Friday, March 31, 2017

March 31

Luke 9:22 And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."

Are you an optimist or a pessimist these days?  I think I was much more optimistic during the 80's and 90's. Some of my optimism died on 9-11 and I am still having a hard time getting it back. The rapid decline of our culture away from a Biblical worldview has also impacted my joy levels. The craziness of a world with North Korea threatening war saps my enthusiasm. The daily barrage of news on CNN (Continual Negative News) steals my joy. And the reality that I will never run a 7-minute mile again is a total bummer.

Now I know as a pastor I am supposed to live above circumstances and events of life and have joy all the time, but the truth is, it is very difficult. I even have a long list of sermons that tell people exactly how to do this. But knowing how to live the right way, and actually living the right way, are miles apart.

Maybe you are struggling with the same pessimism. So where are we going to find hope in a hopeless world? The very foundation of hope is discovered in an empty tomb. The resurrection of Jesus is, by any objective measure, the most significant event in history. The resurrection replaces the pessimism of Good Friday with hope.

A few years ago during a GYRO youth meeting (our elementary school ministry) I asked, "If Jesus had to die for our sins, how serious is sin?" One of the young people, Thomas, said, "Sin must be very bad if God had to come to earth and die to save us from it. Sin must be very, very bad."   Thomas nailed that answer. The world is not OK when God has to die. We have such a shallow understanding of the enormity of sin. If the only way to deliver us from it means God had to come to our planet and die for us, then sin must be a very critical issue.

But here is the hope. Jesus didn't stay dead. On Sunday morning death and Satan could not hold Jesus in that tomb. He rose again. Death did not have the final say. Pain, suffering and death don't win. God wins; they lose. So we can't be despairing. Theologian Richard Neuhaus said, "Despair is a sin because Christ is alive."

So here is our answer to the pessimism in our broken world.

We say to Kim Jong-un and his threats…. Christ is Risen!

We say to every terrorist in the world…. Christ is Risen!!

We say to every fresh grave…. Christ is Risen!!

We say to our declining culture… Christ is Risen!!

And finally we say to our outwardly decaying and slower moving bodies… Christ is Risen!!

As the praise song says, "In Christ alone, my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song."   

--
"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Thursday, March 30

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

"After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, 'The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.'  No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you." (Deuteronomy 9:4)


This statement and two others that I read today highlighted the "offensive" nature of grace.  In Moses's words, we see that God had indeed planned for the Israelites' great conquest of the people that resided in the land He had promised to His people.  Yet, their triumph would not come through their might, strategy, or righteousness, but rather according to God's set plan and purpose.  God would bring His judgment on these entrenched peoples due to their unrighteousness.

I would like to focus on the implications for us as Christ-followers.  We understand from the Scriptures that, due to the immeasurable sacrifice of Christ and our faith therein, we have become part of God's family (John 1:12).  Paul summarizes the regenerating work of Christ in Titus 3:3-8:

"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."


As "heirs having the hope of eternal life," how shall we live?  How may we see ourselves and our world realistically, in similar tones as our Father?  Shall we live in condemnation because of our shortcomings?

I share that last question because I have frequently found myself in that place.  It feels "natural" and "comfortable" to construct my structure of righteousness and work towards fulfilling it.  That drive for "perfection" energizes me towards that goal of self-justification.  Yet, ultimately, this path leads to disappointment because it neglects God's grace and fails to include His perspective.

Instead, I have found freedom in welcoming God's presence into each day.  Instead of seeking to prove my righteousness, I have been trying to rest in God's grace and to live in gratitude.  As the Scriptures teach, "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17)  And joy.  Thanks be to God that He desires to bring real and lasting freedom and joy for us, as we rely on Him.

Dorotheus of Gaza (505-565) wrote:  "A man who prays without ceasing, if he achieves something, 
knows why he achieved it, and can take no pride in it; for he cannot attribute it to his own powers, but attributes all his achievements to God, always renders thanks to him and constantly calls upon him, trembling lest he be deprived of help."

As Pastor Scott has shared, the extent of our prayers demonstrate our reliance on God's grace.  May we experience God's joy and freedom by laying our burdens before Him and trusting Him completely.


Lord Jesus, thank You for preparing the way for us to experience lasting joy and freedom.  We thank You that Your grace is sufficient for us and that Your power is made perfect in our weakness.  We thank You that You have designed us for Yourself and that our hearts find no rest until they rest in You.  We thank You that Your Word shows us the truth and helps us to recognize our desperate need for You.  Bring us into closer communion with You and help us to hear Your voice more clearly.  Make us into a better reflection of Your awesome character.  We love You and honor You today.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

March 29

Psalm 70

When I read this prayer of David, I could hear his intense passion and as he cried out to God for help.  We've all been in desperate places that are catalyst for fervent prayer but what I'm beginning to learn is that God wants us to pray like that always. When life seems to be in it's "right place" is not the time to get sidetracked into thinking the same flame and passion behind prayer can become a flicker. Nothing is more important to God than our prayers. When we lift up our prayers they are just as important to God as was Davids, Mary's, Hannah's and all the others. It's where we sit in His presence, hear His voice, and invite Him to come not only into our lives but into our hearts.  Prayer brings God into our circumstances and as we cry out to Him, in joy or in pain, then submit to His will, we allow Him to work and be present in our lives.  The Prayer Team has started to keep a prayer journal.  In the past few weeks, we have seen and recorded God's answers to some our prayers. We give Him praise and glory for each answer and praise Him still as we wait for His answers on others.  Scripture is filled with prayers so that we are reminded and refreshed in our spirit to the fact that God rules this world. E.M. Bounds says that "prayer puts God to work, it puts angels to work, and it puts man to work. He orders all events, and then all the results and power He holds in His hands will be bestowed in lavish and unmeasured munificence to carry out prayers and to make prayer the mightiest energy in the world."  Brothers and sisters, let's all go to work!!! I would like to encourage us all to lift each other up in fervent prayer and see how God works in our daily lives.   How can I pray for you today?



