An "Aha" Moment By Cortney Donelson

Source: Unknown

John 15:15 (NIV)

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

While reading “Hearing God” by Dallas Willard (not an easy read, but so worth it!), I was struck with a realization. I experienced one of those “aha moments.” I am still trying to wrap my head around it. Maybe you can relate…

Dallas Willard, while explaining that God is not a taskmaster, but that our communion with Him allows for greater communication between us and Him, wrote this: “… we demean God immeasurably by casting Him in the role of cosmic boss (aka Master)… Instead, we are to be God’s friends…” Immediately, God spoke to my heart. This was important for me.  After sitting with Mr. Willard’s sentence for a while, I realized its significance. I have no difficulty thinking of God as Father. I know some do. I have never struggled to call God my Master or Boss. I am sure others have. I rest in the knowledge that I am a child of God and do not shrink from my goal of being a servant in His mission. 

The relationship I struggle with is friend of God. The intimate relationship that comes after the Master-Servant relationship has run its course. The one God longs for more than any other because true friendship signifies genuine intimacy and community with God. Just as a not-so-great earthly father has caused some of you to struggle with the ability to go to God as your Heavenly Father, many of my childhood and young adulthood friendships have left me unable to fully understand God as Friend. I don’t blame anyone but myself.

S. Michael Houdmann, CEO of GotQuestions.org, wrote this: “The principle of friendship is found in Amos. ‘Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?’ (Amos 3:3) Friends are of like mind. The truth that comes from all of this is a friendship is a relationship that is entered into by individuals, and it is only as good or as close as those individuals choose to make it. Someone has said that if you can count your true friends on the fingers of one hand, you are blessed. A friend is one whom you can be yourself with and never fear that he or she will judge you. A friend is someone that you can confide in with complete trust. A friend is someone you respect and that respects you, not based upon worthiness but based upon a likeness of mind.”

After an abrupt and confusing end to a close friendship in my youth, I was left with the false idea that friends are those who betray you. The harsh abandonment from this trusted pal left me unable to “reboot” my understanding of true friendships. From that point forward, I became a terrible friend myself. Judgmental. Critical. Fearful. Jealous. My friendships were short-lived. I avoided being myself for fear I was unlikable. I refrained from confiding in others with complete trust. I lost respect for the relationship called “friend.” 

So, when Jesus calls me friend, I fight the label. It is not a positive concept for my friendship-torn heart. I do not feel I am a worthy friend. Worse, I do not want to call Jesus my friend. It seems demeaning and shallow. However, if I dare to look at Jesus as the model of a true friend, and not myself or my past friendships, I find something amazing.

Jesus defines true friendship: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:13-15). Jesus’ relationships – both past and present – are the purest illustrations of what a true friend will do, for He laid down His life for His "friends." 

My past relationships are not a good measuring tool for true friendships. Rather than surrender my fears, pride, and ego, I ran away. Rather than confront a problem and work out differences, others simply chose to abandon me. Jesus says, “not me.” He never ran, and He never will. 

In Proverbs 17:17 it states, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Adversity is not part of the true friendship model. Jesus loved. He rebuked. He did not judge or criticize. He corrected. He healed. He forgave. He did not betray, reject, or abandon His friends. In order to have a true friend, one must be a true friend. 

In accepting the label “friend of God,” I must run to Jesus in times of trouble, not run from Him. I must choose to share my whole self and hide nothing. I must trust Him without judgment or lack of faith. It’s what He does for me. Actually, He does more. Paul described true friendship as well: "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:7-8). And, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends" (John 15:13). Jesus will never betray me. He died for me.

Now, that is true friendship – one I can begin to use as my framework for all my current and future friendships.

Prayer – Friend, Thank You for stopping us in our tracks when You have something to teach us. I am so very thankful for Your true friendship. I pray I use Jesus’ model and not my own biased thoughts to come to You abandoned as friend, being like-minded and genuine at all times. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

© 2014 As a Clay Jar. All rights reserved.

