Baby Steps

I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again. (Philippians 1:6)

We can sometimes feel like we aren't going to get to where we hoped to get to, finish what we hoped to finish, or just accomplish that one big thing we set in our sights. What we do with those moments determines if we will ever direct our focus toward it long enough to see it completed. We cannot think of having to "rest" in between the spaces or seasons of "accomplishing stuff" as a negative thing. I think God purposefully gives us some seasons in our lives where we kind of "coast" for a while because he knows we'd be overwhelmed if he didn't. He knows our personality and our emotional make-up. Just because you need to step back for a moment, don't be defeated - God isn't finished!

The seasons of emotional, physical, and spiritual frenzy would be our undoing if they continued on and on. Don't you think it is reasonable that God gives us "pauses" in our growth? It isn't that we aren't still soaking in his nourishment and provision - it is just that we aren't growing at the same pace as we were when we were in that "push forward" kind of determination. We just want to be sure we don't stop growing all together! That would signify something we have come to appreciate as "death"! Slowed growth doesn't mean we are about to die - it means our bodies, minds, spirits, and emotions have been under enough "pressure" - we need to rest and renew.

God begins good things in us all the time. They are like the tiny seedlings I find springing up in my garden from the seeds planted there much earlier. They aren't strong enough to survive yet, but they are signs of life and of more to come. In examining our lives, we find lots and lots of signs of life - promises of more and more to come. We should not lose heart when we don't see those things coming at the pace we might have imagined! Focus on the small goals and they will mount up to help you realize the bigger ones. We can count on one thing - God isn't finished with us. He may be giving us seasons of rest, followed by some intense seasons of growth, but he won't stop until he brings us to the place he desires for us to be. We might want to focus on the fact we don't feel growth occurring right now, but he is focusing on getting us rested for the growth opportunity he has coming for us just around the corner! Just sayin!

Take inventory

It was D.L. Moody who reminded us of 'heaven being a prepared place for a prepared people'. Jesus reminds us, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matthew 6:19-21) Heavenly-minded individuals are living today in preparation for heaven. That may look like one thing to me and another thing to you, but the end result is what matters. Are today's actions in accord with the principles taught in scripture? Did we take time to consider others as Jesus always did? Are we leaving behind goodness and kindness wherever we journey? To prepare here, we stay focused on the actions and attitude of Christ in all we do.

Wherever your treasure is... To understand the 'where', we must first define the 'what'. In other words, if we don't know what we 'treasure', we will never really know 'where' we find our focus. Treasures are simply the things we focus on the most - the things we value the greatest. Our treasure could be things, people, dreams or aspirations, or even something we have lost along the way. If Jesus is our treasure, his principles soon become more than our 'guidance' in life - they give us focus and therefore, they give us direction. Anyone who treasures the direction God gives is soon going to realize anything apart from making Christ first in our focus is just not going to bring us as much pleasure or peace. Prepare today for the place prepared for you tomorrow - this is the principle we have to learn well while here on this earth.

How do we prepare? Take inventory. All of life's greatest 'work' begins with 'taking inventory' of what we have, where we are, and where we need to go. We don't know what we have been given in saying 'yes' to Jesus until we begin to take inventory of those things. Peace replaced worry, hope replaced despair, freedom replaced bondage, love replaced rejection. After we know what we have, we begin to focus on where we are right now. An honest appraisal of the choices we have been making, how we make those choices, and what we have been accomplishing by those choices is important. When we know what we have been given, where we are right now, we are ready for Christ to establish where he wants to take us. Just sayin!

I want to act better than this

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy." (I Peter 1:13-16)

How do we keep from returning to a bad habit? Experts might suggest things like a 21-day commitment to the new one - advising that after those three weeks have passed, the new habit is ingrained into our current way of living. I am going to dispel that myth a bit because if that was the truth, why would we need to return to dieting time after time again, with rebound weight loss? Obviously, the 21-day commitment didn't 'take', did it? We found ourselves drifting back into eating a bit more than we should have or choosing a few more high-calorie snacks than might have been warranted. Before long, the weight drifts back on - a few ounces here and there until we are back up ten pounds over where we desire to be. This just goes to prove that self-will is never enough to change a habit!

