Is your heart a raging sea of resentment?

Anger...bitterness...resentment.  They beat against your heart like raging waves pummel the side of a sailors vessel.

Only there is one major difference.  These mighty waves of life don't batter us externally...they do their damage from the inside...stirred into a frenzy by a heart that rages from hurt.

And the great problem with this storm is that when you find yourself in it...you loose your bearings. The waves are so great, the wind so strong, that it consumes all of your time and attention.

But to the weary war-ragged heart there is a great hope.  Believe it or not, there is a way to stop your heart from continuing to stir up the raging seas of resentment.

It won't come naturally.  In fact it can't come naturally.  The way that I speak of isn't natural in nature.
There is only one way to calm raging seas.  And it involves super-natural authority.

Jesus taught us that "All authority in heaven and on earth had been given unto Him."  It's the authority that he constantly displayed during His ministry: healing the blind, raising the dead, calming the storm.

And that super-natural authority is still alive and active today...even if it's not as visible to us as it was to the disciples.  When we take our hearts full of raging resentment and turn them over to the ONE who has authority over the "wind and the waves" Jesus does the unthinkable.  He gives us the ability to breathe again.  The ability to love again.  The ability to trust again.

How?  Because He teaches us what forgiveness really is.

And once we have truly understood the depth of His forgiveness...forgiving others suddenly seems possible.

With Christ on board we find new courage to stand in the midst of the strife and speak boldly out into the gale within.  "Be still. You no longer have a hold on me.  In the name of Jesus I forgive."

And with his authority...the unthinkable occurs. The resentment...the hurt...they begin to subside. Our heart stills and we are overcome by calm peaceable seas within.

Treasure

Treasure...it's the focus of any great pirate novel.  You know, the one's with a secret map, a secret cave, and an X marking the spot.

Have you ever stopped to think about why we still read books and make movies about pirates?

I think I may have stumbled across the answer this morning in my devotion time: Treasure.

We are a people obsessed with treasure!

Oh sure...we all love a good pirate joke from time to time, but the thing that gets our blood pumping is the hunt for the hidden.  The pursuit of the pieces of eight and the gold doubloons.

There's a name for it in the mining industry: gold fever.

And it's a well deserving name.  Evidently once a man finds his first bit of gold...his excitement reaches such a heightened place that he ceases to think rationally...begins to fantasize or believe that he is bound to strike it rich.

Gold fever has been the end of many a man.  Loosing everything in pursuit of what's deemed as great gain.

(Do you see where we're headed here?  Can I love you enough to be honest with you?)

According to the bible...we've got a pretty bad case of gold fever too.  It's so bad...it's even made it into many of the pulpits of our churches.  We want possessions and prosperity so desperately that we're willing to listen to anyone and try anything to get them.

We spend out lives in a constant pursuit of consumption...and yet we are never content or satisfied.

And in the midst of our exhaustion...our wrong priorities...our sickness and sin...Jesus steps in and simply tells us to stop.

Stop chasing after that elusive promotion or position of power.

Stop setting your sights on the accumulation of more stuff.

Stop fantasizing about a fleeting romance or a newer version of your spouse.

Stop.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." (Mt. 6:19)

In other words...stop longing for and living for things that won't last!

"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." (Mt. 6:20).

Friend...God understands your desire for treasure.  In fact, He placed a great desire for treasure deep within your heart.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has "set eternity in the human heart."

But what you need to understand is that you and I have exchanged that pursuit of true treasure for a poor, man-made copy!

We constantly cling to the wrong things and wonder why our heart aches for more!  Why we feel so distant and discontent!

We fail to understand that our heart can only be in one place.  "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Mt. 6:21).

This week our family is trying something new.  We are attempting to center ourselves around a single prayer for the week.  Something we desire for every member of our family.

If you happen to be reading these words, I want you to know that I consider you part of our extended family, and thus I want to share this simple prayer with you too.

"More of you Jesus."  That's it.  Less of all the rest.  Everything else has to decrease in our lives, but Christ needs to increase!

That's my prayer for you this week too. Stop chasing after the cheap copies and start spending time with the King.  Jesus is the true treasure.  And when we seek Him with all of our heart we will find Him (Jer. 29:13).  And when He is our treasure...when our hearts are with Him...we find all of the joy, peace, and contentment that we so desperately long for.

