CHUMs for God

I woke up this morning with the word "CHUM" on the brain.  I love acronyms and knew it was an acronym I was supposed to pay attention to.  I also knew that it was related to my obedience/submission struggle.  As I prayed about it, this is what God showed me:

C-Close in and get intimate with God.  We need to go to Him in prayer even when we don't feel like it.  We need to fear God, not man, our schedules or our wallets. We need to choose God.
H- Hone in on God's word.  We need to maintain a regular time in God's word.  We need to meditate on what we read and memorize His words.  We need to equip our soul to hear God's Spirit.
U- Understand.  We are to dwell with God's word.  We are to pray and ask for wisdom.  We are to ask other God-fearing, Jesus believing souls for help.  We are to listen to God and seek His revealed word.
M- Move in and do what it is you are called to do.  We are to apply what the Spirit is prompting us to do.  We are to do God's will even when we don't want to.  We need to be diligent and complete it to the end.  We need to work by God's power, not our emotion.

So, if you too are leading then you know we are better leaders when we are better followers of our Savior.  My prayer for myself and anyone else that is struggling with this obedience/submission issue, is that we will become "CHUM"s for God.

New Resources

I just heard a pod cast from Mike and Bev Linder from Special Heart Ministries where they share their experiences as parents of three children, two of which had special needs and have also gone to be with Jesus in heaven.  They have amazing free resources for churches to minister to and encourage parents as they walk a challenging path to help their child become all that God has designed them to be.  But while I was listening, I stumbled onto the ministry with which they were being interviewed.  Need Project is a ministry that started from within Focus on the Family.  Their mission is "Healthy families and healthy children through the creation of practical resources and support for parents of special needs children."  They have a great page of resources (including books, websites, and medical information) on all sorts of disabilities.  A worthwhile resource to utilize!

Sill Struggling to Obey?

Rebellion can sometimes rear its ugly head even in long-time believers’ lives.  We are still sons of Adam and daughters of Eve and have a sinful nature.  How do we as mortal men conquer this?  We don’t and thus we can feel so disobedient and helpless at times.  Only the power of God can do this work in us.  When we trust in Jesus, we have the ability to rely and lean on the power that “is like the working of his mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 1:19b-20)  God raised Jesus with power and it is this same power that He can resurrect our obedience. 

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through the Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19)

Letting Down the Nets: A Lesson in Obedience

Most of us know the story of Jesus calling His first disciples, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew and their friends John and James, sons of Zebedee, as they were called to become "fishers of men".  But as I was reading with my son this morning, I heard it again with new eyes from Luke’s perspective in Luke 5. 

Simon and Andrew had been fishing all night in the Sea of Galilee and had caught nothing, so they came back to shore and began washing their nets.  Then, Jesus, still at the start of His ministry, asks for Simon to put his boat out a little ways so He can sit in it and teach people.  Simon kindly obliges.  What does he have to lose while he’s working on cleaning up?  Certainly not any fish!  When Jesus has finished teaching, He tells Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”  Now, Simon could be thinking, “This is crazy!” and that it is a waste of time.  He’s probably exhausted and perhaps even frustrated from a long, unfruitful night of fishing.  But, we don’t know for sure because all the text says is, “Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.’” 

Now for the part that struck me as wonderful and fresh, following Simon’s statement he continues on and says, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  Did you hear that?  Simon said, “Because you said so.”  Talk about obedience!  This is the obedience I want in my own life - an obedience that comes from a willing heart. What nets do I have to let down?  What barriers do I have to lower?  What obstacles must I release in order to obey God as Simon did?

Simon saw the shortfall in his own efforts the night before, and yet, he tried again with Jesus and he found success.  In fact he was so successful, that his nets began to break and James and John had to be signaled to come over and help out.  When all the fish were put into their two boats, the boats were so full that they began to sink!  This event was so astonishing to Simon, his brother Andrew, James and John that they pulled in their boats, left everything and became disciples of Jesus.  Thus, Simon obeyed before he had a deep relationship with Jesus.  His obedience actually preceded their friendship and discipleship.  Furthermore, once he followed Jesus, he remained devoted until the end of his life.  Do you suppose that obedience can reward all of us with that kind of deep and significant relationship with Christ?  Do you suppose that kind of obedience will help us endure until the end of our life?

