Scripture makes it clear—what we say holds weight. Romans 10:9–10 tells us that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Our salvation itself is connected to both belief and confession. Words matter.
Jesus also emphasized this truth in Matthew 12:35 when He warned the Pharisees about blasphemy, (36) “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” That’s sobering. Careless words aren’t harmless—they reveal the heart and have eternal consequences.
And think about His warning in Matthew 18:6: “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” For a long time, I thought He was talking strictly about children. But context makes it just as reasonable that He was speaking about anyone young in the faith. That makes me pause. My words can either encourage or discourage, point people to Christ or turn them away.
This hits especially close in today’s climate. With political debates, cultural battles, and everyday frustrations, it’s easy to let passion get the best of us. I’ve caught myself more than once speaking too quickly or too sharply. And while I may feel “justified” in the moment, the bigger question is: did I represent Christ well?
As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:20, “we are ambassadors for Christ.” That means when people hear me speak—or read my posts online—they’re not just hearing Raychel. They’re also forming an impression of the Christ I claim to follow. That’s a heavy responsibility, but also a powerful opportunity.
Do our words really matter? Absolutely.
They matter to God.
They matter to those listening.
And they matter for the testimony of Christ.
Additional Scriptures on the Power of Words
Here are just a few reminders from God’s Word:
“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” — Psalm 34:13
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” — Proverbs 18:21
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” — Ephesians 4:29
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak,
slow to anger.” — James 1:19
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” — Psalm 141:3
A Call to Action
Think about your words today. Are they pointing people toward Christ, or away from Him? Before you speak—or post—ask yourself: Does this reflect Jesus well? Words can build or break, bless or curse. Choose to use yours to shine His light.
A Prayer
Lord, set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips. Help me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Let my words bring grace to those who hear and reflect the heart of Christ in every conversation. Amen.
Long time no type. Well, it hasn’t really been that long but much longer than normal. Why? I’ve been in a funk, not a writing funk, a “what do I do with myself funk”. It’s crazy how this happens and the things that seem to pull me out of them. Almost every time, it’s digging into God’s word, and connection. This time is no different. Gracie is finishing up 2 classes before she gets a spring break and starts two more. She’s taking a theology class and one of her assignments was to write an essay on a term associated with the doctrine of salvation. She was struggling a little to understand why defining terms such as adoption, conversion, regeneration, redemption, reconciliation, justification, election, sanctification, or glorification were important if you understood the big picture. We broke it down and began to talk it out anyway.
One of the things we practiced when the kids were younger before they started dual credit classes was what we called “fast writing story starts.” Sometimes we would take a random prompt and be given 30 minutes to write a story or part of a story that started with that prompt. Other times we did a 30 minute who, what, where, when, why on a particular person or event. I usually participated in these too and we read them out loud to each other afterwards. She chose the word justification, and we worked together to dig it out of Scripture and see at what point someone is justified in Christ.
As Grace rightly pointed out, justification isn’t a new concept, people have been justifying their actions for centuries, usually it’s when they have done something they weren’t supposed to do and they want to rationalize it to make the actions appear, right or justified, in right alignment with something……and cue fast writing story start on justification!
It is difficult to single out one aspect of the doctrine of salvation and analyze it’s relationship to sin and to a believer’s personal life. Perhaps one of the most interesting and visually appealing aspects of salvation is that of justification. A quick google search of the word justification reveals the definition to be “the action of showing something to be right or reasonable,” “good reason that something exists or has been done”, theologically speaking, “the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God,” or when typing a document, “the action of justifying a line of type or piece of text.” The last one paints the best picture although it’s difficult to understand since the word being defined is used in the definition. Simply put, justification is to put into right or correct alignment. Sin in the lives of humanity takes humans out of correct alignment with God the Father. Similar to beginning a paper with the heading in the center of the paper and then continuing to type the body of the paper while still aligned in the center. The body of a paper belongs on the left side of the paper and is out of alignment. When the left alignment or justification tab is selected the body of the paper is put into proper alignment.
Concerning salvation, the cause of our improper alignment is sin.
Romans 3:21-26, “21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; 26 for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Romans 3:21-26 NASB
Jesus is the “control “a” (select all) control “L” (left align or justify) buttons of our life! The only thing that will align us rightly is repentance, which includes expressing sorrow over sin, turning from sin, and turning to God and faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Both of the words Savior and Lord need unpacking as well however, we will stick with justification. A wage is given as payment for sin, according to Romans 6:23, this wage is spiritual death. When repentance and faith in Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for that sin occurs, Jesus pays with His death as the only worthy, sinless sacrifice and we are then justified (aligned rightly) with God the Father because of Jesus. He pays your tab!
Galatians 2:16 states, “16 nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
Galatians 2:16 NASB
Humanity cannot align itself rightly with God the Father. Humans cannot work for their salvation. The only way to be justified is by faith in Jesus. Ephesians 2:8-9 reiterates this same theological concept that we are saved by faith through grace not of our own works.
As a believer, while I am now aligned rightly with the Father through Jesus and sealed with the deposit of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14), I still am in need of sanctification, a process in which I become more and more like Christ throughout my life as a result of making decisions that reflect correct alignment with God. This means there are things I do and don’t participate in, things I do say and things I do not say regardless of where I am work, home, school, grocery store etc. as a result of my desire to follow Jesus’ teachings and become more Christ like. Sanctification is a process that will continue until my physical death or Jesus comes back as Philippians 1:6 indicates.
Justification is immediate when I repent and believe and occurs at the moment of Salvation “for if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) It is at that moment a person becomes a believer and is put into correct alignment, justified, and righteous.
