Dear Father,
Saturday is a big day, in my mind at least. That is when we are having our GriefShare startup workshop all morning. I know, though, that my plans are not always your plans, and you can do your work whenever and however you choose. But I do ask your blessing upon our meeting tomorrow, that you would use it to touch people's hearts.
Please continue to draw those people that you want to be there. Make sure that each person you want to be there hears about this workshop somehow, and put an urge to be there in the heart of each person you want there. I ask that even now you would be preparing their hearts to hear from you, that they could take from this workshop whatever it is that you want to speak to each of these grieving people.
May you use us to share your comfort with each person there. May we slow down enough to truly see each person, to listen to each person's story, and to find out from each person what his or her needs are. Especially, Lord, I ask that you would use us to show those who do not know you that you are the way to true healing.
Today I was reading Psalm 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer… " That is my prayer. I want the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart to be pleasing to you all the time. I especially ask that for Saturday, when I am essentially speaking for you to these hurting people. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart during the GriefShare workshop be pleasing to you.
I asked you to prepare the hearts of the people coming to hear your message to them. I am realizing that I need you to prepare my heart as well. I ask that you purify me from all that is wrong in me. Make my heart clean. Fill me with your love and your thoughts. Help me to remain rooted in you, so that on Saturday I may have seeds from you to plant in these hearts, that they too will grow in you. I cannot do this on my own and I do not want to do this on my own. Help me to stay in you.
Thank you for allowing me to serve you in this way. Amen
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Desire
"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." (James 1:13-14)
As a woman should desire her husband, and only her husband, so we, as the church, should desire Christ, our bridegroom. In a wedding ceremony, a bride and groom commit themselves to forsake all others. We, too, should be forsaking all but our heavenly bridegroom. Our only desire should be to please him.
And like a groom with his bride, our God desires us. "Or does it seem to you that it is for nothing that the holy Writings say, The spirit which God put into our hearts has a strong desire for us?" (James 4:5) What an amazing thought is that! I, a sinner and imperfect in so many ways, am desired by the God who created the entire universe, who is Holy in all his ways! That thought alone should move me to desire him above all else.
If we are to follow Jesus, we are to give up all other desires. "If any man has the desire to come after me, let him give up all other desires, and take up his cross and come after me." (Mark 8:34)
Jesus warned us that if we are not careful, the desire for earthly things can put a stop to the growth of his word in us, causing it to bear no fruit in our lives. (Mark 4:19)
He has given us an example to follow, showing us how we should deal with our desires. When facing his death on the cross, he said, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire." (Matt. 26:39) We should turn our desires over to the Father, putting his desire for our lives above our own desires. In our lives, can we say, "not what I desire, but what you desire?"
What are the consequences of putting our own desires above those of our Heavenly Father? "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?" (James 4:1) God promises peace to those who follow him, but if we follow our own desires, we get the opposite of peace - fights and quarrels. James was speaking to the church in this letter, so if we follow our own desires, it will even lead to fights and quarrels within the church.
Not only that. The ultimate price for following our own desires is death. James says that, "...each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Let us put our desires into submission to God's desires before they can give birth to sin and death in our lives.
One thing we are to desire is God's word. 1 Peter 2:2 says to "desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." If we are feeding on God's word, it will help us to know what God desires and it will help to strengthen us so that we can submit to the desire of God in our own lives.
We can also ask God for help. We are told that "it is God himself whose power creates within you the desire to do His gracious will and also brings about the accomplishment of the desire." (Phil. 2:13) Let us ask God, "create in me a desire to do your will."
God can bring our desires into alignment with his own desires. When we remain in him, and his words remain in us, we can ask whatever we desire, and it will be done for us. (John 15:7)
Help us, Father, to be like the people in Hebrews 11:16 who "desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one." I remember when I was waiting to marry Nathan, when I was still living in California, and he was living in Ohio. I remember how much I desired to move to my new home to be with him, the one I loved. Help me to have that same desire to be with you in the home you have been preparing for me in Heaven. Please fill my heart with desire for you, that I may not stray but be a faithful bride when you return.
As a woman should desire her husband, and only her husband, so we, as the church, should desire Christ, our bridegroom. In a wedding ceremony, a bride and groom commit themselves to forsake all others. We, too, should be forsaking all but our heavenly bridegroom. Our only desire should be to please him.
