Long Lines

Have you ever had the pleasure of waiting in a long line?  Many of us would emphatically say “no”.  In this fast-paced, instant-gratification world that we live in we are constantly striving for the short line, the express lane, the fast track. 

 

But, this past month I opened up the door and saw a very long line going into a room where my dear friend, Beth Rarey, was being honored.  I’ve written about Beth before (see June 6, 2009 post).  She was a friend who honored God during her 49 years of life, including  her year-long battle with brain cancer.  I knew how Beth had blessed me during our friendship—she was an encourager, a prayer warrior, a Woman of the Word, a gentle and loving mother and MiMi (grandmother).  She perservered in circumstances beyond her control; she diligently trusted God and believed that He would provide all of her needs.  We walked through this Christian journey together, both being refined by Jesus as He sanctified us each day.  I looked forward to her regular emails, especially after I had moved away and did not get to visit with her in person.  Her transparency was challenging to me and I was blessed by her faithfulness.  These are just the things that blessed *me*…I had absolutely no idea how much she had blessed others.

 

Until I saw that line.

 

That’s the way to live a life!  Reaching out to others, giving of yourself, praying passionately, loving others, sharing the Lord, laughing, crying, trusting…

 

I can only pray for long lines one day because that will mean that I’ve given all that God’s given me!

 

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”  Psalm 116: 15

The Name Above All Names

Studying the book of Acts this year has been such an encouragement and challenge to me.  I love being reminded by Peter’s sermons of the work that Christ accomplished on the Cross.  It’s interesting to note the reaction to Peter’s sermons by the Pharisees and Sadducees, though.

 

What shall we do to these men?  For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.  But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.  So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.  Acts 4: 16-18

 

Can you imagine how it must’ve been for the opponents of the gospel?  These were the very men who rallied the troops and condemned Jesus Christ to die.  There were so many reasons for their actions: jealousy, power struggle, guilt.  But, they thought they had taken care of the “problem” (Jesus) by having Him crucified.  How in the world did this problem persist?!?!  Now this Man’s followers were performing all sorts of miracles, gathering up many believers in this new church, and preaching and doing all these things in the name of Jesus!  I’m sure the religious leaders must’ve been extremely angry, but perhaps they were fearful as well.  They must have considered that this Man was possibly…the Messiah?  Could those rumors be true of Him resurrecting from the dead?  And being seen by over 500 people?  If that were true, oh, the religious leaders probably couldn’t even bear to consider the implications or consequences for them.  This would mean they killed the Messiah.  This would mean their theology–their very belief system- was wrong (as the Sadducees denied resurrection altogether). 

 

No wonder the religious leaders were all up in arms about this early church.  They saw power and miracles from this Man’s name—the same Man they thought they had ’snuffed’ out of the picture. 

 

This Name, the Name above all names, is Jesus and He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  The power and might is still present in the Name of Jesus!   How often do we pray and close–really quickly and quietly–with the obligatory final phrase “in Jesus’ name, Amen.”?  Are we believing that there is power in this name?  Are we believing that the One we are praying to is hearing our prayers?  Are we believing that He can accomplish all that we pray and ask for in His will? 

 

As we pray in Jesus’ name, let’s remember the miracles and the conversions and the power that the early Church exhibited in this very same Name…and go forward in this mighty power and advance the Kingdom of God!

 

 

Consider Your Tongue

My son, Alex, gets ready for school very early each morning.  Being a homeschooler for six years, “early” would have been 8:00 am; 6:00 am is quite a change.    Needless to say, I like getting up and reading the Word and praying with him before he leaves for his day. 

 

We are currently going through scripture while being guided by the Doorpost (www.doorposts.net)  book “Plants Grown Up:  Projects for Sons on the Road to Manhood”.  I’ve been getting a lot of ideas and scripture as we discuss various things that are important to being a godly leader.  This morning we continued our discussion of self-control, with the focus of controlling the tongue.

 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians 4:29

 

As we were discussing the importance of building others up, rather than knocking them down, I was reminded of the house that is being built down the road from us.  That is a *construction* area—bit by bit, we are watching something grow from a hole in the ground to a foundation to a frame to a house.  Piece by piece every day the builder adds something to this structure–roof shingles, siding, brick, windows–that creates a home. 

 

If the builder decided to bring in a crane with a wrecking ball attached to it, he could destroy this work he has made fairly quickly.  I’m sure you’ve watched “Extreme Makeover:  Home Edition” before; it’s always amazing how quickly a home can be brought down with one of those giant steel balls. 

