You've Got a Friend

Yesterday was one of those days when I had absolutely nothing to say.  I prayed and I asked the Lord what He would have me share today, and into the loud empty spaces echoing in my head I heard a song.  It is an old song, released 40 years ago by a woman named Carole King.  The song is “You’ve Got a Friend”.  I’m sure most of you know this song.  If you don’t, look it up.  You won’t be sorry.  Here are some of the lyrics: 

When you're down and troubled
And you need some loving care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

I don’t know about you, but this was a really good reminder to me of a couple of things.  We need to be sure we don’t get too busy to nurture our friendships.  It’s an easy thing to do.  Life gets busy and we don’t take the time to reach out.  Then we wonder why we feel dry down deep in our souls.  We need our friends and they need us – to listen, to laugh, to cry, or maybe just be there.  The other thing is that God is my friend.  I know He is God and I’m not.  This is definitely not a relationship of equals.  However, James 2:23 tells us that Abraham was God’s friend and as believers who consider ourselves children of Abraham, it is not a stretch to say that we are God’s friends, too.  He comes when we call.  In fact, He delights in answering when we cry out to Him.  Psalm 107 repeats this theme over and over.  No matter our trouble, when we call out His name He hears and He responds with His unfailing love. 

Abba Father, thank You for being our very best friend and thank you for blessing us with friends to share our journey.  Please help us take neither You nor them for granted.  Help us remember that being a faithful friend is often the best way to show Your love to a world of lonely people.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

The Lesson of the Loaves

Hello Ladies!

Jennifer's getting a little R&R at the beach this week and asked me (her husband) to share with you something the Lord spoke to me recently while she's out verifying that SPF 50 is in fact all it's cracked up to be. But, before I can share the word with you I have to tell you a story first:

As a father one of the great burdens I bear is the responsibility for making sure that my kids are as prepared as I can possibly make them to be successful out on their own when it's time for them to leave home and, for me, that last step before "Go forth and conquer!" is a college degree.

Given the cost of college and the size of our tribe that's no small objective and one that was eating my lunch until a couple of years ago when, while at church, the Lord spoke to me and said "I'll take care of it." Upon hearing those words the elephant that had been riding shotgun on my shoulders got up and walked off and I was thinking "Cool! God's going to provide and I don't have to worry about this anymore."

Well, that was then and if we fast-forward to today we've got two in college and financially it's been, shall we say, "interesting". Although some remarkable things have happened I've not exactly been a pillar of faith and it was while I was out jogging the other day and thinking about money and excusing myself for taking on a general posture of austerity with regard to extra giving due to our circumstances that the Holy Spirit appended my thoughts with "for they still had not learned the lesson of the loaves" - and immediately I was convicted.

You see, I've been reading through Mark lately and that verse is Mark 6:52 and it comes after Jesus feeds the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fishes in verses 37-44. This event is immediately followed by Jesus telling his disciples to go ahead of him by boat to Bethsaida. That night, while the disciples are in the boat struggling against the waves, Jesus comes walking by them over those same waves and when they see him they panic! Jesus tells them to calm down and when he gets into the boat with them the wind dies (verses 45-51). It's at this point that scripture says "the disciples were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened".

The Holy Spirit was telling me that I had made the same mistake as the disciples! I had forgotten God's word to me and the fact that He watches over His word to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:12) In all three situations God had clearly spoken His intentions and we summarily got overwhelmed by the circumstances (only five loaves and two fish, lots of wind and waves and too little money for tuition), doubted his word and had our hearts hardened. Rats!

So, I took advantage of the grace offered me though the Holy Spirit's conviction and repented and now, by faith, in the face of our continued need, we are going to start giving extra again. We are going to actively affirm the Word of God in our lives through giving when reason says that we should be saving. I haven't a clue as to how that provision will come but I'm returning my family to our front row seats to watch the show because the One who initiated the promise is faithful and He will do it. (I Thessalonians 5:24)

Let's roll!