And like a groom with his bride, our God desires us. "Or does it seem to you that it is for nothing that the holy Writings say, The spirit which God put into our hearts has a strong desire for us?" (James 4:5) What an amazing thought is that! I, a sinner and imperfect in so many ways, am desired by the God who created the entire universe, who is Holy in all his ways! That thought alone should move me to desire him above all else.
If we are to follow Jesus, we are to give up all other desires. "If any man has the desire to come after me, let him give up all other desires, and take up his cross and come after me." (Mark 8:34)
Jesus warned us that if we are not careful, the desire for earthly things can put a stop to the growth of his word in us, causing it to bear no fruit in our lives. (Mark 4:19)
He has given us an example to follow, showing us how we should deal with our desires. When facing his death on the cross, he said, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire." (Matt. 26:39) We should turn our desires over to the Father, putting his desire for our lives above our own desires. In our lives, can we say, "not what I desire, but what you desire?"
What are the consequences of putting our own desires above those of our Heavenly Father? "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?" (James 4:1) God promises peace to those who follow him, but if we follow our own desires, we get the opposite of peace - fights and quarrels. James was speaking to the church in this letter, so if we follow our own desires, it will even lead to fights and quarrels within the church.
Not only that. The ultimate price for following our own desires is death. James says that, "...each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Let us put our desires into submission to God's desires before they can give birth to sin and death in our lives.
One thing we are to desire is God's word. 1 Peter 2:2 says to "desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." If we are feeding on God's word, it will help us to know what God desires and it will help to strengthen us so that we can submit to the desire of God in our own lives.
We can also ask God for help. We are told that "it is God himself whose power creates within you the desire to do His gracious will and also brings about the accomplishment of the desire." (Phil. 2:13) Let us ask God, "create in me a desire to do your will."
God can bring our desires into alignment with his own desires. When we remain in him, and his words remain in us, we can ask whatever we desire, and it will be done for us. (John 15:7)
Help us, Father, to be like the people in Hebrews 11:16 who "desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one." I remember when I was waiting to marry Nathan, when I was still living in California, and he was living in Ohio. I remember how much I desired to move to my new home to be with him, the one I loved. Help me to have that same desire to be with you in the home you have been preparing for me in Heaven. Please fill my heart with desire for you, that I may not stray but be a faithful bride when you return.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Cheerful Endurance
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test of time, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12
In trying to gain a deeper understanding of this verse, I looked up the definition of hupomone, the word that was translated "is patient" in the King James Version and which is translated "perseveres" in the NIV, and I found the following commentary:
James says that we are to consider trials as a reason for great joy because trials are capable of producing good results. However, we must understand that trials do not automatically produce good results. They can easily make one bitter rather than better. Whether one comes out better for the experience depends upon how faith, hope, and love are used. How the trial is used is the issue, and whether faith, hope, and love produce a higher level of spiritual maturity. What determines whether they make us better rather than bitter is how we use them.
So I believe God is asking more of us than that we "be patient" during our times of trial (although at times that can seem like enough or even too much), but he wants us to look to him for help in USING our trials to mold us and shape us, so that our lives will better reflect him.
As if that is not enough, according to Strong's Bible Concordance, hupomone can also be translated as "cheerful or hopeful endurance." So now, not only do I have to be patient, but I have to enduring - actively striving forward toward a goal (running the race set for me by Christ) in the face of hardships and trials, and now I find that I am also supposed to be cheerful and hopeful as I am striving forward.
Does this sound like an absolutely impossible task? It probably is without God - without his help, his strength, and his comfort sustaining us.
However, the very definition of "hopeful endurance" helps to understand how and why were persevere in the face of trials. We have HOPE. Why do we have hope? Because we have faith in Christ. We have faith that he is who he says he is. We have faith that he can do all things. We have faith that he keeps his promises, that he will do what he says he will do.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11
If we truly take God at his word, then we know that whatever he allows into our lives is within his plans to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future.
We cannot know and understand all of God's plans for our lives.
