Do Not Depart

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10 Tips for Young Moms

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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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Give children’s Bibles ~ Nurture reading readiness by giving your child a Bible early, teaching them God wants them to know and love it.
  5. Carry your Bible ~ Children need to see parents take their Bibles to church and open them at home.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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 MOM Initiative, a site dedicated to helping moms be the best moms they can be.  I’m sharing there today about “Expecting Stretch Marks.”

He Can Trust Her

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“The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.” Proverbs 31:11 (Amplified)

I’ve always thought the study of the Proverbs 31 woman was a bit intimidating as well as a little painful. What woman can be all that and a bag of chips? How can she be all of those things at all times? Is that even possible while we live in this flesh?

In context we’re looking at the ideal woman as described by a mother who is giving her son the description of what he should be looking for in a wife – the kind of wife we all pray our sons would be wise enough to marry. But are we that kind of woman? Are we at least striving to be that kind of woman?

As we read through Proverbs 31:10-31, we find a woman of very noble character. Yet, one of the greatest traits touted by Mrs. P31 is that of trustworthiness. As the Amplified so beautifully says, her husband was confidently secure in her. He relied on and believed in his wife – and as the Scottish minister, George MacDonald, once said –

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. 

From the framework of Proverbs 31:11, we’re told her husband “confidently” trusted in his wife in the area of their finances. In fact, as you read through each verse that describes this Wonder Woman of the Bible,  you find that like a sweet perfume, Mrs. P31’s trustworthiness permeated every area of her life.

Her husband could trust his wife to…

  • Be a frugal shopper (Proverbs 31:11)
  • Be wise with their finances (Proverbs 31:11)
  • Not be sneaky or deceptive about her spending (Proverbs 31:11)
  • Not pressure her man to make more and more money (Proverbs 31:11)
  • Not be materialistic (Proverbs 31:11)
  • Not try to persuade him to do something unethical or desperate to make a buck (Proverbs 31:11)
  • Do what is good for him (Proverbs 31:12)
  • Be a diligent worker (Proverbs 31:13-14,19,24)
  • Not be lazy (Proverbs 31:15)
  • Care for others (Proverbs 31:15,20)
  • Be a wise investor with their finances (Proverbs 31:16)
  • Be a woman of dignity who is prepared for their future (Proverbs 31:21,25)
  • Take care of the needs of the family and the home (Proverbs 31:22,27)
  • Encourage, support and promote him (Proverbs 31:23)
  • Carefully chose words of grace and truth, and guard what she says about him (Proverbs 31:26)
A study of the P31 women can be truly daunting when we try to place our own lives beside hers. She stands tall and lives large! She’s the ideal woman – the one whose steps we we’re to follow.
But I don’t think we’re to be discouraged by her – we’re to be encouraged to be women who rise to the occasion – to set our standards high and seek to be women who will garner the ultimate praise – ‘her husband and children rise up and call her blessed.’
I’ve heard people say that in a marriage, trust is everything. If a man can’t trust his wife, it’s like knocking the legs out from under the foundation of their marriage. Trust is the seed that feeds love.
Marriage may survive when the embers of fizzle out love, but when trust is destroyed, the marriage is on dangerous ground.
So, use this post as an opportunity to evaluate your life as a wife. Can your husband really trust you in the areas that are mentioned above? Are there any areas you need to work on? 

{Resource Review} Savoring Living Water

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Before we share a great resource for you, we need to share something with you.  Our friend Kristi will no longer be writing here at Scripture Dig.  She’s been offered the opportunity to serve in a much larger way in her local church and in order to give that the attention it will demand, she will be stepping down from Scripture Dig.   She’s written more about this decision on her blog.   We will miss her presence here but know that God is at work in the ministry He has laid before her.    We invite you to join us in praying for her as she endeavors to follow God’s direction in her life … and she’s promised to come back and visit here at Scripture Dig.  We’ll hold her to that!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometimes a resource comes along that meshes perfectly with our vision to “Encourage, equip, and empower others to dig into God’s Word” … Savoring Living Water:  How to Have an Effective Quiet Time fits the bill perfectly.

One of the very first themes we covered here at Scripture Dig was Daily Time in the Word.   We’ve shared what our own Quiet Times look like and invited others to share about theirs in the My Time to Dig posts.    We believe wholeheartedly that that of the main tools we have to grow spiritually is consistent, quality time spent engaging with the Bible.

That’s where Savoring Living Water comes in.    In seven concise, yet full, chapters, Katie Orr and Lara Williams offer solid information and suggestions for developing a vibrant personal time with the Lord.   Covering topics from what time of day to what kind of resources, Savoring Living Water is a resource for both the new believer and those of us who are “more seasoned” in our faith walk.

With five appendices and a companion journal added to the end of the book, Katie and Lara give us not just the “Why” and the “How” but tools to help us get started and put into practice the principles they teach.

Perhaps, though, the key component that drives this book, is the heart from which is it written.  From the first words, the passion Katie and Lara have for this topic are evident but equally revealed is their desire to be an encouragement to others.   

