Month: March 2022

While praying the other morning, the Lord “spoke” to me, you know that still small voice.  He will speak to all of us — one way or the other (sometimes whether we want to hear it or not), when we take our cares, our worries, our thoughts our praise to Him.  I was praying about a particular situation, one I’ve been praying about for years.  I spoke my prayer – Lord, I am so tired of their bad attitude and insolent behavior!  He whispered – As am I!  No kidding, that’s exactly what came to me.  It’s funny how He seems to speak loudest in His whispers.

I was like that’s great, we’re both on the same wave length, we both feel the same about this situation and now things are going to change, answers to prayer are forthcoming.  Finally, this disposition that makes everyone uncomfortable and leaves all around feeling inadequate and wondering what they’ve done to that person to deserve such treatment or nontreatment, is going to be taken care of.  WooHoo!  After years of praying – breakthrough — the Lord understands – can’t you hear the chorus of angels – Ahhhhhhh?  The Lord has seen how others have to walk on egg shells, guard every word and be uncomfortable and I just know He’s going to do something about it.  As I was pondering what life could be like in this situation, think bliss, I hear the bird song do do do do do do…

…ERCH, STOP, WAIT…WHAT?!?!?! For about half a second I thought, what’s He mean by that?  Is He talking to me?  Naw, impossible!  I drifted back to my bird song paradise.  But my mind continued to hark back to that thought, As am I, what does that mean?  He’s going to handle it, right? Wait, who’s He even talking to?

And then, THWACK!  It occurred to me that The Lord may have been speaking tongue-in-cheek.  What an idiot am I!  For sure He was talking about the other situation, but for sure, He was talking about me.  How do I know that?  Because the Lord speaks correction to His children.  I am a child of God.

I’m slowly (turtle like) learning that rarely, if ever, are God’s messages just for other people.  The same messages, healings, rebukes and corrections He speaks for others, He speaks to me.  Can I get a witness here?!?!? 

You see, He may have had exactly the same thought about me as I had about the other situation – that’s the tongue in cheek.  I am so tired of Beth’s bad attitude and insolent behavior!  Five little letters speak volumes.  As Am I.  I feel sure He said it with a little smile on His face and kindness in His heart.  Yes…Jesus loves me (and you)!

So, sounds like I need to not just pray for the other situation, but for my own.  It dawned on me that I most likely definitely was treating insolence with insolence, bad attitude with bad attitude.  Seems natural to me.   But, if I am a child of God, I’m no longer a natural man (or woman), I’m a spiritual man (or woman).  That changes everything, doesn’t it?

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.  The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.  “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.  I Corinthians 2:14-16

Paul said it right there — as a child of God, I have the mind of Christ.  When I really think about what that means, it’s a little like — Wow!  I am His! I am equipped! I am adequate!  I am a spiritual man (or woman) – can I get a witness here?!?!?  The natural man (or woman) doesn’t have the mind of Christ.  If one doesn’t have the mind of Christ one will naturally have a bad attitude and be impudent and disrespectful.  The mind of Christ knows better than to treat bad attitude with bad attitude, contempt with contempt, difficult with difficult.  If we don’t live like we have the mind of Christ, we live like a natural man, if we live like a natural man, the natural man will not see the mind of Christ.  Got it?  If we have the mind of Christ, we must act like it so others can learn to know Christ.  Although He doesn’t need to, He has partnered with us, He works through us to reach natural man.  Will we join Him?  Will we confess our sins, put on the mind of Christ?  With Him we never have to walk on egg shells, guard every word or be uncomfortable.  I am loved, I am adequate, I have the mind of Christ.  That’s the message to the natural man (or woman), to the world. 

As Am I…Just As I Am.

Just as I am, though tossed about

with many a conflict, many a doubt,

fightings and fears within, without,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,

wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

because thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

My God, what can I say to you — except that I love you more than words can express?

