A Season of Reset: Three areas to consider

A Season of Reset: Three areas to consider       


Have you said or heard the word, “reset” lately? 


With the beginning of the COVID19 Pandemic and the upending of our lives, many people have been talking about and anticipating the implementation of a reset in certain areas of their lives. For many, it has been in regard to family and the way they prioritize time. For some, it’s a forced reset because their means of earning a living has diminished or vanished.


Whether being affected by the pandemic, or more recently, civil unrest, I want to suggest three ways in which we can each benefit from a reset. 


A word used in the Bible that is comparable to reset is renew. It is described as “a combination of ana, ‘again,’ and kainos, ‘new.’ The word suggests a renovation, restoration, transformation, and a change of heart and life. In Romans 12:2, it indicates a complete change for the better, an adjustment of one’s moral and spiritual vision.” *


It says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 NKJV).


Then in Paul’s letter to Titus, we’re told of the Holy Spirit’s work in helping accomplish renewal. Holy Spirit is helping us reset our character. 


“but when goodness and lovingkindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:4-6 RSV).


When we believe and receive Jesus, we’re made new—we’re born-again. From time to time, even daily, we can do some soul-searching and consider how we’re doing in our walk with Christ. Occasionally, we may need a reset and renew our commitment to Him. We may even need to rededicate ourselves to Christ. 

Image by Focus on the Family 

As we are on the cusp of reentering society, let us consider three ways we can reset our lives in order to live better on the other side of COVID19. In doing so, we can more closely experience the abundant life God wants for us.


Let’s reset: 


1. Our spiritual walk. In this season of quarantine, many people are interested in knowing God better and involving Him more in their lives. Please read Titus 2:11-3:8 or at least re-read verses 4-6, quoted above. Romans 12:1-2, (above), gives insight as well. 


We can ask ourselves and ask God, “What can I do to improve my relationship with my Creator?” Here are a few suggestions:


Let’s spend quality time, daily, in His Word and in prayer, and listen quietly to hear Him speak. He’ll probably not speak audibly but will speak into our spirits in a still small voice through an impression, instruction, or encouragement.

Involvement in a Bible study group, church fellowship, or both, either in person or online can give us sound teaching, encouragement, and fellowship.


2. Our priorities. A reset of our spiritual walk will set us up for realigning our priorities. 


It’s sad that, due to the pandemic, people are out of work. And it’s unfortunate that sports and extracurricular activities have been suspended on every level. But there has been a bright side to this situation. 


I’ve heard many people say that since they have more time at home, they’ve had additional family togetherness, time for exercise, pleasure reading, or Bible study. Some are doing things they’ve not had time for, like plant a garden and enjoy creative talents such as art, cooking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, woodworking, and so on. 


I recently hear a man say that after quarantine he and his wife plan to continue taking frequent walks together. Others are exercising on a regular basis and plan to continue in the future.   


It’s good to look on the bright side of a dark event. Taking time to prayerfully realign priorities is wise and can lead to a more joy-filled and meaningful life.

Regarding our use of time, the Bible says, “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise—sensible, intelligent people; making the most of the time—buying up each opportunity—because the days are evil! Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17 Amplified). 


3.Our finances. A thorough evaluation of and reset of finances is a good thing to do periodically. Currently, as many people have experienced a reduction or total loss of income a financial reset has dealt a harsh blow. 


No matter our level of income we can execute our financial life according to biblical teachings and we will be blessed in doing so. Resetting our spiritual walk and our priorities put us in position to reset our finances with godly wisdom.


Learning biblical principles on money and aligning our priorities with God’s Word and His character give guidelines that, when followed, produce financial security. In a nutshell, the Bible teaches that we should work and earn a living, give into God’s kingdom generously, and spend money wisely. Also, we’re to stay away from excessive credit. Proverbs 22:7b tells us that “the borrower is servant to the lender” (NKJV).  

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Jesus taught, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-20 NLJV).

As we reset our finances, we’re wise to follow the principles set up by God, being confident that He knows what’s best. 


So, have you been thinking about a reset of some kind? Please share your thoughts in a comment, especially if COVID19 has impacted your ideas on the subject.


