Primetime America’s radio broadcast aired a segment on Christian giving in a down economy on yesterday’s program. The guest speaker presented numerous survey results and trends on giving, both within the church and to other charitable organizations. One item really stood out for me and I would like to share with you.
The average Christian gives 2.5% of their income to the church, but if every Christian gave 10% of their income as mentioned in the Bible, it translates to an additional $168 billion dollars to do God’s work around the world.
What could we do with $168 billion dollars to help God’s people or to bring the gospel to the unbelieving?
Our church recently shared these statistics with us about the 10/40 Mission field.
3.9 Billion People (Two-thirds of the world’s population) lives in the 10/40 window and 95% have never heard the good news
870 million Muslims
550 million Hindus
275 million Buddhists
85% are among the poorest people in the world – income less than $500/year
Let me do a calculation for you of what $168 billion dollars can do. $168 billion dollars divided by 3.9 billion people = $43/person in aid, equal to a months’ salary or more to most of these people.
How thankful would you be at receiving a gift equivalent to a month’s salary to help you through a difficult time? Would you want to know what made someone so generous to give so much to you? Would you see Jesus in that person and want to know this Savior for yourself? That is how missions work, a great need is met, a relationship built, and joy is discovered all through the love of Christ.
Instead of humanitarian aid, that $168 billion dollars could help bring bibles to every person in their own native language, so that they could have access to God’s word on a daily basis. I have seven Bibles in my home, but most of the people of the world do not have access to even one. According to Southern Nazarene University’s Christian Missions website, scripture has been translated into only 2,212 of the world’s 6500 languages. What we tend to take for granted some consider a cherished possession.
What will you do in the upcoming year to affect the world for Christ? How has God shown you love and compassion that you might use what He has given you to help others? How much do you trust in God to be your provider and to meet your needs? How willing are you to be obedient to His call to love your neighbor and to spread the gospel?
Giving is a process of faith and trust. The more you step out in faith, the more you become reliant on God to meet your needs. As God meets those needs, and increases your blessings because of faithful stewardship, the more you learn to trust Him. The more you trust, the more you give. The more you give, the more the world benefits.
May God work in your life so abundantly that you will be a cheerful giver and a faithful steward, overflowing with faith, trust, and love!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Effigy of Palin Hanging by Noose is Halloween Fun, Owner Says - FOXNews.com Elections
Effigy of Palin Hanging by Noose is Halloween Fun, Owner Says - FOXNews.com Elections
What is this world coming to? When did we turn the corner back to indimidation and scare tatics as being acceptable? This news report sickens me and I am sadden that my children live in these times.
I am very fearful for where our country is headed. I am afraid we have forgotten from whom our wealth, prosperity, and security as a nation have come from. Our country was blessed with a situation unlike any other in the world by a God whom the people served. Our forefathers knew our blessing or destruction would be in God's hands and they intended to run it under God's authority. However, once the wealth and ease came, did we forget who was responsible for it? Have we become so full of ourselves that we actually believe we are responsible for the freedoms we have enjoyed?
I would recommend reading Deuteronomy 8:1-20 in the Bible, now before the election, and give serious thought to what kind of nation we want to be. A nation that serves God or a nation that wants to exclude him? I am afraid the populus of the people may want the latter, and that God just may deliver that exact situation to them.
When I hear stories like the one attached or tv stations be excluded from futher interviews because they didn't like a line of questioning, or newspapers refusing to release video footage of Sen. Obama associating with a terrorist and a PLO associate; I am absolutely amazed that the people of the United States cannot see this as a foreshadowing of what the landscape will look like in the future under a leadership of a nation outside of God's will.
The polls say Obama is a shoe-in for the presidency but I believe the people of God still have time to continue to pray for God's will to be done. I'm not saying John McCain is the answer either but if these are our two choices, I belive John McCain's direction is closer to the way God would want our country to head.
God has shown His willingness in the past to halt a punishment when His people have repented and turned from their evils ways. His people need to step up now! Pray for our country's repentance and that we may turn from the evil of relying on our own standards and abilities so that we once again turn to God as a nation.
What is this world coming to? When did we turn the corner back to indimidation and scare tatics as being acceptable? This news report sickens me and I am sadden that my children live in these times.
I am very fearful for where our country is headed. I am afraid we have forgotten from whom our wealth, prosperity, and security as a nation have come from. Our country was blessed with a situation unlike any other in the world by a God whom the people served. Our forefathers knew our blessing or destruction would be in God's hands and they intended to run it under God's authority. However, once the wealth and ease came, did we forget who was responsible for it? Have we become so full of ourselves that we actually believe we are responsible for the freedoms we have enjoyed?
I would recommend reading Deuteronomy 8:1-20 in the Bible, now before the election, and give serious thought to what kind of nation we want to be. A nation that serves God or a nation that wants to exclude him? I am afraid the populus of the people may want the latter, and that God just may deliver that exact situation to them.
When I hear stories like the one attached or tv stations be excluded from futher interviews because they didn't like a line of questioning, or newspapers refusing to release video footage of Sen. Obama associating with a terrorist and a PLO associate; I am absolutely amazed that the people of the United States cannot see this as a foreshadowing of what the landscape will look like in the future under a leadership of a nation outside of God's will.
The polls say Obama is a shoe-in for the presidency but I believe the people of God still have time to continue to pray for God's will to be done. I'm not saying John McCain is the answer either but if these are our two choices, I belive John McCain's direction is closer to the way God would want our country to head.
God has shown His willingness in the past to halt a punishment when His people have repented and turned from their evils ways. His people need to step up now! Pray for our country's repentance and that we may turn from the evil of relying on our own standards and abilities so that we once again turn to God as a nation.
Early Morning Confessions
This is an early morning entry. It is 4 AM to be exact. My daughter woke up crying and although she fell back to sleep within minutes, I did not. My brain began flooding with to do list and all those things that moms think about during the day. Once it starts, it is hard to stop it.
Then, my blog entry from yesterday popped into my head, the one about failure, repenting, and trying again. I suddenly feared that in the way I presented the story of Jacob, I might have led someone to think I trivialized the murderous acts of Jacob’s sons, and I felt a great responsibility to tell you all that was not my intention. I, in no way meant to convey, that they got away with something or that we as Christians will get away with things either just because we believe in God. Those acts, along with every other failure (sin) in their lives, are things, which they will stand before God on and have to answer for. Jacob, himself, severely chastised them at the end of his life when addressing each of his sons on his deathbed.
My intent was not to trivialize and to make it sound so easy to move on, because it’s not. One of the reasons I wrote that particular story yesterday was because of the work that was taking place in my own heart. God’s word is like a sword, piercing into your soul, opening you up, and revealing all that is within. This past week that sword was slowly exposing sin from my past, laying me wide open and vulnerable before God; and forcing me to make a choice about how to move on. You know, God knew everything that was there already. I needed to acknowledge it. It was within my heart that the sin needed to be exposed, not for God’s sake, but for mine.
I recently read a line in the book Nothing But the Truth, by John F. MacArthur, that said, “Ezekiel notes that sin’s defilement is so great that when the repentant sinner sees his sin he will hate himself."
“There you will remember your ways and all your deeds, with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil things that you have done. Ezekiel 20:43
That describes perfectly how I was feeling. I was wallowing in my own self-hatred and wishing I could just start over instead of going on with all that baggage hanging around my neck. Satan was right there, the great deceiver, trying to inform me that God couldn’t love me because of that sin. Telling me God wouldn’t use me and wouldn’t want me to represent Him.
When I read the story of Jacob for myself, I saw very clearly how even the Patriarchs of the bible fell short, just like me. The redeeming themes show God did not turn away from them. He initiated the contact with them despite their sin, and when they failed, as we all do, God was still there reaching out to them. He not only convicts us but because of Christ work on the cross, we are restored to Him, presented as brand new and righteous, without blemish. In God’s eyes, it was like I had started over because He no longer sees what was prior to the moment of repentance. Christ presented me to God as blameless because He took the punishment for my sin.
I had a choice to make and God was waiting for my answer. Would I let the shame of my past prevent me from embracing the work God has for me to do today, or would I declare God as the head of my life, repent, and let myself be open to being used and bless by Him? Whom I serve and in whom I put my trust and thankfulness in is reflected in my answer. If I had let the shame hold me down then, I, in essence reject the love of my Heavenly Father and He cannot use someone who rejects him. Instead, I choose to accept His gift of forgiveness and love, opening myself up for His will to be done through my life. This blog would not be possible without that grace.
I will have to stand before God someday and answer for all that I have failed Him on in life, but I hope that as time goes on those failures become less and less as I work out my salvation with the Lord.
May the Word of God convict you and may God lead you to repentance and restoration so that you may be blessed by God!
