If you were raised in a Christian home with Judeo-Christian values, you have probably been told not to say certain words because that is taking the Lord’s Name in vain. I was not raised in a Christian home, so no one cared how God’s Name was used. My husband Gaylon, on the other hand, was raised in a strict Christian home. Certain words that were not actual “cuss” words were definitely punishable! They were taking the Lord’s Name in vain.

The third of the ten commandments listed in Exodus 20:7 is, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” Although many people believe taking the Lord’s name in vain refers to using the Lord’s name as a swear word, there is much more involved with a vain use of God’s name.

My personal belief is that Christians should refrain from the use of vulgar profanity which is so widely accepted and used today. Social media posts are shocking to me, at times. “Cussing” someone out would surely fall under the categories listed in Colossians chapter three – anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language (Colossians 3.8). Please, people of God, guard your words, and let them represent Christ. Saying, “Oh my god!” when someone makes us mad is a misuse of God’s Name. Let us remember that “Hallowed is His Name.”

The word “vain” in Exodus 20:7 means empty or hollow. You shall not take the Name of the Lord in a hollow and empty way. In other words, don’t profess the Name of the Lord and live a life that is empty of Christlikeness. If you live a life filled with hatred, immorality, greed, lying, envy, and a host of other things, and continue to profess being a follower, that is taking His Name in vain. It is the issue of living a hypocritical life. Once I become a Christian and take on His Name, I am to live a life worthy of that Name in word and deed.

When I married Gaylon Benton, I took his name. After fifty-three years of marriage, I still try to honor my husband’s name through my actions. I am faithful to him. I show honor to him. I walk together with him. His name caused me to walk a life that reflected our union.

As a professing Christian, I am to walk a life that honors the Name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is holy, as He is holy. The name of the Lord is a representation of His glory, His majesty, and His supreme deity. We are to esteem and honor His name by letting our lives revere and glorify God Himself. To do any less is to take His name in vain.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. At least that is what the song says! Is it? Yes, it is in many ways. All the laughter, the food, the candlelight, the carols! Decorating the tree, or these days – trees! Wrapping the gifts and listening to the giggles and excitement as children open them. So many are singing and hoping for a white Christmas where everything is merry and bright.

What about those who just are not feeling so merry and bright? For many this year is difficult. I am praying with and for several people who have lost significant loved ones this year. My heart aches for them, and my tears stream for them. Grieving can be the most challenging time for people who are trying to balance the feelings of pain and loss, while going forward with everyday life. I found this to be true when we lost our son Bryan.

Sometimes we find ourselves mourning on Christmas morning. If you are in grief, especially fresh grief, it is okay not to feel that it is the most wonderful time of the year. It is okay not to feel merry and bright. It does not make you grinch, it makes you a person in pain.

God is hugging you today. He understands where you are, and He cares about every tear. Jesus Christ left the splendor of heaven and was born as a babe into a world that was dark and broken. He became Immanuel – God with us. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER WILL JESUS LEAVE US! He will be with us in good times and bad times, in sickness and in health, in success and failure, in poverty and prosperity, in joy and sorrow.

He will be with you this Christmas even when you do not feel like being merry and bright.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” –  Psalms 34:18

Charles Spurgeon is one of my favorite preachers. When I read his articles and sermons, I have to really ponder them, and I often have to read them again to grasp what is being taught. Spurgeon’s articles are not easy reads, but they are full of great theological truth.

Years ago, I came across a helpful insight by Charles Spurgeon, and it has stuck with me over time. Spurgeon said, “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.”

I think it would be beneficial to carry this quote through our entire lives.

There are a lot of Bible teachers who sound right. But sometimes it is possible they are almost right. If a person is an effective communicator, it is easy to be persuaded by their message. However, it is possible for messages to contain some truth, but not the whole truth. That is what Spurgeon is trying to get believers to see.

How do we know the difference between right and almost right? We know the difference based on a prayerful and thoughtful reading of the Bible. We cannot just listen to our favorite speakers and assume they are right about all things.

I have a friend who Googles everything, and I do mean everything. Anyone can pull up Google and find an isolated Bible passage to support an idea they want to push. That is looking at a verse in isolation and not being informed about the wider context.

