Silence Is Not Always Golden

     Well, I am back.  Sorry for the break.  It was unintentional.  We had Christmas and I had to help Brittne get ready to leave for Peru again. Then we went to Fort Worth to have Christmas with Bryce and Kristen.  I am home now, exhausted, and ready to get my life back in order. Regrettably, because I have been too busy, I did not force myself to find the time to write the devotion.  I have been silent.  If you are a faithful reader, I am sure you were frustrated.  When would I write again?  What happened to me?  Why the silence?
     The fact that I have not written a devotion in four day, is not earth shattering to you; I am sure!  However, how many times to do we get busy and overwhelmed in life and stop talking to God?  Then when we want to get order to our chaos, we start talking to God as if we had never stopped talking.  If you had a relationship with someone who would stop talking to you when life got difficult and then strolled back into your life as if nothing had happened, how would you feel?  I am sure it would damage your relationship.  '
     God is not a relationship that can be turned on and off at our convenience.  We must stay faithful to the one we say we serve.  Talking to Him is a vital part of our relationship with Him and a vital way to show our faithfulness to Him.  Silence is not golden with God!
     Have you ever had times of silence with God?  Did you repent and ask God to forgive you and commit to not repeating the silence?  If not, then it is never too late!

Hallelujah!  You who serve God, praise God!  Just to speak his name is praise! Just to remember God is a blessing -- now and tomorrow and always.

Psalm 113:1-2

If You Are Waiting, He is Working!

     It was an interesting journey from living an average life in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to being church planters in Helena, Montana. I questioned the timing of the chain of events but in the end, God blessed me by how he had worked out His plan and His purpose in His perfect timing. When we knew that God had directed us to go to seminary, we immediately put our home up for sale. I had heard many times about how people who went in the ministry or to the mission field would put their homes up for sale and it would sale in 24 hours. I expected the same thing to happen to us. It did not. We needed to sell our home before we could leave for seminary. It took us nine months to sell the house. Then we lived with Dwayne's parents for three months,waiting for the next semester to begin. Dwayne finished seminary in two years and four months, We then moved to Helena, Montana to be church planters. We arrived with no place to live. Rentals were very difficult to find and the cost of homes were beyond our means at the time. We were not able to find anything before we arrived but within 24 hours we were able to find a brand new, three bedroom apartment in a fourplex. At that moment, our neighbors were a couple from Connecticut and a couple who were church supporters from Tennessee, helping our sponsoring church. I will never forget Dwayne and his new friend Dave, who was the pastor of our sponsoring church, moving in our furniture and boxes. As soon as the last box came through the door, Dwayne kissed me goodbye and they left for a state meeting. I felt a little lost in a new town, in my new apartment, alone with my two children and my boxes. It was only a week later we began to get a glimpse of God's plan unfolding. We were really struggling as to how we were going to do music in this new church we were beginning. We figured we were going to have to use CD's and a player. One day a man showed up to look at the apartment down stairs. He had driven all over town to find a place to move his family from Texas. He immediately rented the apartment. As we were talking to him, we found out that his wife played the piano, they had a keyboard, and they had worked with church starts before. Had God just dropped a miracle in the downstairs apartment? The answer was yes! They helped us with the music for the first six years of South Hills. They became great friends and extended family. We not only lived together for one year in the fourplex, we rented a new duplex in Montana City and we both moved there and lived side by side once again. Our children were best friends and our families ate together at least five nights a week. One day as we were discussing how God brought us together, they told us that God had told them they were suppose to move to the mountains and help with a church. They had to get some debt in order and sell a home. The process took them three and a half years. The exact time it took us to sell our home, move to seminary, and finish Dwayne's degree. When the three and a half years were complete they felt it was time to move. They had no idea where. So Bob just got in the car and took off for Colorado to follow God's leading and find the place they were to move. He drove all through Colorado, and then Wyoming, and ended up all the way to Helena, Montana. When he drove into Helena, he knew it was were they were suppose to move. He was a car salesmen and stopped by the local dealership, though they said they weren't hiring, he filled out an application. They hired him before he left their lot! All he needed now was a place to live. He found a few houses but there were people before him on the list and even though he offered the landlord six months rent in advance, he wouldn't go out of order and rent to him. He happened to be driving by the new apartments we were living in and saw the for rent sign, rented the apartment, and drove back to Texas to get his family. They moved in below us two weeks later. The whole time I was questioning God's timing, He was working out his plan. He had to coordinate two families' paths of obedience with a church that was ready to sponsor a church plant. How frustrating it must have been for Him when I would question whether He had forgotten us because His timing just didn't make sense.
     Elizabeth must have felt the same way. She had prayed for years to have a child and endured the disgrace of being barren. She had given up hope as she was an old lady. Her husband went to the temple one day to perform his service as a priest and when he returned he couldn't speak. He must have written it all out to her about how the angel told him they would have a baby. Sure enough, very shortly she was pregnant. Her disgrace had ended. Her prayers had been answered. Zachariah had more than likely told her of the angel saying how great their son would be and that his name was to be John. If I would have been her, I would have walked around town everyday rubbing my belly, getting my revenge for all the things they had said and thought about her. However, she didn't do that. She stayed isolated in her home for five months. She must have spent that time pondering, praying, and seeking God. At the end of the five months, God's timing started making sense. Not only was God blessing her with a Child, a child that was going to lead the way for Jesus, the Messiah, she was going to be used as a support and encourager to her relative who was going to be the mother of her Savior. Gabriel used the fact of Elizabeth being pregnant to encourage Mary that God can do the impossible and when Mary needed to go away for a while, she went to Elizabeth. Elizabeth cared for and ministered to Mary for three months. When Mary entered into the room, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and John leaped in her womb. If Elizabeth had been pregnant at any other time she would not have been used by God to give birth to the one that would make others ready for the Messiah, she would not have been able to be an example to Mary of the power of God, she would not have been filled with the Spirit, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to be the special care giver to Mary, and she wouldn't have been the first person to call Jesus, Lord! God's timing proved to be perfect and so worth the wait.
     When you think God isn't listening and not doing anything, remember that just because you have to wait, or you don't see anything happening, or you are having to endure hardship while you are waiting, God is at work. You never know what He is orchestrating and how many players are in His orchestra. With Elizabeth, He had to wait until the world was ready for the Messiah, until Mary was old enough to be a mother, until Joseph was engaged to Mary, and then He started the chain of events of the birth of the long awaited Messiah by giving an old, faithful couple the child of their wildest dream. Not only had He heard their prayers, not only had He cared, but He had worked everything together in His perfect timing. If you are waiting, He is working!

Now after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she secluded herself entirely, saying I have hid myself because thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He deigned to look on me to take away my reproach among men. Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth to tell Mary, "Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment". ... And at that time Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town of Judah and went to the house of Zachariah and, entering it, greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit....And now have I deserved that this honor should be granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?....And Mary remained with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her own home. Now the time that Elizabeth should be delivered came and she gave birth to a son.