Randi 

Monday, March 27, 2017

March 27th blog

Action Steps

Something I have started to do when reading verses to help gather strength, encouragement, hope, peace, etc. is to not just look for God's promises but to look for action steps on my part.  I've been learning that God has so much good stored up for me that he wants to bless me with, but often times he first invites me to have a part in it.  What I do is underline the words or phrase that speaks to my role in the verses (promises) I am reading.

Today one action word stood out on 3 separate occasions (a 4th was implied) in our OT reading.  That action word is: REMEMBER!!!

Deuteronomy 7:18, the Lord was letting the Israelites know that battles lay ahead that will be bigger then they are but he said not to worry (action step #1) and to "remember" well what the LORD your God did in Egypt, your God is great and awesome (vs 21).

Deuteronomy 8:2, the Lord reminds the Israelites to be obedient in their lives lived for the Lord.  He encourages them to remember that their obedience (and disobedience) is not unseen and God guide and he will bless them just as he did for those 40 years in desert.

Deuteronomy 8:10-11, the word remember is not used here but the line, "Be careful that you do not forget the Lord" is.  In my book do not forget and remember pretty much mean the same thing.  The Lord is warning them that when things are going well be sure to remember, do not forget, the Lord who sees us through and gives us the blessing.

Deuteronomy 8:18, this goes along with vs. 10-11 as the Lord is telling us that when things do go well it will be easy for us to take credit and say that it is with our own hands and strength that we have what we have so we need be sure to remember that it is God who gives us abilities and provides for us.

This action of remembering is something I have tried to practices as daily as possibly for a few years now.  I do it in the form of a gratitude journal.  It is a small spiral bound notebook that I use to reflect on my days or day and write down all the different ways God has blessed me. Looking at everything and anything and seeing it all as gifts to me from God.  I assure you that I have been challenged the most when I face Deuteronomy 7:18 days, when battles in my life seem overwhelming and bigger then myself.  But when I sit in the quiet and remember, when I look at my day I see God in so many little things that it often causes me to be able to sit back and start to reflect and remember the other times in my life when God saw me through and provided.  Sometimes I just can't seem to remember or see God in my day.  That is when I read through my journal and remember all the things I have been and truly are thankful for.  Things that I know God has blessed my life with and if he has given me a notebook of things in the past why should I doubt that he doesn't have many more notebooks of blessings for me to remember and be thankful for in the future.  Reading these memories of past gratitude's helps me start to see clearly the blessings that are around me that life has blinded me to.

You know what happens when I sit and remember and write down the blessing God has shown me?  My battles are put into perspective.  My pride is brought down and I am humbled (in a good way) before my God.  Each day becomes sufficient because I remember the bounty God has already given me and I don't doubt that he has so much more.

You know what happens when I have forgotten to remember and haven't written in my journal for a while?  My problems will cause me to fear and I begin to feel overwhelmed.  That's when I the small gentle voice of the Holy Spirit whispers, "When was the last time you remembered?  When was the last time you thought about and wrote in your gratitude journal?"  After a day or two (sometimes more) my life begins to fall into a proper perspective with the great and awesome God taking the center stage over the difficulties and remembering the bounty and blessing God has been and will continue to pour into my life.

Just to clarify, I don't live in a big house and I don't have a large bank account.  The bounty and blessing that I am speaking of are in the things that I can so easily overlook.  The everyday things I can take for granted or chalk up as nothing special.  The more I write in my journal the more I see around me that I want to record, that I want to remember.

Below are literally just a few of the things, a snapshot, from my gratitude journal over the years that help me to remember that I have a great an awesome God who loves me and will always see me through:

Generator's
Watching and laughing at old cartoons with my son
The miracle of Kym Smith not dying
Petting my dog after he sit in the warm sun
Birds
My umbrella keeping me dry
The still small voice of the Holy Spirit to guide me
The privilege of prayer
Zip lining
Laura Ignarra and all she has done for Valerie Johnson
Carrot Cake
Bic Razors
Hope
My grill
Reading Glasses
Green grass
The healthy birth of Everest Zion Coetzee
Air Mattresses
The beauty of a blackberry
Sunlight sparkling on the water
Camera's - they allow us to capture moments
A working furnace
Carollton's song "Tell Me"
Diversity
Knowing that God is never worried
Melina's body accepting her brother's marrow and that she in now his blood type - God continues to heal
Struggles that draw us to a deep faith and knowledge in the Lord
Exercise
My thankful journal (I really put that in there)
Toothbrush and Toothpaste
My hearing
Bug spray
Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream cups
A day dedicated to gratitude and giving thanks (Thanksgiving)

I want to always see and remember that I have a great and awesome God who is not just in the big events of life (the struggles and challenges) but who I can see and remember in all the little day to day things.  When I accumulate things to remember and be thankful for each day I have a store house to lean on when those big challenging moments arrive.  I know that since God has provided for me in such great abundance in all these little things how much more he is ready to help me remember and trust in him during the harder times.  It also helps keep me grounded and I remember that all I have is from the Lord. 

I encourage each of us to spend time each day looking around us at the all the blessings, especially the little easily overlooked ones, and thank God for them.  Let them fill you up with joy, peace, a knowledge of how much you are loved, and a hope that you have a great and awesome God who is and always will be there to help see you through.  Let's not stop remembering.

Sunday, March 26, 2017

March 25: Those who would teach must first learn...

