“Too” (Sabbatical Post)

January 14th, 2016 dsisler

 

My grandson Percy turned two in February. Since learning to talk, there is one phrase that has remained the same. It hasn’t changed. There is no variation.

 

???????????????????????????????“Percy, I love you!” This statement could be spoken by any number of people in this little man’s life, but his reply is always the same. “Too.”

 

Percy’s love for those of us in his life can be seen in his smile, his excitement, his determination to be held, his jubilation, his bright eyes, his energy…all of these things are seen when he walks into a room and locks eyes with someone he loves.

 

I can see these same traits in God’s love for mankind (and for me personally). I read it throughout His Word. I see it in creation. I notice it when I’m in communion with Him. I know it when His grace covers me. I rely on it when I feel unlovely.

 

Today I offer you verses that speak of God’s love for us. Enjoy the riches of His love. Bask in the fact that you are loved. There is nothing like it!

 

“Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.” (Psalm 17:7 – NIV)

 

“Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” (Psalm 36:5 – NIV)

 

“I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.” (Psalm 52:8b – NIV)

 

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:5 – NIV)

 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 – NIV)

 

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5 – NIV)

 

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17b-19 – NIV)

 

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1a – NIV)

 

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” (1 John 4:7a – NIV)

 

“Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (Jude 1:21 – NIV)

 

As a result of God’s love for us, we in turn love Him. Perhaps these are verses you can repeat to God to tell Him of the love you have for Him!

 

“I love you, O Lord, my strength.” (Psalm 18:1 – NIV)

 

“I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells.” (Psalm 26:8 – NIV)

 

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 116:1 – NIV)

 

These verses are not an exhaustive list of the what is contained in God’s Word, but it’s a start. Dig deep. Look for the passages about God’s love and see if you too will agree that God’s love is indeed better than life!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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My Shield (Sabbatical Post)

January 13th, 2016 dsisler

 

My husband and I watch the television program Blue Bloods. In a recent episode, one of the detectives mentioned that in New York City they don’t call their police badge a badge. They call it a shield because they protect the citizens of the city.

 

DSCN0582While it gives me comfort knowing that there are those in this world who are willing to protect me, I know that my greatest shield is God and that it is only through Him that I have true protection.

 

And while I may find physical protection from these men and women in blue, my God is the only one who can protect my mind, my emotions, and my heart.

 

Let’s look at a few passages of Scripture to see how God can be our shield and how we are to use our shield.

 

Abraham was promised that God would be his shield in Genesis 15:1 (NIV). “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” What a promise! How wonderful that we can cling to that same promise because we find this idea throughout Scripture.

 

Moses told the Israelites of God’s shield in Deuteronomy 33:12 and 29 (NIV). “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders…Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword.” God loves us, therefore, we know He is our shield of protection.

 

David sang songs of praise to God on multiple occasions and there are a few that show us how God is our shield. Let’s look at them.

 

In 2 Samuel 22:3 (NIV), David said, “My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.”

 

And in verse 31 of that same chapter he said, “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” (2 Samuel 22:31 – NIV)

 

 

Then we can turn to the Book of Psalm and see David’s use of this word. Psalm 3:3 (NIV) begins this journey. “But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”

 

Take a look at some of the other references in Psalms. Psalm 7:10; Psalm 18:30; Psalm 28:7; Psalm 33:20; Psalm 91:4; and Psalm 119:114.

 

We see this concept in the New Testament as well. Peter speaks of God’s power as being our shield in 1 Peter 1:5. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is read to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5 – NIV)

 

So what are we to do with this shield?

 

Prepare the shields

In Isaiah 21:5 (NIV), the officers were told to prepare their shields for battle. “Get up, you officers, oil the shields!”

 

And in Jeremiah 46:3 (NIV), we see another call to arms. “Prepare your shields, both large and small, and march out for battle!”

 

Just as those heading into Old Testament battles prepared their shields, we too must prepare our shields. Through faith, Bible study, prayer, and meditation. Read this quote from one of my favorite books. “A Bible at home does us no good unless we carry God’s teachings in our hearts and apply them when we are hit with a fiery dart.”[i]

 

Take up the shields

After preparation, we must take up our shield. We are under God’s protection, but we must do something. We must take up the shield prepared and provided for us.