Dear God, please help my heart to be obedient simply because you say so.  Help me not to doubt that the fish are there because I haven’t seen any yet.  When you work in my life, cause me to signal others to share in the bounty’s harvest.  When you reward abundantly, help me to be so astonished that I leave it all behind just to follow you.  Keep reminding me that YOU are the reward and that your relationship is all I need.  Show me how to be faithful to the end like Simon.  Amen.

Finding Rest in Diligence

Many days I fight the feeling of being physically worn out and tired.  Lately, this has been creeping back in.  I keep wondering, “Why?”  I am also rebelling against doing a couple of little things I don’t want to do, but need to do.  Then I read Hebrews 3 today. 

^“7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:  “Today, if you hear his voice,  ⁸ do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion during the time of testing in the desert…¹⁰ That is why I was angry with that generation…¹¹ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”” – Hebrews 3: 7-11

Legitimately, God feels rebellion is hardening our heart towards Him and this rightly makes Him angry.  He is clear that when we rebel we go outside of His umbrella of protection and in this verse we see that also includes His umbrella of blessing, which includes His rest. 

How do I motivate myself in the midst of my challenge?  I need inspiration in God’s word.  I have always held on to the part of Romans 12:8 which speaks about using spiritual gifts and says, “if it is leadership, let him govern diligently.”  But for some reason that isn’t working today, so I looked up diligence and found a more motivating passage in Hebrews 6:10-12.

^“10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. ¹¹ We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. ¹² We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”


Lazy…the word I hate.  Yes, I don’t want to be lazy.  That is definitely a bit more motivating.  Looking a bit deeper though, I also find encouragement.  God is just and has a perfect memory.  He sees us when we have to fight these quiet heart battles.  He loves to see us struggle and succeed.  He even, at times, puts us in positions where we have to wrestle with these kinds of things so our faith can be strengthened and so we find joy and blessings in the hear and now.  Eternally, He rewards our diligence with an inheritance He has promised.  Ultimately, He feels love and it will not go unnoticed.
So, on I must go to wrestle down my rebellion and finish the work I was assigned for the day.  I want to find rest.  I want to love God more than myself.

Being Effective and Productive in Ministry

“⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” – 2 Peter 1:5-9 (NIV1984)

Are you feeling concerned about being effective in ministry?  Have you felt a time of unproductivity and wondered why?  2 Peter 1:8 says that “If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  What are the qualities that have this kind of impact on our life and how do we increase their measure?  Let’s look at them in the Scriptural order given.  Mostly, I am proposing some basic diagnostic questions to probe and help us see where we might be holding up our effectiveness in our ministry.

FAITH- Simply put, this is trusting God and His son’s provision for our sin debt through his substitutionary death on the cross and resurrection.  Trusting in God in this way also requires understanding who we are (a sinner) and who God is (just and loving).  After making the decision to trust, we also come to learn other things about God (faithful, eternal, all-knowing, etc.)  So, do we act in accordance with our beliefs?  Do we really believe what we say we believe?  If we believe He is bigger than all our problems, are we entrusting Him with them?  If we believe He will provide, do we wait on Him or try to take matters in our own hands?  If we believe He is good, do we believe trial is a good work in our life or do we doubt?

GOODNESS- This is having a repentive heart and choosing rightly.  Have we confessed sin our lives?  Are we abolishing sins of commission and attacking sins of omission? Are we seeking to please God or do we have disdain for authority?  Do we find joy in obedience?  Are we following through with the good we know we ought to do?

KNOWLEDGE- Having intellectual assent or understanding of God’s word is critical to our minds being transformed and renewed.  Are we in Scripture regularly?  Do we study and delight in God’s word?  Do we put ourselves in places where we can learn from others about God’s word?  Are we in relationships that sharpen us or challenge us spiritually?

