What To Do When Criminals Steal the Air Conditioner Out of Your Window

When criminals stole the air conditioner from my pottery shop window, I received an opportunity to act like Jesus, and, I'm sorry to say, I wasn't too happy to about it. It takes a lot of bold to pull up to a street on a busy highway and steal the air conditioner out of the front window. 

I was shocked and hurt and frightened. I felt violated. Vulnerable. 

My first response was not prayer. 

I'm sorry to say that, but it's the truth. My first response was shock, and hurt, and anger. 

I considered doing a stake out in the dark to try to catch them if they came back. One of my close friends offered to help me. "We could take them," she assured me. I had a fleeting vision of throwing a pottery vase at a criminal.  That scenario was not likely to end well. 

Fortunately, good sense prevailed. 

At first, I didn't really care about the reason for the crime, but I eventually came to "why". Why would they steal the air conditioner? It's certainly not hot enough to need an air conditioner, but, of course, it wasn't need that drove them. 

If they'd needed food, they could have come to me and I'd have fed them. This crime wasn't about food for the hungry, either.

Most likely they wanted money. Probably for drugs.

An investigation is underway. I hope the detective catches them. Somewhere between shock and anger, I came to the thought that jail would be a good thing for these criminals. Not that jail would bring justice, but because jail would bring an opportunity for someone to share Christ with them. Jail would offer a defining moment for my criminals to accept Jesus.

It took me a few hours to move past hurt, anger, and fear to praying for these criminals, but I'm on it now. It's a kind of divine retribution, and I'm praying big.

I'm praying they get caught, go to jail, and hear the good news of Jesus. 

I'm praying they accept Him and are so transformed that they turn from their wicked ways and become true disciples. Maybe a pastor or a missionary. 

I'm praying the evil one's hold on their lives is broken, and they are set free by the Blood of the Lamb.

I'm praying this is the last time they ever steal anything.

If I can think of anything bigger than serving Christ with a whole heart, I'll pray that, too.

Praying for our enemies is not just a suggestion. It's a command, and it benefits us more than it does our enemy. Those prayers changed fear and anger into peace. They stopped hate right in its tracks. They allowed me to sleep, undisturbed, even after a very disturbing violation.

Believe it or not, those prayers have given me a sense of anticipation. I can't wait to see how God works this out.

Last night, I wanted to have a few words with my criminals. This morning, I still want a word, but the words I want to share are a little different. 

"Welcome to my world, criminals. You won't escape unscathed. I've turned you over to my Father. He'll deal with you now." 

That may not sound like much, but its the best (and probably scariest) news a criminal could ever hear. 

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you..." Matthew 5:44 KJV
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The photo above is not my pottery shop window. It's courtesy of freeimages.com and is a view of Paris.
In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Being a Human Road Sign

Update on Sam's Kids Boot Project: $4425 raised so far. That's 368 pairs of boots! Still a long way to go, but we've made an excellent start. In case you still want to donate, here's the link: www.globaloutreach.org/sams-kids
You can also mail a check or money order to: (Be sure to put Acct # 4852 in the subject line)

Sam's Kids

c/o Global Outreach 

PO Box 1

Tupelo MS 38802 

Thanks for your help!

#prayforyour enemy #Jesus

Golden Words

Psalm 56 was part of the Chronological Bible daily reading for today. At the top of Psalm were these words: "A Mikhtam of David."

The word "Mikhtam" (according to biblestudytools.com) means "golden" and indicates words that are so precious that they have been written down on a tablet to preserve them. The words of this psalm, then, are considered of great value, like gold. In a way, they are golden words.

This psalm was written by David during the time when Saul was pursuing him to murder him. The situation had become so precarious that David had taken refuge with the Philistines in Gath. The Philistines were enemies of Israel. David seeking refuge there would be like us leaving the United States to take refuge with a terrorist cell to hide from people in our homeland who sought to hurt us.

