These Are The Good Ole' Days

 

 

I was having a conversation with my daughter yesterday about the “good ole’ days.”

 

It was interesting to get the perspective of a 21-year-old momma-to-be.

 

I was sharing with her some of my thoughts of some images my mom shared recently of my grandpa (her dad), who passed away 30 years ago this August 21. I would tell my mom in a text Saturday afternoon that I look at those pictures and can’t help by tear up.

 

It’s the “simpler days” for me.

 

I looked at the simple house he and my grandma shared for most of their married life.

I looked at the simple backyard shenanigans with a simple bucket of water and a lawn chair.

I looked at the simple cars on the simple street of their simple neighborhood.

 

And honestly, my heart hurt.

 

Because nothing seems as “simple” anymore.

 

And then just this morning it hit me.

 

I have certain “memories” of my life growing up that I refer back to quite often.

 

Memories that include taking simple walks with my family around our house after a big Thanksgiving just talking and laughing - only to return to have a “second round” that always included pumpkin pie and whipped cream! There were no stores open to shoppers, no cell phones chirping, no pursuit for the “best of 147 selfies” to post on a social media platform that promises a “greater degree of connection”, but in actuality has in fact succeeded at promoting a “greater degree of self-loathing and loneliness.”

 

Memories that include family picnics where EVERY family member was present because it was a priority. Nothing else mattered. We didn’t gather to say we gathered, but it was something planned for and prepared for for months. Where conversations were had, and interest in others was authentic.

 

Memories that include actual “house calls” and not “random texts.” Where people spent time, extended effort, made meals, sat long, shared stories, celebrated big. A time when we looked into the eyes of loved ones and listened.

 

These are memories I have of my years growing up.

 

And YET my Chloe has memories of her own which include the same kind of images.

 

Where family gathered intentionally. Where seasons we slower and experiences were heart-felt and love was the only thing that mattered.

 

In my own reminiscing, I forgot that she, too, has a set of memories that are unique to her and the season in which she grew up.

 

And one day she will be telling her children of “simpler times”… the “Good ole’ days!”

 

And so I was gently reminded by a loving Savior this morning that time, though it keeps marching on and though the world is spinning at warp speed I have a great need to stop and enjoy this moment… the one right here. And yep - this one here too! And to understand, deeply that these ARE the good ole’ days. The ones we’re living in now. And by failing to savor them, we miss the greatest impact they will ever have on us.

 


These ARE the good ole’ days!

He Has Not Given Us Over To Death

 

I saw it when we came home from our short vacation up north last month.
And my heart sank.
I’d worked so hard on those flowers.
And most of them still looked vibrant. And beautiful. And thriving.
But there were 2 that were “actively dying.”

I attempted everything I knew.

I watered them more.
I added fertilizer more.
I trimmed away the dead leaves more.

But no matter what I did, they wouldn’t return.

My farming family would know what to do.
And in what seemed like a last-ditch effort, I reached out to them for advice.

“I’m giving up on them”, I’d say to my friend.
“I’m just giving up. There is no use saving them.”

But she begged me to stay the course.
“They are NOT dead yet”, she’d lovingly tell me.
“Just do what I say, and watch them return!”

“Cut them all back. WAY back!”
It was my only hope.
I knew she was right.
But pruning nearly everything - even that which seemed to still have a smidge of life in it - seemed unbearable. Counterproductive. Absurd!

Wouldn’t it be like starting over?

Yes it would.
And it is.
But it’s necessary.
The dead things have to go.

She would explain that in the current condition of the plant, too much effort is being put into producing healthy long, beautiful branches, when instead, attention needed to be focused on the health of the root.

She’d gently explain to this horticulture-novice, that I would be re-directing the flower’s concentration to what was most needed in this time of crisis. And sometimes radical pruning is necessary in order to stimulate growth and inspire vitalization.

Ahh yes.

And in that moment I understood something far greater than plants and flowers and agriculture.

Just like that dead, dried up, sickly flower arrangement needed tender-loving care from it’s gardener, I, too, need the same gentle, yet firm supervision and preservation from my Gardener.

And sometimes the scalpel is needed for the pruning.

And while painful, it’s necessary if fullness of life is the desire of a soul.

I saw it in the Psalm I just “happened” to be reading the day my sweet friend reminded me to prune back what I already knew I needed to do.

Psalm 118:17, “I will not die; instead I will live to tell what the Lord has done.”

And this after great suffering at the hands of wild enemies.
Suffering not caused by God, but allowed by God.
And always for the reason of making us better. (Rom 8:28)

And in the very next verse I see it. Verse 18 of that 118th Psalm. “But He has not given me over to death.”

He has not given me over to death.
By allowing the blade to cut He makes me better.
Because new life is produced from gentle slices that trim the unnecessary decay from the one who belongs to Jesus.

He has not given me over to death.
Because in His mercy that stems from His Fatherly love, he amputates in order to remove that which would ultimately cause an unavoidable catastrophe.

And He cares too much for me to let that happen.

It is true that we wouldn’t bother pruning that which we mean to uproot.
The vine we consider worthy and of precious value is the one we lovingly and graciously trim to activate growth. To awaken from sleep. To quicken to life!

What joy!
What divine reassurance!
He has not given me over to death!

As long as He holds the knife - I am actively pursued and deeply loved.
As long as His blade makes perforations that expose areas of corrosion that need concentrated care - I have reason for hope and gladness.

