What is of "great worth" to God? Would that "thing" whatever it is be something you would desire as His child? What is valuable to the One we live to glorify? What is precious in His sight?
I Peter 3 talks about something women can possess, a characteristic we can pray for, desire and pursue that is "very precious in the sight of God." I don’t know about you but that makes my ears stand at attention (if ears can stand) and my spirit leap until I know what it is I could possibly do to bring delight to the One who brings such goodness into my life every day. Let’s take a look…
The very first verse in chapter 3 starts out with the word, "Wives..." Automatically, I could potentially lose some of you reading this. But wait!!!! The word wives is also translated women in the original Greek. So, stay with me…this applies to many areas of life not just the obvious. You don’t just want to see the obvious in scripture, do you? The obvious is good, for sure, but God’s heart is always for us to see more than what’s right in front of our face. Let’s read on…
"Wives, in the same way…" Oh my goodness, this means I’ve missed something that’s already been said! In the same way as what? Peter has just finished talking at the end of chapter 2 about our example in Christ, the reflection of God the Father, always the picture of how He wants us to live. His example in life when He suffered or was misunderstood or was wronged, He endured, it says, without retaliating. "Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed (2:23-24)." So…
"Wives, in the same way be submissive (a word we ALL hate) to your husbands…" And realize here again my single friends, that Peter (more literally, the Holy Spirit through Peter) had also just said a few verses before…"submit yourselves (all of us) for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men…" So, none of us are excluded and this can apply to any and all relationships.
"Wives, in the same way (as Jesus, who was not married) be submissive (Jesus submitted even to his enemies, humanly speaking) to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives." These four verses will set us FREE if we’ll take this in and let the Lord have His way in us! That’s the first two verses. What is He saying? We’ll win them over by the way we respond! (Oh, Holy Spirit turn the light on!) When somebody doesn’t agree with us, don’t we want to give them a piece of our mind! And we think we are so right! Husbands and wives do it; friends do it; parents and kids do it; bosses and employees do it; co-workers get into it; neighbors…you name it, even church leaders want to prove their point! Listen to what this says, "they may be won over without words by our behavior…when they see the purity and reverence of our lives!" I don’t have to nag, he’ll probably turn further away. I don’t have to prove my point, they’ll probably only disagree more. I don’t have to argue making sure to have the last word, that will only drive a wedge between us. Rather, let them "be captivated by your life of holy beauty (MSG)."
Let’s not stop there, this is too good to stop…
Verse 3 says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes." Believe me girlfriends, society will potentially lure us all into putting too high a priority on our outward appearance if we’re not careful. "Instead (verse 4…watch this!), it (your beauty) should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty (hallelujah!) of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.." Do you hear that?
What is of great worth to God? When I don’t try to change him! Not Him, him! Or her. You apply it to your him or her or them. Now, let’s go back to chapter 2. It said Jesus did not retaliate (offer insult or...He threatened not!) but instead He entrusted Himself to His Father. The Father finds me most beautiful when I entrust to Him what I cannot change. When I’m hurt, confused, frustrated, angry or 900 other things that make me want to tell somebody off and I choose to WIN without words by the behavior of a pure, reverent life…(which is very costly wouldn’t you agree? It costs having my own way)…THAT life is of great worth to God. It is precious to Him. That IS, by the way, the biblical definition of the fruit of the Spirit called gentleness (or meekness); not retaliating! So, what do I do? It's always good to know what not to do, but I need to know what to do with those words on the tip of my tongue. I replace them with prayer. In that instant...don't delay. Take that frustration and form words to the Lord rather than to the person you're frustrated with and say, Father, I want to please You more than I want my own way. Lord Jesus, teach me Your ways and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name (Ps.86:11). Holy Spirit, do this work in me. Apart from You, I am nothing. But with You, praise the Lord, I can do all things.
It’s gonna be worth it! I am Thine, Oh Lord, I have heard Thy voice and it told Thy love to me....draw me nearer.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
I Am Thine, Oh Lord
This has always been one of my all time favorite hymns and I just found this new artist, Caleb Collins. I love this!! What a gift!
Monday, October 20, 2008
A Grateful Heart
For literally years I have looked for songs or even "a song" that focuses on giving thanks to the Lord and they are so few. I’m not sure why, but I’ve told the Lord (haha what irony…"I told the Lord") I would write one if He would give it to me. In fact, I would LOVE to write one but that just hasn’t happened "yet." I’ve been studying what scripture says about giving thanks. And I’ve found some pretty cool things.