Deuteronomy 4:1-49
Luke 6:39-7:10
Psalm 68:1-18
Proverbs 11:28

I have many responsibilities, but the one that stresses me out the most is my role as a parent.  I worry about my kids - even my eldest, who is already in her sophomore year in college.  I understand my parents so much better now, and now know that, like them, I will never stop being a parent to my kids, no matter how old they get.  

It's funny how parenting, to continue to be effective, has to change as the kids get older.  How we parent our kids today is very different from how we parented them, say, even 5 years ago.  The issues were different, the receptiveness was different, their ability to understand was different.  And the stakes just get higher.  Where then to go for good guidance on what and how to teach them? Today's reading is instructive - in Deuteronomy 9:9 we read "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.  Teach them to your children and to their children after them."

I used to focus on the second part of that verse - teach them to my children.  The first part is equally important, though - to watch myself closely so that I do not forget the things I have seen, or let them slip from my heart for as long as I live.  See, I can't just tell my kids to learn God's lessons, can't teach it to them like lessons from a book.  Key here is they have to see me live them.  I can't expect them to remember how God has blessed them, unless they see me remember how much He has blessed me.  I can't expect them to want Him in their lives unless they see how happy I am to have him in mine.

Father, it seems strange to pray for our children by praying for ourselves, but we have to.  Please guide us, the parents of the children you've given us, so that our lives reflect the relationship with you we hope our children will want for themselves, will one day enjoy.


Friday, March 24, 2017

March 24

Luke 6

 

Growing up in a solid middle class row home in Allentown, Pa. I quickly and effectively learned the cultural values of my day.  

 

Don't get mad, get even.

If someone messes with you, you mess with them. "Go ahead,make my day," was our motto!

If you wanted to rise above dull living, drink Colt 45 Malt Liquor.

Big boys don't cry. Big boys don't even show weakness. My heroes were John Wayne and Superman. You never saw either of them crying. The only guys crying were the bad guys as the bullets bounced off of Superman's chest, a real man of steel.

Movies taught me many cultural values. In the sappy movie, Love Story, released in 1970, Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal taught me, "Love means never having to say you're sorry."  

 

These were the very foundations of my childhood. I was an angry, revengeful, stoic, thirsty-for-a-beer, rugged individual who never had to say I was sorry. All of this created a pretty sad and lost young man.

 

Then I met Jesus. And when I did, there was an immediate conflict in values. Jesus said that the values of this world were exactly opposite to his eternal kingdom values. In the "Sermon on the Mount" Jesus laid out exactly what He expected of me if I was going to a follower.  

I would be blessed if I were broken in my spirit and learned to say,
 "I am sorry."    
I would be blessed if I hungered and thirsted after God, not Colt 45
 Malt Liquor.  
I would be blessed if I had a tender heart and not a heart that
 bullets bounced off of.  
I would be blessed if I stood up for Jesus even though the whole 
culture said I was a fool and wasting my life. 
 
Jesus' list was a complete transversal of everything I had been 
taught by my culture. Jesus said that the pathway to happiness, 
to an abundant life, was not found by buying Noxzema medicated
shaving cream, but by believing His values and making them the 
guide for my life. The pathway to happiness is not an outward 
purchase of a product; it is an inward commitment of the soul. 
 
So prepare for the battle today. You will have to choose between 
two warring kingdoms. The people from Hollywood and Madison 
Avenue are trying to convince you to buy more stuff, to make 
your name famous, to drink more beer, to spend more money 
so you will be happy. Jesus is calling you to love Him more and 
to invest your life in others. This is His pathway to happiness. 

 


--
"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Thursday, March 23

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

 

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”

 

Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:29–32)

 

 

This passage really shocks me.  It points to God’s wonderful compassion for people that the Lord Jesus would indeed wish to interact with tax collectors and “sinners.”  He enters this party not reluctantly, but joyfully.  He brings life by His presence and His broad invitation to “Come” and “Take my yoke.”

 

Please note also that Jesus calls not the healthy, but the sick.  Typically, only the sick seek the care of a doctor:  they recognize their desperation and look for medical intervention.  Only when we take account of our deadness in sin may we find real life in Christ.

 

Do you find stories of rehabilitation and restoration to be encouraging?  I certainly do.  Tonight, I was reading about a retired newspaper editor who dedicates time to help inmates publish The San Quentin News, which has circulation through the California prison system.  11 inmates serve as the sole journalists, with assistance from volunteers to bring everything together.  The experience transfers crucial values like accountability, teamwork, and curiosity.  For some of the inmates, the paper provides a bright hope in a monotonous world.

 

Where may we join the Lord Jesus in bringing reconciliation and restoration in our world?  As Pastor Scott asked, where in the world does the love of God need to shine?  May we be bold and courageous, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, to share the life of Christ in difficult spots.  May the Gospel multiply in our homes and community.

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of lovingly pursuing relationships with tax collectors and “sinners.”  Give us courage and strength through the Holy Spirit to follow You and give our hearts to those we see in need.  We love You and serve You today.  In Your Name, amen.

