Tough Question, Tough Answer

How hungry are we to know God's will? How many times have we said, or heard someone else say, "If only I knew what God wanted me to do, I would do it"?

There are numerous books on how to determine God's will in our lives. Right now there are a lot of high school seniors wondering which colleges to apply to and which major to choose. Or perhaps you are struggling with whether to stay in your current situation or switch to another. Whatever it is, do we really, really want to know His will?

I am reading a fascinating book by Henry and Melvyn Blackaby entitled Experiencing the Spirit. Here's what made a huge impression on me.

"Our relationship with Christ is the key. We must know Christ well enough that we already know our answer before He tells us the assignment. The more you know Him the more the answer to any assignment will be 'Yes, Lord'."

Let's think about what the authors are challenging us to consider. Without knowing God's will, can we truthfully say to God, "Whatever You ask me to do, I will do it"? Or, "Whatever college You want me to attend, I'll go there." Or, "God, if You want me to quit my job, I will."

The authors point out that we must not look at our talents, our personalities, or our desires in order to determine if we will obey God or not. If we really understand who He is, and what His word says, then we must rely on His supply for all our needs in every assignment. He's simply looking for a heart of obedience.

And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Is He really Lord of our lives, or do we merely obey when it's convenient and within the scope of our abilities? Or our bank account? Or when it's not too much of a stretch?

The authors challenge the reader with the notion that perhaps God may choose not to reveal His will to us in a certain situation because He already knows our heart is not one of obedience in that area. Could it be His mercy to be silent? Could it be His mercy to withhold the knowledge of His will because it would be better for us not to have known His will rather than to know it and then choose not to obey?

I am struggling with some decisions right now. Maybe you are, too. I want to know God's heart on each decision. After reading portions of this book, I am challenged to say, "Yes" to God, before He even tells me what His will is. I want to be stretched to new levels of spiritual maturity. How about you? Is anything too hard for God?

Broken Shells or Perfection?

One of my treasured moments is to spend time on the beach listening to God, watching the ocean rise and fall and contemplating His creation. On one of those occasions I was walking along looking for some beautiful shells to take back to my children. Without giving it much thought, I shot up a quick prayer. "Lord, would you help me find some perfect shells?" I was not expecting the answer I got.

"I prefer the broken ones."

It was a very clear response but a puzzling one.

"Why the broken ones?" I answered.

"It's the broken ones who know they need Me."

Food for thought for sure. Brokenness. Aren't we all trying to avoid that? Isn't God supposed to protect us? Yet God says that the broken ones are those who realize their need for Him. Our tendency toward self-reliance and self-sufficiency does not draw us closer to our Creator, it drives us farther away. It gives us a false sense of security and control.

Think of a beautiful vase representing ourselves. We can make the outside look so attractive to impress others and make ourselves feel good, but we can be empty on the inside. What about a clay jar that has been broken, some of the pieces missing, and glued back together? When we have been broken, there are crevices and cracks through which God's light can shine toward others, drawing them closer to the Christ in us.

Being broken is not pleasant, but necessary. In our brokenness we can be a window that allows others to see God in us, or we can choose to hide under a bushel basket and pretend that we have everything under control.

I Corinthians 4: 12
When men revile us [wound us with an accursed sting], we bless them. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure it.

Matthew 5:11
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account. Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great, for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Many of us struggle with perfectionism. But God keeps showing me that He loves transparency. If we are to draw others to Christ, we will be broken over and over. We will fail. We will make mistakes. We need not be ashamed of sharing that brokenness when led to do so. Who are we more likely to feel comfortable around? Is it perfect people, or those who share their struggles? Did the Pharisees demonstrate God's heart or the woman with the alabaster jar?

True story. I was at a Messianic Jewish synagogue attending a service many years ago. A total stranger leaned over to me and said, "Myrrh has to be crushed to release its fragrance." That was all he said, but it was all that needed to be said. At that time I was enduring a 'crushing' or breaking. If we are to be the aroma (or fragrance) of Christ, we need to go through this process over and over.

II Corinthians 4:7-11
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

I agree with you - I don't want to go through all that either. But while we are on this planet, and if we are to call ourselves Christians (little Christs) it is inevitable. The good news is that you cannot lose if you don't quit. We have a choice. Let us be the fragrance of Christ. The world needs that and so do we.

