Monday, December 28, 2009

Letting-go Resolution

It is again time for New Year’s resolutions. While some might dread this, I love the thought of new beginnings! As a child, I looked forward to buying new pencils, notebooks and paper when school began because I just knew this was the year I was going to actually “get” math! This weekend I did my yearly cleaning out of my closet and dresser drawers and now I find myself opening the closet doors often just to see how neat it is! Newness and freshness is what most of us look forward to this time of the year so we tend to make decisions to start a diet, exercise, complain less, pray more or get closer to God… You can add your own desire! We start well but most of us barely make it past January 15th! I have been thinking about this and I had an epiphany. Perhaps we cannot keep our resolutions because we are holding on to something in the past! A love for food or unhealthy habits overtakes our resolve to do better! It is like being tied to a wall by a huge rubber band…we try to go forward…and can for a little while, but eventually we will snap right back to where we were! What can we do?

The Bible talks a great deal about letting go and going forward. I guess the most dramatic incident happened to Lot’s wife as she was escaping the doom of Sodom…something inside her would not allow a complete letting go, so she looked back and turned into a pillar of salt! (Genesis 19:15-26) When we hold on to things that are harmful, obviously the results are going to be dire. We often are hurt but others might be hurt as well. In this incident a family was left without a mother and there were horrible results for the whole nation of Israel!! The choice Lot’s wife made was her choice and the hope of a new life was thwarted by not letting go of things in her past.

Another choice was given in I Kings 19:19-21. Even those who want to follow God with all their hearts are not immune to the desire to hold on to things they think are important…as in the story of Elisha and Elijah. The difference between Lot’s wife and Elisha is that Elisha wanted to follow God more than to hold onto the things from which he drew comfort…job, family, and routine. That spoke worlds to me. The things Elisha wanted to hold onto were not bad things but they kept him from going forward.

So what can we learn from this? First of all, admit that there are things that are holding us back from becoming all of what God wants. We must decide to cut that rubber band and go forward with no holding on. Let go of yesterday…good or bad. I know people who still want to live in high school or college…reliving that touchdown or that academic accolade because that was when they felt life was best! (Was it???) Others are stuck in sadness…a death, a broken relationship…and have become bitter and angry…they are not willing to give life another chance! They have found an unhealthy comfort from this “pit of despair.” Then there are habits that have become a part of our lives…like complaining, negative thoughts, laziness and the list goes on. You can fill in the blank from your own life but if you want to move forward in victory, you must make a decision to cut away and let go of things that are keeping you from making your resolutions a reality.

God has promised us the strength to do what He has called us to do but we must take hold of that promise and quit making excuses for not living in victory. Our resolutions can become reality but we must “press on toward the goal to win the prize.”(Phil. 3: 14) Pressing on means pushing…an intentional decision to go forward. Paul began this statement with the words, “Forgetting (Letting go) of what is behind straining toward what is ahead!” So, before you make any resolution this week, first decide what needs to go...clean out that closet and those drawers of your life and you will find yourself opening the door waiting to see what God has prepared for you that is fresh and new! Happy New Year!!!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Mary Christmas (part 3)

As we end this three part series of the Mary’s in Jesus life, we come to Mary Magdalene a woman whose past is only mentioned once (and then only in passing) in Luke 8:1-2, for I believe her past was not as important as her future! (The same is true with us…God is more concerned with our future…He doesn’t dwell on our pasts.)

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out…

There it was…she was a woman who was completely bound by demons and Jesus had released her. She had been freed from whatever had been controlling her and she could do nothing less than follow Jesus, helping to support Him and His disciples out of her own means. To clear up some misconceptions, this was not the woman who was caught in adultery or even the prostitute at Simon’s home…those women were never named. This Mary was a wealthy woman of the area who had “issues” of being controlled by something externally. She had discovered that her wealth could not bring her freedom from the demons of life…only Jesus could. Once freed, she spent the rest of her life following and ministering to Him. She was there through the good times and the bad….at the healings and miracles, at the trial, at the cross, and finally, at the tomb. I am sure she thought it was over as far as the ministry was concerned but her love for the “teacher” went beyond what He could do for her…it had become what she could do for Him.

Oh, from what has God delivered you? I know He has given me absolute freedom from the many things that had controlled me for most of my life. I wish I had time to tell you of my freedom in detail but know that I can do no less than praise Him for all of it! I consider it a privilege to follow Him wherever He leads. We can be bound by many things…but there is no doubt that He wants us to be free!!

Mary’s “rest of the story” is found in John 20:10-18. Her faithfulness was rewarded by a most wonderful privilege-to hear her name spoken by the risen Lord and to be the first to see Him in His resurrected body. She was overwhelmed by seeing this resurrected Jesus, and wanted to stay in that state of wonder so Jesus’ warning “to not hold on to Him” was similar to the statement God made to Peter on the Mt. of Transfiguration…to get to the work of being a disciple...later you will dwell with Him completely but now you must tell others. Jesus told her to, “go and tell the brothers.”

In order to be prepared for this season we also must first see the LORD and tell others that you have seen Him. What are you telling? Perhaps what we bought, who is coming and sometimes about the baby born in Bethlehem, the Shepherds, and the angel’s rejoicing are our glad tidings. While this is good and necessary, how many of us will include our personal encounter with Christ---when the LORD showed up and spoke our names? The angels rejoiced then, too! So, this Christmas we must tell the brothers (and sisters) about the Living Christ.

I know most of you are finished decorating but may I suggest a three more decorations?

◊ A magnifying glass to remember to magnify the Lord.
◊ A pillow to remind us to rest at His feet in worship
◊ A megaphone to remind us to tell the Good News of our own freedom story because of Christ.

Please, do not under any circumstance go into this season without knowledge of who this season is about. Ask Him to be more to you than a baby in a manger! If there is a coldness in your heart reconnect to Him now and do whatever business you need to do so your hearts and homes will be prepared for this CHRISTmas season.

Mary Christmas! May you have a wonderful New Year!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Mary Christmas (part 2)

The next Mary in or three part series of Mary Christmas is Mary of Bethany which will be found in Luke 10:38-42.

This story is very familiar to most of us type “A” people. To set the stage it is about two sisters who were cooking for a big bunch of men including Jesus. Hard work for two but when one sits down and leaves all the work for the other, sparks are going to fly. Most of us know the story but the last time I read it I noticed something I had not noticed before: Let’s re-read verses 38-39:

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman NAMED Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister CALLED Mary….

Did you catch that? A woman named Martha had a sister called Mary. I looked at that verse in several versions and they all said the same thing. Everywhere a person is mentioned in the Bible it says their name was…but here it says she was “called” Mary. There must have been a reason and so I looked up the definition of the name Mary. There were four definitions: 1. One who is loved by God. 2. Plump one! 3. Long-awaited child. 4. Rabbi’s understood it to mean “bitter.” So, why was she called Mary? Could it be that she was called bitter? We don’t know but we do know that she was single living with her sister and brother. Did she ever have a husband? Was he dead? Was she jilted? Was she angry at the lot of her life? We don’t know. But if we surmised that she was called “bitter” how would that enhance the story?

Many of us enter this season with great bitterness in our hearts. The reasons vary. Perhaps a loved one is no longer here to celebrate with you for one reason or another. Divorce or death entered you life and so you have divorced yourself from the celebration. Perhaps there is a great hurt in life from which it appears there is no way of forgiving. Whatever it is, you enter this season with bitterness in your heart. You see the laughing faces of others and find yourself angry, envious, or depressed. Could it be this was the way Mary of Bethany came to Jesus? Maybe tired of the pain, she saw an opportunity to be free and sat His feet drinking in everything that He had to say! She brought all of her hurt and bitterness and laid them at His feet. In that very act of sitting there she saw the Master and fell in love with Him resulting into her bitterness being replaced with peace and joy. As Martha complained to Jesus about Mary’s lack of helping, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one things is needed. Mary (I believe it was now definition #1) has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” Martha also had “issues” but chose to “do stuff” instead of admitting her true need. This season, we can choose to admit our need or get really busy and avoid it. What had Mary chosen? Oh she chose to admit! Simply put, she put all of her bitterness at the feet of Jesus and He took care of them.

Dear one, are you entering this season with bitterness? I suggest that before you go a step further in preparing to choose what is best, and sit at His feet until all the bitterness is taken away. Oh, rest at His feet this season.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Mary Christmas (a series of three)

In my hometown there was a girl whose name was Mary. While that was not unusual, her last name happened to be Christmas! I am sure her parents thought it was cute at the time! I often thought how horrible it would to be named Mary Christmas. What would her mother do when she got angry? Yell, “Mary Christmas!!!!” We laugh but then I begin to think how more and more we have begun to do the same thing with Christmas. We have become so full of “things to do” and “stuff to get” that many of us are yelling, Merry Christmas to each other. A simple look at the faces of those in the mall or my favorite place, Wal-Mart, is evidence of this. Last Christmas, I made a concerted effort to smile at people as I shopped. You would not believe the angry looks I got in return, Christmas glad tidings? I think not!

