close-up of an ear with sound waves
Grow Spiritually, Motivation, Scriptures

Are Christians Becoming Spiritually Hard of Hearing?

Okay, confession time: I have some hearing loss in my left ear.

While a hearing test detected that I had difficulty distinguishing between certain sounds, the doctor said that it wasn’t enough to warrant a hearing aid.

Still, the loss is frustrating at times. When Mike is speaking to me from a distance, I will often have to say, “Huh?” and come closer as he repeats what he just said.

When it comes to our prayer life, we can have a similar issue Spiritually.

I believe the problem is often not one of speaking but of hearing!

In the following article, you will learn 4 ways to tune up your Spiritual hearing so that you can experience more of the blessings of answered prayer.

Here are some topics we will cover:

Why is Spiritual Hearing Important?

Many times when we pray, we come to God with a laundry list of requests. However, prayer is meant as a two-way communication between the Lord and His people.

The first thing you need is confidence that God hears your prayer requests!

That is important because of what 1 John 5:14-16 tell us about God’s hearing in prayer:

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

When you speak to God in prayer, are you confident that you are praying according to His will and not your own?

Answered prayer is dependent upon our faith in God’s hearing as well as ensuring that we hear Him clearly.

Assurance that God Hears You

According to 1 John 5:14-16, we have faith (FAITH = Full Assurance in the Heart) that God hears us when we pray according to His will.

How do we know God’s will? Check out the guidance in these scriptures:

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

– Romans 10:17 

Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

– Galatians 3:5-6

So then, we know that the Lord hears us when we pray according to His will through His word.

The Dangers of Spiritual Hearing Loss

The ability to hear God speaking to you is essential to a victorious Christian life, especially when you go through trials.

Unfortunately, we have a Biblical example of God’s people ignoring His voice:

Today, if you will hear His voice: “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work. For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

– Psalm 95:8-11

This scripture tells us that God’s people hardened their hearts against Him before they closed their ears to Him!

Once they went astray in their hearts and closed their ears to God’s voice, rebellion was not far behind.

If a believer in Jesus does not make Him Lord of their lives through obedience to His word, then they will only deceive themselves ultimately.

Jesus warns us in Matthew 7:21-23:

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

A sober warning indeed.

Becoming ‘Swift to Hear’

As you can see, it is important for your Spiritual health to have a heart to hear God’s voice and to do what He says.

Check out this jam-packed wisdom from the book of James:

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

– James 1:19-25

Being “swift to hear, slow to speak” is one of the most challenging scriptures for me to practice in the natural.

Too often, I am quick to speak and slow to hear. It is so tempting to want to justify myself, cast blame, or complain.

Ouch. Seeing the truth in that Biblical mirror hurts sometimes!

Too often, the same attitude can manifest itself in our prayer time with the Lord.

We are so busy speaking in prayer that we don’t stay quiet long enough to listen…and sometimes even less time implementing what the Lord told us to do!

So how do you flip that futile script?

I believe hearing from God starts with a desire to hear and the expectation that you will hear from Him. After all, He is a good Father who desires to guide His children in making wise decisions each day.

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

– James 1:5

How to Discern God’s Voice

Because this world is noisy and many voices are competing for our attention, it is imperative that we have moments of stillness in our day to “be still and know that He is God” (see Psalm 46:10-11).

In this way, we connect with the Source of life itself.

Here are my 4 guidelines to discern God’s voice above all others:

1. God’s voice is still and small. He doesn’t scream at you; His voice is quiet and reasonable.

2. God’s voice always agrees with His word. That is why it is so important that you study God’s word for yourself so that you can determine if the voice you’re hearing agrees with the word you are studying.

3. Obedience to God’s word yields Spiritual fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 defines Spiritual fruit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

4. Obedience to God’s word helps you find strength in Him. Notice that I did not say the choice is always easy!

In all likelihood, the choice won’t be easy simply because Spiritual choices war against fleshly choices.

The good news is that the Lord gave you His Spirit not only to help you make wise choices, He gives you the power to walk them out. And you can receive His comfort you as you make those hard choices.

In Summary, I hope this article inspires you to sharpen your Spiritual hearing and use the guidance provided to do so.

It is only in hearing God’s word and obeying His will that we can receive the fullness of His good will for our lives. His plans for us are better than any plans we have for ourselves.

