Both my 3-year-old adopted Chinese daughter, Jessica MeiLan, and I love clothes. As a stay-at-home mom, I’m always looking for a bargain, especially since I buy for my daughter first.

One Saturday I came home from a yard sale with three denim jumpers, two shorts sets, and a princess-waisted floral dress of pastel pinks, yellows, and blues–all for only $13!

I could hardly wait to wear my “new” dress to church the next day. Usually the church women notice new dresses, and I waited, expecting compliments. But none came my way.

Later, when I went to pick up Jessica from children’s church, I discovered why my dress was met with silence.

Jess said, “Mommy, you got a sticker in church; I want one.”

Puzzled, I replied, “Mommy didn’t get a sticker, Honey.”

Quickly pointing her finger toward me, she said, “On your dress.”

I looked down to see that I had forgotten to take the $2 price tag off my dress. That explained everything!

–Pamela Robinson

 When my children were small, they had difficulty understanding the concept of time. A prediction that a trip would take half an hour meant nothing to them.

Consequently, my husband and I tried to give them concrete analogies to help them understand. For example, if something was to last for 30 minutes, we told them it would last as long as an episode of I Love Lucy.

One Sunday my 4-year-old daughter was having a particularly tough time getting through our church service. She was restless and eager for us to leave.

Finally, she whispered in my ear, “How much longer, Mommy?” I whispered back, “Two more songs, Morgan.”

She immediately turned to her father and announced, “Daddy, Mommy says two more songs and we’re outta here!”

At the time, her comment was pretty embarrassing, but now it has become a standard line in our family. Whenever we’re nearly ready to leave a place, someone is sure to say, “Two more songs and we’re outta here!”

–Clare Seffrin Bond

I once heard a message in church on “the balanced life.” The speaker made the point that we need to give equal time to each of the most significant areas of our lives so we don’t get out of balance.

I felt prompted to do a search on the word “balance” in my small computer Bible to find scriptural backing for the message. The only reference given that contained the word was a verse in Proverbs, and that had to do with a scale–in other words, with weights and measures, not with the way we use our time.

What I found did not convince me that the preacher was right. I asked the Holy Spirit to show me the truth, and He replied, “The truth is that being wholehearted for God is the key to balance.”

I looked up all the verses with the concept “whole heart” and found references throughout the Scriptures. The most significant was Matt. 22:37, which records what Jesus called the greatest commandment: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind'” (NIV). According to the Word, God demands that we put Him first, not that we prioritize our lives so He gets “equal time.”

Developing intense love for God requires turning away from the things of the world. We cannot fully embrace Him while we are holding onto other things. The goal is to be able to declare with the psalmist, “Earth has nothing I desire besides You!” (Ps. 73:25).

It’s not easy to be wholehearted for God. The other demands of our lives press in on us and try to distract us. But I have found that if I purpose in my heart to put Him first, He will help me keep my focus.

During a season when I wanted to pray more, I asked God to give me opportunities. Whenever I sat down to read the paper or watch television, He would say, “You could be spending time with Me.” It was amazing to see how much time I had for my spiritual life when I gave up unnecessary pursuits!

When we commit to putting God first, the other priorities in our lives will fall into their proper places. God will direct us by His Spirit as we learn and apply the principles in His Word. He is the one who gives us the priorities, and He will help us balance them correctly.

The important thing is to love God first and foremost. Then we will be motivated by our love to do what He desires us to do. We can’t follow His commands or otherwise serve Him out of ourselves; we must be led by His Spirit so that, like Jesus, we will do only what we see the Father doing (see John 5:19).

THE NILE MOTHER

She was called the greatest woman in Egypt and was recognized by national leaders for her humanitarian work. About 6 feet in height, Lillian Trasher stood tall in both body and spirit. Throughout her 51 years of ministry she fed, clothed and sheltered thousands of orphans, widows and blind women.

She was born in Florida in 1887 and was converted in her teen-age years. At the age of 18, Lillian sensed the call of God on her life and briefly attended Bible school. She left school to work in an orphanage in North Carolina. Later she left the orphanage to pastor a church and then traveled on the evangelistic circuit.

During one of her evangelistic tours, Lillian became engaged to Tom Jordan, a man who did not share her call to the mission fields of Africa. She was forced to make a difficult choice between breaking off the engagement or following God’s plan for her life.

Ten days before the wedding in 1910 she suddenly broke off the engagement and later that same year set sail with her sister for Africa.

After their arrival in Assiout, Egypt, in 1911, Lillian took a tiny baby, whose mother had just died, into her home. All her training and experience at the orphanage now came into play as she cared for this orphan baby. Lillian took the incident to heart as a divine mandate from God to start a home for Egyptian orphans.

In the beginning Lillian was told again and again that it would be impossible for her to establish an orphanage in Egypt. Lillian would often say, “An American girl can do anything, if she tries hard enough.”

The early years were marked by intense persecution, but Lillian stood strong and persevered. She not only took in thousands of orphans but also helped deliver hundreds of babies. Many of the mothers named their baby girls “Lillian” in her honor.

At first the Egyptians thought that Lillian was taking in the orphans to be used as slaves for America. When they realized what she was actually doing, they gave her official approval and support for her ministry. If enough support for the orphanage did not come in from America or local sources, Lillian would personally make long trips to collect food, chickens, money and other items.

