PERSISTING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Lord, I present to you ________, as she/he is poor and needy, but You, Lord, are thinking about _______ right now.  You are _______’s helper and ________’s savior.  Do not delay, O my God.  Hallelujah!

Do you know a name you could plug into those blanks?  Of course you do.  Do you know anyone spiritually or physically poor and needy?  Of course you do.  Do you know anyone that needs thought of by the Lord right now?  Of course you do.  Do you know anyone who needs help, who needs saved, right now?  Of course you do.

This was my prayer the other morning for every person on my “Love List.”  That’s what I call my prayer list.  I’ve come to love every single person I’ve been praying for.  To be honest, I didn’t love every single one when they made the list.  In fact, quite vehemently the exact opposite in some cases.   But through daily prayer I’ve come to love each one, even my enemies, those who (I consider) are wicked (which we all have been at one point), those who have left shrapnel in my life, those who have broken relationships, those who have deep hurt and those who have deeply hurt, those who are crushed and poor in spirit, those who are needy who need saved from something or someone, those who need Jesus and His salvation.  One of the most important things about prayer is that it not only makes a difference in the pray-ee’s life, but it will also always make a difference in the pray-er’s life. 

Now I’m not smart enough to come up with such a prayer that speaks directly to every human being in the world’s situation like this one does.  This prayer is actually a scripture from Psalm 40:17:

As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord is thinking about me right now.  You are my helper and my savior.  Do not delay, O my God. 

I found this verse so profound.  Of course, when I first read it, I thought Lord, you got my number today. I plugged my own name in the blanks and I found so much peace in Him thinking about me at that (this) very moment.  I sat with this verse for a very long time.  I read it, re-read it, prayed the Holy Spirit would teach me about it, and illumine me with what it meant and with what I was supposed to do with it.  After a bit, the Spirit made it very clear that I was to use that verse to pray for each of my Love List-ers that day.  It was just amazing, I wrote this prayer out for every single person on my list, pages and pages.  Not only did I bathe each of my folks in prayer, by repeatedly writing it, I memorized the scripture.  This process, this prayer was another life event for me.

So often we struggle with prayer.  I’ve never quite figured out why that is though.  I know it is the way we communicate with God and He with us; speaking to Him, one-on-one.  Remember Psalm 27:8?

My heart has heard you say:  “Come and talk with me; and my heart responds:  “Lord, I am coming.”

One of the very many verses in the Bible where God invites us to come and talk with Him.  It’s not a suggestion, or an if you have time, it is a command.  And it sounds so simple – come over here and talk to me, stop what you’re doing a sec and let’s talk, hey come over here loved one. Simple request. But, I can tell you that Satan’s angels immediately crowd in on me when I say Lord, I’m coming.  Why is that?  Because prayer is vital to a relationship with God.  It is the vertical beam of the cross.  God’s Word is the horizontal beam of the cross.  Satan must do anything he can to interrupt those communications, and keep those beams from intersecting.  The Bible calls us to devote ourselves to prayer, to be persistent in our prayers.  And what I heard on Grace for Purpose Prayers just fit right in:

My friend, we are called to pray persistently because you cannot be a true believer, you cannot be a Bible believer Christian, and neglect prayer.  If Jesus Christ, the Son of God, if he prayed consistently and frequently, how can you and I say we follow him but chose not to follow his actions?  We need to pray.  We need to fight to pray.

Yikes!  Saying that out loud (or listening to it as I did) sounded so harsh.  But it is true.  Truth sounds harsh because we’re not used to hearing  it.  Truth is actually the lovingest (is that a word?) thing we can do.  We cannot have a relationship with someone we do not talk to.  Simple as that.  And relationship is God’s deepest desire for us as His children. Come…Come…Come…

My prayer life over the last couple of years has changed dramatically.  I’ve been asking the Lord to change my life, make me into the person He wants me to be.  Move me from self-righteous to righteous.  Move me from sinner to saint.  Move me from prideful to humble.  Move me from me to Him.  Move me, Lord…and He has…through prayer and The Word.

Three specific ways in which He has worked in my life include a prayer group, writing my prayers, and praying the scriptures.  I may have spoken with you about all of them before, but the change in my heart and mind, and hopefully, my outward spirit, has been so significant to me that I’ll risk repeating.  I cannot overemphasize what prayer can do in each of our lives.  Each week after prayer group, I’m not the same person I was the week before.  Each morning after I write my prayers out (because I am so easily distracted, when I write my prayers to the Lord, the distractions vanish), I’m not the same person I was before I started writing.  And when I pray (write them) the scriptures back to Him, I’m not the same person I was.  Again, He changes the pray-er as much, or maybe even more, then pray-ee. If you want change in you life, pray.

