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Saying “Yes” to God is about Obedience, not Results

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“Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.”  Psalm 96:12b-13

 Navigating my mountain bike down the steep, rocky trail was requiring all of my concentration.  Looking up for a split second, I caught a flash of pink ahead.  As I squeezed the brakes and slowed down, I discovered the blur of color I’d seen was a beautiful tree in full bloom.  It was tucked off to the side of the trail down a steep and rocky ravine, the top branches just barely visible.  Stopping to admire it, I wondered how many people would have the chance to see it during its short spring blossoming season.  It seemed like a waste for it to be missed.

Later, as I thought about the tree again, it made me realize that sometimes we have our own moments of “blossoming.”  I think of these moments as times we’ve chosen to say, “yes” to God and to obey Him, even if we’re the only ones who know.  We may not see immediate results, but God is honored, nonetheless.

A few years ago I had a series of “yes” moments that left me confused. It started when I learned that an acquaintance had lost her father to cancer.  Having my own dad pass away six years ago, I felt a pang of sadness and a strong urge to reach out in compassion to this woman, even though I barely knew her.  Before I let anything else distract me, I wrote her a card, bought some flowers and brought them to her house.  She was touched by the gesture and thanked me profusely.  My act of obedience felt good and I knew it was the right thing to do.

Two days later, she called to thank me again.  “I’ve been reading and re-reading your note all weekend.  You have no idea what comfort it has brought me.  It’s so good to know someone else understands my pain.  There is one question that is nagging at me though.  I’m not sure where my dad is now and this is really scary for me.  Can you relate to that?”  Gulping, I breathed a prayer asking for the right words and responded gently:  “Well, that really hasn’t been an issue for me.  My dad had a strong faith in Jesus, so I’m at peace knowing he’s home in heaven.”  Without missing a beat, she responded:  “I’m religious too, but I guess I never really saw the personal connection you just described.  Do you think we can get together and talk about it more sometime soon?”  What else could I say but, “yes”?

Before you jump to the conclusion that this is just another tale with a happy ending, let me stop you.  Lysa TerKeurst gives a fantastic example of this in Chapter One of What Happens When Women Say Yes to God.   In her story, she offers her beloved Bible to a man she meets on a plane.  Later, she learns that this act eventually leads him to give his life to Christ and to impact others in significant ways.  My story has a slightly different ending.

Over the course of many months, my acquaintance and I had several meaningful conversations.  She made it clear she was seeking spiritually and even asked me if she could come to church and Bible study.   I invited her to various outreach events and social gatherings.  She would respond enthusiastically, only to cancel at the last minute or just not show up. Instead of explaining or apologizing, she would avoid me for a while afterwards until I initiated again. I wondered if I was doing something to offend her, often criticizing myself and assuming I’d used the wrong approach.  My intentions were pure; my motivation was selfless; I was obeying God, but I wasn’t getting the results I expected!

I wish I could say that eventually my questions were answered and that she accepted Christ and went on to have a vibrant relationship with Him.  In reality, she ended up moving away, never even showing up for the final meal we had planned to say goodbye.   I may never know why things happened as they did, but I finally recognized that there was a reason for her behavior that had nothing to do with me.  I felt sad at the way things ended, but at peace knowing I’d shown God’s love and had obeyed His promptings.

This relationship was not the only time I said “yes” to God and had less than fulfilling results. While there have been times people have responded favorably, it is not unusual for me to extend myself to someone, point her toward God and have her suddenly start avoiding me.  Even though my actions are bathed in prayer, sometimes people just aren’t ready to delve into spiritual topics.  I have to trust that a seed has been planted, if nothing more.  If my goal were immediate results, I would have stopped long ago.  Thankfully, I’ve been blessed with wise people in my life who encourage me not to look at the “results,” but to keep obeying God and remembering that He has been honored by my “yes” to His leading, whether or not the person responds.

Even in the Bible we see Jesus give commands to His followers knowing that they will not always produce results.  In Luke 10 he sends seventy-two disciples out to share the gospel saying:  “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you.  Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’  But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you… He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”  When the seventy-two return later and report back to Jesus, they are pleased with their results saying “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replies: “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”   The disciples revel in their successful results but Jesus counters by telling them to rejoice in their salvation.   Showing obedience to God reveals our love for Him, whether or not it produces results in the lives of others.

That brings us back to the blooming tree I saw tucked in the ravine along the trail.  Whether or not anyone ever notices it, it stands with its branches reaching heavenward in testimony to God and His amazing creation.  It doesn’t care about the beauty resulting from its blooming.  If the petals dropped from the tree before a single person saw it, God would still be smiling on it for fulfilling its purpose on earth.

We live in an incredibly results-driven culture, but what God cares about is our hearts.   Lysa TerKeurst says:  “When you look at your everyday circumstances through the lens of God’s perspective, everything changes.  You come to realize that God uses each circumstance, each person who crosses your path, and each encounter you have with Him as a divine appointment.  Each day counts, and every action and reaction matters.  God absolutely loves to take ordinary people and do extraordinary things in them, through them, and with them”  (p.16).  The extraordinary thing is your obedience; just leave the results up to Him.  When you obey, your tree is blossoming, even if no one ever stops to notice.

“Take Away” Truths from James

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Have you ever eaten a meal that was so good you didn’t want it to end, even when your stomach was past the point of being satisfied?  Maybe you’ve asked for a take away box so you could savor it later and avoid that uncomfortably “beyond full” feeling.

For me, studying Beth Moore’s James:  Mercy Triumphs has been a bit like eating my fill of an unforgettable meal and still wanting more.  Packed with truth layered on top of truth, the book of James is going to take a while for me to digest.  I predicted that studying it would change us, and in my life, it certainly has.  As we wrap up our final week of study, let’s savor what we’ve learned.   Let’s pack up the truths and take them with us after we answer the final question and write the last verse in our workbooks.  Instead of having the study become a fond memory; let’s allow it to transform our lives so that we can be doers of the word, not just hearers.

