Running Out?

"And she went and did..." 1 Kings 17:15

Enjoy reading 1 Kings 17: 1-16

Widowed. Alone. Destitute. Starving. Victim of drought. Ready to die. These words describe the widow of Zeraphath. (Her name isn't even mentioned in this account). She came from a nation who did not follow the God of Israel. She had no hope. She was ready to prepare her (and her son's) last meal. She was running out. If that wasn't bad enough, there was company at the door.

Enter Elijah the prophet. A man she didn't know (although apparently she knew him by reputation) comes asking for water and food during her difficult time. If anyone was a candidate for a hand out, it was her - not Elijah. This prophet of God didn't come with a bag of groceries. He came with a promise and instruction from his God... a promise of abundant food supply... if she gave what little she had. Elijah didn't focus on what was. He focused on what God said. This woman who did not know God had the same opportunity. I can imagine that she took a good long look at the last bit of oil and flour she had left. She could've had an attitude toward him... she could've allowed fear to paralyze her...but she went and did as Elijah asked.

Somehow, this woman acted in faith. Her fear of running out vanished in her faith of running over. She believed what God said. She had to take action, however. Faith is acting out what one believes. "She went and did". She gave. God met her running out with running over.

Are you in a running out situation? Running out of hope? Time? Patience? Money? First you must choose whether fear or faith will move you. Be encouraged- faith is what moves God. Listen for His instruction. Give what little bit you have left to God- use it for Him. He will respond to your faith. This nameless woman had her need met up to the brim and then some.

God will do the same for you- and He knows your name.

For extra encouragement read Matthew 15, Mark 8, Luke 9 and John 6 to see what Jesus did with a little boy's 2-piece fish dinner.

Scrapbooking Part 2

"...they were written for our instruction." 1 Corinthians 10:11

This verse couldn't be any clearer. What was journaled through Israel's history in the books of Chronicles is there for us to learn from. As we open the scrapbook of Israel's history, there is no denying- it is what it is. Israel made the choice as to how their history would be journaled and it cannot be changed. Fortunately, God can teach us through other's mistakes, and Israel has a mess of them for us to learn from, all recorded in permanent ink.

The nice thing about scrapooking? We do have a choice what we want to picture and journal. Usually, it's the good stuff. Birthdays, family reunions, milestone events, etc. we can leave out the ugly if we choose. I know I don't choose to scrapbook the uglier sides of my life. However, just like Israel, we have it all- the good, the bad and the ugly. And no matter what we choose to omit in an actual scrapbook, the ugly parts of our lives can still be a haunting reality. God sees the pages we've laid out in our spiritual scrapbook.

The best thing about our spiritual scrapbook? God's got an eraser! If there's an ugly picture (sin) we want omitted, He'll omit if for us! The eraser is (the blood of) Jesus- who died for this very reason-to take our sins away! He washes, forgives and forgets our sin. God no longer sees the picture(s) of guilt in our life. He tears it out and tapes over with a new picture. There may be consequences, and even some wreckage to deal with, but God will help us through, if we keep moving forward, believing and trusting in Him. Think about your own journey with God, if you will. What's in your scrapbook? Pages of obedience? Pages where you trusted God? Pages of anger? Peace? Pages of fear? Pages of quitting? What is being journaled for you? What pictures do you want?

Israel had continued difficulty in moving forward. They kept choosing to go back, not trusting what God told them and thus getting stranded in sin. God was always there, however, longing for them to choose what was best for them. There is so much to learn from their failures (and their successes). We have the same freedom to choose, as they did...what will I choose...what will you choose for your life's journal?

Scrapbooking Part 1

"So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies and they are written in the books of the Kings of Israel" 1 Chronicles 9:1

If ever there was a portion of Scripture I've been tempted to skim over it's the first nine chapters of Chronicles. Actually, I usually do succumb to the temptation to completely skip over this extremely long list of Jewish men's names. Many are unpronounceable and a majority of the names seem to be just that- a name. No story. No picture. Save for the short prayer by a man named Jabez, this lengthy writing has always seemed...well, a little "dull" to me.

At my last attempt to skip this list- God stopped me. I clearly heard him say "do not ignore these names". I've learned that when God speaks to my spirit - so unexpectedly, He's got something to reveal to my sometimes ignorant thought process. I figured that He would probably have to pound whatever the lesson was into my brain. What could I possibly get out of a record of names from a book that mostly repeats the two books I've just read (1 & 2 Kings)? I stopped and read the names.

I don't think I've ever been as humbled about reading Scripture as I was that day. Before I got out of chapter one, God showed me that although we don't know anything about a majority of these people listed, He knew all about them. They were important to Him and important enough to track in Israel's history. The same is true today. God knows our names. Everyone that truly follows Him- He keeps track! The generations of people promised to the patriarch Abraham had a place in the development of God's kingdom on earth. Even if only the name is listed, every person played a part. And so do all of us today.

