Are we the exception or the rule?

I think almost all Christians love Tim Tebow. For those who do not know, he is a Heisman Trophy-winning football player who was drafted to play quarterback in the National Football League. His career as a professional player was short-lived. Since then he has worked some as a broadcaster. But what he is known for above everything else is being wholly devoted not just to his faith but to Jesus Christ himself. As a player, he seldom was interviewed that he did not mention his gratitude and undying love for his Savior. He explains to anyone who listens the reason for his ability and success as well as dealing with failure in a way that is honoring to himself and Christ. This is an example of a typical interview with Tebow. . .

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ulQyXGsIM1k

In the sports world Tebow is synonymous with Christianity. Christ is woven into everything he says and does. Why is that such a big deal? Shouldn't that level of devotion be the rule for all Christians instead of the rare exception of a few? We may excuse ourselves for not expounding the wonderful aspects of Christ by thinking, "I can't do that because I do not have someone sticking a microphone in my face and questioning me about the success or failure of my daily activity." This is true. But our love for Christ should be so deep that everyone we come into contact with knows what He has done for us and the depth of our gratitude. The fact that Tim Tebow's openness about his faith is an anomaly is part of the problem with the church today. We live a life separate from Christ even as Christians. We have our salvation tucked away in our pocket not on visible display for all to see. Wouldn't people think we were odd if we talked about Christ all. . .the. . time? Wouldn't we alienate people? If that is the argument isn't it even more challenging for Tebow who professes his faith in front of millions who could would be openly hostile toward him because of his faith? Don't you see? His love for Christ is much deeper than any accolades he could ever receive from any person.

So the simple fact is this, Christians elevating Tebow because he is so open about his faith is very sad. Why is that exceptional? "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." Matthew 5:13. We are ALL to be salt and light not just those who have achieved a level of fame. Tebow has not confounded many because of his athletic ability. He has touched multitudes of lives for Christ by his unflappable and unapologetic devotion to his Savior. "I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, And will not be ashamed." Psalm 119:46. That is the way he lives. But he should not be the exception! How much will the children of God impact this world for His glory if when people saw us their first thought was Christ. It is not athletic ability that makes it possible for Tebow. What separates him from others in this area is his willingness to be emptied of himself so he can be filled with Christ. His world is consumed with thoughts and devotion by moving to a position that is closer to Christ.  



It all comes down to the depth of our love for Jesus.  We are equipped with the same supernatural stuff as Tim Tebow. We must tap into that, devote our lives to the advancement of the kingdom. "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. We are to proclaim HIS praises, not our own! We must live like the royal priesthood, who are victorious over our enemies. So many people, even Christians aspire to be in the limelight. Fame is such an enticing draw that ensnares many. Even those who are uncomfortable receiving attention should desire that Christ be magnified. There is room for only one spotlight in a Christian's life and it must shine squarely on the glory of Jesus Christ.  It is clear that Tim Tebow only wants the spotlight on Christ and would welcome others to do the same.  Christ deserves it and we should desire it.  

It's no accident

We are all born with different personalities, skills, gifts, and abilities. There has been a long and heated debate in the world of Psychology as to whether we are born a blank slate, or if our personality is all predetermined before we get here. John Locke (1632-1704) established the blank slate theory or tabula rasa; the theory that when we are born we have no predetermined tendencies. How we turn out is determined strictly by our experiences. Arguments supporting personality traits that are hardwired into our DNA, however, have been defended, dating as far back as Plato. Of course most educated people agree that in actuality it is a combination of both these theories that makes up who we are. It is similar to the question, "Where does God's sovereignty end and my free will begin?" That is a question that will make you crazy trying to articulate an answer.

 

Volume after volume could be written filling numerous libraries trying to hash that out and in all reality we cannot know the answer definitively. We do know however, that we have a purpose designed by our Creator before the foundation of the world was laid. There is a specific plan for us. This is not some vague nonspecific plan. They are divine appointments of lives we are to touch and impact for the kingdom of God. There are hearts prepared by Christ for that moment when we are used to drive the point home, to show Christ's grace and undying love for us, to make them see the glory that is Christ manifested in us. That is why living our lives emptied of ourselves so we can be filled with Christ is so important. So we can be spilled out for a divine purpose. "A man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9. If we are not willing to be accessible to Christ, He will accomplish His desires in His own way. Do we want to be the guy on the team who does not want to be called in to score the winning goal? We already know that all battles we enter for Christ have been won. It's not like he is going to call us in and then we will miss the winning field goal! 

In the familiar story of Esther we see an interesting exchange between she and Mordecai. "For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14. God used an unlikely queen to save the entire Hebrew nation. If she had not been willing however, they would have been saved some other way. God was going to bring the Messiah, the Savior, into the world for our redemption through these people. "Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David," Luke 2:4. No Jews, no David. No David, no Messiah. Don't you see, my friend, there is so much more to our existence than just us. We affect multitudes of lives. The people, the souls, with whom we come into contact is no accident. We have to recognize the value of our existence because of the master scene writer who orchestrates the whole production. He saw before us and knows who and what will come after us. But He will accomplish His will with or without us.

In order to be instruments in the hands of the master we must be close to Him, learning His heart, listening for His voice. Living a spirit filled life is no accident. God does not pick greater things for a select few while the rest of us live a mundane spiritual existence. "But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary." 1 Corinthians 12:20-22. Those who are "the star of the show" are those who have emptied their lives of their own desires and are fully at the disposal of Christ. Not believing the lie that Satan so craftily seduces us with that in order to be happy we have to get what we want and have some say over our circumstances. Our circumstances have eternal significance just like Esther's. Our God today is the same God who orchestrated her influencing the heart of a king, who allowed Moses to lead the Israelites across the Red Sea, and who through the disciples cast out demons, for heaven sake! He hasn't changed!