 


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Wednesday, March 22, 2017

March 22

Luke 6

I'm a visual person.  When I read I try to image the scene coming to life.  So as I read this, pictured Jesus surrounded by the Pharisees.  Jesus doesn't fit in with their expectations of who they thought the Messiah was going to be, nor does He submit to what they think they know about the scriptures. So we see the tension grow between Jesus and the Pharisees. The Pharisees however, still think they have Him all figured out, but Jesus continually baits them on knowing that they are closely watching Him. He challenges the Pharisees to think and questions their assumptions in an attempt to bring them to a higher level of thinking.  When they begin arguing over what is permissible on the Sabbath day, Jesus stretches them once again drawing yet another line in the sand for them to cross and reveals the truth about the Sabbath  --  there is never a wrong day to do something truly good. Jesus proceeds to command the man to straighten out his hand and the healing hand of God did the rest. In that moment, Jesus met the need of a man, breaking petty religious traditions. Jesus wasn't trying to reform the Sabbath, He was clearly pointing out that in the knowledge the Pharisees thought they had about the Scriptures, they missed the whole point of the Sabbath.  In Mark 7:8-9, Jesus said "laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men … all too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition … making the word of God of no effect through your tradition".  I believe we also find ourselves in situations where God wants to bring us to a higher level of thinking. I believe when we see a human need God wants us to have the Holy Spirit write the application of His word into our hearts and our actions that follow that meet the needs of others be out of our love for our Good Father.  I pray as we go out today, we release into the world the love we have been so mercifully given.  I pray for all of us that as we go out today we have eyes that see and ears that hear and God gives us an opportunity to do something truly good-- and to God be the glory.


Randi

Monday, March 20, 2017

March 20th blog post

Being a Victorious Desert Dweller
 
 
At different points in our lives we all have desert moments we dwell in.  Those times when either struggles mount before us that we have to tackle and yet feel to weak or small to endure, or when temptations, pressures, stress, or worry accompany us and we feel weak and stagger along trying to stay focused, or all too often we may feel as if our world is thrown into chaos and a drought that leaves uncertainty has settled into our lives.
 
In each section of our reading today we encounter desert dwellers each dealing with one of these three life scenarios.  The Israelites, Jesus, and David all had a desert dwelling experience.  From each, we get a glimpse of encouragement and hope into how to face our time spent in the parched desert moments of life.
 
Each of these three had something in common, they had an enemy who presented themselves in three different ways and each was leaning on the Lord to see them through. 
 
For the Israelites it was a battle that lay before them.  They are the most famous desert dwellers and this time they didn't just have one battle to encounter, no this enemy had 5 Kings they needed to defeat.  They were an army of over 600,000 (Numbers 26:51), surely they had the strength of numbers in their favor and to give them confidence?  Not for this fight.  The Lord wanted them to lean on him, to trust in him during this desert experience and with a limited army of 12,000 they went out to meet this battle of 5 Kings head on.  What did they learn from this desert experience?  When God calls he will equip and he will supply their needs.  Not only were they victorious in conquering this enemy (all 5 Kings) but not one of the 12,000 soldiers was lost in battle, they all came home (a world record for sure). 
 
What do we learn: Trust in the power and guidance of the Lord.  When the battles we face seem big we need to remember we have a God who is so much bigger.  We should not lean on our own understanding or try and fight in our own strength.  God is enough to get us through if we trust him and let him lead us and guide us.  Nothing we face is too big for our God to lead us out of.
 
For Jesus the struggle walked with him.  Not only was temptation walking hand in hand with Jesus, it found him at his most vulnerable moment; alone, tired and hungry.  Jesus hadn't eaten in 40 day's.  I don't know about you but if I miss breakfast and lunch I'm pretty irritable by the time dinner rolls around.  Temptation after temptation was laid before Christ and not just any temptations, ones that spoke to his weaknesses at the moment. You are not at your strongest physically after fasting for 40 days.  Christ was physically empty.   He didn't have the strength to run and chase his enemy away.  All he had was the word of God to use as a weapon of defense and so he pulled it out and swung scripture at his temptations and it worked.  Jesus learned that God's word never fails, God's word is a defender and healer, God's word is able to do what we are unable to do, and God's word never leaves us nor forsakes us.  The tempter left defeat for the moment and Jesus left the desert empowered and continued on his mission.
 
What do we learn: We need to make sure that our arsenal of scripture knowledge is kept fully stocked.  Scripture is our greatest weapon against the lies and temptations that are used against us.  It is not when we are at our strongest that our enemy walks with us, no, it is when we are weak, distracted, and often times feeling alone that he comes along side of us and puts his arm around us and talks smoothly hoping that we will not recognize his crafty ways.  God knows that we have life moments that cause us to wander into the desert where we will feel weak and alone but we need to remember that he never leaves us and with his word we will always be well armed to fight against the lies and temptations that seek to keep us from God and wandering lost and alone in the desert of life.
 
For David his enemy lay behind him, having stolen his life as he knew it from him.  In our Psalm today David is in the desert of Judah and most likely this is when his son Absalom overthrew him as king.  David is a frequent desert dweller.  This time around he has lost his throne, his home, his life as he has known it.  He is in a desert of uncertainty.  It would have been easy for him to cry out to the Lord and ask for clarity or vengeance.  David knew he needed something more than earthly comfort and answers.  He chose to seek that which promises hope and always fulfills.  He sought the Lord with a longing, a thirst, a hunger, a desire to know his God, a desire to sing the praises of his God, a desire to be satisfied with his God no matter what.  David learned that life is full of constant uncertainty but his God is full of constant love, strength, satisfaction, hope, goodness, grace, and mercy.  He is a God who is unwavering and always faithful.  When the desert patches of life leave us dry and lost our God is there to be a fountain of refreshment to delight our soul and to give us reason to rejoice and sing when the world won't see a reason to even whistle a tune.  Eventually David's throne and household was restored to him and he endured because of the satisfaction he sought and received in the Lord (2 Samuel).
 
What do we learn: We will all face desert moments when our lives are thrust into uncertainty.  When the familiar and routine is but a memory.  What will our hearts thirst and hunger after?  Will we long for what was?  Will we hope for a quick return?  Or, in our desperation will we choose to turn and find our peace, our stability, our hope, our comfort, in simply looking to and knowing the God who is in control and is not worried for us.  Will we rest in the knowledge of the Lord's goodness and grace and find contentment and satisfaction in him as our joy and strength?  God never leaves us dry and parched.  In seeking him we will have all we need to endure and thrive.
 
