iPhone storage and expectations

My iPhone 4 was on its last, and badly limping, leg. The ringer wouldn't ring. The email alert wouldn't whoosh, and the text alert wouldn't chime. It barely vibrated. 

Every time I needed to take a picture, which seemed like a jillion times a day, I had a message that said, "not enough storage," even though my iCloud storage said there was plenty. To take a new photo, I had to delete an old one to make room. Some days, I had to delete three to take one. 

My phone situation was so pitiful that even my patients had begun to ask when I was getting a new phone. It was maddening, and I was really tired of it.  

I stood in line for the 5s until the guy two people ahead of me got the last one. He was in a wheelchair with a big cast, so it was hard to begrudge him. 

The manager assured me she could have a phone for me in about twenty days. My phone was slowly driving me insane, so I opted to order from the Apple Store, thinking I could get it sooner. 

After a few days, I tried to track the progress of my package. My new iPhone was somewhere between China and here. 

It was hard to believe it, but I couldn't check the Apple Store from my phone unless I got the new operating system. Unfortunately my iPhone thought there was not enough storage, even thought my iCloud said there was. 

I had been waiting for what seemed like a really long time and I didn't know where my new iPhone was nor when it would arrive. 

Every day, I thought, "This could be the day!" But no phone. 

Every evening, I thought,"I'd better sync my phone, because tomorrow might be the day!" 

The next day I hurried home after work, but no phone had arrived. 

I began to reorder my days according to my anticipation. 

It was odd how much restructuring of schedule occurred in anticipation of the arrival of a small electronic device.  

The first century Christians lived every day with a sense of eager anticipation, but they weren't expecting a bit of technology. They lived in anticipation of Christ's return. 

They reordered their days, as well as their entire lives, according to that anticipation. 

Somewhere along the way, we've lost the sense of immediacy and eager anticipation. We're 2,000 years closer to Christ's return, but I'm not sure you can tell that from the way most believers live. 

I'm not sure you can tell that from the way I live. 

Let's take a moment to review the description of Christ's return. He'll come with power, split the sky, we'll meet Him in the air, and considerably more exciting things will occur. 

It'll be astounding and worth the wait.  

We need to be more excited about the return of Jesus than we are about the next electronic device. 

If we live like we believe what we say we do, we'll live in eager anticipation of the return of our King. Our risen, reigning Savior's return could be any time. 

"And when all these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28 kjv
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When the Savior You Want isn't the Savior You Need

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If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Jordan, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.

#Jesus

When the Savior You Want Isn't the Savior You Need

Moses is a great example of the second-chance grace of God. When the Pharaoh's daughter lifted him out of the floating basket, God moved Moses' sphere of influence from the Hebrew slave quarters to the grandest palace in Egypt. 

When Pharaoh's daughter hired his own mother to serve as wet-nurse for Moses, God preserved the influence of the Hebrew slave quarters.

It was an amazing orchestration of events. At a time when Pharaoh was effectively causing the genocide of Hebrew boys, God not only preserved the life of one boy, but also moved him into Pharaoh's own household. 

I realized something for the first time yesterday. All the Hebrews probably knew that Jochobed was nursing her own son for the Pharaoh's daughter. 

If the Hebrews knew about Moses, they must have seen his position in the court as highly significant, if not a sign of God's personal interest in their increasingly bleak situation. They would have expected great things from this Hebrew boy... favor, help in time of trouble... maybe even deliverance.

When Moses murdered the Egyptian and fled for his life, those hopes were dashed on the corpse in the sand. Moses wasn't their deliverer, after all. He wasn't going to help them or end the genocide. He couldn't even help himself.

Forty years later, the same people who counted on the boy Moses' help saw a very different man when he returned. He wasn't an Egyptian prince anymore. He didn't have position, power, or even influence. He was nothing but an humble shepherd, and who needed that?

Initially, they rejoiced at the idea that Moses would lead them to the Promised Land, but it didn't take long for the situation to worsen and the people to turn against him. 

Moses didn't look like the savior they needed, and it certainly wasn't turning out the way they'd hoped. 

We know now that Moses was the deliverer they'd prayed God would send. He did lead them through the wilderness to the Promised Land, but nothing about God's plan fit the idea of deliverance for which the people had prayed.

Centuries later, the people would wait again for a Savior. They'd pray and cry out to God. The Savior they expected was a lot like their beloved King David. Righteous. Good. Just. Kingly. Wearing a robe and crown. Rich.

Instead, Jesus came in an unexpected way and an undesirable form. His crown was made of thorns and His robe was torn away. Who wanted a crucified Savior? No one. 

