What has God said?

"In every sermon you hear, the speaker is handing you a brick. It's your responsibility to take the brick and build something with it. It might not be covered in gold, but if you can build with it then it is fulfilling its purpose as a brick!" So said the guest preacher in chapel down at school.

And, a wise sister in care group has been faithfully proclaiming and pointing to this verse: "The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down." (Prov. 14:1)

For the building up of my house, here are some "bricks" that I received from my pastor's hand yesterday.

What has God said? I could spend all day answering this question. In a vague sense, there could be hundreds of different answers, all of them true. But I don't think that it was asked vaguely, seeking a meandering answer. The following questions give the emphasis: based on what God has said, what must I believe and how must I live? There's an urgency brewing behind those questions. How much of the shallowness of our lives is the result of a refusal to take God seriously when He speaks?

I'm looking at the notes I scribbled yesterday, and it says, "God removes the capacity to hear rightly if you refuse to hear rightly." God said, "Be holy, for I am holy." So what's being said is that if I refuse to properly hear God, if I know the words but they have no meaning in my life, if I continue to fill my mind and heart with junk, then I had better not be expecting to be filled with the Spirit on Sunday morning, overflowing in joy and grace.

If God has said it, then the "what I must believe" is always that it is true. He cannot lie, nor is He misleading, nor is He just joking. Consequently, the "how I must live" will either be obedience or disobedience. I am either going to obey Him, or disobey Him. There is no other way out of it.

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:6-10

I haven't heard until I do. Do I have a category for obedience in my mind? Am I doing everything that I've been told in the right way, right away, and all the way? What am I going specifically to change this week as a result of what I have heard? Am I consciously and intentionally conforming to the word of God, being aware of the authority of God behind the word?

Lord, help me to hear as never sure to hear again, as a dying woman listening to dying men!

The Guest List (pt.4)

Thank you for letting me introduce you to some of "the family." I hope this brief introduction has inspired you to get to know many others. From the patriachs to the apostles, to the early church fathers, reformers, covenanters, pioneer missionaries and more, there is a story for us to hear. God has recorded these stories for our benefit; for our endurance.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the same, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Our eyes must be fixed on Christ our Savior King at all times. If there was no other example to follow it would be enough to look to Him and run this race with endurance. But isn't it helpful to read of the many who lived their lives not looking for martyrdom, but rather, they were simply doing life for Christ knowing dying would be gain? Single men and women left family, friends and homeland to go to an unknown land never to see their family again. Married believers, entrusting their children to God, were willing to surrender their spouse or themselves for the the cause of Christ. These are the heroes of our faith. These are people worth knowing. These are people worth imitating.

As I leave this series on "Dying is Gain" I want to introduce you to one more sister in the Lord. Her name is Lizzie Atwater. Lizzie didn't cling to the desire to hold her baby before she died. She surrendered all.

"In June of 1900, a fierce nationalist reaction in China against Christian missionaries and churches claimed more than 32,000 lives (please read that sentence again: IN ONE MONTH 32,000 died for Christ). The worst massacres occurred in the northern province of Shanxi. The pregnant Lizzie Atwater wrote a memorable letter home before she and six others were martyred."

Dear ones, I long for a sight of your dear faces, but I fear we shall not meet on Earth. I am preparing for the end very quietly and calmly. The Lord is wonderfully near, and He will not fail me. I was very restless and excited while there seemed a chance of life, but God has taken away that feeling, and now I just pray for grace to meet the terrible end bravely. The pain will soon be over, and oh the sweetness of the welcome above! My little baby will go with me, I think God will give it to me in heaven and my dear mother will be so glad to see us. I cannot imagine the Savior's welcome. Oh, that will compensate for all these days of suspense. Dear ones, live near to God and cling less closely to Earth. There is no other way by which we can receive that peace from God which passeth understanding. I must keep calm and still these hours. I do not regret coming to China.

"On August 15, 1900, soldiers took Lizzie and ten others away from the relative safety of a nearby town and hacked them to death with their swords, tossing the bodies into a pit." (Foxe's Book of Martyrs)

My dear sisters in Christ, how are you processing what I have shared with you over the last few days? How have you been processing Tim's message from Sunday? What heroes in the faith have inspired you? For the encouragement of all we'd love to hear from you. May our Savior King Jesus be with you all today.

The Guest List (pt.3)

On Sunday Tim provoked some thought about how eager we are for heaven. He asked us what we hope to do or see or experience before we die. When put in the light of what is awaiting us, these desires pale in comparison, but because our faith is in something unseen, we often put too much importance on what is seen - life on this earth.

Tim asked us to fill in the blanks. For me to live is ______________. Thankfully, by God's grace, my heart's overall desire and experience is indeed Christ. But there is at times a competing desire: my agenda.

Last week a brother in the church wanted to encourage me by telling me he had observed me in BJs. I was a woman on a mission getting my work done. There was no meandering; only purposeful purchasing. It was true. But what he meant to be an encouragement was actually a stab to my conscience. Because I know too well that I can be so intent on my schedule, my "to-do" list, I do not take the opportunity to see people and their needs. I shield myself from stepping toward strangers with the love of Christ with my busyness. At those moments Life=My agenda.

And then, yesterday when I was in Pathmark I was caught in a painfully slow checkout line. There it was: an opportunity to slow down, die to my self, live for Christ and speak to the woman ahead of me with something more than a shared complaint about the slow service. I failed. I denied Christ. I could defend myself by saying that I was praying for certain ones (and I was), I could say I was serving Christ by serving my family (I was), but while I was in line I was conscious of my need to share a loving word of Hope to this woman and I chose not to. "Lord, forgive me."

So, how would I answer Tim's question about what I want to do before I die? I guess I'd have to say, I just want to be comfortable in my own little world, with my own little plans. Even as I type this I am so ashamed of how easily I deny the cross. I might say I'd rather go to heaven than live long enough to see my grandchildren married, or I'd rather go to heaven than retire and travel the globe. How much easier that would be than to "die" in the supermarket today.

