“…lest . . . we should let them slip.”

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Hebrews 2:1

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”

Things, people, ideas, theories, intentions — all can quickly and easily slip through our proverbial grasp — not for want of importance, but for want of attention. But the most important, of which we absolutely cannot lose sight of, drift away from, or grow cold and apathetic towards is this: the redemptive revelation of God revealed to us through the Blood of His own Son, Jesus Christ, and outlined for us from cover to cover in the ages old, tried and true, 66 book biblical canon of Scripture in which the Sacrifice is and will always be the central gathering place for God’s people — from a lamb in Genesis to The Lamb in Revelation. “I already know that!” is not enough; we must continue to give a good, long, honest look at what is in the Word and what is coming out of our own hearts. There are some even now, with a glaze over their gaze, having become so distracted that even they would be surprised to know they are spiritually dead. Jesus must ever and always be the whole impetus, ambition, and driving force of the Christian’s physically and spiritually ordered world this side of Heaven. Hebrews 1:2 says that God “…hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son…” and we are told here in Hebrews 2:1 to give more earnest heed to the “…things which we have heard.” He, the Lord Jesus Christ, is worthy of our undivided attention, undistracted devotion, and unrivaled worship. We should never think ourselves above the temptation to allow our heart’s focus to drift slowly and incrementally away from our First Love. It can happen to anyone. Take heed, lest at ‘any time’ — while we are relishing the joys or enduring the difficulties of life this side of eternity’s shore — we ‘let them slip.’

May we all lock eyes with our Savior — studying, meditating, communing, and yearning for the fullness of what will be when He brings us safely to the other side.

In the dust of His feet,

Sunni Hoffman

Thoughts on Motherhood: Kids and Discipline

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Nothing quite says, “I don’t have my stuff together” like football carrying a flailing, screaming toddler outside of a public establishment in front of family and/or peers. Or strangers. They’ll send a cold shiver down your spine with the best of ‘em.

Pre-parenthood, the world of “kids and discipline” is nothing more than a sideline spectator sport in which each of us has engaged and thrown in our fair share of judgment calls. “If she would just do this…” and “If he would just do that…” — but then God gives you that precious little baby and he or she begins to grow into this thinking, feeling, personality wielding individual and you realize… this is a whole new ballgame and things look a whole lot different on this side of the fence. This little soul with which I’ve been entrusted for this time in the grand scheme of eternity really isn’t like anyone else’s. I have this little blank hard drive that’s filling quickly with ideas, thoughts, feelings, and ideologies based on how I respond to their victories and their failures, and the life I model before them.

And I quickly realize, “Lord! There is not enough fruit on my tree!” All the patience I thought I had, I really don’t. The long suffering, the joy, the peace, the kindness… I’m in need, Lord. And wouldn’t you know, it’s right there, in the midst of utter toddler meltdown and chaos when you feel like the tree of your sanity has been shaken to its absolute breaking point, that the God-Man Himself — Jesus Christ — steps in and rests His nail scarred hand on the shoulder of your emotions and you see just how long He has suffered with you. How often He has been, and is, so patient to teach, correct, train, and discipline you. Admittedly, there have been many times when I have had to sit down in the middle of the living room floor and ask my own child to forgive me for reacting in frustration instead of responding in love. We have been known to grab hands in the midst of a toy laden mess and call on the mercy and help that the Lord promised would be ours in time of need, because we – very often – are in just such a place.

In times of extreme toddler duress, I have been known to ask my mother, “What am I doing wrong?!” because *obviously* if my child is not perfect (!!) at all times and/or seasons it is a direct reflection on the success of failure of my parenting. Wrong! Yes, I said it. I’ve read behind some dear saints who have passed on to Glory now who either ruled their home with an iron fist or gave birth to saints – but I didn’t. My children are sinners, as am I (a redeemed one, praise God!) and honestly, sometimes you’ve done it all – read it all – gave it all – said it all – and poured the hot fudge of your love onto the top of those kids heads and they’re still (the most angelic!) little knuckleheads to walk the inhabited planet Earth.

But you know, parenthood just isn’t some pre-packaged meal deal where you know exactly what you’re getting, and that’s probably my most favorite part. I don’t know the intricacies of this brand new, never before researched or studied personality but I’ll get a front row seat to watch it unfold, and prayerfully one day be redeemed, through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. And while we’ve all been guilty of saying, “Oh, hopefully this will be an easy baby! A quiet baby! A baby that sleeps through the night! A baby that doesn’t cry and smiles and coos and has no issues whatsoever which would identify them as a member of the human race (y’all found one of those babies yet?), the reality is that God will use the unique circumstances in which He has ordained for our families and the unique little personalities, or quirks, or health issues, or special learning abilities for our sanctification and growth in Him.