 

Paul speaks of the shield of faith in Ephesians 6:16 (NIV). “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

 

This shield of faith will do us no good unless we pick it up and use it. However, when we use it in combination with God’s protective shield, the evil one is powerless against us!

 

By far, on the very tippy top of my favorite songs is Hillsong’s “Made Me Glad.” The words remind me of the protection I receive through God. So I’ll share it with you (yet again). Sing it today. Live it today. Believe it today.

 

“Made Me Glad”

 

I will bless the Lord forever
I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
He has set my feet upon a rock
I will not be moved
And I’ll say of the Lord

You are my Shield, my Strength
My Portion Deliverer
My Shelter, Strong tower
My very present help in time of need

Whom have I in heaven but You
There’s none I desire beside You
You have made me glad
And I’ll say of the Lord

You are my Shield, my Strength
My Portion Deliverer
My Shelter, Strong tower
My very present help in time of need[ii]

 

Click here to hear Hillsong sing this glorious song…over and over again if you like.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, Debbie Williams, Howard Books, 2006, pg. 193.

[ii] Made Me Glad, Darlene Zschech, Hillsong, 2002

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Prayer Warriors? (Sabbatical Post)

January 12th, 2016 dsisler

 

I’m working through a Bible study on prayer right now. It’s actually the third time I’ve read through the book and the second time I’ve done it as a study, this time with a group that I’m leading. The book is called “Follow Me” by Randy Sprinkle and I know I’ve mentioned it before.

 

Follow MeI also have a book sitting here on my desk that is called “Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion” by Debbie Williams. I have used this book as a Bible study on two occasions and pick it up often to read about a particular issue.

 

I’ll admit, my prayer life hasn’t always been where it should be and even now, there is room for improvement. But after seeing some statistics, I have found that I’m not alone.

 

In Mr. Sprinkle’s book, he shared a 2000 survey conducted by George Barna which showed that in America, the average daily prayer time was less than five minutes per day.[i]

 

While other spiritual activities such as Bible reading, church attendance, small group involvement, volunteerism, and Sunday school attendance has increased according to a more recent survey, prayer and evangelism did not reflect significant change since the 2000 survey.

 

The survey says, “Slightly more than four out of five adults (84%) claimed they had prayed in the past week. That has been the case since Barna began tracking the frequency of prayer in 1993.” You can read more by clicking here.

 

Wow…that is astonishing. Mr. Sprinkle puts it this way. “Two truths regarding prayer are obvious: 1) God’s Word urges us to pray at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and 2) By and large, we don’t.”[ii]

 

Maybe we’ve become disillusioned by prayer. We ask for something and we don’t get it, therefore prayer doesn’t work.

 

Maybe we aren’t disciplined enough to pray. It’s just one more item to add to our long list of “to-do’s” and we don’t have time for it.

 

Maybe our brains are on overload and it becomes difficult to pray. Just too much information flowing in and out for us to settle down and have some quiet time with God.

 

Maybe we feel inadequate. Our prayers are not nearly as beautiful as “so-and-so’s,” so why try?

 

Are there more excuses? If you fall into the statistics above, why? What reasons are there for missing out on this time with God?

 

Mr. Sprinkle offers a couple of concepts that have changed my way of thinking on prayer. Let me share them with you and see if it makes a difference for you.

 

“Prayer, contrary to popular opinion, is not primarily asking God for things, but rather being with God.”[iii]

 

God desires to have a personal relationship with you. He wants to be your BFF! God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8) and Jesus talked about how He wants us to remain in Him (John 14:1-17). That is the relationship He wants with us. Prayer brings us to that relationship.

 

Here’s another quote. “Prayer is not incessant talking to God but unceasing walking with God.”[iv]

 

Jesus continually called the disciples to grow in faith. He does the same with us. We must trust God with everything in our lives. As our faith grows, so does our prayer time with God. That’s when we are walking with God.

