I Have Called You Friends

 

Jesus said, “I have called you friends”. “…come unto me all ye that are weary and

heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

 

Memorial Day – for all of its rain this year – has passed; school has finished for the summer; church activities, small groups, and meetings have been placed on a hiatus; and life is settling into the pattern of “the lazy, hazy days of summer.” Routine is settling around us. Perhaps, after the rush and busyness of changing seasons, hurried activities, and whirlwind schedules, we may find an empty hollowness, a hole, a feeling that something is missing. We may also feel the weight of being the planner, the executor, the giver in so many ways lifted from our shoulders, but – in its wake – comes dryness of heart, a need for peace and rest.

 

Sometimes, when all the activity ceases, even for a short time, the weight of burdens can come, the stretch of finances overwhelms, the loneliness of empty days pervades, discontent with life’s situation drains energy. Our hearts, then, turn to Jesus – our Savior, our Friend – in, perhaps, a different way. We seek His peace in the stillness. Sarah is recorded in Hebrews as a woman of great faith. She too, however, had to learn peace in the inactivity—in the long days of waiting and wanting. She was unhappy with her state: childless. She manipulated the situation and sought her own solution by giving her maid Hagar to Abram. We know the story well. However, as we look deeply into the situation, we see two disenfranchised women. Hagar conceived. Sarah did not and found she was despised by the very woman who was her slave. Sarah took out her frustration on Hagar in such a way that Hagar ran. We soon realize that taking matters into her own hands did not bring Sarah peace but a dryness of heart.

 Sarah longed for a son, yes, but she also in those days of waiting needed to learn to be still in the wake of all the activity around her. She needed God’s gracious peace and rest to be hers. She needed to trust God’s Word and promises to her. She needed to see her God in a different way—a way that would bring quietness to her heart. Sarah had fourteen years of stillness before her. She had no notion as to how God would work. She had struggled, and continued to struggle, with her own inadequacies. She needed God’s peace. Sarah needed, but did she fully seek God’s way and peace?

 Our sister in the Lord teaches us that God’s peace comes in the stillness. God works in our situations to supply what we need when we need it. She exemplifies for us a woman overcome by her burdens who had to give them back to the God who promised. She had to learn that the dry seasons of life should drive us to closer dependence upon God. Sarah learned that in God’s time, in His way, and in His merciful love, He would act on her behalf. God rewarded her not only with the promised son but by recording her as a woman of faith in the face of obstacles.

 And we, too, need to cling to the promises of God. The old hymns teach us “Jesus what a friend for sinners, Jesus lover of my soul . . . He my Savior makes me whole.” “I’ve got peace like a river, peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river to my soul,” claims the African-American spiritual. The Isaiah 26:3 hymn speaks to “peace, perfect peace”and Spafford’s “When peace like a river, attendeth my way/ When sorrows like sea billows roll/ Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say/ It is well, it is well, with my soul.”  These speak to those who have gone before us who also needed God’s peace and rest. They are part of “the great cloud of witnesses” who encourage us.

So, before the activities of summer take over our lives, allow God to step into our period of drought. Activity will not bring satisfaction. Simple trust, sometimes hard-fought, supplies the peace we need in an over-stimulated world. To God be all glory.

 

--Janet Hicks

Disappointing Fruit

 

What disappointing verses! Check it out!

 Isaiah 18:4-5 (ESV), For thus the Lord said to me:

“I will quietly look from my dwelling

like clear heat in sunshine,

like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”

For before the harvest, when the blossom is over,

and the flower becomes a ripening grape,

he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks,

and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away.

 In context these verses are about God’s judgement upon Moab. The Moabites were going to be working hard planting, watering, tending their grape vines (literally or figuratively), but in the end, God just lops off the fruit of their labor. Snip!

 How discouraging that they would put forth all of that effort only to have the Lord thwart their plans. (But this was judgment, and God had His reasons of course.)

 I began to reflect on the fruit of my own labors after reading these verses. (If you read my previous post, you know I struggle with feeling inadequate for the work God has given me to do. Thankfully, He’s working with me on that. This is a sort of part 2.) I am learning that we do our part, He does His, but it’s also our responsibility to acknowledge our need for Him in everything we do if we want our efforts to produce good fruit instead of being lopped off or just withering away.

 Take a fresh look at these familiar verses:

 Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (emphasis mine)

 One more, and then I’ll tie it together.

 Psalm 90:17 (ESV), "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!"

 Every day we go along the way with our to-do lists clutched in our hands. thinking of all that needs to be done, likely without acknowledging God’s role in assigning us our good works or of our desperate need for Him to bless our work. If He chose, He could lop the fruit right off of our endeavors because of our failure to acknowledge His will or to seek His direction.

 It’s better to ask for the Lord’s favor to be upon us as He establishes the work of our hands. Maybe that’s why some of us feel so fruitless? Maybe we are pursuing tasks not assigned to us? Sometimes He impresses upon on us creative ways to serve Him that might be unusual – ways that might be unique to us or our situation or personalities. It’s best that we acknowledge and submit to His direction in this. The good fruit might be surprising.

Maybe we are not asking for God’s favor upon our works? Maybe we’re leaning on our own understanding and not realizing that without Him we really can do nothing!

