Author Archives: Janet

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About Janet

I am a woman who stands in awe of her loving and Faithful God. I am the bride of Rich for 31 years, and the mother of four grown children. I recently retired from homeschooling all four of my kids for 21 years total. I am also the blessed grandmother of two. Currently I am a Bible teacher and weekly devotions writer for Women on Wednesdays Bible Study, a local women’s ministry. https://www.wowjcmo.com/ May God bless you and reveal to you His everlasting and faithful love!

The New Life is a Life of Knowing God!

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We can KNOW God! That statement seems to be a little out there if we only look at it through our human eyes, but it is so very true. In fact, to KNOW God is what we were made for, anything short of KNOWING Him will end in death and eternal separation, or hell.

What is KNOWING God? It is first hand experiential KNOWING. It is living a life of intimacy/ closeness to Him. This is the kind of KNOWING that Jesus spoke of:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 NIV

This KNOWING is the New Life. It is eternal life. It is the kind of life we all long for and desire. But it will not be realized within us unless we allow Jesus into our lives. If we keep Jesus at a distance and are content to just do good deeds or live a “good” life, or be a good person, we really don’t know Him.

Jesus warned us of us “trying to be a good person” on our own without really knowing Him.

“”Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23 NIV

What a sad outcome to a life! They never KNEW Jesus! The truth of the matter is what we do to make ourselves feel and look good are described as a bunch of “filthy rags” in comparison to a Holy sinless God. (Isaiah 64:6)

That is why if we want to experience the New Life that is eternal life, we must know God through a close and personal relationship. We must come to Him, believing in Jesus His Son, asking Him to forgive us for and cleanse us of our sinful lives. We must invite Him to come and live in us so we can KNOW Him. Then the New Life of knowing Him will grow. As we seek Him in His Word, He will change us to be what we needed to be all along. As we pray to Him, listen to Him, and OBEY Him, we will KNOW Him!

That KNOWING produces the promise in us New Life that is eternal. We will live connected to Him with no fear of eternal separation from Him or death in hell because we will KNOW our God and and His eternal life!

The New Life is a Life Free From the Power of Sin.

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We were created to be united or one with God. Before Adam and Eve chose their own way above God’s way, they were one with Him. Sin entered our world when they made the choice to follow themselves and they were separated from God. That separation is death.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”” Genesis 2:16-17 NIV

With death, or separation from God, comes darkness and destruction into our lives. That is because God is the author of Life itself. We cannot truly LIVE apart from Him.

Sin Destroys!

For those of you who have attended an Ashes to Beauty Encounter weekend, the testimonies of sin’s destruction, in the lives of the women, are proof of that point. Truly if we examine ourselves, we can see it in our own lives. Anytime I have chosen my own way instead of God’s, I have experienced the misery of sin in my life. That is why God repeatedly warns us of what exactly sin is.

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 NIV

God does not speak of sin because He wants to be a cosmic killjoy. He want us to walk free of sin so we can be close to Him, united to Him once again.

Although the consequences of our sins are painful, we often find ourselves not willing to repent from them. Because the truth is, we love to sin. We want to do our own thing. We do not want to obey God. I say this from my own personal experience. I had to get my fill of sin in order to see how desperate I was for the New Life that God offered to me.

I needed to see that the fruit of this New Life that is empowered by the Holy Spirit, the very things I longed for, could be in me.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

I had to get sick of it! I had to get desperate! That is when I determined that I needed to love God with all my heart, mind, and soul. That is when I repented from my sin and asked God to cleanse me and empower me to live free! That is when I began to experience the New Life in it’s abundance!

Are you where I was? When you look deep inside, are you living in peace, joy, and love? Or is your heart full of fear, anger, rage? Do you run to God with life’s ups and downs or are you trying to deal on your own and in your own way? This can be through self effort, self medicating- alcohol, drugs, self help books, etc. Are you sick of it?

There is New Life in Jesus that frees us from the power of sin!

The New Life is a Life of Faith.

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Jesus has offered us the New Life, His own life that is abundant. The New Life is more than we could ask, think or imagine. It is His life working in us!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20 NIV

This Life is a life of faith. Faith is defined by Andrew Murray as being, “Nothing other than the certainty that what God says is true.” It is believing the truth of the Word. It understands that each and every promise in the Bible is for the one who believes, as well as each and every command. If we want to live the New Life and experience it’s fullness we must receive the Word by listening, reading, studying, memorizing, etc. Faith comes by the Word of God. We must believe it is true through faith.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 ESV

When we truly receive the New Life in Jesus, we experience His intimacy and closeness, His power to break the chains of sin off of our lives, His freedom. When we are born again we have new desires. That desire is to no longer do things our old way following ourselves, but we desire to follow God. We want to please Him. We want to OBEY! This requires Faith. It requires seeking God in His Word.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 NIV

The New Life is a life that is a life of Faith that seeks God first. It is not a passive life. It is a pursuit! It grows as we seek God and believe what He says in His Word: The New Life of Faith!

The New Life Begins With a Seed.

