"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11
America is in a debt crisis. Not only are thousands of Americans struggling on their own financially, now we are seeing that the country as a whole- literally- is in more debt than ever. As President Obama and other members of leadership are trying to decide what to do about it, all we can really do physically is wait and see what decisions get made. But of course, we also have something else we can do: we can pray.
Once upon a time, the "American Dream" was simply of freedom. People came to our shores from other countries where they were persecuted for many reasons. Thousands upon thousands of people fled their homes to come to America, where they could worship God in whatever way they wanted. The American Dream was God- to be able to worship Him, and to be able to read His precious words in the Bible without fear of being thrown in prison or losing a life.
But as the years have gone by, the real American Dream has shifted in favor of the fake American Dream- one of wealth and financial riches. While people obviously need money to meet needs and make purchases and pay bills and such, money is not everything. And yet media tells us it is. While the whole country is focused on this debt debacle, so many are focusing on the worrying parts- and they are allowing that worry to affect them. We shouldn't worry. We really shouldn't- God knows the problems our country faces, and instead of worrying and speculating the possibilities, we should be praying and interceding for our country. We should be praying that instead of focusing on money as everything, we, as a country, should focus on God as our everything.
We need to return to our roots in this country. We need to remember those who came here because they were persecuted in their homelands for loving and worshiping God. Most importantly, WE need to love and worship God, and thank Him for this beautiful land we live in. And we need to pray for this country that is in trouble. God knows the solution- God knows the answers that are needed to fix our troubles. I pray that our leaders would turn to God for guidance in these troubled times, and that the people would see the need to pray. Both for the troubled times- AND for the leaders who need to make decisions. God knows best- we just need to ask Him.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Try Again
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." Ecclesiastes 9:10
Yes, you are seeing the exact same verse I posted yesterday. There were some thoughts I had about this verse, and I had been thinking on it, and then my posting went in a completely different direction than intended. That was certainly just fine, I rather like it when the Holy Spirit takes over.
But what I actually had been thinking about with this verse was how often we tackle something- anything- just partway. We do a task, and we do it half-heartedly, just enough to get the task done. Think of a child with music lessons. At the weekly lessons they are usually assigned a certain amount of practice time to practice at home, and most kids will practice that amount of time precisely- without a minute over. I know when I was in that situation, I would start the timer, and THEN I would get out my music book, tune my instrument, and by the time I actually started practicing, five minutes of my practice time had amazingly elapsed. I certainly never went even a second over my scheduled time.
And yet, I would look over at the girls who were playing beautifully and be disgusted that I wasn't playing more like them. I was certain that I could just pick up this instrument without much practice and play like a virtuoso. Obviously, it just doesn't work that way. (Except in rare cases where someone actually is a virtuoso or a prodigy, but that's not at all related to today's post.)
This verse reminded me of prayer, actually. We have a lot of speakers who come to our church and share what God has been doing with them and their ministries. So many of them talk about how they pray for someone to be healed of one thing or another, and they are healed. We even had one speaker last year whose ministry has raised over 400 people from the dead! It's always phenomenal to hear these speakers, and usually I leave these weekends feeling encouraged and like I can take on the world. I feel empowered, and ready to pray for someone to be healed of cancer, or ready to swoop in and pray for someone to come back to life after a tragedy. But then reality sets in. Usually shortly after one of these weekends, I'll have a conversation with someone who has a cold or allergies, or I'll run into someone with a basic broken bone, and while there may be a part of me who thinks that maybe I should pray for them. I don't. Later on I always think of that and regret that I didn't even try. Because the fact is, if I'm not willing to put in my practice times and pray for the smaller things- like colds and headaches and broken bones- how on earth am I going to know how to pray when it comes to the big things?
I think way, way back to my young Sunday School days. I remember how we would go around the room and share prayer requests, and the littlest ones would have a request for a small cut on a finger, or for their mommy who was home with the flu, or for their cat who had a cold in its eye. We would smile and pray for these things, not really expecting any kind of response from God towards these requests. Of course, now I can look back and wonder why we didn't have faith for these small things. What was wrong with us? To that child, their cat is everything to them, why wouldn't God heal their precious kitty and make the child happy again. Why wouldn't God heal little Katie's paper cut- He loves her so much, and that small owie is obviously causing great distress.
We get so excited when we hear about healings of the big things- the cancers, the arthritis, the metal dissolving in people's bodies (from pins and such for bones), but we don't take to the time to practice by seeking God for the little things. And you know what the biggest shame of it is? When God heals a paper cut, he's pouring out the exact same love that he's pouring out on someone who He is healing of brain cancer. We should rejoice in asking God to heal the smallest things, and we should rejoice when He does do it. Because the more we pray for the small things, the more we're building our faith for the bigger things.
Just like the child sitting in that music lesson chair. First, they have to learn how to play the nursery rhymes correctly, and THEN they can take a stab at that concerto. They don't give a first time student a score from a symphony and tell them to play it perfectly. They start with the basics, and work their way up as the students improve. And they way they improve? Practice.
Practice makes perfect. Although, to be honest, I am kind of in the mindset right now that there is no such thing as perfect. Really, there should be a mindset that we will never really arrive- that we will not reach perfection, yet we should constantly be striving to get there. When we pray for someone and they are not healed, we should be thinking "that's not good enough" and then pray again.
And this can really apply in all areas of life. I think of school teachers who have their degrees and are teaching- and yet they are still constantly taking classes, trying to improve themselves. I think of the growing trend right now of running marathons. People don't start training for small half-marathons and then think they've done good enough- they keep going, they keep pushing themselves to get to the next level.
That's how our Christian walk should be. We should never, ever be happy with where we are- we should always be striving for more, for forward progress. Because stopping and staying put right where we are is just never going to be good enough. And I don't want to be "just good enough"- I am after excellence in all areas of life.
Yes, you are seeing the exact same verse I posted yesterday. There were some thoughts I had about this verse, and I had been thinking on it, and then my posting went in a completely different direction than intended. That was certainly just fine, I rather like it when the Holy Spirit takes over.
But what I actually had been thinking about with this verse was how often we tackle something- anything- just partway. We do a task, and we do it half-heartedly, just enough to get the task done. Think of a child with music lessons. At the weekly lessons they are usually assigned a certain amount of practice time to practice at home, and most kids will practice that amount of time precisely- without a minute over. I know when I was in that situation, I would start the timer, and THEN I would get out my music book, tune my instrument, and by the time I actually started practicing, five minutes of my practice time had amazingly elapsed. I certainly never went even a second over my scheduled time.
And yet, I would look over at the girls who were playing beautifully and be disgusted that I wasn't playing more like them. I was certain that I could just pick up this instrument without much practice and play like a virtuoso. Obviously, it just doesn't work that way. (Except in rare cases where someone actually is a virtuoso or a prodigy, but that's not at all related to today's post.)
This verse reminded me of prayer, actually. We have a lot of speakers who come to our church and share what God has been doing with them and their ministries. So many of them talk about how they pray for someone to be healed of one thing or another, and they are healed. We even had one speaker last year whose ministry has raised over 400 people from the dead! It's always phenomenal to hear these speakers, and usually I leave these weekends feeling encouraged and like I can take on the world. I feel empowered, and ready to pray for someone to be healed of cancer, or ready to swoop in and pray for someone to come back to life after a tragedy. But then reality sets in. Usually shortly after one of these weekends, I'll have a conversation with someone who has a cold or allergies, or I'll run into someone with a basic broken bone, and while there may be a part of me who thinks that maybe I should pray for them. I don't. Later on I always think of that and regret that I didn't even try. Because the fact is, if I'm not willing to put in my practice times and pray for the smaller things- like colds and headaches and broken bones- how on earth am I going to know how to pray when it comes to the big things?
I think way, way back to my young Sunday School days. I remember how we would go around the room and share prayer requests, and the littlest ones would have a request for a small cut on a finger, or for their mommy who was home with the flu, or for their cat who had a cold in its eye. We would smile and pray for these things, not really expecting any kind of response from God towards these requests. Of course, now I can look back and wonder why we didn't have faith for these small things. What was wrong with us? To that child, their cat is everything to them, why wouldn't God heal their precious kitty and make the child happy again. Why wouldn't God heal little Katie's paper cut- He loves her so much, and that small owie is obviously causing great distress.
We get so excited when we hear about healings of the big things- the cancers, the arthritis, the metal dissolving in people's bodies (from pins and such for bones), but we don't take to the time to practice by seeking God for the little things. And you know what the biggest shame of it is? When God heals a paper cut, he's pouring out the exact same love that he's pouring out on someone who He is healing of brain cancer. We should rejoice in asking God to heal the smallest things, and we should rejoice when He does do it. Because the more we pray for the small things, the more we're building our faith for the bigger things.
Just like the child sitting in that music lesson chair. First, they have to learn how to play the nursery rhymes correctly, and THEN they can take a stab at that concerto. They don't give a first time student a score from a symphony and tell them to play it perfectly. They start with the basics, and work their way up as the students improve. And they way they improve? Practice.
Practice makes perfect. Although, to be honest, I am kind of in the mindset right now that there is no such thing as perfect. Really, there should be a mindset that we will never really arrive- that we will not reach perfection, yet we should constantly be striving to get there. When we pray for someone and they are not healed, we should be thinking "that's not good enough" and then pray again.
And this can really apply in all areas of life. I think of school teachers who have their degrees and are teaching- and yet they are still constantly taking classes, trying to improve themselves. I think of the growing trend right now of running marathons. People don't start training for small half-marathons and then think they've done good enough- they keep going, they keep pushing themselves to get to the next level.
That's how our Christian walk should be. We should never, ever be happy with where we are- we should always be striving for more, for forward progress. Because stopping and staying put right where we are is just never going to be good enough. And I don't want to be "just good enough"- I am after excellence in all areas of life.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Just DO It
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." Ecclesiastes 9:10
When is the last time you made a half-hearted attempt at something? I know I do it often. For quite a long while there I was feeling like I really had lost the desire to do much cooking for my family- so I was going it with a half-hearted attitude. I was cooking because food was essential, but I wasn't going the extra mile to see that it tasted wonderful or was particularly healthful. Thank God He got me over that feeling. He really did, because after probably six months or so of my poor attitude in the kitchen, I've been enjoying having that spark again. Now, when I purpose to feed my family, I am doing so with all my might. I am using my mind and my hands with my best possible effort to create delicious food to feed my family with. That's so important.