Throughout the years the orphanage grew and reached out to anyone who was destitute and hurting, providing them a safe haven. When Lillian died in 1961 they buried her at the orphanage. Although she never married, tens of thousands of children knew her as “Mama Lillian–The Nile Mother.”

When I was 37, I began experiencing symptoms of menopause. But it
wasn’t until I turned 43 that I found a doctor who would take me seriously. By then, I was beginning to think I was crazy.

Once my doctor prescribed hormone replacement therapy for me, the symptoms disappeared, and I was able to enjoy a normal life again. Unfortunately, a few years later this doctor closed her practice, and the next physician I saw treated me as though I were exaggerating and changed my medication. This threw me into a tailspin.

At times I felt suicidal, a sentiment which is not in keeping with my personality at all. I could not muster the desire or the energy to do daily tasks.

My ability to concentrate declined rapidly. I felt I would never be able to function at a productive level again.

Several friends were praying regularly for me. One day, the Lord revealed to me that this “sickness” was a consequence of Adam and Eve’s fall in the garden and that He had redeemed me through Jesus’ death. So I began praying in accordance with what He said.

In March, our area hosted a spiritual warfare conference, and I knew the Lord wanted me to attend. I became excited about going because I knew it was to be a divine appointment.

Whether I would receive revelation through the teaching, the worship or a specific word of knowledge, I couldn’t guess. But I knew God was going to meet me there in a special way.

The conference was excellent. But as we approached the last session, I knew God had more for me.

After the worship, the speaker delivered a prophetic word over the whole group. He said, “And God is healing internal organs.” I said, “Yes, Lord! That’s for me!”

The next week I had energy to spare. I was able to concentrate and get everything caught up that I had let go for the previous nine months. Praise God! He healed me!

Under the old covenant, the anointing oil had one exclusive purpose. In a symbolic act of consecration, it was poured out on prophets, priests and kings and on the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant and all the individual utensils that were employed in the worship of God.

It was compounded according to strict instructions, and although its ingredients were earthly, everything about it was rich in sacred symbolism. Any vessel thus anointed was set apart for a holy purpose and calling unto the Lord.

Read a companion article.

Praising the Lord has ever been to me one of the most inspiring and exalting of themes. Oh! How I love to praise Him and hear Him praised.

It has been my privilege, on several occasions, to witness the never-to-be-forgotten scene of 1,000 saints standing on their feet with uplifted hands, tears streaming down their faces, praising the Lord with all their might until the great volume of thunderous praises blended into a sound like rushing mighty waters as it rolled majestically heavenward. It went up as one voice, of one people who were one in heart and adoration of the most high God and His glorious Son, Jesus Christ.

It is when praising the Lord in this way, as at no other time, that my spirit catches the greatest revelation–the greater vision of the mighty, omnipotent King of the Ages, high and lifted up. It is then that the very atmosphere seems electric, charged with the mighty power of the great God, and I catch the sound of His chariot wheels leaping over the mountains, ever coming nearer as His saints continue to adore Him, till I hear the stately steppings of the King in the midst of His holy tabernacle–then, as the cloud of glorious adoration still rises from the hearts of the people, I see Him robed with honor, crowned with glory, seated upon the jewelled throne of adoration that His people have built for Him by their praises.

The Lord inhabits the praises of His people. Where real praise is, there God is.

It is impossible to overestimate the power, victory, blessing, healing, encouragement and inspiration embodied in this wonderful secret of praising the Lord.

PRAISE THE LORD AT ALL TIMES “Oh! but you know that I could never put anything on, I could never praise the Lord unless I feel like it,” someone exclaims.

Unless you feel like it! Oh! Is that the gauge by which you measure your offerings of praise? Is that the foundation upon which your Christian experience is based?

My dear sister, feelings are a poor and very uncertain guide upon which to rely when it comes to praising the Lord or any other Christian experience. Only one man in the Bible that I know of went by feeling; that was dear old Isaac, and you remember how he felt the hands and arms of Jacob, his son, and how deceived he was.

Oh, dear hearts, I encourage you to praise Him at “all times”and let His praise “be continually in your mouth,” not because you happen to feel like it, but because He is worthy. Praise Him whether you feel like it or not, and you soon will feel like it.

Why, it is impossible for me to lift up my hands and begin to praise and adore my Master without a downpour of His blessing that is as rain to the thirsty fields and flowers or as the anointing oil upon my head, running down to the borders of my garments.

“Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” Why, according to David, the only excuse you have for not praising the Lord is being out of breath!

Some may claim, “Oh, Sister, I praise Him in my heart. I could never shout aloud or be demonstrative. It is not my make-up or disposition.”

Beloved, when you have put on your beautiful garments of praise, you are lifted above your own “make-up” and “disposition” and swing far out into the realm of the Spirit. As for praising the Lord in your heart, why, your heart is no different from anyone else’s. When it gets full of glorious praises and adoration and He becomes so real, so fair as to be altogether lovely, the chiefest of 10,000 to your soul, your heart will run over, and you will shout His praises, and your voice will be blended with the voices of all the other redeemed ones and soar upward to the Lamb who sits upon the throne.

