As many of you know our family has had our share of cancer over the past 15 months as it has ushered my sister and dad into Heaven. Cancer was their vessel home and now they live victoriously with Christ. I had purchased a book for my sister when she was first diagnosed with cancer. The name of the book is What Cancer Cannot Do and it sits on the tableside in my guest room. I was recently in the room as I noticed it laying there and realized I had never really read it. I had retrieved the book after Beth died and there it has sat for over a year unopened.
I decided to read it and how blessed I am this morning. Cancer is not only physical but it can also be symbolized as cancer of the heart and soul. All of us suffer adversity and need healing, encouragement and compassion as we face our own challenges whatever they may be. I would like to share a page from this book with you as we apply the words to whatever we may find challenging in our lives today. May it bless you as much as it has blessed me.
“For when we are most afraid, his love calms us; when we feel abandoned, he surrounds us with his presence; when we feel we have lost our way, he lights up the darkness; when we are restless with pain, he soothes us with his touch; when we lose heart, thinking we will never be well again, he restores our soul. He does this through songs in the night and Scriptures by day; through the private prayers of friends and the corporate intercession of the church; through the testimony of survivors and the shining leadership of saints who die in the Lord. But most of all, he does this through his ever-vigilant, wholly sufficient, eternally satisfying love. Cancer (or whatever) cannot cripple God’s love. He loved us from the beginning, he loves us through disease, he loves us in and out …, and he loves us to the end, where, someday, we will know no more tears, no more sorrow, and no more death – only the incredible wonder of his love.” p. 7
We all are crippled with something whether it is disease, fear, bitterness or loneliness but our state of spirit will be untouched if we submit everything to the love of God from which nothing can separate us.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Building Barns
“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.” Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do, I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:15-21
I have seen this passage play out in real life over and over again. I know a woman who has spent her life building bigger and bigger barns to store all of her material possessions. Nothing was ever enough and no item was too expensive. She spent the entire focus of her days determining what she would purchase next and the space for which she could place the item in her home. Her husband had an abundance of resources along with his blessing for her spending. Her gods were her possessions and her faith was in her spending. Then all of a sudden her husband was struck down with a disease and her life changed. No amount of spending could bring the relief needed to comfort her. Her barns did not possess the materials required for that season in her life. Her barns only stored material possessions and were void of faith.
We must build barns of kindness, compassion and forgiveness. Our barns must be constructed with the foundation of Christ and His mercy towards others. We should be able to enter our storehouses and pull off of the shelves our time, resources and prayers for the needs of others. We cannot store up the things of this world for the time will come where those things are not enough. My commentary states, ‘He decided to pull down his barns and build bigger ones. He could have saved himself the expense and bother of his tremendous construction project if he had just looked on the needy world about him, and used these possessions to satisfy hunger, both spiritual and physical. The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. But when he began to think of time as his, he crashed into God to his eternal ruin…he would lose ownership of all his material possessions. They would fall to someone else. Someone has defined a fool as one whose plans end at a grave.’ Believer’s Bible Comm. p. 1419.
When building our barns we must ask ourselves, ‘Are we storing things of eternal significance or are we storing things that end at the grave?’
I have seen this passage play out in real life over and over again. I know a woman who has spent her life building bigger and bigger barns to store all of her material possessions. Nothing was ever enough and no item was too expensive. She spent the entire focus of her days determining what she would purchase next and the space for which she could place the item in her home. Her husband had an abundance of resources along with his blessing for her spending. Her gods were her possessions and her faith was in her spending. Then all of a sudden her husband was struck down with a disease and her life changed. No amount of spending could bring the relief needed to comfort her. Her barns did not possess the materials required for that season in her life. Her barns only stored material possessions and were void of faith.
We must build barns of kindness, compassion and forgiveness. Our barns must be constructed with the foundation of Christ and His mercy towards others. We should be able to enter our storehouses and pull off of the shelves our time, resources and prayers for the needs of others. We cannot store up the things of this world for the time will come where those things are not enough. My commentary states, ‘He decided to pull down his barns and build bigger ones. He could have saved himself the expense and bother of his tremendous construction project if he had just looked on the needy world about him, and used these possessions to satisfy hunger, both spiritual and physical. The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. But when he began to think of time as his, he crashed into God to his eternal ruin…he would lose ownership of all his material possessions. They would fall to someone else. Someone has defined a fool as one whose plans end at a grave.’ Believer’s Bible Comm. p. 1419.