So really, this isn’t a discipline how-to, what-to, don’t-do, or you-need-to — just a hug from a fellow comrade in the trenches.

And one closing question for the thinkers –

What have you ever learned of value that grace hasn’t taught you?

“In Memory of Her” – Matthew 26:13

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“Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.” Matthew 26:13

(For full scriptural context, see page bottom)

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There will always be naysayers; those who would indict you with this charge: ‘waste.’ “You’re just wasting your life! Your time! Your finances! Your talent! Your career goals! … by giving it all to Jesus.” Please understand precious believer, nothing given to Jesus is ever wasted. You can’t ‘over-share’ your heart for Him, or ‘over-spend’ your time on Him, or ‘over-give’ your life to Him. This nameless face of a woman had purposed in her heart to bring something — possibly everything — that she owned in this world of great value to the Savior and lavish it on Him. Look into the face of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, and bask for a moment in the extravagant glory of His Person and Work on Calvary’s Cross to redeem all of mankind from the stronghold of sin and death and tell me that the ‘perfume’ was “just too much,” or that something “of lesser value” would have taken care of the job “just as well.” The disciples weighed money, but Jesus weighed motives, and the worshipful abandon that was the driving force behind this one act of opulent devotion stands as a testament to her faith the world over even still.

And so it is with you. When you deposit the whole of your time, talent, and treasure into the Bank of Heaven, you are ‘investing’ in the bank that won’t break. There are no deficits there and Heaven has never gone through a recession! A ‘loss’ here is an investment there (Mt. 16:25). You can employ your life in the service of Satan and reap temporary applause and monetary gain on earth, or you can give it to Jesus and let Him employ you in the service of the Savior while laying up for yourselves treasure in Heaven where all of time and eternity won’t be long enough to reap the manifold dividends. The enemy takes and destroys, but God multiplies and blesses! Just look at this precious woman! She had no pulpit or public forum (or social media platform from which she could be deemed an ‘influencer’), yet the fragrance of her testimony that emanated from that one act of faith and love for Jesus Christ has spilled over into the hearts of millions the world over, testifying still today – HE IS WORTHY! Now, look in your own hands, and search out your own heart. What do you have that could be put to the Master’s use? Is there a voice to speak … a gift to sing … hands to worship … children to steward … a skill to paint … a mind to articulate … a heart to encourage … a Sunday school class to teach … is there time to intercede? Is it just too much to give to Jesus?

In the dust of His feet,

Sunni Hoffman

 

Matthew 26:6-13
6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. 8But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? 9“For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. 11“For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. 12“For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 13“Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

“What then will this child turn out to be?”

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“What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Luke 1:66b

We read here the account of the birth of John the Baptist, of whom Jesus Himself said, “For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. (Luke 7:28)” There were most certainly extraordinary circumstances – his birth foretold through angelic visitation, father and mother both well advanced in age and beyond childbearing years, a supernatural infilling of the Holy Spirit at the greeting of Mary the mother of Jesus, and an 8 day post-birth miracle of healing after his father, Zacharias, had been struck dumb from his unbelief at the angel’s prophetic utterance. Naturally, people were talking. These types of things don’t just happen everyday. As his story plays out, it becomes clear that he was the greatest of all prophets because he had the divine assignment of introducing the Savior of the world, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29b) What an overwhelming privilege!

And what an astounding question that should be asked of every precious life conceived and brought forth into this world. “What then will this child turn out to be?” Psalm 139 details the intricate shaping of every face, freckle, and fingerprint by the Most High God. Aside from the careful crafting of a physical frame, God’s Word tells us that “…in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139:16b) Your child’s days are written in God’s book, and though we have yet to know or foresee how their story will play out, we get to be apart. Is there a more awesome privilege in the entire world (parent / grandparent / uncle / aunt / cousin / neighbor / friend) than for you to be the one who sees that ‘something’ in a little child; that spark of faith just waiting to be ignited with the proclamation, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away … my sin … your sin … and the sin of the world.” Oh God! God forbid that it ever be spoken of any of us that we squandered an opportunity to see something of so great of eternal worth and value in Heaven as the soul of a precious little child. “But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 19:14) To the teachers, preachers, faithful Sunday school teachers, and Wednesday night workers – not every child that walks through the doors of your classroom or church has been loved at home or planned on earth, but they have been purposed in Heaven. Point them to the Lamb. For truly, “What then will this child turn out to be?”

A Short in the Circuit

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“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to
be revealed in the last time.” – 1 Peter 1:5

I connected my powerless iPhone to the charger and plugged it into the wall socket today around 3PM. I returned an hour later… no juice. I disconnected and re-connected the phone from the charger. Nothing. I unplugged and re-plugged the charger from the socket. Still nothing. I then disconnected the phone and plugged it into another charger. Aha!