I began to think of the name “Mary” again and God led me to look at the Mary’s in Jesus’ life as He walked this earth. What could I learn from them? How would they treat Christmas? With that thought, I want to share a three-part series I call the “Mary Christmas” lesson, or how to bring Christ into our hearts and homes this holiday season.

Luke 1: 46-48

The very first Mary in Jesus life was His mother. Who was this woman? We know very little about her other than the fact that she was a virgin, and that she had found favor with God. History indicates that she was a good Jewish girl, from a good Jewish family. They lived in a little town and probably didn’t own many worldly goods. In short, she was a “nobody” whom God chose to do an incredible thing. Some of you are thinking you are just a “nobody.” You have quietly served God all these years and you are just living out the years. Oh, listen to the lesson of this Mary. God wants to do an incredible work in your life if only you do one thing! What did this Mary do?

My soul glorifies (in KJV it is magnifies) the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant!

Friend, the first thing we need to do this season is to “Magnify the Lord” through all we do. There is a tendency to put Him on the back burner while we are making the gravies and sauces for our dinners but to have a true Christmas He must be bigger than life. One year as I was decorating for Christmas…BTW a task I hated and dreaded every year---I put on some music to get me in the mood. I couldn’t find any Christmas music so I settled for a Praise and Worship CD. Paul Baloche sang as I halfway listened, reluctantly hanging garland on one of the fireplace mantles. All of a sudden I clearly heard the words of one of the songs in a way I had never listened before. The words were:

You are the One, You are Holy.
You are the One. You are Worthy.
You are the One.
You are the One I will worship….
You are the one.


I fell on my knees with tears streaming down my face at my sin of thinking this was all about me and all that I had to do. This was a time of remembering HIS birth, which resulted in MY salvation. Oh, when I got up, I began decorating with a new vigor. With every decoration I realized HE was the ONE!!

Oh, this Christmas with all your heart, Magnify the Lord…for He is the One.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Perspective

I have been reading, Andy Andrews, an author who is new to me…He is not a “Christian” author but his works are definitely Christian. In his book, The Noticer, the overall theme is perspective. This idea, although not new, has been thought-provoking in this season of my life. What is perspective? I guess it is best described by the story of a fly that lighted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Glancing at the crowds who were amazed by the ceiling’s beauty, the fly looked at what he could see from his vantage point and said, “They all came for this?” The fly could only see one tiny part of one minuscule brushstroke in the millions upon millions that make up the entire ceiling. His perspective was indeed limited.

I have been thinking about this since before Thanksgiving. What we focus on, brings our own perspective to situations. If we focus on what we don’t have, our perspective will be bleak and we will become depressed. However, if we focus upon the things we do have the perspective changes! Some examples: “Oh, no, I have to go back to work!” vs. “I am so glad I have a job in this economy!” You get the idea…but what about the whole of life? Perhaps you are going through a very difficult time…how do you get proper perspective? For the Christian, it is called faith! Often we are like flies on ceilings wondering what is going on, when all along God is working out a great plan in our lives or the lives of those we love. We can’t see the whole picture but we have to trust that it looks better from far away than it does in the midst of it! I can give lots of testimony that that is true in my life…once I stepped away from the situation, I could see the bigger picture.

A great example was while in college, I knew I had met the man of my dreams. Plans to marry were made and life was great when all of a sudden the relationship ended…and not well. I became distraught and angry. “Why would God take this person away from me for we had such a great ministry ahead?” I could only see my pain and my will. These long years later, I see clearly that God truly knew what He was doing…(thank God for unanswered prayers!) My perspective changed…I saw more of the picture and because of that (and countless other examples) I have learned that God is trustworthy. Samuel called this his Ebenezer! (I Samuel 7:12-13) He was in a fierce battle with a familiar enemy of God’s people…the Philistines. He wasn’t sure about what the future would hold for him but He knew God was in control! To show his faith, Samuel lifted a large stone, naming it “Ebenezer” which means, “Thus far the LORD helped us!” He didn’t know what was to come but “thus far” and God never changes!!

That is what I have been reflecting upon, as things in life change. “Thus far, God has been faithful,” has become my perspective. Disease enters? Thus far! Child rebels? Thus far! Job loss? Thus far! Friend, I have been on this journey long enough to know that when our perspective remains upon God’s mighty power and everlasting love for us, that we can make it! I challenge you today to remember a powerful victory God has given you in the past, find a stone, label the victory on the stone and call it your Ebenezer! I can assure you that your perspective to the situation you currently are in will change.

I love each of you so much! Focus on Him and let your perspective be, “thus far!”

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Pit of Perfection

I have not blogged in awhile…not because I didn’t want to but I had a fall. I fell into a pit. Perhaps you will understand for you have fallen into pits like this before, too. These pits sneak up on us. One day we are walking around, things are fine, and then there is a hole and we fall in. My particular pit was a familiar one and a dangerous one. It was a pit of “I am not good enough…” Perhaps you have had that kind of fall, too, for like the potholes in Jackson, these pits are everywhere--especially on the streets we travel most. May I suggest this is satan’s biggest weapon for “pits” tend to render us useless.

I need not go into the details of what caused my fall, but it took longer to get myself out this time. Feelings of inadequacy grew from thinking I wasn’t a good teacher to I am not a good person. “Who would ever want to be around me?” became my constant thought. This pit was not a good place to be, let me tell you!! I was not really depressed, just paralyzed in doing what I knew I needed to do. I was trapped…in bondage with chains I had put on myself.

Now, why would I share this with you? After all, I am supposed to encourage and tell you about Christ’s victorious life, aren’t I? That is exactly why I am telling you this…you see I am no longer in that pit and I want you to know how I escaped just in case you are in a similar pit right now.

While I was being all “pit-a-full” I refused to go to Christ for help. Sound familiar? satan had convinced me that God would never want to use me anymore because I was so worthless. This was the trap satan has always used… I can’t believe I fell for this lie again. I thought I knew better! I did not eat of the Word of God and soon found myself starving and willing to eat the lies of the deceiver. Dangerous place! This could have been where the story ends…BUT GOD.

When God can’t reach us the easy ways, He tries creative ways to get to us. My granddaughter, who is 10, quoted her “favorite” scripture to me…Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” She was merely trying to impress me with her memorization, but God wanted to remind me of some very important things:

• I wasn’t good…but God is great…and God is good and He loves me with an ever-lasting love. My only goodness is from Him. Jesus even said to the people to whom he preached, “Why do you call me good…there is no one good except my Father who is in Heaven.” My significance both here and beyond, is in Him…what a wonderful place to be.
• Nothing I do makes Him love me any more or any less. I can do nothing that would cause Christ’s love to be taken away from me. His grace is sufficient for my every need but also for my every failing. It is a gift and not just at salvation but throughout my life.
• He has called me (and you) for a purpose while we are on this earth. It was upon this point that I really needed to dwell. I knew he called me but I had been coasting for a while, doing this “call” on my own…in my own wisdom. (insert hysterical laughter here!) What I had forgotten was what my granddaughter reminded me…it is Christ doing it…not me! If I am to do this thing right, I must immerse myself in His word and depend on His strength. When I do that, the situations and feeling really do change!
• I don’t need to dwell in the pit! There is an escape…and Christ’s strength is the only way.

So, what has changed? Did the situation change? Nope! What caused the fall is still stalking me. What changed was my focus. I chose to look to Christ instead of my circumstances. I used that word “chose” because it is a choice. You, dear one, can choose to stay in the pit…you can even put up curtains with a recliner…but there will be no light and no rest…for it is a pit, and a pit is dark and uncomfortable.

I am back with a vengeance to help others escape despair. Honestly, I had forgotten what it was like to be down, but now I remember…I know how some of you are feeling…I know how hard life can be…but I also know who God is and I know His Word says, “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Is. 40:31 I have never seen an eagle in a pit!! Praise His Name!!!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Pick Me! Pick Me!!

I am a grown woman with a college degree, seminary, two wonderful adult children, 3 precious grandchildren, and a great husband! Because of Christ, I have had a very good life so what could go wrong? Well, I was reminded this week of how cruel people are and memories of 5th grade came rushing back to my mind!!

I was always taller than anyone else in my class (I still am.) Being tall and lanky also caused me to be a little clumsy so during recess when people were choosing teams for kickball, I was nearly always last in the picking. You all know that feeling. We would go home and cry and our moms would tell us how beautiful and talented we were and that “those people” were just jealous of us! Great words but it never worked did it? The fact that we were not good enough for that special group, for some, left a lasting mark. We often grow out of it and live a fairly normal life until something comes along to remind us of that memory.

