“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream…It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I, the LORD, search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:7-10.
These verses at first glance do not seem to transition smoothly. However, at second glance I find that it serves as a choice for all of us. We can live in truth when rooted in our faith or we can react based upon the emotions of our hearts and our own wisdom. Our heart tells us we will never find that partner, and our mind convinces us we will never get out of our circumstances. We begin calculating without God and applying our own wisdom to a situation where we lack the total picture. We become rooted in our fears and discouragement instead of being rooted in the One who has the ability and promise to give us His best. We pray for His best but lack the trust and confidence to wait upon it.
‘If you think with your feelings, you can fall into all manner of false conclusions. Feelings are supposed to serve and strengthen us. Left to themselves, however, they enslave and deplete us.’ Me, Myself & Lies, p. 57. False conclusions sound like this: ‘I will never be successful.’ ‘There is no way the outcome will be …..’ ‘I have looked at the details of my situation and my goal will never be achieved on the path I am traveling.’ God sees the motivation of our heart and the thoughts in our mind. He is well aware of our unbelief and lack of confidence in certain areas of our lives.
Jeremiah states that the LORD will reward a person based on their conduct and deeds. This means every time our mind thinks and our mouth speaks in conflict of believing God for His best, we delay or miss certain rewards that God has set aside for us. We must allow ourselves to be planted by the Living Waters anticipating the droughts in life but choosing to believe in the flow of promise and blessings. We must be grounded in our faith and confident in His wisdom, not our own.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Out Performing our Faults
“So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.” Joshua 2:1b.
The Bible doesn’t try to sugarcoat the lives of God’s children throughout His word. In Joshua, we meet a woman whose profession went before her name in her introduction… ‘a prostitute named Rahab.’ In our society any time a profession comes before a name it is usually associated with an earned academic achievement such as Dr. or Pastor Smith. No doubt Rahab wasn’t proud of her name but accepted the label that derived from the life that she lived out.
Sometimes we place a label before our own name when we define ourselves by our weaknesses or past sins. We call ourselves stupid or sinful when we have made a mistake or lonely when we have been rejected. Though our negative self –talk we not only convince ourselves we are the sum of our mistakes, but we subconsciously communicate that to others. The wonderful thing about negative labels is that we have the grace from God to turn that label into service towards Him. When we see God for who He really is, the God of heaven and earth, in control of all things we will be able to out perform our self-imposed shortcomings. ‘…she [Rahab] went up on the roof and said to them…for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.’ Joshua 2:8-10.
Once Rahab accepted God as her own God, she became one of the heroes of faith that made it into the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11:31. ‘By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.’ Notice that her sin was still before her when recording her faithfulness as if to remind us that God accomplishes great things through us even while we are sinners. God included her in the roll call of faith, not embarrassed by the facts of her life but recognizing her for her faith in Him. By hiding the spies, Rahab was instrumental in the success of God’s children taking the land. She didn’t wait until she was sinless but served God despite her sin, through her faith.
God will take whatever shortcomings we may have and transform them into acts of faith and deliverance. We must believe God at His word…and it is written… ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ Romans 5:8. There is another book in which our names and deeds will be recorded called The Book of Life. God esteems those who work within their shortcomings to serve in the earthly kingdom. Then one fine day we will remove our sinful flesh and replace it with a heavenly spirit.
The Bible doesn’t try to sugarcoat the lives of God’s children throughout His word. In Joshua, we meet a woman whose profession went before her name in her introduction… ‘a prostitute named Rahab.’ In our society any time a profession comes before a name it is usually associated with an earned academic achievement such as Dr. or Pastor Smith. No doubt Rahab wasn’t proud of her name but accepted the label that derived from the life that she lived out.
Sometimes we place a label before our own name when we define ourselves by our weaknesses or past sins. We call ourselves stupid or sinful when we have made a mistake or lonely when we have been rejected. Though our negative self –talk we not only convince ourselves we are the sum of our mistakes, but we subconsciously communicate that to others. The wonderful thing about negative labels is that we have the grace from God to turn that label into service towards Him. When we see God for who He really is, the God of heaven and earth, in control of all things we will be able to out perform our self-imposed shortcomings. ‘…she [Rahab] went up on the roof and said to them…for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.’ Joshua 2:8-10.
Once Rahab accepted God as her own God, she became one of the heroes of faith that made it into the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11:31. ‘By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.’ Notice that her sin was still before her when recording her faithfulness as if to remind us that God accomplishes great things through us even while we are sinners. God included her in the roll call of faith, not embarrassed by the facts of her life but recognizing her for her faith in Him. By hiding the spies, Rahab was instrumental in the success of God’s children taking the land. She didn’t wait until she was sinless but served God despite her sin, through her faith.
God will take whatever shortcomings we may have and transform them into acts of faith and deliverance. We must believe God at His word…and it is written… ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ Romans 5:8. There is another book in which our names and deeds will be recorded called The Book of Life. God esteems those who work within their shortcomings to serve in the earthly kingdom. Then one fine day we will remove our sinful flesh and replace it with a heavenly spirit.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Little Sour Apples
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit…Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:17-18.
When I was a little girl I was only a bicycle ride away from a church that had apple trees growing on its property. Instead of the luscious grocery store apples hanging on the branches, small sour green apples with little brown spots hung. I can still remember jumping off my bike as it was still moving and scurrying up the big trunk. Every time, my expectation was hopeful only to be disappointed by the bitter and sour taste. Why in the world did I think that climbing the same tree and eating the same fruit would produce a different experience? It wasn’t the tree’s fault…it had a specific root that grew specific fruit.
Every emotion and attitude that hang in our hearts, blossom and ripen from a root that we have nourished. If we have a root of insecurity, our fruit tastes of defensiveness and hypersensitive responses. If we have a root of unforgiveness, our fruit tastes of bitterness and judgmental attitudes. If we are rooted in Christ, our fruit will tastes of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control. (Gal 5:22) We have the opportunity for our trees to grow emotional fruit or spiritual fruit. If our fruit tastes like the grace of God, many will come to nourish their lives. However, if our fruit resembles sour apples, we will not be a part of sharing the grace of God. ‘See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.’ Heb. 12:15.
We are told in Romans 11:18 to consider that ‘we do not support the root, but the root supports us.’ When we give up the poisonous roots of our hearts and allow the root of Christ to dominate our lives we will share the beautiful and ripened fruit of God’s orchard. We are all bearers of fruit in God’s field but will emotional or spiritual fruit hang at the end of our branches?
When I was a little girl I was only a bicycle ride away from a church that had apple trees growing on its property. Instead of the luscious grocery store apples hanging on the branches, small sour green apples with little brown spots hung. I can still remember jumping off my bike as it was still moving and scurrying up the big trunk. Every time, my expectation was hopeful only to be disappointed by the bitter and sour taste. Why in the world did I think that climbing the same tree and eating the same fruit would produce a different experience? It wasn’t the tree’s fault…it had a specific root that grew specific fruit.
Every emotion and attitude that hang in our hearts, blossom and ripen from a root that we have nourished. If we have a root of insecurity, our fruit tastes of defensiveness and hypersensitive responses. If we have a root of unforgiveness, our fruit tastes of bitterness and judgmental attitudes. If we are rooted in Christ, our fruit will tastes of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control. (Gal 5:22) We have the opportunity for our trees to grow emotional fruit or spiritual fruit. If our fruit tastes like the grace of God, many will come to nourish their lives. However, if our fruit resembles sour apples, we will not be a part of sharing the grace of God. ‘See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.’ Heb. 12:15.
We are told in Romans 11:18 to consider that ‘we do not support the root, but the root supports us.’ When we give up the poisonous roots of our hearts and allow the root of Christ to dominate our lives we will share the beautiful and ripened fruit of God’s orchard. We are all bearers of fruit in God’s field but will emotional or spiritual fruit hang at the end of our branches?
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Reclining at the Table
“You prepare a table before me…” (Psalm 23:5) “When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table…” Matthew 26:20.
Many of our thoughts and ideas are built on our initial assumptions early in life. At a very early age I assumed that in order for someone to like me I had to ‘bring something to the table.’ It never dawned on me that someone would love me just for who I was, although my parents showed me this consistently every day. Sometimes we make erroneous assumptions based on our own ideas. When I was 5 years old I can remember seeing a moving truck roll into the neighborhood delivering the household goods of a new neighbor. I stacked five saltine crackers on a plate and walked down the dirt road to offer them a welcome gift. With my assumption lying at the base of my beliefs, every thought and action built upon that base. It seems ridiculous that in my mind, 5 saltine crackers was the price to pay for a friendship.
As I grew into a woman the crackers became conditions, and the table I prepared for others served dishes of unattainable expectations and plates of unfulfilled loyalties. I would invite others to my table but would lack the attitude of a gracious host. It wasn’t until God placed circumstances in my life through several dark seasons that I realized I served no one for free. He led me by the hand and took me to His table and showed me the life giving nourishment for which He served. He showed me that He is the only one who could sustain me. He shared with me the truth of His sacrifice and that He did not climb up on that cross because of anything I had done or any offering I had made. His table was based on truth…no assumptions, no misunderstandings. He died so that I could live and eat at His table on earth and heaven.
I remember when my grandfather died I asked my grandmother how she had so much peace with his absence. She looked at me with her amazing faith and said, ‘Well, Brenda, it is like he stood up from my side of the table and moved to the Lord’s side of the table.’ Now that is a woman who did not build her life on assumptions. She took God at His word and didn’t accept anything less than what He laid out for her on His table.
Let us all recline at the Lord's table, relaxing in His Spirit and dining on His fare.
Many of our thoughts and ideas are built on our initial assumptions early in life. At a very early age I assumed that in order for someone to like me I had to ‘bring something to the table.’ It never dawned on me that someone would love me just for who I was, although my parents showed me this consistently every day. Sometimes we make erroneous assumptions based on our own ideas. When I was 5 years old I can remember seeing a moving truck roll into the neighborhood delivering the household goods of a new neighbor. I stacked five saltine crackers on a plate and walked down the dirt road to offer them a welcome gift. With my assumption lying at the base of my beliefs, every thought and action built upon that base. It seems ridiculous that in my mind, 5 saltine crackers was the price to pay for a friendship.
