Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Who Do We Need To Carry To Jesus?


My Prayer Chair!

One of the first miracles I came across in my study of Mark this morning was the healing of the mother-in-law of Simon (later called Peter). The bible says that Peter told Jesus about his mother-in-law who laid in bed sick with a fever and Jesus went into her and helped her up and she began to wait on them. A side note here that always makes me snicker a little is maybe Simon only told Jesus about his sick mother-in-law because he needed someone to cook the meal. I guess I have heard too many mother-in-law jokes!

I also found a poor paralytic who could not move on his own, being lowered down by his friends, to Jesus through the opening they made in the roof of the house where Jesus was healing. Jesus took pity on the man and said “Take up your mat and walk”!

As I continued through the gospels, I found that Jarius came to Jesus pleading for the life of his daughter. Upon seeing the little girl Jesus took her hand and said “My child get up”!

Another time a Royal Official came begging for his son who was near death, Jesus said “You may go, your son will live”.

Maybe one of my favorite accounts of a miracle was Mary and Martha who sent word to Jesus that “The one you love is sick”. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

In all of these stories told of the miracles of Jesus, someone else had to bring them to Jesus either physically like the paralytic or by bringing the request that Jesus come to them.

I thought of the times I was called to not only pray for someone but to bring Jesus to them, like some we read about this morning. Sometimes we bring Jesus to someone who didn’t know him but usually in times of trouble we bring Jesus afresh to a weary soul. It seems at times there have been obstacles like the men who lowered the paralytic down to Jesus. Many times Jesus seems far off, but even so we pray for those He loves.


As I read these accounts, I thought of those who promise to pray for my daughter who suffers from bipolar disorder. Many times, in all of our lives, we are unable to pray on our own behalf and need others to take us to Jesus. Many times I have used the words of Mary and Martha as they sent word to Jesus “the one you love is sick”. I pray for those Jesus loves, which is everyone, when they are unable to pray or in some cases unwilling to pray. I pray for those who are sick of body, sick of mind but also sick of soul. I pray for the discouraged!

I am so grateful for all of those who pray for my dear Nealy as she goes through this very difficult time. Pray for healing and remind the Lord often that “the one you love is sick”! Thanks for all the prayers!

Visit her Facebook page “My beautiful life as a bipolar pastor’s wife”.



Friday, October 26, 2012

A Gift!



I come to you today from the great state of South Carolina but my heart found itself in Psalms 127 and 128 two of the Songs of Ascent concerning the home and families.

October 10, 2012, little Evelyn Elizabeth made her entrance into our lives and hearts. She is nine pounds one ounce of pure beauty, in my grandmotherly opinion! Yesterday was a day of reflection for me as I thought of my own babies and their entries into the world but I thought greatly about this little girl's future as her brand new life begins. what kind of world will be hers? What kind of strengths will she need to thrive!

I love the beautiful words in Psalm 127.

Children are a gift from the Lord ;
they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior's hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates. (Psalm 127:3-5 NLT)

I like the analogy of "arrows in the hands of a warrior". An arrow that is not directed goes no where, it makes no difference how beautiful, or strong. So parents are to direct their path and send them flying to hit the ultimate target which is to know the God of their parents. This heavenly little soul will need the nurturing of loving parents to guide her as to which way she should go.

Then in Psalm 128 the last two verses it says:

May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
May Israel have peace! (Psalm 128:5, 6 NLT)

I especially like the part about grandparents, "may you live to enjoy your grandchildren" because Evvie, I truly enjoy being your Grandma already!

Praise you Father God for this awesome blessing! Amen!






Sent from Jeanie!

Behind The Face!

 
 
 
 
