Grace For Women

I'm moving...

2009-09-28T20:41:00.003-04:00

My blog has a new address, a new look, and a new name but I haven’t changed. I want you to check out my new website the Grace Post.

In the past few months I’ve been staying busy doing book reviews in addition to my own Bible studies. I have been wanting to make it easier for the reader to differentiate between Reviews and Bible Study, this new site provides that to you. I also plan to add a list of resources I find useful in the hopes that they will be of use to your personal study.

If you have any ideas that could make the Grace Post better post a comment and I’ll see what I can do.

I have enjoyed getting to know you through grace for women and I hope you will follow me to the Grace Post!

The Blame Game

2009-09-22T10:52:00.000-04:00

The other night I was sitting at the table with my Mom and the boys and we had out the game Aggravation. As usual this game is a lot of fun but can be quite, well, aggravating. I don’t know if any of you have ever played that game but it has marbles and a dice and you move your colored marble around the board. They each had insisted on bringing a stuffed animal to the table so Furry and Puppy Bear were also joining us for this event. Ethan has now reached an age where he can actually play this game. So we started a game and were letting Micah “play”. I told Micah “do not move the marbles around just roll the dice.”

For the first few rounds he very intently rolled the dice and was doing just right but then he started messing around with his own marbles and then moved on to the marbles which were actually being used in the game. My mom looked right at him and said “Micah, no-no, don’t mess up the marbles.” Without missing a beat Micah replied “Puppy Bear did it.”

We dealt with the situation and told him not to blame “Puppy Bear” but it brought to mind Adam and Eve. Their first sin was pride and disobedience to God. Then when they are confronted with their sin they start the blame game. Just like I did not teach Micah to place blame on someone else for his disobedience, no one taught Adam and Eve to blame each other for what they had done wrong. It is sometimes the natural reaction when we are faced with our own shortcomings.

I think as adults we often think we are more sophisticated than Micah or Adam and Eve. It is easy to tell ourselves that we aren’t blaming anyone for our shortcomings when we actually are.

Have you ever been sitting in your office at work and there has been some time of malfunction and the boss comes in angry wondering what went wrong? Isn’t one of the first things to go through the mind “who’s fault is this?” In our pride we want to blame someone else even if we are responsible. Our hearts might even deceive us into believing it is someone else’s fault.

All too often instead of asking the Lord and our brothers and sister’s in Christ to forgive our wrong doing we think of someone else to blame.

The Lord took the blame for us. If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin. So don’t play the blame game. Repent and be grateful for what the Lord has done.

Search me O God and see if there be any wicked way in me.

10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe, by Larry Osborne: Book Review

2009-09-15T11:06:00.003-04:00

So I just picked up this book simply because of the title Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe. I went into the library to pay a massive fine, or “stupid tax”. Anyway I saw this book and decided to see what this author had to say. I had never heard of the author, Larry Osborne before so I had no preconceived ideas about his beliefs. 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe was a book that intrigued me.

Synopsis
This book covers “Sunday School” myths that many Christians hold as truth from God’s Word. I know that I have been guilty of this in the past. Mr. Osborne writes to debunk these commonly held myths with the truth from God’s Word. He gets right to the point with the first chapter “Faith can fix anything.”

He covers a wide range of topics which many Smart Christians had dumb ideas about. At the end of the book he provides a discussion guide so you can discuss the myth along with the truth from God’s Word with a small group. It would also work as a personal study guide if you want to read this book on your own.

Strengths
This book does not sugar coat the truth. It just presents the truth from God’s Word. This to me makes a Christian growth book good. I like that he points out the difference between a proverb and a promise. He comes back to this point a few times. In his chapter “A Godly Home Guarantees Godly Kids” this point is incredibly relevant. He gives two examples of parents with rebellious children. One set of parents suffers from extreme guilt over what they think must be poor parenting. The other set of parents is filled with unfounded hope that their child will absolutely return to the Lord because of the verse Proverbs 22:6. He uses practical examples like this throughout the book to illustrate the myths we believe from the truth of what God’s Word actually says.

Each chapter provides the reader with several reasons why the widely held belief is false and what the truth actually is in the correlating situation. At the end of each chapter it asks the myth in the form of a question like “Can Christians Ever Judge?” and then answers with a Scripture passage. I love that feature of this book. After you read all his thoughts on the topic you are given a concrete answer from God’s Word to answer the question.

Weaknesses
The author uses lots of Scripture throughout the book, but they are not clearly listed. Often he makes a point or paraphrase and then there is a footnote number. However they are not actually footnotes. They are notes at the end of the book. So if you want to read through this book and read the corresponding passages it takes quite a bit of time. I would have preferred actual footnotes so I wouldn’t have to constantly flip back and forth.

Phrases like “Jesus made a mean Merlot” are unnecessary to me. I understand that Jesus turned water into wine, this type of phrasing doesn’t add anything to the message.

Conclusion
This is a well written book. When I read about the author at the end of the book I was not at all surprised that he has a congregation of 7000 people. He is an excellent communicator and he speaks the truth in love. These chapters speak clearly against widely held beliefs. I am sure he knew that some of his truth would be offensive to some but he confidently presents the facts and I admire that in a person.

I especially appreciated the truth of chapter 10, “Dead People Go to a Better Place”. This is not true unless the deceased person has believed on Christ. He uses the illustration of the rich young ruler who wanted his stuff instead of the Savior. This chapter encouraged me in evangelism. I do not evangelize like I should.

This book is a good read. I think this would be a good book not only for the believer to have good answers to these common questions. I also think it would be a good read for a new believer so they start out with the right answers to what they’ve always heard about Christianity.

The Prodigal Son: A story of pride and humility

2009-09-10T16:35:00.004-04:00

I am studying the book Humility: True Greatness with a group of ladies at my church. Of course the opposite of humility is pride. Pride is the root of sin; it is what Lucifer committed in his heart. It was the demise of mankind. When I started studying Biblical characters that were destroyed by pride I came up with several examples, however one has stuck with me. It is a story that gives us a full picture of pride and humility, The prodigal Son in Luke 15.

Rebellious Pride

The younger son who asks his father for his inheritance is showing his pride. He wants to be on his own he does not want to wait until his father is near death. He wants his money now and he wants to be on his own. We often see this type of pride manifest itself in rebellion in young children. From what we can tell from this story it seems as though the father is loving to his children. Yet he wants his independence. He wants to be footloose and fancy free. So his father grants his wish and the son leaves.

The young son goes out and the Bible tells us that he “squandered his property in reckless living.” This young man is enjoying the freedom to have lots of fun that instant wealth can bring. Yet when a famine strikes the land and all his money is gone he is left feeding pigs. This young man experienced the natural consequences of his rebellion. His pride and rebellion led him to destruction.

