Bountiful Blessings from a Gracious Giver

Today Americans are celebrating Thanksgiving. Many will eat turkey, spend time with family and friends, take naps, and watch football, but few will actually give thanks. Fewer still will give thanks to the true God, who is the one who bestows every good thing and every perfect gift. Christians will probably spend some time counting their blessings and thanking God for His abundant goodness. But thanksgiving should not be limited to the fourth Thursday in November. God commands us to be thankful as a way of life.

1 Thessalonians 5:18--in everything give thanks

Ephesians 5:20--always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father

Colossians 3:17--And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

So while thanksgiving is to be standard operating procedure for a Christian, it is appropriate on this day to spend some time contemplating God's bountiful blessings and thanking Him for them.

God has truly blessed me in so many ways.

I thank Him for His gracious gift of salvation. He opened my blind eyes to see my own helplessness and hopelessness, and made me a new creation in Christ. He continues to graciously work in my life, like a master artist lovingly and faithfully chipping away at my ugly selfishness, conforming me to the image of His Son.

I thank Him for His marvelous word, in which I can learn of Him, and see the depth of the riches both of His wisdom and knowledge.

I thank Him for the wonderful family He has so graciously given me. I thank Him for a godly, wise, steadfast, and faithful husband, who is my very best friend. I thank Him for three wonderful sons who love and serve the Lord. They are a marvelous testimony of God's amazing grace to me; they are such special men. I thank God for a godly daughter-in-law who loves the Lord and mothering our grandson. I love being encouraged spiritually by all of their blogs. I thank God for a soon to be (22 more days!) daughter-in-law, who God has so graciously brought into my son's life. We will soon have two beautiful daughters-in-law, inside and out. I thank God for a grandson, and pray that God will graciously work in his life to make him a mighty man of God.

I thank Him for the gracious blessing of fellowship. Last weekend we returned to San Antonio, where we had lived and my husband had pastored for 10 1/2 years. It was a joy to see many friends again, and to hear how the Lord was working in their lives. Even though we have been gone for almost 1 1/2 years, it was so easy to just pick up where we had left off, and enjoy sweet fellowship together.

Mostly I thank God for just being Himself. He is so awesome, absolutely holy, completely good, immensely powerful, infinitely wise, and totally loving.

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord, or can show forth all His praise? Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, "Amen." Praise the Lord! Psalm 106:1-2,48

Happy thanksgiving!

Hope Against Hope

In our culture, we are hopeful about many things. We may hope for good weather for a special activity. A student may hope to do well on an upcoming test. Right now many Detroit Tiger fans are hoping their team will come back and put up a fight in the World Series. I am hoping the USC Trojans finish their season strong and continue to win.

We may hope for a lot of things, but even in our hope we aren't always very hopeful. Although Tiger fans are still hoping to win the World Series, they are down 1-3, and may not be very optimistic.

Biblical hope is totally different. It is not wishful thinking; it is a confident expectation. Abraham displayed this kind of hope, described for us in Romans 4:18-21. In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So shall your descendants be." And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform.

Abraham had hope in a hopeless situation. He was 100 years old, and his wife Sarah was 90. From a human perspective, their chance of having a baby at this point was no chance at all. It was impossible. Yet Abraham did not become weak in faith (v. 19); he did not waver in unbelief (v.20). How could he do this? He was fully assured that God was able to fulfill His promise (v. 21). God had promised a son, and Abraham trusted God. He knew God would keep His word.

Like Abrahm, we can count on God's faithfulness.

Psalm 12:6--The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

Proverbs 30:5--Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. God's Word passes the test every single time.

Deuteronomy 7:9--Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation to those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Psalm 36:5--Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Thy faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Deuteronomy 32:4--The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.

Isaiah 25:1--O Lord, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will give thanks to Thy name; for Thou hast worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness. God's faithfulness is absolutely perfect.

Are you facing a difficult situation? From a human perspective, do your circumstances seem hopeless? Follow Abraham's example, and focus on the Lord. He is sovereign, good, loving, and powerful. Remind yourself of these truths, and you too can have hope against hope.

Lamentations 3:21-23--This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's lonvingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.

Dwelling on the Praiseworthy

In an ongoing look at Set your Mind, Set your Course, we have seen the POWER of the mind. Whatever dominates our thinking is going to dominate our lives, whether we want it to or not.
We have seen the PRIORITY of the mind. We are to set our minds on things above. We are to have an eternal, spiritual perspective on life. We have been looking at the PATTERN for the mind, found in Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. We have looked at these terms one by one.

Our last attribute is praiseworthy, literally on or upon praise. Nothing or no one is more worthy of our praise than God Himself, our amazing Creator and sovereign Lord.
Here we’ve come back full circle to focusing our thoughts on God. I must fix my eyes on Jesus, as I’m instructed in Hebrews 12:2. When my thoughts are dwelling on my precious Savior, my heart is filled with praise, and the things of this world grow strangely dim, as the song says.

