A Heart Where It Should Be

Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” John 2:16 (NLT)

Jesus was angry. As he walked into the temple he heard the sound of animals, bargaining, bantering, and money exchanging hands. Where was he?  He was in the outer courts of the temple. This was the place that was supposed to attract folks to God who were not Jewish. It was the place that was intended to help them. Instead, it was being used to make a profit.

Jesus was offended that God's house, this place where God was to reside, was turned into a place where the only focus was financial gain. He said "Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!"

Makes you wonder.....these days we don't so much have temples with outer courts The house where God resides is supposed to be our hearts. If Jesus were looking into our hearts, would he see a place that had been turned into a marketplace or would he see a place that invited in those who needed him? Which priority would he find?

Well Worth The Pain

Please, God, I have two requests;
    grant them so I’ll know I count with you:
First, lay off the afflictions;
    the terror is too much for me.
Second, address me directly so I can answer you,
    or let me speak and then you answer me. Job 13:20-22 (NLT)

Doesn't this sound like us sometimes? Something goes wrong and our response is to say to God "STOP!" And our second response is to ask him "What are you doing?" and "Why won't you answer me?"

When we are faced with trials and tests and life's yucky stuff, we want to know what God is doing and we want him to stop. But you see, it's in this place, in our place of helplessness that we grow closer to God. We've lost our self-sufficiency and we have nowhere else to go. We move closer to him and he draws near to us.

And that is what God wants. He wants our hearts. He wants us to be in a relationship with him so he allows the challenges to come. Then, at the end we can say like Job did "Before I only heard of who you were through others, now I know for myself." And just like with Job, knowing him yourself is well worth the pain.

Friendships God's Way

As soon as he [David] had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 1 Samuel 18:1 (ESV)

David and Jonathan had a friendship that defies normal. Jonathan was Saul's son and was in line to inherit the crown and rule Israel. There was just one problem. God had chosen David to be the next King.

Unlike his father, Saul, Jonathan was not jealous of David. He loved him so much that he was willing to risk his life for him. But, I think more then he loved David, he loved God. When I read the story of Jonathan and David, especially when Jonathan dies, I marvel at the love between them and I marvel at Jonathan's willingness to do anything for David.

I ask myself "Why?" What would make Jonathan so willing to sacrifice everything for his friend? I believe it was his love for his God that allowed him to behave in this way. Human beings, no matter how much we want to be noble and good, we struggle. We struggle with thoughts of ourselves and what we want to see happen. It's only when God is the center of our lives, only when God is leading our thoughts that we can rise above our selfish natures and live a magnanimous life.

Jonathan did that. He gave everything to bring about God's plan even if he wasn't in the center of it. I want to be like Jonathan. Wouldn't it be amazing to look at someone's blessings and be truly happy for them? Wouldn't it be freeing to step in and help someone even if it will benefit them way more than it will benefit me?  Wouldn't my heart be in the perfect place if I was able to honor God's plans for someone's life before I even thought of my own?  Yes, I would like to be like Jonathan.

One God For All People

Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
    as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
    but rescue us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13 (NLT)

I heard a sermon recently....well, actually I heard a couple of lines in the sermon where the speaker pointed out in that in The Lord's prayer, it starts out with "Our Father." (That's where I stopped listening and started pondering.) Ours. Not yours. Not mine. Not a certain denomination, religion, race, gender or behavior but all of ours.

He doesn't belong to any one person. We are all in this together. The prayer goes on to say

Give us
Forgive us
Keep us
Rescue us

For those of us that somehow turn those into me statements, well, that's not what it says. How did our faith get so messed up that we began thinking it was about 'me'? How did we make it exclusive instead of inclusive?

God is so much bigger than that. I wish we were too.

Sure, I'll Pray For You But......

Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don’t see him; quietly but surely he’s active, and I miss it. Job 9:11 (MSG)

Isn't that the truth? God is moving all around us and we miss it! We miss his Spirit touching others' lives. We miss his kindness in our own. We overlook mercy and forgiveness and because we can't see them in our own lives, we fail to offer them to others.

She was confiding in me, telling me her fears and asking for prayer. I was listening and praying at the same time. The story was difficult. Then, she said she was praying about moving to a different area. I asked her if she would be able to have Christian support there and if she'd have support for her kids. She didn't really answer the question but said she was praying for God's leading.

I prayed with her and told her i would continue but I am sad to say I started inserting my thoughts into the prayers. I started talking to God about how this didn't seem like a good move and how it would hurt her and her family.

One day, she announced she was moving and she told her God-story. She had a story packed full of God's movement in her life and how he opened this door and that door and closed others. As I sat there and listened, I cried.

I cried because God was tapping me on the shoulder and saying - "Your thoughts are not my thoughts. You shouldn't assume you know where I am at work." I cried because I sat there face to face with a God who was bigger than I was and bigger than this woman and her problems. I sat there and cried because He had a plan and he was working it out in her life.

Father God, open my eyes so I always see you moving. Open my eyes to see your children the way you do and change my plans so I move with you. Amen.

A Minute In It - Comforted in God's Word

Some days, we need to read God's Word to feel comforted. Praying for the families and people in Las Vegas and in our country.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (KJV)

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your 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 your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever. (NIV)

Pick Me!

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”  Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)

Recently, I got a call from a friend asking if I wanted to help with something. The something was rather large and will take a lot of commitment for a long period of time. I told him I'd pray about it.

As I was praying, I was giving God my 'what ifs." What if my time is too pressed? What if with this on my plate there is too much work to do? What if you don't want me to do this and I'm walking down the wrong path?

As I went over this in my prayers, I started hearing different questions.  What if I am sending you? What if this is exactly where I want you to be? What if I am going to do something great in this? And then, do you trust that I am in control? That was followed by two Bible texts.

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 and
The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Psalm 138:8

Over the next few days I wondered how many time God asks "Who will go for us?" and we ask the wrong what if questions (out of fear) and don't budge. Instead, shouldn't we be saying, like Isaiah, "Pick me! Pick me!" (This is accompanied by excitedly jumping up and down.)

I decided to say yes and leave it in God's hands. If he wants me there, he will work it out. And if he doesn't, it won't work out. I am definitely learning a new level of trust and I am super excited to see where he leads.

A Minute In It - God's Got This

A minute in God's word will change your life. Today, I woke up feeling that even my lists had lists. I was overwhelmed with too much to do and not enough hours in my days. As I turned to my Bible and some of the blogs I read, the texts below were in every single one. I think God was trying to tell me to let go and trust him. 

Read God's promises below. Claim one. Write it down and carry it with you today. When you start to feel overwhelmed and out of control, read it and remember who really is in control.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
    for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.  Psalm 138:8

Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.  2 Corinthians 4:1

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  Jeremiah 17:7