Choices: How does "this" glorify God?

Hello all who come to this page,

     And welcome once again!  A couple of years ago, my oldest child became a teenager and with sweetness and a beautifully submissive attitude she came to us to see what we thought about her buying an i-touch (we were gizmo-less folk at that time).  We began to explore the idea of that together, as well as talking about many other aspects of life and growing in independence and what kinds of foundational truths can help us make God-glorifying decisions.  It prompted our family to make a list of guiding questions for us to make use of, and it has gradually morphed into the following )which can be applied to many decisions that come our way in life)...I share as a means of potentially encouraging you somehow: 

How does “this” edify or build up or equip or comfort or promote peace in Christ?

• Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
• Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

If we are “surfing”/spending time in front of electronics (or fill in the blank with some other activity), is it aiding our growth in Christ or acting as a distraction?  Are we meditating/thinking on those things which are true, pure, etc?

• 1 Tim 4:12-16  Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit,* in faith, in purity.  Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
• Phil 4:8-9   Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.  The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Are we choosing triviality or profitability?

• Matt 12:35-36  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart  brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.   But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.   
• Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
• 2 Thess. 3:10b-13…essence, are you being a busy body or doing good

What will we do in secret, when no man sees us but God to whom we will give account does?

• Eccl 12:9-14  And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.  The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright — words of truth.  The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.  And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,

For this is man's all.

 For God will bring every work into judgment,

Including every secret thing,

Whether good or evil.

Do we remember the mission God has privileged us to become a part of when He adopted us into His family?

• Eph 4:11-24   And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,  for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,  till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ —   from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.  This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of  the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,  having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;  who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  But you have not so learned Christ,  if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,  and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,  and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
• Matt 5:14-16  "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.   Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.   Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Are we only asking “what’s wrong with it?” or do we also ask “what is right about it?” ~ see 1 Cor. 10:23-24…it may be “lawful”, but is it helpful…it may be “lawful”, but will it edify? 

• 1 Cor 10:23-24   All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me,* but not all things edify.  Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.
• Heb 10:19-25   Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,  and having a High Priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

When the righteous suffer, part 2

"And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented —  of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." ~ Hebrews 11:32-12:1

God is at work in us and through us.  Listen to Paul as he writes from prison: "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." ~ Philippians 1:12-14

Job wrestled passionately with God, but he did not forsake Him, and through his trials God drew Him closer to Himself.  Jacob wrestled with God and God blessed Him.  We do not have to slap a smile on our face and pretend suffering does not really exist.  Wrestle.  The theme of crying out to the Lord is an oft repeated one...crying out in faith, trusting God is a Deliverer, a Comforter, a Mighty God who is able to vindicate us when we are wronged.

Psalm 56:8-11
"You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book? 

When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me. 

In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word), 

In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"

It can be very hard to believe God is for us when circumstantially so many things seem to be against us...commands to "not fret" and to "count it all joy" are impossible without faith in the Living God and the strength He supplies.  It is a minute by minute exercise for many of our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world, and it may be for you too. May the One who spoke this world into existence give us the grace to believe He is for us, and let us cry out to Him while doing the next right thing He sets before us, trusting that He will provide and deliver according to His wisdom and goodness.

"My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful." ~  James 5:10-11

When the righteous suffer...

Heb 11:4 tells us "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks."  Abel was murdered by his brother.

Job 1:1 makes it clear that Job "was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil."  He knew very well degrees of suffering most of us never come close to.

Genesis 6:8 announces that "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."  Noah's ark is often depicted as a cute little Sunday school story, but think about it...Was it easy to build that ark in the face of the evil and mockery of his day?  What about living in the confines of the ark while everything outside of the ark that he'd ever known was being destroyed by floodwaters? What about the work that followed the day when the waters finally receded?  Do you think Noah's view of salvation by God, in whose eyes he found grace, had anything to do with the tenets of the health, wealth, and prosperity "gospel" preached today? 

The Apostle Paul was a faithful servant of God, spending and being spent for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he tells us in 2 Cor 11:23-28 that in the course of his service, he suffered stripes above measure, was put into prison, was beaten with rods, stoned, was shipwrecked three times, faced the trials of much travel, faced the perils of robbers and so many other kinds of difficulties that it is hard to list them all.

