Teach us to Pray, part 25: Hallowed be thy name: Jehovah Shalom, TheLord is Peace

And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 'Give us each day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" (Luke 11:2-4 NASB)

Jehovah Shalom

The Lord is Peace. What a beautiful promise, especially when we remember that Jesus told his disciples, "My peace I leave with you." John 14:27. In this tumultuous world, filled with war and evil and sin, peace is in short supply, even among God's people. It's easy to forget that we're the ones who should have an abundance of peace in the midst of trouble.

Perhaps part of the reason we lack peace is that we don't understand what it means to have it. It's not the absence of conflict, trouble, or sorrow. Shalom, translated as peace or absence of strife, is derived from the word shâlêm. This Hebrew word means "to be complete" or "to be sound." 

Jehovah Shalom is used only once in Scripture and is found in Judges 6:24. This is the story of Gideon. Because of their sin, God had given Israel into the hands of the Midianites for seven years. It had been a horrible time, because the Midianites destroyed all the crops as well as all the livestock. Not only had they brought war, but they had imposed famine. Somehow, Gideon had wheat and, in an attempt to preserve it and hide it from the Midianites, was beating it out inside the wine press. (This was likely a dug hole in the ground with a drain that allowed the juice to run out after the grapes were crushed. Depending on the vineyard, this could have been a deep hole.) 

An angel of the Lord came to Gideon and addressed him as "valiant warrior". This was an interesting choice of terms, because Gideon saw himself as a nobody who was worth nothing. He felt completely inadequate. "The Lord is with you," the angel told him. Gideon's answer was just a little surprising. (this is the Leanna paraphrase) "Yeah, right. If He's with us, why are the Midianites whipping us so bad? And what happened to all His great miracles? We don't have any miracles now. If God is so great, where is He and why isn't He helping us?" 

What happened next must have been so surprising to Gideon. The angel looked straight at Gideon and told him to get going and deliver Israel from the Midianites. "God hasn't abandoned Israel, Gideon. He has sent you." What a word that is! 

If I could only remember those words every day, what a difference I might make in the world around me. God hasn't abandoned America, He has sent you, Leanna. In fact, He has sent every one of us to live in obedience and make His difference in our world, so it is imperative that we recognize this and get started. Why not join with me in making that mighty difference? It is not too late to save our nation.

Back to Gideon. He could not believe what he had heard. He needed a sign, so he ran back in his house to get a "peace offering", then put it on a rock. The angel took his staff and touched the meat and the bread. Fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the offering. Finally, Gideon was convinced that he had been in the presence of the angel of the Lord and was frightened, thinking he might drop dead because he had seen the face of the angel of God. 

"Peace to you, do not fear," the angel said to Gideon. Judges 6:23. Gideon had no peace of his own. He was a frightened young man who had lived his life in insignificance. When that angel spoke peace (shalom) to him, however, he was given the peace of God and it changed his life. The strife outside Gideon (the war with the Midianites) did not change at that moment. Instead, God completely filled Gideon with wholeness of spirit and removed the fear and the turmoil that had raged within him. Gideon was given the kind of peace that does not depend on circumstances, but on the truth of the power of God.

The peace of God is something you and I can have for ourselves. We, too, can be completed with peace. I learned this verse from Isaiah as a child and it still speaks to me today.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: 

because he trusteth in Thee. 

Isaiah 26:3 KJV

When I focus my mind steadfastly on the Lord, trusting only in Him, He will not only give me peace, He will keep me in perfect peace! How amazing! All that is required to have peace and keep it is to look constantly, consistently to our Lord in every situation.

The Apostle Paul knew about having peace in every situation and he wrote about it in his letter to the Philippians.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6-7 

If I want peace, I can have it, but I must choose it. In my choosing, I take my fear, my concern, my needs to our Lord with thanksgiving. I am to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, giving thanks when I don't feel like it, as I pray.

