Finding Christmas: Something Better than "Stuff"

I stayed home on Black Friday. I've attended the After-Thanksgiving sales with my sister and my mother before, and, for the most part, I didn't like it. The crowds. The rush. The pushing. It's not for me.

I'm not sure it should be for anyone. BlackFridayDeathCount.com has begun tabulating the death and destruction that results on that day. Since 2006, there have been 7 deaths and 98 injuries. Over stuff. People dying for a bargain. What about that makes sense?

In recent years, I've questioned the rush to purchase gifts for each other. It's Jesus' birthday. Why do we buy gifts for each other? That makes no sense to me. Don't get me wrong. I haven't given up gift-giving entirely, but I've made changes in my holiday routine. The emphasis is less on stuff and more on our Savior.

If our focus is supposed to be on Jesus, why do we spend so much time and money on ourselves?

All this shopping results in one thing. More stuff. 

This morning, I read a passage in Isaiah 33:14-24 that I first studied in December of 2003. It's as pertinent now as it was then. It asks the question, "Who among us can live with the consuming fire (of God)?" 

The answer is clear and simple. Only the one who actively pursues righteousness. He walks righteously, speaks with sincerity, rejects unjust gain, shakes his hands so they hold no bribe, stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed, shuts his eyes from looking upon evil.

The man (or woman) who actively seeks righteousness will find something much better than more stuff.  

Protection

Provision

See the King

No fear

No want

Health

Forgiveness

If Christmas is about honoring the birth of our Savior, then the best gift we can offer Him is that of striving for holiness. 

Holiness (or righteousness) is what God most desires from us, but what will benefit us the most, as well. During this Advent season, let's do more than seek after stuff. Let's seek after righteousness and pursue it with all our hearts. When we do, we will find Christmas in an entirely new way.

"Your eyes will see the King in His beauty..." 

In our seeking, we will find our King and see His hand all around us. So let's look for the Savior at every turn and let His righteousness guide every decision (including every purchase) we make this season.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Red Hot Christmas Pickles and the Broken Jar, Grateful Heart: The Beginning of Stories, Grateful Heart: Blessing of Position, Grateful Heart: Wonder Pickle, Grateful Heart: Family, Beginning the Advent Journey, and Finding Christmas: The Best Advent of All.

The most read post of the last week: Grateful Heart: Family.

If you're looking for an Advent devotional, you can find The Road to Bethlehem on Amazon here.
photo courtesy of freeimages.com

#Advent, #JesusChrist #disciple #righteousness

Maggie Speaks Out: Being Light

The ever-amazing Maggie the Wonder Dog is guest blogging again today. In case you haven't met her, she's a six-year old Shih Tzu who can dance like a ballerina, sneak like a spy, and herd cows like a border collie. She's the best!
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Can you believe it? My mama let me write two days in a row. "Don't get used to it," she told me, so we better enjoy it while we can.  Maybe, if you leave a lot of nice comments and tell all your friends, she might let me write again soon, instead of making me wait for months and months and months.

Yesterday, I told you about forgiving and forgetting. If you haven't read it, you really should. I don't mean to be critical, but I've noticed that humans need a little help in this area. (okay, a lot.) 

Today, I want to talk about keeping my eye closed. That has worried my mama and Mr. Sam half to death this week. Every time I take Mr. Sam for a walk, he comes back and tells my mama, "She's still keeping her eye closed." My mama is just as bad. When I'm looking around to see what's happening and be sure no more guinea pigs are getting in our house, my mama says, "Oh, poor Maggie, you have your eye closed again." 

What is wrong with closing your eye?

When the sun shines in my eye, it hurts. Okay? If I close my eye, it doesn't hurt and I can stay in the sunshine. I think it's a great solution. 

Am I supposed to stay in the dark? I might be there forever, considering how long this pesty eye is taking to get well. 

No, sir. I like staying in the light, even if it's less comfortable than in the dark. 

I've noticed some humans are a little too fond of the dark. 