Repentance to Humility

So as the son is sitting with the pigs he begins to think of his father. His heart is softened by his circumstances and he decides to go home and beg his father to let him be a servant in his house. His father treats servants better than his is living now. He is broken and humbled. It takes humility to say you are wrong. It takes real humility to go back to the person you wronged and ask them for anything. A truly proud heart would stay in the pig pen where at least they were “on their own.” He knows he needs help and so he takes a chance at repentance to his father. He has been suffered because of his pride but once broken has changed his heart toward humility.

Real Humility

As the son comes home his father sees him from a distance. He runs to his son! This type of act for middle eastern men would have been unheard of. Most men would scorn their son which is why this young man was going with the intention of begging his father to let him be a slave. He expected resistance to his repentance but he was instead met with arms open wide. The father loves his son and is so thankful for his repentance. He does not put a stone wall up against the one he loves.

As the son begins to ask for forgiveness the father doesn’t even seem to hear, He simply calls for the best robe and a celebration to be held because his son has come home.

This father gives us a picture of what Christ did for us. He humbled himself and took suffered on the cross. He gave up His Glory to reach down to us. He runs to us when we come to us. He does not hold our wickedness against us forever. He banishes it as far as the east is from the west. He grants forgiveness. He allows us to spend eternity with Him. Heaven will be unbelieveable to our minds. He does not give this gift begrudgingly, He wants us to be with Him. Why else would He have humbled himself and come to earth? He did it because he wants our repentant and humble hearts.

We as sinners must are also sitting in the pig pen of our own sin. We must come to the Lord with humble and repentant hearts and believe on Him. Humility is something we cannot ignore.

So the party begins for the repentant and now humble younger son. Joy has filled this father’s heart. His son is home.

Repressed Pride

Everyone is not happy at the repentance and return of the young son. No, in fact anger is brewing in the heart of his older brother. This brother did everything right. He had stayed and done what he was supposed to do. His father should have liked him better. He should be having a party because he has been faithful to his father through his actions.

This son reminds me of Jonah, he doesn’t want the Ninevites to be saved he wants justice. That is what this older son wants for this younger son; justice. As Christians I think this type of pride is often our downfall. It is the pride that we deserve Christ because of our service to Him. we are serving him. When a “real sinner” comes back to Christ this type of pride manifests itself in an unforgiving spirit.

It seems from this passage that sometimes pride is not as flagrant as that of the younger son. The pride is present but we conceal it. This type of pride is buried deep within our hearts but just like the Bible tells us “as a man thinks in his heart so is he” is so true. You might be able to hide your pride from those around you but that doesn’t make it any less real. Eventually that sin will be exposed.

Reflections on humility

At the end of this I feel conviction. Often I’m a person with repressed pride. Since we know all people are sinners I think it is safe to say that we all struggle with pride in some form. What is necessary is to ask the Spirit to probe our hearts and point us toward repentance in areas where we are proud and don’t even realize it.

Once we are aware of pride in our own hearts we can ask the Spirit to help us change. We can then grow in humility.

Truly, we have nothing to be proud about in our own lives. It is because of Christ that we will live.

Fearless: Imagine your life without fear. by Max Lucado

2009-09-08T10:07:00.004-04:00

When I got the news that I could get an advanced copy of Max Lucado’s newest book, Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear I was thrilled! Max Lucado was probably my first real exposure to Christian Living literature. I first read his work in college and I just couldn’t believe how his words were so grounded in God’s Word and yet so relatable.

It had probably been 7 years since I had read one of his books, probably just the insanity of newlywed to new mother. So when I picked up this book it was like hearing from an old friend. You and the friend have grown over the years but you still can relate. That’s how it was for me when I picked up “Fearless”.

Synopsis
Fearless takes us from the primary reason for our fear, which is sin. the fears we face, and the fear we need to have. He takes the reader on a journey through fear.

The first chapter is an explanation of why we are afraid. I love that he takes the time to explain this concept. What impressed me most about these chapters were the Scripture passages he uses. Toward the end of the chapter he lists 13 verses where Jesus told His followers to be fearless. He then uses the words of Christ to open the following chapters.

The book continues with chapters that detail common fears and ways to change our thinking towards courage in the Lord. I appreciated his candor when dealing with the subject of fear of death. He details a dream he had where he dies but he has courage in death because of Christ. I loved the story and then he details his own brush with death during a heart surgery. I think that is one of the things I like about Mr. Lucado. He is honest about his own struggles and it makes me take his counsel seriously.

Other fears he touches on include the fear of not mattering, of not protecting my kids, of violence and other relevant topics (obviously you can read the table of contents)

He ends with what he calls “The One Healthy Terror” which details our fear of God. We must always fear Him for He is Holy.

Strengths
One of the best parts of this book is that it uses Scripture as the premise of the author’s assertions. That is important to me. It is not a book that makes points and then finds Scripture to back up his points. It is the other way around, Scripture is the base and everything else falls around that. The first chapter lists 13 verses where Christ instructs His followers not to fear. The following chapters are based largely on this list of passages making the book a cohesive unit.

I alluded earlier to Max Lucado’s candor throughout this book but I can’t reiterate enough how much I appreciate a transparent author. This is not the kind of book where the author spends 200 pages telling you all the great things he has done. Instead he points out his own fears and how these Scriptures help him in his daily walk.

The book includes a discussion guide which is excellent. It includes several thought provoking questions for each chapter as well as lots of Scripture to back it up! Each chapter’s discussion guide has 3 areas of focus: “Examining Fear, Exposing Fear, and Battling Fear.” This would be a great book discussion for small groups at church. When it focuses on Examining Fear it is filled with thought provoking questions like “What are you prone to – dread of failure, rejection, or calamity? What does that indicate about you?”
Exposing Fear is filled with God’s answers to our fears. It lists several bible verses to combat the fears you discover about yourself through the first section. Battling Fear includes a section of reflection and a meditation for the week.

WeaknessesI wish this book went deeper. I think it does a great job of skimming the surface of these issues of fear but the middle chapters where specific fears are listed seem to short. The discussion guide does make up some for this lack of depth in my opinion.

Conclusion
I do recommend Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear. It gave me a lot to think about in my own life. Fear is something that can plague a person. It is something I have struggled with and for those of you who usually read my blog you know that about me. Max Lucado delivers his message in an easy to read manner that is appealing to large audiences. If you are reading this book on your own I encourage you to do the discussion questions as study guide questions after each chapter. Do a chapter each week and meditate on Scripture from the chapter and the probing questions of the study guide. I think it will help the reader get a lot more from this book than simply reading the chapters. This book would also make a great book for small group discussion at church or local Bible studies.

Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear is a great resource for any Christian, whether they are oppressed with fear or not. We all need to remember that because of Christ we have every reason to be “Fearless.”

100 Bible Stories 100 Bible Songs book review

2009-09-01T20:18:00.005-04:00

100 Bible Stories, 100 Bible Songs
Written by Stephen Elkins Illustrated by Tim O’Connor

The cover of this book just draws kids into its pages. The art on the cover is a fantastic example of the art throughout this book. It is happy and colorful. The songs are also just as bright and happy.

