The Requirement of Obedience

Throughout the Bible there are all sorts of references to the concept of responding to and conforming our lives to the commands of the Bible - a.k.a., obedience.

My pastor preached an awesome, Spirit-led message on obedience this past Sunday. He cited God's promise in the book of Joshua where God essentially says, "Think constantly on my Word. Hold it in your heart and mind day and night so that you will be careful to do everything it says. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8, my paraphrase)

Notice the requirement that we actually "do" what the Bible says - not merely read it and believe it.
Notice the requirement that we do "everything" the Bible says - not just the parts that are comfortable and that require little personal sacrifice.

So, wishing to allow God to really work in me and change me through the sermons I hear on Sunday mornings, I have been meditating on this concept of obedience this week. I have looked at numerous scriptures in the New Testament that imply the same, basic, mandatory-obedience concept: "We know that we have come to know him if we obey His commands." (1 John 1:3)

A while ago I did a summary of all of Jesus' commands just in the book of Matthew.
Check out my list below:

JESUS’ COMMANDS…

-Don’t hide my light within you. Shine brightly (through good deeds) for me.

-Do not have anger or discord in your relationships. Seek and pursue peace and reconciliation.

-Do not entertain lust. Do not look at a man or woman lustfully.

-Do not divorce – except in the case of adultery.

-Do not swear or make oaths. Be such a person of your word that those measures are not necessary.

-Do not retaliate upon your enemy. Love them, pray for them, and try to bless them.

-Do not be showy or prideful with your acts of righteousness. Do what you do in secret – seeking to please God, not seeking to impress man.

-Give. Do not spend your money on earthly treasures. Do not try to amass earthly treasures. Use your money for things of eternal value. Use your money to build-up treasures for yourself in heaven.

-Pray. Pray for God’s Will, not your will.

-Forgive everyone who sins against you. Be merciful to those who wrong you.

-Fast.

- Don’t spend your time worrying over the temporary things of this life. Let concerns of His Kingdom be first in your mind and agenda. Trust that He then will provide all your temporary needs.

-Do not be critical or judgmental toward your brother. Focus first on your own weaknesses and sins.

-In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. Love others like you love yourself.

-Freely give because of how you have freely received.

-Do not be silenced because you are intimidated by man and wanting to be a people pleaser. Be bold in your witness because you fear only God. Be concerned only with pleasing Him.

-DO NOT be an instrument of sin, causing others to sin or leading others into sin.

-Deal SEVERELY with sin, to rid yourself of sin.

-Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, with ALL your mind, and with all your strength.

-Attend to the needs of “the least” of people, serving them as if I were serving Christ; understanding that when I ignore and reject them I am ignoring and rejecting Jesus!

-GO and make disciples of all nations.

From this list alone, I am personally convicted about:

1) Continuing to pursue peace with someone who I know is angry with me

2) Checking my motives when I do "acts of righteousness" so that I am not trying to be seen or praised

3) Not trying to pile-up earthly treasures but rather trying to pile-up eternal treasures which will be earned by giving away my time, my resources, & my money to others for the glory of God in their lives

4) Keeping my mouth shut when I want to say critical, judgmental, or slanderous things about others

5) Caring for the needs of the weak, the small, the poor, and those who could never possibly repay me.

6) Making disciples; intentionally investing my life into teaching others to be true followers of Jesus.

I know that I cannot earn God's love or favor through my obedience. 

Scripture teaches against that just as loudly as it teaches the requirement of obedience.

Still, I want to be obedient.

My Lord, Savior, Creator, and Judge asks it of me. 

I believe that my adherence will produce great and eternal blessing.

What about you? Where do you need to obey today?

HABAKKUK!!!

Did you know that Habakkuk is a kick-butt book of the Bible!?!?

Cloaked in it's way-back-then-language is the awesome and relief-giving message that God has a plan!!! Habakkuk felt angry and confused that godlessness and injustice seemed to prevail, but God reminded him that He was and always is in control. Check out my summary of the book and its message below:

Habakkuk's Complaint:
"How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?... Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?... there is strife, and conflict abounds... justice never prevails... Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?"
(parts of Hab 1:2-4, 13)

The Lord's Answer:
"Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told."
(Hab 1:5)

Habakkuk:
I will stand at my watch... I will look to see what he will say to me."
(part of Hab 2:1)

The Lord:
"The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea... the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him."
(Hab 2:14, 20)

Habakkuk:
"Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known... Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength."
(Habakkuk 3:2, 17-19a)

I Consider My Life Worth Nothing

"In every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." 