Then, my blog entry from yesterday popped into my head, the one about failure, repenting, and trying again. I suddenly feared that in the way I presented the story of Jacob, I might have led someone to think I trivialized the murderous acts of Jacob’s sons, and I felt a great responsibility to tell you all that was not my intention. I, in no way meant to convey, that they got away with something or that we as Christians will get away with things either just because we believe in God. Those acts, along with every other failure (sin) in their lives, are things, which they will stand before God on and have to answer for. Jacob, himself, severely chastised them at the end of his life when addressing each of his sons on his deathbed.
My intent was not to trivialize and to make it sound so easy to move on, because it’s not. One of the reasons I wrote that particular story yesterday was because of the work that was taking place in my own heart. God’s word is like a sword, piercing into your soul, opening you up, and revealing all that is within. This past week that sword was slowly exposing sin from my past, laying me wide open and vulnerable before God; and forcing me to make a choice about how to move on. You know, God knew everything that was there already. I needed to acknowledge it. It was within my heart that the sin needed to be exposed, not for God’s sake, but for mine.
I recently read a line in the book Nothing But the Truth, by John F. MacArthur, that said, “Ezekiel notes that sin’s defilement is so great that when the repentant sinner sees his sin he will hate himself."
“There you will remember your ways and all your deeds, with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil things that you have done. Ezekiel 20:43
That describes perfectly how I was feeling. I was wallowing in my own self-hatred and wishing I could just start over instead of going on with all that baggage hanging around my neck. Satan was right there, the great deceiver, trying to inform me that God couldn’t love me because of that sin. Telling me God wouldn’t use me and wouldn’t want me to represent Him.
When I read the story of Jacob for myself, I saw very clearly how even the Patriarchs of the bible fell short, just like me. The redeeming themes show God did not turn away from them. He initiated the contact with them despite their sin, and when they failed, as we all do, God was still there reaching out to them. He not only convicts us but because of Christ work on the cross, we are restored to Him, presented as brand new and righteous, without blemish. In God’s eyes, it was like I had started over because He no longer sees what was prior to the moment of repentance. Christ presented me to God as blameless because He took the punishment for my sin.
I had a choice to make and God was waiting for my answer. Would I let the shame of my past prevent me from embracing the work God has for me to do today, or would I declare God as the head of my life, repent, and let myself be open to being used and bless by Him? Whom I serve and in whom I put my trust and thankfulness in is reflected in my answer. If I had let the shame hold me down then, I, in essence reject the love of my Heavenly Father and He cannot use someone who rejects him. Instead, I choose to accept His gift of forgiveness and love, opening myself up for His will to be done through my life. This blog would not be possible without that grace.
I will have to stand before God someday and answer for all that I have failed Him on in life, but I hope that as time goes on those failures become less and less as I work out my salvation with the Lord.
May the Word of God convict you and may God lead you to repentance and restoration so that you may be blessed by God!
Monday, October 27, 2008
How Do You Handle Failure?
How do you handle failure? Do you pick yourself back up and try again or do you let the failure hold you down? Failure is a part of life. When we look at failure from a heavenly perspective, we can see that we all “fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, the question becomes despite my failure, am I still someone through whom God can use to accomplish his plan?
The story of Jacob in Genesis, chapter 34 and 35, illustrates great defeat and failure on behalf of Jacob and his family. Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, is raped by the son of the area ruler in the foreign land God has called Jacob to live in (defeat). Jacob’s sons are enraged at the act, and when the ruler and his son have the gall to come courting the daughter, the sons make it worse by trying to handle the situation on their own. Well, the ruler, his son, and the city call their bluff, and they have to hand Dinah over to the son to be his wife. Three days later, two of the sons take matters further into their own hands by using their swords to murder every one of the men in the city. The other brothers join in looting the entire city (failure).
Jacob was a man who was always trying to better his lot in life by deceiving other people to get what he wanted. His wives spent the majority of their lives competing over the affection of Jacob and committed many sins in the process. His sons had exercised poor judgment in the conversation with the ruler over Dinah and then allowed their rage at the situation to lead them to mass murder. As the head of the family, Jacob took full responsibility for the acts that were now threatening their existence. Jacob feared for his family’s safety knowing that when the surrounding towns heard about what these foreigners had done no one would allow them to live among them and they would be destroyed.
If you remember, Jacob is the grandson of Abraham, whom God promised to give this land to and to bless and make his descendents more numerous than the stars in the sky. Jacob was to be the line that through which this covenant would be fulfilled. Jacob’s family had just screwed up and it looked like their destruction was eminent. How would God accomplish His plan through these people now?
Well, God came to Jacob and instructed him to move his family to Bethel, the place where he first came to believe in God for himself. When Jacob was in Bethel over 20 years earlier, God had told him “I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” I believe God was trying to remind Jacob of two things. First, I loved you and called you while you were still a sinner and an unbeliever. Secondly, I have remained faithful to you despite all of your faults. Jacob faced a choice-let the failure keep him down or get back up and try again.
Jacob chose to try again and how he chose to try again is important too. He reminded his family to put God first again by instructing them to get rid of all the foreign gods they had in their possession. Secondly, he told them all to repent! Then, he asked them all to obey God’s instruction to leave for Bethel. During their journey, God had supernaturally made it impossible for the cities to harm Jacob’s family. When they arrived safely at Bethel, Jacob made an altar and gave thanks to God.
God knows we are going to fail but He calls us anyway. He can still work through us to accomplish His plan despite our sin as long as we keep getting back up and trying again. If Jacob would have let this hold him down and turned away from God in shame instead of repenting and restoring the relationship, the blessing of Israel may have ended there. However, he allowed himself to be restored to God so that God could continue to use him and bless him.
When we fail, Satan likes to swoop in and lie to you about how God couldn’t possibly want you now so that you will feel defeated and stay away from God in shame. Satan knows if you choose this route, he can temporarily thwart God’s plans. Don’t listen to the liar! Instead, go to God in repentance, put him back as the priority in your life, and let him continue to use you and bless you. Get up and try again. God is very powerful and will help you to overcome!
May God’s grace sustain and keep you!
The story of Jacob in Genesis, chapter 34 and 35, illustrates great defeat and failure on behalf of Jacob and his family. Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, is raped by the son of the area ruler in the foreign land God has called Jacob to live in (defeat). Jacob’s sons are enraged at the act, and when the ruler and his son have the gall to come courting the daughter, the sons make it worse by trying to handle the situation on their own. Well, the ruler, his son, and the city call their bluff, and they have to hand Dinah over to the son to be his wife. Three days later, two of the sons take matters further into their own hands by using their swords to murder every one of the men in the city. The other brothers join in looting the entire city (failure).
Jacob was a man who was always trying to better his lot in life by deceiving other people to get what he wanted. His wives spent the majority of their lives competing over the affection of Jacob and committed many sins in the process. His sons had exercised poor judgment in the conversation with the ruler over Dinah and then allowed their rage at the situation to lead them to mass murder. As the head of the family, Jacob took full responsibility for the acts that were now threatening their existence. Jacob feared for his family’s safety knowing that when the surrounding towns heard about what these foreigners had done no one would allow them to live among them and they would be destroyed.
If you remember, Jacob is the grandson of Abraham, whom God promised to give this land to and to bless and make his descendents more numerous than the stars in the sky. Jacob was to be the line that through which this covenant would be fulfilled. Jacob’s family had just screwed up and it looked like their destruction was eminent. How would God accomplish His plan through these people now?
Well, God came to Jacob and instructed him to move his family to Bethel, the place where he first came to believe in God for himself. When Jacob was in Bethel over 20 years earlier, God had told him “I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” I believe God was trying to remind Jacob of two things. First, I loved you and called you while you were still a sinner and an unbeliever. Secondly, I have remained faithful to you despite all of your faults. Jacob faced a choice-let the failure keep him down or get back up and try again.
Jacob chose to try again and how he chose to try again is important too. He reminded his family to put God first again by instructing them to get rid of all the foreign gods they had in their possession. Secondly, he told them all to repent! Then, he asked them all to obey God’s instruction to leave for Bethel. During their journey, God had supernaturally made it impossible for the cities to harm Jacob’s family. When they arrived safely at Bethel, Jacob made an altar and gave thanks to God.
God knows we are going to fail but He calls us anyway. He can still work through us to accomplish His plan despite our sin as long as we keep getting back up and trying again. If Jacob would have let this hold him down and turned away from God in shame instead of repenting and restoring the relationship, the blessing of Israel may have ended there. However, he allowed himself to be restored to God so that God could continue to use him and bless him.
When we fail, Satan likes to swoop in and lie to you about how God couldn’t possibly want you now so that you will feel defeated and stay away from God in shame. Satan knows if you choose this route, he can temporarily thwart God’s plans. Don’t listen to the liar! Instead, go to God in repentance, put him back as the priority in your life, and let him continue to use you and bless you. Get up and try again. God is very powerful and will help you to overcome!
May God’s grace sustain and keep you!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Who are your major influences?
Influence: the power to affect others
In these last days of an election year, it seems that every commercial, newscast, talk show, blog, or conversation is geared toward trying to influence someone toward a specific topic, agenda, or candidate. The ability to influence or to shape someone’s opinion, belief system, or action is powerful but also comes with great responsibility.