When I set my mind on The One who is praiseworthy, I have set a course to please the Lord.

Let me share a couple of my favorite praise passages.
Psalm 103:1-2--Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.
Philippians 3:20-21--Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

What verses or thoughts stimulate you to praise the Lord?

Our minds are busy, we’re always thinking about something. Let’s purpose to let our minds dwell on things that our pleasing to the Lord, and thus set our course for spiritual prosperity.

Dwelling on What's of Good Repute and Excellent

In Philippians 4:8, the Lord gives us instructions as to what He desires in our pattern of thinking. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

Our minds are to dwell on thoughts of good repute--well thought of, highly regarded, admirable. This kind of thinking searches for the good rather than the bad, in ourselves and in others.

What forms the basis of your self-image? Do you obsess over your faults and weaknesses, the things you've done wrong? Or do you focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, thankful that He died to forgive sin, and has made all who believe in Him new creatures? Does your mind dwell on who you are in Christ, on the reality that He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him, on the riches of His grace which He has lavished upon us, on the riches of the glory of our inheritance in Him, on the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe? (Ephesians 1)

We all know from personal experience about hurtful feelings. Maybe someone has said something unkind to us, or disappointed us in some way. How do we respond? Do we nurse our hurt feelings, and replay them in our minds over and over again, with the initial offense, whether real or imagined, growing each time? This is the opposite of thoughts of good repute. I need to focus on the good qualities of others, the positive actions they have taken toward me, and what positive actions I can take toward them. I want to focus on the positive in others, not the negative.

Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good

What are some practical ways we concentrate on the positive? What has helped you to overcome evil with good in your relationships? What has helped you to think thoughts of good repute, about yourself or others?

When I set my mind on thoughts of bad repute, I set my course for self-pity, bitterness, and misery.

Now the terminology changes—if there is any excellence. In the Greek if can mean different things, this one could be translated since. We are commanded to think about the excellent.

Ecclesiastes 9:10a--Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might
Colossians 3:23--Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men

Excellence is what God desires from us, but it is very easy to fall into better than, or good enough thinking.

Well, I think I am a better Christian than so and so. I’m doing a good enough job to get by.

How do we think about the responsibilities God has given for us to do? These take on many shapes and styles for different women and at different times in our lives—maybe it’s a ministry opportunity, a responsibility we have as a student, an obligation at our place of employment, or just the day in day out activities of life. Do we take a better than, or good enough attitude? Or do we seek to please God in all we think, say, and do, and pursue excellence?

When we set our minds on better than or good enough thinking, we set our course for mediocrity and self-righteousness.

Dwelling on What's Pure and Lovely

Philippians 4:8 gives us clear instructions on what we are to allow our minds to dwell on. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

We are to dwell on whatever is pure—undefiled, unstained, not mixed with sin. What kind of input are we filling our minds with? What are we watching? Listening to? Reading? Talking about? What do we think about when no one else is around? Is it pure?

When I set my mind on impure thoughts, I set my course for unrighteousness and immorality.



The next description of thinking that is pleasing to God is lovely. I used to be confused about this word. Does this mean I am supposed to think about something lovely, like a beautiful sunset? I later learned more about this term. We are to think about things that are pleasing, sweet, gracious, generous. Literally, the term means towards love. The basic idea when applied to thinking is a thought which is toward love, planning or concentration which will bring about a loving act.

This is the kind of thinking we are exhorted to in Hebrews 10:24--And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.

What can I think, do, or say, that will show love to someone else? How can God use me to minister to someone else? How can I encourage others to love and good deeds? This kind of thinking switches the focus from self to loving and serving God and others.

Relationships can be challenging because imperfect people are interacting with other imperfect people. Do you dwell on the strengths of others, or their weaknesses? Do you thank God for the people He has placed in your life? Do we tell others things we appreciate about them, or do we more often complain and nag? Do we make ourselves easy for others to love?

When set my mind on unlovely thoughts, I set my course for discouragement, self-centeredness, and loneliness.

Dwelling on what's Honorable and Right

Continuing in our series on Set Your Mind, Set Your Course, we are now looking at Philippians 4:8--Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. Today we will look at the terms honorable and right.

Honorable refers to that which is noble, worthy of respect, dignified, lofty; that which inspires awe, majesty, seriousness. Here I need to focus on the important rather than the trivial. I can determine what’s important by determining what is precious to God.

1 Peter 3:3-4--And let not your adornment be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

So what do I spend more time thinking about—How I look or what I’m going to wear, or maybe how my home looks, or how my kids look—or on developing a gentle and quiet spirit. Am I more focused on the outside or the inside?

