Reflections of Motherhood - Part 2

The Gift of the Prodigal Child

This is the second of three posts about God’s plan for Motherhood. See Reflections on Motherhood Part 1 http://heartjourneydebbie.blogspot.com/

·         “Mother means selfless devotion, limitless sacrifice, and love that passes understanding.”

Previously, I stated that Motherhood is a gift from the Father in which we GET to participate with Him in the creation of life. It comes with tremendous responsibilities, of which, being an imitator of Christ in all aspects of parenting has the most eternal effect on our children. It is very easy to discuss the virtues and blessings of Motherhood. However, an often neglected issue, especially in the church, is what to think and do when a child decides to live life in a way that is not honoring to the Lord. That is what I call the elephant in the room.

That elephant is the Prodigal Child. And some of you reading this are mothers of prodigals. I speak to you from a heart full of empathy. And I want you to know that Romans 8:28 still applies:

·         And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

I am asking you to stretch your mind and your heart to the idea that a prodigal child is also a gift from the Father.

No one wants this kind of gift. In fact, it is the kind that feels like a slap in the face, that causes us to ask “Why?” “Why us, our family? I know I haven’t been a perfect mom, but I’ve tried, I’ve taken my children to church; I’ve modeled Christ-like behavior and attitudes; I taught my children to pray and take their needs to Jesus; I even led my children to know the Lord!”

Then our pride takes over, “I am embarrassed, ashamed and feel guilty about the choices my son or daughter has made!” “I sure don’t need to be a leader at church or teach SS; no telling what people are saying about us behind our backs.”

Then the enemy whispers, “I guess your relationship with the Lord isn’t what you thought it was or this wouldn’t have happened.” And you feel that God has let you down!

I think I have said enough to paint the picture of what can happen and many times does happen when a believer’s child decides to rebel against the family values you’ve instilled and against the Lord. That’s when feelings of anger, bitterness, and rejection are primed to take root in our hearts if we are not on guard.

As I stated, you may be one of those moms, or you know moms to whom this has happened. And you may know moms who are no longer involved in church or Bible study because they have a prodigal.

First, let me say this with utmost conviction: Shame on the church who shuns the family of a prodigal and or the prodigal. And shame on any believer who is a Pharisee in sheep’s clothing and doesn’t love on and pray for that family and their child. How will that person who is enslaved in Satan’s chains ever get free if those that are supposed to love him, pray for him, treat him like Jesus would treat him, turns their back and treats him like a leper?

That’s not being imitators of Christ. So how would Christ treat the elephant in the room? We have only to look to the passage in John 4 where Jesus met the women at the well.

You know the story:

·         It was the middle of a hot day at Jacob’s well, which was in Samaria. Jews didn’t like to go through Samaria, but Jesus did. The disciples had gone into town to get food and left Jesus alone at the well.

·         A woman came to the well at this odd time – probably to avoid the gossip and looks of the other women who came at the normal times. She was an outcast – especially by the religious!

·         Jesus asks her for a drink. She asks why He is asking her….she’s a Samaritan and a woman.

·         Jesus tells her that if she knew who He was she would be asking Him for living water which will spring up to eternal life.

·         She asks for that water and Jesus tells her to call for her husband. She had to admit she had no husband. But Jesus already knew that. Then He tells her about herself. She had been married five times and was living with another man at the time.

·         She is amazed by Him and believes in Him. She is so excited that she drops her water pot and runs into town to tell others. She brings dozens back with her to meet Jesus.

·         She was a prodigal, living a sinful lifestyle, but Jesus sought her out! He offered her salvation and love and acceptance. And it changed her life!

·         He accepted her – not her sin.

That’s how moms of prodigals and the church, individually and corporately, should treat our wayward ones. Loving on and embracing the person, but not the sin. Unfortunately, we do not always do a good job at this.

Now, Mom, what do you do when you are struggling with those feelings of defeat, guilt, anger, bitterness, shame? How do you respond to your child that has strayed?

The Bible gives us instruction in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Luke 15:11-32

Do what the father did. Again, you know this familiar story.

·         The younger son was rebellious and asked for his inheritance, which the father gave him. REBELLION

·         He left home to live life his way.

·         He squandered his money – probably on high living and prostitutes.

·         Completely broke and homeless, he hired himself out to a farmer who put him to work feeding the pigs (that’s irony for a Jew!)

·         He realized that his father’s servants were better fed and taken care of than he, so he decided to return home and ask forgiveness and ask to be one of the hired hands. (REPENTENCE)

·         The father sees him coming and runs to embrace him. (RESTORATION)

o   The father had been watching and waiting for the son to return.

o   As a devout Jew, he had been faithfully praying for this son to be restored.

o   He felt compassion for the son and began running to meet him.

o   He didn’t even let the son finish asking for forgiveness.

o   He celebrated the son and his return.

o   He didn’t ask questions or give a lecture that he had come to his senses!

o   He accepted his son and didn’t hold anything against him.

Obviously, this is a picture of man’s separation from God and God’s forgiveness and mercy when he turns his life over to the Father. We are to be imitators.

If your prodigal has returned, bless you! God has answered prayers and worked His power. Celebrate his return and hold no grudges, no “if only’s”, show the grace and mercy demonstrated by this father.