That reminder happened twice this week in our household! It didn’t happen to me but to two people I love very much and through them I have re-lived every single moment of the pain I had in the 5th grade. While my rejection happened at school, my loved ones’ rejection happened at a place where rejection should never happen…at church. I will get over this and so will my loved ones but it made me wonder about what we as the church are doing in the world.

I recently read the book, Un-Christian, and thought the authors were way off base ---until this week. The fact is, humans have a need to be accepted and will go wherever that will happen. Psychologists say that is why gangs are so popular among youth…in gangs they are accepted and the members will do whatever it takes to remain a part of the group that accepted them. The world is looking for somewhere to be “picked!” The local church should be that place but is it? Reality is I am accepted in my church and so I assume everyone else who comes is, but this past week I realized that is not the case and perhaps the words in Un-Christian is more accurate than I would like to believe. These incidents happened and I became aware of my own apathy in relating to those who are not in my group of friends!

Jesus saw this attitude as we are told of his encounter with a woman who was not “picked” by those who were a part of the “in crowd”. We call her “the woman at the well” but I often wonder about the other women...you know, the ones who came early and shunned her because she was “one of those women!” Perhaps they felt superior to her and rolled their eyes or giggled as she walked by. Or maybe even worse, they never even noticed her. Oh, she saw them-- maybe watching their conversations wishing she could participate…but she knew it would never happen because she was not good enough…they would never pick her. But on this day things were going to change. Jesus saw her, looked at her, talked to her, and picked her!! He didn’t ignore her sin but He did give her hope that things could be better. The best part of this is that she was given dignity…so much that she had the courage to face the “other women” and brought them to the very person who changed her life.

That is Christ’s legacy to His church and I am afraid we are more like those shunning women rather than those offering hope. Make no mistake, we all have the capacity to become part of the special clique! We also, however, have the capacity to offer hope and dignity to those who so much want to belong but in order to do that, we must look at others through the eyes of Jesus. We must be willing to step out of our comfort zone and take some risks! It may be hard but the results just might cause revival!

Things will eventually settle down in my home; hurt feelings will be healed and I pray I will show compassion to those who were compassionless for that is what Jesus has called us to do---after all, I once was “that woman” but Jesus “picked” me and offered me hope and life! He can do the same for you and through you.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Focus

I don't like doctors! Nothing personal, I just don't like them. They probe, say little, then give you a bill and maybe some medicine. They really don't want to have conversations with you because they are focused on one thing: getting to the root of what is wrong. Many others share in this dislike of the medical profession so I don't feel alone. I, however,also hate going to the eye doctor to get new glasses. Whoa, now I admit that is weird. You might think I don't like the dilating of the eyes? No, that is cool and the glasses you get to wear are great fashion statements! No, what I don't like is having to make a decision about, "Which is better, This or This?" Arghhh! Pressure. My decision at that moment will last for at least a year...what if I make a wrong choice? I will have to live with it.

It is much like life. Each day God says, "Which is better, this or this?" We are given a choice of upon what we will focus...the negative or the positive. I love being on Facebook but many times status updates are gripes about the silliest things...a choice to focus on the negative and in doing so are setting a foundation for the rest of the day. I am as guilty as anyone about focusing on the half-empty glass! It's easier to do and doesn't require anything other than settling for the way things appear. It is like going to the eye doctor and telling him/her, "I don't see very well out of these glasses but I don't I don't want new ones" and then complaining how blurry everything is!! I remember a story about a construction worker who for an entire week complained loudly about having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in his lunch box. He would complain loudly, "I hate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!" The other workers finally asked him why he didn't just tell his wife to make another kind of sandwich to which he answered, "Oh, I make my own lunches!"

We make our own lunches, too! We get to choose how we respond to the situations in life. Choice "one" is to complain resulting in making yourself and everyone around you miserable! Choice "two" is to focus on anything in the situation that might be positive. That is the harder choice but it is like getting new lenses for the day! This is not just a bunch of happy thought or mind control as many think...it is about where we are going to invest our lives! We were given a model of this kind of living. Hebrews 12:2 says this: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Did you see that? Jesus set joy before Him on His journey which allowed Him to endure all that was going on around Him. Choosing to focus on the positive allows us to endure. I know there are some horrible situations in today's world but when we focus on our faith...it will be perfected. When we focus on where this road is leading...we will endure.

So, which is better? This? (headache, finances, mean people, sickness, government, etc.) or This? (God is in control, He loves me, I am blessed because I am His) Your answer will determine what your day will be! Today, I choose to look toward the joy set before me!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

I'm not Apathetic...I just don't care!

Not often will I put something someone else said on my blog but today I was extremely convicted of my apathy toward a lost world who needs Jesus. Perhaps this writing was just for me...but you might be in need of some reality, as well. Have a blessed day in the LORD friends.
cyndi




What Will You Do?

I love history, especially the tales of small groups of resistance fighters facing great odds or serious obstacles. As a child I grew up with many memories and impressions of World War II. My father served in the Royal Air Force and my mother told me stories of the bombing of the shipyards in Clydebank (Glasgow). I can well remember the strange emotions that arose from imagining "enemy" planes above seeking to bomb us (nice, innocent, sweet Scots) out of house and home. It instilled a sense of awe, but also raised the question: What kind of a world is this where we do such things to one another?

As an adult, I have since travelled to many sites of historical import and have spoken with many old soldiers and service personnel who lived through it all. Perhaps no tale grabs a British heart as much as that of the "Battle of Britain." In the summer of 1940, France and Belgium had been overrun; the British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from Dunkirk, leaving behind all the weapons and heavy equipment. All that stood between invasion and the Nazi onslaught was the English Channel and the pilots and fighter planes of the Royal Air Force.

Alex Kershaw, an American writer, has documented how several young Americans were willing to lose their citizenship and risk their lives to volunteer as pilots. In his book, The Few, Kershaw adds to the rich literature of this dark yet heroic time, giving lots of wonderful insight and detail on these young Americans who were almost all killed in the fierce battles that raged over Southern England and the cold, unwelcoming waters of the channel.

I am deeply grateful to those who gave their lives for our freedom. I am also deeply inspired by the sense of vision, courage, and commitment that called so many into action. To me, this offers parallels for the life of faith.

When surveying the challenges that face the gospel and the church in our time, we might ask: How are Christians doing in answering the call Christ outlined?(1) The sheer complexity of culture with all its diversity, its issues, and its needs demands a fresh sense of urgency, passion, skill, and vision. Globally, we see the rise of an increasingly mobile professional population, many of whom are open to spiritual reflection and the deeper things of life. How will they be reached? Who will go? What kind of preparation, cost, and skill will it take?

In 1 Corinthians 9:22, the apostle Paul testifies to just how willing he was to bear the price, what he was willing to do to adapt, and how serious the whole experience was to him. From the stunning confrontation on the road to Damascus to his subsequent boldness in mission, something happened. The apostle was not merely persuaded of the truth of one position over another, though that indeed happened. He was not simply overwhelmed by the good examples of the Christians and their persuasive morality, though this too may have played some part. Rather, he was "gripped" by an encounter with a Person that reframed reality, unsettled his existing world, and called him to a life of service, focus, and action.

I know it's easy to romanticize such people or such events. However, in this case, I believe there is adequate historical testimony to compel us to reflect personally on the nature and demands of the gospel, the centrality of Christ, and the call to mission. For Paul's life was turned around simply because he encountered the truth as a person, as Christ. Having said this, taking up this truth takes courage, demands a response, and is intensely personal.

Shortly after what turned out to be one of the greatest days of aerial combat during the Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill was on his way home, feeling stunned by the efforts of the young pilots and overwhelmed by their commitment. In his own inimitable way he said, "Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few." Churchill's moving words are a rich tribute to those who gave their all that others might live.

The Scriptures remind us of a time when all will face the Lord who has given even more, and all we have done with our lives will stand with us before him. Might we all hear those wonderful words: "Well done, good and faithful servant."


Stuart McAllister is vice president of training and special projects at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

The Cover of Darkness

I grew up in the Air Force. We actually lived on a SAC base where there were often practice “alerts” and drills to prepare for a possible attack from whatever enemy might be lurking about. During these drills, the one thing I remember having to do was to lower the blinds and turn out all the lights until the room was a dark as it could be. We had to sit in this darkness until the drill was over and while we were not in any real danger, to a small child it felt real. The only thing that made me feel safe was my daddy who constantly told me this would not last for long…it was just for a time. Through this I learned, however, that darkness was not always a bad thing…darkness could be protection from whatever might be out to hurt me.