May God bless you as you continue to navigate this strange season. If a reset of any kind is a part of your life, I pray you do so with God’s leading.
   

*Spirit Filled Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, “Word Wealth” at Titus 3:8, page 1863.

©Copyright 2020 Connie Wohlford

So Now—Love! 1 Peter 1:22-25

So Now—Love!  1 Peter 1:22-25            

(Continuing in 1 Peter)

Have you noticed that not everyone is easy to love? … And some of those people live under our own roofs or are in our own church fellowships. They really test our love capabilities. 

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In 1 Peter 1:21, Peter acknowledges that our faith and hope is in God and wants his readers to grasp what has taken place on the inside which helps us love others. He then says: “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because ‘all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever’” (1 Peter 1:22-23).

 

Peter wants his readers to comprehend what has taken place and gives real-life application which reaches the core of God’s great salvation—Love. So now—LOVE! 

He points out that we have seen the truth of the Gospel. We get it—at least we should. We know the truth through God’s Spirit. Thus, our souls have been purified. So now this is the means by which we love the brethren sincerely. 

[“When Peter and other writers of Scripture speak of the brethren, to whom are they referring?” you might ask. The literal meaning is brother, but scripture writers are generally referring to followers of Jesus—members of God’s family—as brothers and sisters.]

Verse 22 begins with the word, since—meaning “by reason of” or “insomuch as.” Peter is showing how our souls have been purified. As always with God, it’s about love.

After all, love is the reason:

> God created Mankind.

> God sent Jesus to earth.

> God offers everlasting life. 

When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus said, love God and love others (Matthew 22:36-40). By reason of the fact that you have purified your souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, now love one another fervently and with a pure heart. 

Doesn’t that sound lovely? But the reality is, it’s not always easy. People can be very annoying. Bet you have someone pop into your mind right now. 

How do we love others fervently and with a pure heart? 

Fervent means impassioned and intense. It’s heartfelt and zealous. A pure heart is translated, unhypocritical. It’s a heart void of dishonesty and self-seeking motives. That person who popped into your head—imagine loving them enthusiastically and without selfish motives. 

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Now, there’s some incentive!

So, how can love our brethren enthusiastically, without hypocrisy and with sincerity, integrity, and with unselfish motives?

Notice Peter inserts, “through the Spirit.”  <>  That’s it! That’s the key. Only with the help of “the Helper” (John 14:26)—the Spirit of God—can we love in such a God-like way! This is agape love.

So, for those who challenge our love aptitude—through God’s Spirit we can sincerely love them. 

Consider it an act of worship…Ponder that for a moment. 

Peter continued the thought in verse 23: “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

Here we see the regenerating power of God’s Word. The word, regenerate, is very descriptive regarding what takes place when the Word of God is understood and applied to one’s life. 

In the physical sense—in a living organism, when regeneration occurs, new tissue is regrown to replace lost or injured tissue. Merriam-Webster (online) defines regenerate: 1- formed or created again; 2- spiritually reborn or converted; 3- restored to a better, higher, more worthy state.

Through regeneration a radical transformation takes a person from the physical realm into the spiritual realm. This occurs when a person is born again. It is a supernatural work of the Spirit of God just like salvation is a supernatural work of God.

Jesus said, “I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:24-25). 

We need to be regenerated. “Just as we owe our natural existence to the Creator’s spoken word and life-giving breath, so we owe our New Birth to the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit’s activation of its power. God’s intent for our created being is only completely fulfilled when our spirits are alive toward Him. As sin has produced spiritual death in people (Ephesian 2:1-3), so salvation in Jesus Christ has provided spiritual life. This text (v.23) tells us that the ‘seed’ that has produced new life in us is the Word of God, which has begotten us again by the Holy Spirit’s power (Titus 3:5) and made us members of God’s new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). The power of God’s Word—the Holy Scriptures—is in no way more manifest than in this: its power to bring spiritual life to all who are open to its truth. “* 

Thank You, God, for the regeneration power of Your Word which has brought us into spiritual rebirth, that we have been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible. It is through Your own Word which lives and abides forever—Jesus, the Word made flesh. Lord God, we’re so grateful. We are indeed gratefully redeemed! So now … we really can LOVE! 

