Guest Blogger Sem Beasnael: Amazing Tales of the Thompson Bible

(NOTE: The Beasnaels work and teach at the only Christian institute of higher learning serving French-speaking Central Africa. He teaches with the Thompson Study Bible because it provides the pastors both a Bible of their own and excellent study aids.)

The Thompson Bible Institute President, Dr. John Jauchen might have received a special revelation on the way pastors in the World are hungry for the Word of God, and especially the one printed in the Thompson Bible. Otherwise, he could not have launched the Thompson Bible Institute.

Pastor Chuck Ballard, the President of African Pastoral Training Ministries (APT Ministries) has been touched by the Holy Spirit to rush to Africa even though the tools are still being gathered for the Mission. 

Happy is the man who listens to the Holy Spirit.

When late Pastor Nicolas and myself finished the Thompson Study Bible training in Brazzaville (Congo), the need for both Thompson Bible and more training seminars was raised to a higher degree. 

The call for more workshops in French speaking Africa is overwhelmingly great. Everywhere we went we were faced with requests to bring the workshop to yet another location.  

After the last time training, we have more than 12 solid requests for the workshop, here in Chad alone. The workshops are limited to 120 pastors and church workers. 

That means that right now, without any more invitations, we can have an impact on more than 1200 pastors and church leaders. 

How can we quench such ongoing thirst for more Bibles ?

However, the need in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in general and in Kinshasa the capital city in particular are frightening. 

After the first day of training, the leaders of the Church of Christ in Congo (CCC) asked us to study the ways and means to come back to Kinshasa within the year. They then carry on with the following frightening tales.

Last year, one Swiss Missionary came to Kinshasa (DRC) with 800 Bibles to give out to Pastors for their use. The day he got out at the church to distribute those Thompson Bibles, 5.000 pastors showed up, invading all the surroundings of the Church. Some came from the heart of the city, others from its outskirts and also from the rural areas and the other parts of country. 

When the first 800 pastors got all the Bibles, the disappointed 4,200 pastors fell on the fellow Swiss Missionary and wanted to have a soothing explanation for the lack of the Bible. His hosting pastors rushed at his cries for help, to protect him and hastily pushed him in the car and took him back to his residence. 

Thompson Bibles cost US $80.00 in DRC. But when the Bible alliance noticed that growing need, it reduced the cost to US $60.00 per Bible. Yet there is no Bible to have.

The Pastors coming from the rural areas explained that having just a Bible to work with is a luxury that is not available to anybody. Some of them they say took one Bible and torn it up and shared the books within that Bible; thus some take the gospel of John, others take Luke, and others take Matthew. 

Those who have no Bible use the Devotional books to preach their message with it on Sundays. Those who cannot get anything travelled to their colleagues in the neighboring villages to copy parts of the scripture on which they want to preach on.

One Pastor told us that he went to the Bible Alliance to purchase two Boxes of twenty Bibles each, but he was told that the Alliance could not afford to lose both boxes at the same time, so the pastor was allowed to buy one box only because of the scarcity of the needed Bibles.

Often, after the first day training, people who have heard about the training going on continue to come as we left the place. In such situation, one cannot afford to come late. But some Pastors came late to the training, so we replaced them with those who were waiting at the back seats. When the late comers arrived, they were returned their financial contribution. Their dissatisfaction could not be described. The hunger for the Thompson Bible goes beyond expectation. 

Some of the Participants asked us to open a Thompson Bible Institute in Kinshasa with a permanent representation on the spot. I provided them with President Chuck’s address and asked them to get in touch with him for necessary action. In fact, people who took part in the training are by far very happy. They seem to be the luckier ones when one considers how hungry the country is for Thompson Bible. 

When we asked them to tell us why the Thompson Bible and not any other Bible? The reply is immediate. The Thompson Bible is not just another Bible. It is a comprehensive tool made for rural pastors and the city ones who cannot afford to travel abroad. 

Kindly pray for Chad, the two Congos as they are crying for more Bibles and especially for Thompson Bible. 