In the final week of study, Beth Moore describes the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70.  She says:  “Yet before a single stone was thrown to the ground, a cornerstone was set in place.  Upon it rolled one living stone after another so that, by the time the sanctuary built by human hands was destroyed, another constructed by God’s hand was under way…Look really closely with your minds eye…gaze further and further up that heap until you make it to the stack where the 21st century sets in place.  See us? You and me?  There we are, two living stones”  (p. 204-205).  All that we’ve been challenged to put into practice while studying James is making us living stones- a human temple used for God’s glory.

“You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.  The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord.  You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.”  Ephesians 2:19-22

As I think back on the last seven weeks of study, there are a few truths I’ll carry with me in my “to go” box:

–Not just hearing the word, but doing what it says:  I pray God will continue showing me where and how to apply His word to daily life.  Whether it is caring for the needy with compassion or seeking wisdom from heaven, I want to live out the things I’m learning more consistently.

–Taming my tongue:  Since studying and writing about James 2, I’ve become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit prompting me to keep my tongue in check.  I seem to fail daily, but continue striving to let my words be pleasing to God and positive and encouraging to others.  I am much more cognizant about my conversation topics and what things would be better left unsaid.

–Submitting my long and short term plans to God:  I spend a significant portion of time planning and thinking about the future.   I am working hard to submit this to God daily.  In the past few weeks several major disruptions to my schedule have given me a chance to put this into practice immediately.   (God certainly has a sense of humor!)  I’m learning to see interruptions to my schedule as divine appointments where He is giving me an opportunity to serve or bless someone else.

–Surrendering insecurity:  Beth Moore hits me right between the eyes in her Session Five video when she says: “Insecurity is when your own mind turns on you.”  I’ve been reminded that insecurity is just another form of self- absorption.  When I’m consumed with myself and my perceived flaws and failings, I’m incapable of seeing beyond myself to impact others.  My eyes are on myself, not Jesus.  This is an ongoing area that needs to be surrendered in my life.

–Rejecting cynicism:  In her Session Six video, Beth Moore addresses the perils of Christians who fall into cynicism.  I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a Bible teacher speak on this subject and it certainly struck a cord in me.  The trap of cynicism has ensnared me for much of my life. It is convicting to hear it defined as “carnality that thinks it’s smart and that carries an air of superiority.”  The idea that cynicism can be fueled by disappointment with people has also been a reality in my life.  This is an area where I need to be on my guard and continually looking to Jesus to renew my mind.

How about you?  What will you remember long after you’ve closed the James:  Mercy Triumphs workbook and tucked it on your bookshelf? Look back through the lessons and write down the powerful truths you want to remember and apply to your life.  What will you carry in your “take away” box as you move forward?  Post a comment and let others hear what spoke to you from this powerful book.

The Mush Pot

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“Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”  James 5:13-16

 We called it “The Mush Pot,” probably left over from when we played Duck, Duck, Goose as kids.  It started back in my college days when I worked at a Christian houseboat and waterski camp in the summers.    Prior to the start of the season, the camp staff would gather for a weekend of training, prayer and fellowship.  As we shared our hopes and fears about ministering to the many kids who we’d meet over the summer, each of us would take a turn sitting in “The Mush Pot” encircled by the other staff members.  We would lay our hands on the one in the middle and pray.  The Holy Spirit was alive and active in us, prompting our prayers and blessing all of us in the process.  I can remember the butterflies I’d feel in my stomach when it was my turn to sit on the floor of the houseboat while everyone gathered around to lay hands on me.  It was both overwhelming and inspiring to hear the things people prayed specifically for me.  I came away knowing that God would give me exactly what I needed to love the kids and serve Him well.

 My oldest son is now old enough to go to the camp where I first learned this practice, but  “The Mush Pot” tradition has continued to be a part of my life.   Looking back, I can see how God has increased my faith by giving me opportunities to offer and receive prayer.  I can picture intimate and tearful gatherings around hospital beds praying for different friends and family members.  Some were healed, some went home to Heaven, but all of us experienced peace through those sacred gatherings, even in the most clinical settings.   I can also remember laying hands on people to pray for them in different small groups and Bible Studies over the years.  Some of the most meaningful prayer times have happened spontaneously in unlikely places.  I remember crying my eyes out while a friend prayed for me out on the mountain biking trail during a time of grief.   The memories are powerful and tender.  It was an honor and privilege to take part in them.

We don’t need to wait for the “really big” things to ask for prayer or to offer it.  Beth Moore says it well in James:  Mercy Triumphs:  “If it has to do with us, then it has something to do with Him… we have an open invitation to a divine invasion. If we’re willing, God is our song when we are happy, our escape when we are tempted, our hope when we’re despairing, our joy in tribulation, our strength in weakness, and our immortality in dying”  (p. 176).  She goes on to say:  “A pair of hands clasped in earnest prayer is the best means we have this side of Heaven to hang onto Jesus for dear life”  (p. 178).  As far as I can tell, there is nothing that is “off limits” for receiving prayer.  If it’s happening in your life, it is worth asking for God’s intervention.

Sometimes we can be fooled into thinking God doesn’t want to be bothered by our needs and we try to handle things on our own.  We might feel undeserving or awkward asking others to pray for us.  I remember the first time I walked to the front of a church to ask for prayer during Communion.  Struggling with the weight of a painful situation, I needed some comfort and wisdom.  Even though I’d seen other people go forward for prayer, I’d never been one of them. For some reason, that day I just felt prompted to get out of my seat.  The woman standing in front greeted me warmly.  I fumbled through a vague explanation for why I needed prayer and then stood stiffly as she held me close and prayed.  I don’t remember a word she said, but I recall being amazed that she knew what to pray with the small amount of material I’d shared with her.  I returned to my seat relieved and at peace.  My difficulty didn’t end immediately, but calling in reinforcements gave me the strength I needed to persevere in trusting God.  I’d been carrying around the burden all on my own strength when God had been waiting all the time for me to share it with Him.  Having another person pray for me made all the difference.