Have you experienced a time when the Holy Spirit helped you have genuine love for a challenging person in your life? Your comments are welcome.

©Copyright 2018 Connie Wohlford

*Spirit Filled Life Bible, NKJV, “Kingdom Dynamics,” Thomas Nelson Publishers, page 1909.

Mix the Word with Faith and Trust God <> Part 3 - How did I begin writing books?

Mix the Word with Faith and Trust God <> Part 3 - How did I begin writing books?

My writing journey has been a faith walk. 

Many people have asked me how I began writing books. I’ve always enjoyed writing but never expected to write anything someone else would want to read. 

In November 2011, while writing a story about Jesus' birth, to share with my grandchildren, God spoke to me, in my spirit, and said, “I want you to publish this.” 

I sat straight up and said, “God, I have no idea about how to do such a thing.”

I explained to Him that I knew nothing about writing and publishing a book—that I didn’t have an illustrator—that I didn’t have money for this—and on and on. 

Have you ever tried to explain something to God? ---How silly!

I also tried to tell myself that the idea was all my imagination. 

While writing that story I decided I wanted my grands to also know the other things that happened to Jesus as an infant. Those stories are hardly ever read or told and I wanted my grandchildren to know them. 

And beyond that, I wanted my grands to know there are more amazing stories in the Bible than what they learn in Sunday School. I want them to fall in love with Jesus and value God’s Word!

I finished writing that book and called it Joy Comes to Bethlehem. 

My second book would tell about what happened to Jesus when He was eight days old.  What was that? He was circumcised.

I was anxious about the idea of writing a children’s story about Jesus’ circumcision but was confident God would help me work it out—and ya know what? He did! The book is titled, His Name Is Jesus. Don’t worry, I didn't even mention the word, circumcision.    

The third book would be about one of my favorite Bible stories. 

Side note:  I didn’t learn these stories in Sunday School. I learned them when I started reading my Bible on my own!

This third book was about the amazing occurrence when Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated at forty days of age. Simeon and Anna recognized Him as Messiah, just as God told them they would, many years earlier. This book is titled, He Is The ONE.     

I wanted my grandchildren to know these things about Jesus. 

Oh, and when our grands and I read that first story together, one of them (from each of the two families) said, “Granny, you should publish this.” I don’t think I would call that confirmation but it sure made me feel good.

SO—back to my conversation with God. I did finally tell God that after the holidays, if I still felt like I had heard from Him I would get onto the task and He was going to need to lead me step by step.

January 2012 rolled around and I knew beyond any doubt this was something the Lord was telling me to do. I also knew that if I didn’t do it, I would be disobedient. That was something I didn’t want to be a part of.

All along the way, much prayer went into the idea of publishing and I with confidence in God's assignment, I proceeded.

I knew I needed an artist, so I prayed.

I knew I needed a publisher, so I prayed.

I knew I needed some money, so I prayed.

I knew I needed Guy’s approval, so I prayed.

(Guy is my husband.)

My first idea for an artist was Molly Keller. I’d known Molly since she was a toddler. I knew she was a Christian, that she had a college degree in art, and I had seen her work I had seen. But I had doubts about whether she would be willing to do illustrations for a book for me. Would she want to go to all that trouble for a book written by a no-name-writer? 

I called her up; told her about my story and she said, “Yes.”

I nearly cried and offered praises to the Lord. As it turned out, Molly had recently quit her baby-sitting job in hopes of pursuing her art career and she had no jobs lined up yet. Perfect timing! God knew all along.

I took her a copy of the manuscript; she read it and her children read it. She called me and said, “You’re a good writer.” Those were such encouraging words. It was the second time someone had ever said that to me—music to my self-doubting ears. 

Meanwhile I continued to pray about the publishing aspect. Before talking to Guy I needed some idea of what cost would be involved. 

While checking email one day, an advertisement banner appeared in my inbox. It said, “Get your Christian children’s book published here.”

I hesitated for a moment but then clicked and was taken to the website of one of the largest publishers of Christian material in the world. I was comfortable that it was legit and after speaking with their representative on the phone and reading their material I decided to go with them.

