Cross My Heart Ministry

By faith
Noah, when warned about things not yet seen,
in holy fear built an ark to save his family.
By his faith
he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness
that is in keeping with faith.
Hebrews 11:7

What would you step out and do, if you knew you could not fail because you and God were doing it together? 

What is that keeps us rooted in place when God has a faith assignment? It might be many things — lack of confidence, misplaced priorities, other responsibilities — but often the real impediment is FEAR. We are afraid of failing, of being shamed, of not being enough. Our eyes shift off the One who is calling and onto the obstacles surrounding us.  

For the follower of Christ, the opposite of fear is not courage, but faith.  

In Hebrews 11:7, we learn that Noah acted on his holy fear when he built the ark. It propelled him to act on his faith. 

There is a huge difference between fear and holy fear.  

Holy fear comes with faith, but plain old worldly fear is the opposite of faith.

Holy fear is prompted by reverence and respect for God. It is our faith lived out. 

I don’t think Noah was alone when he built the ark. His audience included those described as corrupt and full of violence. (Genesis 6:12) Most likely, the darkness in their hearts flooded out of their mouths in the form of mocking, goading, and derision of Noah. 

It is indeed a challenge to obey God, but perhaps especially when we are being mocked for holding fast to our beliefs. 

Which do you think was the greatest challenge for Noah to overcome to obey God: 

• Doubt that it would really rain? 
• Pride – what are people thinking? 
• Embarrassment and shame as he was taunted and made fun of? 

I believe Noah kept his hands busy and his mouth shut. He condemned his mockers, but it wasn’t with his words. Hebrews 11:7 says it was his faith that condemned the world — and because of Noah’s active, believing faith he was rewarded. He became an heir to righteousness. 

God asked Him to do something that really made no logical sense: he was to build a boat to prepare for a catastrophe that the world had never seen.  

Is it easier to obey God when He asks us to do something that makes logical sense, something that doesn’t bring shame or embarrassment, something that doesn’t make me stand out? 

As you and I choose to exercise our faith muscle, as we choose to obediently listen to God and tune out the voices taunting and mocking us, our holy fear trumps worldly fear. It prompts us to take action, to move forward. Trusting God and obeying God even when—especially when—we don’t have all the details? That is the substance of faith in action.  

We may not be immediately clued into the why, when, where, and what for … but we know the WHO.

Are you ready to buckle up for the ride of faith? Are you ready to go where He sends, knowing the One who sends you goes with you, loves you, and will never leave or forsake you? Are you ready to reject fear and walk in faith? 

We don’t need to have all the answers, because we know the One who does. 

In Romans 1:17, Paul wrote, “the righteous shall live by faith.” In this week’s devotional video, Laura explores what this means for us. You can find this key verse in Romans on our March Write the WORD bookmark, which is available (along with other free resources) on our Downloads page.

“…they chose Stephen, a man full of faith
and of the Holy Spirit…”
Acts 6:5

As the early church grew, the need for workers also grew. The disciples wisely realized they
needed to delegate. Self-awareness prompted them to see that there were not enough hours in
each day to meet all the needs and fulfill the primary call on their lives.

When did we decide exhaustion is necessary to be a servant in God’s Kingdom? God has
challenged me personally over and over during my life – reminding me that drawing others in to serve not only protects me from physical, mental, and spiritual burnout, but also pride. I am not indispensable. And the responsibility of every good leader is to train others to serve. One mark of a successful leader – whether in business or ministry – is that the work continues when that leader leaves for heaven … or moves across the country!

The disciples chose seven deacons. They determined that those who would serve should
be “… full of the Spirit and wisdom …” (Acts 6:3). And then in Acts 6:5, Stephen (the first
deacon listed) is noted to be “…a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit …”

Ask yourself if the Acts 6 list is the one we would choose for leaders today:

• Full of the Spirit
• Wise
• Full of faith

Does our modern-day list of qualifications for a leader include someone who looks like Ken or Barbie? Do we care more about the outward appearance than the heart? (I Samuel 16:7) Do we believe they need to have a “presence” to lead? Are we more concerned with the power and wit in their speaking, rather than the content of their message?

Faith is the topic of our Write the WORD bookmark for March. But according to Acts 6, it’s also a key trait in an effective leader. As followers of Jesus in the 21st century, we might do well to learn from our first-century church leaders in how to choose someone to serve – and how to evaluate the effectiveness of the one who serves.