A Short in the Circuit…

There was power to be had on the other end of the wall socket, I just couldn’t access it because I was attempting to access it through a broken circuit. And so it is with our faith. There is ‘keeping power’ available and accessible to every Blood bought, born again child of God (and saving power, delivering power, sanctifying power, etc etc), yet many Christians today are struggling, failing, wandering, drifting, and ultimately falling away from the faith altogether because they have ‘plugged’ their faith into a broken circuit, attempting to access God’s power through man’s wisdom. Please understand, the Cross of Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:18; 1:21), and it is [through] our faith being rightly connected to Jesus Christ and His finished work on the Cross that we receive *grace* to stay on this narrow path ‘…unto the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ Plug into the Source and stay the course. We’re almost Home.

In the dust of His feet,
Sunni Hoffman

“I know that my Redeemer lives…” – Job 19:25

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                             “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will                                         take His stand on the earth.” Job 19:25

Upright and righteous Job sat in a heap of dust and ashes — physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. The fire of satanic adversity had all but destroyed everything around him in an attempt to obliterate his faith, and would have taken his very life, save the forbearing hand of God. Not only did he feel like God was at war with him, but he had been smitten relationally and his very presence was repugnant to his nearest and dearest.

Job can empathize with ‘rock bottom.’ There are some of you who have hit ‘rock bottom’ only to realize that rock bottom has a hole and there is still yet further to go. You, like Job, have bemoaned from your mess, “He breaks me…” (Job 19:10). But in the middle of his ashes, when it looked like the embers of hope had all but gone out, there it was — a flicker of faith, “I know that my Redeemer lives” — and the Holy Spirit went to work. Faith is the only kindling God needs to ignite the hearth of ‘grace.’ The ‘Redeemer’ he was speaking of was the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would come and complete the work of redemption on Calvary’s Cross when He said, “It is finished.” Job knew his ‘friends’ wouldn’t get the last say in his circumstance… and yours won’t either. Your marriage, your family, your job, and your reputation might get caught in the crossfire, but it’s your faith (in Jesus Christ and Him Crucified) that Satan is after. When you’ve done all you can, stand! And remember this — what the fire of adversity doesn’t destroy, it purifies. Keep trusting Jesus!

In the dust of His feet,

Sunni Hoffman

“…that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.” – Josh. 22:20

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“Did not Achan the son of Zerah act unfaithfully in the things under the ban, and wrath fall on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.”
Joshua 22:20

Child of God, could there be any ‘secret’ sin in your heart and life with which you would stand with this defense, “this isn’t  hurting anyone…”? Sin, in any form it takes, is akin to cuddling with a lit bomb. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, so the question is not ‘if’ it’s going to kill and destroy, but ‘when.’ Anyone who has ever experienced its aftermath will tell you that the shrapnel from the implosion nearly destroyed the lives of countless innocent others aimlessly caught in its path. Abraham never intended that one moment of unbelief in God’s plan and promise would continue to wreak unthinkable havoc in the Middle East some thousands of years later. David never dreamed that a temporary reprieve would yield a lifetime of regret, playing out destructively through the lives of those in his own household. But for the grace of God, one act of sinful disobedience in the heart of Jonah could  have resulted in the destruction of an entire land of people. Lot didn’t consider that stationing his family amidst the degradation of the world would all but destroy any light that the lamp of faith would hang up in their hearts. Sin is a malignant disease that will consume anything it touches in destruction, save the great grace and mercy of God. If you would stop its power and dominion in your life, and its effects and consequences in the lives of others, you need look no further than the blood of Jesus. The plague of the firstborn in Egypt was checked at the sight of the blood of the Lamb, and so it is today. May we hate sin with a holy hatred, not for ourselves only, but for the sake of our marriages, our children, our families, and our testimony before a sin darkened world – applying the blood of the Crucified Lamb to our hearts by faith afresh and anew and trusting wholly in its saving, washing, cleansing, delivering, healing, and sanctifying power!  

Thoughts on Motherhood: Our Children and Trials

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It’s 10PM. The lamp shining in our bedroom gives off enough light to permeate the dark hallway and sneak through the nursery door I left a quarter of the way open. Her little features glow against the dim backdrop as I skim the outline of her face with my fingers… the little lips, cheeks, and nose of an almost two year old. We’re currently living in that ‘baby/toddler tension’ – yet here she is – still my little baby, startled awake a couple of hours after bedtime, just needing to snuggle into her momma. She’s wrapped up all kinds of cozy and I’m glad I ‘had’ to come to her rescue. I can’t bring myself to put her back to bed yet even though she has been asleep for awhile. I wonder if there’s a sweeter feeling in the whole world than this that I’m feeling right here and I can feel my heart start beating fast. The emotions of motherhood come fast and strong. Hot tears streak my face as I hold my baby and think about the traumas of life – a mother who quite literally lost her entire world after a vacation tragedy in Branson – and here I am, holding my heart in my hands, struggling with the thought that she can’t stay here in the safety of this moment forever.