 

So, with this visual in mind, we consider our tongues.  Building or destroying.  Purposefully placing words of growth, encouragement, joy and hope versus carelessly throwing out steel wrecking balls of a tongue that strike down our listeners with a swoop of a criticism or a drop of an angry reaction. 

 

As I pray about all of this this morning, I know that I cannot pull up my bootstraps and just try harder.  I will grow weary too quickly.  In fact, I would daresay that this task is just plain impossible (James 3:8).  So do we give up and destroy everything in our path?  NO!  We turn this impossible task over to the only One who can accomplish it…and we turn it over and we turn it over again. 

 

Praise God that ‘with Him all things are possible’!

 

Get In The Word

Just a brief posting to encourage everyone to be filling their minds with the Truth of Scripture.  I have known some Christian women who do not seem to struggle with reading the Word on a regular basis.  I, however, suffer from “Lazy-itis” and “Control-freakishness” and often think that I can manage without any help from God through His Word.  It’s a terrible thing and must be cured.

 

The other day I was chatting with my friend and telling her that it seems fairly prevalent in women, especially newer believers, to not want to be stretched spiritually.  All of us probably desire *comfort* yet as we walk with the Lord for more and more time we see the benefits of those stretching seasons.

 

What do I mean by stretching, exactly?  Well, think about your physical health for a moment.  As you get closer and closer to the big 4-0, you will find yourself waking up in the morning a little more stiff than you’ve ever noticed before.  Some simple flexibility exercises, though, give you greater range of motion.  That, in turn, benefits your breathing, posture, and overall health.  My muscles often tell me that it hurts to stretch in the morning, but with a slow and steady pace they are quite pleased.

 

With our spiritual health we can get achey and stiff, too, when we aren’t being stretched on a consistent basis.  We get stuck in the comfort zones we’ve created and it’s hard to move from them.  Unless we’ve allowed ourselves to be stretched then we will stay put and be limited in our growth and overall spiritual health. 

 

We can stretch ourselves in a variety of ways and most of them require us to become disciplined and persistent.  These adjectives might scare you away, but when the action is coming from a changed heart that loves the Lord then it’s a natural outflow from there.  Determining myself to wake a little earlier, devote my first thoughts to praising God, praying my requests in the quiet morning, reading from the Word daily and storing scripture in my mind and heart are all ways to stretch–and to grow–spiritually.

 

If we don’t stretch ourselves, then we will either be forced to stretch (which always hurts more than developing a habit of gentle and slow stretches each day) or we will just wither.  New believers, especially, listen up:  there’s a parable in the Word that deals with this.  Check it out–the sower and the seeds.  (See Matthew 13)  And more mature believers, please listen:  Love your sisters in Christ and gently help them be stretched.  Exhort them with the Word, help them develop a lifestyle that depends on Jesus by reading the Word and communing with Him through prayer. 

 

“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”  Psalm 17: 15

The Source of Life

*This post was originally published October 5, 2009, on the website www.katiewolfe.org “SISters in Scripture”.  Katie Wolfe leads an amazing ministry that includes a weekly exhortation to thousands of women to store God’s Word in their hearts.  Since some of my blog readers aren’t connected with this ministry (yet?), I thought I’d copy my post from her website here. *

 

As a woman, God has blessed us with many important roles, such as wife, mother and manager of our homes. Some of us include other roles to that list, but these are the foundational ones. Especially for strong women (and who isn’t included in that?!?), it is difficult to ask for help…even from God. I am constantly finding myself embarking on a task and getting much accomplished, but then also dealing with frustration or anger towards the children (I mean, why did they go and mess up the room that I just finished cleaning?) or dealing with pride (what a great job I’ve done here!) or insecurity (I’m afraid these children are never going to grow up to be Godly, law-abiding people).

Our family answered the call seven years ago to homeschool our children. It has been one of the most sanctifying things that has ever happened to me. It is wonderful and challenging all at the same time. This verse, John 15:5, has been my guiding verse for teaching my children, but also for life in general. During those days when things are rough and I’m a mess, I find myself needing to examine my motives and my source of power: am I doing this life on my own again or am I depending solely on Jesus for my strength? If I’m honest, when I’m being independent from God, that is when those natural, fleshy responses like anger and frustration arise. When I’m abiding in God’s Word, in Christ Himself, that is when I step back after being angry and ask my children for forgiveness. I start over with a kinder and more gentler tone. I’m not defeated because I’m being energized by the One who is more powerful than even death itself.