The word thanksgiving is the Hebrew, todah (sounds like what a child says when she wants you to look at what she’s done so she lifts up her arms and proclaims…"todah!"). It means thanks, adoration, praise. It is derived from the verb yadah, "to give thanks, to praise." The root of yadah is yad, "hand." Thus, to thank or praise God is "to lift or extend one’s hands" in thanks to Him. So, if you’ve ever raised your hands in church or even when you’re praising God privately, it’s like you’re saying TODAH to God for Who He is and what He’s done in your life! Back to the little girl, when she says "todah" she’s saying "look at me or what I’ve done!" But, when we lift our hands to the Lord, it’s like we’re saying "look at YOU, Lord!" We extend our hands to the One Who deserves the attention! Whoo hoo! Yes! Did you see those children raising their hands on the video below? Did you think that strange? Do you feel a little strange or "out of character" at the thought of lifting your hands to the Lord? It’s okay, I did too at first. But, we have to understand that it’s really a beautiful expression of thanks to the Lord. It’s not to impress anyone else or to be "showy" or "charismatic"; it is to say, "todah" to Jesus! Thank You, my Lord! Bravo, my King! YOU are amazing in this world and in my life. I love to see those children lifting their little hands to the heavens.
It’s interesting that Psalm 100 says "Enter His gates with thanksgiving" first in verse 4, then it says "and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." The thanks come before the praise. If you think of the dwelling place of God as a literal place, you would come to the gate before the court. Gates suggests the exterior and courts the interior. In other words, we thank Him and as we begin to thank Him we are drawn closer and closer into His courts of praise.
I love Psalm 26:6b & 7, "I will go about Your altar, O LORD, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works." (NKJ) Get a picture of that!
Psalm 50:23 says, "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." Offering thanks to the Lord prepares the way for Him to show us His salvation! I love that!
In I Chronicles 16, when David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant (representing the presence of the LORD) into the tabernacle it says "he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD." "That day David first committed…this psalm of thanks to the LORD: Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name (vs. 8)…give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Cry out, ‘Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise.’ (vs. 34-35) Verse 41 says the chosen and those designated by name were to give thanks to the LORD, "for His love endures forever." The whole chapter is a picture of the importance of having a grateful heart before the Lord.
Father, give me a grateful heart. You are SO good! You have done SO much in my life! I WILL go about Your altar with the voice of thanksgiving and proclaim Your wondrous works! And all the while You will show me Your salvation…Your response to the needs of humanity!
How Great is our God!
The word thanksgiving is the Hebrew, todah (sounds like what a child says when she wants you to look at what she’s done so she lifts up her arms and proclaims…"todah!"). It means thanks, adoration, praise. It is derived from the verb yadah, "to give thanks, to praise." The root of yadah is yad, "hand." Thus, to thank or praise God is "to lift or extend one’s hands" in thanks to Him. So, if you’ve ever raised your hands in church or even when you’re praising God privately, it’s like you’re saying TODAH to God for Who He is and what He’s done in your life! Back to the little girl, when she says "todah" she’s saying "look at me or what I’ve done!" But, when we lift our hands to the Lord, it’s like we’re saying "look at YOU, Lord!" We extend our hands to the One Who deserves the attention! Whoo hoo! Yes! Did you see those children raising their hands on the video below? Did you think that strange? Do you feel a little strange or "out of character" at the thought of lifting your hands to the Lord? It’s okay, I did too at first. But, we have to understand that it’s really a beautiful expression of thanks to the Lord. It’s not to impress anyone else or to be "showy" or "charismatic"; it is to say, "todah" to Jesus! Thank You, my Lord! Bravo, my King! YOU are amazing in this world and in my life. I love to see those children lifting their little hands to the heavens.
It’s interesting that Psalm 100 says "Enter His gates with thanksgiving" first in verse 4, then it says "and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." The thanks come before the praise. If you think of the dwelling place of God as a literal place, you would come to the gate before the court. Gates suggests the exterior and courts the interior. In other words, we thank Him and as we begin to thank Him we are drawn closer and closer into His courts of praise.
I love Psalm 26:6b & 7, "I will go about Your altar, O LORD, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works." (NKJ) Get a picture of that!
Psalm 50:23 says, "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." Offering thanks to the Lord prepares the way for Him to show us His salvation! I love that!
In I Chronicles 16, when David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant (representing the presence of the LORD) into the tabernacle it says "he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD." "That day David first committed…this psalm of thanks to the LORD: Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name (vs. 8)…give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Cry out, ‘Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise.’ (vs. 34-35) Verse 41 says the chosen and those designated by name were to give thanks to the LORD, "for His love endures forever." The whole chapter is a picture of the importance of having a grateful heart before the Lord.
Father, give me a grateful heart. You are SO good! You have done SO much in my life! I WILL go about Your altar with the voice of thanksgiving and proclaim Your wondrous works! And all the while You will show me Your salvation…Your response to the needs of humanity!
