Intentional Heart by Karma Pratt

Last year there was a definitive reshaping of my life and perspective (an ongoing adjustment, I'm sure!) As we enter into a new year, I feel God is moving me into a new season. If 2017 was a season of being planted, 2018 is the time to take root. The seeds have germinated, and the garden requires tending. No longer do I feel like a seed buried deep in the earth; rather I am surfacing, gentle green tendrils unfurling in the sunlight. This is a time to dwell, grow, and bloom. 

Dwelling in the Lord requires dedication to the discipline of reading His Word and spending time in prayer. The more time I spend with God, the more likely I am to pick up on the subtleties of His messages. God speaks to me through my journaling and writing, Bible reading and devotional time. He speaks in dreams, and when I enter into listening prayer. He makes His presence known in moments of connection with family and friends. His gardener skills are nowhere more noticeable to me than when I ask for guidance in my interactions with others. I find myself continually praying for the ability to show peace, patience and kindness to others. The Gardener is shaping the fruits of my spirit and there is still a lot of pruning to do! 

The book of Acts tells the story of Simon the Magician, who has been recently baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (see Acts 8:9-24). Simon, new to the ways of the Christian walk, is steeped in the realm of the worldly. He sees the magnificence of the Holy Spirit in action, and tries to purchase this power from the apostles. Peter rebukes him, saying, "You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you" (Acts 8:21-22 ESV). 

One of the words God has put on my heart for 2018 is intention. I am called to become conscious of the intent of my heart before acting. Setting the intention to do small things with great joy propels the everyday actions of an ordinary life into the realm of extraordinary grace. Likewise, I pray to God to transform and heal this heart so that my intentions reflect the love and light of Christ.

I am also called to look back - not to ruminate on the past - but to honour the path I have traveled and the ways that God has met me, shaped me and transformed me. Looking back to find Jesus in the picture helps me reshape my perspective. Memories and circumstances that were once overwhelming shift in the light. As I seek the face of Emmanuel, I find hope: He has always been there, I just haven't always seen it.

The deeper I dig into life as a Christ follower, the more I feel the call to live an apostolic life. Can you imagine the pioneering spirit required to develop a heart for such discipleship? To persist in faith through any and all trials? And yet, the journey is predominantly an inward excursion. I don't believe I am meant to drop everything and head out on international missions right this moment. (Maybe someday?) Rather, God is guiding me to develop an apostolic spirit while continuing to "bloom where I am planted". In the spirit of blooming, I am currently writing a book of poetry and taking the initiative to enter more writing contests this year. I am stepping out in faith, and trusting that the words I write will make their way to the people God intended. 

And, so, I dig into this new season. I cultivate an intentional heart. I tend to my life: husband, kids, home, friends, this tender heart's needs. I find God in the ordinary details of this extraordinary life. I make time to write. I seek connection and fellowship, while creating space for alone time with Jesus. I lift my face to the Son and raise my hands high in praise and thanksgiving. I continue to grow. 

__________

Karma writes from the golden house in Northeastern BC. You can connect with her online at redraincoatcreations.com 

A Matter of Discipleship -- Bruce Atchison

Easter is over for another year and our thoughts now turn to celebrating Mother's Day. But this doesn't mean that we should ignore what happened between Christ's Resurrection and his ascension.

A careful study of the scriptures shows that our Lord was busy during those forty days. We have the resurrection sighting reports, first from the women at the tomb and later by the disciples.

Of special significance to us is that Jesus explained to two disciples on the road to Ammaus regarding how the Old Testament foretold all that befell him. Many believers, including myself, missed the fact that those ancient scriptures spoke of him.

Here's another misapprehension we believers tend to have. Poor Thomas has been maligned for millennia as being a doubter. I feel that Christ's resurrection seemed too good to be true to him. After all, death is final and nobody in history up to that point had raised himself or herself from the grave as Christ did. All other instances of people returning from the dead were acts of God and they perished later.

Furthermore, Jesus had a lot of teaching to do during his post-resurrection time on earth. All through his earthly ministry, these twelve slow learners had fixed in their minds the notion of a temporal kingdom where they'd be ruling over an independent and sovereign Israel. Christ had to pound into their thick skulls that his kingdom was, and still is, a spiritual kingdom. And until he returns in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God and obey not the gospel, it will stay a spiritual kingdom.

And what of the story of how Christ gave Peter three opportunities to say that he loved him? The dear man felt shattered because he had denied knowing Jesus three times. From his decision to go back to fishing, he apparently thought he was  inadequate to proclaim the kingdom of heaven. Jesus granted him restoration and brought him back into fellowship with him. Our Lord could have chastised peter and his friends for disobeying his command to spread the gospel throughout the world but he magnanimously pardoned them all.

