Praying a Hedge of Thorns

The first time I heard of this Biblical concept was from a friend I met soon after our move to the state of Texas. She and her husband had been through untold problems with their teenage son who seemed bent at the age of 15 to do his own thing even at the cost of breaking the hearts of his family. She spoke of their family beginning to pray a hedge of thorns around this son of theirs. It was just a foreign thing to me but made perfectly good sense in the light of Scripture. She spoke of all of the answers to these prayers that kept their son hedged in from his usual rebellious activity and even, at times, the way his friends were “mysteriously” kept away from him.

There are two examples of this concept in Scripture that are often referred to, the first being that of Job. Job was a good man and a Godly man. Although wealthy as the world would count wealth, he was devoted to those things that really mattered in life, especially his family. Job functioned as the priest of his family as God intended the man of the house to be. In Job 1:5 we find that Job sanctified his children “and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all.” Job prayed, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” That verse ends by saying that Job did this continually or consistently. He had seven sons and three daughters. His daily concern was for their salvation and spiritual welfare.

However, Satan was watching Job. Oh how he loves to pull the godly down to his own level. Satan picked Job to be his next special project. Satan managed to have a conversation with God and if Satan was intent on picking on someone, God suggested Job. I don't know God's purpose or thinking in this but He knew what He was doing. However, Satan saw a problem with this wonderfully righteous man. Satan's quick reply was that it was no wonder God picked Job because with all God had done for Job, Job wouldn't be an easy pushover.

Satan said to God in Job 1:10:  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?

Amazingly God lifted the hedge of protection around Job but limited Satan in what he could do to Job. Satan could not kill Job, but we find later that Satan did so much to Job that Job cursed the day he was born. Even in it all, God was right there. Job would know sorrow upon sorrow but would come forth as gold after the testing God allowed in his life.

Another prime example of the hedge of thorns of protection is in the book of Hosea. This book reveals to us a beautiful love story that symbolizes God's love for us and His redemptive work on behalf of men. We aren't sure if Gomer, the wife of Hosea was a prostitute prior to marriage, with Hosea knowingly marrying her, or if she turned to prostitution after her marriage. This Old Testament book illustrates the infidelity of the people of Israel and God's efforts to restore His people. She bore children for Hosea but was still bent on the ways of the world. It was a life of pure misery for Hosea and the entire family when Gomer forsook them and fled into the world to satisfy her own wants.

God finally told Hosea: 

Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.  And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.    Hosea 2:6,7a

Thorns come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one special thing in common. They all have very sharp, pointed ends than can slice through human skin with little effort. When little, I thought the worse thorn I ever saw was on the stem of a rose and it hurt when I dared touch the point of it. Think of thorn bushes that usually have very little foliage. I can't imagine being hemmed in on all sides by such horrible hedges. No way would I want to walk through, break through, run through, climb over or crawl under such a hedge. God's hedge isn't going to be a physical one as just described. His thorns can take any number of shapes or forms where He makes use of various people or circumstances to deter ones determination to do evil. Those can be as bad as any real garden variety thorns.

When we think of thorns, we think of the crown of thorns pushed down on the forehead of Jesus prior to being nailed to the cross. Those were not thorns off of a small rose bush...they were long, pointed thorns that could do a great deal of damage to one's head....all for you and me.

When protected by God's hedge of thorns, one cannot get out from that encircled area nor can anyone get through unless they want to get pretty torn up in the process. God can lift that hedge if he feels we need testing, sharpened for further use to the Kingdom just as He did with Job. God's hedge can serve several purposes: protection, prevention of evil coming or going and God's purpose in one's life kept in tact. Our problem is that we don't know that this is a prayer we can pray for ourselves, family members or others that are of concern to us. Many parents pray for God's hedge of protection around their children who are living in rebellion. I hasten to say that this prayer isn't to be prayed just for those who are rebellious or who have rotten attitudes toward God. Our families are facing great stressers in our day. Satan is at work overtime wanting to trip them up any way he can. We must be faithful to pray. Not only do I pray this for children and grandchildren now, but did when children were in college or not living in our home. It can be prayed not just for family but for friends as well. I have prayed this for my church and pastor remembering that Satan is out after the church, it's people and it's pastors.

A word of caution...when we decide to pray for this hedge of protection, we must not be in the middle of our own sinful state praying that someone elses sinful state will improve. When praying for another, we should have our own doorstep cleaned off first.

We also can't pray other than with the purist of motives. We can't just want our lives to return to some normalcy even though that would be nice, that is if another person is causing us a great deal of discomfort. We can't have the attitude that we're sick and tired of rotten behavior and being embarrassed in front of the church congregation. Our prime concern

must be for the person we are praying for, child or adult and their spiritual welfare. I wonder how many of the prayers we pray out of wrong motives get canceled out because of our selfish desires.

Another thought...this isn't a prayer that we pray once and we're done. I pray this prayer most days for my children and their families. I want them to have God's special attention if such is ever possible. Again, this isn't a group of magic words we conjure up and then everything will be okay. As in everyone's life, God is still sovereign and sees our lives and the lives of our loved ones from His own perspective. He will work as He sees fit, but He loves our concern for others enough to ask this special thing of Him.

