Immanuel

Immanuel.  It means, “God with us.”  Names are meaningful!  Your name is meaningful—it’s how God sees you.  It identifies you.  

So what does it mean when we call Jesus, “God with us.”   We know he came from heaven to earth. He was miraculously born of a virgin. He slipped off his throne and entered a dark world as a baby to bring light and salvation.  

But I think it means something more personal.  He came to redeem us for sure.  And when we invite him in, he lives in us. He walks with us. He carries our burdens. He shows us how to walk through this valley of the shadow of death.  

We may be overwhelmed with hurt—he’s there.  He cares.  We may be despondent—he brings light and hope.  He never leaves.  We may not be able to see the future—he knows the way.  He’ll lead us.  We may be drowning in debt—he’s our source.  He’ll provide.  We may be sick and worried—he’s our healer.  He anoints us with oil.  We may be broken—he’s our restorer.  He will touch our hearts and renew our minds.  We may be overwhelmed with fear—he’s our peace.  He will fight for us. 

Immanuel is kind of like “I AM.”  It’s all-consuming, all-inclusive, all-embracing.  It’s everything.  What do you need?   He’s that. Will his answers to your every question come in a neat and tidy package?   No.  Absolutely not.  Because he wants you to KNOW HIM!   He wants you to press into him. He wants you to learn about his name, his character, his identity.  We’ll never know the depth of who he is—because he’s God.  And this good and gracious God may allow you to walk down difficult paths so he can move in and be Immanuel—God with us. He wants to reside in you, walk with you, and meet all your needs.  He wants to teach you that he’s enough.  He wants to fill you with his love.  And when you know all of that?  You are consumed with knowing—knowing he is enough. He’s all you need and all you want.  He is Immanuel…God with us.

Faithful Anna

Imagine being me, Mary, a teenaged girl who was about to be married—and suddenly found to be pregnant.  It all sounded so amazing when the angel appeared to me and told me I’d been chosen by God to be the mother of His son.  I mean it WAS amazing.  But I never imagined the consequences it would bring. 

First, I almost lost my beloved.  If the angel hadn’t come to him and told him the truth, he would have put me away.  Secondly, I lost my reputation.  There was horrible gossip and speculation by everyone in my community.  The worst was by the older women who assumed they knew the truth.  I’d been known as the pure young woman whom most of these older women wanted their sons or grandsons to marry.  And now I was the black stain of our small town.  They assumed I’d given up my purity.  

It was all so confusing.  Chosen, but ostracized.  Blessed, but ridiculed.  So the sign posts God placed along my path became treasures I stored in my heart.  My cousin, Elizabeth, was the first sign post.  The baby in her womb leaped when she saw me.  She knew instantly I’d been chosen by God to be the mother of His son.  Another was when the angels appeared to the shepherds and they came to worship him.  And then Simeon…recognizing Jesus as God’s son.  

But…Anna.  Anna was so redemptive for me.  Here was an older woman who held no accusations, no assumptions, and no judgment.  It was obvious she spent her time in prayer and fasting.  Even though she was energetic for someone her age, there was a gentleness that radiated from the inside out. She knew.  She knew Jesus was the redemption of mankind.  But she knew what I needed as a woman and as the mother of this precious gift.  And she gave it—as an older woman to a younger woman:  the KNOWING.  And then she whooped and hollered and shouted the news to everyone around, “Thank you, God!!   Our redemption has come!” 

Redemption comes from God. But I learned that day that he can choose to use an older, godly, prayerful, prophetic, faithful woman as His funnel.

Lord, Master, Boss

You know…we use these words so often (Lord, Master) about Jesus that they’ve lost their meaning.  Let me tell you what I found as I looked up these words in the Greek.  They are words used for a superintendent or overseer.  Someone who has command over others.  Someone who can say, “Come!” and that person to whom they’re speaking is obligated to “come.”   The Lord or Master has authority over others.  

To understand it a little better, an equivalent modern word we might use is “boss.”  That might change our perspective a little bit.  If our boss tells us to do a certain job and we refuse to do it, we would be considered insubordinate.  We might be fired.  

We’ve been told we’re going to heaven when “we ask Jesus to come into our hearts.”  But what Jesus taught us is that we are to make him Lord.  Boss.  We now serve and obey him.  He does come into our hearts when we recognize we’re sinners, repent, and turn to Jesus.  But it doesn’t stop there.  We’re now ambassadors of Jesus.  He’s the King.  We don’t get to make decisions on our own or do whatever we want to do—and we’re certainly not to live in sin.  In fact, if we’re not bothered (convicted) by our sin, we probably don’t belong to him.  He corrects those he loves.  We now obey our Boss. We are to submit to him.  We represent HIM.  We do whatever he tells us to do—we’re to obey his commands.  

Don’t stop at salvation. We’re compelled to follow Jesus closely; be his disciples.  We’re to look like him and do what he does.  We must obey.  He’s the Boss.

The Yoke

“Are you burdened?  Overwhelmed?  Weighed down?   Come to Me.  Let me put this 15 pound contraption on you!”

As I read Matthew 11:28-30 yesterday, this is the way it hit me!   It had to sound like that to the early listeners, too.  

A yoke was a carved wooden piece that harnessed two oxen together so they’d work together side-by-side.  Jesus was telling the people—US!—to come and yoke up with him.  It’s a choice.  

You have to:

Submit

Commit

Admit

Submit to Jesus.  

You have to humble yourself and confess you need him and are willing to walk his way and at his pace.  You have to give up your frenzy.  You have to let go of your will.  

