my wings are made of faith

Thy Face

When you said, seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Psalm 27:8

When my children were little, scarcely a day went by that I didn’t say a dozen times: “Look at me.”  It was difficult to get them to focus on what I was saying to them, unless I could get them to look at me.  Every mother must go through a period of seeing their child discover how to ignore Mom’s instruction, and act as if they don’t hear her reprimands and direction.  When this happens, Mom’s go through a period of repeating themselves, over and over, unless they get smart and outwit the child.  With 3 toddlers, I finally learned that it was important to get them to at least look at me. In order to not just be talking to the air, I learned very quickly that I had to get down face to face with them, and insist they look at me. 

Well they resisted, and when they resented my forcing them to look at me, I learned that there must be some distance between us, but they needed a reason to look my way.  Without that reason,  they simply found lots of reasons to ignore me until I was frustrated with them.  I really can’t remember how I came upon the solution, but it was the best answer to my exasperation, and I really don’t know why it works.  I decided that I would not give my children unlimited opportunities to listen and respond to my voice.  They didn’t realize that their lives might depend on it one day, especially if I already had two of the three of them by the hand.  Since I didn’t have 3 hands, my voice would simply have to be the thing that held them back from harm, or sent them in a direction that was functional to us all.

So, I began to make them look at me, but I instructed them to look first at my face to see what I was saying, and then at my hands to see how long they had to get busy doing what they were told.  It was a hand signal of “one, two, three.”  Initially, my instructions were that they look at me, and if they didn’t obey quickly, I would say, “one.”  If they didn’t respond, I would say, “two.”  If I got to “three,” they knew they were going to be punished, or disciplined in some way.  I made sure there was enough time between the numbers to give them response time.  Just like stopping your car, it takes a bit to make the decision to just move your body.   But, eventually, I could tell by the attitude of their bodies, if they heard me or not, and if they intended to obey right away.  I could see them quicken their movements to complete what they were doing, and they would look at my hands to see if I had said one or two, to know how much of a hurry they needed to be in.  The time came that I almost never got to “three.”  In fact, the time came that I could have my back to them, and have my hands behind my back, using only my fingers to designate the numbers.  I held up one finger, then two, and usually by three, they were either standing by my side, or had quieted themselves and were busy doing what I had asked them to do. This was especially good when I was talking to someone, but needed them to be quieter, or get ready to leave.

Eventually, my children would look at me often just to see if I was simply waiting on them to look my way so I could quietly instruct them to do something.  Or to see if they missed something and I was already holding up fingers to count down their time.  By this time, the decision was now theirs. I believe this worked because they needed the limits on the time it took them to look at me and obey.   When I was able, I also sometimes used the "Come to me," instruction to give them a reward for paying attention and looking at me.  If I had to go back, I would have spanked them far less, and would have given far more rewards for having them respond appropriately. 

The “Look At Me” Principle is very Biblical.  Learning to practice it as mindful children, looking to a loving heavenly Father, helps us focus and obey the voice of God as much as it helped my children. He too, needs not to have to repeat over and over his will for us, nor should we tarry 'til he gets to "3."

Let us decide today to look to the face of our heavenly father, several times during the day.  May we not miss his guidance and give him opportunity to need to place discipline in our path to redirect us toward looking to his face and listening for his voice.

Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.  Psalm 25:15

Lord, I desire to be like David and be an obedient Child, focusing often on you, to know your will and recognize your voice.  If there is a frustrated mother or teacher, needing a way to have their children listen, help them apply the principle, and find the joy getting their children to choose to respond will bring. Bless their efforts and ours as we look to thee. Amen.

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.

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.

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

Celebrate Thanksgiving!

Psalm 100 ~ we learned it as children in my school, and had our program where we sang songs about the first American Thanksgiving, and old hymns, like Come Ye Thankful People Come.  And there have always traditionally been parades and bands and music. One of my favorite things is to watch the parades. Are the bands and parades appropriate? Well let’s take a look at thanksgiving in the Scriptures~

King David was known to be a song writer and musician from his youth.  As a boy he played so well that King Saul chose David to live at the royal home and play just for him.  A little like his personal radio. LOL Most of the Psalms are attributed to David as well, and he wrote profusely.  In I Chronicles 16:7 it says:

“On that day, David first delivered this Psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord."

David wrote a song of thanksgiving and delivered it to Asaph and his brothers, Levites, who were responsible for using it in worship. Notice that he hand delivered this song.

Samuel also tells us how David thanked God. This scripture is known as "David's Thanksgiving."  II Samuel, chapter 7 ~

“Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?”  II Samuel 7:18 

 When David came before God, to thank him, he was in awe of the things God did in his life. But if you read on, He says:

“ ¹⁹ And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come.”*

David made his thanksgiving a time of perspective. What awes us about God, is a “small thing in (His) sight.”  This time of perspective is often interpreted as a solemn occasion.  But how did they actually celebrate their thanksgivings?

Nehemiah names those responsible for such occasions in his day -

“Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who led the thanksgiving psalms, he and his brethren.”  Nehemiah 12:8

And in verse 27 of that chapter gives us an example of such a celebration:

“Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps.”

 They brought in musicians from all over the land, and struck up the bands :).

Then in verse 31 he tells of making it a public affair, with the leaders of the country in attendance.

