muses with the veil removed

Servants

2011-08-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

If I ever said something like….”Son, this is what I’ve learned in life, what experience has taught me, something critically important for you to know as you embark on life or before you turn 30 or before you have kids….”their eyes would glaze over and they'd sigh deeply. In response they would probably say, “Make it twenty words or less, Mom, twenty words or less.” I’m standing there trying to figure out how to condense at least 1000 words into 20 and by that time (which may only have been 10 seconds) they’ve walked off. But there’s a lot of truth in “if I had it all to do over.”

A small group of young moms are embarking on a study of Real Moms Real Jesus and I’m one of the teachers. I will try not to say, “Ladies, this is what I’ve learned in life, what experience has taught….” Tempting though because most if not all were raised in the South so surely none of them would sigh or roll their eyes. But since that doesn’t start until next month, I’ll write down my revelation for this week. I have several…and not all of them are spiritual. One is pay your house off before you’re 50. See? Painless.

One of this author's topics is servant leadership. I’ve never really put those two words together. Moms are leaders of children…or they should be. If you’re not, that’s another thing altogether. Most moms usually get the leader part down. And the servant part seems to be a given doesn't it.

Jesus said, “So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do.” John 13:12

I washed my kids' feet and their poopy bottoms. I cleaned them up after they’d thrown up all over themselves, the bed and every square foot between their bed, my bed and me and then all the way back to the bathroom. I washed green slimey noses. So I identify with Jesus washing the disciples’ nasty feet. The Creator of the entire universe on his knees, washing feet, the job of the lowest member of the household staff is something moms can identify with. We aspire to His attitude and perspective.

But the term is servant leadership….We are being servants and we are leading our children…TO BE servants….to become servants themselves.

Servant leadership means I take my cue from Jesus and follow His lead. I become a servant to others…they are always in my equation as opposed to just …. ME. What a novel idea for children to learn!

My first head nurse out of school was Alice Stein. I think I’ve talked about her before. She came up to about my elbow and looked like a little bulldog with a white nurse’s cap. She ran that hospital floor like a well oiled machine. She’d grab me and say, “I know you’ve never done this before…come with me.” If there was a light on, she’d answer it, if someone needed help, she’d drop what she was doing and go help, if you needed to stay late to finish up with a patient, she came in to help and see that it was done correctly. So everyone followed her lead. It was the most congenial group of women I’ve ever worked with…everybody just pitched in and worked together. We gave great care. I thought every hospital was like that.

Not. I moved to Dallas, Texas. Huge hospital. Every employee on my assigned floor dared you to ask them to do something. I never saw the nurse supervisor. So much for leadership.

We teach, give direction, demonstrate …with the intention of the child following our lead and doing it like we’ve taught and demonstrated. I expect a toilet to be cleaned like this, every time. I expect a bed to be made like this, every time. That’s authority leadership. Do it because your mama said to do it, buddy….which is repeated in various tones according to the attitude and presentation of your child.

Servant leadership goes beyond this. This is Alice Stein leadership in the home. “Honey, I’m getting a piece of cake, you want some?” “I’m cutting me a piece… I’ll bring you a piece too…want some milk?” I model this with my husband because what they see us do is more important than what we say.

Now…here’s the caveat. I don’t think kids just watch these little scenarios and put two and two together. They are kind of like men. A friend who had 5 kids said her husband walked in one evening from work. She had one kid crying on her hip, two whining, each attached to one of her legs and two fighting in the corner. He said, “Hey hon, what’s for supper?” They do not see it. They do not get it. You have to tell them.

My husband said on more than one occasion, “You’d think just one time they would realize how much we’ve done for them and be so grateful they’d mow the yard without me asking.” Nope….never happened.

You do not begin teaching this at 13. You begin at 2 or 3. Define a servant for your child…read the scripture…. Jesus modeled it for us. He expects it of us....in fact, sounds like a command to me. It’s so important, He had John write it down in chapter 13. Has nothing to do with who you are, how great you are, what your title is, where you come in anybody’s order, who they are or if they respond positively. Has everything to do with Who He is. This is what His followers look like.

We teach everything else….to love, share, be patient, kind, hold your fork right, don’t talk with your mouth full….what happened to servanthood? Think that would change the tone of a home? You have to make your bed, put your dishes in the dishwasher, brush your teeth, and go to school. You have to do your homework. You can’t play til you’re done. And I expect you to practice servanthood in this house.

So when you’re laying on the bed with them at night, reading, when you’re done and you’ve talked about the story, why not ask, “So how did you practice servanthood today sweetheart? What did you do for your brother besides punch him?

Would we drop dead if our kid asked his brother if he wanted a peanut butter sandwich too while he’s fixing? I know I would have. But can you imagine how this would change the atmosphere of a home if children practiced servanthood with each other?

Sure it’s forced, sure it’s just for a gold star on the chart on the refrigerator….but so is brushing your teeth. They get a gold star because we’re hoping at some point brushing your teeth becomes a HABIT and they will not have to be told to do it. Right? Why not this?

We are servant leaders expecting our troops to follow suit. It comes from our hearts. At some point, so will theirs.

Just a thought.

Inuit Elders

2011-08-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

I recently read an article in an AARP magazine that caught my interest. I cannot believe I’m admitting not only that I receive this publication but I place it in my bathroom as desired reading right along with Talbots and J Jill. I have since asked them to drop me from their mailing list and take a hike, but at this particular time, they were still in my good graces.

The article was The Pressure to be Wise by Margaret Atwood. In it she talked about Inuit Elders who live in the Arctic. She said, “…You can’t become an Elder just by getting old; it’s a title bestowed by others. You never push your advice, but you offer it if asked. …When an Elder speaks, people listen. But Elders don’t speak often. An Elder knows what to do in times of difficulty. Elders acquired that knowledge by having endured hard times before. “

As wise as they are, with all that knowledge based on vast experience just packed into their brains, isn’t it amazing they don’t share it unless they’re asked? Like wouldn’t they want to save someone the trouble of messing up like surely they did? Save them from reinventing the wheel? They must pack a real punch when they finally open up and let her rip. Inuit Elders will probably outlive me by 20 years with all the breath they’ve saved by not speaking until asked.

Something recently happened in one of my sons’ lives about which I had an opinion. But then I always have an opinion. They would fall over dead if I ever said, “I have no idea what you should do.” Of course I know what they should do. I’m the mom.

This morning, as I was praying, a verse of scripture did not come to mind. Nope, this morning, the article about the Inuit Elders came to mind. No doubt, it had God written all over it telling me to remember the Inuit Elders. Do not offer advice unless you’re asked. Then he will listen.

And the reason this is true is because there has to be a need. For most people, only when there’s a need do they truly listen. Isn’t that true with our kids? They receive a constant barrage of advice, but only when there is a real need do they really listen. Before that, they have just acquired information. It may be great information. We pour so much of God’s Word into our kids, they are so saturated, they slosh when they walk. But when the need arises, the Holy Spirit begins to bring up information from that vast library we’ve placed within our children. He picks the right verse, makes it applicable and drives it home. They listen.

As Christians, we sing all the right songs, quote a myriad of Bible verses, say all the right things, but only when there is a deep heartfelt need, are we planted before the throne with a different attitude, our mouths shut, our ears open. That confident smirk has been wiped off our faces and humility has taken its place because we do not have the answers. We are listening.

When I finally reach an all time low and find I am not all I need, I do not know how to fix it, I have no more ideas…but I’m played out and humbled by my inadequacies, I find God. This is right where He wants us…totally dependent on Him. Only then do I really listen to Him or his Inuit Elder.

If I'm to play that role, I'd better run my lines by the Father so if asked, I will not shoot from the hip with my own opinion but only say what I’m specifically told to say by Him. And His words never begin with, “Are you nuts?”

That is why He gave me lead time. But you know, I may not be asked. Probably won’t…which is also good because it points me to the throne to pray. God is much better than I am at getting precisely the point across He needs to make at this moment in time.

Believe. Trust. Wait. Tough words for moms…but so wise.

Why Not

2011-07-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

I was in a pharmacy yesterday talking to the pharmacist who is a friend. We had gone to Honduras together a couple of years ago on a medical dental mission trip. He said, “Man, I just hate I couldn’t go this year. I wish I could have gone; I miss it so much, don’t you?”

I stood there looking at him not knowing what to say. I’ve never been really quick on my feet. Give me a couple of hours and I’ll have a five page speech ready, but spur of the moment often leaves me staring at people when what I want to say and what they want to hear, conflicts.

Like…do they really want to know? When people say, “Hey! How are you?” Do they really want to know? Usually not. “Not too good…my husband beat me up last night right before my son called from jail, drunk…. again, to see if I could come get him out.” I think one day I’m going to say that just to see what they say. Like when you’re standing around with a bunch of ladies impressed with who all’s husband does what, and it’s my turn and everyone turns to me. Just once I’d like to say, “He works for the sanitation department…was there only ten years before he got his own truck. He’s usually pretty stinky when he comes home but I’m just so proud of him!” And just smile.

I digress. There was a pregnant pause, and I knew the answer. The answer he was poised, waiting to hear was, “Oh yeah…dying that I couldn’t go this year.” Then he would have nodded with satisfaction and thanked me for my business and he’d have gone back to work and I’d have gone home. Why do I bring this stuff home with me? Why can’t I just give “the answer?”

The real answer is …. God didn’t tell me to go to Honduras this year. He told me to stay home. I don’t know how to write that noise that the buzzer makes when the team has the wrong answer…but insert it here. He talked to you? Why would He tell you not to go? Don’t you remember how poor those people are and so blessed by any medical or dental care…why wouldn’t He want you to go? Of course He’d want you to go.

Why not apply that to two year olds or junior high kids. “Do you have a job this year?” “Nope.” “Oh you would be so perfect teaching two year olds! They all love you, you’ve had a two year old so you’re experienced, you’re always here anyway, teaching is your gift, and since you don’t have grandchildren, you’d love it; we really need a teacher so badly; no matter what you do, they’re happy and some are even potty trained.”

So what we’ve done is list pros and cons basically. And our bottom line if not guilt is why not. I don’t have a real good answer why I shouldn’t. I guess I should. They need me.

Do I lay all these reasons before Him? He knows them without me telling Him, right? Or do I wait until He tells me and then go to the lady and tell her, “God told me not to do this.” Here’s what you’ll get to that response….a blank look like she’s thinking, “It wasn’t God who told you not to do this.” She won’t say that but she will ask you why. If you tell her you don’t know, He just said no, she’ll just nod , “Oh.” A very pregnant with meaning “oh.”

I’m not talking about unbelievers here…I’m talking about committed, church going, Bible reading followers of Christ. Now every once in awhile you’ll run into someone who “knows.” You’ll say, “I asked God specifically if I should do this and He said no.” And they’ll hug your neck and say, “Well, honey, you sure don’t need to do it then but thanks so much for asking Him!”

I’m not sure if we think God doesn’t have an opinion, is mute or if He knows and/or cares, He’s unable to communicate His position on the issue. Sounds awful when you write it down, but bottom line, isn’t that what comes across when we follow the reasoning of the person trying to talk you into teaching two year olds?

For sure no one ever said, “I’m sure God doesn’t have an opinion on this issue, it’s your call.” Or, “I’m not sure He is aware of this opening, but if He is, He really doesn’t care one way or the other if you do it.” Or, “God doesn’t really talk to people about stuff like this…this is a no brainer. Besides of course He wouldn’t tell someone not to teach two year olds, He created them and wants them to know Jesus, right? I’m sure you won’t hear Him say that.” Never happen.

What she will throw in at the end is, “You pray about it and let us know, ok?” In other words, once you’ve reflected on the reasons I’ve given you, make your decision and then ask God to bless it.

Or….let’s say you pray before you begin reflecting on her reasons, “God, please tell me clearly if You want me to teach this class.”

I’ve been told twice to stay home for a period of time…no work, no nothing. Crystal clear both times and very difficult to explain both times because I didn’t have a really good reason other than, God’s telling me to stay home. Well, why? No idea. It sounds so unchurchy, like such a slug, like look at all the needs and you’re not filling even one of them, doing your share, pulling your weight.

I’m not following blindly…I’m following someone I talk with all day long who is immense, and capable and has a plan extending from the beginning of eternity until the end, long after I’ve vanished like a wisp of smoke.

What if I teach two year olds and it wasn’t in His master plan and I miss out on the part I was supposed to be doing? What if I could teach two year olds in my sleep, it came so easy to me, but that part of His plan I was supposed to do, I was totally inept meaning I had to hang onto Him for dear life, trusting Him to work through me ….which gives me the opportunity to see a big God be really big in my life…which gives me the opportunity to give him so much praise and so much glory? Why would I want to miss that?

So, I troop back to the pharmacy for the next prescription and say, “I thought about your question and the answer is I didn’t go because God told me to do something else.” Maybe he’ll understand. Maybe he won’t. No matter….I’m on an adventure. So often, I’ve just been playing like I was. This is the real deal….and it’s hard! It’s hard to wait and watch and listen and ….wait some more…and then explain while people look at you like…”oooook.”

Makes you wonder, doesn’t it…am I living life to please them…or please Him?

Delight

2011-07-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

I worked in an Operating Room at a large hospital in Florida in the 70’s,mainly scrubbing for a cardiovascular surgeon. He was about 6’5”, lean, bald, glasses, good looking. He was confident, serious, professional. He was an excellent surgeon.

The same team always worked for him. There were one or two nurses scrubbed at the operating table (they were considered sterile, passing instruments to or assisting the surgeon) and one or two circulating nurses (the nonsterile person who ran for supplies, handed them off to the ones scrubbed at the table and completed the paperwork.)

We were scheduled to begin heart surgery soon. We had ordered instruments which had been cleaned and sterilized but we had not yet done the first case. It was late in the afternoon and we were just about to leave when a call came from ER. They had a man who was changing a tire and a piece of metal somehow broke off and pierced his chest and the pericardium (the sac in which the heart is enclosed.) He was in cardiac tamponade which means his pericardium was filling up with blood and compressing his heart.

“We’re coming up now!” they said. “But we’ve never done a heart!” “Just open the packs…the doctor said to just set up the room and open the packs!” These directions were from our surgeon who just happened to be walking through the ER when this guy came in.

We set up the room, opened the packs and found the saw to open the man’s chest just as they came flying into the room. He cracked that chest open, popped a finger in the hole, did a little purse string suture around the hole, pulled it up tight removing his finger , poof…stopped the bleeding.

There was a collective exhalation. I don’t think anyone had breathed until that moment. The guy was sitting up in bed the next day when we went to see him, watching TV like nothing had happened. This was one cool surgeon.

I remember one time in particular following a scheduled procedure. He hardly had to ask for a thing. We were like a well oiled machine…a fast, efficient well oiled machine. He had finished, removed his gloves, taken off his gown pushing it into the trash and was walking out of the room. He stopped at the door and turned around and said, “Thanks guys, ya’ll did a great job.” Turned around and left.

We knew we were good. This was not an ah ha moment for us. But we all stood there and grinned like idiots. “Well….my!” There was just something about this man turning around and acknowledging our work that made our day. Man, we just wanted to do even better next time…if he thought this case went well, wait until tomorrow!”

I don’t know why, but I often think of that moment when I read Zephaniah 3:17…maybe because he was just a big guy. “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

We are not graded on performance. God is not down on us one day and up the next. His love is the same … overpowering, everlasting, all consuming love from which nothing can separate us. Our acceptance is sealed. There is no condemnation.

But to say he delights in us. That’s another thing. That kind of bumps it up doesn’t it. That brings a smile. After I’d read Zephaniah, I looked for other verses.

2 Samuel 22:20 says He rescued me because He delighted in me. Psalm 35:27 says the Lord “delights in blessing his servant with peace.” Psalm 147:11 “the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Proverbs 12:22 God “….delights in people who are trustworthy.” Micah 7:18 He “delights in showing unfailing love.” Proverbs 3:12 talks about God disciplining those he loves, “as a father the son he delights in.”

Ever had a child you didn’t delight in…or was difficult to delight in or the episodes of delight were so few and far between that you had to write them down?! I had a friend once who said her kids just weren’t what she was expecting. Another friend was so insulted with that remark…how could she say that? I understood what she meant. You expect them to make sense, to fit the mold of whatever you always thought kids would be like, that whatever you do naturally, just works on them; when you talk something over with them, they get it. You expect kids that sit, just do school and make at least B’s, to make friends easily like falling off a log, to mind because you said so.

I had to smile later on when the insulted friend described her son and mine as the kind of kids that just suck all the emotional energy out of you…out of the entire room. There would be nothing left but an empty shell when they finally left for college. If you don’t have a child like that, keep having them. One friend had four before she finally birthed a suck the emotional energy right out of you kid.

So which kid do I want to be…the one who just absolutely wears you out…all the time…every day? Or the one who brings delight. The one God turns around often to and looks at and laughs and says, “That was just great…you got it, good job!” I want to be that kid. Not to be accepted. Not to earn more points. I just love to feel that smile!

The Will

2011-07-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

You go on a diet. In fact, it’s diet number 682 if anyone is counting. Deep breath…one more time. I read about someone once who was recording what she ate and her thoughts, feelings and intentions which were stellar in the morning as she ate half a rice cake, plain and for her morning snack…four bean sprouts. Of course by nightfall she was face down in a half gallon of Rocky Road ice cream.

But this time, you’ve researched your plan and are confident that if you are strong for three days, you’ll be on auto pilot by day four.

I love food…love the way it looks, tastes, feels, smells but it never dominates my thoughts unless I try to eliminate certain foods. I become focused on what I cannot have, how I need it, how I can rationalize getting it.

I’m skinny but take medication for cholesterol. One reason for this is my daddy’s genes. The other reason is what I eat…who’s to say how much of either.

A friend is on a diet because she is overweight. Her weight shows, my cholesterol numbers do not. To look nice or just be healthy, we should both have the same motivation, right? Overweight or skinny, high cholesterol or normal numbers, does it matter how I eat?

If her husband was Bill Gates and my husband worked minimum wage for McDonalds, would it not matter how she spent her money because the sky is the limit but matter how I spent mine because I had so little to spend? What’s the motivation for how we spend our money?

I was reading The Secret of Spiritual Strength by Andrew Murray. He says, “Christ calls me to love nothing more than I love Him….to lose my life, to disallow what gives life its own value, to disclaim what I am in my own person…to deny myself.”

Love Him more than bread? Chocolate? Of course you do until one day you give up bread or chocolate and a few days later you’re standing there wondering, “Holy cow…do I actually love this stuff more than Him?”

Let’s say you decide to lose weight not because you want to be a pre first grade size 6 but for noble reasons…your health…the same reason you’re addressing your cholesterol. If you’re faced with a choice, bacon or sausage, you move on to the next item. Why? Because bacon is loaded with not only great taste but fat, cholesterol and sodium. But is that my primary motivation…denying myself only because of the content and what it does to my thighs and my liver?

Partly yes. But I don’t think that carries you through the Rocky Road hours of the day. Sure doesn’t me.

My primary motivation should be to do His will. I should be convinced this is His will first and foremost…whether it’s to lose 50 pounds, buy a dress, pull weeds, take a friend to lunch, work in the nursery once a month, stay home, go on a trip. A decision about my body shouldn’t be any different from any other decision should it? Funny how some things, we never ask. Or ask in a nebulous way.

And if I’m convinced He is telling me to do something versus me just arbitrarily making a decision to do it, doesn’t that change the dynamic? Now He’s involved. He’s coaching as well as providing the power…to do whatever He asks me to do.

I've never wanted a personal trainer because I don’t want them telling me what to do, or telling me at 6 a.m. after I’ve been up half the night with a sick kid, or if I’m bloated … or what if I don’t like what they’re telling me. What if I just don’t feel like doing it today. What if it hurts?

That’s what a coach does.

I rise early, read, pray. It’s quiet. I sit in solitude. Ten seconds later (it seems) the kids wake up.

I shower, dress, leave for work or I get the kids off and settle in to work. I ate breakfast so I’m good until about 10 a.m. I’ve planned … but the 100 calorie snack which looked enormous at 6 a.m. has shrunk to the size of a postage stamp. I could inhale once, a very shallow inhalation I might add, and it would be consumed. I’m alone in my kitchen or the snack room at work. My stomach is in a knot. I think of people in Africa … entire families probably subsisting on one cup of rice a day. I feel horrible about that but it does nothing for the emptiness in the pit of my stomach, still there, growing.

I’m not alone. There is a Presence. But like Peter, do I stare at the waves threatening to overtake me, totally focused on the raging sea? Or do I turn my attention elsewhere?

I usually focus on the raging sea…giving in to reason… “if I just eat one piece…” Then four pieces later…. Or, “If I don’t buy another thing this month….”, “if I phrase this as a prayer request…”. But when Peter focused on the Presence, when he cried out to the Presence, everything changed.

Cholesterol or weight, buy it or leave the card in your wallet, say it or remain silent, you grip the counter.

At this point, I’m usually mute. I have no idea why this shuts me up, but it does. It should unleash all kinds of feelings within. And it should because I’m not standing there by myself…I have Someone there with whom I can vent, whine and listen to. You think all those football players running stadiums race back to the field and smile at the coach? “Thanks for the opportunity to stare death in the face, Coach?” Sometimes it’s hard. They gripe. But the coach doesn’t go home until his players do. And this Coach goes home with us.

Again from Murray…”Why is it so difficult to be obedient, and why do we sin so often? … Where does this disobedience come from? They are disobedient because they are trying to obey a distant Christ, and therefore his commands do not come to them with power.”

“When God wanted to send any man to do His will, He met with him and talked with him and encouraged him, time after time. … Why are we not obedient? It is because we have so little of this close communion with Jesus.”

Communion is close association, relationship. Means you talk. You change your focus, state your feelings, your desire to be obedient to what He has told you to do. Talk then listen. Obey.

We’re all reactionary. Lab work comes back with a cholesterol of 300 and we’re on water and fruit by nightfall, shooting from the hip. Makes a big difference though if I just thought that was a good idea or I was told what to do, doesn’t it.

Wait to be told.

To do that, you have to be in close communion.

Remember that this Coach has years of experience with all kinds of people. He knows what works best with a personality like yours, a body like yours, an environment like yours, a background like yours. He knows how far you can stretch and not break…what will make you strong, what will encourage you and satisfy your heart and your stomach.

He has a goal in mind and it might not be a size 6. It will proably involve far more than normal cholesterol numbers or a balanced budget. He is interested in the total you.

And years later, looking back, even though it was so hard, you'd recommend Him any day and twice on Sunday.

The Prophet

2011-07-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

The online definition of a prophet is someone who claims to interpret or transmit the commands of a deity; an individual who claims to have been contacted by the supernatural or divine and serves as an intermediary with humanity.

God had a big problem with prophets in Judah and asked Jeremiah, “Which of them has stood in the council of the Lord (in the presence of the Lord) to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?”

“….but if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.”

If a prophet is someone who interprets or transmits the commands of a deity, that means that his main job when he wakes up every morning is to listen to what that deity is saying, write it down and go read it to his audience. If he turns off his alarm, oversleeps, he has nothing to say. He’s either going to have to confess he overslept and the paper was not delivered or make something up.

We know that the only deity is God Almighty. He had His thoughts transcribed in the Bible. He sent His Son to earth to explain Him in the flesh. His Holy Spirit lives within His children to teach, correct, admonish, prompt, guide and direct them. And on top of that, as we pray and as we meditate or sit quietly before Him, He speaks to our hearts. In other words, He’s covered all the bases.

There is a gift of prophecy. But my premise today is that all of us are, to some extent, prophets. We live in a world that for the most part, hasn’t a clue about God, much less truth. The majority are unchurched. God is not in the newspaper or in schools so if people aren’t taught at home or get it at church, we’re it. We stand in sharp contrast to our world, making those who know truth…prophets. We’ve sat in some sort of Bible teaching since birth. In comparison, we are experts. And because of that, we are interpreting what God is saying to the world making this passage incredibly applicable. It’s kind of like a job description. What to do, what not to do.

Why is God so upset with these prophets? To have gotten the tag of prophet, early on, they probably were doing it right…they were standing in the council of God, listening to Him, hearing His word, then interpreting it to the people.

At some point, they quit listening…got too busy, thought they had listened enough and knew it cold. They could play the part, parrot words rote, without even thinking and wonder of wonders, no one could tell! So they slept in the next morning, had an extra cup of coffee, showed up at the town square, put on a show and no one ever knew.

Had the relationship died long ago and rather than admit it, they continued to act like nothing was different…nothing had changed?

Were they just so good at what they did and enjoyed the status of the job so much, that they didn’t really need God anymore? Thanks for the boost, for getting my foot in the door, but I have it now?

The prophets in Jeremiah’s day “were evil, used power unjustly, godless, wicked” and that’s just a partial list. Were they so comfortable in their sin and liked it so much, that when they had to choose, they chose to continue that lifestyle and wing it in their day job?

Sin blocks fellowship with God so God had nothing to say even if they stood in His council until confession took place, repentance.

Before we judge these prophets, are we stuck in revelation received in 1967? 1984? Have we learned the dance so well, we can keep dancing even though we’re dancing alone, without our Partner and no one, unless they have real spiritual discernment, ever knows? Jeremiah seemed to be one of the few who knew. The majority did not.

Notice God did not say, “Which of them has read their Bible?” or in their case, the Law? He said, “Which of them has stood in My presence…stood in the council of the Lord….listened, heard?”

As we teach a class, or just one person, divine revelation found in His Word, have we truly stood in the council of the Lord that day to see or to hear His word? Have we listened and heard? Have we stood quietly so He could talk…so we could just listen? Or have we read the quarterly, researched the commentaries, written out our notes, asked God to bless our little presentation…a prayer which took exactly 10 seconds and then presented our lesson?

Or … to the ones hearing the lesson…they’ve all been in church longer than dirt too. They have the basics down cold too. They teach verbally or by their lives to their families, friends, employees, associates. So no one is exempt. People know we “know Jesus” so when they ask what we think, do we give them a word that reflects we have stood … today…in the council of God…in His presence and we listened and heard a word from Him? Or do we shoot from the hip?

The contrast is Isaiah 50:4. “The Lord has given me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens me morning by morning. He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord God has opened my ear and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back.”

If anyone could shoot from the hip it would have been wise, articulate, brilliant, experienced Isaiah. But unless he listened to God every day, morning by morning and was obedient to what he heard, he would not have had the tongue of a disciple and known how to sustain the weary one with the right word.

I think the lost art is listening to God. Honestly, most don’t expect Him to speak or to speak to them personally. Yet these verses have personal written all over them. “Which of them…has stood…in the presence of God…to see…to hear…His word.”

Sin had blocked their fellowship or their relationship with God. Rather than confess their sin and restore the relationship, they chose to continue in sin and play a part.

Matthew 7:21-23 is sobering. “”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.””

I do not want to play a part…the stakes are too high.

Conversely, the fellowship as I stand in His council, in His presence, is too sweet to miss.

Trust vs Confidence

2011-07-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

There is a difference I’m convinced, in trust and confidence.

I knew Auburn’s 2010 football team had all the makings of a championship team….good coaches, size, experience, drive, closeness. I knew they had a quarterback with all it took to be an incredible leader.

We started off with a big win against a much smaller opponent. No sweat, my mother and I could have played them and won. Second game was almost lost but our quarterback threw for two TD’s and ran for 70 yards to pull us out. Third game, we fell behind 17-0 but came back to win it. Week four, another heroic comeback with our newly christened Superman quarterback running for three TD’s and throwing for two more in the fourth quarter. By week six, our hero threw for 210 yards and ran for 198 and four TD’s. We were pumped. No one could stop us.

Fast forward to the last game of the season and the only one that counts for most people in the state of Alabama. Auburn vs Alabama. We have Superman on our team…our receivers are catching everything that’s thrown within five yards of them, no one can stop our backs, our defense is like a steel curtain. With all that, Alabama is leading 24-0 early in the second quarter. The game is being played in Tuscaloosa. After jumping up and down all over my living room, I am silently perched on top of the back of my sofa staring in disbelief….total shock. My husband is shaking his head, saying over and over, “You might get behind 24-0 and come back with other schools, but there is absolutely no way we’ll come back and beat Alabama with this deficit.” I’m totally mute which never happens during a football game or during a football season for that matter.

But in my heart there is a glimmer of confident hope that my boys can and will find a way to pull this out. I just know it. I know it. No matter what my husband says, I just know it. We’ve been through so much. I’ve watched them pull it out time after time. They always reach down deep, find a way and win. Today is no different…just a hostile environment and a top five team running on all cylinders.

Amazing how God can be moving in one area of your life or a life you intersect with and you see dot after dot and you’re connecting them and with each line from one to another, you become more and more pumped until at some point you’re jumping up and down, high fiving anyone within reach. I even taught my class during this high. God said to put our trust and confidence in Him..this is it! Trust and confidence both nailed…Hallelujah!

Then an entirely unrelated area of your life runs into a train wreck. You’re caught unaware and stand there with your mouth hanging open. Holy cow. Time stands still. You have absolutely no clue what to do. You are speechless.

And then you regroup and just get mad which solves absolutely nothing but it feels so good…and you’re right…and they’re wrong and buddy you’re going to tell them. You work yourself up to fever pitch but before you let ‘em have it, because it’s so early in the morning you have to wait, you read your Daily Bible Reading. Mad as a hornet, you plow right through Paul appearing before Felix, Felix almost being persuaded…yeah yeah yeah. Then you move on to Psalms 4 and run right into verse 4, “Don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.”

ok.

Deep breath.

Same God. Where’s the confidence and trust that I was strutting around with earlier?

As I’ve worked through this other situation, I’ve realized trust and confidence are two different things…whether it’s God or a football team. There is a point with both that I think it just clicks and you have it. And I think trust is easier….it’s easier to say, “ I trust God.” Well, right, who wouldn’t…He created the universe, all powerful, all knowing, He loves me, I’ve seen Him work over and over….of course I trust Him.

But confidence? That’s different. That’s bumping it up a notch…or several notches. Confident that what… it will end “right?” And who defines right…me or Him? Confident He can guide me through this gracefully, so I say the right things, do the right things, hold it together trusting He’ll tell me what to do? Confident is a big deal and I’m part of the equation.

Auburn had a proven track record of pulling out games that they should not have won. I trusted in their ability and our quarterback’s talent and his sheer “ willing” of that team to do what they needed to do to win the game. They went all the way to the National Championship on his back…they rose to play at a level probably no other quarterback could have gotten out of them….all with the most infectious smile on his face. But those first few games…man, they were gut wrenchers. Confidence joined trust however, midway through the season after watching them pull it out several times and realizing what they were made of.

But each game was a new test. We faced different coaches, different players, different game plans constructed after watching film of what we did best. As our position in the polls rose each week, each new opponent was convinced they were the ones who would bring us down. But we knew…no one could beat our offensive coordinator, no one could top our quarterback and no one could rise to the level of play that our entire team could.

In life….every day, we face different situations. But we have a track record with an incredible Offensive Coordinator who has a game plan for that particular situation and has coached us through practice after practice until we’ve gotten it down. We are equipped with all we need to play this game. Follow Him…follow His game plan, His instructions. He can pull out the right plays at the right time so His players can pull out the game. Even when they’re down 24-0, He is unfazed. Even when they’re running into brick walls, nothing is working, looking dazed and defeated, He knows, if they’ll listen to Him, at some point it’ll click and they’ll perform like they’ve been trained. Their confidence in Him and His ability to work through them will be restored and they’ll pull out the game.

And no matter how it turns out, we are never defeated…ever. He has already won the victory and He defines what that will look like…not me. So I take a deep breath, remember who’s running the game and wait for the next play which in my case, He gave the next day. Why am I so amazed.

Life is a game with different opponents, different strategies to defeat you. Trust your Offensive Coordinator….He’s trained you, He’ll build your confidence in His ability to coach, in your ability to carry out His plan with His power … it’ll click…He knows what He’s doing. Stay close.

And I know you’re dying to know… Auburn went on to defeat Alabama 28-27. Great big smile :)

The Story

2011-07-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

I took my dad to the doctor a couple of mornings ago and was driving home after dropping him off at his home. I called my son’s office number to return his call but there was no answer. Had I gotten him, I would not have turned on the radio.

I rarely turn on the radio unless it is 4 p.m. during football season when my football show comes on. It was 8:17 a.m. when I flipped it on and this was the gist of what the speaker said.

He began, "I was in a car accident several years ago and was rammed from behind. On the way to the hospital in the ambulance, God said, "Don't buy a car." Nothing else. I was puzzled because buying a car at that moment, was the furthest thing from my mind.

Several weeks passed...no other word...I was borrowing my wife's car, my kids' cars, cars from people on my staff, with all of them asking, "Now why aren't you buying a car?" "God said not to." "Oh."

A lot more time passes...I figure maybe I got it wrong because nothing's happening. I start looking at cars. I go to one lot and drive a car; go back again, drive it; go a third time and after I had driven it, I'm sitting there thinking I really NEED a car...maybe I should just buy it. I'm staring at the dash and God says, "Do you want to settle for second best?"

I got out of the car and the salesman said, "So what do you think?" I said, "You don’t even want to know," and I walked off...carless.

A couple weeks later a man who attended our church that I didn't know very well, called and asked me to attend a meeting with him. He picked me up and as we were driving to the meeting he asked, "So, have you bought a car yet?" I dropped my head like, I cannot believe I'm answering this question again...and said, "No, not yet."

He said, "If you could have any car you wanted, what would you like?" Without thinking, I said, "One just like this one." It was much nicer than anything I'd ever buy. Two or three days later, a letter came in the mail containing a check. It was from the man. It said, "This check should be enough for you to buy a car just like mine."

The speaker said, "When you're waiting on the Lord, and He's silent, never assume He's doing nothing. He's always working. The question is if you are willing to wait for His best."

I had the radio on for 6 minutes…this was the end of his message. Dr. Charles Stanley was the speaker.

I have found that when God works, there is a sequence to events. Things don’t just randomly happen.

I didn’t just happen to be in Jeremiah in the class I’m teaching and get whacked by the verses in chapter 17. My son didn't just happen to not pick up his phone. I didn’t just happen to turn on this particular message. He didn’t just happen to be speaking on waiting. I didn’t just happen to catch the last 6 minutes of the show that contained this illustration. He did it all. I didn’t set any of this up.

There is a big difference when I do things and He does things. Usually when He does things, I’m looking around before I zero in on the person I’m telling about it and I say something like, “You won’t believe this but….”