Therefore, my thought provoking questions for today is:
1. Who are your major influences?
Take a minute to think about this before moving on. Your influences are people you give credence. Who do you seek advice from when struggling with an issue? Whom do you trust to give an honest or accurate answer to your questions? When hearing something new, who do you want to run it by first before deciding for yourself how you feel about something? Whom do you love to read? Whom do you watch on TV or listen to on the radio? Who do you quote when trying to explain your position on something? Seeking answers to these questions will help you identify who influences you.
Your influences might be different depending on the topic. Some of you might discover that Oprah is your influence when it comes to social issues. Others might discover that Ronald Reagan is their influence in the political world. Some may identify with Dr. Spock when it comes to child rearing. You may find yourself going to your Pastor, an elder, or another trusted Christian when it comes to spiritual matters.
But, have you ever stopped to consider that God may have intended the Bible and his Son, Jesus Christ, to be our greatest and only influence? Do we realize that the Bible contains information to encompass all areas of our life? The Bible talks about scientific principles, social principles, governing principles, child rearing principles, financial principles, spiritual principles, etc. In fact, all of these principles were created and sanctioned by God. With that said, would that make God the authority in all of these areas and the source of the most trusted information?
If this is the case, why do we go to others for information and direction when it is all available to us in our bibles?
I know some people who will never go to their Bible for direction but instead will go to someone they think has read the Bible and understands it accurately and ask them for advice and direction. Alternatively, they go to someone who has studied the Bible academically and adopt their opinions as their own without ever checking them out for themselves. Too often, we use our own reasoning skills to figure something out and then seek a philosopher or a teacher who supports our view after the fact, and use them as a means of providing credibility to our thought.
God has warned us throughout scripture to be careful in what we believe and in whom we place our trust. Jude, the half brother of Jesus, wrote about this in a letter to the believers in Jesus Christ. He was warning believers that godless men bearing false doctrines about Jesus and the Christian walk are polluting the churches. Jude 1:17-19 says, But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
Do the people we draw influence from reflect a godly life? Can you detect God’s spirit in them? Do their acts and their words reflect biblical principles and align with the example of Jesus? We must be able to answer these questions before deeming them trustworthy of influencing us. If you take the list of whom you identified earlier as your influences and filtered it against these questions, would they measure up, as someone God would want to use to influence you? If not, you need to rethink the power you have given them in your life.
However, remember God’s word is trustworthy all of the time. It is as true today as it was in biblical times. It does not change. It does not lie. It is always good for learning and teaching. You can find answers to all of life’s questions or problems in the Bible and in Jesus. Let us make them our authority, our great influence. Let us align our thinking with God’s word instead of trying to get God’s word to align with our thinking.
In these last days of an election year, it seems that every commercial, newscast, talk show, blog, or conversation is geared toward trying to influence someone toward a specific topic, agenda, or candidate. The ability to influence or to shape someone’s opinion, belief system, or action is powerful but also comes with great responsibility.
Therefore, my thought provoking questions for today is:
1. Who are your major influences?
Take a minute to think about this before moving on. Your influences are people you give credence. Who do you seek advice from when struggling with an issue? Whom do you trust to give an honest or accurate answer to your questions? When hearing something new, who do you want to run it by first before deciding for yourself how you feel about something? Whom do you love to read? Whom do you watch on TV or listen to on the radio? Who do you quote when trying to explain your position on something? Seeking answers to these questions will help you identify who influences you.
Your influences might be different depending on the topic. Some of you might discover that Oprah is your influence when it comes to social issues. Others might discover that Ronald Reagan is their influence in the political world. Some may identify with Dr. Spock when it comes to child rearing. You may find yourself going to your Pastor, an elder, or another trusted Christian when it comes to spiritual matters.
But, have you ever stopped to consider that God may have intended the Bible and his Son, Jesus Christ, to be our greatest and only influence? Do we realize that the Bible contains information to encompass all areas of our life? The Bible talks about scientific principles, social principles, governing principles, child rearing principles, financial principles, spiritual principles, etc. In fact, all of these principles were created and sanctioned by God. With that said, would that make God the authority in all of these areas and the source of the most trusted information?
If this is the case, why do we go to others for information and direction when it is all available to us in our bibles?
I know some people who will never go to their Bible for direction but instead will go to someone they think has read the Bible and understands it accurately and ask them for advice and direction. Alternatively, they go to someone who has studied the Bible academically and adopt their opinions as their own without ever checking them out for themselves. Too often, we use our own reasoning skills to figure something out and then seek a philosopher or a teacher who supports our view after the fact, and use them as a means of providing credibility to our thought.
God has warned us throughout scripture to be careful in what we believe and in whom we place our trust. Jude, the half brother of Jesus, wrote about this in a letter to the believers in Jesus Christ. He was warning believers that godless men bearing false doctrines about Jesus and the Christian walk are polluting the churches. Jude 1:17-19 says, But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
Do the people we draw influence from reflect a godly life? Can you detect God’s spirit in them? Do their acts and their words reflect biblical principles and align with the example of Jesus? We must be able to answer these questions before deeming them trustworthy of influencing us. If you take the list of whom you identified earlier as your influences and filtered it against these questions, would they measure up, as someone God would want to use to influence you? If not, you need to rethink the power you have given them in your life.
However, remember God’s word is trustworthy all of the time. It is as true today as it was in biblical times. It does not change. It does not lie. It is always good for learning and teaching. You can find answers to all of life’s questions or problems in the Bible and in Jesus. Let us make them our authority, our great influence. Let us align our thinking with God’s word instead of trying to get God’s word to align with our thinking.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Learning From History
“The Israelites are so stupid!” my husband said, as he closed his Bible earlier this week and laid it on his nightstand. “They just don’t learn.“
My husband had just finished reading 1 and 2 Kings, which he had been chipping away at for a few weeks now. When I asked him to elaborate, he explained to me that when Israel had a King that served the one true God, the country served the one true God too, and was blessed. However, when they had a King that served false gods, the country would also serve the false gods and God would punish them. The Israelites seemed to cycle through periods of worshipping and obedience to the one true God, which in turn secured their freedom, and then would enter periods of worshipping various false gods, which led to their captivity. My husband found it difficult to believe they did not learn from their past.
He also mentioned King Hezekiah and King Josiah were the only two righteous Kings who both served God and tore down the high places. Other Kings had served God but did not tear down the high places. High places in biblical times were hilltops dedicated to the worship of pagan gods. Sometimes these high spots were artificially created mountains called ziggurats. These high places were off limits to the Israelites. However, if a righteous King banned the worship of pagan gods, but did not remove the high places, the Israelites would use them to worship God. Later, the phrase ‘high place’ became a general term for a pagan shrine. A pagan shrine is anything we put before God in importance.
This conversation made me think. Do we live in a country led by a righteous ruler who uses his influence and authority to ensure we obey the one true God? Do we live in a country where the high places are being brought down? In fact, do we even know what our high places are today?
In two weeks, we will have an opportunity to make an impact on these questions. Will the people we choose to become our next President, congressional representatives, senators, etc. be righteous men and women? Will they remove the high places (abortion, homosexuality, materialism to name a few), or will they allow them to remain?
If the Bible was being written today with America as the central nation, would someone reading our history 4000 years later close their book in utter disbelief and comment ‘The Americans are so stupid – they just don’t learn!’?
I pray we will all be in prayer prior to this election and vote in obedience and accordance to God‘s will. History points to the outcome we can expect either way. I hope we have learned from experience that it is best to do it God’s way.
My husband had just finished reading 1 and 2 Kings, which he had been chipping away at for a few weeks now. When I asked him to elaborate, he explained to me that when Israel had a King that served the one true God, the country served the one true God too, and was blessed. However, when they had a King that served false gods, the country would also serve the false gods and God would punish them. The Israelites seemed to cycle through periods of worshipping and obedience to the one true God, which in turn secured their freedom, and then would enter periods of worshipping various false gods, which led to their captivity. My husband found it difficult to believe they did not learn from their past.
He also mentioned King Hezekiah and King Josiah were the only two righteous Kings who both served God and tore down the high places. Other Kings had served God but did not tear down the high places. High places in biblical times were hilltops dedicated to the worship of pagan gods. Sometimes these high spots were artificially created mountains called ziggurats. These high places were off limits to the Israelites. However, if a righteous King banned the worship of pagan gods, but did not remove the high places, the Israelites would use them to worship God. Later, the phrase ‘high place’ became a general term for a pagan shrine. A pagan shrine is anything we put before God in importance.
This conversation made me think. Do we live in a country led by a righteous ruler who uses his influence and authority to ensure we obey the one true God? Do we live in a country where the high places are being brought down? In fact, do we even know what our high places are today?
In two weeks, we will have an opportunity to make an impact on these questions. Will the people we choose to become our next President, congressional representatives, senators, etc. be righteous men and women? Will they remove the high places (abortion, homosexuality, materialism to name a few), or will they allow them to remain?
