Unshakeable Faith Testimony ~ Week 1

September 14, 2012 by Julie 8 Comments

On the journey from a shaky to an unshakeable faith, it can be really hard to “count it all joy,” and in the midst of a trial, a “little while” can seem like a long time. Ground Zero in your trial may feel like the loneliest place you’ve ever been, with few rays of sunlight. In those moments, we may lift our eyes heavenward and wonder if God sees us and our pain, if He’s working, and if the disappointment covering us as we tremble in front of that roadblock could possibly be used for good.

As we shore up the foundations of our faith during these weeks together, our team invites you to sit down with us on Fridays as we share first-hand experiences of watching God use trials to strengthen our faith and that of women where we live.

Today I want to share the story of a U-turn, a desperate prayer, and God’s amazing provision in the middle of one woman’s trial. None of it was by chance; it was all part of His perfect plan to give a group of woman Unshakeable Faith.

How is God strengthening YOUR faith this week?

His Word when we’re burned out

August 21, 2012 by Julie 13 Comments

From where I sit, I’ve had a close up view of people following hard after God who have fallen hard in their pursuit of living for Him. We’re all susceptible to wanting to please people. Expectations sometimes sweep away passionate people who wanted to do their best and end up worn out. Without meaning to, family, bosses, relatives, friends, and church people have needs that may drive the most well meaning woman to a weary place before she even knows it.

In his book Leading on Empty, Wayne Cordeiro cautions that, “You will burn out sooner on the inside than you’re able to see on the outside.” We may want a quick “fix” to this slow growing problem, but that covers up the true need to recharge, figure out what brought us to burnout, and change the way we do life. No one is exempt from a burned out condition.

Some signs of burnout

Work becomes difficult
What once gave us joy feels like a heavy drain
Decisions paralyze us
Our creativity is stifled
Physical symptoms or depression arise
We feel swept along by life, but out of control

God’s Word records worn out words from some of God’s heaviest hitters: Moses (Numbers 11:14-15), David (Psalm 69:1-2), Elijah (1 Kings 19:2-4).

God’s Word for the weary

Elijah came away from victorious battle with 850 prophets of Baal and the evil King Ahab, leaving him with a target on his back in the eyes of the even more evil Queen Jezebel. Physically, emotionally, and mentally drained, the Prophet ran away into the wilderness and collapsed under a broom tree. He uttered a prayer to ask God to end his life. He was “over it.”

There under that tree, God sent an angel to speak words of understanding to the burned out, battle -weary man. Do you ever wish God would speak to you in your battle-weary place beside your laundry pile, at your bedside, at your desk, or in the pew? He might say what the angel said to Elijah:

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God (1 Kings 19:1-8).

God knows we have limits, yet He has no limits. He invites us to let Him care for our needs, ceasing from doing and receiving His invitation to rest, letting Him be our Protector and Provider. The undeserved favor He shows can shelter us when we’re so weary we wish we could die. Even the man after God’s own heart, the anointed shepherd-king David experienced the feeling of being in over his head:

“Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.” (Psalm 69:1-2).

God has an answer for seasons of weakness when life is heavy on our shoulders of flesh:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Have you ever been under a broom tree? Eat what the Lord has prepared to give you strength, rest with Him watching over your circumstances, and follow Him one more step at a time. The power of Christ will rest on you.

What words would you share with someone who is under the broom tree?

Jehovah Shalom: Climb out of the winepress!

July 17, 2012 by Julie 4 Comments

He was the least important child in the least important family of his tribe, in a nation oppressed for seven long years. Watched by the angel of the Lord from beneath a tree, Gideon threshed wheat in hiding down in a winepress, where the Midianites wouldn’t find him or his precious grain. He believed God had forsaken them, despite their unfaithfulness to Him. When the Angel approached Gideon to declare God was with him, Gideon spoke the honest, desperate words of a man whose daily life had worn deep ruts in suffering’s path. “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us …?” (Judges 6:13a).

Valley moments

Tired of being beaten down from his start on the lowest of places, Gideon asked what the honest among us will admit to wondering, “If God is with us, why is life so hard?”

Last week I created a spiritual life map of my journey with God. Some of my greatest discoveries about who God is came in my darkest places. I noticed that “valleys” were often followed by strength and advance. Gideon was in a low place when the angel of the Lord came and patiently answered his honest question. It wasn’t until the weary Israelite realized, “I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face” (v.22) that his desperation turned to fear. As if things weren’t bad enough, Gideon went from fragile to freaked out. Can you relate?