Sem & Eunice Beasnael

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Here's the link for Sem and Eunice's Global Outreach page. (There's a link to help provide Bibles for the pastors in Chad. You can also send them a message or word of encouragement) BEASANEL'S 
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Please like and share to extend our digital reach. 

In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: Feeding Appetites but Missing Opportunities

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.

The Shouting Scripture and the Author Who Didn't Want to Write

I know the Bible isn't written for humor, but every once in a while, I read something that makes me laugh out loud. 

This morning, I opened my laptop to write a blog, but time was short because I had a meeting in less than two hours and I didn't have a topic. Jet lag had finally hit and I was tired. 

I thought I was too tired to write. 

I also have final edits to complete and an agent-proposal to write for my first novel. 

I thought I was too tired to do that, too. 

Since it's always better to open Scripture first before I write a blog, that's what I did. My first verse was James 1:22. "Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only." I learned that verse as a little girl and it's ingrained in me. 

I'm a doer. 

Today, however, I followed the link to the Greek word study for "doer" and found the literal translation. 

"Maker, producer, author." 

I laughed out loud. 

"Be an author," the Scripture shouted to me. 

Apparently, I'm not too tired to write, after all. 

If we want to hear from God, the first place we should go is Scripture. It's alive and active and sharper than a two-edged sword. God whispers there. 

Sometimes, like today, He shouts.

Do you, like me, need to hear from God? Do you need clear direction? A fresh Word? The best way to have that is to open your Bible and read until He speaks.

Hearing Him speak is not all that's required. Doing what He speaks is essential if we hope to have another Word of direction. 

If I don't write, I can be pretty sure God will be quiet until I finally do what He says.

Today, I'll write.

Let's take careful note of what God has already said and do it, then wait quietly for His next direction. 

"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between join and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." Hebrews 4:12 nlt 
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Loving My Way Out

I'm sharing about my Jordan Journey at a brunch April 1 at 10:30-12 at Global Outreach home office, 74 Kings Highway, Pontotoc MS. Comment or message me if you'd like to come.

If God has called you to help with this ministry of digital and in-person outreach (both in the US and around the 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 

The Breath of God on Our Cheeks

After the service Wednesday night, we were all standing around, talkig. When Sam was ready to go, I reached for my Bible. As I did, I saw a pink note attached to my friend Kandy Walker's Bible. 

In case you can't read the words from the picture, here's what it says:

"When I open my Bible, GOD'S LIVING WORD, 

I need to STOP in REVERENCE 

and feel His breath on my cheek."

Kandy's right. Paul wrote that "All Scripture is God-breathed..." (2 Tim. 3:16) When we open our Bibles, in a very real way, we encounter the very breath of God on the pages. 

There was a time not too long ago when there were only a few English translations of the Bible. Most people had one or, at the most, two Bibles, and those were treasured. Treated with respect as the Word of God.

I'm afraid we've lost much of that respect for the Bible. We've forgotten it's a Holy Book, and how to treat it as such. We've forgotten the price that was paid to make access to the Bible available to the common man. 

In 1536, William Tyndale was burned at the stake for his all-consuming love of the Word of God and his dedication to ensuring its availability to the common man. I try not to forget his sacrifice. 

Tyndale was tied to a stake and burned alive so we could read the Bible in our own language. So we could have a Bible of our own.

In a very real way, when we open our Bibles, we hear from the God who created sun and sky, holds stars and planets in place, controls the tide, the rhythms of the day, the nocturnal promise that another dawn will come. 

He speaks to us.

Ponder that for a moment. 

God speaks to us.

I love what Hebrews says about the Scriptures:

"For the word of God is alive and active. 
Sharper than any double-edged sword, 
it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, 
joints and marrow; 
it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." 
Hebews 4:12 niv

When I read Scripture, those words of God speak to me. They comfort and convict, direct and (sometimes) demand. 

When I open my Bible with expectation that God will speak directly to me, I am never disappointed. He does. 

Do you need a word for the day? It's on the pages of the Holiest of Books.

Do you need strength, courage, hope? You can find it in your Bible.

Do you need comfort or direction? It's already there, waiting for you.