Which desert dweller are you able to identify with most?  Each of them emerged victorious because of putting the Lord at the helm.  Trust the Lord, seek the Lord, lean on his word and find rest, comfort, satisfaction, and encouragement in him and let your name be added to list of victorious desert dwellers.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

March 18: Of sin and consequence, relationship and conversation


Numbers 26:52-28:15
Luke 3:1-22
Pslam 61:1-8
Proverbs 11:16-17

Today, we read that God is visiting the consequences of Moses's sinful choices on him.  After all Moses has gone through - from narrowly avoiding death as an infant, to facing down the despot of the day, to forty years of sojourn in the desert, fearful for food and water, fearful of rebellion...after all that, as they stand at the border of the land of milk and honey God had told Moses was awaiting the Chosen People, as Moses is probably chafing at the bit hoping to get in, God says "No".  Can you imagine that conversation?

"Ready to go, God.  Bags packed.  Hey, can we leave early?"
"No."
"Why not?  We're ready.  We could leave right now."
"No, Moses."
"Ok, then.  We'll wait.  Tell us when to get moving."
"Moses, you're not going."
"I get it, Lord.  Tell me when to start out."
"You're not listening, Moses.  You aren't going."
"Wait, what?"

Two things that struck me about this.  For all that Moses had done, he was still a sinner.  And sins have consequences, however good one might have been otherwise.  Moses showed the same doubt of God that most all the other Israelites had shown after Joshua and Caleb had first come back from the promised land.  Moses's doubt had come differently, though - he'd felt the need to strike the rock twice to get the water God said he would.  And at the end of the 40 years in the desert, during which time God winnowed the doubting and the faithless, God had one more person to winnow (two, really - Aaron wasn't getting in either).  So the first thing that struck me is that sin has consequences.

The second thing that struck me was this: despite Moses's sin, God was pleased to speak with him. Directly.  Not via the urim, not in visions and dreams.  No - despite Moses's sinfulness, God spoke to Moses directly, pretty much his entire life, beginning with the encounter with the burning bush all those decades before.  And despite his sinfulness, his doubt, even his unwillingness to do God's well (remember how God ended up sending Aaron along?), Moses still kept speaking right back to God, and helped keep the conversation going.

This is REALLY important.  Why?  Because if you are like me, you can get discouraged by your sins.  I know I do.  You know the sins that particularly discourage me?  The ones that I'd mistakenly thought I'd finally defeated completely, the ones I thought I'd never commit again.  They frustrate me, they lead me to think I am just never going to be good enough to be in relationship with God.  The story of God and Moses's relationship reminds me that just isn't true.  If God was willing and wanting to converse with a murderer who doubted God despite all he'd seen firsthand, surely He would be willing and wanting to speak with the rest of us sinners.  I think I just have to keep speaking back, to help keep the conversation going.  


Friday, March 17, 2017

March 17

Luke 2

The best-selling book, "Not Quite What I Was Planning," asked people to reduce their purpose in life to 6 words. The book is filled with six-word phrases that state their reasons for living. Here are a few of them:

"Followed rules, not dreams. Never again." – Margaret

"After you jump, the net appears." – Vincent

 "Please have your travel documents ready." – Jimmie   

"Outcast. Picked last. Surprised them all." - Rachel

"I colored outside of the lines."-  Jacob

"Never really finished anything, except cake." -  Carletta

"Woman Seeks Man--High Pain Threshold."  - Anonymous

If the prophetess Anna were to write hers, if might be something like this, "Loved God with all my heart."

Yet a CNN feature news segment on her life might be labeled, "84-year old woman wasted her life." Her lifestyle couldn't be more opposite than life in Fairfield County, yet she was one of the few invited to the birthday party of Jesus. Here is a woman who spent her entire life worshiping, fasting, meditating and praying.

Our culture does not value the contemplative lifestyle. It seems the goal of everyone's life these days is to be busy. People love saying, "I am so busy." We live in a world where every moment of the day has to be filled with noise and activity. But is this a healthy goal to pursue?  

Think in terms of the big picture. We may live 75 or 80 years on this earth, but we are going to spend trillions of years in eternity. Our lives on earth are a warm-up act, a mere dress rehearsal for the real show. Wouldn't it be wise for us to practice on earth what we will be doing in eternity forever?  We were made by God and for God, and until we figure that out, life just isn't going to make sense. The people who are really wasting their lives are the people who are ignoring God because they are playing with the temporary toys here on this planet.

In the end God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ's likeness. So use every moment of your life to get to know and love your God. 

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Thursday, March 16

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethelehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'...  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." (Luke 2:15,20)

Luke's recounting of Jesus's birth does not include mention of Herod's threatening and murdering of babies.  Still, there is great value in comparing and contrasting the humility and genuine openness of the shepherds with the fear and jealousy that Herod and, later, the religious hierarchy demonstrate.

Many commentators have highlighted the shepherds' humility in life station as a motivation for their openness to the Christ Child's coming.  Their placement as laborers, separated from more urbane life, reminded them daily.  Yet, beyond this life station, these shepherds expressed a curiosity and desire to explore what God had revealed to them.  Spending long hours in the fields had made them attuned to sudden changes in scenery; their flocks' livelihood depended on their quick responses.  They knew that something great had just come upon them.

Their curiosity led them to the manger, where they found what God had promised.  This exploration took time and forced them to reconsider what they had previously known.

Seeking after God and knowing Him puts us in the shepherds' place.  We must address the reality He presents and be willing to modify our direction to suit what He has revealed.  This openness to change comes only with humility and maturity.  Given our natural pride, these traits do not come easily.