He has not given me over to death.

Ahh… He cared enough to not say, “I give up on this one.”
By any unwillingness to wield a sickle I might believe the lie that I am not worthy of being reclaimed.

And I am.
And so is this plant which I will love and nurture and restore to fullness of life.

Stay Warmed

 

The air was really cold the day we decided to take the Jeep with its doors removed to the store.

The errand was intended to be a short one.
Just one simple stop at Lowe’s to get what we needed and then, perhaps a stop at Starbuck’s and home.

Ahh… but it didn’t turn out as planned.
Three cities and six stops later, we found ourselves finally arriving home almost 7 hours after we began our journey.

To say I was cold was an understatement.

I could see the passerby’s giving us, “the look”, too.
I know what they were saying.
I was saying the same thing.
“Fools!”

And nearing complete sundown, we approached our home just as the temperatures plummeted to under fifty degrees!

He’d graciously put the heat on high for me.
And I was thankful for the sweatshirt with sleeves that served as conduits of warmth to my upper body.

But I noticed something.
(Thank you, God, for your lessons!)

When I placed my hands up to the vents, exposing my skin to the heat, it felt glorious.
And in an instant I was comforted and relieved from the harsh elements.
But when I pulled away from the warmth, I was all the more frigid and miserable.

Exposure to the heat source heightened my awareness to the damaging effects of the bitter cold.

My reception of gladdening warmth proved how dreadful the chill of night can be.

I recalled to my mind the numerous conversations I’ve had with friends as of late.
The honest questions for the ones following Jesus, “Why does the world look so ugly to me!?”

And internally and silently I celebrate when I hear it.

“Because the closer you are to Him, the uglier the world becomes.”

Because once you’ve felt the fire… the freezing temperatures of a sin-filled world become almost unbearable.

Because once you’ve experienced the pleasure of the fiery Presence… the enemy appears more dreadful in his schemes and tactics aimed at destruction and division.

And so the answer is to stay close to the fire.
Stay warmed by His radiance.
“Keep the fire on the alter burning.” (Lev 6:12)

There is danger to disengagement from the source of all satisfaction.

And once you’ve perceived this kind of delight, nothing else will do.

Sacrifices Being Made

 

I would ask him on our hike the other day... "Who in the world do you think planted all of these gorgeous wildflowers?”

There was such beauty.
And so much of it.

Bright lavender flowers companioned our three mile walk.
And all of this lovely - discovered just out a few hundred yards behind our house.

This.

And yet who planted them?
Where did they come from?
What was the giver of such luxuriance considering?

And it got me thinking.
This sort of beauty generally does.

What kinds of things are taking place for the Kingdom of God that we know nothing about?

How many hours of preparations are being made by the now wrinkled-faced sweet gentleman, fitting for himself a Christ-centered message for a small number of sickly patients shut in tightly to the confines of an elderly facility?

How much toil and sweat are being experienced by those laboring daily to build - one brick upon another - in the remotest parts of this crazy wildly spinning world, in a singular effort to be the hands and feet of a Savior to the lost who are in such desperation to hear about Him?

How many weeping prayers are being uttered by the single momma who’s struggling so intently to minister through her own brokenness, to the very ones she gave life to, and whose own pain she’s still striving to understand, while learning to trust Him more faithfully every single day?

How many sit frightened - but still come as willing vessels every day?
How many are crippled with doubt - but press on for what Paul calls, “the prize” that awaits the one who "endures to the end?”

All over… right now… sacrifices are being made. Surrender is being offered up. Love is being lived out.

And so much of it will be hidden by a quiet, ordinary and secret existence, that the masses will never know anything about.

Those wild flowers there in that field are the evidence of someones brave bestowal of loveliness.
Those beauties there in that field, obscured, really, by those who pass by on pavement only… never venturing closely to observe from the place of intimacy… the place few are willing to go… give testimony to the richness of Grace and Love.

There are millions of victories all over the world.
They’re happening right now.

And in those moments on that path, in that field, I know who to thank.

I thank God for the ones who selflessly pour out - often from nearing empty cups themselves - so that others may experience the same beauty they’ve have the privilege to see themselves!

Look Up!

 

There was a moment in our hike the other day, when Trevor rightly identified the difference between us as we walk.

He is an observer.
I am a missionary.

And it’s true of us both, really.

He has always been observant.

He takes his time.
He sees the beauty that is around us.
He stops often to snap photos.
He’s unconcerned about his pace.

But not me.

When I’m out there, I’m on a mission.
My focus is on the steps being tracked.
My goal is to get it done and check it off the list.

And then I noticed something on our journey this past Sunday.

My neck started to stiffen up.

The pain became intense as we rounded the last curve towards home, and just as the rain began to pelt our faces.

And yet when I lifted my head, the pressure was relieved.
When I turned my face upward, the pain seemed to lessen.

I had been on such a “mission”, and was so improperly fixated on my stride, I had managed to inflict unnecessary pain in my neck and back.

And the only real solution was to… “Look up!”

In Luke 21, Jesus is preparing His students for the coming of the Son of Man.
In His prediction of future events, He was lovingly preparing their hearts for His departure, and yet for His subsequent and ultimate return.

Take a look at verses 25-27, “…there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory.”

And then look at verse 28, “So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near.”

Ahh yes.
Jesus, I remember.
I just need to look up.

Look up - and be redeemed.
Look up - and find comfort.
Look up - and see His face and know it’s all going to be okay.