How do we hallow the name of Jehovah Shalom? Paul makes it clear that you cannot choose to have anxiety and peace simultaneously. Which do we want? Peace or fear. If we want the Shalom of Jehovah, it can be ours. Honoring His name begins by focusing our hearts and minds on the Peace Giver, allowing Him to give us His peace until we are completely filled by it and kept in it.

Peace. It can be ours if we will accept it. Shalom. 

If you are interested in reading more about peace, you might enjoy this blog post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/09/waiting-on-jesus-part-14.html

Hurricane Irma: Waiting for Destruction but Praying for Peace

Irma is on my mind. 

I love the islands, the slower pace, and the simple way of life. I was married on Jamaica, vacationed in the Virgin Islands, and have friends and fellow missionaries in the Bahamas, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. I have family and friends in Florida.

I dread the devastating destruction that a category 5 hurricane can cause. There's nowhere I want Irma to make landfall. I've seen people praying God will shift the storm to the east. This morning, it appears Irma has shifted a little, but it won't stop the storm. It will put a different set of people I care about in harm's way. 

I'm praying the storm dissipates and doesn't make further landfall at all, even though it's already hit St. Martin and St. Barth. The livecam videos I've seen so far this morning look terrible. "Engulfed" is one description being offered of the storm's path through those islands. 

I don't want devastation for any island, any group of people. I hope you don't, either. 

This morning, I'm reminded of the nighttime storm that developed in the Sea of Galilee two centuries ago. It seemed as if the fishing boat they were in would surely sink. The disciples panicked. Jesus slept. 

When they roused him, He rolled off his makeshift cot, stood up, and raised His holy hands. "Peace, be still," He told the storm, and it did. (Mark 4:39) The storm stopped and the disciples moved from panic to a holy fear of the God-man before them. 

"He controls the wind and waves?" they asked each other in wonder. Yes, He does, they realized.

And He still does. Whether it's a storm of trouble in our lives, the aftermath of a storm that's recently hit, or a storm in the ocean that's raging toward land, our God can still command the storms.

As we await Irma's destructive force, please join me in praying what Jesus did when the storm threatened destruction so long ago. Peace. Be still. 

While we're praying peace for the storm, let's also pray that for ourselves. Peace. Be still. Ponder the majesty and wonder of the One who created and sustains this world and all that's in it. Bow before Him and thank Him that He hears our prayers and answers. 

Peace. Be still...

" Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When You Want to be a Ninja Warrior but You Think You Can't

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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.

Caregiver Chronicles: Choosing Familiar and Rejecting Change

Sam and I had a big day yesterday. Helen Singh, one of our missionaries in India, is here for a few weeks. She'd offered to cook a traditional Indian curry for our Home Office staff. She's an impressive woman and I wanted a chance to spend a little time with her, so I planned to go.

The only problem was no sitter for Sam. Since God hadn't sent someone to help, I decided to take Sam with me. He loves going and he loves being around people, so I thought it would be the perfect outing. 

It was. Sorta.

Helen warned us the curry was spicy, so Sam said, "Don't you put much on my plate. I'm not eating spicy food." Helen was right. (It was spicy but delicious.) Sam was right, too. He ate one bite.

"How about some chocolate cake, Sam?" He loves chocolate cake, so I felt sure he'd eat it. I gave him a big piece. It turns out he loves Jamie's chocolate cake. Not all chocolate cake. (Jamie is Sam's now-deceased wife.) 

I was truly surprised when he said, "I'll just eat when we get back home." What he really wanted was pureed roast, mashed potatoes, peas, and Ensure. 

Sam said he wanted to try something new but, when confronted with new, what he actually wanted was something familiar.

If we're honest, most of us, when encountering something new that's not entirely comfortable, will want to rush back to the familiar. All too often, that's exactly what we do.

The problem with chasing the familiar instead of embracing the adventure comes when the adventure is God-sent. 

Whether it's a new job, a new home, a new routine, or a new baby in the family, change is unsettling. Sometimes, it's downright hard. If we equate familiar with easy, it's no wonder we want to reject hard to get the easy again.

