Author: Shelly Thomas

Today’s reading is John 2. In this chapter Jesus performs his first public miracle. This is the miracle that set in motion the rest of his life and catapulted him into his ministry as Jesus our savior.

It was a wedding. In those times wedding celebrations were more than just a day. The betrothal or “engagement” was for a year or more. During that time the groom would prepare everything for his bride. His preparations were confirmation that he was able to adequately provide and care for her once they were officially married. The wedding itself would last about a week with celebration after celebration. Wine was a very important part of this celebration. It stood for joy and happiness. The groom would be humiliated, ashamed and embarrassed if the wine ran out because it would indicate he was unable to sufficiently provide for his wife. Mary, Jesus mother, noticed that the wine had gone dry at this wedding. She may have been nervous or worried for the groom. So she went to Jesus with the problem. Joseph had passed away by this time so it was natural for her to go to her oldest son for help.  Mary says in John 2:3 “They have no more wine”. Jesus response in John 2:4 was “how does that concern you and me? My time has not yet come”. This response does not seem like the respectful words we would expect from Jesus to his mother, but keep in mind that he was 30 years old and on the brink of his ministry. His thoughts were not on the wine, but on what will happen after he changes the water to wine. People will notice and start to talk. There will be no turning back. Jesus was becoming focused on who He is and and what was next. Mary simply tells the people who are working the party to “Do whatever he tells you”. She knows who Jesus is. Remember the virgin birth? She has known all her life that he was special. So Jesus tells them to fill the jars with water and then dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies. They followed his instructions and the water was turned to wine and the party kept going and there was much joy and happiness! They couldn’t believe that the groom saved the best wine for last.

Jesus turned the grooms humiliation into a miracle. He brought joy where there was embarrassment and shame. The wine symbolizes joy and Jesus was the source. The things in this world that bring us joy will eventually go stale.  Only Jesus can provide real and lasting joy in our lives. He replaces the cheap wine we are used to for the best wine imaginable. Can you imagine what the wine Jesus made tasted like? He provides for everything.

Remember what Mary said to the workers, “Do whatever he asks you to do”. Obedience to Jesus will bring us into His joy. What is the cheap wine in your life? Are you doing what Jesus asks you to do?  I usually know what I need to do, but am slow to do it.  I am looking forward to the miracles that continue to happen in our world today. While 2020 has not been ideal, there is still great joy to be experienced while walking with Jesus.

Joy to you today!

 

 

I love listening to Podcasts. Motivational speakers are my podcast of choice, especially when I’m struggling to get off the couch and get busy. After listening to them I am energetic and motivated to get moving and conquer my day…….at least for 10 minutes or so. And then what do I do? I listen to another podcast until I have binged an entire day of motivational speakers only to realize I have been a listener and not a doer!! Even though I feel like I was an active participant I am no different than before I listened.  There is no permanent life change. That can only come through Jesus. He is the only way I have been able to combat my thoughts. I struggle with worry and feeling “not good enough”. It is only when I go to Jesus that I am able to take my thoughts captive to Him.  The enemy wants me stuck in my house listening to other people share their “recipe for life” instead of me being in the world using my God given gifts and talents.

The battle for our thoughts is real. When my thoughts are left “unattended” I find myself anxious, nervous, fretting, and cowering. Motivational speakers talk a lot about changing your thoughts and your actions to make you a happier and more productive person but to what end? For more income? For more power? None of that will last and it is never fully achieved. There is always more money to be had, a better house to live in, a newer this or that. But when I change my thoughts to reflect how God sees me,  an amazing thing that happens………peace. The absence of worry and fretting. No more chasing or keep up because we know and trust the one who holds our future. This is great news! We don’t have to keep thinking the things that keep us stuck. We can choose different. And the result is peace in the midst of trial and difficulty. It truly is a peace that surpasses all understanding. The difficulty and struggles of life will not go away, but I choose to trust Jesus in all of it. He will never leave me or forsake me.

