ruled and subdued by Satan and evil. But God the Father promised that a day would come when a Child of Eve would bruise Satan’s head and Satan would only be able to strike a temporary blow to the Child (Gen. 3:15). That day didn’t happen immediately, and for thousands of years, Satan had a field day with man – killing, stealing, and destroying.

All that changed when Jesus said the time is fulfilled. He announced the beginning of the end of Satan’s reign of terror, and the dawn of the age of salvation when the enemy would be rendered impotent. I envision a cosmic gasp across the kingdom of darkness when Jesus spoke those words.

This was the time all the prophets wrote about. This was the time all the priestly rituals pointed towards, and now that time was fulfilled: Jesus had arrived.

With the time of waiting fulfilled, a second tectonic shift occurred – Jesus said the kingdom of God was at hand. I love this profound statement. All the power of heaven, with the absolute rule and reign of God, had descended to earth, meaning the earth was returning to be like heaven as it was always intended to be. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” so it might change the way we think of our lives and how we live them as citizens in His kingdom.

For a kingdom to exist, it must be composed of certain elements or it isn’t a kingdom at all. A kingdom must have:
1. A Domain. You can’t have a kingdom if there is no realm over which that king reigns.
2. A King. A kingdom with no king isn’t a kingdom. It’s another form of government or just open territory with no one in charge.
3. Authority. A king without total authority isn’t a king. He must be the total authority of his kingdom or it means someone else exists in the domain with greater power.
4. Subjects. If there is a king, with a domain, and authority over that domain, he must also have subjects. Without subjects, the king is merely a property owner. Residents of a kingdom who don’t submit to the king or his authority would be rebels. The king either must convert rebels into obedient subjects or expel them from His domain in order to be a king in full authority.

With that in mind, think of the depth of what it meant for Jesus to say the kingdom of God was at hand. It meant heaven and earth are the domain of God’s Kingdom, that Jesus is the Father’s king of that domain, Jesus has all authority over it, and we are invited to be His obedient subjects. Since Jesus announced the arrival of a new kingdom in the presence of the old one, He was simultaneously invalidating the rule and reign of the enemy. Hallelujah!

So if we belong to Jesus as a citizen of His kingdom, we are under the protection of a loving King who has all power and authority over everything that happens in heaven and on earth around us. We can wake up tomorrow and face any challenge by praying:
God, whatever happens today is either the unfolding rule and reign of Your will on earth or the last-ditch efforts of a defeated foe trying to thwart the unstoppable. Though I may be defeated in a battle or two along the way, the war is already won. Help me to live in that reality and shift my eyes from my concerns to the will of your advancing, unstoppable Kingdom. In Christ’s name, Amen.

by Andrea Sloma

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?

1 KINGS 3:9, NIV

Oh, to be wise. Wise enough to know that “friend” was really just using me. Wise enough not to fall for that get-rich-quick scheme. To not let him convince me I couldn’t do better. To talk myself out of that impulsive hair cut . . . honey, bangs do not look good on you. More wisdom and discernment would have solved all of my life’s greatest mistakes, right?

Well. Maybe not.

Solomon asked the Lord for an understanding heart and discernment between good and evil, and his request pleased the Lord. Let me say that again. Solomon asking for wisdom PLEASED God. There is nothing wrong with asking for wisdom. In fact, James encourages it:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

JAMES 1:15, ESV

Solomon was given such great wisdom by God that he became the wisest man ever to live. This supernatural wisdom helped Solomon thrive as a king and rule with great justice. All of Israel heard of Solomon’s wisdom and knew it was from God. But even as the wisest man, Solomon still found himself making crucial mistakes that ultimately turned his heart away from the Lord and brought adversaries into his life. If Solomon had such great wisdom to know the difference between good and evil, shouldn’t he have known what would bring destruction into his life? Was simply having wisdom not enough?

After God granted Solomon’s request for wisdom, He asked for obedience in return (1 Kings 3:14). Solomon was to obey God’s commandments, which included no other gods or idols. Although Solomon loved the Lord, in the end he ultimately loved his idols and vices more.

When we’re conflicted between knowing what is right and actually doing it, we are ultimately having to make a decision about who or what we trust and love more. Do we trust in God’s future for us enough that we don’t need to side-step His commandments and try too achieve our desires on our own — which will likely bring more hardship?

Despite our access to wisdom, wisdom alone probably won’t keep us from getting that unfortunate haircut or making some choices we’ll later regret. However, being obedient to the Lord will keep us on the path that will protect us from turning our hearts away from Him.

Obedience brings joy and blessings to our lives. See what the psalmist wrote:

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me!

PSALM 119:1–8, NLT

Yes, wisdom is good, but without obedience we can’t act wisely.

Let’s stay on the path of obedience, dear friend. God promises it’s the path of true joy and blessings.

