“It must have been her doppelganger,” Erik said as hammered down a bite of his Detroit-style pizza.

“Her what?”

“Her doppelganger.” The word seemed to hang in the air, frozen between us.

“Doppelganner?”

“ganger.”

“Spell it, please.”

“d-o-p-p-e-l-g-a-n-g-e-r.”

“Wow. I’ve never heard that word before, ” I replied as I munched my slice.

I am a word-a-holic.

I like word games, crossword puzzles and magazine vocab quizzes.  Etymology is fascinating. I want to know everything about a new word, such as where it originated, who coined it, and when it was first used.  As we weaved through traffic en route from Buddy’s Pizza to the Henry Ford Museum, I asked Erik to repeat the word several times in hopes of making it mine. Doppelganger. Doppelgranger. Doppelganner. I struggled with the syllabification.

At the museum, I took off for the American Style and Spirit exhibit and Erik bee-lined to a collection of boring machine parts. As I stood gazing at the beautiful gowns (circa 1920’s), a woman approached and asked me if my name was Carrie. I told her no, my name is Mary. Her response:

“Wow! You have a doppelganger named Carrie.”

Not kidding. What were the odds?

Doppelganger. Doppelganger.

Doppelgänger: [dop–uh l-gang-er; German daw-puh l-geng-er] Noun, a ghostly double or counterpart of a living person.

God wants us to have a doppelganger—Jesus. Think I’m kidding? Read the following verse.

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29

Jesus is our doppelganger. Our twin. Double. Doppelganger. We are to be conformed to His image. Thankfully we are not responsible for the transformation—God is. He uses every circumstance, good and evil, to sculpt our character. A piece here. A rough edge there. Constant hammering and chiseling until finally, boom bam, we look like, sound like, act like, think like Jesus.

Do people accuse you of looking like Jesus? Do strangers walk away from an encounter with you asking who does she/he remind me of? Oh, yeah, Jesus!  If you are like me, the answer is often a big NO. Let’s take a few Action Steps!

Action Steps:

1. Pray and ask God to conform you heart and soul into the image of Christ.
2. Hide God’s Word in your heart. It is the main tool God uses to transform us. His word is a “hammer that breaks rock into pieces.” Jeremiah 23:29
3. Watch what you allow into your mind. Sinful things shape the heart as well.
4. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you think before you act or speak. Ask yourself, Is this what Jesus would say or do?
5. Thank God for how He is working to change you from the inside out to be like Jesus.

Jesus is our doppelganger.

Have a blessed day!

 Spend time with Jesus Today!

Today is a new kinda quirky Bible journal for busy people who want to jump-start their day with Scripture. Begin the day with a look verse and short assignment. Then, revisit your work in the evening to add notes, make changes and apply what you’ve learned. Only By Prayer recommends you focus on one journal entry a day.

Today is a good time to be with Jesus!

Click to open the Today Bible Journal pdf !

  Today Bible Journal Part 3

Today Bible Journal Part 1

Today  Bible Journal Part 2

By Mary Kane

all rights reserved. copyright 2017

They were at the Feast.

12 men and 1 Savior. Bound together by bread and wine. A covenant. A last supper. The Last Passover that ever needed to be kept because finally, the Lamb of God was to be slain. It would be finished. And Judas sits satisfied with a bit of bread. It was Judas’ last supper too.

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the piece, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

27 Then after he had taken the piece, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. John 13:21-30

Crumbs and scraps.

Judas  settles for a morsel from The Bread of Life, the Manna which comes down from heaven. Mincing and tasting the crumbs instead of consuming the Feast, eaten by faith in the One who saves us.

We consume the bread and wine as He consumes our guilt and sin.

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And Judas sells his soul to the lowest bidder.

Bits  and crumbs in place of a feast.

30 pieces of silver in exchange for streets of gold. He seals the unholy deal and Judas settles for bits and pieces. Judas could have had a kingdom.

What have I settled for?

What morsels have I chosen instead of the feast? My hungry soul tries to dine upon the crumbs of the world. But the world never satisfies and my soul-hunger turns into famine of the heart. My 30 pieces of silver rob me of the streets of gold. God’s hands remain full while my heart remains empty. Gifts given but not received.

Unopened. Unused. Unsatisfying bits and pieces.

Jesus came so we can have life and have it abundantly. But abundance requires sacrifice, receiving, waiting, enduring, abiding and praying.

