The Ox doesn't live in the ditch

Hebrews 4 (New King James Version)

The Promise of Rest

1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them,^[a] not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

“ So I swore in My wrath,

‘ They shall not enter My rest,’”^[b]

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;^[c] 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”^[d]
6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:

“ Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”^[e]

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

The Word Discovers Our Condition

11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Our Compassionate High Priest

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Today I am tired. God says:

Exodus 34:21
“Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.

Why did God not emphasize -- "in your day to day mundane routine...rest?"

Well, he knows our thoughts better than we do. He knows that we are addicted to our own success. He knows that we are never satisfied.

Proverbs 27:20
Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Notice, plowing and labor are providing for ourselves. When busy people rest, we are not lazy -- we are trusting God to handle what concerns us.

I have to work, my "ox is in the ditch!" This refers to a verse in Luke 14:5 which says:

5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey^[a] or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”

Jesus wasn't talking about "work" per se here but had been asked if it was OK to heal. He spoke in terms they'd understand -- a donkey and ox were their transportation -- their "car." If we had a flat tire on Sunday we'd fix it. How much more important was the woman he healed -- she was far above an ox or donkey to God. People are made in God's image.

I think the Ox in the ditch wasn't as much talking about your job as it was about God's plan to heal and love people on the Sabbath. I feel that I am very guilty of misinterpreting this verse. Besides, oxes don't live in ditches! When we look at Luke, it is similar in message.

Luke 13:14-16

14And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

15The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

16And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

Jesus Christ was talking about taking care of the essential needs of those dependent upon Him. He wasn't talking about working extra on that project or getting caught up at work or getting a few extra things done.

We want to relax but we never rest. Sometimes we just need a time out! We need rest! We feel like Job when he said:

Job 3:26
I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil."

Rest is something we must do intentionally. But we must choose to be quiet and be still to experience it.

I wonder what the Olympic athletes are doing this week as they prepare for the game? Training like crazy. Working themselves crazy. Well, there's one Olympic bobsledder, Olympic bobsled brakeman Brock Kreitzburg of Akron who says:

First things first, though. I must give myself a little bit of a break from bobsledding. This past week we have not taken any trips down the track. We have only been in the weight room. I've tried not to think too much about bobsledding, even when I'm training because my mind needs the rest. I need the rest.

Don't get me wrong, I love bobsledding, but I need this down time because I know as the Games and the race approaches, it will take an enormous amount of focus to do well. I will need to be 100 percent physically, emotionally, and spiritually if I want to perform at my best.

This next week I will start transitioning back into a more focused mentality. We go to Turin Feb. 7, and that's where it all begins. For me, it will be all about training for those 4- or 5-second pushes. I get it done there and I know my driver, Todd Hays, will get it done down the hill.

In the meantime, I will do all I can to rejuvenate myself and make the Lord, my family, my city, and my country proud. Go USA!

Watch Brock Kretizburg -- I know nothing about bobsledding but I know that Jesus Christ honors his very own and this man bears the marks of a Christian. I have to wonder if God will give him a worldwide stage to share the love of Jesus Christ.

We are on a hamster wheel 6 days a week. If the hamster doesn't get off the wheel - the hamster will run himself to death. Sometimes God allows us to be sick so we will --- SLOW DOWN!

We have a promise of entering His rest but it is founded on faith. I love our passage today, Hebrews Chapter 4 -- it is a chapter of rest. What great reminders of rest:

Hebrews 4:1 - 1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it
Hebrews 4:9 - 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
Hebrews 4:11 - 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

Remember, every time we see the Olympic advertisements, we are asked to pray for the Olympic efforts of Christians who are working as volunteers in the games.

Dear Lord, I pray that you will quiet our hearts. Let us choose to rest and keep the Sabbath rest that You made for us to need. Let us trust you to handle the work. Lord, give the Olympic Athletes rest and give particular rest to those who are yours. We pray that you will exalt those who plan to exalt you. We pray that you will put Jesus Christ centerstage as the central focus of the glory of all Christians. Lord, guide and lead our missionaries and bless and keep us as we pray. Help our missionaries who have gone to the Olympics and let them plan seeds for your kingdom. Lord, I love you. Guide and keep us!

Tags: Olympics, work, rest, sabbath, Bible Christian, Italy2006, Brock Kreitzburg, bobsled, Olympian, , blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts

We want to see Jesus lifted High!

Petra has a great song called "We want to see Jesus lifted High." It goes like this:

We want to see Jesus lifted high
A banner that flies across this land
That all men may see the truth and know
He is the way to heaven.

