Shelter

College football is our family's fall tradition, although this year there seems to be nothing "fall-ish" about the weather. So far, we've attended three games in 85°+ heat. I didn't take sunscreen to one of the games. I underestimated the sun's power, and I came home with the worst sunburn I've had in quite a while.

Underestimating the enemy's power is just as damaging. We may think we can withstand his assaults, but we are powerless apart from God's protection.

This past weekend the Lord mercifully placed a few clouds in the sky, which allowed us a brief respite from the full sun and unbearable heat. In those few moments, hidden under the shelter of the clouds, I found relief.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
--Colossians 3:1-4

Following God's will offers shelter and refreshment in this hot, hostile world. Obedience isn't always fun, but it brings joy. Obedience doesn't come naturally, it is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. Obedience doesn't guarantee that we won't have tough times, but it does promise protection. The enemy may still hurl his darts at us, but we are covered by the Almighty. We are hidden in Christ.

If that doesn't encourage us to be obedient, nothing will!

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.


--Psalm 27:4-5

Traps

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
--Colossians 2:8

The Fall television season starts in earnest next week. I usually get pretty excited this time of year, because I'm anxious to see what new entertainment lies ahead. This year, I'm a little nervous. Back in June, I made a commitment to the Lord that I would not watch two television shows. Through the summer, when they were re-runs, it was pretty easy. I'm praying that I can remain faithful and obedient in this, because I don't want fall prey to the "basic principles of this world" -- greed, s*x, violence...just to name a few. Putting that junk in my head desensitizes me to it, and shifts my focus from the Lord.

Still, it's not only the blatant sins of the world that we need to be cautious about. We also need to be on the lookout for those philosophies that sneak up on us when we least expect it, that come from seemingly harmless (maybe even Christian) sources.

Paul's warning cast light on a recent incident, and reminded me that we must always be on guard.

A Christian blogger linked to something that had spoken to her heart. I followed the link, and read it. The writer was facing a struggle most women face, and I agreed wholeheartedly. Afterwards, I looked at the author's profile to learn more. The author seemed incredibly bright, witty and charming. I thought I found a brother/sister in Christ. Reading the profile, I was surprised to find that I had not. I wrongfully assumed that because a Christian blogger linked to this piece, the author is also a Christian.

Hear my heart. I'm not...I repeat, NOT...making a statement about reading pieces written by unbelievers. There was nothing harmful or offensive in this particular link, nothing that pointed away from Jesus.

That's my point.

Just as I was wrong to assume someone is a Christian (and don't we all?), we can believe something is of Christ and immediately go in that direction. We forget that S*tan is crafty enough to disguise the principles of this world to look like God's. Something can look Godly and even sound Godly, and still not be genuine. The author apparently is a member of a religion that the world may consider Christian, but most decidedly is not.

My pastor recently again shared that he is responsible to God for what he teaches the flock, but WE are responsible to not just take his word for it. We must check behind him and make absolute certain that what he says is Biblically accurate. As a Sunday School teacher and as a blogger, I tell you the same thing. Even if we feel we are relying on a trusted source, we must look at The Source to see if it lines up with Scripture.

We risk danger otherwise.

Soon the mice in the field behind me will start heading to my house for shelter. We'll set out traps, lining them with cheese or peanut butter. A mouse will think he's found some food, and eagerly run toward it. SNAP! The trap shuts before he knows what hit him.

I don't want to make that same mistake.

Time Management 101

Time. There never seems to be enough. Too many things to do, too little time to do them. Since school started, all of my attention is focused on helping CJ. My home and my husband have suffered terribly this week. Even getting up earlier doesn't give me enough time to accomplish everything that needs to be done. I'm getting so much out of my deepening relationship with the Lord, but S*tan's got me wondering if my family would be better served if I spent that time doing housework instead of praying & studying the Word.

I've been praying for a revelation...some sort of magical way to get it all done and have time to spare. And my precious Jesus whispered the answer to me

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience
--Colossians 1:9-11 (NIV)

The secret to getting it all done is to ONLY do His will. Before glancing at our calendars and "To Do" lists, we need to consult with our Father. By starting the day with Him, we have the opportunity to ask Him what He wants to accomplish through us. It's a two-part process.

First, we must seek His wisdom and understanding. As Paul says, the "knowledge of His will" comes "through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (v. 9). We can't know His will without understanding Him first. Open His Word. See where His priorities are. Get to know Him. Once we have that spiritual wisdom, we will be able to discern His will. Time spent with Him is crucial if we're going to be successful Kingdom workers. If we are pursuing His will, we will be successful because He's already ordained it! No more beating ourselves up over failures! That thought alone speaks volumes to me.

Once we know His will and set our hearts on obedience, Paul says our lives will be worthy of Him, pleasing Him in every way. Not just in mothering, home keeping, or ministry. So many times, we feel we have to sacrifice one for the other. Yet if we are only pursuing His will, we will please Him in every way. Maybe that means we spend more time on our home today, and concentrate on hubby tomorrow. If we're doing what God wants, it will all balance out.

Does anyone else want to shout Hallelujah?!

Paul goes on to say that pleasing God in every way means we will:

~produce fruit in the works He has given us. There are many good things we can work toward in a day but if we've sacrificed God's agenda to do something else, are we living fruitful lives?