Love to hear your thoughts in the Comments!

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Grow Spiritually, Scriptures, Spiritual Development

13 Reasons Why We Follow Jesus

We follow Jesus because He is the way, the truth, and the life. Through Him we receive forgiveness, new identity, purpose, and eternal life. Following Him brings peace the world cannot give and freedom the world cannot take away. He offers healing, purpose, and eternal hope.

Have you ever messed up in life? I sure have! But one phrase brings me comfort: “I may make mistakes, but at least I got the most important thing right; I follow Jesus Christ as my Savior!” 

When I first gave my life to Christ, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I just knew I was tired of running and pretending. I needed peace and purpose, but I didn’t know where to find them. Over time, I discovered that following Jesus was not about religion. It was about relationship.

Every reason I needed to keep going was found in Him. He has never failed me.

Here are 13 reasons why I believe following Jesus is the wisest decision in life:

  1. He is the Only way to God.
  2. He is the Source of life.
  3. He is the Source of Spiritual truth.
  4. He is the Source of love.
  5. He is the Source of joy.
  6. He is the Source of peace.
  7. He gives us a new identity.
  8. He gives us life purpose.
  9. He gives eternal life.
  10. He forgives sins and sets us free from them.
  11. He comforts us in sorrow.
  12. He is the key to an overcoming life.
  13. He has prepared an eternal home for us.

Frequently Asked Questions

I pray every person reading this accepts Him as their Savior and will follow Jesus too (if they haven’t already)! 

1. He is the Only Way to God

Many people say that there are many paths to God. But our Lord’s words are clear that this is a lie:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

– John 14:6

You can’t get any plainer than that! Once you hear these words, you have a choice about how to respond to them.

As the old saying goes, “Either you believe Jesus is a liar, lunatic, or He is Lord.”

He is neither a liar nor a lunatic; He is Lord.

The apostle Peter said it best in response to the Lord’s question after a particularly hard saying:

Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

– John 6:67-69

2. He is the Source of Life

According to the following Scripture, all things were made through and for Jesus as the living Word of God:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

– John 1:1-4

Many people engage in addictions and other destructive behaviors to make themselves feel alive or as a distraction from life’s painful parts.

However, rather than running from life, wouldn’t it be wiser to run to the Source of life and connect with Him to make sense of it?

When we dedicate our lives to the Lord, we can trust in His wisdom and strength to overcome in daily life.

3. He is the Source of Spiritual Truth

This world is filled with misinformation meant to distract and deceive. But God is not the author of confusion. In the Bible, we learn the way to clarity:

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

– John 8:31-32

Our Lord invites His faithful followers to come to Him for wisdom:

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

– James 1:5

Because we do not know everything, then it makes sense to seek wisdom from the One who does!

4. He is the Source of Love

Our Savior’s sacrifice on the cross was the most dramatic demonstration of love ever! He suffered as no one in history has ever suffered. He was tortured, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day.

Because He conquered death and rose from the grave, so we arise to newness of life in Him: 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

– John 3:16

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

– John 15:13

We love Him because He first loved us.”

– 1 John 4:19

5. He is the Source of Joy

Reflecting on the Lord’s love through the words He spoke in John 15: 9-11 is the key to joy and gratitude:

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Our Savior reminds us of the heart of the commandments in Matthew 22:37-41:

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

His joy is our strength. Renewing our minds to truth, walking in it, and experiencing God’s goodness in all circumstances makes us true followers of our Lord!

6. He is the Source of Peace

God’s word says that He will keep us in perfect peace as we keep our minds stayed on Him because we trust in Him (see Isaiah 26:3). This includes bringing our struggles honestly before God.

Jesus gave us the gift of His peace; it is up to us to accept and live in it:

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

– John 14:27

7. He Gives Us a New Identity

When we accept the Christ as our Savior, we gain a new life and identity through His Spirit, examining our hearts before the Lord:

A New Life

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

– 2 Corinthians 5:17

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

– Romans 8:11

A New Identity

When Jesus is your Savior, you become:

A Child of God

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

– John 1:12-13

A Saint

To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

– Romans 1:7

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

– Philippians 1:6

The Righteousness of God in Christ

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

– 2 Corinthians 5:21

And so much more in Him!

