In Transition

This week I’ve been hearing this word:  Transition.  During the process of childbirth, there is a stage of labor called transition.  It is the time when the intensity ramps up, and it becomes clear that things are about to change.  The process of dilation is almost complete and soon you will be saying hello to a brand new someone.  Not surprisingly, transition is the time when many moms start feeling like they can’t handle being in labor any longer.  They are done – sick of contractions, sick of breathing, ready to call the whole thing off.  Hopefully, when a mother reaches this point there is someone there who understands and who can encourage her that she is almost there.  All the pain has a purpose and soon she will get the payoff when she holds that precious baby in her arms.  Okay, so what does that have to do with us?  Well, for those of us who belong to Restoration Church – we are in transition.  It is clear that change is eminent and sticking with the status quo is no longer an option.  I don’t know what we are going to like on the other side of this transition, but I do know this:  Our Father God is good and He delights to bring forth new life – especially in unexpected places!   

For many of us this change means saying goodbye to a place that has represented home.  We have many wonderful memories from times spent in this place.  It’s hard to say goodbye and it is okay to be sad as we anticipate doing so.  It is natural to be a little overwhelmed as we pass through this stage of transition.  What I believe I hear the Holy Spirit saying this week is this:  Trust me.  This pain has a purpose.  The end result will be worth it.  New life is coming.  Be encouraged.  I brought you this far and I’m not leaving you now.  Hold on to My Faithfulness and be faithful to Me. 

Father God, please help us to hang on to You and please remind us that You never let go.  We love You, Lord and we trust You to bring us through this season and on to times of rejoicing on the other side. Bless Your Name Lord for You are Yahweh – the great God who was and is and always will be.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

No Comparison!

Comparison shopping is one of my favorite indoor sports.  Trying to find the very best deal possible is something many women enjoy.  Unfortunately, the skills of evaluation and assessment that make us great bargain hunters can also make us miserable when we begin to apply them to ourselves and those around us.  From the time we are big enough to step outside our own front doors, we begin to be aware of the differences between ourselves and the kids next door.  She has streamers on her handlebars and a basket with a flower!  I’m still riding a hand-me-down tricycle.  Sniff.  And so it goes all through life.  We compare our appearance, our intelligence, our possessions, our skills, even our personalities, and most of the time we decide that we are the ones who are lacking.  Church isn’t even a safe zone.  It is so easy to begin comparing our Christian walk with someone else’s and feel that we don’t have what they have.  What I hear the Lord saying to all of this today is simply “No Comparison”.  I believe He wants us to know that He never intended us to look at each other or ourselves in this way.  He wants us to know that we are accepted “in the Beloved.”  In Christ, we are all completely received by the Father and for the same reason – the covering of our sin by the blood of Jesus.  All the rest of it – how we look, how we act, what we have, what we don’t have – it just really isn’t that important.  If we can look at ourselves and say, “You are accepted by the Father”, then we can look at everyone else around us and say the same thing.  All those differences just don’t have to matter so much once we know, really know, that we belong to Him.  He is our Daddy God and He delights in our differences because He designed us that way.  He loves variety and while we may value one set of characteristics over another, who says He does?  He seems to enjoy people in all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors.  If you haven’t noticed this, you probably haven’t been to Six Flags lately.  Bottom line, it’s time to keep the comparisons where they belong – on the produce aisle.  Go pick out the best watermelon or the juiciest peach, and give yourself freedom to be the best at one thing – being the person you were created to be. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,  having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,  to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.  Ephesians 1:3-6

God is Speaking!

Our Abba Father is so amazing.  His love is so great for all that it is always sad when people turn their backs on Him.  I was driving to church today for Ladies Bible Study and I saw one of those signs by the road that indicates who is volunteering to take care of keeping it clean.  The sign said Metroplex Atheists.  I was surprised and saddened.  I thought about how wounded you would have to be to devote yourself to a group that wants to convince people God isn’t real.  I don’t think Bigfoot is real, but I’ve never felt the need to start an Anti-Sasquatch group. To my mind, actively trying to disprove someone doesn’t exist is pretty much an admission that they do and that you have a problem with them.   I’ve decided to be thankful for that sign because it can remind me to pray for those folks and ask the Lord to make Himself real to them.  I know God is able to do this and I believe He wants to. 

