Tag: pray

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Amazingly Healed

krisshetter

Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit

“When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So, they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]”

Mark 9:14-29

My eldest daughter is a doctor of physical therapy.  That alone is a miracle.  She studied and worked hard throughout her public school years and yet the results were not always reflective of that work.  Once she entered college she leaned on the lessons learned from getting help early and how to study.  She excelled beyond belief.  As a physical therapist she has seen the fruits of her labor – the healing power of her education.  She has helped many women in the specialty of lower abdomen and uterine pain.  I’m so proud of her.  That being said, as my faith journey moves along, I’ve accepted that some healing only comes from prayer.

“Begin to rejoice in the Lord, and your bones will flourish like an herb, and your cheeks will glow with the bloom of health and freshness.  Worry, fear, distrust, care—are all poisonous!  Joy is balm and healing, and if you will but rejoice, God will give power.”

A.B. Simpson

I like this quote because it reminds me of an amazing healing I saw take place in a friend many years ago.  She had fallen and broken her upper arm.  For many months she went to doctors’ appointments and had all sorts of imaging.  And yet her bone was not naturally re-growing and healing.  It became the usual sight to see her in an arm sling that year.  She was like a baby bird with a broken wing.  Her disappointment after each doctor’s appointment was evident.  And yet she kept praying for healing.  At the end of that painful year I still recall seeing her at church one day and she was full of joy!  Her doctor, on the other hand was so perplexed.  At her appointment that week she had another x-ray.  And her bone was completely healed.  The specialists had no explanation.  But she knew the amazing answer.  Her prayers were heard.

I love how the father in the Bible verse today has the guts to admit to Jesus’ face that he has doubts.  “IF you can do anything” is what he says.  And then asks for help in overcoming his unbelief.  My friend Betsy once shared a powerful prayer technique with my BSGs.  She said if you aren’t ready to believe or take action then ask, in prayer, for help in believing.  

How many of us, when faced with illness or injury aren’t really sure God can heal?  So many of us tend to rely solely on our surgeons, psychologists, specialists, etc. And we forget to turn to God for healing or even to ask for His guiding hands for those gifted doctors.  If you are unsure, pray to resolve your unbelief.  When the disciples asked Jesus why they weren’t able to cure the boy in this amazing Bible event he responded by telling them they needed to draw on the power of God through prayer. 

The disciples had been careless with their personal spiritual walk and had neglected communing with God through prayer and fasting.

Warren Wiersbe, New Testament Bible Commentary

Notice this is not about praying “enough” or being faithful “enough.”  It’s about praying and being faithful and believing.  His amazing healing power is available to the faithful.  And while we may not always know why or when He chooses to heal someone or not, we need to rest in trust that He has a plan far greater than ours.  We must never stop praying and asking for His amazing healing power.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

Powerful Prayer

krisshetter

Last Christmas, my new son-in-law sat reading a large paperback book.  I asked him about it.  He introduced me to “Spurgeon On Prayer & Spiritual Warfare,” a 575-page book filled with Charles Spurgeon’s sermons on prayer.  There are prayers on why to pray, how to pray, what to pray, and even when to pray.  After skimming over my son-in-law’s copy, I decided I needed my own copy.  I’ve only scratched the surface of the 54 sermons, but I’ve come to realize two important things about prayer: 1) Do it and 2) Do it earnestly.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:16

How many of us truly believe in the power of prayer?  Let’s back up a bit.  How many of us Christians truly believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light?  Unfortunately, I know quite a few people who say they are Christians but won’t stand up with assuredness that this statement is true.  We are so wrapped up in the idea of being judgemental – telling people their way isn’t the right way – that we are willing to give up this foundation stone.  We want to put the capstone on our faith by calling ourselves “Christians” without the foundation.  In doing so, we shove aside all the teachings of Jesus and how to express our faith out of love, rather than judgement.  We also tear down the place Jesus holds in the eternal world.

Let’s say we accept the statement that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light.  We are now miles ahead of the Pharisees.  This was their stumbling block.  So, if we accept this, we need to then look at prayer from that vantage point.  When Jesus is our Way and our Truth then we also accept God as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  And throughout scripture we are almost begged by God and Jesus to bring Him our trials, our joys, our sorrows, and our sins.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

Notice scripture doesn’t say “well, only when you feel you need to pray.”  It also doesn’t say to just pray when we are sick or worried.  In EVERY situation we are to pray.  Upon waking, eating breakfast, hopping in our car for work (or on our computer), when a friend or colleague starts gossiping, when a friend texts you with bad news, when you look out your window and see a blue sky, when you eat lunch, when you are working on a project, when you head home from work, arrive home safely (or after an accident), when you eat dinner, when you start worrying about things on the nightly news, when you lay your head down to sleep.  EVERY situation.