Being One Heart and Mind By Gary Grooms

"As a Clay Jar" welcomes guest writer, Gary Grooms, for today's blog post. Gary is currently serving as a missionary in Kyrgyzstan. I met Gary while in Haiti last summer on a mission trip. He is an amazing person with a genuine heart for living out God's will to the best of his ability. He is humble, thoughtful, and inspiring. Gary is the author of the book "Rise Up, Be the Man God Seeks," which can be found on Amazon.  Today's devotion is an excerpt from one of the email updates I received from him as he and his family serve across the globe. I hope you enjoy reading about the God-inspired adventure Gary is living out today. Perhaps his story will be the inspiration you need to ... well, rise up!

Source: Unknown

James 4:14

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

Our family finally made it to the international church in Bishkek this last Sunday. It might seem a little strange that we are serving in an area recognized as one of many countries where evangelism represents less that 3% of the total population, and yet we attend a Christian church. The government allows registered churches, but proselytizing is prohibited outside of the church. When we pray as a small group or meet for small group Bible study, we are breaking the law. But here in church, we are singing and praising God.

Sometimes when I travel and serve in different countries, songs and scripture jump out at me, such as, “shout to the Lord,” or verses that say, “the enemy flees at the sound of your name.”  These cause me to stop and realize the meaning of the words more vividly. It saddens me to think that when I am back home, I sometimes lose my focus. It also becomes more apparent that as hard as governments try, they are never going to stop God's Word. When Jesus was told by the Pharisees to rebuke his disciples he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40)

Another story in the Bible that has always made me ask, "How did they do that?" comes to mind. In Matthew 4:20,22 Jesus had just begun his ministry, and he sees Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew. Jesus says, “Come and follow me......At 'once' they left their and nets and followed him.” Then, Jesus sees James and John, and Jesus called, “and 'immediately' they left....and followed him.” I always wonder would I have the courage, the conviction, the belief, and the faith that these disciples demonstrated at those times? I look at these families here serving in Bishkek and see examples of the early disciples. I also see what the early church might have looked like in the beginning: united together, worshiping together, fellowship together, going, baptizing, carrying their cross, and spreading the gospel throughout the world. Even the students are unique in their attitude as they make Central Asia their home. I teach a group of 8th graders in Physical Science, and I asked them if they see themselves staying in Bishkek until they finish High School. Everyone acknowledged that they will graduate from Hope Academy (the school here). They have chosen to forgo all the traditions and expectations of their classmates back home, miss proms and homecoming, relinquish nice cars, sports, TV, movies, and all that other stuff that we have come to expect in the United States. Sometimes I wonder (especially about myself) if we really need to examine our attitude regarding, “not my will but yours.” 

This is my challenge to myself as we continue to serve here in Kyrgyzstan. I am encouraged by these disciples serving in Bishkek. I know that most of us will not make these kinds of commitments, but we are called to be His hands and His feet wherever we serve. So I pray for the Church to be united, to seek His will in our lives, to be eager in meeting together, “of being one heart and mind,” to be united as followers so deeply that the world would recognize us as His disciples. I pray that we humble ourselves and open our hearts and actively seek God's will. I know I have fallen short of His calling, but I know prayer can change me when I make God the center of my life. 

As James said in verse 4:14, “we are a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes.” We only pass this way one time in our lives, so I pray that we will make a difference wherever we are called with the time that God has given each one of us. If one person is saved it is worth it.

Your servant in Christ, 

Gary

Finding Iron By Cortney Donelson

Source: www.itbcministry.com

Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Sharpened iron is better iron. It cuts faster and stronger. It remains useful. 

The Bible tells us we are like iron. Without sharpening, we lose strength and become weary. Without sharpening, we become less useful in God’s Kingdom. God can’t be more clear in Proverbs 27:17. Surrounding ourselves with others makes us better – spiritually, mentally, intellectually, and physically. We have a term for these people in our lives: accountability partners.

A few months ago, I was missing something. I couldn’t put my finger on it. There was a hole in my life. I prayed. I searched. I talked with God and with my husband, and I discovered the missing element. I did not have a group of accountability partners. I had friends, sisters in Christ, but we were not necessarily doing life together. There was no deliberate learning happening between us. In essence, we were not sharpening each other. 

