Cast It Off

 

Casting all your care upon Him;
for He careth for you.
I Peter 5:7

One of the interesting things to observe in our mountains is the fishing that goes on. There are those primarily men who are very serious about their fishing. The are outfitted from head to food in their fishing attire that includes their waders. The gear they carry looks to be some of the best that can be purchased. Some just stand on the bank and throw their lines half-way in to our river. Some stand in the middle of the river and cast their lines with great bravado either up or downstream. They have become experts at casting their lines right where they want the lure to land in the water.

One year in our small church, the Vacation Bible School leaders decided to include the junior high kids in VBS that year. It was one of the best Bible Schools I can remember being a part of. We did much more in the way of Bible memory that summer. I'll never forget learning that verse from I Peter 5:7 but must admit that I didn't fully understand it. One leader said that it meant we were to give our problems to Jesus. Her assistant added that the word casting was stronger than just giving over our problems to Jesus. It was more like tossing them to Him.

As of late, I've come across some folks who are facing some very difficult situations, the kind of situations we want to jump in and take care of on our own. One person I know is facing some real financial difficulties. A parent is struggling with a child's serious health issues. There are about three ladies I know who also have some health issues they are facing. Some parents I know are trying to deal with a wayward teenager. A friend of mine has recently gone through a broken engagement. Those of you who read this could add to this list many times over.

Whatever problems I face, I'm not going to go down to our river with a fishing rod. Whatever casting I do is going to have to be within me...person to person with Jesus. So how do I suggest we do this:

C - Commit your burden to the Lord. As a child of God, He wants His children to feel such an intimacy with Him that we can turn any problem or care over to him, much like children go to their parents with problems. God has the power to do what we cannot.

A - Ask in prayer for His help. We will often turn to everyone but Him when we are facing problems. Philippians 4:6,7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and mindsthrough Christ Jesus.”

S - Search the Scriptures. We may not feel like getting into a deep Bible study when going through difficulties but we should have some emergency Scriptures in our arsenal of Bible verses both in the way of favorite chapters (often Psalms) or verses we have memorized. There is both physical and spiritual strength in the word of God.

T - Trust God. He really does care for us even more than we could ever care for our own children. Proverbs 3:5 admonishes us to: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” It's in the tough times we want to implement our own wisdom and know-how. We are to be as wise as possible in whatever decisions we have to make but trusting God with everything we are is the key.

In our society today, there has come to be a rather new term...”caregiver.” We read about them or even may know someone who falls into this kind of responsibility. If the day comes that I need a caregiver, it will be devastating for me. When I need a caregiver, it will mean that there is very little I can do for myself as I will be too ill or disabled to even do some of the least of things for myself. What a blessing caregivers are. Their job is not easy and entails a heavy responsibility and we are grateful for everyone of them be they parents, special nurses, etc. We're in a day when we know we need them. In it all though, I hope we can’t lose sight of our very best Caregiver. We don't have to have cancer, a broken leg, old age or incapacitated in come way. He is on duty 24/7 and extends care to us whether we are in danger, ill or healthy as can be. He's the best and we can't forget that.

We will have seasons of rest in our lives and it's during those times we can come along side of those who are going through some tough times of care. They need our spiritual support and love as we encourage them to take everything to THE One and only Who has the answer to every problem or care. When we feel that no one understands...no one cares...we must cling to the fact that Jesus, our personal Caregiver cares deeply about us and any problem or concern that comes our way.

Dear Jesus...I am thinking right now of some folks are dear to me who are going through some tough stuff right now. I wish I could spare them some way from what they are going through but I know that You are the only One who can reach deeply into their circumstances and fill them with Your peace and assurance. May they sense Your presence right now like never before. I love you....In Your Precious Name....Amen

It's Not An Amusement Park

 

Enter His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise:

be thankful unto Him, and

bless His name.

Psalm 100:4

Last Sunday, I was reminded of one of my favorite teachers of all time...Mrs. Lilley, who taught in my junior high school. One class she taught was a combination of penmanship and orthography. First day in her class, I pretty much knew what would be involved when it came to penmanship, but knew nothing about orthography. At first I didn't like that part of the class, but it came to be one of the most valuable classes I had in all of my educational experience including college. In orthography we basically learned how to dissect a word that contained two or more syllables putting the meaning of those parts of the word together to define the word. It is a “skill” I continue to use to this day.

For an example of how this skill benefits me today, I was recently reminded in one of my pastors sermons, of the word “amuse.” For some reason, I quickly scanned that word and it's two parts in my mind. It immediately struck a spiritual chord with me. That “a” at the beginning of “amuse” means “no,not.” The second part of the word, “muse” means to “think or meditate.” So “a-muse” means in essence to not think or meditate. When amused or being amused, you and I are removed from serious thinking or meditating..a diversion so to speak from the serious, to being amused or entertained.

Have you noticed in recent years the trend of many of our churches across America to go the amusement route. Churches are giving up on having choirs...now they have what my husband refers to as a “chorus lines.” Many are going to the music of the world...same melody line and beat with Christian words applied and not even that many words. Many Sunday schools are going to group teaching or should I say entertaining their children and youth. Folks don't seem to have a deep interest in good Bible preaching. Many church attenders want to attend and leave with not much of a change in their lives.