THERE’S POWER IN PRAISE Besides blessing you and ministering to the Lord, your praise has the potential to clear the spiritual atmosphere in a meeting. Let’s look at an example. Two saints attend the same meeting. One enters with a long face, takes her seat, looks solemnly about, and if the meeting seems a little stiff, in need of a blessing, lacking in praise or “tied up,” this dear one begins to be burdened and sigh:

“Oh, Lord, what is the matter here? There is such a binding spirit, such a power of darkness. It seems as though the room were filled with demons. Help us, Lord!” Immediately every eye and every thought are directed to the devil, to darkness and to binding spirits and are no longer on Jesus.

When we advertise and meditate upon the strength of the devil, we underestimate the power of the great I AM, the Mighty Conqueror who never lost a battle. Such despondency and burdened agonizing is contagious, and soon everyone is moaning and crying and miserable, and it is not until someone begins “seeing and praising Jesus” that the cloud lifts.

The other saint enters the same meeting, where it seems that not one breath of heavenly gales is stirring, feels the same pressure upon the meeting, and refusing to look at or recognize the enemy, says:

“This is the time to praise Jesus. This is the time to see God arise and scatter His enemies. He has told us that we will do great and mighty things if we will but praise Him, and we know that the enemy cannot lodge or abide in an atmosphere that is filled with the praises of the Lord.” This saint straightway begins to shout:

“Hallelujah! We rejoice in You! We glory in Your might, O King! Victory and honor ever attend Your troops. Power and dominion envelop You. Your glory and presence fill the heavens and the earth. It fills my heart just now. It overflows and fills the room. Why, glory to Jesus! Beloved, the Lord is in our midst. Do you not feel Him? Why, this atmosphere is like that of heaven!”

Such faith and praise is contagious. The fire of unwavering confidence in God that burns within this temple soon leaps over its parapets, spreads first to those in the seats nearby, then on to the farthest corner of the room, inspiring, encouraging, lifting up drooping heads and strengthening feeble knees, and in a moment every eye is fixed on Jesus, His praises fill the tabernacle, souls are blessed, vessels are filled to overflowing, the Latter Rain is heard pattering on the roof, the dry ground is saturated and the wilderness and the desert places are blossoming as the rose!

What was the difference in the two saints? The one recognized and saw the power of the devil and began to bemoan the sad state of affairs, depressing everyone who listened, while the other saw only Jesus in His all-conquering, invincible might and splendor, riding on to sure and certain victory.

VISION OF DEMONS AND ANGELS The Lord taught me a wonderful lesson some time ago that demonstrated the majesty and power of praise. I was seated on the rostrum in my tent during the evening meeting. Every seat in the big tabernacle was filled, the aisles were packed, and outside the tent hundreds and hundreds stood closely packed together.

It was one of the first days of the camp meeting, and conviction had not yet taken the place of curiosity. A great many of the onlookers were Roman Catholics, and the balance were unused to any demonstration of the power of God, so the air was filled with unbelief, skepticism, scoffing and ridicule. The people would listen as long as we sang. But as soon as anyone endeavored to speak, the whisperings and the murmurings would begin until another song was started.

As I stood there on the platform with my eyes closed, I saw the entire tent surrounded by great black demons, with huge, bat-like wings. Each demon seemed to stand about 10 feet tall, and as they stood in a circle, completely surrounding the tent, they were so close together that their wings touched, tip to tip.

With my eyes still closed, I began to cry out silently to the Lord, “Oh, Lord, what shall I do?” He replied, “Just begin to praise Me. I will do the fighting. You do the praising.” So I began to praise Him.

“Praise the Lord!” The first time I said it I noticed the demons seemed to tremble.

“Praise the Lord!” The second time I shouted it. I am sure my voice was heard above every other sound, and I saw each demon take one step backward, away from the tent.

“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” Each time I said, “Praise the Lord,” the demons took a step backward until I lost sight of them in the distance.

“Praise the Lord!” The next time I said it I saw in the distance a circular band of angels standing around the tent.

“Praise the Lord! PRAISE THE LORD!” Each time I praised Him they took one step nearer, another step nearer, still another step nearer, till at last they stood at the very border of the tent–such tall, wonderful-looking angels, with their beautiful, white wings spread so wide that the wings of each touched, tip to tip. Father had sent one of His legions of angels to guard the tent.

Perhaps not another person in the tent saw the vision of this great shining band of angels, yet everyone inside and out must have sensed the presence of the divine, for not only did a great peace steal over my soul, but the whole audience was hushed. When I opened my eyes I could see only the people watching in rapt attention, but when I closed them again I could see the angels just as plainly as I could see the people.

Is it any wonder I believe that the power of praise drives back the enemy and brings down the blessing?

Read a companion devotional.

Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944) was a Pentecostal evangelist and founder of The Foursquare Church, formerly the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (ICFG). She was widely accepted by many different denominations and always held an interdenominational view.

MANY PEOPLE TODAY CAN’T EVEN LIST THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. WE MUST TEACH YOUNGER BELIEVERS THAT GOD’S MORAL LAWS ARE AS IMPORTANT TODAY AS THEY WERE WHEN GOD GAVE THEM TO MOSES.

A few months ago I read an article in a national newspaper that surprised me. A television talk show commentator had interviewed a number of people in nightclubs and other places on the street. He asked each the same question, “Can you name one of the Ten Commandments?”

I was deeply grieved to learn that no one he interviewed could quote any of God’s laws. The ones who tried were way off base.

What has happened to us as a nation? We have only to listen to the news to realize that we are ignoring the societal boundaries God set up for us to follow. No wonder we suffer from lawlessness!

