Are You Listening?

 

(photo from vedictruth.com)

I’m going to be transparent with you today. Maybe a little too transparent.

As a child, we see things differently than we do as grow ups, but sometimes those childhood thoughts stick with us. Even when we have the perspective of an adult, silly thoughts from yesteryear can wander through our minds at the most unexpected times.

I’ve always processed my thoughts differently than most people around me. In our decades of marriage, Dave has often told me he doesn’t know anyone who thinks like I do. I never took it any other way than complimentary. Sometimes, he even seems to admire the way I think.

I would guess, though I’ve never looked into it, that I’m somewhere on the autism spectrum. But perhaps we’re all somewhere on the spectrum. They say there’s a fine line between autism and genius. I’m not saying I’m a genius, but maybe I dance on that fine line. I’m not talking about common sense or even intelligence, but the way my brain processes my thoughts.

As a child, I just saw myself as different. Most children probably go through that phase at some point. But, I’ve carried the thought, intact, with me for the past 60 years or so. In childhood, I was convinced that I was “retarded” (the word used in that day), but that no one would tell me or admit it to me. Silly? Perhaps.

Over the years, the thought has crossed my mind from time to time.

Last night I was worshiping God with other women as praise music filled through the room and I prayed for those I love most. (I’m guessing your name was whispered to God, backed by volumes of faith for your every need.)

At one point, when God spoke to me, He shared a little secret with me. He said, “You know, Dave would still love you, even if you were retarded.” (I’m guessing He chose that word because it’s the word I used as a child.) It instantly took me back to feelings of insecurity. But then just as quickly, filled me with laughter.

(picture from coolcatteacher.com)

Yes. Dave loves me that much. He’s definitely the man God created to be my husband. No one else would do. Not everyone marries the person God created specifically for them. Some of us get ahead of God or don’t even consider asking Him if the person they plan to marry has His approval.

Somehow, even though I didn’t know the voice of God way back when, I knew on our first date that Dave was the man I’d marry. There are plenty of times when we frustrate each other, even to this day, but neither of us has ever second-guessed our decision, even in the hardest of times.

The whole point in my vulnerability today is to tell you that God really does speak to us. His Word states, “Anyone with ears to hear, should listen and understand!” -  Matthew 11:15 (NLT) God isn’t merely saying that if you have globs of skin to hold up your glasses, you’ll hear Him. We have spiritual ears. We need to learn to listen with THOSE ears.

As a teen, on our first date, did I know I was hearing from God? No. But that didn’t stop Him from speaking to me. Like me, He always has something to say. Not so much like me, what He has to say is always worth listening to.

So, whether there’s praise music on or not, whether you’re alone or in a crowd, He’s talking to you. If you’re listening for His voice, you’ll hear Him. Listen! His Word also tells us, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” - John 10:27 (NKJV)

(photo from alabamasinus.com)

You may be tempted to say that you never hear Him. Or that He doesn’t bother to speak to you. You’re mistaken. There’s so much He wants to share with you. He wants you to know the depths of His love for you. It’s His desire to impart to us His knowledge, His wisdom and His understanding.

Pay attention. Listen. You’ll hear. It may surprise you. But, you’ll hear Him!

How Did We Not Know?

 

(picture from lovethispic.com)

I’ve been exploring “the lies we believe”. This may take forever.

There are plenty of sources for news around the nation and across the globe, which ones do we trust? Personally, I think they all stretch the truth or spin it to their own advantage or to back up their viewpoint. It happens on a local level, too. Putting a spin on the truth has been around since the Serpent lied to Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Pick a day or evening this week when your schedule allows, and sit down with your Bible in your lap, close your eyes for a minute and ask your heavenly Father to show you what lies you believe. He may have you pick up that Bible and show your in specific verses, or He may whisper to your heart. He may not seem to respond at all, but the next morning, you may read it in a devotional, or hear it from a friend. You’ll know it when you hear it.

(picture from youtube.com)

You may want to do this once a week, because we all believe things that simply are not true. He won’t dump everything on us at once, it would overwhelm us. And we may think He’s dismissing us when He only reveals one lie at a time, but He knows how long we’ll need to process these revelations.

Years ago, I discovered that not everything I believe is actually true. Yes, it came as quite a surprise to me. I dared to test the thought by asking God, “What lie am I believing?” (As if there was just one.) Immediately, He replied, “That Joanne (my sister) is the pretty one.” Joanne is beautiful; the lie was tucked into my beliefs was that she was the pretty one and I was the ugly one. I giggled. I’m pretty, too? The lies may be that simple. And the revelation that joyful.

