Spiritual Discernment

Recently I've been attending a new church. The people are really nice, the teaching is solid, the music is uplifting. It's been a wonderful experience. The last few weeks, other then a break for Easter, we've been going through the letter of 1 John. Last week we looked at 1 John 4 and talked about spiritual discernment. It's one of the most encouraging and convicting sermons I've heard in a long time. 

I won't even try to go over everything that was in the sermon. There was just too much. I would like to go through and highlight a few of the points that were made.

1) False teachings can be found inside and outside the church.

I loved this point because it brings up some really interesting points. Paul preached against false teachers in the New Testament. And there are still false teachers in the world today. They come from everywhere, including ministries. Not everyone who is in leadership is going to be teaching the truth. There are all sorts of false teachers in the world. Pastors and teachers are still human-even if they're trying to teach the truth they may make mistakes. 

That brings me to point 2. 

2) We have to learn to discern things for ourselves.

One of the great verses that the pastor brought up was Acts 17:10- "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

What I said earlier is so crucial friends, pastors, teachers, those in leadership or authority, including myself when I talk about the Bible on here, we're all human and we do at times make mistakes. Don't trust someone who tells you not to do your own research! Anyone could be wrong. This is why we need to be studying for ourselves, praying for discernment for ourselves, so that when something sounds off we can find out if the Bible backs up what a leader is teaching.

3) The One living in us is greater then the one living in the world- 1 John 4: 4. This is probably one of the most quoted verses since the song came out but it's also true. It's a great reminder. As believers we have the Holy Spirit living in us. We believe in the Trinity and the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is God and lives in us. Can we just take a moment to reflect on the amazing truth of that?

And God is greater then Satan. Always has been, always will be. So whenever things get tough or the devil's offensive team has you feeling discouraged this is a great verse to remind yourself of.

So there it is friends, a reminder to be discerning, an encouragement of who is living in us and a instruction to make sure you're studying and learning and questioning things so that you're on your guard and making sure that you're filtering everything through the word of the Lord and not the word of men.

Toothlandia

My second niece, Addy, 6 years old, lost her first tooth this week. A couple of days before she actually lost her first tooth she started asking her mom where tooth fairies come from. Like all good parents she came up with best answer she could- Toothlandia. And then she told our family about it. My brother jumped on board with that and started throwing out ideas about what Toothlandia was like. Before you knew it a story idea was forming. Addy herself provided the last key of what the tooth fairies did with the teeth. I hope you enjoy the story that I came up with for the kids!

In a far away land there exists the country of Toothlandia. Now Toothlandia isn't like other countries. It's a very special place. Full of faries and princesses and dinosaurs and pirates. They all work together to collect the teeth that children from all over the universe lose as they grow up.

 

Once upon a time in Toothlandia there lived a Toothasaurus Rex named Chomper. Chomper grew up in a normal home with his Toothasaurus mom and Toothasaurus dad and his Toothasaurus big sisters. Chomper's family were some of the best collectors in all of Toothlandia. They had a talent for finding the best teeth, the ones that had no cavities whatsoever. Then they would bring the teeth home to Toothlandia and plant them in the garden. Beautiful bushes and trees would grow from where the teeth had been planted. Those provided food for the creatures of Toothlandia and some of the most beautiful flowers you have ever seen. They were red, blue, purple and green, orange, pink, gold and white. Everyone in Toothlandia loved to see the gardens that Chomper's family had planted.

 

Everyone except for Chomper.

 

See Chomper was sad because he couldn't collect teeth like his family did. Chomper had another job in Toothlandia.

 

When the tooth collectors of Toothlandia went out they had to collect all the teeth. Even the bad ones. But the bad teeth didn't grow beautiful flowers. So the collectors would plant them far away from their town in the Rotten Forest. As the teeth sprouted they grew into scary, evil trees that wanted to hurt the creatures of Toothlandia.

 

Chomper and some other brave creatures had to go into the forest each day and fight against the scary trees. Some of the fighters used swords but Chomper just used his sharp teeth and his claw like hands. Even though his arms were short he was a mighty warrior against the evil trees. 