Are You Up There, God?

What do step ladders and Christian growth have in common? Well, I didn’t know either until the Lord showed me this picture. Imagine your Christian walk is similar to standing on a step ladder, say on a middle step. You have been there for a while and you have become comfortable spiritually. Life is going reasonably well.

Then, unexpectedly, something not so wonderful happens to you or a family member. It might be an illness, failing a class, losing a dear friend, or a financial blow. It takes you by surprise. All of sudden it feels like the rug has been pulled out from under you, or like the step you are standing on has been shattered.

When God breaks the step you are on, you have three choices. You can step up the ladder and draw closer to God - trust Him when the crisis doesn’t make sense, hold on to Him and ride out the storm, remain faithful to Him and pray it through. That’s the first choice.

Or you can fall back to a lower step. In other words, instead of growing spiritually you spend less time with God, read your Bible less, and turn to things that will ‘get you through this mess’ like overeating, spending more time on the Internet, and/or watching more videos or TV.

The third option is to jump off the ladder. If we allow ourselves to become bitter and angry at God because of the crisis, it’s like bailing out on your faith, or jumping completely off the path to spiritual maturity.

Having this picture in mind has helped me many times to avoid the very human tendency to bail out or hide out. When each crisis comes I have to remind myself that I can trust God in all circumstances even when I don’t understand why or how the crisis happened. It’s not easy. But we cannot stay in the same place in life and grow spiritually. Standing still eventually becomes back sliding. We need to keep moving upward if we are to continue growing closer to God.

So what will it be the next time things seem to go haywire in our lives? Will we be committed to step up closer to God and seek Him with more intensity, or will we back slide down a step, or jump off the ladder and call it quits? At some point in my life I have tried each of the three options. I have never regretted stepping up the ladder but I have always regretted choosing the other two options. There are awesome things to see and learn on the next step up, if we will just hang on and seek Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. It’s not easy, but it is rewarding.

I Peter 1:6-7

…though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations, so that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire.

I Peter 4:12

Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange were befalling you. But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph.

Do we really trust Him as Lord in all things? If so, let us step up, and draw closer to Him.

I Peter 5:10

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.

Death of a Vision

Do you feel like you are in God's waiting room, wondering when He's going to call you back and deliver on one of His promises? Take a ticket, take a seat...but it seems like your number never comes up. Everything seems to come easily to others, but not you. It's somewhat like circling the airport and your plane never gets to the number one spot to land.

Here's a picture that God gave me about hard times and waiting. It helps for me to review it as I, too, am waiting for some promises to be released.

Imagine you are standing on a mountain next to Jesus. He takes your hand and starts to walk you down toward the valley. As you descend a layer of fog appears. Clouds blanket the valley below obscuring your vision. Soon you are both engulfed in the fog. Although you can feel your hand in His, you have trouble seeing Jesus clearly. After a short while you reach the valley, but it is totally black as if the sun has set and it's a moonless, starless night. You cannot even see your hand in front of your face. You also realize that you no longer sense His presence.

This is the valley of the death of a vision. Many give up and miss receiving God's best. A month, a year, or perhaps many years ago God promised something - healing, restoration of a relationship or financial turn around. Yet no amount of prayer or faith seems to bring results. In fact, difficult circumstances have inserted themselves right when you were expecting a blessing.

Did God change His mind?

Oswald Chambers talk about death of a vision in his devotional, My Utmost for His Highest. During this phase of waiting, it seems as if God has either left or changed His mind. However, this is a time of testing. In the valley, God tests our faith. He molds us, hammers us and refines us into the image of His Son.

In the picture referred to earlier, the Lord showed me that if I wait in the dark and trust Him and His word, if I hang on to His promise and add my faith to it, there will come a time when Jesus reaches up and pulls a little chain and a small light comes on. Then I can see crates stacked here and there as if we are in a dimly lit warehouse. Jesus walks over to one and opens it up. Inside is a gift for me - a spiritual gift. Another crate is opened and it contains the promise.

When the picture was complete, I asked the Lord, "Why is there fog covering the valley of darkness?"

"Would you willingly go there if you could see the dark times coming?", He asked.

Would any of us volunteer for the crisis we just came through or the next one waiting around the corner? Probably not.