Peter reminds us of the importance of 'preparing our minds for action' along with exercising self-control. Yes, we need that will-power to be at work, but it is never enough to just 'muster through' those tough things that we know need to be changed in our lives. I am referring to more than just a few extra pounds here. There are things in our lives we have been attempting to 'muster through' without really taking any time to talk with God about how it is we can see those areas changed permanently. We struggle with unforgiveness and resentment, trust having been destroyed by someone, and then we attempt to 'let go' of it all on our own. Finding ourselves struggling with thoughts of how we have been wronged over and over again, we realize we haven't really 'mustered through' all that well. 

Why? Our minds were never prepared for the action. We might have had some initial thoughts that God desired for us to let those hurts go, but we never took the time to consistently pray through the scriptures we read about forgiveness, making all our efforts a little less powerful than we hoped. Yes, we read the scriptures, and we came to the conclusion it was the right action to take, but we failed to repeatedly take each troubling thought to God for his touch. God's Word is powerful, but it has to be rehearsed (recalled) over and over in order to begin to change the thoughts we have held onto for so very long. The more we 'prepare our minds' through time in the Word, prayerfully rehearsing the scripture, and then seeking God's perspective, the more we will see those troubling thoughts begin to fall away. 

We may not think there is any hope of ever being free of a 'bad habit' we have allowed to form in our lives, but through God's grace, we can change. The part we take in change is important - we need to prepare our minds and then be prepared to take action when the desire to submit to any course different than the one God lays out for us. Prepared minds take better actions. Just sayin!

Perspective AND Preparation

Have you ever found yourself looking the wrong way when something great happens and you totally missed it? I have and it just bums me out when that happens because everyone who actually saw whatever it was proclaim over and over how awesome it was and how terrible it was that I missed it! It wasn't like I missed it on purpose, people! I just had my attention on something else. In today's world of 'rewind' and 'replay' features on almost everything, it is possible to 'go back' to catch what we miss in a video or even on live TV, but in real life those features are seldom at our disposal. You ever find yourself with your attention on 'something else' and wish you had a 'replay' button so you could 'catch up' with the rest of your friends? Ever wish you could just 'rewind' so you wouldn't miss out on all that stuff you wish now you never had missed? I think this is why God always asks us to keep our focus 'forward' - totally focused on him - not looking back - so we don't miss out!

Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we’ll hardly notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness. (2 Peter 3:11)

Perspective often determines our direction, doesn't it? How we see things in life isn't always a matter of us being right or someone else being wrong - it is where we are in life when the matter comes our way. I live in a flight path for some pretty awesome old planes that fly out of one or two of our local small airparks and whenever I hear those things grinding away above me, I like to run outside to see if I can spot them. The problem is that the noise echoes and I don't always know it they are flying North or South. I have to scan quickly and attempt to figure out the direction of the planes if I am to catch their tight formation and see the wonder of those huge bombers, fighter planes, and cargo planes overhead. Then I have to clear the trees and attempt to catch as much blue sky as I can take in. If I go out into my backyard, that isn't much because I have 3 large trees, but my back fence is lined with even more trees on the opposite side of the fence. My view is limited - my perspective between front yard and backyard is way different!

The front yard view is wide open, with only one large tree blocking my view. While it presents less 'challenges' for viewing the planes, I am not always 'prepared' to be seen out front! My hair may be a mess, I may be in lounge wear, or I have no shoes on and the sidewalks in Arizona get doggone hot in the summer months! Perspective matters, doesn't it? But...preparation also matters! We can have the right perspective, but be unprepared for what it is we are beholding. Whenever we find ourselves unprepared, we can also find ourselves unable to stay focused. Hot sidewalks burning into the soft tissue of my feet deters me from wanting to stand there too long to actually observe those planes. I often 'break off' the viewing because I cannot stand the heat! If we want to be ready at all times, it takes some preparation, doesn't it? I have to actually put shoes on each day - something I really hate to do because I love to just walk around in bare feet in the summer and stocking feet in the winter. I am not a shoe person!

