Christmas Present

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights in whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17

I love Christmas. Presents are one of my love languages, and I have always enjoyed that aspect of Christmas.  My dad and his brother were very different creatures. Dad wanted to be surprised by what he got and Greg always wanted to know. He always did know, too. He confessed many years later that he slit the tape with a razor blade and then re-taped it. When they would argue he would threaten to tell Dad what his presents were. I did my share of sneaking into the living room to see if presents had come. I love wrapping gifts funny ways, like putting a watch in a huge box with paper stuffed around it. I also like to do treasure hunts, where inside the box is a note with a clue where to look next. One of my favorite gift traditions was when Mom would take me to the Christian book store and tell me to pick out books and cassette tapes that I wanted. ( I know that dates me.) Then she would send me to another part of the store and pick out what I got out of my stack. I have to work on how to show love to people who don’t share this love language. I confess that I did not always connect the gifts we gave and received with God's gift of Jesus, but I have learned to. In fact not long before mother died I asked her what she would do differently. She said that one of the biggest things she would change would be to keep the focus more on Jesus and less on stuff.

We are in the advent season now and we are waiting. I did not grow up in a "tribe" that celebrated advent, but it has become very special to me. It gives me an anchor to remember Jesus' coming and to look forward to his coming back. I like the visual of the candles reminding us of the gifts of love, joy, hope and faith. It is easy to forget these blessings. It is tempting to "look for God's hand and  not His face." He is loving and gracious and generous, and this week he has provided practical  blessings that have left me shaking my head in awe. Much more than that, though,
He has given me his presence in my dark stretch when I didn't feel Him. He has given me restoration with my family and assured me that there is more restoration to come. All of this would be meaningless if it were not for Jesus and His sacrifice. I believe He will come again and restore all things, and I look forward to that. My goal, though, is to seek Him and enjoy Him and serve him NOW. He has brought me through my past and he will be in my future, but He is in my Christmas in my Present.


Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and in revelation he is honored and praised for being the god who was and is and is to come. (Revelation 4:8) There are so many other verses that speak to the presence of God in our lives and His glory, but I will leave you with these for now.

Emmanuel

Well, the holidays are here and the TV tells us that we should feel joyful and festive. The TV doesn't take real life into account, though. I don't feel joyful and festive. I have had long talks with God this week and here is some of what I have learned.




Emmanuel
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers,
  they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned Psalms 43:1-3




Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego  were in trouble.  They weren't in trouble for doing what was wrong but for doing what was right. King Nebuchadnezzar had built a huge golden statue in the plain near Babylon and commanded that when people heard the music play they were to bow down to the statue. When the music played 3 men did not bow down. Enter the tattletales, who run to the king and inform on the three Israelites. He calls them in to talk to them and tells them that if they bow down, everything will be forgiven but if not he will throw them in a blazing furnace. They bravely tell him that they will not bow to anyone except God. He wants to know how "any god" can deliver them out of the furnace. Their answer is, We believe that our God can deliver us, but even  if he does not we will not bow down. Now only does he throw them in the furnace, but he also has it heated up to seven times the regular temperature. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tied up and thrown in the furnace and the fire was so hot that the men throwing them in were burned up. When the king looked into the furnace he was shocked and amazed. He asked the soldiers, "Didn't we throw 3 men bound into the fire?" When they answered that they had, he said "I see 4 men walking around unbound and the fourth is like a son of the Gods!" When the 3 men were brought out they did not even smell like smoke and their clothes were not singed. King Nebuchadnezzar changed the law he had made. No one was to worship anyone except the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.


Most of you grew up hearing this story, but can you imagine what it was like to witness this sight? God did not keep them from being thrown into the fire but he was with them in the fire. Maybe this will help us when we feel like we are in a fiery trial. We may be angry at God because he could have stopped it. This is true. He could have, but He didn't. I can't pretend I know why. Many of us have had a lot of difficult things happen this year. We can take comfort in the fact that God has been with us in the fire.
Some of the last words Jesus spoke to his disciples were, "Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20) Psalms 46, in verse 7 and 11 says, "The Lord Almighty's with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Look at this beautiful description of what God says he will do for us in Isaiah 43
But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush^[a] and Seba in your stead.
⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
    I will bring your children from the east
    and gather you from the west.


Do you still need something to feel grateful for? Me,neither.

Welcome back to Unseen. It has been a difficult couple of weeks but God is faithful. Happy All Saints Day. Take a minute to honor and remember the faithful ones who have passed on. Between grief and struggles we often feel alone. Read on to see what God showed me about his presence.