Let's pray boldly for friends and family whether for their protection or prevention of trouble...whether they know it or not, they are counting on you and me. I would also add that it can't hurt to pray for the salvation of our loved ones just as did Job. They don't have to know that we are doing such so as to save feelings of insult, but it can't hurt for us to pray in that direction anyway. I want those dear to me first of all knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and be in right relationship with Him. I then want to be faithful in prayerful support and with God's help to keep them protected form the evil one, his influence and his tactics that are so destructive.

Dear Father...Thank You for all You are doing in the lives of my family members. I pray again today that You will surround them with Your hedge of thorns keeping the evil one from them and keeping them inside Your protective hedge. I pray for my pastor right now that You would also keep him protected in every way from evil. You love these dear ones of mine more than I ever could and You know their every need they have today. I pray all of these loved ones of mine will find their peace and joy in You this day...peace and joy in abundance. I love You. Amen

"Don't Wordy 'Bout It"

Be careful for nothing: but in everything

by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known

unto God.

Philippians 4:6

I have often relayed the story of a little girl who once lived next door to us. Her name is Allison but everyone called her Allie at the time. She dearly loved my husband Brian. Little kids have always gravitated to him. Allie for a few weeks got into a bit of a habit. She pretty much knew when Brian would arrive home from work in the evening. It became a rather frequent thing for Allie to come over to the house just about the time Brian would arrive. I don't know what sense she had about it but when Allie arrived, I knew Brian wouldn't be far behind. Allie would ring the doorbell and walk into the house into the living room. She would plop on our couch right on the center cushion and would patiently wait. When Brian arrived, he would always do the same thing. He would walk over to her, point at her and say, “Allie, you are nothing but an alley cat.” She would fold her little arms and cross her legs at the ankles and just look at him waiting for him to repeat the sentence. Brian always accommodated her by repeating the same sentence. Her reply was always the same, “Don't wordy 'bout it.” Most of the time, she got to say her sentence twice. Allie was little, cute with wonderful parents and like most little children, had no real idea even what worry was and yet she spoke that word “wordy” with such authority.

I must admit to you that there are portions of Scripture I struggle with because they seem to be so incredibly impossible to follow or obey. Our above Scripture says that we are not to be anxious or worry about anything. Come on now...I could win prizes at this thing of worry and I hate to admit it. I am a born again Christian, I love God, I trust Him knowing He holds me in the palm of His hand and yet, worry for me has always been a personal and spiritual struggle. At one time worry gave me an ulcer. This was when I worked in a slum area in my early career days with hard to reach kids. I ate baby food til it was about to come out of my ears. The doctor told me to quit worrying...easy for him to say.

I must say at that time, I had never looked in the Bible regarding the subject of worry. I must say that I was really surprised. When in my 20's, worry was something I had really mastered and now I was told to drop it like a hot cake. Fortunately, I also learned that there was no sin I could overcome minus the strengthening and power of God in my life.

As I have looked at worry, there are somethings I have noticed that worry CANNOT do:

• It can't heal disease
• It can't put a marriage back together
• It can't find a job for an unemployed person
• It can't mend a broken friendship
• It doesn't pay bills
• It doesn't bring a wayward child to the Lord

Some physical problems resulting from worry can be:

• Eating eating disorders
• Sleep Disorders
• Headaches
• Moody
• Anger, temper outbursts
• Spiritual backsliding
• Selfishness
• Variety of mental disorders

Not only are we instructed by Paul to not worry or be anxious about things but gives us the way to overcome our worry. He says that with every worry, we are to pray about that concern. It doesn't intimate that we are just to take our worry to the Lord, have a little chat about it and then pick that concern up and walk away with it. No, we are to go to the Lord with a spirit of thankful supplication, LETTING our requests be made known to God. There's some hint of surrender in that word “let.” When we give over our concerns to God in faith, in that same moment, we are giving ourselves over to Him as well. When followed to the letter of God's Word, the end result will be:

And the peace of God which passeth all

understanding shall keep your hearts and minds

through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

(A word of caution...whatever our concern, if there are things we need to do to correct a situation, we need to do that. Buying a car you can't afford can end up causing worry, and eating 6 meals of junk food a day is a nervous and physical breakdown waiting to happen, or spending what money we have on frivolous things. There is such a thing as the prevention of worry by avoiding unwise decisions.)

There is nothing like the peace of God. People who know we are going through a troublesome time will be blessed when they see us walking in peace. That will be a witness to the power of God in our lives and an example for others. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could adopt Allie's innocent attitude, look in our own spiritual mirrors and just repeat a few times...”Don't wordy 'bout it.”

************************************************************************

Dear Father...I'm sorry for resorting to worry when things get tough. I know that my worrying will not solve a problem but will create more problems. Help me to trust You with my every care because I want to walk in Your peace. Thank You for being so powerful that You can handle anything that comes into my life. I love you....Amen

Lessons Learned From a Scooter

Train up a child in the way he should go:

and when he is old, he will not depart

from it.

Proverbs 22:6

Here we are just finished with another Christmas holiday season. Not only have children enjoyed receiving gifts but some of us have pleasant memories of past Christmas gifts that weren't thrown to one side after a Christmas afternoon's play. I have thought recently of those things I most enjoyed receiving...my baby dolls and always the large red, mesh Christmas stocking that had such a variety of goodies and small toys in them. Some things stand out though in this recalling process.