How Great is our God!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Escape to the Mountain
About three weeks ago I wrote a post called "Mountainous Living" and shared how God calls us who know Him to live in the mountains where He dwells. I mentioned that Abram and his nephew Lot parted ways (Genesis 13:9-12); and that Lot chose to live in the plains but Abram lived in Canaan (a mountainous region). This week I’ve been studying Genesis 18 & 19. First of all, in chapter 18, you remember the three visitors (believed to be two angels and the Angel of the Lord - Jesus in the flesh) came by Abraham’s tent. How would you like that? You’re sittin’ there on the steps in front of your house when all of a sudden three people walk up…and one of them is the Son of God!
Well, I won’t go in to much of that discourse except to say that toward the end of their visit it says in verse 22 of chapter 18 that "the two men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord." Then it says he came close to the Lord and said, "will You destroy the righteous with the wicked?" Jesus had just said that he was going to destroy the city because of the sin and wickedness in it. And we know Abraham went back and forth with the Lord asking if He found 50, 45, 40, 30, 20 and finally 10 righteous in the city would He withhold the judgement, and God said he would spare it if he found at least 10 righteous. The mercy of the Lord overflows in this passage and it makes me SO long that we as the people of God would cry out to God as Abraham did for our own land. America looks a lot like Sodom today. Oh how we need to be fasting and praying for our own land, especially during these weeks before the election. I hope you are involved in a local church that is gathering to pray. It is so important that we join together as the body of Christ and seek God for our nation like Abraham did for Sodom and Gomorrah.
On to chapter 19, this is what I really wanted to share. It says in verse one that the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. Several things happen but the main reason for their visit with Lot is to warn him that they are going to destroy the city. "The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that He has sent us to destroy it" they said. They ask Lot if he has anyone who belongs to him that he needs to tell and Lot runs to everyone and begs them to get out of town but they all laugh at him and mock him.
Verse 15, "with the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished. When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, ‘Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Escape to the mountain or you will be swept away!"
And listen to what Lot says. "But Lot said to them, ‘No, my lords, please! Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it – it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared." He said to them, "Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it." (That is why the town was called Zoar, meaning small.) So, Lot reaches Zoar and it goes on to describe the entire plain of Sodom and Gomorrah going up in smoke! Do you see the mercy of the Lord throughout?
It is so interesting to me how Lot responded here. The angels told Lot and his family to run to the mountains to escape the destruction that was about to fall. And even then Lot said no. I can’t. And he begged them to let him stay in Zoar. One commentator I read said he wanted more security than the mountains afforded him. He was seeking safety in temporal things. Isn’t that just like us? We want to work things out ourselves, we think we can work out our own security rather than trusting in the God of the mountains to Shelter us.
The Psalmist said in 121, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills (aka – mountains) – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD." I will run to You, LORD. You are my Rock and my Redeemer! My Shelter and my Deliverer. Run to Him today.
Well, I won’t go in to much of that discourse except to say that toward the end of their visit it says in verse 22 of chapter 18 that "the two men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord." Then it says he came close to the Lord and said, "will You destroy the righteous with the wicked?" Jesus had just said that he was going to destroy the city because of the sin and wickedness in it. And we know Abraham went back and forth with the Lord asking if He found 50, 45, 40, 30, 20 and finally 10 righteous in the city would He withhold the judgement, and God said he would spare it if he found at least 10 righteous. The mercy of the Lord overflows in this passage and it makes me SO long that we as the people of God would cry out to God as Abraham did for our own land. America looks a lot like Sodom today. Oh how we need to be fasting and praying for our own land, especially during these weeks before the election. I hope you are involved in a local church that is gathering to pray. It is so important that we join together as the body of Christ and seek God for our nation like Abraham did for Sodom and Gomorrah.
On to chapter 19, this is what I really wanted to share. It says in verse one that the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. Several things happen but the main reason for their visit with Lot is to warn him that they are going to destroy the city. "The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that He has sent us to destroy it" they said. They ask Lot if he has anyone who belongs to him that he needs to tell and Lot runs to everyone and begs them to get out of town but they all laugh at him and mock him.
Verse 15, "with the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished. When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, ‘Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Escape to the mountain or you will be swept away!"
And listen to what Lot says. "But Lot said to them, ‘No, my lords, please! Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it – it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared." He said to them, "Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it." (That is why the town was called Zoar, meaning small.) So, Lot reaches Zoar and it goes on to describe the entire plain of Sodom and Gomorrah going up in smoke! Do you see the mercy of the Lord throughout?
It is so interesting to me how Lot responded here. The angels told Lot and his family to run to the mountains to escape the destruction that was about to fall. And even then Lot said no. I can’t. And he begged them to let him stay in Zoar. One commentator I read said he wanted more security than the mountains afforded him. He was seeking safety in temporal things. Isn’t that just like us? We want to work things out ourselves, we think we can work out our own security rather than trusting in the God of the mountains to Shelter us.
