Can You Hear Me Now?

      Last Sunday, Dan preached on hearing the Lord and some of the same basic principles came up in Bible study last night so I thought I'd share a little.
      There are so many voices in our lives at any given moment that it is hard to pick out the right ones without some serious listening. Over & over in the Bible, God's servants stopped to be still & listen to God's voice before taking action. Moses refused to move forward until He was assured that God had heard him and was going to go with him. David asked again and again for God's direction before fighting various battles or even deciding where to settle down. Gideon used fleeces. The disciples cast lots. The methods varied but the bottom line was that they all wanted reassurance of God's will, His voice, before making decisions.
      We need to do the same. In our rushed world, stopping to hear God's voice above the noise of this world is a necessity. The shouting of society, of unbelievers, & the media can tend to deafen us to God's whisper. How do we hear Him? How do we know it is His voice & not our own ingrained attitudes or invented ideas? How do we choose God's best over just that which looks good?
      There are a few Biblically sound answers:
1.   Pray, and keep praying until you get an answer. Sounds easy but so many of us lose heart & stop praying before the answer comes. Or we are praying, get an idea, & rush ahead of God before He confirms His Word to our hearts.  Pray...& if you don't get an answer before the decision needs to be made, consider it to be NO. Matthew 7:7,8,& 11 all tell us to Keep On Asking!! Once is just not enough!
2.  Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through the Word. God has given us both of those incredible blessings, the Spirit & the Word, to guide our lives. If they don't agree, or if you're having to crowbar an answer then it's not God's best or it's not the right timing. The Spirit of God always lines up with the Word. If we think we are being led totally by the Spirit, we tend to be emotionally charged. If we never listen to the Spirit, we tend to be legalistic. We need both the Spirit & the Word, in agreement, to lead us!
3.  Wait to respond until you get the answer!  Timing isn't everything but it is critically important. Delay is not always denial. A period of preparation might be needed in order to accomplish God's best for the situation. It may be that there are others who are not ready, or circumstances are not aligned. If God's answer is not clear, WAIT. It's not a popular concept, but necessary.
4.  Ask others, mentors and those who you trust to have Godly wisdom, to pray with you. Proverbs 11:14 says there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. Many times I have asked my spiritual partners to pray. Their guidance & insights have saved me much grief through the years. When I don't get confirmation but choose to do it my way anyway, I am setting myself up for unnecessary problems.
5.  Ask for open & closed doors. Sounds silly, as does laying out fleeces, but I have avoided many pitfalls by asking God to lead me through those ways. God doesn't mind our questions, just our  demands. Boldly coming to the throne is encouraged, if we come in a spirit of humility of wanting His best rather than His approval of our decisions. He will open & close doors that lead to His best for us if we just ask. His Word, in James 1:5 & numerous other places, encourages us to seek His counsel & wisdom. He wants to give it, so why are we so hesitant to ask?
      While I'm sure there are other ways to validate God's voice to your life, these are the time-tested methods that I have used throughout my Christian walk. That's not to say I always listened, but when I do listen, God leads & I have inner peace, regardless of what I may be walking through. Try it for yourself. You will see that listening for God's voice can be a challenge, but it is well worth the effort.
Blessings...

An Epiphany on Epiphany

My Christian walk has never led me into a "liturgical" type of church, so when I was reading about Epiphany I was intrigued.  While my house is fairly back to normal after the holiday festivities, most of Christianity around the world is continuing the season. Epiphany is the remembrance of the visitors from the East that we call Magi or Wise men. Unlike many Christmas cards, most Bible scholars believe that about 2 years passed between Christ's birth in the stable & the arrival of the Magi. Why else would King Herod demand the execution of all baby boys age 2 & younger? He checked his facts against the timing of the star & Biblical prophecies & then made the command. If you're not familiar with their story, read Matthew 2!

So why is the visit, this last story of the Advent season, so important?  That's where my epiphany came. God's Word is so amazing! There are no accidental inclusions in Scripture & so there must be lessons here for me to learn. As I started prayerfully reading, these are the lessons I learned.

