Category: Faith

Honest to God

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

Guest Post from Jeanette Levellie

We caught our daughter, Esther her in her first lie at the venerable age of three. When I confronted her with “Is that the truth?” she replied, “It’s my truth!”

Honesty is a character quality we all applaud. According to one survey, honesty is the foremost quality people expect in a close relationship. Yet when it comes to our relationship with God, we usually are anything but honest.

How often do we come in prayer or worship and say the things we think He wants to hear, rather than what is really on our minds?

  • We say: “It’s okay that I have not gotten a job yet, Lord, even though I’ve been unemployed for sixteen months. I know you have a plan, and I will trust You to the end.”  We think: “What is up with this, Lord? Are You punishing me for some past sin? I don’t understand why this is taking so long!”
  • We say:  “There is a reason for everything that happens. You are in control, God.”  We feel: “Lord, this is not fair! I have been serving you with my whole heart, and people are criticizing me right and left! Can’t you do something to vindicate me, and shut their mouths?”
  • We say: “I know it’s a sin to worry, so I trust You with my children’s lives, Lord. I cast the care of them on You.” We want to say, “Oh God, this should not be happening. Do something before they destroy themselves and me along with them! I don’t know how much more of this I can take!”

God isn’t shocked by anything we say, do or think. We can’t take Him by surprise or ruin His day by our frankness. He wants us to be completely open with Him, so He can heal us where we hurt and fix what is broken in our lives. It’s essential to our own well being that we tell it like it is with God. There’s no other way to achieve the intimate relationship with Him that we need and want.

All the people in the Bible that walked close to God were also brutally frank with Him. Abraham argued with Him over destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. Moses told Him to find someone else to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. David accused Him of not keeping His word.  Even Jesus cried, “Why have You forsaken me?” when He hung on the cross.

And God never rebuked one of these for their raw, human attitudes.

We cheat ourselves out of some precious times of fellowship and life -changing insights when we sugar coat our prayers and only tell God what we think He wants to hear.  God wants to be your best friend. But He can’t give you the answers you need if you are hiding behind false feelings and worthless words. You have to be real to be healed. You have to be honest to God.

Let’s Talk: Do you have a hard time being honest with God when you pray?

The above is an excerpt from the book, Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top by Jeanette Levellie, available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and CBD. Jeanette is giving away one FREE copy of her book to a random commenter on today’s blog!

She has a fun contest on her website right now! Enter to win a $100 gift card!

Submissive Wives

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. -Ephesians 5:24-25

Love your wives….as Christ loved the church.

How did Christ love the church?

He washed the disciples feet.

He defended the prostitute against stone-wielding haters.

He hung on the cross.

Jesus took the punishment that was meant for me.

Jesus took the punishment that was meant for you.

He sacrificed everything so that we might live. So that we might know the fullness of love.

Submit to a husband who will love me like that? A husband who will die for me? A husband who will protect me? A husband who will put my well-fare and my needs before His own?

Gladly.

Let’s Talk: Do you struggle with these verses? Why or why not?

The Focus of a Levite

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

They will have no land of their own among the Israelites. The Lord himself is their special possession, just as he promised them. -Deuteronomy 18:2

The Israelites had to be so eager to get to the Promised Land.

Finally, no more wilderness. No more desert. 

But land.

Fertile, amazing, glorious land. A place to settle down and make a home.

I can only imagine how easy it would’ve been to pin their hopes on the promised land rather than the unshakable, all-powerful Lord.

So very easy for every single tribe, sans one. 

The Levites.

Because their special possession would not be grass and dirt and clay.

Their special possession would be the Lord.

Oh Father God, would you give me that same narrow focus? Be my prized possession. My ultimate goal and my ultimate reward. Lord Jesus, I want You, and You alone, to take first place in my heart.

Let’s Talk: What have you been gleaning from the Bible these days?

I’m guest posting on Novel Rocket today about Publishing Landmines and Tips. 

Thank you Night Owl Reviews for reviewing my debut novel on your website!  You can read it by clicking on the link. 

Check out my Facebook Page and answer a thought-provoking Would You Rather question for a chance to win a signed copy of my book. If you already have a copy, I’d be happy to sign it to somebody else so you can give it as a gift!