Luke 1: 24-26a, ,36-37, 39-41, 44, 56-57

A Promise Fulfilled

     Have you ever waited your whole life for God to fulfill His promise to you? That question challenges me. How faithful would I be if I had to wait a lifetime? The question made me ponder my life and the longest I have had to wait to see one of God's promise fulfilled in my life. I have determined that the longest I have waited is just over 24 years. It was very shortly after Bryce was born I learned about the importance of praying for your child's spouse. Actually, it was about the exact time his spouse was being born. When Bryce was playing with friends at seminary, his future spouse's father was dying. I had no idea of course, just that there was a little girl out there that God was growing and molding to be the wife of my son and the mother to my grandchildren. I was just praying that God would help her through whatever her days held. When Bryce was in fourth grade, we moved to Montana, she was now 2300 miles away from him. But in God's perfect timing, we moved back to Oklahoma to the town where she lived. It wasn't long before Brittne was conspiring with her to hook her and her brother up. It worked and soon it started to become apparent that she was possibly the faceless, nameless, little girl that I had prayed for all those years. It was confirmed on March 14, 2009 when she walked down the isle of her grandmother's church and married my son. When I started praying for this baby girl some 24 years ago, God gave me a peace that He would take care of her and she would be the perfect completer to Bryce. He fulfilled that promise beautifully.            
     There were two people who had waited for many long years to see the Messiah. They knew God had promised to send a Savior and they waited expectantly and patiently. The first person was Simeon. He was a good man who had lived in prayerful expectancy for help for Israel. The Holy Spirit had come upon Simeon and told him that he would see the Messiah before he died. Simeon was an old man who had waited a long time to see this promise fulfilled. One day when he was led by the Holy Spirit to go to the temple, Mary and Joseph came into the temple with Jesus to have him circumcised. Immediately, Simeon took Jesus in his arms and blessed him. He proclaimed that God could take him home now because God's promise had been completed. He then went on with his blessing and told Mary and Joseph that this child would endure the pain of a sword. As Simeon was blessing Jesus, an old woman who was a prophetess was in the temple where she fasted and prayed everyday. She immediately broke into singing on how Jesus was the long awaited deliverer of Jerusalem. Both of these people waited and anticipated the day God would bring the Messiah. It wasn't a question of if, or how, but only when.
     Scripture tells us that as followers of Jesus, we should live in expectancy for the return of our Savior. Do we wake up each day, wondering if today will be the day of the fulfillment of the return of Jesus? Or do we let the everyday routine of life lull us to sleep? How long has it been since you thought of His return? We could actually wake up on Christmas morning and see Jesus face to face! What a Christmas that would be! Are you ready? Are you watching? Are you expecting?

Luke 2:25-39

What Gift Do You Bring?

     When we were church planters in Montana, I began to direct drama's for church and fell in love with it. When we moved to Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, I put together and directed a drama team and participated in many of the skits and dramas my self. One year we did a Christmas drama where the people of Jesus' life brought gifts to the baby Jesus. Some gifts were wonderful and some were not so great. The skit began with the following words spoken by the narrator:
     This is a birthday party, a most unusual birthday party. That is the guest of honor, there in the manger, a very, very young Hebrew child. No one knows it now, but He only has thirty-three years of life ahead of him. His mother there is quite young, 15. This is her first child, you know. She is only a simple, uncomplicated peasant girl, caught up in a unique time in history. The magnitude of it at the least overwhelms her at times. Her husband there is a good man, who cares deeply about his young wife and is aware of his responsibility toward this unique child. Those gifts you see were brought by some wise and holy men who came a long way to pay homage to this child. They said a star showed them the way, but I think they found him with their hearts, too. Others will be quests at this birthday party and will be bringing gifts as they come.
     After each of the characters came and brought their gifts the narrator ended with these words:
So....this is his birthday party….Those are his gifts…..These are the quests of his lifetime. But they aren’t all the guests, for you are invited to this birthday party, too. What gift have you brought? Is it toleration, as the innkeeper? Loyalty, as John the Baptist? Compassion, as the little boy with the fish and bread or devotion as Mary Magdalene?....Perhaps it’s comfort, as Martha, or even love, as Mary of Bethany brought. Could yours be a brother, as Andrew, or the service of Peter? Maybe it’s rejection, as the rich young ruler, or condemnation and enmity, as the priest, or snares and false pride, as the Pharisee. Might it be the trust of the centurion, the gratitude of the leper, or the changed life of Zacchaeus? Or, perhaps, the hidden homage of Nicodemus, the betrayal of Judas, the death of Herod, the cross of suffering of Pilate. It might be the belief of the thief on the cross…or perhaps the temporary tomb of Joseph of Arimathea…You may not intend to do it, but when you come to his manger, you bring a gift. What is your gift?
     These words have stayed in my heart and my mind for years. I was the narrator and when you memorize parts, you tend to remember it. I remember each player walking in and giving their gifts to Jesus and then the question, What is your gift? We do not get a choice. We will bring a gift. It may not be a gift given with intention and it may not be a gift we are proud of. If Jesus looked at your life so far, and claimed a gift from you today, what would it be? Are you pleased with it? Live you life as a sacrificial gift to the Lord. You will stand before Him one day. Do you want to be empty handed?

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life- and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

Romans 12:1 (the Message)

Who Do You Want to Please?

     Mary isn’t the only one involved in the birth of Jesus who demonstrated obedience. Joseph had his own decision to make about being obedient to God’s direction. We know Joseph was a righteous man from Scripture. We first see that when Joseph chose not to publicly disgrace Mary. I believe it is because he was a man of compassion and he truly loved Mary. Even in his hurt and probably anger, he didn’t want to retaliate against her and he was thinking of her welfare. Then Gabriel appeared to him and told him not to fear taking Mary as his wife. Again, Joseph had a choice to make and he chose to be obedient to God. Yet Joseph was in a bad position. If he chose to divorce Mary, people would have talked and judged them because they would have believed Mary had been with another man when she was engaged to Joseph. If he married her, people will talk and judge him for getting her pregnant before the marriage. They would judge without the facts. Joseph’s obedience came with a sacrifice, like Mary’s. I think we often forget about Joseph's role in Jesus’ birth and life. We need to remember that it was an honor for God to have chosen Joseph to be His son's earthly father. Imagine what it would be like as a father to place your son in the care and leadership of another man. Remember, in your eyes, you would be the only one you could trust and respect. As far as we see in scripture, Joseph lived up to that honor.
     Two lessons that we can learn from Joseph are: 1) To understand that sometimes people are going to judge us without knowing all the details. 2) Pleasing God comes before pleasing people.
These are lessons I am just starting to get a handle on in my own life. I learned early in my life to be a people pleaser. It has been a stronghold I have worked hard to overcome. When I was 18 years old, I had a major life decision. I could be obedient to God, even though it came with a sacrifice, or I could keep pleasing people and make sure I didn’t disappoint those who loved me. Regrettably, I chose to protect my reputation and I chose to please people. It is a decision that has impacted me more than any decision I have ever made. It is one I have regretted each and every day. I wish I had been like Joseph and been willing to be obedient no matter what the sacrifice and no matter what anyone else thought.
    Who do you strive to please? People or God? Have you ever disobeyed God because you were trying to please others? Or have you stood strong and followed God, and let people say what they want to say?

And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife.
Matthew 1:24

It's about the heart!