 

There is much more I could share about prayer from these two books I’ve mentioned, but I would encourage you to read these books and then figure out how to create more communication with God in your life. But I would also encourage you to read through God’s Word and see what He has to say about prayer.

 

So, give up the excuses. If you came up with some others above, what steps can you take to remove those obstacles? It’s time to get our prayer life straightened out!

 

One more quote and then I’m finished. “Prayer is not an option, an ornament for the well-decorated Christian life. It is to be our life.”[v]

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 36.

[ii] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 36.

[iii] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 25.

[iv] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 25.

[v] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 36.

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Witness (Sabbatical Post)

January 11th, 2016 dsisler

 

In recent weeks I’ve had to do a little digging. A lesson I was working on for Bible study caused me to re-study an element that brought me to God’s Word.

 

DSC00470mAs I was working on the Bible study, red flags began flying. Those red flags were a sign for me to get into God’s Word. But I also felt the need to look at the notes from my Bible College days.

 

So I pulled out my notes and syllabus from the course. NT 125, Acts of the Apostles, by Professor R. J. Kidwell at Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary (now known as Cincinnati Christian University).

 

I figured out what I needed to know, but as I read through my notes, this quote caught my eye.

 

“We are not witnesses! We are believers of Christ through the witness written down by the Apostles.” (September 11, 1979, NT 125, Acts of the Apostles, Professor R. J. Kidwell, Cincinnati Bible Seminary)

 

I am not a witness of Jesus’ life, His death, or His resurrection. So Professor Kidwell is correct.

 

Maybe you’ve heard people say they are God’s witness or that they are witnessing to others. How do these statements line up with God’s Word? Let’s see what God’s Word has to say about it.

 

In John 17, Jesus spent time in prayer and prayed for specific people and groups of people. First, Jesus prayed for Himself. There are beautiful words in this section and if you’ve never taken the time to read this prayer, why not do so? (John 17:1-5)

 

Then Jesus prayed for His disciples. Those who had been chosen by Jesus to carry on the work after He was gone. This group were witnesses. They had seen all that Jesus had done throughout His ministry. They witnessed the miracles, the teachings, the interactions. They were indeed witnesses. (John 17:6-19)

 

And finally, Jesus prayed for all believers (John 17:20-26). And this prayer includes you and me as believers of Jesus. “My prayer is not for them alone (the disciples). I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.” (John 17:20 – NIV)

 

The message that the Apostles wrote down for us is their witness to us. We have their words and we can believe them, but we cannot be witnesses to Jesus’ ministry.

 

So what are we to call ourselves?

 

Believers (Acts 4:32; James 2:1; 1 Peter 2:17)

 

Christian (Acts 11:26)

 

Saints (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 1:1)

 

Priest (Hebrews 8:7-13; 1 Peter 2:6, 9)

 

Children of God (1 John 3:1)

 

Elect (Colossians 3:12; Ephesians 1:3, 4)

 

Members of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:20; Ephesians 1:22-23)

 

Citizens of the kingdom of Heaven (Philippians 3:20; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 1:8)

 

Servants (Luke 17:10)

 

Another element to this term witness can be found in Acts 28:23. The Apostle Paul was in Rome and spent an entire day preaching to a large group of people while under guard. Take a look at this verse to see the term “witness.”

 

“They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.” (Acts 28:23 – NIV)

 

Paul witnessed to them. A better understanding of this term can be found by seeing how this word is translated in other versions.

 

“…he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus…” (NIV – 1984)

 

“…he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus…” (NASB)

 

“…He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures…” (NLT)

 

“…he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus…” (ESV)

 

Perhaps this seems more of what we think of when we “witness” to others, but I might point out that in this case, Paul didn’t use his personal story to witness to this group. He used the Law of Moses and the Prophets to do so. Paul used God’s own words to share God’s message in this place and time.

 

I do believe personal testimony is powerful and useful in certain circumstances and that it can point the way to Jesus, but we must be able to persuade others about Jesus from the Scripture. We must know Scripture. We must be prepared to share (or witness) Jesus’ message with others through His own words.