 

Chomper knew his work was important but he still didn't want to do it. He wanted to talk to the kids about making sure they kept their teeth flossed and brushed before they lost their teeth. That way they wouldn’t have to plant the evil trees but could continue to grow the beautiful flowers and the good plants that fed the creatures of Toothlandia. The problem was that he wasn’t allowed to go talk to the kids. The creatures of Toothlandia had to keep their existence a secret. None of the children were allowed to see them. They were supposed to stay the stuff of dreams and legends. Chomper was worried though because he knew that recently it had been getting harder and harder to find good teeth to plant. Every day more evil trees were sprouting and there fewer and fewer flowers in the gardens around the land. Chomper knew he had to do something or Toothlandia would not have the teeth it needed to grow enough food to feed everyone.

 

One day, Chomper came up with a plan.

He would find a very special family who was willing to keep the secret of Toothlandia and he would ask for their help. It wouldn’t be easy, he would get into a lot of trouble if he was caught but Chomper knew this was a risk he had to take. And he knew just the family he should see. Chromper’s sister had told him about a family a lot like their own. They had a mom and a dad, and one little boy who had two big sisters. They were the perfect family to help Chomper save his home.

 

It took a long time to plan but finally Chomper had everything together. Every creature from Toothlandia had the magic to be able to travel to a child’s house when they lost a tooth. Even the creatures who weren’t collectors were capable of transporting themselves. Chomper waited and waited until one of the little girls in the family lost her very first tooth, The celebration went up all around Toothlandia. A child had lost her first tooth! First teeth were always very special in Toothlandia so this was cause for extra excitement. The collectors were informed that once nighttime came to the child’s house they could go and collect the new tooth. Chomper had other plans. He didn’t wait for nightfall. He found the child’s information in the official town hall of records and closed his eyes. Using his magic he wished himself to the children’s home and poof! He found himself there.

 

Chomper found himself in the little girl’s bedroom but they weren’t in there. He knew he didn’t have a lot of time so he carefully snuck towards the door and peered into the hallway. Seeing the coast was clear he snuck into the little boy’s bedroom. Michael was sitting on his racecar bed playing with his trucks. The little boy’s eyes got wide when Chomper came into the room but he didn’t say anything. Climbing up onto the bed Chomper started to explain why he was there.

 

“My name is Chomper and I’m from Toothlandia. My family are some of the collectors who collect teeth whenever children loose them.”

 

“Like the tooth fairy?” Michael asked.

 

“The fairy’s get all the attention,” Chomper grumbled. “But yes. They’re collectors too. My family are Toothasaurs Rexes. And we’re some of the best collectors in all of Toothlandia.”

 

“My sister, Addy, just lost her first tooth,” Michael told him. “And Ella has lost teeth too. But I haven’t yet.”

 

“I know,” Chomper told him. “But that’s okay. You will. I have to tell you something very important though. We collect your lost teeth and they grow food for us. But if your teeth have cavities they will grow scary, evil trees that try to hurt us. So I came to ask you something very important. Will you please brush and floss your teeth? And go to the dentist when your mom and dad take you? That way your teeth will stay good and we can keep planting them to grow food and flowers. Can you help me save Toothlandia? Will you take care of your teeth and ask your friends to do that too?”

 

And Michael agreed. From then on Michael always asked people to take extra good care of their teeth and he made sure he did the same. Toothlandia was saved! No one in Toothlandia ever knew what Chomper had done but he didn't mind. Without so many evil trees being planted he was able to start collecting teeth with the rest of his family. And the teeth he collected grew some of the most beautiful flowers and best tasting food in all of Toothlandia.

 

The End

Texting Connections

My family is a little strange. Actually, probably more then a little. They're very strange, they always have been but that's not the point of today's post. A year or two back my brother decided that we should start a group chat with our siblings. We all agreed to download this specific app so we could text. First we had a chat with just the five of us siblings, then we started one that had the five of us plus our sister-in-laws. 