This children’s Bible goes from Genesis through Revelation. Like most children’s Bibles these stories are paraphrased and give just a brief overview of the story. A unique feature of this book is that it comes with 2 CD’s with a simple children’s song to go along with each story. The back cover says that your child will Read it! Sing It! And Learn It! This book gives parents the extra tool of music to reinforce a Biblical truth which is a neat feature.

It includes an extensive table of contents in the front of the book which includes the Story, Bible Verse, Bible Song and Page. It also separates the stories by Old Testament and New Testament. Each story is just two adjacent pages. The page on the right has the story and song title and the body of the story. The left hand page has the illustration, Bible verse paraphrase, and a truth your child can learn from the story.

What your child will like

Your child will enjoy the bright illustrations and catchy songs that go along with each story. The stories are easy to understand and the truths are simple for very small children to grasp and put into practice. My boys loved singing the songs some of their favorites were “Only a Boy named David”, “His Banner Over Me is Love”, and “My God is So Big”. My older son (age 4) liked that the stories are short so that we could read several in one sitting.

What the parent will like

These stories and songs give the parent a short version of a story that they can explain to their child. It is often difficult to read a long story to a small child and then have them accurately understand a truth. I think as a parent you will find this book enables you to bring back these truth’s to your child and they will remember the story and song. The songs are a big part of this book and I think it works well with a child’s natural ability to remember and sing songs. Often it seems children will more easily remember a song than a story. As a parent you might enjoy the fact that most of the songs are very familiar classics. It is a joy to introduce these wonderful songs to our children.

My conclusion

This book is beautifully illustrated and presents the Bible accurately. However the stories are very short so the focus of the story is very simplistic. This is good for the very young child, probably under the age of 4. Children older than 4 might find this book too simple for their growing minds. The truth that the book presents is a paraphrase as well. For me, I would like the truth to be an actual Scripture verse with the reference. The book does tell you what book of the Bible the story is from, but the truth presented is not always an actual Bible verse. As a parent you might want to incorporate an actual Bible verse with these stories if you are using them for a devotional time with your child.

I think the CD’s can stand alone apart from the book. We have listened to the CD’s more than once and the kids have enjoyed singing their favorite Sunday School songs at home. If you buy this book I think you will find the CD’s worth the price. I know that some of my readers have fairly conservative views on music. If that is the case you might find some of the songs on the CD’s a little too peppy.

If you are looking for a first Bible for your very young child I think this book is a good starting point.

A Good Witch

2009-08-20T20:43:00.004-04:00

I love being in musical theatre. I’ve loved acting and singing from a young age. My parents would tell you that I got my first taste and love for the stage at the age of 2. It was my first time to sing with the little kids in the Christmas program. The Sunday School teacher put me on one of the back rows of the risers. Well once we started singing I pushed my way through the other kids to the front and stood below the mic and just held on to the bar and tried to sing right into it. My parents were mortified and I was in love.

So, now that I’m an adult I still like to think about acting and singing. On Sunday I always look at the audition section and think about what I would sing or what part I would want to be. I know, I have now shared another small piece of my weirdness with the world.

During my Sunday ritual a couple of weeks ago I noticed that there would be auditions for “The Wizard of Oz” with a local community theatre. I immediately thought I could be Glinda the Good Witch. Now that I’m a mother I thought I could really understand that role. Plus it’s a great part but not a main role. I figured I would have the time to do that. I also thought Ethan (4) could be a munchkin in the production and we could do this activity together. I had the perfect plan. After all these years of wanting to get back into musical theatre I knew this was my time to get back into the scene.

So this week I was excited to audition. I watched YouTube videos of the Good Witch and I was ready. Yet tonight before I was about to leave I started feeling like I wasn’t going to have the time to commit to it. I talked to Daniel (my husband) and he really thought I should go try out and see what exactly was involved. So I drove over there and I still just felt unsettled. I started to pray that the Lord would clearly open or close this door for me. It might seem silly to pray about something like a low budget community theatre play but that’s what I did.

I got there, filled out the paperwork and looked over rehearsal schedule.

Instant disappointment.

I knew I could not audition for this play because I cannot commit to the rehearsal schedule. I start to feel bad for myself. “Why do I have to be a work-week-widow?” Why can’t anything ever work out for me? Why can’t I do something that makes me happy?”

Self-pity was creeping in and taking over, and then I remembered my prayer. The Lord had shown me something clearly. Yes, the answer was “No” but it was still a clear answer. I wasn’t left wondering what to do. I wasn’t waffling in my decision. I knew what to do. The Lord heard me and He answered.

The verses from Ecclesiastes came to mind “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate;a time for war, and a time for peace.”

This just isn’t the time for me. That doesn’t mean the time won’t come again, but that’s hard to keep in perspective when I’m disappointed. Yet it’s true. Life is in a constant flux of phases. I will probably be able to be in a play next year but I can’t focus on what might be. I have to enjoy the time that is today. I must redeem the time like it is a gift. There is no point in self-pity. It just makes me, well, pitiful. And who wants to live like that?

I won’t be playing Glinda the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz, but maybe my kids won’t mind if I pretend to be the Good Witch here at my own personal Oz.

A Mother's Glimpse of the Father's Love

2009-08-16T11:02:00.001-04:00

God speaks of being our Father throughout Scripture. He is truly our Lord and Master but more than that Christ calls Him “Father’. As a child I used to think of my parents and how they loved me. As the recipient of their love I valued them. Yet my small gestures were nothing compared to what they did for me. They provided everything essential. They also filled my childhood with memorable experiences. As a child I think you expect this from your parents. You grow up and they do these things for you from the start of your life until you move out. So I kind of thought of God this way. Yes I knew He loved Christ but I kind of thought it was obligatory. Then I had kids.

Yes a parent is obligated to care for their children but the love you feel for your child is something very different. As a mother you have an overwhelming desire to care for and love your children. This makes the acts we do for our kids much more than obligatory in nature. It makes those actions come from our hearts.

So this gives us a truer picture of God’s love for Christ. He did not just send Christ down to do a job. It was difficult. Can you imagine your child sitting in a garden on the last night before they would be betrayed, beaten, and killed and asking you to spare them from this torment? It would be pure agony for me as a mother to allow that to happen to my son. Even though it was what they are created for. I would still want to save him.

Imagine the torture of watching your child being abused and then taking all the sin of the world on Himself, and because of God’s holiness He must turn His face away. It’s would be true horror to a parent.

As mother’s, I know understand the explanation of a father and His child. It is a human relationship that parents can completely understand. The Bible repeatedly uses familial terms to describe relationships between God and His creation. Think about marriage. Paul tells us it is like Christ and the church. God is the Father and Jesus is His Son. It is one of the unexpected gifts of motherhood. We see Christ as God’s son and it gives a new wonderful appreciation for what has been given to us.

It is truly one of the gifts of Motherhood!