It is a joy for us at Scripture Dig to recommend Savoring Living Water:  How to Have an Effective Quiet Time to our readers.      Savoring Living Water is available on Amazon for the Kindle and Barnes & Noble for the Nook as well as a PDF version.   For each copy of Savoring Living Water purchased, the authors are donating $2 to One Verse,  a translation company that seeks to provide the Scriptures in as many languages as possible.  

We are happy to be giving away a copy of this ebook to one of our readers.    Your answer in the comments  to the following question is your entry:

What is the biggest hindrance in your life to having a consistent, effective quiet time?

{You can read more about Savoring Living Water on their website and we encourage you to like their Facebook page for ongoing encouragement.   And please check out the One Verse website to learn more about the amazing work this organization is doing!}

When God Is Silent

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 This week I’ll be sharing about an evergreen topic in a Christian’s life. It’s one I speak on at retreats and conferences and one that we all unfortunately can relate to…Those times when God is silent.

We’ve all been there. Some of us are there now. But seasons of silence often speak louder than words. When we feel as though we are going through a season of silence, we begin to question everything. Yet God’s Word is not silent about those times when He is. 

Walk with me through this week’s study as we shed some spiritual light on those dark places of silence. Perhaps you’ll soon begin to tilt the ear of your heart upward and hear the still small voice of God again.

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While recently thumbing through an old prayer journal, I was reminded of a very difficult time in my life when our son had drifted far from God and far from all he knew to be right and good. I never even saw it coming…he had become a prodigal. Night after night, I soaked my pillow with tears and wore holes in the carpet next to my bed where I cried out to the Living God to do something in his life. But nothing happened. God was silent.

We’ve all been there. Desperate to see God move. Crying out for heavenly help, yet nothing seems to happen and we begin to wonder if God even cares. Does He see us? Why won’t He answer us? We know the Bible teaches us that God’s sheep hear His voice. So, what’s going on when we can’t hear Him? Why is it that we experience seasons of silence?

Oftentimes, God’s silence seems to be selective. It’s somehow compartmentalized into specific areas. Sometimes His silence shows up in the form of unanswered prayer. Perhaps you have experienced God’s silence in the area of your marriage, your finances or your children.

Let’s look at what Scripture says about the reasons why God may choose to be silent in various areas of our lives:

THE SIN FACTOR:

When we are baffled by God’s silence, we normally begin flittering through the mental files in our minds. “What have I done wrong?” “Do I have any sin in my life?” “Is God chastening me because of some hidden sin?”

Sin has the capacity to create a barrier in our fellowship with the Living God. Sometimes it is sin that prevents us from hearing God’s voice. But 1 John 1:9 provides us with a remedy to restore that fractured fellowship and re-establish that line of communication. If sin has somehow silenced the voice of God in your life, it would be to your advantage to employ 1 John 1:9 now. No sin is worth the inability to hear from your loving, heavenly Father.

LIVING LOUD LIVES

There are times when God is silent in our lives because our lives are just so loud. Let’s face it, we’re all busy…maybe too busy. We’ve got distractions coming to us from every direction. We’re constantly on the go. We allow our lives to be so loud that we drown out the still small voice of God and then wonder why we can’t hear from Him.

Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still and know that He is God…to bask in His presence and to abide in under the shadow of the Almighty. There we will find rest for our souls and give our hearts time enough to be attentive to His coveted voice.

This week you’ll have a chance to examine your life. Is your life too loud right now? Are you holding on to something that’s preventing you from hearing the still small voice of God? Are you experiencing your own season of silence?

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Tomorrow, we will look at some other reasons Scripture explains why we may experience seasons of silence from God. Don’t miss this journey, sweet friend! 

Selecting Devotional Materials

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{One of my favorite series Kristi has done was her “tour through the Christian book store.”   Each of these posts presents sound information and questions to ask about what we find in these stores and how to be discerning about what we purchase.  This one, however, is my favorite!  I love Kristi’s wisdom in this post about the importance of moving beyond devotional reading into digging into God’s Word.   Thank you, my friend, for sharing your insight with us! ~ Teri Lynne}

Originally posted March 17, 2010 on KristiStephens.com

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been taking a “virtual field trip” through a Christian book store.  As I stated at the beginning of this series, Christian bookstores can be both a blessing and a trap – there are so many good resources and encouraging things out there in the Christian market, but there are also many that are irreverent, misleading, full of doctrinal error, or sold through packaging rather than content.

We’ve discussed the “Jesus junk” section, Christian fiction, and the Children’s Section – today I’d like to discuss using discernment when selecting devotional books and Bible study resources.

Let me say this upfront: The Word of God can and will change our hearts and lives.  It is living and active and powerful.

But the Word of God cannot change our lives if we spend one minute, or five minutes for that matter, in it per day.

Many devotional books seem to be written with the premise of “fitting in” time in God’s Word into your busy life.  I’ve seen so many versions of “one minute devotionals” or “busy mom devotionals” that it makes me crazy.  I’ve even seen these on CD – if you cannot even find one minute to read one verse, you can listen to it in your car.

