My dear friends, I would like to start humbly by reminding everyone including myself that, this topic is more than just being a concept that needs to be broken down and understood, I personally believe that it is not about the complexity of how it relates to us in our lives, but rather who does it relate us to and the way our lives are transformed and never remain the same again.

Let’s use the word of God directly to understand this topic in an old fashioned way – Going through the verses one at a time.

Fact 1: Law of God – A guide to sin (Romans 3:19, 20)

The law of God (Commandments of God) is a clear baseline established to reveal our sinful nature. It is like a mirror that shows our flaws and faults and that is the sole purpose of the law. It represents God’s character which is without blemish, thus helping us understand as to the kind of life we need to be living. So one of the common mistakes as Christians we tend to do is try and do our best to follow the law carefully with the assumption that we will be saved by doing so. It is by the law, that we humans gain the knowledge of sin and its consequences.But in no way is redemption from sin.

Fact 2: God’s righteousness is different from our own righteousness (Romans 3:21)

The law of God requires us to be righteous, but the righteousness (making ourselves right with God) that we earn by keeping the law is unfortunately not up to the standards of God, not because we are not doing our best, but because we are sinners by birth and it doesn’t match up to God’s expected righteousness. Hence we can come to a conclusion that, we need God’s righteousness and only place we get that is from God Himself. That’s where Jesus Christ comes into picture.

Fact 3: God’s righteousness – An unmerited favor, justified by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22, 23, 24, 25, 26)

Jesus Christ gives us that righteousness, which we cannot claim using our deeds and the only way we can claim it is by faith in Him, for He gave us His righteous blood on the cross. Jesus Christ gives it to us as an expression of His grace (A worthy favor towards an unworthy soul) towards, not because we deserve it for doing some good deeds, but because He loves us and He wants us to be saved. Jesus knows that the only way we can be saved and be presented before His father without blemish is by using His robe of righteousness. For the bible says – “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6

Fact 4: Now that we have God’s righteousness, Can we break the law? (Romans 3:28)

It is a blessing that by God’s amazing grace and through our faith in Jesus Christ, we are justified and redeemed from sin. This also means that we claim ourselves to be the sons & daughters of Jesus Christ. In that context alone, we are meant to reflect Christ’s character for we have claimed Him to be our redeemer. So, because of the love we have for Him and the price He paid for us, we are called to be Chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9) to live a life without sin and thus persevering to keep the law of God, for the bible says..”If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Praise God for we are justified by the faith we have in Jesus Christ and not our deeds.

Lunch time found me traipsing down shady downtown streets with my co-worker in pursuit of a somewhat healthy lunch. The heat rose from the sidewalk and seemed to hover at waist height. We took our time, chatting about projects and upcoming vacations. In the near distance, I saw two young women in matching blue t-shirts. My first impulse was to cross the street to the other side to avoid confrontation. But I was with my colleague and she didn’t seem to be holding back a “fight of flight” impulse. So, I continued on. As soon as we came into the girls’ focus, the one in front stepped out of the shade and waved at us.

“Hey! How are you? Come talk to me - I’m awesome!”

No, this wasn’t a typical scraggly hipster-type asking me if I’d registered to vote while weakly holding out a tattered clipboard. This girl looked like she was on her way to track practice - around the perfume counters at Saks Fifth Avenue. Her hair was in a cute ponytail on top of her head and mascara perfectly accentuated each and every eyelash. Her friend’s stylish fedora framed her large smile and cast a shadow on the giant diamond studs sparkling on her earlobes. As we came closer, they sensed that we were slowing down and they moved in for the kill. How does one turn down the invitation to talk to the “popular girl” when she says, “I’m awesome…and I want to talk to you!”??