For example, recently I had an eye surgery. My doctor is supposed to be the best in the country. Guess what? He can do his expert thing of replacing part of my cornea, but only God can make it heal and be successful.

 Another, I can faithfully attend my body pump classes and give it my all, but only God can cause my body to develop muscle and protect my bones.

 I can plan, shop for, and prepare healthy meals, but only God can use those nutrients to help me thrive.

 I can pour out my heart telling others about Jesus, but only His Spirit can draw and save people.

 I can invest countless hours serving the residents at the TN Baptist Children’s Homes, but only God can do a special work in their lives for healing. hope, and happiness.

 These are some of the things I spend my time doing. Think about your typical day. Are you allowing God to establish the work of your hands? Are you acknowledging your dependence on Him to hold it all together, to cause it to flourish? I know I need to do more of that. What’s not going well? Have you asked Him if you need to be doing something different? Have you asked him to bless it or to give you wisdom in doing it better?

 I’m depending on Him right now as I type this Cup of Grace to make it fruitful. I have no impact or influence in my own power – and truthfully, that’s probably for the best.

 joyce hague

The With-ness of God

 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” — Psalm 23:4

 

As I was preparing for a trip to Alaska with Aiden and thinking about all the uncertainty that lay ahead, I heard someone mention something I had never really considered before: the with-ness of God.

 

Of course, I knew in my mind that God is with us. I had read it countless times throughout Scripture—how God was with His people, with the prophets, with those He called. Yet hearing it described as the with-ness of God made me pause and think more deeply about what that truly means.

 

I once heard Beth Moore describe it this way: the with-ness of God is like the handprint of His presence—His effectual presence leaving evidence that He has been there. That image stayed with me. God does not simply observe our lives from a distance. He is actively present, leaving His fingerprints throughout our journey.

 

My relationship with my Heavenly Father is essential to my spiritual growth. Yet it is far too easy to become distracted. Life gets busy. Responsibilities pile up. Social media pulls for our attention. Before we realize it, we can drift away from the quiet awareness of God’s presence.

 

I know this struggle well. I am right there with you.

 

One morning, while hurrying around the kitchen preparing breakfast for the teams in Alaska, I overheard a gentleman sharing a story that caught my attention. He said he had gone into the bank one day when he felt God gently tug at his heart to step into the office next door and pray with a woman who worked there.

 

He hesitated for a moment but eventually asked her, “Would it be okay if I prayed with you?”

 

She replied that she was a Christian but that she could not openly talk about it in her workplace. Still, she agreed to let him pray.

 

After the prayer, he turned to leave. As he walked away, the woman noticed he was limping. She asked him to shut the glass door to her office and then asked about his leg.

 

He explained that he had been struggling with pain from his sciatic nerve.

 

“Can I pray for you?” she asked.

 

He agreed. She prayed, and when she finished and said amen, the pain was completely gone.

 

He shared that he had been telling people about that moment for months because he was so amazed at what God had done.

 

As I listened, I couldn’t help but think about something. I asked him, “What if you hadn’t been willing to do what God asked you to do in the beginning—to step into that office and pray for a stranger? What if you had said, ‘Not now . . . maybe another time . . .  I’m in a hurry today’?”

 

Sometimes obedience opens the door for blessings we never expected.

 

Moments like that remind me that when God asks us to do something, we are never doing it alone. His with-ness goes before us, walks beside us, and sustains us in every step.

 

Later, I asked my SWAG group—if you've read my first book, you'll remember that the wonderful group of ladies I grew to love during my time in Alaska were my SWAG (Sassy Women at Grace)—what they think of when they hear the word with.

 

One woman said, “Together… like rice with gravy.”
Another responded, “Accompanying… like two are better than one.”

 

Their answers made me smile because they captured something simple but powerful: with means we are not alone.

 

As I was finishing writing these thoughts, my sweet elderly friend called. She asked if I would pray for her son, who was about to have surgery.

 

I immediately said, “Would you like to pray right now over the phone?”

 

“Yes, please,” she replied.

 

So we prayed together.

 

When we finished, she said softly, “Thank you, Anna. I just needed to talk about it. You really encouraged my heart.”

 

After we hung up, I felt that familiar nudge again. It was as if the Lord gently reminded me, Now send her a message and remind her that I am with her—and that I will continue to be with her.

 

The with-ness of God.

 

It shows up in unexpected phone calls.
In simple prayers.
In quiet obedience.

 

And it reminds us that wherever we walk—even through valleys—God is already there.

--Anna Creed

 

Songs Along the Way

 

Back when I taught high school English full time, it was not uncommon for me to recite a sonnet or a portion of another poem in order to illustrate a point. Students were sometimes surprised that I could do that without looking, but I said to them, “You know all kinds of stuff you didn’t have to try to learn. You learn what you love.” Then I reminded them of all the songs and commercials and chants running through their heads. They had to admit I was right.

I thought about this phenomenon recently as I slowly worked my way through the Psalms of Ascent. This group of songs, found in Psalms 120-134, is a collection of work that Jewish travelers sang as they journeyed to Jerusalem for feast days. As I read these psalms that give honor to God as well as voice appreciation for fellowship, godly families, and even the temple, I thought about how such ideas might lighten the journey.