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.  Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.  Is anyone among you sick?  Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them.

James 5:13-14

I have to confess that God has revealed a painful truth to me about my prayer life.  When I am most worried about a situation is when I have the most difficult time praying.  I have a hard time slowing my mind down, focusing on Jesus, and asking Him to take control.   Back when I was a softball coach, I couldn’t stand watching a game when I was off the field.  I wanted to yell out directions to the players (I yell at the TV too).  But when I took my seat in the head coach’s spot, I would become calm.  It’s because I had some control over the situation.  So, when I need to give up my worries it’s like standing outside that fence, letting someone else be in charge. And that is very difficult for me.

We have an agreement, a covenant that God enters into with those who pray to Him and are helped by Him.

Charles Spurgeon

In other words, we must acknowledge that God is trustworthy and has delivered us before and He will do it again.  Our part is then to glorify Him through prayer and praise.  Glorify – that sounds more than just a passing “thanks, God.”  I’ve been guilty of that – if I even remembered to thank Him.  Which brings me to being earnest.

If we believe that Jesus is the Way and God is the powerful King of Kings, we must honor this exalted position.  Would you walk into the Queen of England’s throne room casually and just say, “hey, what’s up Queenie?  If it were at all possible would you be able to help me find a new job? I get it if you can’t but maybe you can try.”  Casual, and not very expecting.  God is God.  The One most High.   We should come in reverence and expectation.  He CAN do all.  He has done it all.  We need to plead with him, put our heart into it, and rap our knuckles as hard as possible against heaven’s door.  

How many of us actually have such low expectations of our prayers?  We say them with rote numbness.  My family used to say the exact same prayer at dinner time.  It comes to mean absolutely nothing and is usually expressed with that same nothingness.  My husband and I started praying in earnest this year over our evening meal.  We express thankfulness and joy for good things that happened.  We ask earnestly for healing of friends and family members.  And we ask Him to use us and place opportunities to be His light in this world in front of us.  It not only has helped us be in communion with God but it has also strengthened our marriage.

An earnest pleader comes out of his prayer closet rejoicing like a strong man ready to run his race.

Charles Spurgeon

I love that visual.  After praying all my prayer cards in my “war room” I frequently feel emboldened to take on the world as one of God’s blessed daughters.  How many of us who have children (or co-workers) and we’ve needed them to complete a task?  We mention it half-heartedly. They pretend not to hear us or just roll their eyes.  As a parent and coach, I eventually perfected “The Look.”  That’s the look that says “mom is serious about this so it’d better get done.”  That’s the look we need to have in our prayer life.  Expectation that God will answer our prayers.  It may sound sacrilegious to “expect God” to do something in our life but He himself has said to us over and over to trust Him, to ask Him, to plead with Him.

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

and forgive us our debts, as 

we have also forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation but 

deliver us from the evil one.”

Matthew 6:9-13

Do you see the glorification and exaltation of God in the first sentence?  Then, the trust and reminder that God’s will is meant to rule the earth.  We then ask him to provide for us.  Really, using the word “give” is like demanding.  Pleading with Him to forgive us.  And giving us hope for the future.  Man, was Jesus so great with words!  How many times have we recited this and not thought about what we are saying?  Next time we speak these words make it in earnest, bring some emotion to it!  Beg Him to forgive you and help you.

We are ordinary people asking extraordinary things from an amazing, loving, faithful, and powerful God. Throughout the Bible, people just like us asked for victory over large armies, the rain to fall and the rain to stop, for loved ones to be healed and even raised from the dead, for our never-ending ailments to be taken away, for our life of sin to be cleansed.  And God abided.   He healed us.  He saved us.  He made it rain.  He has showered us for centuries with answered prayers. 

If Jesus could lift a man from the dead, imagine what He can do with our prayers?

We must pray in earnest.  It is a supernatural, powerful tool that Jesus gave us.  Some of us use prayer like we are brushing our teeth – rote and without remembering all the benefits.  Something we have to do.  It’s time to take it up daily like a torch against the darkness, a sword against evil, and a golden gift presented to our Lord Most Exalted.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

Patience, Grasshopper

krisshetter

I’ve told my friends that looking back over my life so far, I really have only one regret.  It’s that I wish I had a closer relationship with Jesus when I was the parent of young kids.  My husband and I attended church fairly regularly.  But I was wrapped up in childrearing worries and stresses and didn’t know how to turn all that over to God.   I could’ve enjoyed many more hours of sleep had I not been such a “woulda, coulda, shoulda” person.  I found myself, during a very long season of self-doubt about my parenting skills, constantly praying for patience.  Literally praying every single night for about two years for patience.  You see, I was so afraid of turning into my mother – screaming at my kids and losing control – that I thought patience was the answer.  One Sunday, our pastor’s sermon was about praying.  He said, “If you keep praying about the same problem over and over and over maybe it’s time to start praying for something different.”   He had a knack for speaking on issues near and dear to me.   So that night I stopped praying for patience and instead prayed for ways to help me deal with difficult situations.