We often expect pastors to be experts in human resources, theology, counseling, business practices, organizational management, and visioneering. Are we quick to criticize but slow to affirm? Acts 6:6 indicates the chosen leaders were prayed over. Do you and I pray regularly for our leaders?

Here are my take-aways from these verses in Acts 6:

• Be wise and prayerful in choosing a leader
• Don’t be easily distracted by the world’s litmus tests
• Pray for your leaders
• Affirm your leaders

I would encourage you to pause right now to pray for a leader in your life. Afterward, please leave a quick note below that simply says, “Done!” if you did this. And, after praying, perhaps God may prompt you to reach out to that leader with written or spoken words of thanks and affirmation.

“Increase our faith.” These are the words used by the disciples in their response to a hard teaching Jesus gave. We invite you to watch this week’s teaching video, as Laura unpacks a challenging message on FAITH. This verse is from March Write the WORD bookmark highlighting 31 verses, each of which includes the word, faith. Visit our Downloads page for your own copy and join us as we read, write, and study what the Bible tells us about faith.

Now faith is
confidence in what we hope for and
assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11 provides an apt definition of faith. Many of us may have learned the King James Version: 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

If we had all the details, all the whys and what-fors … if we knew everything we would face … if we were clued in to precisely what would happen … would it really require faith? 

The faith verse above opens the “Hall of Faith Chapter” and is essentially a who’s who of Old Testament greats who walked in faith before the cross. “By faith” is the hallmark phrase of this powerful chapter: 

•      By faith, Abel offered…
•      By faith, Noah built…
•      By faith, Abraham obeyed and went…
•      By faith, Isaac blessed…
•      By faith, Joseph spoke…
•      By faith, Moses chose to be mistreated…
•      By faith, the people passed through the Red Sea…

Their lives teach us that faith must be converted into action. James confirms in the New Testament that “faith without works is dead.”  Our faith in God both prompts and propels us to raise our shields high and walk forward where He sends.  

To Abraham, God said, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you….” Leave everything familiar, everything and everyone you know. Just go. Set out. And where are you going? You’ll find out after you get started! Sounds crazy, but Abraham obeyed and went! 

Moses walked out of the palace, leaving behind all its privileges and pleasures. 

Daniel walked into the lion’s den. 

The Israelites put trembling-but-determined toes into the Red Sea. 

The Bible is filled with examples of ordinary men and women who walked out their faith in extraordinary ways … not through their own ability, but because of their faith in God’s ability.  

Faith does not mean our reasoning and intellect are turned off. The exercise of our faith is not without basis. When I contemplate choices that require me to exercise faith, it’s as if I’m standing on the threshold, looking back at God’s faithfulness from my past as I prepare to walk forward into the future, trusting Him to continue to be faithful. 

Faith means I can step out in confident hope and steadfast assurance – not because I know everything, but because I know the One who does. 

What by faith choice is God calling you to make today? 

Last Wednesday was the final lesson of Laura’s in-person ladies’ Bible study of II Corinthians. The teaching lecture in this week’s devotional video focuses on self-examination, then ends with Paul’s “Trinitarian Benediction” from II Corinthians 13:14 as he explores the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

We pray that this study has been a blessing to you. Thank you for joining us, whether online or in person. If you missed any of the previous teaching lectures, we invite you to visit our YouTube channel for the complete video playlist.

In addition to all this,
take up the shield of faith
with which you can extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16 

Measuring approximately 4.5’ tall by 2’ wide, the Roman shield would completely cover a soldier as he advanced forward. It was designed and built to link together with the shields of his brothers-in-arms, enabling them to advance together, side by side, and be protected from deadly enemy arrows flying at them. 

When the first-century soldier picked up his shield, he had a powerful defensive weapon in a flesh and blood battle. If the enemy could fire a flaming arrow and hit the intended target, some serious damage could result. The shield was created from wood, overlaid with leather, and dipped in water or some other substance to extinguish the flames when those arrows inevitably landed.

The tall, powerful shield — especially when linked with those of comrades — allowed the soldier to move forward, to gain ground, to fight with confidence instead of fear. He trusted that shield to protect him. 