The Lord is Near


You drew near when I called on You; You said, "Do not fear!" Lamentations 3:57




Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth’s  rite of Passage?
His father takes  him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves  him alone.
He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and  not remove the blindfold until the rays of the  morning sun shine through it.    He cannot  cry out for help to anyone.
Once he survives the night, he is a man.
He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.
The boy is  naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of  noises. Wild  beasts must surely be all around  him. Maybe even some human might do him harm.  The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his  stump,  but he sat stoically,  never removing the blindfold. It would be the  only  way he could become a  man!   Finally, after a horrific night the sun  appeared and he removed his blindfold.
It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump
next  to him.
He had been at watch the entire night,
protecting  his son from harm. We, too, are  never alone.
Even when we don’t know it, God  is watching over us,
Sitting on the stump beside us.
When trouble  comes, all we have to do is
reach  out to Him.
The God of the universe chooses to be near to  us. Even the name Emmanuel, which the prophet gave to Jesus means God With Us. We read in Psalm 34:18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Philippians 4 is such a familiar passage to many of us that we over look something important. It reads
 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Did you see it? Tucked in the middle of the instructions of what to do and how to pray is the reason that we are able to. THE LORD IS NEAR. Take courage in this fact. I pray that God will give us the eyes and ears to sense his presence and take comfort from it.

Come on in

 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

My family has a  favorite story on me. I was about 3 or 4 and we had gone to my Aunt Lita's house. Aunt Lita's house always had a unique  smell. It was 1 part Bengay, 1 part musty, 1 part whole wheat bread made inside coffee cans, and 1 part re-hydrated pimento cheese that everyone tried to convince me that I loved. I had gone outside and couldn't get back in. I could look through the screen door and see my mom, my aunts and my grandma. They were visiting and drinking coffee. I tried the door and couldn't get it to open. I knocked but they didn't hear me and kept talking. I knocked louder and they still didn't hear me. Finally I had enough. I put my hands on my hips and said as loudly as I could "Somebody let this poor baby in!" They heard me then and opened the door for me. They hugged me and gave me some toast made with the round bread out of the coffee can.
My mom's family lived a good ways off.  Visiting with them always meant a long drive. I would usually be asleep when we arrived. I would stumble out of the car and we would walk up to the porch where the light was always on for us. We would ring the doorbell and someone would open the door. Again, they would hug us and say, "COME IN THIS HOUSE!" No matter how sleepy I was it always made me smile.
You may have noticed that life is hard. Sometimes I have the feeling that I have been left out in the cold and can't get any help. I hate to try to get help with anything. I partly don't want to bother anyone and partly don't want anyone to say no. As a consequence I end up being self reliant which is good, but also being resentful which is bad. Self reliance has a down side, too. It can keep me from asking for help from God. I don't want to bother him and I don't want Him to say no. God has invited us to come boldly before the throne of God that we may find mercy and grace to help in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16.) That means we don't have to stand and knock quietly to be sure we don't disturb him. There is a children's song that we sang in Sunday school. It says
           Tiptoe tiptoe in God's house
           Tiptoe tiptoe in God's house
           Tiptoe tiptoe in God's house
            Tiptoe very softly.

I know that this song was intended to keep children from making too much noise during service but being over the top as I am I decided that this was how I was to approach God. According to 1 John 1 we have become children of God because of his great love. How many children would creep quietly into their parent's room to ask for what they needed? Not mine.
We are not home  yet. Like the journey to family's house for holidays some day we will get where we are going. Jesus tells his disciples, In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2I have a friend who was recently killed in an accident. I can almost see him leaving his broken body behind to be greeted in heaven by a smiling savior who exclaimed, COME IN THIS HOUSE! Some day he will do the same for me and for you. Whether we meet him there or he comes back for us, I long to see him. Even so,come Lord Jesus.

Identity Theft

Identity theft


Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1


We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.




As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.


Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.


I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction


It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.

Identity Theft

Identity theft


Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1


We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.




As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.


Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.


I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction


It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.

Disturbing the Peace

I am just going to be honest. This has been a terrible week. I had a friend die in a tragic accident. I had "just before payday stress". I had a really scary fall and I am still waiting for God to do some restoration. Read on to see what God has showed me about coping with a time like this.