As I’ve grown closer to Jesus, He has taught me a lot of lessons.  He’s still teaching me.  And step-by-step He has moved me closer to my original plea for patience.  You see, I wasn’t ready to learn the hard stuff yet.  He just wanted me to start turning to Him when I was in need, when I was broken.  Patience may be a virtue but it is a heck of a hard thing to have and use regularly.  

You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”

James 5:8

I first needed to learn what standing firm, standing safely in God’s arms even meant.  I didn’t have the wisdom needed to grasp the joy in hearing that the Lord is coming near.  I heard on a Joyce Meyer’s podcast this morning that God gives us a lot of leeway and grace when we first become Christians.  But once we hear the Word and gain His wisdom, expectations change.  We are expected to act as His children, not as children of this world.  Think about that.  Every time we attend church, do a Bible study, listen to a Christian podcast, see a Christian post on social media we are hearing His Word.  We are learning the nature and expectations of God.  And He expects us to live as He prescribes.

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is the one’s glory to overlook offense.

Proverbs 19:11

Wisdom that we glean from God yields patience.  And when we are patient, that glorifies what we have learned from God.  We cannot be steeped in the nature of God without also knowing and acting in patience.  Why? Because patience means love.  It means grace.  It means forgiveness.  Thank God He is patient with us.  I never feel God rushes me to learn a lesson.  In fact, my lesson in patience has taken about 26 years.

I looked up on-line “how to be patient.”  I came across a website that focuses on self -improvement.  Here’s their reasons why we should learn patience.

  1. We make better decisions by assessing situations rather than going in emotional and blind.
  2. We have less stress by understanding some things take longer than others.
  3. Our relationships are improved because we are more flexible and understanding.

Doesn’t that all sound like something God would want from us?  Being wise, giving our stress up to God, and loving and being grace-filled toward others.

They then described a 6-step process for learning patience:

  1. Understand and counteract triggers
  2. Increase your self-confidence
  3. Put on your “positive glasses”
  4. Change your attitude – “why are you in such a hurry?”
  5. Visualize worst case scenarios
  6. Release tension and stress through eating right, exercise, enjoying activities

Now imaging trying to do all that without God.  Here’s my Christian re-do of these six steps:

  • Pray for God to reveal the areas where you struggle with patience (sometimes we pretend we aren’t being impatient and justify our actions) 

John 16:24, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.  Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

  • Recognize that God loves you.  Accept He wants the very best for you.  

John 16:27, “No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” 

  • Remember that joy can be found in trials.  And most of all that God has delivered for you in the past.  He is faithful. 

2 Thes 3:3, “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”

  • Rejoice each and every day, if not every hour, for all the great things in your life.  

Prov 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

  • To be honest, visualizing worst case scenarios has been helpful to me.  If I’m waiting in a long line at Costco and start getting impatient I think, “Well, what have I got to be impatient for anyways?” or “Well, if I’m late because of this line I can call ahead and let them know.”  

Matt 6:27, “Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

  • Yes, eat right, exercise, enjoy new and old activities.  And pray.  And pray.  And pray.  Give up all those thoughts, those worries, those fears, those negative emotions to God.  Cry out to Jesus and ask Him to remove whatever negative thought you have right then. 

1 Samuel 2:1, “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high.  My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.”

When we get closer to God – become fluent in His character – that is when He can work His ways in us.  And God is always patient with us.  My friend and I were having lunch today and she said she is starting to have more moments in her difficult life where she looks up and gives a little smile – recognizing those growth moments God has put in front of her.  As for me, I described for her my process of writing and how I study the topic, pray, and then start writing.  I rarely stop writing one of these posts until I am done.  The words just come out of me onto the computer.  My whole body is focused on getting these words down.  I told her how weird it was that I was interrupted multiple times while writing this post.  And as I drove home from lunch, I was listening to a praise song and it hit me.  Patience.  The topic of this post.  And I had just been tested.  I was not annoyed about the interruptions.  I felt blessed hearing from a few friends.  And normally I would’ve been distracted during lunch, thinking about what else I needed to write.  I would’ve failed my friend who I need to support during this time in her life.