When I set my mind on the trivial, I set my course for superficiality and stunted spiritual growth.

What are some other ways we focus on the trivial or superficial, rather than what's honorable?

The next attribute is right—what is upright, just, fair, not prejudiced. I have to acknowledge that God determines what is fair, not me. I have to remember that my thinking is naturally skewed toward me. Without even trying, I am prejudiced toward myself. Instead, I need to think what is just and fair.

Romans 12:3--For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

I really like this verse because it doesn’t pull any punches. It reminds me that am I likely to think too highly of myself, but that isn’t sound thinking. It isn’t right thinking.

I do most of the shopping in my family. And I usually have particular areas where I park. Occasionally, I will go to one of my normal places with my husband or son, who is driving. He doesn’t always park where I park. My immediate thought is, “He’s parking in the wrong place!” That’s not right thinking. My way is not the right way, not even necessarily a better way, it’s just a different way.

Too many times our thoughts are on pleasing others rather than pleasing God. We think about what others are thinking about us rather than on whether what we are doing is right. In fact, sometimes we are unwilling to say or do what we know to be the right thing becasue we are afraid someone won't respond favorably. We must focus on right thinking which will lead to right words and right actions.

When I set my mind on thinking that isn’t right, I set my course for pride, selfishness, fear, and lack of true love.

What are some other ways we display prejudiced or unfair thinking?

Dwelling on What's True

Philippians 4:8 instructs us to let our minds dwell on things that are true. This word can be used in two different aspects: real as opposed to fake or imaginary, and true as opposed to false

Have you ever stopped and thought about how much time you spend thinking about things that aren’t even real?

My son’s first job was working at McDonald’s. His first real night on the job was a Friday, he was to work from 5 until close, and McDonald’s closed at midnight. I woke up at 1:30 and my son wasn’t home! Believe me, my emotions and thoughts wanted to run wild. There’s been an accident! He’s in trouble! My mind was eager to go down a path of imagined possibilities, but I had to focus on what was true. God was in control. God loved my son, He loved me, and His plan for us was perfect. As it turned out, it was the night they moved and cleaned all the equipment in the kitchen, so my son didn’t get home until almost 3:00, but I was able to experience the peace of God by focusing on the real as opposed to the imaginary.

Women seem to excel at thinking about what others are thinking. We do this in a variety of ways--judging motives, quickly taking offense, being suspicious, wondering if a particular person likes us, etc.

When we set our mind on the imaginary, we set our course for worry and fear.

The second meaning of this verse is true as opposed to false. And where do we find the truth?—God’s Word. What influences our thinking more—the ideas of our culture, our own emotions or perceptions, or the truth of God’s Word?

Sometimes I might think—I just can’t take it anymore. You can define the “it” anyway you like—maybe trouble in a relationship, maybe health problems, maybe financial difficulties, maybe an area of sin where I continually struggle. That’s my feeling, my perception. But what is true?

1 Corinthians 10:13--No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

Philippians 4:13--I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

When I am tempted to think this way, I am thinking what is false. Thinking what is true means that I can be confident that God will faithfully help me to endure my difficulty. I am not all alone in my struggle, I am not unique in my struggle, and I can endure anything that the Lord sends my way when I am dependent on Him and relying on His strength.

When I set my mind on what is false, even though my culture, or emotions, or perceptions is telling me it’s true, I have set my course for discouragement, and hopelessness.

What ways do you see people dwelling on the false rather than the true?

Let your Mind Dwell on these Things

Last time we looked at the PRIORITY of the mind. We must set our minds on the eternal, the spiritual, thoughts that focus on our great and awesome God.

But we do live in this world. We must daily deal with the issues of this life, and the people in our lives. We want to put the PRIORITY of our thinking into practice on a regular basis. God’s Word gives us a PATTERN for our thinking that can drive all of our thoughts along a path that glorifies God.

Philippians 4:8--Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

John MacArthur says, “The phrase dwell on these things introduces an important truth: spiritual stability is a result of how a person thinks. The imperative form…makes it a command; proper thinking is not optional in the Christian life.”

My husband calls this verse a leash law for the mind. We have a puppy at our house, and he is now big enough to go on walks. Without a leash, he would constantly be sniffing all kinds of nasty stuff, and dangerously running into the street. He needs a leash to keep on the right course. So do we, a mental leash. When we set our minds on the qualities in this verse, then we set our course on a path that is pleasing to God.

This verse is not a suggestion, but a command. God wants our minds to dwell on these things. This verse also gives us a measuring stick, or a filter, to examine our thinking. Over the next several days we will look at these qualities one by one.

The Priority of the Mind

Last post we talked about the POWER of the mind. Whatever we think about will direct the course of our life. Today lets look at what is to be the PRIORITY of our mind. A number of verses give us the answer.

