During Sunday morning worship, we’re beginning a series in Jonah, and so I spent much of last weekend digging into the first three verses. As I studied and allowed the Word to speak to me, the Lord impressed several things upon my heart…. so now I’m doing what I usually do — share them with you.

¹ Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ² “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” ³ But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. (Jonah 1:1-3)

I found lots of historical background on Ninevah. The Assyrians were a wicked nation known for their brutality. They were culturally advanced, but morally corrupt, and known for their fierce brutality.

Israel, while not as bad off as Ninevah, was far from fulfilling God’s desire for her. She was to be a missionary nation (Isaiah 43:21), but instead of that had become anti-gentile. Gen. 12:1-3 says that they were to be the instrument of salvation to other natiosn… but they were unwilling. To Jonah, the thought of going to Ninevah to declare the Lord’s salvation must have been something akin to asking a Jew to go and proclaim peace to Nazi Germany.  Talk about God asking you to do something tough! The prejudices aside, Israel  was also not walking with the Lord.

The command: “Arise… go… call” was intended not only to extend salvation to Ninevah, but also to serve as a rebuke and a wakeup call to Israel, perhaps sparking revival. A look later on in the book offers Ninevah’s repentance as a sharp contrast to Israel’s disobedience. But that’s getting ahead of things a bit.

Being the election freak that I am, I always love when I see the concept of being chosen by God – completely due to His sovereignty and completely unrelated to any personal merit – in the pages of Scripture. I see that with Ninevah. This scene is a perfect picture of God’s action to save unworthy and uninterested sinners (there is no one that seeks Him (Rom. 3:11)). What had Ninevah done for God? Nothing… they weren’t even seeking Him!

“…their evil has come up before Me.” – God’s discovery of sin is its uncovering, and it comes with divine mercy.

He does the same thing in my life. He sheds His divine Light on areas of sin in my life and uncovers them. Sometimes I run, much like Jonah, and try to pretend I don’t see what He’s pointing out to me. Those times leave me feeling isolated and depressed… because living with sin isn’t living at all. It feels more like a slow death. It creates distance between my Father and I and the darkness that begins to creep in makes things even more difficult.

The more I grow in my walk with the Lord, the more I realize that I WANT Him to “discover” my sin. I want Him to make me aware of the things in me that need to be put to death, so that He can live through me. Through that process of sanctification, I experience His grace and mercy anew. I learn more about myself, but more importantly, I learn more about HIM. Each layer that is stripped away shows me more of His character… more of what He likes… more of what He desires from me… more of what delights His heart. I want to bring a smile to His lips, don’t you?

And then those fateful words:  ”But Jonah…”

Instead of going where the Lord is sending him, Jonah heads in the opposite direction. Tim pointed out Sunday that the Hebrew word (yarad) for “went down” actually intimates that Jonah was not just changing location, but taking willful steps of disobedience away from the Lord. Pretty brazen, huh?

Yeah… I can be that way too sometimes. Ouch.

Jonah’s attitude reflects my own sometimes. I often value my comfort above the souls of those who need to hear of judgment and mercy… and not just in terms of salvation. Often the Lord is asking me to extend mercy to someone and my stubborn pride and selfish heart doesn’t want to give it. I think they don’t deserve it. I think that withholding that grace is going to “teach them a lesson” or better yet “I don’t want to enable them.”

There are times when we are called to speak the truth in love, but there are also times when we are called to be grace dispensers.

Jonah knew his theology. He knew the Lord was the sovereign Creator. He knew the Lord was just and compassionate… a forgiving God. He knew all of those things. The problem was his heart.

As is so often the case with mine.

One commentator wrote (and this is what really hit me between the eyes), “It’s a short step from dislike to disobedience.”