Commit to a yoke.  A yoke comes across your shoulders and fastens around your neck.  It’s a commitment—because once it’s on, your locked in.  You’ve weighed the options and know if you keep going your way, you’ll be exhausted and wasted.  But…if you commit to being yoked with Jesus, he’ll carry the heavier weight and he’ll teach you his way.   His way is slower, unhurried, focused, humble, gentle, restful.  Don’t you want that?   You have to commit.  

You have to admit you can’t do it alone and you have a need to walk with the Savior.  While this sounds easy, it’s the hardest part.  Our flesh wants to scream, “I CAN DO IT MYSELF!!!!”  We want to prove—willfully—that we’ve got this.  We think our way is best.  But when we can finally admit that our way is getting us nowhere and that we’re exhausted with the process…there’s hope.  

When you yoke yourself with Jesus, it’s perfectly carved and fitted so that Jesus carries the heavier burden.  It’s not that he wants to strap pounds of weight on you…he just wants you to stay CONNECTED to him so you don’t run off and exhaust yourself.  He wants you to slow down and learn how to do this the right way.  He wants you to rest.  He wants you to focus. He wants you listening to him and learning from him.  

Will you commit to being locked in with him?  Yes, it will slow you down.  But if you’ll let it, it will teach you everything you need to know about life.  It will bring REST. 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

A Pregnant Simeon

Simeon was pregnant longer than Mary.  God had birthed a promise in his heart and he’d been waiting for the fulfillment of that promise.  He was waiting on the Messiah.  

Jamie Shuck asked our youth last night “How are you waiting?” He used the story of Simeon.  As I’ve thought on his lesson, I’d ask, “ARE you waiting?”  There’s another arrival of the Messiah pending!   Are you waiting?  Watching?  Expecting?

I believe Simeon was chosen for this particular promise because he was a just, righteous, devout, and watchful man.  God promised him he would see the Messiah before he died.  And ONE DAY…the Spirit of God told him to get to the temple.  Mary & Joseph entered the temple that day with baby Jesus to present him to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice for his birth.  That’s when Simeon saw the Messiah.  The same God who’d given him the promise quickened his spirit to recognize Who he was seeing.  And Simeon took the child and blessed him.  He blessed his parents and prepared them for things to come.  And I’m sure that moment reverberated in their spirits as long as they lived.  It was a sign post that this was all true.  This was God’s Son—the Messiah.  

Simeon had been promised he’d see the Messiah before he died.  I wonder if he’d gotten sick with a fatal disease?   It would be just like Satan to do that to create doubt about God’s promise.  We don’t know. But God kept that promise alive in Simeon’s heart.  After all, Simeon’s name means, “harkening.”  He waited well by listening to the voice of the Spirit.

Undone

I was undone.  We were worshiping and singing about the King.  I’d been meditating on Luke 12:32 for two days, “For it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”   What did that actually mean?   Jesus had just told the disciples not to worry about what they ate or what they wore.  He’d said if they’d seek first the kingdom of God, all these things would be added to them.  And then he said their Father would DELIGHT to give them (and us) His kingdom.  

Can you imagine being a billionaire and having a son who kept messing up—and telling him you’d DELIGHT giving him everything you’d worked hard for?   That’s why I was undone.  I am that son.  Why oh why would God entrust His kingdom to me?  Why would He DELIGHT to give it to me?   Doesn’t He know I am unworthy, untrustworthy?  

I rose to my feet and wiped the tears streaming from my face.  If God delights to give His kingdom to me, I want to take this gift and duty and handle it responsibly.  I want to be trustworthy.  I want to please my King and bring back more than He gave me.  I want to be a diligent ambassador.   

And that makes me worship Him all the more.

Make Room

When Jesus got to the little girl who’d died, there was a crowd of people. People were playing flutes and mourning and wailing.  Jesus told the people to “make room”—that the girl wasn’t dead, but sleeping.  The people’s response?  They ridiculed Jesus!  These were professional mourners.   They knew what a dead person looked like.  And this girl was dead.  

I believe Jesus fully intended to perform a miracle in front of these people.  He only told them to “make room.”   Or, “Move over so I can get to the girl and raise her from the dead.”  But at the moment of their unbelief (and ridicule), he had them removed from the room.  Only those who believed were allowed to stay and see this miracle performed.  And Jesus raised this little girl from the dead!!

Where would you be—inside or outside of that room?  It’s imperative in these days that we walk closely with people who are full of faith.  We should also give others the opportunity to “make room” and see a miracle.  But if they ridicule?   They’ll miss the whole thing.  

The more time you spend with Jesus…the more you’re in his Word…the more faith you’ll have.  

Stay.   See the miracle.

Jesus’ DNA

Have you ever considered Jesus’ DNA—his lineage?  Read Matthew 1 and choose any of the many colorful (sinful) people in his ancestry and check them out.  In fact, just look at the women mentioned…

•Tamar—presented herself as a prostitute to her father-in-law to retaliate because he hadn’t given his youngest son to her as promised.  She had twins by him—one in the lineage of Christ.  

•Rahab—a prostitute who chose to follow God. Her son was in the lineage of Jesus. 

•Ruth—an immigrant who positioned herself to become the wife of one of the wealthiest Israelites.  Her son was the grandfather of King David.    

•Bathsheba—she slept with King David while her husband was away at war.  Their son was King Solomon—who was in the lineage of Christ.  

You will find EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the lineage of Christ to be a sinner.  In fact, Jesus was tempted in every way that we are—and yet, he didn’t sin.  Because he was sinless, he became the only way for our redemption—or way back into a relationship with God.  We HAVE to accept that gift to become His child.  

But here’s the good news…God used sinners then and He uses them now to fulfill His perfect will.  All of us have sinned.  But when we receive God’s gift—the death, burial, and resurrection of his sinless Son as the sacrifice for our sins—we are redeemed, saved, and put in right relationship with God.  When you do that, you’re reborn!  Your spiritual DNA changes—you’re now part of God’s family.  