ANNNND TIME! I love how connection to and with others, especially studying the word of God together always aligns my thoughts rightly and untethers me from whatever funk I’m in! It’s almost as if we were created to live in relationship/community with one another (she typed sarcastically), because we were absolutely created this way!
I was having a conversation with my oldest son the other day about a quote the late Kobe Bryant made that Wes retorted to his sister while in a verbal sparring match. They were discussing teamwork and Gracie, not so gently, chided Wesley that there was no “I” in team, to which he replied, “well, in the words of my man Kobe, there is an “M-E”!
I began to think about that statement and apply a Biblical filter to it, you can’t find that filter on snap, or insta, trust me, I’ve looked!
When you are part of a team, there is a ME in team, but those two letters don’t make up the whole team and neither do you. However, your role is important, and your contribution is to bring your very best at what you are good at! Teamwork isn’t a Major League sports idea or concept. In fact, God had Paul write about it WAY before anyone ever became famous playing any sort of team sport on a league as he talked about how each person uses their spiritual gifts in 1Corinthians 12 as part of the Body of Christ.
The Bible tells us that plenty of things were written on our hearts by our Creator that we have “gut” feelings about but don’t always understand because someone hasn’t helped us see through a Biblical lens. This is evidenced in Romans 1:18-20 where God through Paul says,
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because that which is made known about God is evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so they are without excuse.”
Romans 1:18-20
This is general revelation; we can observe nature and see that it bears the mark of an intelligent designer when we observe its uniqueness and complexities. We understand that creation did not just haphazardly boom into place or evolve from pond scum at its own will into what we see now. Creation screams there is a Divine Creator.
People for centuries have understood that “instinctively” but needed further revelation, special revelation, to understand who that creator is. This is also evidenced by the progression of the book of Romans where by chapter 10, Paul writes starting in verse 14,
“How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things.”
Romans 10:14-15
When we hear the word preacher, you may be thinking the dude that stands in the pulpit, but this word could also be translated proclaimer. This is special revelation that we are all tasked by Jesus in Matt 28:19-20 to go and tell, not just making converts but disciples, meaning not only sharing the gospel but also teaching those we have had the opportunity to evangelize to, to obey everything Jesus has commanded, or at the very least, making sure someone will be able to build that discipleship relationship with them.
As a personal aside, I am missing the big toenail off of my left foot, it fell casualty to multiple incidents, the first involving me having to drag a deer that I had harvested across a too full and FREEZING creek whereby I took my shoes and coveralls off so they wouldn’t get wet and stumped my toe on an underwater log creating a 90-degree angle between my toe and said toenail. The coups de gras was not nearly as exciting of a tale, I again created a 90-degree angle with this same toenail and toe by catching the end of it while lifting an unplugged chop saw to move it while in sandals. All of this was to illustrate that due to that missing toenail, my feet are anything but beautiful by worldly standards but according to the Bible, as I am obedient to the commission to share the gospel they just look better and better!
As you read through 1Corinthians chapter 12, spend some time meditating on what you are gifted at, what others in your spiritual circle have affirmed you’re gifted at and brainstorm ways you can use your talents to bring special revelation (the truth about Christ) to the table in your local congregation, at your workplace or school, in your home and community! My youngest son, Tristan, often uses his unique skills doing card tricks to gain an audience and build relationships so he can share the gospel! What unique and creative ideas do you have? Are you simply just a kid magnet, orator, athlete, organizer, etc. bring it!
As Christians according to what we read 1Corinthians 12, we understand that we are gifted with spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit when we are saved. In what is likely a poor attempt to pull of this together, is it possible that the idea of teamwork and desire to play on a team and in sports is a manifestation of that instinctive need written upon our hearts by God to not only recognize Him as creator and place our faith in King Jesus as Savior and Lord so that we are reconciled to God, but as we take on our roles in the body of Christ and live out our calling, utilizing our gifting(s) to strengthen the body, we are fulfilling that desire by playing our part on Team Jesus?
A couple of years ago, I came across one of the best illustrations, particularly as a southerner who loves a good potluck, I have ever seen in relating how we each are to use our spiritual gifts to bring our very best to the table of ministry in the body of Christ. Check out the excerpt below!
BRING YOUR BEST
I like to eat. I travel a lot for my work, so I get to eat out regularly. As much as possible, I frequent local dives rather than franchises. But no matter the restaurant, the chef, the city, or the ambiance, nothing replaces a good covered-dish meal.
In the church culture I grew up in, periodically after the Sunday worship service, everyone would make their way to the fellowship hall, pull out their food dishes, and we would feast.
Each person had his or her specialty. Mrs. Polly cooked macaroni and cheese, while Mrs. Smith baked pecan pie with the pecans she’d picked and cracked from her own yard. Mr. Thompson made homemade vanilla-bean ice cream (that topped off the pie) better than any ice cream parlor you have been to.
We had sugar-cured ham with a drizzle of honey, green-bean casserole, peach cobbler, fried okra, mini ham sandwiches on poppy-seed sweet rolls, buttermilk fried chicken, and every other assortment of mouthwatering food you can imagine.
The key to this covered-dish dinner is that everyone knew what they made well, spent time putting their contribution together, and brought to the table the best they had to offer. No one tried to make better fried okra than Mrs. White. They brought their own specialty.
The covered-dish feast is an important illustration in the life of the church. God has given each of us our own specialty that He specifically designed us to have and use. That includes you.
