been thinking...

Confident Hope

2012-01-19T12:43:00.000-08:00

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

What is the order of things here? Trust in the source of hope > joy and peace > confident hope
Hope doesn't just happen, doesn't just appear. Hope comes from a source. Just as a stream doesn't just happen, there must be a source. It may by a spring or glacier, but it has a source. God, God alone, is the source of hope. When we trust (believe) God to be who He is, Hope, then we drink of that stream of hope. That stream of anticipation or expectancy. As the hope fills our inner being, we experience joy and peace. Joy and peace can be both emotions and a state of being. God's hope produces joy and peace in both. We feel joy and peace and we are characterized by joy and peace. Furthermore, He causes us to overflow with confident hope [toward others] courtesy the power of the Holy Spirit. As I have walked through the journey of my father entering into Jesus presence, I have a deeper appreciation for the joy and peace that have run deep and overflowed my being in a confident hope that, though physical death is accompanied by pain and sorrow, I can "take heart, because I (Jesus) have overcome the world." John 16:33 Yes, as we are in Christ Jesus, so we will overcome this world. I am declaring this to you, I have a confident hope, flanked by joy and peace, in this.

The Reality

2011-12-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

"And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you live because you have been made right with God." Romans 8:10

As I sit with my father in the hospital I deeply feel the reality of the consequence of the fall. The body does fail and it is not a lovely thing. It is emotionally and physically painful. The ray of light that filters through it all is the Spirit given life. Yes, my dad has been made right with God through the saving power of Jesus blood. Because of that, as I watch his body give way, I am assured that he has life. That Spirit given life gives hope through this painful process. Thank you, Jesus, for giving Your life so that we might live...live beyond these frail bodies.

Declaration

2011-12-22T08:32:00.000-08:00

"I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below- indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8: 38-39

Who's in Charge

2011-12-20T08:43:00.000-08:00

I use this phrase often when talking about parenting. Romans 8:6 asks the same idea in regards to our minds. "...letting your sinful nature control your minds leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." The end results are pretty stark opposites. It is a choice...however, it is only made possible because "God sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins." (v. 3) Lord, may I live moment by moment in that freedom; my mind controlled by your Spirit, leading to life and peace.

2011-08-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

"Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,
the Lord tested Joseph's character." Ps. 104:19

Lord, don't let us loose sight of the dreams you've placed in our hearts amidst Your testing. Oh that our character may conform to Your likeness.

Here or There

2011-07-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

The tendency is to view life from where we are at. That can be where I am at physically, emotionally or spiritually. I am challenged today by Philippians 3:19-21 that paints a stark contrast of those who think only about this life here on earth and those who think in light of their citizenship heaven, where Jesus Christ lives. The fruits of these two different foci are polar opposites. Galatians 5 gives the list: impurity, lust, idolatry, hostility, selfishness, envy....VS. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I want the "there" view. Lord, draw me in!

At Home

2011-05-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

We work hard to create habits, especially the good ones. But they can also be binding. We are conscious of keeping them and conscious of when we don't keep them. Sometimes we become slaves of sorts to them. Especially those of us that tend towards being perfectionists. That's when good habits become bondage. We may use our diligence to keep a good habit as a source of pride or we may use our failures to follow through with good habits as a platform to criticize ourselves or even others when we see them fail at good habits they had once established.
I was challenged by some thoughts about habits by Oswald Chambers this morning in My Utmost for His Highest. "Your god may be your little Christian habit." Has our time of prayer or Bible reading become merely a habit, or is it an extension of our very being. If we are simply performing because we are committed to a habit then this is an opportunity for invest in the relationship so that we are living the relationship rather than just performing the relationship.
When we return home at the end of the day, is it only because it it a habit? No. It is because that is where we live. It is our comfort zone. It is where we can be ourselves. It is where we can let down. We can express how we feel, our hopes, our disappoints, our dreams. We can just be quiet if we want to. We don't need to put on or perform for anyone. Are we at home with God, our heavenly Father, or are we just going there because it is a habit?
Is there any where or any situation that we are not a home with God? That should be a call to our attention that it is an area that needs to be drawn into that relationship most important to us. We must press in to Him. He will draw all of our loose ends into Him. "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness... so that we might participate in His divine nature." (2 Peter 1:3,4) The more we participate in Him, the more at home we are with Him anywhere and in anything. Let this be our driving passion. To know Him and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10) in our lives.

Oh the Brokenness

2011-04-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Who will love a broken world? If left to our own love, we can only pity the world. Our own love can not in any way begin to go to the depth that is needed to truly love those in this broken world. We may give the appearance of love, but it will not last. The brokenness and pain will eventually become too much and our own love will not stand. We will need a break or we may abandon the brokenness all together. It is only the love of God as demonstrated and offered in Christ that can love to the depth that can touch this broken world that we are a part of. He never leave us or forsake us. He came and gave all of Himself for our brokenness. Only as I embrace that with total abandonment can I begin to love those broken that surround me. "O Love that will not let me go. I rest my weary soul in Thee."

Is the light light?...

2011-03-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

Light and dark seem pretty clear cut opposites...or are they? When does dark become light? Or when does light become dark?

Positive and negative, when represented on a number line, are decisively divided at zero. Everything to the right is always positive all the time and everything to the left is always negative all the time. Light and dark, however, if represented in a linear fashion have a very different representation. The only point at which light is 100% light is at the very outer limit in one direction of that line. Likewise, dark is 100% dark at the outer limit of the other direction of that line. The spectrum in between, in theory, represents degrees of light and degrees of dark.

This twilight portion of the spectrum is the place where we are easily deceived. In Matthew 6:23, Jesus is recorded as saying, "If the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is."

Beware of the deception of the darkness that poses as light. That is a scary and dangerous place to be.

God is light and there is no darkness at all in Him. (1 John 1:5). That is the frequency on the spiritual light spectrum that our eyes need to be trained to. He has made His light shine into our hearts so that we can know the glory of God. (2 Cor. 5:6) As we know that glory, we will not be deceived by anything less.

"I Did Everything I Could..."

2011-03-20T00:37:00.000-07:00

Slow learner...short term memory...self-absorbed...in denial...attention deficit...what is it anyway? I just plain forget. Yes, I forget God's faithfulness. How could I?

He asks the same question..." Stand up and state you case against Me...What have I done to make you tired of Me?...Don't you remember?"

The next thing He says is the turn of the dagger in my heart that so desperately needs His surgery..."Remember...when I, the Lord, did everything I could to teach you about My faithfulness." (Micah 6)

Yes, He, the Lord and Savior of my heart and soul, has done and continues to do everything to teach me about His faithfulness: the delicate blossoms of spring, the snow laden peaks of winter, the color palette of fall and the warming rays of the summer sun...the giggle of a baby, the blend of notes of perfect harmony and the trill of the bird outside my window as dawn breaks...new birth followed by new life in a soul that wandered, forgiveness from transgression yet again, the realization that "all things worked together" and the "assurance of things that are hoped for."

Lord, let me not be short sighted...don't let me fail in my memory...keep my attention absorbed with You...may I never deny what You have done...don't let my attention wander!

Great is Your faithfulness!