There is nothing inherently wrong with devotional books – much of what I do on this site is basically writing devotionals.  I read and study Scripture, try to explain it, and draw applications from it.  Reading devotional thoughts from another believer who has studied and meditated on Scripture can be inspiring, challenging, encouraging.

But we MUST understand: Devotional material cannot replace actually spending time reading God’s Word for ourselves.

My advice is this: if you enjoy using devotional books, don’t just read the verse they print on the page for you.  Read it from your Bible. Actually, read the whole passage, chapter, and preferably book of the Bible.

Try to find devotionals that direct you back to the Word, rather than just giving you “happy thoughts” based on a verse that is pulled out of context.  Avoid things that promise only happiness and rainbows and butterflies as you walk with God – sometimes the Christian life is hard.  Sometimes the Bible is confusing.  Resist the urge to reduce God down to your personal “pocket pal” who is always with you and wants only to make you feel good.  That is a reduced and false perspective of God that will do you no favors.

Resist the urge to find a way to make your devotional life “fit” into your busy schedule.  There is a subtle legalism in that thought – we easily fall into the trap of thinking that if I did a 5-minute devotional, I have fulfilled my obligation to God and can proceed through my day guilt-free.  For more discussion of this, you might want to read “The Renewing of Your Mind,” a discussion of Biblical meditation and what it means to truly be transformed by knowing and meditating on God’s Word.

Occasionally I hear someone say they use my blog as part of their devotional routine.  Wonderful!  I hope what I share here encourages you and helps you dig into the Word – but please dig into the Word on your own, as well!

Sometimes I even hear someone say that they listen to Christian radio or podcasts of sermons on the way to work or as they are doing housework.  Great!  It can be encouraging and challenging and helpful – but you need to dig into the Word on your own!

No teacher, no matter how godly or well studied, has words that are living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, able to penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; able to judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. That power comes from the Word of God itself, according to Hebrews 4:12.  Rather than reading only about God’s Word, we need to actually read God’s Word!

Sometimes I find that believers rely on devotional material because they do not know how to read and understand Scripture for themselves.  They have never been taught how to study, interpret, and apply God’s Word.  If that is the case for you, please consider downloading and using my free “Sword School: How to Study the Bible” ebook.

Learning to use your “sword” does take work.  It’s harder than having someone else spoon-feed you Truth.  But nothing will change your life like studying the Word for yourself and knowing Who God is and what He says from your own time spent digging those truths out.

How has devotional material impacted your spiritual walk?  Have you found yourself relying on devotional material rather than reading and studying the Word for yourself?

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Psalm 119:9-16

Apparently my but is really big.

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{I loved this post from Teri Lynne and still often think about how big my “but” is! Such a great reminder of how sometimes the things God asks us to give to Him seem small – and yet we so often fight Him on it! I’m working on a big “but” myself at the moment… so thanks for the challenge again, TL!}

It’s almost noon and I am struggling through this post … still. Like I have been struggling through the three drafts I have begun and discarded.   My quest for simple is apparently going to be a little more complex than I had expected. I suppose I simple-mindedly had believed that it would be a matter of discarding unnecessary items and modifying some scheduling around the house.   I figured I would have to learn to say, “No,” more often and that there would  be time when I let of good to experience God’s  best.   Pursuing simplicity seemed to be the next step in my pursuit of a lopsided life.   It made sense and, at the beginning it wasn’t that difficult.

Until I read this, the second controlling principle of simplicity offered by Richard Foster in his genius book, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth:

Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. (90)

So, I began writing ….

Draft 1:   Big things – like pornography, alcohol, drugs … things that affect others.   That draft got trashed pretty quickly.  After all, this year of simple is about learning what God is wanting to do in my life, not about making broad statements about others.

Draft 2:  Sanctimonious things – like watching television instead of engaging in conversation or buying children things instead of spending time listening to them … and while that may be something the Lord leads me to write about later, it wasn’t the post for today.   Trash.

Draft 3:  Heart things – like wanting to keep up with appearances and have all the cool toys … sorta dealt with that last week.  Trash.

And so, here I sit, dog happily chewing on a treat under my feet, coffee warm in my favorite mug right beside me, fingers clicking away at word number 290 and dreading, heart literally pounding, at what the Lord has shown me to write.

I’ve had this inner dialog with Him about it.   Sorta sounds like this:

“But, Lord, that isn’t really that big of a deal, is it?”

“But, Lord, I *know* there are much more serious issues in my life than this!”

“But, Lord, seriously?  How is this really making a difference?”

“But, Lord …”

And yet I keep coming back to it … the subtle conviction I’ve felt over the past few days as I engage in it.   It has drawn me in … and I find myself longing for more time to do it … thinking about how I can do it better … staying up later than I should doing it.

The “it,” you ask?

I’m embarrassed to admit it … in fact, I almost decided not to tell you … just to allow you to fill in your own personal “it.”  Yet, the more I contemplated, the more I prayed, the more I waged this inner battle, the more I realized that it really does always start small … a little diversion, distraction … something that is harmless gains control of the heart or mind … and so, as I share the small beginning of my own “it,”  perhaps you will realize there is an addiction in your life too.   Something that steals time and attention from the things that matter … something you long to do and even fail to do those things that should be done in order to do it.