8. He Gives Us Life Purpose

Hallelujah – as Believers, we are Kingdom citizens!

We were given life not just to hang out, amuse ourselves, and make a living but to build up God’s kingdom. We are meant to know God, glorify Him (reflect His character), and to share our faith in Jesus:

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” 

– John 15:5

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

– John 15:8

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.'”

– Galatians 5:22-23

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

– Matthew 28:19-20

9. He Gives Eternal Life

The Lord’s teaching tells us that life exists beyond our time on Earth. In our personal relationship with Him, we not only experience authentic life now, but in the life to come:

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

– John 17:3

The opportunity to have a family relationship with the Lord is the opportunity of a lifetime!

You do not want to miss it.

10. He Forgives Sins and Sets Us Free From Them

Sin hardens our hearts to God and other people. In our flesh, we have no power to overcome it. 

However through our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross, He paid our sin debt. When we believe in our hearts that He is the Son of God, confess our sins to Him, and declare Him as our Lord, He forgives us of our sins.

Not only that, but His Spirit comes to live in us and gives us power to overcome patterns that once controlled us!

Through yielding to God’s Spirit within us and walking in obedience, we will walk in righteousness. Because we love Him, we hear His Word and put His word into practice to keep our paths straight.

Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

– Acts 5:31

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.

For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.”

– Romans 6:16-19

11. He Comforts Us in Sorrow

Jesus knows what it feels like to lose someone you love, to be lied on and rejected. Therefore, we can come to Him during times of grief and sorrow.

We don’t have to bear these dark seasons alone because we have the light of life!

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”

– Isaiah 53:3

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

– Hebrews 4:14-15

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

– Isaiah 61:3

12. He is the Key to an Overcoming Life

Through our Lord, we have confidence that we can overcome any challenge, including emotional eating, which was my struggle for many years.

Over time, the Lord faithfully provided wisdom, clarity, and strength that helped me understand the deeper reasons behind my eating patterns.

Emotional eating often feels confusing, but clarity begins when we understand what drives the behavior beneath the surface.

If emotional eating has been part of your journey, these resources may help you recognize what your body and heart are communicating.

Through God’s grace, He gives us everything we need for victory. However big the challenge, our God is bigger!

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

– John 16:33

13. He Has Prepared an Eternal Home for Us

As a child of God, we have assurances that the Lord is with us now and we will have everlasting life in Him:

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

– John 14:2-3

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

– James 1:12

I hope this list of 13 reasons why deciding to follow Jesus is the wisest thing to do solidifies your faith or if you haven’t already, take the first step to follow Him today.

Feel free to add your reasons in the Comments!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Christians follow Jesus?

Christians follow Jesus because He is the Son of God and the only path to reconciliation with the Father. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He offers forgiveness of sins, new spiritual life, and eternal relationship with God.

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

Following Jesus means trusting Him as Savior and learning to live according to His teachings. It involves repentance, faith, obedience, and growing in love for God and others.

Why is Jesus the only way to God?

Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Christians believe Jesus’ words and that His sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for sin, restoring the broken relationship between humanity and God.

What happens when someone follows Jesus?

When someone follows Jesus, they receive forgiveness of sins and new spiritual life through the Holy Spirit. Over time their character begins to reflect Christ’s love, truth, and righteousness.

Can anyone choose to follow Jesus?

Yes. The Bible teaches that salvation is offered to all who believe in Jesus and trust Him as Savior. Anyone can come to Him regardless of past mistakes.

How do I start following Jesus?

Following Jesus begins with faith. A person acknowledges their need for forgiveness, believes that Jesus is the Son of God who died and rose again, and commits their life to Him (See John 3:16 and Romans 10:9-10).

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Grow Spiritually, Scriptures

What is your God View?

What is your God view? What roles do you see Him fulfilling in your life?

Father-daughter

Your God view determines:

If you struggle with emotional eating, a key question to ask yourself is: Do you see God as safe to run to during emotional upsets?

For many years, my answer was, “No.”

Food was safe, but God was not.

In this article, we will explore how your view of God determines your trust in Him when you need comfort or whether you choose to seek comfort from food or other sources.

Is God Safe?

Up until 20 years ago, I viewed God as an Angry Party Pooper. I saw Him as disappointed with me.