The Magi took great pains to go looking for the new king. The Bible says that if we seek, we will find Him. (Luke 7:7-8) He is always available to us but so many people sit back & wait for God to show up in their lives to prove Himself, or to rescue them when they get into trouble. What great reward for those who seek Him! He will always be found & He promises to reward those who diligently seek Him. (Heb. 11:6)

They didn't stop even when running into great obstacles, trickery, & misguided ideas. They looked for the new king in the palace (a logical assumption) & were cajoled by Herod, whose motives were anything but righteous. They travelled many miles through difficult terrain & circumstances. Their motivation was so great, however, that nothing deterred them. They knew the finding of this new king would be an awesome experience & it was. We can never give up anything or go through anything that makes it reasonable to give up our faith or relationship with God. Once we truly find Him, our "light & momentary" troubles will seem insignificant. (2 Co. 4:17) The sheer joy of knowing the end results led our Savior to the cross. (Hebrews 12:2) What else could solidify this lesson?

Their gifts were prophetic: Gold because He was & is the King of Kings, frankincense which was incense used to honor deity, & myrrh which was an embalming spice & spoke of His death.

Their visit was confirmation that Christ came for the WHOLE world. While it was the Jews that looked forward to the Messiah's coming, these Magi were Gentiles. Their visit echoed the words of Simeon, in Luke 2:25-32, where he addressed the baby Jesus as "the Light to the Gentiles & the glory of God's people."

They came to worship. Unlike the shepherds who came to check out what the angels said, these visitors came only to worship. They didn't ask for anything or expect anything back. They just wanted to honor & adore Him, presenting their gifts to this One whose star announced His coming! What a difference we would find in our lives if we spent more time worshipping & adoring our King, rather than constantly asking for His help or His provision. That's not to say we shouldn't ask, but if our petitions continually replace Worship there is something really missing.

Finally, the Lord directed them to leave another way. When we are truly in the presence of our Lord, hearing His heart & His Word, it should change & redirect us. If we can go in & out of church each week, study the Bible, pray, & do all the other "Christian" things without any change in lifestyle or perspective we are in need of a Spiritual adjustment. (1 John 3:6,9) Perhaps our passion for God has died or we're not using our gifts & talents. Maybe we've become lax or our Bible reading & prayer time is a chore rather than a privilege. God's presence should always cause us to want a deeper relationship with Him & stronger passion for those things which are His heart.

Those are the epiphanies that I had while reading about Epiphany. I pray that they were meaningful & perhaps thought-provoking for you as well.

Blessings..

A Time to Renew, not Restart!

**I realized that Mitchell Morsels has been sadly neglected through 2013 in part because of the hectic pace of life & in part because I tend to "get going" on something and my morsel turns into a book! I intend to write more often in 2014 and that starts with a change in expectation & focus. So here I go...

      The word that jumped out of my Bible reading today was RENEW.  Webster's defines RENEW as "to make new again; to revive; begin again; bring back to its initial state; unimpaired by use or influence." 
      A nice January thought: renewal. Most people resolve to do better - to exercise more, eat healthier, be more careful with their money, read the Bible or attend church .We look at January as a time to revive things that were neglected, or to kick up the intensity of things we do. However, instead of restarting the same things again with fresh motivation, I encourage you to look at your life with renewal in mind. Renewal starts as we have accepted Christ into our lives. He has made us "new creations". In Romans 12:2, we are told to avoid becoming like the world by renewing our minds, & therefore proving what God has found acceptable & perfect as His will for us. According to the amplified Bible, renewing our mind means being transformed and changed by new ideals & attitudes, which are distinctly different from the customs, beliefs, & norms of our current society. Untainted; clean! So how can my life be changed & transformed into a more perfect image of Christ, which is my goal? What habits, attitudes, thoughts or actions do I need to incorporate into my life in order to be a better witness, a more fulfilled Christian, & have a deeper relationship with God? What if I look at my life as a clean slate which has not been ingrained & molded by worldly ideas, but is ready to see life with Biblical perspective? What if I see myself as unimpaired by past failings, betrayals, hurts, & attitudes & regard myself as being brand new - back to an initial state of purity, strength & vitality? Forgiven, redeemed, justified, whole. Not whitewashed but NEW.
       Of course, it will take spiritual focus & continual redirecting in order for me to accomplish this. I need to be more intentional about those things God has provided to help me: Bible reading, prayer, church attendance, studying the Word...& that will motivate me to move ahead, as the Apostle Paul did, to forget those things that are behind, in my past, in my former ways, & press toward the high calling, the achieving of all that God has for me - in my life, my ministry, & my relationships.
That would truly be Renewal!

Just a few thoughts to begin the new year!

Don't just talk...DO!

John 3:16  "God so loved"…amazing, wonderful

"That He gave!!" Christmas is all about that.  God gave. He didn’t just feel or even talk…He gave. James 1:22 – God commands us also to DO.    Flip over one chapter… James 2:17 –  He actually goes one step farther: If we don’t do anything, our faith is effectually DEAD.

Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 25:32. In separating the sheep from goats it was not by who had the most theology degrees or the strongest “belief” system…but by ACTIONS.

Over & over throughout Jesus’ ministry, the people listened to Him speak & were amazed but their belief in Him came after He performed some miracle that they could actually SEE. Examples: John 11:45 (Lazarus) & John 4:45 (the Galileans) & again John 4:54 (healing of the royal official’s son).

Biblical definition of faith - FAITH IS A PRODUCT OF ACTING ON THE WORD OF GOD. It's in acting on it that our faith is proven & the result of that acting grows our faith even more.

We can talk til we’re blue & breathless, but if our faith isn’t backed by our actions we’re wasting our time.

Why did the Pharisees get into such hot water with Jesus?  In fact, weren’t they the only ones in His entire ministry that He really called out?  Their religious beliefs (which Jesus also shared, by the way) were not the problem. They were "administering" OT laws that had been prescribed by God!  Their problem was that they didn’t back up those beliefs with Godly actions. They used their beliefs as a hammer to beat people over the heads, but didn’t follow them correctly themselves. Talk about legalistic. They enslaved the people with rules & regulations, but eliminated the love that those rules are supposed to motivate. In my childhood, we called those kind of people “Bible thumpers” and I’d venture to say that all of you know one or two. They are really good at quoting Scripture & telling YOU what you should be doing but they are all talk & no action. Their lives may or may not reflect those same beliefs that they spout. In fact, when you are witnessing isn’t the first thing you always hear something about how the church is full of hypocrites?  Well, guess what! It is. Is something wrong with our Christian beliefs? No! The problem is that we are forgetting the REASON for those God- given rules…it’s all supposed to be about Love & pointing people towards the  God who is love. And while none of us is perfect, we should all desperately try to avoid deliberate hypocrisy!

Love in Action. That’s what the Bible, what this season, what our Christian lives, are supposed to be about. Our Christian faith is not just verses & rules. 

One of my favorite verses is Matthew 5:16!!
Does it say, “Let your light shine so that you can show others how bad & rotten they are while making yourself look bright & spiritual?”

Does it say, “Let your light shine so that everyone can see how strong your faith is & come running to you to bless them with your incredible Bible knowledge?”

Not in my version – It says, “Let your light shine among men that they will see your GOOD WORKS & GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN!”

You see, my motivation should not be about me at all. It’s to glorify God. Do you want to know why the Mormon church is exploding in the world?  Why the Jehovah’s witnesses are so good at capturing the hearts of the hurting & the needy? It’s not their theology…it’s their good works. They care & they love through their actions. They put feet to their faith, as Pastor Evans was fond of saying. They do the practical things…things like Jesus did.

Remember in Matthew where Jesus fed 5000 (not including women & children) or another time recorded in Matthew 16 where He refers to feeding 4,000. Words followed by actions. Jesus taught, but He also acted. His miracles validated His message. That’s the key to today’s thoughts.  Throngs are leaving the organized church because it is seen as “irrelevant” to their daily lives. Spouting “Christianese” is ineffective to reach the world. There are so many Christians who are like the ones referred to in James – the ones who see someone in need and yet do nothing but SAY pleasant words.  This is tragic. Nothing should be more important for us, those of us who know the truth, than to SHOW the love of God through our lives and actions so that other WANT to know our God of love that they see witnessed in us.

1 John says they will know we are Christians by our love….(yes, it’s a song as well but the truth remains). We can say what we want but it’s our actions that matter.  Read 1 John 3:18. The Amplified version is awesome… "Let us not love merely in theory or in speech, but in deed & in truth, in practice and in sincerity!!" It doesn’t say not to talk about our faith. The Great Commission says Go & preach! (teach, talk, witness) as does Acts I:8 - it’s the reason for our empowering by the Holy Spirit. But our words need action.  Remember our definition of faith: It is the product of acting on the Word of God. We show our faith by doing! And our faith grows as we reach out and DO!

So practically, what does all this Talking mean? It means Do. (In some ways I’m preaching to the choir here…the girls that help with WM, the faithfulness of our ushers & worship team, the ones of you who are constantly giving rides home…etc.) but through this season especially, we need to give because God gave…not just $$, although if you have some to spare the ministry can always use it, but in reaching out in practical, needed ways to share the love of God. Blessed to be a blessing is the key.