(Acts 20:23-24)

I skimmed through the entire book of Acts this morning. I was compelled to do this because of much recent meditation on the responsibility of every Christian and every church to be radically, completely devoted to the service of Jesus and the spread of His gospel. Though I was just seeking to get a quick, overall synopsis of the mission of the early church, I came to a stop when I read and re-read the scripture above, written by Paul.

Paul's attitude of abandonment in toward His work for the Lord Jesus is stunning. It agrees completely with the same attitude of abandonment that Jesus calls us to all throughout the gospels. Repeatedly, Jesus clearly communicates that all of our lives and all of our resources are to be centered around the chief aim of telling others about Him and bringing glory to Him.

I am gripped in my soul as I realize the changes that need to be made in my life in order that I might have the same intentional, impassioned, missional lifestyle that the disciples in the book of Acts had. I have been begging God for the outpouring of His Spirit to work within me the desire and willingness to live in this way despite how hard or sacrificial it may be.

Oh that I might have the same filling of the Holy Spirit that Paul had; the same abandoned determination to testify for the gospel that I will say "I consider my life worth nothing to me!"

The Global Purpose of God's Great Grace

I was born into a context where the gospel of Jesus is relatively accessible. I have heard about Jesus' death on the cross practically since the day I was born. I am overwhelmed whenever I think about where I would be without the gospel. And I am humbled when I consider that I had nothing to do with where I was born. The only reason I have heard the gospel of God is because of the grace of God.

Meanwhile, more than six thousand people groups equaling nearly two billion people still do not have access to the gospel. For generations they and their ancestors have been born, have lived, and have died without even hearing the name of Jesus. They have all gone to hell. I am even more humbled when I consider that they had nothing to do with where they were born either.

So why have I heard the message of the gospel when they have not? Why have I received such mercy from God? This question is not just for me but for all who live where the gospel is accessible and who participate in churches where the gospel is abundant. Why have we been given such immeasurable grace when none of us has done anything to deserve it?

You and I have been given the great mercy of God for a global mission from God. He has called, commissioned, and commanded each of us as Christians to give ourselves to the spread of his gospel in every part of the earth. Every church that passionately loves the gospel of Christ will purposefully live for the glory of Christ among those who have never heard his name.

-from Radical Together by David Platt

CHURCH - Useless Tradition ...or... A Place for True Worship?

Today in Mark 7, I have seen some scripture in a new and piercing light. What I will write may feel offensive to some, but I am highly convicted that God's message is clear and one that we will either respond to or ignore:

A bunch of the religious folks came to Jesus and asked him why His disciples weren't washing their hands before they ate. These religious and seemingly spiritual people insisted upon the keeping of certain traditions that they felt made a person clean and acceptable before God. One such tradition, established by older generations, was the mandatory washing of hands before eating. Their exact words to Jesus were, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders?"(Mark 7:5) Jesus' response to their question was harsh. He called them "hypocrites," told them that they were giving him only lip-service rather than true heart devotion, and that their worship was useless. Finally, He said the words that really struck me: "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men...  You have a find way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions." (Mark 7:8-9)

For those of us who have been in church for years, are an active part of our churches, or have even been turned-off by a poor church experience, I believe this story holds stunning application to church culture. This story, I believe, demands some questions to be asked:
Are we just being religious and going through the motions of man-made traditions? Are we insisting upon the keeping of empty church traditions and programs simply because that's the way things have always been done? Are we continuing in the "traditions of the elders" not because they are effective methods of producing glory for God but simply because we're scared of change and of what unknown things God might ask of us? Are we content to cling to our church traditions because they only require surface-level lip-service rather than costly, life-changing surrender to Christ? Have we actually set aside the clear commands of God's Word and chosen instead to rest comfortably in the keeping of useless church rituals? Are we mistakenly calling those rituals "worship" and fooling ourselves into thinking that God is pleased with our show?

