Lisa writing here....
I don't expect to make any new friends from this post. I actually should get some criticism, because I am about to lodge some darts about the use of technology, and here I am blogging on a computer, on our website or blog or whatever it is called, about the very same thing. But sometimes I think it's okay to use the available technology to invoke a critique or a "step-back-and-let's-think-about-this" type of moment.
Tom has written a new devotional on "What is Truth" and I am now getting it ready to be sent off to the wonderful lady who makes these things look beautiful on paper. I have been convicted every day as I type it out and consider the verses he refers to as he looks at the "notion," if you will, of Truth.
Truth has become a relative concept, hasn't it, in this postmodern age? Truth has spread its boundaries. Truth's edges are bleeding out into "acceptability" and "just don't hurt anybody" and "political correctness". Truth is no longer black and white. Remember President Clinton's rejoinder when he was under fire for his indiscretions....he said at one point, something to the effect of, "that depends on what the definition of 'is' is." Huh? Let's just grind up the word "is" and give it ten definitions.
No. I need Truth to be something more concrete, something more comfortingly permanent, than a dictionary listing of 10 definitions. Truth must be finite and it must be unflinchingly the same over time. Truth must not waver.
Now I get to technology. I am going to pick on cell phones, Twittering or whatever you call it, and texting. I am really sick of these things. I see people texting as they walk. One young lady had to link arms with her friend so she would not fall as she texted while they walked through the rec center. I see grandmas with cell phones and texting while they hoist their grandkids into shopping carts. I can't go anywhere without my cell phone ringing. It rings during church. If I don't bring my cell phone with me now, I get yelled at by family who "needed" to get ahold of me (during church---arggh!) I saw a guy take a cell phone call during a wedding. If you are doing something fun and you want to tell someone about it, you don't have to wait 'til you get home and call someone - you can just text them and even take a picture of it on your cell phone and download it and show them.
Conversation now is immediate, rapid, short bursts of "this is going now" and "I must tell so-and-so." Truth is melded now with immediate gratification. Truth is whatever is happening now.
I have a problem with this because Truth is not whatever is happening now. Truth is a Person. Truth is permanent. Truth is Jesus Christ and what He did at the cross. Truth is by its definition, since it is Christ, accompanied by Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self-Control. There is no self-control with Twitter, cell phones and texting. You have to agree with that. It's so readily available and so immediately transmitted that it can't possibly feed Self-Control in us. No, it actually feeds Greed. It feeds more. Aren't we addicted to this stuff? Aren't we addicted to the immediate gratification that comes from these forms of technology? We're like high school kids hoping to get a note back from our friend like I used to do during school.
All this to say, none of these forms of technology can possibly transmit the kinds of Truths that are going to help us in eternity. I think we're just spinning our wheels when we engage in these things to any extent. Sure they're great and it's fun and it's amazing what technology can do these days, and yes I have grudgingly started carrying around a cell phone, and yes Tom and I now have a blog, but look at how often we post (not terribly often), and look at our postings; they are not just sound bites or "this is what I did at 5:30 p.m.". We are trying to make sense of life in relation to God's eternal Truths.
God doesn't use a cell phone; He doesn't Tweet; he doesn't text. He GAVE us a text. It's called the Bible. If you need a sound bite or a pithy bit of wisdom on any topic, look up the Proverbs, use the concordance in the back if you need to, and find amazing Truths written by the Author of Truth, our Lord God.
That's MY text for the day. I hope I didn't offend anyone but I think Jesus Christ spent his entire ministry offending people with the Truth. I want to be more like Him so instead of tweeting and texting I am going to spend more of my time reading the most important Text written, and "tweeting" my thoughts in the form of prayers up to the Lord.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
I Am A Rich Lady
Do you remember the Little Rascals movie in which Spanky, Stymie and the others found a treasure chest in a cave? Their eyes popped out of their heads when they saw all those delightful treasures. They packed their pockets full of coins, jewels and precious gems, then tried to walk home with their pants bulging. Then, sure enough, their pockets burst and there went all the jewels, just spilling out onto the ground; Spanky and Stymie just stood there, with nothing to say. Just -- "wow. I'm rich, and yet there it all goes. And it's okay."
I feel like Spanky and Stymie right now.
Let me explain.
This summer I met a new friend. Her name was Carol. Carol was 74 years old. She attended our church and always sat near us in the pews, but we never got to know her, I'm ashamed to say. She walked slowly, with a cane, and just came to church faithfully every week and sat in that same seat and worshipped the Lord quietly.
However, she was not quiet at her place of residence. Carol lived at a place called Tower 43. She was called affectionately by our church the "resident evangelist" at Tower 43 because she was responsible for bringing quite a few people to the Lord during her time there. She brought new members to our church. She would frequently call the church office and ask for prayer for new and old friends and family members. She regularly attended the Bible study at Tower 43. She was always making cookies and food for her neighbors there. I think if you were her neighbor, then you were her friend. She was that type of person.
Well, anyway, Tom and I had been writing these 30-day devotionals for our church body, and Carol was reading them. I didn't know that until she started writing us thank-you notes and telling us how much she appreciated them. I also found out that the very act of her reading them was astounding, because in addition to her other medical troubles, Carol was also half blind. But this did not deter her in her pursuit of reading God's word and meditating on it.
One day this summer she wrote us a note and specifically asked us to come visit her. With trepidation we piled our kids in the car and drove over to Tower 43. I was so afraid the kids would break something in her apartment. I was afraid the whole visit was going to be a disaster as kids typically don't like these kinds of visits. Boy, was I wrong. This lady was ready for us. She had cookies. She had candy. She had chocolates. She laughed and whooped and smiled and when Jenna went over to hug her, her eyes got really big and she just ate up that hug like it was the best thing that ever was given to her. (Well, actually, Jenna's hugs are pretty great. That's why we renamed her "Jenna Joy" - she gives people joy just by being herself. She and "Aunt Carol" got along great.)
Aunt Carol (that's what she told us to call her) told us all about her life. She told us how she and her dear husband Paul ministered at Word of Life camp at Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks in New York. This just happened to be a camp that I had attended in high school, that had a powerful effect on me spiritually, and I could not believe she had spent years of her life ministering there.
After she told us her story, she just encouraged us by telling us she "needed" our next devotional (which we had been dragging our feet on finishing); she told us she was ready to go to heaven, but that there was still work to be done here, and so whatever the Lord willed, she was fine with that. I figured, oh this lady has years of work to do left, she's just expressing a peace with her life.
I immediately warmed up to this lady and relaxed. The visit was so unexpectedly fun and encouraging, and we had so much in common, that I thought to myself, "I really like this lady and I hope we become friends. I wanted to get to know her better." We left Carol's apartment that day and I told Tom, "Something tells me this was an important day." Little did I know.
Well, as usual I dragged my feet on going back over there, and two weeks later, her nephew told us at church that Aunt Carol was in the hospital as she had maybe had a slight stroke. That day, after our regularly scheduled nursing home visit, I drove over to the nearby hospital where Aunt Carol was. She was astounded to see me, but very happy. She felt she had just had a small stroke and was hoping to go home the next day. I held her hand and she encouraged me and I got to pray for her.
Well, she never made it home. I prayed for her during the week and sent a card, hoping she would get better, but she didn't. I do not know the details, but the next thing I knew (this was just about a week later), Pastor said she was near death.
Jenna and I drove to the hospital to see her on the Friday of our church's Vacation Bible School and Jenna danced for her. Aunt Carol was very weak but she saw Jenna dance and she told us she loved us. She told me that our family had such a wonderful ministry and she encouraged us to keep on with it, and not to give up. (How did she know I needed to hear that at that very moment?) She said she was sorry she would not get to read our next devotional, and that she was ready to go home to see her Paul, and she said she loved us. I begged her to get better through my tears. Selfishly I was not ready to see this new friend slip out of my grip so quickly. It wasn't fair.
She passed away four days later. I lost my new friend just as I was getting to know her.
So why do I say that I am rich, you might be asking? I'll try to explain.
Carol gave me many gifts during our short friendship. She gave me, among other things:
1) encouragement. "Keep playing that piano!" "You have a wonderful family". "You have a wonderful ministry." This just made me hold my head higher and feel like I wanted to keep pressing on in areas where I had been feeling very discouraged. Wow!
2) a smile - her smile was so infectious. She was just so friendly and inviting to us.
3) a sense of humor. She was hilarious.
4) hope. This lady did not lack hope by any means.
5) faith in the knowledge of where she was going. She was looking ahead to her new home and her new body. She was sure of it.
6) truth. She reminded me, "We are not meant for this world. We are just passing through. This isn't all there is." She did not get caught up in the things of this world. She desired heavenly things, not earthly things.
7) short-term training in how to be a friend. If you lived near her, she had to pray for you. If she met you, she wanted you to have some cookies.
8) short term training in evangelism. If she met you, she wanted you to meet her pastor. She felt this worked more effectively than saying, "Would you like to come to my church?" She said it "worked every time!" She expressed interest in everyone she met, and interest in their spiritual condition.
9) humility. She told me, "I made some mistakes." But she said, "You can't change the past." You don't hear this very often in this age of accomplishment and striving for earthly successes.
The above gifts were given to me in about a four-week period of time. Right now I feel so rich, I feel I am just like Spanky and Stymie with my pockets bulging so greatly that they're needing to spill out onto the ground. And I am dumbfounded and filled with - could it be - joy? I just didn't understand my feelings at her funeral. I just bawled and bawled. This can't be joy. This is grief! so many people still need her! Including me!
As the days have gone by, I am starting to realize that even grief and tears are gifts that she gave me.
