Do You Compare?

Have you ever noticed there are some people who live in beautiful homes, have great jobs, big boats, take cruises, have wonderful children and everything certainly looks pretty good for them? The interesting thing is that many people we know who fit this description do not know the Lord or even think about Him at all, yet they prosper. I have found myself somewhat envious of this kind of person. I understand why some of my Christian friends have been blessed with much but sometimes I struggle when I see those outside of Christ prospering while other Christians struggle.

The writer of Psalm 73 struggled with the same question. He admitted to being envious of the prosperity of the wicked. He noticed they didn't seem to have any problems. He says, "there are no pangs in their death, their strength is firm, they are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride serves as their necklace" (Psalm 73: 4-5).

I have looked on people and felt the same way as I know you have too at times. The Psalmist says, "Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end" (Psalm 73:17). He finally sees that these people will be brought down to desolation in a moment. He then goes on to say that his heart was grieved because of his foolishness and ignorance. He knows these people will eventually be brought down to destruction and they will perish but because of his faith in the Lord he will be guided by the Lord's counsel and received to glory. He says, "I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works" (Psalm 73:28).

If you find yourself asking the same thing, read Psalm 73 and be reminded of the blessedness of those who trust in the Lord. A day in the presence of the Lord is worth more than years of living with worldly possessions without Him.

Obedience Unto Death

Isaac, who is a pastor in Uganda, has worked with my husband and I to train church leaders and their wives. In the 70's Isaac was shot and left for dead by President Idi Amin Dada during his military coup because Isaac would not deny that he was a follower of Christ. He was thrown on a pile of dead bodies to wake up and realize the Lord had spared him. He fled to Kenya where he spent two years trying to contact his wife and children in Uganda to let them know he was alive. They were reunited.

Isaac was willing to die rather than deny his faith in the living God. The Lord spared Isaac and he speaks freely about this experience. He gives glory to God and believes the Lord spared him for the purpose of continuing his ministry and starting a home for orphaned children where he and his wife now take care of about 80 children.

Daniel 3 tells us of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego who were threatened to die in a fiery furnace because they would not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's image of gold. They knew their God was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace and the hand of the king but they made it abundantly clear that even if He chose not to save them from this fiery furnace they would not bow down to this gold image (Daniel 3: 17, 18).

These three men were willing to die in the fiery furnace rather than denounce their faith in the living God. They were tossed into a fiery furnace that was made seven times hotter and not only lived through it but came out not having the hair of their head singed, their garments affected and did not even smell of fire (Daniel 3:19, 27). The king was so impressed by their obedience to God that he praises God and then causes Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

When I am made aware of people like Isaac and these three Jewish men I stand in awe of their obedience and faith unto death. I would only pray you and I would be willing to die because our faith and trust in the living God is worth more to us than our lives. The good news is...to die for Christ is to be taken into His eternal presence where we will live forever with Him! Isaac, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego knew this truth.

From SAD to GAD

I have shared with you my struggle with SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder. If I am not careful, a few days without sunshine can change the way I handle difficult situations. I am more easily given to discouragement. I just found out there is another condition that is recognized today as GAD - Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It involves anxiety and worry that is excessive and unrelenting.

I was reading 1 Peter 5: 6-11 this morning. Peter talks about humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God and casting our cares upon Him because He cares for us. I made a connection this morning in these passages I had not thought of before. After Peter tells us to cast our care upon Him he warns us in verse 8 "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." If we allow ourselves to wallow in our worry and anxiety we are prime targets for the devil who takes every opportunity to tempt us and weaken our faith. It is during these times the devil will cause us to question God's care and love for us. Just this morning I exchanged an email with someone who was struggling with this very thing.

Peter then goes on to say "Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world" (1 Peter 5: 9). There is no new persecution, sorrow or pain that others have not experienced. There is no new temptation ( 1 Corinthians 10: 13). The suffering we do is to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us. This is done by the God of all grace who called us to His eternal glory (1 Peter 5: 10).

