the anatomy of a miracle

 (C. Church  07/28/2015)

Whenever the name of 'Jesus Christ of Nazareth' is mentioned,
one thing that comes to mind is: miracles!  During the three years
of His public ministry, he performed miracles wherever He went.

John recorded that Jesus said,
"Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works
that I do shall he do also; because I go unto my Father."
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son."  ~ John 14:12-13

I believe in Jesus. I believe that He is the only begotten Son of God.
In fact, I believe everything that the Bible says about Him.
And yet...
Sometimes, even though I am praying fervently, I do not always see
the results that I was seeking.  But, Jesus said that "whatsoever we ask
in His name..."

And that got me to thinking...asking, "What are we doing wrong, Lord?"

When we are having difficulty understanding a set of circumstances, I
have discovered that the answer is ALWAYS in God's Word. 

The Word of God is eternal. It is a nail-in-a-sure-place.  It is never wrong.
It never fails.  In fact, we are assured that,
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
` Matthew 24:35

That reminds me of a saying spoken by the great evangelist, Smith Wigglesworth,
He said, "God said it. I believe it. That settles it!"
He believed so strongly in the authority of God's Word, that as far as he was
concerned, there was nothing else that could be considered in an argument.
Needless to say, his belief was so strong that actual, documented miracles
followed his ministry, everywhere he went.  Now that was about one hundred
years ago.

I often read about and hear reports from field missionaries concerning miracles
in their meetings.  I have to ask myself why we aren't seeing those things here,
in our own country.  We could debate that subject until Jesus returns, but I
wanted to know if there was something I was missing.  So, I went to the Word.

And what better place to begin than with the first recorded miracle in Jesus' life?

And that is where I discovered...the anatomy of a miracle.  It actually has parts.
I began to dissect and study each of the separate parts, and seeing how all were
necessary for the 'whole' to be strongest.  In other words, one or even two of
the parts was not enough, we need all of them, working together to reach the
desired outcome.

The story is commonly known as the Marriage at Cana, and I'm studying the
account found in:

John 2:1-11 (KJV)

1  "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee;
   and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him,
  They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee?
   mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the
   purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water.
  And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor
  of the feast. And they bare it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine,
   and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;)
   the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine;
    and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast
    kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth
    his glory; and his disciples believed on him."

We know the story well.  We've heard it many times.  Perhaps it is time to take
a closer look at it.

First, we see that Mary is in attendance at a wedding in Cana.  Cana is probably
only about 10-12 miles north of Nazareth, so it is likely that the bride and groom
were family members or very close friends.  Did you notice that Jesus and his friends
(his disciples) were also there, as invited guests.  They were 'called' to the wedding.
This means that they were invited beforehand, not merely summoned because there
was a problem.  Keep that in mind:  Jesus was already in the house!  No one had
to run out and find Him; He was there all the time.

Then, a problem arises.  The host has run out of wine.  We don't need to know how
Mary found out about this, but she did, and look what happens next.  She tells Jesus,
her son, "They have no wine."  Now, from His response to her flat statement, we can
rightfully discern that she intended for Him to do something about it.  Because, He
said to her, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come."
Basically, He said, "What's that to me, Mom? What do you expect me to do about it?
I didn't come here to show off."

So, the second part of a miracle in the making is that there is a need, a genuine need!

As a mother myself, I know that look.  I recognize the authority in her tone of voice.
She never hesitated, even when he mildly rebuked her.  She simply spoke the need,
and she spoke with the certainty that He would respond to her wishes.  It probably
never even occurred to her that He might not do what she asked of Him.

Her sincerity is unmistakable. There was a problem and she believed that He could
fix it.  So, the third part that we need is: a holy boldness!

And look what happened!  Her faith was so secure that she didn't even reply to His
response. Instead, she looked at the servants, and said, "Do whatever He tells you to do!"

And that's the fourth part...she activated her faith.  She believed that she would receive
what she had asked for, so she went right ahead, expecting things to change...and they did!

What a powerful testimony of His love for his mother!  Even though He had not planned
to reveal himself on that particular day, He could find no reason to not respond to her
heartfelt request.  That's powerful. That's how much God's heart is turned toward us.
When He sees our faith, and the boldness of our approach, He can't help himself, He
simply must respond to our needs. ("Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace [unmerited favor] in time of need."
`Hebrews 4:16

Let's review what happened to bring about the miracle.
First, Jesus was in the house!  That is so important.  When we have a serious need, we don't
have time to get 'prayed up.'  Jesus must be present, all the time, God with us!
Second, there has to be a need.  And from this story, we can realize that no need is too
frivolous to Him.  He cares about the things that we care about!  And don't worry, when
Jesus is in the house, our thoughts will be right!
Third, we must come boldly, we must believe that He is going to make things different.
Fourth, we must activate our faith...immediately!  No hesitation.  Just do whatever He
tells you to do, no matter what it sounds like. After all, there is nothing ordinary about
a miracle from God. 

I believe that the Church should be experiencing God's best, right now, just the same as
it did when Jesus departed and filled us all with His presence, His own Spirit. 
He told us that we would be doing/seeing great things happen.  And they did...for awhile.

I believe that as long as He is still with us, He expects us to do the same things that He did
for people, and that involves miracles! Look at verse 10. Did you see it?!  The governor
of the feast said to the bridegroom, "You saved the best for NOW!"  You see, he didn't say,
"you saved the best for the last."  He said, NOW!!!  And that's where we are: right here, right now!

drifting farther away

It sounds like a wonderful idea...drifting along a slow current, on a lazy day...not too hot outside, with just a gentle breeze...until you realize just how far you have drifted from the shore. That moment when it becomes clear that you've got to row all the way back, suddenly snaps you into reality.  The daydreaming is over; it wasn't so much fun after all.  There have been times in my life that I have been caught-up in this "drift-along" effect, only to be startled into the real world again.  There is one particular area that disturbs me greatly.  It's an epidemic that is sweeping Christ's universal church.  We are losing sight of the shoreline while we casually drift along, "merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily...like is but a dream."  Our focus has dimmed and our determination has clouded.

I am talking about how far we have drifted from worshiping our great God.  From the early days, thousands of years ago, when He revealed Himself to His chosen people, He has demanded worship from us.  And reasonably so, for a god ceases to be a god when he is not worshiped and revered.  To explain it another way:  Buddha is not a god to me, personally, because I choose to not worship him.  Without worship, he will never attain the status of a god figure at any level on my part.