We are familiar with stories of former slaves singing spirituals as they worked in the fields. I recall my own mother singing along with gospel records as she worked around the house, and I have been known to turn the music up loud to help myself get some work done. It just helps to have a distraction sometimes, and if the distraction can remind us of eternal truth, even better!

Better than motivation for work, though, is the blessing that comes from rehearsing God’s goodness and expressing our praise and thanks to Him. In Steve Faulkner’s discipleship class, we have been studying psalms for many months. These studies are a constant source of joy and inspiration. Just this week, we looked at Psalm 121--one of the Psalms of Ascent, and talked about how God’s word gives joy and comfort in difficult times. I shared my own recent experience with traveling along unfamiliar roads facing a bit of a scheduling crisis. As I drove, the words of Psalm 139 came to mind: “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” (KJV is easier for me to learn, somehow.) It was such a comfort to me to recall that God saw me on those twisty roads that Google maps had me traveling, and I got to my destination in calm and peace.

Do you love God’s word? I know you do. As you read and re-read favorite passages, I hope you can commit them to memory. It’s worth working at for those moments when you have to keep your hand on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

--Sherry Poff

The Value of Words

 

I recently read a book called The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. It is a story told through letters and emails to and from a woman named Sybil Van Antwerp. It is simply the story of a life. Sybil is in her early 70’s when we enter her correspondence between all sorts of different people in her life: her best friend, brother, customer service, authors, co-workers, neighbors, etc. There are writings about grief and loss, love and family, memories, activities and fears. While reading these forms of writing I began to think about the written word in general and the importance it has in my life.

             Sybil loves writing letters. She recognizes it as a lost art, and makes it a priority in her own life. She also loves reading books. She writes to her best friend fairly often and in most letters back and forth they share with one another what they are currently reading. In turn Sybil also writes to authors. She shares her appreciation of their work, often delving into her understanding of themes and points of view. It was notable that her appreciation of writing went so deep that she desired to thank those who wrote for a living, especially those who wrote books that made an impact.

             I also love to read. I appreciate authors who brilliantly craft words together, describing ordinary things in extraordinary ways. There is a difference between a book that has been written and a book that has been well-written. I appreciate the time it takes someone to write a book. I understand the pouring of one’s soul and the anxiety that can be felt allowing others to read one’s thoughts, ideas and stories. There is a lot of vulnerability that can be left on a page.

             I have been thinking about how much we take reading and writing for granted. So much of our current correspondence is via electronic devices. I am currently typing out thoughts on my laptop. Pushing the delete button is a convenience, and writing this out on the keyboard is much quicker than hand writing. We text back and forth quickly, send a million emails in our jobs and for school activities. We delete even more emails that are just plain junk. Correspondence has changed.

             About a decade ago I visited Edith Wharton’s home in Massachusetts. It is still to this day one of my favorite house tours I’ve ever been on. The grounds were beautiful and reminded me of Downton Abbey, and the walk through the home itself felt like stepping back in time. It was so literary and so fun. I remember standing in Edith’s bedroom and hearing about her writing process. Handwritten pages strewn all over the bed, floor, desk. Chaos in waking up halfway through the day, staying in bed and writing the rest of the day away. Amazingly, turning that chaos eventually into a Pulitzer Prize winner.

             I was talking about some of these things to a friend the other evening and thought about how much more likely I am to go back and read a note or letter someone has written to me, than I am to go back and read a text. Letter writing really is a lost art, and I believe we appreciate receiving a hand-written note so much more because of the rarity. When is the last time you wrote a letter? What recent note have you received that meant something special?

         All of these thoughts about writing, reading, sharing of ideas leads me to consider that our Creator also places such value and importance in the written word. Or should I say written Word. How remarkable that He has given us so many Words to read from, learn by, go back to, encourage with, hope in!

             As I mentioned before, it is amazing to be able to bare one’s soul on the pages of a book or a note. We have the most interconnected, deep, honest, soul-reaching book available. God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Tim 3:16). We are encouraged not to take these words for granted but rather to write them on the tablets of our hearts and hide them in our hearts so we may not sin against God. (Psalm 3:3; Psalm 119:11)

             We think about the written Word of God through history and what a gift we have today. From societies that were illiterate to nations that to this day do not yet have their own language translation. We are a fortunate people. Do we value what we have?

             There is a hint of slowing down when we think about writing a letter or reading a book. Even the act of a quiet time to spend with God in his Word is a moment of our day that goes against the normal pacing. In the busy-ness of our lives, are we willing to value these Words that we have? To prioritize them? To find our answers to the grief and loss, love and family, memories, activities and fears in the place our Savior intended us to discover them?

             Thank you, God, for entrusting us with this gift. Help us to use it, read it, and love it, and to treat it with the value and power and care it deserves. Amen.

 --Sandy Gromacki

I WILL BE WITH YOU

 My daughter Sarah, grandson Ruben, and I flew to Oklahoma City for Easter.  We would be attending the Holy City of the Wichita Mountains Passion Play.  It began in 1925 so this would be their 101st year.  My best friend from college Diana was driving up from Texas to spend Easter with us at Elizabeth's home.  That was the plan.

The flight from Atlanta was unremarkable.  We actually landed a few minutes early.  In pre-landing announcements the attendant announced there were storms in the area.  Nothing unusual in that.  Oklahoma is known for its storms.  But all was about to change.