None of this just happened. He has my attention. I’m connecting the dots. I turned off the radio and looked in my back seat, fully expecting Gabriel to be sitting there saying something like, “It’s cool…we’re right on time…just take a deep breath!” I laughed out loud…“ You know! You’re working! Yeaaaa!”

How do you do that when there are no clouds on the horizon? Not even a puff? You don’t. He does.

Hang in there…wait…expectantly. And connect the dots.

The Wait

2011-07-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

Your son started work for a large corporation four years ago. He’s ready to move up, not only in responsibility and challenges, but also in pay. He applies for everything that is advertised. Nothing opens up, not even an interview.

Because you’re his mom, after a couple of years of this, you’re hacked. Anyone with two eyes and half a brain can see what an asset he would be to any office.

Next time a position is posted, you’re ready. “Call so and so, they owe you. Call so and so, he knows the guy who is over this office. Call so and so, he has been there forever and can pull all kinds of strings. Go see Personnel…show up every day so they know your name. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.”

Ever done that? I have. Just did in fact, except I didn’t say so and so. I gave names and numbers.

I’m still in Jeremiah. I will be so glad when we move on to Psalms although it really doesn’t matter. God can speak through a combination of any words in any book.

“ This is what the Lord says,

Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands. They will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

But…blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord…whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:5-10

In whom was I trusting? The person who knew someone, was owed a favor, was in an influential position. I would have drawn strength if just one of them had called me (and this whole thing is absolutely none of my business, nor was I asked to make it my business. I stand mute, my lips sealed although my head is about to implode with all this going on inside it, which is why I write a blog) and said, “This is So and So and I just want you to know, I have taken care of everything. You have a great son and I’m going to see he’s rewarded for his talent and hard work.”

Who gets the praise if he gets the job...So and So or God? Who is in control? Who is calling the shots?

My heart was turned away from God to all these people who could help God...like God needed help! Did I see prosperity? No! Did I dwell in parched places? Yes! Is God interested in positions or building character? Increased salary or a deeper walk with Him…an incredible realization of who He is? Did I, the mom, need a serious infusion of the Word? Oh yes.

The correction? Yes, you need to iron your shirt, shine your shoes, be armed with good references. But bottom line, God is the one who controls where you need to be…where He can use you to complete His plan. If the door closes, that wasn’t it. You want to wait for His best and trust Him to give you grace as you experience the drought of waiting...to flourish, without fear because He knows what He’s doing.

All powerful, mighty, able God Almighty. I trust in You alone. This is nothing in the scheme of things and when we’ve learned all You want us to learn, You can make anything happen that You want to happen. Anywhere, anytime with no assistance from anyone.

My heart is deceitful and only God understands it. He searches and examines my mind. But the great thing is He gives me words written 2500 years ago by an old prophet… and the Holy Spirit who lives within me brings them to life to correct me and set me on the right path. So when my kid is hacked, I can remind him Who is in control…to take a deep breath and wait. He knows exactly what he needs and when he needs it.

If he waits for Him to open doors, he will prosper and he’ll bear fruit even when everything around him is drying up because his trust and confidence is in Him alone.

No sweat.

The Cat and the Reveal

2011-07-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

The cat traveled cross country hissing at my son who in turn, tormented her back. In deference to the cat, it was probably vice versa….my son tormenting and the cat hissing in response. Do guys ever outgrow this? Miraculously, my daughter in law was still in the car with both the cat and my son when they drove up. I think I would have gotten out of the car and taken a bus along about Topeka, Kansas.

The Reveal was the afternoon of their arrival. My friend was waiting. I’m sure she was as nervous as I, that this whole thing would work, but she hid it well. One verbal person was enough. One verbal stalwart Christian (right…) who had a long history of God answering prayers, but was having a hard time trusting God…. for a cat for Pete’s sake. We’re not talking about trusting God for a good lab report, for a healthy baby, for the flood waters to recede before they reach my house….life and death issues. This was for a cat. How hard could that be?

This follow up is to prove that no prayer is too small or insignificant in God’s eyes and that… He does not miss any opportunity to continue to teach us, me... about His faithfulness…something that has been demonstrated over and over which should have produced rock solid belief…no matter the circumstance.

He answered my prayer. He gave us a sweet lady to adopt the cat. This is the unsolicited note I received the next day.

“Just a short update on Tobi …she hid behind the couch all day yesterday, but, during the night she came out and opened every cabinet door. She is a curious cat! She is eating…I gave her the 'appetizer' last night and we are just giving her space. I think I will fix her a ball of yarn and see if that will entice her to come out and play. Have a good day!”

Oh ye of little faith.

Often we think that an answered prayer is the end all. Sometimes it’s not. Sometimes we worry even after He’s answered our prayer.

But if God clearly answers our prayer, then it’s almost like the lady who raises her hand at PTA and volunteers to chair the Fall Festival. It’s now her baby. She’s not only the answer to the President’s prayers…but she is the go to person for every facet of the event…before and after. She is responsible for providing leadership from planning to clean up. If there is a question or anything goes wrong, she’s the one people go to for direction. The President has bowed out of this equation.

God raised His hand and said, “I have just the right lady for this cat." Now it’s His baby. He’s responsible for the event and is the go to person for every facet of this exchange. He will provide leadership from planning to delivery and beyond. If I have any questions or if anything goes wrong, I go to Him for direction. What a deal.

Often it’s not the big stuff that’s hard, it’s the little stuff as well. But what a faithful God…what a longsuffering, faithful God!

Deception - Still Musing on Listening

2011-06-30T08:04:00.000-07:00

Whenever I study Old Testament books like Jeremiah, I realize how caught up you can get in history. So each week, I look for the bottom line…what rings true for 2011. God didn’t have someone write down this entire book to be sure we knew which king ruled whom, when. There was an underlying message for the ages.

The bottom line might change from week to week as I go from one section to the next. But for me this week, the word that kept coming to mind was deception.

I just read The Imperial Cruise. If half of what this author had to say is true, it is devastating.

History is kind of like childbirth. We tend to remember the part where they place the precious baby in our arms…not the agony of 12 hours hard labor getting him there. When it comes to America, I just want to remember the good parts.

Our pattern of human abuse, however, did not end with Americans enslaving other humans or driving the Indians from their lands and killing any that resisted. It persisted beyond our borders into the Philippines where we killed thousands just because we wanted their land and resources. We went to the Hawaiian Islands with the same goal. Chinese living in this country in the early 1900’s got the same treatment as the Indians before them about the same time the Ku Klux Klan began to terrorize blacks in the South.

We don’t have to look at other countries. We can stay home. These were all Americans who WENT TO CHURCH, and prayed and read their Bibles. The slave owners, the klansmen, the government officials authorizing troop movements, the officers directing troops, the general populace were all part of a “Christian” nation who went to church.

Nothing has changed since Jeremiah’s day.

So what did the citizens of Judah have in common with us? Deception. They did church well. They knew the commands of God. They gave their money and they celebrated the feasts. They thought they were ok, that God’s protection was upon them, that they were safe.

They were deceived.

God did not say, "I'm upset because you're not going to church," He said, "You are not listening to Me." As a result, their lives did not reflect Him...at all.

I taught my children that it was critical that they be in the Word…read the Word, spend time in the Word, meditate on the Word. I taught them to pray. I taught them to worship. They did church well.

I do not recall many lessons on listening. It may have been in passing…but I don’t think I taught them the absolute necessity of listening. Maybe it’s because I was better at doing than being still and just….listening. I was too busy reading, taking notes, praying. How do you teach a kid to listen? How do you be sure it’s God they’re listening to? Do we ever even give them a chance?

So I asked a group of women how exactly they listened to God? The consensus was that you pray and you read the Word.

That’s important. That’s critical. He speaks to us that way...but is it just limited to that? Is He “saying” anything ….pointedly…to you personally…about something you have been praying about recently? Is the thought, “I’ll continue on in the direction I’m going, God, and if it’s wrong, I trust You to correct the course and I won’t miss it because I’m listening? And I'll do it if it kills me?"

Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice and they know Me.”

You have a room full of 50 two year olds and one mom sneaks in on her hands and knees so none of them can see her and she calls the name of her kid. There might be 10 Johns in the room, but her John immediately knows it is his mom calling. None of the others recognize her as their mom. None of them.

One, in this group of women I was talking to, told about praying about a house to buy. She had found one and was sure it was the right one. She gave the owner earnest money, convinced she was doing the right thing. A couple of days later, she fractured her knee cap and realized she was not going to be able to negotiate the stairs in this house. She said something like, “Something told me that I should not buy this house.”

Now she had been praying constantly about her decision. I’m sure she’d asked everybody in her immediate family and ten friends what they thought…but the opinion she really wanted was God’s. So God gave it. But she as well as most people that I have talked to are reluctant to say, “God told me I should not buy this house.” Why not? I’m sure God is incredulous. Why shouldn’t we expect Him to speak to us?

I don’t think He speaks audibly as a rule, but I do believe He speaks. I was going back into nursing after a ten year leave, raising kids. I took a refresher course and a certification to work in the ER. I kept running into people who had either worked in an ER, knew someone in an ER, knew of openings in an ER….all of which I was convinced, were signs.

I remember where I was standing when God said, “What’s your priority?” Not audibly, but clear as a bell.

“My family,” I responded.

“Will this work for them?”

This job would have entailed a 30 minute commute and 12 hour shifts. I knew the answer. I didn’t need a scripture verse. The answer for me….not for any other woman, just me, my personality, my makeup, my family….clearly was…no. It would not. I didn’t need to ask another soul. I got it straight from God.

And not only was it no, but it was no with peace.

Now how, after praying about this without ceasing, could I possibly say “something told me?” It was not a something….it was not the Mexican food I’d eaten the night before. It was my … heavenly….Father.

He has a lot to say about issues we face in everyday life…money, relationships, many things, and expresses His thoughts clearly in His word. Whatever He tells you will always agree with scripture, it will never contradict a scriptural principle. You do not need to ask if it’s ok to sleep with your boyfriend, if it’s ok to charge up a credit card. He's already spoken to that.

But when He sees the need to speak to your heart about an issue, you will know it is His voice just as surely as the two year old in the room full of toddlers knows his mama’s voice.

The catch is, you're faced with the fact that God Almighty spoke to you...personally. How do you say, "Ummm, good idea, but I dont' think that will work for me." You don't.

The catch is that there might not be a happily ever after ending. There will be peace. You will know without a doubt it was Him. You will be amazed that God Almighty spoke to you about your problem which in the scheme of things is as big as minutiae, but it may not have a happily ever after ending.

The Bible you take to a friend, because God told you to, might end the friendship. The boyfriend you broke up with because God told you to, might never see the light and come back. The house you released and didn’t make an offer on might go to someone else.

But the peace that comes from knowing you heard the voice of God ….. and obeyed….and obeyed, is beyond worth it all.

The Firing

2011-06-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

My friend was fired. Well, she was told she could resign or be fired and she had two hours to decide.

Great nurse, sweet lady, efficient…no complaints from parents, wonderful work appraisals. Just one person who didn’t think she “fit”, who wanted someone else, who knew the right people who could terminate her. Her immediate supervisor was devastated.

A verse in Jeremiah describes this perfectly, “For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows. They speak friendly words to their neighbors while scheming in their heart to kill them.”

Obviously they didn’t want her killed but they certainly wanted her job killed. Moving her was not an option. They wanted her fired. So she was.

I knew the whole story. To say I was hacked is a gross understatement. Saturday morning early I was working in my garden. Weeds were flying as I reamed out the lady I knew was responsible for this outrage. I was like Nathan pointing his long boney finger at David, “You’re the man who has done this evil thing!” “You’re the woman who has done this evil thing!” I was pronouncing judgement, preaching judgement… I was going through attorneys I knew who would handle her case, picket lines, letters to the editor…I was on a roll.

God tapped on my shoulder, avoiding my elbows, “I can take care of this.”

It’s always very simple, very short and I know it’s Him. I stood up and looked around. “Okay.” It was a silent little garden after that.

My friend came over for coffee the following Wednesday. I knew she went to a local church but I don’t ever assume that equates with a relationship with Jesus. The people involved in her firing go to church too. So?

We took our coffee and sat down. I spoke first, “So, what do you think?”

“Well,” she said, “I’ve gone through every emotion, but bottom line what I’ve arrived at is that God will have the last word.” Took all the air out of me. I get so fired up in my puny little letters to the editor, picket posters on 10 cent poster board, attorneys.... Was God alone sufficient?

Why is that so hard? Why do we agonize over verses like 1 Peter 2:21-23. “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example and you must follow in His steps. He never sinned nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left his case in the hands of God who always judges fairly.”

Because they are wrong. And they go to church and sing the songs and bow their heads in prayer and lead little children’s classes and they are wrong….it’s a façade….and we all know it and want to make it right for the one wronged.

And it was humiliating for such a sweet innocent lady. And I’ve never been humiliated like that in front of so many but He has. So while I could comfort with offers of attorneys or picket lines or confrontations with judgment, He could comfort because He has been humiliated, horribly and then they did kill Him… nailed Him to pieces of wood.

She obviously knows the Jesus I know. And you know what that knowledge brought her? Peace. And I had nothing to do with it. She showed up at my house after He gave it to her. Here Little Miss Old, Experienced in the Lord Christian Lady was going to pray this great, powerful, call down the fire of heaven on these awful people prayer with her but God so mercifully intervened! He had done an amazing work in her heart which agreed with His word and there she sat in my living room on my yellow flowery chair, holding her coffee… serene.

That’s not the end of the story. Sometime between that Saturday and Wednesday, I got an email from my charge nurse with a fw from the agency we work for. “Your region needs another nurse badly. Do you know anyone who might be interested in a position?”

Oh….my.

Sometimes when you’ve been a Christian for a long time, you think all this stuff happens so you can be used to minister to others. And sometimes He does that. But often it’s just to knock you off your feet so you’ll remember exactly Who He is.

Big God. Big God.

The Cat

2011-06-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

My daughter in law’s cat hates my son. Always has and he’s even a cat person. She hisses at him when he walks by or gets too close. I think he finally gave up and now just hisses right back at her.

They are moving and can’t take the cat so we’ve asked just about everyone in our respective states if they want a cat and everyone said no, if they said anything at all . Most just stared at me like, “Right.”

No one ever wants a cat.

Yes, we’ve prayed about this cat. A home…any home…our prayers have not been specific…we’ll take anybody anywhere. Actually, I don’t know how this issue became a “we” issue. How does this happen? Aren’t they supposed to leave after college and call occasionally and give you a little report? Does this qualify as supporting marital harmony?

Anyway, we’re getting down to crunch time. I think God loves crunch time. Last week I ate lunch with a group of ladies and one right across the table from me says to no one in particular, “I need a cat…like an adult cat.” I fell out of my chair. I hadn’t even asked her. No one was even talking about a cat or any animal for that matter.

She’s moving to a small cottage in a wooded area and she wants a cat to take care of the critters, snakes in particular. I left that particular request out of the report to my daughter in law. Is that an answer to prayer or what!

My response, once I’d sealed the deal with a year’s supply of cat food and a lawn mower and walked out of the restaurant and gotten in my car alone with God? Wonder if the cat hisses at her. Wonder if she’s allergic to cats and just never knew because she never had one. Wonder if a snake bites the cat and she’s in agony and she has to take her to a vet and it costs a fortune. The list goes on and on. It was pretty pathetic actually.

So God obviously answers a prayer, I thank Him and then begin to pick apart His wonderful answer.

This is small, I realize, but is it a pattern I usually follow?

“Isn’t that something, how about that…the check was just exactly what we needed but wonder if we get there and we need more than we’d anticipated?” “Wonder if….” What happened to just….. “Thanks.” “Thanks and if the cat hisses at her, her face swells up, a snake bites the cat…whatever, we’ll just cross that bridge when we come to it…can’t wait to see how You’ll solve that problem too.” “Thanks for the check and if we get there and need more, can’t wait to see how You’ll provide that too!”

Someone said it takes 21 days of practice before something becomes a habit.

I’m starting today.

Sun, Moon and Stars

2011-06-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

We are studying Jeremiah in my class. I don’t know if you’ve read Jeremiah lately, but basically Israel has fallen and Judah’s up next. God is saying repent or horrible destruction is coming. No one believes Him.

Chapter 8 verse 2 says, “They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens which they have loved and served and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.” He is not speaking to people who do not acknowledge the God of the Bible. He’s talking to people who go to Temple every week, observe the feasts and offer sacrifices…the people He miraculously brought out of Egypt and set up in a great land….His people.

It’s really easy for a class of ladies in America in 2011 to just shoot right through that verse. Like who worships the sun, moon and stars? Nobody we know. Next verse.

You can plod right through all the doom of Jeremiah and close the book with a deep sigh. Dumb Judah…shot themselves in the foot. They had it all and threw it away. But we need to slow down and take a second look to see if we are in Jeremiah…because we are scattered throughout this book.

Basically, God wasn’t enough. So to cover all their bases, to be sure every angle was explored, they included the sun, moon and stars….because their neighbors did. And who knows, they might be right.

You’ve been reading information about an orphanage in Africa, a hospital being built in Brazil. You’ve been researching buying a house, debating a job change. You pray. Often. One day God says, “Give them $10,000,” or “Buy the house,” or “Move to New York and take the job.” Clear as a bell.

Ooooooo. Way past my comfort zone.

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all I need.” Kind of.

So I call my mom. “What do you think?” She gives me her opinion…. I take notes.

Call my best friend. “What do you think?” She gives me her opinion…I take notes.

I may even go see my pastor. “What do you think?” He gives me his opinion…I take notes.

I look at my spreadsheet.

In God’s words via Jeremiah, I love them all, serve them, follow, consult and think very highly of their opinions. Sounds like the sun, moon and stars to me.

But God didn’t give me His opinion. He gave me instruction just as clear as go three blocks, turn right, two blocks, turn left, fifth house on the right.

Mmmmmm, ahhhh, welllll???

I heard a guy awhile back, who was living at the time in a country in Eastern Europe. He woke up one morning and knew God was telling him to take a train to a particular city and meet with a guy there. He did not give him the name or description of the guy. Just told him to go. He went. There was the guy…standing tall and he knew it was him. He lost me at that point…I was astounded. In the first place, I would never be in Eastern Europe and in the second place, I would never take a train to some random city and get off fully expecting some random guy to pop up and say, “I’m your guy! Tell me about Jesus!”

But isn’t that what Abram did? No family history of God worship. No Bible…no nothing. God just shows up one day and tells him to pack up, leave his family and go to a land He’d show him. And he did. And God did.

And here we are, practically conceived in church, have attended so many Bible classes we should be able to quote the entire book, own probably ten in at least that many translations with commentaries to match, have a personal history with God and we consider, deliberate, agonize, consult with mere mortals like ourselves, over what He, the eternal, sovereign God who created the entire universe, tells us to do.

I think we have a ton of practice asking the sun, moon and stars and not just a whole lot of practice sticking with … just God. Oh, we ask God and as long as He answers in a way we can understand, fits our spreadsheet, falls within the parameters of our comfort zones, we’re good to go. If not, then instead of moving forward, we begin consultation with others just in case.

Every morning first thing out of bed, it’s become my practice to kneel and pray. I want Him to be the first one I speak to. So a couple of mornings ago, I got out of bed, hit my knees, “Thank you Jesus….” He interrupted me and said, “Put the book up.”

Before I go to sleep at night I like to read something mindless. My favorite author transports me to Britain or Scotland and I can just SEE it and it’s so peaceful. Nobody takes their clothes off, talks nasty or blows anybody’s brains out. This should pass anyone’s inspection. I drift off to sleep.

But I knew it was God. And this was nothing…impacted no one…no big deal. But those were His words. We always think punitive, what’s wrong, instead of what am I missing out on by reading this book instead of one He has for me? I closed the book and put it up.

I don’t think it has to be big stuff. I think a history of small stuff leads up to big stuff and if you’re used to listening, knowing His voice and just doing whatever He says, then doing the big stuff is just a given. Might take you a little time…no rush…but you know you’re going to do it because the Lord God Almighty spoke to you personally and for whatever reason…it doesn’t matter…He knows…He told you to do it, so you do it. He can work out all the details, give you His reasoning or choose not to.

I used to ask how for sure I’d know it was Him. I haven’t asked that in awhile. I know. You do too … whether it’s about $10,000, Eastern Europe or a book.

So….who are your sun, moon and stars? Maybe the question should be … how big, how smart, how wise… is your God?

Listening?

2011-06-10T06:42:00.000-07:00

Israel has fallen. Judah’s on the fast track to hell. God sends Jeremiah to warn the people. If they do not return to Him, a horrific country from the North will devastate them.

He goes into great detail outlining His charges against them and exactly what will happen if they do not turn from their great sin and acknowledge Him.

Basically they did church well. Went to temple, offered sacrifices, celebrated the feasts, had priests who looked good and sounded good. They also bowed to every other idol in the country and lived like harlots. Outwardly they looked good. Inwardly their hearts were not only far from God, they were rotten to the core. He didn’t want their sacrifices, He wanted their hearts.

Their response to God in just the first 6 chapters was either, “No, we didn’t. No, I’m not. I can’t help it. I’m innocent,” or worse, taunting God. “You’re not going to do that.” Fingers in their ears.

Bottom line, no one was listening to Jeremiah who was God’s mouthpiece to the nation of Judah. He spoke very clearly, very succinctly. They knew without a doubt, it was God’s words.

So are we listening? God is waving His hands, jumping up and down, shouting in the middle of the road…are we listening?

A friend was telling me about his son moving to a town to start a practice that one day would probably be successful and profitable…but not now. Dad’s advice was to buy a very inexpensive, starter home. Wait until your practice is up and running and in the black, generating good income. Save for a generous down payment so your monthly costs are low.

Ah but Dad, we’ve waited all these years, worked long hours, studied hard, lived on a dime, sacrificed. I’m sure this is an ace in the hole, no way to not do well. Emotion reigns…the big places look so good….they picture themselves on hardwood floors, hands spread on granite countertops. Linoleum and Formica fade into the past.

Was he listening? Suppose his prayer for a year had been, “O God, show us where to live, what to buy. Tell us to exactly what You want us to do.”

So say God sends his dad to counsel him. Dad just shows up. Critical here is not if this kid goes to church, gives 20% of his income, goes on three mission trips a year. Critical is if he’s listening to God. He’s only in church on Sundays. He’s only on a mission trip three times a year. Every other day in the year, he’s living life, all of which needs to fit into The Plan as well.

Psalm 5: 3 says, “In the morning O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” Every morning, I discuss the day, discuss decisions I will be faced with. And then as I go through my day, as if going to a train station and looking into each face as if to say, “Are you the one I’m supposed to be meeting?” every conversation, every piece of advice, every comment, I do the same. “God, is this a word from you?”

I met a great girl this past year who is probably 28. She had walked away from the Lord for several years and married during that time. It was disasterous. They divorced. She subsequently came back to the Lord and in talking with her you could quickly tell she had such depth. She eventually met a great guy who loves the Lord as much as she does. Just exactly…right…in every way.

I saw her a few weeks ago. “So…how’s your guy? Any big news?!”

“No…we broke up.”

“Oh my gosh, what happened?”

“Well, God just told both of us, very clearly, it was not in His will to continue the relationship.” In her telling, it was just as real to her as if her dad had showed up, walked in and sat down with her and said, “He’s just not the one, sweetheart.” She smiled like it was just the most remarkable thing. And she was crazy about this guy. And her clock is ticking.

She was more awed by God telling both of them in a crystal clear way, than she was with the message. The message was secondary to Who spoke to them. “It was just amazing!” she said.

They were listening. They broke up. No pros and cons list. Just a look into the heart and mind of God and He said no and they walked away fully trusting that He is a good God, with a good plan to prosper them and to give them hope.

Are you listening?

There’s a second part. The message….whatever God says.

Buy the starter home. Break up with the guy. Then I’m faced with the fact that God Almighty has communicated one on one to my situation in response to my clearly stated request.

And the house has formica and linoleum. And there is no other guy on the horizon, nor can I ever imagine a guy more perfect than this one.

If we never ask, we’re never faced with obeying or disobeying are we? But if we clearly ask, and we listen, and He clearly says, then you’re walking away from God, if you disobey. You’re on your own.

Whole new ballpark, huh.

I only write what I’ve lived. And this is so true. And from experience I will say, it is so easy to say the right things…but the doing, the living out of all this another thing entirely.

The Plan

2011-06-09T06:29:00.000-07:00

The first law in the Four Spiritual Laws, a booklet produced as a tool to lead people to Christ, begins with “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” We camp on the first part and ignore the second because we are doers, leaders, movers and shakers. Just give us the idea and we’ll develop and implement it…that’s why God gave us a brain, right?

A plan means you’ve thought through the idea, developed a strategy, considered logistics, finances, staffing, weather, location…all the parts that would make up a whole to allow your plan not only to be implemented, but to be successful.

The generals are planning D Day. They inform their subordinates one evening at dinner that they have a plan for the invasion of Europe. They schedule a meeting for the next day to share the plan. But during the night, the subordinates scatter, frantically make calls, draw up maps, develop strategy, line up vehicles, planes, landing craft, count men to … invade Europe.

How stupid is that?

No…they show up the next day and listen….to the plan… because the General is in command primarily. But even more importantly, they know he has access to far more intelligence, supplies, combined experience and brainpower to cover every angle of this invasion than they do so they go with his plan. They follow his lead. They do what he tells them to do. They are not assigned Omaha Beach and then decide Utah Beach would be a better fit for their men and equipment and just move. You go with the plan knowing that the general has an overview that you do not have, you just do your part to make the whole come together successfully….as does every other plane and landing craft, to produce a coordinated effort with the goal being the defeat of the enemy.

Will they be shot at? You bet. The enemy does not want them to land much less be victorious…that’s a given. But their training will enable them to move forward, advance on the beaches, climb the ropes even when their mind is telling them to run back to the boat. They trust their training. They trust the plan.

The most amazing thing to me about Christianity is that God sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins so we could have a relationship with Him. He relates to us individually, personally, one on one. Knowing us intimately, He knows the best fit not only for us but in relation to His plan for others, for the world. So wouldn’t it stand to reason, that He has a plan…for us? And just like the general wouldn’t gather all his leadership and say, “Ok, men, we’re going to invade Europe, guess how we’re going to do it,” neither does He.

And our General is Almighty God who created heaven and earth. We’re following this General. He has trained us with His word and experiences to get us ready for each assignment. As the enemy has fired at us in the past, we’ve learned through experience that He has advanced with us, we can trust His leadership. He’s equipped us with all we’ve needed in the past to defeat the enemy and He’ll equip us with all we need in the future to defeat the enemy.

The ticket to knowing however, is listening. Listening to the plan, listening to updates.

You’re moving to Washington….GO! You’ve got an entire summer at home….GO! and we blast out of the chute, legal pad, I Phone, I Pad in hand to attack…where to go, who to see, how much to spend. But,

If God has a plan, He knows all that…He worked it out before the orders ever came down the pipe, before the calendar cleared for summer. I just need to access the General. Frequently. Before I leave the house…before I even dress! All during the day…”God direct me to whoever you want me to talk to, wherever You want to plug me in, whoever You want me to befriend, however will fit in Your plan. I don’t want to land in Alexandria when You wanted to use me in Arlington…the need was in Arlington. I don’t want to miss the show because I was so intent on planning my own strategy, I missed a plan that had a worldwide focus.”

At day’s end, I review the day with Him, make corrections, tap into His plan for tomorrow…listen. One day at a time.

Yes God loves me. But He also has a plan…that at day’s end, will make me stand in awe that the God of the entire universe, had a plan for me. And at the end of the age, when we stand around the throne, our eyes will be open to the wonder of it all. There was a plan in place all along and I hit the beach at exactly where I was targeted to hit it and the saint I stand beside, lifting his hands in praise to Jesus is there because I followed the plan and did what I was directed to do.

How amazing is that.

The Block

2011-06-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

I had lunch with a young friend yesterday and she asked what happened to my musings. “Oh, I don’t know….I just can’t seem to sit down long enough to write one.”

“I enjoyed them,” she said. “ Don’t you love to write?” (She writes the cutest blog.) “There’s something about writing that’s so neat, even if nobody reads it.”

Two long hot summer months yawn before me. The calm before the Fall storm. I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be because I asked God over and over and He kept giving me the same answer. I kept saying something like, “No, really….what do you want me to do this summer,” because I wasn’t crazy about His answer. About a week ago, I read a journal I jot in every once in awhile and realized how many times I’d asked. It was kind of like asking my son to advertize something on Craig’s List…”I will, I will,” and he doesn’t. But this was God. And He answered the first time. I realized that when I read what I’d written. I just didn’t like the answer.

So I’m home. With no inspiration to write. Pulling weeds. Going out to lunch.
Until yesterday. Amazing what God uses…and how He uses the body of Christ to put things into focus.

So she asked me, “Why aren’t you writing any more?”

This morning as I lay in bed thinking 4:00 is absolutely too early to get out of bed unless you’re a roofer and want to beat the sun, I began to think about that question so I ran it by God. This sermon I’d been listening to came to mind and in it the preacher had read a verse in Romans that says, “Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” So I began to do that….”Ok, God, I’m presenting my members as instruments of righteousness to You….except I’ve nothing to write…..nothing comes to mind. I’m dead in the water.”

“I know. There’s a block,” He said. And I knew then what the block was. I’d just shelved it and walked away.

Several months ago, I went to my hometown and had lunch with some girls I’d grown up with. One, I hadn’t seen for years. In the course of the conversation, she began to talk about her painting which she’d begun as an adult. She was quite good…it was a hobby. So I told her I wrote…just little musings, no big deal, just to explore my thoughts on paper so they won’t be random, out there…but pulled together, concise, arriving at a conclusion. “Send me some…I’d love to read them!”

I’d been telling my sister I needed an editor. “Why?” she asked, “who are you writing for?”

I sent my childhood friend a couple. It was like baking for someone and they write you a thank you note and say something like, “Thanks so much for coming over. We enjoyed your visit so much!” and the note is on the empty plate. Nothing about your wonderful confection. No accolades. No nothing…just the empty plate. Your conclusion is….they thought it was awful or in the very least, certainly not good enough to comment on!

My old friend’s response? “It was good to see you! Hope we can get together again!”

So at 4 a.m. God said, “Who are you writing for?”

I’m sure at some point He has asked Larnelle Harris, “Who are you singing for?”

A little bitty nobody person living in small town Alabama or famous singer on a national stage, “Are you performing or are you using what I’ve given you to bring Me glory, to thank Me so much for living in your heart, being an intimate part of your life, to praise Me for Who I am, if the entire world hears or no one but Me? Is it worth your time, just for Me…to sing it for Me, to write it for Me?”

We went to a church once that did not have a choir. The minister of music said something to the effect of, “Our music, as we sing corporately, as the Body of Christ, is for Him. As you are singing, it is as if you are singing to Him.” I will never forget that. It has changed forever how I sing in church. Now as I see people singing songs they’ve known for years and as they mouth the words, turn around and wave to people or casually look at the bulletin, I want to tap them on the shoulder and say, “Hey buddy! What in the world are you doing? Don’t you know you’re singing to God Almighty? ”

So who am I writing for?

I am writing to pull thoughts together in my mind that God has shown me. Whenever I finish, it usually never fails, I step back and go, “Whoa….Wow… You are so real…thank you thank you thank you, praise You praise You praise You.” And when I meet someone, talk with someone, what they get is a fresh faith because it’s been refreshed daily by contact with the living God , Who came into my life to have a relationship….with me.

So if only He sees this, that’s ok. It was for Him all the time, I just got sidetracked. By me.

What an incredibly patient God. Thank You for bringing me back.

Facelift

2011-01-14T05:58:00.000-08:00

A friend had a facelift recently. There is nothing spiritual about this muse…she had a saggy face and the surgeon tacked it up. I thought that was an excellent idea. I was thinking about having my eyelids done myself but it’s kind of like painting crown molding. You always start with one room which butts up to another room so if you stop, it makes the next room look so bad…where do you stop?

I was sitting in the bathroom reading a magazine and happened to look up. The mirror facing me above the sink caught me from my neck up. It was one of those unguarded moments unlike when you are putting on makeup. When you put on makeup, you kind of hold your face a certain way, arch your eyebrows, pucker your lips, hold your chin up so your wrinkles are smoothed out. We don’t purposely do this…it’s just something inborn, like plaiting hair….no one teaches you, you just know how to do it if you’re a woman. An unguarded moment means you do none of the above…you just glance up and there you are…the real you.

I almost jumped out of my skin. My eyelids have lost all their muscle tone and are sliding down my face. One day I’m going to wake up, open my eyes and all I’ll see is the back of my eyelids. When I really concentrate, I can arch my eyebrows and kind of hold up my eyelids so they’re not obscuring my eyes…do you do that? It used to work well…but now, even when I’m really hoisting them up, I have developed this long wrinkle that’s at an angle midway on my eyelid. It’s kind of like a tent right in the middle of my hiked up eyelid.

But my little viewing of the real me didn’t stop with my eyelids, it moved on down to those little jowlie puckers on either side of your mouth and I’m not even overweight. How in the world did fat settle in there? I’ve got deep creases on either side of my nose...a nose that has not shriveled up over the years but remains a huge sentinel on my face.

When I first went to work in Dallas, Texas and was making probably $600 a month, I made a visit to the plastic surgeon. He gave me a large mirror and asked me what I would like for him to do for me. I told him to shave off a good portion of my nose. "So, how much would that cost?” I asked. He said about a million dollars. My nose remains unchanged.

The mirror also reflected my neck. I remember the first time I realized I had developed my mother’s neck. I was putting on lipstick. When you do that, you hold the mirror so you can just see from your nose down…but my mirror is big enough to show lips and neck. Holy cow…I looked like a lizard! One of those saggy lizards!

You and I both know that this scarey picture does not stop with the neck. Oh nooooo…it moves right on down the body. That little poochy stomach you used to be concerned about has been replaced by a butt that is sliding down your legs. And legs….the skin on my legs is sliding down as well! It’s like papery looking and wrinkly. I saw someone on the internet pulling the skin up on their thighs and putting duct tape at the top of it to hold it up so they could wear shorts! I was amazed…who in the WORLD would do something as dumb as that?

I wonder if they make flesh colored duct tape I could use on my eyelids?