Praying the scriptures ensures that our prayers are grounded in the truth and in the guidance and will of God. It is simply turning the scripture in prayer back to God.  Praying to Him what He wrote.  There’s no formula, no method.  You simply meditate (roll it around in your brain and let it speak to your heart) on the scripture until you have something to say to God about what you have read in His Word.  Some days it comes quickly, other days He may call us to meditate longer.

But, it’s not about length, eloquent words, technique, checkmarks, or accomplishments.  It’s about relationship.  The long and short of it is that we cannot expect to have relationship with God, to be changed by God, to be filled by God if we are not communicating with God.  Being a Christian has certain responsibilities.  Just like in any love relationship, it takes two people to commit to the relationship, at least two to build the relationship and two to grow the relationship. How’s it going?

Prayer and praise are the oars by which a man may row his boat into the deep waters of the knowledge of Christ.  C.H. Spurgeon

The peonies are popping and boy are they gorgeous this year! Those big, snowball looking blooms, ranging in color from white to dark pink or a mix of both, are for some reason super beautiful this Spring. There are tons of them in town and they are in full bloom on every block. Ours out here at the foot of the mountain are just beginning to open up. The ants move slower out here, I guess.

I love these flowers, they remind me of my Grandma. She used to call them pinies. We have a row of pinies between our house and the barn that were planted by another Grandma many, many years ago. I pass by these peonies often and their sweet smell hits you before you even get close to them. Oh my goodness, the smell of a good peony is intoxicating. It does something to my brain that makes me want to eat it up – I don’t, of course.

If you take your nose on a smell tour of my row of pinies, you will notice though that they all smell different. Some smell wonderful, some smell yucky and some have no smell at all. Have you noticed that too? Every peony is gorgeous to look at, but they don’t all have the same smell. When I would walk in town, I couldn’t resist the urge to stick my nose in a piney bloom hanging over a fence and it’s a little disappointing when it has no smell. It’s even more disappointing when it has a yucky smell. Those gorgeous big blooms are a little deceptive, aren’t they? They look like they’d smell delicious, not all do. It’s deceptive. You can’t tell the smell until you stick your nose into it.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather fragrant spices—resin droplets, mollusk shell, and galbanum—and mix these fragrant spices with pure frankincense, weighed out in equal amounts. Using the usual techniques of the incense maker, blend the spices together and sprinkle them with salt to produce a pure and holy incense. Grind some of the mixture into a very fine powder and put it in front of the Ark of the Covenant, where I will meet with you in the Tabernacle. You must treat this incense as most holy. Never use this formula to make this incense for yourselves. It is reserved for the LORD, and you must treat it as holy. Anyone who makes incense like this for personal use will be cut off from the community.” Exodus 30:34-38

Ahhh, the sweet perfume of holiness. An aroma so sweet placed in front of the meeting place with God. Think about that. A pure and holy scent. An incense so full of holiness that we can never make it for ourselves. A fragrant formula reserved only for the Lord. A fragrance never to be duplicated, or brought to human level lest it smell sour or have no fragrance at all. What does holiness smell like? A fragrant peony, perhaps?

I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God. You must therefore be holy because I am holy. 1 Peter 1:16

Ahhh, the sweet perfume of holiness – not a suggestion, not a request, but a command. An aroma so sweet presented at the altar of our Lord. An aroma that says we are set apart, no longer influenced by sin. A fragrance produced by total devotion to God to be used for His special purposes. A pungence so strong that you can’t tell where it is coming from – you can smell it without visualizing the source. We are to exude holiness. It’s not a suggestion or a request, but a command. Do we smell different? Do we stink from sin? Are we smell-less because of complacency, are we too comfortable? Do we smell as if we are set apart or do we smell like everyone else? God is close enough to tell. How do we smell? Like a fragrant peony, I pray.

That’s what I’ve been thinking about. Do We Dwell? Do I Dwell? Do I stop, take a breath? Do I think in the moment, or am I constantly thinking in the next moment (more likely)? What to do next, or what to do after? What to say next, or what to say after? Would it be so bad to just stop, in each minute of each day, and think only about what I’m doing at the moment, what I’m hearing at the moment, who I’m talking to in the moment, what I’m praying in the moment, what I’m reading in the moment? Do I Dwell?