SELF-CONTROL- Discipline and having an eternal perspective can help us to choose rightly.  But how do we do when faced with temptation, selfish desires, and our natural tendencies?  We need to identify our weaknesses and figure out an “emergency response” plan.  Do we have an accountability partner with whom we can share our sin?  Do we have Scripture memorized?  Do we take ownership of the power given to us by the Holy Spirit through our relationship with Jesus?

PERSEVERANCE- A steadfastness for long periods of time, a faithfulness in spite of resistance, and a pressing on in the face of a trial are essential – but hard business.  Do we run away when things get tough or do we stick to it?  Do we love and forgive others instead of abandoning them?  Do we rely on our own feelings or God’s strength and promises?

GODLINESS- This is a holy desire to become more like God – to be an authentic imitation of Him.  Do we know what God loves?  God prizes?  God desires?  Do we pray for that to be the same for us?  Do we keep eternity in mind and form goals and perspectives with that end in sight?  Are we willing to pursue what God wants above all things - even above all people in our life?

BROTHERLY KINDNESS- In general, this is having a servant-heart like our Savior, Jesus, who gave up a crown to wash dirty feet.  Are we serving others?  Are we trying to help others along and love them as we would want for ourself?  Do we serve with no desire for man’s praise or return in this world?  Are we generous and share?  Are we using our gifts to edify and enrich the Body of Christ?

LOVE- I don’t believe this was at the end of the list because of its lack of importance, but because I believe all the qualities build and this is the ultimate expression of God’s heart.  He wants us to be humble and truly understand who we are and who He is.  When we do this, we see others as ourselves and we love.  Do we share the Gospel in word and deed?  Are we willing to self-sacrifice?  To be humiliated?  Are we willing to get dirty and work in the trenches?  Are we willing to feel pain and thus the joyous aftermath of a well-fought battle?

Once we feel like we have made it through this list on some level, I believe we are called cycle through it again and again on another level- a deeper more significant level.  We will never finish and become perfect, but we can increase the measure of these qualities in our life.  As we do we WILL become effective and productive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ and the ministry He has called us to.

Ministry Leadership Discussion Series- Entrusted to be an Example

This is part of a series of discussions that can be used for study among ministry leaders or small groups.

Entrusted to be an Example

“Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care.” – I Timothy 6:20a

A.  How do we “guard what has been entrusted” to our care?

(diligence; willing & eager heart, not greedy, not lording it over, being examples (actions match words; servant heart); self-controlled, disciplined, hold firmly sound doctrine and refute bad doctrine)

B.  Why do we have to be so careful?

(people are imitating us; nothing against us/our witness; judged more strictly because teaching by example)

C.  Since we are sinners, how can we do this well?

     (follow Christ’s example - serve as Christ did, practice disciplines, be whisper ready!)

D.  What are some ministry-specific examples?

(behavior around kids, how we speak to parents—intentional and loving, we need to be diligent-if we say we will call or do something…then we need to do it!; others?)

Verses for Study

A.

“6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us 8b if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” –Romans 12:6, 8a

“2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” – 1 Peter 5:2-3

“5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” – Titus 1:5-9

B.

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” – Hebrews 13:7

“7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” –Titus 2:7-8

“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” -James 3:1

C.

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” – John 13:15

Ministry Leadership Discussion Series- Spiritual Warfare

This is part of a series of discussions that can be used for study among ministry leaders or small groups.

Spiritual Warfare

“And the leader must know how to help those under his charge who are also involved in that same spiritual warfare.”—J. Oswald Sanders from Spiritual Leadership

A.  Offense

1.  Who is the “strong man” in the analogy given in v. 29?

(Devil)

2.  What has to be done to rob the strong man of his possessions?

(tie him up…bind him)

3.  How can we use this knowledge to fight Satan as we wage our battles with him?

(pray to BIND Satan by Jesus’ name…nothing we can do will bind him, but through Jesus’ power we are empowered to do God’s work of “gathering” v. 30)