Our lives are not a series of accidents and coincidences. We are to glorify Christ and thwart the enemy every day of our lives in an active way, by proclaiming Him to those in our path, through our words and our actions, as well as having a prayer life of significance. Be the child of God who is ready and eager to be the one to make the play; the one who is listening and stirred to action by the master's voice. He will do great things for His kingdom through all who are willing, we only have to be close enough to Him to hear the call.

Hot Mess Club

I am so blessed to have the greatest group of close knit-friends. We are an encouragement to each other and take seriously the responsibility of interceding for each other in prayer. What I find so amazing is the tremendous diversity of giftings we possess. God has anointed our relationships for grace to be extended, wisdom to be revealed, love to be expressed, exhortation to be spoken, confidentiality to be strictly guarded, and grief to be shared. Spiritual growth is looked for in our hearts. We were affectionately dubbed the "hot mess" girls. We acknowledge that we are each struggling and striving to glorify Christ in our lives, our jobs, our marriages, and to our children. At times this is an overwhelming task. As I study and try to seek out the depths of what God wants my life to look like I realize that His will is not for me to settle for being a "hot mess."

I strongly feel that to pretend our lives are perfect is often a stumbling block and a discouragement for many who have a hard time keeping things from spiraling out of control. Sometimes Satan takes dead aim and sucker punches us and we are left on our backs in a heap of an ugly mess that we cannot fix, full of pain, shame, and heartbreak. There are periods of our lives that can most certainly be described as a great big, sticky, hot, mess. But as children of God, that is not how we are to be defined. When we begin to accept that label for our lives we are settling for less than what God has in store for us. Picture Christ standing over our life, which is in turmoil and chaos, and gently speaking to us and saying, "Yes, my child this is the way I designed your life to be." He desires great things for us and we are not defeated by the onslaught of the enemy. It may feel like we are, but we are not. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." 1 John 5:4.

Our group is a safe place to fall, when one of us has been maligned and knocked senseless by the enemy. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. But what kind of support are we if we settle in for the long haul on the ash heap of despair? Our lives are to be beautiful landscapes of the supernatural ability to overcome adversity for the glory of Christ! Satan is thrilled when sit in our hot mess and invite others in with us, under the pretense of being members of the hot mess sorority. Because then he has managed to cripple the power of the almighties warriors by convincing us we have been defeated. And on top of that the countless witnesses who are watching our warriors, wondering to themselves, "Why do I need God? He doesn't seem very helpful."

Please, dear friend, do not mistake this for a "name it and claim it" type philosophy you hear so often from the prosperity speakers. There is more to acquiring the supernatural ability to overcome than just deciding to. The main key is growing closer to Christ. When we see our lives through His eyes, and have a clear picture of His love for us, we understand more effectively the power that dwells within us. "Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4. That is a promise! We just fall short on the "delight[ing] in the Lord" part. When we delight in the Lord we are focused on Him and want what He wants. When we eliminate our own selfish desires and are passionate about accomplishing Christ's divine purpose for our lives, it makes us realize that cleaning up our hot mess is not only possible but necessary for the great work for which we are designed. "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37.

This life is messy and Satan knows just how to inflict the most pain possible into our soul. We are blessed to have people in our lives to hold us when we are broken. And how much more are we blessed than to have those same people love us too much to allow us to tarry there too long. Above all that, we have Christ who will sometimes even let us be knocked down so HE may be magnified by raising us out of the ashes, more confident of His power, and stronger than we were before. "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness [or in the hot mess], The Lord will be a light to me." Micah 7:8. All this just so those around us can say, "Wow, only Christ could do that."

The winds of change

There are a select few who relish the thought of exploring uncharted territory. These are trailblazers, adventurers, some even dubbed adrenaline junkies. The thought of completely changing the path of their lives is exhilarating. To most of us change is intriguing on some level at least and terrifying at most. The things around us which are routine bring us comfort and feel like a warm fuzzy blanket of familiarity. We are creatures of habit which can be healthy. It can lead to a life that is well-grounded and organized. There also is an aspect to the Christian life to which change is imperative.

 

When we answer the call on our lives to become children of God, it must produce change. "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. As the church has moved toward the tolerant, "lets-not-make anyone-feel-uncomfortable, God-meets-us-where-we-are" end of the spectrum, we lose the driving force that compels us to change and become more like Christ. God absolutely meets us where we are. We have to change or fix nothing in order to receive salvation from Him. After that meeting with Christ takes place however, God demands that we not STAY where we are. The church has left behind the voice that says, drop those chains of bondage to sin and climb up out of enslavement. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1. This is not a suggestion, it is a command. The blood of Christ has released us from the chains that entangle us. "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1. We are not in chains anymore, we have been freed! But we are living our lives dragging around our chains like Jacob Marley! They have no power over us, yet we hold on to them like Linus' security blanket.

 

They are old, stinking, vile, repugnant, patterns we have formed that must be changed in order to draw closer to Christ. We have a framework of how we live our lives. Trained musicians' hands moves across their instrument after months and years of practice, they strike notes often by instinct without thought of each individual note. It is habitual. We have disharmony with the notes we play in our lives. There are habits of hitting sinful, sour notes that cause discord. It takes practice to bring about the transforming change we so desperately need. We must change our thoughts and then our actions, then become the melodious sonnet that reflects Christ to others. But this is very scary.