Really, it's more important than I was giving it credit for. As a mom, I am responsible for the well-being of my children- for their health and their overall care. When I feed them garbage, it actually can have lifelong repercussions, and that's just not acceptable to me- and according to the scriptures I've found, it's not acceptable to God either.
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
When I dump a package loaded with chemicals and preservatives in a pot and call it dinner, I'm feeding my children things that are toxic to their bodies. When I decide I don't feel like cooking at all and head for a drive through or the pizza place, I'm filling their bodies with filler- not the important nutrients and vitamins they need. As the parent, I am responsible for what my children eat, and when they eat garbage, that's my responsibility. No matter what. I can just imagine the conversations in heaven when God asks why I fed my children all that garbage that shortened their life span. And I say that I just was feeling lazy, or that they simply wouldn't eat the fresh fruits and vegetables, so I just kept making them chicken nuggets and hot dogs. I suspect lightning would strike me right then and there. As adults we spend so much of our life scrutinizing our diets, trying to eat better and more wisely, but while we are making ourselves a big salad for dinner, we're serving up the kids neon orange mac-n-cheese and pretending it's healthy because there are some ground up dehydrated vegetables in the pasta noodles.
As I read the verses here in 1 Corinthians, I also see the second verse there, "I was bought with a price, so glorify God". We were bought with a great, great price. Jesus died so that we might live an abundant life. That abundance is not supposed to include a horrendous diet full of excuses. I've been saying since January that food issues have greatly been on my mind, and that feeling is just not going away. When I think about the sacrifice that Jesus made for me, and for my children, I am not honoring His sacrifice when I feed them garbage. It's really that simple. I know lots of people say "it's just food". But it isn't. Every person on the planet needs food to sustain them and to give them health. It's not just food- it's life. And when we purposely eat foods over and over that will affect our health adversely, we're dishonoring the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and we're definitely not honoring our temple.
Wow. That's SO not where I was going today at all with that verse in Ecclesiastes. But I guess that's where the Holy Spirit wanted me to go. I have been much more mindful of what I've been feeding my kids as of late. We got a little sidetracked on our camping vacation- because when you're in the middle of the woods, you eat what's convenient, no necessarily the best for you. And I don't think that including a convenience food every once in a while, or hitting a drive through every once in a while is a bad thing- the bad thing is that those have become every day. A fast food restaurant is a great savior when you're traveling and don't have the time to pack a lunch. But it should not be a replacement for real food four nights a week- or in many cases, it's become a daily event for people. And that's how it's become in our society. It's terribly sad, and I do wish that there were more that I could do on a personal level to help those people that I know to do better with food. Every time we're at the dance school for mealtimes, I cringe when I see all the microwave meals that are convenient, but loaded with sodium and preservatives, and the only nutritional value they have is that they stop a grumbling stomach for a time. Cardboard would do that if you ate enough of it.
So I'm praying this morning for divine inspiration. I don't know. Is it possible that I am so driven about food simply for the benefit of my children and my husband? I just don't think so, but I also don't see how I'm supposed to take how I feel and what I know to a broader level. At the very least though, I can pray. I can pray that the truth will be revealed about a lot of the foods that people eat every day, that there will be honesty and truth in food packaging, and that those I love dearly will also see the light and be aware of the horrible things they are doing to their bodies- and their children's bodies. May God help us to honor the sacrifice Jesus made for us by helping us to be better aware of the things we put into our bodies.
When is the last time you made a half-hearted attempt at something? I know I do it often. For quite a long while there I was feeling like I really had lost the desire to do much cooking for my family- so I was going it with a half-hearted attitude. I was cooking because food was essential, but I wasn't going the extra mile to see that it tasted wonderful or was particularly healthful. Thank God He got me over that feeling. He really did, because after probably six months or so of my poor attitude in the kitchen, I've been enjoying having that spark again. Now, when I purpose to feed my family, I am doing so with all my might. I am using my mind and my hands with my best possible effort to create delicious food to feed my family with. That's so important.
Really, it's more important than I was giving it credit for. As a mom, I am responsible for the well-being of my children- for their health and their overall care. When I feed them garbage, it actually can have lifelong repercussions, and that's just not acceptable to me- and according to the scriptures I've found, it's not acceptable to God either.
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
When I dump a package loaded with chemicals and preservatives in a pot and call it dinner, I'm feeding my children things that are toxic to their bodies. When I decide I don't feel like cooking at all and head for a drive through or the pizza place, I'm filling their bodies with filler- not the important nutrients and vitamins they need. As the parent, I am responsible for what my children eat, and when they eat garbage, that's my responsibility. No matter what. I can just imagine the conversations in heaven when God asks why I fed my children all that garbage that shortened their life span. And I say that I just was feeling lazy, or that they simply wouldn't eat the fresh fruits and vegetables, so I just kept making them chicken nuggets and hot dogs. I suspect lightning would strike me right then and there. As adults we spend so much of our life scrutinizing our diets, trying to eat better and more wisely, but while we are making ourselves a big salad for dinner, we're serving up the kids neon orange mac-n-cheese and pretending it's healthy because there are some ground up dehydrated vegetables in the pasta noodles.
As I read the verses here in 1 Corinthians, I also see the second verse there, "I was bought with a price, so glorify God". We were bought with a great, great price. Jesus died so that we might live an abundant life. That abundance is not supposed to include a horrendous diet full of excuses. I've been saying since January that food issues have greatly been on my mind, and that feeling is just not going away. When I think about the sacrifice that Jesus made for me, and for my children, I am not honoring His sacrifice when I feed them garbage. It's really that simple. I know lots of people say "it's just food". But it isn't. Every person on the planet needs food to sustain them and to give them health. It's not just food- it's life. And when we purposely eat foods over and over that will affect our health adversely, we're dishonoring the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and we're definitely not honoring our temple.
Wow. That's SO not where I was going today at all with that verse in Ecclesiastes. But I guess that's where the Holy Spirit wanted me to go. I have been much more mindful of what I've been feeding my kids as of late. We got a little sidetracked on our camping vacation- because when you're in the middle of the woods, you eat what's convenient, no necessarily the best for you. And I don't think that including a convenience food every once in a while, or hitting a drive through every once in a while is a bad thing- the bad thing is that those have become every day. A fast food restaurant is a great savior when you're traveling and don't have the time to pack a lunch. But it should not be a replacement for real food four nights a week- or in many cases, it's become a daily event for people. And that's how it's become in our society. It's terribly sad, and I do wish that there were more that I could do on a personal level to help those people that I know to do better with food. Every time we're at the dance school for mealtimes, I cringe when I see all the microwave meals that are convenient, but loaded with sodium and preservatives, and the only nutritional value they have is that they stop a grumbling stomach for a time. Cardboard would do that if you ate enough of it.
So I'm praying this morning for divine inspiration. I don't know. Is it possible that I am so driven about food simply for the benefit of my children and my husband? I just don't think so, but I also don't see how I'm supposed to take how I feel and what I know to a broader level. At the very least though, I can pray. I can pray that the truth will be revealed about a lot of the foods that people eat every day, that there will be honesty and truth in food packaging, and that those I love dearly will also see the light and be aware of the horrible things they are doing to their bodies- and their children's bodies. May God help us to honor the sacrifice Jesus made for us by helping us to be better aware of the things we put into our bodies.
Friday, July 08, 2011
The Shunammite Says
"When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”
23 So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.”
And she said, “It is well.” 2 Kings 4:20-23
As I read this passage yesterday about the Shunammite woman, I was captured by her responses through the whole situation. In the verses I just shared, her son has just died. On her lap. And when she asked her husband for the donkey to go see Elisha, she didn't even tell him about their son's death. She simply said "it is well." Then she got on her donkey and went to meet Elisha. As she came upon Elisha, she did the same thing again. Elisha sent his servant to meet her and ask if everything was well, and she replied with the exact same thing.
"So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 26 Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’”
And she answered, “It is well.” 2 Kings 4:25-26
This is supposed to be our response in the midst of trials and tragedy. But it's not. The Shunammite woman watched her son die in her arms, and instead of grieving and crying and getting all upset, she very matter-of-factly went to find the man of God to bring her son back to life. Her responses of "it is well" tell me that she fully expected that he would do that very thing- that her son would be alive and well again. That is some incredible faith.
And how do we do with that? When something bad is going on in our life, we tend to broadcast it to whomever will listen. Technology like Facebook and Twitter make this even easier. Something bad comes up and we tell anyone and everyone. In our standard face-to-face conversations we are asked "how are you" and often times we take that as an opening to unload and share all the bad stuff going on. Instead, we are to be like the Shunammite woman and have faith. Our response should be that it is well, and then we should expect that God will intervene on our behalf with the trial facing us.
A common saying here is "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade", and while it's a nice saying, it should be something more like, "when life hands you lemons, expect them to become apples". It's the expectation that's the hard part- the faith. Oh, I have faith that God can move mountains all right, but sometimes, when you look at those mountains, and you KNOW that you're responsible for that mountain being there in the first place, that we don't feel right asking God to move it. And yet, we can. We can ask our Daddy for anything, and we can have faith that he will answer us. Sometimes we need to go through something difficult to learn something, but we can most definitely have faith and know that God is holding our hand through the whole thing.
Our response to all trouble should be "it is well". Sometimes, in an extreme situation, our response may be along the lines of panic or worry. Over the last week, dear friends of ours have dealt with a family tragedy, and one of them shared this word with everyone in asking for prayer "don't worry, just pray", and I thought it was such a wonderful way to put it. Don't worry, pray. And when someone asks, say "it is well". With God, all things are possible, and I like to think that it will ALWAYS be well.
23 So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.”
And she said, “It is well.” 2 Kings 4:20-23
As I read this passage yesterday about the Shunammite woman, I was captured by her responses through the whole situation. In the verses I just shared, her son has just died. On her lap. And when she asked her husband for the donkey to go see Elisha, she didn't even tell him about their son's death. She simply said "it is well." Then she got on her donkey and went to meet Elisha. As she came upon Elisha, she did the same thing again. Elisha sent his servant to meet her and ask if everything was well, and she replied with the exact same thing.