Disturbing the Peace
These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. for I have overcome the world. John 16:33


There are a few pockets of beauty in the dry, flat West Texas landscape, One of them is McBride Canyon. There are trees big enough to climb, and I remember a time when one of our church friends climbed one and stayed there all day. He even had his food tossed up to him and ate in the tree. A few years later we made a trip there for a campout with my brother's cub scout troop. It was special for me because my friend who had moved away came back and camped with us. We talked non-stop for hours. We slept in a pop up camper on one of the bunk beds and our friend and her daughter slept on the other bunk bed. We finally wore our selves out and fell asleep listening to the crickets and frogs and night sounds that were different from what we heard in town. About 5 in the morning our friend got up to take her little girl to the bathroom. We woke up as they were leaving the camper. We lay there in the dark and listened again to the quiet sounds, then of course started talking.We talked about being away from civilization which we knew so much about at 12 years old. After a few minutes, one of us wondered if there were bears in these "woods". Our imaginations ran with that for a few minutes, even though the nearest bear was probably 700 miles away. We had started to quiet down when we heard a sound that struck terror in our hearts. The zipper on the camper. We jumped sky high, sure that a bear had  not only found its way to the Texas Panhandle, but learned how to unzip a camper. I said the only thing I could think of. "Who Goes There?" This was met by hysterical laughter, not from a bear, but our friend and her daughter.


God has offered us peace as one of the fruits of the spirit. He has promised to fight our battles and carry our burdens and bind up the broken hearted. He has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us. Unfortunately we also have an enemy who wants nothing more than to disturb our peace. He will work in our minds and speak through other people. He will bring difficult situations He will tempt us to worry or resent and then hit us with guilt when we succumb to these temptations. Talk about playing both ends against the middle. How do we combat this when it comes?


The first thing is to put on our armor. Ephesians 6:10-17 reads


Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
 I don't know about you but I need to read and remember this every day, especially in hard times. Us the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit.


Second remember the promises of God, including these words of Jesus.


These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. for I have overcome the world. John 16:33

 Jeremiah 29:11 says  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.


Micah 7:8 us one that I go to in hard times. Do not rejoice over me my enemy for though I fall I will rise again, and though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light.


Finally I have a challenge for you. Try to come up with a part of your identity in Christ fro each letter of the alphabet. For example, Accepted, Beloved, Cherished, Delivered, Forgiven,


These things can help us through weeks like this and any time the enemy tries to come against us. Also lets commit to holding each other up in prayer. Ask God who needs you to fight for them and swing those swords.

Be still


Psalms 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.


I was watching the ducks at the park the other day. They appear to be sitting perfectly still on top of the water. I learned, though, that their feet are paddling 90 to nothing where we can't see them. I love to swim. It is a good workout and it is relaxing. On thing that I do for cardio is to tread water. My head is above water and I look relaxed but my legs and arms are in constant motion to keep me afloat. On the other hand, if I relax and lean my head back and let my muscles relax, I will float.If I want to keep afloat with no effort, I can use a floatation device like a ball, kickboard or noodle.
 I am not going to lie. As soon as I hit save on this post, I entered a situation where I have to be still. I have learned again that I have to let God be in control of my loved ones and my life. I have so many ideas of things that I can do to help God get things fixed more quickly. I can tread water furiously and thrash and flail, That is not what I am supposed to be doing though.  What I am supposed to be doing  is pray, praise the Lord, and be still . These are the words that He has given me.
First my verse that I love and hate. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, exalted in the earth. Psalms 46:10-11.
Exodus 14:13
 “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Ephesians 6:13.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
1 Samuel 12:16
“Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!


Right now I do not feel very confident but it is  not about feelings. God is good and he is faithful. I am probably not the only one who needs to hear this now so we will stand together.

Game of Thrones

Welcome back to Unseen. I have been overcoming obstacles both personal and technological. Read on to see what I have learned about Lordship.


                                                              Game of Thrones
     Keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:14-16






Fourth of July is  a time for picnics, parades and fireworks. It is also a time for gratitude for what we have as a nation. The first settlers came here for freedom from an oppressive king, as did many who came here later. Even with the challenges we have in our country right  now, from violence to an uncertain election outcome, we have so much to be grateful for. Today we have very little knowledge about the reality of monarchy. Our information comes from watching the lavish British royal weddings and the birth of royal cuties. It is supplemented by movies such as Princess Diaries, leaving us with a somewhat off kilter view. The reality is that in a monarchy which does not have the balancing effects of democracy, the king's power is absolute. He has control of religion, politics and money. A king rules for life and the rule is passed down to his heir, which gives birth to the saying, "The king is dead. Long live the king."a king can be deposed and overthrown, but it usually involves bloodshed.


