A Familiar Verse

All of us have Bible verses that, when we read them again, remind us of definite times in our lives when we needed that special encouragement. They are gifts that “keep on giving” over the years.

One of my verses that immediately comes to mind for me is:

I Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon Him for He careth for you.”

I absolutely loved being in college! From the time I was a little girl, my desires in life were to be “a wife, a mother, AND an English teacher.”  Never did I vary from those dreams and God allowed me to have all three joys.

But...in college at Temple, my challenge was working fulltime throughout the school year and every summer for Dr. David Dzik and not going home to Pennsylvania. Then I was trying to give my best to Dr. and Mrs. Banta, Miss Ruby Wagner, and Mrs. Jewell Martin...not to mention History of Civilization!!! Some of you will recognize those names. J

I needed a Bible promise to get me through. There it was...God said I could cast or throw all my cares or burdens on Him because HE CARES FOR ME. What a comfort! Over and over I went to this promise while in college and have in all the years since. You know that the word CASTING implies a continual movement. So that need of casting my cares on the Lord never stops.

Recently I was reading this verse and realized the importance of the surrounding verses.

In verse six, we are told to “humble ourselves” before a mighty God.  I would think that when we humble ourselves we are telling the “mighty God” that we are just too weak to do what we need to do. We have to cast ourselves on His strength. That doesn’t mean that He will do our work for us. No! We do our work but with His power enabling us.

In verse eight, we are told to be “sober, vigilant.” Why? The Devil is looking for a Christian to defeat. Of course, I believe that some of us blame the Devil for problems that we create for ourselves. Perhaps we have made wrong choices that have created huge difficulties for us.

Why should we be “sober and vigilant”? The word “sober” can imply that we need to be serious about the Enemy. Never forget that Satan is active. If we have accepted Christ as Savior, we don’t have to worry about the Devil taking our salvation, but we need to guard our actions, words, thoughts, and reputations that he doesn’t tempt us to spoil these.

The word “vigilant” can also mean “alert.”  Be alert to situations that might cause you to stumble...but also be alert to times you can encourage others to “cast all their cares on the Lord.” He has told us to do that because HE CARES FOR US. What a promise!!!

--Maylou Holladay

The Time Share

The same day this post goes live, Dan and I will be in Savannah, GA enduring a Time Share presentation. (Did I say that out loud?) Yes, I signed us up against my better judgment, because in a weak moment, the prizes seemed amazing. Since we have no intention of purchasing a Time Share, I needed a plan before going into a high-pressure sales pitch. Proverbs 8 tells me wisdom is accessible to those who seek her, so I began searching the internet (the source of all wisdom, right?) for ways to resist pushy sales people. Are you curious what I learned?

Here’s what is recommended from various sources:

As soon as you arrive, confirm the time limit and tell them you must leave at that time. Periodically check your watch.

Look bored and wear a stone face.

Beforehand, resolve with your partner to stand firm, be united, and not waver.

Do not ask questions or make small talk. This only encourages them.

Let them know upfront you are only there for the prizes, you will not be buying anything, and you will not change your mind.

Say this (repeatedly if necessary): “I don’t want to purchase this.” “No thanks.” “We’re not interested.”

Do not give them personal information. It will be used against you.

Try not to get yourself in this situation again. (my personal favorite)

I am doing my best to mentally prepare for this onslaught, but I have to ask myself, do I prepare for spiritual warfare as thoroughly? Do I really take it seriously? I work for a Christian ministry, and with maturity I have learned a couple of things: I don’t know as much as I think I do, and I’m in over my head. I must prepare before going into battle by spending time in prayer and seeking wisdom for difficult situations, first from Scripture, then from other reliable sources. And maybe even the internet.

Wish me luck!

 joyce hague

Lessons from a Moss Garden

            Several years ago my daughters and I went to a workshop at Reflection Riding on making a moss garden.  That first experience intrigued me.  It appealed to my love of the whimsical and of all things miniature.  Since then I have made several moss gardens and regularly change them for the season.  Recently I was studying one of my gardens and realized there were several pictures for the Christian present in that one garden.  So here are my lessons from a moss garden.