My friends, as we suffer let us be encouraged by Peter who tells us:
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter." (1 Peter 4:12-16)

And James who reminds us:
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:2-6)

We can do that only when we know our God is sovereign, He is good, He is wise, He loves us, He is compassionate and just.  Our pastor preached a very helpful sermon on this last Sunday called the Patience of the Prophets and Job, and I highly recommend it.  May God help us to endure, to walk by faith, and to trust He is not wasting our pain. And may we grow in our ability to weep with those who weep.  God help us!

That We May Obtain Mercy

Some adversities harden and embitter, and others produce covetable beauty and grace in the lives of those who suffer them.  William Secker pointed out so poignantly that whether friend or foe of God, suffering will have an effect:  “Suffering seasons have generally been sifting seasons, in which the Christian has lost his chaff and the hypocrite his courage.” 

Thomas Watson makes the point that God’s mercies and their fruits are also arranged by God when he said, “The mercies of God make a sinner proud, but a saint humble.” 

As true as these sentiments are in general, they are not formulaic.  We like formulas…we like predictability.  Yet, it is not that simple.  Just ask Job...the advice of his friends was full of formulaic misapplication of truths.  Let's be careful to appreciate the general truth that God is indeed at work to mold and shape us via the varied circumstances He ordains for us to walk through, but not in a formulaic fashion that is ready to judge oneself or others based on a particular event or time of life. 

God is FREE, He’s sovereign, He’s got all power and wisdom and authority, and He is good, merciful, kind, gracious and abounding in love towards His children.  And if we are in Christ, we need to entrust ourselves to the One who has told us unequivocally that we are His workmanship and that He will complete the good work He has begun. 

Our transformation is not complete in a day.  Our Father conforms us over time to be like Jesus.  Be patient with yourself and with others.  Sometimes I find myself losing courage, feeling hardened and embittered or proud rather than resembling the beautiful, grace-filled, humble child I know I ought to be as one of God's kids in response to both suffering and His mercies. Do you? He is still at work.  Tell the Accuser to go jump in a lake, and continue to entrust yourself to your Father who will help you get back up.  A righteous man that falls seven times, gets up eight.  Our Father is not finished with us yet.

I know from repeated experience that when we see ourselves falling, it is a mighty good time to cry out to the Living God who is rich in mercy and gives us this encouraging word:

"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest 

who has passed through the heavens, 

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our confession.  

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, 

but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, 

that we may obtain mercy 

and find grace to help in time of need." 

~ Hebrews 4:14-16

He makes His face to shine upon us

Nearly every week for the past 20+ years, I have heard the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:24-26:

"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee,

and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee,

and give thee peace."

What an amazing blessing!  The LORD makes His face shine upon us...The Holy One, Creator of everything, THIS LORD makes His face shine upon us (the ones loaded down with guilt and shame and fears and sorrows of various kinds). 

THIS LORD is gracious and gives peace.  

THIS LORD came and lived and died and rose for us...He will surely bless and keep all who belong to Him.  

As a parent, I have more than once taken the face of one of my downcast children and raised it up so they would have to look in my eyes ~ eyes that love them and want them to rest in that love.  My love is imperfect, but God's is not and He has taken everything that could ever keep us downcast (our sins & their punishment, our sorrows, our shame, our fears/anxieties, our sicknesses, etc) and nailed them with Jesus on the cross...He has clothed us in His robes of righteousness, honored us beyond comprehension by adopting us, healed us, washed us, and He takes our faces into His hands & lifts our heads up so we can see His eyes filled with love for us.  He makes His face to shine upon us!

Our family has been memorizing Philippians 4:8..."Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things." What a delight it is to do so...the downcast soon find themselves dancing before the LORD.

Parturient

When adopting our kids, we would occasionally hear comments about how we were “getting our children the easy way.”  That is debatable.  I would dare suggest that every child joins its family with a labor all its own.  But having had the privilege of witnessing 5 births over the years, and experiencing the journey of adoption 3 times, I would also quickly concede that childbirth-labors and adoption-labors have their differences.  But both involve a labor…a painful waiting…a waiting where fretting or getting overly worked up increases the difficulty, whereas breathing steady and doing the next right thing proves helpful.