As I grew into a woman the crackers became conditions, and the table I prepared for others served dishes of unattainable expectations and plates of unfulfilled loyalties. I would invite others to my table but would lack the attitude of a gracious host. It wasn’t until God placed circumstances in my life through several dark seasons that I realized I served no one for free. He led me by the hand and took me to His table and showed me the life giving nourishment for which He served. He showed me that He is the only one who could sustain me. He shared with me the truth of His sacrifice and that He did not climb up on that cross because of anything I had done or any offering I had made. His table was based on truth…no assumptions, no misunderstandings. He died so that I could live and eat at His table on earth and heaven.
I remember when my grandfather died I asked my grandmother how she had so much peace with his absence. She looked at me with her amazing faith and said, ‘Well, Brenda, it is like he stood up from my side of the table and moved to the Lord’s side of the table.’ Now that is a woman who did not build her life on assumptions. She took God at His word and didn’t accept anything less than what He laid out for her on His table.
Let us all recline at the Lord's table, relaxing in His Spirit and dining on His fare.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Where Smoke Lingers...
‘…and there was no smell of smoke…’ Daniel 3:27
When our children were young one of their favorite things in which to participate was the experience of a bonfire. Like many people across America, the evening would fall short without the building and roasting of smores in the cold of the night. The following morning I would be knocked over by the stench of smoke in my clothes which hung in my closet beside all of the other garments. I never noticed my clothes smelling like smoke during the evening before. I learned over time to leave my smoke saturated clothes outside of my closet to air them out. Once the smoke smell has dissipated they could rejoin my other clothes in the closet.
Isn’t it amazing how challenging seasons or relationships can lead to beliefs where smoke lingers throughout all of our other thoughts? We don’t even realize the power of our negative thoughts and how they permeate throughout our entire wardrobe of thinking. It seems that every thought we grab off the hanger all smell the same…thoughts like ‘I am a victim,’ ‘I am justified in my unforgiving actions,’ ‘I am better than they are,’ and the list goes on and on. Everything in our perception becomes tainted and slanted towards our emotions instead of truth. No matter what we pull out of our closets, they all smell like smoke.
It is not until we learn to allow our ‘clothes to air out’ before they permanently hang in our minds. We are human beings with complex emotions so the point is not that we will occasionally smell like smoke in our thinking. The greater point is that we must make sure we surrender our thoughts to God so they have a chance to air out. Smoke is the temporary by product of fire with no roots, no anchors and no substance. It depends on something other than itself for survival – oxygen.
We cannot give breath to the negative thoughts and our feelings of entitlement when dealing with others. By taking every thought captive and allowing God to renew our minds and transform our hearts we learn the importance of allowing our emotions to air out. ‘But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ…’ 2 Co. 2:14-15.
Once God has worked in our temporary emotions, they become a divine garment which hangs among our wardrobe with the aroma of Christ…not of smoke.
When our children were young one of their favorite things in which to participate was the experience of a bonfire. Like many people across America, the evening would fall short without the building and roasting of smores in the cold of the night. The following morning I would be knocked over by the stench of smoke in my clothes which hung in my closet beside all of the other garments. I never noticed my clothes smelling like smoke during the evening before. I learned over time to leave my smoke saturated clothes outside of my closet to air them out. Once the smoke smell has dissipated they could rejoin my other clothes in the closet.
Isn’t it amazing how challenging seasons or relationships can lead to beliefs where smoke lingers throughout all of our other thoughts? We don’t even realize the power of our negative thoughts and how they permeate throughout our entire wardrobe of thinking. It seems that every thought we grab off the hanger all smell the same…thoughts like ‘I am a victim,’ ‘I am justified in my unforgiving actions,’ ‘I am better than they are,’ and the list goes on and on. Everything in our perception becomes tainted and slanted towards our emotions instead of truth. No matter what we pull out of our closets, they all smell like smoke.
It is not until we learn to allow our ‘clothes to air out’ before they permanently hang in our minds. We are human beings with complex emotions so the point is not that we will occasionally smell like smoke in our thinking. The greater point is that we must make sure we surrender our thoughts to God so they have a chance to air out. Smoke is the temporary by product of fire with no roots, no anchors and no substance. It depends on something other than itself for survival – oxygen.
We cannot give breath to the negative thoughts and our feelings of entitlement when dealing with others. By taking every thought captive and allowing God to renew our minds and transform our hearts we learn the importance of allowing our emotions to air out. ‘But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ…’ 2 Co. 2:14-15.
Once God has worked in our temporary emotions, they become a divine garment which hangs among our wardrobe with the aroma of Christ…not of smoke.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Black Sweaters
“‘Don’t call me Naomi,’ she told them, ‘Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.’” Ruth 1:20-21.
In the Bible there is great value placed on a person’s name. It is written that many times names were given based on their circumstances, and in some instances God changed their name because of His call on their lives. But we are more closely paralleled with Naomi, who was given a name at birth only to rename herself based upon her negative circumstances. Naomi meant ‘pleasant one, joy and delight,’ but after suffering great loss she began spiraling down in her faith. She had previously experienced great faith in a loving God who brought her favor and privilege. After her losses, every thought draped a black sweater over every garment in her mind.
It is easy to rename ourselves based on our own circumstances. When things are going well we name ourselves blessed and loved by God. When things begin to crumble and we find ourselves losing control, our thoughts become somewhat of a slow drip of despair. We think things such as I am abandoned and rejected, I am all alone, and I am joyless and hopeless. Our black sweaters become our fate instead of our colorful faith. We drape our hopelessness over every blessing that hangs in our closets.
We cannot live out our faith based on our circumstances. We must wear every thought with an array of brilliant colors. Our faith closet should show reds of hope, blues of joy and greens of anticipated blessings. We must invite Christ into our thoughts to remind us of who He says we are instead of the deafening shouts of despair. Through spending time with Christ in our minds as well as our hearts we will begin to once again see ourselves as the beautiful children of God whose wardrobe looks like a rainbow.
In the Bible there is great value placed on a person’s name. It is written that many times names were given based on their circumstances, and in some instances God changed their name because of His call on their lives. But we are more closely paralleled with Naomi, who was given a name at birth only to rename herself based upon her negative circumstances. Naomi meant ‘pleasant one, joy and delight,’ but after suffering great loss she began spiraling down in her faith. She had previously experienced great faith in a loving God who brought her favor and privilege. After her losses, every thought draped a black sweater over every garment in her mind.
It is easy to rename ourselves based on our own circumstances. When things are going well we name ourselves blessed and loved by God. When things begin to crumble and we find ourselves losing control, our thoughts become somewhat of a slow drip of despair. We think things such as I am abandoned and rejected, I am all alone, and I am joyless and hopeless. Our black sweaters become our fate instead of our colorful faith. We drape our hopelessness over every blessing that hangs in our closets.
We cannot live out our faith based on our circumstances. We must wear every thought with an array of brilliant colors. Our faith closet should show reds of hope, blues of joy and greens of anticipated blessings. We must invite Christ into our thoughts to remind us of who He says we are instead of the deafening shouts of despair. Through spending time with Christ in our minds as well as our hearts we will begin to once again see ourselves as the beautiful children of God whose wardrobe looks like a rainbow.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Words Taught by the Spirit
“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” 1 Co. 2:13.
I continue to be amazed at the impact of our own words and how they determine what we say to our souls. Just yesterday, when going about my day, I became aware of two names I called myself. They weren’t necessarily horrible names but they were words spoken by human wisdom. They possessed no truth when measured against the names God calls me. When growing up my mother used to tell us that if we didn’t have anything nice to say, to not say anything at all! I find myself at 50 returning to that lesson of my youth regarding my own thoughts. I realize that, along with sticks and stones that break our bones, our names will always hurt us. Our negative thoughts are too easy to retrieve and too difficult to relinquish.
The only way to change the way we see ourselves is to stop speaking to our souls in human wisdom. Instead of calling myself slack for not accomplishing what was on my list, I will call myself thankful for tomorrow to have another day to accomplish this task. Instead of calling myself a failure I will speak to the successes God has given me. On days when I feel ineffective in my ministry, I will speak of God’s impact through my ministry instead of my ineffectiveness. We must begin to reframe our thoughts to speak spiritual words and truths about our lives. To speak negative thoughts about ourselves is to negate everything God speaks about who we are in Him. ‘To call yourself an untruthful, harsh name is a sin. It’s an insult to God, demeans His workmanship, and devalues His creation.’ Me, Myself & Lies p. 30.
Our human descriptive words are usually negative in spirit and empty of any value. The first step to reframing is the awareness that the old rickety frame that exists supports nothing of spiritual wisdom. We must tear down the old frame and rebuild with the spiritual truths of God, replacing our words of death with His words of life.
I continue to be amazed at the impact of our own words and how they determine what we say to our souls. Just yesterday, when going about my day, I became aware of two names I called myself. They weren’t necessarily horrible names but they were words spoken by human wisdom. They possessed no truth when measured against the names God calls me. When growing up my mother used to tell us that if we didn’t have anything nice to say, to not say anything at all! I find myself at 50 returning to that lesson of my youth regarding my own thoughts. I realize that, along with sticks and stones that break our bones, our names will always hurt us. Our negative thoughts are too easy to retrieve and too difficult to relinquish.
The only way to change the way we see ourselves is to stop speaking to our souls in human wisdom. Instead of calling myself slack for not accomplishing what was on my list, I will call myself thankful for tomorrow to have another day to accomplish this task. Instead of calling myself a failure I will speak to the successes God has given me. On days when I feel ineffective in my ministry, I will speak of God’s impact through my ministry instead of my ineffectiveness. We must begin to reframe our thoughts to speak spiritual words and truths about our lives. To speak negative thoughts about ourselves is to negate everything God speaks about who we are in Him. ‘To call yourself an untruthful, harsh name is a sin. It’s an insult to God, demeans His workmanship, and devalues His creation.’ Me, Myself & Lies p. 30.