I called my friend from my car and said, “I just got it!  Patience!  I was tested!”  And she said, “I realized that while you were telling me.  And I’m glad it finally came to you.”  Maybe this whole actually studying God’s Word really does work.  Time to look up and smile.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

Selfish Prayer

krisshetter

I had finally decided to do it.  I made a lunch date with my parents to tell them.  I was scared.  Conjuring up conversations laden with disdain, disgust and even some hatred I drove to the restaurant.  As we dug into our sandwiches, I mustered up the courage to blurt it out.  “I’ve started going to church.”  And then I winced in anticipation.  After some silence, I continued, “I was a bit afraid to tell you.”  And my mother replied, “Why would you be afraid to tell us that and WHY on earth do you feel the need to go to church?”  That, my friends, in one sentence, is the story of our relationship.   After I explained a few reasons why I decided to attend church my father finally spoke.  “Believing in God is a crutch.  It’s something I don’t need.”

Nowadays when I hear people say things like that my response is, “A crutch?  Give me two please!”  Because there’s nothing I need more than for God to support me through this difficult life.  There’s nothing better than Him.  I have the promise of eternal life and His love under one arm and the power of prayer and petition under the other.

We live out our lives using so many other worldly things as crutches – our jobs, friendships, our bank accounts, our health, our status, the belief in the power of our own mind, etc.  And when those become our source of support our prayer life (if we even have one) directly reflects those crutches.

“You do not have because you do not ask.  When you ask, you do not receive. Because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

James 4:2-3

I call this a selfish prayer life.  Either we don’t ask because, like a two-year old we think, “I can do it all by myself!”  Or when we do pray, we aren’t asking as wisdom-filled followers of Jesus.  How many of us have recited a prayer and at the end said, “In Jesus’ name, Amen.”?  Have we stopped to consider what exactly we are saying?  Is what we are praying something Jesus would ask for of the Father?

“Man is a creature abounding in wants. He is ever restless. His heart is full of desires. Man is like a sea anemone with its multitude of tentacles, which are always hunting in the water for food.”

Charles Spurgeon, Ask and Have

I’ve heard a lot lately about our attitude and faith. The state of our attitude needs to be examined when praying. When we pray, are we complaining and want a “magic pill?” Are we asking for other people to be “fixed” when we really need for God to shine the light on what we need to fix in ourselves? Do we pray to get the promotion so we can make more money or do we pray for God to position us in our company right where He needs us most? When we don’t get the promotion do we then say, “but I prayed about it and obviously God isn’t listening?” We get angry with God when He doesn’t do what we tell Him to do. Go figure.

“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolish….But we have the mind of Christ.”

1 Cor 2:14-16

When we don’t live as though we have the mind of Christ inside us, we pray as though we don’t know the spirit of God.  Our heart and mind, with the wisdom of God, must be woven throughout our prayers.  My friends and I recently watched the movie, “War Room.”  In it, an older woman disciples a younger woman who is having a lot of marital problems.  She wants her husband fixed – fixed, of course, how she wants him fixed.  The takeaway from the movie for all of us was the intensity and sincerity the older woman had in her prayer life.  What I had to realize was two things:

  1. The devil is hard at work, even in our prayers.
  2. We need to use our power and authority given by Jesus to plead with God

And so, I created my own prayer War Room.  I pray with conviction that God will hear my prayer and His desires will be done.  I pray knowing He wants the things I want – for families to be reunited, for mothers to find their voice, for husbands to step into their roles, for daughters to be filled with the Holy Spirit, for friends to surrender to Him, for our country to be healed.  And I pray thankfully for prayers that have been answered and for his intervention into my life and my family’s.  

War Room starring Priscilla Shirer

I don’t pray for things anymore.  I pray for wise decisions.  I pray for doors to be open and doors to close.  I pray for hurt feelings to be removed and for me to not hurt people’s feelings.  I pray for forgiveness and to forgive.  I pray asking for the strength to live a life He wants me to live – not the one my selfish desire wants to be. I pray for Him to take my burdens so I can rest in the peace Jesus left with us.  And I pray boldy.  I pray calling on all the strength I know God, the King of Kings, has to do all things.  It’s time to stop messing around with lazy, recitation praying and start meaning exactly what we say.

“If your desires are the longings of fallen nature, if your desires begin and end with your own self, and if the primary purpose for which you live is not to glorify God, but glorify yourself, then you may fight but you will not have.”

Charles Spurgeon, Ask and Have

As Christians we have the privilege of prayer. Think of all the people you know who don’t know Christ. They are left to their own devices – and we are terribly faulty people. We get our own lives so messed up yet somehow, we think we can control the world around us. We must pray. We must pray His will be done. Our first impulse in the morning should be prayer. Throughout the day we should be praying for others. And at the end of the day we are specific with our prayers of thankfulness. Let’s not be like the sea anemone grasping at whatever luck or speck of good comes our way. Instead, seize on the notion that God wants to give us a good life. All we need to do is ask.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

Though My Feet May Stumble

krisshetter

About 10 years ago my husband and I were asked to lead a church Bible study.  As these things go it wasn’t because we were so knowledgeable, it was because we were warm bodies.  They said we weren’t to be teachers of the study, just facilitators.  They always say that.  But you and I both know a good Bible study group has a leader that can dig deeper, draw people out into discussions, and glean insight in topics.  True to my character, I jumped in with both feet attempting to educate myself better on each topic that arose.  I found the key, however, when in these situations was to 1) identify the people in the group who were more knowledgeable and 2) know when to say “I have no idea.”  Fast forward to today.  Even right now, as I write this, I fear saying the wrong thing because I realize I’m no “esteemed theologian.”  But I do know I have the mind of Christ (2Cor 2:16).