     One thing we hear often this time of year is ‘Perfect Christmas’. Everyone wants a perfect Christmas. We see it in ads, on TV, movies, and in conversations. What makes a perfect Christmas? We usually have a formula written out as a check list. Perfect tree, perfect lights on the house, perfect dinner served on a picture perfect table, perfect gifts given and received, perfect time with family and loved ones, perfect special time with the one we love, a perfect Christmas service or program at church, and perfect, worry free, trouble free days. We strive for nothing less than perfection because Jesus deserves nothing less. Really? Dwayne’s mother, when she was alive, loved Christmas. Christmas at her house was in many ways, picture perfect. She had a beautiful tree with many gifts wrapped and pouring out from under the tree, traditional hung Christmas stockings, favorite Christmas foods, family and friends. It was a great time. However, I remember one year it was all different. Everything was in place; beautiful tree, gifts, food, friends and family, even grandchildren. However, there was something missing. Her son. Dwayne’s brother was working in New York and wasn’t going to be able to come home for Christmas. She went through all the motions and tried hard not to show that her heart wasn’t totally in it. This was the first year that one of her children was not going to be present in her home for Christmas Eve. Dwayne and I knew how she was struggling, so we purchased a plane ticket for him to come home as the Christmas gift for his parents. Everyone showed up at the perfect Christmas celebration and we told his parents that we had a special guest, Santa Claus (AKA Dwayne’s brother) coming by for the kids. Soon Santa came in with his HO,HO,HO! At first his parents didn’t know who Santa really was, but soon the realization hit and the floodgates of tears began pouring. Not the quiet kind of crying but the waling kind that all women do and then stress over because of the embarrassment of the horrible sounds and faces that we make. Now, I will tell you that the perfect Christmas celebration didn’t matter one bit at this moment. She could not have cared less that she didn’t have a present to open, or that the tree was up and there was great food on the table. All she cared about was that her child was in her presence and they were going to spend some special time together. She was pleased beyond words.
We do the same thing with God. We strive for perfection in our service and our worship. Once, I served in a choir where excellence was the theme. We strived to produce excellence in everything! Every musical number and every drama presentation had to be performed perfectly. Excellence in every way because Jesus deserves nothing less. However, this limited many people who want to praise God through singing but can not because someone does not think they are talented enough to participate in the music ministry.
     I do not see anywhere in Scripture that God has to have excellence to be pleased. If he did, He wouldn't want me because I am not perfect or excellent in every way. Thankfully, it is the heart that He cares about. It is the heart that He judges. It is our hearts that He wants. Whatever we do, we need to make sure we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring honor to Jesus through a humble and responsive heart. I have seen this difference in many ways but the one which spoke the loudest to me was with worship ministers. I have seen some great leaders with amazing voices. They can put a 'perfect' worship service together with an excellent performance from a choir or worship team. However, the most amazing worship minister I have ever sat under was a man that led you right to the feet of Jesus. As you worshiped you knew you were in the presence of Jesus and that is all that mattered. He was musically skilled, but it was his amazing spirit of worship that moved you. It flowed out of him straight to your heart. Every song, every word, every performance was to praise God, love Jesus, and let the Holy Spirit minister. He was humble and never exalted himself. I actually have never heard him sing. The spot light never came off of God!
     Don’t get caught up with having to be perfect to please the Lord. A humbled and surrendered heart is what He wants. Serve Him with your heart. The Apostle Paul tells us to do everything as to the Lord and not for the pleasure and approval of man. Do you put yourself down, not thinking you are perfect enough for God? Do you not sing because you don't think you are 'talented' enough? Do you not talk to people about God because you don't think you are eloquent in speech? Do you truly love God? Have you surrendered your heart to Jesus? Have you let the Spirit humble you? That is what it takes to please God and that is true excellence!

But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are not as they pretend to be.
Jeremiah 17:10

Is It About Jesus?

     Sunday we sang one of my favorite songs, 'Heart of Worship'.  In case you don't know the words; here is the chorus:

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

     I think God spoke to me as we sang those words and I am passing the hit on to you! We often say we want to keep the right spirit in our Christmas but about this time in the season, things start getting crazy.  Then we start getting crazy!  Let's think of this song in regards to Christmas.  Here is the complete song with my thoughts included:

When the music fades
And all is stripped away
(When all the Christmas songs are sung and all the gifts are opened)
And I simply come
(And I simply sit remembering it is your birthday)
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart
(What am I giving to you who I am suppose to be celebrating?)
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
(It is more than all the words in the Christmas songs)
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
(Do I mean the words to the songs? What I have to give you is the adoration of my heart . . .but it has to be real because you know my heart and I can't hide anything)
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
(Jesus, my Christmas needs to be all about you!)
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
(I am sorry for all the other things I make Christmas)
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus
(You truly are the reason for the season)
King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
(You are everything, you deserve everything)
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath
(Anything I could give you is not worthy, but I can give you me!)
I'll bring You more than just a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus
Its all about you
Jesus

 Is it all about Jesus?

Everything comes from him; everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes. Place Your Life Before God.

Romans 11:36

Obedience Comes With Sacrifice

     Yesterday we talked about Mary's obedience. That obedience came with a sacrifice. Our obedience comes with a sacrifice. I remember a statement that stuck with me from a study called 'Experiencing God'. "Following God is costly to you and to others." I confess that many times I have had a skewed viewpoint of obedience. I have really believed that if you are obedient, God will make your path easy! I know, it doesn't say that anywhere in scripture, but sometimes we maneuver scripture to say what we want it to say. When it took a year to sell our house so we could leave for seminary, I was really frustrated with God. I didn't want to go to seminary when Dwayne first brought it up to me. Then we visited the seminary and God showed me through many signs that Dwayne was suppose to attend seminary and so Dwayne and I knelt in a hotel room and surrendered to the ministry. I was sure He was going to reward us by selling our house the next week. I found myself excited to go to seminary and to start our new life. Well, God didn't sell our house that quickly and we missed the Fall AND Spring Enrollment. My frustration increased. I remember telling God that I thought He was being cruel, and He was playing me. First, I didn't want to go to seminary, then He changed my mind, then He wouldn't let us go. I just didn't get why obedience had to be so hard. (Now remember, I shared with you yesterday about why we had the delay; it was all God's timing. I hadn't learned that lesson yet!)
I don't know what Mary thought, but time would show she had some difficult times as well. After Mary returned from being with Elizabeth, it was time to face the people. Scripture doesn't say anything about her telling her parents, however, I do not think it is a stretch to assume she had to share the news with them. After all, she had no idea what would happen with Joseph. I know there is nothing more difficult than for a young girl to look into the eyes of her father and explain how she ended up pregnant. In this case, how could she convince him that she was still a virgin. I can't imagine what I would do if Brittne tried to use that excuse! Next in line was Joseph. There were many choices Joseph had. He could disgrace her publicly because stoning her to death was an option. Having her family and friends disown her was another. No man would ever have her after what she had done if Joseph disgraced her. Scripture tells us that he was a righteous man and he did not want to make this a public disgrace for her, so he was going to quietly divorce her and send her away. However, as Joseph slept, God spoke to him. An angel told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife and that the baby she was carrying was conceived from the Holy Spirit. The angel reminded him of prophesy about a virgin birth and that the prophesy was being fulfilled. When Joseph woke, he married Mary and he was not intimate with her until after Jesus was born. Okay, that was hard but God was faithful to turn it around. But before she could get too comfortable, it turned hard again. She had to ride a donkey to Bethlehem. I know I would have said, "Are you kidding me, I have to ride a donkey. Does anyone remember that I am pregnant and getting close to delivery?" Hopefully, she would get there in time. When they did arrive, she was in labor and she couldn't even find a warm room with a bed to deliver God's Son. How could God expect her to deliver in a cave for animals? Wasn't she better than the animals? But again, she didn't have a choice. Where was her mother, her family and friends? Why did she have to be alone? No midwife either, only Joseph to deliver the baby? I would have been a little scared if Dwayne had to deliver one of our children! If anybody had a reason to complain, it would be Mary. Yet, we do not hear anything from her. She stays in the spirit of obedience. She continues to trust God and He was faithful to provide for every need. It just wasn't in the way she wished or expected.
     Has obedience brought you hard times? Do you think things should be easy if you obey? How do you react when it isn't? Do you complain and feel abandoned and misled? Or do you trust God no matter what path He chooses for you to walk? Maybe your obedience is healing your marriage? Maybe it is ending a relationship that has gone too far? Maybe it is giving up an addiction? Maybe it is leaving a place or thing you love? Whatever it is, it will take sacrifice. You can trust God to always provide for you, maybe not in the way you want or expect, but He will always work it out according to His plan. Can you trust Him? The blessing of obedience is greater than the cost of the sacrifice! Don't rob yourself of the blessing!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:1-7

Mary Did You Know?