Sometimes we can also be fooled into thinking that we aren’t “righteous” enough to offer to pray for another person.  However, the Bible makes it clear that if we have accepted Christ and are living for Him, we can claim His righteousness as our own:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them…We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us…God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”  (2 Corinthians 5:17-19a, 20-21).  We have righteousness, what we need to ask for is confidence!  If you find yourself in a situation where a person needs prayer, you may feel awkward or fearful offering.   Let me encourage you to ask God for courage.   There is something powerful about praying for a person in their presence instead of just saying “I’ll pray for you” and doing it later.  Jesus says in Matthew 18:20:  “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

In the Session Five and Six videos for James: Mercy Triumphs, Beth Moore points out two subtle adversaries to our faith:  cynicism and insecurity.   Maybe you’ve watched others walk to the front of the church and have thought:  “That person must really have problems” or “Why do they have to be so dramatic and get up in front of everyone?”  Maybe you’ve known someone needed prayer, but didn’t offer because you thought she would think you were “too religious.”  Cynicism and insecurity stunt our ability to be used by God and rob us of opportunities to be a blessing to others.  I know this from personal experience and pray regularly that God will rid me of those destructive trains of thought.

It’s been over 20 years since I first sat in “The Mush Pot” to be prayed over by my fellow staff members at summer camp.  It’s been less than two weeks since I last laid hands on someone in “The Mush Pot” to pray for God’s intervention in her life.  In all the time in between, I have rich memories of connecting with others through accessing the power of God together in prayer.   I’ve been blessed beyond measure witnessing the powerful and effective prayers offered by followers of Jesus.

Do you have a “Mush Pot” experience you’d like to share?  How has joining with others in prayer blessed you and them?  How have you overcome your fears about praying with and for others?  Post a comment and share your thoughts.

Committing Our Calendars to God

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“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”  James 4:13-15

As a born planner, this has never been one of my favorite passages of Scripture.   I am alternately irritated and inspired by people who thoroughly live “in the moment.”  I like schedules and lists.  My mom can attest to the fact that once I started elementary school, I planned all my birthday parties.  The guest lists, invitations, games, favors and food were carefully selected months in advance.   Now that I am a mom, I jokingly refer to myself as “Julie the Cruise Director” because of all the planning I do for my boys.  (If you didn’t watch “The Love Boat” in the 70’s and 80’s, just ignore that example and read on).  When my older son was two or three, he would wake up, rub his eyes and say, “What do you have for me today, Mom?”  I hope eventually I can show God that same kind of trust daily.

The compulsion to plan sometimes arises out of fear or the need to control.  We think if we can plan something well enough, we can avoid what we fear.  Similarly, we think if we have control over something, we can avert mistakes or failures.  We have the illusion of control over our lives, but James reminds us that God is the only one with real control.  It’s not a sin to make plans, but it’s important to entrust them to God.  I’m learning to ask for His leading instead of telling Him to bless my unilateral decisions.  People often quote Jeremiah 29:11,  “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”  However, my favorite part of this passage comes in verse 12:  “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  This requires time, patience and trust.

God has bigger and better plans than we do.  Beth Moore says it well in James: Mercy Triumphs:  “God is the one with the real plan….We have all sorts of plans jotted on our calendars pertaining to the next year, but they’re mostly based on theory.  His is the only day-timer based on certainty.  That’s one reason why spending time with God in His Word in the morning is so vital.  He wants to prepare us for the reality of our upcoming day.  Not our theory”  (p.152).   Abiding with Him closely is the best way I’ve found to surrender my plans and to let Him shape them.  Many mornings I come to Him fretting over something and leave feeling grounded and at peace.  That doesn’t necessarily mean He gives me a clear-cut answer, but He does change my perspective.  I don’t have to know the details of what the future holds because I know God will be with me, no matter what.

If you are not in the habit of spending time with God daily, let me encourage you to give it a try.  Pick a length of time that feels reasonable, but that will stretch you a bit too.  One day isn’t enough, 365 might be too ambitious.  Maybe it’s two weeks; maybe it’s the forty days of Lent (which starts on Feb. 13 this year).  Just pick an amount of time and commit to seeking God daily for the duration.

If you are not a morning person, pray and ask God to give you the self-discipline to get up earlier.  Plan ahead by turning off the TV or computer; close your book or iPad instead of staying up late.  That way you can wake up to be with God first thing in the morning.  Ask Him to help you make it a priority.  He honors our desires to spend time with Him and will enable you to follow through.  Starting your day with God puts you in the right frame of mind to face whatever comes your way.   It is even more important than your need for coffee or a hot shower in the morning.

Not sure how to start?  There is no “magic formula” so don’t worry.  Some people like the ritual of doing the same thing at the same time in the same place every day; others like to mix it up.  The good news is that God is there with you in it, no matter what you choose to do.  Here are a few ideas to try:

-Start by praying and asking God to reveal Himself to you and to show you what He wants you to learn

-Read a devotional to get your mind focused.  There are many to choose from; two of my favorites are Jesus Calling by Sarah Young or My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.

-Read the Bible; if you are involved in a study I think it is OK to incorporate your homework into this time as long as you are using it as a way to hear from God and not just trying to check it off your “to do” list.  If you’re not in a study, try reading the passages mentioned in the devotional so you can see their context.  Another idea is to choose a book of the Bible and to read through a small portion daily (start with something in the New Testament).