Step by step we're moving forward
Little by little we're taking ground
Every prayer is a powerful weapon
Strongholds come tumbling down and down and down.

We want to see..we want to see..we want to see Jesus lifted high!

As I ponder these words I have a question for you:

If you could reach a billion people for Christ. You will not make one dime. You will not receive one ounce of fame. Would you?

What if your other choice was to reach a million people for Christ? You would make millions in the process. You would be famous. Would you?

What if you had to choose between the two?

Don't get me wrong, Christian authors and speakers need to make money and make a living. We're not talking about making a living here -- we're talking about motivation. Why do we do what we do?

The angriest Jesus ever got was at the beginning of his ministry (John 2:13-17) and after his triumphal entry. He saw the moneychangers and sellers of doves in the temple.

"Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. It is written, he said to them, 'My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.'" Matthew 21:12-13, NIV

15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” John 2:15-16

Why was he angry? The dishonest moneychangers were taking up the space reserved for the commoners to pray and making a lot of noise!

I think there are too many Christians selling and not telling! "We've a story to sell to the nations?" Let it not be!

This prosperity Christianity has got it all wrong! We are defining prosperity as money and success. What are the fruits of the spirit? "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control." We cannot serve God and man!

The Bible does say:

3 John 1:2
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers

God does want us to prosper...in all things. We just want to tell God where we want Him to prosper us. (Then we buy a beach house and stop going to church!)

Last night in the car, my husband and I were discussing this. How many rich Christians can you name from the New Testament? (Not old testament, but new?)

Do you not think Jesus would want the very best for those who were closest to them? They were poor, gave away everything they had, and reaped great riches from Christ but not from man. John was the only one who didn't die a martyrs death. Jesus put money in a fish' mouth -- he could have given the apostles and himself more than one could dream!

Do Christians deserve to make a living? Of course! I myself long with all of my heart to be able to write books that will bring people closer to the Lord. There is a difference between "a living" and "profiteering."

Some Christians seem more concerned about hawking their book or TV show than in exalting Jesus Christ! Some are so focused on your pocketbook they are looking past the soul Jesus died for! Some are so emphatic about tiny points of doctrine that they forget how much Christians agree on.

On Thursday's post, a commenter, Steve Bogner said:

Just goes to show we're all more alike than different, and that it's the same Spirit inside us all. We may divide ourselves, but we can't divide the Holy Spirit.

Let us now remember!

1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

The focus must remain on Jesus Christ. We want to see Jesus lifted High!

9 But those who have gathered it shall eat it,
And praise the LORD;
Those who have brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts.”
10 Go through,
Go through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people;
Build up,
Build up the highway!
Take out the stones,
Lift up a banner for the peoples!
11 Indeed the LORD has proclaimed
To the end of the world:

“ Say to the daughter of Zion,

‘ Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.’”
Isaiah 62:9-11

Lord, today I pray that you will give us discernment. Help us discern our own motivations for the motivations of others are not our business. Forgive us when we care more about what people say about us than whether you are well pleased. Forgive us when we exalt denominational liturgies above your Holy Word. Forgive us when we spend time arguing when we should be reaching the world for Christ. Lord God, guide us and lead us. Help us do your will. Lord, bless the Tuareg people and sow the seeds of salvation in their hearts. Open the doors wide to our missions teams. Protect our missionaries from extremists who would do them harm. Let us return our focus to Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: Jesus, Christ, Christianity, God, Petra, honor Jesus, prayer, pray, dishonest, prosperity, prosperity Christianity, fruit of the spirit, profit, money, blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts

As a deer pants for the water

Psalm 42, NKJV

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation^[a] of the sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?^[b]
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”

4 When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.^[c]

6 O my God,^[d] my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

****
On my "diet" I have to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. I have to drink it all day long, each and every moment. God made my body that way to need water. Most Americans are in a constant state of physical dehydration. Medicine.net says that

Our bodies require a certain amount of fluid intake on a daily basis to function

We must drink God's word all day long. Meditate on it. Think on it. Pray on it. That is how we are made. When we do that God works in amazing ways.

We can drink a lot one day -- but if we don't drink any water the next day, we will get thirsty. We can be dehydrated by the end of the next day. On the second day we will be extremely debilitated and confused. According to Wikipedia

Be advised that death due to dehydration can occur in 3 days (or less in hot weather) and no one normally lives more than about 5-6 days

We need water like we need the word of God. This is so very important. Sometimes we are surrounded by the word of God in church, missions activities, and the books we read but do not drink in the word of God for ourselves.