One thing I do remember getting for Christmas when I was about six or seven years old, was a scooter. It was a bright red METAL one with RUBBER rimmed wheels. My red scooter was my pride and joy. For a brief time, my Daddy ran along side as I learned to keep one foot on the scooter with the other foot pumping up and down on the sidewalk. It was a challenge with few spills along the way but in it all, there were lessons learned on that scooter. Thus, I share the some of them that will seem rather elementary:

* In order to move on the scooter, I had to do the work to make it move. I could stand on it until the cows came home but it wouldn't move without my own physical effort....such is still true. It takes good old fashioned work to get things accomplished. Most often, no one will do for you what you can do for yourself.
* I learned boundaries on my scooter. Riding on a sidewalk, one learns where the edges of the concrete are. Boundaries are important in all areas of life. They guide and even protect us. Move out of boundaries and you can be hurt or in trouble.
* My scooter took me to one end of the block and then back to my home. I learned my way home on my scooter. The scooter was fun but home was better.
* Where I didn't know how to balance myself very well at a young age, my scooter contributed to my learning just that. Oh that even today, I will constantly seek a balance in my life. It may be a different kind of balance now (or maybe not) but balance is so necessary in our day and in our spiritual walk.
* I came to really know the benefit of wind in ones face, of smelling the freshness of an early morning, of even experiencing the seasons of the year on my scooter. Thus, I still seek the scent of those dewy early mornings that I have never quite been able to experience again.

A dear friend told me years ago when our oldest child was a toddler that toys should be viewed as tools. Where a dad might have carpenter tools in the garage and a mom have a sewing machine, childrens tools can be just as beneficial. Toys can train and teach a child in preparation for life. What's wrong with a little girl receiving a baby doll (not a Barbie) or doll house. What's wrong with a boy getting a carpenter set, building blocks, things that are creative. Instead, today, children receive things that will keep them entertained by the hour that requires very little thinking or skill.

Some of this came to a head for me a little over a year ago when in September of 2010 I was visiting my sister Kay in Southern Illinois. As was my usual routine, I would take most of a day to drive all over town reliving memories of times and places long gone by. One of my favorite places has always been parking by the only house I knew growing up until the age of ten. I loved parking on Oak Street just looking at all of the houses I remembered and who all had lived in them. Those houses fairly worn with weather and time still gave me some comfort of heart. On that particular Monday, there were two children playing who might have been someone's grandchildren. They caught my eye because on that same sidewalk, in days long past, I had ridden a scooter and had also ridden my red firetruck that was like a pedal car. Some older kids parents had given it to me to play with as their boy had outgrown it. One white ladder was still attached but don't know what I did with the other one. However, the scene I was witnessing was quite different on that September day. As a result, I jotted down some thoughts and wrote the following:

 

SCOOTERS AND CARS

A boy was riding his scooter today

There on my old sidewalk

His little sis was driving a little car...

Oh, if that concrete could talk.

For both it took little effort

Not hardly the bending of knee

Both car and scooter were electric

Required no human energy.

Half the fun of a scooter

Was pumping with foot on the ground.

My little car had pedals

Moved by feet pushing up and then down.

Is this where we made a bad turn

With child's scooter and car?

Lazy bones now have developed,

No effort required anymore.

Kids now reside on sofas

Or better, in recliner chair.

Choosing the stuffiness of the indoors

Shunning the crisp outdoor air.

So we have raised a generation

Of children and all their demands

Walking around with attitudes

And with electronics in their hands.

How wonderful it would be for a moment

If we could go back just so far

With children running with scooters

And pedaling their own little cars.

9/28/10

You know, I'm not really against progress. It wouldn't be good to never allow children to keep up with what is necessary to know to survive in this age of ours. I'm afraid though that we're turning out some zombie-brained children who have to be constantly entertained with all of the modern hand held devices and things that won't work without batteries.

If we are grandparents, we have opportunities to give our grandchildren things that will help them think, encourage reading and use of their brains. Encourage the arts...anything that will help our children be creative and well rounded. The day is coming when our children are going to have to think and figure things out minus something that is battery run. We have a wonderful opportunity to feed into the brains of our children and grandchildren good, healthy things that will encourage thinking and perhaps even more physical activity.

At the time, I didn't realize that all the effort I put into riding my scooter for such a long time, led to the next step of riding a bicycle. Riding my bicycle for what seemed to be forever, taught me safety skills that helped me as I learned to drive a car....staying in the correct lane, observing traffic activity around me, hand signals, sense of direction, and other things as well. That scooter that was such fun was, in reality, a tool and I didn't know it. As I think about it now, I'm mighty grateful for that old scooter.

Just a thought....
There is no battery hookup with God. Batteries don't work with Him. We may have Scripture and devotions on Kindles and computers but the relationship with our Lord has no shortcuts. We don't dial God up...we don't push some buttons and He comes running. He waits for us to speak and to respond to His still small voice that cannot be regulated by a volume control button. He will give us the wisdom we need in our influence in the lives of others....even with those precious little ones we have so much influence on.

Father...I thank you for my children and grandchildren. May I be wise in my counsel, love and giving. Above all, may I be their greatest prayer warrior and encourager. Thank you for the privilege of having them in my life. Amen.

EMMANUEL - God (Jesus) Wth Us

Behold, a virgin shall be with child,

and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call

His name Emmanuel, which being

interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1:23

For years I have loved a certain song that used to be sung often, but afraid the modern era has all but pushed it to one side. A part of it says:

Jesus is the sweetest name I know,

And He's just the same,

As His Lovely name.