No, I usually don’t, and maybe I’m not alone. I’m a next-thing person. I don’t often sit in the moment because my mind has moved moments beyond as each moment goes by. But, that’s all wrong. That’s not how we were wired to be. You see we’re (I am) all products of our environments. That’s right. We were all born in the environment of sin, no getting around it. And for me, flitting around either in my mind or physically, like a bird in a glass house, is sin. The Lord and I are working on this…

Our very best example of dwelling is Jesus. When I think of Jesus, His ministry, His actions, His Words, I don’t ever get the sense that He was hurried, rushed, frantic, a flitter-abouter. Not once do I get the sense from His character, His nature, His Words, even what I imagine His physical walk on this earth from place to place, that He’s not in the moment. And just think about the impact He had on people.

Of course, He knew what His mission was, to prepare, restore, and redeem, in amazing and unspeakable ways, and I’m sure those things, those responsibilities weighed on His mind heavily, remember, the blood-sweat? But, not ever do I think that as he was giving sight to the blind, that He was, in that moment, thinking about making the lame walk, or expelling demons, or feeding the hungry, or any of the miraculous, amazing, people-connecting things He did while He walked this earth. When he was giving sight to the blind, He was giving sight to the blind.

We’re often told to live for the moment and I believe Jesus did. For each person, for each conversation, for each situation, for each need, for each touch, for each healing, for each encounter, for each opportunity, for each redemption, He was fully present in each moment. I want to be like Jesus.

Well, you say, that’s not possible, He was Jesus, He was perfect. And, of course, you’re right, He is Jesus and He is perfect, but aren’t we to be like Him? We’re made in His image and the Word says we are continually being made Holy as He is Holy. But the main reason Jesus was able to live in the moment (in my very humble opinion), is because of His focus. He clearly had a million things on His mind, He knew what was going to happen, He had a ton of work to do in just 3 short years, quite literally, the weight of the world.

Jesus was able to live in the moment because of His focus on His Father. He was able to zero in on every person, every situation, every conversation, every need, every touch, every redemption, because He knew that all He did was Kingdom building. Each step, each person, each Word, each action came from the Father.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  John 15:4-5

Abide, to be, to live, remain, dwell, stay, remain, wait, to tarry as a guest, to lodge. Jesus dwelt with His Father. And no one will argue that Jesus bore much fruit. The only way to bear fruit is to live for the moment.

Now, I’m sure you’re going how do I do that (me too), I work, I have kids, I have responsibilities, I, I, I, I, I…Jesus did too. Ministry wasn’t his side gig, it was His gig. It was His life, not a side-hustle, and that’s how we treat our relationship with Him sometimes. Something on the side.

Jesus was able to go about His work, attend family functions, visit friends, go to parties, weddings and the like, and still live for every moment as if each moment mattered, because it did, because it mattered to His Father.

His focus was on His Father and His everyday life revolved around that. Unfortunately, we sometimes get it backwards and try to fit Jesus into our life instead of allowing Him to dwell in our lives. You see, if our focus is on our Father, the franticness, the frenetic pace, the moment-hopping will diminish significantly because He will be producing fruit in our lives by refocusing our minds on what’s most important – each moment.

And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other will ever know.

Undoubtedly!!!! But the “news” recently reminded me of a statement I saw a while back. One that still haunts me:

“Jesus was not perfect.”

Check your pulse, cause that’s what I saw. Is that true? Would someone say that if it wasn’t? I don’t know. Who would say such a thing? Hogwash. Jesus was perfect, Jesus is still perfect, and Jesus always will be perfect. But, that statement, when I think about it today, still makes me cringe. There are those who believe that. We know better.

I try to stay out of the news frenzy and stick to my farm frenzy, there’s enough dirt flying here to keep me busy, but sometimes you just gotta say something, right? One cannot be a Christian without believing that Jesus Christ was perfect, sinless, a spotless lamb. Non-believers need to know one can’t be a believer without believing? Believing that Jesus Christ died as a substitute for your sins, for my sins, is imperative to the faith. And since God is perfect, He cannot tolerate sin. So if God sent His Dear Son to atone for our sins, His Son had to be sinless. It’s really as simple as that. But don’t take my word for it, get out your Bible and see for yourself, as a Believer that’s our responsibility – to know what we believe. Not just to know what we believe, but to act on our belief, to live our belief.

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. James 1:17-18

Just in case you were wondering, God is not only good, but anything from God is perfect, including His Son. The Bible says so.

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

1 Peter 1:18-20

Back to why we need to stand – statements like Jesus was not perfect, assaults on our beliefs without provocation and frankly without accurate information, are dangerous for Christians. At first I was like, wow, really, journalism gone amuck, and I moved to the next article. As I thought about that statement – Jesus was not perfect – I started to get angry. When you spread lies about my Lord like that, them’s fightin’ words. I have to keep reminding myself that those who speak such words were too created by God and potentially Children of the Perfect God. But the possible consequences of such a statement for the Believer and the nonbeliever alike, is a clear and present danger.

