Do Not Depart

January 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I want to be prosperous and successful. Don’t you?

Specifically, I long to see success in my spiritual life. I want to experience spiritual growth and abundant fruit. I want to look different next month than I do today—I desire for more of Christ to be seen in me.

My assumption is that you are here at Scripture Dig because you also desire for your life to be one that glorifies God. You want to become a better reflection of Christ. 

How to Live the “Successful” Christian Life

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. -Joshua 1:8

Prosperity and “good success” is the promise in this passage.  It is a conditional promise.  The condition of the promise is that we do according to all that is written in the Book of the Law, God’s Word.  So if we are intentionally obedient to God’s Word, then we are promised a prosperous way.

If you have been a Christian for more than a week, you know that obedience is a struggle. We cannot go out and just “be good”—it doesn’t work. There is a way and a purpose for which God has designed our growth to occur, and we learn His way in His Word. That is why the promise hinges on the first part of this verse, where we see the command. Do you see it?

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. -Joshua 1:8

The direct command is not to be obedient, though that is certainly an expected by-product. The command is in the first part of the verse. At first glance it looks like two commands:

  • This Book shall not depart from your mouth
  • You shall meditate on it day and night

But, I believe this is actually one command, restated. Let me explain how I got there.

How to Meditate

The Hebrew word for meditate is ”hagah” which is also translated in a variety of ways, including speak, imagine, study, mutter, utter, roar, talk.  To meditate is not something to be done quietly in your head. What we meditate on should be on our mouths. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks! (Matthew 12:34) Like the movie you can’t stop talking about because it was that good; or the giddy teenage girl in the midst of a huge crush where everything reminds her of him (and she is going to let everyone know about it!)

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall SPEAK it (MUTTER it, STUDY it, UTTER it, TALK it) day and night…

So, it is the same command: Meditate on the Word. As we meditate on it, it will not be able to leave our mouths, because when the Word of God penetrates our hearts it will affect the rest of us. It is only then we will have the ability to be obedient, because we will know His way, His plan—and we will want to do it. It is then we will make our way prosperous, and then we will have success.

I’ve seen this hold true in my own life, haven’t you? The more I understand God’s ways, through the studying of His Word, the better equipped I am to live out this life as He intends for me to, and the more my heart longs to be right in the middle of His plan for me. And as I am obedient to follow His Word, I see fruit. I see life change. I see Christ in me!

This is the success we are promised.

An Invitation to Abide

Joshua 1:8 is just one of the many passages in the Bible which communicate this truth; that the Christian life is best lived as we center our lives on the Living Word of God. Transformation happens as we remain; as we abide in Christ; as we do not depart from the one who loves us most.

Do Not Depart exists to encourage and equip you to abide the Word. Our desire is to give you the inspiration and tools you need to spend time in the Bible in such a way that you (like that giddy little girl) can’t help but see Him everywhere you go—so much so that you just can’t stop talking about Him.

Many of you have already joined us over at Do Not Depart, thank you! We are so glad to have you, and we hope the rest of you will come along, as well. We believe that God has big plans for our little corner of the internet, and we would love to have you be a part of that!

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Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. -Psalm 119:97

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Good-Byes and Hellos

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In July, my family said good-bye to the home, church, and community we had known and loved for almost 11 years.   It was the place I’d turned 30 and the only address our daughter knew.   Our friends there had walked us through the most difficult years in our married life – from losing Scott’s dad to facing a life-threatening illness.   We’d shared holidays with friends who had become “framily.”   We’d watched the students from our youth ministry grow up … get married, have babies, and we’d even kept the first baby while they went to the hospital to have the second.    Friendships had grown deep and relationships built on serving together, laughing together, crying together, celebrating together, and mourning together are the kind that you never want to lose.

But God called us to a new place … and new opportunities and new ministries and new relationships.   And in the past six months we’ve been reminded of the the truth in that old Girl Scout song, “Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other gold.”    We’re enjoying being closer to family and back “home.”   We embrace the challenges of serving in a new church and building relationships in a new community.

It’s always bittersweet when change comes.   The excitement of something new is dulled by the sorrow of saying “good-bye” – especially when what you’re leaving is something you love.

That’s how I feel today.  This will be my last post on Scripture Dig and I’m teary-eyed writing it.  My heart is full of all the rich blessings that have come into my life as a result of this ministry.  Friendships with my fellow writers – Sandra, Julie, Kathy, Kristi, and Stephanie.  These women are powerful influences in my life and I am far better from my connection with them.   It was hard to say good-bye to Kristi and Steph when the seasons of life led them to new challenges but the sweet friendships remain.

I’ve loved sharing this space with those women … and with each of you, our readers.   You have been encouragement and challenge to this girl who is always longing to more of God.   I am thankful for you.  You are precious to me.