Since I have chosen Jesus Christ, God incarnate, to be the object of my affection, it is easy to worship and adore Him.  He is my God.  I remember well, how exciting it was to go into "big" church and take part in the worship service.  Even as a young child, I knew there was something very special about what went on in the sanctuary.  But, as I got older, I also realized that we were locked into the "order of worship."  I even remember the first time that I had an occasion to actually stand in the pulpit and look out over the sea of faces in the pews.  The first thing that I noticed was that there was a big clock on the opposite wall, facing the pulpit, ticking down the minutes...hurry, hurry, hurry...you must not run over.  I have even seen the minister actually remove his own watch and set it up on the pulpit so he could monitor the time he was taking.  Mustn't run over...people are getting restless...short altar call.  The Order of Worship is more sacred than our resolve to bring a true offering of thanksgiving.  How far we are drifting away...

Think about it.  When was the last time you were invited to sing the third verse of any hymn?  It's usually the first, second, and last.  Shaving off a minute or two...keeping the order of worship on schedule.
Or, when was the last time, you were encouraged to remain still for a few moments and just allow the Holy Spirit to wash over you with His great power of regeneration?  How far we are drifting away...

Now I am not saying that we should throw caution to the wind, and become reckless with anything so holy as adoration and praise of our loving God.  I am just suggesting that maybe, because the powers that be insist on getting out on time, just maybe we should be spending a lot more time at home, in our secret place communing with God on a personal level.  Such a practice will never be time-wasted.  In fact, I have discovered that the more time I offer Him in the morning, the slower the clock runs.  It is as if time stands still for those minutes.  I am always refreshed and renewed and ready for the day.  There is a song in my heart, and even when it gets stuck in my brain and plays over and over again, all day long, I know that the Father is well-pleased, for He is jealous of my affection.

"Thou shalt worship no other God, for the Lord is a jealous God."  Exodus 20:14.

As we begin another work-week, plunging headlong into the abyss of the rat-race, may we pause and purposefully take inventory of our personal worship habits and strategies.  Whenever we make the time to "enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, and His courts with praise..." we immediately step into a higher place...far from the madding crowd, as it were.

We are transported into His presence where the light of His holiness drives away all the darkness and shadows that are pursuing us. And that light becomes our beacon for the day. Nothing, nothing at all can separate us from His powerful love. We are born anew, refreshed and encouraged from His nearness.

Yes, as we begin a new week of work...take time to work on your personal relationship with your heavenly Father.

once is never enough

These cold days in the bleak midwinter are perfect to reflect on the Word, spend more time in prayer, and really listen to the Holy Spirit as He reveals areas that He is concerned about.

As an intercessor, I am always striving to keep my hand on the Lord's pulse, so to speak, in order to be able to detect even the slightest "disturbance in the force."

In recent weeks, there has been an avalanche of warnings in the Spirit regarding a particular area in the lives of all believers.  It is an area that we don't really want to talk about because we might have to admit that we've been missing the mark.  But, it is crucial to our own well-being to make sure, absolutely sure, that we are conducting ourselves according to God's Word and His will.

This mysterious area is: forgiveness.  The Lord has reminded me of something that I have been guilty of in the past, and the Church, in general, is in serious denial today.  Case in point: we say things like, "Well, I'll forgive them, BUT..."  My dear friends, there is no BUT in forgiveness.  It must be absolute, and completely from the heart.  Personally, I have had many occasions in my life when I needed to project forgiveness strictly by faith, because my flesh was not wanting to give up the injury so fast or so easily.  But, thank God that His Spirit will continue to strive with us until we get it right.

I have also learned, again from personal experience, that oftentimes the very same person will do the very same thing that hurt me in the first place, and I am confronted with the need to forgive yet again.  I want to scream, "That's not fair. I'm never going to put myself in this position again."  Really?!  The Father comes gently then, holds me while I rant and rave, waits patiently for me to calm down, and then He says,
"seventy-times-seven."  I realize that this expression is the hard-fast proof that sometimes I am going to be faced with the decision as to whether or not I will truly forgive AGAIN.  He reminds me that true forgiveness is not keeping a tally anyway, just like He has never kept a tally on all the times I have messed up AGAIN in the same area as before. 

Never do I ever feel more like my blessed Savior than when I am able to truly forgive, and FORGET the matter (even when I know it is bound to happen again).  Just like the way He regards my repetitious shortcomings with mercy and grace, and love that simply cannot be explained, I want to be enough like Him that I can do that, too.  Why does He take me back?   Why does He keep giving me another chance?  Why doesn't He just kick me to the curb and say, "I am so done with her!"  Why?!  Because, LOVE will not allow Him to cut me out of the herd that easily.

He paid much too dearly for my life, my very soul, and He has been faithful to prove to me that I can never remove myself from His unfailing grasp.  He would prefer that I walk along, quietly beside Him daily, but He is always prepared for the event that I won't.  His forgiveness outweighs my rebellion.  He just keeps showing me His love, over and over again.

Did you know that there is a reward for keeping a right spirit before God?  When we forgive others with the same compassion and love that He has shown us, things start going in the right direction again.  Our health improves, our finances improve, stress is reduced, and most importantly, our prayers are not hindered.

It is high-time that we call a spade a spade.  When we are wronged, there is never a lingering clause or condition that allows us to treat the offender with anything except God-given mercy and grace.  We are not even entitled to an apology.  That's how faith works...no strings attached.  One of the things that the children of God are marked with is His love. "You will know them by their love."

The Church needs to wake up and get far away from this whole notion of entitlement.  We are not entitled to withhold forgiveness for any reason, we are not entitled to make conditions on the forgiveness, we are not entitled to keep a record of wrongs...unless of course, that is how we want the Father to respond to us.

After all, didn't Jesus teach us to pray, "Father, forgive us our debts as (just the same way that) we forgive our debtors."  There is a saying that goes like this: Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.  But, God says, even if it takes seventy-times-seven attempts, I will still forgive you.

When is once enough?  Maybe never, maybe seventy-times-seven is a much more realistic number!

Advent - week four

The Time of PEACE

The final week of Advent leaves us thinking about the very reason that our Savior came; He came that we might have peace with God.  Begin your celebration by relighting the first three candles and pausing a moment to think about what each one means.

Hope

Faith

Joy

When our hope is rekindled, faith rises up anew, the darkness (of our condition) is scattered and joy is restored.  What a loving Father we have.  He always leads us step-by-step until we are exactly where we can receive the fullness of His love toward us.

Lighting the final purple candle, we invite “the peace of God which passes understanding,” (Phil. 4:7)

to envelope us and comfort us, even through times of great uncertainty, sorrow, and stress.  This candle is referred to as the “Angel’s” candle.  We are told that the angels in heaven rejoiced when earth received her King.  “Glory to God in the highest,” they sang.  Two thousand years later, their carol is the same!