-Pray:  You can talk out loud, pray silently, write your prayers in a journal or put on Christian music and sing your prayers.  Consider mixing up your routine by getting up early some mornings and taking a walk while you pray; try listening to worship music on headphones and using it to prompt your prayers.  When you pray, start with praising God for who He is and thanking Him for what He’s done.  I used to think prayer was just asking Him to do what I wanted, but I’m learning that it’s more about aligning my heart to His.  Sometimes I intentionally don’t ask anything about specific situations and just spend time thanking or praising Him.

-Listen to music: throughout your day, try listening to music that focuses your thoughts on God and reminds you of His truth.  If you are not one who follows Christian music, listening to KLOVE at 107.3 FM or The Message on satellite radio are great places to start.

Most importantly, DO NOT beat yourself up if you miss a day!!  We have a God of grace and He is not keeping a record book logging the minutes of the time you spend with Him.  If you miss a few days, don’t give up!  Keep trying.   You will be blessed and God will be honored.

Post a comment and share what you’re learning about submitting your schedule to God!

Sticks and Stones

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“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”  James 3:5-6

The kids are joking and teasing before class starts.  It seems harmless at first until one boy pokes a girl sitting near him.  Holding up a hastily drawn cartoon he exclaims:  “You know what’s uglier than this, picture, Sasha?  Your face!!”  The kids around him laugh.  She winces, but tries to smile and act like it doesn’t bother her.

Jarred by his words, I ask: “What did you just say?”  The grin vanishes from his face, he slumps his shoulders and responds quietly: “I was just joking.” Trying to contain my anger, I address the class of 5th graders who I teach weekly after school:  “I don’t EVER want to hear that kind of joking again.  We do not talk to each other unkindly in this class.  We don’t make fun of each other.  The cruel words you say in a joke are never forgotten.  I still remember mean things kids said to me when I was your age.”  They are startled by the emotion in my words and sit quietly.

Embarrassed, the boy turns to Sasha without being prompted and says sheepishly:  “Sorry, Sasha, I really was joking.”  She tries to smile again but can’t find words to respond.

My emotional response to this boy’s cruel joke came from deep inside me. When I was a child, people used to say: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  Later in life I realized the saying really isn’t true.  Maybe that’s why I relate so much to Beth Moore’s comment in James:  Mercy Triumphs when she says:  “Usually when I’m most passionate about a subject in my teaching, it is either because I struggle with it myself or because I’ve been personally injured by it” (p. 113-114).  Both hold true for me with this topic.  We may be more sophisticated than fifth graders slinging insults, but our hurtful words are no less damaging to our relationships and our community.

The tongue is the strongest muscle in the body relative to its size.  It also wields amazing power and reveals the contents of our thoughts and characters.  Jesus says in Matthew 12:34 “The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”  James is one of the shortest books in the Bible and covers many topics quickly, so it is significant that a large portion of one chapter discusses the tongue and its dangers in such detail.

I’ve had to ask for God’s help consistently to keep my tongue under control.  There are subtle ways I use my words in a hurtful manner.   My guess is that some of them may resonate with you, too.   Here are a few:

Silence when words are needed:

When a conversation turns negative about a person, I’m more inclined to remain silent than to re-direct it for fear of seeming judgmental or morally superior.  It’s easy to speak with boldness to a room of 5th graders who look to me as an authority; it’s much more challenging to cut off the negative words of my peers.  When I do speak up, the words must be chosen carefully, spoken with sensitivity and tempered with grace.  Sometimes I’m too cowardly to do it.  I’m learning to ask God to give me the wisdom and the words when I find myself in those uncomfortable moments where silence might indicate I agree when I don’t.

False Intimacy:

Sometimes we share negative thoughts about someone to feel connected to the person with whom we’re sharing.  We may say something critical under the guise of “needing to vent” and be totally tainting the hearer’s view about the other person.  Conversely, we might goad someone into sharing information that they shouldn’t.  Maybe you’ve been in a situation where a friend shares, “ I probably shouldn’t say this but…”  Do you stop your friend right there or encourage her/him to continue?  Maybe your curiosity gets the best of you and you say, “Go on and tell me, you can trust me.”  You feel privileged to be hearing private information and want to believe you’re mature enough to handle it.  Even if you don’t ever share what’s been said, you’ve been impacted and influenced by it.

Addressing Hurts:

I’m learning the importance of talking to a person instead of about a person-especially in regard to being hurt or frustrated.  If I have a problem with someone, the Biblical response is to address it with that person directly.  Matthew 18:15-17 gives very clear instructions for how to handle this.  Nowhere does the Bible tell us to talk about our problem with others and get sympathy to fuel our fires of indignation.  We also risk unfairly tainting someone else’s opinion of that person.  This can tear a community apart.

Sharing Stories:

If someone has shared personal information with us, it is important to remember that it is not ours to re-tell.  No matter how innocent the information may seem, it does not belong to us.  This goes for stories about our kids, spouses and parents too.  There is no greater way to break trust than to tell a story that wasn’t meant to be re-told.  Sometimes a friend may share something in confidence that we’re tempted to repeat to a different person who doesn’t know her, thinking this is “safe” (especially if we leave names out).  Several times I’ve been told a story about a stranger and later on I’ve met the person.  It’s awkward because I already know a story about him or her that I shouldn’t.  It causes me to prejudge.  When a story is told because it is interesting or “juicy,” we make the person it’s about into a character in a drama rather than a fellow human being.  We can talk about others the way we’d discuss characters in a book or movie.  The difference is they are real people who can be hurt by this.

Prayer Requests:

Asking for prayer for someone else can be a veiled form of gossip.  Sometimes a story is so sad or so ugly that we ache for the person and want others to pray too.  We need to be careful that we don’t share more than we should and that we ask permission before repeating the story and all of its details. Consider asking a friend for prayer about how you can be supporting the person instead of sharing all the ugly details that she might not need to know.  God knows the person’s situation regardless and Romans 8:26 tell us the Holy Spirit will intercede to tell God exactly what is needed!