Today my pockets are filled with gifts: of joy and grief and pain and wonder and hope and all kinds of things I do not understand. She gave me so much I just don't know what to do with it.
So I am praying to God with these bulging pockets and asking Him to show me what to do with these gifts. I am thanking Him for the gifts that He gave me through his servant, Aunt Carol. She was not here just to minister to me, I know that; and she didn't have to do it either; but she did, even though she was close to death. She gave of herself to all she encountered, until the last minute. In this way she showed me Christ. She gave me the ultimate gift. The gift of Christlike living.
I pray that as my pockets continue to spill out onto the ground, that I will be willing and able to share the gifts. Help me, Lord, to not try to hurriedly gather the gifts back up and shove them back into my pockets. Help me to realize that this life of mine needs to be open and spilled out and given to others. Help me to be more like Carol - and help me to be more like You. Thank you for this indescribable gift of eternal life. Thank you for your servant, Carol Logan.
I am, indeed, very rich. Praise God.
I feel like Spanky and Stymie right now.
Let me explain.
This summer I met a new friend. Her name was Carol. Carol was 74 years old. She attended our church and always sat near us in the pews, but we never got to know her, I'm ashamed to say. She walked slowly, with a cane, and just came to church faithfully every week and sat in that same seat and worshipped the Lord quietly.
However, she was not quiet at her place of residence. Carol lived at a place called Tower 43. She was called affectionately by our church the "resident evangelist" at Tower 43 because she was responsible for bringing quite a few people to the Lord during her time there. She brought new members to our church. She would frequently call the church office and ask for prayer for new and old friends and family members. She regularly attended the Bible study at Tower 43. She was always making cookies and food for her neighbors there. I think if you were her neighbor, then you were her friend. She was that type of person.
Well, anyway, Tom and I had been writing these 30-day devotionals for our church body, and Carol was reading them. I didn't know that until she started writing us thank-you notes and telling us how much she appreciated them. I also found out that the very act of her reading them was astounding, because in addition to her other medical troubles, Carol was also half blind. But this did not deter her in her pursuit of reading God's word and meditating on it.
One day this summer she wrote us a note and specifically asked us to come visit her. With trepidation we piled our kids in the car and drove over to Tower 43. I was so afraid the kids would break something in her apartment. I was afraid the whole visit was going to be a disaster as kids typically don't like these kinds of visits. Boy, was I wrong. This lady was ready for us. She had cookies. She had candy. She had chocolates. She laughed and whooped and smiled and when Jenna went over to hug her, her eyes got really big and she just ate up that hug like it was the best thing that ever was given to her. (Well, actually, Jenna's hugs are pretty great. That's why we renamed her "Jenna Joy" - she gives people joy just by being herself. She and "Aunt Carol" got along great.)
Aunt Carol (that's what she told us to call her) told us all about her life. She told us how she and her dear husband Paul ministered at Word of Life camp at Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks in New York. This just happened to be a camp that I had attended in high school, that had a powerful effect on me spiritually, and I could not believe she had spent years of her life ministering there.
After she told us her story, she just encouraged us by telling us she "needed" our next devotional (which we had been dragging our feet on finishing); she told us she was ready to go to heaven, but that there was still work to be done here, and so whatever the Lord willed, she was fine with that. I figured, oh this lady has years of work to do left, she's just expressing a peace with her life.
I immediately warmed up to this lady and relaxed. The visit was so unexpectedly fun and encouraging, and we had so much in common, that I thought to myself, "I really like this lady and I hope we become friends. I wanted to get to know her better." We left Carol's apartment that day and I told Tom, "Something tells me this was an important day." Little did I know.
Well, as usual I dragged my feet on going back over there, and two weeks later, her nephew told us at church that Aunt Carol was in the hospital as she had maybe had a slight stroke. That day, after our regularly scheduled nursing home visit, I drove over to the nearby hospital where Aunt Carol was. She was astounded to see me, but very happy. She felt she had just had a small stroke and was hoping to go home the next day. I held her hand and she encouraged me and I got to pray for her.
Well, she never made it home. I prayed for her during the week and sent a card, hoping she would get better, but she didn't. I do not know the details, but the next thing I knew (this was just about a week later), Pastor said she was near death.
Jenna and I drove to the hospital to see her on the Friday of our church's Vacation Bible School and Jenna danced for her. Aunt Carol was very weak but she saw Jenna dance and she told us she loved us. She told me that our family had such a wonderful ministry and she encouraged us to keep on with it, and not to give up. (How did she know I needed to hear that at that very moment?) She said she was sorry she would not get to read our next devotional, and that she was ready to go home to see her Paul, and she said she loved us. I begged her to get better through my tears. Selfishly I was not ready to see this new friend slip out of my grip so quickly. It wasn't fair.
She passed away four days later. I lost my new friend just as I was getting to know her.
So why do I say that I am rich, you might be asking? I'll try to explain.
Carol gave me many gifts during our short friendship. She gave me, among other things:
1) encouragement. "Keep playing that piano!" "You have a wonderful family". "You have a wonderful ministry." This just made me hold my head higher and feel like I wanted to keep pressing on in areas where I had been feeling very discouraged. Wow!
2) a smile - her smile was so infectious. She was just so friendly and inviting to us.
3) a sense of humor. She was hilarious.
4) hope. This lady did not lack hope by any means.
5) faith in the knowledge of where she was going. She was looking ahead to her new home and her new body. She was sure of it.
6) truth. She reminded me, "We are not meant for this world. We are just passing through. This isn't all there is." She did not get caught up in the things of this world. She desired heavenly things, not earthly things.
7) short-term training in how to be a friend. If you lived near her, she had to pray for you. If she met you, she wanted you to have some cookies.
8) short term training in evangelism. If she met you, she wanted you to meet her pastor. She felt this worked more effectively than saying, "Would you like to come to my church?" She said it "worked every time!" She expressed interest in everyone she met, and interest in their spiritual condition.
9) humility. She told me, "I made some mistakes." But she said, "You can't change the past." You don't hear this very often in this age of accomplishment and striving for earthly successes.
The above gifts were given to me in about a four-week period of time. Right now I feel so rich, I feel I am just like Spanky and Stymie with my pockets bulging so greatly that they're needing to spill out onto the ground. And I am dumbfounded and filled with - could it be - joy? I just didn't understand my feelings at her funeral. I just bawled and bawled. This can't be joy. This is grief! so many people still need her! Including me!
As the days have gone by, I am starting to realize that even grief and tears are gifts that she gave me.
Today my pockets are filled with gifts: of joy and grief and pain and wonder and hope and all kinds of things I do not understand. She gave me so much I just don't know what to do with it.
So I am praying to God with these bulging pockets and asking Him to show me what to do with these gifts. I am thanking Him for the gifts that He gave me through his servant, Aunt Carol. She was not here just to minister to me, I know that; and she didn't have to do it either; but she did, even though she was close to death. She gave of herself to all she encountered, until the last minute. In this way she showed me Christ. She gave me the ultimate gift. The gift of Christlike living.
I pray that as my pockets continue to spill out onto the ground, that I will be willing and able to share the gifts. Help me, Lord, to not try to hurriedly gather the gifts back up and shove them back into my pockets. Help me to realize that this life of mine needs to be open and spilled out and given to others. Help me to be more like Carol - and help me to be more like You. Thank you for this indescribable gift of eternal life. Thank you for your servant, Carol Logan.
I am, indeed, very rich. Praise God.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Giant of Aging
Day Nine: The Giant of Aging - Fear of Getting Old
Scripture readings:
Psalm 90:10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away.
(Note from Tom and Lisa: Don’t be discouraged! Read on!!!)
Joshua 14:11 "I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in.”
Joel 2:28 "It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. “
Today’s giant is the Giant of Aging. No one really looks forward to getting older, right? I’m marching rapidly toward the big 5-0 in years, and Tom is perilously close to 60! Yikes! We decided to start today’s devotional with a sobering verse about what the Bible says about how many years we can “expect” to live. We do not want you to get discouraged by reading the first verse, but it really is pretty much what our life expectancy is, according to those who keep track of these things!
But hang on: In the second verse quoted here, it isn’t the more well-known warrior Joshua speaking; it is Caleb. Do you remember Caleb? He is that great warrior who served alongside Joshua, was one of the 12 men sent ahead to check out the Promised Land by Moses. At age 40, his eyes bulged out of his head when he saw the huge grapes, the land flowing with milk and honey, the lovely lush landscape. He saw opportunity. But reporting back to Moses, all the other spies were intimidated and protested that Canaan was too populated with giants to risk forging ahead. Only Caleb said, “We can take this land.” He was steadfast and undaunted by the size of the inhabitants. Forty-five years later Caleb tells Joshua that he is STILL ready to possess the hill country that the Lord had long ago promised to him: “I am still as strong as the day Moses sent me out.” This attitude pleased the Lord: “Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly” (Joshua 14:24). What a cheerful and resolute attitude toward life!
And in the third verse, the prophet Joel predicted that one day a new Spirit would be poured out, and that old men would dream dreams. This prophesy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:16-21), when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles in a great wind.
Joel and Caleb are two Biblical heroes who did not get defeated by the Giant of Aging. They did not let the threat of advancing years deter them from dreaming dreams and pursuing goals for God. Isn’t that encouraging?
This past winter I too was encouraged greatly, when I attended the funeral of my great-aunt Ruby. Ruby was my dad’s aunt. Not a misprint: my DAD’s aunt! How awesome! My father will be 80 years old this year. How many 80 year olds can say that their aunt just passed away? She was in her mid nineties and has an incredibly large, strong, loving and spiritual family. As I looked around at all the family members in attendance, I realized once again how my family has been given the gift of longevity. My dad, Bob Cross, is from a family of six children – all but one are still here! My dad’s mother lived to 96. My mom’s mom lived to 92. Then, climb up my husband’s family tree and you will find that both of his grandmothers lived into their nineties. Tom’s aunt Anna Julia, though, wins the grand prize, as she will celebrate her 102nd birthday this May! Can you believe it? If we take care of ourselves and the Lord wills it, one of us might hit three digits! Whoo-hoo!!