Jonah didn’t like the people of Ninevah. That emotion led him to willfully disobey the Lord. And the same thing can happen to me. There are people who rub me the wrong way. Maybe we’re too different. Maybe we’re too alike. Whatever the reason, sometimes I just plain dislike someone. Before you judge me too harshly, think about your own life. Aren’t there people who just annoy you? You don’t wish them ill, you just don’t care for them much.

“It’s a short step from dislike to disobedience.”

So what do we do? We pray for them. We bless them. We love on them. We ask the Lord to change our heart toward them. And then we obey.

The Lord spoke this truth over a particular relationship in my life that has seen its share of ups and downs this year. I realized that my “dislike” could very easily lead me to disobedience. And so I resolved to do something about it.

“We must remember that the goal of Scripture is not to be learned but to be lived. God intended his Word to be practical truth — a gift that prepares us to do every good work.” ~ Phil Ware

This is the quote in my email signature. It’s on my facebook page. I believe it through and through… but if I don’t live it, I’m spending all my time studying in vain.  I want to be soaked in the Word, and to have it not just spill off my lips, but to pour from my life. I want it to change me, until I no longer resemble the woman I once was, but instead look more like Christ each day.

God will have His way with Jonah, as later chapters will reveal. I’ll leave you with a quote I came across in my studying (forgive me for not remembering where it came from)… “God wins out, as He always does. In the process He drenches the paths of our lives with His truth and grace.”

Rain down on me, Lord!

 

 

Noah:  Truths, Jasmine.

Jasmine: Huh?

Noah: Truths!

Jasmine: What are you TALKING about?

Noah: I’m tired of fighting. I wanna call truths.

*insert laughter of Mom and Jasmine here*

The conversation above took place as we were heading to Jackson Falls for the afternoon. It was hot and sticky and the kids had been arguing off and on all day. Now, with the afternoon laid out ahead of us, Noah wanted to put the rest of it behind him. He knew he could have fun with his big sister at the Falls if they moved past the bickering.

We chuckled at his mispronunciation of the word “truce”, but the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if his own made up word couldn’t be just as applicable in the situation.

We all have relationships that become strained from time to time. We often find ourselves in situations that result from miscommunication, misunderstanding, and a general failure to convey the “truth” to another. The longer the issues go unaddressed, the deeper the distance that develops between the two parties. If not dealt with, before long the two are no longer communicating at all, and often neither can even remember why. Or at least one of them can’t.

But what would happen if we called a “truths”? We could sit down and look at the truth of what was said, what was meant, and what was perceived?

Better yet… we could dig into the TRUTH together and realize that what we have in common is so much greater than anything we have to argue over. Jim Thornber wrote a thought provoking piece on this very concept over at Thinking Out Loud. Particularly with brothers and sisters who have a common understanding of who Jesus is, we can sit down and open the Word of Truth together, look into how it addresses the issue we’ve been facing, and grow together, not just in our relationship with one another, but also grow together in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. What better way to put differences behind us and renew friendships that may have been feeling a bit neglected?

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

Where is that knowledge of Him found, if not in the Word? The ultimate guide to Truth?

¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-18)

Now that’s some truth right there!

Taking Real Understanding To Heart… TRUTH.

And what about the ultimate Truth?

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

How about you? Is it time to call “Truths” in your life?

That’s kind of where we’re at here at Valley Christian Church.

We heard back from our pastoral candidate last weekend. He said that while he and his family loved the people in our fellowship and were grateful for the time spent with us, they do not feel the Lord calling them to Valley Christian Church. And that’s ok. Truly, it is.

I’m thankful that the Lord led us as a fellowship to unity regarding this candidate, and that we were obedient to follow His leading, but I’m also thankful that He is sovereign over everything — including this important decision of selecting a senior pastor. I am so grateful to the Lord that He was able to bring me to a place of being good with this situation, however it worked out. If Pastor “Starburst” had accepted the call, I would have been good with that too. I’m trusting that the Lord knows what’s best for our church, and He is even now preparing the heart of the man HE has chosen for us. And when He brings him to us, it will be a perfect fit.