Today I came across the word parturient.  I was doing a proofreading project for my friend, Pam Forster (let me make a quick, unabashed plug for her resources over at Doorposts).  Well, parturient means “to be in labor” and every mom can relate to that in her own way.  When looking up the Hebrew word that is translated “and wait patiently” in Psalm 37:7, I was very surprised to see that Strong’s definition included “to writhe in pain (especially of parturition)”.   Gesenius’ Lexicon refers to this word in this way: “To twist oneself in pain, to writhe, to be in pain, especially used of parturient women”.  After I finished proofreading, I went back to investigate this passage a little bit more.  I had never thought of "waiting patiently" in those terms.  But note the powerful imagery of a laboring woman as you read Psalm 37:7-8 ~  “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret — it only causes harm.” 

I came away quite encouraged!  We can quiet ourselves in the LORD, breathe steady (deliberately, intentionally) and do the next right thing in the face of the wicked and their schemes…the Psalm tells us how trustworthy the Lord is, how the wicked will be cut off, and how the righteous will inherit the earth…we labor and it is hard work, it is not passive; it is painful at times, but God WILL bring forth His fruit in our lives in His time.  I love the richness of this imagery. And the fruit of our labor will all be worth it.

Some borrowed encouragement

Hello Blog-friends (especially the moms this round)!  Today I simply want to encourage you to hop over HERE and consider how your kids rank.  Thank you Rachel J. for your powerful encouragement!

In His arms

Choosing to SEE, by Mary Beth Chapman...painful, humorous, encouraging, challenging...both times I have read it, I have ended with a more earnest desire to share the hope I have in Christ with others, to trust Him wholeheartedly with the challenges He brings our way, and to rejoice that though a mess, He loves me.  Here are a couple of excerpts that I could identify with:

"Most people I know are quite fond of the apostle Paul, not because he was a superachiever who spread the gospel throughout the known world, but because he realized that his pains and limitations were what kept him dependent on Christ...He said that we carry around the knowledge of Christ like a treasure in 'jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies' (2 Cor. 4:7-10 ESV)."

"I take a perverse pleasure in so many of the Psalms, and I am so absolutely grateful to God that He would include the wild writings of a guy like David, who clearly had his ups and downs.  I can relate with the pain and great sweeps of melancholy in the Psalms.  But I can also relate with the way David always returned to his hope in the Lord.  His pain was real, but so was his hope. And in spite of being slightly crazy, David know that the Lord God Himself knew him before he was born.  He is the One who will cause our stories to ultimately end secure and well, right in His arms."

Accidental Pharisee?

On Sunday we visited a church called Mars Hill with our nephew Ryan and his girlfriend.  I have listened to their pastor, Mark Driscoll, via podcasts on and off for years.  But Mark wasn't preaching this week.  A man named Dr. Larry Osborne did, and after being greatly encouraged by his preaching, I decided to look him up to see what else he has available online.  One of the first things I came across was introducing a book he has written titled Accidental Pharisee.  Though I want to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, I was convicted that still, all too often, I fall into the very things he mentioned in his intro...here's a slice of it, pasted in blue (the rest can be found HERE). 

Here’s a brief list of six of the most telling indicators that we may have inadvertently started down the path of an Accidental Pharisee, looking down on others and trusting in our own righteousness.

• First and foremost is a deepening sense of frustration and disdain for those at the back of the line. Instead of a Jesus-like compassion for those who can’t keep up, we view them with cynicism and a cocky arrogance.
• The second warning sign is a spirit of exclusivity. When thinning the herd becomes more important than expanding the kingdom; or raising the bar becomes more important than helping people climb over it, something has gone terribly wrong.
• A third indicator is the addition of extra-biblical rules and expectations. Few of us would see ourselves as legalists. We think we’ve moved on from old school legalism because we no longer judge people by what’s in their refrigerator. But the spirit of legalism still runs strong. We now judge people by what’s in their driveway and how big their house is.
• A fourth symptom is a pattern of idolizing the past. Whether it’s the New Testament church or the scholars of old, we tend to give them a free pass for their failures. But the present day Bride of Christ and the current crop of leaders that Jesus has put in place are assailed for their blind spots, failures, and feet of clay. Like the Pharisees of old, we rip on the living prophets and then build monuments to them once they die.
• A fifth sign that something has gone wrong is a quest for clone-like uniformity. Jesus had room for Simon the Zealot and Matthew the Tax Collector. Yet sometimes, the more biblically grounded we become, the less room we have for anyone who hasn’t yet learned all that we’ve learned. The result is a circle of fellowship that’s tighter than Jesus’s circle of acceptance.
• The sixth and final indicator that we’re becoming an Accidental Pharisee is something called “gift-projection.” It’s the toxic belief that my calling is everyone else’s calling. It disfigures the body of Christ by insisting that ears become eyes and hands become feet. It looks like passion for the mission. But in reality, it’s chocolate covered arrogance.