To me, He was a vengeful old man sitting on His throne with a Bible in one hand and a lightning bolt in the other.

He was just waiting for me to make a mistake. When I made one, Zoom!

This God did not want me having any fun. He only wanted me to go to church and read my Bible.

And worst of all, He didn’t want me gorging on sweets and junk food! What kind of life was that?

So what did I do? I became like a rebellious Teenager! I did the opposite of what He wanted.

Although I made occasional appearances at church on Sunday, I stayed far away from the Bible at other times.

I ate all I wanted, gorging on sweets and junk food.

Prayer? Not unless I was at church or in trouble.

Sexual purity? Forget it!

No wonder I ran from God and “into the food” when I was emotionally upset.

But my view of God changed in 2001. God showed me His lovingkindness in a unique way. It could not have been anyone else but Him!

I came to know that I could not disappoint God. The reason?

God is omniscient, which means He knows everything! Disappointment occurs when you have expectations of a person or situation and feel let down when they don’t come through.

But, to quote the Skit Guys, we cannot let God down because we were never holding Him up!

He holds us up with His righteous right hand (see Isaiah 41:10). Who sits at the Father’s right hand? Jesus.

Once I received God’s lovingkindness, my image of Him as the Angry Party Pooper was dead.

Long live God My Loving Father!

I’d like to share with you some common Biblical and worldviews people can have about God. As you read them, ask God in prayer to show you the truth of your view of Him.

Your goal is to know God as He says He is in His Word.

Biblical Views of God

God as a Loving Father (Biblical)

I never knew the love, protection, and security of having an Earthly father. My natural Father abandoned my mother and me when I was just a baby. I’ve never met him, even to this day.

Back in 2001, I attended a Christian women’s conference only to support a friend. But during the Saturday night dinner, they had created a theme called “The Father/Daughter Dinner.”

When we arrived at the dining room, they had the room decorated like a prom, had corsages at every place setting, along with a silver ring.

They also had a letter written “from God” (based upon Biblical scripture) to His precious daughters about how much He loved them.

The letter touched my heart as I learned how God desired to have a personal relationship with me and care for me.

I lost it. I cried at that dinner more than I have ever cried outside of a funeral!

Then, another surprise. Men came in and prayed for us – husbands, fathers, friends.

These men I did not know personally repented before God, saying they knew they had not been the Protectors and Leaders they should have been.

They asked for God’s help and strength to become who He wanted them to be. Then,  the men sang praise songs and we all worshipped the Lord together.

Remembering that event still tugs at my heart because in that one swoop, God healed the hurt, anger, and grief inside of me. He revealed Himself to me as a loving, protective Father.

I have never been the same.

Because I saw God as a loving Father who wanted the best for me, then I stopped taking on the role of a rebellious Teenager.

I am now an adult Royal daughter who has joined her Father in His work in the family business:

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9);”

He showed me as a loving Father the life He wanted me to live. Although I did sin at times, it was not willful.

Sin no longer had dominion over me because I recognize that the Lord made His grace available to me.

He knew about the mistakes I would make before I did! Through His word, He gave me wisdom to know what to do; By His Spirit in me, He gave me the strength to do it.

God’s goodness led me to repentance.

I started reading my Father’s book, the Bible, with a heart to know His will and to do it. My desire is that each passing day, I will reflect His glory more and more.

God as a Just Judge (Biblical)

The view of God as a Just Judge is taken from His words in Jeremiah 9:23-24:

Thus says the Lord:

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the Lord.”

Someday, we will all give account to God for what we have done in these Earthly bodies according to Hebrews 4:13:

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

Consider a natural judge. A judge makes His decisions by what is written in the law. I believe God’s law is written in His word, the Bible.

If He judged based on our opinion, then we could say that He is prone to partiality, playing favorites. But He does not. He always judges righteously.

If you are caught speeding down a road, you can try telling the judge, “I didn’t see the Speed Limit sign!” I tried that excuse once. The judge didn’t buy it. I still had to pay a fine.

So it is best to read and heed what is written because in the end, you will give an account.

That is why God inspired the Biblical writers to write down His word; He wants us to know His will for our own protection, health, and safety.

God has given us His word as our wisdom and His Spirit for power to obey His word.

I define “fear of the Lord” not as terror, but loving, respecting, and reverencing the Lord enough to do what He says.

