Choosing Abundance

"...I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. " John 10:10

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." Lamentations 3:24

Be anxious for nothing, but in all things through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to the Lord. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - Phil 4:6-7

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? - Matthew 6: 26

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.- 1 John 5:14-15
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Every morning I wake to one of my favorite sounds, the loud purr of my cat Sampson. I hardly have to set an alarm our morning ritual is so, well, very ritualistic. Start with a purr, then a nuzzle, louder purr, throw in a meow or two, tap Mom's cheek, meow some more...if at that point he's been unsuccessful at rousing me from my slumber, Sam will resort to pulling my hair. No kidding. My cat climbs on top of my pillow, gets a good chunk o' hair in his mouth and pulls! Now, it would be sweet to think that my Sammy Cat just wants to spend a little time with his mamma before he gets on with his day and I with mine, but alas, that is not the case...this whole ritual takes place so that he can get me up, out of bed & downstairs to his food bowl.

The entire trip down the two flights of stairs I am assaulted by a cacophony of sounds emitted from this creature. Sam runs ahead and looks back at me all the while talking. "Mom, are you coming? Hurry! Hurry! I must have it now! Surely, I will die if you delay one more moment!" (Yes, somewhere along the way, my cat learned English. What's your point?)

When we reach his breakfast area, he is ready...anxiously awaiting his portion. If I try to pour the food directly into his bowl when it is still at his level he will push my hand aside and begin chowing down on just the few morsels that have managed to fall into his bowl. So earnest is he in his quest for food that he will not even wait for me to pour out all that is intended for him. It is as if he has forgotten that I will provide. It is as if he does not know that I want for him to enjoy it to the fullest.

Sound familiar at all? Don't we often do this same thing to God, push Him aside for the partial instead of waiting for His full portion? We choose the temporal when His plans are for the eternal. We say, "But I want a relationship now! I know he's not a Christian, but he's very spiritual." God says, "Be equally yoked." (2 Corinthians 6:14). We say, "I want to have fun, let loose. What's wrong with getting a little tipsy?" God says, "Choose, rather, to be drunk on My Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18). We chase after wealth, beauty, sex, power, fame. God says, "Chase after Me. Everything else is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25, Philippians 3:7-9). “It is for freedom that I have set you free! Do not let yourself be still enslaved!” (Galatians 5:1)

We fail to trust in the Almighty. We do not believe that He wants good for us, yet He declares, "I know the plans I have for you! Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11). He reminds us, "I made you! I knit you together in your mother's womb." (Psalm 139:13). "I care for the birds. Do you not know that you are more valuable to Me than they?" (Matthew 6:26). Abba Father tells us, "I have redeemed you! I have called you by name; you are Mine! ...You are precious and honored in my sight. I love you!" (Isaiah 43)

Maybe today is the day that we trust, believing that the God who has redeemed us and called us by name, actually wants the best for us. Maybe today we should ask of Him what the Psalmist did, "Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may honor You." - Psalm 86:11

Slideshow

One of my favorite stories involving my niece happened fairly recently. It was four in the morning and she woke up. Then that precious little two year old did what most two year olds would do, she cried out for her Mommy.

What makes this story funny is what Shepherd said when she decided what she wanted should be done. Standing in her crib, that darling girl called out, "Mummy. Mummy. Sheppy's awake! Sheppy's awake now! Mummy! Sheppy play! Mum-Mee. I awake!" Save the hour, my brother & sister-in-law were rolling on their sides trying to keep from laughing out loud.

So sure was my niece that it was time for someone to pay attention to her, so determined was she to get herself out of bed that she continued to holler for her Mom. Now you don't even have to have kids to know that 4 AM is not the time for a two year old to be getting out of bed. No matter what she insists or how sure she is that she should be awake, we know better. In fact, we would be crying out to her parents - "WAIT! Do not let her out of bed yet!" We know that she needs to stay in bed; we know that she needs to get a few more hours of sleep so that she is properly prepared for the day.

As I was giggling to myself over that story this morning, God gently prodded at me, "Do you think you are so different? Are you not often so sure that you know what is best for yourself, so impatient to have what you want that you stand where I have put you & holler at me?" Ouch! That bit of truth stung a little!

God led me to a conversation He had with Job. The Lord asked him a series of questions beginning with, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7) So humbled by the end of God’s questioning was Job that he replied, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:3)

God, who made heaven and earth, is sovereign. He has the right to rule His creatures as He sees fit. And He is gracious to plan good things for us! He declares, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future!” (Jer. 29:11) Who am I, then, to question what He does and the pace at which He works out His plans?

