Cross My Heart Ministry

 “A man’s wisdom gives him patience,
it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”
Proverbs 19:11

While the TSA may admonish air travelers, “If you see something, say something,” perhaps God’s advice would more often be, “If you see something, pray something.”

The most Christ-like, holy action we take today might be to close our mouths: to choose prayer over retaliation, intercession over criticism.

Perhaps the best way to hone this spiritual life skill is to practice the habit of “prayer walking” — allowing what you see to prompt you to pray. Resist the urge to condemn as you walk, drive, and shop … and instead transform the criticism into prayer and bounce it up to God.

It is easy to walk with a critical spirit. But it requires the power of the Holy Spirit to overlook an offense and choose the way of prayer.

As is often the case, our obedience rolls blessing back upon us. When God releases me from my addiction to self-righteousness and my preoccupation with my rights or my offense, I am ready for transformation. This is when the Holy Spirit permits me to see people and situations as God sees them.

Consider these scenarios where condemnation (or inward or outward eye-rolling) might be our first response, and how we might instead offer up intentional intercession:

Reckless driver (who might not remain wreck-less for long!)
As a mom with children in the car, a driver endangering the lives of my darlings prompted righteous indignation from this mama bear. Rather than yelling “Fool!” from the inside of my car or even using my horn to communicate my offense, what if instead my children heard me pray aloud:

Lord, I pray the young man driving that car would see his life as a gift from You. He is created in your image. Please prompt Him to treasure and value his life as You do, and to steward his life and his days well that he might live to bring You glory.

Scantily-dressed teen
I can remember sitting in church a number of years ago, behind a teenage girl dressed in a way I considered inappropriate. With my young boys sitting next to me, I was distracted by her attire and couldn’t help wondering if my sons were, too. I found myself thinking, “Was she trying to draw attention to herself?” And my criticism was not limited to her, as my next thought came, “Why did her mother allow her to leave home dressed that way?” Bouncing my focus might lead me to intercede:

Lord, I pray blessing over this young woman. May her identity be found in You alone. I pray she would see that outward appearances matter little (and let me acknowledge that, also, Father). And Lord, I pray that my daughters — and my sons, as well — would dress and behave in ways that honor You always and in all ways.

Screaming mother
You have probably been behind her (or maybe another like her) in the checkout line. She’s the one yelling at her kids, “If you don’t…I’m gonna…!” But they know she’s not gonna. I know she’s not gonna. The cashier, everyone in our lane, and the people in the three lanes on either side of ours all know she’s not gonna. Instead of silently sighing, mentally rolling my eyes, and tapping my foot faster, I am convicted to pray:

Lord, bless this frazzled young mom. Give her peace in the midst of a very challenging season in life. Bring alongside a mentor mom to encourage and equip her for this difficult task of child raising. I pray she would look to You for everything she needs.

While Matthew 18 does call us to “go and show” when we are sinned against by another, my guess is that we are more often offended (or simply irritated) than actually sinned against. Before jumping quickly to “go and show” (Matthew 18:15-17), perhaps we should try to “let it go” (Proverbs 19:11) first.

How is God calling you to close your mouth — and perhaps drop to your knees — today?Have you subscribed to the Cross My Heart Ministry email list? Subscribers are the first to know when new blog posts are published! Click HERE to sign up today!

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Don’t miss Laura’s latest weekly teaching from Romans!

“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,
but the folly of fools is deception.”
Proverbs 14:8

Deception can be a quick, easy way to get out of an awkward situation or a tight jam. Just a little white lie to a four-year-old (“we don’t have any ice cream”), to the sales clerk (“it was a gift”), or to your husband (“it was on sale”) may seem harmless at the time, but that shortcut comes at a high price.

Easy, quick solutions to immediate dilemmas often bring significant long-term consequences. Much sin is like that. We do not want to wait, we do not want to be thought less of, and we do want to avoid conflict … and so we resort to deception.

We lie. And if we lie, that makes us a liar—and according to Proverbs 14:8, that also makes us a fool.

Those who are wise, however, refuse the “deception solution.” They think before speaking. They are not seduced by the quick, easy way out.