It’s confidence in knowing the Lord loves us where we are and His plans for us are better than those we have for ourselves!

God as a Righteous King (Biblical)

To me, one of the saddest statements in the Bible is found in Judges 21:25:

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

In those days, the Israelites did not have a human king to set policy over them. So each person did whatever they felt was right, influenced by the world around them.

But the truth was that the Israelites had the Most High God as King over them. However, they did not honor Him as such. They ignored the King’s decrees. They did not make themselves subject to His authority.

Since we believe that we are a royal priesthood according to the Bible, then we live according to a Theocracy regarding personal matters.

Our King sets the policies, we don’t. Scripture says though we are in the world, we are not of the world (see 1 John 2:15-16).

And guess what? Our King is coming back for us:

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14 ).”

Worldly Views of God

God as a Tough Taskmaster (Worldly)

Now, let’s discuss some worldly views of God. Seeing God as a tough taskmaster is typically from a Christian who has the Spiritual gift of Service.

While this wonderful gift was meant to give God glory and we are expected to serve, God never told us to work ourselves to death!

We may work hard serving in the church or volunteering, but it is good to check our motives for serving.

Is it because we think it will get us more brownie points with God or gain greater acceptance from Him?

God is not going to love us any more than He does right now.

A person with a view of God as a hard taskmaster can take on the attitude of a long-suffering martyr or victim:

“I don’t know why God is working me so hard. He won’t let me have any rest! All of these lazy people around me won’t help me!”

For a classic example of someone with this attitude in the Bible, see Martha (see Luke 10:38-42).

The Lord wanted her presence more than her service. The world would not have ended if her arrangements turned out less than perfect.

God as a Motivational Life Coach (Worldly)

I think this God view is fairly recent, especially with New Age thinking.

Such a person sees God as only there to affirm them and make them feel good. They make their decisions based solely upon what they feel is right.

They have their goals and God is there to ensure that their goals are met.

In cases in which God’s word contradicts what they think, they ignore it.

They may think, “God doesn’t know everything, does He? Besides, the Bible is an ancient book and it is not relevant to the times we are living in today.”

If someone tries to correct them and tell them that God does know everything and His word is still relevant, then they cut them off.

They follow their own standard of truth and God is just going to have to go along with it.

Actually, this viewpoint does have ancient roots. This reminds me of the Bible story in which Jacob’s wife, Rachel stole the household idols (gods) of her father, Laban (see Genesis 31:26-35).

When her father came looking for his idols, Rachel put them in a camel’s saddle and sat on them to avoid detection.

How convenient to have gods so small that you can control them or tuck them out of sight so that nobody knows you have them!

God as a Bail Bondsman (Worldly)

This person sees God as only One to call upon when they get in trouble. They see Him as the keeper of “Get Out of Hell Free” cards.

So when they are in trouble, they pray vehemently for God to get them out.

However once the storm has passed and God has delivered them, then they have no further contact with Him until they get in trouble again.

The Israelites treated God that way in the Old Testament and so did I before my turnaround in 2001.

God as a Genie (Worldly)

This one is similar to the Bails Bondsman view. A person with this view has no desire for a relationship with God apart from what they can get from Him. A new car? They got it! A new house? They got it! A closet full of new clothes and shoes? They got it!

While there is nothing wrong with wanting nice things, God wants our priorities straight. Our primary mission is to join Him in His work to seek and save lost people.

The things of this world will pass away but those we help to come to know the Lord will be added to our Heavenly account. That will be worth far more than anything we get on Earth.

So what is your God view? For us who know God, then we know the meaning of life:

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3).”

How tragic to spend your days pursuing everything else, but miss knowing God on a deeper level.

He is your life and the length of your days. Seek and Behold Him!

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Overcoming Rejection in the Bible

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Leah’s husband did not love nor want her. Her story tells us much about overcoming rejection in the Bible.

Self-rejection or other people’s rejection can fool you into believing that you have no value apart from how you look, what you have, or how you perform.

How we see ourselves determines how we treat ourselves.

Leah’s story provides clarity about the spirit of rejection in the Bible (see Genesis 29:15 -35) can show you the truth about rejection and 3 ways to overcome its hurtful effects.

