Unrecognizable

 

By Andrea Merrell

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.

The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

Normally, I’m the one who has a hard time recognizing people I haven’t seen in a long time, but this time the proverbial shoe was on the other foot.

I spotted her and immediately knew who she was. This lady was someone I hadn’t seen since high school (many, many moons ago), and she still looked exactly the same. But she walked right past me—even after I said hello and tried to initiate a conversation. She had no clue.

I thought about it a lot afterward. Did I really look that different? Had I really changed that much?

The answer was a resounding YES!

The Bible says that when we are in Christ, we become new creations—an entirely new person. The AMP Classic Edition puts it like this:

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

Fresh and new. I love those two very descriptive words when I think about the changes God has made in my life. With the exception of a few extra pounds and wrinkles and my now silvery white hair, I don't think I look all that different on the outside, but when I look back at the old me (on the inside), I can barely recognize her.

God changes us from the inside/out and makes all things new as we surrender ourselves to Him. If the old you is unrecognizable, thank God for the new person He is conforming into the image of His Son.

Photo by Elisa Photography on Unsplash                         

Where’s Your Focus?

 By Andrea Merrell

 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

In desperate need of direction, the woman found a quiet, secluded place to spend time with the Lord. She praised, prayed, and tried to listen for the answers she needed, but her thoughts kept taking rabbit trails. Every time she brought them back into focus, they would take off again.

Have you experienced the same? I certainly have. Sometimes when I’m praying or trying to listen, my spaghetti brain goes haywire.

So what do we do with those runaway thoughts?

The Bible tells us to bring every thought captive, especially those things that exalt themselves against God (2 Corinthians 10:5). Why is that important? In Jesus Calling, Sarah Young gives us several reasons to bring our thoughts into the radiant light of His presence:

• Anxious thoughts shrink and shrivel away.
• Judgmental thoughts are unmasked.
• Confused ideas are untangled.

The best part is that God promises to keep us in perfect peace as we fix and focus our mind on Him. And His Holy Spirt within us is always ready to give whatever help and guidance we need. All we have to do is ask.

 

Photo by Zachary Keimig on Unsplash

The End of the Story

 

By Andrea Merrell

The end of a thing is better than its beginning.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 NKJV

The pastor’s wall was covered with diplomas, awards, and accolades of every type imaginable. Well-respected in his church and community, the man took great pride in his popularity and all his accomplishments. He carried his profession around like a trophy.

But just like so many others who take their eyes off the Lord and take credit for all He has done for them and through them, he fell into a sin-filled life and lost everything he had—his church, his family, and his reputation. His arrogance became his downfall, and his story did not end well.

On the other hand, let’s look at Rahab. She was known as a harlot. Not a good beginning, but because of her belief in and commitment to the God of Abraham, she was spared when her city fell and is now listed in the lineage of our Savior Jesus.

The Word for You Today says this about Rahab: “Her profession of faith mattered more than her profession as a harlot.” God redeemed her and redirected her life. Unlike the pastor, her life was tenuous at the start, but ended strong. What a testimony!

Many of us had a rough start in life, but God is all about redemption and restoration. He turns mourning into joy and replaces ashes with beauty. When we trust in Him, He can take ever the worst and most tragic situation and turn it around for our good and His glory.

As believers, we don’t know the future, nor can we control what happens in this life. But by placing our trust and hope in the Lord, we know the end of our story. And it’s better than anything we could ever imagine.

Do you know the end of your story?

 Photo by Daman IAm on Unsplash

 

The Perfectionist Trap

 

By Andrea Merrell

How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives

in the Spirit, why are you now trying

to become perfect by your own human effort?

Galatians 3:3 NLT

For so many years, I thought everything in my life had to be perfect—my hair, my clothes, my house, my car, my words—so people would love and accept me. That misguided thinking bled over into my relationship with the Lord. As a people pleaser, I also worked hard to please the Lord. If I didn’t do everything just right or measure up to my own self-imposed standards, how could He possibly love and accept me?

The truth is perfectionism is a trap that holds us back from receiving God’s unconditional love, acceptance, and approval, as well as those around us. We can never fully experience God’s peace or a sense of well-being as long as everything associated with us has to be flawless.

One writer says that perfectionism is a “mindset of self-defeating thoughts and behavior aimed at reaching unrealistic goals.” When we live this way, we set ourselves up to fail each day because we think our accomplishments are never good enough. When we fall short of our own expectations, it only drives us to try harder—or to stop trying at all.