What's the point? We must be very careful in today's spiritual climate to avoid spiritual amusement as much as possible. That doesn't mean we don't smile, laugh or have a good time at church. It does mean having a good perspective on what is appropriate for the local church. I wonder sometimes what the early church fathers in Jerusalem would think if they could come back and visit some of our churches. What would Paul think of a rock 'n roll atmosphere in some services? I think they would all be shocked and sickened.

I have looked at some churches' bulletins to see what activities are offered to mostly “amuse” their members. I found some really amazing activities. Some such activities are: Garden Club, Book Club, exercise classes of various types, Sewing Circles, and yes, there are some Bible study groups. Many Bible study groups are taught through videos which can easily become entertainment in nature. I see children in church playing computer games and have even seen adults doing it as well. Often you and I hear phones ring during a service. We have someone in our church who has a phone alarm that goes off at about five minutes before the end of our Sunday morning service. Can't figure that one out unless it's meant to be a hint to the pastor that his time is about up.

Believe it or not, I'm not mad at anyone. I do think we've gotten so far away from what the church is meant to be. It's primarily to win the lost to Christ and then grow those babes in Christ to some maturity. It's also for the purpose of teaching and growing Christians to even greater spiritual maturity. It's to serve others who are in need and needs can certainly vary in our day as well as in those early days of the church.

Is Jesus not enough for us anymore or is this entertainment and electronic age keeping us from what He would desire that we be. Sometimes even our minds can be pre-occupied with circumstances that can keep us from times of worship in our church services. I often find myself guilty of having the straying thoughts and not on the things that are important at that time.

As is usual, Scripture gives us some answers and we see that in Psalm 100. We can even train our children regarding some of these things and hope that they will also learn by our example. From verse four we are told (no suggestion) to:

• Enter His gates with thanksgiving
• Enter with praise
• Be thanking to Him
• Bless His name

If we approach a church service with those attitudes, I wonder how much more our lives would be enriched for good and for God. He so deserves our undivided attention even if we need to work hard at removing unnecessary distractions. In it all, may our supreme desire be to please our Heavenly Father in all things, loving Him like we've never loved Him before and giving Him our undivided attention. He deserves no less of us, especially when in our church services.

Dear Father, forgive me for being so inattentive at times when in Your house where I should worship You instead of having a wandering mind. I love You but want to love You even more.  Help me to take advantage of every opportunity in my church and elsewhere to worship you. In Jesus' precious name....Amen.

So Blessed!

O love the Lord, all ye his saints:

for the Lord preserveth the faithful,

and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

Be of good courage, and He shall

strengthen your heart, all ye that

hope in the Lord.

Psalm 31:23,24

Recently, a young, dear relative of mine put something very special on FB that featured two groups of people. Both groups live far away from our country but we share with them, I trust, a love for the most precious book in the world...the Bible.

The first group featured was of the Kimyal tribe in Indonesia. Those people were shown in a brief film, gathered at an air field awaiting the landing of a plane. Most of the tribe had already been saved and regularly receive great preaching. Many were in their tribal attire and the rest dressed like most folks would dress much like we might see in our country except much more decently. They were singing, crying, rejoicing, clapping in anticipation of the small plane's arrival. When the plane landed, everything was very orderly. Tribal leaders walked slowly to the plane where a pilot handed them a huge package. It was the arrival of God's word in their own language. Many had memorized verses and chapters of it already, but now, people in the tribe could have their own copy of the New Testament. The whole tribe was there, happy and rejoicing out in the open with no threats or pressure brought about by anyone including whatever government was involved. It's interesting that the older members of the tribe wanted the Bibles to go first to the younger members of the tribe. It was hoped they would begin building a firm foundation in their lives and families based on the Word of God.

The second short film was totally different from the Kimyal tribe. It featured a secret gathering of Christians in China. The room was filled with young adult Christians. Some folks came into the room with two huge suitcases. When opened, there were Bibles in their language. With great reverence, each person approached the suitcases and picked up a Bible. Many wept...many stood kissing their Bibles. Some just closely held their new Bibles to their bodies. China is full of secret churches. One shown was in a cave. One church has a service daily at 4:00 AM for a couple of hours. A visiting pastor preached one day for four hours. Another day, a pastor preached from 8:30 AM-7:00 PM with preferably no breaks. Most attendees stand the entire time. They so love the Lord, each other, the privilege of worship, and God's Word that they will worship by the hour despite what could happen to them if the government found them in their secret places. In one area of China, it is estimated that there are 3,000 secret house churches and that is done at great risk. We need to be praying for those dear saints of God for His protection over them as they worship together.

As I finished watching these brief films, I looked across the room at the two bookcases in my living room. One holds mostly Bibles while the other has Christian books and materials. They are all at my finger tips. I am so spoiled and take so much for granted, and by the way, so do you, my reader friend.