What does it mean to abide in Jesus? This verse gives us such a beautiful illustration of abiding—just as a branch draws its source of life from the vine it is attached to, we draw our strength, ability and breath from our Source of Life, our Creator! When we awaken and start our day in our own wisdom and our own ability, we are attempting to survive as a branch without its vine. Imagine that branch lying on the cold ground trying to get up and survive and grow leaves on its own. Kind of ridiculous, isn’t it? Well, that’s us without Christ.

I’m not advocating a check-off list here……it’s not a magic trick. “If I read the Bible and pray first thing then go to church on Sundays and give money to charity, then I will get [this or that].” No, I’m talking about *abiding*. This is a heart attitude, a mind pattern that knows deep within that I cannot even survive if I’m not completely dependent upon Jesus for everything! I’m in the Word because that is my source of wisdom, the place where I receive Truth and guidance from the One who knows all. I pray because that is my connection to the Comforter and Lover of our souls. I memorize scripture because it reminds me all day long of how to live and Who to believe.

Abiding begins not in our behavior, but rather in our hearts. It’s an inside-out work that God accomplishes. And to Him be the glory! – Wendy

Can You Handle the Truth?

I have been having the same conversation over and over again.  It goes a little something like this:

I know they’re [Muslim, Mormon, Jewish, Hindu...], but they’re so nice and generous and loving!  I cannot understand in my heart of hearts how God could condemn my friend to hell because he isn’t a Christian.

I’m intrigued by the number of people in my path who are less and less certain of the truth, especially the truth they may have been raised in.  Even if they believe strongly in Jesus Christ, they are more uncertain of the importance for *everyone* to believe in Jesus in order to have eternal life. 

 

I tend to think that this is partly because of the lack of good teaching/preaching from the Bible.  Many American Christian churches are havens of self-help or self-improvement.  The last thing many pastors want to do is mention the word ’sin’, let alone call you out on it.  Even when the gospel message is preached, it’s often either watered down or presented in a way that is contrary in some manner to the Word of God.  Most of the time the American Christian religion is man-centered and there is just a general lack of knowledge when it comes to doctrine and the Bible overall.

 

When all these factors come together–as they have in many cases–then we see the next generations turning away from the Church at large.  We see individuals and families living just like the world around them who doesn’t know Jesus.  We see proclaiming Christians begin to waffle on important truths, such as Jesus being the way, the truth and the life.

 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.  John 14:6

 

How are these words spoken by Jesus explained by us?  How do we reconcile this with our friends who don’t acknowledge Him as Christ?  As *the* way to God Himself?  Can we say “well, I like this from Christianity and that from Islam…really, it’s just a matter of Jesus, and they just believe He was a prophet only”.  Is that the only difference, really?  And even if it is the ONLY difference, is it a big enough one to make all the difference in the world?!?

 

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55: 8-9

 

When I am tempted to say that I cannot fathom God doing something because it doesn’t jive with my ‘gut’ or my ‘heart of hearts’ then I need to step back and remember Who God is.  Isaiah speaks so clearly (as do other prophets in the Bible) regarding this fact.  For me to try to understand how God operates is just futile; He is the Sovereign Creator of ALL.  I am merely His creation. 

 

If I am so concerned about my dear friend who is not a Christian, then instead of trying to re-invent God and His ways, why not tell my friend the Truth that Jesus is the only way to the Father?  Of course some would say that trying to convert others is wrong.  I should be more tolerant.  But, I liken that to keeping the most important information in the world a secret–better than the cure for cancer, just as an example.  The peace that passes all understanding, the hope beyond all, the joy in every circumstance, the love and acceptance I have because of knowing Jesus——-why would I ever want to keep that a secret for fear of offending someone else? 

 

Recently I read someone’s religious views as being “tolerant of everyone worshipping the diety of their choice”.  This was written by a one-time (present?) church-goer.  Is tolerance really more important than sharing the Truth of Christ?  What He did for me on the Cross gave me complete pardon from my sins, that includes my guilt!  He caused me to have His righteousness, I am now accepted by GOD!  There is nothing I could ever do, no matter how good I am, to accomplish these two very important things.  If I really loved other people, why would I ever allow them to continue thinking they’ve got the cure to the disease when all they’re drinking is the placebo? 