The Word talks about treasures hidden in the darkness. We get to see those treasures when we abide in (lean on, trust in and totally rely on) Him. In the valley of the death of a vision, we need to "Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)."

Is it easy to wait? Not for me. Waiting is a test of our faith. We need to ask God what He is trying to teach us during this time. Sadly, many get angry at God, give up and decide to do life their own way. We have to guard against bitterness and resentment, too. Discipline and hardship are not fun, but God disciplines those He loves as a father disciplines a child. Happiness is fleeting and does not teach us anything. True joy comes when we walk with Him through the dark valleys with a teachable heart and come up out of the darkness more spiritually mature.

Here are some promises from God: [Amplified translation]

I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down [relax My hold on] you! (Hebrews 13:5)

My God will liberally supply your every need according to His riches in glory i n Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

But seek first of all His kingdom and His righteousness and then all these things taken together will be given to you besides. (Matthew 6:33)

What can we do while we are in God's waiting room? Meditation on God's Word, prayer, and praise and worship are all faith builders while waiting for the 'darkness' to dissipate. Knowing there are treasures hidden in the darkness comforts me when I feel all alone in a crisis or time of testing.

The key to remember is that God does not forget His promises if we are faithful and obedient. He never forsakes us.

Will we pass the test?

God's Idea of Fast Food

We just got back from a mission trip to South America and something 'funny' happened while we were going to lunch at a mall. I was leading a group of young adults into the food court area. There must have been 10-15 different places to eat and everyone wanted to check out the local cuisine. As we passed by the first few eateries, I got a funny sense that I was to stop and wait on the Lord. By the time I obeyed we were all standing in the main aisle of the mall next to a large area filled with tables and people eating their lunch. I explained to my group that I had to wait upon the Lord and encouraged them to move on and get their food. They spread out and soon disappeared from sight.

Meanwhile I stood there asking God what He was trying to show me. No answer. No sense whatever why God would have me simply stand next to those tables. I looked up and down the aisle to see if there was someone He wanted me to run into. No one appeared. All my questions went unanswered but the sense that I should not move continued. I checked my watch. Time for lunch was running out.

Since I like to eat frequently and the next meal would not be for many, many hours, I was tempted to go and stand in line at one of the counters and come back with my food. But the impression that I was not to move never lifted. It made no sense. But then a lot of the Bible stories didn't make sense at the time. Take Gideon, for example. If you were facing an enemy army of several hundred thousand warriors, would you decrease your army to 300? That's what God asked Gideon to do - and he won! Of course, that was the only way God would get the credit for the victory. If Gideon's army had outnumbered the enemy's then Gideon and his army would have been patting themselves on the back. So just because it didn't make sense to me, didn't mean it wasn't God. God was teaching me to obey.

Romans 8:6 (Amplified translation) Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

This has been one of my life verses. If something isn't logical or immediately understandable I get a confirmation to be sure it's from God, and if it is confirmed, then the next step is obedience. I had to ignore the questioning looks from the youth who didn't understand why God would have me stop at that spot and do nothing but wait on Him. I had to give up the idea of having lunch that day.

But God. I'm not sure how long I stood there but it was probably 20 minutes. Long enough to use up the time needed to stand in line for my food at one of the 'fast' food places. Strangely enough I had peace about skipping lunch. I trusted God would sustain me.

But God. As I continued to wait and wonder along came some other team members with their lunch trays. Not the group I started out with, but another group from our bus. Five of them came right to where I was standing and sat down at the table next to me. They asked me to join them, so I did. The young woman sitting to my right had a large platter piled high with 8 different kinds of middle eastern 'pizzas'. "I don't know why I bought all this food," she said with wonder in her voice. She is petite and one would think when looking at her that one or two of those 'pizza's would suffice. But she had purchased eight. She began to offer them to everyone at the table. I took a small portion of one and ate it. By the time everyone else had finished their lunches, she still had two more 'pizzas' uneaten. She offered them to me. They were delicious. Then it was time to head back to our bus.

Interesting. As we waited in the lobby to load the bus, I met up with one of my original team members who asked me why I thought God had me stop and do nothing. When I told her what happened, she looked at me and said with authority, "God was showing you that He was providing your lunch today."