I am a member of a small church and , we have just started our spring ladies Bible study session. I always hope for at least seven ladies. I can't imagine what it would be if I were to sneak into China where I could teach ladies there from God's Word. No telling how many would come even at great risk to their lives not because I would be speaking but because they just want to hear the Word presented anytime they can. In most churches in America, church attendance is slipping. Churches that entertain will usually run a large group of people who go for the entertainment. Baptists have always joked about how if it rains on a Sunday morning, the attendance will be low because “Baptists don't like being sprinkled.” I wonder what happens if it's raining in China when the word goes out that there will be church on a given day. I doubt that they give a good care about rain, storms or muddy shoes.

I wonder too what is done with all of the new Bibles I saw being passed out in both places that were featured. I wonder if they sit on a shelf somewhere, untouched for several days without being read. I seriously doubt that such happens.

In many places such as the the second location mentioned, they practice their faith at great risk...their church attendance must be a secret. Should any word get out about those Chinese Christians receiving Bibles, they could not only have those Bibles confiscated but could perhaps lose their livelihoods or even their lives. They worship and pray at great peril. Even a very good friend could betray those Chinese Christians. These folks find ways to witness to people. They are fearless. When we witness for Christ, the most we face is embarrassment or perhaps the loss of friends which really are small prices to pay.

God needs us, in our day to stand for Him with no shame. It's not just the unsaved that need the Gospel but we too need the feeding of the Word of God. We need to be an influence for God in our nation even among those who claim the name of Christ. We need to look anew at our Bibles...how often we read them...how often we apply to our lives those things we do read. We also need to consider the privilege of worship. Perhaps we need to get back to the basics before we lose some freedoms we too often take for granted.

Lord Jesus...Thank You for the Bible I have at arms reach right now. I thank You for the privilege of regular worship with my Christian family. You have blessed me in abundance and I can't begin to relate to those across the oceans to would love to own a Bible or who would love times of worship without fear. Thank You, Lord Jesus.....Amen

The Well of Our Lives

Eat thou not the bread of him that

hath an evil eye, neither desire thou

his dainty meats:

For as he thinketh in his heart, so

is he....

Proverbs 23:6-7A

Our pastor recently made a comment during a sermon that really got my attention. In fact, I even put it in this weeks church bulletin. I'm just hoping people will catch onto the thought of the comment. He said:

“Whatever is in the well,

will come up in the bucket.”

                                                                  M. Kelley

I was immediately reminded of the verse from Proverbs I have put at the top of this article. There's a lot of pretense in Christian circles today. When a well-known Christian goes astray, folks always wonder what happened to cause that person to “fall.” It's really not hard to figure out. It didn't just happen...it wasn't a moment of slippage...it was what was in the well, the deepest part of one's heart that came up in the bucket...that came to full light.

I dearly love iced tea and have since junior high school. But never in my life even to this day have I had iced tea like that iced tea that was made from country well water. My Uncle Bob and Aunt Dora's farm was a favorite place for us to visit. While adults visited, my sister Kay and I would run over the low hills, play near a very small trickle of a stream and tromp through a nearby wooded area. When I got older, I got to go and spend long weekends with them. I loved playing in the hay loft of the barn, of trying to milk a cow, collecting eggs from the hen house...but the thing I really loved was drawing water out of their well. Aunt Dora had a hand pump at her kitchen sink but the water used for cooking and drinking was pulled from the well by a very long rope attached to a bucket.

I learned how to remove the wooden raft-like cover that secured the well. There were enough bricks around it so that no one could miss where the well was, but the cover was to keep anything out of the well that shouldn't be there. I recall forgetting one time to put the top over the well and Uncle Bob was pretty upset with me. He said, “If a bunch of bugs gets into the well, then you will end up with “buggy water” when you pull the bucket up.” I recall being young enough to not understand the concept but I certainly do now.

What kind of bugs or other varmints are we allowing into the depths of our lives? I don't care how often we attend church, Bible studies, read Bibles, give generously when the offering plate passes us, hold a church office or sing every hymn in the hymnbook by heart, that may be only surfacy stuff. When we leave that protective lid off of our inner being, it's amazing the junk that can get in and taint what God intends to be pure.

I know a Christian lady who is very active in her church. She does so many really good things for people, is very thoughtful of the needs in the lives of others. She is generous almost to a fault and on good days, is a lot of fun. If the bucket is pulled from the depths of her life on any given day, one could find anger, self-centerdness and even evil. It's a very sad thing to behold. Along the days of her life, she has left the cover off that God intended to protect her inner self. May I say that any of us can fall into the same situation. We live in a day where Satan is in attack mode like never before. No where is Satan more active than in our minds. He loves when all we think about are bad things and those things can run the gamut. Our thought lives can keep us upset at people and situations all the time if we dwell there. Satan smiles when we allow our minds to entertain constant flows of evil thoughts, especially about people. Satan wants to taint the well-springs of living water that Jesus has provided for our lives.

I love the incident in Scripture where Jesus meets and speaks with the Samaritan woman in John 4. In verse 14, a precious promise is given by Jesus:

But whosoever drinketh of the water

that I shall give him shall never thirst;

but the water that I shall give him

shall be in him a well of water

springing up into everlasting life.