Peaceful moments

The Lord answered him where he was: “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” (v.23)
The only thing worse than being insignificant and insecure in the face of a marauding enemy is understanding how insignificant you are in the face of a holy God. Realizing he was part of a divine encounter with the God who had NOT forsaken him, Gideon built an altar of worship and named it for the discovery of his darkest moment: Jehovah-shalom. The Lord is peace. (Judges 6:11-24)

When we’re under attack, uncertain, in need, and painfully aware of our weakness, the world only offers illusions of temporary feelings suggesting peace. Jehovah-shalom IS peace, so He can promise, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful” (John 14:27).

Past our understanding moments

Gideon couldn’t conceive of what happened in the wine press that day, stunned as he served meat and unleavened bread to the angel of the Lord. The peace he found “passed understanding;” he encountered true peace in the midst of hardship. He discovered what God offers each one of us reading now: real peace.

“… do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

Yes, it surpasses understanding, but it can guard our hearts and our discouraged thoughts when we find ourselves in the wine press, hiding from our hardships and fighting fear. We can know the peace of Jehovah-shalom. We are meant to know the peace of Jehovah-shalom.

Let’s climb out of the wine press and get down on our knees, so Jehovah Shalom can cover us in peace that’s out of this world!

Have you had a “wine press” experience when God gave you His peace?

Love Like Him: Love bows low

July 2, 2012 by Julie 1 Comment

Return visit to my village servant-friend

Coffee bushes and papaya trees encircle her cinder block home; stitched tribal garments hang near the door, distinguishing her as an honored citizen and village elder. When I first visited, she was adorned in her finest, spending the hottest part of the day as our self-appointed caretaker. Highly regarded, she chose to lower herself in humble servitude, preparing trays of fruit, refreshing our water, inviting us to sit so she could give. Setting aside her own needs, she ministered to our fatigue. 1 Corinthians shows how love is patient and how it looks when I am full of love. Love is in its glory when a person of honor bends low to serve another.

Jesus bowed Himself all the way from the throne of heaven to a woman’s womb, so He could serve mankind. Humility is the opposite of rivalry and pride, intentionally putting oneself below your rightful level or position. While we usually frown on making comparisons, to take hold of a first-Corinthians-kind-of-love, let’s discover and embrace the comparisons of Philippians 2:1-8.

Love takes hold when God’s people are the same … united in mind and love. (v. 2) Paul invites readers to compare themselves and see if they agree and share the same humble thoughts and passions. Opinions direct our actions; we only strive together in humility when we choose to go low together.

Love counts others more significant than self … “more than” how we count our self. Despite His perfect nature and divine sonship, Jesus valued our lives above His own. To “count” is to contemplate and direct attention to the needs of another. How do your thoughts about your own value and your own life’s concerns compare to how you think about those of others?

Love includes the interests of others … not only our own. We do look out for own interests, but “not only” our own interests. Humility requires measuring how much energy, time, and passion we allot for our interests in comparison to looking out for others = not easy in a world empathetic to our right to “be good to yourself.” If “self” dominates our attention, we need a change of heart and mind.

Love has this mind … not the other mind. “This mind” is a mind like Christ. Our opinion of self and others drives the way we strive in life. Jesus so valued man that He lowered Himself into a human embryo, grew up through the life stages of a man, and offered His perfect self to the very ones He created. In an ultimate act of humility, He was “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). Jesus did the comparisons and saw that we are totally sinful, while He is totally perfect. Though the Person of greatest honor, He served beyond our wildest hope. He chose to be low. He chose to be obedient.

Jesus’ lowest moment was Love’s most glorious moment.

This summer I revisited my tribal friend to find her weak and suffering. Her hands trembled as she welcomed us into the coolness of her dim home with mat covered floors. With great effort, she brought trays of fruit and a costly bottle of water to minister to our needs, and she lowered herself to the floor to be with us. Love doesn’t insist on the place of honor. Our tongues spoke different words, but the language of her love was clear and strong. Love bows low in humble service to ones it values.

When it comes to love, comparison challenges the hearts and minds of ones like me: given to looking out for myself, seeking my own way, happy to give a “piece of my mind.” Do you dare to compare?

Do I have the “same mind” as other followers of Christ?
Do I think I’m “more significant” than others?
Do I look out for the interests of others, “not only” mine?
Do I have “this mind” of Christ or a selfish mind?

Let’s dare to compare with ones who bow low in love’s stance. We’ll be in good company.

Solitude: Letting Bible study soak in

June 19, 2012 by Julie 4 Comments

Is your Bible study just accumulating knowledge or changing your life? Do you feel like you keep learning without absorbing?

Past the dunes, I saw no one and expected my family to emerge and ask what was for dinner. It was strange to be so utterly alone. I reveled in the chance to pray aloud, sing with abandon, laugh at God’s creatures, and marvel at truths He unveiled from His Word. It was not loneliness. It was solitude.

Finding a deserted beach and hours to drink in the Lord is not common. Without some quiet, Bible study risks being just the accumulation of knowledge, unrooted in our souls.