My mama says, "Nothing good happens after ten o'clock." She's in the "early to bed and early to rise club". I think it's a dumb club. I like to sleep when I'm tired. I don't care about that early stuff. My mama wears me out making me get up before the sun every day. That's why I have to take so many naps. You might want to talk to her about that. She gets up too early. I don't care if the early bird gets the worm. Who wants worms anyway?

There is nothing good about dark, except sleeping, which is very good. 

Anyway, there is too much sneaking around in the dark and too much carrying dark around in hearts. I've noticed that about humans. When Jesus takes you from the darkness into the light, He does not mean for you to carry the darkness around with you. What's up with that? Didn't you want out of the darkness? 

Jesus said we are supposed to be the light of the world, not the dark of the world. 

If we hang on to the world's darkness, it messes up our light and confuses the people in the darkness. They think, "I can just stay here in the darkness and be the same as those silly people in the light." That is not a good thing, and Jesus does not like it. 

You may be saying, "Oh, I don't have dark in me. I belong to Jesus." Yeah, right. Sin is darkness. If you are living, you have sin. Everybody has sin, but you don't have to hang on to it like a prize. 

Sin is not a prize. Well, maybe the booby prize, and who wants that? Not wonder dogs.

If you have sin, you are supposed to ask Jesus to help you and He will. That's what I did when I got my supposed guinea pig sister. I did not like her even a little bit, but my mama said she was here to stay. I could not be nice about it, so I asked Jesus to help me and He did. He turned that poohing guinea pig into a little sister and she is very nice. She poohs outside like me now, too. He had to help her with that and I thank Him that He did.

Well, I still have not told you what I tried to tell you yesterday, so I'm gonna have to write again tomorrow, if  I can sneak it past my mama. It's time for eye medicine now. Yuck.

Here's the wonder dog lesson of the day.

Be light.

That's the short lesson. Maybe I should've said, "Let Jesus get rid of your darkness," but "be light" is easier to remember. If you are hanging on to some of that darkness, you should let Jesus help you get rid of it, because He will. Then you can show all the people in the darkness how nice it is to just be light. And that's one of the reasons I am closing my hurt eye. So I can just be in the light.

The end. By Maggie the Wonder Dog

PS - This is very important. Don't forget to ask my mama if I can write some more. Thanks.

The end again, Maggie.

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Hey, my Mama has a new e-book. You should send it to all your friends for a little surprise. I love surprises. (I prefer jerky surprises, but books are good, too.) Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Knowing the Goal, Remembering My Way, and Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, Maggie: Avoiding the Light, Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ, and Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting.

The most read post of the past week: Remembering My Way.

#MaggietheWonderDog #lightoftheworld #JesusChrist #sin #holiness

Being an open door to Christ

Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering." (Luke 11:52 NASB)

We come now to the last of the "woes" Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and the lawyers (or scribes). The lawyers were experts in the mosaic law. Like the Pharisees, they had spent their lives studying Scripture. They knew all the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. They had every bit of information they needed (the key of knowledge) to recognize their Messiah. 

When Jesus arrived, He did not look like they expected. The scribes and Pharisees wanted a military king, like David. They wanted a Messiah who would chase out the Romans and restore Israel to its Davidic prominence and wealth. A suffering servant was not what they had in mind. Rather than embrace the Messiah God had sent, they rejected Him because He wasn't what they wanted. 

The lawyers had the key of knowledge that would have allowed them to accept their Savior and enter the kingdom of God, but they "took it away". They refused to use the key they had at their disposal. The lawyers were not quiet about Jesus. They spoke against Him at every opportunity and they twisted Scripture in such a way that they deceived the people. In refusing to use their key (knowledge) to recognize their Messiah, they also hindered others from entering the kingdom of God. It's clear that Jesus held them responsible for both errors. 

It is a tragedy to miss the kingdom of God because it doesn't look like what we expected. It is a much greater tragedy to prevent others from coming to Jesus because of our unbelief and our failure to understand God's plan.