He Trains My Hands for War

Earlier this week I was praying for my children and asking the Lord to cut off the enemy from them.  There’s nothing wrong with this prayer, but on this particular day I felt the Holy Spirit leading me in a different direction.  I began to ask the Lord to teach them to recognize and reject the enemy’s schemes against them.  I also began to pray for Him to reveal His strategies to them for standing against the attacks that were coming their way.  I think the Lord is showing me that it is time for them to start learning some spiritual self-defense.  Sometimes the Lord steps in and fights for us.  I love those times!  Then there are those occasions where He trains our hands for war and tells us to get in there and kick butt!  

When I was pregnant with my fourth child, I began listening to a voice telling me that something would be wrong with this child. Rather than kicking this thought to the curb, I allowed it to settle into my heart.  I even began to worry that the baby might die.  This went on for months until I was getting close to my due date.  I was so tired of the anxiety that had been tormenting me for so long, I did what I should have done from the start - I went to the Lord about it.  As I prayed, He showed me a mental picture of a wimpy little demon no bigger than a mosquito.  This was what had been causing me so much grief?  I felt like such a chump for letting this whiny little insect tie me up with fear and rob me of the joy of anticipating a new life.  All I had to do was quit listening to the lie and embrace the truth!  Did I have assurance that all would be perfect?  No, but I did have a certainty that my Father God was taking care of me and this child, and that was enough to give me peace. 

There are certain roles in life that I know I was never meant to play. I know for a fact that being a nurse or doctor is out for me.  My daughter recently had to have a few stitches and I’m still traumatized!  I also have zero dramatic ability. I find it hard enough just to be myself, much less someone else!  However there is one role we are all called to play in the Body of Christ and that is soldier.  We all have a mandate to put on the armor of God and take our stand against the enemy the Apostle Paul calls “spiritual forces of evil.”  (See Ephesians 6:10-20 if you need an update on this.)  The best part is our Father in Heaven equips us to fight and He trains us to win!     

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You make Your saving help my shield, and Your right hand sustains me.  Psalm 18:32-35

Storm Season

It’s definitely storm season right now.  Here in North Texas, the weather people and the insurance adjusters are staying very busy!  Sometimes life on this earth seems like little more than an endless series of storms.  Just about the time we have the debris cleared from one tempest, another gale begins to blow.  Every spring, I start wishing we had a storm cellar in our home – especially when the tornado alarm sounds!  I may not have one physically, but thanks to God’s Spirit inside of me, I do have a storm shelter; a safe place where nothing the enemy does can touch.  It is the place where I say, “I will trust You, Father, no matter what because You are good no matter what.” 

Last week the Lord spoke to my heart that He is good in everything, including the hard things we face.  This week, He told me that He is always at work to bring about the very best outcome possible.    Sometimes His best doesn’t look like my best, but He tells me to trust Him because He knows how it all turns out in the end.  When He spoke the world into existence He called everything He did good.  I believe that when His plans for this world are completed, and we see from His perspective, we will agree that the end result is good.

Psalm 31:14-16  But I trust in You, LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing love.   

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  2 Cor. 4:17

He is Good!

On Sunday, as we worshipped together, we sang to the Lord, “You are good!”  This truth just exploded in my heart.  I heard the Lord saying that He is good - even in the hard things, the things we don’t understand, and the things that break our hearts.  As I looked around, I saw the glory of the Lord reflected on the faces of those around me, even some who are currently facing intense trials.  He is good and His goodness is not changed by our circumstances.

During the night Saturday, the full moon shone so brightly it almost seemed to be lit from within.  As I enjoyed its beauty, the Lord reminded me of the moon’s completely barren nature.  The moon only shines with light reflected when it is turned toward the sun.  It is a dark and desolate rock, yet its lovely glow has inspired many.  In the presence of the Lord on Sunday, I saw the truth that if we turn to Him in our dark times, we can shine with His glory even though our situations look as bleak as a lunar landscape. 

“Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”   

 Psalm 34:5, 8

Abba Father, please give us grace to keep our faces turned to You, no matter what is going on in our lives.  Please help us trust Your goodness no matter what comes our way.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Treasure in a Chipped Pot

This week I have chips on my mind, and unfortunately they aren’t the delicious, crunchy kind that come with a side of fresh salsa.  I’m talking about those heartbreaking chips that all too frequently appear – in my kitchen countertop, on the chair legs in the living room, on the baseboards, and most painful of all - on the side of my car.  Ouch!  I never realized how many things I own are chippable!  All of these objects have one thing in common.  They carry a thin coating over an inner core that looks completely different.  It wouldn’t be such a tragedy if you bumped a chair leg with the vacuum cleaner and the wood that was exposed was the same color as the outside, but that never seems to be the case.  If my car doors were cast iron, I wouldn’t have to worry about where I park on a windy day in Texas.  Unfortunately that thin layer of paint on metal is no match for the impact of the door of another car when a gust of wind slams it into mine. 

What about me?  When I get bumped does my veneer of “good person” get chipped to reveal the hopelessly bad person underneath?  Yes, it does, frequently!  My desire is to be the same all the way through.  I want to be solid with the love and life of Jesus flowing through me 24/7, so that when life takes a chip out of me the same grace keeps shining through.  Unfortunately, as long as I am living in this tent of flesh, I will continue to struggle with letting the Lord live through me in all things.  I will still get incredibly angry when someone cuts me off – verbally or in traffic.  Sharp words will be springing from my tongue when I least expect it, and I’m sure I’ll be battling until my dying day to stay out of God’s way in the lives of my family.  Ephesians 1:13-14 tells me I have the Holy Spirit in my heart as a deposit guaranteeing that one day I will be wholly holy, but until then, I have these chips to remind me how desperately I need a savior.  But, here’s the really wonderful part – Jesus knows I can’t live a holy life without His help.  He knows I am a chipped clay pot and He came to save me anyway.  He hasn’t called me to a life of trying to be perfect for Him, but a life of being perfected as I live in Him.  

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.  2 Cor. 4:7 (ESV)

Abba Father, help us bear the burden of our jars of clay with grace and may it continually be more of You that pours out on those around us.  In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

No Fear Just Faith

I love the way the Lord can speak through anything – even a basketball game!  Last night, my husband was watching the final game of the NCAA Championship.  I came in just in time to see the Butler Bulldogs fall apart as fear robbed them of their moment of glory.  Apparently the UConn team had blocked their shots in the paint time after time until they simply gave up trying for anything close to the goal.  Even the shots they attempted from the outside refused to go in.  They shifted from confident dominance to cautious surrender.  They traded playing to win for playing to not lose too badly.  What I hear the Lord saying in this is that giving in to fear is a sure way to achieve failure. 

Sunday morning fear was once again dogging me.  I struggled to worship and finally sat down and grabbed a pen, so I could pour out my heart on paper.  This really helps me because as I write, my swirling emotions become concrete thoughts that I can get a grip on.  The fear was a familiar one – I’m afraid of missing out on all God has for me and my family.  I’m afraid we’re messing up so badly He will never be able to fix our mistakes.  I fear failing to do some crucial thing that will finally release a breakthrough.  Can’t you just imagine how fun it is to live with me when I am in this mode?  Remember what God said to me about giving in to fear?  When I live as a wife, mother and friend from this fear of failing, I continually fall flat on my face.  I also expect far too much from those around me.  There have been times when I’ve pinned my hopes on the help of some particular person, only to struggle with disappointment when they didn’t live up to my expectations.  This is a sad bad place to live, but it is not where I plan to stay, because here is what the Lord told me in the face of all my fears:

Be yielded.  Be willing to do what I tell you to do.  Wait on Me until I tell you to do something.  Wait in joyful hope and peaceful trust.  I WILL do what I said I would do.  It is My work done for My glory.  You will know that it wasn’t you that made it happen.  Pray for grace to stay out of My way.  Trust Me for the salvation of your family with the same trust you have for your own.   

Deep sigh of relief on my part. It is on Him, not me to make His will happen in my life.  I don’t have to be desperate anymore.  He will bring what I need and even who I need in His time, and He will complete His work in me and those I love.  I will stand in awe and give Him praise for what only He could do.

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.  Romans 11:36

Abba Father, please help us walk in joyful hope and peaceful trust, excited to see Your kingdom come and Your will be done in everything.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.