How does God want to use YOU in His story?   He does, you know.  

Birds of the Air

God is such a God of detail!   That thought brought me comfort yesterday as I was thinking on the chaos in our world. 

When you think on the birds of the air (just the ordinary birds) and how God has used them, it brings hope.  I began thinking on the stories in the Bible where God used birds…

•It was a bird that let Noah know the earth had dried after the flood.  

•God had birds fly in low and slow over the children of Israel in the wilderness so they could catch them and eat them.  

•The birds fed Elijah as he lived by the brook—until the brook dried up.  

•God sent birds to eat the remains of the Philistines after David killed Goliath.  

•God feeds the birds of the air and says we’re more valuable than them.  

I could give many more illustrations, but you get the point.  If God can direct birds to feed a man for months, He’s committed to taking care of the smallest details of our lives.  

He’s got it covered…every last detail.  

A Bright Light

    (Melissa at Fall Festival as Cruella de Vil! 🤣)

I want you to know my friend, Melissa Lambert.  She went to heaven yesterday without notice.    

The amazing thing about Melissa is she lived an all-out life of love.  She told us constantly with actions and words what was on her heart—she held nothing back.  So she was always affirming those around her.   She was a bright light.  When she walked into a room, she became the focus of attention—even without seeking it.  She was just too bright to shine lightly.  I always laughed to myself if she walked in late to Sunday School because she wasn’t quiet.  She had to make us laugh because she was late.  She was a mess—her laugh was big and contagious!   Melissa could have been a performer with her big personality, beautiful singing voice, and dramatic flair—and that girl could project her voice!!  She drew people in.  

Melissa was an open book—what you saw was what you got.  She hid nothing.  Her struggles, her loves, her questions, her habits, her admiration—all of it was wide open. I loved sitting in her chair while she cut my hair.  We talked about everything.  She had lots of spiritual questions.  She was curious and inquisitive.  She wanted to learn and grow. She wanted to serve God with everything she had.   

She was a friend to everyone who knew her.  She loved them BIG!!!   It would be hard for me to guess who her best friend was.  I’m guessing there are many who considered her their best friend.  She was just that way—she loved big and made everyone feel important. 

But the real loves of her life were her family.  She loved her husband, Tom, protectively.  She might laugh over something he did—but you knew she loved and respected him.  She loved her kids, Cayden, Liam, and Maggie.  She wanted and expected the best from them and for them.  Her dreams were big!!  She knew they could achieve anything.  And she was willing to push them to greatness even when their feet might be dragging a little.  I looked back through her Facebook page last night and saw how proud she was of her family!!   It wasn’t just obvious there—it was in all of her conversations. 

Melissa will be missed by all of us.  But we’ll see her in the way her friends surround Tom and the kids in the days ahead.  We’ll see her in Cayden’s achievements, Liam’s leadership, and Maggie’s bright personality and big laugh.  We’ll see her family and friends carry on her legacy and encourage and invest in her kids. We’ll see her best when we choose to love and serve God—and by being spiritually inquisitive and growing ourselves. 

I don’t know about you, but I want to love big and make others feel important like Melissa did.  I want to chase after God.  THAT…is Melissa Mealer Lambert’s legacy.   

Melissa singing:

https://youtu.be/zd7u9lzsbI4

Walking with Eternal Life

The disciples walked with eternal life.  

What would it have been like to watch, touch, listen to, and walk with eternal life??

It was life-giving. It was life-sustaining.  It was bigger than life!  It was generous. It was confusing at times.  It was fearless.  It was powerful. It was a paradigm shift. It was confident. It was humble. It was open arms and an invitation to follow.  It was a new way. It was demonstrative. It was confrontational. It was emotional.  It was challenging.  It was a choice. It was good.  It was hard. It was restful.  It was laughter.  It was love.  It was kind.  It was full of hope!

And now…eternal life lives IN us when we choose to follow Him.  And we can know all of these things, too, as we walk with and listen to Him.   He will instruct us, teach us, comfort us, and fill us with hope!

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”  I John 1:1-3

*Photo from The Chosen

Rest

August has been a month of sabbatical rest for Andy & I.  Our first. It’s the smallest church we’ve served—but they have big hearts and broad minds.  We love them!

I can’t wait to share about our sabbatical.  But I first wanted to write about rest.  It’s so elusive!  We decided to spend our last week of sabbatical at home.  You know why?   It’s where we rest the best.  

Hebrews 4 talks about rest. It says God entered His rest on the 7th day—after working/creating for 6 days.  We have the promise of rest—which is ahead of us.  So…while we’re still here, we have work to do.  Maybe that’s why it’s so elusive even though we should live with our souls in a continual state of rest—and get alone often, like Jesus did.  

We have work to do. Let’s be busy sharing the good news of Jesus Christ!  Let’s work hard (with our souls at rest) knowing our rest is ahead of us.  

Time is short.

Ephesians 3:20

I've been meditating on 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,"

1. We have to empty ourselves of US and what we're able to do.  

2. We have to be filled with the Spirit--controlled by & submitted to him. 

3. We have to listen to the Father and do what He's doing.  

4. We must ask the Spirit to breathe and expand our spirits with His power.  

5. We need to receive everything the Spirit has to offer--His fruit, His gifts. 

6. We must ASK and believe for the impossible!

7. We need to walk controlled by the Spirit.  The minute we do or say anything in our flesh, we start over.  But we start from a place of expansion.  (Think of a balloon--after you blow it up and it's deflated, it's easier to blow up the next time--it's been expanded!  It retains the “memory” of where it’s been.)

Meditates=Roars

Meditates=Roars

Psalm 1:2 says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law he meditates day and night.”