Deployed

2011-01-10T15:19:00.000-08:00

My son deployed today for the second time…this time to a country in Asia where he will board a BGB (a big gray boat which is driven by the Navy. Don’t use this acronym with men.) The Marines are everywhere. That’s why you sleep so well.

Odd,his concern in Iraq didn’t seem to focus on IED’s or crazed militants who hated his guts and were trying their best to kill him. It was on the flight over the ocean. Once they close those doors and lock them, you’re committed for better or worse. You have surrendered control to the guys in the cockpit and they are at the mercy of their equipment working well and Bubba knowing what he was doing when he overhauled the plane before it took off, hurtling you 600 MPH through the air at 30,000 feet.

He’s flying across the ocean to catch the boat. No corn fields for emergency landings…just miles and miles of ocean.

So what do you say to your kid? “God’s going to take care of you…nothing’s going to happen?” I don’t know that.

Oswald Chambers said, “God does not tell you what He is going to do…He reveals to you who He is.”

I didn’t realize it but that’s what I needed to know when he went to Iraq…who He is. So early on I read a little verse and through it He said, “I am right there with him in Iraq…right there.” Now, I knew that because my son knows Him and He lives within him. But I hadn’t really put two and two together so God did it for me.

It’s kind of like taking your firstborn to kindergarten the first day. Both of you are nervous, he because you’re leaving and you because you don’t know if he’ll have a fit and have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the room but when you get to the classroom, you realize a good friend is his teacher! Oh my gosh…you hand her his hand, give him a kiss and walk away with a smile on your face. She knows your kid, he knows her and they already have a great relationship!

Kindergarten or Iraq….same thing. It was a realization of Who was with my kid. He is my son’s heavenly Father and He is right there with him. That was all I needed to know. I didn’t need to know if he was getting enough to eat, was getting fired on or would get back alive, impaired or wouldn’t come back at all. I just needed to know He was right there. Amazing what that did for me, the mom.

We need to know who He is. He is God Almighty, King of kings and Lord of lords. He is Creator of the universe. Strong, big…huge. He is sovereign God over all. He is in control. You can take a deep breath and relax because when the Lord is your shepherd, you have all you need. (Psm 23:1 NLT)

When I climb on a plane, I don’t need to know how it works, I just need to know the man driving it knows how it works and knows how to fly it….well. No one hands me a sworn, notarized statement when I board the plane stating that fact….I take “their” word for it, unverbalized, unwritten. That’s pretty amazing faith come to think of it.

God wrote down His sworn statement all over the Word and bottom line, the pilot’s not in control, God is.

We need to identify our fear specifically, real or imagined…and some fears are healthy. Fear of being run over causes you to look both ways before crossing the street. But fear of the unknown that you have no control over can paralyze.

The truth is “God is not a God of timidity and fear but of power, love and self discipline.” ( 2 Timothy 1:7) He has promised to supply all my needs according to His riches in glory which are beyond all that we can either ask or think. He has said that He is my Shepherd so I have all I need...and that He will equip me with all I need for life….and for godliness. That’s the truth.

The lie is….no He doesn’t, no He won’t, He may not, what if He doesn’t and He might not. And Satan, the father of lies, wins if you believe the lie…and what he produces is paralyzing fear.

What to do.

Know truth. Or find someone who knows truth. Write it down. Feel it or not, God said it….so no matter what, it is true.

Identify the lie and then rebuke the lie…rebuke Satan. If you’re a child of God, greater is He that is within you than He that is in the world…Satan. So tell him you’ve been bought and paid for by the blood of Christ and he is to leave you and take all his friends with him, in the name of Jesus. He has no power over you….leave.

Then take every thought captive and let your mind dwell on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute (Phil 4:8) and then sing! Sing….A Mighty Fortress is Our God or your favorite praise song but sing, sing, sing. God inhabits the praise of His people so let ‘er rip.

If whatever you’re dealing with is a deeply ingrained habit, Satan will not give up. He has baited your hook with exactly what he knows you will fall for so repeat the action over and over and over. Jesus stated truth when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness so state truth, identify the lie, rebuke Satan, take every thought captive and dwell on the good stuff. God will move in, fill your heart with peace and when you share what happened, God will get the glory.

The plane made it safely over the Pacific Ocean.

Sleep well tonight…God and the Marines are still on watch!

Epiphany

2011-01-03T05:26:00.000-08:00

You have two teenagers. You’ve provided a nice house, great food, clothes and a car for them to drive. They have the privilege of going to school every day, participating in sports, the band, clubs, have friends over, anticipate a college education gratis…just for being your kid.

You drive car pools, attend a myriad of sporting events camping out for hours at a time at soccer fields, basketball courts, swim meets. You organize play groups, sign up for PTA committees, join the booster club, chaperone youth group camps, cheer their victories, mourn their defeats. In your spare time you cook feasts to fill up not only your children but the friends that seem to live at your house, you clean house, wash, fold, put away clothes, plant seasonal flowers, decorate for Christmas, take it all down, give birthday parties, get up in the middle of the night to hold feverish heads that are throwing up. And work full time.

Your kid is BLESSED.

It’s Thursday night after a grueling day, grueling week. Your kid got home two hours before you did. Everyone is hungry. You look at your teenager and say, “Honey, please put a pot of water on to boil for pasta and set the table.”

Let’s say you have two kids. You will get two different responses to this request. One will whine and carry on about how tired he is, how much he has to do, how he did it last night, it’s not fair, he doesn’t like pasta, why don’t we ever have anything good, nobody cares what he really likes to eat…but he eventually does it because he’s your firstborn child.

Second kid comes over, puts his big arm around you and says, “Aw Mom, go wash your face and put some sweats on….you’ve had a hard day…but you know what? I love you!” And you turn around and walk to your bedroom and he turns around and walks to his. The pot is still in the cabinet and the table is clean as a whistle.

At the beginning of his reign, God appeared to Solomon (chapter 9) and told him to ask for whatever he wanted and He’d give it to him. Solomon said wisdom and God made him incredibly wise but also made him an incredibly wealthy man. 1 Kings 10 is a must read for a definition of opulence…his was unmatched. God warned him up front however, if he walked before him and kept his commands, He'd establish his throne forever…but…if he did not, if he followed other gods, He'd cut off Israel and the temple he built would become ruins and it would be because Solomon left Him and followed and worshiped other gods.

It was a slow slide, but Solomon became addicted to women, married 700 (so he must have also been insane) and began to worship their gods. Great start, good intentions, disastrous ending. He stopped listening, stopped worshiping, stopped obeying God. His focus moved to his idol…women, and he aligned with them and their gods.

I walked away from this story chasing the rabbits of idols and listening.

We’re such “good” Christians in the South. We read our Bibles, go to church, get in a Bible study, do the homework, hang out with Christian friends….we just ooze this stuff.

But are we listening…much less obeying? Does God speak to us individually? He did to Solomon. He appeared twice and Solomon knew beyond a shadow of doubt that it was God and what He said was pointedly directed to him alone. He did not stand there and ask, “Are you talking to me?” He knew God was speaking to him.

God had said specifically in Deuteronomy not to marry women outside the nation of Israel and He even gave them His reasons…”They will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods…then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you!” In case Solomon missed the Deuteronomy passage, God appeared to him and told him one on one not to follow other gods. Pointed. Black and white.

How about us? We’re quietly reading…come across a verse and it just lights up, neon lime green, blinking. Our jaw drops. How in the world did God know that’s exactly what I needed? I look at the date…how did He time this so I would read this today, right in the middle of what’s happening in my life? You know it’s for you because you tell the first person you run into about this verse. You’re so excited you can’t even get your words out without them falling all over each other. She’s standing there with her eyes all squinty, slack jawed, looking confused. “Isn’t this incredible?” you ask. “Yeah….right...it’s….something.” It was not for her, it was you.

Back to the quiet time. You read the verse. It begins to light up. You close the book and sit quietly reflecting on what you’ve read and it’s like God is saying something like, “Call Susan.” “Eat what I tell you to today…listen to Me before every bite.” “Go to Honduras with that group in June.” “Send $50 for this project.” “Stop right now and give him to Me.” Ever had that happen?

I have. It’s 5:30 in the morning. Dark. I’m praying and I just know it’s Him. Or it’s 6 a.m. and I’m in the middle of page 20, looking up a reference to write down an answer and the verse lights up and it was written just for me on today, January 3, 2011.

Do I turn on all the lights, find a pen and paper and write it down? Do I post it on my refrigerator and on the dash of my car and on my computer so it’s scrawling across and I can’t miss it? Do I take it as an actual “word from God” as if the President of the United States called and said, “Hey Mary Ann, I was thinking about you today and would appreciate it if you’d do this for me….”

Or (and I speak from personal experience here) do I marvel, wonder, “Isn’t that something,” and put it on my please consider mental computer and go brush my teeth? Does it penetrate my thoughts at times during the day? Do I remember it at night before I fall asleep and mentally think, “Oh yeah, I need to do that tomorrow,” as I drift off to sleep?

Am I like teenager #1…whose parents have absolutely blessed his socks off, done abundantly beyond all he could ask or think (if you were to ask the millions of teenagers who live in poverty around the world… lavish opulence they cannot even imagine)…do I whine and complain? “She’ll think I’m nuts if I call out of the clear blue sky.” “Honduras? I don’t want to squat over a hole in the ground to pee much less poop like that for a WEEK.” “Let me balance my checkbook and see if I can squeeze out $50.” “I’ll give him to you after I finish reaming him out.” I don’t know if I ever had the nerve to actually SAY those things but I've certainly thought them.

Or am I like teenager #2. “I just love you so much, Lord!” and I turn around and walk into my day, never giving it another thought.

If my nursing license needs renewing, I write myself a note. If a major bill is due, I make a big sign and put it on my computer. If the kitchen ceiling is leaking, I’m all over that until I get someone out to look at it.

So if God Almighty tells me something clearly, why am I so impressed at 6 a.m. and then at 10, it’s fled my mind? Is it not a priority? Was He not serious? Was it just a suggestion?

This has all been a real epiphany. It’s kind of like my sister telling me when I was young, that I always sat around with my mouth hanging open. She demonstrated and I looked like a idiot. I had no idea I was doing that. I was totally unaware. Of course she also tacked on, “If you keep this up, your upper lip is just going to disappear and you’ll just have one big fat bottom lip.” I actually believed her.

Back to the epiphany…once I realized I was treating God’s thoughts as suggestions and what an affront to God! I began to write down clear impressions from my reading or the silence of that early morning quiet time and have taken them quite differently than I used to. They are written down, posted, done.

I know this sounds elementary….amazing what does not compute when you think you’ve covered all the bases. It has definitely changed my day.

Stay Close

2010-12-29T04:06:00.000-08:00

Growing up, I always wished my mother was a Methodist. Then things wouldn’t have been such a big deal. We wouldn’t have had so many rules. Methodists just went to church and didn’t worry about rules. They were happy…they weren’t eaten up with guilt.

Now, we weren’t as carried away as the Church of God with hair in tight buns and homemade dresses mid calf, but the Baptists in my childhood, took righteous and holy living to a whole new level that the Methodists and Episcopalians never even knew existed. We followed the rules.

Whose rules?

Jesus had a conversation with Matthew, a tax collector. Tax collectors were pond scum as far as Jews were concerned…in a class by themselves. There were sinners and then far below sinners, were tax collectors. Matthew obviously had some issues.

It wasn’t really a conversation….there was no dialogue. Jesus just saw Matthew, approached him and said, “Follow Me.” Didn’t say, “Clean up your act, quit being deceptive, stop cheating people, change your clothes, go to temple, follow the rules and get back to me when you have a better track record,” ….nothing. Just, “Follow Me.”

What if we follow all the rules but we’re still a jerk? Irritable, petty, condescending, patronizing, critical? What if we’re still short tempered, impatient or haughty? Think all those people we’re interfacing with on a daily basis, care….that we’ve followed all the rules? That we don’t drink, smoke, chew, go to R rated movies, miss church on Sundays? That we’re pre millennium, post millennium, reformed, Baptists or Methodists? No! They don’t CARE!

What they do care about is that the person they work with or live with or volunteer with is a joy to work with or live with ….that you are not irritable, petty, condescending, patronizing, critical. That you are not short tempered, impatient or haughty. They don’t worry if you’re going to show up on red or green.

I worked for a lady once and every day we’d brace ourselves in anticipation of her mood for the day. Red meant duck, stay out of her way. Green meant everyone breathed a sigh of relief. You knew her color when she walked through the door.

Problem is, I was born analytical, stubborn, judgmental or whatever trait you inherited. Maybe my family has been that way for generations. It’s not in my makeup to be kind and tenderhearted, sweet…I’m just not that way. Neither was Matthew which was why Jesus didn’t give him a list of temple rules. He just said, “Follow Me.” What He didn’t explain was that following Him would change his heart which would change his actions. Being a follower of Christ would produce change. Matthew was to just stay close to Jesus. Matthew wouldn’t just try harder….he’d stay close and over the years, thinking back over his life, he would realize that a transformation had taken place. He had assumed by association, a likeness to Christ.

We want to be like Christ in how we think. Have all our doctrine right. Be on the same page regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Second Coming and every other capitalized issue in the Bible. We can reason that out and DO it. And this is important. In fact, it’s foundational…critical that my faith be based on truth. But I think my kids knew all the doctrine they would ever need to know before they were 12! What happened after that was in place?

When you interface with a lost and dying world that has no lasting peace and has no hope and you have the secret to both, they don’t CARE about the doctrine, the rules….they look at the talking head and then watch as he interfaces with the world around him. Is he critical, impatient, mean spirited? Or is he kind, tenderhearted, patient, caring? Are you relational so dialogue can even begin?

Let’s move it a step closer. I do the kind, tenderhearted thing really well with my world. At home….now that’s the gut wrencher. Am I kind, tenderhearted, patient, longsuffering, with a servant’s heart…at home?

I try.

But trying lasts just so long and then you’re exhausted and you revert back to the real you.

So does Jesus say, “Try harder?” Nope…He just says, “Follow Me…stay close. Read my word. Talk to me often. Watch me….and my Spirit will change your heart and your actions will follow. The real you will become….like Me.”

God ordains circumstances, events in your life to transform you into the image of His Son….to make you more like Him. It isn’t church. It’s the world and jobs and families. The idea is that when the world sees you, it knows that’s what Jesus was like. If they had coffee with you, if they worked with you, if they lived in the same house with you, they’d know that’s what He was like. He’d be just like you….straightforward but kind, honest but encouraging, tenderhearted, compassionate, diplomatic, patient. Caring.

I cannot produce those attributes. I can’t act like that…react or respond like that. It’s just not me. But it’s Him. And the incredible thing is, He lives within me and His business is to reproduce Himself. So when it’s not me…my knee jerk reaction needs to be to turn to Him, whom I’m following closely, and ask him to be Himself through me.

Stay close.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T04:02:00.000-08:00

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

And God so loved this world, that He gave His only son Jesus, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but will have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Jesus said, “I am leaving you with a gift, peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.” (John 14:27 NLT)

In His presence is fullness of joy. (Psm 16:11)

This is the message of Christmas. It is born in our hearts supernaturally. We have only to ask.

Merry Christmas!

All In

2010-12-22T06:08:00.000-08:00

In America, our president is chosen by the majority who agree with his/her worldview and the promises, policies, ideas and solutions he espouses. If we don’t like his performance, we can dump him for another guy in four years. If he’s really bad, we can impeach him.

Not so with a king however, which is what Israel preferred. They wanted one like all their neighbors had ….a king whose power was absolute. This king could determine your profession, whom you married, how much tax you paid, conscript you into the army or make you work without pay, take your kids and he could take your life if he chose without consulting anyone. They chose a human king over God, who as their King had performed incredible signs and wonders to release them from slavery, lead them to an amazing land, provided for all their needs in abundance and just asked for obedience in return.

So God gave them Saul and then David to rule with the idea that the king would take direction from God or a prophet He’d chosen to advise the king, and then the king would rule the people accordingly. But men then, just like today, were full of themselves and that rarely happened.

When David was about to die, his son Solomon was crowned king....he was about 20 years old. David had been tremendously successful as king because he deferred to God, followed His lead and when he strayed and was confronted by God, was humble, admitted his sin, asked forgiveness and lined back up with God as head.

Interesting the charge he gave his son on his succession. In I Kings 2, David tells him the key to success is to be “strong, show yourself a man and obey all the laws and commandments of God.” Then David outlined the threats he needed to remove from his kingdom.

God appears to Solomon in a dream and says, “Ask what you want me to give you.” Solomon does not ask for riches or fame, but for an understanding heart or a listening heart, for wisdom to rule.

Question that begs answering is do we want a king? Do we really want a king? Or do we prefer a democracy (actually not a choice in a relationship with God!) with God’s word a “please consider”, an option among many that we save until we’re out of ideas, desperate and then when He gives answers or solutions, we vote on them? This is a valid question.

Interesting how Jesus simply said, “Follow Me.” No explanations, no five year plans, no list of rules, just a simple, “Follow Me.” Hang out with Me. Get to know Me. Walk with Me.

When that happens, you get to know the Person, you become intimately acquainted with how He does things, how He thinks, comforts, listens. His time frames, His methods, His priorities. Trust is born, love is nurtured.

“After these things I looked and behold, a door standing open in heaven....and a throne was standing in heaven and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones and the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. Twenty four thrones surrounded him and twenty four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.

And from the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven lamp stands with burning flames....in front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

There were four living beings around the throne that cried day and night,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty...the one who always was, who is and who is still to come.”

There are twenty four elders on thrones surrounding His throne and they lay their crowns before His throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.”

Now that’s a King.

This King sent His Son so we could know Him. Personally. One on one. He who knows the beginning from the end, who created us and set us right where we are, rules and reigns over all....wants me to know Him. That He is worthy, trustworthy. He is able. That He loves me with this incredible love.

But we have to make Him king, not president. So David’s admonitions apply to us.

Be a strong woman. My word goes against the world’s grain. Few will agree because they are not in relationship with Me as you are. They do not “see” as you “see.” My Holy Spirit does not live within them...there’s no way they can understand My word like you do. But you’re going to have to be strong because often you’ll be swimming upstream...alone....although I am always with you. You’re a woman though and I live within you…you can be strong.

Follow my laws and obey my Word. Just like I told Joshua a couple thousand years ago, the same applies to you, “I will be with you...I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and courageous....be strong and courageous....Obey all the laws Moses gave you...Do not turn away from them and you will be successful in everything you do. Study this book ...continuously. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then....will you succeed. I command you....be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord you God is with you wherever you go.”

Remove any threats to this kingdom. I need to remove any threats that would remove the King from the throne and make me king…make me the director of my own life.

And our one request of God, should mirror Solomon’s....”God, give me a listening heart.”

Know what you have to do to obtain a listening heart? Shut up. Be still. Quiet your mind, still your soul, open your heart. Listen not only with your head but with your heart. Dedicate time to listen. And God, your King, will lead you.

Auburn University’s football team is 13-0 and on their way to the national championship. Early this season I started noticing signs around the stadium that said, “Auburn – Family - All In”. It’s a poker term meaning to wager one’s entire stake.

Win or lose, faulty defense or great, on or off field problems, we, as the Auburn Family, are all in….committed to supporting you guys no matter what. You don’t have to look in those stands and wonder if we’ll be there. You don’t have to read the blogs to see if we still love and support you. We are all in.

Who is king in your life…you or God? It can’t be both. Are you all in?

Silence

2010-08-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

I was teaching a class and a lady made a random remark that I don’t think anyone got but me. It was one of those casual, off hand remarks…no big profound statement. I don’t think she had any idea that God had used her to speak truth to me.

Ever had one of those experiences? Just as sure as you know your name, you know God spoke to you through that person. It was pointedly, expressly … for you.

And maybe no one got it but you…but you got it. You really got it. And the longer you thought about it, the more you got it and the more certain you were, that it was Him.

I don’t remember the exact statement…but something like, “We have to ask God before He’ll do it.”

We all struggle with issues. I heard a speaker say we usually have a top two or three…same stuff, over and over again. Satan knows exactly what to use to bait our hook. Maybe it’s our mouth, our spending, our attitude, bitterness, anxiety, just fill in the blank.

We begin the morning spending time with the Lord. Our family shares a harmonious breakfast. We kiss our honey good bye, get the kids out the door…everyone is smiling. We work up to warp speed as the day progresses with things still going well…but we’re getting tired and a little hungry. Three o’clock rolls around or more accurately 3:00 crash lands with brakes squealing and that old habit, attitude, thought, place that we go either physically or in our minds, creeps into our awareness.

We’re faced with a choice.

Amazing this never happens to me early in the morning. I’ve reflected on that fact so much so that some days I’ve thought about tying the chair I use for my quiet time to my butt and hauling it around with me during the day….it’s just all so good…when I’m in that chair.

But I don’t have to tie myself to the chair, the Holy Spirit is in my heart. He’s there whether I recognize Him as being there or not…whether I acknowledge Him or not.

So as the clock strikes 3, you slowly turn your head and through half closed eyes, look at your nemesis, your archenemy, your opponent, your competitor.

And you are silent.

Does God tell us to be silent? NO!! He tells us to FLEE, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, STAND FIRM! Sounds pretty intentional to me….no gray area here, no vacillating, no pull yourself up by your boot strings, no arbitration, no pep talk. It’s run… talk to Him …and stand firm in what He tells you to do. Clear cut. Period.

But we have a choice and silence on our part is one alternative. Know how I know? Because I’m often silent. Know who wins? Satan. My flesh. Every time. Every time.

Luke 11 says, “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

If we ask, God will give the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Spirit are found gifts….all wrapped into one. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. He lives within every child of God. When we cry out to Him, he supernaturally produces those qualities within us. And they defeat whatever nemesis is facing us. Compare them to whatever trips you up. It’s an either / or. Either gluttony or self control. Either anxiety or peace. Either bitterness or joy.

I have no idea how this works. It’s a God thing. Supernatural. But we have to ask.

We are not to sit down, size up the enemy, reason with him. We are to call on Jesus. He will rescue. He will defeat your enemy by the power of his name and through His Holy Spirit who lives…within you.

But…you have to ask. Just whisper His Name…and ask.

Walls

2010-08-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Cinderella was my favorite fairy tale growing up. Loved it. Loved the story, loved the dress, the mice, the handsome prince. Most of all I loved the ending. They lived happily ever after. It always brought a deep sigh and a peaceful, wistful smile to my face.

I’m a half full person…never half empty. Suffice it to say, I’m always shocked or at least taken aback when things don’t go well. And I think as a rule, most Christians are just amazed when they, we, pray and things don’t turn out well.

Judah had some horrible kings who worshiped idols, led the people to worship idols and engage in all kinds of perverted practices including giving their children as burnt offerings to their gods. But every once in awhile a good guy showed up who didn’t follow his father’s example. Hezekiah was one of them. In 2 Chronicles 29, Hezekiah assumes the throne at age 25. From the start he knew that the reason God’s anger had fallen on Judah was because Judah had abandoned God so he aimed to make it right. He did. Cleaned up the temple, reinstituted the sacrifices, burned all the idols, instructed the people in God’s ways and as a result, all of Judah turned back to the Lord.

Glory! He lives to a ripe old age, having 10 healthy children who successfully attended college, graduating with a professional degrees, married well, had beautiful grandchildren and all surrounded him as he died a peaceful death in his sleep.

Not exactly.

The author spends two entire chapters recording all the great things Hezekiah did to restore Judah to the center of God’s will. Hezekiah I’m sure earned a great “atta boy” for everything he accomplished. And then we come to chapter 32.

“After Hezekiah had faithfully carried out this work, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, giving orders to break through their walls.”

Hezekiah consulted with his officials and military advisers and developed a plan. He strengthened his defenses by repairing the wall, adding to the fortifications, constructing another wall, manufacturing large numbers of weapons and shields. He did not stand by wringing his hands.

He then assembled all the people and said, “Don’t be afraid of the king of Assyria or his mighty army for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are just men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!”

Hallelujah!

Ah but not to be outdone, the great King Sennacherib (can you imagine naming your baby Sennacherib?) answers loudly enough so all the people can hear….”Surely you realize what we’ve done to all the other nations. Were any of their gods able to rescue them from my hands? Name one time! How much less will your God rescue you from my power!” “ Then he and his officials further mocked the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah, heaping insult upon insult.”

Hezekiah had done his homework. He had fortified the walls, armed the people. But he knew that they were outmanned and outgunned. He also knew his God. He was powerful, He was able.

He called Isaiah the prophet of God and they cried out in prayer to God. “And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib returned home in disgrace to his own land.”

It was a test…”to see what was really in his heart.” (vs31) Isn’t that what a test does? In Hezekiah’s case, it revealed that all this cleaning up and sacrificing was because of a repentant heart that trusted in and glorified God Most High.

He passed.

Paul is writing the Corinthians. He is pumped. Paul is always pumped. He never lost his excitement about the scope of what Christ had done for him and would do for anyone who placed their trust in Him. It was so worth it all both for this life and for the life to come. He was the consummate preacher yet in so many of the towns he visited, they hated him and hated the message. He would be beaten to a pulp, left to die and abandoned. First time and I’d be done. Not Paul. He was sold out. “God made us his captives and leads us…and wherever we go, he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume.” His vision was fixed on the heavenly and right on Jesus because he was just passing through. Earth was not the ultimate destination.

Then he says in 4:6-7, “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness, has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. “

“But this precious treasure, this light and power than now shines within us…is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies so everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.”

Rapturous words about the power of God and the miracle of the light he’d received and that we can receive.

Then, the very next verse, the very next one….”We are pressed (afflicted) on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. “

“Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus…”

I’ve run into a couple of walls lately, have you? In comparison to Paul's, in comparison to other people’s walls, mine are little bitty. Yours may be huge Jericho walls, not a little garden wall but a wall nonetheless. Perplexed is a wall, afflicted is a wall, being knocked down is a wall, suffering is a wall. A child who refuses to talk to you is a wall. An obnoxious neighbor is a wall. An illness is a wall. Lots of kinds of walls.

I’m walking along, trusting Jesus, singing to Jesus, happy following Jesus and then wham! Out of nowhere, walk right into a wall. Like what happened to Jesus?

He stepped to the side or made a hard right but still there, like with Hezekiah, like with Paul.

Know what I do? I’m incredulous that the wall is even there!

Paul was not, he expected the wall. Hezekiah didn't seem to miss a beat. He did all he knew to do and then pulled out a great big gun prayer warrior named Isaiah and went to God in prayer.

Not me. I call my mom. (Poor woman. When she dies, you’ll drive by the cemetery and I’ll be sitting out by her grave in my lawn chair, talking, arms waving like someone demented.) “Can you believe? I mean, if you were he, if you were her, would you have done that? Is this right?! I mean, I just can’t believe… yada, yada, yada.” Do you relate?

How long do we stand in front of the wall, totally outdone that it’s even there, much less that we, wonderful devoted followers of Jesus, are having to deal with ...this wall.

And Jesus stands there, at our arm saying, “Turn to Me. Trust Me. For your sake and a watching world, turn to Me, turn to Me. I have the solution."

Over and over in 2 Chronicles, Paul repeats….it’s not about you. It’s about Him. It’s given to you so that you can tell the world about Him. It’s never meant to stop with you…all of life is to be played out for the world to see how a God with whom you have a relationship, is able to meet every need of your life even if you are perplexed, hunted down, knocked down, suffering or in constant danger.

Even if your child is mute, your neighbor is obnoxious, your mammogram is not good and your daughter is getting married. In every case, you are not crushed or broken, you don’t give up and quit, you are never abandoned by God, you get up again and keep going.

So our first response to a wall is not be surprised it’s there. I’d love just one time to run into a wall and my first reaction be, “A wall.... a WALL!! Man, I’ve been wondering when you’d pop up!” And immediately turn and look at Jesus, confidently knowing He'll do a work...in me or the situation.

He has either filled me with His Spirit who gives me all I need for life and for godliness. Or He has not.

He has.

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I have all I need.”

Outlet Streams

2010-08-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

We were new to North Carolina. I’d met a girl at church who asked me over for coffee. When I walked into her kitchen, sitting on the floor was the most precious nine month old with the most hair I’d ever seen! Parted and combed, a clone of his dad, he looked up at me with a smile. She introduced me and then told me that he was #3. Her second child died while she was giving birth.

She was in tears by the end of the story but then she dried them and said, “During that time I thought I was the only one who had ever lost a baby but since then, you have no idea how many women I’ve met who have lost one too. I’ve been able to share how God incredibly loved me during that time and brought me through it all. It has been so amazing.”

This was probably thirty years ago but it’s just as clear in my mind’s eye as the day it happened. She was the example Paul would have given for
2 Corinthians 2:3-7 had he lived in the 1970’s.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

If we belong to Him, it is no longer about us. The retelling of stand up and shout “Glory!” moments or life in the pits, both are platforms for sharing His work in your life with others for the express purpose of bringing Him glory. Nothing should stop with just us.

Jesus loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life…so that…I can share this news with others.

A random embolism that hit her baby’s heart and caused it to stop opened a floodgate of doors to other women who had lost babies and were drowning in sorrow . She had entry to their hearts that I would never have and she used it to bring them to Him and to bring Him glory.

If you continue in this chapter, it says “it is God who enables us..to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us and he has identified us as His own by placing His Holy Spirit in us.” (vses 21-22)

Moving to chapter 2:14, “He (God) has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere like sweet perfume.”

When we go through a trial, when we are the recipients of incredible blessing, all this is “so that” we can tell others what we’ve learned, what we’ve experienced, what we know to be truth. It is so that we can spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere like sweet perfume. We are not supposed to be a Dead Sea. The Jordan River is the only water source flowing in. There are no outlet streams. So the wonderful water from the Jordan evaporates once it hits the Dead Sea and only dry salt is left. There is no life in the Dead Sea…hence the name.

David Platt told the story of a group of Sudanese Christians with whom he visited while in Sudan. They’d brought their Bibles to study with him. Once he began to talk, they never made eye contact again until he finished. They were writing down everything he said. It was not just for personal application, “what is Jesus saying to me in this passage.” It was to take home, translate, apply and then share with other people in their villages.

We sit in air conditioned churches in cushioned pews and absorb wonderful messages about God with our hands folded in our laps. Kind of like those sprayers in tanning salons. Stand in front of them and close your eyes and get sprayed a lovely bronze. We look good.

But this puts a whole new spin on it doesn’t it. Suppose when we read the Word, a book, an article or listen to a sermon we view it as information strategically planned for our hearing by God Himself. His goal is to grow us in our faith, increase our knowledge and our love for him, and enlarge our vision of who he is and how he is working today not only in our lives but the lives of those around us. Think he’d want to just put a stopper on all that? Fill ‘er up so I’m about to pop and then just take a seat and glow?

I don’t think so. I need an outlet stream. I need outlet streams.

I had an aunt that would knock on doors and when the resident answered would say something like, “Hello, if you died tonight, would you go to heaven or hell?”

I would have said, “Thank you for asking,” and shut the door quietly and locked it and turned off all the lights, wouldn’t you?

But suppose you decided to stop by Panera for coffee. You smile at the lady next to your table when you sit down and said, “Hey, how are you?” Sitting alone, she smiles, tears up and said, “I’m ok. Kind of. My husband walked out last week.”

As it just so happens, ten years ago, your husband walked out on you and your four teenagers, which warrants a straight ticket to … I’m so sorry, I digress. But God…intervened in your life and met you in ways you never thought possible, healing your beat up heart, setting you on a straight path and nourishing your soul, meeting your needs…over and over and over.

Reckon why you picked the table next to hers. Who did that? God. What is the most wonderful gift you could give her? You could tell her how she can know Jesus and have a relationship with him. That he sat her right next to you. You could tell her how much he loves her, that he longs to cares for her just like he has cared for you and then tell her exactly how he cared for you.

You probably learned all this truth in your head growing up…in a Book. But it became real, it became truth that you could authenticate because when applied to life, to real life, it worked. It was so true.

That’s all he wants us to do. Notice he did not say, “and win them to Christ, sign them up for a Bible study, get a commitment, close the deal before you walk away!” Nope…He just said to spread the knowledge of His Son.

There is a “be careful” however, for this admonition. Through the years, I’ve heard a ton of stuff that my boys needed to hear, that my husband needed to hear…haven’t you?! I’ve almost knocked them over in my stampede to tell them what I just learned, what they need to hear as a word straight from God himself and he sent me to tell them they need to put this word into practice…now!

Not what I’m talking about. We need to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

There was a sweet spirit in my North Carolina friend. A quiet, sweet spirit born of sorrow and suffering. She had a tenderhearted, kind empathy toward those she knew did not know what she knew from experience. That was the key to their hearts and to the hearts of those God puts in our paths as well.

The Event

2010-07-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

A sweet young lady called me recently to ask if I would head up prayer for a women’s event our church is having in the fall….someone had recommended me. You know my first thought? “Oh man, I’m not real good at that.” I'm 60. I've been praying for years..I should be good at that. So is being good at it the the reason I'll do it or not do it? Do you only obey God if you're good at it?

Problem is my statement fits with a quote from the book Radical by David Platt.

“We Christians are living out the American dream in the context of our communities of faith. We have convinced ourselves that if we can position our resources and organize our strategies, then in church as in every other sphere of life, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.”

He continues, “But what is strangely lacking in the picture of performances, personalities, programs and professionals is desperation for the power of God. God’s power is at best an add on to our strategies. I am frightened by the reality that the church I lead can carry on most of our activities smoothly, efficiently, even successfully, never realizing that the Holy Spirit of God is virtually absent from the picture.”

It is important to remember that God does give every believer a spiritual gift when he/she becomes a child of God that is to be used to grow and enrich the church. Whether teacher, administrator, a person of mercy, a giver…whatever… it is to give the church order and structure and meet all the needs of the church.

What we tend to do with these gifts however, is to run with them on our own much like David Platt was talking about. If our gift is teaching, we can stand up in front of a crowd and teach with our heart rate at a steady 60 almost by the seat of our pants. If our gift is administration, we can organize an entire Vacation Bible School for 800 kids and actually sleep the night before it begins. If it’s hospitality, we can cook for the homeless on Thanksgiving and be confident it will taste good and we will not run out of food. And we tend to forget….that the gift to do all this was not because we’re just so wonderful, it was from God. He was the Source of it and He is the one who empowers me to flesh that gift out.

