October 1st, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

We are big “This Old House” fans at our house. As in, my 3 year old was building something with his little foam rubber blocks this week and told me he was Norm Abram and was building furniture! We watch faithfully together for an hour every Saturday morning without fail, and the TOH magazines are scattered throughout the house.

This month’s Letter from the Editor (which are usually hilarious, I should say), had a serious and personal tone. NP read it and brought it to me, suggesting that I write a response. Scott Omelianuk, editor of This Old House magazine, was wrestling with the very real fear we face of natural disasters and economic pressures that can threaten our most tangible sense of safety and security in this world: our homes. He ended his letter with the following question.

“How do you deal with the realization that having a home – keeping this sanctuary and refuge that you pour so much time and effort and love into – might not be your choice but Mother Nature’s?”

This is the “long version” of my response. I’m still mulling over how to cut it down and make it more understandable for those not starting from a Biblical foundation. I think his question is a good one for us to ponder and think of our own orientation to and pursuit of “home.” So, blog friends, here are my thoughts for you on the topic of home.

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As a follower of Jesus Christ, I believe our quest for the safety of home has roots planted deeply in Eden.

The first man and woman lived in a perfect environment tailor made for them by God Himself. The Garden of Eden was their custom designed dwelling. It must have been a glorious place to live – but more than a physical space, home was defined by God’s presence there with them.

They were created to live and walk in unbroken communion with God.

We all instinctively know that home is more than the house we live in. Home is relationship. Security. Communion. Being truly known, seen, loved for who we really are.

When the tranquility of Eden was broken by humanity’s choice to rebel against God’s authority, home, real home, was lost. Man and woman had to leave the physical bounds of Eden, but they lost more than their material dwelling. They lost relationship with God. They left together, but with a relationship tainted by selfishness, blame, and shame. They journeyed from Eden and built new dwellings in new places, but home was never fully regained.   I wonder if they ever wandered back to Eden, trying to glimpse the safe haven of this dwelling that had been lost to them, longing to experience real home once again.

Because of their rebellion, the earth itself groaned in brokenness. Weeds grew up and choked the gardens they planted. The animal kingdom rebelled against them and animals, now often wild and destructive, invaded their safe havens. Eventually because of the extreme wickedness on earth, God caused a great flood to sweep away everyone and everything on the earth. Surely as Noah and his family huddled anxiously on an ark, bobbing like a cork on a water-covered world, they longed for home. They longed for all to be set right.

The  Bible is filled with accounts of those who wander, without what we might consider a true home. Abraham was called by God to follow Him – to enjoy a unique security, seen only with eyes of faith, defined not by geography or stone walls but by God’s presence with Him. Joseph found himself sold into slavery, falsely accused and sent to prison, waiting for years for God’s future plans for him to unfold – but the Bible assures us time and time again that God was with Him. Years later God would take an entire nation of people and lead them through the wilderness, feeding them with bread from heaven and quenching their thirst with water miraculously springing from rocks, vividly illustrating to them that the security of home is found not in a physical location but in His presence alone.

As God prepares His people to enter the promised land, where they would live in houses and plant crops and draw water from wells once again, He warned them: do not forget. Why?

It is enticing to trust in walls and doors. We long to find a piece of land and call it our own – to rest in a feeling of security and autonomy and self-sufficiency. We are deceived by an illusion of home, longing for a house rather than the home of God’s presence and provision.

Centuries later, Jesus, God in flesh, walked the earth without a home to call His own. He urgently calls us to realize that real treasure is found where moths do not destroy, thieves do not break in and steal, natural disasters do not threaten. The writer of Hebrews reminds us also – this world is not our home, we are from a different country, a heavenly one. This is only a temporary dwelling. We might have a house, but we don’t have home without God.

God’s story throughout Scripture urges us: don’t settle for the illusion of home, rather than longing for the real thing.

Earthquakes shake the very ground beneath our feet. Waters rise and wash away our memories. Fires burn unquenched. Trusting in a house to give us home is fleeting, anxiety-ridden, and destined to bring despair.

As Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Jesus, and the persecuted saints of the early church understood – home is not a physical place. Home is where He is. We are most human, most how we were meant to be, when in communion with God. We are only whole, known, loved, secure, in His presence alone.

In Eden, home was a dwelling place because God dwelt in their midst. One day, we will find our home with Him once again.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”

Revelation 21:3

Humanity’s search for the security of home only finds rest in God Himself. Finding our home in Him is the only way we free ourselves from the endless anxiety of protecting the fragile walls we build and adorn on a shifting and broken earth. There are countless ways I could lose my home to financial ruin or natural disaster or criminal activity – but real home is never threatened.

In the words of David, a man wandering and homeless, hiding in caves as he fled for his life:

“…in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”

-Psalm 37:1

So, what would you say? How might you answer Mr. Omelianuk question?

September 15th, 2009 by Kristi Stephens

[You can read more about the background behind this post here.]

The Bible can be intimidating to read. It’s a big book full of smaller books, some of which are narrative, others are poetry, some are prophecies that seem confusing and strange.

The Bible was penned by many different authors and is full of stories, but all the stories and poetry and prophecy are really telling one Big story. It’s what the Bible is all about – from beginning to end, God’s message has been the same.

