Matthew 27:32-37 (NIV)

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

Here’s a test: What is courage?

This professor handed out an exam with a single question. It was an essay-type exam and the essay question was: What is courage? All the students, save one, started writing frantically, giving examples, and expounding on theories taking up the allotted time for the exam. One lone student pondered over the question for a few seconds, wrote down two words, turned in his paper, and walked out of the classroom. The impressed professor read the student’s answer and rewarded the student with a double A+. How did the student answer the question you ask? This is.

Why do you think the professor gave the kid an A+? Because the kid didn’t define courage he demonstrated it.

The dictionary defines courage as the ability to do something that frightens you. I’d say that kid most assuredly had courage. Who walks out of an essay exam after writing down only two words? A person with courage that’s who. Courage is also defined as strength in the face of pain or grief. I agree with both of those definitions. It’s easy to say we have courage or we’re pretty sure if faced with pain or grief we’d have courage. We even hope we’d have courage under those circumstances. But hope will leave you during those times. That’s when courage must step in. This would be courage for me as I’m terrified of heights and wouldn’t even consider jumping out of a plane.

Photo by Muzammil Soorma on Unsplash

If you’re like my granddaughter, Finley, courage is dancing on stage in front of a lot of people or walking into preschool for the first time. At the time of these events, Finley didn’t know she had courage. All she knew was that she’d much rather just be a princess living in a beautiful castle. Finley has loved princesses ever since she’s known what a princess is. Now at the age of four (almost five), her favorite princess is Cinderella. We’ve watched the 2015 movie, Cinderella, at least a million times. What I love about it is the takeaway. The motto of Cinderella is “Have courage and be kind.” This is a motto Finley has adopted. Now when you ask her what’s her motto, she proudly says, “Have courage and be kind.” She shows great courage as she’s now in her final year of preschool and will be going to “big school” kindergarten next school year. And dancing in front of a crowd is no longer scary. Courage has kicked in.

Next question: What is a King?

Is it power, prestige, thrones, or castles? Jesus showed us something different. He defined or should I say demonstrated it differently.

What does a King look like? Jesus blew away all expectations of what a king is. Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Not a stead—a donkey. People tossed down palm leaves in expectation of what they considered a king to look like. Jesus came in humbly. No pomp and circumstance.

Again, the dictionary defines a king as the male ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth. Or a person regarded as the finest or most important in its sphere or group. WOW! Must be something else to be a king.

In reality, a true king humbles himself. A true king is not boisterous. A true king humbles himself to raise up others. I wrote a book once titled A Place Called Common Sense. In that book I wrote about leadership and when leaders emerge. I relayed a time when my daddy explained what he called “Leadership 101.” He said, “Take a piece of string. Now lay it on a table. With your finger try to push it. What happens? It becomes a backed-up mess. Now, straighten it out. With your thumb and index finger take hold of the string and pull it. What happens? It follows wherever you lead it. On earth, leadership comes in all genres. Presidents of countries, companies, or universities. Owners of small businesses, school principals, school teachers, military generals, or parents.

Jesus wasn’t like the kind of leaders we have today. Nor was he the kind of kings we have today. Jesus was a king who suffered. He gave of himself. He could have run away but he didn’t. He took the road of suffering. Isaiah 53 describes Jesus perfectly. It describes the meaning of king, leader, and courage. Jesus came to humble himself.

How about suffering? Have you been there? I experienced a bit of suffering over the past several months. I’m still not 100%. Certainly not at the suffering level I was at the beginning. And certainly not at the level I saw my grandma go through. But none of us have ever suffered the way Jesus suffered.

Do you think of Jesus as a king for only a day? The day he was King was the day he suffered and died. King for the day not when he came riding on a donkey into Jerusalem. The people didn’t call him a king because he wasn’t the king they expected. They called him a prophet. However, Jesus exceeded all expectations as to what a king is when he suffered and died on the cross for our sins.

Photo by Christoph Schmid on Unsplash

Do kings really live happily ever after or do they give their life for us?

Why do we worship the cross?

We don’t. It’s a symbol of the Messiah who suffered and gave His life so we might live.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

How can you have a savior who dies? You can’t.

Christ the Lord has risen!

I hope you all had a glorious Easter.

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post A Different Kind of King—Encountering Jesus appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Luke 4:1-13 (NIV)

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

            Temptation is tempting is it not? It’s part of our daily lives. I know I’ve been tempted many times. Especially when I’m trying to lose weight. It seems as though temptation won’t leave me alone. It’s hard to fight. All I want is what I don’t need. My brain knows I don’t need it, but temptation keeps nudging me forward to that which I shouldn’t do. No matter how hard I try to ignore temptation, it keeps whispering in my ear, “It’s okay. You deserve it.” Before I know what hit me, I find myself reaching out. Just one piece of candy. One bag of chips. It’s only one brownie. What’s that gonna hurt, right?