“So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs.” 

Now, Psalm 100 is something I will probably never forget, although I have to brush up on it from time to time.

“Make a joyful NOISE unto the Lord all ye lands…come before his presence with singing….enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with Praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name….”

Thanksgiving is certainly a time of introspection, and counting our blessings. A time of viewing the mercies and manifestations of God on our lives. A time of praise. It is a time of gaining perspective, and a time of solemn awe.  But most of all it was a time of CELEBRATION! Of singing and making noise! But it was one more thing in a psalmist’s eyes.  In Psalm 105, this song says:

“ Vs 1. O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name. Make known his deeds among the people. Vs 2. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wonderous works. Vs 3. Glory ye in his holy name.”

 Here the psalmist says to let others know what great things God has done. Talk about it. Then he comes to a curious conclusion. While sharing with others, an interesting thing happens – the commonplace, easy things for God to do in our lives bring Glory to us in his name.  We are able to have Glory by sharing his blessings on us.   Remember what David said in II Samuel?  *“this was a small thing in your sight, and you have spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come.” He is saying that people remembered the blessings God gave David for a long time afterward, and God made sure that David was talked about until this day! Thanksgiving is a time to realize that God does what he does unbegrudgingly.  He doesn’t seek his own Glory, but ours. How curious a thing! Like a father who loves his kids and gives them everything he can to benefit them.  He delights when his son makes a touchdown, or his daughter makes her first home run…Parents take pictures of their kids and hang them everywhere.  They give them parties at birthdays, and buy books and toys and anything fun.  For the glory of their children!

It is a time to see God as a doting father, who wishes the best for us, who would give us great things, just because we are his kids.

In Leviticus 7, the Levites are given instruction on how the thanksgiving offerings are to be made, but it also says:

Vs 15. “The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day it is offered. He shall not leave any of it until morning.”

  They were instructed to eat ‘til it was gone.  I would imagine they had to stuff themselves. I am glad we aren't under the law, however. I just plain love leftover thanksgiving food!  We can thank refrigeration for that.

Well, I guess we have it about right! Celebrations, parades, music, eat til we are stuffed…telling  people what great things God has done for us…

I just wish all the hooplah of our time was really about how God has blessed us. When we celebrate, we need to be sure our children know why we celebrate. Just don’t forget to accept the glory! Know how much God loves to hear us say thank you, and that he will bless us all again and again as the loving father he is, that we may have Glory in his name.

 I am particularly thankful for Bible Gateway’s web site that makes finding scriptures to reference an easier task for me. The print in the Bible is just getting too small these days, and the ease of finding things with a simple click on search has been a tremendous blessing to me. I thank God for the people he led to develop that site, and for blessing of being able to study so quickly now.  What used to take hours, is much simpler now. 

I wish to share a website with you: http://devotions.proverbs31.org/2011/the-treasure-of-thrown-away-food.html It's a precious story of regognizing real blessings. I found it when  I discovered the facebook page of an old friend whose husband was in our wedding 42 years ago.  We had lost touch, and though I rejoiced at finding this couple, I quickly realized that God had a reason for making them known to me once again.  John has Luekemia.  Jan, his wife maintains a blog about their praising and blessing the God who is able to allow John to beat it. I will keep that blog personal for now. But,once Jan had friended me, several others whom I had known back then were also finding her site, as God drew us all to join her in prayers for John.  I also friended some of them, with such joy to be in touch once more, and have been able to glean from their related blogs and favorite sites. The one I am posting was a particular blessing. God blesses us in such amazing ways. And I am thankful most of all this year, that God has demonstrated again and again that He IS, and He is working in my life, and he draws us to one another - that we may “talk of all his wonderous works.” 

Lord I praise and thank you with my whole heart. For absolutely every thing in my life. But mostly, I thank you for YOU. 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

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

 

Please remember to visit us everyday on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Wings-Are-Made-of-Faith/212364455451281 ,

 or just type in My Wings Are Made of Faith in your Facebook search box.

 

Two is a Number of Hope and Blessing

The number 2 has been on my heart this month, and I have been surprised by the wonderful things the Lord is teaching me about this very symbolic number. I wrote on an earlier blog about the most significant meaning, which is “BLESSING.” A great example is when Jesus fed the masses, he first blessed the food and then he broke it into pieces to feed them. As he did at the Lord’s Supper. Breaking the bread would be of course into two pieces, thus making two pieces to feed two persons, and each time breaking it in two again and again, thus giving us the multiplicity of blessing. It is meant to be a blessing that, like all of God’s gifts, should grow and continue to bless. But this example also gives us a ground-work for the second meaning of the number “2”. Many of the numbers have double or intertwined meanings. “5” for instance means either gift of God, or grace and they are intertwined. Grace is a Gift of God, etc.

But the number “2” was initially understood by Hebrews to mean divided, broken, split, separated or changed. From the oldest scriptures, allusions were made to separation from God being the difference between Heaven and Earth, or “in the world” as opposed to “in the temple”. And that separation has a symbolic “place”. It is the Mount of Olives, east of the city of Jerusalem. There is a brook called Kidron which flows between the temple site in Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives where Jesus often went in the evenings after preaching in the city during the day. From day to night, from West to East, from work to rest, from seeking religion to seeking God in prayer, and many, many more examples of allegories can be extrapolated from the image of Jesus moving between the two.