Jesus Offers Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense

John 11 tells a story with a wonderful application to our lives when our circumstances are painful or just don't make sense:


Mary and Martha were the sisters of Lazarus. Scripture indicates that these three were good buddies with Jesus, the miracle worker. It says, "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus" (John 11:5). Yet, when Lazarus gets sick and his sisters send word to their all-powerful Lord so that he can come and heal Lazarus, Jesus did absolutely nothing! "When he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days" (John 11:6).  Jesus explains his inaction by saying, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it" (John 11:4). At this point in the story, I imagine that Mary and Martha may be feeling pretty hurt, even betrayed. They have walked in close fellowship with Jesus, and Jesus has repeatedly proven his ability to perform miracles and heal the sick, yet He chooses to do nothing to heal their brother. Ouch. 


Moving on in the story...... Jesus becomes aware that Lazarus is no longer sick - he has actually died. Listen to Jesus' seemingly not-too-compassionate comment about Lazarus' death: "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe" (John 11:14-15).


Jesus finally went to see Mary and Martha. By the time he arrived Lazarus had been dead for four days! Both of the women said, "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died" (John 11:21, 32). I believe I would have probably said the same thing, maybe with some anger in my voice. But, to their surprise, Jesus told them that their brother would rise again. Jesus looked at Martha, in her grief and anguish, and assured her of who He was and what He could do. He then asked her, "Do you believe?" (John 11:26b). Martha said, "Yes, Lord, I believe!" With Mary, Jesus did not have this sort of spiritual conversation. With her, He cried.


Jesus then went to the tomb and commanded the stone to be rolled away. He said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40)  Sure enough, Lazarus walked out of the tomb alive. Scripture then says that "many" who were standing by witnessing this whole situation put their faith in Jesus.


The application of this story, to me, is clear and powerful:
God will allow us to experience all sorts of pain and circumstances that don't make sense from our earthly perspective. We may feel neglected, forgotten, betrayed, or angry at Him. We know that He loves us and we know that we love Him, and so we wonder why in the world He would allow life to happen like it does.  However, He has a wonderful, eternal plan at work, and He knows that our pain can be "for God's glory.... so that God's Son may be glorified." God is both wise, glad for the dark times because of their potential to grow our faith, and compassionate, crying with us as we hurt. God will work in and through our ugly life circumstances in order to bring us to a place of greater belief in Him. Our belief will enable Him to work wonders.  Then, as others witness our spiritually-mature, faith-filled responses to hard times, they will see the greatness of our God and be drawn to Him.

Yay, God - you have a purpose in the pain!
When life doesn't make sense to me, you are holding everything in your hands.

Growin' Like a Herb!

A couple of months ago Nick brought me home five bags of herb seeds: basil, cilantro, dill, thyme, and parsley. While I felt loved by his gesture, I did have a teeny bit of disappointment because I was just planning to go out and buy already-grown herbs. Wasn't sure how I felt about having to start them from seed and wait for them to grow. Now..... it is official.... I'm thankful it's happened this way. God has taught me a lesson in the growing of my herbs.

Though it seemed like it took forever, the little boogers finally sprouted and poked-through the soil. They grew very slowly at first because the weather was not consistently warm. Then as it became a consistent 95+ degrees outside, they shot up tall and healthy. Where at first I was disappointed in their growth, the heat came and turned them into something I was proud of. Then about a week ago I noticed that though they were tall, they weren't very full or thick. They also sort of stopped growing; like they had done enough and wanted to quit. Well, one night I was making some spaghetti sauce and needed to cut some basil. Then I made some tai grilled chicken and needed to cut some cilantro. To my delight,  within one day it became evident that my cutting on those particular herbs had caused them to really thicken up and produce more! Cutting yielded growth. What might have appeared destructive to a young, new plant actually served to make it stronger and more fruitful!

I see my life and my current circumstances so clearly in this plant-picture.
Over the course of years, God has turned the heat up in my life and caused me to grow stronger and more mature in Him. It was not comfortable, but it was necessary. And now, lest I become too comfortable in my relationship with Him and feel that I have "arrived," He has taken His pruning shears to work once more. My circumstances are uncomfortable. The cutting is painful. But, I know that He has a plan and a purpose that is grander than I can see, and I know that I can rejoice in the growth and fruit that will be produced in me as a result of the trials.

 I hope you can relate to this and find encouragement if you're being cut-on right now.

I Pledge Allegiance to the Bible

I've been helping with our church's Vacation Bible School this week. Yesterday morning in the opening assembly I stood with the children, put my hand on my heart, and said the pledge to the Bible. 