And Jesus said, "... when these things BEGIN to happen, stand and look up!"
I barely noticed the solution until I was rounding that bend nearing home. If I had only, "looked up" earlier, I may have saved myself some needless suffering!

We get so bogged down with worldly evil when we remain ground-focused.
All has a tendency to look like, “turmoil” that leads us to being unnecessarily “terrified.”

When we insist on keeping our eyes at foundation level, we miss a whole world… a heavenly Kingdom… He has designed for those who know Him and love Him.

And THIS is the reality we need to stay focused on.

It did my neck a world of good to shift my gaze.
Imagine the healing that would come to our very soul if we intentionally altered our eyesight!

Look For Him

 

She is so funny.
And so predictable.

As is her habit, my sweet Isabel follows me around all day long.

She is pretty content in the early morning hours.
She knows where I will be.
In my office doing my quiet time.
And she knows this is rest time for her, and makes her way to the little bed I have for her on the other side of my office.

In the spring and summer months she pretty much knows my routine too.

She knows I will take a shower and then immediately tend to my plants and flowers.

I start in the back yard.
It begins with filling up my watering can and making my rounds to all my potted arrangements on my deck.
And she knows this is going to take a while.

She watches my movements, with one eye trying to rest, perched atop our living room couch, and the other fixed on me.
And she so well knows my pattern that she rarely concerns herself with fear that I might not return.

But when I make my way to the front of the house… where she can no longer “see” me, even from her elevated position… her curiosity and suspicion get the best of her.

When I have been gone for longer than she’s comfortable with, she’ll go looking for me.
And this is how I typically discover her - sitting patiently by the front door - longing to catch a glimpse of me… taking great interest in what I’m doing, where I am moving, and how she can get close.

And it got me thinking.

What if we were like that with Jesus?

I’ve heard it said many times as of late from many who know Him well, “I just don’t feel as close to Him as I used to.”

But because I know His nature, I have to ask, “Have you looked for Him?”

Earnestly looked for Him?
Urgently looked for Him?

He’s not hiding.
He’s not concealing Himself for the discovery.

He’s busily about the world.
And those who, “…seek the LORD your God… will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut 4:29)

Scripture tells us that He, “…love(s) those who love Me, and those who seek Me find me.” (Prov 8:17)

He hasn’t left.
Perhaps He’s just rounded the corner and we haven’t quite caught up yet.
But He is still there.
Longing to be discovered. Recognized. Found. Identified.

Maybe we have a lesson to be learned from this sweet dog of mine.

When we feel He’s been absent longer than we are comfortable with. When we sense He’s far off and no longer nearby, maybe we can say, “I haven’t seen Him in a while… I must go find where He is!”
Taking great interest in what He’s doing, where He’s moving, and how we can get close.

In the seeking - we find Him.
In the searching - we discover Him.

He’s never too far away that we cannot, with intention and diligent pursuing, find where He is.

Come looking for Him today… He patiently and lovingly delights in your discovery!

The Valley: An Invitation To Hear The Voice of God

 

Ezekiel.

He had a commission by God to be a watchman.

You can read all about it in chapter 3, verses 16-27 of the book that bears his name.

The call on his life was heavy.

God told him, “Whenever you receive a message from Me, warn the people immediately…. If I give you a warning, but you fail to give the message to them, they will die in their sins.  And I will hold you responsible for their deaths.  If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep sinning, they will die in their sins but you will have saved yourself because you obeyed Me.”

It was all about obedience to the call of God on his life.

And then I see it.
It’s so hard to miss.

Verse 22, “Then the Lord took hold of me and said, ‘Get up and go out into the valley, and I will speak to you there.’”

In the earlier chapters of Ezekiel we find that he had been stationed, “beside the Kebar river in Babylon.”  (1:1, 3:15)

He’d been along a river, but now was asked to, “go out into the valley”, and God would speak to him there.

I thought a lot about this.

Why the valley, God?
It’s lonely there.
It’s uncomfortable there.
It’s seemingly unprofitable there.

And yet it was PRECISELY where God would have him to be.

He had to get him quiet.
He had to get him sequestered from the crowds.
He had to limit the prophets exposure to distractions that might serve to disable him.

And the same could be for you and me.

I know the loneliness, friend.
I know the feeling of unworthiness.  Much more than you know.
The valley can often make us feel like maybe He got something wrong.

But He didn’t.
He knows just what He’s doing.
He knows the very things to protect you from, and He’s already created space in the valley to offer divine solutions to the battles you were never created to fight.

I love Ezekiel’s response, too.
“So I got up and went there and I saw the glory of the Lord… And I fell face down on the ground.”  (verse 23)

The invitation to a valley experience is always for our benefit.
There’s always something just up ahead more magnificent than we could have ever imagined!!

Keep going, friend!

The valley is the perfect place to hear His voice speaking life to your dry bones.

- Wendy Bender, Inspire Ministries, 2021

Submission To God

 

All around us is mystery.
Uncertainty.
We don't have all the answers.
Not one of us does.

And on a Tuesday morning in May my heart feels heavy.

“God, there’s still so much to do.  And yet I don't know what you would have me do.”

It's the honest cry of my heart as of late.

That one along with this, “God, what are You doing?”
And even still… “What is MY role in Your plan?”

Submission is an interesting word.

The word submit, by definition means this, “to yield, resign, or surrender to the power, will, or authority of another; to give up resistance; to yield without murmuring.”

