Carpe Diem

New Year’s Resolutions. Exercise. Lose weight. Eat healthier. Spend more time with family. Spend less. Save more. Enjoy life to the fullest. Almost half of Americans make them, but according to history.com, only 8% actually achieve their goals throughout the year. Smart phones even have apps to help you keep track of your resolutions!

Personally, I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. I think if God puts it on my heart to make a change, I should seize the day – carpe diem! Instead of waiting for a convenient time like the beginning of a new year to implement better habits, I want to obey God right away. Luke 11:28 says, “But He [Jesus] said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it.”

We don’t know what tomorrow might hold. Proverbs 27:1 says, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Why put off obeying God when we don’t know if we’ll get the chance later? When we meet Him face to face, He will hold us accountable for our choices. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). When that day comes, I want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

God cannot be separated from any aspect of life. He cares about how we treat our physical bodies, our finances, our time, and the people around us. “And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (I Corinthians 15:28). Either He is glorified by our choices, or not.

But we’re human; there is no escaping the fact that we all fall short (Romans 3:23). Sometimes we even fall short intentionally. In II Chronicles 7:14, God tells us, “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Praise the Lord that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and that Christ’s “grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9)!

So if God is calling you to make a change in your life, carpe diem – seize the day! “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:13).

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Christmas Wish List

Only five more shopping days before zero hour! My mom asked me for a Christmas wish list weeks ago. She’s always one step ahead. So I sat down and made a list for her. And since this is my first Christmas as a married lady, my husband made one for my mom as well.

Even though she asks for one every year, and for birthdays as well, it still feels strange to make a list of things I want. I’m finding as I grow older that I want fewer and fewer material things. Sure, a book here, or a sweater there. Maybe a thing or two for the house now that my husband and I are settling into married life. The annual request for a kitten. But overall, I’m set. I figure if I’ve lived this long without it, I don’t really need it.

I can list things I want from God way more easily.

“Lord, help me with this.”
“Work in their hearts.”
“Forgive me for such and such.”
“Heal so and so.”
“Give me understanding.”
“Draw them to you.”

Pretty soon, my prayer journal can start to look like a string of demands instead of requests. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t think anything is wrong with any of those requests in and of themselves. But if I’m doing all the talking, then I’m not doing much listening. And if I’m doing all the talking, I’m too focused on what I think I need and not on what God is trying to teach me.

Prayer is a beautiful thing. We have a direct line of communication with the God of the universe whenever we so desire. And when we don’t even know what or how to pray, we have the Holy Spirit. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).

Even more of a blessing than simply being able to talk to God whenever we want is that He promises to hear us when we pray. Jeremiah 29:12 says, “Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.” Prayer strengthens our relationships with Him and we learn to rely on Him for all things.

This Christmas season, let’s focus on God’s wish lists for us as we spend time in prayer with Him, celebrating Emmanuel – God with us!

“Behold, a virgin shall be with Child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Hope In Christ

The Christmas holidays bring holly jolly, joy to the world…except, not everyone in the world joins in the merriment. For some, Christmas can be a sad reminder of days gone by, lost loved ones, loneliness, and unwelcome memories. If you find yourself in that category, this blog was written for you.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing, you are not alone. God is always with you, ready to put His arms of love around you. “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 3:6).

Not only is God with you, but He sends His angels to protect you. “For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” (Psalm 91:11). You are surrounded by evidence that the God of the universe loves you and cares for you.

When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus visited Mary and Martha, Lazarus’s sisters, and wept with them (John 11). Jesus not just knows our pain, but feels it. He enters into our sorrow with us. He doesn’t just wipe the tears from our eyes, but cries with us – the ultimate comfort.

We live in a fallen world. Things go wrong, people make bad decisions, and all around, life is just plain tough. And it takes a heavy toll on us. But in light of all these “sad tidings,” God sent His Son to be the hope of the world. Because Jesus lives, there is hope. The very name Emmanuel means “God with us.” Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Whatever situation has stolen your joy this season, Christ can mend it. He is the answer.

As Christmas draws nearer, consider “casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (I Peter 5:7). Our burdens weigh us down, but if we cast them at Jesus’ feet, He will carry them for us, freeing us to live life abundantly as He intended (John 10:10).

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

You are not alone.