"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" (Romans 11:34)
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
This reminds me of some of the things I read in "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom. It has been some time since I read the book, but she told the story of her family hiding Jews during WWII, and of the time she and some of her family members spent in a Nazi prison camp as a result of that. I remember one of the stories was about a conversation between Corrie and her sister Betsy about thankfulness. Corrie was complaining about the fleas that were a constant problem in the camp, biting the prisoners and causing additional suffering when they were already enduring such harsh conditions. Betsy said that they should be thankful for everything, even the fleas. Corrie just could not bring herself to be thankful for the fleas.
However, Corrie found later that God was using even those fleas to further his plans. Corrie and Betsy were leading Bible studies among the other prisoners. Normally, the guards watched over the prisoners closely and would not allow such a thing. But, she found out later, their dormitory of the barracks was so full of fleas that the guards tended to avoid going in there unless they had to. So Corrie and Betsy had much more opportunity to share the gospel with the women around them BECAUSE of those very fleas.
To me, that example is a good reason to cheerfully, hopefully endure afflictions.
I believe there if we persevere through trials, God will use that to bring about good both in this life (as in the example with the fleas) and in the life to come, as we see in the end of today's verse in James.
James says that if one endures through the trials in life for Christ's sake, he will "receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Lord Jesus, help me to cheerfully persevere in the face of adversity, striving forward along the path you have laid out for me, the path that leads to true life now and in eternity.
In trying to gain a deeper understanding of this verse, I looked up the definition of hupomone, the word that was translated "is patient" in the King James Version and which is translated "perseveres" in the NIV, and I found the following commentary:
James says that we are to consider trials as a reason for great joy because trials are capable of producing good results. However, we must understand that trials do not automatically produce good results. They can easily make one bitter rather than better. Whether one comes out better for the experience depends upon how faith, hope, and love are used. How the trial is used is the issue, and whether faith, hope, and love produce a higher level of spiritual maturity. What determines whether they make us better rather than bitter is how we use them.
James describes a person surrounded by trials of many kinds. We live in that period when iniquity abounds, and we are admonished by Jesus that we will need endurance during this time (Matthew 24:12-13). We are surrounded by many kinds of trials, and they will increase. James is concerned about whether they will produce perseverance in us.
The King James version renders this word as "patience." That may be an acceptable translation, but it is not really correct. "Perseverance" or "endurance" is better, as most modern translations translate it. This is because the Greek word that equates to our "patience" is passive, meaning that one is merely waiting something out. But the Greek word used here, hupomone, indicates activity rather than passivity. The person is not just waiting for something to happen, though he is patient in what he is going through.
(By John W. Ritenbaugh at bibletools.org)So I believe God is asking more of us than that we "be patient" during our times of trial (although at times that can seem like enough or even too much), but he wants us to look to him for help in USING our trials to mold us and shape us, so that our lives will better reflect him.
As if that is not enough, according to Strong's Bible Concordance, hupomone can also be translated as "cheerful or hopeful endurance." So now, not only do I have to be patient, but I have to enduring - actively striving forward toward a goal (running the race set for me by Christ) in the face of hardships and trials, and now I find that I am also supposed to be cheerful and hopeful as I am striving forward.
Does this sound like an absolutely impossible task? It probably is without God - without his help, his strength, and his comfort sustaining us.
However, the very definition of "hopeful endurance" helps to understand how and why were persevere in the face of trials. We have HOPE. Why do we have hope? Because we have faith in Christ. We have faith that he is who he says he is. We have faith that he can do all things. We have faith that he keeps his promises, that he will do what he says he will do.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11
If we truly take God at his word, then we know that whatever he allows into our lives is within his plans to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future.
We cannot know and understand all of God's plans for our lives.
"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" (Romans 11:34)
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa. 55:8-9)
This reminds me of some of the things I read in "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom. It has been some time since I read the book, but she told the story of her family hiding Jews during WWII, and of the time she and some of her family members spent in a Nazi prison camp as a result of that. I remember one of the stories was about a conversation between Corrie and her sister Betsy about thankfulness. Corrie was complaining about the fleas that were a constant problem in the camp, biting the prisoners and causing additional suffering when they were already enduring such harsh conditions. Betsy said that they should be thankful for everything, even the fleas. Corrie just could not bring herself to be thankful for the fleas.
However, Corrie found later that God was using even those fleas to further his plans. Corrie and Betsy were leading Bible studies among the other prisoners. Normally, the guards watched over the prisoners closely and would not allow such a thing. But, she found out later, their dormitory of the barracks was so full of fleas that the guards tended to avoid going in there unless they had to. So Corrie and Betsy had much more opportunity to share the gospel with the women around them BECAUSE of those very fleas.