The garden.  The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed…and put the man in the garden to tend and keep it.  Genesis 2:8,15

The lantern. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

The rocks.  The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  Psalm 18:2

He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.  Psalm 62:6

From the ends of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.  Psalm 61:2

The Tree.  His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also does not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.  Psalm 1:2,3

The bird.  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  Matthew 6:26

The sheep.  Know that the Lord is God.  It is He who made us , and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.  Psalm 100:3

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  Isaiah 53:6

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  John 1:29

The bench.  Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28

The garden fairy.  May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.  Psalm 90:17

The tools. Night is coming when no one can work.  John 9:4

May the Lord remind us to watch carefully for the lessons He has put all around us in the little things.  May we not just see those lessons, but remember them and apply them.  Go look for your moss garden!

Have We No Rights?

Many years ago, for a class, I was required to read a book titled Have We No Rights? by Mabel Williamson. Copyright 1957. She was a missionary to China. She explained how life on the mission field violated so many of the “rights” we claim as Americans. People in the culture around her did not even recognize these values and did not consider themselves rude or intrusive for violating her “rights.” They were just living their version of normal lives. As a Christ-follower who had come to introduce them to the Life Giver, she could not demand to be treated as she would be treated in her home country. She very literally had to “count everything as loss.” As one of her co-workers said, “I found that I couldn’t stand up for my rights—that I couldn’t even have any rights. I found that I had to give them up, every one, and that was the hardest thing of all.”

She listed a number of the familiar ways that had to be discarded in a new culture.

The right to a “normal” standard of living.

In China, rugs were for beds, not floors. Visitors tried politely to get to the chairs in her living room without stepping on the “blanket” in the middle of the floor. Print curtains on the windows were an extravagance. One missionary there resolved never to have anything in her house that would make the ordinary people of the neighborhood feel uncomfortable. That may have meant giving up most of the usual furnishings, decorations and even customs of her former home.

The right to conduct private affairs as one wishes.

Personal cleanliness, hairstyles, clothing and societal rules may conflict with those of the people to whom the missionaries wish to present the gospel. Offending the people’s sense of propriety or decency would not be likely to win a fair hearing of the message.

The right to privacy.

This is a biggie for Americans! Why, it’s even in our constitution! But Miss Williamson found herself in a culture where people felt free to wander anywhere in her house, inspecting all her things, anytime. It was difficult to find time to be alone. If she wanted to tell them about Christ, she couldn’t push them out of her house and life.

The right to my own time.

We like to plan our work and work our plan. That requires time management. Anything that interferes with our time interferes with our plan. I once heard a woman say, “If you’re going to minister to people, they’re going to mess with your time.” Aaaargh! My time! We Americans have a preoccupation with time that is rare in the world. (But since there are so many of us, we believe this is normal.) In many cultures, time is not as important as respect for the person one is with or finishing the current task or fulfilling cultural expectations.

The right to feel superior.

Maybe this isn’t a right; maybe it’s just a sin. But we do cling to it. We have better everything than everyone else. Our stuff is better; our customs are better; our language is more sensible (believe me, that’s not true!); our values are the right ones. But our sense of superiority is not going to attract people to us or to our Savior.

This is not a comprehensive list; Miss Williamson mentioned other things in her book. We may care about these same things, or our self-centeredness may encompass other things.

Yes, it’s a very old book, but I think the principles are relevant. “Rights” has become a bigger part of our society than ever. People use the term to describe any value or thing they want, whether or not it is truly a right. We Christians are drawn into this thinking by virtue of our own selfishness as well as the continual noise about it in our society. But, as Christians, we are in a different culture. In fact, we live in a world in which we are the strangers. We ought to follow the example of our Teacher, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Phil. 2:6-8

He had real rights! And he gave up all of them.

One of Christ’s most faithful followers, Paul, said, in the very next chapter, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…”

Really, our rights are “rubbish” compared to the joy of knowing Christ. There are times when we may need to throw out our rubbish because it is in the way of faithfully representing Christ before a lost world.