Last women’s ministry I handed out scrolls called ACTS OF KINDNESS SCAVENGER HUNT.   It listed just a few ideas for showing random acts of kindness (a new catch phrase that I hope is more than a bumper sticker!) It’s a Biblical principle. Use the scroll as a springboard for ideas but I challenge you to do one other thing. Attach a church card or add  the church phone number with a little note of encouragement. Reach out with a purpose...the purpose being not just earning brownie points in heaven but of ministering God’s love for His glory & being a witness to those who yet need to find Him..

And don’t forget that the Bible also adds “especially to those who are in the household of faith.”  You might not be able to do great things, but you can do what God puts on your heart to do.   So ask Him! Give someone a ride to church or home from church, donate towards the children’s ministry gift fund, pick someone who is struggling & treat them to coffee or a meal.  There are so many things we can all do!

You get it. You are all creative & amazing. It doesn’t have to be a big thing obviously, but  to borrow a phrase from Niki… JUST DO IT.

DON’T JUST TALK…DO!!

Spelling "Thankful"

       I know...Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season is in full swing. I've heard my first "Chia Pet" commercial and several stations are playing 24 hour Christmas music. The rush is on. Calendars are filling and "to do" lists are growing. Maybe more than at any other time in the year, however, we need to counter the "gimme/ I want" season with a reminder about thankfulness. What spurred my thoughts was a quote I was sent that said "Only in America do people trample each other for bargains on the day after they were supposedly thankful for all that they already have!" So I decided to share  "How do you spell 'Thankful?'" The letters in "thankful" were used as an acronym to teach a reminder lesson on fostering thankfulness.

T - Tally your blessings (you have so much to be thankful for...really...so remember)

H - Hold your tongue (once said, there's no rewinding either the words or their affect)

A - Ask for God's perspective (our own is so limited by time & experience)

N - Negate negativity (negatives cast a dark shadow on every situation & every relationship)

K - Keep your emotions in check (they're easily fired up but much harder to tame)

F - Foster family fellowship (chosen or biological, none of us are meant to go it alone)

U - Unleash your passions &  creativity (there's joy in serving others with your gifts)

L - Live in expectancy (God has a good life for you, full of amazing things....trust Him)

      These are simple reminders & yet in this busy & often frustrating time of year, we can lift our spirits by taking time to consider them. Gratitude is a spark that ignites both joy & peace. It reminds us of what is really important, helping us keep the reason for the season as our priority and that reason is simple ...God gave! Refocused, our lives will reflect a constant consciousness of all that God has done for us & the many blessings He has given us. His sacrifice & love will then cause us to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness that will permeate everything we do, spreading the true Christmas spirit in ways that nothing else can.

Blessings!

The People's King, part 2

      The story of Saul is a cautionary tale of how our perspectives can change as circumstances unfold through our lives. Saul's story is not uncommon, as far as emotions & their reactions. There are lessons to be learned though his story, & God reminds us in the New Testament to take Old Testament lessons to heart - that's why He recorded them for us (Rom. 15:4; 1 Co. 10:11). So here are a few I took from this story.
1- God's plans are always the best & designed for His reasons! When you start thinking your plan is better than God's, watch out. God told His people again & again to do things His way. Every time they strayed, it ended in disaster. Saul's "better idea" cost him the kingdom, the blessing of God, & eventually his life.
2-  We are all accountable for our own decisions & choices. Others can influence us, threaten us, or challenge us but in the end it is our choice to follow God's path or go our own way. Saul tried blaming the people but God, through Samuel, rejected his attempts to pass the blame.
3-  Sacrificing, even for spiritual reasons, is less important to God than obedience. No matter how we try to make up the difference or what we give up in order to appease God, the gap remains. No amount of sacrificing can usurp the blessing of obedience. Disobedience is as idol worship...we become our own god by taking control. (and you know how God feels about idol worship!) 
4-  God already knows. Rationalizing, justifying, blaming, whining, & pouting do not change the fact that we have fallen. God isn't swayed by our crocodile tears, our excuses, or our tantrums. He knows the innermost thoughts & motives of our hearts & sees through any attempts to sugar-coat truth. We think we're so clever, but I am sure God just shakes His head & wonders who we think we're trying to fool!  God knows...& don't forget it!
5- Pride really does come before a fall. Samuel reminded Saul that once he was small in his own eyes & he should have kept that perspective. God wants us to succeed & do great things for Him, through His power & in His way. Pride is deadly because it takes the focus off of God & shines the light on us instead. That kind of scrutiny is never a good thing. Flaws surface, cracks become visible, & eventually the disintegration of emotions with their reactions causes the complete collapse. None of us has anything God hasn't given us so it will never be in our own strength or ability. The creation has nothing that the Creator didn't design. Pride really has no place.
6-  You are never the sole "beneficiary" of your mistakes. Generations can be affected by choices & decisions you make. Others are watching, learning, reacting, & being influenced for good or bad by your choices so seek God, listen to what He says, & then do what He says. Like ripples in a pool, we never know how far the repercussions will go.
      Saul's story is a sad one, not only because of how it ended but because there were so many points along the way where he could have repented & turned back to God. We all make mistakes & fail in so many ways. Until life is ended, there are numerous opportunities to return to God. He waits for you to repent & desires nothing more, so don't waste another day in self-pity, regret, or fear. Give Him your failings & let Him redeem them into something good. It will give you a freedom you never knew was possible. Don't delay...just do it!!