The question becomes, how do we put our faith in Jesus and deal with the temptation? We look at Jesus’ temptation in the desert. How He dealt with the devil. He’s been called to be the Savior. So how is He going to be if He can’t ward off temptation?

            First temptation: Hunger and tempting Him to satisfy His hunger. He has a physical need but He has a spiritual calling. When the devil preys on that hunger Jesus says, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

            Second temptation: The devil then turns political-tempting Jesus with power. But in return, He must bow down to the devil. Jesus denies this and rejects the temptation. He says, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

            Third temptation: Finally, the devil decides to test Jesus with pride and ego. He entices Him to show off by throwing Himself off the cliff. Offering popularity and celebrity status. Not deterred Jesus replies, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

            Next, we must look at magical religion versus moral religion. Magical religion is what God can do for us. Moral religion is what God does in and through our lives. God partnering with us and empowering us to do His will.

            We want power because we feel we can influence others rather than being moral and showing others how God wants us to be and influencing others that way.

            If we only look, we see that we can find strength through God. God gives us the capacity we need to face temptation.

            We all are given to temptation at some point but if we ask God’s help He will help. It’s not about how strong we are, it’s about trusting in the strength that only God can give us.

Anna B. Warner wrote a song in 1860 entitled “Jesus Loves Me.” As a child, I sang that song a million times. Its lyrics tell us that we are weak but He is strong. Jesus truly showed His strength in the desert as He faced the devil and all the devil could dish out in the way of temptation. Jesus pushed back at temptation and He won.

            How do you push back when temptation comes knocking? Do you rely on your own strength or do you ask God for help? Like Jesus discovered there are all sorts of temptations. I submit in today’s world we face even more temptations than even our parents and grandparents faced. We have more accessibility to things. Temptation loves to use those things to get us to look away from God.

            The next time you find yourself in the wilderness, it might be a good idea to ask God for help.

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post The Ground of Temptation—Is this Holy Ground? appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Exodus 18:12-23 (NIV)

 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God. The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. ¹⁶ Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”  Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

             What burdens do you carry? I know I’ve carried many burdens throughout my life. Some by my doing and some by others. When my daughters come to me with a problem, I think to myself, been there, done that. The reward of been there, done that is the learning part. That learning part allows me to share with my daughters what I’ve learned from my problem or burden. I believe that’s why we experience the heaviness of burdens. We learn from them.

            Burdens can overwhelm us tremendously. Especially when we try to carry them alone.

Photo by Christian Erfurt on Unsplash

            Do you feel alone during this time? Do you feel overwhelmed like you’re on a hamster wheel that just keeps going around and around? Do you ask for help or do you see that as a sign of weakness? Or maybe it’s just pride that stops us from asking for help. I’m very guilty of letting my pride interfere with not asking for help. Most if not all of us know this feeling well. Do you feel if you do share no one will understand? Men especially don’t want to show the weakness they might feel if they shared. My daddy was one of those men who never shared his feelings. Military through and through. He never wanted me to view him as weak.

            The story in our scripture is a story of not only leadership but asking for help. I wrote about leadership in my book, A Place Called Common Sense. The chapter entitled “When Leaders Emerge” speaks to finding leaders in times of turmoil. The leaders who carry our burdens.

            Jethro is Moses’ father-in-law. This scripture takes place during a time of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. They’ve been following Moses all this time. They are learning along the way and begin to see a sign of hope. Jethro, however, sees that Moses can no longer handle the burden of being the full-time judge. Moses feels he is helping the people by taking time to listen to them.

            Jethro and Moses go inside the tent to have a conversation. We see here that Jethro is taking time to listen to Moses. This is important to leadership. Jethro says nothing and just listens to Moses’ burdens. Moses not only talks about his burdens but his victories as well. Jethro rejoices in those victories. This is another important part of leadership. Listening and then rejoicing in victories. Jethro observes and when it’s appropriate he speaks and describes what he sees. He goes with Moses and watches Moses’ day.

            Jethro puts a very important question to Moses. He wants him to tell him everything he’s been doing. Then Jethro says, “You seem to be the only one here listening to all these people.” Jethro tells Moses he’s going to wear himself out. He says it’s not good. He tells him he needs to share the burden. When you’re in that type of position do you listen and remember? In Jethro’s observations, he sees that Moses is overwhelmed by life. But he feels if he asks for help he’ll be letting the people down. But Jethro knows that Moses needs help.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

            As followers of Christ, we need to be able to notice when others appear overwhelmed.

            Too many people are smothering with depression. As Christians and as a friend we must listen, observe, and offer a plan. Sometimes we need a Jethro in our life to observe and help.

Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:35-36) In other words, Jesus said you noticed.

            Jethro offers a plan for Moses to alleviate some of the burden. He suggests to Moses that he train others to do what he’s doing. Honestly, isn’t it hard to do that? Turn over some of the control. Let others help. What we must remember is that it’s healthy to work as a team. Needing help is not a weakness. It takes a bit of humility to invite the Jethros in.