Today, let's open our Bibles with the expectation that the Sovereign God of the Universe will speak to us. Because He will. 
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Here's the link to a previous blog about William Tyndale.

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: What to Do When You're Surrounded By Evil
f you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841 If you'd rather use a check or money order, make it out to Global Outreach. Remember to put "Account 4841" on the "for" line. Mail it to: Global Outreach, PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802
#Bible #KandyWalker

Leaving a Legacy: Making a Road Map for Those We Love

More than 20 years ago, I bought a leather-bound International Inductive Study Bible. One of the features that appealed to me was the wide margin. There was room to take notes, including what is called "Lessons for Life".

Over the years, I've made notes about things I've learned, insights I've gained, and prayers I've prayed. I've underlined verses, claimed then, and dated them. When I've prayed for a particular person (usually my son, Ryan), I've written the name in the margin.

Not long ago, I mentioned one of these notations in a blog post. I called it a "Message in the Margin". A friend (Cassandra Weeks) commented on the notations in the margin of her mother's Bible. She called them "road maps," showing the way in a Bible that's a roadmap in itself. 

In a manner of speaking, that's what I'm making for my son. I leave notes in my Bible for Ryan. One day, I hope he'll treasure this worn Bible and savor every word I've left him.

Many of the verses I've underlined have his name and a notation of the date in the margin. When he reads it, he'll know I prayed that verse on that day for him.

In other places, I've written, "for Ryan:" and something specific I've prayed or a life lesson I want him to remember.

I didn't plan this at the start, but somewhere over the last twenty-four years, in the midst of the Scripture Road Map that is the Bible, I began to build a specific map that's designed for Ryan alone.

The Bible is a holy book and to be treasured above all other books. When I write in my Bible, I do it because I've been impressed by God to notice, claim, remember, apply something specific to my life, or pray something specific. My notations are generally neat, often tear-stained, and point me to the most significant moments of my life. 

When I think about eternity, my one sad point is that I can't take my Bible with me. Instead, I'm leaving it for my son and praying it will be as precious to him as it has been to me.

It's a kind of legacy I'm leaving. A legacy of faith, scholarship, and Bible literacy, and it's no accident. 

Leaving a legacy that makes a difference is a choice we make. It doesn't happen automatically. It requires intention and effort. That's what I'm doing. 

Some people leave tons of money and great investments. I'm choosing to leave a legacy of truth. 

Let's pause for a moment and consider the kind of legacy we're leaving. Are we intentional about the life we live? The decisions we make? The "things" and resources we plan to leave behind?

If we want to make a difference for generations to come, we must start now. So don't delay. Decide the kind of legacy you want to leave and get started. 

"Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105 nasb
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Reading Through the Blessing Jar 

I need your prayers as I write the James study. It will be online and in your place, at your pace. Available January 15th. Make plans to join us. We'll have a digital community for discussion and questions. 

If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841 If you'd rather use a check or money order, make it out to Global Outreach. Remember to put "Account 4841" on the "for" line. Mail it to: Global Outreach, PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802

#Bible 

Typos, Miscommunication, and the Doc that was a Dog:

Sam met me at the mailbox as I returned home yesterday. "I've got bad news for you. My dog has started killing your chickens."

"Are you sure? How did that happen?"

"He followed me over to the barn, saw the chickens, and took out running."

"Are you sure? Did you see him with a chicken?"

"No, but I bet he killed one."

"Did you see a dead chicken?"

"No, but I thought he was probably gonna kill one."

I didn't think we should credit the dog with the kill unless we were missing chickens, but Sam was worried. All the chickens were out, so Sam went to the barn and closed the door to the chicken house. I was a few minutes behind him, on my way to fill the feeder and put out fresh water.

"Sam, did you close the door to the chicken house?"

"Yeah. I didn't want the dog to get any more chickens."

"But the chickens are outside. They aren't in the chicken house."

"Them roosters was in there."

I didn't argue. I just sighed, opened the door to the chicken house, and waited for the chickens to go back inside. At dusk, I went back to the barn. I don't know what happened to them for sure, but two chickens were missing.