The same is true in our spiritual life. In a perfect world, God is on the throne of our  hearts, but it is not a perfect world. It is a world polluted and corrupted by sin and dark forces. The throne of our heart is often occupied by self, by money , by power, by intelligence or by pleasure. These are not benevolent dictators and will wreak havoc in our lives. The only way to depose these tyrants is to accept the rule of God in our lives. He has earned the right because of Jesus blood that was shed. Unlike these false gods, He is a loving and compassionate king.


God deserves our loyalty because of who he is. Paul tells Timothy to "keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen" 1 timothy 6:14-16.


God himself describes it this way.
“This is what the Lord says—
    Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
    apart from me there is no God.
⁷ Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
    Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
    and what is yet to come—
    yes, let them foretell what will come. Isaiah 44:5-7


Just as the king's authority is passed down to his heir. Revelation 1:5 says


To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits^[a] before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶ and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Even though we have limited understanding of kingship, God does not. He is not a tyrant, but a merciful master who in exchange for our loyalty gives us his unlimited protection and provision.

Baby steps

Welcome back to Unseen. It has been a busy couple of weeks. Today's post goes out especially to the new graduates and to anyone leaning to walk a new path.


Baby Steps


Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for though I fall I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light. Micah 7:8

I was watching a little girl try to learn to walk the other day. She pulled up on the coffee table and let go. She stood for a minute wobbling. She took one shaky step, then another and then a third. Mom was cheering her on and beaming. As she looked up to get a better glimpse of mom, the baby lost her footing. Boom. Down she went. She sat for a minute and then pulled up again. This time she made a few more shaky steps before falling. The third time she reached mom, who scooped her up, laughing and kissing her. Before long she will be walking everywhere and mom will wonder why she was so anxious for this day. Babies are much easier to catch on all fours.

What if the scene were a little different? What if the baby fell down and instead of getting up she sat and looked at mom. What if she thought,  “Well, if I can’t do it right, I’m not going to do it at all.” What if she thought, “I guess it’s just not meant for me to walk.” Maybe she thought, “I wish I could walk as well as Billy, but I can’t so I’ll just sit here and resent him for it.” Worse yet, what it mom looked at the baby when she fell and said,  “What’s wrong with you? You’re supposed to be a walker. I got you a new pair of shoes and everything.”

We would never dream of doing that to a baby, would we? Unfortunately we do it to new Christians all the time. Change the words to this. “What’s wrong with you? You’re supposed to be a Christian. You got baptized and everything.”  We also are prone to react the same way the baby did, when we are learning to walk with God. Have you heard these words,or said them?

“I should help teach a class or tell someone about Jesus, but I don’t know enough. If I can’t do it right (or perfect) I’m not going to do it at all.”

“I guess it’s just not meant for me to pray for people’s healing.”

“I know God wants me to write, but since I can’t write like Rick Warren, I’ll just sit here and resent him.”

Your objections are different than mine, I’m sure but no less destructive.  Falling down is a part of learning to walk physically and of learning to walk with God. Fortunately God is a patient and helpful father. When we fall, the enemy swoops in to make the very most of it. He will whisper, "see you did it again. Your out of luck this time.  You might as well not even try. One of my life verses is Micah 7:8. Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for though I fall I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light. We need to "gird our loins with truth" (Eph 6:12) to stand up to that kind of talk. Roman s 8:1 and 2 is a beautiful verse that we too often forget. It tellds us, There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ has set me free from the law of sin and death. Not only do we  have God's assurance, but also the help of the Savior. 1 john 2:1 says
    My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have    
    an  advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for      
    our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Can you think of a better reason to get back up after falling?
         
One place we as Christians often fall short is in dealing with others who fall. We can act like the mother in the story, and not like the Heavenly Father. Romans 14 talks about dealing with weaker brothers. He says that we must accept them and try not to put a stumbling block in their way. Galations 6:1-2 gives us this advice. "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."


We will fall we are learning to walk with God for the first time or  learning to walk with him into a new place in life or ministry. Put on your belt of truth and lets walk together.
 

Turtles

God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Psalms 46:10.








Turtles are one of God's most interesting creations.  I knew lots of facts about them.  Their shells are beautiful works of art  and each as individual as human finger prints. In addition to being beautiful, they protect the turtle's vulnerable body. Without a shell, the turtle would be easy game to predators. but with it, only the most aggressive and resourceful enemies can harm it. 