But, the one the early Christians could relate to most was that King David made that same trek from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives when being pursued by his Son Absolom for possession of the crown. There are numerous examples, but this one bears such a striking comparison to what Jesus did, and we know that Jesus himself was saying, “I am the king who walks from the temple to a place of rejection, but I will someday return to be your king.” It is one of the reasons they captured him in the early morning hours at the foot of the mountain, because they thought it would destroy the symbolism to stop him before he went back into the city. All Hebrews knew that David returned to Jerusalem as King. When Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, he was making a definite reference to him being the fulfillment of that as prophecy, something expected of their future Messiah. The Jewish leaders were not about to allow Jesus to become the people’s King. It would mean that they would be in definite danger of Roman retaliation. They did not understand that Jesus was the Spiritual King of their people, and that He would come only as physical King when the whole world was able to benefit. They were not expecting God to be their Messiah, they were expecting another man. Yet when God came as man, they rejected him.

What has all of that to do with the number 2. Well, in the time of Jesus, the way to cross over the Brook Kidron was by a road that topped an arched bridge…How many arches? Want to guess?  >2 of course. It was a beautiful modern stone structure, a grand part of the marvel of the city of Jerusalem in the day. The mountain ridge itself is a picture type of the number 3, referencing it as a place where all the persons of the trinity were symbolized. But, it is prophesied that the ridge will someday be spilt by an earthquake into how many pieces? > 2. These underlying twos refer to the fact that when Jesus passed back over the bridge for the last time on earth, it was to heal our separation from God and bring to us a blessing of freedom from the legalisms of human religion.

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives almost daily and to the garden called Gethsemane at the foot of the mountain to spend time in prayer with God the Father and for rest, often. He genuinely wanted us to look back at the frequency with which He went to this place and wonder why. This place provided a picture type of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus had not yet revealed to the believers. Gethsemane means “place of the olive press” or simply “olive press.” At the olive press the oil of olives was pressed for sale. Oil is a type of the Holy Spirit, so he was going to the place where oil might be obtained, symbolizing a purchase price must be paid to receive the Holy Spirit . The olives must be sacrificed to obtain the oils; Jesus to obtain the Spirit.

The trek over from the place of religion - the temple, to a place of choice - a garden, symbolizes crossing the gap between God and man. He wanted us to see the place as a type of rebirth, as going from being merely a companion to God, to becoming one with God through the Spirit, by taking him inside, allowing Him to indwell, as with the ingesting of the oil. But also to see the Spirit pictured in all the other uses of oil. As a light if burned, as warmth, as the base for healing ointments, and oh so many other references. He wanted us to see that we would no longer be separated from God, but that He wished to become our daily and constant companion by indwelling us. Choosing to walk to this garden of symbols was an invitation for us to make a daily decision to "walk the walk."

Now the Garden of Gethsemane was not at the summit of the mount, but at the base of the ridge, near the Brook Kidron, where there was water. Another illusion to the Holy Spirit- water is a symbol of receiving the Holy Spirit and his power to divide between good and evil. It was a symbol of how easy it was to become one with God. By simply walking over they were already in the place where the oil dwelled. No climbing the mountain to get there. No hiding away as King David had to save yourself. No work, for that was all done for the day. Only resting in the place where the Spirit dwells.

Now, how many picture types of the Spirit does that make? “2” Yet the greatest of all the typology here is the pairing: between 1) the elements of separation, division, and the eventual brokenness of Christ’s physical body (beginning with his capture in the Garden of Gethsemane) and 2) the element of blessing that will come from all of this symbolism and fulfillment of the prophecies.

There is hope in this pairing. It is the promise that out of brokenness, division, the separation of death, etc., there will come blessing if Jesus is our King. Jesus will come again, and scripture says he will come first to the Mount of Olives, where those buried on that hillside are said to be the first to be resurrected, but when he returns as King He will cross back over the Brook Kidron into Jerusalem as our Lord and earthly King. Just as he returned every morning from the Mount of Olives to teach and minister to his followers during his walk as Jesus of Nazareth, He will come again to minister to us and it will begin when he touches the Mount of Olives and crosses the Brook Kidron entering the city once more. Until then - separation. Separation before blessing. Two elements to a Bible truth that go hand in hand. Never under estimate the power of a number in the Bible. Believe it or not, I have only touched on the twos that are symbolically significant to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. Or to the principle of Twos. And all of them tell the story of this principle – the one Jesus demonstrated every time he broke bread. Brokenness leads to blessing, separation to reunion, crossing over from religion leads to communion with a real God. There are always two sides to every story, and this is the greatest story of all. Jesus was saying, although I leave you in body, I come to you in a way that they cannot kill, able to provide you with even greater blessing – by the indwelling of the Spirit.