If the Bible was being written today with America as the central nation, would someone reading our history 4000 years later close their book in utter disbelief and comment ‘The Americans are so stupid – they just don’t learn!’?
I pray we will all be in prayer prior to this election and vote in obedience and accordance to God‘s will. History points to the outcome we can expect either way. I hope we have learned from experience that it is best to do it God’s way.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
A First Hand View of Fathers
Fathers, do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
___________________________________________________________________________________
Exasperate: to irritate, anger, vex
Sadly, today I saw two examples of how fathers have exasperated their children.
1. The absent Father
2. The verbally abusive Father
I was sitting in the very packed waiting room at the county health department waiting for my daughter to receive her immunizations. I encountered a single mom and her son who was around 10-12 years old. He had overhead the nurse mention to his mother that four shots were needed. The boy became angry and through gritted teeth told his mother that he would only receive two shots today and she would have bring him back another day for the other two. The mother did not reply. Again, the boy, more forceful now, repeated his demand. This time the mother said, "You will do what they tell you to do!" Now, the boy fighting back tears and no longer caring who else heard him, told his mother they would not hold him down and he was only getting two! If they tried to do four he would leave!
My heart cried out for this little boy. His anger was stemming from his great fear of getting the shots and it accelerated as his sense of control waned. I sense that his mother was growing weary of having to be both mother and father to her son and was torn between sympathy and discipline at the moment. I also sensed she was feeling like she was failing and who wouldn't in this situation.
A growing boy needs his father. This boy needed a strong, yet sensitive father to put his hand on his shoulder and say, "Son, I know you are afraid but I also know you are tough and can handle whatever life throws at you, including these shots today. And, I'll be right here by your side, I won't leave you." Instead, this boy was EXASPERATED by his father because he was absent in his life!
After I had my consultation with the desk attendant we were back in the waiting room waiting for our turn to see the nurse. Now, we had a mom, dad, and two early school aged daughters sitting next to us. The girls were being active as kids usually are and the mother was desperately trying to control them or redirect their energy. The father just sat there very loudly sighing, which I took as a sign of his displeasure in his wife's inability to control the situation but not knowing quite what to do himself.
This went on for a little bit when finally the dad spoke up, but then I wished he hadn't. When he spoke I wished my daughter wouldn't have heard his words. He said, "I'm going to back hand you across the face!" In the next five minutes, he said these same words three more times. He never once explained what behavior he wanted them to stop doing or what his expectations were of them. He simply threatened violence.
How can a child respond to that? I'm confident his wife was thinking, 'Thanks, but no thanks for the help!' I wonder if his wife still cries out inside at these types of outburst or was she long past thinking this was unacceptable. These poor little girls will grow up thinking they deserve to be spoken to or treated like this because of the example their father set. This father may have been present in their lives, but he EXASPERATED his children by not understanding correctly his role as father and poorly executing his authority and support of his family.
I prayed for both these familites as I encountered them and thanked the Lord that my own husband is a good and godly father to my daughters.
There were also two teenage boys in the waiting room each with their own fathers. I know that not every father can get out of work to take their sons to the doctor, but you could tell that these fathers had invested more than just today in their children. These boys were respectful and calm in demenor. They interacted with their fathers and the nurses tenderly. There was a lightheartedness about them, not a soul filled with rage, fear, or a sense of being out of control. I clearly saw today the difference between a present/absent father and a loving,confident/empty, incompetent father. I grieve for these families who struggle and pray God will be sought and healing will occur in their relationships.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Exasperate: to irritate, anger, vex
Sadly, today I saw two examples of how fathers have exasperated their children.
1. The absent Father
2. The verbally abusive Father
I was sitting in the very packed waiting room at the county health department waiting for my daughter to receive her immunizations. I encountered a single mom and her son who was around 10-12 years old. He had overhead the nurse mention to his mother that four shots were needed. The boy became angry and through gritted teeth told his mother that he would only receive two shots today and she would have bring him back another day for the other two. The mother did not reply. Again, the boy, more forceful now, repeated his demand. This time the mother said, "You will do what they tell you to do!" Now, the boy fighting back tears and no longer caring who else heard him, told his mother they would not hold him down and he was only getting two! If they tried to do four he would leave!
My heart cried out for this little boy. His anger was stemming from his great fear of getting the shots and it accelerated as his sense of control waned. I sense that his mother was growing weary of having to be both mother and father to her son and was torn between sympathy and discipline at the moment. I also sensed she was feeling like she was failing and who wouldn't in this situation.
A growing boy needs his father. This boy needed a strong, yet sensitive father to put his hand on his shoulder and say, "Son, I know you are afraid but I also know you are tough and can handle whatever life throws at you, including these shots today. And, I'll be right here by your side, I won't leave you." Instead, this boy was EXASPERATED by his father because he was absent in his life!
After I had my consultation with the desk attendant we were back in the waiting room waiting for our turn to see the nurse. Now, we had a mom, dad, and two early school aged daughters sitting next to us. The girls were being active as kids usually are and the mother was desperately trying to control them or redirect their energy. The father just sat there very loudly sighing, which I took as a sign of his displeasure in his wife's inability to control the situation but not knowing quite what to do himself.
This went on for a little bit when finally the dad spoke up, but then I wished he hadn't. When he spoke I wished my daughter wouldn't have heard his words. He said, "I'm going to back hand you across the face!" In the next five minutes, he said these same words three more times. He never once explained what behavior he wanted them to stop doing or what his expectations were of them. He simply threatened violence.
How can a child respond to that? I'm confident his wife was thinking, 'Thanks, but no thanks for the help!' I wonder if his wife still cries out inside at these types of outburst or was she long past thinking this was unacceptable. These poor little girls will grow up thinking they deserve to be spoken to or treated like this because of the example their father set. This father may have been present in their lives, but he EXASPERATED his children by not understanding correctly his role as father and poorly executing his authority and support of his family.
I prayed for both these familites as I encountered them and thanked the Lord that my own husband is a good and godly father to my daughters.
There were also two teenage boys in the waiting room each with their own fathers. I know that not every father can get out of work to take their sons to the doctor, but you could tell that these fathers had invested more than just today in their children. These boys were respectful and calm in demenor. They interacted with their fathers and the nurses tenderly. There was a lightheartedness about them, not a soul filled with rage, fear, or a sense of being out of control. I clearly saw today the difference between a present/absent father and a loving,confident/empty, incompetent father. I grieve for these families who struggle and pray God will be sought and healing will occur in their relationships.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Childlike Humility
Matthew 18:1-4
At the time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
My husband and I were very busy this past weekend outside of the home. This meant our littlest daughter was with Grandma or older sisters much of the weekend. This morning my daughter was so happy to see me and her top priority was just to sit on my lap and be with me. Any mother with a busy toddler knows how precious those times are when playtime takes a backseat to mommy time.
Is this what Jesus may have meant when He said to change and become like little children? When I pondered this thought this morning, I wondered how often do I just want to be in the presence of Jesus? How often do I take the time out of my busy day to just be with Jesus?
When I look at my children, especially the younger ones, I can clearly see how dependent they are on my husband and I for everything. They look to us to meet all of their needs for food, shelter, and clothing. They look to us for comfort, direction, discipline, knowledge, encouragement, approval, and love. They want to draw from our strength. They want to learn about the world and how to live in it and with others through our example. They want to be with us more than anyone and they miss us when we are away and wait to be with us again.
If we are to change and become like children ourselves does that mean we are to be totally dependent on Jesus for all of our needs to be met? Do we look to Him for food, shelter, and clothing? Do we look to Jesus for comfort, direction, discipline, knowledge, encouragement, approval, and love? Do we draw strength from Him? Do we go to Him for examples of how to live in this world and love others? Do we want to be with Him more than anyone else? Do we miss Him if we are away from Him? Do we seek His approval in our work and actions?
I know for myself, I fall so short in the area of dependence on Christ. My pride gets in the way. My need to be self-sufficient prevents me from depending on Him. My need for the world to approve of me takes precedence over His approval far too many times. Too often I follow the crowd instead of checking in with Him. I get too busy to just sit with Him.
So, today my intention is to pay closer attention to every detail of my life and be in discussion with Him on it. To be more aware of how I need Him in all things and to develop desires and habits to be more childlike in my dependence on and love for Jesus. I pray the same for you!
At the time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
My husband and I were very busy this past weekend outside of the home. This meant our littlest daughter was with Grandma or older sisters much of the weekend. This morning my daughter was so happy to see me and her top priority was just to sit on my lap and be with me. Any mother with a busy toddler knows how precious those times are when playtime takes a backseat to mommy time.
Is this what Jesus may have meant when He said to change and become like little children? When I pondered this thought this morning, I wondered how often do I just want to be in the presence of Jesus? How often do I take the time out of my busy day to just be with Jesus?
When I look at my children, especially the younger ones, I can clearly see how dependent they are on my husband and I for everything. They look to us to meet all of their needs for food, shelter, and clothing. They look to us for comfort, direction, discipline, knowledge, encouragement, approval, and love. They want to draw from our strength. They want to learn about the world and how to live in it and with others through our example. They want to be with us more than anyone and they miss us when we are away and wait to be with us again.