"So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 26 Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’”
And she answered, “It is well.” 2 Kings 4:25-26
This is supposed to be our response in the midst of trials and tragedy. But it's not. The Shunammite woman watched her son die in her arms, and instead of grieving and crying and getting all upset, she very matter-of-factly went to find the man of God to bring her son back to life. Her responses of "it is well" tell me that she fully expected that he would do that very thing- that her son would be alive and well again. That is some incredible faith.
And how do we do with that? When something bad is going on in our life, we tend to broadcast it to whomever will listen. Technology like Facebook and Twitter make this even easier. Something bad comes up and we tell anyone and everyone. In our standard face-to-face conversations we are asked "how are you" and often times we take that as an opening to unload and share all the bad stuff going on. Instead, we are to be like the Shunammite woman and have faith. Our response should be that it is well, and then we should expect that God will intervene on our behalf with the trial facing us.
A common saying here is "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade", and while it's a nice saying, it should be something more like, "when life hands you lemons, expect them to become apples". It's the expectation that's the hard part- the faith. Oh, I have faith that God can move mountains all right, but sometimes, when you look at those mountains, and you KNOW that you're responsible for that mountain being there in the first place, that we don't feel right asking God to move it. And yet, we can. We can ask our Daddy for anything, and we can have faith that he will answer us. Sometimes we need to go through something difficult to learn something, but we can most definitely have faith and know that God is holding our hand through the whole thing.
Our response to all trouble should be "it is well". Sometimes, in an extreme situation, our response may be along the lines of panic or worry. Over the last week, dear friends of ours have dealt with a family tragedy, and one of them shared this word with everyone in asking for prayer "don't worry, just pray", and I thought it was such a wonderful way to put it. Don't worry, pray. And when someone asks, say "it is well". With God, all things are possible, and I like to think that it will ALWAYS be well.
Thursday, July 07, 2011
The Perfect Word
"As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." Psalm 18:30
I post a lot about the importance of reading your Bible and staying in the Word as much as possible. Honestly, I post that because I need the reminder. Often. It's just entirely too easy to slide that Bible reading to the side in favor of other things. I think that's normal. Even when I have an established routine, all it takes is one slide to turn into a big slide, and a few weeks go by without opening up my Bible. It happens. But the great thing is that it is always there- it's like "old reliable". When I realize that it's been too long, I can pick it up, and like an old friend, I am instantly wrapped up in the Words of the Lord, and it makes my spirit incredibly happy.
I think that all too often we get wrapped up in the importance of staying in our Bibles, and we spend too much time focusing on the actual act of reading, versus just letting the words speak to us. For years I would feel awful because I didn't have a set time during the day when I would sit and read my Bible. It seemed like everyone who talked about that time had a specific time- and a specific amount of time- set aside just for Bible reading and prayer. I didn't have that. I've never had that. The closest I get to a regular time for Bible reading is lunch time. I like to sit down at the table when I eat lunch and spend that time reading. There are some days that I will just read and read, I'll get engrossed, and a whole hour will go by before I know it. But there are some days where I will open up my Bible and just read a verse or two. One lone verse can have such a huge impact and make me really think about it, that it is enough. I feel like I've spent time in my Bible, and I can spend the rest of the day meditating on what that one verse is saying to me.
I love that. Did you ever notice that there are no Bible reading guidelines actually within the Bible? Oh, it says to read it all right, but no one gives any kind of timeline. The closest I think we get is the daily bread, which indicates that we should be in our Bibles daily. But it doesn't say how much we should read or how long we should read. This means great freedom for people who may beat themselves up over something like Bible reading. A busy mom with little ones running around does not need to feel bad about having so little time to devote to The Word. God gets that, God knows that, and He certainly knows our hearts. When we have those days where all we can do is quickly read just one verse taped to the fridge- instead of feeling badly about only being able to do that much, we should rejoice in that opportunity- no matter how small. Just one verse can give us more than enough daily bread to chew on for a full 24 hours.
The Bible is perfect every time we pick it up. When we only have a moment, God can still show us something wonderful hiding inside. The last thing He wants is for us to feel badly about only having a moment. Sometimes, it's those moments that can make the most profound difference in our lives.
I post a lot about the importance of reading your Bible and staying in the Word as much as possible. Honestly, I post that because I need the reminder. Often. It's just entirely too easy to slide that Bible reading to the side in favor of other things. I think that's normal. Even when I have an established routine, all it takes is one slide to turn into a big slide, and a few weeks go by without opening up my Bible. It happens. But the great thing is that it is always there- it's like "old reliable". When I realize that it's been too long, I can pick it up, and like an old friend, I am instantly wrapped up in the Words of the Lord, and it makes my spirit incredibly happy.
I think that all too often we get wrapped up in the importance of staying in our Bibles, and we spend too much time focusing on the actual act of reading, versus just letting the words speak to us. For years I would feel awful because I didn't have a set time during the day when I would sit and read my Bible. It seemed like everyone who talked about that time had a specific time- and a specific amount of time- set aside just for Bible reading and prayer. I didn't have that. I've never had that. The closest I get to a regular time for Bible reading is lunch time. I like to sit down at the table when I eat lunch and spend that time reading. There are some days that I will just read and read, I'll get engrossed, and a whole hour will go by before I know it. But there are some days where I will open up my Bible and just read a verse or two. One lone verse can have such a huge impact and make me really think about it, that it is enough. I feel like I've spent time in my Bible, and I can spend the rest of the day meditating on what that one verse is saying to me.
I love that. Did you ever notice that there are no Bible reading guidelines actually within the Bible? Oh, it says to read it all right, but no one gives any kind of timeline. The closest I think we get is the daily bread, which indicates that we should be in our Bibles daily. But it doesn't say how much we should read or how long we should read. This means great freedom for people who may beat themselves up over something like Bible reading. A busy mom with little ones running around does not need to feel bad about having so little time to devote to The Word. God gets that, God knows that, and He certainly knows our hearts. When we have those days where all we can do is quickly read just one verse taped to the fridge- instead of feeling badly about only being able to do that much, we should rejoice in that opportunity- no matter how small. Just one verse can give us more than enough daily bread to chew on for a full 24 hours.
The Bible is perfect every time we pick it up. When we only have a moment, God can still show us something wonderful hiding inside. The last thing He wants is for us to feel badly about only having a moment. Sometimes, it's those moments that can make the most profound difference in our lives.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Warfare Wednesday
"Praise the LORD from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;" Psalm 148:7-8
The weather is at it again! I woke up this morning to find headlines of a crazy dust storm that enveloped the Phoenix, Arizona region. Dust storms are something I can't even imagine- maybe it's like experiencing a white-out snowstorm, only there is dirt flying everywhere instead of snow. Regardless, it had to be a little scary to experience first-hand. With severe thunderstorms in the forecast for much of the country today, I just felt like it was right to focus on the weather again for today's Warfare Wednesday post. Tornadic activity has been so commonplace this year, that every time the wind picks up a bit outside, and the clouds roll in, we're heading to various websites to watch the weather and stay informed.
I pray for peace for our weather. I pray that whatever it is that's causing all these storms to form relaxes its grip on our country and becomes peaceful. And I pray that the weather will also balance out. We have parts of the country that are in severe drought- its like another dust bowl. And then we have parts of the country where the rivers are flooding like never before. I pray that those who are dry will receive the quenching rain they need, and that those who are wet will have the winds blow to help dry up that excess moisture.
God knows what's going on, and that gives me great comfort with all the crazy weather going on. God owns the winds, the snow, the rain, and the clouds, and He can do whatever He desires with them. Maybe, what He's waiting for, is for His children, all across the country to come together in unity and pray for the weather patterns to correct. Perhaps if we all took the time to agree as one that we've had enough of the bad weather, God will hear our hearts and our prayers- and see our tears, and show his mercy to the people of our country.
And wouldn't it be wonderful if those prayers for the weather started right at the top? I pray that President Obama would see the wisdom in turning to prayer in this great time of need. I pray that he will bend his knee and turn to the Lord God for answers and for peace for this great country. As we celebrated our nations birthday this week, I couldn't help but think about all the miraculous events that God put into place to make this country what it was all those years ago. God loved America then, and He still loves America today. God loves President Obama, and He would very much love to counsel him in the right way to take this country.
May God Bless America, and may the winds of change blow across every state, and may it bring good change that will bless the people, and will glorify God in all things.
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;" Psalm 148:7-8
The weather is at it again! I woke up this morning to find headlines of a crazy dust storm that enveloped the Phoenix, Arizona region. Dust storms are something I can't even imagine- maybe it's like experiencing a white-out snowstorm, only there is dirt flying everywhere instead of snow. Regardless, it had to be a little scary to experience first-hand. With severe thunderstorms in the forecast for much of the country today, I just felt like it was right to focus on the weather again for today's Warfare Wednesday post. Tornadic activity has been so commonplace this year, that every time the wind picks up a bit outside, and the clouds roll in, we're heading to various websites to watch the weather and stay informed.
I pray for peace for our weather. I pray that whatever it is that's causing all these storms to form relaxes its grip on our country and becomes peaceful. And I pray that the weather will also balance out. We have parts of the country that are in severe drought- its like another dust bowl. And then we have parts of the country where the rivers are flooding like never before. I pray that those who are dry will receive the quenching rain they need, and that those who are wet will have the winds blow to help dry up that excess moisture.
God knows what's going on, and that gives me great comfort with all the crazy weather going on. God owns the winds, the snow, the rain, and the clouds, and He can do whatever He desires with them. Maybe, what He's waiting for, is for His children, all across the country to come together in unity and pray for the weather patterns to correct. Perhaps if we all took the time to agree as one that we've had enough of the bad weather, God will hear our hearts and our prayers- and see our tears, and show his mercy to the people of our country.
And wouldn't it be wonderful if those prayers for the weather started right at the top? I pray that President Obama would see the wisdom in turning to prayer in this great time of need. I pray that he will bend his knee and turn to the Lord God for answers and for peace for this great country. As we celebrated our nations birthday this week, I couldn't help but think about all the miraculous events that God put into place to make this country what it was all those years ago. God loved America then, and He still loves America today. God loves President Obama, and He would very much love to counsel him in the right way to take this country.
May God Bless America, and may the winds of change blow across every state, and may it bring good change that will bless the people, and will glorify God in all things.
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Praying...