            Leadership ain’t for the faint of heart. It means so much more than managing others. As a leader, one must have the ability to help and enable those on their team to reach their highest potential. Leaders inspire and motivate their teams. They take pleasure in their team’s success. Teamwork is always the key to leadership.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

            How does this story apply to you and how will you apply this story? How are you at being a Jethro?

Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

            And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post Sharing the Burden—You’re Never Alone appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Psalm 100 (NIV)

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Have you heard the one about the barber and the Pope?

Photo by Michael DeMoya on Unsplash

A man was getting a haircut before a trip to Rome.

He mentioned the trip to his barber who responded…

“Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It’s crowded and dirty and full of tourists. You’re crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?”

“We’re taking American Airlines,” was the reply. “We got a great rate!”

“American Airlines?” exclaimed the barber. “That’s a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly and they’re always late. So where are you staying in Rome?”

“We’ll be at the downtown International Marriott.”

“That dump? That’s the worst hotel in the city. The rooms are small, the service is surly and they’re overpriced. So, what are you doing when you get there?”

“We’re going to go see the Vatican and we hope to see the Pope.”

Photo by Chris Czermak on Unsplash

“That’s rich,” laughed the barber. “You and a million other people trying to see him. He’ll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You’re going to need it.”

A month later, the man again came in for his regular haircut.

The barber asked him about his trip to Rome.

“It was wonderful,” explained the man. “Not only were we on time but we flew in on one of American Airlines’ brand new planes, but it was overbooked and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a beautiful flight attendant who waited on me hand and foot. And the hotel—it was great! They’d just finished a $25 million remodeling job, and now it’s the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us the presidential suite at no extra charge!”

“Well,” muttered the barber, “I know you didn’t get to see the Pope.”

“Actually, we were quite lucky, for as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder and explained that the Pope likes to personally meet some of the visitors, and if I’d be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. Sure enough, five minutes later the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt as he spoke a few words to me.”

“Really?” asked the barber. “What’d he say?”

He said, “Where’d you get the awful haircut?”

Now that’s full of joy wouldn’t you say? Speaking of joy, was 2023 joyful for you? Now that we’re at the very beginning of 2024 when you look back will you be saying that it was full of joy?

Where do you find your joy? I find joy in many things. My family is my joy. My writing is my joy. I find my joy in reading God’s Word. Hearing beautiful music is another joy. My friends are my joy. Praying is my joy. Seeing the smiling faces of my grandchildren is my joy. And now that I have a great-grandchild, I can say seeing his smiling face is an added joy. There are other joys in my life but those are the main ones.

Jesus came so our joy would be full. God wants this for us. It’s important to remember that joy doesn’t mean happiness always. Joy means you see and seek joy in all circumstances. Good and bad. Seeing joy during the bad times is quite difficult.

Worship the Lord with gladness this is the orientation of our lives. It speaks to our focus. That we worship and serve God with gladness. What are the focal points of your life? Whatever it is tells you what’s the most important parts of your life. If God is the focal point all else falls into place. From this we find joy. It helps us to come before the Lord with joyful singing.

 If you are nervous about something it affects your performance. I remember the first time I told a story in front of a group of seasoned storytellers. Talk about being nervous.

Photo by Victor Rodvang on Unsplash

I’ve battled stage fright almost my entire life. Sometimes I wish I were that little girl again who never seemed to be afraid of speaking before one person or a hundred people. Somewhere along the line stage fright reared its ugly head. I no longer felt comfortable speaking in front of a group. I prayed a lot about this. I decided if I were to overcome this, I had to put myself out there in the hopes that it would get easier and possibly go away altogether. The good news is that although I haven’t conquered it completely, I’m so much better at it. I do find that I’m much more comfortable speaking in front of kids than adults. I’m sure that probably speaks to my level of maturity. God has taught me that if joy is in my heart things don’t feel so daunting.

Next is identity. Knowing who God is and that we are His. This echoes Psalm 23. We are made in God’s image. But if we forget who we are it puts us off balance. Knowing we’re God’s children helps us to know who we are. This is a strong foundation.

Next is gratitude for God’s goodness and grace. Knowing God is faithful and loving. When we pray we must be grateful for how God sticks with us. God will always be with us and that fact alone should give us joy.

So, what’s your focus

1. Knowing God is God?
2. Being grateful for His love and grace?
3. Knowing we are His children?

Make this new year a joyful year by living in God’s joy.

Photo by Kolby Milton on Unsplash

From my family to yours, I wish you a joyful and joy-filled 2024!