Our human descriptive words are usually negative in spirit and empty of any value. The first step to reframing is the awareness that the old rickety frame that exists supports nothing of spiritual wisdom. We must tear down the old frame and rebuild with the spiritual truths of God, replacing our words of death with His words of life.
Friday, March 23, 2012
A Certain Pile of Shoes
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add…[anything?]” Matthew 6:25-26.
Yesterday I decided to separate my shoes and take a few pairs to Goodwill. Mother had spent the night and was still sleeping while Bruce had already left for work. As I worked in my closet I became embarrassed at the number of shoes I own. I promptly piled a collection of shoes to take to Goodwill in the middle of the closet. A while later Mother needed to borrow a few things from my bathroom. Forgetting about the pile we walked upstairs only to discover the shoes…my earlier embarrassment morphed into shame. We rushed out of the house and once again the pile lay untouched. Upon my husband’s return from work he walked into the same pile. Once again, I was mortified that not only had I collected all of those but also had allowed them to remain piled up in my closet. (They are still there this morning!) I had allowed them to pile up untouched even when I knew I needed to take them away. This reminds me of our worries that pile up in our thoughts.
Matthew records the words of a man who could have worried and certainly had every right to worry regarding His own life. We forget that Jesus walked in human flesh with human emotions just as we live and breathe. He too had the option to store away in the barns of His mind fear, doubt, worry and anxiety. His example for us was to pray, pray and pray. He never allowed His mind to run ahead of His circumstances. He kept in step with His Father and was well aware that praying about the ‘what is’ instead of the ‘what if’ would bring Him transcending peace.
It is a wonderful reminder that what we store in our thought closet is what we will experience in our heart. The Old English word wyrgan is our version of the word worry. The definition for wyrgan is to strangle. When we worry, we invite fear to come into our thoughts and strangle the truths that God had placed in our hearts. We forget that just as Mother and Bruce saw into my closet, God stands in the middle of our thoughts and sees the piles. ‘Evening, morning and noon, I cry out…and he hears my voice.’ Psalm 55:17. ‘The LORD knows the thoughts of man;’ Psalm 94:11.
I would write more but I most go and take care of a certain pile of shoes.
Yesterday I decided to separate my shoes and take a few pairs to Goodwill. Mother had spent the night and was still sleeping while Bruce had already left for work. As I worked in my closet I became embarrassed at the number of shoes I own. I promptly piled a collection of shoes to take to Goodwill in the middle of the closet. A while later Mother needed to borrow a few things from my bathroom. Forgetting about the pile we walked upstairs only to discover the shoes…my earlier embarrassment morphed into shame. We rushed out of the house and once again the pile lay untouched. Upon my husband’s return from work he walked into the same pile. Once again, I was mortified that not only had I collected all of those but also had allowed them to remain piled up in my closet. (They are still there this morning!) I had allowed them to pile up untouched even when I knew I needed to take them away. This reminds me of our worries that pile up in our thoughts.
Matthew records the words of a man who could have worried and certainly had every right to worry regarding His own life. We forget that Jesus walked in human flesh with human emotions just as we live and breathe. He too had the option to store away in the barns of His mind fear, doubt, worry and anxiety. His example for us was to pray, pray and pray. He never allowed His mind to run ahead of His circumstances. He kept in step with His Father and was well aware that praying about the ‘what is’ instead of the ‘what if’ would bring Him transcending peace.
It is a wonderful reminder that what we store in our thought closet is what we will experience in our heart. The Old English word wyrgan is our version of the word worry. The definition for wyrgan is to strangle. When we worry, we invite fear to come into our thoughts and strangle the truths that God had placed in our hearts. We forget that just as Mother and Bruce saw into my closet, God stands in the middle of our thoughts and sees the piles. ‘Evening, morning and noon, I cry out…and he hears my voice.’ Psalm 55:17. ‘The LORD knows the thoughts of man;’ Psalm 94:11.
I would write more but I most go and take care of a certain pile of shoes.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Treasure Troves
“Set your mind on the things above, not on earthly things.” Col 3:2.
Not only is this great advice for living our lives and experiencing God, but it is one of God’s desires for us. He desires for each of His children to focus on the good things that come from Him instead of the challenges that we face in this world. He knows that by focusing on love, goodness, peace, joy and an eternal city beyond this world we can endure anything. We lose our faith and get tangled up in our emotions when we focus on our problems, fears, doubts and the temporal earthly situations. If we are looking at self, we are not looking to God.
If anyone had a reason to get lost in their own thoughts it would have been Mary, mother of Jesus. Her thoughts could have mastered over her in ways that would have frustrated the will of God. She could have convinced herself when she became pregnant Joseph would divorce her. She might have chosen to fear for her reputation and standing in the city. Her thoughts could have been crowded with fear of what would become of this little baby. Let’s face it – she could have dizzied herself in ways we could never imagine. But instead, she ‘treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.’ Luke 2:19. Her song was not woe is me but mighty is He! ‘…for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.’ Luke 1:49. ‘Mary focused on God’s power, holiness and mercy.’ Application New Testament Commentary, p. 245.
‘The original Greek denotes that she conferred with herself and brought all her experiences and God’s wonders together in her mind…Meditation involves not only ‘storing’ our thoughts (kept and treasured) like Mary did, but also ‘studying’ them (pondered).’ Me, Myself and Lies, p. 21.
In the spirit of Mary’s example, I decided to lay claim to my treasure trove. Mine goes something like this:
In 2006, God pursued me … (He called me into a deeper intimacy)
In 2007, God enabled me … (He gifted me with writing)
In 2008, God called me … (He called me into forming Emerging Life Ministries)
In 2009, God sustained me … (He provided His sustenance through family illnesses)
In 2010, God carried me … (I could not walk on my own while caregiving my father-in-law)
In 2011, God delivered me … (He showed me that His love was not based on service)
‘When you find your mind wandering toward earthly things that distract you from God’s wonders and Word, fix your mind on things above.’ Me, Myself and Lies, p. 21.
‘He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God... Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you.’ Psalm 40:3, 5
Not only is this great advice for living our lives and experiencing God, but it is one of God’s desires for us. He desires for each of His children to focus on the good things that come from Him instead of the challenges that we face in this world. He knows that by focusing on love, goodness, peace, joy and an eternal city beyond this world we can endure anything. We lose our faith and get tangled up in our emotions when we focus on our problems, fears, doubts and the temporal earthly situations. If we are looking at self, we are not looking to God.
If anyone had a reason to get lost in their own thoughts it would have been Mary, mother of Jesus. Her thoughts could have mastered over her in ways that would have frustrated the will of God. She could have convinced herself when she became pregnant Joseph would divorce her. She might have chosen to fear for her reputation and standing in the city. Her thoughts could have been crowded with fear of what would become of this little baby. Let’s face it – she could have dizzied herself in ways we could never imagine. But instead, she ‘treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.’ Luke 2:19. Her song was not woe is me but mighty is He! ‘…for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.’ Luke 1:49. ‘Mary focused on God’s power, holiness and mercy.’ Application New Testament Commentary, p. 245.
‘The original Greek denotes that she conferred with herself and brought all her experiences and God’s wonders together in her mind…Meditation involves not only ‘storing’ our thoughts (kept and treasured) like Mary did, but also ‘studying’ them (pondered).’ Me, Myself and Lies, p. 21.
In the spirit of Mary’s example, I decided to lay claim to my treasure trove. Mine goes something like this:
In 2006, God pursued me … (He called me into a deeper intimacy)
In 2007, God enabled me … (He gifted me with writing)
In 2008, God called me … (He called me into forming Emerging Life Ministries)
In 2009, God sustained me … (He provided His sustenance through family illnesses)
In 2010, God carried me … (I could not walk on my own while caregiving my father-in-law)
In 2011, God delivered me … (He showed me that His love was not based on service)
‘When you find your mind wandering toward earthly things that distract you from God’s wonders and Word, fix your mind on things above.’ Me, Myself and Lies, p. 21.
‘He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God... Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you.’ Psalm 40:3, 5
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Space for Grace
“Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which you have done, and your thoughts toward us; there is none to compare with you. If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count.” Psalm 40:5
‘…none to compare with you’ and yet we do. As I am becoming more aware of my thought patterns, I realize how self-defeating they can be. I compare everything God says about my life with what my thoughts say about my life. For every one thing the Bible tells me God says, it seems I have a lawyer’s brief for why I see it differently. He says I am an author, I say I got lucky on a book. He says I am freely loved, I ask ‘What is the next thing I have to do to keep His love?’ He says, ‘His delays in my present will be my success in the future,’ and I say ‘What have I done to mess things up?’ If I would only meditate and absorb the truth of God’s thoughts for me: ‘…thoughts of peace and not of evil…thoughts of hope…thoughts of my future.’ Jer. 29:11. If I could only completely believe that ‘His thoughts are higher (and better) than my thoughts and His ways (answers) are better than my ways.’ Isaiah 55:9.
Note that our psalmist suffers from the same futile comparisons. He states that IF he would declare and speak of the things that God has done with His perfect thoughts of us, there would be too many to count. How we count the ways of things gone wrong, plans we wish for, and a detour from the path for which we are presently traveling. We recite in our thoughts things that would be better, could be better and must be better discounting the course God wishes our life to take. It doesn’t matter how we plan our lives, God will determine the roads for which we will travel. ‘In my heart I plan my course, but you LORD will determine my steps.’ Prov. 16:9. All of the fret and worry in our present circumstances will rarely play out in our human thoughts as the way we want to go. ‘The LORD works out everything for his own ends.’ Prov. 16:4.
It is only by committing every thought, circumstance and agenda to God that we can experience success. ‘Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.’ Prov. 16:3. I remember my grandmother use to get on the floor and spread out all of her work. I can just picture her surrounded by mounds of work for which God has called her. She said that she would place her hands on the stacks and say, ‘Lord, I commit these to you for your perfect plan.’ Now that is true commitment and declaring instead of comparing. She constantly saw everything that occurred in her life as her Father working out everything for His own end. Even in times of suffering, I never saw her ‘wringing her hands’ and playing victim as so many of us do in trying times. She experienced and recounted not only His promises and faithfulness but mostly His grace in every situation.