I’m also praising God that we have an excellent associate pastor who is going to continue to preach the Word of God, undiluted and unashamedly, from the pulpit. Tim and Melissa are a joy and an incredible blessing to our church! We also have a dedicated board of elders… Spirit-filled men of God who love and look after our flock…. and an ultimate Shepherd in Christ Jesus who is endlessly faithful. We’re in good hands.

In spite of not having a senior pastor for the past two years, God has worked mightily in our fellowship. We’ve experienced spiritual growth (as well as growth in numbers), and I don’t think people are dissatisfied or anxious. It’s always nice to know what’s in store, and it will definitely be nice (and a comfort) when we have a senior pastor installed… but it’s not like things are falling apart without one either. The Lord has been so good to us and blessed us in so many ways… it’s hard to complain. That’s a good thing.

That said, I know that there are some folks a little saddened that this candidate didn’t work out. It was just a God-thing that the daily devotional several of the women and I share via email was about disappointment today. Don’t you love how He works those things out? He is such a personal God, concerned with all that concerns us. There is nothing to big for Him… and nothing too small as to escape His attention. What an awesome Lord we have!

As we sang “Blessed Be Your Name” on Sunday, it was impossible for me not to think of that whole pastor search process as I sang, “You give and take away… You give and take away… My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name!” Yes, in spite of it all… we will ease on down the road, following Christ, and we will bless His name. He is worthy!

As I mentioned above, I really was ok with the way the Lord worked this thing out. I read the devo this morning about disappointment, knowing it would speak to some about the disappointment of beginning the process of searching for a senior pastor again… but for me, it hit a different chord.

Father, most often my disappointments are not with circumstances, but with myself. I want so much to be like Jesus, and each time I fall short of what I know You would want from me, the disappiontment grows a bit more. I take comfort from the fact that You will be faithful to complete the work You’ve begun in me. Give me patience, Lord… and the ability to know — not just to think in my head, but to KNOW — that You are working behind the scenes and that You note not only my failures, but that You see the growth in me too. Thank You for using me in spite of me. Thank You for revealing more of Yourself to me each day… for continuing this process of sanctification. Thank You for keeping me humble, but Lord, keep me too from being self deprecating, as we talked about in Bible Study a few weeks ago. Show me how to maintain a healthy balance, Lord, between being prideful and recognizing the work You’ve done in my heart… in my life. May You receive all the glory. Anything good in me is Jesus alone… it’s to His credit. Mostly, I ask You to help me get over myself, Lord… shift my focus so that it rests on You, instead of me. I want to be consumed by You, by Your power, by Your goodness, by Your love. Empty me of myself this day and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Use me to minister to others. I want to be Your vessel today, Lord… a tool in Your hands through which You reveal Yourself to those around me. I love You, Lord… and I thank You for loving me.

 

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.” (Hebrews 13:15)

Abundantly Exceedingly More

***Disclaimer*** The following book is what can happen as a result of staying away from your blog for too long. Once you finally get back to it, you suffer from diarrhea of the mouth (fingertips?) and you just can’t seem to shut up. My apologies for the length of this post. 

Those who know me well are aware of how I spent last weekend: fearful, anxious, uncertain. Yeah. Not fun.

Our search for a senior pastor had led us to a man I will affectionately refer to as “Pastor
Starburst” (courtesy of Jasmine). After hearing his first message, I was very happy with where our search had led us. He spoke the Word with authority and passion, and made no apologies for doctrines that are not always easily preached on. I was very impressed, to say the least.

My family got to spend some time with this pastor and his family that evening. It was a wonderful time of food, fun and fellowship. I could easily see this family as part of
Valley Christian Church. They were delightful, every one of them.

Through the week, many issues were discussed. Perhaps not surprisingly, the hot button topic was worship music. Someone asked the candidate what his preference was for worship music. He – honestly – replied that he preferred hymns to contemporary worship.