I love you for what you are to all creatures. In all their forms and every moment, they owe their life and happiness to you. It is far beyond what my narrow imagination can conceive, but everything they know is from you.

But I adore and love you far more for what you are in yourself.

Even after creating so much, your reserves of perfection remain untouched, and can never be used up. Your infinite perfection makes you your own happiness.

You are your own end. You are worthy of a respect that never depends on anything outside yourself.

You are first, most beautiful, and only. Greatest and only great.

Possess all my soul! And surely you do possess it.

While I feel your sacred Spirit breathing on my heart, causing me to love you, I also feel the reality of this human, animal life.

If ever I knew the appetite of hunger, my soul hungers after righteousness — and longs to be more like you (Matthew 5:6).

If ever I felt thirst, so also my soul thirsts for the living God — and pants for more of your favor (Psalm 42:2).

If ever I have longed for my bed after a long journey, my soul rests on your grace — and returns for rest in your embrace.

And if ever I have enjoyed seeing the face of a friend, I rejoice in seeing your face, O Lord — and in calling you my Father in Christ.

That is who you are, and that is who you will be, for time and eternity. What more can I do, but commit myself to you for both?

I leave it to you to choose my inheritance and order my affairs (Psalm 47:4). My only business is to serve you, and all my delight is to praise you.

My soul follows hard after you, God, because your right hand upholds me (Psalm 63:8). Let is still bear me up, and I will press on toward you, until all my desires are fulfilled in the eternal enjoyment of you! Amen.

Philip Doddridge

You see this beautiful little tree was our neighborhood Christmas Tree.  Neighbor Karen started with red bows.  Neighbor Robert added some lights.  The LeMasters came along with a Star.  All unplanned.  Without coordination, each adding their touch to bring this little tree to life for the folks traveling Poor House Road.  That little tree became a seasonal landmark in our neighborhood.  It was used as a point of reference – up, over, to the left, to the right, behind, beside, around the Christmas Tree.

After the season, the tree was stripped and the decorations carefully put away and each neighbor looking forward to pulling them out next year.  There’s only one small problem…the tree is gone!  Our sweet little Christmas Tree that brought us Kumbaya and joy was hacked down.  Yes, I know hacked sounds rather violent, but if you saw the equipment being used by the tree “trimmers” aka tree “hackers,” you’d think that term was mild.  I can only imagine how she must have felt.

You see, our little three foot tree just happened to be growing under the power lines beside the road.  It was the tree “hackers” job to clear everything growing under the 30 foot power lines.  It wasn’t their job to determine what type of tree it was, whether it would ever grow 27 more feet, how round it would be, how sturdy a base it would have, or even if it was a threat to the powerlines.  They were to just hack it down and not ask questions.  The first thought that came to my mind when I saw she was gone was that the “hackers” had committed such an indiscriminate act.  They had thoughtlessly, haphazardly, carelessly removed her without one iota of consideration.  So sad.

My immediate next thought was how many times a day do I indiscriminately hack down something or someone?  Thoughtlessly, haphazardly, carelessly, without one iota of consideration? When I really put my mind on it, I guess I’m not so different than the “hackers” I’ve been complaining about.  Whoa, that smarted!

My next thought turned to our word of the year at Church – intentional.  Are we intentional people?  Are we thoughtful, are we conscience, are we careful people?  I suggest that the opposite of intentional can be indiscriminate.  If we are not intentional, we are indiscriminate.  If we are not thoughtful, we can be thoughtless.  If we are not conscience, we can be unconscious.  If we are not careful, we can be careless.  If we do not guard our hearts, we can be heartless.  So, now we get to the point.

You know, the Bible has much to say about guarding and it gives instructions that are exceedingly clear, another term that keeps popping up in Church. 

Above all guard your hearts for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 4:23

As the face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person.

Proverbs 27:19

Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects every you do.