The pastor at my church, Dr. James Emory White, talks about different types of Christian relationships. He teaches we need all three in our lives in order to grow spiritually. First, there is the peer relationship. Two people in roughly the same place spiritually who encourage one another and learn together. Then, there is the mentor relationship. We all benefit from having someone in our lives who is wiser and has gone through more of life’s experiences. They can help guide us as we strive to make Christianly decisions. Lastly, there is the mentee relationship. At some point, we all need to pour out to others, share with or teach someone less experienced than us, or perhaps even help them to find Christ in the first place.  

I was missing two of these relationships. My peer relationships were limited to social gatherings. I was great at being called friend, but not great at challenging my friends. None of us were gaining any spiritual wisdom with the lunch dates, emails, and phone calls. I was finding happiness but not joy. I felt like we were all lacking a crucial piece of the friendship puzzle. So we circled up – four of us in total. 

I felt excited about the amazing things God would accomplish within and through our new accountability group. We picked a book to study (intellectual accountability) and chose the Book of James to unpack together (spiritual accountability). We also talked about our needs for health and fitness accountability, parenting accountability, and relational accountability. I jumped in, extremely excited to get started with my reading.

What I did not anticipate was that only six days later, a poignant moment of sharpening would come through via text from one of these ladies. 

My iron friend sent this to me: This is why I ask for your advice. You’re so wise.

I replied with a joke, effectively negating the compliment and making fun of myself. My iron friend sent this back: Why are we so good at putting ourselves down?

I was jolted. The Spirit stirred me at my core. My iron friend was right. I had not accepted the compliment gracefully. I had diminished it. And, in doing so, I had poked fun at perhaps one of the gifts God blessed me with when He created me. As an accountability partner, she was not afraid to point out my weakness in order to boldly move me in a better direction. The Greek historian born in 46 A.D., Plutarch, said it this way: "I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better." She didn't just laugh off my ill-timed joke but held me accountable to accept the compliment gracefully. 

Her text sharpened me.  A few minutes later, I sent one back. What I meant to say was … Thank you.

You’re welcome.

Thank you, dear friend for calling me out in love. Iron sharpens iron. I will become a better wife, a better mom, a better friend … a better servant for Jesus through this accountability group. 

Now, I pray God will help me find the second iron relationship I am missing – the mentor relationship. I continue to ask God to introduce me to an older, wiser, and more experienced Christian woman. Gray hair preferred! One who has been through the stages of life I am about to enter. Someone who can help guide me, in love. I seek an iron mentor who will show me how to become better - more like the person God intended for me to be. 

Perhaps you could pray too – to ask God to help you fill one of these iron relationships that you may be missing…

Prayer – God, thank You for creating community. Thank You for all the ways we can sharpen each other. I pray for those who seek Christian friends and mentors. I pray for those who fill those roles. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Perhaps Today By Cortney Donelson

(Source: Unknown)

Matthew 24:36 (ESV)

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

If you could take a genetic test and determine the probability of your developing a disease that has killed one-third of your family by age 55, would you take that test? It’s a very real scenario – one faced by someone very close to me. 

For many, it is a very difficult question to answer. Some would say they don’t want to know because if the test were to come back positive, they would feel the stress of knowing when they might die. Others would want the test done immediately so they would have all the information available to them so they could live the life they would want to live before leaving this world. 

I am not going to share my opinion about whether or not I would get the test or my motives behind my choice. My goal is to help us all think about the life we are currently living – our one and only life. 

I want my life to mean something. I want it to have purpose, one bigger than myself. I think this desire is common and maybe even innate. I have talked with so many others who are also seeking something bigger than themselves. Many of us want to leave a legacy that encompasses more than acquiring material possessions or reaching the pinnacle of individual success, power, or fame. Those who have reached those heights will tell you that it does not satisfy many of the longings in their hearts and souls. Yet, that seems to be how so many of us are living our daily lives. 

If you knew you had one year left on this planet, what would you change? Would you work less? Would you travel more? Who would you spend your time with and what would you do? Would the words you say change? Do you ever wonder how others might remember you?