Many years ago I attended a clown ministry clinic. There I was taught to use clown face makeup to create my unique clown face. My eyes were embellished with paints to make them look larger and of course happy, on one cheek I put three happy balloons, on the other a big red heart and of course a big smile that exaggerated my own. I donned a bright yellow wig as well as a bright colored suit in red, green, blue and of course yellow to match my hair. I loved my clown face and through the years, I used it willing for many VBS programs and children’s programs.  Unfortunately, even though the face paint has dried up and been thrown away at times I still hide behind a “false face”.
Sometimes I wear a smile when my heart is broken! Do you do the same? As a Christian sometimes we feel we should put on the face of victory when we feel anything but victorious. For some reason we think we can’t let down the mask to expose our true feelings or the true condition of our hearts. After all we have an "image" to protect!   The bible calls this pride! When we are too proud to say “I just don’t have it all together, right now” we actually rob God of an opportunity to be glorified in our lives. We rob others of the opportunity to see God work in our lives.
Imagine with me a man at the bottom of a deep, dark pit. The man calls for help to those who pass by but they offer him no help. Discouraged, he settles down to die alone in that pit but just as he is about to give up, he hears rustling at the top of the pit and loose rock begins to fall on his head. After a few minutes a stranger appears right beside him. Instead of being happy the man scolds the stranger, “why have you jumped down here with me, now we are both lost?” At this the stranger picks the man up and in a calm voice says “No, we are not lost! I’ve been here before, I will show you the way out!”
In order to help others we need to drop our masks, our pride, and admit we have been there before as we point to God as the only way out.
 
In a world that is filled with people who are not authentic, people long to know someone who is!  Aren't we, as Christians, to be real in our beliefs that God is the only Way!
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Leave Your Porch Light On!

Picture of Jenna with yellow fall flowers "strewn" in her hair!
 
 
I love to decorate my house with  beautiful fall colors as well as those things I have packed away for this special season! I dig out my gold and orange leaves and strew them with abandon! Those fall candles will be lit with fragrances such as "pumpkin pie" or "apple crisp" which will serve only to make me hungry, which means the recipes for fall yummies will have to be found also! I love it all from wiener roasts to caramel apples and isn't there just something wonderful about the crisp air and the chill of that first frost? Not to mention, by months end, we we have the fun of Halloween! Bonfires, Jack-o-lanterns and of course, those Tricker Treaters!

I remember one year that I was the only house on our side of the street to turn our porch light on! So, as you can imagine, little princesses, super heroes and devils in red suits all made a bee line to our door with their little bags in hand. Again and again we filled our candy bowl and finally ran completely out of everything! The only thing left to do was turn off our light (and hide)!

Today as I praised God for all He is doing with my writings, I was suddenly aware that I had just flipped on the porch light! The devil made a bee line for me! I suddenly felt inadequate and Satan seemed to say "Who do you think you are? Do you really think those "hokey" posts on your blog makes any difference?" Along with those nagging doubts, I also felt a chill as I remembered so many people saying that when they began touching lives for Jesus, the devil laid every manner of trouble on them! The "suggestion" came to me to reevaluated and see if the insignificant things that I might be able to do would be worth the battle that Satan would wage against me.

My first response was to turn out the porch light and HIDE!

But as I opened my bible I came across a man called Gideon! Gideon had turned out the porch light and was hiding when the angel of the Lord came to him and said that he was chosen to go out against the Midianites who had oppressed his people for many years! The angel of the Lord said to Gideon "the Lord is with you mighty warrior! But the first words out of Gideon's mouth was "pardon me Lord" but...........! I've been there haven't you? The Lord then turned to Gideon and said, "Am I not sending you?". Again Gideon replied, "pardon me my Lord" but did you happen to remember that I am really a nobody as well as my family!

The Lord answered, "I WILL BE WITH YOU, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive." (Judges 6:16 NIV

You see, anytime you or I do something to help build the Kingdom, even if we think it is insignificant, Satan gets scared and does everything he can think of to make us turn out our porch light and hide but, "pardon me" didn't the Lord say "am I not sending you, Mighty Warrior?". I WILL BE WITH YOU!

If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay posts of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 Message


So take that devil, my porch light is still on!
 
Excerpts from an earlier post.











Sent from Jeanie!

Clean Your Cookie Jar!

Today my computer moaned and groaned and begged for some attention. From what I got from the dumb thing is “Its “cookie” jar runneth over, so I clicked on the appropriate places to have those “cookies” removed. Finally after much ado, a message came up that alerted me that the cookies had been removed and I had gained much needed space on my PC. Great!

Sometimes life is like my computer, it runneth over with too much stuffeth! I find myself rearranging it and prioritizing it but some stuff just needs to go. Like worry for instance! And anxiety! Guilt! Have you ever found yourself feeling guilty for not worrying? I sometimes think if I am not worrying about a situation I’m not doing my duty as a Christian, a wife or as a mother. I wrongly, consciously or unconsciously think, if I let up on worry the whole thing will crash.