Let me give an example. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I remember a young man using this verse in a conversation we were having. We were talking about playing the piano, and I stated that I wish I had stuck with piano lessons instead of giving up. How I would love to sit at the keyboard, play worship songs, and sing unto the Lord while sitting in my living room! This young man said to me, “Well if you have faith, you can do that. The Bible says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Have faith that you can sit at the piano and start playing.”

I tried that a few times, and I think I might have heard Heaven say, “Just sing a cappella.”

In context, Philippians chapter four teaches us about contentment. Verse thirteen refers to a Christian’s ability to endure hardship and persecution. It does not mean that a Christian is empowered to accomplish any task simply because they are saved. The verse promises that as people pursue God’s purposes, they can find a contentment and peace that can endure any hardship.

This verse is not about our potential. It is about our contentment. While some great communicators tell us we can do anything we set our minds to, God tells us to be content when we find ourselves faced with adversity, and that it is possible through His strength! 

We live in an hour when we must be diligent about searching the scripture for ourselves. If you love something someone said in a message, that is wonderful. Jot it down, then search the scriptures to see if it is truth or almost truth.

I remember an influential person saying that all gods lead to the same place. That might sound like truth, but if the scripture is searched, one cannot deny the teaching that the way to the Father and eternal life is through Jesus Christ’s work on the cross.

Dearly beloved, please remember, “Discernment is not just knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.”

From time to time, I come across a message from someone that is worth reposting. This is one of those messages. Written by Dr. Kenneth Berding, who is a professor at Talbot Seminary, this message reminds us of the lavish grace of God. Take a moment to ponder Dr. Berding’s message.

I love the fact that in the United States we as a nation set aside one day a year simply for giving thanks to God for his good gifts.  At some of our tables, we will take a few minutes before we eat to mention the things that we are thankful for: a new job, a delectable Thanksgiving meal, or a loving spouse. This is all good and proper. We should take every opportunity to thank God for his particular gifts.

But have you ever thought about the fact that thanksgiving is one way of describing the entire Christian life? This is not an exaggeration. One powerful and entirely biblical way to think of the Christian life is simply this: God showed us grace, and our response to that grace should be a life lived out of gratitude. The Apostle Paul put it like this: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3:17).

The manner in which we serve others illustrates the point well. Christian service isn’t simply deciding to serve, and then “gritting out” our service. We serve in conscious awareness of the lavish grace we have received from God! God looked upon us, criminals (“sinners”) that we were, and chose to send Jesus to die in our place. As a response, we sacrificially serve others because of the unbounded grace we have received.  

The sinful woman who poured expensive ointment on Jesus’s feet and wiped his feet with her hair illustrates the relationship between thankfulness and its lived-out relationship to the actions of one who has been forgiven much. When Simon the Pharisee complained (in his own head) that Jesus shouldn’t have allowed a sinful woman to act in such a way, Jesus challenged those thoughts with “he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47). But the woman at Jesus’s feet knew how much she had been forgiven, allowed that grace to move her heart toward gratitude, and the result was an extravagant act of thankful service to Jesus.

Perhaps this Thanksgiving we can move beyond listing out individual things that we are thankful for and start to respond more deeply to the grace God has demonstrated through the sacrificial death of Jesus—and how such thankful reflection might work its way into the way we live the year ahead. A whole life lived out of thankfulness is the right and proper way to respond to God’s lavish gift of grace through Christ. 

While headed to a meeting recently, I got behind slow traffic – VERY slow traffic. I was trying to drive the speed limit which was only thirty-five miles per hour, and I was barely able to drive twenty miles per hour. The road was hilly and curvy, so it was unlawful to pass. I am sure this does not happen to you, but I felt myself getting impatient and irritated.

The vehicle in front of me was a monster-size pickup truck. I began to think, “Who drives a manly vehicle twenty miles per hour? Come on man! Step on the gas!”

As we approached a huge curve, I had a better visual of what was going on in front of me. There were two other cars in front of the truck, and the lead car was going terribly slow. The reason we were slowed down was not because of what I could see, but because of what I could not see.

There have been so many times in my life when I wished things would hurry along. What I really wished was that God would speed up the process. As I impatiently drove behind the truck driver, my waiting experience could have been much better. Seething, getting aggravated, and being impatient did not make the wait any less, but it sure made it more unpleasant for me.