Why is that?  Because every day another person is born, God comes anew into this world to unite us with Him.  Every day that “morning has broken” we are presented with new opportunities to bless Him with our love and faithfulness, quietly carrying out His will in our lives…touching others, one at a time, just as Jesus did.  And likewise, each new day brings opportunities for Him to bless us.  As with any doting Father, He loves to surprise us with gifts of love and mercy and grace.  He loves to hear our songs of praise and hear the joy in our voices when we sing.  He yearns for us to find Him early, each and every day, so that His peace may accompany us no matter what happens as the minutes tick away.  What better way to stir His heart, than to sing joyful Christmas carols as we go through the day?!

To be at peace with God is everything.  When there is a bond of peace between us, nothing, absolutely nothing can dim our Hope.  It is that hope that renews our faith, and faith realized…brings JOY.  When joy is present, peace cannot be far behind.

This week, as the days glide into that glorious of days, Christmas, look for opportunities to slow down and allow peace to prevail.  There is no reason that the weeks leading up to Christmas should be harried and stressful.  I believe that allowing unrest to prevail in our hearts and lives, causes the Father great sadness.  After all, He sent His beloved Son in order that we might be reunited with Him once again.

When you think about it, there is no possible way to truly honor God and celebrate His Son if we are not fully engaged in an active pursuit of His love and peace.

This week, consider these scriptures:

Psalm 34:14, Psalm 119:165, Prov. 16:7 (one of my favorites), John 14:27, Gal. 5:22, James 3:18

And there are so many others.  Make a list of your own favorites.

Psalm 85:10 is probably my favorite passage regarding PEACE.

Listen to what the psalmist revealed to us:

“Mercy and truth are met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”

In Jesus, we have been given a door that brings us directly into the presence of our Father.

Here’s how we open it:

When the Truth of our woeful condition and the very state of our lost condition collides with the extravagant Mercy of our great God, then His Righteousness becomes our righteousness, and we have Peace with God.  Hallelujah!  Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other!!!

No need for mistletoe; the Father has made a way for us through Jesus, the beloved.

Enjoy these and other special Christmas songs:

“Silent Night, Holy Night”   “Still, Still, Still” 

And whatever else you find to do…take time for peaceful moments!  A moment here and a moment there could make all the difference.  Peace be unto you!

Advent - week three

The Time of JOY

The third week of Advent celebrates the good news that was first delivered to shepherds in the field. Appropriately then, the third candle is called the Shepherd's candle.

This week we will re-light the first candle, the Prophecy candle, and the second purple candle, the Bethlehem candle, followed by the one pink candle, the Shepherd's candle. We celebrate the great joy of our living Lord. (some scholars say that the shepherd's candle is pink to symbolize the humanity of the mortals)

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you GOOD NEWS of great JOY which will come to all the people." (Luke 2:10 AMP)

""So they went with haste..." (Luke 2:16)

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen..."

(Luke 2:20)

TAKE JOY

I salute you! There is nothing I can give you which you have not; but there is much, that, which I cannot give, you can take.

No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.

Take heaven.

No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.

Take peace.

The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet, within our reach, is joy.

Take joy.

And so, at this Christmas time, I greet you, with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.

~~Fra Giovanni

A.D. 1513

The message is clear---JOY is for the taking. It is the fruit (Gal. 5:22) of the Spirit of our Living Lord. We choose to be joyful. We are NOT intimidated by the circumstances. (See Deut. 30:19 and Deut. 28: 1-14)

"But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.  12) For thou, Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield." (Psalm 5:11,12)

Many examples of joy can be found throughout the Word of God. Two stand out mightily. The account of Job, and the chronicled life of Paul, the Apostle.

"While he was yet speaking..."BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Everything gone, in a moment of time. We cannot even imagine such devastating events. However, consider Job's response: "Then Job...fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,  21) And said, 'Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'  22) In all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." (Job 1: 20-22)

"Thou he slay me, yet will I trust Him..." (Job 13:15)

"And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job 42:10)

"So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning..." (Job 42:12)

And what about Paul?

[while they were in prison] "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  26) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed." (Acts 16: 25-26)

Paul walked the talk!

"Rejoice evermore.  17) Pray without ceasing.  18) In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  19) Quench not the Spirit." (I Thes. 5:16-19)

The Shepherd's Path (a life of JOY)

J          Jesus first         Deut. 6:4-7          Matt. 7:12          Matt. 22: 36-40

O         others next       John 13:34           John 15:12

Y         yourself last      Romans 12:1

Remember, there are 366 instances in the Bible where we are told, "Fear not!" So, instead, let's take JOY and choose LIFE!

When you listen to the Christmas music this week, pay attention to the words in "The First Noel," "Angels From the Realms of Glory," and "Joy to the World."   Be joyful, today and always!

Advent - week two

The Time of PREPARATION and FAITH

You may recall that the second purple candle is called the Bethlehem candle. Now we have a "what" and a "where" in the divine mystery. What: the prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Messiah. Where: Bethlehem.

This week we will re-light the first candle, the Prophecy candle, and we will then light the second purple candle, the Bethlehem candle, as we continue to prepare our hearts for the anticipated Light of the world.

"Prepare ye the way of the Lord." (John 1:23)

The prophets foretold the special place that Bethlehem would have in history. (see Micah 5:2)

Now, listen to this! "Bethlehem" literally means House of Bread. How fitting that the Bread of Life would first appear on earth there! He has prepared a feast; He has called us to come and dine; what hinders us, then?

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)

Room for Jesus

"Have you any room for Jesus?

He who bore your load of sin...

As He knocks and asks admittance,

Sinner, won't you let Him in?"

"Room for Jesus, King of Glory...

Hasten now, His Word obey,

Swing your heart's door widely open-

Bid Him enter, while you may."

"And the Lord said, 'My Spirit shall not always strive with man...'" (Genesis 6:3)

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1)

"And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of Life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

Oh, yes! Celebrate with all your heart! Celebrate with great anticipation as you truly prepare a place within your hear for the King of Kings!

As you listen to your Christmas music this week, pay attention to the words of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and "O Little Town of Bethlehem." The Bread of Life came to the House of Bread; why should anyone, anywhere ever go hungry again!

Advent - week one

The Time of ANTICIPATION and HOPE

This week we'll light the first purple candle, the Prophecy candle, and celebrate Christ with anticipation and hope.

Just as a child waits expectantly for the "big" day, so our hearts yearn for His Coming.

The scriptures reveal to us that this has been the plan, all along. God would become flesh and dwell among us!

Just as those of long ago waited in anticipation for the coming of the Christ Child, we celebrate His birth while looking beyond it to His glorious reappearing. And we prepare our hearts and minds for His return.

"Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come." (Mark 13:33)

From the Old Testament to the New Testament and back again, the great event was recorded.

