We have a winner!

Yeah - I just made it to the 25 followers mark on this blog!  Had my husband draw a name at random and he picked DEBBIE SUMSTAD PETRAS.

Debbie has a great blog called Heart Choices. Drop over and pay her a visit sometime. You'll be glad you did!

I'll be sending out a copy of Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo.  It's an awesome book. If you haven't read it, you should pick up a copy. Very inspiring.

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Wait for it...............

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day."  Habakkuk 2:3 (AMP)

I hate waiting. Ok, hate is a strong word. Maybe I should say that I'm not very good at waiting...because I HATE IT!

I remember as a child, several promises that were made that never materialized.  Some were promised rewards if I put in some hard word, but the reward was never given. Some were promises of fun times, but when the time came, there wasn't enough money and some were promises that "it" would never happen again...but it did.

Either way, I would spend hours, days, weeks looking forward to receiving what was promised. Those were exciting times at first. The hope of receiving, the anticipation made each task or day exhilarating, but as time went by and promises were broken, those days of exhilaration turned into anxiety. Would I receive what I had been promised or would my hopes be dashed again.

I felt a little like Charlie Brown - hoping that Lucy wouldn't snatch the football away at the last moment.

All that angst has faded, but occasionally, it rises up in me again.  Will the reward come? Can I trust the one who promised? Will unforeseen circumstances change things?

Thank God I can count on every promise made in God's Word! I can read each one and let myself get excited about it.  I can look forward with excitement, knowing that He will never change His mind, that His promises will always be kept...even if I have to wait longer than I expected, they will always be fulfilled!

Prayer:
Thank your, Heavenly Father, that we can always be sure of your promises, though they tarry, we will wait for them, for you do not lie.  If you promised it, you will bring it to pass. Thank you. Amen
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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Show them how much you care.

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James 5:18 (NIV)

I've been experiencing an ongoing medical condition for which the doctors say there is no cure and very little to be done in the way of treatment. It's painful and depressing at times, so when someone tells me they are praying for me, I am extremely grateful.

Recently God has been leading me to read several books on prayer; Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets, The Power of a Praying Woman and The Power of Praying Together - both by Stormie Omartian, and now I'm reading Prayer by Richard J. Foster.

After reading these books, I find I have a richer prayer life than I've had in my 33+ years of following Christ and I've come to realize that the most effective and most loving thing I can do for another person is to pray for them.

Richard J. Foster puts it this way…"If we truly love people, we will desire for them far more than it is within our power to give them, and this will lead us to prayer. Intercession is a way of loving others." (Richard J. Foster - Prayer)

Even my friend, who is an atheist thanks me when I tell him I am praying for him. He says it's because he knows that I believe prayer will help him and he takes it as a sign that I care what happens to him…even though he doesn't believe in God or that there is any merit to prayer.

So, how much time do you spend praying for others?

Prayer:
Father, thank you for the power of prayer and for the privilege of coming to you not only for our own needs, but for the needs of those we love. Bring to mind those who are in need of praying and help us to be consistent in lifting up the needs of others to you. We thank you, now for the answers we will see in the coming days.

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

For the Sake of Argument

"And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth."  2 Timothy 2:24-25 (NIV) 

Have you ever run into those people who enjoy making a debate out of everything?  They will play the devil's advocate on every issue just for the sake of argument.  They may not even believe the stance they're taking on the topic at hand, but enjoy the debate so much that they're willing to flip-flop just to keep things going.

They're usually not interested in coming to a solid and truthful conclusion - they just want to debate.  They drive me crazy!

As Christians, I hope that none of us allow ourselves to be pulled into these pointless arguments.  If we are careful to listen to the Holy Spirit, we will be able to discern when someone is truly interested in an honest discussion or when they just want to argue every side of an issue.

We must always be ready to give an answer for our faith...

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

 ...but we don't have to feel obligated to engage in pointless arguments with someone who is not truly interested in discussing God.  Let the Spirit lead you, speak kindly in hopes that God will open their minds, but at the point it just becomes an argument - feel free to politely walk away.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for friends who are truly seeking answers. Give us the right words at the right time to point the way to Christ. Help us also to recognize those who just want to pull us into senseless arguments and show us a way to politely excuse ourselves from the debate. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

The Voice of Truth

"Guide me in your truth, and teach me, my God, my Savior. I trust you all day long." Psalm 25:5 (NCV)

As a non-fiction writer, attempting to write my first novel, I sometimes catch myself wondering what makes me think I can write a novel good enough to compete with thousands of other novels vying for the attention of agents and publishers these days.