I’ve heard this verse as long as I can remember and here’s what I heard, “But he delights and enjoys the law of the Lord and thinks on the verses in the Bible all the time.”

The original language is a little different.  Delight means delight—or pleasure, longing, or purpose.   The law of the Lord is Torah (the first five books of the Bible).  It’s probably all that was written when David wrote this psalm.  So we are to take pleasure in and find purpose in God’s Word.  

But the most interesting part to me is meditate.  It does mean “to think on.”   But it also means “to roar like a lion!!”   I’ve learned a few things about a lion roaring.  It only roars as it matures.  It roars over prey.  It roars when it’s ready to mate (how great would it be to find a mate by hearing him roar over the Word??).   It roars to claim territory.  It roars to instill fear.  And its roar is so loud (114 decibels—as loud as a rock concert), that it shakes a human’s chest!

What if we’re to meditate on the Word of God by speaking it out loud?   And what if it’s the roar which brings fear into Satan’s kingdom as we claim territory for the kingdom of God?   And just what if it’s the very declaration that the enemy has become our prey?

Wow!!!   Meditate means so much more than just “think on!”  Speak the Word of God as you mature.  Rattle those vocal chords.  And strike fear in the heart of your Enemy!!

Fruit

I recently bought some amazing peaches!   I can’t get enough of them.  I was thinking on those peach trees when I read this verse:

“He (the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly but delights in the law of the Lord) shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.”  Psalm 1:3

The picture here is of a tree which has been transplanted to be beside a canal of water.  The tree has no work to do.  It’s job is to “be.”   It can’t create its own sap—it’s lifeblood.  It can’t provide water and nutrients—it just absorbs what’s provided for it.  It can’t grunt and grow fruit.  All of those things are a natural process built in by the Creator.  

God is saying when we abide in Him and delight in His Word, He’ll do the rest.  He transplants us at our new birth to be right beside the water (a picture of the Holy Spirit).  And then it’s the work of the Spirit to provide the water and nutrients we need  which creates life and fruit.  Did you catch that fruit is seasonal?   There’s a time for growing and maturing before fruit is produced.  You can’t make it happen any sooner.   He promises to take care of everything—water, sap, fruit, healthy leaves...LIFE!  Just be.   Just abide.   And let Him do the rest.  He’ll create beautiful fruit in your life—in due time—which will delight others.

**By the way...there may be heaps of “fertilizer” piled on our lives at times—but don’t despair!   It’s needed for good fruit!  😉

One-Upmanship

In the last days, people will be proud.  

Actually, the Blue Letter Bible has some pretty descriptive explanations for the word “proud” (hyperephanos):

•showing one’s self above others

•overtopping

•conspicuous above others

•pre-eminent 

•with an overweening estimate of one's means or merits

•despising others or treating them with contempt, haughty

…One-Upmanship.  That’s what it all boils down to.  “Someone who does or says something to prove they are better than someone else.”  

Think of this verse like this:  In the last days, there will be plenty of people practicing one-upmanship.  They will be trying to prove they are better than everyone else.  They will put themselves in a better light to be noticed. By doing this, they will try to prove you are “less than” them and that they have greater credentials and should be noticed and patted on the back. 

God says he resists these people.  

“God resists the proud (hyperephanos), but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6

No Vagrancy

Imagine this…

Imagine you own a million dollar home and vagrants set up camp in your front yard.  They’ve moved in with their tent, a grocery cart with all of their belongings…and trash.  Not only that, they’ve built a fire on your lawn to keep themselves warm and to cook their food. This all happened right as you’d planned an elaborate dinner party and your guests were arriving.  As each guest entered your home, they told you that these vagrants had boasted to them that they owned this million dollar home—and that your guests had no right to traipse through their yard!   

Of course, you and your guests would know that this was empty boasting.  These vagrants had no rights.  It wasn’t their house or their property.  These people were wandering and setting up camp in a new place each day.  They were empty pretenders.  

That’s what Jesus told us to expect in the last days.  Boasters.  But the root of that word is “vagrant”—people who wander and even claim ownership of things or places not rightfully theirs.  Empty pretenders.  

Have you met an empty pretender lately?

“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…”

II Timothy 3:2

Who Owns Your Heart?

When you casually observe people in our world today, it’s easy to see a world obsessed with money.  We either see people working hard to give themselves—but more likely, their children—everything.  Or we see others who’ve completely quit working and are living off of a free handout.  Either way, they’re serving money.  

But let’s bring it closer to home.  How much of a hold does money have on your life?  Are you consumed with fear because you don’t make enough money to live comfortably or don’t have enough money to retire? Are you always thinking of the next thing to buy—a bigger house, a better car, newer technology, every activity your child can imagine? Does money consume your thoughts—even though you know God has told us not to love money?

Years ago, God showed me how to break the hold (or fear) money had over my life.  I would write a check for 10% of our income to take as a tithe to God to our church. I would wave it in the air before I left my home and declare, “I will serve God, not money!!” That 10% grew larger as my income increased.  And soon, I was giving offerings beyond my tithe.  As I would see a need, I would quickly help—without thinking of other ways I could use that money for myself.  Soon…money had no hold over my life.  I became a giver.  It’s a life I cherish because I was consumed with fear when I served money. 

In the last days, people will be lovers of money.  That breeds greed, fear, control, fightings, selfishness, haughtiness, conceit, and climbing ladders propped against the wrong wall. 

You will either serve God or money.  Not both.  

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”  

Matthew 6:24

A World Obsessed

People will love themselves.  

II Timothy 3:2 says that in the last days, people will love themselves. When we read this passage, we often look at our world as a whole.  And as a whole, we’re obsessed with ourselves!  