(picture from blam.online)

Or, the lies may center around doctrine we’ve been taught, or about a relationship we’re in, or some other life fact that we somehow got wrong. Those kinds of revelations can be a crushing blow.

Either way, lie by lie – truth by truth, we’ll be set free. We might cry tears of fear or tears of joy. Not to worry; He’ll wipe away our tears and show us the truth. And as the saying goes, the truth will set us free.

“And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces…” – Isaiah 25:8

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23                        

(picture from lovethispic.com)

Content to Change?

 

(picture from Dillards.com)

New beginnings; we hear about them all the time, especially around the first of the year. But, resolutions?

I have to ask, “Am I content with the way things are in my life right now?”

The Apostle Paul learned how to be content when he was well off and when he was hungry, when he was sitting in a jail cell or before a king. But, being content where he was didn’t keep him from pursuing his mission to a share the gospel everywhere. (Philippians 4:11-13)

Perhaps we think that being content means accepting things as they are, making no moves to advance ourselves or our missions in life. But, in fact, what it means is to not let our enemies steal our joy, no matter our circumstances.

Can I be content with what the scale said this morning, while pursuing healthier eating throughout my day? Of course!

Yes, that’s not a number I’m happy with, but I CAN do something about it. I can put into motion a plan to bring that ridiculous number down to something healthier.

Allowing myself to get angry with the scale will set the tone for my day and can send me off to Dunkin Donuts for a donut. Or two. That’s not the direction I want to go.

So, perhaps we can become content with where we are in the moment, so that we can enjoy all the other blessings God has us for today and reach out with love to those around us. We can head into our morning huddle with God and come up with a plan for the day, the week, the month – the year, or even just for the next few minutes, that will take us in the directions He’s leading us.

Whether it’s the weight scale or career changes or mending relationships, let’s take a moment to appreciate where we are at the moment and join hearts with the One that loves us best and move forward.

 

Marvel - ous!

(pinterest.com)

There’s a story in the Bible that always catches my attention, one that sends my brain into a tizzy of ponderings.


When you’re in the presence of someone you perceive to have greatness, there’s a secret longing in your heart to capture their attention, if only for a moment.


While at a Reba McIntire concert a few years back, my youngest son screamed out to her from the crowd at the foot of the stage, “I love you Reba!” To his great pleasure, she looked right at him, pointed and said, “I love you, too, darlin’!” For an instant, he had Reba McIntire’s attention. He’ll cherish the memory forever. Reba? Maybe not. She just doesn’t know the greatness of my son!


The Bible story (here) is one that most of us will quickly recall. Jesus was talking with a crowd of people when an unnamed Centurion approached Him, asking for healing for his servant. Jesus made Himself immediately available and said that He’d come heal the servant. The Centurion stopped the whole incident in an instant when he stated simply that he wasn’t worthy of the Master’s presence in His home, but that because of Jesus’s authority, His Word would be enough to heal the servant. 


What happened next? 
What was the reaction on Jesus’s face? 
Where did the conversation go after such a statement?


We don’t get to see the faces in the crowd, or of the disciples, but we can conjure up imagery of what splashed across the face of Jesus. The Bible tells us that He marveled.


Ponder that.


Jesus marveled. 

Jesus marveled over the faith of a believer. Other versions of the Bible say that Jesus was amazed, or that He was astonished, or taken aback; surprised.


We don’t have any record of this Centurion ever interacting with Jesus again. 

The story is brief, but always commands my attention, every single time I read it. How could I make Jesus marvel? What about my faith would cause amazement to rise up on His face?


What was it about this Centurion’s faith that allowed him to take Jesus at His Word?


We don’t read that he sat at the feet of Jesus, listening intently to every teaching He shared. We don’t have any other account of how this guy chose to believe on Jesus, but he clearly demonstrates faith like few of us have, or have even seen.


If we could grasp ahold of this, and simply believe, like the Centurion, we might just cause Jesus to marvel. And we’ll definitely see what we ask for come to pass, because this is the kind of faith Jesus is looking for. 

Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being sure of what we do not see. - Hebrews 11:1 (NIRV)


Who believes like this?

The Desert Call

(blog.hdwallsource.com)

Jesus didn’t just wander into the wilderness, He was led there by the Spirit of God. It wasn’t a wrong turn.