I felt the love of God when she said that. God had me obey something that didn't make sense just so He could bless me with lunch provided by someone else. I realized that it was His way of saying, "Be anxious in nothing...." {Philippians 4:6} It was His way of saying, "Do not be anxious or worried about what you will eat or drink...." {Matthew 6:25}

It's one thing to read the Word of God, and another to live it. God was giving me a practical application of His Word. As the trip continued I applied what I had learned that day in the mall and stayed peaceful regardless of what was going on around me. I knew in a deeper way that God would supply all my needs and direct my path. It was the most relaxed I have ever been on a mission trip. No need to worry or be anxious. It was a very pragmatic way to learn that God is our provision.

Undoing Knots

I never did learn how to tie knots. Maybe they didn’t teach that in Girl Scouts when I was a member. But I sure have been in quite a few knotty situations. Assuming we’re all living in the same fallen world, problems, obstacles and hindrances are quite common.

A couple of years ago I read one of those life changing books. You know the type. It’s a keeper. One you refer back to again and again. Authority in Prayer, by Dutch Sheets, is a must for anyone who wants to see their prayers answered.

In Chapter One the author relates a true story of being stuck in an airport waiting in line to check in. For whatever reason the line didn’t move for about 20 minutes and everyone was getting irritable and pushy. About to give up on making his flight on time, Pastor Sheets sends up a desperate prayer. “Lord, do something to stop this chaos and get me on my flight.” To his surprise the Holy Spirit tells him to do something about it. “Move in the authority I have given you….” He was instructed to command the enemy’s hindrances to be ineffective, to declare that he had favor, and that he would be on time to his meeting.

That scenario fascinated me, so I decided to try that new way of praying. It has been helpful in many situations. On numerous occasions I have stood before a computerized cash register only to have it malfunction when it is my turn to be checked out. Under my breath I pray something like this: “I release the authority of Heaven into this situation. I break the power of the enemy off the equipment in Jesus’ name. I have favor in God’s kingdom.” It’s amazing how many times the register will start functioning again. Same with my home computer. Now I realize that equipment breaks down, and that not everything is a spiritual attack. But if you never think of it at all, you miss the opportunity to exercise your authority over hindrances the enemy does put in your path.

Romans 5:17 If by the transgression of the one {Adam}, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Psalm 8 tells us that God made man to have dominion over the works of His hands (His creation). “You have put all things under his {man’s} feet.”

In John 10:10 the Word says that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but that God wants us to have an abundant life. Why does the enemy get away with his plans? One reason is that we as Christians do not understand the authority God has given us. We haven’t been taught what it is or how to exercise it. It reminds me of a parent who complained that her child was watching a cartoon show that she didn’t think was beneficial for her child. “What can I do?” she asked helplessly. My answer was simple. “Turn it off. You’re the parent.” Unfortunately she hadn’t thought of it.

Dutch Sheets demonstrates scripturally how and why Christians have authority over their lives. Because of ignorance, we have not known how to use that authority effectively and appropriately. Here’s an example. I had been shopping for several hours with one of my children. When we arrived home, the child complained of foot pain. Since my feet didn’t bother me in the least, I questioned whether this foot pain was real or from the enemy. My child thought it was real because, using reason, it seemed logical that one’s feet should ache after all that walking. The pain felt real. There was a ‘reasonable’ cause and effect. So the child chalked it up to the shopping trip. However, with my new found spiritual weapon, I walked over, put my hand on the feet and commanded, “Pain go away in Jesus’ name.” It left instantly! I was as amazed as my child.

If it’s true that an estimated 80% of symptoms presenting in doctors’ offices are not based in true disease, then we have nothing to lose and everything to gain by commanding symptoms to leave in the name of Jesus. If they don’t, we haven’t lost any time. We can always seek medical help. God uses doctors, medicine and prayers to heal. The enemy is a thief. He will stick his foot in the door and see if we do anything about it. If we don’t, he forces his way into our lives. We need to learn to slam the door on him the minute he gets a toehold. We need to enforce the authority that is rightfully ours.

There’s a lot more to learn about this interesting topic, but not enough space to do it justice. So if these thoughts have piqued your interest, please get a copy of Pastor Sheets’ book. We need to stand our ground and take back what is rightfully ours.