When those of us who profess to be believers act in ways that are inconsistent with our faith, we can easily "take away the key of knowledge" from those who are unfamiliar with the things of God. What a tragedy for someone who doesn't know Jesus to look at my life and reject Him because of my choices! When I make it easy for someone to label me a hypocrite, or to see Christ as weak and ineffective because I fail to follow Him faithfully, I can hinder them from the kingdom. 

It is a question of holiness. My life should gradually become more like Christ's. If my life looks exactly like those of the rest of the world, what difference has Christ made in me? I must allow Him to mold and shape me into someone better than what I am without Him. I must be a living monument to His grace for all to see. 

When I refuse to be transformed, I hide the key of knowledge from those who look to me for evidence of Jesus. In so doing, I can prevent them from entering the kingdom of God, with eternal consequences. 

May we never turn others away from Jesus by our choices but live in such a way that all who will can find an open door to Christ in us.

Teach us to pray, part 34: Born into the Kingdom of God

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)


Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God... Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:3,5 NASB)

"For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin. 
                                                                                                                     (Colossians 1:13,14 NASB) 

I hope you're not weary with all these posts about the kingdom of God, but these teachings are such fundamental parts of our faith (and we have such a tendency to drift over time) that it is worth a review. Today, we look at a topic that should properly have been at the very start of our study of the kingdom of God.

John relates the account of Nicodemus and his visit to Jesus in John 3. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. He had both position and authority. He had heard of Jesus, recognized the truth of God in His words, and understood that the power in His miracles (or signs) was from God alone. Nicodemus had likely listened to Jesus in person, but he wanted to know more, so he "came to Him by night" to ask his questions. (It is not clear whether Nicodemus was trying to  avoid being seen by his fellow Pharisees by coming to Jesus at night or whether it was simply easier to gain access to Jesus at night. The important point is that he came.) 

Nicodemus began his interaction with Jesus by clearly stating that he understood Jesus was sent by God and that God was with Him in his work. Jesus answered, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Jesus knew that was the very thing Nicodemus most wanted to know more about. "How is this possible? Once you are old, you can't go back and be born from your mother all over again, so what are you talking about?" Nicodemus had understood that there was something more to knowing God than just being born Jewish. Jesus explained that there were two kinds of births. The "birth of water" is that physical birth that is accompanied by amniotic fluid (commonly referred to as "water"). Every person has that kind of birth.

There is a second birth, however, that is a spiritual birth. This is the "birth of the Spirit". Jesus went on to explain that we are all sinners and there is a price that must be paid for sin. We could never offer enough animal sacrifices to save ourselves. We could never bring ourselves out of the darkness of sin and into the light of redemption. God looked at our sinful state and made a judgment. "Light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil." What a heart-breaking truth! That sad reality is something we, too, must understand. I must look at the light of God and realize that I love the darkness more than His light. It is a moment of recognition that is essential for faith to come.

The amazing grace of God begins at that point. When  recognize that I love darkness more than light, sin more than holiness, I have a choice. I can stay in the darkness or I can embrace truth and come to the light of God found in Jesus. On my own, I could never make that step out of darkness into light. It is only by believing in Jesus that it is accomplished. 

The fundamental tenet of our faith is that "whoever believes may in Him have eternal life." (John 3:15 NASB) Eternal life doesn't comes from doing good deeds, making large donations, or spending inordinate amounts of time in church services. Eternal life comes from faith in the Son of God, and that only comes by the Spirit of God. It is only possible because of the love of God. That decision to stake my eternal destiny on faith in Christ is the "birth of the Spirit" and begins my new life with Jesus. It is the beginning of an amazing journey of faith, just as the birth of a baby is the beginning of our earthly journey.

Paul explains this a little further in Colossians. The problem is sin. The solution is forgiveness. That forgiveness can only be obtained by faith in Jesus, who paid the penalty for our sin with His death on the cross. My faith in Him is not just believing that He was a great man, nor that He was a great teacher. It is not just faith that He was the Son of God. My faith in Him is that He paid the penalty for my sin. I trade my sin for His righteousness. It seems like a terrible deal for Jesus, but it is the greatest deal possible for me because Jesus, and Jesus alone, delivers me from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. He gives me eternal life in Him. 