Throughout my day today, I have heard the Lord speaking through many different people.  A Facebook friend posted an amazing prayer.  Several women at my Bible study said things this morning that had the ring of Holy Spirit inspired truth.  A friend wrote me an email that was filled with wisdom and grace.  God is speaking and He has so much to say if we will take the time to tune in and listen.  I am so grateful for this!  Just like the disciples, I can’t imagine ever turning away from the Lord Jesus.  He alone has the words of eternal life!  (John 6:68)    Today, I want to encourage you to take time to listen for what the Lord is speaking straight to you.  It may be in your Bible reading.  It could be in your thoughts as you drive down the road.  If you listen, you will hear Him.  Don’t be surprised if the first thing He tells you is how much He loves you.  Don’t let the enemy tell you that is just wishful thinking.  He loves us.  Oh, how He loves us!  And He desires for us to know Him.  Draw near to Him today. 

“This is what the LORD says, He who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is His name: ³ ‘Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’  Jeremiah 33:2-3

Abba Father, Lord Jesus, please speak to our hearts by your Spirit.  Help us tune in to Your frequency.  Help us find the quiet places where we can listen and truly hear.  Calm our hearts and help us hear You.  Thank You for always hearing us.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Forget Perfect!

Heart to Hear is going to be a little bit different today, but I believe this is God’s word for us.

She dreamed of a jar of magical cream whose contents smoothed away every blemish, each spot and wrinkle.  When she saw herself in the mirror, the face reflected was completely flawless, like a painting of a beautiful woman by a rather unimaginative artist.  Gone were the worry lines etched by loving concern.  Also gone were the lines of frustrated patience delved in the trenches of motherhood.  Not a trace remained of the joys and sorrows of a lifetime of loving, struggling and overcoming.  It was like the face of a doll – lovely, but without a soul.  Devoid of any human imperfections, it had ceased to be attractive and was now merely decorative and easily dismissed.  In horror, she dropped the jar and covered her face with her hands.  This empty soul-less beauty was grotesque on a living being.  She wept as she realized that true beauty doesn’t come from the lack of imperfections.  It comes from the light and life of the person inside shining past every line and scar and making the individual unique, alive, and real.  When she awoke to the morning sun and looked in the bathroom mirror at her own face – spots, wrinkles and all – she smiled and said, “Forget perfect.  It’s over-rated.  Let’s just focus on being real.  Be yourself.  Love other people.  And hey, let’s quit spending so much time looking at each other!” 

Abba Father, thank You for being the One who will present us to Yourself blameless and perfected.  Thank you that though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being made new.  You are amazing!  Your love is astonishing. Help us see others, as well as ourselves, through Your eyes.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“…as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” Ephesians 5:25b -27 (New Living Translation)

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”  2 Corinthians 4:16 (New International Version)

Does it Matter?

Most of us would agree that what matters to us matters to God.  The Bible tells us that our Father God is a God who cares about us personally, even going so far as to number the hairs of our heads.  He stores our tears up in a bottle, and He hears the cries of our hearts. (Psalm 56:8)  Today, however, I believe He is challenging us with this question:  Does what matters to God matter to us?  Are we as interested in knowing how He is feeling and what He is wanting as we are in telling Him how we feel and what we want?  When was the last time we wondered what was on God’s mind and heart without it being all about us?  As I have prayed about this thought, the words to one of Steven Curtis Chapman’s songs came to my mind. 

