Garden Party

Ever notice what you instinctively do when you are doing something or wanting something that does not line up to what you understand is God's will or plan for you?     Your sin nature replicates the garden party with Eve and the snake whittling away at her resolve. 

Well.... he's still serving apples and people are still going to his garden party.

If you find yourself moving away from God: not reading His Word, not praying, not wanting to go to church or fellowshipping with other believers.  Temptation could be leading you in the direction of giving up your protection.  Perhaps it's a stale mate in your marriage, or mean spirited people in your work place.  You could be overwhelmed with responsibility at home, work, school or all three.  Maybe you are so discouraged over finances that you can't see straight. The temptation to not go Gods way and just take care of your needs your way can lead to a prodigious disaster.

The temptation is not the problem but entertaining a thought against God's ways is the first step in deception.  Misquoting God's Word to yourself begins the justification process towards sin.  You have been tempted but at this point.... right here.... there is a choice to turn back to God's word, His ways for your answers. If you listen to the deceiver you will be as Eve was in the garden of Eden: She was sold. She was mesmerized. She was captivated. It was too irresistible to walk away. She didn't say another word. She didn't ask Adam for advice. She followed her senses right into sin.

A pearl to string: The beauty of God's Word... it's a blue print for living in a fallen world. God will show the way.... when Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil, He quoted Scripture perfectly. There was no discussion, no friendly conversation. Straight Scripture -- the sword of the Spirit. Likewise, the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:11, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” The only way to resist the enemy is with the exact words of God, spoken from an obedient and believing heart.

Keep growing in Him

God is your protection and
you are loved,
                    Lyndi

Adversity Reveals

Do you know where you are?  When I go to the mall I know where I am. There is always a giant sign to tell me, YOU ARE HERE! What a relief I giggle to myself, I am here! I don't know why upon learning, YOU ARE HERE, that we always want to go over there instead.  Ever notice once you get there and check the sign it says, YOU ARE HERE?

Is this a test?  YES, life is a test!

John Bevere says, "that trials and tests locate a person. In other words, they determine where you were spiritually. They reveal the true condition of your heart. How you react under pressure is how the real you reacts."  Yikes!

 God’s ultimate purpose for us is to grow more into the image of His Son (Rom 8:29)
Trials develop godly character, and "suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Rom 5:3-5) "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:2-4,12) God has also assured us that no trial will test us beyond our ability to bear it, and “he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Cor. 10:13)

In Old Testament times, the people of Israel, upon a victory in a battle, or a special event would build of stone a memorial or marker, sometimes referred to as a stele. They placed together stones, or created an altar where they sacrificed an animal as part of a ritual of giving thanks. This was done in remembering what GOD HAD DONE in the lives of His people. They knew He had brought them through the trial and wanted to mark the moment or time.  So years or decades later, the 'history' could be marked that indeed the Lord had been good and brought them through a challenge or delivered His grace and power and might for just the right occasion.

A pearl to string: The horse is a powerful animal, yet with the tug of the reins, nudge of a knee or the tap of a heel, he will submit to his master’s bidding.  On the other hand, a wild stallion that has not been brought under the control of a master is of very little use. I'm not crazy about trials and I've often asked the Lord, "are you sure you have the right address?" but I don't want to be a useless wild stallion. So I memorized Job 40:4, “I put my hand over my mouth” and obey and watch what the Lord is doing. Ok, maybe I kick up a little dust sometimes but I'm growing cuz God is bigger than all my trials..

He is Amazing Grace!

Count your steles

And know you are loved,

                                   Lyndi      

Defiance or Devotion

Do you ever get mad at God because you don't think He is answering your prayers? Do you ever run down a list of what a good person you are in this world and shake that list at God? You know the kind of thing, "I am nice to people, I tithe, I pray, I read my Bible everyday..... hey would you all shut up I'm trying to think in here". 
 

"Well come on... that was annoying they were making so much noise.... Don't I have a right to be a smidge irritable with all that racket going on?"

That was not exactly a gracious demo of the fruit of the spirit. I don't think God is looking for any of us to be right standing with the world or our cultures' ways.  Politically correct is nothing more than communal tyranny.

God's love always happens right where you are and your love needs to happen there also.

Matthew 9:7 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone"?  Oswald Chambers explains the illustration of prayer that Our Lord uses in the Scripture verse is that of a good child asking for a good thing. A good child being one who is in right standing with their Father. We talk about God answering our prayers irrespective of our behavior and our right standing with Him. Are you rightly relating to your wife, to your husband, to your children, to your fellow-students, your co-workers - are you a "good child" there? "

The Lord's not going to change His ways for you.  He's not going to say ok I've commanded everyone to be kind, merciful and forgiving but for you my precious, it's the deal of the day, I'll let you live selfishly, be grouchy, mean, tell lies and cheat others and I'll grant your prayers.  Not going to happen.