It’s the Jesus way of living.  It’s how He did it.
Scripture tells us that He submitted to the authority of His Father even unto death.

James 4:7 tells us that we are to, “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee.”
And still somehow we forget that first part.
"Submit to God.”

Just submit.
Fully yield.
Resign.
Surrender.
Give up resistance.
Yield without murmuring.

And yet it seems so difficult when all seems so uncertain and unstable.

But submitting is admitting that I can not do this on my own.
Submitting is placing trust in the One who sees the bigger picture.
Submitting is surrendering the need to know now, that which will only make sense then.

Submission requires my full compliance even when the outcome is still shrouded in mystery.  Even when there are still more answers than questions.  It’s allowing His Holy work to be done in and through me to deliver divine results that only He can accomplish.

- Wendy Bender, Inspire Ministries, 2021

Peace

 

Peace.

 

It’s a funny thing.

 

And for us humans, it tends to be a conditional mindset and contingent lifestyle we posses.

 

We are inclined to say things like, “I will be more at peace when this happens.” And things like, “My mind will be at peace if this goes my way.”

 

We view our peace as conditional upon “right circumstances.”

 

But did you know, as followers of Jesus Christ, we POSSESS peace already?

 Scripture tells us that it’s a "fruit of the Spirit" for those who are saved by Jesus. (Gal 5:22)

 

It’s not only something we already have in our possession… it’s something we are instructed to maintain.

 

Psalm 34:14 says, "Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.”

Mark 9:50 says, “...be at peace with one another.”

2 Cor 13:11 says, “Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

1 Cor 7:15 says, “…God has called us to peace.

 

We are to SEEK peace.

PURSUE peace.

BE AT peace.

LIVE in peace.

 

We are CALLED to peace.

 

And so maybe we can do some investigation into why we don't currently have peace.

 

Is it because we don’t have that new pair of shoes we want?


Is it because they took our favorite show off the air?

Is it because my co-worker is increasingly hard to get along with?

Is it because illness lingers in my physical body?

Is our peace contingent upon something happening or an experience ceasing?

If we don’t have peace, the best thing for us to do is

• decide why
• recall where it is we last saw it (where WE left it)
• repent our way back to it

Repentance comes from acknowledging that we mishandled what was to be in our possession the entire time.

 

Repentance means self-examination that leads me back to the very things that can secure my peace regardless of situations and circumstances.

 

Things like spending time with Jesus and the Word of God.

 

Returning to Him and asking Him for the help only He can provide.

 

God help us.

 

The time is urgent.

Your Fragrance

 

In our downstairs bathroom I have a soap called, “Fresh Balsam”, that I am obsessed with. It is, indeed, the single thing that remains from the holiday season and I’m not upset about it.

When I use the downstairs bathroom, which is regularly since it is the one closest to my home office, I use this soap… and I remember.

Smells do that for me.
You too?


They take me back.

They take me to a time and a place in my past.

This smell, in particular, takes me back to happy times.
Good times gathered around the tree with my family.
Joy-filled moments of snowfall, and cozy evenings by the fire, and gift-wrapping until midnight.

When I smell this soap, I am suddenly right back to those peaceful moments of loved ones and baked goods and holiday music and Christmas movie marathons.

Fragrance is captivating and serves to direct our attention in unmistakable ways.

And I thought about it this morning.
What aroma do I leave?
What fragrance is my life?

When others have an encounter with me… do they leave with the fresh aroma of Jesus?
When they spend time with me… is the fragrance of Jesus so evident that it takes them to a place of joy and peace? Does it invite them in to a story of healing and redemption, grace, mercy, and genuine love?

An encounter with you, dear Christian friend, ought to leave a sweet scent behind.

2 Cor 2:14-15 (NLT), “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.”

Eph 5:2, NKJV, “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

It matters.
It’s worth thinking about.

Two Reaction Options

 

Recently there was a verse I ran across that I couldn’t take my eyes off of.

 

It’s found in Job, chapter 13.

 

Here we find Job is attempting to plead his case in the presence of his friends.

 

And in verse 3 we see the integrity of the great man of Job say, “As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God Himself.”

 

He goes on to attack his friends whom he blames for smearing lies, and, “being worthless as quacks.” (verse 4)

 

Even in Job’s suffering, he understands the importance of keeping silent lest speaking incorrectly and looking foolish while doing so.

 

I love verse 11 that helps us to see with clarity just what kind of man this was. He says, “Doesn’t His majesty terrify you? Doesn’t your fear of Him overwhelm you?”

 

I often question this today.

 

It’s an important one to seek the answer to in our own lives, for sure.

 

But then we see in verse 15 a reaction we should take away from the life of the one who knew suffering and pain and discomfort and difficulty. 

 

Job says this, “God might kill me, but I have no other hope.”

 

I have no other hope.

 

He has left himself with no other options.

 

And neither should we.

 


Can this be our response in times of turmoil and distress?

“I have no other hope.”

• I have no hope in people.
• I have no hope in things.
• I have no hope in this world.

My only hope is in Jesus!

 

Immediately upon seeing this verse I remembered a wonderful place in scripture found in the Gospels.

 

John, chapter 6.

 

Many followers of Jesus had deserted Him.

 

Partly because the words Jesus was saying were far too difficult to understand, and partly because of their hardness of heart, they were much more difficult to accept.