Nothing I learned in books prepared me for the reality of having a turtle at our house. One day while driving through the middle of nowhere in West Texas, I saw a box turtle crossing the  road. I picked it up and took it to the babysitter, thinking that it would be fun for the little boys there. The first lesson we learned was that while we hear that turtles are slow, they can really put a move on when exposed to two year olds.  The turtle came home with us after a couple of days of  torture at the babysitter's. This gave rise to a series of utterances that I never dreamed would ever come out of my mouth. For instance, I never dreamed I would have to tell a child, "Don't give that turtle coke." or "Don't chase the turtle." One sentence that was uttered just a little too late was, "Don't kiss the turtle.!" His reply was "I kiss Spike" Spike's response was to clamp down on his lip. My child let out a blood curdling scream and let go of the turtle, who hung off of his lip. As I stared, Spike let go of his lip and fell from 2 year old height. I put him in the cage, where he was very still for 2 days. I was unreasonably pleased when I heard scratching in the cage. Apparently the shell can protect turtles from the most ruthless of danger.






Jesus tells in Matthew 6 about how God cares for his creation but says that we are of much more value. We serve a God who cares deeply about our well being. Matthew 10:29-30 tell us this.


    Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your      Father’s care. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.


We need to be assured of God's care and protection for us. In a difficult time or when beginning a new stage in life, we need to know that God will protect us from fear, from physical danger, and from the attacks of the enemy. One of the most beautiful verses I know of is Psalms 46:10-14. God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, thought the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. The Lord Almighty's with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress.


When Abraham was afraid, God told him in Genesis 15, I am your shield and your very great reward. He says the same thing to us today. One thing he gives us is his presence. He told Jeremiah in Jer. 1:9
"Be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with your wherever you may go. In Ephesians 6, he tells us about a resource we often ignore - our spiritual armor. This includes the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

 We may feel weak and ineffective, and on our own we are. However with God we can be assured of protection and can face our lives and our enemy with faith and confidence.

Blooming

Bloom
²⁷ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!


OK, boys and girls. Today we are going to have science class. What does it take for flowers to grow. You all know the answer to this. Soil, water, sunlight, and food. Flowers that have plenty of all of these things will be healthy and beautiful. Unfortunately, there are lots of places that do not have plenty of these things. Here in West Texas, we have lots of sunshine, but usually not enough rain. We still get flowers, though. The ones that grow here send deep roots to find the water that is available, or they grow on cacti or succulents that store water. In the rain forest, the tree canopy is so thick that the flowers cannot always get the sunlight they need. The flowers that grow there are sun seekers, even turning on their stems to follow the light. While soil is necessary for flowers, they can adapt. We have all seen flowers growing out of the cracks in the sidewalk or a rocky crevasse, and water lilies can grow with no soil at all. It amazes me when I think about how God has enabled the flowers to flourish in less than ideal circumstances.
You know, God has done the same thing for us. Like the hardy flowers, we exist in less than ideal circumstances. You may be in a job that you would rather not do but you have the integrity to go every day and do your best.  You may have people in your home that are difficult. Maybe, like me, you read those facebook posts about how people are married to their best friend and they are so happy. While you are happy for them, your spouse is being a royal patoot today. Maybe you are still waiting for your royal patoot to show up. Maybe the child that you adore  has broken your heart.  Whatever your inhospitable environment, by the grace of God you can bloom.
Just like flowers need certain conditions to bloom, so do we. First we need contact with God. This comes through prayer and meditation and through the hard work of being still. (Psalms 46:10) We can be so busy (even busy doing God's work) that we don't stop to come into the presence of God. Being still is hard for Western Christians because we don't practice. Second we need the food of the word. (Hebrews 5:12-13) We need gratitude and praise in our lives, which are also not in our nature.  Psalms 35:10 and so many other verses make this clear. Finally we need to let God use the difficult circumstances in our lives as fertilizer, taking the negative things and using them for our good.( Genesis 48, Romans 8:28) 
If we do these things we can be an encouragement to others and a sweet smelling aroma to our Father who adores us.