But we seldom bring it down to a personal level.  How does this passage apply to ME?  Am I self-absorbed?   Am I selfish?   Am I constantly protecting myself? Thinking about how things affect me?  Wondering what this will do to my plans?  Do I promote myself?  Do I feel “better than” others?   Do I want to change my looks so I look more like a TV personality?  Do I horde my money for my wants and desires?  Do I save the best for myself?  Do I think of myself before I think of others?

Am I even more extreme?   Am I a narcissist?  A narcissist…

1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance. 

2. Lives in a fantasy world that supports their delusions of grandeur. 

3. Needs constant praise and admiration.  

4. Has a sense of entitlement.  

5. Exploits others without guilt or shame. 

6. Frequently demeans, belittles, intimidates, or bullies others.  

Living a life of selfishness is completely opposite of how Jesus taught us to live. Jesus told us that we’re to live a life thinking of others as better than ourselves.  He told us to meet the needs of others.  But we’re now living in a world that says we must put ourselves first. If we don’t think of ourselves first, who will?   

Bringing this down to us, leaves us with this question…How will I live?   Will I follow the way of the world and think of myself first?   Or will I follow Jesus and be selfless and serve others?

Things to Come

Things are getting hard, aren’t they?   We’ve just come through a pandemic which has lacerated the Church.  So many churches didn’t make it through those hard times.  Many closed their doors.  Many are fractured.  And now…rumors are hitting us that more hard times may be ahead.  

II Timothy 3 talks about things to come in the last days.  The first verse of that chapter says this, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.”  Let’s talk about it.  I want to be prepared, don’t you?  God always warns his people to prepare them.  How has he warned us?

First of all, what are the “last days?”  The Blue Letter Bible says this:  Last=Eschatos.  Eschatos is the root of  the word eschatology (last word) which means a study of the last days.  So when II Timothy 3:1 talks about the last days, it’s talking about the days leading up to Jesus’ return. Those days will be perilous (hard to bear, hard to deal with, troublesome, savage, fierce). 

I believe we’ve entered those days.  Satan is trying to divide us, to disqualify us…to conquer God’s people.   He wants to win.  

We can’t effectively lead God’s people if we’re unprepared ourselves.  So let’s begin to look at…the things to come.  

3X a Day

Daniel had lived a long time as a captive/advisor in Babylon under three different kings.  The new king, Darius, took advice from some governing men who were jealous of Daniel.  Daniel had recently been set in a prestigious position over the whole realm. These men appealed to the king’s pride and encouraged him to establish a statue that anyone who appeals to a god or man (besides the king) for thirty days would be fed to the lions.  They knew Daniel’s habits.  

And this happened…

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”

It was his custom.  To pray 3X a day.  And give thanks. 

He knew about the king’s new law.  But he prayed…as was his custom…three times a day. 

Do we?   Do we have a habit of praying?   Do we set aside time to talk to our Heavenly Father?   Do we let him hear our heart?  Do we petition him often?   Do we thank him?  Do people around us know of us as praying people?  Would there be enough evidence for us to be thrown in jail because of our prayer life?

This was the cry of my son’s heart—to lead his church in the habit or practice of praying 3X a day.  He’s begun the 918 Initiative. It’s easy and simple.  And it’s already building a healthy habit in my own life.  What if hundreds or thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ built this practice in their lives?  Check it out here…and join us!

http://www.918initiative.com/

Spiritual Perfectionism

Have you ever been around a perfectionist?   I have a recovering perfectionist in my life.  It can drive you crazy!   They’re obsessed with details and may even need to change you so you fit in with the order they need in their lives.  I was complaining about this one day to God and He reminded me of this, “When you’re upset with something in someone else’s life, it’s only a mirror reflecting your own life!”   I replied, “I am NOT a perfectionist!!!!!   Am I???”

And God immediately revealed the SPIRITUAL perfectionism in my life and began a long work to uproot it.  

My spiritual perfectionism looked like this:

•CONTROL 

•Striving to please God. 

•Not wanting one thing left undone so as not to displease God. 

•Jumping through spiritual hoops (studying the Word of God intensely, being a “good girl,” doing all the right things)

•Wanting those around me to fit into the mold I’d created.  

•Having a critical spirit towards those who weren’t jumping through hoops. 

It’s all such a fine line.  We are to please God, we should study the Word of God, train others how to walk with God.  Right?   But it all comes down to our motive. Why are we doing those things?  What are we trying to attain?

My motive was to be one of God’s favorites—I wanted to be noticed by Him.  I also needed to control those around me so they could please Him, too.  Even as I write that, I realize how messed up that is!  But it was hidden so deeply within me that I could never have given words to it when I was in the middle of it.  But God in his mercy began pulling back the curtains so I could see it and change it.  It’s the heart of a Pharisee—measuring the tithe of mint, anise, and cumin—and passing over justice, mercy, and love. 

I’m a recovering spiritual perfectionist.  I know I could never have attained God’s favor—because I already had it!!  Even in my messed up state. 

Grace.  God’s matchless, unfailing, unlimited grace. 

Ripening

I stayed with a friend this week who had this beautiful blackberry bush in her backyard.  One evening, we picked every ripe blackberry off of the bush.  And the next evening…all of these new berries were ripe to pick!

The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart.  “Becky, don’t be quick to judge people who aren’t following hard after Jesus.  Ask…and then trust that I’m pursuing them with the light of Christ.  Their time is coming; they will be fruitful!  Watch and appreciate the beautiful ripening process which happens at a different time for everyone.”

Silenced

Has Satan tried to silence you lately?   Yeah…me, too.  It was so sneaky, I didn’t even realize what he’d done!   All it took was one post on Facebook which illicited a backwash of responses to shut me up.  I didn’t even realize it had silenced me until this morning.  