Book Review: Surrender All by Joni Lamb

2009-08-03T15:55:00.003-04:00

Surrender All was a book I had the opportunity to read and review recently. I knew virtually nothing about the author, other than the fact that she was a TV talk show host for a Christian broadcast network. I let the book sit on the shelf for a while because I’ve been pressed for time. However on a recent trip I was able to read the book in just two sittings. I was interested in her as a person as soon as I started reading because she is from my hometown of Greenville, SC. Maybe if she is ever in her home state we can have lunch.

The book details many aspects of life. Surrender must take place in our homes, when we succeed and fail and ultimately all the glory goes to God. The message of this book is spot on in these areas.

Before I give a wholehearted stamp of approval to this book, I get the feeling that the Lambs are full gospel. There are frequent stories where she tells us that Jesus came to her in a vision or that the Lord literally spoke to her or someone else. My usual readers probably know that this is not something I would personally agree with.

One of the things I truly appreciated about this book is that the focus is always on what God did, not what Joni and her husband have accomplished in their own strength. It seems as though their heart for ministry is genuine, and I find the spirit of the book refreshing.

My favorite story in the book is when Joni tells us how the Lord orchestrated events in her life so that she and her husband Marcus would be husband and wife. She had to deal with heartbreak and then was able to find the love of her life. In keeping with the theme of the book Joni had to surrender her life to the Lord in order for Him to direct her steps.

Overall I found this book well written and the stories accurately illustrated the points she is trying to make. I found that the book encouraged me to give everything to the Lord.

My Carnal Behavior

2009-07-22T11:15:00.005-04:00

The word “carnal” brings specific sins to my mind. When I hear the word I generally think of some sexual sin or desire. The word “carnal” is generally used in the New Testament to describe our flesh; so the sexual connotation of that word is not out of place. However today I was reading 1 Corinthians 3 and was intrigued by Paul’s description of carnality. He uses the words “envying and strife,”

This definition of carnality instantly caught my attention. Carnal behaviors are activities we engage in to serve our flesh. It’s fascinating to me when I read a verse that completely changes my view of a word. When I read about being carnal that’s what happened.

The Corinthian church was one that should have matured in Christ but had stunted growth. This was because they were indulging in their flesh. Paul points out their carnality by listing a few specific sins.

Envy

As we read through 1 Corinthians we see that as a church body they were jealous of each other’s gifts. They wanted to have the gifts they deemed superior instead of gladly accepting the gift the Holy Spirit had given each on individually. I think this could be a problem in our modern church as well. How often do jealousies run wild when someone is put in charge of a ministry?

Strife

The verses continue to detail a situation where the Corinthian church was arguing about who led them to the Lord, Paul or Apollos? Fighting over which person they were going to pledge their allegiance to. The focus should have been on God, the spiritual. Instead of fighting over who their allegiance should have been to, their focus should have on serving Christ. We cannot serve God and man.

In this passage we see that being carnal is when we live for our flesh. God is Spirit and He sent us the Holy Spirit. We must be mindful that we serve God and not our flesh. We are His temple.

In Old Testament times the people would go through painstaking rituals to purify and make the temple holy. They would not dare come to the Lord dirty or sinful. Yet as a church that is what the Corinthians were doing. They were coming to the Lord dirty and the Lord was not pleased. God is Holy. He makes Himself available to us at anytime but He requires holiness from us.

As we live our lives we must be mindful of the holiness of God. When we accept Christ he lives in us. Our temples should be holy and set apart. God cannot dwell in or reward a flesh minded temple.

This convicts me. I point a finger in my mind at those who choose to live in what often is considered the really bad sins like adultery and fornication. Yet scripture calls me carnal when I am jealous of another Christian or when I stir up fights. This sin might be easier to hide but is just as devastating to my spiritual condition. I encourage you today to think about your body as God’s temple. Let Him transform you so that you can be filled with His Spirit and your life will count for eternity.

Words for Young Mothers: Let God Have the Control

2009-07-13T15:52:00.004-04:00

Many of my friends are having babies or are first time mothers. This has caused me to reminisce about my experiences as a new mother. There were so many new responsibilities that I felt completely overwhelmed. Add to the reality of those responsibilities, out of control hormones, and sleep deprivation, and you get one crazy lady! Yet even in this whirlwind of craziness I had great joy with my new son.

One of the biggest mental obstacles I’ve had to face as a mother is relinquishing the control of my children to God. I am a control freak. I was born the boss, yet even though I want to control everything, I simply cannot control everything that happens with my kids. The first couple of weeks at home with Ethan I would not sleep at all during the night. I was scared Ethan would get sids. This fear was exaggerated since the only way he would sleep was on his tummy and the Dr just scared me to death about letting him sleep that way. So for endless nights I would lie in bed awake and then go check on him incessantly.

One night as I was laying there freaking out, I realized something; I am not in control when we have to sleep. Yes, I need to be prudent and aware but I have to sleep and so does Ethan. So I began to meditate on Scripture. One verse that was a comfort to me was “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” God cares about my children more than I do, and ultimately He is in control. God knows more about them and cares about them in every way. He will protect them. This is a hard one for Mom's. Children are our responsibility and we take it seriously as we should. However this care we give our children should not be overcome with fear for their well-being.

Having children gives women a glimpse at the Father’s love for His Son. Imagine how much you love your child and care for him, and then multiply that times infinity and you would have just some of God’s love for His children. Entrust your little ones into the hands of the Almighty. He will care for them in the best possible way.

Worship on Purpose

2009-07-01T11:45:00.005-04:00

My Pastor, Dean Taylor, preached a great message in his Worship on Purpose series which I think ties in nicely with my blogpost No Skirts, No Suits, No Service

If you have a chance to download and listen to this message, I think you will be blessed!

Treasure

2009-06-26T12:16:00.001-04:00

I recently went grocery shopping at my normal store. I go to the same store at about the same time every week. I’ve gotten to know the check-out ladies and the men who bag and carry out the groceries. I like that feeling of community. However because of this familiarity I know one of the bag men is kind of grumpy. So today I saw that one of my favorite check-out ladies, Janine, was available so I went to her aisle but then I saw the grumpy bag man. He’s older, probably in his 70’s. I was not thrilled but since he’s not overtly mean I just went ahead.

After I paid he started pushing the cart and I was leading him to our car. As we are getting ready to walk across the parking lot, I see Micah and the cart just kind of free rolling into the road. I grab the cart. I’m wondering of course what has happened. For the first time ever, I see the grumpy man smiling. He says “I got it!” and then stands up and starts pushing the cart again.

Now, what he was reaching over to pick up? One nickel. Seriously. He let the cart roll away for a nickel. He did not care about anything at that moment but picking up a stray nickel. I was stunned that a nickel was more important to him than the well being of my child and doing his job properly. Let’s just say he will not be getting a pat on the back for the job he did today.