David was caught between two terrible choices. If he stayed home, he faced certain death from Saul or non-stop fighting and hiding to avoid it. If he went to the Philistines, he faced possible death and non-stop fighting and hiding to avoid it. There was no good option. 

It's clear from these words that David was weary and afraid to the point of tears. But. He had put his trust in God and he made a concious decision to keep his trust in God, not man.

That introduction made me want to see exactly what words would be considered golden. As I read through the psalm, I found these words:

"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.

In God, whose word I praise,

In God I have put my trust;

I shall not be afraid.

What can mere man do to me?"

"Thou has taken account of my wanderings; 

Put my tears in Thy bottle; Are they not in Thy book?"

Psalm 56:3,4, 8 nasb

In the midst of death threats, misunderstandings, and deliberate distortion of his words, despite his fear and sorrow and fatigue, David had a choice to make. He could give in to despair or cling to his faith.

David chose faith.

David chose hope.

David chose worship and thanksgiving.

Why? David recognized the watch care of God. God knew him, knew where he was and what he faced. He also knew that God would keep every promise He had given David.

In the midst of hard times, we, too, may be overwhelmed with sorrow and fear, but we don't have to stay in that mindset. We can, like David, choose faith, hope, worship, thanksgiving because we have not been forgotten or overlooked. We, too, serve a God who knows the circumstances we face and always keeps His promises.

They are golden words, indeed. No need to fear. God is on His throne and He will not be thwarted. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's blog post:
The Totality of Trouble and Complete Deliverance

In case you missed one of the Sam stories, here are the links:

Hunger and the Importance of Having Enough

Education and Reading the Bible

The Importance of I Love You
Just Plain Sam
Abominations, The Bible, and Praying for Our Nation
The Importance of Your Word
#MondayMotivation #fear #hope