I was not prepared for the emotion that clinched my heart and brought tears to the corners of my eyes. 

I joined my voice with the voices of over 200 other children and adults, and we all said:

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God's Holy Word. 

I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

I will hide its words in my heart so that I might not sin against God.

Dang. Ouch. Ugh.

Read that again. Slowly. Really think about what it says and what it implies.

That's what I found myself doing yesterday (while both fists were clinched on the backs of the two 2-year olds I was wrangling).

When I was growing up, I said that same pledge to the Bible every summer during VBS. 

Oh if I had only grasped and meant the words I said. 

Oh if I had only understood my desperate need to cling to God's Word as my guide and safeguard. 

Then, I wondered, how many within my church and churches all around America would benefit from a regular, somber rehearsal of the Pledge to the Bible. How differently would we live if we really used God's Word as a light to our path and if we really hid it in our heart?

 

Take one book of the Bible for example: 1 Thessalonians. I've been reading and re-reading through it this week. Its authors convey a very serious and dedicated handling of the gospel message, a determination to please God rather than man, and an expectation that such living will be accompanied by strong opposition and suffering that must be endured. These scriptures command us to always be kind to everyone, to minister to one another, to build one another up, and to overflow with love for one another. They command us to be sanctified: dedicated to God and His divine purpose for our lives, devoted to moral and spiritual excellence, pure and separated from the world. I don't know about you, but it is evident to me that the contents of 1 Thessalonians alone are much greater and higher and holier than what my life has looked like so far. 

I have not practiced appropriate allegiance to 1 Thessalonians.

I have not practiced appropriate allegiance to the Bible.

I have been aiming to do much better.

What about you? Do you need to Pledge Allegiance to the Bible?

Recognition of His Power = Recognition of Our Great Need

God has made His Spirit and His power accessible to us. That statement alone is profound.

In Ephesians 1:18-19, Paul prayed that the eyes of our hearts would be opened so that we would understand "his incomparably great power for us who believe." Do we really grasp that? The power of the Creator of the Universe, so huge that it has no comparison, is available to us!!!!!! Paul continues on to say that this power is "like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead." Wow. The power that God utilized to raise Jesus from the dead is the same power that is available to be utilized in the lives of us who believe.

Pondering this truth makes me feel keenly aware of how desperately fallen and needy we all are.
Surely we are experiencing far less that what He intends. I am convinced of it.
The more I see Him, the more I see how desperately I need Him.
The more I come to know Him, the more I cry out for His invasion in my life and the lives of those I love.

I will never have any hope of being who He's called me to be unless His Spirit does a work in me that I will never be able to do for myself.

I will never be able to join with my brothers in a mighty revival of the Spirit of God unless He breaks our hearts and sets them onto a completely new direction.

My church will never have any hope of rising to be the selfless, passionate, and repentant body of believers we've been called to be unless He has mercy and pours of His Spirit upon us.

And so, I'll keep praying.
I'll keep crying out to God to do for me and my family and my church what none of us deserve but what we all desperately need: An outpouring of His Spirit that is so powerful and so personal that it cannot be ignored. An outpouring so persistent that we all are broken-hearted over our sin and alive unto Him who desires to make much of His glory in our lives! I shudder to think of how insignificant our days and years will be if He does not do this.

Ready, Set, Wait.

I shared a piece of advice with a friend yesterday. As soon as it came out of my mouth, it punched me in the gut. It was like the Holy Spirit said, "That advice was for you, Janet. Listen to what you're saying." I kinda brushed it off at the time, but then again this morning I was praying about an issue, and I heard my advice all over again. It was really good advice. Biblical advice that I really need to put into practice. In so many ways thus far in my life, I have not heeded the advice that I gave my friend. So, I figured since it was so applicable and timely for me, it might also be helpful to something you're going through right now.
Are you ready? Here goes.........

It's usually a lot more appealing to be busy and to be doing, doing, doing rather than to wait on God and trust His path and provision. Try to resist the attitude of self-reliance that would have you to believe you must make things happen entirely for yourself. Learn to become comfortable with seeking and waiting - lest in your busyness you miss God's best, right in front of your face.

Oh How Much We Need You, Lord!

