Category: faith

Do you have unanswered prayers? Does your faith waiver as you wait on God? Here’s a powerful example for you.

Psalm 91 Becomes So Real

In these days of bad news and worse news we find ourselves afraid to step out of our doors in fear that some invisible enemy named Coronavirus will land on our head and end our days. Interestingly, corona in Spanish (and Italian) translates “crown”. It can’t be missed that it wants to rule the land. If you have forgotten how bad it is, just turn on your computer or tv and at your fingertips will be all the forboding numbers and predictions. I have to daily pray and remind myself that God is my fortress and strong tower. I know His Word is true when He promises to cover me with His wings; His faithfulness being my shield.

As a matter of faith building in this time, I have prayed daily Psalm 91. You may be familiar with it. It is 16 powerful verses reminding us that God is our protector from terrors at night, arrows that fly by day, and plagues that stalk. I have read it in half a dozen translations and love them all. The promises are strong and reliable in every choice of wording. I even put it on my refrigerator. It doesn’t work as a snack deterrent unfortunately; but it does remind without even rereading it that God’s Word is sure and He is with me and remains my protector.

Now, there is a verse in there that has always made me raise my eyebrows a bit. “Does this really apply to me? Perhaps this is figuratively speaking. Right?” Verse 13 declares that:

“You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”

Psalm 91:13

Psalm 91 is a psalm of David. I know David fought a few lions. That’s the confidence he carried into battle with Goliath. When King Saul asked David why he thought he could defeat Goliath, David responded, “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the Living God.” 1 Samuel 17:36. Yep, David could “trample the great lion and the serpent.”

But me? Well, first of all, besides the Houston Zoo and Barnum and Bailey Circus, lions are foreign to me. Behind glass or steel bars is as close to lions as I have ever been. Trample them? I don’t think so.

I can’t say the same for serpents. I live in southeast Texas and snakes abound. I see at least one every summer and sometimes 4 or 5. The most common poisonous serpents here are the copperhead and the water moccasin. We have others and some nonpoisonous as well, but this isn’t a discussion of snakes. Rather, it is how He makes us trample them.

As a Easter gift from a friend, I received a fence post sign that read “He is Risen”. It is beautiful and I love it. It was just the truth that I wanted displayed in front of my home. Thanks Jamie. As my husband and I were contemplating how to make it stay put, I suggested putting a hollowed out, half of a tree stump in front of it. We’ve had that half a tree stump in a flower bed for ages. I picked up the small (approx. 10 inches across) stump and moved it to the front of the sign. I then shoved it with my sandaled foot closer to the sign to hold it tight.

Gary and I decided that wouldn’t work because the stump would cover the “n” in risen. No, I would pick it up and move it again back to the side where it had been.

Gary immediately spoke, “No, let me have it. Let’s put the stump on the other side of the porch. He then picked it up and carried it away. While I am still staring at the sign, I hear him holler and throw the stump down.

The tree stump sans snake.

I asked him what happened. Hornet’s nest? Giant hairy spider? Fire ants? Nope. On top of that stump that had been moved now three times was a copperhead that was now slithering off after all the excitement. Don’t miss this. I had picked up and carried a copperhead not once, not twice, but three times before handing it off to Gary! He carried it 3 or 4 steps before seeing the danger and doing the only logical thing. I ran for the shovel and now Mr. Copperhead is fertilizer on the vacant lot next to us.

We stood there in utter amazement and without a word. Together we had lived a miracle. Copperheads are not carried around like kittens. They are not known to be aggressive, but are most dangerous when they are disturbed or threatened. I never saw it while I held it close to my chest and leaned over it with my face. Even Gary, didn’t notice it until it was next to his head. I don’t know if God caused it to sleep, closed its mouth, or made it friendly, but it didn’t strike until it was on the ground out of harm’s way. And then it faced us with mouth wide open ready to bite.

With eyes bulging and jaws dangling while we considered what just happened, Gary’s phone rang and my normally strong and solid husband just about jumped out of his work uniform. Funny….after the severe case of “the willies” had subsided.

God had protected our lives and I almost never knew. It makes me wonder how many times He has shielded me from what the devil would have used to destroy me. And you too. Car crashes that were avoided and you don’t even know how. Someone has suggested that in life we have all walked or drove past a murderer or other dangerous person and never knew it. God protects us with little or no fanfare. Only heaven will tell the stories.

The next morning as I was going through Psalm 91 again, reciting every word as a petition and promise, I read verse 13. When I began the verse 14, it was as if the Holy Spirit cleared His throat, “Ahem”. I stopped and looked back. When I reread it I knew what the Lord was saying to me.

The same God that could deliver David from a lion, a bear, a serpent and a 9 foot giant, is the same God that can and does deliver me. It wasn’t David, it was God. David, on his own, would have been a lion’s lunch. Goliath laughed at David because he couldn’t see the invisible God that stood between him and the young boy warrior. The battles are not even. Nothing or no one is a match for God and you. He wins even when we are unaware of the danger.

Psalm 91 still applies. He is our refuge. He loves us enough to send His angels to guard our steps. He promises there is rest in the mere shadow of the Almighty. Awwww, rest. Don’t we need it? I trust the Lord when He says that “no disaster will come near your tent.”

I know. I know. What about the Christians that are suffering with covid-19 right now? I have prayed for several missionaries that I know have suffered with the virus. Really suffered. How does Psalm 91 apply to them? It is just as true. As the chapter draws to the end, the Lord says about the ones who love Him, “He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” Did you notice “in trouble”? Or the fact that He promises to deliver us, meaning we will at times need deliverance?

There are times when this fallen world deals trouble. God’s 91 says to call on Him. He promises in just verse 15 to answer you, be with you in trouble, deliver you and honor you. One of the missionaries that has been hospitalized for four weeks is now slowly coming off the ventilator. He told his wife today with labored talk that the presence of the Lord had been so strong and sweet that he knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be. How wonderful God’s presence must be that a person would accept this battle just to soak in the glory of Him. Another 96 year old women who caught the virus in the nursing home in Washington, early in this pandemic, told this story: During her sickest night when she wasn’t sure that she would survive, she would come to and feel the Lord’s presence and even his hand stroking her arm in comfort. She said it was the most amazing experience in her 96 years of life.

Why didn’t Jesus instantly heal her or protect from getting sick? I don’t know. But His presence was constant and I could tell from her smile and tears that they shared something amazing. It’s just like my miraculous protection from the snake bite. No doubt that God performed that work. On the other hand, Paul survived a shipwreck, washed up on the isle of Malta, only to be bitten by a poisonous snake….all while working for the Lord. Where was Psalm 91? Why didn’t God protect him? Well, He did. Paul called upon the Lord and trusted His God. God rescued him from the 14 day storm, the soldiers threat to kill him and all the prisoners on board, the ship breaking to pieces, floating ashore, and then the snake bite. You see God was clearly His strong tower.

So I totally rest in the promise of his protection. His Word is true. I pray Psalms 91 with every belief that God meant every word. I love the Lord. How can I help it? He is my refuge. I am never alone. I do not fear the coronavirus. God is always with me and no virus will “crown” my life. That belongs to Him.

His Love is Fear’s Cure

Knowing God loves me destroys those creeping fears.

No fear. Pure joy!

I usually love the blank page, or screen, in this instance. I presume its like a blank canvas to an artist or pile of wood to a builder. The possibilities are just fun to consider. I think anybody could be a writer if they weren’t bothered by the blank page. But sometimes words just escape me. Advice to self: Just write something. Scratch outs and delete buttons are just a part of the process.