Don’t ask me how it happened, but the expression of his “preference” ended up as something completely different. People (including myself) were left with the impression that he intended to come into our fellowship, throw out contemporary worship, and even replace members of our worship team as he saw fit. Now, perhaps I should explain to you that blended worship (a mixture of contemporary worship and hymns – often contemporized) is a big part of who we are as a church. Due in part to that, our fellowship is made up of a wide range of ages, from children and young families right up through retired folk. It’s one of the things I love best about our church. Needless to say, I was upset – ok, panicked — at the thought that someone might come in and try to change that, and I was extremely disappointed, because other than this one issue, I loved this man (and his family).

I spent the weekend at a Women of Faith conference (something I’ll blog about in a separate post) with my heart in a chokehold for much of the weekend. Even after I spoke with one of my elders and he told me they had sat down, talked things out (much miscommunication and misunderstandings) and the elder board was comfortable moving forward with the vote on this candidate, I still struggled. Wrestled. Hung onto my pride and fear. In retrospect, I’m grateful that the Lord had me in that atmosphere for the weekend, surrounded by sisters in Christ and some of my closest friends. If I’d been home, I think I’d have gone crazy.
I awoke Sunday morning still not sure how the day would go, but confident that the Lord was in control and would work things out as He deemed best. In our Sunday School class, we’ve been studying Phillippians. Check out where we landed this week:

Php 1:9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
Php 1:10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ…

Love… knowledge…. DISCERNMENT. That is so what we were needing as a fellowship that day! Tim said that as he was studying, he was led to James. He’d been wondering, “Lord, if this is what You have for us, why is it so hard? Why can’t everything fall into place nicely?” And he was reminded (from James) that testing of our faith leads us to maturity.

Jas 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Jas 1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Jas 1:4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Don’t you love that? Sometimes difficulties are God ordained for the express purpose of growing our faith. Even good things… Godly things… His will being worked out in our lives… those are not always easy. Sometimes they come after struggles as it all gets worked out. Tim’s point spoke to questions I had wrestled with that weekend as well.

Then we traveled into the next couple of verses…

Jas 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Jas 1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
Jas 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Ok, God. Here it is. You have the power to speak to me right now, this hour, to impress upon my heart what You want from me. Vote yes? Vote no? I’m at a complete loss… but I want what YOU want, not what I want. Get my ego-centric self out of the way and ruin my pride. I need to hear from You today. Speak to me, Father. I’m listening, and I’m believing that You are going to move in me.

That was my prayer heading into our service. I came asking the Lord to provide me with answers, and trusting that He would give me a peace and show me what He expected of me.

Pastor “Starburst” no sooner began speaking then a flood of peace came over my troubled spirit. I thought it very strange that a man who had been the source (or maybe vehicle is a better word) of so much anxiety for me over the past several days could stand up on that platform and be an even stronger source of comfort. I couldn’t even really define it until later, but I think this is what it was: he was shepherding. I had a very good relationship with our previous pastor. I loved him and felt truly cared for and loved by him. It nearly broke my heart when the Lord called him elsewhere. Since he left, our fellowship has grown, both in numbers and spiritually, but there has been a missing piece. The Lord has been so good to us and He has provided us with godly men to preach the Word each week, and a board of elders who are incredibly in tune with the Spirit’s leading, but for me, there has still been a yearning for an experienced senior pastor who would shepherd the flock. The man standing before me this week assumed that role naturally, looked comfortable in it, and ministered to me deeply. He clarified a couple of things and then was able to set it all aside for us and focus our eyes on the Lord. “And now,” he said, “it’s time to worship.” And so it was.

I had wondered if I would be able to even truly worship with all the things swirling around in my head that morning. Not a problem.  It was as if that important decision were not even in play that day, and we worshiped in spirit and in truth, lifting our hearts together, Hymn lovers and contemporary worshippers alike, standing side by side, applauding the Lover of our souls in one accord with our voices. It was beautiful and powerful.