     Motherhood is a huge blessing but sometimes it can be so confusing. As my children entered the teenage years, I started having an internal conflict. It is a conflict that I have never conquered. There is a part of me that wants to know the problems and the situations my children get into. However, there is another part of me that loves not knowing and not having to deal or face those situations. In that fantasy land, where I love to live, my children are happy, not doing anything they shouldn't, all is great! However, as a mother I felt I needed to know what they were doing, so I could keep them away from harm. Many mothers face this same conflict. That is what drives us to read their letters from school, or spy on them, or check their phone bills. With Bryce, he would just come and confess to me about every six months. With Brittne, I had informers and then I would pretend that I got a message from God. I hated finding out things. They are both adults now and I still hate finding out things. They will tell me things they did or things they lied to me about and it still frustrates me. This is my personal love-hate relationship with facts. I want to know: I don't want to know.
    I am sure Mary had the same conflict. She had given birth to a beautiful baby boy, not only God's Son, but hers. Yet, Gabriel had told her and Joseph that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah. We all wonder how much did she know. One of our favorite current Christmas songs, written by Mark Lowry, asks the question, "Mary did you know?" I am sure there was a part of her that wanted to enjoy her sweet little boy and pretend he would grow up and be a normal man, living around the corner, married, happy, and with her grandchildren. But what Gabriel had told them was part of the prophesy. As much as she wanted her son to live a life around the corner like all mothers do, it didn't seem like that was going to happen. Being a "want to know" mother, she probably at least talked to somebody who would tell her about the prophesy (a Jewish woman didn't have access to the Tora, what we call the old testament, only men did). I don't believe she knew anything other than what Gabriel told them and what was prophesied. However, that was enough to break a mother's heart. The prophesy said, the Savior, her son, would be betrayed, hung on a cross between two thieves, speared in the side, beard would be plucked out, lots cast for his clothes, despised, etc. How did she live with this? Each time she saw her perfect child filling her with joy, maybe she would have flashes of the future. I will never forget the look on my mother's face when I laid in a hospital bed at age 6. She would stare at me with a look I have never seen since. The doctors had told her I was going to die. I even asked her why she was looking at me that way and crying. She made up some excuse. The difference is, as Jesus grew older, He knew what those looks were all about. He would be able to go over and hug her, probably without a word. I think they had this unspoken understanding between them, that they both knew He was the Son of God. At age 10, when he stayed at the temple, when asked why He would put His parents through such heartache, He said, "did you not know I would be about my Father's business?" It was like He was saying, "Mom, you know who I am. Why would you worry about me being in trouble of some kind? Why didn't you know I would be here?" Then when He was older at the wedding, when asked to help with the wine, He says, "my time has not yet come." or "Mom, there is a timing. We both know who I am but I have to wait for my ordained time."
     Mary though blessed to have been chosen as the mother of Jesus, paid the price of obedience every day. If you saw what your future held, how would it effect you? Would you get mad at God for the hard times you see coming? Would you say "why should I serve Him if I am going to end up having to endure trials and suffering"? Or would you serve Him more because you know you will need Him desperately? I don't believe I would want to know. I have a hard enough time keeping myself where I need to be today. I couldn't add tomorrow on top of that. Mary's obedience was amazing not just for the things she endured bringing our Savior into this world but for the faithful way she carried out her calling of the mother of God's son. From the manger to the cross, she observed the miracles, the blessings, and the abuse. I can not imagine her feelings at Calvary, seeing her child beaten to hamburger meat, spit upon, and nailed to a cross. It was the end. The end of her child's life, the end of her calling, the end of years of penned up emotions. Yet, looking at Him as her Savior, she knew it was the beginning of redemption. I am sure that when it came her turn to stand before her Son in Heaven, He said to her, "well done, my good and faithful servant, and mother." May we serve Him with the same obedience as Mary.

Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oHJR2g7Tw

How's Your Obedience?

      When I say the word ‘obedience’ what comes to mind? In the world we live in today, obedience isn’t considered as noble as it once was. Many couples take the word ‘obey’ out of their vows. Women are taught to think for themselves and to never obey a husband. Our children are not forced to obey their parents, or their teachers, or actually any person of authority. I think that is because we have lost respect for people in positions of authority. Every day, our children see people we once respected fall into all kinds of scandals. We have seen pastors, policemen, judges, teachers, coaches, bosses, parents, spouses, athletes, politicians, celebrities, and even the president fall big and in a very public manner. Each time we see the public display of the wrongs done by those we admired and respected, obedience becomes more and more diminished in our hearts and our actions. Without respect, obedience is difficult. This is a bad road to go down because the next step is to not respect God and thus not be obedient to Him. We already see this happening.
I must admit, obedience is hard for me. Many people see me as someone who has been obedient to God. I usually end up in the place of obedience but my journey to that spot isn’t what it should be. It seems like I have to stress over it, try every way possible to maneuver another way, argue over it, and be worn down to the point of giving up my desires and listen. At that point, peace enters my heart and soul and I know that if I do not be obedient to God’s direction, I will never experience true happiness and peace. Sometimes obedience means listening to my husband, sometimes it is fixing a relationship that I have damaged, sometimes it is ministering in a new way, sometimes it is moving to a new place, sometimes it is letting go, and sometimes it is doing new things. The bottom line is the fact that if I say that I love and respect God, then I must show it in obedience.
      Mary is a woman of obedience. She amazes me. I so admire her! I do not worship her but I believe she is one of the great examples of what it means to be a follower of God. Mary was approximately 15 years old and was engaged to a man named Joseph. It was what we call an arranged marriage. In those days, being engaged was as binding as being married. You could not just call off an engagement and one was expected to be as devoted and faithful in an engagement as they were in a marriage. I believe Mary was a woman of strong faith. She was a Jewish woman in heart and deed. I believe this for two reasons. God found favor in her and she immediately stood on her faith when she was faced with the impossible. One day, Mary got the surprise of her life. Out of the clear blue, Gabriel, the same angel who spoke to Zachariah and Elizabeth, appeared to Mary. Gabriel greeted Mary and told her that she was highly favored by God and that the Lord was with her. Mary was a little shocked with this greeting and was confused and bewildered. I don’t believe we ever see our self as wonderfully as God does! Gabriel told her she was going to have a son and she was to name Him Jesus. He then proceeded to tell her how great He would be. Mary was even more confused at this information because she was a virgin. Gabriel then said the child would be the Holy One and He would be the Son of God. He told her about Elizabeth so she could see that God does the impossible. Her next response shows how amazing her faith and obedience was to God. She said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as You have said.” The angel left and immediately Mary hurried to see Elizabeth. Her first words to Elizabeth was what she probably had been pondering the whole time, “Why me? Why am I so favored? How am I good enough for the Lord to come to me? “ At that moment, John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb for joy. This confirms Mary was with child at this time. It happened at some time between the Gabriel’s visit and John leaping. Elizabeth told her that she was blessed because she believed that what the Lord said would be accomplished!
      Mary wasn’t like me! She didn’t waste time working through the acceptance of God’s will. She accepted before her conversation with Gabriel was over and she immediately went to Elizabeth. How is your obedience? How long does it take you to be obedient? Do you respect God and His authority in your life? Respect and obedience go together!

