STAY... part 2

Some lessons on obedience... part 2

"O restless heart- beating against the prison bars of your circumstances and longing for a wider realm of usefulness- allow God to direct all your days. Patience and trust, even in the midst of the monotony of your daily routine, will be the best preparation to courageously handle the stress and strain of a greater opportunity, which God may someday send."

"I'll stay where You've put me; I will, dear Lord,

Though I wanted so badly to go;

I was eager to march with the 'rank and rifle,'

Yes, I wanted to lead them, You know.

I planned to keep step to the music loud,

to cheer when the banner unfurled,

to stand in the midst of the fight straight and proud,

but I'll stay where You've put me.

I'll stay where You've put me; I'll work, dear Lord,

though the field be narrow and small,

and the ground neglected, and stones lie thick,

and there seems to be no life at all.

The field is Your own, only give me the seed,

I'll sow it with never a fear;

I'll till the dry soil while I wait for the rain,

and rejoice when the green blades appear;

I'll work where You've put me.

I'll stay where You've put me, I will, dear Lord;

I'll bear the day's burden and hear,

always trusting You fully; when sunset has come

I'll lay stalks of grain at Your feet.

And then, when my earth work is ended and done,

In the light of eternity's glow,

Life's record all closed, I surely will find

It was better to stay than to go;

I'll stay where you've put me."

Devotional from March 17th, Streams in the Desert

STAY... part 1

"Stay there until I tell you" -Matt 2:13

STAY... such a hard word to comprehend, understand, and obey. In our many lessons of obedience and sacrifice that we learn on this earth as believers and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, how could one word be such a struggle? Pastor Greg Laurie often says (paraphrased) that if you have a SMALL God, you've got BIG problems, but if you have a BIG God, then you have SMALL problems. That is not something he says easily nor is it a statement I easily quote. It's not to say that the trials, struggles and mountains in our lives are unimportant, but compared to the God we serve, they are minuscule- nothing He can't handle. It is only through experiencing His Sovereignty and love first hand that we come to understand that truth and not be offended by it. Max Lucado has said, "God loves us just the way we are, BUT He refuses to leave us that way. He wants us to be just like Jesus" (emphasis added). "BUT"... that word is so crucial in so many bible passages and so crucial in this quote, putting more emphasis on the latter part of the statement than the first.

James has said, "count it all joy when you fall into various trials... that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-3). It is the heart surgery that is done within you when in trials that God's purpose is seen greatest; His sovereign and almighty power becomes glorified through us as we choose to trust and not question. Who are we to question the will of the Father? Martin Luther once said 'A true believer will crucify, or put to death, the question, 'Why?' He will simply obey without questioning.' And I refuse to be one of those people who 'unless... [I] see miraculous signs and wonders... will never believe" (John 4:48). I will obey without questioning." When Paul prayed for God to take away his "thorn in the flesh", He responded, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12: 9). In Isaiah 41:10 the Lord promises "Fear not for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strength you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand". And again in verse 13 of the same chapter the Lord declares, "For I, the Lord your God, WILL hold your right hand. Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you". Verse 14 goes on with "I WILL help you,' says the Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel". What beautiful, powerful promises those are!! The Lord promises that if we go to Him, surrender to Him, HE WILL help us and hold us up! Just as He promises Paul "MY STRENGTH is made perfect in weakness" (emphasis added).