While we as Christians are to live in the Light, that doesn’t mean that there will not be times of darkness in our lives. We live in a fallen world and to think that we alone will escape is to not live in reality. Jesus Himself said, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world!” John 16:33…at least that is the part we usually quote…let’s look at the whole verse: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world. Jesus had just told his disciples about some of the terrible things they would be experiencing after he left but He left them with hope. His disciples all suffered greatly…As the church was established many suffered. The thought that we should be immune from trouble is not to be found in the word of God. Darkness will come.

I was reading Job the other day and found myself glibly reacting to all Job was going through. It bothered me until I realized that I could read this matter-of-factly because I had read the ending…it ended better than it started. But Job didn’t know the ending…he lived through death, financial disaster, illness and loss of friendship not understanding why. Although, he questioned God, he never turned from God. His statement was, “I know my Redeemer lives!!!” (Job 19:25) His faith unwavering even though he didn’t know.

During the drills when I was a child, I didn’t really know what was going on, but I felt safe for I was with one who did…He knew when it was going to end and that I would be okay. That in itself was comfort.

Many of my friend’s lives are in great darkness right now…. some have been laid off from jobs they have had for years...others are facing diseases and they are not sure of what tomorrow will bring. Perhaps that describes you, as well. May I just tell you that in your darkest times you might just be in the clef of a rock with God’s hand placed over you in protection. He knows how it all ends! May I encourage you to sit closely to Him in this darkness and listen to His still small voice saying, “My child, this is not going to last long. It is just for a time and it will be ok. Trust me!” This life is just a drill; our real home is where darkness does not dwell for Christ is the light. Until then, place your eyes on the Prince of Peace.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Lessons from Sunscreen!

I have just returned from a week on the coast and came home without sunburn, which is monumental. As a teen, we lived walking distance from the beach so nearly every summer day would include a trip to the white sands upon which I would plaster myself with baby oil laced with iodine so I would appear tanner. The fact is, what I called “laying out” was really basting my body in the oven of the sun. True, I was tanned to perfection, but now that I am “slightly” older, I wonder about the sanity of those days.

Ah, youth! This observation goes well beyond tanning. The things we do in life all have consequences. Being tanned as a youth increases wrinkles (at the least) or skin cancer (at the worse.) My mother, who never went into the sun and at age 68 didn’t have a wrinkle on her face, would tell me to use sunscreen!!! I didn’t listen!

I got to thinking about this sitting under my umbrella on Ship Island, which is a good place to ponder life! I thought about how as children we were warned by our elders about all kind of things we should avoid because of the life-long consequences. Most of us didn’t listen because we knew more than they did…hey, we knew more than anyone! We were the enlightened ones…that is until the consequences fell down all around us. We cried, “Why didn’t someone warn us??” Fact is, they did, we just didn’t listen.

This is not new…it started in the Garden of Eden when Eve had her encounter with the “snake!” God had set up very specific guidelines but neither Adam nor Eve listened and there were life-ending consequences. In the book of John, Jesus often repeats two phrases: “I tell you the truth”; and “He who has ears let him hear.” God is for us not just wanting to ruin our good time! He has rules for our good but only if we listen and obey! The Word is God is full of instructions that the world calls a list of “cannots.” I have lived long enough to know, however, it is spiritual sunscreen from a loving Father who doesn’t want His children to get burned in life.

King David knew this first hand… only after breaking some commandments did he realized God’s ways were for his good. Psalm 25:10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. God wants us to live a thriving life and sets forth boundaries but when those boundaries are breached there will be consequences. For David, his sin of adultery and murder resulted in the death of his child but even more in his loss of fellowship with the God of his youth. He was a wreck. Read about the guilt and pain of sin in Psalm 32.

My mama told me, I told my daughter, and she has told her daughter how to avoid the pitfalls in life but I didn’t listen, nor did my daughter and I bet there will be some stretching of the envelope from my grand. I am listening now…perhaps you are too. So, do we just give up thinking it does no good to urge others to follow God’s law? No! Listen to the last words David spoke to his son, Solomon, “I am about to go the way of all the earth….So, be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and deep His decrees and commands , his laws, and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go. (I Kings 2: 2-3a) David had learned the hard way what rebellion can do. He wanted it to be easier for his son…we want it to be better for those we love so we continue to tell! It is not our responsibility to make them obey but it is our responsibility to tell them the truth of God…He who has ears, let him hear.

I am afflicted with brown spots and wrinkles because I didn’t listen back then so this past week when my granddaughter and I went to the very same beach I once basted upon, there was one big difference…SPF 50! I am not tanned but then neither am I burned. Maybe she will learn the sunscreen lesson maybe not… But the lesson of following God is much more important. Let it be my desire to teach her, to tell her the truth, and to pray for her to have ears to hear.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Roots

When you hear the word “roots” of what do you think? About every 6 weeks I think of something that needs to be taken care of (and quickly) before people figure out that I am actually older than 29!!! (denial is a good thing!) In the spring, when we lived in the country, roots were the things we had to cut through before we could plant our beautiful annuals. When I taught English, Roots, was the title of a novel that needed to be read for AR credit!! Today, I am contemplating other roots…those I cannot seem to cover, dig up or read about. These roots are deeply ingrained in me and as much as I would like to forget some of them, I can’t. You know what I am talking about!!! These roots are our growing up times…the people, the places, the sights and smells of our youth!

I did not have the privilege of growing up in one place, so my roots have traveled from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico. Having grown up as an Air Force brat, I learned early not to dig too deeply into a place for I would not be there long…that is until my daddy retired and we settled on the Mississippi Gulf Coast…more specifically, Long Beach. It was here I experienced my first encounter with roots! I was in Junior High and had moved in on people who had known each other since birth…plus I was from……(said in whispered tones) California!!! Parents were afraid to let their children hang with me because I was from……California. Roots are hard to establish when you are not a native plant…hard but not impossible.

I was determined to become rooted in this environment….I even tried to say, “ya’ll” like the rest of them, but they knew! This was hard ground but after a couple of months, parents relaxed and I began to be a part of this place but more than that, this place became a part of me!! I was active in the First Baptist Church of Long Beach and my spiritual roots grew for there were adults who invested time and energy into this tall gangly kid from…..California!! My friendship roots grew deep for these are friends I still have today! It was a place I began to call ‘Home” because it was where my parents were. Before I knew it, I had become a Mississippian and finally had earthly roots.

It is because of these roots that I became a little depressed after Katrina…devastation nearly washed away all the things I had grown accustom to seeing on this beach. I almost thought everything was gone, but that is the funny thing about “roots!” They run deep…below the devastation, below the storms. They are safe and secure and cannot be destroyed!

This next week, I will be going back to this place I have called home. I will take my granddaughter and we will walk in the sand. She will not remember what had been there…because she never saw it. She will enjoy what is built new and fresh since the devastation. We will eat in new restaurants and shop in new stores. There will be one thing that we will do, however, that I did with my mother and my daughter…we will go the Friendship Oak! We will walk under its massive branches and wonder in the fact that it has endured Camille, Katrina, and countless other storms since the 1400’s. Why? Because of its roots. They are deeply and firmly planted within the soil that will not move. I will look at this tree as a symbol of my life in Christ. He is my true and eternal home. As we become rooted in Him we will be able to withstand all that life throws at us. John 15:1-8. The promise is, “As long as we remain in Him…rooted and established.”

So, today, I am thinking about roots! I am rejoicing that next week I not only can share some earthly roots with my grand, but I will, while standing under that tree, be able to share some spiritual roots, too!

What do you think about when you hear the word, Roots? Please, share!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Perhaps It Is Not Just Semantics

I overheard a conversation the other day that went something like this…”Oh, you need to come to OUR church…we are doing such wonderful things. We had about 1,200 in VBS.” The response was like this…”Well, I go to ________ and we are doing________.” It turned into a one-up conversation about each other’s churches and which church was better with the measuring line being how many activities were being done and how many people were involved….

It might just be me…and probably is…but I have noticed there is more talk about what our various churches are doing rather than what Jesus is doing in our lives and in our congregations. Some might think it is just semantics but is it? Do we really mean “Jesus” when we say “our church”? I would hope so but I am afraid at times we are more concerned about the reputation of our congregations than the glory of God.

Maybe I am just being overly sensitive but I know that God alone is to be glorified in this kingdom work. It is with that thought that I want to have your input. What do you think? Maybe you haven’t considered this before but now you are! This is your time so let me know your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

AAA of Life

After I got my first car…my senior year of college…my daddy insisted that I enroll in AAA. I was aghast that he thought I would drink and drive until he sat me down and s-l-o-w-l-y explained to me the difference between AA and AAA! He told me that although I had been taught how to change a tire, it would be nice to have someone come and help me if I were on the road alone and if I broke down, he wanted to know that I could get a tow-truck to take me to a place where my car could be repaired. Then he said, “Cyndi, I won’t be able to come and help you out every time you need it, so I am telling you how you can find help on your own!” My daddy never even got through the 8th grade but he was the wisest man I ever knew.