When Jesus called us to follow Him, He didn't say one word about easy. Or about familiar. What He said was, in this world we'll have trouble, but He's already overcome all the trouble we'll ever have, so hang on, take heart, and keep going. (That's the Leanna paraphrase)

Someone asked me my requirements as a speaker recently and I gave him this answer. "My only requirement is certainty that God's called me to it." If we know the "new" we've encountered is God's will, we can be sure He'll go with us through it and bring us out on the other side. Even if that "new" is hard, we can also be sure it'll be worth it in the end.

We have the opportunity to do the same old things in the same old way and get the same old results. We can stay stuck in the familiar or invite God to give us a new adventure of faith. Which will we choose? Same old same old or something new?

I choose the adventure of God and love this ever-changing life He's given me.

Sam and I learned a month ago that life can change in an instant. One minute he was in his home of 60 years and the next he was living with me in the "big house." One minute I lived alone and the next I was caring for an elderly hospice patient in my home. 

The change was new and different and hard. It was also God-ordained and He's right in the middle of it with us. He's carrying us through and we both agree on one thing. It's worth it.

What God-adventure has He placed in your path? Why not embrace it and allow God to do something new in you and through you. It might not be comfortable, but it'll be worth it.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 nasb
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#discipleslife

Please like and share to extend our digital reach. 

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The Sale Tops and the Power of Leftover Grain

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

#disciplelife 

When the Answer I Needed Was Already Written in the Margin

When Ryan was a little boy, he came home from TCPS one day, full of information. "Hey, Mom. Do you know why Psalm 37 says not to fret three times?"

"No, Ryan. Why is that?"

"Because God really means it. 'Don't fret.' You should read that Psalm. It might help you a lot."

Out of the mouths of babes.

I'd had quite a bit on my mind, and I'd done a bit of fretting. As Ryan tried to tell me, none of my fretting was really necessary. None of it helped anything. All of it was sin. (Originally, I wrote that it was "probably sin" but realized that, if God said do not do it, disobedience to that command was sin.)

I repented, but, over time, my concerns piled up once more and I fretted again.

I'm not talking agonizing, terrified, frantic worry. I "just fretted", but Psalm 37 strictly forbid it. "Fret not." How much plainer could it be? I repented again.

Last week, I had accumulated a mountain of concerns. My son, Ryan. Sam. Ministry. Spiritual warfare. Finding ministry partners. Making prayer cards. Connecting with senior citizens. Getting updates from missionaries. Fundraising. Sam's swallowing. My town. Vandalism at the park. Our sidewalk grant application.The list seemed endless. I was about to drown in concern. (AKA fretting)

I was like Martha (sister of Mary). Concerned about many things when only one thing was needful. You might think I'd remember Martha, but no. I didn't.

Fretting is exhausting work, and, by Sunday morning, I was worn out. I settled in for quiet time and got serious. "Lord, You have to give me some clear direction. I don't know what to do. I'm just worn out with worrying about all this, and I don't know what to do about any of it. Forgive me. Please speak to me today."

That seemed like a prayer God would want to answer, so I headed to church with expectation.  I needed an answer, and God was sure to give it before the day was out. 

Pastor Scooter frequently delivers the very word I've needed to hear, often before I ask God for it, so I expected an 11:00 delivery time. You can't imagine how surprised I was in Sunday school when my "word" arrived early.

"Let's turn to Acts 5," Steadman Harrison (my Sunday School teacher and CEO of Global) told us.

I missed a good bit of what he said after we turned there, because my answer was written in the margin of my Bible, just waiting for me. It had been there for years. Literally. 

"When God wants to do something, there is no demon in hell strong enough to stop Him. My emphasis needs to be on OBEDIENCE, and not warfare."

While Steadman taught with enthusiasm, I had a silent conversation in my heart with our Lord. 

"Just obey? That's the plan?"

"Just obey. That's not all the plan, but it's the part you're supposed to do. I've got the rest."

"So... you're talking about the prayer project with the senior citizens?"