Overcoming Rejection in the Bible: Leah – The Rejected Wife

One of the first mentions of Leah was about her appearance. Unfortunately, it was mentioned as one of the causes of rejection in the Bible.

While her younger sister Rachel was described as beautiful in form and face, Leah was only described as having “weak eyes.”

Their relative Jacob fell in love with Rachel instantly. Jacob asked their father’s permission to marry her. Laban said that Jacob could have Rachel – if he worked for him for 7 years.

Jacob did it without complaint. After the 7 years was up, Jacob was ready to claim his new bride. But he was tricked. Laban had switched brides!

Jacob received Leah instead. Laban told Jacob that he had to take the oldest daughter first according to their tradition.

Leah had become a pawn, married to a man she knew did not want her.

While Leah’s story started out badly, it had a good ending regarding overcoming rejection in the Bible.


The ”People-pleasing” Reaction to Rejection

Jacob worked another 7 years to receive Rachel as a wife. At the same time, he fulfilled his obligation to Leah.

It turned out Leah was quite fertile!

At first, the names Leah gave her sons expressed her identity as a rejected wife, longing for Jacob to love her:

  • Reuben: “See, a Son”: This name expresses Leah’s hope that Jacob would find value in her because of her “performance.” After all, she had given him a son.
  • Simeon: “Heard”: Leah affirmed that the Lord heard that she was unloved and had given her another son. To me, the name shows that Leah was still trying to have a voice in Jacob’s life based on her performance.
  • Levi: “Attached”: This name speaks of desperation for connection. Leah thought surely Jacob would become attached to her because she had borne him 3 sons.

Do you see a pattern here?

Leah’s focus was all about getting Jacob to approve of and love her.

Even though Leah was a Godly woman, earning Jacob’s love was first in her heart. She was a people-pleaser of the first degree!

Many people make that same mistake today.

Because they don’t affirm their inherent worth in God’s eyes, nor give themselves love and approval, then they try to get it through performance, external achievements, or through other people’s opinions.

But that becomes a losing situation.

When that happens, you get caught up in a never-ending cycle of jumping over hurdles.

You can never rest because the minute you get affirmation through external circumstances, look! The bar is raised again.

Another hurdle to jump.

In your eyes, nothing you do is ever good enough. Plus, you always have a secret fear that the approval you gained externally will be taken away.

However in Leah’s case, something wonderful changed within her.

Overcoming Rejection in the Bible: The Godly Reaction

You can see Leah’s change by the time she gave birth to and named son #4.

This was the name she gave him:

  • Judah: “Praise.” Leah declared, “Now I will praise the Lord.”

Do you see the shift?

Leah changed her priorities. She focused her heart on praising the Lord for the gift of her son, separate from her husband’s reaction.

The best news of all? Leah’s story has a great ending.

Jesus came through her son Judah’s lineage. Jesus was born through the tribe of Praise.

Self-rejection or other people’s rejection can fool you into believing that you have no value apart from how you look, what you have, or how you perform.

But that is a lie straight from the enemy! He wants you deceived so that you remain trapped in your own insecurities.

Even worse, it can lead you into creating a hostile environment mentally of your own creation:

When you live out that destructive, small story of life then you miss out on God’s wonderful, big story!

God created you on purpose and for a purpose. That fact remains true no matter what other people think of you or even what you think of yourself.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).”

If you want to keep on living the lie that you have no value apart from external things, then that is your choice.

But what a sad thing to reach the end of your life only to realize you wasted it because you chose to believe lies rather than the truth!

Thank God that Jesus is our High Priest. Jesus understands what rejection feels like.

Isaiah 53:3 records a prophecy about what our Messiah would suffer:

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”

It hurts when other people reject you. No doubt about it.

I’ve experienced that hurt many times myself.

But we can take comfort in knowing that we are not facing anything that Jesus hasn’t dealt with Himself already!

We can learn from Leah and Jesus regarding how to deal with rejection:

1. Focus on praise. I love Psalm 139:14. King David wrote it (he came from Leah’s bloodline too):

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”

Praise the Lord for creating you and for giving you a part in His big story, which is saving lost people who don’t know Jesus.

2. Focus on God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus knew God the Father loved him. He affirmed it constantly:

The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand (John 3:35).”

Your Father loves you too:

for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God (John 16:27).”