Yes, what he did was odd but it revealed what was important in his life at that moment was a nickel. While this played out very obviously today it made me think of the times I let go of what is really important for those things that are insignificant. Yes there is value in a nickel, but the amount of groceries he was responsible for was worth way more than that, not to mention the priceless life of my child.

Matthew 6:19-21
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also

I am quick to judge this man because he did not share a love for what I valued. However often I am guilty of the same thing. I want my treasure to be in heaven but so often I drop what needs to be cherished for something trivial. This speaks volumes about my heart. Anything that makes us break the greatest commandments of loving God and loving people is moving our hearts away from where it should be.

My judgment of the bag-man quickly turned to judgment of myself. There are areas where I know I’m leaving what is truly important for the insignificant.

So, while I might be avoiding this particular bag-man in the future, I am thankful that the Lord used that instance to teach me a lesson about myself. I need to avoid the nickels along my path and treasure the truly meaningful.

Victory Over My Mouth Begins with a Battle for My Mind

2009-06-14T23:04:00.003-04:00

If you know me at all, you are probably aware of my tendency to talk. Sometimes I use this for good, but I often get myself into trouble. The Bible tells us that the tongue will cause us problems. James tells us that the tongue defileth the whole body! This is a scary prospect for me and one I must work on. I don’t want my tongue to be a poison. So for the chatty among us, getting this under control is vital to put this gift to good use.

While I’ve been meditating and studying what Scripture says about the tongue, I read the verse“a fool uttereth all His mind.” It is foolish to say everything we think. James tells us to put a bridle on our tongue. We need to control it. This is where I think my attention has broadened from simply my tongue to my mind as well. A fool often has foolish thoughts. Yes, it is foolish to say everything we think, yet what we think shapes what we say.

So I’ve been focusing on a few areas of my mind. One, I am trying to think with love. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love thinketh no evil. I am trying to conscientiously focus my thoughts on goodness of the evil of another person. This can be so hard to do sometimes. Sometimes it’s hard to think of something positive, yet love should override our thinking. I’ve been asking the Lord to show me the good in others and to make that my focus. Obviously, I would not want someone to focus on all my negatives (and there are plenty) so I should not be focusing my attention on someone else’s problems. Our Love for God and love for others is the basic commandment from Scripture. If I am acting in obedience to Christ, I will show love to my fellow man by thinking good.

Another action I am focusing on is renewing my mind. Romans 12 says we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds. It seems an impossible task, but it is not. We have a powerful gift in the Holy Spirit. When we are Spirit-filled, the transformation of our minds is possible. When our minds are transformed then our lives and actions are changed as well. It starts with our mind! We must ask for the Spirit’s help. Without His help how could I ever think the kinds of thoughts that would make for good conversation?

And so it becomes a battle. My spirit is willing and my flesh is weak. I want to focus my mind on things above but it is a struggle without the work of the Holy Spirit. Negative thoughts easily slip into my mind without any effort and replacing that negativity with positive thought takes a purposeful decision. It takes true love that comes from the Lord.

A prayer for today:

Lord, please change my thoughts to your thoughts and ways. Allow the Spirit to transform my thinking to Godly ideals. Will you protect my mind from negative thoughts about my family, friends and acquaintances and change them to hopeful positive thoughts. Help me to think on goodness of others.

Take the work of goodness You do in my mind and allow that to control my tongue. Let your thoughts and direction keep my mouth from harming the Body of Christ. Let your Spirit guide my mind and words to love. Let my words be used for good and not for evil.

Change my mind to hopeful thinking. Let my focus be on the grace and mercy You have shown in my own life.

A Modern Day Jonah

2009-06-05T09:28:00.001-04:00

In Scripture we see the law as a way for people to know how to define justice in their society. The law helped maintain order. It also gave the people a picture of the Holiness of God and man’s complete inability to be holy. The Law still does an important work today. When we read the law in scripture we see our need for a Savior. We see that God demands justice and holiness. He sent a Christ to save us from the damnation we so deserve.

In our society we have laws as well. We have rules and regulations to keep order. When those laws are broken the perpetrator is usually punished. When they are not we are outraged. How could this be? They were guilty! We feel unsettled because justice has not been done. Someone did wrong and they should pay. Bad people should get bad treatment and good people should receive good things.

Jonah is someone I can relate to when I think about the law. He is someone who was a prophet of God yet ran when God wanted him to talk to the wicked Ninevites about repentance. The Ninevites did not follow God’s law. In fact in many areas they did the exact opposite of what God requires. What gets me about Jonah is that he did not want to tell them to repent because he knew they would and that God would have mercy on them. He did not want them to have mercy. He wanted justice. He wanted God’s law measured out in full force on the wicked Ninevites.

Yet he did not want justice for himself. He wanted mercy and grace even though he had done wrong. He just viewed their sins as worse than his. So he thought they should be punished instead of forgiven.

I identify with Jonah because like him I have a rich heritage. I assume Jonah was raised in a Jewish home. Regardless of how he was raised he was a prophet and had a special gift from God. I was raised by Christian parents in a Christian home. I was saved by God’s grace at a young age. This was a great gift from God! Yet somehow the thought still crosses my mind of “you got what you had coming!”

This is not an attitude from God. It’s an attitude of pride, and I know that is something God hates. Like Jonah, I sometimes want mercy for myself and justice for the “bad people” around me. I deserve the same, yet Grace saves me.

The Noticer, a book review

2009-05-30T20:59:00.003-04:00

This week I read “The Noticer” by Andy Andrews. The story begins with a struggling young man named Andy, and his seemingly happenstance meeting with an older man named Jones. Jones helps him gain “perspective” and this changes his life. The book is a collection of stories about people with difficult life circumstances like death, marriage difficulties, and depression. Jones is able to come to the aid of these people when the least expect it and help them see things with a new point of view.

What I like about this book is that the character of Jones encourages the reader to stop focusing on what is wrong in their life and to focus on the positive. He also encourages them to look for the good in things and look forward to better things to come. When one dwells in the depths of despair they often stay in that predicament. The book urges the troubled souls of this book to gain a positive perspective on life. This doesn’t change the past, but it can make your future brighter.

The only issue I have with this book is that it was sold as “Spiritual Growth”. While there can be some personal growth from this book, I would not classify it as Christian Spiritual Growth. If you pick up this book at the Bible bookstore and are expecting to see Scripture, you will not find it in this book. There are a couple references to Biblical characters listed as biographies along with many other people. There are also a few references to prayer. The message of this book is not anti-Christian, but is not Christian focused.

Overall, I found this to be an uplifting story; one that teaches the reader to take the focus off of self and put life’s problems into proper perspective. It was a good read.

A Modest Proposal

2009-05-07T23:08:00.005-04:00

When I wrote the article No Skirts, No Suits, no Service and A Response, I seperated part of it because I was going down two paths. In addition to the fact that our dress should not hinder people from coming to Christ; our dress should be modest and point people to Christ. Modesty is often just a discussion about lines; hemlines and necklines. Modesty is also a discussion of our spirit and attitude. Our clothing choices are a very narrow focus in comparison to the broader discussion of a modest spirit and attitude. When our hearts are modest then our clothing choices will often follow naturally.