Solitude releases our FEARS

~ Most of us resist being alone; it forces us to go beyond book knowledge to trusting God. To be alone with Him is to rest in His sufficiency, as life’s challenges come to mind and His truth answers. Silence is the response of a heart filled with trust, strengthened on the beach of Solitude (Psalm 46:10). God wants us to “Be still and know” He is sufficient, powerful, and in control. He wants us to let His truth soak in and overshadow our fears. Bible study is the fodder God uses to work out confidence in the circumstances of life.

Solitude replaces our DISTRACTIONS

~ Solitude requires self-control to create space. Instead of being swept away by life’s noise, we decide to remove distractions and restructure our priorities, to have the opportunity to meditate on God’s truth. We give Him access to our thoughts, so He can show us how His truth applies to our life. As our motion and words slow, we hear His authority over our own voice and that of the world.

Ecclesiastes 5:2 “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”

Solitude redeems our TIME

~ When our minds settle on God’s truth, we experience His replenishing peace through the opportunity to hear and be refreshed by Him. In times of solitude, we can “Be still” and absorb the reality of His truth. We make a greater difference in our world when His truth has saturated our thoughts and taken root in our lives.

Finding your beach

Where is that beach, so you can go there? Fill your heart and mind with some Biblical fodder, and then carve out an opportunity for solitude, so God can speak to you above life’s noise. He will strengthen your faith and refresh your spirit there. Solitude may be captured when you least expect it:

Instead of filling a 10 minute wait with a phone call, enjoy the solitude.
Instead of using that corner chair for laundry, make it a special place for solitude.
Instead of only filling your planner with work, block out space for solitude.

It’s possible for Bible study to become simply motion adding knowledge. Bible study soaks in when we practice solitude.

Have you found a creative way to carve out some solitude in your life?

Here I Raise My Ebenezer: He sees me

May 15, 2012 by Julie 4 Comments

Some events are festivals of God’s provisions, providing enough Ebenezer stones to build a monument. For women who experience the carrying and bearing a life, birth is often such an event. From the monument of our first child’s coming that looms large in our family story, I want to draw out one small stone. It’s in the choosing, studying, and holding of a single stone that we remember the divine nature of the details.

No one will ever accuse me of being “medically minded;” I read little of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. After all, women have done this for millenia; what could be new? When early morning pangs were followed by a reddish gush, we nervously called the doctor, I took a quick shower, and we headed into zero degree darkness to the hospital. Empty, silent roads calmed our excitement and nagging questions. Waddling past the curb, a nurse met us at the doors and invited me to plop into a wheelchair.

Automatic doors ushered us in to the room where only one couple waited. Friends from church! What emergency brought them there in the middle of the night? Without insurance, their little one had an ear infection, forcing them to the ER. They were just leaving as we entered. Since she was a nurse and knew my due date, Cheryl peppered us with quick questions. Our naive, inexperienced answers landed heavily on her medical ears; she hid her fears as she squeezed my hand and told me they would be praying and waiting for news. We had no idea that we were in need of extraordinary prayers.

As they elevator doors closed, the couple hurried to a phone to call our sleeping pastor. Everything moved so fast … the wheelchair, the doctor, the cold iodine over my stomach, and Jeff’s face fading from my sight amidst shouts and orders. There had been no time to call anyone or to let our family members hours away know that the first grandchild was struggling for life.

God put the right person .. at the right place … at the right time … to know our need before we even knew.

El Roi, the God who sees, was not caught by surprise. He had not missed the events. We were caught unprepared by the urgency, our loneliness, and our ignorance. But He was already ahead of us, fulfilling His promise through His people.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2).

He did not leave us or forsake us in our darkest valley; He sent His people on ahead in the guise of a child’s ear infection, so that an informed woman of faith was at the doors to greet us and know our need before we knew it. God provided for an army of prayer warriors to be engaged when we had no knowledge or time to enlist one for ourselves.

It’s a single stone in a monument of God’s great work in the life of our daughter, and it deserves to be lifted out, studied, and held with gratitude. I could show the other stones in this monument we remember when we say “JoHanna,” but I don’t want any others to overshadow this single stone of remembering God’s tender provision.

God put the right person at the right place at the right time to know our need before we even knew it.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for seeing what’s before us and for providing what we needed, even when we didn’t know. I’m so grateful for how YOU enlisted the prayers of Your people on our behalf. We are truly never alone, never out of Your sight, never passing through the waters without You there. Here I raise this Ebenezer to remember Your tender lovingkindness.

DO. GO. STAND.

April 16, 2012 by Julie Leave a Comment

Open Prison Cells — Photo by Arvind Balaraman

Three weeks ago, the news was heavy: six of our partners imprisoned in a hostile country. Their court case won’t be heard until this Wednesday, but their chances for justice are, by earthly standards, slim. If they are miraculously given their freedom, there’s no chance they’ll stay shackled. They’ll go to where the freedom is, and they’ll celebrate their release. But until this Wednesday, we pray.

