A Hearing Heart

“Give Your servant an understanding mind and a hearing heart…” (1 Kings 3:9)

Each time we are called by the Lord for a duty, it is wise to consider these words of Solomon.

When Solomon became king of Israel after the death of his father, David, the Lord asked how He might bless him. Rather than request great wealth or any other self-indulgence, Solomon remained keenly aware of the weight of the responsibility at hand. He was cognizant of and concerned about his lack of required experience. He acknowledged God’s hand in his position and humbly gave a fitting estimation of his ability. He willingly acknowledged his deficiency and correctly judged his need.

Often we read commentary stating the Lord was pleased with Solomon’s choice because it was selfless, which indeed it was. However, consider also the humility of Solomon’s request. He resisted the prideful temptation to suppose that he had received his position and associated duty based upon some intrinsic personal ability. Instead, his request was born of candid self-assessment.

And so Solomon requested what he needed most in order to fulfill his mission, an understanding heart. The Hebrew word rendered “understanding” in the King James Version, may also be translated “hearing.” In order to carry out his God ordained responsibility, Solomon needed his heart to be equipped to hear God. Accordingly, the Lord granted him wisdom.

From this passage we learn that wisdom comes from a “hearing” heart intent upon listening to the counsel of God when we are called to His service. In modern vernacular we acknowledge, “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.”

When Solomon lost sight of this important lesson, he made decisions from his own imprudence. As long as he remained humble and listened for the Lord’s leading, he was blessed with wisdom beyond that of any other man ever. Upon considering the wisdom to be his own, rather than being a gift of the Lord, he began to make decisions which led to the downfall of the unified kingdom of Israel. He chose wives who enticed him to worship false gods and he oppressed the people.

After his death, Rehoboam rejected Godly counsel and vowed to oppress the people even more harshly than Solomon had.  The people revolted and the nation was split into the Northern and Southern kingdoms. Clearly he had not been raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and sought neither Him nor His wisdom.

Perhaps, Solomon realized his need for the Lord in leading the nation, yet assumed himself adequately equipped to parent. Perhaps he felt, as do many today, parenting is not nearly as important as our “God-given” missions. Perhaps, like Solomon, we should be mindful that the children we are called to raise today are the leaders of tomorrow. And, like Solomon, we must first acknowledge our great need for wisdom and ask from the Lord, “who gives liberally and upbraideth not.” Like Solomon, we must continue in humble service to the Lord, relying fully on the wisdom that comes from above, and “lean not unto your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

Lord, guide me today as I endeavor to serve You. Fill me with Your light and cause my heart to hear You. May I raise Your children to search for and hear You. Lord, I cry out to You like Solomon acknowledging “I am but a lad [in wisdom and experience]; I know not how to go out (begin) or come in (finish)…Give your servant an understanding mind and a hearing heart…” so I may do Your work in my home. Amen.

Martha or Mary?

In the New Testament, we are told the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha.  As recorded, the Lord came to visit and, while Martha hustled and bustled and rushed and fretted to provide her very important guest and His entourage a meal fit for The King, Mary sat at His feet and listened.

Scripture likely understates Martha’s response in asking Jesus to tell Mary to help her. I must confess that, if I were Martha, I would have first grumbled around, perhaps even pouted. I would have certainly shot a few grumpy glances her way.

But Jesus responded in love, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

(Luke 10:41-42)

A great many commentaries and even a women’s bible study or two have been written about being a Martha. In them we are told to take a break from the worries of this life, the busy-ness that holds us hostage, to remember the important thing is JESUS. We need to sit at His feet. We need to hear His voice above the din which threatens to overtake us. We need to focus our attention entirely on learning His commands. And, we NEED to take the time to abide in His sweet fellowship.

I get all that. Believe me. I get that.  Therein doth my heart beat.

But what if my problem isn’t being Martha, it is being Mary? I sit with dishes stacked, laundry piled, and children seeking my attention. Carpets need vacuumed. Floors need washed. Sheets need changed.  The list goes on. But, my heart is at His feet. It seems a constant struggle for me to get up from the floor at His feet to go and do the stuff of life. Man (and woman) was created and placed in the garden to tend it; we were created for work. (See Genesis 2:15)

Last night, I finished a bible study with a wonderful group of women. We met for 6 weeks and dug into His Word, studying the Psalms of Ascent. Ah, it was marvelous! He is SO good and His Word so rich! Yet, scarcely 12 hours later I am champing at the bit to begin another. The only question is which one? There are so many great ones! I am profoundly excited to begin our next quest. I cannot wait to begin anew, to dig my fingers into the deep rich soil and draw out the magnificent gems of insight which undoubtedly wait to be discovered, to draw close to Him and listen intently as He whispers His Truth, to dwell in splendid fellowship with my King, my Savior, my Lord, and my Friend. Ahhh, selah.

But alas, duty calls…

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

With the passing of the month of October (It's FINALLY over!), it is time now to look ahead to the blessed month of November and the priceless possession it holds. THANKSGIVING!

Often when I am feeling a bit down, I will ask the Lord to speak to me in ways I can hear Him clearly. Occasionally, I will ask Him to bless me through my mailbox. Inevitably, I will receive a note from someone or some other such reminder that I have worth and value to someone. Truly a blessing.

I have been eagerly awaiting my mailbox blessing, but I didn't recognize it immediately this time. I found in the box a package sent to (of all people) my mother who has been deceased for more than 6 years.  Aggravated that this company did not have the good sense to purchase updated mailing lists, I opened it to get the information to call and politely inform them of their error and "please take her off your list." 

Upon opening said package, I realized it was a spiritual magazine, and knowing my mother had some rather eclectic spiritual experiences during her walk on earth, I was expecting something "New Agey" and considered simply tossing it. Prompted by the Spirit, I opened it nonetheless. 

The subject of each article was being thankful for blessings. Once again, my mind asked the question, "Why do so many non-believers celebrate Thanks-Giving?" Acknowledging that our blessings come from outside of ourselves to the degree we feel we must GIVE THANKS to someone else should provoke one to question, "To WHOM am I giving thanks?" Should it not?