My bff Lisa and I sang a special in music this week. I had given her a CD with three songs on it and asked her to just pick one (I liked them all ). She chose Selah’s version of “There is a Fountain”. The harmonies were pretty and it was a nice choice for our voices together. Glory to God, I wasn’t even nervous, in spite of the fact that our pastoral candidate and his family are all classically trained musicians. We sang from our hearts of the love of our amazing Savior, who made a way for us through His shed blood, our own love for Him ringing through each word.

About five minutes into the service, the Lord heaped confirmation after confirmation upon me. One of the first things that happened was that the pastor quoted Ray Steadman. Now Ray Steadman is one of my “go-to” guys when I’m studying. I love reading over his sermons. Have you ever heard of him? Neither has anyone else I know. That’s why it was so amazing to me that the pastor quoted him. Coincidence or confirmation?

The pastor also made reference to the verse that says, “Be still and know that I am God.” He mentioned that it literally means “cease striving”. Just the day before at the conference they had used that same scripture. I had leaned over and said to Lisa, “cease striving”, knowing it was what I needed to do. Coincidence or confirmation?

In John 13 (the passage he was preaching from), after He washes the disciples’ feet, Peter is full of questions. Jesus answers him with, “”What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” The pastor brought it right into today. There are times that we don’t understand what God is doing, but one day we will, whether it’s on this side of heaven or the other. I thought to myself, “Once I’m there, it won’t even matter anymore.” No sooner had I thought the words than they came from the pastor’s lips word for word. I kid you not. 

He said a couple of other things that I have always said myself as well… that pride is at the root of all sin. I truly believe that every sin can be traced back to pride. I’ve said it many times. The fact that he included the same sentiment in his message that morning was striking to me. There was more too, but it probably wouldn’t be nearly as exciting for you as it was for me.  Suffice it to say, it was more than enough for me to know that the Lord was assuring me that it was His will for me to vote affirmatively for this man.

I had said to Joel the day before, “I just wish he would say something positive about something I’m involved in.” Since most of the discussion had centered around music and drama, and those are the two ministries that are within my realm of responsibilities, I was feeling that I had been scrutinized closely and found sadly wanting. I shared with Joel that I didn’t want to begin a relationship with a new pastor feeling as if I were being criticized and not encouraged by him. In the middle of the message, that pastor looked right at me, smiled and mentioned that some of the songs that morning fit perfectly with his sermon. I just smiled and cried. He went on to quote the lyrics to the duet that Lisa and I had sung:

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins
And sinners plunged beneath its flood
Lose all their guilty stains.

I thanked the Lord through my tears for being so gracious to give me the encouragement and confirmation I needed to make this very important decision. I thought it was nice that he referred back to the song we had sung. It wasn’t until after the service that Pastor “Starburst” let me know that he had those lyrics TYPED in his notes. He’d had no idea we were going to sing that song. We didn’t know ourselves until Thursday. I had given Lisa a CD with three songs on it, and asked her to pick one… that happened to be the one she picked… or that the Lord picked.  It was just one more gentle nudge from the Lord.

We voted, nearly unanimously, to offer the position to our candidate. He and his family have returned to their home and we’re still waiting to hear from him as to how the Lord is leading him and his family. It’s a huge decision for them. We’re praying for God to shower them with wisdom, discernment and a clear understanding of His will for their lives.

Can I tell you that I have finally found peace with this. I’m not sitting on pins and needles waiting for a decision. I’m trusting the Lord completely. I’m resting my full weight upon Him and relaxing in His embrace. Whether this particular pastor is the one He has called to our fellowship or not, I’m confident that the Lord has our best interests at heart and is working on our behalf to bring what is best for our church. I’m sitting in the lap of His sovereignty and loving the security that is found there. Regardless of what the next couple of weeks holds for Valley Christian Church, I am rejoicing in the Savior who delights to reveal Himself to His children. I’m thoroughly enjoying the God of my salvation who is big enough to hold all things together, yet tender and intimate enough to hold me in His arms and speak to me. And above all this, He is faithful to His Word. He will ALWAYS be faithyful to His Word.