From what I've read, only about 10% of queries or submissions ever make it into print; 10 in 1000 books. Those odds alone are enough to make you wonder if it's worth pouring your heart and soul...not to mention hours and hours of your life into writing a book.

In spite of the odds, I am convinced that if God has placed within you the ability to write and if you cultivate that ability by learning your trade and if you persevere at your craft, you will be published. If you feel God prompting you to write a book, write it - I did and my book was published by the first publisher I approached. (You can read how it happened HERE.)

So, the next time you doubt your calling to write, don't listen to all the statistics or the nay-sayers that tell you it's next to impossible to get published these days, instead, listen to the Voice of Truth!



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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Make Your Own Kind of Music!

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."  Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

A mockingbird sat in the tree just outside my window this morning, singing his little heart out. I was amazed by the many different sounds he could make.  When I lived in Ohio, I had bird feeders at my windows and quickly learned to recognize different species by their calls. I could usually tell which birds were at the feeder before looking.

As I listened to the serenade outside my window this morning, I didn't know whether to feel sad because the mockingbird had no song of his own and had to imitate the sounds of other birds or awed that this articulate bird could speak so many different languages.

The books say that male mockingbirds sing the loudest and that males without mates often sing into the night. (Resisting the urge to make a snide comment here) A male mocking bird is able to learn up to 200 songs and has even been known to imitate the sounds of barking dogs, sirens and crying babies. (still resisting the urge)

I feel sad for the mockingbird. It's so lonely and has to imitate the songs of other birds in an effort to attract a mate. 

I've known people who are like mockingbirds. They are so lonely that they will disguise who they really are and take on the persona of the kind of person they think others want them to be in order to attract companionship.

Since we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God, shouldn't we be who He has created to be?

Prayer:
Father, thank you for making each one of uniquely wonderful. Help us to stand proud and be who we truly are, secure in the knowledge that you love us and that you will bring others into our lives that are attracted to us for who we are, not for who we pretend to be. Amen (and please bring a mate for that poor little mockingbird outside my window.)

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Mindreaders - real or hoax?

"Lord, you have examined me and know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them.  You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. " Psalm 139:1-3 (NIV)

Mindreaders - real or hoax?

I'm sure you've seen those TV shows or Vegas acts where they claim to be able to read people's minds. They seem to know things about their subject that they just couldn't know unless they're actually reading their minds. Fortunately, these performers have been exposed so many times that most people don't buy into the whole mind reading hoax, but let's bring this subject a little closer to home.

Can you read minds? Can those around you read your mind?

Bunk, you say? Then why is it that people often assume that they know what someone else is thinking? And why is it that we often assume that they are thinking something bad?

I'm sure it's happened to you. You're having a discussion with someone...maybe we should call it a disagreement and the person accuses you of thinking something that has never crossed your mind. Or maybe it was you who accused the other person,  "I know what you're thinking!"

In fact we can put ourselves in the place of playing mindreader without even talking with the person. You know, those imaginary discussions you have with other in your head...the ones where you supply the dialogue for the both of you?

We don't like it when people assume that they know what we are thinking, so let's not do that to others.

There is One, however, who can read our every thought, feel exactly what we are feeling and even know what we are going to do before we do it. He is loving and kind and has our best interests at heart. He is all knowing, full of wisdom and is willing to share that knowledge with us.  Now, there's a mind worth reading!

Prayer:
Father, help us to refrain from assuming the thoughts of others, because that often leads to misunderstandings. If we are to read anyone's mind, let it be the mind of Christ as laid out in your Word. Let us receive wisdom and guidance from your Holy Spirit as He gives us insight into what you think and how you feel about us. And Lord, keep us ever mindful that you are reading our thoughts and that you know the intents of our hearts. May they be pleasing to you, O God. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Want to change things in Washington DC?

photo courtesy slonecker, rgbstock.com

"Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God." 1 Timothy 2:2 (NCV)



I turn on the evening news and just shake my head in amazement or is it in dismay? There must be some mind altering substance in the drinking water in our nation's capital.

It seems to attack the memory first because most of those politicians we voted into office have forgotten their campaign promises. Next, it affects the ability to tell the truth and finally, it zaps the common sense right out of a person. At least that's the only explaination I can come up with for the crazy goings on in Washington these days.