Luke 1: 26-45

God Hears; God Cares

     My favorite Christmas story characters are very unusual but it is how Luke began his story. It is Zachariah and Elizabeth. I know some of you are asking who they are or how do they have anything to do with the story. They actually are a part of the preparation of the birth of Jesus and I am going to spend the next three days talking about them. Today lets start at the beginning like Luke did.
Zachariah and Elizabeth were honored people due to their family lineage. Zachariah was a priest. They loved and served God and they were what we would call ‘really good Christians’. They had a life struggle though. They did not have children. Elizabeth wasn’t able to get pregnant. In those days, that was a disgrace. The culture taught that if a couple didn’t have children they were cursed by God and God must have issues with them as He was withholding his blessing from them. Can you imagine being Elizabeth? She loved and served God but yet all she got in return was disgrace. They had lost all hope of having a child because they were old in age and Elizabeth was way beyond child bearing years. More than likely, all of her friends had children. She must have always felt out of place as they all had children. She lived with humiliation every day but never took her eyes off God. How many times do you think she poured her heart out to God asking Him for a child and questioning why He didn’t hear her? She probably wondered why He didn’t care, why she had to endure this shame. Many would become angry with God and turn away from serving Him. However, they stayed faithful. All priest took their turns going into the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifices for the people. This extreme honor only happened once or twice in their lifetime. Zachariah went into the Holy of Holies and when He did God spoke to him. God told him that he and Elizabeth were going to have a child. They did have a son and named him John. After years of wondering if God heard their prayers and if He cared, they got what they prayed for. However, the answer was far more amazing than what they could have possibly imagined. Not only did they get a child, they got a son. Not only did they get a son, but they got a son that was going to prepare the way for the coming Messiah! The final blessing was that Jesus, the Messiah, said their son was the greatest born among men. What an answer to prayer!
      Have you ever felt like God ignored your prayers? Does it seem that He will never answer you? Have you experienced disgrace and wondered why God didn’t deliver you? Have you gotten mad at God and walked away from him? Take heart in the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. God does care. God does hear you. He might not answer the way He did with Zechariah and Elizabeth, but He will do something amazing in His timing. Something you can’t imagine! Do not turn away from Him. There is nothing or no one else worthy to turn to. Keep your eyes on God and stay faithful in your walk. God has not and will not abandon you! In His perfect timing, in His perfect plan He will answer, and the answer will be far more perfect than you asked for or hoped for.

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
Luke 1: 5 - 11

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.
Matthew 11:11

Is There A Difference In The Way You Celebrate Christmas?

     Since I was a new Christian, I have been challenged with one question. "Am I different than a non-Christian?" That question as been presented many different ways, according to my age and life situation. "Could someone at school tell I am a Christian, or do I act the same as those that do not know Jesus?" "If someone came into my home would they know it was a home of Christians?' "Could someone look at the books on my shelf and know that I am a follower of Jesus?" "Do people I work with know that I a Christian?" "Can my children's teachers and coaches tell that their parents are Christians?" "What if someone's only picture of Jesus was me?"
     Dwayne and I set a goal early in our marriage to strive to represent Jesus in all areas of our life. We have not always succeeded but it is what we strive to do. Many Christmas's ago, we realized that our home's Christmas decorations were not much different than those who do not know personally the One we celebrate Christmas for. Now don't get me wrong, I love lights, trees, ornaments, snowmen, snowflakes, Santas, greenery and bows. The problem was not what I had but what I didn't have. To me, it is like having a sweet sixteen birthday party for a young lady and decorating for a 6 year old boy with Spiderman. You could tell it was a party, and even a birthday party but it really wouldn't represent the person who was having the birthday. We asked our self the same question we had always be challenged by, "If someone walked into our home during the Christmas season could they tell that we were Christians?" We wanted the answer to this question to be 'YES'! We began to make some changes.

• We put a nativity scene in every room we decorated.
• We hung stockings with our names on them and we added a stocking with Jesus' name on it. Then each of us would write on a piece of paper the gift we were giving Jesus for His birthday and the next year we would read them.
• We had a family Bible on the coffee table and opened it to the Christmas story . Before we opened our gifts on Christmas morning we would then read that amazing story.
• We would prepare a birthday cake for Jesus. (I was sure his favorite cake was the same as mine, so that is what I would make!) We would then sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
• We would read the Christmas story bfoe we open presents.
• We would pray after we opened our presents and thank the Lord for all He gives us.
• Some years I wrote on the gift tags. 'this gift is being given in honor of Jesus and the gift of eternal life that He gives us'.

     We still look for new ways to keep Jesus in a place of honor at His birthday celebration. We do not want Him to disappear in the background. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season!
Let me ask you the same question we asked ourselves, "If someone walked into your home during the Christmas season could they tell it was the home of followers of Jesus Christ? Or does it look the same as those that do not follow Jesus Christ?" To go one step further, "If someone showed up at your house on Christmas day, would they see the guest of honor? What can you add to your birthday party to bring more focus to the One you are celebrating?

Live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ.

Philippians 1:27

What Do I Leave Behind?

     Between writing on Psalms 23 and Christmas, I haven’t written about me in weeks. I have been to Ft. Worth twice to see my granddaughter (Oh, and of course to see my son and daughter in-law too)! As much as I hate to admit it, each day (if not every hour) is full of ‘Tonya blunders’. One of the things that fall into this category is that I have a tendency to leave things behind. Yesterday, Brittne left for a work trip and she stood at the door and verbally ran through what she needed to take to make sure she had everything. I usually do not have time for that. I might pack a week early but when it is time to leave, I look around and grab everything I see I need to take with me, and out the door I go. That is why, on both of my last two trips to Ft Worth, I left a single shoe and they weren’t even to the same pair. When they brought my shoes to me from Texas (along with a few other things), I heard the same old saying I have heard my entire life, “Only you would or could do this!”
     Another event happened in the last few weeks . . . I turned 50! I am still in shock. However, turning 50 and becoming a grandmother has made me do a lot of pondering about life. The average lifespan is 75 years of age. If that average is true for me, I have only a third of my life left to live. As my mind was juggling my new age, my new role, and my lack of ability to keep up with my stuff, it produced a whopper of a question for me. What do I want to leave behind? I am afraid that what I unintentionally leave behind me is not what I want to be remembered for. How I wish I could turn back time and do it all over again! However, I bet my flesh would mess it all up no matter how many times I took a retake.
      So, my only choice is to start becoming more conscious of what I am leaving behind. Every day matters! Every moment matters! Every encounter matters!
Do I leave behind turmoil – or peace?
Do I leave behind bitterness – or forgiveness?
Do I leave behind conflict – or contentment?
Do I leave behind frustration – or joy?
Do I leave behind judgment – or grace?
Do I leave behind foolishness – or wisdom?
Do I leave behind hate – or love?
Do I leave behind me – or Jesus?
     Our choices determine our legacy. What imprint are you going to make on the hearts you leave behind?

You are the light of the world.  . . . let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14, 16

A Baby Changes Everything!

     Before Dwayne and I had children life was carefree. We had to manage jobs, finances and each other but for the most part all went fairly smooth. We could be hanging out at home and say, let’s go to the movies and we could be up and out the door in two minutes. We could stay out late at a friend’s house or go on a weekend trip on the spur of the moment. Then we got what we wanted and prayed for, a baby. I am here to tell you that a baby changes everything: our schedule, our sleep, our eating, our budget, and our friendships. Spur of the moment events quickly become an event of the past. It takes at least an hour to pack the diaper bag, the stroller, the high chair, the car seat, the carrier, and clothes for everyone because you never know when you are going to be vomited on. Most importantly, a baby changed our definition of love and family. We never knew the real meaning of love until we were responsible for a precious, helpless, life. In a totally new way, we truly realized God's awesomeness and what a blessing it is to be entrusted with a life that He created. Both of my babies changed everything about me. Their impact on my life is indescribable. (Dwayne:  Children help you become who God has planned.)
     There is another Baby that changed everything about my life. He was royalty in a Heavenly Kingdom. He walked away from all of His splendor and was born in a manger. He walked this earth, teaching and healing. He lived a perfect life and died for me to redeem me from my sins and to give me the gift of eternal life with Him in His Heavenly kingdom. Without Him, I would live in a dark world, void of peace, true love, and hope. I would be a slave to sin and would serve a deceptive, lying, evil ruler of darkness. I would spend eternity separated from God and in the domain of Satan in a fiery place of torment.