Our preparation is probably as important as our perspective. We can have all the right focus in life, but if we aren't prepared for what is in front of us, we will shy away from whatever lies ahead! We need the preparation that comes from having 'first things first' in our lives - like Jesus, family, and friends. Then we need to add the preparation that comes from getting to know Jesus, family and friends on a more 'intimate' level. Getting to know family may be easier than getting to know Jesus, my friends! Why is that? We have to actually learn to 'live with' him - our families we already live with! We welcome him into our lives and we need to get used to having him around. Then we need to make specific space for him within our lives. We may have a limited perspective of him until we give him more than a place in the corner of our lives, though! He needs full-access - the run of the place, so to speak. In time, we get very familiar with how he moves, what he focuses on, and what his voice sounds like. We even get to know the sounds of his movement without even hearing his voice. We cannot bypass preparation in pursuit of perspective. We need both. Just sayin!

A little prep now makes sense

The training a soldier receives is for one purpose - to be prepared for the battle. Not to be prepared just in case there might be a battle someday in the distant future. It is training to be prepared - regardless of the battle, foe, or challenge. There is a great deal of attention that must be paid in "being prepared" - it involves mind being ready, body being physically prepared, and gear all being in solid working order. Another important part of the soldier's training is that of learning how to use the gear and when it is the appropriate time for each piece of gear. I was issued so much stuff - winter and summer gear - combat and survival gear. Each had a purpose and I had to learn how each piece functioned. If I didn't know how to dismantle my weapon and put it back together perfectly, it could mean the loss of life! Scripture describes the fact that we must learn how to apply the various weapons / pieces of armor we are provided in this Christian walk. It s something we must learn - it does not come naturally to us.

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Ephesians 6:13-18)

Here we find the reminder we are up against way more than we can handle on our own. Mark my words, we may try repeatedly to handle what life throws our way without ever seeking God in the midst of it, but we won't handle it well when we do! We need God's help - and he stands at the ready to do just that. God has "issued" us certain weapons - things we have at our disposal that we must become proficient at using. I was issued a rifle as a soldier. I learned how to handle that weapon - everything from zeroing its sights, cleaning its many parts, and actually firing it with expert proficiency. It became a tool in my hands that was to be used, if warranted, in the defense of my life and the life of my peer. So it is with the weapons of warfare that God has given us - the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, Prayer, abundant Faith, and even everlasting Peace. Regardless of the "weapon", each serves a purpose in our "arsenal" of defense against the enemy of our souls.

Paul reminds us that these are more than mere words on a page - they are true life "tools" we must become skillful in implementing. We need to learn how to pray - not just pouring our hearts out to God asking for his help, but in supporting each other in prayerful battle. We must get truth into our minds so it effects our daily walk - keeping us steady when the enemy tries to offer deceptive tactics. There is stability in learning what it is to stand in the peace of God - unwavering because we know that we are in Christ and he is in us. Regardless of the "tool" provided, if is never used, the tool is useless. Every weapon / tool provided for both our defense and our offense are necessary. The skill of learning how to use each of them is often best learned from others who have already learned - just like I learned to fire my rifle on the firing range with a group of instructors who were expert marksmen. Yes, we will learn much on our own, just us and God. Yet there is much to be learned from each other - so come alongside one who has walked through many a battle and learn how they have used the weapons of our warfare in their lives. The fact remains - we need to learn how to apply the weapons (utilize the tools we have been given) because we will need them all our lives!

We are not exempt from learning how to use these weapons - there is a command in this passage to learn them and learn them well. Where a command exists, there is implied obedience as an expectation. Therefore, it is imperative that we don't take for granted what we have been given for our defense. Preparation is a process of making ready. Are you ready for the battle? Are you ready to stand strong? Are you ready to stand for another when they can barely stand alone any longer? The invitation is to be prepared - not just for yourself, but for the guy or gal next to you, so learn how to use your weapons of warfare well! Just sayin!

Preparing?

There is something to be said about being prepared, but even the best preparations sometimes don’t bring the results we once hoped to realize. The benefits of preparation are that we have a plan for where we are going or what we are doing, the resources are laid aside or are immediately available, and we have a pretty good idea of what we’d like to see as the outcome. The downside to preparation is that our plans don’t always work out as we imagined, there are times the resources are just not sufficient for the things we are facing, and the outcome doesn’t always “match” what we imagined. God never discourages us from preparing or planning – he just reminds us that we need to rely upon him to guide us to the outcome which is best for us, even if it might not be the one we imagined!

Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

Hebrews 7:25 NLT

I got a call from my grandson last night, with a message relayed through his mother as they were in transit between baseball and small group. He had two questions for me because he knew I had a lot of “Jesus books” in my den. I never even knew he took notice of any of those books! His questions were simple: Where in the Bible does it tell us why God flooded the earth? He wanted to know where, but he also wanted to know why. These are two common questions we ask ourselves when we are considering things and/or preparing in life for our next steps, aren’t they? Where are we to go next, where do we look for the answers, where are the circumstances we find ourselves in at the moment going to lead us, or where does God expect us to be right now? Why is this happening, why do we need to go through this, or why is this the way it has to go down right now? We ask a whole lot of why and where questions, with a mix of how, when, and what ones mixed in.

Preparation is one thing – complete independence is another. God doesn’t discourage our enthusiastic preparation – just our stubborn belief that we “have this one” all on our own.  So many times we stubbornly go our own way simply because we think we know where to find the answers.  My fear is that I will get myself into some muddle of a mess simply because I don’t listen closely, pay attention well, or simply take steps without any preparation! Whenever I charge ahead without asking the right questions, I am not “blindly trusting” – I am being ignorant of the need to have a prepared heart, responsive spirit, and obedient mind! I am not “second-guessing” God, nor am I questioning his wisdom. I am really asking questions in my preparation because I don’t want to miss what he has prepared prior to my prep work!

Preparation involves several key things:

1) Trust placed in the right source, for any unreliable source will leave us wanting and disappointed in the outcome.  Trust is more than a mental assent – it involves belief in the one we are placing our trust in, and the commitment to leave that trust securely placed there even when the answers seem to differ from what we were counting on occurring.

2) A listening ear, with an attentive spirit because we will find it very hard to maintain trust if we aren’t keeping that two-way communication and responsiveness open between us and God.

3) An obedient mind, with a submitted will is probably the toughest part of any prep work on our part, for it requires reining in the thoughts, getting control of the will, and then leaning into Jesus for the times when neither of these seems to be possible! Just sayin!

Let the discovery begin...

As I look around my "world" today, I see all manner of "things" God has prepared for my enjoyment.  I have a beautiful house, nice yard, reliable vehicle, tremendous relationships with friends and family.  ALL specifically placed in my life for my enjoyment - and for my growth!  Why do I think all things placed in my life are for my growth?  Have you tried to be mature and responsible for the many blessings you have received and observed how ridiculously hard it can be to "handle" what life throws your way at times?  The house helped me to grow and mature in a financial sense.  In short order I learned what it was like to have a financial "burden" in your life which was kind of "bigger" that any other financial burden I had ever known.  In rather short order, I had to grow up with respect to my use of money - learning to budget and take specific interest in reducing this debt year by year.  It is paid off ten years earlier than the mortgage company predicted it would be - not because I am wealthy, but because God helped me grow "into" a better handling of my monies.  We may not think of the "things" God places in our lives as being those things he has prepared for our growth and development, but even the simplest of God's blessings has a profound impact in the life of the one who will learn to look for the blessing "inside" the blessing!

No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and it has never occurred to the human heart all the things God prepared for those who love Him. God has shown us these profound and startling realities through His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep mysteries of God. Who can see into a man’s heart and know his thoughts? Only the spirit that dwells within the man. In the same way, the thoughts of God are known only by His Spirit.  You must know that we have not received the spirit of this rebellious and broken world but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may experience and comprehend the gifts that come from God. (I Corinthians 2:9-12 VOICE)

The human heart is incapable of fully knowing (recognizing) and understanding (having all the "background" information) all the blessings God has prepared in our lives.  If we were to take up a journal and pen, we'd soon fill the pages with notes accounting for this blessing, that one, and soon another.  As we'd begin that process, we'd begin to discover this blessing opened the door for that one, then another came along on its heels, until the list just mushroomed - because God's blessings are limitless and his care over our lives is without measure!  Yet, God wants us to come into an appreciation of the blessings and gifts he has placed into our lives - so he sends his Spirit to dwell within us to show us those deep mysteries of his blessing and goodness.  Why?  God wants us to experience AND comprehend the gifts that come from him. He wants us to enter into them, but also to see the ways they actually help us to grow and mature in his grace, love, and mercy.