If your prodigal has not returned, bless you! God IS working to restore him, to bring him to his senses. Do as this father did – watch and wait patiently, never neglecting to pray with thanksgiving for that celebration day that is to come. Do NOT let anger, pride, shame, guilt or bitterness take root in your heart. Those attitudes will rob you of your joy, and your eyesight will be clouded – you may miss the opportunity to celebrate your child.

So, why is having a prodigal a gift? It is a gift that, if you’ll let it, will help make you more like Jesus.

James 1:2-4 – When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it a sheer gift, an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

God will use everything in your life, from the joys to the storms, to help mold you into the woman of God He purposed you to be. That includes wayward children and the choices they make. Whenever I focus on poor choices my children make, I see nor feel any joy. But when I focus on what God wants to do in my life through those choices, I can get excited! And when I pray with thanksgiving for my children, I can focus on the grand celebration that is going to take place when they allow God to have first place in their lives once again.

We looked at Motherhood as God’s gift to us. But Motherhood is also our greatest gift we can give our children. More on that next time.

 

Reflections on Motherhood - Part 1

This is the first of three posts about God's plan for Motherhood.

The Gift of Motherhood

I didn't want to begin with a dictionary-type definition of Mother, so as I was browsing through various articles and devotionals, I found the description that seemed to be a good overall summary of that word.

• “Mother means selfless devotion, limitless sacrifice, and love that passes understanding.”

From the time they are toddlers, most girls think about becoming mommies. They “mother” their dolls, their puppy dogs, and their younger siblings. As they grow older, they dream about their future children – how many, what sex, what names. Then, for most, that day finally comes when that tiny new life is put into her arms, and the enormity of the responsibility of motherhood begins to set in.

Let’s think about the idea of that innate nurturing need and the biological need to be a mom. Now to be fair, not every female has a strong sense of nurturing. I didn’t like dolls all that much when I was a little. I was much happier playing cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers, and army maneuvers than dressing a doll and pushing a toy baby carriage. But when I did become a mom, that nurturing thing kicked in. That sense of nurturing and the biological need to have children is a God-planted seed in us placed there in the very first woman, Eve, and passed down throughout generations to us.

Non-believing scientists will tell us that it is simply nature’s way of propagating the human race. And it is – with a twist. The twist being God – it is His way of continuing the humanity He first created.

With that spiritual twist, we see that motherhood, parenthood, is much more.

Motherhood is a gift from the Father of life!

·     Psalm 127:3-5 – Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? The fruit of the womb His generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! (MSG)

And besides continuing the human race, He gives us the gift of children to teach us about the character of God.

We learn about who God is through those parental, familial relationships. The fruit of the Spirit listed in Gal. 5 is a snapshot of God’s character – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those words are all nouns – things. God is love; God is peace; God is patience, etc.

·     Eph. 5:1 – Imitate Christ, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children.

If we are to be imitators of Christ, WE are to be love; WE are to be peace; WE are to be patience, etc. All of those take on a deeper meaning when one becomes a mom. As we understand what it is to love someone enough that we would give our lives for her/him, we begin to understand the Father’s great love for us. As we understand the patience it takes to teach a little one right from wrong, we begin to understand the patience the Father has for us as we continue to miss the mark of what He desires for us.

The other aspect of being imitators of Christ is that legacy part of Psalm 127. Just as Jesus taught the twelve disciples about God and prayed for and with them, we are called to do the same with our children. That is our legacy. Leading our children to salvation and a life lived by faith.

·     2 Timothy 1:5 – (Jesus writing to young Timothy) I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.

That is a legacy of faith!

All of us know mothers in all stages of motherhood.

Some are young, not very far along on their journey. Hopefully, they are hearing some wise words about how God wants them to parent – By being an imitators of Christ, asking themselves and Him what He would do in various situations they find themselves in as parents.

Some facing the empty nest, hoping they've prepared their children for independence, making their own decisions and choices. Hopefully, they are hearing that they never stop modeling Christ-like behavior and attitudes. And they never stop praying fervently for their children.

Some have nests have been empty a long time. Their children are adults with families, jobs, and responsibilities of their own. Hopefully, they are watching the fruit of their labor (their legacy) live successful and God-honoring lives. But even in those later years, parents are to continue to be imitators of Christ. That means they continue to live and model Christ-like behavior and attitudes, and most importantly, continue to pray fervently for their children and now their grandchildren.

Many Christians would stop there and think this been a good uplifting message to mothers around Mother’s Day. But that would be ignoring the elephant in the room. However, I am led to write a word about that elephant and to the mothers of those elephants.

That will be posted in Part 2 of this 3 part series on Reflections on Motherhood.

For now, remember that Motherhood is a gift from the Father in which we get to participate with Him in the creation of life. It comes with tremendous responsibilities, of which, being an imitator of Christ in our home has the most eternal effect on our children.

Praying God's Will

Enjoy this guest post from my friend and fellow Bible searcher, Jan Craig. Thank you, Jan, for these words of wisdom about accepting God's will even when it's not what we prayed for!

When we pray to God, we often say at the end of our prayer something like this, "I pray this according to Your will, Lord. Amen." ...But do we really mean that? Many times we come to God with our selfish desires, and we want God to answer us "according to my will, Lord. Amen" We just know that our way is the BEST way. We can't imagine that there could be a better way!