Proverbs 4:23

Ah…the wisdom of Solomon.  Everything flows from our hearts, it reflects who we are as people, and our hearts affect absolutely everything we do in life.

But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.

Matthew 15:18

Ah…Matthew, who in old life was known as a master “hacker,”  lays it out and doesn’t mince words.  His words are exceedingly clear.  If we fail to intentionally guard our hearts, our lips are sure to speak indiscriminately – indiscriminate words, indiscriminate tone, indiscriminate intentions, indiscriminate timing, indiscriminate conversation – all have the same tree “hacker” result – something or someone is cut down.  As God people, we don’t want to be responsible for such acts.  We don’t want to be governed by our lips, but by our hearts.  We must intentionally guard our hearts to protect from being indiscriminate!

Sometimes I think of the weirdest things…

Last week’s blog was about the attack of the Amaleks and Moses’ efforts to thwart them.  Remember,  pray when you’re attacked, and don’t stop until the battle is done and won?

Here’s my weirdness…

How did Moses keep on praying?  Did anyone else out there wonder what Moses prayed?  I mean, this battle went on for some long  period of time and I just wondered if Moses ever ran out of words?  Like did he pray the same things over and over, did he simply call out God’s name, did he mix praise in with it, did he stumble over his words, did he doze, was he ever not able to find the right words?

I don’t know about you, but I often feel so woefully inadequate at prayer.  I know folks say it’s just like having a conversation with a friend, or just speaking your heart, but sometimes when my mind is whirling and my heart is breaking, I struggle to put two words together let alone stand before the God of the Universe with my offerings.

One thing that helps me a lot is a Prayer Starter.  What’s a Prayer Starter?  Prayers written by Godly people that somehow have the words that I can’t seem to find.  Prayers that were written out of someone’s experience.  Prayers that were offered in His Name by others.  Somehow those prayers nail exactly what I want to say but somehow even in my over wordiness, just can’t find.

YOUR NAME ON MY HEART AND HOME

Precious Jesus, you have been a strength to my poor soul, and you will be my portion forever.  Help me to see my daily need of you, and to feel my poverty and weakness.

From persecution to my guilty conscience, to the remains of sin in a body of death, to the accusations of Satan or even the just judgments of God—I am secure in you, Lord Jesus.  And I continually cry out, as did your prophet:  “Only in the Lord…is righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come.”  I will never be ashamed or confounded, world without end.

You have given grace, glory, and honor to your Israel.  I want your name, Lord, on the gates of my house, so that no one will walk by and miss the fact that a lover of the Lord lives there!

It is my highest honor to have it known whose I am, and whom I serve, in the gospel of his dear Son.  How could I be ashamed of that name before which every knee bows in heaven and earth?

And Lord Jesus, not only write your name upon the gates of my house, but engrave it in the center of my heart and my affections—on my first, and last, my earliest, and latest thoughts!

Let it be my joy to speak out of the abundance of my heart about you and your great salvation.  In all I say, in all  I do, let it be clear that I am in pursuit of the one my soul loves.

Let my every action point to your dear name.  And whether at home or abroad, in my house or family, when lying down or when rising up, let all creation witness for me, that the love, the service, the interest, the glory of my God in Christ is the only object of my soul’s desire.

Let every thing in my life say this:  “Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is none upon earth that I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Amen

Robert Hawker (1753-1827)

The Word of God is a perfect Prayer Starter.  There are literally hundreds of prayers in the Bible from cover to cover.  From Moses, to Abraham, to Jacob, to David, to Esther, right on through the prophets, up to the apostles, we see Prayer Starters.  But probably the most famous Prayer Starter was our Savior.  Jesus not only offered prayers to His Father, but He taught His followers, us, how to do the same.  There are no less than 30 prayers of Jesus recorded in the New Testament.  Jesus was the original Prayer Starter.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine in the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen

So, when your heart is in it but the words won’t come, get some help from a Prayer Starter.  You will find that although it helps you get started, you will have no trouble finishing.

