Category: Bible

Honestly, I cannot remember my first job.

For many of you, that’s no surprise because you know that I have a terrible memory for all things past, but for others of you, you cannot imagine someone having such a poor memory.

But, anyway, I did have many jobs as a young person. First off, I was raised with a variety of simple chores and I received an allowance.

I was a saver. (In fact, I still am a saver.) It brought me great joy to accumulate money in my savings account. When I finished high school, I had built up quite a pot from my many jobs, working as a secretary at my dad’s law office, working summers as a camp counselor, working my way up to a manager at Arby’s. Any and every which way, I loved to earn money.

Maybe you have never really thought about this as it relates to salvation, but when I read Romans 4:4 last week, the words literally jumped off the page and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.

Read Romans 4:4 with me:
“Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.”

Isn’t this how many of us are living?

We are working, doing our good works, expecting to be rewarded with salvation because, well, we’ve earned it. We think we deserve salvation because we have done so many good things. Just as I was working hard to save up money, expecting that future reward, we are doing good deeds, expecting God to let us into His presence because of them.

Now read with me the verses on either side:
Romans 4:3-5
3 “For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.
5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,”

How do we earn righteousness? How do we earn the righteousness that God requires?

By faith.

How about you?
How do you struggle with living by faith?
Have you had some recent victories in your faith walk?

Stay tuned for Wages Due, part two. God willing, tomorrow.

TWIG

Today as I sit in the shade watching Noelle and Daniel build sand castles with plastic cups, my ears are filled with the sounds of a language foreign to my ears. I pick out certain words I recognize – ‘nina,’ ‘y,’ ‘si’ – and my heart turns to ponder Emily and Nick heading to Mexico tomorrow to serve at Rio Bravo, a children’s home in Reynosa. There they will be the outsiders, the ones who don’t speak the language, but here these young ones struggle to communicate with ours. So, ours build their own structures of sand while they construct an elaborate reservoir of water.
It makes me think of the unity God desires in His body, the church. He desires for us to be ONE, to be co-laborers with Him, building up His body here on earth.
I pray for our team from Collierville Bible Church to be an encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ in Mexico, whether they speak English or Spanish, whether they are from intact families or not. I pray that the God of endurance and encouragement grant them to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together they may with ONE voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)

Hi!  Yes, after two months, I am finally posting a link to the audio for two of the talks from the March retreat.

I pray they would be a great blessing.

Talk #2 – More Than My Current Circumstances.  Click here. (Are you being ruled by your feelings?  By human wisdom?  I share on the importance to walk by faith in our everyday lives, especially in making tough decisions and enduring trials.)

Talk # 3 – More Than a Hearer.  Click here.  (Truly, the Lord wants us to know the Bible, yet we must be MORE than mere hearers of the Word, and even MORE than mere “doers” of the Word.  God’s best for us is to to live & move & have our being in Him.)

 

 
Please join us March 8-9 for a special time of spiritual renewal.  You can register by clicking on the “Retreat Registration” link at the top of the page or click here.

 Retreat Schedule
March 8-9, 2013

FRIDAY

5:30pm
Optional Dinner Fellowship – bring your own dinner

6:30-8:30pm
MORE THAN my Past
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

8:30-9:30pm Connection time!

 

SATURDAY

8:30am
Optional Breakfast Fellowship – continental breakfast provided on site

9:30-11:30am
MORE THAN my Current Circumstances
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

11:30am-12:30pm
Catered Lunch – provided on site

12:30-2:30pm
MORE THAN a Hearer of the Word
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

2:30-4:30pm
MORE THAN a Servant
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.”          1 John 3:1

4:30-5:00pm
Private Time of Reflection and Prayer

Each two-hour block will include a time of singing, prayer, teaching, personal reflection and group fellowship.

 Additional Information

Retreat Location

Collierville Bible Church
806 Wolf River Blvd.
Collierville, TN 38017

Registration fee:

$15 (early bird until February 28)

$20 (March 1 – March 5)

Registration includes lunch and continental breakfast

Hotel Information for Friday, March 8
(for those coming from out of town or for moms who want to enjoy a night out!)

Courtyard by Marriott: Memphis Collierville (at the Avenue Carriage Crossing)
4640 Merchants Park Circle
Collierville, TN 38017
901-850-9390

A block of rooms is being held as “Homeschool Mom Retreat” for attendees at the discounted rate of $99. Rate includes room with two queen beds and a hot breakfast buffet.
Reservations must be made by February 22, 2013.