You see, in this world today there’s a lot of disinformation and we really have to figure out what is true and what is false. It’s quite a chore, isn’t it, deciphering? It’s just plain exhausting. Does anyone else out there get downright tired of it and turnoff and tune out, or am I alone? Should we just let the world say what it wants to say and frankly make excuses for them? No, with unapologetic grace, we take a stand. So, you’re probably saying yea, yea, yea, get to the point, Beth! Here goes…

My biggest fear with statements like that is that we won’t be appalled, that we won’t be offended, that statements like that won’t make us flinch, that they won’t make us grieve for ignorance, that they won’t cut us to the quick, that we simply ignore them and move on to the next great drama of the world or that we curl into the fetal position clutching our Bibles to our bellies, either way accepting what is said and having no response. The danger in that is that eventually we won’t care what’s said about our God. We become desensitized to the world. Desensitizing is acceptance. We may say we disagree with the world, but we will come to accept the world’s positions on our beliefs. If you think that is not true, simply look around you – look at our families, look at our towns, look at our workplaces, look on our streets, look at our governments. Believing that the world cannot erode our beliefs is super naïve and downright deadly.

Of course, as Believers we know the battles belong to the Lord, but we also have to know that those battles are fought through us, in His Son’s name, with His power. To be honest, I struggle with how to address those comments that offend me lest I be offensive. Or is that an excuse on my part, and I’m content being inert? I seem to have no trouble knowing how to address other things in my life, you know – work situations, family situations, friend situations. I even recently wrote a reporter (twice) and told them their facts were wrong in an article about West Virginia. Since I live here, I feel somewhat of an authority on the State. But, it occurred to me that when I heard the statement that Jesus was not sinless, I didn’t write that reporter and offer a correction. Hmmm.

Here’s my other problem with statements like that – people believe them! If there are those out there who claim to be Christians believe that Jesus was not perfect, how much more will people who don’t claim to be Christians believe that Jesus was not perfect. Scores. Just ask them.

You don’t have to believe what I believe (but I wish you would), but don’t state my beliefs incorrectly, don’t get my beliefs wrong. As Christians do we know what we believe? Do we believe the Bible, the inerrant Word of God? Do we believe parts of the Bible, you know, only the stuff that makes us feel good? We cannot pick and choose. It’s an all or none thing. God is an all or none God. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve God and ourselves.

Frankly, I’m not exactly sure how to stand against such fallacy. More likely I do and I’m just afraid to – if I’m honest, that’s really more like it. I do know I cannot speak against such lies if I do not know the truth myself – that’s my responsibility, no one elses – not my husband’s, my parents’, my friends’, my family’s, my churches’. I must not rely on anyone else for information about my beliefs. That’s on me. And, I do know that I must stand on the truth and speak the truth. But, the most important thing I know is that where I stand, I do not stand alone – where I go, I do not go alone – the Perfect One who was beaten, whipped, abused, crucified and hung on the Cross for my sins goes before me. What wonderous Love is this, oh my soul.

Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power. Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil’s evil tricks. For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. So put on God’s armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy’s attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you. Do all this in prayer, asking for God’s help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God’s people. And pray also for me, that God will give me a message when I am ready to speak, so that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel’s secret. For the sake of this gospel I am an ambassador, though now I am in prison. Pray that I may be bold in speaking about the gospel as I should. Ephesians 6:10-20

Just for the record, the statement is patently false, a lie — Jesus was perfect, a Spotless Lamb to be exact. Don’t ever forget that! Don’t ever let anyone say different about your Savior, your Lord, without correcting them. It could be a matter of eternity for them.

Perfect Lord, we pray for boldness and courage. Teach us your Word. Empower us to speak Your Word.

 

Do we stand outside the ark and not go in? Not walk the ramp to salvation, to eternity. Are we on the outside looking in? Just maybe we think we don’t need to get in the boat. Maybe we’re afraid to walk the ramp.

Do we stand behind on the shore by the sea, the chariots approaching, but we’re afraid to step onto dry land that was once wet. Maybe we’re afraid to take the step.

Do we stand before the altar and refuse to give in? Are we willing, if asked, to give up our ways, our wants, our desires? We are asked, you know, to sacrifice our ways for the only Way. Maybe we’re afraid to offer the sacrifice.

Do we stand in the desert afraid to unpeg our tent in this world and drive our pegs into eternity? Maybe we’re afraid of the Promised Land.

Do we stand at the manger, afraid of becoming part of the nativity? Afraid to admit that the baby laying there is the Savior of the World. Afraid to acknowledge that we need saving? Maybe we’re afraid to believe.