When tempted to lie, the wise woman remembers:

• This lie could bring significant consequences later.
• This lie brings the challenge of remembering not just the truth, but keeping up with the lie so as not to give myself away later.
• This lie will damage my character.
• Even if no one else finds out (unlikely), I will know and God will know.
• I belong to Christ. By calling myself a Christian, I have identified myself with Him … and this lie will malign His great name.

For those who are teachers, parents, or leaders, the stakes are even higher. Because we are in a position to influence others, our deceptive ways can prompt others to take the easy way out, too.

If I lie—even one time—it makes me a liar. That is an ugly-but-true reality. By cultivating the habit of refusing to lie in small things, we will be well prepared to resist the temptation to lie in bigger things. For the woman who follows Christ, this is non-negotiable.

Lord, help me to choose Your way, the way of truth. When tempted to lie, show me the wisdom of speaking honest words instead. Convict me when I have lied … give me strength and courage to confess, make amends, and seek forgiveness. May I never be found maligning Your name.

For more teaching from Romans, see this week’s YouTube video: 

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If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to him.
James 1:5

One short verse, but so much truth here! Let’s unpack it together:

Humility
The verse begins, If any of you lacks wisdom. In order to receive, we must first acknowledge we lack it! A prideful heart resists asking for help. Self-sufficiency is a chief stumbling block to attaining wisdom.

Ask God
God is the source of wisdom. When we go looking elsewhere, true wisdom will elude us. At best, we will get a band-aid rather than a cure … at worse, we’ll be led astray to something that is not wisdom at all. If you need to know how often to change your oil, the best source of information is the manufacturer. We were created by God – He knows us best and loves us most.

He Gives Generously
I love finding “-ly” words in Scripture. Adverbs are powerful communicators; they provide deeper shades of meaning for us to glean understanding. Our great God does not just give — He gives generously. He is not stingy. He does not hoard. He never runs out. He delights when we come to Him.

He Gives to All
As a mom of four kids, I know the challenges of simultaneously meeting everyone’s needs.  When they were growing up, we instituted “Kid of the Week” to give everyone an opportunity to have special privileges like sitting up front in the car or going out to breakfast with Daddy.  In God’s Kingdom, we are all the “Kid of the Week” every day. Our God is powerful enough to hear the mom in Africa who prays for healing for her sick child, but also listen to my prayer for help to speak so my young-adult child will hear.

He Does Not Find Fault
There is no condemnation from God for asking. Have you (like me) ever shuddered as you heard words like these come out of your mouth:

• “How many times do we have to go over this?”
• “Why did you wait until the last minute to tell me about your science project?”
• “We’ve talked about this!”

Probably good examples of condemnation. And we get none of that from our perfect heavenly Father.

He Delivers
We ask. He answers. Then comes the hard part: doing what He says!

In what decision, relationship, or challenge do you and I need to ask God for wisdom today … and then follow through with the guidance He provides?

Editor’s Note: For more thoughts on wisdom, check out Friday’s Cross My Heart video devotional:

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“In the same way, count yourselves
dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 6:11

While all of us are fully aware that we are not dead to sin, we can celebrate the joyous news that in Christ, God declares us as dead to sin. If our identity is in Jesus, our name is on the page titled, “dead to sin.” We are counted sinless – deemed, treated, labeled, seen as alive! No longer dead spiritually, we are alive to God.

Does that sound too good to be true? Sometimes good news is like that!

Perhaps there’s a part of all of us that will always suffer from the “imposter syndrome” … simultaneously aware of our sin but believing in God’s grace. We are incredulous that we could truly be forgiven—that Jesus would take the rap we deserve. But He did!

Our alive-to-God status, of course, has nothing to do with us at all. We did not earn it by our behavior. We do not deserve it. In fact, the only way we could get it is as a gift—our good could never be good enough to be transformed from death to life on our own.

Maybe you feel like the younger brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. You come to God ready to grovel because the light bulb finally went on—you finally see your own spiritual depravity, the depth of your sin. But instead of lecturing, admonishing, chastising, or doling out punishment, He runs to greet you! He celebrates your coming to Him … and throws a party that has the angels in heaven dancing with delight.

If we are counted dead to sin, then let’s be determined to live like the alive-to-God women that we are!