Dear God, You are wise. Your plan for our life is good. You always choose the best path for our life. Lord, we desire wisdom. But we know that wisdom apart from obedience and trust in You is foolishness and death. Help us remember this. Let us not be tempted to fulfill our desires apart from obedience, but instead surrender to your perfect will for us. Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit to help discern good from evil. We surrender our future to You, Lord. Keep our hearts from turning away from You. You are our first love. In your Holy name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

by Theresa Goyette

From Pastor Joe: Theresa has a pastoral heart, and serves faithfully on the CTR staff designing and implementing curriculum and reaching kids for Jesus in our Children’s Ministry. We are thankful for the way she disciples our children each week, and also for ministering to all of us with her writing here:

What comes to your mind when you hear the word grounded? If a plane is grounded, it causes all kinds of grief for passengers who were depending on that flight. If a ship is grounded on an object at sea . . . well, talk about a sinking feeling. And if a parent grounds one of their children, the whole family suffers the consequences. Am I right? This time of ‘safer at home’ feels a lot like being grounded. It’s just that everyone we know is grounded too!

There is another (positive!) meaning to that word. If a person is anxious, therapists recommend that they try grounding. Grounding can be accomplished through many techniques, but basically what is involved is getting rid of the anxious thoughts and fears that are swirling around in your mind by focusing instead on what is real and immediate. One common method is naming things that you can see, touch, hear, or smell and an emotion that you feel. Using your senses, you ground yourself in the present moment, by focusing on what is REAL and what is happening NOW.

There are so many unknowns right now that cause us to be anxious. How long will this COVID-19 crisis last? When can I see my friends and family members again? What will happen to our economy or the stock market? Will we have to go through this all over again next flu season?

When anxious thoughts occur, try this method to stay ‘grounded’ in the knowledge that God is REAL and He is here NOW.
SEE:
Look around. What do you see that reminds you that God is present? How is that evidence of God at work in your life? You can use this format: When I see___, it reminds me that God ____.
Here are few from me to get you started.
When I see… the mourning dove sitting on her nest on my front porch, it reminds me that God… can be seen in His creation and that He cares for us even more than the birds of the air. (Matthew 6:25-34)
When I see… my grandchildren over Zoom, it reminds me that God… desires me to come to Him as a little child with complete trust in Him. (Matthew 18:4)
When I see posts on Facebook of people reaching out to others, ….it reminds me that God…is at work in the lives of His people. (Eph 2:10)

TOUCH:
What can you touch that reminds you that God is present? How is that evidence of God at work in your life? You can use this format: When I touch\feel ____ it reminds me that God ____.
When I feel the softness of a blanket wrapped around me…, it reminds me… of God’s goodness and protection. (Psalm 31:19)
Now you’re getting the hang of it!

HEAR:
Think of worship songs that encourage you. Sing them out loud right where you are. If you don’t know all the words, sing the words you do know or look up the song on YouTube.
Read Scripture out loud. The spoken Word of God is powerful!

SMELL: This one is tougher, but you can do it! What can you smell that reminds you that God is present? How is that evidence of God at work in your life? You can use this format: When I smell ____, it reminds me that God ____.
When I smell supper cooking, it reminds that God has faithfully provided for me today. (Phil 4:19)

EMOTION: 
Turn this one around. Instead of dwelling on emotions you are feeling, consider what God is feeling toward you. There are so many passages that describe God’s love for His people. Here are a few to consider:
1 John 3:1 | Psalm 139:1-18 | Psalm 37:23-24

Prayer: LORD, help us to stay grounded in the knowledge that You are REAL and working in our lives right NOW. Help us to be aware of the overwhelming evidence around us that You love us. Remind us of that daily LORD. In Jesus Name, Amen.

by Rebecca Zickert

From Pastor Joe Pullen: My wife’s closest friend, Rebecca Zickert, is absolutely masterful at discerning the priorities of life and refusing to let busyness or stress to keep her from the most important joys of her world – her husband, her kids, time with the Lord, and laughing with a friend. Almost ironically though, she’s endured more trauma, betrayal, and pain in her life than any one life should ever be dealt. Perhaps that’s why she values the simple life so dearly, and perhaps that’s why she writes so convincingly about her heart’s desire decrease distractors and protect the space we’ve been given during the lockdown to savor the best that God’s given us to enjoy. Thanks for your thoughts, Rebecca:

He must increase, but I must decrease.

JOHN 3:30

After finishing the season of Lent, historically a time of voluntary fasting from food, entertainment, and the like, we have been placed in a non-voluntary place of restrictions or fasting from so many things we like to indulge. Whether you practiced fasting during lent or not, we currently feel a sense of forced restriction about so many things we’ve enjoyed when our country was “open”.

What have you been filling this seemingly confined space with? Have you been embracing this “forced fast”? Resenting it? Escaping it?

I don’t know about you, but I felt relief at the start of the lockdown. It was the first time in my adult life when I looked at a calendar with only numbers and blank squares. No work. No meetings. No practices. No concerts. But how quickly the empty space has been filled with busyness. However, I have also created space that I may not have done before for unique family time. We have all had to get creative by filling that space without going to the movies, out to eat, or to sporting events.