"Yep. And the other things I've said. You just do what I've told you to do already. I can handle the rest."

I don't really want to admit this last part, but I might as well. "You don't need me to help you with that?"

I'm a little surprised about this, but God chose not to dignify that question with an answer. 

I gave Him the answer He wanted. "Okay."

It was what He'd been waiting to hear from me during the weeks I'd spent fretting. I quit trying to figure it out and simply committed myself to doing what He'd said. 

The peace I gained with that decision was monumental. 

There's great freedom in simple obedience, especially when it's not complicated with fretting. 

To make the issue of fretting perfectly clear, God has spoken very clearly in His Word. It's not from Him. We are not to do it. It's sin.

Because of my Sunday epiphany, I've altered my schedule. I still start my day at 5 am, and, whether at Global or working from home, I still have long hours. What's different is the self-imposed pressure to figure out God's plan and my part in it or to try to orchestrate the outcome I think He wants.

It's God's job to reveal the plan. My job is to seek Him. If He wants me to do something, He'll let me know. The Holy Spirit is an expert at conviction. 

Today, let's stop fretting about the concerns in our lives, give those concerns to God, and accept the peace He so freely offers. When we do, we'll find that peace doesn't come alone. It brings joy and contentment, as well.

"...do not fret, it leads only to evildoing." Psalm 37:8 nasb
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: What Becoming A Missionary Taught Me About Myself
#peace #worry

The Sweetness of Snuggling

I'm working my way through the Psalms in my morning devotions and found a verse this morning that was too precious not to share. 

"Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; 

Like a weaned child rests against his mother, 

My soul is like a weaned child within me." 

Psalm 131:2 nasb

David wrote a precious word-picture of his relationship with the Lord. He was writing about the hope he had in the Lord. In the previous verse, he said he didn't involve himself in "great matters or things too difficult for me". 

Although David was a warrior-king who united the nation and took it to its finest hour, he still considered himself a simple man with a simple faith. He described his relationship with the Lord in simple terms, too.

When a child is tired, upset, or afraid, he quiets himself by snuggling against his mother's chest. She wraps her arms around him, holds him tight, and croons to him with the sweet language of mother-love. The child burrows into her embrace and is calmed. Composed. Quieted.

In that same way, when David needed comfort and quiet, he spent time in the presence of his Lord. For him, the time was like a child snuggling against his mother. He found comfort and peace there.

We, too, can find that same snuggling-comfort with our Lord when we approach Him with humility, thanksgiving, and praise. When we abandon our wish-list and are still in His presence, we can find the calm, composed, quiet that David found.

For a moment let's remember the times we snuggled against our own mother, the times we snuggled our own children.

Now, consider having that same sweet comfort with our Lord. 

Ah, how precious.

It can be ours, if we will but be approach Him with our longing and be still long enough to let Him draw us close and love us.

Today, be still. Be quiet. Listen to the sound of our Lord all around us. Snuggle in to His love and embrace the deep intimacy of Jehovah-shalom, The God Who Is Our Peace.
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The photo above is of a fountain in Nazareth, Jesus' earthly home town.
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Lesson three of the Hosea study is now live and here's the link: http://lessonsindiscipleship.blogspot.com/2016/05/hosea-3-complete-chapter.html

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The Not-so-secret Password (http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-not-so-secret-password.html) 

#knowingGod #peace #intimacywithGod #snuggle

#writerslife and the Power of Words

Last night was great fun. I attended the library fundraiser, A Novel Affair, as a guest of my friend, Sadie Buchanan. The table of people she had assembled was a perfect mix of long-time friends and new. We talked non-stop, catching up on each other's lives.

From the time I entered the room, people I hadn't seen in ages asked what I'm doing now. 

"Writing," was my answer every time. 

"I'd heard that," several people said, a dubious expression on their faces.

I tried hard not to laugh. Many years ago, I considered trying to be a writer. The only writer I could imagine was Ernest Hemingway. His didn't seem like a life I wanted to emulate. 

I wondered how they envisioned my life.