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post Living a Joy-Filled Life – Will You Choose Joy appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

One of the silliest Christmas songs I’ve ever heard is “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.” Here’s the back story to this goofy song. Most of us have heard it I’m sure. Love it? Hate it? It was originally performed by a husband-and-wife duo by the name of Elmo and Patsy Trigg Shropshire in 1979. In the song, there’s this grandma and she’s sitting around celebrating Christmas Eve with her family. She’s really enjoying the party but is off her meds and gets drunk on the spiked eggnog. She then staggers outside into a snowstorm. All the while the family is begging her to stay in. The next day she’s found trampled to death by what looks like Santa and his reindeer. Incriminating reindeer hoof marks are found on Grandma’s back.

Later the family gathers once again. All dressed in black. They wonder if all the Christmas gifts they bought for Grandma should be returned. With that, they go on with Christmas dinner as usual. The centerpiece on the table is blue with silver candles that coincidently match Grandma’s hairpiece. Seems Grandpa isn’t much phased by his wife’s parting and spends the day having a high old time.

With most stories, there’s a moral. This story is no different. The moral is, or should I dare say “warning” is that one should never give a driver’s license to a man who drives a sleigh and plays with elves. Bet Santa was surprised when he learned of Grandma’s demise.

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

Here’s a little more info about this song. A guy by the name of Randy Brooks who was with a young country band played the song for Elmo and Patsy in December of 1978. Brooks was inspired by a Merle Haggard Christmas song about a grandma. Elmo and Patsy recorded the thing and Brooks hated it. But by 1984 it became the #1 song in the country—above “White Christmas.” Now the moral to this story is it’s amazing how ordinary things turn into extraordinary things given the right set of circumstances.

Our lives can be ordinary. But God can turn it extraordinary. The story of Mary is one such example of this. Mary was just an ordinary young woman. A human being that God blessed and who became extraordinary. Mary finds favor with God but she doesn’t understand because she considers herself ordinary. Why does God favor Mary? It’s a “just because” case. God loves us “just because” and not because of something we’ve done.

Photo by DDP on Unsplash

If we believe God loves us “just because” then we should believe that he can take our ordinary life and make it extraordinary. In Mary’s case, God sends an angel to tell her that she will bear a child and that the child is the Messiah. God’s son. Can you imagine the look on her face? Can you imagine the fear?

When God calls us to do something, He’s not interested in excuses. God will do the heavy lifting. There’s nothing impossible for Him. This is where trust comes into play. Like Mary, we must say yes. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.” (Luke1:38)

Although ordinary, Mary was a young girl of courage and strength. Wouldn’t she have to be? She risked shame, abuse, abandonment from her family, and maybe even stoning. Regardless, she went on to tell Joseph. Perhaps she even had to tell family and friends. I’ve always thought her to be remarkable. Her relationship with God was deeply rooted. Her relationship with Elizabeth further bolstered her courage. Elizabeth described her as “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments.” (Luke 1:6)

Because Mary had pleased God through her trust in Him and her faith in Him, this served to shield her throughout the challenges she would face. When Jesus became a man and Joseph died, Mary lived to see her Son beaten horribly and crucified. She was ordinary and became extraordinary.

Our callings are similar. God calls us to be the people others see as extraordinary. They see how God can work in our lives.

What do you bring to the table in your ordinary life?

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

Merry Christmas

Jesus is the reason for the season.

The post Christmas Is—Ordinary and Extraordinary appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Luke 17:11-19 (NIV)

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

            Gratefulness and heroes. How desperately do we need both right now? I suspect we all could use a little gratefulness in our lives. Bringing in a hero or two might even help. How grateful are you at this very moment? Who is your hero(es)?

            One of my heroes is my senior English Lit teacher, Miss Onice Fields. I’ve written about Miss Fields in my book Anyone Seen My Rose-colored Glasses? Miss Fields was not only the hardest teacher I’ve ever had but she was the best. But, then, aren’t the hardest teachers the best teachers? I loved her. In later years she became my mentor. She read many of my writings and didn’t spare the red ink when critiquing them. Her advice and guidance when I attended her class in high school stayed with me throughout my years. We talked many times over the phone and via email. She was never shy about sharing her faith. Even as a senior English Lit teacher, we all knew where she stood in her faith. I doubt it ever crossed her mind that she might be called on the carpet for bringing God into her classroom even then. She was fearless. I was able to visit with her in person on one of my trips to Georgia. We had a delightful time together reminiscing about our days at Therrell High School in Atlanta, GA. I couldn’t get over her total recall of all her students. I’m honored to have known her and learned from her. I miss her still but I know I’ll see her again on the shores of Jordan and we’ll walk and talk once again. I’m forever grateful for her time on this earth. She’s my hero.

During the time of our scripture, if you had a rash or acne, you must be cleansed. But if a priest said you had leprosy you were kicked out—an outcast. You had to stay far away from others. It became a death sentence. If a leper became well the priest had to confirm it. It was like being resurrected.

Can you imagine how it felt to be a leper? To be unclean…dirty…filthy…not able to be around others. Alone in your misery with no one to help you up.