Sin imprisoned all of mankind and all of creation in corruption’s cell; even the world waits for freedom (Romans 8:19-23).

If you can … DO!

In speaking to bondservants in the position of slaves, Paul encouraged that, “if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity” (1 Cor. 7:21). When one who has been captive gains freedom, there’s no reason to return to the master of cruelty. We are encouraged that since, “You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men” 1 Cor. 7:23. The earth and all of mankind waited for a liberator. If you can be free … DO!

Sin bound each soul since birth, but we are not without hope. Though we once gave ourselves as slaves to evil, we can give ourselves to a new Master. Our “kyrios” is the One who owns, possesses, and controls us; He is our Lord, and “the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17).

If it’s there … GO!

There is a place of freedom within our reach. “For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification” (Romans 6:19). Freedom for one-time prisoners awaits in the presence of the kyrios, the Master. If its’ there … GO!

Why would a prisoner return to his cell? Paul asked the Galatians, “now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?” (Galatians 4:9). Once the case is heard and the captives are freed, why would they return? But some do.

If it’s done … STAND!

Christ sacrificed his perfect life for the sake of our freedom. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). If his work has paid the high price for our freedom, we should stand and stay in it, not turning back to our captor who would gladly re-chain us. Since we were called to be free (Gal. 5:13) we should, “Live as people who are free, not using {our} freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16). The payment for our release has been made, so we should stay that way and not make excuses to go back to our cell or corruption. If it’s done … STAND!

Freedom in Christ!

We could offer to pay the price for the physical freedom of our friends. No one could offer a price high enough for Satan to free us. “For freedom Christ has set us free.” He paid what no one else could, and the case is closed. No one has the power to recapture us; why would we ever want to give up our precious, dearly bought freedom? Why would we go back?

Our freedom from sin’s slavery is possible.

Our freedom is in the presence of the Lord’s Spirit.

Our freedom is completely paid for.

If you can … DO!

If it’s there … GO!

If it’s done … STAND!

Would you pray with me for the decision of those who will hear the case of our partners in chains? Their captors are but slaves, themselves. Oh that they would know the same freedom offered to each reader today through the Friend who paid our ransom prince. Our freedom physically and spiritually is a gift. Let’s DO, GO, STAND!

I Bless Him Because He Lavishes Love (Run to Him-Psalm 103)

March 23, 2012 by Julie 3 Comments

A Story of Blessing

The texted words on my phone burst out in blessing: “God is so awesome! Words can’t express the thankfulness I have. I pray that God blessed you as much as you’ve blessed me and my girls!”

I had just left a small one bedroom apartment after dropping off a brand new set of pots and pans, bags of food, a mixer and can opener, new sets of towels, and much, much more. They weren’t from me, but I delivered them from the open hands and hearts of the team of ladies who serve with me at the women’s shelter. One of “our girls” was moving out on her own, preparing for permanent reunion and restoration with her daughters. God allowed us to join Him in the work of piecing a life back together, and the heart of our loved one was full of blessing for the love her Heavenly Father showed her.

A Psalm of Blessing

Psalm 103 begins with the call for each soul in the community of the beloved to remember the benefits of God’s love and to cry out in praise. The audience included those who knew well the journey of the broken, how it feels to rise out of exile and survive at the mercy of a generous, divine hand. A list of the benefits (vv. 3-19) fed the amazement of those whose lives were pieced together with provision from the true God. He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies, and cares for oppressed; He who knows and loves the helpless is slow to anger, full of grace and mercy. He lavishes love on those who have nothing to offer Him but praise.

A Love for the Broken

While we are weak and frail like the grass or flower (vv. 14-16), so undependable that we are compared to dust. But the Lord loves with steadfast love that remains committed and true (vv. 17-18). To the once exiled and presently broken, He extends love everlasting, calling us to keep his covenant and remember His ways. When we feel alone, His love can only be compared to the distance of the east to the west, the distance from earth to heaven, and the scope of a father’s love for his childrevv. 11-14). He doesn’t only love us; He lavishes us with awesome love with full awareness of who we are. Yes, God is so awesome!

Every journey includes failures and fresh starts, and we all survive at the mercy of a generous, divine hand. You may not need a toaster or a can opener or gently used coffee table. But how have YOU experienced the benefits of the east to west, earth to heaven, fatherly love of God?

When standing amidst the broken pieces, fear Him, remember His promises, keep His commands, and enjoy His steadfast love. The God who knows and loves us in our weakness must be blessed!