"Praise GOD from Whom all blessings flow..." 

I did read the entire magazine, and it was delightful.

So often we are caught up in daily pursuits; rushing to get this or that thing done. Then, at least for wives and mothers, doing the same thing all over again. Laundry by the mounds, dishes by the sinkful. It is so easy to get lost in the tedium. How refreshing to remember to step back and be thankful...

• The dirty dishes mean we at today (many times). Thank You Lord for our daily bread.
• The laundry means we all had clothes to wear. Thank You Lord for providing raiment.
• That it is bountiful means we have a wonderful little family (or is 4 babies and 2 adults "little"). Thank You Lord for each life you have breathed into our family.
• The clothes for two adults means that our marriage is still holding on. Thank You Lord for my husband who loves his family so.
• The work clothes in the laundry means my husband still has a job. Thank You Lord for employment in this harsh economy.
• The dirt on the kids clothes means they have been outside playing hard. Thank You Lord for our beautiful property and gorgeous weather. Thank You that our children are healthy and happy and love to play together.
• The piles of election propaganda ready for the burn pile tells me I need to vote. Thank You Lord that I live in country where I am free to vote. Thank You Lord that You alone are sovereign and in control of the outcome. Thank You that I can rest in the knowledge that, anxious as I may feel, I need not worry, because Your Word assures me of the final outcome.
• Thank You Lord for Your Word. Thank You I live in a country where I am free to have and to read Your Word.
• Thank You Lord for great Bible Studies.
• Thank You Lord for wonderful women of God with whom to do Bible Studies.
• And... (the list goes on)
• Thank You Lord for blessing my mailbox (again).
• Thank You Lord for magazines sent to recipients long since deceased.

Halloween Update

I would just like to take a moment to let you know how the Lord has been answering prayer.  As you recall, if you read my previous posts regarding Christians celebrating Halloween, I have been praying for several years for the Lord to give me peace regarding this practice.  I also requested your prayers as I grumble through yet another October.

Well, the Lord has done great things - again.

While, I still do not believe it is right for Christians to celebrate satan's holiday, and will never personally participate, I have been convicted by scriptures such as it is not right to judge another man's servant, and if it is not sin to them then it is not sin in God's eyes, and so forth.

The bottom line is this: though it grieves me to my soul knowing what that day is really all about and that generally speaking it appears most Christians don't care that their behavior is causing our God to be mocked, it is between them and God. They will stand accountable before Him and Him alone. Not them and Him and me. How dare I?

If God has a problem with Christians celebrating in this way, He is big enough to let them know. The Holy Spirit is certainly capable of convicting of sin, He does not need my help.

If asked, I will continue to share my feelings on the matter. However, I am more aware now that when speaking with others about it, I get more and more passionate and vehement about my position. Therefore, as Emily Post suggests, it is more polite to decline to speak of things about which we are passionate. We tend to get carried away and inadvertantly hurt others in the process.

So, unless asked, I will refrain from speaking and thereby keep this peace the Lord has granted. I know this will only be possible with His help. Therefore, my new prayer will be that no one will ask. ;)

"It's Not Really Halloween" (Part 3)

There are many such comments that fall within the scope of this excuse.

It's not really Halloween....

• it's a Halloween "Alternative"
• because we don't allow scary costumes
• and we don't call it Halloween

 Many years ago, I was boarding at the house of a friend who had 3 children under 8. We were discussing whether or not her children were celebrating Halloween by going to what their church had titled a "Halloween Alternative." They were not to wear scary costumes and they had renamed it, therefore in their thinking, it wasn't really Halloween.

I ecouraged her to test that theory. One by one she called the children into the room and away from preparing their costumes. From the oldest to the youngest, when she asked, "What are you getting ready for, where are you going?" They responded, "Halloween!" There was no hesitation, and no, they did not think they were going to an "Alternative."

Make no mistake, the customs of the ancient pagans are still alive and hiding in the "alternative" celebrations.

In the ancient practice, witches would attend huge bonfires in celebration of Samhain (Halloween). On the way to the bonfires, they would stop at houses along the way to demand foods and treats to offer their god. They would knock on the door and demand a treat or threaten a "trick." They would do some damage to the property of the person refusing to offer food. Hence, "Trick or treat." In order to not get in trouble for the trick, they wore disguises, hence costumes.

By offering candy on Halloween, we are mimicking the practice of offering food to be sacrificed to pagan gods.

When there was an argument among the early church leaders regarding whether or not Christians should be required to be circumcised, the response was sent to the churches that circumcision would not be required, but that they should "abstain from anything that has been polluted by being offered to idols..."

The word sanctified means set apart. I challenge you to find any bag of candy during the month of October that does not bear markings of being set apart for Halloween. We have made an idol of Halloween, the only holiday of the year dedicated (set apart) for satan.

If we are unable to tell children they cannot celebrate Halloween because we don't want to ruin their fun, then their enjoyment has become more important to us than remaining a people sanctified and set apart for God Almighty.

The costumes, the candy, and yes, even the pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples all have pagan roots. The Israelites were instructed to not adopt the pagan practices of the people in the lands in which the Lord sent them. And yet they did. And when they did, there were always consequences. They compromised. So have we.

Calling these practices by some other name and thinking that we are fooling anyone, makes us look like fools.  And make no mistake, the pagans are watching and laughing. We are causing the Lord God to be mocked. That grieves me to my soul!

Father forgve them for thy know not what they do. Unfortunately, in the 12 year since I have been saved, I have been sharing this information. Consequently, I cannot say, Father forgive them for they know NOT what they do, for now they know exactly what they do and they DON'T CARE! Satan's holiday is more important to them than the fact that GOD IS BEING MOCKED BECAUSE OF THEIR ACTIONS!