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

            Jesus heard the cries of the lepers. When they saw Jesus, He told them to go see the priest. Only one out of the ten went back to thank Jesus. The rest rushed forward to the priest to be accepted and confirmed healed. The one who returned was a Samaritan. The one was made well. The others were healed. What does this mean? When you are made well you feel gratitude and that makes you well and not just healed.

            Here we see Jesus entering a village. The ten lepers address Jesus as “master.” As they are running toward the priests to confirm their healing, they are indeed made clean. But then there’s the one. He alone turns back and begins to glorify God throwing himself at the feet of Jesus. He’s thanking Him. As mentioned, the one is a Samaritan—an outsider. Jesus asks, “Were there not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise (meaning give glory) to God except this foreigner?” Consequently, Jesus says to the Samaritan who has offered thanksgiving at His feet, “your faith has made you well.” Meaning it has saved him.

            Gratitude is so important. It’s the number one predictor of a happy and healthy life. Does your life look more like the 9 or the 1? What happens when things are going great? Do we stop to say thanks? Christianity is a response to God’s grace. Our life is a living gratitude.

            Would you consider the Samaritan an unsung hero? I certainly would. We live among many unsung heroes. Those who do things anonymously that help or serve others. Those who aren’t famous or stand around bragging about their accomplishments. The ones who, if noticed, want nothing to do with being called a hero. We saw many heroes on 9/11. We’ve seen heroes since. Those who risked their lives to rescue the people left behind in Afghanistan. Those who are risking their lives now to rescue hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The ones who run toward the danger when others are running away.

            Heroes come in all packages. And their heroism doesn’t have to be something spectacular. It can be a small gesture that makes a big difference in another’s life.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

            Jesus is truly a hero to all. His care for the marginalized—the lepers in our scripture. The most marginalized of them all was the Samaritan and yet he was the most grateful. He showed the most gratitude. He was the one.

Taking gratitude for granted is never a good place to be in life. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to begin your life of gratitude. Stop and be grateful to the source of all things.

Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post The Grateful—The Unsung Heroes appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Luke 15:1-7 (NIV)

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The context of this parable…

We start this parable with Jesus hanging out with a bunch of sinners. The Pharisees were appalled at the sight of this. They were into keeping the law to a tee. Society thought of themselves as good people. They were extremely religious. They were excited about their faith. But then they started looking down at others. Especially those considered earthy or people of the land. Unlike them who considered themselves pure.

But Jesus cared about the sinners deeply. He cared about the Pharisees too, but he wanted to convey through this parable the importance of the lost. “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Verses 4-7)

I remember as a child getting lost. It was the most terrifying feeling. My Uncle Buck took me to the South Carolina State Fair when I was six years old. I’d been begging him for cotton candy. He finally relented. As we stood at the cotton candy counter, I couldn’t keep my mouth from watering. When he handed me the delicious treat, I dug into it stuffing each heavenly piece I pulled away from the paper cone into my mouth. As I ate, we walked around looking at the sights. Uncle Buck didn’t notice that he had gone in one direction and I, engulfed in cotton candy, had gone another.

Photo by Yarden on Unsplash

When I took a breather from eating, I took the hand of a stranger standing next to me thinking it was Uncle Buck. I looked up and horror struck as I realized I was holding the hand of a stranger. I began crying loudly. The stranger, thankfully a kind man, was just as stunned when I took his hand. By this time Uncle Buck had already noticed my absence and was running all over the fairgrounds shouting my name. When I heard Uncle Buck’s voice, I told the stranger through my sobbing it was my uncle. We went toward the sound of Uncle Buck’s voice and when we saw one another we hugged each other so tightly it’s a wonder we didn’t break our ribs.

A lot of times we don’t look at ourselves as being lost. Life goes on each day and one day we look around at ourselves and have no idea where we are and how we got there. How we became lost. My daddy experienced that feeling of not knowing how he got to the place where he once loved the church but found one day he no longer did. He didn’t want to go to church or participate in anything church-related. He became lost. Years later he finally admitted that he’d felt betrayed by the church and that made him no longer interested in being a part of it. Unlike the shepherd, no one from the church ever came in search of their lost sheep.

Photo by Greg Willson on Unsplash

My mother and I both prayed many hours, days, and years that Daddy would reconsider going to church. He never did. The good news, however, is that during the last year of his life, my mother said he finally came to terms with the betrayal he felt and told her he’d talked to the Lord and was at peace with his life. The lost sheep that God went in search of and found.

In this parable, Jesus talks about the importance of going after those who are lost. God pursues us. Just like He pursued my daddy. He won’t let you go off by yourself untethered. God is always searching for you to have a relationship with you. God’s concern is for the lost. He goes into action. It breaks His heart when He sees the lost wandering with no purpose. When we’re lost, broken, or hopeless it gets God’s attention. He never gives up on that one lost sheep. This is good news.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

What are some of the ways we find ourselves lost today? Do you sometimes get too busy for God? Beware it doesn’t turn into a cycle that turns into a habit that turns into an addiction. Jesus paints this picture of God and how excited God gets when that one lost becomes found. It’s exciting to find the lost and bring them back into the fold. For Christians, it’s our job to facilitate a reunion with God and the lost.