As I thought about these questions, I realized this: What if I took that genetic test and it was determined I had the marker for this horrific disease. I will be 39 years old this month. I might have10-15 years left. What if I realize I am not living my one and only life the way I perhaps could or should be living it, so I decide I need to make some changes. They are going to be really hard changes. I might leave a secure and busy job to spend time with family, but then I worry about my (and their) financial stability. I may decide that I want to leave a legacy of philanthropy and service rather than stock options and a too-big house, so I think about how I can volunteer or give my time or money to help others. I plan to change all these things, but I think this is a lot to change. I have some time. I have 10-15 years left! So, I do nothing and convince myself it’s because I am too busy to change anything right now. To make matters more complex, it’s downright scary to go against society’s expectations. So, I tell myself I will modify my life next year, after one more promotion or after twelve more house payments. A month later, I step off the curb and get hit by a bus. 

The irony is a dark one. We are not guaranteed one more day. No one knows when his or her life will end. Even if a dozen physicians tell us that we have weeks or months to live, only God knows when He will call us home. There is something else no one but God knows…

Several years ago, I was studying the book of Revelation. I was fascinated by the end of times and the second coming of Christ … I still am. In fact, I wrestled with the idea of getting a vanity license plate that read PRHAPS2DA. Perhaps today. Unfortunately, the DMV believed my crafty statement was one letter too long. 

The message I had wanted to ride around and tell the world around me was the one Matthew wrote about in his Gospel: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” That day we are referring to is the one when all this world’s suffering, all the pain, all the tears, all the worries, all the evil, all the sin, all the hurt, all the masks, all the disease, all the natural disasters, all the lies … everything comes to an end. It’s the day when Jesus returns to claim His Kingdom and perfect goodness and justice reigns. We have no idea when it will be. Perhaps today.

Whether we are diagnosed with a terminal illness, step off a curb in front of a bus, or the trumpets sound and Jesus comes back riding on top of the clouds as the Bible promises, "And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory (Mark 13:26, NASB),” not a single one of us knows how long we have here. Perhaps today.

There is no greater fear of mine than the one where I waste my one and only life on trivial priorities that will be forgotten or become irrelevant just days after I am gone. There would be no greater regret than for me to focus all my energy, time, money, and love on our culture’s definition of success. When I work, I want to work for God, not for man. When I serve, I want to be the hands and feet of Jesus, not satisfy my own selfish ambitions. When I love, I want to do so through words and actions that have a depth of meaning that will last generations because my children will learn from how I love others and model those words and behaviors as they grow up. This is the stuff that matters, the decisions that affect our eternities. 

So, when I wake up, I coach myself to put aside my agenda for a few minutes. I pray for God’s direction for the day. This is what I have discovered: When He nudges me to give more, I hoard less. As I listen more, I talk less. When I enjoy my family more, I rush around less. When I only work within the boundaries of strategically planned business hours, I stress less. When God prompts me to spend quality time with others, I feel less alone. When I think of myself less often, my eyes are opened to all the ways I can help others. As I pray more, I fear less. And, when I follow God, I regret nothing.

Last year, the Huffington Post published an article called “The Habits of Supremely Happy People.” In that story, Kate Bratskeir wrote, “In his 2004 Ted Talk, Martin Seligman describes three different kinds of happy lives: The pleasant life, in which you fill your life with as many pleasures as you can, the life of engagement, where you find a life in your work, parenting, love and leisure and the meaningful life, which ‘consists of knowing what your highest strengths are, and using them to belong to and in the service of something larger than you are.” I don’t want to lead a pleasant life and find myself at the end with only fun memories. I want to use my God-given gifts and find my God-ordained purpose to change the world for the better.

Never mind a 10-15 year advance warning test marker. Never mind a four- or six-week death sentence from a physician… I challenge all of us to live today as if it will be our last. After all, despite all our scheming, planning, hoping, and wishing, only God knows if it’s perhaps today.

Prayer – God, thank You for today. Thank You for the promise of eternity for those who call Jesus Savior. My prayer is that we do not waste our one and only lives on meaningless pursuits of happiness, but on world-changing priorities that bring everlasting joy and purpose. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

© 2014 As a Clay Jar. All rights reserved.