The part of this passage I want us to consider this morning is that which is underlined above - all those things God has prepared for each of us.  In the most literal sense, preparation involves this sense of pre-planning.  There is some thought which goes into the process that considers the detail necessary to ensure the "thing prepared" is specifically orchestrated for the one it is prepared to bless.  God doesn't just go to the pantry, pull out a 'canned blessing' and send it our way!  He has laid up those blessings way in advance, preparing even the "order" in which we will receive them into our lives.  Preparation requires some "readying" of the subject who will receive and the object which will be received. As I think of the times when I have prepared for a dinner party, or perhaps even prepared to celebrate a specific holiday with family and friends, there is a lot of "pre-planning" which goes into those moments.  From picking just the right ingredients from which to prepare the meal, to the actual preparation of those items into the dishes which will be served, the "readying" process evolves.  The same is true in our lives - there is a process of preparation which is underway right now for the next thing God has "readied" for our lives.

The most amazing part of the preparation God is doing in our lives is that we are not even aware of the groundwork being laid to prepare the way for the next thing he has for us! Most of us don't understand the weather, but we learn to read the signs of the weather.  If the wind begins to pick up, we know we may realize a little cooling or even the entry of some clouds along with those winds.  We might dress a little differently, making "preparation" for the possibility of a change in weather which could bring rain, snow, or something in between.  We pick up a sweater, maybe an umbrella, and make our way to the office as usual.  When we make our way into the office that day, the full realization of the weather coming our way may not be known, but we have prepared for the possibilities.  God doesn't always give us clarity of what he is doing, does he?  Sometimes his movement in our lives is kind of like that beginning of the weather change - there is a hint things are about to be different (changed), but we don't really know what that entails or how much change will be coming our way.  We prepare what we are able to prepare, in ways we can understand with our minds and appreciate with our hearts. The rest is up to him!

Even times where it appears there is no sign of growth, preparation is underway.  Paul Theroux said, "Winter is a season of recovery and preparation."  Those times when we don't see the preparation occurring may actually be times when God is laying the groundwork - allowing recovery to occur so we are ready for the next thing he has prepared which our heart and mind will find challenge and discovery within.  Discovery of God's heart isn't by chance - it is because there is preparation!  In finding his heart, we might just discover the blessing he has prepared!  Just sayin!

You preparing?

Prepared:  Properly expectant, organized, or equipped; ready; in fit condition for immediate use or action.  When scripture tells us to be prepared, the idea is that of being both equipped and ready for immediate action.  If you have ever had one of those games where you pull out one block after another, or perhaps attempt to lift an object out of a tiny space without setting off an alarm or seeing the tower of blocks tumble down, you know what being involved in the game entails.  There is a sense of urgency - or even a sense of being a little "on the edge of your seat" - all because you want to be successful in your endeavor.  Most of the time, preparation is made because we are planning for the inevitable.  As much as we try, we cannot control all the things in this life of ours, but we can prepare in every way possible to be ready for what comes our way.  When the bricks begin to tumble, or the alarms begin to sound, what we have done in preparation for those times makes all the difference.

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.  (Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG)

In terms of preparation for our daily walk with Christ, there are a number of things we are encouraged to do such as pray, read the Word, and even spend time with others in the faith.  Yet, we often neglect these simple instructions because we get our focus a little diverted.  If you are playing that brick stacking game, a little distraction can bring the whole tower of blocks tumbling down into your lap!  So, heeding the instructions we are given might just mean the difference between "remaining in the game" and finding out we have "lost" something in the long run.

First - we are reminded we need help in this life.  Try walking for any length of time alone and you will find that you come to the end of your resources quite rapidly.  Having a companion along for the journey sometimes helps your resources go further simply because you now have "combined" resources.  For some people, the word "help" is like a four-letter word - never to be uttered and something to be feared.  To those folks I can only say this - you don't know how limited you are until you see how vast your resources become when you are finally in step with another!

Second - we have been given tools to help us along the journey, but tools are nothing more than "objects" we possess until we put them into use.  Just before my knee surgery, my brother helped me erect my new workshop.  It took me about two months to finally recuperate enough to move the tools from the nooks and crannies in the garage into my new workshop.  It was a lot of work, but now I can finally see what I have at my disposal and don't have to dig around trying to remember where I stored that tool the last time I used it!  The thing is, I like tools and I love to be able to make things or fix things with them.  So, this was a long time coming, but I am greatly excited to finally have this space.  Wouldn't it be a shame to have access to so much and then to just leave it all there just "looking good"?  

