What God Gave

John 3:16 is the most widely quoted verse in the Bible, and has been called the most famous Bible verse.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son," it begins. God gave his son. 

That verse sounds so innocent. Like I gave my kids dinner last night. You gave a friend a gift. We gave a concert performance at church. Gave. God gave his son...to die for us. I don't know, I feel like that verse should say more. God gave his son's life. God gave away his heavenly relationship with his precious son. Jesus gave away paradise to walk the earth, full of sinners, and to be falsely accused and murdered! "Gave" just seems like such a weak word for all that happened.

The rest of the verse says, "that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life." Whoever. You. Me. Them. Whoever. God gave the greatest gift to us of all times. He gave us his son, to pay the price for our sins, so that we would have eternal life.  And he did it for everyone.  And that word, "believes," isn't just talking about head knowledge, but heart knowledge.

Sometimes when we are very familiar with something, we just spout it out without thought, and I think John 3:16 qualifies in that category. So the next time you are tempted to quickly recite John 3:16, remember what was truly given, what that belief entails, and what you have received as a result.

 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. John 3:16, Amplified Bible

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

Mental illness and the Church

Recently mega church pastor Rick Warren lost his son to suicide, after years of his son fighting depression. I understand all too well what it is like to have a family member with depression. My mom battled mental illness my entire life. 

My mom has tried to kill herself more times than I can count. It feels like it must be hundreds of times, but likely it's only in the 20s. Her method of choice was drug overdose, but on several occasions she slit her wrists as well, never caring who may find her...whether it be her child or not.

Aside from the suicide attempts are the numerous times she threatened, but did not attempt suicide. The calls to me, as an adult at work, stating, "I think I'm going to kill myself."  But of course meaning, if you do not stop me, I am going to kill myself - somehow the weight of her life or death weighing on me.

I can't imagine a depression that oppressive. And for that I am thankful. Because I don't battle depression. 

But I do battle well meaning Christians who say things like, "You just need to pray for your mom." Or "If you'd just have faith, God would heal her." Again, the weight of her illness weighing on me. 

I didn't cause it. I can't cure it. I can't control it.  Those are the three C's of al-anon, and they have taken the burden that my mom, and so many other well meaning people tried to put on my shoulders. I wish I could cure my mom. I wish I could control the alcoholism and suicide attempts. I wish I could control the mental illness.But I can't.

I feel sorrow for Rick Warren having to deal so publicly with the loss of his son. No doubt, there are people asking him what he did, as if he could control his son's situation - which he of course could not. To Rick, I would say, remember those 3 C's.

And to all the well meaning people wondering why "we" - the family and friends of the mentally ill - don't do more to fix the situation, I invite you to look to God. He gives us all free will. That includes the free will to make bad decisions.

If God does not control human behavior, what makes you think we could?

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

Knowledge versus Knowing

If I asked you to tell me what you know about George Washington, you could likely share many facts about him. He was our first president, married to Martha, and lived at Mount Vernon. He was a General in the army and founding father.  You could probably share some folklore with me as well; perhaps the story of him cutting down a cherry tree, or throwing a silver dollar across the Potomac river.  If you are a history buff, you likely know even more.  But here is the thing...You don't know George Washington.

You know about George Washington. You have knowledge of George Washington. But you don't know George Washington.  My fear is that many of us are the same way with Jesus.  We can tell facts about Jesus. We spread folklore about Jesus.  But do we know Jesus?

Knowing Jesus takes you beyond the religion and into the relationship.  It involves not just talking to him in prayer, but listening...a much harder objective.  It involves study of the Bible, certainly, but not just as a historical text book, but as the foundation to help you build the relationship with your Savior.

In my early years as a Christian, I knew a lot about Jesus. But only in the past 10 years have I gotten to know Jesus. I have learned to listen more, and understand he's more about the eternal than the temporary. The more I get to know Jesus, the more I realize how little I know about Jesus. Because we can't define him in a Bible story. He is a living God. His desire is to grow and teach us. He loves us.

It's important to know about Jesus. That is how we get to know his personality, his will and his character traits. It is imperative to study the Bible and to learn about God's law, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But don't confuse knowledge with knowing. Because once you know and love Jesus you move from religion to relationship. From history buff to humble believer.  From enlightened into the Light.

And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.

1 John 2:3 (NLT)

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

Temperature Matters

I love an ice cold diet coke. But lukewarm? Yuck! I'll have a cup of piping hot coffee anytime you offer it. (And I also enjoy iced coffee!) But lukewarm coffee?  No way! Because temperature matters.

That was also the message to the church of Laodicea in the Book of Revelation. Jesus said, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth."