Jesus didn't look like the Savior they needed, and it certainly didn't turn out the way they hoped. 

When the tomb burst open and the stone rolled off, the empty grave was all the proof needed that their expectations and desires had little to do with the Savior God had given. He'd sent more power than the people imagined possible. More love than anyone knew existed. Deliverance no one could envision. 

Jesus wasn't the Savior they wanted, but He was definitely the Savior they needed. 

Even today, we want a different kind of savior. We long for the one who will bring prosperity, peace, and power. We want an easy savior.

Instead, Jesus brings the prosperity that gives away the extra to those in need, the peace that holds firm in the midst of our storms, and the power of blood that washes away our sins. 

When God became flesh and dwelt among us, He wasn't what we wanted, but He was exactly what we needed, and He still is...

"He came into the very world He created, but the world didn't recognize Him. He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him. But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God..." John 1:10-12 NLT

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When the God of Second Chances Gives You the Chance to Change Your World

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Jordan, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.

#Jesus

When the God of Second Chances Gives You the Chance to Change Your World

I re-read the story of Pharaoh and Moses this morning and marveled at the ways of men.

You know this story, but reviewing it might help us see the incredible plan of God in a fresh light...

The Hebrews had multiplied in Egypt to the point that they were a cheap source of labor. Eventually, Pharaoh began to worry that the laborers would revolt and take over because there were more Hebrews than Egyptians in the Egypt.

When oppression and coercion of the midwives didn't decrease the number of male children, Pharaoh issued an edict that astounds me every time I read it. 

Hebrew parents were to throw their male babies in the river.

My first response was incredulity over the law, but I quickly realized that the real shocker was that the Hebrews actually complied with the law. 

Parents drowned their own sons because the government told them to do it... 

I can't comprehend it. 

In the midst of that evil and insane situation, God's plan began to unfold. It took years to complete, but when it did, it was a beautiful deliverance.

When Moses was born, his parents took one look at him and loved him. They were desperate to protect him and had no intention of obeying the "boy drowning" law.

After three months, it was no longer possible to hide him, but his mother had a very unusual plan of faith. She put the baby in a floating basket and put it in the reeds at the edge of the Nile, then she set his sister nearby to see what happened. 

Technically, she obeyed the law. She "cast" her son into the Nile. The only difference was that she "cast" him in a floating basket.

Amazingly, Pharaoh's daughter found him and decided to adopt him. In an even more amazing twist to the story, she hired his own mother as Moses's wet nurse. When he was weaned he became the princess' son. He lived as a prince, and grew up in the palace, where he was trained in the leadership expected of Pharaoh's grandson.  

When Moses was grown, he saw an Egyptian beating one of the Hebrew workers, and was enraged. That rage progressed to the murder of the Egyptian. In an attempt to hide his crime, Moses buried the corpse in the sand, but his crime was discovered, and he ran for his life. 

In what seemed like no more time than the blink of an eye, Moses went from being a Hebrew baby in a miraculous basket to an exalted prince of Egypt to a fugitive murderer. 

Then, the story took another twist. He fled to the wilderness of Midian, where he became a shepherd. 

Forty years later, he saw a burning bush, God called to him, and he approached the bush. When Moses realized it was God calling, he was afraid and hid his face. 

In that instant, the pieces of God's plan finally began to come together in a recognizable way. 

The years of training in administration and leadership in Egypt, followed by the years as a shepherd in the wilderness weren't wasted. They were part of the essential preparation for the most important job Moses would ever undertake. He was to lead the Hebrew people from Egypt to the promised land. 

Over the course of the next forty years, Moses walked with God. In fact, he became a friend of God, so much that he met face to face with Him. Afterwards, his face shone so much that, instead of hiding his face from God, he had to cover his face with a veil and hide it from the people. (Exodus 34:34) 

Being in the presence of God left a change in Moses that everyone could see. His experiences caused another change, too. Instead of an angry, vengeful young man, Moses became the most humble man on earth (Numbers 12:3).  

That humble man led millions of Hebrews to freedom from slavery as he walked with God. 

Moses left his world a different place because of the humility and the faithfulness to God that came after the mistakes that shattered his comfortable life. 

Despite his immense sin, Moses was given a fresh start and the opportunity to change the world by our ever-loving and forgiving God.

God has a plan to use all the mistakes in our past to make a difference in our future.

Have we made mistakes and have had a rough start to our lives thus far?  In the shortest time imaginable, we can answer the call of God and He can begin to unfold our second chance.  Our third chance. Our many-eth chance. 