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Nativity Activities: Yuletide Family Fun

The famous Christmas hustle and bustle has officially commenced. Shopping, cooking, cleaning, wrapping, running errands – every day is filled with constant motion. It truly is a special time to gather with family and friends and enjoy yearly traditions together, but if time isn’t intentionally set aside for those things, the season can slip by without spending time with those who matter most.

Here are some ideas to spend some quality time with your family in celebration of Christ’s birth.

1. Bake Christmas Cookies: whip up some gingerbread or sugar cookie dough and use your favorite cookie cutter shapes to design gingerbread men, stars, candy canes, Christmas trees, and more. Make those cookies come to life by adding some colorful frosting (homemade is always better) and sprinkles! Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10)!
2. Attend the Theatre: whether it’s a live performance of Handel’s Messiah, The Nutcracker ballet, or the touring cast of A Christmas Story, set aside a night and the funds to give your family memories to last a lifetime. Or, if no funds are available, churches and schools often give Christmas performances free of charge or for a minimal fee. “…Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31).
3. Look at Christmas lights: find a neighborhood that has gone to town decorating their front yards with Christmas lights. Some houses even time their twinkles to Christmas music on a radio station! Remind your family that Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12).
4. Go Caroling: revive this old tradition by visiting your neighbors or the local senior citizen home and singing sacred Christmas carols. Carry lit candles and sing your heart out to the Lord while spreading the Good News! Just like the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
5. Read Luke 2: before opening presents on Christmas, remember that the reason we exchange presents and/or celebrate is in honor of God’s gift to us: Jesus Christ. “…Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

Don’t let the reason for the season pass by this Christmas. Put it on your calendars to spend time with your loved ones and share in the joy of Christ’s birth together!

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

The Christmas Star

Family Radio’s Christmas theme this year is “The Christmas Star: Guiding Us Back to the True Meaning of Christmas.” Matthew 2 tells the tale of this special star. 

One night, a star appeared in the east. The wise men who saw it followed the star to Jerusalem, where they enquired of Herod where they might find the King of the Jews. After consulting the chief priests and scribes, Herod pointed them to Bethlehem. The star went before them until it stood straight above Jesus. The wise men fell to their knees before Him and worshipped, presenting Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

Even though the wise men arrived in Bethlehem after Christ had already been born, the star led them to the true meaning of Christmas: the advent of God incarnate. Jesus came as a baby to be the hope of salvation for the world. Just like the guiding light of the Christmas star, Jesus shines as a light in a dark and hopeless world guiding us to everlasting life with God the Father. 

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12

God spent thousands of years preparing the world for the coming of His Son. This “journey to the manger” began in the Garden of Eden when God promised that “Eve’s seed” would bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites never ceased hoping and praying for the Messiah. Then, in God’s perfect timing, Jesus was born. 

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

After Jesus’ birth, Joseph and Mary brought Him to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice according to the law. An older man named Simeon lived in Jerusalem and was filled with the Holy Spirit, who had revealed to him that he wouldn’t die until he had seen the Messiah. The Holy Spirit led Simeon into the temple. When Joseph and Mary entered, Simeon held Jesus in his arms and blessed God, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

 

As we navigate the busyness of the Christmas season, let’s let the light of the Christmas star guide us back to the reason we celebrate: “...Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). 

Jessie Chamberlain

Family Radio Staff

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is already here again. It’s hard to believe how fast time flies. It’s such a special time, yet sometimes the significance of giving thanks gets lost on us. We can rattle off a string of things that we’re – genuinely – thankful for, like family, friends, a home, a job, clothes to wear, food to eat, the list goes on and on. All these are beautiful blessings from the Lord and make our lives enjoyable. Comfortable. Easy.

But are we giving thanks for the things that make life difficult?

I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

God doesn’t just say give thanks for the good things – He said in everything give thanks. Our lists might look a little different in that case.

Thank You for the person who rear-ended my car last week. I had the opportunity to show them Your love and forgiveness.

Thank you for my stolen identity. Now I can empathize with others rather than judging them for their “irresponsible choices.” 

Thank You for my financial crisis. My trust in You is growing, and I get to model that for my children. 

Thank You for the cancer. I shared the Gospel with my nurse, and now Your Holy Spirit is living and active in her life. 

God doesn’t let anything go to waste. He uses it all. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

God wants us to see the silver lining. He wants us to be a light in the world so that when others see us, all they see is a reflection of Him. We live in a fallen world. Nothing is perfect, nor ever will be until Christ returns. If we roll with the punches for God’s greater good, we will be a beacon of truth and hope to a dark and needy world.