We loaded our things into Diana's car, excited about the visit.  After we left the airport, the promised storm erupted--floods of rain, thunder vibrating, continual flashes of lightning that seemed as if a strobe light had been activated.  Driving became more difficult for Elizabeth, our designated driver.  Suddenly the sky in front of us lit with eerie green flashes.  Immediately we were pelted with rain and wind and glass.  We had driven directly into the path of a tornado!  Our back window and back side window had blown in,  I leaned over Ruben and Sarah covered both of us.  Above the sound of the storm four adults were praying desperately.  Elizabeth found an on ramp and drove down it, making it to a gas station as the tornado siren wailed.  We brushed off glass as we sprinted for the station.  The car and my luggage were wet and glass-filled. Every seat but one was filled with glass.  You could see by the location of the glass fragments how the wind had swirled in the car.  

I will not try to rehearse our emotions or raw nerves or every detail of the next few hours.  I will tell you that God sent his ministering servants, from the convenience store workers who gave us tape and plastic to cover the windows, to the two men who helped my daughters cover the windows.  One of them even drove home to get tape that he thought would hold the plastic better.  My friend Diana brought me hot tea and gave me her jacket to cover my wet clothes.  My sons-in-law from Atlanta, Georgia, and Fairbanks, Alaska, comforted their wives and tracked the storm for us.

When we finally headed for Elizabeth's again, the storms continued to batter, this time with rain so heavy that now the alerts were sounding for possible flooding.  At 2:00 a.m. we pulled into Elizabeth and Bill's driveway in Cache. 

When the insurance adjuster examined the car several days later, we were amazed.  He  totaled the car.  The ceiling was slashed repeatedly, evidence  of flying shards of glass.  The upholstery also bore slashes, too much damage to repair.

But here is the miracle of April 3rd.  Not one of the five in that car had a scratch or a cut.  There was no blood.  Obvious evidence of glass flying, but noone hurt.

Could God have kept us from the tornado?  Could the storm have missed us completely?  Absolutely.  Instead He chose to say, "Look what I saved you from.  Look what could have happened.  I protect you all the time.  This time I let you have a glimpse of what I protected you from."  I heard Him loud and clear.

In the days since I have pondered His message.  Isaiah 43:2 and 3a says "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.  For I am the Lord, your God."

The night of April 3, 2026, He added, "When you go through the tornado, the wind will not hurt you, the glass will not cut you.  I am the Lord and you are mine."

                                                                ~~Faith Himes Lamb

As God Asks, Do It!

 

 

It is getting close to summer and vacation trips. I usually think about escaping to the beach for summer break. Most probably I think this because I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, which is on the western tip of Long Island, and beaches were available in abundance: Jones Beach, Robert Moses Park, Fire Island, Riis Park. I learned to swim in the Atlantic Ocean at Riis Park. Dad took me out past the breakers, pointed to the lifeguard stand, told me to keep in sight of the stand and stay parallel to the shore, and swim. He also told me to be brave and to try. So, I did!

 Idyllic, yes?!? However, learning to swim is not always easy. As a swimmer, you must learn the rhythm of the waves and how to stay out of the curl as they break. You need to keep your head in the water as you stroke (and breathe away from the incoming swells). You need to build your strength and coordination in both your arms and legs to make forward progress beyond the breakers. It is not jumping up and down in the water after the wave has broken. It is not chasing the ensuing bubbles. It is not simply sleeping in the sun on your towel. Learning to swim takes concerted effort and consistent discipline, and—perhaps—a bit of courage. It is a life-long skill that I enjoy and one that has served me well.

 Teaching students to swim is another matter. Just as my father had to assess my strength and potential skill as a beginning swimmer, lifeguards and teachers must do the same with the beginners they instruct. Continuing progress as a swimmer will require the swimmer to remember the essentials of the skill, practicing them regularly to maintain form and strength, and continuing to take on new challenges courageously.

I do not think it is a stretch to make a comparison from learning a skill to growing in faith and focus as believers. King David knew this; he had lived it before God and his son. David’s instructions to Solomon as he was approaching his death included the basics of living the believing life and the intricacies of the mature Christian life: be courageous (I Kings 2:2), keep the commandments of God (I Kings 2:3); and be disciplined by being faithful (I Kings 2:4).

First, David instructs Solomon to be courageous. “Be thou strong, therefore, and show thyself a man” (vs. 2). Solomon has had the benefit of his father’s example and teaching about the things of God and leading the Children of Israel. He now had to do it –with courage. This courage is moral courage, it is obedience to God, it is spiritual strength and consistency. Keep the charge—the instructions—of the Lord, Solomon. Notice that the instructions for developing and maintaining courage come before the tests Solomon would face as king.

Dad taught me what to expect when swimming beyond the breakers; he stayed with me as I was a beginner; he told me to have courage when I had to swim by myself. God gives us this pattern multiple times in Scripture. Moses tells Joshua, “Only be thou strong and very courageous” (Deuteronomy 31:7,8). Paul tells the Corinthian believers to be “courageous and strong” (I Corinthians 16:13). Face the opposition, continue in your walk with God, stand firm in your faith. “You have overcome the world”! (I John 5:4,5). We can do it as we are brave and remember God Himself is with us.