When building our barns we must ask ourselves, ‘Are we storing things of eternal significance or are we storing things that end at the grave?’
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Someone Stronger
“But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divided up the spoils…When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” Luke 11: 21, 24-26
I have witnessed this passage being lived out in my own life on several occasions. Many years ago early in my marriage, I secretly mounted up debt. Upon my husband’s realization he put in place a plan to pay off these debts. It felt good to have a clean slate as I faced life with him again instead of secretly against him. Fast forward a few more years and I ended up being in the same state of circumstances with a greater debt. In an effort to show me his forgiveness and support he allowed me to continue being in charge of the bills. Satan came in with a force to a home he knew would be open to his attack. He was fully armed and knew where all of the chinks in my armor could be found. He knew where I was most vulnerable and went in for the kill very early in ‘the clean house.’ This time the debt that I mounted was so substantial it threatened the financial future of the entire family.
‘Someone stronger’ awoke me at 4:00 one morning exhorting me to tell my husband the complete truth. This was the scariest moment of my life but someone stronger brought us through this trial. Someone stronger placed amazing forgiveness and wisdom at the base of my husband’s heart. Someone stronger filled me with strength and protection against Satan through accountability and discipline. Someone stronger is God, my Savior and my help in times of trouble.
Satan will return to areas of weakness that plague our lives. He knows us better than we know ourselves and will control our minds through successes he has experienced in the past. Obvious areas are addictions which is why AA/NA are such wonderful programs. They give successful tools of fighting against the darkness of the disease. They replace the ‘clean house’ with new weapons and keen awareness. Once we have cleaned up past sins in our lives we must fill that void with the armor of God. This armor includes staying in His Word, praying and meditating on His revelations. We must put in place the things of God if we are to be successful when Satan wages war in familiar territories.
Satan will return to our newly cleaned homes so all of us had better change the locks on the door!
I have witnessed this passage being lived out in my own life on several occasions. Many years ago early in my marriage, I secretly mounted up debt. Upon my husband’s realization he put in place a plan to pay off these debts. It felt good to have a clean slate as I faced life with him again instead of secretly against him. Fast forward a few more years and I ended up being in the same state of circumstances with a greater debt. In an effort to show me his forgiveness and support he allowed me to continue being in charge of the bills. Satan came in with a force to a home he knew would be open to his attack. He was fully armed and knew where all of the chinks in my armor could be found. He knew where I was most vulnerable and went in for the kill very early in ‘the clean house.’ This time the debt that I mounted was so substantial it threatened the financial future of the entire family.
‘Someone stronger’ awoke me at 4:00 one morning exhorting me to tell my husband the complete truth. This was the scariest moment of my life but someone stronger brought us through this trial. Someone stronger placed amazing forgiveness and wisdom at the base of my husband’s heart. Someone stronger filled me with strength and protection against Satan through accountability and discipline. Someone stronger is God, my Savior and my help in times of trouble.
Satan will return to areas of weakness that plague our lives. He knows us better than we know ourselves and will control our minds through successes he has experienced in the past. Obvious areas are addictions which is why AA/NA are such wonderful programs. They give successful tools of fighting against the darkness of the disease. They replace the ‘clean house’ with new weapons and keen awareness. Once we have cleaned up past sins in our lives we must fill that void with the armor of God. This armor includes staying in His Word, praying and meditating on His revelations. We must put in place the things of God if we are to be successful when Satan wages war in familiar territories.
Satan will return to our newly cleaned homes so all of us had better change the locks on the door!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Living by Distractions
“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made… ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.’” Luke 10:40-42
I am definitely connected with the frustration of Martha as over the years I have allowed silly worries to crowd my mind and frustrate my fellowship with Christ. More recent has been the morning devotionals that I post at the end of my Bible study and time with God. The recipe is simple as I am to choose the one thing that is needed: Him.