The People's King, part 1

      I have been studying the life of Saul, the first king of Israel. His story is an example of what happens when we choose our ways over God's ways. The story of Saul is recorded in 1 Samuel.
      The Lord has been the ruler over Israel & has led them through many trials, but they want to be like surrounding kingdoms...they want a king. God knows that eventually they will cry out because of their choice but the people refuse to hear God's words (1 Samuel 8:18-22). So he gives them a king.
      At the beginning of his story, Saul was not power-hungry or even prideful. When we meet him, he is chasing after some lost donkeys. When Samuel the prophet of God begins to tell him that he will rule the people, Saul is full of arguments, much like Gideon was when the angel of the Lord greeted him with the words "Hail, mighty man of valor".  Saul argued with Samuel, "Am I not from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe of Israel? And is not my family the least of all the families of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? So why do you speak to me this way?"  Saul has no kingly aspirations but he is the chosen one. When the lots were cast & Saul was chosen, they had to go find him. He was hiding among some baggage. When he stood before them, he seemed a kingly choice: tall, good looking, from a good family. Unlikely though he thought he was, he became the people's king.
      At first, Saul appears to lead Israel well. God gives him battle favor and the people of Israel were happy. Our first glimpse of Saul's darker side comes when he tries to execute his own son, Jonathan, for breaking an oath that Saul should not have insisted upon (having soldiers in battle fasting) & that Jonathan did not hear, for he was already in the field.  Saul's insistence upon Jonathan's death is overruled by his own troops, and Jonathan's life is spared, but Saul's pride & arrogance has begun to rear its ugly head.
      Then came the time of fateful decision:  the battle with the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 15. God's instructions were to totally wipe their kingdom from the earth as punishment for their treatment of Israel. (As the Israelites were fleeing Egypt, the Amalekites were cutting off & destroying any stragglers. They attacked them again after those initial times & forced them back to the Sinai wilderness - Exodus 17:8-16; Numbers 14:39-45) God's instructions were very clear. He wanted all remembrance of them eliminated. But when the battle was finished, Saul had saved both their king & the best of their livestock. Presumably the king would have been Saul's trophy & the animals would have added to his considerable wealth. Saul had chosen arrogance over obedience.
      This is where the turning point was made. When confronted by God, through Samuel, Saul could have repented & turned back to a life of righteousness but he did not.
      Initially, he acted as though he had obeyed. Greeting Samuel he boasted that he had performed as the Lord commanded (vs 13). When Samuel confronted him with the truth, he began blaming "they" & "the people."  He tried to put a religious spin on it by saying it was for spiritual sacrifices that the animals were spared. (vs 15-16) but Samuel immediately stopped his excuses by reiterating God's command. Saul tried to rationalize again & argued that he did obey God by destroying the Amalekites, only saving the king, but it was "the people" who took the best things to be sacrificed to the Lord. (vs. 20-21). This time there was no argument that would hold.  When Samuel said, "Does the Lord delight in sacrifices more than obeying His voice? To obey is better than to sacrifice..." Saul tried one more argument - "I disobeyed because I feared the people," but he knew it was futile & began seeking absolution. The blame game was finished & the buck stopped at Saul's feet. God would not rescind his judgment. The kingdom would be taken from Saul's family and given to another, one who was a man after God's own heart. Although he remained Israel's king throughout his life, the Lord's favor was removed from him. Saul spent his years in mental torment, bouts of extreme jealousy, & the devastation of betrayal. His life ended when he committed suicide after being wounded in battle-  a sad end for Israel's first king.
     That's the story. In part 2 of this blog, I will share the lessons that God spoke to my heart as I studied.  I hope they will impact your life as they have mine.  Blessings...