Second, David speaks to Solomon about God’s instructions that will never change. “Keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep his statues, and his commandments and his judgments” (vs. 3). This is the simplest charge: obey God. It is also a challenge to each of us as we mature in the Lord as we must allow our wills to be obedient to God’s ways and commandments. David uses two important verbs: keep (guard, observe, watch over) God’s commands and to walk (a continuous obedience and ordering of your life) in His ways. David gave Solomon the pattern for consistent living before God as he would face the tests, and the successes, of life.

This is dedicated obedience to the principles of facing the long-term challenges of living the Christian life (or pursuing a sport such as swimming) aids us today. We simply obey. The consequences and rewards are God’s to provide. The author of Hebrews simply states: “Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus…” (12:1,2). It may not be easy, but we have a Savior interceding for us. We have courage and conviction.

Third, David encouraged Solomon to be faithful in continuing in the truth. “If thy children take heed to their ways, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel” (vs. 4). God wanted His servant Solomon to be disciplined by being faithful. David reiterates to Solomon that walking – the ordering of one’s thinking and living –in truth is imperative to spiritual success.

Once again, those who have come before us reveal we are strongly reminded to guard our faith, to discipline our living, to consider our choices, and to give the results to God. We each wish to hear from our Savior “well done.” When God asks do not be afraid, remember the disciplines of believing life, and be faithful.

Oh, when considering the analogy to swimming, the water beyond the breakers of the ocean waves provides opportunities to prove oneself. Just do it!

--Janet Hicks

Feeling Less Than

 

(Note: I had this written before this morning’s message by Pastor Love. You’ll see what I mean.)

I hope you’re not like me. I’m not confident in my work. If you’re not, I hope this will be an encouragement to you.

I work with young adults who have had some serious difficulties in their lives. Old patterns create problems in the present and helping them navigate becoming adults can be discouraging. Due to their trouble trusting people, I often struggle to connect with some of them. Sometimes they hurt my feelings, and I wonder why God brought me to this position. I feel less-than capable of doing this job. Many problems have no clear solutions leaving me feeling dumb like I have no critical thinking skills. Sometimes I even feel unnecessary. The work feels unfruitful most of the time. (Poor me!)

There is one benefit in feeling like this: it makes me wholly dependent on God for wisdom, strength, and discernment.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) states: "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Did you catch that last phrase? God has good works He prepared ahead of time for us to do. What about the rest of the verse? We are God’s handiwork. He made us in Christ Jesus. He gave us the skills for the good works he has planned for us to do. Of course, we do what we can to hone those skills, but it’s His work, not ours. It’s Christ’s work in us.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 (NIV) states: "I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him."

I know God brought me to this place to do His good works through me for He is in me, and His plans will not be thwarted. He has given me (and you) the necessary gifts to get the job done. Feelings aside, these are the facts.

Be encouraged today. You matter. You are necessary. Whether you’re changing dirty diapers, caring for an elderly relative, or working in the corporate world, you have been equipped to do your pre-ordained good works by Christ in you. And his works will be done despite our shortcomings. Isn’t that a relief?

joyce hague

The Battle Is Real

 

* I wrote this back in April 2018, eight years ago. I am once again currently teaching this book to my middle school students, so I decided to pull this “out of the archives.”

The classic novel The Hobbit is about a fictional creature named Bilbo Baggins who goes on an adventure to help reclaim a treasure from an evil dragon. He is a very hesitant member of a party of fourteen on a journey that proves very treacherous and challenging. Throughout the journey, as he encounters trolls, wolves, and giant spiders, Bilbo often longs for his comfortable chair back home and a nice meal. The group finally makes it to the Lonely Mountain, the home of the dragon and the immense treasure, and after seeing proof of the treasure there, they excitedly talk about all the gold and jewels. However, the excitement is short-lived as they remember the dragon guarding the treasure. The author Tolkien comments, “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”

As I am teaching this book to my 7^th and 8^th grade English class, I am finding that I am very much like Bilbo Baggins. I like comfort; I’d prefer to stay home and not engage in any adventure that could be frightening. Yet this is where The Hobbit ties in to real life and what the Lord has been teaching me lately. (You’ve been wondering where this is going, right?)

There is a battle raging. There is a dragon afoot.  And I can’t stay in the comfort of my couch and a warm meal, oblivious to the battle or pretending it doesn’t exist. I have been reminded of this as I, along with many women at Grace, am participating in the Bible study on the Armor of God. In this study, Priscilla Shirer is challenging us to open our eyes to the battle, to be on the alert, and to be prepared against the enemy’s attacks. The study centers on Ephesians 6 where the Bible tells us about this battle that we are in, against whom we are fighting, and what we should do about it.