If we are to change and become like children ourselves does that mean we are to be totally dependent on Jesus for all of our needs to be met? Do we look to Him for food, shelter, and clothing? Do we look to Jesus for comfort, direction, discipline, knowledge, encouragement, approval, and love? Do we draw strength from Him? Do we go to Him for examples of how to live in this world and love others? Do we want to be with Him more than anyone else? Do we miss Him if we are away from Him? Do we seek His approval in our work and actions?
I know for myself, I fall so short in the area of dependence on Christ. My pride gets in the way. My need to be self-sufficient prevents me from depending on Him. My need for the world to approve of me takes precedence over His approval far too many times. Too often I follow the crowd instead of checking in with Him. I get too busy to just sit with Him.
So, today my intention is to pay closer attention to every detail of my life and be in discussion with Him on it. To be more aware of how I need Him in all things and to develop desires and habits to be more childlike in my dependence on and love for Jesus. I pray the same for you!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Yaweh Tsidkenu - The Lord of Righteousness
Today in church, our Pastor talked about some of the various names for God in the Bible. There are over 400 names in the Bible to describe God but we only talked about 17 of them today. At the end of his message, they dimmed the lights, and we were to choose one of those names that maybe spoke to us this morning and meditate on it and maybe even write a prayer.
I chose the name Yawah Tsidkenu which means The Lord our Righteousness. The Pastor further described this name as meaning justice, declared innocence; not anything we earn but done by God; we give our sin to God, He puts in on Jesus, and He give us righteousness in return .
I chose this name because I have been struggling lately with feeling good enough. I was comparing myself to other Christians, Christians much more mature than I, and deciding for myself that I wasn't measuring up. I thought I needed to do more, sooner, better because I was seeing all these extraordinary things others were doing for Christ and my little share didn't seem to be enough. I was afraid I was doing something wrong. Maybe I wasn't worshipping well enough. Maybe I wasn't praying the right things. Maybe I didn't love people the right way. Were all of these shortcomings keeping me from being called by God for something bigger?
So my prayer this morning was simply this.
Yaweh Tsidkenu, Teach me to trust more deeply instead of trying harder. Sanctify me. Amen
Then I closed my eyes and just listened to the music playing in the background when God gave me the most beautiful vision. I saw my body floating up into the vastness of the universe and a white robe being gently draped down over me. A hand reached down from above me and gently lifted my chin so my eyes came face to face with Jesus, Yaweh Tsidkenu! His light shown on my face and warmed my body.
Jesus had reached down from heaven and touched my soul. I knew I didn't have to try harder to get His attention. He showed me He loved me. He knew me. He was sanctifying me. He was working in me. He was making me new.
He gave me a visual that my perfection does not come from anything I do but it comes from Jesus and the work He did on the cross for me, for you. Righteousness is available to me because I believe. That's all I have to do. Believe and ask for Jesus to be Lord in my life. The more I trust in Him and lay down my life for Him the more I will be able to do for Him. It's a process, a journey.
I will not reach fulfillment or completeness in Him today or tomorrow but I am working toward that end. My little share is enough, for now. As I demonstrate faithfulness, God will call me to do more but it will not be for my glory but for His glory and purpose.
My lesson for today is trust more deeply in the work Yaweh Tsidkenu is doing in you!
I chose the name Yawah Tsidkenu which means The Lord our Righteousness. The Pastor further described this name as meaning justice, declared innocence; not anything we earn but done by God; we give our sin to God, He puts in on Jesus, and He give us righteousness in return .
I chose this name because I have been struggling lately with feeling good enough. I was comparing myself to other Christians, Christians much more mature than I, and deciding for myself that I wasn't measuring up. I thought I needed to do more, sooner, better because I was seeing all these extraordinary things others were doing for Christ and my little share didn't seem to be enough. I was afraid I was doing something wrong. Maybe I wasn't worshipping well enough. Maybe I wasn't praying the right things. Maybe I didn't love people the right way. Were all of these shortcomings keeping me from being called by God for something bigger?
So my prayer this morning was simply this.
Yaweh Tsidkenu, Teach me to trust more deeply instead of trying harder. Sanctify me. Amen
Then I closed my eyes and just listened to the music playing in the background when God gave me the most beautiful vision. I saw my body floating up into the vastness of the universe and a white robe being gently draped down over me. A hand reached down from above me and gently lifted my chin so my eyes came face to face with Jesus, Yaweh Tsidkenu! His light shown on my face and warmed my body.
Jesus had reached down from heaven and touched my soul. I knew I didn't have to try harder to get His attention. He showed me He loved me. He knew me. He was sanctifying me. He was working in me. He was making me new.
He gave me a visual that my perfection does not come from anything I do but it comes from Jesus and the work He did on the cross for me, for you. Righteousness is available to me because I believe. That's all I have to do. Believe and ask for Jesus to be Lord in my life. The more I trust in Him and lay down my life for Him the more I will be able to do for Him. It's a process, a journey.
I will not reach fulfillment or completeness in Him today or tomorrow but I am working toward that end. My little share is enough, for now. As I demonstrate faithfulness, God will call me to do more but it will not be for my glory but for His glory and purpose.
My lesson for today is trust more deeply in the work Yaweh Tsidkenu is doing in you!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Moving Mountains
"Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:20-21
Jesus said these words to His disciples after they failed to drive a demon out of a young boy and they asked Jesus why they couldn't do it. You see they had been able to do this on multiple occasions and now they seemed to have hit a snag. My study Bible has a side note that says the disciples failed to make God-rather than their own gifts-the object of their confidence. This is why they failed.
Stormie Omartian said in her book, The Power Of A Praying Wife, "we have authority in the name of Jesus to stop evil and permit good." Our confidence comes from Jesus. As christians do we believe that?
A few years ago, after losing a baby to an ectopic pregnancy, the doctors told my husband and I, we would not be able to conceive a viable pregnancy on our own. They wanted us to proceed with invitro fertilization. Due to my staunch position on Right To Life, I felt this process left the possibility open for decisions about what to do with extra embryos and I just did not want to be in that position. So we told our doctor that we would put our faith in God and if it was His will we would have a child. I'm sure our doctor thought he would never see us again after that day considering I was 40 years old and all of their tests told them it would not happen.
My husband and I began to pray. I studied births in the Bible and saw very clearly that God decided when to open a woman's womb and when not to. I knew we rightly placed our faith in God because He indeed had the power to change our situation. We prayed for a year and had just started to come to the realization that maybe it was not in God's will for us to have a child. We were not defeated by this realization though because we had become much closer to God in this whole process and we took comfort in knowing we were being obedient and that if this was not meant to be there was a reason for it.
However, God did see it in His heart for us to have a baby and exactly one year from losing our child we conceived another, and miraculously it was viable! Our doctor, needless to say, was surprised to see us back in his office. What a humbling experience this must have been for our doctor! God was glorified and raised up above man's efforts.
We have proof that if you put your faith in the One True God through prayer rather than putting your faith in yourself or another human being, miracles do happen. Our mountain moved! Today, our little one is 1 years old and is an absolute joy to all of us!
May your confidence come from God through prayer and may your mountains move as a result!
Jesus said these words to His disciples after they failed to drive a demon out of a young boy and they asked Jesus why they couldn't do it. You see they had been able to do this on multiple occasions and now they seemed to have hit a snag. My study Bible has a side note that says the disciples failed to make God-rather than their own gifts-the object of their confidence. This is why they failed.
Stormie Omartian said in her book, The Power Of A Praying Wife, "we have authority in the name of Jesus to stop evil and permit good." Our confidence comes from Jesus. As christians do we believe that?
A few years ago, after losing a baby to an ectopic pregnancy, the doctors told my husband and I, we would not be able to conceive a viable pregnancy on our own. They wanted us to proceed with invitro fertilization. Due to my staunch position on Right To Life, I felt this process left the possibility open for decisions about what to do with extra embryos and I just did not want to be in that position. So we told our doctor that we would put our faith in God and if it was His will we would have a child. I'm sure our doctor thought he would never see us again after that day considering I was 40 years old and all of their tests told them it would not happen.
My husband and I began to pray. I studied births in the Bible and saw very clearly that God decided when to open a woman's womb and when not to. I knew we rightly placed our faith in God because He indeed had the power to change our situation. We prayed for a year and had just started to come to the realization that maybe it was not in God's will for us to have a child. We were not defeated by this realization though because we had become much closer to God in this whole process and we took comfort in knowing we were being obedient and that if this was not meant to be there was a reason for it.
However, God did see it in His heart for us to have a baby and exactly one year from losing our child we conceived another, and miraculously it was viable! Our doctor, needless to say, was surprised to see us back in his office. What a humbling experience this must have been for our doctor! God was glorified and raised up above man's efforts.