Keys to understanding

March 19, 2012 by Julie 4 Comments

It’s time to plan a summer vacation, but I dread the question of “What to do with the dog?” When we camp, he comes, but when we travel far, he stays. And when he stays, I worry that his in-bred habit will be his fatal flaw. Given the opportunity, he’ll bolt. Finding someone to watch Trace is a delicate business.

When his caretaker reads the following directions, they CAN NOT miss the vital meaning.

Our dog runs away. If you leave the door open, then he’ll run out. His breed has the urge to hunt, so they bolt. The front door has to stay closed so he doesn’t escape. So, above all, don’t leave the door open. He’ll slip through and run away!

To be a faithful steward of our house and dog, a house sitter must catch the key words of our message: “run” (bolt/escape) and “door.”

When words are vital, they’re repeated for emphasis. In a Biblical book or passage, key words point to the text’s important meaning. To miss out on the repetition would be to let the most significant message escape. Dependable caretakers notice the “If … then” words in our directions that spell out a potential cause and effect. “So” introduces an application we want to underscore, in light of the facts. Take a look at these examples of how God repeated key words in the text of scripture for our understanding:

The Gospel of John helps us understand who Jesus is by repeating “I am” throughout the book.
Revelation 1-3 includes the repeated phrases: “And to the angel of the church in ____ write … I know your …” Repeatedly, John wrote the Lords words: “I know your works…” Each letter to the 7 churches ends with, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” and he specifies promises “To the one who conquers.” These are personal letters, from the heart of an all-knowing God, longing for His followers to be “conquerors” in the face of their challenges.

Look at how the meaning of a passage stands out when we focus our attention on the repeated language, the KEY WORDS. Key words are the keys to understanding.

⁷So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. (John 10:7-16)

John 10:1-16 uses key words like sheep, sheepfold, flock, and shepherd to explain how Jesus is the good shepherd. The key words paint a picture of the relationship the shepherd has with the sheep.

It really helps me to “see” the key words in a passage when I highlight them in the same color OR draw a simple symbol over them. The most significant ideas jump off the page at me. When I see “shepherd,” I draw a simple shepherd’s staff. “Sheep” gets a fluffy shape around it. Choose what symbol resonates in your mind to mark a key word. If you’ve been in Precept studies, you’ve done a lot of this, but you can keep it simple and make it work for you. By marking those important, repeated key words, the meaning jumps off the page and into our heart and mind.

The treasures of God’s word are too important to let them slip past us and escape our understanding. Key words are the keys to understanding. Ask God to help you discover the key words, and be a faithful steward of what He’s left in your care.

Practice looking for a key words in John 10:7-16 and uncovering the exciting truths they hold:

Go back to verse 9 and discover the “If/then” statement.
There are 4 verbs that “anyone” can do. What is the first verb that produces the other 3? List them.
Look for every mention of the Shepherd. What is said about the Shepherd?
Go back and circle the pronouns that refer to the sheep; what do they reveal about the sheep?

Clean to the Fibers {Run to Him Psalm 51}

February 24, 2012 by Julie 6 Comments

The pollen from my bouquet left a dark yellow stain on the neckline of my once pure white wedding dress. We went into crisis mode to renew the lace and prepare for presentation to my husband-to-be. With little time, there was no way to truly cleanse it; covering it up was the best we could do.

The Need for Repentance

None of us begins with a pure heart; we’re all born with a sin problem. We’re delivered to this world with a need for deliverance. When the prophet Nathan confronted David with his adultery and murder, the Psalmist’s sin stared him in the face. The King was “always aware” of his offense “against God,” so “evil to God,” recognizing he was born that way (v.5). David shared his individual longing to be made right in Psalm 51’s words, written for a congregational group to song together. The ceremonial system required worshipers to “wash” and “cleanse” themselves before coming into God’s presence. Knowing he was undeserving, he appealed to the character of God, marked by steadfast love and abundant mercy.

David knew the scope of his offense and responded with a humble heart.

David knew the scope of God’s mercy and responded with a plea for deliverance.

David knew the scope of God’s love and responded with a worshipful heart.

Have mercy, wash me, cleanse me, purge me, wash me, hide your face, blot my sin, create a new heart, renew my spirit, don’t cast me away, don’t remove your Spirit, restore my joy, uphold me….

These are the words of a man who was sin-stained and knew it. These are the cries of a man who was unworthy to be in God’s presence and knew it. These are the pleas of a man who knew God’s mercy and love surpassed his dirtiness and evil. These are the hopes of a man who knew he could not make himself clean, but God could. Could these be your words?

Because He is the “God of my salvation” (v.14), He looks for more than a covering up of our outward stain; He wants inward purity demonstrated by outward obedience. Cleansing prepares us to enter His presence. Without it, our dirty condition overflows to the whole community of believers. A gathering of the cleansed and forgiven cannot help but respond in worship to the One who mercifully gives what isn’t deserved.