Does any of that strike a chord with you too?   Together, let us lay aside the filthy rags of our own self-righteous haughtiness and gladly put on the robes of His righteousness.  

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly 

and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.

~ Micah 6:8 (NIV)

26 minutes in...

About a year ago, I listened through a series of talks on marriage by a godly pastor named Steve Wilkins.  I have been thinking once again about the content from his talk about forgiveness...it was truly a wonderful talk, given at a family camp in California, and you too can listen to it by clicking this link.  Around the 26 minute mark, he notes that forgiveness costs us something. 

We know it cost God something, don't we?  Forgiveness cost God big time…for Him to be both just and the justifier, Jesus had to suffer and die on our behalf.  But oh the gains!  God could have stayed angry with us and we all could be facing His just wrath on account of our many wrongdoings.  He would have been perfectly just…He is the Judge and we have done wrong…there would be no wrongdoing on His part to make us suffer the due consequences of our sins. That is because He is God.

One of the often memorized verses of the Bible is John 3:16, which says: “For God so loved this world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  Now slow that down.  God SO LOVED.  He GAVE.  His only begotten SON.  Are you a parent?  Could you give your child to rescue rebels?  Would you even want to re-establish relationship with those who have betrayed you, lied to you, forsaken you, killed your messengers, and sinned against you in an overwhelming myriad of ways?  John was not kidding when he told us in 1 John 3:1 to “BEHOLD what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!  Forgiveness wasn’t free for God…it cost Him mightily.  And He didn’t stop at forgiveness in the sense of wiping out  our liability for punishment with His love…He more than restored relationship by adopting us and bringing us into His family.  

He took initiative and died for sinners (not people who had begged for His mercy and totally cleaned up their act...people like you and me, still in our sins and not even caring a hoot about Him)...and we know that.  For those of us who have been forgiven by God, we also know we are supposed to forgive others as Christ forgave us. But have you ever been asked by someone to be forgiven and found it really hard to do?  Getting back to the 26 minute mark, Pastor Steve shed some helpful light: 

"It sounds simple, but it is really hard BECAUSE in order to do this, you’ve got to:

1. Give up the feeling of superiority that comes from being bitter against someone for a good reason.  It is a delicious feeling, and we have all been guilty of enjoying it. You have grounds for being really angry.  And your holy little soul has been damaged by Mr. or Mrs. Inconsiderate, and you take great inward pleasure in standing above them in your so called righteous judgments.  It is a delicious feeling to think yourself more holy than other people [and it destroys the church all the time because all of us like it!].  You know you are supposed to forgive when someone asks you to, but you delay it…”I just can’t talk about it right now” with puckered lip.  We put people off so we can feel superior for at least a little while longer.  It is a great wickedness.  We hang onto the offenses so that we can feel more righteous than they are.
2. Holding onto the hurts makes us feel like we have something to hold up as a reason for people to feel sorry for us.  Nobody appreciates me, nobody is thoughtful like me, nobody knows what I suffer…I feel sorry for myself and I like it when someone else feels sorry for me too.  If I let go of the offenses, I lose this power.

Forgiveness costs you something…it costs you your self righteousness and your self pity.  BUT, if you give up your self righteousness and self pity, you are going to be free of anger, and bitterness, and frustration and the poisonous spirit of revenge that drains you from the ability to love, and of peace and joy.  Forgiveness does cost us something, but when we understand the gain we know there is no greater bargain.  There is no substitute for mercy."

We can only do that by remembering the greater price that was paid by God for us all.  It frees us to love.  Notice that the things it costs us to forgive are self-focussed.  Doesn't God call us to consider one another, to lay our lives down, to take initiative to point people to Jesus that they might live by His grace?

Later in his talk, he said: "Nothing but repentance and forgiveness solves the problem, and when you do that you have a place where you can begin to rebuild on the right foundation, the foundation of our Savior and have the life you stopped thinking is possible." 

Amen!