The greatest meals are the ones where everyone brings their best. The table is not a table for one. It’s an enormous banquet table where God Himself invites all to come and dine. Your “covered dish” is the particular gifts God has given you, no matter what they may be. Paul tells us that since we have “gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them:”
Excerpt from: “Life in Community: Joining Together to Display the Gospel” by Dustin Willis.
As we continue to seek the Lord and serve Him, let’s BRING OUR BEST! Seek the Lord in prayer and through His word asking Him to reveal ways that He has uniquely created, prepared, and equipped you to serve in the Body of Christ, see these opportunities in your everyday life at home, work, school, doctors’ offices and public. Remember, that he promises to be with us wherever we go, our role is to be obedient to go and tell (Matt 28:19-20), and the Holy Spirit will guide and convict into truth (John 16:8), that’s teamwork! Untether yourself from thinking you don’t have something someone else has to give, bring what YOU have to give, that what’s needed!!
When I was in Junior High and early high school I didn’t really like working in groups, I was always nervous to have to rely on someone else’s work for MY grade. Usually, I would just do all of the work and turn it in for us to ensure an A. I’m not sure if I would have come out then and said that I thought I was smarter or just that I had trust issues. When I was in the last couple of years in high school, the group I interacted with academically often challenged me. I’ll never forget the first time I got to choose my own group and came out with Prem, Alan, and Amanda and we sat down to talk about the project and what needed to be done. These 3 actually graduated valedictorian, salutatorian, and high honors of our class. Prem and Alan were literally the smartest people I knew at the time and Amanda was probably the most creative when it came to meshing ideas together and making them flow. We each pulled our weight and brought something different to the team. We each taught each other new things. This challenged my early idea of group work. I realized I didn’t have to be the smartest person in the room, our grades together were actually better than when I took over and did it all myself. Sure, the work was done but it could have been so much better. I realized that I just needed to be able to locate the people who were gifted in the areas I was not, or who were just smarter than me all together. I don’t have to be the smartest person in the room or on the team, I need people who know more than me!
This strategy worked well for me all through college, sometimes I got to choose my groups and sometimes I was assigned them. EVERYONE has something contribute, so everyone can contribute somehow in a way that someone else wouldn’t. It just takes getting to know your team, and figuring out what that is!
In the last two weeks I have encountered two situations, one involving a new Christian and the other a non-believer. In both of these situations, they were conversing in a group of people they felt like were definitely “smarter” than them where the Bible was concerned. One conversation was over translations of the Bible among what was clearly seminary trained or well-studied adults. The new believer described this experience like “friendly fire” as they each made their case for their favorite Bible translation and why. The new believer was just happy to have a Bible and be able to understand it finally. She didn’t really understand why a group of Christians was essentially arguing with each other over reading the Bible!
When I was younger the only translation, we had in the house was a King James translation and I used to try to read it but then always ended up acting like an actor in a Shakespeare play and heralding what I was reading rather than actually comprehending it. Then, when I was 13, I received a Youth Walk devotional Bible which was probably an NIV translation, maybe ESV but my money is on NIV (I lost it in a wreck in my 20’s). Anyhow, I remember thinking, “OMG, this is in English!” It was the first Bible I had actually been able to read and understand.
I’ve seen that scenario play out plenty of times teaching youth over the past 10 years. When I went to seminary and was taking Hermeneutics, I learned about the different Bible translations, but my professor equated them not only with how they were translated, word for word, literal, or thought for thought, etc. He also explained them with reading and comprehension in mind and gave us suggestions when understanding who we were providing the Bible to.
While I do have a favorite translation I personally read from, I read from my paper NASB 77 but my electronic NASB 95, because I prefer a word for word translation of the original text, but that’s not usually my “go to” recommendation for kids! Really the biggest one I absolutely stay away from is “The Message” translation and others that are thought for thought translations because that means the passage has been interpreted by a human and translated into what they believe the thought of the writer was. Now, my husband can be thinking and say something to me, and I react in a way that makes me want to throat chop him, as we talk it out, what I heard and what he was thinking when he articulated were two very different things and I end up not being upset at all. I’m fallible, I make mistakes and misunderstand. Because we understand that the Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit guiding the human men’s hands along that physically penned the words (2Peter 1:21), we understand the author to be God. We know that God is perfect, does not make mistakes, and never fails. So, I prefer to leave someone else’s thought process out of the translation process into my language when it comes to interpretation. I prefer the most literal word for word translation I can read. This doesn’t mean I never pick up an NIV or ESV or even a CSB, I actually have a CSB apologetic out now, because I sometimes get to a difficult passage and need to hear some of the other translations as I began a word study.
All of this to say, the smartest people in the room that day, who have a valid point about Bible translations, participated in a conversation among people that left at least one new believer for sure, feeling overwhelmed and like she was reading an inferior translation to what “the scholars” read but not being able to understand them fully, they ended up detracting from her discipleship rather than encouraging her. Fortunately, this time, I didn’t participate in this particular conversation, but unfortunately, I can recall times I’ve discussed something similar and probably did make someone feel this way.
The other scenario was a conversation in front of and with a non-believer about questions he had but that lead to different denominational practices. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit swooped in an arrested my thoughts and tongue and directed me to focus on what I would call “Primary Doctrine,” that of how it is we come to faith in Jesus as Savior and King. In this instance, two of us having the conversation believed rightly the same thing about Jesus and had already repented of sin and believed the gospel of Christ, placing our faith in Jesus. The discussion was beginning to take a turn towards certain ways we practice our faith, such as speaking in tongues and if that means a language of a tribe or nation of peoples or a spiritual language that also requires a spiritual interpreter. There are people who are on both sides of the fence on this one. This wasn’t a discussion that was going to be helpful at the moment to a non-believer who wasn’t the one who asked that question but had asked other questions trying to understand a basic Biblical metanarrative (big idea of the Bible). The Holy Spirit steered us away from having a debate and towards talking about Jesus’ death burial and resurrection and that He is the answer to all the brokenness and hurting in the world. God has done something about it, He sent Jesus, and in His grace and mercy we are given time to come to repentance and faith!
