What I really want for my kids

 

The fear of the Lord leads to life and he who has it will abide in satisfaction. Prov 19:23

It was that “something else” in others that first drew me to a real relationship with Jesus Christ. Although in church all my life, I had been a slave to up and down emotions; falling apart over trivial things, while I watched others stand strong through tragedies. They had peace that made no sense to me. I wanted that. I finally found lasting peace when Jesus became more than a story to me – when I asked Him to be Lord of my life, and when I stepped out in faith to obey Him even when my emotions said do something else. It was and is a growing process. There are days when I trust Him like the hero He is, and there are other days when I beg Him moment by moment to remind me of His faithfulness and truth. I have found Him to be faithful even when I am faithless (2 Tim 2:13). I know He carries me when I am weak--constantly giving hope and peace sufficient for whatever life brings.

I want this same satisfaction for my kids, yet I cannot simply tell them about it. I know faith is a personal thing to possess that must grow in them just as it grows in me. I also know my faith and my love for Jesus grew the most when it was tested by trial and tragedy….and deep down I know the same is true for them. This is why I know my job is not to rescue my kids from every trial they face, but to point them to the Rock who will be their hope, strength and direction… all the days of their life, and long after I am gone. This hard truth has changed my prayers for my kids. I used to pray “momma prayers” – “keep them safe, help them to do well in school, help them to get along with others” and on and on. Yet, my Holy-Spirit-inspired desire for them to love God more than anything, and be blessed by all that brings, has prompted me to ask Him to take them through whatever it takes to know He is enough when all else seems to fail them. That is a hard prayer to pray and especially hard when I see God answering it. Yet, I know if my kids learn at an early age that He is their rock; they will have a steadfast faith that is not easily shaken by life’s ups and downs. They will have peace, hope and joy which is not dependent on their circumstances. They will rest in the freedom that comes from living their lives to please God rather than chasing all the empty things this life has to offer.

Saying all that is one thing. Living it is entirely another. Every fiber of my momma heart wants to rescue my kids from pain. Sometimes I am to do just that, yet other times my job is to stand back and pray… and the only way I know the difference is by staying at the feet of my Savior who loves my children much more than I ever could. I trust Him so much more than I trust me, not only for my life, but for theirs.

Prayer: Oh Jesus, You are the Rock. Your Word is true. Your presence is peace. I want more than anything for my kids to love You above all else. I pray they will give You glory all the days of their lives. I know You can sustain them when all else seems to fail them. I know You alone can give them real hope, real joy and real peace. May I stay so connected to You that I know moment by moment how to best point them to truth. And give me the courage to ask You to take my children through whatever it takes to love you first… because You love them most. Your plans for them are exceedingly abundantly more than (even their momma) could ask or imagine (Eph 3:20). Please be their abiding satisfaction. Thank you Lord. Amen.

When you can't believe they did that...

 

 

You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth

Psalm 31:5

 

Disappointed and sad could only begin to describe the way I felt after learning one of my kids had made a really stupid, sinful decision.   Something happened that I wish had never happened, yet God was at work.  He brought conviction, confession and repentance.   Yet, true to form, the enemy was also at work.  He is called the accuser (Rom 12:10), but I believe he is also the reminder.   While our merciful Father tells us our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12), the enemy continually tries to remind us where we have fallen; and, if we aren’t careful, we as parents can aid him in this devious task.   

 

While I knew my child was forgiven, my disappointment lingered; and I had to give this to God, and ask Him to help me not remind my child of the sin.   Of course, I don’t want my child to repeat the sin.   But God helped me see the enemy wants my child to believe he/she is “repeater” (so they will repeat the sin); but God wants us to focus on the fact that we are forgiven and redeemed.   The Bible says as “a man thinks so he is”(Prov 23:7); and if we aren’t careful we will allow the accuser, the father of all lies, to walk us right back to old sin by telling us: “since you messed up once you always will” or, “since you fell to this temptation once already you can’t resist again” and on and on.  