 

Scripture tells us in verse 66 that, “many of His disciples turned away and deserted Him.”

 

Then Jesus turned to the 12 closest band of brothers and asked them the question my heart can barely even type out this morning, “Are you going to leave too?” (verse 67)

 

But it was Simon Peter who replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life!”

 

Peter was saying, “Where in the world would be even go if not here with You??”

To where would we go?

 

Oh what if that was our response to all things hard and challenging and difficult:

“I have no other hope and To where would we go?”

 

Something to ponder today…

Dear Church: Stop Trying So Hard To Be "Relevant"

 

It’s not a new thought.  It is a matter I have been thinking about and wrestling through for a long time.

And it would be something I discussed recently with a good friend at great length about.

How we are doing church matters.

Probably now more than ever before.

According to a recent Barna Group study, the number of non-practicing Christians is rising while the number of practicing Christians is declining.

Non-practicing Christians grew to 43% in 2020, while during that same time, “Christians” declined to 25%.  The result is, undoubtedly, Christians still need help navigating their faith.

In addition, weekly church attendance has declined from 45% in 1993, to 29% in 2020.

While we can make a good arguments that this is all pandemic-related, the “return to numbers” following the reopening of many churches nationwide, has proven that attendance of a place of worship is not a priority for a growing number of those who follow Jesus Christ.

While so much of this is affected by the current state of our country, it is important to key in on some reasons we see much of this happening - especially as it relates to Boomers and Millennials.  

I was telling friends recently that sometimes it feels like I am trying to answer a question that no one is asking.

And I wonder if the same might be true for the church.

I don’t have the answers.
Not all of them, anyway.
But I have some thoughts.

I think we’ve lost our way.
I think what worked 20 years ago, doesn’t work anymore.
I think “relevance” isn’t enough.

I remember walking into a church when we first moved to Indiana almost 2 years ago.
We visited the “cool” bookstore, bought some “cute” little trinkets and some seemingly innocent “self-help” books, made our way to the coffee shop to purchase our “hip” coffee in the ever-contemporary coffee cup made from recycled material, gave an appropriate donation to the missionaries overseas in the very area represented by the coffee we were being served by the adorable beanie-wearing barista who said things like, “Nah, you’re good”, and signed with our finger on an iPad for our purchase.

My daughter happily “checked in” on Instagram, tagging the church, and us, her parents, to the post.

As the countdown began, the worship team made their way to the stage and the excitement was building for what had the potential of being our new “church home.”

And then it happened.

Red lights illuminated the stage.
Fog from machines filled the atmosphere.
And 3 “back-up vocalists” appeared behind the leader who’d made her way up front to center-stage.

It was kind of strange to see it, but the sea of people we sat alongside of seemed preoccupied with something else as well… their phones.  It was as if they knew something we didn’t, or like perhaps we’d missed the memo giving instructions to a secret code we were unaware of or something.

But on closer examination it seemed to be a mental absorption they were all consumed by.  I saw apps open to Facebook and Instagram almost simultaneously and collaboratively.  And there were many photos “snapped” as the band began to play.

I recognized the song at once.
A familiar Adele tune.
“Rumor has it.”

At first I wondered what on earth the song could have to do with the message of salvation.
What kind of lyrics like, “She ain’t real, she ain’t gon’ be able to love you like I will, She is a stranger.  You and I have history, or don’t you remember?  Sure, she’s got it all, but baby, is that really what you want?”, had anything to do with the Holy Spirit and the bride of Christ.

It was more than strange.
It was a disgrace.

As the vocalists - with swinging hips in their skinny jeans continued on - I immediately sank in despair.
And shook my head as my daughter immediately deleted her post from 3 minutes prior, un-documenting her visit.

And I get it.
You’re trying to be “relevant.”
You’re tying to compete with the things of this world.
You’re attempting to make Jesus more “palpable” to broken people.

But I would come home immediately from that experience, heartbroken.
I mean, honestly, the message may have been good.  
I don’t remember.
I was lost in the concert performance, and checked out emotionally long before the opening prayer.

And here’s the facts from where I sit:
People are drawn to Jesus, not to church.
So if Jesus doesn’t have a place in our house of worship, we’ll never get them to authentically desire to be there.

Relevant means this = bearing upon, or connected with the matter at hand; pertinent; suitable, fitting, lending aid or support.

We’re trying desperately to be “relevant” to a fallen world who’s god is the enemy himself, Satan.  
By bringing in cool, hip, secular music, we’re saying the Gospel message of salvation is not enough by itself.  And in attempt to “stand out”, we’re simply “blending in.”
We’re frightened that those we’re trying to “reach” will ultimately choose another way, and so we must adorn ours with pretty bells and whistles.

Yet aren’t we the ones who are called to, “be holy because I am holy.”  (1 Peter 1:16).  Holy here is just another word from “set apart.”

First John 2:15 says this, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”

Are we missing the mark?
We are not in need of, “wining over the culture” to bring people to Christ, as John MacArthur said recently in an interview at his church, Grace To You, in California.  Surprisingly the same church who might’ve been considered, “highly irrelevant” 5 years ago, saw an approximate 2,100 people increase over the last 12 months - and during covid none-the-less.

I have to guess it’s not because of the glitz and glamour.
There is none.
I would suppose it’s not because of the fog machines and bright lights.
There are none of those either.
And I would venture to guess it’s not the “sermon-in-a-box” they purchased online speaking on self-help topics such as how to be a better parent, how to have a successful marriage, or one more examination of the prodigal son we’ve been exhausted by now for decades.
There are none of these things there.