It’s under those conditions I write today. The world is in the midst of a global sickness called coronavirus. Those who aren’t sick, fear they are next. This fear sneaks up on me even though I know the truths of Psalm 91. My enemy points to every mild symptom and tells me that it is just the early stages of the inevitable. This is the case even though there is only 1 case of the disease in my county and two in the county next to me. But then again, fear is never rational. It’s that unwelcome guest that creeps in and sets up a bedroom if we don’t pay attention.

So how do we deal with creeping fear?

This is how I fight it: God loves me. That fact restores my faith. His love determines my days. Now from the get go, let me say that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love those who are sick today. No way. Truth be told He loves us all immeasurably. He loves everyone in the world. Let that sink in. Refer to Christianity’s most memorized verse:

“For God SO LOVED THE WORLD that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

He loves us….me….you. This is not a provision for the perfect. It’s not “saints only” need apply. God’s love comes from Him, who is love. To prove it, He made the first move to show His adoration for you.

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

How can the unholy be in a relationship with the Holy?

Do you sometime feel like you’re just not the kind God loves. How can you trust Him to take care of you when you’ve not done your part? Because God built the bridge between you. His own perfect son died for your punishment. I’m not sure I can even comprehend that type of love. I remember reading the fictional story of “The Whipping Boy” about a young man whose only job was to take the spankings that the spoiled prince deserved in this make believe kingdom. But in our reality, God’s son took the capital punishment for our sin. We deserved the punishment. He took it. We would have died and spent eternity in the darkness of hell. He died and rose again and sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us. (Romans 8:34) He would say to you today, “I love you.”

What makes me so sure?

That love is not diminished or diminishable. It’s not built on your accomplishments or destroyed by your failures. The Bible tells us in that same chapter (Romans 8) that we literally can’t be separated from His love. Can demons break God’s love for you? Nope. Angels? No. Fears for today or worries about tomorrow? They cannot separate us from His love. Nothing in creation is strong enough to keep us from His love. Look it up. Romans 8:38. He closes the list with this:

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who LOVES US.

Romans 8:39

There is one certainty. God loves you.

Don’t you wish you knew them?

So, I walk in sweet peace that God is in charge. As I surrender my life to Him and give Him my heart in return for His enduring love, life is good. I sleep well knowing that God really loves me. I know that nothing will happen that God doesn’t see and as the perfect lover of my soul, my Father walks with me and assures me His arms hold me tight. I’ve never been safer. Those who love me the most couldn’t protect me like He does.

Do trials and hard times come? Sure. We still live on earth. But His presence makes all the difference. Prayer is not a religious exercise that earns the love of God. It is a daughter laying against His knee and telling Him all of her worries and victories. Thankful for most and trusting for the rest. Then like any Father/daughter relationship I sit and listen to what perfect words He will speak to me. It’s not the great thunderous words from heaven, but the still small voice that interrupts my thoughts. When He speaks, it is often a promise from His Word and always a truth given with loving care. Even His correction in my life has been with the deepest love. I will write about that another day.

Be brave. Talk to Him.

I want to close with this. If you don’t have the peace of God in your heart today, ask Him. Don’t think about it. Ask Him. He is real and He wants you to REALLY speak to Him. If He is not your Lord and Savior, He wants to be. Talk to Him. No magic words, just ask Him to forgive you for everything. Remember, that is why He died. Then make a commitment to Him to be God of your life. Now follow Him. Get a Bible (there’s tons online) and find a church. (This coronavirus social distancing thing won’t last forever.) I can’t even tell you how that will change things in your life. His promises to His followers are amazing. His love is like no other.

And to all who love God and yet struggle with creeping fear, I love the words of Paul here as he considers the vastness of Christ’s love for us:

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ..”

Ephesians 3:17-19

What a gift to grasp the magnitude of His love. To know He loves us emboldens our faith in Him. It is like children being held by their father during a thunderstorm. The loud booms only cause us to snuggle closer. It is like watching a hair raising action film for the second time. All the danger and action are there but you already know it ends well. To live this life assured of His constant and amazing love, is to live it to its absolute fullest, flying through the air knowing that God stands ready to catch you. As noted in Ephesians, it is truly “His glorious riches” to GRASP His great love.

P.S.

If you made a commitment to follow the Lord, please, please, please let me know. You can send me message on the Write Me Back menu page. I want to pray for you.

Get Up to the Mt. of Transfiguration

There is some disagreement about the exact Mount of Transfiguration location. This one isn’t it. I took this picture in Colorado. lol.

Mount of Transfiguration, anybody? Think fast. What happened there? If you don’t know off the top of your head and hate pop quizzes, don’t feel bad. You’re in good company. I asked a few people this weekend and the responses ranged from, “I have no idea.” to “Was Jesus involved?” to “I just read that. Isn’t that where Jesus went up into Heaven?” No one I asked rattled off the story like it was lifelong favorite. Prior to preparing my Sunday school lesson, I’m not sure I could have told you all the participants and/or order of events.

So as a Sunday school teacher, I asked myself how did we fail to teach this story. Surely I have discussed this with at least one class over the years. Or maybe not. It is certainly worth the teaching.

Let’s crack open that often closed page and take a real look.

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.”

Matthew 17: 1

I have to stop here for two observations:

First, Jesus was a mountain climber. Not Judean hills, but a “high mountain” climber. He also led the group. No wimpiness there.

Second, this inner circle of Peter, James and John has often been seen as the the disciples a cut above the other nine, thus chosen for special occasions. However, I read recently the suggestion they were “chosen” because they were the ones most likely to get in trouble when left unattended. Haha. That makes me giggle. God always “chooses” those who need Him most.

“There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.”

Matthew 17:2

Okay, so this is different. The Jesus they knew walked around in sandaled feet, touched lepers, and asked Samaritan women for drinks from a well. Who was this? The three disciples are all resting from the climb. One of the gospels records they were sleepy, when all of a sudden Jesus appears in all of His radiant glory.

Picture it. You are taking a breather with your friends and this miracle worker/rabbi/Messiah. He is sweating and tired just like you. The Bible says He is praying while they rest and then His whole face and clothes change. His face appeared as bright as the sun and his clothes glowed like lightning. The disciples get a sneak peek at the REAL Jesus. It’s like Jesus was letting His friends in on a secret. “I’m going to show you something, but don’t tell anyone!” kind of secret. This wasn’t the Jesus they had followed for three years. That guy got tired, hungry, and had to wash his clothes just like them. This guy was Messiah and shined like the Son. In a way, the true miracle is that He was able to keep His glory hid as he trod this dusty earth. Showing it had to be easier than concealing it before mankind.

And then to make things even more supernatural…

“Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.”

Matthew 17:3

Not your everyday occurrence. Sudden questions in my mind are: How did the disciples recognize them? There were no history books with pictures of great leaders of Israel. Evidently it was in conversation or by the names Jesus used to address them. Moses remained Moses and Elijah, Elijah.

Luke 9 records that they talked about Jesus’ soon departure from the earth. Another curiosity: What was discussed? Did they come to encourage Him, give Him a more detailed timeline, or celebrate His victory over satan and soon return to Heaven. It’s just one of those unrecorded Bible conversations that my nosey side longs to hear. I just know the Lord would say, “Suellyn, just pay more attention to the words I’ve recorded and let the unwritten be unheard.”

Peter then fills the air with the first things that come to mind.

Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Mark 9:5

I love this next part. Been there and have watched my awkward words hang in the air like a bad smell.

“He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.”

Mark 9:6

Fear so often is the culprit behind stupidity.

Some commentators criticize Peter because he said it was “wonderful for us”, showing a selfish side. Even more criticize Peter for putting Jesus on the same level with Elijah and Moses. I’m not sure that was Peter’s intention but whatever, God interupts the whole scene.

“But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to Him.’ The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.