Why do we run from our wilderness experiences as if landing there was a mistake?

Why are we owned by our circumstances when we’ve given ourselves to God?

What if you’re right where you’re supposed to be?

What if all the decisions you’ve made up to now were all taken into account before you made them? Any turns in the winding path through your life have already been orchestrated, making up for the escapades the enemy meant for your destruction. You’re still putting one foot in front of the other; you’re still drawing breath.

God is calling you. He’s leading you.

There’s an old anonymous quote that says, “Bidden or not, God is here.” Whether you’re excited about walking with God, or scared half to death that you can’t make such a commitment, God is here – with you every step of the way.

Ponder this, Jesus’ ministry days began after He came out of the wilderness. It was there in the dessert, alone with His heavenly Father, that He was equipped for the tasks ahead of Him. It was there He recognized the power of faith, both the faith He has in His Father, and the faith His Father had in Him. In that faith lay the secrets to His power.

In those dry spots, those hard places, those circumstances you don’t think you’ll make it through – reach up to heaven and tear through the fabric of time and space with the cries of your heart. God hears you.

“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.” – Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV)

“The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” – Psalm 14:2 (NIV)

(sobadsogood.com)

You are never closer to God than when you need Him. Don’t panic and run from God, use that same energy balled up in your gut, and instead, run TO Him. He’s right there – you can feel His breath on your face. Believe it! Call out to Him! He hasn’t placed His hands over His ears so He can’t hear you. He wants you to reach out to Him! Wait a moment longer, reach a little further, stretch yourself; put your whole heart into it.

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” – Isaiah 55:6 (NIV)

“This is what the LORD says to Israel: “See me and live…” – Amos 5:4 (NIV)

Let’s encourage one another. Let’s invite one another into the presence of God! We’re not alone. The people around us are hurting, too. They’re going through trials of their own. Reach out and bring them with you.

Take my hand. Say to your friend as was written in Zechariah 8:21 – “(…and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say,) ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and see the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’…”

To quote an old hymn, “He’s as close as the mention of His Name – Jesus.”

Rejoice! You’re meeting with the King! This is where you’ll gain the strength you’ve been looking for. Here is where you’ll embrace the power He has for you.

Hallelujah!

 

(defenders.org)

Sacred Space

(drawneartogod.com)

 The other day I got together with a few friends, and the notion of protecting our sacred space came up. We didn’t really talk about it, it was just a thought to ponder on. I know, crazy, right? A handful of women, a great topic like that and no chatter about it, who would think it could happen?

What is our sacred space and why does it need protecting? I suppose I could come at this from several different points of view. Of course, my first thought was a question; protect it from what?

Should we be protecting that sacred space from negative outside influence? Or just respecting it as our own space to be shared with only God? Or should we be opening it up and welcoming others into it? Should our lives become that space? From a ponderer’s perspective, these are all valid points to ponder.

I want to hear what you think, as well. Personally, I’ve drawn the conclusion that yes, this sacred space needs our protection. And, I’ll admit that I thought differently, at the start of this. 

(africamission-mafr.org)

My reasons for feeling this way are completely based on the definitions I found for the word sacred; you can journey to dictionary.com right here, if you’d like. That’s where I found my revelation. I also looked up the word, consecrated. 

An adjective, the very first line of definition starts us off: “devoted or dedicated to a deity or to some religious purpose; consecrated.” Clearly this space we’re talking about is, by definition, already devoted or dedicated, and not for the general public. The second line of definition includes “holy”. If we invited everyone to our sacred spaces, the holiness would quickly be trampled upon. Though one demands respect, it’s not always given.

(passagethroughgrace.com)

I found a smile crawl across my face as I made my way down to the sixth line of definition: “secured against violation….” Clearly, making no bones about it, this space is to be protected and revered, consecrated, set apart for spiritual purposes!

Now, what about that “space”? My favorite and closest dictionary choice tells me it’s: “the unlimited…three-dimensional realm or expanse in which all material objects are located and all events occur.” Line two of the definition draws that down for us: “the portion or extent of this in a given instance…”

(sffmc.com)

So, if my sacred space is defined as that holy portion of the unlimited three-dimensional realm I’m living in, then yes, I need to keep it holy and protected, an intimate place where I meet with God to grow our relationship!