More important than the gift of years, is that the gift of salvation and evangelism “runs in the family”. Several of my cousins are evangelists. Tom’s grandfather was a preacher and his second cousin is a missionary doctor who “just” left the mission field in Africa in his mid eighties. We are so encouraged by this legacy. As our years increase, we are seeing that the seeds of living strong, living long and not just for ourselves, have been planted in both families. This is truly a gift for which we are both grateful.
My prayer for myself, my family, and for all of you is that our age will be just a number. My hope and prayer is that we will not let the number on our driver’s license determine our desire, our passion for soul-winning. Let’s not allow the giant of aging to keep us from dreaming dreams. Let us be like Joel. Let us use our years to our advantage as we seek to gain wisdom and to gain souls for the Lord’s kingdom. As we gain in years, let us gain physical and spiritual strength like Caleb.
Prayer: Help us, Lord, to gain in the knowledge of You as we grow older. Help us, Lord, to teach others about You. Lord, give us more years so that we can do more for Your kingdom. Lord, if You will grant us more years, we will seek to use them for Your glory and not our own. Help us to use the years to build up Your kingdom and not to build up houses or trophies for ourselves. Thank you Lord for the gift of life!
Slay that Giant: Join the Nursing Home team on a visit to the Falls Village Nursing Home on any first Sunday of the month. We visit with some amazing people there. They would love to be encouraged by a younger brother or sister in Christ.
Scripture readings:
Psalm 90:10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away.
(Note from Tom and Lisa: Don’t be discouraged! Read on!!!)
Joshua 14:11 "I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in.”
Joel 2:28 "It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. “
Today’s giant is the Giant of Aging. No one really looks forward to getting older, right? I’m marching rapidly toward the big 5-0 in years, and Tom is perilously close to 60! Yikes! We decided to start today’s devotional with a sobering verse about what the Bible says about how many years we can “expect” to live. We do not want you to get discouraged by reading the first verse, but it really is pretty much what our life expectancy is, according to those who keep track of these things!
But hang on: In the second verse quoted here, it isn’t the more well-known warrior Joshua speaking; it is Caleb. Do you remember Caleb? He is that great warrior who served alongside Joshua, was one of the 12 men sent ahead to check out the Promised Land by Moses. At age 40, his eyes bulged out of his head when he saw the huge grapes, the land flowing with milk and honey, the lovely lush landscape. He saw opportunity. But reporting back to Moses, all the other spies were intimidated and protested that Canaan was too populated with giants to risk forging ahead. Only Caleb said, “We can take this land.” He was steadfast and undaunted by the size of the inhabitants. Forty-five years later Caleb tells Joshua that he is STILL ready to possess the hill country that the Lord had long ago promised to him: “I am still as strong as the day Moses sent me out.” This attitude pleased the Lord: “Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly” (Joshua 14:24). What a cheerful and resolute attitude toward life!
And in the third verse, the prophet Joel predicted that one day a new Spirit would be poured out, and that old men would dream dreams. This prophesy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:16-21), when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles in a great wind.
Joel and Caleb are two Biblical heroes who did not get defeated by the Giant of Aging. They did not let the threat of advancing years deter them from dreaming dreams and pursuing goals for God. Isn’t that encouraging?
This past winter I too was encouraged greatly, when I attended the funeral of my great-aunt Ruby. Ruby was my dad’s aunt. Not a misprint: my DAD’s aunt! How awesome! My father will be 80 years old this year. How many 80 year olds can say that their aunt just passed away? She was in her mid nineties and has an incredibly large, strong, loving and spiritual family. As I looked around at all the family members in attendance, I realized once again how my family has been given the gift of longevity. My dad, Bob Cross, is from a family of six children – all but one are still here! My dad’s mother lived to 96. My mom’s mom lived to 92. Then, climb up my husband’s family tree and you will find that both of his grandmothers lived into their nineties. Tom’s aunt Anna Julia, though, wins the grand prize, as she will celebrate her 102nd birthday this May! Can you believe it? If we take care of ourselves and the Lord wills it, one of us might hit three digits! Whoo-hoo!!
More important than the gift of years, is that the gift of salvation and evangelism “runs in the family”. Several of my cousins are evangelists. Tom’s grandfather was a preacher and his second cousin is a missionary doctor who “just” left the mission field in Africa in his mid eighties. We are so encouraged by this legacy. As our years increase, we are seeing that the seeds of living strong, living long and not just for ourselves, have been planted in both families. This is truly a gift for which we are both grateful.
My prayer for myself, my family, and for all of you is that our age will be just a number. My hope and prayer is that we will not let the number on our driver’s license determine our desire, our passion for soul-winning. Let’s not allow the giant of aging to keep us from dreaming dreams. Let us be like Joel. Let us use our years to our advantage as we seek to gain wisdom and to gain souls for the Lord’s kingdom. As we gain in years, let us gain physical and spiritual strength like Caleb.
Prayer: Help us, Lord, to gain in the knowledge of You as we grow older. Help us, Lord, to teach others about You. Lord, give us more years so that we can do more for Your kingdom. Lord, if You will grant us more years, we will seek to use them for Your glory and not our own. Help us to use the years to build up Your kingdom and not to build up houses or trophies for ourselves. Thank you Lord for the gift of life!
Slay that Giant: Join the Nursing Home team on a visit to the Falls Village Nursing Home on any first Sunday of the month. We visit with some amazing people there. They would love to be encouraged by a younger brother or sister in Christ.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Day 8 - The Giant Shopping Addiction
Day 8 A Giant of a Sale
Scripture Reading: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Can you pass up a bargain? It’s difficult, isn’t it? January and June are the months when my favorite store, Bath and Body Works, has a huge sale on nearly their entire inventory. That’s when I have a hard time staying away from the mall. “White sales” (huge markdowns on bedding, sheets, etc.) can be found in January as well. Whenever we hear “75 percent off”, our ears perk up, don’t they? And the curiously termed “white elephant” sales are popular in the spring and summer. We’ll explore that phrase briefly in a moment.
Now, bargains aren’t always what they are cracked up to be. We can end up with a houseful of stuff we didn't need, that we bought just because it was on sale or because someone else has one and we thus think we need one too. Regret is always a potential side effect of a shopping frenzy.
So here’s what I found to be the origin of the phrase “white elephant”:
White (albino) elephants were regarded as holy in ancient times in Thailand and other Asian countries. To keep a white elephant was a very expensive task, since you had to provide the elephant with special food, and provide access for people who wanted to come and worship it. If a Thai King became, for some reason, dissatisfied with a sub-king, he would give him a white elephant. The gift would, in most cases, ruin the recipient. (internet def'n)
I laughed when I read this but it was a painful laugh, for several reasons. One, it says that the gift would usually “ruin the recipient” – and don’t we find that when we go crazy at a sale, it ruins our budget? We say to ourselves when the credit card bills comes, “why did I buy this?” Second, bargains still come with a price. We have more work to do: we now have to justify the purchase to our spouse or to ourselves if we’re trying to stay within a monthly budget. Third, it says that a white elephant was very expensive to maintain, and then the owner had to accommodate visitors who wanted to “worship it”. Isn’t this so true? Don’t we end up worshipping some of our purchases, in the way we show it to others – “look what I got – for 75 percent off!” – and in our pride in ourselves for having located such a great deal? Our focus gets off of the things that matter, and on to something that can't possibly help our souls.
Well, for those of us who can't pass up a giant of a sale, let us remind ourselves of the best bargain the world has ever encountered. It is found in John 3:16. “For God SO LOVED the world that He gave His one and only son – so that WHOEVER believes in Him would not perish – but have ETERNAL life.” Don’t miss this – the price of eternal life for man is one word: belief. Belief in the Savior. God paid the ultimate price – He sacrificed His only Son – for all of humanity. We simply have to place our trust in Him. Salvation is a free gift. It is a gift that lasts for eternity. God is our loving Redeemer who takes our confession of sin and our need for a Savior, and He redeems our broken lives with the gift of eternal life in heaven with Him. Do you know what “redeem” means? I Google’d the word and came up with some fascinating definitions. Read these and consider what our Heavenly Father did for us!!!
To purchase back; to regain possession of by payment of a stipulated price; to repurchase.
To regain by performing the obligation or condition stated; to discharge the obligation mentioned in, as a promissory note, bond, or other evidence of debt; as, to redeem bank notes with coin.
To ransom, liberate, or rescue from captivity or bondage, or from any obligation or liability to suffer or to be forfeited, by paying a price or ransom; to ransom; to rescue; to recover; as, to redeem a captive, a pledge, and the like.
To pay the penalty of; to make amends for; to serve as an equivalent or offset for; to atone for; to compensate; as, to redeem an error.
These definitions just pierce my soul when I consider what God did for me. He paid the ultimate price for my sins! He ransomed me! He bought my pardon! He rescued and delivered me! He fulfilled His promise! A giant of a sale will pierce our wallets – and leave us with possessions that will tarnish and get old – but the gift of eternal life is absolutely priceless. What sacrifice! He gave the life of His Only Son – for us! What love! We owe Him our souls for what He did for us! Eternal life with Him – that is the best bargain of all.
Prayer: Dear Lord, we praise You for giving us the chance to have everlasting life with You! Thank you for sacrificing Your Son so that we might have life in You. Lord, we can never repay You for what You have done. Help us to somehow honor you with our lives in thanks for this unspeakable gift. Help us to be enthusiastic about telling others about this incredible, heavenly bargain!