Lord, HELP ME! I pray again and again and again for another year PLEASE Lord, if YOU are OK with Christians celebrating Halloween PLEASE change my heart! If YOU are OK with this Lord, PLEASE make it wildly successful so that I can see that YOU are blessing it. If Lord, YOU are NOT OK with this, please break it apart, make it a collossal failure so that ALL may see that You are displeased. Break our hearts for what breaks Yours! Father, Jesus Himself was jealous for the sanctity of Your house! How DARE we allow the hallowed grounds of Your Dwelling place to become polluted by celebration to satan! Forgive us Father, forgive us!

If you are reading this, I ask you to please pray for me. As you can see, I am grieved, as I am EVERY SINGLE year. It does not get better. For the next month or more it will get worse and worse.  I will be spending the night of Halloween on my face before the Lord at my church. Please feel free to join me.

Let's Just Give Them a Safe Place (Part 2)

When I became a Christian and began this ongoing debate regarding Christians celebrating Halloween, I asked why Christians think it is acceptable. The excuse I heard most often and continue to hear 12 years later goes something like this… “Kids are going to do it anyway, so we just give them a safe place to do it and use it as an opportunity to preach the Word.”

I find this line of reasoning nothing short of remarkable.

This post will be brief, because I have only one response. Let’s replace the “it” of Halloween with any other behavior in which young people would like to engage if left to their own devices.

“Kids are going to do drugs anyway, so let’s just give them a safe place to do it and use it as an opportunity to preach the Word.”

“Kids are going to drink alcohol anyway, so let’s just give them a safe place to do it and use it as an opportunity to preach the Word.”

“Kids are going to engage in sexual activity, so let’s just give them a safe place to do it and use it as an opportunity to preach the Word.”

Ludicrous! Wouldn’t you agree?

“Kids are going to celebrate satan’s highest holiday anyway, so let’s just give them a safe place to do it and use it as an opportunity to preach the Word.”

“Kids are going to adopt pagan practices and cause God and His Bride to be mocked, so let’s just give them a safe place to do it and use it as an opportunity to preach the Word.”

“Kids are going to celebrate the day of the year on which spells are cast and demons called upon, so let’s just give them a safe place to do it and use it as an opportunity to preach the Word.”

"Kids are going to celebrate the day on which the spirits of the dead are being contacted, so let's just give them a safe place to do it and use it as an opportunity to preach the Word."

This makes no more sense to me than the previous statements. If it is WRONG, don’t do it. If it is wrong tell kids not to do it! Don’t just give them a “safe” place to do it!

If you want to preach the Word on that day, go to the people who are trapped in Wicca. Pray for the people who are Pagans on that night. Use that night to pray against what they are doing. Use it to pray against their practices and bind the demons they are releasing.

Next…. “It’s not really Halloween, because we don’t allow scary costumes.” (Seriously?)

Christians and Halloween (Part 1)

As Halloween approaches yet again, my heart grows heavier with each passing advertisement. It remains a reminder of years past. You see, before I became a Christian I was one of those who celebrated Halloween for what it really is.  I was involved in Witchcraft and recognized the moon closest to October 31 as Samhain (pronounced sow-en).

For 12 years I celebrated Halloween proudly as a witch, and was extremely annoyed by Christians who “stole” our holiday.  My friends and I would mock them saying, “If they only knew what they were really celebrating, they would be horrified! (Hahahah)! What a bunch of idiots!”

Imagine my surprise when I became a Christian and warned people about what they were really celebrating and THEY DIDN’T CARE!

It is quite literally Satan’s holiday.  Wicca is an art, a science, and a religion. In the religion of Wicca, we were taught by tradition that we turn the “wheel of the year” by recognizing 8 Sabbats. The primary sabbat, or the new year, was celebrated at the moon (full or new) closest to October 31. Wicca teaches of a god and a goddess. During the year, 6 months are controlled by the god while the goddess is in the underworld, and 6 months of the year the god goes to rule the underworld and the goddess comes alive on earth.  The time of the goddess is spring and summer, while the time of the god is fall and winter.  These are based on masculine and feminine attributes of these times. In the fall and winter, the god is the god of the hunt. Therefore, the god they worship is a god of the earth, and according to tradition, he is half-man with cloven feet and in respect for the animals whose life he takes in hunt, he wears their horns.

It is argued by Wiccans that all similarity to the Christian satan is because as Christianity spread into Celtic areas, in order to villainize Wicca, the Church adopted the appearance of their god and called it the Devil. However, make no mistake; in every way, the Wiccan god is the antithesis of God. He is Satan and Halloween is his holiday.

Further, witches believe that on this moon, the veil between the two worlds is at its thinnest. Therefore, on this night more than any other in the year witches and spiritualists contact the dead.

In short, Halloween is the night when satan is being worshipped, spells are being cast, demons are being unleashed and the dead are being contacted. What a delightful time for Christians to celebrate.

Over the next few weeks, I will focus my writing on why I am so adamantly opposed to any form of acknowledgement of this heinous holiday by Christians. In my humble opinion, the ONLY acceptable activity on this dark night would be to gather together and pray for those unfortunate souls who are stuck in witchcraft and are headed directly to hell.

In advance, please forgive my tone as I will undoubtedly reveal my deep aggravation with the attitude of the church which remains one of acceptance.  I have been speaking out about this for twelve years and have fallen on deaf ears. I have prayed over these 12 years that if indeed it is acceptable in the Lord’s eyes for churches to participate in “Halloween alternatives” that they would be wildly successful so I could see that He was blessing them, and that He would remove this burden from my heart. In 12 years, neither has happened. To my knowledge, I can only recall one salvation resulting from these. I would not consider that wildly successful.

As ALWAYS, this forum is meant to be interactive. I would truly love to hear your response to this series of articles. Please feel free to comment. Remember, if you are reading this from an email, in order to respond you need to click the link to take you directly to the blog and comment there. If you are not on the blog when you comment, it will go to the email program not to the blog and will not be seen.