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.

~~~~~~~

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

Considering the lilies: Choosing freedom from fear, worry, selfishness

"Consider the lilies, how they grow... And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.                                       (Luke 12:27, 29-32 NASB)

The lily series continues, mainly because I've enjoyed learning about the lilies.  I hate to leave it. We began this series by considering the lily bulb. In case you missed any part of the series, you can click on the links to catch up. We've also considered lily propagation,  lily's disposition, true lilies and the importance of the name, the importance of planting the lily bulb deep in the ground, the different varieties of lilies, and  living the lily life. Yesterday, we examined seeking the kingdom. 

Today, we look at the "DO NOT's". The world often thinks of religion in terms of "thou shalt not's". To the unbeliever, Christianity seems more like a list of don'ts than do's, a divine dictatorship rather than a relationship. If they only knew... 

The "don't's" of faith are for our protection and generally come with a "do" alternative. (Maybe not in the same verse, but if you look for it, you can find it.)

There are three "don't's" in this passage and they aren't what most people think of when they hear "thou shalt not". 

1. Do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink. 

 The word translated as "seek" is not a casual hide and seek game. We might think of it as  a demanding search, determined to have what we want. Jesus is warning us against demanding a certain kind of consumption. 

The implication is for us to be content with simple fare. We may want caviar and lobster, but that doesn't mean we should have it. Let's give up our selfishness and our sense of entitlement.

The most commonly eaten food in the world is rice. The diet in many countries is composed largely of rice. Not caviar. Not filet mignon. We would likely improve our health if we did not "seek" (demand) a certain diet, but were satisfied with a simple diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Okay, lean meats, too for the omnivores among us. (My physician side is shouting this morning.) 

2. Do not keep worrying.

Jesus knows us, doesn't He? We don't just worry for a moment. We keep on worrying. Agonizing, soul-wrenching worry. We fill our lives with what if's and miss the here and now. It's not the way we were intended to live. 

Jesus told us not to keep worrying because there is no need to worry. Our Heavenly Father has the world in His capable hands. He can handle our lives. So take every thought captive. Make a choice to obey. Stop worrying. Stop it. 

Here's a motivator for those of us who have trouble with worry. Jesus told us not to keep worrying. When I refuse to obey Jesus by continuing to worry, it is sin.

How do we stop worrying? Take our thoughts captive. Stop rehearsing our worry. Speak truth. Quote Scripture aloud. Pray. 

3. Do not be afraid.

I love this particular admonition. "Do not be afraid, little flock." The Good Shepherd is speaking here to His lambs and reminds me of Psalm 23. "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." As our Shepherd, He has accepted the responsibility of providing for our needs. We are not to allow fear to drive our actions. Momentary fear should drive us to Christ. In His presence, fear flees. 

Will we stop doing what Jesus says not to do? We must, so that we can live free of selfishness, entitlement, demanding, worry, and fear. 

Choose to live as free men and women. It's the way Christ intended us to live.

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Our Father, Our Shepherd and our Lord, forgive me for my selfish demanding, my worry, my fear. Help me to trust you and to follow you. Help me to live free, for You bought that freedom with Your blood. In Jesus name, Amen.

The One thing we should fear

"I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5 NASB)

"Don't be afraid," Jesus was saying. (We looked at this in yesterday's post. You can see it here.) Even if someone threatens to kill you, even if they do kill you, I've got this, He told his disciples. Being killed is not the worst thing that could happen. Going to hell is the worst thing. Everything else pales in comparison.

I don't have to be afraid, and neither do you. There is only one thing we should fear, Jesus told His disciples. Fear God, who has the final say about our eternal destiny. He is omnipotent and He makes the rules about who spends eternity with Him and who does not. 

The word translated as fear is phobos and indicates a reverential fear. According to Vine's, this is "not a mere 'fear' of His power and righteous retribution, but a wholesome dread of displeasing Him." This kind of fear, it says, should "inspire a constant carefulness" in the way we act, both toward God and toward our fellow man.

We serve a God of grace and love and mercy, all of which He offers willingly to us. We can have His grace, love, and mercy in abundance. BUT. We will have them on His terms. 

As parents, we make rules for our family and expect them to be followed. When rules are broken, there are consequences. The point of rules is not to be mean. The rules serve to create order, ensure safety, respect authority, and make an environment conducive to the expression of love and joy. The rules, when followed, bring peace.

The One who is Creator and Sustainer of the Universe has also made rules for those of us who live here. He expects us to follow them. The point is not to be mean. Like the rules in my home, they are designed to create order, ensure safety, respect authority, and make an environment conducive to love and joy. The rules make a peaceful place to live.

The issue of eternity is pretty simple. We can choose heaven or we can choose hell. If we choose hell, we can do anything we want. It won't matter what we do; there will always be a place waiting for us in hell. If we choose heaven, that choice comes with a caveat. Choosing heaven means choosing God. It means we try to do things His way. 

Love as He loved. 
Give as He gave. 
Serve as He served.

There is one thing for certain. We will choose. Whether we intend to or not, we will make a choice about our eternal destiny by the life we live and the One we serve (or don't serve). What kind of choice are you making with your life?

~~~~~~~

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. (Psalms 103:10-11 NASB)

Our Father, You have not given us what we deserve and we thank you. Your lovingkindness toward those who fear, respect, honor You is too great to measure, and we thank You. Give us a dread of displeasing You and a constant carefulness in how we live. Give us a heart that fears You so that we can love, give, serve as You have loved, given, and served us.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

How to stop being afaid

"I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5 NASB)

Jesus knew His disciples would face persecution. He knew they would live under the constant threat of death. He knew that some of them would die horrific deaths because of their faith in Him.  He knew what they would face, and He told them, so they wouldn't be surprised. I love that about Him. 

God knows everything we will face and nothing takes Him by surprise. Often, He gives us a heads-up about what is coming, so we won't be surprised, either. I love that about Him, too. The "uneasy feeling" of trouble coming? That's not a sixth sense.  It's God, preparing us for what's ahead.