Isn't it amazing that Newsweek reports this week in their headline: London whale's death tied to dehydration. Dehydration? The whale was swimming in water!

I have been challenged to get out of my studies, my books, my everything and make sure that I first read God's pure word before doing all of those other things. Don't get me wrong, studies are good but the words of man aren't the pure Word of God. They do not have the same power or the same nutrition for our spirit.

I was challenged to count the number of pages in my Bible and divide it by the number of days left in the year. I then have two markers in my Bible. Each day I read either 7 pages in the Old Testament or 7 pages in the New Testament (I alternate.) I want to completely (re)read the New King James Version for this year. It is a simple but great way to read the Bible.

We can get dehydrated! In fact, when we exercise and sweat -- we need extra water. I believe those involved in spiritual warfare need even more water. The tougher things get, the more water of God's word you need.

Jesus says about his bride , the church, that he will "cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." Ephesians 5:26-27

Do not dehydrate! Read God's word for yourself. Don't just listen to televangelists, videos, books that give you bits and pieces -- pick up God's Holy Word!

I am burdened for our missionaries to the Tuareg in West Africa. Her husband is four and a half hours away conducting discipleship. This is important. (I cannot tell you their names but you can call them Mr and Mrs Tuareg.)

Lord, please help us to focus on your Word. Strengthen us with the water of your Word. We pant for your water and need you. Thank you that I am allowed to own a copy without fear of physical death. Please be with other Christians around the world who are denied the right to have the Bible. Lord, be with our missionaries to the Tuareg. Please encourage Mrs. T and help her as she misses her husband. Put your angels of protection around her. Multiply the efforts of Mr. T as he disciples believers. Let your Holy Spirit fall upon them. Be with them. Help those whose faith are weak make their salvation sure. Encourage the weak who doubt. Give us wisdom to reach the Tuareg. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: water, God's word, London whale, whales, Psalm, Bible, Christian, Christianity, Bible, God, Jesus, prayer, dehydration, Tuareg, Southern Baptist, missionary, blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts

Lower a Bucket: Ponderings from M*A*S*H*

I haven't seen M*A*S*H* in eons but last night it was written for me!

In this episode, the members of MASH were celebrating "the Christmas they were supposed to be home by." They were so very depressed.

In the midst of it, Father Mulcahey has messed up and slugged a soldier. He is depressed at his screw up.

Hawkeye tells him its OK, that everyone messes up.

Father Mulcahey says, "I'm not just supposed to say all that stuff, I'm supposed to do it."

Hawkeye replies "Father, get off your back!"

Later on the Father is talking to himself and says "I hang around on the edge of effectiveness..." and wondered if he even made a difference.

He gets his answer when going to the mess tent. You see, the Father wanted to cheer up Major Burns and asked Radar to write home to Burns' mom and get something that would remind him of home. Burns opens a box under the tree and it is his Toboggan hat -- the one he wore as a child and every Christmas as they sleighed.

Burns runs up to the father and hands him all of the money out of his wallet and exclaims:

"You saved me father! You lowered a bucket into the well of my despair and you raised me up to the light of day!"

In the closing moments, we hear the Father say,

"It doesn't matter if you feel useful or not when you keep moving from one disaster to the next. The trick I guess is to just keep moving!"

This reminds me of one of my favorite verses:

"Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper we will reap the harvest." Galatians 6:9

God can speak in many ways. I think he spoke through a silly episode of M*A*S*H to just right where I am right now. I've been sick, down, upset, and feeling like I am "hanging around on the edge of effectiveness" and running around from disaster to disaster.

Today -- I had three people and one dog lower a bucket into my well of despair:

• My sister sent me flowers
• My mom brought me my favorite lunch and talked to me
• My other sister made our vacation plans
• My "brother" Doc, the dog licked my cheek -- happy to see me!

It is the little things. It is taking the time. It is in not growing weary and paying attention to others. You never know when you will lower a bucket into the well of someone's despair and pull them up. You never know when the good you do will reap a harvest. Don't grow weary! Keep doing good!

Think of who needs encouragement. Pray for them right now. Ask God how you can encourage them. Do something for someone having a hard time tomorrow!

Today I heard from a missionary in West Africa, she is concerned for her husband who is four and a half hours away in a village doing discipleship. My problems pale in comparison. I can pray and have been.