"O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord." (Isaiah 2:5)

"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." (Isaiah 9:2)

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6-7)

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, 'I am the light of the world: He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.'" (John 8:12)

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." (Isaiah 60:1)

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2) In my Father's house are many mansions: (if it were not so, I would have told you). I go to prepare a place for you. 3) And if I go and prepare a place for you; I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3)

"...'Surely I come quickly'...Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)

There are many other passages that you might enjoy studying this week:

Matthew 24:37-44, I Thessalonians  4:14-18, John 1:1-14, and I Thessalonians 5:1-6.

Now is the time to dig out your Christmas CDs. Listen to "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and think about the exciting times that we live in today, knowing that Christ could return at any moment! Are you ready?

Think about the little things you do for a long overdue visit with a precious friend. When you learn that they are coming, you clear the calendar and make time for them. You savor every moment, and sigh when they must leave. The best part of His return is, even though we have waited a long time, this time He's not leaving us behind. No teary goodbyes for us. We're going with HIM!

an overview of ADVENT

ADVENT

"ADVENT," The beginning of an adventure!

Perhaps you have noticed that Christmas is coming sooner and sooner every year. This year the decorations were on display before Halloween! No wonder we get so frustrated and tired of the whole thing. Deep inside we are yearning for a spiritual holiday. And no wonder that we do, after all, it was God who "set eternity in our hearts." He is always interested in our spiritual posture, temperature, and general good health. Maybe Advent is just what you need to redirect your focus on the living Savior this season.

You may believe that you don't know much about Advent. But, that's probably not true! You may know more than you think. For example, have you seen or used an Advent calendar in your home during the Christmas season? If so, what was the purpose of the calendar? Most likely, it was to 'count down' the days to a climax...Christmas day.

The Church's celebration of Advent dates back to the 4th century A.D. when it lasted six weeks. Sometime in the 6th century A.D. it was established to include the four Sundays prior to Christmas day. Subsequently, it begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30th, and continues through Christmas day. It all leads up to the most glorious celebration of all...our Savior's birth.

Consider the meaning of the word, advent. Other than its strictly religious sense (coming of Christ), it means "coming arrival" [example: the advent of Spring]. The original word is from the Latin for "to come to." Compare advent with its cousin, adventure, which means "an exciting or remarkable experience." Now that makes sense! Shouldn't our walk with God and our quest to be conformed to the image of His dear Son be an exciting and remarkable experience every day of our lives? If you have ever wanted more, especially at Christmas, you need to prayerfully consider adding the Advent celebration to your Christmas traditions. Right now, you may be thinking, "Oh, great! Just what I don't need: one more thing to squeeze in between now and the end of the year." But, if the Holy Spirit directs you, you will be eager to start the adventure!

Advent is rich in spiritual (all scriptural) symbolism. If you don't like symbolism, then you need to start ignoring every rainbow in the sky. God works through symbolism, and we can learn much from it.

First, let us consider the Advent Wreath. Traditionally, it is a circle. The circle symbolizes God's eternal plan---from our birth to our rebirth to eternity in His presence, a never-ending circle of love. The wreath is dressed with evergreens. They symbolize God's undying love for us.

Within the wreath, the four candles are placed. The light of each candle represents Jesus, the light of the world. Nowadays, the four candles are purple (the color of royalty---depicting the reverence due the King of Kings.) Some churches use royal blue (another "royal" color) candles. However, from the earliest times, three purple and one pink candle have been used. I prefer this arrangement for several reasons. First, I like the tradition of it. But, even more importantly, the strange arrangement, of necessity, begs for an explanation. Just sitting there quietly, they become the topic of conversation, and behold! the doors swing open for witnessing opportunities. With that in mind, let's continue to examine the meaning of each separate candle.

The first week of Advent is commonly called the time of "Anticipation or Hope." The candle of the first week is purple. We are anticipating the arrival of the King of Kings. He is heavenly royalty personified. The first candle is referred to as the "Prophecy" candle. The studies (individual, family, or group) that the first week of Advent revolve around concern the prophecies that the King would come. But, Advent takes you one step farther. You never stop with the coming of the infant child king; you pause long enough to absorb the wonder of the virgin birth, God incarnate. Then, you examine the King's coming into your own heart. But, that's still not all! Finally, you look forward, with joyful ANTICIPATION, to the return of the KING! What a way to refocus on the season of seasons! It may be noted that some groups refer to the first candle as the "Hope" candle. What you prefer to call it is your decision. The name is not as important as the reality. The reality must be that you not only believe that He came once, but that He's coming again and you're looking forward to it!

The second week of Advent is called the time of "Preparation." The second candle is also purple. (The second candle is usually referred to as the "Bethlehem" candle.) As Bethlehem was foretold to be the place chosen to prepare for the coming King, we were admonished, ourselves, by John the Baptist, to "prepare [ye] the way of the Lord." During the second week of Advent, we focus on the preparations that need to be made daily to receive a King into our very lives. (On the second Sunday, you re-light the Prophecy candle first, and then light the Bethlehem candle.)

The third week of Advent is called the time of "Joy." The third candle is the pink one. It is traditionally pink (rose-colored) to signify that Jesus is the Rose of Sharon. (It is often called the "Shepherd's" candle.) After all, the good news came to the shepherds and they left all and came with great joy to find their Shepherd King. The symbolism is so very rich here. God became flesh and presented Himself to the lowliest of society. What does he have to do today, in our lives, to restore such heartfelt joy among us? Allow His Holy Spirit to guide you as you encounter fresh joy "unspeakable, and full of glory." (On the third Sunday, you re-light the Prophecy and Bethlehem candles and then light the Shepherd's candle.)

The final week of Advent is called the time of "Peace." The fourth candle is the last purple candle, (commonly called the "Angel's" candle.) And of course, the angels in heaven rejoiced that earth had "received her King." Peace was born that day, on earth, and every man is able to be at peace with God. Study His Word, let it rise up in you, and guide you into perfect peace this blessed season. (This final Sunday you will re-light the Prophecy candle, the Bethlehem candle, the Shepherd's candle, and then finally, you will light the last one, the Angel's candle.)

There remains a single, white candle in the center of the wreath. This is the "Christ" candle, and it represents His purity. You may light it on Christmas eve and again on Christmas day to symbolize the light of the world!

Have you ever arrived someplace only to discover that you "just missed" a beloved friend or family member? That's what Advent is all about. We may have missed His first coming, but He has come into our own lives, and indeed, He's coming again to take us home. Our hearts are filled with peace and reconciliation while we wait, hopefully anticipating the love of God, and His eminent return to restore us into His family forever. If that isn't reason enough to lift Him up daily, and especially at Christmas, then I don't know what is.

                                           LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!!!

don't hurry to worry

Early this morning (maybe it's because it's Throwback-Thursday) a praise chorus popped into my head...and just stayed there.  I haven't really thought about this particular one in years.