The Good Part

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."  And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." ~ Luke 10:38-42 

Observe:
*  Martha welcomed Jesus into her house. She was distracted with much serving. She approached Jesus, questioning Him and telling Him what to do. 
*  Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to Him.

Two people interacting with Jesus.  One chose the "good part."  Is Jesus opposed to serving? It depends.  Are we serving Him or serving idols of some sort?  Not all service is alike.  Is our serving like His serving or is our serving distracting us from loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; and from loving our neighbor?  Jesus came to serve and to give His life as a ransom (Mark 10:45).   He was always about His Father's business, submitting Himself even to the point of dying on a cross..."not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). This kind of service requires us to listen, to sit at His feet.

Interestingly, the very next thing Luke records for us after telling us about Martha and  Mary is Jesus teaching His disciples to pray:

"Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven..."

We too are called to be about our Father's business...Jesus teaches us to pray in a way that positions us at His feet...His name be hallowed, His kingdom come, His will be done!  Do we have our own agenda's, welcoming Jesus in only to advise Him to help us with our plans?  Are we distracted with our "serving"? Or are we choosing what Jesus calls the "good part"...sitting at His feet and listening to Him so that all our serving will be about His name, His kingdom, His will?

Accepted?

"He made us accepted in the Beloved." ~ Eph 1:6b

How much of our lives are spent trying to earn acceptance in some fashion?
*  Are we doing the "right" diet?  Should we even be on a diet? 
*  Are we wearing the "right" clothes?
*  Are we using the "right" make up in "right" proportions?
*  Are we sporting the "right" haircut?
*  Are we engaged in the "right" kinds of activities?

My children come to me and ask things like "Does this look ok?  Do my clothes match? What do you think of this hairstyle?  Do you think I am fat?"  And on and on.  Some of that is just part of the learning curve of figuring out cultural appropriateness, but largely there is the unstated admission behind it that I want to fit in, I want to be accepted.  They have the honesty to ask out loud what many only think inwardly, but unless you are the exception, we all have insecurities and fear of man issues that require us to hear and trust God's gracious word to us, or remain enslaved. 

God tells us that if we are His, He has already made us accepted in the Beloved.  The jury is not still out...the verdict has been rendered.  He has made us accepted in the Beloved!  Let those words sink in.  And share them with your children if God has blessed you with them.  They need to hear as much as we do that they ARE loved, they don't have to earn it.  They ARE beautiful, made by God as His image bearers, gifted to bear good fruits.  Is this the message they hear from you?

Let's live out of response to God's goodness to us...His love already bestowed.  Put off these enslaving worries and all the associated fears of man, and walk as children of Light.  That doesn't mean that anything goes with food and clothes and activities...but it does mean that these things are no longer governed by worries over being accepted or gaining approval or getting noticed. 
*  Eat with thankfulness for God's glory from those things He provides.
*  Adorn your beautiful God-designed body with clothes and make up and hair cuts and jewelry that aim to reflect the beauty of the Lord to others because He already loves you, and you are already accepted in the Beloved (note that a simple observation of God's creation indicates that God enjoys variety..we do not all have to look alike). 
*  And as far as activity goes, if we really begin to embrace the heights and depths of God's great love for us, we will grow in our desires to be about our Father's business because we will be wanting to be doing what He is doing right alongside of Him...our choices of how we use the gift of time He gives will begin to reflect more and more the mission of our God.  

What a privilege we have been given.  Let's not spend our days trying to win approval of others for ourselves....let's know we are already approved by the One that matters most and truly live.  "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!" ~ 1 John 3:1

He crowns us with His lovingkindness

We have a saying at our house when the tensions begin to rise, and selfishness is the spirit in the air (those two things tend to go together in my experience).  We take our turns, being the not fully sanctified lovers of Jesus people that we are...turns at being selfish, and turns at being the one to speak our saying.  "Breathe in love, breathe out gratitude." 

When we are practicing selfishness, we tend to view what is lacking, what we think we deserve, how we think others ought to serve us and how dare they not?  When selfishness is our operating status, we tend to see our "self" as the center...we view other people as aids to getting us what we want or obstacles in our way, and we treat them accordingly.  Tensions rise when self isn't getting what self wants at the moment. Do as "I" want, and all is fine, but cross me and watch out!  Either way, really, that is a problem.  Our heart is not right if this is how we are living.  And the solution, in part, is to remember WHO the center of life really is...