"And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." Job 42:10
As I read this verse this morning, I had one predominant thought rolling through my mind. I wondered about Job's prayer for his friends. What exactly did he pray? What did he say in his prayer that found such favor with God? Unfortunately, we have no idea, as it's not written in the Bible what Job prayed. But we do know that these friends of Job had just finished spending days berating Job. Literally, one after the other, they spent time telling Job how worthless he was- and also time trying to convince Job to blame God for his troubles. Really, by the time the book of Job is drawing to a close, these friends really aren't seeming much like friends. They're really behaving more like enemies.
And yet, Job obviously prays for them. We may not know exactly what he prayed, but when he did pray for them, he did something that pleased God immensely, and it says right here that when he prayed, God restored Job's losses. His prayer unlocked something and opened up the doors for God to bless him.
So what do we do when confronted with one of these friendly enemies? I know we all have them. We all have people in our lives who exasperate us in one way or another. We all have those people, who, no matter how hard we may try, we just don't see eye-to-eye with, and they trouble us. What do we do about these people, other than just try to learn to deal with the exasperation that comes from them? We take a lesson from Job, here, and pray for them. Simple as that. Of all people, Job certainly could have just walked away from these friends. He could have sent them away and told them never to return for all the awful things they said, and yet, Job chose otherwise. Job prayed for them, and because Job prayed for the people who were causing him grief, God blessed him- and blessed him abundantly.
"Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before."
Prior to Satan's meddling in Job's life, Job was a very well-to-do man. He had an abundance of riches, livestock, land, servants, family, and overall well-being. Job had a great life that Satan stirred up and stole. But in the end, when all was said and done, not only did God give back that which the enemy stole from Job, God doubled what Job originally had.
There's a lesson here. A simple one, but one that is probably difficult to learn and activate in reality. When someone really offends us or causes us grief, our response should simply be to pray for them. Our response should not be to confront them or debate them or talk about them with other people- our response should be to simply pray for them, and ask God to bless them and forgive them for their errors. It sure sounds simple, but actually putting this into play can be so incredibly difficult. But think about the larger implications here. Think about the church as a whole, and how frequently church splits or divides have come. These splits come as a result of disagreement between people- and also as a result of gossip, which is usually disguised as a discussion. The church as a whole could see healing and forward progress if each and every one of us would stop and simply pray for those who are against us. Truly. Think about the difference we could make if we started praying for each other instead of talking about each other.
Simply put, we need to pray. We need to pray for those who trouble us. Whether that be an annoying neighbor who mows their lawn at an insanely early hour, or that person at work who is always in your face and criticizing you. Instead of any other action, we should simply pray for them. And in the grand scheme of things- isn't prayer the easiest option anyway? I mean, really, how long does it take to really pray for someone- a few minutes maybe. So much easier and efficient than letting their actions or words stew in us all day long. Let's just pray for one another and start a whole new kind of revolution. The Prayer Revolution.
As I read this verse this morning, I had one predominant thought rolling through my mind. I wondered about Job's prayer for his friends. What exactly did he pray? What did he say in his prayer that found such favor with God? Unfortunately, we have no idea, as it's not written in the Bible what Job prayed. But we do know that these friends of Job had just finished spending days berating Job. Literally, one after the other, they spent time telling Job how worthless he was- and also time trying to convince Job to blame God for his troubles. Really, by the time the book of Job is drawing to a close, these friends really aren't seeming much like friends. They're really behaving more like enemies.
And yet, Job obviously prays for them. We may not know exactly what he prayed, but when he did pray for them, he did something that pleased God immensely, and it says right here that when he prayed, God restored Job's losses. His prayer unlocked something and opened up the doors for God to bless him.
So what do we do when confronted with one of these friendly enemies? I know we all have them. We all have people in our lives who exasperate us in one way or another. We all have those people, who, no matter how hard we may try, we just don't see eye-to-eye with, and they trouble us. What do we do about these people, other than just try to learn to deal with the exasperation that comes from them? We take a lesson from Job, here, and pray for them. Simple as that. Of all people, Job certainly could have just walked away from these friends. He could have sent them away and told them never to return for all the awful things they said, and yet, Job chose otherwise. Job prayed for them, and because Job prayed for the people who were causing him grief, God blessed him- and blessed him abundantly.
"Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before."
Prior to Satan's meddling in Job's life, Job was a very well-to-do man. He had an abundance of riches, livestock, land, servants, family, and overall well-being. Job had a great life that Satan stirred up and stole. But in the end, when all was said and done, not only did God give back that which the enemy stole from Job, God doubled what Job originally had.
There's a lesson here. A simple one, but one that is probably difficult to learn and activate in reality. When someone really offends us or causes us grief, our response should simply be to pray for them. Our response should not be to confront them or debate them or talk about them with other people- our response should be to simply pray for them, and ask God to bless them and forgive them for their errors. It sure sounds simple, but actually putting this into play can be so incredibly difficult. But think about the larger implications here. Think about the church as a whole, and how frequently church splits or divides have come. These splits come as a result of disagreement between people- and also as a result of gossip, which is usually disguised as a discussion. The church as a whole could see healing and forward progress if each and every one of us would stop and simply pray for those who are against us. Truly. Think about the difference we could make if we started praying for each other instead of talking about each other.
Simply put, we need to pray. We need to pray for those who trouble us. Whether that be an annoying neighbor who mows their lawn at an insanely early hour, or that person at work who is always in your face and criticizing you. Instead of any other action, we should simply pray for them. And in the grand scheme of things- isn't prayer the easiest option anyway? I mean, really, how long does it take to really pray for someone- a few minutes maybe. So much easier and efficient than letting their actions or words stew in us all day long. Let's just pray for one another and start a whole new kind of revolution. The Prayer Revolution.
Friday, June 24, 2011
No More Complaining
"Do all things without complaining and disputing," Philippians 2:14
Do you ever think about how often you complain? I honestly think we're living in a time and culture where we're being trained to complain. Shops, stores, and restaurants have policies where the customer is always right- and as a customer, if we complain about something, maybe we'll be lucky enough to score a discount or even a freebie. We have reality television where everyone at home becomes a critic- whether it's about something artistic, something to eat, or the way someone has decorated their home. It seems to me that in order to really defeat complaining, we really, really have to be vigilant, because it's always there, just waiting to strike at any moment. And it happens to all of us.
Two weeks ago we had our first real, hot days of summer. We've had a cold spring, and other than those two steamy days, we've had quite the cold summer as well. Wouldn't you know, the first hot day hits and EVERYONE is complaining about how hot it is. Just two days earlier everyone was moaning about how it seems like we're never going to get summer. For myself, it's been a cool and rainy week, and we're getting ready to go camping next week. I'm excited to see that it's actually supposed to warm up for us, and we'll have a great summery week. Except that I'd really prefer if it wouldn't get so warm while I'm away, because I won't be around to water the garden. See? Always something to complain about.
Even within the church, we are trained to have a critical eye and find something to complain about. When we're looking for a new church, we make a list of things we're looking for and a list of things we don't want. And then we walk into a new church ready to find all the bad, instead of just saying "Okay, God, bless me and my family, bless this church this morning for hosting us, and if this is the church home you have for us, we ask that you make that clear to us." That would be too easy. Instead we find things to complain about- the music is to loud, or the offering should have been taken at a different time, or the lack of small groups in the church is disturbing to us. Wouldn't it be better to look at the whole experience as to what you could possibly do to make that church your home? Maybe you have a talent for sound engineering- what you don't know is that his church doesn't have that person, and that's why the music is so loud.
I just think it's time for us, as a church, to set an example for all the world around us to stop complaining! We complain about each other even- and social media is clearly making it much worse. We can go all the way back in our Bibles and see that the Israelites, during what should have been the most glorious time of their lives, sought fit to complain...
"Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness." Exodus 16:2
You know, there are times I read the story of the Exodus, and I see all the complaining done by the Israelites, and I think "what a bunch of whiners", and then I'll turn around and do the exact same thing and complain about something that I shouldn't. It's time to stop. It's time to start training ourselves to be more like Jesus and look for the good in everything instead of the bad. Because the fact is, when we look for the bad, we become bad-focused, and soon that will be all we see- all the faults and negatives. When we start behaving like a Pollyanna, and look for the good or the glad in everything, then we learn to be a little more like Jesus. Jesus himself certainly didn't complain about anything, and if anyone had reason to complain, it would certainly be him!
Think about it. He had multitudes of people following him wherever he went- he didn't get a moment's peace! And many of those people were far from homes- and away from bathing and clean clothing, so surely many of them smelled something horrific. And then there were all the disease ridden- the lepers with body parts literally rotting and falling off. Did Jesus complain even once? No. Instead, He felt compassion and great love, and he did what he could for the people who followed him. He healed those who came to him, and he loved on those who needed to be loved. He didn't complain even once.
So in the week ahead, I want to challenge all my readers to focus on not complaining. Start by not letting the complaints come out of your mouth. When there is opportunity to complain, just don't do it, keep it to yourself. And then take the next step and look more closely at the situation. Find something- anything, no matter how small- to be thankful, happy or glad about, and give voice to that instead. It may take great effort at times, but I know I'll be practicing that myself during the next week- so you won't be doing it alone.
Have a blessed and wonderful week. I'll see you on the flip side of our time away, and hopefully I will come back fully rested and full of all sorts of wonderful goodness that God has shared with me.
Do you ever think about how often you complain? I honestly think we're living in a time and culture where we're being trained to complain. Shops, stores, and restaurants have policies where the customer is always right- and as a customer, if we complain about something, maybe we'll be lucky enough to score a discount or even a freebie. We have reality television where everyone at home becomes a critic- whether it's about something artistic, something to eat, or the way someone has decorated their home. It seems to me that in order to really defeat complaining, we really, really have to be vigilant, because it's always there, just waiting to strike at any moment. And it happens to all of us.
Two weeks ago we had our first real, hot days of summer. We've had a cold spring, and other than those two steamy days, we've had quite the cold summer as well. Wouldn't you know, the first hot day hits and EVERYONE is complaining about how hot it is. Just two days earlier everyone was moaning about how it seems like we're never going to get summer. For myself, it's been a cool and rainy week, and we're getting ready to go camping next week. I'm excited to see that it's actually supposed to warm up for us, and we'll have a great summery week. Except that I'd really prefer if it wouldn't get so warm while I'm away, because I won't be around to water the garden. See? Always something to complain about.