And that's the reason why I love Him so,

For Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Is that true of you and me at this Christmas season? There are names I love...Brian, Jennie,

Beverly and Johnny, my immediate family but are they the sweetest names I know....don't think so. Jesus is the only One Who has the right to that position. Just some thoughts about Jesus at this time.

J – Joy to the world, the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and heaven and nature sing.

E – Emmanuel, Emmanuel

His name is called, Emmanuel;

God with us, revealed in us;

His name is called...Emmanuel

S – Sing we now of Christmas, Noel, sing we here!

Hear our grateful praises, to the Babe so dear.

Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!

Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!

U – (For) Unto us a Child is born; for unto us a Child is given.

And the government shall be upon His shoulders.

And His name shall be called...

Wonderful

Counselor

The Mighty God

The Everlasting Father

The Prince of Peace.

S – Sing, choir of angels, sing in exultation,

O sing, all ye bright hosts of heaven above!

Glory to God, all glory in the highest!

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

May this be a season of praise and adoration for each of us that should be a time that carries over into every day of the upcoming new year.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above , ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen!

The Red Bike

For the wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23

I had gone through the procedure my parents had asked me to go through even though I really didn't agree with them. Up until age 8, I had a scooter. I really wanted a bike, but in those days, there weren't various sizes of bikes for different sizes of children. You got a ladies bicycle when you finally got a bike. However, my parents assured me that if I stuck with riding my scooter well, I wouldn't have to learn how to ride a bike...like I believed that. One summer evening though, a neighbor girl let me try to ride her bike and I took off like you wouldn't believe. I could balance the bike and steer the bike...just didn't know how to put the brakes on the bike. I couldn't wait to go tell my parents. I just knew I was ready for a bike.

That Christmas just before my eighth birthday, there by our Charlie Brown Christmas tree stood a beautiful bright red bike. It didn't take long though to see that it was a used bike that my dad had painted at the body shop attached to the car dealership where he was the service manager. As I looked at it, the handle bars were sort of an odd shape. When I took it out to ride, the right pedal made a clicking sound as the pedal would slightly strike a part of the bike frame. There wasn't a bell on it nor a basket. I would end up getting those for my birthday in just a few weeks, but didn't know that at the time. My bike didn't begin to compare with bikes other friends got that year, but I knew it was what my parents wanted me to have. I was riding that bike until I went to college. I think I must have ridden it up and down every block in our town, even later, on occasion out to the city lake with some teen friends. That bike was my friend and often my escape when some days weren't going so well and I felt the need of riding with the wind in my face.

When I graduated from college, I worked for a year at a nearby Baptist Children's Home as a cottage parent to about 16 girls of different ages. Our place was right next to the city park. Once and only once, I suggested to the older girls that we go for a bike ride in the park. I left the younger girls with an assistant, the rest of us grabbed bikes and we took off toward the park. As I took off on the bike I grabbed, I suddenly heard “click, click, click” as I was pedaling the bike. I looked at the handle bars and they were odd in shape. A closer look at the very rusty front fender revealed some bits and pieces of bright red paint. It was my old bike...my old friend. My Mother had given my bike to the children's home and I wasn't aware of it. It was okay with me but what a shock to be riding my old bike that had been given me when a little girl. I could have selected any bike on the bike rack but as God often surprises us, I had the joy of riding my old friend once again.  That bike ended up being a gift that kept on giving.

There are many kinds of gifts that keep giving and those are the gifts that are the most meaningful and even memorable. Christmas is a time for giving and what is given doesn't have to be gifts that are large or expensive...not even a bright red, used bicycle. There are many ways during this holiday time we can give. Material gifts are fine. I'm afraid though that children are often trained in that process that Christmas is all about what they find under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.  With every pile of gifts under our trees, we are telling our children our reason for the season.  On that morning, parents can read the Christmas story until they are blue in the face, but let me tell you that children have other things on their mind.  There may be some folks we know who could use a gift certificate for a gas station or grocery store. Those things will melt into memory. Perhaps a young mom could use the gift of babysitting for a few hours. These are gifts that stay in one's mind and that the receiver may in turn pass on at a later time to others in need.

God is our example in giving although there's no way we can match all He has given us and continues to give us. He topped off everything in giving us His son Jesus. That's what Paul refers to in Romans 6:23. God gave us the gift of His Son and this IS the Gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving. At this Christmas season, I would hope we all could take moments alone with God in thanksgiving for His goodness to us in sending Jesus who would later die for us personally as well as for the sin of mankind . All of this is ours so that we might experience eternal life,...never ending, along with His joy unspeakable and full of glory.

"Joy to the world, the Lord IS come..."

Thank You Father for the greatest gift of all. We hear “Jesus is the reason for the season” but one has to wonder when we see the full shopping carts of so many who don't seem to give Your Son a thought. Thank you for giving us Your Son Jesus...the Gift that keeps on giving. Thank You for Your wonderful gift to us that we might have life and joy in abundance.

Amen.

Ahhh...Fresh Bread

I am the bread of life:

he that cometh to me shall never

hunger; and he that believeth on

me shall never thirst.

John 6:35

Just a block or so from Central Jr. High School where I spent my 7^th and 8^th grade years, there was a bakery. Students would often go there at lunch time and some would purchase a loaf of bread and have the baker slice the loaf in half for two people to share. They would then go to a nearby dairy store and purchase a stick of butter. They would ask the waitress to cut the butter in half. Each person would stuff their half of the stick of butter down inside of their half loaf of warm bread and let the butter melt. They then had a feast fit for a king. (That is, unless you preferred to gnaw on a giant size dill pickle instead of anything else.)