When Angry, Do Not Sin

I have just finished reading yet another article from a Christian source suggesting we need to confront conflict in order to resolve it. It said in short that if we don't resolve the conflict, it will fester and build up steam until we explode and someone gets burnt.

I would suggest another resolution to this situation.

Quite some time ago, early in my Christian walk, a book was suggested to me called, "Make Anger Your Ally." I was aggrivated with the book from the beginning, as the author began by describing the various methods by which people deal with their anger. He did not mince words while telling the reader each of these methods was rooted in selfishness. Then I read it. He said somewhere near 95% of the time we are angry it is because we are not getting our own way. How dare he?! I was so angry I threw the book and did not read it again for a very, very long time.

But it stuck in my craw, as they say. I began to examine the situations in which I was angry and ask myself, "Truly, am I angry right now because I am not getting my own way?" Indeed, the answer 95% of the time was, "Yes."

I could not escape the truth.

There are certainly times we should expect to "get our own way." For example, when we are dealing with our children, we are right to expect them to obey us. We are responsible for their safety and for teaching them and therefore, we must have first time obedience. If we are in a position of authority in the workplace, we should be able to expect our subordinates to comply with orders.

However, in every situation where we are the subordinate, we do not have the right to expect our demands to be obeyed. If we are cranky, it is generally because we are not getting our own way. And, one must ask one's self, "Why do I feel that I have the need or the right to impose my will in this situation?"

Generally speaking, these articles relate to marriage. Therefore, it seems to me the heart of the issue is whether one accepts their position in marriage.  The Bible tells us clearly to subordinate ourselves to our husbands. (Ephesians 5:22, 24; Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1 among others) In other places we are admonished to submit to the Lord. If we are submitted to the Lord, we will live according to His Word, and His Word tells wives to submit to their husbands. Ergo, if we are not submitted to our husbands, we are not truly submitted to God.

I have not yet mastered this concept myself, however I do scratch my head in wonder at believing women who counsel other women that it is advisable to ignore the Lord in this.  We have as example, the countless times the Israelites refused to submit to the authority of the Lord. We have in Jesus' own words that the one who loves Him will obey Him (John 14:15). He clearly takes authority and submission seriously. So who are we to dimiss this when we are angry about something? Could this be, at least in part, that to which He was referring when He said not to sin in our anger? "When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down." (Ephesians 4:26)
 Pause in writing, because....

Quite literally, even as I write this, I am helping my children to resolve an interpersonal conflict because each wants their own way. I ask them each why they feel they should have their own way. I ask them why they feel they have the right to expect to get their own way. And then I remind them that we are instructed to esteem others higher than ourselves. Who is willing to be the kinder person? Rose relents, but is still angry. I remind her she is submitting but with a wrong heart and unpure motives, she needs to let the anger go. "HOW!?" she whines emphatically. ("Lord, give me the wisdom I lack in this moment, because I fail at this daily!" I pray quickly and silently.) And then the words come from somewhere within... "Whatever is kind, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, think on these things." So we go through the mental exercise of recounting things that make us happy. Satisfied and happier, she goes back to play.

Perhaps next time will be a bit easier for me, as well?

Love of the Brethren

Throughout the Old and New Testaments we are called to holy living. (see Lev 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7&8; and 1 Peter 1:16 among others) We are told repeatedly that God expects this of us, if we call Him “Lord.” (1 Peter 1:17, for example)

Hebrews 10 tells us that we are made holy through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Here Paul tells us that “by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified,” thereby indicating that we are justified immediately, but that sanctification is a process.

We are to remain pure and holy once we have been cleansed. But how? Our instruction fills the New Testament. But, what I find interesting is that in the above referenced passages which speak directly to our living holy lives, these verses are followed immediately by exhortation to loving the brethren.  For example, in the Hebrews 10 passage, we are told that because of our having been sprinkled with the blood, we may enter boldly to the Holy of Holies with a clear conscience and a body purified by living water. Immediately thereafter we are told to hold fast to our faith and to consider how we may stir up one another to love and good deeds.

In 1 Peter 1 we are exhorted that as obedient children we should be holy in all our conduct since we have been redeemed not by corruptible things, but by the precious blood of Christ so that our faith and hope are in God. Immediately this is followed by, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

We are charged again and again to obey and to love. Three times in John 14 Jesus tells us that if we love Him we will obey Him.  And we are commanded to love the brethren. By this outsiders will know that we are His disciples.

Taken together then, we are commanded to live holy and sanctified lives. We are holy because of the sacrificial death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. If we have accepted His redemption by faith, then we have been purchased by the incorruptible blood which has purified us and made us holy, sanctified to Him. If we Have been sanctified and made pure, then we are to live holy lives of obedience. And Biblical precident says that if we are to live holy lives of obedience, then we must love the brethren and consider how we may stir one another up to love and good deeds.

So, I ask you, in what ways do we as born-again, Bible-believing Christians stir one another on to love and good deeds?

I was astounded recently, when a fellow Christian informed me that my child does not need to make a “project” of being friends with another child whom the adults assume to be a challenge.  

We have been raising our children since they were toddlers to go out of their way to make sure others do not feel excluded. If they see a new person in class who might be shy, they have been taught to go say hello and introduce themselves, and perhaps introduce them to their friends.  They are not allowed to leave out any of their siblings in games or play, including even the baby.  

How would I explain to my child that it is appropriate for her to not care if this particular child feels left out of “the brethren” if it is a challenge to be their friend?  Is that really what we want to teach our young people?  Could it be that this lack of love for the “difficult” is what outsiders see when they look at us? "By this they will know that you are My disciples that you have love one for another."  We are no different than the world when we tell our children they can choose to be obedient only when it is easy and sit out when becomes a bit more taxing.

This is a lesson for us all, not just the children. How often do we reach out to love the unlovely? I was challenged in this by the Lord through prayer at one point. Later, after I had made a half-hearted attempt, I held up my “accomplishment” to the Lord and was quickly brought down by the words, “You didn’t LOVE her. You tolerated her!”  Ouch! But, sadly, it was true.

