Cool or Committed? That Really is the Question!

I like to write about uplifting things but this blog is going to be kind of different! I am a teeny bit upset!! I am upset with the modern church but mostly with myself!

I had the privilege of leading a ladies conference this past weekend where the presence of the Lord was evident. By the time it was my turn to teach, the ladies were so ready to hear the Word of God that it was a blessing. So, why am I upset? I am troubled because I don’t see that happening weekly in many congregations. (If it happens in yours, you need to get on your knees and thank God that you have leaders who have their priorities right.) Many of our congregations, however, tend to be more concerned with trying to be cool rather than preparing the congregates for worship. Many “worship” leaders tend to be more concerned with hairstyles, praise team’s age, dress, and having the newest songs rather than calling the people to open their hearts to the Spirit of God. It is about image! I have even heard that a worship leader in our area is wearing eyeliner and blush in order to make a statement that he is inclusive of all types. Music is just the start…sermons are more like motivational discourses rather than the gospel. A blogger I read today said this: Declaring the Gospel is serious business — not a show. Method is NOT more important than the message. Leadership will say they agree with that statement — but actions show otherwise.


The worship leader this past weekend gave all she had to the LORD and it was evident from before she began to lead until we walked out the door. She loved Jesus and that love was all over her! She nearly disappeared as we went to the throne. Her goal was all about connecting corporately with a Holy God. Tears streamed down all our faces but it wasn’t just an overload of emotion…it was a true connection with Our Father!!! It truly was about Him. I came home exhausted but so filled.

It was then God began to speak strongly to my heart. While writing Sunday School lessons from the book of Philippians, I came face to face with how far the church has come from being what Christ called us to be. I pulled out, for reference,
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a book I read several years ago and began to re-read it. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a theologian/political activist from the 1930’s-40’s. His mission was to warn the church of their need to stand up against Hitler who was trying to silence any mention of God in Nazi Germany. The premise of the book is about “cheap grace” verses “costly grace.” He defines cheap grace as, “Preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ!” Costly Grace on the other hand is, “The treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price…It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus at which the disciple leaves his nets and follow him.”

Christ gave His all to us but also said, “Unless you take up your cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27) Being in the worship I experienced this weekend, I realized how far I had departed from what Christ requires. I too have fallen for the hype! I realized I am not called to be “cool” but committed. Not so much “relevant” but reverent before a Holy God. I as well as our churches need to start lifting Christ and Christ alone. I don’t want to be a part of a show but a part of surrender. I want to remember how costly grace is and I need to forget about me and make it about Him…and the strange thing is, when we do that corporately, the world will take note. I want these words to be said of me:

Acts 4:13 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

Not fashionably dressed, not up to date, not contemporary, not even cool, but the world around them saw that they had been with Jesus! I want people to see that in me-- I want to be a true worshipper…one who worships in Spirit and Truth and who looks only at Him. There, I have said it and I feel better. Hold me accountable but also hold yourself accountable. The world needs us!!!

Thinking He Was Among Them….

While reading Luke 2 during Christmas, I found myself reading past the “baby Jesus” part until I came to verse 44. I stopped dead in my reading as the Holy Spirit moved my heart to focus on the words, “Thinking He was in their company, they traveled on for a day.” The Holman Christian Standard Version says, “Assuming he was in the traveling party…” and the ESV says, “Supposing.” In all of these what we see is that even though the traveling party knew Jesus well, they didn’t know when he was no longer with them.

I love the Lord, and I love being with people who love the Lord. My closest relationships began with Jesus as the point of contact but this verse caused me to wonder if conversations with my friends about Jesus and what He means to us have become less frequent; focusing rather on things like shopping, weight, food, food, and weight! Have we started talking more about other people and how much better they could be if…? We cover our “gossip” by saying we really care---bless their hearts--- but then realize never once did we pray for them and even worse never mentioned Jesus. In a word…we didn’t even realize that he wasn’t there among us. It is then we see our lives have become mundane---at best.

A friend on FaceBook posted this:

Watching a child as they sing, dance and laugh.
Noticing how everything is fun and interesting and an adventure.
Then I ask myself “When did I stop dancing?”

A child dances best when the person they love most is close by! To answer my friend’s question, perhaps we quit paying attention to the important things and drifted away from the One who loves us most and have forgotten who binds us to each other. His guidance keeps us safe…and we dance in the knowledge that none of the enemy’s ploys will destroy us! (As I typed this, I noticed that the word dance is in guidance. Hmmm???)