I must admit that some mornings Martha rises out of bed with a full agenda for the day. As Martha, I approach my Bible study with an urgent pondering of life trying to apply whatever passage I read that morning. It can easily become ‘preparation’ instead of Presence and a distraction instead of an experience. The preparations before posting are very important but not to the exclusion of time with Christ. Christ wasn’t telling Martha that her preparations were pointless but that they were simply crowding out the most important part – time with Him. We are to always choose what is better which is Christ first.
The word preparation as used in the New Testament translates as ‘attendance, service and ministry.’ As we approach the day with all of its distractions we must attend to our own time with God in order to bolster our service and ministries. Each of these words describing preparation has important roles to play in all of our lives.
Satan places distractions at our feet in an effort to crowd us out from sitting at Christ’s feet. We must be aware of these distractions as our traps that keep us too busy for ‘Mary time.’ We must make concerted efforts to step over the distractions Satan has placed in our path and kneel at His feet – the better way.
Don’t ever forget that Satan is a mastermind of ‘mastering our minds.’
I am definitely connected with the frustration of Martha as over the years I have allowed silly worries to crowd my mind and frustrate my fellowship with Christ. More recent has been the morning devotionals that I post at the end of my Bible study and time with God. The recipe is simple as I am to choose the one thing that is needed: Him.
I must admit that some mornings Martha rises out of bed with a full agenda for the day. As Martha, I approach my Bible study with an urgent pondering of life trying to apply whatever passage I read that morning. It can easily become ‘preparation’ instead of Presence and a distraction instead of an experience. The preparations before posting are very important but not to the exclusion of time with Christ. Christ wasn’t telling Martha that her preparations were pointless but that they were simply crowding out the most important part – time with Him. We are to always choose what is better which is Christ first.
The word preparation as used in the New Testament translates as ‘attendance, service and ministry.’ As we approach the day with all of its distractions we must attend to our own time with God in order to bolster our service and ministries. Each of these words describing preparation has important roles to play in all of our lives.
Satan places distractions at our feet in an effort to crowd us out from sitting at Christ’s feet. We must be aware of these distractions as our traps that keep us too busy for ‘Mary time.’ We must make concerted efforts to step over the distractions Satan has placed in our path and kneel at His feet – the better way.
Don’t ever forget that Satan is a mastermind of ‘mastering our minds.’
Monday, July 5, 2010
Numb to Need
“In reply Jesus said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.’” Luke 10:30-32
Jesus used this parable when asked by an expert of the law what he must do to inherit eternal life. The principle was simple in words but difficult in actions: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ By keeping the first part of His answer, it should not be difficult to accomplish the second part. By loving God with everything we are, we love others.
Back in the Old Testament a priest was a person appointed to act on behalf of men and women in relation to God. A Levite was a descendant from the tribe of Levi to whom God gave a place of privilege and responsibility over His chosen people. I am struck by the fact that the priest and Levite chose to not only ignore the need of the wounded but went out of their way to avoid one of their own in need.
There is so much need and sadness in our world today. I cannot think of a single family who has not been touched by cancer. The financial state for which we find ourselves in is at a crisis level. The disease of addiction is at an all time high as people try to escape their own wounds, trials and adversities. Let’s face it – we all feel like the chosen and appointed priest and Levite who should do this and ought to do that. The needs are so great…so numerous…so numbing.
Our society lives in such extremes that it is easy to become numb to the needs of others. We become unmoved by the calamities of many as we are focused on our own injuries that litter our streets. Christ walked the countryside of calamity also as helpless and injured people were constantly pulling on Him, searching for Him and desiring from Him. The beauty of Christ was that on the countryside He saw each injured person. He had compassion on the greatest and the least of those who came to Him for healing. He saw neither status nor privilege but experienced each person as an individual with unique needs.
We are unable to be everything to everyone but through loving the Lord our God first and foremost with every part of our being we can access everything required to assist others in their time of need. Christ did some of His most amazing work when He was weary and wanting to retreat, but He reached into the supernatural strength of His Father and never came up empty. Through our inheritance in Christ we can access this same supernatural strength and supply provision to those in need.