I cannot say that I love and obey my Lord and my Savior, if I do not truly love the brethren - ALL of them.

Note: I do acknowledge that this is not the sum total of our call to holy living.  However, it is of great importance to the Lord, as seen by its placement in scripture.

Lessons for Us from Samson's Nazarite Vow

Part of the Nazarite bow was to not cut the hair! Why?

It was an outward symbol of the vow. It said to the world (physical and spiritual), "I am consecrated, set apart, and holy unto the Lord!" It was a sign of submission to the rigors of holy living to draw closer to the Lord.

Samson was to keep the Nazarite vow perpetually from his birth. In return he was given super-human strength, and with it the Lord intended to save the Israelites from oppression. But instead, he squandered his gift. He broke every part of the vow except the cutting of his hair, because he enjoyed his strength and he was aware that it was the key to it.

When the Lord calls us to holy living, He gives us rules to live by. If He could give Samson physical strength through not cutting his hair, is it no possible that He grants us spiritual strength when we commit to the same?  Not because of any intrinsic natural super-power in our hair, but rather God-given, grace-granted power for our commitment to submission to obedience to the Word of God?

Could it be that our hair really is the key?

Just as Samson became vulnerable to attack when he began the slippery-slope of sin, don't we often do the same?  He was to stay away from the defilement caused by death, and yet he killed a lion and tore out it's jaw-bone. Aren't each of us guilty of dead works? We do things for God and yet do them for the wrong motives  and then have the unmitigated poor taste to wield them as a weapon of our pride.

He was to avoid alcohol and yet it was alcohol that caused his judgment to be impaired.

He was not to lie with foreign women. How often do we step out into foreign lands and flirt with the world out there? Once there do we not make unholy unions with the forces there and then bring them back into our home via television? Internet? Customs and practices? And then we make excuses for not keeping pure. But, all the while we keep the outward vesture of our strength.

How like Samson we truly are! Failures on and all, unable to keep even the smallest vow if it proves inconvenient, while making a show of our strength.  What shame! In the end he was a blind captive.

And yet, God's Word proves him to be a man of faith.  He didn't attain "first-tier" commendation in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11), but Paul did include his name in verse 32, telling us that if he had time, he would have also extolled the virtue of Samson's faith.

This is encouragement to us! We fail over and over. We compromise with the world and with sin. We do not remain holy. And yet...God can use us in a mighty way!

Thank You Father! Praise You, o Lord, for Your steadfast love and mercy. Thank you for chastisement for sin. Thank You for loving us through it and restoring us after it. Thank you Father for hidden strength and call to live holy and sanctified. Thank You for using even the most undeserving of us. Praise You God! Thank You for Your Word.

Out of the Abundance of the Heart His Mouth Speaks

Following is our final discussion board for this class. The assignment was to read Proverbs 10, 12, 15, and 16 about the use of the tongue/words.  Make a chart of at least three topics (such as “Wise use of the tongue”).  What do you believe is the key that determines what comes out of a person’s mouth?  Discuss.

I have tried several times to attach the chart, but this site is not able to read the format.  However, a quick reading of these chapters reveals the vast differences between the heart and words of a righteous and wise man compared with a wicked fool.
Here is the remainder of my response:

In Luke 6:45 we read, “⁴⁵ The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.”(Amplified)  Jesus is telling us in unambiguous language that what comes out of a person’s mouth is determined by what he has stored in his heart.

Further, we are exhorted in Proverbs 2 to seek godly wisdom and to incline our hearts to it, to search for it, to hide his commands in our hearts, to “understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.” (Prov 2:5) We are to not lean on our own understanding, but to acknowledge Him so that He will keep our paths straight. We are to be filled with the abundance of God and His Word, His commands, His righteousness.  Only then may we be assured that what comes forth from our mouths is pleasing to Him.

We must be continually filled with the Holy Spirit in order to bear His fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is the fruit of the SPIRIT, not the fruit of us. “¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Matthew 7:16-17 I do not wish to be known for my fruit.  That would be pitiful fruit indeed. I would much prefer to be known for bearing an abundance of His fruit, and out of that abundance, speaking forth His knowledge and His wisdom.

(I apologize for the discrepancies in font and color. They were consistent in the original document, and I am not able to change them here.)

Again, this question was designed to be a discussion, so please feel free to comment here. If you are following this blog from email, you must click on the link in the email to bring you to the blog before commenting. Otherwise, your comment will be directed to the blog's website (blogspot), not to the blog (acts1315).  I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Is It Biblical to Pray for Vengeance?

The last couple of wees we have been studying the Psalms in my Old Testament Survey class.  One type of psal we have looked at are "imprecatory psalms," or the psalms in which the author is praying for a God's curse on an enemy.

The subject of our latest discussion board is:

In view of the New Testament teaching of “loving our enemy/neighbor,” discuss the role of imprecatory prayers (psalms) for today?  Can we pray “against” people or things today?  Take a view and defend your position (with love!) and use scripture.  Discuss.

As promised, I am posting my responses here. (Feel free to comment, as it is a discussion question.)

Though I have spent several hours studying this matter, I am still undecided. I have read not only outside of this board, but all of the responses and discussions within it. I believe there are strong arguments both for and against these imprecatory prayers.

Aside from all of the thoughts and information described within the discussion board, I have found another source which has some interesting and important points to consider.

In his sermon, “A Christian Manifesto – A Study of Luke 6,” Alistair Begg challenges us to the agape love Christ commands in both Luke 6 and Matthew 5.  He describes agape love thus:

 “Agape is the ONLY form of love that is not drawn out of the attractiveness of the merit of the one we love.  Jesus is calling for a love of people that is in no way related to the lovability of those whom we are to love.  That is precisely how God in Christ loved us. It was a self-engendered love for those who were His enemies.

“Agape love is not blind to their offenses against us. We see them exactly as they are in all of their ugliness, in all of their spitefulness, in all of their cursing.