"I couldn't come up with the first sentence? Do you like writing?" 

"For sure. I get up at 4:00 in the morning to be sure I can write uninterrupted. It's my favorite." 

My questioner just shook her head.

There's a verse that sums up how I feel about being a writer.

My heart overflows with a good theme;

I address my verses to the King;

My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Psalm 45:1 nasb

The next verse says "Grace is poured through Thy lips..." That's what I want my writing to be. Grace from God, poured through His lips to my heart, spilling out my pen and onto the page.

If I don't achieve that every time, the fault is mine alone.

When it happens, though, it's pure ecstasy, and the joy of it sustains me until the next time.

Some people take delight in a well-hammered nail. Some in an accurate diagnosis or an A1c under perfect control. I like those, too, but I take delight in a well-turned phrase.

Earlier this week, one character talked to another about the peace he'd found when he'd given God his grief and guilt. 

"You can’t measure it or see it, but when peace fills your heart, you know it’s there."

Yesterday, another character told about the last time she was arrested and the peace she'd found in an unlikely place. 

"For the first time, I understood the price of my sin and I wanted to be free of it. I wept a river of tears in that jail cell, but the most profound peace I’d ever known enveloped me and, sitting on a rough cot in a dark, lonely jail cell, I was forgiven and redeemed." 

Broken people find wholeness in Christ. Tormented people find the peace that passes all understanding.

It's the story of my life. It's the story of my characters. 

One day, I hope, these stories will make as much of a difference as the perfectly controlled blood pressure and the elegantly lowered glucose that used to be my goal. 

If grace spills onto the pages, the difference they make might even be more. 

Words matter, whether we're full-time writers or not. Let's be sure our words spill grace onto all we meet.

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Be sure to check the updated Prayer List 

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In case you missed one of the past week's posts, here are the links:  You are Greatly Loved, A Little Taste of Heaven: Body of Christ, Friday Night with Friends: Food and Faith, The Priest Job, Telling the Good News,  When Good People Run Things: Considering the Presidential Candidates and Deciding How to Vote, Sharing the Blessings of God, Grumbling with the Rabble and Getting What We Want, Honoring Our Heroes

#writerslife #powerofwords#peace #JesusChrist #linesfromleanna #LeannaHollis 

The Squeeze Chute of Distress

photo courtesy of freeimages.com

"I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!”

Luke 12:49-50 NASB

We have started a new series based on the last few verses in Luke 12. Jesus was speaking prophetically of things that were to come, not all in the distant future.

We started this series with a lesson about the fire of persecution. Previously, we've studied lessons from the life of Tyndale. Yesterday, we studied Christ's baptism of suffering.

Today we turn to the emotional impact of the coming baptism of suffering. The word translated as "distressed" is synechō and indicates the anguish of being "pressed in". The idea is that of a cow being pressed in by a cattle squeeze chute. The cow is led in and the sides of the chute are tightened against the cow's sides so that the cow cannot move. It is completely hemmed in. This allows care to be done safely, so that neither the animal nor the humans working with the animal are harmed. 

The interesting thing about the squeeze chute is that, for cows at least, the chute calms them. When it squeezes against the cow, all resistance fades. The cow settles and stands still. 

The prospect of His death loomed like a cattle squeeze chute for Jesus. It squeezed tighter and tighter against Him until the Cross was all He could see. He dreaded it. He hated it. He agonized about it. 

Despite the agony already building inside Him, Jesus poured love into His disciples, into the crowd following Him, and into all those who were desperate for His care. 

Jesus preached peace and forgiveness even as the squeeze chute of death tightened against Him.

The prospect of a frightening, painful future did not stop Jesus. He clearly didn't relish the job God had given Him to do, but He pressed on. He did what needed to be done and He did it with joy.

I could learn from His example, if I would. We all could.

With the worst possible situation looming before Him, Jesus still loved. Still served. Still reached out to those less fortunate. Still drew sinners to Himself.