Thanksgiving is all about our perspective. Are we going to choose to see the world through Bible-tinted lenses, or will we allow our fallen human nature rule over us? Knowing that we are loved by the Lord and that He sent His Son to provide salvation for all His children, let us give thanks in all things!

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Boundless Energy

Puppies are fun. They’re playful, energetic, mischievous, cuddly, and adorable. When a puppy lives with an older dog, the puppy adds new life and enthusiasm to the older dog’s behavior, almost as if the older dog remembers how enjoyable it is to be young. That is, until the puppy’s antics get too annoying and the older dog curbs his boundless energy with a little nip to teach him a lesson in good manners and to remind him to respect his elder.

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus said, “…Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Children inherently trust their parents to provide for them and protect them, an unparalleled level of faith. When parents are able to shield their children from the challenges of the world, they naturally live carefree and anxious about nothing (Philippians 4:6).

One day while Jesus was teaching, children were brought over so He could pray for them. The disciples tried to shoo the kids away, but Jesus stopped them. “…Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). Christ had different priorities than His disciples anticipated. He demonstrated the value in showing children love and the importance of pouring into them.

In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, God through Paul said, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity…neglect not the gift that is in thee…Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (I Timothy 4:12, 14, 16).

Timothy was a young man whom Paul had taken under his wing to mentor and disciple. Despite his age, Timothy taught at the church in Ephesus. Paul knew that God had equipped Timothy with a gifting to lead others – even those older than he – in the faith, and encouraged him to do so and to set an example for those around him.

Boundless energy, buoyant optimism, eager exuberance, heartfelt compassion, scope for imagination – such youthful attributes sound so cheerful, so hopeful, so desirable. With age can come complacency and pessimism. Life is hard, and experience is a tough teacher.

If “Children should be seen and not heard,” then “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But the Bible teaches that neither of these are true. No matter what your age, there is always someone younger. Find them. Disciple them. Feed their passion; don’t extinguish it. Take the opportunity to show them Christ’s love. Not to mention, learn from them.

On the other hand, the younger generation can open themselves to learn from those who have more life experience. Job 12:12 says, “With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.” Make the most of the chance to learn from someone else’s background instead of learning for yourself the hard way.

Like a puppy with an older dog, let the boundless energy and eager exuberance of a youth enhance your own enthusiasm as you continue to follow Christ.

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Holding Fast

Tomorrow is Election Day. As if we could have forgotten with all the commercials, debates, and articles that currently permeate all media. Many Americans fear the results, thinking, what will happen to our country if so-and-so isn’t (or is!) elected? How will my life be effected? Can any good come from the outcome?

But God is in control. No matter who runs the country, He rules the universe. In the end, He wins. And we who believe in Him will win too (Romans 8:16-17).

This election will change who leads this country. What doesn’t change is that we are to continue to live our daily lives according to the Bible. God calls us to “…hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)” (Hebrews 10:23). But what does “holding fast” look like in regards to election results?

Love one another – John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Give thanks – I Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Pray continually – Ephesians 6:18 “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”
Have a good attitude – Philippians 2:14 “Do all things without murmurings and disputings”
Treat others well – Luke 6:31 “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”
Trust God – Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Spread the Gospelv– I Corinthians 9:22 “…I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
Build up others – I Thessalonians 5:11 “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

If you feel like a lone voice (or vote) amongst the masses, hold fast and remember to “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

The Reformation

The hammer swung, hitting the nail with a mighty ring. It was October 31, 1517. Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses now adorned the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This document, written in Latin, served as an invitation for an academic disputation, a common occurrence amongst scholars. In it, Luther addressed his concerns over the selling of “indulgences,” through which people believed they could pay money for their sins to be forgiven. He believed only God could recognize true penitence.

Luther’s assertions caused an uproar. Certain theologians felt their authority was being attacked. To clarify that he wasn’t denouncing anyone, Luther wrote, also in Latin, Explanations of the Disputation Concerning the Value of Indulgences, presenting a clearer view of his personal stance on indulgences, sacraments, faith, and justification.

As the situation snowballed, Luther grew increasingly fearful for his safety. The Grand Commissioner of Indulgences called for Luther to be burned for heresy. In an attempt to placate his opponents, Luther wrote, Sermon on Indulgences and Grace, which purposefully avoided challenging anyone’s authority. This time, he wrote in German, the language of his country. It was reprinted twenty times.