It's a scripture-praise that was taken from Isaiah 28:16. 
"Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold
I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone
a tried stone,
a precious corner stone,
a sure foundation:
he that believeth shall not make haste."

Do you remember it?  As I recall, the music was quite like a Jewish dance tune...upbeat and stirring. It made you want to get up on your feet and at least tap your toe!  At any rate, you simply cannot sing this chorus while sitting down...it begs you to get on your feet, clap your hands for joy, and let your happy be LOUD!

So, round and round it goes, and now I'm humming happily along, singing in my heart and letting the words register in my brain.

I wanted to share what some scholars have to say about this passage. 
The Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, NIV, includes this note...
"Messiah is a foundation stone in His atonement, a tested stone in His temptations, and a precious cornerstone in His relationship to His people."

Jesus is our foundation.  He is the foundation of His Church.  He is the foundation of Israel, their promised and long-awaited Messiah!  In short, Jesus is simply everything...everything that we will ever need in this life and the one to come, He has already provided.  Isn't that wonderful?!  There is nothing that we need that He is not aware of.  There is nothing that we need that He would refuse us.  (see Matt. 7: 7-11)

I am rejoicing in those precious promises today, as I hum along right through the cares and worries that are competing for my attention.  And I am especially rejoicing in the last line of that little praise chorus...
"he that believeth shall not make haste."  Now, when you extrapolate that phrase, it basically translates:
"he that trusts in God will not be dismayed/disappointed."  And that little word "dismayed" means deprived of your POWER!  Oh, yes, sweet friend, there is power in the name of Jesus!  There is power to break every chain, in every area of our lives.  There is power to elevate us up to where we belong...walking on sunshine once again!

So, there you have it.  Put your trust in the foundation that holds you up, and never hurry to worry!

pawing the ground and snorting

Lately, I can't help but notice the level of intensity in which the enemy is operating against us.  Simply put, he's on a rampage.  Everybody is going through something, and there doesn't seem to be any end of it in sight.  Spirits are low and faith is fading.  But, I have an answer to all of that!

Times like these always remind me of Job and the terrible difficulties that he faced as he was sifted.  God was proud of him; it was He who called attention of Job's fine character to Satan.
     "One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord,
      and Satan also came with them.  
      The Lord said to Satan, 'Where have you come from?'
      Satan answered the Lord, 'From roaming through the earth
      and going back and forth in it.'
      Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant,
      Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and
      upright, a man who fears (respects the power of...) God
      and shuns evil.'"
       ~Job 1: 6-11, NIV

Satan responded to that rather cleverly:  He basically said, "Of course He fears and honors You.  You have put a hedge of protection all about him and his possessions.  In fact, You have blessed him mightily.  But, I'll just bet that if You remove your protection from him, if You curse Him instead, he will not praise you then!"

Now is a good time to mention that God will not curse us (we often curse ourselves, but He doesn't do it), because we are in a blood covenant relationship with Him, He will never curse us.  Satan knew this and he could not have been happier when God answered his challenge regarding Job:
    "The Lord said to Satan, 'Very well, then, everything he has in in your hands,
      BUT on the man himself, do not lay a finger."
     ~Job 1: 12, NIV

Isn't that marvelous?!  No matter what, God always has the last word...we always win!

And so began Job's trials and great trials they were. Still, God never would forsake him, not for one minute.
At times, I'm sure that Job did not feel that he could go on...there had to have been many days when he just wanted to give-in and give up!  And yet, God was there all the time.

Now, fast forward to the end of the story (don't forget to read all about it in Job 42: 10-16).  Toward the end of his trials, God came and talked with him, no doubt to encourage him.  This is the conversation I want you to see:

     "Do you give the horse his strength or give his neck a flowing mane? 
      Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? 
      He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. 
      He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. 
      The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. 
      In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the
      trumpet sounds.  At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, "Aha!" 
      (note: in the KJV, it actually says, "Ha, Ha!" Isn't that great?!!!) 
      He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout
      of commanders and the battle cry."
     ~Job 39: 19-25, NIV

God was reminding Job that even the horse is His in battle.  He is unafraid to pursue the enemy because he (the horse) knows who his commander is!

It's true...sometimes life down here is incredibly hard; it often seems unfair.  But, never give up on the Commander.  He owns the battle.  He has the victory, and we win...we surely win.

As you face the obstacles that are flung across your path while you are being sifted, just remember that your steed is pawing the ground...ready to fight...snorting at the enemy, and bellowing, "HA! HA!"  We may be riding into the fray, but we are not alone.  We will never be alone.  God's eternal love for us will not allow Him to leave us or forsake us. 

Now, get back up in that saddle, and give the horse of victory his head.  He will take you to the other side of the battle...let him run, wild and free, escaping the enemy at every turn, pawing and snorting, "HA! HA!"

caution: reduce speed ahead

Here in central Oklahoma, we've had a much 'cooler' summer than usual, but the weather forecasters are calling for a return of the hot days of summer next week.  Even so, with the absence of the normal heat pattern, it makes it hard to believe that the kiddos are already heading back to school.

The newscasters are reminding us to be alert in the school zones, always watching for the children.  It's rather ridiculous that we need to be reminded that the flashing lights indicate the possibility of small pedestrians walking to and from home, or simply standing...waiting for their ride.  But, it's the same every year.  We seem to be growing more and more oblivious to the school zones that may be on our normal route.  Drivers are already distracted with the interaction of their mobile devices, and they get annoyed if they have to slow down. Rarely do I see a driver who maintains the more cautious speed until completely out of the posted zone.  Why is that?  Why are we in such a hurry all of the time?  Where are we going?

Pondering on these thoughts, brought something else to mind:

You've heard me say this a thousand times, so one more time won't annoy you that much, right?
EVERYBODY IS GOING THROUGH SOMETHING.  Normally, we don't even have a clue as to what the folks around us are going through at any given time.  Unless they tell us themselves, or someone else tells us, or we overhear a conversation that clues us in, we "drive right on through" their caution zone.  Lights are flashing, the Holy Spirit is urging, but we just keep right on going.  Why is that?

Are we afraid that if we offer to do something, someone might actually take us up on it?!  Okay, suppose that's the truth, and having limited resources ourselves, we may not be able to do as much as we had promised or hoped.  It's a good rule to not make promises that you cannot keep.  But, what about the One who has unlimited resources?  Have we forgotten that He is always ready to "be the answer," supplying every need (spiritual, financial, emotional, physical) to us in His own way and time?  How much of our precious schedule is altered when we stop and whisper a heartfelt plea: "God, please help my friend today."
Why can't we spare that few seconds worth of time?  Why are we in such a hurry?