I’m reminded of that every time I teach. I’ll read the passage and print it out on a fresh clean sheet of paper. I’m always acutely aware of the fact that there is no way I am smart enough, well read enough, articulate enough to pull this all together in a coherent lesson. Yet each week, as the Holy Spirit works, it just all comes together. Verses come to mind, passages that complement the one I’m studying, lessons, principles I’ve learned, replay and I’m so excited by the time the class rolls around, I don’t even care if anybody shows up or not. The coming together of the lesson was so not me, it doesn’t even matter what anyone else thinks, I’m pumped!

But every once in awhile, I think God throws in a “would you lead prayer for this event,” kind of thing. Teaching is one thing. Prayer is different. Even though I’ve prayed for years, to stand up in front of a group of 5 or 50 and not just say a prayer, I can do that…but to lead them to the Throne of Grace so everyone in that room knows they have not only been in the presence of God, they have actually spoken to Him, is quite another. To challenge women to recognize God as an intimate part of every aspect of their particular job and expect Him to fill every need, every idea, every thought is another. To trust that he in fact will do that for them when I tell them he will, takes it to another level entirely. That would take …. God…to do that. There’s nothing in me that can do that. Isn’t that the way we’re supposed to feel…all the time?

I sit down with only a Bible and say, “Ooooookaaaaaay. What exactly do you want me to say, God?”

Like what if he doesn’t say anything? I think that’s always the concern isn’t it…about a lot of things?

But I’m talking about an assignment I know was from Him. This wasn’t one of those, “You’re a nurse, so can you be the camp nurse? ” or “You’re a teacher, so can you teach VBS?” “You’re a mom, so can you do the nursery?” This was one of those totally not because you’re so good at this but you know God’s telling you to do it things. No guilt. Just direction. Two different things.

I sat down a couple of days later with my Daily Bible to read. I was in 1 Chronicles.

King David had called a group together to review plans and instructions God had given him for the building of the temple. It was interesting that he met with his son, commanders, generals, captains but he also included overseers of the royal property and livestock too...so a diverse group just like those assembled for our ladies event.

He told them first, to" get to know the God of your ancestors. Worship and serve Him with your whole heart and with a willing mind for the Lord sees every heart and understands and knows every plan and thought." (1 Chron 28:9 NLT) Interesting that those were the instructions before he hands them the first plan.

He then gives them the plans and says in vs 20, "Be strong and courageous and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work (related to the temple of the Lord) is finished correctly."

Think that applies to our little deal? Absolutely. The first priority for this little core group of women, is to worship and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind.....to be quiet before Him every morning so the plans they are making and executing are His plans. He sees and knows every thought and we want our plans to originate with Him and play out under His supervision just as much as the plans for the temple.

Then, He promises He will be with us, not fail or forsake us and He, Himself will see to it that all the work is finished correctly.

I stand amazed in the Presence.

The Jesus Film

2010-07-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

We were headed to a beach in Florida, twelve hours away. I had a thick new book to consume me, chase away the tedium and drown out the kids after 47 games of Uno. After the first few pages I began to complain aloud, “This is the dumbest woman, this is the most ridiculous dialogue, the worst writing. I can’t believe I chose this book.”

Finally, sick of hearing my comments, my husband gave me his book since he was driving and said, “Ok, read this but you need to give it back to me when we get there.” I finished it at 3 a.m. He did not get it back when we got there. I don’t think I even helped unpack the car.

I’m reading that kind of book now. The name of it is Radical by David Platt.

I’d read some verses in Acts a few weeks prior. They stood out. I wrote them down. They didn’t connect with anything then but it’s something how everything gradually starts to fit together. Every time it happens, I’m amazed. Every time. The verses have begun to fit with this book.

Paul was stopped by Jesus on the road to Damascus on his way to arrest and kill Christians. “ A light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down and I heard a voice from heaven saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to fight against my will.’”

Paul asks, “Who are you ,sir?”

And the Lord replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now stand up. For I have appeared to you as my servant and my witness. You are to tell the world about this experience and about other times I will appear to you.” (Acts 26:13-16 NLT)

My servant and my witness.

We tell our kids God loves them. He does. Unconditionally. That’s ground floor. There is a whole skyscraper above ground floor. He didn’t just call Paul into relationship with Himself so Paul would feel loved. He called him for a purpose.

He calls us into relationship with Himself….because He loves us. But the object, the purpose of his calling is the same for us that it was for Paul… to be His servant and to be His witness.

His servant to obey His will. Not my will, His will. Not my ideas, His ideas. His responsibility is to make his will crystal clear. Mine is to listen to what he says and to obey.

We are to be a witness of a living God intersecting with our daily lives, of a Word that is so relevant, of peace and joy that surpass understanding. Our witness brings Him honor and glory.

We always think big things. Big obedience like God calling us to the Sudan or Russia to be a witness. Nope…for most of us, that will not happen.

It’s in the little mundane things we are to practice obedience. And I used to say the reason for that was because when we learn He’s faithful in all the little things, we’ll trust Him in the big things…which is true. Like David taking out a lion and a bear...seeing God come through so when he faced a giant, it was no big deal. Same trust, same God, different level.

But there’s another aspect to this too. When we are obedient, we begin to see that the little things lead down a path that lead to bigger things that we are totally unaware of until….later. And we would have missed a glorious opportunity to see God work on an even bigger platform had we not been obedient in the little things which were actually leading up to it.

Over the years we’ve supported a project called The Jesus Film. The original was in English and produced in the 70’s. It has now been translated to hundreds of languages and has been shown all over the world. Periodically they hold a briefing so people can see what they are doing. It is by invitation. I have been invited. Several times. Last time I actually mulled it over before I threw it away…even responded to tell them I wasn’t coming.

I just got another. They are held twice a year I think. This time I knew God wanted me to go. Not one doubt I was supposed to go. I looked on the calendar at the date this was being held and this will sound incredibly superficial and I’m sorry…I apologize in advance but October is right in the middle of football season. I know you are shaking your head but you know what? God knows I’m right smack in the middle of SEC football and you know when this event is? On the one weekend this fall that we have an open date! Who gets the last laugh…I can’t believe it. It’s scheduled during a bye week! I don’t even have to make a choice and give up a football game for Jesus!

We have 38,000 frequent flier miles with Delta. In the last few trips we’ve made, we’ve not been able to purchase a ticket for 38,000 miles…they all have required at least 50,000. This briefing is in Milwaukee….a long way from the South so it should require at least 50,000 miles. But the way this was headed I would have bet the mortgage that Milwaukee wasn’t going to require 50,000 miles. I put in Milwaukee, I put in our frequent flier number, my finger was poised above enter and I’m smiling like a Cheshire cat because I KNOW what it’s going to say!

Bingo…32,500. You bet.

Next up is my husband. He does not know about any of this. This will be a solo trip. But at this point, I just can’t wait until God says, “Ok, run it by him now.” I’ll lay it all out and then sit there with a grin on my face, almost laughing because I know what he’ll say…it’s almost comical!

Now what should he say to my sweet little southern voice saying , “Honey, I want to go to Milwaukee to this briefing about a film they’re showing about Jesus?” Narrowed eyes will peer at me. “Ooooookay. Milwaukee. Do you know where that is? Can’t you just go to our church? It’s just 10 miles away. They’re talking about Him there too.”

“Nope, I need to go to Milwaukee.”

Why? I have absolutely no idea. I so do not know where this is leading. But God is the master, I am the servant. When He starts putting travel plans together and times it during a bye week, putting it in a town that only requires the amount of frequent flier miles I have, something’s up. I need to pack. I need to look at this in great anticipation of a new revelation of who he is, a new opportunity, or just awed that he wants to bless me with a weekend listening to what He is doing all over the world. Only He knows.

Isn’t that just so nice? And I’ll come back a witness to the greatness and glory of our God….a big God doing things in countries I have never even heard of. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to give witness to…all of us? The greatness and glory of our God?

As the new school year begins, the weather breaks, a cool wind appears (we all desperately hope), we need to look afresh at our whole purpose for being here. It is not to sign up for 10 things to make his name known. But to tune in and listen to his voice and obey what he tells us to do knowing he has a marvelous plan with a part that I’m supposed to play.

And we do not want to miss out on any of it.

P.S. Tonight I said sweetly, “Honey, I want to go to Milwaukee in October to this briefing about a film they’re showing about Jesus?” And he said….are you ready? “Sounds like a great idea…why don’t you take a couple of girlfriends along with you.” Thirty six years of hard work on this man has paid off, ladies!

Women in Church

2010-07-22T05:09:00.000-07:00

Shelby Foote was a Civil War historian. Whenever he spoke, it was like the event happened yesterday. You could smell the smoke, hear the gunfire. He made history come alive with the most wonderful southern accent…straight out of Mississippi.

I have a teacher who does the same with Bible passages. The citizens of Corinth in the first century, worshipped Aphrodite in a temple on a hill outside the city. The main form of worship was having sex with a temple prostitute. You could identify them because they shaved their heads. Needless to say, they ran the show.

Paul is speaking to the church in Corinth, calling them to separate from the culture they lived in. They were called to be holy. They needed to do things differently. They had been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. They were different….he challenged them to act like it so they could be light in a dark world.

Knowing this makes all the difference in the world when you look at 1 Corinthians 11-14. Veils, the admonition to cover the head, length of the hair….the point was that when they came to worship, there needed to be a difference in the way they looked and the way the temple prostitute looked. There needed to be a difference in the way they did church.

Paul is addressing disorder in the church and offers correction to enable the church to function in the way God planned. So often, God gets bashed about how Christians live their lives or do church when neither remotely resemble his original plan.

Paul says the chain of command is God>Christ>man>woman. It has nothing to do with intellect or ability once you get down the chain to men and women. It has everything to do with… that’s just the order he wanted them in.

One of my sons is a Marine, a first lieutenant. The officer in command over him is probably not in that position because he’s smarter. He’s just been in longer. My son commands men ten years older than he is with tons more experience than he has. But he’s the officer and he runs the show for his platoon. That’s the way the military is set up. No one votes on whether they think it’s a good idea or not.

And God’s smarter than the military. And his motives are pure.

I read these chapters in a whole new light this time. I personally think God’s telling these men to man up, be a leader…fulfill what I’ve called you to do. You have to be married or have been married to understand where I got this.

When I got my first car, my dad gave me a little book to record when I had the oil changed and the tires rotated because…you were supposed to do that every 3000 miles and every 5000 miles. Must have been true…my dad said it.

Then I got married. My odometer rolled over another 3000 miles and I said, “Honey, I need to get my oil changed, I’ve driven 3000 more miles.” His response was, “So?” “Well, you’re supposed to get your oil changed every 3000 miles.” “Says who?” “My dad.” “Oh, well, I don’t change oil but once a year and then only if it needs it.” He was dead serious.

I’m sitting there looking at him like you’ve got to be kidding only he wasn’t.

So I said, “Well, I think it needs to be changed.” And he said….. “Well, ok. Then you take care of it.”

I didn’t want to take care of it. I wanted him to take care of it and do it every 3000 miles, not once a year!

After 35 years, I’ve found that’s how it works though. “Honey, I don’t really agree with the way you’re handling the finances.” “Ok, you take care of the finances.” “ Honey, I don’t really like the way you’re mowing the yard.” “Ok, you mow the yard.” They are perfectly happy letting you take care of the oil, the finances and the yard. And my guess is those first century women probably didn’t like the way the men were doing church so the men probably said, “Ok, ya’ll do church.”

This is all conjecture. But doesn’t it stand to reason that if women were running the show in church it’s because the men abdicated their positions? And God is saying, no, no, no….YOU need to be involved and take leadership at church….I have other things for her to do, buddy. You need to be the role model for your kids. You need to raise the bar, show them how to have a relationship with me, worship me, give honor and glory to me. They need to see their DAD doing that, not hanging out in the parking lot shooting the breeze.

Think women would just love that? Think we have enough to do that we could roll with that? We’re working hard, teaching these kids all week.

But Paul doesn’t stop there. He throws in chapter 13. Let me show you how I expect a real man (in this case, although he’s talking to women too) acts in leadership.

He is to be loving and in case he’s fuzzy on what that looks like, this is it.

“Love is patient. Love is kind.

Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.

Love does not demand its own way.

Love is not irritable and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.

It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.” (NLT)

Could you follow a leader like that? Think a leader like that would honor you, consider your thoughts and feelings on the subject, respect your expertise in areas he is deficient in? Absolutely. And that’s the model God set up, the bar he set in this instance , for the men he’s calling to lead. We’re squashing them when we take over!

If you go on down to 14:34, you’ll find another verse that makes the hair stand up on the backs of women’s necks.

Why verse 34? This might give some insight. Over the years, my husband and I have gone to Bible classes both together and separately. On Sundays when we’ve gone separately, it’s because we were both teaching. I know he taught because I would look through the glass in the door and see him standing up in front of people…and he was talking….about the Bible…because we were in church.

Whenever we’ve gone to a class together he is absolutely mute. Not one word. Know who talks? Me. I always think it’s great stuff, I always have an opinion, I always am excited at whatever they are studying! But my husband? Sealed up tight.

Know why Paul said this? If we would shut up, maybe they would become engaged, join in, express themselves. Maybe if we asked them, “Honey, what did that verse mean? When you read it, what did God say to you?” And then shut up…reckon what they’d say.

God has called men to come under Christ’s authority. They are not to shoot from the hip any more than my son’s staff sergeant is to shoot from his hip. Everything the sergeant does has to either originate with or be approved by my son. So we have every right to say, “Have you prayed about this? Is this what God is telling you to do?” And then we need to shut up and look at him expectantly. “Whatever He told you honey, then that’s exactly what we need to do.”

It changes the whole dynamic of the conversation doesn’t it. Works with kids too. I said that to one of my sons who said he wanted to go to college at Travis County Junior College in Austin, Texas because they had great country music. What??? So I said, “Did you ask God about this?” “Yes ma’am.” “So what did he say?” Blank look. “Ok, when He tells you what he thinks, you let me know what he says.” He never mentioned it again.

We do not naturally do this. Or I don’t. I have it all figured out plus five different alternatives if that doesn’t work. So who am I trusting? Me! I really have to trust God if it’s once removed, don’t I. Brings trust to a whole new level.

We need to remember that God is a good God. He wants to grow men up to reflect his character as well as women and this is something he wants to use to accomplish that. We need to quit pulling out random verses and jumping on God.

I have walked away today with a smile!

The Riches of Your Love

2010-07-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

We sang a song in church recently that went something like this…

“I’m running to Your arms, running to Your arms,
The riches of Your love will always be enough.
Nothing compares to Your love.”

I’m singing , swaying, eyes closed, smile on my face knowing my life consists of a nicely furnished, air conditioned home with a sweet husband and a monthly retirement check arriving right on time to meet all our needs. We have healthy bodies, good health insurance. I have great kids, our family has a great relationship with each other, I have wonderful friends…you bet I’ll run to Your arms. The riches of Your love will always be enough.

Yet an image of a beneficent God, arms outstretched, broad smile reaching across His kind face did not come to mind. I see that often but that day, an image of two friends from the past came to mind.

One had three kids, twelve and under. She walked in from teaching school one Friday and her husband was packing a suitcase. “Where are you going?” she asked. “I’m leaving. I don’t love you anymore.” And he walked out of her life forever. She never saw it coming. Blindsided.

The other had a long marriage, grown children, a beautiful home filled with beautiful things and a very shrewd husband who also left her for another after obtaining a very shrewd lawyer who left her with very little. Taken to the cleaners, at an age when most retire.

What if your world has shattered? Are the riches of His love….enough?

If your faith only works when things are good, it’s useless. It has to work when things are disastrous as well. Joy and peace and a sense of security have to kick in then too for you to truly know this whole relationship is supernatural, to know that you are not alone, the Spirit of God lives within you and is reproducing His character in you. You cannot fake it when times are bad. He’s either there or He’s not.

In the NLT, Psalm 23 reads, “The Lord is my shepherd I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows, he leads me beside the peaceful streams.” But it also says, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”
The Lord is my shepherd leading me through green meadows and peaceful streams and the Lord is my shepherd when I walk through the darkest valleys. And I am able to be unafraid because I know He is close beside me and He will give me tangible evidence of his presence.

We hit a disastrous pothole whether by our choosing or someone else’s and sometimes we act like He’s checked out. Yet He is still our shepherd. Right now however, He’s leading us through the darkest valleys. Interesting that it says through green meadows and peaceful stream he leads me but through the darkest valley, I won’t be afraid because you are close beside me. And isn’t that the way it is? We may know he’s definitely there during the good times, but man, during the bad, we draw so close, we are pressed in so hard, we are like white on rice.

Daniel knew the green meadows and peaceful streams. A high official in the king’s court, he acknowledged God’s presence in his life at least three times a day by bowing to worship Him. When he was accused of disobeying the king’s edict and threatened with death by being torn apart by lions, nothing changed. He still prayed three times a day. God led him into the lions’ den and sat with him through the long night.

I’m reading The Hiding Place. You could not find a kinder, more giving family who loved God with all their hearts. It permeated every aspect of their lives. Their response to prison and a concentration camp was so totally God. They, especially Betsie, never wavered in their knowledge of His presence. The tangible evidence was their Bible that the guards never found and the words in it that brought incredible comfort and light to everyone they came in contact with. He was their shepherd through the darkest valley known to man.

If He is sovereign, then he knows the final chapter. There is purpose and meaning even if we never get the intervening chapters. He is a shepherd that has the capability of giving us all we need as we follow him along the path He’s chosen or allowed…whether by green meadows and peaceful streams or through darkest valleys.

Stay close. Stay tuned in. Listen. As a habit of life, constantly recognize who he is …worthy not only of our praise but our obedience in following closely and obeying his voice.

Oh for grace….to trust you more.

Flashlight Revisited

2010-06-19T06:19:00.000-07:00

I was still in my pajamas, finishing up the last blog. The biggest deal in my life was worrying over my very capable, responsible, mature 25 year old second son’s schedule. Give me a break. I must need to get a job. My mom called and said, “Something’s wrong. I can’t get my thoughts together.” She’s 87. She always has her thoughts together. She has way more thoughts together than I do and I’m about 30 years younger. She takes care of my dad who has Alzheimer’s and is 92. She’s a trooper.

She’d had a TIA, a side effect of a heart rhythm that was detected right before she had a pacemaker a few weeks ago. She was transported to the hospital telling me as they wheeled her out to call her hairdresser so she’d know she wouldn’t be able to come today! She was hospitalized for anticoagulation therapy and sitting there looking at her one day, I realized she had reached that “I can’t do this any longer,” point and that lifestyle changes would have to be made. But I also realized she wasn’t bouncing back like she usually did. She’s who I inherited that inability to sit from and not only was she sitting, she was relishing sitting, relishing being served meals, relishing the silence and the respite from being asked the same question 10 times in one hour. She was worn out.

In my usual plan the day, plan the week, plan the month, plan the year mode, I embarked on trying to make plans with my sister and brother, but Mother’s body wasn’t cooperating with any plans beyond two weeks. We had no time frames to work within because we had no idea when or if her bounce would kick in. And I needed a plan because we’re having a wedding and thank goodness, you’re saying, this woman is not the mother of the bride! They would come to my house for two weeks and then someone needed to show up a week before the wedding so they could move back to their house and then after the wedding they could move back to my house and then after that we needed to come up with another plan because we had a two week trip booked after that. I really needed a plan like right now….for at least four weeks out. Nothing was coming together. Mother looked and acted…87.

I had been going to the hospital early in the morning and staying til early afternoon and then going back at night. I was meeting myself going and coming. I was praying, but still trying to plan. Plan is the operative word here. June 10th, God said to stop….and read Jesus Calling.

So the June 10th reading said, “Rest in Me, My child. Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My Spirit to take charge of the details of this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. When you try to peer into the future and plan for every possibility, you ignore your constant Companion who sustains you moment by moment. As you gaze anxiously into the distance, you don’t even feel the strong grip of My hand holding yours. How foolish you are, My child!

Remembrance of Me is a daily discipline. Never lose sight of My Presence with you. This will keep you resting in Me all day, every day.”

And people say God doesn’t speak to us personally about situations we’re in?

He also reminded me of what I’d written the day this happened.

It was like a big reset button was mashed. Take a deep breath. Regroup. Refocus.

Who’s in charge…who am I following? Is my flashlight on the path right in front of me or waving wildly up ahead?

My flashlight is back on the path. God will give wisdom today for today and tell us when to look beyond today. He’ll tell us what we need to know and do when we need to know and do it. As I think back, He’s worked so many times to bring things together for my parents, why would He stop now?

That is the basis for future grace. His faithfulness in the past is our promise for His faithfulness in the future.

Flashlights

2010-06-15T18:41:00.000-07:00

We used to go camping when the boys were growing up. You cannot adequately appreciate a hotel until you’ve been camping. I always hug the front desk clerk now whenever we check in.

I have always gotten up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and during these campouts, my bladder was completely unaware that it would be enormously inconvenient to do this because either there wasn’t a bathroom if we were in a primitive campground or the bathroom was a hike away if it was a civilized campground. My husband would be dead to the world. My boys were….well, have you ever walked on a trail with a son in the dark? They are not singlemindedly focused on the trail. They focus on the trees, the path behind us, the sky, the woods and then every once in awhile…the path. Plus no way they would have stood outside alone while I went into the ladies room or in the dark alone while I, with the flashlight, found an appropriate bush because no way was I peeing into pitch black darkness.

So all alone, I’d grab the flashlight and head out. I knew the general direction but the path I was walking on usually changed with each footfall. A root, stones, a washout, steps down or up, it was important to keep the light illuminating the path right in front of me. Every once in awhile I’d stop and get my bearings, look all around me to see if it looked familiar, if there were any signs confirming I was on my way to the bath house, if there were wild animals or creepy people lurking in the woods. Even if the bathroom was a half mile away, I never pointed my flashlight on the bath house and kept it there. Never did. I always pointed it at the path directly in front of my feet.

Why do we do keep pointing our flashlights at the bath house a half mile away, in life?

My son is getting married with all the requisite people coming into town, moving two households and one puppy into one house, working full time, taking three graduate level classes….all in one three day period. Keep in mind he is a man and he is 25. He does not think like a woman. Why are we always surprised. My flashlight this morning was pointed squarely on him and those three days.

What is your flashlight pointing on?

“Do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. “ Matt 6:34.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path.” Psm 119:105

I’m to ask God what he wants me to do… today. What he says, what he asks me to do may impact tomorrow or next year or twenty years from now…but the word he gives me is what he wants me to do today. His word is a lamp that lights up the path in front of my feet. Not a lamp to light up the bath house a half mile away or the three day marathon a month from now.

Today, He said, "Offer your help on the next two weekends and then let it go." I think I need “Let It Go” tattooed on my hands and forehead.

This is a little bitty non life and death logistical issue compared to huge problems that I may face as my day progresses. So He’s given me light for this issue and then I let it go and move on to the next. He can handle this.

Anxiety wraps me up in the problem instead of freeing me to move ahead and not miss what is on His agenda for the rest of the day. And I don’t want to miss any of it.

When I get ensnared by anxiety, I need to ask myself where my flashlight is pointing. Is it at the mountains in the distance or on the path at my feet? He’ll let me know when to plan for mountains in the distance if I need to.

Joshua led over a million men, women and children whose sole activity for forty years was walking around in a wilderness, into a promised land that could only be taken by force.

God said, “I will be with you. I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous.” In the next breath he said, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night.”

He assured Joshua he’d be right there with him and that he needed to be strong and courageous to do what God was going to tell him to do. This could only be accomplished if Joshua constantly meditated on his word which consequently would make him aware of His presence. It would permeate every thought and action enabling him to trust him explicitly. If Joshua needed to be aware of something, warned, encouraged, a plan changed, reformulated, God would let him know, he’d light up that section of the path. “Just trust Me.”

Nothing’s changed has it.

Rest

2010-06-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

We just finished Leviticus. Whenever you finish a book in the Bible, someone should be able to wake you up in the middle of the night out of a dead sleep and say, “Leviticus!” You’d sit straight up in bed and give them one…just one pearl you got out of that book that changed the way you did life. How many of these fill in the blank studies do we do and all we can say when someone asks about our last Bible study was, “Oh it was good…good.” Well, what exactly was so good?

So of all the fantastic things in Leviticus (you should have had the teacher I had who probably remembers every single historical fact she ever learned in her entire life and is able to quote each tiny fact in detail with so much enthusiasm that you’re just shaking your head at the sheer wonder of it all and you walk away incredulous at…Leviticus…imagine!) one of the words that stood out was "rest."

Now this little muse today does not in any way explore the depths of this little word , it is just a rabbit trail.

That this word stood out is amazing because I come from a long line of women who can’t sit. Some women can…we just can’t. It’s not that always being upright is good and sitting is bad, it’s just the way it is. I think it was in the gene pool. And it’s not that we’re always doing work that’s even that important. We’re just always busy. It may be mindless but we’re on our feet, upright until we fall into bed at night as opposed to our husbands who at night can sit still as death in front of a TV doing nothing more than swallow and possibly blink when their thumb depresses the remote. In fact every cell in their body is so still you’d think they were dead…except they’re breathing and pink.

God gives Moses word for word instructions on the Sabbath…when he wants it celebrated and how. He gives him instructions on the Feasts, when and how. One of the words that repeat is rest. They are to cease labor and rest in order to reflect on the provision and mercy of God during these times.

He knew that you could not be at full tilt and reflect on him so he set aside a specific day, told the people to cease all labor and the only place they were to go was to a holy convocation. Now who do you think primarily he had in mind? Do you think most men would opt to work seven days a week? Nope. I think he was thinking (and this is just my opinion and totally conjecture) but I think he was thinking about women.

Why? In Exodus 35, Moses reviews God’s instructions in case they missed it the first time. He said, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord.” Now just in case anyone thinks there’s wiggle room here, or that surely He did not mean the little woman couldn't cook dinner, He added, “whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings (now who do you suppose normally did that and cooked on it?) on the Sabbath day.”

He wanted everyone to stop what they were doing and rest and reflect on Him…. His goodness, His mercy, His provision, His love and care of them, His glory, His majesty, His awesome power. They could go around the family circle all day long, each verbally contributing aspects of God’s character that had directly impacted their lives.

In 4000 years, nothing’s changed as far as the composition of human bodies. Our livers are the same as they were 4000 years ago…as are our hearts, lungs, nerves, including our last nerves. Think our needs have changed? If anything, they have increased! We look like a hamster on a wheel now compared to people in Moses’ time, strolling through the wilderness. How much more do we need this time out for rest so we can reflect?

I don’t know about you, but just one day a week isn’t enough. I need to carve some time out every day and preferably at the beginning of the day to sit down and quietly reflect on the goodness and mercy and love of God. All around me is silent. After a time, I pray and then I read.

An incredible book was given to me. I should have ordered a case when they were $5 a book because I’ve given so many away. They are now up to $7.50 at our little bookstore and even if it’s $50 at yours, it is well worth the money and I’ll give you a month before you’ll order a case to give away too.

It’s a little daily devotional book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. It is written in the first person as if Jesus is talking to you personally. The main thrust of the book is the absolute necessity of remembering and consciously placing yourself in His presence.

Of course we know since He lives within us, He is always present. But we forget. The words in this book still the soul and direct my focus and my heart to the Father. There is a sense of serene calmness and peace directly attributable to the Father’s presence. She always gives references of a couple of scriptures that she has quoted so you know where her thoughts originated.

Can you imagine the difference starting the day with that vs. starting it with three kids jumping on top of you in bed because you opted to turn over and sleep an extra 30 minutes?

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13. What an incredible relationship. We will not plumb the depths or experience His fullness if we are blowing him a kiss while we zoom by on the way to the kitchen or zoom by as we drop kids off at school or run on the treadmill.

We had neighbors one time who were glued to the TV. Years ago. But I still remember when I would go over maybe to borrow a cup of sugar or take some mail that had come to us instead of them. They would ask me in but the whole time I was talking to them, they had one eye on me and one eye on the TV…their attention primarily on the TV because they found it infinitely more exciting than me. I just quit going over. I wanted their full and undivided attention at some point in the visit.

So with God.

And the secondary benefits are immense. Can you imagine once a day just being still and quiet, refocusing on the One who is really running the show, knows what you’ll face and reminds you not to fear, He’s got your hand? Can you imagine once a week, laying everything aside and just worshiping him and coming home to rest…everyone taking a nap and then rocking on the back porch reflecting on his goodness and provision and mercy and kindness and presence? Think that would positively impact our health? Our relationships?

Prayer, communication with God is absolutely vital throughout the day as we’re zooming around. But begin your day with a quiet time in the morning with no agenda but being with Him.

Just a thought.

Comments on a Washington Post Editorial

2010-05-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

I read with interest Kathleen Parker’s recent editorial in the Washington Post, “Which Prayers Count?” I wrote to ask her to clarify a statement she made. Maybe it’s a matter of semantics.

Her column stated, “(Franklin) Graham said that Muslims and Hindus don’t pray to the same God he does,” and in my opinion, she ridiculed him for that. Keep in mind however, that Graham prays to a God who is described in a Book. The banner headline of this Book could easily read, “There is One God and I’m It.” This God said things like, “You shall have no other gods besides me. You shall not make idols, or any likeness of what is in heaven or earth or water.” In other words, don’t worship anything or anyone else, just me. Incredibly narrow. Incredibly exclusive. He repeats himself over and over. Same message throughout the whole Book. One God and He’s it.

He also said don’t add to my Book. When the final word of The Revelation was written, that was it…the end. No other revelations after that.

He sent his Son to earth. His name was Jesus and he is described in the book as God’s only Son. In fact, to substantiate my claim of how narrow this God is, his Son said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, (the God in this Book) except through me.” Pretty much leaves out any other avenue. And it’s written in the Book....a direct quote.

So if Muslims and Hindus or whoever for that matter, have a god who looks, thinks, acts, directs differently than the God of this book, it just can’t be the same one. Their god doesn’t fit Graham’s God description which really isn’t open to interpretation because a complete description is given in…the Book. And theirs just doesn’t fit the description. Kind of like insisting someone is Kathleen Parker who isn’t! She may sound like her, look like her, act like her, but there’s just one Kathleen Parker, not two or twenty. Same here. The conclusion has to be, they worship and pray to a god, but it’s not this God, Graham’s God.

I think often the problem is that people who pass judgment on Graham’s God, or speak on behalf of his God or make statements that do not align with the basic teachings of the Bible have never read The Book much like Janet Napolitano and Eric Holder testified before Congress, giving their opinion on the new Arizona law when neither had read it.

Start the search of what this God says about Himself with Genesis keeping this in mind…He shares His glory with no other gods. Those are His words, not mine.

Are you writing the authors of the editorials you read?!

Satisfied

2010-05-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

The sun is rising, I’m drinking coffee, bleary eyed, hair all over my face, reading my morning devotions and I come to this statement. “There is so much we do not have because we do not acknowledge God as the answer to that need.”

Dead stop.

God has many names in scripture.

He is the Lifter of my Head. “You O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory and the lifter of my head. (Psalm 3:3) How many times have I been down, life’s a mess, no idea the next step, exhausted and then I read Psalm 3:3 and Isaiah 40:26, “Lift up your eyes and look at the stars. Who created these? He brings them out like an army, one by one, calling each of them by name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not one of them are missing.” He is Almighty God and He lifts my chin up to look at how big He is…and changes my whole perspective, lifts my focus from the problems to His face and His power.

He is my Friend. John 15:15. When we’ve moved….again…and there is no one that I have known longer than five minutes, He’s there and we have a long history. We’ve shared joys and sorrows over the years, heartbreak and victories. He knows me well. We go back a long way.

He is my Hope. Psm71:5. When I have prayed and there still there seems to be no hope, he gives me a verse like this one, “You O Lord are my hope, You are my confidence…” and reminds me that He is enough, He gives hope… or Romans 15:5 “And the scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”

He is Sovereign; He is in control. “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his sovereignty rules over all….” (Psm 103:19) Isn’t that comforting to know that He ultimately is in control of this country, my future and that of my family? And He’s the one I’d want to be in control.

He is my Father. Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father who is in heaven….” Father. He is not God from afar but a God who relates to us as a father to his child. “No one can measure or understand the depths of his understanding,” ( Isa 40:28) because He created me, He loves me as a father loves his child and this father’s love is unconditional. “The eternal God is your refuge and underneath you are the everlasting arms.” Deut.33:27 When it seems no one understands or cares, he does.

He is my Advocate. He sits on the right hand of God and prays for me specifically. So when I come before God and confess that sin…again or words don’t come, my heart cannot be expressed, He knows and goes to the Father on my behalf. He is my personal representative to God Almighty. Hebrews 7:25 says, “He lives forever to intercede before God on my behalf.”

He is the Spirit of truth. John 16:13. His Holy Spirit resides in me and guides me into all truth. When I’m torn by differing opinions, I can go to him and find solid answers, truth.

He is my Provider. Philippians 4:19…”and my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” All I need … maybe not all I want but certainly all I need. When the job has ended, when the savings are gone, when the husband leaves, when the job is bigger than me, when I have no clue what to do with my kid, the promise stands…He will provide.

At this point, I’m standing up shouting Glory! He is my Shield! Thank you Jesus! He is my Wonderful Counselor! Praise God! He is my Helper, my Strong Tower! Hallelujah! Man, at this point I am marching around the room waving my white hankerchief!

And then I read…

He is the bread of life. John 6:35. “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger; and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” Ooooo. Room gets silent.

He is my Comforter. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” Coming in for a landing. It’s getting personal now.

I’m sure you’ve read that old prayer that says something like, “O God, I thank you for such a good morning. I’ve not once lost my temper or said anything smart alec. I’ve not gossiped, complained or whined. I’ve only thought good thoughts and loved you with all my heart and soul this morning and my neighbor as myself. Now as I get out of bed….”

Sometimes I feel that way about my quiet times in the mornings. I’m in a bubble curled up in my chair reading, praying, connecting, rejoicing, listening, being still and singing His praises.

Then I get dressed and go to work.

Late afternoon I come home tired, stressed, irritable, hungry after a long and very trying day. Whiney kids, whiney parents. Sick kids, absent, clueless parents. Everybody’s complaint is an emergency. Loads of paperwork, always paperwork. Fill in your own blanks. Now, at 5 p.m….is He the bread of life? No. A loaf of bread and a stick of butter is. Is He my Comforter? No. The last four pieces of chocolate cake is my comfort food…and then I calm down, take a deep breath, and begin my second shift at home. Funny thing though, no matter how much bread and butter I eat, it doesn’t satisfy. No matter how much cake, I’m not satisfied. I may feel full to the point of feeling sick but I’m not satisfied. I just add guilt and 1000 calories to my tired, stressed, irritable body in 90 seconds flat.