I have prayed for years that God would take away the almost constant pain I have. But God keeps saying, "No." And I keep saying, "Why won't You take this pain away? If You take it away, then I can use the gifts You have given me. I can't serve You when I am in pain daily. It just doesn't make sense to me! I want to serve You." His "no" answer coupled with my pain would make me feel like I had no value.

One day I realized that God didn't want to take my pain away. What?!! Why not? That was just not something I could comprehend.  But God had other plans for me.

Remember Paul and the thorn in his side that caused him so much pain? Paul prayed three times that the Lord would take his thorn away. God's response each time was no. We don't know what his thorn was. It could have been physical or emotional; but whatever it was, God permitted Satan to sift and torment Paul. Satan thought surely Paul couldn't be used by God while dealing with such pain. But God meant it and used it for good. And we know that God causes everything to work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

God does the same for us. When we are willing to let go of our desires, then He can begin to work in our lives also. My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor. 12:7-9) When Paul was willing to accept his pain, then God's grace could begin to work in his life. Before Paul believed that Christ died for his sins, He had Christians imprisoned and some put to death. God, through a relationship with Christ, brought Paul understanding of what grace is. And that grace took Paul from persecuting believers to preaching and discipling others for Christ; and they, in turn, went out and did the same. Paul was given strength and determination to do this work despite the thorn that didn't go away. Paul's passion became doing the better plan God had for him.

All of us need God's grace. God's grace is Him giving us what we don't deserve. He gives us His unconditional love and His perfect holy Son who died for our sins. Can we accept God's answer of no to our will and say yes to doing His will in our lives?

I am excited! I am willing to accept His answer and say, "I pray this in Your will, Lord." I am ready to go out into this great world and see what He has for me that is much better that what I could have planned for myself. I hope you are willing to accept God's answer for you and get excited to see Him reveal His better plan for you!

Jan Craig

Praying More Than the Normal Routine Prayer

 
 

When we pray, we pray for people who fall into one of two categories: 1) they are unbelievers, or 2) they are believers. Should there be a difference in how or what we pray for these two groups? The answer is two-fold. Let me explain.

For someone in either category - saved or unsaved, we have the privilege of voicing our concerns about them to the Lord. Those concerns usually deal with health, safety, and help with pressing issues in their lives. And quite frankly, those are the items most on our minds. However, as important as any of those things are, there are things more important than any other that we should discipline ourselves to pray. For the unbeliever, it is salvation. Without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that person has no access to the power that will enable her to face whatever life brings. For the one who is already a believer, the most important thing we can pray is that her relationship with Him grows deeper each day.

It is pretty easy for most Christians to pray the routine, habitual prayers about daily life for ourselves and for those we know and love. It takes a deeper commitment to pray deeper prayers about growth. I am not sure why that is unless it is because we haven't grown deeper in our own personal relationship with Him. It is hard to pray for something we don't understand ourselves or think is not that important.

So, how do we learn to pray this kind of powerful prayer for those we love? We only have to look to Paul for instruction. When he was writing his letter to the church at Philippi, his heart's desire was that they would grow to know and love the Lord Jesus more deeply than they could even imagine. Paul was experienced in that kind of relationship with the Lord and knew of the great benefits and abundant life that results from knowing Him on an intimate level.

In Philippians 1:9-11, Paul prays for the believers in that church, and in so doing, teaches us how to pray for other believers. In those verses, he prays for spiritual maturity, godly character, and he tells what the results those two things will bring the believer.

Philippians 1:9 - And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment

Love - This means Christ's love in you! And your love for Christ! The love used here is the agape love defined in 1 Cor. 13. It is the unconditional love that is not based on emotion or circumstances that God has for us. For a believer, this love comes from the Holy Spirit living in her heart. In this verse Paul is praying that the believers' love for Christ will continuously grow and overflow. 

Knowledge - Knowledge of Him, meaning to know Him intimately - who He is, His character, His love for us, His desires for us. Remember, He knows each one of us so intimately that He knows the number of hairs on our head and our deepest, hidden thoughts. He wants us to know Him in the same, most personal way.

Discernment - Spiritual discernment is the ability to distinguish God's will, what is right and moral in His eyes, and the difference between good and evil. Spiritual discernment is only available to believers as it is directed by the Holy Spirit.

These three qualities that Paul prays for his believer-friends to have are each a characteristic of Christ. Ultimately, he is praying that as they grow spiritually, they will become more and more like Christ.

Philippians 1:10a - So that you may approve the things that are excellent,

Approve - "Approve" means to acknowledge and apply to one's own life....

Things that are excellent - Those things that are of God, those things He approves of.

Praying that our believer-friends grow spiritually and mature in their personal relationship with Christ is one of, if not the most important thing we can ask for them. Because as they mature, they will be better equipped to deal with life's issues no matter how tough or tragic. Their ears will be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit and sensitive to the attacks of the evil one.

 Philippians 1:10b - in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ,

 Sincere - In the original language, this word has two meanings that pertain to this context. One is "tested by sunlight." A sincere believer is not afraid to stand in the light - set apart from the world. The same idea as being a light in a world of darkness. The second is "to whirl in a sieve." The idea of winnowing process of removing chaff from the grain.