Do we stand outside the Temple unable to hear the boy-King? So many worldly voices calling our names that it’s hard to distinguish the voice of God. Not giving credence to His teachings. Not wanting to hear. Maybe we’re afraid of knowledge.

Do we stand in the tomb of the dead, afraid to come out on that fourth day when called by our weeping Savior? Maybe we’re afraid to be raised from the dead.

Do we stand in back of the crowd and watch as He heals every kind of sickness and disease from within and yet not seek healing? Maybe we’re afraid of The Cure.

Do we stand in the back of the line hiding so we’re not seen? Afraid of being called His child. Afraid of leaving the old life behind. Maybe we’re afraid of being chosen.

Do we stand in the room watching as the supper is passed? All of our brothers around. Not fully understanding. Asking the wrong questions? Maybe we’re afraid of what we don’t understand.

Do we stand in the crowd as He is handed over, afraid to speak? Afraid of being related, connected to Him. Are we afraid of what others will say – do? Maybe we’re afraid of rejection.

Do we stand before the cross as Jesus dies, and not see the life? Afraid the cost is too high. Afraid of our unworthiness. Maybe we’re afraid of commitment.

Do we stand before the tomb? Afraid of what we’ll see. Afraid of the death inside, and our dying outside. Maybe we’re afraid of death.

Do we stand before the Risen Lord? Speechless. Afraid of His love. Afraid of our lowliness. Maybe we’re afraid of life – eternal life.

Maybe we’re afraid …
…to get in the boat?
…to step foot onto dry land?
…to offer the sacrifice?
…to enter the Promised Land?
…to believe?
…to know who He is?
…to be raised from the dead?
…of The Cure?
…of being chosen?
…of what we don’t understand?
…of rejection?
…of commitment?
…of death?
…of life – eternal life?
…of Jesus?

Maybe.

Where do you stand? What are you afraid of? Jesus requires an answer. We cannot just stand. We cannot remain immobile. Not answering is an answer. Maybe, instead of standing, we need to bow. Bow at the foot of the cross, looking to the Only One who can help us stand, to take a stand. Today is Resurrection Wednesday. What will it take for us to stand beside all those things that we’re afraid of? To stand as resurrected people beside the resurrected One so that every day is Resurrection Day?

I’ve been reading the Easter story. It’s that time of year you know. That sounds a funny thing to say, doesn’t it? Maybe I shouldn’t be thinking of it that way. We tend to holiday-ize some Bible events, don’t we? Christmas and Easter are the easiest to secularize and as humans we’ve done an outstanding job of it. Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Not a criticism, just an observation. I’m speaking for myself, I’m currently all bunnied up and have gotten supplies for the egg hunt too. But the down and dirt about it is that the birth of Jesus and the death and resurrection of Jesus are not secular events. I must never forget. The Easter story begins with death and ends with life. We have to understand the death in order to understand the life.

Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there.
Matthew 27:36

Crucified. Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Does that cause you to tremble, tremble, tremble? Me too. Maybe the world has turned Easter into a parade because it’s too awful to think about the real acts of Easter, a man hung on a cross. Give me the bunny. It shocks the senses to think about folks hanging out just waiting for Him to die. Let’s hide some eggs. Secularizing Christian events does soften them for our minds, makes them more bearable, more palatable. It is easier to think of Peter Cottontail then a man dying on a cross for me.

When I think about those who “sat around,” I wonder what they were thinking. Crucifixions were not uncommon so they may not have been too affected by it. Maybe they thought nothing – just another criminal, just another crucifixion. Maybe the violence of their day had become so commonplace they were desensitized to it. Maybe people didn’t even notice as they walked by Calvary. We can’t really blame them, after all, isn’t that the world we live in too, deadened? Do we even think of the crucifixion for what it was? Harsh, cruel, horrific.

Then Jesus shouted out again, and he gave up his spirit.
Matthew 27:50

Dead. The sinless One. Died because we are the sin-full ones. Do we think of it that way? In my stead. In my place, the Spotless lamb. If you know Jesus, not just the name, death is not the end, actually, it’s just the beginning. We must understand the death before we can appreciate the life.

“I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised form the dead, just as he said he would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.”
Matthew 28:5-6

Resurrected! The real Easter story. The beginning of a life of eternity. The key to all things Jesus. Just as He promised – I will come again. Just as He promised, we will be resurrected to eternal life with Him.

I want to remember that Easter is not just a celebration of the spring season, but a celebration of my new life, your new life! I want to remember that His death led to my life. I want to remember that His death took the place of my death – here on earth and for all eternity. That is the Good News!