Sixty-two years had passed since Gutenberg invented the printing press. His first publication was the Latin Bible. However, with the exception of academics and theologians, Latin had been a dead language for nearly seven hundred years. Laymen spoke only the language of their country, yet church services and the Bible were both in Latin. When Luther published Sermon on Indulgences and Grace in German, an irreversible wave set in motion.

The Reformation had been sparked.

Luther, Tyndale, Zwingli, Calvin, and others played a huge role in translating the Bible into the languages of the people. Thanks to this, the growing popularity of the printing press, and a rapidly-increasing literacy rate, people were now gaining access to God’s Word in their own vernacular. Christianity exploded across Europe.

Romans 10:14, 17 says, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? …So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

God calls each of us to “go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Matthew 28:19). What can you do to follow the example these men set and put the Bible into the hands of those who don’t yet believe? Post your ideas in the comments below.

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Measuring Up

Do you remember the days when you would back up to a wall or door frame, and your parents would pull out the yard stick to measure you? I stretched my neck, hoping to be as tall as possible. Sometimes I even left my shoes on in hopes that Mom wouldn’t catch me. I couldn’t wait to grow up.

As I grew in both height and years, I turned into a perfectionist. Everything worth doing was worth doing the right way. The pillows on my bed had to be just so, my homework was completed with precise attention to detail, and I practiced piano with a fervor that reflected the old adage, “Practice makes perfect.”

But I couldn’t be perfect all the time (shocking, I know). Social faux pas were the worst humiliation. GPA’s less than a 4.0 resulted in tears (math was always the source of my scholastic struggles). And sins? They brought on the worst kind of shame.
I grew tired of trying to measure up to my own standards.

We all have expectations of ourselves, and at times, we fall short of those expectations. I expected myself to be perfect, but I had to learn that perfection isn’t synonymous with or even complementary to being human. Perfection belongs to God and God alone.

II Corinthians 12:9 says, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Perfection isn’t God’s expectation for us. Instead, God wants us to rely on Him and His power so He can fill in our gaps when we don’t measure up. His grace allows us to be human and gives us further reason to glorify Him.

On the other hand, God’s grace doesn’t allow us to kick back and sin at leisure or give little thought to what we do. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (Romans 6:15). God still desires lives lived in holy reverence before Him.

God’s standard for living invites personal relationship with Him. We can’t bridge the gap of sin, so Christ did it for us. Instead of struggling through life on our own, we can rely on His strength at all times. We have unlimited access to His limitless grace.

Are you standing tall against your own yard stick? Or is Jesus your substitute yard stick, allowing you to grow unencumbered by unrealistic expectations? Rest in God’s grace, “and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

I'm Not Ashamed

Rachel Scott lived unashamed of the Gospel. Like anyone, she had her struggles. High school presented a whole realm of potential temptations and bad decisions. Ultimately, Rachel recognized her life’s purpose. As she shared the Gospel with those around her, she faced ridicule – a teenager’s worst nightmare. But that didn’t stop her; she wanted God to use her to reach those who didn’t yet know Him.

In her diary, Rachel wrote, “I lost all my friends at school, now that I’ve begun to ‘walk my talk,’ they make fun of me…But you know what? I am not going to apologize for speaking the name of Jesus. I am not going to justify my faith to them, and I am not going to hide the light that God has put into me. If I have to sacrifice everything I will.”

On April 20, 1999, Rachel did just that. Two disillusioned fellow students, Eric and Dylan, came to school armed with intent to kill. As they approached Rachel, they asked her, “Do you still believe in your God?”

“You know I do.”

“Then go be with Him,” Eric responded with gunfire.

Rachel was the first of thirteen to fall that day in Columbine, Colorado. Her response of “You know I do” perfectly illustrated her passionate commitment to living out her faith. These two strange, dark, ostracized boys already knew about her faith in God. She had been so outspoken about the Gospel that she knew they knew about her faith.

…Can we say the same thing about the intimidating people in our lives? Do they know what we believe and why?

…Are we so zealous for Christ that we are truly willing to “count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:8)?

Philippians 1:20 says, “according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” Rachel Scott, a girl of a mere seventeen years, lived to tell the lost about eternal life in Christ in the hope that God would use her to impact many. When the time came, she also died for Christ. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” Romans 1:16

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Purify

“And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: and the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.” (Numbers 19:18-19).