 

To sum up this whole post, I believe we cannot be called witnesses but we can (and must) witness or share our faith with others. Maybe I’m splitting hairs over this word, but maybe it needed some clarification.

 

So, what are your thoughts? What is your favorite biblical term given to believers of Christ? Are you able to share your faith through Scripture?

 

I’d like to share two more passages with you. The last verse of the Book of Acts tells us how the Apostle Paul witnessed to the world. “Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 28:31 – NIV) Wouldn’t you love to have these words said about you? I certainly would! So today my prayer is for God to make me bold. Bold to share His message with those I connect with today. It’s a start.

 

And then there is an encouraging passage from Hebrews. “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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 – NIV)

 

Many have gone before me and are encouraging me to complete the race. They are cheering me on. They know the difficulties I’ll face and yet they know it is worth it all. My role is to rid my life of sin and to fix my eyes on Jesus.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Percy’s Box (Sabbatical Post)

January 10th, 2016 dsisler

 

I’ve mentioned my grandson Percy before. He is now just over 2 years old and he loves to explore. He loves to open doors. He loves to sit in the driver’s seat of cars and move, push or pull anything that moves. And he loves to push buttons.

 

Percy's box2There is a button within the myriad of devices in our entertainment center that we were told by my husband never to touch. I still don’t know what its function is, but I do know that Percy found it. For a couple of months, we had to keep our eye on him. He would sneak in that direction and before we could get the words out of our mouths, he would push that button.

 

As I’ve mentioned, I don’t know what the device is for, but when the button is pushed, everything in the entertainment center shuts down. And not just off, but each piece must reboot itself and this process takes a while.

 

In an effort to keep Percy from pushing that button, my husband created a little box that has lots of buttons and lights and sounds. It is a box that keeps Percy occupied and his attention is drawn away from the entertainment center and “that button” he isn’t supposed to push.

 

Adam and Eve knew of temptation (Genesis 3) and how sinful desire was stronger than either of them. The moment they each ate of the forbidden fruit, their lives (and the world) changed forever. Their perfect relationship with God ended and God’s redemption plan was put into action.

 

King David felt the pull of temptation (2 Samuel 11:1-12:25). As a man after God’s own heart, David knew that sin would separate the two of them. But the temptation set before him was greater than his will-power and he sinned. Tragedy followed this sin, but God brought restoration to King David and Bathsheba. And through their offspring, the world would be changed yet again.

 

Ananias and Sapphira also were tempted. Their temptation was to be dishonest with God (Acts 5:1-10). The temptation set before them was greed. They were dishonest with Peter and in the end, each were struck down by God. God’s message to the early Church (and to us) was not to test the Spirit of the Lord. God knows motives. God knows hearts. God knows when there is sin in one’s life. And He will not tolerate it. Don’t try to hide it. God knows.

 

Sometimes there are people, places or things that we can’t keep our hand off of. Regardless of what Scripture says or how God feels about sin, the temptation is alluring. The evil one knows exactly what to do and how to create this desire within us to move closer to the temptation and then before you know it, we’ve fallen into his trap.

 

James explains this process in his letter to fellow Christians in the first century Church. This is what he says. “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15 – NIV)

 

I know that I sin. I know that according to Scripture we all do (Romans 3:23). But I also know that God has provided mercy and grace to cover that sin when I confess and repent. There are six little words in the book of James that carry a powerful punch. “But he gives us more grace.” (James 4:6 – NIV)

 

I don’t know about you, but I am thankful each day (sometimes each hour) for the grace God provides. I am covered by His grace and I am once again cleansed of sin.

 

Are you looking for God’s grace today? Do you wish to be forgiven of sin? If so, God is waiting with open arms. You just need to speak to Him. I can help you with this if you are willing. Please don’t let another day go by without knowing Jesus as your personal Savior.

 

Percy loves his little box. There are plenty of buttons to push and it keeps him occupied. His attention has been averted from the button that controls the entertainment system. So once again, all is well within the Sisler household. For now.

 

I’d love to hear from you! If you would like to leave me a comment, please click here.

 

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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