There is one more point for today. If I am delivered from the domain of darkness, I no longer dwell there. I no longer do the things I did in that domain. Certainly I will not be perfect and sin-free after I believe in Jesus, but I cannot remain unchanged and move from darkness into light. 

Paul described it as a transfer. When I accept Christ, I am transferred out of the kingdom of darkness. I cannot continue living in the kingdom of darkness if I have been transferred out of it. It's a simple as that. I cannot have it both ways. Accepting Christ means I begin to live like Him. I begin on the path of holiness. Just as a baby learning to walk will stumble and fall, so, too, I will have setbacks and failures. A failure, however, is not the same as never making a change at all. 

The beginning of the entire journey of faith comes at the point that we see ourselves as we are, sinners in need of a Savior. Until that recognition is accomplished, nothing else is possible. Remembering that sorry state in which we found ourselves is the very thing that confirms the amazing grace of God in us, and that which should fill every day with an overwhelming gratitude for the One who redeemed us when we could not save ourselves.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,

that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found,

was blind, but now I see. 

Teach us to Pray, part 20: Jehovah Mekoddishkem, The Lord Who Sanctifies You

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 Mekoddishkem

Jehovah M'kaddesh

The Lord Who Sanctifies You

M'kaddesh is an alternate spelling of Mekoddishkem and comes from the root word qâdash, a verb meaning to sanctify, dedicate, or make holy. It means to "set apart". It is used twice in Scripture and, in both instances, it indicates that the Lord sanctifies His people. (Exodus 31:13 and Leviticus 20:8). The passage in Leviticus begins with a prohibition against human sacrifice, cursing parents, and witchcraft. It is particularly interesting because, in the verse immediately prior to the name of God, the instruction to "Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy" is given. 

1 Thessalonians 4:3 tells us, "This is the will of God, your sanctification..." Oswald Chambers wrote about this process of sanctification and the difficulty of it in My Utmost for His Highest. "There is always a tremendous battle before sanctification is realized - something within us pushing with resentment against the demands of Christ. When the Holy Spirit begins to show us what sanctification means, the struggle starts immediately... In the process of sanctification, the Spirit of God will strip me down until there is nothing left but myself, and that is the place of death. Am I willing to be myself and nothing more? ... We say, 'But this is strict. Surely He does not require that of me.' Our Lord is strict, and He does require that of us."

I have recently been reading a classic book by J.C. Ryle, Holiness, and I strongly recommend it. Ryle speaks of sanctification and emphasizes that there can be no holiness without sanctification. In fact, he suggests that those of us in the church prefer grace to the exclusion of sanctification. That can never be, he says, because we serve a holy God who has called us to holiness, as well. 

Our Lord did not sacrifice His only, much loved Son as the payment for our sins in order to leave us as we were. He intended His sacrifice to cleanse us and change us, yet we kick against the change. We want grace without change, without sanctification, don't we? 

I am not exempt from this rejection of holiness. Although I know the beautiful truth of His divine cleansing for my sin-riddled soul, it is entirely too easy for me to embrace sin long rejected. Pride, self-righteousness, critical and judgmental spirit are welcomed back into my life before I even realize it, and then I have a choice to make. 

Will I choose holiness or continue in the sin that seems so insignificant to me in comparison to so much happening in our world today? My sin is not insignificant to God. His Son had to die to redeem me from the price of that sin, and God does not take that lightly, nor should I. 

He demands holiness, and I am to choose holiness. Even when I long to be holy, I find that it is too high a goal for me. I can never achieve it, and that is why I needed the grace of God and the mercy of Jesus' sacrifice for me. 

I cannot achieve holiness on my own, yet choose it I must. Once chosen, God Himself will handle the sanctification process. He is our Jehovah Mekoddishkem, and He will sanctify me, if I am only willing, but obedience to His calling to holiness is required. 

Every day, every moment, I stand at a crossroads with a choice to make. Will I choose the way of the world or the way of the Cross? Will I choose my own path or the path of holiness? 