Colossians 3:1-2--If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. The PRIORITY of our mind is to be the heavenly, the eternal.
We are to keep seeking, and set our mind, both present tense verbs. This is to be our continual pursuit.

In his commentary on Colossians, John MacArthur says, “To be preoccupied with heaven is to be preoccupied with the One who reigns there and His purposes, plans, provisions, and power. It is also to view the things, people, and events of this world through His eyes and with an eternal perspective.”

This year for the first time I got a passport. When you become a believer, you get a new passport, so to speak. You are now a citizen of heaven, as it says in Philippians 3:20. Peter reminds us we are aliens and strangers in this world. Our thoughts must be consistent with these realities.

This same idea is reflected in Romans 12:2--And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. We are not to think as the world thinks. We are to renew our minds. Notice the key role the mind plays in keeping us from being conformed to this world.

2 Corinthians 10:5--We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ
The preceding verses speak of the spiritual battle we are involved in. A fierce battle rages for our minds, and we need to fight against our flesh and the tendency to think like the world, and take our thoughts captive. How many of our thoughts? Every single one.

I love the imagery in 1 Peter 1:13--Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
In that culture, the dress was commonly loose and flowing. This didn’t work very well when it was time for action. They would gather their robes and tuck them into their belts, and then they were ready. We need to do that with our thoughts—tie up all the loose ends of our thinking and tuck them in. And to what end? That we might fix our hope on future grace—again focusing on the spiritual, the eternal. This must be the PRIORITY of our minds.

So, how exactly do we do this? Where are we going to find out about God and His purposes, plans, provisions, and power? In God's Word.

We must saturate our minds with Scripture. In the Bible God reveals Himself to us; in it we can learn about the things that are important to Him. We must be in His Word daily on a personal basis, we must regularly expose ourselves to the teaching of His Word.

We must meditate on God’s Word; like a cow chews its cud, we must ruminate on truth. We want to contemplate the character of God—how great and glorious He is. I’ve started taking Bible verses on cards with me when I walk, so I can meditate on truth, set my mind on things above as I exercise.

Bible memorization can be helpful as well. When we have a verse or passage memorized, it is ours to reflect upon whenever and wherever we may be.

Good Christian music can be another tool to turn our thoughts to God. We can be listening while we are busy with tasks around the house, and often the words and melody linger in our minds, helping us set our minds on the spiritual and eternal. My favorite music website is godsongmusic.com--check it out!

Sometimes we need a framework to help us in our spiritual thinking. One thing that I use to keep my thoughts on track is the alphabet—perhaps when I’m driving, or up at night unable to sleep.

I can meditate on the character of God
A--He is Awesome
B--He is Bountiful
C--He is Compassionate, and so on.

I can think of a key word from a Bible verse or a song.
A—All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
B—Blessed are the poor in spirit
C—Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you
Or
A—Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
B-Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, who reigns forevermore.
C—O come let us adore Him

When I do this, I wouldn’t go this fast, I would take time and reflect upon each attribute, each verse, each song.

What have you found that helps you focus your thinking on God, to set your mind on things above?

Set Your Mind, Set your Course

Last night we started a new season of Titus Two Fellowships at our church. Women meet at a number of homes throughout the greater LA area. I have been blessed as I have studied for this, and hope to encourage others through what I have learned.

In our culture we use the word mind in many ways. It may refer to intellect—She has a really sharp mind. It may refer to determination—If you set your mind to it, you can do anything. It may refer to an issue of the will, or a decision—will you make up your mind?

In the language of our day, we definitely draw a distinction between mind and heart. We think with our minds, and feel with our hearts. In the Bible, however, these words are often used almost synonymously. In fact there are several words in the Hebrew and the Greek that are sometimes translated as mind, and sometimes as heart. The Biblical mind encompasses not just our thinking, but also our will, our affections, our choices, our desires.

One thing that stood out from my study is the POWER of the mind. What we think about has a more powerful influence on us than we might realize.

Even the secular world understands this. Mahatma Gandhi said, "A man is but the product of his thoughts." Ralph Waldo Emerson warned, "Beware of what you set your mind on, for that you will surely become."

While these men might recognize the POWER of the mind, it is from God’s Word that we want to gain understanding. The Bible has much to say on this topic. There are over 1000 biblical references to mind, thought, or heart.

Proverbs 23:7a--For as he thinks in himself, so is he. My thinking determines the kind of woman I am.

Proverbs 4:23--Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
Here I am warned to diligently watch over my heart and mind, for my entire life flows from it. I need to be careful about what I watch, what I read, what I listen to.

Luke 6:45--The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. What is filling my mind and heart will come out in my words.

Matthew 15:19--For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. What is filling my mind and heart will come out in my actions.