Matthew 17:5,6

This is a beautiful glance into the Father/Son relationship. Like I have explained before, I never really enjoyed a close Father/Daughter bond; but I have seen some beautiful examples. Yet, I have never been introduced to a son or daughter like this: “This is my dear son. I love him deeply. He brings to me the greatest joy. You should listen to Him.” That is love divine, my friend. His Father clearly enjoys Jesus’ company, loves His heart, and feels no trepidation about advising people to listen to Him.

Now one last thought, putting yourself on that mountaintop, what is it your ears are trained to hear? God just spoke from a cloud to listen to His dear Son. As my eyes spread like saucers and my mouth gapes, I believe my ears might even extend to not miss the next word from Jesus’ mouth. How about you? Are you thinking about looking it up or jumping down to the next quote section to see? No worries, here it is:

“Then Jesus came over and touched them. ‘Get up.’ he said. ‘Don’t be afraid.'”

Matthew 17:7

Are you surprised? We shouldn’t be. It’s the phrase our Lord most often used. “Fear not” or “Don’t be afraid.” It is said by those who have counted, that there are 365 times in the Bible that God reminds us not to fear. 365, hmmm? That covers them all. Next Tuesday, during your job performance review, covered. Thursday is covered when those biopsy results are supposed to be in. Around here, it’s the next three weeks of the Coronavirus. All covered. The only thing the Bible tells us to fear is God and even in this situation of Him speaking from a cloud, Jesus touches them and chides, “Do not fear.”

GET UP!!

Don’t miss the two tiny words just prior either. “Get up.” I realize the disciples had fallen to their faces in fear before this awesome scene, but I believe Jesus would say the same to us. “Get up.” Stop watching the “bad” news, chewing your nails in worry, and discussing the same tales of “what if”. Get up. Don’t be afraid. Do the things Jesus has called you to. Encourage your family. Pray for the lost. Really pray for the lost. Get up. The devil is working, but Christ came to “destroy the works of the enemy.” What He came to do will be done. Now get up and be the fearless saint He has touched.

When God has Done Everything He Could

Does that title cause a pause? Do you think something strange about the wording? What is left when God has done all that He can? Nothing. We know that there are no limits to God’s “can do”. So what does it mean that He has done all He could?

He tells the oceans where their borders are set.

When a doctor says he has done “all he can do” to treat an illness or a mechanic says he has “done all he can do” to fix your automobile, we know the limits have been reached. We might even follow that statement with, “It’s in God’s hands.”

But this week I read a scripture where God said He had done all He could and I had to ponder the situation. Have I ever drove Him to His limits? Let’s read the verse.

“…when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness.”

Micah 6:6b

To get a better understanding, it’s important to read the full chapter. To get a full understanding read the full book of Micah. In this chapter, God is speaking. As a matter of fact the chapter begins with “Listen to what the LORD is saying:” He then calls a hearing between the Israelites and Himself. The mountains will be the witnesses.

He then asks what are their complaints. “O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me!” Micah 6:3

I once was at a women’s retreat when the elderly speaker stopped her message of encouragement and edification and walked over to a woman in the crowd of about 300. She appeared hardened and angry. I hadn’t noticed her until this moment when the speaker spoke directly to her, “God wants to know what else He can do for you?” She met the woman’s scowl with equal intensity. You could have heard an eyelid blink if anyone dared move. I thought for sure the news would tell that night of the brawl at the Christian Women’s Conference.

The speaker went on to question her, “God has given you life. He has given you His son as a sacrifice for your sins. He offers you peace and joy and salvation. But none of that has been enough for you. So, God wants to know what else He can do for you?”. The silence that followed spoke to us all.

The woman didn’t budge for a bit. The speaker asked her name. I honestly don’t remember it. But this lioness of God, our speaker, spoke to her again, “Okay, (name), you are angry at God because some things in life haven’t gone your way. You have sat here tonight thinking you are going to show Him how angry you are. Nothing I have said, none of the worship songs we have sung have moved you. Even the people that have brought you here did not cause your heart to soften. So, God wants to know what else He can do for you?”

This time the awkward and intense silence was followed with tears. The woman broke before the Lord and melted before our eyes. I have seen miracles before and this ranks right up there with the greatest. A woman’s heart changed in an instant. What life and hard choices had built as a impenetrable wall came crumbling down as she realized that God had already done all that was needed in her life. He had given everything He could, His only Son, to save her. How could she act as if there was more He could offer?

Back to the scripture in Micah. God begins to remind the Israelites of the journey they had endured through the wilderness. He mentions the wicked King Balak who bribed Balaam to curse them. God turned the curses into blessings.

He reminds the Israelites how he rescued them from Egypt. He gave them Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead them and redeem them from slavery.

“And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal,….” vs. 6.

from Acacia Grove (Shittim on this map) to Gilgal..

Acacia Grove (Shittim) is where the Israelites camped before crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. It’s there that Joshua sent out two spies to check out Jericho. Gilgal is on the west side of the Jordan. It was the first stop in the land of Israel and there they renewed their covenant with God. These two places represent the wilderness and the land of blessing. God said to remember the journey.

“And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness.”

Micah 6:5

That was His purpose. He did everything to teach them about His faithfulness. God is faithful. It does us well to remember the days and moments in our lives where God is teaching us His faithfulness. Remember the journey.

I just got home from a missions trip to Poland. These trips are fuel for my soul and I have never gone on one of these missions journeys without great changes in my life. But that’s a whole other blog post.

This recent trip left me exhausted and stressed the first night. I had not slept and the day stretched on and on as we traveled multiple time zones. We had a 8 hour layover in Holland and decided to store our luggage at the airport and tour a little. All went well until we got back to the airport. Despite having mapped all this out before leaving Texas, I could not find the lockers where all 16 of us had stored our luggage. Time was running out before our connecting flight and my team could tell I had lost the lockers. Panic set in and it seemed everyone had a better idea of where those lockers might be hiding. Loooong story short, we found them. Some of us (yes, the team split up) went through the passport control multiple times before finding our way.

The two hour flight from there to Poland was quiet and reflective for me. It was the first day and I had already failed the team. One pause to consider the route and I had lost control and confidence of the team. How could I think that I could lead a team of 16 “across the pond” to a place I’d never been myself. What in the world was I thinking?

I got to the missionaries’ house, saw everyone to their respective rooms. got orders for the next day, and collapsed in bed. There would not be any sleep for me. Exhaustion does that sometimes. So, I picked up my Bible and read this chapter. As I began to read of their journey, I couldn’t help but to think of mine.

Yes, God had been faithful through the land of fundraisers. He had passed us through the maze of passports. He guided me to the flight of least connections and best prices. He answered when we needed insurance, airport parking for a van and trailer, and wisdom to understand TSA packing. God had brought our team through flooded homes and flooded businesses, sick relatives, and dying friends, medical tests, anxieties, job loss and financial struggles all while He prepared us for the mission.

The trip was a great success. Thankfully, we never got lost again. With God’s great faithfulness, the journey brought us to the place of His blessing and back home again. The journey was wild and wonderful. And all of it was God just doing everything He could to teach us His faithfulness.

A path full of His faithfulness lessons.

And how does God show His faithfulness? Well it’s always in our need. He is faithful when we are lost as to the next steps. Faithful when our bodies are in need of healing. He is faithful when relationships are twisted and tangled. God is faithful as the roads of life get narrow, offer too many side trails, or have obstacles too big to pass. We could never know His faithfulness if we never stood in need.

His faithfulness is displayed best for those leaving the comforts of the familiar to enter the unknown of what He has promised them. As we rise up to seek the Lord and His ways, He never promises to make the walk an easy stroll. His promise was never to pave the path with gold and supply soft cushions to rest on as we pursue Him. His promise is to do EVERYTHING HE CAN to teach us about His faithfulness.