"The doctrine of Christ teaches us how to construe his miracles, and when he showed how easily and effectually he could cast the devil out of people’s bodies, he encouraged all believers to hope that, whatever power Satan might usurp and exercise in the souls of men, Christ by his grace would break it: he will spoil him, for it appears that he can bind him." –Matthew Henry Complete Commentary of the Whole Bible

B. Defense

1.  What is the other way to cause the Devil’s plans to fail, alluded to in verse 25?

(to cause division)

2.  How can this also apply to us as individuals?  Ministry team members?

(-when we are not in unity with our family and friends it can cause a foothold for Satan- “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” – Ephesians 4:26-27

-if as leaders we cannot be unified we divide the church body and become ineffective in our ministry “the health and long-term effectiveness of any ministry begins with the health and unity of its primary leadership teams.”- Larry Osborne in Sticky Teams, p. 19)

3. What caused the disunity between people who asked, “Could this be the Son of David?” and the Pharisees who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit (v. 24)?  What was at the heart of the Pharisees?

(Pharisee’s envy-wanting the praise of man and not wanting to lose it to someone else)

“The Pharisees were a sort of men that pretended to more knowledge in, and zeal for, the divine law, than other people; yet they were the most inveterate enemies to Christ and his doctrine. They were proud of the reputation they had among the people; that fed their pride, supported their power, and filled their purses; and when they heard the people say, Is not this the Son of David? they were extremely irritated, more at that than at the miracle itself; this made them jealous of our Lord Jesus, and apprehensive, that as his interest in the people’s esteem increased, theirs must of course be eclipsed and diminished; therefore they envied him, as Saul did his father David, because of what the women sang of him.” –Matthew Henry Complete Commentary of the Whole Bible

4. How seriously does Jesus take unity in verse 30? 

(unity with Him is required  to be saved)

5.  What or with whom should we be unified with?

(we have to be looking out for His interests, His kingdom, and His plans…and His people/bodyàsee when He prays for believers in John 17:20-26)

“but in the great quarrel between Christ and the devil, no peace is to be sought, nor any such favourable construction to be made of any indifference in the matter; he that is not hearty for Christ, will be reckoned with as really against him: he that is cold in the cause, is looked upon as an enemy.” –Matthew Henry Complete Commentary of the Whole Bible

C.  Bottom line:

     Unity with Christ and with His body is essential to spiritual warfare.

(Good description of what this looks like in a ministry team is this: “team members often disagree, but they know how to fight fair.  When the battle of competing ideas is over, they march out and present a united front, setting aside their personal preferences and agendas in light of the greater good and the bigger mission.” –Larry Osborne in Sticky Teams p. 20)

“He that gathereth not with me scattereth. Note, (1.) Christ’s errand into the world was to gather, to gather in his harvest, to gather in those whom the Father had given him, Jn. 11:52 ; Eph. 1:10 . (2.) Christ expects and requires from those who are with him, that they gather with him; that they not only gather to him themselves, but do all they can in their places to gather others to him, and so to strengthen his interest. (3.) Those who will not appear, and act, as furtherers of Christ’s kingdom, will be looked upon, and dealt with, as hinderers of it; if

we gather not with Christ, we scatter; it is not enough, not to do hurt, but we must do good.” –Matthew Henry Complete Commentary of the Whole Bible

Verses for Study

Matthew 12:22-32

22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub,[d] the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

   29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.

   30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

NOTE: Blasphemy= an indignity offered to God by words or writing; reproachful, irreverent words uttered impiously against God- Noah Webster; a sin immediately touching God’s name and honour- Matthew Henry

John 17

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

   24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

   25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” 

Ministry Leadership Discussion Series- Engaging People

This is part of a series of discussions that can be used for study among ministry leaders or small groups.