Within five seconds, it was clear that they were on a mission to get us signed up as card-carrying Greenpeace members. Of course, I’d heard of the organization, so I really didn’t need the speech. But Girl #1 kept right on going. Upon learning that my co-worker  was already a member, she gave her a high five and proceeded to tell us what Greenpeace was doing about the massive oil spill in the Gulf. There was nowhere to go and we didn’t want to seem rude. So, we listened. And, you know what? They were actually interesting to listen to. Personable, upbeat, engaging, humorous…they reeled us in. Before I knew it, I was agreeing to send Greenpeace $15 a month and signing on a dotted line. Afterwards, Girl #2 gave me a hug, saying that all new members got one (Girl #1 gave my co-worker a hug too since, apparently, old members get them as well). We walked away and waved at them like they were old friends. As we continued on to lunch, I could feel the conflict beginning to boil inside. How had I allowed myself to sign up for something like that - on the spot? How had they done it?

Then, naturally, my thoughts changed to how the work that the girls were doing was vastly different, yet the same, as the work that we, as witnesses of the gospel, should be doing. Was it possible, I thought, for a couple of church-going youth to stand on a street corner and engage passers-by in the same way that these two young ladies had? Seemingly, four key factors made their pitch successful:

Approachability: Even before we were within ear shot, we were able to read the body language of the Greenpeace Girls. They appeared to be having a light-hearted conversation and their postures were relaxed and fluid. They didn’t seem rigid, frightened, or prepared to dart into the bushes at a moment’s notice. They had the air of two friends chatting in the commons after class. Unassuming and “normal”, they didn’t attract unnecessary attention (besides the giant “Greenpeace” emblazoned on their shirts).

Confidence: I’ll repeat Girl #1’s line, as it keeps ringing in my head. “Come talk to me - I’m awesome!” Now, I don’t know if, exasperated after a long morning of rejection, she had just thrown caution to the wind and was now blurting anything that came to mind. Whatever the case, she exuded confidence. Her invitation told us that she was comfortable being out in the Texas heat and she was comfortable about her message. She had something to share and if we wanted to listen to it, great. If not, she was secure enough to know that someone else would walk up who would want to hear it. The line was so unusual that it caught me off guard…and made me want to hear how she would proceed. As they talked to us about Greenpeace’s mission and work, they looked us straight in the eye and smiled. It was as if we were having a conversation…and I didn’t even know them. I found myself listening intently, and instead of looking for an escape, I just wanted to hear them out.

Friendliness: The high-fives, the hugs, the little jokes and banter between the girls…all that made the entire exchange a friendly and upbeat one. There was no guilt-tripping, passive aggressiveness, or index finger wagging in admonition. As soon as Girl #1 found out that my colleague was Canadian, she grasped a hold of this detail and didn’t let go. She made an immediate connection with her, listing friends that she had in Vancouver (my co-worker’s hometown) and extolling the virtues of our Northern Neighbors. We were completely at ease now. I could have walked away, saying “No thanks,” but instead, I thought, “Why not?”

Conviction: Girl #1 gave us her best “sincere look”, complete with one arched eyebrow. “Listen,” she confided in us, “Greenpeace doesn’t pay me enough to stand out here in this heat. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t really believe in the organization and the work they’re doing!” Now, I’m sure all the volunteers or staff are trained in their pitches, so I took this in stride. However, she seemed so sincere as she spoke - we could feel her genuine passion radiating through her words. As she continued, I could tell that she knew her stuff. I was impressed as she rattled off numbers and statistics and told of her experience protesting in front of the capitol building. The tempo of her words increased and the pitch in her voice elevated as she explained, from the heart, about how “the people” can fight corporations that do things to hurt the environment. When she was finished, I almost believed that my one little signature and 15 bucks a month could actually do something. Her conviction was contagious.

