Jennifer J Howe Archives – Page 13 of 14

Resurrection Power: Jesus, Life, and All of Us

04.11.2017 by Jennifer Howe //

Have you read our first posts this month yet? You simply must! Tracy shared two beautiful posts, an introduction and her own response, to help our readers think about the question: how does God’s resurrection power change the way you live? Don’t forget to look for Kim’s post next week!

Of all the questions we’ve explored, this one has been the most challenging and exciting for me. You see, I (Jennifer) had a neatly-ordered worldview and a simple paradigm—or so I thought. Then what I knew shifted slightly and kind of went “Kerplunk!” into a new place. I’m making what feels like a feeble attempt at sharing what I’ve been learning. And in “Jen fashion,” I’ll ask you to walk this curvy road with me and check out the scenery along the way.

The shift began when I heard a song on the radio. You may know Jeremy Camp’s Same Power. I struggled with the chorus for a while, and I wasn’t exactly sure why:

The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, lives in us ¹

My first question was “Where did that lyric come from anyway?” Then I suppose I thought a life filled with that kind of power was reserved for the Disciples, Apostles, and super-Christians. After all, I had never moved a mountain, calmed a sea, or been part of any other radical, miraculous thing with a word. Maybe I assumed my life story disqualified me from witnessing God doing those things or being used by him in that way. If I get honest, I probably thought the Creator of the universe was far removed from creation or just didn’t do those kinds of things anymore. At a certain level I wondered about the strength of my faith, the way I lived it, and the real identity and character of God. Have you been there? (Some call this mindset “practical atheism.”)

I was a little “off base” in my thinking. I’ll tell you about that, but it’s a bit of a long story. Can you bear with me?

What I Knew
A day came when I realized a righteous, holy God’s mere presence would overwhelm and annihilate imperfection. Who is full of imperfection? Me! I, like many, made a decision to pray to Jesus and ask for his sacrifice on the cross to be applied to my life. Jesus, of course, would certainly say yes to that!

Then a group study of the book of Romans wrecked me—in a good way!

What I Learned
There’s something emotional in realizing there are only two kinds of people on the planet. It’s hard to accept that there are black-and-white things when we prefer choice, flexibility, and comfortable shades of gray. But if the Bible is true, there are people who do not yet identify with God and Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection and those who do. That’s it. For Christians, this probably doesn’t sound revolutionary, but let’s be clear about one thing: identifying with is not just knowing about.

The Shift
It happened when a Bible study group asked a simple question: What is it that separates these two groups of people in the world? I thought I knew what placed someone in the family of God: if you could point to a date on the calendar when you prayed “the prayer,” you were “in.”

My paradigm rattled when we studied the life of Abraham in Romans, Hebrews, and Genesis. Wonderful books, teaching, and discussion filled in some gaps. Did you know Abraham never prayed the prayer of salvation? Intuitively I knew that, but I never paused to think more about the fact that he “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). That’s the source of the resurrection power! Do you see it?

Let me translate this for our day—God said, “I will make a way for you to come to Me.” Jesus was that way on the cross. His perfectly sinless life as a man and the Son of God paid for every sin. But he is more powerful than death. Sin and death has no claim to a perfect, sinless God-man. And so the Son of God can and does rise in unstoppable power, leaving an empty tomb!

So what do you say to that? It’s simple. God says, “I will.” The response is, “I believe.” Nothing more can be added to that. Our best behavior doesn’t change this moment, and our worst doesn’t either. We don’t clean up our act in order to look more attractive to a Holy God. We can’t do it. Remember: we are sin until we believe. We believe, and we identify with Jesus’ resurrection. Friend, there’s a reason the Early Church was full of “believers” and called “The Way.” And here we are—at the only way.

This is where my “Kerplunk!” happened. The gospel was flexible, in my mind. There were people on a spectrum (even me). I was on my way to a “closer relationship” with God, and so was everyone around me. There’s nothing dangerous about a spectrum, right? But, there are those who have Jesus advocating for them and those who do not yet have that. (Now I’ll begin to cry.)

8 “Those whose lives are in the flesh are unable to please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you.” (Romans 8:8-9).

I don’t know which group you’re in. Maybe you don’t either. I don’t know about you, but I had to wrestle with this at one point. Have you? How will our lives be different when we are one of God’s people? Where is that resurrection power, you ask?

10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8:10-11

What does that mean for me (and you) for the rest of our lives here and in eternity (where all of us will be one day)? Our choice to believe provides a resurrection-powered life here and forever!

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over these Revelation 20:6 CSB

Blessed and holy—one of God’s people. And for that reason—

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection Philippians 3:10a NIV

I want everyone else to know it. So many people will remain outside the church, not part of God’s people—and that’s a whole other life now and eternity waiting. I don’t want that for anyone!

And how will that be done? Noticing people, hearing their stories, and then speaking truthfully and lovingly (something I’m asking God to help me with!).