I heard Mark Driscoll say that idolatry is our heart clinging to something or someone other than God to meet your needs and exchanging the truth for a lie. We begin to worship things other than God and they begin to rule over us. Behind all this is the deception of Satan who provides a hook and attaches whatever we personally find tempting. Then he provides the lie which says, “This is good. It will make you feel better. This will calm you down, make you happy, fill that empty spot, make you feel loved. It will bring you peace.” But he is a liar. And the promises he makes are lies.

We read this and say, “I don’t worship food, I don’t worship men or money or my best friend or that glass of wine or running marathons or my kids…..” But when pressed, stressed, at my wit’s end, agitated, frantic for relief or answers, in the pit of despair or just plain down and tired… who or what do I turn to first? Knee jerk, who or what is it?

Correct answer….like a toddler who is distressed and wailing makes a beeline for his mom and is swept up into her arms, so I need to make a beeline for my “chair” or my “sofa” where my predawn meetings with God are so precious. I need to sit down, close my eyes, take a deep breath, calm my mind and heart, be still and be quiet. When I’ve done this, then….I need to unload it all on Him and wait for him to give me peace, strength, comfort, rest for my soul, a new perspective.

Then….I go for a run, cook dinner, eat a piece of cake, solve family problems, gear up for another day at work.

This is a habit I so desire. I can testify the alternative does not work. The explanation by Mr. Driscoll was an eye opener.

To restate the quote from Stormie Omartian, “There is so much we do not have because we do not acknowledge God as the answer to that need.”

What need do you have? What need surfaces all the time and what or who do you turn to?

We serve a HUGE God. He provides so many good things for us to enjoy…. husbands, children, food, girlfriends, athletic interests, work, money to shop, a beautiful world to see but He needs to be first. In your heart you need to know that absolutely nothing could replace Him because all your needs are met in Him. Everything and everyone else is icing on the cake. He is what completes you …He is the heart and soul of all you need to be satisfied.

That song is so true, “Who can satisfy my soul like You? Who can always comfort me and love me like You do? Who could ever be more faithful, true? Lord Jesus, oh Lord Jesus, only You.”

Mark 16 - Alive!

2010-05-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

It is early morning on the third day following Jesus’ crucifixion.

Three women make their way to the tomb, wondering aloud as they walked who would roll away the stone, if the three of them could push it enough to open a space to allow entry. They were coming to finish preparing the body.

When they arrived, the tomb was empty.

He is alive. Just like he said.

For the sake of argument, let’s just say this all really happened. So what….what’s the big deal?

The big deal is it means he was right when he told them he’d be delivered to evil men, be crucified, but rise from the dead….it happened.

It means the price for my sin was paid in full. God accepted his death as payment and then raised him from the dead.

It means he is alive today. We don’t bow to a replica of a dead person, but we speak to a living God.

It means I now have access to God because of Jesus and am able to have a one on one relationship with Him as Father.

It means we are never alone. “When I (Jesus) leave you, I will send a comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will be with you and teach you and bring to your remembrance all I said to you.” We will never have to search to see if he’s wandered off, if we’re now on our own, he will always be right there…within us. No matter what. He said, “I will never, never, never leave you or forsake you.”

It means when we read promises in His Word, he speaks them to our hearts, and we know beyond a shadow of doubt that they are true and I can claim them for myself. And there is evidence in our lives when we do. Unmistakable, unshakeable, rock solid evidence.

It means when we fail, which we will do because we are human, He is there to pick us up, dust us off, teach us, love us and send us back down the right path. Just like an earthly father.

It means when I pray, He hears, He listens, He understands because His understanding is infinite. He made me, He understands me.

It means when no other love satisfies, His love will fill my heart and joy will flood my soul.

It means He is my shepherd and leads me, not pushes me, not sends me out on my own, but leads me even though the path sometimes goes through valleys that if not death itself, surely feels like it. Yet He is there and comforts me and brings peace to my soul that surpasses all understanding.

It means I am changed to the uttermost because God has moved in. How can God Almighty move into my life and everything stay the same? It cannot!

We have completed the book of Mark and it began with the statement, “The beginning of the gospel (the good news) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

Do you believe he is?

If you do, then tell Him in simple words that express your heart.

It will be the start of an incredible journey.

Mark 15 - The Crucifixion

2010-05-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

We’ve worked our way to chapter 15. This is the hardest to recount.

I saw The Passion of the Christ a few years ago and only out of guilt. Everyone I knew had seen it. It was almost disloyal not to. I don’t go to movies like this. My husband goes to blood and guts movies. I go to the sweet fall in love, live happily ever after ones. The Passion was like watching the brutal murder of an innocent dear friend in the hands of snotty, self righteous people.

Jesus was bound and led to Pilate the Roman governor for questioning. The leading priests were accusing him of many crimes but he was silent and did not answer any of the charges.

It was the governor’s custom to release a prisoner of the people’s choice each Passover. The same crowd who a week earlier spread palm branches and hailed Jesus as the One who “comes in the name of the Lord,” now angrily scream, “Crucify Him! We want Barabbas!”

Jesus is given to the soldiers to be flogged which means he is beaten on the chest and back with a lead tipped whip. Many times prisoners bled to death just from the beating.

The soldiers dressed him in purple robes and wove thorn branches into a crown for his head, mocking and bowing to him as King of the Jews.

They led him to a place called Golgotha and crucified him there, nailing him to a cross and throwing dice to see who would get his clothes. As people passed by they shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. The religious leaders were vindicated, “He saved others, he can’t save himself. Let this Messiah, this King of Israel come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him.”

At noon, darkness fell for three hours. Jesus cried out, asking God why He’d forsaken him, uttered a loud cry and breathed his last breath. The curtain in the temple separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies ripped in two. A Roman guard standing beside the cross whispered, “Surely this was the Son of God.”

Joseph of Arimethea, a respected member of the high council, asked Pilate for the body. It was released to him when soldiers confirmed Jesus’ death. He covered the body with a linen wrap and laid it in a tomb carved out of a rock and rolled a large stone in front of the entrance.

One of the few comments made by Jesus in this whole ordeal was in an exchange between he and Pilate. Pilate’s trying to get him to talk…to defend himself. It’s like Pilate’s saying, “Help me out here, man…I’m trying to help you! I don’t see that you’ve done anything worthy of death.”

So he asks Jesus, “Where are you from?” And Jesus would not answer him. Pilate says, “Why don’t you talk to me? Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?”

Jesus answers, “You would have no power over me at all unless it was given to you from above.”

The power to crucify Jesus was not in Pilate’s hands. God gave Pilate that power. Jesus knew that. And the son willingly laid his life down so we could know his father. That was the price required. He paid it.

A horrible death, brutal, inhumane by any standard. It is incomprehensible that an innocent man would willingly do this for others who were unable to pay the price themselves....would do this for you and for me.

Isaiah wrote about Jesus about 700 BC in chapter 53.

“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.

We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.

He was despised and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down……But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole, He was whipped so we could be healed.

All of us, like sheep have strayed away.

We have left God’s paths to follow our own.

Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly yet he never said a word.

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep is silent before the shearers he did not open his mouth.

Unjustly condemned, he was led away.“

It’s Friday. We mourn deeply.

Sunday’s coming.

Mark 14 - The Ultimate Price

2010-04-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

One of twelve guys you’ve been pouring your life into for three years, sets you up for some quick cash. As you stand trial, one of the friends closest to you, denies vehemently that he even knows you. Your father is silent to your agonized pleas as you ask to opt out of a horrible execution even when you know you are innocent and he can stop it. It’s as if your family and closest friends have turned their backs.

Reminds me of Hebrews 4:15-16….”for this High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses for he faced all the same testings we do yet without sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Whatever you’re going through…Jesus looks you straight in the eye and says, “I know. I know. I’ve felt that too…but I am merciful and I will give you grace to help you when you need it most.”

When God was setting up the last plague before the children of Israel left Egypt, he told them to slaughter a lamb and paint the door posts of their homes with its blood. If they did, their first born would be spared. If they did not, their first born would die. The blood of the lamb spared many lives that night. All Israel obeyed.

That day, all across Israel, Passover was being celebrated in memory of the deliverance from Egypt. Jesus tells his disciples where a room has been prepared for them to celebrate Passover together. This Passover however, unlike others he celebrated with them, takes on a whole new meaning. “This is my body, this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many. “ I am the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. I cover your doorposts so you will not die.

They leave the room and walk to the Mount of Olives. Jesus had said one would betray him and unnoticed, one left during the meal to do just that. He tells them now that he will be killed and they would all scatter but after he rises from the dead, he’ll meet them in Galilee. All adamantly agree they’ll stand with him to the man….to death. The "rise from the dead" comment goes right over their heads.

All is pregnant with meaning yet none of it is coming together in a rational thought to any disciple.

He takes his three closest friends on up into Gethsemane and asks them to stay with him and keep watch…”My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.” He is obviously distressed, distraught, troubled and burdened.

Three times he asks his Father…three times, knowing his Father, God Almighty could come up with another way to atone for the sins of the whole world…for all ages, so he would not have to suffer an excruciating death. “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me!” Take it away…it’s too much to bear! He knew what was coming. Can you imagine knowing you’d be beaten to a pulp, nailed to a cross and then die of slow asphyxiation?

Heaven must have been silent. There is no other way. His closest friends were asleep.

Jesus response was, “I want your will to be done, not mine.” I’ll go willingly and do whatever You want.

Judas brings “a multitude armed with swords and clubs from the chief priests, scribes and elders.” Judas greets Jesus with “Rabbi!” and kisses him. He is arrested and stands trial. None of the testimony against him could be corroborated so they finally just asked him point blank if he was "the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus answers, “I am and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Tearing his clothes, the high priest is outraged…”What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned him to be deserving of death and began to spit on him and to blindfold him and beat him with their fists, and slap him on the face.

Peter was below in the courtyard. He was approached three times by people as he watched from afar. All said basically the same thing….”You were one of them…you were with this man Jesus.” With each confrontation he became a little more agitated and finally with the last accusation, he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” And immediately a cock crowed, just as Jesus said it would.

Jesus stands all alone. His father is silent. His friends have either run or violently cursed and sworn they do not know him. He is innocent. No two testimonies agreed. The arrest illegal. The charges unfounded. It was true. He was the Son of God…the Messiah.

And he could have just walked away.

But he didn’t. He knew that for me to have peace with God and a relationship with him as father, my sins would have to be forgiven. A debt I could not possibly pay, had to be paid. And he was the only one who could pay it. So he did. Whether I received the gift that his broken body, his spilled blood paid for or not, he paid the price. The ultimate price.

I received this email fw from a friend today. I don’t know who wrote it or I would give them credit.

"DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE DESK"

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States.

Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.

"How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time"

"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.

"Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.

Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."

Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday.. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.

Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?"

Cynthia said, "Yes."

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

"Sure!" Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"

Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.

Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship..

When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?"

Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

Dr.. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.

Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

Dr.. Christianson said, "Look! This is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.

Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"

Sternly, Jenny said, "No."

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?"

Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, "No!" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row.. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"

Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?"

Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut."

Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."

"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room..

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"

Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.

Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"

Dr Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone; I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push-ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes."

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"

As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten. "

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.

"Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."

Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not His Only Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."

"Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?"

Mark 13 - The End of Time

2010-04-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

All Sister Frances, palm reader on Hwy 29, has to do is stick a sign in her front yard. People flock to have their future told. Do you think anyone ever checks her credentials, asks how she gets her information, inquires about her track record?

In Mark 13, Jesus and his disciples were coming out of the temple and the disciples were commenting on the incredible stones and wonderful buildings, amazed at the grandeur. Instead of a hearty amen, Jesus says, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another which will not be torn down.” I’m sure they stared at him and then the building in disbelief. This was a magnificent, huge edifice.

Josephus was a first century historian. He records some of the stones to have been as large as 37’ x 12’ x 18’. Massive. Hard to believe a building of this size could just be torn down without B 52 bombers. But in A.D. 70, the Romans ransacked Jerusalem, killed one million Jews and demolished the temple. The only stones left undisturbed were the foundation stones.

Jesus has spent three years building a case that he is God’s son. He claims to know the future because he is God. I wonder if he ever thought something like, “Even if it doesn’t make sense, you don’t know how it could happen, it sounds so unbelievable, I’m God. I know exactly what’s going to happen. You can take it to the bank, it’s going to happen.”

Now if you don’t really believe he is God, you stick with what you can see and what you think to be true because that and Sister Frances on Hwy 29 is all you have to go on. You hold your breath that you’re right.

This chapter leaves no doubt however that the ramifications if you’re wrong are catastrophic. Pick. Some things Jesus had to say pertained to his disciples but many predictions are for believers in the future. Some pertained to things that would happen in the first century AD, some to the end of time. But all would come to pass.

The one constant throughout history to the present time, was and is poor treatment of his followers. Verse 9 says, “You’ll be hated by all on account of My name…” They’ll persecute you, imprison you, flog you (and at that time it meant 12 strikes to the chest and 26 to the back) and you’ll stand trial for “his sake as a testimony to them.” Hebrews 11 gives a list of all that had been done to followers of Christ. It’s continued through the centuries. That would make you think twice before you signed up.

He knows one day they’ll be standing in front of a judge, in front of a soldier fixing to beat them half to death, in front of an angry mob…but he doesn’t say don’t worry about standing firm in your faith, he treats that as a given. He says don’t worry about what you’ll say! He knew they’d stand firm in their faith and if they had one shot at the authorities, they’d want it to be good. So he assures them that the Holy Spirit (who would come to live within them when he left) would tell them what to say.

Then he elaborates on the end of time and his return.“But in those days,” (vs24) “after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, the stars of heaven will fall and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”

1 Thessalonians and Revelation fills in between the lines. At a time that only God knows, Jesus himself will “descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and we shall always be with him.”

Believers will be taken from the earth. A seven year period of time will ensue. The antichrist will come to power and make a covenant for peace with Israel at the beginning of the first 3 ½ years which will be relatively quiet, the false peace of the antichrist. At the end of the 3 ½ years, he will break the covenant and set up an image of himself in the temple which will stand for 3 ½ years in the Holy Place. Interesting because now a Muslim mosque stands on the site that where this temple and image will be.

The second 3 ½ years are filled with horrors, each one unleashing a new demonstration of God’s judgment on the earth in intensifying waves. The first five seals or horrors will result from human activity God uses to accomplish His purposes. Then he begins direct intervention. Hail and fire mingled with blood are thrown to the earth. A third of the seas become blood, a torch falls on a third of the rivers and springs of water and they are bitter and many die. Locusts are commanded to torment those who do not have the seal of God.

Faults in the earth begin to fracture simultaneously, resulting in a cataclysmic global earthquake. There will be numerous volcanic eruptions blackening the sun with tons of ash and debris. Earth’s inhabitants will recognize for the first time the source of their trouble.

Then at the end of the seven years, Jesus comes with great power and glory with his angels to gather those who become Christians during this time of great tribulation. Just like a fig tree sprouts leaves in the spring and then blossoms, you know the fruit is next. So with the signs that Jesus is coming again. When you see these things happening, you’ll know what’s next because you read it right here.

Jesus has spent three years walking and talking with his disciples, speaking and relating to people, meeting their needs, telling them about his Father. God longed to have a relationship with those he created. He loved them, us, me so much that He sent his son, this son Jesus, to explain his love and faithfulness and die a terrible death to pay my sin debt against God. He promised to bless beyond anything we could ask or think if we would only trust him and obey him in absolute surrender.

But there is coming a time…. when time will run out. The sale ends. The doors close. The offer is retracted.

For all eternity.

Grumbling

2010-04-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

In 1975, I worked in a large operating room on the east coast. Three women who had attended nursing school at this hospital managed the O.R. One of them was getting a room ready for a case with another RN who was scrubbed in, setting up sterile instruments. They were having a heated disagreement when the patient was wheeled into the room and it continued with the patient listening in. Not good. Even though both nurses were involved, only the scrub nurse was suspended. She was African American. The supervisor was white.

I was hot. This was so unfair. After talking with several other nurses, I decided we should go on strike to protest. I was convinced we could shut down the whole hospital to vindicate the wrong done to this nurse. If one was suspended, both should have been.

This is a classic case of grumbling.

Grumbling means to express displeasure, discontent and hostility with muted tones of malicious criticism.

The children of Israel had been delivered from slavery in what only could have been described as a miraculous event. They had been rescued from the pursuing Egyptian army because God banked the waters and provided a dry path through the Red Sea until they crossed. When the army marched through the path, the waters rolled across them and drowned horses and riders.

The Israelites were ecstatic…singing and dancing, they signed on with God for life!

Three days later…their drinking water had run out. They were hot, tired and the excitement of their deliverance had faded from their memories. They began to grumble against their leader, Moses.

They probably said something like, “I cannot believe we are three days from anywhere and have no water. You would think he would have planned better…Who does he think he is thinking he can lead one million people into the middle of nowhere with no supplies. I knew his dad…he did the same hairbrained things. We should just go back, at least we weren’t thirsty…….”

Did one woman…did one man stop midsentence and say, “Holy cow…this is nothing compared to those plagues and parting the Red Sea! We should just ask God for water!”

Apparently, not one.

And who led them to that exact spot? God did. Their being waterless did not catch him by surprise…he knew exactly how much water they had or did not have. He could have made sure Moses planned, he could have told him to pile the water bags on the camels so the water wouldn’t run out until they came to some springs. But he didn’t do that. He LET it run out and waited to see what they would do.

It was a test. The intent of a test is not to kill us, it is to see how much we have learned … whether we’ve only accrued more head knowledge or if the knowledge we have gained has been integrated into our lives.

They grumbled. They expressed their discontent and hostility with malicious criticism. And the object of their criticism, Moses, was actually not their leader. God was.

And God wanted them to look to him for every need and expect him to meet each one...to confidently wait until he did.

And all the nice, faithful little twenty first century church people said, “Amen, and what was wrong with those people?!”

Over the weekend, my husband had some medical issues that needed attention by the first doctor who walked in his/her office on Monday morning. Monday he called, left a message. Called back, left another message. Called after lunch, left another message. Tuesday…called and finally talked to a real live person who said she would run it by the doctor and call back. At 3 p.m. he called her back. The doctor did not seem concerned. I was hacked, I was ranting and railing against the inefficiency of this medical office in general and this doctor in particular and every nurse who surrounded him. I was grumbling…with malicious intent.

The whole purpose of what I realized was a test since I taught this stupid lesson just the day before, was to see if I would turn to God to meet our needs. The whole purpose of the test for the children of Israel was to see if they would turn to God to meet their needs. And after what happened to me yesterday, my attitude has softened for those poor maligned Israelites.

Although not stated, I believe they did turn to God on Day One. I believe they probably looked at each other and said, “You know what? This is small potatoes for God after all he’s done for us….let’s just ask him.” I’m sure they all bowed their heads, affirmed their faith in him to meet their needs and waited expectantly.

All of this is total conjecture on my part, but I believe on Day Two, they ratcheted up the praying….it became more earnest and intense, maybe throwing in a fast. I’m sure they prayed without ceasing. By nightfall however, when absolutely nothing had happened, the babies were crying, the wives were stomping around the tents demanding action, the men decided it was time to confront the leader with skin on which was Moses, not God. They had talked to God and that hadn’t worked.

All this makes total sense if they think and act like we do.

But the bottom line is... God hates grumbling. In 1 Corinthians 10, he lumps it with idolators, immoral people and those who tried the Lord. He hates it. It’s sin. It questions his sovereignty over all things…like who is really in charge?

Should we stand up for the rights of the oppressed? Yes. Should we calmly and diplomatically suggest a a medical office adequately address the needs of their patients who call in? Yes. But that’s vastly different than calling 3 friends, sending 10 emails and blasting whatever it is that has just rubbed you wrong that day, no matter who’s right. If your conversation begins with a slowly measured, “You would not believe….” and is critical? It’s grumbling.

If you belong to him, you have a choice. I know you have a choice. I was confronted with the choice yesterday and you know what I realized? We don’t want to choose him….we enjoy grumbling! It feels good. We air it all out and feel empowered, vindicated. We think we think we’d implode if this activity was eliminated from our repertoire.

This is a choice that goes against our nature…it is an act of the will. I choose not to grumble. I choose to believe there is a plan and a reason for all of this that you, God, may or may not share with me. You have my vote and I’m going to go wash dishes and start singing. I’ll go for a walk with my I Pod. I’ll go bake a cake if I have to do something with all this energy, but I choose to please you.

Now you know. Ball is in your court. Just wait….He’s going to test you too!

P.S. The nurse asked me to back off the strike. She said she was afraid she’d be blackballed all over the city and would be unable to get a job if we pulled it off. I hugged her, shut up and backed off.

I’m still learning about grumbling 35 years later….which is pretty pathetic.

2 a.m.

2010-04-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 2 a.m. and couldn’t go back to sleep. I began to think about the phrase, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength.”

How do you do that if you’re not even sure he’s there, you’re not even sure you buy into this whole Jesus was God incarnate idea or even if he was, so what.

Because…in the heart of every man is a God shaped vacuum. That is why all over the world, people worship everything from rocks and trees to gods in great cathedrals and everything in between. That’s why they cry out to “God” in desperate situations, in times of greatest need. There’s something in us that is never quite resolved, never quite put to rest that can only be filled by God himself whether you buy into it or not. It just keeps coming up.

What I’ve found through years of following Jesus, is that he keeps leading me to issues, situations where I cannot do it….I cannot trust him alone, I cannot be brave, I cannot be silent, I cannot quit worrying, I cannot perform a job required of me. I can see him nodding, thrilled that I have come to the right conclusion which is….I cannot.

He wants me in that position so I have no other option but to ask him to do it, to provide what I need in a way that I know beyond a shadow of doubt, that he did it. Then he gets the glory, not me. When people say, “Wow…how did you ever do that?” I can honestly say, “It was not me. Trust me, it was not me, it was him. I cannot explain it but I know … it was not me, it was him.”

So initially as well.

Interesting that he lists loving him with all your heart first.

The first thing we do is look at ourselves. I’m an old operating room nurse, not a kindergarten teacher. Kindergarten teachers love every little snotty nose kid who walks in the door….to death. And they love his mom. They just love everything. O.R. nurses on the other hand, want you premedicated so they can just check your armband, take you in, cut you open, fix your guts, sew you up and ship you out. I can’t do this…I’m not a preschool teacher type person.

Actually, no one can. So he … captures our hearts. Big tough guy to preschool teacher, he meets us where we are, asks us to open our hearts and then he provides the love. Then he follows up with the rest of you... your soul, mind and strength.

“God, I don’t know if I even believe, but I want to. I want you to be God in my life. Fill my heart with your love so I am able to love you with all my heart. This is nothing like me…so may I just watch for you to show me yourself in such a way that I know it is you…however you choose to do that.”

He does it all. You just open the door and let him in.

Mark 12 Dancing Around the Issue

2010-04-07T05:01:00.000-07:00

Your kid wants to go to a party but you know, because of your access to an incredible mom grapevine, that the parents of the kid giving the party won’t be there, the kids that this kid attracts are into drugs and alcohol and your kid has absolutely no idea what he’d be getting into although he is 16 going on 25. He throws the last heated dart, “You won’t ever let me do ANYthing!” He never addresses the main concerns you have with the party itself.

So with the religious leaders. Jesus tells a parable about a man who planted a vineyard, put a wall around it, dug a vat under the wine press, built a tower….did a lot of work to make it one of the finest…then leased it out. After the harvest, he sent a servant to collect the rent. They beat him up and sent him home empty handed. This happened multiple times until he sent his son, thinking they would honor him. Nope, killed him.

The interesting thing about this story is that the religious leaders knew he was talking about them. They weren’t scratching their beards like the disciples often did, wondering who and what in the world he was talking about. It says they knew he was talking about them. So did they rethink the issue, thank Jesus for bringing this to their attention, repent for being such sorry tenants, change their ways, honor the messenger, pay their dues?

They did what your kid did, they changed the subject and asked two totally unrelated questions. To whom should we pay taxes, Caesar or God? And if one woman marries a brother and he dies and she marries the next and he dies and so on until the eighth brother dies, in heaven, whose wife will this poor, exhausted woman be?

Only one religious leader asked a reflective, thoughtful question. “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

Jesus said in response, “The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. Love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. The second command is equally important, love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”

Jesus then tells the people to beware of religious leaders who act like they are pious, sweep around in long robes, commanding respectful greetings, chief seats, places of honor but devour widows’ property. Almost on cue, he sits and watches people put money in the temple treasury. The rich walk by and throw in large sums. A poor widow puts in two small coins amounting to a cent. Jesus’ comment was that the poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury. They put in out of their surplus. She gave all she had.

The religious leaders who knew so much scripture, danced around the issue. They missed the point. God had provided a wonderful land, a fine vineyard as it were, for them. They forgot who owned it…that they were just the leasers. As a result, they set themselves up as gods…owners of the vineyards and rejected anyone who told them otherwise, including God Himself.

They threw inane little questions at Jesus whose answers left them speechless except for one man who asked, “Of all that God said, what is the most important thing he wanted us to know and do?”

The answer motivates everything you do and everything you say.

God doesn't want us to just try to act like Him or talk like Him or give like Him. He wanted us to love Him with all our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength. Love Him so much, every fiber of our being is affected. As a result, nothing we do is without Him in mind. Everything we say, every decision we make is run by Him first because we want to know what He thinks, what He has to say about it, His take on the matter. Then I obey Him, not because I'm supposed to, but because I want to.

This is demonstrated at the treasury because often our security is in our possessions. The religious leaders gave out of their surplus. The widow gave….all she had because she, not the religious leaders, loved the Lord her God with all her heart and soul and mind and strength. There was no show. No one noticed her but Jesus. No one knew what she gave but him. He knew.

The problem was not that Jesus didn’t answer their questions satisfactorily. He may have answered all their questions satisfactorily and even all our questions satisfactorily. It’s not the questions, the questions aren’t the issue. The issue is how are we responding to the most important thing he had to say to us, which was to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength?

That’s what we ignore. We’ll give our money, volunteer, sit in places of honor at the dinners for the poor but that’s dancing around the issue. The issue is he wants us to love him with our entire being, and he sent his son, Jesus, to tell us that in case we missed it the first time we read Deuteronomy 6.

Affects everything doesn’t it, starting with your neighbor whom you’re to love just as much as you love yourself.

This is no longer sweet baby Jesus in a manger. This is God grown up….challenging us to commitment, a way of life focused on a person….whom we love deeply, who will revolutionize our lives, our thinking, our habits, the way we do business, our outlook on the future…everything.

But he is so worth it. We are talking about God Almighty who had such an incredible message to give us, loved us so much, he sent his son to earth to make sure we heard him.

There is everything to gain….nothing to lose.

He's Alive!

2010-04-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

As we approach Easter, we hear the chant of Christians all over the world, “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” But really….what difference does it make?

Dead God, living God…what difference does it make to me personally. Really. Every day. In real life.

Luke 24 gives the account. Three women went to the tomb with spices to anoint Jesus body. There was no body there, only two men in dazzling robes. “Jesus is not here…don’t you remember he said he would betrayed, crucified and rise from the dead the third day?”

Jesus appears to two men as they are walking the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. He seems clueless to the events surrounding Passover.

“What are you discussing so intently? They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about what’s happened the last few days.”

They fill him in. Then he, Jesus, tells them how this man Jesus fits with all of scripture, book by book. He’s so interesting they ask him to join them for dinner. When he prays and breaks the bread , they look up, wonder filling their faces, they realize it’s Jesus. He disappears. They must have sprinted all the way back to Jerusalem, busted down the doors of the room where the disciples were hiding, jumped up and down and yelled, “HE DID IT!!! HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD!!!!”

Speechless, mouths hanging open, barely breathing, the disciples listen to the men’s account. Then Jesus appears in their midst. “Peace be with you,” he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened thinking they had seen a ghost!"

Heck yeah they did! They’d watched him beaten to a pulp, nailed to a cross, die an agonizing death and then watched as a soldier pierced his side with a sword to be sure he was dead. When a Roman soldier pronounced you dead? You were dead.

“Why are you frightened? Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands and feet. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost because ghosts don’t have bodies as you see that I do.” He asked for something to eat and they gave him fish. He talked about all that had been written about him in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms. It clicked. This time, they got it.

They could not explain it. But it was undeniable. He was alive.

He said, “You are witnesses of all these things…but stay here until the Holy Spirit comes and you are filled with power from heaven.” They did. They were never the same again.

That he is a living God and active in the world today…in my heart, in my life, makes all the difference in the world when he becomes personal. Childhood cancer doesn’t become really personal until it’s your kid with leukemia. The fine print on the insurance policy doesn’t mean anything until your husband dies. Auto accidents and drunk drivers are just statistics until your daughter is hit head on by a drunk driver. The war is just words in a newspaper, brief clips on the news until your son gives you that last hug and walks down the concourse to get on a plane to Afghanistan. Then it becomes very, very personal.

Religion is just another meeting, another set of rules, another group of people you can meet with every Sunday for 60 years and the One they talk about is just as remote on year one as he is on year sixty.

It has to become personal. How it becomes personal is unique for each of us. The commonality is that we know beyond a shadow of doubt that he lives and he speaks and he tailors the Word written 2000 years ago to speak to my heart whether man or woman, American, Chinese, Samoan, Chilean, Eskimo, to direct my life, give me hope, give me direction, guidance, security. He fills me with his love, surrounds me with his everlasting arms.

I become a witness not just to Bible stories but to his story in the journey of my life and it is strangely similar to other stories throughout history.

“For God who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”

Jesus said, “Stay here until the Holy Spirit comes.” Jesus lives in our hearts through the Holy Spirit when we ask him to be our Saviour, our Lord . As a result, we should be able to articulate clearly and our lives should be a living demonstration of what an incredible difference He has made to us personally.

God never indwells man….and nothing happens. Everything changes. We cannot explain it…but it’s undeniable.

Yep, He’s alive!

Mark 11 - Prayer

2010-03-23T05:03:00.000-07:00

The atmosphere is electric as Jesus rides into Jerusalem… people are cheering, waving palm branches shouting, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Jesus strides into the temple where moneychangers and merchants are selling their wares. He overthrows the tables and chases them out shouting, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people!”

He elaborates on prayer the next day with his disciples. Five elements stand out. Have faith in God. Do not doubt in your heart. Believe. Forgive others so God will forgive you. Receive answers.

Remember, Mark’s premise in 1:1 was that Jesus was the Christ, the son of God. So look again at this picture.

Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. At least one astute Pharisee should have had a bell ringing in his head because that was a messianic prophecy from Zechariah. The shouts coming from the people were a direct quote of Psalm 118. He goes into the temple like he owns it, throws out those who did not belong there and announces God’s purpose for his house…. prayer, not an open air market.

Acts like he’s God Himself doesn’t He.

He then begins teaching them about prayer with the statement, “Have faith in God.” If you were to use two words to describe the heart of God’s message to man throughout history I personally believe it is “trust me.” Just trust me. Have faith in me. A thesaurus defines faith as confidence, trust, reliance, assurance, conviction. This is not one foot in and one foot out. If a guide says, “I can take you safely down the Chattooga (which has Class IV-VI rapids) in a raft,” to hop in, you have to have faith that he can and will. You can’t go down the river with one foot in the raft and one on shore. What helps is if he has taken you or someone you know, safely down that river 20 times in the past in all kinds of weather, in the worst of conditions. If his record is stellar.

The difference is in whom I’m placing my trust. I have faith in you, I trust you, God, because I believe you are God and as God know the beginning from the end, have a plan, have the power to execute that plan, know me intimately, loved me enough to die for me so I can be in relationship with you. This means we talk, we communicate. On that basis…I trust you, my faith is in you. I cash in all my chips, both feet are in the raft. Eyes on you.

The second is I believe. And not only in my head but in my heart. We all parrot knowledge lodged in our heads from years of indoctrination. But when you have to get in a raft….that’s another thing.

Wrapped up in belief is being convinced God has a plan, a will and it’s the best course of action regardless if it makes sense to me or not.

I don’t know about you, but with most dilemmas, mine or someone else’s, give me a couple of minutes and I can come up with a plan. In detail. And I think it’s usually pretty good. So God’s biggest hurdle is to get me to abandon my plan, turn completely around, look at his and then embrace his. Sorry to say, that usually takes time. I go from 0 to 60 very slowly. My goal is for him to say, “No, this is my plan,” and I immediately drop everything, turn completely around, embrace his plan and sprint in the direction he points me in. Because….I believe him, I trust him.

Since I don’t know the big scope of things, I sometimes run through 1 John 5:13-15. You never camp on one verse. You always look at the whole counsel of God…all that he says about a subject, and this verse is a great start.
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked for.”

If I ask anything…according to his will, he hears and grants the request. Key is … according to his will.

Over the years, there have been times that I have been absolutely SURE that what I was asking was dead center what he wanted too but as time went by, my thoughts and my feelings began to shift. I began to question whether it was such a good idea or not, if it was the right time, the right place, if it was the right person. Given time I might change my mind completely. I began to line up with him.

Prayer draws me into God’s perfect will. The time you spend with him, lines you up with the way he is thinking. We can always confidently say….he hears us. He has not missed one word. But as I begin to listen, I hear him, his will, his way.

One huge thing I’ve learned is that God is not on my time schedule. I pray at 6, expect a total change by 9. Same day. He moves slowly. But when he acts, it is with lightening speed.

Jesus last admonition was forgiveness. We are to forgive others. This is unqualified. It’s not forgive unless….unless they hurt your feelings, raped your daughter, ran off with your husband, took all your money. It’s forgive, period. So that your Father who is in heaven, may forgive you of your sins. If you want the lines to be open, communication to flow freely, confession of your sins must precede this prayer. Active or passive. Attitudes or actions. And then forgive those who have wronged you.

“Have faith in God,” he began. Critical to that kind of faith, is a relationship.

A Personal God

2010-03-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

The unique thing about the Christian faith is that it’s based on a relationship. It is not based on a list of rules. It is not defined by people showing up at a building, singing songs and listening to a guy talk about an old book. It’s based on a relationship with Someone and built on a book that explains who He is.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me.” If you are one of his sheep, if you’re his child, when you hear that still small voice in your heart…you know it’s Him just as well as you know your mother’s voice in a crowd. He knows you intimately. His understanding is beyond our comprehension. You follow him because you trust him. He’s your good shepherd.