All things considered, I could just be the biggest sucker on the planet. That’s not the point. The point here is that this experience made me think about our work as Christians. When we witness - on a street corner, in a dorm room, or in the hallways at work - are we as effective as the Greenpeace Girls? In the way that we deliver the gospel, are we approachable, disarming, and open or do we repel people? Are we confident of our purpose and our calling or are we “still trying to figure that one out”? Do we open up our hearts and our arms in genuine friendship, or are we lurking about with a thinly veiled agenda? Do our actions stem from a deep-rooted conviction in our beliefs (intelligently reasoned, I might add), or do we just do things “because we’ve been told”?

While I still might have a hard time thinking of myself standing on a sidewalk and engaging people with the story of Christ the way these young ladies gushed about Greenpeace, I certainly think that we have a lot to learn from others in this department. May the day come quickly when we can draw people in with a starting line like, “Hey! Glad to meet you! Come talk to me - Jesus is awesome!”

That’s right. All. That includes your pastor, your neighbor, Mother Theresa, Barack Obama, you and most definitely me. We have all sinned. It’s a tough pill to swallow and as we get closer to Christ our understanding of this will go through different stages. Here are a few:

DENIAL
We all have heard the denial of this fact in one form or another. It comes in the shape of the “humanity is inherently good” theories. The lesson points out however, that when we understand what true goodness is, and when we measure ourselves against God, the only good one, we find that we all are flawed.

DECEPTION
The lesson talks about a number of misconceptions the world may have about sin and evil. One is that humanity has and will continue to improve and that morality is increasing. But is this really true? There are arguments on how many days of peace the world has had since World War 2, and although no one has settled on a number, most people’s estimates are alarmingly low. Our turn away from God and into sin has meant increasingly violent times across the world.

On a much smaller scale however is the self-deception that leads us to think ourselves better than others because we see our sin as less extreme than that of others. Another self-deception is to think that we can fix our own sin problem through our own effort. But we would be wrong on both counts.

ACCEPTANCE
It can be depressing to realize our true state. But what a relief to know that through Jesus we can find redemption and salvation. When we accept our sinfulness and turn to Him, we can find righteousness through faith in Him. It means we can be truly without sin before the father, because we become covered in Jesus’ righteousness.

REPENTANCE
There is no other way to Salvation. Once we realize our sin, we’ve got to admit it, and give it up. And no one can do this for us - we must do this voluntarily on our own. When we do, however, we receive the power from God to overcome the temptations that come our way in the future.

RECREATION
We all come before God sinful, but we do not need to stay this way. God’s love created for us the opportunity to be cleansed and to have new life in Him. We are no longer the sinful beings we were, but we are recreated into sons of daughters of Christ.

In Romans, Paul tells us that all of have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. But later in 2 Corinthians 5:7 he reminds us that “… if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

That’s a final stage worth striving for.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:8

When I think of basic tenets of the Adventist faith, several things come to mind. The Investigative Judgment. The mark of the beast. The state of the dead. The Sabbath. Creationism and the age of the earth. These are all topics that make Seventh-Day Adventists unique and doctrinally distinct from our Protestant kin. However, maybe you’ve noticed this, too: it is so easy to get wrapped up in these details that our debates and well-meaning conversations may completely obliterate a basic fact. What is that fact? Salvation by grace alone? Adherence to the law?

Simply, it is this: God is love.

I am really struck by how little we talk about God’s love today. You know what I mean - sermonizing God’s love is seen as too “touchy feely”, “contemporary Christian”, and “void of theological substance”. “Sure, God loves us,” we seem to shrug sometimes. “Let’s move on to the more interesting topics like identifying the anti-christ.” When we do talk about the love of God, it is in the simplest of terms. How can we correctly describe something we can’t even wrap our minds around? What does this dying world, ignorant of its cancerous state, need right now? What is the only salve for its suffering? What is the only thing that can give people hope? It is the unquestionable, undeniable, ravenously passionate, jealous, stunning, all-consuming, unconditional love of God. When’s the last time you thought about God’s love for you in those terms?