The good news is that God knows us better than we know ourselves and accepts us just as we are—our faults, imperfections, and weaknesses—and He gives us the ability to love and accept ourselves. And according to Galatians, no matter how hard we strive to do and be better, it is the Spirit’s job to change us, not our own human efforts. The Message translation brings it home:

Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!

Don’t let yourself get entangled in the perfectionist trap. Instead, strive for excellence: doing the best you can with what you have and what you know.

There is nothing—and no one—perfect except our Lord.

Photo courtesy of Microsoft 365.

Who Are You Trying to Please?

 

By Andrea Merrell

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit,

but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Philippians 2:3 NKJV

 

For so much of my life I was a bona fide people pleaser. Unsure of myself and lacking a healthy sense of self-esteem, I tried to be and do what I thought everyone else expected of me. What I didn’t realize at the time was that my efforts were rooted in pride and selfishness. I cared more about what people thought about me than I cared for those people. 

My misguided and performance-oriented efforts led to nothing more than hopelessness, anxiety, and feelings of being less than, never good enough. I was seeking acceptance and approval in the wrong places.

The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians that we should esteem others better than ourselves. The NLT says it like this: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.”

Once I found my true identity in Christ and took my focus off myself, I learned to be less self-conscious and more God-conscious. My approval and acceptance come from Him, and He is the only one I need to please—not others and not even myself. That revelation set me free to love others without any selfish motives.

One writer says that we should care about others even when they don’t care about us. That’s the love of God in action.

So ... who are you trying to please?

Photo by Ricky Kharawala on Unsplash

Pulling Down Strongholds

 

By Andrea Merrell

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical

[weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God

for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.

2 Corinthians 10:4 AMPC

Do you have a stronghold in your life? I’ve certainly had a few.

Merriam-Webster’s describes stronghold as something fortified. In the Christian’s life, it can be anything that exalts itself against the knowledge—and the Word—of God, our ultimate truth.

Many times we receive wrong teaching that goes against that truth. It could be a conviction, a belief, or a habit. According to The Word for You Today, these are some of the most common strongholds we deal with:

• Guilt – God could never forgive me.
• Resentment – I could never forgive that person.
• Self-pity – Bad things always happen to me.
• Pride – I have to be in charge.
• Rejection – I don’t deserve to be loved.
• Defeat – I’ll never recover.
• Performance – I must be good or God will reject me.
• Appearance – I’m only as good as I look.
• Materialism – My value equals my possessions.

The good news is God never intended for us to live under these false premises. Strongholds are meant to be broken, and He has given us the tools: His Word, prayer, fasting, the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, and His very own weapons of warfare (see Ephesians 6).

Don’t allow strongholds to keep you imprisoned in a state of perpetual frustration and even depression. Use God’s mighty weapons to overthrow, destroy, and completely obliterate them.

Photo by Daria Lyalyulina on Unsplash

A Good Work Ethic

 

By Andrea Merrell

And whatever you do, do it heartily, 

as to the Lord and not to men.

Colossians 3:23 NKJV

“You want me to do what?” the woman exclaimed with a shocked look on her face. “That’s way beneath my pay grade—and beneath me!”

To solve the problem, the boss jumped in and cleaned up the mess.

Then he fired the woman.

Finding those with a good work ethic is getting harder in today’s society where the new generations seem to be born with entitlement issues, expecting to have everything handed to them. Many think work is beneath them.

But God created work right after He created man. He delighted in His creation, then gave him the responsibility of tending the garden.

According to The Word for You Today, “Work gives us a sense of purpose, meaning, and dignity. There are no small jobs, only people who perceive them as small and become small in doing them.”

The woman thought she was too good to do menial tasks, and her pride cost her a high-paying job.

What is the key to building and maintaining a good work ethic? Doing the very best job we can and doing it as unto the Lord—for His approval alone.

Someone once said, “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence.”

Photo by Merakist on Unsplash

Feed Your Faith

 

By Andrea Merrell

So then faith comes by hearing, 

and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17 NKJV

“You gotta have faith!” the speaker said emphatically. “You must believe that God will do what He says He will do.”

Afterward, my friend said to me, “Sometimes I don’t think I have any faith at all. My doubts seem to choke out what little is in me. What should I do?”

“Feed it,” I said.

She frowned. “And how exactly do I do that?”

The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing. By hearing what? God’s Word. One of my former pastors used to say, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing, and hearing.”

