Rejoice

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Php. 4 NIV)

There are times in life when we need to stop what we are doing and celebrate! We must recognize the small and the large accomplishments, gifts, or other circumstances and thank God for them.

⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Php. 4 NIV)

Yes, there will still be problems, concerns, worries; yes the current thing that we celebrate may unravel or even blow up in our faces. But, most likely, when God gives us a gift we should take it at face value, appreciate it, and rejoice in the Lord!

¹⁷Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (James 1:17 NASB)

So, tonight I rejoice that our church is preparing to call a new pastor. We recently interviewed two candidates and, after LOTS of prayer and conversation, the Call Team (which I am a part of) unanimously agreed to recommend one of these pastors to the congregation.

Thank you, God, for giving us unity, clarity, and your Spirit's guidance. We pray that this pastor will also feel God's call to come to our church. We pray that the transition from there to here would be smooth for him and his family. And we pray for a smooth transition for our church as we will (hopefully) have a lead pastor again.

²⁰To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Php. 4 NIV)

Set for Life

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 NKJV)

I am continuing to read and read and read on parenting and educating our children. This week I realized this parenting thing as a "calling" in a way I don't know that I understood before. Specifically, per Psalm 78, my calling is to teach my children God's ways so that they teach their children and grandchildren these truths.

1 O my people, listen to my instructions.
Open your ears to what I am saying,
2 for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
3 stories we have heard and known,
stories our ancestors handed down to us.
4 We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.

5 For he issued his laws to Jacob;
he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to teach them to their children,
6 so the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.
8 Then they will not be like their ancestors—
stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,
refusing to give their hearts to God. (Psalm 78 NLT)


At some point, each member in each generation has to make a decision for or away from the Lord. So, that brings me to the "how" part of parenting/educating our children - how do we parent in such a way that they will not only learn the truths and ways of the Lord, but understand themselves as called to pass on that faith to their descendants? How do we do that in this day and age?

For me, this week's conundrum has been a "curriculum" issue, specific to our five year old. Plan A? Plan B? Something else? Some combination of the above? Then I came (again) to the first part of Psalm 62:

God, the one and only—
I'll wait as long as he says.
Everything I need comes from him,
so why not?
He's solid rock under my feet,
breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
I'm set for life.

I AM set for life - my spiritual feet are placed on the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ - the Way, the Truth, the Life. So, when I feel my inner world getting all choked in "Plan A" or "Plan B" (or any other struggle) I have to join with the Psalmist, again, in the next part of Psalm 62:

3-4 How long will you gang up on me?
How long will you run with the bullies?
There's nothing to you, any of you—
rotten floorboards, worm-eaten rafters,
Anthills plotting to bring down mountains,
far gone in make-believe.
You talk a good line,
but every "blessing" breathes a curse.

God is never a god of confusion or chaos; our Creation is beauty and order. So when the things of this life seem to gang up on us, we need to realize that those "blessings" are really not the Solid Rock we can build our lives upon. Chaos and confusion are not of the Lord. God is an impenatrable castle. God gives us breathing room for our souls. And we are, indeed, set for life.

God, when the chaos and confusion of this world seems to choke us, help us to hold onto your Word and promises. Help us to raise our children not only to be Jesus Followers, but to then pass the faith on to future generations. Help us to trust you for their salvation and those of generations yet unborn. God, the one and only—we'll wait as long as you say. Everything we hope for comes from you, so why not? You're the solid rock under our feet, breathing room for our souls, an impregnable castle: we're set for life. Amen and amen!