I have noticed that several times a day, the Lord brings someone to my mind...it's often just a fleeting thought, or a flash of memory that was triggered by some seemingly unrelated event.  I have learned that the Father is sharing with us the grand opportunity to be part of their solution.  If we will learn to stop, for a few seconds, and really listen and pay attention to the prompting, we may be entrusted with the treasure of heaven...the answer to someone's prayer or cry for help.

The prophet (Isaiah 6:8, NIV) answered the call.
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?'
And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

So, I ask again...where are we going?  Where are we going with our lives?  How will we account for our time here?  In the end, will we even be worth the air that we had to breathe?  There's one way to determine our own destinies...be available, always be ready to be part of the solution.  It's true that we can't do everything, but there is a lot more that we could be doing.  Stay 'prayed-up,' and always ready to whisper someone's name.

We need to make a conscious effort to slow-down when mentally racing through someone's caution zone...be alert for the weary traveler who just needs you to whisper their name.  The Lord will always let you know if there is something more tangible that you need to do to complete the task of bringing comfort to the forgotten soul along the way.

Yes, Isaiah said, "Here I am; send me!"  And Hollywood's Doc Holliday said, "I'm your huckleberry!"
Whichever one you can identify with...just do it!  Be the one driver who slows down all the way through the zone.  And then...check your rear-view mirror just to make sure that everyone made it through!

raining in your heart

Here we are in the middle of July, in central Oklahoma, and it's raining and the temperature is below 70!  I've got to say that this is very unusual.  In fact, the weatherman has assured us, for the past several days, that we will break some records this week.  It may be strange weather, but I have not heard anyone complaining.

Too bad that our lives, in general, can't be this uncomplicated.  You know...just go-with-the-flow.  Think about it...if we could wake up in the middle of circumstances that we were not expecting at all, and just say, "Wow! What a great day this is going to be."  But instead, sadly, we usually throw a fit.  We complain bitterly about how unfair everything is and that this is not what we bargained for.  Wait a minute!  Hold that thought!

"...What we bargained for..."  that's an interesting phrase, isn't it?  So, just exactly, what did we bargain for in this life?  Let's take just a few minutes and really think about this.  You go ahead and get comfortable, and I'll get a cup of coffee, and we'll just sit a spell and visit on this cool and rainy morning.

Clearly, I can't speak for anyone other than myself, so that's what I'll do, I'll speak for myself!  I am reminded of the country song from the seventies that Lynn Anderson crooned, "I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden..."

Well, that's certainly true: God never once promised that everything would be just perfect all the time just because we loved Him and agreed to serve Him with our lives.  And what about that?  Have we ever, truly, offered up our entire lives to Him?  Well, that's a subject for another day.

Going further with this thought (what we bargained for), let's remember what James taught us,
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." (James 1:2-3 - NIV)  That's a perplexing thought: How are we supposed to be joyful over a circumstance that is making us uncomfortable?  Well, I have learned that "when the going gets tough," as it often does, then I must be doing something right, or there would not be so much opposition from the enemy. Right?!  And when I am doing something, anything, right, that's reason enough to be joyful.

Now let's get another point of view:
"Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also."  (John 15:20 - NIV, Jesus speaking)

There are many other passages that remind us that the chosen life is not an easy one; sometimes it's downright HARD, oh! but the retirement fund is awesome...in fact, you might say, "It's out of this world."

So, let's also think about what Peter taught us about our response to the tough times that we encounter.
(I Peter 3 : 8,9 - NIV)
"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

So there we have it, no rose gardens other than the ones your own heart perceives!  You were called to be a blessing to others, so that God might BLESS YOU!!!!

Raining and cool or hot and dry, like the uncertain weather, circumstances should not cause us to waver.  We must continually bless each other, and live with blissful hearts that are filled to the brim with all of the Father's goodness toward us.  Don't worry...be happy, and be a blessing!

nothing lacking

Here we are, in the final days of Spring, and the weather has been wonderful!  Many happy hours have been spent in the wilderness garden out back, on the front porch, and on the swing in the back yard.  I've seen beautiful pink sunrises, and soft orange-gold sunsets.  The birds and butterflies have accompanied me, as the squirrels entertained me with their acrobatic presentations in the tops of the  80-year-old pecan trees in our yard.

Peace has flowed like a quiet river, and sometimes it is hard to believe that I am right in the middle of a fairly large city.

We have had abundant rain showers, as well, and everything is lush and green.  During the heavy downpours, I have retreated indoors to one of my three favorite spots...the hobby/playroom, my Study upstairs, or the living room...curled up with a good book or watching a favorite movie.

Anyone who knows me at all understands that I am a "home-body."  I like h-o-m-e, HOME!  I am not a "shopper," and therefore it is not on my list of things-to-do today to stop by the mall and just...walk around.  I don't particularly enjoy going to the theater to see a movie...I much prefer to watch one at home.  I don't even enjoy going out to eat, unless it is for a special occasion with special people.  I like to cook, and I've been told that the product of my culinary efforts is not hard to wash down, so that makes it even more enjoyable.  I like my job at the office, but I LOVE my home.

I am married to my best friend, and we enjoy each others company to the point that we can still hold long conversations about the things that we are passionate about, or we can snuggle on the couch next to each other, and never say a word...it is still bliss.

I have learned to be contented with all the blessings that God has so graciously provided in my life.  There is nothing that I lack.  It is well with my soul.  I have lived long enough to correct some of the mistakes that I have made, and accept and give forgiveness, so that others might have the same freedom that I do.

All in all, though not always easy by any means, I have lived a good life.  I have been blessed with wonderful children who were raised to love and honor and respect their parents, both of us...at the same time, and they do.  They show honor and respect at all times, their love knows no bounds.  They each, in turn, come and visit as often as they can, and no matter who is present or who is absent, we always have a good time.

I'm pretty sure that's the way it's supposed to be!  Yes sir, God has been good to me.

And now, along comes Summer!  I can hardly imagine all the joys that have been appointed to me and my family.  I am thankful to my dear Lord, for the outrageous love and favor He has bestowed upon me & mine.
And, I am looking forward to a grand Summer at the old home-place!  Let the good times roll, in the summertime....

a righteous expectation

The body of Christ is in need of repair.  It's been "banged around and scarred," kicked about and scraped raw, and by whom?  The very members of the body, that's who!  The fingers claw at the eyes, and the teeth grab the flesh of the arm.  Yes, the most precious presence on this planet is in danger of self-destruction.  The enemy doesn't even have to lift a finger against us.  In fact, he parades unabashedly in front of the throne of grace, claiming, "Not me, God....nope, not this time...I didn't do it."

Sadly the Father turns away, tears stinging His eyes, because He knows it's true.  His hope for the world---Christ living in us---has become a joke in the spiritual realms.  "How long?!" He cries, "How long must I strive with man?  When will he ever listen to my Words and heed my voice?"