Recently, I was on the gorgeous island of Kauai for a wedding. Sabbath morning, I sat in a little island church in Lawai and listened, rapt, as the Sabbath School teacher illuminated God’s love throughout scripture. I checked the lesson in my lap - lesson 13 was about relationships between people. How had she spun it so that the entire lesson was about God’s love? But yet, it made sense. I found myself stunned, as one who was reading an old unopened love letter from a relationship gone sour. Hearing the teacher speak ignited a spark in my heart as I realized, again, and for the first time, that God’s love:

• Compelled Him to create beings with whom He could share a relationship. (Gen. 1:27; Psalm 8:5; Psalm 139:14-16)
• Obligated Him to engineer a world suitable for our survival and sustenance. (Gen. 1:28-31)
• Bound Him to His covenants and promises to those that love and follow Him (and even those who don’t on some occasions!). (Heb. 10:16, 17)
• Drove Him to sacrifice His son for our freedom and salvation. (Isaiah 53:5 ; Heb. 9:28)
• Inspired Him to design a place for our eternal happiness and joy. (John 14:1-3)

Going back and reading the Bible through the perspective of a loving God, we should be able to see a Being who desires us so fully that He will do anything to have us. That love is the root, the foundation, of everything that we find in the Bible - from the creation of the world to the laws and statutes to the eventual death and resurrection of Christ. God’s love must be foundational in our dealings and teachings because otherwise, they are just senseless noise (1 Cor. 13: 1-3).

Where does that leave us? What does the knowledge of such a love mean to you and me? What should it compel us to do on our end?

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not knocking crusades. I know they work. I just wonder whether they work here - that is, within North America. I think the question is worth examining when you realize that the North American Division, with a growth rate of 4.3% over the last five years,  ranks 8 out of 13 in terms of church growth among all our divisions*. In fact Divisions with the most developed countries seem to have the slowest rates of church growth.

Could it be that the traditional methods may not be as effective here?

Just for fun, do your own study. Next time you’re at church count all the people who became new members in the last twelve months. Minus from that number immigrants who transferred their membership. Then minus those who were re-baptized. Take away all the children who’ve been attending church for years but who just decided to get baptized. Now tell me how many you have left.

If your count was as low as mine then maybe, like me, you’re thinking that we need to find new ways to spread the gospel to those around us everyday. You know who I mean. The person who sits beside you at work - the one who just made the last payment on his 2009 hybrid and isn’t really in need of anything. Or your hairdresser who’s too busy running her own business to take a week night off. Or your next door neighbor Fred and his partner Gregory. They need to know Jesus too don’t they? So why aren’t we finding post-modern methods to share the gospel in our post-modern world?

In the book Evangelism, Ellen G White urges us to seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in spreading the gospel, and tailor our outreach methods to every situation. In other words, the one-size-fits-all strategy for evangelism will not work.

So how do we do make the change? Maybe by making our evangelism more individual focused than mass focused; or by using things like our health message to welcome in our health trendy society.//For this reason I am excited by the recent efforts of our church leaders to make this year’s evangelism strategy a bit different by including outreach in the areas of health, family and finances.**//But most of all we should be intentional and Spirit led about evangelism, recognizing that it is broke the way it is now, and we should fix it.

*Stats provided by Adventist Global Mission Frontline Edition 20th Anniversary Edition.

** Added July 2, 2010.

Picnic blanket, grapes, and a book.

Sandy ocean shores, a towel, sunglasses and a book.

Hood of car, sunset, mosquito repellent, blaring music and a book.

Choose the destination and accessories but there is something about the summer that just makes you want to find your favorite spot and read.  Before you hit the bookstores (or library if you are broke like me) check out the list below. Compiled by some of our authors these books with challenge, uplift, convict and hopefully ultimately draw you closer to the Author of all the seasons.

This list will continue to evolve and grow during the summer so feel free to send us your own favorites.