Miss Williamson concluded her book with the question, “What rights do I have?”

A right to the “comforts” of life? No, but a right to the love of God for my pillow.

A right to physical safety? No, but a right to the security of being in His will.

A right to love and sympathy from those around me? No, but a right to the friendship of the One who understands me better than I do myself.

A right to be a leader among men? No, but the right to be led by the One to whom I have given my all, led as is a little child, with its hand in the hand of its father.

A right to a home, and dear ones? No, not necessarily; but a right to dwell in the heart of God.

A right to myself? No, but, oh, I have a right to Christ.

--Lynda Shenefield

Where is Your Hope?

Do you feel discouraged when you watch the news? Do you look around at the values and philosophies of our culture and wonder how we got here? Do you long for something better? So do I.

When God allows me to hear the same message from different sources, I want to be especially careful to listen and see what God has for me. I once attended a three-day women’s conference  in which the topic was “Resurrection Life in a World of Suffering," based on the book of I Peter. Imagine worshiping and studying this book with 7,200 women from across the United States and around the world. It was incredible! 

At the same time, my husband felt led by the Lord to go through the book of I Peter in our Sunday school class. As we studied it in church, I heard the same truths I heard at the conferenceand the book found deeper root in my heart.

Right at the start of the book, Peter names his audience. The Greek word can be translated into exiles (ESV), strangers (KJV), aliens (NASB), or foreigners (NLT). It is the idea of a sojourner, who is temporarily dwelling in a foreign country far from home. This word carries with it the connotation of not fitting in, of being different, and not belonging.  And though God’s people were often physical exiles, as in Egypt and Babylon in the Old Testament, in a greater sense, they were spiritual exiles.  Peter wanted to remind his readers that the world was not their true home, nor their place of belonging.  And this admonition of Peter’s is just as true for us today almost 2,000 years later.

Peter was not the only one who spoke this truth. In Hebrews 11:14-16, the unnamed author tells us that God’s people of the past acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth, and that their hope was not in the world they knew, but in a better country, a heavenly one that they looked toward in faith. For the believers of Hebrews 11, it was not an untested hope; they faced great persecution and still clung to this hope in an unseen future. Suffering is also a key theme of I Peter; this word shows up in various forms fifteen times! Living as exiles in a foreign world where we don’t fit in, especially in times of persecution, brings suffering.

Yet another key theme, and what Peter consistently calls us to throughout the letter is hope, the same hope we saw in the lives of the Hebrews 11 believers. Peter tell us that we have a living hope that because Christ was raised from the dead, we too will be raised, and we have an inheritance ready to be revealed in the last time (1:3-4). As we long for that day, we are to set our hope fully on what is to come when Christ is revealed (1:13, 21). That means we do not place any of our hope in this world, as we are often tempted to do, hoping, for example, partially in God and partially in our government. Hope in our future reality should pervade our lives, even in trials, so that the unbelieving world takes note and asks where our unshakable hope comes from (3:15).

Though the news is depressing, though our culture finds joy and entertainment in what the Bible calls sin, though the political situation in our country looks dismal, we, as sojourners in this world, have hope, because our hope is in none of these things. Our hope rests in something far greater than this temporary time and place. It rests in the promise of an unchanging, eternal God who is preparing for us our true home, where we will no longer be foreigners but know true belonging. Do others see that hope in us?

I want to leave you with a few quotes from the conference I attended, because others are far better with words than I am.

-- “God has known you deeply forever. We do not have to create our identity on our own. We are not lost orphans, but God’s children heading home.”   “We are named and we are placed by God Himself. Through Him, our exile is lit up with hope.” (Kathleen Nielson)

-- “As Christians, we must embrace our strangeness in this world.”  “We are far from home, but we are not far from Him.” “We’re people on mission to glorify God in a strange land.” (Mary Wilson)

-- “Peter calls us repeatedly to live in a way that does not make sense in this world. It only makes sense when there is an unshakable belief and hope in another world.” (John Piper)

--Amy O'Rear

Keep Praying

Let me tell you a little story about answered prayer.