He knows about the terrible diagnosis we will hear when the tests come back. He knows about the loved one who goes astray, the husband who leaves, the wife who has an affair, the lost job, the financial crisis. He knows.

What is even more precious to me is that He knows about our fear. He knows that the thought of a trial is often worse than the trial itself. I look back on some of the hardest times of my life. At the beginning, I was scared out of my mind. Looking back now, I see those times as some of the most precious of my life. Why? Because I didn't go it alone. God was with me every step of the way through. My fear was pointless, a wasted exercise in futility.

"Fear not" is angel talk. That's what they always say to us when they come. I wish we could grasp "fear not" and hold on to it. We don't have to be afraid, because we are not going it alone. 

 Fear not is God-talk, too. "Don't be afraid," Jesus was saying. Even if someone threatens to kill you, even if they do kill you, I've got this, He told his disciples. Being killed is not the worst thing that could happen. Going to hell is the worst thing. Everything else pales in comparison.

It's time we got our fear straight. We are full of so many fears. We fear rejection, failure, loss, disease, pain, suffering, death. We fear, so we live our lives trying to avoid the very thing we fear. 

I used to do that. Finally, I got it. When Jesus said "don't be afraid," He meant it. I don't have to be afraid.  I can choose something different. I can choose fearlessness. 

So I did.

I stopped being afraid. 

I'm not perfect at it. I still struggle with it. But mostly, I'm done with it. 

Experience has taught me that there is nothing that will ever come my way that God cannot handle. He's got this life of mine. Even when I mess up, He's got it.

I am in expert hands, and you can be, too.

Make a choice. Change your life. Give your fear away to the One who abolishes fear and be done with fear. You will love how knowing without a doubt that God is in control of your life opens up your possibilities. Nothing is too hard for Him, so nothing is too hard for you.

It is life-changing.

Why not be done with fear? How? Give your fear to God and embrace what He gives instead.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; 

but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

     (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV)

* * *

God of all power, help me to be done with fear today. Replace my fear with You power, Your love, and a sound mind that comes only from You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Teach us to pray, part 66: Distinguishing of spirits

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  1 Corinthians 12:7- 10 NASB 

Our current series started as a study on the Model Prayer as given in Luke 11. The chapter continued with lessons on prayer and, in Luke 11:13, Jesus promised that our heavenly Father would give the Holy Spirit to us if we ask for Him. To understand what receiving the Holy Spirit involves, we have taken a detour through the passage in 1 Corinthians 12. Today, we come to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit whereby the recipient has the ability of distinguishing of spirits. 

Matthew Henry describes this as the ability or power to "distinguish between true and false prophets, or to discern the real and internal qualifications of any person for an office, or to discover the inward workings of the mind by the Holy Ghost. (One example would be Peter/Ananias in Acts 5:3) MacArthur clarifies this further. "Christians with the gift of discernment have the God-given ability to recognize lying spirits and to identify deceptive and erroneous doctrine." 

Discernment is critical, for, without it, we are easy prey for any scheme of our enemy, Satan. This manifestation works for the common good in several ways.

1) To discern false doctrine: The "prosperity gospel" is certainly appealing but even a cursory examination of Scripture will reveal how unlike Christ that idea of God's blessing leading to great wealth is. That's an obvious example, but without discernment, people can easily be led astray by doctrine that has the appearance of truth but does not actually agree with Scripture.

2) To discern deceptive leaders: Some years ago, several friends who were members of a mega-church invited me to attend services with them. They had a very popular minister who was widely known, and they were eager for me to meet him. When he approached us, I felt uneasy. By the time I had met him, listened to his message, and sat through the service, I wanted to run out the back door as fast as possible. There was something about this man that made me so uneasy that I did not trust him. My strong reaction was so unlike that of my friends and the people in their church that I distrusted it. Several years later, I learned of his involvement in a terrible scandal that had been ongoing at the time I met him. I wept that I had not said something about my uneasiness earlier. It was a Spirit-given manifestation of discernment that allowed me to avoid being swept up in enthusiasm for this charismatic leader.