Just as the military soldier held his shield high and in place for protection, so does the believer. Advancing confidently, even when you look up and see the enemy preparing to launch a flame-tipped arrow in your direction, means you have faith that the shield will protect you.

Your confidence is in that shield. 

Faith is simply believing God. Saving faith is placing our trust Him for eternity — it’s what seals our destiny. The Armor of God passage in Ephesians is written to believers … those who have already claimed salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. But Paul is teaching us here about living faith: walking it out, remaining faithful, choosing to live and behave like we believe. 

When we lift up our shields, it is a declaration of what we believe about God. And when we lower them, it is a declaration of what we choose not to believe about Him. 

A woman of faith goes forward in battle with confidence — not knowing what exactly will happen, but trusting and believing the One who is with her. 

As we near the end of our weekly Bible study in II Corinthians, we come to chapter 12. Here, Paul breaks his silence to share his experience of being “taking up to heaven” and then follows up by acknowledging the “thorn in the flesh” that was given by God to keep him humble. In this week’s teaching lecture, Laura explores the topic of suffering and pain, includes some question for reflecting on pain, and challenges us to embrace the truth that “His grace is sufficient” in the midst of it.

Have you subscribed to our Youtube channel? If not, we hope you’ll take a moment to sign up today. It costs nothing, and requires only a Gmail account. Watching (and sharing) our videos is a great way to support the ministry of Cross My Heart!

Whatever you do,
work at it with all your heart,
as working for the Lord,
not for men.
Colossians 3:23

It’s hard to overstate the value of a strong work ethic. No matter the arena—workplace, athletic field, ministry, or home front—a strong work ethic distinguishes the industrious from the lazy, the committed from the complacent, and the motivated from the disengaged.

For those of us who are stay-at-home wives and mothers, the days we work diligently leave us feeling satisfied when our heads hit the pillow: the family is fed, the kitchen tidied, and the laundry all caught up. The same is true for those who have a career outside the home.

Instilling a strong work ethic in our children and grandchildren sets them up for success in life. Those who work hard normally have greater job security, higher wages, and more promotions in the workplace.

Diligence can even compensate for a lack of natural ability. My husband spent decades as a college professor. More than once, he has commented he would much prefer a student of average intelligence who works hard, over a gifted, but lazy, student.

We may not all have the same natural abilities, but we all can choose to buckle down and work hard.

As parents, it was our responsibility to begin early on, training our children to develop responsible work habits. Those of us with grandchildren can also help them learn to be diligent when the opportunity arises. I often told my children that completing a task without being reminded to do so is a mark of maturity. My parents instilled a strong work ethic in me, and my husband and I intentionally cultivated that in our own children and try to model it for our grandchildren.

A stellar GPA, stable income, a promotion in the workplace, a well-managed home … these are all worthy goals, and fitting rewards for hard work. But as followers of Christ, those should be the by-product—not the end goal—of demonstrating a strong work ethic.

Look at the last paragraph’s list again. Each of those is not bad in and of itself, but any one of them can certainly result in pride, shifting the spotlight onto SELF. Our why for working hard must be bigger than ourselves or any rewards that flow back to us.

Our work should be for the glory of God. Let’s unpack Paul’s challenge in Colossians 3:23 phrase by phrase:

• Whatever you do (“Whatever” encompasses cleaning the kitchen, mowing the grass, or selling insurance.)
• work at it (Don’t play at it or just apply minimal effort.)
• with all your heart (all in, nothing held back)
• as working for the Lord (God is our Master. Our lives no longer belong to us, we are His.)
• not for men. (Our calling is higher than mere human service or recognition.)

As we seek to serve Jesus in all we do, our daily tasks are transformed into acts of service and living sacrifice. Our diligence can even become evangelistic, as others take note of both our hard work and our attitude.

Our work ethic should reflect the reason for our existence: to glorify God. Paul complements the truth of Colossians 3:23 in I Corinthians 10:31: ” So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

It’s good to work. It’s better to know our why for the work we do. May we commit to make every task not just work, but actually worship, as we do it all for the glory of our great God!

Easter falls during the month of March this year, so this is the perfect time to immerse your heart and mind in FAITH—our Write the WORD topic for next month! We invite you to listen as Laura introduces our March bookmark in this week’s devotional video and then join us as we read, write, and contemplate verses about FAITH as we prepare our hearts to celebrate our Savior’s resurrection!