This is a hard word, but must be spoken. The problems in our nation and in our world are a result of sin. It is not the responsibility of a lost world to act like Jesus, and it is foolishness to expect it. That is the responsibility of His people. I am to be salt and light in a dark and desolate place. Unless I choose sanctification, I can never be the light I am called to be, and those living in darkness can never be drawn to the light of Christ.

One day, I will stand before our Lord and answer for my choices. I shudder to think of it. The Grace of Christ will be sufficient, and I rejoice in that, but I will be accountable for my choice of the world or the way of Holiness, the way of Sanctification. 

Did I love my Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength? Did I love my neighbor as myself? The life I live now will give the answer to those two questions, and I must prepare for the accounting to come. The words of Joshua are as appropriate today as they were when he stood before the children of Israel thousands of years ago.

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." 

Joshua 24:15 NASB

Cats at the door, the problem of sin, and the miracle of the manger

You may not remember, but Maggie the Wonder Dog is a recovering chicken-shaker. In fact, she has, on occasion, indulged in terminal shaking. A sturdy latch on the chicken coop and considerable caution in opening the door, coupled with strict scheduling of the chicken's time out (never corresponding with Maggie's) have made Maggie's chicken shaking a thing of the past. Imagine my surprise when I found Max the Biting Cat positioned just outside the chicken coop door, determinedly considering how to get inside. It was apparent that he had a chicken supper on his mind, not merely chasing and shaking. As I approached the door, he made a hasty retreat and pretended to take a nap while facing in the opposite direction. I was not fooled.

Apparently, there are some behaviors that are nearly irresistible to carnivorous animals. Snagging chickens, whether for shaking or for supper, seems to be one of them, and has necessitated considerable effort on my part to keep my chickies safe. The animal nature being what it is, I don't know why I'm surprised. 

It turns out that, human nature being what it is, we humans find wrong-doing nearly irresistible ourselves, and I am often astonished at the foolish choices we make. What is even more shocking to me is the evil in which people choose to indulge. What about wickedness seems like a good idea? How does anyone envision a happy ending to evil? I don't understand it and I'm pretty sure I never will. 

What breaks my heart, though, is my own foolishness. The poor choices, the rushing ahead of God, the misplaced priorities, the hasty and unkind words that cause unnecessary pain may not seem like utter wickedness to me, but sin is sin where God is concerned and He takes it all seriously. In fact, Jesus died for my sin, just as He died for the one who commits the most heinous crime imaginable. I have heard it said many times that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. I don't know about the literal accuracy of that statement, but metaphorically I'm pretty sure it's correct. No one gets a higher position, or a lower one, on the sin meter. It's level ground no matter how minor we view our own sin. 

What is it, then, that can change us? It will take more than a strong latch and caution with the door, that's for sure!  The Apostle Paul wrote that, even when he wanted to do good, he ended up doing wrong. He asked the question we might all ask. Who can set me free from my own bent toward wrongdoing? It turns out that there is only One who can set us free. The Lord Jesus Christ wrapped Himself in flesh, left unimaginable wonders in heaven and came to earth, determined to die as the spotless, sinless lamb of God to set us free. He not only determined to do it, He did it! Once He set us free, He determined to keep us free and He left the Holy Spirit to guide us and constrain us. 

We may find wrong-doing enticing and we may even find it pleasurable for a time, but, because of the Christ Child and His sacrifice, we do not have to find it irresistible. As we go through this season of Advent let us not forget that that the Babe in the Manger came because of our sin and He stayed until He had set us free. We honor Him most when we stay free. 

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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.  

The Fat Goat

Some months ago, we had three goats. Two had horns and one, Ryan's original show goat, did not. They were all former show goats and fine specimens. Shamrock, Ryan's first goat, has had a little trouble with her waistline in the past and it had an unfortunate impact on her show ring success. The other goats, however, fixed that. Over time, those goats with horns became increasingly aggressive with her. They started pulling her hair. They wouldn't let her eat. She lost weight. 