Psalm 103 begins with "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!"  Bless who?  The LORD!  He is the center. This beautiful Psalm continues with: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things..."

"Breathe in love, breathe out gratitude." 

Remember the Lord, and forget not His benefits...when you breathe in His love, really and truly, how can you not begin to overflow with gratitude?

I suspect that at least most people who are raising kids hear the phrase "that's not fair."  Now occasionally, a true injustice may be occurring, but generally this is just a great big clue that the declaring child is revealing his or her own selfish heart.  I have heard this a lot lately, and I have begun to respond gently with something along the lines of  "you're right...hell would be fair, and instead you're getting mercy...you get a nice soft bed and food to eat and parents who love you and correct you...breathe in love child, breathe out gratitude."  I also suspect that those of us raising up kids are guilty too...I know I am.  Father please forgive me, and cause me to breathe in Your love. 

Ps 103:10 "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities."

He forgives us, heals us, crowns us with His tender mercies.  Oh may God open our eyes to Him, and replace our selfish hearts with hearts that are overflowing in praise to His Name.  May He make us more and more like Jesus, who did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom. 

Just a kiss?

An excerpt from Douglas Bond’s book: 

Fathers & Sons Stand Fast  (pg 135)

“What’s the big deal?  It’s just a kiss.” So says the postmodern world you live in.  Wiser minds through the centuries, however, have not agreed. 

             

Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536), in his colloquy The Wooer and the Maiden, exposed the sexual impatience of a young man attempting to woo Maria, a chaste young woman who liked him but was wisely cautious.

His advances frustrated, the young man asked, “Shan’t I have anything from you to take with me?”

Maria replied, “This scent ball, which may gladden your heart.”

“Add a kiss at least,” moaned the wooer.

Maria said, “I want to deliver to you a virginity whole and unimpaired.”

The wooer scoffed. “Does a kiss rob you of your virginity?”

Maria cleverly replied, “Then do you want me to bestow my kisses on others too?”

The wooer was indignant.  “Of course not.  I want your kisses kept for me.”

“I’ll keep them for you,” Maria replied, and for that reason, “I wouldn’t dare give away kisses just now.”  She offered him a handshake instead and concluded, “Meanwhile, I’ll pray Christ to bless and prosper us both in what we do.”

Lord over storms

Wind, waves and a legion of demons...what do they have in common?  We have been reading through the gospel of Luke lately.  This week we paused to chew on two of the stories in chapter 8.

The first has to do with Jesus and His disciples in a boat.  Jesus fell asleep and a windstorm kicked up enough steam to frighten His disciples.  They woke Him up in a panic (after all, the boat was taking on water and it didn't look or feel very safe).  Jesus woke up, rebuked the wind and the raging waters... all was calm. 

The second has to do with a demon possessed man...a naked man who lived among the tombs and was too tough to keep chained up, though attempts were made to keep him under guard.  This was a scary guy!  When Jesus stepped out of the boat, THIS man met him. "When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, 'What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!' For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man."  Jesus granted permission to Legion, the host of demons that had entered the man, to enter swine which promptly ran violently down into a lake a drowned.  Not long after, the townspeople gathered to find him sitting, clothed and in his right mind. Pretty cool.

But what do these two stories have in common?  The disciples' response to Jesus calming the storm was this: "And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, 'Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!'"  In the story of casting out Legion, we see this response: "Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear."

Storms can be scary. And though I personally have never been around a naked demon-possessed dude when visiting a cemetery, I can easily imagine that such a thing would be enough to freak me out. BUT Jesus has authority over it all.  The demons begged Jesus not to torment them...Jesus gave them permission to enter the swine...He is Lord.  As scary as storms and demons are, we need to fear Jesus.  Do we believe that?  Do we believe Jesus is the Lord over storms?  Jesus asked His disciples in the boat: "Where is your faith?" Indeed, where is OUR faith?  Whatever circumstances we are in, the Lord is sovereign over it and He is working it all for the good of those who call upon His name.  Tis His promise to us in Romans 8. 