I spent a while praying this morning for the leaders and members of my church - including myself and my husband. This week I have a real burden, an urgency, a gut-level realization of how very much we need the Holy Spirit to work in our lives; to deeply convict us of our worldliness and selfishness so that we are broken, repentant, and most able to experience the mighty presence of God when we come together on Sundays to worship.

In the Bible I read of a God whose power is unlimited and who invites us, through Jesus, to participate in that power. That's what I want! That's what I want for my church! And, I'm pretty sure that in order to experience God in this way we will have to become far more broken, far more hungry, far more submitted to His ways, and far more determined to seek Him above all other pursuits of our lives.

After I prayed I was reading in Isaiah about God's people, the rebellious nation of Israel. They forsook the Lord, turned their backs on Him, and went their own way time and time again despite hundreds of years of His divine care and provision for them. Their's is such a sad story. And as I read, I was saddened by how much we, the church, may be mirroring their sad example:

The Lord has spoken:

"I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox (notoriously dumb animal) knows his master, the donkey (notoriously dumb animal) his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand." Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt... They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.... Their land is full of silver and gold; their is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; their is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. 

Isaiah 1:2-4, 2:7-9 (parentheses mine)

Holy Spirit have your way in us - that we will experience this life as God has intended, not as we wish. 

Come Lord Jesus and teach us how to let you truly be Lord.

The Fatherless.....Singing of Their Father

Some friends of ours are considering a foreign adoption. Aware of the fact that adoption is such a literal and wonderful enaction of the gospel message, I decided to have a look this morning at what the Bible has to say about the "orphan" and the "fatherless." Did you know that there are over 30 verses in the Bible where God clearly expresses His compassion and concern for the fatherless? He also clearly instructs His people to be active in caring for the fatherless.

God makes me more and more aware that His work on this earth extends so very far beyond my American existence. He is turning my heart to be aware of needs all over the world. It's exciting to be growing. I can't help but wonder in what ways He will continue to convict Nick and I regarding our responsibility to reach beyond ourselves and into the lives of the lost, the poor, and the fatherless around us.

When Our Circumstances Just Don't Make Sense.....

In my last blog I addressed the truth that often God Himself will orchestrate dark, difficult, or painful times in our lives for the purpose bringing-about His glory. I think it was really good. I hope you read it. Then again I may be fooling myself to believe that anyone's actually reading my ramblings :). I'm inclined to keep writing, though, cause most of the time I'm writing for my self as much as for yall. I find it helpful in more fully processing the truths that God is teaching me. Anyway.......back to business......

In reading through the book of Job this week, I'm finding plenty of scripture that exposes our correct response during the hard and hurtful times of our lives. When our circumstances just don't make sense, when things aren't going as we wished or as we expected, when we feel we're being dealt an unfair, raw deal - WE CAN HAVE PEACE.

Peace in the midst of pain.
Peace in the midst of uncertainty.
Peace in the midst of trial.
Peace in the midst of sickness.
Peace in the midst of seeming hopelessness.
Peace because God is good, sovereign, and wise.


As I pointed out last time, God invited Satan to ruin Job's entire life and family. So, Satan ruined Job's entire life and family - as God stood by and watched! Job - confident in His God - responds amazingly with complete submission to God's wisdom and ways. In the midst of unfathomably horrible circumstances, listen to Job's words:

"Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job 2:10


"Indeed, I know that this is true.... His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.... He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." Job 9:2a, 4a, 10


"In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.... To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his." Job 12:10,13


"Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him..... Indeed, this will turn our for my deliverance." 
Job 13:15-16

I don't know about you, but I'm convicted! Lesson learned for today: God is awesome and completely in control - so I need to be confident in Him and quit worrying about my circumstances. They will happen exactly as God wills. And, when His will doesn't feel particularly good to me, I still have the responsibility to respond with peaceful confidence in who He is. Got it!

God Will Not Always Make Us Happy

I have been struck lately at seeing how often God Himself orchestrated undesirable, hopeless, and painful circumstances for people in the Bible.

In the book of Job, God invites Satan to ruin Job's entire life and family. Satan does exactly that - as God stands by and watches.

To the children of Israel He said: I am going to give you the Promised Land! To take it, however, the thousands of you must first cross a massive, flooding Jordan River. After you have done that, you will need to conquer the mighty city of Jericho. It is well established, with massive walls for protection, and I know that you don't really have any weapons or trained soldiers or anything like that. But, no need to worry - I've got a winning battle plan. Are you ready? Here it is: Form a line, march around the city for seven days, and blow your trumpets........... Geez.