Eventually, I had to intervene. I would stand guard over Shamrock at mealtime. Before long, I was fighting off those horned goats as they tried to attack both Shamrock and me. That was the final straw. "Sisters, you are headed to the sale barn!" I threatened. They didn't care. They were as tough as nails. They could take anything. Ryan, my son, informed me, "You'd be tough too if you had big guns on your head." I thought they were more like battering rams, but I finally had enough. I called the owner of the sale barn and those goats were gone.

Shamrock had been through a rough time and had lost some weight. In fact, she looked a lot like a "Twiggy" goat, so I started giving her increased rations. I was so proud of her improved nutrition that I failed to notice her expanding waistline. Again. When Ryan came home recently, he went to visit his goat and was shocked. "Mama, that goat is morbidly obese! You're going to kill her feeding her so much!" I could not believe it. "I'm cutting her rations back to half of this," he said as he emptied part of the feed back in the barrel. "I cannot believe how fat she is!" He was truly shocked. 

I went back to the goat pen and took a good look at Shamrock. Ryan was right. I had just about fed poor Shamrock into a heart attack. (Well, not really, but she had gained a bunch of weight.) It seems odd that I hadn't realized how much weight she had gained, but I see her every day. It happened gradually, and it's left me thinking about how easy it is for me to develop thoughts, behavior, and habits so gradually that I don't notice their impact on my heart and life. Do you do that, too? Probably so, if you're like most people. Maybe what we need is to take a few steps back and look at our lives and our hearts from God's perspective. When He views our heart, what does He see? What does He think? Sometimes He must want to say, "Look what you're doing! You're making a mess! Stop! Let's fix this before it gets worse!" 

During this Advent season, as we await the birth of our Lord, let's remember why He came. We had made such a mess of our hearts and our lives, from the beginning of the world, that we needed a Savior and only a perfect, spotless, sinless Savior would do. Lord Jesus wrapped Himself in flesh and came to dwell among us. He took the mess we made of our lives pretty seriously and we should, too. Let's invite Him to do an inspection and help us to make any changes needed. He came to save us, but He never intended to leave us like we were. Let's invite God to have His way in us this Christmas season.

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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.  

The persistent father, part 2

And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, "Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only boy, (Luke 9:38 NASB)

The father, bringing his son to Jesus, asked a beautiful thing of Him. "Look at him," he said. He understood what many of us do not. When Jesus looked at the need in that boy's life, He would see him with compassion and would respond to the need. The father wanted his boy healed. There is no doubt about that. He had asked the disciples to heal the boy already. Because of his faith, he simply asked Jesus to respond to the need He saw, knowing that whatever Jesus did would be enough. 

The word here indicates a turning of the eyes with compassion and intent. It implies turning the gaze away from the sights before one and turning toward something else in a way that allows not just sight, but sight with insight and understanding. What a beautiful word picture to consider Jesus turning His gaze toward us with insight and understanding, seeing our need and responding to it! May He turn His gaze to us and our loved ones, responding to our deepest needs with whatever solution is best! 

This turning of our gaze from that which distracts is how we should "look" at Jesus, as well. Our looking to Him should be with such intensity that we gain understanding and insight into His ways. Our looking should cause us to become more like Him. 

The prophet Hannai was speaking to King Asa, but his words are no less true for us today. "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." (2 Chronicles 16:9 NASB)

If we turn our eyes to the Lord so fully that our hearts are completely His, when He looks at us, He will not just take delight in us, but also have compassion for the heart of love He sees. 

Oh, dear ones, "turn your eyes upon. Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

Look to Jesus. 

The Recognition, part 23

While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. (Luke 9:34-36 NASB)

The recognition of Jesus as the Son of God came gradually. By the time Jesus asked the disciples who they said He was, Peter knew He was the Christ. Knowing something with your head is one thing. Knowing it with your heart, knowing it with every fiber of your being, is a little different. That knowing came gradually, and this experience on the mountain was a significant part of their understanding. 