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (vs. 11-12)

This is battle language; Paul is warning all believers to stand firm and stay on the alert, realizing that our enemy, though unseen, is very real. This enemy is Satan, along with a host of evil followers. Of the three enemies the Bible tells us about (Satan, the world, and our flesh), Satan is the one I overlook in my personal life. I’m very aware of the sin I battle in the flesh as well as the world’s temptations, but I do not stay on the alert against Satan’s tactics.  Yet I Peter tells us that he “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” This is serious. Tolkien’s statement above applies well here: “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”

Recently I was talking to Kelly about some fears I’d been dealing with in my mind that had really overwhelmed me. He gently said, “Amy, that is not God’s voice. That is the enemy; he knows where you’re weak and is attacking you in that area.” Wow; that gave me perspective. I didn’t have to listen to those feelings or fears; I had to fight against them with the truth of God’s Word. Up to that point, I hadn’t seen it as a spiritual attack. Yet, I believe that is what it was. The spiritual forces of evil were battling for my mind, my thoughts, trying to get me to take my eyes off God. We must be on the alert.

Yet, sisters, here is the good news - the best news. God has already won this battle! The dragon knows he will not win. He will be defeated. And in the meantime, as we live in this fallen world and must fight against Satan and his spiritual forces, God has given us armor that works. We too can be victorious! May we be on the alert, arm ourselves for battle, and keep our eyes fixed on the One who always leads us triumphantly in Him.

-- Amy O’Rear

 

Oh, That Men Would Praise the Lord for His Goodness!

 

Recent events both in the world and in the lives of people I know have brought to my attention the lovely life I have. The fact that I enjoy good health, have a working car, can attend interesting events, am able to worship regularly with other believers—all these and more inspire me to thank God over and over for my good life. I know that I did nothing to earn my blessings. Nor did you.

Nor did many people of the world do anything to earn their much-less-enjoyable life. It is true that we can bring illness and disaster upon ourselves by our own foolishness, as noted in Psalm 107:17—“Fools, because of their rebellious way and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.” But just two verses later we read that, when these people cry out to God, He saves them. And sometimes the trouble comes totally unexpected. 

John tells the story of a blind man who was healed by Jesus. The disciples wanted to know “who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” Jesus replied that the man’s blindness was not caused by sin but was “in order that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9: 2-3).

Whatever our lot in life, we should be giving glory to God, both in our private worship and in public testimony. When I was a young girl, I was attending one of those all-day-meeting-and-dinner-on-the-grounds affairs at an old country church in the hills of West Virginia. After our sumptuous picnic lunch (dinner on the grounds), we all met back inside the church for a standing-room-only service. I recall being just inside the door, surrounded by tall people. I could just hear the preacher asking if anyone had a word of testimony for the Lord. Silence. He asked again. More silence. Then the preacher held up his Bible and in a loud voice proclaimed, “The Bible says, ‘Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!”

I didn’t know it then, but now I know that this verse is found in Psalm 107:2. Following that verse are many different situations in which people might call upon God for help. A repeated refrain in the psalm says, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for this goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.”

As James reminds us, every good gift comes from God. The Sunday afternoon nap, the rain for the tomatoes you might set out this week, health to get up and get your work done, freedom from war, salvation from deserved punishment. And sometimes the good gift is relief from pain, comfort in a time of war, help in the midst of grief.

Life is full of experiences that we might deem good or bad, but all are opportunities to honor and praise God for his goodness. If you were in church to hear Dima and Maria Kotik, you were surely blessed as I was to hear how God has upheld them in very difficult circumstances. You heard Maria say that she finds help and comfort in praying scripture. These dear people are a wonderful example of those who might be tempted to complain but who praise God instead.

So this week, regardless of what happens to us: Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!

--Sherry Poff

The Dented Cup

 

Sacrifice is counter-cultural. We live in a society that affirms a “me-first” life. Shoving people in line on Black Friday, honking and yelling our way down the street because Grandpa is driving too slow in front of us, ranting and raving about our Amazon delivery being delayed to day three… Even the idea of self care can lead to an expectation of self-first being the most important way of living. I must know what I need When used appropriately, it is good to find rest and reset, but when it becomes idolatry, it leads us away from Christ-likeness. Yet sacrifice is the theme of the gospel for the believer.

We are constantly fighting against self, sin and Satan. All three pulling us and pointing us away from the Living Sacrifice. All three thriving on the moments we turn inward, self centered, prideful. And those choices leading us to times of folly and dissatisfaction and despair. While sacrifice may be counter-cultural, it is in fact Christ cultural and because of His work in our lives, should be the hope of our hearts. 

As a parent, I find my lack of sacrifice to be glaring. The number of things that pull at me the moment I sit down on the couch for the first time of the day: “Mom, this toy needs new batteries.” “Mom, I’m hungry.” “Mom, come look at what I did!” “Can you play a game of knock-out?” The requests go on and on. And all I want to do is live my life, my way. And yes, there are times for the little ones to practice patience, or receive a “no,” but when the little demands on my own time and interest can be answered with love, a sacrifice of time or energy, that goes a long way too. Because we know this to be true: there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)

 One of Gavin and my college professors, Dwight Peterson, used to share an illustration in some of his messages. He talked about a time he and his wife had gone out for a fast food meal together. While getting the drinks for the two of them, Dwight grabbed two lids to put on the cups. As he popped them on, he noticed one cup was slightly dented. He went back to the table and moved to hand his wife the dented cup. Immediately convicted about the lack of love this was showing, he switched it and took the dented one for himself. Such a minor, minute detail that would have caused her no harm, and yet he realized the intent of his heart was to provide the better option for himself. Sometimes Gavin and I laugh to each other as we find ourselves reaching for the slightly better option and reference the dented cup. 