I'm not asking you to stop searching.  Rather, I'm praying you'll start searching for the right treasure.

"More of you Jesus, more of your face, more of your glory in this place..." I promise you won't regret the adventure!

Happy hunting friends!

Why Me?

Ever think about why God wants to use you?

I do.  On a regular basis I am astounded that God chose me...that He called me...that He allows me to be His ambassador (2 Cor. 5:20).

The thought of why is bouncing around in my head again this morning as I write in a new journal my youngest son picked out for me this week.

Caleb was out shopping with his mom when he saw it at the bookstore.  It's a "God's Not Dead" journal, and the moment he came through the door with it he had the biggest smile on his face.  This was and act of love.  It involved thought on his part.  He has a journal that he uses and carries to church and he thought I needed one too!

And last night I knew I better start using it!  He moved it around several times so I knew exactly where it was.

Now here's the deal...I've been journaling my thoughts on the computer lately.  It's been quicker...it comes with spell check (which I need).

But as I scribbled down these words this morning...I did so with a pen and my journal.  A journal brought to me by my son who loves me with all his heart.

I don't need to use the journal...but I want to!

Did you know that God chose you and uses you for a reason?

Yes...using broken...simple vessels like us brings Him the  most glory!

But God also uses us because He loves us.  He doesn't need us, but He wants us...because He is our Father and we are His dearly loved children.

And that is the thought that floods every recess of my being this morning as I write in what might be the best journal ever.

It's not the biggest...the pages aren't wide...the lines are narrow...but, it's my son's gift.  It's his act of service to me and that makes it special and important!

Here's the truth...God doesn't need me...and He doesn't need you.

But He loves us dearly and wants to use us...just like I want to use this journal.

Because He loves us, He invites us in to play a part in His great story of redemption.  We get to be used.  We get to do good works which He has prepared us in Jesus to do.  We get to reflect the glory of God so that others take note and turn their eyes to Him and praise His name.  We get to be ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation.

Loving God and serving Him in obedience brings great joy to our Father's heart...and to ours.

In a few minutes...a boy that loves his father with all of his heart will get out of bed to start his day. I'll offer him breakfast and he'll accept. But at some point...as the sleepiness wears off...he will make his way to the couch and the end table where he placed this journal last night.  And when he does, he will find that the once blank journal is blank no more.

And the look on his face will be priceless.  The smile worth a thousand words!

Dad, thank you for using me...even though you don't need to.  It makes me feel indescribable joy in the very depths of my being.  I hope you see the joy it brings me too...and I hope you feel about me the same way I feel about my son.

Listen to the Truth Not to Your Fear

Luke 21:9-19 The Message (emphasis mine) "When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end.”

He went on, “Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You’ll think at times that the very sky is falling.

“But before any of this happens, they’ll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail. It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. You’ll end up on the witness stand, called to testify. Make up your mind right now not to worry about it. I’ll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters.

“You’ll even be turned in by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be killed. There’s no telling who will hate you because of me. Even so, every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your head!—is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved."

Then, verses 34-36,

“But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.”

I am not one who keeps tracks of all the signs of end times. Honestly, I don't have any real desire to watch the new Left Behind movie. But I do want to know what the Bible says about it all. In Luke 21 (go read it all), Jesus gives us specific signs and specific instructions. We are also told in His Word that man will not know the time or hour, Jesus will return (Matthew 24:36). There's no point in guessing. It tells us that even Jesus does not when He is coming so why do any of us think we might figure it out???? Trust that the Father knows and that He has a purpose in only Him knowing.

We should not be surprised by this world. It's a mess. It's been a mess since sin entered and will be a mess until the Sinless One returns. It's only going to get worse. In all of the hurting, confusion, and pain, we are called to be on guard, know the truth, not to worry, and be able to give words He gives us. I believe that no matters what happens in our world, we are still called to the two greatest commandments, LOVE GOD WITH EVERYTHING IN US and SELFLESSLY LOVE THOSE AROUND US (Matthew 22:36-40). We do this by obeying Him. We do this by knowing His truth. We do this by loving the people placed in our lives. We do not have to save the world, but we are called praise the One who does.

I have no idea who reads this blog.  But if you are reading this and don't know my Savior, I'd love to tell you about Him.  Seriously, anytime, anyplace, just ask.