So Set your Mind, Set your Course is more than just a clever title for a Titus Two. It is a reality. Whatever predominantly occupies my mind will determine the person I am and the course I take, whether I want it to or not.

We have seen the POWER of the mind. What are we to do with all this power? What are we to think about? We'll talk about that next time!

One Likes it Hot

You may have heard about (or experienced) the unusually hot weather we've been having in California. I have found it very easy to be discontent and complain, at least inside my head, about the weather. We have had air conditioning failures in our home and car. Life was at times uncomfortable. I had to continually remind myself that God is sovereign over the weather, and this current heat wave was part of His perfect plan for my life.

The same pattern can occur in our spiritual lives. We may prefer to be comfortable. God likes it hot; He wants us to be 'on fire' for Him, whole-heartedly devoted to Him.

Deuteronomy 6:5--And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

2 Chronicles 16:9a--For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

Romans 12:10-11--Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord

Revelation 3:15-16--I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

God is sovereign over all the circumstances, events, and people in our lives. His desire is not that we might be comfortable, but that we might be comformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28,29).

So join me in using hot weather to remember that God is sovereign, and I need to be focused on zealously delighting in Him, not my own comfort. He likes it hot!

Praying for One Another

As I have been reading 1 & 2 Thessalonians the last couple of months, I have been greatly encouraged by Paul's example of praying for these believers. He prays for them frequently (1 Th 1:2 give thanks to God always for all of you, 1 Th 1:3 constantly bearing in mind, 1 Th 2:13 constantly thank God, 1 Th 3:10 we night and day keep praying, 2 Th 1:11 we pray for you always) and with intensity (1 Th 3:10 earnestly).

These books contain specific examples of Paul's prayers:

1 Thess 3:11-13
Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

1 Thess 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sancitfy you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thess 1:11-12
To this end we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thess 2:16-17
Now may or Lord Jeus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

2 Thess 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance.

These verses have formed the basis of my recent prayers for those on my prayer list. What a blessing to pray for one another, and to know others are praying for me. When we pray according to Scripture, we can be confident we are praying according to God's will. It also helps focus our prayers on the spiritual, and not just the circumstantial. It can even change the way we pray regarding specific circumstances.

So I would challenge you, when you come across Scriptural prayers in your Bible reading, use them to pray for one another. You and they will be blessed!

A New Buddy

This year my husband gave me a very unique birthday present, a new puppy! We have had a few dogs in the past, but the kind I have always wanted is a golden retriever. So here is my present; we call him Buddy.

Buddy is 8 weeks old today. He is adjusting well to his new home and new family. He does the usual puppy things--play friskily followed by plenty of napping. He has a stuffed bear he likes to wrestle with--sometimes I'm not sure who wins! He very much likes to be around people, so he will pretty much follow me wherever I go. Buddy is very friendly so he is aptly named; you give him any attention and he'll be your buddy.

I look forward to enjoying this birthday present for many years to come.

A Growing Family

Last weekend was an exciting time for our family. Our middle son got engaged! Cory was totally surprised and delighted to say YES! (She and Bill are on the far left in this picture) So, come December, our family will be growing with a new daughter-in-law. We are looking forward to it!

We also got to see our grandson, Tyler, who is also growing. Today he is four months old! He smiles much more readily, and made some cooing noises at me when we said goodbye. It is such a blessing to be closer and able to see them more often. Hopefully it won't be too long before Tyler knows who Grandma and Grandpa are!

But the best growth in our family is spiritual. It is awesome and humbling to watch God work in the lives of our family members. We are encouraged by conversations with our children, and challenged by reading their blogs. (Check out the links to the right.) We share the joy in 3 John 4 as we see our children walking in the truth. And God continues to teach and challenge and humble grandma and grandpa as well. His Word is such a rich treasure, yet we can never plumb its depths. I have grown to know God better, and love Him more, yet I know I am just seeing the fringes of His ways (Job 26:14). And I am confident that God will continue to grow all of us in Him. (Phil 1:6, 2 Thess. 3:4) What a great and awesome God we serve!

Lord of All Creation

Based on the time since my last post you may have thought I had fallen off the end of the earth. I haven't, but I recently visited very close to there. My husband and I have just returned from a 2 1/2 week trip to South Africa, which, according to my map, is almost directly on the opposite side of the globe from where I live. My husband spoke at three pastors' conferences there, and I was blessed with the opportunity to accompany him. (I did get to speak to one group of women.)
Two things stood out to me on this trip. The first is that God is an awesome Creator! We were able to go to two animals parks while we were there. As we learned more about some of the animals, it was amazing to see how skillfully and wondrously God created each animal to be perfectly suited for its environment and life. The eyes of the big cats are created to increase their night vision. Lions have a very short gestation period, and the cubs develop quite a bit more after birth because a lioness heavy in her pregnancy would not be a very able hunter. Cheetahs are streamlined and created for speed. (I was able to pet one, as you can see.) The antelope family members--we saw impala, springbok, waterbuck, and kudu--all have big ears to help them sense approaching predators. Their coloring not only helps them blend into their environment, but also helps reflect rather than absorb the heat. Truly God is an awesome Creator.