We believe what we hear from friends and family. Even podcasts and news reports. The more we hear, the more encouraged—or discouraged—we become. It’s the same with the Word. The more we hear it, the more we believe it, and the greater our faith grows.

But listening to a sermon once or twice a week (or even less) will never be enough. Just like we feed our body, we need to feed our faith. And since we believe what we say most of all, the more we speak and confess the Word, the more our faith will flourish.

My friend finally got it. She began to put the Word in her mind, her mouth, her ears, and her heart. The transformation was amazing.

If you deal with doubt and unbelief, there’s only one sure cure: start feeding your faith a regular diet of the powerful, life-changing Word of God.

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash

Take the High Road

 

By Andrea Merrell

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,

and his ears are open to their prayers.

1 Peter 3:9 NLT

 

My emotions were a jumbled mess. I didn’t know whether I was hurt or angry. Probably both. How could she possibly say something like that to me?

My flesh wanted to lash out. To retaliate. I wanted to make her feel as bad as she made me feel. But when I shared my situation with a close friend, her words were simple: take the high road.

As I prayed about my attitude, Scriptures shot through my mind and heart. Don’t repay evil for evil. Forgive. Bless your enemies. Walk in love. Don’t try to avenge yourself; the battle is the Lord’s.

It all came together in 1 Peter 3: 8-9 (NLT):

Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.  For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”

God’s Word is clear, and He gives us a choice to obey.

I choose the high road. How about you?

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com and Dave Hoefler.

What Is Your Jericho?

 

By Andrea Merrell

See! I have given Jericho into your hand

Joshua 6:2 NKJV

 

The situation appeared overwhelming, much like the walls of Jericho—immovable, indestructible, and impenetrable.

 I thought about all the Jerichos we face in this life. Regrets of the past. Fear of the future. Anger. Rejection. Lost relationships. Discouragement. Anxiety. Loss. Health issues. The list could go on and on. Anything that prevents us from fully experiencing God’s perfect love, joy, and peace becomes a fortress, a prison of our own making that must be torn down.

But how? Certainly not by mere human measures. As one writer reminded me, Joshua didn’t bring down the walls—God did.

Just as the Lord told Joshua, “See! I have given Jericho into your hand,” the Bible tells us He has given us every single thing we need for both life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). All we have to do is believe and receive. The battle is His; the victory is ours—through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Define your Jericho. Then submit it to the Lord and watch the walls come tumbling down.

 Photo by Valdemaras D. on Unsplash

 

Busy, Busy, Busy

 

By Andrea Merrell

But Martha was distracted with much serving.

Luke 10:40 NKJV

“You sure are a busy little beaver,” someone once said to me. “You never seem to stop or even slow down.”

I’m not sure what point she was trying to make, but I’ve thought about her observation a lot over the years—especially when I get caught up in the busyness of life.

Certainly, life can be demanding at times, pulling us in so many directions we don’t know which to follow first. There’s always so much to do. But during those seasons, maybe we should stop and ask ourselves, In all my doing, what have I really accomplished?

One writer says we were created by God to live on purpose, for a purpose. He didn’t put us on this earth to exhaust ourselves and end up empty and unfulfilled. No matter how we spend our time, we are called to bear fruit. To be salt and light. To love and be loved. To point others to Him. To become more like Jesus.

I love the times when I can look back over my day and feel a sense of accomplishment and even pride over being productive. But I’ve learned that sometimes my most productive days are those when I spend quality time with the Lord, praying, digging into His Word, writing a devotion, or encouraging a friend. It might mean taking a break from being busy, busy, busy, resting and taking time to seek His face and hear His voice, especially before I plunge headlong into my day.

In the story of Mary and Martha, Martha was only concerned about all she had to do. I can picture her flitting about, cooking, cleaning, and complaining. Her biggest complaint was that her sister Mary was not helping. Instead, Mary was content to sit at the feet of Jesus.

That’s where I choose to be. How about you?

 Photo by Dan Freeman on Unsplash

The Invisible Friend

 

By Andrea Merrell

I have called you friends.

John 15:5 NKJV

 

Everyone made fun of the little boy. Called him crazy. Unstable. A loser. Why? All because of his invisible friend.

Sadly, the boy was born into a seriously dysfunctional family full of alcoholism and abuse. He became so lonely and distraught that he created an imaginary friend—an invisible source of strength and comfort, for he had no one else on whom he could depend.

Unfortunately, many skeptics view our relationship with the Lord in the same way. They call us crazy. Delusional. Losers who need a crutch, a made-up source of strength. What they don’t realize is that while our “friend” might be invisible, He is definitely not imaginary.

