Happy Place

March 7, 2016Leave a comment

You will probably have no sympathy for me when I tell you that I spent this past week in Aruba. Beautiful beaches, perfect weather, delicious food – no wonder it’s called “The Happy Island.” Who wouldn’t be happy in such peaceful surroundings? Yet despite the temporary bliss of this island paradise, we all know that true happiness isn’t about finding the perfect sandy surroundings. Happiness is ultimately a matter of the heart. The Bible gives us a picture of joy and delight rooted in God Himself. The psalmist declared:

Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1)

Psalm 119 continues this joyful principle:

Joyful are people of integrity,
who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Joyful are those who obey his laws
and search for him with all their hearts.

And Proverbs gives us this reminder:

The hopes of the godly result in happiness. Proverbs 10:28

Jesus spoke of happiness in His famous Sermon on the Mount. The word “blessed” literally means, happy, supremely blessed, to be envied and spiritually prosperous with life-joy granted to the person who experiences salvation. Here’s what He said:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:3-9)

Happiness begins when we come to the end of ourselves (poor in spirit) and find our hope and strength in the One who came to give us joy and peace. Yes, Jesus is the One who makes our hearts truly happy. He is not a paradise island, rather He is our rock, our righteousness, our refuge, our salvation.

To learn more about what the Bible has to say, check out Becoming a Woman of the Word.

The Greatest Love

February 29, 2016February 29, 2016Leave a comment

florist woman smiling with white wicker basket flowers of primroses

Our PWC lesson this month focused on authentic love. We explored Romans 12:9-13 to discover the beautiful portrait of what true love looks like. One of our PWC members wrote the following poem several years ago and shared it with me after the lesson. I’m thankful for this poetic expression of the greatest love we can experience. This week, invite God’s love to flow through you as you encourage the hearts of those God puts in your path.

The Greatest is Love

By Lisa Simmons

It’s not what I speak

no matter how sweet

It’s not in how smart
but what’s in my heart
that shows love
I can give all away
and still be the same
I can show that I’m strong
and be just as wrong
without love
Love suffers long and is kind
Love does not envy
or fill up with pride
Love is not rude
Nor seek its own
love thinks no evil
and doesn’t throw stones
Love is not glad
when you’re luck has run out
Love tells the truth
with no room for doubt
Love bears, believes and hopes all things
Love endures
and gives us reason to sing
Two things that are closely held
Faith and Hope are great as well
But the one most important from above
Cannot be measured-
The greatest is Love

Join us next month at PWC on March 22 as we learn about “How to Succeed in Everyday Interactions” based on Romans 12:14-16.

Love Him More Dearly

February 22, 2016Leave a comment

march 2

^{Just this morning I read A. W. Tozer’s words, “Let us go on to know Him and to love Him more dearly, not for His gifts and benefits, but for the pure joy of His presence. Thus we will fulfill the purpose for which He created us and redeemed us!” What a fitting close to our series on Knowing Him. May we truly embrace the wonder that almighty God invites us to have a relationship with Him. Continue to grow in Him, getting to Know Him through His Word and spending some alone time with Him in prayer. Please feel free to review the videos, as I hope they are a source of encouragement to you.}

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

Live It Out

February 16, 2016Leave a comment

I’m excited about sharing the last video in our series on Knowing Him. You will see that this one is a little different than the rest. I was on vacation in Austin and shot this from the back porch. It’s a little more raw and real (with cars driving by and dog’s slurping in the background), but then again isn’t that what real life looks like? The message of the Bible isn’t about perfect people doing perfect things, rather it is about messy lives of imperfect people who allow the power of God to work through them. This final video is about applying what we have learned in scripture and living it out in a practical way.

Also, remember that PWC is coming up soon – February 23. I hope you all will join me for a powerful message entitled, “What Does True Love Look Like?” For more info click on the PWC Study button in the menu bar at the top.

Memorizing Scripture – You Can Do It

February 9, 2016February 9, 2016Leave a comment

woman sitting alone outdoors

What could be more powerful than equipping your brain with the lasting truths of the Bible? Sadly, we often become discouraged and give up, thinking we just can’t memorize things anymore. I’m here to tell you – don’t give up! You can do it! And what a life-changer it is to know and speak God’s rich truth from the wellspring of your heart and mind. I use the DART method to help me memorize.

“D” stands for deliberate. Make a decision that you are going to memorize scripture and be deliberate and diligent to do it. Just as you may determine to reach certain goals in your life, you can also determine in your heart that memorizing scripture is a worthy goal and press on to accomplish it.

“A” stands for accountability. Ask at least one person to be your accountability partner. When you know someone is going to require you to say your verse or verses, it helps you stay on track and come through with your goals. You can ask a friend or your spouse, or consider forming a small scripture memory group to recite scripture together.

“R” stands for repetition. Reviewing and repeating the passage each day, helps to seal it into your brain. I typically review a passage for 21 days to make sure I really have it down, then I review it once a week to make sure I continue to keep it fresh. You will want to repeat the passage you are learning several times throughout your day. Print it out and put the verses in places where you will see it. This will spur your mind on to repeat them.

“T” stands for technique. There are many tricks and techniques to help you memorize verses, and you will need to discover what works best for you. I like to use silly pictures to help me remember the words of a passage. Here’s an example of how I draw pictures for a verse. This is Romans 12:3, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

FullSizeRender (13)

Other techniques include singing the verse, acting it out, writing it over and over, speaking it aloud several times a day. Try several methods and see which one resonates with you.

God’s word is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Just as a dart can penetrate into our skin, so the word of God penetrates our heart and changes our lives. Below you will find my latest video on Knowing Him through scripture memory, and remember – with God’s help you can do it!