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Life begins with a seed whether a plant in a garden or a baby in the womb. Life starts when the seed is placed in an environment where it can grow. The New Life of Jesus begins with a seed as well. The seed that begins the New Life is the Word of God and the environment it grows is within our hearts.

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”James 1:21 NIV

Our role is to receive or “accept the word planted” in us. The Word is supposed to grow there just as an earthly seed grows in the environment it is implanted in and fills it up completely. The Word is supposed to fill up the entirety of our Heart.

When we say to a person, “I have you in my heart.” We are saying that we hold them dear to us. We think of them often. We want to spend time with them. When we receive Jesus, the Word, into our hearts, we hold Him dear to us. We think of Him often, we want to spend time with Him. This seed of God’s Word implanted in our hearts becomes the focus of our lives. The more God’s Word grows in us the more of the New Life becomes our entire life.

God’s desire is to plant the seed of the Word in our hearts so it may grow. He wants His Word to fill us! Because He knows this is the only life that will truly satisfy us giving us His love, peace, and joy. So He comes to us asking for us to let Him fill our hearts with His Word so His New Life grows abundantly in us. The question is will we allow Him to?

May our desire be as King David’s. 

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalms 119:11 NIV

(Based off of “The New Life” by Andrew Murray)

The New Life Grows in Me!

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Life always produces growth. Think of a seed buried in the ground. All appears dead until the seedling breaks through the ground. The plant with proper care and attention grows.
Jesus told a parable in the book of Matthew emphasizing this point.

“He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The New Life God gives us is like that small mustard seed. It is planted in our hearts and it grows. It’s growth spreads out to every nook and cranny of our lives. It’s influence is within every thought we think, every word we speak, every action we take. It’s growth inside of us should not stop, because the New Life is meant to become the entirety of our lives.
If we are not seeing the growth and the influence of the New Life in our lives, we need to examine our hearts. Because we are not meant to have our lives with a portion of it dedicated to God and a portion dedicated to ourselves. We are meant for God’s New Life to be the totality of our lives. Our old ways of living that were dedicated to ourselves and our ways must go in order to make room for the New Life growing in us. Just as every weed in our garden that surrounds our new living and tender plant that we are attending must be pulled up and thrown out.
We are to live with this realized fully in our lives: The New Life, Christ in us, is our life now!

“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What is the New Life Given By God?

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There has been a lot said about having your own personal “come to Jesus” moment. What a wonderful moment that is! It is the special moment we realize that we cannot live rightly. It is the time we see that we are being destroyed by our sins. It is the instant we see we are dead spiritually in those sins.

That moment, when we see we need the gift of New Life, is when change in our hearts begins. However, we may lack understanding of what that means. If we don’t understand, we will never fully receive the gift we have been given. This is because when we are given New Life in Jesus, we are to live in this New Life! New Life means a new spiritual heart. New Life means new desires, new thoughts- centered on God’s Word, and new feelings — the peace, joy, and love of God.
This is how we are to live and experience the New Life. If we are living short of this experience, we are living short of the best that God desires for us.
Jesus described this New Life by a term that is very familiar, but must be realized in our lives for us to have the New Life that is offered to us. This term is to be “Born again.”
In John 3 there is an account of a religious man who had a “come to Jesus” moment too. He came because He knew Jesus was from God,and He knew what Jesus did was amazing. But He did not “Know” Jesus at that point. This is not much different than us today when we come to Jesus. We know Jesus is good and He does amazing things, but we don’t “Know” Him intimately.
Jesus immediately told the man this:

“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.””
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary says “To be born, is to be produced or brought into life.” We are all born physically into the life we are now living here in our flesh, but there is a New Life that “is produced or brought into our lives “ when we are Born Again. We are changed by this New Life in our manner of living and conduct. This is because God’s life- manner of living and conduct- is flowing in us!

This “New Life” isn’t just a life we get in eternity but it is life we experience now! What a gift!
May we not only have our “come to Jesus moment,” but may we be changed by it as we receive this New Life that is Born in us! Because Jesus says to us what He said to Nicodemus long ago:

“You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

That is where the New Life Begins!

Bible Reading Fun Fact Day 12: Reading the Bible Daily Gives Us a Desired Closeness to God.

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When people are asked about the time they feel the closest to God, there are a variety of answers such as: “I feel the closest to God when I am in nature.” “… when I look at. A night sky.” “…when I hold a newborn baby.” etc…

We may feel a sense of God’s presence each of these times. Our hearts may long to know the one who created these things.

BUT there is a sure fire way to be close to God or to KNOW Him. That is to KNOW His word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 NIV

Jesus is the Word. The Word and God are one. They are inseparable. In order to know Jesus in a close and intimate relationship we must know His Word because He speaks to us through His Word.

I’ve been hitting pretty hard the past two weeks on the point that we all need to read, study, memorize, and take in God’s Word. That is because won’t really know God until we know His Word. God has made us for relationship with Him. He longs for us to know Him because He loves us!

If we want to experience the closeness of God, we must experience the life changing power of God’s Word.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalms 19:7-10, 14 NIV

Bible Reading Fun Fact Day 11: The Truth in the Bible Answers Life’s Most Basic Question, “What is My Purpose?”