Mourning Over the Consequences

2011-03-01T07:12:00.000-08:00

God's people willingly chose to walk a path of disobedience and the just consequences fell: destruction of their lands and slavery to their enemies. Included in the destruction of their lands was the destruction of the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. It was in these circumstances that God had met them. During the seventy years in exile, the people mourned and fasted every summer on the anniversary of the Temple's destruction. As Zerubbabel took on the task of rebuilding, the people asked the obvious question, "Should we continue to mourn and fast?" How long should we mourn and fast over the sins and consequences of our past? How long does the time of rebuilding need to be a "yes, but..." time, casting a shadow on the rebuilding that God is doing in our lives? The record of the destruction of the temple will always remain as well as the record of why. The reality of what has happened or we have let happen in our lives will always remain. God, however, in His rich mercy rebuilds. He bring wholeness and newness. He wants us, just as He instructed His people, to end those times of mourning over the past. "The times of mourning you have kept...are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for God's people. So love truth and peace." We must do this. We must let God's forgiveness settle into festivals of joy and celebration. (Zechariah 7 and 8)

Rejected Accusations

2011-02-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

My journey through the minor prophets this time has been amazing. God's unending faithfulness to a persistently unfaithful people... here's a story: A Memoir . Then in Zachariah's book he tells us about a vision he had. The Accuser, Satan, is standing before the LORD making accusations against Jeshua the high priest. The LORD looks straight at him and says, "I reject your accusations. Further more, I rebuke you for these accusations. This man was going down but I have snatched him from the fire." He goes on to replace the priest's filthy clothes, a picture of his sins, and gives him fine new clothes. Yes, he is made new. This scenario cultivates hope as we contemplate our place before our LORD. The accusations are rejected. We stand clothed in Jesus' righteousness alone. Furthermore, as the LORD proclaims of this priest, we are symbols to the world of things to come. The task is before us. Let us be faithful as we stand acquitted.

In My Valentine Box

2011-02-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

I found this in my valentine box this morning. The box has 962 pages of messages...messages of love, hope and encouragement. "Who is a God like you, who pardons all our guilt. You overlook the sins of your people. You will not stay angry with us forever because you delight in showing us unfailing love. Once again, you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean. You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised those who lived before us." (Micah 7:18-20) I rest secure in my God's love.

Firm Faith

2011-02-05T22:19:00.000-08:00

Ahaz is king of Judah and an attack from Israel and Syria is looming on the horizon. Isaiah says that the king and his people were like trees shaking in a storm. They were stricken with fear. I'm not always that afraid, but there certainly are many times that worry and fear dominate my thoughts. God tells Ahaz, through Isaiah, that the invasion will not happen and He finishes His proclamation with an interesting statement, "Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm." Is my faith firm? Is is wavering, doubting? There's no room for that. I must not look to the left or to the right. I must hold fast to my faith firmly planted in God, my Savior. It is only then that I allow Him to make me stand firm. Oh that I don't cause a hindrance.

Who's Voice

2010-10-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

I can be in a whole crowd of people and the sea of voices will be a din around me when suddenly my ears focus on one familiar voice calling out, "Mom!" or "Cindy!" The din continues, yet I have heard the voice of one that has importance to me, one that my attention is drawn to. All the rest remain unimportant as I tune in.
This is what I think Jesus is refering to when He says, "My sheep listen to my voice..." and "they do not recognize a stranger's voice." The evil one and the world around us make up a sea of voices beckoning us this way and that, to this idea and that, to this love and that, to this pursuit and that, etc. Yet, as sheep of The Good Shepherd, we are to hear only one voice. The voice of our Shepherd who calls us and gives us eternal life (Jn. 10:28).
Who's voice is catching my attention?

Walking Down Abraham's Road

2010-10-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

Face the facts.
Do not waver in doubt regarding God's promise.
Be strengthed in your faith.
Give glory to God.
Be fully persuaded that God is able to do all He has promised.
Result: God sees us as righteous.

Who? Those of us who believe in Him who raised Jesus from the dead. He was raised for our justification! That's me. Can I walk this road? I am fully persuaded that God is able to do all that He has promised. I will walk this road.

2010-06-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

" I see grace grows best in winter." - Samuel Rutherford

I find this so true in my walk with Jesus. I pray so much more diligently during the hard, dark days of my life. Yet when the light of spring and warmth of summer days arrive, when the trials fade into distant memories, I so often loose my driven pursuit of a close relationship with my Lord.

After King David's reign, under the reign of King Solomon, his son, God graciously granted the land of Israel peace and quiet on every side. David orders the leader's of Israel to help his son Solomon in the building of the Temple for the LORD with these words, "Is not the LORD you God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side?...Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD you God..." (1 Chronicles 22: 18,19)

Oh that I might consistently devote my heart and soul to seeking the LORD my God during the times of peace and quite just as I do during the times of trial. God give me that determination.

Steadfast

2010-06-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

Steadfast: not changing or moving; firm in purpose; true.

Psalm 112 says that the man is blessed whose heart is steadfast.

Psalm 57 and 108 say that the steadfast heart will sing and make music.

When the storms of life are rocking my boat, often times it feels like they're "tossing" my boat to and fro, my heart is easily rocked or tossed right along with it. There has been a lot of that lately. I am challenged to keep my heart steadfast. I am anchored to the solid rock. "My God is my rock." Psalm 18:2.

Can I sing and make music to my God, my redeemer and friend? Yes, even in pain and troublesome unknowns, when my heart is steadfastly trusting, waiting and hoping, I can make exalt the Lord, sing and make melody from the depths of my soul.

Strike up the band!

Relentless Love, Relented Anger

2010-05-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

I found three amazing progressive Psalms this week. Psalm 104 talks about God and creation. Psalm 105 talks about God and Israel formed. Psalm 106 talks about God and Israel's rebellion.
It near the end of this last Psalm where I find encouragement in God's merciful dealings with us, His people.

"Many times he delivered them, but the were bent on rebellion

and they wasted away in their sin.

But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;

for their sake he remembered his covenant

and out of his relentless love he relented his anger."

Oh that we would treasure this relentless love of his, live with thankfullness in this unmerited favor and overflow such character to others whether we feel that it is deserved or not. For that is only when love it truly relentless.

A Scary Place

2010-05-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

In reading Psalm 95 this morning my heart was chilled by the time I got to the last verse...
I felt comfortable when I read, "we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care."
Then the stakes rise a little..."Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts..."
This is followed by a quick review of how the children of Israel ignored God and did harden their hearts.
By the last verse God declares, "They shall never enter my rest!" What a scary place to be.
Oh Lord, have mercy on me. Don't let me ignore your voice...as a people of your pasture, I will listen, I will obey. Keep my heart soft so that I will enter your rest.

A Moment of Doubt

2010-05-15T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the road is rough. In Psalm 94 David calls them days of trouble. In a moment of doubt, this morning, I wondered if my prayers weren't getting beyond the ceiling. Then I read:

"Does He who implanted the ear not hear?
Does He who formed the eye not see?"

Cut to the heart of doubt!

I will "tell of His love in the morning and His faithfulness at night." Psalm 92:2

A Restored Friendship

2010-05-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

This is beautiful...Webster's definition of the word reconcile is "to restore a friendship after an estrangement."
We are estranged from our God because of our drive for independence. We walked away...He walked towards.
For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Christ, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross...to present us holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1: 19, 20, 22)
Winnie the Pooh captures it poignantly when he tells Christopher Robin, "You're just in time for the best part of the day, the part when you and me become we."
Oh the joy of being "we" with my God.

Controlled By or Set Free From Fear

2010-04-28T13:27:00.008-07:00

Yesterday a certified letter arrived in the mail. With it was brought fear. It was vague yet contained enough..."This letter is to advise you that because of pending investigation of licensing complaints...it has been determined...until licensing and safety issues are resolved..." No details or explanation were given. This was in regards to our home as a fosterhome. All kinds of things began to swirl around in my head. This happened once before and it was many tense weeks of us proving that the accusations that had been filed against us were completely false. I was not prepared to face that battle again. This letter came on the heels of other attacks from the evil one and I have felt particularly vulnerable. I felt spiritually and emotionally weak. I wanted to escape somewhere far away.

