The Heart of the Matter (Sabbatical Post)

November 12th, 2015 dsisler

 

I’ve done a bit of redecorating. Actually, I just moved one object, but what an object it is. I’ve had my husband’s grandfather’s ladder in my family room with quilts over it since we moved into this house. I love the look and it’s always been an eye appealing corner.

 

However, there are splinters the size of embroidery needles attached to this ladder. With grandkids galore, I now felt the necessity to move this ladder for their safety. My dilemma was where to move it.

 

After much deliberation, my decision was to place it on top of the hutch in the living room. It would accompany an old window frame and the pair would bring life to an otherwise bland looking wall.

 

You see, my living room walls are 17 feet high. They are the original color of the entire house…slightly off white…and something I’ve wanted to change from the beginning. But they are 17 foot high ceilings. It would take scaffolding to do the job and that’s just something we’ve opted to neglect.

 

So my goal has been to move my décor up in this large open space. But this was by far my biggest challenge. Remember the ladder has large splinters. The weight of the quilts make the ladder very awkward to move. The hutch stands 6 foot high.

 

Our biggest fear was that the ladder would come tumbling down off the top of the hutch. We had to secure the ladder to keep that from happening.

 

After much deliberation, a piece of board was screwed into the top of the hutch to rest the bottom of the ladder on. It should, no it will hold the ladder in place. Short of an earthquake (which is not completely out of the question here in Colorado), the ladder has found its new home.

 

This may seem like an extreme idea. An idea that might have seemed impossible to some. There were moments I had my doubts, but in the end, I knew it was the perfect location for this piece of family history.

 

I’m not the only one with extreme ideas. God had a few of His own and His Son, Jesus brought some of those extreme ideas to life.

 

While in the Old Testament God presented commandments to His people, Jesus presented a new covenant in the New Testament, and Jesus took this covenant to a new level.

 

Jesus said that even if you felt hatred or anger toward another, you were committing murder (Matthew 5:21-22).

 

Jesus spoke of the thought of another was adultery (Matthew 5:27-30).

 

Jesus taught in Matthew 6:21 (NIV) about our hearts and treasure. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

Jesus preached that it was the state of their hearts that was sinful. In Mark 7:20-23 (NIV), we read these words of Jesus. “What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.”

 

I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I believe this pretty much clears it up for us. According to Jesus, it isn’t just our actions that are sinful, our thoughts and what we harbor in our hearts can be sinful as well.

 

Perhaps this is why Jesus tells us the state of His heart in Matthew 11:29 (NIV). “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.”

 

As we allow our hearts to be more like Christ’s heart, our words and our actions, as well as our motives are shifted dramatically. Our sinful hearts no longer have dominion. The gentle and humble heart of Christ is reflected through us.

 

Paul encouraged the Colossian Church with his words in Colossians 3:1 (NIV). “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”

 

As we set our hearts on heaven and God’s kingdom, our love for God and others is more visible. 1 Timothy 1:5 (NIV) says, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” All of our actions must be accompanied by love.

 

And as we set our hearts on things above, we also find strength. “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” (1 Thessalonians 3:13 – NIV)

 

And we find encouragement. “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:17 – NIV)

 

And we find direction. “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5 – NIV)

 

It is a heart thing. But we are not on this journey of transforming our hearts on our own. Jesus is with us through the entire transformation. And what a dramatic change. Not just one that we see, but one that the world sees as well. For if we do not share this transformation with others, it is useless (James 2:14).

 

I am excited that as I sit at my desk, I can see the new home of my ladder bearing the weight of its quilts. It is a new focal point and one where my eyes will be drawn frequently.

 

I am also excited that the eyes of my heart have a focal point. It is Jesus and the hope and glorious inheritance I have found in Him.

 

“I pray also that they eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:18-19 – NIV)

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy (Sabbatical Post)

November 11th, 2015 dsisler

 

Today is a special day in our family. It is my grandson Percy’s second birthday. So because we all so happy today, I’d like to share some happy verses of Scripture with you. Nothing really to say about them, but just to remind one another of what God says about happiness.

 

Balloon Parade 2014 (11)“May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.” (Psalm 68:3 – NIV)

 

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:13 – NIV)

 

“I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12 – NIV)

 

“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.” (Ecclesiastes 7:14a – NIV)

 

“Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” (James 5:13b – NIV)

 

I know that not everyone reading this blog is happy today. There are some who are ill, some who are angry, some who are sad, some who are confused, some who really don’t know what to feel.

 

For anyone who isn’t facing a happy day today, let me finish by sharing a passage from the Book of James. Perhaps you’ll find some comfort in his words.

 

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:13-16 – NIV)

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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You’re Kidding? (Sabbatical Post)

November 10th, 2015 dsisler

 

You’re kidding? Two words in my word arsenal that I use a lot. Typically for something that really is unbelievable. Something just too difficult to believe is true. My Mom uses this phrase too. I’ve heard it many times from her throughout my life.