My brother-in-law crossed the Brook Kidron this week, from earth to Heaven, to be where Jesus is with the Father, in that Beautiful Garden of Heaven….leaving us broken and separated from him. The same is true of all our loved ones who have gone before us to the Heavenly Garden Of Gethsemane, to be with Jesus and in the Father’s presence by the power of the Holy Spirit. One day all who have gone over will return, bringing to this earth a blessing like we have never known. Whether I am still here on this earth or have gone over too by the time it happens, I can be certain of one thing. All of the principles of God, made clear by the emphasis on the number "two" give assurance to my heart that God will honor his promises. This Blessing is something I can count on, place Hope in, and believe with all my heart.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20

Lord, Christy, Lori and I are gathered in your name, with one heart - to serve you. We wish to minister truth, freedom, joy and encouragement to those who have been led into a fearful religious world. We want to emmulate what you would have said if you were here saying it. Help open the eyes of our readers to see that every part of your Word has significance and power to show your love and grace. Even the numbers are full of meaning. And every symbolic or prophetic meaning is meant to edify us. I rejoice in the Principle of Twos, and thank you that my favorite "two" is me and You. AMEN

 Please, readers add your own scriptural reference to the number two, express how it shows the Brokenness/Separation to Hope/Blessing principle.  What are your favorite pairings.  Can you think of twos that just jump right to blessing from the pairing? Leave us a message.

 

Are WE God on a Pedastal?

Sometimes I just want to scream to the world around me, “Why do you think I am supposed to act like God, if I am not?”  Just because we are Christians with a perfect figure in the person of Jesus Christ to emulate, it doesn’t mean we can suddenly become God. It is Satan’s idea to try to become God. We are only to become “one with God.”  There’s a difference. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit gives us an edge in discernment, to help us make choices.  But His is a still small voice.  Not an over-riding one.  We don’t become God when we are born into His family. We don’t even become God-like. We become humans with the capacity to know when God is leading, teaching and molding us, to walk in his image. We can only aspire to some small part of His holiness.

God chooses to help us learn about ONE concept of living within His parameters for productive healthy life at a time.  No human gets the complete overhaul to perfection.   What is amazing to me is that God is OK with that, but people aren’t.  Why can’t our peers and critics be OK with that?

Why should I go about trying to please the whole world of people who think they know what is Christian life for me, when they can’t get it right themselves, --especially when God certainly doesn’t have expectations of me to become so God-like as to have it all right, all the time. Why do I?  Why do YOU?  Why Why Why????

Runners all enter the race knowing that there will be only one winner.  The focus of being in the race is often on winning the ultimate prize, being the best at crossing the finish line, first. It is just fine to try. Yet only one will attain. But, have all the others failed?   When hunters go to the hunt, do they always return with the kill?  The focus for sport is the trophy; for the person who seeks food on the table, the kill is the prize. And yet even the hungry often return without the expected prey. Those who hunt the devourers and feral destroyers, often return battered and wounded.  Are they all suddenly unworthy to be called “hunters?” Is there any thing in life which when we don’t attain the ultimate, we are suddenly less than when we began the journey?

I expressed discouragement to my husband once and his answer was, “Where’s your faith?”  Well my faith was exactly where it always was. In God. But my tired body and mind have to live in this world and answer to their humanity.  I don’t stop believing God is God, nor do I stop believing I am his child. But sometimes I don’t believe I can accomplish the hard things in life. People often ask: “So where is your faith now?”  You are never tired or discouraged because you lost your faith…you are just tired and discouraged, experiencing things even Christ experienced.  If it wasn’t sin for Jesus, then it isn’t sin for us.  The trick is in not allowing the expectations of others to cause me to place unnecessary expectations on myself.  The marvelous scripture: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” should come with a subheading of , “if it is what Christ wants me to do.”  So often when I feel like I am falling short, it is on what people expect of me, not what God has asked of me.  So why feel God is to blame for not giving the strength I need to meet people’s expectations. 

I have learned that not wishing others to have expectations of me, also means that I don’t have expectations of them.  If I need someone to come along side, the person God has in mind often is not the person I had in mind. Being hurt with persons whom I expected to support me, only causes me unnecessary pain.  Sometimes, God prefers that He and I go it alone, and that is not the same as being ALONE. Regardless of where my feelings are, whether or not my expected support is my actual support - I need to put those expectations aside, by choice, and see what God’s plans are for me. To take a second look at where God is.  I will find Him where He was when I began my Christian walk…indwelling me, waiting for me to get away from the din of what others think to hear His still small voice.

Humans tend to have it upside down.  If the circumstances of life have brought out the human in you, it does not mean God sees you as “not up to par.” He still sees you as saved by Grace. As his child.  As He always has seen you - through the shed blood of Jesus. As he created you - a human in need of a relationship with the creator.

Yes, we sometimes fail to meet expectations, ours or those of others.  But if we were pursuing the goal, we have not failed. We don’t cease to be born again, and we haven’t failed at being a Christian, 

or a child of God,

or at being faithful,

or even at being human.

We should rejoice when we allow God to take us off the pedestal of expectations.  Not exclusively dedicated to being first place in the race, or even being God-like, but being committed to living each day pursuing right relationships with God and man. 