My renewal for AAA came in the mail this week and I remembered his statement. These years later I see he could have been talking about life and what Christians should be to the world. AAA doesn’t fix our cars…it takes us to places where they can be fixed! Many of us hesitate to minister to others because we think we are to “fix” things. Being surrounded by great hurt can be overwhelming if we believe we are to make everything better. Admittedly, there are things we can “fix” for the moment…a meal, money to pay a bill, a hug, kissing a skinned knee… things we can do for minor hurts and pains but in major things, like great grief, we are helpless so we make trite statements because we must “say or do something” to make it better. We become overwhelmed, discouraged, and often give up and often become depressed ourselves because we thought we could make things better. I have been there…many times; delusional enough to think I actually had any control over terrible situations...thinking if I just said the right thing…if I helped them in another way…if I just stopped them somehow then things would be better.

God never called us to fix…but to take the brokenness to the Great Physician. Knowing this can free us to minister in His power. We are the conduits to the One who can fix…who can bring peace…who is freedom from sinful behaviors. Jesus said, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden for my yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Matt. 11:29) He didn’t say, cyndi, take on the world…but He said, bring the world to me.

How do we do that? First of all know Him and realize He has been the comforter, restorer, and redeemer on your own journey! Paul said in Philippians 3:10 “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings becoming like Him in His death.” Spend time with Him; learn to trust Him yourself. Secondly, you cannot lead people where you haven’t been so don’t try! You have, however, been on journeys others have yet to go and own an already-plotted map. Share that “map” when you see others on similar roads for that is ‘sharing in His sufferings’…Jesus understood every trial of mankind and showed the way to the Father to all who would follow. Thirdly, stop to help if you can or at least call a tow truck. We must minister…we can’t just speed by those in need because we don’t know what to do! Stop and offer His peace. When there is a breakdown, be there to take them to the repair shop of God’s presence. On occasion, we can help fix “a flat,” but that flat will eventually need to get fixed or replaced and that needs to be done by Someone who knows what He is doing! Let others know of the flat fixer…and let them know it isn’t you. So, friend, minister to others in the mighty name of Jesus! That is all we are called to do.

Daddy, you haven’t been here to help me out of some pretty bad situations…but you taught me about how to get help…and that has made all the difference. Thanks!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Blessing Might Be Hidden!!

This year, for my birthday my very sweet husband told me we were going to go to PF Changs and to get a Big Mac. I am not a culinary genius, but I did know that PF Changs did not serve Big Macs! I was a bit confused but after we ate, we shopped a little. I had wanted two things for my birthday: a MacBook or a CD Changer for my car that would play more than one CD. We ate a wonderful meal then stopped to shop some great sales! I opened my trunk to put in the packages we purchased and noticed that a side panel had fallen down. I have had this car for over 2 years and had never noticed the side panel much less the latch on it…both my husband and I noticed a strange box-like thing within the panel---it was a 10-disc CD changer!! For over two years I had struggled with changing CD’s on busy Interstate Highways with the single CD player inside the car when all along I could have just let the additional changer in the trunk do what it does best…change CD’s! What I had longed for had been there all along but a single latched panel kept up apart.

At times we desire something from God but soon give up when it is not in plain sight. We often settle for something less or give up completely and turn away thinking God had not been faithful. What I wanted was there all along if only I had examined my car more closely and turned a simple latch. Likewise, all we need when looking for God’s presence is found in Jeremiah 29. We love to quote the part where it says, “I know the plans I have for you”…but my favorite part comes in verse 13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The word “seek” implies much more than a cursory glance…it requires a deep search. It requires time and effort on our part and it requires our heart. When our whole heart is in something we take it more seriously and seldom give up until we find what we look for.

Admittedly, when I had turned on my CD player, the dashboard would state, “CD Changer empty.” The car had tried many times to inform me of the presence of the CD player but since I couldn’t see it I thought perhaps it was only included on another model but not mine. We do that too. The Bible tells us that God is “for” us not “against” us; that He loves us with an everlasting love and has provided all we need in life through the Holy Spirit but we say that “others” have great blessings or abilities from God but not us! The fact is that God is available to everyone equally! The difference is that some seek Him with their hearts while others look for Him like some look for mayonnaise in the refrigerator…if it is not in the front and center it is not there!

God wants to be found…He wants to bless us with the things we need for abundant life and with the power to overcome great obstacles. He through Jesus Christ has removed all the barriers---Luke 23: 45: “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” The one-time barrier for everyone to approach God was gone! Jesus made it possible to go directly to the throne of God to make our requests…so why don’t we? Perhaps a lack of faith? Perhaps a sense that we don’t deserve it? Maybe we are just lazy and would rather complain. Giving up hope often takes less effort than seeking Him but seek Him we must if we are to experience all He wants for us. He is and has been here all the time…don’t wait for a wall (trunk panel) to fall in on your life to see Him. Whatever you need today the answer is, “Seek God!” He is there and when your heart gets hungry enough He will be found.

Oh, and that Big Mac? They had lots of them at the Apple store next to PF Changs! I got the MacBook Pro Combo!!! What a great birthday!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Pictures Don't Show Everything!

Last week we discussed complaining about our situations even though God is blessing us greatly with all we need. The Children of Israel did that on the way to the Promised Land by wanting more than the daily bread God provided. Today they are in another situation…their journey is almost done…the Promised Land is in reach…yet, they hesitate.
One of my very favorite songs is Sara Groves’ “Painting Pictures of Egypt” on her Conversations album. I love it because it is so much like me. Let me give you some of the lyrics:

The past is so tangible I know it by heart
Familiar things are never easy To discard
I was dying for some freedom
But now I hesitate to go
I am caught between the Promise
And the things I know

I've been painting pictures of Egypt,
Leaving out what it lacks
The future feels so hard,
And I wanna go back!
It’s not about losing faith
It’s not about trust
It’s all about comfortable
When you move so much
And the place I was wasn’t perfect
But I had found a way to live
And it wasn’t milk or honey
But then neither is this


I have experienced this feeling many times. I have known that God had something for me to experience…something better and amazing and yet I was scared and played it safe…stayed comfortable. God had something better, but in my little mind I could not imagine “better” and so I hesitated. Sometimes I might have even gone forward a bit but the road became difficult so I returned to what was familiar even though it was not a great place to be. Yeah, It was not great but it was something I knew…it was comfortable.

A funny thing happens when looking backwards…memories seem to be better than the reality of what was! Remember how big things were when you were a child? I think often of the story of an adult bemoaning about how when he was a little boy the snow would come to his knees…then he looked down at his son…who had trouble walking because the snow was so high! Memories lie! Things are not always better “then.”

The Children of Israel were at the Promised Land but they got scared. What they saw ahead were “giants” and they began to listen to the babblings of men while forgetting the miracles of an awesome God. They didn’t listen to Moses, Caleb, or Joshua. They began to sing, “We will, we will not be moved!” and once again God gave them what they wanted…they got to stay in… the desert…wandering until they died.

Read Numbers 32: 6-13. Folks, God doesn’t joke around when He says He will do something. He had told the Israelites that He would give them a land…but they didn’t believe Him and there were consequences. The same goes for us today…God has a plan for us and when we trust Him in that plan He takes care of all the details…when we don’t trust Him, we wander in the desert and eventually die without receiving His promise. I don’t want that, and I know neither do you. Note verse 12 in our scripture that state two men, Caleb and Joshua, were the exception. Why? It was because they followed the LORD wholeheartedly. They received God’s blessing…not because they were special…not because they were better…no, they entered because they followed God wholeheartedly. What a lesson for me in trust. It might sound trite, but when God sends us forward, He gives all we need to defeat whatever is before us. When we refuse, we are saying is God cannot do what He said He will do. That is unbelief and unbelief is a sin.

The great thing about living under grace, is that our sins can be taken care of by confessing them and allowing God to renew us…we are not doomed to wander forever…but we are doomed to wander until we confess…

God wants to give us His best because we are His children. Do you believe that? If you do, then what is holding you back from your Promised Land? 40 years later in our story, Joshua says these words to the next generation: “Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” Joshua 3:5 These trusted God and passed into the Promised Land and discovered God was faithful. Let us be that next generation…the ones known by following…not wandering.

Have a Happy 4th of July!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Pictures of Egypt

Part 1
Numbers 11

I am on Facebook and love it. I have reconnected with so many friends and even some family I have not seen in years. I also am on Twitter…but have realized I have more letters in my “tweets” than it will allow so I mostly stick with Facebook. There is a section called, “What’s on your mind?” where friends write how they are feeling that day, some inspirational thought, a prayer request, or something funny! These thoughts appear on my “homepage” and I look forward to reading them…at least most of them! Some are quotes that spurs great thought…others will cause me to chuckle all day…still others will be a request for prayer. But then there are those that are daily complaints about something…their job…people at their job…when is Friday…well you get the picture. Recently, Facebook provided a new feature that allows people to be “hidden.” I guess this is cyber-world’s avoidance of asking “some” people how they are that we often implement in the real world! Personally, I hate to hide people for I really do want to know what is going on in their lives, but sometimes I am influenced by their constant negativity…

It seems to be a natural thing to complain. Perhaps that is why the Bible so often tells us to, “Praise the Lord!” I have to keep my thoughts and complaints in check often for I have a tendency to see the glass half empty…something I am working on…and maybe that is why God led me to Numbers 11 today!