 

I believe I used this phrase two times yesterday alone and each was in relation to my grandchildren. One has croup again and another was off to the emergency room with a possible broken elbow. Oh, I know children get hurt and get sick, but it seems like this school year has been nothing but sickness for these young ones. I guess I’ve blocked that part out of my memory in regard to my own children.

 

While we may hear of unbelievable events or unbelievable things that happen in our lives, there is one thing we can depend on and know that it is true. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit breath truth into our unbelievable world. While Jesus was on earth, His words were truth. The Bible speaks God’s truth. Our hearts are filled with the truth of the Holy Spirit.

 

But today, let’s take a look at Jesus words and see what truths He spoke to mankind.

 

Perhaps you recognize these words. “Verily I say unto you.” This is the King James Version language for “I tell you the truth” or “You can believe what I say.” If you are around my age, these might have been the words you memorized in relation to some of Jesus’ words. But if we look at these same passages in the New International Version, Jesus’ words are translated “I tell you the truth.”

 

That makes a lot more sense to me.

 

So let’s look at some of Jesus’ truthful statements and see what He has to offer us today.

 

In the Book of Matthew, Jesus is recorded saying “I tell you the truth” 29 times.

 

In the Book of Mark, “I tell you the truth” is recorded 13 times.

 

Luke uses these words 8 times.

 

And John records “I tell you the truth” 25 times.

 

We can only believe that Jesus told the truth by the number of times He assured those listening as He spoke 2,000 years ago and He tells us today. We can believe what Jesus said. We can hold Him to His word.

 

When Jesus met with Nicodemus in John 3, Jesus used this phrase three times during the conversation. Take a look at what Jesus truthfully told Nicodemus.

 

“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3:3 – NIV)

 

“I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5 – NIV)

 

“I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.” (John 3:11 – NIV)

 

Jesus clearly told Nicodemus and He tells us how to enter God’s kingdom. But He also tells us that there will be those who will not accept this as truth. The only way to enter God’s kingdom is to be born again of water and the Spirit.

 

In John 8:58 (NIV), Jesus declares Himself to be God by using God’s own words. “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!”

 

Do you recall God’s words? In Exodus 3:14, God told Abraham to tell the people that “I am” sent him. The people hearing Jesus in that moment knew exactly what He was saying. He was God. And if Jesus said it, we can believe it.

 

And then during the last night with His disciples, Jesus spoke yet more truths to this group of men. He truthfully told them that He would be betrayed and denied. And we know that these events occurred.

 

But Jesus also made a statement to encourage these men. In John 13:20 (NIV), Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I sent accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

 

You see, the disciples would go on without Jesus in their midst and they would continue to teach and preach His truths to others. And in the process, others would believe. He assured them of that. Through the Holy Spirit, these men would become great leaders of the early church and the Gospel would spread throughout the known world.

 

I believe something else we can understand from this is that it is a whole package deal. We cannot just believe bits and pieces of God’s message. We must believe and accept it all. We must accept it completely as truth. God’s truth.

 

Perhaps there were some in Jesus’ day after hearing His message said, “You’re kidding?” But Jesus never told an untruth. His words were filled to the top and overflowed with truth. You can believe it.

 

I don’t know what might happen today, but it’s quite possible that I will use the phrase, “You’re kidding?” today. But what I do know is that I can hold onto God’s Word, Jesus’ message, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance as my truth. They will continue to lead me throughout my day in their truth, just as they have done for years.

 

I pray that your day is filled with love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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The Storm (Sabbatical Post)

November 9th, 2015 dsisler

 

A couple of years ago my husband and I went on a getaway for our anniversary. We decided to go to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. September is not ski season (we don’t ski anyway), but still there is a lot to do in Steamboat. We also thought there might be a chance to get some good photos of the changing colors of the Aspen trees.

 

snowflake2We headed in the direction of Steamboat, enjoying one another’s company. In Rabbit Ears Pass, the snow began to fall. The further we went, the worse the weather became. Soon, we were in a full blown blizzard. The roads became treacherous and Mason was worried that we wouldn’t be able to finish our trip and that we should turn back.

 

My thought was that we should continue. We’d come to this point, why not keep going? We did keep going. It wasn’t pleasant, but we managed to come out on the other side of the pass without any real problems.

 

The weekend was fabulous. The sun shone the entire time we were in Steamboat and we were able to relax and enjoy our time together. All too soon it was time to head back to our daily lives. We packed up and headed home.

 

The trip home was priceless. We were rewarded with some beautiful scenery. The fresh snow covered evergreen trees and there was a stark contrast between dark and light. Aspen trees with their changing colors of yellows, golds, and reds were also contrasted between the snow that covered them. What a photographers dream. Many photos were taken on that trip home.

 

There are times in life when things are going along splendidly. No worries, concerns, or disappointments. Then a storm invades our lives out of nowhere. It becomes difficult to continue on and only with the help and strength from God are we able to do so. After the storm, something beautiful is visible. Perhaps it is a changed life. Or maybe an attitude change. Whatever it might be, God’s hand can be seen in the situation.

 

My prayer would be that in the midst of the storm, remember that there is something to look forward to on the other side. Yes, it will be difficult. Yes, you will want to give up. But don’t! Continue on and you’ll find a great reward when it is complete.