And the grace she received she never withheld. His grace always flowed through her without barrier in the most difficult of times. She always made space for Grace in her thoughts, heart and the work of her hands. She was a woman who knew that there was NONE that compared to Him. Lord, may I be that woman some day...
‘…none to compare with you’ and yet we do. As I am becoming more aware of my thought patterns, I realize how self-defeating they can be. I compare everything God says about my life with what my thoughts say about my life. For every one thing the Bible tells me God says, it seems I have a lawyer’s brief for why I see it differently. He says I am an author, I say I got lucky on a book. He says I am freely loved, I ask ‘What is the next thing I have to do to keep His love?’ He says, ‘His delays in my present will be my success in the future,’ and I say ‘What have I done to mess things up?’ If I would only meditate and absorb the truth of God’s thoughts for me: ‘…thoughts of peace and not of evil…thoughts of hope…thoughts of my future.’ Jer. 29:11. If I could only completely believe that ‘His thoughts are higher (and better) than my thoughts and His ways (answers) are better than my ways.’ Isaiah 55:9.
Note that our psalmist suffers from the same futile comparisons. He states that IF he would declare and speak of the things that God has done with His perfect thoughts of us, there would be too many to count. How we count the ways of things gone wrong, plans we wish for, and a detour from the path for which we are presently traveling. We recite in our thoughts things that would be better, could be better and must be better discounting the course God wishes our life to take. It doesn’t matter how we plan our lives, God will determine the roads for which we will travel. ‘In my heart I plan my course, but you LORD will determine my steps.’ Prov. 16:9. All of the fret and worry in our present circumstances will rarely play out in our human thoughts as the way we want to go. ‘The LORD works out everything for his own ends.’ Prov. 16:4.
It is only by committing every thought, circumstance and agenda to God that we can experience success. ‘Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.’ Prov. 16:3. I remember my grandmother use to get on the floor and spread out all of her work. I can just picture her surrounded by mounds of work for which God has called her. She said that she would place her hands on the stacks and say, ‘Lord, I commit these to you for your perfect plan.’ Now that is true commitment and declaring instead of comparing. She constantly saw everything that occurred in her life as her Father working out everything for His own end. Even in times of suffering, I never saw her ‘wringing her hands’ and playing victim as so many of us do in trying times. She experienced and recounted not only His promises and faithfulness but mostly His grace in every situation.
And the grace she received she never withheld. His grace always flowed through her without barrier in the most difficult of times. She always made space for Grace in her thoughts, heart and the work of her hands. She was a woman who knew that there was NONE that compared to Him. Lord, may I be that woman some day...
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
I Am...
“Moses said to the LORD, ‘O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’ The LORD said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’” Ex. 4:10-12.
I have started a wonderful Bible Study by Jennifer Rothschild called Me, Myself and Lies…a thought closet makeover. Since the beginning of time people have defined themselves by their struggles such as Moses. He was called by God to accomplish one of God’s greatest purposes in the history of the world – to deliver His children out from slavery and bring them into freedom. Moses was tormented with a stutter which had become his ‘I am...’ The Lord pointed out that his mouth was created by Him alone and He would help him and teach him what to say.
On the surface, my introduction to you might be ‘I am Brenda,’ but in my inner thought closest has previously hung ‘I am scared of looking dumb.’ ‘I am a person who needs to lose weight' also hangs in my inner thought closet. In the very back of my closet hung a hanger collecting dust that said, ‘I am not worthy of love without deeds.’ This wardrobe has produced more pain, insecurity and a sense of inferiority than I care to ever admit. I would never surround myself with someone who talks to me with the level of criticism for which I speak to myself. Since I have started spending time with God, He has lovingly shown me that I am His perfect creation. ‘So God created man in his image, in the image of God…male and female he created them.’ Gen. 1:27. He has encouraged me with unearned love to claim I am the benefactor of His sacrificial love. ‘For God so loved…he gave His only son.’ ‘He has retrained my thinking and I have accepted that I am His beautiful darling. ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.’ Song of Songs 2:10. The hangers go on and on…for me and for you.
The enemy of our soul would love to move these thoughts to the front of our closet to confuse, disorient and frustrate who God says we are. It is much easier to believe the lies than to claim the truths of God. We must go through our closet and remove these old thought garments. No longer do we say, I am unloved...a failure...less than...a drunk...an addict...etc. We must replace our thought process with the final word of God. He has spoken in His word on every struggle for which we suffer. See what God has to say regarding who we are in Him.
Getting into the Bible daily and reading who God says we are will be the best closet makeover for which we have ever accomplished. With every experience and struggle we need to see it as just that…a temporary struggle that will not hang as our identity.
I have started a wonderful Bible Study by Jennifer Rothschild called Me, Myself and Lies…a thought closet makeover. Since the beginning of time people have defined themselves by their struggles such as Moses. He was called by God to accomplish one of God’s greatest purposes in the history of the world – to deliver His children out from slavery and bring them into freedom. Moses was tormented with a stutter which had become his ‘I am...’ The Lord pointed out that his mouth was created by Him alone and He would help him and teach him what to say.
On the surface, my introduction to you might be ‘I am Brenda,’ but in my inner thought closest has previously hung ‘I am scared of looking dumb.’ ‘I am a person who needs to lose weight' also hangs in my inner thought closet. In the very back of my closet hung a hanger collecting dust that said, ‘I am not worthy of love without deeds.’ This wardrobe has produced more pain, insecurity and a sense of inferiority than I care to ever admit. I would never surround myself with someone who talks to me with the level of criticism for which I speak to myself. Since I have started spending time with God, He has lovingly shown me that I am His perfect creation. ‘So God created man in his image, in the image of God…male and female he created them.’ Gen. 1:27. He has encouraged me with unearned love to claim I am the benefactor of His sacrificial love. ‘For God so loved…he gave His only son.’ ‘He has retrained my thinking and I have accepted that I am His beautiful darling. ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.’ Song of Songs 2:10. The hangers go on and on…for me and for you.
The enemy of our soul would love to move these thoughts to the front of our closet to confuse, disorient and frustrate who God says we are. It is much easier to believe the lies than to claim the truths of God. We must go through our closet and remove these old thought garments. No longer do we say, I am unloved...a failure...less than...a drunk...an addict...etc. We must replace our thought process with the final word of God. He has spoken in His word on every struggle for which we suffer. See what God has to say regarding who we are in Him.
Getting into the Bible daily and reading who God says we are will be the best closet makeover for which we have ever accomplished. With every experience and struggle we need to see it as just that…a temporary struggle that will not hang as our identity.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Giving Faith a Voice
“When can I go and meet with God?... while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving…Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God…By day he directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life…Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by my enemy? My bones suffer…and my foes taunt me, ‘Where is your God?’…Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42.
This heartbreaking cry is written most likely by a member of the Korahites whose normal duties involved official activities performed in the temple. He was possibly writing after being carried off in an invasion of a foreign enemy. The deepest part of his soul (his inner love for God) wages war against his mind (his fears and doubts) and these words are the battleground. His emotions spike between feeling abandoned by God to reminding himself of God’s love and faithfulness. ‘All he can do is remember his past experiences with God, experiences of joy and thanksgiving. The psalmist talks to his soul and basically asks himself, ‘What’s the matter with you? Have you forgotten God – forgotten His promises, His faithfulness, His love and mercy?’ The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p. 859. We are witnessing one of the most important Christian principles for which we should live out our faith: Faith answering in response to our God questions and emotions.
Most Christians experience the spiritual highs of serving God, praising God, fellowship with God and enjoying God’s presence. Much like our psalmist, when we find ourselves in despair with challenging circumstances, we begin to question the when, why’s and where’s of God. We feel spiritually empty and emotionally distressed in our search for God. It is tougher to see God when our focus is on our circumstances instead of our Savior. The more we build our faith and spend time ‘in our temple with God’s dwelling’ the more likely our faith can convince us of the truths of our God. Faith speaks to our doubts and reminds us of whom God has been in the past for us. Faith reminds us of the love and faithfulness of God in our present situations both night and day. Faith calls out for a restoration of God’s presence within our hearts no matter what our situation may present. Faith lifts praise, not as a magic formula for overcoming despair but as a necessity to change our inner attitude from being self-centered to God-centered.
Note that the sufferer had to allow faith to speak over and over again. It is important to realize the normalcy of feelings that we have been abandoned. But, more important is the ability to give faith its voice so that when doubt calls out, ‘Where is my God?’ faith can answer.
This heartbreaking cry is written most likely by a member of the Korahites whose normal duties involved official activities performed in the temple. He was possibly writing after being carried off in an invasion of a foreign enemy. The deepest part of his soul (his inner love for God) wages war against his mind (his fears and doubts) and these words are the battleground. His emotions spike between feeling abandoned by God to reminding himself of God’s love and faithfulness. ‘All he can do is remember his past experiences with God, experiences of joy and thanksgiving. The psalmist talks to his soul and basically asks himself, ‘What’s the matter with you? Have you forgotten God – forgotten His promises, His faithfulness, His love and mercy?’ The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p. 859. We are witnessing one of the most important Christian principles for which we should live out our faith: Faith answering in response to our God questions and emotions.
Most Christians experience the spiritual highs of serving God, praising God, fellowship with God and enjoying God’s presence. Much like our psalmist, when we find ourselves in despair with challenging circumstances, we begin to question the when, why’s and where’s of God. We feel spiritually empty and emotionally distressed in our search for God. It is tougher to see God when our focus is on our circumstances instead of our Savior. The more we build our faith and spend time ‘in our temple with God’s dwelling’ the more likely our faith can convince us of the truths of our God. Faith speaks to our doubts and reminds us of whom God has been in the past for us. Faith reminds us of the love and faithfulness of God in our present situations both night and day. Faith calls out for a restoration of God’s presence within our hearts no matter what our situation may present. Faith lifts praise, not as a magic formula for overcoming despair but as a necessity to change our inner attitude from being self-centered to God-centered.