Editor’s note: We invite you to watch Laura’s teaching this week from Romans 1:18-32, where she examines the heavy topic of sin:

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“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities —
his eternal power and divine nature —
have been clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
Romans 1:20

All of creation bears witness to God’s character and creativity. His invisible qualities are made visible in creation, when we behold:

• A majestic, snow-capped mountain
• A vast ocean with the tide rolling in
• A newborn babe
• A seed burst forth from soil
• A honeybee in its hive
• A human eye
• A hummingbird
• A rose, a daisy, a lily
• An ear of corn, an apple, an orange

We look up, look down, and look all around — and it prompts wonder and worship. Even those who do not know His name are compelled to acknowledge His existence. We can declare with the Psalmist, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1)

We intuitively know there is intelligent design. Order and beauty do not flow from chaos. (If so, why does my desk need perpetual attention?!) All this: the beauty and bounty, the variety, the taste and texture. God’s glory is on display, if we will but pause to look.

Take some time — make some time — to take a Sunday walk. Worship. Wonder. Acknowledge Him. Thank Him. It’s there.  He’s there. Clearly seen. You just have to look!

He is the genius who thought it all up and then had the power to speak it into existence!

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:1

Thank you for continuing to Write the Word with us in Romans this month!

I’d  also like to invite you to study along with my weekly teaching through Romans, by subscribing to the Cross My Heart YouTube channel.

Here is the most recent lesson in our Romans Bible study series:

If you have not seen the Intro video, you can find the entire Romans study playlist HERE.

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For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed,
a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,
just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:17

Editor’s note: This week marks the launch of the new study through Romans! You can view Laura’s Introductory teaching lecture here:

The theme for the book of Romans is righteousness. It is a topic with sobering significance. Our destiny for eternity hinges on being declared right before God. Does that stir up a little (or a lot) of fear? Does the thought of standing before Almighty God bring on concern, trepidation, confidence, anxiety, or peace?

Many of us seldom think about the end of our life – we are too busy pedaling hard to stay
ahead for today! But we are concerned with the future: we buy insurance, lock our doors,
invest in a 401(k), and keep a flashlight in the nightstand.

If we have a plan for future contingencies here on earth, shouldn’t we also plan for eternity?

Are you counting on checking enough “good girl boxes” to get in? Are you determined to earn the proverbial Boy Scout merit badges (volunteer hours, paying it forward, supporting worthy causes, donating your time and money) to impress God?

Here’s the reality: your good will never be good enough. (And neither will mine.) Even Billy Graham and Mother Theresa would be left out, if humanity’s good deeds could satisfy divine righteous requirements.

Our righteousness can ONLY come from God. We receive it as a gift. It is not a reward for good deeds, a “salary” for services rendered. It comes by faith.

That truth – righteousness by faith alone in Christ alone – is one we will unpack, explore, and expound upon as we work, study, meditate, and pray our way through Romans over the next several months.

Will you join us for the journey? I hope you will!

Here are the ways you can get involved – presented in order from the least to the most time consuming:

• Subscribe to the Cross My Heart Ministry YouTube channel and watch the weekly
  teaching posted each Friday. The playlist for Romans can be accessed here and will be
  updated weekly as new videos are added: https://bit.ly/2FkLkdz
• Read the passage covered for the week on your own.
• Purchase the study guide from Joy of Living (print or download versions available) here: https://bit.ly/3bOQN89
• Ask a friend to study along with you and then meet up (in person or virtually) to discuss the daily questions.
• Reach out to me at cross.my.heart@cox.net about joining one of our Zoom groups for small group discussion.

Romans has often been referred to as “Christianity 101” because in it, we find foundational truths of Christianity. In a very clear and systematic way, Paul (inspired by the Holy Spirit) illuminates what we are to believe … and then challenges us to the “obedience that
comes from faith.” (Romans 1:5).

Come jump in with us by viewing the Introductory Lesson here: https://bit.ly/33li1iR

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“I long to see you so that I may impart to you
some spiritual gift to make you strong
– that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged
by each other’s faith.”
Romans 1:11-12

Paul’s heart desire was to visit the church in Rome. Even as he penned his letter to them from Corinth (where he was wrapping up his third missionary journey), his travel plans included a circuitous route back to Jerusalem first. Perhaps the delay prompted the letter—and thousands of years later, we are all grateful!