And so, I’m sharing that a simple little game has become an addiction for me.  I joked last night with my husband that I don’t need to play an new games because I’m already addicted to one … and as the words came out of my mouth, my heart broke.   It’s a letter game … making the most words out of a group of letters – sort of like boggle for my Kindle.   I love it  … and I play it all the time.  All. the. time.

Why have I spent so much time on this post, this confesssion?  Because I really, deeply, desperately believe that it does always start small. And before we know it, a hobby or game, Twitter or skyping, it can be anything … but that small thing becomes the addiction in our lives.

So, today, I’m letting go of my but … deleting the game from my Kindle. And every time I think about how I’d like to play just one quick game (that is impossible for a competitive person like me who wants to beat my last score every. single. time.), I’ll pull out my Colossians memory cards.

What about you?   Do you need to reject anything in your life?

How big is the “But” that keeps you from doing so?

Let’s Celebrate

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After several minutes of spontaneous clapping, cheering, hugging, and even jumping up and down, a reverential hush fell over those of us packed into the small sanctuary. God had done it! He had provided abundantly more than we could even think or imagine.

God had led our small, but quickly growing congregation to embark on a new building project. We needed a pretty large sum of money to get started. Our church, in a small town outside Calgary, Alberta, included many seminary students and young families. Very few members really had any money, yet we stepped out in obedience.

We set a “loaves and fishes” date. The church would bring their offerings – money and pledges – and lay them on the altar. Then we would share a meal together while the offerings were counted. Children drug sacks of coins down the aisle, others committed their Christmas or vacation money, some gave education savings, but all gave. Even though the church gave sacrificially, logically there was no way we could give enough. But we stepped out in obedience and trusted God to provide.

We gathered after dinner to hear the report. When the pastor shared the amount of the offering the church verbally and physically celebrated over the amazing thing God had done. And when the awe of our incredible God came over us, worship joined our celebration.

To be honest, I never thought of celebration as a spiritual discipline until reading Richard Fosters Celebration of Discipline. Foster says:

“joy is the end result of the Spiritual Disciplines’ functioning in our lives.”

God’s transforming work produces joy in our lives. So, we will experience it as we obediently practice the spiritual disciplines.

However, joy or celebration is also itself a spiritual discipline. God commands us to be joyful. (See Philippians 4:4-9.) Those of us who have been redeemed have much to rejoice about. Celebrating what God has done for us honors Him and acknowledges His mercy towards us. We do not deserve what He has given us but still He lavishly poured out every spiritual blessing in Christ.

The ancient Israelites had regular celebrations to give God thanks for all He had done and provided. These kinds of celebrations not only turned their hearts toward God, it pointed others to Him as well. Today, we don’t always celebrate enough. It’s okay to let loose and celebrate all God has done! Sing, cheer, and clap. Applaud the One who is worthy of our praise.

Our small church in Alberta, Canada had reason to celebrate. God had blessed our obedience. And celebrate we did! We also told others about God’s goodness and many joined in our joy resulting in more glory to God.

Do you have something to celebrate today? How can you celebrate God and what He has done in your church and in your life?

The Discipline of Disciple-ing

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I used to think the life of a nun in a silent monastery was pretty appealing. Nothing but praying, reading, studying, sleeping, and eating. A smile each day to my silent sisters, but then back to our Bibles!

But that’s not God’s plan for our lives. That wasn’t the model of the first generations of Christians. The book of Acts says the first church members hung out every day (Acts 2:46-47). They did life together. We continue to do life with other believers. So how do we do life together? Why does God call us to communities of Christians (the church)?

The answer is the answer to most questions about God’s purpose–for our sanctification and His glory. He is molding us into the image of His Son. And like Christ, we are called to encourage, edify, and equip others. It is the discipline of guidance, or as Teri Lynne explained it to me in an email discussion, the discipline of disciple-ing.

In your church, there are members whose “job” it is to disciple, your pastor, ministry staff,  Sunday School teachers and small group leaders. But as a believer it’s also your “job” to disciple and be discipled.

  • Hebrews 3:13, “Exhort one another every day…”
  • Galatians 6:1-2, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens.”
  • Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another.”
  • Romans 15:1-2, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”
  • 1 Corinthians 16:14, “Let all that you do be done in love.”
  • And the most direct to us as women, Titus 2:3-5, “Older women….are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the Word of God may not be reviled.”

Scripture is clear–we responsible for each other, to encourage and also to correct. We don’t do this on our own. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” When we are obedient to disciple others, we do so with His power. All things that pertain to life and godliness are found in His Word. When we counsel people with His Word, we cannot go wrong.

Let’s get personal now. Do you have people in your life who will tell you the truth? Who will point to Scripture to encourage you? To correct you? If not, look at yourself first. Do you not take criticism well? Are you too prideful to listen to the advice of a friend? Have you been hurt in the past and in an effort to protect yourself, you don’t let anyone get close enough to encourage or correct you? Are you being discipled? Prayerfully answer those questions. Then prayerfully look for a woman who will disciple you. It’s not east to put yourself “out there.” But as we have seen, we are to live life together.