The most horrific example we have had in recent times of the consequences of not following the Ten Commandments occurred on April 20, 1999, in Littleton, Colorado. The sixth commandment, “You shall not murder” (Deut. 5:17, NKJV), was blatantly broken by two high school boys who went on a killing spree at their high school. At the end of the day one teacher and 14 students were killed, and at least 23 were injured.

The year before last I began to wonder if the young people of this nation understand the meaning of the Ten Commandments. Could they explain them to me? I wondered. How many have broken one or more of them?

My questions resulted in my preaching a message on the Ten Commandments at a youth congress. I told the young people who attended, “These are laws–God’s laws–not mere suggestions.” At the end of the sermon I extended an invitation to those who had broken at least one of the commandments.

What happened absolutely shocked me. The front was full of young men and women on their knees weeping and repenting before God for breaking His laws!

I realized then that we have lost our way as a society because the plumb line that is a standard against relativism has been taken out of our nation’s belief system. I had identified this problem before–as many of you undoubtedly have–but I hadn’t comprehended how deep the problem had become among so-called “Christian” kids.

HOLD UP THE PLUMB LINE As you read and study each of the Ten Commandments with me, I want you to think about what you see, hear and listen to each day. If it does not line up with God’s Word, it has a deeply polluting effect on you whether you want it to or not.

I often tell people that we need to not only read God’s Word but also read God’s world in light of His Word. We need to hold up the plumb line of His law in our society once again and use it to evaluate all that comes into our eye and ear gates.

Most of you know that God called Moses up to the top of Mount Horeb to give him the Ten Commandments. There, the finger of God etched His laws on tablets of stone–not wood or parchment–so that they could be passed down from generation to generation. He wanted His people to abide by these laws through the ages.

But why? The Israelites had been living in bondage in Egypt under an idolatrous system that was full of sinful practices. God wanted them to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (see Ex. 19:6). The laws were designed to help them become the people God wanted them to be.

First Commandment. You shall have no other gods before Me (Ex. 20:3).

In this commandment God states that He is the one and only God. Everything belongs to Him, as Psalm 24:1 says: “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” This is a statement of ownership that demands our submission to His law. Anyone who worships another god before Him is guilty of the sin of idolatry.

Second Commandment. You shall not make for yourself a carved image–any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth (v. 4).

Here God elaborates on the First Commandment by describing what He considers idolatry–the making of any image for the sake of worship. In his book, Hard Core Idolatry (Wagner Institute for Practical Ministry), C. Peter Wagner says he believes these commandments are listed first because idolatry is the sin God hates most.

People in nations all over the world worship other gods. Many of these are female goddesses described in Revelation 17:1-2. The Bible says that they are the great harlot who sits on many waters with whom the kings of the earth commit fornication.

Third Commandment. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain (v. 7).

This is one commandment we see broken regularly on television. People use God’s name as if it had no meaning.

Have you ever wondered why people do not curse with the name of Buddha or some other false god? It’s because Satan isn’t interested in damaging the reputation of a false god. He wants to throw curses at the living God.

Many times when I have rebuked young people for using the Lord’s name as a curse word they have said, “But Cindy, I don’t mean anything by it.” That is exactly the point. God’s name is so holy that we never want to use it lightly.

Fourth Commandment. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (v. 8).

This is the commandment that Christians most neglect. Years ago it was so carefully observed that many fell into legalism. Jesus warned about this when He said that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

However, the pendulum has swung so far the other way now that we don’t rest at all. God modeled resting for us when He rested on the seventh day after creating the world–even though He didn’t need to.

Fifth Commandment. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you (v. 12).

This is often called “the commandment with a promise.” It says that if we honor our parents, we will live a long life. It also implies the opposite: If we dishonor our parents, we will not live a long life. That’s a sobering thought, isn’t it?

Honor is something we seem to have lost an understanding of through the decades. Rather than respecting the elderly, we call them names such as “old man” and “old lady” in a derogatory tone. We need to restore honor to our nation.

Sixth Commandment. You shall not murder (v. 13).

This Scripture says it is wrong to take another’s life. We have watched so many murders on television and in movies that we are desensitized to death. It doesn’t seem real. For this reason, I strongly object to movies that are extremely violent.

Often those in the military struggle with this law. But the verse doesn’t say you shall not kill; it says you shall not murder. The Bible is full of references to armies of men who were called by God to defend their nations, and they certainly had to kill people in order to obey His commands.

Seventh Commandment. You shall not commit adultery (v .14).

This commandment clearly forbids married persons from having sexual relations outside marriage. But it also implicitly warns against sexual impurity of any kind.

This goes against the grain for many believers. Much of the church has been so polluted by media that they watch movies that would have been considered pornographic in the 1940s. We compare ourselves with unbelievers and think we can watch R-rated movies because the world watches X-rated movies.

Jesus explained the Seventh Commandment in depth when he said that purity has to extend to the very thoughts we think (see Matt. 5:27-28). Otherwise, we commit spiritual adultery in our minds by entertaining lustful thoughts.

Eighth Commandment. You shall not steal (v. 15).

This commandment means that we are not to take what doesn’t belong to us. Inherent in it is the mandate to live a life full of integrity. Many Christians would deny that they steal, yet they take supplies from their workplaces, misuse telephone privileges by making personal calls from the office and so on.

Ninth Commandment. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (v. 16).

This law commands us not to gossip, slander or say untrue and injurious things about a person.