One day last week, I had a meeting at the library on Broad Street in the middle of the afternoon. Parking can be a problem, but I know there are some good spots right there across Broad in front of the library. So I sort of casually asked God if I could get a spot there. I came down the block, and lo and behold, there was an open space.  I circled to get a better angle.

While I was waiting at a light, I took off my rings and put them into my lap to rub a little lotion on my dry hands.  The light changed, I turned right, got into the parking space successfully, got out of the car, fed the meter, and went to wait on a bench in front of the library, as I was a few minutes early. I sat there reading a book our dear Maylou Holladay recommended (Middlemarch by George Eliot) until everyone else arrived for the meeting. As I stood to meet my friend, I realized I didn't have my rings on, and immediately--with that sinking feeling one gets--knew that I had forgotten they were in my lap when I got out of the car. 

"I have lost my rings. I need to go check my car and the street," I quickly explained. Well, you know I prayed as I waited for the walk signal, I prayed as  I ran to my car, and I prayed standing there scanning the street.  I'll spare you the suspense, and tell you that I found both my wedding band and my engagement ring right away--incredible!--right there on Broad Street and found the other little gold ring I had been wearing on my right hand when I came back to feed the meter forty-five minutes later.

On the way home, I reflected on God's goodness to give me that parking space and then to allow me to find my rings. It was a wonderful reminder of His care for even the small things in life. But what about the big things? I confess that I felt a bitterness creeping into my thanksgiving because of the really "big" prayers I've offered up for months and years. What about those things? Who cares, really, about rings? They are not eternal souls. It was a little bit of a crisis as I drove along. I had no answers.

But on Sunday morning, we heard a wonderful testimony of a huge answer to prayer, and I was reminded to keep on offering prayers for eternal souls. Over and over I've heard to not give up in prayer. Luke 18 relates the story of the unjust judge who granted a woman's request because she refused to take "no" for an answer. This story illustrates the truth that we "ought always to pray and not to faint."

I don't understand how prayer works and why some prayers are answered right away and others are delayed. But I do understand that I "ought always to pray and not to faint." I can follow instructions, and by faith I will keep going to God for the big as well as the small needs I see. I am grateful He can handle all of them.

--Sherry Poff

Water

Before Mother’s Day this year, I told all of my family that “I do not want presents this year.  I want your presence.” Guess what? It worked! It was wonderful!  My children, teen granddaughters, and my married grands with our great-grands came by to stay a while. My daughter gave me such a special card that, in fact, it is still sitting out!  I didn’t mind that my son David and his family brought me a beautiful hanging plant of huge, pink impatiens.

We have had so much rain on and off here in Cincinnati that I have hardly had to water my flowers. But...oops! This week I looked out - those beautiful, pink blossoms were totally drooping their heads low - I mean low!!! I hurried and watered them thoroughly and am so glad they are pretty again.

That plant made me think of “water,” which led me to a subject for a blog...the water of the Word of God and why it is so vital to our existence as Christians.

It cleanses us; it makes us fragrant, alive, useful, and encouraging to others...just as those beautiful pink flowers are to me as I see them through our front window.

We definitely want our seat-mates on a plane to have “been cleansed” before boarding. Our lives will definitely be more pleasant to others and to the Lord if we, as in Ephesians 5:26, have been “cleansed with the washing of water by the Word.”

In Psalm 119, just about every verse teaches us something about God’s Word.

            Have a Difficult decision or choice to make?

²⁴ Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.”

Overwhelmed with sorrow or burdens?

²⁸ My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your Word.

Want to be an encouragement, to be “fragrant”?

                        ⁷⁴ May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your Word.

           

Dealing with temptation? ²⁹ Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me Your law.

           

Need a good topic of conversation? ¹⁷¹ May my lips overflow with praise...¹⁷² May my tongue sing of Your Word, for all Your commands are righteous.

Those beautiful flowers bring joy to my heart. The Psalmist states that God’s Word, the “water of the Word,” ought to give us joy:

            ¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.    

--Maylou Holladay