We need to lean on God in times of trials and suffering. We must go to Him for our strength. We must trust when we don't understand. We must have faith and surrender to the will of the Lord. Proverbs 3:5 says "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding". So what does true, complete surrender to God look like? How do we surrender to God all of our heart when our lives our turned upside down? When everything we once knew or understood, gets questioned, upturned, and changed? When everything in his life was turned upside down, Job responded "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" (Job 2:10a). The enemy was trying to pull Job down and get him to abandon the Lord, yet "in all this Job did not sin with his lips" (Job 2:10b). We have different insight into Job's life and struggles because we are able to read the conversations that took place between Satan and the Lord. However, Job was not privy to this knowledge. All he knew was that one day everything in his life was great, and the next it was all gone, his life was turned upside down and he was left in the ruins of despair and grief. Later on in his story, Job says "God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?... He does great things past finding out, yes, wonders without number... If He takes away, who can hinder Him? who can say to Him, 'what are You doing? " (Job 9:4, 10, 12). Job was in great despair, he was desperate. While Job was not perfect or without sin, his desperation and faith led him to admitting and proclaiming the Lord as sovereign. Job is merely an example of how to handle adversity and tragedy; he persevered in faith and integrity and was greatly blessed at the end of his end by our tender and merciful Lord.

So what are we to do with life changes? When we were prepared to stay and are called to "go"?When we are prepared to "go" and the Lord says "stay"? We must remember that the Lord is working in and through every aspect of our lives and sometimes, just as Abraham learned, we are merely meant to show our faithfulness by starting a path where we were never meant to reach the end of the road. The Lord told Abraham "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Gen. 22:12). "For now I know"... taking Isaac to the alter was all that Abraham was meant to accomplish on that path. When he proved he was willing to serve and follow, the Lord took him and his son on a different path. God never closes a door before He's opened another.

It's so easy in this world to question the will of the Father because there is no way we could ever comprehend it this side of heaven. It's so easy to ask "Why" or to sometimes think that "I don't like this plan, I don't like this road I'm on... When can we go on a different road Father?" What's important in our frailty however is that we take those thoughts captive to the Lord and obey (2 Cor. 10:5). We must follow Jesus' example in the Garden when He "fell on His face" and cried out to the Father "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me"(Matt 26:39a). Jesus prayed about His "thorn in the flesh" just as Paul did, yet Jesus concluded His prayer with "nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matt. 26:39b). There it is again, "nevertheless" or "but"... makes the second half of this verse of more significance than the first. It is Jesus' example here that I realize I must follow, must continue to ingrain in my responses. The key to encountering trials or mountains in our lives is more than just taking them to the Lord in prayer (for we should be taking everything to the Lord in prayer); the key is faithfully praying and trusting in the Lord Almighty's sovereign power. His will will be done and we must trust in that. "[He] will never leave us or forsake us" (Deut 31:6,8). "God is faithful, He will never allow us to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear" (1 Cor 10:13). The Lord's ways truly are unknown and unquestionable; His sovereignty is incontestable. I pray that I would get away from asking "why" with an attitude of complaint and instead faithfully and trustingly pray as Jesus did, "Not my will... but Your will be done". May we pray as the humble father did in one of the miracles, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). While we have the amazing privilege of being real with God with our emotions, I pray that I continue to get away from the question "why" and instead ask "how". "Lord, how can You use me in this?... how can I glorify You through this?... how can I serve You with this or in this?" More than we need an answer to life's problems or questions, we desperately need to cleave to our BIG God and rest in His "peace which surpasses all understanding" for He will "guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:7).

Be still my restless heart, for the whole world is a mission field.

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Gen 18:14.

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him" Ps. 37:7

References:

All scripture NKJV

Just Like Jesus by Max Lucado

Reputation vs Character

The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation;

The truth you believe determines your character.

Reputation is what you are supposed to be;

Character is what you are.

Reputation comes over one from without;

Character grows from within.

Reputation is what you have when you come into a new community;

Character is what you have when you go away.

Your reputation is learned in an hour;

Your character does not come to light for a year.

Reputation is made in a moment;

Character is built in a lifetime.

Reputation grows like a mushroom;

Character grows like an oak.

A single newspaper report gives you your reputation;

A life of toil gives you your character.

Reputation makes you rick or makes you poor;

Character makes you happy or makes you miserable.

Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone;

Character is what angels say about you before the throne of God.

