Eavesdropping on God

 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

II Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

   Several years ago teaching hospitals developed an area designated the "Operating Pavilion." It is an elevated amphitheater that surrounds the operating room where surgeries take place. The theater was created so that interns and other spectators could observe a surgery from beginning to end with an excellent view above the operating table.

  Many times the physicians will explain to those watching exactly what they are doing. But often the interns simply listen to comments the physicians make to each other as they discuss what they find during the surgery as well as what might be done to contribute to the positive healing and welfare of the patient.

  The interns in effect are eavesdropping on the conversations between the doctors as they face each new patient and surgery. They listen and observe situations in surgery that they too will face as future surgeons . . . and they learn.

  That is exactly what God, the Creator, has allowed us to do today. The Bible is full of conversations and situations with real people, real drama, and real outcomes. God has determined that one of the best ways for us to learn how to make decisions in our lives is for us to be able to eavesdrop on similar conversations and situations throughout the Bible.

   For example, when we are afraid and anxious because of a huge uncertainty we are facing, we need only to turn to the first chapter in Joshua and eavesdrop on the conversation God has with His servant as He encourages that warrior to "be strong and courageous because I (God) will never leave you."  

  When a child decides that home and rules do not apply to him and he decides to find his own way in the world, we can turn to Matthew 15 to experience a father whose son also left home and the father's joy at his son's return.

  As we struggle with forgiving a friend who has hurt us, we listen as Jesus instructs his disciples in Luke 17 about forgiveness.

  My encouragement is to eavesdrop . . . eavesdrop on conversations that God has left for you in His Word. Nothing will ever happen in your life that you cannot find an answer to or encouragement for, in the Bible. But you will never know the answers if you don't eavesdrop.

   Father, I need your answers to my problems. My desire is to know more clearly what you would have me do in my life. Thank you for your Word. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Do you ever wonder if anyone truly understands what you are going through in your life?

• *Have you ever felt like you faced a situation that Scripture did not address? Why or why not?

Apply

• Journal situations that you are facing this week.

• Eavesdrop on God's Word and write at least two Scriptures that apply to those situations and the encouragement God has for you.

Power 

• II Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

• Psalm 143:8 (NIV) ". . . Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."

• Proverbs 15:33 (NIV) "The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor."

Super-Glue Your Lips

 “. . . Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

James 1:20 (NIV)

    Before I could say “hello” to my dear friend as I opened the front door, she greeted me with “I am so embarrassed! I just made a fool of myself today.” I smiled. “That’s   an  everyday occurrence for me so just once isn’t too bad.” But there was no smile in return. She sat down, shook her head, and explained what had just happened.

    She had gone to the principal’s office at school because the bus driver had reported that her daughter Sara had been jumping over seats while the bus was in motion and was not listening to his repeated requests to sit down.“I was so angry when I walked in the office and never gave anyone a chance to speak,” she said. “I glared at the principal and the bus driver and told them that Sara would never ever jump over bus seats nor would she disrespect her bus driver by not obeying what he told her to do.”

   At this point she put her hands on her head and looked at me: “I followed that with a comment about how awful it was that they would accuse my daughter of doing such a thing and ended by saying that evidently someone was lying.” As I realized what the result was going to be by the look on her face, I took her hand and silently waited as she finished her story.

  “As I made that last statement, without saying a word, the principal leaned over and pushed the start button on his DVD player. I watched what the bus camera had recorded. Sara. My daughter. Jumping over bus seats. Ignoring her bus driver’s repeated demands to sit down.”  Oh my. Then she looked at me as regret and shame poured from her eyes, down her face, and onto her shirt. “I’m a Christian. A Christian! And today I was a horrible example of Jesus to everyone who heard me at the school.” 

    Ever been there? Ouch. Me, too. Instead of memorizing James 1:20 and putting it into practice every single day, I find myself changing the words around a bit so that it sounds more like this: “I am quick to become angry and speak and slow to listen.” When my mouth engages without ever consulting my Spirit, I know that, within minutes, regret will rise to the surface. Regret for what I said and for my very unchristian behavior. 

   That is why James 1:20 is so important for us all. Sooner or later, we are all going to say or do something that is totally opposite of the example Jesus set for us. We need to remember that as Christians we represent the Creator of the Universe. There will always be someone watching and listening as they determine whether or not we are living by the example Jesus set for us in His Word.

   My friend asked the Lord to forgive her for what she said, did, and thought. We prayed together, that He would give her courage to go back to the school and to not only apologize for her actions and words but to ask for forgiveness as well. She then asked the Lord to continually remind her of James 1:20 and the God she represents to others every day. Her last prayer request? That the Holy Spirit would super-glue her lips and flush open her ears in each and every situation she faces. What a great idea for all of us. 