In the opening verses, Paul shares his longing for the visit with them: mutual encouragement.

A special friend or family member may come to mind when you and I ask ourselves, “Who encourages me?” or “Who do I encourage?” Someone with whom we have a relationship, a history. Someone who knows us.

Paul did not know the people in Rome; most (if not all) he had never met. But in Christ, they were his brothers and sisters. The bond in Christ was the basis for encouragement. He longed to see them in person to not only pour into them, but to receive from them. This means for us, then, that every brother and sister in Christ can also encourage us.

Do you and I look for the good in every person in our spiritual family? Do we see each person with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as one who has a spiritual gift, life experience, wisdom, knowledge from Scripture, or something else that can spur us on?

We need one another.

Living in these pandemic times has required physical distancing (or, at a minimum, physical limitations) for many of us to be safe. But we need not succumb to social distancing. We can be at home, but still connected to the body of Christ socially and certainly spiritually.

We need one another.

Mutual encouragement means we both release and receive encouragement. There is a sweet, beautiful rhythm that comes from members of the body of Christ investing in one another. God created us to need, depend upon, and encourage each other.

The writer of Ecclesiastes taught us that “two are better than one” and Paul confirms this truth in the passage above. The love we show one another may manifest itself as affirmation, a gentle rebuke, wisdom, or just spurring each other to “keep on keeping on.”

The deeper and stronger the relationship, the greater the potential for mutual encouragement. While connections are made church-wide, more personal and intimate relationships challenge, convict, and propel us forward.

Mutual encouragement is cultivated in the soil of trust and security. But it takes time to grow these kinds of relationships. Growth comes when the relationship is well-watered with honor, respect, and a teachable spirit. The fruit of those carefully-tended relationships is mutual encouragement—leading to spiritual maturity.

It takes time.

We don’t plant a seed today, expecting to harvest a pumpkin tomorrow. Likewise, the blessing of faith-based mutual encouragement also takes time to mature.

This mutual-encouragement/faith-nurturing relationship is optimized when both parties are committed to the end goals of maturing in Christ, bringing glory to God, and living a Spirit-filled life.

Time spent with an encouragement partner fills us up. We leave these encounters renewed, invigorated, equipped, and committed to God and His Word. We leave those conversations ever more determined to live an active faith.

When we choose to invest in the life of a fellow believer, we find that the blessings roll back to us … we leave our coffee meeting or lunch date—or, in these challenging times, the Zoom meeting, phone call, or Facetime connection—filled up and ready to pour out. God is faithful to speak to us through fellow believers who share our love for Him and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

Do you have a mutual encourager in your life? Is there an accountability partner that you meet with regularly to discuss your journey of faith? Taking just one hour each week (or every other week) can be a life-changing investment of time. In this one hour, you can share what God is teaching you (which holds you accountable to abide in the Word of God), share your successes and challenges in living out your faith, and wrap up by sharing your personal and even confidential prayer requests.

This can be formal or informal. Just call a friend regularly to check in. Ask what God is teaching her. Ask how you can pray for her. Allow the relationship to unfold and grow to a new and deeper level.

Or make it more formal. Ask her to set up a time to meet; right now, that may mean virtual or physically-distanced time together. Commit to share a passage you have been studying, how God is convicting/teaching you, and how you can pray for one another. Two ideas for resources:

• The monthly Write the WORD bookmark. You can each download your own copy, get a journal, and begin the daily practice of writing the Word and journaling some thoughts.  This video gives ideas on how this can work:

• Study Romans with us this year! Read the passage, listen to the Friday teaching lecture on Cross My Heart Ministry’s YouTube channel, and then discuss what you learned. (If you want to go deeper, get the study guide from JoyofLiving.org, work through the daily questions on your own, and then discuss the answers when you meet.)

Whether it is formal or informal, daily or weekly, I invite (and encourage!) you to pray that the desire of your heart would be the same as Paul’s: mutual encouragement in the body of Christ.

Have you subscribed to the Cross My Heart newsletter? Sign up HERE to be notified by email each time something new is available to read on the website!