This morning God mercifully encouraged me through His eternal Word:

Psalm 55:16-19,22,23
I will call to God, and the LORD who saves me.
Evening and morning I cry out in my distress and He hears my voice.
He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
God, who is enthroned forever will hear them and afflict them - men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.
Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous fall
As for me, I trust in You

Psalm 56: 3,4,9-11
When I am afraid, I will trust in You
In God whose word I praise
In God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?
My enemies will turn back when I call for help,
By this I know that God is for me.
In God whose word I praise, In God whose word I praise-
In God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

Nothing can separate me from the love of God.

The rest of the story...
I left a message on the investigator's phone last night asking for a phone call first thing this morning. She called by 8:30am (a long time since I'd been up at 5:15am...too much brain time!!). The problem was a paperwork problem. They were lacking a background clearance form in their files and had been trying to contact our licensor for 4 months with no response. Their "only" option was to put a hold on any more fostercare activity in our home which came in the same letter form as for any other problem worth investigating. I wonder why it isn't in the processes to call the home? Hummmm! Anyway, the problem was quickly resolved.

And, now, to this I still hold on:
In God alone is my strength. He is my rock.

Character

2010-04-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

David, in 1Samuel, amazingly models character above reproach. His bold acting in faith and trust as he takes out Goliath...He "so successfully" does what ever Saul asks him to do that he finds favor with Saul, the officers and all the people"... In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him"... Time and again when Saul tries to kill David out of jealously, God grants David success so that Saul begins to realize that the LORD is with David... Finally Saul takes up an all out hunt with his army to kill David, instead, David finds himself in a position to kill Saul and finally be freed from his life as a hunted man, his response is "forbid that I should do such a thing to the LORD's annointed"... David wants to be above reproach so that no one can say that he is guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion... "May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you."
Oh to be in such a place of rest and confidence in God's vindication. Yes, the victory is ours when the battle is the Lords.

'Tis So Sweet

2010-04-21T23:02:00.001-07:00

We had an amazing time of worship in singing as a body of Christ tonight. I can't go to bed without sharing this timeless gem:

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”

Refrain:Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

After singing, Daniel shared that this hymn was written by a poverty stricken woman who came to know Jesus hearing Dwight Moody. At a time when she had no food, God blessed her with bags from an unknown source. After that she penned these words.

Yes, trusting is so sweet and brings such life, rest, joy and peace.

Who's the fight against?

2010-04-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

Goliath comes out every day for 40 days and declares ,"Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me...this day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." Each time the Israelites saw the man, they ran in great fear.

When David appeared on the battlefield to visit his brothers, he saw the situation with eyes that came from a heart that was in touch with God. The Psalms declare his heart: The Lord is my shepherd; I trust in You; O my Strength, I praise you; My soul finds rest in God alone and so on. His immediate question is "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

Do I see the daily "attacks" in my life as just person against person or do I see it through spiritual eyes and in reality it is the evil one defying the living God in my life?

I must recognize the latter. Then I will respond as David did, "I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over...All those gathered will know that it is not by sword and spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's and He will give all of you into our hands."

Oh, Lord, the victory is mine when the battle is Yours.

"With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies." Psalm 60:12

The verse in my pocket...

2010-04-20T16:55:00.000-07:00

I will bless My people and the places surrounding My hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing...then you will know that I, the Lord your God, am with you...you are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture...I am your God declares the sovereign Lord. Ezekiel 34:26,30,31

Ever Wondering?

2010-03-12T18:05:00.000-08:00

As John the Baptist was sitting in jail for proclaiming who he believed Jesus to be, he began wondering... was Jesus really who he, John, thought He was? (Matthew 11:2-4) Who would have thougth that this would have ever entered John's mind.

Ever had doubt along the journey with Jesus?

Jesus' reply was simply this, "Report to John what you hear and see." Powerful! Jesus words and evidence of what He does is testimony enough. The evidence stands strong.

Next, Jesus further promises, "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Standing firm in the midst of the tribulation on acoount of Him will bring blessing.

James 1:12 says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

By Faith...

2010-02-15T10:15:00.000-08:00

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

By faith...we understand
By faith...Abel offered to God
By faith...he was commended
By faith...he still speaks
By faith...Enoch was taken
By faith...Noah, when warned, built
By faith...he condemned the world
By faith...Abraham when called, went
By faith...Abraham was enabled to conceive
By faith...when tested, obeyed
By faith...Isaac blessed
By faith...Jacob blessed
By faith...Joseph spoke about the exodus
By faith...Moses' parents hid him
By faith...Moses refused to be known as son of Pharaoh's daughter
By faith...he left Egypt
By faith...he kept the Passover
By faith...the people passed through the Red Sea
By faith...the walls of Jericho fell
By faith...Rahab welcomed the spies
By faith...conquored kingdoms
administered justice and gained what was promised
shut the mouths of lions
quenched the fury of the flames
escaped the edge of the sword
weakness turned to strength
became powerful in battle and routed enemies
dead raised to life again
tortured refused to be released in hope of resurrection
faced jeers and flogging
chained and in prison
stoned
sawed in two
put to death by the sword
destitute, persecuted and mistreated

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11

Oh To See His Face

2010-01-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning Dave shared two verses back to back that brought to me a new anticipation for that glorious day when we are with Christ.
In Exodus 33 Moses boldly asks God to show him His glory. God responds by telling Moses, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But, you can not see my face, for no one can see my face and live."
In contrast, in Revelation 22 it says that the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their forheads.
"O that will be glory for me, glory for me, glory for me.
When by His grace I shall look on His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me."

2010

2010-01-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

1. Psalm 27:13-14
I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord,
be strong and take heart,
Yes, wait for the Lord.

2. James 1:19
...be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger

3. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
...pray always...

Facing the Facts

2009-12-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

Abraham was not afraid to fact the facts. He fully recognized that his and Sarah's bodies were "as good as dead" when it came to being able to produce new life. Romans 4:18 says that there was no hope, yet "against ALL hope, Abraham in hope believed." He did not allow facing the facts to weaken his faith. How could this happen? V. 21 says that hewas "fully persuaded that God had power to do what He has promised." Think about that persuasion as evidenced as he took his son Isaac up to the mountain as God had commanded for a burnt offering and he proclaims to Isaac that "God will provide a lamb for the burnt offering." Abraham in hope believed. It was this persuasion that was credited to him as righteousness. Oh, may I be so fully persuaded that God has to the power to do what He says He will do.

Homelessness

2009-12-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

Homelessness…I met her last night
She’s probably in her late 20’s
She has no family here
Dad’s back east
Mom’s in prison, should be out in 2011
They’ll get a place together then
Until then…there’s no place to call home
She stayed bundled in her sweatshirt, hood up, and coat
from the time she came till she left
Slept all night on a foam camping pad on the floor at the shelter
The shelter…
A warm place but only if it’s below freezing outside
A dry place but only if there’s more than an inch of precipitation
If it’s just above freezing or a little less than one inch…then where?
Then morning came…out by 7
It’s cold out there…
It’s Saturday…where do you go?
Nothings open…walk the streets…try to stay warm…
She came back in …do you have a sleeping bag?
Yes…do you need gloves?
Would you like a scarf?
Yes…but how do you put it on?
Oh, my dear…
have you never had the nurture of a mother to tenderly tie a warm scarf about you?