 

For my children, for me, and for you--truth is freedom.   When we confess and turn from sin our chains are gone.  Really gone.  We have been set free.  There is no need to once again be yoked to the chain of slavery.   We have to take every (yes every) thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and know there is power in what Jesus did for us on that cross!   So, when the enemy, the reminder, brings thoughts of old sins to our minds (those of ourselves or those of others) – we have to do spiritual battle. We will find strength and cause the enemy to flee when the thought of confessed sin only reminds us to praise God for His deliverance.   Because of our Savior, we are not what we have done!  Because of His great mercy, He remembers our sin no more and neither should we… except to praise Him.  As a man thinks so he is…as our children think so they will be.   Forgiven means forgiven and the opportunity to walk forward with a clean slate.  Does that not cause you to praise our LORD? 

 

I don’t know about you, but I know my sins have been many.  Those I love have sinned as well, but God’s Word says let no man call unclean what God has called clean (Acts 10:15).   I know the enemy would have me believe I am a sinner who will always mess up, and repeat the same sins over and over.   But God tells me a different story- the enemy has only the power that I give him; and I don’t want to give him any.  So when the thoughts of my sins or the sins of others come to my mind… I will praise the One who set me free, who calls me clean, who died for me!!!

 

Prayer:  Oh Father, my mind cannot conceive the depths of your mercy and grace.  I know I do not deserve your forgiveness, but you freely offer it because of the blood of your precious Son.   May the remembrance of my confessed, repented sins and the sins of others only cause me to praise you more.  May the enemy, the accuser, the reminder, flee because of the power of your blood.   I love you Lord.  May I love you more tomorrow than I love you today.  Amen.

Sell all that you have!

Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.

Luke 18:22

 

 

I’ve pondered over that verse for years.   Certainly, God has called us to give monetarily to the poor.  But today my eyes seemed to come to a screeching halt when I read the phrase, “all that you have”.   The word “all” seemed to blink like a neon sign.  Could it be that God gives us permission to own things but simultaneously asks us to possess nothing?  I wonder if He is asking us to regularly evaluate our lives to make sure we are not clinging too tightly to the things we have and, quite possibly, even throws tests our way on occasion.

 

Just this morning, as I went about my routine of straightening up my house, God gave me the opportunity for self evaluation as I discovered that one of my children had left a glass on my beautiful dining room table overnight.  Now, an ugly water ring has permanently scarred my lovely table.  Just as I rubbed my fingers over the damage, the offending child walked into the room.  Choking back a verbal assault, I instead mumbled, “Give Mom just a minute”.  In that moment, God reminded me that I cherish my child much more than any wooden object.   God comforted my heart and calmed my fury.  He offered me an opportunity to show grace.   He reminded me that life is full of scars, but it is also full of joy that comes from relationships with people and not from possessing things that will one day be destroyed by moth and rust (Matt 6:19).   Matthew 6:21 goes on to say, “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”   I talked to my child about being more careful, but by God’s grace, I didn’t explode.  Remembering, God’s precious Word “in the moment” prevented a different kind of scar because I would never want my kids to doubt they are my treasure and mean more to me than any earthly possession ever could. 

 

Since the beginning of time, mankind has clung to worthless idols.   Oh, we may have stopped carving little men to worship, but we can quickly fall into treasuring things that don’t really matter.  A long time ago, my kids sang a song at VBS.   The lyrics said, “Don’t bow down to idols.  Idols don’t love you.”  How true.   Instead, may we store up real treasures in Heaven.  May we live our lives focusing on eternal things and not confuse real treasures with empty material possessions that can never love us back.   May we daily remember God’s precious Word; and submit to His will in the trials, the tests, and the triumphs.  

 

Prayer:  Father, help me see those things in my life that I am tempted to let possess me.   Help me to see the eternal and care less about the temporal.  Please keep me from allowing worthless idols to steal my joy or cause others pain.  Help me to possess nothing.   Help me to love others deeply and show grace as You have shown me.  Thank you Lord for your precious Word.  Help me to follow you in all things.  Amen.