I had already decided I wanted to self-publish so the books would be in print before my grands were too old to enjoy them. (Trying to get published can take years or simply never happen.)

So—I had the manuscript, the artist and the publisher. Now I needed to get Guy’s approval and figure out the money part—both of which I knew would not be easy. But I was confident that if I had not missed God, and He had really called me to do this, He would make a way. I continued to do what? --Pray.

I asked God to provide the opportunity and tell me when and what to say to my dear husband.

The time came and I said it. Without a lot of detail, I’ll just say Guy’s answer was a resounding “NO--absolutely not!” and he got up and left the room.

I sat on the couch with tears welling up, yet not surprised by his response. I know my Guy. And I know my God. So, I was confident it wasn’t the end of the story. 

Instead of whining, begging, badgering or manipulating, I talked again to my Heavenly Father and tossed the situation into His capable hands. After forty plus years of marriage to Guy, I knew those other responses would come to no positive end. I was confident God would change Guy’s mind. I’d seen it before.

Two days later Guy brought the subject up saying I could use the money we had in a certain account and go ahead with it. He added. “When the book is done, you’re going to have to get some books to sell in order to get your money back. Have you thought about that?” 

I said, “Yes.”

He continued, “I don’t know where you’re going to get the money for that.” 

I didn’t have the answer either but I just knew God wanted me to do this and He had all the answers.

The process I embarked on was scary and nerve racking. But I was confident in my God. I had enough of God’s Word in me to know Him and I had a history with Him. I was mixing His Word with my faith and trusting Him to help me see this through.

Over the next few weeks and months Molly painted wonderful watercolor illustrations for my book and I arduously worked out the details with the publisher.

Molly said I didn’t need to pay her until I started selling the books which was a huge blessing to me. Also, her painting was taking much longer than she expected, which was a little frustrating to me but I understood and didn’t put pressure on her. I reminded myself it was all in God’s timing. 

The next part of this story is the most amazing part of all ... and sad. As I told you, I knew I would be needing to buy a number of books once they were ready for printing. And I genuinely didn’t to know how I would pay for it. But, ya know, God knows all things. God knew all along where that money would come from.

On March 17, 2012 my precious friend, Jo Ann died—unexpectedly. None of us saw this coming and all her friends and family were flabbergasted. 

Jo had no children of her own and was like a second mother to me. I was one of the beneficiaries in her will. The very week that I needed to pay for the books was the very week I received the first installment of my inheritance. It was just over the amount I needed, including money to pay Molly. That was a great blessing to her.

I was blown away. My husband was blown away. I’m still blown away. 

That was the seed money that God provided. Over and over again God never ceases to amaze me.

 

I later published two books which tell a couple of the many rhinokaroarus stories I have told my grandchildren through the years. These are unique animal stories, each with a moral. 

My father, Rudy Edwards, made up that crazy word, rhinokaroarus. Therefore those books are dedicated to him. 

And my most recent book is a daily devotional titled, I Declare God’s Word Is True. 

A couple years ago, during my Bible study time in the mornings, I started jotting down Bible truths and promises that were meaningful to me. I felt lead to put some of them into the form of a little devotional. For each day of the year (any year) there is a Bible truth, a supporting statement and a Bible reference. 

Each one is a brief power-packed word of encouragement for the day.

So, in my experiences in writing books, articles, blog posts, letters, etc., I mix God's Word with my faith and trust God. 

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2 KJV).

In other words—They heard the Word preached but it did not benefit them because they didn’t mix it with faith. So, when we mix the Word with our faith we have the wherewithal to trust God. 

We have lots of reasons to trust God. But the main reason is this—

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

©Copyright 2018 Connie Wohlford

If you're interested in purchasing my books or would like book description information, please contact me via email: author@conniewohlford.com 
Prices:  
His Name is Jesus,  He Is The ONE,  You're A What?!,  Make It A Happy Day -  $10.50 each. 
I Declare God's Word Is True - $6.50.
Minimal charge for shipping - Sales tax is added in Virginia. 

Reduced prices on multiple copies. Inquire if interested.  

Joy Comes to Bethlehem is sold out - I plan to do a second printing as funds allow.