As usual for my morning routine I got up that morning the first of July, did a couple devotionals, and took my dog for a walk.  We were about four months into the Covid lockdown. I was leading a small Bible study with friends, and in the midst of a Boldness Challenge in which I had invited about 20 people to participate.  The challenge was coming to an end in a few weeks.  As I listened to my Christian music on my walk and doing some silent praying, I heard Him speak.  “Go home right now and start a blog.”  Seriously.  Starting a blog hadn’t been on my radar.  I enjoyed just conversing with folks in my small sphere.  But, feeling challenged by God, I walked in the door, sat down at my computer and typed, “best platforms to start a blog.”  Within the hour I had created Emboldened.  I invited all my Bold Challenge buddies and a few more to follow the blog.  I started praying to the Almighty about what He wanted me to say.  In these situations, I typically find myself praying, “Whelp, this was your idea.  Now what?”

When I hit 200 visitors from about 10 different countries, I had a revelation.  “Oh crud. I have just opened myself up to judgement on a whole new scale.”   I told my Bible study girls that while it was cool it was also terrifying.    Cool because I’m using a number of my God-given gifts to reach people around the world.  Terrifying because I might slip up in my theology and harsh words will rain down. 

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

James 3:1

I wonder if that’s why so many of us are fearful about speaking up when talking about our faith?  Maybe we will be questioned and won’t know the answer.  Or worse yet, we might get something wrong and be harshly judged?  But God.  That’s what a fellow blogger wrote in one of my comments last week.  But God.  That statement works so well in so many situations.  We were talking about God’s mercy.  But if I truly trust God and the direction He has set in front of me, He will guide my words to be His Words.  He will take my failings and trials and make them good.  I don’t believe James is discouraging us to be teachers.  He’s letting us know we need to be prepared to speak the truth of God’s Word and in doing so we will face opposition, sometimes very cruel opposition.

“We all stumble in many ways.  Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”

James 3:2

There’s only one person that was perfect – Jesus.  I find comfort in knowing that every single person from C.S Lewis to Charles Spurgeon and Peter to Paul and Joyce Meyer to Rick Warren stumble.  We all stumble.  But think of stumbling this way – it is a result of walking forward and not watching where we are going.  James 3 is about stumbling and refocusing our eyes on God.  When we don’t watch our tongue, when we envy others we stumble.  But when we re-focus on God we find ourselves making peace with the most unlikely people and submitting ourselves fully.

I’m glad you are on this journey with me.  When I stumble help me up and I will help you too.  No judgement, just a loving hand.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

A Clean Sweep

krisshetter

One of my favorite types of tv shows are the ones where brave souls go in and clean out other people’s houses.  In one show, just one room was to be completely re-done.  The host would help the homeowner remove all the items from that room and put them out on their front lawn.  There were three piles: Keep, Toss, Sell.   I’m a confessed tv “back talker” so I yell at and talk to the tv all the time.  What typically happens during these shows is I yell at the homeowner saying, “What on earth do you need that for?” or “That is the ugliest chair I have ever seen!  Get rid of it!”  I’m always mystified by the amount of junk people pile up in their homes and how difficult it is for them to get rid of it all – even under the threat of eviction or possibly social services removing their children.

Most of us look at a hoarder’s life and recognize how destructive it is.  The filth, the squalor, the sheer quantity of stuff is appalling.  We sit in judgement thinking, “I would never get to that point in my life.”  The truth is a hoarder’s problem isn’t with the “stuff” it’s with their heart.  Even on shows such as “Biggest Loser” we find most contestant’s real issues lie within their hearts, it’s just that they have turned to food to fix their pain.

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you.”  

James 1:21

Now doesn’t that sound easy?  Just about as easy as a hoarder having to let go of the paper their 40 year old son wrote as a second grader. On day 1 James made it clear we would have trials and tribulations.  Some of us have been physically or emotionally abused.  Others have been neglected by loved ones.  While others have experienced unbearable loss – of a child, a parent, a friend, a job, a home.  And there are the multitudes whose dreams and hopes have yet to materialize.  And yet none of those gives us license by God to sin, to bring “moral filth” into our lives.

Warren Wiersbe says this about filling our lives with immorality:

“For God to be able to use us as vessels we must be empty, clean, and available.  He will take us and use us for His glory.  But if we are filled with sin or defiled by disobedience, He will first have to purge us.”