There’s nothing wrong with celebrating Easter with bunnies, eggs, and bonnets. But, we must remember the most important part about Easter is what happened at the cross – the crucifixion, His death; and we must remember what happened at the tomb, His resurrection, He Arose! Jesus is the reason for the season. Jesus made Resurrection Day possible for all of us. As children of God, we should live as if every day of our life was Resurrection Day because it is! We must daily celebrate the life that led to death, that led to life. Yours, mine and all those who will receive Him.

But how will they receive Him if they do not know Him? How will they know Him if no one tells them about Him? If we do not proclaim the Good News to those who don’t know Jesus, are we much different than the guards, just hanging around waiting for death? Let us not be numb, complacent, inert to a world that is hurting and broken and needs Good News. Who will you tell about Jesus today?

Hello!?!?!?!

Look out the kitchen door and what do I see? Two beautiful creatures staring at me! They are amazing creatures and they are trying to get our attention. They will look at the house then look at the field, longingly, kind of like hey (haha) look out there…You see, it’s springtime. The birds chirping, the trees blooming and most importantly to them, the grass is growing. We keep them in the front field during winter so that they don’t destroy the good fields. We feed them hay over the winter, and when the grass starts coming in, they start getting antsy. They go around their field covering every square inch snatching up any little blade that pops through. They hunch down on their two front legs as low to the ground as they can go, and crane their necks under the fence trying to get any morsel they can. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, right?

We can always tell spring is a comin’. When we turn them out on those crisp mornings, they no longer run for the hay, they run to the gate. What’s behind that gate? Fields of grass. Beautiful, sweet, succulent grass. Who wouldn’t long for that? You can always tell a grass fed horse by the size of their girth. They usually start running to the gate about the first week of March. They’re usually not out fully on grass until the first week of May. That’s a whole lotta yearnin’ goin’ on.

Because horses have sensitive tummies, yes, the gigantic oafs do, we have to wean them onto grass. The new grass is a little too rich on their stomachs and a horse with a belly ache is dangerous and expensive. So, when Farmer T says that the grass looks good, we start turning them out a little at a time. Our habit has been to put them out for a few hours each evening for about a week. Believe it or not, their bellies have timers. About evening time they go to the gate, look at the house with those beautiful, pleading eyes, then look at the field, the house, the field, the house, the field. They will do this for hours. They get a little uptight, a little impatient. They push on the gate, trying to get to the other side, trying to make something happen.

Here’s the thing. We fully plan to put them out at just the right time. They don’t understand that if we put them out full time right away, it could be dangerous for them. They don’t understand the method to our madness. They don’t understand the plan. In fact, they don’t even know the plan. They know there is a plan, they just don’t know what it is. So, they look at us with those eyes, call us with their demanding neighs, go to the gate, and get a little testy, and a lot pushy, until we answer the call to open the gate, putting the plan into action.

As I was fussing with them and telling them to be patient, they had to wait until just the right time, that they shouldn’t be anxious or frustrated with our failure to respond to their pleading to open the gate, and that they shouldn’t be pushing on the gate trying to open it themselves, that they have to trust us with the plan, it hit me. I must be a horse!! Don’t you see it? I have a girth thing going on, I’m a pleader, I get anxious and frustrated, I whiny a good bit, I try to push to make things happen before their time, and sometimes I don’t wait until the plan is revealed. You too? Yes!

The Lord is probably trying to give me the same speech I give the horses. Why is that? Because I don’t listen. Because I want my own way. Because I’m afraid of His plans for me. Because I want to run headlong. Because I’m impatient. Maybe, just maybe, because I think I know best (Ugh!). But look what He says:

“The truth is that you will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

He says He’s got a plan for us. He says that we have to hang back for a bit, but then all His promises for good will be realized. We know that and yet we’re like the horses. Longing, anxious, impatient, pushing to make things happen, when we have no idea what His plan is. But we can know for sure that His plans are for good.

Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
Romans 12:12

So, with whatever it may be in our lives, we must yield to His plan, even though we may not know what it is, we are promised it will be good many times over in His Word (see how many you can find). He will reveal His plan, sometimes in full, sometimes in part. In the meantime, be patient and prayerful. Otherwise, we may have a tummy ache that could be dangerous and expensive. Yep, I’m definitely a horse!

I’ve been working on the fence-line, it feels like all the live long day! It’s a never ending challenge of fencing, cleaning out the underbrush and keeping out trees, briars, thistles and that pesky multiflora rose. It seems like super thorny, flesh tearing things flourish best under the fence row which makes removal hazardous and labor intensive, if you let them get out of hand. Fence line brush, the majority of which is multiflora rose (which by the way is not native to the United States, eastern Asia sent it to us, thanks) is fast growing, and one plant can grow about 1-2 feet a week, and can grow 16-20 feet big, if you let it get out of hand.