What if we acted like Jesus, no matter the circumstances of our lives? What if we took the hard times in our lives and presented them as an offering to God? 

I'll tell you what would happen... If we would let go of our anger, our bitterness, our hate of the circumstances in our lives and the people we think are responsible, AND embraced the place God has allowed us to occupy on this earth, it would rock our world. We would soon be filled with the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. People would see the work of God in our lives. It would draw them to Christ. 

Why don't we?

We want our anger, our bitterness, our hate. We want it because we believe we deserve it.

What we don't seem to realize in the midst of the crisis of squeezing is the price we will pay for anger, bitterness, hate. Justified, or not, they steal our peace, steal our joy, steal our witness, and affect our health. Why would we want to lose peace, joy, and an effective witness when we are being squeezed by crisis? Why would we want our negative emotions to rob us of our health?

I've seen this crazy choosing many times, and I always ask WHY? I don't have a good answer, but I wonder if we choose anger, bitterness, hate because we don't believe God is powerful enough to give us something different. We don't believe God will give us peace in the midst of turmoil. We don't believe God can give us joy in the midst of sorrow.

I have great news. God can do it. He's up to the challenge and He gives more joy, more peace, more hope in worse circumstances than our own. He is able. 

We can see the power of God in overcoming the sheer terror of looming agony in the life of Christ. He demonstrated the transforming power of God during His entire ministry. The Cross loomed throughout His three years, yet He was a friend to sinners. Filled with joy. A paragon of peace. Despite the distress.

Something amazing happened to Jesus when the squeezing of his distress became most acute. He chose not to embrace His fear. He chose not to embrace anger, bitterness, or hate. He chose, instead, to relinquish His will to His Father's. 

When Jesus embraced "not My will but Thine be done," it was a great relief, as if the cattle squeeze chute of His distress had done its work. It brought calm and peace.

Not my will, but Thine be done will bring calm and peace to us all if we will embrace it like a life raft, cling to the hope of God, and abandon our so-called "rights" for the undeserved gifts of God.


He is able. He is enough. 

So let us cling to Him instead of to our emotional reaction toward the situation at hand. When we do, we will see the mighty deliverance of our God who loves us.

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Our Father, forgive us our sins, which are many, and help us to cling to You, trust You, abandon our roller-coaster emotions and trust You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

#peace #disciple #notmywillbutthinebedone

Sending the Seventy, part 14: The Kingdom of God Comes Near

But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. (Luke 10:10-12 NASB) 

If the sent ones were to "preach the kingdom of God", it would be helpful to understand what that term means. 

The ISBE gives this description: The Kingdom of God is not one "of worldly splendor and force, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; beginning in humility, and passing to exaltation only through the dark valley of contrition." We have an explanation in the Lord's Prayer, in which He prayed "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The idea here is that, in the Kingdom of God (heaven), God's will is only and always done. When the Kingdom of God "comes" to us, the same will of God is done. When the Kingdom of God comes, righteousness, peace, and the joy of the Lord will fill our hearts. 

The sent ones were to preach about the coming of the Kingdom of God, and some of those who heard them would reject the Kingdom of God altogether.  What about righteousness, peace, and joy are not attractive? What about righteousness, peace, and joy do we want to reject? That three-strand cord of the Kingdom seems, at first glance, altogether lovely and appealing. Why, then, would we reject it? Righteousness. It is an appealing concept but a difficult reality, mainly because it requires change. 

The ISBE has said correctly that the Kingdom of God begins "in humility, and passing to exaltation only through the dark valley of contrition".  We cannot have the righteousness, peace, and joy without first having humility and contrition. (Contrition is a less-commonly used word that means being deeply sorry for your sins and repentant of them.) 

The problem, of course, is that we like our sin and we want to keep it. It seems a bad trade to keep sin and reject peace and joy, but we do, and often on a daily basis. We want what we want and are not willing to allow change to have something better. What madness! 

For those of us who claim to be disciples of Jesus, we should long for the Kingdom of God, not only on earth but also in us. Come, Lord Jesus, and begin Your work of cleansing and change in me. Much like the words to an old spiritual, it's "not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer." We are the ones "standing in the need" of prayer, repentance, and change. 