The Joy of Restoration

David knew the joy of having his personal evil washed to a miraculously whiter-than snow condition. He felt the joy of having his contrite heart and broken spirit healed and accepted. Deliverance from sin opens the door for freedom in worship, so he promised, “my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness … and my mouth will declare your praise” (vv. 14-15). Worship is the song of a forgiven heart.

There was no time to cleanse my wedding dress. A heavy spray of hairspray, covered by a dousing of baby powder, masked the stain on my yellowed bridal lace. It was covered, but not clean.

God isn’t fooled by our attempts to cover up our sin. Only the God of our Salvation has the power to cleanse the deep fibers of our hearts and restore our broken spirit. For those who know the joy of undeserved mercy, let’s join David’s congregation and sing the song of the forgiven hearts!

Do you have a humble heart that’s honest about your stained condition?

Have you appealed to God’s mercy with a plea for cleansing and to be upheld?

Are you taking time to worship God privately and with a group of other forgiven people?

10 Tips for Young Moms

February 20, 2012 by Julie 7 Comments

They left on Friday morning with duffle bags, spending money, and an all-too quick kiss and not-so-convincing promise to try to remember to text me during the youth retreat. My two teenagers. Weren’t they just going to pre-school and working on speech problems last summer? Who put away Chutes and Ladders? How did they get so independent? Have they grown up enough? Have I steered them well?

A woman’s heart has hopes for those she calls “children” or those she calls “spiritual children.” The youngest years are ripe with potential to influence. While we may still pick out their cereal at the store, God’s wants them to grow up, physically and spiritually. As my two drove off, I sat with my Bible and coffee cup and reflected on how I’ve influenced my children. Some victories, some struggles. I sifted out 10 Tips for Young Moms that make a difference in the life of a child.

10 Tips for Young Moms

Sing scripture songs ~ God’s Word becomes imprinted on your hearts as you sing truth and children will hear that you love God’s word.
Stop and pray ~ Don’t hesitate to pull over, stop in an aisle, or find a bench to stop, bow, and pray out loud when prompted by hurt feelings, a passing ambulance, crying child, lost kitten, or homeless person.
Talk about creation ~ Instead of hurrying past a nest or driving through fall leaves without comment, let your children heart you marvel at creation and point it back to God’s hand.
Give children’s Bibles ~ Nurture reading readiness by giving your child a Bible early, teaching them God wants them to know and love it.
Carry your Bible ~ Children need to see parents take their Bibles to church and open them at home.
Journal their lives ~ Start a journal while your kids are in the womb, or if that time is passed, start now. Journal what you see as their life unfolds and God works.
Journal their salvation ~ If they start a relationship with Christ as a child, write the story and the details, so that you can help them remember it in vivid color one day.
Pray for them ~ This might seem obvious, but we can get so busy that we neglect to pray intentionally, regularly, and boldly for the hearts and futures of our children.
Feed your heart ~ What mom isn’t tempted to let fatigue, laundry, or discouragement crowd out devotions? Our time with God is the source of encouragement, wisdom, and strength.
Be hospitable early ~ Don’t let a little house, a tight budget, or a cluttered floor keep you from serving people into your home.

I’m so thankful for every time I sang scripture with my two, stopped to pray to God “on demand,” opened our Bibles together, had my own private time with the Lord, wrote about their lives in their journals, and served guests in our home. I think I’ll stop and text them both a verse & blessing. Every investment is well spent.

God intends that we and our kids should, “no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,” (Eph. 4:14-15). A young mom’s choices during the sippy cup years can steer the future pathway of those she calls her children.

What’s one thing you can do today to steer your child or a child in your life for the future?

If you’re a mom who would love some encouragement and mentoring, stop by the M OM Initiative, a site dedicated to helping moms be the best moms they can be. I’m sharing there today about “Expecting Stretch Marks.”

What’s in your mirror?

January 16, 2012 by Julie 5 Comments

"Morning face" while camping ... NO mirrors allowed!

The Saturday morning sight caught me a little by surprise. Looking in the mirror I couldn’t help but utter an “Ew!” when I saw myself. Knowing my husband was gone to a meeting, I decided to ignore “the face,” throw on a robe, and answer the coffee pot’s call. I left my baggy eyes, dark circles, and dry skin at the mirror and settled into my comfy kitchen chair.

What do you do with what you see in the mirror? You could be the kind of gal who gets to work with her toolbox to cover up and enhance. You might be the kind who exfoliates down deep. You may even be the kind to up your water intake, back up your bedtime, and offload cares through prayer. We all respond to what the mirror shows us.

God’s Word is like a high magnification mirror. We all respond to what the mirror shows us.