Jesus, You are everything I’m not, and everything that I hope to be
Jesus, You are the Maker of my heart
Finish what You started in me.

Just a little note to let you know I’m asking for grace now. I know it’s been forever since I’ve posted. Life is crazy busy here right now because we’re getting ready for dinner theatre. Between that and the recent wedding of friends, I’ve not had a second to post.

Thank you to all of you who stop by so faithfully, and I apologize for the horrendous lack of content lately. I promise to try and get back on track next week.

Please keep in prayer our church’s dinner theatre. We’ll be spending this week decorating and squeezing in one last rehearsal. Please pray that the Lord will bring exactly who He has prepared to hear the gospel and that the seeds planted will grow deep roots an that people would come to know the Savior that I love so deeply!

Maybe I’ll have some pics to share with you later – picture me as a teen from the fifties. No wait — maybe you’d better not! LOL

Have a great week! Love y’all!

Writing an article at work today brought to memory this post from last year. It was one of my favorites, and I thought it would be worth sharing again. Forgive the repetitiveness… blame it on my cold and the chaos that is my life until Dinner Theatre is over.

Otherwise, enjoy!

************************************

One of my highlights of the Spring was attending Noah’s T-ball games each week. No matter what else was going on in the world, the one thing I could count on was Monday and Wednesday afternoons. I will be the first to tell you that I am NOT a PTA mom by any stretch of the imagination. I hate school politics and (dare I say it?) chaperoning noisy field trips and fundraising and and all that goes with that stuff. I know… poor excuse for a parent, but there you have it.

What I find curiously funny is that I absolutely LOVE being a “soccer-mom” (or T-ball mom, if you will)! I love hauling my chair from the trunk, bathing in bugspray and settling down to watch my 7-year-old learn the basics of the game. When he gets frustrated, I feel it and empathize. When he gets ecstatic over making it on base, I’m jumping up and down in my chair and screaming, “Yeah! Noah!! Wooooooot Woooooot!!” When he suddenly grasps one of the fundamentals of the game and I can see the recognition cross his face, my heart swells with pride and satisfaction that he has been rewarded for sticking it out, even when it was tough and confusing (first year player, ya know).

In going through photos from Noah’s last T-ball game, I thought it might be fun to chronicle the adventure with the famous mantra, so here it is… Enjoy!

All I Really Need to Know, I Learned at T-Ball….

 

1. Suit up – Make Sure Ya Got the Right Gear!

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another and forgiving one naother, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” Col. 3:12-14

 

2. Keep Your Eye on the Ball

 

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:1-2

 

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Look Goofy

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness.’” 1 Corinthians 3:18-19

 

4. Time With the Coach is Important!

“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God. For to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” Psalm 5:1-3

 

5. Our Foe Can Be Aggressive!

 

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1Peter 5:8

 

6. Life is Full of Close Calls

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’” James 4:13-15

 

7. Don’t Forget to Celebrate

“But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name YAH, and rejoice before Him.” Ps. 68:3-4

 

8. Life Comes At Ya Fast!

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4

 

9. Relish Crossing Home Plate!

“For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing shall I be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:19-21

  

10. Keep Smiling!

“I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:1-2

 

Noah – I have so much fun watching you learn and grow! I never cease to be amazed at your determination and spunk, and the way you grab hold of new adventures and give it your best. You love life and you love Jesus – with everything you’ve got. I’m so proud of you, son… and I love you!

Mama

Jasmine went on a school trip to DC a few weeks ago. It was a LONG week! She was greatly missed… wow. The privilege of being her mother means more to me with each passing day.