But the Gospel is preached there.
And not just there, scores of churches all over the country preach the gospel message every week.

But here there are real conversations being had about salvation, love, and mercy.  But there, mixed in, are also real issues being talked about - like judgement, hell, and the need for repentance.

I have outgrown the need for relevance.
I need Jesus.
I need a message of hope.
I need to know what the Bible says.
I need to understand what’s coming for those who refuse to live according to their faith.
I need to commune with those who have an urgency for the gospel.
I need to be empowered to live like Jesus did while he was here on the earth.

I heard a pastor say this recently, “The church has always been sucked in to this lie that somehow there is, in the world, a way that the kingdom of darkness can help the kingdom of light.”

And there simply is no way this is possible.
We need absolutely NO help from the world in order to be the church that sinners separated from Jesus are desperate for.

There is nothing in the darkness that is going to help the light.

A return to the world relevant = bearing upon, or connected with the matter at hand; pertinent; suitable, fitting, lending aid or support.

It’s not just a matter of not “needing” to be relevant.
We can’t be relevant.
Because being so would mean we are downplaying the gospel.  It would mean we are connecting with the world,  making ourselves “suitable” to the world - discounting the fact that we are called to please the Father only, like our Jesus did.  (John 8:29).

We forget that Jesus didn’t come to show us how to be accepted and loved by the world by being relevant.
Jesus said things like, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”  John 9:39
“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.”  Matt 10:37
And the one who said to Peter after he told Jesus all they had given up to follow Him, “you will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution.”  Mark 10:30.  

He promised trouble.
Division.
Persecution.

And He demanded the picking up of a torture device to follow Him once the full price of following Him was well calculated.
There must be sufficiency of scripture without the worry of the competing world around us.

We must be okay to be irrelevant if it means faithfully choosing our Lord Jesus every day.

It’s worth thinking about.

Let's Think Differently: Compliment To Your Consistency

 

Today I want to begin a mini-series (maybe) of sorts.
I might just post one of these a week or so for now.
Let’s see how it goes.

I am calling these, “Let’s Think Differently!”

Because after all… we can!  we should.  And it’s possible!

Today I want to share with you a thought I had a couple years ago.
I found it recently in my journal from the year 2018.

I can’t tell you what made me think of it… but this is what I wrote down:

“We always say we don’t want people to take us for granted.  We hear complaints a lot like, “She is just taking advantage of me.’  And we think things like, ‘I wish they would just appreciate me, and stop taking such advantage of me.’  In fact, recently I heard someone say, ‘They’re just taking advantage of me because I’m a nice person.’"

BUT MAYBE…
it’s a compliment to our consistency if people take you for granted.

Because you know you’re doing a good job when others stop telling you you’re doing a good job - because it just becomes what they expect from you is all …. and isn’t that a good thing?!?”

Let’s think about this.

Here’s a scenario:
Your sister calls you to pick up your children from school again because she’s running late at work.

• She called you because she trusts you.
• She knows you are never late.
• She knows you love her children.
• She has confidence in your driving her precious cargo around.
  

She has faith in you and knows you will drop what you are doing to help her.

And all you can say is, “She’s taking advantage of me because she knows I will say yes.”

Yeah.
It’s true.
In part it is true.

And can I ask... what’s wrong with that?

• 
To be the one who’s trusted.
• To be the one who is dependable.
• To be the one with love and compassion for others.
• To be the one who is faithful and constant.
  

It’s okay.

And of course I am not saying to put yourself in ANY kind of abusive situation.

I am just asking that we begin to consider thinking differently.

About asking God for a different perspective.

Choose to see the good.
Choose to believe the best.

And then celebrate this and receive it as a compliment to your character!

Be a Doer of Good

 

Maybe it’s because I am not much of a traveler that I can say this.
Or maybe it’s just that Jesus has been working on my heart in ways I could never quite articulate.

I hear people say it all the time.
They can’t wait to, “get out of town.”
They’re counting down the days for their, “long-awaited vacation to begin!”

I get it.
My hubby likes to travel.
And although our trips these days primarily consist of visiting my daughter and her husband all the way on the other side of the country, he enjoys the getaway from the craziness that is his daily life in the hustle and bustle of his work.

John 9:1-5 gives us some insight into how Jesus did life here on earth.

“As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ‘We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ‘While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.’ When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, ‘Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?’ Others were saying, ‘This is he,’ still others were saying, ‘No, but he is like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the one.’ So they were saying to him, ‘How then were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.' They said to him, ‘Where is He?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’”

Jesus brings light to a blind man.

Compassion consumed Him.

And scripture tells us that He, “went around doing good” (Acts 10:38) every chance He had.

He knew why He had come.
And it was central focus of His entire earthly ministry.

Jesus didn’t go around the world as a sight-seer.
He went around as a doer of good.

The disciples, who still had a worldly perspective, didn’t get it.
Even with Jesus beside them, they still didn’t understand.

In Mark 13, as they were leaving the temple, one of the disciples who was overcome by the awe-inspiring sight that the temple was, said to Jesus, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings!  Look at the impressive stones on the walls!”  (verse 1)

And Jesus’ response could be anticipated, “Yes, look at those great buildings.  But they will be completely demolished.  Not one stone will be left on top of another!”  (verse 2)

This was a shocking response he gave to his students.