A friend and I meet occasionally and had set up a time to visit and pray at her house on a Tuesday afternoon. It was a great time…we’d really connected, talked over several issues, prayed over kids, situations we both were facing. But her phone had rung off the hook. She ignored it and we talked on. I finally left and about ten minutes later, she called crying. Her husband had had a major heart attack, he was critical, she was on the way to the hospital. “Can I do anything? Take you?” No, another friend was on the way. “Pray, please pray!!” she said.

I felt like the President of the United States had just called me and said, “Only a handful of people know this, Mary Ann, but we’re going to war; the Marines are landing as we speak. Pray.” I was it.

So I began to pray, crying out to God for him to intervene in the life of this man, to work through the doctors and nurses, spare his life, take her safely there. It was frantic praying as I rushed home and rushed in and paced through my house praying, sitting in first one chair for ten seconds and then another and then giving up and pacing until I finally sat down in my bedroom.

“Leaning on the everlasting arms, safe and secure from all alarms,” began to play in my mind. It’s an old song but God dialed it up from years ago. It’s based on Deuteronomy 33:26. “There is none like the God of Jeshurun (Israel), who rides the heavens to your help, and through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is a dwelling place (a refuge) and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

A light turned on. “You’re right….your arms are underneath him, he is safe and secure from all alarms, no matter what happens to him.” And in my heart God was saying, “Right, and what else do you know is true?”

“You are sovereign, you’re in control.” “Right…and what else?” “This did not catch you by surprise.” “Keep going.” “You have a plan. You are all powerful. You are faithful. You are loving, loving him more than we could ever know. He was right where you wanted him, in the middle of a hospital when he had the heart attack…what great timing! You are right there with him.”

I breathed deeply for the first time. Sat back. Smiled. God is good. God is personal. He is so personal…I didn’t do any of that. I didn’t sit there and try to think up what would be helpful in a crisis situation. He did. You spend years acquiring a library in your mind, songs, verses and at just the right time, he pulls them up and puts his hands on both sides of your face and says, “Look at Me….remember. Who am I? I shall continually be that which I have always been.”

Nothing’s changed. But everything changes when you see him become personal in your own life. I’m always just absolutely amazed at the wonder of it all.

Mark 10 - The Rich Young Ruler

2010-03-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

What do you have a death grip on?

Jesus was questioned by a young man in Mark 10. As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments… ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

This is the real life application of Mark 8:34 and 36. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

“At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. “
The young man acknowledges Jesus as good knowing only God is good, thereby accepting Jesus’ answer as authoritative. He’s obviously a sincere, religious man who has done all the right things.

Jesus says, “Sell all you have, give the money to the poor and follow me.”

That’s pretty radical. That’s a little extreme. That’s too much to ask…way too much to ask. That would be denying himself, taking up his cross and following Him. Absolute surrender. It’s all yours.

It revealed his heart.

Jesus wasn’t listing another rule to follow to be sure you had your ticket punched to go to heaven. Philanthropy or poverty aren’t prerequisites. He was exposing the man’s heart. God had said to love him with all your heart, soul and might….not part of your heart and soul. Not with kind of sort of as much enthusiasm as you can muster. This is a sold out, “I love you God and anything that doesn’t fit in with your plan, just let me know. Anything that I’ve elevated to a higher prominence than you, tell me and it’s out of here.”

The question is...do I have a white knuckle grip on all that is dear to me or are my palms turned upward, fingers extended?

Deep breath.

He told the man to sell all he had. Yet he might have told you to break up with your boyfriend, leave your job, don’t buy that house.

He told me to give up my kid. Took me 17 years to finally give him my second child. This is a terrible thing to say, but I was sure he’d die if I gave him to him. What a great God, huh. I was walking to my car after teaching a class on Abraham offering Isaac (Genesis 22). It hit me as I stopped to unlock the door…”You’re holding on so tightly to this kid, he’s turning blue.” Nothing audible but it may as well have been. It was crystal clear.

I just stood there. I had gotten through an entire week of preparation and stood in front of all these women with a smile on my face and talked about giving it all up. Jesus said after the young man left, “You will be blessed 100 fold if you do.” Trials will accompany this decision, but the blessings are enormous. Great lesson.

My response was like the rich young ruler's. “Hey God, I’ve done that..I’ve done it all!” And God zooms in on what we’re holding onto tightly. He didn’t need the young man’s money, he wanted his heart. He didn’t need my kid, he wanted my heart. He wanted me to... trust … Him. Truth be known, my efforts at trying to control my kid’s life and make it all perfect had not made him or me happy anyway, but tremendously burdened.

Key in the lock, I stood motionless and slowly shook my head. It was fish or cut bait time. I don’t know how long I stood there struggling, oh great little Miss Sunday School Teacher. I finally gave him up. It was so hard, but I gave him up. As I look back, is that such an affront to One who loved me so much that he died for me? Am I saying I could do so much better with this kid than God Almighty could?

I cannot explain the burden that was lifted.

In the ensuing days, when I would sometimes put my hand up to yank him back, it was like I could hear God saying, “Mmmmm, He’s mine,” and I’d smile and put my hands back in my pockets.

The rich young ruler lived his 80 years and then went into eternity. One confrontation with God and his choice was to hold onto his checkbook.

What would have happened if he had given it all up.

Mark 8 - True Belief

2010-03-07T05:55:00.000-08:00

First anniversary, I shook my head in amazement at how much I thought I knew about my husband when we married. I was clueless. We learn each other and learn marriage day by day….trusting your husband with vows and an “I do” and beginning the journey together, one step at a time.

Kind of like when you take the training wheels off your kid’s bike and run down the street holding on to him until you get the nerve to let go. He wobbles off and crashes for the eighteenth time. At this moment, visions of him in a yellow jersey leading the Tour de France elude you.

But the first step in the journey to France, however long that takes, is getting on the bike at four years old and trusting your dad to hang on to you until he thinks you’re ready to take off on your own.

Jesus has done countless miracles to build consensus in peoples’ minds that he truly was God. But He wanted far more than intellectual assent that he was God in the form of a person named Jesus. This would be like believing Abraham Lincoln was a person who lived in Washington, D.C. during the Civil War. So what?

He wanted them to believe in and trust him as God who loves them, relates to them and has an impact on their everyday lives. He wanted a relationship, not just people standing at a distance saying, “Wow.”

Jesus expands the meaning of believe beginning in 8:34. “And He summoned the multitude with His disciples and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s shall save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

This is not just intellectual assent. This is God with ramifications. If….he is God….then.

I think you have to go back to the kid riding the bike. When he was four, the dad didn’t take him to France, drive up in the Pyrenees, put him on his little bike sans training wheels, point him downhill and let go. He started him in front of the house in the driveway and then graduated to a flat, quiet little street, holding onto him until he felt it was safe to let him go. The kid might have been skeptical, probably was. He’s used to training wheels holding him up. But Dad says, “Trust me. I won’t let you go until I know you can do it.” And because he’s a kid, he trusts him and hops on.

So Jesus is saying, “If I am God, nothing is too hard for me. I am all powerful, all seeing, self sufficient. I create, I sustain all things. I am sovereign…I’m in control. I have a plan.” And with childlike faith, I trust Him. I believe.

He is not remote…a God who lives in heaven, light years away. This is a God who wanted to make himself known to man so he sent his son who presented himself to the world and said in effect, “This is what God looks like, feels like, loves like….like me, Jesus. I came in a physical body, speaking your language, to make it crystal clear that God loves you. Not the masses in general, but you, personally.”

So when Jesus said to the disciples and the multitude, “If you want to come after me, if you want to be my follower, you must set yourself aside, take up your cross and follow me,” he was saying in effect, if you believe I’m God, trust me. Trust me. Set aside the way the world has programmed you to think and just trust…me. You can’t follow two ways. You must choose. Follow me.

Our response? We act as if God immediately flies us to France, zooms up the highest mountain and points our little bike straight down and lets go because we all freeze up and say, “Oh man, if I do that he’ll send me to the Amazon or Bangladesh or New Guinea; he won’t want me to get married; I’ll never have kids,….” You fill in the blank.

Oh no. He starts us in the driveway, then we graduate to the little street. We start out on a tricycle and then we graduate to a little bike with training wheels. Then he removes them and as we grow and become more proficient, one day we find ourselves in the Pyrenees, pointed straight down hill…but that takes time and practice and all the while, without our realizing, we become more confident…not in ourselves, but in Him. He is loving. He is faithful. He does provide. He is understanding. I have learned to….trust him.

The difference is, with each step, God is the dad. And God is saying, “I’m right here. You are never out of my sight. Your confidence is not in yourself. Your confidence is in me…and I’m here for good…like white on rice.”

Take Moses. God prepared him for leadership by orchestrating an adoption by the pharaoh’s daughter so he’d be educated in the best schools in Egypt. He let him age, marry, stand in the fields in silence watching sheep. Then in God’s perfect time, He told him he wanted him to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery.

Moses response? No sir, no thanks, no way. We have a record of every argument Moses raised in Exodus 3 and 4, every attempt to convince God he was not the man for the job, in fact, that it was a terrible plan. God agreed to send his brother with him and Moses relented, trusting God just enough to show up the first time they had an audience with the pharaoh. He was not an eager participant. He was perfectly happy as a shepherd, thank you.

With each act of God, each plague, Moses’ confidence in God grew so by the time the children of Israel left Egypt, Moses was a fearless leader. He’d been educated in the best schools growing up, but he was ready for leadership because He’d learned to trust God during the showdown with Pharaoh. He found that God always showed up when he said he would and always did what he promised to do. He was faithful. He was trustworthy.

Moses’ part was to listen to God. If he’d listened to his own head and heart, he would have run in the opposite direction. He had to trust that the God who spoke to him by name, one on one at that burning bush, was big enough and powerful enough to direct him, advise him, provide for him and accomplish the plan he’d put into place 400 years before Moses was even born.

He had to listen and believe. And trust. And obey. One step at a time. Deny himself, take up his cross (in Moses’ case his misgivings, his fears), and follow Him.

Mark 8 - Who Am I?

2010-02-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

Remember the game you used to play as kids before technology made everyone mute? One kid thought of a person, place or thing and everyone else guessed who it was from the clues that were given? Riveting huh!

Jesus did that. He healed the sick, cast out demons, brought dead people back to life. One day, he turned to his disciples and said, “Who am I?”

Once again there was a great multitude camped out for three days listening to Jesus speak. He called his disciples over and told them he felt compassion for the people because they had been there for three days with nothing to eat. If he sends them away now, they might faint from hunger on the way home. The disciples say, and I quote, “Where will anyone be able to find enough to satisfy these men with bread here in a desolate place?”

Not one, not one hairy man said, “Hey, this happened last week or last month or sometime in the past, Jesus, and YOU fed them! Five loaves, two fish, 5000 men ring a bell? Yeah…and 12baskets full of leftovers? YOU feed them…do it again, Jesus!” Not one.

Jesus said, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven.” So they all sat down, ate and were satisfied. Seven large baskets, full of what was left, was picked up which means women must have been present.

Since they are much like we are, whatever they learned,( i.e. this man must be God because who else could possibly do this) evaporated when they got in the boat, when the situation became personal. They did not do well in boats.

They realized they forgot to bring food and all they had in the boat was one loaf. They began to discuss this among themselves, meaning how can we divide this one loaf twelve ways or more realistically since these are young men, how long will we have to fight before one wins and just takes the whole thing?

Jesus is incredulous and says (my paraphrase), ” Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Don’t you see or understand? I supplied over and beyond what the 5000 could eat and the 4000 could eat and you’re talking about just 12 men without enough food?”

They get to the other side and on the way to a village, Jesus probably takes a deep breath and asks, “Who do men say that I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist, Elijah.” Ok…but “Who do YOU say that I am?” Peter answered…and Matthew 16:16 gives a more complete statement, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Bingo. Right answer.

Then he began to teach them what would happen to him. He would suffer, be rejected by the ruling religious authorities, be killed and then after three days, rise again.

Peter rebuked Jesus. In other words he said something like, “ I can't believe you're even saying this..this won't happen to you."

Do you see the inconsistency? They watch five loaves and two fish turn into food for 5000+. They watch seven loaves feed 4000+. When asked, they correctly identify him as the Christ, the Son of God . But it’s in name only. It doesn’t transfer to the next event. It has no bearing on the next crisis. It doesn’t make a difference in their own lives. He’s just kind of a figurehead.

Reminds you of a lot of church people today. Are you a Christian? “You bet. Check that box. Do not check the box beside Other. I’m definitely not an Other. “ What impact does being a Christian, meaning a believer in and follower of Christ, have on your life…everyday? “Ummm.” Do you pray to him? “Oh yeah..before every meal, sure do.”

As God, He determines future events. As God, He calls the shots. As God, He can do anything He wants . As God, He makes the rules, develops the plan. That’s just a basic assumption don’t you think? So Jesus does just that. Listen up guys, this is the plan, this is what will happen. And you can know it’s going to happen because I’m God and whatever I say is going to happen….will. So I’m telling you…what will happen to me.

Peter who was I’m sure Jesus’ biggest fan, steps up and says in effect, “No way I’ll let anyone do this to you…God. “

Any inconsistencies?

Isaiah is replete with statements like “Thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me.” “I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone.” “Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none.” “I am the Lord, there is no other.” And Jesus…was this God’s son. Jesus claimed to be his son and God identified him as his son.

Second time a large crowd assembled and the preaching went past 12 noon, don’t you think these men would have started grinning, watching Jesus, punching each other? When they got in the boat and realized they’d forgotten to pack dinner and just had one loaf, wouldn’t you think they would have pitched the one loaf overboard and said to each other, “Wonder what he can do with crumbs?” When Jesus told the 12 about his future, don't you think they would have asked what they could do…how they could support him?

This is 20/20 hindsight. But we can benefit from it if we don’t just look at these stories as great bedtime material if we’ve read all the other books to our kids 100 times.

Who do you say I am? He didn’t ask the disciples this question the day after they chose to follow him. They’d been hanging around him for over two years. They’d seen a lot, heard a lot. So have you. So who do you say he is? The thing is, if he is who he says he is, that has some ramifications doesn’t it.

It is interesting that although these men were with Jesus every day, the right answers remained in their heads but had not permeated their hearts and moved into their lives changing the way they thought and the way they lived. It seems to me they were only attached to him emotionally. They loved to sing the songs.

“Christian” can be a mighty empty label.

Mark 9 Listen

2010-02-23T05:11:00.000-08:00

I went to a wedding one time with 16…count ‘em …16 bridesmaids. They were everywhere. She didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Thank you Lord, for giving me boys.

People usually have a wide circle of friends and then a few really close ones who just click. They understand how you think, how you reason. You’re on the same wave length. They speak frankly. They tell you the truth. They love you anyway.

Jesus had an inner circle of friends and he took them to a high mountain. He was transfigured there, His clothes becoming radiant and brilliantly white. Elijah and Moses appeared and he began talking with them.

The disciples are hang jawed, wide eyed. All they can think to say is, “Let us make three sacred tents for you.” What?

A cloud formed, overshadowing them and a voice came out of the cloud saying, “This is my beloved son, listen to him.”

God speaks… Creator of heaven and earth. He identifies his son, Jesus. His one admonition is, “Listen to him.” Of all he could have said, these are the three words he chose. We need to stop here and take a deep breath and roll that around in our heads.

Do you listen or just talk? I talk. I interrupt and talk. I talk even when I know my husband is not listening…in fact knowing he just tuned me out 15 minutes ago, I continue to talk. I talk because I want you to know I’ve thought it through…or maybe I’ve not thought it through and I need to think it through out loud because if I think it through in my head, it’ll get lost in all the other thoughts in my head and not only will I not get to think it through to completion, I’ll forget which one I was trying to think through. Plus I have a list and my time is limited so you need to just listen. I’ll talk enough for both of us.

And we wonder why we don’t hear the still small voice of God? He can’t get a word in edgewise. We wouldn’t recognize his voice if we heard it because we’ve never really… heard him.

Listen is different than hear. I sat in on a conference between a parent and teachers regarding a second grader who had just received a cochlear implant. One statement that stayed with me was that he was going to have to learn how to listen now that he could hear.

Listen and hear have two different meanings. You have to pay attention to listen. You have to shut up to listen. You have to be fully engaged, tuned in.

“Listen” permeates scripture. “I spoke but you would not listen.” Deut. 1:43 is one of many. It’s not that He is silent,we are just not listening. And it’s not that He spoke once and we missed it. He tells us multiple times.

It is in this chapter that Jesus first tells his disciples he is going to be arrested, tried and killed but that he will rise from the dead three days later. He repeats this information several times before his death. Each time, he gets the same reaction. “No way, this cannot happen to you.” Sure enough, it does. And they are shocked.

Jesus knew they would not get it the first time so throughout the book, he repeats himself. Remember…this is what is going to happen. I will be betrayed, tried, convicted, killed. But the good news is…you need to watch, because three days later I’ll rise from the dead. He even told them where to meet them after his resurrection…Galilee.

But he does the same for me. I only notice it though, if I’m listening.

It’s kind of like when you decide to buy a new car. Or new to you. You narrow it down to one model and an amazing thing happens.. although you’ve never noticed before, everybody drives that car. It’s everywhere, you’ve just never noticed.

Decide to set aside a specific time and find a quiet place. Alone. Turn off your phone and read the Word. Give it your full attention. Listen as you read. Do it daily. One day a verse stands out. Read it again. Mull it over in your mind. Jot down your thoughts. “God, if this is something I need to remember or do something with, show me.”

Watch. You’ll find he will repeat himself. You’ll begin to notice it in a song you hear, something someone says or see it the next few days as you read his word.

This is not casual reading. This is intentional reading and intentional listening because the world crowds it out. My inner voice reading my list for the day crowds it out, my cell phone, my email, my Facebook crowds it out. The radio, my IPod, friends crowd it out.

It is then that I visualize coming back into the presence of God and quietly saying, “Tell me one more time, that part about….” And I listen. I do what he says.

Though to the world, it makes no sense….it might even not make sense to me, I just do it.

And when I “tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, of his power and the mighty miracles he did,” (Psm 78:4), it will not be from a story book of missionaries who lived on the edge and saw the wonder and power of God, it will be from my own life…daily experiences of a relationship with God made possible because I stopped and listened to Him , believed what he said, and obeyed Him.

Podcast clarification

2010-02-15T06:42:00.000-08:00

I'm terrible at finding things on the web so decided I'd look and see if my directions to you re the podcast were even right. They weren't! But...if you'll access I Tunes and go to the I Tunes Store and then click on podcasts and type Andy Stanley in the search box...bingo! "It's Personal" should be there smiling at you :)

I just want to give credit to him for clarifying and putting into words ideas in regards to my last blog. The last half was not original...they were from that series. This one just clicked with me. One of those ah ha moments where you say, "That's it. That...explains it. That is so true." So if you're like me and can't find your way around a bucket, much less a website, that's where the ideas from the second half of that muse came from. And he is a TON better at explaining it than me.

See you next time!

Podcast

2010-02-14T06:37:00.000-08:00

I was about four chapters into Lee Strobel's book, The Case for Faith, when I just happened on (amazing how God puts things together...absolutely amazing)Andy Stanley's series, It's Personal. Google Andy Stanley, click on podcasts. It's free.

Mark 7 - The Heart

2010-02-14T06:28:00.000-08:00

Pretend you’re 21, single. Some of you need to think way back! You meet a guy. He’s gorgeous so he gets a second look and a quick comparison to your “list”….which if not on paper, is definitely in your head. It contains all the qualities of the guy you’re going to marry. Men are totally unaware a list exists. Amazing isn’t it.

Funny thing though, he can fulfill every point but if he does not capture your heart, you will probably walk away.

In Mark 7, the Pharisees are following Jesus trying to find fault. The disciples eat bread without washing their hands. This washing had nothing to do with cleaning dirty hands. It was a ceremonial rinsing with several steps that had to be followed to the letter. This procedure was not found in scripture. It was one of many laws that they had added to scripture.

It was as if, hands on hips, they were saying, “You are not following the rules.”

Ever known religious people like that? When I was growing up it was the length of your hair. The Beatles were big and all the guys copied their haircuts. Going from an almost shaved head to long hair and long hair that looked like guys who played rock music almost sent the religious establishment over the edge. “Who cares about your heart….look at you!!”

Fearless, bold, in their face, Jesus steps up to the plate. “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites!” Cuts right to the chase. “As it is written, these people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

They said, “God bless you” at all the right times. They were in church, they bowed their heads to pray, sang hymns, gave their money. But it was a sham. They only looked the part. Their hearts were not engaged. Their hearts were so full of themselves, there was no room for God.

Jesus tells his disciples, “What comes out of a man, defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.”

What he wanted was their hearts. Because when your heart is changed, your actions follow. Doesn’t that apply to all of life as well? To any relationship? There’s just so much you can do out of duty because eventually duty becomes tedious, hollow and unrewarding and you opt out. But love. Love changes everything.

And that’s how God relates to us. “For God so loved the world that he….” So He says to us, “Love the Lord (love Me) with all your heart, all your soul and all your might.” Changes everything. It’s reciprocal. It’s not a list of rules I follow because I’ve put my name on a church roll.

And Jesus took the law to a whole new level. He taught that the righteousness of the law involves an internal conformity to the spirit of the law, rather than just external conformity. Big difference. You can comply to the letter…give 10% out of duty, because you’re supposed to or you can give to the need without figuring the percentage, because the need exists and you want to give. The internal conformity Jesus talks about involves the heart.

Do you know people in churches today just following the rules, with unengaged hearts? Does this bring joy? Fulfillment? Peace? a good picture of who God is? I don’t think so.

There are marriages like this. For years they go through the motions and then the kids leave and two people look at each other over breakfast one morning and realize their hearts are no longer engaged. In fact, they haven’t been for years…they’ve just been going through the motions.

So why do we do this with God? Go through all the motions, all the activities, abide by all the rules and then one day wake up and realize our hearts are not engaged and maybe never have been. At this point, most just walk away.

If you come to that realization as an adult or you know your heart has never been engaged period, you might follow this realization to some conclusions. Either He’s not real or if He is, you’re not interested in this kind of God. Maybe it’s ok for others but it’s just not you. Or if you’ve given much thought to your reasons for always excluding God from your life, maybe a plethora of objections trip you up such as “since evil and suffering exist, a loving God cannot” or “evolution explains life so God isn’t needed.”

I’m reading The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel. He has an undergraduate degree in journalism and a Master of Studies in Law from Yale Law School and was the legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and a spiritual skeptic until 1981. This book is an investigation of the tough questions that are often raised in discussions about God including the ones I mentioned. Brave guy.

But I can read the whole book, stand in awe of the level of education and knowledge of the scientists and philosophers he interviews, decide he’s right and still walk away. So what.

Bottom line…there has got to be something that speaks to your heart, that intersects with your life and makes God personal and then all those objections will shrink because your heart is captured. Not that those questions cannot be posed or answered, they can and maybe they should. But they will shrink in importance. God will become larger than you ever imagined and he will fill your heart. Not because he sat across the table from you, answered all your questions to your satisfaction, negotiated a deal….nope. He’s God. We are finite little men and women. Most we will never understand…including why a God so big, wants a relationship with me that begins on a heart level.

Something happens that makes him real in your experience….to you personally.

Why? Why me? Why for all eternity has he committed himself to…me? He has because he loves me. He has captured my heart. May that always be the central thought and primary motivation in everything I do and say.

Mark 6 - Dinner on the Grounds

2010-02-05T09:27:00.000-08:00

Old people fear falling; women fear running out of food when they’re feeding a crowd. You would think after 40 years of cooking we could accurately plan just how much food is needed so we’re not taking home a gallon of baked beans at the end of the day.

The disciples are ready for a practice run. Knowing he won’t live past 33, Jesus has chosen these men to take his message worldwide vs a regional crusade. He sends them out two by two and gives them authority to cast out demons and heal the sick. They’re to take no money, no food and no change of clothes. They are not to make hotel reservations. It was a grand success. They were pumped.

So Jesus says, “Ya’ll are tired…let’s go to a lonely place so you can rest.” (Southern translation). The crowd finds them…in fact it says a multitude finds them. The report was 5000 men so it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the wives and kids were there too.

The disciples were exhausted to begin with so by the end of the day, they were more than ready to send these people home. “The place is desolate; it’s late; send them away so they can go buy food.”

Jesus replies, “You feed them.”

Add hunger to exhaustion and I’m sure they were irritable as well and he knew what they had. They all rode over to this “lonely place” in a boat. They didn’t have squat.

“Are you kidding? Do you know how much that would cost? Do you know how much food we would have to truck in here?” I’m sure they replied, incredulously. So Jesus said, “How many loaves do you have? Go look.” They return with five loaves and two fish. I would be sweating bullets and hyperventilating at this point.

Not Jesus. “Tell them to all sit down in groups of fifties and hundreds.” He prayed, broke the bread, handed out the fish and when everyone had eaten and were satisfied, I repeat…were satisfied…they picked up twelve full baskets and one gallon of baked beans.

They had just gotten back from a preaching, healing, casting out demons crusade with only the clothes on their backs. They had met with fabulous success. They had never done anything remotely like this in their lives and knew they were able to pull it off only because Jesus had commissioned them. I don’t know about you but if I were them, when I cast out my first demon? Healed my first sick person with a word or a touch? I’d believe.

Yet when faced with several thousand hungry people, not one, not one hairy guy said, “Hey, you are God! You do something!”

This is like the Imax theatre though with the disciples sitting on the front row cheering even though…they don’t get it or him. Big audience. Big God.

He’s about to zoom in and make it up close and personal.

Immediately following dinner on the grounds, (so late afternoon/evening) he tells them to get in the boat and go to the other side and He would send the multitude away. They hop in and take off. The winds are strong though and they are still rowing during the “fourth watch” which is between 3 and 6 a.m...so they’ve been struggling all night.

Jesus sees them and begins walking toward them…on the water. They see him and think it’s a ghost until he calls out and says, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Then he climbs into the boat and the wind completely stops.

Dead silence. Twelve men are sitting there motionless, staring…with their mouths hanging open.

The feeding of the 5000 was for the disciples yes, but for the masses too. This is a miracle…but I am God. Add another brick. But not just a show up and produce food to feed a multitude God thing. It says he was filled with compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

I saw an interview with Tom Brady the other day. He looked like a sheep without a shepherd. Fabulously successful as an NFL quarterback, good looking with money, fame, a supermodel wife and bottom line of the whole interview was something like yeah, this is great, but there’s just got to be something more. This was not a cocky, cavalier comment either…it was a shaking his head, puzzled, “I got to the top and there was nothing there,” kind of look. “Where is it or what could it possibly be”, I’m sure he was wondering.

Yet he’s not just compassionate with a crowd of people. He’s compassionate one on one. He got into the boat with them. The wind stopped. They were able to complete the journey.

I don’t care that you can feed 5000 men enough food to satisfy them and take up 12 baskets of leftovers in the Mideast 2000 years ago or in Stockholm last year. If I’m in a crisis, I want to know you’ll be in the boat with me. If it’s 3 a.m. and I’ve been rowing all night after a busy day after a busy week of hard work and I’m exhausted, I want you in my boat. I want to see God working in my boat.

And that’s what he showed them. God in their boat.

They were still exhausted, far from their destination, it was the middle of the night, they were probably cold and wet. Think it made any difference to them that now God was in the boat with them?

He climbs in and would probably say something like, “Ok guys, remember the five loaves and two fish? Give me what you’ve got.”

I’m sure they said, “We’re exhausted, cold, wet, hungry and we’ve still got to keep rowing….we’re not even close to where we’re going.”

And his response was probably something like, “I’m God and I’ll multiply your strength and resolve so it’ll be enough to get you to your destination. Don’t be afraid…I’m here.”

Maybe you’ve never needed God in your boat. Maybe you’re entirely self sufficient.

Give it time.

Mark 5 - The Bow

2010-02-03T05:46:00.000-08:00

A filthy, naked, wild man runs from a cemetery to meet Jesus. No one was able to restrain him even with chains. He roamed the tombs shrieking and hitting himself with stones. He sees Jesus, and with a terrible scream, cries out, “Why are you bothering me Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”

He knows Jesus by name and falls at his feet because he recognizes God. Jesus asks his name. The man responds, “Legion, because there are many of us here inside this man.” A legion is about 6000. In one man.

Who is in control…the demons or Jesus?

A synagogue official finds Jesus and begs him to come and heal his dying daughter. Before they reach his house, messengers come with the news that she has died. Jesus ignores them and says to the official, “Trust me.” They reach the house and a crowd of people are there weeping and wailing. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen someone who is dead, but give it 10 minutes and there is no doubt. You’re not standing there wondering if they are or aren’t.

Jesus takes only three disciples and the girl’s parents into the room with the child. Jesus commands her to get up.

Who’s in control…death or Jesus?

A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, is somehow able to get off the sofa and drag herself to Jesus. She had exhausted all her funds looking for a cure without success. She thought, “If I can just touch the hem of his robe, I will be healed.” Even though he was mobbed by people, Jesus suddenly turns and asks, “Who touched me?” His disciples are looking at him like, “Are you kidding?” He zooms in on one woman who is kneeling at his feet. She confesses.

Who’s in control…the woman’s medical condition or Jesus?

Our boss is in control, the Democrats are in control, our paycheck is in control, the nut in the Mideast is in control, the climate is in control. Who or what controls your life?

All were in a crisis situation. They were down to Jesus. If he didn’t work, there was no hope. They were doomed to either a miserable life or premature death. All three bowed at his feet. I’ve never bowed at anyone’s feet, have you?

In bowing, these three people acknowledged that he was ruling and they were not; he was all powerful and they were not; he was in control and they were not; he could dramatically change their situation, they could not. They were submitting themselves to him no matter…what he did. Because…he was God.

He was their last resort. Isn’t this so true? When the baby gets sick, people who never confess belief in anything, ask people to pray. But it’s for the baby to get well. For the baby not to die. There’s really no bowing. Just the request….pray for the baby to get well.

Kind of like Santa Claus. The kid is not sure he believes in him anymore but shoot, why not ask. Can’t hurt. And I might get what I ask for. All I have to do is sit on the big guy’s lap.

In all three of the Mark 5 instances, there was a stand up and shout result. All 6000 demons were cast out of the man who now sat clothed and in his right mind, the woman was healed, the little girl stood up, walked over and ate lunch. And these people were all strangers. Jesus had never met them before. In the next chapter however, Mark will relate the story about Jesus’ cousin John who was in prison. Bottom line of that story is that John is beheaded. There’s no way to dress that up or make it more palatable. A terrible ending to his story. And Jesus did not intervene. A good man dies because of a stupid request by a young girl with a grudge holding mother. Did Jesus drop the ball? This was his cousin for pete’s sake, …if he was going to intervene and save somebody, wouldn’t you think he’d have intervened for John?

What keeps capturing my attention though, is that all three in Mark 5 bowed.

Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon. He was a pagan king of an enormous kingdom who had an encounter with God. He summarized his take on who God was in Daniel 4. He said, “I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He has the power to do as he pleases among the angels of heaven and those who live on earth. No one can stop him or challenge him saying, “ What do you mean by doing these things?”

Do you think the king bowed when he said this? You bet.

Jesus interfaced with all three of these people one on one…not en masse. He healed and cast out demons and raised this child so each would know he was God in the flesh. But if you stop reading now, you’ll have stopped after the introduction. This has some ramifications. If he is God, then you don’t whiz in and just throw down your request/demand.

We’re coming to chapter eight. It begins here with bowing. If he is God, then you are not. I am not. He controls it all..demons, life, death, disease, jobs, presidents,you name it. And it might go either way. It’s up to him and it doesn’t hinge on whether we understand or not, whether we think it’s fair or not, whether we agree or not.

And... this is not a God who is just the creator of the universe. This is a personal God who was also born on earth, grew up and met people one on one in the hour of their deepest need. And he still does.

Recently a friend’s friend, lost her baby when she was seven months pregnant. She no longer felt him move. The doctor told her to come in and they would do a sonogram. She turned on the radio as she drove herself….alone, to the doctor. “Worthy is the Lamb” was the song that was playing and she knew then that her baby was in the arms of Jesus.

Is she grieving? Yes. Crushed? Yes. Does she weep for a child she never rocked to sleep at night or sang to? I cry for her as I write this and I don’t even know her ... I can only imagine.

The difference is, she knows a personal God….the same one the three in our story met. He touches her life, she knows his presence so when the call goes the other way, she knows He has not changed or moved. He’s there. Although she cannot explain it, that knowledge brings deep peace to her soul. He loves her more than she can ever imagine. He is her Father. She will come out on the other side profoundly changed because her life once more has intersected with the divine.

And she bowed in his presence.

Teacakes and Cupcakes

2010-01-28T08:52:00.000-08:00

Monday I ate four chocolate chocolate chip cupcakes and at least ten teacakes. If you’re from the South, you know that a teacake is not the size of a quarter and it does not have fruit in it. These are big hummers…not the size of a dinner plate, but …. hefty. There is no way to rationalize it being good for you. White flour, white sugar, eggs and butter. I’ve watched surgeons peel this stuff out of arteries. Plaque looks just like the teacake dough which I cannot wait to bake so I test it raw just to be sure it’s good enough to bake.

This is all funny in a sick sort of way except I’ve dealt with overeating for years….particularly in the sweet/bread food group which I’ve rationalized being right under the fruits and vegetable group as being necessary for good mental health. I’m 5’9” though and my jeans are a size 8 so it’s hard to get any sympathy for this particular issue in my life.

Except it’s not just an issue. If I were 5’2” and weighed in at 280, you’d call it gluttony, intemperance, overindulgence, lack of discipline. I think that description applies at 7” taller as well. It’s not good for you, it is not healthy and I believe for me, it’s sin. If you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit lives within you and he produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and……self control. I’m totally ignoring him and choosing to satisfy this desire because….I want it. I need it. I’ve got to have it.

Oh I don’t say this every time I do this. I just inhale and poof, the cake is gone! But bottom line, that’s what I’m saying…whether food, alcohol, sex…whatever. And it doesn’t fit with who I am. Just doesn’t.