3) to pray effectively for each other: When, as believers, we are burdened and oppressed by the enemy, it is helpful to recognize the lying spirit doing the oppressing. For example, when someone is overwhelmed by worry, fear may actually be at the root of the problem. In that situation, 2 Timothy 1:7 is a helpful focus Scripture. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind." When we are overwhelmed by fear, we can know that is not from God and we can claim the promise that not only has He not given us fear, but He does give us power, love, and a sound mind. In addition, discernment allows us to pray effectively, whether for ourselves or for others.

4) to to effectively battle evil: (This is closely related to #3) Ephesians 6 is very clear. "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." The purpose of the armor of God is to not only protect us from those forces but also allow us to do battle. Our only offensive weapon is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. When we have the discernment to recognize the enemy against which we are to battle, we can more effectively use Scripture as a weapon, whether that enemy is fear, anger, greed, lust, death, idolatry or some other spirit. I tend to think of these "spirits" in terms of the Ten Commandments: idolatry, rebellion, pride, murder/death, adultery/lust, stealing/coveting, and lying. In general, most sin falls into one of those big categories, and Scripture can be used to ward off our propensity to indulgence in those sins. Recognizing the spirit of the sin helps us to combat it. 

5) to restore our focus: Our battle is against the spiritual forces of wickedness, but our focus should not be on the spirits of the battle. Our focus should always be our Lord. When we recognize (discern) the deception of the evil one, that discernment should point us back to the Lord and away from the deception. Redirecting our focus, however, requires that we discern the misdirection. The Holy Spirit, then, manifests in such a way that our focus can be restored and we can be protected from heading in the wrong direction.

6) to protect us from ourselves: Humans have a tendency to listen to the loudest voice and follow the most persuasive leader. Christians are as susceptible as anyone (perhaps more so) and this should not be. I am often shocked by the way we embrace alarmist doctrine and causes without actually checking Scripture in an attempt to discern truth. Before we run off in every direction, we would do well to ask the Holy Spirit for God-given discernment so that we can recognize truth and discern falsehood.

One of the reasons I have sometimes made stupid decisions that have had costly consequences is that I have not always asked for discernment. Jesus was clear. If we ask for the Holy Spirit, He will give Him to us. My lack of discernment is no one's fault but my own.

The manifestation of the Spirit that allows "distinguishing of spirits" is critical if we hope to live effectively and victoriously as disciples. It is critical if we hope to pray for ourselves and others, and it is critical if we hope to effectively battle evil. The only way to be certain of our decisions is to have the aid of the Holy Spirit, and the only way to have that is to ask. Just ask.

The Stepping Stone

Jesus told us we'd have trouble, and He was right. I wrote that recently, but today it's been on my mind all day. The news I've heard today has ranged from runaway children to uncertain job prospects to businesses in trouble to marital stresses to physical illness, and a plethora of trouble in between. It's sometimes overwhelming and hard to have a wise word in the midst of such circumstances. 

We were discussing troubles this morning and my nurse summed up the situation nicely. "Well, the Lord delivered Jonah out of that whale, and He got Daniel out of that lion's den, and this ain't nothing but a stepping stone." I'm not sure I've ever heard truer words spoken. 

We serve the Great I AM and He can handle whatever comes our way. He has a plan, He knows what it is, and His plan is for good and not evil. That plan of His is about the future, so we don't have to be afraid. It may not look like we expected, but it won't surprise God. In fact, He recommends we be still until He tells us to move. No matter what happens, we do not need to be afraid, because God is our safe place, and He is always ready and willing to help us in time of need. 