We were so excited about her coming home that we wanted to surprise her. Jessica, Joel and I all attacked her bedroom the night before she was to return and cleaned it, top to bottom. With all three of us working, it didn’t take a terribly long time… but the difference was staggering when we were finished. It wasn’t just picked up (according to teen standards)… it was CLEAN.

Sorting through her things was a little bittersweet for me. There was such a mish mash of content. American Girl dolls lay next to lip gloss and eye shadow. Playtex slims rested atop a  miniature trunk filled with barbie clothes.

Almost overnight (ok, maybe it just seems that way), she has gone from being my baby girl to this wonderful, beautiful woman-child. Caught somewhere between the world of toys and that of adulthood, her life is often confusing. Her behavior ranges from that of immature middleschooler to that of someone capable of discernment and wisdom… and back again.

Just like mine.

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Cor. 13:11)

How I long for that maturity. Some days I feel all grown up. I feel that I’m fully relying on the Lord and that together we can handle whatever comes my way. But there are other days. Days when I take my eyes off of Christ and rest them on my circumstances. Days when I allow stress and worry to take the place of peace and trust… and confusion abounds.

When I read Romans 7:15,  I can’t help but feel that Paul must have understood that tug of war between the two:  “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” This is a man who was a mighty embassador for Christ. He had many children in the faith… he planted churches… he inspired others to godliness, and yet he still felt the pull of his own humanity and sin. I can so relate!

So let’s just call it what it is… the Tweens.

I’m so grateful that “He who began a good work in [me] will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6) Until that day, I am a tween.

I’m between the now and the not yet. I’m a stranger in this world, but it’s not time for me to find my home. I’m being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), and yet I’m so not there yet. We have such a long way to go, He and I.

But we’ll make it. Not because I’ll be faithful, but because HE is. In spite of me and my tween mood swings… my childish behavior and moments of grown up lucidity. He will one day finally grow me up into the woman He has intended for me to be all along. And He’ll hold my hand all the rocky way.

I’m so glad that one day I’ll be all grown up… and I’ll be the spitting image of my Dad.

*blowing the dust off the ole blog*

Yikes. Has life interrupted or what? Between getting ready for our annual dinner theatre and fighting off a cold, I’ve had not much time for anything. It’s good to be back! (and Alana, I love you for missing me!)

I could do a whole post about what all I’ve been up to, but the Word is my first passion, and I’m eager to jump back into Genesis 22… so just pretend we’ve gotten all that pleasant small talk out of the way, ok?

So far we’ve looked at the first three verses of this fateful day when the Lord called Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. We’ve talked about how Abraham’s faith was in the Promiser, as much as it was in the promise… and we’ve seen how immediate his obedience was.

Which leads us to verse 4-5…

⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Talk about faith! No wonder Abraham’s name is etched solidly in the Hall of Faith of Hebrews, chapter 11! Did you catch his words there? “We will come back…” He was not lying to his servants. He was exhibiting tremendous faith and trust in the Promiser. See, Abraham knew with his whole heart that anything is possible… EXCEPT that God would fail to keep His Word.

Oh, to have that kind of faith! It’s easy to sit back and speak Christianese… to talk about trusting the Lord in generalities. “Oh yes, sister…. all things are possible with God!” Knowing that all things are possible, and truly trusting Him to work out all things for our good are two entirely different things, though… aren’t they? I can know that God CAN heal me… yet I wonder if He will. My question is not in whether or not He is able, but instead it lies in my inability to precisely discern His will for my life. In the face of not having the answers, I often become paralyzed with fear or anxiety. How I long for Abraham’s faith to lean my entire weight fully upon the God that I love and rest — at PEACE — with solid assurance that He’s working it all out. It’s so easy to say I trust Him… to profess that faith… but my actions during those times of uncertainty will tell the true story. 