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

Friend, I can’t thank you enough for hanging with me. You’re precious if you’re still reading! I just wrote down all the words—and there were still more. Thank you for being gracious. I think you’ve just read an indication of the change in my life just now. The display of the power will have to wait for another post. *grin*

Consider starting a conversation here or at our Facebook Page. This is a conversation worth having. What are you thinking right now?

**¹ Same Power. Jason Ingram and Jeremy Camp.**

“I Need a Do Over! Please!”

01.10.2017 by Jennifer Howe //

Last week Tracy kicked off January’s topic with her post on the do over. I have the honor of carrying the baton this week. Look for Kim’s thoughts next week and our “secret guest” wrapping it up the fourth week. I hope this series is an encouragement to you.

Kids in the neighborhood gathered in the empty lot across the street on hot summer evenings after dinner. An idea for a game slowly formed with eight or ten of us milling around. Teams were picked, and we played until the indigo evening sky chased away the red-gold sunset—or until moms started calling kids in for the night. Football, softball, frisbee, tag—any game we played—all had one thing in common. At some point someone made a mistake, and no one could agree on what to do about it, so the always-awesome “do over” was given. Another play, one more swing, another throw—alive just a little longer.

The do over. You’ve got to love it!

My whole life now is based on my desperate need for a do over at one point. (Can you relate?) If you know my story, you know difficult relationships, pain, and heartache wore on me. Irreversible choices were made. Long term consequences from snap decisions were agonizing for awhile. Eventually something like a heavy judgment gavel landed hard in delicate, emotional circumstances. The reality of my mistakes became overwhelming. And the more I talked to people, it seemed no one agreed on what to do about it. In the end I had no idea what to do, and I hoped for a reprieve. But what I desperately wanted was a do over.

I knew one thing even then: there are things that are just wrong. The average, sane person guides their behavior by the Rule of Law in the region they live. The law of the United States where I live maintains a few threads of an immutable law. Some of us know the Ten Commandments from the book of Exodus in the Bible, but in any case, portions of that text are still recognized as reasonable laws for all people at all times in all places. Murder, adultery, stealing, and lying are still acknowledged and enforced in our legal system, for example. The God lover and Jesus follower should be aware of the whole passage (Exodus 20:1-17).

This is the very thing that overwhelmed me in a fresh way more than 20 years ago. Suddenly, I saw where I had broken that law because my infraction was so glaringly obvious. A simple little sentence kick started the whole thing: “For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of [breaking it] all” (James 2:10 CSB).

Ouch! I’d never read the whole of the Old Testament, but I knew “The Big Ten.”

The “five finger discount” at the store? The not-so-little-or-white lie? I couldn’t write these off anymore. Suddenly, it didn’t fit so comfortably in the “everybody does it” category. Guilty? Just one time was enough? Yes.

If only it had been nothing more than the little infractions! (Honestly, I think that’s why I never worried about it.) Compared to the worst in history…or my friends…or the mugshots in the Post Offices…. No one else’s choices mattered in that nanosecond. Just mine. My heart broke when I realized I was in way over my head. My choices broke the law I hadn’t understood and thought about.

Have you had moments like that? Suddenly you realize you’ve wronged someone, and you feel terrible. The consequences of our actions are sometimes only seen when we understand the impact it has on others. For me, it was the cost another paid for my preference for convenience and comfort. One of the few times the ugly cry left a nearly indelible mark on my heart. Actually, I hope I will always remember that one for the bittersweet tears.

But God. (Two of my favorite words in the Bible anywhere it shows up!)

God, the Holy One who gave that law for our good (to reveal our sin against Him and our need for forgiveness), speaks sweet words to us when we are desperate.

“Come, let us discuss this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool. Isaiah 1:18 CSB

I’m not sure there are sweeter words that can be whispered to our souls. How precious that we can see a light at the end of our dark tunnel! The Lord never ignores reality: we’ve really offended Him with our sin. When I’m in that hamster wheel of regret, or when I am reminded of a past I wish I’d never walked, this verse is a reminder of the truth, love, and power of my God. It’s easy to see painful choices as something like a scarlet letter sewn to our clothing, but there is a love that transcends those decisions and actually replaces that red stain with a brilliant-white righteousness from Jesus.

Ah, that’s the beautiful offer of a do over, friend. The difference is that the neighborhood kids don’t judge the situation and agree to grant it. You don’t get to award it to yourself either. It is, however, free for the asking. If you need a do over, it’s as simple as going to the One who wants to lavish one on anyone who wants it.

Do you need a do over? Do you want one?

Sometimes we ask for the first time ever. Sometimes we need to ask for the hundredth time in a day. I’ve been in both places, and I’d love to tell you I’ve reached the point of asking less often for the do over, but I find my sensibilities and sensitivities mature. I know I will hurt others and Jesus with my decisions. There are times I’m not aware even still, but I hope God will continue to sharpen my perception and strengthen my resolve to choose differently.