What's your spiritual temperature? Are you hot - on fire for Jesus?  Are you cold - just chilling with the peace that passes human understanding? Or are you lukewarm? The picture here is a scary one, as spit refers to vomit - Jesus is saying "You make me sick!"

The people of Laocidea appear to be complacent in their faith.They are rich and "need nothing."  They were indifferent to their faith. Sadly, this describes many of us today. We don't consider ourselves rich, to be sure. But certainly most all our needs are met. We "need nothing." And we aren't filled with a hot or cold faith. We are lukewarm.

But Jesus didn't end his talk with vomiting the people out of his mouth. No, he offers them great hope. He says, "Therefore whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent."

Even after their lukewarm faith, Jesus still shows them love, as he shows us. Now is the time for us to repent and become zealous for Christ.  I don't want to be lukewarm. I want to be on fire for Jesus. I want to be the flame that burns for him.

Don't become lukewarm. Be zealous and repent.  Because temperature matters.

I correct and discipline everyone I love. 

So be diligent and turn from your indifference. 

Revelation 3:19 (NLT)

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

Life without Facebook

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"  You've likely heard that philosophical thought. But in the past few weeks I've had another one.

"If an event occurs without being posted on Facebook, did it really happen?"  I've been on a 40 day Facebook fast. In those days I've been to the museum, attended 4 field trips, watched my 8 year old in her first talent show, and rushed to the ER to be with my dad, as he experienced chest pains.  I've celebrated my daughter's birthday, sat 8 hours in a hospital waiting room while my dad had surgery, taken on a 2nd client at work, and had lunch with friends. I stayed home 4 days with a sick child,  planned a trip to Disney, experienced the only major snow event of the season, and will celebrate my own birthday (Mar 9), all while on a Facebook fast. Did those events occur without my posting and receiving commentary from my friends?

Yes, they did. The only thing different was the drama level. Yes, I did miss the collaboration on my bad days, but I'm sure my friends weren't sorry to miss my drama. And honestly, I didn't miss theirs.  Because the people I would have shared those events with offline - I did. And the people who needed me, found me.

Facebook is a great place to find relationship when you need it. But often times that pseudo-relationship of Facebook keeps us from deepening our real relationships. And the wasted time interferes with our relationship with God.  I once heard someone ask, "Do you run to the phone before you run to the Throne?" And I think now, we often run to Facebook with our dramas, before we come to God.  How often do we ask for prayer on FB, before we've actually prayed ourselves?

Facebook can fill a lot of time, and even some "empty places."  But Facebook doesn't fulfill. That same time spent with God fills those empty places with God-glue, versus Facebook fluff. God is a permanent filling, that keeps you coming back not because you need another fix, but because the relationship is so rewarding.

If you spend a lot of time on Facebook, I encourage you to try a fast. Some indicators that you need a fast are thinking in status updates or posting a photo of an event while you are still at the event (versus enjoying the event and posting the photo later).  Live your life in real time, and worry about Facebook later.  The drama you avoid may be your own.  And the time you save may be spent with Jesus.

So let your words be few. Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.... Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. 

Fear God instead.  Ecclesiastes 5:2b, 3, 7 (NLT)

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

When Google Doesn't Have the Answer

I"m never forget the time I found my 8 year old daughter Googling something. We'd been at the pool that day with her best friend. As we were leaving a little boy called out to her friend, by name. "How did he know her name?" they asked.  I told them he'd probably heard them talking. But they didn't believe it. They were in awe and wonder that he knew her name.

Still, it was hysterical to find them both sitting at my computer after we got home, googling, "How does a boy at the pool know your name?" Google is good to answer a lot of questions: The address of that new restaurant you want to try. How many pints in a quart? The definition of a word. Even Bible verses! The uses of Google are endless. Yet, like "How does a boy at the pool know your name," some things you just can't Google.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God allow suffering? Are there more ways to get to heaven than believing in Jesus? You can Google those questions. But you may not get an accurate answer.  

Google is a great "authority" for finding the answers to some of life's questions. But the Bible is THE authority for finding life's answers. The Bible is where you will find life. You will find love. You will find faith. You will find joy. You will find peace. 

Yes, Google can offer a lot of answers. But if you want to know the Way, the Truth, and the Life, look to the Bible. And there you will find Jesus. And HE really is the answer.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

Recently my church offered a 6 part series called Jesus: The Guy Who Revolutionized Life for Women. 

It is a great series, and I had the honor of guest posting for the 6th installment. To read it, or all of the guest posts, you may find the series here: Jesus: The Guy Who Revolutionized Life for Women Series.

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com