Let’s approach each other with Christ-like vision…vision that really sees people and their suffering…vision that feels and not just sees. Vision that breaks the numbness of our society and triggers compassion in our hearts to act.
Jesus used this parable when asked by an expert of the law what he must do to inherit eternal life. The principle was simple in words but difficult in actions: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ By keeping the first part of His answer, it should not be difficult to accomplish the second part. By loving God with everything we are, we love others.
Back in the Old Testament a priest was a person appointed to act on behalf of men and women in relation to God. A Levite was a descendant from the tribe of Levi to whom God gave a place of privilege and responsibility over His chosen people. I am struck by the fact that the priest and Levite chose to not only ignore the need of the wounded but went out of their way to avoid one of their own in need.
There is so much need and sadness in our world today. I cannot think of a single family who has not been touched by cancer. The financial state for which we find ourselves in is at a crisis level. The disease of addiction is at an all time high as people try to escape their own wounds, trials and adversities. Let’s face it – we all feel like the chosen and appointed priest and Levite who should do this and ought to do that. The needs are so great…so numerous…so numbing.
Our society lives in such extremes that it is easy to become numb to the needs of others. We become unmoved by the calamities of many as we are focused on our own injuries that litter our streets. Christ walked the countryside of calamity also as helpless and injured people were constantly pulling on Him, searching for Him and desiring from Him. The beauty of Christ was that on the countryside He saw each injured person. He had compassion on the greatest and the least of those who came to Him for healing. He saw neither status nor privilege but experienced each person as an individual with unique needs.
We are unable to be everything to everyone but through loving the Lord our God first and foremost with every part of our being we can access everything required to assist others in their time of need. Christ did some of His most amazing work when He was weary and wanting to retreat, but He reached into the supernatural strength of His Father and never came up empty. Through our inheritance in Christ we can access this same supernatural strength and supply provision to those in need.
Let’s approach each other with Christ-like vision…vision that really sees people and their suffering…vision that feels and not just sees. Vision that breaks the numbness of our society and triggers compassion in our hearts to act.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Authority Granted
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.” Luke 10:19-20
I love the fact that through Christ we are given power over the enemy. We have a wall of protection around us as Christ is our Mediator and Intercessor. With protection like this we can be assured that the enemy cannot be victorious against us. That is a reason to rejoice for me personally. Satan has hurled so much power over me at times in my life, but God has not allowed the enemy to harm me. God has replaced anything Satan has taken. He has resurrected death where Satan killed a life of joy.
Many times I equate joy with results. This passage in Luke suggests that Christ was warning His laborers to look spiritually for success and not to earthly accomplishments. I have certainly been guilty of looking onward in accomplishments instead of upward in treasures to come. Our reward is in Heaven and that is the focus for which we should have instead of momentary accomplishments and at-a-boys on earth. Pride in success is always a warning that God will give since it is a way that Satan gets a foothold in our lives.
We are all called by Christ with authority to accomplish our part in the Great Commission. He has given everything required to overcome the enemy to accomplish His purpose. Let us pray for a pure heart and a steadfast spirit so that our own ego will not get in the way of His message of love and redemption for all mankind.
I love the fact that through Christ we are given power over the enemy. We have a wall of protection around us as Christ is our Mediator and Intercessor. With protection like this we can be assured that the enemy cannot be victorious against us. That is a reason to rejoice for me personally. Satan has hurled so much power over me at times in my life, but God has not allowed the enemy to harm me. God has replaced anything Satan has taken. He has resurrected death where Satan killed a life of joy.
Many times I equate joy with results. This passage in Luke suggests that Christ was warning His laborers to look spiritually for success and not to earthly accomplishments. I have certainly been guilty of looking onward in accomplishments instead of upward in treasures to come. Our reward is in Heaven and that is the focus for which we should have instead of momentary accomplishments and at-a-boys on earth. Pride in success is always a warning that God will give since it is a way that Satan gets a foothold in our lives.