Do you have questions about the first-time-ever do over? Let any one of the Facets know. We would love to talk about that!

Thanks for joining us at Facets of Faith. Comment below or check out our Facebook Page to start conversation threads there. Share the posts you love with your friends and family because that’s an excellent way to begin conversations in your personal circle!

What Do I Have to Offer: The Gift of Me

12.13.2016 by Jennifer Howe //

We’re nearly halfway into December, and I (Jennifer) wonder if you’re looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior, too. I remember lots of precious moments in my decades of Christmases, but I have favorites: the gifts wrapped in multiple layers. A big box emerged from the tree’s low, ornament-laden branches, and the fun began. At the heart of several wrapped boxes was a small, precious gift. Something that might be overlooked for its small size was given significance and greater excitement in the context of beautiful presentation and heightened expectation over several minutes of opening and opening and opening again.

Creative presentation and the extended opening process can be fun. It takes time to get to the best part, and the heart of the gift is the gift. When I thought about that, my mind wandered to another instance of something precious hidden deep inside. Matryoshka dolls. Nested inside an intricately painted wooden doll “shell” are several more until the smallest one is found at the heart of the last opened doll. It’s similar to the gift within a gift within a gift, isn’t it? I imagine a little girl eagerly opening each one to see where the smallest one would appear.

The gift-opening process and nested dolls grabbed my attention when I thought about December’s topic. I think that, at the heart of who we are, is God-given purpose that includes our entire being woven into a beautiful, partially-hidden opportunity. We’re more complex than the dolls, but not different in our many layers of gifts and talents or interests and passions. Our physical, emotional, and spiritual makeup plus our experiences are all part of the package. And we become the gift, if we choose. We can do that by offering ourselves as a gift God can use in the lives of others. The choice is rooted in our God-given purpose: to glorify God and love Him forever.

When I think of myself as a gift, ideas swirl through my mind. Jack of all trades, master of none. The “utility player” on the softball team. The “quick study” who can figure out or learn most assignments or tasks. The mind with a little knowledge on a variety of subjects (but never algebra or some sciences). Some of us have no single thing we do well with laser precision. (Does this resonate with you?) It’s possible to feel confusion about how we can serve others.

Some talents reside closer to the surface. When my friend needs line editing or proofing done, that seems natural. If my son needs a ride somewhere, the driving is nearly automatic. My education and experience in some areas make gifting myself a matter of decision (willingness). My skill set isn’t challenged as much as my heart to serve graciously. I cherish the “easy” tasks—the low-hanging fruit—I simply have to choose to engage my heart, especially when I’m unaware of the far-reaching effects hidden from view.

When I offer the “gift of me,” I have to assess what God has placed in me (talents and experience), what excites me (passion), and where I can be effective (circle of influence, resources, and time I have). I have to be completely honest with God, myself, and others because I have a heart to have influence and impact in a number of areas. I want to be everywhere and try anything. Then Paul reminds me:

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. Romans 12 CSB

We each need to identify who we are in service to others. For me, that can be as basic as knowing my math limitations. It’s embracing my heart for toddlers and the reality of their dependence. I may want to serve my neighbor, but language and cultural barriers should be acknowledged. My passion, education, and experience have real limits. I have to honestly ask—what has God put in me?

Then there are times we ask what God is ready to pour into us. We’ve talked about “big asks” and times we decide to serve others in ways that require sacrifice, God-given strength, and endurance. When we gift ourselves for someone’s blessing this way because we’ve been led to it by the Spirit of God, we get to the heart of the gift, the central part of our heart and our purpose. The gift is more significant because it requires unique sacrifice. The gift is bigger than we can muster (we can’t take credit), and the effect is often more than we can even hope (we couldn’t make it happen alone). When we make our whole self available to God for his power and purposes, crazy-awesome things can happen! I think that’s the essence of loving God with your whole heart, mind, and strength.

“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever” (Westminster Shorter Catechism). That, friends, is our soul purpose in this life and the next. Any gift each one of us gives can line up with that, but do the intentional heart, mind, and strength checks regularly. My purpose is not to proofread, but proofreading can serve in a significant, impactful way. The relationship with the author may be influential. The content of the proofread text may have far-reaching effects. My purpose is not to drive, but the time I choose to chauffeur may impact the life of my son or someone he encounters. The prayer I pray in uncertainty with faith in the One who hears it may be the opportunity God uses in my life and the one I pray for. Each of these gifts I give reside at different depths of who I am, but they are opportunities to serve and bless someone.

We all have a range of opportunities and things to offer. Will you lean in? Will you give the gift of you? I wonder what had God placed in you…

The gift of you (your talent, education, experience, and passion) is a blessing to you in order to be a blessing. How can you line up all of who you are and everything you’ve been equipped to do with your God-given purpose? What do you think? Comment below or at our Facebook Page.

Happy holy days from my heart to yours!