Lord, we ask that you bless our missionaries and that you particularly bless this missionary and his wife who cannot be named. Be with them and encourage them. Help him disciple the believers and let the Holy Spirit move in powerful ways. Be with them. Bless them. Guide as as we seek your will for a website for the Tuareg. Bless the Tuareg people and we pray that you will be expeditious in your time to reach them with your word. Call people. Lord, help them and us not grow weary of doing good. Let us be found faithful. Forgive us and help us do your will. We love you, Lord. Pull us up from the well of despair. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: MASH, prayer, Christian, southern baptist, missionary, Christianity, baptist, IMB, encourage, West Africa, Tuareg, blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts

What do I do when I feel stupid?

Jeremiah 33:3
‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

I feel like I don't know sometimes! What is wrong with that computer? How do I help this child succeed? How do I teach my children to put God first? How do I impress upon the GA's the importance of missions and praying? How do I get well? What do I do with my business? What I do to help someone? Why did I open my mouth? Am I accomplishing God's will for me? What is the first thing on my to do list to do? Where are my keys?

Perplexed and cross eyed in front of a broken computer -- I have cried out to God for wisdom many times. God has often sent the answer to me as clearly as the morning sunrise.

Corrie Ten Boom had a similar experience. She was visiting two older ladies in Latvia in the 1930's. During the previous war, their home had been damaged by the enemy because they were Christians. The old family grandfather clock that had belonged to their father had been hopelessly tangled. Corrie, although she repaired watches, not clocked, worked on the clock for a while -- she wanted to help them.

"It was frustrating," Corrie says in her book, In My Father's House, "so I talked over the problem with the Lord, and He gave me the solution."

Is this supernatural mumbo jumbo? No! Let's look at our Authority, the scripture!

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:2-7

Notice that this discussion about wisdom comes right after the discussion about patience! Corrie had tried relentlessly. In my computer repair situations, I had exhausted all of my known knowledge. We'd done everything humanly possible and were coming up short!

Sometimes the first step is knowing we don't know!

What did the wisest king who ever lived, Solomon, say when he ascended to the throne in Israel?

1 Kings 3:7
Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.

Solomon didn't know!

In fact, some of the most impossible people to teach are the ones who don't know that they don't know! Don't debate with a know it all! It is a waste of time. Why do you think Jesus came to help those who are sick? -- They know they need help! Don't be an arrogant know it all! Realize you don't know!

1 Samuel 2:3
“Talk no more so very proudly;Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.

12 “ I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, I have strength.
Proverbs 8:12-13

God is the God of knowledge -- he holds the keys! Does this mean that if I really want to do open heart surgery that I can ask and God will tell me? Well, God can do anything, however I have found that God typically bestows knowledge in our area of calling. If I am called of God to an occupation, God will use my work in that occupation to make people's lives better. God endows us with knowledge to enable us to do what He has called us to do!

Moses - Didn't know how to speak. God gave him Aaron to help him and scripted his words to Pharoah.
David - Wasn't hunted by Saul and didn't know how to escape. God guided his step and became his shield.
Ruth - Was destitute with Naomi and didn't know how she'd survive. God guided her steps to her new husband.
Esther - Was a condemned Jew unknown to her husband. God guided her steps and gave her wisdom and justice.
Daniel - Was condemned to the lion's den. God gave him protection.
The Disciples at Pentecost - -Didn't know how to reach the world for Christ. God gave them the ability to speak languages they didn't know so they could reach people from foreign countries.

Why doesn't God call somebody who knows more than me? God didn't initially call theologians to be his disciples -- he called uneducated know-nothings. I have a college education, but I'll be the first to admit that I usually feel like a know-nothing. I take comfort in this:

1 Corinthians 1:26
[ Glory Only in the Lord ] For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

That's me! That's how God works!

And remember there is no knowledge that supersedes the knowledge of God. Just as if our feelings contradict God's word -- we defer to God's word. If knowledge contradicts God's word -- we examine our interpretation, but if there is no room for interpretation, God's word is first.

20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. 1 Timothy 6:20-21

Remember, that there are some things we do not know. Those disciples heard Jesus say he would die and be resurrected again, but didn't understand at the time. (It wasn't time!) We must know that there are some things that are just not revealed to us at this time.

29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29

1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

It is exciting to know God is in charge of knowledge! How perfect! We have the endless resources of God to help us! If He does not tell us, He doesn't want us to know. He orders our steps, but sometimes He doesn't let us see the preview. That is where faith comes in. There are some things we could ask God for and He says He's not going to tell us.

