Kathy Howard's Blog: Unshakeable Faith for Life, page 16

I Need Your Help with the “Heirloom” Book Launch

It’s almost here. I spent months writing “Heirloom: Living and Leaving a Legacy of Faith.” Tyndale Publishers has spent months turning my work into a beautiful physical book. Now, it’s finally time for the Heirloom book launch! Time to introduce my book baby to the world. But I can’t do it alone. I need your help.

Reasons to join the Heirloom book launch team

Yep, I’m asking for your help. I get a lot of benefit from you joining the launch team. But, I also want the experience to benefit you as a team member. Here are some of the perks:

Advance PDF copy of “Heirloom”“Heirloom” Scripture CardFamily Tree book plate for your BibleGuide to help you write your faith story for your familyChance of winning weekly Amazon gift card draws!

Another BIG benefit is the community of the launch team itself. It’s a lot of fun to be part of the group, working together to make something happen. And launch team leader Karen works to build that fun and sense of community.

And last, but not least, you will be a HUGE encouragement to me!

What do book launch team members do?

Okay, so maybe you’re thinking about it. But what will we ask you to do? First of all, team captain Karen is awesome! She gives team members everything they need. AND, she tells you exactly how and when! The following are the basic things we ask of team members.

Have a few minutes here and there during the launch: October 4 – 29Since the team operates through a Facebook group, team members must have a FB accountShare graphics – that Karen provides – once or twice a week on social mediaPost a book review on Amazon – Karen walks you through how to do this!Tell your friends!Order the book (if possible) for yourself or a friend on Power Purchase DayOptional: Host Kathy on your blog, newsletter, or podcast!

Ready to apply? Apply to the team!

Not quite ready? Keep reading!

What is “Heirloom” about anyway?

One more thing. You’re probably wondering if the book is even worth investing your time. Here’s a bit more about “Heirloom:”

Heirloom: Living and Leaving a Legacy of Faith tells stories of the past that will impact our faith today. These 52 heart-felt reflections reveal the seeds of our faith―seeds that sprouted and took root, growing through the centuries to touch our lives today. Heirloom weaves these stories of faith and family history with Scripture, beautiful artwork, and ancestry research tips and techniques. Through these stories of persevering faith you’ll discover the potential your story has to impact future generations. (See a preview on Amazon.) Key features of Heirloom:

Includes 52 inspiring stories of faith from the Bible, family research, and historyGives 52 genealogy research tips to help you explore your own familyShares 52 biblical and practical tips to inspire you to live out your faith in ways that will impact your family tomorrowEncourages you to trace your heritage and document the stories of your ancestors

In a nutshell, “Heirloom” encourages readers to be purposeful about leaving a spiritual legacy for their loved ones, gives the foundation from Scripture, and offers practical tips for how to do it.

So, what do you think? Ready to help launch “Heirloom” into the world? Click the button below to go to the Heirloom book launch team application!

Heirloom Launch Team Application

Thank you for your interest. I couldn’t keep doing what God has called me to do without your help and encouragement!

I Need Your Help with the “Heirloom” Book Launch by Kathy Howard.

4 Tips to Help You Understand the Bible

The Bible has endless application for our lives, but only one meaning. Every part of Scripture means the same thing today as it did when it was written. In our desire to understand the Bible, our goal should be to discover that one original meaning. To grasp the eternal truth God gave us through the pen of man.

So, why do we struggle so often to understand the Bible? And why do so many sincere Christians understand parts differently? While there are many reasons for our individual struggles and the doctrinal differences between groups and denominations, there is one problem that affects many of us: We often read the Bible incorrectly.

4 Guidelines to Understand the Bible Correctly

We don’t have the time or space to do a deep dive into everything that hinders our proper understanding. However, we will touch on four key guidelines to aid us in our pursuit to understand the Bible correctly.

Literary Genre – The Bible is literature. The specific style of a Bible book impacts how we should understand it. The Bible includes roughly six to eight different literary genres, depending on how its broken down. We don’t have time to fully explore each type of biblical genre and discuss tips for understanding it. However, see “How Biblical Genre Impacts our Understanding” for a list, brief description, and practical tips. (Other articles you may also find helpful: “The Many Genres of Scripture”and “How Should the Different Genres Impact How We Should Interpret the Bible.”)Context – Every book was written at a specific point in history to a particular audience with a specific purpose. This context greatly impacts how we should understand the text. (For more info on context, see “4 Things to Consider for Biblical Context.”)Historical/Cultural Context – Every book of the Bible was written at a point in history to a specific people with a particular set of circumstances. In order to properly understand a passage we need to have a grasp on its context. Who was the author, recipients, date, and location for the book? What was the author’s purpose? Knowing the world events, world powers, the economy, and world religions all aid proper understanding. The culture in which they lived also affects how we should understand the text. Tips: Consult resources like Bible dictionaries and commentaries to help.Literary Context – Keep each verse and passage within the context of the surrounding text. It is so easy to misunderstand when we pull one verse or short passage out by itself. Philippians 4:13is a very common victim of this. Tips: When possible, read the book in an entire sitting. Look at every verse and passage with a “wide angle” lenses.Meta–Narrative – All the individual books and stories of the Bible join together to tell us one big story: The rule, reign, and redemptive purposes of God. No individual will contradict the Big Story. Tips: Ask, where does this fit in the Big Story? What does this teach us about God’s rule, reign, and redemption?Interpret Scripture with Scripture – There is no conflict in the Bible only incorrect or incomplete understanding on our part. Therefore, we can use other passages to help us understand a difficult or obscure one. Tip: Use a concordance to look up other passages that cover this same topic or principle.