Blameless - This word means "without offense." Our lives should not offend our holy God!
As God works in our believer-friends maturing them spiritually so that they become more like Christ, they will reap results and blessings.

Philippians 1:11 - having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God.

Fruits of righteousness - Every believer has the fruit of the Spirit within her because of the presence of the Holy Spirit. But a growing, maturing believer is aware of the fruit and is able to live life in that fruit and exudes that fruit to those around her. As her relationship with Christ is "right" and intimate, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control are present and ever growing and overflowing. (Galatians 5:22-23) Other examples of the fruit of righteousness consists of winning the lost (Romans 1:13), holiness (Romans 6:22), good works (Colossians 1:10), and praise (Hebrews 13:15). 

So, as we think about how to pray for our believer-friends, let's remember to not only pray for their present needs and issues, but also to pray for their spiritual maturity. As one matures in Christ, everything else falls into place. She will take on more and more of Christ's character, and she will live more and more in the abundance of His fruit. And hers will be a life that brings glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ!

God Still Performs Miracles!

Today I am writing from a very personal vantage point, so this post may be a bit different from my previous ones.

Currently, I am sitting in an ICU waiting room in San Antonio with my sister and other family and friends. My niece's husband collapsed yesterday morning while working out at his local gym. Mike and Sheri and are wonderful, godly young people who have four children and a full life. Mike is a dermatologist; Sheri, trained as a Nurse Practitioner, has been a stay-at-home mom raising their precious kids. They are parents to three young boys and a daughter whom they adopted from China three years ago. Mike is active with his boys' sports activities, checks on his parents, and tends to his medical practice. The entire family is active in their local church and have an alive, growing relationship with Jesus.

According to video from the fitness center, Mike was unconscious for up to five minutes before CPR was started. It took five shocks from the paddles before a faint heartbeat was picked up. After being flown to San Antonio, he began having seizures which lasted until late last night. All tests came back negative, and answers were few. He was non-responsive to stimulation or voice commands. Needless to say, his condition was extremely critical and very bleak when I left the hospital late last night.

As I drove my sister to San Antonio yesterday and then sat in the waiting room with friends and family, I found myself praying, but I knew only the Lord knew what I was saying - I didn't even know. Remember the scripture that says that the Holy Spirit prays for us when our words are only groans? Well, that is what He was doing, and I knew that my gibberish was somehow getting through. And when my precious niece was draped over her husband's motionless body hooked up to all kinds of modern technology, I groaned, and He prayed!

This morning as I was alone in the hotel room, I took my Bible and it opened to Psalm 24:8 - "Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle" As I read those words, my groanings turned into words and a weird peace came over me. The kind of peace that surpasses human understanding. The kind of peace that only God can give.

Not long ago, I wrote a post about what to do when life looks bleak. Everyone, regardless of spiritual condition, will encounter bleakness. For some it seems to endure forever, for some it comes in seasons, and for some it is fleeting. The question for all of us to ask ourselves is what do we do when the bleakness comes? Do we turn inward and withdraw like a turtle? Or do we turn outward and lash out in despair? Or do we turn upward to the Savior and let Him wrap His arms around us? Let me say here that if you have never nailed down your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, now is the time to do so. We are not promised tomorrow. In fact, we are not promised the rest of today! Seek someone whom you know to have that relationship and visit about your own. Or read the box on the left  that tells you how to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Don't wait!

I arrived at the hospital around 10 this morning to some much needed good news. Mike had begun moving his arms and legs! Later, he smiled when Sheri spoke to him! And later, he began to to speak a few words - even calling out his sons' names! Within a couple of hours, he said he wanted to play baseball!

My friends, God still performs miracles, and I am privileged to witness one firsthand! By mid-afternoon, the doctors were talking about how bright the future looks. Can you believe that? That is the question I've been wrestling with these past couple of days. So I'll put it to you: can you believe? do you believe, will you believe in the Lord who is strong and mighty? When circumstances tell you "no," will you still believe?

When our world is shaken, we need to know what our action plan is. Will you turn upward and let your groanings be heard by the Lord, strong and mighty?

Please understand that I know that my weak groanings alone are not the reason for the miracle we are experiencing. I cannot begin to count the hundreds of people, many of whom do not even know Mike and Sheri, who have been pleading their case before the Father. When the body of believers comes together in like mind to Him, what power and blessing it brings!

Lastly, I know that Mike is not of-the-woods yet. The winds of life can change in an instant. But whatever the outcome, believers need to know that the Lord's will and purpose is omniscient - beyond human understanding. And if His answers are not what we asked for, it is still going to be okay. As our relationship with Him grows deeper, our understanding and embrace of His will grows deeper as well.

And lastly, lastly, to God be the glory in all things for great and mighty is He, our Lord.

The Intercession Factor...

One of the privileges and responsibilities believers have is to intercede on behalf of others with the Father.

An intercessor is one who goes between two or more parties to plead the case of one of those parties. One example of that in our culture is a lawyer. A lawyer goes before the judge and pleads the case of his client. He is the client's representative, his spokesman. Another example is when a person, usually a relative, has the power of attorney or medical power of attorney for another. The holder of the power of attorney can represent or speak on behalf of the other. In the case of medical power of attorney, that holder may "intercede" with physicians to insure that the person's end of life wishes are carried out.