Tenth Commandment. You shall not covet (v. 17).

Coveting can be a very subtle sin. It may start with a general discontentment with what we own or a concern that our relationship with our spouse or another person isn’t as good as someone else’s. Finally, we reach a state in which we are completely dissatisfied and so consumed with wanting what another person has that we become obsessed and lose our focus and joy.

LEADING THE WAY As adults, we must be responsible for leading the way–not only by keeping the Ten Commandments ourselves, but also by teaching them to our children and expecting them to follow suit. It is essential for us to give them a standard by which to measure their thoughts and actions, a yardstick to help them determine whether or not they have met the mark. We do not want them to become modern-day Pharisees, legalistic to a fault and ignoring the spirit of the law; however, we also do not want them to be completely lawless.

The important thing is to teach them that although we now live under the dispensation of grace, being no longer bound by the law (see Rom. 6:14), we are responsible for living holy lives based on the commandments God has given us (see v. 15). Jesus told us: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matt. 5:17-18). He went on to tell us His expectations of us:

“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (vv. 19-20).

Jesus clearly taught us to follow the Ten Commandments; but He went beyond expounding on the letter of the law to explaining the spirit of it (see vv. 21-48). This is what we must do in “laying down the law” for our children so that their righteousness will “exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees.”

It is not enough for them to learn simply not to break the law as it is written (for example, “You shall not murder”); they must understand what God really meant when He wrote it (“You shall not even be angry with your brother”). This is the only way to ensure that their training goes beyond controlling outward behavior to modifying the attitudes of the heart.

Read a companion devotional.

Cindy Jacobs is co-founder with her husband, Mike, of Generals of Intercession, an organization that helps build prayer ministries throughout the world. She is also the author of several books, including Possessing the Gates of the Enemy and Women of Destiny.

Even in the midst of difficult challenges, busy schedules and awkward moments, God wants us to enjoy our time on earth. He promised His joy would be our strength (Neh. 8:10); He personally participates in our lives, eager to see us face each day with grace and confidence, holding us up when the hard places on our journey threaten our ability to stand. The good news of Christ is that God has not left us alone.

Neither has He left us to figure out life on our own. Scripture provides signposts for the journey, helping us live active and balanced lives in Christ, keeping us from falling along the way and enabling us to partake of the feast of life as He intended.

Just as the four basic food groups help us live a healthy physical life, so the four spiritual food groups God has defined produce an energetic, balanced faith that help us live a vibrant spiritual life.

We need solitude with God to restore and direct us. From that comes a natural outflow of compassionate service to others. Community—challenging, supportive relationship with other believers—sustains and encourages us on the road. Contemplation renews our minds so we will live effectively. If we don’t keep our spiritual equilibrium by spending solitary time with God, if we slide past the joy of serving others, if we avoid grabbing someone’s arm for stability or if we fail to consider each step we take, we will fall.

1. Solitude 

Several years ago, I visited some old college friends. While they prepared dinner, I followed their three children into the family room. Three-year-old Rachel showed no interest in the Disney cartoon her siblings chose to watch. She found another fascinating source of amusement: my face.

For 15 minutes, Rachel knelt on my lap and searched every part of my face. Her tiny hands pushed part of my cheek or jaw into strange shapes, and she giggled until it was time to try another shape. When this became dull, she traced my eyebrows and forehead with her index finger and giggled again. Nothing distracted her. Rachel was intent on studying my face.

That day, Rachel showed me what our relationship with God should look like. We need to learn to “get into God’s face,” tracing His eyebrows and squeezing His cheeks until we know what He looks like. We must not allow our attention to be diverted; instead we need to intensely gaze into the face of God.

To be balanced Christians, we must seek solitude with God. Jesus often retreated to “lonely places,” and we too must protect our “alone” time, when we can be still and know God. Too often we stay in overdrive and eventually burn out. But in solitude, we learn the value of waiting on God while resting in His presence.

2. Service 

Soon after Dorothy Day (1897-1980), co-founder of The Catholic Worker, first encountered Christ’s love, she decided to spend her life among homeless men and women, caring for the poor through soup kitchens. Her legacy of service to those on the fringes of society can be seen today in countless communities across the country. Through her intimate relationship with God, Day developed an attitude of service and nurtured it in her lifestyle.

Service kept Day from a life of self-pity and despair during difficult times, and service helps us keep our spiritual balance by causing us to look upward and then outward. When we care for the needs of others and share God’s love with them, we stand firmly in the place we’ve been called to, our feet anchored in the hope we’ve discovered in Christ.

When God takes up residence in our hearts, He longs to express His compassion outwardly through us. We don’t all have to live among the urban poor like Day did, but we can serve as the Father tells us to. He will direct us by His Spirit to those activities that He has preordained for us to do (Eph. 2:10).

3. Community

If service is the fruit of our fellowship with God, then community is its backdrop. Serving apart from the fellowship and encouragement of other Christians can cause us to burn out and do little good for God’s kingdom. On the other hand, if we stay in a place of solitude, withdrawn from the presence and support of others, we can be overcome by the paralyzing ache of isolation and loneliness. We need people to spur us on in our faith and to help us maintain our balance on the road to abundant living.

The word community is derived from the Latin communitas, which means “fellowship.” To understand the importance of community for a balanced, vibrant life, we need to examine other words with the same root: communion, communication, commune, commute. All these words imply a joining together.