    Praise God, because of this amazing baby, everything changed. I accepted His gift of eternal life with Him and I have peace, love, and hope. He empowers me to endure the trials of this life and He gives me joy in all circumstances. I am who I am because of Who He is!
    Has this baby changed you? Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to remember how different our world and our lives would be without this amazing baby! Watch this video,( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMj084Ggwww ), listen to the words and remember the impact this baby, this Savior, has had on you. Remember the impact He has had on EVERYTHING!!

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11

Mary Christmas!

     One thing we tend to talk about a lot during the Christmas season is how 'busy' we are. We can get so busy shopping, cooking, wrapping, attending parties, decorating, and cleaning, that the month just flies by. It can get even worse when we add church programs, rehearsals, and parties! We end up asking, "What happened to all the things that I wanted to do?" Dwayne and I have asked that question more times than we like. This year we have committed again not to let the holidays get away from us. Each year, my goal for Christmas is to spend some intimate time with God, worshipping Him for the gift of His Son and to remember the sacrifice Jesus paid for me by being willing to come to the earth as a helpless baby. However, year after year, the busyness sabotages my goal.
     In the Bible, there are two women who demonstrate this conflict in a story that plays out like a perfectly written drama. It is the story of sisters named Mary and Martha. They each loved Jesus. They were both great women. They each had the same goal; to show Jesus how much they loved him. However, they went about it in two completely different ways. Martha wanted to show her love by serving. She wanted everything to be perfect for Jesus. No sandwiches were good enough for this amazing man. He deserved a culinary spread fit for the honored guest He was. However, that takes effort and work. I can see her running around the kitchen trying to pull off this amazing dinner and all she needed was for someone to care like she did and to come help her. Why would her sister be so inconsiderate? Why is she in the other room instead of helping her? I can see it so clearly because I have had those fits before myself. My family can vouch for it. Mary was being so inconsiderate because she had another way of showing her love to Jesus. She wanted to spend time with him. She wanted to learn what He was teaching. She realized what a special blessing it was to be able to sit at His feet and soak Him in. When she focused on Him all the pulls of life just faded away. I have experienced this as well, but not nearly as many times as I wish I had because I am too busy being Martha. Martha tried to get Jesus on her side. She asked Him to tell Mary to stop being so lazy and to get up and help. Mary knew how much work it took and Martha wanted Jesus to scold her and tell her to get into the kitchen and help her. He must have heard that prayer millions of times since He created the first woman. However, Jesus didn't answer the way Martha had hoped. He basically told Martha that she is stressed out way too much. She is the one that is creating all the work. He told her that when it comes down to it, Mary is making the better choice. He would rather us spend time at His feet than running around trying to serve Him. Have you ever thought of it that way? Have you ever prayed like Martha? It would sound something like this, "Jesus, I am just trying to help You. I am serving You and want it to be the best it can be because You deserve nothing less. Can't You tell the others to volunteer and come help me. Do they think that this just happens by itself? They know it takes work. Why can't they see I need help? Convict them please and tell them to help me!" God's answer to this prayer hasn't changed since He answered Martha. He still says to stop stressing out about serving Him and to make the better choice, which is to spend time at His feet.  There are times to serve and there are times to listen quietly.  In this case, listening was more important.
     Who do you want to be like this Christmas season? Martha or Mary? Let me share with you a way to remember to make the better choice. Every time you hear 'Merry Christmas' translate that as 'Mary Christmas' and remember to get out of the kitchen this Christmas and sit at the feet of Jesus who was born in a manger to be our Lord and Savior.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

Luke 10:38-42

Whose Pasture Are You Eating Out Of?

     Today we are going to look at the last part of Psalm 23. I hope you see this passage in a new way and that you will depend on its truths. The last words of this passage are, “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!” I always thought this meant that I would live in heaven forever, which is true. However, it has additional meaning. The passage began with a bold, declarative statement, “The Lord is my shepherd” and now we end with a bold, declarative statement, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” All the other statements in between is based on the actions of the shepherd. These two statements are statements of choice by the sheep. We have a Good Shepherd who will take care of everything we need but He gives us our choice whether we are going to be under his care.
     Phillip Keller gives an illustration in his book where he tells a story of his neighbor who was a terrible shepherd. His creatures under the ownership of this heartless rancher were poor, abused, and neglected. They were sickly with disease, scabs, and parasites. They were so weak and thin they could barely stand. They would stay at the fence with their gnawing hunger and long to be on the other side. They wanted to be where there were green pastures, where the sheep were healthy, content, and productive. They would roam the fence for an opening and when they would occasionally find a way to get to the greener side, they would enter and feast on the luxurious foliage. However, since they are not use to this rich indulgence they would often become severely sick. One day, Phillip found three sick, helpless, cast down sheep that had wondered over from the other side. Since these sheep did not belong to him, he put them in a wheelbarrow and took them to his neighbor. The heartless neighbor didn’t want to be bothered with caring for the sheep he could care less about, so he took out a killing knife and slit their throats.
     This is a sad story but what I find even sadder is that the sheep on the side of the Good Shepherd would also stand on the fence line wanting to find a way to the barren, disease ridden side ran by a heartless shepherd. Too many Christians want to go back and forth between the pastures of sin and Godliness. They would love to live with a revolving door.
     When we as Christians hold on to things of our old self, wanting the passing pleasures of sin, we are making a statement that our Good Shepherd does not provide the best of everything for us. We are declaring that there are some greater things on the side of sin. They are willing to take the risk of what the heartless, evil, owner of the land of sin will do to them.
     David is declaring that this is not the case with him. He has no desire to be in any other pasture than that of the Good Shepherd. He is not going to look for a way to visit any other pastures. He doesn’t want to be out of the control or out of the presence of his Good Shepherd.
    What about you? What is on the other side of the fence that draws you? What sin pasture do you want to feed in? When you have the best that can be offered, why do you want anything else?
     It all comes down to this; live ever aware of God’s presence and let His presence direct you, care for you, and comfort you! Whose pasture are you going to live in? Who are you going to let shepherd you?

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters for His namesake. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

Psalm 23:1-6

Information taken from the book “A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller

How Does the Future Make You Feel?

     I want you to search your heart and honestly answer the following question: “If I look into my future, I fear that …” How will you answer? I won’t have money to pay my bills; I will have health problems; I will get hurt again; I will lose my spouse; my children won’t be walking with the Lord; I won’t achieve my goals; or I won’t be happy are many of the fears that many people live with.
     When David declares that ‘surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life’, he was not only boasting in his shepherd but he was declaring a bold statement that he is confident in the sound, sympathetic, intelligent shepherding of his Master! If his Master takes care of all of his needs by providing fresh, still water and luxurious green pastures; if his Master will search endlessly to restore him when he is cast down; if his Master walks through the dangers of the valleys with him; if his Master walks before him and leads him to the mountain tops; if his Master disciplines and protects him with his rod and guides him with his staff, and if his Master protects him from the craziness of flies in the head; then how could he see anything in his life but his shepherd’s endless goodness, love and mercy.
     From a spiritual view, how could you see anything in your life but your Good Shepherd’s endless goodness, love and mercy! Jesus declares that as the Good Shepherd, He gives His life for His sheep. He gave everything for you and me to give us all we need.
     Can you boast in His care or are you going to keep fearing the future?

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters for his namesake. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life . . .

Psalm 23:1-6a

Information taken from the book “A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller

Need An Oil Bath?