Visit our Download page for your free March Write the WORD bookmark, optional S.O.A.P. Bible study pages, and more resources to help you use your time, talents, and treasure to honor the Lord.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom,
and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
Colossians 3:16

Dictionary.com offers this definition for the word dwell:  to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside. Therefore, when we are challenged to let the word of Christ dwell in us, it suggests an element of permanence.

Do you and I make weekend visitation with God’s Word, do we camp out in the Word occasionally, or do we allow it to dwell in us?

I love Colossians 3:16. In fact, I would call it my life verse, because God’s Word is my passion; I love to study it, to share it, and to teach it.

I credit Andrew Pudewa with making me an adverb enthusiast. Back during our days of homeschooling, his IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) courses prompted my children to add those “dress-ups” to their writing—and as is so often the case, I learned along with them, and intentionally started to add those -ly words to my own writing, too!

Adverbs add shades of meaning that help us communicate our thoughts with specificity. We can write, “The girl sang,” but that doesn’t provide the details needed to be specific. Add an -ly word and suddenly we are communicating:

The girl sang loudly.
The girl sang poorly.
The girl sang joyfully.
The girl sang woefully.

What a difference an adverb makes!

The adverb richly adds depth to Paul’s admonition in Colossians. We are not just to allow God’s Word to dwell, but to dwell richly. It should have full access, be present in full measure. As we deliberately allow God’s Word to dwell richly in us, it begins to shape our responses. It colors our thoughts, words, attitudes, actions, and behaviors.

Will you decide today to “let the word of Christ dwell in you” this year and beyond?

In this week’s devotional video, Angela Kincade (from Cross Church) served as our guest lecturer, jumping into scripture in 2 Corinthians 11. In this passage, Paul identifies the truth in the midst of false apostles. He also helps us to understand suffering and drifting at sea, and discusses his surprising way of boasting. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to listen as Angela  talks about truth, deception, runaway thoughts, and hope in suffering.

“…clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness, and patience…
and over all these virtues put on love,
which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:12-14

Our identity in Christ means we should look, sound, think, and behave differently.  It’s all about what we choose to wear — and that has nothing to do with designer labels or fabric blends.

Paul instructs the Colossians — and by extension, us — to put on:

• Compassion
• Kindness
• Humility
• Gentleness
• Patience

Take a moment to look over and pray over that list. Does it describe you? Does it describe you in your role as wife … mother … grandmother … friend … daughter … neighbor? A few probing questions for self-assessment:

• Am I compassionate when those around me are suffering through hard things?
• Does kindness permeate my relationships with my neighbors?
• Am I humble as I work through challenges in my marriage?
• Do I exhibit patience and understanding in my dealings with others at work, church, or organizations where I give my time?
• Am I a patient, loving grandparent who invests in the lives of my grandchildren?

I love the imagery of clothing ourselves with these traits. I may not naturally be or feel compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, or patient, but I can choose to put on those traits. As women of God, there are areas we know what is right and must choose to do (or put on) what is right and, hopefully, it will eventually feel right. We make conscious,  deliberate choices, prompted by Scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

After we are all dressed with these beautiful traits — and did you notice that three of the five are listed as Fruits of the Spirit? (see Galatians 5:22-23) — we add the final accessory. It’s the perfect one because it ties the whole outfit together beautifully: Love.

Love is listed first in the Fruit of the Spirit cluster. Love is why Jesus left heaven, took on our death sentence, and opened the door for our salvation. Love makes it possible to keep wearing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. If love leads out, the rest will naturally follow.

The challenging, overarching self-assessment question is: Do I really love my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my coworkers, my neighbors? And, if I do, does what I’m wearing reflect that?

Sister Friend, is it time for some wardrobe adjustment? What are you wearing?

II Corinthians has been viewed as perhaps the most personal of all Paul’s letters — and that is never more apparent than in the last few chapters of the book, where we find a distinct shift in tone beginning with Chapter 10. In this week’s devotional video, Laura addresses this change and the possible reasons for it. We invite you to watch and listen to Laura’s thoughts on this passage, where Paul speaks in defense of his ministry (and makes it clear that he boasts only in the Lord) in response to trouble-makers undermining his authority.

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