If you do know Him, don't give way to fear. Fear of this world or fear of man will only cause more pain and confusion. Know His Word. Trust Him when He says you are in His care so much so that even knows the hairs on your head. It may get crazy and then even crazier around here, but He loves you and He's got this.  

God is God

remnantresource.org

"What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

I have read and pondered this quote by A.W. Tozer many times in my adult life.  This morning as I read it again, I realized that often what has come to mind has changed based on my circumstances.  This is a sad and dangerous realization.

God does not change, no matter what is happening in my life or the world around me. HE IS GOOD --not sometimes, not only when life is good, not when it's convenient to believe it-- He is always good.  HE IS LOVE, not based on my definition of love, but He is love because He created it. He gives it. He defines it.  HE IS HOLY AND PERFECT even when I don't understand holiness or perfection.  HE IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL no matter what I do, no matter how much I choose self, no matter how sinful I am. My choices do not change who He is.  HE IS CREATOR even when I read science that strives to prove otherwise.  HE IS ETERNAL even though I cannot understand or grasp eternity. HE IS GOD even when I doubt.

If we try to define God through what we know (or think we know) or what we've been through, then He is not GOD.   Our "definition" of God must be through the lens of scripture, always, always, always, and it says HE IS GOD.

"God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" Numbers 23 :19

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations... Deuteronomy 7:9

It's Time for Thanksgiving

http://www.jacobabshire.com/musings/wallpapers/wednesday-wallpaper-give-thanks-to-the-lord-for-he-is-good/

I read the book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, when it first came out.  I think Ann Voskamp is a modern day poet and prophet, and her blog has challenged me to go deeper with God for years now.  This book is a challenging, but incredible read.  In it, with her rich words that paint a picture in your mind, she teaches us that God gave us the secret to joy and peace.  She uses the Greek word eucharisteo to explain,

Yes, it's all Greek to me, but this is the word that can change everything: eucharisteo—it comes right out of the Gospel of Luke: “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them…” (Luke 22:19 NIV). In the original language, “he gave thanks” reads “eucharisteo.” 

The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning “grace.” Jesus took the bread and saw it as graceand gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be gift and gave thanks. Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning “joy.” Charis. Grace. Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving. Chara. Joy.

Deep chara joy is found only at the table of the euCHARisteo; the table of thanksgiving. The holy grail of joy, God set it in the very center of Christianity. The Eucharist is the central symbol of Christianity...

One of Christ’s very last directives He offers to His disciples is to take the bread, the wine, and to remember. Do this in remembrance of Me. Remember and give thanks.

This is the crux of Christianity: to remember and give thanks, eucharisteo.

Why? Why is remembering and giving thanks the core of the Christ-faith? Because remembering with thanks is what causes us to trust; to really believe. Re-membering, giving thanks, is what makes us a member again of the body of Christ. Re-membering, giving thanks is what puts us back together again in this hurried, broken, fragmented world.

It's a powerful message.  And for her it all started with a challenge from a friend to list 1,000 things in which she was grateful.  It began a change in her heart, in her life, in her calling, and the book shares what she learned through all of it.

I've confessed that I love lists a little too much and a formulaic way of thinking is dangerous for me. Knowing this about myself, I decided not to jump in with a list when I read this, but lately this book and this eucharisteo thought keeps coming back to me.  I've been asking God to open my eyes.  Help me see the people, the things, the world around me through a different lens.

You know what I'm finding?  The troubles and weights of this life feel lighter and my heart becomes more free as I allow the Holy Spirit to change my mindset to one of thankfulness in all things.  

Today I am thankful for,

1. A God who sustains.  He holds me together all the time, even when I feel like I'm falling apart.
2. Hot coffee on a cool morning
3. Friends who pray for me even I am too proud to ask
4. My home, not just a house, but a home - a place to invite, to unwind, to take shelter from this crazy world.
5. Books.  Real paper books that I can hold and write in and let me tears of both grief and joy  falls on their pages.
6. A God who loves me where I am.  He loves me when I doubt.  He loves me even when I choose self.  He loves me enough to call me to choose Him.
7. Getting glimpses of the man my 10-year-old is becoming and knowing God is doing a good work in him.
8. Grace. Grace. And more GRACE.
9. A doctor who continues to seek answers on my behalf even when nothing makes sense.
10. Pathology reports that start opening the door to answers.
11. Autumn.  Today we usher in a new season, my favorite season, with a sigh. It's a time for coolness, a time for family, a time to breathe and relax, and a time to give thanks.
12. A marriage of two imperfect sinners could bring disaster but when yielded to a perfect God brings goodness, mercy, love, kindness, and humility.