I'm reminded of Jacob in Gen 42:36 who said: "You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me." Just like the disciples who depended upon their sight and feelings, Jacob thought "all these things are against me."  But we know the rest of the story...those things were NOT against Jacob (it only felt and looked like it)...God was working it all together to rescue not just Jacob, but his whole line.  And we know Jesus, the Lord over the storms.  So as we're tempted to rely on our sight and feelings in our present circumstances, let us be reminded to have faith in the ONE who is sovereign over every detail.  He is our ever present Help in time of trouble.  He is the Lord.  Let us marvel, and walk by faith.

Life after Korea

We have always been big pop corn eaters...it is a Meyerdierk family trait...even our dog likes popcorn.  But since coming home from Korea, the kids insist on eating it with chopsticks.  I find this a little humorous :-).

MJ and I were at the store last week and needing to pick up a pizza we noticed one that was topped strangely.  I was going to pass it up and grab a tried-and-true variety when MJ said "let's try it...we're adventuresome now that we've gone to Korea."  We bought that one and everyone loved it.

It seems like all our names have changed at home...the girls, in particular, have been looking up the Korean terms for sister, mom, dad, etc and using them.  So if you come visit, be forewarned...you may come with one name and leave with another. 

Two weeks in Korea was a dream come true; a precious gift from God to us.  It has left its mark in our lives and continues to work its ripple effects into us in ways we are all still processing (on a little deeper, more profound level than how we eat our popcorn). 

For one example, this became our "theme song" while we were there (Mike and I were known to embarrass our children as we broke out into singing this on occassion, in public...we hope that secretly, behind their blushing cheeks, they were singing along):
 
Steven Curtis Chapman - The Great Adventure by StevenCurtisChapman-Official

We were on an adventure, but for us, it was more than a vacation/adventure...it was self-consciously an adventure in following our Father into the glorious unknown. He is our Father who has set us free from the prison of our sins, and who is taking us on a lifelong adventure of trusting His grace-laden direction of our lives. And though He is always the One in control, there we sensed it in such a heightened way as we were stripped of much of the illusion we ordinarily have of ourselves being in control.  Everything felt unknown, unfamiliar...and He was so evidently orchestrating every detail, loving us, leading us.  Now that we are back among the familiar, I want this theme of following Him into the glorious unknown to live on in me.  I don't want the familiar and the shackles of self-deception (that somehow I'm back in control) to muddy that intimacy that I tasted in a foreign land of trusting Him/depending upon Him/following Him wherever He leads.

Do you hear our Father?  Saddle up your horses...
 

Steps for Life 2013

 Eight children ages 5-12

AND 

approximately 260 sponsors
and an unknown # of prayer warriors

Team Goal: To raise $10,000 for the Pregnancy Resource Centers

What was raised by working together?  $8,846 (thanks be to God)

 As people gave what they could, 

be it little or much, it all added up. 

THANK YOU ALL!

 

As the crowd of walkers gathered, 

it started out on the moist side, 

but our Heavenly Father gave the command to the clouds 

to stop raining.

The walk and the awards ceremony were dry. 

Thank You, Father :-)

Georgine Rice was the emcee this year.

Here is the Under His Wings team

receiving the top-fundraising team award.

"Under His Wings" with PRC CEO Larry Gadbaugh

They couldn't have done it with out each and every sponsor:

 

Thank you!

May God bring the day 

when the work of the PRC is no longer needed, 

but until that day,

 let us keep working together

 to stand up for the lives He has made in His image. 

"Can Do" Part Two

One year later, I am thrilled to be able to write Part 2 to the Can Do post I wrote in April of last year...

Pulling out the sharpies, we all decorated our travel towels...because God opened doors and we, by His enabling grace and provision, walked through them and found ourselves in Korea for 2 weeks.  MJ chose to include some verses on her towel.  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is a great introduction today, for all of the doing on our part can only be done in the strength God provides.  From first to last, we are His workmanship.  And to Him belong all glory and praise!

 

With bags packed, we boarded our first flight at Portland International Airport.  With the daily threats from the North, many were concerned about us sticking with our plans.  We wrestled too, but as we prayed and sought counsel from a handful of trusted friends, we were strengthened in our resolve that God was calling us to go.  We want to be a family that serves the Living God, not our comforts or safety ultimately...when we were convinced and united that His call was to go, we got on the plane. 

In Los Angeles, we had the added delight of getting to see our prayer-warrior friend, Barbara, who kindly came to hang out with us during our 3 hour layover.  Oh how good it was to see her again!