I have thought about this a lot lately! How joyful can I be if I am always worrying? In fact the bible says “The joy of the Lord is my Strength” but can joy and worry abide on the same “hard drive”? Where is my strength if I have no joy? So many times in the bible we are told to cast our burdens on Him to let Him handle them.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Matthew 6:27

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Matthew 6:28

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' Matthew 6:31

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

If joy has been beat out with worry, you need to reboot! Allow the joy to come back into your soul and delete worry. Easy? No! Possible? Yes! If it had not been possible there would not be so many references to it in the Word. Okay, now my cookies are gone so I will start today to hand my burdens over to the only one who can help anyway!

 

 

 

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Unfathomable!


After graduating from high school, I did what many girls did if they didn’t plan to go to college or get married, I got a job in one of the factories in our city. I went to work in the General Electric factory making radios and record players. My job was to sit in front of an assembly line and put diodes in a circuit board. The line moved along (swiftly) and as it pasted me I put in my 6-10 diodes. Very tedious work but the money was good at a whopping $2.02 an hour. After I did my part, someone else did theirs and on and on the little circuit board went until finally the radio was complete and was put into a cabinet with a record player. Eventually it could be put into boxes and sold to those who could afford such a luxury.
I wondered back then, who could come up with such a genius thing? “Technology!” what would they think of next? I knew that there was some genius somewhere thinking of the whole thing and then setting up factories, like the one I worked at, to make and distribute them.
In all the time I worked there this genius never showed up to watch over my shoulder to see if I got it right. There wasn’t even a telephone call to see if everything was going okay nor did he put a stamp of approval on each set as it went out the door. He didn’t go home with each set to take care of it or personally give the buyer instructions on how to make it work best. He merely birthed an idea and left it to others to carry his idea to completion.
Unlike the “creator” of this gadget from the 60’s, God, our creator, watched and participated, in our lives from conception. Even in His “genius” of creating a human being, he did not just set up factories to make each of us but he knew each of us intimately from our conception until we were fully formed in our mother’s womb. He didn’t just send us out with a five page instruction manual but has never left us and even at this moment knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Psalm 139 tells of the intimacy with which God the Father cares for His creation (us). David the psalmist says “O Lord, You have searched me and know me”. According to the psalmist, He knows my thoughts, He even knows when I sit down or rise up. Amazingly, it doesn’t matter where we go He is with us. David even has to say “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: It is too high. I cannot understand it”. One commentary says “poetic language is used to express the unfathomable, that God sovereignly crafts us according to His will”. Brilliant, isn’t it!
As I was privileged, again, to watch another grandchild born, I couldn’t help but wonder what this little baby was crafted to be. How wonderful that the sovereign God who created her will go with her all the days of her life. Where can she go, that God would not go with her? The unfathomable truth is nowhere! I have to say with David such knowledge is too wonderful and too high for me!
What holds true for this baby girl goes for each of us no matter our age!

  •  O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
    Psalm 139 1-3
     
     

    Wednesday, October 10, 2012

    The Great Hiccup Theory!

    “But Doctor, I protested, I have this “hiccup theory”! It was at one of my last visits to doctors office before I gave birth to my second child. “I have this theory, I have hiccups up high at the same time I have hiccups down low”, I explained as I waved my hands to show how the hiccup musical would go. I think I am going to have twins. “No, no I only hear on heart beat so I am pretty sure that it is just one” he said with the smugness that only a man who had not had a baby could have. But …you know I have twin brothers, right?” “Yep but I still think there is just one” and with that his eyes went to the chart that he had been scratching my statistics on. “And oh, how about all this weight I have gained and the fact that that already I can hardly turn over in bed by myself!?  Without even glancing up he smugly proclaimed, “Too much pie and cake would be my best guess”!  A doctor has never came closer to death and survived!

    When I got home Larry quickly asked, “What did the doctor say about the “ole” hiccup theory?”  Again, I pushed homicidal thoughts from my  hormonally challenged mind.    I reluctantly told him that the doctor had shot down my theory and that I was having just one.” “See I told you it was just one” he gloated. I had no choice to back away from the idea of twins but I just couldn’t completely forget that I had prayed for twins (crazy I know).

    As predicted, right on my due date we made out trek to the hospital to have my baby and while I was in labor my mind went to the matters at hand and I gave “twins” no more thought.

    As they wheeled me into delivery room I was sure a single birth was what I would have but as I delivered my sweet baby girl, the nurse noticed that there was another one hanging around in there. I was so glad they noticed! And low and behold the “hiccup theory” was right, out came my second baby girl. Surprising all concerned, I delivered two healthy baby girls.

    The doctor went to the waiting room with the news to Larry.  "I have good news and bad news", he said. Confused, Larry wondered what he meant when he explained. “The good news, I will only charge you for delivering one, bad news there are two!” I wish I could have been there to see Larry’s face as he was given that news.

    They bundled us up and wheeled us out to the nursery where I found their Daddy murmuring about two of everything but it wasn’t long before he stood pointing at my “hiccup girls” and proudly claiming the two wrinkled babies wrapped tightly in pink bearing the names, twin 1 and twin 2 as his own twin girls.

    From that day until now my heart has been filled with gratitude to God for these two wonderful girls who arrived unexpectedly (by some) on this day 40 years ago. One of my favorite scriptures always make me think of these two wonderful women.


     Happy Birthday Twin 1 and Twin 2! I love you so much Kelly and Nealy my hiccup theory!


    I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6
     

    Monday, October 8, 2012

    Be Still!


    In my devotions today which was centered around Psalm 46, I was challenged at the question posed.  Question;  In what circumstances do you feel powerless or helpless?  Think about those times when you wanted to do something---anything---to solve a problem or affect an outcome but cannot.


    How many of us have watched as those closest to us have made decisions that we felt were wrong but were unable to change their minds.  Mental illness, to me, seems most frustrating as it robs its victims of almost everything even the ability to reason well but most frustrating is the constant struggle and an inability to help.  Most heartbreaking would be that Prodigal that strikes out for “distant lands” leaving God behind.  HELPLESS!  POWERLESS!  


    My husband and I talked about this just a few days ago, “Where does God want us to be at those times?”  How do we deal with things out of our control?  Should we sit back brokenhearted or is there victory over even those things we cannot help or change?  How can there be peace, let alone joy, for us when those we love are hurting?  

    You don’t have to go too far into the Psalm to get the gist of this message.  

    Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.  So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.

        Have you ever had an “earthquake” size problem hit you only to find you were powerless to do anything about it?  Has heart break roared like an ocean and the waves of hurt threaten to take you out to the sea of despair?  Nothing brings despair like watching the waves and being helpless to do anything about it.  

    But as we get into v4, I was glad to read that joy can and should be found in our God even in such times.  We are promised if we dwell with God we cannot be destroyed as God will protect us.  I am encouraged as the scriptures tells us to “Be still and know that I am God”.  In some versions we are told to stop striving.  Stop striving against the quaking ground or the roaring oceans, only God can help us in these times of trouble.  Only God can bring joy in the midst of these storms.  Only God is Powerful in our powerlessness, an ever present help in our helplessness.  Stop striving and find joy again as God promises to dwell with you!  

    Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”
    Psalm 46:10












    Sunday, October 7, 2012

    Celebrating Evelyn (Beautiful Bird)!


    Evelyn means “beautiful bird”! But to us who love her already she is our tenth grandchild, my daughter Missy and son-in-law John’s second daughter, and baby sister to Jenna! She is to be born in a few days and we can’t wait to meet this little girl.
    I remember a celebration that took place about eight months ago when the pregnancy test came out to be positive. My daughter has been plagued with miscarriages so she has known the hopes of a new child only to have hopes and happiness very quickly turn to sorrow. My son-in-law was hesitant to get too excited about this positive test and did not want Missy to get her hopes up only to have them dashed with yet another miscarriage. He cautioned my daughter about being too premature in this early celebration.  But my daughter spoke from a mother’s heart when she explained that this little life, at least for the moment, was a living being and deserved to be celebrated whether she carried it to full term or not. In her womb she carried God’s creation, His design was on this little soul and already God had plans for this baby girl. God in his “all knowing” knew that she would be named Evelyn and would most likely be called Evie for short unless she is in trouble. He knew at the moment of conception whether her hair would be red like her sister Jenna’s or blond like her Mom. He knew that this “celebrated one” would come on a certain day, be a certain weight and height and favor her Dad or be a spitting image of her Mom even through red wrinkled skin. He knew our “Beautiful Bird” would be loved by her parents, big sister, Jenna, grandparents, aunts and uncles and lots of cousins. Our all knowing God seen our Evelyn even when others could not.
    I can’t wait to meet my new granddaughter, due to make her miraculous entrance into our world October 10, 2012. To me she will be a new baby to love but our God knew her even before she was conceived and even more wonderful, the bible promises that He will be with her forever and forever even until the ends of the earth.
    So come precious child, your earthly family awaits your arrival while your Heavenly family rejoices at the miracle of your birth!
    "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  Hebrew 13:5
    Evelyn, Beautiful Bird!

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Friday, October 5, 2012

    With God Everything is Possible!

    With a heavy heart I began my study of God’s word today. Burdens were heavy as I opened my bible to Psalm 101 and read what David wrote “I will sing of lovingkindness and justice” but my human eyes could not see this lovingkindness or justice in the life of the one I love so very much and was lifting in prayer. My eyes filled with tears as I closed them tight and prayed an impossible prayer to my loving and kind Lord. With the each tear that fell from my eyes flowed disappointment and hurt. “Where are you God” I wanted to shout. Who can help, if not God, I thought.  When I opened my eyes I could see through my tears a verse that lay there as my verse for today .  God delivered his answered as only my loving, heavenly Father could.

    Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God." Mark 10:27
    Thank you, Lord for your word to me today.


    A Psalm of David. I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.  Psalm 101:1
    My friends, who read this blog, pray for this one who needs the touch of God today!
    With God EVERYTHING is possible!
     

    Tuesday, October 2, 2012

    Whom Shall I Fear?



    As I gather my things for Fall and Halloween, funny stories make their way into my "funny" head!


    When I say I was a good kid, I don't mean to brag it was only because I was just too chicken to do anything wrong. But that all changed one Halloween night when some friends talked me into soaping windows. I was reluctant but they persuaded me that it would be fun! (It wasn't all that much fun by the way). We all took off as going trick or treating but our bad deed was to be carried out after we had gathered all the candy that a bunch of gangly, middle schooler girls could get.


    We, as planned, went to houses on the next block over as not to be recognized.  As we started out, being a newcomer to this sort of thing I was slower than the rest of them. Just as I put soap to a window, with knees already knocking, someone jumped up in the window and shouted "Boo".  Stricken with fear, my heart stopped and I fell backwards nearly in a faint. After pulling myself together I ran for my life.  Looking back I bet some mischievous adult got a good laugh that night.  Not a good first try at being "bad"! Too ashamed to tell my cohorts of my failed attempt, I just sneaked home, never to try soaping windows again. Fear had paralyzed my attempts at being “bad”!


    Today I read Psalm 27 which is a song concerning fear.  What are you afraid of today?  I tried to think today of just what I fear most.  And the answer was “plenty”!  If I look around me I see wars as David did in the Psalm, I see bad people who could attack and devour, and I see a seemingly Godless world but David opens his song with:  


    The Lord is my light and my salvation—
       whom shall I fear?
    The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
       of whom shall I be afraid
    Psalm 27:1-2


    I, as most people, fear the unknown, I fear what could be in my future as I grow old and I fear the “odds”!  By odds I mean my life has been good up to now, are my odds about to be up?  Waiting for the other shoe to drop “so to speak”!  What does God say to me in this Psalm that could help me with these fears?  


    I remain confident of this:
       I will see the goodness of the Lord
       in the land of the living.
    Wait for the Lord;
       be strong and take heart
       and wait for the Lord.


    Psalm 27:13-14


    In all that I could be afraid of I must remember with David that God is good.  I must be strong and take heart and the hardest thing is to wait!  For then I will see His goodness in the midst of my fears.


    but those who hope in the Lord
       will renew their strength.
    They will soar on wings like eagles;
       they will run and not grow weary,
       they will walk and not be faint
    Isaiah 40:31


    Even now I recall the events of that night of “soaping” with trembling,  but what strikes me is the fear that a “BOO” brought to my fainting heart.  


    Lord, the stronghold of my life, OF WHOM SHOULD I BE AFRAID!