 

Party to be held--later

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

 John 16:33

 

 

Seventy years ago, he eloped with the preacher’s daughter.   With only a few dollars, my grandparents began their life together.  They have stuck it out through seventy years of good times, some really tough times, and taught us all what commitment looks like.   Now 92 and 89, they celebrated their 70^th anniversary quietly at home.   As I spoke to my grandmother that night she told me, “We were going to have a party, but most all of our friends are already home.”   Already home….already home….what a sweet perspective on Heaven, and what a lesson on how to view this life--no matter what our age.

 

Most of us know we live in a “fallen world” where we have trouble.  Daily, we see evidence in the news and in our own lives.  Yet, we long for perfect don’t we?   We long to have everything comfortable and fixed around us.   I often look at my home and think, “The world may be messed up, but surely I can get this place just right”.  But try as we may, our earthly homes will never be perfect will they?   I can’t even seem to keep mine clean for two hours!   And, to be honest, it isn’t just my home I find myself trying to “fix”.   Often, my efforts to fix things turn to every unappealing circumstance that affects my family-- especially my children.   Yet, I find a crazy, precious peace when I manage to stop, and rest in the fact that Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world; but also that He can work that trouble into good (Rom 8:28) if we just give it to Him instead of trying to run from it or fix it ourselves.  How much time have I wasted (not praying), but trying to fix difficult things for my kids--when it is often those very hard things (when given to God) that bring the biggest, best lessons in this world that will never be perfect.

 

What if every day we would remember this is not our home?  What if we prayerfully looked at trouble as part of living, learning and growing in God-- instead of killing ourselves worrying about it, trying to fix it, or run from it?   What if we viewed each day as a day to store up treasures in Heaven; instead of spending countless hours trying to make perfect a temporary, earthly house?  What if we kept our eye on our Savior, strengthened ourselves with His Word every day, and remembered, with sweet anticipation, that this world is not our home?  Yes, we may occasionally feel like aliens and strangers by not keeping up with what everyone else is doing… but our perspective on our very temporary problems will change, and we will have peace.  

 

When we think about eternity with our King, the problems of this life don’t seem so big.  One day dust bunnies and smudges on my walls won’t matter at all.   Do they need to matter so much now?   But “this–is-not-our home” thinking is bigger than dust bunnies.  When we remember this life is but a breath (Job 7:7), and this world not our home (Heb 11:13); even hard things, like the death of those we dearly love who know the Lord, can be seen as a temporary moment where we are here and they are already “home”--party to be held there later.

 

Prayer:  Father, this is not easy stuff.   I want to keep my eyes on You and remember this life is not my home.   Will You help me to be filled daily with truth in Your Word?  Will You have the Holy Spirit remind me to focus on what is really important?   Will You help me to care about what You care about, and remember that you allow hard things often to teach me and those I love?  Will You bless me with the peace that comes from knowing You and remembering this world is not my home?  Thank You Lord.  I love you.  Amen.

 

And a request from me – Will you pray for this devotional?  Please pray that every word would be only what God would have me to write?  This e-devotional has been requested from women  all across the United States, and even in Kenya, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, India, Taiwan, UK, Malaysia, Brazil and the Dominican Republic.   It is my desire that God alone be glorified, and that I would handle His precious Word carefully.   I am now posting this devotional on my blog- www.kimjaggers.blogspot.com and on my facebook page – “Kim Jaggers Christian Speaker”.   Thank you for your prayers --what a wonderful God we serve!

 

Faith and Politics

 

 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

 

My heart is heavy, and I have to confess I have been worried.   In forty days, America will once again vote for President, and the importance of this election seems very great as our country is in need of such healing.   We seem to have forsaken so many of the ideals of our founding fathers and strayed so far away from “one nation under God”.  And as Christians, we cannot separate our faith from our politics.  Tony Evans, in his “40 Days to Pray for the USA” day 5 says, “Under God, the government is to promote the conditions for the wellbeing of the citizenry for good while protecting the citizenry against the proliferation of evil. And since civil government is to operate under God, He – and not man – must be the ultimate standard of what is good or evil. This means that politics is fundamentally an ethical enterprise based on what is right and what is wrong. Therefore Christian voting should first and foremost be a spiritual issue.”  Indeed, it is my responsibility to look at the platforms of the two parties and prayerfully compare them to Biblical principles.  I will tell you, one more clearly represents Biblical principles and will get my vote. 