We have proof that if you put your faith in the One True God through prayer rather than putting your faith in yourself or another human being, miracles do happen. Our mountain moved! Today, our little one is 1 years old and is an absolute joy to all of us!
May your confidence come from God through prayer and may your mountains move as a result!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Only Voice That Matters
Today, I was reading Matthew 17:1-13 in my bible study. These verses are about the transfiguration of Christ. Let me just recap a little bit for you.
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up high on a mountaintop and there Jesus changes from a human form to a heavenly form. Verse 2 says his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Light represents truth and white represents pureness, without sin. Elijah and Moses appear on the scene and they are supposedly discussing Jesus’ upcoming death.
Then a bright cloud appears (a cloud represents the presence of God). A voice comes out of the cloud saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
God’s short message here establishes again (same words God used when Jesus was baptized) the divinity of Jesus, the relationship between God and Jesus, and his authority here on earth!
Earlier in chapter 16, Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do the people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” The people at the time were confused about whom Jesus was but Peter said “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Today, are we like the “people” in this story and confused about who Jesus really is to us or are we like Peter, unashamedly and confidently recognizing and announcing Jesus as the Son of God? Our lives reflect what we really believe.
God said, “LISTEN TO HIM!” What does that mean? Jesus is not physically here with us today so we cannot have a town hall meeting or a public debate to discuss his ideology or discover where he sits on the issues of the day. How can we know what he is telling us today?
Well, first, we have to recognize Jesus as Lord and Savior. Once we do that we also recognize that His words and His wisdom are trustworthy and pure and above all of the other voices in the world. His voice then should drown out all of the other voices competing for our attention. Our focus should be on Him alone.
We cannot HEAR Jesus if we are allowing other teachers or authorities to be heard as well. If we are taking various viewpoints from various sources and then trying to form our own opinion to go with, we will never get it right! There is only one authority! There is only one teacher! There is only one opinion that matters and it is not ours!
The word listen according to Webster means – to make a conscious effort to hear; to give heed; take advice.
God is telling us to make a conscious effort to hear Jesus and to do what He says and follow His advice. Remember Jesus represents truth and pureness and we can rely on His direction as being the right direction to go.
May you make a conscious effort today to make Jesus Lord of your heart and may your life reflect the One you serve.
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up high on a mountaintop and there Jesus changes from a human form to a heavenly form. Verse 2 says his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Light represents truth and white represents pureness, without sin. Elijah and Moses appear on the scene and they are supposedly discussing Jesus’ upcoming death.
Then a bright cloud appears (a cloud represents the presence of God). A voice comes out of the cloud saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
God’s short message here establishes again (same words God used when Jesus was baptized) the divinity of Jesus, the relationship between God and Jesus, and his authority here on earth!
Earlier in chapter 16, Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do the people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” The people at the time were confused about whom Jesus was but Peter said “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Today, are we like the “people” in this story and confused about who Jesus really is to us or are we like Peter, unashamedly and confidently recognizing and announcing Jesus as the Son of God? Our lives reflect what we really believe.
God said, “LISTEN TO HIM!” What does that mean? Jesus is not physically here with us today so we cannot have a town hall meeting or a public debate to discuss his ideology or discover where he sits on the issues of the day. How can we know what he is telling us today?
Well, first, we have to recognize Jesus as Lord and Savior. Once we do that we also recognize that His words and His wisdom are trustworthy and pure and above all of the other voices in the world. His voice then should drown out all of the other voices competing for our attention. Our focus should be on Him alone.
We cannot HEAR Jesus if we are allowing other teachers or authorities to be heard as well. If we are taking various viewpoints from various sources and then trying to form our own opinion to go with, we will never get it right! There is only one authority! There is only one teacher! There is only one opinion that matters and it is not ours!
The word listen according to Webster means – to make a conscious effort to hear; to give heed; take advice.
God is telling us to make a conscious effort to hear Jesus and to do what He says and follow His advice. Remember Jesus represents truth and pureness and we can rely on His direction as being the right direction to go.
May you make a conscious effort today to make Jesus Lord of your heart and may your life reflect the One you serve.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
A Woman, a Simple Sign, and a Dying Man
A few weeks ago I was visiting someone in the hospital. I guess hospitals are places where the people going in and out really think about death and living more than any other place we are in.
The person I was visiting was someone I had not seen in a while but who was transitioning between this life and the next. I only had a few moments with him but they were powerful moments. His eyes were closed and he no longer was speaking but they assured me he could hear me. I felt a connection unlike any we had ever experienced together in earlier times. In fact it was a connection I can say I have never felt with anyone else before. I would assume christians either nurses, family members, or clergy who help someone transition to the next life have had similar experiences. It's a peaceful understanding of who we are in Christ to each other versus who we were as fallen humans to each other. The only thing that mattered was the love we shared in Christ and how he would soon have the great priviledge of meeting Jesus in person. I found myself not grieving his impending death as much as grieving not loving him better while I had the chance.
As I left the hospital with deep thoughts of life and death, I crossed paths with a lady walking in the opposite direction of me on the sidewalk as I was walking back to my car. She had her head down and was carrying a sign. She drew my attention well before I could actually read the sign and I waited in anticipation to have our approaches become close enough for me to read her statement.
It read simply - Pray to end Abortion.
I believe this lady is so much braver than I. Yes, we speak on the same subject but I know most of the people I invited to read my blog will choose not to, and the list wasn't that long to begin with. She, on the other hand, is out there in public where there is a lot of traffic (foot and auto), where she can see on the faces the acceptance or disagreement of the people she passes. Her words are few but extremely powerful, especially when others, like me, are coming and going with deep thoughts of life and death.
She made an impact on me. She pointed all who saw her that day back to the One who can actually change this situation, reminding us to pray!
I got in my car and thanked God for the opportunity to visit my friend before he passed (which turned out to be the next morning), for the spiritual connection and reminder of whom we really belong to and serve, and for the lady who freely gives of herself in defense of those who can't speak for themselves.
In echoing her words and the sentiment to love better while we have the chance,
Pray to end Abortion!
The person I was visiting was someone I had not seen in a while but who was transitioning between this life and the next. I only had a few moments with him but they were powerful moments. His eyes were closed and he no longer was speaking but they assured me he could hear me. I felt a connection unlike any we had ever experienced together in earlier times. In fact it was a connection I can say I have never felt with anyone else before. I would assume christians either nurses, family members, or clergy who help someone transition to the next life have had similar experiences. It's a peaceful understanding of who we are in Christ to each other versus who we were as fallen humans to each other. The only thing that mattered was the love we shared in Christ and how he would soon have the great priviledge of meeting Jesus in person. I found myself not grieving his impending death as much as grieving not loving him better while I had the chance.
As I left the hospital with deep thoughts of life and death, I crossed paths with a lady walking in the opposite direction of me on the sidewalk as I was walking back to my car. She had her head down and was carrying a sign. She drew my attention well before I could actually read the sign and I waited in anticipation to have our approaches become close enough for me to read her statement.
It read simply - Pray to end Abortion.
I believe this lady is so much braver than I. Yes, we speak on the same subject but I know most of the people I invited to read my blog will choose not to, and the list wasn't that long to begin with. She, on the other hand, is out there in public where there is a lot of traffic (foot and auto), where she can see on the faces the acceptance or disagreement of the people she passes. Her words are few but extremely powerful, especially when others, like me, are coming and going with deep thoughts of life and death.
She made an impact on me. She pointed all who saw her that day back to the One who can actually change this situation, reminding us to pray!
I got in my car and thanked God for the opportunity to visit my friend before he passed (which turned out to be the next morning), for the spiritual connection and reminder of whom we really belong to and serve, and for the lady who freely gives of herself in defense of those who can't speak for themselves.
In echoing her words and the sentiment to love better while we have the chance,
Pray to end Abortion!
The real 'Jane Roe'
The real 'Jane Roe'
Every American is aware that Roe versus Wade is an abortion ruling and most have picked a side but do you really understand how the case made it to the Supreme Court in the first place? Do you know anything about Jane Roe? Do you know her thoughts on the subject today? You may find the answers to these questions as interesting as I did by reading the attached link.
I'd just like to highlight a few things I found interesting.
1. Two women lawyers right out of law school were specifically interested in challenging the Texas Abortion Statue. They were actively were looking for someone to represent so they could further their own personal agenda. They didn't really care about the person they represented. I think so many times we fake compassion in order to protect our "perceived" rights. We just hate to be told what to do or what we can't do so we allow anything because we like to have choices.
2. Jane Roe LIED and made up a story that she was raped. The original case was based on the fact that this woman was raped and greatly influenced the court rulings. I bring this up because it shows how if we open the door a little bit it can easily be opened all the way. If you remember, there have been 45 million babies aborted since this ruling. I wondered if the people involved at the time saw how wide the door would open because of this case? Another note: Jane Roe never had a chance to abort the child she was carrying during the case.