Note that the sufferer had to allow faith to speak over and over again. It is important to realize the normalcy of feelings that we have been abandoned. But, more important is the ability to give faith its voice so that when doubt calls out, ‘Where is my God?’ faith can answer.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Taking a Shot
“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of God will give you.” John 6:38. “See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.” Col. 4:18.
Can I just say that I LOVE COLLEGE BASKETBALL…preferably Duke! (I can see my Tar Heel friends rolling their eyes as I type.) I heard a statement from a commentator the other day regarding one of Duke’s players. The commentator stated that the reason the player is having better performances is because he is finally letting the game come to him. When he was forcing plays and shots he committed all kind of fouls, turnovers and missteps. As soon as he relaxed, was patient and worked as a player on the team instead of trying to be the team, the game came to him. It immediately made me think of our ministries.
It is abundantly clear that we are to serve God in the areas for which He intends. Not only are our ministries His initiation but they are also His fulfillment. We will not fulfill what we are not called to accomplish. Every child of God is created with a God-ordained ministry in which to serve Him. Looking back, some of the spiritual shots I made were even in the opponent’s basket.
We must develop a spiritual tempo in our lives and allow the initiation of God to come to us. He is the one who will determine where we spend our time, money and resources if we will allow Him to coach us. Our initiations to serve will usually be less fruitful than the ones we accomplish in the name of the Lord. God will usually call us to minister to others in areas where we have suffered in the past. He does not take our pain lightly and will always have our experiences accomplish great things. ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. So they gathered them and filled …with the pieces… left over by those who had eaten.’ John 6:12-13. When God calls us to minister to others, we gather our pain and our healing and minister to the suffering of others.
God brings the game to us and all we have to do is catch and release. We will score every time, and the best part is that there is no rivalry … we are all on God’s team.
Can I just say that I LOVE COLLEGE BASKETBALL…preferably Duke! (I can see my Tar Heel friends rolling their eyes as I type.) I heard a statement from a commentator the other day regarding one of Duke’s players. The commentator stated that the reason the player is having better performances is because he is finally letting the game come to him. When he was forcing plays and shots he committed all kind of fouls, turnovers and missteps. As soon as he relaxed, was patient and worked as a player on the team instead of trying to be the team, the game came to him. It immediately made me think of our ministries.
It is abundantly clear that we are to serve God in the areas for which He intends. Not only are our ministries His initiation but they are also His fulfillment. We will not fulfill what we are not called to accomplish. Every child of God is created with a God-ordained ministry in which to serve Him. Looking back, some of the spiritual shots I made were even in the opponent’s basket.
We must develop a spiritual tempo in our lives and allow the initiation of God to come to us. He is the one who will determine where we spend our time, money and resources if we will allow Him to coach us. Our initiations to serve will usually be less fruitful than the ones we accomplish in the name of the Lord. God will usually call us to minister to others in areas where we have suffered in the past. He does not take our pain lightly and will always have our experiences accomplish great things. ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. So they gathered them and filled …with the pieces… left over by those who had eaten.’ John 6:12-13. When God calls us to minister to others, we gather our pain and our healing and minister to the suffering of others.
God brings the game to us and all we have to do is catch and release. We will score every time, and the best part is that there is no rivalry … we are all on God’s team.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Not On Tablets
“But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave…Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress. In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing…and our priests are affixing their seals to it.” Nehemiah 9:36-38.
God never intended for His children to not enjoy the harvest of the land He promised them through the covenant with their forefathers. His intentions were their joy, provisions and prosperity, but they had continuously sinned against Him through their refusal to keep His commands and their ungrateful hearts. They felt entitled to certain attitudes and rightful in their self-focus. But their exile had left them empty with a hungry heart to come back to God, be restored through His forgiveness, and take hold of the promise that was theirs. ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘ plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will gather you…and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’ Jeremiah 29:10-14.
The time was upon them and their hearts were ripe for the harvest. They had been kidnapped and their land ravished by foreign kings for long enough. They recognized their sinful attitudes and deeds and laid them down at the throne of grace, picking up the life for which God intended.
Many of us are enslaved to something in a land where we were meant to live in freedom and prosperity. God has assigned our lands to us with the opportunity to live both joyfully and abundantly in the harvest. Our experience will be determined by what kind of heart for God we possess. Just like the residents of the rebuilt wall, we must confess our sins, turn our hearts back to God’s agenda, and commit to Him. ‘In view of all this’ we must commit in our hearts to love Him with all of our strength, mind and soul. This commitment must be more than on our tongues but written on our hearts. ‘You show that you are a letter from Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.’ 2 Co. 3:3.
We cannot allow our fears, doubts and rights to rule over us directing the manner in which we live our lives. When we feel enslaved to anything we choose to place those shackles around our wrists and ankles. But through our surrender to God, we allow Him to unlock those areas of captivity and take claim to the deed of our God ordained land.
God never intended for His children to not enjoy the harvest of the land He promised them through the covenant with their forefathers. His intentions were their joy, provisions and prosperity, but they had continuously sinned against Him through their refusal to keep His commands and their ungrateful hearts. They felt entitled to certain attitudes and rightful in their self-focus. But their exile had left them empty with a hungry heart to come back to God, be restored through His forgiveness, and take hold of the promise that was theirs. ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘ plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will gather you…and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’ Jeremiah 29:10-14.
The time was upon them and their hearts were ripe for the harvest. They had been kidnapped and their land ravished by foreign kings for long enough. They recognized their sinful attitudes and deeds and laid them down at the throne of grace, picking up the life for which God intended.
Many of us are enslaved to something in a land where we were meant to live in freedom and prosperity. God has assigned our lands to us with the opportunity to live both joyfully and abundantly in the harvest. Our experience will be determined by what kind of heart for God we possess. Just like the residents of the rebuilt wall, we must confess our sins, turn our hearts back to God’s agenda, and commit to Him. ‘In view of all this’ we must commit in our hearts to love Him with all of our strength, mind and soul. This commitment must be more than on our tongues but written on our hearts. ‘You show that you are a letter from Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.’ 2 Co. 3:3.
We cannot allow our fears, doubts and rights to rule over us directing the manner in which we live our lives. When we feel enslaved to anything we choose to place those shackles around our wrists and ankles. But through our surrender to God, we allow Him to unlock those areas of captivity and take claim to the deed of our God ordained land.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Pulling Loose Threads
“But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight…Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love…In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong…Even while …in your kingdom, enjoying your great goodness…in the spacious and fertile land you gave, they {we} did not serve you or turn…from evil ways.” Nehemiah 9:28, 32-35.
How in the world can we as strong Christians continue to have spiritual amnesia? In living the Christian principles how is it so easy to continuously turn our focus and hearts away from God? How can we bask in the brilliance of our blessings without possessing a true servant’s heart? He keeps up His end of the love bargain so why can’t we? Why is it that as soon as things calm down and we are ‘at rest’ our souls become restless? Our level of contentment is only as good as what we just bought, accomplished, or received.
The Bible, in its entirety, tells a story with the same thread woven throughout its pages. No matter which book we are studying there is always a loose thread that dangles, a thread that when pulled unravels the weaknesses and flaws of mankind. This thread of truth continues to hold together the redemptive story of a loving God forgiving His people and a forgiven people turning their backs on their God.
We call out, He rescues; we praise Him then turn our backs on Him. The cycle continues throughout our lives and we find ourselves pulling loose threads unraveling our own carefully sewn story after which God has purposed for our lives. With all of our loose threads there is one thread that is woven throughout each of our lives binding us together in one Family. The thread that ends at the throne of grace is the blood that Christ shed on the cross, unable to be broken and securely knotted.
God is just and faithful even when we are not…God still gives us ‘good and perfect gifts from above’ even when we do not deserve them. God rescues us over and over again even when we commit the same old sin. He does not grow weary and operates from the heart of a parent instead of a condemning judge who has no love for his defendant.
‘Father, help us remember…help us stay aware…help us focus on you in all we do.’
How in the world can we as strong Christians continue to have spiritual amnesia? In living the Christian principles how is it so easy to continuously turn our focus and hearts away from God? How can we bask in the brilliance of our blessings without possessing a true servant’s heart? He keeps up His end of the love bargain so why can’t we? Why is it that as soon as things calm down and we are ‘at rest’ our souls become restless? Our level of contentment is only as good as what we just bought, accomplished, or received.
The Bible, in its entirety, tells a story with the same thread woven throughout its pages. No matter which book we are studying there is always a loose thread that dangles, a thread that when pulled unravels the weaknesses and flaws of mankind. This thread of truth continues to hold together the redemptive story of a loving God forgiving His people and a forgiven people turning their backs on their God.
We call out, He rescues; we praise Him then turn our backs on Him. The cycle continues throughout our lives and we find ourselves pulling loose threads unraveling our own carefully sewn story after which God has purposed for our lives. With all of our loose threads there is one thread that is woven throughout each of our lives binding us together in one Family. The thread that ends at the throne of grace is the blood that Christ shed on the cross, unable to be broken and securely knotted.
God is just and faithful even when we are not…God still gives us ‘good and perfect gifts from above’ even when we do not deserve them. God rescues us over and over again even when we commit the same old sin. He does not grow weary and operates from the heart of a parent instead of a condemning judge who has no love for his defendant.
‘Father, help us remember…help us stay aware…help us focus on you in all we do.’
Monday, March 12, 2012
I Remember...
“You saw the suffering…you heard their cry…You sent miraculous signs and wonders…You divided the sea... you hurled their pursuers into the depths…By day you led…and by night…to give them light on the way they were to take. You came down…you spoke…you gave them regulations…You made known to them…In their hunger you gave them bread…in their thirst you brought them water…Because of your great compassion you did not abandon in the desert…You gave your good Spirit…You did not withhold…you sustained them…they lacked nothing.” Nehemiah 9:9-21.
For my family, there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting around remembering when …remember when we went camping and….remember the Christmas we…remember when Mother and Daddy took us…remember when they didn’t know…
This passage is no different as the children of God are remembering the enormity of God and how active His work was in their lives and their forefather’s lives. This portion of the prayer is a beautiful prayer of remembrance to honor and glorify God before all people. How we can learn from these prayers in our own lives by filling in our today experiences with yesterday’s examples. In the spirit of the amazing prayers from the past I humbly lift mine in example. I encourage you to do the same.