      I finally get to share the story that lead me to go through Psalm 23 with you. I was once again watching the show ‘Emergency’. A lady came into the ER and she was literally going crazy. She didn’t make sense, wouldn’t hold still, and continued to scream that she had bugs in her head. Several doctor’s had chalked her behavior up to a mental situation. They were contemplating admitting her to the psyche unit. Then as the doctor was examining her, he noticed a worm coming out of her head and then it went back in to the scalp. The doctor was able to remove several long worms that had embedded, hatched, and grown in the woman’s scalp! Immediately, when the worms were removed, her sanity returned.
   That episode reminded me about what happens to sheep when they get nose flies. These flies fly into the sheep’s nose, maneuvers itself into the head and literally drives them crazy. The sheep will beat its head on trees or rocks trying to relieve the torture and when all else fails, they run off the cliff for permanent relief. The shepherd prevents nose flies by rubbing oil on the sheep’s head. It works like a repellent and keeps the flies away from the sheep’s nose.
      “I am going crazy!”, “I feel like I am beating my head on a rock!”, “I feel like jumping off a cliff!” are all comments we make when our thoughts are tormenting us! Our thoughts are like nose flies and Satan is the one that shoots them our way. However, Jesus, our Good Shepherd, tells us to take every thought captive and measure it up by obedience of Christ. The Holy Spirit is our oil and He helps us evaluate our thoughts, dismiss the ones that are not of God, and develop discipline in our thinking.
     Do you have some out of control nose flies that are driving you crazy? Is it time to let Jesus oil you down with the Holy Spirit. Give up your mind torturing thinking for the peace of mind that comes from staying under the control of your Good Shepherd!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. He prepares a table before my enemies. He anoints my head with oil.

Psalm 23:1-5

Information taken from the book “A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller

He Goes Before Us

     Before a shepherd took his sheep to the mountain top for the summer and before he led them through the valley, he would prepare the way. He would make several scouting trips. He would chart out the best path, look out for any prey, search for the best streams and pastures, and clear the ground of poisonous weeds and plants. The shepherd was totally trustworthy because he had cleared the way and knew the chosen path. He wasn’t surprised by the dangers and the enemies that surrounded them. He knew what was present and he knew how to defend his sheep. He knew how to walk the sheep through the valley and how to feed them on the mountain top. He was just as much in control and watching over his sheep from the mountain top as he was in the valley.
     It reminds me of being a parent. Am I more of a parent when my child is walking through a valley or when they are happy on the mountain top? Do I care and protect them more when they are walking through the valley? Absolutely not! My role and my responsibilities do not change with the circumstances and neither does our Good Shepherd's. He takes care of us as much on the mountain top as He does in the valley. He provides everything we need and does so right in front of our enemy, Satan. Jesus is well aware that the devil is roaming around trying to find a way to devour us. However, our Great Shepherd has gone before us and planned out our journey. He has determined the path, removed the poisonous foliage in our lives, and has laid out for us blessings; all right in front of our enemy that He alone has conquered.
     Can you trust your Shepherd no matter where He leads: whether you are going through the valley or hanging out on the mountain top? Always remember that it is our circumstances that change and it is never the character of our Shepherd!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

Psalm 23:1-4

Information taken from the book “A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller

Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

     Today is my Thanksgiving dinner for my family so I am in the kitchen cooking.  Here is one of my favorite lessons from last Thanksgiving.
     As I was reading over the scriptures of thanksgiving, I noticed there was a phrase that appeared repeatedly. It was the phrase, 'sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise'. I have pondered the relationship between sacrifice and thanksgiving. What does that really mean? Doesn't the word sacrifice mean to give up something you want or need? Again, how does this fit together? When things do not make sense, you have to go back to the original meaning of the word. The Greek word for sacrifice is 'the act of offering' and the Hebrew word can mean 'gift', a gift of tribute. Now it is starting to make sense. We are to give praise and thanksgiving to God as an act of offering a gift of tribute
     I will make a confession to you. At times, I have wrapped a gift by sticking it in a WalMart sack. If I needed to step it up a bit, I have even put the present in a used gift bag. However, I still put it in the WalMart sack first because I didn't have any tissue paper. I know some of you are shaking your head in agreement because you have received one of those gifts from me! Now, let me also say, there have been times when I have given a very special gift and I put the effort into making the presentation of it as special as the gift. I placed the gift in a perfectly sized box, with nicely folded tissue paper, wrapped in beautiful paper, with crisp folds around the corners and folded edges instead of cut edges, all with double sided tape, beautiful ribbons, and a fluffy bow. You could just look at the gift and know that I took time, effort, and love to demonstrate honor to the recipient.
     When you give your praise and thanksgiving to God, how are you offering it? Do you just throw a few "thank you's" at the end of your prayer? Or do you take time to ponder Who God is and the mighty things God does for you? Do you offer your thanksgiving in a humble, purposeful, honoring way? In other words, do you take you gift of thanksgiving and stick it in a WalMart sack, or do you give it in a beautifully wrapped box that sparkles with love?

Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.

Psalm 50:14

Tools of the Trade

     As parents, we had several main responsibilities: to protect, to discipline, and to guide. At times these responsibilities were not easy to do. Our Heavenly Father does the same for us. He protects and disciplines us with His Word and He guides us with His Holy Spirit. Have you ever experienced following a scriptural principle and having it keep you out of a mess? Or maybe you are like me and you learn it from another approach; have you NOT followed scripture and ended up in a real mess? Have you then heard or read scripture that convicted you because you weren’t being obedient? The guiding of the Holy Spirit in my life is one thing I cannot imagine not having as I try and grow spiritually. Though at times they bring out many feelings in me, I find great comfort in God’s protection, His discipline, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
     A shepherd had two necessary pieces of equipment. He had a rod and a staff. A rod was carved out of wood. It was like a stick with a ball on the end. Young shepherd boys would practice for years to be efficient at throwing their rod; they even had competitions on rod throwing. The rod is the tool that was used to keep predators from the sheep when the shepherd couldn’t move fast enough. He would see a predator approaching his flock and throw the rod at him and hit him with this ball of wood and the predator was either dead or it would scurry away. At times, the shepherd would use the rod to discipline his own sheep when they would fight. In my lingo, it is the shepherd’s belt that he uses to spank his sheep! Spiritually the rod is a symbol of God’s Word. It is the Word of God that protects me and disciplines me.
     We all know what the staff looks like. A staff is used only by a shepherd. You do not see any other profession using a staff. It is simply a long hook. The shepherd uses it to guide his sheep along the chosen path. He uses it to bring lambs back to their mothers. He even uses it to sweep up lambs out of the water, or to keep a sheep from going over a cliff or off in their own direction. It is what keeps his flock together. Spiritually the staff is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, guiding us as we live the Christian life.
     I have seen the Great Shepherd use the rod and staff in my life more times than He probably wishes. His rod has protected me from harm and it has hit me upside the head a few times. He has used his staff to guide me and pull me back in. I love the care He gives me with His rod and His staff. I trust them totally and it comforts me to know that He is looking out for my best. I would not want to go a day without them.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:1-4

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Got to Go Through the Valley

     We are finally to the part in Psalm 23 that makes it very popular for funerals. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will not fear.” Though death could be a part of our valley experience, it includes so much more.
     A shepherd moves their sheep to different fields by seasons of the year. In winter, they are home with the shepherd. In the spring they work their way through the valleys to get to the high ground. Summer is spent feasting on the mountain tops, and as the snow begins to fall, with autumn comes the journey home.
    The spring journey, through the valley can be a long trip. The sheep move along slowly, feeding as they go, gradually working their way up the mountains behind the receding snow. Though the valley provides lush foliage and great springs and rivers, it presents many dangers as well. Rampaging rivers in the spring thaw, avalanches, rock slides, poisonous plants, predators that raid the flock are many of the dangers. Since the valley is between highlands, they are often dark or dim by the cliffs and the predators stock the sheep from these cliffs. Another danger is spring snow storms. And yet, though these valleys are filled with dangers, the sheep are calm. Their needs are being met abundantly and they are with their shepherd day and night. What do they have to fear?
     In the Christian walk, we tend to want to live on the mountain top. We want to get beyond the shallow relationship with the Lord and move into a more intimate walk with God. Every mountain has its valleys and we must walk through them to get to the mountain top. Sooner or later we discover that it is in the valleys of our lives that we find refreshment from God Himself. It is not until we have walked with Him through some very deep troubles that we discover He can lead us to find refreshment in Him right there in the midst of our difficulty. Let us not fear dark and distressing (valley of the shadow of death) days of our life because we are close to the shepherd during those days.
     The basic question is not whether we have many or few valleys. It is not whether those valleys are dark or merely dim with shadows. The question is how do I react to them? How do I go through them? How do I cope with the trials that come my way?
     With Christ I can face them calmly. With my Shepherd leading me, I can face them fearlessly!