Positive vs. Negative:

While James spends much time discussing the negative effects of the tongue, it can also have a positive impact.  If our tongues can praise God, aren’t they also capable of praising people?  Don’t we have the chance to set the tone in a situation by the words we say?  Every day we have opportunities to speak with kindness, affirmation and love to those around us- whether it is the checker at Trader Joe’s, our spouses or the neighbor next door.   Our words can bring life and hope to people.  The smallest positive comment can put a smile on someone’s face for the rest of the day.  Sometimes we’re better at affirming people behind their backs than to their faces.  Try sharing your positive thoughts directly and see what a blessing you can be!

If you’ve been convicted by any of the things, know that you are not alone.   I write from experience- these are real struggles in my life.   Through prayer we can trust God to help us keep a reign on our tongues and speak with wisdom.

Where have you seen the power of words in your life?  Post a comment and share some ideas that will inspire others to use words for good instead of evil.

Click on the link below to listen to Josh Wilson’s song “Forest Fire” that is based on James 3:5-6. Music is a powerful way to help God’s truth stick in your mind.

Widows and Orphans: Thoughts on Compassion

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“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says…Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  To look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  James 1:22 & 27

 Tenth Avenue North is a Christian band whose music speaks powerful truth.   A few months ago my son and I went to see them in concert.  The lead singer, Mike Donehey, is not only a great musician, but also a gifted speaker.  Before the concert, he spoke passionately about the importance of serving the needy.  He highlighted a ministry that connects impoverished children with monthly sponsors.  Mike explained that sponsoring a child is sometimes the only thing that keeps him/her from being sold into slavery.  A human trafficker will approach unsuspecting parents in extreme poverty and offer to give them money and take their child to get a “better life” in the city.  The well-meaning parents accept the money, thinking they are helping their child and the rest of the family at the same time.  However, unbeknownst to the parents, the “better life” in the city is actually a life of prostitution.  After sharing this, Mike asked the crowd to consider sponsoring a child, costing just under $40 per month.  The funds cover the cost of food, schooling, clothing and other necessities.  He ended his sharing by saying:  “You don’t need to pray about whether or not to show compassion to widows and orphans because we already know God wants us to do it.”  His directness may make you squirm, but there is no denying the truth of his words.

There are many worthy organizations that offer the option of child sponsorship including Compassion International, World Vision, Children of Grace, Macedonian Outreach and City Impact.  If you don’t already sponsor a child, consider looking into it.  Your monthly giving makes a world of difference to a child and a family in need.

Recently I heard a sermon online by Pastor Jim Wallis.  In it, he describes volunteering at a shelter for the homeless when he was a young man new to the faith.  He loved arriving early for the prayer time before serving the long line of hungry people waiting outside.   As those volunteering bowed their heads, an old woman with a deep faith would lead out with soulful prayers that always ended with: “Lord, we know that you’ll be coming through this line today, so help us to treat you well.”  Wallis was struck by the woman’s understanding of Matthew 25:40: “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”    She knew that when we serve those in need, we are serving Jesus.

With this story ringing in my ears, my family and I decided to participate in a Coat Give Away at City Team Ministries in Oakland in December.  A family of four came through the line with a boy and a girl who were probably 6 and 8.  As I helped the mom comb through the racks for her daughter, the little girl spied a sparkly pink fleece sweatshirt.  Delight shined in her eyes as I helped her try it on.  The sweatshirt fit her perfectly, but had no growing room.  Her mom stood alternately smiling and looking anxious.  It was cute, but not particularly warm.  Pulling a heavier coat from the rack, I held it out:  “This one looks good, do you want to try it?”  It was thick; well made and had plenty of room for growth.  Relieved, the mom thanked me.   Her daughter unzipped the sparkly sweatshirt and started handing it back to me until I stopped her:  “You know what?  That sweatshirt looks so cute on you, I think you need to keep both.”  Gratitude and disbelief flooded their eyes.   Their smiles could have lit up the whole room.  As I walked them out, they were given bag lunches, blankets and a small care package.  The whole family left with warm coats, but I probably felt the best of all of them.  It cost me a Saturday morning, nothing more.

Let me stop you before you think I volunteer in homeless shelters every weekend.  Serving the needy feels awkward and uncomfortable for me.  I don’t know how to do it well or how to fit it into my schedule regularly.  I’m not gifted in it naturally, but I am trying to grow.  I’ve committed to praying and asking God how He wants to show compassion through me.  The rest is up to Him.  I wonder what would happen if each follower of Jesus did one act of compassion consistently.  I think the effects could be astounding.

Compassion is contagious.  Once you start serving, you want to do it more.  When you share what you’re doing with others, they want to join you.   Beth Moore says “Social consciousness beckons each of us across the board, but the ways we could respond are as varied as our holy passions…. God is practical.  He doesn’t ask us to do what doesn’t matter.  What seems a drop in the bucket to you is a sip from the wellspring of life to someone about to thirst to death.  Let’s muster the courage to ask Him to show us who to help and how. True religion is all hands on deck and all heads out of the sand. The mystery is that there, we often find our own healing and fulfilling” (James:  Mercy Triumphs p. 86).

Take a moment to post your thoughts and ideas about compassion.  Just click on the number in the circle to the right of this post’s title above to enter your reply.

Where do you serve or want to serve?  How do you find the time? How have you seen God bless you as you’ve shown compassion to the needy?  Let’s encourage each other to live out this scripture!


Below are the lyrics to a song about compassion by Audio Adrenaline called “Kings and Queens.”  You can also click on the link at the bottom to hear it and watch the music video.  I hope it will bless you and motivate you to serve the needy joyfully!