I love the picture that verse presents. Look at what He gives us...a well of pure water...that springs up...into everlasting life. Why wouldn't I want to keep that well protected from the things of Satan and the world? Why would I want to let bitterness, anger, ill will and a host of other things seep into that well? God will forgive those things and will empower us to overcome those things. We can do anything through Him. Left to ourselves though and at the most inopportune times, that bucket will draw from the well inside of us and what comes up, may not only keep us poisoned but will spill over into the lives of others.

Just remember: “Whatever is in the well, will come up in the bucket.”

Lord Jesus, only You and I know my heart condition. I don't want anything there that will displease You. I want my life to be pure in motive and action. Convict me when I need it and help me to be all for You I can be. I love You....Amen

Hide and Seek

When thou saidst, Seek ye My

face; my heart said unto Thee,

Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

Psalm 27:8

It was an exciting day for me when at the age of 9, our family moved from one house to another. The house we moved to was right behind the grade school I attended. Our move was only about three blocks, but any kind of move seems to put a family into a whole new world.

The wonderful thing about our new location was that school's playground and it was a huge one. It had every kind of play equipment you could think of. There was a regulation softball field and a full basketball court. There was also a smaller softball field for younger kids. I loved some of the very large bushes that landscaped the school grounds because they were big enough to climb under and build a playhouse underneath the bush. We got by with that until “Shorty”, our maintenance man would discover us and chase us out of the bushes with our dolls, doll clothes and blankets. “Shorty” lived in the basement of the school so he was usually alert to anything going on. All I had to do was cross the street to go to school or to play anywhere on the school grounds after school.

Evenings were the best times to play there. I think every adult has a picture of those evenings after supper when it wasn't dark yet and we could play outside until a parent called us home. It was during those times though that we chose to play our “hiding” games. Sometimes we played Kick the Can. Other times, we played One-Two-Three Release but most of the time we played good ole fashioned Hide and Seek. Think of having a more than half of a block to hide on. Most often though we decided on boundary lines as to how far we could go to hide.

I remember one night when it was getting pretty close to dark. A new girl came to play with us and we were going to play Hide and Seek. She didn't have to be “it” the first time. All she had to do was hide and hide she did. In fact, we all had checked in at THE tree and soon went home because parents were calling. No one even thought about that girl that she hadn't checked in at the tree...we just forgot about the new girl. Her mom came looking for her daughter. A couple of us went to help her look. In those days we didn't think about kidnapping or bad things like that. We looked and found her under one of my favorite bushes. (Where was “Shorty” when we needed him.) She hadn't understood the game. She thought someone would come looking for her so she just stayed put until someone showed up. She was cold and looking a little on the frightened side but was fine. I don't think she ever showed up again to play that game with us.

Do you ever feel like that little girl spiritually speaking? There have been times in my life when I have felt hidden away. I may have felt hidden under piles of problems and concerns. I might be hiding out of choice when feeling very alone, when I really don't want to be bothered by people. Illness might keep me cowering under a “big bush” of my own imaginings. I might even feel like the new kid on the block who doesn't quite understand some unfamiliar rules of life where God has planted me. Bottom line, I just might feel a loneliness that comes from feeling shut out by others and may at times ask the question, “Where is God?”

I have news for us...we are called to be seekers. No matter the games of life we become involved in, we are always to have our antenna's up seeking fellowship and leading from our father.

“Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” Is. 55:6

Every now and then, our “Faith Button” might get a little out of whack so Hebrews 11:6 encourages us to keep seeking and believing:

“But without faith it is impossible too please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

The comforting thing is that God, our shepherd is always seeking us. He won't leave us under a bush or under a load of circumstances we can't bear alone. Under the worst of circumstances, He is always seeking us out. I love Ezekiel 34:11:

“For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.”

If you want a real blessing, some Scripture to cuddle up with, read that 34^th chapter of Ezekiel, verses 11-16 if you need a refresher course regarding that Great Shepherd in our lives who will always seek us out.

The key, however, is for us to not play games with God. We can't hide from Him anyway even though at times we feel like we have done it successfully. He seeks us to draw near...are we seekers though with a strong desire for His care, wisdom and fellowship. He shouldn't have to come looking for us but we certainly should be ever seeing Him out.

Dear Father...don't give up on me. Keep seeking for me when I stray or try to hide from You. Please beat every bush seeking me out and empower me to be ever seeking a consistent relationship with You. I love you...Amen

God Bless You!

 

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee,

and be gracious unto thee:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee,

and give thee peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

You like me, if we have been born again Christians for any length of time, know we are to be witnesses for Jesus and spiritual encouragers as much as we can be. I have found over the last several weeks that it's fun meeting new people to say some lead-in things to find where a person is spiritually. It's been interesting.