Third - we are given much, but only appreciate and apprehend what we put into use in our lives.  Truth is good - truth applied means we have the opportunity to see the impact it can make in our lives.  Truth learned is different from truth we are merely exposed to.  Once we stop messing around with just "reading about" what God wants to do in and through us, and finally take the first steps to "go about" what he wants to do, we see the difference!

Fourth - nothing good comes easy.  We all know this - especially if we have ever tried to lose weight!  Taking in all those goodies along the way puts on the extra pounds - losing those extra pounds takes a whole lot more effort. Yet, when we finally are determined to drop them, we find a great deal of satisfaction in doing so.  In fact, most doctors will advise that even a ten pound loss can make a world of difference in your blood glucose, cholesterol, and even the pressure put on your skeletal system.  In this walk with Christ, some of the "stuff" we hope to see in our lives requires some effort on our part, but remembering that nothing good comes easy makes the effort a little easier.

Lastly - we are to act as pace-setters in the lives of others.  When another is down, we are to lift them up.  When one is lagging behind, we are to encourage them to catch up.  Why?  Maybe the military's special forces say it best when they say no man will ever be left behind.  We not only need each other to set the pace, but we sometimes just need the other person beside us to just help us to know we are okay in this journey.  I have a very special friend who reminds me when I miss giving her a hug each day, or who will just sit silently as we drive along taking in the beauty of the countryside as we explore new places.  What she may not realize is how often she speaks into my life without even one word - simply by being there with me in the journey.

Preparation takes a lot longer than we may want it to, but it is well worth the effort.  Just sayin!

Empty jugs

The story begins this morning with a widow woman facing a debt she cannot repay.  She is worried that she will lose her two sons - simply because they would become the "means" of repaying her debt as they would become the slaves to the debtor if she could not repay the debt.  Her husband has been a prophet - a godly man.  I imagine she wonders why this catastrophe is upon her since she likely has lived pretty close to this guild of prophets and their "set apart" lifestyle for a good many years.  She comes to Elisha - one of the major prophets of the Old Testament - seeking his help.  She implores him to consider her plight.  In response, he begins to wonder what he might be able to do to assist.  In those days, prophets were rarely wealthy men or women - they lived by the standards of the day, occupying their time with the normal pursuits of the day such as farming, tending the animals, working with clay or wood, etc.  But...today, I want us to focus on his answer to this woman and the importance of her response.

Elisha said, “I wonder how I can be of help. Tell me, what do you have in your house?”  “Nothing,” she said. “Well, I do have a little oil.”  (2 Kings 4:2 MSG)

I think Elisha may have seen the situation as an opportunity - the woman was seeing it as an impossibility.  He asks what she has - she declares what she doesn't have!  Isn't that just like us?  We are so quick to discount what we possess because we see it as insignificant in comparison to the "demands" being made upon us.  Why do we gravitate to the "little" instead of seeing the "much" in our circumstances, talents, or abilities?  I think there is something we might all need a little reminding about - we serve the God of "much" not the "little".

So, the story goes on to tell us about the woman being instructed to collect every available bottle, jar and pot from the town.  She goes about collecting these, stacking them up in her home, until every last "empty" one is in her possession.  Now, this may not seem like much at first, but do you see something occurring in this activity on her part?  She is not sure "what" will happen, she just knows if she brings everything which has been declared "empty" into the presence of God, the "empties" are right where they need to be!  

We often don't bring our "empties" to God's presence - because we see them as "empty" - something which contains nothing of importance.  Yet, when you really stop to consider this situation, you will realize without an "empty", God has nothing to "fill"!  So, the next time you tell yourself you are just an "empty" in some regard, you are just really saying to God, "I have a little space you can fill up!"  

In bringing these empty jars to Elisha, the little she had became so much more than she needed to satisfy the debt owed by her husband.  In fact, she is able to live on what's left.  God not only filled the "empties" with enough to provide for today's need, he filled enough "empties" to provide for the future needs, as well.  The thing is, when we are willing to give our "little" into his care, taking steps to bring what has been emptied out into his presence, we find he fills beyond our capacity to contain!

I often hear people saying stuff like "Oh, I never could do that" or "I just don't have what it takes".  The truth be told, neither did Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Joyce Meyers, or Charles Stanley (to name only a few).  The thing each had in common was more than the emptiness that needed to be filled - they also brought the "little" they had into the presence of God and in turn, he filled.  The empty parts of each of us are exactly what God needs.  It is in the emptying we become ready to be filled.  