I texted Ryan (my son). "Looks like Sam's dog killed two of my chickens."

A little while later, Ryan replied. "His doctor killed a chicken? That is so crazy!" He waited a few seconds and replied again. "Is that true?"

Ryan's reply shocked me until I realized that there was a little typo in my text. I thought I had written "dog" but I had typed "doc". I laughed out loud.

Communication is a beautiful experience, until it's confused by miscommunication. One little c in the place of a g made a vast difference in what I meant to say.

In a world that's filled with confusion and misunderstanding, there's one place where clarity and understanding are still available. God's word. Truth, love, and grace reside in the pages of our Bibles. If we want to know what God says, we need look no further than Scripture. 

Today, let's take our questions to the One who has answers. Clear, sensible answers. Let's open our Bibles and study to understand what God wants us to know.

"Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105 esv
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The House of God in Us
Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List

Here's the link to my Global Outreach page (where you can support this ministry as God leads): Leanna Hollis MD
#truth

Do We Want to Feel Better or Be Better?

In case you've ever wondered, wailing is not my favorite. Lamentations, a book of wailing, is not my favorite, either. It's mighty glum reading. 

Lamentations was read annually by the Jews to remind them of the fall of Jerusalem and their captivity in Babylon. 

It begins with a heart-wrenching personification of Jerusalem. She sits, weeps, grieves, and is comfortless. 

Judah gets a turn, as well. In exile. No rest. Overwhelmed. Mourning. Bitter. Hungry. Even the roads in Zion mourned. It's not a pretty picture. (Lam.1:4)

Lamentations 1 calls repeatedly for God to take note of their situation. "See, O, Lord..." It goes on to say, "See if there is any pain like my pain..." No one, the writer believed, had ever had it worse, and it was all God's fault. (Not in so many words, but the intent is clear...)

Three times in the first chapter, the writer said he wept because "there is no one to comfort me."

There's genuine sorrow over their circumstances, but there does not appear to be sorrow over their sin. It brings to mind a line from Gone With the Wind... (The Leanna Paraphrase coming up.) They were not at all sorry they had sinned, but they were very, very sorry God had called them to account.

What the people wanted was not cleansing from sin, but comfort in the midst of their sin. They didn't want to change. They wanted to feel better about business as usual.

I'm afraid that sometimes describes me, as well. Eager for relief. Not so eager for change. What about you?

If we want comfort in the midst of our divine discipline, we need to do more than whine and wail. We need to repent and turn from our sin. In fact, it's the best way to prevent a stint of divine discipline. 

God's not in the business of making us feel better. His agenda is always for us to BE better. 

"For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6 esv

Today, let's ask ourselves one very important question. Do we want to feel better or be better? If we only want to feel better, we will never please God. If we want to be more like Christ, our Lord is happy to help us along that path, and He will. 

There's a choice to be made. Let's choose wisely.

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with every-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 niv
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: What About Me?

Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List 
Here's the link to my Global Outreach page: Leanna Hollis MD
#Christian #DailyDevotional

What About Me?

I am often surprised.

As I read Scripture, I'm especially surprised by how people responded to John the Baptizer.

I don't know if this is right or not, but I've always envisioned John with hairy legs sticking out from a furry camel suit, long, dark hair flying in every direction, piercing eyes blazing with the fire of God. I'm pretty sure his appearance was super-intimidating, but it's his words that make me shudder, even now. 

I've been around a few camels. I even rode a camel once and thought it was fun. I didn't think the camel smelled good, though. I don't know about camel suits, but I doubt they were aesthetically pleasing. I'm not sure John was, either.

On the day that surprises me, John was dressed in his camel hair outfit with the big leather belt wrapped around him. Hair going in every direction. Eyes boring into people's souls. Words slashing through the air faster than a bevy of swords. (The Leanna Paraphrase coming up is from Luke 3:7-14)

"You brood of vipers..."

"The ax is laid at the root of the trees..." 

The multitudes were shocked. "What are we to do?"

"Give away your extra tunic." 