In 1846, Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis set out to determine why so many women in maternity wards were dying from what was commonly known as childbed fever. He compared two wings: one staffed completely by doctors and medical students, and one staffed entirely by midwives. As a result, he found that women were five times as likely to die in the wing staffed by doctors and medical students.

After much frustrating research and the death of a colleague after performing an autopsy on a woman who had died from childbed fever, Semmelweis determined that the major difference between doctors and midwives was that doctors performed autopsies. He hypothesized that particles were getting on the hands of the doctors during the autopsies and transferring to the women during childbirth, who would then contract the disease and die. His solution? To have the doctors wash their hands and instruments in a chlorine solution. The rate of childbed fever fell dramatically.

It seems strange to think of a time when doctors didn’t even wash their hands between patients. Over 1800 years passed before the “modern world” figured out the benefits of antiseptic, yet during the Old Testament era, God commanded the Israelites to purify themselves with water suffused with hyssop, an herb with cleansing properties.

While it can sometimes feel tedious to read through the Old Testament’s Books of the Law like Numbers, it’s exciting to see that God didn’t give the Israelites so many laws to follow just because He’s God and could make them jump through hoops; He gave them laws to protect them. The Israelites, God’s chosen people, understood that the purpose behind following these laws was to purify themselves both physically and spiritually so they would be acceptable before God.

The Israelites tried to follow His laws, and at times failed royally. Our sins – when we break God’s laws – separate us from God, putting an obstacle in our ability to have a relationship with Him and to come before Him in worship. However, God tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). God, in His graciousness, provides the means for us to be cleansed in His sight and to freely approach Him.

Psalm 51:7, 9-13 says, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow…Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.”

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Covenant Reflection

His heart raced. Third time’s the charm, Jerry thought. After planning and canceling two special dinners with his girlfriend, he forged ahead with his plans even though the ring still hadn’t arrived. Tonight, nothing was going to stand in his way. He would ask Jeanne to marry him no matter what.

When Jerry proposed with a photo of a ring instead of an actual ring, it didn’t make any difference to Jeanne. She was in love with the God-fearing man seated across the table from her. Together, they could build a life more glorifying to God than apart.

My parents married 46 years ago today, committing themselves to each other “for better or for worse” for the rest of their lives. And throughout their marriage, they have seen a lot of both the “better” and the “worse.” They’ve laughed together, had disagreements, traveled the world together, hurt together over the deaths of family members and friends, faced financial difficulty and illnesses, raised three daughters – everything life has thrown at them, they’ve faced together.

Their union is a marriage of three: Dad, Mom, and Christ. With Christ at the center of their marriage, they have been able to rely on His power and guidance to get them through the “worse,” which has made the “better” all the more sweet. Ephesians 5:22-25 says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it.”

Movies and television portray marriage as a contract, one that can and even should be terminated when times get tough or if the husband and wife “fall out” of love. But the love described in Ephesians 5 isn’t one of convenience or emotion; it’s one of commitment, sacrifice, and humility. When a contract is broken, it becomes null, but a covenant stands forever. The marriage relationship reflects Christ’s forever covenant with the Church.

Imagine the predicament we would be in if Christ decided He didn’t want to love us anymore. Instead, His Word tells us, “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). We can take comfort in the fact that Christ will keep His Word. John 14:1-4 says, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”

How comforting it is to know Christ will not break His covenant with us! Just like the marriage covenant reflects, He will be with us to love and guide us for all of our days.

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Season of Harvest

Fall is officially here! Tisk, tisk, those of you who indulged in a pumpkin spice latte before September 22. Cable-knit sweaters have emerged from the backs of closets to ward off the chill of the crisp morning air. Pumpkin flavors dominate coffee shop fare. Reds, yellows, and oranges imbue flora in a beautiful autumn tapestry. Kids wind their way through the labyrinthine passages of corn mazes. Families flock to apple farms to pick bushels of Pink Ladies and Granny Smiths. ‘Tis the season of harvest!