Homelessness…I met him last night
Didn’t expect hard times
Lost his job
Was staying in a transitional home, rent paid up… looking for work
Someone stole his money while he was sleeping
He raised a fuss…he got kicked out
The Veteran’s Home is full
Now he’s on the streets
Wanted to stay in this area to be near his kids
But, “it’s hard to find a job when you have no stable place”
Going to give it two more weeks
If nothing comes up, will head east
It’s morning now…out by 7
It’s cold out there…
It’s Saturday…where do you go?
Library doesn’t open till 1…walk the streets…try to stay warm

Homelessness…I met him last night
Where is your southern accent from?
Mississippi
How’d you get here?
The Navy
Thought things would be good when I got out
What was I thinking
Didn’t sleep to well last night…
Snoring…that guy talking in his sleep…
It’s morning now…out by 7
It’s cold out there…
It’s Saturday…where do you go?
Nothings open…walk the streets…try to stay warm

Homelessness…I met her last night
She is so young…early 20’s?
Brought here by a caring taxi cab driver who wanted her to be safe
She cam in late…left early…don’t know her story
But she carefully put on her makeup before she left…getting ready for the day
What kind of day?
It’s cold out there…
It’s Saturday…where do you go?
Nothings open…ride around in a tax?...walk the streets…try to stay warm

Homelessness…I met him last night
He’s been here before
When he came in he greeted me by name
Light blue eyes and a pleasant smile
But as folks settled in something went askew…something snapped
He accused, he blamed, he insisted, he threatened
He threatened to kill…he left no choice
The police had to come…he had to go
He left confused…he had no clue
He truly had no recollection of what had transpired…
Where did he go?
I do not know?
It’s cold out there…nothings open…walk the streets…try to stay warm

It’s morning now…out by 7
Yes, it’s cold out there…but I’ve somewhere to go
For down the road a piece is a house that is warm
And as I crawl between my flannel sheets
My mind wanders to…a woman waiting for 2011
a man who hit hard times
a man who served our country in the Navy
a woman who took time to look nice
a man who is tormented
All are out there…with nothing open…walking the streets…trying to stay warm.

Holiness

2009-12-04T08:09:00.001-08:00

I've been reading...and wrestling...with...goodness and holiness. These thoughts were primed in the introduction chapter to "Holiness" by J.C. Ryle. How often have I heard, "She is a good person," or do I think. "I'm not so bad?" I always struggle with this when someone dies who was a good person...they helped destitute people, gave sacrifically, loved unbelievably, etc. I know from scripture that only those redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb will enter into eternal life in glory, but when I see people "so good", I, humanly, struggle with that person missing out when they gave so much.
I believe, now, it is because I not only focus on goodness, but that goodness is one that is rated so on human terms. God's expectation of goodness is on a much different level and is it not an outgrowth of holiness? As we pursue holiness, then will we not also truly be good as God see's good? I believe that God's chief concern is holiness. "Without holiness no one will see the Lord."(Heb. 12:14) "Be holy, because I am holy."(Lev. 20:7, 1Pet. 1:16) "God saved us and called us to a holy life."(2Tim. 1:9)
The greatest application here is to the depth of my own heart. When I approach God's merciful throne and I have a proud heart that thinks that I've really been doing pretty well...how do I measure up against God's standard: HOLINESS! Now I see how wretched my heart is, how far I fall short. Oh for a humble and contrite heart. Oh to be holy as He is holy. May I never be tripped up by goodness when holiness is the standard.

At God's Mercy

2009-10-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

As in typical fashion, just as things are going well for King David and Israel, Satan in his conniving "rises up against Israel and incited David to sin." (I Chronicles 21) It's one of those sins that in and of itself really seems harmless. In fact it seems like it could be kind of helpful. David counts the people of Israel. The problem? It promotes confidence in human resources rather than confidence in God alone. Keep in mind that David is a commanding warrior and numbers are a crucial bit of information. So, the people were counted and then David realized his grave sin. David has a tendency to act rashly, but David has a tender heart toward God and he is quick to repent and seek restoration when he comes to his senses. This time, God gave David three options to choose from as consequences: three years of famine, three months of being swept away by the enemy in battle or three days of the sword of the Lord. How does one choose? David, the one whose heart was after God, whose heart rested in God's character that he had experienced time and again, exclaims, "Let me fall in to the hands of the Lord, for His mercy is very great..." David proclaims God's mercy over and over in the Psalms. David knew God's mercy.
True to God's character, as the angel was destroying Jerusalem by plague, "the Lord saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, 'Enough! Withdraw your hand.'"
"God in his rich mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our transgressions." Ephesians 2:4
"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever..."

Temptations Rethought

2009-09-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Oswald Chambers was a man of deep thought. He has an amazing way of looking at our daily spiritual walk through another facet of the prism that causes you to ponder its application to your soul. Such is the case as he discusses temptation. "Temptation is a suggested short cut to the realization of the highest at which I aim - not towards what I understand as evil, but towards what I understand as good." Naturally we don't think in those terms as we are struggling with temptation, yet are we not shortchanging ourselves as we are thinking that our way to meet a felt need that we deem as good is itself good and therefore satisfying. In reality we find that we are short changed and we are not satisfied, nor was it good. The felt need still exists and we are again searching for a way to satify that need. Oh that we would let "God lift us to a higher plane where we would face tempations of another order."

Careful Zeal

2009-09-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

King Jehu came in like wildfire. He himself says, "Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord." (2 Kings 10:16) Even the annointing of Jehu as king gives you an idea that things are going to happen. Elisha sends one of the men form his company of prophets with the instructions to "take him (Jehu) in an inner room, pour a flask of oil over his head, say 'This is what the Lord says: I annoint you king over Israel,' and then open the door and run without delay." The Ahab and his son who preceeded Jehu were persistently wicked. From the moment Jehu left the inner room of annointing, he begins his sweep through Israel. He doesn't leave a descendent of Ahab alive. Next, he rounds up and destroys all the ministers of Baal under the pretense of calling an assembly to honor Baal. He is shrewd. Yet, by verse 31 the statement is made, "Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel with all his heart." He let some of the of the idol worship persist. Oh that in our zeal we don't overlook the careful to keep...with all our heart.

Only God...

2009-04-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

"No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him-
the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-
that he should live on forever and not see decay...
But God will redeem my life from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself."

Psalm 49:7-9,15

Such truth to ponder. "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...My God my Savior ransomed me." Praise, awe, humbled..."I'm forever grateful to You, who came to seek and save the lost."

ALL of God's Goodness: Who can imagine

2009-03-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

Moses said, " Now show me your glory." And the Lord said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you..." (Ex 33: 18,19)
Wow! What must that have been like? God's glory displayed by all His goodness. We continually see and experience God's goodness, yet I think that we only recognize it in snatches. We attribute this blessings and that provision we receive to God's goodness. We proclaim the delight of experiencing God's creation in a fresh snow or brilliant sunset as His goodness to us. I think that I tend to look at God's goodness as a dividend here and a dividend there, yet he is always good, all the time. It is His character. "You are forgiving and good, O Lord." (Ps 86:5) When I fail to recognize God's goodness at all times, then I am failing to recognize the extent of His glory. For it was the manifestation of all His goodness that was God's means of showing His glory to Moses. Oh, that I might not be short sighted. Oh, that I might recognize all of God's goodness, all of the time, so that I might behold His glory!

Raised Hands

2009-03-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

Three times (Ex. 23, 24 & Deut. 16) God makes this amazing exclamation. "No one is to appear before me empty-handed."
How do I come before my Lord, my God? Too often it is with wanting hands. Yes, those are empty. Oh that I may first come with hands filled with praise, adoration, exclamation, admiration, and proclamation to my God for who He is, what He has done, and what He is to do. Then as He receives my "sacrifice of praise" (Heb. 13:15) I will have hands ready to be filled with His goodness.