“Lord, I remember when you saw my suffering when I was caregiving for my sweet father-in-law with Alzheimer’s. I remember the morning you heard me when I was on my knees begging you to intervene. I remember that morning as you met me on my knees in the loft and softly whispered, ‘Call Hospice today.’ I remember how you used that wonderful organization to divide him from his disease and took him home to complete healing. I remember how in my hunger of grief you gave me comfort and filled me up with your presence. I remember that because of your compassion you did not judge or abandon me in the months leading up to this time. I remember your sweet sustenance in the months that followed as you lavished upon me your love and healing grace. I remember because of You I LACKED NOTHING! Lord, I remember …Amen”
The past activity of God in our lives should always be recounted in our present prayers and testimonies as we remember His faithfulness and His wonders.
For my family, there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting around remembering when …remember when we went camping and….remember the Christmas we…remember when Mother and Daddy took us…remember when they didn’t know…
This passage is no different as the children of God are remembering the enormity of God and how active His work was in their lives and their forefather’s lives. This portion of the prayer is a beautiful prayer of remembrance to honor and glorify God before all people. How we can learn from these prayers in our own lives by filling in our today experiences with yesterday’s examples. In the spirit of the amazing prayers from the past I humbly lift mine in example. I encourage you to do the same.
“Lord, I remember when you saw my suffering when I was caregiving for my sweet father-in-law with Alzheimer’s. I remember the morning you heard me when I was on my knees begging you to intervene. I remember that morning as you met me on my knees in the loft and softly whispered, ‘Call Hospice today.’ I remember how you used that wonderful organization to divide him from his disease and took him home to complete healing. I remember how in my hunger of grief you gave me comfort and filled me up with your presence. I remember that because of your compassion you did not judge or abandon me in the months leading up to this time. I remember your sweet sustenance in the months that followed as you lavished upon me your love and healing grace. I remember because of You I LACKED NOTHING! Lord, I remember …Amen”
The past activity of God in our lives should always be recounted in our present prayers and testimonies as we remember His faithfulness and His wonders.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Where You Are
“Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins…They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God… ‘…praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting’… ‘You alone are the LORD…You give life to everything.’” Nehemiah 9:2-3, 6.
Chapter 9 of Nehemiah reads like a beautiful set of biblical CliffsNotes. This chapter is a corporate prayer lifted to the single God of the universe. The prayer of the people confesses the history of the world from the standpoint of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. If anyone wishes to read a very brief synopsis of the Bible up to this point, the divine timeline of God’s activity with His chosen people is found in this prayer. This book is anchored by their confession to a God who forgives…confession to a God who is great and mighty…and confession to a God who is faithful to His promises.
The Hebrew word for confess is yada’ which means, ‘to express praise, give thanks, extol, make a public confession, make an admission.’ I had always thought that to confess was to ask God for His forgiveness. Oh, how my prayers and views have changed since reading their beautiful confession to God in this chapter. There is so much more than confessing our sins based on their example. How grateful I am this morning to be able to reverse time and eavesdrop on such a sacred prayer at such a sacred moment.
The most tender words for me this morning was ‘they stood where they were.’ When we realize how our sins have separated us from the fellowship of God, we develop a broken and contrite heart for Him. We stand at a three way stop of conviction, repentance and forgiveness. God comes to us when He sees our remorse and sadness for our actions. Our sins separate us from fellowship but our repentance brings us back into intimacy. True confession as exemplified by the Israelites involves more than just asking for His forgiveness. Confession begins with the proclamation of God’s greatness and goodness followed up with our belief in His love and holiness. God is always pleased to hear from His children who possess a heart for Him.
No matter where you are standing this morning, confess to God with all of your heart through praise, exultation, remembrance and repentance. Recite the many ways your life has been delivered from a Savior who never forgets to rescue. Proclaim your belief in the Creator who is still giving life to things that may seem dead. Admit your sins to a God who is waiting to forgive.
He stands at the intersection awaiting your arrival.
Chapter 9 of Nehemiah reads like a beautiful set of biblical CliffsNotes. This chapter is a corporate prayer lifted to the single God of the universe. The prayer of the people confesses the history of the world from the standpoint of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. If anyone wishes to read a very brief synopsis of the Bible up to this point, the divine timeline of God’s activity with His chosen people is found in this prayer. This book is anchored by their confession to a God who forgives…confession to a God who is great and mighty…and confession to a God who is faithful to His promises.
The Hebrew word for confess is yada’ which means, ‘to express praise, give thanks, extol, make a public confession, make an admission.’ I had always thought that to confess was to ask God for His forgiveness. Oh, how my prayers and views have changed since reading their beautiful confession to God in this chapter. There is so much more than confessing our sins based on their example. How grateful I am this morning to be able to reverse time and eavesdrop on such a sacred prayer at such a sacred moment.
The most tender words for me this morning was ‘they stood where they were.’ When we realize how our sins have separated us from the fellowship of God, we develop a broken and contrite heart for Him. We stand at a three way stop of conviction, repentance and forgiveness. God comes to us when He sees our remorse and sadness for our actions. Our sins separate us from fellowship but our repentance brings us back into intimacy. True confession as exemplified by the Israelites involves more than just asking for His forgiveness. Confession begins with the proclamation of God’s greatness and goodness followed up with our belief in His love and holiness. God is always pleased to hear from His children who possess a heart for Him.
No matter where you are standing this morning, confess to God with all of your heart through praise, exultation, remembrance and repentance. Recite the many ways your life has been delivered from a Savior who never forgets to rescue. Proclaim your belief in the Creator who is still giving life to things that may seem dead. Admit your sins to a God who is waiting to forgive.
He stands at the intersection awaiting your arrival.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Surf's Up!
This morning I decided to walk while at the coast and was blessed by revelation as I always am when overlooking God’s majestic creation. I was walking on the pier when I glanced from side to side. What I noticed drew parallels in my Christian walk. On the beach were people who were suiting up to ride the waves and others who were setting up chairs to watch. But, what really caught my heart were the surfers who were already balanced on their boards. The surfers varied in their stance as some were in the shallow waters while others were standing guard further out. Then there were a few who were paddling out towards the swells as if embracing their threats and inviting their punch…these are the different stages of faith.
For many years I was sitting in my chair on the shore watching the champion surfers of faith ride the waves above their circumstances. It was intimidating and I sat there in hopes that the waves would not come near me. But they did and as I began getting closer to God, learning His precepts and balancing on His promises, I got on my spiritual surfboard so I could practice my balance. Through tests and trials I lost my balance sometimes, along with being knocked off my board by the circumstances of life. Through the variations of the swells that approached my faith, my balance became better and better. It was only through centering my life on God that I had consistent balance in my life. I only have to look as far as my grandmother to see the champion surfer who paddled out to sea embracing the swells and riding the surf.
Like the surfers our remembrance of the spiritual swells are based on the intensity of their strength. The more intense the trial, the deeper our faith grows. We can each experience spiritual surfing atop the waves through learning how to center ourselves in Christ. All of the surfers had certain things in common:
They all suited up – “Finally, be strong in the Lord …Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand…” Eph. 6:10-11.
They all anticipated the swells – “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you.” 1 Peter 4:12.
They all recovered from the punch. “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” Psalm 107:6.
They ALL got back up on their boards. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him…you may participate in the divine nature and escape…” 2 Peter 1:3-4.
Let’s go surfing!
For many years I was sitting in my chair on the shore watching the champion surfers of faith ride the waves above their circumstances. It was intimidating and I sat there in hopes that the waves would not come near me. But they did and as I began getting closer to God, learning His precepts and balancing on His promises, I got on my spiritual surfboard so I could practice my balance. Through tests and trials I lost my balance sometimes, along with being knocked off my board by the circumstances of life. Through the variations of the swells that approached my faith, my balance became better and better. It was only through centering my life on God that I had consistent balance in my life. I only have to look as far as my grandmother to see the champion surfer who paddled out to sea embracing the swells and riding the surf.
Like the surfers our remembrance of the spiritual swells are based on the intensity of their strength. The more intense the trial, the deeper our faith grows. We can each experience spiritual surfing atop the waves through learning how to center ourselves in Christ. All of the surfers had certain things in common:
They all suited up – “Finally, be strong in the Lord …Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand…” Eph. 6:10-11.
They all anticipated the swells – “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you.” 1 Peter 4:12.
They all recovered from the punch. “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” Psalm 107:6.
They ALL got back up on their boards. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him…you may participate in the divine nature and escape…” 2 Peter 1:3-4.
Let’s go surfing!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Eyes on the Road
“They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read... ‘Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law… ‘This day is sacred to the LORD. Do not grieve for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’ The Levites calmed all the people.” Nehemiah 8:8-11.
Once the people were registered within the walls, they were all gathered together for the reading of the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Bible). To truly appreciate this scene, we must remember that this is the first time in decades that God’s people were together corporately and reunited. During the reading, fresh conviction fell upon their hearts as they were instructed as to the meaning of the word of God…and they all began to weep as the realization of their past sins fell upon their hearts. As joyful as it was to be together again, and to hear God’s word, it was met with their despair.
There is nothing more grieving in spirit than our realization of how short we have come to keeping the commands of God. As we return to fellowship with God after a season of fleshly living the reality of our past choices are brought into focus. We turn the binoculars for clarity only to hate the view that is becoming clear to us. The important part is to immediately take it to God with true repentance and receive His ultimate forgiveness. Upon His forgiveness we are to release the guilt and regrets from our actions, and receive the joy of the Lord for His joy is both our salvation and strength.
Leave it to the enemy to replace our repentance and forgiveness with immediate condemnation. He loves to remind us of our failures and our unworthiness every chance he can get. He cannot steal our salvation so he strikes at the next best target – our peace and our joy. ‘The enemy often turns remembrance into grief and regret…God has also taken up our grief and regret; therefore to hang onto those emotions and give them a front row seat in our emotional life doesn’t honor God and what He has done to forgive us.’ Nehemiah Bible Study, p. 108.