“Seeing all that, Jesus says, ‘I want you to love your enemies.’

“This love is intelligent. It is a love that is marked by comprehension and it is a love that is purposeful in its application.”

Further, Begg reminds us:

“This kind of love will not go unrewarded, but the essence of this kind of love is that it must never be the motive for practicing it… because it is an expression of the character of God, who is our Father and kids ought to be like their dads.

“Indeed it is completely incongruous, if not impossible, for those of us who declare ourselves to be the Father’s children not to manifest the mercy of a merciful God and not to display a love for our enemies which is akin to the approach of Jesus that when He was reviled, He did not revile in return, but committed His cause to Him who judges.”

Finally, he makes the point the Jews of the Old Testament had taken out of context Leviticus 19:18 (“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people but love your neighbor as yourself for I am the Lord.”).  “They took the phrase ‘one of your people’ and diminished it to define a group who they had to love and if it fell outside of that defined group, it was ok to curse them.”

And so, taken together, a complete picture emerges wherein we are to love as Christ loved us, not because we deserved it when we also were enemies of God, but rather because He loved us enough to suffer and die for us. We are to forgive because we are forgiven.

Yet also, we do see in holy writ examples of godly men praying imprecatory prayers, not only in the Old Testament, but in the New as well.  In addition to the many examples cited throughout this discussion board, we see a prime example in the final book, Revelation. In chapter 6 verses 10 and 11 we read, “¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” ^{11 ” (NKJV)}Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

These tribulation martyrs were not chastised for their cry to the throne for vengeance; rather, they were given a white robe and told to wait patiently until the time was right for God to carry out the retribution they desperately sought.

Consequently, I feel it necessary to conclude there are certainly occasions in which the Lord does not condemn imprecation. However, one must call upon the name and the power of God wisely and with great humility. It is wisdom to err on the side of love and forgiveness, for with the measure one uses to judge, one in turn will be judged.  Yet, let each man walk out his own salvation in fear and trembling.

Practical Examples from the Lives of Ezra and Nehemiah

Here is another of my assignments for school. The assignment was to draw from the lives of Ezra and Nehemiah two examples of lessons practical for us today.

I hope you enjoy it...

Both Ezra and Nehemiah offer us practical examples of wisdom for living.  Because both were dedicated in their love for the Living God, they each lived lives that can still serve as ideals for us today.  These models were bred out of lives which were lived each day in the light of the Lord. They were neither haphazard nor accidental, but rather they were habits which were formed in the lives of these men.

Ezra, for example had “devoted himself to studying, obeying, and teaching the Law,” and so “the hand of the Lord was upon him.” (Ezra 7:9-10)  What I find most important for today is that he not only studied and taught, he also obeyed.  In today’s culture, we tend to find those who study God’s Word and teach God’s Word, but all too often dismiss the obedience part by suggesting that we “live in a different time,” or “we are under grace.”

Also, Ezra clearly saw the sin of the people as SIN and mourned over their disobedience. He recognized their sin as “our” sin, acknowledging that we are one body and if one part of the body is sick, then the whole body is sick. He therefore confessed the sin corporately and sought corporate resolution (Ezra 9:6-13)  He sought the holiness of the whole of the body. (Ezra 10:2-4) Even in the New Testament we are instructed not to be unequally yoked with a non-believer. Would we have the courage to urge a brother or sister in Christ to not marry a non-believer?

Nehemiah was a man of prayer, who showed utmost confidence in God. Immediately upon hearing Jerusalem was in ruins, he prayed (Nehemiah 1:4-11).  Before answering Artaxerxes, he prayed (Neh 2:4-5).  He encouraged the people to put their faith in God. (Neh 4:14)

He was thoughtful and thorough before taking any action.  Before answering Artaxerxes he prayed rather than blurt a response. As one who tends to speak first and ask questions later, I take this as a personal exhortation. Also, before approaching the leaders of Jerusalem about rebuilding the wall, he toured the ruins and prayerfully considered a strategy. (Neh 2:11-16)

Finally, Nehemiah was a man of good character.  He did not cower in fear by going to the Holy Place when suggested by Shemaiach. (Neh 6:10-14) Because he was in the habit of prayer, he was able to say “I saw that God had not sent him, but he made this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.” Nehemiah further displayed his good character in that he worked with the men (Neh 5:16) and he was generous; he loaned to needy Jews without charging interest (Neh 5:10) and he fed 150 of his workers.(Neh 5:14)

Encouragement

How easy it is to get discouraged.

As a stay-at-home, home-schooling mother of 4 under 10, most everyday is struggle against discouragement and feelings of being over-whelmed. There are so many people and tasks which all seem to demand my attention every moment.  I feel exhausted before I have even begun the day.

Even as I write this, I wonder how to pull myself up out of the rut. How do I conquer this?

And then... in order to hide from the things that overwhelm, I take a break and check my facebook account. (Don't judge me :)

There, amidst the lovely pictures of all my friends, I see it. There are so many scripture postings and praise postings.  Encouragement.

There in my email box...daily devotionals I have signed up for and rarely get an opportunity to read until my inbox is overwhelmed with unread devotionals.  I read a few. Encouragement.

A few minutes spent in hearing the thoughts of others as they praise God and share beautiful scripture verses that encourage them, there I find encouragement also. 

Could this be what the Bible means when it tells us to encourage one another with psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs? Could this be what it meant that we are to encourage one another while it is yet today?

I believe it is. When we share praise with others, we rarely know how deep in impact we are having on those who are hearing.  And what is truly remarkable is that when we share something to encourage others, we in fact find encouragement ourselves. What a divine paradox!

Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you and praise You that You have equipped us with the ability to be Your hug to someone who needs You. Thank You Lord that You have given us the ability to form friendships and relationships. Help us Lord to find ways to encourage each other. Help us to "encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." Praise You, the author and perfector of our faith, the lifter of my head, and the encouragement of my heart! Amen

May the Lord Himself give you sweet and blessed encouragement today!