Anyway, I’ve been working on it, all the live long day. One long side completed, about 12 more sides of inner and outer fence to do and then the task will be completed. The task seems never-ending and if I look at what still needs to be done versus how beautiful the done is, it crushes the spirit. But, it must be done.

One of the most important things about cleaning up the fence-line is having the right tools for the job. In one week, the truck (my brush hauler) died, my chainsaw trigger broke, my row hoe broke off the pole, my weed whacker ran out of string. Those were just a few challenges I ran into trying to clean up the brush, in addition to time and weather. But, it must be done.

And the most important reason it must be done is because the brush is destructive. Left unattended (which I did a little longer than I should have), the brush will grow making the fence invisible, popping nails and screws and displacing boards, making the fence meant to keep things in completely useless. And, it is beautiful when it is done.

Unfortunately, there really is no good approach to brush removal other than slapping on some leather gloves and body armor to protect from the thorns, and just getting to it. There is no easy way to get rid of the brush. Sure, there are herbicides, but, believe it or not, some of this brush is immune to the most lethal. The most effective removal technique is good old fashioned, backbreaking, manual labor, putting hands to tools. But, it must be done.

When I stood back and looked at this long side, as difficult as it was to complete, I thought – if only I could clean the multiflora rose out of my own life that easily. You see, I have some invasive species in my life. You may be thinking you do too. Thoughts, feelings, anxieties, confusion, fears, dependencies, busyness, relationships, habits, people, things. The list of things in my life I need to take my loppers to reminds me of my untended fence-line — full of underbrush overgrowth. Some of the things I can snip with my shears or lop with my loppers, but for most things I need heavy equipment — chainsaw, brush cutter, sawzall. But, it must be done.

Here’s the thing, there are a few things in my life that I am capable of handling with a little discipline. There are thoughts, attitudes, and actions I can easily nip in the bud as Barney Fife would say. But most things in my life need heavy equipment. To kill the fence-line brush in my life, I need a whole lot more power and strength than I can muster on my own or that an ineffective herbicide can handle. I need Holy Spirit power!

Just like my lack of discipline in keeping up with the fence-line has led to an invasion of nonnative junk brush that will take quite some time to remove, the same thing can happen in our Spiritual lives. When we neglect our relationship with Jesus, the one with the power tools, we are going to get tangled up in the thorns of life, those vines and thorns and thistles that will surround us and destroy us. It happens very subtly. A weed here, and a poison vine there, and before we know it we’re completely surrounded and the fence-line that needs to be cleared is 16 feet tall and seems completely insurmountable and in our strength, it is. We need the Holy Spirit power!

When we open the Word of God, when we speak to Him in prayer, when we surrender our thorny lives daily (because the brush grows back quickly) to Him, to the One with the Almighty Power, if we’re willing, He will begin to clip away at the things in our lives that are destructive. He may not pull out all the brush at one time, He may take a section of fence-line at a time.

When we call upon the Holy Spirit, even when it seems there is no way out, little by little we will see brush removed, thorny branches lopped, healing balm placed on the places the briars have torn, and a beautiful fence-line will emerge.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:19-20

We live in an anti-world don’t we?  You know a world full of resistance and opposition.  Sometimes it feels like we live in a world where if we’re for, then we’re against.  It’s hard to keep up with our antis sometimes.  But, there is one anti we must devote ourselves to.  Accepting Christ – Rejecting Sin.  This anti, opposite, is one where there is no wiggle room.  Jesus said you’re either for me or against me.  Not just a smidge.  All in or all out, opposites.

The Greek word for “opposite” is antikeimai. See that first part, anti, means opposed to, set against, resistant to. Think about that. In order to receive that cure, to be made healthy, we must do two things – accept and reject. Accept Jesus as the Son of God and reject our sin. We must be anti-sin. If we aren’t anti-sin, we are anti-Jesus. Ouch.

Galatians 5:16-17 say:

Live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit.
Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
The old sinful nature loves to do evil,
which is just the opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants.
And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires.
These two forces are constantly fighting each other,
and your choices are never free from conflict.

The Holy Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of our sinful nature. If we allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives there is life! If we allow our sinful nature to control our lives there is death!

Accept the gift of salvation from Jesus, then do the opposite, reject the sin in your life. I am a sinner. A full-blown sinner. I don’t want to be, but I am. I often feel like the Apostle Paul who also struggled with opposites.