Spiritual Development

If My People Pray by Randy Maxwell: An Eleventh Hour Call to Prayer and Revival - great book about the power or prayer. We’ve been using it in our Wednesday night meetings for the past couple months.

In Step With God by Charles Stanley

Walking With God by John Eldridge: an intimate look at one man’s walk with God. This book reawakens within you the desire to hear God everyday.

The Power of Praying by Stormie Omartian: simple prayers that will reignite your prayer life and give you a new perspective as you start each day. This is also a wonderful gift for recent graduate.

Christ Object Lessons by Ellen White

Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis short 3 paged letters that strike at the core of what ails humanity and reveals some of Satan’s daily deceptions that we allow to blind our view on life.

Relationships

Letters to Young Lovers by E.G. White- compilation of letters and responses between Ellen White and young people considering marriage. It is an old book, but very insightful and definitely relevant.

Doctrinal Truth

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis - A classic. Everyone should read Lewis’ poignant and insightful treatise on the life of a Christian.

The Devil’s Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions by David Berlinski - a really great read from a scientific mind debunking atheist rhetoric.

Health

Raw Juices Can Save your life! - Not conventional I know, but this is a guide to juicing with recipes on different natural juices that can help heal many common ailments. I cosign this one based on experience.

Life Portraits

Desire of Ages by E. G. White- Possibly the most beautiful portrait of the life of Christ. Get to know Jesus more intimately by reading this amazing account of His life and mission.

Messiah by Jerry D. Thomas - E.G. White classic book Desire of Ages translated in modern day English hits every note and places you right there in A.D 27. Beautiful

I Will Die Free by Noble Alexander- True story of a young adventist preacher in Cuba who remains faithful to God after being falsely accused, imprisoned and tortured for years.

Ministry

It’s About People by Jim Hohnberger– My leadership team read this book this year and it really helped us refocus on the important part of ministry – the people. The book is an easy and through provoking read that gives suggestions for how to take action.

Books of the Bible

The Book of James by James - All about living the Christian life. James encourages us to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

So how does the bible define integrity or what does the Bible say about integrity?

• It means treating people fairly and honestly (Leviticus 19:35)
• The lord will test and judge your integrity( Psalm 7)
• Integrity is giving your word and keeping it (Exodus 8:28)
• Integrity will protect you-David prays that integrity and uprightness will protect him( Psalm 25:21)
• Integrity is more valuable than riches (Proverbs 28:6)
• The Lord hates lies and lack of integrity (Zechariah 8:16)
• Integrity will be rewarded (1^st Kings 9:4-5)
• Your integrity should set an example(Titus 2:7)

This week’s lesson guide is all about integrity. Can you be counted among those who can tell the truth? If someone asks about your personality, would integrity be one of them? In the Bible, integrity has been closely associated with health, holiness and wholeness.

Personal integrity has been known to produce positive hormones to our body for us to enjoy our happiness and health. It is all about constant actions, values, methods and measures and principles. If we consider the life we are living right now, does it act according to God’s integrity? Does your everyday action give you joy and good health?

For our actions to be aligned with his; we should align our roles, resentments, our worship, identity and our prayers so that we can become an integral part of his life. This will set us apart from other people.

Integrity is also one of the personalities that make people become role models to children and other young adults. Look at our parents, how much have they sacrificed for us, they gave us everything that we needed. This kind of virtue is what is in most of us and it makes us appreciate others and at time, sacrifice what we have to make them happy. Just like a cloth is woven, so should our character be woven on a daily basis. For us to have the highest integrity, we ought to look at God and see the example he has given us. He never lies, nor changes his mind (Numbers 23:19)

In a world where cheating is the norm, how do you get to be the person you desire to be? As youths, we should know that God looks at the heart and not the personal appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). If we put this into action, we will try to be better with our actions and have that commitment towards integrity.