I am so thankful for my friends who didn't cling to this life. They didn't make little compromises so when the big test of their faith came they didn't flinch in the least. They didn't cling to hopes of long life, marriage, family. Death was all gain for them.

Today, I want to tell you about Mrs. John Brown (Isabel).

At her wedding a good friend of her husband, Alexander Peden told her, "Ye have a good man to be your husband, but ye will not enjoy him long. Prize his company, and keep linen by you to be his winding sheet (burial sheet), for ye will need it when ye are not looking for it, and it will be a bloody one."

When troops arrived at the Brown's door later that year John turned to his wife and said, "Now, Isabel, the day is come."

She replied, "John, I can willingly part with you."

"That is all I desire," he said. "I have no more to do but die." He kissed her and his child, saying he wished gospel-promise blessings to be multiplied upon them.

The six soldiers ordered to shoot Brown were apparently so moved by the scene and its disregard for law, that they lowered their muskets and refused to fire. Their officer placed his own pistol at Brown's head and ended his life, just outside his cottage.

Isabel Brown set her child on the ground, took her linen, and wrapped her husband's body. She mourned alone until neighbors, told of the murder gathered to support her. Foxe's Book of Martyrs

"Oh Lord, may I prize You above all else today. May I prize You more than my comfort, and my schedule. May I never more be hesitant or ashamed to speak Your name wherever I am. Help me to live and die for you in the supermarket and keep me faithful to the end." Amen.

The Guest List (pt.2)

There is a place at the banquet table for two women both named Margaret, and I expect there are many women hoping to sit next to them. I want to. After you read their story, I expect you will too. These are not wimpy women. These are women of noble character, and strong in faith. I have a feeling they have a storehouse of treasure to share from their knowledge and love of their Bridegroom Jesus.

First there is Margaret Wilson, age 18. She was the oldest of three children, born to Gilbert Wilson in dangerous 17th century England. Margaret's father was a follower of the king's church. Margaret and her siblings were not. Once the children's absence from the official church was noticed, the children fled for safety. Margaret's brother, Thomas, was never heard from again. But the two sisters found refuge with another Covenanter, Margaret MacLachlan. All three were betrayed by neighbors, arrested and imprisoned.

"Frantic, Gilbert Wilson raised enough money to buy his younger daughter's freedom, but not Margaret's, who was sentenced on April 13, 1685, to be 'tied to stakes fixed within the flood-mark in the water of Blednoch... there to be drowned.'"

At low tide on May 11, the two condemned Margarets were each fixed to their stakes. MacLachlan, weak from prison, was put farthest from shore. She died first, after a short struggle for life. Guards allowed the surf to nearly quench Wilson's life before they pulled her from the sea. They demanded again she pledge fealty to the crown. Margaret replied, "May God save the king if He will."

"Tied once more to her stake, guards pushing her under the tide, Margaret Wilson died singing:

Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For your goodness' sake, O LORD (Psalm 25:7). (Foxe's Book of Martyrs)

Which would you find harder, to die for Christ, or to watch another die for Christ? The young Margaret was forced to watch the other Margaret drown. The young Margaret, tied to the stake in the water closer to shore was helpless to rescue the one who had helped her. That by itself is a fate worse than death. But young Margaret did not waver. She bravely faced death knowing that there was great gain awaiting her in heaven and she would soon experience that gain with her dear friend.

May we learn to love and pray and support one another in the faith so that we may be the kind of friend that bravely stands with each other to the very end.

The Guest List

"Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!'" (Rev. 5:11-13)

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" (Rev. 7:9-10)

"Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, 'Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?' I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'" (Rev. 7:13-14)

Weddings are often a time of reuniting with family and friends separated by distance and the busyness of life. At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb we will not only be enjoying the experience with our Savior-Groom, we will be enjoying the company of a great multitude of saints. And among those saints there will be those whose who have been, and yet will be, martyred for their faith. These are becoming dear friends of mine and I would like to introduce some of them to you so that when you meet them at the celebration you will have the same kind of love and respect for them as Christ does.

Hugh McKail was a Scottish Covenanter preacher during the mid-1600s. This was a time when the government wanted control over the church. The Covenanters resisted. "In November 1666 McKail was captured and tortured for information, which apparently he withheld despite a metal wedge being hammered into his leg, shattering the bone."

"A month later, on December 18, he was tried with other prisoners and sentenced to be hanged. During the next four days he prepared for death, composing an eloquent gallows farewell and asking his father, who was with him for a last dinner on the night before the hanging, 'I desire it of you, as the best and last service you can do me, to go to your chamber and pray earnestly to the Lord to be with me on that scaffold; for how to carry there is my care, even that I may be strengthened to endure to the end.' Then he asked his father to leave him, or else he would stir emotions that would deflect his purpose the next day."

At the gallows, McKail spoke at some length, begging the audience to listen to his "few words," as his years on earth were few as well. At the end of his testimony and admonition to courage he said:

And now I leave off to speak any more to creatures, and turn my speech to thee, O Lord! And now I begin my intercourse with God, which shall never be broken off. Farewell father and mother, friends and relations; farewell the world and all delights; farewell meat and drink; farewell sun, moon, and stars. Welcome God and Father; welcome sweet Lord Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant; welcome blessed Spirit of grace, and God of all consolation; welcome glory; welcome eternal life; welcome death.

"Then Hugh climbed the ladder to the waiting rope and prayed for some time before the executioner released him to gravity and heaven."

Dear sisters, would you please read that testimony again, especially his prayer? And in the days ahead as I introduce to you (maybe for the first time) some other brothers and sisters of ours who knew well that "dying is gain," I ask you to carefully consider their testimonies and give praise to God for such men and women as these. And give thanks to God for the gift that they are to us, because in a very real sense it is because of their undying love for Christ we have life in Christ that is rich with blessings. And may we all pray to the same Savior for a life that is so in love with Christ, dying for Him will be an easy choice. More tomorrow.