Even within the church, we are trained to have a critical eye and find something to complain about. When we're looking for a new church, we make a list of things we're looking for and a list of things we don't want. And then we walk into a new church ready to find all the bad, instead of just saying "Okay, God, bless me and my family, bless this church this morning for hosting us, and if this is the church home you have for us, we ask that you make that clear to us." That would be too easy. Instead we find things to complain about- the music is to loud, or the offering should have been taken at a different time, or the lack of small groups in the church is disturbing to us. Wouldn't it be better to look at the whole experience as to what you could possibly do to make that church your home? Maybe you have a talent for sound engineering- what you don't know is that his church doesn't have that person, and that's why the music is so loud.
I just think it's time for us, as a church, to set an example for all the world around us to stop complaining! We complain about each other even- and social media is clearly making it much worse. We can go all the way back in our Bibles and see that the Israelites, during what should have been the most glorious time of their lives, sought fit to complain...
"Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness." Exodus 16:2
You know, there are times I read the story of the Exodus, and I see all the complaining done by the Israelites, and I think "what a bunch of whiners", and then I'll turn around and do the exact same thing and complain about something that I shouldn't. It's time to stop. It's time to start training ourselves to be more like Jesus and look for the good in everything instead of the bad. Because the fact is, when we look for the bad, we become bad-focused, and soon that will be all we see- all the faults and negatives. When we start behaving like a Pollyanna, and look for the good or the glad in everything, then we learn to be a little more like Jesus. Jesus himself certainly didn't complain about anything, and if anyone had reason to complain, it would certainly be him!
Think about it. He had multitudes of people following him wherever he went- he didn't get a moment's peace! And many of those people were far from homes- and away from bathing and clean clothing, so surely many of them smelled something horrific. And then there were all the disease ridden- the lepers with body parts literally rotting and falling off. Did Jesus complain even once? No. Instead, He felt compassion and great love, and he did what he could for the people who followed him. He healed those who came to him, and he loved on those who needed to be loved. He didn't complain even once.
So in the week ahead, I want to challenge all my readers to focus on not complaining. Start by not letting the complaints come out of your mouth. When there is opportunity to complain, just don't do it, keep it to yourself. And then take the next step and look more closely at the situation. Find something- anything, no matter how small- to be thankful, happy or glad about, and give voice to that instead. It may take great effort at times, but I know I'll be practicing that myself during the next week- so you won't be doing it alone.
Have a blessed and wonderful week. I'll see you on the flip side of our time away, and hopefully I will come back fully rested and full of all sorts of wonderful goodness that God has shared with me.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
What To Do With Freedom
"For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13
I read this verse this morning, and I instantly loved it. I also instantly wondered thought, "boy, we've failed this one haven't we".
The standard "American Dream" is one of having stuff. It's living a life in a free nation, and having a house, two cars, a family, and all the things that go with it. I'm thinking our priorities are not exactly in the right place.Oh, I think that God wants us to have things that make us happy- He does want us to enjoy life after all, but He also wants us to share what we have with those who don't have.
There are just so many people in need these days. It breaks my heart, and when I think on it too long, it's entirely saddening to me, because my heart wants to help in so many ways, but the bank account can only go so far, you know? Every week I go in and clean at church, and I often am making my way through where we keep our food pantry at church, and it's just been getting closer and closer to empty as of late. What is there is not exactly a whole lot of things that I would want to feed my family- even in a time of need.
The freedoms that we enjoy in this country are huge, yet we could be doing better with the freedom that we have. The Bible says that we are to use it to love and serve one another- not serve ourselves.
I have my vegetable garden in the ground for this year, and I'm eagerly anticipating the vegetables that will come out of it. I have plans for salsa making and for putting beans and corn in the freezer, but more than that, I can't wait to share it. I think I've planted more than enough to be able to package some of it up and share it with those who need it. That's serving! I've been reading online of a gentleman in California who plants thousands of square feet of vegetables in his yard- but he doesn't eat any of it! Every vegetable gets boxed up and delivered to a food bank to be distributed to those who need it. Wow! That is serving in the biggest way, because growing a vegetable garden takes work and dedication.
I guess maybe the whole point of this post today is to make me think. Sometimes I think we get so caught up in our everyday that we miss the small opportunities to love someone or to serve in some small manner. Sometimes, maybe the only thing we can do is pick up an extra jar of peanut butter for the food pantry- it's not much, but it's still something. It seems that maybe when those thoughts of wanting to help and do something come along, that I should take some time to talk to God about it, and ask Him to show me an opportunity to show His love to those I run into every single day.
Love is the most important thing that we can do with the freedoms that we have today. Without love, we are nothing, and everything we do is worthless if it is without love.
"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:3
I read this verse this morning, and I instantly loved it. I also instantly wondered thought, "boy, we've failed this one haven't we".
The standard "American Dream" is one of having stuff. It's living a life in a free nation, and having a house, two cars, a family, and all the things that go with it. I'm thinking our priorities are not exactly in the right place.Oh, I think that God wants us to have things that make us happy- He does want us to enjoy life after all, but He also wants us to share what we have with those who don't have.
There are just so many people in need these days. It breaks my heart, and when I think on it too long, it's entirely saddening to me, because my heart wants to help in so many ways, but the bank account can only go so far, you know? Every week I go in and clean at church, and I often am making my way through where we keep our food pantry at church, and it's just been getting closer and closer to empty as of late. What is there is not exactly a whole lot of things that I would want to feed my family- even in a time of need.
The freedoms that we enjoy in this country are huge, yet we could be doing better with the freedom that we have. The Bible says that we are to use it to love and serve one another- not serve ourselves.
I have my vegetable garden in the ground for this year, and I'm eagerly anticipating the vegetables that will come out of it. I have plans for salsa making and for putting beans and corn in the freezer, but more than that, I can't wait to share it. I think I've planted more than enough to be able to package some of it up and share it with those who need it. That's serving! I've been reading online of a gentleman in California who plants thousands of square feet of vegetables in his yard- but he doesn't eat any of it! Every vegetable gets boxed up and delivered to a food bank to be distributed to those who need it. Wow! That is serving in the biggest way, because growing a vegetable garden takes work and dedication.
I guess maybe the whole point of this post today is to make me think. Sometimes I think we get so caught up in our everyday that we miss the small opportunities to love someone or to serve in some small manner. Sometimes, maybe the only thing we can do is pick up an extra jar of peanut butter for the food pantry- it's not much, but it's still something. It seems that maybe when those thoughts of wanting to help and do something come along, that I should take some time to talk to God about it, and ask Him to show me an opportunity to show His love to those I run into every single day.
Love is the most important thing that we can do with the freedoms that we have today. Without love, we are nothing, and everything we do is worthless if it is without love.
"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:3
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Hills AND The Valleys
"Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 29 And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day." 1 Kings 20:28-29
I am certain I've done a post before about the hills and the valleys. At the time when I'd written it, I'd just finished reading a fictional book that talked about the hills and the valleys. It was a wonderful story, and it showed the value of faith and trust in God in all things. The point of the book came from the 23 Psalm:
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. " Psalm 23:4
The valleys are those times in our lives where it seems like we're searching or trudging. Where we're going through a trying time as we try to reach the next mountain in our life. The mountains would be the high points- where victory has been proclaimed, and where we can spend some time resting in His goodness before passing through another valley to get to the next mountain. It really is a great way to look at life in pictures, and it can be encouraging to think that even though we're going through a rough time (a valley) there will always be a mountain that comes along- a high point .
But I think that sometimes we make the same mistake that Ben-Hadad made in 1 Kings. When we're going through those valleys of life, we think that God isn't there with us- that we have to get to the mountains in order to find Him. We think that because we're going through a rough time, that maybe God is teaching us something, and is distant like the next mountain seems to be. That's simply not true. God is the God of both the mountains AND the valleys. I think all too often we take a step back from God when we're traveling a valley because we're so focused on what we're going through. And yet, if we would only shift our focus to Him, our journey would not seem so difficult after all.
God decimated the Syrian army because they did not believe that He was God of the valleys as well as the mountains. Think about that. Thank God for the cross and for the mercy of Jesus, or every single one of us could be eligible to be wiped out for thinking that God has left us alone for a time. Now, there are certainly times when God is just as a father is, and He will let us make that wrong turn and make wrong choices, but He doesn't step away from us and stop caring for a time. He is always there, He is just waiting for US to choose Him instead of ourselves. He doesn't go away when we're going through a valley, waiting for us on the other side of our trial. He is our source and our supply to get through that valley.
"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
He is always present- always there. Sometimes we're just forgetful of that. We get so focused on navigating the troubles of the valley, when instead, we should focus on Him to get us through. He is the God of both the low times and the high times- and we should praise Him during both times in our life. He gets praise whether we win, lose, cry or cheer. When we praise Him in the low times, something really cool happens. Not only are we being obedient in the act of praising God, but we're also bolstering our own spirits. We're becoming encouraged simply through the act of praise to God the Father. (I think that's a topic for another post, another time!)
God is God no matter where life takes us. When all seems lost and in dire straights because we've made a wrong turn, we don't have to wait for a high point to turn to Him for help. We can do it at anytime, because He IS the God of the mountains AND the God of the valleys. He is God at all times and in all things, and we can rely on that as an ever-present source when we are in trouble. Sometimes we just need to stop and recognize that God is God, and then we will experience everything we need to journey through the valley.
"Be still, and know that I am God;" Psalm 46:10
I am certain I've done a post before about the hills and the valleys. At the time when I'd written it, I'd just finished reading a fictional book that talked about the hills and the valleys. It was a wonderful story, and it showed the value of faith and trust in God in all things. The point of the book came from the 23 Psalm:
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. " Psalm 23:4
The valleys are those times in our lives where it seems like we're searching or trudging. Where we're going through a trying time as we try to reach the next mountain in our life. The mountains would be the high points- where victory has been proclaimed, and where we can spend some time resting in His goodness before passing through another valley to get to the next mountain. It really is a great way to look at life in pictures, and it can be encouraging to think that even though we're going through a rough time (a valley) there will always be a mountain that comes along- a high point .
But I think that sometimes we make the same mistake that Ben-Hadad made in 1 Kings. When we're going through those valleys of life, we think that God isn't there with us- that we have to get to the mountains in order to find Him. We think that because we're going through a rough time, that maybe God is teaching us something, and is distant like the next mountain seems to be. That's simply not true. God is the God of both the mountains AND the valleys. I think all too often we take a step back from God when we're traveling a valley because we're so focused on what we're going through. And yet, if we would only shift our focus to Him, our journey would not seem so difficult after all.