We find a few verses on clothing in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. This seems to be the verse most people go to when discussing clothing for women. Clearly, women should be modest. A few weeks ago I was listening to a sermon by Dr. Kevin Bauder titled “Revisiting Biblical Womanhood”. In this message he made a point out of the context of these famous verses. The beginning of the chapter gives us the premise for the rest of the chapter’s instructions. “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” This is one of those times when I knew the well-used verses but never even considered context.

The instructions in this chapter are related to instruction to bring people to Christ! The exhortation to modesty is an instruction not to dress in such a way that we are bringing undue attention to ourselves, for any reason. Whether our clothes attract attention because they show too much skin or because they show that we like to spend a lot of money, at the point our clothes are the focus in any way, the focus is wrong.

It is my belief that our view of modesty has been skewed by time. The idea that women should be covered and modestly dressed is a good thing, and most of us agree with this principle. The problem from my view, is that most have narrowed their view of modesty to simply clothing choices. The context of 1 Timothy 2:9-10 speaks of being both sober and modest. This means we should not be bringing attention to our dress. Although most people think only of clothes which are revealing as “immodest”, the word means more than that. For example, if I wore a ballgown to church, even if it was floor length and came up to my collar bone; I would not be modest because
I would be bringing undue attention to my clothes.

The instruction of 1 Timothy tells us what we should do instead of placing the focus on our clothes. We are to be clothed in good works. Are Christians known for their good works? This is sobering to me. When people think about me do they think about my good works or about my cute outfit? As a Christian I am to be showing Christ to the world around me through my good works. In the New Testament we read time and again about bringing people to Christ because of our good works. This passage falls right in line with this concept of winning souls. In fact it seems to be the point of this chapter.

Maybe I’ve brought up a silly conversation in light of eternity. However, I think it is entirely possible that Satan has used issues like clothing to divide the Body of Christ.

Either way, I hope I have started a discussion. I hope we all have something we can consider as we try to grow in the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No Skirts. No Suits. No Service : a response

2009-05-03T16:00:00.003-04:00

How does your dress affect your church attendance?(online surveys)

Wow, the response from this discussion has been diverse. Clothes are something that people obviously care a lot about. I had a second part to this article started, but because of the amount of comments and concerns I’m going to postpone that. I’d like to comment on the concerns and ideas I’ve been hearing. I will post the second part which is about modesty sometime this coming week. I have added a poll, would you mind to vote? I would love to get a snapshot of the varying ideas.

A friend told me this morning that they found my article offensive. I appreciate her honesty with me, and think it’s safe to assume that others shared her view. She felt that I put everyone who goes to a conservative church in a box. She felt I was wrong to assume that all people who dress up for church is judging others or doing so to make themselves feel righteous. I am sorry for this, and she is absolutely right. Certainly, many people do not feel the way I characterized in my first article. How could I possibly know the hearts of those around me? I was speaking very directly about my perception. My perception cannot be placed on those around me. It is obvious from the comments and e-mails that many share my view and others do not. I would assume that since someone voiced their concern there are probably others who were offended. If you were, I sincerely apologize for characterizing you negatively. It was not my intent.

Another concern voiced in the comments and by a few others was dressing up for the occasion, which is coming to God’s house. God’s holiness is very important. His holiness is a central attribute in my mind. His Holiness is something we should be focused on when we pray, when work, when we attend church, and in whatever we do. While I don’t know of any specific passages that command us to dress up, certainly the idea of respecting God’s Holiness is a valid point. We do come together to worship God and when two or three are gathered together in his name he is in the midst of them. When we dress up to show our reverence for God and His house I think it is a good thing. If you feel that dressing up shows respect for God’s Holiness I understand that and am supportive.

The issue I was trying to address was that our clothes should not define who we are, and what we wear can even be a hindrance. If you are dressing up because you want to acknowledge God’s holiness on Sunday, I support you in that. My concern is that this tradition has morphed into a requirement. This was the issue I was focusing on. If what we wear on Sunday is an outpouring of the heart; that is a good thing. If we wear something to be accepted by our peers or be looked upon as “good Christians” then it is probably not from good motivation. I raised questions based on my perceptions and experiences because that’s what I understand. I’m thankful for the different views that have been shared, it gives good perspective.

It is clear that many share my concerns. I hope that in voicing our shared concern you will grow in grace in understanding your Brothers and Sisters in Christ who disagree with you.

For those who disagree with the view I suggested, I hope you will take the knowledge of others feelings and use that to grow in grace as well.

It is clear from this discussion that no one wants others, especially those who do not know the Lord, to feel uncomfortable at church. I don’t know how we do this. Do we have people come to church a little less formal so that if guests come they feel welcome? Do we go out of our way to buy Sunday clothes or do we just wear our best from everyday life? I’m sure there are better suggestions out there, share them!

I’m looking forward to reading Scripture filled responses!

No Skirts. No Suits. No Service?

2009-04-29T20:28:00.004-04:00

I’ve been thinking about clothes a lot this week. I have been reading a discussion online about appropriate church attire. It has opened my eyes to a huge problem within the Church today. We judge the righteousness of others based on their clothing. Yikes! Now, I'm not talking about modesty. I think it's important but not the focus of this essay.

James 2 immediately comes to mind “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Now, I cannot remember the last time someone came to our church with an obviously expensive outfit and someone else having on “vile raiment.” I think we could apply this to our culture this way: we see someone in a long skirt and think, they must be really spiritual. Then we see someone in jeans and think, they must not know any better. We then respect the person dressed in a suit or long dress as good and righteous, and the person in jeans as inferior. It seems from this passage that the problem is not with our dress but our attitudes.

However the obvious is true as well, those in vile raiment are probably poor people. I believe we do not see extremely poor people in our churches because of our dress codes.

Whether church dress codes are spelled out or implied they keep people from coming to church. At some point it seems like what we are wearing is more important than our attendance. That's a problem and not Biblical.

There have been times when we were coming home from a vacation and could have made it to church. However we did not go because we did not have time to change into something acceptable. We were modestly dressed but not in 'appropriate" attire. Man's laws and ideas about clothing kept us away.

And so we come to the poor. It has been my experience that our dress codes keep poor people from our churches. We have a mega church here in Greenville, 80% of the church is considered poor by anyone's standards. They go to this church because they are accepted. If their best is jeans and a polo shirt, that is what they wear and it's not an issue. I realize that there are other factors to the mega church, loud music, dancing, etc. Still, I know that when people go to a church that is super formal and they can't afford to dress appropriately, they leave and go where they fit in. I don't want these people to leave. I want them to stay and learn the Truth of God's Word!