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them his anger was aroused. Numbers 11:1a

Hardships? Let’s do some review…not long before, these same people had been slaves in Egypt under a cruel Pharaoh. Along comes Moses and with God’s guidance convinces the Pharaoh to “Let my people go!” and away they went. Throughout this journey to the Promised Land, God had been a constant provider of protection and provision…The “hardships” these people were facing at this point concerned their desire for different foods other than what God had been providing for them since they left Egypt. They were blessed daily with something called manna which in Hebrew means, “What is it?” It was tasty and fulfilling and provided all the nutrients their bodies needed yet, they wanted more.

There you have it! The problem from the very beginning is wanting more than what God provides. Eve had everything a woman could possibly want…yet she wanted more and the rest is history. These people wanted more and were spurred on by a group the Bible calls “the rabble among them” (verse 4) These were the influencers. As we continue reading: The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumber, melons, looks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite: we never see anything but his manna!”

Am I part of the rabble? Am I again wailing? It is easy you know. It is all about focus. God’s promise is all about providing our needs…but not our greeds! While writing this I realize I have everything I need…I am healthy, I have a roof over my head…I am certainly not starving…yet at times I want more. It is my flesh and desire for what the world can give…not relying on what God has given. This scripture is a warning for we see that God gave them exactly what they wanted. (Please read verses 18-20 and 33-34) When we desire more than what God has given us it will lead to our demise.

This is a chilling reminder to me that I need to be thankful for my daily bread and that I need to not become a “rabbler”! It is so easy to focus on things we do not have…but we as Christians are called upon to praise God for the things we do have: His daily provisions for life. It really is about focus…when we focus on what is in Egypt (the world)…things become blurry so put your focus on today and the fact that He is good and well you just don’t know…the Promised Land might be just ahead!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Sorry!!

Dear followers,

I have not posted in a couple of days because I have had my grandsons here and I have been enjoying them. Please check back!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Grace

I Peter 5: 10, 12b


Back in 1975, after graduating from college, I moved to a small Mississippi town to become a youth director. When I got my first paycheck, I needed to open a bank account and, as my daddy had suggested, borrow $200.00 and repay right away with the small amount of interest to establish credit. I chose the bank with great thought…I thought one had the prettiest building so that is the one I chose. I needed a loan officer to borrow the money and there was only one available…his name was Jerry Grace. Eight months later we were married! Having always been clumsy my home pastor kidded me by stating, “You have looked for grace you whole life…now you have found it!” We all laughed! 33 years later, I am still clumsy but this week I finally understood that “grace” I had been looking for my whole life.

I grew up in church and have heard many sermons on grace. I know facts about it: that the word is from the Greek word charis which means gratitude or favor; that salvation is through faith by grace; that I can’t work for my salvation--another meaning of this word: a gift. I accepted His grace for salvation and beyond that every time I blew it, I called upon His grace for forgiveness. This is what I knew and accepted until this weekend.

I was listening to my iPod while walking our dog when I started crying my eyes out. Earlier I had gotten home from a wonderful prayer retreat and was flying high in the spirit…but then got into a silly argument with a family member. (satan always hits the hardest when you are closest to God.) After things settled down, I began to beat myself up. Over-reacting I began to doubt whether or not I should ever be used again to teach God’s word. God began to remind me of Peter and how he must have felt after denying Christ. (Jesus had even told Peter he would deny Him!) But then God then reminded me of what else Jesus had told Peter, “When you return…” Jesus had given hope to Peter for his failings…even before he failed!

Our mistakes and mess ups are no surprise to God… but afterwards He wants us to go on and not give up. Peter didn’t quit and went on to preach his first sermon and 3,000 were converted to Christ. Often however, we focus on our mistake. I Peter 5:10,12b states that, “Christ Himself will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast…this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.” The writer of these words had personally lived what he said and more than that, understood restoration! What I had never seen was that grace isn't just forgiveness when I blow it…it is also to restore, strengthen, and establish (KJV) me in the faith. Jesus Himself restores us but He doesn’t stop there; we are also strengthened…and if we allow Him He will establish us…which puts permanence to the whole thing! These are grace gifts…and gifts must be accepted.

I am now basking in His restoration! I did teach my class on Sunday and God spoke because I took myself out of the mix and let His word do its work. I am now looking for His strength and desiring to be firmly established so the next time I lose my temper or say something I shouldn’t, I won’t fall apart and give up but will go to Him, confess and ask for the restoration He has promised. I desire to stand fast in this! It might feel a little clumsy at first…standing without falling for me always has been, but hey, that’s why they call me grace!!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

I Will Pray for You...oh, really?

Today I am putting the final touches on worksheets and listening guides for a prayer retreat I am priviledged to lead this weekend. As I do this, God has placed it on my heart how important prayer really is...but prayer in its proper perspective. So many times we casually say we are going to pray for something and then go about our lives never thinking of it again. Or, perhaps we want something very badly and "Pray believing, in Jesus name to receive," only to become disillusioned when we don't get what we want. I have been there. In preparing for this retreat, God has shown me that (and I have had head-knowledge of this) prayer is an extension of my relationship with God and is closely related to my worship of God.


Many equate worship with songs and the "stuff" we do before the sermon on a Sunday morning. It is the time we get emotional and heart-opened for His word that day. While on some shallow level this is a part of worship, may I submit, that what the Bible calls worship is much more serious. The actual word itself means, "to be put under the authority of." We see that when we read Isaiah 6. Everything we think, everything we are, all our desires fall down in front of a Holy and Powerful Yahweh. Paul calls it a "living sacrifice!" (Romans 12:1) Only when that is our worship will we be able to respond, "Here an I...send me."


You might be saying, "But what does that have to do with prayer? Aren't we suppose to petition Him for our needs?" Yes, but only after we truly know what our needs are! We have perceived needs from our flesh...but only after we come in line with God's will for our lives, through worship, do we really know what our true needs are. For example, we might think our need is enough money to pay a bill (that's flesh)...but our real need is to become aware of the constant provisions of God and our need is to increase our faith through that bill.(that's spiritual) We often are not wanting our spiritual life to grow in prayer...we just want what we want!! Prayer cannot be separate from worship or it is just a list of "whines." In the model prayer, Jesus states the order...first put God in control...(Thy kingdom comes...) then petitions.

This week I have learned through seeking Him for the words to teach on this important subject, that He is most interested in my relationship through worship...and as my will aligns with His, my prayers become powerful extensions of that. Jesus said while on earth, "My will is to do the will of the Father!" This concept is all over the New Testament: "If we pray, according to His will, He will give us the desires of our hearts." 1 John 5:14 "But seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you." Matt 6:33

Osswald Chambers says it like this:

Worship and intercession must go together, the one is impossible without the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray.

Life-changing prayer is serious stuff and comes after serious surrender of our will to His will. So, the next time you say, "I will pray for you," make sure you really know what you are saying. It is hard work...but in that work...we become one with the Father just as Jesus prayed for us in John 17.

This weekend can be an incredible time with God whether you are at the retreat or not! Pray with me, "God reveal to us Your will for we want to be under Your authority in all things! Amen and Amen! "





Wednesday, June 10, 2009

If I Lie... Part Deaux

Part two

I got to thinking about what would happen if there were immediate results to lying? If we really did stick needles in our eyes I bet honesty would make a comeback-- big time! The fact is there are not immediate consequences for falsehoods and that makes it easier to fall into the trap. I call it a trap because none of us really intend to lie-- it just comes out. We lie …to make ourselves look better to others…even many churches do this: instead of saying we have 420 in worship…we say we have nearly 500! We lie about how much something cost…and it depends on who we are talking to whether we lie high or low! We lie to get out of trouble. I am an only child and I remember the times I told my mother I didn’t do something when I was the only one in the room. (Lying sometimes goes along with not being very bright in my case!)

Lies.Each time I type the word lie, it sounds uglier and uglier. We don’t like that word…so we say things like: stretching the truth…or being creative. We change the name because we think if we call it something else, it will be something else…but Shakespeare said it best, “A rose called by any other name would still smell as sweet.” Lying called by any other name is still not the truth!