It's given us all a chance to talk to each other, to joke and to surprisingly grow closer as we virtually spend time together. A few months ago we expanded our groups again. My mom joined the app and we set up a thread that she could relay information to us about things with the extended family, asking us questions about things she was getting rid of from our childhood, or other random things she wanted to share with us. Finally a couple of months ago, another significant change happened. My dad joined.

Now you have to understand that my dad hates texting. So we were all a little concerned that Texas would reach a record snowfall in July this summer, or something else equally catastrophic, due to this strange turn of events. However when nothing immediately catastrophic happened we were able to start talking as a whole family.

If you had told me two years ago that I would be in contact withe majority of my family members every few days I would've called you crazy. If you had told me that texting with my family would draw us closer together I would've said you were insane. If you would've told me that my dad would willingly text with all of his kids I would've asked if you know where had frozen over as well.

And yet here we are. If there's one thing my family chat has taught me it's that you don't have to spend time in person to connect with someone. Yes, there's no replacement for human contact, that's true. However, you can connect with people in surprising ways. The other day my brother posted this message.

"Basically 99% of what is said is somehow harassing, joking with, making fun of, pushing buttons, and being mean in a fun and amusing way. 1% of this is actually valid information that needs to be spread. However since starting the thread a couple of years ago, before you and Mom joined the lack-of-conversation, your 5 children and 3 daughter-in-laws have become closer, and communicate more often and for longer. It allows us to stay in contact with one another..."

He went on but that was the gist of what he was saying. The point is that even though texting is not our ideal way of communicating, we're all spread out across the country. So this is a way that we can all talk and "hang out" together. It's an unexpected blessing to be sure. But one of I'm very grateful for. 

Today, find a way to connect with someone you love. If you can't spend time with them in person then talk on the phone, video chat, or even just text. It's an amazing way of being able to talk and make those connections.

Easter Sunday

It was a quiet morning. It was still dark outside but she rose from her bed. She hadn't slept anyways. The pain was still too fresh. Her heart was broken. Her body felt heavy with grief as she dressed. Every motion seemed to require ten times as much energy as normal. She wanted nothing more then for someone to tell her that this had all been a bad dream, that none of it was real. That wasn't going to happen. She knew all to well that everything she had witnessed was real. Jesus was dead. He had been crucified. They had buried his body. Now, the first day of the week, she would go to visit his tomb.

The story continues as we all know. The women walk down to the tomb and they find the stone rolled away. In John 20 it says that when Mary Magdalene found the empty tomb she went running to the disciples to tell them that Jesus' body had been stolen and she didn't know where it was. When Peter and John come running to the tomb Peter goes inside and he finds the burial clothes that Jesus had been wearing. 

Then in John 20: 11-18 it says that Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping and when she bent over to look inside she sees two angels sitting where Jesus's body had been. They ask her why she's been crying and she tells them what she told the disciples. That Jesus's body has been stolen and she doesn't know where it is. Then she turns and sees a man, she didn't recognize him so she asked if he had taken her Lord's body away. She begged him to tell her where it was. Even now she still loved her Lord and she wanted to visit his grave.

Then Jesus said her name, "Mary" and that was all it took. And suddenly she knew exactly who He was. And He gave her a very important task of going to tell His brothers of His resurrection. 

Although the first paragraph of this post is fiction based on my own imagining of what she must have been feeling that first Easter Sunday the rest is pulled straight from the Bible. 

No matter what you're doing this Easter Sunday I would highly encourage you to go back and reread the story of why we celebrate this day. You could start in John 12:12 with the triumphal entry. Or John 13 with the Last Supper. Skip forward to John 18 when Jesus is betrayed and arrested in the garden. If you're in John 18 the trial really begins in verse 15.

Wherever you start, I hope you reread the story. Remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Remember why He made it. Teach it to your children. Remind your loved ones as you gather together to celebrate. Talk about it with those around you. 

Without Easter we have no reason for hope or faith. This isn't just another holiday we celebrate. It's our reason for faith. The foundation we have built our lives on as we live for the Lord.

Happy Easter my friends. He is risen!