This post is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to properly understanding God’s Word. If you want to learn more, I recommend these two helpful resources: How to Read the Bible for all its Worth by Fee and Stuart and Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin. Both books give great information but you don’t have to be a seminary student to understand them!

What other great resources have you found helpful?

4 Tips to Help You Understand the Bible by Kathy Howard.

3 Sweet Friends, 3 Great Books, 3 Chances to Win

A couple of weeks ago I got to spend some time with three sweet friends who love Jesus and tirelessly minister to others. Since all of them have recently released great books I decided it wanted to tell you about them – my friends and their new books! AND, I want to give you a chance to win one of their books! (This post/email is longer than usual, but feel free to skim or jump down to a book that captures your attention!)

There will actually be FOUR winners – one for each of my friends’ books and one winner of my last release “Deep Rooted: Growing through the Gospel of Mark.” You can enter up to three times. Here are the ways you can enter: 1. Leave a comment on this blog saying which book you most need to read. 2. Share this post on Facebook. Be sure to come back here and leave a separate comment letting me know you shared. 3. Email this post to one or more friends. Again, come back here and leave a separate comment to let me know you did this. (Note: The random winner is drawn from the comments. That’s why you need to leave separate comments!)

“Letting God be Enough” by Erica WiggenhornErica’s own testimony:

“For years I tried to be the superhero Christian woman. You know- put together, well-behaved kids, faithful volunteer, always dependable. I strove to meet every need, make everybody happy, and keep up the image of doing it all in the joy of Jesus. But, inside I was exhausted. And I did it out of fear not love. I worried that if I dropped my superhero cape, people would reject me. Maybe even God would be disappointed in me. So, I kept up the pace of frenetic performance. Still I felt judged, rejected, diminished, not enough. But then I found freedom from all this and more by letting God be enough.”

More about “Letting God Be Enough:”

In a world where “never enough” is the norm, how do you avoid comparing yourself to others? Do you attempt to keep up or simply give up? And how does God fit into the equation?

Erica Wiggenhorn has led thousands of women through the pages of Scripture. In “Letting God Be Enough” she biblically tackles the age-old feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, fear, comparison, and insecurity. Through the life of Moses, Erica shows how God can work powerfully through our weaknesses. You will discover how to:

Jump off the merry-go-round of other people’s opinionExchange past regrets with God’s exciting plan for your futureExperience freedom from self-doubt, comparison, and feelings of inadequacyWalk in confidence that God can handle everything that happens todayRest in God when life doesn’t make senseLet God be enough!

This book releases SEPTEMBER 7th! PREORDER “Letting God Be Enough” on Amazon

More about Erica:

Erica Wiggenhorn is an award-winning author and the Founder of Every Life Ministries. Erica loves to bring God’s Word to anyone who will listen whether it’s a large women’s conference, a church retreat or her own kitchen table. Erica lives in Phoenix, with her best friend Jonathan and her five kids, only two of which are human and the others furry and adorable. You can connect with Erica at ericawiggenhorn.com.

“Messy Hope” by Lori Wildenberg

This book is so timely. Over the last 18 months, the impact of COVID has intensified feelings of depression, anxiety, and hopeless among our children and teenagers. Lori Wildenberg has prayed over this message and this book. She has also helped her own daughter who has wrestled with depression.

More about “Messy Hope:”

Some experts say that depression and anxiety are the new normal. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people. As parents, we cannot accept this. Many young people feel helpless and hopeless. Our kids must be equipped with more than resiliency and positivity. They need hope. Hope for a future. Along with her daughter Kendra, parent and family educator Lori Wildenberg encourages you to take the practical ways offered in “Messy Hope” to foster necessary hope growth in your children’s hearts. Messy Hope: Help Your Child Overcome Anxiety, Depression, or Suicidal Ideation is more than a self-help book. This is your lifeline to help them overcome depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation to experience a hope-filled life. See “Messy Hope” on Amazon.