It gets even worse when we lie to ourselves…that is called “justifying!” We know we should not participate in something or that we shouldn’t go a particular place but we begin to lie to ourselves to make it all better! We say, “God will understand…or this is not as bad as …” Or maybe we lie to ourselves about why we don’t spend time with God personally or corporately…”I am just too busy to have a quiet time, “or “I need to sleep, Sunday is my only day off..God will understand.” Will He? Hmmm. We lie to ourselves by saying well things are different now…that’s an old fashioned idea! When we really think about it…we shouldn’t participate in some things…we really do have time we have just filled it with something else…and God wants us to have corporate worship for our good… God is the same yesterday, today and forever! We have lied to ourselves and have begun to believe our lies. Before long we are not even aware of the untruth…it becomes our excuse for sinful behavior.

When we begin to believe our own lies then we begin to disbelieve God…we begin then to believe what the world says about God…because it is easier…because we think it makes us feel better…but does it? Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” Maybe that is why our confession time in our prayers is so short…we no longer think we have done anything wrong…we have lied to ourselves. But truth brings freedom!

So, what is the answer? Jesus. The one who said, I tell you the truth…the one who said He was truth…the one who cannot lie…the one who said He loved us…the one who sent the Holy Spirit to guide us to all truth. Confess that you want to be a person of integrity for His glory. Ask Him to help you be a truth teller…He will!

Imagine a world where Christians told the truth…all the time. Think it would make a difference? I do. I am going to do some straight talk to myself about my “excuses” then I am going to Him to get cleaned up. Putting my needles away until I need to sew something!!!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

If I Lie, Stick a Needle in My Eye

Part one
On the way to VBS this morning, my granddaughter and I were listening to K-Love’s news about the U.S. president’s address to the Islamic people. She listened and was quiet for a bit (which is very unusual) and then said, “Nonnie, did we know that our president’s dad was Muslim?” I stated that he had said that his father was not a Muslim when he was running for office. Then she said, “Nonnie, presidents should not lie to people.” I nodded in agreement. She is 9.

I have thought about this since I dropped her off. What our kids have learned and are learning from recent presidents staggers the mind and as much as I would like to (in the flesh) make this blog all about bashing our political leaders, I cannot stop this nudging in my spirit to ask what my grand is learning from me and my actions. I was shocked to see that she understood a whole lot more than I thought she did about the world situation…I wasn’t aware she knew what a Muslim was…but she does because of the things she sees on the news for about 30 minutes a day. Then the realization hit that she is with me for hours…and I must ask how are my actions affecting her?

Yes, presidents should not lie to people…but more than anything, Believers should not lie to people. In the book of John, Jesus continually repeats the words, “I tell you the truth.” (NIV) If we are to follow Him, we also must be telling the truth. Telling the truth is important; nothing hurts more than finding out someone has told an untruth (lie) but we tend to not think anything about it when we do it ourselves. Let me give an example: Someone calls and wants to have lunch and instead of just saying , “No, thank you,” we make up some excuse of why we can’t go…or even worse, we had previously said yes, but something better came along and we make up a reason why we no longer can go. (How many sick or dying grandmothers can we actually have????) We call them excuses but to our kids they are lies. God calls them lies. “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” (Deut. 20) Lying is not just a commandment; it is for the good of all for lies affect everyone.

En Vogue…a female singing group, has a song which puts a finger of the pulse of our society. Read these lyrics:

Lies, lies, using lies as alibis
Lie's, lies, just a devil in disguise
It's the same game
Played in so many ways
Everyone is the victim too
It's just a waste of time
Made for simple minds
So why do people insist on lies
I'll give my life a different way
Refuse to let myself become a victim
Getting caught you in a vicious web of lies, they can hurt you
And destroy you, you watch out for lies, just a devil in disguise.
The nation's leaders as well as teachers
Practice lies as a way of lie, yes they do
So think before you speak
Cause what you sow you reap
The truth will always come to light
Will we ever learn one day
That telling lies always bring to matters
Misery and sometimes pain
Lies and deceit
Yes it's running real rampant
Communities suffering, 'yo I can't stand it
When we think of lies we tend to think of politicians
But what about the husband who's on a mission
Lying to his wife so he can get it on and get some
Coming back home with a dumb expression
Written on a face that he's guilty as a criminalI
t's time to change your attitude
People do you hear me, don't listen
To a funky rhyme that's kickin' knowledge that we need
We lie about our hairAnd we know we got a weave
Politicians lie about the things they're gonna do
And everybody's tale affects me and you
A smoker lies about the money that he stole
And a dope dealer never tells you how he got his gold
I guess what Debbie T. is really trying to say
When you break it all down we're all the same
I'll live my life a different way
Refuse to let myself be caught up
In a vicious web of lies

Wow! These lyrics illustrate how lies hurt…they hurt individuals, families, communities and the nation. There are no such things as little white lies…just truth vs. lies. Maybe it’s time we resurrect the children’s verse that says, “Cross my heart, hope to die. If I lie, stick a needle in my eye!” If children understand the importance of telling the truth when they watch us will they be disappointed? Stay tuned to part 2 to discuss how we lie…to others, to God, and to ourselves and what to do about it.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Doors

John 10:7-10
I love watching HGTV… House Hunters and My First House are my favorites. Yesterday, however, I watched Curb Appeal, and was aghast! The designers decided to paint the door on a beautiful red-brick colonial a bright yellowy-orange. I admit I am not a bright color person when it comes to houses, but this just didn’t fit the style of the house. I was okay with the mosaics on the steps and the cobalt blue shutters…but the door??? The decorators said it made the house stand out as being different! Well, it did…like a clown among Junior Leaguer’s! I don’t think the owners liked it either…but there is was in all its bright gaudiness.

Doors are important. While walking my dog in our neighborhood, I like to look at people’s front doors. I notice some are solid wood, (and thankfully not a single bright yellow one in the lot!) some are all glass…the kind that will let you see an itsy bitsy bit into the front room, (not that I strain to look in, mind you) and others are half and half but they all serve the same purpose: entrances to the owner’s house. Some are more inviting and reveal the personality of those who live there…they say either, “welcome” or “go away.” Some, I have noticed, have the watermarks of past storms and need a fresh coat of stain or paint while some glass doors have broken panes…perhaps from a flying rock or an incident from inside. A few have screen door to allow breezes in while preventing pests. Doors…a lot to think about.


We lived in the country for a short while in Atwater and I loved our back screen door. It was the kind that squeaked from the metal coiled spring that made sure that the door closed with a loud bang after I ran out. There was comfort in that sound…it was automatic…I didn’t have to think about closing the door. Life was simple then. Perhaps you have a similar memory.


As adults, we are still faced with doors…oh, not the ones in our neighborhood but the ones of life. Satan’s doors look exciting, painted a bright yellowy-orange, and seem to offer excitement and adventure but end up being a great disappointment. Because of Jesus, I have learned to avoid most of those doors while others still give me pause! They are the ones which are closed tight…locked never to be opened no matter how much I want to go through them. Lost dream doors… things I really wanted out of life but just didn’t happen for one reason or another. To be honest, sometimes I stand at these doors and regret what could have been, but most of the time I move to other doors…it is my choice. Then there are the doors of faith…those that give just a glimpse of what is inside…but not the whole “room.” We only see colors and shapes…should we enter or not? These doors take courage to go through! The storm-weathered doors are among all of these…reminding me that He has been faithful!

But my favorite life-door is His screen door…the one that is never locked. When I enter this door, I find refreshment and safety and am free to go out with wild abandon knowing I have a secure place to return. Jesus is that door…our scripture today uses the word “gate” another word for door. The more we get to know this “door” the less we want to enter that brightly colored, exciting-looking door. We know this door is the door that opens to His abundance. This is the door of our dreams! This is the door that turns faith into sight and where we get the stain to freshen up the brittle storm-tossed doors.

What door is is in front of today? May I suggest that you open His door, get some lemonade and rest with Him for awhile? He has some great stuff to share with you about all your doors!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

People, People who need People...

Romans 12: 10-13

Okay, now my weirdness surfaces again…I have always been a closet Broadway star…my mirror is my stage and my hairbrush my microphone. My neighbors in Atwater, CA, dreaded evenings for as the sun began to set I would (true story) climb the huge tree in my front yard and sing to the top of my lungs, Moon River….I especially loved the “Huckleberry friend” part! I would do this every night! I was very strange! (Some would argue with the “was”) My tendency for singing at inappropriate times did not end in California. While in high school I saw, the movie, Funny Girl for the first time and now, 100+ viewings later, I still want to become Fanny Brice every time I see an old-fashioned light pole. To the embarrassment of my family, often I will hold on and sing, “People, people who need people…are the luckiest people in the world!”