Intercession is a powerful role and an important role. Just think, what if a parent or sibling asked you to be his/her spokesman and to inform family, friends, and physicians what his/her desires are when he/she cannot speak for himself/herself? What a heavy responsibility! But what an honor that the person chose YOU to speak for him/her!

Isn't that one of the things the Father accomplished by sending Jesus to this earth? Jesus became an intercessor for humanity, but also on an individual basis. Jesus is our go-between! Through Him, we have confident access to the Father - the creator of all that was ever created.

Pray or Be Prey....

Do you remember the days of playing those childhood games like “Hide ‘n Seek”? My memories of that game are not all that good. I had two problems when I was on the “hide” side of that game.  As a child who wore a leg brace, I was not very fast – so by the time whoever was “it” counted to 10, I usually had not gotten very far. “It” could also track me to my hiding place by listening to the squeaks of the ankle joint of my brace! I always felt like raccoon that was being treed. It's not a good feeling to be someone's prey!

In the spiritual realm, I am also being stalked because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

·         Be of sober spirit; be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

In that passage, Peter is speaking to believers. So, that someone is me and you – if you are a believer in Jesus Christ! I don’t like the idea of being hunted. I don’t like the idea that someone is actively seeking to destroy me. So what are we to do?  

Paul was very specific in his instructions about fighting the devil in Ephesians 6.  We are to suit up for battle because we are at war with Satan. He is seeking to destroy each of us, to steal our joy and abundant life, to oppress us so that we do not share the news of Jesus with those we encounter. He wants us to be paralyzed, unhappy, and ineffective as a child of God.

·         Put on the full armor of God so you will stand firm against the schemes of the devil… Eph. 6:11

Most of the armor the soldier of that time wore was defensive in nature. The only offensive weapon mentioned is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Just as we saw with Jesus when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, the scripture defeats Satan. He has to flee when God’s Word is spoken. So it makes sense to me to pray that armor of God on everyday to be protected from his attacks. We should pray it on ourselves and on others we care about – especially when they are in the midst of battle and may not be strong enough to pray it on themselves.

The Word of God is powerful – even more so when prayed in the name of Jesus! When fighting your own battles or helping to equip someone else, pray on the armor:

Father, let _____________ be strong in You, and in the strength of Your might. Put on her the full armor of God that she may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Lord, hold her tight with the belt of Truth. You are the Truth; help _______ to hold fast to you and not be afraid. Dress her with the breastplate of righteousness – search her heart, protect her heart, and fill her heart with right motives and emotions. Place on her the shoes of the gospel of peace. Where ever she goes, let her go in the spirit of peace and let her be ready to share Your salvation with those she meets. Place in her hands the shield of faith that it might deflect the flaming missiles of the evil one. Through her faith, let her carry out her purpose and claim the victory that You have already won. And Father, put on _________the helmet of salvation. Remind her who she belongs to and not let her listen to the whispers of Satan. Protect her mind from falsehoods and self-defeating thoughts. Transform her mind into the mind of Christ as she goes about her daily life. Finally, Father, let her carry the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Bring to her mind the verses that she needs for comfort, courage, and battle against Satan. Let her remember Your word that she can claim as she faces the temptations of Satan. Your word says that You have given Your angels charge concerning her, to guard and protect her in all her ways. Thank You for building a hedge of protection around her. Finally, I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that You are able to guard what I have entrusted to You until that day when you return. I entrust _______________ to You.
Eph. 6:10-20; Ps. 91:11; 2 Tim. 1:12

As believers, we can choose to pray or be prey...
                                                                                   

Indian Giver...

Chief Peta Nocona

 I grew up in a time where it was still “cool” for little kids to play cowboys and Indians. I also grew up in a community filled with Indian lore; in fact, my town was named after Indian Chief Peta Nocona, the great Comanche Indian warrior who raided Fort Richardson and took young Cynthia Ann Parker hostage. Cynthia Ann eventually married Chief Nocona and fathered the famous Quanah Parker. My family, like probably half of the families in the state of Texas, claim some lineage to Cynthia Ann Parker although we have never been able to find that final link…

Anyway, I said all that to say that I grew up playing a make-believe cowboy fighting the make-believe Indians that continually attacked our small acreage in the country. Because we had such binding ties to all that Indian lore, I didn’t want to be known as an Indian-giver – one who gives then takes back whatever was given. While studying this past week, I realized that in God’s eyes, I am an Indian-giver – BIG TIME! What do I give God and then take back? Well, too many things to discuss in this post, but the obvious one that struck a note this week is my worries, i.e. anxieties, situations I ponder and fret about, things I need to fix.



Cynthia Ann Parker &
Baby Quanah Parker



Here’s how it plays out in my life. Something arises that gives me that “unsettled” feeling, I begin “pondering” it, and then I transform into Mrs. Fix-It. I don’t actually visit a phone booth or anything, but the wheels begin turning, trying to figure out what I can do to make this situation better or go away all together. Along the way, I am multi-tasking. You know, talking this over with the Lord until I finally give it over to Him. But, before long, I’ve taken it right back from Him and started pondering again. Thus, my Indian-giving…

I've been thinking about the concept of praying to the next level, that of staying and obeying. Prayer is the antidote to worry. That’s why I claim Phil. 4:6-7 as an undergirding principle of my walk with the Lord.

• Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God…

But for me, I pray about something and give it to God only to find myself worrying about it later in the day or the next day. I don’t have the staying power that He wants me to cultivate as I walk with Him. I am doing exactly what Satan wants me to do – changing my focus from the Lord back to being the fixer. Well, it is my choice to pray, and it is my choice to stay. Isaiah 26:3 says,

• He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! (TLB) …

"thoughts turn often to the Lord… " Basically, I have to make the choice to stay focused on Him and let Him work on my worry. So when I am tempted to take back my concern, which I will because I am human, I must choose to let it remain with Him, trusting Him to take care of it. Staying is trusting.

Staying focused on Him instead of the worry, trusting, naturally leads to obeying. As our trust grows, we will begin to live out 2 Cor. 10:5,

• …we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

We begin to frame our thoughts by asking, “How does God want me to think about this?” Well, He wants us to take up the Sword of the Spirit and fight by thinking like He thinks. We learn that by learning His Word. When we learn to take a concern and counter it with scripture, we are learning to take our thoughts captive to obey God.

Prayer is, indeed, the antidote to worry, but only if we learn to extend the prayer into staying power and obedience. My personal challenge is to let Him keep me in that perfect peace by keeping my mind steadfast on Him. The more time I focus on Him, the less time I will have for worry. And that, my friends, will help me experience that peace that passes all understanding. And that will also help me to NOT be an Indian-giver to the Lord.

The Attitude of Gratitude...

I am all about peace, love, and joy– I’ve said before that I am definitely a child of the ‘70’s! When I was in high school, I cruised around in my parents’ old Pontiac with wire-rim glasses, long, straight hair, and hippy beads. “Peace” was our by-word. My bedroom door was filled with strings of beads, and when I was home, incense was burning in some weird jar on my dresser, and I was strumming the guitar. My airwaves were

A Rendition of My High School Days

 bouncing with John Denver, Bread, or The Beatles. I truly was a hippie-wanna-be! But I was never truly a hippie. Why? Goodness knows that countless others in my generation totally embraced the attitude and lifestyle of that culture that so changed America’s values and even our society’s vision of God.  

I know what happened – or didn’t happen – to me. I didn’t cross over into hippiedom because I never fully embraced the defining, life-changing elements of that culture – drugs and the sexual revolution. Thirty-plus years of hindsight makes me so grateful that I didn’t because I see the evolution of our culture due to those troubled years. And, as you know, what we see is not all that good.

There are three reasons why I didn’t choose that path. One was availability. I grew up in a small town, the daughter of a preacher, who gave a daily devotional and prayer on the school’s PA system every morning. I didn’t run with the crowd that got into drinking and drugs – and no one was chasing me down to offer them to me. At times, I thought I was not very cool, but I know God was protecting me. A second reason for not choosing that path was pure fear – of my parents! I loved life and sure didn’t want it to end prematurely. That might sound flippant, but I truly feared the anger of my parents, the disappointment in their eyes, and the alienation from them that it would bring. Lastly, there was something inside me that just knew  those choices were not right. That something was the Holy Spirit. I asked Jesus to be my savior when I was nine years old, and I was raised in an atmosphere of reverent respect for the Lord. Now don’t get me wrong; I wasn’t a perfect child and teenager. I have my share of wild stories, but I just never got comfortable even desiring those things that my generation was so quickly embracing. I am so very thankful to the Father that the whispers and sometimes yells of the Holy Spirit were heard by my heart and mind.

So, here I am, thirty years later, still all about peace, love, and joy, knowing that those are part of the fruit of the Spirit that lives inside me. I have experienced them and enjoy them immensely. But I wonder sometimes why I have peace one day, then worry or fear the next. I enjoy love and joy for a while only to realize that they have slipped away – again. What is keeping me from living in those attributes everyday? Again, I find myself faced with a choice. That choice is found in Philippians 4:6-7 but can be easily overlooked if I am not careful. Look at those two verses, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

With thanksgiving…The attitude of gratitude! If I want peace to guard my heart and mind, to keep it from going into the overdrive of irrational thought that leads to fear, insecurity, low self-worth, etc., I must come to Him thankful for everything that comes my way. Now, it’s easy to be thankful for the all the good in my life, but giving thanks for the insignificant, the not-so-good, and the really awful circumstances and situations is a different thing! Sometimes unfair and or even tragic things happen to me or to those I care about. I find it very challenging to be thankful in the midst of despair. The Apostle Paul was human; he knew as he penned those words that they were impossible for him or any of us to do. That’s why, a few verses later, he also reminded us that, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength.” (4:13) – Meaning having an attitude of gratitude in the most difficult of circumstances. Yes, I can do that! The Father can help me see the good, the possibilities, even the blessings that He will bring out of the darkest situations.

Once, I was a “hippie-wanna-be” who chose NOT to fully embrace “hippiedom.” That was good. Now I find myself being a “Jesus-wanna-be” choosing TO fully embrace His Kingdom and all that it offers me in this life and throughout eternity. That is good. I choose to have an attitude of gratitude – even when it’s too difficult for me because I know He will give me the strength.

When Life Looks Bleak...