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:18-25

Do you ever feel that way? You want to do right but you do the opposite? You don’t want to, but you do. You are not alone. We can all be Paul’s or Paulette’s!

The marvelous beauty in this is found in verse 25. Jesus Christ is the answer! We are accepted because Jesus was rejected. His death gave us life. Sit with that thought a minute.

God so loved the world that he gave His only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Believing is life – perishing is death. Opposite.

The moon has been spectacular the past few early mornings. Did you see it? Wow! I have a thing about the moon. I mean I love the sun, it’s a magnificent creation, our daylight and our dayheat. But, there’s just something about the moon, the nightlight in the dark.

I’ve been looking Heavenward much more often lately, for many reasons, one being the SpaceX rescue of the astronauts from the International SpaceStation. I just can’t hardly imagine being an astronaut, being in the heavens and just that much closer to Heaven. I’m imaging if I were an astronaut (not a space cadet!), and I flew 250 miles into the heavens where all you could see were stars, planets, sky, I’d probably not get much work done (what do they do on the ISS anyway?) because I couldn’t keep my mind on my work. I think I’d be starstruck, awestruck. Even 250 miles would put me that much closer to Jesus. Anyway…

First thing each morning, after getting my coffee (of course, priorities!), I turn off all our outside lights before heading to my desk. That way, when I sit down to spend time with Jesus, all I can see before I turn on my desk light is the Heavens. It is unbelievable what you can see when you turn out the lights! Little glimpses of Heaven.

This morning, like most mornings, I sit and gaze at the moon. All moons are beautiful and all moons are special. Why? Because it turns up every night since being placed carefully in the sky, on the Fourth Day! It’s never missed a day yet. Even with the naked eye you can see outlines and details on the moon, even at almost 240,000 miles away. Spectacular! So, in the darkness, I moonbathe. Ever been moonbathing? It’s similar to sunbathing, only better. The moon this morning is at about 12:00 in the south. Today’s a moonburn day. From where I’m sitting the view is completely unobstructed. Not like some days. Today, I don’t have to search for the moon behind branches and trees. Hmmm… The light shines in the darkness – heard that before? I close my eyes and I sit. I feel the moon on my face and I bathe in the glory of the One who created it. Hallelujah!

I think about how well I can see the moon in the darkness, and how incredibly bright it seems to be. So bright that it casts shadows. Then I think, would I realize how bright the moon was if it wasn’t so dark. When the sun’s out, it is always bright, there is no darkness. Do we even notice? Not much. I don’t always see the sun, because it’s always there. Does that make sense? I don’t recognize how bright the light, until I’ve seen the darkness. I would not be able to glory in the moon and the One who created it, if it were always light.

Life’s like that too, you know. We must sometimes travel in the dark to recognize the light. There are many different kinds of darkness. Physical darkness – illness. Spiritual darkness – sin. Emotional darkness – anxiety. Relationship darkness – separation, abuse. Financial darkness – there’s just not enough. We’ve all got dark. But there’s an incredible hope, a Light.

Because of God’s tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.
Luke 1:78-79

Do you see what that says? When we are overcome with darkness, when the night is pitch black, when the dark hole is so deep, God will break upon us. He will visit, descend, show up, make Himself known, appear, through the Light of Heaven, Jesus His only Son, because of His tender mercy.

Psalm 112:4 puts it another way:

When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in. The Lord is generous, compassionate and righteous.

When we are in our darkest moments because we’ve made an ever-loving mess of things, or due to circumstances completely beyond our control because we live in a fallen world, when darkness has overtaken us – our spirits, our thoughts, our actions, our wallets, our relationships, our whatevers, the Light, not a light, but the Light will come in. It doesn’t say that Light may show up, that it will peek in, that it will be subtle, it says BURSTING in. Jesus always shows up. Not just a tiny speck of light in the darkness, but a full moon, so bright you can find your way. Oh, Jesus, BURST forth!

Here’s the thing, the Light comes, not because of who we are or what we do, but because of who He is. Remember what it said? He is merciful. He is peace-filled. He is generous. He is compassionate. He is righteous. He is Light. The light does shine in the darkness and the darkness has not extinguished it. It just can’t. What incredible Light for our darkness. The Light that gives Light to everyone. To all who receive Him. To all who call upon Him.

You know, sometimes our eyes start to adjust to the darkness, our lives do too, that’s called compromise, complacency. Even though our eyes may adjust some, until we see the Light, we are still walking around in the dark, bumping into things, not seeing things clearly. Sometimes we don’t know how dark it has really been until we turn on the Light.

No matter what your darkest night is, there is a Light just waiting to burst forth and shine Life, and illuminate your darkness. Come to the Light!