My choice to follow Jesus always results in peace. And that is my testimony to the world. Jesus has made the difference in my life…. He is the best motivational speaker I know and he loves you and me. The following verses are ones I go to when my mind is starting to believe the lies the world is telling me and I find myself anxious and out of step with who I am in Christ. Today, choose to allow God to change your thoughts to reflect your true identity in Him.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Philippians 4:6-9 “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the PEACE of GOD which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever is TRUE, whatever is HONORABLE, whatever is JUST, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is COMMENDABLE – if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise – DWELL ON THESE THINGS. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of PEACE will be with you.”

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

2Timothy 2:7 “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self- discipline”.

Praying peace for you today. And please say a prayer for our teachers as they bring students back for in person learning. My prayer is that they would feel the peace that surpasses understanding in the midst of trying times. God is giving us some amazing stories to tell! Miracles in the midst of madness!!

Psalm 29:3 The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.

In October 1999, I went on a sailing trip off the Florida Keys with my Dad, brother, and sister in law. I was not much of a sailor but my dad and brother were the ones in charge and Jennifer and I enjoyed the sunshine. It was definitely a fun adventure and I was blissfully unaware of the storm that was about to hit. Turned out that our trip was cut short due to hurricane Irene and we had to evacuate early. That hurricane produced 109mph winds and caused $800 million dollars in damages. We escaped the weather just in time and returned home unscathed. I don’t remember being afraid or concerned, we just got out of there and came home. Thankfully we were not stranded and we didn’t try to “wait it out”. My memories from the trip were sailing close to the coast because the waves were huge (thank you Irene), deep sea fishing, and taking Jennifer’s amazing catch to a local restaurant to have them cook it up for us. It was a fun trip! Great memories.

The reality of the trip, as I look back, is overwhelming. Jennifer had recently been in a car accident that she was still recovering from, BJ was also recovering in her accident, I was escaping from my lonely life in Indianapolis, and my dear Dad saw all of this happening in our lives and was willing to take us on a sailing trip. We all had our own storms happening in the midst of Irene. These memories came to mind because of this verse in Psalm 29:3. The Lord echoes above the sea, the God of Glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty sea. God was speaking over our lives in the midst of that storm and that time in our lives. He kept us safe and brought us home.

Twenty years have passed and I am able to look back and see all that God has done since then.  We have weathered those storms because of a powerful God. The power of a hurricane with its strong winds that cause enormous waves and turmoil on the waters are no match for God. He thunders and echoes above the sea. He can even tame the storms on the water as he did in Matthew 8:26, ” And Jesus answered , “why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”. Then he stood up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm. The disciples just sat there in awe. “Who is this?” they asked themselves. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” The voice of the Lord calmed the seas.

The voice of God has the power to rebuke the waves and storms in our lives, whatever they may be. He is the creator of all. As you approach your day today, what things would you like to have Jesus stand up and rebuke with His voice? There is no limit to what we can ask in His name and trust that He will do. I trust that the storms that are coming are covered with His mighty voice in your life.

Shelly

Deuteronomy 33:29 Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.

Today’s name of Jesus is “glorious sword“. Swords are primarily a symbol of warfare used to kill and destroy. This brings pictures of gladiator fights and bloody wars from Braveheart to Ben Hur. If I have ever used a sword it was made out of foam and my kids were involved.  There is no one in this world that I would use a sword against. I am a peaceful person and never want to hurt anyone…especially with a sword! So barbaric!

But 1 Peter 5:8 reminds me that there is an adversary and an enemy that seeks to destroy me. “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.” I am defenseless against this enemy without the glorious sword of Jesus. This sword is more powerful than any physical sword. The sword of the spirit is the word of God. When thoughts of worthlessness are creeping in…..wield His glorious sword! When tempted to give in or give up….wield His Glorious sword! When the darkness starts to crowd out the light….wield His Glorious sword and trust that you are victorious through Jesus. There is power in our proclaiming His name and allowing his glorious sword to fight for us.

Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”.

Dear Heavenly Father~I pray that we would have faith to wield your Glorious Sword in the midst of our daily lives. Help us to battle against the lies of this world with the truth of your word. Thank you for fighting for us and giving us victory. Amen

Romans 8:1-2 So there is therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of Life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Do you know the feeling of “walking on egg shells” around someone? It is a horrible feeling. It is being overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily. With these people, there is no room for a discussion, everything is under scrutiny, it is suffocating and full of fear.  There is no learning process or helpful guidance.  It is condemning and lacking in freedom. Maybe you have had a boss like this, a former teacher or neighbor, or even a parent.