I am a child who wants to get out of bed too soon, but my sweet Father knows that it’s not time. He knows that I need to stay where He has me, because He alone knows what lies ahead for me. He alone has the authority to name it and call it good. My Father knows the at this moment, I need to stay where He's put me so that I can grow and rest and be prepared for what is next.

Oh Lord, give me the wisdom to be here, in this moment, where You have put me and the faith to trust that Your plans for me are good.

My Unbelief

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24

"Help me overcome my unbelief." What a simple, humble prayer, and to me, one of the most comforting verses in Scripture. I'm so thankful God allowed it in! How often do I feel that way, and then Satan slithers in with his bag of tricks and speaks to me. "Even now with all that God has done for you, you do not believe? Ha! You don't even have the faith of a mustard seed! How worthless you must be to the Almighty! Why would He possibly choose to love someone who forgets that she serves a God who promises she can do all things through Him?" (Phil 4:13) So, I think God sweetly inspired the writer of Mark to include this conversation with Christ.

Here was a man who was there - who'd seen the Lord, heard of the miracles, maybe even met someone who'd been healed. He knew Jesus could do the same for his child. He knew it, or else he wouldn't have sought out Jesus and the Disciples. But even in knowing it, even in having been witness to the many wonders and having heard the very words of Christ, even then, when push came to shove, that sweet, humble man, pleading for his son's healing looks Jesus right in the eyes and begs, "Help me overcome my unbelief!"

How often do I live as a practical atheist, knowing the truth of God, yet doubting it simultaneously? Why do I so stubbornly hold to the notion of the finite when God is infinite? How difficult it is for me to wrap my mind around an Almighty, not a Kindamighty, God!

Yet, He beckons to me, "Seek Me and live." (Amos 5:4). He promises over and over again, “Do not be afraid. I am with you.” (Gen. 26:24, Josh. 3:7, Is. 41:10, 43:5, Jer. 1:8, 1:19, 15:20, 30:11, 42:11, 46:28, Hag. 1:13, 2:24, Matt. 28:20…side note – I loved Jon’s insight into God repeating Himself, The Battle of I) He offers me rest, counsel, wisdom, peace, hope and a future (Matt 11:29, Ps. 32:8, James 1:5, Phil. 4:6-7, Jer. 29:11) The Lord of all declares, “Call to me and I will answer and show you great and mighty things!” (Jer.33:3)

WOW! What would happen if, like Abraham, we were people who did not waiver through unbelief, but were “fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised”? (Rmns 4:20-21) Can you imagine? What if we started to live daily as if we were convinced that we are precious and honored in His sight? (Is. 43:4) Truly, can you imagine? To be precious and honored in the sight of I AM! What if we understood that God is for us? And "If God is for us, who can be against us?"(Rmns.8:31)

Perhaps we need to pray the humble prayer of the man asking Christ to heal his child, "Help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) Lord, may we be fully persuaded that You have the power to do what You have promised.

A Refiner and Purifier

“I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'" Zechariah 13:9

I had to do it. I wasn’t looking forward to it. In fact, if it hadn’t been absolutely necessary, I would never have put him through it, but it was. His very health was at stake, and because of that, even knowing that he’d hate it, I had to dump my cat into a tub of water and give him a real bath, complete with flea and tick shampoo.

You see, Sampson has taken to, well, catting around with a bunch of raccoons. It’s not my plan and certainly not my preference. I’ve told him, time and time again, that it’s a bad idea. I’ve put up barriers, tried to entice him to stay where he belongs, given him everything he needs; and yet, several nights a week, Sam chooses to pop through that pet door, hop the fence, and hang with his masked friends next door. I’ve seen them, three raccoons and Sampson crossing the street together like it’s totally normal. Never mind the fact that Sam is not a raccoon. Never mind the fact that Sam was never intended to run around with wild animals. Out the door he heads and when he comes home…well, even a cat can not avoid the consequences of his choices. So into the bath he went, screaming and struggling, not understanding that he had to be washed for his own sake.