You're Invited

There's going to be a celebration and I want you to come. It's going to be a wedding celebration and I'm the bride. You see, many years ago (in eternity past) the Father and the Son agreed to set their love upon me. Not because I am beautiful, or talented, or had anything good to bring to the marriage. It was in fact just the opposite. I had only sin to bring and Jesus took that sin and washed me, clothed me in His righteousness, and gave me the Holy Spirit as "guarantee" for what is waiting for me in Heaven.

Yesterday Tim likened this journey of faith as being the engagement period. Though we are now the Bride of Christ, there will be a wedding celebration in heaven: the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Christ will be the Host. The Church, which is the Bride, will be the guest of honor. And we will live "Happily Ever After" - literally.

So, how does a bride prepare for the wedding day? What does she do to prepare for marriage?

She devotes her time and energy getting to know the love of her life. She no longer acts independently of her love. When choices are made they are made with her love's interests in mind. When decisions are made they are not made apart from him. She loves being with her love. She loves talking about her love. She prepares herself for him. She loves what he loves. His interests are her interests. She becomes knowledgeable of what life will be like in her new home and she gets ready to live there.

Scripture doesn't refer to the Church as the Bride for no reason. There is a depth of meaning in this scriptural metaphor. I would like to encourage you to spend some time reading about all things wedding-related in the NT as it refers to us as the Bride and Christ as the Bridegroom. Let that amaze you, let that stir your heart, and then get to know that Love of your life, and get familiar with that place where you'll be spending your "happily ever after." A year ago our pastors taught us about Heaven. I would encourage you to listen to those messages again. I also would recommend Randy Alcorn's book, "Heaven" and Joni Erickson Tada's book, "Heaven."

Ladies, I believe when we get a sense of what it means to be loved by Christ, we will get a sense for what "to live is Christ" means, and then we will have a sense for what "dying is gain" means. The more time you focus on the Bridegroom, the more eager you'll be to meet Him face to face. I know I can't wait!! Can you come?

my collection of moms

May I confess something? I have a chronic case of mom-greed. I long for a mom. Most girls want husbands. I'm only sort of joking when I tell people that I'm not looking for a husband . . . I just want the mother-in-law; and when I find the mother-in-law I want, then I'll marry her son. But you know, even should I find the "perfect" mother-in-law, she will only be human and flawed. One day she too will die, leaving me again to be motherless; which proves to me that ultimate satisfaction can only be found in the One who never changes, never dies, never leaves me alone, and is going to wipe away every tear.

But do you know how kind God is, who not only is Father to the fatherless, but raises up mothers for the motherless? One of the symptoms of my mom-greed is that I collect spiritual moms (although I don't think this is a bad thing at all). My spiritual moms range in age, from long-dead to barely old enough to be my mother. My spiritual moms do the things that my real mom would have--they encourage me, rebuke me, build me up in the faith, go shopping, talk, sing, cry, hug, bake, cook. . . .

I think that everyone should have a spiritual mom or two or six. Why? Titus 2:3-5 gives a pretty good reason. And you don't have to personally know a woman for her to mother you, and she doesn't have to be a real mother. What is something that mothers universally do? They feed you! So what does a spiritual mother do? She feeds you spiritually and sends you to Jesus! Here are a few that I'm willing to share with you.

Amy Carmichael. Over and over again, she has sweetly ministered to my soul. She's more than just a sister in Christ. She mothers me, just as she mothered countless little children in India. Do you want a mom who, in lovely rhyme and verse, can destroy the defense you've built up for your sin? Her little book If will break your heart.

Elizabeth Prentiss. If you have never read Stepping Heavenward, oh, you don't know what you're missing! Like a skilled surgeon with a wickedly sharp scalpel, she is aggressive to cut out the sin. My sanctification is the goal! Like a mother, she desires my spiritual well being.

Elisabeth Elliot. I don't think there's been a single more influential person on my life than Elisabeth Elliot. Of all spiritual moms, she is chief. She's given me such good counsel. I can't even recommend one book more than another. We can hardly do better than to take instruction from her.

My other spiritual moms are several women who are in my life. Like the more "famous" ones, they feed me spiritually, only in person rather than on paper. Ladies, do you realize how precious your ministry is to those of us who look up to you as to mothers? Maybe our moms are dead, or absent, or uninvolved, or indifferent, or even cruel. Thank you, thank you for your ministry, for entering our lives and being more than just a friend, more than just a sister, for coming alongside as a mentor and teacher. I know well that God sees your labor of love on our behalf and will overwhelmingly repay you on that day!

Don't Waste Your Lent

"The world's spirit is strong, and it can play at religion with every appearance of sincerity. It can have fits of conscience (particularly during Lent)! It will contribute to charitable causes and campaigns on behalf of the poor, but all with its own condition: 'Let Christ keep His distance and never assert His lordship.' This it positively will not endure!" A. W. Tozer

Most of us know catholics who are really good at 'playing' religion. It becomes particularly evident during Lent. People who don't talk about God (except to use His name in vain), don't obey Jesus' commands, don't love Jesus or strive to be like Him all of a sudden think they're pleasing God by having pizza for dinner in place of steak. What a sacrifice. (It actually is a true act of sacrifice in Florida where the pizza is abysmal...)

This is so sad.

For most catholics, Lent is about worshiping God with their lips when their hearts are far, far from Him.

So what can we, as Christians, do for the catholics we come in contact with?

1. First of all, give thanks to our Lord for fulfilling the requirements of the sacrificial system, thus ushering in the law of liberty and grace. Also, thank Him for declaring all things (foods) good.

2. Pray.

3. Learn. Educate yourself about Catholicism>--it makes an impression when you've done your research.

4. TALK TO THEM! They're supposed to be religious, remember? Talk about God. Ask them questions about their faith, their belief in the Bible, etc.