How do we or should we respond to those who are lost? Do we seek them out? Rescue them? Welcome them? Or do we simply leave them in the lost and found?

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post The Lost Sheep—Lost and Found appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Psalm 27:1-5; 13-14 (NIV)

            Where were you when the world stopped turning? September 11, 2001, is a day I will never forget. The attackers killed 2,977 people from 93 nations. Out of that figure, 2,753 people were killed in New York. Then 184 people were killed at the Pentagon. Finally, there were 40 people killed on Flight 93. I sat in my den staring at the T.V. in horror unable to move. I sat there the entire day with tears running down my face. The memories of that day and the days that followed are forever etched in my mind. I will never forget. I never see a picture or a video of that day that I don’t cry and mourn the lives that were lost. I will never forget. The days that followed brought with it an air of silence over our land that haunts me to this day. I will never forget. On September 11, 2001, by dawn’s early light, evil crept in and stole our innocence and the lives of our citizens. I will never forget.

Photo by Julien Maculan on Unsplash

The nightmare remains 22 years later. I suspect for some it will last an eternity. What is the response of people of faith 22 years later? We must choose to live not in fear but in faith. However, fear is real—it touches all our lives. The anxiousness of this life is that we are vulnerable to terror and hate. Terrorists win when we give into fear. They win when we turn on each other and forget our community. Fear can paralyze. We get stuck. But in faith, we become strong through God’s strength.

            Adversity is a given. It’s when not if evil will come. Adversity will come. There’s evil in this world. You don’t have to watch Star Wars to see the dark side. Some people hate beyond understanding but we must be confident. The day that defines our lives is the day of resurrection. Like the first Easter, evil will not have the last word. Our hope in Jesus helps us to rise above adversity. Our courage and confidence come from the Lord.

            Waiting for God. Waiting means actively participating in what God wants us to do—being strong in our faith. How do you face evil? What’s your game plan? Do you walk into the evil with whatever you have to fight with? Going into the world listening to God’s voice and doing all He wants us to do. Trusting him and waiting on the Lord.

            In our scripture, we find David in a time of distress. He reaffirmed his faith in God. This helped to strengthen himself through God. Throughout David’s life, he saw God’s faithfulness. The time his sheep were under threat, God helped him slay the lion. Then along came Goliath. God helped David slay him. How about the king who wanted David’s head? All the other oppositions that faced David. We see in David that his only true threat was his own weakness. David learned that when his heart was steadfast in the Lord, he had nothing to fear.

Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

            This is a reminder to us that we have nothing that isn’t given to us by God. As Christians, we know what David knew and that’s when our heart is steadfast, we can accomplish anything and we have nothing to fear. We give thanks to God when times are good and we trust Him always to provide. Then when times are difficult do we thank God and trust in Him? I suspect that’s a whole new can of worms.

            In all truth, we must thank God in times of sorrow and difficulty because He is still sovereign and He always does everything for our good. Even when we don’t see it at the time. Even during the most terrible time in our nation’s history.

            #1: The Lord is my light…

            #2: The Lord is my salvation…

            #3: Whom shall I fear…

            #4: The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

            David’s prayer is concluded with him acknowledging that he would have despaired unless he had believed. There’s no way we as human beings, left on our own, can find and embrace the hope needed to carry on. I believe the events of 9/11 proved that point to those of us who are believers.

            Now 22 years after the world went silent and time stood still, we must trust and lean on God for peace. Wait on the Lord, we are placed on this earth to do God’s will. For such a time as this.

Yes, wait on the Lord

Photo by Ümit Bulut on Unsplash

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post How to Live Each Day with Courage appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Colossians 1:13-20 (NIV)

When did you see God out in the world last? Can you know God through the world or only through the Bible? Sometimes when direct questions like these get asked, we feel like we’re part of a “stump the chump” session. If you don’t know what that is, simply put it’s when an audience repeatedly questions, in an aggressive tone, a person who might be doing a presentation. It is often disruptive to not only the presenter but the audience as well. This is all to stump the chump.

So, can you see God in the world? Were the early Christians influenced by the mystics? Short answer…yes. Is mysticism the same as magic? Not really. If you look up the word mystic in the dictionary you read this: a person who seeks by contemplation and self-surrender to obtain unity with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or who believes in the spiritual apprehension of truths that are beyond the intellect.

In our human terms, a mystic just might be a white guy in a turban with bad facial hair. He would read other people’s minds or tell the future. That conjures up visions of Johnny Carson with a turban on his head holding up an envelope to his head and saying, “An elevator, a glass of water, and an elephant.” Then the co-host would fill in with questions that go with each term. If you think that’s the definition of a mystic then I would say no. Mystics did not influence the Christians. How about a fortune teller. I’d say no to that too.