Jesus was predicting total and complete devastation that would result from the Roman army’s attack.

And they were confused and perplexed.

But as I look around this place I long to think like Jesus did.

Because this too, will all be destroyed.
All of it.
Every bit.

And so I beg God to keep me fixated on Kingdom-realities while I am in this place.
What will live on into eternity?

Can I take Paul’s directions… the ones he gave to the Colossians, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”?  (Col 3:2)

It’s worth considering.

Because all of this will one day be gone.
But what will live on will be your kindness.
Your time.
Your sacrifices.
Your love.

It matters…

God, You're Calling Me Higher

 

I wrote this on a sticky note and placed it in my journal some time in the year 2018.

And here's the deal.

 

There's such truth in this one single statement.

 

I remember a few years back my husband and I loved to take car rides in the evenings, just slowly touring the countryside of our hometown.

 

Pretty routinely we would pass one house that's construction appeared to have come to a complete halt.

It was a gorgeous 2 story home that once had all the promise of being a residence for a large family one day, but mid-construction... something happened.

 

And that house sat desolate for many years following.

 

As weeds began to encircle the foundation, we grieved what, "might have been."

 

We never found out what happened exactly. Our guess was a financial issue arose, and the would-be homeowners simply couldn't afford to finish it.

 

In fact, come to think of it, I don't know what ever became of that sprawling country home on several acres, as we have since moved away from the area. But God brings it back to my memory often... and I still wonder what happened all these years later.

 

Some times we circle around the same mountains like those stubborn Israelites.

Some times we stay locked in our mess. Entangled with sin. Trapped in disappointment.

 

And, friends, there's good news for that.

 

God is a Redeemer.

He is full of grace.

And He pursues those He calls His children.

 

And He finds us in our mess... in our mistakes... in our uncertainties... in our doubt... and He rescues us from that place.

 

But He is absolutely not comfortable to leave us there.

 

In you, He longs to finish what He started.

 

So I don't know who needs to hear this.

 

I don't know in what season of suffering you find yourself in today.

 

Just know this... He leaves room error.

But He is calling us higher.

 

There's so much more He has for you.

So. Much. More.

 

Will you allow Him access to complete the construction that is your life?

You Are Not Alone

I do not know who needs to hear this today… but I really felt like I needed to say it.

It is a story that has stuck with me for years.
I have wrote about it.  Spoke on it.  And taught lessons on it.

The text can be read in its entirety in 1 Kings 18 and 19.

The story is of the prophet Elijah.

To make a long story short he had just witnessed God’s loving favor in chapter 18.
In a contest upon Mount Carmel, Elijah proved to the prophets of Baal that his God was the One true God of Israel.  
And as a result, Elijah’s men wiped out the entirety of the prophets of Baal who had insisted upon worship of worldly little “g” gods, and Elijah successfully had them demolished in the Kishon Valley.

In addition to this success, Elijah also participated in the lifting of the drought that had plagued the nation for over 3 years.  Scripture tells us that, “The Lord gave special strength to Elijah.”  (1 Kings 18:46)

And then King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, got involved.
And it would seem to Elijah all was lost.
That it was over.

And he ran for his life.
He hid in a cave.
He cowered in fear.

And he told the Lord twice, “I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”  (1 Kings 19:10)

And they were.

But not all of his statement was correct.

He wasn’t the only one left.

God would tell him, “I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him.”  (verse 18)

Unbeknownst to Elijah - he wasn’t alone.

There WERE more out there.

There was, indeed, a rescued remnant who were being preserved by God.

Some commentators call it, “God’s Remainder.”

If you are anything like me, sometimes it can be lonely.
This serving God.  
This choosing of right living.

It can be hard.
And all can seem uphill.

But you are not alone.

Maybe you just haven’t found your tribe yet.

Or maybe God is calling you to be in a season of separation, so that He can form you and mold you and prepare you for the greatness He has for you.

2020 made us all feel a little lonely.
And 2021 isn’t shaping up to be a lot more improved - albeit more tolerable.

But maybe we’re not alone after all.
Maybe there are others out there who, in walking the same path, need reminded that they, too, are not alone.

In all honesty, I am a recovering numbers-centered girl.
I falsely looked to numbers as a measuring stick for success.

If this amount of people liked a post - I was worthy.
If this amount of people came to a study I hosted - I was a good teacher.
I this amount of positive responses came from a choice I made - I was validated.

But I was wrong.

And I am not alone.

Elijah had it wrong too.
He was using the wrong method of measurement to legitimize his effectiveness.

By the way it looked - all was lost.
He was alone.
And if he would have been better… done better… had more strength… he would have seen greater success.

But God had a hidden number of “remnant” people that Elijah knew nothing about.

And so just maybe there was victory after all.
Just maybe God kept the success hidden for Elijah’s protection.

Maybe you can’t see your effectiveness right now.
Maybe it’s lonely where you sit.

Elijah thought himself to the the only surviving remnant.  He judged incorrectly.

My commentary says this, “True greatness doesn’t stand in great results that can be seen.  Success doesn’t lie in numbers counted.  Power is stored up in hidden places and in lonely consciences.  Do away with measuring God’s power with your geometry or estimating His army by arithmetic.  Do the duty that lies nearest you.  It scatter doubt; overcomes opposition; breaks up despair.  The Almighty takes care of His reserves.”

And I will leave it at that. Something for you to ponder.
So so so good!