So what did the traveling party do when they discovered Jesus was not in their company? “They “went back!” They went back to where they had left Him!

You might be thinking that Jesus is so far away…He is no longer in your company and you don’t know how you got to this place of panic and discontent. May I suggest to you to go back to where you last were with Him; the last time He was real in your life. It takes effort to do that but when you find Him again you will be astonished at what you find- just like Mary and Joseph did. Jesus is all about doing His Father’s will and He wants nothing more than to have you join Him in that will but to do that we must intentionally keep Him in our sight and in our mind. He wants to guide us and He wants us to find peace and joy in Him but He will not force it on us.

Don’t travel another day just “supposing” Jesus is among your traveling party. Know He is. Seek Him and make sure that you don’t get too busy in life. Don’t assume that as you walk away that Jesus will follow. He doesn’t follow us…we follow Him.

Stay warm, friends,…spring is coming.

This Is a Weighty Issue!

Each New Year the two major resolutions people made are to lose weight/get into shape and more Bible study!

Now, I don’t wait until New Year’s to make my “getting into shape” resolution. I generally make that resolution weekly--if not daily. I especially want to get into shape on Tuesday nights while watching The Biggest Loser and I don’t think that I am alone. This has caused me to think about the whole world of weight loss and I have found there are three types of people:

• Those who really, really want to…they go out and buy all the right outfits, headbands (for potential sweat or just to look cool!), enroll in the local health club, and show up excited! They will try it for a while but because it is too hard, and muscles are hurting they quit! Some people go as far as purchasing their own equipment only to have it sit idle after a month!!
• Then there are those who get involved in every single exercise group available and talk about their diet constantly…telling everyone they need to get involved in what THEY do, if they really want to be in shape. It is an addiction and it is all about the classes and diets. They have no life other than exercise and talking about what foods we should eat and look down on others who are not as vigilant as they are. Attending the class and the social experience is the goal.
• Finally, there are those who understand that a good diet and proper exercise will make their bodies healthy so they can stay active and vibrant. They do what they need to do to accomplish that goal. They are the happiest people I know!!

Do you see yourself in any of those people? I do. I have been guilty of being a part of all three at one time or another. Obviously the third person is the one who truly understands and “gets it!”

I was preparing a Bible study lesson and it dawned on me that there are the same three types of women who get involved in Bible study.

• There are those who really want to study. They know they need it…they go out and buy all the books, colored pencils and maybe a journal or two. She shows up really ready to learn and is excited but after a week they lose interest because they have gotten behind. They don’t really have the time or it is not the right night become excuses…no amount of encouragement gets him/her back…maybe next time!! They want to learn but are not willing to do the work.

• Then there are those women who are in every Bible study offered. They name-drop “Beth, Anne, and Kay”…all over the place. They are addicted and go to every study available but usually will have a favorite author and will follow her much as a groupie follows a rock band. They have their homework done and all their blanks filled in completely and in ink!! They tell others they need to study what they study. All of this is good but after each study, they can’t recall a single point they learned and they have not applied anything from the study to their lives. It was a study and it is over…on to the next study for the goal is to do bible study with no long-term affect. The hard work of letting God change them through His words is ignored…

• Then finally there is the one who has learned that the Bible is more than just a book…it is her guide to how to live life and the way God speaks to her. It is personal. She gets excited when a truth is revealed and she seeks to apply what she learns to her life. She desires God to convict her, comfort her, guide her and encourage her through His word (II Timothy 3: 16) so she can grow in her Christian walk and become mature in her faith. It is more than just a study; it is a way of life and these are the happiest people I know.

Kind of reminds me of what Jesus said to His disciples when he spoke about seeds and three types of ground. Some fell on rocky soil, some on shallow soil and some in good soil.

Don’t get me wrong….I believe in Bible study…it is daily food for the soul! The point is, study the Bible for the right reason…to grow in your life. Bible study ought to change you for you are encountering the Holy One. Afterwards you ought to speak differently, carry out your life differently, and love others more deeply! It ought to be a time of worship and worship brings change.

This year, as you dive into His words, ask Him to speak profoundly to your heart. Ask Him to show you any things that need to change…you will be amazed at what His word can do in every aspect of your life! Don’t let it become just something you do….let it be what you become.

Blog coming

Dear Friends,

This week my Mother-in-Law has gone on to glory after a long bout with Alzheimer's. We are out of pocket for a short while. I have two blogs just about ready to be posted but please pray for our family...especially my husband as he deals with this. You all are precious people and I love you!!