 

If you want to go on believing that the other religions are equal to Christ, then I ask you this:  do you really want to know the Truth?  If so, consider the Word of God.  Please do not base your thoughts on your emotions or the world’s wisdom or even the example of American Churches.  Base it on the Word of God.

 

Our challenge, Women of the Word?  Know your Word.  Be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have.  Be willing to share Jesus Christ with friends of all backgrounds and reveal how He is different from religions trying to earn their way to heaven.  Love others…genuinely love them with the love of God as you share the Truth.  And finally, submit to God.  Acknowledge Him as the God of the Bible and not as one we design in our minds. 

 

I think this conversation that I keep hearing will just become more and more commonplace.  Be prepared to continue the conversation…

Armchair Evangelism

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.  Proverbs 11:30

This posting is actually from an article I wrote for our church’s newsletter.  I was hoping that it would be an encouragement for my sisters-in-Christ who don’t attend my church as well as for those who do!

 

“Are you ready for some….evangelism?”  Isn’t that the slogan that hear this time of the year, especially on Monday night television?  Okay, I know, I know, it’s football season and everyone is gearing up to watch their favorite teams.  The litany begins:  chip and dip?  Check.  Favorite drink?  Check.  Bigscreen TV?  Check.  Comfy armchair?  Check.  Maybe you know someone who is a classic armchair football player–he calls plays or yells at the refs from the comfort of his living room.  He has a fun time, but the fact is that the team wins or loses without his participation.  He is merely an observer that has no impact upon the actual game.

 

I am challenged to consider how many of us sink comfortably into our own ‘evangelism armchairs’.  We lounge in our comfort zones while watching other Christians reaching out to others with the gospel of Christ.  We may think those Christians are the specially trained; they have the talent, the practice, the motivation and skill to reach out.  We haven’t been trained so we sit on the sidelines watching others get the playing time.  Or perhaps we feel like we are ‘flabby’ and don’t have the skill level to reach out to others.

 

The challenge is to recognize that we all have an important role to play on this Team.  We all have different talents, different personalities, different abilities so our roles will take on a variety of appearances.  If you are one who already reaches out to your friends & neighbors, then perhaps you’ll want to take the next step and organize a bible study with them.  Maybe you just need to walk outside and meet your neighbors for the first time.  Or perhaps you need to start even smaller and read a book on outreach or just begin to pray for a heart that desires to share Jesus with others who don’t know Him yet.

 

Enjoy fulfilling times with your Christian brothers and sisters, but please know when it is time to be challenged to get out of our armchairs and get out into the world.

 

Not everyone knows the precious fellowship you do in your church home; not everyone knows they don’t have to work to be accepted by God; not everyone has the security of spending eternity with Jesus; not everyone has the hope to make it through the day.

 

I hope to encourage you often through this blog to take a step towards reaching out and winning souls to Christ.  You won’t have to just be content to ‘watch the game from your living room armchair’, but you will have the opportunity to make a real impact as God uses you mightily!

Others-Centered

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.  Romans 12:10

 

The family devotion last night was focused on others.  As we were discussing this topic–where we can find the directive in the Bible, what this looks like, why it’s difficult and not usually a natural thing–I was as convicted as perhaps my children were in this area.

 

We stressed to the kids that we needed to think of others before ourselves not just when we’re at a fancy restaurant or at church, but always…and that includes here at home.  Since I’m presently studying Acts, the command from Jesus in Acts 1: 8 came to mind:  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  Just as we are to spread the gospel in this manner, I believe we are also to show kindness and love and preference to others in like manner. 

 

Sure, it’s easy to give a smile to the stranger on the street.  It’s probably not even difficult to maintain a polite conversation with a neighbor or friend from church.  But, what is it that happens to us when we get home?!?!  Suddenly we can be rude?  Suddenly we can ignore a question?  Suddenly we can insert tone and bad attitude into our responses? 

 

Truly we must be focused on others above ourselves, first at home, then outward in our lives.  We will learn to trust God as His orderly plan is perfect.  We care for others, they care for us, everyone gets their needs met.  Our motive is to care for others; the result also happens to bless and care for us.  (we don’t care to get something in return…it just happens that way!)

 

How do we fight our natural tendencies at home?  How do we live in a relaxed way, yet not let down our guard against the evil one so that we aren’t tempted to sin?  Is it possible to stop a cycle of selfishness and distrust that has continued for so long?  The answer is yes.  And we have an example in Christ Himself.  Not just an example, but strength to fight…and fight to win!

 

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  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: 3-11

What’s the point in going to church?