Be encouraged today, friends.

You are not alone!

Power Lost In Proclamation

 

I just heard very recently what became of the prophet Isaiah.

This God fearing man would ensure the harshest kind of treatment from the people he had been called to preach.

As legend has it, and as scripture points to indirectly in Hebrews 11:37, it is believed that the prophet Isaiah suffered torture and death by being literally sawed in half.

The one who had been called to a nation of reckless unbelievers who would have, “ears, but would not hear, and would have eyes, yet would not see”, would suffer an unbelievable death at the hands of those same stubborn, rebellious people.

Oh that Isaiah would have counted the cost before his endeavor.

And yet he did.

God told him that he would be embarking upon a mighty call that would include hardship and rejection.

And Isaiah still said yes.

He still proclaimed the message of judgement for the sinful people God longed to rescue.

And he lived with the same bold message until his final breath.

As did Paul.
As did Peter.
As did our Jesus.

Each of these individuals considered their why… counted the cost… and proceeded with boldness into their callings.

These heroes of faith never allowed the power to be extinguished from their proclamation.  They were careful not to be a contradiction.  They lived with purpose and died with that same purpose.

Too often we see brave soldiers begin the uphill march into battle.  
And yet somewhere along the way, the conflict gets painful and the journey gets too difficult.

And what can happen is a sad reality in the end.
We say one thing, yet live in complete opposition.
Some call it believers atheism.

We unknowingly give way to the darkness by permitting the power to be zapped from our proclamation.

We are to be bold in our broadcast, yes, but we cannot allow our actions to contradict our advertisement.

How will others know if not for us?

Evaluate Your Frustration

 

If I am being honest, one of the things I pray for quite a bit for my daughter is her frustration.

In part because she tends to be much like me - her momma - who also has a stubborn streak in her and can become easily frustrated, especially over things that really don’t matter - but also in part because she is young and the world can be such a difficult, disappointing place.

And one look back at a prayer journal I see the words.  Words I had heard the Spirit speak to me in my prayer time.  And I share them with you today:

“Often we’re frustrated because we’re not holding up our end of the bargain.”

The date I had written that in my journal was February 15, 2018.

I was in the midst of a disappointing season in my life.
And unknowingly we were about to embark on a more painful and challenging season.  

It was just around the corner.

And in our frustration sometimes we are so tempted to blame others.  Or blame circumstances.
“They make me so mad!”
“If I didn’t have to put up with her, everything would be fine.”
“It’s because I am living with this chronic illness - that’s why I’m frustrated!”

We say things like - “You don’t understand how hard it is.”
And as the words are leaving our mouths the enemy secures his victory over our abandonment of the truth we once knew.
Because you know the enemy can’t read your thoughts, right?  So the minute the words leave your tongue and exit your mouth, you’ve already embarked upon a slippery slope.  We’ve now given him reason to confirm his thoughts about our weakened faith.

Ahh friend.. don’t let him!

Sometimes we’re frustrated because we aren’t holding up our end of the bargain.
Maybe we’ve stopped praying for God’s rescue.
Maybe we’ve been too busy to get alone with Jesus.
Maybe we’ve separated ourselves from His truth and His promises.

Whatever it is.. return to Him.
It’s not too late.

May we always properly evaluate our frustration.
May we ask ourselves questions like, “Why do I feel like this?”  “Where is Jesus in all of this?”  “What part do I play here that I need to take ownership for?”

It truly changes everything!

Be Careful Who You Let Sit In The Front Row

 

Years ago I heard a famous pastor say these words, and I have never forgotten them.  Speaking to a room filled with other pastors and ministry leaders he said this, “Be careful who you let sit in the front row of your congregations.  Their negative spirit can actually hinder the Spirit’s anointing on the message.”

I’ve thought about those words a lot since I heard then.

And as a speaker myself, I understand them well.

There’s nothing quite like communicating to a crowd of people only to see lifeless souls sitting in the front row.

Of course there are others in the crowd seated more toward the rear who also bring sluggish lethargy that makes the message more difficult to deliver… but there is something about those front-row dwellers that if they aren’t positively engaged, it’s nearly impossible to remain encouraged, let alone strengthened to continue to zeal and passion that once filled your heart to preach a good word.

And it got me thinking.

The same has to be true for our lives.

There are people we have allowed too much access in our lives.

You know the ones.

Those individuals who always bring the negativity.  Always have a harsh word to say.  Nit pick, complain, reject, and downright make it difficult to remain passionate in your pursuit.

I remember excitedly sharing some really good news (to me) with someone I held in high regard in my life… someone I thought would be thrilled for me.  Someone I placed way too much emphasis on their opinion.  But their response was anything but enthusiastic.  Instead, it almost felt like I had become a threat, and I could instantly feel the bristle.

That’s when disappointment set in.
Bitterness took root.
And I even became ashamed, for a bit, that I was feeling so good about my news.

But as it turns out… I was giving way more access to someone who didn’t authentically desire victory for me.

So I tell you the same thing that pastor told his hearers… “Be careful who you let sit in the front row of your life.”

Consider the ones who want God’s best you for.
Go with the ones who point you to Jesus.
Let those who love well occupy the front row and let them fill your bucket - speaking life instead of draining life.

I don’t mean disassociate with them altogether.  Simply choose wisely those who sit close.  The others may unknowingly (or knowingly) distract you, disable you, and deter the work of God in your life.