If you can name one (or five) friends life who disciple you, it’s time to find someone for you to disciple. As Titus 2:3-5 tells us, it is expected. You are “an older woman” to someone. Look for someone in a different life stage than you are in to get to know. I call this “organic mentoring“–natural friendships that become disciple-ing opportunities. (As Erin Davis at True Woman Blog says never grocery shop alone!)

At the end of the day, I’m glad I’m not a silent nun in a solitary place. I’m smack dab in the middle of life. I have older women who model godliness for me. I have friends who encourage and correct me. And I have younger women who call me (ok, so really they text me or send me a message on Facebook) for advice.  The discipline of  guidance isn’t always easy (to give or get), but it is worth it for the ultimate goal of all the spiritual disciplines–to grow in godliness.

Recognizing and Responding to Who God Really Is

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The Bible is full of references to worship. Narrative accounts of individuals and groups offering worship to God. Commands to worship. Instructions for how and where to worship. The Psalms brim with references to praising and worshiping God… and yet we often seem to have a very fuzzy, if not distorted, understanding of what worship really is.

The word “Worship” is used 13 times in the Psalms.

  • The Hebrew word “Sachah” is used 12 of the 13 times – it means ‘to prostrate oneself (in homage to royalty or to God), to bow oneself down as an act of respect before a superior being. It meant to honor God with prayers, even without prostration of the body. However, those who used this mode of salutation often fell upon their knees and touched the ground with their foreheads. In short, it was a way of showing submission.’
  • The Hebrew word “Abad” is used once, and carries the idea of serving a master.

From Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Worship is described as “both an attitude and an act.” Referring to Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well in John 4, it goes on to say,

All true worshipers must worship God in “spirit and in truth.” That is, true worship takes place on the inside, in the heart or spirit of the worshiper (cf. Psalm 45:1; 103:1-2). Worship pleasing to God must be unfeigned and transparent, offered with a humble and pure heart (Psalm 24:3-4; Isa 66:2).

But this is not enough. Worship “in truth” connects the heart or spirit of worship with the truth about God and his work of redemption as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and the Scriptures. David understood the importance of worshiping in truth and the necessary linkage between “truth” and the Word of God when he wrote, “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear [i.e., worship] your name” (Psalm 86:11; cf. Psalm 145:18). Here both the Old and New Covenants agree! The true worship of God is essentially internal, a matter of the heart and spirit rooted in the knowledge of and obedience to the revealed Word of God.

In my words, I like to define worship as recognizing and responding to Who God really is.

We often think of worship as an experience, a feeling, a service we attend. Worship is much, much more than that. Worship begins as I understand truth about my God – as I study His Word, as I walk with Him and learn more of who He is and what He has done. As I learn more of Him, an attitude forms in my heart – an attitude of reverence, of submission, of humility and awe in His presence. True worship then turns this attitude into an act. I bow myself before Him, internally and possibly even externally, I offer Him myself as a sacrifice and obey Him!

What does this look like? In Celebration if Discipline, Foster suggests some steps into worship that are challenging to me. Consider with me how we might:

  • Learn to practice the presence of God daily. Pray continually throughout our days. Make a conscious effort to praise, thank, adore Him in the quietness of our hearts. Foster says, “All this will heighten your expectancy in public worship because the gathered experience of worship just becomes a continuation and an intensification of what you have been trying to do all week long.” Ann Voskamp continually challenges me along these lines – she has so much encouragement on her site if you struggle with this like I do!
  • Prepare ourselves for large-group worship. How often do we drag through the church doors on Sunday morning tired from staying up far too late the night before, distracted by rushing around finding missing kids’ shoes, frustrated by conflict with our spouse on the way? How much more would God move in our midst if we took the time to really prepare ourselves to worship with the Body, to treat that time as a truly sacred hour that must not be rushed through or slapped together haphazardly that day?
  • Get our eyes off of ourselves, our tastes, our preferences in corporate worship. Foster points out, “as an individual I must learn to let go of my agenda, of my concern, of my being blessed, of my hearing the word of God. The language of the gathered fellowship is not ‘I,’ but ‘we.’ There is a submission to the ways of God. There is a submission to one another in the Christian fellowship.” He challenges that we should accept even distractions and interruptions and give them back to God in praise rather than allowing them to cause us to be anxious and put off.
  • Understand that worship is an act of sacrifice. Sometimes we just don’t feel like it. Remember that worship is not about us and how we feel – it is about who God is and how worthy He is of our adoration and submission! No matter how I might feel, God is no less deserving of my attitude and act of worship both individually and corporately.

Are there certain habits or practices that have helped you focus on worship as an attitude rooted in Truth and an act of submission before Him?

Tell Each Other What?

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Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. James 5:16 ESV

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 ESV

The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works. Augustine of Hippo

 

Corporate Disciplines … spiritual practices exercised within the Body of believers.   Those habits and methods that grow us together to function in unity.    And we start with Confession.

Confession:  (n) acknowledgment, avowal; admission.  {from Dictionary.com}

Why is it necessary to engage in corporate confession?