We glide in and out of our days as if there were no direction from God necessary.  We seldom spend any time with the Father in joyful communion until we want Him to do something for us.  And still, like the perfect parent He is, He continually responds to our cries, knowing all the while that as soon as we get what we want, we'll turn aside again...until we need Him.  It's a very convenient relationship.

But, I wonder...when will He get what He wants from us?  In His Word, He has outlined His expectations for us, individually and as a collective Body...the Body of Christ, His beloved.

Micah 6: 8  "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."  Nothing hard to understand about that.

Here's a cut-and-dried list of what He doesn't want to see in us:
Proverbs 6: 16-19  "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man that stirs up dissension among brothers (in Christ)."

When Jesus was asked which of the "rules" was the necessary one to live by, a man answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, AND Love your neighbor as yourself."  Jesus responded, "You have answered correctly."

I wonder, at what point in the history of mankind, these words were disavowed.  I wonder when it happened...when did we decide that God didn't really mean anything He said to us or about us.  I wonder when we decided that it would be okay with Him if we just did whatever we wanted to without even consulting Him or asking what His will was in a situation.  I wonder when it was that we convinced ourselves that as long as we got whatever we wanted, it didn't matter if it was what He wanted for us.

If I am reading His Word correctly, it is my understanding that everyone in the Body of Christ should be working together to make good things happen for each other.  When someone steps up-to-the-plate of responsibility and tries to make things better, when did it ever become okay to try to destroy them?  How can that attitude or behavior ever reflect God's Spirit of Love, perfect Love?

There is mischief afoot in the Spirit these days. And the enemy of our souls is not the perpetrator.  We have drifted so far from God's Word that we are making up our own rules as we go along.  We claim that what we do is right, but we are not being truthful with God or ourselves when we have not even asked God what He thinks!  We just say, "God, this is what I want you to do!"

Well, my Book says that is not the kind of prayer that God can or will answer.  In fact, James said it this way:  (James 4: 15-17)
"You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag.  All such boasting is evil.  Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

How far we have fallen.  How disappointed the Father must be. Perhaps He will give us another opportunity to become humble before Him, seeking His will and not our own, and listening to His voice, and obeying...being kind and helpful to one another and always walking in love with all the members in the body.
I hope so.  God deserves that kind of love, respect and loyalty from us...that we would always do His will and make it first and foremost in our lives.

And now, dear ones, I leave you with this reminder:
"The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."  (James 3: 17-18)   And that is what God is most concerned with: our righteousness in Him!

Live righteous!

 

here come the sheep

Back in the day, while teaching remedial classes in summer school, I thought it was important to make it as fun and memorable as possible.  After all, who wants to be stuck in the classroom during the summer while everyone else was at the park or the pool!

Since it was necessary to accomplish a great deal of work in a limited span of time, being creative was a major challenge.  Since my task included getting the students a step closer to grade-level (especially with reading/comprehension) skills, I was determined to make learning more fun and less stressful.

I found that the best tactic was to go back, all the way back, to a level that they were comfortable in.  Often, that placed us at very low levels.  Thank goodness, there is no shortage of particularly wonderful children's literature to glean from.

One of my favorite author/illustrator teams was Nancy E. Shaw and Margot Apple.  Their "Sheep" books were so valuable for beginning readers.  And once the children were engaged, the sky was the limit!  Oh! What great memories!  But, I digress.

There were several titles in the series, but my favorite will always be "Sheep in a Jeep."
"Beep! Beep! Sheep in a jeep on a hill that's steep." 
Can you predict what might happen next?

"Sheep in a Shop" / "Sheep on a Ship" / "Sheep Out to Eat" ... well, you get the picture.

I was thinking of these wonderful stories, when a profound thought hit me.  According to the Word, we are the sheep of the Lord's pasture.  That's significant...to be His sheep.  Because, one day there will be a reckoning, a division will take place.  The "sheep" (those who will spend eternity with Him) and the "goats" (those who will not) will be separated for eternity.  What a thought.  In the meantime, we are here, and life here is not always rosy.  It's downright hard to always walk-the talk. 

Oh, we're okay with being the sheep, but sometimes we get a little distracted, and our adventures take us away from the long-term plan.  Like the sheep in the stories, we do what sounds like fun, but then we realize there are consequences to our choices...and it seems that the more reckless or foolish the choices, then all the more dire, are the consequences..

To complicate things, someone is always 'watching' us, as if waiting for us to mess up.  Theses days there is a very real chance that whatever we are doing could be 'captured' and transferred to social media without our knowledge or permission.  I'm not saying that we are to go off and hide in a cave somewhere, I'm saying that the choice will always be yours...that's the way our God rolls...so when you think you need a diversion from the straight-and-narrow, take a good hard look at the consequences, there is a reason the "jeep (is) on a hill that's steep."  The road we travel is not easy, it's hard.  Traveling carefully will cause you to arrive at your destination, safe and sound.  Ramrodding your way along the path, on the other hand, will most certainly lead to consequences that you might not be prepared for.  Life is a garden of delight, it's supposed to be, so have fun, enjoy all that God is doing for you, and whenever you have a choice to make...choose wisely, my friends.

Beep! Beep! Here come the sheep!

schizofreakea

It seems like the Body of Christ is really under attack these days.  The enemy is hard at work trying everything he can to discourage us and cause us to be hopeless and helpless.

Given the urgency of his task against us, I believe that we must be on the very doorstep of something great.

Whatever you are trusting God for...KEEP THE FAITH.  Do not give up, do not back down.  Help is on the way.  You have His Word on it!  "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3 - KJV)

These days we seem to be easily distracted from our mission in life...to love God, enjoying His presence in our lives as we daily strive to serve Him better.  I'm going to take a little liberty here and paraphrase some thoughts from Thomas a Kempis.  He said, 'As long as everything is going well in our lives, we are happy with God and His decisions for us. But, just as soon as an adverse circumstance develops, we slip back into our old selves, where doubt, fear and unbelief are our masters.'   There's a bit of truth in there.  We feel safe in our level of faith when all is well.  But, I wonder...is that kind of thinking/living really kin to absolute faith?

Faith is defined as "...being sure of what we hope for and certain of what is not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 - NIV)
I can't see the sun on a cloudy day, but I am absolutely certain that it is still there!

Just remember, when there was nothing at all, anywhere...God used faith, alone, to frame the worlds. (v3)

That must be why it is so important to Him that we exercise our faith, strengthening it, stretching it.  We are also reminded that,  "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  (Hebrews 11:6 - NIV)

You see, He wants us to be like Him, having so much faith (trust) in His workings in our lives, that we cannot entertain thoughts of failure.  Do you think, for one instant, that God did not believe something was going to happen when He said, "Let there be..."?  That's the same kind of faith He wants us to have.