So whether in the journey of life or the next trip to the grocery store, look for the places that God is teaching you. I’m sure there is a lesson happening even now. Many times God extols us to remember the days of our past. Take a look down memory lane and see where lessons were given and learned. Do tomorrow’s troubles seem looming? Look at the miracles of yesterday. He is always in control and never loses a teachable moment. He is doing everything He can to teach you His faithfulness.

Sufficient Grace is Amazing

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’

2 Corinthians 12:8,9

I thought I knew. It’a word I throw around like it’s common; a catchall of words to describe God’s goodness. I walk in this, rest in this, and I’m literally saved by this. Truth is, I was going to name my daughter this. Instead I had a hulky boy, now man, that would have had a hard time explaining his name as GRACE.

New York City, October 2015, Manhattan

GRACE. Isn’t it just one of those Christianese words that seems to flow out of our mouths often and yet, I’m guessing we hardly give it a deeper thought. We throw it in with mercy and lump it into salvation and there we go with another pretty way to say we are forgiven.

As I began to search just a small bit deeper, the meanings and examples are amazing. Besides the verse above, there are many others that made me think and ponder. Here are a few:

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8

“The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; …” Esther 2:17

“… The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11

“Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ ” Zechariah 4:7

“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” Luke 2:40

Just these five verses show the diversity and depth of grace. For Noah, it was how God saw him amidst the chaos and sin of the world. Esther was King Xerxes’s favorite and obtained grace. God gives grace along with all the other good things he gives to the upright. Notice, the upright receive grace. We typically think of the sinner getting grace. Zerubabbel shouted “Grace, Grace” as he set the cornerstone for the temple. He might be doing the work, but it was God’s grace that would see it accomplished. And finally, Jesus is described as a child with the grace of God upon Him. That is certainly not forgiveness or mercy.

We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8,9). We are invited to approach the Throne of Grace to receive mercy (Hebrews 4:16). Romans 6:14 tells us that we are no longer under the law, but under grace. Grace is a small word with a HUGE gift. I was so pleasantly surprised to read the definitions.

Strong’s defines grace as kindness, favor, beauty, pleasant, precious, well-favored. In the Outline of Biblical Usage it is favor, grace, charm, elegance, and acceptance. How wonderful to be seen in the eyes of the Lord like this. We can’t earn those entitlements; they are given by God. God gives His grace to us and we walk with the elegance and acceptance of His favored children. How pleasant!

Horses are the most graceful of animals. They are regal with a sense of knowing they are animals of the kings.

You may have heard the definition of grace as “unmerited favor” and that is true, but for me that doesn’t paint the complete picture. Maybe I get hung up on the unmerited part. It’s not only the idea of mercy for the woeful sinner I am, but the amazing truth that I’m favored – a favorite. That’s grace.

So, when Paul is plagued with some thorn in the flesh from satan and asks the Lord to take it away three times, the Lord responds that “His grace is sufficient for Him.” God doesn’t offer forgiveness nor healing, not mercy or wisdom. He promises grace sufficient. His grace. It is that gift of walking in this life with the precious and pleasant favor of God. Charles Spurgeon wrote about this verse, “He who knows, like the bee, how to suck honey from flowers, may well linger over each one of these words and drink in unutterable content.”

MY – GRACE- IS – Sufficient – for – YOu

Growing up I always loved the movies Cinderella and Snow White. No matter the wickedness that threatened and plotted against them, they walked in the pleasantness and charm of grace. The inner beauty of grace caused birds to sing and princes to swoon. They knew they were loved and that made all the difference. Even though they are fictional, the movies portray the confidence and humility that comes from knowing our KING loves us and His grace is our gift. Grace says, “I know that I appear to be not up to the challenges, but HIS power is made perfect in weakness.” (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). “His grace is sufficient for me.”

Reading Paul’s letters, I concentrate on the closings. I’m a letter writer and find that a letter in the mail is one of this life’s greatest joys. Paul would take care of business when he closed and usually ended with a blessing that reads like your favorite Psalm. The last verse of 2 Corinthians closes with:

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God, and

the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with you all.”

2 Corinthians 13:14

His amazing grace! This “kiss of God’s favor” is all I need. I can’t think of anything I would rather have. When the world is so unkind, grace tells me I am His masterpiece. When my soul is troubled and I can’t find any good, grace shows me His goodness. Grace leaves me “handfuls on purpose” left by my Savior. And though half my life over and all down hill, I will age grace-fully. Grace is a gift of God. Like the old hymn taught us, His grace is quite amazing.

Come Here, Courage

The Old Testament is chock full of stories of courage. There were men who sat with lions, danced in the fire, and defeated armies that surrounded them. There were women who killed enemy commanders, defied kings, and hid their children from death.

In college, I had to read Profiles in Courage, a biography of courageous men in history. Sam Houston was my favorite. This week I picked up a children’s story book that was printed in 1923. That has been eye-opening on many fronts; one is the extraordinary courage of the characters in the stories. There are little boys and girls walking through dark and deep woods to survive, working for cruel masters and making harrowing escapes. It makes me wonder if perhaps our literature is too safe these days. Where are the heroes?

Remember Cruella??

This week I read the story of Jehoida, a priest of Judah. He served during the reign of Queen Athaliah, whose wickedness makes Cruella Deville seem neighborly. When her horrible son/king was killed, she finished off the rest of the royal family – some were her own children and grandchildren! No one was safe under her rule, especially followers of God.

One of her infant grandsons was hidden in the Temple of God by the sister of the dead king. This sister, Jehosheba, was also Jehoida the priest’s wife. The infant was safe in the Temple presumably because Queen Athaliah would never visit. The child stayed hidden for seven years. Jehoida and his wife, Jehosheba, knew their lives were in danger. This child, Joash, knew nothing of the outside world. He grew up in the presence of the Lord.

Jehoida knew that things were bound to change. He could have waited a little longer, at least until Joash was a teen. He could have just grabbed wife and child and escaped to Egypt or fled to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. But…

“In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest decided to act. He summoned his courage and made a pact with five army commanders:”

2 Chronicles 23:1

I love that wording. “He summoned his courage”. There sat Jehoida, another month hidden in the temple, baby-sitting the real king, and watching wicked Queen Athaliah stroll around Jerusalem. He knew God had given him the assignment. If life was going to change, he would have to say, “Come here, Courage.”

The story is so much better than I can paraphrase here. It’s all there in 2 Chronicles. 1 and 2 Chronicles are both good reading. There is so much wisdom to be gained from their successes and failures. In this account, Jehoida summons (along with his courage) five commanders, who travel throughout Judah calling priests and people to gather in Jerusalem for the express purpose of crowning Joash, the seven year old, as king.

The act was treasonous, as Athaliah would scream while her kingdom crumbled around her head. As Jehoida was crowning Joash and handing him a written copy of God’s laws, the people began to shout, sing, and praise God for their new king.

This was the music Athaliah heard as she was led to the Horse Gate and killed. Her story was over.

Jehoida went on to be the young king’s advisor and a great reformer in Judah. He rebuilt the temple, tore down idols and brought worship of the true God across the land. Jehoida lived to be 130 years old, in a time when long lives were rare.

All of this happened when Jehoida summoned his courage. It takes “guts” to make changes, to reorder our lives. It is so much easier to just “go along to get along”. He could have lived a quiet life inside the cloisters of the temple with his wife and rescued child. After all, what more could God ask? He had rescued and cared for the true king. But Jehoida knew there was more, as there is so many times in our life. He knew it was time to act and told his courage to “come here.”

Life takes courage. An Overcomers life takes great courage. Try to rid yourself of an addiction. Or a habit. Change your lifestyle. It all takes courage. You must summon your courage and take a step away from the comfortable. You must believe that God will meet you there in the unknown.