How does life look to you right now? Is everything going your way and all is right with the world? Or are you at one of those junctions in life where things are not progressing the way you had hoped and dreamed? It is so much easier to smile and praise the Lord during our happy times than in our down times. Sometimes, we may even begin to wonder where God is and if He has abandoned us. No doubt, the most difficult step in our walk of faith is to trust Him when life is a bummer. It brings out the age-old question, "Why does a 'good' God let such bad things happen to good and or innocent people?"

That was the question discussed on the air-waves for weeks after the attacks of 9/11, and again, after the Tsunami hit Indonesia, and again, after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Why would God allow such destruction? Obviously, I am not a scholar or a theologian (not a surprise if you've been reading my blog), but I can share what I've learned through personal experience and time with the Lord.

To begin with, I had to accept the fact that God is God - omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and I am NOT. Therefore, I will never fully understand the mind of God and His ways until I am fully in His presence on the other side of this life. That usually doesn't set too well with the human mind that is inquisitive and strives for reason. "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 - Our walk with Christ is a walk of faith. That has to be nailed down in order to move forward in that relationship.

With that said, God DOES allow bad things to happen to good people. However, His Word assures us that "Everything will work together for good, to them who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 - We saw that with the stoning death of Stephen in the book of Acts. That horrible death was the pivotal event that caused the newly-birthed Church to be ravaged by the likes of legalistic Jews like Saul. That persecution caused the Christians to scatter in all directions away from Jerusalem. It was the beginning of the fulfillment of the Great Commission - taking the gospel to "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth." God used the murder of Stephen to spread the Good News to the rest of the earth - that was the "good" that came from his death.

God will use everything to work His purpose in this world. When life throws us a curve, we need to seek His will and purpose and not give in to the human nature of anger, bitterness, hatred, or even the desire for revenge. I know upfront that I won't be able to accomplish that on my own. My nature is so "human!" I must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit - God's power in me - to look for His purpose and His desired reaction. Sometimes, He wants us to do something immediately. He told the Jerusalem Christians to go - to leave Jerusalem for safety reasons, but, ultimately, to spread the Gospel.

Later in Acts, He told Paul and Silas to stay - in their prison cell - to spread the Gospel. Paul and Silas found themselves in the city of Philippi on their second missionary journey (Acts 16:12-40). Philippi was a Roman colony on the continent of Europe, and they continued to spread the Gospel westward. While there, they stirred up a commotion among the citizens when Paul cast out an evil spirit from a girl who had been following them and yelling at them for several days. The problem was with this slave girl's master. Once the evil spirit was gone, she could no longer make him money with her fortune-telling. Paul and Silas were eventually brought before the magistrate, who had them beaten, shackled, and thrown into prison. Their relationship with the Lord allowed them to be joyful - even in the midst of a deadly situation. By midnight, they were praying and singing hymns of praise - and the other prisoners were listening to them while the jailer had fallen asleep.

How could they be so full of joy after and during such an event? They were beaten with clubs and then their feet fastened into stocks. I can't really imagine how difficult it would be to endure such an attack. All through the book of Acts, we've seen how important prayer had become to those early believers. And in this dire situation, Paul and Silas once again turned to prayer. That is how their human nature of bitterness and desire for revenge did not overtake them. Their spiritual nature of peace and joy in whatever circumstances they found themselves in did take over. So much so, that they started singing - right there in the prison cell! The heavens reacted to their praise with a huge earthquake that shook the very foundation of the prison house - even causing the cell doors to open and their shackles to unfasten!

Here is where they had to really listen to the Holy Spirit and not their own. My spirit would have looked at those open doors and loose shackles, and said, "Run for your life!" But when the jailer did go in, ready to kill himself for letting the prisoners escape, there they were - all of the prisoners - not just Paul and Silas! Don't you know the jailer looked at those guys with astonishment? In fact, verse 29 says with trembling and fear he fell down before Paul and Silas and asked what he had to do to be saved! They told him, he responded, and he met Jesus! As far as we know, he was the first Roman soldier on European soil to become a believer and follower of Christ!

God used the difficult situation with Stephen. The Spirit told those Jerusalem Christians to go, which they did, and the gospel was spread throughout the region. God used the difficult situation with Paul and Silas. The Spirit told them to stay, which they did, and the gospel was spread to Europe. No situation we may find ourselves in is for naught in God's purposes. He will take whatever comes our way - good or not - and use it for His good - IF we allow Him access to our hearts.

If it hasn't happened to you yet, it will. Life will throw you a curve - probably several. You, all of us, will endure some type of suffering in this life. How will we react? Whenever I suffer, whether it's a little or a lot, I don't want it to be wasted suffering! I want to be spiritually able to release it to Him and let it be used for His purposes. I want to hear Him say, "Stay," or "Go". I want those times to be markers on my walk of faith that represent something good that He has done. What about you?

Guitar Playing and Prayer???