Slay that Giant: For the next week, try to resist any temptation you might have to buy something just because it is on sale. For those on a strict weekly budget, please realize that we are not suggesting that you bypass “milk on sale for $2.29” at the grocery store! Instead, consider nonperishable items, and things that we don’t truly need.
Scripture Reading: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Can you pass up a bargain? It’s difficult, isn’t it? January and June are the months when my favorite store, Bath and Body Works, has a huge sale on nearly their entire inventory. That’s when I have a hard time staying away from the mall. “White sales” (huge markdowns on bedding, sheets, etc.) can be found in January as well. Whenever we hear “75 percent off”, our ears perk up, don’t they? And the curiously termed “white elephant” sales are popular in the spring and summer. We’ll explore that phrase briefly in a moment.
Now, bargains aren’t always what they are cracked up to be. We can end up with a houseful of stuff we didn't need, that we bought just because it was on sale or because someone else has one and we thus think we need one too. Regret is always a potential side effect of a shopping frenzy.
So here’s what I found to be the origin of the phrase “white elephant”:
White (albino) elephants were regarded as holy in ancient times in Thailand and other Asian countries. To keep a white elephant was a very expensive task, since you had to provide the elephant with special food, and provide access for people who wanted to come and worship it. If a Thai King became, for some reason, dissatisfied with a sub-king, he would give him a white elephant. The gift would, in most cases, ruin the recipient. (internet def'n)
I laughed when I read this but it was a painful laugh, for several reasons. One, it says that the gift would usually “ruin the recipient” – and don’t we find that when we go crazy at a sale, it ruins our budget? We say to ourselves when the credit card bills comes, “why did I buy this?” Second, bargains still come with a price. We have more work to do: we now have to justify the purchase to our spouse or to ourselves if we’re trying to stay within a monthly budget. Third, it says that a white elephant was very expensive to maintain, and then the owner had to accommodate visitors who wanted to “worship it”. Isn’t this so true? Don’t we end up worshipping some of our purchases, in the way we show it to others – “look what I got – for 75 percent off!” – and in our pride in ourselves for having located such a great deal? Our focus gets off of the things that matter, and on to something that can't possibly help our souls.
Well, for those of us who can't pass up a giant of a sale, let us remind ourselves of the best bargain the world has ever encountered. It is found in John 3:16. “For God SO LOVED the world that He gave His one and only son – so that WHOEVER believes in Him would not perish – but have ETERNAL life.” Don’t miss this – the price of eternal life for man is one word: belief. Belief in the Savior. God paid the ultimate price – He sacrificed His only Son – for all of humanity. We simply have to place our trust in Him. Salvation is a free gift. It is a gift that lasts for eternity. God is our loving Redeemer who takes our confession of sin and our need for a Savior, and He redeems our broken lives with the gift of eternal life in heaven with Him. Do you know what “redeem” means? I Google’d the word and came up with some fascinating definitions. Read these and consider what our Heavenly Father did for us!!!
To purchase back; to regain possession of by payment of a stipulated price; to repurchase.
To regain by performing the obligation or condition stated; to discharge the obligation mentioned in, as a promissory note, bond, or other evidence of debt; as, to redeem bank notes with coin.
To ransom, liberate, or rescue from captivity or bondage, or from any obligation or liability to suffer or to be forfeited, by paying a price or ransom; to ransom; to rescue; to recover; as, to redeem a captive, a pledge, and the like.
To pay the penalty of; to make amends for; to serve as an equivalent or offset for; to atone for; to compensate; as, to redeem an error.
These definitions just pierce my soul when I consider what God did for me. He paid the ultimate price for my sins! He ransomed me! He bought my pardon! He rescued and delivered me! He fulfilled His promise! A giant of a sale will pierce our wallets – and leave us with possessions that will tarnish and get old – but the gift of eternal life is absolutely priceless. What sacrifice! He gave the life of His Only Son – for us! What love! We owe Him our souls for what He did for us! Eternal life with Him – that is the best bargain of all.
Prayer: Dear Lord, we praise You for giving us the chance to have everlasting life with You! Thank you for sacrificing Your Son so that we might have life in You. Lord, we can never repay You for what You have done. Help us to somehow honor you with our lives in thanks for this unspeakable gift. Help us to be enthusiastic about telling others about this incredible, heavenly bargain!
Slay that Giant: For the next week, try to resist any temptation you might have to buy something just because it is on sale. For those on a strict weekly budget, please realize that we are not suggesting that you bypass “milk on sale for $2.29” at the grocery store! Instead, consider nonperishable items, and things that we don’t truly need.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Day 7 - That Giant Thorn in the Flesh
The Giant Thorn in the Flesh
Scripture Reading: "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure". I Corinthians 12:7
Writing today’s devotional was difficult. I think of a thorn in the flesh as a bad habit, an annoying “thing” that just won't go away. And I find bad habits very hard to break. They are hard for me to admit them to others, as well. But whatever the thorn in our flesh may be – whatever it is that you or I may struggle with – let us take heart that the Lord knows about it and He can help us with it.
As we see in the above verse, the apostle Paul says that “there was GIVEN TO ME a thorn in the flesh” to keep him from being exalted above measure. It was given to him. The thorn was given to him to keep him humble, in other words. Every time he started thinking that the sun shone greater on his part of the world, he got that little stab in the side that reminded him that he was human just like the rest of us – a sinner saved by grace.
Theologians have surmised what was the specific thorn in Paul’s flesh. No one knows for sure. Was it a real thorn – an actual foreign body – embedded in his flesh – or was it an emotional thorn – a weakness – or something else? The thorn generally seems to represent that area in our lives where we are prone to stumbling in our walk with Christ.
One of my thorns in the flesh (and I have many) is related to popcorn. Before you laugh, I’ll explain. When my six sisters and I were growing up, our mom made popcorn on Sunday nights while we watched Walt Disney on television. Well, with seven kids, there was never enough popcorn to go around. It was “grab-it-and-stuff-it-into-your mouth.” I never got to the bowl first, it seemed.
Fast forward 30 years and here is what Tom said to me just recently: “I do believe popcorn is your favorite food.” This was as he watched me dive headfirst into the bowl of popcorn and not come up for air for ten minutes.
Ouch. I am embarrassed just writing about it. How many times have my kids said, “Mom, is there any more popcorn?” and I have to admit I ate it all. Perhaps you're thinking, “Lisa, it’s just popcorn. Just make more.” But it’s more than that, isn’t it? Let’s be honest, it’s really the feeling that “I gotta get there first or I’ll get left behind. I won't get any.” I do believe that over the years, this disappointment at being last in line for the popcorn has, in my heart, given birth to resentment and bitterness. Like a stain, this has spread into other areas, in which I sort of got to life’s “bowl of popcorn” last and got stuck with just the duds and the salt. And that thorn in my side has festered and burned as the salt got into the wound.
Does this line of thinking parallel Christ’s thinking? Hardly. Will he leave me behind? No, I’m His child and He loves me. However: can I use this thorn in my flesh – this fear of getting only life’s dud kernels – for God’s glory? You bet I can. It says above that the thorn was given to Paul to prevent him from exalting himself too much. It kept him humble. That giant bowl of popcorn will keep me humble because it represents my thorn of needing to grab first in order that I won't be the last. How pleased will my Lord be if I let someone else go first and I go last instead!
Prayer: Oh God, I know that you understand my fear of being left behind, of being last in line. I know that your word says that “the last shall be first and the first shall be last” (Matthew 20:16). Help me to turn my day over to you moment by moment so that each activity becomes an act of worshipping You first. Sanctify my daily activities so that everything I do is in consideration of pleasing You, Lord.
Slay that Giant: Make a journal entry regarding a habit you wish to break. Give it over to God and watch Him work that thorn out of your flesh.
Scripture Reading: "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure". I Corinthians 12:7
Writing today’s devotional was difficult. I think of a thorn in the flesh as a bad habit, an annoying “thing” that just won't go away. And I find bad habits very hard to break. They are hard for me to admit them to others, as well. But whatever the thorn in our flesh may be – whatever it is that you or I may struggle with – let us take heart that the Lord knows about it and He can help us with it.
As we see in the above verse, the apostle Paul says that “there was GIVEN TO ME a thorn in the flesh” to keep him from being exalted above measure. It was given to him. The thorn was given to him to keep him humble, in other words. Every time he started thinking that the sun shone greater on his part of the world, he got that little stab in the side that reminded him that he was human just like the rest of us – a sinner saved by grace.
Theologians have surmised what was the specific thorn in Paul’s flesh. No one knows for sure. Was it a real thorn – an actual foreign body – embedded in his flesh – or was it an emotional thorn – a weakness – or something else? The thorn generally seems to represent that area in our lives where we are prone to stumbling in our walk with Christ.
One of my thorns in the flesh (and I have many) is related to popcorn. Before you laugh, I’ll explain. When my six sisters and I were growing up, our mom made popcorn on Sunday nights while we watched Walt Disney on television. Well, with seven kids, there was never enough popcorn to go around. It was “grab-it-and-stuff-it-into-your mouth.” I never got to the bowl first, it seemed.
Fast forward 30 years and here is what Tom said to me just recently: “I do believe popcorn is your favorite food.” This was as he watched me dive headfirst into the bowl of popcorn and not come up for air for ten minutes.
