Our first grandchild Madison Benton turned twenty years old in July. Her birth brought so much joy and ushered in a great era for us. Being grandparents is something we enjoy beyond description.

After Madison was born, we bought a highchair to use during her visits. Because Madison matured and grew, the chair eventually found its way to the attic. It was almost eight years before other grandchildren began to arrive, precipitating the chair to be moved from the attic back to the kitchen. Our young, immature grandchildren required a highchair.

It was funny to watch those boys and girls as they sat in the highchair.  In actuality, it was more like an “I” chair. While in the “I” chair, those babies could be very demanding. I remember feeding them and fulfilling their “I” chair desires. I have watched them sit in the “I” chair crying, mouth wide open, demanding food immediately! If the child liked what I offered, all was pleasant. If I offered something the children did not like, they would try to swat it away. My precious grandchildren demanded what they wanted, when they wanted it – and if they did not have their way, they let everyone know it. Their behavior was understandable because they were just babies; however, the day had to come, and did come, when the grandchildren matured beyond the “I” chair.

The most dangerous spiritual chair a person can sit in is the “I” chair. It is the chair that negates the will and Word of God. It is the chair that says I will serve and obey God when I choose. It will be on my terms. If I do not like part of His Word, I will swat it away. If God or the Church crosses me, I will scream unless I get my way. I have a right to do whatever!

Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth of the Gospel.

There must come a point that we outgrow the “I” chair. We are not our own. We were bought with a price. We belong to Jesus. We are His purchased possession.  When a person yields to the lordship of Jesus Christ, he or she acknowledges His ownership and gives up personal rights.

It is time to put the “I” chair in the attic. 

^“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

For years, two of my aunts stopped speaking to one another. I do not know exactly what the issue was, but I was sitting in the living room, as my mother and one of her sisters talked. Aunt “Sue” was telling my mom that while visiting their mother earlier, Aunt “Sally” came by the house. As soon as Aunt “Sally” realized Aunt “Sue” was there, she sped off in her car and refused to come inside.

My mom never told me the whole story, but I knew enough to know that it was not a big incident that caused this division. It was a case of harsh words because of a disagreement. Disagreement had divided the family.

America is in an election such as we have never seen. There are enough lies, exaggerations and scandals to last a lifetime. We are a very divided country. We seem divided along gender, racial, and party lines.

Yet, for me the most troubling division is that which has risen in the Body of Christ. It does not take long to read social media, internet articles, and periodicals to see just how divided we have become. There are competing prophets telling us who is to be elected and/or who is of the devil. Christians loudly declare that you cannot be a Christian and vote for him; you cannot be a Christian and vote for her. Insults are hurled a mile a minute. One woman deleted me from social media because I did not support her candidate. Before deleting me from her life, she made sure to let me know I was not a woman of God.

One of the jobs of Satan is to divide the church. Yes, we have always had some division, but the divide is so much deeper now. The enemy did not just get a foothold in the door; it seems he has almost gotten his whole body in the door.

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” – Galatians 5:19-21

As we look at the above list, most of us who try to live by biblical truth, would never think of getting drunk, being sexually immoral, playing with sorcery and throwing wild parties. (I said MOST of us!)  Yet, God took the time to add to that list: hostility, outbursts of anger, and division.

The enemy must be smiling, because he thinks he is fulfilling scripture, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” – Mark 3:25.    The New Living Translation says it profoundly, “Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart.”

It is time to stop the angry words towards each other. It’s time to stop finger-pointing and speaking evil against one another.  The wounding has to stop. Four weeks from today, we will have a president-elect. In four weeks, many will be disappointed, and many will be jubilant. The question is, “In four weeks, what kind of Church will we have?”  I hope and pray that we will have a Church that is not strife-filled. Proverbs 6:16 tells us that God hates strife.

While many of us have been praying for repentance in this nation, it is time to repent for letting down our guards and allowing such ugliness to develop between us. “If my people …”

Four weeks from today, I still plan to serve God. Four weeks from today, I still plan to evangelize. Four weeks from today, I still plan to help those who are in the midst of life’s pain. Four weeks from today, I still plan to love God’s people. Four weeks from today, I still plan to have faith in God. Four weeks from today, I still plan to have kind words coming from my mouth. Four weeks from today, I still plan to pray for a move of God in the United States of America.

What will you be doing four weeks from today?

“I am so bored, Lord.”  This was my thought as I sat in a small group in a coffee shop.

My church offers many, many small groups. Often, I teach groups, but when I do not, I attend groups. It is another way for me to get acquainted with other women from my church. It also allows me to be in an environment where it is iron sharpening iron. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17). We need other people to help sharpen our walk with God. Be aware though – that might cause a few sparks to fly. Yet, we all need people to help us grow in Christ.

As I sat in that first small group meeting on a Saturday morning, there were more than twenty women. I thought to myself, “This is going to be a great group!”  We had all spent twenty dollars on a book that looked interesting and helpful. By the time I finished sitting through the first meeting, I drove home thinking, “I am not going back to this. I am so bored. I am a busy woman. This is not an effective use of my time.” 

When the next Saturday rolled around, I kept feeling the nudge of Holy Spirit to go back to the group. “Lord, please! I do not want to go.”  Yet, I knew I was to go.  It was even harder to sit through the second group meeting, and I once again vowed that I was not going back. The Lord and I had this conversation weekly over the next several weeks.

One day as I was complaining to the Lord. I mean praying! I sensed God say to me, “Stop complaining. I do not have you there for You, but for someone else.”

I finished all twelve weeks of the group except for weekends when I was traveling for ministry. Over those twelve weeks, the attendance of the group steadily declined. When the last weekend of the group came, only four people were in attendance. I still had no clue why I was there.

The group leader was a young woman in her twenties. Her parting comments came with tears. She explained that she had never stepped out and done anything for God. She was afraid to lead the group because she thought no one would come, and no one would want to hear what she said. With a choke in her voice, she thanked us for our attendance. “Ellen” (not her name) said that she now had confidence that she could step out and do something for the Kingdom of God.

Instantly, I understood why I was there. I was there for Ellen.

Encouragement is something we all need to help us stay motivated, loved, and feeling confident that we can be used by God. We all know what it can feel like to pursue something, whether it is starting new job or trying to make small changes in life—and not get any feedback or encouragement. Sometimes it can make you want to quit!

First Thessalonians chapter five verse eleven tells us, “So encourage each other and build each other up …”  A commitment to encourage others challenges us all to selflessly lift the countenance of someone else — no matter what we might be facing ourselves. As we offer encouragement to others, we can trust that God, in His sovereignty, will encourage us. This is the principle described in Proverbs 11:25, “… whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (NIV).

Pray for God to make you an encourager. Ask Him to connect you with those who simply need encouragement. Ask Him to give you a heart that loves others and the creativity to know how to show it. Ask Him to help you die to self-centeredness and grow in a desire to build others up. What would happen if we all began to intentionally encourage others?

“Ellen” is still leading groups today because four women continued to show up to encourage her. Ask God to bring “Ellen” across your path. Sometimes, God wants us to be where we do not want to be because Ellen needs us.