Resurrection

Resurrection

And the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel and he said, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel answered and said, “You alone  know, Oh sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 37:3

It was a spring day, the kind where it is warm enough to wear sandals, but the grass feels cool under your feet. My sister was doing her nails on the couch. My brother was playing video games on the floor in front of the TV, and I was curled up in the chair reading. Duke our old collie was lying on the floor beside the TV. Our quiet Saturday afternoon was about to be turned upside down. I finished my chapter and went over to pet Duke. He didn’t move so I called his name and petted him some more. When he still didn’t move, I pulled up his eyelid. Underneath I saw milky white membrane. “Mom,” I called there’s something wrong with Duke!” Mom came in from the kitchen. She also tried to pet Duke and called his name. “Come on, Dukey, wake up.” There was still no response from the collie. Mom straightened up and said, “Kids, I’m afraid Duke is dead.” We immediately started crying and went out in the front yard. Mom called Dad at the office and he told her he was in the middle of a meeting with clients and couldn’t come. She didn’t insist very often, but this time she did. The three of us kids were outside, crying and hugging each other. Duke had been in the family longer than Stephen and I and was the poster dog for good natured and docile collies. We would really miss him. Dad showed up and he went into the house with Mom. “Poor old Duke.” He said. “Stella, you get his back legs and I’ll get his front legs and we’ll put him out in the back yard until we can bury him.” On the count of three they lifted him up. He promptly opened his eyes and tried to bite Dad. He was not dead at all, but just mostly deaf and blind. His breathing was too shallow to be detected under his thick coat, and unknown to us at the time, collies have an extra eyelid for protection, which is milky white. Once he had been so rudely awakened, Duke came trotting out the front door. Once Dad came out he was happy that the dog was okay, but really put out about having to postpone his important meeting. “Don’t you people know when a dog is dead or not!” he shouted. As for us, we nearly smothered the poor resurrected dog.” He lived another 2 years, until the ripe old age of 18.

Do you feel that there are things in your life that are dead? Maybe it is dreams or visions that you had. Maybe it is people that have passed on ahead of you and you feel lonesome or hurt. It might be your joy in the Lord or your peace. Many of us have concerns for the state of our nation. Can these things be restored to life? You are not the first to wonder. In Ezekiel 37 God took Ezekiel to a valley where there were huge piles of dry bones. He asked Ezekiel, "Son of man, can these bones live?" Ezekiel gave a great answer. He must have looked out at the bones stretched before him and thought, What kind of a question is that? Instead he said, "You alone know, oh sovereign Lord." God told him to prophecy to the bones, and miraculously they came together, forming skeletons. Tendons, muscles and skin covered them. I saw a video of what this might have been like with one skeleton and to be honest it made my hair stand on end. When God was done, a vast army stood on its feet. This is what he said to Ezekiel.
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.


Looking back from our perspective we know that he did it, too. Not only that, but that restoration was not a one shot deal. He desires to restore our lives and our hearts. He says in  Joel 2 that he will restore the years that the locusts have eaten  if we return to him with all our heart. I have seen him restore health, families, marriages, peace and joy in my life and the lives of those around me. He also desires to restore our nation, which we need so desperately. 2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Finally in Revelation 20 and 21 we read a small piece of what it will be like in the restoration of all things. These verses don't explain completely, but enough to give us a taste and create a desire in us for these things to come. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

The rest of the story

The Rest of the Story


For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;   we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

 There is a lot of malarkey on TV these days. One offender is the series Survivor. So they are on a deserted island, huh? I looked up the series on the internet and it turns out there is a 300 person crew, including cameramen and set builders, 2 doctors and 3 nurses. Many of these stay in air-conditioned inflatable cabins. Contestants are probably not in as desperate a situation as they would have us believe.

TV is not the only place we are missing pieces of the puzzle, though.  Our picture of life can be distorted as well. When I was about 12 or 13, I went to the thriving metropolis of Spearman, TX to spend a week with my aunt and uncle. One night as I was lying in bed, I heard a quiet jingling sound. I figured it was Bandit, their border collie. I called him, expecting 25 pounds of black and white fluff.  The missing piece of information was that the jingling sound was not coming from Bandit. I realized my mistake when seconds after I called him I was confronted with 200 pounds of Hoss, the Saint Bernard who was usually outside. He managed to pin my shoulders and knees with his massive paws and was grinning down at me and drooling. Jackie soon encouraged him to get back outside, but my going to sleep was postponed that night.

Many times our spiritual and emotional life suffers due to missing information. When I was talking to my sister a couple of weeks ago, we were talking about how I had always felt inferior to her because in so many areas she was the star. She said, “I wish I had the power to go back and reframe that for you.” God showed me that what I needed in that situation was to literally re-frame that memory, using a wider camera angle. I was able to understand for the first time that there was a lot of pressure in always being the star and that she was having struggles I couldn’t see.  After way too many years, a barrier is gone between us.