 

Yet, the healing our country needs requires so much more than a new party in office.  Over and over Scripture describes nations in need of healing by a merciful God.   I know you would agree with me that we are such a nation.  It saddens me how much Christians (not just the lost) resemble the godlessness described in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “ But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power”.  Stop.   Read back over that.  I can tell you I don’t get very far in that list before I have to confess my own sin, and this is exactly what is needed for healing for ourselves, our families and our land.   God heals nations by healing His children.  Healing comes when HIS people, those called by HIS Name, humble THEMSELVES and pray, and turn from THEIR wicked ways (2 Chron 7:14).  God tells His children to repent.  He also tells us to pray.

 

Are you praying?  Are you praying for this country?  Are you praying for this election?  Are you asking God to heal our land?  Do you believe He can?  I know we have strayed far from our Biblical foundations—but until God says we are done—we are not done.  He can still bring revival and healing to America.   Let’s not be a people “having a form of godliness but denying its power”.  Will you join me and hundreds of thousands of other Christ followers across America and pray 2 Chronicles 7:14 for our nation?   Perhaps God is leading you to organize prayer in your community.   Listen to His voice.   Believe God can.  Speak His truth in love.  Yes, you may feel persecuted.  Paul says, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12).   He goes on to say “ At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.  But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (2 Tim 4:16-18).

Do you want to live that kind of stand-for-Jesus godly life?  Do you believe our nation needs healing?  Christian, now is the time…now is the time to repent, to pray, to ask BIG things of a big God and believe in His power. Will you join me?  Time is of the essence.   People all around us do not know our Savior.   The enemy is crouching at the door.   Now is not the time to retreat but to remember we are God’s soldiers.  Put on the full armor of God and stand.   May this be our prayer: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Eph 6:10-18)

(If you are in the East Tennessee area, I invite you to “United Awakening” --a call to pray for our nation -   Oct 25^th, 6:30pm at World’s Fair Park Amphitheater, Knoxville.)

Something is happening all around us!

 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matt 11:28

Have you felt like things are getting crazy in our world?  I’d like to stick my head in the sand, concern myself with choosing the best toenail polish, or think about my next vacation… but I can’t.  Something is happening all around us.   Prophecies are being fulfilled.  The Kingdom of Heaven is advancing, and the enemy is turning up his guns.   Our everyday lives are filled with tribulation-- the economy is tanking, gas prices are rising, morality is ridiculed, families are falling apart, our country and what it has stood for is increasingly hated,  radical Islamists want to destroy us, natural disasters are increasing, and wars and rumors of wars abound.   Yet God told us all this would happen, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt 11:12).  God tells us to discern the “signs of the times” (Matt 16:3).  He tells us to look for birth pains (Matt 24 and Mark 13), and He tells us to pick our side – “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” (Matt 11:23).

So what does this all mean?   What does it mean to discern the times and be on the side of Christ?  Jesus says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matt 16:24).  He says, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt 10:38).   So how in the midst of this crazy world are we to follow God?    Jesus puts it in simple terms when He simply says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:28-29).   Jesus says “Come to Me” in the midst of all the crazy, hard stuff; and as we are tempted to sit and wonder about all the things we don’t understand, Jesus emphatically cries, “Come to me and I will give you rest.”   He told us long ago, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).   If you want peace you have to run to Christ and the things He has spoken to you in His Word.  You have to know what He has told you.  And you have to do it.     