Do you ever feel that good is never good enough? Are there people in your life laying in wait to shine the spotlight on areas in your life where they deem you have come up short? In the end, I am so glad that people won’t be the one to whom I will answer. Just as I do every day of my life, I will be counting on God’s Grace.                ************************

Parents – beware.  Take care to lead and direct your children, giving them the same Grace God has given us.  The whole world will be putting them on a pedestal of inspection.  Please emulate God, and take them down. Share with them that although you have a commitment to give them Godly direction, you never expect them to reach an unattainable goal of being as good as everyone else thinks they should be.  Be careful how you discipline.  Direct them to meet goals, not expectations.  And help them know that they can reject the burden of perfection from other people as well.  Help them to see everything they do as a goal, an attitude of heart, a way of getting things done.  Not as a becoming a more perfect person, who is always in a state of flux, having to become an even more perfect person…the unattainable, undesirable image of a god on a pedestal. 

When Jesus was reproached by the chief priests, scribes and elders of the temple, who thought He didn’t act much like a representative of God, He said:

“I will also ask you one thing, and answer me: The baptism of John, was it of heaven or of men?”                   Luke 20: 3-4

LORD, how well you knew the hearts of men, even when you came in flesh as Jesus. You knew that men would misjudge even You as not being representative of Yourself! Jesus, whom the “Godly” men presumed to be unworthy to be their Messiah or King…some things never change. Will people ever see you as a God who walks along with us, not as a slave master who holds a big stick over us?  Help me to make Christ’s question the litmus test for my actions: “Is it of heaven or to please people?” Then, dear Lord, help me forgive myself for all the times I thought I failed.  AMEN

Looking Through God Glasses

What is your image of the disciples of Christ?  Do you see them all as fishermen?  Well they weren’t all fishermen.  Do you visualize them as all dressed in flowing robes of colorful cloths? Well they weren’t.  Have you ever envisioned even one of them with a sword hanging by his side?  Think about it….

In St. John 18:11 Jesus said to one of his disciples: “Put up thy sword into the sheath.”  You know this story well.  To whom was he speaking?  It was Peter of course.  Peter the bold, the strong, carried a sword which he used to cut off the ear of a temple servant in the Garden of Gethsemane, when they came to take Jesus away.  Now visualize the disciples again.  Can you visualize them with at least one carrying a sword? Have you ever?  I can’t think of a single painting that I have seen, which has disciples who look obviously different from one another, much less with one of them carrying a sword.

We do that when we visualize what a Christian should look like too.  One of my greatest pet peeves about the Christian faith, is that it frequently falls into a pattern of dictating what the followers of Christ should look, act, and behave like.  We have all known of whole churches that fell pray to “doctrines” of a bad leader, whom they trusted to their deaths. It is a lie of Satan that all Christians should fit some sort of mold. Or to follow one who claims to be called of God to an ever-tightening tiny image of who we ought to be. As a child, this little box image of what a Christian oughta be made me think I could never be good enough. In fact, my father once told me he decided not to be a Christian because he knew he could never be good enough.

Jesus consistently went to the person whom society had rejected and said: “ follow me.” How often was he rebuked for being somewhere the Scribes and Pharisees said men ought not to go? How many times was he eating with people in whose home pious Jews would never set foot?  He talked to women, of other than Jewish descent.  He talked to prostitutes. In fact, he talked to women, period. In some perversions of religion, it is and was forbidden to even talk to women. He let the children climb on his lap and rebuked any who tried to pull them away.  He fit no one’s mold, but His Father’s.

Now, as Paul said, all things may be permissible, but all things are not wise. I get that. But, Jesus had a definite reason for going to the unwanted of society in his day, because as he called them, they were “the lost.”  Any lost person you might encounter, will probably be seeking for direction, hoping to get to a place of knowing where they are in the world. Jesus had a short time to reach them.  He started off teaching in the conventional way, at age 12, in the temple. But in order to reach the lost he had to go where they were.  Jesus had nothing to fear of the people in the streets as it turned out.  It was the people in the temple who sought to kill him.  I can’t say as much for the situation today.  It is mostly out of fear that I would not approach just anyone on the streets today.  But equally, I would not trust just anyone in a pulpit.  So the question becomes how to reach individuals who are not accepted by the main stream, while we continue to portray the holiness of God. Jesus made it perfectly clear.  It is with our words - using His Word and rightly dividing the Word of truth, and by not creating molds that we ask others to fit into. 

One of my favorite ways to teach my 5 to 7 year old Children’s Church students in years gone by, was to tell them something I wanted them to challenge me on.  Now I had to teach them to dispute me, because society spends a lot of time teaching children to not rebuke their elders.  But that is actually dangerous if we don’t give them permission to use the brain God gave them as well.  My bright little students were willing to believe anything I told them. So I would say something, ridiculous and see how quickly they would call me on it.  For instance, I might say: “Today I am going to tell you the story of how Jesus told everyone that it was OK to beat people up.”  At first they were too shy to speak against me. But once they learned that I was expecting them to catch me lying, and I wanted them to say: “No that’s not right,” - they were quick and loud with their response.  I would say,  “I was just seeing if you were listening.”  So it became a game for them listen well enough to catch me telling them something that wasn’t true.