Let's not use the excuse of SAD or GAD to keep us from living in the power of His love and care for us. Let's go to GOD.

Weariness Leads to Giving Up

If you have tried the regiment of exercise and dieting, perhaps you have suffered with not seeing the change as quickly as you would like and therefore, grow weary and give up. It is a common thing with all of us in one form or another. We are going great guns and when we don't see the fruit of our labor we grow weary and give up.

Being a pastor's wife I have had to struggle over the years with growing weary when I do not see the fruit of my labor and wanting to give up. I have taught Sunday School classes, lead women's bible study groups, tried to encourage women whose marriages were falling apart and prayed for many people to know the Lord or grow stronger in the Lord. Many times over the years I have gotten weary because of not seeing the fruit of my labor in some of these situations. I know I am not alone. I know many of you reading this have experienced the same type of weariness.

The Galatians were experiencing this as well. Paul wrote "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9). What happens when we grow weary? Paul answers that. We lose heart. What does it mean to lose heart? We begin to find all kinds of excuses to just "give up" and think we have every right to do so. After all "I tried." What I have had to focus on and encourage you to focus on is when he said "for in due season we shall reap." We have to wait until it is just the right time. His time. We have been wanting to plant an orange tree. I have to remind myself that I will not have delicious oranges immediately. We have to plant the young tree, see that it gets plenty of sunshine, fertilizer, water and then wait. It takes time but it will bear fruit "in due season." The Lord does have His due season and His timing for absolutely everything but it may not be as quickly as we would like to see it happen. Paul knows how easily it is for us to grow weary but challenges us to not give up. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6: 10).

I Can Do that?

When we lived in Georgia I was a "DJ" at a Christian radio station. I did not have any formal training for the position. My husband found out about the position and encouraged me to apply for it. In my wimpy little ways I said "There is no way I can do that." "Yes you can", he says. It truly seemed an impossible task to me. Long story short, I applied for the position, got it and worked in Christian radio seven years before moving to Florida.

I was reading Matthew 21 one morning going through the account of Jesus cursing the fig tree and how it immediately withered away. The disciples were marveling about this as I am and asked why the fig tree withered away so soon. Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive"(Matthew 21: 22). Wow! It leaves me speechless.

I am not a theologian and will not get into all the particulars about whether or not one could wither a fig tree or cast mountains into the sea. However, I do believe Jesus is teaching us to have faith and believe in the power of prayer He has given to us as believers in Him. I believe we could accomplish a whole lot more than we do with respect to answered prayer. At times we probably spend more time thinking of reasons our prayers would not be answered instead of just praying. Our problem is not so much unanswered prayer for the big things we asked for. Our problem is praying for them and believing He can and will do it. I asked myself as I marvel at this passage if I am battling with unbelief and lack of faith? Is it Jesus' way of showing us that we can ask for things that seem impossible and then believing God can and will do them because we asked? We can do that!

Jonathan Is Losing His Life

"Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lost it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it (Mark 8: 34, 35)."

As my husband and I dropped Jonathan off at the airport in Uganda to send him home to Wisconsin, he had tears in his eyes. They were not tears for missing us. They were tears of compassion for the pastors and church leaders he was training. He had a profitable law practice that had been in his family for years. Within about a year or so he announced that he was leaving his law practice so he could travel to developing countries to train church leaders who could not afford a seminary education. He not only left his practice but sold it. Jonathan understood what it meant to lose his life for Christ and the sake of the gospel. There are many stories out there of men and women who have done what Jonathan did.

Whenever I read those verses I ask myself "Do I really deny myself to follow Christ?" I am sure most of us have not done this as we should and probably don't think much about it. For those who have stable jobs, a comfortable income and the privilege of living close to family it would be very hard to do what Jonathan did even if they felt the Lord calling them to do it. The Lord uses us wherever we are and sometimes His calling enables us to stay where we are. But the question is are we denying ourselves and following Him with a willingness and obedience to give it all up should He have plans that would drastically change our lives? Many would try to push these thoughts away hoping they would disappear and live miserable lives because of choosing to save his life instead of losing it for the sake of the gospel. To make a choice that would drastically change our lives would be hard for me and for you, yet this is one of those exhortations in scripture we must wrestle with if we say we are followers of Christ.