Matthew 24:36
[ No One Knows the Day or Hour ] “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

If God has called you -- that's it! Persist, have faith, pray, and trust God to enable you to meet the demands of His call on your life! I am so excited about this truth! I just want to live it and not fall off the knowledge bandwagon into the mud of self pity about my insufficiency!

Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

Lord, we pray for you to bless the Tuareg people today. We ask you to call a virtual missions team to create a website for the Tuareg in a way you would have it be done. We ask you to equip us for every good work. We seek your wisdom today and ask you to guide us in knowledge. We need your wisdom and help! We want to follow You! Guide our missionaries who are getting ready to go to Italy and bless them. Help them and encourage them! Give them wisdom of where to go out and come in. Open doors and hearts to your word as we close on your second coming. We love you, Jesus. Bless the SBC and help us focus on the Savior. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: wisdom, knowledge, education, Corrie Ten Boom, problem solving, patience, arrogance, Christianity, Jesus, God, Jesus Christ, blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts

God uses Crooked Sticks -- Even in the Bush of Niger

"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than me, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." 1 Corinthians 1:25

If you are pretty close to perfect - stop reading -- I'm not talking to you, because you're too proud for God to use anyway. Go somewhere else and read someone who knows something in line with your great wisdom and might.


If you feel incompetent, impotent, insufficient, incapable, unable, disappointed, impoverished, unlearned, unwell, broke, unsure, exhausted, and imperfect -- you are the perfect person for God to use! That's me! I feel like a dummy most of the time!

Corrie Ten Boom said that she felt like her middle name was "Blunder". She went on to say in her book, In my Father's House,

"God can give a straight blow with a crooked stick. He blesses in spite of our blunders." p 228

Well, welcome home, Corrie -- I'm a crooked stick too! In fact, I was thinking of all the crooked sticks in the Bible, here are a few:

Moses - unable to speak, unconfident
Paul - unable to forget his past, unhealed from his illness, exhausted
David - distracted, embarrassing to his wife, exhausted when he ran from Saul, unable to discipline his sons, incompetent as judge when Absolom began to usupr his power
Abel - unable to please his brother
Abraham and Zechariah - impotent
Barnabus - incapable of leaving a friend behind
Esther - unsure of her identity
Jacob - untruthful
Most of the apostles - unlearned, disloyal, unbelieving
Peter - disloyal, disheartened, disenchanted
James & Jude, the brothers of Jesus - unbelieving, unable to accept their brother as the Christ (until after his resurrection)
John Mark - incompetent on his first journey
Ruth - exhausted, lonely, impoverished
Nathan - unsure of how to confront the king
Samuel - Dissapointed in Saul
Naoimi - unable to save her sons and husband from death and incapable of being comforted
Sarah - Unable to believe God
Hannah - unable to keep her emotions under control in church
Abigail - married to an ungrateful, unwise man

How about some people in History? There are some very crooked sticks that God used for great things in history:

Abe Lincoln - mentally unstable, incompetent as postmaster, unelectable in 28 elections (only won president,)
FDR - unable to walk
Winston Churchill - unable to learn Latin (he wrote "1." on a test -- that was it), unwell (his shoulder constantly dislocated), disloyal to his original political party
Billy Graham - disloyal to his original church, he became a Southern Baptist - he went to three colleges before finally graduating from Wheaton, unwell with Parkinsons -- he still preaches anyway

Just some crooked sticks.

Well, what's your excuse? It seems to me the only ones who have an excuse are those who are perfect. There are a lot of wise, well, healthy, puffed up Pharisees out there who know how to live their lives and tell everyone else how to live as well -- but not me. I'm a crooked stick! I think this verse was written for me by a famouse "crooked stick," Paul:

"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty, and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence." 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

The missionaries to the Tuareg are asking for a specific prayer for the people of Niger as they are concerned that the famine will be worse this year. In their e-mail yesterday, they said:

We have realized in our short time back here that the famine here in Niger will likely be much worse this year than it was last year. People are already suffering. Be in prayer as to how our team should be involved this year in showing God's love to our people here by helping in meeting these needs.

Meanwhile, I've come across a young lady who has been serving as a translator for an SBC medical team in Niger. Her name is Emily Taylor and she has a beautiful blog she wrote today about the people of Niger. First of all, she admits that she too felt like a crooked stick today (not in so many words):

I was so frustrated when I couldn't communicate directly with the people. Here in Niamey, I can communicate in French with MOST people, but there (out away from the city...the bush), it was hard to find someone who could translate from my french to Zarma. In fact, it was almost comical to see each phrase communicated go from English (doctor) to French (me) then to Zarma (another translator), then finally the patient could understand and respond, then the response would have to go back through all of the channels again.