Three Things:

1.  We always made sure that we clarified when I had told them a deliberate lie, and that I wanted them to catch me in it and say with boldness, “Miss Cynthia, that isn’t true.” I told them not to believe everything they were told.  To find out for themselves what was true. I told them it was wise to listen and decide for themselves what they believed. I told them not to get in the habit of correcting their parents and other teachers, but to think about what people said, and if it didn’t seem right to ask questions.  I also told them if it didn’t seem right, to not believe it until they were sure whether it was right or wrong.  And sometimes, it would be OK to boldly say: “That isn’t right, I know it isn’t.” Or be firm when they say: “Don’t do that ‘cause it isn’t right!”
2. I made it clear that I wanted them to use their own brains. I told them they were never too young to know what they believed.  Jesus asked people to think about what they were being taught. To challenge it if necessary. To seek the truth.  To alter their vision, and break the mold of what they commonly believed to be truth. He asked them to challenge conventional truth, and test it with God’s truth. People argue at length about what that truth is, but they often do it like the Pharisees did. Satan can argue a good argument, by manipulating the truth. What is true in the whole scripture is what is true.  And sometimes the deepest truths are hidden in pictures and types, not out in the open, so we have to dig. They are jewels to be found, by exploring how God packages truth.
3. I challenged the children to boldly respond to me with “no, that is not right,” if I was wrong.  It was my intention to help them begin to make up their own minds what was right, and what was wrong, rather than depending on an adult for their morality.  Many adults have never done that for themselves. It amazes me sometimes how often leadership, especially in the church, directs its constituents to blindly follow their lead.  Wise leadership should be fashioned after Jesus’ example.  He challenged the acceptable, and sought the heart of the people, not as servants to a master, but as friends. (St.John 15: 14-15.)  He asked them to think, reason within themselves, and to make the subtle differences.

I could cite any of several scriptures, but I believe this one says it best:

(Jesus said:) Woe unto you lawyers! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in, ye hindered. St. Luke 11:52

Dear Jesus, you challenge us to take a second look at our mental image of who and what we expect a Christian to be. To think for ourselves, and question authority, and hold our leaders accountable. Help us Lord, to teach our children balance, not blind obedience. Knowing we can obey You without question gives great peace of mind, and it is marvelous to be able to teach this to our children.  Let us begin with them, teaching them to open their minds to seek to see things from God’s perspective. Not as skeptics, but as seeing all things through “God Glasses”.  In your precious name, AMEN.

 

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.

 

Memories from God's Perspective

 
My husband (boyfirend) and I in the sixties, the day after our Seniors Banquet, held by our church for a place to go instead of Prom.  We were standing in front of a rose bush that I had babied since it was a stem. And I was in my favorite dress, one I loved more than my "Prom Dress."  Sixties Hair LOL

In a post from Max Lucado’s daily thoughts, for Aug. 24, he wrote the following:

“Present Tense - By Max Lucado

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8 NLT

The present-tense Christ. He never says, “I was.” We do. We do because “we were.” We were younger, faster, prettier. Prone to be people of the past tense, we reminisce. Not God. Unwavering in strength, he need never say, “I was.” Heaven has no rear view mirrors . . .

Can God be more God? No. He does not change. He is the “I am” God. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” “

 I am a person who looks back a lot.  I have had a need for healing of my memories, and in looking back I find myself faced with two situations.  I can live in the memories and be sad – for the extremes of the bad times and the memories of the hurts that still hurt me, and sad that I am not younger, faster, prettier, thinner, etc. Or I can look into the past seeking the glad memories to help them out weigh the sad ones, while always allowing that thing from the past to bolster my now, while, at the same time, seek healing for the memories that still hurt.  Memories are like wounds if they are bad ones.  And they must heal. I said  MUST HEAL.

Bad memories must be dealt with. Stuffing them into the past to stay is not what Mr. Lucado is talking about in the comment above. He is helping us remember that God was in our past and when we were hurt, we were not alone. God knows what hurt us. But He wants us to have a resurrection attitude –realizing that we can be free from the past and healed of the pain.  But looking to a future with Him as well.  For me, when intense pain was a part of a long period of my life, the past was my life. It was hard to break free from that stronghold.  I became hurt with God.  I found myself in what seemed like a pattern of living hurt over and over, as if something I was doing was causing my hurt, and as if loving and serving God meant I had to continue to be hurt.  That was true to the extent that I was in a pattern, but there was an escape. 

Thinking about your memories is only the surface result for what can happen to a person living out of the past.  The mind can actually develop a pattern to respond to every situation in life the same way as it did when hurt.  So when someone else hurts you, you will react as if that person hurt you again, and also the next time someone hurts you. It is subconscious, and you often don’t realize it. You are actually LIVNG IN THE PAST. When you do, you may not know how to get out of the pattern.  Max Lucado is soooo right when he says God is the “I  AM.”  Because living in the present does not have to be a reflection of what you lived in your past. God wants healing for our past pains and traumas.

I know how the Lord chose to heal me, and the mental scars as well.  For someone else he may chose a different path to healing, but seeking healing from my past was the best thing I ever did for the prospect of living a better today and a better future.  And now, I love to reminisce about the lovely things in my past, because they bring me joy, and help me remember that God has always been there.  Yet, the one thing I still bring into check, while looking back, is to not fall into the pattern of saying I was prettier, thinner, faster, whatever’er, because whatever I have today, is still better than what is gone, as long as I know Christ is still there.  And of course we all know that our Future is only brighter looking to live it walking in His presence.