It’s tempting to think that maybe Abraham was just expressing wishful thinking out loud to the servants (makes me feel better about my own lack of faith, anyway)… but Hebrews 11:19 clearly tells us that “He considered that God is able to raise men, even from the dead.”  That doesn’t leave much room for rationalization, does it? He wasn’t hoping this was all a mistake and God would change His mind. He was taking his son up that mountain, fairly certain that the Lord would require him to take Isaac’s life.

Can you imagine? We struggle with the Lord calling a child home prematurely as it is… but asking the parent to KILL the child? Now that would call for some serious therapy, don’t ya think? I can’t even wrap my mind around it.

But Abraham saw this as an act of worship. The Hebrew word is “shachah,” and it means “to bown down,” particularly to a Superior. Interestingly, this is the first use of this particular word in Scripture.  I can imagine that Abraham could do nothing less than prostrate himself before his God after this incredible encounter. Yet he is already thinking about it here… before miraculous provision has been made. Can you imagine living with that kind of anticipation? That kind of expectancy that your Father is going to come through for you?

Oh, Lord… there are mountains in my life. There are treks that You have asked me to make. There are situations that leave me full of uncertainty and anxiousness. You know my moments of strength and faith as well as You know the moments of frustration and weakness. You love me the same, every moment of every day. Thank You for being a patient and loving Father. Thank You for teaching me, slow learner though I may be, that You are faithful. You are worthy of all my shacah, Lord… and so today, I fall before You once again… knees to the earth, I bow down.

 

Knees to the Earth    (Watermark)

Wonderful Savior
My heart belongs to Thee
I will remember always
The blood You shed for me
Wonderful Savior
My heart will know Your worth
So I will embrace You always
As I walk this earth

Be blessed, be loved, be lifted high
Be treasured here, be glorified
I owe my life to You, my Lord
Here I am

Beautiful Jesus
How may I bless Your heart?
Knees to the earth
I bow down to everything You are
Beautiful Jesus
You are my only worth
So I will embrace You always
As I walk this earth

Be blessed, be loved, be lifted high
Be treasured here, be glorified
I owe my life to You, my Lord
Here I am

Although we are not bound by law in the New Testament, the Ten Commandments are no less important than they were the day the Lord gave them to Moses. When the Lord gives instructions, there’s a purpose in it. In a recent issue of Discipleship Journal, I found the following and  thought it was a great memory aid. See what you think!

God’s love for us infuses the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. When we break the commandments, they “break” (bring heartache to) our lives. Because of the commandments’ importance, it’s helpful to have a quick way to bring them to mind. This method uses the first four words of Exodus 20:2: “I am the LORD.”

 

I-dolatry…………….. Don’t worship idols (v. 4-6)

A-dultery…………….Don’t commit adultery (v. 14)

M-urder………………Don’t commit murder (v. 13)

 

T-aking………………Don’t steal (v. 15)

H-onor……………….Obey your parents (v. 12)

E-nvy…………………Don’t covet what isn’t yours (v. 17)

 

L-ying………………..Don’t give false testimony (v. 16)

O-ther gods…………..Don’t worship other gods (v. 3)

R-est………………….Rest on the Sabbath (v. 8-11)

D-isrespect……………Don’t misuse God’s name (v. 7)

 

How about you? Do you have a special tip for remembering the Lord’s instructions recorded in Exodus 20?

 

Want to learn more? Click HERE.

This week, I worked only on the four verses I was supposed to learn, and didn’t review any of the others… so I’ll post only those today.

Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live, for Your law is my delight. Let the prou dbe ashamed, for they have treated me wrongfully and with falsehood, but I will meditate on Your precepts. Let those who fear You turn to me, those who know Your testimonies. Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, that I may not be ashamed. (Psalm 119:77-80)

And here are my verses for next week…

⁸¹ My soul faints for Your salvation,
         But I hope in Your word.
 ⁸² My eyes fail from searching Your word,
         Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
 ⁸³ For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
         Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
 ⁸⁴ How many are the days of Your servant?
         When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

What are you memorizing?