 

I look around and wonder what will happen when we make those radical changes to our lives, when we decide to eliminate things in our lives that are self indulgent and for the sole purpose of our amusement. What happens when we purposefully decide to not allow images into our home or our mind, whether from TV or movies or our computer, that are not glorifying to God? What if we realize that if we don't want our children watching something it is not ok for us as adults either? Is it because we are already familiar with debauchery, adultery, profanity, and fornication?  Is it because we are already corrupted with those images and therefore we choose to carry that chain around with us instead of laying it down? "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." Philippians 4:8. What will happen when we carve out time for study and intimacy with Christ? Will we lose our children if we decide that they will not date? Will they rebel if we hold fast to a true yet unconventional lifestyle of devotion to Christ? Should fear of rebellion be reason enough to participate in traditional practices that are even condoned by the church yet go against scripture?

 

What if it just takes me to say, I will not live half heartedly for Christ anymore. I will risk rebellion of my children to maintain the standard of devotion of which Christ deserves. How many Christians are just waiting for someone to lead the way, be the trailblazer, back to the cross? How many are willing to be labeled weird or fanatical even by our church friends? The whole body of Christ may be waiting for me, or you, to stand up and say, I will make the change, I will not carry these chains any longer. Is that what it will take to set a crusade in motion? These changes can only come about by laying down the warm and fuzzy yet vile and rancid habits in our lives. It could cost friendships and even relationships with family members. Others are often even uncomfortable with radical changes in our lives. Is it worth it to be true to God's word? We could end up leading a holy war. Yes, Christ can accomplish that in us, if we are willing.

Great Expectations

Our lives are filled with expectations. In 1860, Charles Dickens wrote Great Expectations, one of the 20 greatest novels of all time.  It is a beautifully written piece of classic literature portraying the struggle, hope, or... expectation... of moral and social advancement. Relationships are built on expectations whether they are verbalized or not. We expect our spouse to be faithful to us, to treat us with respect and kindness. We expect our children to be obedient, (or we should) to work hard and live productive lives. We have expectations from our friends, our co-workers, and even our church. When these expectations are not met it can result in hurt feelings, disappointment, and even anger.

 

The angriest I have ever been at Kevin was a few years ago. I am not the most organized person. It is something I have always struggled with and tried unsuccessfully to accomplish. Kevin was sifting through a stack of mail that was laid on the counter in the kitchen and discovered an unpaid and overdue water bill. One of his expectations of me is to pay the bills. I, neglecting to meet this expectation, caused him frustration and he said, "nothing gets done around here." I can still hear the words echoing in my head. Which is kind of amazing because I think the top of my head came off! Which would make it very hard to produce an echo sound =) I was so hurt, indignant, and offended! How dare he say nothing gets done!   

 

What had happened was he had neglected to meet an unspoken (and very high) expectation I have of being appreciated. Bless his heart, he was completely unaware of the land mine he would set of with those words and apologized later. We can joke about it now but it was no joking matter then. One expectation we should never put on our loved ones however, is expecting them to not disappoint us. Even those who love us the most will make mistakes and disappoint us. We also need to recognize that we, try as we might, will disappoint those we love as well. That is where grace, mercy, and forgiveness come in.

 

When considering our expectations, what expectations do we have of Christ? I'm sure everyone's are different. He lays out clearly what to expect from Him in His word. Some of our expectations can be off the mark. For example, if we expect to not suffer, or for Him to promptly remove our suffering, His word clearly tells us we will suffer. "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake," Philippians 1:29. We may become frustrated when we are not blessed but we are told, "Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways." Proverbs 8:32. We forget that there are stipulations with our blessings. Many become hurt and disappointed but are not seeing Christ for who he really is. We gain knowledge and insight into our relationship with Christ when we take time to really think about what we expect from Him and then see if those expectations line up with what He has revealed to us in His word. He will not change, he cannot. So, we need to come to expect from Him exactly what He has told us to expect.  Come to love His faithfulness and steadfastness to give us exactly what we need. And even appreciate His chastisement. "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11.

 

On the flip side of that same coin, what are we not expecting from Christ that His word tells we should? We live in an age where we believe God is great but there are just some things He cannot, or for those willing to go out on a limb, will not do. How many Christians have we heard say, and I have been guilty of saying, "well, we can hope." Do we believe that Christ can cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness? "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9. Do we believe that He will deliver us from our adversaries? "Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight." Joshua 10:25. Do we believe, really believe, that we are already victorious in every battle we will enter for Him? Do we KNOW that He still changes hearts and brings victory over our life long personality traits that are sinful, divisive, or ungodly? Or in the back of our mind do we still hear that little whisper of defeat saying, I/he/she will never change. We have to shut up that voice with the power of God. Stand on the promises of His word that he WILL deliver and never tire of expecting Him to be true to His word.

 

 

 

Post script: I was going to edit out my own doubt of God's deliverance from my lack of ability to be organized mentioned in paragraph two. I decided to leave it in to show how easily we succumb to the shackles of this life and accept that there are some things we just cannot change. God can change it, expect Him to.

They will hate me.

While attending college I was victim of a public, full on verbal assault by a group of people for my faith. It. . .was. . .AWESOME!! I attended a state school with no religious affiliation. This particular class was Psychology of Religion. It was a graduate level class made up of presentations of different religions by students. We were graded on how well we grasped the religion we presented. The class could ask questions to argue or defend either side of said religion. The only stipulation was that we had to show respect for the presenter. I chose Christianity. When the time came for me to give my hour long presentation OF THE GOSPEL (the whole thing still excites me!!) to a room full of liberally trained young adults, the professor was called away due to a family emergency and told us to carry on and grade each other. 