5. Challenge their beliefs. Sola Scriptura, works-salvation, Marian worship...

6. Live it. Obedience to Christ, accompanied by joy and satisfaction in Him, speaks loudly. Your catholic friends will recognize that what you have is different than what they experience.

Use this season of Lent for the glory of God by seizing the opportunity to reach out to your catholic friends and neighbors.

The Judgment Free Zone

Have you seen the new fitness center in Brick? I don't know how long it's been there but I just noticed it a couple of weeks ago. The name caught my attention. The Judgment Free Zone. Who wouldn't want to go there? I expect the gym will be successful in drawing a clientele. But will the clients stay?

What do you think the name is about? Does management want to let people know that no one at the gym will look at them critically? That they will be accepted no matter the shape or size? Or do they want everyone to come as they are, happy with themselves and see no need to change? If that's the case then, its unlikely the people will renew their membership. If we are to be completely judgment free, there is no need to improve.

I do think women are their own worst judges. I mean, who is really happy about their looks? I always wished I had long slender legs. But no amount of exercise will help that (unless someone has a stretch rack in their basement I could use). Let's just say though, for argument sake, I could have those legs. How long would it be before I was again judging my appearance based on an ideal in my imagination?

So, what do I do with my concern for my short-stubbies? Do I join a club where I can be made to feel good about myself no matter what? Somehow I don't think that will stick.

The only answer for me (and everyone) is Psalm 139:13-18.

I'd like to find a gym named, "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made." I'd also like to see a woman's magazine named: "Beautiful in God's Eyes," or "Days Formed for Me."

My sisters, we are made in the image of God. We were formed in our mother's womb by the Creator of the Universe. Every part of us is tailor made to suit God's purposes. He fashioned us. We couldn't begin to count the number of thoughts He has for us. And, if we are standing in the righteousness of Christ we live in a doubly free judgment zone. God loves us as His creation and He loves each of us as His blood-bought daughter, princess, bride. That's the only opinion worth caring about.

Posting comments

It's come to my attention that there are at least a few of you who are having trouble leaving comments on the blog. Hopefully this little tutorial will help you. If you're still having problems afterwards, shoot me an email.

1. Click on the comments link at the bottom of the post.




2. Type your comment in the box.




3. Complete the word verification. This feature helps prevent blog-spam things called "bots" from posting random comments. I know it sounds weird, but trust me on this. Just type whatever letter/number combination you see.




4. Choose an identity. If you have a gmail address or an account with Blogger, you can use the Google/Blogger option. If you have an account with TypePad, Wordpress, OpenID, or AIM, you can use the OpenID option. If you'd just like to post with your name--which would be nice, so we can see who you are!--choose the Name/URL option. Or, if you'd prefer to comment anonymously, choose the anonymous option.




5. Click "Publish Your Comment." You can also click "Preview" if you'd like to see it first.




Now that you know how to post comments, go back to Gayline's post from today (March 15) and leave one. And if you have time, go back to the others you tried to comment on and leave one there too. We want to hear from you!

Life = Christ

Why am I alive? The Westminster Confession of Faith says, "the chief end (purpose) of man (woman) is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." John Piper says the way we glorify God is by enjoying Him forever. TDB taught us this morning from Philippians that to live is Christ. Life = Christ. "Living for Christ is living for others in their joyful journey of faith" and "living in such a way as to say, 'Christ is worth it.'"

Whether our circumstances are hard: prison, sickness, unemployment (or less than "ideal" employment), spiritual singleness in your marriage, rebellious children, busyness, fatigue, loneliness, or grief; or whether they are pleasant: material prosperity, spiritual blessings, church, ministry and familial joys, our lives are to be all about Christ.

Do others look at us and think being a Christian is worth it? Do they think we are really truly happy being a Christian? Do our children see Christ in us? Do they see us joyfully deferring our good desires for something even better - the good of others? Do our adult children find Christ attractive as they look at our lives? Do co-workers marvel at our lives being so much about Christ? Do they see a joy-filled consistency in our lives? This is how we glorify God, and in this, enjoy our God.

I'd love to hear how living for Christ is joy-producing for you. What desires are you deferring to Christ and finding it to be a joyful exchange? How in your circumstances (prison?) are you, with the help of Christ, able to choose fruitful labor for the joy of others? Let us give glory to God by hearing each other's stories. It's all about Him and His activity in our lives. Sharing these things is a way of "nurturing other's progress and joy in the faith." We spur one another on and our joy is increased as a result.

a good Dad

My job comes with a lot of important titles: Oven Fairy, Coffee Hostess with the Mostess, Sizzler, Deli Girl, Smiley, and the list goes on. Today I realized that I have a title that beats all of those ... daughter of the Most High God!

This is what happened. I was making one of my last sandwiches of the day, egg salad on a wheat shorti. A coworker was standing next to me cleaning up my mess (that's the rest of the store's title: Cleaners of Jenny's Messes). As I finished smushing the egg salad onto the roll, using the plastic to push it around the bread so that the entire surface was covered, Debbie my cowoker laughed and took the plastic from me. She, a mother of five, said, "I'll throw out your dirty diaper for you." (Picture a sheet of plastic wrap covered in smears of various shades of yellow.) The customer whose sandwich I was making laughed and said, "No, don't remind me of those days!" They proceeded to bond over how much they enjoy their children being gone, out of their houses, gone far away from their responsibility.

My customer bragged about how he says to his kids, "Don't you bring your problems to me! You're on your own!" He and my coworker laughed, and I could only walk away marveling in my heart.

God is my Father... my Daddy. He will never leave me, nor forsake me. I am held in the palm His righteous right hand, and nothing can pluck me out of His grasp. He will never cast me out. He does not love me and accept me on account of how smart, successful, and independent I am, but on account of His own righteousness that He has imputed on me. Before the foundation of the world, He predestined me unto adoption as a daughter and saved me by His grace because of His great love with which He loved me.