In the book of Judges, we read about how the Israelites are attacked for years by the powerful and oppressive Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern peoples. God came to Gideon, the least member of the smallest clan of Israelites, and said, "I will make you a mighty warrior to defeat the Midianites!" Surprisingly, Gideon bought-into God's plan. Gideon gathered the troops for battle - over 30,000 men! But......are you ready.....check out what God says: "No, no, Gideon, that's far too many troops. You only need 300. Send about 29,700 of your men home, and with the remaining 300 you'll be able to defeat these mighty tribes of thousands of men that have been destroying your people for years." Once again.........geez.

Then, we see God orchestrating discomfort and temptation for Jesus himself. In Luke 4, we read of how the Spirit of God intentionally led Jesus into the hot desert for 40 days for the express purpose of being tempted by the devil!

In all of these accounts we see the hand of God orchestrating circumstances that seem painful, heartbreaking, hopeless, very uncomfortable, and very very challenging. On each occasion, His one motive is clear: To accomplish glory for Himself in lives of His people.

Who are we to assume that God will not similarly author hard and heavy circumstances in our lives for that same goal of bringing glory to Himself?

His one and main agenda for the lives that He has given us is not our happiness.
He is chiefly concerned with the accomplishment of His glory.

Note to Self: Bless Your Husband

This morning as Nick was leaving for work I had one of those warm-fuzzy moments where I thought, "Gosh, I love him so much. I want to bless him so much." And, this was quickly followed by thoughts of frustration that I don't stay in that frame of mind all the time.

To be clear, I think I'm doing a pretty decent job of loving and blessing my husband. I hope he feels that way, and I hope others see it as well. For several years now, I have identified this as one of the highest priorities of my life. God makes it clear in His Word (Genesis 2:18, Proverbs 31:10-12, 1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 5:22-24, Colossians 3:18, Titus 2:3-5, 1 Timothy 5:14) that a wife possesses a chief responsibility of submitting to, respecting, serving, helping, and enhancing the quality of her husband's life. I have embraced those responsibilities and have been trying my best. There are times, like this morning, when I am filled with desire to excel as Nick's wife because of an overwhelming heart of gratitude for who he is and all that he does for me. However, I hate to admit, there are also regular times when my attitude becomes moody, snappy, critical, and naggy. Because of stress or fatigue or a multitude of other reasons, it is easy for me to not communicate to Nick the love and appreciation that are really in my heart.

Judging by how I see and hear other women interacting with their husbands, I am not alone in this struggle.

So, I wanted to tell you about a little exercise that I have done this morning:
I have written myself a short note that I will keep here at the house. I have reminded myself of how much of a blessing Nick is, how much he does for me and gives to me, how much he sacrifices for me, and how much I really want to bless him in return. I will read this note-to-self each day before he comes home from work. Hopefully then, having freshly reviewed my commitment to bless and honor him, our evening hours together will be full of love and respect and notably absent of moodiness and naggy-ness :).

Praying to be Hungry

I went out for a walk this morning to pray. It was a very welcome time, as it has been a week or so since I have really unloaded my heart to the Lord in focused prayer. I so enjoy praying while walking. For some reason I have far more focus while walking than while sitting in peace and quiet, and the brisk pace of my feet seems to fuel my passion as I talk with God. As I was marching around the neighborhood this particular beautiful day, I noticed something that I have been noticing quite a bit lately: that is, how often I pray that people will have a hunger for the Word of God.

A hunger for the Word of God will cause us to prioritize time in His Word - and thereby discover in scripture any and every needed help for the issues of our lives!

I see so many needs surrounding me:
People needing direction in careers and major life decisions, Christians with misplaced priorities, apathetic and selfish Christians, troubled family relationships, victims of others' sin, young people being pulled into darkness and worldliness, Christians desperately needing to retain and respond to the Truth that they are taught, folks struggling with commitment to a church body, consuming materialism that prevents us from embracing the sacrificial call of Christ, stale religiosity and ritual within the church, a lack of love and respect within marriages, confusion in knowing God's Will, and the list goes on and on and on and on......