Ouch. I am embarrassed just writing about it. How many times have my kids said, “Mom, is there any more popcorn?” and I have to admit I ate it all. Perhaps you're thinking, “Lisa, it’s just popcorn. Just make more.” But it’s more than that, isn’t it? Let’s be honest, it’s really the feeling that “I gotta get there first or I’ll get left behind. I won't get any.” I do believe that over the years, this disappointment at being last in line for the popcorn has, in my heart, given birth to resentment and bitterness. Like a stain, this has spread into other areas, in which I sort of got to life’s “bowl of popcorn” last and got stuck with just the duds and the salt. And that thorn in my side has festered and burned as the salt got into the wound.
Does this line of thinking parallel Christ’s thinking? Hardly. Will he leave me behind? No, I’m His child and He loves me. However: can I use this thorn in my flesh – this fear of getting only life’s dud kernels – for God’s glory? You bet I can. It says above that the thorn was given to Paul to prevent him from exalting himself too much. It kept him humble. That giant bowl of popcorn will keep me humble because it represents my thorn of needing to grab first in order that I won't be the last. How pleased will my Lord be if I let someone else go first and I go last instead!
Prayer: Oh God, I know that you understand my fear of being left behind, of being last in line. I know that your word says that “the last shall be first and the first shall be last” (Matthew 20:16). Help me to turn my day over to you moment by moment so that each activity becomes an act of worshipping You first. Sanctify my daily activities so that everything I do is in consideration of pleasing You, Lord.
Slay that Giant: Make a journal entry regarding a habit you wish to break. Give it over to God and watch Him work that thorn out of your flesh.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Day 6 - Six Fingers - Giant of Slavery to Sin
Day 6 “Six Fingers” – the Giant of Slavery to Sin
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 21:20-21. There was war at Gath again, where there was a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also had been born to the giant. When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, struck him down.
I Peter 5:8 Watch out – for your enemy the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to destroy.
I read about “Six Fingers” when I was doing research on the story of David and Goliath. In studying the book, Giant Killers, by Dennis Jernigan, I discovered that Goliath wasn’t the only giant in the Bible. There were whole tribes of these huge monsters who went around terrifying everyone. “Six Fingers” was a guy with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. (Nowadays they call this rare phenomenon polydactyly, meaning multiple digits). Anyway, imagine getting into a fight with Six Fingers – boy, would he have a tight grip on you! You would not make it out alive if you fought with Six Fingers because he would have more strength in each hand and foot.
Six Fingers didn't make it out alive, though, when he came up against Jonathan, the son of Shimei, who was one of David’s sons – so Jonathan was David’s nephew. David at this point is older than when he killed Goliath as a teenager. So now he is surrounding himself with younger, stronger warriors. He could not fight these giants by himself anymore. He needed help to fight giants such as this one who had some bonus fingers and toes. This guy was super strong! Powerful!
Do we see the parallel between that guy’s power and the power of sin? It enslaves us, does it not? When sin gets its ugly chokehold around our neck, we are in the fight of our lives. Think about someone you know who just cannot seem to break free of a destructive habit. They feel powerless under the heavy weight of the sin. Every time they manage to break free, it seems they no sooner get a taste of that freedom when suddenly they are snatched back into the pit of slavery to the sin.
Like the verse above says – the devil is like a roaring lion or, as in the above verses, a guy with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, looking for someone to enslave in his grip. We really do need to watch out for this giant. He loves to repeatedly bring us back into bondage. He likes it when we are deep in that pit, for the deeper the pit, the harder it is for us to pry our hands free and crawl out of it.
Who then can help us? Our hero today is a meek little guy named Submission. Like the younger David versus Goliath, Submission doesn’t seem to stand a chance against Six Fingers. That seems weak! But James 4:7 tells us to “submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” What power will come from that simple action of submission! If we submit our total will to God, He will give us the strength we need to resist the devil’s temptations. When we do that, the Bible says that the devil will flee and let us out of his six-fingered grasp. Praise God for the power He gives us through submission to His will!
Prayer: Oh Lord, how we need your power. We need your power so that we may submit our will to Your own. Only through submission to You can we break free of the chokehold that “Six Fingers” has around our necks. Give us the power to submit to an All-Loving, All-Powerful God. Amen.
Slay that Giant: Do you have a problem with a sin that seems to have a six-fingered grasp on you? Does it seem to be more powerful than you? Sometimes we need to just “pick up our mat and walk” away from that sinful area of our lives, as the paralytic did in the book of John Chapter 5. Other times, we really need a professional to help us. To ask for help is not a weakness. It is instead a sign of strength. There are godly counselors in most geographical areas who can help. Ask your pastor for references if that is where you find yourself struggling at this time.
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 21:20-21. There was war at Gath again, where there was a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also had been born to the giant. When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, struck him down.
I Peter 5:8 Watch out – for your enemy the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to destroy.
I read about “Six Fingers” when I was doing research on the story of David and Goliath. In studying the book, Giant Killers, by Dennis Jernigan, I discovered that Goliath wasn’t the only giant in the Bible. There were whole tribes of these huge monsters who went around terrifying everyone. “Six Fingers” was a guy with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. (Nowadays they call this rare phenomenon polydactyly, meaning multiple digits). Anyway, imagine getting into a fight with Six Fingers – boy, would he have a tight grip on you! You would not make it out alive if you fought with Six Fingers because he would have more strength in each hand and foot.
Six Fingers didn't make it out alive, though, when he came up against Jonathan, the son of Shimei, who was one of David’s sons – so Jonathan was David’s nephew. David at this point is older than when he killed Goliath as a teenager. So now he is surrounding himself with younger, stronger warriors. He could not fight these giants by himself anymore. He needed help to fight giants such as this one who had some bonus fingers and toes. This guy was super strong! Powerful!
Do we see the parallel between that guy’s power and the power of sin? It enslaves us, does it not? When sin gets its ugly chokehold around our neck, we are in the fight of our lives. Think about someone you know who just cannot seem to break free of a destructive habit. They feel powerless under the heavy weight of the sin. Every time they manage to break free, it seems they no sooner get a taste of that freedom when suddenly they are snatched back into the pit of slavery to the sin.
Like the verse above says – the devil is like a roaring lion or, as in the above verses, a guy with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, looking for someone to enslave in his grip. We really do need to watch out for this giant. He loves to repeatedly bring us back into bondage. He likes it when we are deep in that pit, for the deeper the pit, the harder it is for us to pry our hands free and crawl out of it.
Who then can help us? Our hero today is a meek little guy named Submission. Like the younger David versus Goliath, Submission doesn’t seem to stand a chance against Six Fingers. That seems weak! But James 4:7 tells us to “submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” What power will come from that simple action of submission! If we submit our total will to God, He will give us the strength we need to resist the devil’s temptations. When we do that, the Bible says that the devil will flee and let us out of his six-fingered grasp. Praise God for the power He gives us through submission to His will!
Prayer: Oh Lord, how we need your power. We need your power so that we may submit our will to Your own. Only through submission to You can we break free of the chokehold that “Six Fingers” has around our necks. Give us the power to submit to an All-Loving, All-Powerful God. Amen.
Slay that Giant: Do you have a problem with a sin that seems to have a six-fingered grasp on you? Does it seem to be more powerful than you? Sometimes we need to just “pick up our mat and walk” away from that sinful area of our lives, as the paralytic did in the book of John Chapter 5. Other times, we really need a professional to help us. To ask for help is not a weakness. It is instead a sign of strength. There are godly counselors in most geographical areas who can help. Ask your pastor for references if that is where you find yourself struggling at this time.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Those Giant Stormy Seas of Life
Day 5 Those Giant Stormy Seas of Life
Scripture Reading: Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown! He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and said, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!" Matthew 8:23-27
Do the stormy seas of life tend to drown your spirit? Do you lack the spiritual strength to stand on mountains? Do you have an insatiable hunger for something that threatens to engulf you? Today we battle the giant that we call the “stormy seas of life.” This giant could actually be the weather itself, or it could be the metaphorical “weather of life” with all of life’s storms, the winds of change that toss us to-and-fro spiritually, and circumstances which, like a blizzard or a white-out, can blind us to the truth of Jesus Christ.
We can get so disoriented by the shifting sands of others’ opinions or beliefs that we can just take a real nosedive ourselves, can't we? It’s kind of like what happened to John Kennedy Jr. several years ago, when the plane he was flying got caught in some haze upon his descent to Martha’s Vineyard. He was not trained to fly by the controls and had to fly by sight – unfortunately he could not see the ground because of the ground cover! He got disoriented and thought “up” was “down” and he, his wife and their traveling companion perished when the plane crashed.
We get disoriented too, don’t we? The stormy seas of life can make maneuvering very treacherous for us. So let’s reflect for a moment on the Great Enemy of the Giant of Stormy Seas. It’s the very Hands of Jesus Christ – who calms the seas and makes the trees bow down to Him.
Today we reprint the lyrics from that beautiful song, “You Raise Me Up.” Consider these words as you prayerfully ask the Lord to remain constant throughout the storms of your life, whether they be situational, interpersonal, or spiritual. Praise God as we allow His loving arms to “raise us up” to more than we can be.
You Raise Me Up (lyrics by Brendan Graham)
When I am down, and oh, my soul, so weary – When troubles come and my heart burdened be
Then I am still – and wait here in the silence. Until you come – and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up – so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong – when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up – to more than I can be.
There is no life – no life without this hunger. Each restless heart – beats so imperfectly
But when you come – and I am filled with wonder – Sometimes I think – I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up – so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up – to walk on stormy seas
I am strong – when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up – to more than I can be.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for raising us up to more than we can be. Thank You for never leaving us through the storms of life. Help us to defeat this giant! We cannot change the weather or life’s unexpected storms, but we can ask you to hold us up, to help us stand on mountains, and to give us a better foothold – because we’re standing in your footprints, and resting in your arms. Amen.