I am so glad that God told us to pray for our rulers and those in authority over us, because that means that He wants to get involved. He wants to influence the decisions made on our behalf so that we can live quiet and peaceful lives.  So why isn't that happening?  Why are those crazy politicians messing everything up so badly?

Perhaps it's because we are too busy complaining about them to pray for them.

Prayer:
Father, you see the condition our country is in - the decisions being made on Capitol Hill that affect our economy, our security, our health....standard of living. There are many good decisions being made, but it seems that there are many more poor decisions being made. We can't possibly know all the details, but you do.  You have commanded us to pray for our rulers and those in authority - please help us to remember to do that so that you might influence their decisions.  We ask you now to help our politicians and law-makers to make wise decisions on our behalf that we might live quiet and peaceful lives. We declare once again, "In God We Trust!" Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Waking Up to the Good Stuff

“Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight.” Jeremiah 15:16 (NLT)

 

I've developed a habit each morning of starting the day with a good cup of coffee and the Word of God.

When I first started, I had to force myself to go to my bedroom, sit in my comfy chair and pick up my Bible. (The coffee was no problem.)  I always enjoyed my time with God in the morning, but just making the time to sit down and read seemed hard.

Now-a-days, I look eagerly forward to starting each day curled up in that chair with my Bible in my lap. I read until a verse hits home, then I copy it down on a 3 X 5 card and carry it with me throughout the day. I take time to pray after reading each morning and then go about my day knowing that God is with me no matter what the day brings.

If I happen to skip a day for whatever reason, I really miss it because this has come to be such a cherished moment in my day.

If you don't already have a regular time of Bible reading and prayer, do yourself a favor and start one. It will bless you to no end and will move you into a natural, steady growth in your spiritual life.

Prayer:

Father, your words do sustain us and bring us great joy. Time spent with you is precious and is a perfect way to start the day. As we withdraw to a special place and make time in our day for You, make us aware of your presence and lead us through your word and then through our day. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Make a list!

"Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— " Psalm 103:1-2 (NIV)

Why is it that psychiatrists/psychologists want you to dig around in your past and bring up every bad thing that ever happened to you in order to explain why your life is a mess right now?  Does it make you feel better or worse?

Wouldn't it be better if they sat you down with a piece of paper and a pen and told you to write down every good thing that's ever happened to you - every blessing you've had in the past and every blessing you have in your life right this minute.

You may still have problems to work through, but you would be starting from a much more positive place than the other way around.

While reading Psalm 103 today, I realized that this is exactly what the Psalmist did. He reminded himself to praise the Lord from his the deepest part of his soul and reminded himself not to forget all the Lord's benefits (blessings), then he began to make a list of those blessings.

Here, read it for yourself, then go grab a piece of paper and pen and make your own list. I promise it will make you feel better!

Psalm 103

¹ Praise the LORD, my soul;
   all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the LORD, my soul,
   and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
   and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
   and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 ⁶ The LORD works righteousness
   and justice for all the oppressed.

 ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
   his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
   slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
   nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
   or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
   so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
   so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

 ¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
   so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
   he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass,
   they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
   and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
   the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
   and his righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
   and remember to obey his precepts.

 ¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
   and his kingdom rules over all.

 ²⁰ Praise the LORD, you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his bidding,
   who obey his word.
²¹ Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
   you his servants who do his will.
²² Praise the LORD, all his works
   everywhere in his dominion.

   Praise the LORD, my soul.

Prayer:
Father, help us to remember to focus on you and the many blessings you pour out each day, rather than on our problems. Help us to remember that you are in control and that you will bring us out on the other side of each problem victoriously and that you will give us peace and joy as we go through it, holding tightly to your hand. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Thunderstorms and Wimpy Dogs

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. " Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

We had a short, but beautiful thunder storm tonight. My husband and I sat on the porch watching lightening streak across the sky and counting the seconds before we heard the thunder.  My Dad always said that if you begin counting as soon as you see the lightning, whatever number you stopped on, that's how many miles away the storm is.  He was probably making it up, but I still like to do it.

Our dogs Max and Oliver came out on the porch to watch, but ran back inside the house everytime they saw the lightening and heard the thunder.  They were scared to death (we have wimpy dogs).

I have to say that sometimes I react to the storms of life the same way my wimpy dogs do.  I want to run for cover and hide under the bed until the storm has passed.  I don't like storms in my life.  I want sunny days and cool breezes. But if I never faced a storm, how would I ever know that God is strong enough to see me through them and that He never leaves my side when I am walking through the storm?