To His Glory.

I’m currently reading through the Bible in a year (or two?) being guided by a Devotional I’m using for 2022.  You know, it’s one of those read parts of the Old and New Testaments each day.  I’ve always loved the New Testament for obvious reasons – Jesus – and I’m falling deeper in love with the Old Testament.  If you think the Lord can only speak in the Old or the New Testament, wise up.  He speaks so loud and clear from Genesis to Revelation, every single page, every single word – inspired by Him.  That is my passionate belief, as if you couldn’t tell.

The Word is a book from God, to teach us about God, to the glory of God.  Every printed Word is meant to draw us into communion with Him, to change our hearts, and in turn to form us into the image of His Son, our sole purpose for being created, our sole purpose on this earth.

I’m currently reading in the book of Exodus.  What an amazing book!  It is action packed, God’s power on complete display, and I recently came across one of my all time favorite stories:

While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.  Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”

So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill.  As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage.  Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.  As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.

After the victory, the LORD instructed Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”  Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means “the LORD is my banner”).  He said, “They have raised their fist against the LORD’s throne, so now the LORD will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.”

Exodus 17:8-16

So many lessons here.  The obvious, pray when you’re attacked, and don’t stop until the battle is done.  That seems to be the long and the short of it.  I know and understand that teaching even when I oft times fail at it. But for some reason when I read it again this week, it pierced my heart.  I just don’t know how else to say it.  I’ve been thinking of little since.

One of the notes from The Pentateuch made a point I hadn’t thought of before:

…then came Amalek…

The Rabbis note:  As an immediate sequence of the murmuring on the part of the Israelites…then came Amalek.  It is the invariable lesson of Jewish history that whenever Israel begins to doubt God and itself, asking, Is the Lord among us or not? An Amalek unexpectedly assails it.

The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, Edited by J.H. Hertz

This lesson is not just for the Israelites, but for all believers, right?  When we take our eyes off of God, when we fail to spend time with Him, when we fail to remember His goodness and His mercy toward us, when we buy into the world by our grumbling and complaining, doubts will assail us and even the most devout believer may murmur “Is the Lord among us or not?”  That’s the sequence.

Next lesson…

“Never forget what the Amalekites did to you as you came from Egypt. They attacked you when you were exhausted and weary, and they struck down those who were straggling behind. They had no fear of God.  Therefore, when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies in the land he is giving you as a special possession, you must destroy the Amalekites and erase their memory from under heaven. Never forget this!

Deuteronomy 25:17-19

The Rabbi notes:  “While Israel was to make justice and brotherly love its guiding rule, it was not to forget that Amalek had perpetrated a cowardly and unprovoked attach on the feeble and hindmost when the Israelites were marching from Egypt.”

Amalek waged war on the Israelites, but instead of fighting the young, the strong, those capable of fighting back, they attacked the rear, those falling behind, “the faint and weary stragglers enfeebled by the march,” the march from Egypt, through the Red Sea on their journey to the promised land.

I’ve struggled much this last week as I’m sure you have too.  I feel as if Amalek is on the move.  I won’t pretend to know all the ins and outs of war.  But, what I do know is that God loves innocent people.  He loves the weak, the faint, the weary, the stragglers, those falling behind because of life’s twists and turns.  For that matter, God loves guilty people just as much, we tend not to want to remember that.

When the Amaleks of life, internally or externally, at home or abroad leave us feeling helpless and hopeless, we must raise our staff like a banner, offer our prayers and our praises to the Lord and not stop. When the staff gets heavy and our arms grow weak, we must remember that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are on either side of us, propping us up, interceding on our behalf as we intercede on the behalf of others.

When the weary, the feeble, the downtrodden, the broken, the faint, the hurting, those at the end of the line, those left behind, the stragglers say “Is the Lord among us or not?”  We must always say God is our victorious Banner, the rod of God is in our hands.