If someone reading this has trauma to heal from way back in their past, Pray: “Lord heal my hurts, Heal my memories.”  And hang on for the ride of your life.  It was not easy for me and it may not be easy for you.  Unlike a roller coaster, it was not a ride I want to take again, because my memories suddenly were as clear as if they were happening all over again.  However, it is a ride I would not turn down. NO. NO. Never! Unlike a surgery that you might say, “If I knew what this was going to be like, I would have never agreed to it,” I would recommend to anyone to seek God for the chance to revisit bad memories and find healing from the pain. For what God was able to do was to rewrite those memories, so that I always see Him there in power, in control and bringing me through. 

For example, my worst memory haunted me in my sleep sometimes. I could see the face of the person who hurt me, glaring at me showing his power over me, proud of his power and frightening me.  I could see the evil one in his eyes.  And I remember how frozen with fear I was.  He laughed a haunting laugh back then.  How did God heal my memory? The day the Lord healed my hurt, he gave me a new memory.  Now when I remember that night, I see the evil one afraid of the Spirit in me, and I see him draw back, knowing that the Spirit in me is greater than any evil thing the world can throw at me. Now, I sometimes remember fear in his eyes, and forget the evil laugh. Yes, I had to live through the experience, but I don’t have to continue to live in the experience, because God healed my hurt, and my fear.  I actually, look back now with joy, and I look back less often.  Just as God would have it.  God is willing to give us new memories, not just today, but by healing the ones in the past.

He is the God of Yesterday, Today and Forever.  If ever God says in the Scriptures to look back, He often is saying, “do you not remember how I …?”  He wants us to not see the past as “everything was better then”, nor as “I was such a victim then that I still am.” God wants us to be able to disconnect from carrying the weight of the past, so that we may move freely in the present.  Not that we should live so much for the future dreams and hopes that we forget to live, LIVE, in the present.  Today is the Day we Live.

One final note: when I was a child, I experienced a lot of trauma.  Yet as a child, I was always happy.  I cried for a short time, and I came into the present with a good happy outlook on my life.  I loved living. It was only when I became an adult married to a man who hated to see me cry, (so much so that he put a stop to it,) that I lost that child-like ability to move on.  I knew when I was losing it too. I felt as if I were losing life itself, and I was right.  It was only in the healing of my memories, coming to a point of freedom from repeating the pattern, and living apart from the subconscious repetition of that cycle which develops from living out of memories, that I was renewed to that childlike place. I no longer react to new hurt the same old way every time.

Heaven doesn’t lack the ability to see the past.  Heaven just doesn’t drive looking in the rear view mirror.  Therefore, no need for rear view mirrors. LOL

 Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?

No man puts a piece of new cloth into an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment and the tear is made worse.

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved.         St Matthew 9:15-17

Lord, Thank you for healing from memories that draw us into the old ways of life. Thank you that each step we take is new, and to be lived as if it were new.  And thank you that you are able to change our past memories so that we may have power over the pain, frustrations or wishful thinking that holds us to a past.  Help me accept this day as a gift, and cherish it. Renew my mind.  Heal the one out there who reads this and wishes for healing from the past. Loving you today. Amen

PS. In the picture above there were trash cans behind the rose bush. The bush was so enormous that it needed pruning so the trash collectors could get to the can. Behind that big smile was a young woman who had covered her pain, by growing a rose bush that kept not only the trash collector from gathering my trash, but kept me from putting the trash in the cans.  My favorite picture is also my most revealing.

 

Opening the Box of Blessings

There are times in my spiritual life that I fall into a routine with God: seasons where I read my devotions and pray small, regular, bland prayers.  It’s like I frequently put God in a box where my petitions are safe and my prayers are assuredly answered in my favor. 

However, lately, I sense that the Lord is calling me to pray bigger, bolder, more daring intercessions about His will for my life.  James 4:2 says,

“You do not have, because you do not ask God.” 

How often are we limiting ourselves because we simply don’t ask for the favor of our Heavenly Father?  

Being a mother of two children, I want to give good, healthy blessings to my children especially if they are asking for great choices in situations that I can control.  Our Heavenly Father loves us so much more than the depth of love a mother can feel for her own children!  God desires for us to sit at His feet in holy communion with Him and ask for the desires of our hearts.

Another important passage that demonstrates this principle is 2 Corinthians 9:6 which says,

“Remember this:  Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”  

This scripture is often used in reference to tithing, but let’s realign this idea into prayer and petitions.  According to this verse, if we sow fellowship with God generously, we are going to generously reap in blessings from a closer relationship with the Lord.  We will live each day assured that we have spoken with our God; we are filled with the Holy Spirit and seeking His perfect will for our lives.  Life just doesn’t get any better than that!

Our challenge lies in opening the lid to the box that we have idealized our God to live in.  Let’s choose to believe the Bible which tells us what a powerful and mighty God we serve.  Lastly, let’s pray brazenly while seeking God’s path for our lives.

My Prayer:  Oh God, I confess my sin in believing you for so little!  I choose to trust you with every area of my life.  Holy Spirit, remind me to pray for my dreams that fall into your perfect plan for me.  Thank you for pouring out blessings on your children.  

Scipture to memorize today:

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

                                                                                                ~James 5:16

A Deeper Understanding

I love the morning light. In morning light I can see well, but in evening light, I have difficulty seeing.  Morning light cheers me, awakens me, and makes me want to get up and get going. Conversely, a gray sky will darken my spirits and I have to fight my mood to arise with a smile. 