3. Jane Roe while working in an abortion clinic and living a homosexual lifestyle became a convert to Christianity in 1995 and now works for a Dallas based ministry called "Roe No More". Do you know who God chose to lead her to Him? A 7 year old girl named Emily whose mother almost aborted her! Don't tell me God doesn't have a plan for these children! Don't tell me these children are not valued by God! Don't tell me the lives of these women are more important than the lives of the children they conceived. God loves us all!
Thank you Lord for your mercy and your amazing grace! May we all bow low to your Lordship and repent of our actions and let our voice be heard in the polling booths in November. May your will be done and your name glorified in this matter. Amen
Don't forget to read about Jane Roe and also check out this AWESOME video. The song is so infectious (listen to it all the way through and you'll know what I mean) you will be humming and dancing to it all day long.
Every American is aware that Roe versus Wade is an abortion ruling and most have picked a side but do you really understand how the case made it to the Supreme Court in the first place? Do you know anything about Jane Roe? Do you know her thoughts on the subject today? You may find the answers to these questions as interesting as I did by reading the attached link.
I'd just like to highlight a few things I found interesting.
1. Two women lawyers right out of law school were specifically interested in challenging the Texas Abortion Statue. They were actively were looking for someone to represent so they could further their own personal agenda. They didn't really care about the person they represented. I think so many times we fake compassion in order to protect our "perceived" rights. We just hate to be told what to do or what we can't do so we allow anything because we like to have choices.
2. Jane Roe LIED and made up a story that she was raped. The original case was based on the fact that this woman was raped and greatly influenced the court rulings. I bring this up because it shows how if we open the door a little bit it can easily be opened all the way. If you remember, there have been 45 million babies aborted since this ruling. I wondered if the people involved at the time saw how wide the door would open because of this case? Another note: Jane Roe never had a chance to abort the child she was carrying during the case.
3. Jane Roe while working in an abortion clinic and living a homosexual lifestyle became a convert to Christianity in 1995 and now works for a Dallas based ministry called "Roe No More". Do you know who God chose to lead her to Him? A 7 year old girl named Emily whose mother almost aborted her! Don't tell me God doesn't have a plan for these children! Don't tell me these children are not valued by God! Don't tell me the lives of these women are more important than the lives of the children they conceived. God loves us all!
Thank you Lord for your mercy and your amazing grace! May we all bow low to your Lordship and repent of our actions and let our voice be heard in the polling booths in November. May your will be done and your name glorified in this matter. Amen
Don't forget to read about Jane Roe and also check out this AWESOME video. The song is so infectious (listen to it all the way through and you'll know what I mean) you will be humming and dancing to it all day long.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
I've Been There
I was a junior in high school when I became pregnant with my first child. If I were to pick from the list of reasons stated in a previous blog about why women choose abortion, I could identify with all the reasons listed. I could even add a few more to the list like the fear of my parents, the judgments of others, and the stigma associated with being an unmarried mother. Abortion was an available option to me at the time. I could have chosen that route. I grew up in a Christian home with Christian values and even if I was still deciding what that meant for me personally I knew deep down in my heart that God would not approve of me killing a child. It was a sin far worse than one I had already committed. I believed then and I still do today, two wrongs do not make a right!
I know what these women feel and experience that leads them to making their personal decision because I’ve been there. I brought shame to my family at a time when they didn’t need any more attention drawn to our family. I heard what people said about me. I had friends who told me their parents banned them from hanging out with me. I had to quit playing sports. I had to give up my social life. I had to give up my dream for college. I was alienated. I was alone. I was full of guilt and shame. I endured this pain for many years and I made many future decisions out of this pain. I know all too well the consequence of my choice, the financial strain, the loss of freedom, the everyday struggle to be all things to my child as a single parent, and then later the strain of blended families. My child struggles at times with the brokenness of this situation still today.
Would have choosing an abortion made my life easier? On the surface, maybe. If all I was concerned about was what others thought of me then yes, an abortion may have prevented me from experiencing the element of human judgment. However, let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that if we hide from people we hide from God too. God sees! We may fool everyone else but we will not fool Him.
Would have choosing an abortion prevented the hurt my daughter sometimes feels today? Yes, along with all of the other things she feels today like the love for her own husband and daughter. Who am I to deny all that God has intended for her? Who am I to put myself above her?
This last question just reminded me of Jesus. He could have put His own needs above all of us and chosen not to endure his own personal pain and in the process deny us all His grace and mercy. Thank God, He was willing to bear the consequence of our sin!
Finally, I believe in an Awesome God. A God who is willing and capable of turning bad situations around and creating good out of the mess we create ourselves. When I promote Right To Life issues, I am also promoting the fact that anything is possible with God and that God’s grace is sufficient!
I know what these women feel and experience that leads them to making their personal decision because I’ve been there. I brought shame to my family at a time when they didn’t need any more attention drawn to our family. I heard what people said about me. I had friends who told me their parents banned them from hanging out with me. I had to quit playing sports. I had to give up my social life. I had to give up my dream for college. I was alienated. I was alone. I was full of guilt and shame. I endured this pain for many years and I made many future decisions out of this pain. I know all too well the consequence of my choice, the financial strain, the loss of freedom, the everyday struggle to be all things to my child as a single parent, and then later the strain of blended families. My child struggles at times with the brokenness of this situation still today.
Would have choosing an abortion made my life easier? On the surface, maybe. If all I was concerned about was what others thought of me then yes, an abortion may have prevented me from experiencing the element of human judgment. However, let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that if we hide from people we hide from God too. God sees! We may fool everyone else but we will not fool Him.
Would have choosing an abortion prevented the hurt my daughter sometimes feels today? Yes, along with all of the other things she feels today like the love for her own husband and daughter. Who am I to deny all that God has intended for her? Who am I to put myself above her?
This last question just reminded me of Jesus. He could have put His own needs above all of us and chosen not to endure his own personal pain and in the process deny us all His grace and mercy. Thank God, He was willing to bear the consequence of our sin!
Finally, I believe in an Awesome God. A God who is willing and capable of turning bad situations around and creating good out of the mess we create ourselves. When I promote Right To Life issues, I am also promoting the fact that anything is possible with God and that God’s grace is sufficient!
Abortion Statistics
According to The Guttmacher Institute here are some statistics on abortion.
1.21 million abortions were performed in 2005
1.31 million abortions were performed in 2000
From 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal abortions occurred
45 million abortions is equal to 15% of the current population of the United States
Each year, about two percent of women aged 15-44 have an abortion
47% of them have had at least one previous abortion
Forty-three percent of women obtaining abortions identify themselves as Protestant, and 27% as Catholic
Women who have never married obtain two-thirds of all abortions
About 60% of abortions are obtained by women who have one or more children
Even without specific parental involvement laws, six in 10 minors who have an abortion report that at least one parent knew about it.
The reasons women give for having an abortion:
· Three-fourths of women cite concern for or responsibility to other individuals;
· three-fourths say they cannot afford a child;
· three-fourths say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents;
· and half say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner.
I found these numbers to be staggering. What if, we changed the word abortion in these statistics to the word murder, would we view this issue differently? Please take the time to re-read these statistics out loud with the new word inserted.
1.21 million murders were performed in 2005
1.31 million murders were performed in 2000
From 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal murders occurred
45 million murders is equal to 15% of the current population of the United States
Each year, about two percent of women aged 15-44 murder
47% of them have had at least one previous murder
Forty-three percent of women murdering identify themselves as Protestant, and 27% as Catholic
Women who have never married obtain two-thirds of all murders
About 60% of murders are obtained by women who have one or more children.[
Even without specific parental involvement laws, six in 10 minors who murder report that at least one parent knew about it.
The reasons women give for murdering:
· Three-fourths of women cite concern for or responsibility to other individuals;
· three-fourths say they cannot afford a child;
· three-fourths say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents;
· and half say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner.
If you believe life begins at conception then you have to believe abortion is really murder. How can we, as a nation professing to be Christian, condone and continue to allow the murdering of innocent children. Who would want to be a part of a faith that allows this kind of thing to happen? Seventy percent of women having abortions identify themselves as Christians. What?
Fellow Christians let’s not be fooled – Just because our government says that abortion (MURDER) is okay does not negate the fact that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ clearly tells us it is not okay!
1.21 million abortions were performed in 2005
1.31 million abortions were performed in 2000
From 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal abortions occurred
45 million abortions is equal to 15% of the current population of the United States
Each year, about two percent of women aged 15-44 have an abortion
47% of them have had at least one previous abortion
Forty-three percent of women obtaining abortions identify themselves as Protestant, and 27% as Catholic
Women who have never married obtain two-thirds of all abortions
About 60% of abortions are obtained by women who have one or more children
Even without specific parental involvement laws, six in 10 minors who have an abortion report that at least one parent knew about it.
The reasons women give for having an abortion:
· Three-fourths of women cite concern for or responsibility to other individuals;
· three-fourths say they cannot afford a child;
· three-fourths say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents;
· and half say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner.
I found these numbers to be staggering. What if, we changed the word abortion in these statistics to the word murder, would we view this issue differently? Please take the time to re-read these statistics out loud with the new word inserted.