(christianpost.com)

Yet, while enjoying that intimacy with the Creator of everything, and holding my sacred space dear, what I’m exposed to there should permeate every other part in my life, making me whole; and it should impact every person I meet, whether I share words with them or not.

Love is what grows in that sacred space, and love isn’t love if it isn’t shared generously.

(stretchingmyfaith.com)

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” – John 4:23 (KJV)

(pinterest.com)

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” – John 4:14 (KJV)

Prove Yourself, God!

A thought that enters into many conversations in various forms comes out in a question that begs: Why doesn’t God prove Himself if He’s real?

If I stand beside a nonbeliever and compare what I have with what they have, looking for who has the most ‘blessings’ – I won’t necessarily see that I have more with my natural eyes. But natural eyes are all the nonbeliever has to see with.

If God always showed the world how He blesses the believer, nonbelievers would find it easier to want those blessings, too, and accept that He is. But God doesn’t want any of us seeking Him simply because of what He can give us.

If I say I prosper more because I’m a Christian, and a nonbeliever sees that his bank account puts mine to shame, he’s likely to say that he prefers his prosperity over mine.

If I go into a third world country and expect God to provide me with a large house with clean running water, grand furnishings and more food supplies than I could distribute, many might believe it’s my God providing for me and seek after that same God. But would they be seeking Him, or merely what He has to give?

God wants us to love Him, to seek after Him – for who He is, not just for what He can provide for us.

Old movies show a king or millionaire making himself out to be a commoner to find the love of his life who will love him for who he is, not for the riches he has. Why would God want any less?

Seek His heart – not His hand.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

Actively Waiting

No one is beyond the reach of God’s almighty hands, filled with grace and mercy. Nor is anyone’s self-righteousness great enough to pass from this world to the next without torment.

We all fall in that middle ground – the place where God reaches out to, with love beyond measure and limitless compassion, to give us His righteousness. By His kindness, He draws us to repentance – because at some point, we turned away from Him. Though most of us have tasted that sting of rejection, unlike us, He never turns away; He never gives up on us. As long as there’s breath in our lungs (both of which He’s provided for us,) He waits. He actively waits. While He waits for us, He calls to us. He reaches out to us. He sustains us. He blesses us. He protects us. He shows Himself to us all day long, even in our sleep. Though we ignore Him and refuse to acknowledge Him at every turn, still, He waits.

After a gardener plants his seed, he actively waits for his harvest – watering and fertilizing and hoeing and anticipating….

After a woman discovers she’s pregnant, she actively waits for her child’s arrival – providing nourishment, preparing herself for delivery, excitedly making preparations to care for the child, anticipating….

God has planted His seed in us. He actively waits for us to come to Him. With greater anticipation than the gardener or the mother, He waits.

He waits, simply, for us to return to Him.

How Sharp Are My Questions?

Are we working too hard because our axe is dull? If we have the understanding to sharpen our axe, our work is made easier. That is, of course, our work includes cutting down trees. My axe might be equated with my questions. I learn more and I’m able to apply what I learn, if I’m asking relevant questions.

If a scene plays out before us, but the lens of the camera is zoomed in too close we might see a tough-looking boy shove a pretty little girl down on harsh concrete and cause her to drop her ice cream or teddy bear; skin her knees and dirty her dress, perhaps even break her arm if he falls on top of her.

When we zoom back and see the scene unfold in context, we might see that he wasn’t being mean at all. Rather, he was shoving her out of the way of an oncoming truck she failed to pay attention to. In reality, what could have looked like he was being rough and mean to her, can actually be his attempt to save her life.

Without pulling back on the lens, we might become angry and unfairly accuse the boy of wrong doing or seek to punish him. Our anger or grief might blind us to the possibility that there was something else happening, that what we perceived as reality, though it was real, was not the complete picture.

Do you think perhaps we sometimes accuse God of dealing with us unfairly? Do we sometimes get angry at Him for allowing unnecessary roughness?

1 Corinthians 13:8-12 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

So What About Me?

Can something be true even if we don’t believe it?

Can something be a lie even if we believe it to be true?

Yes. And yes. So how do we know what is truly true? How do we uncover the lies? Find out what God has to say about it.

There are times when we read God’s Word and don’t agree with or understand what we’ve just read. The Bible tells us that God is not the author of confusion – so when confusion overwhelms us as we’re reading His Word we need to ask Him for clarification or at the very least, peace about it. There are many, many things in the Bible that I don’t understand, but my lack of understanding doesn’t keep me from believing that the Bible is truth – the Truth I need to line up with.