Do you enjoy waiting? Most of us would say a resounding, “No!”  We do not like waiting. We want things to be done on our timetable. Our society today wants things done quickly, however, for the Christian, walking by faith requires trusting God while sitting in His waiting room.

Noah had to wait for the rain to come and the rain to stop. Daniel had to wait in the lions’ den, not knowing when his ordeal would be over. Even though God promised a son, Abraham and Sarah waited decades for Isaac to be born. I have often thought about the years of waiting that Joseph had to do to see the promise of God fulfilled in his life – hard, unfair years of waiting. Even Jesus had to wait thirty years to begin His earthly ministry.

When Jesus was leaving earth to return to His Father in heaven, He said to His disciples, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised” (Acts 1:4).

I seriously doubt that any of Christ’s followers wanted to wait in Jerusalem. John 20:19 tells us that the disciples were afraid of the religious leaders who killed Jesus. They hid behind locked doors, fearing for their lives. It would have been far easier to hide in an obscure place, anywhere but Jerusalem.

Why did Jesus make them wait in a place they would rather leave? Why Jerusalem? Because Jerusalem was where He needed them to be. He was about to pour his Spirit out upon them and birth the Church.

Jesus saw farther down the line than did His disciples.

The waiting can be hard. Sometimes, it is easy to feel like God has forgotten about the desires of our heart. It’s easy to explain to God that He needs to hurry it up! When we find ourselves in the waiting room, it is important to remember that God has a plan for us that is far greater than what we could imagine. He sees farther down the line.

I could not see what was farther down the line as I slowly drove in traffic. God sees the whole picture. He sees everyone involved in the whole picture. He has promised “…that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28. Trust Him.

Recently, I was thinking about a woman I met many years ago. I met Nancy at the church where my husband was the lead pastor. While in that church, I worked in several areas which also included counseling with women.

Nancy came to my office and took a seat, and before she said anything she began to cry. I sat quietly giving her a moment to release the obvious pain she was carrying. Nancy began to talk with me saying that she never felt good enough to be a part of God’s Kingdom. She proceeded to tell me her story.

When Nancy was seventeen, she got pregnant out of wedlock. Nancy was a teenager during a period when couples usually got married if this was their situation. As she and her parents sat with the priest of the church to set a wedding date, she confessed that she was pregnant. (There are several churches that have priests, so I am not trying to call out a denomination.)  The priest shamed her in front of her parents and proceeded to tell her, that because of her sin, she could not be married in the “holy part” of the sanctuary. As a result, those who attended her wedding knew the situation. She felt ashamed standing there on her wedding day.

As I listened to Nancy, my heart had such compassion for her. Sitting in the chair in my office that day was a seventy-year-old woman, who had been bound by shame for more than fifty years. Her question to me was, “Am I good enough to be forgiven and accepted?” A big smile was on my face, and I held Nancy’s hands in mine and said, “You were forgiven the day you asked God to forgive you. Don’t let anyone hold you in the chains of shame.”

I then asked Nancy to follow me as we walked into the church sanctuary. I took her by the hand and walked her all over that sanctuary. We walked through the church, behind the pulpit, sat down at the piano, and finished at the altar.

I reminded Nancy of these words from the great Church hymn “There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood.”

There is a fountain filled with blood
  Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
  Lose all their guilty stains:
  Lose all their guilty stains,
  Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
  Lose all their guilty stains.

As we concluded our time together, my parting words were, “Nancy, don’t ever let anyone hold over your head what Jesus has placed under His feet.” Nancy’s whole countenance changed. Her face lit up, and from that time forward, she was always glowing during worship. Nancy now resides in heaven, and I know she is smiling in the presence of the One who forgave her.

Have you ever felt ashamed? Maybe it was something in your past, something people want to hold over your head. Shame can be an overwhelming emotion that imprisons us, especially if it comes from Church leaders.

Let me be emphatic! Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross to free us from sin and shame. If people or Satan can heap shame upon us, then our emotions might tell us that God is withholding His love from us because of our actions. The good news of the Gospel, however, is that God’s love is not about what we have done for Him; God’s love is about what He has done for us!

Today, let the shame go. Jesus offers you an invitation to rest in His unfailing love, and to live in the freedom He has granted. It is no longer shame on you but shame off you!

“Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” – John 8:36

What an absolutely delightful opportunity I had this past weekend. I was asked to be the guest speaker at a cowboy church in Saint Clair County, Alabama. Though I have heard of cowboy churches, I had never been to a cowboy church.

The tables were adorned with cowgirl boots used as vases to display beautiful live flowers. There were sequined cowgirl hats and sparkly western clothes worn by many. The after party on Friday night was filled with food, laughter, and line dancing. The whole weekend was packed with fun, chatter, and God-encounters.

As we were sitting around the lunch tables, an announcement was made that a horse was outside and anyone who wanted to ride the gorgeous, gentle animal was invited to step out into the warm sunshine and enjoy a ride.

My daughter-in-law Kelly and her mother were at the conference. I encouraged Kelly to go out and ride the horse and send pictures and videos for her sons to see. All of a sudden Kelly’s mother said, “I want to ride the horse.”  I thought to myself, “Are you sure about that? I mean we are not spring chickens anymore.” She was firm in her resolve to go ride the horse.

As we stepped outside, Kelly’s mother walked over to the horse, ready to ride. The owner of the horse was there to guide her in mounting the animal.  As she stepped up to the horse, I said to Kelly, “Let’s get behind her just in case she starts to fall. That way we can support her.” 

We stood behind Sharon, ready to support her if needed. She threw her leg up over the horse and successfully mounted. The owner then guided her around the area. Sharon grinned all the way.  I loved seeing her successful ride. Sharon’s success was a wonderful experience for all of us who were by her side.

Everyone needs other people by their side. It is always a blessing to have people around us, who have faith in us, who will assist us as we venture out for God – people who stand ready to catch us if we feel ourselves slipping as we try new things – people who will say, “You can do this!”

I am sure there have been times when you wished someone would walk beside you, someone who would understand and help you. While each of us must take our own unique journey, I think the Bible clearly teaches that we are to walk with others.

I am not sure we fully appreciate the power of encouragement as we walk alongside others. It often is a powerful experience for them and you. Kelly and I both smiled when we saw the smile on her mom’s face.

The Bible tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11. Do not minimize the gift of being an encourager. I have had some great cheerleaders who have helped me as I have walked with God, even when I failed and needed someone to catch me.

Never have I heard someone complain, “I have been encouraged too much. I just wish people would stop encouraging me so much.” 

Today, let’s spread encouragement in a very discouraging world. Say it everywhere you go today. With a smile on your face, look at that server and say, “You’re doing a great job!” Look at your pastor or pastor’s spouse and let the words pour out, “Thank you for all your ministry! You are a blessing to the Kingdom of God.”  Look at your friend and proclaim, “Keep it up, you got this!”

So many are suffocating in this negative world. Be an encourager – it is oxygen for the spirit.

Normally I write my own blogs. This one written by Francis Frangipane was so encouraging, I chose to share for all of God’s people to read. Read it and be blessed. Do not let the devil or anyone else be your travel agent for a guilt trip.

“I Don’t Remember”
By Francis Frangipane

How little we understand of eternal redemption! How many times will God forgive you? If you have truly set your heart to follow Him, He will cancel your sins as often as you ask. Will He forgive you of the worst sin you can think of? Yes! You may have to live with the consequences of your misdeed, but God can use your repentance and newly found humility to inspire others. As for the sin itself, if you deeply and sincerely repent of it, not only will God forgive you, He will blot it out of His memory.

Let me share an experience. A certain man of God had been gifted with revelatory insight into people’s lives. During an evening service he ministered to a Presbyterian pastor and his wife. By the gift of the Spirit, he revealed the couple’s past, uncovered their present situation, and then disclosed to them what was to come. This work of God greatly impressed the couple, and as the prophecies were fulfilled, one month later the Presbyterian minister brought two other pastors, each with their wives, to another service for personal ministry.

The word of knowledge was exceptionally sure that night, and the second minister and his wife marveled at the accuracy and truth in the prophetic word. The third couple stepped forward for ministry, and again the word of knowledge was present. The prophet spoke to the husband, revealing his past, present, and insight into his future. Then the man of God turned to this third minister’s wife. As he began to speak of her past, suddenly he paused. Then he said, “There was a very serious sin in your past.” The woman, with her worst fear upon her, turned pale and closed her eyes. The congregation hushed and moved to the edge of their seats.