Purge us.  That is the death we read about frequently in the Bible.  In Matthew 16: 16, Jesus states this, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”   We purge the world from our hearts and minds and live a life worthy of being God’s vessel.

Some might think this means we take away freedoms, we remove fun and laughter, we become like monks or nuns.  But think back to a hoarder’s house that is now cleaned out.  Or even your own house after a good purging and cleaning.  We breathe a sigh, put our hands on our hips and declare, this is good, this is real good.  We even start imagining being able to invite our friends over for dinner, new uses for that now empty cupboard, or how easy it is to find what you need.  We feel a sense of freedom, of joy, of completeness.

It may be hard work but a clean house sure feels good!

Now take that same feeling and apply it to our other actions or decisions.  Do you have that same sense?  When we are unforgiving, rude, vengeful, deceitful, unfaithful, untrustworthy, does that give you the same feelings of joy?

One of the reasons we might not take a stand against the filth infiltrating our lives is the fear of man.  In fact, the disciple Peter was a great example of this.  He talked a good talk about being faithful to Jesus and the other disciples.  But when it came time to stand firm, he chose to protect himself.  He was afraid of what servant girls would think or do to him if he confirmed he was a disciple.  And yet, in John 18:15 the story clearly states “another disciple” also stood with Jesus in front of his accuser.  That unnamed disciple wasn’t afraid of man.  He wasn’t afraid to declare himself a follower of Jesus.  What in your life do you know is wrong, is moral filth, and yet you are afraid of the people around you attacking you or judging you should you declare it would no longer be a part of your life?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said about constantly fighting the battle against the moral filth of the world, “When all is said and done the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every weapon against the flesh.”  Meaning just like a severely overweight person who needs to battle their demons to help them lose weight, the road to cleaning our hearts and minds is constant and challenging.

Even Nelson Mandela said,

“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”

So how do we go about this cleansing?  We definitely don’t want to be like the Pharisees that Matthew admonishes in 23:25, “You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”  Remembering that James is written to people who profess to be Christians, we need a heart and mind change, not just a physical one.

Have a conversation with God: We already know some of the areas of our life that don’t measure up to God’s desires for us.  But He may also reveal other areas that we have hidden away, possibly underlying causes for our behavior and actions.  Ask Him to shine a light on your “moral filth.”  Ask him to take it away.  Ask him to strengthen you.  Ask Him first thing in the morning to set up your day for success.  Ask Him to help you as you encounter your trouble areas, thank Him for His protection.

“In the morning Lord you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

Psalm 5:3

Listen to God: He speaks to us through His Word, the Holy Bible so read it and study it like any other self-help book.  Write down passages that speak to your particular issues and needs.  He speaks to us through other people.  There are probably people in your life already telling you what areas need to be cleansed.  Stop being defensive and start being thankful!  God whispers to us directly and guides us.  If, as you’re walking into the bar you know you shouldn’t and that voice keeps telling you to go home, then go home.  Stop ignoring Him.

“I will listen to what God the lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants.”

Psalm 85:8

Act on His Words: We all know people whose lives are a mess.  They’ve heard the message over and over about how to fix their lives.  The part that’s missing is just doing it.  When we absolutely know we shouldn’t text that person and yet do it anyway we dismiss God’s will.  The recognition that God is the most powerful, all seeing, all knowing being must be part of our lives.  We can’t hide from God.  We can think we are deceiving Him but we aren’t.  He is our “over watch,” – He looks ahead and see the enemy’s position and provides us protection.  But if we choose to take a different path we put ourselves in danger.

“Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.”

Psalm 37:27

What is distracting you or holding you back from fully following Christ?  What rooms in your life need to be purged and left clean?  Ask God for his loving spotlight to shine in every recessed area.  Listen for His guidance.  And walk with faith and strength knowing He is guiding you.

What is an area that you are struggling with the most when it comes to following Christ?

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

Oh, To Be Wise

krisshetter

They kept begging me to run for PTA president.  Having served on a PTA nominating committee I know how difficult it can be to fill two key positions – president and treasurer.  At least the treasurer can hide from people, but the president must stand in front of rooms filled with either at best bored or at worst annoyed parents.  My children attended an elementary school with almost 1,300 students K-5.  We put on large community events.  And our parents and teachers were very demanding.  On top of this, our school was about to go through a few major changes.  I told them “no.”  Actually, what I told them was: “You don’t want me to be your president.  You won’t like how I will clean up the ‘old boys’ way of doing things.”   But they kept asking. 

Eventually I caved.  I recall clearly after I said yes, I finally prayed for the first time.  “Lord, help this not to have been a mistake.”   I did that a lot many years ago.  You know, make a decision and then beg God to make it turn out ok.  I’m pretty sure King Solomon didn’t write a proverb saying, “Decide, then pray for your will be done.”