God reaps His own harvest and we get to participate in the process. Like a farmer who carefully sows his seeds into tilled soil, God calls us to plant the seeds of the Gospel into people’s hearts. Romans 10:14-15 says, “…how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Our job is simply the one of sowing. Only God can affect how the seed is received, whether it falls onto rocky terrain to its death or onto the fertile ground where it produces fruit (Mark 4:3-9; 14-20). It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to cultivate the seed of the Gospel and bring it to fruition – salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Sometimes we get to see God bring our labor to fruition – and what a blessing it is! Psalm 126:5-6 says, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Other times, we may never know if God touched a person’s heart. Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Matthew 9:37-38 says, “Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.”

Our calling is to faithfully and prayerfully obey God through every season of harvest. Let’s go out into the world to sow the seeds of His Gospel, perhaps with a pumpkin spice latte in hand!

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Basking in His Presence

I sat back in my chair, basking in the fresh air. In front of me lay a full English tea service: tiny sandwiches, scones, and pastries. A dainty teacup contained my Palace Earl Grey tea, to which I gleefully added two lumps of sugar. An umbrella shaded me from the sun in the uncommonly warm London weather. I looked at the perfectly manicured green lawn stretched out in front of the red-bricked palace in front of me, wondering if any royalty happened to be home taking care of a brand new baby boy. Throughout my entire afternoon tea, I texted my “mum,” who was half a world away in California coincidentally enjoying her own peach scones for breakfast.

Technology permeates western culture now. We can video chat with loved ones across the world. Instead of snail mail, we can send correspondence with only the click of a button. It only takes a minute to heat up dinner in the microwave. Cars on the highway outstrip a horse and buggy. But I would venture a guess that even with all this saved time, we are busier than ever.

When it comes to to-do lists, I reign queen. I’ll put something on my list simply for the sheer pleasure of checking it off when I finish. And I have graduated from using my day planner to keep track of my lists and schedules to using computer software to remind me what I need to do. With all the time technology “saves” me, I can fit more and more into my schedule. BUT it’s getting harder and harder to obey that fourth commandment. You know the one…about honoring the Sabbath…

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it”
(Exodus 20:8-11).

Not only did God make this a commandment, but He spent more words explaining it than any other commandment. As the inspired Word of God, one commandment doesn’t have more importance than another, but just maybe God wanted to make sure we didn’t skip over this one. Instead, He wants us to take it seriously.

God has taught me that anything He commands me to do is for my own benefit as well as for His glory. When He wrote this commandment, in His omniscience He already knew that humans need rest from work so we can live life to the fullest without becoming weary. When we take time in the presence of God to rest on the Sabbath, our souls are restored and our cups overflow (Psalm 23) for we have participated in holiness.

Let’s set aside the distractions of technology and to-do lists on the Sabbath. Let’s commune with God over our own “cups of tea,” basking in His holy presence.

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

A Teachable Spirit

For most of the country by now, schools are back in session. Back-to-school sales are over, and for families, weekday mornings are now a flustered rush to get to the big yellow bus in time, lunch in one hand and homework in the other. Students are off to learn their reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic.

I always loved learning. Not everyone has the same learning style, but formal education and I got along really well. Even to this day, I love to learn. Whether it’s taking an online course to learn new computer software or attending a writers’ conference to further my skill level, obtaining new knowledge excites me even when it doesn’t always come easily.

However, if I don’t put what I learn into practice, it would be a waste of my time and resources, especially concerning biblical matters. Philippians 4:9 says, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” God desires for us to have a teachable spirit so we can learn and grow in Him to His glory.

In God’s eyes, learning is a good thing, benefitting our lives and souls. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” John 14:26 assures us the Holy Spirit teaches us. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

The world looks at us as Christ’s ambassadors, so if we aren’t applying what we learn, we aren’t representing Him very well. Titus 3:14 says, “And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.” The fruit we bear is evidence that we’re putting our new knowledge to good use.

Have you ever heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? Well, I have a hunch that if God was done teaching us, no matter what our age, we’d be at home with Him in heaven. God has a purpose and a plan for each of us during our time on earth. Exodus 9:16 says, “And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”

If a teachable spirit doesn’t come naturally to you, “…let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). Let’s apply what we learn so that we may bear fruit to the glory of God.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

Whatsoever Ye Do

In the United States, we have so much to be thankful for. Opportunities abound because the achievements of American workers have made our country a strong and prosperous place to live. Labor Day is a celebrated tradition that dates back 134 years to honor our industrious citizens.

As believers in Christ, we have extra motivation to work hard. Colossians 3:23 says, “and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” God wants us to be intentional; our every action should be for the purpose of pleasing Him.