More about Lori:

Lori Wildenberg, mom of a daughter who has wrestled with depression, is passionate about helping parents help their children embrace hope in a hard world. Lori is a licensed parent and family educator, national speaker, podcaster, and author of six parenting books.  https://loriwildenberg.com/

“Stronger Every Day” by Janell Rardon

As a trauma-informed professional life coach, Janell Rardon regularly works with brokenness–broken families, broken relationships, broken hearts and souls. In response to the pleas of her clients, she developed a set of emotional-health tools to help them repair the broken parts of their lives. In Stronger Every Day: 9 Tools for an Emotionally Healthy You, she shares powerful tools to help you:

Transform pain into meaningExperience secure attachment with GodShape healthy thoughtsShift from shame to self-compassionPractice healthy assertivenessSet mental and emotional boundariesUnderstand triggers and defense mechanismsRegulate emotional highs and lowsCultivate healthy human connection

With inspiring Scriptures, quotes, prayers, personal stories, and case studies, Rardon sets you on the path of emotional health so that you can be stronger than ever–every day.

About Janell

Janell Rardon, MA, is a Board-Certified Life Coach (AACC), adjunct professor, and an award-winning author who loves nothing more than helping family systems become emotionally healthy, happy, and whole. She specializes in trauma-informed, attachment-based, faith-infused modalities. She and her husband live in Virginia and have three grown children. Connect with Janell at JanellRardon.com

“Deep Rooted: Growing through the Gospel of Mark”

Here’s one more chance to win a book! And it’s one of mine!

You CAN nurture a delight for God’s Word that keeps you rooted and growing! Want to experience regular spiritual nourishment from the Bible, but not sure how to start? Deep Rooted, a 40-day devotional journey through the life and ministry of Jesus, will show you how to interact with and apply Scripture, not just read it. These meaty, daily devotions use a simple study framework to help you:

Develop a regular habit of spending quality time in God’s WordKnow Jesus more fully and intimatelyLearn how to dig into Scripture yourself with the 4 R Bible Study MethodBe transformed by God’s Word, not just informedPractically live out the truths you discover in Scripture

FUN NEWS about DEEP ROOTED – It’s going to be a SERIES! “Deep Rooted: Growing through the Book of Acts” will be released in early December 2021 and “Deep Rooted: Growing through the Book of Romans” will be out Spring 2022!

Time to enter for a chance to win! Leave a comment about which book would most help you right now. Leave additional comments about sharing on Facebook or by email! Winner will be drawn on Saturday, September 4th!

3 Sweet Friends, 3 Great Books, 3 Chances to Win by Kathy Howard.

Two Opportunities for Spiritual Growth and Development

Even in these crazy times God graciously continues to provide opportunities for our spiritual growth and leadership development. I am honored to be speaking at two events this fall that will do both and I want to share them with you.

Enjoy God’s Word – October 1-2, 2021

This fully online women’s conference is rich, deep, and grounded in Scripture. Bible teacher and author Katie Orr founded this yearly conference for the purpose of encouraging women through solid Bible teaching, equipping women with practical tools to live out our faith, and giving women a spiritual boost to keep following Jesus. This year’s theme is “Poured Out.”

In addition to Katie’s teaching, more than a dozen Bible teachers will be sharing workshops that will encourage you and foster spiritual growth. A few of these teachers are Amy Hale, Stacey Thacker, Laura Krokos, and more! I will be teaching on “3 Ways God Pours Out His Grace in Our Trails” from 2 Corinthians. I can’t wait to share these truths with you!

DON’T MISS IT! This conference is for all women who long for spiritual growth. And it is convenient and very affordable. Convenient because it all happens online! Affordable because you get two days of solid teaching and encouragement for just $49! BUT… If you get your ticket by September 10th, you get the EARLY BIRD price of just $39!! Get more information or sign up now at ENJOY GOD’S WORD.

ENJOY GOD’S WORD 2021

You Lead Austin – September 17, 2021

If you are a Bible study teacher, women’s ministry leader, or in any type of leadership position, you know how important training can be for your ministry. LifeWay Women offers so many opportunities for training. I am so excited to get to be part of You Lead!

This one-day, in-person training is for women in leadership or feel God calling them into some leadership capacity. At the Austin You Lead, I will be teaching a workshop titled “Being a Gracious Witness in Today’s Culture.” With the ever-widening gap between the world’s values and God’s standards, it’s easy to lose sight of our prime directive to share Jesus and instead use the world’s tactics to fight a spiritual battle. In this workshop, we’ll explore five practical ways to share Jesus and counter a godless culture. (For a preview of this topic see “Should Christians Judge the World?”)

Get more information about You Lead in Austin.

YOU LEAD AUSTIN

Please check out these opportunities and see if one of them might be right for you!

What has God used lately to encourage your spiritual growth and leadership development?

Two Opportunities for Spiritual Growth and Development by Kathy Howard.

8 Tips to Help You Understand the Epistles

Since they make up almost 80% of the New Testament, it’s important for us to know how best to understand the epistles. These letters were written by an apostle or early church leader to another individual, church, or group of churches. The epistles are a great blessing to the church today. They teach us what we should believe (theology) and how we should behave (ethical instruction) as the people of God. I certainly need that!