The last stop on our trip was Cape Town, one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited. The city is surrounded by mountains and coastline, a vivid combination. We were blessed with good weather and were able to go up on Table Mountain, which rises over 3000 feet above the city and the bay. The views from there were astounding, and an opportunity to again praise the Lord for the beauty of His creation. The next day we were able to drive around the mountain, along the beautiful coastline of Clifton Bay, Camps Bay, and Hout Bay, and then over the hill through a forest area where you'd never know you were anywhere near the ocean, even though it was only a few miles away.

The second thing that stood out to me was the reality that God is the Lord of all peoples and nations. We met many other believers on this trip, with widely varied life experiences, from diverse cultures and ethnic heritages, and speaking different languages, yet we shared a common bond in the Lord. What an encouragement to see people on the other side of the world worshipping the same awesome Creator, committed to the same Word of God, and growing in their own relationship with Jesus Christ, just as we do thousands of miles away. Truly He is Lord of All Creation, worthy of the worship and praise of every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues.

Who, Not Why

I have been so immersed with a couple of studies I have been doing for teaching opportunities, that my blog has been seemingly frozen in time. Of course, hallowing God's name is a great place to get stuck! I spoke on Enjoying Life as a Wife at a couples conference in Oregon, and I am in the midst of a series from the book of Job for an elective at my church's women's ministry program. I have learned so much from my studying that whenever I have thought of blogging I don't know where to begin. So I'm just going to keep it simple.

Job is a wonderful book, and we can learn much about dealing with the diffuculties of life from it. Job suffered in amazing ways. He was a very wealthy man, and lost absolutely everything. He had 10 children who were all killed at the same time. He endured intense physical agony that went on day after day. He might have hoped to receive encouragement and comfort from his wife and friends, but they just added to his grief. Although his initial response to all of his calamity is fantastic (1:20-22, 2:10), over time he begins to falter. He gets discouraged and begins to view God through his cirucmstances, rather than viewing his cirucmstances through the truth he knows about God. He begins to questions why. Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? (3:11) I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; Let me know why Thou dost contend with me.' (11:2) Why dost Thou hide Thy face and consider me Thine enemy? (13:24) Why are times not stored up by the Almighty; and why do those who know Him not see His days? (24:1)

God finally speaks at the end of the book. Chapters 38-41 gives the longest recorded speech from God. He speaks for four chapters, but does not address Job's why questions. He eloquently answers with who He is. He is God, the Creator, all-powerful, all-knowing, Lord and ruler over the entire universe. And what is Job's response? Does he still ask why? I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees Thee; Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes. (42:5-6) Although none of his questions have been answered, all of his questions have been answered. He may still not know why, but he knows who, and that is all he needs to know. God is God and he is not. God is the sovereign ruler, he is the humble servant. Job is overwhelmed with how awesome God is, and that is what brings him comfort.

So next time you are distressed by life, whether a severe trial or just the stresses and difficulties of life, don't focus on the why, focus on the who. Turn to God, meditate on the truth of His character, rejoice in what a great and awesome God we can know personally. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21-23) When we recall the who to mind, and not get bogged down in the why, we can have hope.

Hallowed be Your Name

Yesterday the morning sermon looked at a phrase from the Lord's Prayer--Hallowed be your name. Hallow means to regard as holy, to treat reverently. I was challenged to remember how holy God is, especially as I approach Him in prayer. I am thankful that God has adopted believers to be His children, and that we are invited to cast all of our cares upon Him. Those realities, however, might tempt us to forget that we are praying to the Lord Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, the sovereign God of the universe.

The fear of the Lord is not a concept you hear much about these days in many Christian circles, but it is a biblical concept. In January I read Proverbs, and the fear of the Lord is mentioned 16 times in that one book. We are commanded to fear the Lord several times, and learn several benefits of obeying this command. The fear of the Lord brings wisdom (1:7; 9:10; 15:33), prolongs life (10:27), brings confidence (14:26), is a fountain of life (14:27), keeps one away from evil (16:6), brings satisfied sleep (19:23), and is rewarded by riches, honor and life.

On the other hand, forgetting God's holiness and treating Him irreverently can have severe consequences. One example is found in Leviticus 10:1-3, when Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered 'strange fire' before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. The result: fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them. Why? God explains in verse 3, "By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy." This is not optional to God. I am thankful that He is gracious and doesn't kill all of us who ever approach Him lightly. But I am challenged to think about who He is when I come near Him in prayer.