All of these are such small examples of sacrifice. Which, again, I believe shows the immensity of the “me-first” lives we live. Today we celebrate Easter. Resurrection Sunday. The celebration of life eternal because of the greatest sacrifice ever made. So, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves of this sacrifice:

Romans 5:8 “But God shows His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Isaiah 53:5 “But He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds are we healed.”

The perfect, righteous Son of God bearing the weight of our sin, fulfilling the punishment of our death, feeling the separation of the Father. Physical, spiritual torment and abuse at the hands of the ones He loves, the ones He created. The sacrifice that freed, gave hope and a future, destroyed guilt and death. Unmatchable, incomparable. And it is with this freedom through sacrifice that we are called to sacrifice for others. To live counter culturally and continue to model Christ in us. Take the dented cup. 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

 --Sandy Gromacki

Just Like Jesus

Today is Palm Sunday, remembering the last week of Jesus' life, from His triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the bitter betrayal, the trial, crucifixion and then glorious resurrection.  Tucked in the middle of these events are the last instructions Jesus gave His disciples.  At one point Jesus said, "Do this if you want to be like Me."  What could make us like Jesus? John 13 tells us what we are to do to be like Him.

Jesus "got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.  Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.  So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you?  You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.  If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.' "

Edith Schaeffer, in her book Common Sense Christian Living, described her motivation for being a servant to those in her home.

"How do I regard my having run upstairs with tea or having served breakfast in bed, or having continued for years to do this kind of thing for a diversity of people, as well as for my husband and children?  How do I look at it?  Do I feel like a martyr?  Let me tell you.

"First I say silently to the Lord, perhaps not always, but really almost every time:  'Thank you, Lord, that there is a practical way to serve you tea (or breakfast in bed or whatever it is I am doing for someone).  There would be no other way of bringing you food, or doing something special for You.  Thank you for making it so clear that as we do things that are truly in the realm of giving of ourselves in service to others, we are really doing it for You.  These things can be done so often!'

"Second, I go on remembering something of this sort: 'Now Fran really needs this.  He is talking so seriously to this person, and right now this refreshment will pick up both of them.  I'm sure they both need a bit of blood sugar.  This wheat muffin and cheese will give good nourishment, too, for whatever is coming next.'  I walk up the stairs, you see, really thinking of the individuals I am serving, whether adults or my children and grandchildren, in one or another circumstance of life.  A flair of imagination gives me the idea of putting a rose on the tray, or adding some hot nuts roasted in the oven, as I imagine the pleasure the sight and fragrance will bring to eyes and nostrils!  This is the fun of serving.  If you have never surprised anyone in the midst of ordinary life, you've missed a lot of the satisfaction that can be spread through days."

Until I read Mrs. Schaeffer's words, I had not seen myself serving Jesus as I served others.  But you recall His words in Matthew 25.  "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to Me. . . . Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me." 

Brennan Manning in his book, The Rabbi's Heartbeat, said "Servanthood is not an emotion or mood or feeling; it is a decision to live like Jesus."  May we live like Jesus, this week and every week.

                                                                            ~~Faith Himes Lamb

Wait is an Action Verb

 

“God wants us to adjust our lives to Him so He can do through us what He wants to do.”

                                                                                                                          Blackaby

 

“How is it that God will use me?” is often a question we each might pose when profound change or flux or trial is brought into our lives. We have the very evident desire to be actively serving, but God Himself has not revealed the task. This universal question is posed by the young, urgently seeking God’s direction for their lives; by the middle-aged, experiencing times of tremendous change and responsibility; and by senior saints, realizing that God is not finished with them yet; and also by churches or Christian organizations, struggling through times of financial or spiritual trials. Often Isaiah 40, “but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…” becomes that source of great inspiration, especially for those in these times of tremendous stress. How much, however, do we really understand the meaning of the verb wait?

Wait is an action verb. Action?! It would seem to be a passive thing, yet God instructs each of us to be a part of the refining process He calls wait. God encourages us with the injunctions of renewing our strength, running, walking, not fainting, but waiting seems to be the ultimate challenge because the responsibility for the outcome is in hands other than ours—in God’s hands. Wait by its very nature becomes one of the ultimate acts of trust for the person who “walks by faith and not by sight.”

Our Church—Grace—has been waiting and waiting and waiting for God to allow our campus to be restored. It seems as if we have been confronted with roadblocks that have challenged our senses of right and wrong, pressed at the “it is not fair” button, and—at times—left us with a lethargy caused by—what we believe—is too long a wait. God has not forsaken us, but . .  

Uniquely, the timetable involved in waiting is not ours, but God’s. He who does all things well asks us to look for, to hope in, to eagerly expect His direction in our lives. It is in the waiting, then, that our patience and confidence in God is confirmed. Yielding to this process conforms us to Him, more like His image. The product of our waiting is God’s.

As we wait for the coming of the Savior, we are to live in dependence upon God, and we are to walk with Him in fellowship. It is in His presence and leadership that we find our source of strength. We also learn of God’s blessings along the way as we wait. Our sister church Morris Hill welcomed and assisted our Academy. First Adventist has graciously housed our Church family. Our teams of folk who set up, serve, tear down without complaint have encouraged us. We have learned much in our wait.