Epistles are a unique literary genre. (See also: “How Biblical Genre Impacts Our Understanding.”) We cannot interpret/understand them the same way we do biblical narrative or prophecy (See also “5 Tips for Understanding Biblical Narrative” and “Tips for Understanding the Prophets”.) These letters are very situational because they are tied to specific people in a specific time in history, with specific problems and issues.

In order to properly understand the epistles and apply their teachings, we need to get a good grasp on the original situation. When we better understand what the letter meant to the original recipient, then we can better understand God’s original meaning. Then, we can more accurately apply His truths to our lives. (See also “4 Guidelines to Help You Understand the Bible.”)

8 Tips to Understand the EpistlesDiscover the author, date, and recipients – These basic facts can be found in the introduction and/or closing of most of the letters. There are also a lot of great resources to help you know more about them and enhance your understanding. (See the resource section below for some suggestions.)Pinpoint the author’s purpose – Scholars refer to this as the “occasion.” Why did the author write these particular people then? Was there a problem or problems that needed to be addressed? Was there a specific doctrine he wanted to teach?Read the entire book in one sitting – This helps us identify main themes, running arguments, and the overall purpose of the letter. Reading a letter in chunks makes this more difficult. Most letters are short enough to read the whole thing in less than an hour. Some are short enough to read in just a few minutes.Keep every passage in its literary context – Pulling a verse or passage out of the surrounding context is probably the mistake we Bible students make most often. (See “Do You Misuse Philippians 4:13?” for a prime example.)Compare letter to the book of Acts – Many of the events recorded in Acts can shed light on issues addressed in the epistles – particularly Paul’s letters. For instance, Paul’s unique love for the Philippians is better understood when we read of his time in Philippi. The emphasis on sexual morality in 1 Corinthians can be better understood by getting the background on the pagan worship in Corinth.Research the culture and history – More than 2,000 years separate us from the time of the epistles. So much has changed about society, family life, the way we do business, world religions, and a host of other things. All of this impacts our understanding and how we should apply what we read. For instance, Paul’s guidelines for head coverings in 1 Corinthians 11 is directly tied to customs of the day and the impact paganism had on society. We must understand those things so we can separate Paul’s teaching that is situational only.Look for the underlying spiritual principles – When we understand the cultural and historical context we can more easily separate the timeless truths and principles from those things that aren’t directly applicable. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 8, Paul discusses meat sacrificed to idols. That’s not something we typically encounter today. But the underlying spiritual principle of not exercising any freedom that could cause another believer to stumble or struggle is directly applicable to us.Watch for creeds and hymns – Some of the NT letter writers included short segments within their letters that most scholars agree were probably creeds or hymns of the early church. These would have been well-known by the recipients and probably even used in worship. Many of these can be spotted in an epistle due to their poetic style. Examples of this include Philippians 2:6-11 and 1 Timothy 3:16.Suggested Helps and Resources

All this may seem a bit daunting. The good news is, a lot of great resources are available to help us. Here are a few that I use myself. (Note: The links below are affiliate links.)

Good Study Bible – We can get a lot of the above information from the notes in a study Bible.The IVP Bible Background Commentaries – This 2-volume set is absolutely invaluable to me. I use them almost every day. They give great historical and cultural background on most Bible passages. The OT and NT volumes can be purchased together.Online Study tools – There are so many digital resources out there! I’ve collected a few that I’ve used and put together a list. Check it out here!Bible Dictionary – A good dictionary gives information on people, places, books of the Bible, and so much more. I regularly use “Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible.”Bible Handbook – These helpful resources give information on history, culture, and the background on individual Bible books. I like the “Zondervan Handbook to the Bible.”

Let’s talk! What’s your favorite letter in the Bible? Why? What is one of your favorite resources?

8 Tips to Help You Understand the Epistles by Kathy Howard.

3 Ways God Gives Grace in Trials

God has the power to “fix” any circumstances, but often He does something more miraculous. He pours out His grace so we can stand firm in our trials. I know this is true because His Word teaches it. And I have experienced it myself.

God has the power to “fix” any circumstances, but often He does something more miraculous. He pours out His grace so we can stand firm in our trials. I know this is true because His Word teaches it. And I have experienced it myself.

I woke in the middle of the night and the rawness of it all washed over me again. Our family faced a heart-breaking situation. I tried to fix it, but it seemed hopeless. I knew sleep would not come easily. I had no words left for prayer. I was prayed out.

Anxiety welled up and I reached for God. The Holy Spirit began to bring Scriptures to mind, so I began to “pray” them. Soon peace started to push out the anxiety until it was gone. Somewhere in the first chapter of 1 Peter I drifted off to sleep.