My hope for you today - you will stop telling yourself the "little" you have is not enough in God's hands.  For it is in the bringing of the "little" into his presence where we see the impossibilities become possibilities.  Just sayin!

Having some "birth pains"?

Have you ever stopped to consider the miracle of birth?  Having birthed two children, I remember the first twitches of the "real" birth pains and all those times of "false labor" when we'd feel those false contractions.  The difference between the two is that one of them did not "advance" the birth process, but rather just made us aware it was nearing.  Those "false contractions" may not have seemed like much, but they indeed did more to alert us to the pending delivery than we might have imagined.  With God, he does not just allow us to enter "into" times of pain without also "birthing" something from those times.  Those painful "contractions" are designed to bring forth something new!

In the same way I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born,” says the Lord.  (Isaiah 66:9 NCV)

In the weeks preceding the birth of my children, I experienced many of those "false contractions".  In fact, when going to the hospital to report to the doctor that I was "in labor" with my first child, they sent me home saying I was just experiencing "false labor".  Being the obedient first-time mom, I did as they said, only to turn around a few hours later in the middle of the night with "real labor"!  The "earlier" contractions may not have been "hard enough" to push my daughter through the birth canal, but they were definitely pointing to the ones which would!  

Have you ever stopped to consider the "contractions" of growth?  There are times when we experience some "twinges" of growth - like those false contractions - which really cause us to sit up and take notice.  They alert us to something which is just around the corner, but they don't really produce the result of the "full-birth" of the "thing" of growth being produced within.  Instead, there will be further development taking place in the "secret places" of our lives.  In due time, the "real labor" begins to happen and we begin to experience both the extreme pain of birthing the growth and the awesome splendor of seeing that growth being born out of our lives.  

God's promise to us:  I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born!  Hear that loud and clear - someone needs this right now!  Nothing should frighten us about the pain we are enduring for the moment, because in the end, something of awe-inspiring growth will emerge!  The birthing of spiritual, emotional, relational, and/or intellectual growth is almost always preceded by some form of "pain".  Either we embrace the pain as part of the process or we will constantly be frustrated by it!  When we finally are willing to embrace the pain as the "predecessor" to our growth, we might just begin to prepare for the birth a little more!

When a woman goes into those early signs of labor (the false contractions), she does something to get ready.  The nursery begins to be put in order, diapers are bought, pacifiers are sterilized, bottles are washed and prepared for midnight feeding readiness.  The bag is packed, complete with little munchies for the father to make it through the experience!  The house is cleaned, the fridge is stocked, and the pantry has never been more organized!  She readies the nest, doesn't she?  I think this may be why God allows us to begin to experience the "false labor" of our growth experiences - to help us to ready ourselves to receive the true delivery of the "real deal"!  In the readying process, something happens.  We begin to focus all our attention on the delivery!  Maybe this is the goal of the process - to get us focused.

I don't know what "pains" you are experiencing right now.  They may be the "false labor" type of pains - growth is on its way, but it still has a little preparation time required.  Growth may be finally about to be birth, and the pains are intensifying.  Take heart - in the pain, God promises something new!  The newness of what God brings forth is ALWAYS good!  Just sayin!

A Blossom for a Day

Don't be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.

(James 3:1-3)

I am blessed to have two beautiful hibiscus bushes in my front yard.  I worried that they were blighted by the frosts of this past winter and the dryness of this summer.  Yet, as I drive up almost every evening, there are the bright pink blossoms on full display!   The leaves are a rich green and the blossoms are full. Yet, as I consider these magnificent plants, I am caught by the majesty of their blossoming.  The work so hard to prepare that blossom, but it lasts only one day.

As  came through Bible College, I had a very wise professor who spoke words into my life that I will never forget.  I was struggling with the balance between raising young children, being a wife, and the continual demands to keep up with the intense studies.  He asked me if I was willing to prepare a lifetime to be used ONE day by God.  Most of us would just jump right in and answer in the affirmative on that one, but he made me go home, think it through and then come the reality of that answer in my spirit.