A Tale of Two Kingdoms

Time has not been my friend as of late. I have been feeling like the proverbial ginea pig on a wheel, always running but never really getting anywhere.

As a result, my postings have been slim to none, and for that I humbly apologize.

As I am now beginning another semester in my study of Theology at Liberty University, I thought I would post here an assignment or two.

We are studying the Old Testament from 1 Kings to Song of Solomon.  It promises to be very interesting, as these contain books that I have previously avoided due to their tedium.  However, upon closer examination, I am finding them quite interesting.  I hope you do as well.

This first paper answers the following question:

"In the Splintered Kingdom, the kings in the North are compared to who? Who are the Southern kings compared to? How does this relate to you today? Discuss"

My response, titled "A Tale of Two Kingdoms:"

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."  The beginning of the reign of Solomon, full of spleandor and glory, was replaced by civil unrest and then civil war, resulting in the "splintering" or dividing of the nation into two separate kingdoms.  This civil war caused nearly 400 years of turmoil and ultimately conquest of both kingdoms.

Throughout the scripture readings for this section, the kings of the splintered kingdoms are repeatedly compared to two figures. For the Northern kingdom, this comparison is to Jeroboam, its first king. In the Southern kingdom, the comparison is to King David, specifically to his heart toward God.

For example, in 1 Kings 15:3, we see Abijam, the second king, beginning his reign over the Southern kingdom, or Judah. His reign is described thus:

“He walked in the sins of his father [Rehoboam] before him and his heart was not blameless with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father [forefather].” (This and all scripture quoted in this response are from the Amplified version.)

The next king of Judah was Asa, and according to 1 Kings 15:11, “Asa did right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father [forefather].” These are merely two examples of many more which followed.

The reason for this comparison is clear from scripture, especially 1 Kings 15:4-5:

“⁴Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him and establishing Jerusalem, ⁵Because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.”

The key here is the phrase “for David’s sake…”  Herein lies the reason for even the existence of the Southern kingdom. Were it not “for David’s sake,” the kingdom would have been rent from the hands of David’s family because of the sins of Solomon, as we read in 1 Kings 11:33-39. In these verses, Ahijah the prophet tells Jeroboam the intent of the Lord to take the Kingdom from Rehoboam because of the sins of Solomon in leading the people to sin against Him by worshipping foreign gods and for not keeping His commandments and statutes.  However, in verse 36, “Yet to his son (Rehoboam) I will give one tribe that David My servant may always have a light before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put My Name.” (see also 1 Kings 15:4-5)  So we see that the very existence of the Southern kingdom is for David and for Jerusalem, and therefore ultimately for the Name and glory of God Himself.

In the Northern Kingdom of Israel, we see an entirely different picture. Rather than being compared to a godly man, even a man after God’s own heart, these kings’ reigns are compared to the despicable deeds of the first king of Israel, Jeroboam.

Examples of this comparison are plentiful. Beginning with Nadab, Jeroboam’s son and successor, we see this pattern emerge.  In 1 Kings 15:26, “He (Nadab) did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in his sin, with which he made Israel sin.”

Nadab was assassinated and succeeded by Baasha who is described in 16:2, “Because I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made My people Israel sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins,…”

The message should be clear to us, even in our day. We are to have a heart for God. We are to walk in His ways and keep His commandments and statutes. We are to guard our hearts from following after foreign gods and worshipping idols, regardless of what form they take. We should not allow our hearts to become adulterous against God. He is a jealous God and will hold us accountable. 

Further, as parents, our children are our progeny. What heritage will we leave them?  Will they be described as following our hearts for the Lord, or will they be described as following in our sins?  Will we cause our families to sin against God? These leaders did not live in a vacuum, nor do we.  Our actions will positively or negatively affect those in our care, possibly for many subsequent generations.

“Choose you this day whom you shall serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (paraphrase of Joshua 24:15)

Obedience is Key

We all consider the Lord to be our Rock, our Foundation. We all piously embrace the analogy of building our lives upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. We all assume that since we claim Jesus as Lord then we have done all that is required to have the Rock under us that will never allow our house to be washed away by the storm.

However, there is a key component which seems to be overlooked in Jesus' parable as told in Luke 6:46-49.  He is very clear in His introduction, yet we skim past the point. "Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do the things I say?" Ouch!

"I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and ACTS on them:" We are then told that he is like a man who digs down and builds his house on a solid foundation.

In contrast, we are told in verse 49, "But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great."

The difference is in the doing.

But, to what is He referring when He says, "My words?" The key is in the previous verses. His analogy immediately follows the "Sermon on the Mount." In it we are given instructions on Holy living. We are instructed to be Holy as He is Holy, and here we are told how.

Many studies could be written on each of His teaching here, but for the sake of this writing it is sufficient to say obedience is the key.

We are further told four times in John 14 that if we love Him we will keep His commands. Clearly, He takes our obedience seriously, as it is an indication to Him of our love for Him.

But why? Because obedience is a sign or marker of our trust in Him or our faith. If we don't trust Him or believe Him, we will not do what He tells us. If we trust Him to be who He says He is and do what He says He can do, then obedience will follow. We will be accutely aware that He desires the best for us and so, even if we do not understand why, we will be obedient to follow His commands.

How frustrating it is to observe in our own children the lack of faith in us required to obey.  Often they stop and consider whether our intentions for them are what they should desire for themselves. However, they are extremely short-sighted and want what they want right now. As their parent, we are more aware of the long-term goals or consequences for them. They may want to eat cake for breakfast, because it is good right now. We as parents know that having cake for breakfast is not healthy and will have consequences later.

So too, our Father in Heaven knows the beginning from the end. He knows what is best for us long-term. Our Father knows not only how our bodies and our spyches work, but also how our spirit works and matures, and He wants the best for us. He desires to grow us and matures us.

Obedience requires submission. He says to us in the Luke account, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord..." He is asking why we consider Him Lord and Master, yet we have not sumitted to Him in obedience. We cannot grow strong and build on a sure foundation without submitting to obedience to His commands.

