The beauty of a lie

The beauty of a lie is that once you believe it the work is done. You will think and act like it is true from then on. Have you ever tried to change a habit, thought pattern or the way you feel about someone and been totally frustrated by your inertia? Resistance to change is not just because we don’t like change. We don’t change because we don’t truly believe it is true.

A Christian believer (really a redundant term) will recognize many lies in this video, some blatant and some more subtle. I will only address one of those lies. Click on the link or copy and paste it into your web browser to watch the short video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA&feature=fvw

Oprah grew up hearing and knowing truth. She describes experiencing the worship of God in all His greatness, His power, His presence and she agreed with what she heard until God was described as a jealous God. Believing jealousy to be a bad thing and unable to reconcile that with her belief that God is love, she searched for and embraced another God that was who she wanted him to be. She “exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Rom 1:25), when she believed the lie that her god could not be a jealous God. Some relationship in her life defined jealously as evil, perhaps controlling and manipulative. Once she believed that lie, all the evil one had to do was reproduce that lie in her future experiences. “When he (the evil one) lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies…there is no truth in him” John 8:44-47.

So believe with me for a moment in good jealousy. What does godly jealousy look like? Imagine a father refusing to share his children with the drug addict on the corner and jealously protecting them. Imagine the sister who stands up for you in your absence, defending your name and reputation because she is jealous for your good name. Imagine the husband refusing to share his wife with other men. She is his and he loves her and he will fight for her and will protect and love her, He is jealous for her. Even better, God is jealous for you. He knows that you will be safest, blessed, your joy will be full, when you worship Him and Him alone. “Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” Ex 34:14. “For the LORD your God…is a jealous God…Do not test the LORD your God…Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you…” Deut 6:15-18.

God knows that life will be best for you when you believe the truth and walk in the truth. Believing the lie that jealousy is ungodly will keep you from experiencing His all encompassing love as well. Until the lie is recognized and confronted it will rule your actions. Coming out of agreement with that lie breaks its hold. Imagine the freedom that comes when Truth shows up and says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” Jer 31:3. The Truth is the only one who can set us free. Here are some facts about Truth.

First of all, Truth is a person, not an idea or a concept. In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life.” Not, I’ll show you the truth or reveal the truth, but I am the Truth.
John 1:17 - Truth came through Jesus Christ.
Ps 40:11 – His truth protects.
John 8:31-32 - Truth sets us free.
Ps 119:30 – Truth is chosen.
John 3:21 - Whoever lives by the truth lives in light.
Ps 86:11 – He teaches truth and how to walk in His truth.
John 4:23-24 – True worshipers worship Him in spirit and in truth.
John 16:13 – The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, will guide you into all truth.

The trickster is good at sugar-coating lies so ask the Spirit of truth to reveal to you any lies you may have believed about God, about yourself, or about others. When He reveals a lie, ask His forgiveness for believing the lie, come out of agreement with the lie by saying “I no longer agree with this lie,” and ask Jesus, the Truth, to replace the lie with His truth.

This song and is a great example of replacing a lie with the truth about a jealous God. Hear the truth of how God is jealous for you, He loves you, He wants you, all of you, He will not share you with anyone or anything. Let the truth sink from your head into your heart as you listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLVz_ou3TSA&feature=related.

If it doesn’t look like Jesus, sound like Jesus, smell like Jesus, it probably isn’t Jesus.

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being…” (Heb 1:1-3 NIV).

The reflection in this picture does not lie. The image below is the exact representation of what is above. What does Christ-likeness look like? Ask a leader in any church and you might get a description of a good solid church member who attends faithfully, tithes regularly and serves willingly. Then there is the man who walked into our little congregation two weeks ago. He was easy to look at, young, muscular, handsome and friendly. He had no church history so his muscle shirt and colorful language were normal for him. After church he burst into his aunt’s kitchen exclaiming, “I think I #*@#*ing got saved!” He described the unfamiliar stinging of tears while we were singing and a burning in his heart while he listened to the preaching of the Word. Being a tough guy he was confused by these sensations but his aunt explained that those were normal responses to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The young man returned to the church on Wednesday evening. As he sat and talked with the pastor about his sinful life, his need for a savior became clear to him. With his head in his hands he confessed his sins, unaware that his tears could be heard hitting the carpet. As he lifted his head he said, “I feel so light, so clean.” He had received forgiveness from Jesus and made Him Lord of his life.

There were immediate changes. The cussing that had sounded so natural now seemed uncomfortable. The next day, he crawled into his pickup to go to the family job that paid his bills but he didn't even start his truck. He just couldn’t do it anymore, it was illegal and he knew it was wrong. The next week he went back to see his family, the familiar cussing, fighting, and screaming greeted him as he entered the house but somehow it didn’t feel natural for him anymore. Before long his brother got angry and told him never to set foot on his property again or he’d shoot him! However, later that day he went to his brother’s place and mowed all his grass for him. Is this young man changed? You bet he is!