We understand from The Chronicles of Narnia that Aslan may not be safe, but He is good.  May we, like the shepherds, be eager to seek after what He has revealed so that we may know Him fully and glorify His Name.


Lord God, thank You for revealing Yourself so well to the humble shepherds and now to us.  Give us wisdom to hear Your voice and pay attention to Your revelation.  Grant is the courage to seek You above our small agendas and preconceptions.  Build into us hearts of expectations and longing for You that these shepherds have.  Keebua from the pride and jealousy of Herod and the religious leaders.  We love You and rejoice in thanksgiving today.  In Jesus's Name, amen.



Wednesday, March 15, 2017

March 15

Numbers 22

Balaam was an interesting character.  He was a sorcerer widely known for his effective curses and blessings, and though he was not one of God's chosen people, he was willing to acknowledge that the Lord was a powerful God.  As I was reading this I couldn't help but think of how his story exposes that fine line where God examines our hearts and questions or tests our motives.  The mixture of obedience and desire to profit is what eventually led to Balaam's death but if we stop and think about it, it does make us reflect on our own masks.  At some phase in our journey, God brings to the surface who we are deep down in our hearts and reveals (even if only to ourselves) the mask we put on to cover up.  This was a major theme of our women's retreat.  We learned at the retreat that our efforts spent on keeping up appearances are better spent learning who we are in Christ and knowing that God is willing and able to accept us, forgive us, and transform us from the inside out.  Balaam ended up obeying God and blessed Israel in spite of Balak's bribe but I think a more important take away from this is that God is more interested in our motives. God wants our hearts.  Dr. Luke tells us in 12:34 that where our treasure is our heart will be as well. This passage made me stop and reflect on the times I've set out to get something done and God has sent a donkey to stop me from going along my merry way. After reading this I realized that maybe God wanted me to re examine the condition of my heart before I went any further.


Randi

Monday, March 13, 2017

March 13th blog post

Becoming the Master Seeker in the Game of Hide and Seek
 
When I hear someone in my family utter the words, "I can't find….(my wallet, my school book, my shoes…) I have an immediate response,  "Did you pray?"  I usually get an eye roll followed by a deep sigh that muffles out a hushed response, "no."  I will stop and pray and join in the seeking.  Know what?  9.5 times out of 10 (no exaggeration) God leads us right to the place where we need to be in order to find what is missing.  Everyone is elated and thanking God for helping us find what we needed.
 
My problem is that it is easy for me to trust God with missing objects and to speak to him about the need to find them than it is for me to trust him whole heartedly with bigger issues, especially bigger relationship issue within my family, friends or work environments.
 
As a wife and stay at home mom for the past 23 years I have taken seriously my role as both.  I have always seen part of my job as listening, watching, and getting to know my family as best I can.  What makes them angry, happy, sad, frustrated, offended, hurt, or excited?  How do they respond best to good news, bad news, advice or criticism?  It helps me to think about how to approach them and help them when there is a need, especially a relational need.  But this is where my problem becomes dangerous.  I pray and tell God all about the relationship issue that is going on and I lay out the details of my findings about both parties (sometimes I am one of them) and I do ask the Lord to help each party see their short comings, flaws, and to see the needs of the other.  I end by asking the Lord to help heal and grow the relationship.  But I don't end there.  No, unfortunately I am armed with too much information, a deep desire for restoration, and a mouth that has direct access to one of the offender's ears.  I typically gather to myself the one or ones with the relationship need and I share my findings with them, over an extended amount of time, and I leave God to use my unasked for help to bring about the healing that is needed.  The thing is, I walk away feeling good that I just emptied myself of my thoughts and feelings but I dumped them on the listener leaving them to have to dig out of my informational vomit.  They surely heard me but I have not left much room for them to hear the Lord.
 
So, in today's OT reading I really could relate to Moses.  He was in a relationship issue with the people of Israel, his family.  They had directly blamed him for their current situation and grumbled that they had no water.  Moses did as he always does; he went to the Lord and fell flat on his face, perhaps from emotion exhaustion.  God did not give a stern warning for the people this time but seemed to show his compassion and understanding for their need of water.  He told Moses to take his staff, gather the people, and go to the rock (the one God pointed out) and to speak to the ROCK and God would provide for the need.  But Moses seemed to suffer from a similar issue as myself, he had a mouth and something to say so rather then speak to the rock he spoke to the people, he called them rebels and he took the credit for bringing about the water, "must we (he and Aaron) bring you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10)  Then he struck the rock, not once but twice.  God still provided the solution but not how he intended, not how he desired, not in his glory but through Moses glory.
 
God wanted to use Moses but not to berate the people, not to beat them with words, not to throw their sin at them but to use him to help direct the people, their trust and hope toward the Lord who is always faithful to provide, even providing for the relational droughts that can sometimes plague our lives.  When we step in and take the lead for God we rob those we love from truly seeing God work in and through their lives.  We steal their opportunity for growth in their faith and from experiencing God's provision, which helps them to have greater hope and trust in future circumstances. 
 
I don't want to beat those I love and care about with my words in order to try and see results in a situation.  I want to trust the Lord to work in my heart and the hearts of those I love.  I want to remember that God does call me to gather people to me, not to talk at them, but to talk to the solution, talk to God and direct all our hearts and minds to the one who is ready to flood our lives with the good things we need.  He is ready and willing to restore what was lost and is needed.  We need to be ready to let him.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

March 11: Of crowds, enslavement and ransom

Numbers 15:17-16:40
Mark 15:1-47
Psalm 54:1-7
Proverbs 11:5-6

"The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.  "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.  But the chief priests stirred up the crowed to have Pilate release Barabbas instead."