The Bible calls Jesus a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). His love for us is so great that He laid down His life for us (John 15:13). Jesus Himself said, “I have called you friends” (John 15:5). And the best part of all is that He promised never to leave us. He is our constant and forever companion.

So take heart, my friend. When you say yes to Jesus, He takes up residence in your heart. Not only does He become your Savior and Lord, but your best, life-long friend. He might not be visible to the human eye, but He is more real than anything or anyone we can see, hear, feel, or touch.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Law or Grace?

 

Law or Grace?

By Andrea Merrell

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one

is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.

James 2:10 NLT

“We are no longer living under the Old Testament law but under grace,” the man said, yet his actions did not line up with his words. His attempts to keep parts of the law kept setting him up for failure. He became a slave to the law, afraid to make a mistake.

Someone once compared the law to an x-ray machine and a mirror that can show you what lies deep inside or what you need to do on the outside, but they can’t do it for you. They can’t fix things or solve your problems. In fact, the only thing the law will do for you is bring on discouragement and condemnation because when we live under the law and mess up on one little part, we are, according to James, guilty of it all.

The good news for us is found in Romans 8:3 (NLT):

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. (NLT)

That’s grace! Jesus fulfilled and satisfied all the requirements of the law through His sacrifice. As born-again believers who live under the dispensation of grace, we are free to follow the Spirit of God rather than the letter of the law—a bunch of unrealistic and unattainable rules and regulations.

Paul goes on in Romans to say

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. (8:15-17)

Abba Father, thank you for setting us free from the law of sin and death and adopting us as your children. Thank you for your grace as we follow after your Spirit. Amen!

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash

A Matter of the Heart

 By Andrea Merrell

If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

1 John 3:21 NKJV

 

“You don’t have to worry about other people putting you down; you’re too busy doing it to yourself.”

I heard those words eons ago, but they have stayed with me. So many years of my life were wasted, beating myself up because of the least little thing. Constantly trying to be perfect so I could measure up. Every time I failed, I fell deeper into despair and further from God. I lived in a perpetual state of guilt, shame, and condemnation, uncomfortable in my own skin.

When we allow others, the Enemy, and even ourselves to convince us we’re not and never will be good enough—and we’ll never do things the right way—we end up in a prison of our own making, wondering why God won’t bail us out. We want Him to help us, but we’re too ashamed to ask.

It all comes down to a matter of the heart. “If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God” (1 John 3:21 NKJV). The Passion translation explains it like this:

Whenever our hearts make us feel guilty and remind us of our failures, we know that God is much greater and more merciful than our conscience, and He knows everything there is to know about us … When our hearts don’t condemn us, we have a bold freedom to speak face-to-face with God. And whatever we ask of Him we receive because we keep His commands. And by our beautiful intentions we continue to do what brings pleasure to Him. (vs. 20-22)

The Bible is clear; we no longer have to live under that black cloud of condemnation. Jesus has freed us once and for all from that self-imposed prison. And absolutely nothing can separate us from His love, mercy, and grace.

If that black cloud is following you, run to the Lord, not away from Him. Accept His forgiveness and walk in the freedom He purchased just for you.

It’s not difficult. It’s a matter of the heart.

Photo courtesy of FreeDititalPhotos.net and sumetho. 

Get Rid of the Rocks

 

By Andrea Merrell

It is impossible that no offenses should come.

Luke 17:1 NKJV

There it was. Again. The truth hit me like a bullet aimed straight at my heart.

I thought I had dealt with a certain situation, but when the offending party’s name came up, all those old, resentful feelings resurfaced.

God’s conviction and correction came as no surprise because my pastor had been teaching on the subject. He explained that we will all have the opportunity to be offended. More often than not, we will have many opportunities. He also said that when we pick up an offense, it’s like picking up a handful of rocks and carrying them around.

Jesus said that in order to be His disciple, we must pick up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34). When we pick up our cross, it simply means we are following Jesus’ example. And as my pastor said, we can’t carry our cross and rocks at the same time.

Offense leads to anger. Anger leads to resentment. And resentment leads to bitterness. When a root of bitterness takes hold, it’s like a deadly poison that corrupts everything it touches.

We cannot keep offenses from coming our way, but we can choose whether to take them on or not. Let’s get rid of the rocks so we can joyfully carry the cross of Christ.

 

Photo by Oliver Paaske on Unsplash