-Author unknown, quoted in Becoming a Women of Beauty and Strength by Elizabeth George

Beauty and Strength

Some lessons in beauty and strength while studying the book of Esther:

"While there is nothing wrong with Christian women wanting to look nice, each woman must examine her own motives. Today's world places great emphasis on beauty-exceptionally perfect women stare at us from magazine covers. Christian women, while they can dress nicely and take care of their appearance become all encompassing...

A carefully groomed and well-decorated exterior is artificial and cold without inner beauty. Scripture does not prohibit a woman from wanting to be attractive. Beauty, however, begins inside a person. A gentle, modest, loving character gives a light to the face that cannot be duplicated by the best cosmetics and jewelry in the world. Christian women are not to try to be unattractive; instead, Paul called them to reject the world's standard for attractiveness. A Christian's adornment comes not from what she puts on, but from what she does for others" (Life Application Bible Commentary- 1 &2 Timothy & Titus, quoted in George, 40)

Lessons on beauty:

A Christian woman's appearance should be a complement to her inner spirit and never a hindrance to the kingdom of God. Beauty is more than the outward appearance. For a Christian woman "good hygiene, healthy skin care, appropriate, [modest] attire, and gracious manners are all expected to be a means of presenting an outward appearance that attracts others toward her life and ultimately gives opportunity for sharing a testimony of the Christ who dwells within her".

A woman's countenance is often a mirror of her heart; her inner peace and joy are reflected on her face. A woman's actions and attitudes are often an indication of where her roots are planted (Gal 5:22-23).

True beauty comes from within and is manifested by pure motives and a generous, unselfish spirit toward others. No beauty regimen or stylish clothes can mask an unattractive heart, unkind words, or hurtful actions. As Proverbs 11:22 says, "as a gold ring in a swine's snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion". Women of Israel wore gold rings in their noses the way we wear earrings or finger rings. Pigs were considered unclean animals and thus making the example ludicrous. A gold ring could not beautify a dirty pig. Similarly, a woman's physical beauty can cannot cover her lack of discretion (morals). Outward beauty with indiscreet conduct has no value and turns physical beauty into ugliness.

1 Samuel 16:7:

"Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees, for a man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

Proverbs 31:30:

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised"

"It's refreshing to be reminded of God's standards for true beauty. Faith and character, not external appearances, are what's important to God. He cares about your heart, not your hair, or your facial features, or your figure". (George, 23)

Question is, is your heart a heart that finds favor with Him?

Lessons on Strength:

Psalm 9:9:

"The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed. A refuge in times of trouble."

Psalm 18:2:

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Psalm 23:4:

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; for You are with me"

Psalm 46:1:

"God is our refuge and strength; A very present help in trouble."

Maintaining a beautiful character:

Proverbs 22:1:

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold."

Proverbs 11:16:

"A gracious woman retains honor, but ruthless men retain riches"

Proverbs 31: 25:

"Strength and honor are her clothing, she shall rejoice in time to come"

Proverbs 31:10:

"Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies."

Proverbs 31:26:

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness"

Proverbs 31:30:

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised"

1 Timothy 2:9-10:

"in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works."

Graciousness- A complement to beauty

"A gracious spirit enhances a woman's demeanor, while a selfish heart tarnishes her appearance and limits her effectiveness." The word "gracious" means "pleasantly kind", "courteous", "characterized by generosity of spirit" according to modern dictionaries. The word "gracious" is used several times to describe God Himself throughout the old testament (Ex. 34:6; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 111:4). In Proverbs 11:16a, we are told that "A gracious woman retains honor". Here, we see that a gracious woman is described with the quiet victories of a beautiful character, that is honor.

The Bible gives examples of several remarkable, gracious woman. Abigail realized and accepted her husband's weak habits and poised herself before David with respect, kindness, and courtesy. Her gracious spirit eventually ends up freeing her from her marriage to a fool and she's rewarded with a marriage to King David (see 1 Sam. 25:23-42). Ruth, was a quiet woman who was gracious to her mother-in-law (even when Naomi was bitter and full of self-pity) and her perseverance complemented her beauty. Her strong character and gracious manner were eventually rewarded with a devoted husband and offspring that eventually led to the lineage of Jesus (see Ruth 4:13, 17).