I love what Richard Foster says about this in Celebration of Discipline:

But if we know that the people of God are first a fellowship of sinners, we are freed to hear the unconditional call of God’s love and to confess our needs openly before our brothers and sisters.  We know we are not alone in our sin.   The fear and pride that cling to us like barnacles cling to others also.  We are sinners together.  In acts of mutual confession we release the power that heals.  Our humanity is no longer denied, but transformed.  (145-146)

We need to confess to one another … not for redemption or absolution, but for healing! It is in sharing our failures – as well as our successes – that we are bound together in the depth of His grace.   And it is in receiving the sincere confession of others and offering our willing voices of grace and counsel without judgment or condemnation that we experience the fullness of bearing one another’s burdens.

It’s a scary thought, though, to look someone else in the eyes and confess the blackness of our hearts.   Opening ourselves up to that level of vulnerability forces us to assume a great risk.    Equally hazardous to our hearts is the hearing of another’s vulnerabilities and sins.

So how does this Discipline of Confession work?

  1. Discernment is vital! We do not confess to one another randomly or without great prayer beforehand.   Generally speaking, confession as a discipline functions best within the framework of a mentoring, discipling relationship.
  2. When we confess, we are specific … and when we pray over one another, we do not add to nor take away from the confession that has been offered.  Honesty is necessary for a sincere confession.  HOWEVER, this is not a time for unnecessary explanation or gratuitous details.
  3. Like fasting, confession is not commanded. We offer you information about these Disciplines not to add burden to your faith.   Rather, as with fasting, confession to one another is discussed in Scripture and therefore is a topic we must explore and seek the will of God in our own lives.

Exercising the disciplines of fellowship and confession will take us into relationships and situations that will challenge our faith and test our love for God and his people.  It is good to remember that God gave us these disciplines to aid us in our growth toward Christlikeness … they are aids for training us to live free of artiface and bondage to appearances. {Jan Winebrenner, Intimate Faith: A Woman’s Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines}

Perhaps you have experienced the grace found in confessing both to God and to another the burden of sin in your life … maybe you have difficulty believing the fullness of God’s mercy and grace and living in the freedom of His forgiveness … or maybe you struggle with being open with others about the sin in your life … the Discipline of Confession can be a powerful tool in our spiritual formation.

What are your experiences with confession to or from others?

How have you seen it benefit or harm the Body?

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The Corporate Disciplines – Doing Life Together

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As we enter our last week of study on the Spiritual Disciplines, we look at those that involve the Body.   These last Disciplines are certainly to be practiced privately but they are also to be shared practices.

 

Why does it matter if we practice these Disciplines in the collective?  What difference does it make? This week we will explore Confession, Worship, Guidance, and Celebration … visible, audible, hands-on, feet-to-the-pavement putting into practice the foundations laid through the Inward Disciplines of Prayer and Study, Fasting and Meditation, and then nurtured and grown through the Outward Disciplines of Simplicity and Solitude, Submission and Service.

 

These Corporate Disciplines guide us into functioning as the early church … doing life together.   As we learn the richness of Confession and the depth of Worship, the necessity of Guidance and the joy of Celebration, our understanding of the beauty of the Church, the vibrant Body of Christ, will undoubtedly grow and our recognition of our need for fellowship with one another will be increased.

Join us?

Duty or devotion?

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God began softly tapping at my heart early this past year about His call to follow His example and be a servant. So I’ve been praying and watching for opportunities to serve. I’ve even acted on many of them and thanked God for using me. However, God has used my preparation for this post to correct my thinking even more.

There is a difference between doing acts of service and being a servant. The first is accomplished on a case by case basis out of a sense of duty. The second is a life attitude; a change of nature resulting from devotion to Christ.

True discipleship – a life of following Christ – is not simply a set of actions or behavior. True disciples adopt His mindset, His attitudes, His very nature, and then live it out. Jesus was a servant; He did not merely do acts of service. As disciples, we too should be servants by nature, not simply Christians who serve others.

Acts of service are often motivated by a sense of duty. A true servant is motivated by love for Christ. We become servants because Jesus was a servant and calls us to be like Him. We obediently serve because of our love for our Savior and our desire to be like Him.

Jesus clearly defined His role as a servant. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Matthew 20:26-28. Reflecting on Matthew 20:28 in his classic devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers wrote:

If our devotion is to the cause of humanity, we will be quickly defeated and broken-hearted, since we will often be confronted with a great deal of ingratitude from other people. But if we are motivated by our love for God, no amount of ingratitude will be able to hinder us from serving one another.

The practice of the spiritual discipline of service – literally becoming a servant – positions us to experience tremendous spiritual growth. In her book The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life, Quaker Hannah Whitall Smith (1832-1911) wrote:  “There is, perhaps, no part of Christian experience where a greater change occurs, upon entering into this life hid with Christ in God, than in the matter of service.”

Why is that? How does becoming a servant promote such great spiritual growth? Dying to ourselves in order to become slaves of Christ requires that we push aside our pride. And our pride is the source of so much of our sin and disobedience. When we slay our pride in order to become a slave of Christ we defeat one of Satan’s most powerful tactics. Now we are free to live for Christ and others, not for ourselves.