At the time, I was away from home staying with my oldest daughter. My new grandson was just a few days old and I was helping out. The next morning, Kelley reported on how the baby slept the night before. Then almost as an afterthought she added, “The second time I came back to bed, Jeremy asked me to pray with him. He felt strongly we should pray for you right then.”

“What time was that?” I asked.

“It was about 3:15, 3:20,” Kelley replied.

That was the same time I lay awake in bed with anxiety threatening to take over. I know because I had looked at my phone. God did not fix the situation like I’d hoped, but He was not idle. He saw my need and He cared. He poured out His grace through the heart of my son-in-law and gave me the peace and strength to keep going.

God Always Works in Trials

Sometimes God intervenes in our trials in physical ways. He heals. He frees. He delivers. But He does not always. Often God works in far more miraculous ways. He pours out His grace to cover our soul needs.

God physically delivered the apostle Paul many times, like the release from prison shackles in Philippi. But it wasn’t those physical rescues Paul marveled over. No, Paul preached passionately about the lavish, unbounded grace of God poured out to sustain him in the midst of his trials.

Sometimes God allows struggles and difficulties to remain in our lives because He is using them to work out His spiritual and eternal purposes. He works in and through our trials to spiritually conform us to the image of Christ and to refine our faith and character.

Yet in the midst of those trials – while His “soul work” is being accomplished – God extends His grace to comfort, encourage, strengthen, and provide.

3 Ways God Extends Grace in TrialsPresence – God may not change our difficult circumstances, but He will be with us. He will draw us close to His side through the presence of His Spirit to encourage, comfort, and console. He will ease our pain and grief through the fellowship of His people. He will even later use that experience to comfort others. Praise be to the God of all comfort! (See 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.)Power – When we have no strength to go on, God has more than enough. Acknowledge your need to God and accept His strength. Allow Him to push out any pride and self-sufficiency and make room for the abundant flow of God’s power. What we lack in our weakness, God will provide by His grace. (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.)Provision – Even if God doesn’t change our basic circumstances, He still meets our needs in the midst of them. Sometimes He makes physical provision. Sometimes He protects us from additional difficulty. But all the time, He is our Helper and Provider. (See 2 Corinthians 1:10-11.)

God may not always save the job, heal the illness, or calm the storm. But He will always give you an anchor of grace to hold you securely to the Solid Rock while the storm rages. God may not remove your difficult circumstances, but He will graciously give you everything you need to keep going.

In what ways have you experienced God’s grace in past trials? How can you look for His grace in your current struggle?

If you want to learn more about God’s grace, check out my Bible study “Lavish Grace.” This 9-week study on the life and teachings of Paul will help you more fully experience and share God’s lavish grace. Find out more about the book. Purchase “Lavish Grace” on Amazon.

Download and use the 3-week “Lavish Grace” Bible Reading Plan

3 Ways God Gives Grace in Trials by Kathy Howard.

6 Things You May Not Know about Apostle Paul

I thought I knew him. I followed his ministry. And over the years, I have read and reread his writings. But not long ago, I realized I didn’t know as much about the Apostle Paul as I thought.

While studying Paul’s life for the 9-week Bible study “Lavish Grace,” I discovered several “new” things about the apostle of grace. Of course they were there all along; I had simply overlooked them. Maybe some will be new to you too.

6 little-known facts about the Apostle PaulPaul didn’t jump right into long-term ministry (Galatians 1:13-18) – In my mind, Paul met Jesus on a dusty road, spent three days fasting in Damascus, regained his eyesight, then jumped right into ministry to the Gentiles and never looked back. But a closer examination of Scripture tells a little different story. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul wrote he “went immediately into Arabia (Galatians 1:17).” In fact, he didn’t return to Jerusalem for three years (Galatians 1:18). What did Paul do during all this time in Arabia? Many scholars feel this may have been a spiritual retreat for Paul, a time to reconcile everything he knew from the Old Testament Scriptures with his new reality in Christ. In Arabia, Paul could immerse himself in the reality of his Savior and focus on learning and growing in preparation for ministry.Paul’s nephew saved his life (Acts 23:12-35) – After Paul’s arrest by a Roman commander in Jerusalem, 40 Jewish men bound themselves in an oath to not eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul. The Jewish leaders agreed to help them by petitioning the Roman commander to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin for questioning. The assassins planned to attack Paul during the transfer. But the son of Paul’s sister heard of the plot and reported it to Paul at the Roman barracks. When Paul told a centurion, the Roman commander ordered a detachment of almost 500 guards to move him to Caesarea under the cover of night.Saul’s name was not changed to Paul (Acts 13:6-9)– During the biblical account of Paul’s first missionary journey, Luke writes: “Then Saul, who was also called Paul…” (Acts 13:9). From this point forward, Luke only refers to the apostle as “Paul.” This shift does not reflect a name change, as has often been said, but rather a conscious decision on Paul’s part to use a name he already had. Since Paul was a Roman citizen, he was given three names at birth. The third – Paul’s Latin name – better fit the predominately Roman environment. “Saul the Pharisee” chose to be known as “Paul, citizen of Rome.”God gave Paul more than he could handle (2 Corinthians 1:8-11) – Paul and his companions suffered such extreme pressure during a particular situation in Asia they “despaired even of life.” Scholars aren’t sure what event Paul referred to in these verses, but the situation was so dire Paul believed he and his companions might die. He saw no way out of the life-threatening encounter. And indeed, without God’s miraculous intervention, they would have perished. When all human hope was lost God delivered them by His grace through the prayers of the believers (2 Corinthians 1:11). Note: For more about God giving us more than we can handle, see “The Real Promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13.”Paul visited heaven before his death (2 Corinthians 12:1-10) – God gave Paul a glimpse of heaven during his early years as a believer, perhaps during his time of spiritual retreat in Arabia (Galatians 1:17). Paul didn’t know if he had been physically transported or was there in spirit. But he saw and heard “inexpressible things.” Pride would be the natural sinful response to an experience like this, but pride and conceit have no place in God’s servant. Therefore, God allowed something into Paul’s life to foster humility – a “thorn of the flesh.”Paul felt deserted by everyone but God (2 Timothy 4:9-18) – Throughout Paul’s ministry he suffered trials and persecution for the sake of Christ. He was stoned, beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and betrayed. He often went without food, sleep, and shelter. During his Roman imprisonment, he also felt alone with no other person to support or defend him. Demas left him because he loved the world. Alexander did him “a great deal of harm.” Yet through it all, the Lord stood with him. Paul was comforted and strengthened by God’s powerful presence.