Bread has been considered a staple food down through centuries. It is made up of simple flour and water but depending on who is baking the bread, there are other things added to that mixture to get the desired type of bread the baker wants. Bread is prized for it's quality, aroma and taste. Should a loaf of bread become hard or dry, it is considered to be stale.

There are two parts to a loaf of bread. The inner part of the loaf of bread is officially referred to as the “crumb.” The outer part of the loaf, is the “crust.” It is the oldest of prepared foods we know of from history. The word “companion” of Latin root can be broken down into two parts:

com – that means “with”

panis – that means “bread”

Thus, bread is broken or eaten with someone who is considered a companion at the time of the eating of bread. This is true especially as we take of the Lord's Supper or Communion in our churches when we meet as a church family to share the bread during that time.

No household wants to be without bread in the cupboard. It is often used for toast at breakfast time. Sandwiches are frequently eaten for lunch both in the home as well as taken in school lunch boxes. Chefs cook using bread...turkey dressing, bread pudding but then there's an old familiar staple that anyone of most any age can make and enjoy...bread and jelly.

There are many metaphors connected with the word “bread” such as:

breadwinner

putting bread on the table (as in earning a living)

hit him in the bread basket

bread and water (that I was always taught was served to inmates in prison)

Best thing since sliced bread.

But the greatest truth I have found regarding bread is Jesus' claim that He is the Bread of Life and that's no metaphor. Jesus had a lot to do with bread. He fed thousands of hungry people with it along with a few little fish. Bread would sustain those people until they could get back to their homes. He broke bread probably on many occasions with His disciples, but we are most aware of His last evening with them before going to the cross the next day. T that time He broke bread with them saying, “This is my body which is broken for you.”

If Jesus is our “bread” then how does that translate into our own lives?

1. Jesus is our staple.
   When referring to a “staple,” I'm not talking about a little metal wire that holds sheets of paper together. The definition of staple in our present usage refers to something for which the demand is constant...something of consistent use or appeal. I just love that, for that is Who and what Jesus is to us as the Bread of Life. He is in constant demand or should be and is in consistent use by us. Just as we feel we must have regular bread, far more, we in reality need this wonderful Bread of Life...Jesus.

2. Jesus never spoils.
   If not properly stored, the bread we purchase will become moldy, hard, and unusable. Jesus never rots or hardens. Jesus is sinless, perfect and can be trusted completely because of His purity. Because of His being sinless, He was the only perfect sacrifice for you and me as He died on the cross for the remission of our sin.

3. Jesus feeds us.
   As the perfect Bread, He is our sustenance spiritually speaking. He is our strength and as He feeds us, we grow in Him.

4. Jesus is refreshing.

I am someone who could live on sandwiches....bologna, ham, cheese, scrambled egg

sandwiches...you name it...I like it. When I'm really hungry, nothing tastes better to me than a sandwich with two pieces of fresh WHITE bread, spread with Miracle Whip, a slice of cheese, a big slice of a homegrown tomato and a couple of pieces of beef bologna. Why be so descriptive?...because it is refreshing just to think about it even though I'm not hungry right now. Jesus loves to feed us through the teaching of His Word. It should be as refreshing to your favorite sandwich would be for you.

5. Jesus never grows stale.
   Everything about Him is new and fresh everyday that you and I awaken, when our feet hit the floor running to meet a new day. No matter how often we have read His Word, even in many of the old familiar wrinkled, underlined areas of our Bibles, the newness and freshness of Who Jesus is comes through in the most remarkable of ways.

6. Jesus thinks of everything.
   Did you notice in the beginning verse that Jesus not only says we'll never hunger because of His being our Bread of Life, but He also adds that we'll never thirst either. As much as I love a good sandwich, I always want something to wash it down with. He not only satisfies our hunger for the living Bread that He is but our thirst is quenched for the living water He also provides.

The next time or periodically as we bite into some warm toast, grilled cheese sandwich or even a club sandwich from a deli, may we stop to think of our Savior who is our wonderful and refreshing Bread of Life and Who satisfies our thirst as well.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven...

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy Kingdom come...Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread....

and Father, may we never take for granted that daily bread or the Bread of Life Your Son is in our own lives. We pray for a close relationship with that precious Bread of Life everyday in every way. Thank You for Your provision of all things at all times....I love you. Amen.

Away With Mediocre

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,

do it with thy might....

Ecclesiastes 9:10a

As we have been having a house built, something has been running through my mind off and on and I mentioned it to my husband the other day. I have seen the tendency for years and it has bothered me all along. I did hope in those years, though, that something would happen to bring about some changes but as of yet, I haven't seen many of those changes occur with any noticeable difference. I realize that everyone's efforts cannot be put in the category of “mediocre,” but a great many can be.