Simply doing acts of service out of human effort can even feed our pride. This kind of service seeks external rewards and grateful acknowledgement. Richard Foster elaborates in his book Celebration of Discipline:

Self-righteous service requires external rewards. It needs to know that people see and appreciate the effort. It seeks human applause – with proper religious modesty of course. True service rests contented in hiddenness… the divine nod of approval is completely sufficient.

When we become a slave to Christ then we become a servant to all. We won’t pick and choose who and when to serve. Our devotion to Christ will guide our service. Our emotions and calendars will not dictate our service. Instead our love for Christ will naturally express itself in service to others. And in that there is freedom. Freedom to love. Freedom to serve.

Am I looking for ways to serve or am I seeking to be a servant? Is my service motivated by duty or devotion?

Find your beach

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I looked past the dunes and saw no one. All alone and amazed by it, I wondered if I was safe.  I expected my family to emerge from the beach grass and ask what was for dinner. It was so strange to be so utterly … alone.  I was tempted to feel empty and lonely.  Instead, God overwhelmed me. I reveled in the chance to pray aloud, to lay in the sand and talk to the Lord, to sing with abandon, and to laugh in enjoyment of His creation and the truths He stirred in my mind. If anyone came to the beach, they must’ve left when they saw what they thought was a crazy woman. It was not loneliness. It was solitude.

 

Finding a deserted beach and hours to drink in the Lord is not common in our day. We must seek solitude.  Jesus made a habit of going to a “lonely place apart” (Matt. 14:13).  Seeking out a solitary place was essential to Jesus’ ministry to people. It’s easy to forge ahead with the “doing,” but even Jesus took time to recharge.  The more filled our lives are with people, the more necessary it is to step aside to find refreshment.


The Discipline of Solitude allows us to:

Release our FEARS ~ Most of us resist being alone, seeking groups and people, instead. When we get alone, we exchange control for putting our TRUST in God. Kristi discussed the part trust plays in Submission yesterday. Getting alone forces us to trust God is sufficient to care for us.  When faced with problems, our instinct is to answer, defend, explain … but silence is the response of a heart  filled with trust, a heart strengthened in the garden of Solitude.

As we discipline ourselves to stop talking, we let God act for us as our Justifier.  Letting go of our modern mindset, craving company and words, it seems natural to open our hands to display our trust in  God, inviting Him to be our only Companion.  When we risk being still, we discover God in a deeper way than while in motion (Psalm 46:10).

Replace our DISTRACTIONS ~ Instead of being swept away be life, Solitude requires the Spirit fruit of self control to be quiet with the Lord. Silence creates emotional and spiritual space. In following Jesus’ pattern of restructuring habits and priorities of mankind, we still the motion of our days. We exchange uncertainty about this life with confidence from being still and knowing He is God.

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.”

Redeem our TIME ~ It’s not easy to find this place of solitude, but Foster encourages us that solitude is “more a state of mind and heart than it is a place.”  Our minds settle on Him and experience peace that replenishes. Valuing the discipline of Solitude means we create opportunity to hear God and be refreshed by Him.

So where is this beach, so you can go there? God may have a different, better place to meet with you. Sometimes solitude must be captured when & where we least expect it. It can happen anywhere or time, when we redirect the focus of our hearts:

  • Instead of filling 10 minutes in the car line with a phone call, enjoy the solitude. Talk to God aloud or just concentrate on a scripture and be quiet with Him, as He works the Word into your mind.
  • Instead of using that corner chair to pile laundry, make it a special place for solitude.
  • Instead of looking at this weekend and filling it only w/cleaning & kids’ sports, carve out space for solitude. It could be the sweetest time of your weekend and the refill you need to approach next week.

Lost moments are reclaimed.  Sacred places are created.  Meaningful times are experienced.

 

Don’t apologize for being still or silent or embracing sweet solitude. Jesus found refreshing, so He could be a blessing to those around Him.  Sweet things from the Lord await us on the beach!

Unexpected freedom

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Submission. The word chafes. The first occurrence we have of this word in Scripture is surprising. Challenging.

Genesis 16:9 – Then the angel of the LORD told her [Hagar], “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”

Hagar, young and afraid, alone in the desert. Her abdomen swollen with Abraham’s baby, a baby she never chose to have. Her mistress, Sarai, chose to use her as a baby factory and then sent her into the desert to fend for herself. An angel of the Lord appears to her and says… go back and submit.

Ephesians 5:22 – Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

Oh, that one really hurts. No comment is even necessary.

Hebrews 13:17 – Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.

1 Peter 2:13-14– Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

Obey your leaders. Submit to the king, to the governors, to authorities instituted by men. The original audience who unsealed these words in a handwritten letter were facing vicious persecution. Unwarranted, undeserved, unjust. The divine message to them? Submit.

Why is submission so difficult for us to swallow? To submit to authorities, to submit to leaders, to submit to the government, to submit to our husbands?