A Friday Night Teen Night talk

2009-02-07T12:31:00.000-08:00

On Friday nights, The Coffee Oasis in about two things: a fun safe place and Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. God has given us the privilege of providing that two-fold emphasis for almost 12 years now. Wow! Over that time God has brought hundreds of kids through the doors. Sometimes kids have come back after "outgrowing" the Friday Night Teen Night to thank us for providing a safe place. Some have come back to thank us for telling them about Jesus.
Ten years ago a young man, John, came just about every week. He found Teen Night to be a fun safe place as he was weathering those difficult years of high school. John wasn't a particularly popular kid. He was slight in stature and was finding his niche in the ROTC as Bremerton High School and was most excited about his involvement in the Orienteering Club. We weekly hung out with John: played pool and table games, talked about his life and most importantly we talked about Jesus, lots!
John will never come back to thank us for a fun safe place. Nor will he come to thank us for talking to him about Jesus. John committed suicide a couple of weeks ago.
In the book of Psalms God describes people in two ways: a tree that flourishes by the stream or as chaff that is blown by the wind. What is it that makes the difference in what a person becomes? It is what they do with God and His Word. That same Psalm (1) identifies people with one of two labels: righteous and wicked. Romans 3:23 says that we all start out wicked; "All have sinned..." I was there, many who come through the doors of The Coffee Oasis are still there. Romans 6:23 says there is one penalty for that sin which we all have and that is death. Yet, John 3:16 says that God loved us so much He send His one and only Son, Jesus, to pay that penalty of death. But, we must accept it.
John didn't ever accept that gift of life and without it, the burdens of this earthly life became too much for him. He never found God's hope and forgiveness.
Acts 16:31 simply says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." We do not have to dry up to chaff that is blown about by the wind. Jesus offers life and hope. Believe.

Not Forgotten

2009-01-05T21:21:00.000-08:00

"God remembered Noah and all the wild anaimals and the livestock that were with him in the ark..." (Genesis 8:1)
Sometimes when we are in the middle of what God has called us to do and things are just carrying on and on, we feel like God has sort of forgotten about us. We would like a bit of reassurance that we are where we are supposed to be and doing what God is still wanting us to be doing. I think that is how Noah was probably feeling 150 days into God's flood as he carried on his daily duties aboard the ark. As we know, God hadn't forgotten Noah and all the animals and neither has He forgotten us. Faithfulness is all He asks of us. He will not forget, He will remember. And as He sent the wind over the earth for the waters to recede, He will continue to minister to us through His Holy Spirit as we carry through the task that He has set before us. Praise God.

Basking in God's Goodness

2008-12-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

Every good and perfect gift is from above...(James 1:17) Wow, have I felt poured down upon. Remember the old hymn, There Shall be Showers of Blessings. Beside the beauty of the snow that we have delighted in this past week, I have been filled to the full with the delight of family. To begin with, our Coffee Oasis family is so excited about Jesus. The worship and praise times have been bonding to our Lord and Savior. And the excitement of proclaiming Him to the individuals that God brings along our paths is invigorating. I can't put words to the excitement of seeing others grasping God's salvation and amazing goodness. Our larger Hope in Christ family has enthusiastically entered into God's moving to provide the drive thru to expand the Coffee Oasis business and training. God's provision has been unbelievable. It is on Him alone that we depend and He alone has provided! Showers of Blessing!
Then yesterday (Christmas) we were warmed to the depths of our hearts as we spent the day with our children, grandchild(!), parents, siblings, neices and nephews and 4 "extra" family. Oh, the blessing of a godly heritage. Oh, the sweet fellowship with those with whom we have shared life for so many years. God has been, is, and will be truly good, always!

They Found Him

2008-12-11T21:47:00.000-08:00

"So the shepherds hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child." (Luke 2:16,17) "'...a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.'" (2:11)
I am constantly challenged in my heart to "spread the word concerning what has been told to me about this child." Yet sometimes I feel so inept. How do I turn a conversation to what is so important to me. It's easy to talk about anything else that I'm jazzed about. And I am jazzed about Christ the Lord. Oh, that I would be bold. Oh, that I would glow from the edges just as the photo of our lawn display shows.

Fullness and Emptiness

2008-12-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

"Futility of thinking...darkened in their understanding...hardening of their hearts...lost all sensitivity...given themselves over...with a continual lust for more." (Ephesians 4) Bleak! I felt surrounded on Friday night as I sat on the edge of the stage next to S.
"Are you still with L.?" I asked her. "I saw him walking downtown this afternoon and you weren't with him."
"Oh, no," was her immediate response. "He was too controlling."
Did this surprise me? No. I honestly can't count the number of boyfriends I have seen come and go in S.'s life. Each one is her hope for the security, love and care that she so deeply longs for. Friday night she was cozy with D. Two weeks ago D. had proposed to another girl while he was drunk and that was the drama going around our Teen Night Outreach. Now, he kept kissing S. every other sentence as we were trying to talk. Totally distracting and meaningless!
At the same time, right in front of me, M., a street mom, in her 30's was cozying up to C. who is a young gal just 20. The physical affection was uncomfortable. Actually, it was sickening. Futility, dark, hardened, lost, given over, continual lust for more! (Yes, we have rules regarding the public display of affection, but at this moment, it was out the window.)
I felt crushed in upon by the depravity around me. It was ugly. It was empty. Actually, I would say that it was "full" of emptiness! There was no room in these kid's lives on Friday night for anything but the emptiness that they were given over to. Any words of truth spoken fell on dull ears. Ephesians 4 talks of this way of life as being corrupted by deceitful desires.
In sharp contrast, the beginning of Ephesians 4 directs our thoughts to a life that is completely humble, patient, bearing with one another in love. God's people prepared for works of service. The purpose being so that we can built up the body of Christ. The ultimate goal: attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. It was that manifestation of the fullness of Christ in the early believers that earned them the title of "Christian" from the world around them. What am I manifesting in my life? What am I full of? Am I full of emptiness as I chase after futile things that lead me to continually lust for more? Or am I full of Christ? What does Christ see? What does the world around me see?

Grieved

2008-10-25T23:49:00.000-07:00

Noah lived in desperately wicked times. Genesis 6:5,6 describes man's wickedness as every inclination of the thoughts of his heart only evil all the time. And then God says that His heart is grieved. Has there been a time when you have been grieved by a person that you have poured yourself into? I felt that way last night. A gal that I have loved, prayed for, invested in, been frustrated about and tried to love again asked me to look at her arm last night. She has developed a cyst of some sort under the skin on the inside of her elbow from shooting up. She wanted to know what I thought it was or what she should do. She was so matter of fact as she told me that now she was only using her other arm or the inside of her wrist and of course she uses clean needles! I wanted to screem! I wanted to cry! How could she talk to me like she was talking about something frivilous like the color of hair dye? She gambles with her life everytime she picks up a needle. Oh how I grieve that she continues to choose to walk this path of death. She has heard, she knows and yet she refuses to choose. I know that God grieves deeper than I ever could begin to. He grieved enough to do something about it. Oh, thank you, God for providing the way out through your Son, Jesus. Oh, that my friend might chose that way out.

He Who Knew No Sin

2008-10-19T21:56:00.000-07:00

"God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
I was talking about this verse with my new sister in Christ, Becca, today. I have known this truth about as long as I can remember. Just today, God brought to mind an illustration that helped me to begin to grasp the depth of what Christ did. What I said to Becca was that if I willingly took the place of a gal who is prostitute drug addict up on Broadway so that she could enjoy the secure, loving, affirmative and supportive life that I live, that would be somewhat like Christ who was sinless, willingly becoming sin in my place. The thought of taking the place of that gal makes my insides scream with fear and panic. I can't imagine trading my innocence and moral purity for the degredation and hopelessness of such a life. Yet Jesus, the sinless Son of God, innocent, holy and pure took on degredation/sin so that I might be innocent, holy and pure in Him.
I am humbled. Can I not deny myself and take up my cross daily and follow Him? (Luke 9:23)