So next time you go to prayer, take some time to reflect on the great and awesome, perfectly holy God you are praying to, and hallow His name.

What Do You Let Your Heart Do?

I recently came across a phrase in my Bible reading that has got me thinking. Three different times, in different places, I read, Do not let your heart, or Let not your heart. Interesting. We live in a day when we are lead to believe that we don't have any control over our hearts. Take, for example, the term, "falling in love". The implication is that we tumble into love, helplessly careening down the slope, wherever our emotions take us. Or the term, "follow your heart", as if our heart will lead us to only the best places.

The Bible, however, tells us something completely different. I see two major implications from these repeated phrases. First, we are commanded to not let our hearts do certain things. That tells me that we, through the power of the Holy Spirit, do not need to follow wherever our heart may try to lead us. Second, the fact that we are told to not let our heart take us certain places implies that our heart will naturally tend to do that, and it's not always a good place to go! Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" Proverbs 28:26 bluntly states, "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool".

So what does God tell us to not let our heart do? This list is not exhaustive, but here are the three verses I recently read.

Proverbs 23:17, "Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always." We are not to let our hearts envy sinners. Our world portrays sin as normal, even desireable. The 'sinners' are the ones who really have it made, who enjoy life. We are constantly inundated with this subtle message. Yet it is a lie. In Psalm 73, Asaph tells how he fell into the trap of thinking this way. In verse 3 he says, "For I was envious of the arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked." He also expresses what he was thinking in verse 13, "Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence." He was dismayed by his erroneous thinking, "until I came into the sanctuary of God," in verse 17. As he looked at things from God's perspective, he realized his thinking had been, "senseless and ignorant," verse 22. The remedy for our heart's envying sinners is to live in the fear of the Lord always. When the Lord has our focus, our respect, our worship, when we are living to please and honor Him, we will not be led astray by our foolish hearts.

Proverbs 24:17 says, "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles." Isn't that our human tendency? We cheer for the good guy (us), and root against the bad guy (anyone who is opposed to us). Sometimes we are oppressed, and justice serves to exonerate us and put the blame on our enemy. While justice is good, and ultimately all sinners will face God's judgement, what should our attitude be to our personal enemies? Not rejoicing when they stumble. In Luke 6:27-28 Jesus says, "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Romans 12:17-21 instructs us, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'vengeance is mine I will repay,' says the Lord. 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

John 14:1 says, "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me." Here we are commanded to not let our hearts be troubled. Over and over the Bible tells us to do not fear or do not fret. Why? Because that's what our hearts our prone to do! I think women, especially mothers, are particularly skilled at this! Instead we are to believe in God. We must abandon our own fears, our own worries, our own perceptions, our own preferences, our own expectations, our own analysis of the situation, and trust in the Lord. He is in control. He is at work for our good and His glory.

So don't follow your heart wherever it may try to take you. Follow the Lord. His ways are perfect. His word is sure.

Prayer Principles from Psalm 5

I love the Psalms. The psalmist is so real and pours out his heart to the Lord. Through the Psalms I see glimpses of God--His amazing character is highlighted in so many ways. I also see glimpses of myself as the psalmist is honest and transparent about himself. I see areas of sin and weakness, just like me, but I also often see a heart that longs for God, also like me. Many psalms display a close relationship between the psalmist and God, and from these I can learn about growing my relationship with God.

The beginning verses of Psalm 5 give us a glimpse into David's prayer life, and my prayer life can be impacted as I observe some principles from these verses.

Psalm 5:1-3
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my groaning.
Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to Thee do I pray.
In the morning, O Lord, Thou wilt hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to Thee and eagerly watch.

The prayer principles I oberved are:

Specificity(vs. 1)- David asks the Lord to give ear to his words. This implies that he has made some specific requests or brought specific situations or people before the Lord. It is easy to fall into generalities when we pray, God bless my world type prayers. I need to make sure my prayers include specifics, not just generalities.

Intensity(vs. 1)--David says consider my groaning, or meditation. He is pouring out his heart to the Lord with intensity, with fervency. His prayer is not casual, or an after thought, or a duty. It is intense.

Dependency(vs. 2)--Here he refers to his prayer as a cry for help. This shows his awareness of his own inadequacy and his dependence on the Lord. The more I see my own need the more I will turn to the Lord in prayer.

Submission(v.2)--David calls God "My King". He sees God as the King, and himself as the servant. This implies that his prayer was for God's will to be done, not for God to grant David's will. I need to make sure my prayers are seeking to align my heart with the Lord's, not asking God to give me what I want.

Intimacy(v.2)--here the reference is to "My God." David was not praying to some abstract spiritual force, he was praying to his God, someone he knew personally. How awesome it is that the God of the Universe, the Creator, the King, gave His Son so that I can have a personal relationship with Him! He has adopted me into His family. My prayers need to reflect this closeness.