“There’s more to this life than living and dying,
More than just trying to make it through the day”

Lately, I’ve wondered about my life and what it means.  I’ve been seeing things in Scripture that have challenged me and caused me to wonder if my life is all that it is meant to be.  Matthew 25:31 – 46 really has my attention.  Here in my comfortable suburban home, I never see need.  My prayers aren’t for daily survival.  The naked, hungry and desperate are far removed from view.  Even if I am confronted with the needs of the world through the Internet or television, it is all too easy to click away or switch channels.  Jesus told Judas, “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.”  (Mark 14:6-8)  I grew up hearing this quoted, but usually without that middle phrase, “You can help them any time you want.”  Instead, my take-away was that there would always be poor people and there really wasn’t anything we could do about it, so we should just focus on Jesus instead.  Now, I am beginning to wake up to the fact that my thoughts in this area have been wrong.  Jesus never advocated ignoring poverty and need.  Which takes me to back to the question – what does God care about and do I care, too?  What if I am His answer to someone else’s prayer?  I’ll be honest – this is scary, unfamiliar territory.  I’m not sure where this path will take me.  On the other hand, I’m wondering if this isn’t the answer to my heart’s cry for more to this life.  Pray for me, and I will pray for you that our Abba Father will give us hearts to hear what is on His heart and the grace to respond in ways that bless Him. 

No More Sloppy Thinking!

Early this past Saturday morning, this thought ran through my head: “No more sloppy thinking!”  I believe the Father was telling me that it’s time to be more intentional about my thought life.  The enemy often takes shots at me via little condemning thoughts pinging off my brain.  “Can you believe you said that?”  “What were you thinking?”  On and on, but now I believe the Lord is saying, “Enough!”  It’s time to crack down on this unnecessary personal verbal abuse, and start making more of an effort to think the truth.  When I did the Breaking Free Bible study by Beth Moore, one of the best things I took away was the idea that you can cover the walls of your mind with the truth of God’s Word instead of the lies of the enemy.  In my mind, I like to imagine a big poster on the wall that says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  I do not have to listen to these thoughts anymore.  It isn’t the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  It is just the enemy trying to find out how much torment I’m willing to take.  I used to think I deserved the torment, but now I believe the truth.  I am beloved of my Father God, so much so that He put His Spirit of adoption into my heart that calls Him “Abba” which means “Daddy”.  I am accepted in His beloved Son Jesus.  I am clean and righteous before Him.  That’s the truth and that is where He wants me living.  After all, He set us free so we could be…free!  Why would we settle for anything less?

Abba, thank You for the amazing love You have shown us. Thank You for sending Jesus to redeem our lives from the pit and set us free to live in You and for You.  Help us think the truth, and please show us the places where we aren’t.  In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Romans 8:1, 15; Ephesians 1:6, I John 1:9; Galatians 5:1

Where is the Joy?

Where is the joy?  Anybody besides me been wondering that lately?  I haven’t really been seeing it or feeling it.  Joy.  I know it’s something followers of Jesus are supposed to have and yet, for some reason I just don’t.  I think part of the problem is simply not maintaining my awareness of all that the Lord has done for me. 

One of the things David - psalmist, shepherd and king – did best was to remind himself of all that the Lord had done for him.  Psalm 30 is an enthusiastic declaration of how wonderfully God saved, healed and redeemed his life.  Look at the last two verses with me. 

You turned my wailing into dancing;
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise You forever.  Psalm 30:11-12

David remembered what the Lord had done and he used those remembrances to stir his heart to worship and praise.  That my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.  I was convicted when I read that because all too often my heart is silent.  If I do feel moved to worship, I can turn on a cd and while I know that I can genuinely worship the Lord with the help of a recording, I also know it is easy to let the singers on the cd do all the worshipping while I just enjoy the music.  To truly worship, I need to think about the Lord and who He is to me.  I need to remind my heart of all that He has done for me, and I need to open my mouth and sing His praises.  I need to remember all the times He has met me at the point of my need and declare that I know He always will.  Worship isn’t a weekly event at a building.  It’s something I need to engage in every day because when I do, joy isn’t hard to find.  It’s a well springing up inside me, a river of living water. 

Abba Father, please help us take the time to focus on You and Your goodness.  Please bring to our remembrance all the good things You have done.  Help us learn to sing Your praise and not be silent – not just at church, but in our homes and cars, too!  Help us engage in true worship.  Thank You for giving us a reason to sing.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.