It may sound funny, but just like I enjoy sitting outside and watching a thunderstorm with my husband, I am beginning to enjoy the storms of life when they come my way, because I know that at the end of the storm (which is usually pretty short-lived), I will have a deeper understanding of the grace and mercy of God.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for the storms of life that teach us that we can depend on you no matter what life throws at us and that we are never alone, but that you are right there with us, holding our hand and leading us through.  Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Healing Hugs

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10

Sandy hopped into the car at the end of the school day.

"Did you have a good day?" asked her mother.

She nodded her head, making her blonde curls bounce in place. "Oh, yes," she said, "but it didn't start out very good."

"Why is that, honey?" her mother asked.

"Well, at first recess I saw Karen sitting on the steps crying, but I helped her and after a minute she stopped crying and we went to play on the swings, then we have fun all day together." said Sandy.

"That's great, sweetheart. How did you help Karen? What did you say to make her stop crying?" Mother asked.

"I didn't say anything," said Karen, "I just hugged her and helped her cry."

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We don't have to be extremely talented to be used by God to help other people. We just have to be willing to reach out with whatever gift God has given us to encourage, uplift, strengthen those around us.

If you can write - write, if you can cook - cook, if you can fix a car - fix a car, if you can sing - sing, if you can teach - teach...(you get the picture).

God has given each of us gifts, talents & abilities for one purpose - to serve others. By cultivating and putting into use those gifts, we are being good stewards of God's grace - no matter what form it takes.

So, what's are your talents? Are you using them to serve others?

Prayer:
Father, thank you for the gifts, talents and abilities you have given me. Though they may seem small in my eyes, they were given for a specific person - so that I may minister to those around me. Help me to recognize my gifts and please help me to see opportunities to use those gifts so that I may be a minister of your Grace to those around me. Amen
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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Growing Up

"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things." 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT)

While doing some cleaning, I came across some little boy toys and infant clothing belonging to my grandsons, Ethan and David, who just turned 12 and 10.  These items brought back many treasured memories of when they were babies and toddlers.

How we loved to sing songs about dinosaurs and read their favorite book about a grandma who baked such wonderful pies that she was kidnapped by pirates so she could bake pies for them.  We made regular trips to the park where I would push them high in the swings as they squealed with delight (or fear - I'm not sure which).

I miss those days, but as I look at these boys now, fast becoming young men, my heart swells with pride. Ethan has just finished a young leaders course at church and has taken on the task of greeting other kids as they come into their youth group and making them feel welcome.  David is becoming a leader at school and loves to sing contemporary Christian songs. (I think he's going to be a worship leader.) I look at their parents, who are pouring themselves into these boys and I think what a blessed woman I am!

It's hard to watch them set aside their little boy ways, to not be able to cuddle them on my lap or to make up silly songs just to hear them laugh (now they just roll their eyes), but I can watch them grow into fine young men who love God with all their heart and love others. It's another phase of Grandmothering that just makes me burst with pride and thanksgiving to God.

Prayer:
Father, we thank you that as our children and grandchildren grow, we can still be a vital part of their lives. We can bring joy and love and just as important, we can pray for them, trusting that You will direct their footsteps and bring them in adulthood as fully devoted followers of Christ. Thank you for all you're doing in their lives. I'm glad that the frequent, fervent prayers of a righteous Grandmother are being heard and answered. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Blessings

"For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

Blessings - by Laura Story

I heard this song for the first time this week and just had to share it.  Laura wrote this song out of a life experience she and her husband, Martin have been living for the last several years.

A couple of years into their marriage, Martin was diagnosed as having a brain tumor. The couple went from not knowing if he was going to live for a while to seeing God bring healing in parts of his body, but they have still been struggling for several years with areas in which he had yet to experience healing, such as his vision and memory.

Often it's the ongoing struggles which lead us to wonder where God is. It makes us question his love and our faith.  Laura's song addresses this struggle so beautifully and asks the question; what if the trials of this life are His mercies in disguise.

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

You Changed my Sorrow into Dancing!

"You changed my sorrow into dancing…" Psalm 30:11a (NCV)

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"Get up," Mary said, shaking me out of a troubled sleep.  Memories of the previous day clawed at my wakening mind. I groaned and rolled away from the hands trying to pull me from my slumber.

"Go away, Mary," I said.