Slay the Giant: Stormy weather can be treacherous, but it also reflects the power of a mighty God. As winter bears down on us and threatens never to leave, look outside and consider how beautiful this snowy season can be. Get a magnifying glass, go out and scoop up some snow, and look at a pinch of snow through the glass to get a glimpse of those individual snowflakes. God made every one of them different and unique. How amazing is our God!
If it is spring or summer when you read this, check out a group of tall trees during a storm. Watch how they bend and wave during the storm. Their roots are strong and deep. They know who their maker is. All of nature during a storm – the winds – the trees – it is as if they are all genuflecting – bowing – in obedience and worship to their Lord! Praise God! Even the winds obey him!
Scripture Reading: Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown! He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and said, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!" Matthew 8:23-27
Do the stormy seas of life tend to drown your spirit? Do you lack the spiritual strength to stand on mountains? Do you have an insatiable hunger for something that threatens to engulf you? Today we battle the giant that we call the “stormy seas of life.” This giant could actually be the weather itself, or it could be the metaphorical “weather of life” with all of life’s storms, the winds of change that toss us to-and-fro spiritually, and circumstances which, like a blizzard or a white-out, can blind us to the truth of Jesus Christ.
We can get so disoriented by the shifting sands of others’ opinions or beliefs that we can just take a real nosedive ourselves, can't we? It’s kind of like what happened to John Kennedy Jr. several years ago, when the plane he was flying got caught in some haze upon his descent to Martha’s Vineyard. He was not trained to fly by the controls and had to fly by sight – unfortunately he could not see the ground because of the ground cover! He got disoriented and thought “up” was “down” and he, his wife and their traveling companion perished when the plane crashed.
We get disoriented too, don’t we? The stormy seas of life can make maneuvering very treacherous for us. So let’s reflect for a moment on the Great Enemy of the Giant of Stormy Seas. It’s the very Hands of Jesus Christ – who calms the seas and makes the trees bow down to Him.
Today we reprint the lyrics from that beautiful song, “You Raise Me Up.” Consider these words as you prayerfully ask the Lord to remain constant throughout the storms of your life, whether they be situational, interpersonal, or spiritual. Praise God as we allow His loving arms to “raise us up” to more than we can be.
You Raise Me Up (lyrics by Brendan Graham)
When I am down, and oh, my soul, so weary – When troubles come and my heart burdened be
Then I am still – and wait here in the silence. Until you come – and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up – so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong – when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up – to more than I can be.
There is no life – no life without this hunger. Each restless heart – beats so imperfectly
But when you come – and I am filled with wonder – Sometimes I think – I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up – so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up – to walk on stormy seas
I am strong – when I am on your shoulders. You raise me up – to more than I can be.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for raising us up to more than we can be. Thank You for never leaving us through the storms of life. Help us to defeat this giant! We cannot change the weather or life’s unexpected storms, but we can ask you to hold us up, to help us stand on mountains, and to give us a better foothold – because we’re standing in your footprints, and resting in your arms. Amen.
Slay the Giant: Stormy weather can be treacherous, but it also reflects the power of a mighty God. As winter bears down on us and threatens never to leave, look outside and consider how beautiful this snowy season can be. Get a magnifying glass, go out and scoop up some snow, and look at a pinch of snow through the glass to get a glimpse of those individual snowflakes. God made every one of them different and unique. How amazing is our God!
If it is spring or summer when you read this, check out a group of tall trees during a storm. Watch how they bend and wave during the storm. Their roots are strong and deep. They know who their maker is. All of nature during a storm – the winds – the trees – it is as if they are all genuflecting – bowing – in obedience and worship to their Lord! Praise God! Even the winds obey him!
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Giant of Approval from Others
Scripture Reading: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we might be called the children of God! And that is what we are!” I John 3:1
Do you care too much about what others think of you? Do you need to be accepted by other people in order to feel good about yourself? Are you sort of “addicted” to approval? These are tough questions to consider.
Joyce Meyer has an interesting book called Approval Addiction. If you were to read it, you might end up thinking (like I did) that you need some kind of “approval intervention”! I just identified with so many areas in which we seem to crave others’ approval. If I had to play a tape recorder of my mind’s thoughts as I go about my insecure day, it might sound like: “Why did that person look at me that way? Is my sweater a bad color? Is my hair the wrong color? I don’t think that person likes me. I don’t even think my husband likes me very much right now. I don’t think my kids like me. And I know for a FACT that I don’t like me right now. Why didn't so-and-so call me back? Maybe she is mad at me. Maybe I said something that hurt her feelings. Why did that other person say …..” and on and on.
As the giant of approval accuses me of being not worthy for others’ approval, what gets drowned out is that clear message from my Lord and Savior that He gave me in I John 3:1 – how GREAT is the LOVE my Heavenly Father has lavished on me – that I might be called the child of God! And that is what I AM! I am a child of God – chosen, made, created, and loved – by my Heavenly Father. He made me – He knows me – He understands me – He accepts me – just as I am. Now, He loves me too much to want me to stay in this pit of approval addiction, so He gently nudges at me through the Holy Spirit. “I love you, Lisa. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are my child. Rest in that.”
Didn’t you just love it when your parents were proud of you for something you did? Wouldn't you have just loved it even more if your parents would say, “No matter what – we love you. We think you're GREAT!” That’s our Lord. He says that too. He says that to ALL of His children. He loves us because He made us, not because of good things we have done, but because we are His workmanship.
So why would I succumb to that giant – that nasty voice that says others don’t approve of me? Don’t we do this? Don’t we all seem to require that our circle of friends love and approve of us? Take heart, friends, for we have approval from the only One whose approval we require: God our Heavenly Father.
Prayer: Lord, I know you love me. Help me to believe that! Help me to know that Your love is so great that it doesn’t matter one stitch what another person may think of me. Your approval is all I need. And You give it to me through the Bible and through Your Holy Spirit. Thank You! Thank you for making me the way you did. Help me to be content in your Heavenly approval of me.
Slay the Giant: Just once today try to resist the urge to ask for someone else’s opinion or approval on something about yourself. Turn instead to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to guide you in this search for approval. See what happens!
Do you care too much about what others think of you? Do you need to be accepted by other people in order to feel good about yourself? Are you sort of “addicted” to approval? These are tough questions to consider.
Joyce Meyer has an interesting book called Approval Addiction. If you were to read it, you might end up thinking (like I did) that you need some kind of “approval intervention”! I just identified with so many areas in which we seem to crave others’ approval. If I had to play a tape recorder of my mind’s thoughts as I go about my insecure day, it might sound like: “Why did that person look at me that way? Is my sweater a bad color? Is my hair the wrong color? I don’t think that person likes me. I don’t even think my husband likes me very much right now. I don’t think my kids like me. And I know for a FACT that I don’t like me right now. Why didn't so-and-so call me back? Maybe she is mad at me. Maybe I said something that hurt her feelings. Why did that other person say …..” and on and on.
As the giant of approval accuses me of being not worthy for others’ approval, what gets drowned out is that clear message from my Lord and Savior that He gave me in I John 3:1 – how GREAT is the LOVE my Heavenly Father has lavished on me – that I might be called the child of God! And that is what I AM! I am a child of God – chosen, made, created, and loved – by my Heavenly Father. He made me – He knows me – He understands me – He accepts me – just as I am. Now, He loves me too much to want me to stay in this pit of approval addiction, so He gently nudges at me through the Holy Spirit. “I love you, Lisa. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are my child. Rest in that.”
Didn’t you just love it when your parents were proud of you for something you did? Wouldn't you have just loved it even more if your parents would say, “No matter what – we love you. We think you're GREAT!” That’s our Lord. He says that too. He says that to ALL of His children. He loves us because He made us, not because of good things we have done, but because we are His workmanship.
So why would I succumb to that giant – that nasty voice that says others don’t approve of me? Don’t we do this? Don’t we all seem to require that our circle of friends love and approve of us? Take heart, friends, for we have approval from the only One whose approval we require: God our Heavenly Father.
Prayer: Lord, I know you love me. Help me to believe that! Help me to know that Your love is so great that it doesn’t matter one stitch what another person may think of me. Your approval is all I need. And You give it to me through the Bible and through Your Holy Spirit. Thank You! Thank you for making me the way you did. Help me to be content in your Heavenly approval of me.
Slay the Giant: Just once today try to resist the urge to ask for someone else’s opinion or approval on something about yourself. Turn instead to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to guide you in this search for approval. See what happens!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Day 3 - the Giant of "More, More, More"
Scripture Reading: “Be content with what you have, because God has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
“Godliness with contentment is great gain” … I Timothy 6:6.
If you had to turn the giant of “More” into an actual living, breathing, person, what would he (or she) look like? This past winter our son was participating in youth wrestling, so we might jokingly call “More” an 8-year-old-boy who comes home after wrestling practice and asks for something to eat, and then five minutes later, returns and says “can I have some more” and then five minutes later it’s the same thing, and you start to wonder where the food is all going. It seems like it’s never enough! He just wants more and more and more.
We look at all the drugstores that have sprung up in the area over the last few years and wonder why they keep building more and more and more of them. Tom’s parents even have a drugstore in their area called “Phar-MOR.” We see all the new fast food restaurants and wonder if they will survive – and yes, they probably will, because they offer more and more and more and more. When I was a kid, a 12-ounce soft drink was typically offered with a fast food meal. Now – it’s 42 ounces, right? It’s the Big Gulp and it’s the humongous burrito from Chipotle and it’s the super-sized fries. Small just wasn’t enough, it seems.
Whoever “More” looks like, it’s safe to say he or she is never satisfied. The giant of “more” is a bottomless pit. “More” seems to taunt us that if this little bite is so good, then more of it will be even better.