      Father, for every single situation that I face today, help me to remember that I am an example of your son no matter where I am. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 Reflect

• Have you ever become angry or frustrated and shared everything that came to your mind without stopping to think about what you were saying?

• As you looked back, what was your first impression of YOU?

 

Apply

• The next time you face a situation – no matter what the issue – mentally tell your lips that they are super-glued together and open your ears to what is being said.

• Then picture everyone around you watching and listening to see if you will be a Christian example to them.

Power

• James 1:20 (NIV) “. . . Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

• Proverbs 15:18 (NIV) “Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares.”

• Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NIV) “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”

The Queen of Worry

 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Luke 12:25 (NIV)

 

You know the feeling . . .  it starts small . . . like a tiny voice somewhere in the far corners of your brain. You try to ignore it, but it demands to be heard and, like a child crying for attention, it grows and grows until you can no longer deny that it is there.

 

Worry. That’s its name. Worry. It creeps up on you, one seemingly insignificant nudging at a time until it spreads into an enormous stranglehold that threatens to leave you gasping for air. I am not proud of it, but I am the self-appointed Queen of Worry. What do I have to worry about, you ask? Well, let’s see. I worry about . . .

 

* My kids when they are small, when they grow up, when they go to college when they get married (or don’t), when they have children (or don’t); when they apply for a job; when they drive in ice or snow or rain, when they don’t call me back immediately when I call them.

 

* My job, my body fat, my crooked teeth.

 

* My husband, my marriage, my cooking, my messy house.

 

* My neighbors, politics, the economy.

 

* What people will think about me, say about me, like or not like about me.

 

* What happened yesterday, today, and might happen tomorrow.

.

And yet, Jesus looks at us, His children, and asks this question in Luke 12:25: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Why is it that, as Christians, we allow worry a sip of our coffee, a chapter in our book, and a place of honor at our dinner table? We hold it up like a three-dimensional drawing and stare at it from every angle. And we do everything possible to justify why we have the right to worry.

 

            Honestly, if anyone had a right to worry it would have been Jesus. Just think about what He was facing – death on the Cross – and yet He went straight to His Father with everything He was facing. So should we.

 

I read a devotional from Max Lucado. In it, he states that worry is both “irrelevant and irreverent.” I can’t get that statement out of my mind. When I worry, it does absolutely nothing to direct a problem in my life to its conclusion any more than throwing a pebble in a roaring river will change the course of that river.

 

What it DOES do is affect my outlook, my health, and my heart because worry causes me to focus on the problem and not on Jesus. It separates me from the peace that can only be found in Him because – hear me, please – worry is a three-letter word called sin. How can that be?

 

First, worry is irrelevant. All the worrying that I entertain in my mind and heart will never ever EVER make a situation better or solve a problem or bring me peace of mind. Not one time have I told a friend “I have really been worrying about that problem.” and had them respond “Oh, thank you! I feel so much better now. I know that everything will work out because you have been worrying!”

  

Second, worry is irreverent. Worry is admitting that I do not believe the Lord is able to do what He says He can- and will – do in my life and in the lives of those I love. Worry is a complete lack of trust in a Father who is the Creator of all things and the Beginning and End of everything.

 

Again and again, in Scripture, we are told not to worry but rather to “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2 (NIV). Never are we told to “Devote yourselves to worrying . . .”

  

Today I intend to give up my crown as the Queen of Worry as I kick it out of my heart and mind and replace it with Truth that can only be found in Him. Care to join me?

 

Father, I have kept the sin of worry in my heart but no longer. Please replace it with peace in knowing you are in control. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• What’s your very first response when a problem hits? Worry or prayer?
• Why do you believe you respond in that way?

 

Apply

• Keep a journal of problems or situations that have occurred in your life and how you initially responded.
• Write a promise from Scripture beside each problem or situation that will help you replace worry and panic with trust and peace.

 

Power

• Luke 12:25 (NIV) “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
• Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV) “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?”
• Matthew 6:34 (NIV) “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Her One Beauty

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

Proverbs 16:24 (NIV)

 

The young woman in the yellowed picture caught my attention as I looked through some old albums a few days ago. Her thick hair was quite wavy, brushing her shoulders, and appeared in the black and white photo to be red or medium brown. Her skin was naturally flawless and reminded me of the “finished” look Hollywood actresses spend hundreds of dollars trying to achieve.

   She was wearing a button-down cardigan with a dark scarf tied around her neck. Her eyes appeared pale and she was looking, not at the camera, but off to the right. But what caught my attention was her smile: it was non-existent. Her lips were pressed together almost as if she was gritting her teeth. I wondered if she simply did not like having her picture taken but I found that hard to believe because she was lovely.