It takes courage to step out in ministry or to allow God to use you. The most courageous decision you’ll make is to follow Christ as a believer and then to be obedient to Him after the decision. Of course, that is the right decision. So many agree to the conditions of repentance, forgiveness, and eternal life; but find that obedience is so scary. It’s hard to trust His commands are best.

When the Lord begins asking you to forgive others that are clearly wrong, that’s another level of courage. What if they do “it” to me again? No cowards love their enemies. That takes the courage of God. Courage is necessary to trust God with your finances and time.

It requires courage to be a witness to others. We can trust God with salvation, but find it hard to make a stand when surrounded in the lunchroom at work. OH, the courage it takes to speak up for God!

Great men risk it all for the cause in which they believe. We “risk” nothing in obedience to God. He holds us all safely. Even if we should lose our life, He rewards us with life everlasting. Jesus promised that anything we should surrender to follow Him would be given back, not only in this life, but the life to come. (see Mark 10:29,30) We don’t follow a cause, we stand with a King.

One last verse to consider, written by the Psalmist, describes the unbelief of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. Because they didn’t trust God to fight for them, they died in the desert.

“The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe His promises to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.”

Psalms 106:24,25
Remember this act of trust? “Look, Mom, no hands!”

It’s really an either/or situation. Will I summon my courage and walk toward the Promised Land, trusting the One Who Walks with Me; or sit in my “tent”, refuse the One Who Stands Outside, and grumble about my unfair life?

What is God calling you to do? I’m guessing it isn’t easy. Most likely a comfort zone is not included. But you…you are believing His promises, thankful for the calling and boldly entering the Pleasant Land. And when the path looks formidable, you call out, “Come here, courage!”

When God Reads Your Mail

When the enemy is threatening you, God takes it as a personal insult.

As a kid, I watched Batman and Robin every day after school. I had to because the day before the dynamic duo were strapped to a ticking bomb or rolling down a conveyor belt into a buzzing table saw, seconds from their death. I knew they would make it, but I had to tune in and find out how. That’s sort of how I left you last week. The devil (aka King Sennacherib) was making threats that seemed all too common today.

It could have been titled 7 Lies That Keep You From Trying. We’ve experienced them all and like all convincing lies, there is just enough truth to make us believe them. Then when we believe them, they in turn, become reality. My hope was by identifying them, we might recognize the lie before we start agreeing with it.

While, it’s great to uncover the enemies’ tactics, it’s greater to see how another hero of faith deals with the threats. One of the most interesting things, is what he doesn’t say.

“But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, “Do not answer him.”

2 Kings 18:36

There are times we talk too much. The devil enjoys knowing what has boggled our minds and has effectively sidelined our faith for the moment. Like a chicken, he will peck at the sore spot. Don’t give him the satisfaction. I know there are times we just need a shoulder to cry on and a friend to help bear the burden. No doubt, that’s necessary and a gift from the Father. But our incessant complaining is praise to satan and drives our faith and other’s into the grave. Hezekiah commanded his people to not let their fears be heard. Don’t let the enemy see you sweat.

Humility is Necessary

“When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the Lord.”

2 Kings 18:1

King Hezekiah humbled himself before the King of the Universe and went to church to seek His help. Yep, that was me last week. There are times in life when memorized prayers and polite little requests are not enough. You have to cry ugly, get in a posture of need, and find that place where you can get alone with God. Preferably, in reverse order. (grin). There is nothing pretty or religious about it. The devil says you look weak. Don’t believe him. I work in a church and the strongest people I know will come there when life gets difficult. They walk away strengthened.

Ask for Prayer

He also sent his advisers to visit the prophet of God, Isaiah. He told them to tell Isaiah just how bad it was.

“This is the what King Hezekiah says: ‘Today is a day of trouble, insults, and disgrace. It is like when a child is ready to be born, but the mother has no strength to deliver the baby. But perhaps the Lord your God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff, sent by the king to defy the living God, and will punish him for his word. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!’.”

2 Kings 18:3,4

Hezekiah tells the man of God, that they are facing trouble, they have been insulted, and they are humiliated. I would venture to say most trials fall under at least one of those headings. You have suffered some kind of physical loss. Or your friend, or family, or boss has used words to insult you. Don’t words hurt? Or maybe you have had a failure that is humiliating. Deserved or undeserved. Seek the Lord and be honest.

Then he compares this trial to a baby coming to full term and the mother is too weak to deliver. He’s done. He has held his ground, watched and waited as Assyria got closer and closer, and now the moment has arrived to battle. Hezekiah finds himself too worn-out to labor. That is humiliating and dangerous.

Even when your faith is lacking

Did you notice the choice of words in his request? I don’t want to make more out it than there is, but I don’t believe there are any accidental words in the Word. Hezekiah says “perhaps” the Lord “your” God has heard. Perhaps? Oh, Hezekiah, the Lord’s ear is not dull. He heard the blasphemy. And why, “your God” and not “our God”? It seems to me his faith has taken some blows. His ears are still ringing with the threats. Perhaps Isaiah can persuade God to help. Look at that last line. Pray, Isaiah, for the few survivors that are still hanging on. Not exactly a fireball of faith, but still trusting in the Only One Who Can Help.

Easy Peasy

God gives a quick reply through Isaiah.

“This is what the Lord says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king’s messengers. Listen! I, myself, will move against him, and the king will receive a message that he is needed at home. So he will return to this land, where I will have him killed with a sword.”

2 Kings 19:4

Okay, then. That’s that. God has spoken. Bye Felicia. That’s exactly what happens. He gets word that the king of Ethiopia has attacked and he must get home right away.

You would think the enemy would quietly sulk away and leave well enough alone. No, that’s not how the devil works either. Instead, Sennacherib sends another threatening letter to Hezekiah that begins with “Don’t let your God whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured…” and ends with a long list of defeated armies that trusted in their gods too.

The devil rails even in retreat

That is just like the devil. Even as he daily marches closer to his doom, he rails against us with threats. God clearly has the upperhand, as we will see in a minute; but that doesn’t stop satan from terrorizing the saints, even as he retreats to another losing battle.

Hezekiah doesn’t take this lightly. Despite having the promise of God’s rescue, he brings this new threat straight to God himself. He literally brings the message to the temple of the Lord and spreads it out before God and prays. This is so important to our victory.

Take your problems to God and lay them out. Written prayers are so effective. So many times what I think I need, or believe, is completely different when I put it in ink. Something about writing it gets prayers down to business. No fluff. No vain repetition. My selfishness or covetousness shines though when I think about my grandchildren finding these prayers after I’m dead and gone. Often, while writing, petitions become praise and complaints are deemed a waste of paper. Try it. Even a hand written list that you lay hands on and pray has an impact on your faith.

One day I was so troubled by someone that had proven to be my enemy, rather than friend. I had prayed for her. I had asked the Lord to help me forgive her. Though I thought I had forgiven, I still avoided her like the plague. The feelings just weren’t getting better. Like Hezekiah, I took it to church. Sinking down beside the altar, I felt like I had said everything already. So, I wrote her name with my finger on that altar and I left her and all the hurts there. I can’t explain it, but I got up free. I’m still free after many years.

The fight builds faith

Hezekiah’s prayer is wonderful. The fight had made him stronger. He starts with words of adoration. “You alone” is the theme of his praise. Then he says, “It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations…” But this is different.

“But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all – only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power…”

2 Kings 19:17-19

Hezekiah’s faith is growing, even in the middle of the attack. “Now, O Lord our God”, shows that he knew he could call on God too. God knew him and would hear his cry for Israel. Hezekiah stood honestly before God with enough faith to ask for “the impossible”. He knew the history of this attacker. He knew so many other gods had fallen before him. But HIS God was different.