After about 24 hours of travel, we arrived at the Nieman's...our dear friends who became even more precious to us in the course of this trip.  They were amazing hosts, and we are overflowing with gratitude for their hospitality.   Here is a picture of our kids and theirs...since the first Can Do post started off with pigs, I thought it would be fun to include a piggie in this one too.

We all got to experience public transportation in just about every form on this trip...we piled into taxis, hopped onto subways (sometimes with plenty of room, sometimes crowded body-to-body), enjoyed the smooth ride of a bullet train to Seoul and back to Busan, and rode on a variety of buses (our favorite bus was the open double decker that we took to tour Busan...one of the many highlights of our trip!).

God gave us the privilege of visiting many places..too many to list and each with stories of their own, but here are a few highlights.  Scouring the internet for Busan's "places to see," the aquarium caught Bekah's eye (she is a bit of a marine biologist at heart).  None of us objected to witnessing the beauty of God's creatures there, nor did any of us mind riding the glass bottom boat above sharks and other critters.

While in Seoul, Mira took us to visit Gyeongbok Palace...a royal palace first constructed in 1395.  Most of us (Mike being the exception) had never seen anything so old.  Buildings in America just do not date back that far.  There was much to take in there!

The main reason for our trip to Seoul was to be able to visit Ilsan Center.  Our children were all adopted via Holt, an adoption agency with a God-glorifying history.  As a family, we have enjoyed reading the stories of Harry and Bertha Holt.  They are a part of our history and it was a dream come true for us to visit Ilsan where they are now buried after years of faithfulness to God in caring for orphans.  Their daughter, Molly Holt, lives there and has given her life to caring for "the least of these" for the glory of God...it was an honor to meet her.  Knowing she is advanced in years and going through chemo treatments, we prayed that she would have strength to meet with us. We were told we wouldn't know until the day we arrived if she had sufficient energy, but the Lord gave strength and we were delighted to visit, albeit briefly. 

Also while in Seoul, we packed in a day of fun at Everland...it is Korea's version of Disneyland-like amusement park.  The place is gargantuan, but we experienced all we could of it in one day.  Bekah (and Jesse and Leah) braved the world's steepest roller coaster, conquering fears and living to tell about it.  The rest of us were happy to greet them on the other side :-).  A few of us rode a camel which is just one of those things that makes it onto bucket lists, but I didn't really think I'd ever get to cross it off of one.

We got to try many new-to-us foods...and yes, we took off shoes, sat on floors, and ate with chop sticks :-)

The details of the trip are still being processed by my feeble brain...the beauty of the multi-faceted architecture and color everywhere, the faces of all the people we came across, the variety of foods to try, places to experience, and so much more.  God orchestrated the whole thing, and the details came together in ways I NEVER could have planned if left to me, but He did and we are thankful.  He humbled us through the generosity and kindness of others.  He challenged us and encouraged us through His people...people He took us to the other side of the world to meet from Denmark and Canada and Nigeria, etc. This family from Washington had us into their home and shared their heart for reaching the lost for Christ (crazy, eh? Though they live in Korea now, they are from right across the river from us).  God wanted us to learn some things from them in terms of methodology, preparedness, and being very intentional.  In August, they plan to come this direction so Lord willing we will have the opportunity to have them into our home next round :-).

One of my favorite parts of the trip was getting to worship our gracious Redeemer with all who gathered at Antioch International Ministries; people from all over the world praising God with joy-filled unity.  We also got to participate in a few Bible studies (here is one that took place just before the service):

The second Sunday we were there, many from AIM headed down to the beach to converse with people about Jesus, and we were delighted to join them.  Here is Paul, trekking around with tracts in hand...we spent the day interacting with any God brought our way to share His love and truth. 

MJ is sitting in the window of the Tower of the Dragon, overlooking one segment of Busan.  Look at those tall buildings!  Buildings where soooooo many people work and live...people made in God's image...people He is calling to Himself just like He is here and all over the world because it is His pleasure that every knee bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.  Mira sweetly bought us all tshirts, and we will wear them gladly as we remember our trip and the lessons God taught us there.  We do love Korea.  Our Father made this whole world and it was a blessing to see another segment of His backyard. It was a blessing to see the country in which two of our children were birthed.  It was a blessing to see old friends and to meet new ones. It was a blessing beyond our ability to fully express, but I'm sure stories will bubble out over time.

 

If you want to see more pictures, you can go Here and Here.