This was all brought to a head for me several days ago when I opened Face Book and found a statement made by a dear friend from our former church, Hyde Park Baptist in Austin, TX. His name is Owen Griffin. I don't know when I have ever met a more well-rounded, accomplished man, especially in the area of music. He is organist of the church but plays the piano like few can do. He arranges music that is just awe-inspiring and has done some composing as well. There isn't a mediocre bone in Owens body and yet he walks humbly with His God. He wrote the following that I have since copied in my Bible as a reminder of what the resulting production in all areas of my life should be:

“I am sad to report that a dear friend has gone missing. I'm not sure what happened to him, but I've looked everywhere. I keep thinking I see him, but it's never him, just my wishful thinking. I've looked on the streets of my city, on TV, and in the halls of government. His name is Excellence, and he's most exceptional. If anyone sees him, please let me know. He's left quite a void.” ...Owen Griffin

That statement may mean nothing at all to most folks but it's one of the most convicting things I have read in a long time other than what I read in Scripture. There was a day in our country when people were admired for working hard and doing a good job. There was honesty and integrity found in almost every effort put forth by most people. My Dad was an auto mechanic. He never made much money at it but he was known as about the best mechanic around our town. He didn't cheat his customers. He took great pride in repairing a car as close to brand new as could be done. One could have looked at the result of his work and seen excellence even as he cleaned his greasy hands after the job was finished.

As we have been building our house, I have watched the little things. You see, Excellence always takes care of the little things. We have a cracked window that was cracked when the window was put in and it still is cracked as I write. It will be repaired I know but doesn't that cracked window bother anyone?

Let's do some defining and Merriam Webster will help us with this:

Mediocre: Of moderate or low quality

Ordinary, common, second rate

Excellence: Extremely high quality

First class, superior, high grade

If one wants to look at opposites, there we have it and we either fall into one of those categories or the other. There's no in between. Here is a big thing that really concerns me. Mediocre has almost become the norm when it comes to God's work. I could cite example after example of leadership in a church who should know better but who take the quick and easy way of doing things with no thought of excellence. Let me give a few examples that I've witnessed in the last 50 years in various churches where, at times, God was given mediocre service:

• Unrehearsed offertories
• Unprepared Sunday school lessons
  I recall a man rushing into our choir room one Sunday desperately looking for a
  Sunday school quarterly to teach his lesson from. No preparation had been done.
• Nursery workers who will let a baby lay in crib in a wet diaper
• Maintenance people who won't change light bulbs
• Soloists or other special music who aren't very gifted to begin with but who want to rehearse their special number five minutes before the service begins
• Choir members who don't feel they need to attend choir practice but show up in the choir loft on Sunday anyway. Then there are those who do show for practice who don't give their best effort in doing those things that need to be done while there.
• Sunday school workers who show up late. (God pity ANY church worker who can't show up on time to fulfill their responsibilities.)

Many of us who have been in church for years can relate to many of those things listed and could add a few. I'm afraid I have been guilty at times of settling for mediocre, but the older I have become, the less I want to be mediocre in what I do for the Lord. He deserves our very best and not just in the arena of the church. Our beginning verse uses the word “whatsoever” so that can include all that's done in the office, kitchen, yard, grocery store, etc. Whatever you and I lift our hands to, it should to be done with all of our strength and integrity and yes, with a spirit of excellence. God deserves no less. We will make mistakes but they should never be deliberate or planned.

A quick glance at the Old Testament sacrificial system should give us a clue as to God's expectations in what we offer Him in the present, whether with financial gifts or gifts of service. Back then, animal sacrifice was the order of the day. A blood offering was required for the remission of the people's sins and various animals were used for that. Look though, at what was expected. The animal had to be perfect in every way...no scars, skin disease, no broken bones, even healed ones...they had to be as perfect as possible. Why then today, would we serve Him in any other way than as perfect as possible.... with excellence?

May we aspire in ALL we do, to do it right, the best we can so as to present all we do to the Lord as an offering of love and adoration. May we glorify Him in every area of our lives. When that is in place, so will be excellence.

Father...With all You have done for me, how can I in good conscience give You the mere leftovers of my service and life itself. May I love You so much that I want to serve You in the spirit of Excellence leaving Mediocre out of my consideration. I love You and want You to have the best I can give. Amen.

Psalmist's Say It Best

That I may publish with the voice of

THANKSGIVING, and tell of all

thy wondrous works.

Psalm 26:7

Unto thee, O God, do we give THANKS,

unto thee do we give THANKS:  for that

thy name is near thy wondrous

works declare.

Psalm 75:1

It is a good thing to give THANKS unto

the Lord, and to sing praises unto

thy name, O most High:

To shew forth thy lovingkindness

in the morning, and thy faithfulness

every night.

Psalm 92:1,2

Enter into his gates with THANKSGIVING,

and into his courts with praise:  be

THANKFUL unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endrueth to all generations.

Psalm 100:4,5

O come, let us sing unto the Lord:  let

us make a joyful nolise to the rock of

our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with

THANKSGIVING, and make a joyful

noise unto him with psalms.

Psalm 95:1,2

Praise ye the Lord.  O give THANKS unto

the Lord; for he is good; for his

mercy endureth forever.

                                                                      Psalm 106:1

Governments may or may not decree a day of Thanksgiving.  It may be merely another day off for America's work force.  We may have good memories or sometimes negative ones regarding Thanksgiving Day.  For some it may be a very festive, big-family-gathering-time and for others, it may be a quiet time or even a lonely time.  Events and feelings on a day like Thanksgiving can run the gammit.  Thanksgiving Day will be what we as Christians make it.  If our day is full of festivities, football games, etc. with no alone time with God, the day then has just been another day. 