So I continue to beat myself up. Because not once, not one time have I ever eaten two apples in one sitting. I force myself to down one a day. I have never pigged out on fruit. I’ve never eaten a whole pot of collard greens. Not once have I pulled celery out of the bag, washed the whole thing and sat down with a smile on my face.

Tuesday I sat in the predawn stillness with my cup of coffee. I’d been dancing around this issue lately and working up to the big nose dive off the wagon that occurred the day before. Monday night our little group had met and talked about being kept by the power of God. I was thinking about that and how it applied to this issue. How am I kept from something like this. I finally decided to ask Debbie whom I’d see later in the day. She could help me work through it.

God said, “Ask Me.”

Now I never hear Him audibly. I just know that’s who it is. It’s very clear. It’s short and sweet.

Ooookay.

So I asked. “ How does this fit with being kept by the power of God? Because if I’m being kept, I wouldn’t have these nose dives.”

I believe all that scripture you’ve read, absorbed, learned over the years, He just dials up. So He said, “If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. Choose.”

That’s it. That’s all He said.

I have followed this one author who is an alcoholic. She had been dry for several years when she married. They had checked into a hotel after their wedding and found a complementary bottle of champagne in their room. They toasted themselves and then he ran back down to the car to retrieve something. She downed the entire bottle before he got back to the room.

So does she keep champagne in the house? Does she walk down the beer and wine aisle and just look to see what’s new? Not a chance. So why is it I flirt with things that tempt me? God says …. Choose. Me or it. He doesn’t mess around. When he chose his disciples, he said two words, “Follow Me.” “Choose”….and then He’s silent. You’re sitting there saying, “Well dang, do I weigh the options?" No! The cons pale in comparison…so why the fight? Because I want to do what I want to do? I gave that up when I made the choice to follow Him. I follow…He leads. He’s in charge, not me.

Sounds too cut and dried doesn’t it. Like this just couldn’t fit every little problem like this. But if you held up your issue….alcohol, food, sex, clothes…whatever and He said, “Choose….my way, which is self control. If you know that you cannot exhibit self control in Talbots, sale or no sale, with a charge card in your hand, you cannot go in. Me or the store…what’ll it be.” You send your sister in with $20 cash and the item number. I am kept by the power of God when I choose Him. I choose Him and the Holy Spirit which is within me, gives me the power to exhibit self control. I choose the other option and I’m on my own. Have a great time, buddy.

I don’t like it put like that.

Wednesday, I opened my daily Bible to January 27. The reading for today was Matthew 18:1-20. Know what verse is right in the middle of that reading? Verse 9 which says, “If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.” How…in the world…does He time things this way.

Today, Thursday, I began to study to prepare a lesson for a class of women on Sunday. We’re a week behind so our lesson this week is on Mark 9. Want to guess what verse 47 says?

If God ever tells me something, He will repeat himself because it takes a lot for me to get it. I get it. If sweets and Sister Schubert’s rolls cause me to sin, throw them away. Do not have them in my house. Do not have coffee in a bakery.

He brings joy, peace, satisfaction. Whatever is luring me, only brings that for the moment and then just profound guilt or disgust.

Hebrews says that we are to lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and run with endurance the race that is set before us….fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Choose. Lay it aside; throw it away so you can run. And the key…fix your eyes on Jesus, not the cookies, not the bottle, not the guy, not the clothes.

Fix your eyes on Jesus….the Author and Perfecter….of our faith.

The Farmer of Mark 4

2010-01-21T08:48:00.000-08:00

Jesus taught a lot in parables. Good stories…easy to relate to. This one is about a man who sows some seed. Some of it fell by the road and the birds came and quickly ate it. Some of it fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil. It produced a crop but was scorched quickly by the sun and died. Some fell among thorns and the thorns came up and choked it and it yielded no crop. But some fell into good soil and grew up and yielded a crop thirty, sixty, ninety times what he’d sown.

Nice story. What’s the point.

The seed is the word of God. Some hear it and reject it outright. Others hear it, think it’s great but quickly lose interest and turn away. Still others hear it but “all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life, the lure of wealth and the desire for nice things so no crop is produced.” It makes absolutely no difference in their life. They are busy with other things. It’s catalogued into one of those nice to know but really doesn’t impact my life type things. You can pull it out and talk about it to fit in with a crowd if that’s their thing, but it really doesn’t mean anything to you personally on a daily basis.

One guy, one out of the four, believed it, received it and it changed his life. How do I know that? Because he reproduced himself over and over.

We have to remember that Jesus was not friends with the high church guys. There is no way you can draw that conclusion. They hated him. They dogged him, trying to hang him up every time he disobeyed one of the rules. So Jesus was not saying the man in the story took 90 people to church with him and they became church members and sang in the choir and taught Sunday school.

He did say that the seed “took.” It germinated, it grew into a mature plant and that one seed reproduced itself.

How? Good question. Verse 27 says, “He himself does not know.” In other words, the guy had no clue.

The farmer in verse 26 plants his seed and goes to bed.”The seed sprouts up and grows…how, he himself does not know. The soil produces crops by itself, first the blade then the head, then the mature grain in the head. “ He doesn’t try to explain it or analyze it. He watches those amber waves of grain and marvels. He stands amazed. He takes his sickle and brings in the crop. He makes bread and feeds his family and a bunch of other people. How? He cannot say, he just knows after he eats, he is full, satiated, satisfied.

Verse 24 says, “Pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand and even more besides. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.”

That’s why Mark starts his book with, “This is good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” because this is a supernatural thing. This is not a hmmmm, this makes sense thing.

I just put four paperwhite bulbs in some soil in a container in my kitchen. Added water. Three weeks later I have these gorgeous, aromatic, pristine, tiny white flowers.

I don’t know if you have ever shopped for bulbs, but except for size, they all look alike. They are brown and shriveled and ugly. They always have the picture of the flower they will produce behind the little bin. Good thing…if you had never seen a bulb before and some random sales person said, “You would not believe what this turns into! See?” And he held up the picture of a fully mature paperwhite, you’d be incredulous. “Wow!” you respond. “ You’re kidding! How does it do it?”
“I have no idea,” he says, “but all you have to do is just put it right under some dirt or rocks, add water, wait three weeks and presto…your flower will look just like this one!”

Right.

Unless…. you’ve seen paperwhites before or have an extra 50 cents and decide to give it a try.

A God who created not only our universe but countless others, decided to have a relationship with man. He got a bunch of men to write down what he had to say. Some things we understand, some we don’t. I accept that. I’m finite. He is infinite. But he says, just accept this, make it part of your life, apply it, trust Me and I’ll give you more. It’ll begin to make sense and even when it doesn’t make sense, it’ll begin to work. It’ll begin to apply. Then when it does and you work through that, I’ll give you even more. You’ll begin to understand. You will stand amazed.

But….big but…if you don’t, whatever understanding you did have, will be taken away.
Three out of four blew it off. It radically changed the life of one…one guy and many benefited from what he produced.

We haven’t gotten to the fish or cut bait stuff of chapter eight…but we’re circling the runway.

Mark 3 - Nuts or Satan?

2010-01-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

In Mark’s attempt to convince us that Jesus is the Son of God, he introduces two groups of people in Mark 3 with their corresponding theories.

The first is Jesus’ family. Verse 21 identifies them as “his own people” or his kinsmen. “And when his own people heard of this (that he’d come home and crowds of people were gathering), they went out to take custody of him for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”

His own family thought he was out of his mind. Of course they did. For years, he’d been a member of the family, great guy, fit right in, did his part and then at age 30, he flipped. Now he gives up carpentry and begins touring the country identifying himself not as Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph, but as the Messiah, the Son of God. Wouldn’t that rattle you if you were his brother or sister? You bet it would. Perhaps Mary forgot the whole angel thing 30 years ago and had become so accustomed to him as a regular kid, she just….forgot!

Interesting to me that some interfaced with Jesus just one time and knew. They just knew he was God. Others stood at a distance and watched and went home and thought about what they’d seen. Showed up at his next engagement, watched and went home and thought about what they’d seen. I believe that’s what his family did.

The scribes, Jewish legal experts, were the next group who voiced an opinion. ”And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” (vs 22)

Jesus responds (in vs 23) by saying, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” And in vs 26, “If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished! But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man and then he will plunder his house.”

John’s gospel records Jesus’ opinion of Satan in 10:9-10. He said, “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they might have life and might have it more abundantly.”

Diametrically opposed. In other words Jesus is saying, “If I were from Satan, I would be supporting his efforts. I would not be trying to get rid of him or throw him out. I’d be his #1 cheerleader. “Go ahead and blow yourself up, buddy! Just wait a little bit longer until there are lots of little moms and kiddos in the marketplace.””

Obviously Satan wields great power. In order to throw him out of his house, I first have to bind him so he can’t keep me from doing what I want to do….which is to throw the demon out. The guy we met in 1:23 is a good example. He knows who Jesus is, “…the Holy One of God; have you come to destroy us?” “Yep.” And he throws the demons out of the man, out of his “house.” Obviously Jesus bound the strong man first so he could do just that.

Satan had stolen the man’s life and body and was slowly destroying both. Jesus overpowered him with a word and cast him out. The man returned to wholeness, health and life. If Jesus were sent from Satan or was Satan himself, that would not be his goal.

We see that all around us…the effects, the fall out of this angel of light, Satan. That’s why women are beaten and abused, why children are targets of sexual predators and pornographers, why babies are destroyed in the womb. That’s why innocent people are blown up in airplanes and the marketplace. That’s why there is so much greed that produces the destruction of entire companies and retirement funds that faithful employees have squirreled away.

Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy. In contrast, everything Jesus was doing improved the quality of peoples’ lives. “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly.”

Nope, I’m not crazy and I’m not Satan. Keep watching.

Everlasting Arms

2010-01-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

My experience with death has been limited to two cats and a parakeet until an old friend died recently. He was one of those who kept up with you even when you were so bad at keeping up. It was like you just picked up where you left off even when you only saw him a few times a year. In the days following the news of his death all I could think about was we hadn’t made spending time with him a priority, we hadn’t told him we loved him enough.

I have been at a loss at to what to say to his wife. All those spiritual things you say to people… you know them, come up empty. They sound so shallow and superficial and meaningless. Of course we know they have great meaning and endless depth, but in the grip of sorrow and grief, they ring hollow.

I’ve decided that’s where relationship becomes paramount. If you just go to church, stand up, sit down, sing, listen to a sermon, leave and that’s the sum total of your walk with God, there’s nothing to fall back on when wrenching grief racks your very soul.

If your walk includes relationship, there is.

The reason is…there is nothing to say. There is nothing to say that will make anyone feel better when the grief is so fresh, so raw. Words are hollow.

I think the one thing that can comfort is silence in the presence of God if you know him as father. It’s kind of like watching a sunset as a kid, sitting on the end of a dock with your dad. His arm is around you, the sky is breathtaking, there are no words. You sit in silence and just watch the show.

Fast forward to your teens. You’re dumped by a guy whom you loved deeply. There are no words. Your dad sits with you on the sofa, his arm around you, in silence. You just absorb his strength and his love.

Deuteronomy 33:27 says, “The eternal God is a dwelling place (a refuge), and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

There will be a time for words with meaning. But for now, if you have a relationship with him as Father, those silent everlasting arms can provide immeasurable comfort.

Church People

2010-01-06T05:40:00.000-08:00

I had a friend whose son had a girlfriend when he was in 7th grade. According to him she was absolutely drop dead gorgeous, stunning. There were not enough words to describe the incredible attributes of this young lady or his professed love for the very ground she walked on.

He missed a day of school because he was sick so Drop Dead offered to bring his homework by their house. Not knowing when she would come, he was in the shower when she arrived so mom went to the door. There stood a girl who easily could have been a first string high school offensive lineman if they allowed girls to play . Letter jacket, baggy gym shorts, high top unlaced tennis shoes and stringy hair completed the look. She dwarfed this friend’s son.

Mute, mouth rounded to an O, mom took the books and managed a thank you before she left. Son comes flying out of the bathroom when he’s done saying, “Did she come? Did she come?” “Yep,” she nodded. “Wasn’t she just ….(deep sigh) something else?” “Yep….something else, she sure was!”

She just wasn’t what Mom had expected. Jesus…. was not what the Pharisees had expected.

The Pharisees were a small legalistic sect of the Jews whom we first encounter in Mark 2. They were known for their rigid adherence to the ceremonial fine points of the law. In other words, they not only followed the law given to Moses to the letter, but just in case God missed anything, they wrote their own and followed those too. They colored within the lines. They did not deviate for any reason, not even if God Himself showed up. They were highly critical of anyone who broke their rules or God’s. (And people say this is an old book not applicable to today?) Jesus absolutely was not what they expected when he appeared on the scene, claiming to be Messiah, God incarnate.

Jesus looked beyond the law to its intent. Not the Pharisees. They looked at rules kind of like some people look at savings accounts. They are so rigid about the exact amount they budget to put into savings each month, they miss the intent of the account and drive around on bald tires.

One incident in particular stands out in this chapter. Jesus calls Levi to follow him which is striking because Levi was a tax collector. Tax collectors were despised by Jews because they were viewed as traitors. They were allowed to keep any amount of money collected beyond what Rome required so many became wealthy at the expense of their own people. If I were a Jew, asking a bunch of guys to join my group because I had a message to give to the Jewish people and then to the world, I don’t believe this guy would have been on my list.

The man throws a feast and invites Jesus. Jesus accepts. The Pharisees were appalled because the guests were not “church people”, they were “tax gatherers and sinners!” What was the man thinking? The obvious question was, “Why?” which they ask in verse 16. This is comical as we look at this passage with our 20/20 hindsight. Like, who needed him?

Do the Pharisees in this chapter mirror some church people, who show up at church every time the door opens, check all the little boxes on their offering envelopes which contains precisely 10% of their net, not gross income, serve on all the committees, sing in the choir, teach the classes, drive around the visiting missionaries, donate their casseroles and time, quote scripture….but miss the whole point? And the world, standing outside the building gazing in at these incredibly busy, untarnished people…. walks away?

Jesus responds to their question, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Heck no the Pharisees didn’t need him, they were doing just fine thank you. Missed the boat, but doing just fine. In fact, they didn’t even know there was a boat.

And the boat was God and they missed him! Waited for centuries…he shows up and they miss him because he did not fit in their box. He was not what they expected.

For years and years, prophet after prophet had said there was a Messiah coming who would save people from their sins which would allow them to have a relationship with the God they worshipped. It would be personal, one on one. Unheard of. There would not need a mediator because the mediator would pay the ultimate price once for all so they could become children of God and relate to him as Father.

Jesus shows up and announces,” I AM.” I am the Messiah.

"Tax gatherers and sinners” show up for the feast. Stepping all over their own people to accumulate wealth had not brought peace to their hearts and deep seated joy to their lives so they come to meet the man Levi had been talking about. Jesus sits down with them, puts his feet up and enjoys the meal and the conversation.

My husband was raised in a church with an exclusive lock on becoming a Christian and it was only attainable if you were a member of that particular church. We had a problem because I was not and I was pretty verbal (imagine that) about my reasons for not. Long story short, we ended up together in his church for awhile and came to know one of the ministers well. He called one day and asked if I’d come by, he had some questions for me. Turns out, the more he studied, the more he realized the doctrine of the church did not conform to truth he was learning in the Bible. He wanted to know what I thought. So we met once a week and studied the book of Romans. We came to the end, where all had been said that could be said. It was decision time, fish or cut bait. What’s your conclusion…what are you going to do with what you’ve learned when all you’ve learned opposes church teaching you’ve been struggling with.

He chose the church. He chose their box.

Isn’t that what we do? If Jesus doesn’t fit in our closely guarded box we choose …the box?

A friend and I were talking about a football player who is coming out of college this year. He’s won every award, broken every record in the weight room and on the field, is praised for his leadership as well as excellence at his position. The only thing that doesn’t fit is that he is as openly passionate about his love for Jesus as he is about his love for football. I asked her if she thought he’d go to the NFL. She said no because they play on Sunday.

Is that a box?!

Let’s move from famous people to you and me. You’re flying home, the terminal is full. You have a choice of two unoccupied seats to settle in and await your plane. One is next to a businessman hammering away on his laptop. The other is next to a woman whose breasts are falling out of her tight, halfway unbuttoned blouse. Her skirt is so short, you pray she covers her lap before she stands up. Awful hair. She looks hung over from the night before. Which seat do you choose? Which seat do you choose when God’s saying, “Go sit by her, I’ll tell you what to say.” You don’t want to say anything thank you!

You do not look like this woman. None of your friends look like this woman. You do not relate. What would people say if they saw you deep in conversation with her…that you’re hooking too but your clientele is just classier?

Jesus said the rules do not stand alone... they relate to the underlying need of people and how he came to meet that need. They were not given so you could check off your list. Laws are valuable…but if you only focus on the rules, you’ll miss their intent.

Jesus’ underlying purpose was to meet people where they were, show people God and draw them to him. Are we so rigid, following our rules, that we miss the still small voice of God saying, “She needs me. Tell her what I mean to you.” Not tell her to go to church. Tell her what he means to you, how he fills your heart with joy, how he meets your needs, how he is your security which you’ve not found in a job or money or health or a man, but him. Show her the hope that is within you now and forever. Tell her you love her because of the love that fills your heart.

The Pharisees’ fatal flaw was tunnel vision. Even if you are not a “church person”, is that your fatal flaw? Have you boxed up Jesus as well? Stuffed accumulated bits of information gathered from lots of different sources and now, years later, you have tunnel vision as well and it’s limited to the little box you’ve placed him in?

If, as Mark says, Jesus is God, I’d give this book a shot, let it stand alone and ask him to prove it. If he’s God, that shouldn’t be too hard.

A Muse

2009-12-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

These blogs are muses because they are solely my attempt to view information we've probably heard a million times, from a different angle. My intent is not to teach anything. Rather, when I read something and find it interesting and chase a rabbit down a trail, I mull it over and write it down. Hopefully, others will find it interesting as well or at least worthy of a second look.

I think that is what is so incredible about this book. God can personalize it to anyone in the world. From a middle class American to a woman living in the African bush, to a Chinese factory worker, to an attorney in France...it speaks to that woman in her world. A light turns on. It is real. It is applicable.

So nothing profound, nothing that I'm sure has not been hashed out many, many times before by very learned people, which I am not! I am just putting into print anything that makes me say, "Well, dang, isn't that something!" Hopefully, it will provoke some thought in you as well.

Out of the Gate

2009-12-27T08:08:00.000-08:00

Mark’s book opens with a voice from heaven, a demon recognizing Jesus, men called to follow him and dropping everything to go, multitudes being healed. A gun sounds, the gates open, horses burst from the starting line.

Mark begins recording evidence to prove that this man is God in the flesh.

It’s like when a man tells you he loves you but in your mind, unless you are consumed by infatuation, you are telling him, “Prove it.” As you spend time with him, however, he proves it. He holds your head when you’re throwing up, he sits with his arm around you as you cry inconsolably after your cat dies even though he hates cats, he goes to your family reunion and endures hours of your crazy relatives’ banal conversation with a smile, he remembers the anniversary of your first date with flowers, he puts the toilet lid down, he stops belching at the table. He proves it.

Jesus is beginning to prove it. John is baptizing people in the wilderness, a man remarkably similar to a man Isaiah talked about. As he baptizes Jesus, a voice from heaven pronounces a validation and blessing, “This is My son in whom I am well pleased.” It’s a dad showing up at a presentation pointing to his kid and saying, “That’s my son; I’m so proud of him.”

Thomas Jefferson cut out parts of the Bible he didn’t agree with. Just removed them so his copy would not be cluttered with the parts he did not believe. This would have to be one of those parts if you did not sign on to the whole God thing….a voice booming down from heaven to affirm this particular person as his son….and later, the writer of the book of John states he is his only son.

Jesus’ first recorded statement is, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” Before his coming, people worshipped God from afar, much like today. All men pray, no matter the religion, creed or culture, hoping their god will hear; but he is afar. Jesus is unique, the kingdom of God is a hand…it is right here. God with us. In our midst. He institutes a totally new concept.

Jesus walks beside the Sea of Galilee and observes the fishermen at work. He picks out two, walks over to them and says, “Follow Me.” No five year plan or objectives, no salary negotiation, no promises, just a clear command, “Follow Me.” He could have walked into a hospital ICU, picked out two doctors and said, “Follow Me.” They are on the job absorbed with their work and some random guy walks in and says, “Follow Me.” Yet that’s not the amazing thing. The amazing thing is they went! Dropped everything, went. Chances are they had heard about him, but he’d not even gotten cranked up yet. Would you have walked out of a medical practice and followed him? Or even a good housekeeping job at the Holiday Inn that paid your bills…and followed him?

Just as Simeon and John the Baptist knew Jesus was the Messiah as soon as he showed up, these men knew they had no choice but to follow him. They would probably tell you they could not explain it, they just knew….they had to go. But of all the fishermen who were fishing on the lake that day, these are the ones whose lives were changed forever, whose words live forever, because they went.

Oswald Chambers says the “gospel of Jesus Christ forces a choice of the will.” That was certainly true with these men. What if they had not gone. They would have fished 30 years and died, but look what they would have missed.

He teaches in the synagogue…those present were amazed at his authority. Not as one interpreting the book, rather he spoke as if he were the author of the book.

He encounters a man with an “unclean spirit” who recognizes him. The people haven’t put two and two together, but this demon surely has. “I know who you are, Jesus…the Holy One of God!” Jesus commands the spirit to come out of him and the man goes into convulsions, the unclean spirit cries out with a loud voice and comes out of him. I think that would get my attention… I’d certainly sit up and at least listen to what the man says.

Jesus begins drawing crowds as he teaches in the countryside. He is a compassionate man and as he spends time with them and sees their physical needs, he begins to heal them A touch, a look, a word and they are healed.

People are ecstatic . He is mobbed. The message is lost…just give me the money. But at the end of the day, as the crowds fade away and walk back to their homes, they had to reflect on the healer, the one who changed their lives at least physically. Was he just a guy with a knack for healing or was he who he claimed to be, God, walking around on a dusty Judean hillside. Do we look at this whole section of scripture and think not of God, but of a TV faith healer laying his hands on some poor soul who has tried every other treatment to no avail and this is his last hope? We shake our heads at the scam being perpetuated on a desperate man by a man craving fame and adulation.

How is Jesus any different?

We have to hang in and read the whole story. Hebrews 11 contains an amazing catalog of people who knew Jesus was God to the very core of their being, knew him closely, intimately. Half the chapter is a stand up and shout list of people who obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight, received back their dead by resurrection.

The next half is also a group of people who knew Jesus was God to the very core of their being, knew him closely, intimately. They were tortured, stoned, sawn in two, put to death, destitute, ill treated, afflicted, living in deserts, mountains, caves and holes in the ground.

The depth and impact of what Jesus says goes far deeper than physical conditions. He never promises health, wealth and prosperity. He just says, “Follow me.”

A leper is healed. Jesus tells him not to tell but he cannot help it. His life has changed dramatically….a 180…he has to tell and they all come to see Jesus.

We begin to see a thread of what continues today. A few people out of the crowd knew he was who he said he was. Their changed lives were evidence they had come in contact with Jesus and although they could not explain it, they were never the same again.

Yet as we’ll learn, he was not interested in surface change. He’ll begin to have contact with men who were professionals at surface change and they were the ones who eventually killed him.

He’s interested in far more than that. At this point however, he is just giving credence to his claim of diety.

Stay tuned!

God, the One and Only

2009-12-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

Mark begins his book with this statement, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

He opens with this hypothesis; there is one God who had a son who came to earth and his name was Jesus. The rest of the book gives evidence to support this statement.

The God He is referring to is the one identified in the opening verse in the Bible, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That God.

That God is described by Steven R. Mosley in God a Biography.

“Try taking a mathematical stroll out into the deep black of space. You start by blasting away from the 25,000 mile circumference of the earth. That kind of size is in itself hard to grasp. But then you approach the sun, a blazing fireball one million miles across. If the sun were the size of an orange, the earth would be a grain of sand.

Traveling out from the solar system farther into space, you see that the sun which so dominates our heavens is only a midsized star. Others are so large they could hold 500 million suns the size of ours.

Moving through the vast hazy field of stars that is our Milky Way, we have to talk in terms of light years (distance traveled in a year at a 186,000 miles per second clip) between the pin pricks of light. They seem packed together, but the average distance between starts in our galaxy is four or five light years. And there are two hundred billion of them swirling through the Milky Way’s incomprehensible spaces.

Then we have to try to think about the billions of other galaxies sprawled across the observable universe. These immensities chill our brain. Yet even more remarkable is the fact that all these heavenly bodies travel in precise, predictable paths. They don’t just tumble through space undirected, crashing into each other. Even galaxies sweep their load of stars in graceful spirals. There is a majestic order to the movements in the heavens.

Our own planet, for example, moves in several separate, synchronized ways. It spins on its axis at precisely one thousand miles per hour, producing a nice mix of night and day to modulate our climate. The earth also orbits the sun at eighteen and a half miles per second, its journey of millions of miles never varying more than a fraction of a second. Somehow all this motion is synchronized. All the orbits within orbits proceed on track, on time.”

That God gave Moses ten commands and the first one was, “I am the Lord your God….you shall have no other gods before me.” I’m it. The one and only.

From Genesis to Revelation this is repeated. The mighty angel in Revelation “ stands on the sea and on the land lifting his right hand to heaven. And he swore an oath in the name of the One who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it.”

This God says, “I am God, there is no other; I am God and there is none like me.”

Isaiah announced Jesus’ birth hundreds of years prior to his coming when he said, “The Lord Himself will give you a sign; Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son and she will call His name Immanuel,” which means God is with us.

This is the same God John talks about in John 1. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being…..And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

You cannot separate the two. They are one.

This is so much bigger than sweet baby Jesus in a manger.

You have to start with God. You have to start with this God because the author identifies a specific one who claims to be the one and only. Not Buddha, not the thousands of gods of the Hindu, not me, for I can be my own god, calling my own shots, making up my own mind, deciding what I think is true or right, how to conduct my own life.

This one is big enough to hang in there and read this particular book about the one He sent to earth. Remove all the trappings of all you’ve ever heard and read and just read the book. Put out of your mind those you’ve met over the years who claim to know Him and have often made you want to just puke. If He’s big enough to create the heavens Mr. Mosley talked about, then He’s big enough to convince you of the validity of His claims.

This will not be an ah ha moment of, “This makes sense.” This should be an ah ha moment of, “This is really true.”

The Supernatural

2009-12-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

A friend spent time in China and the hardest part of communication about faith issues was that most of the Chinese she spoke to had no frame of reference. Most had not had contact with anything remotely having to do with Christianity. No stories, no scripture, no phrases or words.

Our stepping off point in a conversation assumes you have some sort of working knowledge about what I’m talking about. They had none when it came to Christ.

So I was thinking about the story regarding the events leading up to and including Jesus’ birth and how they would sound to say, someone from China who had never heard any of this … it was brand new information. How would he respond to the telling of my story.

An angel, a heavenly being appeared to Mary, a virgin and told her she would give birth to a child who was the son of God, the anticipated Messiah or Savior. This would not be accomplished by sex with a man, but the Holy Spirit would “come upon her.” At this point, he just tells Mary.

She goes to tell her cousin who does not know she is pregnant. On seeing her, the cousin proclaims her joy that Mary is the mother of “her Lord.”

The guy Mary is engaged to is obviously very fond of her but decides to secretly break up with her upon hearing the news of her pregnancy until….an angel appears to him and corroborates Mary’s story.

The government decides to take a census which requires travel to your ancestral home. It occurs at the exact time of Jesus’ birth in a small town foretold as the Messiah’s birthplace, 700 yrs prior.

Not just one angel, but a multitude of angels show up to tell a band of shepherds that Jesus has been born and direct them to him.

When Jesus is 40 days old, his parents take him to the temple and when they walk in, an old Jewish man walks up, takes the baby and tells them he’s been waiting to see their child because he is the Messiah who came for not only Jews, but Gentiles.

Now….through 21st century eyes, if you were, for example, Chinese and all this was news to you, first time anyone had ever told you this story, do you think you would embrace it? Or would you begin backing off and slowly say, “Riiiiiiight.”

I think the latter.

We’ve just heard this story for so long and for most of us it’s connected with a childhood who also for most of us is connected with warm fuzzy feelings of Christmas. Throwing this whole story out would be like dissing your mother. Amazing how we accept this incredible, farfetched first chapter of this man’s life without a problem and then move right on and confidently say things like, “He was a good teacher; he was a great man (claims he never made); he was one way to God but there are many others.”

But if you look at all these facts or occurrences that are presented by the Bible as fact, I don’t know anyone else in all of history that this happened to, do you? Doesn’t it have the supernatural written all over it? Angels, more angels, people knowing information without being told…and it’s the same information, an ancient prophecy fulfilled because of a government census?

You have to begin with this story. You can’t begin with just the man, Jesus and his claims. You have to do something with his beginning.

Most of us want to be able to explain things we believe. It has to make sense. If I can explain it, understand it, I’ll embrace and accept it. Amazing how we don’t transfer that to matters of everyday living. I do not know how a machine that weighs tons, rises off the ground. Even if you explained it to me, I would not understand. I do not know how an aircraft carrier floats. But I would get on either one in a heartbeat and allow myself to be flown at 600 mph 30,000 feet off the ground or sit in a lounge chair on deck with miles and miles of water all around and under me and peacefully drink a Coke.

I talk about having a relationship with God Almighty. How in the world do you do that with a spiritual being? I went to a conference once after we returned from two years overseas to update my nursing license. It was such a big conference, I could get all the CEU’s I needed in one day if I just sat there and listened to very learned men and women talk about nosocomial infections.

These scientists, doctors, were brilliant. I understood words like bacteria or infection but that’s about it. They conversed in this subject in scientific terms and equations without notes like I talk about a cake recipe. What are the chances I could I establish a meaningful relationship with someone like that? What are the chances someone that brilliant would have anything at all to talk with me about or any interest in the mundane issues of my life? And I’m suggesting the eternal Creator of not only our universe but every other universe, wanted a relationship with me and sent His son to procure it? How big a stretch is that?

I think you first need to explain away the preface. It either happened the way it was told or it’s a great story but chances of it being reality are remote. Things like that just don’t happen.

If it did happen, the supernatural is at work and we cannot explain his actions because we are finite creatures. We live 80 years if we’re fortunate and die. We’re like a comet flashing across the sky and then we’re gone. We change our minds a million times in that 80 years trying to decide what is truth.

And Jesus has yet to utter a word. We haven’t even begun the book.

Mark

2009-12-15T17:57:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I did a study of the book of Mark. You know how familiarity breeds a yawn. Been there, read that. Eyes glaze over. Give me the name of the person, parable or problem and I could fill you in on the story in my sleep. At the end of the study however, I’d found a Jesus that was so different than the one I’d known for years.

I’ve realized that over and over in conversations, whether the person is a believer or not. It becomes apparent after a while that we’re not talking about the same person. The one I know is different than the one they’re talking about.

So when this book came up as the course of study for the next few months, I was excited to look at him again knowing with this time around, it would be the same but different because it’s the Bible. Timeless and unchanging but like peeling an onion, layer after layer peeled in different times in your life, produces new insights and discoveries.

It begins with the fact that God, Jehovah, created heaven and earth and wanted a relationship with the man he created so he sent his son to earth to accomplish this. If you looked for a main theme, that’s it. That’s what Jesus repeats over and over, “I’m God. I’m God’s son. He and I are one.”

So often we read these episodes in one breath. But there were big breaths. Big causes for pause. The last person I heard say he was God was nuts. A legitimate response is, “Prove it.”

God would tell the children of Israel to show up and fight the next day. Not to worry, guys, I’ll show up too. We zoom on to the next verse, but they didn’t. They had to go home, sit down on the sofa and wonder if this was all a figment of their imagination, if it was really God and would he really show up.

Same here. Same thing happened here and throughout history. Yet time after time, God would give supporting evidence to substantiate His claim. Enough for you to take to the bank and believe.

The story begins with Mary. She was a teenager, poor and unmarried. The angel Gabriel was dispatched to tell her she was going to become pregnant by the Holy Spirit. O….k. But she believes! In fact, signs on completely and goes to tell her cousin. If you were a much older Elizabeth, wouldn’t you have been a little skeptical? Wouldn’t you have thought this was a little stretch of the imagination? Nope, because God let her know too. She was as excited as Mary.

Joseph, the man she was engaged to, could have put her to death upon finding she was pregnant, but the angel appeared to him as well and gave him the same story. And he believed. Would you? I would love to say, you bet…absolutely. But that’s with 20/20 hindsight, knowing how the story ends. Yet it was crystal clear to all three. They could not have been more convinced. Nobody talked any of them into this.

The supporting actors are all on board because God Himself sent an angel to tell them. He did not leave it to chance that they would read a verse that morning and “get it.”

The government decides to take a census which just happened to coincide with Mary’s due date. Remarkable timing. And I don’t care what the governor said, I would not get on a donkey and ride to Bethlehem at nine months pregnant. Joseph just happened to be from Bethlehem which Micah just happened to prophesy as the Messiah’s birthplace 700 years before his birth.

Enter Jesus.

All births should be announced but this one received a heavenly announcement directed to, not the local church but the lowest rung of society, a random group of shepherds hanging out in a pasture. An angel scares them to death and announces the good news. For added emphasis, a huge choir of angels appears with the choral benediction.

They knew it was God, no question about it and found the family exactly as they were told.

Next player, next confirmation was Simeon who was a righteous and devout man meaning he was serious in his pursuit of God. It says he lived his life expecting God’s intervention on Israel’s behalf. There was a 400 year silence between the Old and New Testaments so his faith is remarkable. How do you stay pumped when it’s been 400 years since God said anything? Yet on one particular day, God told him to go to the temple. He was listening. Listening was the habit of his life…and he obeyed. He went.

Do you listen? I turned around to greet the people behind me at church one Sunday. It was two college girls and I knew just as clearly as if it had been audible that God said to take them to lunch. Much like Simeon. “Go to the temple. Today. ” I said I was really sorry, but I had to go to Lowe’s. I didn’t really say that…I said something like, “Mmmmmm.” But I went to Lowe’s. Do you know what Simeon would have missed if he’d decided to go to Lowe’s? It’s not that God’s not speaking, even when we pursue him daily. We’re either not listening or have a better idea that is not a better idea.