A Rendition of My High School Days

At the end of 8th grade, I had major surgery on my leg to correct some issues caused by my bout with polio when I was two years old. The doctors warned my parents that I would be off my feet for about three months - or, as I saw it, the WHOLE summer! What a bummer! Back then, we had no computers, video games, cell phones, or many of the various other items available today to keep a kid somewhat occupied. I was in for one boring summer! I had been thinking for quite a while that I would like to learn to play the guitar. Now, you have to understand that I am a child of the 70's - a hippie-wanna-be! (Through my high school years, I had long, straight hair, lots of hippie beads, a curtain of beads at my bedroom door, and  wisps of incense burning in my room!) I thought playing the guitar and singing like Peter, Paul, and Mary or Simon and Garfunkel, or John Denver would be the bomb! My folks and I decided that I should put my energy toward that effort during my summer down-time. I had saved up some money, so I ordered a fairly nice guitar from the Sears catalogue. When it arrived, life, as I knew it, changed! I spent countless hours teaching myself several chords. I practiced so long that my finger tips developed blisters that eventually gave way to callouses.Then I worked on my rhythm and strumming techniques. By the end of the that summer, I was a guitar-playing fool! Over the next several years, that guitar brought me so much fun! I used it to teach Vacation Bible School and to lead the singing in my youth group and sometimes at Sunday night church. I didn't go many places without my guitar.

I am not an overly musical person. I love music, but I'm certainly not close to being "gifted" in that area. I had had a little musical training prior to my guitar years. My older sister was a very good pianist and taught me the basics of middle C, and I played clarinet in the 5th and 6th grade band - until I was "asked" not come back by the band director. (That's a story for another time!) But, for some reason, I ended up being pretty good on the guitar. No, it wasn't "for some reason;" it was because, for those three months, I devoted myself to learning to play. I'm talking hours at a time - practicing those chords and working on my rhythms and songs. I was truly devoted.

As I have read through Luke and half way through Acts, I see similar devotion played out in prayer. Jesus gave us several examples of devoted prayer in Luke and the other Gospels. As a side note, I am so glad God, in His infinite wisdom, sent Jesus to earth as a man! Not only did His coming provide our means of salvation, but He also showed us how to live a believer's life, how to experience abundant life, how to access God the Father, and how to interact with other people. Prior to beginning His formal ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit to the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:1-13). The scripture is definite in that He was led there to be tempted by Satan. Just like us, Jesus had to go through a refining process. But the scripture is also definite in that while He was there, He fasted and prayed. Jesus walked this earth as a man - don't forget that! He was showing us how to live out our earthly life God's way. Without spending "devoted" time in prayer and in the Word, man-Jesus could very well have taken Satan up on his offer to rule the world. Satan was and is the prince of this world and could have given the keys over to Him. Or after going a month without food, man-Jesus could have easily turned the stones into bread when Satan suggested it. But Jesus drew on the strength He was given through his devotion to the Father and refuted Satan's temptations with the Word of God.

Before Jesus began making the all-important decision of choosing the twelve men whom He would teach, He prayed. Luke 6:12 - It was at that time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them... Again, he showed us how important serious prayer is to our lives. Later, Jesus was arrested as He is returning from the Garden where He had been praying. Luke 22:39-46 - And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives...and He withdrew from them...and knelt down and began to pray...Scripture says that He was praying so fervently, that He was sweating drops of blood! Did you notice the as was His custom part?

Devoted means to commit to something completely, wholly. Fervent means marked by great intensity of feeling, passionate. That's the kind of prayer life Jesus had - because He knew the Father and had encountered the Holy Spirit.

In the disciples, we see a different kind of prayer life. All through the four Gospels, these twelve walk side-by-side with Jesus for three years, yet, we do not see a devoted prayer life. In fact, as they are nearing the climax of their three year journey and they go with Jesus to the Garden, and Jesus tells them to watch and pray - they fall asleep! Oh, how I relate to that! How many times have I've been caught "napping" when fervent prayer was needed! At times, I've been so out-of-touch with God that Satan has whispered, "You can't pray for that person; why, you aren't worthy to approach the Father because you haven't talked to Him in days! And now, you want to take this big need before Him? Who do you think you are?" Yes, I've been caught napping too many times.

But, when we get to Acts, the disciples' prayer life is very different. After Jesus ascends into Heaven, they gather in the upper room for several days "...continually devoting themselves to prayer." (1:14) Those prayers were answered in tongues of fire as the Holy Spirit rained down on them. As the church began to grow in Jerusalem, they continued to "...continually devote themselves to...prayer..." (2:42) and hundreds were being saved. And after Peter was arrested and imprisoned for the third time, the believers prayed. "So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God." (12:5) The result? An angel walked Peter out of prison and right up to the door of the prayer meeting!

What changed the way the disciples prayed? They went from knowing the man-Jesus to encountering the God-Jesus through the touch of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The man-Jesus showed them that by committing His life completely to God, a man could endure any thing Satan can throw at him, even Crucifixion. He could continue in this life focused on the Father no matter what happened to Him. Their personal experience with the risen Jesus through the person of the Holy Spirit empowered them to devote themselves to that life.

All of this gives me pause to reflect on my own prayer life. I have not been as devoted to prayer as I was devoted to learn to play the guitar! I have not spent hours at a time pouring myself out and bringing needs before the Father. My knees do not have callouses from hours of practice. I've been napping - way too long. Prayer is a powerful tool to be used as we traverse this life. Prayer is our secure line to the God who breathed all of this into existence. Prayer is necessary for me to grow in my walk with the Lord. And scripture assures us that fervent prayer is effective prayer. "The fervent (effective) prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:16

It's time to wake up! Let's not nap any longer - It's time to become the prayer warriors He desires us to be!