Why is Asking for Prayer Difficult?

Have you noticed that during "prayer request" time in your small group, Sunday School class, Bible study, or wherever that we rarely ask for prayers for ourselves?  Sure, we hear "please pray for us as we travel this week" or "pray that my surgery goes well on Thursday" or "pray for my job interview this week."  But rarely is there open, transparent requests for prayers for ourselves.  It seems that most prayer requests are for things like Aunt Jane's cancer or a coworker's child or a friend who was in a car wreck. While there isn't anything necessarily wrong with these requests, they tend to be impersonal and can even keep us from getting too real.

Why is asking for prayer for our own struggles so hard?  When I examine my own heart, I think there are a few reasons.  One, I don't want to be or, more likely, appear selfish.  Two, my problems aren't as "bad" as these others so I don't want to waste anyone's time.  Or probably at the root of it all, I don't want to be too vulnerable.  I can be open about so much.  I have a husband who is pretty much an open book to our entire congregation.  Being married to him lends to few secrets in our family.  It used to really bother me, but I've grown to appreciate it (most of the time ;) ).  Even still, I don't want to be vulnerable.  I don't want to NEED people or be a burden to anyone.

The only problem is that we all keep answering "I'm fine" when all the while so often, we are not.  I keep thinking what if our small groups (whatever they look like) become our safe groups.  What if "I'm fine" is no longer an acceptable answer in these groups?

Don't me wrong.  There are times when things are really good.  But instead, let's share them, praise God for them together.  And when things are just not, let's share those as well and hold each other up, encourage one another, truly live this hard life together.  Not in a spirit of complaint and there needs to be guarding against that, but in an effort to drop the masks and the walls.  We all need people.  God does not require us to walk through this life alone.  He is enough for us, but He also understands our struggles and gives us church families, friends, spouses, and more to lean on.  Oh, isn't He good?

This past week in our Sunday School class, I prepared myself to share some health struggles that I've only been partly open about it and felt God urging me to share.  When our teacher said we are not going to do prayer requests this week, I relieved a sigh of relief.  I could keep it all in for at least another week.  I could talk myself out of it before next Sunday rolls around.  I mean the pastor's wife should never even consider the possibility of being a burden when there is so much hurting going on all around, right? These are the arguments I have in my head.

The truth is though that pretending like it's all okay and making jokes about my health issues, so I don't to worry anyone, is wearing me out.  Don't worry I'm not dying (at least not from any of my current issues ;) ).  Some of my autoimmune issues are flaring and I've added a new one to the mix.  I have unexplained weight loss that is so far baffling my doctor.  I've struggled with anxiety off and on this past year.  Some days I feel fine and other days I'm exhausted for no apparent reason.  I am so very blessed with a husband who is most always patient with me, but  I don't think it's fair to him that I won't ask for prayers.

I am confident that God holds my health in hands and grateful that it's not worse.  I know this is not my future.  I pray that God uses all of this for His glory yet I'm realizing that if I walk around keeping up appearances, I may be not allowing Him to do just that.  This morning I read in Galatians  4 where Paul shares, "As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you."  Oh, let that be true of me someday.

So, I ask you, that next time you meet with your "safe group", be real, be honest, share the good and difficult.  C'mon,  I don't want to be the only one getting real.

Seriously, no worries about me. SERIOUSLY. God says do not worry.  God knew I'd be here struggling in this very moment.  He has plans for me and He has plans for you.  If you feel led to pray for me, pray that He would use all this.  Pray that I would ask for help when I need it.  Pray for my marriage and my family as we continue to try and figure this all out.  Pray for my husband who is having to do way more than his fair share some of these days.  Pray that most of all in whatever I do or say, I can do it all for the glory of God.

I pray that everyone reading this has a safe place to be real and that you stop carrying your burdens alone.  God never intended us to be worn out simply from keeping things in.  He knows this life is hard.  He knows we have struggles, health issues, financial woes, and so much more.  I believe He gives us people in our lives for a reason. And that reason is not to make us more tired.

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:14-16

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12