 

 Frequently Asked Questions

 Q. I am a homeschool mom seeking renewal and encouragement. Is this the retreat for me?

A. Absolutely!

Q. Can I tell others homeschool moms about this retreat?

A. Please do. We are in prayer for this retreat to be a great outreach ministry to many moms.

Q. Is there anything I should bring with me?

A. It would be great to bring a Bible along with you.

Q. Do I have to currently homeschool to attend?

A. No!  The spiritual truths that will be shared will be applicable for moms who are not homeschooling as well.

Q. Will childcare be provided at the retreat? What about nursing babies?

A. There is no childcare provided at the retreat so alternate childcare arrangements will need to be made; however, nursing babies are always welcome!

Q. I see that the dinner and breakfast are listed as optional. Can you please explain that further?

A. Certainly! Some moms will prefer to bring their “brown bag” dinner and have some fellowship on Friday night while others may need to arrive in time for the evening session; likewise, on Saturday morning, some moms will prefer to attend the continental breakfast while other moms will prefer to get a bit more sleep before arriving for the first session.

Q. What should I expect from this retreat?

A. Expect to hear uplifting messages from God’s Word, engage in dialogue with other homeschool moms, and ponder ways to live out the “More Than” message!

Q. I want to come. What should I do next?

A. Register and spread the word about the retreat to your friends!  If you need hotel arrangements, please make them early as well.  Finally, and most importantly, please pray for God’s blessings on this retreat.

This week I’ve been reading in Exodus. It drove home to me how easy it is to get caught up in a poor-me mentality.

The Hebrew people had just watched God perform incredible, mind-blowing miracles before their very eyes — from horrific plagues, to parting the Red Sea — yet as soon as they’re thirsty they fall into grumbling.

God impressed on me how often people grumble just because we can’t see that “blessing around the bend” like I’ve written about before. God knows His people need water and He knows how long they can go without. He also knows they need food and He knows how long they can go without.

In Exodus 15, just after the people of God have grumbled about the bitter water and He turns it sweet, God leads them to Elim with its twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees. It made me wonder, “God KNEW that they were going to get to Elim, yet they didn’t wait on Him … they wanted water NOW.”

Then, in Exodus 16, the people are grumbling about their hunger and wishing they were back in Egypt. God says, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you.” (Exodus 16:4) Is he ABOUT to because they have grumbled, or because He was already about to do it and once again they refused to WAIT on Him? Doesn’t God know that the humans that He created have to eat? Yes, He does. He knows us. He remembers that we are dust. He knows our every need.

I am absolutely not saying that we should not cry out to God and lay our hearts bare before Him. We should. God is such a good Father and He loves it when we humble ourselves before Him. But, grumbling is not humbling ourselves. Grumbling is being selfish, demanding our way. Crying out to Him that you need a drink or need a morsel of bread, is not the same as complaining that He has brought you out into this stinking desert and left you here to die!

One other thought I had in reading these passages about the grumbling Hebrews was about who they were grumbling against. Each time they grumbled to Moses, saying that HE had led them out to die in the wilderness. Yet, truly they are grumbling against God. Moses tells the people, “Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.” (Exodus 16:8)

Am I really trusting in God who has brought me to this very place and time, or am I just trusting in myself or in my circumstances? When I find myself grumbling, as I often do, what does that say about my faith in God?

As 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” May we not grumble or grow discouraged, but may we TRUST God, believing that He knows our needs, that He knows the future and that He cares for us.

 

I’d posted this years ago on a blog I no longer use. In honor of my upcoming 18th wedding anniversary, I thought I’d post it here.

A One-man, One-God, Woman

Written June 11, 2007

Last night, after some sweet time with my husband, God opened my eyes to a piece of His heart on a topic that has plagued me for many years. Over the past 10 years, God has freed me from the chains that had tied me to the pain and grief over my own sin as a multiple-man woman. But last night, I received a fuller understanding of why it is that God wants His children to only love one person “’til death do they part.”

My marriage is to be a picture of my relationship with God. Just as God will not share His glory with another; just as I am to worship one God alone; just as God is jealous for the hearts of His people. I have been created to give my love to only one man. God created me for intimate fellowship with only one man, and only one God.