He does not want me to grow up into a solitary independence, like so many earthly fathers desire of their children, but He will come again to get me and to bring me to a place that He has prepared for me, where we will be together throughout all eternity... and not just me, but every son and daughter that He has adopted throughout all the years of history.

The world says, "Daughter, you are twenty-two years old now. You are an adult. I have fulfilled my responsibilities toward you. Now leave me alone until it is time for me to claim my rights from you."

God says, "Wherever you go, I am there already. (Ps. 139) When you cry out to Me for help, I will hear you. I will shake the earth in my anger against your enemies. (Ps. 18)"

What a good God! What a good Dad!

More Idols

Whenever I read the account of how Rachel stole her father's idols and sat on them in a desperate attempt to hide them, I am tempted to ridicule her for her foolishness.

How could she hang on to those man-made deities when she knew the One True God?!?! It seems irrational...crazy even...trading in the glory of God for pitiful broken cisterns.

Yet, as we were shown by Gayline's blog, we all have our precious little idols, don't we? Those things that we cling to and long for when our taste for God's glory loses its savor. Just like Rachel, we pay homage to idols, different idols for every person, but ultimately one idol--SELF.

I was deeply moved by Gayline's willingness to share some of her idols in order that we might be encouraged and aided in our sanctification. Because we are all in different walks of life , I wanted to add the perspective of a young single.

Tuesday through Saturday
Routine (I know it is an idol when I get angry if something disrupts it--alarm clock goes off late, someone in the bathroom when I'm trying to get ready for work, traffic, get out of work late...)

Approval of Others (This is especially true at work. I know this is an idol when I find myself doing something because it will elevate me in my coworkers' eyes instead of doing all things "as unto the Lord." Many times it is a 'good work,' but my motivation is misplaced.)

Personal Appearance (Probably my most frequently served idol...the struggle is always there to want people's approval of my outward appearance rather than the meek and quiet spirit within. This is proven by the unbalanced emotional highs and lows that results from either compliments or put-downs about my appearance.

Sunday
Peace (This is an idol when I get angry if what I consider "peace" is disrupted--my sister puts on her music in the car, my sister doesn't "handle situations" for me so I can 'relax,' too many people on the roads make the commute to church longer and more stressful...

Personal Appearance (This is an idol when I am more worried over my appearance than whether my heart is worshiping the Lord or how I can serve others. Also, it can often lead to despair if I feel I don't look a certain way... moreso than my despair over my sin.)

Monday (My day off)
Rest (When I look forward to resting physically after a long week more than basking in extended time spent alone with the Lord.)

Personal Appearance (You had to know this idol would make an appearance. All of the already given reasons...plus a lot of free time to fixate on it make it an idol on my day off.


But for God's grace, truly, I would be consumed with my various idols and countless more. He is teaching me, through His Word and through the church, to relinquish my grasp on my idols and to make Him the Only God I serve.

(pt.4 Hearing the Word)

Ladies, I am presently caring for Mackenzie, my 14-month-old granddaughter. She is the cutest and the best 14-month-old granddaughter I have. She will be spending 24+ hours with us while her mommy and daddy take her sister for a medical test. She has been all pleasure, no trouble at all.

But I have been freshly reminded of what a lot of work childcare is!!!! The bending, the lifting, the clutter, the washing, the changing, the playing, the reading, all while getting the other household and family needs met. Thankfully at this stage I have reinforcements. Alina, Jonathan and David are eager to serve me when I need an extra set of hands.

As I sit to blog about rightly hearing the Word for mothers of young children, I want to be quick to say, I know how hard it is to juggle life with little ones. I know how tiring it is (I once had 4 under 6). I know how hard it is to get up early to read and pray, or to get out the door on a Sunday morning with a Bible, say nothing about being "fully" prepared for the Word.

Next week when we get together for our "Coffee Break" we'll be hearing helpful teaching from Diane Hunt on how to plan and prioritize our lives according to God's word. I hope you all can come. Because of that good teaching next week, I'm not going to spend a lot of time on that in this blog.

All I want to do is give you a few suggestions for how I cultivate a listening heart in the midst of a busy life. These are only suggestions. Much of these have to do with life with young children but much of it still applies to my life today.

1. When my children were young I had to get up before them. This would be tricky because the kids had a sense for when I was awake. It seemed the earlier I got up the earlier they got up. I was tempted to give up. But then we came up with the music system. The kids were told they had to stay in bed until they heard the music. When my time with the Lord was finished I turned on some worship music and would soon hear the pitter patter of little feet hopping out of their beds.

2. I would get to bed at a reasonable hour. I loved staying up late but I always struggled to get up before the kids when I stayed up too late. This meant I had to give up my caffeine habit after 2 in the afternoon.

3. I played a lot of worship music in the house and in the car. This kept my heart and mind in tune to the Word of God.

4. I ordered my life to include lots of fellowship with other women with children my kids' ages. This kept me from feeling isolated. How did this help my devotional life? When I felt isolated, I tended to distance myself from God and His Word. And we encouraged each other to keep in the Word.

5. Saturday evenings were usually quieter evenings. Baths, preparation for Sunday, family time, and then the kids were off to bed. The rest of the evening was spent with quiet music and reading. I loved it. I love quietness.

6. Sunday morning was not usually stressful because we were mostly prepared Saturday night. But once we got to church I was pretty much on my own. With my husband being a pastor, it was largely up to me to keep both eyes on the kids. And, I usually sat alone (that was when Tim's pastoral role was more formal which meant he sat up front most of the service). This required us to prepare the kids ahead of time. We used to practice having the kids sit still for family reading times. We would even have mini worship times. This helped a lot (it also taught the kids how to sit quietly at the doctors office or in other public contexts). Was I distracted during worship? Of course. But my heart was inclined towards hearing and I believe God honored that and always fed me something from the Word despite the distractions.

7. As mentioned above in #6, the inclination of the heart is what God responds to. Ladies, may I encourage you to spend time in Psalm 119 for a few days? Any Psalm will do, but this Psalm specifically speaks of the relevance of God's word to our lives. Every verse (all 176 of them) refers to the Word of God.