What Will It Cost Me?

I have the wonderful privilege to travel to the small country of Belize in June to lead women’s conferences. Belize is a very poor country in Central America and the women there have to work much harder to take care of their families than we in the US could ever imagine. Being in Women's Ministry I have learned that inside every woman, regardless of who they are or where they live, is a desire to be beautiful and feminine and with that thought in mind I want to give to each woman a gift bag filled with sweet smelling soaps, shampoos, body creams and perfume. These things, which are commonplace to us, to these ladies, are treasure. Because I don’t have the funds to do this alone, I have asked others to donate soaps, creams, and shampoos they have gotten from hotel stays; the outpouring has been wonderful. Never in my wildest dreams, however, did I think I would have to say the words, “Un-used” in the description of the items. The great majority of the items I have gotten have been wonderful (and I am so grateful) but I did get one very large bag packed full of half-used and dried up toiletries. A thorough search of the bag resulted in not one item I could use. This would have gone unmentioned but the giver bragged that they were so happy they could help in this endeavor and even made the comment that the women there should be glad of half-used items because they have nothing.

After a couple of days I let this go of my frustration over this but God would not let me forget my lesson from it. Many times have I gone through my cupboards looking for canned goods, I would never personally eat, to put in the community food pantries and the clothes I give to shelters usually contain stained items or things so out of date I would never wear them again yet somewhere in my mind I feel the recipients should be happy with whatever! Never, I am sorry to confess, have I gone shopping for clothes to give to our clothing shelter or gone grocery shopping for the food pantry. I toss my leftovers to the needy and expect God to see my “sacrifice” with a smile.

Do we give God the same? Our leftover time, talents or resources are offered to God with a boasting that we have done something wonderful for the kingdom…yet we save the best for ourselves or our own family. Then God reminded me of a scripture in II Samuel 24:24. King David had wanted to build an altar to honor God on land owned by a man named Araunah. David sent his men with an offer to purchase the land but it was such an honor for Araunah that he told the men they could have the land…no cost. Verse 24 is David’s answer: “But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” [emphasis mine]

This lesson has hit me hard…when I think I am doing something for someone in need does it count if it doesn’t cost me anything? Yes, it will count because God can use anything but the joy is much greater when the one in need is given something new and fresh for that is what God always offers us. Yes, these ladies in Belize will accept anything because they are poor and have nothing. Many are used to cast-offs from wealthy Americans but how much more exciting will it be to look in their eyes when they see new things-- just for them. Perhaps they will understand that they are cherished children of God and He offers them His best. Perhaps they won’t care at all…I don’t know…I just know that as Jesus has given His best to me, God expects me to give my best to others. It will cost me something…perhaps money…perhaps time…most definitely part of myself. But considering that God gave us His most precious son, it should be easy. Paul said in Romans 12 to “present your bodies a living sacrifice!” and then he says… “which is your reasonable service!” KJV

I will go to Belize with a new vision of what I am to do…I will give these ladies gift bags that will make them feel beautiful…at least for a little while…but I want to give them more…I want to give them myself and maybe from that they will see Jesus who will give them His best. How about you?

Unseen Gifts!

This Christmas one of my grandson’s brought me a present to open but as I opened it, the look in his eyes showed great mischief!! (More than usual!) He watched intently as I carefully removed the homemade bow and slowly unloosed the massive amounts of tape. When I finished, I found nothing! He began to laugh merrily, saying, “I tricked you, Nonnie!!” I feigned disappointment and to his delight reacted just as he had imagined. His goal was to trick me and that he did!

While this is funny to his Nonnie, I began thinking that many of us believe God has done the same thing to us. We hear that everyone has a gift to use for the Kingdom but when we look at ourselves we see wrapping and bows but we can’t seem to find any gift. We start to think that God is being cruel and is laughing at us. We look at others and think if we only could…sing, speak, cook, draw, etc. then we could be greatly used. So we sit in envy of others and wonder why our Christian life is not more exciting.

I wish I had a dime for every person I have spoken to that has stated they have no gifts…yet I find them some of the most gifted people I know. Gifts are varied, yet we often see only the outward gifts! I have one friend who constantly says (and will argue with me!) she has no gifts…yet to visit her house is like going to a resort for when I leave I am refreshed and relaxed…her obvious gift to me is hospitality. The problem is that she doesn’t think that is a gift…it is just something she likes doing!! BINGO! That is the very essence of a gift…it is something that comes naturally to you. Many think if is something that is too easy; it can’t be a gift from God!! Those are the best kind of gifts…those that are so much a part of us that we are not even aware of them keeps us from becoming proud.