HELP! Unsticking the Stuck

Do you ever have times when you need to do something, but you just cannot do it? Perhaps it’s a term paper or studying for a test. It might even be something that you believe God wants you to do, but everything within you is shouting, “I can’t do that!” Perhaps it’s because you do not believe you have the ability to accomplish the task at hand. Fear of failure or procrastination might be blocking you. What to do?

If you’re human like me, this has probably happened many times. May I share something that has helped me get the job done?

The first time I learned this was in graduate school. I was under the weather, not feeling well mentally or physically. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep until my health returned. Unfortunately it was the end of the semester and I had a large paper to write and exams to take. I distinctly remember sitting at my dining room table and laying my forehead down on the text book in front of me. I felt defeated even before I started. Ever feel that way? I had a bad case of the “I can’ts.” I couldn’t see any way that I would be feeling better instantly and the deadlines weren’t going to be moved back because of me. As a new Christian I did the only thing I knew to do – pray.

My prayer went something like this. “God, I feel awful. I can’t write this paper. I give up. I really need Your help. Please write this paper through me.” That was the gist of the prayer.
Although I probably spent a bit more time complaining about how terrible I felt at the time.

So the first step is: identify the problem

The second step is: pray and admit your need for God’s help. That’s the humility part.

The next act is one of faith and action. Open the book, pick up the pen – whatever will start the process. Trust that God has heard and is answering your prayer, even if you do not sense His presence. In my example, I sat up, picked up my pen and began to write from the materials I had gathered in front of me. Nothing earth shaking occurred. There were no thunder claps from heaven. I had committed the problem to God and then moved forward toward the goal.

The end result was winning a second place award for my paper (perhaps God wanted me to really, really remember this principle). When I saw what leaning and relying totally on the Lord could do, I began to see that He accomplish far more through me than I can do simply relying on my own talents or strengths. He took what was innately in me and expanded it to a higher level. He did through me what I was unable to do without Him.

There’s an expression, “God helps those who help themselves.” To expand on that concept, I would say that God co-labors with us when we humble ourselves, admit our weaknesses, and ask for His help.

In James 4:2a it says, “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives….” That tells me that if I stayed up all night at a party and then expected God to bail me out with my assignment, it would be asking with wrong motives. When we honestly request help because we are in a situation that is out of our control, or beyond our capabilities, that’s asking with the right motives. If we try to do everything in our own strength, we get the credit. If we ask for God’s help, He gets the glory, not us. I truly believe that God wants us to bring all our problems to Him.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you.

Knowing that God actually invites us to unload our problems at His feet and partner with Him helps make our burdens light.

Have you ever had a lab partner who expected you to do all the work, or done a school project with someone who didn’t pull their weight? Well, it’s just the opposite with God. He’s welcoming our troubles and concerns with open arms. Run to Him and He will meet you right where you are. He’ll do more with and for you than you could do alone.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious in anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If you try it, I would love to know what happens!

How Would You Like to Have Tea With Me?

Is there anyone out there that enjoys loneliness???

Being alone and being lonely are two different things, of course. You can feel lonely in a crowd, and you can be full of contentment and peace all by yourself. Some of us need to recharge our emotional and physical batteries by spending time alone. Those who are more outgoing might find they re-energize by being in a crowd. But all of us have had numerous occasions when we find ourselves lonely - wishing we had someone to connect with on a heart level and not being able to satisfy that need.

Loneliness. Does it ever serve a spiritual purpose? I believe many times it does. Has God ever stepped onto your front porch and rung your doorbell? Has He ever called you on your cell phone or texted you? Probably not. So how does He get your attention? We would love a letter dropped from Heaven right into our laps. Or how about an angelic telegram? Well, I think that loneliness can be God's calling card.

You're in your dorm room and everyone seems to have a date or your friends left for a movie and didn't include you. You find yourself alone and lonely. What to do? Look at your planner. Nothing is written there. Or is there? Perhaps God has written His name in (using invisible ink of course). Could it be that He has been waiting to spend some quiet time with you and you forgot to pencil His name in?

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me.

Sounds an awful lot like an invite to me. The next time you sit down in the cafeteria and there's no one to talk to, or you're stuck in your dorm room all by yourself, talk to the Lord. He cares about every detail of your life. Tell Him everything that's bugging you. Share your heartaches and frustrations.