The Psalmist said in 121, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills (aka – mountains) – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD." I will run to You, LORD. You are my Rock and my Redeemer! My Shelter and my Deliverer. Run to Him today.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Good times
Almost all together again! This is a snapshot of my mom, brother and most of my sisters during a recent visit. Getting all of us together is so rare but we had such a good time. We gathered around the piano and sang and laughed like we were kids again.
Believe it or not, we're standing on the front porch of Ronald Reagan's home. The home he grew up in, that is. This was taken not too long ago in Dixon, Illinois. I'm with my sister, Dawn and neice, Rebekah!
A sweet friend, a Godsend, a sister...Sara!Thursday, October 9, 2008
He found her
Hagar, an Egyptian slave girl whose name means "flight" was given to Abram (later called Abraham) by Sarai, his wife (later called Sarah) to bear his child.
She was used.
Two women for one man never works (nor vice versa might I add) so conflict arose and Hagar ran away (consistent with her name).
She was mistreated and felt betrayed.
Already we can identify. But think of this…here is a slave girl, a maid, a nobody. She’s probably been considered nothing all of her life. Bound in chains longing to be set free. And now it seems her life has gone from bad to worse.
Genesis 16, verse 7 says right after she ran away from Sarai that "the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness…" Did you get that? The Angel of the LORD is the incarnate (or in the flesh) Christ. Jesus Himself. The Savior of the world. It says He "found" her.
Do you ever feel like running away?
There are many truths in this passage but this week the Lord has reminded me that Jesus knows where I am and He comes to us at our point of need. It doesn’t say she was looking for the Lord…it doesn’t even say she cried out to Him at this point. It just says she ran away and Jesus "found" her. And when He found her, he spoke blessing and peace and hope over her. And how did she respond?
It says in verse 13, t-h-e-n "she" gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," (Hebrew: El Roi) for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." Hagar, this little slave girl who was a nobody gave the Lord a name. Why? Because He was no longer some distant deity. She knew Him by experience. She said, "You are the God who sees me!" He was hers, personally. He spoke and she heard Him and received His words. And when His eyes met hers a miracle happened. His eyes opened hers.
El Roi, the God who sees, sees you today. Let that sink in. He knows what you’ve been through, what you’re going through now and what will come tomorrow. He wants to fellowship with you and speak His blessing over you and me too. Open His Word. Listen to His voice. See Him as He looks at you and know that His mercy is new to all who will receive it.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and come into His courts with praise. Be thankful and bless His Name! (Psalm 100)
(This might be a good time to listen to the song below again from Hillsong Kids, "Your Eyes" - I just did...I can't wait to teach that one to Grace!)
She was used.
Two women for one man never works (nor vice versa might I add) so conflict arose and Hagar ran away (consistent with her name).
She was mistreated and felt betrayed.
Already we can identify. But think of this…here is a slave girl, a maid, a nobody. She’s probably been considered nothing all of her life. Bound in chains longing to be set free. And now it seems her life has gone from bad to worse.
Genesis 16, verse 7 says right after she ran away from Sarai that "the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness…" Did you get that? The Angel of the LORD is the incarnate (or in the flesh) Christ. Jesus Himself. The Savior of the world. It says He "found" her.
Do you ever feel like running away?
There are many truths in this passage but this week the Lord has reminded me that Jesus knows where I am and He comes to us at our point of need. It doesn’t say she was looking for the Lord…it doesn’t even say she cried out to Him at this point. It just says she ran away and Jesus "found" her. And when He found her, he spoke blessing and peace and hope over her. And how did she respond?
It says in verse 13, t-h-e-n "she" gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," (Hebrew: El Roi) for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." Hagar, this little slave girl who was a nobody gave the Lord a name. Why? Because He was no longer some distant deity. She knew Him by experience. She said, "You are the God who sees me!" He was hers, personally. He spoke and she heard Him and received His words. And when His eyes met hers a miracle happened. His eyes opened hers.
El Roi, the God who sees, sees you today. Let that sink in. He knows what you’ve been through, what you’re going through now and what will come tomorrow. He wants to fellowship with you and speak His blessing over you and me too. Open His Word. Listen to His voice. See Him as He looks at you and know that His mercy is new to all who will receive it.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and come into His courts with praise. Be thankful and bless His Name! (Psalm 100)
(This might be a good time to listen to the song below again from Hillsong Kids, "Your Eyes" - I just did...I can't wait to teach that one to Grace!)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Update on Grace
We checked America World Adoption Agency's website tonight and learned that the CCAA (Chinese Consulate of Adoption Affairs) just finished reviewing all dossiers (adoption application documents) received through February 28, 2007. What does that mean? They received ours on February 7, 2007 and it was "logged in to the system" in China on February 25, 2007. Soooooo...nineteen months after they received it, they reviewed it! That's about as slow as the 7-year itch!!! (lol) Teach us how to wait, Lord. You hold our world in Your hands...
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