So often we are tempted to please those around us because we receive immediate praise instead of relishing the knowledge that God is pleased with us because we’ve done our best for Him. Praise makes us feel accomplished and encourages us; it feels good. But when praise becomes our motivation rather than bringing God glory, we’ve shifted our eyes off of Christ and onto ourselves. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31).

Our various professions, no matter if we are missionaries, executives, or plumbers, can be used as ministry to those around us. “…Let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28). God is pleased when we serve others and tell them about Him.

Additionally, anything we do, whether work or play, if we do it without the Lord’s direction, it is useless. Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” When we follow God’s leading, there is eternal significance to our actions.

As we do our best for the glory of the Lord by following His direction, we can rest in the knowledge that our labor isn’t in vain. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58).

“Whatsoever ye do,” our great country gives us a special day each year to take a break from work and recognize the blessings American workers have been to us. Let’s spend time this Labor Day being grateful to God for the opportunity to live and work here.

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

The Greener Grass

So often we’re tempted to play the comparison game. Someone is always smarter, stronger, or better looking than we are. Or maybe they know exactly the right thing to say at exactly the right time. Maybe blessing after blessing keeps getting heaped upon them, leaving you thinking, what am I doing wrong, God? If we aren’t careful, we can wind up feeling like the grass is always greener on the other side.

It’s so easy to get swept into a dizzying tornado of wishing to be how God made someone else rather than how He made us. Instead of fostering friendships, we get jealous. Protective. We somehow feel like our own worth is diminished by another’s value.

But when God instituted the body of Christ – the collective group of His children – He gave us reason to celebrate our differences. The Holy Spirit gifts each of us with distinct spiritual gifts so we can build each other up. He makes it clear through correlating believers to the various parts of a physical body that each of us brings to the table something unique. “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him” (I Corinthians 12:17-18). Our God-given gifts make us each individually vital members of the body of Christ.

Just as we are vital individually, we are vital collectively. If we aren’t participating in the body of Christ, we are denying it a necessary cog in its wheel and it won’t turn properly. “But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary” (I Corinthians 12:20-22). In other words, we need each other and are incomplete when one of our members is missing.

At some point in life, we have all struggled with comparing ourselves to other people. Instead of begrudging other people’s strengths and blessings, let’s celebrate God at work in them and encourage them. “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do” (I Thessalonians 5:11).

God, in His sovereignty, has given us various gifts, talents, strengths, and callings. Embrace your own, “that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power” (II Thessalonians 1:11). God’s calling is of no small consequence. We are the vessels He uses to accomplish His glory.

If your neighbor’s grass is green, encourage him to keep it up, and invite him over to pick the fruit from your thriving apple tree. By God’s grace, we all have something to give.

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous : not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” I Peter 3:8-9

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff

New Life

I stood in line at the Social Security Administration, waiting…waiting…waiting, with the required documents to officially change my name. After all the wedding bell bliss, the reality of transition had set in. I was in a season of change. Happy change, but change nevertheless. I now had a husband, a new home, a new dog, a new schedule, a new set of responsibilities, and even a new name. I quickly began to understand that having a new name presented some hurdles with my bank account, driver’s license, and passport, just to name a few.

I thought I would keep my old Social Security card for sentimental reasons, or even as an added record of my existence just in case something happened to the new one. When the government worker at the window told me they were going to destroy the old card, I was taken aback.

Then I realized: I can’t legally have two identities in the United States. I needed to pick one. I had to allow my old identity as Miss Jessie Sartain to be “destroyed” so I could have a new one as Mrs. Jessie Chamberlain. My new name reflects my new identity as the wife of J.D. Chamberlain. I had to leave my old identity behind.

As I drove away from the Social Security office, I couldn’t help but recognize how similarly my new identity as a married woman parallels our new identity in Christ after the Holy Spirit indwells us. We leave our old life behind, and begin a new one in Christ. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” No longer was I a single person, but was now joined with another for the duration of my life.

After the Holy Spirit indwelled me, I couldn’t hang onto the old version of myself. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). The Holy Spirit began His renewing work in me. Again, no longer was I alone, but irrevocably indwelled by the Spirit to guide and to teach me. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

Now that the Holy Spirit is transforming me day by day, I’m no longer enslaved to sin. John 8:36 says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Christ has freed me and given me a new life. That is reason to celebrate!

Jessie Chamberlain
Family Radio Staff