I Peter 5:7
...casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

Seems like a pretty good deal to me. He's the perfect friend. He's the perfect counselor. Try reading John 1 if your Bible is handy. Then ask Him to fill you with His love. Then ask, "Lord is there someone that needs encouragement or friendship? Make me a vessel of Your love and show me who to befriend right now." Then look around and see if you can give away some of God's love to someone else: share a smile or hold a door open, or buy a postcard and send an encouraging note. Ask God for creative ways to bless somebody else that might be lonely, too. Focus outward, not inward.

Freedom from Fear

For whatever reason, I entered my adult years with numerous fears. Since I couldn't deal with them all at once (who can?) God has been gracious to point them out to me when it is time to deal with each one. An example that comes to mind was my fear of flying. Although I never really enjoyed traveling by airplane, it didn't become a significant fear until after 9/11. For four years after that act of terrorism, I refused to get on a plane. God was patient with me. However, the day came when I needed to travel to Washington, D.C. (of all places). As I was praying with a prayer partner on the phone, God impressed on my heart that He wanted to set me free from my fear of flying. The problem was, I didn't want to get rid of the fear. Doesn't make sense, does it? My mind rationalized that if I kept the fear, I wouldn't have to actually board a plane. That was my way of staying safe. But relying on fear for one's safety is not God's plan.

So after struggling mentally and emotionally with God's offer, I decided to accept. My friend prayed that God would break the fear off, and He did. Peace replaced the fear, and I was able to make the plane reservations.

That was not the end of the story, however. One day I was picking up my son from his friend's house. His friend's father is a pilot, and we began a conversation about his work. Without thinking, I repeated what I had often said in the past which was, "I hate flying." Instantly I felt the fear of flying reattach itself to me. I was mad at myself for declaring a fear from which God had just set me free.

What to do? After confessing my error, God was gracious to set me free again. That's one of the things He loves to do. He doesn't want us walking in bondage to fear or anything else that keeps us from fulfilling His plans for our lives. And He has the power to do it!

The next step in 'sealing' the healing, so to speak, was to walk it out. That meant getting on the plane and trusting in faith that we would land safely. Here's the funny part. Not only did I fly on a day when it was snowing but we sat on the runway for quite some time waiting to be de-iced. Pink bubbly liquid was being sprayed on the windows and wings while we waited to take off. Not a comforting sight or thought. I actually laughed when I saw it, and thought, Okay, God, this is really funny. It's not enough for me to just get on this plane, but you are really testing my faith on this one. Obviously we landed safely, and I learned a valuable lesson.

Last summer I had to deal with another fear. God had impressed on my heart to participate in a mission trip to South America. I had been on the same trip the year before but for some reason paralyzing apprehension came over me and I was unable to sign up for the trip. As the deadline to apply approached I knew that I needed prayer. A friend prayed for me over the phone and asked God to show me the source of the fear. Immediately a scary memory surfaced that was related to a traveling experience many years ago in which my personal safety felt threatened. Once the source of the fear was uncovered I was able to pray through the incident using my previous training in inner healing.

Isaiah 41:10 (Amplified translation)

Fear not (there is nothing to fear), for I AM with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I AM your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes I will help you; yes I will hold you up and retain you with My (VICTORIOUS) right hand of rightness and justice.

That verse assures us that God is always with us. God doesn't want us looking at our circumstances and being frightened. He wants us to keep our eyes on Him and who He is. He is our defender and protector. We are to trust Him for our security. Fear imprisons us. But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to set the captives free.

The Word of God also says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. If fearful thoughts plague my mind, it helps me to declare that Scripture out loud or meditate on it until peace is restored.

Fear is not fun. It's the opposite of faith. These are just a couple of ways that God has helped me conquer fright. If you have other ways of dealing with it, I would love to hear your comments.

What is the deciding factor?

It's going to cost a lot of money. I don't want to spend the time doing that. It might not be fun.

What drives your decisions? Summer approaches. It's time to plan for vacations and summer jobs. Perhaps there is an opportunity for a mission trip or volunteer work. How do you decide what to do? What determines the final choices?

These last few days have been tough decision making ones for me. As I sought the Lord for wisdom, I became aware of some thoughts that were making it difficult to determine what God wanted me to do. Despite many hours of prayer, God seemed to be silent.