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

“Be still, and know that I am God! ...” (Psalms 46:10 NLT)

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. (Psalms 46:1-2 NLT)

If you are faced with trouble and there seems to be no way through, take heart! The One in charge of the entire universe is available to help you, and all you have to do is ask. After all, that trouble is really just a stepping stone in disguise. 

No Need to Fret

It was drizzling rain when I headed to the barn this morning. I checked the weather forcast and, sure enough, there was a chance of rain all day, increasing toward the late afternoon. My weather app showed rain, but there was nothing on the screen about storms. 

The afternoon schedule was just about over, so I headed down the hall to my office and a quick look outside. To my surprise, the sky was gray and completely overcast. It was suddenly dark, and my first thought was, "Oh, no. Not again." A quick check of the weather app still showed rain, so I turned to the young weatherman I've learned to trust. There was, indeed, a chance of storms. To my surprise, that sweet Matt Laubhan had written exactly what a community still reeling from the destruction of a tornado needed to hear. 

"This WILL NOT be a high-end severe weather event in Mississippi. In saying that, it only takes one damaging storm affecting you to be significant for you personally. I know people are still a little freaked out about what happened a few weeks back. This is no where near as strong of a setup, but you should still stay weather aware." (From WTVA web site 5/14/14)

His words were amazingly comforting. When I read it, I thought, "Don't fret. Be not afraid."  The weatherman sounded a lot like the angels. In Scripture, the first words out of their mouths are always, "Fear not!"  We humans are uncertain, easily frightened creatures and we crave the reassurance of someone who knows what is to come. In uncertain situations, we like to have someone who is strong and can handle anything to be in charge. 

The ironic thing is that even the strongest person, the most authoritative person, is not really in charge. God is. He made the world and everything in it, He holds it together, and is utterly in charge. When He says, "Fear not," He means it. There is nothing that will ever come our way that He cannot handle. There is nothing He can't bring us through. Whether the storms of weather or the storms of life, He is able to deliver, come what may. 

I like the way the psalmist says it. "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17 NIV)

He doesn't stop all troubles, but He carries us through. No need to fret. No need to fear. 

Fret not, dear ones, no matter what you are facing. Turn to the One in charge. He's sure to help and He will bring you through. 

Maggie the Wonder Dog is Confounded by Tragedy (part2)

Being a Wonder Dog has been hard again today. That brown furry THING is still at my house. It is in MY kitchen. You might not believe this, but the THING actually got on my bed and snuggled in like it was it's bed and not mine. It has been snuggling with my mama! My mama said, "Come on Maggie. Snuggle with us!" Ha! I want to snuggle with my mama, not with my mama AND the THING! 

Last night, when bedtime came, my mama said, "Come on, Maggie. Let's go upstairs and get ready for bed." I hurried up the stairs. There are no furry things up there. Yet. She put my pajamas on for me and helped me up to her bed. I always sleep on the end of her bed. That way, if I wake up in the night and need to snuggle, she is right there. I love sleeping with my mama! Last night, though, I kept thinking about the THING and I couldn't stay. I had to just sleep on the chair all by myself. I was so alone. 

My mama came and sat in the chair with me. Mamas are really nice, aren't they? Even when you are mad at them. She said, "Sweet Maggie, I still love you. You would like Mamie if you got to know her. She is really nice." I couldn't say a thing. I don't want to get to know her. I want my mama to myself. 

Today, my mama said, "Come on Maggie. Ride with me to the barn to take the feed." At last! I hopped in the truck and the next thing I knew, she had put the THING on the seat next to me! I had to stand on the very edge of the window and keep looking out to keep from seeing it! Do you know how hard it is to stand on the edge of the truck window? It's terrible. 

I have not known what to do, but I know I do not want any more of those brown furry things coming in our house. I have been standing guard at the upstairs window. No more have come, but a Wonder Dog can't be too careful. I still don't know how my mama let this one in!

