Gas & Shoes

Sometimes God blesses in totally unexpected ways, I think, just to show us that He will not be in a box.

Take the Israelites’ clothes and shoes, for example.  Moses records in Deuteronomy 8 that their clothes didn’t wear out, and their feet didn’t swell.  They wore the same outfits for 40 years, going around that mountain again, and again, and again.  Have you ever wondered about the children?  Did the shoes and clothes literally grow with them?  Apparently they did.

Fast forward.  Jesus is teaching His famous “Sermon on the Mount.”  He says, “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat,’ or ‘What will we drink,’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’”  He says that our Heavenly Father knows we need all these things, and to “seek first” His kingdom & His righteousness, and He will provide all these things (Matthew 6:31-33).

Fast forward again.  Mark & I travel to a conference in Abilene.  The timing, it seems, is not the best, as we’re neck-deep in projects around our house, and we’ve just signed a note on some farm equipment.  We’re pondering whether to stop tithing for a time, in order to put the money into our projects, which actually have a long-range kingdom-of-God purpose.  Seems legitimate.  Over the course of the weekend, though, we renew our commitment to tithe, plus we give into a special offering to support orphans.  On the way home, we check fuel mileage in our 1998 Buick LeSabre, aka the “Land Yacht.”  31.44 mpg!  I double-check and triple-check.  Yes, it’s 31.44!  This is a totally unexpected source of blessing.  I imagine God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit sitting around drinking their heavenly coffee, discussing us.  Maybe it’s Jesus who says, “Here’s an idea – wouldn’t this be wild – let’s put a little supernatural charge into their gas tank!  Let’s blow their minds!”  I don’t know how it all played out, but the result is awesome!

So, don’t worry about the details.  Do the right thing, and let God put the blessing on your fuel, or on your shoes, or on whatever He chooses.  Be at peace and enjoy the journey.

Peace,

Davina

Comparatively Speaking

Two men went to the Temple to pray.  One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.  The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:  ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else.  For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery.  I’m certainly not like that tax collector!  I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed.  Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’  I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14 NLT

Have you ever wondered about the Pharisee, about why he felt like he needed to compare himself to the tax collector?  I mean, tax collectors were just about the lowest of the low, sin-wise, in Bible days.  And this guy was a Pharisee, ceremonially clean, a tither, faithful to his wife, and a man of integrity.  But in his heart he knew that something was wrong, so he found the worst possible guy to whom he could compare himself.  This way he could feel better about himself without actually making any changes.

Instead of dealing with his own sin, the Pharisee set himself in the place of judging the tax collector.  Jesus warned about this in His Sermon on the Mount when He said that whatever ruler we use on others, will be used on us (Matt. 7:2).

Judgments and comparisons arise from an orphan spirit.  If our Father is the Lord God, and we know who our Father is, we will only compare ourselves to Him.  We know what He is like because we have the record of Jesus, the exact representation of the Father (Heb. 1:3), in the gospels.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:1,2 NASB

Peace,

Davina

White Cats

Spartacus, our mostly white cat, has what appears to be the beginnings of skin cancer.  I, “Dr. Smith,” did some online research only to find out that white cats lack pigmentation, which often leads to skin cancer for those who spend a lot of time in the sun.  A trip to the vet will most likely confirm my suspicion.  (Thankfully, animals have a much higher recovery rate from cancer than humans do – probably because they don’t know to worry about it!)

Anyway, the irony of this is that in our limited human thinking, Mark and I have kept Spartacus in the house at night, safe from the Coyotes, but let him out on “nice” days so he can enjoy romping around in the sun.  Who knew?

God knew.  Cats were created nocturnal.  In His grand design, cats don’t need pigmentation because they run around and hunt in the dark, then find a good cool shady place to sleep during the daylight hours.

We would do well if we would accept that God’s design for all things is always best.

"God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:31a NASB).

Peace -

Davina

Studying the Bible

Is there one correct version of the Bible?  If so, how do we know which version of the Bible is true?  How do we even know that King James’ scholars correctly translated the original text?  Or how can we be sure which “original” text is the authoritative text (Septuagint or Masoretic)?  Are the 66 Canonized books the correct books?

Those who wish to dig deeply into the Word and know its true meaning may find themselves faced with such questions.  I have asked these questions, as many of you have.  I do not believe that it’s wrong to question.  Jesus said, “Ask … Seek … Knock” (Matt. 7:7).  At some point in our search, however, we must quiet our questions and simply reach out to God in faith.

Abraham, a great example of faith, had no written word.  He lived prior to any of the Biblical texts.  And yet he pleased God because he believed God.  His actions bore witness to his belief.

And here are a few practical tips for Bible study:

1) Find a quiet spot and time.  The enemy will attempt to distract you.  Expect it and be ready for it.

2) Prepare yourself.  Worship music, painting, a walk at sunset … find what works for you.

3) Pray.  Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth (Jn. 16:13).  When we ask, He is delighted to answer and to guide us through the Word!