Engaging People

1.  What does “engage” mean?

2.  In this passage, in what means of spiritual growth are we to engage people? (all good deeds; urgent and specified needs)

3. What verbs are associated with “engage”? (to be careful to, learn to)

4.  What are the implications of these verbs? (easy to not do, not in our nature-have to be taught)

5. Why should people engage? (to lead profitable lives for others, to be fruitful)

6.  What does “engage” mean? (after verses; see Greek meaning)

7.  How should we get others to engage? (sharing the Gospel, giving them needs to meet---hence loving requires humility and engaging requires boldness)

Scripture Passage: Titus 3:4-8, 13-14 (NASB)

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. 14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.

Note:

Engage - 4291b “proistemi”- to put before, to set over, to rule (engage, rule, have charge over, leads, manage)  Comes from 4253 “pro”- before & 2476 “histemi” (from “sta”) - to make to stand.

Ministry Leadership Discussion Series- Loving People

This is part of a series of discussions that can be used for study among ministry leaders or small groups.

Loving People

1. What is love?
2. Where does love come from?
3. Why do we love?
4. How do we show love?
5. Can love and humility exist independently of one another? Why or why not?


Love Verses
NIV, 1984


1 John 4:9-12
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.


1 John 5:2-4
2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.


Philippians 2:1-3
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.


Colossians 3:12-14, 17
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


Ezekiel 16:49
 49 Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.


Philippians 2:5-7
 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.


Proverbs 11:2
 2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.


James 3:17
 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 

When Does Love Come?

A poem that reflects coming to Christ, His meeting our need in overabundance

 so that we can love others  to Christ.

Love comes from deep within

An understanding of our weakness

A revelation of our dependence

A conviction of our need.

Love comes flowing from above

            Pouring in strength

Dripping with satisfaction         

            Resting in contentment.

Love comes running over the edges

            Entering words of encouragement

            Sent out in trusting prayers

            Streaming compassion into understanding.

Love comes flowing from above

            Pouring in strength

Dripping with satisfaction         

            Resting in contentment.

Valentine's Pain

On Valentine’s Day, I was cutting the flower stems of some beautiful flowers my husband gave me as a symbol of his love and devotion.  As I was making a snip to the gorgeous fuchsias, deep purples and lively reds, I overcut and snipped my finger with the scissors!  It left a very bloody, deep, v-shaped cut.  It was then that I saw the other injury of the day – a burn from the oven.  I had been taking out cinnamon rolls from the oven that I had made special for my family for their breakfast.  It was then that it hit me that love hurts! The brown burn on my thumb reminded me that when I love others, it can be painful.  The now-bandaged cut on the opposing hand reminded me that when someone else is loving me, it costs them too and can cut them very deeply because of my sinful nature.

I praise God for the wonderful, yet somewhat painful, Valentine’s Day I had.  I praise Him for reminding me what true love can look like.  I praise Him for sending others into my life to love me despite the pain I may cause them, namely Jesus my Savior. And I pray that I am willing to truly love others the way I want to be loved.

How are Faith and Works Related?

“You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.” – James 2:22

Faith and works have such an intimate relationship in the Christian life.  They are inseparable and like marriage the two become one.  They interweave themselves together with the purpose of being fruitful and multiplying, producing more Christian offspring. 

Do you suppose faith is like man?  Like Adam being made the first of mankind, so faith appears first in God’s creation of our new lives in Christ.  We must have faith that only Jesus, God’s provision and way, can connect us with the holy and perfect God.  We can do absolutely nothing to earn a place in heaven.   As man was created as the last creature adding spiritual life to the world, so faith adds spiritual life to us.  Our deadness is cast aside and we are made alive.  Adam was given the job of stewarding God’s world, as well as being the head of the soon-to-come family.  Do you suppose our faith has the responsibility to steward and keep charge of our works, preventing self-righteous and empty ambitions?

Do you suppose work is like a woman?  Like Eve was created after the man, so works appear after faith.  Our gift of redemption and faith in a forgiving and loving God, causes us to live a life of gratitude.  We live wanting to please God and yet recognize that we ourselves still can’t do anything on our own.  Any good, even after faith, is due to God working in our life.  As woman was created as the crown of creation adding beauty, so works crown our faith.  Works beautify this world and show God’s faithful hand and caring touch.  Eve was given the job of helper-completer and life-giver as she submitted to her head, Adam.  Do you suppose our works complete and give life to our faith?  Do you suppose that keeping our works submitted to our faith keeps them from being selfish and aimless? 