James 1:23-25

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

God’s truth exposes us for what we are. To hear what God wants and then walk away without action would be foolish. Instead, as we learn the Word and implant it in our memory, we’re called to act on it. Doing something about what we see in the mirror of God’s truth leads to blessing. That blessing overflows to those around us.

I was just getting a refill to freshen up my coffee breath when the garage door opened and my husband walked in. With a look of concern, he came to me and tenderly asked if I was okay. “I’m fine. Why?” I responded.

“You look like you’re really upset, like you’ve been crying,” he said in a slightly nervous tone.

Nope. Just morning face that I ignored, forgot about about, and got comfortable with. Shoulda been a “doer” and done something about it! The next morning when I looked in the mirror, that same gal met me, but I dealt with her. I think we were all better for it; you could even say we were blessed!

How will you respond to what you see in God’s word today?

Will you walk away and forget about it, or will you deal with it?

Not your average king

December 14, 2011 by Julie 1 Comment

The news from 2011 will reflect a wave of uprisings washing across Europe and the Middle East, crashing onto cities like London, Jerusalem, Cairo, and Athens. With an election year in the United States, voices of discontent call out and seek a champion for change. The port of Oakland, California was shut down Monday, Dec. 12 due to protests related to the Occupy Wall St/Oakland/Portland/… Movement. Mankind has always sought rulers to lead well, measuring success in peace, prosperity, and power. As Israel awaited her prophesied Messiah’s coming, it was no different. They looked for a king to break the bondage of Rome and restore the glory days of earthly man-kings like Solomon and David. They weren’t looking for a Jesus.

occupy-oakland-620x317 — www.theblaze.com

Jesus was not your average king, and yet Hecame to be King and bring even more than Israel asked for. He came to bring truth. He came to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Lk. 2:32).

Word that the King of the Jews had been born somehow trickled down to all ears, despite the absence of YouTube and Twitter. Herod wanted to know where the reported king was, because a Jewish King was a threat to the heavy hand and unbending control of Rome. To the people of Israel, however, His coming meant a glimmer of hope.

After the arrest of Jesus, Pilate drilled the question at Him that all wanted to know: “Are you king of the Jews?” (John 18:33-37) The King himself said His kingdom is “not of this world;” He did not come for earthly dominion … yet. His kingship is spiritual, and He will ultimately bring all things under His rule. He was not arriving to bring a reign of immediate prosperity or even peace; He was coming for much greater riches than that. “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37).

Jesus was not your average king. He WAS born to reign, but not merely over things like economies and governments. When Herod searched for Him and Pilate questioned Him, He was no threat to their immediate future. And when some people followed and some people mocked, there was no question He would reign over their eternity.

He was born to reign, but not as they expected. He is the Son of God who will sit on the throne of David to reign forever, with no end to His kingdom (Luke 2:32-33). Jesus came to be King and bring the truth.

So who will reign over the governments of Europe and the Middle East and Asia and the United States in unsettled cities in 2012? No one knows. Men await rulers to free them, bring peace, and create prosperity.

Let’s not be so consumed with looking for “average kings” to make our “here and now” what we want that we miss the One who came to rule and reign.

– Are you living like Jesus is the King of your life? Do you know the truth He came to bring?
– We can all start a campaign in our hearts for “Occupy ME!”

He Came to Proclaim

December 2, 2011 by Julie 3 Comments

110_01_0003_BiblePaintings — visualbiblealive.com

Sometimes it’s easy to feel like we just here to do things like laundry, drive carpools, and empty the dishwasher. People pull us into the black hole of meeting needs. Other times it’s easy to wonder why we exist at all. Do you know why you’re here? So much about Jesus’ coming was unique, including the fact that He knew exactly why He was on earth.

After healing crowds of desperate and hurting people, Jesus slipped away for some solitude and rest, apart from the black hole of needs. But they found him, longing for their Healer to stay with them. So relieved by His help, Capernaum wanted exclusive rights to Jesus. Even He faced pressure to keep His purpose the priority.

“I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose” (Luke 4:43).

It was necessary and right for the Messiah to announce the glad tidings that the Kingdom of God was coming. For people long focused on physical agony or even oppression by demons, the real life-changing news was the rule of Almighty God over all things. Unlike the words of prophets until that point, Jesus brought word that grace would reign because of the one time sacrifice of His life. By taking on human form without sin, Jesus provided for God’s mercy and rule. Though the crowds didn’t know it, hearing about the Kingdom and the news of salvation was the main message they needed.

Found in the solitary place by the grateful but greedy and needy crowds, Jesus did not waver in knowing why He came to earth. “I was sent for this purpose,” to preach “the good news of the kingdom of God” to all. He was intentionally sent by God His Father to an appointed destination, earth, as Savior and Proclaimer to the world.