“Kings & Queens”

Little hands, shoeless feet, lonely eyes looking back at me

Will we leave behind the innocent to grieve

On their own, on the run when their lives have only begun

These could be our daughters and our sons

And just like a drum I can hear their hearts beating

I know my God won’t let them be defeated

Every child has a dream to belong and be loved

[Chorus:]

Boys become kings, girls will be queens

Wrapped in Your majesty

When we love, when we love the least of these

Then they will be brave and free

Shout your name in victory

When we love when we love the least of these

When we love the least of these

Break our hearts once again

Help us to remember when

We were only children hoping for a friend

Won’t you look around these are the lives that the world has forgotten

Waiting for doors of our hearts and our homes to open

[Chorus]

If not us who will be like Jesus

To the least of these

If not us tell me who will be like Jesus

Like Jesus to the least of these

Boys become kings, girls will be queens

Wrapped in your majesty

When we love, when we love the least of these

Then they will be brave and free shout your name in victory

We will love we will love the least of these

We will love the least of these

We will love the least of these

We will love the least of these

We will love the least of these

We will love the least of these

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U64bongHqYU

Every Good and Perfect Gift

IMG_4905“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, the we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.”  James 1:16-18

Gifts.  We all love receiving them.  There’s something so enticing about a beautifully wrapped package concealing something chosen specifically to delight us.  Sometimes it’s even more fun to find the “perfect” gift to give someone else; something you know they’ll appreciate that will communicate your love for them.

How do you feel when you spend the time to find just the right gift for someone; to wrap it with care and send it hoping the receiver will be thrilled?  If you were anything like me, you’d hope for a response from the person the minute the gift was received.  You would be anxious to hear his or her enthusiasm and gratitude.  But, what if you never heard a thing? What if the person received the gift and either neglected to open it or quickly put it aside, forgetting about it entirely?  My guess is most of us would be hurt, disappointed and maybe even a little angry.

I wonder, though, do we ever do the same thing to God?   James 1 tells us not to be deceived and to recognize the good and perfect gifts we receive as being given to us by God.  In Week 2 of James:  Mercy Triumphs Beth Moore says:  “James sets before his readers the God of Heaven and earth who literally, actively, perpetually, and generously gives divine gifts to His children…All of us have received a host of them.  We just don’t always recognize them…God’s gifts are given with goals.  They’re perfect because they’re perfecting.  They don’t just give today.  They give toward every tomorrow”  (p.62).

God gives us gifts every day that we might take for granted:  the predictable rising of the sun, air to breathe; warm shelter; food.  He also gives us more personal gifts including our children, spouses, and friends.  He gives us experiences that shape our characters and refine our faith.

Another set of gifts God gives us is spiritual in nature.  The Bible includes several passages listing out the different spiritual gifts God bestows on His followers.  One verse that sums it up well comes from 1 Peter 4:10:  “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”  In other words, the gifts God gives us are to be unwrapped, enjoyed and used to serve and bless others.  This is how we show Him love and gratitude.  It is also one of the many ways God reveals His glory on earth.  Not taking the time to discover and use our gifts is the equivalent of receiving the perfect present from someone who loves you and not even taking it out of the box!

A few years ago a friend from Bible Study arranged for a small group of women to participate in a spiritual gifts class led by two seasoned women from church.  I asked one of those teachers, Barbara Butlin, to share her thoughts with me on teaching the class and this was her eloquent response:  “I first took the Spiritual Gifts Class in 1991. It was the first time I realized that if I said “yes” to God’s kingdom work, He would be my ministry partner and I could rely on Him to equip me for whatever He called me to do. It was at that point that I began the most wonderful adventure of my life.  I have taught the Spiritual Gifts class at three churches for the past 20 years (10 years at CPC) and have had hundreds of students develop the ability to see themselves and others through God’s eyes. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours and He takes us to deeper levels of understanding throughout our lives with Him. It is a great source of joy to watch as others learn to appreciate how God gifts us and that these gifts are not for themselves but for the purpose of strengthening us and bringing glory to God for all to be able to see God alive and at work in our lives.  He has gifted me so that I can gift others. What I do for Him in love lasts for all eternity.”

Through that class God gave me clarity about my main spiritual gift:  The Gift of Encouragement.  I realized that the areas where I was serving and using my gifts energized me; they didn’t feel like work.  The places where I was serving using my own skills and not relying on God just didn’t fulfill or excite me the same way.  Serving only out of obligation to fill a need didn’t seem to bring as much joy or satisfaction.  The best part about receiving gifts from God is that HE gets all the credit for them, not us.  It’s not being arrogant or prideful to use the gifts God has given you- it’s being obedient and giving Him glory!  God gives us gifts to use so we can bless others and glorify Him.  When we don’t discover, develop and use them, everyone loses out.

Last year during Lent I felt called try an “experiment” with my gift.  Every morning I would wake up and ask:  “God, who do you want to encourage through me today?  Help me to be sensitive to the promptings of your Spirit as I move through my day.”  I was amazed at the ways He answered me over that forty-day period.  It was exciting to have Him place different people on my heart to call, e-mail, write or meet in person.   My family would ask nightly at dinner what God had led me to do.  We loved looking back over the day and seeing the people He placed in my path or prompted me to pursue.  Every time He would use me, I would thank Him for giving me a front row seat in watching Him work.

Guess what?  He can do the same thing in your life, if He hasn’t already.  He can use anyone who is willing to accomplish His purposes using the gifts He’s given.  Have you taken time to discover the “good and perfect” gifts He’s given you?  Have you found places to use them so that you can bless others?  If you haven’t, there’s no time like the present to start.  This isn’t about feeling guilty or doing it because you “should.” It’s about living into what God has prepared for you.

Take a moment to post a reply sharing how God has used your spiritual gifts! Maybe you’ve been inspired to discover them for the first time. Posting a comment could be a way to commit in writing to taking the first step in the process.  Go ahead, unwrap the gift, stand back and be amazed!