The fact was, preparing for a LIFETIME to only be used just ONE day in the hands of God seemed pretty overwhelming.  What the professor was doing was asking me to both count the cost and to evaluate my motives.  Just like the hibiscus blossom, I could be asked to put in a whole lot of time "forming" before I ever had the "glory" of being on display as God's handiwork.  The same is true of all of us.  We don't get things perfect just because we determine to do them right!

In fact, we often fail!  We try - fail - try again - fail again - try yet again....  You get the drift.  We don't always "blossom" the first time we try.  My hibiscus plants went through two years of no blossoms.  Yep, lots of rich green leaves, but no blossoms.  I thought it was a problem with the watering cycle, so I stepped that up.  Then I thought it was a problem with fertilizing them, so I bought the necessary fertilizer and lavished that upon them.  Still, no blossoms for two years.

What happened with my hibiscus?  I don't really know, but I do know that this year is awesome!  The blooms are magnificent.  Yet, the enjoyment of their "glory" is very limited!  One day - that is the extent of each bloom.  Just like that plant, we are often "dormant" for a season or two - in preparation for the glory that God will bring forth from our lives.  When that "blooming" occurs, there is a display of his majesty like no other!  Maybe I am being a little "weird" here, but I wonder if God asked my hibiscus if it was willing to prepare a LIFETIME to be used just ONE day in his hand?  If he did, maybe it responded back, "You bet!  Because what you will bring forth will be far better than what I could bring on my own!"

God may be asking you today if you are willing to do the "prep time" - learning through the failures to be something of awesome glory in his hands.  If so, don't be in a hurry to answer, but consider the cost, my friend.  Evaluate your motives.  There is a cost - perhaps a season or two without any signs of ever producing anything of beauty.  Yet, when the blooms of character are produced, what an awesome display of his glory!  Bloom on!

Invitation to be prepared

^13-18Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

(Ephesians 6:13-18)

We are in a battle - life is never easy.  Our passage today is best known as describing the weapons of our warfare.  In the Message Bible, the passage does not outline "putting on" or "taking up" these weapons / pieces of armor.  Instead, it gives us the reminder that there is a great deal of attention that must be paid in "being prepared".  I like the way this translation opens this passage for us because it is describes the fact that we must learn how to apply these various weapons / pieces of armor in our lives.  It s something we must learn - it does not come naturally to us.

The important reminder we are faced with in our opening verses is that we are up against way more than we can handle on our own.  Mark my words, we may try repeatedly to handle what life throws our way without ever seeking God in the midst of it, but we don't handle it well when we do!  We need God's help - and he stands at the ready to do just that.  God has "issued" us certain weapons - things we have at our disposal that we must become proficient at using.

When I was in the military, I was issued a M-16 rifle.  I learned how to handle that weapon - everything from zeroing its sights, cleaning its many parts, and actually firing it with proficiency.  It became a tool in my hands that was to be used, if warranted, in the defense of my life.  So it is with the weapons of warfare that God has given us - the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, Prayer, abundant Faith, and even everlasting Peace.  Regardless of the "weapon", each serves a purpose in our "arsenal" of defense against the enemy of our souls.

Paul reminds us that these are more than mere words on a page - they are true life "tools" we must become skillful in implementing.  We need to learn how to pray - not just pouring our hearts out to God asking for his help, but in supporting each other in prayerful battle.  We must engraft truth into our daily walk - keeping us steady when the enemy tries to offer deceptive tactics.  There is stability in learning what it is to stand in the peace of God - unwavering because we know that we are in Christ and he is in us.  

Regardless of the "tool" provided, if they are not used, they are useless.  Every weapon / tool provided for both our defense and our offense are necessary.  The skill of learning how to use them is often best learned from others who have already learned - just like I learned to fire my rifle on the firing range with a group of instructors who were expert marksmen.  Yes, we will learn much on our own, just us and God.  Yet there is much to be learned from each other - so come alongside one who has walked through many a battle and learn how they have used the weapons of our warfare in their lives.  The fact remains - we need to learn how to apply the weapons (utilize the tools we have been given) because we will need them all our lives!

We are not exempt from learning how to use these weapons - there is a command in this passage.  Where a command exists, there is implied obedience as an expectation.  Therefore, it is imperative that we don't take for granted what we have been given for our defense.  Preparation is a process of making ready.  Are you ready for the battle?  Are you ready to stand strong?  Are you ready to stand for another when they can barely stand alone any longer?  The invitation is to be prepared - learn how to use your weapons of warfare well!