As if giving away your extra clothes was not bad enough, the tax collectors said, "What about us? What should we do?"

"Don't collect anything extra."

I don't know if John needed a security team for crowd control or if they had come to see for themselves, but there were soldiers in the crowd that day, too. Just to be sure you understand, these were not romantic, tenderhearted guys. 

Roman soldiers were the toughest of the tough, the first century version of our marines. They had great leeway in their interactions with the populace. They could falsely accuse someone, then demand a bribe, and be assured of getting it. They could double fines and skim the extra. 

It was so common as to be expected that the soldiers had free reign and limited consequences. If they wanted more money than they were paid, they could demand and receive it. And they did.

Maybe they thought that giving up a tunic or collecting less money were tasks for the average man. Maybe John's talk of the wrath of God had put them in a repentant frame of mind. Maybe the Holy Spirit was at work. 

Regardless, the soldiers were as bold as lions. These men wanted soldier-sized tasks to do for God. "What about us? What are we to do?" the soldiers asked. 

Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?..." (Luke 3:14 NASB)

Isn't that a great question? They weren't just hearers. It seems they wanted to be doers, too. 

There was no doubt that John would have instructions for them, and that his instructions would be tough, but they didn't want to be left out. If the Kingdom of God was at hand, they wanted to do what it took to be a part.

I wonder sometimes if I am as willing to be a part of the Kingdom of God. If I am as willing to ask, "Give me a task for you, Lord. Send me. Allow me. What about me?"

Today, let's ask God for a task to do for Him. "What about me? What do I need to do in order to please you, God?"

The Kingdom of God is closer than it's ever been. Time is short. If we're going to serve our Lord, it's time to do it, so start today.
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When Our Hearts Are Revealed
Here's the link to the trafficking post: The Heartbreak of Human Trafficking
Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List 
Here's the link to my Global Outreach page: Leanna Hollis MD

#Christian

Stinky Hearts and Circling Vultures

When the work of writing the Hosea study began, I didn't know how immense the effort would be, nor how many hours I'd spend over the next four months in studying and writing. As it turned out, I didn't know as much about Hosea as I initially thought I did.

To my surprise, I found that Hosea wasn't just a heartbroken husband. He was a writer who used numerous literary techniques throughout the book, including quite a few instances of agrarian imagery.

One of the word pictures Hosea painted was of a vulture circling the temple, drawn by the scent of death. It wasn't the scent of a rotting carcass that attracted the vulture. It was the stench of spiritual death in God's people.

The vulture analogy reminds us that we either emit an aroma of life or death. Of Christ or of the world. The aroma of Christ is a sweet-smelling incense to God. Not so the aroma of the world. 

We would do well to consider what kind of aroma our own life presents to our Lord. Do we offer the same sweet fragrance of Christ we once did? Has our faith diminished? Our obedience faltered? 

We seldom lose our faith all at once. Instead, we walk away from our Lord with one compromise at a time, usually in a slow meander of ever-increasing sin. The further we drift from Christ, the more we carry the scent of the world. 

Today, let's check our spiritual proximity to Christ. Are we as close as we once were? Are we as close to our Lord as we need to be?

If not, let's do what must be done. Admit our failure, ask for forgiveness, and open our Bibles. Let God speak to us through His Word and respond as He leads.

If we must emit a spiritual aroma, let's make sure it's the sweet aroma of Christ that draws people to Him.  

"For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;" 2 Corinthians 2:15 nasb

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Here's a little extra vulture-info: 

Israel's vultures are a bit different from the ones we have in this country. They have Griffon Vultures. I wandered across a surprising article, and included it in the Hosea study because it was interesting. 

An Israeli Griffon Vulture was detained in Lebanon in early 2016 on charges of spying. I found this story fascinating. (The Vulture was eventually released.)

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/middleeast/israel-vulture-lebanon-spy/

photo above courtesy of freeimages.com
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The Miracle of Grace-Gifts
Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List 
Here's the link to my Global Outreach page: Leanna Hollis MD
#faith #sin 

Having Eyes that See

I wish I could follow up today with something as funny as yesterday's post about the Watusi-buffing experience. 