We are all called by Christ with authority to accomplish our part in the Great Commission. He has given everything required to overcome the enemy to accomplish His purpose. Let us pray for a pure heart and a steadfast spirit so that our own ego will not get in the way of His message of love and redemption for all mankind.
Friday, July 2, 2010
"I'm Telling!"
“But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, ‘O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home…I knew you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity …’ But the LORD replied, ‘Have you any right to be angry?’” Jonah 4:1-4
Every parent has heard the battle cry- ‘I’m telling!’ It used to send chills up my spine much like fingernails on a chalkboard. The anguish of the ‘victim’ was only matched by the anticipated delight of the punishment of the ‘perpetrator’. This was the plea of Jonah as he pouted to God that the region for which he was sent to minister had been forgiven. He didn’t feel they were worthy of forgiveness and had rather had them destroyed by God’s wrath. This one is too close for comfort! Not that I desire for anyone to experience calamity but on some level we all want justice served up our way.
I have watched a person in my life continuously live out life through the ego, self-will and self-centeredness. Many times I have pointed out to God these transgressions much like Jonah did. I have sat by much like a little child tattle-telling and anticipating the parent to step in and condemn. Now understand that I am not proud of this but simply am being honest.
I am reminded of the beautiful verse that follows up one of the most well-known Bible passages of John 3:16. The verse that follows (v. 17) is ‘God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.’ Christ understood that will and did not use His power irresponsibly. He had both knowledge and righteous motivation. In Ezekiel we are told the correct attitude to have as far as the forgiveness of others. ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn…’ Ez. 33:11. In the New Testament, we are told that love God’s way is ‘not delighting in evil but rejoicing when truth wins out’ (1 Co. 13:6)
We are to pray for the Spirit-led conviction and the full heart repentance of those for whom we see living life apart from the Holy Spirit. We are to be free from our judgment of others as they are to seek freedom from their life of self. We are to praise God when others turn away from their selfishness and replace it with righteousness. ‘Oh, God, give us a longing – not for the sin of this world to be judged – but for the sinners of this world to be forgiven.’ Beth Moore, Jesus-The One and Only.
We should dress ourselves each morning with the helmet of Hebrews 10:24: ‘Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds’ and rejoice that Christ responds with the heart of Hebrews 10:17: ‘Then he adds, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven…’”
Every parent has heard the battle cry- ‘I’m telling!’ It used to send chills up my spine much like fingernails on a chalkboard. The anguish of the ‘victim’ was only matched by the anticipated delight of the punishment of the ‘perpetrator’. This was the plea of Jonah as he pouted to God that the region for which he was sent to minister had been forgiven. He didn’t feel they were worthy of forgiveness and had rather had them destroyed by God’s wrath. This one is too close for comfort! Not that I desire for anyone to experience calamity but on some level we all want justice served up our way.
I have watched a person in my life continuously live out life through the ego, self-will and self-centeredness. Many times I have pointed out to God these transgressions much like Jonah did. I have sat by much like a little child tattle-telling and anticipating the parent to step in and condemn. Now understand that I am not proud of this but simply am being honest.
I am reminded of the beautiful verse that follows up one of the most well-known Bible passages of John 3:16. The verse that follows (v. 17) is ‘God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.’ Christ understood that will and did not use His power irresponsibly. He had both knowledge and righteous motivation. In Ezekiel we are told the correct attitude to have as far as the forgiveness of others. ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn…’ Ez. 33:11. In the New Testament, we are told that love God’s way is ‘not delighting in evil but rejoicing when truth wins out’ (1 Co. 13:6)
We are to pray for the Spirit-led conviction and the full heart repentance of those for whom we see living life apart from the Holy Spirit. We are to be free from our judgment of others as they are to seek freedom from their life of self. We are to praise God when others turn away from their selfishness and replace it with righteousness. ‘Oh, God, give us a longing – not for the sin of this world to be judged – but for the sinners of this world to be forgiven.’ Beth Moore, Jesus-The One and Only.
We should dress ourselves each morning with the helmet of Hebrews 10:24: ‘Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds’ and rejoice that Christ responds with the heart of Hebrews 10:17: ‘Then he adds, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven…’”
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