I have to admit I haven’t always yielded to the Holy Spirit in these matters. I mean it’s not like it’s wrong to talk these things out with others and have a spiritual conversation, right? TIME AND PLACE! When that conversation takes place in front of a person or people who are new to the faith or unbelievers, and they see it as more of a debate, it can actually detract rather than build. Unfortunately, I’ve been guilty of this before, and I’ve also seen it happen. When I was in seminary, I got comfortable around my “bubble” of “little theologians”, and we were made to discuss these things regularly amongst each other. The same “debates” shouldn’t take place in all settings. Especially if you’re just trying to prove that you are as smart as the guy next to you. Those “bubbles” can be dangerous, especially for people in leadership positions in a local congregation, there’s a difference in educating and equipping the people you have the privilege to encounter and making them feel like you’re the smartest person in the room and the only one capable of rightly sharing the gospel to lead someone to Christ or for continued discipleship. Jesus commissioned all believers to do that, not just the seminary educated ones, pastors, scholars, or other church staff. “If you know enough to be saved, you know enough to lead someone else to Christ,” after that you can learn together! We ALL have something to contribute, don’t let someone make you feel inferior or uncapable to share the gospel and disciple! We are all “little theologians” whether we do it in seminary or home, or church, we are all studying God and His Word! Your pastor may have more experience speaking to groups or people due to his “job” and his “professional training,” but the same Holy Spirit that lives in him lives in you and you are completely capable of learning and sharing!
If you are usually the smartest person in the room, and especially if you feel the need to prove you’re the smartest person in the room, find a new room! Recognize how that may make others feel especially if your end goal is to participate in study or conversation that equips and grows both you and the people around you. Recognize you can learn something from everyone. I might spell or write better than my hubby, but he can outperform and outthink me mechanically, physically, and leadership wise, honestly, he’s better at loving me than I am him too! We are smart in different ways, together we are better! When we are with people, lets untether ourselves from the worldly idea of competition and seek to learn from each other and bring our best to build and grow together regardless of our experience or education levels!
I previously saved the “Love Is” cartoons from the Dallas Morning News which always featured a couple drawn in a precious moments style and a cute saying, like, “love is always kissing her goodnight.” One very aptly read “Love is letting her warm her feet!” This one makes me laugh because my husband HATES cold things touching his skin and he’s always incredibly warm, my feet….not so much…..and I KNOW it’s an act of true love when he sticks his legs up to the bottom of my feet and let’s me warm them! There are a million other things that love is and a million and one that the world will tell you it is.
That’s vulnerability!
My vote is to always look to the word of God to discern what things are because He’s the reason it exists anyway! 1 John 4:8, NIV: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Jesus tells us the greatest command is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart soul and mind, and the second greatest is like it, to love our neighbors as ourself in Matthew 22:37-39. He wasn’t talking about the house next to you, He was talking about everyone you see. Every person you come into contact with is your neighbor. We could go deeper into that, but let’s follow the “love trail” for today. There’s an entire chapter in 1 Corinthians dedicated to love!
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. 6Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.
11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. 12Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians literally the whole chapter 13
Did you catch that? Bc it was a lot! Let’s look at an excerpt.
Not only is God all of those things because he is love, as we follow Him and demonstrate His love to others as He has asked us to do this should characterize how we love others.
In youth we had a sign that we would hold across our chests with our hands when we needed to encourage someone to remember how to be loving which consisted of a 1 and a 3 to remind ourselves of this chapter. We also liked to do “Live it outs,” which were practical ways that we would apply Scriptural knowledge and live it out in our daily lives. I mentioned a personal example of Shaun and my cold feet! There are so many others.
Sometimes loving others makes us nervous, AWKWARD, vulnerable, and look weird…ok a lot of times it can do that. It can be not coming back with that zinger while verbally sparring with someone that is sure to win you popularity points with the class or crowd and get a good laugh but humiliate the other person. Love may look like sitting beside a friend who’s lost a loved one and not saying a word just being present so they know they aren’t alone because nothing you can say would make a difference in that moment anyway. Love may look like a text to say you were thinking about them. It may look like showing up with dinner for a family after they’ve received rough news or been through something or have been sick. It may look like a shift at the hospital with a friend who’s fighting for their life or healing from an injury or surgery, it may look like walking in and doing the dishes or laundry for a friend after the loss of a loved one or even when they have children and just need a break. It may look like walking in and holding the baby for a friend so she can shower or nap for a bit. It may look like an invitation to literally anything. It sounds a whole lot like doing life together, even when it’s awkward and you don’t know what to say! It’s certainly always sharing the gospel because that is the greatest demonstration of love ever and it shows you care about them spiritually, not just physically and if you’ve ever done that it can be real awkward. Sometimes love is speaking the truth IN LOVE saying the hard things in the softest of ways. Love only looks like things that glorify God the Father because He is love. Let’s untether from our worldly, hallmark, and other awful movie depictions of love and tether ourselves to the Father who will show us how we can love each other sacrificially in Him and by His power!