Today, I had a new beautician who is substituting for my regular lady who is off on a one month vacation. I had no idea who this lady was, but she was very nice, kind and was good at her work. There is always the get acquainted conversation but I'm interested in where the person is spiritually. Ours is a very small town so eventually, one gets to know most of the town if you attend church or make regular trips to the Dollar Store. She asked how I was going to spend the rest of my day. I told her I had some Sunday school lesson brushing up to do and was going to first go and print our church bulletin. With surprise, she said that she is in charge of the church bulletin at her church. Well, after that, we talked church and some things of the Lord as well.

Got my teeth cleaned this week. I had a new hygienist who did the job. She asked me what I enjoy doing...any hobbies, etc. I told her that I do a lot of reading. She asked if I had finished any good books lately. In my mind I'm thinking, “Okay, Glendarae, go for it.” I told her that I haven't finished my favorite book. She asked how long I had been reading it and I replied that I've been reading it for years. She asked the title of such book. I told her that it's the Bible. She was such a sweet young lady and replied with great excitement, “Oh, I got a new Bible for Christmas and I'm so excited because it's the first study Bible I've ever had. Could you give me some hints as to how to use it?” In between my gagging, we were able to share what that special book means to both of us.

One more....there was a lady who worked a checkout lane at a Walmart in the Austin area. I always watched for her being on duty. On her uniform top, she always wore a pin that spelled out the name, JESUS. It had different colored stones that just made His name sparkle. I got to where I kidded her that I was going to steal that pin from her some day. She would smile and say, “You can't take Jesus from me.” It was always fun when we had people captive...one in front of me gathering bags and one waiting behind me waiting to be waited on. Before leaving for Tennessee, I went in and told her goodbye and thanked her for consistently wearing that pin and being a witness. She said she'd give it to me except she doesn't know where she would find another. I told her with meeting the public, it's a witness everyday she's on duty. She told me where she got the pin...the Dollar Store...and we just laughed.

It's always a personal encouragement when God can bless someone through us. We are also admonished to be of encouragement to those fellow Christians in God's family as well as being a good witness to the unsaved. I'm always blessed if someone waits on me in a store and as I leave, that person says, “God bless you.” I'm trying to remember to say that as well, not for show but with a sincere heart.

When there are those I know with special needs, I try to let them know that I'm praying for them. Saying this can be pretty iffy. By making that statement, we are assuring someone that we are praying for them and need to be faithful in doing it. There are people I pray for who I don't know well or don't know that perhaps comes to me as a request from a friend or relative of theirs. It is such a blessing when someone tells me that they have felt led to pray for me as of late. Not only has someone taken me before the throne of grace but they took of their own time to do that for me. Our time is one of the most precious things we can give to another.

Last Saturday while folding bulletins, just in a quick sentence, the thought crossed my mind, “Fix supper for Lynne and Mike.” They are neighbors, dear folk and Lynne has had many physical struggles and now has lung cancer. I've learned when such thoughts happen, to regard them as promptings from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes this will happen to me when prompted to make a call or send a card to someone, but rarely do I feel I should fix a meal. Went by the store, came home and fixed supper and took it over to them. I was just going to leave the food with Mike and not disturb Lynne but she saw me and asked me to come in. Mike and Lynne are very dedicated members of our local Catholic church. On her coffee table were two books...a wonderful devotional book that I'm acquainted with and her well-worn Bible. I asked her the version and she showed me that it's a New American Standard. Told her that I teach from that version. The Lord opened up a door for us to talk about the Lord and what he means in her life.

I do not intend for any of these incidents to be prideful bragging on my part. It's just been so much fun finding ways to engage people in speaking of their own faith and relationship with the Lord. At times, I come across someone who doesn't have a real relationship with the Lord and that presents a different scenario but either way we can encourage friends in Christ and make a statement to others about the importance of Jesus in ones life. I will never go to a foreign field as a missionary, but there are ways you and I can be a blessing to others and it can be as easy as sending a card, or speaking words of encouragement to whoever the Lord causes to cross our paths. The utmost in witnessing is in speaking to an unsaved person about Jesus. However, there are times that even Christians need to hear from another of God's goodness and blessings. We can do this for God's glory and it can be very enjoyable and fun as well.

Lord Jesus...Thank You for the opportunities You send my way to speak of You to an unsaved person. Thank You for those times I can be an encouragement to a fellow believer as well. I praise You for the encouragement You are on a daily basis in my own life. In Your precious name....Amen

Whiter Than Snow

For as the rain cometh down, and

the snow from heaven, and returneth

not hither, but watereth the earth,

and maketh it bring forth and bud,

that it may give seed to the sower,

and bread to the eater.

Isaiah 55:10

Many of us have been going through a season of snow. There are places in our country where I don't think folks have seen their lawns in several weeks. I have loved the snow we have gotten here in Eastern Tennessee. It's been a real throw back in my memory of many snowy days in Southern Illinois that I loved as a child. We would, of course, build the proverbial snowman in the front yard. It was also a time to get the sled out. We would take our sled to Kolesar Hill where the street was blocked off for kids who had the sledding bug. My dad would tie my sister's and my sled to the back bumper of his car. With packed snow on the streets, he would drive very carefully giving us a wonderful ride on our sleds.