We’re here for so much more than laundry or shopping for presents or making cookies or addressing cards. Just as Jesus knew why He was sent here, we’ve been commissioned to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15, NKJV). Maybe we’ll use laundry or a gift or a cookie or a card to do it, but whatever we do, let’s do as Jesus did. Let’s proclaim the good news. That’s why we’re here.

~ Is there someone in the “crowd” around you who needs you to proclaim good news to them this Christmas?

“Son of Man” for “Children of God”

November 9, 2011 by Julie 3 Comments

A name reveals much about who we are; the names of Christ are no different. The Christmas story begins in Genesis 3:15 when God told Satan the offspring of the woman would one day overcome him. At that point, He was nameless to us, except for the “need for seed,” the seed of man.

In giving a unique promise to Abram, Adam’s descendant, God assured him of blessing. By initiating a covenant relationship with Abram, God said that in him “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12: 3). It foreshadowed the One seed who would descend from Abram to save the world: Jesus. In chapter 15 God assured childless Abram that his descendants would multiply like stars. The flesh of an animal was cut, providing a wall of blood to pass through as the covenant was sealed. In chapter 17 God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, showing he would be the “father” of many nations. A new name often accompanies a covenant relationship of oneness and reveals a new identity. No longer was Abram simply the father of his own family; he was divinely chosen as father of many nations and ancestor of the One who would fulfill God’s Gen. 3:15 promise. Everyone would be impacted by Father Abraham’s descendant.

baby-jesus-pictures — Son of God became Son of Man

Like Abraham’s name changed when he entered a covenant relationship, so did that of Jesus Son of God. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). When Jesus was born, He humbled himself in a way I can not comprehend, but He provided us the benefit of sharing in His glory. He came as the Son of God, the holy One from heaven, the Prince of Peace. Reaching out for a relationship with man meant complete humility for Him, even down to changing His name.

I’m able to take on the name “child of God,” because Jesus took on the name “Son of Man.”

“Son of Man.” Such a human name to bear, if you’re the Son of God. Such an earthly name, when you’re heavenly. Such a low name, when you’re God Most High. Yet when He entered into a covenant love with us, He took on a new name to identify with us in our flesh: Son of Man.

“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 3:29).

“But when thefullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Gal. 4:4-7).

In the Old Testament, Abrahamreceived a new name, and God promised all of Abraham’s descendants would share in his blessing. The name change revealed identity change! If we are Christ’s, then we’re offspring of Abraham, his heirs.

When Jesus took on the form of a man, His new name revealed a change! As flesh and blood, Jesus put on mankind and became the sacrificial Lamb, so we could put Him on. Our covenant exchange of names provided blessing for us. He took on more than our name; the Lamb of God took on our sins. He also took on the understanding of what it means to be tempted and tried like those who are “but dust.” How comforting to know the Son of Man understands. We can be “children of God,” because Jesus became the “Son of Man.”

Because He is the Son of Man, I am a child of God, heir of righteousness, daughter of the King, son not slave, pure not dirty, forgiven not condemned, and redeemed not guilty. No doubt, the covenant exchange of names works in our favor, but I’m so thankful to the Son of Man through whom all the nations of the world are blessed.

How would you finish this sentence: Because He became the Son of Man, I am ____________ instead of _____________?

Climb out of the wine press! ~ Jehovah-shalom

October 24, 2011 by Julie 2 Comments

He was the least important child in the least important family of his tribe, in a nation oppressed for seven long years. Watched by the angel of the Lord from beneath a tree, Gideon threshed wheat in hiding, where the Midianites wouldn’t find him or his precious grain. He believed God had forsaken them, despite their unfaithfulness to Him. When the Angel approached Gideon to declare God was with him, Gideon spoke the honest, desperate words of a man whose daily life had worn deep ruts in suffering’s path. “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us …?” (Judges 6:13a).

Tired of being beaten down from his start on the lowest of places, Gideon asked what the honest among us will admit to wondering, “If God is with us, why is life so hard?”

The Lord answered him where he was: “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” (v.23)

The only thing worse than being insignificant and insecure in the face of a marauding enemy is understanding how insignificant you are in the face of a holy God. Realizing he was part of a divine encounter with the God who had NOT forsaken him, Gideon built an altar of worship and named it for the discovery of his darkest moment: Jehovah-shalom. The Lord is peace. (Judges 6:11-24)

When we’re under attack, uncertain, in need, and painfully aware of our weakness, the world only offers illusions of temporary feelings suggesting peace. Jehovah-shalom IS peace, so He can promise, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful” (John 14:27).

Gideon couldn’t conceive of what happened in the wine press that day, stunned as he served meat and unleavened bread to the angel of the Lord. The peace he found “passed understanding;” he encountered true peace in the midst of hardship. He discovered what God offers each one of us reading now: real peace.

“… do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

Let’s climb out of the wine press and get down on our knees, so He can cover us in peace that’s out of this world!