In conclusion; the Bible values integrity, our actions as Christians and as youths should match our words. We have several people in the Bible who have lived with integrity, God’s men who have lived in consistent with God’s teaching, and they put God’s way before their own. As youths, we can maintain and develop biblical integrity by adhering to God’s values, spending time with him, trusting in him and letting him live in our lives.

Here I am, in the place I repeatedly told myself I’d never be again. The same nagging feeling, though a little less sharp, gnaws at my heart. I look down at my hands and see them dripping from a bath of sticky, perpetual sin. I’ve tried and tried, prayed and prayed, but here I am, wearing the path deeper yet as I repeat the circuit of habit.

God has provided a way for you to escape. No temptation is to large – no circumstance obligatory. He will not give you more than you can bear. Stand up. Call on Him. Choose right and live.

The scary fact, though, is this: I know all of this and yet, I sin! I choose to transgress, to do the things that are contrary to God’s law all the while knowing that I am sinning! This is no idle ignorance. No, this is fickle frailty at its absolute finest. Even as the pleading of the Holy Spirit becomes fainter and fainter, I stand on the shore, as a sailor without a vessel, and look helplessly out to the horizon.

But I will never leave you or forsake you.

I don’t know – I kind of feel that I deserve to be forsaken. If I were me, I’d shut me down real fast. But, I guess that’s what “grace” is all about, right? I’m so thankful to have it, don’t get me wrong. I just can’t believe I’ve failed again. Turning my eyes inward, I try to determine the absolute depth of my heart, my being, and my soul. What are my motives? What do I want? Why doesn’t Christ seem to satisfy me and why do I continue to stray from His side? Breaths come faster, but the tears have long since dried up. I repent out of rote but on a different level of consciousness, I know that I should drop to my knees. Hands curl up into claws and I shriek out with Paul,

O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Romans 7:24

Indeed. Who shall deliver me? Do I even want to be delivered? Silence rushes in and all I hear is my heartbeat, pounding out into the darkness. “Yes. Absolutely. Please. Help me.”

The struggle is age-old and familiar to all who have passed through the vivifying waters of the baptistery. One day, bright with promise of a fresh new life, the next, lost in a forest of temptation and indecision. Have I lost my way? Have I abandoned my Savior? This gap in the mindspace is a huge hurdle to cross. Specifically, I must come to a place where I acknowledge that I am helpless and poor, wretched and blind. Sin is running rampant through my body like a virus.

For I know that in me (that is, my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good, well, that’s another story. For the good that I desperately want to do, I don’t do. Instead, it’s the evil that I don’t want to do that I am doing all the time. Now, I realize that if I do the things that I don’t want to do, it is not really me that does these things but sin that dwells in me.

I’ve found that the law is the standard that clearly shows me that even when I’m attempting to do good, evil is present within me. Make no mistake, I delight in the law of God, and hold it in my heart. But, I see another law in my body, waging war against the law of my mind. It brings me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my body.

Romans 7:18-23, my paraphrase

What a shock it is to realize that I’m not as “good” as I imagined myself to be. Humbled, sobered, quieted, I exhale and acknowledge, once again, for the millionth time, that I can’t do this alone.

I. Need. Jesus.

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Hebrews 9:28

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:5,6

Where else I can I turn but to the one I continually take advantage of? The truth is that I have no other option. I must turn and live. I yearn to be on better terms with Him, though, to run into His arms without feeling so much shame. But, for now, I know that He is there and He is with me and I must pick myself up and keep on going. I can’t stay down – I can’t accept defeat. I will probably be here again, but I must continue to strive.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Proverbs 24:16

“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
Nelson Mandela

As I thought about nature and how I connect to God, or at least try to, through nature, I couldn’t help, but draw an entirely strange picture. Though nature tells me about the God of this universe, I kept seeing my life being played out in nature.

It’s starting to get hot now. In a few months, the leaves will fall and then the snow will stick. Trees look dead and the flowers are no more. Green grass becomes a little browner. Then comes Spring. The grass gets green, the trees grow leaves, the sun shines and the skies are clearer. Then the cycle starts all over again. Year after year after year for the last 22 years of my life. Seasons come and seasons go, but they always return.