God decimated the Syrian army because they did not believe that He was God of the valleys as well as the mountains. Think about that. Thank God for the cross and for the mercy of Jesus, or every single one of us could be eligible to be wiped out for thinking that God has left us alone for a time. Now, there are certainly times when God is just as a father is, and He will let us make that wrong turn and make wrong choices, but He doesn't step away from us and stop caring for a time. He is always there, He is just waiting for US to choose Him instead of ourselves. He doesn't go away when we're going through a valley, waiting for us on the other side of our trial. He is our source and our supply to get through that valley.
"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
He is always present- always there. Sometimes we're just forgetful of that. We get so focused on navigating the troubles of the valley, when instead, we should focus on Him to get us through. He is the God of both the low times and the high times- and we should praise Him during both times in our life. He gets praise whether we win, lose, cry or cheer. When we praise Him in the low times, something really cool happens. Not only are we being obedient in the act of praising God, but we're also bolstering our own spirits. We're becoming encouraged simply through the act of praise to God the Father. (I think that's a topic for another post, another time!)
God is God no matter where life takes us. When all seems lost and in dire straights because we've made a wrong turn, we don't have to wait for a high point to turn to Him for help. We can do it at anytime, because He IS the God of the mountains AND the God of the valleys. He is God at all times and in all things, and we can rely on that as an ever-present source when we are in trouble. Sometimes we just need to stop and recognize that God is God, and then we will experience everything we need to journey through the valley.
"Be still, and know that I am God;" Psalm 46:10
Monday, June 20, 2011
All Means ALL
"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
Last week was pure bliss for me. I can't really explain it, but we had no priorities, nothing that HAD to be done, and I literally spent most of the week just relaxing. It was so wonderful and such a gift. Now here we are in a new week, and the great big busy-ness has returned. So I'm blogging a little late today, but I didn't want to skip anymore days of blogging, as I will be taking a vacation next week and will be away from my computer.
So I'll keep it quick and brief today, because I have things to get going on today. I really just simply wanted to point out that sometimes we can miss the smallest things when we are reading our scriptures. In this case, the simple word ALL is often skipped over, or we don't really realize that it IS saying all. This verse in Philippians says that God will supply ALL our needs. All of them, that means every single one- it doesn't mean some, or a few, or even most, it means Every. Single. Need. It means that God will provide shelter and clothing and food for our families. He's not going to provide a home and then tell us to fend for ourselves. God is our supply- our source, and the provider of every thing we need to navigate this life here on earth.
That's just so cool.
When I think about needs that we have, I do often address them one at a time. You know, I pay bills one at a time as their due dates come up in the month, so one at a time I address them and ask God to help us manage our finances and see that each and every bill is met. But this verse, this is the simple one that I just need to keep reciting over and over, instead of concerning myself so often with each and every need. My God shall supply all my needs. Plain and simple. I've been talking to God a bit lately about our needs throughout the summer. It's time for me to start buying curriculum for the coming school year, and our vehicles need some work done, and then to still stay on top of all the regular expenses... It's a little overwhelming to think of all that at once, so I just keep talking to God about them.
Except that God knows exactly what I need. He knows every single book that we need to have on our shelves in order to start school, and I truly believe that He's already set the things in motion that need to be so that we can get the books we need.
Because my Bible says that God will supply all my needs. And even better than that, look at the second part of that verse: According to HIS riches. God's riches are vast, limitless and overabundant. That just gives me such comfort to think of that. To think on that and to know that in the past He most certainly has provided for all our needs, and I also know that He will continue to do so. God is just so good.
So think about that, the next time you wonder if that upcoming need will be met. God supplies ALL your needs. He supplies ALL of my needs. Sometimes His timing may not be the same as our timing, but He always comes through regardless.
Last week was pure bliss for me. I can't really explain it, but we had no priorities, nothing that HAD to be done, and I literally spent most of the week just relaxing. It was so wonderful and such a gift. Now here we are in a new week, and the great big busy-ness has returned. So I'm blogging a little late today, but I didn't want to skip anymore days of blogging, as I will be taking a vacation next week and will be away from my computer.
So I'll keep it quick and brief today, because I have things to get going on today. I really just simply wanted to point out that sometimes we can miss the smallest things when we are reading our scriptures. In this case, the simple word ALL is often skipped over, or we don't really realize that it IS saying all. This verse in Philippians says that God will supply ALL our needs. All of them, that means every single one- it doesn't mean some, or a few, or even most, it means Every. Single. Need. It means that God will provide shelter and clothing and food for our families. He's not going to provide a home and then tell us to fend for ourselves. God is our supply- our source, and the provider of every thing we need to navigate this life here on earth.
That's just so cool.
When I think about needs that we have, I do often address them one at a time. You know, I pay bills one at a time as their due dates come up in the month, so one at a time I address them and ask God to help us manage our finances and see that each and every bill is met. But this verse, this is the simple one that I just need to keep reciting over and over, instead of concerning myself so often with each and every need. My God shall supply all my needs. Plain and simple. I've been talking to God a bit lately about our needs throughout the summer. It's time for me to start buying curriculum for the coming school year, and our vehicles need some work done, and then to still stay on top of all the regular expenses... It's a little overwhelming to think of all that at once, so I just keep talking to God about them.
Except that God knows exactly what I need. He knows every single book that we need to have on our shelves in order to start school, and I truly believe that He's already set the things in motion that need to be so that we can get the books we need.
Because my Bible says that God will supply all my needs. And even better than that, look at the second part of that verse: According to HIS riches. God's riches are vast, limitless and overabundant. That just gives me such comfort to think of that. To think on that and to know that in the past He most certainly has provided for all our needs, and I also know that He will continue to do so. God is just so good.
So think about that, the next time you wonder if that upcoming need will be met. God supplies ALL your needs. He supplies ALL of my needs. Sometimes His timing may not be the same as our timing, but He always comes through regardless.
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Warfare Wednesday: The Food Supply
"The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again." Acts 10:9-16
Our food supply is in danger. When the news started rumbling a few weeks back about a dangerous E.Coli outbreak in Europe, my "danger sense" went up to full alert. Back at the beginning of the year I had read in more than one place that we needed to be praying for the food supply in our country. There was also advice given about planting gardens and working on starting a food stockpile. I've been praying on and off- food is such a big part of my life- but in the last few weeks, that prayer has become a daily effort. Then, this morning I read on the news that there are at least 10 sick in the state of Tennessee from a strange form of E. Coli. And so it begins.
And so it ends right here and now. You know, God warns us about thing in advance so that we can have the opportunity to pray that they will not happen that way. I think we saw that with the last round of tsunami danger in the Pacific. I believe that the praying people of this nation rose up and prayed for God to intervene for Hawaii and the West Coast, and because of that, the damage done was so minimal. Thank God for the prayers of the people! And now we need to pray for our food supply. Just this week, the US Government released a new model for eating that shows that half of our food intake should consist of fruits and vegetables. This is excellent and sound advice. Except that the current E.Coli invasion in Europe is suspected to come from "some kind of produce". They can't even figure out where it is coming from- just that it's from something fresh. Thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables are being destroyed "just in case".
Is it coincidence that the same week this new food model comes out that our fresh produce supply is in danger? This is no coincidence, and my prayer is for the food supply. E.Coli is nothing to the power of Jesus Christ, and I pray that the fresh fruits and vegetables that our bodies need to function is safe and healthy. I also pray that the government officials who deal with our food supply will be alert and ready, and that they will know decisively how to deal with situations as they arise. I pray for wisdom for President Obama as these things come across his desk and he also has to deal with the threat to our nations food supply. May God give him insight and understanding, and the tools necessary to nip any danger in the bud before it has a chance to progress.
And I also pray that panic and fear will not take hold of this country. Fear is not of God. Our nation was not founded on the principles of fear, but on the principles of freedom and unity. May the people be united, and should the need arise, may neighbor share with neighbor freely and willingly.
I pray that God, Himself, will cleanse the food supply of this country. I pray that the farmers and the growers who are growing our fruits and vegetables will be filled with Godly understanding and wisdom as to how to prevent deadly diseases, such as E.Coli from entering the system. I pray that all these foods that God has already proclaimed clean, and for our good pleasure to eat, that they will be free of disease, and will only be filled with the good things our bodies need to thrive.
May God Bless America, and may God bless the food supply of not only this country, but of our allies and of our friends in other countries. Food is vital, and I pray that the devil will lose his ability to manipulate the food stuffs to cause disease and calamity. The devil has no power over that which God has created and blessed.
14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again." Acts 10:9-16
Our food supply is in danger. When the news started rumbling a few weeks back about a dangerous E.Coli outbreak in Europe, my "danger sense" went up to full alert. Back at the beginning of the year I had read in more than one place that we needed to be praying for the food supply in our country. There was also advice given about planting gardens and working on starting a food stockpile. I've been praying on and off- food is such a big part of my life- but in the last few weeks, that prayer has become a daily effort. Then, this morning I read on the news that there are at least 10 sick in the state of Tennessee from a strange form of E. Coli. And so it begins.
And so it ends right here and now. You know, God warns us about thing in advance so that we can have the opportunity to pray that they will not happen that way. I think we saw that with the last round of tsunami danger in the Pacific. I believe that the praying people of this nation rose up and prayed for God to intervene for Hawaii and the West Coast, and because of that, the damage done was so minimal. Thank God for the prayers of the people! And now we need to pray for our food supply. Just this week, the US Government released a new model for eating that shows that half of our food intake should consist of fruits and vegetables. This is excellent and sound advice. Except that the current E.Coli invasion in Europe is suspected to come from "some kind of produce". They can't even figure out where it is coming from- just that it's from something fresh. Thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables are being destroyed "just in case".
Is it coincidence that the same week this new food model comes out that our fresh produce supply is in danger? This is no coincidence, and my prayer is for the food supply. E.Coli is nothing to the power of Jesus Christ, and I pray that the fresh fruits and vegetables that our bodies need to function is safe and healthy. I also pray that the government officials who deal with our food supply will be alert and ready, and that they will know decisively how to deal with situations as they arise. I pray for wisdom for President Obama as these things come across his desk and he also has to deal with the threat to our nations food supply. May God give him insight and understanding, and the tools necessary to nip any danger in the bud before it has a chance to progress.