God's Presence

2008-10-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

In reading through Genesis 4, I was struck by the seriousness and severeness of Cain's situation after his proud, self righteous coming into the presence of God. By the time we come to verse 14, Cain says to God, "You are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence. I will now be a restless wanderer." "So Cain went out from the Lord's presence." (v.16) I can't imagine the utter feeling of abandonment and lonely desperation.
Cain is not the only one in scripture that came to this desolate place...In 2 Kings 17:18-20 "the Lord was very angry with Isreal and removed them from His presence...even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord...so the Lord rejected all...gave them into the hands of plunderers until He thrust them from His presence."
King David had seen the rejected state of King Saul after the Lord removed His Holy Spirit(1Samuel 16:14) and in Psalm 51:11 David cries to God, "Do not cast me from Your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me."
In Jeremiah 7:13-15 God says to Isreal, "while you were doing all these things (murder, adultery, perjury, following other gods...), I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen, I called you but you did not answer...I will thrust you from my presence." In 52:3 Jeremiah says, "it was because of God's anger that all this happened...and in the end He thrust them from His presence." It was God's last resort, final action, after He had done all to save.
In sharp contrast, we see the welcoming of God's presence to those who have a humble and obedient heart before Him.
Psalm 31:19,20 says, "How great is Your goodness which You have stored up for those who fear you...in the shelter of Your presence You hide them."
Psalm 89"15 says, "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, O Lord."
Psalm 139:7-12 says, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there, if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast. I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkenss will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.'"
How about God's presence and me?
God says in Jeremiah 5:22, "Should you not fear me? Should you not tremble in my presence?"
Psalm 90:8 says that "You (God) have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence." Yet He also promises in 1 John 1:9 that when "we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
In Ezra 9:15 we find Ezra leading the remenent of Isreal that God has allowed to return to the land in a prayer of humility, confession and obedience. He says, "O Lord, God of Isreal, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remenent. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in Your presence. Then in the next verse that Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of the Lord and a large crowd of Isrealites gathered around him and they too wept bitterly.
Oh the delight of Jude 24 that declares that God is "able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy."
O Lord, in Your mercy, keep my heart pure before You so that I might dwell in Your presence all the days of my life.

Unclean Lips

2008-10-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Isaiah 6:5
I am struck by the order that Isaiah makes this cry out to God. He first proclaims, "I am an man of unclean lips." He then states, "I live among a people of unclean lips." It is too easy for me to be concerned first of all with all the people around me with unclean lips and heart and then at the end of my conversation with God mention something about my own unclean lips and heart. Oh Lord, "Search me and try me...see if there be any wicked way in me. (Psalm 139:23,24)

Faithful

2008-09-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

"Lord, You are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Isaiah 25:1
There is no greater degree of faithfulness. Jeremiah declares God's faithfulness great in regards to His compassions that never fail. (Lam. 3:23) Psalm 117 proclaims that the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. David, in Psalm 57 describes God's faithfulness as reaching to the skies.
What is God's faithfulness to? He is faithful to His own character. All that He has proclaimed Himself to be, all that He displays Himself to be; that He will faithfully be. What He says He will do, what He says He will be; that He will do and be...always...perfectly. We are the benefactors of His faithfullness.
It follows then, that if we are convinced of God's faithfulness, we will trust. Trust that who God has proved Himself to be, He will be to me. He is not saying that His faithfulness means that situationally all will go as I think it should. If I am trusting in God's faithfulness, than I am trusting that in each and every situation, God will be wholly Himself (love, righteous, just, compassionate, all-powerful, all-knowing, sustainer, holy...) and that is all I need: God Himself: perfectly faithful.

His Children

2008-09-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that we are!" 1 John 3:1
I have thought much about the truth stated in this verse this past week... the depth of belonging that is signified when God calls us His children. There are many children that have been part of my life to varying degrees over the years of my adult life. About 30 of them have been foster children in our home. As many or more homeless youth have been under our roof as well. All are recipients of a warm bed, hot meals, a listening hear, a hug of encouragement and some "motherly" advice. Yet, there are only four children in my life that I call "my children": Rebekah, Jonathan, Daniel and Stephanie. What is it that makes that distinction and bestows on these four children alone that position? I believe it is the greatness of the love that I have for these four children. I care about all the children that live in my home, but it is only my four children that I love to the depths of my heart.
What an honor to be called a "child of God." All people are recipients of a beautiful creation, air to breath, the fruit of the earth to eat and God's revelation through His Word. Yet only some are given the "right to become children of God" (John 1:12). Oh the depths of His love for us who are called "God's children." "God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Is that the ultimate demonstration of love, a love that leads God to call us His children?

Spiritual Piety

2008-06-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

In Luke 5, Jesus called Levi, the tax collector, to follow Him. This immediately caused a stir. The religious could not fathom why, if Jesus was truly who He was making Himself out to be, He would call to the low life. The religious, who saw themselves as the righteous, did not consider mixing with the unrighteous... the sinners. Why did Jesus cross these lines? If those people wanted to become like the righteous, they could clean up their act and then come over to the other side of life. Jesus had the opposite perspective. He, who was here to offer forgiveness of sin, was not about standing by waiting for the sinners to clean up their act so he could offer them a new life. No, He came to "call sinners to repentence." (v. 31) He wasn't about calling the righteous. Those who already thought they were righteous didn't think they needed a Savior. Jesus equates it to a healthy person not needing a doctor. A person could be truly sick, yet think they are healthy and thus not realize their need for a doctor. Spiritually we are all sinners (Romans 3:23, Romans 3:10), yet we think we are righteous and thus we don't think we are in need of a Savior. Beware of this spiritual piety. Pray that we may see ourselves as we truly are: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." (Luke 18:13) Only then can the true work of regeneration begin.

The Opportune Time

2008-06-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

After the time that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan (Luke 4:1-13), Luke states that Satan left him (Jesus) until an opportune time. What are those times? I think they are the high times and the low times in our lives. When this story opens, Jesus has just been baptized in the Jordan River by John. It is Jesus "passage" into his formal years of ministry. The baptism is given further power and significance because God the Father and God the Holy Spirit show up as well. The Father doesn't just watch on from heaven, but speaks out audibly, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." The Spirit decends on Him in bodily form like a dove. This to me is the ultimate of spiritual intimacy within the Godhead. Jesus comes out of the water completely prepared for the task set before him...to bring salvation to the world. It is at this point that the Spirit led him out into the desert and Satan comes into the picture to tempt Jesus. The desert, the place where Satan puts Jesus spiritual intimacy with the Godhead to the test. Just as Satan's greed for power and status led to his fall in the heavenlies (Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-19), he now tries to break up the Godhead by tempting Jesus to act independently of the Father and the Spirit. To satisfy His immediate needs himself, with the help of Satan. Jesus, still empowered by the Spirit, rebukes Satan with the words of God the Father all three times. "It is written...It is written...and It says..."
This story of Jesus in the desert also shows Satan's attach in the low times. Jesus had fasted for 40 days. The Bible says that he was hungry. That is a time of weakness. Physical weakness easily breeds spiritual weakness. Satan will look for any window of opportunity.
After Jesus rebuked Satan, verse 13 says, Satan left him until an opportune time. We must beware. The devil is a roaring lion seeking who he can devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Beware in the times we feel like we are spiritually imtimate and beware in the times that we are feeling worn out, tired, hungry and vulnerable. May the words of the Father be ever present on our hearts and tongues. "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11) May the fullness of His Spirit guard our hearts and minds so that we are prepared when the evil one thinks that it is the opportune time.