We should celebrate our forgiveness by wiping away our tears of regret and replacing them with God’s joy. Our guilt will no longer steer us into the direction of the enemy but rather move us in the direction of the Spirit.
Our flesh looks in the rear view mirror while our Spirit keeps our eyes on the destination.
Once the people were registered within the walls, they were all gathered together for the reading of the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Bible). To truly appreciate this scene, we must remember that this is the first time in decades that God’s people were together corporately and reunited. During the reading, fresh conviction fell upon their hearts as they were instructed as to the meaning of the word of God…and they all began to weep as the realization of their past sins fell upon their hearts. As joyful as it was to be together again, and to hear God’s word, it was met with their despair.
There is nothing more grieving in spirit than our realization of how short we have come to keeping the commands of God. As we return to fellowship with God after a season of fleshly living the reality of our past choices are brought into focus. We turn the binoculars for clarity only to hate the view that is becoming clear to us. The important part is to immediately take it to God with true repentance and receive His ultimate forgiveness. Upon His forgiveness we are to release the guilt and regrets from our actions, and receive the joy of the Lord for His joy is both our salvation and strength.
Leave it to the enemy to replace our repentance and forgiveness with immediate condemnation. He loves to remind us of our failures and our unworthiness every chance he can get. He cannot steal our salvation so he strikes at the next best target – our peace and our joy. ‘The enemy often turns remembrance into grief and regret…God has also taken up our grief and regret; therefore to hang onto those emotions and give them a front row seat in our emotional life doesn’t honor God and what He has done to forgive us.’ Nehemiah Bible Study, p. 108.
We should celebrate our forgiveness by wiping away our tears of regret and replacing them with God’s joy. Our guilt will no longer steer us into the direction of the enemy but rather move us in the direction of the Spirit.
Our flesh looks in the rear view mirror while our Spirit keeps our eyes on the destination.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
We Hung Our Harps
“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs…How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?” Ps 137:1, 2, 4
These were the words of one of the exiles from Jerusalem/Zion while being held captive in Babylon. They were homesick for Zion and their hearts ached with remembrance. This haunting passage makes me remember a time in my life when my harps hung on trees…when life asked for songs but there was no music.
When my daughter was deep in drugs, the morning that should have been her graduation from high school came in with a suffocating and colorless sunrise. There was no beauty that morning, no internal joy and no life resided in me. The ceremony was to be at 2:00 and I had been preparing myself for this day for probably 4 years. As many of our friends were hustling and bustling about preparing for post-graduation ceremonies, I sat brokenhearted at what was not to be and the reality of my daughter’s life. I went on the deck and overlooked the lake, remembering that little girl that used to play in the back yard. I pictured the many children that peppered our back yard at past birthday parties and remembered the haunting echoes of her happy laughter. I remembered the comments of her teachers in elementary school describing a child who exuded joy and happiness. Where had that child gone? At what point did she fade into despair? With her diminished spirit went my joy and my song.
How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? How can we sing when life seems abundant in those around us who are singing…still laughing…still playing their instruments? When there is no song and when our hearts are silent there is a melody that rises in the dark if we lift our voice and bend our knees and ask ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches more to us than to the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’ Job 35:10-11. When we are too weak to sing and too empty to play, we have the mouthpiece of Jesus to orchestrate the most beautiful symphony ever. He will return joy to our lands and peace to our hearts through His promises. ‘He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.’ Psalm 126:5-6.
If you are sitting by the rivers of remembrance longing for another time in the stillness of sadness, take your heart to God. Allow Him to sing over you and restore your brokenness in the Living Waters of His presence. The very essence of God is love and love will not ignore but will restore.
These were the words of one of the exiles from Jerusalem/Zion while being held captive in Babylon. They were homesick for Zion and their hearts ached with remembrance. This haunting passage makes me remember a time in my life when my harps hung on trees…when life asked for songs but there was no music.
When my daughter was deep in drugs, the morning that should have been her graduation from high school came in with a suffocating and colorless sunrise. There was no beauty that morning, no internal joy and no life resided in me. The ceremony was to be at 2:00 and I had been preparing myself for this day for probably 4 years. As many of our friends were hustling and bustling about preparing for post-graduation ceremonies, I sat brokenhearted at what was not to be and the reality of my daughter’s life. I went on the deck and overlooked the lake, remembering that little girl that used to play in the back yard. I pictured the many children that peppered our back yard at past birthday parties and remembered the haunting echoes of her happy laughter. I remembered the comments of her teachers in elementary school describing a child who exuded joy and happiness. Where had that child gone? At what point did she fade into despair? With her diminished spirit went my joy and my song.
How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? How can we sing when life seems abundant in those around us who are singing…still laughing…still playing their instruments? When there is no song and when our hearts are silent there is a melody that rises in the dark if we lift our voice and bend our knees and ask ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches more to us than to the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’ Job 35:10-11. When we are too weak to sing and too empty to play, we have the mouthpiece of Jesus to orchestrate the most beautiful symphony ever. He will return joy to our lands and peace to our hearts through His promises. ‘He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.’ Psalm 126:5-6.
If you are sitting by the rivers of remembrance longing for another time in the stillness of sadness, take your heart to God. Allow Him to sing over you and restore your brokenness in the Living Waters of His presence. The very essence of God is love and love will not ignore but will restore.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Field of Dreams
“Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. So my God put it in my heart to assemble…” Neh. 7:4
One of my favorite all time movies is Field of Dreams, a movie about a man who was led by an unknown impression to build a baseball field. He was standing in the middle of a field when he clearly heard the message to ‘build a field and they will come.’ That is the only information he had but immediately knew that this was the direction in which his life would turn. He obediently began building a field and kept his focus on that goal instead of thinking ahead to the future.
In Chapter 2 of Nehemiah, God placed on his heart to ‘build the walls.’ Once that was completed, He placed on his heart to ‘go and assemble the people.’ I am so amazed that we have a God who knows how to communicate to our spirits so clearly that we cannot miss His plan if we are focused on Him. He knows that we would frustrate His plans if He shows us too much, too early. He placed in Nehemiah’s heart phase 1 before God showed him that he would also be called to phase 2.
I am so overwhelmed this morning as God continues to ‘put things in my heart.’ In the beginning of 2008 God placed the desire in me to develop a family ministry. After much praying and talking through the possibilities, Bruce and I came up with Emerging Life Ministries, ELM. Over the past 4 years this ministry has been anchored by a daily morning devotional blog. It has been a wonderful manner in which to develop a spiritual discipline of morning study, prayer and meditation on what God is revealing to me. But this morning, God put in my heart that the ministry is shifting from building to inviting. He spoke clearly to me through this wonderful book of Nehemiah. I do not have to know what my part is in phase two because I know with certainty every step will be divinely revealed.
Everyone has a ministry for which they have been called that requires time, work and lots of prayer and self-discipline. God builds ministries through our pain and adversities as our walls of faith are laid one layer at a time. But the spirit of our ministry is the people, not the name of the wall. ‘A city is much more than walls, gates and houses; a city is people. In the first half of Nehemiah, the people existed for the walls; but now the walls must exist for the people.” Warren Wiersbe. We do not have to be intimidated by God’s calling for whatever He calls us to build, He will enable…sustain…and fulfill. ‘For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.’ 1 Co. 3:9
“Build it and they will come.”
One of my favorite all time movies is Field of Dreams, a movie about a man who was led by an unknown impression to build a baseball field. He was standing in the middle of a field when he clearly heard the message to ‘build a field and they will come.’ That is the only information he had but immediately knew that this was the direction in which his life would turn. He obediently began building a field and kept his focus on that goal instead of thinking ahead to the future.
In Chapter 2 of Nehemiah, God placed on his heart to ‘build the walls.’ Once that was completed, He placed on his heart to ‘go and assemble the people.’ I am so amazed that we have a God who knows how to communicate to our spirits so clearly that we cannot miss His plan if we are focused on Him. He knows that we would frustrate His plans if He shows us too much, too early. He placed in Nehemiah’s heart phase 1 before God showed him that he would also be called to phase 2.
I am so overwhelmed this morning as God continues to ‘put things in my heart.’ In the beginning of 2008 God placed the desire in me to develop a family ministry. After much praying and talking through the possibilities, Bruce and I came up with Emerging Life Ministries, ELM. Over the past 4 years this ministry has been anchored by a daily morning devotional blog. It has been a wonderful manner in which to develop a spiritual discipline of morning study, prayer and meditation on what God is revealing to me. But this morning, God put in my heart that the ministry is shifting from building to inviting. He spoke clearly to me through this wonderful book of Nehemiah. I do not have to know what my part is in phase two because I know with certainty every step will be divinely revealed.
Everyone has a ministry for which they have been called that requires time, work and lots of prayer and self-discipline. God builds ministries through our pain and adversities as our walls of faith are laid one layer at a time. But the spirit of our ministry is the people, not the name of the wall. ‘A city is much more than walls, gates and houses; a city is people. In the first half of Nehemiah, the people existed for the walls; but now the walls must exist for the people.” Warren Wiersbe. We do not have to be intimidated by God’s calling for whatever He calls us to build, He will enable…sustain…and fulfill. ‘For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.’ 1 Co. 3:9
“Build it and they will come.”
Saturday, March 3, 2012
A Gate Without Doors
“When word came…that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it – though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates – Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message…He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done…who have been trying to intimidate me.” Neh. 6:1, 13-14.
Leave it to the enemy to unleash everything in his arsenal just before victory. The people of Jerusalem had worked for a month and a half to rebuild the wall. The fact that the wall was solid and secure after only 51 days is a miracle in itself. All that was left to be done was to set the doors. The wall had been in disrepair for over a century. But we know that God calls to life what appears to be dead! He uses broken lives to resurrect new life and bring forth temple living within His walls. Notice that through God's call, the wall was rebuilt and 'not a gap was left in it.'