Having experienced God's love and forgiveness should increase our sensitivity to one another and lead us to reflect God's Kingdom with our words and actions. Just as God is "ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness" (Neh. 9:17) so should our hearts be as we try to reflect Him, just as Eccl. 10:12 says "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious". As believers we are admonished, "as the elect of God, holy and beloved" to, as Col. 3:12-13 says, "put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another... even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do".

As godly women, our graciousness should be "the fruit of a godly character, springing from a heart committed to the Lord", so that it becomes a tool for drawing others to the Savior and for service to Christ in the Kingdom.

"True beauty and strength believes in the complete oversight of God. We find His beauty as we rest in His providence, and His strength as we count on His providence" (George, 48). "Providence means that the hand of God is in the glove of human events". -John MacArthur

References:

George, Elizabeth. Becoming a Woman of Beauty and Strength. 2001 Harvest House Publishers.

Women's Study Bible, 2nd edition. 2005, 2006 Thomas Nelson, Inc. NKJV

An article from MarriageVine Ministries from Feb 2009- Definitely worth sharing!

By Garry Brantley

Responding to the Music

Josh's work ethic impressed Nancy. A trait she very much admired about him was his ability to focus and complete tasks with excellence. While she still admired this aspect of Josh, she began to feel like he really never focused on their relationship. It seemed to her that he approached his time with her and the kids as another task to perform, rather than an experience to enjoy. She longed for deeper connection to him – to feel a part of his life.

Nancy had that social, spontaneous spirit about her that Josh loved. She never met a stranger, and everyone seemed to feel at ease around her. Nancy loved conversation, and Josh felt completely at ease sharing his feelings with her. Through the years, however, Josh began to feel that Nancy wanted more of him than he could give. As he sensed her frustration with him, Josh became increasingly frustrated with Nancy in this regard. Every previous attempt to address this tension left them both feeling more disconnected.

Listening for the Music

All couples, like Josh and Nancy, have certain issues that threaten intimacy. And, often our attempts to address them end up hurting each other, rather than healing the relationship. From the biblical material alluded to in the previous articles, here are some suggestions to help ease relational tension and nurture deeper intimacy:

• God is the Source of Authentic Love. Though in marriage we pledge to love one another through the fluctuations of life, selfishness is our natural tendency. We tend to pull into ourselves and stand in critical judgment of others, especially our spouse. Attempting to find true love – a love that never fails – within our human selves is futile.
  
  However, God has called husbands and wives to serve as unique vessels of His love for the other. Once we begin to realize that it is God's infinite, authentic love poured through us into the other, an amazing shift occurs. As we receive God's love poured into our hearts, then that love – a love that never fails – overflows into others around us, especially our spouse.
  

• Embrace Differences. The differences between husband and wife are intended by God to bring unique blessings into the other's life. The first step in reducing tension brought on by our peculiar personality traits, then, is to accept them as a gift from God. By first expressing genuine appreciation for the other's uniqueness, we can then speak to the issues brought on by them.

• Personality Strengths Can Become Weaknesses. When tensions arise within marriage, each spouse tends to blame the other. They point out the shortcomings of the other and rarely consider their own contributions to the problems. However, since we live in a broken world, our own sense of self is equally broken. Our strengths can morph into weaknesses.
  
  The ability to focus and complete tasks with excellence, for example, can lead one to become myopic, seeing people as a means to an end rather than as human beings with whom to relate. Likewise, the social ability to interact freely with others, without proper balance, can create a sense of superficiality in relationships, or the seeking of life, meaning and purpose from others – something humans ultimately cannot provide. The first place to start while addressing relational issues is ourself, not the other.