I stood with a Kansas farmer one day after a big snow. I asked him if the snow, as deep as it was, would do harm to his fields, especially if a crop had been planted. In Kansas we could have snow sometimes through March. He thought for awhile and said that most farmers would rather have snow than a huge rain storm. He explained that a driving rain can tear up the soil and much of the water can just sit on top. However, he said that snow melts ever so slowly so it wonderfully soaks deep into the soil without doing the surface any real damage.

That lesson from the farmer that day also taught me something about my own personal Bible study. I was at a stage at that time where I would go for days not reading my Bible and then after feeling guilty would take my Bible with me for an afternoon and read by the hour, much like allowing rain beating on that farmer's field. I've learned since then that the most valuable Bible reading and study I do is on a regular basis, not too much and not too little. I would read enough and still do, to allow the Scriptures to do a slow soak into my heart and spirit. Those times of reading as I recall were so meaningful and beneficial, while the surfacey reading was more out of guilt. No matter what methods I have used, the slow-seeping-like-snow method has always been such a blessing.

I remember when in grade school that it wasn't unusual to hear a singing advertisement on the radio (no TV yet). This advertisement touted the benefits of Rinso laundry SOAP. They would sing and declare that Rinso laundry soap produced the whitest clothes possible. Today we don't have soap...no bubbles...and the companies aren't really interested in white clothes. Their detergents today are just supposed to remove stains. Rinso was meant to be sudsy, producing the whitest of clothes.

Do we really know how white snow is? When we took a drive through the mountains yesterday, the sun came out. I had to quickly reach for sunglasses. The combination of bright and white were more than my eyes could take. Snow can be beautiful, scenic but we've all notice how unlovely it can be in the melting process with mud and animal tracks in it.

Guess what? As often as God cleans us up, we still get dirty again. Oh this “dirty” isn't the loss of salvation but in this world, we brush up against the soil of this world all the time. I love David's prayer in Psalm 57, verse 7:

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall

be clean: wash me, and I shall be

whiter than snow.

Purge: purify

Hyssop: a plant in the mint family. It's familiar to us because of the passover event in Egypt. God's people were given instructions as to how to survive the coming of a death angel who would kill the firstborn in every house. They were to take hyssop that had stiff stems and hairy leaves that worked very well in spreading the blood of a lamb on the doorposts and lintels of the door of a house.

You and I are purified still by blood...the blood of Jesus. No need for blood over our doors. His blood cleans us like nothing else. David was confident in asking to be washed by God. In that request he knew that his heart would be whiter than snow. I don't know about you, but I so want my heart to have that kind of purity...whiter than snow. The next good snow take a good look at it, notice it's whiteness and then praise the Father that He can purge and clean us up compared to the whiteness of that snow. There's no Rinso that can make anything that white. There's a hymn that I dearly love:

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole,

I want Thee forever to ransom my soul;

Break down every idol, case out every foe;

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow

Yes, whiter than snow.

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

...James Nicholson

...William G. Fischer

Father...I do long to be whole, idol free and fit for serving You. Wash me, scrub me, purify me no matter how You have to do it. For Your glory, I want to be whiter than snow. In Jesus precious name...Amen

I Thirst

 

For I will pour water upon him

that is thirsty, and floods upon

the dry ground: I will pour

my spirit upon thy seed, and

my blessing upon thine offspring.

Isaiah 44:3

From a visitors center in our national park there is a 2 mile trail one can walk into the nearest and very popular tourist town. It's a beautiful trail through the woods and mostly follows the beautiful roaring stream. Brian and I have walked that trail several times with no adverse effects in the process. The last time we walked the trail, however, and as we neared the visitors center, I suddenly became very tired and weak kneed. I sat down on a wide, rocky bridge railing and Brian decided to go get the car. Before he left we learned through conversing that I hadn't had my usual fluids to drink that morning and hadn't brought a bottle of water with me. Brian went ahead and got the car but also brought a bottle of water from the visitors center. I slowly but methodically drank the water in the bottle and immediately felt renewed physically. I was thirsty to the max and hadn't realized it.

As I've looked at the subject of thirst in God's Word, there were some who like me thirsted for natural water. Noah wasn't one of them, by the way.

God's people were returning back to their homeland from slavery in Egypt. Moses was doing all he could to keep all of the people happy. As a former social worker, I have often admired Moses for his patience and ability in dealing with a whole lot of people who were disgruntled most of the time. In chapter 17 of Exodus, we find the people griping. Moses had camped in one particular place where there appeared to be no water. Thousands of people...thirsty...murmuring, griping were almost threatening. It was all worked out thanks to God's intervention.

There are other places in Scripture where people found themselves really needing actual water to drink. I don't think there is anyplace in Scripture that I find as heart wrenching as when we see Jesus on the cross. In John 19:28, He called out, “I thirst.” Imagine all He had been through the hours previous to that moment. The last we know of His eating or drinking anything was the evening before prior to His arrest. He was beaten and abused and I can't imagine the blood loss let alone sweat loss. He had to have been completely dehydrated. As if His pain and agony wasn't enough, He made a simple statement in the hope that someone would respond...He was thirsty, that very basic physical need that had probably gone far beyond just having a dry mouth. His body was pleading for fluids. The Romans weren't of the mind to be kind or accommodating and never did give Jesus exactly what His body was craving.