But Emily's day today wasn't a waste, here was her conclusion:

Today as I was holding a pantless, underwearless sick little boy who was completely lethargic, he just melted into my arms as I just hugged him...but I was overwhelmed with the hurt of this boy who seemingly had no hope for the future (with the 2nd highest infant mortality rate in the world) as he was already starting off on a bad foot. Even if he does live to adulthood, the chances of him having an education and job are slim... and with the way this country is going, the chances of him having a country that is improved at all economically from the Niger of today are very slim too... But then it was as if the Lord came down and sat with me and this boy, and with tears running down my face he said to me, "But Emily, I can give this boy a future...I can pull him out of his circumstances...I can make Him strong through his circumstances... This problem is NOT too big for me..."

And so I will rest in that promise as I obey the Lord in being here right now. I know that I can't change a thing in eternity... I can just obey... And God can change that little boy, these people here in Niger, and even this country...

Emily asked us to pray as follows:

Continue to pray for these hurting people...that the Lord would send people here to help them...that they would understand the gospel and want the Lord for themselves... Pray for my future ministry as I am still in the middle of figuring out exactly what that might look like and where the Lord wants me to go... This will be a great month of trusting in the Lord as He starts me out in this new direction...

Crooked sticks unite with prayers that go straight to the heart of God. As God told Emily

God can give us a future...He can pull us out of our circumstances...He can make us strong through our circumstances...This problem is NOT to big for God!

It is the prayers of the humble that our God hears -- not the prayers of the proud. (James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “ God resists the proud,But gives grace to the humble.”) We need more incompetents to get busy and watch God use their little bit for His Big Bit! "I can do all things through CHrist who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13

Dear Lord, today I am thankful that you can use me. I ask that I am willing and humble and malleable in your hands. Forgive me when I get overproud and overextended doing things you did not intend. Lord, I appreciate that you use me when I am most weak to do the greatest of work. Lord, please help us reach the people of Niger. Please be with the missionaries serving there and with Emily. Bless her and keep her today as she wants to speak Zarma. Give her the ability to learn that language quickly. Lord, please send more people to Niger and let them understand and hunger for the gospel. Guide Emily and reveal to her Your will -- one step at a time. Give her trust and faith. Lord, guide and keep us and call us to pray more fervently now than ever before. Keep us undistracted and focused. Help us do your will! I love you, Jesus. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: weak, wise, incompetent, Corrie Ten Boom, Bible, Abe Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Billy Graham, crooked sticks, Tuareg, Niger, Emily Taylor, Southern Baptist, missionary, prayer, humble, humility, baptist, blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts

Make Deposits that count: A Tribute to my Grandmother

I've just been reading an encouraging but humbling article on how a godly man is teaching his middle school aged son to have a quiet time. He is very disciplined and teaches his child a lot, however I was struck by one quotation:

Dad opens their times in prayer, and they conclude by taking turns praying: for God's help to apply the material and specific requests to God on each other's behalf. "I think it's important for Chad to hear me pray and benefit from my prayers," Dad says. "Spurgeon was deeply affected by hearing his mother pray and I want to be an example for my son."

I pray with my children aloud each day and consider it one of the most important things I do with them.

As I contemplate and cry on the health of my ailing grandmother, (My Aunt Vicki said in her Christmas card, "We are watching my little mama just slip away from us.") I think about the profound impact she has had on me and everyone she has touched. Even now, as her cognition is limited-- she is kindly to others and never bitter.

Recently one nurse stopped and asked my Aunt if my grandmother was prayed for. Of course, she is! The nurse said, "I can always tell the patients who are prayed for. I can tell that she is."

Another nurse told my Aunt what an encouragement Grandmother is to her. This nurse says that if she's having a bad day all she has to do is go sit in my grandmother's room. Even if she is asleep, she says she can hold her hand and feels such power and encouragement coming from her hand that she is immediately relieved of the difficulties of life.

I believe that as long as my saintly grandmother has breath, that God has a purpose for her life!

Exodus 9:16
But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

The only people who can really be optimists are Christians. We know there is better ahead -- we know we have a future and a hope. And even as we breathe our last breath we begin to emerge to new life with Jesus Christ. I can truly be a positive thinker because I always know that better is ahead. Not so for the non Christian. They will reach a point in their life where it is not geting any better, where things will only get worse, and they have nothing to look forward to.

Very soon, my grandmother will be young again. Her mind will be bright and the fire will be in her eyes. He will spar mentally with my grandfather and play bridge with Aunt Lil. I know there will be a party and she'll eat apples from a tree in heaven. (She loves apples.)

Does this comfort my heart? Well, no not really. I want my grandmother. I want her here with me now.

But I cannot forget, she is with me now in all of the life lessons she taught me. For now, I have just been closing my eyes and remembering the trip she took me on to Alaska. We would be in the hotel room trying to go to sleep with the midnight sun streaming in the window and we talked. We talked. We talked. We didn't want to go to sleep. Her gall bladder was bothering her so she couldn't do anything but stay away and talk to me. We laughed. We giggled. We talked. Now all of those memories come streaming back. No one else has those memories but me because she took me by herself to Alaska! Just me! A deposit left behind of the gift of love and laughter left only in my mind. She left a lot of those deposits.

I want to be a person who leaves behind deposits. Not with the masses but with my children and my grandchildren. With my family and friends. With my students. With my pets. I am someone who loves and laughs with others. I am someone who stands with dignity on the principles of Christ and does not need to argue them because I'm so busy living them.

I ask you: are you praying for your ailing relatives? Do you know that they have a purpose even now? Do you do your best to spend time with them even if you don't think they know you're there? Do not forget the ones who took the time to make deposits in your life! We must know in a society that reveres youth that we have it all wrong -- reverence is for the aged. It is the old who are called great -- "great with age" and "full of years" in the Bible.

Lord, use grandmother's life for your intended purpose. Bless everyone who comes into contact with her. Continue to mark her as your child and hold her in your bosom until she opens her eyes to see your face. Bless her in every way and help us in her family to handle our loss that we feel even now as her body is among us. Let us hold fast to your purpose. Let us comfort one another in ways that will make her proud. Let us honor her with our lives as we serve your kingdom and remember what is important. Forgive me for getting my eye off the ball. I love you, my Jesus. Take care of Grandmama as I know you always have. We love her and we already miss her. Our pain is beyond what we can bear but still less than the pain Jesus felt as He was separated from you for a time. You understand. Send us comfort in supernatural form. We need you now. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: legacy, children, grandmother, grandparents, time, illness, death, grief, hope, purpose, Christian, Jesus, optimism, blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts

Better than Gold! Olympic Prayer effort needed!

Next month are the Olympics in Italy February 10-26th, 2006. Our Girls in Action have been learning about the Olympics and praying for the NAMB missionaries that are going overseas to Italy to work at the games.

SBC Olympic volunteers will be manning handwarming stations and travel guides with the gospel message printed and distributed to travelers. The SBC are also handing cowbells to ring during Olypmic events. These cowbells are to send a message to the Olympian that someone is praying for them at that moment and watching for them. (My daughter remembered the cowbell story. She liked it because it is a message that people care as they are in the midst of their struggle to compete.) The Olypmics are such an opportunity!

Here are some things we've done in Girls in Action that I think you can do in church or Sunday schools to encourage prayer for the Olympics.

1 - Make and share Olympic Pins --- Each Olympic season the "pin trading" excitement becomes just crazy. (I remember this from the Atlanta days.) The Southern Baptists have created a pin that says "Better than Gold." We used the mock up of the pin and glued it on cardboard. We then used glue and glue guns to affix glitter, "jewels" and other exciting glittery things to the pins.

We hot glued safety pins onto the back of the pins when complete. The girls each made two - one to wear and one to pin onto an index card. On the index card they wrote a note inviting a friend to church and giving them the pin.

Sunday school classes can have Olympic pins of some kind and wear them to church and during the games as a remembrance to pray for the Olypmics and share what Southern Baptists are doing at the games.

2- Commit to pray for the Olympics -- Every time you see an ad for the Olympics or hear about an Olympic winner -- say a quick prayer for the SBC efforts.

Let's agree to pray for several things in particular.
S aving Power of Jesus Christ to become evident in these games.
B less and multiply all efforts by the SBC to spread the gospel.
C hristian Champions from among the athletes -- People can censor us but everyone wants to hear from a winner. When winners give glory to Jesus Christ his name goes around the world in praise as it should!

3- Remind people! Put reminders in the bulletin and on multimedia screens. Pray from the pulpit between now and the Olympics. Create awareness!

Today as I think of the trials for Christians in the world today, I came across this verse.

2And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2

Sometimes we have struggles so that God may discern what is in our heart. When I am having a hard time -- do I curse? do I stop praying? do I ignore His word? am I mean to my family? do I take care of my jobs at the church? do I follow God's word?

I tell my students that life is a timed test. When we are struggling that is a major test -- I would say what we do on difficult days is even more important than the easy ones. That is what shows our insides.

When the pot boils, the scum on the bottom bubbles up! May we be found faithful!

As we struggle, pray to be faithful. Pray with a renewed spirit for our missionaries. Read your Bible every day! Don't blog until you read and pray!

Lord, please help us to be faithful when our days are difficult. Forgive us when we fail you and restore us to the joy of thy salvation. Thank you for loving us. Please be with our SBC missionaries during the Olympics and let there be a great harvest of souls during the Olympics. Lord, bless and multiply those who call on your name. We pray for you to doubly bless the Christian athletes and that they will use their opportunity in the spotlight to praise the name of Jesus Christ around the world over the airwaves. Call us to pray. Bless our IMB, IMB Board, Wade Burleson, and Jerry Rankin. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: Olympic, Christian, Italy, 2006 Olympics, Girls in Action, GA, NAMB, SBC, IMB, prayer, God, Jesus, Christ, Christian, blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts

How to encourage your church to pray for the Christian Olympic efforts.

Next month are the Olympics in Italy February 10-26th, 2006. Our Girls in Action have been learning about the Olympics and praying for the NAMB missionaries that are going overseas to Italy to work at the games.

SBC Olympic volunteers will be manning handwarming stations and travel guides with the gospel message printed and distributed to travelers. The SBC are also handing cowbells to ring during Olypmic events. These cowbells are to send a message to the Olympian that someone is praying for them at that moment and watching for them. (My daughter remembered the cowbell story. She liked it because it is a message that people care as they are in the midst of their struggle to compete.) The Olypmics are such an opportunity!

Here are some things we've done in Girls in Action that I think you can do in church or Sunday schools to encourage prayer for the Olympics.

1 - Make and share Olympic Pins --- Each Olympic season the "pin trading" excitement becomes just crazy. (I remember this from the Atlanta days.) The Southern Baptists have created a pin that says "Better than Gold." We used the mock up of the pin and glued it on cardboard. We then used glue and glue guns to affix glitter, "jewels" and other exciting glittery things to the pins.

We hot glued safety pins onto the back of the pins when complete. The girls each made two - one to wear and one to pin onto an index card. On the index card they wrote a note inviting a friend to church and giving them the pin.

Sunday school classes can have Olympic pins of some kind and wear them to church and during the games as a remembrance to pray for the Olypmics and share what Southern Baptists are doing at the games.

2- Commit to pray for the Olympics -- Every time you see an ad for the Olympics or hear about an Olympic winner -- say a quick prayer for the SBC efforts.

Let's agree to pray for several things in particular.
S aving Power of Jesus Christ to become evident in these games.
B less and multiply all efforts by the SBC to spread the gospel.
C hristian Champions from among the athletes -- People can censor us but everyone wants to hear from a winner. When winners give glory to Jesus Christ his name goes around the world in praise as it should!

3- Remind people! Put reminders in the bulletin and on multimedia screens. Pray from the pulpit between now and the Olympics. Create awareness!

Today as I think of the trials for Christians in the world today, I came across this verse.

2And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2

Sometimes we have struggles so that God may discern what is in our heart. When I am having a hard time -- do I curse? do I stop praying? do I ignore His word? am I mean to my family? do I take care of my jobs at the church? do I follow God's word?

I tell my students that life is a timed test. When we are struggling that is a major test -- I would say what we do on difficult days is even more important than the easy ones. That is what shows our insides.

When the pot boils, the scum on the bottom bubbles up! May we be found faithful!

As we struggle, pray to be faithful. Pray with a renewed spirit for our missionaries. Read your Bible every day! Don't blog until you read and pray!

Lord, please help us to be faithful when our days are difficult. Forgive us when we fail you and restore us to the joy of thy salvation. Thank you for loving us. Please be with our SBC missionaries during the Olympics and let there be a great harvest of souls during the Olympics. Lord, bless and multiply those who call on your name. We pray for you to doubly bless the Christian athletes and that they will use their opportunity in the spotlight to praise the name of Jesus Christ around the world over the airwaves. Call us to pray. Bless our IMB, IMB Board, Wade Burleson, and Jerry Rankin. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: Olympic, Christian, Italy, 2006 Olympics, Girls in Action, GA, NAMB, SBC, IMB, prayer, God, Jesus, Christ, Christian, blog, blogs, daily, daily life, journal, life, religion, weblog, thoughts