Move the camera out again and look at other area in our life, such as our marriages. I asked God the other night why marriage was so difficult. He reframed that image for me too. Yes marriage is difficult in the best of circumstances. The rest of the story is that we are in a battle. If you are trying to follow Jesus, the enemy is not happy. One of his names is “the accuser of the brethren”. He will accuse us, but he will also accuse our spouse, tempting us to focus on their shortcomings and the things that annoy us. We can choose to change our focus to notice the things that they do right. By attacking our marriages, the enemy can destroy one of our greatest assets. Let’s don’t stop there though. The camera moves back further and we can see heavenly hosts fighting for us.

 In 1 Kings 6 there is a story where Elisha and his servant find themselves surrounded by the Syrians. The servant is afraid, but Elisha tells him "Do not fear, for those that are with us are greater than those who are against us. ' He prays that God will open the servants eyes. When he does, the servant sees a vast army of angels with chariots and horses of fire. The Syrians are struck blind and completely routed.
The apostle Paul puts things in perspective in 2 Corinthians 4:18.
 
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;   we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.


This should give us real hope in dealing with our struggles.
Finally, speaking of hope, this is resurrection week and we need to remember the most important truth that Jesus defeated death and hell by his death and resurrection. While we are in a battle, the war has already been won. Happy Easter.

Fruit


But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23


Walking into the room, I felt awed. Everything was shiny and well put together. I was actually a little intimidated. I could work for hours and still not achieve this kind of perfection.  In the center of the room was the table which looked as perfect as the rest of the room. No spots on the dishes marred the scene. Colored napkins fanned out elegantly and treats were spread on sparkling silver. Looking at the other people in the room I noticed that most of them were daintily nibbling crackers, without spilling any crumbs on their dresses. I really wanted on of the decadent looking chocolate bites, but didn’t want to be judged by people I didn’t know. Instead I reached for the bowl of fruit, convincing myself that what I really wanted was a nice juicy orange. I just hoped the juice didn’t squirt on my blouse. I chose an orange that was perfect in color and texture and picked it up. Then I realized with a surprise that it was plastic. In aggravation I picked up the chocolate after all.

Plastic fruit may look pretty but it doesn’t satisfy. There is no good juicy flavor and no refreshment. It can’t provide any nutrients or any benefits that real fruit provides.  It doesn’t have any of the flaws that real fruit can but except for looks, no one would choose it over a good tasting nutritious piece of the real thing.

The Bible uses things that are familiar to teach us things that are unfamiliar. Paul was trying to teach the believers about the Holy Spirit. He had told them that we were born of the Spirit. Then he explained that there are fruits of the spirit. These fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) I want all of these things. Some of them are fairly easy for me. It is not too hard for me to be gentle, because that is my personality.  Some of them are harder. Peace is not in my list of things that is easy. I find it much easier to be anxious, and while I strive for peace, my toes are curled up inside my shoes and my teeth are clenched.  I don’t feel loving a lot of days, especially when things are not going my way. Here is my problem. I can decide that I am going to be joyful and smile till my teeth hurt, praise Jesus. I am very likely to decide I am going to have self-control. For a while I can do it, but then something trips my trigger and I want to run for coffee, chocolate or a tantrum. Maybe a good cry.  My results look good but they are plastic fruit.
So what doe we know about fruit? It grows on a plant, not out by itself. In John 15:5, Jesus told his disciples, I am the vine and you are the branches. If you abide in me and my words abide in you will bear much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing.
Plants need water to bloom and produce fruit.  Psalms 1 says this.
  Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.
Our nourishment is the word of God.


Finally, the soil must be good. In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13), Jesus described a farmer sowing seed in different types of soil, including shallow, rocky, thorny and good soil. The rocky soil did not provide depth for the roots and the plants withered quickly. The thorny soil choked the plants and the seed in the good soil grew and produced fruit. I had always thought of this parable as talking about salvation, which is a logical thing. It also applies to believers who are bearing fruit. No matter what the conditions, the fruit of the Spirit is from the spirit. It is a natural outpouring of his power and his work, not ours. This week let's try to abide in Jesus. It is not easy but it is worth it.

