Fighting Back with Thanksgiving

Yesterday was World Gratitude Day, and I almost missed it. It had been one of those weeks. You've probably had them. If it weren't for bad news, there wouldn't be any news at all. Yeah. That kind of week.

I'm still doing ministry full-time, in addition to taking care of Sam night and day. I was tired and struggling to keep up with everything I needed to do. Then, the bad-news-blows started. Wham. Wham. Wham. I felt defeated and distraught. I cried a bucket of tears, and had a whiny-girl moment that lasted a little too long. 

I'd begun to think, "This must be warfare," but I didn't do anything about it. I know what I should do when the enemy of our soul attacks. Get my armor on and wield my only offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

I know about spiritual warfare, but I didn't engage. 

Instead, I lifted my shield of faith and kept saying, I know God can handle this, I know God will take care of this... 

God can handle my problems. He can take care of everything I face, and He will. But that isn't wielding a weapon. That's nothing more than hiding behind my shield of faith and letting the "fiery darts" rain down.

Late yesterday afternoon, I headed home, after another Wham of possibly bad news, when Psalm 50 came to mind. You probably know this verse, too. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. I had a few suggestions for God's cattle and how they could help with my worries, until I remembered the "next" page. 

In my Bible, the "cattle on a thousand hills" verse is in the lower right hand corner. If you turn the page, the "sacrifice of thanksgiving" is on the upper left hand corner. 

Using the Scripture prompt to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving is an action that wields the Sword of the Spirit, so I began reciting a list of things for which I'm grateful. Pretty soon, I felt better. None of the problems I'm facing had changed, but my perception was different. 

Here's the routine for Sacrifice of Thanksgiving:
1) Offer thanksgiving when you don't feel thankful (That makes it a sacrifice)
2) Keep your promises to God (that's paying your vows)
3) Call upon God in the day of trouble. (Note: Calling upon God comes AFTER thanking Him and doing your part to obey.)
4) God will rescue you and you will honor Him.  

Rescue, according to this passage, doesn't start with relief from your problems. It starts with thanksgiving. 

Are you having a difficult time? Are you beleaguered and worn out from the cares of this world? Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and keep thanking God until you see Him move on your behalf. 

It's that easy.

"Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me." Psalm 50:14,15 nasb
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*** Please pray for our team as we minister at the Whisper Gathering today and tomorrow. Pray for the ladies who will join us to have safe trips, willing hearts, and that God will be present and glorified in all we do.
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When the Last Trumpet Sounds

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, 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.

When the Last Trumpet Sounds

My mama was very skeptical about what she called "thinkology." What I'm about to write might border on that dreaded field of study, so don't take this as a prediction of any kind. (This is also not a complete study on the topic. I'm hitting the high points.) 

With that said...

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, is an annual feast that runs from Sept 21 through Sept 22 this year. The trumpet (or Shofar, a trumpet made of ram's horn or kudu horn) is blown to call Israel to gather for a holy convocation. Traditionally, the shofar is blown a total of 100 times during the feast day. 

This Feast of Trumpets is held on the 1st day of the 7th month of the Jewish calendar. (Leviticus 23:23-25) It's a day of rest during which the people are to assemble together, rest, and, in a sense, prepare themselves for the day of atonement by considering the sin for which sacrifice needs to be made. 

The Day of Atonement (or Yom Kippur) comes ten days later (Leviticus 16:30, 23:27-33). It's a holy convocation intended to be a time for humbling oneself before God, presenting sin offerings by fire, and complete rest. Leviticus lists severe consequences for failing to honor the Day of Atonement. 

According to Leviticus 16:30, the day of atonement is "made...to cleanse you..from all your sins..." It's a day for corporate repentance and sacrifice. Repentance is something we, in the church, have far too little of these days.

Hold all this information in your mind, and turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15.

"Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 nasb

There is a school of thought that suggests this verse refers to the Rapture of Believers when Jesus returns. Because Paul wrote it would occur "at the last trumpet," the thinking is that the rapture might occur on Rosh Hashanah  during the last trumpet blast of the day.

Will Jesus call us home on Feast of Trumpets? No one knows, but I always think about that possibility on this annual feast day. 

If, and that's a big if, the trumpet-rapture school of thought is correct, this could be the day we meet our Savior face to face. If so, today, of all days, should be the one we spend considering and repenting of our sin. 

Whether Jesus comes for us today or a thousand years from now, His sacrifice made the atonement for our sin. Ten days from now, there will be no need to make a new sacrifice, because His body, broken for us, was enough. His blood spilled out for us was sufficient.