God’s answer found in 2 Kings 19:17-34 should be on our lips often, when the devil fires his darts of fear into our souls. It’s priceless. He begins by mocking Sennacherib’s own boasts. “I have ascended. I have cut down. I have reached. With the soles of my feet. Blah. Blah. Blah.” The king is exposed as God repeats the brags of a boastful warrior. But the boaster is deflated when the Lord says:

“But have you not heard? I decided this long ago. Long ago I planned it, and now I am making it happen. I planned for you to crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.”

2 Kings 19:25

In other words, the ONLY reason that you have beat anyone, Sennacherib, is because I planned it a LONG time ago. You have no power to destroy where I have protected. You are merely a tool at my disposal.

Furthermore,

“And because of your raging against me and your arrogance, which I have heard for myself, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. I will make you return by the same road on which you came.”

2 Kings 19:28

I love this picture.

If you put a hook in someone’s nose and a bit in their mouth, they will go exactly where you tell them, with little or no resistance. I dare say you could drag a dragon with that combination. So, where did God send this enemy of Israel? Back the same way he came. That spells retreat. He isn’t marching through the land as a conqueror. He is tucking his tail and setting the GPS for home. He’ll not be staying for tacos or having a king to king meeting. He switches from offense to defense as he heads home to save his own kingdom.

God then shares some promises with Hezekiah for the future. He even gives hope and a promise for those left in Judah. The “passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (vs. 31). I just love that “passionate commitment”. I couldn’t feel safer.

He gave the king of Assyria a promise too. “His armies will not enter Jerusalem. They will not even shoot an arrow at it.” (vs.32)

What are we worried about?

That night, the Angel of the Lord, killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Repeat: One angel. The next morning the Assyrian survivors broke camp and went home the way they came. Smart move. And King Sennacherib? Later, he was killed by his own two sons while he worshipped in the temple of his god, Nisroch.

Feel like singing, anyone? Yes, I do. Maybe dance too. God is victorious over and over in our lives. We have heard the devil breathing down our neck and consuming our thoughts. We have endured the labor pains but didn’t have enough strength to deliver. Then God reads our mail. We hand him what we can’t handle and he answers the enemy. It’s not what he bargained for. Not only will you be rescued, but he will be defeated. Go ahead. Get up and take a victory lap with the Lord!

Screening the Devil’s Calls

There is nothing new under the sun and that includes the devil’s tactics.

You just received a scam call. At least you think it was a scam call. The thing is, they knew things. Maybe this one was legit. Could you possibly have a warrant out for your arrest? You did get behind in a few bills last year. What if someone has opened a bunch of accounts in your name and they’re all delinquent? Your head swims as you stand there with phone still in hand.

Most of us go to the computer and begin a search. Some may call the police. Others phone a friend. Wherever you search, there is no relief until you hear, “That’s a scam. I’ve heard about that one before. Did they say…..?”. It’s then you realize, you have been terrorized and almost intimidated into giving them what never belonged to them.

I’ve discovered the devil works and says the same threats over and over. The Bible tells us that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) and that goes for the tactics of the devil too. His lies are common to mankind and if we learn to recognize them, we are far less likely to be terrorized by his tactics. So follows the story of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah was a good great king of Judah. He tore down idols, smashed the sacred pillars and even restored the temple. The Bible says that Hezekiah trusted the Lord and the Lord made him successful in everything he did. (2 Kings 18: 5-7). That’s a common theme in Kings: Obey God = Succeed, build, crush enemies, long life then burial in the garden of the kings. Disobey God = short reigns, murdered by staff or family, die and be buried in some remote cave.

Life is not all butterflies and lollipops.

Yep, I would love to say that was the end of the story. Hezekiah was good. God made him great. And we all live happily ever after. Amen. Unfortunately, life is not like that. We dwell with evil and it has no desire to be a good neighbor. The devil, our adversary, walks about looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Let’s see if the words of Hezekiah’s enemy sound like something you’ve heard before. First a little more back story. The nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. Ten tribes made up the Kingdom of Israel. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin made up the Kingdom of Judah. Hezekiah was the King of Judah. Both kingdoms had a common enemy in Assyria.

In King Hezekiah’s fourth year, Assyria laid siege on the Kingdom of Israel, his kingdom’s sister nation. Three years later Assyria conquered Israel and Hezekiah witnessed the northern tribes being taken captive and exiled to Assyrian territory. Once Israel was emptied, the Assyrians moved in foreign occupiers.

Eight years later, Assyria was knocking on Hezekiah’s door. Assyria’s king was demanding tribute. That’s not kind words. He was demanding gold. Hezekiah had witnessed Israel walking into captivity. He had watched occupiers live in “the Land” for eight years. The threats were serious.

Hezekiah gives in when Judah’s northern towns began to fall. “I will pay whatever you want”. And then he gives him enough to impress Bill Gates. But gold and silver never buys off a bully and Assyria continues to march through the land. They send a letter to Hezekiah just in case he should get the crazy idea that Judah could fight these ruthless conquerors.

And here is where the words sounded so familiar to me.

“What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?”

This is his introduction and then he begins to tear down any arguments for their confidence. All the words can be found in 2 Kings 18. I encourage you to read it for yourself.

“Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength?”

This is the devil saying, let’s deal with reality not your scriptures and promises. You can’t win by standing on ancient writings. Just look at this canon barrel aimed at your soul. What is a few words going to do for you? I’ve got weapons of total destruction. You are carrying what? A word from God? Ha.

“Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me? On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, is completely unreliable!”

Have you ever heard this in your ear? You can’t turn to your friends on this one. Don’t ask for prayer this time. They won’t pray for you. They’re going to think you are weak and vulnerable. I know you want to talk to someone or seek some counsel; but you can’t trust anyone. Keep this to yourself. You don’t want anyone to know that you have issues. Besides, what can they do for you? They weren’t there for you last time.

“But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God!’ ….Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?”

Interpretation: You have picked a battle with the devil and you are in over your head. This is spiritual warfare like you have never seen. You made a stand for God and woke up the haters. Worse yet, you have upset some of the religious. My advice is you better backdown and backout slow and quiet before you get beat like the sons of Sceva. You are asking for it!

“I’ll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them! With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master’s troops…”

Just give up and we’ll even give you some help. Of course, it won’t be enough to defeat us, but at least you can die with dignity. Finances upside down? Take a loan and start making payments instead of tithing. Sick? We can allow treatments, but healing is out of the question. You are riding our horses, remember? This deal will get you out of Assyria’s crosshairs but satan is buying you off with weapons he controls.

“What’s more, do you think we have invaded your land without the Lord’s direction? The LORD himself told us, “Attack this land and destroy it.”

I believe this is one of satan’s favorites. Don’t expect deliverance or help from God because this is His will for your life. Every time we pray for God to perform a miracle in our life, satan reminds us of some saint that lived under similar circumstances and never received the same miracle. While praying for our eyes, he will remind us of Fanny Crosby, who was blind and wrote some of the greatest hymns of all time. Don’t pray for a better job. Poverty is God’s way of keeping you humble. When we pray for our kids’ relationships, the devil will whisper that God wants him to have some world exposure so that he will be stronger spiritually. Praying for your marriage and the devil declares the trouble is God’s will as a punishment for past sins. This attack was sent by God and it’s His will for your life. Lies. Lies. Lies. Watch out for this one.

Hezekiah’s men asked the Assyrian spokesperson to speak in Aramaic and not Hebrew so that the people of the Kingdom of Judah wouldn’t hear the threats. The enemy responds:

“Do you think my master sent this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when we put his city under siege they will suffer along with you.”

This one appeals to our compassion. Don’t take this stand against the enemy. Your whole family will suffer. Nobody wants to suffer. Fewer people are willing to watch their family or friends suffer because of them. Likewise, the peer pressure becomes intense. If you want to fight and die, whatever. But don’t drag us into your martyrdom. Nobody is behind you. Give in or you will lose your family.

“Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering; Make peace with me – open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well. Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one – a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey.”

Let’s make a deal. Just come out, open the gates, and let’s have peace. I promise you will have your own grapevine and fig tree, just like now. You will have your own well. Come out and let me take you to this new land. You’re going to love it. That’s losing a battle without firing a shot. The devil is so conniving. Just join up with me and life continues, even better. Yes, you will be my captive and your land becomes mine, but hey, you get your own fig tree. Captivity sounds so captivating, doesn’t it?

And finally,

“Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying, “The LORD will rescue us!’ Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria? What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power? What god of any nation has even been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?”

As a last shock, Sennacherib, Assyria’s spokesperson, insults God. Satan will do the same. The lie is simple. God can’t do this. No other little “g” god has done anything. The god of money hasn’t saved your marriage. The god of medicine didn’t cure your disease. You were so faithful to the god of education and yet your children languish. You even tried the god of religion, but you were left dry and empty. So what makes you think the LORD will rescue you? He is not different than the others. I will defeat him too.

Any of this ring a bell? You may have heard one of these lies even today. It’s a scam. It’s scary and threatening. There is just enough truth to make you question our big “G” God. Have no fear, He is in control. He still rescues the perishing. Hang on to these “mere words”. They are stronger than any army of our enemy.

The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.

I will protect those who trust in my name.

When they call on me, I will answer;

I will be with them in trouble.

I will rescue and honor them.

I will reward them with a long life

and give them my salvation.”

Psalm 91:14-16

That’s it. “I will. I will. I will”, God says. His unfailing love, well, it’s unfailing. He says in that same chapter (Psalm 91:8), “Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.” While we cry for the Lord to see our circumstance, He is saying “open your eyes” and see what I am doing. Don’t succumb to the threats. Recognize the lies. God will rescue you!

Stay tuned next week, when Hezekiah “sees” God handle business with the enemy! In the meantime, don’t answer the robocalls of the devil.

Why Just Calm the Storm When I Could Walk on Water?

You just got to love Peter. You gotta love him. I’m not really the Peter type disciple. I’m not the boisterous, brash, cut off your ear if I need to, kind. But I do love and laugh at his realness and enthusiasm, and often wish I was a lot more Peter-ish. Case in point…

The beautiful Sea of Galilee on a calm evening.

Jesus and Peter Walk on the Water

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-32

Storms at Night

I LOVE THIS! Here’s the scene: A bunch of fisherman and other guys familiar with the Sea of Galilee, out a far distance in somebody’s boat, in the middle of the night. Can you imagine the darkness? When I was kid, my stepdad had a trotline on one of the inlets of Lake Houston. More than once, we went out at night to check the lines. (Those without fishing license prefer the darkness. Ahem.) When he would turn off the trolling motor and all we had for light was a flashlight, which he used sparingly, it was dark and oh so eerily quiet.

On the Sea of Galilee, the scene was the same until a storm suddenly blew. While I was in Israel, we took a boat ride, at night, into the Sea of Galilee. I don’t know where we went, because it was dark, but I know we ended up where we started. We had a wonderful time of worship and teaching, but I really just wanted to turn off the lights and music and imagine.

We were told that the Sea of Galilee is notorious for sudden storms. It has something to do with the mountains, blah, blah, blah. Sorry, I was probably imagining at the moment. He told us, on the tour he led prior to ours, they were hit by one of those storms. They normally tie 2 or 3 boats together to keep the groups in close proximity. During this storm, all the ropes had to be cut to keep the boats from crashing into each other. Life jackets were issued. I’m not sure about seating. We all had those plastic lawn chairs that I’m sure slid from one end to another, with tourists holding on for dear life. I know it was scary for them and I wondered if anyone had the boldness to stand and say, “Peace, be still!”

The Jesus Boat, found deep in the mud of the Sea of Galilee in 1986. The wood was dated to the 1st century AD, meaning it was a boat used during the time of Jesus. This boat was repaired using many different materials, making some believe it was a boat of significance. It is hard to tell in the picture, but it is actually 27 feet long and over 4 feet wide.

Then Comes a Ghost

For the disciples, it was crazy. A storm blows in. They’re far from shore. Jesus is somewhere on a mountain praying. It’s dark. And when things couldn’t be any more tremulous, they see a ghost.

Yep, life’s like that sometime. Have you ever looked at your “storm” and thought things couldn’t get any worse, and then a ghost appears. I guess it would take your mind off the storm for the moment. In today’s modern life, you are running late to yet another Teacher/Parent conference concerning son Johnny, when your 5 year old throws up in your new Skechers, and the family dog hasn’t come home since you let her out last night. The SUV is on empty and your husband has the gas card. Then the phone rings.

Your mammogram showed some suspicious spots. Can you come in for further testing? There’s a ghost.

The Bible says this terrified the disciples. They screamed in fear. I’ve never heard my husband scream in fear. (Unless it was on Space Mountain at Disney World.) These guys were afraid. Masculine pride left with the howling wind, and they screamed in terror at this ghost.

Jesus Gives Words of Comfort

“Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Jesus

Man, I need this on a bracelet, t-shirt, or something. “Be courageous. I am here. DON’T BE AFRAID.” Repeat.

Check out Peter, though. He says, “If it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

Why Not Just Ask for the Moon too, Peter?

Peter and the disciples are no doubt at risk of drowning. The waves are crashing, there is lightning, rain, wind, the works. MOST people would ask the Lord to rescue them.

“Still this storm, Lord!”

“Get us to shore!”

“Keep our boat strong!”

“Make 12 lifejackets splash into our boat!”

“Rescue ME!!!”

This is how I pray. “Get me out of this situation. I will lay out a 12 point plan that if You will follow, we will all safely arrive on shore…just a little waterlogged. Now, God, here’s what you need to do in order for us to survive. That is Your will……….Right?”

Peter, on the other hand, says “Lord, if that’s you, let me come play too!!” He’s not worried about surviving, or the boat, or the lesson learned, or the storm. He just wants to walk on water! His friend, Jesus, had done some really cool things, but this was epic. Fisherman Peter, had never seen a man walk on water. He was not about surviving a stormy night. He wanted to ride the waves with Jesus. And that was his prayer. “Call me out there too, Lord.” Call me right out in the middle of the storm, as long as I am with You!

Jesus’ one word answer is direct. “Come.” Isn’t that perfect? Just come.

Peter climbs out of the boat and walks on water. So cool. It dawns on me. This miracle really wasn’t necessary. This was just a little fun in the midst of the storm. If Peter hadn’t asked, it may have never happened, but Jesus was happy to oblige. The audacity to ask for a thrill during a trial.

We all know the rest of the story. Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and sees the wind. His faith wavers and he begins to sink. He cries out to the Lord and the Lord rescues him. The Lord has a question.

Why Did You Doubt?

Catch the Lord’s words. “You of little faith. Why did you doubt?” FOR REAL. Why, Peter? I’m dying to know what would have happened if Peter had not looked at the wind and lost faith. Would Jesus and Peter have danced and ran and slid on the seas? After a while, surely another disciple or two or twelve would have climbed out of the boat too. Can you see it? All these grown men running and playing on the water, just because Peter had the crazy faith to ask. What a fun story that would have been for Sunday school 2000 years later.

Instead, they climbed in the boat and the storm ceased. All were safe and sound. They then worshipped the Lord, their Rescuer. “Truly, you are the Son of God.” That’s beautiful too. He certainly deserved it. He saved their lives. But I have to wonder if the Lord would have enjoyed, even more, some miraculous fun with friends on the Sea. You can almost hear his disappointment, “Why did you doubt?”. It could have been so amazing.

George Bailey, in It’s a Wonderful Life, promises Mary he will lasso the moon and bring it right down to her. “You want the moon, Mary? Is that what you want?”