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures,
      he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness
      for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
      for you are with me;

Proverbs 23:1-3

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Where Are You Walking?

     Have you ever found yourself in a rut? Just doing the same thing over and over, no matter how destructive it is to you or your circumstances!
     Sheep are notorious creatures of habit. Sheep will walk the same path over and over until they create huge ruts and they will continue walking in their own manure and urine. Soon, it becomes detrimental to their health as they deal with the bacteria and disease that grows in the ruts. Sheep will graze in the same hills until they graze it to the bare ground and turn it into a desert waste.
     Sheep will pollute their own drinking water until it becomes corrupt with disease and parasites. This is why a shepherd cannot leave his flock to lead themselves. They will lead themselves to destruction. One of the greatest responsibilities of a shepherd is to keep their flock moving. He plans out a grazing pattern for the year to assure that his sheep get the greatest fields but do not destroy them. Then he constantly watches his flock and the land to make sure his plan is working. A good shepherd is going to lead his sheep on paths that are green, water that is pure, and provides for their needs. Sheep may not move to new ground themselves, but when their shepherd leads them to new pastures they are delighted with their fresh feeding ground.
     Scripture points out that most of us are stiff-necked and stubborn. We prefer to follow our own fancies and turn to our own ways. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own ways” (Isaiah 53:6). Just as sheep will blindly, habitually, stupidly follow another along the same trails until they become ruts that erode into gigantic gullies, so we humans cling to the same habits that we have seen in other lives. Turning to ‘my own way’ simply means doing what I want. It implies that I feel free to assert my own wishes and carry out my own disease. And this I do in spite of every warning. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seems right to a man but the end thereof are the ways of death.
     Jesus told us that following Him means denying ourselves daily. Now most Christians would say that they follow Christ. However, not so many follow Christ to new grounds by denying what they want. Look at the following attitude check list to see if your attitude and actions allow you to be led to the path of righteousness.

1> Instead of loving myself most I am willing to love Christ most and others more than myself.
2> Instead of being one of the crowd I am willing to be singled out, set apart from the gang.
3> Instead of insisting on my rights I am willing to forego them in favor of others.
4> Instead of being “boss” I am willing to be at the bottom of the heap.
5> Instead of finding fault with life and always asking “why?” I am willing to accept every circumstance of life in an attitude of gratitude.
6> Instead of exercising and asserting my will, I learn to cooperate with His wishes and comply with His will.
7> Instead of choosing my own way I am willing to choose Christ’s way: simply to do what He asks me to do.

     When your Good Shepherd leads you, you have two choices. You ‘can go on’ with Him or you ‘can go back’ from Him. What is your choice!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still water. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Proverbs 23:1-3

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

What Do You Do When You Fall?

    One of the most untrue beliefs that many Christians cling too is that bad things should not happen to good, faithful Christians. Nothing is further from the truth. We will experience the consequences and results of a sinful world. We still experience the death of loved ones. We still experience struggles in relationships. We still experience the hurt from other’s choices. We still experience the failures of our flesh. We still experience disease and sickness from a destructive world. We are never promised we will not endure trials, but we are promised peace, strength, and comfort through Jesus. There are times we will be like David and cry out to the Lord with a hurting heart. We will have times when we will fall and need to be restored by our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
     When David proclaims in Psalm 23 that “He restores my soul”, he is referring to how a shepherd restores a sheep after they have been cast down. A ‘cast down’ sheep is one that has ended up on its back with their feet in the air, frantically trying to get up on its feet. This is a very frightening situation for the sheep. Not only are they in danger from predators who know they are easy prey, but its body is in danger of dying because as it lies there struggling, gases begin to build up in the rum en to the extremities of the body, especially the legs. A sheep cannot stay on its back for long. If it is hot, they can survive for only three hours; if it is cooler or rainy they may survive three days; but the clock is ticking. This is why a shepherd has to stay alert to his flock. They must continue to count them to make sure they are all accounted for. This is why we are told about the shepherd that leaves the 99 to go look for the one; he knows he has a cast down sheep somewhere. As the shepherd searches for their sheep, his anxiety increases because he hears the ticking in his mind. When he finds his sheep, relief flushes over his body. Now at this point, if he acted like I did when I found one of my missing children, he would turn that relief into rage as he would discipline them for their actions and for scaring their shepherd. Honorably, a good shepherd is more caring and compassionate. He understands that his sheep is scared.  He understands that the restoration process takes time. He cannot just pick up the sheep and put them on their feet. He has to rub their feet and legs to help restart their circulation. He has to hold them when they stand because they tend to be wobbly and have unsure footing. The shepherd uses encouraging words to provide comfort and discipline. He might say things such as, “When are you going to learn to stand on your own feet?”, “I’m glad I found you in time, you scared me, please don’t do this again!”
     After he restores the sheep, he then analyzes why his sheep was cast down. For some sheep, it is not a common problem. They were just resting on their side in a soft spot; they stretched or shifted their weight and accidentally rolled over on their back. However, many times it is due to one of three problems. One problem that causes a sheep to be cast down is that they tend to always look for the most soft spots. The spots that have a hollow, rounded indention in the ground.  A soft spot makes it easy for the sheep to roll over on its back. To correct this problem, the shepherd will move these sheep to another pasture where there aren’t so many ‘soft’ spots. Another problem that can cause a sheep to be cast down is that it has too much wool. Often when the fleece becomes too long, it becomes heavy with mud, manure, burs, and debris. It can become very heavy and cause the sheep to lie down and then pull them over on their backs. This solution is simple; the shepherd will sheer his sheep. The last reason why a sheep can be cast down is because they are simply fat. Their weight simply keeps them from being nimble and agile on their feet and before they know it, they are on their backs. When this happens, the shepherd will put his sheep on a diet and watch over them closely.
     When you are cast down, know that your Good Shepherd seeks you with the desire to restore your soul.  Don’t be afraid of his reprimand! He will lovingly and compassionately nurture you back onto your feet; holding you up until your footing is sure. Life in this sinful world will cause you to be cast down at times. However, it is important that you understand that if you continue to be cast down, your Good Shepherd is going to help elevate the problem. Some Christians strive for the easy, comfortable, cozy life; a life of no hardship, no need for endurance, no demand upon self-discipline. Sometimes the shepherd will move you to a different pasture where things aren’t quite so comfortable. Some Christians refuse to let go of their desires, their hopes, and their aspirations. In scripture, wool depicts the old self-life. No priest was ever allowed to wear wool when he entered the Holy of Holies.
     No matter what your reason; when you find yourself flat on your back in a fallen position, know that your Good Shepherd is there to restore you! He will not leave you helpless! He will not forsake you!

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me besides still water. He restores my soul.

Psalm 23:1-3

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller