my wings are made of faith

No Stopping It

In the fifth chapter of Acts, a lawyer named Gamaliel warned the men of the temple to be careful about what they intended to do with the disciples.  He told them of another teacher named Judas whom the people had followed during the time of the taxations.  He too had been killed, and his followers simply dispersed, Gamaliel reasoned.  So to the men who wished to threaten, jail, and perhaps even have Jesus's servants punished and killed, he said:

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought.  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it. Lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. Acts 5:38 - 39.

He could have been a lawyer for the disciples... LOL.

I suppose he thought that they would just go away eventually.  Yet he spoke with more wisdom than any lawyer I have ever known.  He spoke a profound truth!

Take a good look at the things that are gaining momentum in your life.  If it is something men are devising, in the great timeline, it will mean nothing at some point.  But if it is of God, we have no effect on it.  We pray as Jesus taught us: "Thy Will Be Done." But sometimes we pray it as if we are giving God permission.  Lest we forget, it is God's will.  We are merely deciding to accept it, or reject it, whether to submit to it or to "fight against God."

Sometimes we want something to happen or to not happen so badly, that we try praying harder, longer, with more faith that our will might be done..."Please please please God we pray."  I can name you times when I have fallen into that trap.  The question is - "what is God's will?"

Prophecy is like that.  If God says it is going to come to pass, it will. Sometimes our politics fall into a routine of trying to make something God predicted would happen to NOT HAPPEN.  We are missing the mark!  God didn't put Christ on this earth to make the politics of the earth suit Christians.  Our freedom is first a freedom from the burden of sin. I believe the forefathers of the USA understood the principles of freedom and justice as presented in God's word.  But they also understood that the real constitution, which makes a difference, is when, in an environment of freedom to do so, we are about the business of winning souls to Christ. No laws or president will be able to change the circumstances of our political or social standings.  Only the change of men's hearts will bring about such changes.  In the days that Peter and Paul and the other disciples taught about the Lord, souls were added to the church daily....DAILY.  At least once, more than 5000 men had that amazing change of heart that began to build the church among Jews and Gentiles, which spread into the whole world. 

Put your energies into God's plan, and it won't be wasted.  In the sixties, when I was young, I had the great joy of being present when I saw this kind of thing happening.  Our pastor was a man who stood firmly on the word of God.  He took his truths from the scriptures, without making an agenda from them.  He made it clear at church and on the radio when he preached, that God's full intent was to save the souls of lost men and women.  God accepts us just as we are.  No consideration for where we've been or plan to go. He doesn't judge us by our depth of sin. He simply provided a solution for all sin, and included all to be eligible for freedom from sin. 

Gamaliel didn't figure on the impact this would have on people who needed that kind of God.  Or maybe he did...just maybe he knew that he would appease those who sought to do the will of Satan, long enough to let as many people as possible hear this great news...because he knew that once men heard, they would know the freedom he knew.  I like to believe that Gamaliel had discovered Jesus as his own Savoir.  And he knew that there was no stopping the momentum that having a savoir affect men's lives could have.

One more note. I have always said that if what you are doing is leading souls to Christ, then you can know that you are a part of God's plan.  If your church isn't growing, if you never have opportunity to share your savoir as the Christ, if you are not planting seeds, if you go years without seeing souls around you being saved in some place where you are involved....Satan has you genuinely fooled into thinking your life is right with God.   But no ministry will gain souls by holding the feet of the children to the firey heat of the law.  Or bashing their saints til they are discouraged.  This is why we at My Wings Are Made Of Faith seek to uplift the readers, to bring joy to those in pain, and share the freedom the children of God should be experiencing.  But we encourage you to know you are in God's will, because as Gamaliel said: " If it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it."

Why not be a part of it?

Dear God,  I long for my children and grandchildren to see what happens when people hungry for the power, that was winning souls by the thousands in the days of the disciples, is governing the hearts and actions of everyday people. If that same momentum was to occur in our generation of technical ability, the whole world could hear of and be changed by the grace and mercy of your love in a few days!  Lives could be changed by the thousands today as much as then. Even now, in our age of sarcasm and disappointed Saints.  Fill us Lord with a new amazement for the change you made in each of our own lives. AMEN

CALLED, CHOSEN, FAITHFUL

My son posted last night in hours of insomnia that he was mulling over the “thus far” of his life, and wondering if he had wasted his life, and was speculating how to make a mark in life and be able to die in due time, believing he had done what the Lord would have him do.  I can say I have been there, have you?  One of my neighbor’s grandchildren expressed to me this morning the issues of her making decisions that would affect her life’s future.  She is only about to be nine. She is mulling over her salvation and that she would like to be baptized. I never brought the subject up, nor even hinted at it.  She is hearing the Holy Spirit. Each and every time we face this point in life, our emotions may vary, from the extreme of silently invigorating to the other extreme of powerfully debilitating, or anywhere in between. Some will know exactly to what God is calling them, and others will struggle with how to know why the Spirit stirs their soul.  Regardless of the circumstances, I am certain of one thing.  God doesn’t call us all to be missionaries, in the “go to the ends of the world” sense.  Instead, if we are called to serve him, but not chosen to be preacher, teacher or missionary…we still have a place in his great plan if we come with the right attitude.

There are 6 verses that come up in a Bible Gateway search when you type in “called, chosen” in the King James version. I was searching only one particular verse, but was impacted by the six verses that came up. All six speak of exactly this situation in life.  I want to share what I saw in each one:

1.When Samuel was seeking the new King, he followed the command of the Spirit to go to Jesse to select this king from among Jesse’s sons. Jesse brought the sons whom he felt would make the best king. However, after going through Jesse’s sons, Jesse’s chosen were not God’s chosen. David, his youngest, was.  Seven (the number of completion) of Jesse’s sons were called to pass before Samuel, but only one, the eighth, (number of new beginning) was chosen. And he was the least expected to be God’s chosen. What’s more, David was in the fields keeping sheep one minute and was the King of Israel the same day. God’s call can be a sudden and unexpected new beginning.

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. I Samuel 16:8.

2.Isaiah relates the story of God’s conversation with Jacob, whose name he changed to Israel, and whom he chose in spite of his past and in spite of his fear. It was his servant’s attitude that determined that choice.

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:8- 10.

3. Matthew retells a story that Jesus told about a man who needed laborers. He hired men in the morning who agreed to work for a penny. Later as he saw they needed help, to get done for the day, he hired more men whom he also paid a penny. He paid the men, the last first. When he got to the first men, they expected to receive greater pay. They, just as we might, believed that if they worked longer, they should receive more pay. The late day workers were actually a gift to the tired men, but they never saw this. The last were chosen exactly the same as the first and agreed to exactly the same pay. Jesus is saying to us, that no matter the time of life we are called to the labor, we are equal to any who serve him for a lifetime. God does not look on the length of service, just that we be willing.

 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. Matthew 20:16.

Three Thousand Souls

Now when they hear this they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and  brethren, what shall we do?  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord Our God shall call.... 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts 2: 37 - 39, and 41.

This is such a lovely set of verses, which tell in a couple of brief statements exactly what to do to receive the Lord Jesus as your Savoir. Several things delight me that they are included in this "summary." 

1. I totally love this phrase "pricked in their hearts."  It refers to the "call" of the Lord, that is a little like the love attraction of a young man or woman. It is new, is often constant, and is attention grabbing.  When God calls to your heart, it can be a bit of a stabbing heart ache, for something you may not understand.  Here we find a new phenomenon, where 3 thousand people have been "pricked in their heart" to move to some kind of action, and they could do nothing else but find someone who could give them answers. 
2. Secondly, the question: "what shall we do."  They were certain in a very innocent way, that there was something they were being impressed to do.  Being baptized for the repentance of sins was not something new. Since the time of John the Baptist, and maybe fefore, Jews were seeking something to do to be faithful, to acknowlege before God their sins, and their repentance.  What was new was receiving the Holy Ghost as a gift, and not being a prophet or king or priest.  In years gone by, they knew only of God's special interaction of speaking to his people through his Spirit, as coming through some sort of leader, whom God chose.  God speaking to individuals was an incredible concept.  Notice they didn't shy away. Instead they came by the thousands to receive this gift. These people were craving the one-on-one love of God.

Life Through His Name

When   revealed himself unto his disciples and followers after his ressurrection and before his ascention they often didn't all  see him at the same time. Thomas who was not present on many of these occasions doubted the reports of the others, and was totally skeptical.  I think of my husband who is that kind of personality. But when   came into the room with the doors completely shut, and He spoke directly to Thomas and said, "be not faithless, but believing."  He had told Thomas to touch him and put the truth to a physical test - to do what ever it took that he might believe. Then he said to him,

 "because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."  John 20: 27 - 29. 

Verse 30 of the same chapter makes it clear that this occurred to make a point.  Christ's signs, in the presence of his disciples were done that we "might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing [we] might have life through his name. " It is a blessing that we can believe, never having seen   as his followers did. The lives of 11 men were drastically changed because of the events that had occured from the day called them to be disciples.  The principle of multiplicity was set in motion first as he walked and taught in this world, but became exponential once he rose again. When these men were exposed to the truth of Jesus' resurrection, they knew they had the greatest news that man has ever known.  They became the CNN of thier day! LOL  In fact, the word Gospel means "good news."  They took Christ's admonition, to go into the world and tell everyone, very seriously. 

What will you do when you are alone and adrift?

I watched as my daughter disciplined her toddler son one day.  And I thought how Godly the process was. He was kicking and screaming, resisting what his Mom wanted him to do. She got his attention, put him in time out, and when the time had come that he understood he had done wrong, and ceased crying and feeling sorry for himself, she brought him back to herself, having fulfilled the resolution for his behavior. She made him understand she still loved him.

Sometimes we want to go our own way.  God made us with a sense of independence.  It is what motivates us to get up in the morning and get things done. But independence without the balance of unity, someone to love us, and boundaries can take us to places of loneliness and ineffectiveness.  Sin is when we ignore the need we have as humans for our creator to provide that balance.  We become heavily weighted on self-indulgence and things get out of kilter. 

Think of an astronaut in space.  He is a daring independent kind of guy.  Extremely so sometimes.  Intelligent and capable of flying his craft. If he weren’t, he might not get home. Apollo 13 was a great example.  But without his team on earth - helping him find the boundaries, sort the difficult calculations and extremes of detail - he would fail, and the results could be disastrous. I heard an astronaut say yesterday that if you are off just a little in the beginning and don’t adjust early, you could miss your target altogether. Without the altering of the cross on the sin issue, we would miss our eternal target all together, but we will miss the daily blessings of God as well.

God wants our independent character to get us where we are going.  He desires his best for us.  But we need a mission control!  Personally, I don’t like thinking of being alone in this great big universe like a pilot alone in outer space with no contact to what grounds him.  I want God’s universe-capable power to reel me in. 

SIN IS SIN

SIN is SIN. Any way you dress it, pretty it up, or frame it out….it is still sin.  And it is against the will of God, is black and dark.  But what does that exactly mean?

Let me tell you a story. A ridiculously fictitious story.

Once a man bought a new car.  It was a marvelous new car that was on the cusp of being like no other car ever made.  In fact, in the world of cars, there was nothing else ever made that was like it.  The manufacturer had a manual that gave explicit instructions on how to take excellent care of the car, keep it running and preserve its beauty and performance.  This man was so proud of his car, but he soon tired of cranking his car the same way every morning.  If it was such a marvelous car, there must be something more to it.   So he lifted the hood and he tinkered with the wires to crank it.  And what do you know, he cranked it.  This was a little more interesting than cranking it with a key, so he decided to see if there were other ways to crank his car.  Well it was a part gas, part electricity car, so he decided to find some new electrical ways to start his car.  After success with a mini generator, a switch on the plug, and numerous other experiments, he felt like he was getting really good at finding fun ways to enjoy his car.  But he was spending so much time making his car be different than it was supposed to be, that he did little to follow the things in the manual that were meant to keep it in tip top shape. He ignored vitals concerning the way it was made to run.  So it began to not go as far. It left him unable to get to his destinations, sitting on the side of the road.  He was annoyed with his new car, and one morning it wouldn’t crank.  Instead of going to the manual, or seeking a person who was knowledgeable about the car, or getting online with the manufacturer to find how to best resolve his problem, he decided to do something drastic.  He ran an electric wire directly into the gas tank and turned on the switch…..!!!!!

Well, I am not entirely sure, but I think that was the end of his car.  And of the man as well.  I think the correlations are obvious, but we will mention them anyway. Living in sin is a ridiculous story, but real for all of us.

The manufacturer of humans is God.  The car is man’s body, spirit and soul.  The manual for the car would be like the Bible. The man tinkering around with the proper way to keep his car in order is sin.  The man engaging in small experiments with how his car ran was “small sin.”   Yet it was interesting. It had some rewards - fulfilling his curiosity and helping the man feel like he knew more than the manufacturer. His satisfaction however, did not last, and he moved on to more and more “little sins.”  His eventual avoidance of his manual which would lead to proper maintenance and trips to have tune ups, oil changes, etc. is comparable to ignoring prayer and Bible reading. The break-downs, and frustrations, compared to life, are the result of not doing things the way God created us to operate. Then finally, the man’s disastrous end was like becoming frustrated and embarrassed about  sins, enough to avoid seeking the very source that could remedy the issue and fix things.  That source, of course, is God.  The end of that is disastrous for not only our souls, but for daily function.  The man’s only really “big” sin was turning on a deadly energy source, after sticking the wire in the tank.  All the others were just different versions of the first “small” sin. In a mechanical kind of way they were all pretty dress-ups for his sinful nature. The only reason the big bang was like a “big “ sin, was because it was the last opportunity the man had to resolve his living in his misaligned ways. 

If you are frustrated and sitting on the side of the road a lot, my friend, seek the mechanic of the soul and get things fixed!  It won’t cost a thing. But you might be inclined to forsake playing around with how God intended you to run , some of the time.

Sin is like a dirty diaper in a pretty box.  Discard the whole thing!

Lord, sometimes, learning how I don’t work well is as valuable and knowing how I do work well.  So I believe that is why you sometimes let us just keep living in our sins until we start to fall apart. It may be an inconvenience to search the manual everyday sometimes.  And I am embarrassed to admit my failures to follow your plans for whatever reasons.  But, I commit myself today, to remember that you understood and cared enough about me to make everything like new.  All I have to do is call on you, and claim the warranty on my life and soul. And you are able and willing that it will be as if I never tinkered with the best way to live.  How did you know that it would have to be that easy, or I would never seek you for help? I confess I am a sinner, totally in need of you daily mercy and care. “Just as I am, I come.”  Much praise, dear Jesus, for the newness in my soul.  AMEN

  

 

HE REMEMBERS THE DAY

When Jesus was on earth in human form, he spent a lot of time trying to explain to people that he had come from his Father, who he sometimes clearly, and sometimes not so clearly, signified was God.  Some understood and believed, among both Jews and non-Jews.  Some never understood his hidden meanings and ceased to follow him.  He made constant references to elements of the old scriptures and compared himself to them, sharing that, in those stories of old, he was hidden, if they would just open the eyes of their hearts and see him.

One tiny little mention he made about knowing Abraham personally angered those who sought to kill him for his craziness.  All these men could understand was - he was talking about things that made no sense to them!  Asking people to eat his body and his blood. Saying he was the bread and water of life; and if they partook of him they would not hunger and thirst again….  Would you have listened to such a crazy talking person now?  (John 8)

He told them if they would keep his saying, they would never die. And the Jews said, ”Now we know you have a devil.” Jesus’ response was delightful~

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham?  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM. John 8:55–58.

Most of us focus on the last part of Jesus’ statement, but I can’t help but pause and think of this precious moment when Abraham recognized his Savoir - long before he was born a babe in a manger and died for Abraham's sins.  What sort of day was it for Abraham, the day he believed in Jesus, although he didn’t know him by name? Jesus says he remembers it as a day of rejoicing and gladness.  Think, for an instant, how Jesus might relate the story of the day each of us became believers. Abraham looked forward and understood the blood and the flesh scenario. He understood about the Father who would give his son as a sacrifice. And it gave him joy. What did the Spirit share with you that made you believe?

Why didn’t these men hear and understand?  Because, even though they had been taught the stories their whole lives, they were just stories to them.  They claimed God because of their heritage as Jews, not because they listened to the Spirit of God who opens the hearts and minds of people to understand and receive God. At this time, the Spirit was not given to indwell sinful man, but it is made clear in Old Testament verses and in many of Christ’s own teachings that the Spirit has always spoken to our inner man. And just as Jesus taught of the Father and the Spirit, the Spirit teaches of Jesus and the Father.  Most of the times the Old Testament characters spoke of talking to God, it was the Spirit with whom they spoke.

Jesus said: He that is of God hears God’s words: ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God. John 8:47

How can anyone know for sure he belongs to God?  Well according to Jesus, he can hear the words of God. (Hear means to hear the words in our hearts in such a way as to understand.)  If you don’t always understand scripture, are you lost?  No, you are listening aren’t you? The difference with the men in John 8, is they didn't want to hear what the Spirit was saying. All those who followed Jesus, often didn't understand yet, but they were listening. Just open your heart to hear the Spirit as he teaches you what he wants you to know.  That will do. 

Lord, my favorite part of my relationship with you has always been how your Spirit lets me know you are real, thousands of times in thousands of ways, you make yourself known.  Please never stop making yourself visible to my heart, even if my mind fails me…continue precious one to speak to my heart. And Dear Jesus, it makes me glad to think that you remember the day we met, just like I remember the day we met. Thank you for that sweet revelation. AMEN

A prayer for a Godly husband

Shortly after the realization that i was getting divorced, i think the biggest emotional hurdle for me was fear. Fear of being in my 30s and single. It wasn't really the fear of being alone, because i have a relationship with the Lord and i have such an amazing group of supportive family and friends. It was the fear of not having a family, not being able to trust someone with my heart again, and fear of the dating game. 

It didn't take long for God to calm my fears because i stayed focused on Him. Fear is a lie, a lie from the enemy saying that God isn't good and that He won't give us the desires of our heart. Now, i just patiently rest in Him.

i came across this Facebook note that a friend posted about a month ago. It's pretty close to the same prayer that i have been praying for months. To the divorced, single, widowed— this prayer is for you. Claim God's promises for a Godly husband in the name of Jesus and wait on the Lord to provide the desire of your heart. (Take some time to click through to the related scriptures)

Prayer for a Godly husband

Lord God, your Word declares that if I delight myself in you—if I enjoy and seek your pleasure above mine—you'll give me the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4). Desiring a husband is neither evil nor selfish because marriage is honorable (Hebrews 13:4). At the beginning of creation, you proclaimed, "It is not good that man should be alone" and then you created Eve to be a suitable partner for Adam (Genesis 2:18). In the name of Jesus, I ask that you would protect the husband—a suitable partner—you have chosen for me. Because the covenant of marriage is sacred (Mark 10:9), I ask for a man of God. Please give me a husband whose love for me is only outmatched by his love for you; a man who will cherish me and build me up (Proverbs 31:28); a man who will honor me (I Peter 3:7) and our marriage vows; a man who will be a good father and provider; a man whom I will be attracted to physically, emotionally, and spiritually; a man who will love me as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). Keep me from attaching myself to another man out of desperation. I will not settle for a relationship that's second best, convenient, or one that feeds my insecurities. Guard my purity and give me the patience to wait. And when I meet him, confirm to me that he is the one. Release from me the baggage of past relationships, and prepare me for the man You have chosen to be my husband. Free me from any hindrances to a healthy and godly marriage: insecurities, habitual sins, selfishness, and emotional hurts. Dispel my unrealistic expectations that set me up for disappointment. I place my trust in you rather than my partner. In this period of waiting, I will look to you alone to be my companion and best friend. You are the one who redeems my life from the pit, who crowns me with love and compassion, who satisfies my desires with good things (Psalm 103:4-5). I will not be anxious, but as I present my requests to you, flood me with the peace that surpasses all understanding so my heart and my mind are guarded in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6,7). In this request, I commit myself to trust you and do good, to dwell in the land and feed on your faithfulness. I commit my way to you and trust that you will bring it to pass (Psalm 37:35). Amen.
—Evangelist Constance Fleming

 

God is so very, very good.

Love That Stands The Test Of Time

In this week when we celebrate love, “Wings” has dedicated these days to couples.  These couples didn’t wear halos. They were normal people, living in the difficult circumstances of normal life. Not one story is a picture of perfectness. But each story is, in some way, a picture of the love of God, and includes types of the future Savoir, Jesus Christ.  The couple who is the subject of our discussion today is Jacob and Rachel. There was nothing about this relationship that is typical of the ideal couple in today’s social patterns.  Yet, these two were the parents of Joseph, who through much hardship became a Prince of Egypt. He saved his family most of whom rejected him, when they might otherwise have perished from famine.  The whole family story (Genesis 29- 31) is full of types of the love of God for his beloved Israel, his chosen people, and of Jesus who came, not just to the Jews, but to the whole world. But was this marriage built on love?

To me this story has always been the exemplary story of just how much a man can love a woman.  And it is the picture of the long-suffering love of God for his earthly family.

When Jacob fell in love with Rachel, it was almost at first sight.  He knew within a month he wanted to marry her. He agreed to serve her father for 7 years in order to make her his wife. Through the deceit of his father-in-law, Jacob was forced to work another 7 years to make Rachel his wife. He married Rachel only a week after being tricked into marrying her sister Leah.  But he worked hard and under ridiculous circumstances to pay the price of 7 additional years, which her father demanded.

The sweetest verse in this whole story is verse 20:

And Jacob served seven years for Rachael; and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had to her.  Genesis 29:20 KJV

This is the love God has for us.  It isn’t meant to exemplify an ideal picture for couples on Valentine’s Day.  There is no ideal picture. There are no ideal love stories. There are no fairytale marriages. God wants us to know that only one love is stronger than time. He is always willing to work for the object of his affection, each soul he would woo to himself, no matter how many years it takes to win them.

This is also a story of God’s purposes for our lives.  We may never know what God’s long-term plan may be, but he can take any situation and bring blessing to us and to future generations. God blesses the children of the unloved mothers too.  Through no fault of his own, Jacob was tricked into marrying Rachel’s sister.  Although he never loved her like he loved Rachel, he trusted God to build his family through her as well.  It is from this mixed up family that the 12 tribes of Israel were generated. And one of Rachel’s sister’s boys was Judah. This was the tribe through which Jesus’ ancestry can be traced, all the way to Mary and also to Joseph.  How much did Jacob love Rachel? Enough to look to the future and make a commitment to that plan, suffer through hardship and betrayal, and stand his ground.  How much does God love us? Enough to look to our future and make a commitment to that plan, suffer with us through hardship and betrayal and stand his ground!  All the years to God seem but a few days.  We have only just begun to get to know the extent of his love.

Father, thank you for loving me like Jacob loved Rachel.  Thank you for this example of how you have a plan for our future, and the future of our children. Help us see past the deceitful people in our lives to the bigger picture.  Help us not be so hurt by the turmoils of reality that we give up the pursuit of love relationships.  Give us a mindset that overrides the here and now, and draws on faith that you are able always to bring something wonderful when everything fails to be as we expected. AMEN

A Love Letter from God

Dear Valentine,

I chose you when I planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12). You amaze me. I look at you so dearly and marvel in my own creation. I knitted you together in your mother's womb—you are so wonderfully made (Psalm 139). When you smile, my heart melts, and your beauty shines. I hear your voice, and I am reminded that I love you with an everlasting love, and with loving-kindness I have drawn you to myself (Jeremiah 31:3). I think about you all of the time—the sum of my thoughts outnumber the grains of sand (Psalm 139:17-18).

I love you more than words could ever express, but show you daily in the smallest of things. I rise the sun for you each morning, give you breath (Isaiah 42:5), clothe you and feed you (matthew 6:28-32). I graciously give you a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3), so that you can see and experience just how beautiful and fragile life is, knowing that I am in every season. I sing to you through the birds in the morning or the wind blowing through the trees in the afternoon, send refreshing rains to quench your thirst, and provide shade on the hottest of days. 

My love, when you hurt, I hurt (Isaiah 63:9). When you are overflowing with joy, I rejoice with you. Every day, I go before you, protecting you and fighting your battles so that you can just rest peacefully in me (Deuteronomy 1:30). I truly delight in every detail of your life (Psalm 37:23)—oh you make me so happy. Do you truly know that there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you (Matthew 7:7). I will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

Today ... and every day, let my undying love for you fill every one of your needs and desires. Let me show you just how wide and long and high and deep my love is for you (Ephesians 3:18). 

I love you. Will you be mine?

Love always and forever,
God 

Pursuing the Proverbs: Day 6

God wants to provide guidance for us that we might be able to get through life easier, safer, healthier, wiser, and having built good character. In the Proverb today, the phrase “reproofs of instruction are the way of life” refers to discipline.  Our minds sometimes jump to the emotional reactions that come with discipline and we withdraw and wince. But the whole verse conveys a more pleasant picture than painful discipline. 

Today's reflection: God prefers that we use the law and commandments as a means of lighting our way so we can easily stay on the path.  Ever thought about walking a path in darkness? We naturally are deterred from getting off the path if we can’t see what’s there. Instincts and experience tell us that getting off the path in the dark will get us lost.  This is the image God would have us visualize. He would have us fear to get off his path more than fear staying on his path.  We have it backwards when we are afraid of where the Lord would lead us.  Or fear that we might fall or fail to get there when he is lighting our way.

God’s plan will shed light on only a small section of the path at a time.  We seldom visually see to the destination, rather, just the section of the path where we must walk our next steps.  God wants us to not become overwhelmed on His path.   Take life a few steps at a time. Seek to know the destination, if he allows, but don’t stress about not being there yet. 

On our “birdcount” this weekend, my husband and I did some “owling,” (seeking out and counting owls,) in the dark.  We park along roads where the habitat is right, and we play a tape, which is a recording of a screech owl’s calls. This is a small owl, usually less than 12 " tall. Several kinds of owls will respond to the tape, hoping to warn the presumed "intruder" of territory bounderies.  When we hear them call in response to the tape, we can count them, because we know which owls have which calls. My husband and some of our birding friends cannot hear certain bird calls.  This weekend, the little screech owls needed to be very close for him to be able to hear their low, very soft, “bounce call.” To put them on his personal list, he needed to hear them if not see them.  So he was patient and listened for them to come in very close. Often, with a flashlight, we can also see them.  Sometimes, just after dawn, we get good looks at them.  And it’s a good thing, because they seldom call after dawn. In this instance, we stand still and let the birds come to us.  Sometimes, when God seems not to be shining his light on our path, his instruction is clear: stand still and listen for his still small voice. Or wait for the dawn, the point in time when he will enlighten the wonders along his path.

Today’s Prayer: Jesus, I have wasted a lot of time in my life stressing over not seeing the path in minute detail.  I don’t know why it fractures me so, when I know you are in control, to not see all the way down the path to the destination. I know I fail miserably sometimes at taking life in smaller segments. I ask forgiveness for the wasted energy and time that I could have spent joyfully awaiting your light for my path. I could have embraced the silence in this noisy world while listening for your warnings that I am in someone else’s territory.  Maybe you called like the little owl, and I had a deaf ear, and didn’t wait for you to draw near, and intently listen. Forgive me, and come close, Lord, and call a little louder, please, like the little owls who heard our recorded call. Most of all, please help me not to be the broken record, like my tape just calling over and over, begging you to come near.  When I stop the "tape", help me paitiently listen. Open the eyes of my heart like the dawn, as I search your word, and let the commandments be my flashlight and your law be my morning sun. If all you desire me to have is a look where the tiny focus of the flashlight is aimed, then help me to rejoice in what you are letting me see. Glory to your name. AMEN

For more wisdom read Chapter 6 of Proverbs.

Pursuing the Proverbs: Day 4

As a Sunday school teacher, I often sought ways to make a principle stick with kids. It isn’t only the scripture, but the principle, which bears learning.  And the fun thing I discovered early on, was that the first letter of words – alliterations, helped the children remember “The Principle.”  What was even better, the letter that kept coming up in all the principle words was “P”. So if I asked, “Can you guess which letter the principle this week begins with,” they would all chime, “P”, because they knew from experience, it always began with the letter “P”. 

I am loving our theme this month, because, guess what?  Proverbs begins with “P”. And it is all about adventures in principles, and the first of my selected scriptures also begins with the letter “P”.  Are you feeling like we are on Sesame Street and the letter of the day is “P”, yet? LOL

So what is this Perfectly Principled word?  It is Plan.

Today's Reflection: Proverbs 4:26 says: Ponder the Path of thy feet. 

Oh, yaayy! More “P” words!   Say it three times fast. I mean it. 3 times beginning - now. That will help it stick. OK. You are not 6.  So why do most of us act like 6 years olds, living day in and out without sitting down and pondering what steps we should take for the day? Then share that with God? 

If for a few minutes each day we do four things:

1. Ponder our path – give the day a little thought.  Rather than striking out into it blindly doing what we did the day before. 
2. Like most of you I need lists.  So as part of your Plan try to:

        Pray the list – if you have a list of things to do, pray for –

• guidance – let God point the way.
• presence of mind -  defined as “existence in a certain place” in the mind
• peaceful and prosperous productivity
• and passion for the purpose

   3.  Purpose to Prove God’s Power – Claim that power by filtering our plan through his word. Then prove him, put God to the test. On Purpose… have purpose.

 A reason to do what is on the list makes certain things Priority.  So –

   4.  Prioritize the plans.

Then: 

• We might get everyone in the family on the same page.
• We might see God in our day.
• We won’t walk alone.
• We might realize some things were not as important as we thought.

Result? Things will go wrong anyway, the plans won’t always pan out, and you will feel like a pitiful failure at the end of the day - IF you forget that the plan was a guide, not the perfect will of God.  Please put a little fun in and plan to laugh and make changes to the plan. Proverbs are Character builders, not the “LAW OF GOD.”  Use them as tools to fashion a little more perfect YOU.

 Then above all – refer to Acts 2: 21 often, at the end of your day: and remember the old joke which quotes only half the verse but reeks with wisdom: “it shall come to pass”.  Tomorrow’s another day. Think about it! And Ponder a new Plan.

Today's Prayer: Lord Jesus, your word helps us know that everything about you is one big plan. There is purpose in every element of your creation. Help me be a part of that plan, but also help me to include you in my daily plan.  But most of all, help me to emulate you and have a plan. Lovin’ having fun as part of the plan. I think I see you smiling.  AMEN

For more wisdom, read Chapter 4 of Proverbs.

"Out with the old and in with the new"

As we begin thinking about our New Year’s resolutions, we often hear the phrase, “Out with the old, and in with the new.”  The beginning of a new year seems like a great time to form new habits like being healthier either physically or spiritually.  

The good news is that, as Christians, we can have a fresh start every single day with a simple prayer of confession and repentance.  

Lamentations 3:22-23 says,

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.”

Our challenge is to believe that God is in a good mood each day and loves us more than we can imagine.  We are covered under the blood of Christ.  He is our Daddy, shield, and defender.  

My Prayer:  Lord, thank you for your unending mercies.  We praise you that we don’t need a new year to start fresh with you.  Thank you for being in a good mood with us.  Holy Spirit, remind us to walk as confident, forgiven children of the God Most High.  In Jesus Name!

 

 

My Peace I Give YOU

When I  began to research the word “PEACE”, I was amazed to find that there are arguments that are historical about the translation of the Christmas passage that is so familiar to us:

 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:4

In the early centuries, transcribing errors caused a multitude of early documents to have a different meaning than the texts before them, of which there are only a few.  Translating scholars chose the meaning in the multitude of erroneous documents available to men of the 15-17^th centuries, and made those highly copied errors the meaning of the verse.  Out of that came great discussions about whether “on earth peace, good will toward men” meant peace between men, and a lack of war - wherein men were to do the right thing and be at peace with one another - making peace on earth a viable and desirable “life’s work.” As if it were the call of God on their lives to pursue peace, and avoid war because of Christ’s birth. As if the Angels declared a new and great commandment unto mankind. Some stake their basic beliefs about how God feels about war on this concept.

I am not sure that I ever thought the verse meant to avoid war at all costs, because to me it always had to do with “inner peace.”  So I was surprised to find that this beloved verse had controversy around it. Why, the very fact that a verse about peace caused contention between men, sort of had a ring of discord to me.  It was as if I could hear Satan laughing in the background.  What was the great news that the angels proclaimed on that night? Did they really come to tell us that Jesus came so that we could make a commitment to ourselves to seek peace between us?  Wow!  Are we failing at that or what?  Time alone has made God a liar, if his message to us was that because of Jesus we would have the power within us to establish peace on earth.  So why does this scripture seem to be a lie in God’s word? Did Jesus bring the potential of a world of nations at total peace, when he came as a babe in a manger?

Well there are a number of other scriptures that admonish us to seek peace within our families, with our neighbors, and ultimately, desire it that we may have allies and friends among nations.  But, to me, and in the words of the earliest documents, the angels were addressing a more Holy issue.  Just as some rulers & church leaders of Christ’s day misunderstood when he said he was King of the World, it is a great mistake to lower this verse to the man-to-man level.  No. This verse is about God’s plan to bring peace to link himself to man. For mankind, this meant no fear of retaliation, ever. In the Old Testament, there was a peace offering brought to the temple, which was intended to placate God.  That offering was a ritualistic act to remind people not to feel enmity with God when they fell into their sinful nature, and stay trapped there. Jews understood this concept of bringing an offering before God, which would be like a bringing a gift to a loved one to say, “I’m sorry.”

However, even in the most loving environments, we get tired of hearing someone say over and over again, that they are sorry for repeatedly going back to some act, which continues to hurt the relationship, every time it occurs.  With most “I’m sorry” gifts, is the often hollow promise of  “I will never do that again.” When we’ve heard it over and over, not only the act is offensive, but the lie about never doing it again becomes worse.  This is what would be our station in life with God, repeatedly answering for our sins, apologizing with high hopes of not falling short in his eyes again, only to find it is an impossible task…if Jesus had not become our forever peace offering.

Peace was needed between God and man.  A kind of peace that set our hearts and minds at ease, about not being able to be perfect in God’s eyes.  As we discipline children, we sit them down to think about what they’ve done, asking them to not do it again, but to listen and do what we are telling them to do instead.  Once they get up from the “time out”, we ask that they say they are sorry.  Sometimes, the process wears on us to the point of not being enforced, due to lack of will power on our part.  The result is a wayward child, and having to start all over with the discipline. Yet if there is to be peace in the family, a loving parent can’t loose the will to be consistent with discipline. 

Years of discipline without a healthy balance of forgiveness will build up an animosity that sometimes comes out as rebellion in teens.  Constantly keeping our noses to the “pleasing God” grindstone will cause animosity between us and God, as well. Satan will do all he can to add fuel to the fire, hoping to cause rebellion toward God in our hearts.  God gave the peace offering of ancient days, as a point in time, when people could come to him, and ask for a fresh start.  But years and years of peace offerings didn’t bring the inner peace, which God and man were seeking.  Just as in so many other of the ways that Christ fulfilled the law, Jesus came to be our “peace offering.”  And the angels were sent to declare that God and his heavenly family were rejoicing that there could finally be a remedy to the constant inner battle, a means of healing the friction between God and man.

Let’s hear it from Jesus: Not the Peace the World seeks - 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34(KJV)

Jesus’ coming actually stirred up trouble between nations of various religions, and between people of various beliefs, and between sinners and God. He knew his coming would not bring peace in the worldly sense. 

Rather - Peace between God and Man –

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. John 20:21

And from the Apostle Paul to the church at Phillipi:

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:7 

Jesus did ask that we share our peace.  Our inner peace. To give the world what they really need, release from the animosity between them and God.

 Thank you, Father, that you reached out to me with your permanent peace offering.  Thank you for ending the ritual, for allowing that there might be peace between us. Thank you for accepting me as I am, flaws and all, while giving me the power and authority to overcome the patterns of sin in my life. Yet, no matter where or when I fail, you are simply there with love and adoration to hug me back into your mercies, forgive me of sin, and let there be PEACE between you and me. AMEN 

 By the way, when Jesus returns the second time…we are promised that he will bring the peace that earth and nations desire. Then He will be the Prince of Peace.  There is no peace without his intervention.  We should all hold peace for the world dear in our hearts, and long for the day that he will come and bring a genuine peace to the whole world…but that’s another story.

Lord, Light My Way

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path. Psa.119:105

The song about this scripture has been running through my head, lately. It is partly due to the lights we put up on the house and in the yard, which have made my approach to the house at night so much easier. I noticed one night as I reached for my house key that I didn’t need to also pull out my flashlight.  Coming home from work for all the years that Jimmy has worked nights - to a dark house and entering it alone – made me very conscious of how many dark places there are from the car to the door.  And in the last several years, going from dark to light, or the opposite, causes me to not be able to walk straight. I joke that I look like I am inebriated, but it isn’t really funny when it happens.   Jimmy has obliged me by placing motion lights at the doors and drive, and under the deck.  He also has kindly supplied me with little tricks to light my way. I have a key cover that has a tiny LED light which shines exactly on the door knob from the key, so I can see the key hole.  He installed solar lights up the walkway, but the bushes always grew over them and shaded out the sun.  He allowed that a line of rope lights remained lining the walkway after the holidays. But the grass soon grew over it.  So I got a small flash light that I attach to the handles of my purse with a D-ring.  My grandson thinks it’s his toy, but it is to get me up the walk. In other words, I do anything I can to be able to light my path when it is difficult to see.  But these days, no need. If I have remembered to turn on the Christmas lights before leaving, the entire lawn is bright with light when I return.

When we were children, my mother’s home backed up to a AAA baseball field.  In summer, it was the grandest thing a kid could ever want.  The stadium lights lightened the back yard so brightly that we could play ‘til hours past dark.  I remember helping Daddy plow the garden in the brightness of those lights, in the cool of the evening, tossing up the sweet smell of earth, and proud as I could be that he let me guide the tiller, even though I sank to my ankles in the soft broken ground.   Where the light shone brightly, it was like daylight.  But the shadows were deep enough to hide in, and we did. Our favorite night time game was hide and seek, for we could simply lie down in a shadow, and be totally hidden from the seeker.  Hmmm.  Lying in the dirt in the dark…doesn’t sound like so much fun as it was. LOL  

Can you imagine that light, any light which lit your pathway after dark in Christ’s day was a blessing? It was valuable; and required effort to have in any form. In the temple there were strict instructions how, when and where the lamps, wicks, oils, and all assorted related paraphernalia were to be used and kept in the finest working condition.  Light held a place of importance. This year Jimmy wanted candles in the windows. I have always loved them, and was a bit surprised.  He was inspired by light bulbs that flickered with the appearance of a real candle burning.  When we make our traditional gifts to his employees, we will place a candle in the middle of each one.  Not because it is aesthetically, pleasing, but because it is a symbol of the Word of God that came to live among us, even as it was in the temple.

 Sometimes, when the dark times of life make it difficult to see my way, I am so thankful that I have the words of God to lighten my path.  And I just love when God shines so brightly that my path is as bright as my Christmas lights.  Can I leave them up please?  OK, OK… not past February, I promise.  Anyone know where I can get some Valentine’s lights? LOL

The only thing missing from God’s light to my path is the light switch.  In order to have the simplicity of clicking the switch, to have instant light, I have to do the work to put up the lights in my yard.  In order to have the instant light of God’s Word in my darkest hours, I need to have it installed in my heart.  I have a terrible mind for memorization.  I have always had difficulty with it.  But if I am persistant, and read something often enough, I at least can know what I am looking for to look it up quickly when I need it.  But I have on occasion resorted to hanging index cards on the mirror, and putting scriptures in my wallet so that every time I look in these frequented places, I am faced with the scripture I want lighting my path.   One of the first I ever learned was one required to learn in my Girl’s Auxiliary program as as child. 

Arise shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1  

 Even then, I understood that this verse was speaking of Jesus, who wasn’t born at the time.  I understood that God gave prophecy for Christ to be born as the light of the World. And when he said, “I am the light of the world,” I knew he was referring to prophecies like this one. I am glad Christmas comes in the winter, when the darkness descends on the earth early, so we feel a need to put up lights. I love being able to use lights to celebrate the season.  It just would not be the same in the summer.  Lights are not simply a materialistic, unrelated element of Christmas commercialization.  They are about God and who he said he was. They are about a baby who came to light our world with his love and wisdom, freedom and power, grace and hope, peace and promise.  May he light your way today.

Feeling sad… light a candle and praise His name.

Lord, shine brightly into the dark places in the lives of those who need your enlightenment today.  Give guidance, and stability, freedom from fear, and clarity to the path of any who seek your way. AMEN

 For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.    II Samuel 22: 29 NKJV

Love and God's Family

Relationship.  It is what God wants from us. In many of Christ’s teachings, he spoke of God as his heavenly father.  He was deliberate in this because he was describing the way he wanted us to see God.  He didn’t use the terms of his forefathers which emulated God’s magnificence. He used a family term. Then he said, “ye must be born again.”  Teaching children about salvation is made simpler when we help them understand that concept of being born into God’s family.  The birth of the soul into the spiritual newness of life with God as our father is a simple form of the complex new union with God.  But the other element of family is about the intimacy of a couple, the pairing of two people and the deepness of love that should be unique to two people. Using that picture as a guide, Jesus also referred to the relationship of his Church family as a love similar to the union between husband and wife. He called himself the bridegroom, his followers, the Church, therefore referenced as his bride.

Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. Matthew 9:15(TNIV)

 In this example of relationship, the result would be the new birth generated in the form of new Christians born into the church family.  Our intimacy with God should produce new births into his family.  The family union as compared to the husband/wife relationship is complicated but full of the deeper things about our intimacy with God. The father/child relationship is more about our relationship one on one with God; while the husband/wife relationship type is more about our response and expectations as a member of the family, the church.  For Jesus the whole of the church was precious to him, singularly the most intimate union element of the God/people relationship.  For any who don’t believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it would be helpful to consider the union between men and women as a reference for God’s relational expectations of his actual experience with us as members of the church.  The old adage of two become one, is often forgotten in our modern world, where it is often forgotten that once that union occurs, this is what God considers marriage.  This union was meant to bring increase to the family.  My intent here is not to discuss the implications of that, but to help us notice that Jesus effectively introduced us to the 3 members of the God-head and helped us see how they interacted with us by referencing the family as a familiar place of love. 

God the Father, Jesus his son and by proxy his father becomes our Heavenly Father as well, and the one who indwells us –the Holy Spirit.  As in any family, we are at once, the child of someone, and the parent of someone when the union is able to produce children. And just as in all the families of the world, not every union or every individual marriage is called to have children, not every individual Christian is called to a ministry of leading people to Christ, or has the gift of ministry.  Scripture clearly tells us that different individuals are given different talents and abilities.  However, at the same time, it was never intended that only the pastors, preachers, teachers or missionaries were the only ones able to lead the lost to Christ.  Our personalities come in to play in the gathering of people, thus the variety of Christian congregations. And the many different ways we reach out to the world to tell them about Christ.  But the objective and the result are the same - children being born into the family, because of an intimate relationship between the “church” and their God. 

Jesus furthers this image by expanding his own position in this image. He says he is also the best man at the wedding.

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. John 3:29 (NKJV)

 He is also the minister that oversees the legal issues of the union.  He in effect, leads the couple through the wedding process, and signs the documents when it is done > by his finished work on the cross.  He paves the way, doing all he can to be the grooms advocate, then he is present as all the legal items are dealt with.  He sees to it that the commitment is signed, sealed, and delivered.

What is significant, that once the covenant has been signed, the relationship in a real marriage between husband and wife is not sealed in public. Only the spirit of God is present in that intimate moment. Although many make their commitment to Christ in the presence of the Church family, what should always happen is that a very private, intimate decision and acceptance of the indwelling of the Spirit must also occur.  It is a simple moment, when we permit our God to become one with us, make the decision to become his child.  Often when individuals ask God to save them, they really don’t know that they are opening their hearts to the Spiritual intimacy.  But they know that a change has occurred.  There is some kind of process that leads to that moment, that decision to be united with the God who is as big as the universe.  But it doesn’t have to be a long one. I can in fact happen the moment we believe.

 I had a friend many years ago who told me she was married after knowing her husband only two weeks. I was appalled. All I could think of was, “How could you possibly know if you want to marry someone in two weeks? Her answer was, “You know Mark, wouldn’t you know he was the right person if it were you?” She was right.  Mark had a noticeable uniqueness.  My husband said that if we could have, he would have married me as soon as he met me. To him, knowing immediately that I was who he wanted to marry just happened.  When Jimmy was sent to Vietnam, I wished we had married sooner, when I knew he was the one, why wait so long?  I struggled with the possibility of instant love being true until I met my friend, and until I thought about my experience with salvation.  I spent almost a year of struggling with how to be saved, and then later wished I had understood all I learned earlier, so I could have been saved sooner. In fact, I knew I wanted Christ to be my savior, but it never happened until I fell in love with him. It would have been so much simpler to allow him to be my savoir so much sooner, and gain the understanding later.  I could have lived in the glow of his love, rather than where I was - in “the fear of his damnation,” if I didn’t figure it out. I, like so many, thought he was there to send me to hell, until I knew the truth that he was there to save me from it, and draw me into the security of his family.

 I am a great advocate for teaching children early in life the “understanding” part, so that when they choose to make that decision it is easier for them. Jesus said to allow the little children to come unto him. Do you think he believed that little children could or should understand the intimacy of the act. Of course not. (Yet teens would be wise to heed how God feels about intimacy.)  He wanted the focus to be on Love.  The binding agent of every family that functions as it should.  Last week, I spoke of Joy. This week God wanted me to share his view on LOVE. And in this case it is a choice we make. A choice to enter into the family of God focusing on LOVE. 

What is the Christmas story more than a story of love and family and new birth.  Jesus was born into this realm from the very start to tell us about becoming family.  The common man in the form of the shepherds, the wealthy man in the form of the Magi, and the angels from the realms we can only imagine, all rejoiced in the birth of a child who was born to emulate the one desire of God. That we would  be brought into a family style relationship with Him. It is the desire of his heart, and the purpose of being born as a babe.  His first advent was not as an angelic being, but as a babe.  Could he have come from the skies? Sure, and he will.  But Christ came first as a babe, that we might know the intentions of God, that he might call him Father, and then present him as Spirit. Desiring to open for us a way to a relationship and become a member of God's family.

“ All God has ever wanted is to make it clear that we are made in his image.  We are sentient beings, who love, feel, hurt, long for fellowship...etc. And so is God.  What God wants from each individual is relationship.  Jesus, God's Son came to earth, to try to make this understandable in human terms.  He called God his heavenly Father, in order to make it clear that God wants us to become a member of his Family. Not by filling out a card and joining a church. Jesus said: "Marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again." St. John 3:7 (King James Version, New Testament) He is simply saying that it is not some list of works (honoring laws or philanthropies) that will take care of the sin issue. It is a life experience, a giving of life, by God, in a new way. You were born one time as a flesh and blood human; now you must be born, as a spiritual being, into a family relationship, with a real God as your Heavenly Father. Why does this sound child-like? Because it must be easy enough for a child to understand.” CW

 Father, make this real to someone who begins to wonder if the story of Christ is just a fairy tale.  And to some who never considered the real meaning and intent of relationships as God sees them.  Then help us all to choose love.  May the consequences of that choice lead us to an appreciation of how unique and amazing a relationship with someone who will not desert us actually is.  There is only one relationship that we are assured will not fail.  Even we fall out of relationship with you. So thank you Lord, that your relationship with us is never broken. Then help us celebrate Christmas in the spirit of that truth and in the spirit of Love. For all, who are lacking the family relationships, who have difficulty referencing family love, or who lost what they once had, or who long for and have never had, fill the void.  Help us see the birth of a child in the Christmas story, for what it is – a demonstration that you became a babe that we might know the desire of your heart is a relationship with us.Be the family some have never known, and help us pass that kind of Love to our own. AMEN

What i learned about being selfless

At the beginning of this year, God told my heart that He would reveal many things to me regarding my life, my marriage, and Luke's health. And He sure did—just not in the way that i thought or expected. And, while that saddens me, i see God's hand in all of this and i feel His presence and love more than ever.  

A few weeks ago, i got word that someone in Luke's family wrote that i was selfish on his facebook wall. While typically don't let things from people who don't know me or the truth get to me, this really hurt and i carried it like a chain around my neck for awhile. (i even wrote a blog post 2 years ago about being selfish). 

After a really hard 3 years, i had actually thanked God for teaching me to be selfless. And i don't think i'd ever expect anyone who didn't know me personally or my circumstances to really know what that means for me. i am not writing this post for anyone but myself—it's a way to document and close this chapter of my life in this place (my online journal), to let go of the frustrations of other's opinions and judgment and to move forward in the joy of the Lord as a promising new year awaits me.

to those who think i am selfish—you weren't there when: 

• Luke first had a seizure while awake, in front of the fireplace, when i rushed to break his fall.
• i had experienced Luke's 4 seizures within 24 hours due to a reaction to pharmaceuticals, just six months after being married.
•  i lie awake at night afraid and exhausted, praying for him. when i lie awake crying out to God for strength and grace.
• i would fall to my knees in prayer for all his needs to be met. 
• for three years, i never had more than a few nights of uninterrupted sleep.
• i managed our home, finances, cooked all homemade meals, cleaned, worked full time and took care of him.
• i was the encourager and spiritual leader in our home.
• i stayed up late to finish freelance work to help pay his portion of the bills and his premarital bills.
• i selflessly gave up things i wanted or needed to provide for his needs.
• i took him to the doctor 1-3 times per week ... in three years that's a total of about 312 doctor visits.
• i suffered hours of immense pain from ovarian cysts caused by the stress by body was under.
• my 5'4" frame  had to move his 6'4" body after a seizure or prevent him from falling.
• i felt so alone.
• i struggled to  stay awake at work from the stress, lack of sleep, and the constant moving.
• i would draw him warm baths to soothe his aching and tired body.
• asked you for help and you were too busy.
• i had to watch him suffer through a seizure, prayed him through it, and lovingly cared for him.
• Luke stopped responding to me as a wife and treated me like a mother.
• i found out i was pregnant at the beginning of this year and carried the worry of losing it because of stress. you weren't there when i lost it at 3 months due to stress and i suffered the loss alone so that Luke would never blame himself for the stress i carried. i sacrificed my health for his.
• he ran away from home and me and called his parents. when he denied my touch in the hospital. when he chose to go home with his parents and not me.
•  i tried to call him after he left home and he didn't respond to my texts or calls. when he didn't try to call me to tell me he missed me or loved me. 
• he told me he didn't want to be my husband.
• i was so deeply distressed that he didn't call me or want me after 3 years of taking care of him that i was down to 97 pounds, unable to eat much or sleep.
• i was up against a 20-year health battle and a family who didn't love me or believe that i tried to give him the best of everything i could.
• i tried to do the very best that i could do, surviving by the strength and grace of God and by the love of my friends and family.

i don't say these things to make myself look like a hero or like a deserve an award. i am not perfect. i have made mistakes. i want you to know that if all these things that i lovingly, without anger or bitterness, did for luke has made me appear selfish, i am so very, very sorry—i pray that you will forgive me. 

i want you to know i did the best that i could—my heart believes this and God has reassured me of this. i gave and gave and gave all i could—and i did it until Luke chose to walk away. i never masked my vulnerability and my weaknesses. i embraced them, letting the Lord fill me with grace and strength. i choose to move forward in love, peace, and in God's will for my life as i close this chapter. 

Choose Joy

In Nehemiah 8, Ezra the prophet, and the Levites who provided the music, read and explained the law of God to the people. It says: Vs 4: “ Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose.”  The people had gathered in the street, and the pulpit was high above them. When Ezra opened the book of the Law in the sight of all the people, they all stood up. He read to them from the “Bible” of their time. Afterwards, Nehemiah taught the people and helped them understand what was being read to them. Upon hearing and understanding it, they cried.

I don’t know about you, but that scene seems as familiar to me as if I were there. Like a good blessing church service. But for these people, this was extremely special, because they hadn't had access to their scriptures as we do today. There wasn’t a Bible or two for every person. I think I actually own 4 not counting the coffee table versions or the family bibles from my mom. I can’t imagine not being able to pick up one, open it and glean from its words whenever I pleased.  There have been centuries of people who have not had that easy access.  We sometimes don’t consider what a glorious opportunity we have in our age to choose any verse we desire to read. With a concordance by my side, or Bible Gateway open, I can actually choose to read only the verses that speak of my subject. It blesses me so much, that I can’t imagine not having that option.

When the people heard what Nehemiah taught, they cried.  Yet he admonished them to make a choice not to be sad:

Vs. 9. …This day is holy unto the Lord your God. Mourn not, nor weep.

Vs 10. Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared…Neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

When we are faced with the toils of the world, and sadness or worry stealthily seek to spoil our joy, God desires that we choose Joy, that we may have strength in those times. Ever notice how sorrow zaps your strength.  My husband and son often choose to joke in what seems like inappropriate times to me. If I am sad, my husband goes out of his way to make jokes so I will smile. Sometimes I don’t feel like smiling, and I don’t want him joking.  But his is actually the better attitude. I allow the sorrow to drain me. He finds joy and remains strong.

Vs. 12  says: And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Nehemiah was helping the people to choose how they placed their focus. He wanted them not to dwell on the fact that they had not known the law, and hadn’t understood God’s desires for their lives; not to let their regret take the stand in their lives.  Rather, he wanted them to direct their focus on the fact that they now had understanding, and that was a reason to be glad.

I believe the Lord has led me this season, to find Joy for my strength.  I have been saying for a week how much stronger I felt this Christmas, and was well aware that I was choosing to have joy. But only when I asked the Lord what I should I write about this week, did I see the multitude of scriptures that indicated that choosing Joy is the reason for my renewed strength. The Spirit of God had led me to joy even before I read the admonitions of scripture. And he had demonstrated the results, so that I might have no doubt when I read the words.

Isaiah 61:3 says: To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning.

The medicine for sadness around the holidays or any time, is to chose to have joy.

In Nehemiah 8, the Levites who were the praise and worship people, found themselves with a different task. It says in verse 11 that they stilled the people and said “hold your peace… neither be ye grieved.”  Many of the verses in my concordance, which speak of joy, note that God gives joy coupled with peace. So I have decided, in the words of the old pastors and ministers of the Word, to “HOLD MY PEACE” AND CHOOSE TO HAVE JOY…

When we get together at a funeral of one of my husband’s family, there is always laughing in the hallways.  And by the casket, for that matter.  There was a time when I wondered what other people who were in other rooms thought, but I finally realized, that since so many of Jimmy’s family are secure in their salvation, that the laughter was more than appropriate. They are a family who lives their joy. There is scripture to back the desire to rejoice when someone has died and gone to the presence of God.  But most of all, the Word clearly tells us to make being joyful the remedy for our sadness, and the means by which we return to a place of strength. His family most definitely finds their release and ability to  move on in their knack for laughter.

One of the “Opposites of God” basics is that we can turn from one thing and be renewed in its opposite.  This fits the principle, that we should release the one and seek the other.Let me challenge anyone who finds themselves weary and overwhelmed, to find Joy so that they may also find Strength.

An exercise in renewing your mind would be to write the word JOY and place it everywhere.  Hang it on the fridge, on the mirror, on the dash of your car.  If jokes aren’t your thing, then find pictures that make you smile, or wear colors that bring you joy. Look in the mirror and actually make yourself smile.  During the day, raise your eyebrows and follow it by relaxing your face, then smile.  Think of God and Smile. Think of your favorite food and smile. Think of something and close your eyes and spell out silently: J O Y. Visualize it. Hold your smile for as long as you can and time it. Ask your co-worker to tell their joke again, and this time smile! Renew your mind.

Much love to everyone this Holiday season. And for those who are really having a hard time finding joy this year, say this over and over: “Count It All Joy.”  It won’t feel like joy, but the mind will eventually obey God’s Word. For you I pray in a special way, cause I’ve been there…I know how hard it is to choose joy in pain. But the time will come…the time will come.

Lord, help the hurting, the weary, the sad and grieving, those with loss and those who just don’t know why they don’t have joy to choose selectively to find joy, that they may have the strength your Word promises.  Grant this is Jesus Name and for whom we celebrate. AMEN

Who Will Recognize Him?

Have you ever looked out over a lake and thought what it must have been like to have Jesus come to where you were docked, and say, “ I will make you fishers of men.”   He was an adventurer who was willing to share the risks of the lifestyles and workloads of his disciples. It must have been more common to use a boat for transportation than we might imagine.  It appears that when he was physically tired, he retreated to the ships and cast off from the ever-present crowds for escape.  Tired enough to sleep through a storm that scared everyone into believing they were going to die. 

Did he go to the water’s edge looking for disciples, watching for the men who displayed tenacity and faith; or did he stumble upon them just teaching curious men, and recognized in their personality a flair for engaging family and friends in every exciting new thing in their lives Were their hearts already prepared, since the social and political environment of their time had men looking to God for a savoir of some sort.  Did they expect such a King to come to them as they worked by the sea? Were these successful men whose boats were decked with beautiful white sails?  Did they have vendors waiting by the shores to buy their harvests?  Was Jesus drawn to them because they looked successful?

You are probably screaming at me in your head. He was Jesus, he already knew everything about them.  Ah well, duh…but why these particular men? Were they so burned out on their present occupation that they just laid everything down and followed him?  Why did they just leave the life they obviously put enough into to own a boat? 

Have you ever seen where they are unearthing the antiquities and only in recent years understand the capacity of the rulers of Jesus’ day to build the most modern cities of the world, until that time.  Jesus didn’t live in a dumpy world of uneducated, struggling, poverty stricken populace.  Yes those people reached out to him.  But his world was one of fashionable cities, full of vigor, architecture, lovely landscapes and gardens, massive homes on hills surrounding a beautiful little sea.  Imagine Jesus showing up on the dock in Alaska and asking one of the skippers of “DEADLIEST CATCH” to drop everything and follow him.  Seriously??? But these were the sort of men He asked. Except for the freezing cold temps, it was just like that.

 Was there already a burning desire to do God’s will in the hearts of these men?  If we read the stories of the disciples on the dock when Jesus called them to follow him, the questions they asked among themselves indicated they were seeking someone who could do miracles.  They believed that the man who would come to lead them would show them things they never saw before.  They only knew the half of it, for after his death and resurrection he spent many days teaching them how he fulfilled the prophetic scriptures as the Messiah, and what he yet had to do to continue to fulfill the prophecies. But it didn’t require that they know everything about him to follow Him.  And that was what He wants us to know. If your heart is seeking… If he is standing at your dock saying “follow me,”… and your heart has been burning to have God in your life, do you respond, “I think I need to wait ‘til I know everything about you?”  They recognized him!  On that day their hearts were open, and they were full of expectancy that God was about to do something with their lives.

We recognize him too. We know when He has called us to follow Him.  God is willing that you are first at a place to want a Savoir before he asks you to follow him.  And Jesus comes to you where you are. He knows you have skills that will be useful to His glory.  And he only promises that if we follow him, our yield will be the hearts of men. The first thing these men knew of him was his poetic, curious way of giving us information. ” Follow me,” He said, and I will make you fishers of men.” He was saying I can use you, just as you are.   Out of thousands,  Jesus  picked only 12. And He set them on a mission to win the world.  

   Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

Just a note: Every time you go fishing, you don’t always catch fish.  But, you seldom don’t get at least a nibble. LOL

Lord, all I intend to do is just a little fishing.  Use me, to say or do something that will help someone recognize you, to know you are the one they have been looking for. AMEN

Unconditional Love

Face it! We are at odds with people around us.  We find ourselves married to spouses who are our exact opposites, most of the time.  Our children begin to show how differently they think than we do almost immediately. By the time they are teens, they feel like strangers in our house.  The boss thinks it should be done one way and we can only do it the way we know how.  In the end it gets done, so why does butting heads matter? Smack in the middle of all the things that push us apart, are a million reasons why we need to come together, and even though we know love is the answer, how do you love someone who is so forcefully drawing away. The walls that go up are so hard to pull down.  Sometimes it feels like you would have to be God to actually practice unconditional love.

Take a long look at the word – unconditional.           UNCONDITIONAL   

U N C O N D I T I O N A L.   

NOT conditional.  How many times during the day does what you say to someone hold a condition? Discipline demands conditions.  To our children we say, “you can go play, if you clean your room.”
Busy lives have conditional demands on our time.” I will take care of that when take care of this.” But the one thing in our lives that must not have conditions is LOVE. Love is a time out from the routine that sets us on a perpetual path to opposite tracks.  It is the time when we stop going in opposite directions and come together, with no conditions.

Almost never is it the choice of both individuals at once.  Generally, if it is between us and God - that a mountain of opposites have grown - it is usually God who is trying to remove the obstacles.  Many times the label of SIN is placed on the pile of stuff that causes us to keep such distance from God.  If you haven’t noticed, it is God who made a way to remove the pile .Sin is just the trash to him, to be tossed or burned. His definition of sin is that which separates us from Him.   He went so far as to say that if you desire, you can say to the mountain, “mountain go away,” and God promised that we have the power to send the mountain to the sea. Why, because it is just that simple to follow through on the principles of God and have them work. The moment we take advantage of God’s unconditional love, the mountain is removed.  There will be things that have to be worked on to fix the broken stuff. Or decide to just toss it, and get new .* But the love of God which never changed, but was difficult to see as the mountain grew, becomes suddenly visible again.

Now take that picture and use the image of removing the mountain… no matter what their age, decide to have unconditional love for your children.  No matter the issues between you and your spouse, decide to have unconditional love.  Can you love your boss, your friend, your mother or father – unconditionally? It something you must choose to do, just as forgiveness is.  A Choice.

If the mountain comes down, are all the broken things fixed?  NO.  Do you always get a reciprocal from the one on the other side of the wall.  NO.  But does it give you a break from the stress of living in a world  where we spend more time building the walls than taking them down?. YES.  Is it really helpful?. YES Totally.

Two things:

1.    Toss the hurts if you are able, and decide to build on love instead.  It takes courage, and there will be a fear that you will need to build a wall of protection.  When abuse is the issue, put time frames on how long you will accept a changed behavior. Example - to a spouse one might say: “We will see how it goes for six months, and we will talk again, but I am drawing the line now on the abuse.  You will never abuse me again, NEVER.  If you abuse me again within that six months, you will have lost your final opportunity to show you love me enough to do whatever it takes to put that out of our lives.  Putting a condition on abuse is not the same as putting a condition on love. It actually gives unconditional love a chance to blossom, and grow. This principle works for children as well, but put shorter time limits.  And remember that conditions on behavior are not the same as conditions on love. 

2.    Time outs should become more frequent.  If we parallel the timeout to the “SuperNanny” example,  we realize that abrupt, frequent, and responsible use of the “technique” is an effective way to deal with a child’s disciple with love. In other words, find a way to bring a halt to the behavior for a few moments. Then start again as if nothing had happened, with a hug and a promise of love. Of course, the scenario with bosses looks a little different, but the concept must be the same.  Showing the love after the break is very important.  Now see it in the context of the Mountain/wall building example.  If you remove the mountain more often, it doesn’t grow so overwhelmingly tall.  It won’t seem like such an impossible task to see the other person, without the mountain of problems and make the decision to act as if you were God-like in loving unconditionally.

My husband has a habit of saying “ I love you”  very often.  I used to tell him, that there were times I just didn’t think he loved me, because his actions spoke louder than his words.  “If you loved me…” I would say.  I see it differently now. Now I accept the offer of verbal love as his real feelings, and sometimes actually say, “I accept your love and that you love me, but  …(whatever)…doesn’t make me feel loved.  Can we handle this differently, so I will feel like you love me?”

Conversation about love must also come from an unconditional place. Not placid, not submissive in the connotation of being under someone’s power, but submissive in a response that comes first from love. Submit to the love. Conversation only takes down the mountain, when you say…”take down the mountain”.  A conscious decision must be made by one person to say, I will put the mountain aside so we can talk about loving one another unconditionally. It is critical to not see love as an excuse to let someone do harm, or behave badly. Love is only when you call the break, firmly, absolutely.

Here's a great Facebook page that has some super uplifting sayings:

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

And please don't forget to visit us at our Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/My-Wings-Are-Made-of-Faith/212364455451281

  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. I John 4:7

 

Instant Prayer

My baby grandson had a minor surgery this week that resolved a problem, which left unattended could have been a big problem when he’s older. Though it pains me to see him twinging in pain now, how much better to know that it could be resolved now with a little pain, rather than being a “big pain” in the future.

 I could not help but relate to how we sometimes won’t face our problems and take them to the Lord early, but because of the pain they bring up, we let them ride until they consume us.  How much better to let the Savoir in and let him do a little surgery now, than be living with the results of our sins or heartaches later.

Sometimes it takes a bit for us to realize we have a need either because we are busy, in denial, or just didn't understand things were out of kilter.  Procrastination is not the answer once we become aware!

Romans 12:12 says: continuing instant in prayer.  We want instant food, instant messaging, and instant money.  Why not an instant remedy for whatever is burdening our hearts. 

Jesus didn’t wait a second to respond to our prayer for Salvation. In fact he doesn’t wait to answer our prayers ever.  Sometimes we have to wait for the answer to be revealed, but in God’s book, prayer and response are “instant.”

 ¹¹Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.  Psalm 42:11(KJV)

 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.  Romans 12:12

Thank you, Lord, for instant conversation between you and me. Help all the people who think they are not worthy, or must go through someone else to get prayers answered, see the truth provided in your Word that prayer was meant to be an easy conversation with an all powerful God. You speak to the lowly the same as the most “righteous.”  You hear us one and all.  I praise You for being the health of my countenance, and instant hope. AMEN

 

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A quest to find myself again

Twelve days ago, I left Cincinnati to find rest and to unwind from the strict routine my life has been stuck in. In this quest, I secretly hoped to find myself again—the person that was found everywhere but in herself. What I slowly realized is that I didn’t know how much of myself I really lost until I left Cincinnati and really took some time to focus on what was going on inside my heart.

Stepping outside of my world and looking in at everything that has been happening has been both an eye-opener and a full emotional release. What I have found is that I’ve let too many people shape who I am and control who I am becoming. It is clear that I haven’t been true to myself and somewhere along the way I ended up here. A tad lost and bit afraid. Where is my life headed?

Even though I feel a bit displaced and so uncertain about things to come, I see opportunity for a new beginning and a chance to uncover my buried heart, preparing for the love and life that I am about to experience—and this is enough to power through the loose ends that need tied up here. I thank God for His grace, perfect will, and perfect timing.

God really spoke to my heart the last several days in so many ways. I left Cincinnati not really caring if I ever came back, but I left the South with a heartache that physically made my heart hurt. It was like a whisper from God that said, home is where you heart is, and you’re not there yet.

This time away from Cincinnati was just what God ordered. It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed so hard my belly hurt, spent time with old friends and made some new ones, made peace with some things in my past, and found a little bit of myself. Words cannot express the joy I felt in the last 12 days, but I am hanging on to every memory as I look forward to more days like these. 

Things are changing in my life so fast. The divorce should be final by the end of the year and I just don’t have the slightest clue of what lies ahead. I’m flooded with emotion as I try to keep up and keep my focus on God, the only One who can steer my life in the right direction. And while I feel every emotion under the sun, the thing I continue to seek wholeheartedly is hope. Hope for a fresh start. Hope for finding a purpose. Hope for dreams come true. Hope for being the woman God created me to be. Hope for living a life that fears nothing but the Lord my God. 

The Pilgrimage

A few weeks ago, my family and I headed to the beach for a week. On our way I kept thinking, “I can’t wait until we are there!” Although I was looking forward to a week of relaxation, how much time did I waste looking toward my destination instead of the journey?

Psalm 84:5-7 says,

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they will make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”

This is the foot note in my Bible: “The pilgrimage to the temple passed through the barren Valley of Baca. No specific valley has been identified with Baca. Because Baca can mean ‘weeping,’ it may have been a symbolic reference to the times of struggles and tears through which people must pass on their way to meet God. Growing strong in God’s presence is often preceded by a journey through barren places in our lives. The person who loves to spend time with God will see his or her adversity as an opportunity to re-experience God’s faithfulness. If you are walking through your own Valley of Baca today, be sure your pilgrimage leads toward God, not away from Him.”

As we take these verses apart a little, let’s examine the word, “blessed.” Blessed means happy but more than the emotion of being happy. Instead it carries a deeper meaning of being full of praise, honoring, or a contentment that brings happiness.

We see that the Israelites were on a journey and were going through a rough season or the Valley of Baca. From this Biblical example, I see that I can be blessed, happy, content, and peaceful during a difficult season of my life when I recognize that God is my strength. My outcome is often determined by my outlook.

You see our lives will have trouble. This is the result of living in a fallen world.

In John 16:33, Jesus says,

“I have told you these things, so that in my you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

As the Israelites were on their pilgrimage, they stopped from time to time at different bodies of water where they rested and regained their strength until they make it to The Lord Most High. It is imperative that we identify the places or times where we can rejuvenate in the Lord. This doesn’t mean we have to literally go anywhere, but we could simply rest in His presence with some praise music playing. Our blessing will fall on us when we are seeking, believing, and resting in God.

The last point is that we need to embrace the journey-even in the hardest places. Let’s face it, no one loves difficult times, but the lessons we can share and the empathy we can have with others is priceless. Recently, I went through a difficult season and I remember praying, “God, show me what I need to take from this and how I can help others.” Now I regularly speak with several women who are experiencing the same kinds of trials that I went through just a few short months ago. I find that they don’t feel guarded when sharing with me because I know exactly how they feel. There is not one tear wasted because it’s turned into ministry for other hurting people.

I pray that no matter what part of the pilgrimage you are on, you are seeking God. He is the giver of Hope and Life. You, my dear friend, are His child and He cares deeply for you.

My Prayer: Thank you, God, for reminding me that all seasons of my journey are victorious because of the hope you offer. I praise you for being my place of rest and rejuvenation even during my darkest hours. Jesus, thank you for overcoming the world and for giving us the perfect example to live by. Holy Spirit, remind me when my focus is on myself instead of you. Guard my heart so that it may not veer to the right or left. In Jesus Name!

Write it down

A few years ago, I taught sixth grade and, as many of you know, middle schoolers tend to forget everything.  A former colleague used to wisely say, “Write it down.  Paper doesn’t forget.”  It makes me chuckle now because even though paper doesn't forget, it can be lost in a backpack, locker, or lunchroom.

Several years ago, I began keeping a prayer journal.  It’s nothing formal-just a record of my prayers, hopes, dreams, letters to God, and responses from the Lord.  My journals ebb and flow with life’s demands and sometimes have many entries and other times have sparse gaps.

 Habakkuk 2:2 says,

"Then the Lord replied: Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets....”

This year, I ventured out to a couple of new pages that are continuous: a Blessings page where I list as many blessings I can recall and a Dreams page where I wish, pray, and dream within God’s will.  I have also found that writing my concerns and prayers allows me to lay them at God’s feet and permits me to cease worrying.

There are times that I write my ideas and prayers and, as I lay them at the foot of the cross, I forget about them.  After I revisit my journal after a period of time, I am amazed to see at how many the Lord has carefully answered His way and in His time.

There’s nothing magical about my journals or the words I write in them, except that I’m pouring my heart out to God.  They are a visual reminder of my walk and a record of my testimony.  My prayer journals are simply my way of casting all my anxiety on the Lord.

I Peter 5:7 says, 

 
“Cast all your anxiety of Him because He cares for you.”

My Prayer:  God, I thank you for hearing my prayers no matter if they are written or spoken.  Lord, how I enjoy looking back and seeing all that you’ve done in my life through my prayer journals.  Thank you for being a faithful God.  I choose to lay my burdens, wishes, hopes, worries, and dreams at the foot of the cross.  I pray for your will for my life.  In Jesus name.

Another Ugly Word

Last week, I felt the Lord press on my heart a message about the need for confession of sins both with God and with others.  This week, I continue to broaden our horizons about another taboo word in many churches-repentance.  

As I began researching the word “repentance,” I quickly found it in Jesus’s first message which is found in Matthew 4:12,

“Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

The footnote in my Bible says, “Jesus started his ministry with the very word people had heard John the Baptist say: Repent.  The message is the same today as when Jesus and John gave it.  Becoming a follower of Christ means turning away from our self-centeredness and self control and turning our lives over to Christ’s direction and control.”

It’s just as easy as that: seeing your sin and confessing it as sin, and then turning away from it to choose God’s way.  As in the discussion about confession, no ceremonies or formalities needed- just a heart to chase God’s righteousness.

Billy Graham said, “What does repentance mean?  It means to change-to change your mind, change the way you’re living-and to determine that with God’s help you will live for Christ.”

I am concerned when we skip over the two basic building blocks of Christianity: confession and repentance.  As a mother, I always have a feeling when my kids are doing something they shouldn’t be doing.  I often speak with them using examples from Scripture to show them their sin.  But when they don’t turn from a poor path, I allow the natural consequences to occur as long as they don’t involve safety issues.  Then I simply wait.  Most frequently in the above situation, their sin finds them out as the Bible promises and I am there with open arms ready to love and restore them into fellowship again although I am unwilling and unable to take away the ill effects.

I’m far from a perfect mom, but God is our perfect Father.  He knows that we are all sinners and has provided a Savior.  His character is love- not to strike us with a lightning bolt.  The Lord desires to have fellowship with us in spite of our sin, but wants us to have a heart that chooses His ways.

My Prayer:  God, thank you for being a perfect, loving Father.  Holy Spirit, please remind me when I need to confess my sins and turn from them.  I thank you, Jesus, for the cross that allowed me to be forgiven even though I sin every day.  Lord, keep the task of fellowship in front of us and may our eyes not turn to the right or left of the foot of the cross.  In Jesus name!

Scripture to memorize:  "God's kindness leads you toward repentance."

                                                                                            ~Romans 2:4b

An Ugly Word

This past weekend I heard a refreshing sermon about the importance of confession of sins not only vertically with God, but also horizontally with others.  Too often these days the word, “confession,” is considered taboo among Christians because it seems old fashioned.  When we dismiss this simple principle, we are attempting to bypass God’s plan for a healthy relationship with his children.

The word, “confession,” means “to admit or acknowledge.”  In this case it fundamentally means admitting our sins to a Holy God.  No formal ceremony needed.  

I John 1:9 says,

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

In my life, I try to take care of my confessions as the Lord brings them to mind by saying something like this, “Lord, I know that ____ was not the right thing to do.  Please forgive me and help me do better.”  This childlike act of confession clears my slate on a vertical plane.

On the horizontal axis, Matthew 5:23-24 says,

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”  

Confession of sins to others involves prayer about the right words and timing, but can be such a beautiful, Christ centered restoration when handled properly.

I love I Timothy 1:15-16 which says,

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

Let’s face it: we all sin which is why we need our wonderful Savior.  When we take care of our confessions, we can share in the fellowship and freedom that forgiven children can experience.  

My Prayer:  Lord, thank you for reminding me the importance of confession to you and to others.  Holy Spirit, make me aware when there is something I need to confess so that I can enjoy abundant life as a believer.  Jesus, thank you for covering my sins on the cross.  I pray that others will embrace the freedom of confession and live joyfully in your peace.  In Jesus name!

 

Take Five!

One of my dearest Christian friends used to say, “Inch by inch-life’s a cinch!”  I often come back to that simple saying when I am feeling overwhelmed by life’s demands.  I, like you, have many roles and expectations being a working mom and wife.  

I firmly believe that the enemy would want us to have chaos rule our lives.  From the Garden of Eden when satan’s temptation caused Adam and Eve to trade a life of peace and comfort for one of turmoil and hard work; and our adversary has had a plan of distraction laid out for God’s children.  This divisive scheme of busyness continues to plague us.

This following is an excerpt is from the devotion called “SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND” by Marsha Burns dated 8/9/11:

“Make time for Me in your busy schedule. Your ability to stay connected spiritually will produce peace and good fruit in the face of overwhelming circumstances. Remember that you don't have to accomplish enormous challenges all at once; you are well able to do one thing at a time, moment by moment and still succeed. Refuse the allow stress and pressure to steal your peace and joy, says the Lord.”

Isaiah 26:12 says, “Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”

The past six years have been such a tremendous spiritual journey for me.  I rearranged the way I do business with the Lord-beginning with the minute I get out of the bed.  Instead of being hurried and late, I simply get up a few minutes earlier and sit in my chair to read my devotion, sing a song of praise, write in my prayer journal, or just soak in the presence of my Heavenly Father.  I ask the Lord to prioritize my steps for the day and guide me to accomplish the things that make a kingdom difference.  This has made a huge adjustment on my outlook of life to that of a heavenly focus.

Psalm 5:3 says,“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

The author, David, reveals through this verse that God’s perfect plan for us is to spend time with the Lord first thing in the morning and lay our burdens at his feet while waiting expectantly for direction.  

Our daily challenge is to take a few minutes and fellowship with our Heavenly Father.  This simple “time out” in our lives will allow God to direct our paths and align our hearts and attitudes with His perfect plan.  The peace that flows from our relationship with the King will transform our routines into a kingdom focused life.

My Prayer:  God, thank you for adjusting my attitude when I take a few minutes out of my morning to fellowship with you!  Holy Spirit, show me how to maintain a life that is pointing others toward my Heavenly Father.  I lay down my busyness at the foot of the cross and thank you, Father, for providing perfect peace in the midst of a hectic schedule.  In Jesus name!

 Scripture to memorize:

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from, me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

                                                                                                            ~Matthew 11:28-30

 

 

Promises of God

From the file box:

Prosperity = The Fulfillment of the Promises of God…

 In 1993, my husband had a surgical procedure done to clean a blocked artery and save his heart and life.  Seeking comfort, he ran across the verse: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

Followed by: 37:14:  And shall put my spirit in you and ye shall live…. 