~grow in our relationship with Him. We'll get closer to Him. That will lead to gaining a better understanding of Him, which will give us more insight into His will.

~be strengthened. Are we afraid we're going to have to face a God-sized task without His God-sized power? He will give us whatever we need to get the job done.

~receive endurance and patience. We can endure whatever obstacle and wait however long it takes, because we know that ultimately His will is going to be done. Knowing that He's already guaranteed the outcome will encourage us as we labor...whether we're tackling a mountain of laundry or a list of people to care for. Why would He tell us to do it if He didn't want to see it get done?

Finally, from a practical standpoint, giving our days to Him just makes sense. We can put the burden of decision making and time management on Him. After all, He created time. He can manage it any way He wants.

Whispers

Few things spark curiosity like a whisper. Surrounding conversations come to a halt when someone nearby starts whispering. A whisper commands attention. It is powerful.

A child's eyes light up when someone says "Come here, I have a secret to tell you." The expression on her face as she listens is sheer joy. A whisper is special.

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
--1 Kings 19:11-12

For years, I've expected the Lord to show Himself big, bold and loud in my life. How will He get my attention otherwise?

He whispers.

In the quietness of the morning, He speaks sweet nothings to my heart. I snuggle in close, not wanting to miss a word.

This is what I have planned for you.

Here's where I want you to go.

This is truth.

You can depend on this promise.

He gives me instruction.

I want you to read Ezra.

EZRA?!

Yes, Ezra. He was right.

He orders my days.

Pray for her.
This is important. That's not.

He makes me feel special.

I love you, dear one.

I anxiously await what He's going to saw next. He keeps me coming back for more.

For a little while each day, I intentionally drown out the noises around me and listen to the whispers. For in them, His message comes through loud and clear.

Bon Appetit

Five years ago, R and I were blessed with the opportunity to go to Paris to visit an old friend. Before we were able to meet up with him, we had a night in the city on our own. Our friend had arranged for us to have dinner at a wonderful restaurant. The food was amazing, but the dining experience was even more so. We sat at the table for nearly 3 hours. The courses were served slowly and deliberately. The waiter cleaned our crumbs after every course. The atmosphere was to be savored.

At first, we weren't quite sure what to make of it. In fact, the waiter (who spoke very peckish English) kept saying, "Stop panicking. I can see you're panicking." Coming from a culture that prides itself on how quickly things can be done, we were slow to adapt to French dining.

Yet by the time that meal was done, I knew it was one of the most enjoyable of my life. In fact, the entire week of delighting in our meals was...well, delicious.

Our friend later explained that meal times are almost sacred in France. After eating French cuisine, I can understand why. The French love food. They cherish it. They celebrate it. They are passionate about it. They are known for it.

I want to be passionate about one only food...The Bread of Life.

I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
--Job 23:12

How different would life look if we didn't hurry through a meal with Jesus? If we took the time to linger in conversation with Him, hanging on His every Word? What if we ate with abandon and paid no attention to the clock? What if we kept going back for seconds, and thirds?

The foods of this life would no longer satisfy. They wouldn't even come close.

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
--John 6:25

Give it Up

We're at Day 3 of the obedience series. You can read the first two posts here & here.

Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
--Deuteronomy 4:23-24

#3 - Obedience Requires Sacrifice. In order for God to build the monument that we talked about yesterday, some things in our life have to go. They're impeding progress. It's time for the idols to go.

Wait a minute, I don't worship idols!

Are you sure about that?

Maybe it's a TV show. (it has been for me).

Or a relationship.

Perhaps it's a habit.

Or a hobby.

It could be anything.

What's hindering us from experiencing true fellowship with God? If we're honest, we may already know the answer.

Whatever it is, IT'S GOT TO GO.

But I can't give it/him/her/that up! It's asking too much!

That's where God comes in. He's not asking us to do it alone. He created us, so He's well acquainted with our weaknesses. As David tells us, "for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:14) I find such comfort in that verse. I realize it doesn't do any good to hide from Him, and I can be myself. It reminds us that we don't have a single ounce of strength. But God, in His marvelous, sweet and generous spirit, steps in and gives us what we need. Have you noticed that whenever He commands us to do something, He provides everything we need to do it?

Isn't that just like Him? Doesn't it blow your mind?

I can testify that I was thoroughly convicted about giving up those two television shows (and some other entertainment idolatry). I knew I couldn't do it in my own power, so I literally laid them at the altar. And, Praise His Name, He has done it! So far, not even a temptation. Now, I'm not stupid enough to think Satan won't start messing with me over it, but I can trust in His strength to fight the battle.

Still, it can be tough to obey an "invisible" God. In those situations, we should ask Him to provide us with encouragers - people who will walk alongside us, cheer us on, and give us a swift kick in the pants when we need it. I don't know about you, but I'm at a point in my life where I don't have time or patience for people who don't encourage me. If I'm going to seek the abundant life He wants to give, I have to surround myself with people who are like-minded.

God has given us all the tools we need, and He expects us to be obedient. It's serious business to Him. And that's where we'll meet again tomorrow.

Because of Jesus,
Melissa