At the end of Jesus' exhortation to take up the cross to follow Him he says "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels (Mark 8: 38)."

Our Compassionate High Priest

It is hard to understand that during Jesus' time here on earth He was fully God and fully man. In Matthew 14 we see a glimpse of His human side. He has just been told that John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod. We are told in verse 13 that after He heard this news, He departed by boat to a deserted place - by Himself. He withdrew so He could be with the Father and perhaps deal with His sorrow over John. John had a vital part in preparing the way for Jesus' ministry. Not only that, they were relatives (Luke 1:36). I could even imagine as children they played together.

There is another time in this same chapter Jesus departs by Himself to pray (v.23). Following this, the disciples are in a boat being tossed by the sea and the disciples were afraid. He comes to them on the water and tells them not to be afraid. I can certainly believe He came to them because He knew their distress and had compassion for them.

We must clearly understand that Jesus is compassionate. We see His compassion demonstrated many times in the scriptures. This should bring great comfort and peace as we suffer because of sorrow, whether over sin or the loss of someone or some thing. Hebrews 4:15 tells us "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

One of the devil's ways to tempt us is to try to make us believe that Jesus doesn't care about us. Let's never think that Jesus doesn't understand or care about our struggles because of His deity.

Heavenly Father, it brings us great comfort to know you are compassionate and care very much about our struggles and sorrows. Thank you for giving Jesus as our High Priest to intercede for us because He understands and sympathizes with our weaknesses.

Have a Good Day!

We often hear this from people who are in customer service. Everyone of us wants to love life and see good days. For many, life is bitter and every day is a dread - even many who are Christians. In 1 Peter 3: 10-12 Peter gives a formula for loving life and seeing good days. He quotes it from Psalm 34. "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." He says this on the heels of reminding us to be of one mind, being compassionate for one another and not returning evil for evil.

We read over verses like this and pay little to no attention to their meaning and promises attached to them. We are slow and stubborn to see God's way for us. His word guides us in every area of our lives, yet we read it and move on. James spoke of this. Many times we are simply hearers of the word but not doers. It's like the man who observes himself in a mirror, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was (James 1:22, 23). Sometimes we pay attention to what we think the bigger issues are in our lives and others. We may think one who commits adultery is worse than one who speaks deceit. All of God's word is given to us to obey and whether we realize it or not, it is for our own peace and happiness as well as His glory. Let's not just gloss over any portion of scripture the Lord has given to us. We are instructed to bless others and therefore inherit a blessing ourselves - the blessing of loving life and seeing good days.

Missing the Best Part

Have you ever visited someone for dinner or overnight who is busy doing things the whole time you're there? They may be a wonderful hostess from the standpoint of working hard to serve you and make delicious food preparations but you really wish they would just sit down, drink that second cup of coffee and visit for a while. I have been in homes like that and I often think I am missing the best part which is just to be with them.

A similar thing took place in Luke 10:38-42. It is the familiar account of Jesus visiting Martha and Mary in their home and Martha fretting because Mary was not helping her. Over the years poor Martha has received a lot of criticism. She may have had one of those type "A" personalities whose ducks all have to be in a row. You know the type. Perhaps you are one of them. This is not all bad because this person usually accomplishes quite a bit but when it becomes more important than the relationship it is out of balance.

Perhaps Martha was trying to fix a more elaborate meal than was necessary. Meanwhile, Mary sits at the feet of Jesus fellowshipping with Him. I believe Jesus was tender in His rebuke as He said "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things." He understood her desire to please Him but she was missing the best part. He then goes on to say "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Do you allow the things of your day to take precedence over your time spent with Jesus? If we are not mindful of this it is easy to happen. We have so many things to attend to and accomplish today that we neglect "that good part, that cannot be taken away from us." As you prepare to have company in your home be mindful of this as well. Remember, people are coming to spend time with you - not to have an elaborate meal and be showcased in an absolute meticulous home. Let's not miss the best part.