• Commit Time to the Relationship. We live in a frenetic world. Increased technology, rather than providing more free time, actually encroaches on opportunity to "disengage." Cell phones, blackberries and laptops all lure us away from meaningful time with one another. Additionally, our culture tends to place value on people who are "busy." Particularly in our technologically-saturated and performance-based culture, we must create space for our relationships.
  
  Time spent genuinely to connect to our spouse actually pays dividends even at work as it can reduce relational stress. Regularly schedule time for a walk, a meal together or time simply to talk without distractions. Time spent together in meaningful conversation helps bridge gaps in our relationships.

• Enjoy the Dance. Re-imagine marriage with a relational, rather than an institutional, metaphor. Take the "dance," for example. Before any dance occurs, tasks must be performed. Lights must be hung, wires must be run, and instruments must be tuned.
  
  These tasks, roles and responsibilities are not an end in themselves; they serve a larger purpose. The reason behind these crucial tasks is to enjoy the dance. All roles and responsibilities in marriage are essential. But, they are not the end in themselves. Their purpose is to facilitate an intimate connection between husband and wife, to enjoy the sacred dance of marriage.

Trust, love, and hope

Dear restless heart, be still; don't fret and worry so;

God has a thousand ways His love an help to show;

Just trust, and trust, and trust, until His will you know.

Dear restless heart, be still, for peace is God's own smile,

His love can every wrong and sorrow reconcile;

Just love, and love, and love, and calmly wait awhile.

Dear restless heart, be brave; don't moan and sorrow so,

He has a meaning kind in chilly winds that blow;

Just hope, and hope, and hope, until you braver grow.

Dear restless heart, recline upon His breast this hour,

His grace is strength and life, His love is bloom and flower;

Just rest, and rest, and rest, within His tender power.

Dear restless heart, be still! Don't struggle to be free;

God's life is in your life, from Him you may not flee;

Just pray, and pray, and pray, till you have faith to see.

-Edith Willis Linn

"Oh, let us rejoice in the Lord, evermore,

When darts of the Tempter are flying,

For Satan still dreads, as he oft did before,

Our singing much more than our crying".

Active vs Passive faith

I simply take Him at His word,

I praise Him that my prayer is heard,

And claim my answer from the Lord;

I take, He undertakes.

Passive faith accepts the Word as true-

But never moves.

Active faith begins the work to do,

And thereby proves.

Passive faith says, " I believe it! every word of God is true.

Well I know He has not spoken what He cannot, will not, do.

He has instructed me, 'Go forward!' but a closed-up way I see,

When the waters are divided, soon in Canaan's land I'll be.

Lo! I hear His voice commanding, 'Rise and walk: take up your bed';

And, 'Stretch to Me your withered hand!' which for so long has been dead.

When I am a little stronger, then, I know I'll surely stand:

When there comes a thrill of healing, I will use with ease my reclaimed hand.

Yes, I know that 'God is able' and full willing all to do:

I believe that every promise, sometime, will to me come true."

Active faith says, "I believe it! and the promise now I take,

Knowing well, as I receive it, God, each promise,

real will make.

So I step into the waters, finding there an open way;

Onward press, the land possessing; nothing can my progress stay.

Yes, I rise at His commanding, walking straight, and joyfully:

This, my hand so sadly shriveled, as I reach, restored will be.

What beyond His faithful promise, would I wish or do I need?

Looking not for 'signs or wonders', I'll no contradiction heed.

Well I know that 'God is able', and full willing all to do:

I believe that every promise, at this moment can come true."

Passive faith but praises in the light,

When sun does shine.

Active faith will praise in darkest night-

Which faith is thine?

"Every difficulty and every temptation that comes our way, if we receive it correctly, is God's opportunity."

"May the Lord open our eyes to see Him, even in temptations, trials, dangers, and misfortunes." C.H.P.

Musings from Streams in the Desert February 22-23.