Hope Deferred

On August 11, 2024July 25, 2024 By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

There is a verse in the Bible that says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12. What does that mean to have hope deferred and how do we keep our hearts from being sick?

Hope deferred is another way of saying that there is an unmet longing; something that one hopes for has not occurred and may not. The unfulfilled desire weighs on the person causing disappointment or discouragement resulting in a heaviness or a sick feeling. Sometimes people refer to this feeling as a broken or aching heart.

What do we do when our heart is sick from hope that has been deferred? We can pray and seek whether the thing we hope for is God’s will for us. Perhaps the timing is wrong or it is not intended for us. We can read God’s Word and see what the Bible says about the thing we hope for. We could serve others while we wait and try to be a blessing. Another option is to discuss the deferred hope with our church family members who can then pray with us and for us. We can also fast and place a heavy emphasis on seeking God’s will in our fasting prayers.

There are many paths we can take to try to cease dwelling on the deferred hope and redirect our emotions and energy towards what God has for us now, in the moment. He may never deliver to us what we hope for, it may not be in His plan for our lives and we need to trust that He works all things together for our good. Even those things that we do not understand or those things that we ‘know’ are best for us.

No matter what we do while we wait, we must continue to praise God. Whether He chooses to fulfill whatever we hope for or not, He continues to fill our lungs with air and holds our hearts as they beat. Without His enduring love and care for us, we would no longer live to see another day. Another day that may just quench our deferred hope, heal our sick heart and bring us to a tree of life.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for Your love for us. Thank You that each and every day, you cause our hearts to beat. Remind us that each breath we take is because You allow us to breathe in. Thank You that You care so deeply for us and whether you defer our hopes or fulfill them, help us to love and praise You no matter what. It is in Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

How to Parent Like Job

On July 14, 2024July 25, 2024 By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

The book of Job is known for its suffering and pain. It is the human example of all hell breaking loose in someone’s life. When one is struggling, Job is the book to read for perspective, hope and the reminder that God is always in control, even when we do not like what is happening to us. God is in control.

I want to focus on what Job did as a parent, before the suffering arrived in his life, and see what we can learn from him. As we read in Job 1, he was a very wealthy, blessed man. “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. ²He had seven sons and three daughters, ³and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.”

Job had ten kids and seemed like a very busy man. Yet, we are told his approach to parenting starting in Job 1:4. “His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.”

Job had a “regular custom” or habit of praying for his children and working to ensure they walked blameless before the Lord. He would sacrifice a burnt offering for each one of them just in case they sinned. It is also important to note when he prayed for his children to be purified before the Lord, “early in the morning”. Battling for children in prayer and through sacrifice is not to be taken lightly or to be done when there is a free moment. These acts of love must be a habit, a regular custom and they must be done first; they must be a daily priority in our lives.

Let’s pray.

Father in heaven, please help us to make praying for all children a daily priority. Help us to be blameless and upright as Job was to provide a Godly example to the children who see us. Strengthen and protect all children so they may walk blameless before You. It is in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

How Can We Have Effective Prayers?

On July 7, 2024July 25, 2024 By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

There are many Scriptures that show us we are all imperfect people. Romans 3:23 says that we all have fallen short of the glory of God. This verse does not say some people or even most, but all people have fallen short of the glory of God.

As it is written in Ecclesiastes 7:20, “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.” But James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” How can we possibly become righteous when Ecclesiastes states that no one on earth is righteous?

God answered this question by sending His Son, Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross for us, He offered a way to put on His righteousness and holiness. It is when we believe in Jesus that we then become righteous because we are now in Jesus. We become ‘set apart’ which is another meaning for holy. We put on the righteousness of Jesus, which is part of the armor of God; the breastplate of righteousness is a piece of God’s armor that we have to pick up and put on. The action we need to take is belief in Jesus. Righteousness belongs to Jesus, He earned it for us – all we have to do is believe.

Let’s pray.

Father in heaven, thank you so much for Jesus and for what He did for us on the cross. Lord, we lift up all church leaders and members. Please give us the strength to pick up the armor of God and put on the righteousness of Jesus. Help us to share and follow the Word of God. Help us to stay on the paths that You have laid before us. It is in Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Independence and Freedom

On June 30, 2024July 25, 2024 By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

This coming week, on the 4th of July, America will celebrate what is commonly called its birthday. More formally known as Independence Day, the day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This document announced the separation of the 13 colonies from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence states that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and Independent States.”

Two beautiful words: free and independent. “Free” is the ability to exercise freedom, the right to act without hindrance. Citizens are able to speak and think freely. “Independence” is to be free from the authority of others. There are many, many countries that do not have the blessings of freedom or independence.