Every day I open some platform of social media and I see a news article or shared post for prayer because someone has committed suicide. I’ve attended funerals for people, loved ones, who have succumbed to the heaviness in their mind and taken their own lives. It’s heartbreaking and something that Christians especially, should be doing more to offer hope and help about. Unfortunately, too often the evangelical community inadvertently, due to a lack of understanding, particularly with personal experience, perpetuates a taboo sort of stigma in regard to depression.
My husband, who loves me and loves the Lord, who has been to seminary and has studied Biblical counseling and even completed a certificate program, who has served alongside me in ministry for years, doesn’t and has never struggled with depression. I who also love him and love the Lord, have also been to seminary and studied alongside Shaun in the same Biblical counseling classes, sometimes struggle with both anxiety and depression. Shaun cannot relate to me exactly because he doesn’t struggle in the same ways that I do, but because he loves me and he lives with me and sees me daily, tries very hard to minister to me and support me, especially on the rough days. He sees all of my Bible study books scattered about the house, he receives my random texts about something exciting I connected in my daily reading or a new study, he receives my texts about prayer for him, our kids, friends, family, and his teammates. He has witnessed, once even in the last week, me sharing the gospel and attempting to help a person I had just met understand the pain and suffering of this world.
He has also seen, this week, me break down in tears, feeling unworthy, and undesirable because I’ve put multiple resumes out and job applications out with no fruitful results, to have been so active and passionate about serving the Lord in our previous church, only to not be able to find a place where we are currently located. To feel invisible, certainly humbled, nothing special, and apart from the fact that I have 3 amazing happy, healthy children who are well educated, one with a degree and a job positively contributing to society and doing the adult thing, one 15 hours from her first degree and she’s not even 18, the 3rd 24 hours into his first and just turning 16, and ALL 3 KNOWING and LOVING the Lord, their eternity secured through repentance and faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord……ok when you type that out its not nothing…….but other than that and a stack of degrees and certificates with a lot of non-traditional teaching and managing experience feeling like I have nothing else to show for my 41 years.
I’m the first to admit that just because someone has a degree doesn’t mean they get the job or should even be in that field, but I do have personal experience and the testimony of both clients, my kids/students, and of those I have served, but it feels like none of that counts. Your mind goes to crazy places and tells you that yes, those people supported, affirmed, helped, and loved you while you were giving them your time and resources but not now. You can rationally look and see that you have blessings piled up a mile high or more and have no reason to be sad, but there it is, and you even get frustrated with yourself because you know better, but you still feel this way.
The one place that you should feel safe coming to and having people put their arms around you and love you and walk through it with you doesn’t. Because for some reason, rather than being vulnerable with each other, we view vulnerability as a weakness and if you say these things even at church its taboo. You either are participating in unrepentant sin or you aren’t reading your Bible enough, or you aren’t praying enough, or you aren’t serving enough. Or you make people feel uncomfortable because you’re actually honest and transparent and are attempting real connection rather than hiding it. Never mind that we are supposed to “bear one another’s burdens”(Galatians 6:2) and that we are “competent to counsel”(Roamans 15:14) each other when we are in Christ studying and serving alongside each other. We are so worried that someone will think we don’t have it all together and because our worldy society has taught us the dog-eat-dog ideology, we synchronize that with church and keep on pretending there too.
Listen, I can tell you that I am completely praying and willing to allow Jesus’ “eyes like flaming fire”(Rev 1:14) to look down into my soul and burn out my impurities, I pray that he reveals areas of my life that I need to repent in and I do. I love the Lord, I want to serve Him, I want and do share Him with others. I do read my Bible and find more and more to love and worship Him for every day.
My struggle with depression isn’t because I don’t trust God enough, or have hidden sin in my life! Honestly, if I didn’t understand God’s word or His love for me and others, I would probably be one of the statistics. I “feel” Paul when he said, “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” I know I have a perfect Heaven to look forward to with my perfect and loving Savior, I can’t even begin to imagine how wonderful it’s going to be because my human mind has not seen anything wonderful enough to relate it to. But I also know that unless we the church( the actual body of believers..not the building) don’t take the gospel message to this world and actually disciple people they won’t have the same hope and assurance we do. This means I will need to live in this fallen and broken world to live out my purpose under Jesus’ authority. Living in a fallen broken world dominated by Satan means I’m going to be exposed to things that cause me to suffer. My sufferings are nothing like what others have endured, even to the point of death, but they are still real. So that’s me, that’s my testimony about it but I’m not the only one.
Did you know one of the greatest preachers of all time suffered with depression as well? Charles Spurgeon prayed this in his autobiography,
“Thou art my Father, and I am Thy child, and thou as a father, art tender and full of mercy. I could not bear to see my child suffer as Thou makest me suffer; and if I saw him tormented as I am now, I would do what I could to help him, and put my arms under him to sustain him. Wilt thou hide thy face from me, my father? Wilt thou still lay on me thy heavy hand, and not give me a smile from thy countenance?”
Charles Spurgeon-from his autobiography
Clearly he knows and believes in the Lord and clearly he’s heavily vexed. In his sermon the saddest cry from the Cross,” he says;
“Quite involuntarily, unhappiness of mind, depression of spirit, and sorrow of heart will come upon you. You may be without any real reason for grief, and yet may become among the most unhappy of men.”