And so often, as I recognize these needs in my life and in the lives of those I love, this is my urgent, gut-felt prayer:
GOD, GIVE THEM MORE OF A HUNGER FOR YOUR WORD!!!

You see, I know that one of the most powerful ways that God will deliver His powerful assistance to our circumstances is through the wisdom He has revealed in His Word. I have discovered that His Word is a wealth of help and strength and direction and correction and counsel. All that we need for life and godliness is within the pages of God's Word. There is no issue that we will face in life that is not addressed in the Bible. Time and time and time again I find myself realizing that my issues and those in the lives of others would be so easily fixed if we would just consult and put into practice the principles of scripture. I know that the power of God is available in His Word to address every hurt and every need. So rather than always worrying and fussing and praying over the specific details of all the different circumstances, I sometimes simply pray that people will be hungry for God's Word. I pray that the Holy Spirit will work in lives to replace worldly appetites with an appetite for the Word. Then, as people are regularly seeking God through the Bible, I know that He will speak to them exactly what they'll need for their circumstances.

Even the issues that are not addressed in the Bible really are addressed :).
God's silence on some issues is, in itself, His guidance. Since He did not feel the need to address a particular issue in His Word, He obviously has other things that are of higher priority for our lives. We need to first make sure we're prioritizing what He has clearly addressed in His Word. Once we have done this, we will have the wisdom and the filling and the freedom of the Holy Spirit to know what decisions to make in those gray areas of life that aren't clearly spelled-out in the Word.

If you are a person whom I know or love, I very likely have prayed for you on different occasions. And, I very likely have asked God to give you a hunger for His Word. In asking that, I know that I am praying for God to draw you to His #1 source of aide for the circumstances of your life!

Materialism: a Blindspot in Christianity Today

Regarding Christian wealth and affluence in the midst of our poverty-stricken world, consider the following quote by a pastor whom I greatly, greatly respect:

There is no difference "between someone who willfully indulges in sexual pleasures while ignoring the Bible's teachings on moral purity and someone who willfully indulges in the selfish pursuit of more and more material possessions while ignoring the Bible's teachings on caring for the poor."

The Amount and The Purpose of Our Abundance

Consider the following quote from economist Robert Heilbroner. He describes the luxuries that a typical American family would lose if they lived among the one billion destitute and hungry people in poverty-stricken India:

We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything  goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, and a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in one wardrobe his one oldest suit or dress and a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.

We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards... The box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued because they will provide much of tonight's meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.

The bathroom must be dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. 

Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed.... Communications must go next. No more newspaper or books - not that they are missed, since we must take away the family's literacy as well. In our shack we will allow one radio

 Now government servies must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms... There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely...

Finally, money. We will allow our family a large cash hoard of five dollars.

We live in America. Whether upper class or lower class, we have all been born into privilege. We have so much while others have so little. And with this abundance and privilege, I am seeing, comes responsibility. What should be my response to the unearned favors that fill my life?

Through scripture, it seems that God gives only one correct response to abundance: sharing.

God gives some people more than they need so that they can be channels of blessing to others. The Bible commands that all believers show love for the needy all over the world. A very large portion of those needy brethren right now are in Asia and India. The wealthy brethren are in the United States, Canada, and a few other nations. The conclusion, it seems, (according to 2 Corinthians 8:13-14, 1 John 3:14, 17-18, and James 2:14-17) is this: The affluent believers must share with the poorer churches.

Nick and I have not been doing this. We have, in fact, been completely ignorant to the needs of the world around us. 

But now - we're aware. 

I'm praying we'll be obedient with the knowledge we now have. 

Certainly, it won't be comfortable. But it will be necessary.

My Epiphany On Beauty...

Several weeks ago I posted a blog about how my body was doing crazy stuff and how I was gaining weight despite a very careful and healthy diet and the most intense workout program I've ever participated in. Well, as I continue in that 6 day/week exercise program and as my body continues in a number of ways to be very abnormal, God continues to work with me and convict me about the foolishness of worrying over my physical body and weight.

This week I studied Isaiah 60 pretty extensively. Though this is a chapter that literally prophesies about the future Kingdom of Christ and God's promises to Israel, God showed me great personal application regarding the concept of the physical man vs. the spiritual man. I hope what He has shown me will convict, enlighten, and challenge you as well.