Are you resting in what He has told you?  Do you shudder when you turn on the news, look at your bank statement, or think about what your kids face every day in school?   Do you find yourself feeling defeated?   Do you want to jump in the bed and cover your head, or distract yourself with mindless TV?   God knows us and says instead, “You are the light of the world…. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt 5:14, 16).   Now is not the time to retreat!  Christian… NOW is NOT the time to retreat.   It is not the time to be politically correct… It is the time to courageously remember who you are in Christ and be “salt of the earth” (Matt 5:13) to a world who is in desperate need of a Savior and whose time may be very short!   Run to Jesus for yourselves and for your lost loved ones!  You are His soldier.   Pick up your sword (God’s Truth), strengthen yourself with daily bread (the Bible), and “encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day (of His Return) approaching.” (Heb 10:25).   As you deny yourself (and the temptation to run from all of this), as you take up your cross (and stand as a light to the world around you), you will find peace!  Real peace! You will find rest for your souls.   You were created with a purpose for such a time as this!   Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Eph 6:11) and speak truth in love so that others may give glory to the One, to the soon-coming-King, to whom all glory is owed!   What a victory we have in Jesus!

Prayer:  Oh Father, draw me near.  Clean me.  Use me.   Help me to daily live the life you would have me live so others will see You and give you glory!  Oh Father, have mercy on us.   Have mercy on our country.  Bring Revival and let it start with me.  Amen.

 

 

 

For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain

Phil 1:21

 

 

A few weeks ago, I stood surrounded by row after row of white tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery, yet my tear-filled eyes stayed fixed on the solitary, flag-draped coffin sitting atop the horse-drawn carriage.   The Air Force band played, soldiers stood in solemn salute, and the air space over our nation’s capital was shut down, so a B-1 Bomber could be flown over in honor of the General, my hero-cousin, Ron Henderson.   Six four-star generals attended his funeral, and many spoke in awe of his accomplishments, the greatest of which-- the way he died.   This star-of-our-family, soldier died fighting the good fight, but not on some distant shore.  He died slowly, painfully before friends, family and coworkers; and day after day, visibly wasting away, he continued to go to work at the Pentagon.  Ron’s coworker and fellow general recalled how person after person had come to him and asked why Ron, so visibly wasting away with cancer and gripped by pain would still come to work.  He remarked, “One day I just asked him”.  To this Ron responded, “I used to have to go to people to share my faith.   Now they are coming to me.   I have to be here for that next knock on the door”.  

 

Although my cousin accomplished so much in his life: rising from a daring pilot who put the B-1 on the map, to a commanding General overseeing operations around the world; Ron lived and died with his eye constantly on the only prize that matters. The General was called to many battles, but he called cancer his “great calling”.  His funeral verse was Phil 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain”.   To live for Ron was always an opportunity to point to Jesus Christ, and in dying, Jesus was truly his gain.   He called his Savior “faithful beyond words and worthy to be praised”. 

 

Ron would hate the accolades.  He would tell you he was just an ordinary man.  But Ron was an ordinary man always pointing to an extraordinary God…waiting for that next “knock” on the door.  I wonder are you and I intently listening for that next “knock’?   We live in a world desperately in need of a Savior.   Will they see Jesus in us?   Will we use each moment --even the hard ones, how about just the inconvenient ones, to point to Christ?   Will we look at this life as Ron did-- as a breath, but will our every breath be to give glory to our Lord?   Will we be able to face death with hope because we know we trade these failing earthly bodies for Heaven and Jesus?   I know you are busy.   I’m busy.   But this life is our one shot.   Does your heart break for the lost?  Aren’t you tired of sitting idly by passing person after person desperately trying to live life without a Savior and facing eternity in Hell without Him?  Won’t you join the fight?   Will you live, will you die for the One who died for you?    Oh, He is worth it.   To really live… is Christ.   To die is gain! And that is peace for a crazy, hard world!

 

Prayer:  Oh Lord, Only in You can pain be turned to praise.  Only in You can the lost find hope.  Only in You can death be finally defeated.  Oh Father, break the chains which hold me back from living my life so others can see You.   Break my heart for the lost.  Help me to love those around me enough to mention your Name.   Help me to remember each day is my chance to give you glory… and oh, Jesus how I owe you glory!   Amen.