Here’s what happened.  I was teaching our youth in Sunday School yesterday and asked them a series of moral questions so they could tell me if they were true.   One question was, “Is it wrong to live together before marriage?”   Most of the kids didn’t answer.  But the few who did, didn’t know the truth of God’s Word.  They didn’t even try to give me the “Sunday School answer.”  And I was devastated.  

Since then, I’ve been having a conversation with God.  Our youth minister is teaching truth—I hear him every week.  Why are our kids not getting it?  What is our response now after hearing what these kids believe?   How do we fill them with truth before they leave us?  I was consumed with a new urgency to teach them truth.  

God used this one experience to reveal to me that I’ve been silenced by one stupid Facebook post and a myriad of negative responses.  Satan hates truth.  He doesn’t want it taught.  And if he can silence truth-speakers, he will.  

Have you been silenced?  It’s one of the oldest tricks in Satan’s playbook.  He hates freedom.  

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:32

Youth Camp

I’m a 65-year-old woman and I just went to youth camp.  Why, you might ask?

•I love young people and love seeing God make a difference in their lives!

•An older pastor’s wife invested in me. 

•I’m still on mission!

•I still work with/teach our youth.  

•Our youth minister needed help. 

•Youth need someone with life experience who will love them and speak truth into their lives! 

We have GOT to get over the idea that “our day of serving is over!”   It’s not over until we get to heaven.  We’re either “all in”…or we’re not.  We may think we don’t have a lot to offer—but on this trip, we needed warm-bodied-men just to make sure boys stayed in cabins at night.  We needed someone to organize meals and then to ask others to prepare meals ahead of time. We needed cooks to warm up meals already prepared.  We needed adults to go with groups of kids to activities. We needed big arms to give warm embraces to the young man who lost his mom while he was at camp.  We needed lots of adults willing to love on and pray over hurting kids.  

People may have wondered why this gray-headed lady was going to youth camp. I won’t lie…I wondered that sometimes, too.  But I never want to miss what God is doing, do you?   And if not youth camp…WHAT is God calling you to do???  You still have a mission!  (“You must each accept the responsibilities that are yours.”  Galatians 6:5)

Whatever it is…do that!

Good, Better, Best

What kind of follower of Jesus are we—good, better, or best?

GOOD

The crowd followed Jesus.  Matthew 4:23; 12:23-24

They followed him and listened to him teach.  But most came because he was healing people.  When his teaching got radical (John 6), they quit following.  

BETTER

Jesus called 12 men to follow him (many women did also).  He called them disciples—which means “to be the same with.”  Matthew 4:18-22; 10:1. He gave them power to heal diseases and cast out demons.  But they also were jealous of one another and wanted special privileges.  

BEST

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his teaching.  She also anointed Jesus’ feet with very costly oil and wiped it with her hair.  She gave her very best and risked criticism to worship Jesus with all of her heart.   

Which are we?

Rattlesnakes

There is nothing more feared in Texas than the rattlesnake.  Its venom is poisonous and can kill an animal or person if they don’t receive an anti-venom quickly.  If you’re out walking, you pay close attention if you hear something rattling!   Two years ago, a 65-year-old man in our church was bitten by a rattlesnake while farming, and two weeks later, his 90-year-old mother was bitten by one while gardening at her country home. Both were flown by helicopter to the nearest hospital to get the anti-venom and both survived. It’s a scary deal!!

My cousin recently told me that rattlesnakes have quit rattling.  They don’t know if it’s adapting to the large wild hog population in Texas—so as not to be eaten…or if its tail has atrophied from lack of use.  So now you have to be very alert if you’re out in the country where rattlesnakes are prone to be!  

I believe our enemy is changing his tactics in the same way.  As believers are becoming more alert to Satan’s ways, he’s quit “rattling,” and viciously attacks when we least expect it and in ways we never anticipated.  

Stay alert!  Keep your eyes wide open.  Your enemy is slithering around with an evil intent.  And he’s not making a noise.

Judas

Judas was a disciple of Jesus.  He was called and chosen by him. But Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas was a devil and would betray him.  (John 6:64,70)  As I’ve been thinking on Judas, these are some of the things God has shown me…

•Judas objected to Mary anointing Jesus because the oil could have been sold and given to the poor.  The truth was Judas was the keeper of the money box and was skimming money off the top for himself.  (John 12:3-8)  Jesus knew this but we don’t know that he confronted him or stopped him. We know it was exposed at some point because the disciples wrote about it.  

•Jesus kept bringing truth to Judas and kept bringing things to the Light.  He uncovered who would betray him at Passover.  (John 13:21-26)

•Jesus withheld nothing from Judas!   When he sent the twelve out, he gave them power over demons and power to heal the sick.  (Matthew 10:1-4).  Did Judas work under the power of the Spirit…or was he a false prophet—covering up that he wasn’t working under the power of the Spirit but of Satan?

•It wasn’t obvious that Judas was a betrayer.  When Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him, they all asked, “Is it me, Lord?” (Matthew 26:22)

•Judas called Jesus rabbi (teacher).  But he wasn’t committed to him or to learning from him.  (Matthew 26:25)

•Judas partnered with the religious leaders to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver—less than $500—and with a kiss. (Matthew 26:14-15,49)

•Judas looked for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to the religious leaders. (Matthew 26:16)

•Judas was filled with remorse over selling Jesus out and took the money back to the religious leaders and went out and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5). 

Apparently, days later, the limb broke and Judas fell and his bloated body exploded.  Acts 1:18 says he fell headlong and his intestines gushed out.  

•Jesus shared wine and bread and taught his disciples some deep truths after Judas left that fateful night.  He prepared them for his death.  Judas was not included.  