6 facts about #ApostlePaul you may not know
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#Saul did not CHANGE his name to #Paul and other little-known facts

I would love to sit down with Paul and hear all his stories, find out all those things not recorded in Scripture. Perhaps he would recount all the Gospel victories and tell me more about the suffering he endured for the name of Christ. Pain and struggle may have marked his life, but God’s lavish grace sustained him every moment.

Was one of these facts about Paul new to you? If so, which one? Do you know any other little-known facts about Paul?

Want to learn even more about Paul? The 9-week Bible study “Lavish Grace” explores Paul’s writings and life experience with God’s grace. Find out more about “Lavish Grace.”

Kathy also  frequently speaks on this topic. She’d love the chance to share about God’s lavish grace at your women’s retreat, conference, or event. 

6 Things You May Not Know about Apostle Paul by Kathy Howard.

12 Ways to Stay Motivated to Read the Bible

I’ve started a lot of things that I never got around to finishing. Reading “Moby Dick,” learning to speak Spanish, and crafting the next great American novel are just a few of my unfinished projects. Okay, in the spirit of full transparency, I never even began the novel.

Starting things can be far easier than sticking with them for the long haul. Even if it’s something wonderful or vital or life-changing. God’s Word is all of those things and more, yet we often struggle to study and read the Bible on a regular, ongoing basis. We start with good intentions, then life gets in the way. But, we can stay motivated. Try one or more of the following tips to keep you in the Word day after day and for a lifetime.