I have read that with taste buds, it’s that first bite that is the best. Our taste buds are quick learners, it seems, and they rapidly adjust to that awesome first bite and nothing tastes quite as good after that. But we want to experience the awesomeness of that first bite and so we go after more and more and more and more … and it doesn’t satisfy. Next thing you know, you ate too much and feel awful. All because you chased that evil giant of “More.”
Take heart, though: More has an enemy, as all giants do, and his name is “Enough.” He is described in the verses above. His name is God, and He tells us that He is “Enough.” Like that great Chris Tomlin song we sang in worship service recently, entitled “Enough”: All of You is more than enough for all of me – For every thirst and every need – You satisfy me with Your love – And all I have in You is more than enough…”
Prayer: Oh God, help me to be content with what I have! Help me to not chase after “More”. More has lots of children and their names are all the same – More! I suspect that the only More that you wish I would chase after – is MORE of You. Because You will make me content. You will supply all that I need. Help me to be like Paul, who learned how to be content in all circumstances (see Philippians 14:11).
Slay that Giant: First, let’s consider the topic of food. If you like some kind of food too much – doesn’t matter what it is – try an experiment today of stopping after the first bite. Ask God to help you to be content with just a little bit of it. Warning - it might be difficult at first! But Praise God as He gives you self-control in this area!
Secondly, a word of general encouragement as you fight the Giant of More in any particular area of your life. Yes, I agree, this can be a real battle! But as Christian author Beth Moore says, “Plan your victories!” This means that as we ask Christ to help us in our fight against the Giant of More, we should also “pick up our mat and walk,” just as Christ told the paralytic to do. Don’t wait to succeed in this battle. Be confident that God, who has started a good work within you, will work it to completion. I am content with that!
“Godliness with contentment is great gain” … I Timothy 6:6.
If you had to turn the giant of “More” into an actual living, breathing, person, what would he (or she) look like? This past winter our son was participating in youth wrestling, so we might jokingly call “More” an 8-year-old-boy who comes home after wrestling practice and asks for something to eat, and then five minutes later, returns and says “can I have some more” and then five minutes later it’s the same thing, and you start to wonder where the food is all going. It seems like it’s never enough! He just wants more and more and more.
We look at all the drugstores that have sprung up in the area over the last few years and wonder why they keep building more and more and more of them. Tom’s parents even have a drugstore in their area called “Phar-MOR.” We see all the new fast food restaurants and wonder if they will survive – and yes, they probably will, because they offer more and more and more and more. When I was a kid, a 12-ounce soft drink was typically offered with a fast food meal. Now – it’s 42 ounces, right? It’s the Big Gulp and it’s the humongous burrito from Chipotle and it’s the super-sized fries. Small just wasn’t enough, it seems.
Whoever “More” looks like, it’s safe to say he or she is never satisfied. The giant of “more” is a bottomless pit. “More” seems to taunt us that if this little bite is so good, then more of it will be even better.
I have read that with taste buds, it’s that first bite that is the best. Our taste buds are quick learners, it seems, and they rapidly adjust to that awesome first bite and nothing tastes quite as good after that. But we want to experience the awesomeness of that first bite and so we go after more and more and more and more … and it doesn’t satisfy. Next thing you know, you ate too much and feel awful. All because you chased that evil giant of “More.”
Take heart, though: More has an enemy, as all giants do, and his name is “Enough.” He is described in the verses above. His name is God, and He tells us that He is “Enough.” Like that great Chris Tomlin song we sang in worship service recently, entitled “Enough”: All of You is more than enough for all of me – For every thirst and every need – You satisfy me with Your love – And all I have in You is more than enough…”
Prayer: Oh God, help me to be content with what I have! Help me to not chase after “More”. More has lots of children and their names are all the same – More! I suspect that the only More that you wish I would chase after – is MORE of You. Because You will make me content. You will supply all that I need. Help me to be like Paul, who learned how to be content in all circumstances (see Philippians 14:11).
Slay that Giant: First, let’s consider the topic of food. If you like some kind of food too much – doesn’t matter what it is – try an experiment today of stopping after the first bite. Ask God to help you to be content with just a little bit of it. Warning - it might be difficult at first! But Praise God as He gives you self-control in this area!
Secondly, a word of general encouragement as you fight the Giant of More in any particular area of your life. Yes, I agree, this can be a real battle! But as Christian author Beth Moore says, “Plan your victories!” This means that as we ask Christ to help us in our fight against the Giant of More, we should also “pick up our mat and walk,” just as Christ told the paralytic to do. Don’t wait to succeed in this battle. Be confident that God, who has started a good work within you, will work it to completion. I am content with that!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Slaying Our Giants-Day Two. The Giant of PRIDE.
Scripture Readings:
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13
Pride goes before destruction; a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18
Also read Isaiah 13:11.
In the Sunday night women’s Bible study, “Living in Love with Jesus,” we have been looking at some of the things that get in the way of our walk with the Lord. One of the giants that presents a major stumbling block is Pride. Here are two examples of the Giant of Pride from our study.
Christian recording artist/author Kathy Troccoli, one of the leaders of this video-assisted study, said that one day she was sitting in her friend’s living room in October and was absolutely mesmerized by the colors of the leaves on the trees that gorgeous autumn day. Bold yellows and reds and oranges – just blazingly beautiful. She did some research on how leaves turn colors, and she learned (and maybe we all learned this in high school but I sure forgot it) – that it’s the chlorophyll in the leaves that makes them so green in the summer. When the chlorophyll dies in the fall, the beautiful colors of red and yellow and orange in the leaves can now be seen. They were there all along; they were just overshadowed by the green. Only when the green in the leaves dies can all the beautiful colors of the leaves come out of hiding.
That’s the way it is with the Giant of Pride – we have to bludgeon that nasty giant so that the true beauty of Christ that is in us can be seen. Pride simply has to die before Christ can shine in us.
The second example is in the Biblical story of Esther. A real-life embodiment of Pride is found in Haman, King Xerxes’ right-hand man. Haman the Prideful Giant is defeated by his nemesis, Humility, seen in the person of Queen Esther. Do you know the story? King Xerxes has been hosting a six-month-long party and tries to coax his wife, Queen Vashti, out of hiding so that he can parade her around in front of his court. Vashti refuses and is sent away. A contest to choose the next queen is arranged, and the Jewish Esther wins. She hides her ancestry from the king on the advice of her wise cousin Mordecai. The Jewish-hating Haman gets the job of second-in-command, much to the dismay of Mordecai, who refuses to bow down to the prideful Haman. Haman is incensed at this lack of respect, and concocts a plot whereby he convinces the king to execute all Jews. Esther must reveal her true identity to the king if she is to have any chance at saving her people. She does so, risking her life in the process, and in the end Haman is the one executed, while the Jewish people earn the right to defend themselves against the Persians.
So, Haman’s Pride is a one-hued giant that tries to dominate but falls, as Esther’s humility shines through in this dramatic story of a near-Holocaust. Esther is like all the beautiful colors of the rainbow that come out after the storm, when the prideful Haman is destroyed.
Prayer: Dear Lord, You are so beautiful. Only You in us can make us beautiful from the inside out. Help us, Lord, to dress ourselves in Your colors. Help us to wear the garments of holiness, of righteousness, of love, of kindness, of humility. Thank you for being with us as we disable the powers of the prideful giant in our hearts.
Slay that Giant: In worship services we have been singing a great song about being clothed in beauty on the inside. It is titled, appropriately, “Inside Out”. Consider these lyrics as you seek the Lord’s help in making you beautiful from the inside out.
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13
Pride goes before destruction; a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18
Also read Isaiah 13:11.
In the Sunday night women’s Bible study, “Living in Love with Jesus,” we have been looking at some of the things that get in the way of our walk with the Lord. One of the giants that presents a major stumbling block is Pride. Here are two examples of the Giant of Pride from our study.
Christian recording artist/author Kathy Troccoli, one of the leaders of this video-assisted study, said that one day she was sitting in her friend’s living room in October and was absolutely mesmerized by the colors of the leaves on the trees that gorgeous autumn day. Bold yellows and reds and oranges – just blazingly beautiful. She did some research on how leaves turn colors, and she learned (and maybe we all learned this in high school but I sure forgot it) – that it’s the chlorophyll in the leaves that makes them so green in the summer. When the chlorophyll dies in the fall, the beautiful colors of red and yellow and orange in the leaves can now be seen. They were there all along; they were just overshadowed by the green. Only when the green in the leaves dies can all the beautiful colors of the leaves come out of hiding.
That’s the way it is with the Giant of Pride – we have to bludgeon that nasty giant so that the true beauty of Christ that is in us can be seen. Pride simply has to die before Christ can shine in us.
The second example is in the Biblical story of Esther. A real-life embodiment of Pride is found in Haman, King Xerxes’ right-hand man. Haman the Prideful Giant is defeated by his nemesis, Humility, seen in the person of Queen Esther. Do you know the story? King Xerxes has been hosting a six-month-long party and tries to coax his wife, Queen Vashti, out of hiding so that he can parade her around in front of his court. Vashti refuses and is sent away. A contest to choose the next queen is arranged, and the Jewish Esther wins. She hides her ancestry from the king on the advice of her wise cousin Mordecai. The Jewish-hating Haman gets the job of second-in-command, much to the dismay of Mordecai, who refuses to bow down to the prideful Haman. Haman is incensed at this lack of respect, and concocts a plot whereby he convinces the king to execute all Jews. Esther must reveal her true identity to the king if she is to have any chance at saving her people. She does so, risking her life in the process, and in the end Haman is the one executed, while the Jewish people earn the right to defend themselves against the Persians.