Let me leave you with these verses:

Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
Psalm 119:129-133

"Hearing" the Word

Following the suggestion of a TFC sister, I have put up a number of verses in frequented areas of our apartment. I decided to go with passages that speak to our season of life as well as those that speak to everyday activities (i.e. morning, night, going out, etc.). Here's what I've chosen:

Psalm 62:5-8
Psalm 73:26
Psalm 92:1-2
Psalm 121
Psalm 139:1-6
Psalm 139:7-12
Isaiah 40:11
Isaiah 40:28-29
Lamentations 3:21-23
Matthew 11:28-30
1 Corinthians 15:58

What passages have you found that speak to your season in life or your everyday activities? Click comments to share them with us.

American Idols: (pt.3 Hearing the Word)

"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols." I John 5:20-21

Am I an idol worshiper? The commentators in the ESV study Bible write about this verse, "Keep yourselves from idols means keep yourselves from trusting, obeying, revering, and following - that is, in effect, worshiping - anyone or anything other than God Himself, and His Son Jesus Christ."

Hmm. Steve spoke on Sunday about the thorns of this world that choke the Word. Jesus describes the thorns as, "the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things". Desires for other things. Cares of the world. Deceitfulness of riches. Hmmmm again.

My husband grew up in Japan where practically every Japanese home had an idol shelf. Are Americans any different? We may not have our idols on display for all to see, but idols are nevertheless very much a threat to our single-hearted devotion to Christ and hunger for the Word.

When am I, an American woman saved by grace, an idolator? Sadly, I could make this a very long post if I was to reveal to you all the idols of my heart. I will limit my soul-bearing to the idols that have at times choked the Word from my heart.

Sunday
1. My agenda - (sleep, food, ministry) is more important to me than quieting my heart before worship
2. My appearance - when I have time to "fix myself up" rather than prepare my heart for the Word.
3. My ministry - when I have things I MUST do or people I MUST talk to before I talk to God.
4. My pride - when I hear the word and feel conviction but do not respond by seeking out a prayer-team member for help.
5. My rest - Sundays are tiring. For me it is the end of my week. I want my rest more than reflection.

Monday
1. My rest - Tim's day off - time to sleep in (resting one day of the week may not be idolatry)
2. My husband - always a temptation to invest more time with Tim than the Lord but I think I have this in balance.

Tues.
1. My control - after a day off, the idol of order screams at me to "catch up". I am tempted to give in and get things
done. Or when I do have quiet time my mind races to the things I need to do later.
2. My rest - notice a pattern here? Sadly this idol demands a 7 day worship service.
3. My exercise - when exercise is more important to me than the Word of God I know I'm idolizing it
4. My family - the needs are many. How can I meet them all if I don't begin to serve them NOW!!
5. My self - when I go about my day independent of God's Word guiding me, and seeking His help through prayer, I am idolizing myself. I am saying I am self-sufficient rather than relying on God's strength and wisdom.

Wed.
1. My pride - tonight is care group in my home. Too much to do before then, especially the housecleaning (can't let anybody see dust!!)

Thurs.
1. My self - stayed up to late on the computer after caregroup, I "need" to sleep in.

Thurs.pm
1. My pleasure - even though I've exercised my Christian liberty to watch a movie and a bit of television this week, I miss an opportunity to begin to read through the many binders of excellent notes from seminars I've attended. Though I know this will be pleasure it requires more effort than sitting back and watching more TV. I choose TV.

Fri.
1. My guilt - I approach God's word but am distracted by my unconfessed sin. I know there is unresolved relational differences like Steve described on Sunday. Why bother?

Sat.
1. My possessions - It's Saturday. A good yard sale day, - the early bird gets the worm!!! Gotta get ready to go get more stuff!!
2. My pride - It's Saturday. Time to get busy cleaning the house. Too much to do to seek after God.
3. My rest - stayed up late again last night - more television and computer use. Everyone else has today off, shouldn't I sleep in too?

Sat. pm
1. My agenda - again, too much to do to be still and prepare for the next day. Anger and impatience with the kids spills over into Sunday morning where more idol worship occurs again.

Well there you have it! Yuck. Not a pretty picture. Thankfully not all of the above is present everyday. But honestly, all of the above has been an idol that has kept me from hearing the Word of God at one time or another. Can anyone relate? If you can, I want to remind you of the difference between guilt and conviction (read yesterday's entry). I do not want to leave you in guilt and condemnation. I want to direct you to the joy of God's grace through the cross of Christ.

If you scroll back to the top of this entry, re-read the verse from 1 John 5. Before John tells us to keep ourselves from idols, John reminds us the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true!! And we are in Him who is true!!! I am in Him because Christ died to bring me to Him. If I do not read the Word one day or the next God will not love me less. God loves me based on the work of Christ for me. If I do not read the Word one day or the next He does not love me less but I may find my heart growing indifferent to His voice and I may love Him less.

"Lord, please keep me from the love of idols. By your grace and mercy poured out to me by Your Son on the cross, give me a greater hunger and thirst for You and You alone."

Guilt or Conviction? (pt.2 Hearing the Word)

I told you yesterday that I want to add to Steve's encouragement to mothers of young children as they seek to hear God's voice. Before I do that I am going to spend a couple of days with you discussing some of the things that trip us up in our pursuit of God. Though the application for these posts is directed to moms, I don't think anyone will find it difficult to relate to these hindrances and helps and bring application in their season of life.

The first stumbling block is a guilty conscience. Recently Tim and I were enjoying fellowship with another couple. In our conversation it was mentioned how some people do not read God's Word because of guilt and shame. This grieved all of our hearts. If what people mean by this is that they have known, willful, and unconfessed sin in their lives for which they feel very hypocritical trying to read God's Word, then they have reason to hesitate. How can they hear God when they've got known and unresolved sin going on? They need to confess that sin to God and to others affected by it so that the way is clear to hear God again and afresh.