Photo by petr sidorov on Unsplash

Another definition for a mystic is people who’ve had certain experiences or a union with God. Examples of these types of mystics are:

Catherine of Siena: When reading about Catherine you find that she was the youngest of twenty-five children. She came from a family described as lower middle-class. Sadly, most of the twenty-five of her siblings didn’t survive childhood. Catherine is considered a patron saint of Europe and Italy. She is one of only four women that was named a doctor of the church. Roman Catholicism considers her mystical “The Dialogue,” her letters, and her prayers of special authority. It’s reported that at the age of five or seven, she claimed to have experienced mystical visions and consecrated her virginity to Christ.

Teresa of Ávila: Teresa lived in the 1500s and was a Spanish Carmelite nun. When reading about her you discover that she was considered a mystic. Additionally, she was an author of spiritual poems and writings. In 1529 Teresa’s mother died. Teresa decided to enter the Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation at Avila, Spain in about 1535. This was not to her father’s liking. However shortly thereafter (probably within two years) her health took a turn for the worse. She became an invalid for three years. During that time, she developed a love for mental prayer. But then when she recovered, she suddenly stopped praying and continued not to pray for fifteen years. She underwent a religious awakening in 1555. She’s known for founding numerous convents throughout Spain. She also was the originator of the Carmelite Reform.

Julian of Norwich: Also known as Juliana, was a celebrated mystic. Born in 1342 most likely in Norwich, Norfolk, England. In May of 1372, she underwent a healing of a serious illness. This happened after she experienced a series of visions of Christ. His suffering and the Blessed Virgin. She wrote about the visions twice. The second writing she composed about twenty or thirty years after the first one. She became a recluse at St. Julian’s Church in Norwich. Documents of her medieval religious experiences are considered remarkable. They are called Revelations of Divine Love (or Showings).

St. John of the Cross: The only guy out of the four, his original name was Juan de Yepes y Alvarez. He’s considered one of the greatest Christian mystics. Also, his repertoire contains reports of him being a poet, doctor of the church, reformer of Spanish monasticism, and the co-founder of the contemplative order of Discalced Carmelites. St. John is a patron saint of mystics. He became a Carmelite monk in 1563 in Spain at Medina del Campo. In 1567 he became ordained as a priest. He assisted St. Teresa of Avila in 1568. One year after that he opened the first Discalced Carmelite monastery. However, as some things tend to go down, friction occurred within the order and he was imprisoned in 1576. Then again in 1577. He accomplished some of his best work while in prison. He then escaped in 1578 only to win a high office in the order. After all that, toward the end of his life, there was more dissension, and he went into absolute solitude.

In the Methodist church, John Wesley and Charles Wesley were profoundly influenced by those types of mystics. John Wesley explored the Christian mystics for 13 years. Maybe trying to have a peak experience of his own. But he never did. He finally turned away from mystics determining it would shipwreck his faith. He concluded that we can experience God without being a mystic.

John’s brother, Charles, however, didn’t go the same route of pushing mystics away. He wrote hymns about mystics and reveled in the glory of the stories of mystics.

Every person can be a mystic. Because everyone can experience God. Don’t misunderstand, God is God and we are not. John Wesley tried to force God to turn him into a mystic or have a mystical experience. John tried to twist God’s arm and that just doesn’t work. Have you ever done that? Tried to strongarm God?

Sometimes we might think that every happening in our life is a divine experience. This is part of the problem with mysticism. We might experience something that we wrongly believe is mysticism but it’s not. It might just be heartburn from eating a plate of chili cheese fries.

Photo by Christine von Raesfeld on Unsplash

In our scripture, we discover what John Wesley discovered as it reads: The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Paul says, that Jesus the Christ is the image of the invisible God. This is the solution to the problem of mysticism. It means that it is Christ-like. And in a way it is mystical—if it fills you with hope and love. If it awakens a freedom from guilt or shame it’s definitely from God. If it fills you with hate, anger, or violence, it most certainly is not from God.

I’m not a wine drinker. Never have been. I don’t like it at all. There are those, like my husband who love wine. They have a nose for it. Meaning they can smell it and know what kind it is. Or taste it and know where the grapes came from. Their tastebuds just know. It takes years to accomplish this, however.

Photo by Maksym Kaharlytskyi on Unsplash

I love tea and coffee. I’m not a connoisseur of either but I know what I like.

Photo by Parker Johnson on Unsplash

There are those who are beyond my knowledge of teas and coffees. The same is true for mystical experiences. If you have an eye or nose for these things, it’s okay as long as it’s not an obsession. You need a guide along the way. Learning the difference between what’s mystical and what’s not. What’s tea/wine/coffee and what’s not. We can learn these things from people who know so much more about them than we do.