"Hurry," she insisted, tossing my sandals at my feet, "We must take the spices and anoint the body of our Lord."

We stepped out on the street just as the sun was rising. The air hung heavy about us, stifling and still. As the sunlight began to steal across the city, I thought how pointless it was. Why should the sun ever shine again?

Our hope had been crucified; our Beloved, beaten and scorned had hung on a cross as we watched Him draw a last ragged breath.  Even the heavens had convulsed in horror of His death.

Mary nudged me onward toward the cave belonging to Joseph, the one where they had placed Jesus just before the Sabbath had begun.

Salome had been quiet until now.

"How will we roll the stone away?" she asked as we neared the place.

We stared at each other, realizing that the three of us together could not budge the boulder covering the opening of the grave.

"We will a find a way," Mary' said, pushing steadily forward.

As we neared the grave, the ground began to shake. Terrified, I clutched Mary for support, and then reached for Salome, who was nearly thrown to the ground. It was over quickly, but fear would not leave my heart.  The earth had quaked like this immediately after Jesus had died, the skies had turned black as a terrible thunder roll across the heavens.  Was the world coming to an end?  It may as well; there was nothing to live for any longer.

Mary set her jaw the way she often did when she had made up her mind to do something, "Keep moving - we must anoint His body, " she said.

We hurried to keep up with her, but she suddenly stopped and I ran right into her.

"Look," she said, pointing at two Roman guards lying on the ground.

"Are they dead?" Salome asked, but Mary did not answer. She had turned and was staring at the grave.

I followed her gaze to see that the stone had been rolled away.

My heart pounded violently in my chest as I pushed past Mary and ran to the tomb.

"He's gone," I said when Salome and Mary clamored in behind me.  Suddenly a light so bright that we had to shield our eyes filled the cave and a voice said, "Don't be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified. He is not here. He has risen from the dead as He said He would."

I looked toward the place where Jesus had lain and saw a being I can barely describe.

"Come," he continued, "and see the place where His body was. And go quickly and tell His followers that Jesus has risen from the dead. He is going into Galilee ahead of you, and you will see Him there." The light faded and he was gone.

We stood, trembling and numb from fear. Had we seen an angel? Could it be that Christ was alive? My heart leapt for joy as a vague memory of Jesus ' words came to mind...the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

"He's alive!" The realization sent shivers down my spine. "He's alive, risen from the dead, just as He said He would.  I clutched at Mary's arm, "He's alive, Mary - He's alive!"

We rushed to tell the others, tripping over our garments as we ran, laughing and shouting from that place.
Jesus was alive!

In the days that followed, our Lord showed Himself to many of us and we rejoiced at every moment spent with Him until one day He bid us farewell and promised to come again to take us to be with Him forever. As we stood, watching Him ascend into the skies, my heart sang, for I knew this was not a parting. Even as I watched Him go, I could feel His presence filling my very soul. I would never be without Him, and someday, He would take me to be with Him for all eternity.

Jesus is alive!

This story is part of an Easter/Ressurection themed blog chain. Below are links to other bloggers who posted on this theme. I invite you to visit each blog and enjoy reading about Easter & the Resurection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Comments are welcome. Have a blessed Easter! April 1: Chris Henderson, TheWriteChris April 2: Jan Christiansen, Refreshed by The Word April 4: Adam Collings, The Collings Zone April 6: Sheila Hollinghead,A Spring of Living Water April 7: Cindee Snider Re, Breathe Deeply April 9: Scott Fields, Dead Man Writing April 11: Nona King, Word Obsession April 13: Tracy Krauss, Expression Express April 15: Chris Vonada, I'm Just Thinkin' April 17: Keith Wallis, wordsculptures April 20: Victor Travison, Lightwalker's View April 22: Lynn Mosher, Heading Home April 23: Traci Bonney, Tracings April 24: Debra Ann Elliott, Writing with Debra April 25: Chris Perdue: The Bible Stop April 26: Chris Depew: The Beulah Land Blog April 27: Edward Lewis, Sowing the Seeds April 29: Carol Peterson, From Carol's Quill

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

A Father's Wisdom

"…we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began...These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God."  1 Corinthians 2:7 & 10 (NIV)

As a child, I thought my Dad was the smartest man on earth. If I needed to know something, Dad had the answer (even if he had to make it up). If something needed fixed, he knew how to fix. If something needed built, he could build it. Everyone in the family came to him for answers.