 

Vince Gill wrote a song called “The Rock of Your Love.” The chorus says,

 

“Let the storm cloud roll;

Let the rain flood my soul.

I’ll still be here when the troubles come;

Standin’ on the rock of your love.”

 

When we know that God is in the midst of the storm with us, it is much easier to weather that storm. His love, His comfort, His strength are all available to us during these difficult times. I pray that we stand on that Rock for stability.

 

David shares his pain with God in Psalm 61:1-2. He says, “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

 

God does hear your cry. He hears your prayers. He leads you to the rock. During those most difficult times, lean on Him. Allow Him to bring you through to see the beauty on the other side.

 

Mason and I have not seen such a dramatic change in scenery since that trip to Steamboat. We’ve seen some beautiful places since then, but nothing compares to that trip. I once again am thankful to live in this beautiful place called Colorado.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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More or Less (Sabbatical Post)

November 8th, 2015 dsisler

 

I live on the high altitude prairie of Colorado, just beyond the foothills of the great Colorado Rocky Mountains. 99.99% of my existence here is perfect. I love the weather, the sunshine, and the low humidity. The views are spectacular and the sunrises and sunsets are beyond beautiful.

 

sunrise 1-28-15So you’re probably wondering what that .01% of my life here that isn’t perfect. It’s baking. Baking at high altitude gets me every time. My beloved recipes from the low lands just don’t work here. I get frustrated and I quit baking. And after several months I forget my frustrations and try it again, only to be disappointed yet again.

 

If you read the back of a cake mix, you’ll see high altitude instructions. They usually require the addition of flour or cutting the liquids or adding more liquid. It’s been nearly 10 years since I’ve lived in Colorado and there are times I still forget to look at that little piece.

 

I’ve also purchased cookbooks to help with the whole “I can’t bake in this high altitude” situation. There is a formula for making all recipes work at high altitude. I just haven’t figured it out yet. I cannot seem to wrap my brain around it.

 

Now to add another issue into my baking dilemma, we’ve had to purchase a new oven. Well actually two new ovens because my kitchen has a double oven set up. So in one, we chose a convection oven. Fortunately, it has a convection converter. So I just punch in some numbers and it takes care of the conversion. And there’s a method to this too.

 

Meats are cooked at higher temps for less time and baked goods are baked at lower temps for the same amount of time. At least that’s what my understanding is. But then again, I could be wrong! I think I’ll be using the conversion setting for quite a while.

 

More or less? Without reading the instructions or knowing the formula, chances are pretty good it’s going to be wrong. It can get confusing, frustrating, and even demoralizing.

 

More or less? These words can be used in regard to our relationship with Jesus as well. John the baptizer knew all about this more or less thing.

 

John had been sent before Jesus to prepare the people of Israel for Jesus. He was born to be a preacher. He was given the role of starting a revival among the Jews. He was to tell anyone who listened that the Messiah would be following soon. But when the time came, when the Messiah appeared, John’s role was to introduce Jesus to the world and step back.

 

Oh, John continued to preach. John still baptized. But he was always pointing others to Jesus. Always.

 

I’m sure it was disheartening to John’s disciples when Jesus began His ministry. John had been the forerunner. He had preached to great crowds and shared the message God had given him with them. But after His baptism, Jesus began drawing the crowds. John’s crowds diminished. Jesus’ crowds augmented.

 

It’s no wonder John’s disciples approached John about the situation. “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” (John 3:26 – NIV)

 

John knew his role. He had accomplished it. It was time for Jesus to take over. But John had to bring his followers to the same understanding. John reminded his disciples that he was not the Christ and had never professed to be. John then shared the analogy of attending the bridegroom and being filled with joy upon hearing the voice of the bridegroom.

 

But then, John spoke words that have great significance in our walk with Jesus.

 

“He must become greater; I must become less.”(John 3:30 – NIV) The New American Standard Version puts it this way. “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

 

More or less?

 

That is a question we must ask ourselves every day and perhaps throughout our day. Does my life reflect more of me or more of Jesus? Have I chosen the path of becoming less so that Jesus becomes greater in all that I do? Am I decreasing so that Jesus can increase?

 

I know it’s not easy. I know I get the formula wrong. I know I mess it up. But in the Kingdom of God, Jesus must be the King. Jesus must sit on the throne. And that means Jesus must rule in our hearts. His presence must increase and our sinful, human nature must decrease.

 

John continued testifying for Jesus in the remaining verses of John chapter 3. He also mentioned that Jesus, “the one who comes from above is above all.” (John 3:31 – NIV) As we place Jesus above all in our lives, He increases. This must be our goal.

 

And the reward for our decrease? Eternal life. John closes his testimony with these words. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36 – NIV)

 

I am certain that I will try to bake again at some point. It’s a cycle I can’t seem to break. As I add more or less ingredients to my batter, I will remember this passage. More or less? Increase or decrease? Greater or less?

 

How will you remember to make Jesus’ presence greater in your life?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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    In September 2012 I went to SE Asia on a service trip. For more information, check out preachitclearly.blogspot.com.

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