This is God’s Big Story.

God’s Big Story

Ready to dive into reading the Bible for yourself?  Courtney has written a helpful great general overview of the books of the Bible with suggestions about where to start. Find yourself an easy-to-read translation like the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, and open up God’s Word!!

If you’d like to learn to study the Bible for yourself, this is my free gift to you!

Feel free to download this as a PDF and use/ distribute as you wish. Fellow bloggers, grab the “God’s Big Story” button for your blog to link your readers back to this post!

September 10th, 2009 by Kristi Stephens

There’s been a lot of uproar lately about President Barack Obama. My own political opinions aside, I am deeply concerned about the way believers are handling their political differences. My friends, we must Fear God and honor the King. This is where belief in God’s sovereignty gets real – consider carefully how we speak and act. “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.” [This was originally published on January 20, 2009.]

Last week we started our study of 1st and 2nd Samuel with a look at Hannah and then at Hannah’s prayer, which provides the framework for the rest of the books.

Today, in light of the inauguration, it seemed appropriate to pause on that and discuss the “if, then…” applications of all of this.

True understanding of the sovereignty of God over rulers, as discussed in our look at Hannah’s prayer, raises the topic of the “S” word – Submission. (In God’s timing, we discussed the discipline of submission in our ABF on Sunday!) Submission seems to be an uncomfortable word across the board – I remember vividly teaching a section on submission when I was a high school Bible teacher, watching the older students squirm in their seats as I asked them about submission to things like speed limits or school rules that they disagreed with. I daily watch my young daughter wrestle with the inherent rebellion in her soul – at almost three years old she hates to submit. Throw out the word submission in any women’s Bible study and you get eyes cast down at their shoes, looks of angst, internal tension. Add to our innate hatred of submission as human beings the ingrained understanding of the right of independence as Americans, that “conquer the world” mentality, and the pop culture ideal that all authority is meant to be mocked, and what we’ve got is a big mess.

It seems appropriate to spend some time looking at Romans 13:1-2.

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

Submission, no doubt, is much harder when you disagree with your authorities. Any child, wife, employee, etc. clearly understands that. I do not agree with Barack Obama. I did not vote for him, I do not like his political views. Nevertheless, I have been clearly commanded in Scripture to submit to his authority and give him the respect he is due as the president of our country. On what grounds? He has been put in that position by God Himself. If God is truly sovereign, if God is my ultimate King, and He has placed this human being in power over me… rebellion against this human leader is rebellion against God. Period. [Obviously there's always the caveat of "unless you're commanded to do something directly against the Word of God... I'm assuming we all understand that.]

1 Peter 2:12-17 further elaborates on this issue:

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

It’s interesting to me that Peter’s argument for submission to authorities revolves around the public testimony of the believers and the glory of God. Although I agree that as citizens of the United States of America Christians have the privilege and responsibility to engage in the political arena, I fear that in many ways our well-intentioned efforts to fight for the good have turned into fights against people. Whether real or simply perceived, Christians are seen as arrogant, ignorant, prejudiced, partisan, hateful… the list could go on. How does Peter instruct these believers to “silence the ignorant talk of foolish men”? By doing good. By submission to authorities. By showing proper respect for everyone.

So, let’s get practical. What does it mean to fear God and honor the king? I’m sure you could add volumes to this, but this is just a teaser to get our thoughts going. Showing honor is more than obedience. Showing honor to Barack Obama is more than me paying my taxes and living as a law-abiding citizen. (although, it certainly does mean that.) Honor for someone comes out in my attitudes and in my words. Am I honoring the president of our country if I slander him, repeat fallacious statements, or seek to incite others against him personally? Clearly, no. This is not unfounded reverence for him or blind acceptance of what he does. I can disagree strongly and still honor him in the way I discuss the way my views vary with his. However, a true fear of God and understanding of His sovereignty necessitates that I respect the leaders placed over me in my life.

Truthfully, this is much more convicting on a local level for me. There are leaders in my daily life that I strongly, hotly disagree with. I may feel at times that I am being treated unjustly. As I interact in these situations and even seek to address these deep issues, it must, MUST be done in a respectful way. For if God is sovereign, it is no accident that they are over me.

So, whatever your feelings were as you watched or listened to the inauguration today, remember this: We serve a sovereign God who sets kings up and takes them down, and nothing is out of His control. Barack Obama is officially our president, and it’s time to live out our faith in authenticity before those with whom we disagree.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:1-4

*Picture from wikipedia.org

January 30th, 2009 by Kristi Stephens

My friend Shannon sent this to me today – It is convicting and so true!

My name is pride, I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny,
because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment,
because you deserve better than this.
I cheat you of knowledge,
because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing,
because you are too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness,
because you refuse to admit when you are wrong.
I cheat you of vision,
because you would rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship,
because nobody is going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love,
because real romance demands a sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven,
because you refuse to wash another’s feet on earth.
I cheat you the glory of God,
because I convince you to seek your own.
You like me because you think I am always looking out for you.
Untrue. I am looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but do not worry…
If you stick with me, you will never know.

-author unknown