Unfortunately, there was one area of life where his expertise ran out…the spiritual part of life. I remember asking him a question about God. He wouldn't answer. Didn't want to discuss it and I quickly learned that spiritual questions would put him in a bad mood, so I quit asking.

Fortunately, I didn't have to depend on my Dad to learn about God. My aunt and uncle took me to church and encouraged me to read my Bible. My pastor and Sunday school teachers taught me about Him and finally, God, himself began teaching me and He has continued teaching me for nearly 50 years…and I'm still discovering delightful mysteries about Him as His Spirit reveals them to me, for the Spirit knows the deep things of God and will open our eyes to them as we consistently seek to know God better.

What a wondrous journey we are on!

Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Spirit, who reveals the wonders of your character, the depth of your love, the vastness of your grace and mercy. Thank you for being a Father who is never bothered by questions, never too busy to answer and never in a cranky mood. I love you! Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Taming the Tongue and Stinkin' Thinkin'

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart  Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14 (NKJV)

Oh, boy! When the Bible starts talking about the mouth and our thoughts, I start to squirm. This has always been an area of challenge for me. Am I the only one?

I'm doing much better these days with thinking before I speak and with not dwelling on things that are not good to think about, but years ago this was a real struggle for me.

God had a way of breaking me, though…not a fun way, but a very effective way. Every time I would talk about someone behind their back, He made sure it got back to them! It was embarrassing, messed up relationships and required eating huge amounts of humble pie, which tastes horrible, by the way.

As for my thought life - I'm still working on that one. I have to be careful not to dwell on negative thoughts because they directly affect my moods. I am happy to say that I've conquered the "arguing with other people in my head" syndrome, though. Do you ever do that? Have a fight with someone in your head, providing the dialogue for both parties and by the end of it all you're really mad at the person you had an imaginary fight with?

No?  Just me, then - but, thankfully, that one's under control.

Prayer:

Father, help me to remember that my thought life should reflect my spiritual life and that if I find my thoughts are out of line, I need to seek you more, read more of your word and ask you to renew my mind. The words of my mouth will follow what's stored up in my heart, so if I get one right, the other will take care of itself. Thank you for loving me even when my words and my thoughts are not what they should be and thank you for grace that forgives. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Silver or gold, I do not have…

 "Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God." Acts 3:6-8 (NIV)

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple to pray. At the gate, they saw a familiar face - the face of a beggar, lame from birth, who was carried each day to the temple gate called Beautiful. There he spent his days crying out to those going into the temple courts-begging for money from the passersby.

As Peter and John approached they heard his cries and recognized that his needs went much deeper than the few coins he might garner throughout the day. He needed to be made whole so that he could stand on his own two feet, so that he could work for a living and so that he could know the healing power of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

They did not offer him silver or gold, but gave him the most valuable thing they could give him - their faith. They reached out, took his hands and helped him to his feet - all in the name of Jesus, and as they prayed God poured his strength and healing power in the lame man. He began to walk and jump and praise God.

Today we look around and see so many people in need. Our hearts are moved with compassion, but we aren't rich, we don't have unlimited funds to help, but is that really what they need?  Our government hands out assistance checks to those in need every month, but year after year they are in the same position, crippled by poverty, lame due to a lack of education, and sitting alone because they have no one who cares enough to show them a better way.

As the body of Christ, we have the answer. We know the One who heals the lame, turns lives around and puts joy in the hearts of the redeemed. What we need to do is reach out, help the impoverished to their feet and give them what we have - the healing love of Jesus.

It's easy to think, "that was Peter and John, we don't have the power to heal the way they did," but if we read just a bit further, we discover that Peter and John were mere men like you and I.

"When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. Acts 3:9-11 (NIV)

(Notice that the man held on to Peter and John.  Handing someone money, then walking away never solved anything. Hurting people need someone to hold onto. They need someone who is strong to show them the way, to help them get firmly on their feet - someone who will walk along side of them until they are strong enough to stand on their own.)

Peter wanted the people witnessing this miracle to know that he and John were not responsible for this healing.

When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?" Acts 3:12 (NIV)

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see. Acts 3:16 (NIV)

It wasn't Peter and John who healed the lame man. They did not possess the power to heal, nor did they possess great godliness. What they did possess was great faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ and in His ability to change people's lives.  Why? Because they had experienced this life-change for themselves after their encounter with Christ.