But, that's really hard, isn't it?  The reason may be due to the way most of us were raised.  We are taught that nobody is going to do it for us; we must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, etc., etc.  And hard work is normally a good thing, but only when we enjoy what we are doing so much that it doesn't even seem like work at all.  And only when we are not consumed with getting more and more stuff, instead of looking around to see where we can help another fellow-traveler on this path below.

After all, we are all just trying to get home again.

So, what's the deal?  Why do we panic at the first sign of adversity?  Why do we 'freak-out'?  It seems a little unstable and wavering to be fine with God when everything is going our way, and then turn to spineless jellyfish when things get tough.  Clinically, that sort of presto-chango is pretty much schizophrenic, don't you think?  We seem to be living out our lives with dual personalities.  Faithful Servant vs Freaked-Out Worrier.

I am going to refer to this condition as: Schizofreakea!  And the good news is, there's a cure for it!

When the Hebrews were going through desperate times, historically they were instructed to, "Remember!"

The rules have not changed, not in thousands of years.  When the enemy threatens you, don't shrink back in fear, as "those who have no faith," instead, Be Bold in your stance.  Start recounting all the many times God has shown up and delivered you when you thought all was lost.  There's still hope, and as long as there is, we have an obligation to live by our faith. 

He still rewards those who seek Him diligently. (Hebrews 11:6)  It's okay to come crying, just come as you are.  Allow Him to carry that weight for you.  For, "which of you by worrying, can change anything?" (see Matthew 6:25-34 - NIV)

Get rid of schizofreakea today!  Don't waver in your faith.  Tell Him what you need; thank Him for loving you enough to take care of it, and let it go...let it go.

o.e.t.k.b.

I am often amused when I hear young parents say to their little ones, "You need to act your age!"  Being pretty good at estimating the ages of small children, I would guess that they are acting their age...exactly.

Children, after all, are not miniature adults...they are children.  And childhood should be fun, exciting, full of wonder.  Of course, it is a time for growing, as well.  And they will, in due time.  In the meantime, let them be children.

As the beloved children of God, we are afforded a reasonable time for growth and maturation in the faith.  And then, at some point, we are expected to start growing up in that faith.  Peter put it this way, "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (I Peter 2:1-2)  It's okay to start out as a baby...we all do, but we should be growing along the way.  If we have not put aside those things that are harmful to us, that Peter mentioned, we are not growing quickly enough.  We are not acting our spiritual age.

Sometimes, we simply slip and fall back into an old way of doing things...B.R.  Before Redemption.  But, with the Holy Spirit to quicken us, we cannot stay in that state or condition for very long.  It's just too miserable.  Like a baby who is ready for solid food, nothing else, not all the milk in the world, will satisfy that hunger.  We have to get back to the table, where the good food is spread before us.  Peter listed the things that stint our growth.  And I might add that his is a short list, but still it encompasses major categories.

So how will we know when we are ready to grow-up spiritually?  Well, I think I might know the answer to that inquiry.  Mama had a phrase that she used when she was attempting to make that very point.  No longer did she say that I needed to act my age.  Instead, she said (calmly, but firmly) six little words that stung like a wasp on sun-burned skin.  "You're old enough to know better."

I think that is exactly what Jesus whispers to me, "Don't do that. You're old enough to know better. Don't say that...it's unkind, and you're old enough to know better."  What He is telling me is this:  I don't need to be concerned with what others are doing and saying.  I am at a place in His mercy and grace that I know better.  I have experienced the depth of His unfailing love time and time again, and I'm too big now, to act like a fool.  We will always be growing in grace.  And that maturity must be evident in our daily choices, if Christ is to be glorified through us.

We can start out slowly...one thing at a time.  For example, let's begin to really think about what we say.  The 2/3 Rule is a good measuring tool.  Just before blurting something out, take a moment to examine it by these standards...
1) Is it true?
2) Is it kind?
3) Is it necessary?
If it doesn't meet the 2/3 rule (two of the three should easily apply), then DON'T SAY IT!! Why? Because, you're old enough (in Christ) to know better!

Achieving spiritual maturity in a godless world will never be easy.  These days we are concerned with everybody's rights except God's. (paraphrased from a quote by Dr. Billy Graham) He has the right to expect the redeemed to behave accordingly.  We are not under the curse of the law any longer; we have chosen to live by a higher standard...the standard of Love, and it's time to grow up.

After all, we're old enough to know better, so let's start acting our age!

looking for a garden

It's springtime. The time of the singing of the birds has begun.  I enjoy being outdoors during this time of the year.  It makes me wonder what it was like to walk in the Garden of Eden with the Creator of the universe.

As He walked there, communing daily with His most prized creation, man, the Father must have been overjoyed at all He had done.  You would think that it would have been "enough"  for mankind.  But, we all know the story...man wanted more.  And he still does.

We chase after fulfillment everywhere except where it truly is.  Man has fallen.  And, how great was his fall!

Just imagine, walking in the cool of the day...not a hasty on-a-mission walk, but a short, sweet meandering, taking time to marvel at every creature, or flower, or sound, or color...that kind of walk.  And if that weren't enough, God walking with us.  Laughing and talking about the day.  How could we ever bear to leave such a place?!

Well friend, let me tell you something.  God missed us; He missed us more than we missed Him, and one day, it was just too much.  He had to do something to bring us back.  He loved us that much.  And while the Garden of Eden, itself, is forever gone, He created something even better.  He's made it possible for each of us to walk with Him every day...He's making our hearts a beautiful garden.  He made a way to come back home to Him.  Jesus, His precious Son, is the gateway to our own garden with God.

Never again will we be cast out.  Jesus walks with us; He never leaves.
He loves us more than anything.

I wonder if we will ever be able to comprehend such love and affection...so great that even the angels wanted to know more about it.  (I Peter 1: 12)

The world that God imagined for us, was physically ruined as a result of the fall.  Nothing will ever get it back.  But, we can...every one of us...have a supernatural relationship with the Lord of the Universe.  It's so easy.  All we need to do, is look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith...the great exchange: my all for His all!  From that moment, there is nothing that can separate us from the hand of the Lord.  We remain in His love, as He builds a beautiful garden from the ashes in our old stony hearts.  And that is where we will find Him...every moment of every day.  For, "where your heart is, there is your treasure!"

Today, as we celebrate what is left of our beautiful earth, let us not neglect the garden of gardens.  Stop flirting with the ways-of-the-world and spend more time with the One who sings over you.  Thanks be to God for the peace that passes all earthly understanding.  It's always sunny in this garden...the only rain is gentle and sweet upon the face.  The storms are all far, far away...they aren't allowed here.  Come aside and sit in the Garden of His mercy, grace and unfailing love.  Listen, don't you hear the sound of the singing...run, run into His open arms...and rest awhile.