And so I want you, I invite you to join Kathy, Julie, Sandra and me as we join the amazing team at Do Not Depart.   We want to bring your voice with us, your wisdom with us, your friendship with us.    On Saturday, Scripture Dig will be merging with Do Not Depart.  All our posts will be indexed there and we’ll be on their writing team.   We’re excited and looking forward to what this new season will bring.

Our desire at Scripture Dig has been to equip, encourage, and empower you to dig into God’s Word.   Do Not Depart has that same purpose and desire.   And we believe, I believe, that God has brought our sites and our hearts together for this new season to bring greater glory to His Name.

So, subscribe today to Do Not Depart so you won’t miss a thing!   My first “official” post there will be on February 1st!  I hope to see you there!

{And if you haven’t, I’d love for you to join me every day at my personal blog.   I’m in a series called Starting Well in 2012 and it would be just awesome if you’d jump in and join me!!}

Thank you, each one of you, for being a part of my life!  I am richer for your presence.

With love,

Teri Lynne

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Embracing what I’m up to

January 17, 2012 By 1 Comment

The view from my window right now is gray, leafless, rainy. Very “January.” Sometimes I wish away a season instead of embracing it. Do you ever do that?

When I read Kathy’s post and thought about this post, I felt stuck. My season is so different. I feel like I wake up every morning asking the Lord to point me in the right direction. Thankfully, His word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, so I don’t spend all day wandering. (Ps. 119:105) What AM I up to in this season of life?

First of all ~ as the wife to my Pastor of Mobilization (that means local & global missions) husband, I’m “all in” when it comes to being his partner in ministry. Being Jeff’s wife is a full-time job. ;) Our two teens are in a fun time of life filled with friendships, homework, serving, learning, and lots of conversations …. late at night. I’m being totally honest when I say I’m enjoying the “teen mom” season. As a wife and mom, I daily balance things like laundry and making dinner with other pieces of life that sound more like what you’re expecting when I say “ministry.”

Discipleship ~ Each week Jeff and I have 7 young couples into our home for a meal and then split up to spend time in structured discipleship. Several of “my girls” are expecting first babies; it’s a privilege to walk through this stage of life with them as a friend and mentor. Our discipleship plan lasts about 2 years; it’s a valuable season.  I am blessed.

Women’s Ministry ~As a Women’s Ministry Director I do a lot of serving, leading, teaching, listening, and encouraging. I work with my leadership team and several specific teams. Monday I’m be offering a “Vision Night” for women interested in our Serenity Shelter team. Serenity Shelter is an outreach to women recovering from addiction, and I love, love, love working with these women.  Several times a month I’m with them for an activity or as a chapel speaker. The following Saturday I’m coordinating a “Mini-Retreat” for women to focus on a single passage to begin the new year – a  great combo of teaching, fellowship, activity, prayer, & worship. I LOVE sharing God’s word with women.

Missions ~ Jeff and I love the chance to minister to and with missionaries and national partners. At the end of May I’ll lead our first all women’s team to Thailand for a ministry to women and girls of the Akha tribe. In the summer Jeff and I will travel to several countries to be with our missionaries. In the fall it looks like God is opening the door for us to do 2 weeks of teaching in Eastern Europe. The blend of ministering to fellow Americans and to international people groups makes every opportunity look like spring! I LOVE this piece of this season. God is so kind.

Writing ~ I’m excited to be going “with” Scripture Dig to merge with Do Not Depart. I’ll also be writing with Stephanie Shott over at The M.O.M. Initiative, using online resources to mentor moms. This ties together lots of my loves, from Women’s Ministry to discipling my girls to women around the world. I’m planning/hoping to produce my first e-book soon.  I’ll keep writing at my blog, Come Have a Peace, and I’m getting ready to roll out a whole new look to start my FOURTH year of blogging. Can’t believe it! I DO have some writing goals and dreams of my own, but for now I’ve put most of those on the shelf marked “Next Season.”  I regularly take them off, hold them before the Lord, and ask for His direction. He smiles. He knows what I need.

Home ~ It’s a full season, a season of opportunity and influence, but mostly a season of grace. With all the “doing” I need time near the Lord’s feet to help me in “being” who He wants me to be. I desperately need His help to balance serving outside my home while embracing the season IN my home. To disciple my own children. To give them a heart for the world. To listen to them. To love them. To have dinner ready. :)

So those are my plans, but each day I’ll ask the Lord to light up my path and steer me in the right direction. It’s a sweet season of life. My heart is full. I’ve loved the season here at Scripture Dig, and I’m excited to embrace the new one. Some things are sure for tomorrow. It will be gray and rainy; it will be January, and I will ask the Lord to help me embrace it!

Filed Under: Julie Sanders, Motherhood, parenting, Psalms, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,
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