Tonight, as I marveled at his stubborn insistence and shook my head, I got a little nudge from God. “Do you think you do not do the same?” My Father prodded. “I’ve told you time and time again, you were not made to live as the world lives. Have I not made it clear, you will die from lack of discipline, led astray by your own great folly?” (Proverbs 5:23) Yet, like Israel, I am “stiff necked and do not listen.” (Jeremiah 17:23)

Like Sampson, I am full of parasites and try as I may there’s nothing I can do to rid myself of them. Like the fleas that afflict Sampson’s body, my parasites: idolatry, worry, hate, impatience, selfishness, unbelief, pride and a host of other ones, seek to take my life. They will suck the very marrow from my bones until all that is within me is corrupt and dead. Ah, but thankfully, my God is a Refiner. Patiently, He works with me, holding me in the fire, so that I may be purified, tested and found as pure gold. (2 Peter 3:9)

In the midst of the fire, it is tempting to believe the lie that God does not care, or that He is not aware of my pain. It is oh so tempting to cry out to Him and claim that He does not know what it is like...to what? To suffer? This is the Christ who was betrayed by a friend, brutally beaten, then nailed to a cross and took my place, suffering the righteous rage the Father has for my inequities. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:6) I suspect He's acquainted with suffering. It is tempting to believe that He does not see my pain, but He has revealed that there is nowhere I can go where He is not. (Psalm 139:8) What then? Is He a mean God? Does He intend me harm? Of course not, He declares His plans for me are good (Jeremiah 29:11), but I must be refined. It is, as I told Sam, for my own good.

The process of refining gold is not a hands-off task. The process requires the refiner to be ever present, ever watchful, and it requires perfect timing – leave the metal in the fire too long, it will be ruined. The task is complete when the refiner can see his reflection in the gold. Christ, our Refiner, has promised, "I am with you always." (Matthew 28:20) His timing is perfect. (Romans 5:6) Through this process we are being transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18) so that He may present us to Himself radiant, without blemish, holy and blameless.(Ephesians 5:27)

I pray that we remember that our God is with us always (Isaiah 41:10), and that He is patient with us, not wanting any of us to perish. (2 Peter 3:9) Be of good courage, know that God is with us and at some point, we will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)
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When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. Job 23:9-10

Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says: "See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people?” Jeremiah 9:7

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver... Malachi 3:3

These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:7

God loves You

Serious case of writer's block these past couple of weeks. I've started several different posts, but am struggling with where God wants to take me through them. So for now, here are some of my favorite verses to encourage you:

Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 85:10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Isaiah 43:1 – 2 But now this is what the Lord says – He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Phil 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you.

Psalm 94:19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.

Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.”

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Deuteronomy 31:8 And the Lord, He that goes before you; He will be with you! He will not fail you, nor will He forsake you. Fear not, do not be dismayed!

Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things.

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who trust in Him.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Romans 8:37 In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 33:20-22 We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Philippians 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in all things by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to the Lord. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatsoever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think on these things.

Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

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

Jeremiah 17: 7-8 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Matthew 6:26-27 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single cubit to his height?

Love One Another

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”- Romans 15:5-6

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Philippians 2:13

I have a confession to make. There are some folks out there of whom I'm not all that fond: that guy that cut me off on my drive to work this morning, the surly waitress I dealt with yesterday, the well meaning, but really odd girl I grew up with, the guy who put at least a dozen completely offensive bumper stickers on the back of his car…I don't exactly have warm and fuzzy feelings for them. Some people, even Christians, dare I say, just annoy me! It's not that there is anything wrong with them necessarily, but there are some folks for whom I just do not have an affinity. Conundrum - As a follower of Christ I am supposed to love others as myself.

“But, how?” I ask, “How can I love people who just aren’t all that loveable?” And God sweetly answers me, “Because you are? Do you not know that I loved you while you were yet a sinner?” (Romans 5:8) His love is not dependent on what I do. In fact, I can do nothing to earn His love; conversely, and thankfully, I can do nothing to lose His love. Let me point out, we are not talking about a sentimental love, or even an affinity for others, rather “an exercise in Divine will, in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself.” (W.E. Vine, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.)

Years ago in a Bible study my teacher said something totally shocking to me – God does not add qualifiers to His commands. Let me say that another way, God’s commands are not an “If, then” proposition. He does not tell us, “If your parents are honorable, honor them.” He tells us, simply, to honor them (Exodus 20:12). In this same way, Christ did not tell us to love one another, as long as the other behaves loveably.

On this point, I find myself horribly lacking. I just can not, in and of myself, muster up the ability to love sacrificially as Christ has loved us. Praise Jesus, I am not asked to! In fact, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing!” our Lord declares. (John 15:5) “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” – Philippians 2:13. We who are being transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18) have been given His Spirit (John 14:26), which when drawn upon it, enables us to do all things (Philippians 4:13), including love as Christ loved.

God graciously spells out His corporate will for all of us in Scripture. He desires for us to know and love Him, and to love others. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” – 1 John 5:14-15.

Lord, I am lacking. Give me more of Your Spirit that I may better serve You and love others.