If we are physically thirsty, it's as simple as can be for us to pour ourselves a glass of water, open a bottle of water, pop open a can of soda or go for a glass of juice. We know how to satisfy our thirst. But for we Christians, there is a thirst that goes beyond the physical. Psalm 42:2a makes a strong statement:

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God....

Think of one of the thirstieth moments you can remember facing...after mowing the lawn on a warm summer day, after having a huge ham dinner (ham can create a killer thirst), when having been exercising, when arising in the morning after a long nights sleep that leaves us with “dry mouth”, and on and on. Under those circumstances, I am thirsty and want a good drink of water. I have to ask myself though, “What is my thirst level for God...for the living God?” Do I have a thirst for Him that drives me to Him for spiritual satisfaction that only God can meet.

Remember in John 4 where Jesus meets the woman at the well and asks her for a drink of water. They got into a conversation, Jesus explained to her that there is another water other than what comes from a well. In verse 14 Jesus said:

But whosoever drinketh of the water

that I shall give him shall never thirst;

but the water that I shall give him

shall be in him a well of water springing

up into everlasting life.

What a wonderful invitation Jesus extended to that dear lady and also extends at the same time to us as well. Notice His water is not force-fed. It's a choice we make. We can have as much of Jesus as we want to have. No need for dusty Bible reading...no more parched and dried up times of prayer...dehydrated attitudes and emotions a thing of the past.

I have been digging into Psalm 63 as of late. In it, David speaks of a yearning for more of God in His life and declares his thirst for God as well. His deep desire for God is so wonderfully expressed in verse 1:

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:

my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth

for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where

no water is.

I so want more of God and less of me. I have the thirst and longing but know I can't do this on my own. For me, it will mean consistent and regular intake of that water that Jesus supplies and to recognize my need of it. I never want to lose my longing for Him and all He wants to provide for me in the good times and difficult ones. He stands ready to satisfy my spiritual thirst. I pray you and I will often drink deeply of Him and all He offers for our spiritual strengthening. We should have no hesitancy in going to Him and simply saying, “I thirst.”

Unlike those Roman soldiers at Jesus' crucifixion, He is happy to meet our every physical and spiritual need.

Lord Jesus...You have said, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” So here I am...I'm coming to You because I'm thirsty. I want more of You in my life than I have ever known before. I love You. In Your precious name. Amen

Smiling At The Future

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she smiles at the future.

Proverbs 31:25 (NASV)

Our Southern Baptist ladies magazine “Journey” for February has an article in it with a verse that really stirred my spirit. That verse is from Proverbs 31. Had never noticed this verse before and was so grateful it being drawn to my attention because it reminded me of some wonderful people who have meant much to me. It will probably remind you of some special people as well.

I was reminded of my sister Kay. In her church, she always sang in the choir and was known for being the alto with the smile. I've never seen anyone in a church choir who smiled like she did. She called me that she was seriously ill, I went to the hospital in southern Illinois to see her. I was greeted with her smile. I saw nurses come and go and they all got a wonderful smile from her. I believe Kay knew she was dying upon the time of my first arrival. She did step into Heaven within a couple of months. I was with her as were her daughters on the last Sunday morning she attended her church. She couldn't sing in the choir but was with her when she took her choir folder into the choir room and gave it to the minister of music. He gave her a big hug...both were teary, tears that worked their way around Kay's smile. It was her last church service in a church she had served in and loved. She sat with that smile absorbing every moment. I believe Kay was smiling at the future.

I have a little granddaughter, Madelyn who is a smiler. She wakes up in the morning with a huge smile and has since she was old enough to know how to smile. She goes to bed at night with a smile. During the day, her smile is more than frequent. She doesn't know all of the cares of this world like you and I might know but she can smile in the most insignificance of things, be it a beautiful flower or making a little snowman with me while in the mountains. Her smile is no accident. She has a smiling mother who herself has known adversity in various situations, especially with health concerns. Madelyn has a mother who always smiles at her. That infectious smile has become more a part of that little girls life than she will ever know...her smile is a reflection of her mom's smile.

If I may say so, I'm jealous of ladies with beautiful smiles. I didn't grow up with a smile. I chipped a tooth next to a center front tooth and that chip turned black that seemed immediate. My mom used to tell me to not smile very big or that tooth would show. That's when I was about five years old. For many reasons as I grew, I didn't smile very much and am so sorry I didn't know how to overcome those reasons in order to develop a smile. I continue to work on it, reminding myself at times to smile because with Jesus Christ in my life.