And I also pray that panic and fear will not take hold of this country. Fear is not of God. Our nation was not founded on the principles of fear, but on the principles of freedom and unity. May the people be united, and should the need arise, may neighbor share with neighbor freely and willingly.
I pray that God, Himself, will cleanse the food supply of this country. I pray that the farmers and the growers who are growing our fruits and vegetables will be filled with Godly understanding and wisdom as to how to prevent deadly diseases, such as E.Coli from entering the system. I pray that all these foods that God has already proclaimed clean, and for our good pleasure to eat, that they will be free of disease, and will only be filled with the good things our bodies need to thrive.
May God Bless America, and may God bless the food supply of not only this country, but of our allies and of our friends in other countries. Food is vital, and I pray that the devil will lose his ability to manipulate the food stuffs to cause disease and calamity. The devil has no power over that which God has created and blessed.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
The Dwelling Place
"Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. " Psalm 90:1-2
I love reading verses in the Bible that simply blow my mind about the grandness of God. My mind really doesn't process the idea that before anything here on earth even existed- God was. The thought that God has always been doesn't process either. But was does process is that God is our dwelling place- and always has been.
I've been reading the book of 1 Kings, and as it seems to be every time I make my way through that book, I am amazed at how even the great King Solomon failed in the conditions God set before him. In chapter 3, Solomon asked God for wisdom, and this so pleased God, that God granted the wisdom, plus untold riches, and then said that he would bless Solomon with a long life if we continued to walk in God's ways.
"Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days." 1 Kings 3:11-14
And then we get to read in 1 Kings about the splendor of King Solomon. He was such a wise and noble leader that Kings and Queens traveled hundreds of miles to see him and his splendor. In King Solomon's time, there was so much wealth in the land that silver was worthless- think about that one! And yet, with all this- with all the wisdom and the honor and the wealth, Solomon failed to follow God's command for his life. Solomon had a weakness for women, and had hundreds of wives from foreign lands, and with those foreign wives came foreign gods, and Solomon began to worship them in addition to his God. Solomon failed big time. He did not focus his heart on the dwelling place of the Lord God. Instead he focused his heart on his fleshly desires. Which is the ultimate in irony, because Solomon physically built a physical dwelling place for the Lord!
Solomon can be a great lesson to us to remind us to do the occasional "heart check". Where does our heart truly lie? I guess I think about some of the talents that God may bless us with. When we use those talents, what is our ultimate purpose in using them? Probably the easiest way to illustrate this is within the ministry of a worship team. A worship leader or singer is using their talent for singing in the act of worship. Sometimes, though, the focus can be on the singing itself or on displaying ones talents for accolades or praise. The purpose for the actual singing should obviously be for the purpose of worshiping and praising God. When that person's focus shifts from God to self, that's when they cross into the danger zone of focusing their heart in the wrong places. Sadly, we actually hear about this a lot with professional Christian music artists. Every once in a while a Christian artist will cross over into doing secular music and then they never come back to the music that inspires and is God-focused. They become enticed by the world and what it has to offer.
Maybe our enticements are not so grand. Maybe it's simply choosing to purchase a few things for the home instead of tithing. Maybe it's simply choosing to watch TV instead of spending time in our Bibles. Regardless of what is trying to steal our focus, we are unlike Solomon in that we have a few amazing ways that we can work to avoid the trap that caught up Solomon. We have Jesus- the boundless grace that set us free. We also have the Holy Spirit who can guide us and keep our spirits in check. It's the Holy Spirit who sends us those warning signals- that what we are about to do may not be the best idea we have.
The Lord has been the dwelling place for all generations- and He continues to be so today for all who desire Him. When we rest our hearts and our minds in Him, nothing is impossible for us.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. " Psalm 90:1-2
I love reading verses in the Bible that simply blow my mind about the grandness of God. My mind really doesn't process the idea that before anything here on earth even existed- God was. The thought that God has always been doesn't process either. But was does process is that God is our dwelling place- and always has been.
I've been reading the book of 1 Kings, and as it seems to be every time I make my way through that book, I am amazed at how even the great King Solomon failed in the conditions God set before him. In chapter 3, Solomon asked God for wisdom, and this so pleased God, that God granted the wisdom, plus untold riches, and then said that he would bless Solomon with a long life if we continued to walk in God's ways.
"Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days." 1 Kings 3:11-14
And then we get to read in 1 Kings about the splendor of King Solomon. He was such a wise and noble leader that Kings and Queens traveled hundreds of miles to see him and his splendor. In King Solomon's time, there was so much wealth in the land that silver was worthless- think about that one! And yet, with all this- with all the wisdom and the honor and the wealth, Solomon failed to follow God's command for his life. Solomon had a weakness for women, and had hundreds of wives from foreign lands, and with those foreign wives came foreign gods, and Solomon began to worship them in addition to his God. Solomon failed big time. He did not focus his heart on the dwelling place of the Lord God. Instead he focused his heart on his fleshly desires. Which is the ultimate in irony, because Solomon physically built a physical dwelling place for the Lord!
Solomon can be a great lesson to us to remind us to do the occasional "heart check". Where does our heart truly lie? I guess I think about some of the talents that God may bless us with. When we use those talents, what is our ultimate purpose in using them? Probably the easiest way to illustrate this is within the ministry of a worship team. A worship leader or singer is using their talent for singing in the act of worship. Sometimes, though, the focus can be on the singing itself or on displaying ones talents for accolades or praise. The purpose for the actual singing should obviously be for the purpose of worshiping and praising God. When that person's focus shifts from God to self, that's when they cross into the danger zone of focusing their heart in the wrong places. Sadly, we actually hear about this a lot with professional Christian music artists. Every once in a while a Christian artist will cross over into doing secular music and then they never come back to the music that inspires and is God-focused. They become enticed by the world and what it has to offer.
Maybe our enticements are not so grand. Maybe it's simply choosing to purchase a few things for the home instead of tithing. Maybe it's simply choosing to watch TV instead of spending time in our Bibles. Regardless of what is trying to steal our focus, we are unlike Solomon in that we have a few amazing ways that we can work to avoid the trap that caught up Solomon. We have Jesus- the boundless grace that set us free. We also have the Holy Spirit who can guide us and keep our spirits in check. It's the Holy Spirit who sends us those warning signals- that what we are about to do may not be the best idea we have.
The Lord has been the dwelling place for all generations- and He continues to be so today for all who desire Him. When we rest our hearts and our minds in Him, nothing is impossible for us.
Monday, June 06, 2011
Sometimes, He Just Wants To Hear "Yes, Lord."
"Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:1-2
I was thinking about Abraham and Isaac greatly last night as I was falling asleep. I was actually thinking about them through much of the day yesterday. Every single time I read this I am just amazed with Abraham, that he just does what the Lord asks. Someday, we will know exactly what Abraham was thinking when he took his only son to be sacrificed, but until that day, we can only speculate. But what we can know, is that he did it- without arguing or complaining. What is even more interesting about that, is just a few chapters ago, Abraham was arguing with God over the people of Sodom. (Read Genesis 18 if you're interested in that story.) So we know that Abraham has that kind of a relationship with God. If he was going to question God about sacrificing Isaac, he would have done so. Instead, he just DID it. He took his son on a journey, and got as far as lifting the knife to take his life before an angel interrupted him.
God was requiring obedience from Abraham. He was after a "Yes, Lord, it will be as you say" and He certainly got it from Abraham. Abraham obeyed, and in return, he received an amazing blessing from God.
"Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:15-18
Sometimes, I think that's all that God really wants from us. When we go through trials and tribulations, we're learning to put our faith and trust in Him who will get us through. When He asks us to do something, we're like little children, He wants us to say yes obediently and follow through on the task.
I have been one of those naughty children who says no for a while. That child who stomps their feet and says "I really don't wanna" and walks away. And, I was like that for about two years, I want to say. Every time the suggestion or question would come up about me being willing to play the drums at church, I dug my feet in and said I wasn't gonna. I said I wasn't a drummer, and insisted that there were others better able than myself. (Which, that part is totally true.) But as I've shared here, several weeks ago, that all changed, and the more I do it, the better it's getting. In fact, this coming week we have a conference at church, and the person who would normally play the drums for conferences isn't available, and I had a decision to make. Really, I sort of resigned myself. Yes, there was a good chance that I'd be playing the drums for the whole conference. But once I said that I could do it, I started working at being able to. I've practiced a few times, I've been working out to build up my stamina and leg strength, and as time went on, I did learn that one of the other drummers would be able to help me out. I was thrilled about that, and while I patiently waited for a schedule for the week, I continued preparing myself.
I was totally unlike Abraham, I totally recognize that, because I argued with God over this silly little thing for about two years. It took awhile before I finally said yes and okay. Playing the drums is also a very little thing compared to the idea of sacrificing a child- I totally get that, and I'm not really comparing the two. The whole point is that sometimes God just wants to hear us say yes to Him. And I think it's because if we will say yes to the little things, than we're opening the door for something bigger to come along. I really felt like I was finally doing what God wanted me to do- I was preparing myself to play the drums this coming weekend, and I was working very hard at trying to rearrange my schedule so that I could do so as well. But the whole amusing part, for me, is that now that the week is here, now that the moment is here, I don't need to play at all. God totally cracked me up last night when I heard that. All this fuss and stress on my part, and all I needed to do was be willing in the first place.
So now of course, I'm still looking forward to the weekend. I am prepared if I need to jump on for a bit- I'll be okay with that, but it also has me wondering. What is in store for me? Is there something coming that God is going to ask me to do. You know, there could be, and this whole experience for me was a major learning experience, because I really didn't think I could even DO what was being asked of me in the first place. I surprised myself by finding out that I could. Which brings me to another point. God doesn't ask more of us than we are able to do. Oh, sometimes there will be sacrifice on our part, but God never asks us to do something that we absolutely cannot do. That's something that I've learned through this. And while I won't be sitting on edge, on pins and needles waiting to find out what the next thing is, I also have learned that maybe I won't be so quick to just say no the next time. Instead, I will prayerfully consider what is being asked, and if it feels right, will go for it.
I'm certainly not saying that I'm perfect and will simply say yes the next time. I would like to think that I would, but only time will tell. In the meantime, I will keep moving forward and I will also continue to better myself in the areas that God has challenged me in.
And he said, “Here I am.”