Dressed for the Wedding

2007-11-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

"When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes." Matthew 22:11
Weddings are a great event in any culture. There are expected norms of food, form, and fashion worldwide. This rite of passage may be the most prominent between birth and death.
Spiritually, Jesus gives us the same picture. One day there is going to be a wedding feast (Revelation 19:6-9) for Jesus the Lamb to His bride, the church. It is to be a great event, there is expected form and fashion, and it is a mandatory spiritual rite of passage. Jesus told stories about this upcoming wedding so that people would be prepared. Like any wedding, it isn't something that is just wandered in to.
The story Jesus tells in Matthew 22 is about a wedding feast that a king put on for his son. It is much like the wedding feast that the King of the Universe will throw for His Son, Jesus the Lamb at the end of time. He talks about the people invited and how they came to the wedding. What happened at this earthly wedding is a good picture of what that heavenly wedding is going to look like when the day comes.
Everything was made ready for the wedding and the king sent out his servants to invite the guests, those who deserved to come. That was probably the people who came across as loyal subjects to the king. The "good" people of the land. Much to the king’s surprise, no one accepted his invitation. Every person either just outright refused, paid no attention because they were too busy and preoccupied with personal things or actually attacked the servants sent with the invitation. This was unheard of. In the same sort of way, Jesus often talked about “religious” people and the Jews who had been chosen in early history to be His people as rejecting, ignoring and even killing those that God had sent to tell them how to be ready for that heavenly wedding feast at the end of time. Woe to those of us who think we don't need to respond to the King of the Universe's invitation because we don't need or want it, we're just too busy or we have no tolerance for the King.
So, the king sent out his servants again. This time he sent them to anyone they could find anywhere. It didn’t matter their station in life, their reputation, or even where they were from. The response was just what was hoped for. The wedding hall was filled with guests. In the same way, Jesus gave the opportunity for everyone everywhere to become one of His chosen ones which he now calls His Church to participate in that heavenly feast at the end of time.
Now remember, all weddings have expected form and fashion and all the guests came to the wedding feast in Jesus’ story appropriately attired, except one. This one thought he could just show up however he happened to look at the time. Just him as he was. After all, he was doing the king a favor by just coming, wasn't he? We find otherwise. Jesus tells us that when the king arrived at the wedding feast to greet the guests, he noticed the one man who was not wearing wedding clothes. The king addressed him directly, "Friend, (this was a personal king!) how did you get in here without wedding clothes?" It was unthinkable to come to a royal wedding inappropriately dressed. What was he thinking? Jesus tells us that the man was speechless. He apparently thought he was OK just like he was. He was confident in himself. Well that didn’t fly. The king had no tolerance for the man who came with his own fashion. He ordered that the man be bound hand and foot and thrown outside, into the darkness, where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth because of the separation from the king himself, his feast, his kingdom and his graces.
The Bible tells us that on that day of the wedding feast of Jesus the Lamb, the King's Son, in the kingdom of heaven there will be those who will come in their own clothes. They will be the ones that say "but Lord, didn't I speak for you and didn’t I work for you?" They will be dressed in their own righteousness/goodness which is inappropriate for the royal wedding of the King’s Son. The King will have no tolerance for those who come dressed in their own righteousness or goodness. As in Jesus’ story, they will be thrown out where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth because of separation from the King Himself, His feast, His kingdom, and His graces. So what is considered appropriate dress for the coming royal wedding of the King’s Son in the kingdom of heaven? The Bible tells us that we must be dressed in garments that are bright, clean and white (Revelation 19:8). They have been "washed in the blood of the Lamb, the King’s Son, Jesus." (Revelation 7:14). They are not "clean" by anything we have done or said. It’s Jesus righteousness/goodness that clothes us before the King. Anything else, attempting to come dressed in our own righteousness, will only result in that same question: "How did you get in here without wedding clothes?"
The difference between those who remain at the wedding feast and those who are thrown outside is how they are dressed: in garments of their own righteousness (they are good enough in themselves) or garments of the King's righteousness and salvation (Jesus goodness/righteousness in place of themselves). The garments of the Kings can only be gotten from the King himself. We can't pay the price for them. Jesus paid it with his death on the cross. "Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us, so that we might become or be clothed in the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21) That's a guaranteed place at the wedding feast of Jesus the King's Son.
How are we dressed?

For His Name's Sake

2007-08-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

"When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. Yet He saved them for His name's sake, to make His mighty power known." (Psalm 106:7,8)
These people did nothing to encourage God's salvation. It wasn't even in their thought processes. They were totally self absorbed, even to the point of rebelling against what they knew of God. You can't get much more distant or put up a much higher wall.
God's actions are completely independent. He doesn't look for interest, for some softness of heart, or even some fleeting thought or remembrance of who He is. He acts solely because of who He is and who He is does not depend one bit on who we are and how we act. That is why He saves these people for His name's sake. That is: in order to uphold the character that His name represents. Then He also does it simply to make His power known. The whole Exodus is a tremendous display of God's power.
Praise God that His actions toward us are not dependent on us. He will call and draw us for His own name's sake. That He might be known to the world around us.
Oh God, make yourself known through me.

God's Faults?

2007-08-22T08:58:00.001-07:00

"This is what the LORD says: 'What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? The followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.'" (Jeremiah 2:5) If you were to ask me if I find fault with God, I would definitely say no. "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless." (2 Sam. 22:31)
Yet when you look at my daily walk, there is some discrepancy in that answer. This manifests itself in the worry that my mind meddles in, the discouragement that I wallow in, the discontentment that I feed, and the frustration that influences my actions and responses.
I must find fault in God's trustworthiness (worry), that He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (discouragement), His care and supply (discontentment), and His sovereignty (frustration).
Oh God, these manifestations are worthless and they make me worthless myself. Forgive my faultfinding. I want to live in light of who you are.

You Have Never Been This Way Before

2007-04-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Follow. As Joshua is getting the Israelites ready to cross the Jordon River for the first time there is excitement and anxiety in the camp. After all, they had never been that way before. They were on the brink, as a nation, of changing from wanderers to conquerors. When the officers went through the camp to give the orders to the people, they told them that, "When you see the ark of the covenent of the Lord your God and the priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before."
He didn't ask them to perform any certain tasks in preparation, create any special tactics, drum up determination, talk about all the possibilities that could bring success or make a plan of action. There was nothing put on the people to do but to follow. As Keith Green says in the lyrics of one of his songs, "He'll take care of the rest, He'll take care of the rest."
I often feel that way as I walk this road with God. Help, I have never been this way before. He simply says, "Move out of your position and follow me! Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before."

Ask for eyes...

2007-03-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

...eyes that see. Before going into the promised land, Moses had a talk with the people. He says some startling things about our eyes. 4The people, God's chosen people had seen all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. 4With their eyes they saw the great trials, miraculous sign and great wonders.
The next phrase is startling..."But to this day, the Lord has not given you a mind that understands, or eyes that see or ears that hear." (Deuteronomy 29:4)
A mind that understands, eyes that see and ears that hear are not something that happens because we've experienced something amazing, they do not happen because we work hard at developing them and they do not happen just because we think it the right time.
The source for understanding minds, seeing eyes and hearing ears is God alone. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind had concieved what God has prepared for those who love him- but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:9,10)
"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you... (Matthew 7:7)
God desires that we understand, see and hear Him. The paragraph in Deuteronomy goes on to tell what He did to bring this about.
He led His people through the desert. The desert put them in a place for sole dependence upon God alone. Their clothes, food and water. Deserts in my life are very hard places. I don't particularly like them. But they do bring me to a place where my sole dependence in on God alone.
The outcome..."I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God." (29:6) Oh, I do want to be in that place...always. An understanding mind, eyes to see and ears to hear that He is the Lord my God.

A matter of persepective

2007-03-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

Perspective. The twelve spies from Israel and just come back from scouting out the land. (Numbers 13) God had brought them out of slavery, across a dry path through the Red Sea, fed them with manna and birds, and was leading them daily with a cloud of His Presence and nightly with a pillar of fire. He had established these people as His own. They were now on the borders of the land He was bringing them to. Ten viewed the land as inpenetrable. "We can't...they are stronger than we are." Two knew who God was and were ready to move. "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." All twelve men had been to the same land. All twelve had experienced the same miraculous events that had brought them to this point in their journey. Not all twelve men viewed God in the same way. They way they looked at the land was a direct reflection of how they veiwed God. Either He was the Almighty or He was just Almighty sometimes and this time was just more than He could probably handle. The ten were looking at this from that second perspective.
What's my persepective on the challanges in front of me? Is God Almighty? Or is just Almighty sometimes? Either God is who He is or He isn't. There is no sometimes with God. He states of Himself, "I am God Almighty." (Genesis 17:1) One of Job's friends rightly states, "Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens - what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave - what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea." (Job 11:7-9) The seraphs in Isaiah 6:3 call out to one another, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty..." What is our view of God? That is the key to how we view the land before us.