So what does God’s Word have to say about me – and you?

One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 139:14 - I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (NIV) Verses 15 – 18 go on to say; My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

If you have time, read Psalm 139 from the beginning. God knows us intimately – because He created us, He Himself breathed life into us. He wants us to know Him intimately, too. His desire is for intimate communication between us and Himself.

What else does His Word say about us?

More to come!

The Key to the Kingdom Part 6

England is a tremendous ocean away from everything I knew. But God’s divine appointments were many, and right away we found ourselves seated in a little missionary church. The congregation was comprised of military families and the local Brits.

So many of the ‘truths’ I’d learned were challenged. Having always been full of questions, I pursued those challenges by asking my questions and searching out the answers. I thought surely the wise women and men of God that were now in my life would grow weary of my questions. But they didn’t. They continued to point me into God’s Word with every question I asked. It was joked that on my tombstone it would say, ‘But wait, I have one more question!’ The most common response to my questions was, ‘Did you check in the Word?’ That frustrated me, because I wanted quick easy answers. But it taught me that every question I have is answered in the Bible.

Within five months after arriving in England, I sat crying in my seat on the back row of the church, asking Jesus to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart to live forever. But that couldn’t have happened until I believed that God truly loved me! That was the truth that the devil used so many lies to hide. That truth is the key to the kingdom of God. God’s Word says that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35, 38-39 KJV

That means nothing can separate us from the love of God. Not the devil’s lies, not his weapons of choice, nothing we think, say or do…. Nothing! Selah, pause and think about that and take a look into God’s Word for yourself!

Ezer Rising V

Okay, so some of you didn’t find yourself in the last post. You read your Bibles every single day. The angels are celebrating your commitment. I rejoice with them. What a way to seek after the heart of our Father!

This post isn’t aimed at everyone either, but to those who read the Word out of habit, like they take their vitamins every morning. I think some people even read their Bibles out of the superstitious feeling that if they don’t something will go wrong that day. So is it a good-luck charm?

Today I want to challenge you to examine your motives when you read God’s Word. Are you looking for something? That’s okay. But be ready to receive what God’s desiring to pour into you, as well. If you’re looking for a ‘word in due season’ – something to provide encouragement for your day or the answer to a question, great. But be open to the idea that God may be pointing you toward something you didn’t go there for.

When you’re looking for something you’ve misplaced, isn’t it great to find something else you thought you’d lost forever, or discover something you didn’t realize you had in the first place? God has nourishment and blessings and instructions and commands and even correction for us that we might not have been looking for when we opened our Bible covers. I love digging a purse out of the closet to discover there’s money in it I’d forgotten about. I love finding a note I’d written to myself with a nugget God gave me, refreshing me once again. But I love it best when I’m reading God’s Word and I find that He’s talking about me, that He’s written something there just for me, that I need right now. He knew I’d need it today since before I drew breath!

He’s good like that!

Look at your routine. Is it just a routine? If it is, you’re missing a lot.

Ezer Part 11 - Questions and Answers

Hopefully you’re discovering some points to ponder as you read through these blog postings. If you have answers to some of the questions I’ve posed, please share them with us.

As I navigate through this walk of life I am constantly bombarded with questions. Perhaps it’s my personality type; I’m just curious by nature. But my need-to-know sometimes gets the better of me. I ask silly questions. I ask questions that none of us can really know the answers to until we can ask God Himself Face-to-face. To my human mind there are plenty of verses in the Bible that seem to conflict with each other – and for many people, that is enough for them to dismiss the idea of the Bible being accurate and directly from God. I’m a little more humble than that when I admit that my finite brain can’t yet boast to understand all of God’s thoughts and ways. I take God at His Word, even when I don’t completely understand what He’s saying. It’s not blind faith; it’s a faith that constantly asks God for more; more knowledge, more wisdom, more understanding, more grace, more compassion and more discernment. I want more of God Himself. There are plenty of things I know in my heart but can’t find words to express.

But honestly, I have more unanswered questions than I do answers. Most likely, because one good answer leads to dozens more questions. I’m okay with questions. To stop learning is to stop living. I’ve met people that don’t ask questions – maybe they’re afraid to ask or they’re afraid of the answer. Maybe they don’t even care enough about the answer to ask the question. Or maybe, just maybe – they need someone like me to ask the questions for them?