Prosper in hope

I have a hope, I have a future
I have a destiny that is yet awaiting me
My life's not over; a new beginning's just begun
I have a hope, I have this hope

God has a plan; it's not to harm me
But it's to prosper me and to hear me when I call
He intercedes for me working all things for my good
Though trials may come we have this hope

I will yet praise Him, my great Redeemer
I will yet stand up and give Him glory with my life
He takes my darkness and He turns it into light
I will yet praise Him, my Lord my God

My God is for me, He's not against me
So tell me whom then, tell me whom then shall I fear
He has prepared for me great works He'll help me to complete
I have a hope I have this hope

Goodness and mercy, they're gonna follow me
And I'll forever dwell in the house of my great King
No eye has ever seen all He's preparing there for me
Though trials may come I have this hope

I will yet praise Him, my great Redeemer
I will yet stand up and give Him glory with my life
He takes my darkness and He turns it into light
I will yet praise Him, my Lord my God

There's still hope for me today
For the God of Heaven loves me

CCLI Song No. 5087587© 2007 Doulos Publishing (Maranatha! Music [Admin. by Music Services])Tommy Walker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcjhNjO_l5o



For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jer. 29:11 NIV)


This Sunday I received news of a friend who had lost a baby at 12 weeks gestation. Because I knew she and her husband were looking forward to this new addition to their family - she and I had talked about it just last week - I also expect she's grieving the loss of this life.

And this week our church interviews the first of our potential new senior pastors. The long process of searching, waiting, preparing, praying has come to this point. We don't know yet whether he's The One, but we are optimistic - or should I say "hopeful."

My friend's hope for this child has been swallowed up by the reality of no heartbeat. Our church's hope for a new pastor is still growing, even if a bit tired around the edges.

But, I think this verse from Jeremiah can speak to both these situations and many more. So, would you join me in praying it over these two situation (and any others you'd like to add)?


God, thank you for knowing us and loving us and caring so much about us that you have plans for our lives. Thank you that you want us to prosper and that your plans are not harmful. Thank you that your plans are for hope and for our futures. God, for my friend who is grieving the loss of this baby, I pray that you would help her to know your comfort and peace. Help her to hear that your plans for her life are for hope, for good, for prosperity, for her future. And for our church we pray the same - prosper us, show us your plans, give us your hope. We pray for clarity in wisdom and discernment as we meet with these potential new pastors. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Tired

The other night I had the chance to talk with a friend who I hadn't seen in several months. She and her husband have four boys age 2 to 6 and she works full time as a teacher in a neighboring school district. Her husband is a stay-at-home dad. We were talking, in part, about the joys and trials of parenting four young, energetic, busy boys and the word they each kept coming back to was "tired." It's just tiring to do this type of parenting.

And it's tiring to care for elderly parents, or to hold down multiple jobs, or to be a single parent supporting your family, or to be looking for work - still - and again.... or..... any number of things. Some say being tired is just a part of life today. Maybe it is, but I don't think God intended it to be that way.

Psalm 62 has been speaking to me this week and I share it with you with this prayer that for whatever tired places you have in your life, you would trust God with them.

⁵ Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge. (NIV)

Hear again these words of encouragement and hope from Isaiah:

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

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. (Isa. 40 NIV)

Jesus, you said when we are weary and heavy laden we should come to you. You said that when we cast all our cares upon you that you will lift us up. You promised that we would not succumb to the cares, pressures, or tired-ness of this world, but that when we trust in you we would know your peace. So, we trust in your promises and pray you would be our Rock, that you would strengthen us, that you would ease our weariness and help us to discern what of our "busy-ness" we can release. Be our peace we pray....Amen.

Destroying families

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Eph. 6 NIV)

For worship yesterday I was asked to do a "testimony" / "word of witness" about Spirit Filled Mothering. After several weeks of thinking & praying about it and clarifying with the pastor, I had some organized thoughts and q & a prepared.

But the days before I felt a heaviness on my person. I was testy sometimes and doubtful; minor things became more annoying; and (although I am not normally frightened to speak in front of people) I was even nervous about this. It finally dawned on me late in the week that this is the same thing that happened before our monthly Mom2Mom events. How are these things related? They are about encouraging godly families and parenting. Wait a minute: could it be that the evil one wants to destroy Christian families? Could it be that destroying Christian children helps to dim the Light of Christ in the world?

Ummmm...in a word...YES!!!!!!!