The second lesson God taught me was that although Chronicles does repeat most of what was already written in the books of Kings, it was written with a different feeling and purpose. It was written as a reminder and encouragement to those who had been taken captive or born during their captive's reign. Those who had spent nearly a lifetime from their homeland were being given highlights of their history- the good, the bad and the ugly. They were being given encouragement that national unity was what God still intended for them. The Jews needed to know who the men and families were that played a part in their history. It was important to their faith - in order to have faith- to go back home.

I now look at Chronicles as a "spiritual scrapbook" of Israel. Pages of important family histories. Pictures of defeats & victories. Testimonies of the faithful and unfaithful; people just like me (and you) traveling on the roads they chose to take. Some pages broke God's heart. Some made Him smile. The reality and memory of these people has been preserved for our benefit. There's so much to learn from them. I'm so thankful that God urged me to stop and read this list of names.

Whatever

"And this temple was completed" Ezra 6:15

Enjoy reading Ezra 5:1-6:22

I think all of us from time to time are tempted to give up. This is something that seems to get in my face many times. It happened today, just trying to post these thoughts. :-) I know for myself when I have the urge to give up, I am walking by sight- not by faith. I have to change my mindset quickly. I believe that we all too easily fall prey to quitting because we focus on the negative. We become overwhelmed by a lack of confidence or we're taunted by criticism. We even become weary with prolonged waiting. Sometimes situations within our jobs, relationships, finances, health- any area of life- can leave us flat out discouraged and ready to walk away in defeat.

Zerubbabel had this exact problem. He put his heart & soul into overseeing the rebuilding of God's temple. Nearly from the start, Zerubbabel was caught off guard by enemy critics and fierce opposition. Ultimately it was a dead-end decree stamped by an unsupportive king that proved to be too much for Zerubbabel. Even though he knew God had given him this great opportunity, he allowed discouragement to settle in his heart and in the hearts of the people. He and his crew gave up. The work & vision of the temple being restored was abandoned.

I love what happens, however. God does two things:

First, He sends messages of correction, obedience and encouragement by way of two "fellow countrymen", Haggai and Zechariah. Secondly, when Zerubbabel & his crew heed the words and get back on track, God altars the situation and arranges for the enemy to finance the temple rebuild! Basically, they were told "whatever they need, you give it to them".

God has taught me that not only does He want me to hang in there when I think a situation is hopeless, but if I dare to believe in Him and trust Him and continue in faith- He will give me whatever I need to see it through. I've also learned not to ignore the "Haggais and Zechariahs" God sends my way. And I can only imagine the behind the scenes actions God is orchestrating in my behalf when I choose not to give up. No situation is hopeless as God has amazingly endless solutions.

If you are familiar (even if not) with the Scripture " 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit' says the Lord" (Zechariah 4:6), be encouraged. These are the exact words spoken to Zerubbabel regarding his decision to give up. God goes on to say "Zerubbabel has laid the foundation and Zerubbabel will finish it". What a powerful and personal message from God that He will see us through when we don't quit.

Is there a life building project overwhelming you? Hang in there. He will work things out in your behalf. Zerubbabel's was completed and so will it be with yours. God will give you whatever is needed. Whatever.

Almond Flavoring

"...search out a matter..." Proverbs 25:2

Enjoy reading Numbers 17:1-13

I've always enjoyed researching. Elementary school through college I researched many topics from Robins to Multi-modal Therapy. I loved learning something new and the feeling of being an expert (at least temporarily) on my researched subject. While most kids groaned when a teacher assigned a research project, I couldn't wait to get to the library.

I find taking some time to research portions of Scripture very valuable. It can bring flavor to a passage and an open door to a spiritual meaning I otherwise might not understand. God has tucked in so many nuggets of truth and inspiration throughout His Word and He wants us to search them out.

Numbers 17 is an example of a portion of Scripture I had read many times but never paid very much attention. One day I found myself asking "why did God make Almond buds appear on Aaron's rod? What do almonds have to do with settling a dispute over leadership?" I began to do a little research on almonds (online encyclopedias/dictionaries/ Bible Study sites are a tremendous help). Here are a few facts I discovered:

1) Almond trees are the first flowering trees of the season

2) The flowers appear before the leaves

3) The flowers form on dead wood

4) The Hebrew word for almond means "hasten" and "wakeful"

5) Almonds are a symbol of watchfulness and promise

At this point you may be asking "so what?" and I wouldn't blame you. I will leave the spiritual significance to you and your time with God, but my spirit jumped for joy when I came across these facts. God immediately opened my eyes to something HE was teaching me about leadership. What flavor these few bits of understanding added to my reading! God led me to this passage- but left it up to me to search it out. By taking a few extra minutes to seek out what I didn't understand, God revealed great understanding to me.

God will do the same for you. Any chapter- any verse- do a little research. Each time you search out a matter you will learn something new. There is rich (almond) flavoring available to help you gain wisdom and understanding in what God is teaching you through His word.

"Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it costs you, whatever else you get, get understanding". Proverbs 4:7

Text Me

"What do u want me 2 do 4 u? Matthew 20:32

We live in a world of technological abbreviations. The only "techno" abbreviation I knew as a kid was "TV". Wow! How advanced we've become in such a short time. My children have grown up with nothing but abbreviations in their world: "VCR", "DVD", "CD", "DVR", "PC", IM"...the list goes on.

The latest abbreviations to take our culture by storm are those used to communicate to one another through cell phone texting. "BRB", "CU", "LOL" "TTYL", "ILY". These short and sweet texts are like a modern day Morse Code, and always get the point across. I find it interesting that most people (especially teenagers) I've observed actually text more often than they talk on their cell phones. I guess it proves in part the power of the written word.

I began to wonder "if God could text us to get our attention, what would He say?" After all, He's already given us the greatest text of all - The Bible. The ultimate text message. Thousands upon thousands of (non-abbreviated) words He wants to impress upon our hearts. I began pouring over Jesus' words (red letter text) and found a few short messages that would make great texts. I hope any one of these texts from Jesus makes its way into your spirit and makes your day.

"Follow Me" Mt 4:19

"Pray...ask...believe" Mk 11:24

"Do good" Lk 6:35

"I'm the light" Jn 8:12

"Come to Me" Mt 11:28

"Keep praying" Mk 14: 38

"Compel them" Lk 14:23

"Do you love me?" Jn 21:17

"Go" Mt 28:19

"You give them" Mk 6:37

"Do not worry" Lk 12:29

"I'm the way" Jn 14:6

"Rejoice" Mt 5:12

"Listen to Me" Mk 7:14

"Blessed are you" Lk 6:20

God so loved" Jn 3:16

If you need a word from God today, ask Him to send you a "text".

Just be sure to check your inbox.

It's Delightful

"...and if you honor..." Isaiah 58:13

Enjoy reading Isaiah 58

Think for a moment, if you will, about what brings you delight. The dictionary defines delight as "a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment". An online dictionary adds that "delight usually brings an active expression". In other words, when you sense a high degree of enjoyment- you let people know it, or it shows on your face. What things bring you a "high degree of enjoyment"?

How does your walk with God rate on the delight scale? Do you delight in Him? Can you express how much joy God brings you? Is it showing on your face or is your daily life with God hum-drum at best? Do you wonder if He hears your prayers? Do you look forward to- or delight in God's day?

This verse in Isaiah deals with how we should view God's day. It is also a closing statement to a chapter in which God is teaching His people why they were having so many problems. His people were not delighting in Him. They had chosen to turn from His ways, and ended up finding selfishness, strife, wickedness and unanswered prayers. They were desperately crying out to God but they found no enjoyment in their walk with Him. God could not hear their prayers because of their choices, and they could not find delight in God because they sought their own pleasure, did their own thing and spoke their own words on His day. (Getting into this pattern was hazardous to Judah's well being. It was this pattern of neglect and dishonor that led to their captivity).

Why is God's day so significant? Will going to church (faithfully) solve all your problems? The answer is in verse 13...it all comes down to honor. To honor someone means to hold them in high respect. (Hundreds of years before Isaiah's time, God told His people "those who honor Me, I will honor" 1 Samuel 2:30). Treating God's day as a religious obligation or as a hopeful ticket out of trouble is not what moves the heart of God. It's all about honoring Him. He was speaking to all of His people, not just a few. He calls us to come together on His day and declare that His day is honorable and a delight. Shouldn't we honor God everyday? Of course! It is this one day; however, that God expects to have set aside-or rather-set apart by His people for Him. It is His day that He looks for His children to gather together to praise Him, delight in Him, and honor Him in unity. We must declare His day for this purpose. He says when we have this attitude, we will find delight in Him. He doesn't stop there - He goes on to say in verse 14 that He will lift us up! "Then you will find your delight in Me and I will cause you to ride above the heights of the earth". (I love how one translation phrases it - "I will cause you to soar above it all"). Do you have something you need to rise above?

Rock concerts are sold out. Sporting events fill huge stadiums. Political rallies crowd the streets. Movies are drawing in millions upon millions of dollars. All in honor of talented people God created. There should never be an empty seat in God's house on His day. He is looking for those whose hearts are determined to declare His day to be an honor and delight. ["For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His" 2 Chronicles 16:9]

If your faith is hum drum- if your feet are dragging in your walk with God-don't check your pulse-check your calender. If there's a pattern of scratching off God's day (remember He has 52 of them each year) to do other things, it will become hazadarous to your well being. I've seen it happen time and time again, (from people with different levels of faith) head-first falls into personal captivities. We must make every effort to mark and set aside God's day as a delight and honor to God. He is so worthy of honor. And He so wants to honor you!

Let us highly respect and esteem our God... from the rising of the sun, to a first song of praise, through an offering, through His written word, to an altar prayer, in our personal devotion to Him, until the setting of the sun. "Let us exalt His name together" (Psalm 34:3). Let us say of His day "it's delightful!"