I should’ve watched Harper Valley PTA before I said, “Yes.

As I moved along on my Christian spiritual growth chart, I realized that order of things was a bit backward.  With each switching up of the order of prayer vs. action, I was getting closer to the concept in Ephesians 5: 15-16, “Be careful then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. 

James 1: 5-8 challenges believers to wise decision making.  He gives us the action we must take (asking God for wisdom) and the result of not accepting and acting on that wisdom (double mindedness).

‘’If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you;  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

James 1: 5-8

You see, had I prayed to God in the midst of being asked to take on such a large role as PTA president I would’ve acted in God’s name, not mine.  If he told me to do it, I would know I had His strength to aid me in difficult times because it was His will not mine.  If I was told to not do it then I would’ve been able to clearly and confidently say, “no thank you.” And importantly – not feel guilty about it.

There are two ways to seek wisdom – spiritually and earthly.  While we can take both paths together, if we only use earthly knowledge, we live without an anchor to truly define what is “right” and “good.”  That is the Humanists’ approach.  They make decisions more based on what feels right or good or what society deems worthy or correct.  But God is immovable.  His Word never changes.  When we use that as a touchstone for our lives, we know we start our wisdom journey on solid ground.  God has all the solutions — while we can usually only see them in a narrow, protective framework.  

Charles Spurgeon once said, “How foolish would the believer be who would lay up his treasure anywhere except heaven?”  In other words, you only have one life to live.   It’s precious and what you create, such as children, are precious.  Why would you ask the world how to live your life, raise your kids, invest your money, use your time, instead of God?   He went on to say, “Change is written on the forehead of nature so don’t put your trust in earthly things.”  This reminded me of a friend I had at an old job.  She had her kids in the 1970s.  With her first child she was told by the nurses to absolutely not breastfeed her child.  It was imperative that women not be tied down to a child and instead be free to do whatever she pleased.  When her second child came along the winds had shifted.  She was encouraged to breastfeed.  She cried as she told me what she realized she missed out on with her first child – the bonding and loving moments breastfeeding affords.  She was angry she had let a nurse decide for her what was right and good. 

Warren Wiersbe defines God-given wisdom this way, “Wisdom keeps us in harmony with the principals and purposes that the Lord has built into His world so that as we obey God, everything works for us and not against us.”  I don’t know about you but I’d like to know more about how to get things to work for me and not against me!  

Step 1 for gaining that sort of wisdom – praying.  

But not just any praying.  Praying for His will to be done, not ours.  Praying for wisdom and good discernment means asking God to light the way for us.  He alone knows ALL the possible solutions and outcomes.  We can only know a limited number of solutions, based on our limited knowledge and emotions.  We can’t possibly know the outcomes.  When we pray to God for our will we need to be careful He might just give us what we keep asking for – and that can frequently be exactly what we don’t need.  God tailors our teaching based on where we are in our spiritual growth.  He might give us a little leeway or He might admonish us.  But we will definitely learn a lesson if we listen and pay attention.

Step 2 in our wisdom growth is listening.  

James 1: 19 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this, we should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”  After we’ve prayed, we need to shut up and listen.  He will speak to you.  But if we keep yammering on to him, our friends, people we don’t even know on social media, we will assuredly miss His voice.  We need to be like Jesus – slow down and hear from God.  Instead we frequently start worrying and researching and talking and fretting and more worrying.  In my study group we asked the question: “What are some challenges that come with obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit?”  We all agreed that discerning whether it is God or our own voice (or worse, Satan) speaking is the greatest challenge.  The solution is knowing the character of God.  Thankfully, there’s a complete autobiography about God at our fingertips – the Bible.

Step 3 is reading His word.  

I’ve heard people call Christians “sheep.”  The assumption is that we don’t need to think for ourselves once we turn our lives over to Christ.  But we don’t put our minds on a shelf and stop thinking.  In fact, we must turn our lives to more active thinking and discernment when we become Christians.  One of my BSGs (Bible Study Girls) and I were talking the other day and she told me she was glad the Bible can be read at different understanding levels.  She says she has always had a more difficult time delving deeper and between the lines – not just when it comes to reading the Bible but any literature.  She appreciates those of us that have that skill.  That is the beauty of the Bible and God’s gifts.  One friend of mine sent out a text that said, “The Bible is the only book that as you read it, it reads you.”  Amen to that! 

There are a few books in the Bible considered “wisdom books” but the most recognizable is Proverbs.  The words “wise” or “wisdom” are used 125 in this book.  Its wise words are made to be memorized since the people of that time didn’t have access to books.  One liners can be easily remembered such as:

“Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, but those who heed it, resist them.” 28:4

“Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.” 29:1

“Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.” 21:9

“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting and strife.” 17:1

Then there’s longer, deeper instruction such as Proverb 1: 32-33

“For the waywardness of the simple will kill them and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me (wisdom/God) will live in safety and be at ease without fear or harm.”