Charles Spurgeon from his sermon “The Saddest Cry of the Cross”
Spurgeon recognized there often isn’t any real reason for his depression but the grief just comes. Spurgeon’s life has already been analyzed by Biblical scholars and all agree he was a spiritual giant. His sermons are studied in seminaries world wide and they still counsel and lead and teach others about Christ after his death! Yet, he admits to struggling with depression and anxiety. Google it and read through his sermons! My intent is this, if you’re reading this and you’re struggling and thinking you can’t be a good Christian and participate in the work of the Kingdom, understand that’s false! That is exactly the kind of attack Satan would employ to take you out of the race so he doesn’t have to worry about you sharing the gospel or discipling. He wants to so cripple you in your mind so that you are useless for the Kingdom. Don’t let him. Show up even on the bad days! If you don’t struggle and you’re reading this, please issue grace toward us. I’m the first to admit that sometimes our (all humans) turmoil can be caused from sin, by poor decisions we make that we need to recognize, be broken hearted over, ask forgiveness for, and turn away from (repent). Sometimes other people’s sin affects us negatively causing sorrow, and sometimes just like Spurgeon, its sudden and seemingly unprovoked. We need you to hold space for us, and be with us, and keep our hands on the plow, encourage us in the Lord, and walk alongside us gently pointing to Him and the hope and assurance we have. We aren’t unfit, unreliable, or undependable, we are broken crayons that by the grace of God alone are totally capable of coloring! Let’s Untether from those thoughts as we battle to take our thoughts captive and focus them on the will of Christ,” (2 Corinth 10:5) and “focus on things that are true, pure, lovely, and Holy.” (Phil 4:8) Being vulnerable enough to admit where you struggle is perhaps the greatest display of bravery. I’ll close with a quote a friend shared this morning, coincidentally she has held space for me, and I have attempted to do the same for her. She too struggles in different ways, but she has a brilliant mind and a sold-out heart for the Lord too, and so, when given the opportunity, “we lean on each other, so we don’t have to sleep with our heads in the mud”-Bubba (Forest Gump).
Please don’t read this as a condoning of walking with someone in sin or participating in it. Don’t read this as enabling someone to sin either. As you hold space for someone you may find that the relationship that you build DOES IN FACT impact the outcome, hopefully in a positive and Jesus giving way!
What does it mean to hold space for someone else? It means we are willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they’re on without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome. When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support, and let go of judgement and control.
I mentioned writing your story/testimony so you could work it into conversations, sometimes “the how” of how you relate your story to different people in different settings may change, but it’s still your story of how you came to faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Once you’ve figured out how to articulate it, it’s much easier to see how it fits in a conversation. Check out this example below from my own life!
As the owner of a gun shop and firearms training center I am given the opportunity to be in front of classes of people on a monthly/weekly basis , both classroom time and range time. Many of them are church goers but many of them are not. The gospel is not a conversation that usually makes its way into a firearms training class or the range. However, I share the gospel in every class while I have a captive audience, kind of like Paul in jail while he had a guard literally chained to him! Not only does my testimony fit into an analogy while teaching sight alignment it also works into other conversations about focus. I even share the actual “Romans Road” Scriptures in class while telling my testimony and then connecting it to sight alignment.
I was raised Catholic and went to St. Mary’s private Catholic school while living on a military base as my dad was in the Air Force. Later he retired and we moved to Texas. I understood the Bible as a historical textbook and knew who God was and what Jesus had done as well as the stories of the Bible. After catechism classes and confirmation, I knew that I was a sinner, I’d read Romans 3:23, and that sin was wrong and thought that I needed to go to confession and do good things to make up for the sin. I had a head knowledge of The Lord; I knew about him, but I was not applying him to my life and following Him. I felt the weight of the guilt of my sin but did not understand that I would never be able to do enough good to balance the scales at judgement. Life felt hopeless because I kept messing up. Being saved by grace through faith, not of my works but on Jesus’, was not something anyone had taught me, nor had I read Ephesians 2:8-9.
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God- Romans 3:23
For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.-Romans 6:23
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned— Romans 5:12
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.- Ephesians 2:8-9
NASB 95
When I was 13 one of my mother’s coworkers son’s invited me to a Newsboys concert. (We did not listen to that kind of music in Mass!) I went and Josh McDowell took the stage and called a verse of scripture which I knew. He then started to talk about a relationship with Christ which struck me as an odd thing to say. It occurred to me that I could not have a relationship with George Washington because he was dead, but Jesus was different. I began all at once to see that the Bible was living, not a history text, that as a result of what Jesus did on the cross and being raised to life that I had a decision to make and actual action to take. Belief required something on my part (choosing to repent and follow), but Jesus had already done all the work. He paid my wages for the sins I had committed (and will commit, sadly) and once I understood that, repented of my sin, confessed with my mouth Jesus as Lord because of the belief in my heart, I would have eternal life and all new leadership calling the shots from now on which is what Romans 10:9-10 stated.
..that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation-Romans 10:9-10
I was supposed to be reading the Bible and as a result of what it said acting on its commands, allowing the Holy Spirit to change my habits and begin conforming me to be like Christ. It was impossible to be like Christ if I did not study Him. During that invitation I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, which meant making Him Lord of my life, in that everything I did from there on out needed to run through a filter of the what His word directed me to do; which is quickly how Proverbs 3:5-6 became my go to verses all those years ago. That was my conversion to Christianity, the moment I was adopted into the Kingdom of God, I followed a week later in believers baptism, something I got to choose because I believe, as a symbolic, public profession of my faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Having a relationship with Jesus is similar to how your sights work. You can know that your front sight is the boss and is the most important sight, but until you are able to have a right orientation of it in the center of your rear sight, which is your life and belief system, and rightly align both of those with your target, which is how you live, your shots and decisions will both be all over the place. He has done all of the work, he is the atoning sacrifice once and for all who justifies, (aligns us rightly with the Father), we just have to allow Him to Untether us from the bondage of sin and respond to follow Him and apply Him as the center piece (front sight) of our lives! If you have a testimony, write it down like I have and SHARE it with others!