The Bible is also clear about the faith of poor people and the difficulty for the wealthy to come to Christ. The book of Matthew tells us “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” I believe this is because a wealthy person does not have physical needs and does not see their need of a Savior. It’s not impossible for them to be saved, but close because they don’t have need. Our churches are filled with people who do not have real needs. Hence the reason we often do not see many adults coming to Christ in our churches.

James 2 continues : “Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?Those who are poor are rich in faith. They see their need more easily and believe.

So at the end of this ramble I think a few things are clear. We are focused too much on clothes. We are working very hard to fit into a man made mold in order to appear righteous. In so doing we also look down upon those who do not fit our mold. This is sin.

Should our clothes be modest? Of course. Is there anything wrong with dressing up for church? Of course not.

There is something wrong with dressing for the approval of others. There is something wrong with looking down our noses at those who are not dressed “right”. In order for there to be revival in our churches we must win people to Christ. We need to love people, not what they are wearing. Grace should be applied instead of judgment.

I think the question of dress should be is it Biblical or simply a tradition?

Earth Day: a literal view

2009-04-22T21:50:00.006-04:00

I am not much of an outdoors woman. However I appreciate God's creation and believe we should be good stewards of it. Today when Ethan asked if he could wear green for Earth day I found a green shirt for him and Micah. So while I encourage the idea of being good stewards of God's creation, I do not play outside very often. I hate mud. I hate dirt. I have never liked to be dirty and I don’t think I ever will. Tonight though, I was destined to be dirty.

I sent the boys outside to play while I cooked dinner. I threw a pizza in the oven and was doing some general cleaning work in the kitchen. I saw the boys were playing nicely but then saw them going over to a muddy area of the yard. I instructed Ethan not to get into the mud because I did not want a huge mess right before dinner. He said “Ok” and I went back inside.

I guess his agreement with my command was just words because a few minutes later I see Micah covered in mud. Ethan has some mud on himself as well.

I was hoppin’ mad! “There will be no dessert or cartoons tonight! Get in here!” I hollered at them.

Of course then I had second thoughts as they got closer to the door, I couldn’t let that mess into the house. So I had them stand on the patio while I ran up the stairs to retrieve the towels. At this point Micah is crying because he has mud in his eye but has nothing clean to wipe it with because he is covered.

So I take off all their clothes in the backyard (we have a privacy fence so no one could see) wrapped them in towels and went upstairs to the bathroom. On the way I do think to turn the oven off in hopes that dinner will not be completely ruined. I started Micah in the tub but I could not get the mud out of his hair so I had to go to plan B which included me getting into the shower with him.

I am really upset at this point. Why would these kids disobey me? Don’t they understand what No means? Why am I failing as a mother? Now my dinner is going to be ruined!
As I am getting Micah redressed the thought occurs to me, this is not personal against me. “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child” This is childish behavior and has very little to do with me. Yes, I need to teach them to obey but they are kids and kids get muddy.

This thought progressed to my relationship with the Lord. Paul tells us in Philippians that “He humbled himself”. God came down to our level in human flesh. I have wronged him in far worse ways than my children wronged me this evening. Yet He does not yell at me. He doesn’t look down his nose and me and say “How could you?” Instead He teaches me over and over again the right thing to do. He is full of love, mercy and grace. These are things I need to show my children. Yes, discipline is necessary but I need to show love, mercy and grace to my children just as Christ showers me with these everyday.

In the end, I made the kids a peanut butter sandwich to make up for the burned up pizza and drove myself out for some fast food. We had a nice evening and the kids went to bed without any issue. Hopefully I’m starting to learn my lesson in grace and the kids are starting to learn their lesson in obedience.

Why Do We Need God's Law?

2009-04-21T23:00:00.004-04:00

It’s an honest question many people have. If we now live under grace then what impact does God’s Law have on our lives?

The Law of God is very important to our lives. The Law gives us a glimpse at the character of God. His Law show us His love for people and His holiness. God is holy and can tolerate nothing less than holiness from those who dwell with Him. The Law is how God tells us what we need to do as we travel this Earth. This again shows God’s love for his people. He does not leave us ignorant. He gives us his law so we will know what He expects of us.

Since Christ came the Law still serves a purpose. Christ came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. He told us the most important laws to follow, Love God and love our neighbor. This seems so simple after reading books like Leviticus. How could Christ come to fulfill the whole Law yet simplify the books of laws down to only 2 laws?

I think it is because all the laws God gave us can fall under these two main categories. When Exodus 20 tells us that we should not covet our neighbor’s things, this is giving us instruction on loving those around us. The 10 commandments also give us instruction not to have other gods. This law clearly falls under loving God.

So the Law of God is given to help us know what God expects of us. It also shows us our sin. The Law of God convicts us of our sin. Have you ever gotten a new cell phone and you are using it just fine until you find out your new contract only had 200 minutes a month after you had used 1000? You find out when you get the bill and realize that a simple mistake is going to cost you big bucks! That is what happens when we learn God’s law. Without it we would go through life without even knowing we had done wrong in God’s eyes. Luckily we have the gift of the Law. We know the character of God because of it, and this reveals the deficiency in our own lives.

Yes, we are saved because of God’s free gift of grace. We must only believe on Christ to be saved. This never ceases to amaze me. However, this grace does not diminish the gift of the law. Jesus did not change God’s laws, He fulfilled God’s promise.

Palm Sunday

2009-04-04T22:10:00.003-04:00

Hosanna! Hosanna! It is Palm Sunday. This is the day when we remember Christ’s triumphant entry into the Jerusalem. This is the beginning of the Holy Week. The people were so thankful to see Jesus. They wanted Him to be their physical king. They did not understand that God’s plan for redemption was going to take place in just a week’s time. They were right. Christ will save us, just not how they thought He would. His death would set them free from the bondage of the law. They would be redeemed through His death and resurrection. The people were praising and proclaiming Him as their Savior. Not only was He the Savior of the Jews, but of all people.

So today proclaim Hosanna with your voice and heart! Be thankful for the gift God has given you in His Son Jesus.

Writing for Children

2009-03-30T15:55:00.002-04:00

I have not posted in a while so I thought I would give you a quick update as to why. I have been writing some stories on The Law of God for a Children's Bible Curriculum. I just started 2 weeks ago and they are due in a week! I have never written children's literature so it has been challenging and fun at the same time. I have been learning a lot about why God gave us His Law and our inability to follow it.

I'm working on teaching the children what the Law is and how it reveals the character of God and the character He wants us to exemplify.

The second topic is what the Law does, how it reveals to us our depravity and need for a Savior.

What the Law cannot do, how the Law cannot save us from sin.

Finally, the Cure for the Law, how faith in Christ is what saves us, not our good works.One verse that has stuck with me is Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us . . .”

Christ has redeemed us once for all. I have been learning much about the Law of God and one I hope the children will understand this doctrine when I'm finished. If you think of me would you pray that the Lord would give me wisdom as I study and write? I will appreciate it much!