Originally, Thanksgiving Day was declared to be just that...a day to give thanks.  It's a day that goes back to our early settlers who all but died their first winter on this continent.  They survived with the help of friendly indians and they declared a time of thanksgiving to God for all of the blessings He had given them.  The further our country gets away from it's spiritual roots, the more danger there is in our losing our spiritual bearings and our spiritual holidays can become just that...holidays.

The sad thing is that for we Christians, every day should be Thanksgiving Day.  We don't need turkey and dressing to evoke our feelings of gratitude.  We just need to adopt an attitude of gratitude every day we live and breathe.  Our blessings are beyond bountiful and they keep coming.  So..."come ye thankful people come!!!"

Dear Father...the list is just too long.  I don't where to begin to thank You for all you mean to me and all you have done for me.  May I remain ever grateful, every day, in every way for everything.  I love You and thank You.   Amen

Can You Believe It?

Ah Lord God! Behold thou hast

made the heaven and the earth by thy

great power and stretched out arm, and

there is nothing too hard for thee:

Jeremiah 32:17

...With men this is impossible; but

with God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26b

Not too far from where we live, there is a “Ripley's Believe It Or Not.” This particular peculiarity has been a part of Americana for many years. It had to happen that eventually, this icon of oddity would show itself in public display form of some sort. This local display isn't the only one to be found as there are other such “museums” across the country, especially where tourists gather.

However, allow me to mention some “believe it or nots” from Scripture. I believe for many years, we have almost been glossing over events in Scripture that even in our modern day would blow our minds if we heard of such things happening. Some things would be quietly kept within the confines of family and close friends, but there are some events that couldn't help but be very public and might even make our television evening news. We read of Bible events and almost shrug our shoulders as we move on to the next verses.

I think of Abraham being asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac. I believe God really wanted to see if Abraham would be obedient and planned all the time to come to his rescue but Abraham didn't know that. Don't you think Abraham would have noticed a ram in the thicket next to the altar he built if there had been a ram in the vicinity when he arrived? God tested Abraham and when He saw Abraham's obedience, a ram appeared to take the place of Isaac. Ask Abraham if that wasn't a “believe it or not” incident in his life.

What about David and Goliath? We've heard of this event in David's life since we were old enough to sing, “Only a Boy Named David” in Sunday school. He was just a kid, a kid not only up against a grown man and enemy, but the enemy was a giant. David had a sling and a few stones. He didn't have a rifle, army tank, hand grenade....rocks...that was it. Come on now...if David's victory wasn't a “believe it or not”, I don't know what would be.

Then there are those three young guys who stood up to leaders of Babylon. They refused to bow down to the king and were condemned to die in a fired up furnace. As you read the incident, they didn't have to be dragged to the door of the furnace. They had such faith in God that He would take care of them that in they just went. After so much time, they were allowed out of the furnace...yep, not even the smell of smoke on them. Observers had also noticed a fourth man in the furnace. We know that was the Lord Himself in there with those young men. Today, these guys would be writing books and on promotion tours speaking about this event....no, on second thought, I don't think they would, for with their character and integrity, they wouldn't have wanted to take one ounce of glory from God.

Along with them, we have to mention Daniel. Ever been to a zoo and taken a good look at lions in their special outdoor landscaped pens. Their roar is enough to make my blood run cold. Daniel had been found praying in a public way when he had orders not to. Because of that, he was condemned to a lions den. Let's be real. The lion keepers didn't exactly feed those lions well or throw a lot of food in the den with Daniel....Daniel was to be their steak dinner. The next morning though, there sat Daniel with all of those kitty cats with not a scratch on him. Today, the news would read “believe it or not.”

There are  many other incidents in our Bibles that are so remarkable. The list would be a very lengthy one if we listed all of the miraculous events that are beyond human understanding. What about:

• The children of Israel going across the Red Sea on dry land...no mud to be seen.
• A mob of people on a hillside being fed with only five loaves and 2 fishes
• Anyone that was raised from the dead
• An earthquake that opened prison doors to free Paul. An earthquake is a public event.
• Destruction by fire of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
• Are we so used to all of these evens that we no longer sit back in wonder. I realize we believe God can do anything. The Bible itself is a miracle, no matter what physical form it takes... it is a miraculous book. It has been kept and preserved down through the centuries and is still THE all time best seller...miraculous in itself.

But the greatest miracle of all was not that Jesus was born under very unusual and miraculous circumstances although that was miraculous. It didn't have to do with His miracles of healing, feeding or walking on water as wonderfully miraculous as they were. For me personally is the miracle is that He chose to die for me...yep, me with all my sin, faults, warts, and attitudes. For me...this is the greatest of the greatest and if that weren't enough, three days later, He came out of the tomb his friends had lovingly put Him in after His death.  I guess we believe this would make today's headlines, but I have serious doubts about that. Look at all the trouble the Romans went to in order to cover up what happened at that tomb. The world today would probably respond the same. All in all, what Jesus chose to do for you and me was the greatest “believe it or not” that we will never comprehend.

The next time we read our Bibles, let's view it's miraculous events with a little more appreciation of the greatness and might of our God Who can do anything. If He can do all of those things in the lives of those recorded for us, think of all He stands by waiting to do for us. Better yet, let's remember our own miracles brought about through our miracle-working God. We've all had them...it's just that they would never make the evening news, but they were miracles none-the-less. The same God who worked in the lives we see on pages of Scripture is the same God Who works on our behalf. We are such blessed people...believe it or not!!!