I entered the classroom and began to explain the philosophy, doctorine, and the psychology of Christianity. Christ's true identity was defined as fully God and fully man. His perfection was showcased in all its glory. His longevity as eternal was celebrated. I was almost giddy as Jesus was presented in all His glory! At the end of the presentation the question/argue/defend session began. It started as skeptical yet intrigued questions. Then the professed agnostic of the class asked the question to end all questions. So, what you are saying is, if someone does not believe in this Jesus, he will spend eternity in hell?!? "Yes, that is exactly what I am saying." 

Well, an emotional explosion of spiritual war erupted in the room at that moment. Angry, volatile, students were enraged by the truth. They spewed venom at the Christ I had described and rejected the message as exclusive and closed minded. There are so many things I could say about that day. I could explain what I said, and tell you the nasty hate filled things that were said to me and about me. But the main thing I remember is suffering for Christ and finding indescribable joy in that. "but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." 1 Peter 4:3. It was such a privilege to be persecuted for Christ. And I learned that day the supernatural and overwhelming affect it has on our mind. Words cannot describe how wonderful this experience was for my soul.

I started the process of learning another concept that day, which I still struggle with. Love is not enough. Love leads the lost to salvation, but not always. Jesus Christ was the embodiment of love, the very essence of it. The only reason we have the capacity to love is because it has been endowed unto us by Christ. He being love incarnate, could have won all hearts to himself if love were enough because noone has ever been capable of demonstrating love with such completeness. We are commanded to love so, we must extend love to everyone, including the lost. "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you," Matthew 5:44. But extending love will not exempt us from being reviled. The cross is offensive and hated. It insights rage in people. "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." John 15:18. The more we come away from the world, lay down the desires of our own flesh, or selfish nature, the closer we will draw to Christ. This results in becoming more and more offensive to the world and its culture. To glorify Christ is to offend the world. The lives we are called to as Christians is to be hated by this world. And when we are hated for Christ's sake we have truly accomplished something for the kingdom of God and we have taken another step closer to Christ.

Lead your family, guest post by Kevin Triplett

Men are wired differently than women. We just are. We look at things differently; handle them differently. The outcome affects us differently. God makes us that way. We all have different skill sets to be used to work together.

Men, usually at least, want to be leaders. We want recognition, to be named head of this project or director of that initiative. We want promotions and raises to validate our work. It proves our worth. Right?

Then, here is the question of the day for my fellow men. Why does that same desire to lead at work not translate to the home? Why do we not have the same drive for being project manager of the household?

When we work, we are to work diligently. Paul tells us in Second Thessalonians those who do not work do not eat. But so often, that title, that rank, that company car and employee-of-the-month plaque are allowed in our hearts to serve as the steps in establishing our identity. Often, we work so hard during the day, when we get home we do not want to be bothered with anything. We’re tired. We have had a long day on the job and work time is over. Right?

So many of us get so caught up in our “jobs,” the stress and strain of being a leader to our fellow employees, we want none of it at home. That is the wife’s job anyway, right? Wrong.

Paul also tells us in First Timothy we are to provide for our households. That means so much more than just financial assistance.

Call it what you want: Head of the Household; King of the Castle; Lord of the Land or Man of the Manor. But often, we do not want everything that comes with that title. We just want to be fed grapes and cooled with palm fronds. Leave the heavy lifting to someone else. We even have scripture to support it.

Most of us can quote, sometimes even with semi-accuracy, the passages about wives submitting to their husbands. We may not even know the proper book in the Bible, much less chapter and verse. But by-doggies we know it is in there don’t we? (Ephesians 5 and 1 Peter 3, for the record).  We know there are “instructions” for our wives to “submit” (Ephesians) or “be submissive” (1 Peter). True enough. It is in there. More than once.

But just like those projects at work where we fail as leaders by not seeing things through to the end, this is where we fail as leaders at home; where we either conveniently forget the remaining directives or just never bother to learn them.

Read a couple of verses further in Ephesians and we find we are to love our wives as “Christ also loved the church.” In 1 Peter, we are to “Dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife.”  In other words, we are to encourage; to lift up. That’s what we do at work, do we not? We want our fellow co-workers or employees to produce a better product, created by a better work environment. Then why not create a better product at home with a better environment? We have that responsibility after all.

“The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.” (Proverbs 20:7)

If we are concerned about the influences of this world on our children, be a bigger inspiration at home. Be a LEADER.  Do not be a boss. A boss tells people what to do. Leaders train them to succeed and are there with them along the way.

Will we succeed every time? I answer that this way.

Ted Williams, in my opinion, was the greatest hitter in the history of the game of baseball. He hit a home run in his last career at bat and was the last player to hit above .400 for a season. And that was more than 80 years ago. He did not get a hit every time. In fact, four out of 10 classifies him as one of the greatest ever. Four out of 10. But he stepped up there every time and tried to get a hit.

It is daunting. Some of the greatest leaders in the Bible were some of the worst spouses and parents. Usually, it was because they took their eye off the ball. They did not place proper trust in God to help them with the task and they paid for it. Dearly.

Too many times, as leaders of our families, we may believe fastballs  come too hard or the curveball breaks too much. Sometimes, not only do we not get a hit, we decide it is useless so we choose to not take our turn in the batter’s box.

We fail all who rely on us if we do not step up to the plate and swing.

No pitch is too hard to hit if we leave it up to God. The greatest role as project manager we have as men is at home. Be a leader. It fulfills our obligation and the rewards are much greater than an employee-of-the-month plaque.

There is more to being thankful.