There is good news, however. The Kingdom of God is near. We can have the righteousness, peace, and joy of God, but only if we are willing to begin in repentance and allow the transformation that only the Spirit of God can bring. 

The amazing thing about the Kingdom of God is that it has "drawn near" to us in the most incredible way. Wrapped in flesh, nestled in a stone manger filled with hay, the righteousness, peace, and joy of God came to us, dwelt with us, and died to redeem us. As we draw near the Christ Child this advent season, may we also draw near to the Kingdom of God. 

Merry Christmas!

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We often want a "fast food" answer to our prayers when what we need is the "crock pot" solution that allows God to do His work completely, in us and our solution. If you are weary in waiting for the answer to your prayer, here's something that can help. The Waiting: When the Answer to Your Prayer is Delayed and Your Hope is Gone, is now available at http://www.leannahollis.com/online-store/ Get your copy today.  

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Here's the link to last night's post on embracing the imperfect and enjoying a less stressful holiday. 

Sending the Seventy, part 8: The Man of Peace

Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. (Luke 10:5-6 NASB)

Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; For the man of peace will have a posterity. (Psalms 37:37 NASB)

When the seventy "sent ones" entered a village, they were to look for a "man of peace" and accept his hospitality. That "man of peace" would be the starting point for their evangelistic efforts. They would share the good news of Jesus and offer healing in His name. If it is important to begin with a "man of peace", how do you recognize him? www.ethnicharvest.org addresses this question and offers the following information. 

"You can identify him or her by three R's, according to Thom Wolf, a leading proponent of the concept who teaches at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. The person of peace (1) is receptive to the Gospel; (2) possesses a reputation to gain attention for the message among family and community; and (3) effectively refers the bearers of good news to that larger group."1

Oddly enough, this "man of peace" type of evangelism has recently been "rediscovered" and has been found to be quite effective in areas previously hostile to the gospel. The method of evangelism Jesus used actually works to bring people to Him! 

The man of peace is a leader in his community, is well-connected, and is receptive to the truth of the gospel. When the man of peace connects the "sent ones" with those in his sphere of influence and those people come to know Jesus, he has an important part in the harvest of souls. What is amazing to me is that the psalmist, writing centuries before Jesus was born, spoke of that very thing. "The man of peace will have a posterity," he wrote, and indeed he does.

The "man of peace" is not just an catchphrase for modern evangelistic efforts, however. We, too, need to be men and women of peace. According to Psalm 37, the man of peace is blameless and upright. Because of the purity of his heart and the depth of his faith, his life is marked by peace. This time of year, more than any other, we speak of the peace Christ came to bring, yet have difficulty keeping our focus on Jesus and His peace rather than the commercialization of the season. Are we men and women of peace? It was what Jesus intended we would be, and He offered His own peace to assure that very thing. 

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27 NASB)

In the midst of a busy season, when the world offers everything except peace, let us turn toward Jesus and embrace the peace that only He can give. May we live in such a way, blameless and upright, that His peace will remain and become a beacon of love and hope in a dark and lonely world.

1)http://www.ethnicharvest.org/links/articles/bridges_man_of_peace.htm

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The new book, The Waiting: When the Answer to Your Prayer is Delayed and Your Hope is Gone, as well as The Clay Papers and The Road to Bethlehem (an advent devotional guide) are now available at http://www.leannahollis.com/online-store/ Get your copy today.  

Sending the Seventy, Part 7: Speaking Peace

Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. (Luke 10:5-7 NASB)

As Jesus continued to preach, teach, and do miracles of healing, His ministry moved from the local synagogues, where he was no longer consistently welcome, to private homes and fields. When He sent the seventy, He anticipated that they would begin in private homes, likely telling the good news of Jesus over a meal, perhaps following the meal with prayers for healing (accompanied by that miraculous healing only Christ can bring). When they entered a home, they were to offer a blessing of peace. This was not the formal greeting in common use. Instead, they were to speak a blessing of peace over the home and its inhabitants. If a man of peace was there, a man willing to receive the peace of God, He said, their blessing would rest on him. They could speak the blessing with confidence, knowing that the peace of God would actually rest on the man who was willing to receive it. To make this absolutely clear, they were not just making a pretty speech of words. They were literally offering the peace of God. 