No matter how far we've run, how low we've have sunk, how long we have been mired in sin, our Lord can deliver, cleanse, and transform, and He will. We have only to repent of our mistakes, surrender our will to His, and follow Him. 

When the God of second chances gives you the opportunity to change your life and your world, what should you do? Take it and follow Him until He leads you home.  

"I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 
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photo above is of the empty tomb of Jesus. It's the power of the empty tomb that makes the redemption of our second chances possible.

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Doing Life Together: The Beauty of Multigenerational Community

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Jordan, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.
#Jesus

Doing Life Together: The Beauty of Multi-Generational Community

A while back, the Sisters of Strength invited me to "do life" with them. They're a crazy-in-love-with-Jesus bunch of women who are completely serious about living a deep faith. I didn't know all of them personally at the time, but I could see the lives they live, and I readily joined in. Well, I'm really "in" from a distance, but they've loved me and prayed for me through every bit of ministry I've done these last eight months.

I couldn't do a thing without the Sisters and people like them who pray me through.

Last night, I finally attended a meeting. I took our Global intern, Anna Grace, along. It was a rowdy time, filled with laughter and sharing and food and a few tears. 

As we were driving home, Anna Grace said, "I wish I had that."

"Wish you had what?"

"What those ladies have."

"What those ladies have was hard won, Anna Grace. Every one of those ladies has been through tough times. They know they've been forgiven much, so they love much." 

"Yeah. I can see that. But they've got multi-generational community, too, and I want that. I was as welcome around the table as anyone else."

Anna Grace was right. The Sisters of Strength made a decision a good while back to commit to community and that's the key. They "do life together," and they're serious about it. They meet every week (mostly) for prayer, Bible study, and a meal together.

Along the way, they've shared good times and bad and helped each other through everything they've faced. They've held each other accountable. They call each other out when they speak wrongly. They forgive quick and love hard.

They're a formidable force for Christ because they work together. 

Remember the personal care packs for homeless people I wrote about a few days ago? The Sisters of Strength were doing them long before me. "How many did we do that last time?" someone asked. "Oh, about 365, I think," someone responded. 

They accomplish a LOT because they work together to get it done. 

Last week, a group of young women in my church approached me. "Miss Leanna, the Bible says the younger women are supposed to learn from the older women."

"Yes, it does. I know that verse." 

"We realized at small group that we need to learn to pray better, and you know how. Will you teach us?"

Of course I will. One of the young women had a need, so we all met at the altar Sunday morning to pray. I'll meet with them at their weekly meeting in a few days. 

Those young ladies are doing what the Sisters are doing. They've made a decision to do what the Bible says, and they're sticking to it. They study together, pray for each other, bear each other's burdens, hold each other accountable. 

It requires dedication and commitment, but it's worth it.

They've invited me to be a little part of their group for a time, and just like that, they've accomplished multi-generational community.

We were never meant to live life in isolation. We were created for community. Join in or stand back. The choice is ours to make.

We can surround ourselves with people who look, dress, and live just like us, but that group isn't likely to challenge us to change. 

Look at the disciples. They were a disparate band of irregulars, with wealthy tax collectors living and working alongside fishermen. Some were old. Some were young. It was multi-generational community at its best.

We need the enthusiasm of youth. We need the wisdom of age. We need the bond of commitment and the accountability of consistent contact with people who challenge us to grow and learn and become more than we are. More like Jesus. 

What about you? Do you have multi-generational community? I'm not talking about the people on the pews at church on Sunday morning. I'm referring to the people who hold you accountable for your words and actions. The ones who laugh with you, cry with you, pray with you. If not, why not? What's holding you back?

Let's reach outside our comfort zone to include a few people who will help us become more like Jesus than we are on our own. 

"Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:2 nasb

"But if, however, you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well." James 2:8 nasb

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ps - I said I was going to write about millennials in the church today, but I'm saving that for another day. I'll get to it. 

*** Please like and share to extend our digital reach. ***
In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: What is Our Heart Cry?

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Jordan, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.
#Jesus

What is Our Heart's Cry?

On my way from here to there in the Scriptures this morning, I landed on a verse in Romans 10 about Paul's heart's desire.

"Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation." Romans 10:1 nasb

Paul was referring to those who were part of the establishment of the church, people who wouldn't even consider the possibility that Jesus was the Messiah. These were part of the group of people of whom Paul was a welcome part until his Damascus Road experience. 

Once he began to follow Jesus, he became a target for the very ones he'd worked with in targeting Jesus' disciples. 

They knew Saul/Paul. They had been colleagues, if not friends. When disagreement about faith came, they turned on him, persecuted him, arrested him, sought to kill him.

Paul, however, held to his newfound faith. Jesus said to love, so he loved. Jesus said to forgive, so he forgave. Jesus said to pray for your enemies, so he prayed.

Paul did not say, "You beat me half to death. Be cursed and go to hell." He did not say, "They hurt me. I'm not praying for them," or "Be nice first," or "They're in the wrong. 

His prayer was that his enemies come to Jesus and become his brother and sister in Christ. 

The deepest desire of Paul's heart was that God would turn his enemies into family.

Ponder that for a moment.

What is our heart's deepest desire? What do we pray for those who are our enemies? 

A couple from Nigeria and I were looking at my prayer board yesterday. They noticed the photo of the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau. "You have Boko Haram on your board?" The surprise was evident in her voice. 

"Yeah. I figured someone needed to pray for him. Might as well be me. I'm praying he comes to Jesus..."

"We need people who will pray for him," her husband said.

I guess I could pray more that Shekau would be stopped in his terrorist ways and that his reign of terror would come to an end. Mostly though, I just pray, "Save him, Lord, and turn his life around." 

That enemy is on the other side of the world from me, so it's not as personal when I pray, but what about the enemy who lives nearby? The one who betrays us or hurts us in our everyday life?

What is our heart's desire for them?

Today, let's do what Paul did. Because Jesus said to love, let's love. Because Jesus said to forgive, let's forgive. Because Jesus said to pray for our enemies, let's pray. 

We can be more like Jesus than we are, so what's stopping us? Only our stubborn will. Jesus, however, said, "Not my will, but yours, Father, be done," so let's say that, too.

Not what I want, Lord. Have your way in me. Let's make that our heart's cry today. 

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: How to Leave a Legacy that Won't be Forgotten 

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Jordan, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.
#Jesus

How to Leave a Legacy that Won't Be Forgotten

My quiet time this morning started in Matthew 26, the story of the woman with the alabaster vial. In an act of extravagant worship, she broke open a vial of extremely expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus' head. 

The disciples, led by Judas the thief, grumbled. It could've been sold for 300 denarii, they accused, and given to the poor. 

In today's money, that's at least $15,000. 

She could've bought a lot of meals for hungry people with that money. She could've paid for medical care for quite a few sick people. She could have rented shelter for numerous homeless people. 

Instead, she lavished it all on her Lord. Her act seemed wasteful to many people, but not to Jesus. 

He commended her. "People will talk about this story everywhere the gospel is shared," He told His grumbling disciples, and He was right. For more than 2,000 years, we've retold the story of the woman (Mary) and the perfume.

She left a sweet-smelling legacy that will not be forgotten.

The idea of legacy has been on my mind a lot recently. When I was in Jordan, I collected stories of such legacy that I'm still in awe of the lives those doctors and their families at the Ajloun Baptist Hospital lived. 

The story is told that, during a period of intense wartime, the gatekeeper went to one of the doctors. "I need something to protect you and your family if people break in. Give me a weapon," he requested. 

The doctor paused and told the gatekeeper to wait. He walked to the back of the house and came back with a box. "This is the weapon I've always used to protect my family. It's never failed us. I'm giving it to you," the doctor said as he handed over the box.

At home that evening, the gatekeeper opened the box. The family Bible, not the gun he expected, was nestled inside. 

He pulled out the Bible and began a new tradition of reading it to his family that night. It became the weapon that protected his family, too.

That Bible has been handed down from generation to generation ever since. I was able to speak with the gatekeeper's descendant. He still has the Bible as a treasured possession. 

The story of that doctor's faith and generosity is still being handed down, decades later. It's a legacy that has not been forgotten.

I wonder if I have an act of faith so extravagant, so powerful that people will be telling of it for decades, centuries to come. Truthfully, I know the answer. There's not. But there could be...

When I read stories of faith like that of the woman with the vial of perfume, I, too, want to worship with lavish abandon, to give with such generosity that people are stunned, to do something so bold and beautiful for Jesus that people remember the love forever. Don't you?

It's not too late to leave a legacy of love behind.

Today, let's be quiet, revel in the Scriptures, long enough to seek God's face and hear from Him. Let's worship with abandon and look for ways to love and give with extravagance. Let's seek ways to leave a legacy of love and worship behind, a legacy that won't be forgotten. 

"Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall also be spoken of in memory of her." Matthew 26:13
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In case you missed the last posts, here's the link: When the Body of Christ Works Together and Has Fun Doing It

and The Pause that Refreshes

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Jordan, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.

#worship