In the morning light, I have taken the best pictures of any time. Most photographers and artists are aware of this phenomenon.  Direct sunlight causes us to have to adjust everything on our cameras and color palette. So I enjoy getting out, when the dew is still breaking into beads of mirrors along the spider webs, to take photos, exercise, or clear my head and plan my day - When the light is new, and causing the world around me to awaken.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the way light has such an effect on our lives. And I have been thinking of how Jesus used light to describe his Godliness. Not his righteousness. His being God side - not his being a man side. “I am the light of the world,” he said in John. 8:12.

We know Jesus spoke to people in terms of things they already knew.  I have always loved that about his ministry, because it made his teachings relatable to children as well as adults. The simple truth is the real truth. Yet certain things he spoke about, from God’s standpoint, have incredibly intricate, unimaginable depths in truth. Light is one of those things.

The people, of Jesus’ day, knew light by the sun, moon, stars, fire; their knowledge about the science of light was limited. And yet it made just as good a “type picture” for the saints of old as for us today, who are more science minded individuals. We - who think we have harnessed light - who use it almost without thought of its source -  who are not bound by day and night, but go 24 hours a day. WE don’t quite understand the impact that speaking about light would have on the audience of Jesus’ day. Light was precious to them.  So, does the typology of light still apply to us today?  Sure it does. Jesus knew that it was a subject that whether spoken of thousands of years BC, or AD, LIGHT would carry the same point of reference in the minds of any seeking what God was like. Jesus totally knew how very much God was like the light.

Most of the time, discussions about light revolve around the “camera/picture” benefits.  In short, it makes you able to see things more clearly.  Things that are lit may be captured by our brains with a certain clarity, with understanding.  We get better mental pictures, clearer images of who God is and how he functions.  But as science minded people, we can add some visualizations to that  “type” that our forefathers might not have.

A rainbow for instance:

They had rainbows and perhaps, in Jesus’ day, they even had opportunity to see something crystalline break the sun’s rays into a rainbow. I don’t’ think they were stupid. They, of course, knew that the sun caused an arc of colors after the storms.  But did they actually understand that the rainbow was light being broken into its spectrum of colors and why?  That white light is made of many colors of light? One thing they would have known was that darkness was the absence of that light. And while watching a fire burn, they would have seen the flames break into myriads of hues on the color bands. Did they understand that light being bent/reflected in different directions and speeds was pretty much the same thing causing colors in the fire as well as colors in the rainbow?  Did they relate to the fact that God is like that? I wonder if anyone watching a fire ever thought, “If God is like the light in this fire, then He is a colorful God.” He is warm, like the red flame, and cold and refreshing like the freshly fallen snow.  God is a God of many hues and varied depths of those hues. God is able to affect our moods, enliven our world, paint in our imaginations, and bring vision to the darkest parts of our inner soul. Color in itself, as an element of light is a huge area on which to expand about the enormity of God.

Let’s go deeper. Light is also an empowering energy. In order to be viewed, it must enter our eyes and be focused on the lens, be converted into energy impulses in our head that are converted to an image. Like in a camera.  Can you understand that this is a "picture type" of the indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit? He must be allowed to enter through the shutter of our heart’s door, into the place where our soul dwells.  The image of God is then both imprinted on our souls, and reflected from our souls, so we may be seen as being like him.  You see, understanding light is why we can have a camera in the first place. And the truth is - God is even more like the picture of what light is, than those listening to Jesus would have ever understood. 

Does it say something to your heart that anyone who denies there is a God, can’t possibly know about God?  Jesus understood everything about light. His God side understood that the illustration was powerful through and through. We know enough about light now to know how fast it travels. Jesus already knew that. We know enough about light to know that we cannot go any faster than light. There is a barrier there for now.  Jesus knew that.  We now know that after things get to going about the speed of light, they disappear for us, on the most complicated equipment. Jesus already knew and understood that what God had created had as much to do with his spiritual realm as it does for our physical realm.  God knew that light traveled for millions of miles. God knew that humans would need the light of stars and moon to not be lost in the presence of darkness. Otherwise we would not have eyes.

How do I know that Jesus knew? Because he used the things of creation to describe God to us.  Jesus knew the enormity of God.  How better to tell us that he knows the creator than to illustrate him in his creation. To use something bigger than us to be able to say, “God is Bigger, than everything we can figure out about Him.” He is bigger than all the knowledge we will have in two thousand more years. The more we learn about light, the more we have opportunity to understand Him. The more there is to realize we really don’t know everything we thought we knew about God.  How much more WE should be held responsible for not seeing Him as bigger than anything we can stick into our mental God Box. I challenge you to stretch the visual image you have of God.

Thank you God, for illustrations that are so simple that even when the complexities of your creation stretch our imagination, we can still see you in the truth.  Help us see you the way Jesus tried to help us envision you. Amen

Then, spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.  John 8:12

I would love for our readers to expand on - “WHAT LIGHT IS” - as food for thought.   As a comment here or on our Facebook page, tell us what light is to you, which might evoke a sense of the “light of Life” of which Jesus spoke. 

Example: “Light can be focused, and expanded.”   Therefore, it is flexible, and can be a tool.