Joseph's Recession: A history lesson for today

2009-03-18T19:15:00.002-04:00

The Bible tells us the story of a kind, intelligent ruler named Joseph who through Divine revelation, tells the Pharaoh that there will be 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine.

Now, the years of plenty were amazing; wealth you can hardly imagine. During this time, the people are taxed and the grain is stored so that they would have food for the years of famine. For seven years they meticulously saved 20% of their wealth while still enjoying the bounty.

Of course the seven years of famine followed. This was a deep and dark famine. People are forced to come to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph’s families, the Israelites, come and eventually settle in the land of Goshen.

During this famine the people run out of money to buy grain, so they exchange cattle for grain. Then, there is nothing left to sell so they sold their land and themselves in exchange for grain. Imagine the desperation of these people. I cannot even imagine the kind of hunger where I would sell myself to the government to pay for food, but that is what it came down to for these people. Even with the warning that hard times were coming they were still unable to prepare adequately for their suffering. Not only did they sell themselves to the Pharoah, but as part of the agreement, they were forced to pay an additional 20% of their income to the government. They were so desperate that they sold themselves and were still taxed on what they produced.

I cannot help but see the parallel between this time in history and our nation’s current financial tempest. We have had several years of plenty but during that time our nation wasted what could have been saved. As citizens, we went into debt to pay for a lifestyle we wanted. It seemed ok at the time because we were earning decent money and the banks were willing to give out the credit in exchange for exorbitant fees and interest rates. Banks gave people credit to buy homes they could never afford. It seemed ok though because they would be able to just barely pay the bank and the bank would still be making their income. We lived in a way that seemed ok at the time. There has been little concern in our society about the time of financial famine. Our lack of concern, however, did not stop the recession for coming.

It seems as though the actions of the Egyptian government saved their people from starvation and certain death. In the short term this is absolutely true, but another result of Joseph and Pharoah’s plan was the enslavement of a nation -- not only financial enslavement but personal enslavement to the government. Government acted on the fears of their people and the people gave up everything they had in order to have grain. The people’s government was changed forever because of their immediate hunger. The help that they received in the short term took everything away for the foreseeable future. This was done with the best of intentions but the motivation did not change the ramifications of their actions.

The Israelites would remain in Egypt for years and would be the slaves of the Egyptians. They had food but it came at a price. They would be beaten, treated poorly, face persecution, and would be forced to serve their master. Yes, they are eventually saved from their horror, but it takes years and their suffering is real. Their eventual escape is the result of God’s intervention.

As Americans, it seems we are unfortunately headed down this road. We may not be physically beaten, but we are slowing giving away our freedoms and finances over to the government with the hope that they will save us.

They will not.

The result will be personal enslavement to a big, wealthy government. Even worse, since our government has spent tax dollars they did not have, American citizens will also be beholden to enemy nations. We are giving away what we have earned with the hope that the government can save us from our problems. We are giving it to a government who has not shown financial wisdom in the past. We may not feel all the effects of giving away our freedoms, but our children will. We are choosing to give away their ability to live financially free. I have no reason to think that the Egyptian leaders intended slavery to be the result of their intervention. However, their good intentions did not change the result.

Unlike these ancient times, we have history to teach us. We should use our knowledge of what has happened in the past to positively affect what we will allow to happen in our society. The power is still in the hands of the American people. Do not let go of your financial freedom for short term security. Even the most well meaning leaders can do irreparable harm. We must stop our nation from entering a recession of Biblical proportions.

Preparing my Heart for Easter: A modified Lent

2009-02-25T21:04:00.005-05:00

Easter is almost here and I love it. I love color coordinating my family’s outfits and eating Easter candy. I think some of the candy during Easter is better than at Christmas. I cannot resist mini Cadbury Eggs. During this time of year I am generally making these preparations for Easter. These are not bad things, but they are also not important things. As evangelical Christians we celebrate the resurrection rather quickly. While I’m not saying that this a bad thing, many other denominations and religions take the next 40 days more seriously. For many, preparation for Easter is serious business. While I know that the customs, traditions, and generally legalistic means are of no use in earning God’s favor, a person who is focused on the life and crucifixion of Christ is doing a good thing.

The life Jesus lived and the death He suffered make the resurrection all the more glorious. He chose to live here, work here, and die on Earth because of his love for mankind. I know the stories, I know that it’s important, but the depth of God’s choice to love us this way deserves my meditation and focus.

Lent is a long standing tradition within Christianity. For some this is a time where they try to earn forgiveness of sins. These acts are necessary in their minds in order to earn God’s favor. This is not a Biblical idea. We do not need these acts in order to earn favor with God. However there is benefit in taking 40 days to focus on the Cross and what the death and resurrection of Christ really mean. Matthew 4:2 tells us that “when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” In some religions the act of fasting and feasting, almsgiving, and prayer are things that are works of righteousness. The works aren’t necessary, but a spirit given to meditating on the life of Christ is a good thing. In keeping with that principal, I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to focus on the passion of Christ until Easter.

One idea is to read through the Gospels during the 40 days. There is a schedule here. This is an idea I embrace and plan to do. I don’t know of any better way to focus on the Gospel than to actual read it. I hope others will consider this idea in their own lives.

Another traditional part of Lent is Almsgiving. In our current economy this might be a hard one for a lot of people. Joyful giving is something that flows from the heart. It is possible to give alms that are not simply money. Making dinner for someone less fortunate would be a way to help that would cost very little money. What about watching a child for a friend who cannot afford a sitter? You can volunteer at a soup kitchen, a gift of alms that costs nothing but time. Helping the poor should not be a once a year thing. I think this part of lent should be an integral part of our everyday life. It is part of loving others. Maybe this time of reflection would be a good time to put what we know we should be doing into practice.

Fasting is something I have done in the past, and will do again in the future. There are several passages in the Bible that deal with fasting and prayer. When the disciples as Christ why John the Baptist’s disciples were fasting they weren’t He answered them “Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” Fasting is a time where your heart is so full of prayer that you do not eat. It is a special time of fellowship with the Lord. I do not think it is absolutely necessary for a good prayer life. It is a spiritual discipline encouraged in Scripture and I believe there is great value in it. Regardless of your choice to fast or not, praying for your spiritual life is something that should be done. Too often we ask amiss because we give God a list of what we want. Prayer based on things we know the Lord wants for us will be answered. Those things would include, love for God and neighbor, the fruit of the Spirit, souls to be saved, grace and peace. The list goes on and on. Pray diligently for these things to prepare your heart for Easter.

While I understand some of the negative reaction many have toward the observation of Lent, I see merit in the focus on Christ. Surely works done simply because it’s "Lent" are worthless in the eyes of God if it is not an outflow of the heart. But just because these acts can be done with the wrong motivation by some is not a reason for the rest of us to turn our backs on the practice of purposeful study on Christ. Lots of people go to church every Sunday because its the "right" thing to do. I'm wondering if observing Lent is similar.

I hope that this Easter season I grow in my understanding and love for God. I plan to make Easter more than a one day focus.