When we partake of the communion elements, we symbolically join our hearts with God’s; when we communicate with friends or family, we join our speaking and listening with another’s; when we think of a commune, we think of people who have forsaken the ways of the world to join their lives together. And when we commute from the suburbs to the city, we join the two “worlds” together.

Community is a coming together—but not coexistence without interaction. When sprinters are lined up for a race in a track meet, they are not in community with one another. But if the runners embrace and congratulate one another at the end of the event, then something that looks like community begins.

To be balanced Christians, we must nurture relationships by sharing a common vision, bearing each other’s burdens, seeking reconciliation and forgiveness, playing together and showing the world that we are His disciples. Without community, we wither away and never fully taste the joy of the fellowship of the saints. As Romans 12:4-5 says, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (NIV).

4. Contemplation

As much as a balanced Christian life demands our commitment to solitude, service and community, it is still not completely anchored without the final spiritual food group called contemplation. We can spend hours in prayer, serve at a local mission and spend time building relationships in the body of Christ—and still run the risk of leading a lopsided life. We need contemplation to keep us balanced, honest and real. But thinking is hard work, and it’s all too easy to try to avoid it.

When we become contemplative—that is, when we really reflect on our ways, our motives and our purpose—we begin to display a wholeness of faith. Integrating the practice of contemplation into our lives enables us to become the people God has called us to be. We need to use our brains, and that requires nurturing an agile mind and developing a contemplative, reflective intellect that spurs us on to new places with our Maker.

But contemplation is not the same thing as acquiring information, Christian or otherwise. True biblical contemplation moves beyond information to insight, beyond knowledge to the wisdom of application and change. It is normal equipment for the normal Christian who wants to live a balanced life.

Contemplation forces us to abandon the busyness of life so we may reflect on its purpose. Contemplative time is essential for our personal growth, and our growth affects our relationships with others. Notice how the psalmist continually calls us to meditate on God’s wonders, to remember His works and to consider our ways.

Jesus’ constant use of parables, hard sayings and sermons challenged His listeners to think about the truth of His message. It is never a waste of time to reflect on the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6); such reflection pushes us deeper into a relationship with our Creator and spills over into all that we do. Paul prayed for the church at Philippi that their “love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that [they might] be able to discern what is best and [might] be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:9-11).

Perfect Peace

Integrating these four ingredients into our lives produces an energetic, balanced faith in the midst of daily demands. We need solitude with God to restore, refresh and direct us. Out of that time comes a natural outflow of service to others.

Community, or supportive relationships with other believers, helps us reflect Christ’s character and witness to the world. And contemplation of truth renews our minds so we will function effectively and honestly in this Christian life. Imagine what happens to the balanced Christian who takes seriously the words of the prophet Isaiah: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You” (Is. 26:3).

Learning to love God and receive His love is an ongoing process that occurs in a multitude of ways. The four ingredients for a balanced spiritual life simply provide helpful priorities to keep us going. They help us experience the abundant life Jesus promises us in Himself (John 10:10).

Balance brings to our souls much-needed rest (Matt. 11:28; Heb. 4:9-11), peace (Prov. 14:30; Col. 3:15), grace (Rom. 5:17), mercy (Lam. 3:22-23) and hope, which is “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Heb. 6:19). These gifts keep us from turning to the left or the right, guarding our hearts along the way and infusing us with the necessary strength to “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).

Bon Appétit!

The influence of our balanced Christian lifestyle extends far beyond our own little sphere. Indeed, our righteous lives hidden in Christ not only protect us from sin’s slippery slope but also bring the sweet aroma of Christ’s good news to a world that has lost its sense of purpose.

When we fail to keep our spiritual balance in this spinning world, we run the risk of blending into the crowd rather than shining like lights in front of it. On the other hand, when we stay active and balanced in our faith, when we partake of God’s eternal feast, the rewards—for everyone—are great.

These four spiritual food groups lead us into a closer walk with the One who is always inviting us to a feast, an eternal banquet that begins today. When we accept the invitation, we come to a table so glorious and exhilarating that we are forever changed, a place where the One at the head of the table looks into our eyes, smiles and reminds us that “‘no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him'” (1 Cor. 2:9).

Jo Kadlecek is a freelance writer and journalist who has co-authored a number of books, including Resurrecting Hope and I Call You Friend. She has taught communications and English courses on both secular and Christian campuses and currently resides with her husband in New York City.

Because of the music ministry with which God has blessed me, I have had the privilege of worshiping in countless churches. I have praised the Lord with people of numerous races and denominations. As a result of my experiences, I have come to the conclusion that, regardless of doctrinal differences, racial preferences and varying worship styles, the body of Christ has more in common than it has differences.

Time and time again, I have seen the love of Christ as it has been demonstrated to the lost and hurting. I have seen the church in action as its members became agents of healing and wholeness.

But I have also seen the church take its eyes off those things that bring us together and begin to concentrate on the things that divide and separate us. I imagine that is how different denominations got started.

I have nothing against denominations. But I believe that many times the sign on the church door tends to keep people out rather than invite them in.

Let’s imagine that the leper who was cleansed and healed when Jesus stretched forth His hand (see Luke 5:12-13) went out and started a church after his miraculous healing. Suppose he called the church The First Church of the Stretched-Out Hand. His congregants believed that the only way a person could be healed was for Jesus to stretch out His hand toward them.