Buckle Up and Get Ready for the Ride

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“Sometimes we can know something is right, wonderful, and as it should be yet still be pierced by it.”  Beth Moore tells us in the opening week’s study of James:  Mercy Triumphs.

If you’re a mom, that quote resonates in a way that can bring tears to your eyes.  Watching home videos of our kids in younger days can make our hearts ache.   I used to joke when my boys were younger that I was going to stack books on their heads to prevent them from growing taller.  A few months ago, my thirteen year old surpassed me in height, much to his delight and my chagrin.  In a few years I’ll be buckling my seatbelt as he begins driving. Being a good parent ultimately means that we work ourselves out of our jobs.  We raise our kids and eventually they mature to a point where they are adults standing on their own two feet.  We can lament it or embrace it, but change is an inevitable part of life.  This is “right and wonderful” but it pierces us.

Continual change is a fact of life for kids, but sometimes adults do all they can to keep things the same.  We find our niches and stay put.  We tend to struggle with fairly minor things like switching small groups or deviating from the usual church service we attend.   Welcoming major, life altering changes and perspectives takes us way out of our comfort zones.  However, if we are earnest in our desire to apply the Word of God to our lives, then studying the book of James is not going to let us stay the same.  It is going to stretch us and pierce us to the core.

From the first week of homework, Beth Moore sets the stage:  God uses unsettling things to grow us and to further His kingdom.  She references Acts 11:19-21 and describes how the disciples scattered as a result of persecution after Stephen was martyred.   She says “The very thing meant to stamp out the fires of Christianity only kicked the coals across the land and set a parched forest ablaze” (p.26).  Followers of Jesus fanned out to remote locations to escape persecution, but also continued sharing the good news of Jesus with Jews and Greeks.  Acts 11:21 says: “The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.”

During this time, three men arose as leaders of the Christians:  Peter, John and James.  James grew up in the same household as Jesus.  They were literal brothers sharing the same mother.   Beth Moore says:  “James skyrocketed to a place of tremendous prominence in the early church.  He bounced from doubter to leader in a mind-spinning flash of time” (P. 31).  Peter, John and James are referred to as the “pillars” of the faith in Galatians 2:9.  They extended “the right hand of fellowship” to Paul and Barnabas after they recognized God’s grace in Paul’s conversion.  At the Jerusalem Counsel described in Acts 15, these leaders grappled with hard questions about what it meant to live out the Christian faith- especially for newly converted gentiles.  (Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick goes in depth on this in her “Next Level” articles in Week 1 of the study). Because the church was so new, they had no traditions to follow, no clearly defined protocols or best practices.   They had to rely on the Spirit, the teachings of Jesus and the Old Testament to guide them.  There was no option for saying:  “Let’s do it like this because we’ve always done it that way.”  Tempers likely flared, feelings might have been hurt, but they pressed on.  Life was not predictable or ordinary; it was full of the unexpected and was changing rapidly all the time.

Conversely, today it can be easy to be lulled into complacency and not to feel that same sense of urgency to lean into God and seek His wisdom.  We have protocols and policies.  We know the spoken and unspoken expectations.  If we want to live life by a checklist, we can easily find one.  Sometimes we might follow the Christian lifestyle more than we actually follow Jesus. It’s safer and less messy but not really full of abundant joy.

The book of James is not going to be safe, easy or comfortable to study.   It is going to make us squirm from the very beginning as we study about trials producing joy.  Things will continue to heat up with topics like actions vs. words, faith vs. deeds, taming our tongues, favoritism, wealth and more.  The things we are challenged to think and do are going to pierce us.  However, they are also “right and wonderful.”  So, let’s all buckle our seatbelts and get ready for the ride.  Change is coming, and we’d be wise to embrace it so we can discover all that God has in store for us.

 

Traveling Light with an Eye Towards Home

1991 Europe
In the spring of my junior year of college, I was blessed with the opportunity to study abroad in London.  The program was structured to allow all the students ample time for traveling on weekends.  We even had a ten-day break in the middle of our studies to take adventures to more far flung destinations.

I’ll never forget our first weekend trip.  My friend, Kristi, and I packed up our large travel backpacks and headed to Paddington Station in central London.  By the time we arrived at the station, our backs were already aching and our shoulders were sagging under the weight of our large loads.  What we quickly realized was that the full size bottles of shampoo, multiple pairs of shoes and outfit changes we’d packed led to unbearably heavy baggage.  A few weeks later when we packed for our longer trip, we had learned our lesson and brought as little as possible.  The things that had seemed so important to bring lost their value when we realized how much they weighed us down.

My lesson traveling in Europe seems to fit well with Sheila Walsh’s final chapter in The Shelter of God’s Promises.  As she explores The Promise of Heaven, she likens our time on earth to a short camping trip.  She says: “I think we will all be more than happy to pitch our tent and be in a mode of traveling light because what is ahead is so much better!” (p.196) What things do you need to jettison from your baggage so that you can travel lighter on the journey?

For many people, focusing on this life supersedes thoughts of the life yet to come. Yet, God’s plan all along has been to use this life as a training ground to prepare us to spend eternity with Him.   Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:1-3  “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”  When we fret over earthly things, we are losing sight of truth.  When we focus all of our energy on making life here and now perfect and comfortable, we’ll be disappointed repeatedly.  Sheila Walsh puts it well when she says:  “We will always have an experience here of It isn’t quite what I hoped it would be, or It isn’t quite as fulfilling as I thought it would be.  That is because we were not made to live in our earthly tents for very long”  (p. 196).