Remember why – Reminding ourselves of the value of the Bible for our lives is a good first step. According to Psalm 1:3, when the truth of God’s Word is our regular diet, we not only thrive spiritually and produce fruit for His Kingdom, we develop a deep relationship with God. (See also “4 Spiritual Benefits from God’s Word.”)Get a new perspective – For too many years, I felt obligated to read the Bible. Even though I developed a strong habit of reading every day, it was based on an attitude of “have to” rather than “get to.” I felt guilty when I missed a day because I was acting out of legalism. But God showed me that spending time with Him is a great privilege and joy, not an obligation. Every time we read the Bible, it’s an opportunity to encounter the God of the universe and know Him better.Have a plan – Haphazard reading only sets us up for failure. We are more apt to read each day if we know in advance where we’ll be reading. Our plan can be as simple as reading through a book of the Bible. There are also hundreds, if not thousands, Bible reading plans available. I have several free plans on my website. Some Bibles include built-in reading plans. There are also lots of plans on websites and in apps. “She Reads Truth,” com, and the You Version Bible app are three of my favorites. Daily devotional books can be a helpful tool if we use them correctly. (See “How to Get the Most Out of Your Devotional Book” for some tips.)Find your sweet spot – Dictionary.com defines “sweet spot” as the “particular set of conditions that will achieve the most desirable or effective outcome.” If our desired outcome is a daily – or almost daily – time with God in His Word, then we need to discover the conditions – the time and place – that will best foster that. For instance, I am a morning person, so I start my day in the Bible. For you it may be your lunch break or after the kids go to bed. The important thing is to set a time that will generally work for you every day and when interruptions will be minimal. The setting for your quiet time is just as important. Find a place that is comfortable, private, and doesn’t depend on the weather. Best time, best place, your sweet spot.Organize your tool box – In a kitchen drawer, I keep a small hammer with different sized screw drivers built into the handle. Whenever I see a loose screw I don’t put off tightening it because the tool is at hand. Likewise, keeping our quiet time tools together in one place removes another roadblock to getting in the Word. We are always ready. Gather the needed tools – your Bible, your reading plan, a journal, pens, highlighters, or whatever else you need to study the text. Then put them in a ready container. You can use a basket, a tote bag, or even a tool box! (See “Bible Highlighting for More Effective Study.”)Find a cheering section – Everything is better when we share it with a friend. That’s why some form of accountability for our Bible reading will keep us coming back. It could be a friend, a spouse, or a formal accountability partner. Use the same reading plan and set a regular time to talk about what God has been teaching you. An organized study group is another effective way to help you stay in the Word. I lead a Facebook group for women called “Reading the Bible Together.” Women from all over the world read the same passage each day and discuss it online together. It certainly encourages me to stay in the Word every day.Plan for success – In our excitement to commit or recommit to God’s Word, we may set lofty goals like spending an hour every morning or reading the Bible through in 90 days. But unrealistic goals only set us up for failure. Instead, let’s set goals that are achievable, but also keep us moving forward. Start with what you feel you can do, then build on it. If you’ve had success at spending ten minutes each day in the Bible, bump it up to fifteen, not thirty. When fifteen becomes a solid, doable habit, add time. If you’ve been getting in the Word three days a week for a while, bump it up to up to four or five, not seven.Keep it interesting – Prayer and God’s Word are the foundation for our regular time with God. But, adding other elements here and there will keep things interesting. Music can turn our hearts to worship. Journaling can focus our prayers and be a lasting reminder of how God is working in our lives. One day we could read a large portion of Scripture and another day mediate deeply on just a few verses. Something as simple as reading from a different translation can enhance our time with Him.Take advantage of technology – Putting our daily time with God on the calendar and setting an alert is a good start. Many online sites and apps not only offer Bible reading plans, they’ll also send reminder notifications. The You Version Bible and She Reads Truth are two great ones to check out. Some of these sites will even “read” the passage out loud. That’s a great tool for audible style learners.Celebrate small accomplishments – Meeting short-term goals – like reading through one Bible book – is a great reason to celebrate! We could enjoy a scoop of ice cream or a Facetime call with a friend. Choose a reward that will be incentive for you to keep moving toward the next goal and the next.Implement offensive measures – Distractions fill our world, our homes, and our daily lives. They wage war against our good intentions to be in God’s Word. Since email, social media and the like are big distractions for me, I committed to not opening my lap top until after I’ve spent time in God’s Word. Determine your biggest distractions and time-suckers then set some boundaries to eliminate the threat.Give yourself grace – Legalism will push the joy out of our relationship with Christ. Yes, we want to do everything to honor our commitment to spend time with Him, but some days are harder than others. When your daily time in the Word doesn’t happen, simply try again tomorrow.

What are some things you do to stay motivated to read the Bible?

 

 

12 Ways to Stay Motivated to Read the Bible by Kathy Howard.

5 Benefits of Living a Holy Life

Does your church talk much about living a holy life? It doesn’t seem to be a very popular topic – even in Christian circles. And yet hypocrisy is the number one reason people give for not wanting to have anything to do with Christianity. Or Christians. When we claim to follow Christ, but don’t look like Him we push people away from the One source of eternal life.

In his book “The Pursuit of Holiness,” Jerry Bridges defines holiness like this:

To be holy is to be morally blameless. It is to be separated from sin and, therefore, consecrated to God… To live a holy life, then, is to live a life in conformity to the moral precepts of the Bible and in contrast to the sinful ways of the world.”

The apostle Paul described it as “putting off our old self,” which belongs to our life before Jesus, and to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Sometimes we compare ourselves to the world or other Christians and think we’re doing pretty good. But, God doesn’t call us to “pretty good.” His holiness is our standard (1 Peter 1:16).  Jesus died so we could be holy. (For more on living a life of holiness see my study “Embraced by Holiness.”)

5 Benefits of Holiness

Holiness may seem hard, but the benefits far outweigh anything we might need to “sacrifice.”  The gain is far greater than the loss of any worldly activity, behavior, or attitude.

Usually what it comes down to is simply our desire. Why would we want to live a holy life? The following five benefits are not the only reasons, but they’re ones Scripture mentions repeatedly.

Holiness fosters intimacy with God and builds spiritual strength and stability (Psalm 15:1-6).Holy living makes us useful and effective for God’s purposes (2 Timothy 2:20-26).Our holy life causes people around us to glorify God (1 Peter 2:9-12).Holiness builds peace with God (2 Peter 3:10-18).A holy life pleases God and produces “fruit” (Ephesians 5:1-17).

I especially like the first benefit on that list. Perhaps you too long to experience a deep, intimate relationship with God, but often feel disconnected. According to Scripture, there is a direct connection between a holy life and experiencing God’s presence.

Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.  Psalm 15:1-2, NLT

The opposite is also true. Unholy living floods believers’ lives with the natural consequences of sin, including distance and strain in our relationships with God.

5 Ways to Foster a Holy Life

Humanly speaking, holiness is an impossible task. Only the Holy Spirit can spiritually transform us and produce holiness in our lives. Here are a few practical things we can do to cooperate with His ongoing work:

Practice an awareness of the presence of God– God is always with us. He knows our thoughts, attitudes, and motivations. Intentionally reflecting on this truth will nourish holiness in our lives. Stay in the Word– The Creator of the universe has revealed Himself, His will, and His ways to us in the Bible. It describes the holy life to which God calls us. But we cannot live by God’s Word unless we know God’s Word. Be proactive in our battle against sin– Sin takes root in our lives, growing and multiplying. To be holy, we must dig it out by the roots and get rid of it. Ask God to also help you recognize areas of weakness in your life so you can guard against potential sin. Respond quickly to the Spirit– Have you ever responded to the prompting of the Spirit with “in a minute?” I certainly have. If you’re a parent, you understand that “delayed” obedience is simply disobedience. Sometimes, we even intend to obey – later. Unfortunately, our delayed obedience causes us harm and dishonors God. We may miss out on God’s best plan for us or even put ourselves in danger. Immediate obedience is always best! Make the most of trials– God uses persecution and the common trials of this life to refine our faith and shape our character. Rely on His strength and trust Him with the process. Keep an eternal perspective– If we allow the things of this physical world to dominate our thoughts and priorities, the temporal will drive our emotions and responses. But if we stay focused on God’s bigger, eternal picture we will be able to reject sin and stand firm in trials.

How have you thought about holiness in the past? Have you thought a holy life was too hard? Simply undesirable? Would love to hear your thoughts!

 

5 Benefits of Living a Holy Life by Kathy Howard.

10 Characteristics of Faith from the Hebrews Hall of Faith

Faith is an abstract concept. Sometimes difficult to define and hard to describe. So how do we know if we are “doing it right?” How do we know if our faith is strong and genuine?

Although there is no official “faith test,” the eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives us a long list of real-life examples. These men and women, while not perfect, lived lives that demonstrated abiding faith in God. Faith that endured through any and every trial and into the eternity.

The individuals described in this “hall of faith” are different. They came from different backgrounds, faced different trials. God delivered some from their temporal struggles and others He delivered to glory. While their lives may have been different, their faith exhibited common characteristics.

A Faith Example for Us

The following faith characteristics, demonstrated in Hebrews 11, form a picture of what genuine, enduring faith looks like. We can evaluate our own faith by the faith of those who walked before us. But don’t be discouraged if you feel your faith falls short. These examples are from a lifetime, a life well-lived over time. Instead, let their faith encourage and challenge you to keep moving forward, to keep trusting, to continue to abide.

(By the way, I love the book of Hebrews! There is a free Bible study through this beautiful book on my website. Check out “A Superior Savior” here!)

10 Characteristics of Lasting Faith

If you have time, read Hebrews 11:1-40 before you read through the list below.

Assurance of God’s Promises (vs 1) – Faith is not living with our fingers crossed, it’s a firm confidence in God and His promises to us.Sacrificial lifestyle (vs 4) – Faith gives God our first and our best.Continuously seeds God (vs 6) – Faith is not a one-time decision. Faith chooses to believe in God and follow Him each day.Obeys in hard things (vs 7) – A life of faith is rarely “easy.” Obedience to God often runs contrary to our culture, and maybe even your family.Trusts God when we don’t understand (vs 8, 17) – We don’t often see God’s big picture. Usually we just see the next step, then the next. Sometimes the next step doesn’t even make sense to us, but faith trusts God has a plan and the power to carry it out.Keeps an eternal focus (vs 10, 13) – The best of God’s promises to us are eternal, they won’t be fully realized in this life.Trusts God to do the impossible (vs 11, 19) – Circumstances may feel insurmountable, but faith knows God is all-powerful.Fears God rather than man (vs 23, 27) – Faith doesn’t allow threats by man to keep it from obeying God.Doesn’t run after temporal pleasures (vs 25, 26) – Faith chooses God over the pleasure of sin and the love of money.Endures persecution for the sake of Christ (vs 35-38) – Although faith doesn’t seek persecution, it stands firm in God when it comes.Faith Needs an Object

Our faith – our “belief, trust, and confidence” – needs an object. Our faith must be in something or Someone. The one true God, the Creator of all that is, is the only One worthy of our faith. Let’s us put our faith in God. He will not let us down.

You may also find these articles helpful:

6 Surprising Characteristics of FaithWhat does the Bible Say about Faith?A Simple Definition of Faith by Billy Graham5 Signs of Authentic Faith

 

10 Characteristics of Faith from the Hebrews Hall of Faith by Kathy Howard.