For me, my calendar that first appeared to be a blank canvas to beautifully fill has not left much of a time slot for Jesus, either in time alone with Him or being His hands and feet to others. Perhaps your means of filling your calendar is not with busyness, but with binge watching, social media or a slew of other things. How much of this required “fast” have you spent with the One who has given you the opportunity for sweet time with Him?

He must increase but we must decrease.

So much has been taken away from us during this time – freedom to go where we please, freedom to gather with those we love, and the ability to earn a living has been diminished. That kind of “decrease” has been mostly forced upon us. Fasting, though, is still voluntary. It’s a gift from God given on a platter right in front of us for us to enjoy with Him. When in history have we ever been given this blessed opportunity in such a lengthy volume of time? Will we ever be given it again in this magnitude?

Decrease – A heavenly gift to draw closer to Him.
Decrease – So we can increase our steps as His feet on this earth.
Decrease – So He can increase.

The choice to embrace the “ordered fast” is yours. Join with me and let’s not let this moment escape us. Let’s not miss the opportunity to decrease so that He may increase within us.

by Andrea Sloma

From Pastor Joe Pullen: I’ve had the fortune of getting to know Andrea and her husband Dominic over the last seven months. From first meeting the two of them it was clear they both embody CTR’s mission of making disciples, and both have hearts that care about people who are hurting. The two of them live it out in their ministry involvement at CTR and are getting more connected by the day. I’m inspired by their story, and equally inspired by the fact that when they began coming to CTR, they immediately tasted what our heart and values are from all of you. Well done, church! I’m excited for you to hear from Andrea today: 

Sweat is dripping down my forehead and my knees are aching. How is pushing a 17-month old in the stroller this difficult? I stare at those chubby cheeks and curious eyes and let out a long sigh, wondering if I’m doing enough for him. Is he thriving? Am I contributing enough to the family? Am I helping enough people during this pandemic?

I’ve got my podcast on and my ear buds in, but I’m only half listening. I’m letting myself get distracted by thoughts of my tired body and tired mind. Great, another episode about a mom who is doing it all – running her own business, raising a million kids, and living an effortlessly organic home-made Pinterest perfect life. I thought this podcast was about real moms, not superhuman, need-no-sleep, can-do-it-all moms.

I enjoy my afternoon walks. It’s my “alone” time. I don’t have to see the dirty dishes, the toys scattered in every room of the house, or the never-ending piles of clothes. So I’ll just walk and hope by the time I get back I’ve worked off all of my Easter candy.

I’m inspired by the go-getter mom. But I wonder where she finds the time and energy for all she accomplishes in a day. I want to be a great mom and wife, serve in my community, change the world, and still have time to shop the clearance racks at TJ Maxx (once the stores open again, of course). But I find it to be a miracle if I get more than one load of laundry done in a day AND keep my son alive.

I wonder if the unnamed heroine in Judges 9 ever struggled with these same insecurities. Her story is a beautiful reminder that we serve a mighty God who chooses to use the often overlooked and unexpected person to bring about change.

But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.

JUDGES 9:53 NKJV

This ‘certain woman’ only gets one verse in the Bible, but that’s all she needs to change history and save her people. Abimelech was a wicked king who murdered his brothers, burned to death a thousand men and women, and was about to do the same to this woman’s people. For a man, much less a king, to die at the hands of a woman was considered a disgrace in the ancient Near East. But we serve a God who continually uses the weak, poor and lowly to bring about His will. Like Abimelech, I sometime forget that God is in the businesses of using the unexpected.

We don’t know where this woman was in her faith journey or what her strengths were. I believe when it comes to the glory of God, how strong our faith is or how successful we are doesn’t matter. This verse doesn’t say, “a certain woman, who had incredible faith, raised perfect children, and was a strong leader in her community”… because it doesn’t matter, not when it’s held up against the power and strength of God. In fact, not only do we know nothing about her; we’re not even given her name. She remains nameless so that God is the only name spoken over this victory.

Anything good we do in this life, any success we have, any battles we overcome have to been given to the Lord for His glory and praise or it’s in vain.

I don’t always feel like I’m brave enough, smart enough or good enough to be used by God. But this simple heroine’s story reminds me I don’t need to be any of those things. I don’t need to have it all or do it all. We are individually unique and our call to serve the Lord is unique.

God has a purpose for your life to make Him known and bring Him glory that only YOU can fulfill.

Don’t doubt God’s ability to use you in a mighty way regardless of where you are in your faith journey. He’s known for moving mountains with only a mustard seed size of faith (Matthew 17:20).

My prayer for you and me:
God, we trust that you can and WILL use us to bring about change. We need to stop putting our own expectations on how we think you will use us and be humble and available to your plan. Help us do this Lord. Help us to not compare ourselves or our circumstances to those around us, but to know we are right where you want us. Thank you for your willingness to use us as your disciples, not because of what we have to offer but because you have the power to use anyone in any circumstance. All strength, resources, and knowledge needed to make change belong to you and come from you. Help us to not forget this. All glory and praise belong to you, God. Amen.