My mama came and sat by me at the window. She said, "Now Maggie, I know this feels like the worst thing in the world, but it's really not. There are lots worse things than having an apprentice wonder puppy!" She said she had some hard things in her life before, and she always thought it was the worst thing that could possibly happen, but it really wasn't. That was because she didn't get an apprentice wonder puppy. 

She told me, "Maggie, you can choose to make this better if you will. I have already asked Jesus to help you. He always answers prayers, so He is trying to help you, but you are going to have to take His help!" She told me that being angry and pouty is unbecoming for a young lady and for Wonder Dogs, and that Jesus doesn't like it either. 

She said sometimes people don't like what comes their way, but that the Bible said those trials (that's what people call them) are really gifts from God. She said they feel like getting slashed to pieces but, if we let them, all the stuff inside us that isn't like Jesus will leak out those slashes. After it's all over, we will be more like Jesus than we were before. My mama is really big on being like Jesus. She even thinks Wonder Dogs should act like Jesus. Sometimes I have to reminder her that I may be a Wonder Dog, but I am still just a dog. 

Tonight, I'm reminding myself that I am just a dog. I don't know if I want to be a wonder dog anymore. It's awful hard. I'm not sure I want to act like Jesus, either. If it's hard for people to do, it's worse for Wonder Dogs! 

I don't want to make friends with the THING.  Even if it's the right thing. 

I don't want to do right. 

Have you ever felt like that? 

To be continued...

Maggie the Wonder Dog is Confounded by Tragedy

My fans know that Wonder Dogs are supposed to be wonderful all the time. We have to be at our best in good times and in bad. Today, however, has been worse than bad. It has been confoundingly awful. The unimaginable has happened to me, and I still can't believe it. 

Just yesterday, my mama gave me a new shirt that said "Barking Diva". Being a Diva is not bad. Even one of the other mommies at play day said I am a "cute little Diva Dog". I thought my mama liked me being a Diva Dog. Until today. 

It happened like this. My mama woke me up early and said, "Hey Maggie, you want to go to the barn with me? No leash!" Thst usually means I can run and play as much as I want. I sure did want to go! So I went!  I ran, and ran, and ran. I dug holes and sniffed them out. I got just a little dirty.  My mama was dirty from the barn, too, so she went inside and got all fixed up, but she let me play some more. What a great way to start a Saturday!

The next thing I know, mama is carrying me inside and locking me in the kitchen. She said, "I need to run some errands and you are too dirty to go with me."  She did not say she was mad at me. She did not! She just said ERRANDS. That usually means groceries and Maggie treats. Today, oh no. There were no Maggie treats today. 

When my mama came home, she had a brown and white furry thing and she said, "Look Maggie! I brought you a friend!" What kind of treat is that?? I wanted jerky! (You can never have too much jerky!). Jerky is a treat. That furry friend business might work with cats but it does not work with Wonder Dogs. We know a treat when we see one, and that is NOT it!!

I told my mama I did not want a treat like that and my mama said, "Oh dear! You have gotten this treat anyway! This is Mamie and she is here to stay!" I told my mama that I do not even want to look at that brown and white creature and she said, "Okay.  But you might like having a friend to play with." I did not even look at my mama when she said that! "I have friends and I do not need another one!" I said as I ran away from that brown thing. 

My mama keeps saying it is not a "thing" it's a puppy and she is my adopted sister. I have a family already. My mama and my boy Ryan are my family. I don't want a sister!

I have been so sad. My mama has tried to snuggle me, but I can smell the brown thing. She has snuggled it, too. Can you believe that? I have been betrayed! I can't snuggle up to that. I just can't. 

I heard my mama talking to Jesus. She said, "Oh Jesus, please help Maggie and Baby Mamie! I don't know what else to do. We need your help!" Later, she told me Jesus will help me. "I promise He can help and He will," she said. If He's helping, I sure can't tell it yet. 

I just feel awful and so, so, so sad. 

I don't know what will happen to me. 

I'm afraid. Maybe brown things don't get dirty in the mud. Maybe my mama will like the brown thing better than me. 