Now these verses were taken out of context, but when you are facing something that might mean your life, you don’t care how the Lord gives you peace of mind.  The whole Biblical text is written to the Israelites who needed restoration as a nation.  This is the text where the “Dry Bones Parable” is found.  A promise is given by God to raise up the floundering nation and give it new life. Even though it is presumed to be as dead as dry bones, God promises to “resurrect” it, and give it full life once again.  

Ezekiel was a colorful writer, but God used him to give strong mental pictures of how God was able to do whatever was necessary to keep his promises to His people.  In the depths of these verses, so much more can be gleaned.  The resurrection promise itself was a “type picture” of Christ.  Jesus’ disciples would come to understand that the real resurrection for the nation of Israel was through their Messiah. Israel became, not just a great nation, but the ancestral parent of a greater work - the birth of a church, to which any who believed might be born. Through them God gave life to a family that would affect the world. But this great work would come only when His followers thought all hope was lost.  It would only occur if this long awaited Messiah died. Never did they dream he would be resurrected.  Yet the picture was there, just as Jesus said, in the very verses they studied and believed.

Jesus did not remain dead long enough for his bones to dry.  But the prophecy was about an Israel, which came to a place where they feared all hope was lost. They lost their ability to believe that God was able to give continued life to their failing nation.  Mmmmm. Parallels all around this one, but I am not going there.  (Yes the people of our nation would do well to seek the truths in these chapters.)  God does wish to give continued life to the nations he has blessed, even to the point of bringing them back from dry bones.  But my actual point is - these verses give us a visualization of the lengths to which God is willing to go, to give the people he loves the promise of life.  Out of that life was the promise of a savoir, and if Israel failed, would there be no savoir?

In a discussion with my son, recently, I asked him to use the litmus test of basic Gospel truths, against which to test the doctrines of various religious faiths as he studied. We talked about why one of the most important of these is the fact that God wants us to choose life in every circumstance. Life and the regeneration of life are extremely important to God.  But when you are facing a circumstance or illness, which threatens life, death, not life, can be the reality.  I have often thought that if I were facing cancer, I would not have the desire to fight for life. Mainly, the reason is that death is the better than life, because of Christ.  I see the after-life as my resurrection to the best form of life. But, I am not seeking death. Yet God prefers that I choose to love life.

For my husband - where he was, wanting to live, and who was facing a life-threatening event - any promise from God that He cared about life, which could give an assurance that life was really important to Him, was timely.  My husband loves life. He loves living every day.  He has a God attitude about life. He holds each day precious. Even before he was threatened by his blocked artery, he treasured life.

So when God gave him these verses, they were not out of context for him.  The “ye shall live,” of Ezekiel 37:14 was as if it were written to him and for him, because God was comforting his heart and giving peace to his mind. God was saying to my beloved, I care about YOUR LIFE.  It was personal. 

It is a wonderful thing that our Bible is so multifaceted.  My mind is opened to the vastness of God’s ability to use His Word to bless and inspire us in so many ways.  Every story, and parable bears a witness to the truths He wants us to focus on and in fact, to bank our hopes in the vaults of their promises. 

So Jimmy claimed those verses, and went to surgery with a renewed confidence that God would use this scary time in his life to give him not just renewed physical life, but renewed spiritual hope for a greater, longer, fuller life.

I have a flip-calendar of scriptures, given to me by my daughter, from Heartland Samplers, Inc., which is one of a Series called “Bless Your Heart.”  It is appropriate for me because I often use the southern phrase “Bless your heart.”  And not as a derogatory remark, but in the sense of this calendar, that the Lord can bless your heart in a spiritual way through the Word and Prayer.  Anyway, on February 4 of this particular year’s calendar, it says:

“God can mend a broken heart, but we have to give him all the pieces.”

Followed by the verse:

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

On this page I scribbled: the year, a note about the surgery, and the verses my husband had claimed, so I could remember the day the Lord resurrected us to new life, when we could share in the second half of  Ezekiel 37:14 which says: 

“then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.” 

Thank you, Lord for promises to claim. For scripture, that calms our minds and spirits when the days of comfort are needed. Give comfort today to those who need it and seek a word from you.  Help us all to appreciate that You are the champion of life in all aspects of life.  You have made life a precious thing. Help us to live like we cherish it too.  In Jesus’ precious name, AMEN.

 

Are We There Yet?

When my family takes a road trip, my husband and I hear a question from our kids, “Are we there yet?”  I can relate to this question in reference to God’s will for my life.  “God, am I there yet?  Have I reached the center of your perfect plan for my life?”

This weekend, I heard a pastor preach about people searching for the will of God or God’s path for a person’s life.  He said that people often come to him and say, “I don’t even know what to pray about,” so he prays the scripture from Revelation 3:7 which says,

“What He (God) opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.”

What an amazing way to look at God’s power!  When we diligently seek the Lord and his plan for our lives, we should be comfortable in asking for such a bold confirmation as this verse.

James 1:5 says,

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

This verse promises me that when I need help with my path, God stands ready to offer me wisdom and guidance.

God is in control, even in the midst of life’s storms.  Stormie O’Martian wrote in her book called, Praying God’s Will for your Life, “When you walk closely with God and live in obedience to His ways, you can trust that you are in the center of His will, no matter what the circumstances are around you.”  

O’Martian further writes, “The center of God’s will is not a destination; it’s the process itself.  God’s will is a place we choose to live every day as we seek intimate relationship with the Lord, lay a solid foundation in Him, and learn to walk in His way.”

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33-34 of how we should seek God’s plan for our lives when He says, 

“But seek first his kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

As Christians, our challenge lies in trusting that when we seek the Father, we will find Him and we will know the paths He desires for us to take.  There will probably never be a moment when we are “there yet” until we get to heaven but we can be sure that finding God’s love and treasures along the way are part of our journey.

My Prayer:  God, remind me when I am anxious about your plan that you will reveal exactly what I need to know when I need to know it.  I choose to seek you first every day and trust your plan for me is good.  I lay my worries at the foot of the cross.  Holy Spirit, thank you for being my guide here on earth.  Thank you for the gentle reminder that your will is a journey, not a destination.  In Jesus Name!

Stand Aside and Let the Spirit Guide

 

In Phillipians 1:12 Paul said: “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.”  NIV

 In the 4 or 5 verses following this one, Paul says that because he is in chains, some have become emboldened, (inflamed we would now say,) and speak of Paul who teaches of Jesus, without the fear they once had. He says that some teach Christ of contention, hoping to make Paul’s situation worse. Another he says, preaches in love, knowing that Paul is set for the defense of the Gospel. Many gained the confidence to speak boldly, without fear.  In other words, he felt that his being imprisoned opened the door for others to find a reason to go in his stead to preach the gospel, since he was unable.  In Verse 18 he said, “what then? Not withstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice.”

“Whether in Pretense or in Truth????”

What Paul was saying was that even when people teach of Christ with errors, and out of emotion, he is never the less being talked about.  People were becoming bold enough to discuss a man called Christ. And in spite of the inaccuracies, Paul was just glad they were talking about Jesus. If he was pulled back, they ceased to lean on Paul's knowlege, and found courage to seek their own. To someone like myself, who compares every scripture to the next trying to be accurate, it is hard to accept that anyway Christ is preached is OK.  But the truth is, when the people who have sought God’s truths for years, get out of the way of younger learners, who are left learning by the Holy Spirit’s guidance, their lessons are more personal, and they stick.  When I was a teen, I realized how important healthy discussion over the meaning of Scriptural passages was.  My pastor called it: “Rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”

My son recently said he wanted to investigate the different religious beliefs to discover for himself which of the church doctrines he actually felt he believed. As a parent you want your child to not be led away by false doctrines, but as a Christian, I want him to know what and why he believes it, because he was bold enough to trudge into the depths of God’s Word, with the Spirit as his guide. That is the key, seeking that truth in the word, not in the various doctrines.  I only wished to direct him to compare the beliefs of any religious group to the Word, not to find the beliefs that sounded as though they made sense and then find the Scriptures to uphold it. He went further to say, that he felt he should look to the oldest Hebrew and Greek texts to see if the accepted translations adhered to what he understood God was saying.  I agreed and suggested he find a Vine’s Expository to see the present translations of the words in the oldest texts.

 I looked into what every religion I could find believed, just so I could know why I believed what I believed, when I was very young. The end result was - I had to find a way to understand the Bible to know what I believed. Questioning the language, the concepts, the beliefs of people in my own religious title, strengthened my faith rather than diluted it.  I was bold enough to say, even to teachers, or in response to pastors over my own faith, “I don’t believe that because this verse says that God taught something different.”  As a result, I found a church where I believed they taught more of the truth, as the Spirit had revealed it to my heart.

Does my believing it, make something more true than what someone else believes. No.  This is mainly true because God shares His promises and his gifts to different personalities and persons, in various degrees of spiritual growth, in different ways.  Sometimes it seems he is telling us different things. Often, we are learning the same things, in different ways.  When my son and I finished our discussion about the various faiths, he said that it seemed all the Christian faiths basically believed the concept of Christ’s birth, death, resurrection, and that you needed to accept that by faith, and everything beyond that was various details about how to live.  A lot of it seemed the same basic thing to him. And I asked, “ You mean like they might all be a part of … one church… or something. And maybe they should call it “The Church?” 

In God’s eyes, we are under one umbrella, His flock, by one name.  We are members of the Church, no religion, just the beloved born again children of God. 

In Christ’s final days, when he prayed he asked the Father to make us all one.  When he spoke to Peter who was having great difficulty understanding what was happening, Jesus said, “feed my sheep.”  Then he seemingly repeated himself and said, “feed my lambs.” What was the difference?  Christ was saying that some would be fed having deeper knowledge of the old scriptures which told of a Christ.  Some would be fed as lambs, from the basics, as knowing nothing of the promise of a savoir, a messiah, never hearing the scriptures of old - starting from scratch.  He then said. Follow me. And when Peter said “Lord, and what shall this man do?” Jesus sort of said,  “What’s that to you? Follow thou me.”  (St. John 21)

Following Christ is an individual commitment. Regardless of how or under what circumstances we learn of our Savoir, it is up to us to follow him. Not the way someone else says to, but how the Spirit leads us.  If we find our courage to share Christ, because we are compelled to believe the Word says something different than what our church is teaching us, then follow the Word.  You shouldn’t have to quit your church.

Ephesians 2:18 For through him, we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.19 –Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.

3:14 For this cause, I bow my knee unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 15 – of  whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

16 – That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.

17-That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that being rooted and grounded in love,

18 – May be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length, and depth and height;

19 – And to know the Love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 – Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

21 – Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus through out all ages, world without end. Amen 

LORD, when you take my influence from my children and grandchildren, be their guide through the Word, by the Spirit. Help me rejoice when they seek You not me to find their way through the Christian walk. May I see as Paul did that they at some point just use us as crutches to lean on, not learning for their own spirit’s sake, what You would teach them if you were walking life’s path by their side.  Stand so close that they will trip over you if they don’t follow you, please dear Lord.  Help them not to look at what other’s say is truth, unless their words are soundly backed up by the whole Word of God, the Scarlet Thread of Redemption -  The theme of life and liberty that winds from Genesis to Revelation, speaking of the Son of God, and the Blood He shed for THE CHURCH. And that for all of us. AMEN