This Thanksgiving season Jesus calls us to come, buy, eat and feast. Without money, without price. Taste and see that the Lord is good!

Leave your bits and pieces and come to the Feast.

How will  you feast on the goodness of God this Thanksgiving? Leave me a comment below. I’d love to chat with you!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

all rights reserved.

Copyright 2016

29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.  Acts 4:29-33

First, let’s start with what the church isn’t.

It isn’t a building.

First century churches did not have a specific building. They usually met in a house. Even today many churches do not have buildings. According to the Global Church  typical rural churches in Uganda meet under a shade tree. Focus on the Family states, “Church structures facilitate the role of God’s people, but they do not fulfill it.”

It isn’t a sermon or a song.

Songs help us worship and glorify God. Sermons enable us to gain wisdom and understanding which leads to transformation. While these things are beneficial and beautiful, they are not the church.

It isn’t potlucks and programs.

Wholesome alternatives to the lure of the world, these activities are fun and entertaining, but they are not the church. Fellowship is fun, but events don’t transform the culture.

What it is.

The church: in the original Greek, ekklesia, which means to call, to call out, to invite. The church is the invited, the called, the summoned. Sinners saved to be the body of Christ. Not bricks but bodies.

The Body.

Hands working. Hearts loving. Feet walking. Souls giving.

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that WHOEVER believes in Him shall have eternal life.”

All are invited. All are called, chosen, needed.

So don’t go to church, go BE the church, go be the invitation. Go be the call. Live your life, and use your gifts in such a way you make it easy for others to want to be a part of Gods family, the body of Christ. The church.

Go be the church.

How do you “go be the church”? Leave me a comment below. I’d love to chat with you!

all rights reserved.

copyright 2016

“He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” Daniel 2:21

In case you’ve been shipwrecked on a desert island for the past 8 months and didn’t know it, there’s an election coming up. What an election. In all my fifty some years, I cannot recall an election with more drama, animosity and twists and turns than this one. (Please, no more ranting on Facebook. Our country will not survive.) The media reports there has never been two less-popular candidates. Ever. It’s kind of like that game kids play, Would you rather get attacked by a lion or a grizzly bear? 

Neither.

Would you rather vote for Donald or Hilary?

Neither. IKR?

But we must.

Sorry. The #I’mjustnotgoingtovote attitude doesn’t help. It is our duty, right and privilege to vote. Remember, it’s not just the president who’s on the ballot. There other important issues and proposals at stake. Also, the next president will appoint the next two, possibly three, Supreme Court Justices to the bench and people mean policy.  NOTE: the decisions of the Supreme Court greatly affect the course of this nation.

All the drama aside, regardless of who wins, there are four reasons we can have hope about this election.

1. We see the real issues. People have had to stop and thoroughly examine their beliefs and worldview. What is truly important? What is a deal breaker for me? What does the Bible say about the issues at hand?
2. We see the real Savior. This election, more than any other, we clearly see the Democrats can’t save us. We clearly see the Republicans can’t save us. All we are left with is Jesus. Just Jesus. And this is a very good place to be.
3. We see opportunity. There is no clear-cut Christian candidate in 2016. Both candidates present serious moral and ethical challenges. Therefore, Christian influence is dispersed of being anchored to one party.
4. We see real promises. Political promises have been  made and broken. Government policies are initiated and forgotten. Laws are ratified and the overturned. Where can we place our trust? In the God who says He will never leave us or forsake us. In the God who promises to use all things for our good and His glory. In the God who states the government rests upon His shoulders and He is the one who establishes and deposes kings according to His will.

So what should we do?

Research. Checkout the following links to learn about the issues and the candidates:

Christian Voters Guide

Wall Builders

Pray. Cick on the link to signup for 5 Days to Fast and Pray for the Election

5 Days to Fast and Pray

Get involved. Vote.

Simply type in “Where do I vote?” as a Google search and you will see a search box to enter your address.

How do you feel about this election?

Please leave a comment below. I’d love to chat with you.God Bless America.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2016

Spend time with Jesus Today!

Today is a new kinda quirky Bible journal for busy people who want to jump-start their day with Scripture. Begin the day with a look verse and short assignment. Then, revisit your work in the evening to add notes, make changes and apply what you’ve learned. Only By Prayer recommends you focus on one journal entry a day.

Today is a good time to be with Jesus!

Click to open the Today Bible Journal pdf !

Today Bible Journal Part 1

Today  Bible Journal Part 2