Think about the communion table—so simple—yet so powerful. For 2,000 years we’ve gone to this table and we’ve seen God’s presence. We feel His presence. But I will state that whether we feel it or not, He’s there. He always has been. God promises to be there just waiting. All you need do is to receive. You should learn to expect it. Then you just might feel a feeling of thanksgiving. In return it will give you a sense of peace, hope, and joy.

Photo by James Coleman on Unsplash

            Don’t hoard it, it’s a treasure that needs sharing. This is what it means to have a mystic experience.

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post Everyday Mystics—Seeing God appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.

Isaiah 6:1-8 (NIV)

Have you ever played hide and seek as a child or even with your kids?

Photo by Xavi Cabrera on Unsplash

            Sometimes when we play hide and seek with God, we merely cover our eyes and think if we don’t see it then God doesn’t see it. I’m sure I thought that at some point in my life. Especially when I was young.

Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash

In our passage, we see it’s that time. Uzziah is dead. Uzziah began to reign when just 16 years old. He reigned for fifty-two years. He was popular, powerful, and the first cousin of Isaiah. When he dies it becomes a chaotic time and the northern kingdom is falling.

Our country has seen that kind of time. Remember 9/11? How about the year 2020 that brought with it COVID-19? It was that time in our lives. During those times, God wants us to keep our eyes on Him. When it’s not “that time” there are many things that block our vision of God. Like we feel secure in our job or our home. We might even feel security in our leaders. We feel God with us because we know Him, love Him, and trust Him. Yet, we’re not really depending on Him. Then “that time” happens.

Looking at our scripture this is where we find Isaiah. He’s at “that time.” King Uzziah has died and now Isaiah has seen the Lord. Some believed to see God was to die. Of course, Isaiah feels inadequate and worthless. He’s found himself in the presence of God. We see Isaiah in the temple and he’s in the innermost portion of the temple. This is known as the “Holy of Holies.” It housed the Ark of the Covenant. God’s earthly throne. If you were standing in the presence of God and His heavenly council what would be running through your mind? Fear?

Isaiah is fully aware that he’s been confronted by “the King, the Lord of hosts.” But he’s not afraid. He’s humbled. He knows God isn’t out to kill him. God wants to forgive Isaiah. And so He does.

God doesn’t issue Isaiah a divine command. He asks him a question. The funny thing about it is that God doesn’t even address the question to Isaiah. God speaks to the heavenly council, allowing Isaiah to overhear the conversation. God is asking the question, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah can’t control himself and responds, “Here am I; send me!”

At the beginning of all of this, we see Isaiah hiding from God. He cries out, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips.” It just might beg the question, “Do people who curse seem more honest? Or do they seem more angry?” My daddy’s cousin cursed all the time. It was part of his everyday language. He thought nothing of it. It drove my mother crazy. She would purse her lips and give him that disgusted look like mothers give to an unruly child. I remember the first time I heard him use the Lord’s name in vain. I thought my mother just might slap his face. When he realized I’d heard it, he apologized and he never used it in front of me again. I’m pretty positive he used it in other situations. Now, here’s the crazy part. He was the nicest man you’d ever want to meet. We all loved him. He would give you the shirt off his back. His kindness to others and those in need was well known throughout his community. He worked hard throughout his life beginning as a truck driver and eventually owning his own fleet of trucks. He made tons of money but you’d never know it by his lifestyle. I miss him to this very day.

This is him and me at the airport in Charlotte, NC. I was about 6.

Even if we do have unclean lips can we really hide from God? Can God forgive our unclean lips and make them clean? I believe that it’s just better to be quiet than to use foul language.

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

Isaiah couldn’t hide. He realized there’s no hiding from God when he finds himself in the temple and gets a dose of the spirit of God. It so filled the temple the doors shook.

Do you know what it feels like to know you’ve done something wrong and to be caught? I’ve been there so many times especially when I was a kid. I stole a piece of candy from the local drugstore when I was about nine years old. I tried to shave my legs in the sink only to fall and bust my chin open needing stitches. At the age of sixteen, I attended the Little Woodstock in Georgia without permission. Got caught every single time. It was “that time” for me. Isaiah felt that in the temple.

How God reacts and how we react when we come clean. For Isaiah, he saw six-winged creatures that headed toward him and touched his tongue with a fiery pole. The good news is that when God forgives it’s done. Even if we still feel guilty.

            Don’t get too comfortable. After that God isn’t done with us. He moves on and gets on with the mission. Just like I previously mentioned, God tells Isaiah who will I send and who will go for us? And Isaiah said, “Here am I. Send me.”

            When Isaiah left the temple he was no longer caught up in himself but moved toward the mission of God’s choosing.

            What is your mission? What is your story of that time you got caught?

And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!

The post Playing Hide and Seek with God appeared first on Regina Stone Matthews.