With all the proclamations of thanksgiving this week, I wanted to come at this from a different angle. Like most people, I have thought a lot about for what I am truly grateful. I came up with the big things quickly, my salvation provided by Christ Jesus, my wonderful, protective husband, my beautiful, healthy children, my parents who taught me about Christ and have always shown me unconditional love, our farm, our animals, on and on. Then, I thought about the things that make my life more pleasant, or just a little easier. I thought about the green grass in the spring, which means not having to pay for or feed our livestock daily. The fresh eggs our chickens lay every day. And as I am enjoying it right now, the crackling fireplace which provides heat economically for our home. 

So, what does it mean to be truly grateful? Webster's Dictionary defines grateful as follows: a : appreciative of benefits received, b : expressing gratitude. If we are genuinely thankful for the blessings in our life, how do we express it? As parents we try to teach our children how to be appropriately appreciative for things they are given. "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." Psalm 100:4. When we are truly thankful, there is an expression of that thankfulness, otherwise our great Thanksgiving proclamations are only lip service. "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." Colossians 3:14-15. 

There is a level of indebtedness involved with being truly grateful. When we walk the path that brings us to an intimate relationship with Christ we become more keenly aware that He is source of all that is good in our lives. We all know it but by communing with Him, his benevolence becomes much clearer. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17. This means all the little things on my grateful list, along with the things which come from friends, family, and even acquaintances are initiated with Christ. Then there are those times when we are completely unaware of His provision. Those are the multitude of unknown blessings we won't know about this side of Heaven. 

We must be compelled to make sure that we at least attempt to show proper recognition and appreciation to the God of all creation for our 'every good and perfect gift.' We never will be able to appropriately show our gratitude but we should spend our lives trying. Much like the point made in an earlier blog, if we love Christ there will be evidence of that in our lives. If we are truly thankful this Thanksgiving there are actions which testify to that fact. Words are easy. The message, growing closer to Christ, takes work and sacrifice on our part part. We are bought with a price and there are expectations placed upon us. Join me this week in taking inventory of our blessings, but even more importantly take inventory of how we show our gratitude. 

No place for fear

I must admit, I have lived a very blessed life. I am 42 years old, both of my parents are still living. I have been married only once for almost 20 years. Both of our children are healthy and happy. Kevin and I have yet to face any significant health issues. I am very thankful for all of these things and many more to list here. (and this isn't even my "thankful" blog entry that will go up later this week) This life has not, by any means, been without trials, however. Some of which have been of significant proportion. We faced decisions that could have brought financial devastation. We have been betrayed by dear friends.  Fears of all types invade our lives.

There was a time I even feared for my safety. It was when we lived in Florida, Kevin had a job which had him out of the state about 200 nights a year. I was more than 600 miles away from any family and was only about 23 years old. There had been a rash of break-ins on our street and the burglars were even bold enough to break in while my neighbors were sleeping. One night, sirens blaring, officers were swarming our street yelling back and forth to each other. I was terrified, literally, for some time. Fear is paralyzingly. It consumes our thoughts, empairs our judgement, and can even affect our health. I am here to tell you, my dear friend, as children of God, fear has no place in our lives. We have believed the lie that society, and even the church, has told us that fear is normal, accepted, and even justified in some circumstances. Not true for the child of God. I want you to hear me, this is a huge fallacy. Christ's protection over lives and our hearts is not circumstantial. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6. We are to be anxious "for nothing." This is God's word. Do you believe it? Or are your thoughts going to that place of, "but this is too big, it hurts too bad, I just can't help it, or the results are too devastating for it to be that simple." Well, it's not simple. Your child may have cancer and, as a mother, I cannot even allow my mind to go there. So I am not telling you I know how you feel because that would be a lie as well as insulting. What I am telling you is that I know God's word is true down to the very last letter.

The very next verse is a promise of what will happen when we are faithful and diligent to the instructions in Philippians 4:6.  "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7. We sometimes think that our fear is too big and for someone not in Christ that is true. But as a child of God we have the power of the living God in us. The peace of God DOES pass all understanding and just because we do not, in our finite minds, understand it does not diminish Christ's ability. We must even at times, moment by moment, with the mental strength of the warriors we are, refuse to accept fear and allow it to dwell in our minds. We must also expect the supernatural intervention of Christ by acknowledging his power IN US, because it is just that, supernatural." For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. When those paralyzing thoughts come into our minds we must not let them live there. Our refusal to dwell on the magnitude of our situation must be replaced by dwelling on the enormity of our God.

I know there are terrifying, unspeakable things we must face in this life. And I am not suggesting that nothing painful will happen to us if we are faithful in prayer and supplication. There may times we endure great pain, but pain does not have to involve fear. I know Christ Jesus is more than capable of performing the supernatural in our lives. We have been deceived into believing that some situations are just too scary. My dear friend, that is a lie. Don't take my word for it. Be the Christian who believes Christ is actually who He says He is, and is capable of doing everything He says He can do. It will take us closer to Christ.

What are we worth?

 

I feel like we have skipped Autumn and jumped head first right into Winter! The high here in northeast Tennessee yesterday was a whopping 28 degrees.  We have pulled out the coveralls and insulated boots for our farm chores but are enjoying this season when so many things go to sleep. God in his wisdom has the sap run from the trees to preserve them for next year. The plants whither and die to drop their seeds to spring forth when the ground warms next year. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." John 12:24

 

Christ is speaking of His death and the necessity of it in order to bring life, eternal life. What truth this speaks about our own lives as well! Like seeds we must die in order to bring life. For as seeds, before our redemption we are dead. "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses," Colossians 2:13. "As I have explained on our website, closertochrist.today, our salvation is a free gift, we can do nothing to achieve it or earn it. We are also completely undeserving of redemption.