I asked myself three questions:

1. Could something be blocking His answer?

Many times our thoughts travel through our minds like elevator music. There's a 'song' playing in the background that influences our thoughts on an unconscious level. Indecision frustrated me until my inner ears focused on the 'lyrics' influencing my emotions. 'Lyrics' like, It might be a lot of work, I don't think I can do it, or I really don't want to.

Becoming aware of the thoughts that preceded my prayers was the first step to unblocking God's answer.

2. What was driving my decision?

Was God's will my number one priority, or had I allowed money, time, abilities or personal pleasure to usurp His lordship over my choices? Money warned me about possible lack. Fear eroded confidence in my abilities. Anxiety whispered it really wasn't something I would enjoy doing. I decided to silence them all. I saw them for what they were - idols or strongholds that were dictating my decisions. They were squeezing out God's still small voice and clamoring for my attentions. Indecision and lack of peace were the fruit of listening to the wrong messages.

3. Was I willing to do whatever God asked me to do?

Once those competing thoughts were identified, confessed and silenced, I waited peacefully for God's answer, unhampered by fear and anxiety. My unfettered commitment to obey His plans brought a quick answer. I am excited about that plan because those other voices are now silent. The next time I face a tough decision, I plan to tune in to the 'lyrics' in my mind, silence those written by my flesh, and commit to doing whatever God wants.

What drives your decisions?

Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to be agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed (Proverbs 16:3)

Toss the Cookies, Toss the Peanut Butter, Toss the Files

One of my desires is to have a pure heart. So periodically I find myself asking God to search my heart and show me what needs to be discarded. Has pride crept in? Selfishness? Unforgiveness? If so, repentance sweeps it away, and I ask God to fill the void with the opposite (humility, selflessness, forgiveness).

Sometimes a treat can seem very appealing (the latest movie release, a bestselling book), but when scrutinized through the eyes of the Holy Spirit, turns out to be a poisoned cookie (see the last post) or a Trojan horse - innocent in appearance but disguising a trap.

The news has recently alerted us that certain forms of peanut butter and products containing them are contaminated with a potentially fatal bacterium called salmonella. Hundreds of consumers have become ill after eating the tainted peanut butter, and a few have died. Stores have been tossing the peanut butter products and consumers have followed suit.

This past week we have been receiving envelopes in the mail marked ‘important tax return document enclosed’. I file them in our 2008 tax file until all have been collected and it’s time to prepare for April 15th. In that file folder I keep a photocopy of an article that details which tax documents to keep and for how long. After so many years, one is free to shred check stubs and receipts without fear of reprisal if audited by the IRS.

There is another file, one that no one sees…except the Holy Spirit. Although a brain surgeon can not find it, it lies hidden in our gray matter somewhere. It’s not stored on a CD or a DVD, although for some people it plays back over and over as if it were. It’s a record; a record of wrongs. Most of us can remember when so and so did such and such to us. Someone’s hurtful comments singed our ears. A close friend betrayed us. Someone we trusted gossiped behind our backs. We’ve all been there. We’ve probably all done something similar ourselves at one time or another. Into our mental file go the memories of wrongs, like records in a juke box. The next time we think about that person, or see the person, an invisible finger presses B 17 and it plays back the hurt as if it were yesterday’s hit song.

May I suggest that it’s time to toss the poison cookies, toss the peanut butter and toss the files? Those past hurts aren’t golden oldies, they’re reconstituted unforgiveness that eventually turns into bitterness and sours not only the relationship but our hearts as well. I know, I know. You’re saying, “It’s easy for her to spout forgiveness. She hasn’t experienced what I’ve been through.” You’re correct. But I have had my own garbage to throw out, and if left untouched, boy does it smell up my life.

Colossians 3:12-13 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Matthew 6:14-15 is sobering and deserves our attention. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Ouch. I sure want God to forgive me when I goof up. Don’t you? Well, let’s give the same forgiveness to our fellow sojourners when they blow it, too.

Romans 3:23 …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...

I John 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

After we get rid of the peanut products, let’s toss the old records. Let’s forgive. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and see if some spring cleaning is in order. Let's invite God into those hurts and allow Him to heal them (in some cases professional or pastoral counseling may be needed). We are the ones who will benefit from the clean up. God’s forgiveness is life restoring and a source of soul peace.

Race you to the shredder!