I think there’s so much to learn from how Jesus interacted with Judas.  Will we have betrayers who call themselves Christians in the church?  Yes.  Will there be false prophets who perform miracles? Yes. Will it be obvious they are false?  No!  God will continue extending grace, light, and truth to them—and so can we.  Should we expose wrongdoing?   Jesus exposed Judas’ stealing at some point, but he exposed his betrayal openly and in the moment.  But following Jesus’ example, the disciples all exposed Judas in their writings—for both.  I think the disciples didn’t suspect Judas because Jesus had called him!   And because they were all called, they expected him to have the same heart they did.  But we are told to “test the spirits” of others. (I John 4:1)  

We will always have toxic people—people willing, and even eager—to betray us. Jesus gave Judas every opportunity to change.  But he also didn’t allow him to control situations.  He told Judas to be quiet when he was condemning Mary for anointing Jesus with oil. 

 Jesus gave us Judas to learn how to handle a devil in our midst.

Thorn in the Flesh

Have you stopped and thanked God for...that illness, that weakness, that need to understand, that control, that manipulation, that criticism, that hardship, that attack, that need, that burden, that powerlessness, that persecution for standing for right, that mistreatment by a boss or co-worker or spouse, that stress?

THANK God for these things?!?  Paul did.  Of course, God had allowed Paul to see some amazing things—like heaven! Because of that, God had allowed Satan to strike Paul with a blow—with a thorn in the flesh.  God knew this thorn would keep Paul humble. We don’t know what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was—but we know what he did.  He asked God to remove it.  Three times!   But God said no.  In fact, God went on to tell him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”  Did you catch that?  GOD’S strength—His dynamite power—is made perfect, completed, or fully accomplished through our weakness.  

Paul went on to say that because God’s strength would be magnified through those hard things, he would choose them and be thankful for them.  

Where are you in the process?  Have you even thought about those things as being a thorn in the flesh—a way to keep you humble?  Have you asked Him to remove them?  Have you acknowledged God might have allowed it to magnify Himself and display His great power?  Have you thanked Him for them?

God, help me and my friends!  Help us to examine the painful things in our lives so we can see if You’ve allowed them in our lives to display Your great power.  Regardless, God...help us to get to the place where we can thank You for them.  Change our perspective about them. In Jesus’ all-powerful name, amen.

Aaron & Hur

Exodus 17 tells the story.  Moses sent Joshua and his men to fight the Amalekites.  He told Joshua he would go to the top of the hill and lift the rod of God.  As long as Moses lifted the rod of God, the Israelites were winning!  But when his arms would grow tired and he lowered the rod of God, the tide turned and the Amalekites were victorious. Aaron & Hur had gone to the hilltop with Moses, so they came up with a solution.  They seated Moses on a rock—and they held up his arms—one on each side.  The battle went on all day and the Israelites defeated the Amalekites completely.  

Here’s what occurred to me as I read this today.  It doesn’t say that Aaron & Hur ever said a word after Moses was seated.  They just held up Moses’ arms.  How many times are we in a critical moment with someone and we begin offering all kinds of unsolicited advice?  These men didn’t have to say anything because they were seeing God’s power!  The rod of God was raised—and it was all that was needed.   It was obvious GOD was at work.  And obvious that their words would be meaningless in the situation.  

Moses built an altar after the battle and named it Jehovah-Nissi...The Lord is my Banner.  It was the Lord’s victory. His banner had been raised over the battle and the enemy had been defeated.  

I want to raise the rod of God and watch him defeat the enemy, don’t you?  A few things I personally needed to see in this story:

1.  Raise the rod of God!

2.  Be quiet and watch. 

3.  Surround yourself with people of faith!

4.  Trust God when you see him at work—and even when you don’t. 

Ambassadors

Ambassadors

Paul told us we are ambassadors for Christ (II Corinthians 5:20). What does that mean?   Does it mean we’re rulers with authority?

An ambassador is a representative of their home nation while they reside in a host nation.  They’re diplomatic.  They try to build relationship between the two countries.  

The ruler (king, president, prime minister) of a country would never send an ambassador to another country to represent them who would take over and make their own rogue policies.  That ambassador would be removed!   The ambassador only has authority to represent the king’s policies...nothing more.  His job is to try and build relationship between the two countries.   He is to be a liaison—someone extending the hand of the home nation with an invitation for relationship.  

In the very same way, we represent our King and his sovereign nation—heaven.  We must understand the rules, protocol, and regulations of heaven to be a good emissary. God is wanting relationship with the people from the nation of Earth and he’s sent us to extend his invitation.  We represent him and his plan. Period. We’re not to lord it over them. We don’t make false promises.  And we certainly don’t get to make new policy.  We are inviting the people of Earth into a relationship with the King of kings.  

Paul said it best in II Corinthians 5:20,

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

Be an ambassador.  Represent the King well. 

—Becky Dietz

Endurance—Don’t Quit!!

Endurance—Don’t Quit!

Endurance has been on my mind a lot lately.  Mainly, because I see so many people quitting.  People are quitting church, giving up pastoring or leading, and even dropping out of their spiritual life altogether.  Why?  Because it got hard.  Satan’s attacks were relentless or just overwhelming—they were too hard to endure.  

How do we build endurance?   How do we finish well?  How do we complete the race we’re in?  Maybe the first question to ask is, “What race are we in?” And the second is, “What is endurance?”

Hebrews 12:1 says this, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  We’re in a race of life. God has called us and equipped us for our own unique race—a race, a life of completely obeying God and telling the world about Him.  Satan has set traps all along the way to try to trip us up!  He entices us with sin which will stop our race.  But God is our coach and is training us to endure, overcome, and finish well.  He’s building our spiritual muscles and our lung capacity by overcoming one obstacle after another—each one becoming bigger and harder.  If we don’t understand the race we’re in and how God is training us, we’ll give up easily. God describes endurance as perseverance, to bear ill treatment bravely and calmly, to not run away, to remain and abide.  