When building our own walls of ministries we can be guaranteed the ratcheting up of heat from the enemy as we approach our fulfilled purposes from God. By following God's guidance our walls are tight and secure without vulnerable gaps as long as we remain within the walls. But God gives us free will, a gate without doors, and if we wander through the gate and away from the wall we forfeit our blessings and frustrate God's plan for our lives. Right about the moment when lives and ministries are about to ‘burst open like an April tulip,’ (Nehemiah Bible Study, p. 79) the enemy attacks and some stop believing God and seek refuge in their past habits and old attitudes. We must finish the work for which God assigns or our ministries have fallen short. ‘And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going…not knowing what will happen to me … However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me…' Acts 20:22, 24.
We cannot allow the enemy to dissuade us from our work and intimidate us through past successes he has used on us before. Satan knows what makes us tick in the flesh but God knows what makes us tick in the Spirit. And when we are ‘keeping in step with the Spirit’ we live in victorious attitudes which will power our actions to complete the wall.
“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14b.
Leave it to the enemy to unleash everything in his arsenal just before victory. The people of Jerusalem had worked for a month and a half to rebuild the wall. The fact that the wall was solid and secure after only 51 days is a miracle in itself. All that was left to be done was to set the doors. The wall had been in disrepair for over a century. But we know that God calls to life what appears to be dead! He uses broken lives to resurrect new life and bring forth temple living within His walls. Notice that through God's call, the wall was rebuilt and 'not a gap was left in it.'
When building our own walls of ministries we can be guaranteed the ratcheting up of heat from the enemy as we approach our fulfilled purposes from God. By following God's guidance our walls are tight and secure without vulnerable gaps as long as we remain within the walls. But God gives us free will, a gate without doors, and if we wander through the gate and away from the wall we forfeit our blessings and frustrate God's plan for our lives. Right about the moment when lives and ministries are about to ‘burst open like an April tulip,’ (Nehemiah Bible Study, p. 79) the enemy attacks and some stop believing God and seek refuge in their past habits and old attitudes. We must finish the work for which God assigns or our ministries have fallen short. ‘And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going…not knowing what will happen to me … However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me…' Acts 20:22, 24.
We cannot allow the enemy to dissuade us from our work and intimidate us through past successes he has used on us before. Satan knows what makes us tick in the flesh but God knows what makes us tick in the Spirit. And when we are ‘keeping in step with the Spirit’ we live in victorious attitudes which will power our actions to complete the wall.
“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14b.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Oh No to Ono
“‘Come, let us meet together…on the plain of Ono.’ But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: ‘I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?’ Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer…They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’ But I prayed, ‘Now strengthen my hands.’” Nehemiah 6:2-4, 8-9.
Nehemiah’s enemies decided to take a more crafty approach in stopping his work on the wall. They encouraged him to come off the wall, and come out into a neutral place where they could meet. This has spiritual implications written all over it! God gives each of us a wall on which to work, the ministry wherein our spiritual passions lay…a great project. Once the work begins, the enemy will lay the trap for us to trip up, be distracted and move away from our service. It is much easier to recognize frontal attacks from an enemy than an olive branch for which they offer. Nehemiah recognized that the olive branch was poisonous. His enemies’ offer was met with Nehemiah’s unwavering Oh No! He knew that it would not only distract him from his important call from God, but it would place him in a vulnerable position. He always responded to the same question with the same answer…he never wavered.
I know another person who came to do the work of His Father…a great project…a mighty wall – Jesus Christ. When tempted by the enemy three times, He too, recited back the same words to Satan…IT IS WRITTEN! Jesus armed Himself with the Word and never wavered from those beautiful life-giving words of His Father. He worked on His wall from the day He became flesh and never wavered until the day He ascended into heaven.
We have all been called to a great project in the Lord’s kingdom. We will all be enticed to step away from our wall and ‘go down to the plain of Ono.’ The enemy will repeat his message in our heads over and over again which will always be lies, distractions and vulnerable traps. We must be armed with the word of God so that when we are called to come off of our wall, we will be disciplined in our work and determined in our responses…It is written! We cannot allow the enemy to threaten and discourage us. The Hebrew translation for ‘the hands will get too weak’ is they will get discouraged. Our walls will be completed when we follow the example of Nehemiah and Jesus Christ. Their examples were:
- To work for the Lord with all of our heart, soul and body;
- to recognize the lure of the enemy;
- to respond to the enemy with the word of God;
- to be encouraged in the Lord through prayer;
Our personal response to the enemy will be: ‘It is written in God’s word in 1 John 4:4...I am a dear child of God, and I will overcome, because the one who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world.’
Nehemiah’s enemies decided to take a more crafty approach in stopping his work on the wall. They encouraged him to come off the wall, and come out into a neutral place where they could meet. This has spiritual implications written all over it! God gives each of us a wall on which to work, the ministry wherein our spiritual passions lay…a great project. Once the work begins, the enemy will lay the trap for us to trip up, be distracted and move away from our service. It is much easier to recognize frontal attacks from an enemy than an olive branch for which they offer. Nehemiah recognized that the olive branch was poisonous. His enemies’ offer was met with Nehemiah’s unwavering Oh No! He knew that it would not only distract him from his important call from God, but it would place him in a vulnerable position. He always responded to the same question with the same answer…he never wavered.
I know another person who came to do the work of His Father…a great project…a mighty wall – Jesus Christ. When tempted by the enemy three times, He too, recited back the same words to Satan…IT IS WRITTEN! Jesus armed Himself with the Word and never wavered from those beautiful life-giving words of His Father. He worked on His wall from the day He became flesh and never wavered until the day He ascended into heaven.
We have all been called to a great project in the Lord’s kingdom. We will all be enticed to step away from our wall and ‘go down to the plain of Ono.’ The enemy will repeat his message in our heads over and over again which will always be lies, distractions and vulnerable traps. We must be armed with the word of God so that when we are called to come off of our wall, we will be disciplined in our work and determined in our responses…It is written! We cannot allow the enemy to threaten and discourage us. The Hebrew translation for ‘the hands will get too weak’ is they will get discouraged. Our walls will be completed when we follow the example of Nehemiah and Jesus Christ. Their examples were:
- To work for the Lord with all of our heart, soul and body;
- to recognize the lure of the enemy;
- to respond to the enemy with the word of God;
- to be encouraged in the Lord through prayer;
Our personal response to the enemy will be: ‘It is written in God’s word in 1 John 4:4...I am a dear child of God, and I will overcome, because the one who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world.’
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Foregoing Rights
“Moreover…when I was appointed…in the land…neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted…But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for work; we did not acquire any land.” Nehemiah 5:14-16.
Nehemiah became governor of Jerusalem during the time of the rebuilding of the wall. He was entitled to a governor’s salary, privilege and certain rights of obtaining material possessions at the sacrifice of his people. God had given Nehemiah a passion with purpose, and out of reverence to God he sacrificed the rights and entitlements that were his.
I love when I see the Christian principles in the Bible played out in my own family. My mother and daddy would consistently place the good of others in front of their own good. When Daddy retired from the secular world, God called him into the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. He worked full time in that ministry as Director for ten years and operated on a budget for the ministry. He and Mother knew that any salary drawn from CEF would take away money for God’s work in bringing children to Christ. They were definitely entitled to receive wages for Daddy’s work but like Nehemiah, they had a passion for God’s purpose in their lives and decided to forego a salary. In reading my commentary, I lost track of who they were speaking of…Nehemiah or my parents.
‘He would honor God more by putting the welfare of the people ahead of his own gains, even if he could legally justify these privileges. By waiving his salary and never charging, he was essentially saying, ‘If it will help my people, I don’t need any more than what I already have…In essence, he loved the people far more than the money could provide him.’ Nehemiah, p. 71-71.
When God has placed something on your heart He will provide the means to carry it through to completion. ‘If God is asking you to lie something down for the greater good, He is able to repay you lavishly. Your rights will never outrun His blessings, even if those blessings aren’t revealed until heaven.’ Nehemiah, p. 73. I love one definition of forgoing: giving up the comforts of home while traveling. We are all traveling home towards heaven and there will be certain things God will ask us to forego for the good of others.
‘Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers…not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.’ 1 Peter 5:2-3.
I know that Daddy is experiencing amazing blessings up in heaven from ‘working on his wall’ and placing God’s calling in life ahead of anything he could have done apart from God’s will. We are all called to be shepherds of God’s flock and to build walls of service depending on the passion for which He places in our hearts.
Nehemiah became governor of Jerusalem during the time of the rebuilding of the wall. He was entitled to a governor’s salary, privilege and certain rights of obtaining material possessions at the sacrifice of his people. God had given Nehemiah a passion with purpose, and out of reverence to God he sacrificed the rights and entitlements that were his.
I love when I see the Christian principles in the Bible played out in my own family. My mother and daddy would consistently place the good of others in front of their own good. When Daddy retired from the secular world, God called him into the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. He worked full time in that ministry as Director for ten years and operated on a budget for the ministry. He and Mother knew that any salary drawn from CEF would take away money for God’s work in bringing children to Christ. They were definitely entitled to receive wages for Daddy’s work but like Nehemiah, they had a passion for God’s purpose in their lives and decided to forego a salary. In reading my commentary, I lost track of who they were speaking of…Nehemiah or my parents.
‘He would honor God more by putting the welfare of the people ahead of his own gains, even if he could legally justify these privileges. By waiving his salary and never charging, he was essentially saying, ‘If it will help my people, I don’t need any more than what I already have…In essence, he loved the people far more than the money could provide him.’ Nehemiah, p. 71-71.
When God has placed something on your heart He will provide the means to carry it through to completion. ‘If God is asking you to lie something down for the greater good, He is able to repay you lavishly. Your rights will never outrun His blessings, even if those blessings aren’t revealed until heaven.’ Nehemiah, p. 73. I love one definition of forgoing: giving up the comforts of home while traveling. We are all traveling home towards heaven and there will be certain things God will ask us to forego for the good of others.
‘Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers…not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.’ 1 Peter 5:2-3.
I know that Daddy is experiencing amazing blessings up in heaven from ‘working on his wall’ and placing God’s calling in life ahead of anything he could have done apart from God’s will. We are all called to be shepherds of God’s flock and to build walls of service depending on the passion for which He places in our hearts.
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