Testing, testing

Testing, Testing

Count it all joy my brothers when you encounter trials of various kinds, knowing that the testing of your faith works patience and let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:3

I bought a new car recently, praise the Lord. Cars make our lives so much easier, especially in a town like this which is too big to bike across and has a bus system designed by a sadist. While I was looking for a car, I did a lot of research and talked to my husband and my pre-engineering student child. (Yes, that was a shameless plug, taking nothing away from my social work student child.) The previous car was in a crash, and I wanted to know about safety tests that are done. I found out that there are wind tunnel tests, extreme conditions tests, engine safety,  roof strength tests and crash tests for front, side and rear. If a car is not tested thoroughly, drivers and passengers can be in real danger.  Threats can come from any direction depending on where a car is driven, the skill of the driver and any extreme conditions. While tests are not a guarantee of safety in an accident they are very necessary.

No one likes to talk about it, but faith is tested too. Like a vehicle, threats to our faith can come from any direction. They can come from within our own hearts and minds, (engine safety) or from assaults from the outside. (crashes) They can be brought on by extreme conditions such as death of a loved one or financial hardship, or they can be brought on by wear and tear on our souls. James 1 talks about the wind tunnel test of living in doubt, tossed about by every wave of doctrine. (1:6) College students often have their faith tested by being exposed to other views. A catastrophic event in our lives will shake our faith down to its core, but through God’s grace it can come out stronger and even be a source of comfort and ministry to others.

I tried to find people in the Bible who had had their faith tested, and then realized that it was difficult to find anyone who had not. In Hebrews 11, sometimes called the Hall of Faith, he lists many of the faithful, and then ends with this in verses 38-40.

The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

There is so much to be said about faith, but let me leave you with this. In John 6, Jesus was teaching and many people left because what he said was hard. He looked at the disciples and asked, “Do you want to leave too?” Peter said, “Lord, where would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

I can remember personally where I was when I said something very similar to God. A friend had drowned trying to save some girls who had gotten caught in and undertow and I was very angry with God. It was the first time someone I loved had died. I said to God, “I don’t think I want to play if that the way you’re going to be. He was a missionary trying to do your work. “ I cried for a while, and then came to the same realization that Peter did. There was nowhere else to go. No one else has redeemed me and called me by name. (Isaiah 43:1) Many, many other tests have followed, but He has shown Himself to be faithful and worthy of my trust. Faith that is tested is faith that is strengthened. Ride the wave and hold on. He is with you in the storm.

Welcome to Unseen this year. I had a hard time getting this post written. It turns out I was missing a piece of information. Hope it helps you as much as it did me.

Beauty

Let not your adornment not be of braided hair or gold jewelry, but of the inner beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight 1 Peter 3:3-4

Well, here we are in a new year. Maybe one of your new year’s resolutions was not to have any new year’s resolutions. Maybe it was to take care of yourself better. That can look different for different people. For some it is health and fitness and for others it is pampering and beauty. For me it is all of the above.  The health and fitness I can do better than the pampering and beauty because it involves self-discipline and fits well into my perfectionist view of life. Pampering is difficult because there is limited time and it seems wasteful. Stephen Covey, in the 7 Habits of highly effective people, encourages us to take care of ourselves in his seventh habit, Sharpen the Saw. His illustration is a man who is sawing away with a dull blade. Someone suggests to him that he stop and sharpen his saw so that it works more efficiently and he replies that he is too busy working to stop and sharpen his saw.  (I still haven’t completely mastered this concept.)  Beauty is a big piece of pampering. I love the luxurious feel of having someone wash my hair for me, or help me try a different makeup trick.  Apparently I am not the only one who feels this way because the beauty industry generates millions of dollars a year, between fashion, fragrance and hair care products and pretty stuff.

 I was talking to a friend yesterday who recommended nutrition and hydration rather than lotions and gels that may not do anything but mask the bigger problem. Then the deeper truth hit me that the same thing is even truer in our spiritual lives.  When Samuel went to anoint a king to replace the rebellious Saul, he looked at Jesse’s oldest son and was sure that he was God’s choice, because he was strong and handsome.  God told Samuel that he had rejected him as king, because man looks at the outside appearance but God looks at the heart. (1^st Samuel 16:7)  What can we do to make our inner selves more beautiful? Ironically, it comes down to the same three things – fashion, fragrance and adornments (Pretty stuff). Let's look at some of what God says about what  makes for inner beauty.

Fashion

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Romans 13:14  14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Ephesians 6 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the enemy.

            Fragrance

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.  For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. 2 Corintians 2 15-17.

 

 

 Revelation 5:8

And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.

Adornment

Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

1 Peter 3:3-4

Let not your adornment not be of braided hair or gold jewelry, but of the inner beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

 

Physical beauty will fade and is not worth that much to begin with, no matter what our twisted world  view says. Let's work together this year to not just mask the problems but to treat the "Heart" of it.