I have had the privilege and the heartbreak of watching three different family members go home to Heaven in the last 9 years.  It may sound strange to read the word “privilege” in response to seeing a loved one die, but those experiences have had a profound impact on my faith and my understanding of God.  It’s hard to put words to the experience and of the intimacy of watching someone move from this life to the next.  There is a sense of relief knowing they are no longer suffering, but also the realization that they actually have the better end of the deal.  Something about it makes everything seem more real, more profound- God’s word and promises, our faith, our relationships, the love we share, the hope we have because of who Jesus is and what He has done.  The fussy things of this life seem shallow and meaningless by comparison.  The hurt and the pain are raw and powerful, but the hope and peace are deeper still.   They bring an unspeakable comfort that words cannot adequately express.

Through the journey of grief, I found powerful healing and comfort through songs with themes centered on Heaven.  Some have become like well-loved companions holding my heart in times of intense pain.  I thought it would be fitting to include a few of my favorite titles and artists.  They can point you toward the promise of heaven in a way words alone cannot.  I hope you’ll take time to listen to them, to download the ones you love and to share your own favorites by commenting below.

I’ve included links that will play the songs and show the lyrics.  Carve out ten minutes for a “worship moment”  to listen and  praise God for the promise of Heaven that gives us ultimate joy and hope.


This Is Not My Home by Building 429

I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me

I’ll Fly Away traditional hymn sung by Jars of Clay

Deep Enough to Dream by Chris Rice

Take Me Into the Beautiful by Cloverton

Softly and Tenderly traditional hymn sung by Amy Grant

Untitled Hymn by Chris Rice

I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin

Finally Home by Mercy Me

Candy Canes and College Dorms

Watching old home videos recently, I came across a short clip that brought a smile to my face.  It was a few weekends before Christmas and we’d brought our boys to visit Santa.  At the time, they were about three and five and totally enthralled by seeing Mr. Claus in the flesh:

“What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas?”  The red-suited man asks.  Staring wide-eyed, my younger son stammers shyly:  “A candy cane.”  Reaching into a basket, Santa chuckles, hands him one of the many candy canes he’s been giving out all day and responds, “Here you go!  Santa will try to think of something else to bring you for Christmas day.”  Smiling sheepishly, my boys say “Thank you” and slide off his lap.

We all laughed as we watched the video and my older son, now thirteen, asked his eleven year old brother:  “Why did you ask Santa for a candy cane when you already knew he had a basket of them?  You could have asked him for anything!”

My younger son had no real explanation other than, “Well, I saw the candy canes and I wanted one!”

Sheila Walsh shares similar stories in her teaching on “The Promise of More” in The Shelter of God’s Promises.  She points out that people often ask God to give them things that are familiar and comfortable, but not necessarily best for them.  She admonishes us not to settle for what will satisfy us for a moment when God wants to give us so much more.

Sheila highlights an uncomfortable truth:  “We have more than one hundred prophecies in the Scriptures that Jesus fulfilled.  It is easy to ask how the Jews could possibly miss Jesus being the One.  Yet we miss Him all the time because our appetites are not hungry enough for Him.  Governing the world was not what God has in mind, but rather governing our hearts.”  (P. 177)

In our culture, when we hear “The Promise of More” many of us think in terms of the things we’d like for ourselves:  more money; more time; more success; more respect; more friends; more entertainment; more technological gadgets; more health; more security.  You can probably fill in the blank with any number of things.

We might read a passage like Matthew 7:7-8 and see it as a promise that God exists to fulfill our desires:  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”   At first glance, it seems like an easy promise to claim and to see fulfilled.

However, many of us have prayed for “more” and not seen results or have received answers that look different than we’d expected.    In my life, this is usually because God is looking to change me more than my circumstances.  As we ask and seek, we grow in relationship with Him.  When we repeatedly ask, He begins to move and work at refining our hearts and aligning our desires with His will.  He has more that He wants to give us than what we’re asking for, which is why He usually isn’t interested in quick fixes.  Like the mall Santa with my son, he could grant our shallow requests for a candy cane and send us happily on our way.  However, in His infinite wisdom, He often says “no” to the “candy canes” in our lives that would keep us from seeing the “more” He has to offer.

The first time I experienced this was in my freshman year of college.  Living in Southern California 350 miles from all that I knew and loved I felt lost in a sea of students.  I struggled to embrace the lifestyle in the dorms.  I was constantly surrounded by people, but felt totally alone. I longed to find deep friendships with others who cared about knowing me truly.  Even the campus ministry I attended just didn’t feel like “home” and I had a hard time finding friends there.

In my loneliness, I pleaded with God to bring me a true friend and to help me find my place in the huge, impersonal university setting.  For the first time in my life I began spending time with God consistently.  I combed the Bible for truths I could claim and poured out my heart to Him in the pages of my journal.  I trusted Him in a way I couldn’t trust my new acquaintances and casual friends.  Spending time with God became my life- line and the only thing that gave me the strength and confidence to face each day.  I ached for a true friend, but I see now that God kept that from me until I was totally dependent upon Him.  He wanted me to lean into Him and to develop the deep relationship with Him that I longed to have with another person.  He wanted to give me more of Him than I ‘d ever had before.  Looking back, I remember all the feelings of insecurity and loneliness, but I also recognize how God met me and stretched me. He laid the foundation for a deeply personal relationship with Him that has continued growing ever since.  Eventually He did bring solid friendships into my life, but He also gave me more than that.  He knew what I needed better than I did.

All these years later, I still seek God daily and trust Him to give me the wisdom and confidence to carry me through each day.   I pray for Him to pour out His Spirit on me so that I am filled to over-flowing.  I see now that each time we ask Him for more of Himself in our lives, He expands our capacity to receive Him and to bless others.  When we stop asking Him to do only what we want and instead invite Him to let His will be done, we will see the “more” that He has to offer.

How about you?  Do you see places in your life where you are seeking the world’s version of “more” and missing out on the deeper things God wants to give you?   Where would you like to see Him give you “more” this week?   Post a comment and share it with us!