 

I cannot stand the word deserve. Society is constantly telling us what we deserve: We deserve a promotion, a new car, to be treated better, a big house, this new outfit. We deserve some pampering, a manicure and a pedicure, some time to ourselves, and on and on and on. There is nothing we deserve other than to spend eternity in hell. We do not deserve God's grace which goes against the definition of grace itself. If we deserved it would not be grace. "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away." Isaiah 64:6. For us to tell ourselves or even our children how exceptional we are is contrary to God's word. It teaches pride of self and value over others. When our worth is no greater and yet no less than any other soul for which Christ gave His life, and certainly not deserving.

 

Society deceives us into thinking we have tremendous value. The only value we have is in Christ Jesus. Taking pride in ourselves is to rob Christ of the work He has done in us. We are nothing and yet we are redeemed by the blood of Christ for His glory. It is even prevalent in our churches that some are valued as greater than others, when Christ in us that is the only value we have. To embrace the magnitude of what this means is to absorb down to our very soul what Christ did for us. "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. When we know Christ in His glory and begin to ruminate on what He gave up for us, who have no righteousness, we begin to move closer to Christ. We also see the value that others have. It is through Christ that our value comes, and is distributed equally among us. "Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality." Acts 10:34.

 

Our redemption price is where our value is determined. We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and His death on the cross which makes our value priceless. Just like any exquisite relic, the price is determined by what the market is willing to pay. By the creator of the universe, leaving his position of authority in glory, to endure separation from God, become our sin, and die to redeem us, that makes us the most valued commodity in the history of the world. Did we deserve it? No. But it makes our value beyond measure. Our death to ourselves and then life determined by His purpose is to what we are called. We have to stop looking at life by what we want, should have, or what society tells us we should demand. Like a seed, we must die to bring forth life. "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:27. Visualize what this means. Christ is speaking and He does not mean that we are to inconvenienced for His sake. The cross is how He knew He was going to die. No one else knew that, but He did! He was commanding that we die to ourselves. When we think about what he gave up for us, what will we give up for Him? He commands that it be everything.

 

So, to answer the question, "What are we worth?" We are worth nothing and yet we are worth everything.



Go team!

My daughter is a tiny little sprite of a person. With fiery red hair, and a passion to find her place, she has participated in many different activities to explore her skills and feel a part of something. First it was ballet, then soccer, horseback riding, and on and on. None of them were activities in which she excelled. They were somewhat enjoyable but not things she wanted to pursue. Then, a couple of years ago, she tried gymnastics. She advanced quickly through the skills, and was interested in trying out for the competitive team. We considered all the options. After learning this required a very sizeable financial commitment, an even bigger time commitment, and she would be half naked in her uniform, we knew this was not going to work for our family. You see, my daughter has given her life to Christ and, just like any of us who have truly done that, her life is not her own anymore. This was a tough one, but the true ways to learn the meaning of sacrifice are painful.

Our lives are not to be eaten up with stuff that has no eternal purpose. Yes, that even means our children. Our family does fun things and tries to stay active to keep our bodies healthy. Our son has landed on basketball as his activity of choice. It is for a season. Our lives are filled with seasons. But no season should be void of devotion to Christ. We take breaks from school, from sports,  and work. Sometimes we may even need a break from a specific calling to serve the Lord, or may know the season for that calling is complete. This blog is about drawing closer to Christ and nowhere in scripture does it tell us to take a vacation from Him. It has become a pandemic in the church. The symptoms are mild at first. Then they become more severe and begin to impair the judgment. Soon, the fever of apathy overwhelms the entire central nervous system. Finally, if not seen by "The Great Physician," total disregard of Christ sets in. This results in an extremely high spiritual mortality rate in our children. The disease is called idolatry and it exists in varying degrees of severity all throughout the church.

We tell ourselves when we commit to be on a team or participate in an activity, it is not right to miss practice or games. We have to be dedicated. And if it is something in which we decide to participate, we should be dedicated. What needs to be determined is if the level of commitment required to participate is prudent. As Christians, we are to above all else love the Lord "with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37 Jesus himself said this is the most important thing we need to do. Number one on the list! Dedicated to the team?!? What happened to our dedication to Christ? I am NOT saying that children should not participate in activities. Our children have gleaned great life lessons from being involved in various sports and pursuits. We must, however, guard against the activities taking a idolatrous position in our lives. I have heard it said by some who consistently miss church for sporting activities year around, that "the ball field is my mission field." This is a very slippery slope. How can a life of choosing sports activities over the mission work taking place in a vibrant church, as well as fellowshipping and worshiping with fellow believers be an example to others of loving the Lord [and everything He is about] with all your heart, soul, and mind?

Idolatry is a pervasive problem throughout the church and the consequences are profound. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Look at the list of sins with which idolatry is associated and this a pretty firm warning. Are we people who "such were some of you?" Or are we still idolaters? If there is anything in our lives that we would not give up for Christ it is an idol. If we have been sanctified, the first on the list is Christ and everything else should find what ever time is leftover.

 

We are to be about the work of God and the advancement of His kingdom every day, in our actions as well as our thoughts. We are to encourage each other and be steadfast in our commitment to Christ first, and to our fellow believers second. There are, today, children of God who sacrifice everything, including their life here on this earth, to advance God's kingdom and be a part of His work, while gathered with others of His church. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 How are we to "stir up love and good works" with people we never see? To love Christ is to also love the body of Christ and be about His work.