He returned to church the next Wednesday and again he and pastor sat at the back, his head in his hands and those tears reverberated as they hit the carpet. This time he was crying for his brothers and his parents. He loved them and he knew they didn’t know his Jesus and he couldn’t bear it.

Now I have a few questions for you.
#1 - Do you know this Jesus and how do you respond to His Holy presence?
#2 – Is your desire to be Christ-like stronger than your need to have money/security?
#3 – Has the love of Jesus compelled you to put down your pride and love your enemy?
#3 – When was the last time you cried for your lost friends and family?

Christ-likeness may not look like the church lady in her Sunday best, but then again, it might. One grandmother in our church knew nothing of this young man’s journey yet she quietly gave him a brand new soft leather bible this Sunday. She blessed him with words of grace and encouragement as she handed it to him.

Christ-likeness ~ if it looks like Jesus, sound like Jesus, smells like Jesus, it must be Jesus.

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives….We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 1:1-2:11 NIV).

His Timing is Perfect

When the shutter is timed just right my ‘Pita’ dog can fly! Timing, when it’s perfect we love it, when it is off, it’s terrible. The timing in a car need only be off one iota, whatever that is, and the car will not run smoothly. If one person in the band is out of rhythm it ruins the whole piece, and when our hearts are out of rhythm with the Holy Spirit, it ruins our peace.

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:25 NIV). When that still small voice whispers in your ear, don’t dismiss it like you might a child who interrupts your train of thought. The One who set each planet spinning at just the right speed knows the timing of your life, and when He speaks His timing is perfect!

I was traveling when a friend in another country crossed my mind so I prayed for her as I sent her a quick email. Ten minutes later my phone rang and she told me of how much she needed that prayer today. She was overwhelmed by a decision she needed to make and her husband was working overseas. We only had a few minutes so I prayed for her on the phone. “Father, please let her know you are with her, hold her hand and walk with her through each moment of this day.” When I finished she was crying and could not talk as we hung up.

I went back to my computer and saw that she had replied to my email before she called me. As I read it I understood her tears. “You can’t imagine how I needed that today! I just wish Jesus could hold me by the hand and not let me go. I need Him so much today, to make a big decision. I wish you were here to pray with me.” The Father had wanted to tell her through me that He heard her prayer and he was holding her hand. His timing is perfect!

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour and moment what [you] ought to say” (Luke 12:12 Amp). There is “joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment--how good it is!” (Prov 15:23 Amp)
(Photo credit ~ Marjorie Dixon)

From Loving to Living

I have a lot of loves in my life. My God, my husband, my family and friends, and yes, my dog too. Then there are all those things I love to do. I love to ride, motorcycles and horses, I love snorkeling, talking with friends, (I recommend you do NOT discuss this one with my husband), good music, live theatre, musicals (don't bring that up with Paul either) and skiing. Then there are those things that I think I love. I love the idea of being fit, but seldom exercise. I love the idea of having lots of books but seldom read, I love the idea if writing but put it off for over a year. It reminds of the tree in this picture. It looks like it started growing up and then got side tracked. It meant to be a straight, tall tree but time passed and it got harder and harder to straighten out so it just made the best of it.

There is one other love that I sometimes let slide. I love the idea of knowing God, really knowing Him, and hearing Him speak to me, but there are days I put Him off and ignore Him. Oh, I can be hard on others if they are not faithful but still want God's blessing. The Word is very clear, 'Blessed is the one who does not slow down... stand around... or sit down' but "instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night" (Psa 1:2 MSG). That person, the one who really loves God and His Word, will be like a tree solidly planted by the river... bearing fruit in each season of life, reaching their God-designed-purpose and destiny.

The distance between loving an idea and living the ideal makes a huge difference in the outcome. Loving the right things and then pursuing them with all of life provides the destination and the motivation. That may sound like hard work but a wise teenager in our church recently surprised me with his wisdom when he said, "If you choose a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life." And the God of all creation says, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deut 6:5 NIV).

I'm back!

Well, for you faithful few who have been checking and checking this page ~ I am finally back. I promised to write and after a year of traveling, studying, moving and putting off the blog, I'm back. We over-did the traveling, moving, and living on the run, until we paid for it. We are now settled into a home for our things, our bags, our dog and our hearts. It feels good. Since my last blog I went back to seminary and completed my Master's of Arts in Christian Education, traveled to Honduras twice, spent a month in the Cayman Islands, and finally landed in Texas where we have been for 8 weeks. I have not forgotten my promise and God has not let me forget His desire for me to write. It may be that I write for those who read my blog and it may be that I write for myself, or maybe ~ maybe, I'll write for HIM and you and I can just listen it.

Perspective Changes Everything!

This "trading faces" illusion dates back to the late 1800s.What do you see when you look at this picture? Do you see a young woman or an old woman? Notice how the young woman’s chin is the old woman’s nose. The young woman’s necklace is the old woman’s mouth, and the young woman’s ear is the old woman’s eye.