When he saw the little family, he knew beyond a shadow of doubt that this was the Messiah. This cannot be written off as a doty old man who just picked the right kid. He made an incredibly revealing statement . “My eyes have seen Your salvation which you have prepared for all people, a light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.”

To the Gentiles! No Jew would ever have uttered that. They thanked God every morning they were not born a woman or a Gentile. To the Jews, yes, but to announce that His salvation is available to all people, a light of revelation to the Gentiles is unbelievable unless it came from God himself. It did. Paul confirms this in Ephesians. As one of the most dynamic men in history, he was given the job of integrating the church, bringing Jews and Gentiles together into one body. The integration of blacks and whites in the church in America pales in comparison. John 3 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” To the whole world. All people. Amen, Simeon.

People you and I would not have chosen, hand picked and convinced by God Almighty. Timing and confirmation would be a pattern God would use throughout Jesus’ life so we would not wonder if it was coincidence. He wouldn’t just say it once. It would be affirmed several times so we’d know beyond a shadow of doubt. He does the same thing today.

And this is just the beginning. It gets better.

Obedience

2009-12-08T19:17:00.000-08:00

We continually learn obedience. We never really master it because God constantly takes us to a higher level. I usually look back at issues I had such a hard time with in the past and ask what the big deal was because it pales in comparison to what I’m facing now. Has that happened to you? You never reach the summit and just sit. As I look at each new challenge, I always think there’s no way I can obey. Some situations take longer than others for me to sign on. Sad to say, some I’ve just opted out of.

Two things I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older. One is that it does not pay to disobey. What an understatement. Second, He always seems to address those hard areas, the ones you wrap your fingers around tightly.

He’s like the cell phone guy that keeps saying, "Can you hear me now?" Instead, God keeps saying, "Do you trust me now?" The situation changes, the venue changes and you’ll hear Him say again, "Do you trust Me now?" Unfortunately so many times my response is, "Let me think about it. I’ll get back to You."

This particular day, I had had another encounter with God. I meet with Him every day. He’s definitely real. But every once in awhile, He is SO real and SO applicable to a particular situation I’m in, I am just amazed beyond words. And then there’s a decision to make…a choice. Trust or back off.

That day, I was plodding along, purposely not looking at my checkbook to avoid angst. Then I read Psalm 1:2-3. "They delight in doing everything the Lord wants; day and night they think about His law...bearing fruit each season without fail."

They delight....in doing everything the Lord wants. Like... isn’t just the fact that I’m doing it enough? Some of the things You want me to do are tough. Some are just so out of my comfort zone. Some are really a stretch and that’s putting it mildly. I’m going way out on a limb here and You’re telling me to delight in doing everything You want? That’s like walking across a tightrope 30 feet up with every fiber of my being concentrating on not falling off and You’re telling me to.... smile?

Yet what picture of God are we giving the world when we respond to our situation with a somber hang dog expression, looking at the floor, shaking our heads saying, "Yeah, I’m following God’s will."

How do we delight when we have an unfaithful husband or a vindictive mother in law or a rebellious child or a cold, demanding boss or an insane coach or a godless society or an unfair teacher? Yet, Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Notice it doesn’t say when He’ll give you the desires of your heart or how He defines the desires of your heart. It just says to delight yourself in Him and He will. Obey. Trust.

Hudson Taylor was a missionary to China in the late 1800's. In the book Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret, he says, "To me it was a very grave matter ... to contemplate going out to China, far from all human aid, there to depend upon the living God alone for protection, supplies and help of every kind. I felt that one’s spiritual muscles required strengthening for such an undertaking. There was no doubt that if faith did not fail, God would not fail. But what if one’s faith should prove insufficient? I had not at that time learned that even ‘if we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself.’ It was consequently a very serious matter to my mind, not whether He was faithful, but whether I had strong enough faith to warrant my embarking on the enterprise set before me."

In other words, there were no Marines that would rescue him, no overnight Fed Ex delivery. If God did not anticipate his needs ahead of time, fill the order and get it on the slow boat to China six months before Mr. Taylor was aware of the need, he was out of luck. The need would not get met.

"When I get out to China," I thought to myself, "I shall have no claim on anyone for anything. My only claim will be on God. How important to learn, before leaving England, to move man, through God, by prayer alone."

Mr. Taylor’s employer in England wanted him to remind him whenever his salary became due. Mr. Taylor decided not to do so directly, but knowing that God knew his needs, to ask Him to remind his employer and so teach him to trust Him by answering his prayer, a lesson desperately needed before going to China.

Payday drew near. Mr. Taylor was praying. No money. Days dragged on. He was down to his last half crown. He was called to a tenement house in the poorest section of town one Sunday night following a wonderful day of services and ministry. "Four or five children stood about, their sunken cheeks and temples telling unmistakably the story of slow starvation, and lying on a wretched pallet was a poor, exhausted mother, with a tiny infant moaning rather than crying at her side."

He thought to himself how he would gladly give them money if he’d had change for his half crown. But he couldn’t give the whole half crown because it was all he had with no assurance that a paycheck was forthcoming.

"I began to tell them, however that they must not be cast down; that though their circumstances were very distressing there was a kind and loving Father in heaven. But something within me cried, "You hypocrite! Telling these unconverted people about a kind and loving Father in heaven, and not prepared yourself to trust Him without half-a-crown!"

The battle within continued throughout his entire visit. Before he left, he knelt and prayed for them and "arose from my knees in great distress of mind. The poor father turned to me and said, ‘You see what a terrible state we are in, sir. If you can help us, for God’s sake do!’"

"At that moment the word flashed into my mind, "Give to him that asketh of thee." And in the word of a King there is power. I put my hand into my pocket and slowly drawing out the half crown gave it to the man, telling him that it might seem a small matter for me to relieve them, seeing that I was comparatively well off, but that in parting with that coin I was giving him my all; but that what I had been trying to tell them was indeed true, God really was a Father who might be trusted. How the joy came back in full flood tide to my heart!" He knew it was true not only in his head but in his heart. His Father could be trusted.

He obeyed. Joy flooded his soul.

Notice that God did not say, “Give to him that asketh of thee and don’t worry, your boss will remember to pay you tomorrow.” Oh no, all God said was to give the man his money…all his money. He obeyed. Joy flooded his soul.

The next day, a letter came in the mail. He did not recognize the handwriting and the return address was blurred and unreadable. When he opened it, he found a blank sheet of paper and a pair of kid gloves. He unfolded the gloves and found half a sovereign. He stated that half a sovereign at that time was worth 400 times more than his half a crown.

Mr. Taylor founded the China Inland Mission. The income while he directed the work, sustained only with his prayers, “unasked save of God”, no less than four million dollars and this was in the 1800’s.

He learned early on that God could be trusted to supply his needs. And that his obedience would bring joy, unexplainable joy, great delight.

That’s what makes God famous.

Job Assignment

2009-12-03T04:50:00.000-08:00

My nephew’s wife taught fourth grade. She was the teacher every parent requested. She was bright, warm, nurturing, laughed easily, related to kids incredibly well, creative beyond belief, worked long hours after school and on weekends.

After a few years, she had a baby and decided to stay home. What a switch. You have parents who adore you; kids who worship you, want to hold your hand, sit by your desk. Your creative genes are in over drive. You are fulfilled to the max and then it all comes to a screeching halt.

Now you change poopy diapers. You burp a baby who responds by belching half digested milk all over your shoulder. You rise three times a night to feed a screaming infant who can’t even focus his eyes on you much less say, "Thanks so much mom. You are the absolute greatest, most gorgeous woman on the face of the earth."

No accolades from your husband either. He rolls over in the morning and says, "Well, that wasn’t such a bad night...I didn’t hear him once…did he sleep through the night?" Right. Or, “What have you been doing all day?” Well, you feed, burp, diaper, clean up, wash, feed, burp, diaper, clean up, wash, feed, burp, diaper, clean up.....

It was after a few months of this that she finally told my sister she had changed her mind about mothering full time. It was all in the attitude. She now considered being a mother and a wife, her full time job much like her school job was with just as high a calling. Just as she had viewed her teaching as an area in which she was gifted and able to use her talents, now she would view this job in the same way. She would use a different skill set with the same intensity, just a different audience....a kid, a husband and anyone else whose lives she touched. All the creativity she had applied to teaching would be applied to her present job. Pretty amazing, huh!

The lesson in Luke 19 affirms this thought. A nobleman was going to a distant country so he called ten slaves and gave them ten minas (three months’ wages) each and said to them, "Do business with this (invest this) until I come back."

When he returned from his trip, he called the slaves in. The first increased his master’s investment by ten minas. The second by five minas. The third slave earned nothing because he had hidden his money. The master rewarded the first with ten cities, the second with five cities.

He was not happy with number three.

A sovereign God has either placed you where you are or allowed you to be in that position. He has given each of us talents. Whether the world sees you or only one cross eyed baby sees you is irrelevant. You are given talents by God Almighty and that is the Master you are accountable to, the One you are working for.

So are you working or whining? Have you done an attitude check lately much less tallied your earnings on His investment? Are you taking your on-the-job problems to Him to work out? Have you given them to him and left them with him? Are you checking in throughout the day for guidance, strength, perseverance, encouragement, direction?

A few years ago, I was applying for a job in a couple of hospitals near our home. It became increasingly obvious that God was closing all the doors. Through a series of events, I realized I was supposed to stay home.

Now there was no one at home, not even a dog. Last kid had left for college. I had shot the one white cat who came over to eat the birds feeding in the back yard. Just kidding! My husband left at 6 and came home at 5. God said to write...something I’d never seriously done before. Took me three months just to master sitting. It took me six months to take this as a serious assignment from Him. And except for an occasional friend, the only one who read what I’d written was my mother. What was the point?

Why was I doing this for an audience of one, with no salary, and bills from my son’s university arriving on a regular basis? Because God gave me that assignment for that year.

This is the lesson of Luke 19. We need to realize who we really work for. Our needs will be supplied by an all knowing Father (Matt 6:8) as we present them to Him. Any changes in our present situation need to be made by Him or not made at all. Any benefits, blessings or hard lessons learned should be directly attributed to Him. This takes our assignments to a whole new level doesn’t it.

When we meet Jesus face to face and He asks for an accounting of the talents He gave us, the positions He put us in to use them, what will we hand Him? Ten times what He gave us or will we just hand the talent back to Him unused, the potential unfulfilled, no ripple effect, no nothing.

We may not have been assigned the world to change. We may have just been given one baby, the checker at the grocery store, the girl at the cleaners, the moms and babies at the park, a high school class, an unloved elementary student, a friend at the gym, patients in a hospital. The point is....what have we done with our assignment? What gifts will we joyfully present to Jesus one day....our thank you for His intervention in our lives, His faithfulness, His love to us.

This only works if you are in a relationship with Him. “God, until you move me, every day, may I look to You as the one who has me right here for a reason…whether it’s to change me or impact someone else. You know how it fits into your plan. I trust your plan.”

“God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to him forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10-11

Inspired or Changed

2009-11-30T19:27:00.000-08:00

Peter is one of the first people I would like to see in heaven. Bold, outspoken, bigger than life. If he’s not 6' 6", 240 pounds, I’m going to be disappointed.

In Acts 3, we saw him command a lame man to get up and walk in the name of Jesus. The guy was ecstatic...leapt up, walking and praising God. Caused quite a stir.

A council of rulers and elders and teachers of religious law convened in Jerusalem and the two disciples were brought before them. They demanded, "By what power or in whose name have you done this?"

"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of our nation, are we being questioned because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed in the name and power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. There is salvation in no one else!" (Acts 4:8-10)

Fearless, outspoken, straight to the point.

"The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had no special training…but since the man who had been healed was standing right there among them, the council had nothing to say."

This man had been lame for more than forty years. What could they say?

I think of all the Bible studies I have taken. Suppose someone asked me about the Precept study of Romans, what would I say? "Oh it was good. It was soooo good.” Well, just exactly what was good? What difference did it make in my life? What changed? Southern Living was good this month too. And I’ve changed my flower beds as a result. Surely something changed if I studied the Bible!

But have you ever asked someone about a Bible study and they answered, "Yeah, I took Romans. It changed my life," and they tell you what changed?

I was talking to a friend not long ago. I don't know her relationship with Jesus. We spent about an hour together, discussing a problem she was having. I felt inept… me, the conversation queen.

I could meet you in an elevator and by the time we got to the sixth floor, we would have shared how we met our husbands, our child birth experiences, teenage rebellion, hairdressers and have a date set to meet for lunch. I met a lady in produce one day at Kroger. By the time we left the store, we’d set a play date for our boys. My husband could not believe it. "You don’t even know this woman!" Yes, I did. We covered all the basics. I think it’s a woman thing.

So I was telling my husband that I couldn’t figure out what to say to my friend. He said maybe I just didn’t have that gift. But if that’s true, what do I say if I meet someone who is starving? That I’m sorry, I’m a terrible cook? I just don’t have that gift? Too bad they just got me? Or do I just keep my mouth shut because they may not like what I fix them? No...I may not be a great cook, but surely I could make a peanut butter sandwich so they wouldn’t starve to death.

I may not be eloquent when it comes to sharing my faith, but surely a word or two about how He’s changed my life is simple enough. I don’t want my words to sound preachy. I don’t want to quote pious little phrases like "Well, you’ve just got to let go and let God," or "Give it to Jesus."

I want to be able to relate how Jesus worked in a similar situation in my life...a relationship, an attitude, a crisis and that I found resolution to the problem and peace for my soul…..in Him.

A former president was asked once who had most impacted his life. His answer was, "Jesus Christ, because He changed my life." Our answer should be the same. And I should be able to relate specific ways He has changed it. Like the man who was lame for over 40 years, standing right beside Peter and John big as day.

Because people might argue with you doctrinally, but they cannot refute a changed life.

So what’s different...or are we just inspired?

How is your daily life different? Did you approach your last big decision differently? How do you relate differently to your kids, your in laws or neighbors? Is your response to a crisis different? Has your marriage changed or do you relate differently to your husband? Is your love for others different? Is your mouth different? Do you worry like you used to?

I don’t think proof comes in generalities...it comes in specifics.

"Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers.." (James 1:22) ..."that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:7)

When we relate how Jesus has changed our everyday lives, people connect. They are able to respond with a, "Man, I wish that were true in my life." It can be.

Just introduce them to the One who changed your life.

Light

2009-11-26T18:18:00.000-08:00

I went to the movies with some friends and should have walked out. Why didn’t I walk out? I’ve only walked out of two movies in my life. This should have been number three.

The next morning I pulled out my books to read and meditate and meet with God. I couldn’t do it. I felt so embarrassed at what I had been looking at. He knew what I’d been looking at. And I was expecting to sail into His presence and say "Fill ‘er up, God?" "Give me something good, God?"

This is an interesting topic. When I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, my mom used to either turn off the TV when a beer commercial came on or stand in front of it with the volume turned down. If there was any question about what they were advertising, it was laid to rest when my mom bolted out of the chair, lunging for the TV knob! "Oh, for PETE’S SAKE, Mother!" we moaned as we fell back in our chairs, eyes rolling back in our heads. Like turning the volume down would assure immunity from the evils of alcohol!

So what is it? I’ve heard statements like "I do not watch R rated movies. I do not drink liquor. I do not drink anything in a glass that looks like a liquor glass that may be construed as liquor. I do not say gosh because it may sound like god." Is this just not repulsive and arrogant? Like who are we trying to impress? How far do we split hairs? Where is the line and why is there a line and who drew it? How close can you get and be "ok"? Who exactly defines “ok?”

The only reason I even bring this up is because I talked to others who had seen this movie and they thought it was cute. Why was I so uncomfortable with God and they weren’t? They are believers too. Am I becoming my mother and have evolved so slowly into her, I didn’t realize it?!

I have really enjoyed writing. Never done it before. God’s word makes me think, ponder. I know if I am not plugged into Him, the word on the page will just be….words on a page. So I’ve been digging daily.... not for the answers to why Paul went to Troas and not Rome, but why a relationship with Jesus works and how you can learn from all my mistakes! I want my communication lines with Him be wide open. I’ve been drawing close to the Light expecting Him to talk to me. Knowing He would.

Light….this is what I have to turn on now and get up close to with my magnifier glasses which are on top of my contacts! And kids can read in almost complete darkness…amazing. Now light illumines, helps me see clearly, clarifies. I get up close to it so I don’t have to struggle to see. I want the light on.

The same with God. The closer I get to The Light, the more clearly I see. The Light clarifies. If I get up close, it’s not such a struggle to see...from His perspective.

And this Light is holy. Without sin. In fact, this Light hated sin so much, He sent His Son to die for the sins of the world so He could have a relationship with us…with me.

The most moving demonstration I saw of this was during a choir presentation one Easter. “Jesus” was on the cross, “dying.” The choir loft must have had 200 singers robed as angels with wings standing behind Jesus. Right before He died, as if they were one, they turned their backs on Jesus and the audience. There was total silence in the building for what seemed like eternity. And then Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" God had in essence, turned His back on Jesus because He was bearing the sins of the world and God could not look at sin, because He was holy. All of heaven looked away.

Then He died alone.

I sat in the silence with this graphic picture and the realization that this was Someone’s son dying a horrible death, all alone, completely forsaken, for my sin. Not the billions in the world…but for me.

Oswald Chambers says that "Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred."

Yes there are some black and white issues like murder, sex outside marriage, theft, but for gray areas like beer, snuff, vast quantities of rich food, I don’t think God hands out a "sin" list. You just draw close to the Light. If you are uncomfortable, don’t back away from the Light, back away from what you were doing when you started getting uncomfortable.

And your reasoning is not that points are going to be subtracted, or you don’t want to disappoint whoever has a list, but there is no way you’ll offend the One who means so much to you. Your relationship with Him cost Him too much.

The focus changes from the offending object to your dearest Friend.

The Man Born Lame

2009-11-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

A friend called yesterday and asked that I pray for a young lady….lots of reasons, all of which would break your heart as a mom. The first thing I thought of was how I could rescue her, what I could give her, how I could fix her situation.

How many times do I say, “Oh you bet, I’ll pray for her,” all the while thinking of ways I can bail out the person I’ve been asked to pray for.

In Acts 3, Peter and John were on their way to the temple. A man who had been lame since birth sat daily at the gate of the temple asking for money. Conversation stopped. Peter and John stopped. Peter fixed his gaze on the man and said, “Look at us!”

The man gave them his full attention, expecting money but Peter said ,”I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have, I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene….walk!” And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. And with a leap, he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God!”

Am I like the disciples? Nope. I would have said, “Here buddy, get on my back…I’ll take you to my car and we’ll go see someone who can fix you up with a wheelchair. Then we’ll go over and get the paperwork filled out so you can get disability. Then we’ll swing by the orthopedist and get another opinion on your legs and I’ll feed you lunch while we’re out.”

Do I ever say, “I can fix everything wrong with you on the outside but you know what? If you don’t know Jesus, you’ll still not have the peace of God that passes all understanding, you’ll still not have wisdom that comes from above, you’ll still not have security knowing that God lives within you and is closer than a brother, that He loves you unconditionally, that He will meet your every need, that all things will work together for good because you are His child.”

So in the end, if I fix everything and walk away, what have I given him that isn’t temporary?

I need to remember that I am a child of the King and have the incredible privilege of coming right into His presence at any time. I can walk right into that throne room where He sits in all His majesty, absolutely overwhelmed with the awesome prospect of just being in His company and knowing I have His ear, His full attention.

Isaiah saw the Lord, “sitting on the throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. The seraphim were calling out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled while the temple was filling with smoke.”

And WE’RE RELATED!! I’M HIS CHILD! He tells me in Hebrews 4, “Since we have a great high priest, Jesus, the Son of God, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”

I can bring my friend’s young lady right up to the throne of God. Jesus sits on His right hand as my Advocate. Can you imagine? He’s known this girl since before she was born, He knows all about her family, about her heart, her finances…..everything! And He has the power evaluate all the components, make the best decision… to effect change. Lasting….change.

So why isn’t that my kneejerk response? “Oh man….give me a few minutes. Let me take this straight to my Father. He is so smart! I’ll be right back.” Then…only then…..if he tells me to help out in material ways, I will.

That’s exactly what Peter did. Exactly. Peter not only was used to change this man’s life for…ev…er, think of the countless lives the man born lame impacted. “God is real! He reached down and touched ME! He didn’t just give me pocket change, a wheelchair, disability, a physical exam, He gave me a LIFE!”

How in the world could we possibly settle for less. What an incredible resource at our very fingertips.

Lord, open my eyes….open my eyes to see You!

Radio Friend Part 2

2009-11-15T17:21:00.000-08:00

I wrote about my radio friend the other day and have felt I needed to footnote that entry ever since.

He was the kind of radio host that made you feel like you’d lived next door to him and grilled out hamburgers with his family for years….and he was pulling for my team. What a guy.

I never talked to him and really know absolutely nothing about him. I surely don’t know if he had a relationship with God. I learned a long time ago that if anyone asked, “Is he/she a Christian?” my response would be, “I have no idea.” It’s not my responsibility to judge and call that shot.

I can tell you how you can belong to Him and know for sure that you do…..but to judge what is in someone’s heart, only God can do that. His opinion is the only one that matters anyway. Certainly not mine. You will see no eyebrow raised on my face….my plate is full just with me.

My son was about 6 or 7 and wanted to know how to become a Christian. I told him. His concerned little response was, “What if I don’t say it right?”

“Oh honey, it doesn’t matter how you say it….you can’t say it wrong. God’s looking at your heart talking anyway, not your mouth.”

I heard recently about a friend who was in a Bible study with a girl who had absolutely no belief in God period, much less a personal God like Jesus. She was coming because her roommate was dragging her there. My friend gave it her best shot. No response. No interest. She dropped out. Over the summer though, she listened to a man teaching on the internet. One verse, one remote verse that my friend would never have thought would touch one nerve in this girl’s body, hit home, zeroed in on her heart and broke it open. She became a believer. No one led her in a prayer. The words of her heart were expressed to Him, all by herself.

So, I surely wasn’t judging my radio friend. God knew his heart, cared deeply for him and loved him unconditionally. That’s something I do know for sure.

The Pressure Washer

2009-11-12T07:21:00.000-08:00

My husband had borrowed a pressure washer from a friend and when he had finished using it, loaded it in the back of his SUV. A few weeks later, I borrowed his truck and realized the pressure washer was still riding in the back, smiling at me. Great.

I was out running errands so decided to return the thing. I called my husband and said, “Please give me John’s number so I can see if he’s home and return the washer.” “No, I’ll return it later.” “No you won’t…it’s been in your truck now for weeks and you haven’t returned it.” “Yes, I will and it has not been weeks.” “No, you won’t….please give me the number.” “Fine.” “Fine.”

Called John. No answer. “Dang.”

I’d pulled over while I called him so since he wasn’t home, I did a u turn and whipped the truck around to just go home. WHAM. The pressure washer turned over! I uttered a disgusted, "Holy cow," then started smelling gas.

I’d come to our county road and had 6 miles to go so decided to pull over and set the washer upright so it wouldn’t leak gas all over the back of the truck. I popped open the hatch and the thing FELL OUT!

“OH MY GOSH!!!”

It was way too heavy to pick up so I had to call my husband. All I could get out though was, “Honey?” and then I started laughing hysterically. I mean how funny can it be to be sitting by the side of a county road with the hatch up and a pressure washer laying on the ground with the hoses hanging out of the back of your truck? Not that funny! I don’t know what turned over inside me but I could not stop laughing! All that would come out was an occasional word or wheeze…but enough strung together for him to get the picture. He…was…not…happy and he did not have a car. It was in the shop.

A neighbor bailed me out, loaded it up for me and I came home to a hot husband. He’s cute but hot here has a whole other meaning.

“So where is it?”

Since a real stronghold in my life has been a smart mouth, all sorts of choice remarks whizzed through my brain like, “On the roof.” Like where do you think it is? Kind of like when you ask your husband to put your 4 year old son in the tub and give him a bath after he’s played outside all day and the man looks right at you and very sincerely asks, “Does he need it?”

My husband gave me a short speech on my mouth, my snotty, “cute” responses to his questions, my attitude. I think he covered it all. He’s very precise, pointed, a man of few words. And right. Sad to say, right. I know when to keep my mouth shut and nod. Smart woman.

I usually pray early in the mornings but the next day really nothing would come. All that came to mind was 1 Corinthians 13. That was not what I wanted to hear.

By the next day, I wanted the silence to end, something else to play in my head besides 1 Corinthians 13 and knew the ball was in my court. God wasn’t mad. He is holy. There was sin in my life. It needed to be dealt with to restore fellowship. So I prayed, “You’re right. I’m wrong. I am sorry. Please forgive me for my smart, snotty mouth. I need to make this a permanent change. I need to think before I speak, weigh my words and screen them by the verses you’ve been playing in my brain. I will make it right with my sweetheart as well.”

Restored.

The jist of 1 Corinthians 13 is that you can speak in the languages of heaven and earth, know prophecy, everything that is going to happen in the future, give all you have to the poor, do some incredible things, but if you are not loving, it profits you or anyone else…nothing.

And love looks like this……” Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.

Love does not demand its own way.

Love is not irritable and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.

It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.”

Can I do that by myself? Is that me? Am I naturally like that? Nope. Not even a little bit.

But if God’s whole goal is to bring me close to him on a moment by moment basis so I begin to reflect him, look like him, then this is who he is, what he looks like! He loves just like this. If he lives inside me, this is what people should see, not because I determine to be this way and try real hard, but because I am so close to him, I take on his characteristics.

That’s what I want. That is so incredibly attractive…as a wife, as a mom, as a friend, as a daughter, as a sister. It doesn’t squelch who I am. It just softens me, tempering who I am with love.

I finished praying and opened the Bible that I read as a devotional. It’s divided up into an Old Testament and New Testament reading , a psalm and a proverb for each day of the year. Want to guess what the New Testament reading was for that day?

1 Corinthians 13. Almost fell out of my chair. It was God’s mighty “Amen!”

My Radio Friend

2009-11-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

I often listen to a call in sports show in the afternoons when I’m in the car or fixing supper. I’m mainly interested in what they have to say about the football team I follow. My husband rolls his eyes and shakes his head when he walks through the room! It is classic South. Good ole boys call in to ask why the defensive line didn’t pressure the quarterback, why the backs didn’t run north/south, why the quarterback didn’t pick up Bubba who was wide open for crying out loud, ten yards from the end zone. You may laugh and roll your eyes. Won’t bother me a bit!

I lived outside the South long enough to relish profoundly southern accents much like you would relish that first bite of chocolate mousse after a six month bread and water diet. I just stand there stirring a pot and grin. I love it.

We were overseas for two years early in our marriage and I came back South after a year to visit. My sister and I went shopping and a sales clerk approached us and with the sweetest, most pronounced drawl I ever heard and said, “Hey, (spoken with at least three syllables ) can I hep you?” Oh man, I was so overcome, I hugged her and asked her to just say that again!

So with my sports show. I love football and I love southern accents.

I tuned in on Monday afternoon to a somber show. One of the announcers had died. He had just joined the crew a few months ago and I’d chosen this show over another one at the same time on another station because I loved not only the way he talked but his views. He just kind of drew you in with his warmth.

He had died over the weekend. A sudden thing. No illness. Just died. I felt like I’d lost a close friend. Isn’t that amazing? I never even met the guy. I know nothing about him beyond what he thinks about our offensive line, our receivers and our defense.

I read his obituary yesterday. No mention of faith which in the South is always the first thing listed especially if you just died. You may have attended only once a year but by gum, your name was on the roll and your church is at the top of the list, followed by Rotary, the Junior League and the PTA.

A graveside service. The end.

It would be like taking a good friend to the airport two hours away, dropping them off knowing you’d never see them again and not knowing where they were going. And you knew they had no plan either. They were just going to get out of your car, collect their bags and stand alone, looking at the doors. You drive away with this awful feeling.

God would not create heaven and earth with such precision and leave where we spend eternity to chance. He would not. He did not. We can know with absolute certainty.

We begin a relationship with him here on earth and when we step out of that car and go through the airport doors, and walk into eternity, we continue that incredible relationship, just in a different realm.

How do you leave that to chance when everything in your entire life from which school to go to, where to live, which house to buy, what job to take, how much money to spend, who to marry… is talked over, hashed over, agonized over and then decided on? You have a plan…we always have a plan. How do you not plan for eternity?

My radio friend stepped into eternity this week and it lasts forever.

Belief Leads to Action

2009-11-04T17:17:00.000-08:00

By the time Joshua had finished his career, chapter 12 says that he had destroyed thirty one kings and their cities. Pretty incredible statistics by anyone’s standards.

An interesting conquest was described in chapter 11. Joshua was moving through the land God had given them, taking it city by city, totally annihilating everything in their path. King Jabin knew he was next. He sent urgent messages to kings of the northern hill country, kings in the Jordan Valley, kings in the western foothills, kings of Canaan ...every king he could think of that might help him out. In fact, vs 4 says that their combined armies, along with a vast array of horses and chariots, covered the land scape like the sand on the seashore. They established their camp around the water near Merom to fight Israel.

Jeff Shaara wrote great books on the Revolutionary War. The British would amass their famous, well trained army, a sea of red uniforms, across a wide expanse of open field. The Americans were a recently formed army dressed in whatever they brought from home. It was a ragtag army at best. The term “army” is really a loose description. In the early stages of the war, Britain would advance and when the colonists would hear the drums and see the soldiers moving toward them, they would be overcome with fear and flee at the sight of the British. Many times, George Washington stood helpless, watching terrified men run away from the line and never return to camp. The sight of the redcoats and their cannons and horses was so awesome, fear overcame them and they just ran away.

I picture King Jabin and his armies this way. An incredible number of horses and chariots and fighting men waiting for the order to advance on the Israelites. Must have been quite a sight.

Joshua has a panoramic view of this great assembled army. Then....God speaks. Notice He didn’t speak until the opposing armies were in place. Until Israel could see that the odds were overwhelming. This was for our benefit as well.

God said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow they will all be dead.” (11:6) Don’t be afraid. You’re going to win. I’m here.

Always with these stories, I have to remind myself that we know how this is going to end. Not so for all those Israelite soldiers who were hunkered down looking at this incredible sea of soldiers, horses and chariots. Did they believe God...that He was there with them...that they’d win, just because He said so?

They must have believed Him. Like David rushing Goliath, “Joshua and his warriors traveled to the water near Merom and attacked suddenly. And the Lord gave them victory over their enemies.” God said you’re going to win. But Joshua and his men had to attack them.

Joshua 3 says that God had told the Israelites to cross the Jordan River which was overflowing its banks. The priests were to go first. Joshua gave the word and the priests moved out. “As soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water began piling up at a town upstream ... until the riverbed was dry.”

Jesus was traveling toward Jerusalem when he saw ten lepers standing at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went.....their leprosy disappeared. As they went.

Joshua believed God when He said that tomorrow the enemy would all be dead. That faith in God’s word enabled he and the men with him to attack an immense army and chase them until not one was left alive. Belief lead to action.

Joshua believed God when He told him to cross the Jordan River and he ordered the priests to advance. They advanced and the riverbed dried up. Belief lead to action.

Jesus told the lepers to go...and they went. As they went, their leprosy disappeared. Belief led to action. And in all three instances, there was a great victory that only God could have achieved.

In all three instances, their actions were based on a clear, instructive word from God. But the victory came when they charged the enemy, took a step into the water, started walking toward the temple to show the priests. While the enemy was still armed and dangerous, while the water was still in the river, while their bodies were still leprous.

Sometimes God says to “stand and see the salvation of the Lord” as He did with Jehosophat in 2 Chronicles. But there are other times when I believe He gives us a word and waits for us to move. He sees who believes Him and who doesn’t. Separates the men from the boys. Sees which warriors will charge hell with a water pistol for Jesus.

What impossible thing is staring me down? Do I have a clear word from God? Am I acting in light of that word or am I sitting with my hands folded in my lap, defeated before I even get out of the chair.

Is God’s assurance of “Don’t be afraid, I’m here,” enough?

May be it’s time to fish or cut bait.

Watch Me

2009-11-02T07:01:00.000-08:00

A child burst into my school nurse clinic, her face a lovely shade of pale blue. If she remained frantic, I wouldn't be able to get her to use her inhaler effectively.

I grabbed her, sat her down and kneeled before her with my face six inches from her face. Looking right into her eyes, I calmly (and here is the disclaimer....my outside was calm, my insides were jumping up and down, praying loudly, arms flailing to get God’s attention!)... and quietly said, “Watch me. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Watch me. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.” I repeated those words over and over as I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth. Whenever her eyes would start to drift from mine, I would again softly and slowly say, “Watch me...watch me...good...watch me.” As she began to relax, she was able to use her inhaler and quickly began to turn a wonderful shade of pink. Didn't take long, but it was a remarkable change and nurses love pink!

Isn’t that the way we are? Having worked ourselves into a monumental head of steam, we throw ourselves at Jesus’ feet and let ‘er rip... “I can’t believe she said...I have told him over and over and look what he did....look at all this stuff I have to learn....look what I have to do before tomorrow, next week, next month.....look what YOU haven’t done, look what my boss is saying....look what that parent expects... he won’t listen and she won’t go and how can I and holy cow...WHAT IF??”

Then Jesus says, “Sit down, look at me, take a deep breath...watch me...watch me.”

He did that to Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. A great multitude was coming against Judah armed to the teeth with the full intention of annihilating them. The Israelites were so dead unless God miraculously intervened. All of Judah gathered and a fearful King Jehoshaphat prayed. He laid it all out before the Lord. His final words of desperation were, “O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us...nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on Thee.”

I imagine a long pregnant pause.

Then Jahaziel stood up in the crowd. He said, “Listen.....thus says the Lord to you....do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s! You need not fight in this battle. Station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf. Do not fear or be dismayed. Tomorrow go out to face them for the Lord is with you!”

Often when I’m overwhelmed, on my last nerve, have tried everything I know to do and am hopelessly defeated, I finally....remember...to lay it all out before Him. “You know, God, what is happening. And you know I’ve worn myself out trying to fix it. I quit. I’m powerless in the face of this situation and I don’t have a clue what to do. It’s all yours, Jesus. I’ll station myself, keep my eyes on you and just watch you work in me and in this situation. I trust you.”

I cast the burden on him. I stay focused on him. I take a deep breath and look full in His wonderful face.

”Tomorrow, go out and face them, for the Lord is with you.”

Guaranteed...you’ll pink up.