Fortunately for future disciples, including us, Christ's apostles obeyed his command to wait at Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came on them. During that time, they devoted themselves to prayer. We don't have transcripts of those petitions but I'm sure they asked for the Lord's will to be done in and through them.

Discipleship is thee crucial counsel I lacked when I gave my life to Christ in 1969. It's why I wrote my How I Was Razed memoir. Newborn believers need the mentoring by older saints so they won't go astray. Since I had no one to guide me, I ended up in an aberrant house church. My memoir shows how God providentially led me to the truth about himself and his true character.

ALWAYS BE LIKE THE BEREANS - Bruce Atchison

What's the most important thing to remember when hearing anybody who claims to have a fresh revelation? Check it out with the Bible, that's what. Far too many Christians take the teachings of popular preachers at face value on the assumption that they know what they're saying. This is about as hazardous as a baby putting any object into his or her mouth. Like rat poison, Satan mixes tasty meal with enough cyanide to kill anybody foolish enough to swallow the bait.

Consider what Luke wrote in Acts 17:10-11 (KJV). "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto  Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than  those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and  searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Since the Bereans checked out the teachings of the Apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, we must likewise challenge the beliefs of others.

How I wish somebody mentored me when I gave my life to Christ in 1969. Had I known how to discern biblical teaching from poisonous doctrines, I would never have joined a cultic house church a few years later. I would never have swallowed the blasphemous lies told by its lay minister. Knowing how to discern truth from error would have saved me from several decades filled with frustration and anger.

This is why I felt so strong about the vital need for discernment that I wrote my memoir of those days. How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity walks readers through the wilderness of chiding which I suffered because my eyes never were healed. It shows how cruel those elders were in their criticism of my supposedly-insufficient faith. My testimony also demonstrates how the heavenly Father deprogrammed me of all the lies and misapprehensions I collected during those cultic years. I'm so much happier now that I know the true nature of the Trinity and how to read the Bible.

Additionally, I want to warn as many pastors as possible about neglecting the discipleship of new believers. I heard recently on The Bible Answer Man how Robert in Calgary had nobody who would answer his questions. The attendees at his church were too busy with their own concerns. He finally called Hank Hanegraaff's show for help. As far as I know, Robert was paired up with a mature believer who would assist him with his quest for the truth. May we all be open to mentoring new Christians as Christ has commanded us to do.

Twitter handle = ve6xtc

A Case For Fiction - Tracy Krauss

The question has been asked, "What is the purpose of Christian fiction?" If we break it down to the bare essentials, there are basically two answers. One is to bring people to Christ while the other is to encourage those that are already believers. One focuses on evangelizing while the other focuses on discipleship. Both have value and both can be achieved within a single work.

However, what about fiction that does not have blatant Christian content? Is writing for a secular market a viable option for a Christian? I believe the answer is 'yes'.

One doesn't have to look far for some great examples. Allegorical work by masters like C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien are full of moral lessons, Christian values, and references to Biblical stories. Sometimes these are subtle and sometimes they are not. Even though readers not schooled in Christian teaching may never realize that the message is pointing to Christ, they are wonderful stories worth reading.

Allegories aside, I would argue that learning a moral lesson isn't the only reason for reading a good book. Like any art form, good literature can enlighten, entertain, and enhance our lives. As creative beings modelled after the Great Creator, we can and should embrace the pleasure of well written words strung together simply for the beauty of it. Think of some of the other things in life that bring enjoyment: the beauty of nature, listening to music, watching a baby, eating your favourite meal... While these activities may make you ponder the Almighty's magnificence, you don't necessarily have to have an all out spiritual experience every time you engage in them.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a good book just for the sake of enjoying a good book. God created us to enjoy life; to take pleasure in the simple things, and I believe that story telling is part of that. While there is a place for deeply spiritual reading, there is also a place for simple stories that do little more than bring a smile.

On the flip side, there is also a place for stories that make us think; that ask hard questions and make us ponder humanity in all its frailty. Some of my favourite works of literature - both classic and modern - have some disconcerting content. One of my favourite genres is dystopian literature whose main purpose is to point out these human shortcomings. Rather than discourage me, I find I am pointed toward God, even if the book is a secular one, since He alone is the only answer to the profound questions raised.

I'm glad that God is a God of infinite variety. There is a place for evangelistic Christian fiction, fiction that seeks to deepen the reader's walk with God, and fiction that is only meant to entertain. There is even room for fiction that stretches our comfort zones just a bit, as long as it doesn't lead us away from faith in God. So, readers, keep on reading, and authors, keep writing what you are called to write.

Tracy Krauss resides in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC where she teaches secondary school Drama, Art and English. She has several stage plays and novels in print. Visit her website: http://www.tracykrauss.com  for more details.