The prophet continued, “And I asked the Lord, ‘What was this sin that she committed?’ And the Lord answered, ‘I do not remember!'”

The Lord had been faithful to His covenant promise: “I will not remember your sins” (Isa. 43:25). Although many times this minister’s wife had asked for cleansing, still she could not believe the depth of God’s forgiveness. Christ had placed her sin in the sea of His forgetfulness. He removed it “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12). From everywhere but the prison of her own mind, her sin had been paid for and removed. And now, in His great mercy, He removed it from there as well!

Oh, what burdens we carry; what guilt and limitations surround us because we do not accept God’s total and perfect forgiveness. In Isaiah we read, “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isa. 43:25).

How great is the God we serve. How wonderful is His love toward us. He is our Redeemer, our Savior! If you are willing to forgive others and will but ask Him to forgive you, He will pardon your debts as often as you contritely turn to Him. He promises He will remember your sins no more.

As Gaylon and I walked into a conference in Missouri, there was a huge crowd. Five thousand people were at the Prayer and Power conference. As I walked through the bustling crowd, I felt so alone. Though my husband held my hand, it was my heart that was downcast.

Gaylon served as a pastor for more than thirty years. By far, the majority of the people in our churches served alongside us and helped us with the work of the ministry. But as there is in any profession, there are those people who are so difficult.

We had just had a difficult week in our church, and I was frazzled, tired, and tired of! We had already signed up for the Missouri conference, and it was prepaid. I had no desire to go, but I did. I had already decided I was not going to get anything from the conference, but at least we had a trip out of town, and nobody there would know us.

As we entered the auditorium, Gaylon asked where I wanted to sit, and I pointed to the nosebleed section located in the balcony.  Up we went to the balcony, and I chose the last row. I could hide in the nosebleed section and even God could not find me.

The conference began with resounding, passionate worship – from the other 4,999 attendees, or so I felt. I just stood there numb from the pain I had tried to leave at home. “God, I cannot feel You, and I’m not even sure you notice me in the crowd.”

As the worship-filled moments continued, I noticed movement to my right. I saw a woman climbing over people seated on her row, and then she walked several rows up and stopped in front of me. “God, I have enough on my mind without dealing with a “cereal” Christian. (You know – the ones that are nuts and flakes.)

The woman’s eyes met my eyes, and she leaned over and whispered in my ear. “God told me to come over to you. He told me that you are a pastor’s wife, and you have been terribly wounded. God said to tell you that He sees you in the crowd, and He set up this divine appointment. He is going to make up for all the pain you have been through. You will see His hand.”

Tears began to stream down my face as I realized God found me in the crowd. That woman did not know me from Adam, but God used her to say, “I see you, my daughter, and I am working in your behalf.”  And God did just that!

In the midst of a crowd, I would not have expected God to speak to me. Yet, there are many stories in scripture where Jesus met individuals while they were in the crowd.

• In the fourth chapter of Matthew in verse twenty-five, we read that large crowds followed Jesus. Yet in that crowd, He healed those brought to Him, those that “were ill with various diseases, those suffering from severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed.” Jesus saw each person in the crowd.
• In Matthew chapter eight, we are again told a large crowd is following Jesus. A man with leprosy came and knelt before Christ, asking to be made clean. Christ reaches out, touches him, and he is immediately healed. The leper was one man in the crowd.
• Mark two gives us a story from the time Jesus is in Capernaum. The story takes place in a home. There were so many people gathered that there was no room left inside or outside of the house. There was a crowd. Four men were determined to have their friend healed, so they lowered him through the roof. Jesus took His eyes off the crowd and put them on the individual, and the man was healed. He was one in the crowd.
• In Mark five, we see a very well-known story of a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. The crowd was enormous, and Jesus was penned in on every side. In the midst of a large crowd, she presses forward and instantly finds healing from the touch of the Lord. She was one woman in the crowd.

Do you feel unseen in the crowd? He sees you. He sees your wounds and your worries. The Lord never turns a blind eye to His people. He is the God who sees us. Jesus knows all about us. He knows where to find us, even in the crowd.

“Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD, who had spoken to her. She said, ‘You are the God who sees me.’ She also said, ‘Have I truly seen the One who sees me?’” (Genesis 16:13).

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