But as Tim and I sat with this couple and talked about people's struggles, it made us wonder how many live in that spiritually deadening place of condemnation. Today I'd like to share with you some thoughts that I hope and pray will be used by God to move you from a place of condemnation to the place of richly enjoying God's grace.

Steve very pointedly addressed this problem yesterday. Steve told us that when we feel conviction it is our loving heavenly Father speaking to us through the Holy Spirit. When we feel conviction from our sin it is the voice of the Holy Spirit!! This conviction is not meant to drive us away from God, but rather toward our God. This conviction is meant to be a "sign-post" directing us to the cross where we can find forgiveness and restored fellowship with our God.

It is our accuser - Satan- who is speaking condemnation. Satan says, "You are not worthy," or "You hypocrite, how can you say you are a Christian when you do..." or "Don't bother reading your Bible, there is nothing there that can help you with this..." or "Don't read the Bible, you'll only feel worse if you do." On and on he goes. Sadly, as a result, we too often allow ourselves to stay just where Satan wants us: far from God and the sound of His voice.

But God says:

"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." (1 John 4 15-18)

Elsewhere in this book, John tell us that if we have sin, God is "faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Also in this book we learn about how this is possible: through the propitiating work of Jesus on the cross (1 John 2:1, 2). When Jesus died on the cross, His body was bearing the punishment for the sins of His people. He took my place. He bore my sin. He experienced God's wrath so that I do not experience God's wrath in eternal damnation and in daily guilt over sin. The conviction the believer feels from sin is not the wrath of God. It is the love of God showing us a better way.

So, if we are in Christ, we can approach God with confidence, boldness, and without fear because of what Christ has done for us. Always, always, keep that in mind. Always, always, begin there when you begin to read God's word or listen to God's word in preaching.

Steve also showed us that when we do not listen to God's voice of conviction for the sins committed, when we choose to ignore the Holy Spirit, when we put our fingers in our ears and make believe we can't hear, we are in danger of hardening our hearts, grieving the Holy Spirit, and as a result, not being able to hear from God (Hebrews 3:7-15; 4:11-16). The writer of Hebrews presents the problem - the hardening of hearts due to the deceitfulness of sin. The writer of Hebrews also gives us the answer to the problem - "the Word of God that is sharper than a two-edged sword... discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." The Word of God is the instrument God uses to bring us back to Jesus our Great High Priest.

When guilt comes and tells us we cannot approach God that is from Satan.
When conviction comes from the reading and hearing of God's word, that is the Holy Spirit given to us to bring us once again to our Great High Priest where we can find mercy and grace to help in time of need.

When guilt comes it paralyzes us into non-action.
When conviction comes it moves us toward action. We confess our sins to God. When we have sinned against others we move toward those individuals and confess our sins against them.

When guilt comes we hide (as did Adam and Eve).
When conviction comes we confidently run to the cross with our sin fully exposed.

When guilt comes relationship with God seems broken.
When conviction comes relationship with God can be deepened.

When guilt comes relationships with others is broken.
When conviction comes relationships with others is pursued.

I hope and pray this helps you so that when you see your Bible on your table you will not walk past it with a guilty heart, but rather you will walk towards it, open it, and expect your loving Father to bring His loving conviction that leads to deeper joy and appreciation for Jesus our Savior. And may I suggest you begin today? Why not spend the next several days reading and meditating in the book of 1 John? I'll also suggest when you get to 1 John 1:9 you stop and consider what sins you've kept hidden from God and from others. Is there an offense against your husband, child, brother or sister in Christ that has been left unresolved? Write them down. Then humbly go to God and find forgiveness, and humbly go to others to find their forgiveness. And when you get to 1 John 2:1, 2, stop and worship!! Glory in your Redeemer!! And enjoy hearing from God again!!

A good shepherd

I experienced the kindness and goodness of THE Good Shepherd and a good shepherd today. The Good Shepherd took me to green pastures for food, rest and comfort. The Good Shepherd led me to still waters for a soul quenching.

This morning my Good Shepherd took me to the house of God where I received His care. That care was extended to me through my pastor, a good shepherd who faithfully called me to the Word of God. Thank you Steve.

We are sheep. We wander. We think we know where we are going but somehow when we stray from the shepherd we always end up in some barren wilderness, or dangerously close to falling into a deep chasm. It was so kind of God (and Steve) to redirect us to the only place where we will find safety, shelter and nourishment for our souls. The Word of God

Did you, like me, hear Steve's shepherding heart? Did you feel his care and concern for your soul? Did you hear him remind us that we have the privilege to hear from the Living God? Did you hear his shepherd love to caution us to not only hear the word but to be hearing rightly the word and thereby "doing" the word? We heard our shepherd give us Christ's warnings to professing believers as written in Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46; and James 1:22

Steve taught us that before we can be doers of the word we must be hearing the word. Here Steve gave us a word picture that all of us could "connect" to. Remember the dot-to-dot illustration: We have to connect the first two dots in order to make sense of the picture of life. The first dot is God, the second dot is our heart. The connection is His Word. God has to speak to us before we can go on to any of the duties of our lives. We have to hear from God through His Word before we can attend to marriage, family, church, work or else it will all be a scrambled mess.

The last expression of shepherd love that Steve extended to us was a word to mothers of young children. How kind of Steve, how kind of God. For here is a part of the flock that struggles to find the time/make the time to spend in the Word. Steve was careful not to heap guilt and shame upon these tender souls. Tomorrow I'd like to add to Steve's encouragement by posting about how to hear the word of God when in this season of life. I hope you will meet me here again. And I'd love to hear your thoughts. Oh, and one more thing: if you felt cared for by your shepherd today, why not email him with a word of thanks?