Ours is a God of "If...then." IF a person loves Me THEN he will keep My commandments; THEN I will reveal Myself to him; THEN he will be loved by the Father; THEN we will come and build our home with you.

Obedience is the key.

Hallel u Jah, Praise to Yahweh! "I shall declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord."

Before Passover, it is common for Jews to recite Psalms 113 and 114. Following the Seder, they recite Psalms 115-118. Together these Pslams are known as the Hallel, or “the Praise.” (Hallel u Jah - Praise to Yahweh)  In verse 17 of Psalm 118, we read, “I…shall declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord.”

This Thursday is the 8^th birthday of my eldest child and her story is nothing short of miraculous. I will extol the Lord, and recount his illustrious acts to the Praise and Glory of His Name for all the world to hear!

Very shortly after my marriage to my husband, I became pregnant.  However, In December of 2002, I lost the baby. I remember crying out to a friend and telling her that I could accept it if the Lord told me “No, not this child,” but that I didn’t think I could handle it if He told me, “No children at all.” Although I was a relatively new Christian, I was painfully cognizant that there are among us those who feel that to not have children is a curse from God. I wanted children, but felt judged by Christian women for not yet having children at 33.

In early February of 2003, our local church held its annual Missions Conference. As I was still grieving my loss, I hesitated to go, but decided at the last minute I would attend the ladies’ Missions brunch. It was a lovely affair with bright and colorful decorations and a delicious “Pot Blessing” meal.

After brunch, our host introduced the speaker. Her name was Noelle Dembele and she was from Africa. She began her talk in her African dialect and paused for her interpreter to tell us what she had said.

“In my country the worst thing that can happen to a woman is that she has no children,” she began. The tears welled up and swallowing became impossible. “They consider it a curse. But God’s Word tells us differently. In Luke 1 verse 6 it says, ‘Elizabeth and Zeccariah were righteous before God, AND YET Elizabeth was barren.’” There was no holding back the floodgate of tears. I will never forget her words as long as I live.

When she had finished speaking, her interpreter invited us to come and meet her. My friend said, “You HAVE to go talk to her. Come on, I’ll take you.” And so she led me up and waited in line with me. I explained to her interpreter that I had recently lost a baby and so appreciated what she had said. The interpreter leaned into Noelle for a moment and Noelle’s eye met mine. With that, she reached out and grabbed my stomach and began praying. She got louder and louder and more intense. I was feeling quite conspicuous, but politely held my ground.

Upon finishing, her interpreter told me, “She prayed that by the end of the next Missions Conference, you would have a child so that you would know that the Lord answers prayer.” I thanked her and left.

In my mind I did the math, and realized that in order to have a baby by the following  Febraury, I would need to conceive no later than June. When June came and went, I was devastated and assumed the Lord was telling me “No children at all.” I spent the weeks to follow grieving the loss of hope. I cried to the Lord long and hard, and finally prayed for peace and the ability to accept His decision.

I was reminded of a book I had read with my family when I was young. It was called Hinds’ Feet on High Places. In it the main character, “Much Afraid” wanted desparately to climb to the mountain tops with the Shepherd, however her legs were crippled. The book is an allegory of her journey and the lessons she learned along the way. During her journey, Much Afraid must, on numerous occasions, build an altar and place on it her deepest desires.

Upon remembrance of this, in my mind, I built an altar and placed there my desire for children. For the first time in months, I felt peace. Praise God for answered prayer.

A couple of weeks after this turning, I was speaking with a couple of ladies after church and one of them said something about my children and caught herself, “Oh my!” she said, “You don’t have any children. I’m so sorry!” I replied, “That’s alright, it’s up to the Lord,” or words to that affect. As I said it, I realized that I really was alright with it. There was complete peace.

Little did I know that when I uttered those words, I was already likely expecting. That was in July.

The pregnancy itself could not have gone worse. I began having complications immediately, and spent 7 of the 9 months on complete bedrest. I was able to get out once a week to go to the doctors and once in a while to get to church.

At 21 weeks, I went for a routine ultrasound. I was very excited that my husband was going to be able to see her, as he had taken the afternoon to go with me. Unfortunately, we got stuck in traffic and were late to the appointment. The nurse told us we would have to reschedule. My heart broke. As she could read the anguish in my face, she invited us to wait and, “If the couple scheduled after you doesn’t show up, we can go ahead and do it.” And so we waited, and I prayed.

As God would have it, they did not show up.

We went into the little room and got ready. The nurse began the test, but turned to me and said (or yelled), “Put your feet up and DON’T MOVE!” And out she ran. She came back only a few seconds later with the doctor in tow. He went pale when he looked at the screen. She was already in the process of being born. (Please note, if the other couple had made their appointment, we would NOT have known!)

He sent me to the hospital a block away and they prepared me for surgery. As they were preparing me, I could hear the doctor and nurse arguing because he wanted to go into surgery right away , as it was late in the day. She was telling him that it was protocol to monitor the baby’s heartbeat and they needed to wait for the equipment to hear it. He was adamant and said, “If anything happens to the baby, we aren’t going to try to save her anyway!” And with that I fell asleep.

Before I even opened my eyes, I screamed, ”Where’s my baby?!” The nurse who was wheeling the gurney by my head put her hand on my shoulder and said, “She’s still there.” I praised Jesus aloud all the way down the halls!

Seventeen weeks later on April 12, I bore a very healthy baby girl and named her Rose.

The doctor said in his 35 years of practice, he never gave her a chance. He did not believe until he was holding her that she would survive.

Oh, and in case you thought the Lord was late, I found out DURING my pregnancy that our local congregation has Missions Conference in February. The denomination wide Missions Conference, the one with which Noelle would have been familiar, ended April 19 that year.

Rose was indeed born before the end of the next Missions Conference and I DO know that the Lord answers prayer!  AMEN AND HALLEL-U-JAH!