Whether you are a parent or not, you can join me in praying that God's Light in children, youth, and in adults would not be dimmed by attacks of evil.

God of might and power, help us to be strong in you and in your mighty power. Help us to stand against the devil's schemes. Protect us so that when the days and moments of evil come, we may be able to stand our ground because we have your truth, your righteousness, your peace, deep faith, and your Word. We pray for protection for families - especially Christian ones. We pray that the Light of Christ would shine brightly from godly parents and children as they seek to honor you in their families. In the strong name of Christ we pray. Amen.

Old friends

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will counsel you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8 KJV)

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 NIV)


Today I received a phone call from our former church asking if I would be available to play organ for a funeral on Wednesday. I agreed to play the funeral and then realized that I hadn't played organ in over a year; better go practice! So, tonight I went there and spent most of an hour reaquainting my hands and feet (and mind and heart) with classical organ music and hymns. It was a wonderful time of reconnecting with old "friends" in the hymnal and hearing familiar texts and tunes again.

One of the songs I came across I make today's prayer.

God, grant us wisdom and courage for the facing of each hour.

God of grace and God of glory,
On Thy people pour Thy power.
Crown Thine ancient church’s story,
Bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.

God, in a time when much looks so dark, please help us be courageous lights.

Lo! the hosts of evil ’round us,
Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways.
From the fears that long have bound us,
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.

God, when we struggle with fears and attack, protect us, free us and help us trust and praise you.

Cure Thy children’s warring madness,
Bend our pride to Thy control.
Shame our wanton selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal.

God, we pray for peace in the world and peace in our souls.

Save us from weak resignation,
To the evils we deplore.
Let the search for Thy salvation,
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Serving Thee Whom we adore,
Serving Thee Whom we adore.*

God, let us run with endurance the race you have set for us and help us find your glory, your wisdom, your courage. May our lives be a pleasing offering to you. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.




* "God of Grace and God of Glory" by Harry E. Fosdick

Lost, part 1

I saw this column in "The Best of the Web Today" on wsj.com. Somehow, the last sentence was very profound to me:

Here's a fascinating report from LifeSiteNews.com, a Web site whose point of view is obvious from the name:

The pro-life movement in America is growing in leaps and bounds, attracting young, zealous women to defend the unborn in droves--a fact that even the president of NARAL has now admitted.

NARAL's Nancy Keenan told Newsweek last week that she considers herself a member of the "postmenopausal militia"--a phrase that captures the situation of pro-abortion leaders who are aging across the board, including the leadership of Planned Parenthood, and the National Organization for Women. Newsweek's Sarah Kliff notes that "these leaders will retire in a decade or so."

Keenan also remarked on the enormity of this year's March for Life in Washington, D.C., and, according to Newsweek, is troubled that such passion has faded among the youth on her side of the movement.

"I just thought, my gosh, they are so young," Keenan said about stumbling on this year's March for Life in Washington. "There are so many of them, and they are so young."

The report cites a NARAL survey finding that, in LSN's words, "while 51 percent of pro-life voters under 30 considered abortion a 'very important' voting issue, only 26 percent of abortion supporters in the same demographic felt similarly."


What is behind this shift in sentiment? LSN, not surprisingly, attributes it to the moral power of the antiabortion cause. Newsweek and Naral actually make some concessions to this point of view; the group's ex-head Kate Michelman tells the magazine, for instance that ultrasound technology "has clearly helped to define how people think about a fetus as a full, breathing human being."

There's a question here that nobody is asking: Where don't babies come from? "Young, zealous women," after all, begin their lives as baby girls. For a more detailed exposition of this theory, check out our 2005 article "The Roe Effect." But here's the short summary: If the next generation of abortion proponents is mysteriously missing, it may be because their mothers availed themselves of the right to have an abortion and thus did not become mothers.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704423504575212303032885376.html

It struck me suddenly that there could be a LOT more people of my generation. (I was born in 1971.) Who have we as a society missed?