God is a God of order and He arranges the gifts together to work out His plan in the Body of Christ. When we look at others and desire their gifts, we are telling God is that He didn’t give us the right gift! Often that thinking will cause us to sit back and do nothing, which can possibly weaken the Body. Beth Moore, a true Mary of Bethany, made a comment that she hopes when invited to dinner that there is a “Martha” somewhere in that home or there might not be food!!! !

Gifts are a part of who you are…some people can organize…others have great ideas…others just know what to do in situations when others are at a loss! Some have just the right words to say when everyone else stays silent. Some encourage others without even knowing it. All of these things come naturally! So, see God gave you wonderful gifts and your gifts are needed.

I just returned from a ladies retreat…the committee had provided a basket for the ministry team. They did not just throw things together but had been intentional in what was included; careful thought for every possible need was provided. I was blown away by the way these precious ladies had provided for us…yet they didn’t think anything about it commenting that any one would have done the same…but would they? No, these ladies had a great gift and used it so the ministry team could be also be used!

God has gifted you, dear one!! He has made you exactly the way you are for the betterment of the Body you serve. Are you using what comes naturally to you or are you envious of others and what they do? If you do the latter, you are denying the Holy Spirit the opportunity to use you!! You are saying to God, “You tricked me!!” He hasn’t tricked anyone…He put you where you are for a specific purpose. Ask Him today where He can use you. You will then be amazed at what will happen!

To Wait or Not to Wait!

Over the holidays we had the privilege of having our 4 grands with us and they begged us to let them open their presents before Christmas Day. Maybe you had the same experience! They didn’t want to wait and something inside me wanted to let them open at least one, but I didn’t because I knew that Christmas morning would be more exciting if they waited.

I remembered my own childhood and my “very mean” father! I was just like my grandchildren-- only worse!!! I recall one time saying I wanted to open one particular gift “Right NOW!!” (said with stomping feet and raised voice.) Now, this is where my daddy became really mean! He told me that not only would I not get the gift then but I would have to wait until New Year’s Day to open it. Pure torture!! It was not until years later that I appreciated what he did. I know he really wanted to give me the gift but for my sake he delayed the joy.

Most of us have a problem with waiting. If we have to wait to check out we get impatient or if the red light lasts 20 seconds longer than we want it to we throw mini-fits!! What my daddy was teaching me that Christmas, was not that I couldn’t open a present, but that in life we have to wait and the sooner I learned how to wait the better!!

Yet, in this matter of waiting I also realized is that there are times we want to delay…to hesitate… that generally happens when God gives us something to do and we sit back and say things like, “I think I will wait to see if this is really God’s will!”

So, to wait or not to wait? Our selfishness rears its ugly head in this question. If it is something we want, we become impatient or we delay if a directive interferes with what we want…This is one of the most serious of flaws of human nature. Scripture is full of scriptures that show the benefits of waiting… “Those who wait upon the Lord will rise up with wings like eagles” is among my favorite! Waiting is good…if I had not waited for the right person to marry there is no telling where my life would be today and believe me I didn’t want to wait. It was to my benefit.

But on the other side of waiting is an immediate response to Jesus when He shows us what we are to do… When Jesus called His disciples scripture says, “Immediately, they left their nets!!” That word, in the original Greek, means…immediately!! They didn’t stop to think about it or they didn’t ask their friends if they thought this was the right thing to do or they didn’t say, “I will pray about it!” They just dropped their nets and followed Jesus and the rest of their lives were changed forever! There have been so many times that I will wait because to do what Jesus has called me to do because it will interfere with what I want to do…and I miss the blessing of immediate obedience. Jesus doesn’t need me to fulfill His will…He wants me to be involved in His will. It is for my good.

So, as this New Year begins, I want to know when to wait…knowing it will bring greater joy but I also want to know when not to wait for that also brings the great joy. It might seem that it will be hard to know when to wait or not to wait…but that is where my walk with Christ becomes important. It will be clear if I am walking daily with Him.

What about you? Do you have a waiting problem? Ask God to help you this year with it. It will be amazing how our lives will be blessed just by knowing when to wait or not to wait. I wish you all the best year ever!!!