Just this past week that song came to my mind again and since there was no lamp post I merely listened to the words. On the surface it sounds ridiculous…of course, people need people, don’t they? While we seem to be more connected…cell phones, email, Facebook, Twitter… we are lonelier than ever. Many are connected to jobs and when the day is over there is no more connection to anything. Families are in the same house but are often not on the same page. Always doing-- but seldom just being. My favorite time growing up was after dinner sitting on the back porch sipping what was left of our iced tea just talking…or not…sometimes just listening to the evening sounds together.



People today are with people, but not really. Ears are plugged with some noise while sitting with friends, texting someone else. What happened to just talking to each other eye to eye or just being with another human? I believe Jules Styne understood this when he wrote:


People,
People who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world
Were children needing other children
And yet letting our grown-up pride
Hide all the need inside
Acting more like children than children


Humans have relational needs but often don’t let others know…and by not wanting to admit our need we stay alone and many times lonely. In Romans 12:10-13 Paul felt a need to address this to the church. In order to have people in our lives we must be devoted to people…we must “need” people who also share the love of the Lord. One of God’s extra gifts to Christians is each other…It is said of the first church,”they had all things in common.”

Today how much do we have in common? How often do we practice hospitality as said in verse 13? We need others in our lives for support and encouragement. Christ prayed in John 17 that we all be one in Him just as He is one with the Father. God knows we need each other and provided ways for us to have strong relationships with each other…it is us who have changed but it not too late. Today you can reach out to someone…ask them into your house for cookies! It doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. Turn your phone off and just talk to the person in front of you. I believe you will find:


With one person
One very special person
A feeling deep in your soul
Says you are half now you’re whole
No more hunger and thirst
But first be a person who needs people
People, people who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world


Christ is our common denominator…you can be that one person…that one very special person who can help the loneliness of another go away.


Uh oh, another song is coming to mind and I must sing it!…it’s the 21st century’s version of People….We’re All in this Together! Got to go find a high school gym…later!!



Thursday, May 21, 2009

Remember

This weekend our country will celebrate Memorial Day-- a day created to remember those who “fell in the line of duty” for our freedom but has also become a day to have cookouts, go to the beach, have family time, etc. All of that is good and it would be great if I could sit under an umbrella staring out to waves licking a sandy shore of some island get away but I am getting ready to go to a funeral…so it really will be a day of memory for me. One of my favorite aunts went home to see Jesus face to face last night! Aunt Bonnie was one of a kind!!! She was this California-raised girl’s first introduction to a true Southern lady…one who never went without her nails being done or her hair being colored. (At 88 years old, she still had “natural” hair color--a lesson I will take to heart!) She introduced me to the phrase, “Shut your mouth!” which I discovered really didn’t mean to get quiet. Eating at her house always included at least 3 meat choices with all the “necessary” compliments and came with the insistence that we eat lots!! She loved people and remembered everything about them. She loved me and I loved her! I will miss her very much.

Funny thing about memories…they take us to places we haven’t thought about for years…some bring laughter while others bring pain but they all are a part of what we have become. Some bring us back to where we need to be…the grounding memories. Aunt Bonnie never had a lot of worldly things…she wasn’t an educated person…she lived very simply…but she was the happiest person I had ever met…her concern was always about others…I felt at home with her because there was no pretending. What she felt, she said and she made me laugh because she never took herself too seriously. She knew who she was and modeled for me what Christ said about how we ought to live our lives…and how far I have gotten away from that in my own life.


To be honest I am trying to avoid the scripture God keeps bringing to my mind but I can’t. Revelation 2:4-5 “Yet I hold this against you; you have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”


This brings a different thought for my Memorial Day this year—not only to remember fallen soldiers or favorite aunts but to remember who I was before Christ came into my life and how He died for my absolute freedom. I sometimes forget how much He has done for me and I just go about my life. I don’t want my Savior to say that He has anything against me…so this weekend as I remember the life of my precious aunt…I also will remember that I will see her again because of Christ. I will remember that He has given me abundant life. As I see the flags flying, I will remember that His banner over me is love… I will remember how far I have come because of this love! I will remember! How about you?

Friday, May 15, 2009

Spring Cleaning

I Kings 19:3-18

There is something about spring that causes many of us to look inside our homes and decide we need to clean out the closets, the drawers, the garage, and yes, even the refrigerator. Every spring, surprisingly I find myself wiping out my window seals of dead bugs! I can only guess how they got in for I am a pretty good house keeper and it concerns me that they entered while I was unaware. Though the windows had been shut up for months I realized they entered through less obvious places. It was in an all-out invasion…done in the darkness through little cracks hardly visible to the eye. That’s the way bugs are…sneaky.


What about the “bugs” that have gotten into our lives? You know the ones over the dark cold months of despair… Perhaps they entered as just an egg of a thought but now have hatched and blossomed into an unfounded fear or deep root of bitterness. Sometimes they enter after a great victory in your life! Bugs don’t have a set way of entering! They just know how to find the cracks! Elijah knew about this “bug.” He had just had a great revival where all the prophets of Baal had failed miserably and God had shown up to do immeasurably more than even Elijah had hoped or imagined. Then we read, “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.” (I Kings 19:3)



Bugs! They know where to get us! They know our weakness and hit at the very place we have left opened…unguarded by the covering of God’s protection. Once they start, unless we catch them early, they will fill up all the holes until we are full of every kind of “bug” imaginable. All we can see are the bugs…and our friends will point out that we have a right to be upset with all these bugs!!! “Where is God???” they ask. We listen to the world and begin to ask ourselves the same thing…”Where is God? I need Him now more than ever…where is He?”


If you read our scripture for today, you will find that God was in the quietness…and He had been there all along. St. Augustine once said, “My soul is too cramped for you to enter it [God].” He recognized that his life was jam-packed full of “bugs” and there was no way God could do anything until he had some major spring cleaning! Elijah, in the midst of his despair realized he had to clean out some thoughts before he could hear God. When he did, he heard God’s voice telling him the truth of the situation.


We must be on alert at all times for the bugs that want to invade our lives. Bugs are liars! God has the truth of our situation and has promised His power to be over-comers. 2nd Peter 1: 3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” Our responsibility is to call upon this power! Confess all the “bugs” in your life…the despair, the worldliness, the secret sins, the pride, the anger…you get the picture…wipe all of those from your personal window seals…then allow His still small voice to come in and give you victory. He promised it…both to Elijah and to Peter…so why not you?


Spring cleaning doesn’t just happen…we must be intentional and it is hard work. It takes time and you might be a little sore when it is done, but when you look over the finished product…there is a sense of freshness! You then realize it was worth it! Now, where did I put that dust rag?????

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

What's that You Say??

Oh, boy! We are in a mess and I just don’t know what is going to come about. What is happening to our country? I don’t know how I am going to make it in this economy! Did you wash your hands??? You know we’ve got that pandemic going around!

Do these comments sound familiar? I agree. Things are bad! But Jesus warned us of that very thing while He still walked among us. He said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Now, it is very easy to fall into the trap that satan has set for us but we have the only hope for the world and we are to continually point to the hope we have in Christ. But how? By just doing it! We must continually have His praise on our lips even when we don’t “feel” it. I remember very well after Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast one of the first reports we received was that First Baptist Church Long Beach was gone…little did we know that most of the coast was wiped away but hearing that the church was gone was devastating to me. I had not lived there in many years but this was the place where I had surrendered to the ministry. This is where I was married and had the funeral of both my parents. I took it hard…I began to focus only on the loss and before I knew it I was in a state of depression. It was strange that this would have such an affect for I had been through much worse than the loss of a building but it did. One Sunday afternoon, however, I went to my piano and began to sing “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord….you give and take away…you give and take away…my heart will choose to say…LORD, blessed be Your name!” Just praising Him in the midst of my depressed state brought such joy. My soul was lifted from despair to heights of joy! I “took heart!” There is great power in praise! The church was still gone, but I had hope that God was still in control! That made all the difference. It is about our focus!

Praise often is really a holding on to the truth of God in the midst of great emotional upheaval. Jesus told the woman at the well that one day people would worship God in Spirit and in Truth. (John 4:23) I believe that many times we worship Him only in spirit—with our emotions-- and when things are going well, we praise Him but when they aren’t, we fall apart. That is where the truth comes into play…the truth of who God is…the truth of what He says He will do …the truth that He has overcome the world! It is the truth that holds everything together and gives hope in the midst of the storm.

Think about what comes from your mouth when you talk to others about the world circumstances? I am not saying we need to be oblivious to the situations…as I said, things are bad…but what comes from our mouths shows what kind of faith we have. It reveals our heart!
I want to challenge you today to read Isaiah 40: 21-31 and Psalm 42. In these rich verses you will discover who God is, what He is capable of but also what He promises to those who are called by His name. Place your focus on Him! Yes, things are bad…but the Psalmist says, “Why are you downcast, Oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”(42:5)

This is the offering we have to give the world. We have a God who knows about tomorrow and lavishes us with His love today. From that perspective…it’s all good!!!