If, and it is true, that His sacrifice has paid our sin debt, we should live as those who have been redeemed. Grateful. Determined to live as freedmen. Careful to avoid the sin that required such a great cost.

May today be a time of contemplation of our lives, the choices we made, the sin in which we indulge. May it be a time of repentance and change. May it be a day for hope and rejoicing because of our coming King. 

"And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:27-28 nasb

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Being a Light-Giver and Shining Like the Stars

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, 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.

Being A Light Giver and Shining Like the Stars

I was on my way to Isaiah when I reached for my Bible and it randomly fell open to Daniel 12. It caught my eye, partly because our pastor preached from there on Sunday, and partly because of one phrase. "Those who have insight." 

"And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3 nasb

Imagine this: The pastors who lead us to righteousness, and those who understand Scripture and teach us well, will be distinguishable in eternity. They will shine brightly. The word translated as "shine brightly" means to literally give off light. 

I know this is silly, but for a moment, I imagined having to wear sunglasses when I talk with Pastor Scooter in heaven. Our good pastors and teachers will shine that brightly. Their life's effort of understanding the Word of God and teaching it will be visible for all to see.

The sunglasses thought ricocheted my brain straight over to our Global missionaries. They literally spend their lives leading the many to righteousness, and they sacrifice mightily to do it. We, in this country, cannot begin to imagine the difficulty of their lives, nor the hardships they endure. One day, those sweet, sacrificing missionaries will "shine brightly like the stars forever and ever," and we will probably stand in awe at the light they emit.

What about us? If we want to be light-givers in eternity, we must be light-givers here on earth. We must share the light of Christ within us to those in darkness. We must study our Bibles in order to gain understanding and insight. We must be light-givers now. 

Today, let's make a fresh commitment to pursue understanding and insight in Scripture and to encourage others to walk in righteousness. Be a light-giver now.

"And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3 nasb
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When God Whispers

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, 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.

When God Whispers

In 72 hours, I'll finish packing my car for the drive to Crows' Neck (FCR Christian Retreat) for the Whisper Gathering. We've been planning and praying for months, and it's nearly here. I'm excited, nervous, and full of anticipation about what God will do.

When Vivien Lee called me to ask me about speaking at a Women's Prayer Conference, I knew two things pretty quickly. To pray, we need to be able to hear God speak. Hearing God speak requires that we get still. 

There are so many things we could have added to the agenda, but what we've tried to do is give opportunities for stillness, time to be quiet and hear God's voice, and time to pray together. There are several sessions with amazing worship, led by Toni Armstrong, and I'll be teaching. I hope those who attend will be interacting with me, because that's my preferred way of teaching. 

My focus passage as I've prepared has been the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17-19.  James 5 tells us that Elijah was a man just like us, but when he prayed, huge things happened. I can believe that in general terms, but it's taken some years to believe it specifically applies to me.

The day Elijah had a showdown with the prophets of Baal, he had superhuman strength. I don't know if God used a burst of adrenaline to help him or some other empowerment, but Elijah did more than ten men should've been able to do that day. After the showdown, he dealt with the prophets of Baal, then raced Ahab's chariot to Jezreel. 

It's no wonder Elijah was tired, and his response to Jezebel's challenge is how I know Elijah was a lot like me. After an enormous victory and a demonstration of superhuman strength, the evil queen threatened him and Elijah quivered with fear. Instead of thanking God for the victory, he whined and wanted to give up.

If I were God, I might have been impatient with Elijah, but not our Father. I love this interaction:

"You need to eat, Elijah." Elijah ate. 

"Now, take a nap." Elijah took a nap. 

"Time to eat again." Elijah ate.

Rested and refreshed, he whined again. God responded by speaking to Elijah with the sound of a gentle whisper, then sent him back to work.

I believe in God's remedy for servant exhaustion. Eat good food. Sleep until you're rested. Eat again, then get quiet and listen to God speak. We're using God's formula this weekend and I can't wait to see how He uses it.

Registration closes this morning, so contact Vivien Lee or Wendy Shumaker early if you're interested in signing up. (You can tag Wendy on Facebook) 

Even if you're not going to the Whisper Gathering, you can hear that still small voice. Be still. Be quiet. Listen until you hear God speak. 

"After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." 1 Kings 19:12 niv

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Please like and share to extend our digital reach.

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Living Ready

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, 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.