In my own personal opinion, one of the root reasons we struggle with this is fear. Fear of having no voice. Fear of decisions being made for us that may not be in what we see as our best interest. We struggle and fight and chafe because our culture’s cry of “this is my right!” beats like a drum in our ears. If we don’t fight for our rights, we will lose them! We need to be independent, defiant, nobody-steps-on-me pillars of strength that no one will mess with. And we are terrified that if we give up this fight we will be in bondage to others forever.

The discipline of submission can be practiced only as we grapple on a deep and very personal level with the sovereignty and authority of our very good and very trustworthy God. I sometimes, often even, do not agree with the government which rules over me. But I am called to submit. I sometimes have not agreed with the authorities over me in my daily life – authorities at church, authorities at work, authorities at school. But I am called to submit. I sometimes do not agree with my husband. But I am called to submit. I sometimes chafe against those around me – but I am called to submit my will out of reverence for Christ.

Submission can be mistaken for bondage. But in this serve-to-become-great, last-is-first economy of God’s kingdom, submission brings us freedom. Freedom from the shouting to have our voice, freedom from kicking against every authority in our lives, freedom from fear.

If I really believe that my God is sovereign, if I really believe that my God is loving, if I really believe that my God is the one who sets up authorities and takes them down, if I really trust Him to be who He says He is, love me like He says He does, plan for my good as He promises to do, I am free. I am free to submit my will to those around me because my value and worth does not come from being heard and being recognized as the one who is right. I am free to voice my opinion respectfully and then obey my authorities because I know that my loving Father is the one who sets kings up and takes them down and holds each day of my life in His hands. I am free to submit to my husband without nagging, without frantically attempting to manipulate him into making the “right” decision; I know that as I rest my hand into the hand of my husband, the hand of our loving Father holds us both.

The discipline of submission – the discipline of choosing to yield my will and stop fighting, stop clamoring to be heard – is a discipline of trust. To the world it looks like bondage, but in the kingdom of God it is freedom.

Trust Him. Yield your will. Stop fighting. And be free.

This post is not intended to deal with abusive situations. TRI-R ministries has a booklet entitled “Submission: Are There Limits?” which you can order here.

They point out that Scriptural submission is voluntary, is ultimately done unto God, has limits, and allows for petition.  Scriptural submission pictures the righteous relationship between Christ and the church.

Victimization is involuntary, is done in the fear of man, has no limits, and pictures Satan’s relationship with his subjects.

Codependency is a response learned as a means to feel needed and self-sacrificing.  It allows women who fear petition and confrontation to avoid it.  Based on fear and insecurity, it is pictured in the relationship of God and the wicked servant with one talent (Matt. 25:24-29)

If you feel that you are being victimized, or that you are in an unhealthy codependent relationship, please seek professional Christian counseling.

Laying Aside Every Weight

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Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,  and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 ESV (emphasis added)

As we consider briefly the Discipline of Simplicity, I love using Hebrews 12:1 as a framework.   We are called to lay aside every weight, the unnecessary, that keeps us from pursuing life in Christ unencumbered. And, as with so much of our spiritual life … this will look different for each of us.

The legalist in us wants to make this a list of what we must give up.   No cable tv – check.  No eating out – check.  No big house – check.  No new clothes – check.  But simplicity is less about giving up materially and more about growing up spiritually.

The competitor in us would like to measure against someone else.  I have less “stuff” than she does.   We have family game night instead of going to the movies like “them.”  But simplicity is not a competition with others rather it is a cooperation with God.

The attention-seeker in us is desperate for others to notice how “simple” our lives have become and how little we need to make us happy.  But simplicity that is applauded by others is likely not celebrated by the Audience of One.

For some the call of Simplicity will involve decreasing material possessions.  In fact, the abundance of this American Dream in which most of us live may well be the very thing that keeps us from experiencing the abundance of God.   (For more on this idea I highly recommend reading Radical by David Platt.)

Richard Foster says this of simplicity in his book Celebration of Discipline:

Simplicity is the only thing that sufficiently reorients our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us (84).

My “one word” for this year is simple … I have felt a deep longing for simplicity in my heart and life.   Learning to understand what the Lord wants edited out of my life and being content in what remains … materially and otherwise.  I’ve committed myself to laying aside every weight … allowing the Great Physician to remove the unnecessary from my heart, my mind, my possessions.  And so, I write this post not as one who has by any means mastered this Discipline but from a longing to grow in it and experience the deep contentment that comes through it.

Is the Discipline of Simplicity challenging to you?   This week, commit to memory Hebrews 12:1 and ask the Lord what is weighing you down … then agree with Him about the need to eliminate those weights.

{Tomorrow I’m beginning a study of what Foster terms the “ten controlling principles for the outward expression of simplicity” on my blog.   If you want to dig deeper into this Discipline, please feel free to join me for the next ten Wednesdays as we explore one each week.}

The Outward Disciplines

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Simplicity.

Solitude.

Submission.

Service.

The outward disciplines.  So termed because they are easily seen by others.

Last week we examined the inward disciplines, those habits and practices that lay a solid foundation for our pursuit of deeper intimacy with the Lord.   As we invest ourselves into those disciplines that are inward the results will often be evident in the disciplines that are outward.

Which of these outward disciplines are you most challenged by?  Why?

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