This verse in Romans 8:1-2 is the exact opposite of that feeling! With Jesus, there is NO condemnation or walking on egg shells, but rather FREEDOM in love. In this verse the word “law” also means “principle” or “fundamental truth”.  Jesus Christ has set us free from the “principle” or “truth” of death and replaced it with the Spirit of life by taking our sin and putting it to death on the cross with Him. It was our sin that he carried away so that we would not be condemned to death but would share in eternity with Him. When we live with the spirit of life which is Jesus, it does not mean that we suddenly live a perfect life. It means we are set free from sin and death and there is no guilty verdict on our heads. Jesus sees us as clean and without sin, regardless of what we have done in the past and will do in the future. God wants the life of Jesus to be manifested in and through our lives. And the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is how this happens. It’s working inside our lives to reveal Christ. Our job is to recognize, believe, and participate in the process. Our part is a process…..Jesus’ part is done! We will always have a sin problem, but He is working through the spirit to move sin out so we can continue to mature and grow in our relationship with Him. We do not have to be perfect to have the spirit of life in us. He was perfect for us!

There is no “walking on egg shells” with Jesus. When we have accepted Him as Savior of our lives, there is no fear or condemnation. We are deeply loved, accepted and allowed to grow and mature in our faith. Are you living a life that reflects the freedom that comes from the spirit of life through Jesus or does your life reflect the spirit of death that comes from the world? In the midst of all that is going on in our world, we can live a life that is grounded in the Spirit of life – Jesus. I pray that you will find this freedom today.

 

Psalm 121: 5-8 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not hurt you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

Have you ever been in the heat for too long? As I have aged, my tolerance for the heat and sun has greatly decreased. My days of laying in the sun for hours at a time are over. I can handle the heat for a little but – long enough to get warm and soak up my vitamin D but I soon find myself craving the shade. In the shade I can still enjoy the outdoors but I’m protected from the discomfort. Every picture of myself at the pool over the past 5 years looks exactly the same. I am wearing a visor, sunglasses, and sitting in the shade.  At my kids ball games I have learned that an umbrella is for more than protection from the rain, it provides protection from the sun as well. Which means I can sit and watch the entire game while being protected from the heat of the sun. I am officially old, but I’m ok with that. These layers of protection from the elements sustain me while I am in the elements.

The world we live in has its own level of “heat”. It comes in the form of chaos, confusion, doubt, anger, frustration, failure, and more. Exposure to the heat of the world can be exhausting. Where do you go when the heat of the world becomes too much? Thankfully, the Lord is our “protective shade” from the world. He is our umbrella, our visor and sunglasses, our shade. The beauty of our relationship with Christ is that he “shades” us with his love and protection while we face the heat of the world. He never promised life would be perfect, but He did promise never to leave us or forsake us. Whether it be an illness, the death of a loved one, job loss, or bad news – He is our sustaining power. We are protected and we are not subject to the elements of chaos, confusion, doubt, anger, frustration, and failure. The Lord watches over you!

Whatever “heat” you are experiencing today, I pray that you would find the peace that comes with knowing that the Lord watches over you and is protecting you. Sit in His shade and rest. “The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever”.

 

 

 

1 Peter 2:7-8  Yes he is very precious to those who believe. But for those who reject Him, “The stone that was rejected by the builders has become the corner stone.” And the scriptures also say, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that will make them fall.” They stumble because they do not listen to God’s word or obey it, and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them.

Jesus is either the cornerstone of your faith or the rock that makes you stumble. What is your first reaction when things go badly in your life? Are you blaming God or looking to Him for peace and understanding? The way we deal with life’s ups and downs is in direct relation to who we believe Jesus is. If we believe he is the “cornerstone” then we know that we will have trouble in this life, but we are promised eternity with Him. John 16:33 says ” I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world.” Our lives carry an eternal perspective that cannot be changed by the things of this world. Instead of stumbling over Him and blaming Him we trust that what He says in His word is true. Disobedience or sin is the thing that separates us from God. The more we sin, the more we stumble over who Jesus is and what that means for our lives. When we are submerged into the world it is easier to start stumbling over Jesus and to question if maybe the world has it right and we have it all wrong. It’s easy to become offended by the Bible and all that it says about how to live when we are surrounded by the opposite.