I have stood at the bedside of many very sick ladies, ladies with cancer who were in their last days of that horrible disease. They radiated God's glory with the brightest of smiles even though it would seem they had so little strength with which to smile. I have been at funeral homes more times than I care to think about and have watched ladies in the depths of grief who had lost a husband, but were so steeped in the things of God, that they couldn't help but greet friends and family with a smile...a smile that looks to the future where Heaven will be a sweeter place because of their present loss. I remember a family whose house burned and they were left with a horrible mess. That dear wife and mom told me with a smile through her tears how God would provide for their family. She refused to take her eyes off of the Lord. He did provide and that family's faith was strengthened in a wonderful way. I recall a friend of mine who was in a horrible car accident. We didn't know at first if she would make it or how she would make it. She fought for every inch of improvement in her condition. I told her she had to get well because I was going to be moving and she was my pick to teach my Sunday school class. No matter who visited her through those weeks of rehab and healing, she greeted every visitor with what I would call a “smile of faith” for she truly smiled at the future.

We can always smile at the future when things are going well. It's in the difficult days that we might not feel very “smiley.” Our smile mustn't be dependent on the circumstances of life or the seasons thereof. Our smile isn't to be inappropriate, pasted on our faces or appears when someone smiles at us. However, people cannot be judged by their smiles or lack thereof, but they are certainly a blessing and encouragement to others. Different personalities respond in different ways to different situations. Let's determine to allow the glow from God radiate from us through smiles or pleasant looks. Let's determine to smile at the future, no matter what it holds and greet it's coming as God brings it to us however He deems best.

Dear Father...You've given me every reason to smile on the outside and inside of my life. Thank you for Your every benefit in my life. Help me to be more of a smiler as I look to the future...smiling with a confidence that comes only from You. In Jesus name...Amen

In Season

 

To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under

the heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Preach the word; be instant

in season, out of season...

II Timothy 4:2a

About this time of year, many folks experience falling into the doldrums. In our country, we've gone through lots of holiday hoopla. It started October 1 and ended January 2...lots of celebrating, purchasing, eating, decorating, dressing up, anticipation of parties and gifts...and on an on. Whether we like it or not, or whether we even participate in all of the hilarity, we are caught up in it all emotionally. January 2 arrives and about all there is to get excited about are football teams, pro and college finishing up their seasons. If we aren't into football, we don't even have that going for us.

I spoke with a friend many years ago who was a part of the funeral business. That funeral home had just had a service for someone who had committed suicide. In our conversation, I asked if there are certain months in the year where the suicide rate seems to be higher than other times. Two months were mentioned. One I couldn't understand but the other was obvious....August and January. January I understood because it is a real “downer” month after all of the holiday highs. Perhaps when it comes to August, there can be a lot of change, but I'm not sure about this month.

Believe it or not, we Christians are just as affected by the three months of holiday events as is anyone else. Even though we may take part in church activities that consists of class parties, children's Christmas programs, family Thanksgiving dinners, choir specials and there are probably more I could list, we are still affected. All of these events for we Christians are wonderful, wholesome, blessings and memorable in every way. We may be busy singing all of the Christmas hymns (as I choose to call them), read the familiar holiday Scriptures, extend generosity to those in need...all good things.

Here's the sad thing in it all...our Father is usually pushed to the back of our minds, if not left out completely. It's easy to become lax in our usual activity for Him that often replaces our love and service for God. When we get past it all, it's as if we suddenly wake up to the fact that we'd better get back to some normalcy. The problem is that it's hard playing catch up. We can't really make up the time lost because of our intensive involvement in so many other things. Those three months of holiday activities can move us backward instead of forward spiritually speaking.

So how do we get back on track?

We first need to confess our spiritual negligence to God and make any necessary corrections. Hopefully we learn from mistakes and try with all that is in us to do better the next holiday season in sticking with spiritual priorities. In order to solve a problem, we have to admit that there is one and then make necessary changes.

Secondly, embrace the new year. There are things we can plan for 2014 to look forward to...vacations, weddings, birth of babies in the family, spiritual retreats, etc. All such things will keep us looking forward.

Third, we need to set some goals, spiritual and otherwise that will bring some real growth in our lives. Some of these things could be: work to get out of or stay away from debt, or focus on being physically healthy (physical checkup, dental checkup, be faithful to taking any prescribed medications, exercise, eat healthy, etc.). We need to evaluate where we are spiritually. One of the dangers of holidays and their frivolity is that we are pulled away from our normal spiritual routine. This is where it gets difficult because it's hard to get back to some normalcy in our own power. We have to rely on the Holy Spirit for the power and resolve to serve God in every way. We also have to determine some things within ourselves. We are too quick to give in to defeat, declaring our weakness and helplessness. As God's kids, there should be no such thing as giving up spiritually when we have His power at our fingertips.

If we go by feelings, we will rarely read our Bibles, pray or remain faithful to spiritual responsibilities. There must be a determination and a grit in us to do what is right in God's sight. In this case, determination and obedience go hand in hand. My hope for us all is to be faithful...in season and out of season. No matter the days or times, our faithfulness in relationship with our Father must be maintained. This will be done through Holy Spirit power in each of our lives.

Dear Father, forgive me for my lack of spiritual discipline no matter the days or holidays. I want to be faithful to You and maintain my fellowship with You no matter the times. Thank You for Your forgiveness and for the love You pour into my life, knowing that nothing can separate me from Your love. In Jesus' precious name...Amen.