Assume that the centurion in Capernaum, whose servant Jesus healed by merely sending the word (see Luke 7:1-10), also started a church–this one called The First Church of the Sent Word. His congregants believed that the only way a person could be healed was for Jesus to send His word.

These two churches were in neighboring cities and could have enjoyed wonderful times of fellowship together. They could have celebrated the fact that there were people in both churches who had personally encountered Jesus Christ–and that because of those encounters, many others had come to a saving knowledge of Christ. But instead they chose to build up denominational walls and become divided over the issue of healing.

This imaginary scenario may be an exaggeration of the way things truly are, but the point is that the church must not allow prejudice and preference to create division. We must learn to celebrate diversity, especially in worship.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY I have learned that much of our worship experience is cultural. And I have never seen culture more clearly defined than in the church.

Take my father’s church. In this black Baptist church, the singing was loud. The preaching was loud. The hand clapping and foot stomping were loud. People said, “If it’s not loud, it’s not church.”

My father was the finest preacher and Bible teacher I have ever heard. He believed every word of the Bible and communicated each of his points with power and conviction. But often during the sermon, the congregation would begin to shout in agreement, and the organist and the drummer would echo back in a rhythmic pulse. The worship service would grow louder and louder–so loud, in fact, that I could hardly hear a word my father said.

On the other hand, I’ve been in countless conservative white churches where no one said amen, no one clapped his hands, and the organist never played anything that wasn’t written in the hymnal. Every part of the worship service was calculated, with no room for spontaneity.

Often, the sermons delivered by the white preachers in these conservative white churches were powerful and deserved plenty of amens. Still the congregation sat quietly and attentively in their pews without uttering a word.

The contrast between the two cultures is stark. But recently I have begun to see something wonderful happening as believers of different backgrounds worship together, both in church and at my concerts. Those members of the body of Christ who enjoy a free and liberated worship style are giving permission to the conservative members to enjoy themselves in the Lord. The quiet, reserved members are feeling free to respond. They clap their hands and say amen with reckless abandon.

At the same time, our quiet, reserved brothers and sisters are giving permission to the loud, liberated members of the body to sit quietly and listen. It is an awesome sight to see those who once said amen as if on cue sit in tearful reflection and ponder God’s goodness.

The key word is balance. Neither group has a monopoly on worship. There is a place for emotional display, and there is a place for the intellectual approach.

As we worship together more and more, we must begin to appreciate and even learn from what other races and cultures can bring to the worship experience. If we are serious about reconciliation, we must be willing to accept each other’s culture and worship experience as legitimate.

REFRAIN FROM JUDGING One thing that helps us to accept different worship styles is to avoid making judgments about them. We have to remain open rather than declaring, “I don’t like that kind of music,” when we hear something different from what we are accustomed to. Even if our first response is a negative one, we may find ourselves changing our minds as we listen.

Unfortunately, I have been misjudged as a singer numerous times. People have heard me singing a soft, easy listening ballad over the radio and assumed I was a white singer. They were surprised when they learned I am an African American!

Remember that old adage, “Never judge a book by its cover.” No longer can we trust in traditions, uphold our stereotypes and put people in a box.

In recent years, you’ve probably heard white singers belt out a tune with the soul of a Motown singer. And you’ve probably heard African Americans sing beautifully sweet, tender ballads. If we will let God do His work in our hearts, we will see Him erase the lines we have drawn.

I started singing publicly more often when I was in high school. I realized right away that I had a unique vocal style. But most people thought that since I was black, I ought to deliver gut-wrenching, sweat-producing gospel songs.

When I was younger, I thought that, too. I was often frustrated by what I believed was a limited ability. I considered my voice too white for black people and too black for white people. I tried my best to sing soul-rending gospel renditions, but I’d always end up with laryngitis the next day.

The enemy pointed his long finger of judgment at me and said, “Well, there certainly is no room in the church for a gray singer. You might as well pack up your soundtracks and go home.” For a long time I believed his lie.

But I don’t believe it anymore! I realize now that what God did with my voice, He did on purpose for a purpose. He gave me exactly the kind of voice He wanted me to have. He gave me just enough of the traditional gospel music style to minister to my black brothers and sisters. And He gave me just enough of the contemporary style to minister to my white brothers and sisters.

In a Babbie Mason concert we all come together with one thing in mind, and that is to worship. Hopefully we can put an end to categorizing music based on whether it is “black” or “white.”

STRIKING A BALANCE One of the most beautiful pictures of a balanced and harmonious relationship is the orchestra. Each section of instruments plays its part as written by the composer and directed by the conductor. The voices of instruments are all made from different materials. They come in all shapes and sizes, with tone qualities and timbres uniquely their own. Yet they make beautiful music together.

The heart of the listener can be deeply moved by the performance of a finely tuned symphony orchestra. But imagine how disruptive it would be if all of a sudden the French horn players stood to their feet and began to play loudly, each doing his own thing. We would all cover our ears in disapproval. Again, the key word is balance.

Some churches focus on the spirit in a worship service. The praise and worship must be spirited, the preaching must be exciting, and the response must be emotional.

On the other hand, some churches focus on the truth. Their approach to worship is purely intellectual. But Jesus told the woman at the well that true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth (see John 4: 23).

In order for the human body to be healthy, it must receive a balanced diet. Too much fat, too much salt or too much caffeine can upset the body’s chemistry and cause it to be weak, sick and diseased.