People say that perspective makes all the difference in the world, but does it? How you see and think about people, circumstances, and the world around you does not change a thing in the world, it changes you. It changes how you see your world and that can make a world of difference. Is your glass half empty or half full? Are you facing mountains or molehills, incredible challenges or opportunities for growth?

An elderly man lay in the hospital with his wife of 55 years sitting at his bedside.
“Is that you Ethel, at my side again?” he whispered.
“Yes dear,” she answered, "I'm here."
He leaned toward her and whispered, “Remember years ago when I was in the Veteran’s hospital? You were there with me then. You were with me when we lost everything in the fire. And Ethel, when the company collapsed you were there with me too.”
The man leaned back on his pillow with a sigh and said, “I tell you, Ethel, I think you are bad luck.” His perspective did not change the facts, only how he viewed them.

How you handle life's challenges depends on how you see them or what you believe about them. Perspective shapes your thoughts, fuels your emotions and is the driving force behind your actions. If you want to change your world, change your actions. If you want to change your actions, change your thoughts. If you want to change your thoughts, change your perspective. If you want to change your perspective, look at your situation through Jesus’ eyes.

Hagar, a woman tormented by circumstances, some of her own doing and some not, thought there were no options left for her and ran away. Then she heard from the Lord and He shed His light on her situation, the facts did not change until her perspective changed and her perspective changed when she believed the words the Lord was telling her. She responded in awe, “You are the God who sees me.” She chose to see her situation from His perspective when she realized He saw every detail of her life. You can read her complete story in Genesis 16.

You may have believed the liar and his lies about you for years. Someone long ago or maybe yesterday, told you in words or actions, that you were not good enough, not worth it, not lovely or loved, not this or that and you believed it. That perspective has shaped your life, what you think and do. Jesus calls Himself, “The Truth,” and He reveals the lies and brings the light of His truth to those places in your life that may have been filled with darkness and life more abundantly. The way to get rid of a lie is to reject it; the way to embrace the truth is to believe it. What you believe dictates the perspective you have on life.

Thank you, Father, that You see us. I ask You to send the light of your truth to each one that reads these words today. Open our eyes to see the lies we have believed and lead us to reject those lies and embrace Your truth and Your perspective. Teach us to live in that truth today. Help us to see our lives through Your eyes. We bless You in the name of Jesus, Amen

Missionary or Ambitionary?

Being a missionary may seem exotic to some who are enticed by the thought of travel, other cultures, new places and people. Intrigued by newsletters filled with stories of how people have been helped and changed by God’s love they imagine the life of a missionary to be something more. Newsletters do not come out everyday. Many days are just ordinary days with sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset, one day following another. Then there are those other days, the ones that will never make the newsletter. Like last Sunday, when we wondered why are we here? What was God thinking?

It was a typical Sunday morning, about 20 children between the age of 18 months and 18 years arrived early, late and right on time. It seemed the children were all over the place mentally and physically and they did not seem to be learning a thing, nor did they care. The teacher was not prepared in spite of all the helps we gave her and the whole morning threatened to turn into a free-for-all. I corralled, herded and showed more love than I felt.

After Sunday school I turn my face toward the wall for few minutes of prayer, asking the Lord to bring peace to my heart and focus to my mind and then I turned to lead the small group who had gathered for church. There was no sea of faces only the same handful of people who had been faithful from the early days of our ministry until now. My mind wondered, “Where were the new people? Where were the ones we ministered to during the week? But I reined in my thoughts and concentrated on the words of the song. “He leadeth me, He leadeth me, by His own hand He leadeth me, His faithful follower I would be, for by His hand he leadeth me.” Then why does it feel so useless? Where is the fruit? What are we doing wrong? “By waters still or troubled sea, still ‘tis Thy hand that leadeth me.”

I came home dragging my weary heart behind me. Grabbing my devotional book and Bible and went straight to the porch for a heart to heart with my Father. I told Him I needed some clear answers, real answers. Were we just ambitionaries, eager to do this missionary thing but missing something in the translation from His heart to ours?

I opened the devotional which threads together various verses on each day.
I read, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1). Thank you, Lord, I feel a lot better now! NOT!
I read a little more, “The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me. Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” (Isa 49:14) OK, I know you remember me.
“You will not be forgotten by Me!” (Isa 44:21) Thanks Lord, I know you care.
“Now Jesus loved Martha…" (John 11:5-6) And my tears stopped and peace washed over my soul as I soaked in the reality that, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Then He gave me the answers to my questions. He is lovingly doing His work in me to perfect my faith because it is more precious to Him than my need for job satisfaction. “Trials come to prove the genuineness of your faith, which is much more precious than gold.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

I learned two things last Sunday, neither of them in church but both because of church: 1) Jesus loves me, He knows how I feel and He cares. 2) My faith is worth more than anything to Him, and He will do and allow many difficult things to perfect it. He also promises to lead me through each circumstance, not by a letter or email but by His hand. I recommend you go back to the first verse, Psalm 13:1 , and read the short chapter. Watch how questions about life turn to trust in His love, and thoughts of His love bring songs of God's goodness!

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

And that is how it really happened.