Faith and works have a holy bond.  May we keep them in perspective and offer them to our Savior as a sweet offering.

Is Stress the Same as Worry?

Based on the definition of worry my small group came up with (“being anxious about something out of our control”), I would say I worry, but usually can identify it and turn it over to God.  In general, I haven’t felt like it has been a significant problem for me.  I was challenged, though, by others’ thinking when they said stress and worry are synonymous, because I certainly feel stress in my life.  I have always viewed it like the engineering term I learned in school.  It is based on the load or force bearing on an object.  I very often feel like my load is heavy and thus feel stress, but have not necessarily felt “worried”.  When I brought this before God, he showed me that stress is also a form of worry for me.  He showed me that I feel stressed because I am “worried” about doing things on my own.  I am not always asking God to help carry me through the details of life.  I don’t want to disappoint Him with the things He has given me to do, so my worry comes from a fear of letting God down.  This worry stems from me trying to DO something for God.  What God showed me is that in my definition of stress, I was forgetting the basic equation.  Stress is defined specifically as the load divided by the area the load is applied to (Stress= force/area for those of you who love math J).  Meaning, the larger the area a load is applied to, the less stress there is.  (This is why snowshoes work so well!)  God showed me that when I limit my actions to myself and what I can do, the stress is high because the “area” is only what I can humanly do.  However, when I factor God into the equation, he multiplies my area and thus decreases the stress.  In essence, we become a team. 

He showed me a very practical way to include him in the equation in my daily life.  He showed me that if he calls me to multiple tasks, he will manage one task while I have to set it aside to work on the other tasks.  Yesterday I was actually able to see it in a small way.  I had lasagna meat cooking on the stove and my son got his foot caught in a folding chair.  I was at first torn about burning the food or helping him.  (I know it sounds silly.)  I trusted God to watch the food while I made my son the priority.  I came back to food that was not burned.  What I realized in this silly example is that we can and should call on Him in the little things so that we can accomplish more for His kingdom, address the real priorities in life, and find peace in the middle of chaotic human life.  What I realized is that I don’t work alongside God enough.  Instead, I have been working for God.

I think this principle also allows us to do the impossible, when the world says it is not possible.  Remember in the Old Testament in 2 Kings (chpt. 6) when Elisha’s servant wakes up to a house surrounded by army men?  He says, “What shall we do?”  Prophet Elisha prays, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.”  Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  I guess I live short-sighted, like the servant, more than I realized.  Instead, I want to always see God’s presence around me so that I am always living in victory.  I want to work alongside God as His partner, rather than for Him as his servant.  This is part of the mystery of His grace that I do not feel worthy of, but must reach out and grab it to live the life God called me to.

            The Lord reminded me of the Prayer of Jabez which asks God to “enlarge my territory.”  I am now challenged to refine this prayer for myself to “enlarge my vision of you, Lord, and your presence in all things in my life.”

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:29-30

Keeping Our Nose to the Holy Grindstone

As I read the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 12:11-31) this is what struck me…

Once we were lost, but now we are found.  Once we were the prodigal son that returned home.  God celebrated with the angels over us.  But now that we are “home” we must be the brother that stays and works steadfastly.  As we render ourselves to Him faithfully and obediently, he will say to us as He did to the son at home, “You are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”(v. 31)  Wow!  What a friend we have in Jesus and a treasure we find when we seek Him with all our might.  Even if we don’t see the rewards today, it is coming because He has given us the Holy Spirit as a promise of better things to come.  Until then, may we always remember that He is with us and that everything He has… peace, love, joy, hope… are all ours in full measure, pressed down and running over.

May we be found not wanting with our nose to the Holy grindstone as a thank you for His giant mercy upon us.