 

A pearl to string: I am a child of God only by rebirth, and as a child of God I am good only as I walk in His ways. "Prayer with most of us is turned into pious platitude, it is a matter of emotion, mystical communion with God. Spiritually we are all good at producing fogs". (Oswald Chambers) We need to be honest with ourselves and turn away from wrong living. None of us will ever be perfect that is not the goal ... it's to live as a child of God, following Jesus.  Really it is no use praying unless we are living as children of God.  Then, Jesus says - "Everyone that asks receives."

His mercy is new every morning,

You are loved

                  Lyndi

I Love that Kid!, by Rubel Shelly

 I don't know Josh Ripley, but I love that kid! Let me tell you why.
Sixteen-year-old Josh is a junior at Andover (Minnesota) High School.
He was running a 5K race on Sept. 16 in a field of 261 competitors.
With the race less than half done, the 6-foot-5-inch runner heard a scream and saw a runner he didn't know crumpled against a fence -- holding a profusely bleeding ankle.

The injured athlete was 5-foot-5-inch Mark Paulauskas, a freshman at Lakeville South High. Here is Mark's account: "He just picked me up without saying anything and started carrying me and trying to calm me down. He said, 'It's going to be OK. I'm going to get you to your coaches.' ... I think it's amazing."

Sure enough, with his own coach trying to figure out why Josh hadn't passed the halfway mark, he spotted him. "I was wondering what was going on, why was he so far back," said Scott Clark. "Then I see Josh.

He's got the kid in his arms."

 

Josh Ripley carried Mark about a quarter mile! He handed him off to his coaches and family and then -- dead last in the field of runners now -- sped off to resume his race. He passed 50 kids to finish 211th out of

261 runners. No excuses. No disappointment. No explanation. He just finished what he had started -- only to be asked by one teammate why he had fallen so far behind. "He just humbly says, 'Oh, I picked up a kid,' " said sophomore Simeon Toronto. "And I'm like, 'Dude, you just picked up a kid and carried him?' That's incredible!" Then added Toronto: "It was just so typical Josh."

I love that kid! And while most of the news reports I tracked down cited this as a supreme example of sportsmanship and compassion among athletes, I think they missed the real force at work in Josh's action. The details make it pretty clear that it was the unfolding of a very practical faith that Josh embraces. He does volunteer work at Living Word Christian Center and -- by both Mark and Josh's account -- prayed over Mark as he ran with him in his arms. He prayed for Mark's pain to stop and for him to be all right. He even asked Mark's permission before he started the prayer! And Josh seemed honestly bemused by all the attention being paid to him later.

He insists he did "nothing special" -- but said he was just thankful God let him be there for someone who needed help.

Mark's ankle needed 20 stitches to close the gash some runner's spikes accidentally created. Blessedly, there were no damaged ligaments or tendons. He should recover fully, after he gets out of a walking boot and off his crutches.

Josh has reminded me again that there are wonderful people out there who are always doing kind and good things with no expectation of being noticed or rewarded. Great kids who aren't threatening teachers or doing drugs. People whose faith is not a banner or excuse, but a daily lived reality.

I just love that kid! Don't you? And I want to be more like him.

  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may

  see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16
  NIV).
---------
  (c) 2011 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly <rshelly@rc.edu>'s
  "FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for
  previous issues of the "FAX of Life."

The Gift

Author Bill Brant decribes the moment the gift was received: She approached cautiously and her eyes never left it. When her hands touched it, it was a caress, not a grab. Then she bowed, not to me but to the book. I was just the holder; she knew the importance of the gift itself. And I watched as she gently took the Bible in her native language of Swahili and cuddled it against her chest. Then as she sat, she began to read because she wanted to know what was written there. A young woman in Mbeya, Tanzania, not having a Bible before, hungered to know for herself what God says. 

Is that not precious? It brings tears to my eyes. We live in the land of plenty and I'm not sure anyone in America would treasure the gift of Gods Word with such tender  adoration. Yet it is a treasure beyond description.  There are those who have entered the very chambers of His holiness and touched the heart of God. They have walked with Him (Gen 5:24), talked with Him (Exo 19:19) and heard His voice (Gen 15:1). Some have even spoken with Him " face to face" (Exo 33:11).  

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 12:34)  Those who find God as their Treasure will be a treasure to Him: "And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels" (Mal 3:17).  "And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an emblem upon His land" (Zech 9:16). 

We've all traveled in the family car.  We have either been the seeker or the recipient of the eternal question: are we there yet? The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy that: From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:15-17).   

A pearl to string: God's word is not a bat to be swung at people nor is it something to bean others over the head with... God's Word is a treasure to embrace and learn how to live in this fallen world of ours. God's Word is for gwowing and glowing. Despite all our learning, despite all our experience, we come to two great awakenings: our knowledge compared to what there is to know is so very small and our place in the passage of time is so very short. Both of these awakenings prepare us to turn our lives and future over to our God who longs to bring us to himself.  "We were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow"(Job 8:9). 

Immānûʼēl (Hebrew עִמָּנוּאֵל "God (is) with us")

You are loved,

                  Lyndi