If you don’t have a testimony and you’re sitting there reading this thinking, that’s me! I need forgiveness, I need to repent of my sins and believe in the gospel message of Jesus Christ, you can, right where you sit. There are no special words that have to be prayed exactly right, just talk to God with your own mouth and tell Him exactly what’s going on in your heart. It’s not the specific words that save you, it’s the repentance and belief in your heart in Jesus as Lord, His sacrifice for your sins, and your desire to follow and trust in Him. Then share it with someone else! Start reading your Bible, there’s an app if you don’t have a physical copy (YouVersion or NASB Bible). Connect with a local church and talk to the pastor or women’s ministry leader about your decision so you can be better discipled and equipped to share your story with others!
If you’re in an area of the world where going to a Christian church isn’t an option but you have access to the internet ….that’s an option, there are millions of Bible believing churches online as well as Bible studies online. I enjoy watching, Ben Stuart at Passion DC, he’s local to me, John Piper, Jen Wilkin has some awesome studies, as well as Priscilla Shirer and Tony Evans, Francis Chan and David Platt. The Bible ReCap with Tara Leigh Cobble is a great podcast to accompany your reading and a great one year reading plan too! Don’t hesitate to reach out to me through the contact page of the blog or page, I’ll do my best to help too!
If you’re enjoying my blog, if it’s encouraging you in any way, or more importantly drawing you closer to Jesus in any way, please consider liking and subscribing. If you think it may encourage someone else in the Lord please consider sharing!
Have you ever struggled with your place in church? Not the building, we know the building is just that, a facility where the church (the local body of believers) gathers together to worship and learn about the Lord. But have you ever felt like you wanted to DO something “in church,” to serve in some way but weren’t sure how or if you could? Have you felt like you wanted to be more than just a consumer “at church” and definitely didn’t feel like church should be something you “do” on Sundays or an obligation, especially for social purposes? I’d say that was the Holy Spirit guiding and encouraging you!
Since the “body of believers” is the actual definition of church, there’s way more to a church than what sometimes gets confused as church, like the weekly meetings that typically take place on Sundays and Wednesdays. Yes, we are absolutely supposed to assemble together regularly (Heb 10:25), but that’s not all. Honestly, the body of believers living out their faith through actions and words on a daily basis in the community, at school, work, shopping, sports events, etc. will have vastly more impact than the church staff ever will! If you’re looking for your ministry, you have one! Read the verses below in 2 Corinthians 5.
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b]for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Did you read that? Did you see your ministry given to you by God? You even have a title! We are ambassadors for Christ. We have a ministry of reconciliation. We are supposed to make an appeal to others and reconcile them to God through Christ. That sounds an awful lot like Jesus’ commission to His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20. Your ministry likely won’t look like what you have pictured in your mind, it may not look like zoom Bible studies, hosting small groups in your home, teaching a class at church, or speaking to a group of people. It can look like those things, but all believers’ every day life ministry is where people are truly reached for the Lord. A friend and colleague shared this video her team produced to give insight of what every day discipleship in your ministry looks like.
You don’t need a degree to “start” in ministry. You’ve already been given a ministry from the very one who died to save you! Remember yesterdays blog? “If you know enough to be saved, you know enough to lead someone to Christ.” If you know how to read and you have a Bible you know how to sit down with it and read it with others! care for those in your sphere of influence, love them, serve them. This is the mission of the church, the real church, not the building we call church. Untether yourself from the idea that you aren’t qualified or don’t know enough and let the Spirit lead you! Your ministry is waiting on you!! Let’s be the church!
I’m back on movies again, who’s seen “The Maze Runner” series? I certainly found it an entertaining story where you fell in love with characters and wanted to see humanity saved. I had actually read the books, which were far better, but I never noticed the allegorical element until the movies. Sometimes I’m slow or need a visual!
Allegory-a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
No, this isn’t an English class, but its crazy to me the parallel that the story holds. Thomas was sent to the Glade and from the beginning he’s different from all the other kids that have been sent. He tries to live differently and do things differently in front of the rest of them and ends up being the one to help them find a way out and leading them …fast forward to the end of the series where his blood contains the cure for humanity.
I’m not suggesting that the Maze Runner is a Christian movie or perfectly exemplifies Jesus, but I do see some similarities and by the time we realize that Thomas’ blood has the cure and vaccines can be made from it to share with everyone, we’re ready to run around vaccinating the world. I get really into my books, but see how a movie quote could turn into a gospel conversation! You make that connection, you start a conversation about Jesus!
Gospel Conversations Don’t Happen Without Intentionality
We do have the death cure…and we don’t even have to stab anyone with a needle to share it.
While studying Acts with our youth, the one thing that jumped out to me the most on this topic was the different approaches Paul took to sharing the gospel message in different situations.
In Acts 17:16-34 Paul addresses the People of Athens…when I read this one I can’t help leaping into a chair and reading in my very best Shakespearian/heralding voice. Paul takes some time to get to know his audience and then addresses them in a way that is not demeaning, but the way they are best communicated to. In Acts 22:3 when addressing the Jews, Paul’s own people, who knew all of things he had done, he employed a personal appeal. His own personal testimony.
I heard it quoted in my Contemporary Evangelism class one time, although I did not catch the professor’s name from the student who was quoting it,
“If you know enough to be saved, you know enough to lead someone to Christ.”
likely Dr. Matt Queen
That stuck with me in a big way. This one did too.
“No one can refute your personal story about what Christ has done in your life.”