Jesus has just been betrayed by those closest to Him.  If that had been me (or you, perhaps?) He would have been looking for support - not from above, but from around Him.  As I stood before Pilate, I would have been looking at the crowd, looking for the comfort of even one, solitary, friendly face, the face of someone who would stand with me, stand up for me.  There wasn't any - not a single one.

Who might've been in the crowd that had not only rejected Him, but had chosen an insurrectionist in His place?  Perhaps a few of those Jesus had fed?  One or two of those he'd healed, or their friends or families?   Some who had heard Him preach, praised Him for his authority, perhaps even chuckled at the discomfort He'd caused the Pharisees?

I can tell you one person who was there - me.  I put myself there, today, every single time I have the opportunity to choose Him, and choose someone else; every single time I forget all He's done - for me, for my family, for my friends; every single time I think things would be better if I could choose my way instead of His.  

We know what happens after this.  Because of my presence in the crowd, Jesus was crucified, and He died.  Because of my choices - the choices I make today, each day - His body lies limp on the cross.

The most amazing this is this: He does not only hang lifeless because of me; He hangs lifeless FOR me as well.  He knew I was going to be in that crowd; He knew I was going to sin, so enslaved to sin I could not possibly ransom myself.  And He chose to ransom me.  

I pray one day I come to a level of appreciation and gratitude that even begins to reflect the magnitude of His gift.  
 

Friday, March 10, 2017

March 10

What is the greatest danger that faces our nation today? The North Koreans, fake news, Iran, terrorism, the rise of the robot, gluten, gun control, or super size soda drinks?

While all of these problems are serious (maybe not the soda), I would suggest these are not the greatest threats to America. The greatest danger is the causal Christian. The Christian who says they believe in God but lives life as if He doesn't exist. The causal Christian is not an atheist but he lives like one. The causal Christian professes to believe in the existence of God and His oracles (the Bible) yet they live life without connecting to either one.

David says this in Psalm 53:1, "The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good."

There is a direct relationship between the existence of God and human morality. A foolish person says there is no God so therefore there are no oracles from Him. In such a world there is no absolute revelation. Subsequently, in a world without God, who is to say which values are right and which are wrong? Who is to judge that the values of Adolf Hitler are inferior to those of Mother Theresa? The concept of morality loses all meaning in a universe without God. This means that it is impossible to condemn war, oppression, or crime as evil. Nor can one praise brotherhood, equality, and love as good. For in a universe without God, good and evil do not exist - there is only the bare, valueless fact of existence. Welcome to the world of Jerry Springer.

But here is the question; can we live in a world like this?  Are there certain acts that we can say are absolutely wrong, all the time?  

1. Is Planned Parenthood's selling of baby body parts wrong? Is this always wrong?

2. Is the Hindu practice of burning the widow on the husband's grave always wrong?

3. Is "honor killing" of a teenage girl who refuses to participate in an arranged marriage always wrong?

4. Is child pornography always wrong?

5. Is slavery always wrong?

In the end I believe we all know in our hearts that certain things are always wrong. When we say this we are saying there is a God. Only a fool would say there are no absolutes. Here is the rub for us who call ourselves Christ followers. To say we know God and believe His oracles and yet live as if there are no absolutes is wrong and even dangerous. Many Christians have subtly, almost imperceptibly embraced a godless lifestyle. The hope of America is the hope found in His Church. It is to believe God is there and He has given us the oracles for life. So become a radical today, believe the oracles, live the oracles, and share the oracles.  

 


--
"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Thursday, March 9

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)


This proverb struck a chord with me today because of its piercing truth.  It encapsulates much great wisdom in just a few words.

Essentially, our pride leads us to consider ourselves better than others and perhaps even superior to God.  We become enamored with our own ideas, plans, and actions.  At the same time, we become very fragile in the face of criticism, as any shortcomings might tear down the pedestal that we have established for ourselves.  Insecurity wracks our thoughts, and we look over our shoulders.

Meanwhile, humility causes us to think rightly about ourselves.  True humility remembers that we are each created in the image of God and therefore have dignity.  While we may tease about ourselves, humility doesn't include attacking the value of our createdness.  We each exist according to God's set purposes.  Humility looks up to God, recognizes His sovereignty, and allows us to gratefully receive dependent dignity.  In humility, we find great freedom because the world no longer revolves around or depends on us.  Humility sets God in His proper place as King and Guide.

Over the past few months, it has become clearer to me that humility also opens the channel of God's grace.  When we live depending on ourselves, we can't really experience grace because we have made our performance to be our "law."  To receive God's all-sufficient grace, we must first recognize our desperate need for Him.  It appears that many believers have trusted God for salvation but question God's ability to intervene in day-to-day matters.  This lack of trust steals our joy.

How has your pride led you astray?  How can you become dependent on God's grace?  In what area of your life could you better apply His grace?


Lord God, thank You for making us in Your image with dignity and honor.  Thank You that we may depend fully on You and find You completely trustworthy.  Give us the grace to see ourselves rightly and humbly and to resign our self-reliance.  You are awesome and powerful.  We love You and worship You today.  In Jesus's Name, amen.