Copper Bottom Pans

When my daughter was young we gave her the responsibility of washing dishes a few times a week. I have copper bottom pans and was always so persistent about the copper bottoms being cleaned after every use. She probably thought cleaning the bottoms did not change the effectiveness of their ability to cook our food. I'm sure she thought I was a fruitcake and truly I made more out of that chore than I should have.

In Matthew 15 Jesus is chided by the Pharisees because His disciples did not follow the tradition of washing their hands before they ate. Jesus went on to point out areas of sin in their lives and yet they were so concerned about the tradition of clean hands. Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13. "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men." Jesus then goes on to teach that it isn't what goes into the mouth that defiles man; but what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man. The things that come out of the mouth are from the heart and those are the things that defile a man. He lists some of those things. I love how direct Jesus got with His disciples when they asked Him to explain what He was talking about. Then He says "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?" It may seem kind of crude but He was interested in making the point.

We are like the people Isaiah spoke about. We honor the Lord with our lips but our hearts are far from Him. I know this to be true by the things that come out of my mouth.

Traditions can be meaningful and useful but we need to be careful of the motives behind them. Obedience to tradition should never take the place of obedience from our hearts.

Lord, show us those places in our hearts that are disobedient. Cleanse us within so that our mouths will speak of things that do not defile.

"Piece of Work"

,My son uses a phrase when he is teasing someone about their behavior or attitude in some area. "You are a piece of work." He may not realize it but he is absolutely right. I am a "piece of work." God's "piece of work."

We are all familiar with Ephesians 2: 8, 9 where Paul tells us we are saved by grace through faith and that it is a gift of God. These verses are favorites with most of us because they do remind us that we did nothing to deserve His grace. It was a gift. This is one of those places we sometimes leave off a key part in our memorization. Verse 10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

If someone ask you completely unaware of the reason for the question "why were you created?", what would your answer be? We may be quick to say "for His own glory." Do we really think about what that means in our day to day lives? We often forget He created us to be what we are and who we are. It is hard to understand this but if we believe in the sovereignty of God we know this is true.

He didn't create us to play and have a good life of nice things. He created us for good works. His good works. What do these good works look like? Everything we do and everything we say is to promote His kingdom and His coming - our marriages, school work, jobs, attitudes and relationships. God prepared these things beforehand that we should walk in them.

Wherever God has placed you and whatever He has called you to be, remember you are His "piece of work."

"Smile, It Isn't That Bad"

Several years ago I worked the circulation desk at our local library. One morning a man came in, looked at me and said "Smile, it isn't that bad." I was embarrassed. As a person who claims to love the name of the Lord, I did not appear to be very joyful. I realize we cannot walk around every minute of the day with a silly smile plastered on our faces. However, the comment this man made was like a slap to my face. I was reminded of the lack of joy on my face more times than I am willing to admit. I am sure you have noticed people who claim the name of Christ whose faces register very little joy.

Joy is one of the key aspects to our relationship with Christ. The scriptures speak of it many times in many ways. It is one of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). In John 15:5 Jesus speaks about being the vine and our need to abide in Him. He tells us these things so that His joy will remain in us and our joy may be full (John 15: 11).

David in Psalm 5 prays for the Lord's guidance in his life. He could find joy even in the midst of enemies pursuing him. He finishes the Psalm with "Let those who love your name be joyful in you (verse 11). Perhaps we do not have joy in our lives which is why many times it does not reflect on our faces. I am sure the pressures of life weigh heavily upon us at times and it shows on our faces. Do we really trust the Lord to guide and protect us as we seek Him?

David says "My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord: in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up (verse 3)."

Lord, let me place my trust in you so that I will rejoice from my heart, reflecting Your joy on my face.