I'm so afraid. 

My mama said,"It's okay, sweet Maggie. Some things just take a little time, and this will, too. I still love you!"

That's good. But I'm still afraid. 

I'm still worried. 

I still feel all alone. 

(To be continued)

Furnished With Fear

They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen remarkable things today." (Luke 5:26 NASB)

Filled with fear. It seems unexpected to be seized by astonishment, glorifying God and filled with fear all at the same time, but that's how it was. Let's look at the word translated as fear first. "phobos" is the Greek word here and is used 47 times in Scripture. It is used here to indicate not only a fear of God's power but also a fear of displeasing Him. It is a fear of displeasing God that is greater than our fear of being in the presence of the Holy One.  We need more of that fear, don't we?

This phrase "filled with fear" uses the Greek word "pimplēmi", translated as fear. It can also mean "furnished". 

Selah. Pause and consider that idea of being furnished with the fear of displeasing God. 

What difference would it make in our attitudes and actions if we were furnished with the fear of displeasing God? Would you do anything differently? 

For today, pray that we and our loved ones would be filled with such a holy fear that our greatest desire is to please Our Lord, that one who is the Lover of our soul. 

True Courage

For some people, climbing into a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is not hard. If it needs to be done to heal the wound, they do it. They are not afraid and, aside from the inconvenience of five-day-a-week treatments, it's not really a big deal.

For one very sweet, gentle woman, however, that chamber opening was as frightening as the deepest, darkest chasm. She wasn't just afraid, she was terrified. The problem was that she had a wound that wouldn't heal. It finally became clear that it would take hyperbaric oxygen treatments to close it, and that's when her true colors became apparent. 

That first day, as we prepared her to roll into the chamber, she kept her eyes tightly shut. My first thought was that the lights were shining in her eyes and bothering her, so I asked. "Are the lights bothering you?"  She just shook her head. Not to be deterred, I delved a little deeper. "If the lights aren't bothering you, why do you have your eyes shut?" I asked. "I'm scared to death and I'm praying," was the quiet reply. Oh. All I could think of to say was, "Good. Keep praying."  She never opened her eyes. 

The nurses rolled her stretcher into the chamber, she stayed her full treatment time of 80 minutes, and we rolled her out. Eyes still shut. As I rested my stethoscope on her chest, with eyes still tightly shut, she asked, "is it over yet?"  I assured her it was - for today, but reminded her that she would have treatments five days a week, and would likely need thirty or forty treatments. Big tears filled her eyes, but she just nodded. 

I didn't really expect to see her the next day. The enormity of her fear was so overwhelming that I couldn't imagine her climbing on that stretcher and going another round. The next day she was back and right on time. It was the same thing all over again. She was terrified, never opened her eyes, and prayed the entire time. The answer to those prayers brought her through another treatment. The next day, and the day after that, and the next we repeated the same scene. Terrified, praying, and getting her treatments anyway, she kept right on coming. 

Before the wound healed, she had a total of 31 terrifying treatments.  She never stopped being afraid of the chamber, but she never let being afraid keep her from doing what must be done, and at the end of her trial, her wound was healed. She was the most courageous woman I have ever known. 

Most of us, in a situation where we were that afraid, would bail out. I have never seen anyone who walked on through their fear to that degree before, but I can tell you this, watching her has changed me. I'm ashamed of the times I've let shyness or uncertainty keep me from doing something I know I should do. I'm mortified of the times I've held back due to fear when that sweet woman faced abject terror every day, did battle with her demons, and never held back. She saw what had to be done and she did it. If you ask her, she would laugh at a description of her as courageous, but that's true courage, being afraid and forging ahead anyway. 

That's what faith is, too. She understood Who would get her through her trial and she understood how to get His strength. She never stopped prayed, and her Lord never let her down. The challenge for the rest of is to rise to this sweet lady's level. Face our fears, cling to our Savior, and keep going.