 

Lastly, my daughter was disappointed by the decision we made not to delve deeper and make a bigger commitment to gymnastics. Disappointing our kids is not something that Kevin and I relish. It is painful at times. I would like to be able to say that her response was to smile and say, "I will gladly serve the Lord," but it was not. She does not even realize, but it has freed her to be able to serve the Lord and touch lives in concrete ways she could never have with so much of her schedule taken up for her amusement. And that makes even the disappointment worth it, for her to be a tool in the master's hand. It has brought her one more step closer to Christ.

Myth Buster part 3

This may be the most important of the points in the Myth Buster series. The first point blows up the theory that Christians are supposed to sit quietly with their hands in their laps while timidly offering encouraging words to those who need it. That is not the how we are to demonstrate a "gentle and meek spirit." Let a college student who has just witnessed our God and creator be degraded and disrespected, who rightfully becomes enraged, try to navigate those waters while trying to hold true to that misunderstood meaning. The second point explains, even though "quiet spirit" does not mean you cannot express yourself, it is imperative that the words we use are edifying and carefully selected by the holy spirit in every situation. There are situations where it is justified and even called for, to rebuke, exhort, or even be angry. But there is never situational justification for us to sin. I am not saying we will never sin. I AM saying situations never make it justified. Words are too powerful to not be chosen with the upmost caution.

Our third point is offensive and challenging. It can be misunderstood and confused and I suspect most of us have this as a common sin in our heart and we do not even know it is there and, in turn, it interferes with our relationship with Christ. It is practiced by most Christians, myself included, and is, or at least can be, as devastating as adultery, thievery, or drunkenness. You may be thinking, "What in the world could I do that would be that devastating?!?!" The answer is gossip.

Scripture is very clear on the power of words. And most people including myself have deceived ourselves into believing, "that wasn't gossip." The true definition of a gentle and quiet spirit is to be self-controlled and content, for our heart to be set on Christ and not be easily lured into drama and strife, to live peaceably. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14. When we are angry, hurt, or frustrated it is so easy to spout off about how we have been wronged. We live in a society in which we would much rather discuss any grievance with the entire community instead of the person by whom we were hurt. Why is that?!?! My friend, please hear what I have to say, if you are unwilling to address the issue with the person or people involved first, you must not speak of it with someone else. This goes directly to the point that our behavior must not be determined by circumstances.  “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother." Matthew 18:15. God wants us to resolve our issues especially with our brothers and sisters in Christ so we can have unity in our hearts. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Psalm 133:1  

We must forgive. It is our commission as children of God. His law is not given to us to require us to do seemingly insurmountable tasks. It is out of God's great love for us that EVERY law was written. He wants what is best for us in every situation and He knows that for us to harbor unforgiveness in our hearts is harmful to US. To gossip about our hurts and sorrow causes strife and multiplies the offense in our own heart and causes others who love us to hurt as well. How many times I have been hurt by a misunderstanding, or I assumed a motive that was inaccurate, shared the incident with a friend, only to be madder when I was finished than when I started, AND so was my friend! That's not godly.

We are to love each other enough to try to resolve issues with our brothers and sisters in Christ. If this is attempted without success we must seek godly counsel from someone who will be impartial, not someone who will just climb in the boat with us and our hurt feelings and row us down the river of resentment. There is more about this process in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew. When we have hard feelings in our heart toward anyone who is in the body of Christ it separates us from God. This blog is about the tools it takes to grow Closer to Christ. This is a biggie! It is overlooked because we are not comfortable talking about our own sin. That's not fun! We would much rather discuss the sins of other people! When it comes to us, we want to stick to talking about those sins we would NEVER commit. It is time we look at ourselves. The road Closer to Christ is our own road and our own journey for us to take or not. A true gentle and quiet spirit is evidence of a position close to Christ. And it is visible to others. Do we have it? If we don't, taming the tongue and healing relationships is a perfect place to start because out of our true love and devotion for Christ flows true heartfelt love for others.

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. James 1:26

 

 

 

Myth Buster part 2

While writing my perspective of what it means to portray a meek and quiet spirit I knew there was more to this topic than I could cover in one post. As I said previously, the scripture in 1 Peter is referencing how we are to present ourselves to others. The goal is for people to see our heart. Everything about us, our appearance, demeanor, countenance and every word we say, should be glorifying to Christ. The closer we are to Christ the more we reflect Him to a lost world or even to a struggling Christian.
 
We must not attempt to fabricate a righteous and pious attitude. That is why our heart must be pure; it is to be strong, content, and steadfast. This is accomplished by training our minds with the discipline of a warrior. And the training of the mind is the only way to accomplish the training of the tongue. I have and continue to struggle in this area of my life. I shared in my last post that I am very verbal. My mouth gets away from me sometimes. Words are a wellspring of life as well as a slow consuming pit that devours while they anesthetize our sensitivity to the Spirit. "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise." Proverbs 10:19. Anything other than Christ that is allowed to have free reign in our lives will bring about sin. We are to be self controlled. Scripture lists self control as one of the fruits of the Spirit we acquire when Christ takes residence in our life.

Words have unequaled ability to bring about death and destruction. They can destroy families and crush the spirit. They can bring about fear and steal joy. "When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid." 1 Samuel 17:11. They can deceive many and be a pitfall. "Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words." Colossians 2:4 And Job even cries out in despair over the words that have crushed him. “How long will you torment my soul, And break me in pieces with words?" Job 19:2.