We can't help everyone, but we can reach a hand out to those that God puts in our path. We can lift them up by reaching out to them, walking along side them, praying for them and loving them with the love of Christ - not in our own power, but because of our faith in Jesus, the life-transformer.

Easy?  No. Throwing money at a person in trouble is easy. It allows us to walk away with a semi-clear conscience, but it's not going to really help them. Reaching out is hard. It requires sacrifice, overcoming prejudices, giving of our time, our patience and our love until we are sure that this person has had an encounter with Jesus that will allow them to walk in victory.

God will strengthen us so that we in turn can strengthen others. Have faith that Jesus wants to help the lame and hurting people of this world and then - be His hand extended.

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

What does God look like?

Have you ever wondered what God looks like? All we have to do is take a look at Jesus because the Bible says that...

"The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being..." Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)

and that...

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." Colossians 1:15 (NIV)


Obviously, we can't see God in the physical sense of the word, because He is Spirit, but we can see and know Him simply by taking a look at His Son, Jesus Christ.

At this point, I am tempted to make a list of all the things that I have read about Jesus, but that would be second-hand information. Why not check Him out for yourself? If you want to know God, get to know Jesus-and the best way to do that is to read the story of His life.

Here are links to the book of John online so that you can read and discover for yourself what God is like through the life of His Son.

John	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

 
Prayer:
Father, I pray that as we read about the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, that you will open our eyes to see the truth about who you are and what you are like. Reveal yourself to each one who seeks to know you in a very real way. Amen

*For an even more detailed look at the life of Jesus, after reading the book of John, continue your reading with the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke.  These four accounts, written by four different men who knew Jesus will give you insight into the very nature and character of God, himself.

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Hidden Treasures

"I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:3 (NIV)

 Money was tight this month. After paying the bills we were left with $49.59 in our account and we still needed to buy gas for the week, groceries and refill our prescriptions. I did some creative menu planning and went to the grocery store, but I knew that we still needed to find the money for our medications.

Borrowing money is such a humbling experience, but that's what we had to do and I was thankful that we were able to purchase our medications.

Today, however, I went back over our checkbook and discovered an error that added up to just a little over the amount we had to borrow. It felt like I had discovered hidden treasure! The money had been there all the time. If I had only dug a little deeper, I would have found it.

In the Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians, he said that he had a goal for them...

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2-3 (NIV)

Paul's goal was that they might know the mystery of God, who is Jesus Christ, and he said that in Jesus are hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

I wonder how many times we overlook those hidden treasures? How many times we skim through our Bible or mutter hasty prayers, missing the depth of Christ?  How many struggles do we go through when the answer is right there, waiting for us to slow down, take our time and pay attention.

If I had done that, I would have known that God had already provided for everything we needed and I wouldn't have had to borrow money.  If we slow down and really get to know Jesus Christ, there's no telling what blessings He has already been provided that are just waiting to be discovered.

Prayer:
Father, help us to slow down and really spend some time with you, to really get to know your Son and the depth of His character.  Help us to find those treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are hidden in Christ. Deliver us from the busyness of life that keeps us from fully knowing your Son. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Chutes and Ladders

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way." Psalm 37:23(KJV)


Remember the old game of Chutes and Ladders? You roll the dice and move ahead. Landing on a ladder moves you way ahead, but land on a chute and you go sliding way down to the bottom again.

Often life is like that. You roll the dice, take a chance and sometimes find your life going along quite well when suddenly you hit a bad spot and go tumbling down again. Sometimes those bad spots are of our own making. Bad choices, bad company, bad habits - all can drag us down.

It doesn't have to be like that, though. When we are walking with Christ, seeking His will for our lives and trusting His Holy Spirit to lead us, we don't need to walk in fear.  We can trust that God will order our steps and lead us in the right direction and even if we do hit a rough spot in the road, we know that He is walking that road with us, leading the way through to victory.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for the assurance that as we lean on you, you will guide our steps.  Help us to hear and recognize your voice so that we don't stray off the path you have for us. Amen


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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Follow Me

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24 (NIV)


I see it all over the internet..."Follow me on Twitter"- "Follow my Blog"

And I wonder - if people really did follow us, what would they see?

When Jesus invited people to follow him it was more than just viewing a few 144 character tweets or a few paragraphs of his thoughts on a blog. He invited them to walk along side him 24/7.  They saw him when things were good (palm leaves and praises) and they saw him when things were bad (death threats and rock throwing). They saw him do miracles and they saw him weep. They watched him pray in agony and feast in victory. They watched how he reacted to each situation and they measured his reaction against what he preached to see if his walk lined up with his talk.