Regularity(v.3)--Twice the phrase, "in the morning" is used. This implies that the Lord heard David's voice in the morning on a regular basis. I need to be consistent in my prayer life as well.

Centrality(v.3)--Another implication from morning prayer is that this was central to David's day. He didn't want to begin his day without the Lord as his focus. Whether or not my schedule allows for a lengthy time of prayer every morning, I need to begin each day focusing on the Lord, offering my day to Him, seeking His face and His strength for my day.

Expectancy(v.3)--this section ends with David's commitment to eagerly watch. He expected that God would answer his prayer. He was confident in God. John 5:14-15 says, "And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." My prayers need to reflect this same confidence. I must be eager to see how God will answer my prayers.

What a privilege it is to have God's Word. What a privilege it is to pray. Hebrews 4:16: "Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to hep in time of need."

Surrounded

Recently I have been listening to a new song called Surrounded (check it out at www.godsongmusic.com) about how we are surrounded by God's blessings. The chorus says:

You're the giver of good gifts
You bless with benefits
Great is Your faithfulness
Your compassion's infinite
Every morning it is true
That Your mercies are new

I was reading Psalm 5 the other day, and took particular notice of a verse about being surrounded. Psalm 5:12 says, "For it is Thou who dost bless the righteous man, O Lord, Thou dost surround him with favor as with a shield." It is easy to think that being surrounded with God's favor would mean pleasant circumstances, good health, financial prosperity, perfect relationships, etc. However, this is not what the psalmist experienced.

In verses 8-10 David talks about his foes. He was not experiencing the perfect circumstances we often imagine, yet he still saw himself as surrounded with God's favor. We are surrounded with God's favor by His love, His grace, His peace, His mercy, His comfort, His forgiveness, His wisdom, His compassion, His truth, His strength, His guidance, His goodness, His faithfulness. God surrounds us with Himself. It doesn't get any better than that.

A Good Word About Anxiety

I recently read a verse in Proverbs that has stuck in my thinking. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.” I think all of us know what it feels like to be weighed down with anxiety. It dampens our spirits, dominates our thinking, and can damage our effectiveness in fulfilling our responsibilities. Doctors can tell us of a multitude of ailments which are anxiety-induced. From purely a human perspective we can see the negative consequences of anxiety.

From a spiritual perspective, we realize that anxiety is so much more. Anxiety is sin. Anxiety reflects a lack of trust in God—perhaps in His sovereignty, His goodness, His power, or His love. The Bible is full of commands such as Do not fear, Do not fret, and Do not be anxious. Anxiety disobeys these commands. How can we overcome anxiety?

We must stop and pray. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God.” We need to stop being anxious, and instead bring everything to the Lord in prayer. We must cast all our anxiety upon the Lord, knowing that He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7)

We must stop and seek God. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells his listeners three times--do not be anxious (v25,31,34). Literally, he says, stop being anxious. Aren’t you glad that God know our frailties, and instructs us? We are to stop being anxious about our life, our food, our clothing, our tomorrow—all the issues of this life. Instead we are to, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.’ (v33). We must seek God. We must look at life from His perspective. We must set our affections on things above, not on the things that are on earth (Col 3:2). Our focus must be on the spiritual and the eternal rather than the physical and the temporal.

We must stop and trust. In the first eight verses of Psalm 37, David says three times “Do not fret” (v. 1,7,8). Instead we are to trust in the Lord (v. 3,5). We must realize that these two attitudes are contradictory and mutually exclusive. When we fret, we are not trusting in the Lord. When we are trusting in the Lord, we will not fret. David develops what it means to trust in the Lord. It involves delighting ourselves in the Lord (v.4)—pursuing our joy in Him, thankful for all the blessings He wisely and lovingly gives us. It involves committing our way to the Lord (v.5)—seeking to follow Him and not our own desires. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “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 your paths straight.” It involves resting in the Lord (v7)—dependent on and content in Him, casting our burdens upon the Lord and leaving them there. It involves waiting for the Lord (v7,9)—acknowledging His plan is far superior to our own and His timing is always perfect. As Psalm 27:14 exhorts, “Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” As we wait patiently for Him, our heart is strengthened, not anxious.

We must stop and listen. Proverbs 12:25 reminds us that a good word makes a heart glad. We must continue to put off anxiety, and put on listening to that good word. Do we daily spend time in God’s Word? Do we regularly and eagerly expose ourselves to good Bible teaching? Do we surround ourselves with other believers who will encourage us spiritually and help us to think biblically? Are we open to biblical exhortation and even reproof from others?

Our hearts need not be weighed down with anxiety. We can stop being anxious and pray, seek God, trust in Him, and listen to that good word which will make our hearts glad.