So, Haman’s Pride is a one-hued giant that tries to dominate but falls, as Esther’s humility shines through in this dramatic story of a near-Holocaust. Esther is like all the beautiful colors of the rainbow that come out after the storm, when the prideful Haman is destroyed.
Prayer: Dear Lord, You are so beautiful. Only You in us can make us beautiful from the inside out. Help us, Lord, to dress ourselves in Your colors. Help us to wear the garments of holiness, of righteousness, of love, of kindness, of humility. Thank you for being with us as we disable the powers of the prideful giant in our hearts.
Slay that Giant: In worship services we have been singing a great song about being clothed in beauty on the inside. It is titled, appropriately, “Inside Out”. Consider these lyrics as you seek the Lord’s help in making you beautiful from the inside out.
Slaying Our Giants-Day One. The Giant of Shame
Day 1 Goliath, The Giant of Shame
Scripture Reading: Read I Samuel chapter 17.
Ephesians 6:11-17. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes . . . Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace . . . take up the shield of faith . . . (to) extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
We all know the story of David and Goliath, how David took five smooth stones and slayed the giant Goliath. But do you know what the name “Goliath” means? It means “to be disgracefully stripped naked.” Yuck! Now, Goliath did not literally strip people naked, but he did it, figuratively speaking. For forty days, Goliath, a nearly ten-foot tall Philistine, strutted around and taunted the Israelite soldiers, to take him on. “Bring me a man to fight me – a real man!” he basically was saying. He was so sure that he could take down any potential foe that he taunted, “If you win, I will be your slave – but if I win – you will be MY slave!”
Isn’t that just like a bully? Walking around teasing and tormenting his foes. Daring anyone to fight him. Just the sound of his voice would be enough to send anyone packing, or running for the hills. Who then could imagine that David, the lowly shepherd boy, the youngest of eight boys, a teenager, would be able to defeat him? Even his bigger brothers did not dare go up against this Goliath. They were angry that he even showed up to bring them rations of cheese and bread. “What are you doing here?” they wondered. “Get out of here – this is a dangerous place! This is no place for a kid!” David was undaunted. He had fought bears – and won. He was familiar with rough terrain. “Who is this Philistine who is tormenting the soldiers?” he wondered. “Surely I can take him on.” His youthful inexperience worked as an advantage to him at this point in time. He was strong, courageous and confident – which is exactly the type of adversary that is needed to take down our first giant.
Goliath, the Giant of Shame, was defeated quickly by a surprising yet much more powerful adversary. Look at verse 45 to see what David possessed. He had something that Goliath lacked: true confidence, the kind that comes from the Lord. “You come at me with spear and sword,” he reminded Goliath, “but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” Whoa. What is David saying here? He is informing Goliath that no taunting, no threats, no attempt at shaming another, can even come close to the power that comes with the confidence we can have in an Almighty God.
Where did David get this confidence at such a young age? Not from big weapons like Goliath had. He wasn’t carrying spears and swords. He had only the slingshot and five stones. David’s confidence came from weaponry, for sure: namely, the armor of God. David, known as “a man after God’s own heart,” possessed the confidence that comes from being fully armed with the weaponry of God that is later described by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians: the belt of truth; the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace; the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit – the Word of God. David possesses these weapons. He is fully armed. Confident, he was ready to face the giant Goliath. The more powerful man won. Praise God for His power! How great is Our God!
Prayer: Dear Lord, You alone are powerful! You are sharper than any two-edged sword or spear. How confident we should be in that Truth! Thank you for this example of Confidence – the Confidence that we can have, knowing that our strength, our power, is in You alone.
Slay that Giant: Do you harbor any shame toward anything that has happened to you in the past? Set up that event in your mind against the power of the Holy Spirit. He is stronger than that memory! He has conquered that shame! Now possess that confidence! Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Holy Bible.
Scripture Reading: Read I Samuel chapter 17.
Ephesians 6:11-17. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes . . . Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace . . . take up the shield of faith . . . (to) extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
We all know the story of David and Goliath, how David took five smooth stones and slayed the giant Goliath. But do you know what the name “Goliath” means? It means “to be disgracefully stripped naked.” Yuck! Now, Goliath did not literally strip people naked, but he did it, figuratively speaking. For forty days, Goliath, a nearly ten-foot tall Philistine, strutted around and taunted the Israelite soldiers, to take him on. “Bring me a man to fight me – a real man!” he basically was saying. He was so sure that he could take down any potential foe that he taunted, “If you win, I will be your slave – but if I win – you will be MY slave!”
Isn’t that just like a bully? Walking around teasing and tormenting his foes. Daring anyone to fight him. Just the sound of his voice would be enough to send anyone packing, or running for the hills. Who then could imagine that David, the lowly shepherd boy, the youngest of eight boys, a teenager, would be able to defeat him? Even his bigger brothers did not dare go up against this Goliath. They were angry that he even showed up to bring them rations of cheese and bread. “What are you doing here?” they wondered. “Get out of here – this is a dangerous place! This is no place for a kid!” David was undaunted. He had fought bears – and won. He was familiar with rough terrain. “Who is this Philistine who is tormenting the soldiers?” he wondered. “Surely I can take him on.” His youthful inexperience worked as an advantage to him at this point in time. He was strong, courageous and confident – which is exactly the type of adversary that is needed to take down our first giant.
Goliath, the Giant of Shame, was defeated quickly by a surprising yet much more powerful adversary. Look at verse 45 to see what David possessed. He had something that Goliath lacked: true confidence, the kind that comes from the Lord. “You come at me with spear and sword,” he reminded Goliath, “but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” Whoa. What is David saying here? He is informing Goliath that no taunting, no threats, no attempt at shaming another, can even come close to the power that comes with the confidence we can have in an Almighty God.
Where did David get this confidence at such a young age? Not from big weapons like Goliath had. He wasn’t carrying spears and swords. He had only the slingshot and five stones. David’s confidence came from weaponry, for sure: namely, the armor of God. David, known as “a man after God’s own heart,” possessed the confidence that comes from being fully armed with the weaponry of God that is later described by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians: the belt of truth; the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace; the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit – the Word of God. David possesses these weapons. He is fully armed. Confident, he was ready to face the giant Goliath. The more powerful man won. Praise God for His power! How great is Our God!
Prayer: Dear Lord, You alone are powerful! You are sharper than any two-edged sword or spear. How confident we should be in that Truth! Thank you for this example of Confidence – the Confidence that we can have, knowing that our strength, our power, is in You alone.
Slay that Giant: Do you harbor any shame toward anything that has happened to you in the past? Set up that event in your mind against the power of the Holy Spirit. He is stronger than that memory! He has conquered that shame! Now possess that confidence! Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Holy Bible.
Are You Ready To Slay Your Giants?
Hi everyone,
Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. Tom retired in June of 2008 and we have been in a sort of lifestyle tailspin. We have been just trying to figure out who we are now and what we should do and what GOD wants us to do, most of all!
Retirement is definitely NOT what Tom and I thought it would be. We should have prayed more about getting prepared for it.
The biggest thing I would say, after one year "in", is this: Life is still expensive, and life is still difficult, even after you retire.
If that is a disappointing conclusion, let me tell you something that I also know for sure: God is still with us retirees! He is our Giant-Killer! He is our Strength and our Redeemer!
Will you come along with us in these next few posts as we slay giants together? I have written a four-week devotional called "Slaying Your Giants" and I would like to share it on this blog.
What, you might ask, are the giants that need to be slayed in our lives? Oh, I'm glad you asked. There are so many! Giants represent the things in our lives that we battle. It could be another person. It could be a compulsion within ourselves. It could be an addiction. It could be just a nasty habit. It could be money. It could be an activity like shopping or eating. A giant is a foe - an enemy - a "something" that gets in the way of our living the life that God intended for us to live.
Remember David and Goliath? David fought the giant, nearly 10 foot tall Goliath, and killed him with just five smooth stones and a slingshot. He had the power of GOD in those stones. Goliath had his physical prowess and his verbal weapons of boasting, bragging and taunting. Guess who won? This true story is a powerful metaphor for the "giants" in our lives that threaten to take us down.
Come with me in the next few days as we battle giants. God is bigger than any of them!
Praise God! Sincerely, Lisa
Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. Tom retired in June of 2008 and we have been in a sort of lifestyle tailspin. We have been just trying to figure out who we are now and what we should do and what GOD wants us to do, most of all!
Retirement is definitely NOT what Tom and I thought it would be. We should have prayed more about getting prepared for it.
The biggest thing I would say, after one year "in", is this: Life is still expensive, and life is still difficult, even after you retire.
If that is a disappointing conclusion, let me tell you something that I also know for sure: God is still with us retirees! He is our Giant-Killer! He is our Strength and our Redeemer!
Will you come along with us in these next few posts as we slay giants together? I have written a four-week devotional called "Slaying Your Giants" and I would like to share it on this blog.
What, you might ask, are the giants that need to be slayed in our lives? Oh, I'm glad you asked. There are so many! Giants represent the things in our lives that we battle. It could be another person. It could be a compulsion within ourselves. It could be an addiction. It could be just a nasty habit. It could be money. It could be an activity like shopping or eating. A giant is a foe - an enemy - a "something" that gets in the way of our living the life that God intended for us to live.
Remember David and Goliath? David fought the giant, nearly 10 foot tall Goliath, and killed him with just five smooth stones and a slingshot. He had the power of GOD in those stones. Goliath had his physical prowess and his verbal weapons of boasting, bragging and taunting. Guess who won? This true story is a powerful metaphor for the "giants" in our lives that threaten to take us down.
Come with me in the next few days as we battle giants. God is bigger than any of them!
Praise God! Sincerely, Lisa
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)