Dr. Seiberhagen
One of the most valuable exercises I have participated in to be able to equip me share my testimony is writing it down. There is something about dragging a pen across the page or typing words so they’ll appear on paper or a screen that forces you to be still enough to truly think through your salvation and articulate it (meaning put into words). As far as sharing the gospel goes, your own testimony is one of the best, easily accessible tools in your toolkit because it is your personal story about how Jesus changed your life which makes it far more difficult to forget.
In doing this exercise with our youth one time, asking them to write their evangelistic testimony (tell me about when you were saved) one of our youth approached us and said he had just realized he didn’t have a testimony and was not saved. I had shared my own testimony as a way of modeling to them how to both write it and share it, then go back in and add the verses from the Bible that helped share truth about coinciding events happening in their own story. He realized there was never a point that he recognized Jesus had paid the wage of sin for him or professed with his mouth Jesus as Lord after repenting of those sins. It was because of the Lord obviously, but his family and mine were somewhat similar, and because the major faith tradition I had been raised in was similar to what he had heard, something about my realization about sin and the cost of it from my personal testimony ,coupled with the Scriptures to support how to have Jesus Venmo that to him (yah…that’s not in Scripture) clicked with him just the way it had with me when Josh McDowell shared the gospel at a concert when I was 13. Your personal testimony is an easier conversation to have than walking up so someone and saying HEY DO YOU KNOW MY FRIEND JESUS!!!!??????
There are many tools you can use to get to that question too, but if you haven’t built a decent relationship with them through conversation or life or don’t have a reputation for being goofy it may turn someone away rather than to Christ!
One of the easiest ways to insert the gospel into a conversation that I have personally witnessed youth doing is FIRE….we actually used to call it FIRM but since I’m a firearms instructor and DR. B called it fire in class we adopted that….plus it makes me think of the flaming tongues coming down at Pentecost so the gospel could be shared to everyone everywhere in different languages, which is what FIRE is all about.
Family- You might ask if they have brothers or sisters and then share about your own.
IInterest-You might ask if they play sports, have hobbies, or have pets, and share about your own.
Religion (think holidays) You might ask their favorite holiday or if they celebrate Christmas or Easter and then share how and WHY you do.
Evangelism- If they celebrate Christmas and Easter because they profess to be Christian too, you can rejoice with them and tell them about when you first believed, if they don’t you can transition really easily from why you celebrate Christmas and Easter the way you do, share your testimony, and offer them an opportunity to ask questions or respond.
This is helpful for evangelism with people you don’t know.
What about everyday conversations with people you do know?
Still intentional…. You have to be intentionally committed to allowing or steering the conversation there when given an opportunity. This doesn’t always look like sharing the Romans Road. It may look like.
Friend: “Why aren’t you coming to the party?”
Me: “Well there’s going to be things going on there that I don’t need or want to be tempted to participate in. I remember what happened the last time (he/she) had a party and what went down. I’m asking the Lord to give me wisdom to help me understand when I need to stay away from or avoid tempting situations.”
This gives you an opportunity to not only live out the faith you profess, but you could then easily transition into your testimony or a FIRE conversation with this friend. Some of these questions you likely will already know the answer to, so it will be easier. Don’t forget to ask your friend what they think, or if they have any questions about it or would like to respond.
Friend: “Why do you always have your little brother in the car with you even when you’re just dropping off a boy after church?”
Me: “Well he’s cute, I’m cute, together we know we’re cute which could have the potential to escalate into something that doesn’t honor God so if my Little Bro is always with us then his presence keeps us both accountable.”
When your friends start seeing you talk about and make decisions based on the faith you say you believe, it becomes an opportunity to model Biblical behavior and an easy way to transition to gospel conversations where you get the opportunity to tell them about Jesus and disciple, after all, Jesus said to teach them to obey all I have commanded-make disciples!
You may even try FIRE with them, already having some of the answers, you may carry a gospel track with you that you can use as an outline when sharing the scriptures, you may use the 3 circles app-story. Sharing the gospel is just like anything else, the more you practice the better you become. It’s a great idea to equip yourself with different tools you feel comfortable with like the 3 circles app, FIRE, and carrying a written copy of your testimony with a highlighted track in your purse, phone case or wallet you can use as an outline. You can’t use a flat head screwdriver on a Phillips head screw, nor could you bang in a nail with your Phillips head screwdriver, you might be able to, but both of you might be worse for the wear after, it certainly wouldn’t be the best tool for the job. Different tools are better in different situations. Also don’t hesitate to get with friend and practice sharing your testimony and role play these conversations, this will make it so much easier when the opportunity arises with others!
What about questions you can’t answer? NO ONE knows everything! I think just because we went to college forever, sometimes my kids and our youth think we know everything….really I think it just impressed upon me the fact that I have a lifetime of learning to do because God is A LOT…..which means you’re going to encounter questions you don’t know the answers to. That doesn’t necessarily mean you drag the asker to your pastor or youth pastor’s office and lock them in there. It’s a great time to say, “you know what, I’m not sure, but I’d love to find out with you.” Then you appeal to someone who may have a direction in the Bible you should look so you can all mine(dig it out) the Scripture together! That’s how discipleship starts organically (naturally without forcing it)! Without you even having to try! Did Jesus say make disciples or just make converts? Disciples are those who have been taught about the word of God in a way that they can teach someone else. A convert is someone who has just believed in the truth of the gospel message and received or professed Christ. Untether yourself from feeling like you need to know everything before you can start, know you’re going to need to study, and use it as an opportunity to do discipleship! Remember, “if you know enough to be saved, you know enough to lead someone to Christ!”
Raychel Writes 