God’s plan was to send Jesus to be the cornerstone of our faith – not the world. Don’t stumble over the one thing that can bring true peace in a world of chaos. I am thankful for this reminder today as the world seems to be spinning in all different directions. Jesus is the source of true peace in the midst of all the crazy.

Prayers for all of you as you navigate your day today.

Shelly

 

1 Peter 3:15-16 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak evil against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

What suffering have you experienced lately? It is guaranteed that we will experience suffering in this world. Sometimes it is directly related to our commitment to Christ and other times it’s just a trait of being human in an imperfect world. My youngest experienced a taste of “suffering” when he was dismissed from his travel baseball team. I know….first world problems….but to him, it was suffering. He was disappointed, mad, sad, and confused. And as his parents, we felt the same way. The stages of grief are very real – even in this situation. The 5 stages of grief are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. We definitely battled between denial and anger pretty fiercely. Probably still hanging out there to be honest. Those feelings are the easier ones because we are looking for someone else to blame for our circumstances. We also want to do whatever we can to reverse it. Bargaining is a tool that can make us think we can get back what we lost. These are normal steps that need to be experienced before seeing our new reality. Depression hasn’t set in yet but I know it will come as we look forward to acceptance. One of the signs of depression is hopelessness or the feeling that there is nothing to look forward to and nothing good will ever happen again. Have you ever felt this way? As his parents, I know we are here to remind him that he is loved and we support him 100%, all the time. As we look forward to acceptance there is opportunity for a new hope for the future. Please know that I am not minimizing these stages of grief. They are real and everyone experiences each step differently and in their own timing. It’s even possible to move back and forth between different stages before getting to that point of acceptance and hope. If you are going through these stages today due to the loss of a loved one, I am so sorry. Your pain is real. There is no timeline and no perfect path to acceptance. As Christians, I am thankful that we have hope from the very beginning.  It is a hope we choose to cling to because we believe that Jesus came to Earth to die on the cross  for our sins so we would have the hope of eternity with Him. This is the only true constant in our lives. He is the one thing that will never change, or die, or disappoint.

Thankfully, we were able to share with our son the hope we have in Jesus. This experience is setting the tone for how he will respond to future loss, which is inevitable. In my experience, it has never really been about baseball. Yes he’s playing the game (and he loves it) but he’s also learning so much about himself and others and how things work – or don’t work. His worth and value do not come from his performance in baseball or which team keeps him. He is a child of God, deeply loved, and worthy from the very beginning. We all are. If you are experiencing loss and suffering today, God provides hope while you walk through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. He is the reason for our HOPE.

Shelly

 

 

Today I received a text from my Mom with a great list of daily habits. I have found that my self discipline has waned over the past few months and I have not been intentional with my thoughts. I’ve forgotten the little things that kept me going when I was so busy and more aware of my time. There were multiple things on the list but the very first one was “3 things I’m grateful for”. Just 3. Go ahead…..3 things. Gratefulness is important because it changes our thinking and our perspective. If gratefulness had a face it would be relaxed, thoughtful, and humble. Are you feeling that way today?

Psalms 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel. KJV

Israel was God’s chosen nation in the Old Testament. They were chosen as God’s people to spread the news of Yahweh to the nations. In the new testament, God chose Jesus to spread the news and ultimately die on the cross for our sins. The disciples carried the news of Christ after his crucifixion so that ALL would know. 1 Timothy 2: 3-5 says, This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Today, those who believe in Jesus are the chosen people. We are the chosen people!

God inhabits the praises of his people and we are His people through Jesus Christ.  God does not inhabit fear, discouragement, hopelessness, darkness, or failure.  He is aware of these feelings but that is not where He wants us to remain. When we feel far from God it could be that we are not expressing our praise or thanksgiving to Him. David starts this Psalm with agony over feeling as if God has forgotten him and he complains of feeling alone. After a few verses he starts thanking God for all that God has done for him and his ancestors in the past. After praising God, David softens and this chapter goes from “doom and gloom” to hope for the future and God’s plan. Our past and the past of the Bible are our best reference for what God has done and can do in our lives.