Throughout Isaiah 60, the people of Israel are told that the "light," the "glory," the "brightness, " and the "splendor" of the Lord was upon. Because of this all the nations of the earth would proclaim the praise of the Lord and honor the Holy One of Israel. Because of the presence of God within them and upon them, the entire world would be drawn to them and to the living God. What splendid beauty these people must possess to be that influential and that attractive!

Then it occurred to me - this is how I am to live. I am to allow the light, the glory, and the splendor of the Lord to so radiate through me that I possess the truest and most powerful form of beauty everywhere I go. Not the beauty of the most stylish clothes or the most chiseled figure or the most clear complexion - but the most beautiful beauty of all: that which flows from a heart overflowing with love and obedience to Jesus. When I pursue and emphasize the cultivation of this sort of spiritual beauty in my life, I will be most capable of attracting others to the Holy One of Israel. When I focus on allowing His splendor to fill me rather than focusing on the external shape or condition of my body, others will see Him in me and be captivated by His beauty. They will see and want the radiance that I have. They will be drawn to Christ.

I must come out from under the deception that my physical body is worthy of such worry and such attention that I neglect the constant growth of my spiritual beauty.

I have been created for the display of the Lord's splendor (Isaiah 60:21). To wish for the display of personal physical beauty more than the influential beauty of His indwelling Holy Spirit is wrong.

I am awake and alert.
Alert to the enemy who would have me to focus on me.
Alert to the system of the world which tells me the lie that physical beauty is, above all things, prized.

I am ready to lay down the emphasis and worry that I've given to my physical body. It will do what it will do. God is sovereign over my body, and I need not concern myself with such temporal matters.

I will instead embrace Isaiah's command:

"Arise, shine, for your light has come... the glory of the Lord rises upon you... the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you... He has endowed you with splendor."

Isaiah 60:1, 2b, 9b

DO The Good You Ought To Do

James 4:17 says,

"Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

I am stunned anew by the amount of sin in my life; by how far I am missing the mark of what God has commanded of me as His follower. Below is a list of "good" things that the Bible very very clearly lays-out I am to be doing. In carefully reviewing and chewing on each good act, I must honestly admit that I have not been doing these things very well. Because my life has been too full of self-centeredness and "more pressing issues." I have known the good I ought to be doing, but I have not been fully doing it. 

I have been in sin.

Review this list with me:

Share your food with the hungry (Isaiah 58:7, Proverbs 22:9, Acts 20:35)

Provide the homeless with shelter (Isaiah 58:7, Matthew 6:2, Proverbs 19:17)

Work to alleviate the needs of the poor and the oppressed (Isaiah 58:10, Matt 6:2, Ps 82:3, Prov 21:13)

Bless and pray for anyone who mistreats or does evil against you. (Matthew 6:39-42, 44)

Use your time and your money to gain eternal treasures. (Matthew 6:19-24, 2 Corinthians 8, Luke 12:33)

Speak "only" what is helpful for building others up. (Ephesians 5:29, Ephesians 4:11)

Consider others as better than yourself. (1 Corinthians 10:24, Philippians 2:3-4)

Prioritize inner, spiritual beauty rather than vanity and physical beauty. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

Love the Lord with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your strength. (Deut 6:5,10:12, Matt 22:37)


In considering all of these good works that are supposed to characterize my life, I have 3 main conclusions:

1) I must do better.
It is not enough to just avoid all the bad things. I need to also walk in the good things that are clearly commanded of me in the Bible. This will require self-denial - making the needs of others and the agenda of God more important than the issues of my own life. Jesus did not die just so I could have eternal life. He died so that I could be reconciled to God and therefore be an instrument of His love - through good works - to people in the world.

2) I need the filling of the Holy Spirit.
In my own strength and determination, I will not be able to be who God has called me to be. My only hope of impacting this world the way Christ has asked me to will be through the indwelling Holy Spirit who compels and empowers me to accomplish what I have neither the motivation or ability to do on my own.

3) I am so thankful for Jesus.
As much as my heart longs to be obedient to the Father by embracing a life of sacrificial good works, I know I will fail. I am human, I am sinful, and no matter how much I try, I will continue to fail. I will never live this life at a perfect level of holiness. Therefore, the blood of Jesus that covers my sin and my shortcoming is very, very valuable. Thank you, Jesus!