Wait until I find out

2007-03-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

Wait until I find out. The Israelites are getting ready to celebrate their second Passover. It has been a roller coaster year for them beginning to learn that they are to be holy because God is holy. The celebration takes place on the fourteenth day for the first month. Prior to this, much time has been spent learning about who and what is clean and unclean. What the causes are, what makes one clean again, and how to be restored to fellowship once one is clean again. A great deal of instruction is also given regarding the restrictions that apply to those who are unclean. One being that they can not participate in celebrations before the Lord.
There was a group of Israelites who were ceremonially unclean (because of exposure to a dead body, you can't really help that one!) at the time this celebration was to take place. They still wanted to present an offering to the Lord so they came to Moses to find out what could be done.
Moses has close with God. He was God's mouthpiece to the children of Israel. He was physically is God's presence, speaking face to face with God's presence more than anyone else I can think of. If anyone knew what God expected or could assume what God would say...it would be Moses. Yet, Moses made no assumptions. Numbers 9:8 says that Moses answered them, "Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you." Powerful! Moses was not going to step out on his own, thinking that he was pretty sure what God would say. After all, he had talked with God more than anyone. All the rules and regulation had come to the people through him. Yet, Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. (Numbers 12:3) Moses knew that God was the one leading, not him, Moses. It is that recognition that causes Moses to respond like he did.
Sometimes we feel like we ought to have the answer. After all, we're pretty grounded in the Word. There's something that should apply. I don't want to keep them waiting.
Moses wasn't even starting to think like he might know the answer. "Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you." Oh Lord, let me be "slow to speak, quick to listen"...to You.

Holy

2007-03-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

Be holy. That is the simple requirement. There is only one reason given. "Because I am holy!"
God is straight forward with this one. His standards for His people are high. There is now reason in all the universe that His requirement should be any less. Why? Because our ability to be holy, as He requires, rests solely in Him. In and of ourselves, we can not be holy in any way, shape, or form. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. God, in His holiness has made the way for us to be holy. He, as He alone is holy, is the only one who could make that provision. And there could be only one provision. Himself alone. For the provision must be holy if it is to provide holiness. And He alone is holy. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21. He is the requirement. He made the requirement. He provided for the requirement. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

I have sinned, but!

2007-02-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

I have sinned, but! Pharoh came to the point in his battle with God of admitting that he was in the wrong. (Exodus 9:27) It was after the plague of hail. He even went so far as to say that God was right! That all seems good, but it didn't really mean a heart change in Pharoh. Pharoh still saw himself as the one in charge, still unwilling to submit. Moses knew it and declared to Pharoh, "I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God." (9:30) How often do we find ourselves in that same place. We recognize that we have erred, we may even verbalize it to others. It may have come to that point because of uncomfortable consequences that we are experiencing or maybe just because there is some conviction taking place in our hearts. Whichever, we are willing to admit that we are in the wrong. Is that enough? Not according to this story. We can actually recognize that we are sinning and still have a hard heart. According to Moses, it's because we aren't grasping who God is...we aren't fearing God. We can admit wrong, simply out of morality, and still hold on to the controls. We may be using that as a means of manipulation. Heart change is what brings submission, or a willingness to let God be God. As we are struck by who He is, in all His Godness, only then will we "fear Him." This is what brings about true change in character and and behavior. O Lord, don't let me fall short. Don't let me merely recognize wrong behavior. Let me heart be slain by who You are and how detestable and contrary to You my heart has become. Lord, let any change in my behavior happen at the roots, not simply on the foliage.

Pondering

2007-01-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

Pondering. After Joseph had shared his dreams with his family about them bowing to them he didn't receive a very good reaction. That's to be expected. But Genesis 37:11 lets us know that Jacob(Israel) knew that there was more to this than just a dream. The verse says that his father kept the matter in mind. Mary had given birth to Jesus and the shepherds had visited. The shepherds in turn spread the word concerning what they had been told about this child, Jesus, and everyone who heard it was amazed. Luke 2:19 tells us that Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Later, Mary, Joseph and Jesus traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover when Jesus was 12 years old. Jesus stayed behind and when they return to look him they found him in the temple teaching. They were astonished and questioned him about what was happening. They didn't understand what he said about being in "his Father's house," but Jesus returned home with them and was obedient. Mary knew that these things were important and that there was more to it all. Luke 2:51 says that she treasured all these things in her heart.
Sometimes we sense that there is more to something than meets the eye. That is the time to keep the matter in mind, treasure and ponder things in our hearts. Bring it before the Lord. Ask for His wisdom regarding the matter. It may be a while before we know the rest of the picture. Psalms encourages us to "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (27:14) and "I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope." (130:5). Oh Lord, keep my pondering heart waiting on You.

Self-sufficiency

2007-01-26T11:54:00.000-08:00

Self-sufficiency. We all strive for it. Starting with our drive to more and more independence: to feed ourselves, to cross the street by ourselves, to walk to the store by ourselves, to start the campfire all by our self. We want to show that we can do things without the help of others. For some that pioneering spirit leads us to grow our own food, preserve our own food, teach our own kids, ride a bike or walk so we aren't so dependent on that foreign oil, or try to figure out what's wrong with this or that so we don't have to pay someone else to. As much as we might like to think that we could make it on our own if we had to...the truth is we can't. We were created to need each other. The New Testament talks about us like a body. Each has it's part. It graphically says, "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I do not need you!'" (1 Cor. 12:21) Unfortunately, our striving for self-sufficiency often effects our spiritual lives. We want to do it on our own, our way. Sometimes it seems a little to risky to trust in a particular situation. What if God isn't quite in tune with what is going on this time? The Bible tells that He knows our thoughts(Ps. 94:11) and He knows our needs even before we ask Him (Mt. 6:8). We are so short sighted to think that we can navigate this life without Him. All that we have, are and will be comes from Him.(2 Peter 1:3)
There is only One who is self-sufficient and that is the source of our sufficiency. God, alone! The Father has life in Himself. (John 5:26) His existence is not dependent upon us. Neither is His Godness, His love, His kindness, His power, His mercy, His justice, His wisdom, His holiness. He is all these things independent of us. He has been these from eternity past ("In the beginning God..." Gen 1:1) and continues to be these irregardless of our relationship to Him. We experience who He is because that is who He is, not because of what we have or haven't done. As A.W. Tozer states, "He has no necessary relation to anything outside of Himself." (p.39, The Knowlege of the Holy) How thankful I am that He chose to have a relationship with me. (Eph. 1:4) Oh that I would see all of my sufficiency rooted in the one and only self-sufficient.

Parenting

2007-01-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

Parenting! I believe it is the ultimate challenge in life. I find that we have been "successful" three times and wonder how in the world we will make it through this fourth time. Frankly, I am a little scared of failure sometimes. I guess the key is right there, two sentences back...we will not be successful. It is only by God's grace that any heart submits to Him and then to the authority that He has seen fit to place over us. For our fourth, that is her parents at this point in her life. Ultimately, she must choose to submit to Him as her Lord and then He will do the molding of her heart. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I wil put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws...you will be my people and I will be your God." Ezekiel 36:26-28 Oh Lord, mold my heart.

purpose statement

2006-05-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

Never intending to have a blog...it is my desire to post items that will encourage growth in life with Jesus Christ my Savior. For it truly is simply Jesus that makes me simply Cindy.