There is one freedom that everyone on earth can share regardless of where they live: freedom in Jesus Christ. Romans 6:7 says, “For the one who has died has been freed from sin.” What does this mean, that one has to die to be free from sin? We have to die to our wants, our desires, our priorities. The verse means that when we put Jesus first in our lives, above ourselves, then we are freed from sin. We will still sin, because we are human, but when we give our lives to Jesus, His precious blood washes us clean from our sin.

As celebrations occur, may we remember those who live in bondage and fear. Those who are not free and are unable to speak or think freely. May we pray that they would receive the freedom that Jesus offers.

John 8:36, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Secrets to Life – Part Three

On April 21, 2024April 16, 2024 By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

It seems that everyone is looking for the secrets to life to increase happiness, joy, peace, love or to attain some other positive state of mind. Each week, a secret to life has been revealed that is intended to lead you to a more peaceful, love-filled and joyous state of being. This week, the third secret to life is revealed.

Serve others. Even when you do not want to or you do not feel like serving others. ‘Others’ can be those you live with or they can be complete strangers. ‘Serving’ can be a compliment to a loved one on how helpful or kind they are to you. ‘Serving’ a stranger can be paying for the order of the car behind you in the drive-thru. There are many different ways to serve others.

Why is this a secret to life? It moves the focus from you to another. It reminds us that we are all a part of the same human race on the same planet, all moving toward our individual day to die. Serving others is infectious, you share a compliment, then that person may share a compliment with another and so on. Or in the drive-thru, the person who received the free meal from you may pass that forward and buy the next car’s meal and so on. Serving others results in kindness and the more kindness that exists, the more peace, love and joy there will be for all of us.

Let’s pray.

Father in heaven, thank you for the opportunity to serve others. There are so many ways that I can be a blessing to someone – whether that is a kind word, a smile, sending a card, buying someone’s coffee or many other ways. Please show me today how to serve someone. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

My Scars and the Shame I Carry

On March 31, 2024March 26, 2024 By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

I have scars on each of my wrists, they have been there a long time. When strangers see them, I am sure they judge me. I am sure they have thoughts like, ‘how did they get there’ or ‘it looks like a failed suicide attempt’, and so on. When I see strangers looking at them, I am filled with shame. It is in those moments that I must remind myself that Jesus loves me, no matter what I did in the past or what was done to me – He loves me. Exactly as I am. Messed up past included.

As we celebrate Easter, I thought about the scars that Jesus bore on His body for all people. Every single human on this earth has the chance to be filled with eternal peace, joy and love simply by believing that Jesus died for us. “For God so loved the world that He sent His Son that whoever believes in the Son will have eternal life.” John 3:16 says it all, God loves us so much! All we have to do is believe. Just believe that God loves you, exactly as you are.

The scars that Jesus has were created out of humanity’s shame and sin, not His. He never did anything to deserve those scars, yet Jesus chose to accept them. While His scars represent a horrible and painful death, they are also beautiful – they saved me and you.

When I look at my scars, I need to remember that not only am I perfectly and completely loved by Jesus, scars and all, but I also need to focus on how He sees my scars. Jesus sees someone who was once in terrible pain and struggling to live, but now has Him. Believing in Jesus does not make life perfect, it never will be perfect here on earth. But believing in Jesus makes life worth living; every day there is a peace and love that cannot be described, no matter what is going on around you. As we come upon Easter, consider the scars that Jesus bears for you. Yes, you. All so that you can know without a doubt that by His wounds, you are healed. Let those words sink in my friend, you are healed.

Happy Easter!

When Jesus is Asleep Part 2

On March 17, 2024March 4, 2024 By JCIn MiscellaneousLeave a comment

Luke 8:22-25 says, “One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.’ “

When the storm raged around the boat and the disciples were afraid, they forgot a critical piece of information. Jesus said they were going to the other side of the lake. He did not say they were going to drown or die or maybe they would make it to the other side. He said they were going to the other side. I wonder if the disciples had remembered what Jesus said, would they have been as scared?

How many times have we been scared and forgotten what God has said?

“The Lord goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear.” Deuteronomy 31:8.

God has promised He will never leave us, nor forsake us. God goes before us and is with us, which is why God commands us “do not fear”. That sounds great, but how do we not fear? We cling to His word, we remember His promises, we remind ourselves that Jesus is with us. We remind ourselves and each other that there is nothing to fear, we have the Savior of the world right here with us.

Let’s pray. Father, please help us to remember that You are right here with us. You go before us and protect us as we come and go. You will never leave us. We thank You for Your promises. In Jesus name we pray, amen.