2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:1-2
I was thinking about Abraham and Isaac greatly last night as I was falling asleep. I was actually thinking about them through much of the day yesterday. Every single time I read this I am just amazed with Abraham, that he just does what the Lord asks. Someday, we will know exactly what Abraham was thinking when he took his only son to be sacrificed, but until that day, we can only speculate. But what we can know, is that he did it- without arguing or complaining. What is even more interesting about that, is just a few chapters ago, Abraham was arguing with God over the people of Sodom. (Read Genesis 18 if you're interested in that story.) So we know that Abraham has that kind of a relationship with God. If he was going to question God about sacrificing Isaac, he would have done so. Instead, he just DID it. He took his son on a journey, and got as far as lifting the knife to take his life before an angel interrupted him.
God was requiring obedience from Abraham. He was after a "Yes, Lord, it will be as you say" and He certainly got it from Abraham. Abraham obeyed, and in return, he received an amazing blessing from God.
"Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:15-18
Sometimes, I think that's all that God really wants from us. When we go through trials and tribulations, we're learning to put our faith and trust in Him who will get us through. When He asks us to do something, we're like little children, He wants us to say yes obediently and follow through on the task.
I have been one of those naughty children who says no for a while. That child who stomps their feet and says "I really don't wanna" and walks away. And, I was like that for about two years, I want to say. Every time the suggestion or question would come up about me being willing to play the drums at church, I dug my feet in and said I wasn't gonna. I said I wasn't a drummer, and insisted that there were others better able than myself. (Which, that part is totally true.) But as I've shared here, several weeks ago, that all changed, and the more I do it, the better it's getting. In fact, this coming week we have a conference at church, and the person who would normally play the drums for conferences isn't available, and I had a decision to make. Really, I sort of resigned myself. Yes, there was a good chance that I'd be playing the drums for the whole conference. But once I said that I could do it, I started working at being able to. I've practiced a few times, I've been working out to build up my stamina and leg strength, and as time went on, I did learn that one of the other drummers would be able to help me out. I was thrilled about that, and while I patiently waited for a schedule for the week, I continued preparing myself.
I was totally unlike Abraham, I totally recognize that, because I argued with God over this silly little thing for about two years. It took awhile before I finally said yes and okay. Playing the drums is also a very little thing compared to the idea of sacrificing a child- I totally get that, and I'm not really comparing the two. The whole point is that sometimes God just wants to hear us say yes to Him. And I think it's because if we will say yes to the little things, than we're opening the door for something bigger to come along. I really felt like I was finally doing what God wanted me to do- I was preparing myself to play the drums this coming weekend, and I was working very hard at trying to rearrange my schedule so that I could do so as well. But the whole amusing part, for me, is that now that the week is here, now that the moment is here, I don't need to play at all. God totally cracked me up last night when I heard that. All this fuss and stress on my part, and all I needed to do was be willing in the first place.
So now of course, I'm still looking forward to the weekend. I am prepared if I need to jump on for a bit- I'll be okay with that, but it also has me wondering. What is in store for me? Is there something coming that God is going to ask me to do. You know, there could be, and this whole experience for me was a major learning experience, because I really didn't think I could even DO what was being asked of me in the first place. I surprised myself by finding out that I could. Which brings me to another point. God doesn't ask more of us than we are able to do. Oh, sometimes there will be sacrifice on our part, but God never asks us to do something that we absolutely cannot do. That's something that I've learned through this. And while I won't be sitting on edge, on pins and needles waiting to find out what the next thing is, I also have learned that maybe I won't be so quick to just say no the next time. Instead, I will prayerfully consider what is being asked, and if it feels right, will go for it.
I'm certainly not saying that I'm perfect and will simply say yes the next time. I would like to think that I would, but only time will tell. In the meantime, I will keep moving forward and I will also continue to better myself in the areas that God has challenged me in.
Friday, June 03, 2011
A Call To Prayer
"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
I seem to be posting this verse a lot on the blog. It just keeps coming up, and it really is a great verse to share exactly what God is thinking about us. God WANTS to hear his children praying. He WANTS to hear His favorite kids (that's you and I, by the way) calling out to Him for mercy and for grace.
Just last week I was sharing some musings about how I was wondering if, in light of all the recent tornadoes in our country, if we, the church, were missing out on an opportunity to do something awesome regarding natural disasters. I'm still wondering on that a bit. But there is something more to it than just being pro-active and going out and calming the storm. There's prayer to God, on behalf of our nation, to ask for mercy and ask for God to quell the storms before they even begin.
I've had so many dreams in the last several months involving tornadoes. Every time I have one, it almost makes me sick... In every single one, there has been a tornado- or multiple tornadoes, and I rise to the occasion. Usually I am speaking in tongues at the time, and then I command the tornado to go in Jesus' name. The tornado always goes away. One would think that would be a good dream- perhaps it's building up my faith for something in reality. I had one just the other night though, and this one seemed more vivid to me, and it woke me. As I lay there in the middle of the night, all I could think of was how much I did NOT want to have to put that to the test. It really bothered me, and I just wasn't even sure how to respond to the dream. And I told God that much. I told Him that I appreciated the tornado dreams that are bolstering my faith, but that more than anything, I did not want my children and my family in a position to need to put that faith to the test. This has been on my mind for two days now, and last night, there was a timely word in the verse above.
"A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!" Proverbs 15:23
Perhaps those dreams have been building up my faith for a time of great need, but I choose, instead to be proactive about a time of great need. Just the other day another wave of tornadoes swept through a state in our country where they seldom have them in the first place. If that isn't a sign to us that we should be on our knees, praying for our country, I don't know what is. So I am praying that I won't have to put any kind of faith to the test because of the weather. I am praying that God would pull back the devastating winds that seem to be rising in every corner of our country. I am joining up with Christians all over our country in praying for mercy for our nation, and praying that the death, destruction- and most importantly- the fear will be gone from our lands. I've blogged before how the spirit of fear is not from the Lord, and tornadoes surely bring great fear with them. I am praying that the destructive weather systems will cease, and that instead of spending time focusing on fear and destruction, that we can focus on God, and His wonderful goodness that is just waiting to pour out onto the nation who will ask Him for it.
God has great love for this country, and He certainly doesn't want to see it ravaged by tornadoes and flooding and severe drought. But He is wanting to hear from His children. He wants to hear us come together in agreement as we turn to Him and ask Him to calm the skies and the weather system. The weather people blame all the extreme weather we've been having on climate change, and I've read in so many places that we just need to "get used to it". Please. God is bigger than climate change, and God is bigger than anything the earth can dish out. It is time for us to focus on God, and it is time for us to ask Him to right our wrongs. It's time for us to ask Him for forgiveness for our unbelief, and to ask Him to fix the climate problems. God can do that in an instant! In less than a moment, God can completely change the climate of our planet to be right, where a super cell storm or a magnanimous earthquake or a vicious volcanic eruption are very rare and random- and not the everyday. God can fix all of this! We just need to ask Him.
Please join me this weekend in focusing your prayer time on praying for our planet, and for our country. God wants to hear from us, He's just waiting to hear from us. And then we can give Him ALL the glory when our weather returns to normal.
I seem to be posting this verse a lot on the blog. It just keeps coming up, and it really is a great verse to share exactly what God is thinking about us. God WANTS to hear his children praying. He WANTS to hear His favorite kids (that's you and I, by the way) calling out to Him for mercy and for grace.
Just last week I was sharing some musings about how I was wondering if, in light of all the recent tornadoes in our country, if we, the church, were missing out on an opportunity to do something awesome regarding natural disasters. I'm still wondering on that a bit. But there is something more to it than just being pro-active and going out and calming the storm. There's prayer to God, on behalf of our nation, to ask for mercy and ask for God to quell the storms before they even begin.
I've had so many dreams in the last several months involving tornadoes. Every time I have one, it almost makes me sick... In every single one, there has been a tornado- or multiple tornadoes, and I rise to the occasion. Usually I am speaking in tongues at the time, and then I command the tornado to go in Jesus' name. The tornado always goes away. One would think that would be a good dream- perhaps it's building up my faith for something in reality. I had one just the other night though, and this one seemed more vivid to me, and it woke me. As I lay there in the middle of the night, all I could think of was how much I did NOT want to have to put that to the test. It really bothered me, and I just wasn't even sure how to respond to the dream. And I told God that much. I told Him that I appreciated the tornado dreams that are bolstering my faith, but that more than anything, I did not want my children and my family in a position to need to put that faith to the test. This has been on my mind for two days now, and last night, there was a timely word in the verse above.
"A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!" Proverbs 15:23
Perhaps those dreams have been building up my faith for a time of great need, but I choose, instead to be proactive about a time of great need. Just the other day another wave of tornadoes swept through a state in our country where they seldom have them in the first place. If that isn't a sign to us that we should be on our knees, praying for our country, I don't know what is. So I am praying that I won't have to put any kind of faith to the test because of the weather. I am praying that God would pull back the devastating winds that seem to be rising in every corner of our country. I am joining up with Christians all over our country in praying for mercy for our nation, and praying that the death, destruction- and most importantly- the fear will be gone from our lands. I've blogged before how the spirit of fear is not from the Lord, and tornadoes surely bring great fear with them. I am praying that the destructive weather systems will cease, and that instead of spending time focusing on fear and destruction, that we can focus on God, and His wonderful goodness that is just waiting to pour out onto the nation who will ask Him for it.
God has great love for this country, and He certainly doesn't want to see it ravaged by tornadoes and flooding and severe drought. But He is wanting to hear from His children. He wants to hear us come together in agreement as we turn to Him and ask Him to calm the skies and the weather system. The weather people blame all the extreme weather we've been having on climate change, and I've read in so many places that we just need to "get used to it". Please. God is bigger than climate change, and God is bigger than anything the earth can dish out. It is time for us to focus on God, and it is time for us to ask Him to right our wrongs. It's time for us to ask Him for forgiveness for our unbelief, and to ask Him to fix the climate problems. God can do that in an instant! In less than a moment, God can completely change the climate of our planet to be right, where a super cell storm or a magnanimous earthquake or a vicious volcanic eruption are very rare and random- and not the everyday. God can fix all of this! We just need to ask Him.
Please join me this weekend in focusing your prayer time on praying for our planet, and for our country. God wants to hear from us, He's just waiting to hear from us. And then we can give Him ALL the glory when our weather returns to normal.
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