Peace be with you

As I was reading the end of Luke, I noticed 23:12 which says, “That day Herod and Pilate became friends-before this they had been enemies.”  I kept asking myself, “Why did they become friends?” and “Why is this even in here?”  I was finally struck with the thought that Jesus was their focus.  They were sharing a common situation.  Regardless of the fact that they didn’t free Jesus, they both thought he was interesting and innocent.  They were both faced with the decision of what to do with Jesus.  In there dilemma, they found camaraderie and peace. 

When Jesus is our focus, he brings peace.  He himself said, “Peace be with you” to the disciples in 24:36.  He also says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”  Unbeknownst to Pilate and Herod, Jesus gifted them with peace just by his mere presence before them.  If He does this for them, the ones who sent him to be condemned, just think of how much more He will give us, His children.

I am thankful that He gives us peace not only in relationships, but in all things. 

I'm tired. Will I Ever Get Some Rest?

When I stop and really think about the responsibilities of parenting, I can feel a bit overwhelmed.  When I stop to think about all that it entails and what I am supposed to be teaching my children so they become God fearing children, I realize the task is quite daunting.  Add to this my growing responsibilities in church leadership and other roles, and I can feel like I am running after instead of leading my life.  I hate this feeling.  It is exhausting.  Sometimes there is the temptation to shut down and do nothing at all.  Although, I do need times of rest and recovery to stay healthy and sane, I have realized that it is just a season in my life that I must push through.  Recently, God has shown me some cool things in my daily quiet times that have helped me and encouraged me through this time in my life.

(1)    God will get us to the other side.  The Daily Walk Bible puts it this way when talking about the instance when the disciples are on a boat in a storm and Jesus is sleeping.  “After pushing away from the shore, Jesus fell asleep…just as a storm exploded in full fury.  Twelve frightened men rushed to the Savior and exclaimed in unison, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38). Now go back and reread verse 35.  What was it Christ had said to his disciples just before entering the boat? “Let us go to the middle of the lake and drown”?  Of course not! “Let us go over to the other side.”  …Remember, Christ intends to take you to the other side safe and secure and not let you drown.”

     

      For me, this indicates that no matter how stormy the sea may seem, if it is what He has called me to, then He will get me through it and to the other side.  In fact, if I ask him, He may even calm things down.

(2)    God’s rest may be different than we think.  I was reading about another instance of the disciples on the water.  They had just finished ministering to the surrounding areas in groups of twos- healing the sick, teaching and driving out evil spirits.  They came back to Jesus and were exhausted.  They didn’t even get to eat because of the large group of followers that had surrounded them.  Jesus said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)  Then they get in a boat and try to go to a solitary place and behold there is a huge group and Jesus has compassion on them.  So he teaches them and then performs the “feeding of 5000” miracle.  Some rest the disciples got!!!  They just got back from exhausting trips and now they are serving food to over 5000 people!!  So, I asked myself, did they ever find rest?  I am not sure I have the answer.  But three things struck me while meditating on it.  One, their rest could have been the quiet time just with Jesus on the boat.  Sometimes that is all we need to field the next big thing in life.  Even if we just get a quiet moment for a quick prayer, a small earful of an encouraging song, a memory verse come to mind at the time when we desperately need it, it is amazing how uplifted and “rested” we can feel.  Two, perhaps they found some rest in the fact that they were simply following Jesus and not  leading and making decisions like they had been.  Isn’t it fascinating that when we follow God it can free us up from so many stresses and worries and it can seem like rest?  Lastly, it reminded me that we have limited time here on earth and we need to continue to work hard at having compassion and building Christ’s kingdom.  Just when they thought they were going to have a break, they ended up serving (a TON of people-try being a waiter for over 500 people!).  They followed God’s plan, not their nap schedules.  Their spirits were willing, but their bodies were weak (Matthew 26:41).  However, the disciples followed His command obediently and pushed on. 

      For me, this means that God will provide the rest I need, but that may not necessarily be the rest my human body wants.  I need to keep following Him and pressing on so I can maximize the relatively small time I have here on earth (when compared to eternity).  For me it brings a new depth to the Romans 12:1 verse, “…offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” and to I Corinthians 9:27, “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”