How many times have I needed some light in a dark place? I’ve begged for a candle or borrowed a flashlight when the Lord would have handed me the moon? I have worried and strained to fix my world. I have worn out pillows and sheets “sleeping” with my mind going full speed ahead. All the while there stood Jesus standing in a cloud of peace that passes understanding. I’ve been so exhausted that jokes weren’t funny and kids were annoying. I needed rest and a long, deep, belly laugh. There stands Jesus beckoning me to become like a child so I, too, can enter the Kingdom.

“Why did you doubt? We could have had so much fun.”

Isn’t it Wonderful? She Never Knew.

What “diagnosis” has been said to me that caused me to put the brakes on or walk away from a plan?…This is how we live above the “diagnosis”.

Mrs. Rose Marie Bentley

Rose Marie Bentley was one in 50 million and she never knew it. And that was probably the best thing that could have ever happened to her. You see, Mrs. Bentley was born with situs invertus. That’s a real condition that affects 1 in 22,000 births. It is where the internal organs are flipped backwards from their normal locations. Everyone of her organs was flipped except her heart.

She had an hysterectomy and no one mentioned it. They tried to remove her appendix, but couldn’t find it. Later, she had gallbladder surgery that resulted in a rather long scar because it was on the wrong side of her body. Yet, no one told her she had a life ending condition. Doctors report that only 1 in 50 million live to adulthood with situs invertus, most die in childhood due to cardiac ailments. But no one told Mrs. Bentley. You see, Mrs. Rose Marie Bentley lived with situs invertus to the wonderful age of 99. Her only reoccurring health complaint? Arthritis. She died of natural causes and no one would have known except she donated her body to a university science lab.

Mrs. Bentley was an avid swimmer, worked faithfully in her church, helped her husband run their feed store, and raised 5 kids. She never knew she risked a heart attack or death doing so. She just enjoyed life.

If Mrs. Bentley was born today

I couldn’t help but imagine how life would have been different if she had that diagnosis hanging over her happy head all of her days. Let’s just imagine if she had been born in today’s hospitals. They would have known before little Rose Marie was born that she had deformities. The doctor may have even advised abortion to end the suffering before her short life even began. Her parents would have been devastated from the beginning.

After birth, she would have been guarded from too much strain on her weakened heart. “No running, Rose Marie!” “Rose Marie, you are getting too excited. Settle down.” “You can’t do that, Rose Marie!” “The swim team? No way.” Life would have been affected by the diagnosis, even if not the disease.

Parents must be parents and watching over her would be required. Coaches and teachers would have to be cautious. Even classmates and friends would be told about the serious condition that Rose Marie suffered. Maybe Rose Marie would even be hesitant to find a husband and certainly not bring children into the world knowing she was living on unpromised time. Every birthday would seem bittersweet. “Hooray! She made another one!” But thinking, ‘I wonder if this will be her last…’

What a blessing it was for Rose Marie to never know the ticking time bomb that was her body. And that got me thinking…

Have I been diagnosed?

What has slowed down or stopped the plan for my life? What “diagnosis” has been said to me that caused me to put the brakes on or walk away from a plan? Is there something I should have done but a “diagnosis” convinced me otherwise? I took a little inventory.

That’s how I sang before the “diagnosis”. Mouth wide and sang from my toes!

When I was about 11 or 12, I was in the children’s choir at my church. I faithfully went to practice and enjoyed it. Most of the kids were from church families and had no choice as to their involvement, but I actually lived next door to the church and went by myself. It was great fun. Until one day.

My best friend and I got to practice early. When our director walked in, she asked my best friend if she would make it to the choir competition that we were practicing so hard to win. I will never forget her words. “I really want YOU to come. We really need YOUR voice.” Emphasis mine. There I stood, wondering if I was as invisible as I felt. If I could be seen, I knew my face was glowing red with embarrassment. Now I know this sounds awfully sensitive, but I was 11 or 12. I couldn’t process the situation any other way. She was telling me, in no uncertain terms, that my voice was not needed. In adult retrospect, she was just encouraging her strongest singer to show up. End of story. But in Suellyn’s mind, I cannot sing.

I’ve never joined a choir since. Sing alongs? Not so much. I sing in church but try to keep it below the guy in front of me. Karaoke? Hahaha! No. You see, the “diagnosis” changed my life.

On the flip side, no pun intended toward Mrs. Bentley, when I was in the third grade I won a writing contest. My letter was chosen to be sent to the Texas Parks and Wildlife program for free Texas posters. I realized two things that day. First, I could write better than 25 other 3rd graders. Second, writing could get you free stuff. Win. Win.

A winning diagnosis changed everything.

So for the rest of my life, when something needed to be written, guess who would give it a try? Poetry? Sure, why not. Need a story? Let me give it a whirl. To this day, writing is one of my greatest passions. You see, the “diagnosis” affected my life.

Rising Above the Diagnosis

So what about you? Is there a diagnosis in your life that hinders? Maybe you do have a physical condition that keeps you from participating. The words have been spoken. Or you gave something a try, but the feedback wasn’t what you wanted. The words, or lack of, made you want to put your hobby away and watch the world through the window. I have some advice. God has a word for you.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.   2 Corinthians 10:4,5

This is how we live above the “diagnosis”. In this verse let’s think of the diagnosis as strongholds, arguments, and pretensions. They all come to crush the plans of God.

Strongholds would be just what it sounds like. Something that has a strong hold on you or your life. Sickness, failures, insecurities, addictions, sin, etc.

Arguments would be some of the human reasoning that we use to not take the path God has laid before us. It’s the excuses we use to avoid the hard stuff. It might look like, “I’m not the leader type.” Or, “Nobody in my family ever went to college. We’re not the college kind.” Maybe, “Somebody else can do it better than me.”

Finally, pretensions can be defined as lofty opinions or high imaginations that rise above the knowledge of God. These are the opinions that say, “I know God is asking me to teach that class or witness to my neighbor, but He doesn’t understand the situation.” These are the high imaginations that say my thoughts are higher than His thoughts.

So what do we do? “Take captive EVERY THOUGHT to make it obedient to Christ.” That’s it. Instead, I tend to take those thoughts and make them obedient to me. This is a mistake because I know the “diagnosis”. I’ve heard the comments, saw the red marks on math tests, remember the school yard rejections, and being picked last for teams. My reasoning and arguments will keep me from accomplishing what God has planned for me. As a matter of fact, the diagnosis will keep me from even trying.

No one has told the honey bee that its wings are not strong enough to fly.

But, if when those ideas came, I forgot the “diagnosis” and made sure my thoughts were obedient to the truth of God, I could live as Rose Marie, longer and fuller than should have been. I’m not saying that ignorance or forgetfulness makes all the limitations go away. I’m saying to take the thoughts and compare them to what God is saying to you.

Let’s say you’ve come from generations of broken marriages; but obedience to God means working and walking through a wonderful 60 year marriage. Maybe God has called you into business. The economy is weak. You have no experience. It’s risky. But God has called you. Take your “lofty opinions” and human argument and make it obedient to God. Live above the “diagnosis”. Everyone has witnessed the amazing violinist that has only one arm or the blind pianist. All of the reasonings and lofty opinions that said they would be happier trying something easier were taken captive and made obedient to the knowledge of what God was placing in their heart and they rose above the diagnosis.

Unfortunately, most of us have heard the diagnosis. We don’t get to live blissfully as Rose Marie did, never knowing our limitations. We’ve been told that we are not likely to do well. We are not cut out for such an awesome path. Don’t push yourself. Well, take those thoughts captive. Make it obedient to what God has said. What does God say? What is God asking you to do? Are the chances 1 in 50 million that you will succeed? Then go for it! Live like Rose Marie Bentley.

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