But just as much as words can destroy, they also have the unfathomable power to give life. "But Simon Peter answered Him [Jesus], “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." John 6:68. The words we speak can bring healing. "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24. They encourage, and lift up. "How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!" Psalm 119:103. When Eliphaz spoke to Job he reminded him of the wonderful things Job had done to strengthen others with his words. "Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, And you have strengthened the feeble knees;" Job 4:4.  And words also bring salvation, "who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved." Acts 11:14

Taking every thought captive is particularly challenging for me, someone who legitimately struggles with ADD. However, our thoughts, and what springs from those thoughts, our words, are an integral part of drawing closer to Christ. We cannot control our tongue the way Christ wants us to no matter how badly WE want to. There will be more about that in the third part of this message. If we are dwelling on Christ in everyway we will have edifying words that encourage, lift up, and give life. Growing closer to Christ is crucial. We must let go of our own desires and disappear into a picture of Christ. When He is our passion and our greatest joy and adored above everything else and our minds are fixed on Him, the words that come from us will be glorifying to Him. And we will present ourselves to others with a genuine meek and quiet spirit.

 

Myth Buster!

One of the most fun times I have ever had as an adult was about seven or eight years ago. It was December and Christmas celebrations were in full swing. I genuinely LOVE my church family and wanted to rejoice in Christ's birth with them almost as much as with my biological family. With the all clear from Kevin, I started planning and sent the invitation to the young adult department at church. That was a group of about 20 - 25 families. Most of the time you can count on about half being able to attend, right? Isn't that what Emily Post says? Maybe even fewer because the Christmas season is so busy for everyone. Well, almost every single person came with their children who I had also invited because Christmas to me is also a time for families to be together. There were 78 people in our three bedroom house. IT. . .WAS . . . GREAT!!!

It was challenging logistically to say the least. There were people in the floor, people in our bedroom, in our kids bedrooms, and I made the announcement to everyone present that it made my so happy (gloriously happy) to have them all there! Like I said, one of the best memories!  I told you that story to give all of you who do not know me personally a picture of my personality. I am not a bashful or timid type. I speak to almost everyone I see and most likely annoy some with my idle chit chat when standing close to me when waiting in line. 

I have struggled with what it means to have a meek and quiet spirit. What is that supposed to look like? God has given me the ability and desire to touch lives. I have a love for the human soul. He has placed in me the desire to connect with people. This meek and quiet lady I had learned about in church does not cooperate with that personality. I felt like a failure. "Do not let your adornment be merely outward- arranging hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a meek and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:3-4. I thought about this a lot and rolled it around and around in my head. This is talking about how we present ourselves to others, and I am certainly NOT quiet. I beat myself up a lot, I thought I was supposed to be like Jane Bennett. Then I looked a little closer. 

This verse is speaking against vanity and pride. Others are supposed to able to see into our heart. They are should be able to see our true spirit, the Holy Spirit. The word meek in the 1 Peter text comes from the Greek word praus meaning mild or humble. Quiet comes from the Greek word hesuchios meaning still, peaceable, or quiet. So in our spirit, our heart, we are to be humble, still, peaceable. "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" Philippians 4:11. We are not be stirred by every trial, scattered by the least inconvenience, tempted by worldly status, or measuring our life against the lives of others. Our heart is to be still and confidence in our position in Christ. "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5. Our lives should be spent bringing glory to Christ, not constantly being in a snit because something hasn't gone our way. We are to be peaceable and steadfast enduring with grace and dignity. It shows the great strength in whom we place our trust. That is a true meek and quiet spirit.

In the Crosshairs

It is fall here in northeast Tennessee and it is beautiful! About half of the gold, orange, and crimson leaves are down, pumpkins are on our porches and in our ovens, and we have entered into the rut. I am not referring to the cycle of life where we feel that all is mundane and routine, but the time of year when deer are mating and hunting season is in full swing. Yes, this is hunting country. That all elusive buck is distracted by the drive to reproduce. He is compelled by his pursuit which often leads him right into the crosshairs of a motionless hunter. You might say, it is his pursuit of the flesh, if you will.

Aren't we all often distracted by the pursuits of our own flesh right into the crosshairs of the one who is seemingly sitting motionless just waiting for the perfect opportunity to destroy us? My friend, Satan may be silent, and he may be perfectly camouflaged, but he is by no means motionless. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8. Most of us have heard this verse before but what does it really mean? The word sober here comes from the Greek word nephalios meaning circumspect or to be careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences. Vigilant  here comes from the Greek word gregoreuo meaning, to keep awake or to keep watch. So this verse is telling us to consider all circumstances and possible consequences while being awake and keeping watch.

We spend so much time distracted by the minutiae of this life. We are unaware of the spiritual warfare that is going on around us. You may be thinking, "Jill, that spirit stuff was in the old testament." This is not Ouija boards and séances I am talking about. These are real powers and principalities that are in our midst.  "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12.

Our "adversary the devil" is actively pursuing us with the ferocity of a lion! We cannot take that lightly. When we, like that buck, are going through our days compelled by what satisfies our desires, or fills our mind with thoughts that amuse or entertain, and are not actively pursuing our Savior in everything we do, we are walking right into the crosshairs of Satan himself. Satan is the master manipulator. We may arrogantly think that we recognize him in all of his beguiling and seductive ways but he has been at his craft for centuries and it is only Christ who is capable of defeating him. The only position that is secure, is our position in Christ. "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7.

The only sanctuary we have is drawing closer to Christ; living in His very presence and occupy every thought and action on Him for His glory. That does not mean to spend every productive moment sitting in our prayer closet with no distractions. That does mean praying through every productive moment God has called us to so our focus is sharp and we see our attacker as he lies in wait for us.