We’ve all heard the reasons that people don’t go to church…

I can worship anytime anywhere

The people there are hypocrites

I’ve just not found a good one

There are plenty more reasons, but we’ve all heard (or said?) them a hundred times.  What I want to get at is what is the point in going to church?

 

Do we need to attend church?  If so, why? Can you be a Christian and not attend a local church?  Can you attend a local church and not be a Christian?  And what does church supposedly do for you?  Is it a feel-good, check-it-off-your-list-of-good-things-to-do kind of place?  Is it an entertainment venue for you? 

 

I want to encourage you to look at church in, perhaps, a different way.  Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to get out of the habit of hanging out with other believers.  Wise counsel because when we fall out of step with people who are living for the Lord then we won’t have that example or encouragement any longer.  Not only encouragement, but also discipline or challenge.  (And maybe that’s why some don’t like church!)  If we’re in the wrong, if we’re sinning, then lemme tell ya somethin’…..it’s better to know than to keep your head in the sand!!!! 

 

It matters what church body you are in for a multitude of reasons.  Is the teaching biblical and accurate?  Are the leaders focused on Christ or themselves?  Are people loving to one another?  Do they care about one another?  If there is sin, is it confronted in a loving and biblical way so the sinner can be restored to God?  Is their view of God from the Bible or their own minds?

 

Oftentimes I think we go to church to absolve ourselves of guilt.  We know we sin so we go somewhere that would appease God and hope that cuts it with Him.  Church itself doesn’t really change us, it’s just a thing we do once a week that purges us from guilt and gives us a ‘good-point’.

 

Please understand this:  going to church does not cleanse you from sins.  It does not put you in right standing with our holy God.  No action, including going to church, reading bible stories, opening the Word, praying, nothing, will do these things.  Only Jesus’ death on the Cross and resurrection has accomplished this work on our behalf.  His sacrifice is what cleanses us.  If you want to understand how this works and how this applies to you, please leave a comment for me (or via email/fb) and we can talk more.

 

Get in a solid, loving, bible-abiding, Christ-centered church.  Not to make up for your sins, but because you are a sinner (this includes me!).  To be loved in a godly way (not the way the world “loves” us); to be taught things that will impact your life and your family’s life; to be challenged with the Truth of the Word and changed by your Creator; and to hear the Word of God so that your heart is drawn into a personal relationship with God Himself.

 

Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near.  Hebrews 10: 24-25

 

 

 

Confession!

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

 

Remember those Barbara Walters’ interviews years ago when she would ask “if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be”?   In that same vein, pretend that I’m interviewing you for a moment:  “if your spiritual walk was a roller coaster, what kind of roller coaster would it be?”

 

Oftentimes mine would be the coaster that goes way up high then abruptly way down low.  Others may find their coaster doesn’t complete the course after a bang-up start.  Some might find their coaster begins to slide backwards down the tracks after coasting forward for some time.  And others, yet, may be more of a steady ride.

 

It doesn’t make for a good coaster, but I’d prefer to be more of the steady ride when it comes to my spiritual journey.  Granted, mountaintop experiences are treasured and we learn much in the dry seasons, but all in all I would prefer that my walk be characterized as steadfast and diligent.

 

Recently I found myself in an extended dry season and began to analyze things in prayer.  There are countless reasons for ‘low times’ in our walk…but I was somewhat surprised by one of the causes of my dryness.

 

Lack of confession.

 

After much prayer and with wisdom from my husband, I realized that I had been glossing over particular sins in my life.  I knew they were sins, I was “sort of” apologizing for them as I went along, but I had no intention of really changing things.  I suppose I was comfortable, busy, distracted, whatever.  But with a huge amount of humility I went before the Lord and *confessed*.  I wrote it down, I spoke it out loud.  And I knew the Truth…God IS faithful and He IS just to forgive me my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

 

The next time my flesh began to act in that natural fleshly sort of way, I felt strengthened because I knew that I was forgiven and cleansed.  I didn’t need to continue in that natural pattern.  I had more of a desire NOT to sin because I hated that sin.  No longer was I comfortable with that sin; I hated it.

 

We have a High Priest who has passed through the heavens (Jesus, the Son of God!).  Let us hold fast our confession.  This High Priest is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.  He is one who in every respect has been tempted just as we have been, yet without sin!  So, let’s go to the throne of grace *with confidence* so that we might receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need!  (my paraphrase of Hebrews 4: 14-16)