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(Written specifically to my Millennial and Gen Z friends)

The Millennial’s and Gen Z’s generations combined could easily be described as the next “Lost Generation.” This title is not a new one. It described the generation who came of age during World War 1. They were described as “intellectuals and creatives” who lost faith and traditional values and ideals after witnessing the carnage and death of WW1. They were described as “hedonistic, rebellious, and aimless—“lost.””
I believe we are here once again. In your lifetime you have either witnessed or felt the effects of 9/11, a drastic increase of mass shootings, a global pandemic, and what seems to be unprecedented corruption in political arenas, etc… Life seems to be pointless…
UNLESS you know the Author of Life- God! As Creator of All, He has the right to define us and give us the knowledge of the purpose for which we have been created. This knowledge is found in our Creator’s Book, The Bible! If we are ignorant of what Scripture defines as our purpose we will live believing we are nothing more than “The Lost Generation” and our lives will reflect that sad reality. Without knowledge of the purposes of God as defined by His Word, the Bible, we truly are “aimless and lost.”
One other characteristic of “The Lost Generation” of the 1920’s that “The Lost Generation Now” shares is you are “intellectuals and creatives.” You see what is going on and want what is real. You are sick of pretending. You want the Truth!
God has declared that Truth! It is in His Word!

“Your Word is truth.” John 17:17


But you will never experience a life living in Truth if you do not engage the Bible you likely have in your home or on your phone and become intimately aware of its content.
God has created you with a purpose. It is to know Him and to make Him known. Your life will be unfulfilled and aimless until you commit yourself to pursuing your purpose!
I am attaching a song that I would encourage you to listen to. I believe it is an anthem to your generation.
True Life, with purpose, only comes in knowing God and Jesus who He sent! We come to know Him through His Word!

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

(Information on the Lost Generation from the article “The Lost Generation: Who They Are and Where The Name Came From
By Sunny Jane Morton
April 7, 2020”)

Bible Reading Fun Fact Day 10:

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The Truth of the Bible is Greater Any Human Field of Science. Reading and Studying the Bible Connects Us to that Truth!
During the years of professional counseling that I went through, there were two statements made by the counselors that were dangerous to internalize.

  1. “I don’t know what the Bible says, but I do know what science says.”
  2. “The Bible backs up science.”
    These two statements are pretty common in our culture because we have elevated Science (our human knowledge) of any kind to a higher position than God and His Word.
    This is not a new sin. It actually is the original sin. The serpent tempted Eve in the garden.

““You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Science, which is defined as knowledge, has been wrong in the past when it contradicted God’s word. (Remember the general Scientific thought of Columbus’s time was the earth is flat. Disproved by Isaiah 40:22 written long before Columbus.) Science has changed as new discoveries have come along. Consider the common thoughts over the past 50 years about a human baby, “fetus”. The technology of ultrasound has given us views that discredits the Scientific thought of just a few years ago. That “scientific knowledge “ was used in support of abortion. Our laws have changed because our “scientific theories” have changed. But I can tell you God’s Word has not changed! It is always on the right side of social debates 💯 of the time!

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It is dangerous to build our lives on Scientific theories that discredit the Truth of the Bible. God’s Word is always first! It is also dangerous to believe that God’s Word confirms Science. Ultimately, Science will confirm God’s Word! History has proven that true!
This is why we must KNOW our Bibles (God’s Word)! There is so much bad information in our world. There is so much confusion. But only one Truth has stood the test of time, God’s Word!
When Scientific thought contradicts what the Word of God says, beware! Culturally it is more acceptable to go with Science as the ultimate authority. As believers, may it never be so with us! God’s Word is Truth! There is no other truth! God’s Word is the Way! There is no other Way!

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Bible Reading Fun Fact Day 9:

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Reading the Bible and receiving it into your heart allows the Word of God to work in you.

When we really see ourselves for what we are without God, we understand how desperate we are for God to work in our lives. From the moment we are conceived sin begins its work within us. We are all broken by its effects. We understand the truth of these words, SIN DESTROYS! Because we all have experienced the fruit of sin— our bad choices and actions. But there is something stronger than the sin that can works in our lives. It is the Word of God, the Bible. It has an opposite effect on us. It gives life! But in order for the Word to work in is we have to receive it.

“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV

God wants to break the power of the sin working in us. But we have to receive the Word of God in order for that power to be broken.

We can call out to God in prayer and ask for Him to work in our lives and to change us and that is good! But He does that work inside of us by His Word! This is why it is imperative that we take the Word of God into us by reading the Bible, thinking on what it says throughout our day, internalizing it by memorizing it, etc. If we want the Word to work we must take it in.

I’m doing laundry right now. I could run my machine all day long, over and over on the same load, just the water. It might help a little. But if I want the clothes clean I must apply the soap.

You and I can live our lives to the best of our abilities. But if we want to experience God working in our life we must apply the WORD! May we ask ourselves, what is at work in me sin that comes naturally, or the Word that must be received and applied?