   I turned the picture over to see if there was any information about her and read the following: “September 1949. Ruth Adele, age 19 years. Johnny’s latest “hobby” is photography. This is a Kodak picture taken on our front porch. Not too good, but at least you can see how she has grown. Her hair is her one beauty, red gold, and naturally curly. Very fair skin and gray-green eyes. She is several inches taller than I.”

  “Her hair is her one beauty . . .” No wonder she wasn’t smiling in the picture. But then I wondered if the person writing those words realized how they sounded. Were they meant kindly? To someone just picking up the picture, they did not read that way. And since they were written down, they were captured for anyone to read years later and wonder, as I did, who the pretty young lady was with no smile.

    I have to ask myself how many times I have made a comment like the one made about Ruth Adele without stopping to think about how hurtful it might sound. And what about the emails I have sent with comments that did nothing to build up, but rather tore down the person I was writing about? Unfortunately, I know the answer and I am ashamed.

   My prayer is that we will all stop and think about what we say – or write – about those around us. Let these words of wisdom be at the beginning of every comment we make and every email we send: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 (NIV). 

  Father, forgive me for the hurtful words I have spoken or written.  Please help me to stop and think to make sure that what I say or do only reflects you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you ever made a comment or sent an email and then immediately wished that you could take it back?

• Why? What did you say or write that made you feel that way? Did it build up or tear down?

Apply

• When you find yourself wanting to make a comment, either verbally or written, that might offend or hurt, stop and do a heart check with the Holy Spirit. Will what you have to say build someone up or tear them down?

• Is what you want to say or write something that really needs to be shared at all or if it is, can you say it in a different way that will not be hurtful?

 Power

• Proverbs 16:24 (NIV) “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

• Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs…”

• Psalm 19:14 (NIV) “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning Contentment From A Child

  “ . . . I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11 (NIV)

 

There was no extra money in our household when our children were small.  My husband worked outside the home, I worked as a stay-at-home mom, and our three children worked at messing up the home! As our family grew from the two of us to three, four, and then five, we both agreed that my staying home with our kids was best for all of us. But it also meant that two salaries became one, resulting in a very tight budget. An occasional outing to the movies or swimming pool was a rare but huge treat for all of us.   

We had to prioritize our money with necessities first and desires second and that even meant that some important things had to be put on hold in order to balance the monthly income. I remember a woman scolding me because I didn’t take our children to the dentist every six months. “What kind of a mother would neglect her children’s teeth?” she asked me. “A mother who had to choose between putting food on the table or taking her kids to the dentist every six months,” I thought to myself.

However, there were many positive aspects of watching our budget closely. One in particular stands out: our children learned an appreciation for and contentment with whatever they got. I remember clearly just how that appreciation was shown on a shopping trip to Wal-Mart. 

I had a list of groceries that we needed. But I had also budgeted for a couple of small items for each child. When I told them that they could each choose two things but could not spend over $3.00, they were overjoyed. Each one carefully considered his or her purchase but my youngest knew exactly what she wanted: a bag of candy orange slices for 89 cents and a pair of flip-flops for 50 cents. 

As I pushed my cart after the two older ones, I heard a precious little voice from behind me and turned around to hear my youngest as she prayed “Oh, Lord, Lord! Orange slices and flip-flops in the same day! Thank you! Thank you!” and held the candy and shoes high above her head for Him to see.

Are you thankful for the candy orange slices and flip-flops in your life? Have you felt contentment, even though you don’t have Pierre Marcolini chocolate candy for $102.50 a pound or Jimmy Choo designer shoes for $695.00 a pair? In other words, no matter what you have, can you truly say as Paul did in Philippians 4:11 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

Neither of those things appeal to you? Then simply replace the expensive shoes and candy with whatever whispers “If only you had (fill in the blank) in your life, everything would be better and you would find contentment.” But would it? I experienced a wonderful truth that day: expensive candy and shoes will never be a part of my lifestyle but I wouldn’t trade an orange candy slice/flip-flop “Thank you, God!” contentment for anything in this world!

  Father, thank you for all the blessings you have given me. Help me to always remember that my contentment comes from knowing you are taking care of me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like you appreciated what you had until you saw someone else with more?

• How did your perspective of what you were blessed with change? For the better or worse?

Apply

• Every time you see something someone else has that you don’t, immediately thank the Lord for what He has given you.

• Each morning before beginning your day, stop and name ten blessings that the Lord has given you because He loves you. Be specific.

Power

• Philippians 4:11 (NIV) “ . . . I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

• I Timothy 6:6 (NIV) “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

• Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”