As I thought on my own race, I came up with some ways God has trained me.  Let me share them.  I’m sure you’ll recognize them from your own training.  

1. You’ve got to be passionate about the race to endure. Mostly, be passionate about God and running (living) for Him. 
2. You have to embrace training.  
3. You have to focus. 
4. You have to drown out or ignore the discouraging voices.  
5. Keep the finish line in sight.  
6. Pace yourself.  
7. Listen to those cheering you on.  Surround yourself with encouragers and like-minded runners.  
8. Listen to your coach. (Be in the Word!) Remember his training as you run.  
9. Help others who may stumble before they finish.
10. Be alert.  You have an enemy trying to stop you.  
11. Don’t run with weights (sin). Throw them off!
12. Cross the finish line with everything you’ve got!!

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”

Hebrews 12:1-2 (Message)

Pressed, Perplexed, Persecuted

Pressed, Perplexed, Persecuted

Did these things only happen to the first disciples of Jesus—or was God speaking through Paul to prepare us for the very same things?  

If we are ONLY looking for the blessings and fulfillment that God can bring to our lives (and He does do that!), we’ll be blindsided when hard things come. He told us there would be perilous times ahead (II Timothy 3), wars, pestilences, famine, and martyrdom (Matthew 24).  Jesus himself told us that he came as a bond slave and was obedient to his Father unto death—and we were told to have the same mindset.  (Philippians 2:5-8)  He told us the days were evil (Ephesians 5:16) and that the world would hate us (John 15:19). 

Satan is hitting all of us hard, isn’t he?   Especially leaders!  It’s like they have a target on their backs.  Satan doesn’t play fair—he’s out to destroy.  

What can we do? 

1.  Be in the Word—it’s imperative!

2.  Give God thanks and praise. 

3.  Build spiritual muscles through the opposition that comes.  

4.  Find JOY—it’s our strength!

5.  Lock arms with like-minded believers.  

6.  PRAY!!

7.  Be alert to your adversary. Know how he works.  Recognize him, his voice, and how he moves.  

8. Don’t give in to despair. Press in to God.  

9. Ask for help!

10. Don’t quit.  That’s exactly what the enemy wants you to do.  

We are living through some hard days, aren’t we?  But...God!!   God wants to give us victory.  He wants us to finish well—all while walking in truth!  He wants His light to shine through us. He is the God of Light who wants to BREAK THROUGH!  Our churches need to see this kind of victory like never before.  Let’s lock arms and set our hearts and minds with the determination to overcome—all while leaning on and depending on the Spirit of God!  

Hang in there, sisters!!!  We are not crushed, in despair, abandoned, or destroyed.  Don’t give up or give in.  

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  I Corinthians 15:57

The God of All Comfort

The God of All Comfort

by Becky Dietz

II Corinthians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.”

The Greek word for comfort is paraklesis. It means to come along side, to call near for help, consolation, solace, comfort, encouragement.  God is a God of compassion and mercies.  He will come along side you when you cry out for help.  He will comfort and encourage you.  

Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world.  Even though we have the “now-kingdom of God,” it’s not yet the “perfect-kingdom of God.”   Bad things still happen to all of us. And we all still need the comfort of God.  

The exciting thing about this chapter is that Paul goes on to tell us that we are able to comfort others with the comfort we receive.  Have you ever been able to do that?   I find it so amazing when I see someone going through the same thing I’ve been through and am able to share with them what I learned or how God helped me.  It brings encouragement, help, solace.  We get to extend the same paraklesis which God extended to us.  

If you’re in a hard place, a place of trials, a seemingly unbearable place...cry out to the God of all comfort.  He’ll come running!

Cowboy vs. Shepherd

Cowboy vs. Shepherd

by Becky Dietz

Shepherding has changed—in America, at least.  Modern shepherds are more like cowboys.  They have less open land available because much of our land is fenced off. So instead of being shepherds, they’re cowboy sheep owners.  Instead of intimately caring for the sheep, they fence their sheep in and then ride their horse along the fence to make sure things are ok.  They count their losses ahead of time; knowing a bobcat or wolf might get into the fenced field.  Instead of leading them to green grass and making sure there are no poisonous weeds, they plant hay and place them in the field to eat.  Instead of leading them to still streams, they provide a trough of running water.  They never name their sheep.  Why become intimate with an animal which will only be slaughtered?  Most sheep owners are most concerned about the bottom dollar—what will their sheep provide in wool, lamb skin, or meat?  The end goal is more for the sheep owner than for the sheep.

Have spiritual shepherds changed in much the same way?  How can a pastor of a mega church do anything but ride their horse along the fence?  How can he be intimately acquainted with more than a handful of people?  Do pastors of small churches even know the issues of their people?  Are they providing nourishing food and fresh water for those known needs?  Are shepherds fencing their people in instead of taking them to higher ground?   Are shepherds more concerned about the bottom dollar than the spiritual, mental, and emotional needs of their people?  Do the sheep feel known, loved, and cared for?  Do they believe their shepherd will carry them when they’re injured—or just put them out to pasture?

I think we need to examine how we’re shepherding.  God has entrusted us to shepherd His people.  He didn’t call us to be cowboys riding the fence overseeing His sheep.  We’re not to just toss food at them and leave them on their own. Who will be there when their belly gets distended because of wrong food?   Who will kill the wolf, bobcat, or mountain lion? God intends for us to be intimately acquainted with the sheep and care deeply for all their needs.  We’re to get dirty—and even smell like sheep.  Are we like the Good Shepherd or more like a cowboy sheep owner who cares more about ourselves—and the bottom dollar?