Sounds a lot like my life. Seasons. My life goes through them. Does yours go through seasons? Why does my life sometimes seem like a cycle? But instead of one season lasting a few months, it lasts a few days. Friday and Saturday are like Spring. I’m rejuvenated. I’m connecting to the Giver of Life again on Sabbath. Then comes Sunday and it’s still good, but I’m definitely forgetting to water the plants that were just sown. Then comes Monday! The beginning of the work week and things begin to fall apart. The leaves that were once green, begin to dry until they fall all together come Tuesday. By the time Wednesday and Thursday roll around, I forgot any seeds were sown in my heart a few days ago. I didn’t water, I didn’t put Miracle Grow. Nothing. Even worse, there are weeds now! Where there once was healthy grass are weeds! Insects have eaten up the beautiful flowers from Saturday. And the garden that was planted is nowhere to be found. Guess it’s time to replant.

How long can we go on like this? This is not the type of Christian, the type of child our Father wants us to be. A Christian with a cycle of seasons in a matter of days. A Christian is not borne out of Church. He or she is borne out of a constant, ever-deepening relationship with the Master Designer, the Skilled Gardener. I am not suggesting we will not fall ever again. But a true cycle of cherished sin or a continual neglect of time spent with God is not a true Christian. That’s just going through the motions. There is no real heart transformation. It’s just an outward show of flowers in a vase that dies in a few days. No soil, no nutrients. It’s a planned death. Everyone knows flowers in a vase will not last you a very long time. Sure, you can have plastic flowers, but they don’t provide any fragrance. Real flowers will provide a fragrance for a few only days. That’s how it is with our spiritual lives. We need to plant our spiritual lives in soil. Pour Living Water on it. Give it some Son. Feed it with the proper nutrients like the Bread of Life. Not just once, but continually.

We must ask the Lord to free us from our seasons of communion with Him. Let it be Spring in our lives, God! Don’t forget another lesson from the seasons. It may be winter in your life right now. Life is gloomy and cold. God can provide us with resurrection! The long, cold death that the winter brings is forgotten by the resurrection of spring! The only One that can bring life from death is Jesus.

If you have seasons in your life like I do, go to Jesus. Go to Him EVERY DAY and “taste and see that the Lord is good!” Will you join me on a 30 day Journey as we make Spring the only season in our lives? I challenge you to join me on this 30 day Journey. Wake up 20 minutes earlier than you normally do to have worship by yourself or with your spouse. Every day for the next 30 days, until June 5. That’s it. For those of you that already do this, may God continue to bless you. I ask that you pray for those that will join this challenge. As we study about nature, let us partake of the Divine Nature every day. Amen.

We often talk about silence in relation to God not speaking to us or directing us or showing us or teaching us or whatever it is we expect to hear from Him.  But do we ever consider that perhaps we just haven’t shut up long enough to really hear Him?

“To hear God’s voice, turn down the world’s volume.” Those are words from a text my godfather sent me just about a month before he was killed.  I won’t forget them, and I keep them  on repeat especially after my experience with these four other girls.  We cooked together, we ate together, we walked together - all in silence.  The day was spectacular, because it was time to tune out even the noise of our minds’ incessant chatter and tune into God.  Whether it was via His word or a singing bird, we each found Him - or maybe He found us.  We could truly feel His presence.

It’s an experience I can’t articulate well enough to substitute you’re own experiencing it.  I shared the details of my encounter in an email, and an old professor felt the ripple effects sharing, “I have not felt such peace in a very long time.” And yet, it’s is the experience our God desires for us every 7 days when He says, “Come away, Come and spend some time with Me, Come away.”  Pick a Sabbath and push mute.  Do it with friends if you can.  Get disconnected so you can connect.