And Proverb 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all ways submit to Him and he will make your path straight.”

I wish I had read that one before deciding to be a PTA president.  From day 1 the bickering and strife and lies and hurts I faced were almost unbearable.  I cried to the Lord for help.  His help came in the form of wisdom – how to pray first, listen second, and read His Word third and then act.  

In my Bible study library I now have Bible commentaries, devotionals, books about prayer, apologetics books and more.  When I read a passage in the Bible that either seems confusing or sounds like a message I really need to hear, I pull out various other tools to help guide me, in addition to praying over the verse.  This has expanded my study time from about 15 minutes to about an hour.  It centers me for the day ahead and places my feet on His path.

Praying, listening, reading.   These steps help us to gain God’s wisdom.  Without taking these steps it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish God’s plan for us.  I love what Proverbs 8 says, speaking as God’s Wisdom:

“Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.  All the words of mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.  To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge.  Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”

I am issuing a challenge today.  Take Proverbs and create a “Wise Words” list.  Create categories that each 1 liner falls into and place it in its category.  Some of the proverbs are repeated so you don’t need to write them again – but you might put a tick mark by the verse to show how many times it is mentioned.

For comments today, let us know a time that either 1) you didn’t pray and got yourself into a mess or 2) you heeded God’s word and realized what a blessing it was!

30daysofpraise, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

The Great Interpreter

krisshetter

Have you ever watched a speech where a sign language professional was interpreting for the hard of hearing community?  I always wonder if they are truly interpreting the speech correctly.  In fact, in 2013 at a world televised memorial to Nelson Mandela, advocates for the deaf called out an interpreter as fake.  “The man, who stood about a yard from (President) Obama and other leaders was moving his hands around, but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for,” said Bruno Druchen, national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa.  At times, as a Christian I have felt what those watching this man wave around his hands in meaningless gestures must have felt – confused.    

I’ve heard a few “fake” interpreters of God’s Word. From hate-filled pastors such Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church and Bishop Talbert Swan of the Church of God in Christ to more subtle false “prosperity” teachers like Joel Olsteen and T.D. Jakes, the Word of God has been twisted, edited, and completely ignored. And yet there are hundreds if not thousands of people who follow these “pastors'” preaching. Why? Because we all are looking for answers — for someone to interpret God’s plan for us. Some of us want quick and easy answers. Some of us just want answers that fit our sinful needs and desires.

In the Old Testament, God communicated through people like Moses, Samuel, Jeremiah and others to relay His commands to the people of Israel.  There were also false prophets who claimed to interpret for the gods. The people turned to both kinds of prophets for guidance.  God swiftly punished those who disobeyed His Word. The great shift came when God sent himself, in the form of Jesus, to speak directly with His creations.  Jesus became our great interpreter – explaining the Father’s purpose for His chosen ones.  He didn’t speak to nations like so many of the prophets of old did– He spoke with us as individuals and groups.  He gathered up people at wells, in gardens, in homes, at lakes and even at graves. He warned us about false prophets and teachers. But His Word cannot be denied. It is written in the oldest book. And although there are various translations of the Bible, His Words stay pretty much the same. It amazes me to hear people, especially angry hate-filled Christians, espouse rights or wrongs that don’t exist in the Bible. I just say, show me the scripture.

When I find myself wondering what God wants from me or a direction I should take, I go directly to Jesus’ words. He was not one to speak meaninglessly.  He didn’t speak out of hatred. He rarely showed anger. And when He did speak it was as though He was allotted a certain number of words to use while here on Earth.  And He used them wisely.

Praying for Help

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

Who to Trust

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22: 37

On Kindness

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39

How to Attain Peace

“Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” 

Salvation

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except for me.” John 14:6

Grace

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor 12:9

Sinful Behavior

“Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” John 8:34

Jesus not only was the son of God, he was us.  He lived among us to experience the temptations, the persecution, the love, betrayal, and loyalties in everyday life.  I praise Jesus today for coming to us to interpret the mind of God for us frail, limited humans.  Our eyes and ears and minds have a glimpse into heaven through His actions and words.  And God wasn’t done when His son when up to heaven.  His Holy Spirit continues the work as our individual, tailored guide.  She whispers to us and laughs with us and cries with us.

I don’t walk in the wilderness so much anymore. And with Jesus’ Words I am very discerning about my spiritual leaders.  My guide, my interpreter, is always by my side.  He will show me the way home. Praise God.

Did you figure out what the sign language word is in the picture?  “Grace.” Enjoy this ASL interpreted song, “In Christ Alone” by clicking on the video below.