1.21 million murders were performed in 2005
1.31 million murders were performed in 2000
From 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal murders occurred
45 million murders is equal to 15% of the current population of the United States
Each year, about two percent of women aged 15-44 murder
47% of them have had at least one previous murder
Forty-three percent of women murdering identify themselves as Protestant, and 27% as Catholic
Women who have never married obtain two-thirds of all murders
About 60% of murders are obtained by women who have one or more children.[
Even without specific parental involvement laws, six in 10 minors who murder report that at least one parent knew about it.
The reasons women give for murdering:
· Three-fourths of women cite concern for or responsibility to other individuals;
· three-fourths say they cannot afford a child;
· three-fourths say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents;
· and half say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner.
If you believe life begins at conception then you have to believe abortion is really murder. How can we, as a nation professing to be Christian, condone and continue to allow the murdering of innocent children. Who would want to be a part of a faith that allows this kind of thing to happen? Seventy percent of women having abortions identify themselves as Christians. What?
Fellow Christians let’s not be fooled – Just because our government says that abortion (MURDER) is okay does not negate the fact that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ clearly tells us it is not okay!
Defining Life
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; Jeremiah 1:5
Too often we read words but don’t fully grasp their meanings. I have found that if I look up key words in text I understand the intent or concept much better because I have a broader sense of what words mean. I pulled out a few key words from the above bible passage and noted their meanings according to Webster.
Formed: verb/ 1.to shape, fashion; 2. to train, instruct; 3. To develop; 4. To make up, constitute; 5. To organize into
Womb: (see uterus)a hollow organ of female mammals in which the embryo and fetus are developed
Knew: verb/ 1.To be well informed about; 2. To be aware of; 3. To be acquainted with; 4. To recognize or distinguish
Born: (see bear)1. To carry; 2. To have or show; 3.To give birth to; 4. To produce or yield; 5.To support or to sustain; 6.To withstand or endure; 7. To need; 8. To carry or conduct; 9.To give
In the Jeremiah verse, the “I” referred to is God. The one true God, creator of heaven and earth. God is telling Jeremiah that He created him in his mother’s womb but even more importantly He tells him that He knew him before that process even began!
Using the definition of knew above we can clearly see the following things:
1. God clearly was “well informed” about Jeremiah before he was conceived. God is all-knowing and He knew who Jeremiah was, who he was going to be, how he would live his life, and what his purpose in life would be long before he actually created him in his mother’s womb.
2. God was “aware” of Jeremiah from the beginning. Again, he had a vision for this man long before he came to be. God knew the who, what, when, why, and how about Jeremiah before anyone else did.
3. God was “acquainted” with Jeremiah before he was formed. He had a love for him and a desire to be in relationship with him long before he came into existence.
4. God “recognized” Jeremiah and was able to “distinguish” him from all others in the universe before there were even any in the universe to compare against. This demonstrates an intimate knowledge by God of Jeremiah. He knew what things made him different from the others whether in outwardly appearance or in how he processed information, expressed emotion, or physically engaged in work. God knew what made him tick and set him apart before his heart began to beat.
If we believe. . .
1. God is the author and creator of life
2. God intimately knew us long before we came into existence
3. God loved us from the beginning of time, and
4. God had a plan for our lives when he created the world
Then we must at least define life immediately upon conception!
God would define life from the moment He conceived us in his mind but we cannot phantom that or apply a point in time to that so the least we can do is define it at conception.
Too often we read words but don’t fully grasp their meanings. I have found that if I look up key words in text I understand the intent or concept much better because I have a broader sense of what words mean. I pulled out a few key words from the above bible passage and noted their meanings according to Webster.
Formed: verb/ 1.to shape, fashion; 2. to train, instruct; 3. To develop; 4. To make up, constitute; 5. To organize into
Womb: (see uterus)a hollow organ of female mammals in which the embryo and fetus are developed
Knew: verb/ 1.To be well informed about; 2. To be aware of; 3. To be acquainted with; 4. To recognize or distinguish
Born: (see bear)1. To carry; 2. To have or show; 3.To give birth to; 4. To produce or yield; 5.To support or to sustain; 6.To withstand or endure; 7. To need; 8. To carry or conduct; 9.To give
In the Jeremiah verse, the “I” referred to is God. The one true God, creator of heaven and earth. God is telling Jeremiah that He created him in his mother’s womb but even more importantly He tells him that He knew him before that process even began!
Using the definition of knew above we can clearly see the following things:
1. God clearly was “well informed” about Jeremiah before he was conceived. God is all-knowing and He knew who Jeremiah was, who he was going to be, how he would live his life, and what his purpose in life would be long before he actually created him in his mother’s womb.
2. God was “aware” of Jeremiah from the beginning. Again, he had a vision for this man long before he came to be. God knew the who, what, when, why, and how about Jeremiah before anyone else did.
3. God was “acquainted” with Jeremiah before he was formed. He had a love for him and a desire to be in relationship with him long before he came into existence.
4. God “recognized” Jeremiah and was able to “distinguish” him from all others in the universe before there were even any in the universe to compare against. This demonstrates an intimate knowledge by God of Jeremiah. He knew what things made him different from the others whether in outwardly appearance or in how he processed information, expressed emotion, or physically engaged in work. God knew what made him tick and set him apart before his heart began to beat.
If we believe. . .
1. God is the author and creator of life
2. God intimately knew us long before we came into existence
3. God loved us from the beginning of time, and
4. God had a plan for our lives when he created the world
Then we must at least define life immediately upon conception!
God would define life from the moment He conceived us in his mind but we cannot phantom that or apply a point in time to that so the least we can do is define it at conception.
Monday, October 13, 2008
"One Issue" Voter
Last summer, one of my daughters attended a town hall meeting for Democratic Presidential nominee, Barack Obama. She returned home sporting a brand new Obama t-shirt in the middle of my rummage sale. A customer, a young lady, happened to see her shirt and assuming that I shared my daughter’s choice of candidates shared with me her complete disappointment in her parents for being “one issue” voters. No more needed to be said. I understood she was voting Democrat, her parents Republican, and the “one issue” she was referring to was Right to Life. I understood this because I, too, am a “one issue” voter.
Although, I understand and share concern for all of the other issues of the day (economy, environment, terrorism, war, and immigration), I truly believe none outweigh the importance of positioning our country to overturn Roe vs Wade .
Why I think we are close to making that happen:
1. President Bush’s legacy may be that he appointed two conservative judges to the Supreme Court and the next sitting president may have the opportunity to appoint a third, as Justice John Paul Stevens a liberal and pro-choice voter, is 88 years old and expected to retire soon.
2. Recent rulings in partial birth abortion law have worried pro-choice supporters. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. said in a 2007 interview with MSNBC reporter Tom Curry, “We have to get a pro-choice president who means it into the White House in the next election.” If the Pro-Choice supporters are worried, then the Right to Life supporters should be encouraged.
Encouragement must translate into action though by voting for a Pro-Life candidate who will be inclined to appoint a conservative judge to the Supreme Court if a vacancy occurs. Failing to do so will impede the progress of the Right to Life movement.
In future postings, I will convey statistics and commentary on abortion, state why I believe Right to Life to be the number one and only voting issue in this election, and communicate what I believe God is calling us to do. Stay tuned.
Although, I understand and share concern for all of the other issues of the day (economy, environment, terrorism, war, and immigration), I truly believe none outweigh the importance of positioning our country to overturn Roe vs Wade .
Why I think we are close to making that happen:
1. President Bush’s legacy may be that he appointed two conservative judges to the Supreme Court and the next sitting president may have the opportunity to appoint a third, as Justice John Paul Stevens a liberal and pro-choice voter, is 88 years old and expected to retire soon.
2. Recent rulings in partial birth abortion law have worried pro-choice supporters. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. said in a 2007 interview with MSNBC reporter Tom Curry, “We have to get a pro-choice president who means it into the White House in the next election.” If the Pro-Choice supporters are worried, then the Right to Life supporters should be encouraged.
Encouragement must translate into action though by voting for a Pro-Life candidate who will be inclined to appoint a conservative judge to the Supreme Court if a vacancy occurs. Failing to do so will impede the progress of the Right to Life movement.
In future postings, I will convey statistics and commentary on abortion, state why I believe Right to Life to be the number one and only voting issue in this election, and communicate what I believe God is calling us to do. Stay tuned.
Introduction
Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. Psalm 66:16
I am a christian wife and mom of five daughters. I have a desire to teach others God's truth and love because I have learned along the way and continue to learn daily the absolute need for God in our lives.
I, just like you, am on a journey and God is in control and present in that journey whether you acknowledge that truth or not.
I would like to use my voice, in glory to God, to speak of how He works in me and how I see Him working in the world around me. I would also like to shed light on issues that I believe God has a strong opinion on in regards to how we live, love, and function in this world.
I will share my beliefs, my opinions, and my life lessons using as my guide both God's Word and my faith in Jesus Christ as Savior of the world.
May God bless this communication and its readers!
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