Living Ready

A few days before Hurricane Irma headed to Atlanta, I messaged my son. "Better go to the grocery and get some basic supplies. Just in case." Like many of us, he couldn't believe the storm, or the surge, was coming that far inland. The night before Irma arrived, he finally went to the store. 

The empty bread aisle convinced him. 

He managed to find enough non-perishable food for a week. He hurried home to fill the bathtub and all available containers with water. Just in case.

His last-minute preparations reminded me of the Parable of the Ten Virgins who waited for the bridegroom to come for his bride. Five were foolish and had no extra oil. Five were wise and carried extra oil. 

Their wait was longer than hoped, but the bridegroom finally arrive. At the very moment of celebration, the foolish virgins' lamps flickered and they realized they were out of fuel. They left the party to buy more oil, missed the arrival of the guest of honor, and were locked out by the time they returned.

Failure to prepare had cost them everything. 

Jesus made it very clear. (Leanna Paraphrase coming up) "I'm the bridegroom. You're the maidens waiting for me. Be on the alert, constantly watching for My return."

What do we do if we want to be prepared for His return? It's simple. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. 24/7/365. No days off from faith. No time off for good behavior. 

Constant relationship. Daily obedience. 

More years have passed since Jesus ascended into heaven than anyone expected, but that doesn't change His promise. He's coming back, so let's live expectantly. 

"So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return." Matthew 25:13 NLT
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Please like and share to extend our digital reach.

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Living in the Miraculous

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, 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.

Living in the Miraculous

As Christians, we serve a miracle-working Savior. I've always believed miracles ought to be common occurrences for us, but are they?

I have a notation in the margin of 1 Kings 18 that quoted Bill Hardin (transition pastor at Calvary a while back). "Elijah lived in the miraculous." I'd like to live there, too. Wouldn't you?

What does "living in the miraculous" look like? The first time he's mentioned, Elijah was going about his usual life when he apparently got a word from God. Scripture doesn't relate this conversation but it might have gone like this:

"Go see the king of Israel and tell him I'm shutting off the water. No more rain until you say so." 

"Are you kidding, God? He's the KING. How am I supposed to get in to see him?"

"You let Me worry about getting in to him. Your job is to say what I told you to say. Now get going."

We don't know if he argued with God about it or not, but Elijah went and, somehow, he managed to get in to see the king. He said exactly what God told him to say, then turned and walked out of the king's chambers. 

God sent Elijah to a nature retreat by the brook Cherith. He sent ravens with food and meat, so the prophet was pretty well set there. For a while.

Ahab probably thought Elijah was a crackpot at first, but he soon found out different. No rain for a week, then two. Pretty soon, he and Jezebel had an APB (all points bulletin) out for Elijah. 

We don't know what Elijah did by the brook, but I think he took hikes, gathered sticks to build a fire at night. Usual camping activities. 

Meanwhile, a frantic search for the man who stopped the rain spread all over Israel.

After the brook dried up, God did something really tricky. He sent Elijah on a seaside retreat to Sidon, a costal town on the Mediterranean Sea. If I'd been Elijah, I'd have been afraid to go along with it, because Sidon was Jezebel's home town. God thumbed his nose at the evil queen. He hid Elijah in plain sight, and not a soul contacted Jezebel to tell her where he was.

We could go on and on. One miracle after another happened after every step of obedience. 

Those five words give us the key to living in the miraculous: After every step of obedience.

God gave Elijah seemingly outrageous instructions. Go see the king. Move to Jezebel's hometown. Elijah did exactly what God said. Every time, God honored his obedience with a series of miracles.

If that's the key, maybe that's why we don't live in the miraculous all the time. In general, as disciples, our instructions are very clear. Love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor in the same way we love ourselves. If we're not actively trying to accomplish the Greatest-Commandments set of directions, God's not likely to trust us with a more specific set of instructions. 

If we don't obey, we aren't likely to live in the miraculous. 

Do we want all God has for us? Obey. It's that simple. 

What about us? Does God still do miracles in our time? Yes. He does. He still does miracles of nature. Miracles of healing. Miracles of grace. 

If we want to see God at work, let's ask Him to open our ears to hear His voice, open our hearts to obey, and our eyes to see His mighty acts.

Elijah lived in the miraculous, and we can, too, IF we're willing to obey.

"Now it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, 'God, show yourself to Ahab...So Elijah went..." 1 Kings 18:1-2

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Please like and share to extend our digital reach.

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Caregiver Chronicles: One Step at a Time

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, 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.