After the giving of a blessing of peace to those in the home was received, the sent ones were to accept the hospitality of this peace-filled home. In the way that only Christ can do, the blessing they gave also blessed them. It was not just that they felt satisfied about being obedient in giving the blessing. They actually also received the blessing they gave away! 

When you think about this, it is truly amazing. With a few words, these sent ones could offer peace, recognize one willing to receive it, and have a peaceful lodging. Even better, if the greeting of peace were not received, they did not have to stay there. Jesus intended that they would dwell in peace and He made arrangements in advance so that they could do so. 

That peace that only God can give is available to all who will receive it, and, as a result, we, too, can live in peace. We, too, can offer peace, knowing the Source of that peace, and be confident that those who are willing can receive greater peace than they ever imagined. It all starts with the peace of God in our own hearts, for we cannot give what we do not have. 

Were I with you today, I would speak a blessing of peace to you. May this written blessing suffice.

Peace be to your home and all who dwell there, in the name of Jesus. 

Receive the peace only our Lord Jesus can give, then speak the peace to all who will receive it. 

Dwell in peace. 

Go in peace. 

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The new book, The Waiting: When the Answer to Your Prayer is Delayed and Your Hope is Gone, as well as The Clay Papers and The Road to Bethlehem (an advent devotional guide) are now available at http://www.leannahollis.com/online-store/ Get your copy today.  

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The link to last night's post is here: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/12/cats-at-door-problem-of-sin-and-miracle.html

Waiting on Jesus, part 14:

And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." (Luke 8:48 NASB)

"Go in peace," Jesus said to the woman who had been healed. Peace. What a beautiful thought! The woman had spent the last twelve years dealing with a hemorrhage, unclean as a result, isolated, alone. Her illness had changed her life, her relationships. It had been costly, and not just financially. She must have had twelve years of grief and inner turmoil. In an instant, she was made well. In an instant, Jesus replaced her turmoil with peace. 

The word translated as "peace" is not shalom, as you might expect. Shalom is usually used to indicate a state of "wholeness" or "at one".  The word used here is eirēnē. This word is more indicative of relationships, and signifies harmony in relationships with God and men. It indicates an inner quiet, free of turmoil, dissension, and strife. 

For a woman who had endured twelve very hard years, during which she had been isolated and become impoverished as a result of the disease, there must have been a tendency toward resentment and anger, if not toward God, then toward those around her. "Let it go," He was saying. Jesus was telling her to leave the resentment, anger, dissension behind. She was not only to go healed, she was to go forth in harmony with all around her. She was to go "in peace".  

His instruction to go in peace indicates a responsibility on her part for the peace. Her healing had come through a well-made choice of faith in Jesus and well-done action to reach out to Him. Her peace would come through an ongoing choice for harmony. 

Those three words, go in peace, sound lovely and simple, don't they? They are simple, but they are also filled with the challenge of a lifetime. How often are you tempted toward disharmony, either toward God or man? Choose peace. There may be disagreements with others, and there are times when standing up for right requires unavoidable conflict. Even in the midst of those difficulties, we can have inner peace. We should have inner peace. 

The words of Jesus for the woman who was healed are words we would do well to heed. Is there anger, dissension, resentment in your heart?  Let it go, and go in peace. 

Pray today that we and our loved ones would be so filled with the harmony of peace that it would spill over to all we meet. 

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Link to last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/09/nibbling-on-hay.html

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ISIS has been threatening to behead another journalist, and may well have already done it. Please pray for those in their captivity and their families, those in leadership who need to choose a response to this tyranny, as well as for divine intervention in this situation.