Instead, I'm writing about something unexpected that happened to Ezekiel, and it's even better than buffing. Every time I read this passage from Ezekiel 8, I'm surprised. 

Ezekiel was in the second wave of captives taken in exile to Babylon. He'd been there for six and a half years. It might not have felt like home by then, but he'd probably become accustomed to the situation. 

On this eventful day, Ezekiel was sitting in his house with some of the Jewish elders who had come to visit. It was an ordinary day. No one expected anything extraordinary to happen, especially not in exile, so far from Jerusalem. 

Suddenly, when he least expected it, "the hand of the Lord God fell" on him and Ezekiel began to see a vision.

"...behold a likeness as the appearance of a man; from His loins and downward there was the appearance of fire, and from His loins and upward the appearance of brightness, like the appearance of glowing metal... And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there..." Ezekiel 8:2,4 nasb

In the comfort of his own home, with people filling the room, Ezekiel had a personal encounter with God and beheld His glory. It was completely independent of what was happening around him. 

The sad part is that not one of the people in the room with him experienced the glory of God, even though they were the leaders of the faith. Ezekiel was the only one with the heart and eyes to see.

On this Lord's day, many of us will attend church services with fellow believers. Some of us will have a personal encounter with God. If truth be told, many of us will not. It all depends on the state of our heart. 

We, too, can experience the hand of God. 

We, too, can behold His glory. 

We, too, can have a personal encounter with our Lord.

We can, that is, if we're willing, but be forewarned. Ezekiel's experience was so profound that he responded by telling everyone he saw. 

Today, let's ask God to cleanse us and give us a heart to experience Him, eyes to see Him, and a willingness to tell the world all He's done.

Do you want to see Jesus? Ask God to open your eyes today.
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's blog: Baseboards, Wooden Floors, and Bucking Buffers
Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List
Heres' the link to my Global Outreach page: Leanna Hollis MD

#Bible #God

Morning Quiet Time: Who Speaks First?

I found two notes in the margin of my Bible as I was reading this morning that stopped me in my tracks. 

The passage was from Exodus 29. It was about the consecration of the priests and I was maybe not paying quite as much attention to priest consecration as I should. When I came to verse 43, I had to backtrack to get the full impact. I'll show you the two verses that spoke to me, then tell you what I learned.

"It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations

 at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the Lord, 

where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. 

And they shall know that I am the Lord their God 

who brought them out of the land of Egypt, 

that I might dwell among them. "  

Exodus 29:42, 46 nasb

My notes in the margin of my Bible (from 2/2005) read:

"The purpose of meeting with God daily is for Him to speak to me."

"The reason for bringing them out of bondage was so that God could dwell with them."

I don't know about you, but sometimes I forget who is supposed to be talking in these early morning quiet times of mine. There are days when my routine goes something like this:

Read a little Scripture. Run through a litany of prayer requests. Proceed to my day.

That's not the way quiet time with the Lord is supposed to go. 

It's not called quiet time because God is supposed to be quiet before us. It's called quiet time because we  are supposed to be quiet before Him. 

I hate to admit this, but I kinda wanted to read over what I'd written yesterday before I got to quiet time this morning. My laptop was in my hand, but I set it aside. "No, Lord. I'd rather hear from You first," I said and reached for my Bible. 

I was cruising through the passage when Exodus 29:42 hit me like a palm to the forehead. "I'd rather speak to you first, too," it seemed as if the Lord said. "I want to dwell with you. That's why I brought you out of your sinful life."

It's what God wants with all of us. He wants to abide, to dwell with us. To speak with us and help us live the kind of lives He intended for us.

We don't have to do life alone. God stands ready to walk through it with us, but the choice is ours.

Will we stop talking long enough to listen? 

Will we step outside our Egypt of sin and allow Him to dwell with us? 

We have a choice to make, and it's one we must make every day. 

No matter how busy we are, no matter how many concerns burden our hearts, the first One who should speak as we begin our day is the Lord God Almighty. If we'll listen, we might find He has exactly the words we needed to hear.