Unfortunately, I did not understand this truth growing up. I gave pieces of my heart away to any boy sweet enough to look my way and as a tender teenage girl, I fell not once, but twice, for men I was sure were my “Prince Charming.” After marrying Bill, this was a regular source of grief, for both me and him, because my heart was adulterous. My heart still held a place for these other men whom God had never intended for me. Thankfully, God freed me from these chains that bound my heart to them. He granted me the freedom that true forgiveness gives, but I still never understood this piece of the puzzle.

God’s word tells us in Matthew 19:5-6, “…and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Imagine this with me, you have become a follower of Christ, you have been filled with the Holy Spirit and bear the name Christian, until one day when you decide that really Buddha meets your needs better and “Hey, what has Christ done for you lately?” We would all see the sin in turning our backs on Christ, because there is only one true God. Here’s the point: God intends for us to be joined together with one man, to become one flesh with another human being, in that very same way. ‘Til death do we part.

Look with me at 1 Corinthians 16:12-20. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

We have been called to be a “one-man,” “one-God,” people. We have been bought with a price. Christ paid the penalty for our sin, and now our bodies belong to Him. We are no longer our own. The reason we cannot share our body with whatever man we “love” on any given day, is because God miraculously unites the two into one. He intends for us to become one with Him, and also to become one with our forever mate.

There is only one God and no other. Take a few minutes to study Deuteronomy 4:15-39. A key verse from this section is verse 24, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” The Lord had brought the Israelites out of Egypt by many signs and wonders and miracles and He refused to share His glory with any created thing. Notice how passionate Moses is in explaining that the Lord is a jealous God, who will not play second fiddle to anyone or anything. If God feels this strongly about His people sharing their worship with other created beings, think yourself about why God is so determined for His people to not share their hearts with every nice guy who takes a liking to them.

Lest you are left feeling hopeless and downcast over your sins, as I was, return to the passage in Deuteronomy 4. The Lord knew that the Israelites would forget Him. He knew they would turn to idols. He knew. But, He also knew they would return to Him. Look now at verse 31 “For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.”

Return to your one God. Return to your one man. They’re waiting for you.

Deuteronomy 4:15-39 “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day. Furthermore, the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. For I must die in this land; I must not go over the Jordan. But you shall go over and take possession of that good land. Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
“When you father children and children’s children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed. And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of human hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.
“For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire. And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power, driving out before you nations greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day, know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

I am overwhelmed by the goodness and power of our Almighty God.

This morning during our ladies Bible study at church we were discussing the sovereignty of God.

One interesting illustration given was about a stoplight which controls traffic in a construction zone. This light is provided to stop people from a head-on collision with oncoming traffic hidden by the bend in the road. Sometimes a person is tempted to ignore this light, assuming that no one is coming and becoming impatient waiting for the light to turn. As a sovereign God who knows the future, He asks us to wait on Him rather than barreling forward because of His great love for us.

The point was then made that God is good to not reveal the future to us for if we knew about the tragedy that lies just around the bend we would spend our lives fretting rather than living each day in itself.

While I do wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, I can’t help but think once again about our human propensity to dwell on the negative, on the coming trial, rather than the coming joy. Several years ago, God revealed to me that when I spend my time fretting about today and about what the future might hold, that I’m missing out on the HOPE that comes from looking forward to the joy that might lie hidden just around the bend. I don’t want to know the future because I wouldn’t want to know that my son was going to die tomorrow, but also I would miss out on the HOPE that comes from waiting expectantly for the JOY that God might have waiting for me tomorrow.

Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:24-25) Remember, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) If we could see what was just around the bend, whether tomorrow or a hundred years from now, then we would have no need for HOPE, no need for FAITH. God grows our faith, our trust in Him, by having us wait upon Him.

This makes me think about Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Over the years I’ve heard all kinds of people quote this to mean that God is going to give us lives filled with chocolate and roses! This always upsets me because this passage was written to a people who are living in exile in Babylon. In the verses that follow, God proceeds to warn the Israelites of the many trials they will go through! And yet He promises to RESTORE them. He promises that when they return to Him, when they seek Him, that He will be found by them and return them to their promised land. This is like the “blessings around the bend.” Joy was indeed going to come in the morning, even though they were in the midst of years of trials. God KNEW the plans that He had for them. His plans indeed were for their good. His plans indeed were to give them a future and a HOPE!

So, the next time when you and I are in the midst of despair, when things look bleak and hopeless, remember that God holds the future and that He is worthy of our trust. May we be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.” Psalm 130:5-7