There but for the grace of God go I

Do you know where that quote originated? I didn’t until today. I’ve been reading Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. This book tells the stories of many of the tens of thousands who have died for Christ from the days of the apostles into the 21st century. Interestingly enough, as David and I are reading about the 16th century in history, my reading in Foxe’s this week is about the martyrs of that same time period.

John Bradford is the one who spoke this famous line. Usually we speak this line when we see physical suffering brought about by disease, poverty and sin (and well we should). But John Bradford spoke it as he watched a column of prisoners being led to their execution for their faith.

Sadly, though, these words were prophetic for John. Three years later it was his turn. Had God’s grace left him? Did he question God’s grace while in a dank prison cell for two years? Not so!

Though imprisoned, he was not bitter or vengeful. He spent his time preaching and writing and “his word was so trusted that guards would release him occasionally at night, fully confident that he would return before daybreak. He always did".

Queen Mary (Bloody Mary – known for the execution of more than 300 believers) offered John Bradford mercy. His reply: “I shall be glad of the queen’s favor on terms that correspond with my duty to Him whose favor is life, but whose displeasure is worse than any death mortals can inflict.” Then as he was tied to a stake and the flames were rising around him he said to another prisoner, “Brother, be of good comfort, for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night, where all our pains will end in peace, and our warfare in songs of joy.”

Sisters, there may come a time when we have to face such a dramatic choice. How will we do at that moment? None of us can know for sure. But may we begin each day fully protected with the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20), to protect us against the attacks of the evil one and the attacks from our flesh, so that we might make the right little choices. And as we are faithful in the little skirmishes, we are strengthened in faith to lay hold of more of God’s grace for the bigger ones. May our hearts agree with John Bradford and say, “There with the grace of God I go”.

Debunking Headship #1

You may remember from a previous post that I brought up the hot-button issue of leadership and followership in the context of marriage and offered to debunk it sometime. This is the first of what I hope will be five-part series based on Wayne Grudem's teaching Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in Creation and Marriage, given at Sovereign Grace Ministries 2004 leadership conference. So here goes.

Key Issue #1: men and women are equal in dignity and value (Gen. 1:27).

Created in the image of God. I don't know about you, but I find that to be pretty amazing. (Pastor Tim preached about the majesty of man a few Christmases ago--it's not currently on the website so you should ask about it at the HFH window.) Being made in the image of God is a privilege given to no other thing in God's creation. And according to the verse, both men and women share in this privilege: "male and female he created them" (emphasis added). He made both male and female in the image of God, with neither one bearing less of His image than the other.

I'm sure we can all figure out why this is point number one. There is this idea out there that the Bible teaches headship in such a way that it affirms the inferiority of women to men. But this is not the case! As Dr. Grudem says, "Page 1 of the Bible corrects the errors of male dominance and male superiority that have come as a result of sin and have been seen in all cultures throughout the history of the world." Page 1 of the Bible! Do you think maybe God knew this would be an important issue?

Furthermore, if we're equal in our status of being made in the image of God, then God must also count us as equal in value. And if God counts us as equal in value then that settles the question of worth for all time! Dr. Grudem continues with this exhortation to all women: "do not receive the lie that comes from one part of every culture in every society that says 'as a woman you are inferior to men, you are less important.' God says you are equal in dignity, value, importance, and personhood. Do you receive that?"

Now, don't get me wrong. There are certainly differences between men and women. We have many differences in preferences and in the way we decide things and express things. But we have to start with understanding that just because we are different as women doesn't mean our worth and value is different. Rather, our equality before God means that men and women need to respect and honor one another in spite of those differences. When we value those differences, we are actually affirming the equality in honor and value that we have before God!

Are you receiving your standing before God as one created in His image and justified by the blood of His Son?

PEGI and her sister Grace

This morning we were introduced to PEGI. She can be a bit intimidating. She calls us to 4 basic commitments; basic but demanding.

What is your response to PEGI? I am sure, because you have a heart to serve Christ and to see His Kingdom advance in Ocean County and beyond, you were inspired. I am also pretty sure, if you are like me, these commitments can make your heart tremble. Why? Because though my desire is to serve Christ in the way PEGI prescribes, I know how often I've failed.

How often have I lacked initiative and been content to just let things happen, or just let someone else do it? How often have I settled for mediocrity and held back my resources of time, gifting, and money out of selfishness, or laziness? My conscience condemns me as I think of the many times I have neglected to properly express appreciation for those who have served me or served alongside me. How often has my pride kept me from humbly seeking out the input of others? Or how many times have I lacked honest transparency rather than admitting my own failures and sin?

This is an honest admission of my own heart. If it were not for PEGI's sister GRACE I would be paralyzed by guilt and shame, fear and unbelief, and unable to serve Christ another day. This is just where Satan wants me. And for a long time in many ways I was controlled by those things. I had a difficult time seeing how God could use me. I found it much safer to "bury my 'talents'" (Matthew 25:14-16, 21).

At times I still have a fearful unbelieving heart, but God is bringing about a change in me. Dave Harvey once told me, "What God has called you to, He will give both the gifts and the grace to fulfill that calling" (that may not be an exact quote but hopefully you get the idea). This truth had a transforming affect upon me.

What has God called me to? I am called to be Tim's wife. I am a mother, a homeschooling mom, a mother-in-law, a grandmother, a daughter, a sister, a neighbor, the wife of the senior pastor, wife of a caregroup leader, leader of women's ministry, a mentor.

I could easily shrink back in fear when I think of applying the PEGI principles to all of this. But I need not fear, for it is the power of Christ that enables me to fulfill my callings. Because He died to save me, and because He rose again, and because He gave me the Holy Spirit to dwell within me, and because He has given me spiritual gifts, I know that HE is going to give me all that I need to fulfill these callings. Not only that but when I sin, which I'm afraid I am so prone to do, HE is faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

With these truths, I can boldly step into ministry knowing that He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). HE is still at work in me!! He is still at work in ME!!! By His GRACE I will draw upon this GRACE and His gifts to pursue PEGI in my various callings. Amazing GRACE.