4) Keep in mind that the Bible was written 2000+ years ago to a Middle Eastern audience, and most translations today still carry common idioms of that day (such as “pluck out your eye” if it offends you).  Use helps, such as concordances, maps, multiple translations, references, etc., to aid your understanding.  Use commentaries sparingly, and only from trusted authors.

5) Keep a journal.  Writing down what you’ve learned helps to solidify it in your memory, and gives you something to which you can refer at a later date.

 

Love God.  Love people.

Davina

Words

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”  A more heinous lie has never been perpetrated by the enemy of our souls.  The tongue has the power to kill (Pro. 18:21).  By our words we can kill a person’s reputation or self-image.  Words can even drive a person to end his own life.

Words have the power to give life (Pro. 18.21).  The encouragement of a sincere compliment can be the battering ram to break through walls of separation and division.  A simple honest word of concern may save the loner from a rampage of death and destruction.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (Pro. 25:11).

Once a word leaves the mouth, it is forever loosed.

Father, thank You for Your written Word.  Thank You for the Living Word Jesus Christ.  We pray today for the grace to guard our tongues, that we may give life and not death.  Let every word that we speak bring encouragement to our brothers and sisters, and in so doing, bring glory to You.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Co-Dependency, Fear, and Love

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love" (1 Jn. 4:18 NASB).

I was honored to be a part of a round table discussion recently with some awesome men and women of God, true world-class people.  As we were discussing co-dependency in ministry (I was mostly listening, pretty much blown away by the cumulative wisdom in the room), 1 John 4:18 became so clear in my mind.

Co-dependency is a relationship of control, and is born of fear.  The one who controls is afraid of losing the relationship, so the grip tightens.  In ministry, this can be seen in the pastor who brow-beats his people for missing a Sunday or for not volunteering in the soup kitchen, or guilt-tripping the congregation into tithing.  We see co-dependency in romantic relationships, like the girl who gets away from one abuser only to find herself with another; we see it in the classic "henpecked" husband.  The common thread is the fear of loss.

But freedom is born of love.  Just as darkness vanishes in the presence of light, so fear vanishes in the presence of love.  Could this be why the dying man calls his loved ones close as his breath grows shallow?  Is it because fear of the unknown is dispelled by the very presence of those he loves?  And this is only familial love!

If storge (familial) love is so powerful, how much more powerful is agape, or perfect, "God love!"  To be perfected in love is to be free from all fear.  It is to know, in the middle of the worst situations in life, that we can release all control and trust in the Almighty, the One who IS Love!  It is the power to say, "I love you, whether you love me back or not" (not the same as a free pass to us me as a doormat or a punching bag).  It is the power to release others from duty-based performance, and to release them to first receive God's love, then to love others through their own gifts.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God" (1 Jn. 4:7 NASB).


Davina

Who's in Control?

Many times I've heard it said, "Well, God's in control.  We can't do anything to fix all these problems.  Whatever will be will be."  I believe that God is sitting in Heaven, saying to Jesus, "WHY can't they understand?  WHEN will they act like sons instead of spoiled toddlers?!"  Look with me, if you will, to the Word of God.

Is God in control?

Yes, He controls the universe:  “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV).  God is the Supreme Authority, the Creator, Lord, Giver of Life, Eternal and PreExistent Majesty, YHWH!  He is in supreme control of the universe.  Not one molecule, one electron, not one thing, would exist without Him.  Without the “Word of His Power,” everything that is would completely disintegrate in a nanosecond.

Is man in control?

Yes, we control, or at least impact, what happens on earth.  In the beginning, God gave Adam dominion (control) over the earth. (Genesis 1)

To understand the level of God’s involvement on earth, look at what God said when He had heard about Sodom and Gomorrah … “Then the LORD said, ‘Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me.  And if not, I will know’” (Genesis 18:20-21 ESV).  He had apparently left Sodom and Gomorrah in someone else’s control, to the extent that he had to come down to the earth to see.

Mankind has not taken care of the earth as we should, and I’m talking about so much more than being “green”.  By not taking care of the earth, I mean we have done immoral acts, we have shed innocent blood, we have made a mess of things.  When Cain killed Abel, “the LORD said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength’” (Genesis 4:10-12 ESV).  We see here that when we abuse and misuse one another, we cause the earth itself to revolt against us.

The earth is waiting for the sons of God to take their rightful place.  “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Romans 8:19-22 ESV).  Note “the creation” that Paul speaks of here is not man, because in the next verse, he says, “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23 ESV).  So the creation itself is waiting on us.

Is man in control?

Yes, we control our own destinies.  We decide if we’re going to be ruler of our own lives, or if we’re going to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

In a nutshell, the earth is waiting for the sons of God to rise up and BE sons of God.  It waits for us to stop fighting among ourselves, to love God, love our neighbors, and love other Christians, whatever denomination they may be.  Our true common denominator is the LORD Jesus Christ.  We need to give up our rights and submit to the LORD Jesus.  Think of what an impact Jesus the man made on the earth when He was alive, and think of what an impact the apostles made after that.  WE CAN make a difference.  WE CAN BE the difference!

Davina