Because of His love for you, Jesus was willing to endure other people’s rejection, torture, and even death to sacrifice Himself for your sins.

Aren’t you glad that Jesus did not allow rejection to distract Him from His purpose?

Where would you be if Jesus had allowed rejection to stop Him?

So affirm God’s love for you as Jesus did – constantly.

Affirm His love for you even in the smallest things.

My husband Mike and I often do that with each other. Whenever I see God’s favor evident in our lives, I will say “God sure loves Him some Mike Taylor!”

Mike will smile and say, “Yes, He does!” And then he responds, “God sure loves Him some Kim Taylor!”

I will smile and say, “Yes, He does!” Okay, this may seem corny to some, but it is fun and it never fails to remind us of God’s handiwork in our lives.

Just a simple affirmation like that will help you begin to unhook your self-worth from your performance or other people’s opinions.

3. Define your Identity by God’s Word. Stop agreeing with the enemy or other people’s negative opinion of who you are.

Walk in agreement with God’s good news about you.

If feelings of rejection haunt you, I challenge you to memorize Ephesians 1:4-6. Meditate on its truth and renew your mind in this area, in particular the last verse:

to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”

Did you get that? You may feel rejected at times, but never take rejection as your identity.

You are accepted in the Beloved!

Even if you have to repeat “I am accepted in the Beloved” every time the enemy resurrects feelings of rejection, then do it.

Why? Because that is the truth. Start operating according to God’s truth. Once that becomes a habit, you will never fear rejection again!

After all, you are now living for the approval of One – the God who created you and loves you to Life.

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Words of Comfort During Economic Crisis

Recent economic events have left many people feeling dismayed. The word “dismayed” means “to be not able.” Yet, even when we don’t feel able, God is able! 

We can remain stable during times of shaking. Here are 3 ways to use our power for comforting during economic crisis and to reflect God’s glory.

During times of crisis, we can remain stable when we use our God-given power.

You may wonder why I’m even writing about this subject, given that Take Back Your Temple is about overcoming emotional eating from a Christian perspective primarily.

But we are not just bodies – we have a Spirit, a mind, and emotions too.

Our health does not exist in isolation. 

When you are troubled emotionally such as through anger, stress or sadness, it affects your physical health and habits too.

And for many of us, we tend to run back to destructive habits in emotional distress!

You need to regain your footing again. The first place to check is your Spiritual foundation.

Ask yourself:

  • “What does the foundation of my life rest upon?”
  • Does my emotional stability rest upon circumstances, other people’s actions, or my own abilities?

If so, then you can be shaken in times of crisis.

After all, circumstances can change for the worse and threaten your security.

During times when I feel shaken, I use Psalm 61:2 as a prescription:

“From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Jesus is our Rock. In times of emotional distress, it’s wise to hold on to the Rock for dear life! 

Remind yourself that none of what is happening is a surprise to God.

During a crisis, we as God’s people have the opportunity to bring God’s kingdom wherever we go.

His kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit – not matter what happens in the world (see Romans 14:17).

Through our Rock, we have power in Him to remain stable when we use our God-given power.

Here are 3 ways:

1. We have the power to pray.

The Bible says that the prayers of the righteous avail much. We have all of the resources of heaven at our disposal when we pray according to God’s will.

Only God has the power to change human hearts. When people’s hearts are changed inwardly, their actions will change outwardly.

2. We have the power to speak God’s word into every situation.

If there was any time in which the world needs to hear life-giving, encouraging words from disciples of Jesus Christ, it is now.

People are hurting, confused, and need answers. So let’s pray for wisdom that we will speak the right words at the right time:

Proverbs 22:21: “That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?”

Luke 21:15: “for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.”

3. We have the power to love and serve.

I told our young group member that we need to first keep our own hearts and minds stayed on the Lord so that we remain in peace.

When our hearts are right, we can minister to others who need comfort and encouragement. God’s perfect love casts out fear.

It’s not just missionaries who have a mission field. We all have one.

While we may not be able to change the world, we can serve those in our families, our communities, our jobs and businesses – whatever territory God has given us.

Let us use our power!

When times are darkest, this is our time to shine the brightest. We are anointed for such a time as this:

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

– Matthew 5:16)

So let us shine on.

Finally, here is my prayer for you according to Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Please share this message with others who encouragement today.

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