In addition, each member of the body is dependent upon the other members to remain healthy. The digestive system works with the circulatory system. Together they work with the nervous system.

It is the same in the body of Christ. The Bible tells us, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you'” (1 Cor. 12:21, NKJV). In other words, we need each other. Each member of the body plays a vitally important part in maintaining the overall health of the church.

This truth carries over to different denominations and different congregations within those denominations. We need them all. God created the body perfectly balanced so there would be no schisms in it. In other words, God designed the church to function in perfect unity so nothing will be lacking.

I’ve seen positive signs that unity is on the horizon in the area of worship. But there’s more to be done. Let’s commit together to pray for the healing of the church. We must all accept the challenge as members of Christ’s body to walk together, work together, serve together and especially worship together in unity, while celebrating our diversity.

Read a companion devotional.

Babbie Mason is a premier gospel singer and songwriter with numerous honors to her credit, including two Dove awards. She has been a featured artist for the Billy Graham Crusades, Women of Faith tour, and has worked with many other artists.

I’D RESIGNED MYSELF TO BEING SINGLE FOREVER. SO WHY WAS GOD PROMPTING ME TO THINK ABOUT MARRIAGE NOW?

Fourteen years ago I was living with a roommate in an apartment close to where I worked and attended church. I had come to the conclusion that God was going to be my only husband for the rest of my life since there were no good men left in the world. I was content with that, but I hadn’t always been. For years I’d harbored the dream of being swept off my feet by Prince Charming.

By the age of 28 I had seen lots of toads and not one prince.

One Sunday I was getting ready for church and decided to wear a new dress. I remember looking in the mirror and saying, “Lord, I sure would like for my husband to see me in this new dress.” I’ll never forget hearing the Holy Spirit’s answer: “He will.”

In reality, I hadn’t given much thought to a husband in a long time. It was odd that I had even made that comment.

ON A MISSION I walked into church that morning strutting like a rooster and looking around like a private detective. Face it, I was a woman on a mission. You can just imagine how I scanned that place when the preacher asked all the first-time visitors to raise their hands.

A nice-looking man raised his hand. When our pastor directed us to welcome the visitors, I knocked down five people trying to get over to him and shake his hand. If I hadn’t worn a dress that day, I might have jumped the pews to get to him.

But then the Holy Spirit said, “That’s not him.” I was very disappointed. “Why not?” I asked. He didn’t give me an answer.

After church, I talked with the visitor and agreed with the Holy Spirit that he wasn’t my type. What was going on? I wondered.

I knew the Holy Spirit’s voice, and I knew He had told me that my future husband would see me in my new dress. I considered keeping on the dress forever, but ultimately decided I’d take it off after the evening service.

Then I went to lunch with a friend and forgot about the whole situation. After we ate we walked around and shopped and got back to church just in time for the evening service to begin.

THAT’S HIM! I had not even noticed if there were any visitors until the preacher asked the first-time visitors to raise their hands. I looked to the left and saw a very handsome man holding up his hand. The Holy Spirit said, “That’s him.”

Nearly three years later, I found out that the Holy Spirit had told this visitor I would be his wife.

If I had known that at the time, I probably would have roped the poor guy the way a cowboy ropes a calf and made him elope with me!

Instead, we started out as friends–or at least that’s what I let him think–and remained so for about a year. During that time, Johnny told me he would never give a woman a dozen roses unless he was going to ask her to marry him. After we started dating, he would often bring me roses. I would count them when he wasn’t looking, and sure enough, there were never more than 11.

We broke up a dozen or more times because he said we were getting too serious. I was about to give up after two years. I bought a mobile home and made up my mind to stop worrying about whether or not we would ever get married.

Five months after I started pulling away, he asked me to dress up for my birthday because he wanted to take me someplace nice. I called my mother and told her I thought Johnny was going to ask me to marry him.

“But you’ve always told me you were just friends,” my mother protested. I found out later she was just teasing me; Johnny was right there at my parents’ house, asking for their blessing before he popped the question.

THE 12TH ROSE When Johnny came to pick me up on my birthday, he handed me a box of long-stemmed roses and left the room. I removed the lid and started counting. There were only 11. Johnny came back and caught me counting.

“I told you I would never give anyone 12 roses unless I was going to ask her to marry me,” he said. I was very embarrassed–and disappointed.

I couldn’t understand it. If he loved me, what was he waiting for?

When we finished eating, the waiters and waitresses came out of the kitchen singing “Happy Birthday” and placed a ring box, a card and a rose –the 12th rose–on the table in front of me.

I was so surprised I didn’t know what to say.

I opened the box, looked at the ring and read the card. The card contained a simple question: “Will you spend all your tomorrows with me?” I was so caught off guard I just sat there.

Finally, he asked me, “Well, will you?” I said yes. I was overwhelmed by how romantic he was and thought I would cry.

But once I recovered, I wanted to know when. As soon as we got in the car, I pulled out a calendar and got him to commit to a date–one that was only two months away. I really scared him when I went out the very next day and bought a wedding dress! But I had waited two and a half years for this man, and I wasn’t about to give him a chance to change his mind.

One thing we both knew for certain at the time–and still keep before us–is that God put us together. He ordained our relationship from the beginning. I had learned to be content with my singleness, but I was thrilled when God unfolded an awesome plan for my life that included love, roses and Prince Charming.