Thank You Father for the wonderful ways You have made Yourself known in my life. For every ounce of protection and provision, I thank You. For the miraculous way You have worked in my life, thank You. I love You. Amen

STALE AS SEVEN-DAY-OLD BREAD

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord

unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every

good work, and increasing in the

knowledge of God.

Colossians 1:10

My Grandma had come for an afternoon visit.  I was about five years old at the time, but this is one of those Norman Rockwell scenes that stays in one's mind.  She had broken a hip several weeks earlier.  I had never been around someone who walked with crutches and  I found that to be fascinating.  Our house had a good sized pantry with a window in it that let in lots of sunshine.  Grandma went into the pantry to get some cornbread for a snack.  When she found it, she called out to my Mother, "This cornbread is as stale as seven-day-old bread."  I didn't know what stale was, but knew from that exchange that it wasn't good. 

I'll never forget what Grandma did next.  She sent me to get a big iced tea glass from my Mother.  Meanwhile, she cut a big piece of that stale cornbread and crumbled it in the tall glass.  She got sugar out of a canister and spooned some on top of the cornbread.   Then my Mother brought in a glass bottle of milk.  Grandma poured milk on the cornbread until the milk came to the top of the glass.  She took an iced tea spoon from a drawer and began to eat that mixture.  She gave me a bite of it and I didn't like it, but she ate it like I would eat a dish of ice cream.  I will always picture her leaning against the cabinet facing the sun that seemed to make her gray hair shimmer while eating her mixture of whatever.

Grandma made something that was good to her out of something that may have seemed useless to anyone else.  As I thought of this incident, I kept coming back to the word "stale".  When something is stale it's something perishable that hasn't been used for what it was intended in an expected span of time and perhaps has become dry and hard. 

Guess what?  Our spiritual life is never meant to become stale.  There's no date of expiration on our walk with the Lord and our maintaining a life that is spiritually strong but a staleness can still set in that can render us all but useless for a time. Paul wrote to the Colossians regarding his desire for them in their relationship with the Lord.  In Colossians 1:10,  Paul presented the Christian life as being a very active one, and not an activity that is something with no depth.  When we don't maintain our spiritual walk, we are of about as much use as seven-day-old bread.

I have felt very convicted along this line as of late.  I will use the usual excuse most give, "I've been pretty busy."  Oh, I haven't totally neglected my spiritual walk, but I have been neglectful in spots.  As a Sunday school teacher, I always fight the tendency to read my Bible with teaching in mind and not in thinking of personal application. 

Today while sitting in my special place by the stream, Colossians 1:10 about knocked me over.  It was a real inventory time as I viewed the three major areas of that verse with regard to my own spiritual life.  Paul had strong desires for the people he was writing to, which carries over to us in our day.  God has the same desire for us today.  There are three major things mentioned in this one verse that are vital if our spiritual life is to remain fresh.  (Believe me, I'm not just throwing this in your court.  I am still going over these things for myself.)

1.  "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing..."

Looking at Greek meanings for the word "walk," I found that it can mean making ones way, progressing, or making use of opportunities.  Walking is movement...it is usually the process of taking steps, one by one, moving forward toward a desired end.  The word "walk" here indicates constant motion, a consistency in our walk with the Lord that is very pleasing to Him.  Walking takes a personal determination, time and effort which in the end renders us spiritually healthy.  As we walk in Christ, we become stronger in Him and He is happy about that.

2.  "...being fruitful in every good work,"...

As a Christian, I am to be productive.  I am to be a witness for the Lord which can occur through spoken words as well as through a life lived.  Any contribution you and I can make through our word or service for the Kingdom is fruit.  Fruit doesn't just happen.  Seeds are planted, seedlings are watered and tended.  I may not reap the fruit from a seed I plant, but only be a part of the process.  I am called to be a fruit-bearing Christian and that's a part of who I am to be as a follower of Jesus.

3.  "...and increasing in the knowledge of God."

If we have been Christians for many years, we may get to the point where we feel we know about God as much as we can know.  Sure, we can gather alot of facts.  That's one kind of knowing but those facts don't mean that I really KNOW Him.  I know alot about the life of Billy Graham but I've never met him and don't know him personally.  It's a different kind of "know."  My knowledge about God should contribute to my personal relationship with Him.  I will never come to fully know God but I should be so abiding in Him that my knowledge is very personal.  Ours isn't meant to be a pursuit of frustration.  Our seeking to know God is meant to be an ongoing pursuit of love.

By the way, read verses 11-14 in that same chapter where there is more information regarding our wonderful Heavenly Father.

 We can become as spiritually stale as a seven-day-old loaf of bread.  We can even go on looking good spiritually to others.  After all, a stale loaf of bread on a cabinet shelf looks like a regular loaf of bread until opened or touched and then the real problem is revealed.  May we be ever fresh in our relationship with the Lord.  As for myself, when I become spiritually stale (and hopefully that doesn't happen with regularity), I pray God will help me learn that in my repentance, He'll turn my staleness into something that is a blessing  just like Grandma's concoction was for her.

Dear Father...I love you and want to know you better than I've ever known You in the past.  May I love being in Your presence whether in prayer or contemplative meditation.  Keep me alert to Your still, small voice as You seek to lead me in the ways that please you.  Forgive me for ever allowing a spiritual staleness to set in...keep me fresh.        Amen.