For a video introduction to the September Write The Word bookmark,
check out last Friday’s YouTube video here: https://bit.ly/3lzXujd

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—
a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,
just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:17 

This verse is often referred to as the “key verse” for the book of Romans. In Vince Lombardi vernacular, “This is the gospel.” It’s the simple, but costly, precious truth: righteousness by faith.

When Martin Luther read it, the proverbial light bulb went on … and the Protestant Reformation was launched.

2000 years later, the good news is still true: our salvation is by faith alone. Faith plus nothing. Faith is what saves us. And being saved means we carry forward living by faith.

The book of Romans unpacks the gospel like no other book in the Bible. The theme of righteousness is presented with great precision, confirming what we are to believe and the changes — to our thoughts, feelings, and behavior — that will naturally result from that belief.

This month, we will journey through the book of Romans, as we read and write 30 verses from this powerful book. Please join us! You can get your free copy of the September Write The Word bookmarks and S.O.A.P. Bible study pages by visiting the Downloads page.

In choosing Romans as the theme, I have broken a bit from the tradition of choosing a specific word as the focus for each month’s verses. My reason for doing this is to highlight the launch of the new 2020-2021 Bible study in Romans. Details on this study and how you participate can be found in this YouTube video:

Here’s my prayer for us all, as we launch forth on the Romans Road:

 O Jesus, may those around us know — and may we model — that righteousness is only found by faith. Forgive us for venturing off the path to counterfeit, manufactured righteousness that really isn’t righteousness at all. Allow us to reject both legalism (the “have-to” list) and liberalism (the “don’t have to” stiff-arming of the list). May we be women who choose, by faith, to live in that sweet spot of abiding in You. Call us to live righteous lives … not to earn Your favor, but because “by faith we have been saved by grace.” Thank you for revealing this truth. May we embrace it and walk in it! Remind us to believe – and to live – what we say we believe.

Visit the DOWNLOADS page to get your FREE September Write The Word bookmarks and S.O.A.P. Bible study pages. While you’re there, be sure you grab this month’s free ‘Do It’ List download, as well!

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Today is the final Sunday Soaking on this month’s topic, believe. Next week I’ll be introducing the new ‘Write The Word’ theme for September — be sure you’ve subscribed to the newsletter so you don’t miss it! Also, I hope you’ll check out this week’s video devotional on YouTube.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near.
Repent and believe the good news.”
Mark 1:15

The word believe in this passage is preceded by the word repent. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, preached repentance and the message was confirmed by Jesus Himself.

Our sin blocks our access to God. Because He is holy, we cannot enter His presence carrying our sin. But God will take care of our sin problem—if we will allow Him.

Our sin hinders our ability to believe God (or to even want to believe God).

We want to hold onto our old ways … even if those ways are not good for us. They are familiar. And familiarity is comfortable.

That old pair of shoes may have holes, they may offer little protection from the elements, but they are familiar and that makes them comfortable.

The same if often true for our sin.

When conviction comes, we often hold on firmly with a two-year-old’s attitude that screams, “Mine!” But are we holding on when we should be/could be/need to be letting go?

What are you and I holding on to that God is asking us to let go? It could be the books and shows we call “entertainment.” It may be eating beyond full. Could it be unforgiveness? Greed? Laziness? Gossip? Something else? Do you have the courage to ask the Holy Spirit, “Show me … convict me … help me!” when it comes to that comfortable sin?

Could it be that what we grasp so tightly—the behavior or attitude or lifestyle that we think will keep us happy—is actually robbing us of true joy?

It’s time.

Let it go. Lay it down. Give it to God.

Allow Him to take it away and give you something better: Himself.

• Are you ready to put your faith in Him?
• Are you ready to repent from your sin—and believe Jesus?
• Are you ready to release the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary?
• Are you willing to repent from the flesh and believe in the divine?
• Are you ready to turn from the natural and toward Jesus, the supernatural?

Lay it down, my friend. Let it go. Let God take it from you.

Walk away from whatever that is and walk to Him.

The time has come! Repent. Believe.

Both the September Write The Word and ‘Do It’ List features will be released in the next week! Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you’ll be notified when the new, free downloads are available. Don’t forget to check out YouTube for this week’s devotional, plus regular features including Martha Monday videos with household hacks, favorite recipes, and more!