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Our next Friday Night with Friends guest blog will post at 6 pm this Friday night. You don't want to miss it!

In case you missed one of the past week's posts, here are the links: Behavior That Demonstrates Belief, Answered Prayer: The Bulletproof Vest, Bringing Good from Tragedy: Wives of Warriors Make a Difference, Friday Night with Friends: New Beginning, The Temperament Test and Married Oneness, Leaving a Legacy: Choices That Last for Generations, Jumping to Conclusions: The Terrorists That Were Not, Nothing is Impossible: Ayman al-Zawahiri

#quiettime #Godspeaks #chronologicalBible #devotions #JesusChrist #disciple #wordofGod #Biblestudy #Bible

Living like a barren fig tree

“And He began telling this parable: "A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, 'Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?' And he answered and said to him, 'Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.'"”         Luke 13:6-9 NASB

There was a problem with the fig tree. The landowner had provided excellent soil and an attentive vineyard-keeper. Presumably, the vineyard-keeper had already fertilized the tree and dug around it. For three years, the owner had inspected the tree. There must have been leaves, because the tree appeared healthy. The owner had a reasonable expectation of fruit. 

Instead of bearing fruit, however, the tree had soaked up the environment and the advantages provided for it, but done nothing with its opportunities. It had grown taller and borne leaves, as if that were enough.

The mission of a fig tree is to bear figs. 

Much had been given to the fig tree, and fruit was required.

In a way, the fig tree responded to the care lavished on it as if the care was its just due, with nothing required in return. 

The problem with the tree, and with many of us (myself included) is a sense of entitlement. I am not speaking of our right to something for which we have a legitimate claim. If we order something online, we are "entitled" to receive what we have purchased. 

I am speaking of our impression that we have a right to expect a certain lifestyle or certain comforts, simply because of who we are or where we live. For example, when I attended the CRi conference this past November, I stayed in the "conference center". I expected (and felt entitled to) a comfortable bed, climate controlled environment, and a fully-functional bathroom in my room. Instead, I had a sleeping bag and mattress on the floor, no heat in the building, and a non-functional toilet. 

The circumstances were shocking to me, and my initial (emotional) response was not warm and fuzzy. A conscious choice had been made by ministry leaders to allow the circumstances so that the attendees could experience conditions somewhat reminiscent to the ones experienced in Iraq, should we decide to go there with CRi. They also allowed the circumstances to address the pervasive sense of entitlement in the church today.

Addressing my sense of entitlement changed my life. For the better.

We live in a nation of affluence. We have smart phones, smart cars, and smart watches. We drive fancy automobiles, send our children to expensive private schools, and live in oversized houses that are entirely too expensive to maintain. We enjoy it. We don't want to change. I don't want to change.

One of the problems with this lifestyle is that we can easily begin to believe we deserve it. It's our right.

Who are we kidding? Certainly not God. He never promised us smart cars, smart phones, or big houses. He didn't even promise us "mansions", as is commonly believed. He promised that He would go away and prepare a "dwelling place". 

In Jesus' time, when a groom took a wife, he prepared an "insula", or added a room, to the family home. There is a vast difference between an added room and a separate mansion. If we hold to the "mansion" idea, we may surprised when we enter heaven.

This sense of entitlement has dealt a terrible blow to the church. When we see our blessings as just due, we easily forget that much has been given and much is required. 

We can become like the fig tree. Soaking it all in, but giving nothing back in return. 

Our mission is to bear fruit, not just leaves.

When we choose to live like the barren fig tree, we can expect the Master to be upset and frustrated with us. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. It is impossible to do either of those two things without "doing something", without bearing fruit. 

For today, let us thank God that He has provided generously for all our needs and ask Him to do whatever work in us is needed to produce fruit. People around the world live in circumstances that would defeat many of us. We are blessed beyond compare, and much is required.

Let us live as those who know they have been redeemed and bear fruit.

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Our Father, forgive our barren spirits and barren lives. Help us to live in keeping with the blessings you have given us and help us to bear much fruit. In Jesus' name. Amen

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