Have you been in a state of fear lately? It’s so easy to focus on the negative. Have you ever taken note of how it makes you feel? Increased heart rate, jitteriness, sleeplessness, irritation, inability to focus, restlessness, doubt. Fear and too much stress change the chemicals in our body into a fight or flight response regardless of the reality of the situation.  This response is helpful when we are in clear danger for our lives and need to get away quickly, but I’m usually laying in bed thinking about the future when it hits me. Definitely not a life or death situation. I am not being chased by a lion although my body is responding as if I am. This is where satan thrives – when we are scared and in a state of panic. Dwelling on the negative will keep us in the negative. Our best defense is to remember all that God has done for us and begin thanking Him for each moment. If its hard to come up with personal moments the Bible is full of them! From healing the blind and the lame to rescuing the Israelites from slavery to sending Jesus to die for us. As we allow our hearts and minds to be thankful God is able to inhabit our hearts and bring “peace that surpasses all understanding”. Our thankfulness is a reminder of all that God has already brought us through.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard you hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The struggle is real, but our God is bigger!!

I am thankful for this community of believers today. There is hope and peace for us.

 

 

 

2 Corinthians was written by Paul to God’s church in Corinth and to all the Christians throughout Greece. In this letter Paul was giving the Corinthian church the power to endure when they suffered for their faith. Corinth was a flourishing trade center and also one of the most immoral cities of its time. The Christian church would undoubtedly find difficulty in a place like this. I’m sure they faced criticism for their hope in Jesus and God’s plan for an abundant life.  Their attempts to share their faith often ended in suffering and discouragement. If not rooted in the truth and a daily communication with God it would be easy to be led astray and give up. Thankfully Paul listened to God’s plan and he continued to encourage the church to keep up their good work. To keep preaching the Good News of Christ even when it was difficult and didn’t seem to be making a difference.

Paul’s encouragement for the Corinthians is also for us today.  We are all looking at the circumstances of our world through different lenses, but as believers in Jesus our ultimate lens is God and the Bible.  As so much is happening in our world and there seems to be so much injustice and lies, what does Jesus ask of us? How are we supposed to share the truth of the Gospel while also grappling with so many questions and unknowns of our own? We are imperfect people following a perfect God. Thankfully, He knew we would struggle on our own so he sent the Holy Spirit as a helper. The Holy Spirit is the gift that comes when we accept Jesus.

Luke 15:26 “But I will send you the Counselor – the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and tell you all about me.”

In this verse Jesus uses 2 names for the Holy Spirit. The first is counselor which means the helping, encouraging, and strengthening work of the Spirit. The second is the Spirit of truth which lends itself to the teaching, illuminating, and reminding work of the Spirit. In these ways the Holy Spirit attends to both our heart and our mind. This is “God with us” on Earth. Have you had “AHA” moments when reading the Word? That’s the Holy Spirit. Have you been prompted to say something or do something in the name of Jesus that would not be your typical action? That’s the Holy Spirit. Has a verse come to mind in a certain situation? That’s the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:26 “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray but the Holy Spirit prays for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

Have you ever been on your knees with a situation, but there are no words to express what you need? The Holy Spirit is praying on your behalf – the words you do not have. There may be no one else that knows the real turmoil or circumstances, but God knows. Humbly kneeling at His feet in prayer is all it takes. And then trust and wait for the answer. It may just be comfort or peace instead of resolution. But the peace will be undeniable.

2 Corinthians 1:17-22   It is God who gives us, along with you, the ability to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment of everything he will give us.

The Holy Spirit guarantees that we belong to God and will receive his benefits. Ephesians 1:13,14 says, “And now you have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to he his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God”.

I pray that you find great comfort in the knowledge that you belong to God as his son or daughter. He has given you the gift of the Holy Spirit to come alongside and help guide and direct all of your steps.  The Holy Spirit is a free gift from the “owner” of your soul. If you are feeling alone, or questioning where you belong – Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for YOU! To have a relationship with you. The Holy Spirit is just a glimpse of eternity.