Guess what...people are still doing that today. They are watching us (Christ-followers) to see if our walk lines up with our talk. Do we react to hard times in a way that shows we fully trust God?  Do we react to people who are rude, slow, or mean in a way that says, I love you? (We are supposed to love others, right?)

Easy to do? No, but, then that's what Jesus meant when he said "take up your cross and follow me". Our first reaction is the human one. We want to strike back, express our impatience, stand up for ourselves, but laying aside those initial reactions to respond in a Christ-like manner is what taking up your cross is all about.

Prayer:
Father, teach us to follow Christ in such a way that those who are watching us will be drawn to Him. Teach us to lay aside our desires and to take up our cross and follow Him. Amen
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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

National Letting-Go-of-Stuff Day

"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." Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Just heard on the radio that today is National Letting-Go-of-Stuff Day.  It's also National Waffle Day, National Pecan Day and National Lobster Newburg Day.

Doesn't this info just crack you up? They (being those who stand to make a profit from promoting whatever) will come up with the craziest ways to make a buck!

I do have to admit, though, that the first one intrigued me. No money to be made there, but lots of benefit to those who need to let go of stuff.  Whether it's hard feelings, unhealthy relationships, negative thought patterns, bad habits or just too much stuff piled high in your closets, it's good to let go of the things that bog you down.

And it goes without saying, that if you have allowed sin to creep into your life, let it go!

So, even though the day is almost over, I'm going to give some thought to things I might need to let go of.  How about you?

Prayer,
Father, if there is anything holding me back, anything that is zapping my energy, anything that I need to let go of, please bring it to my mind and help me to turn it lose. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Who do you say that He is?

"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?

”They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:13-15 (NIV)


Jesus had walked with his followers for quite some time. They spent their days with him, witnessing his ministry, his miracles, listening to his teachings and his claims about who he was.


Then Jesus asked them the all important question; "Who do you say I am?"


It was a question designed to make them examine their thoughts about him - their faith in him.

Did they believe them when He said that...

• He was God?
  "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30)
• He could forgive sin?
  “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 5:20) 
• He was the ONLY way to experience a relationship with the God?
  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) 
• He has the power to grant eternal life to those who believe in Him?
  "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:28) 
• He was going away to prepare a place for them in Heaven and that He was coming back to take them to be with Him there?
  "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."  John 14:1-3

We all have to answer this question at some point in our lives...Who do you say that Jesus is?


Prayer,
Father, please reveal to each of us the truth about Jesus; who he was and is, what he did for each of us through his sacrifice on the cross and how we can walk in relationship with him as your child. Give each of us a hunger to read your word so that we might truly know Jesus for ourselves. Amen


*If you want to know more about Jesus, the perfect place to start is in the book of John. Here's a link to each chapter of John so that you can begin reading right now: 

John	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

 
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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

You have not because you ask not.

"You do not have because you do not ask God. " James 4:2b (NIV)

This verse makes me wonder how many blessings we miss out on because we have neglected to ask God for what we need.

Often when there's a financial need in my life, I do several things.  I try to figure out a solution, I check to see what resources are available to me, I might borrow from a friend, look for extra work to make a little money, try to cut back here and there, call in a favor, worry, wonder and stew about it or I might just push the thoughts away and tell myself I'll deal with it later.

How goofy!

God has all the resources we need and He has clearly stated in the verse above that often we don't have what we need because we have not taken the time to stop and ask Him for it.

Maybe it's because we think He already knows what we need, so why ask, maybe it's because we don't want to bother Him with our day-to-day needs, or maybe it's because we feel guilty because we know we have mismanaged  the resources He has already given us and that's why we're in the spot we're in.

Whatever the reason, He has said.."You do not have because you do not ask."  So, let's ask.  If that means we have to repent for the way we've handled things, so be it, but we need to open the lines of communication, be obedient and ASK for what we need, then keep our eyes open for the many ways He has of meeting our needs.

Prayer:

Thank you, Father for opening our eyes to the fact that we often have not because we ask not. We come to you today in repentance if need be, to admit that we have not handled our finances right. We ask you to forgive us and to help us to do that better from this point forward. But right now, Lord, we are in need and we ask you to supply our needs and we rejoice because your word is true and we can trust that our needs will be met. Thank you for the awesome privilege of knowing and serving you. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)