She’ll go through things, hard things – possibly even traumatic things – that, prayerfully, will forge a heart that’s fixed towards Heaven. Maybe it will be rejection that trains her eyes to look to Jesus, and not man, for the fulfillment of every good thing and desire in this life and the life to come. Maybe ridicule will teach her the grace of compassion. Maybe loss will encourage her to store up her treasures on eternity’s side where rust and moth won’t destroy. Maybe a few hard lessons learned from rattling off at the mouth will reinforce God’s wisdom in being slow to speak and quick to listen. Those things are hard to even write, much less imagine my child experiencing, because we momma’s would fight tooth and nail to transfer whatever pain our children might face onto ourselves to spare them the trauma, sickness, sorrow, or grief that this life might have in store.

But, obviously, that’s not possible. I can’t spare my child from the sometimes painful realities that come with life, but I have to be quick to lean on the truth that the Lord of Glory bankrupted all of Heaven, sparing no expense in sending His Son Jesus, Who has “…born our griefs and carried our sorrows…” (Isa. 53:4). Tonight, I’m remembering, treasuring, the thought that all the while – as she continues to invite the presence of God into her life through faith and repentance in the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ – the Lord will be faithful to gather up the broken pieces of her life, the painful shards that issue from the sudden impact of living in a fallen world, and will fit them into something, and build her into someone, that will most reflect Himself at the end of this life.

We had such a good day today; just an overall ‘pleasant’ day. I can’t say that for everyday, but today, emotions were steady, meals were enjoyed, lots of I love you’s were spoken, and happy toddler squeals were heard. But, and I know this from personal experience, it won’t (entirely) be her good days that aid her in attaining to the fullness of the stature God is calling her to be in Christ Jesus. It will be a lot of the hard days, all filled with sin, grace, mercy, and forgiveness – received and extended – that will do the greatest ‘heart work’ this side of Heaven. And God is faithful. This world… it’s all passing away. This life is but a preparatory school for Heaven (if we know Him) and He’s too good to allow one trial to be wasted.

 

“…by His stripes we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5)

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“…by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5d

 This is a proclamation to be believed, not a remark to be debated. It is by and through the event of Calvary and the Sacrifice that Jesus there became for the whole of humanity that we receive every good thing that God has for us this side of Heaven. The declaration is here made through the Prophet Isaiah that not only do we receive the removal of our sins and restored peace with the Father through the Cross, but healing – that is, renewed health in body, mind, and spirit – is a part of the package, too. Doctors and the whole gamut of professionals that make up the medical system (for which we are thankful) can make diagnoses and offer temporary reprieves through medication for ailments of the mind and body, but complete healing is rarely, if ever, a guaranteed end result. But Jesus!

‘Healed’ in the Greek may be better rendered and understood in this way: to make fresh, restore to health, usable, fertile. How many people – believers, even – feel completely useless, void of purpose, empty, and without anything to give to the world around them because their minds have been ransacked, broken, and battered by the enemy of their souls? Yet God desires to restore us to the picture of Psalm 1, “…like a tree planted by rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season…”. Precious believer, this promise is for you – you who would dare to lift your weary gaze again towards Calvary and the Sacrifice that Jesus there paid for you to be whole. This is the heart of the Father crying out through the life and death of His Son, “Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:6).

Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe.
Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe.
(Hymn by Paul Rader)

“But ye shall receive power…” – Acts 1:8

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“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“But ye shall receive power…”  We live in a day where the mass conglomerate of evil and all the imps of hell have stiffened their necks against the Living God, scoffing at His ways and laughing at His people. If we ever needed power, it’s now. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, it should be my soul’s daily aim to lay hold of every divine resource made available to me through His atoning death on Calvary’s Cross for the proclamation of this glorious Gospel. To ‘receive’ is not to stand passively by, hands in pockets, under the froward notion that “God will give me whatever He wants me to have.” No! We position ourselves at the threshold of His great mercy as an active, yielded participant with hands outstretched, the reverberating cry of our hearts being, “Lord! I want everything You have to give me!” Biblically, we have reason to believe that there may have been anywhere in the ballpark of above 500 people to hear Jesus’ last words and see Him ascend in a cloud of glory out of their sight (Acts 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:6), yet only 120 followed through with His command to tarry in the upper room… and so it is today. Power in the Greek text is ‘dunamis’ – that is to say dynamite; miracle working power! Would that every born again child of God obey Jesus’ last and final command and wait for the promise of the Father – the precious Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues – igniting the torch of their life in the fire of Pentecost! If you’re saved, Glory to God! There’s more! Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, keep running after Jesus! He is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and millions of people the world over can testify that it’s real, it’s real, it’s real!

In the dust of His feet,

Sunni Hoffman