Thus, the comfort, peace, and joy found in His presence promised to us especially as we wait has been ours. We do not find spiritual benefits in seclusion. We find them in following God’s plan and purpose in our daily activities as we depend upon Him to direct our every path. In one sense, we “must be about [our] Father’s business.” This direction stems from the minute to the earth shattering. In it all, we must be “quiet and wait for the direction of His presence.”

 God is at times silent, and we long for a sense of His presence or for prayer to be answered as we wish. Thus, His leading is dependent upon our determination by faith to set Him always before us. He is always intimately concerned for us, always seeking to bring us more into conformity to the image of His dear Son all in order that we might be usable vessels. Our responsibility, then, is to wait in faith upon that which we know to be true.

Scriptures challenge believers to “walk and not faint, to run with patience the race[—a marathon race—] set before us,” and “to rest and wait patiently” for Him. This is not action centered on our own activities which we perceive will honor God or focused upon our own calculations or perceptions of His Will, but it is an action centered on the ability to place with confidence our entire trust in God’s direction. The worthiness of the object of our trust continues to challenge us to continue moving forward for Him.

The answer and plan will not always be given to us. Our walk before the Lord is a step-by-step walk. Based on God’s character, we can say with the psalmist: “therefore will we not fear.” Confidence and faith in His provision do not, in this life, always reflect themselves in breezy joy. Confident, hopeful people are marked by perseverance and a refusal to seek illegitimate relief during their ongoing struggles because they choose to actively wait upon the Lord.

We, then, actively and with thanksgiving wait.

 --Janet Hicks

 

Reputation Matters

 

Proverbs 18:17, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”

Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”

Have you ever known a Biblical principle your whole life, and then one day you get a real-life lesson in it? That happened to me recently when a situation arose between two people I have known for almost 40 years.

We will call them Hazel and Myrtle for anonymity's sake. Myrtle came to me with a complaint about how Hazel had treated her. I believed it straight away, because Hazel had a reputation for being a bully, being arrogant, always thinking she was right about everything, and throwing fits to get her way. I could make a list of all the times I had seen her bully others. I was angry about this incident for days, because I deeply care for Myrtle, whom I viewed as somewhat defenseless.

I began to grapple with what my own response to this incident should be. But the Holy Spirit encouraged me to hold my tongue, to mind my business, and to wait and see what would happen next. Several Scriptures came to mind on these topics. I wrote pages and pages in my journal trying to sort out what my response should be. I wanted it to be godly and wise and not reactionary. I prayed over the situation many times. The ruminative thoughts were taking up too much space in my head, so I had to mute Hazel on social media limiting my thinking about her and the incident. The topic was hot in my mind still, so I was tempted to talk with others about it, but by the strength of the Lord alone, I didn’t (except closest family).

Then one day, 3 months after the incident, Hazel came to me with her side of the story. I knew she would eventually come, but she came much differently than I expected. I braced myself and whispered a silent prayer hoping for a godly response. I had never seen her like this. She was almost in tears, humble and contrite even. The arrogance absent. Normally she would brag about how she had gotten the best of somebody, but not this time. She said it had taken her this long to talk about it, because she had been so hurt. Myrtle had gone-off on her in a way she had never seen. It was a much bigger story than I had known. (Eventually, Myrtle apologized to Hazel for her bad behavior and  explained the circumstances leading up to the outburst.) Myrtle had not told me the whole story.

I was stunned at Hazel and Myrtle’s uncharacteristic behaviors, and I was forced to try to decide who to believe. Although Hazel had a reputation of behaving badly, I had never known her to lie. Myrtle had a reputation of being kind and patient with others and also for being truthful. Each was speaking from her own perspective and thankfully had made peace between themselves without my interference. I was thankful the Holy Spirit had reminded me of the verses above and kept me quiet, because it could have gotten even uglier had I intervened.

I was reminded of some things:

Reputation really does matter. What will people believe if someone tells them something negative about you? (I have had this happen to me.) People who have known you, especially a long time, will notice patterns of behavior. Will they trust your word, because they have never known you to lie? I couldn’t believe Myrtle would act that way, but Hazel was not known as a liar. But neither was Myrtle. That’s how I came to understand that they were both telling the truth as they saw it. Later, Myrtle admitted to me that she had apologized for her bad behavior, so it confirmed that Hazel was still being truthful.

It’s good to wait and let the whole truth come out before deciding what is true. This is especially true with social media. Some people make money out of others’ outrage. Outrage causes people to react on their pages where the money is made. So, they will slant the truth to deceive or to rage bait. Have you ever fallen for that? I have. As in Paul Harvey’s “Rest of the Story,” there is always another side to consider if we want to be critical thinkers instead of jumping at the first idea thrown to us.

It’s good to mind one’s own business and stay out of strife. (I Thessalonians 4:11, “…and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs…”) I don’t want to be known as a “pot stirrer.” Do you? I want to be a peacemaker. This is pleasing to the Lord. He wants us to get along. Sometimes it ain’t easy, and I’m glad I had lots of time to sort through my thoughts. I don’t always have that luxury, but hopefully, I have learned through these experiences. I bet you have stories of your own and can relate.

Blessings and peace,

joyce hague