"Calling Out Your Name" by Rich Mullins


Wednesday, March 8, 2017

March 8

Mark 14

I learned that 2000 years ago it was customary when guests came to dinner in your home to anoint their heads with oil.  Jesus rode into Jerusalem as a King, so it would only make sense that His head be anointed with oil when He entered the house for the Passover meal.  However, His head was more than anointed, this woman went much farther than the customary greeting.  She poured the entire flask on the Lords head. I think this woman had more discernment than the disciples at this point because their opinion of her and what she had done didn't really phase her.  The disciples thought that this extravagant anointing with oil was a waste, but Jesus received it as a good work (Kalos in Greek - meaning winsome and lovely). With her simple love and devotion to Jesus, the woman seemed to understand what the disciples did not - that Jesus was about to die, and she intended this gift to be a preparation for his burial.  It seems that the disciples did not want to think about the death of Jesus. When Peter heard of it, he tried to talk Jesus out of it. The woman in our reading had a different perspective, and instead of debating or denying His death, she turned it into an occasion of deep devotion and worship.  So as I read this in the context of the Passover setting and all that it symbolizes, I thought about my own love and devotion for Jesus. My hearts desire is to  worship with more than my words in a song. Like the woman, I pray Jesus sees my heart in my worship and devotion. I was having trouble putting my thoughts and emotions into words and I found this quote by Charles Spurgeon: "Nothing puts life into men like a dying Savior. Get you close to Christ, and carry the remembrance of him about you from day to day, and you will do right royal deeds. Come, let us slay sin, for Christ was slain. Come, let us bury all our pride, for Christ was buried. Come, let us rise to newness of life, for Christ has risen. Let us be united with our crucified Lord in His one great object - let us live and die with Him, and then every action of our lives will be very beautiful." Our love, worship and devotion to Jesus must be expressed personally -- straight from our hearts.  The woman in today's reading poured out a flask of oil to express her love for Jesus and it was received as a good work although others thought it foolish.  My prayer for all of us today is that as we worship and express our love for Jesus, we are confident in knowing that it will be received as lovely and like the woman in the passage, we won't be phased by anyone else's opinion.   Be Blessed.


Randi



Monday, March 6, 2017

March 6th bible reading

Finding God in the Redundancy
 
Every Monday, before I read the passages for the day, I pray and ask God to give me wisdom according to James 1:5.  Today I prayed something different.  I told the Lord that I wanted to know him more.  I didn't just want head knowledge but I wanted to know him intimately, I wanted to experience God and in doing so gain a wisdom greater than any I have known.  I wanted to be empty of me so I could be filled by the Lord with a deeper understanding of him and to have that impact my life. 
 
I said amen and opened up my one-year bible to March 6th.  What did I find?  A repetitive list of the offerings that each of the 12 tribes brought to the Tent of Meeting.  Twelve, nearly identical, paragraphs of silver plates, gold bowls, oxen, lambs, and fine flour.  Not what I had hoped for when I had just prayed to know God more.  I read the first three tribal offerings and then I started to do what I guessed many others might do, I told myself that it was ok to just read the name of the tribe and then skip the repetitive offering and go on to the next and do the same until I made it through all 12 (saving myself a lot of time).  After all, each tribe brought the exact same thing so what did it really matter if I read each one? 
 
But when I started to do that I felt the lord tugging at me saying, "No, you always say you believe that every word was written for a reason, don't rush through this."  I exhaled and slowly read through the tribe of Zebulun's entire offering just as I had for the 3 tribes before.  Then Reuben and their offering, then Simeon and their offering, then Gad and their offering, then Ephraim and their offering.  Before I got to the last one though, as if God was smiling with excitement, I felt him showing me why I needed to read each one individually, why he had recorded them all individually:
 
"Each tribe was special to me, each gift was special to me.  It doesn't matter if they all gave the same offering, it was uniquely theirs and I looked upon each of them with individual delight and joy.  I don't lump those I love into one, I love each of my own individually.  That is why these gifts are listed separately, to help show you that I am a God who sees you alone, who knows you alone, who loves you alone, who cares about you alone, and who delights in you alone."
 
I think I audibly said, "Wow".  Then I read the new testament reading in Mark and God drove the point home with the story of the widow giving her coins, her all, her offering to the Lord:
 
"See, nothing goes unnoticed by me.  If you bring me the smallest gift or one of plenty, as each tribe brought me, I see it all and I know it is you.  You are not a nameless, faceless child to me.  I see you Ruth and I love you for you."
 
My heart melted.  God answered my prayer using the least likely thing, the redundancy of Old Testament tribal offerings that I was ready to deem not important.  I was thankful that God stopped me from skipping it over, as I would have completely missed the answer to my prayer.  It has caused me realize that I need to pray this prayer every day and I need to enter every day ready to see God and not just in the big and obvious but in the mundane and the redundant things that are so easy to over look.  God is always speaking, desiring to get our attention and reveal his love, glory, grace, and beauty to us in ways we have yet to discover.
 
God wasn't finished answering my prayer.  When I was done reading I stood up and was singing along to Christian music and replaying what God had revealed to me in his word.  Then all of a sudden the knowledge he had just shown me of who he is, that he loves me individually and deeply broke deep into my heart and I experienced the truths of it for myself (in a way words can not describe) and I did something I don't do often; I cried out of joy.  The lord sings over us and I finally got to experience that (Zeph 3:17).  Why?  Because I finally prayed the way I should have all along, from a place that desired to know my God and my savior from deep within.  It wasn't just wisdom I sought but experiencing who God is. 
 
I have always had the knowledge that God loves me but today he made that truth live in me.  He clarified and caused it to be very personal.  I know the Lord more then I did when I woke up and I am blessed for it.
 
God loves you!  God loves you!  God loves you!  God loves you!  He looks down and he sees you individually, your heart, your pain, your needs, your offerings, your prayer, your surrender.  He is not looking or comparing it to anyone else.  He is not lumping you in with the crowd.  He has taken notice of you individually and he is delighting in you and lavishing over you in his love.  I pray that the Lord will break through your day today.  I pray that the power of who he is, his love for you and his delight over you would fill your heart and mind.  God may choose to use the big and obvious to reveal himself to you but I think he likes to show us every day a bit of who he is in the small, mundane and redundant things that allow us to find him and hear him singing his songs of joy over us.