To me, that example is a good reason to cheerfully, hopefully endure afflictions.
I believe there if we persevere through trials, God will use that to bring about good both in this life (as in the example with the fleas) and in the life to come, as we see in the end of today's verse in James.
James says that if one endures through the trials in life for Christ's sake, he will "receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Lord Jesus, help me to cheerfully persevere in the face of adversity, striving forward along the path you have laid out for me, the path that leads to true life now and in eternity.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Our Father's Wisdom
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:5-8)
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you have disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, the peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:13-18)
I find it interesting that these verses about the wisdom that God gives, the wisdom from heaven, both follow and are followed by verses on suffering - yesterday's verses on suffering producing endurance (James 1:2-4) lead into the verses about asking God for wisdom, and the verses about what the wisdom of heaven looks like are followed by an exhortation to be patient in suffering and the example of Job as someone to emulate for patience in suffering (James 5:7-11).
It seems that the endurance that is developed through suffering helps to produce God's wisdom in us. And his wisdom will help us to be humble, peace-loving, and merciful. It will help produce those character traits in us that will help us to get through this life on earth in a way that is pleasing to God - for which we be rewarded when the Lord returns - because the Lord who "is full of compassion and mercy" (James 5:11) will lavish his mercy upon us at that time, if we have shown mercy here on earth (James 2:12-13).
Father, I desire to have your wisdom guiding me through this life. Please give me your wisdom. Help me not to doubt that you will do this work in me, because I do not want to be blown about by the storms of this life. Help me to patiently accept suffering in my life so that I can become more like you, with your wisdom, humility, peaceful nature, mercy, and compassion. Help me to keep my eyes on the things of eternal value instead of on the things that will wither away. Thank you for being compassionate and merciful with me.
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you have disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, the peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:13-18)
I find it interesting that these verses about the wisdom that God gives, the wisdom from heaven, both follow and are followed by verses on suffering - yesterday's verses on suffering producing endurance (James 1:2-4) lead into the verses about asking God for wisdom, and the verses about what the wisdom of heaven looks like are followed by an exhortation to be patient in suffering and the example of Job as someone to emulate for patience in suffering (James 5:7-11).
It seems that the endurance that is developed through suffering helps to produce God's wisdom in us. And his wisdom will help us to be humble, peace-loving, and merciful. It will help produce those character traits in us that will help us to get through this life on earth in a way that is pleasing to God - for which we be rewarded when the Lord returns - because the Lord who "is full of compassion and mercy" (James 5:11) will lavish his mercy upon us at that time, if we have shown mercy here on earth (James 2:12-13).
Father, I desire to have your wisdom guiding me through this life. Please give me your wisdom. Help me not to doubt that you will do this work in me, because I do not want to be blown about by the storms of this life. Help me to patiently accept suffering in my life so that I can become more like you, with your wisdom, humility, peaceful nature, mercy, and compassion. Help me to keep my eyes on the things of eternal value instead of on the things that will wither away. Thank you for being compassionate and merciful with me.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
I have found these verses to be so true in my own life. I remember, way back when I was just starting out my life as an adult, how I found these verses so confusing, because they did not seem to match up with the "reality" I saw when I looked around me. I felt that the trials I was facing were not producing perseverance in me - I was ready to give up! The problem was my perspective. I did not have enough life experience yet to be able to look at the longer-term perspective I can view now.Looking back over the 45 years I have behind me now, I see that those particular trials, along with many others over the course of my life, have been developing perseverance within me. Even the word "develops" is important, because it shows the way in which this is an ongoing process. I do not yet have the degree of perseverance that should have or that I would like to have, but I am now closer to that goal than I was 25 years ago.
Just imagine what it would be like if we could look at our trials from God's perspective. He sees our entire lives, and all of eternity. My perspective has changed so much by being able to look back at 45 years instead of 20 years. How much more would it change if I could see all of eternity.
Father, please continue your work in my life. I do so much want to be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If trials are what is needed to get to that point, then I will try to welcome the trials in my life instead of resenting them. Help me to consider them pure joy, because they are getting me closer to that goal of being more like you.
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