When the cloud overshadowed them and the disciples began to enter the cloud, they knew this was no ordinary cloud, and they were afraid. Thayer describes their reaction to the cloud as being "seized by alarm" as one "startled by a strange sight or occurance". It would be odd if they hadn't been frightened. What came next, though, must have been even more frightening. They heard the Voice of God speak audibly, instructing them to listen to Jesus and affirming Jesus as God's Son and Chosen One. That voice left no doubt about Jesus and His identity. 

You might think that the cloud and the voice would be such a memorable experience for them that these men would never fail Jesus again. Even after this dramatic experience, however, Peter, James, and John would struggle with faithfulness. Having heard that voice and seen those sights, Peter would still deny Him and the rest of the disciples would run away when He was arrested. Years later, those three men would be willing to lay down their lives for Jesus. John would be exiled to Patmos. Peter and James would die martyr's deaths. That willingness to put everything behind them and follow Jesus without reservation did not come all at once. It did not come with any great burst of insight. It did not come when they were overcome by the cloud and heard God's voice. Total surrender came a little at a time, relinquishing one bit of control after another, until obedience to Christ was all that mattered. Their personalities were much the same, but their flaws were changed, their rough edges smoothed. 

Our tendency is to see Peter in terms of his denial of Christ, to remember the disciples in terms of their desertion of Jesus in His most difficult hours. It is our tendency to see others in terms of their failures, but Our Lord gave incredible grace and mercy to His followers. From all their failure, He brought growth and maturity, and, ultimately, victory. He could be patient with the process because He knew the end result. He did not plan to leave them as they were, nor does He plan to leave us the way He found us. 

Just as He is patient with us as our faith and our understanding of who He is grows and matures, we, too, must be patient with those who are not as far along on their journey. It will not likely be in a flash of insight that maturity comes, but, over time, God will give the increase to the seeds that are sown along the way. Growth can come, even for those who seem most unlikely to mature as disciples. 

Be patient. Extend grace. Treat others with the mercy Christ Himself has extended to you. The end of our earthly maturing hasn't come until that last breathe is drawn and we step into eternity, so keep hoping, keep sowing seeds, and most of all, keep praying. 

The recognition, part 22: the Cloud of God

And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"-not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" (Luke 9:33-35 NASB)

Peter awakened to find Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. His first words were an offer to build tabernacles for all three. It wasn't a well thought out plan, it was simply the first thing out of his mouth, a spontaneous offer of service.

Suddenly, a very surprising thing happened. A cloud began to form and overshadow them. The word used here is the same term to describe the cloud that led the children of Israel by day and rested over them. Thayer's describes this as a "shining cloud, surrounding and enveloping them with brightness". Exodus 13 tells us that the Lord went before them in the pillar of cloud, and He was in this cloud, as well, surrounding Jesus, the disciples, and the heavenly visitors. Imagine this, if you can. The cloud of the presence of God gradually overshadowed them and surrounded them on all sides with incredible heavenly brightness and the presence of God. 

Selah. 

Pause and consider. 

Surrounded by the presence of God. How amazing would that be? What is even more amazing is that we can be not just surrounded by the Spirit of God, but filled with His Spirit. Jesus promised that, when He left, His Spirit would remain as our Comforter to lead us in the way in which we should go, helping us to have fruitful lives filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We do not experience God's presence in a single once-in-a-lifetime cloud on a mountain. We can experience His presence through His Spirit on a daily, continuous basis, if we will. 

Oh, dear ones, reach out to our Lord, who longs to fill us with His Presence and lead us with His Spirit. Our lives can carry  the presence of God as we go, infusing our world with the light of God, if we will allow it. 

There's a prayer that captures the essence of this infilling. "Come, Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love." Indeed. Come and fill us. Give us passion to change the world with God's love. 

The Recognition, part 20: missed preparation

And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. (Luke 9:29-32 NASB)

Peter, James, and John had gone with Jesus for a mountain prayer retreat. As Jesus was praying, the three apostles had fallen asleep. While they slumbered, Jesus had been transfigured, clothed in glowing white with lightning flashing around Him. He was joined by Moses and Elijah, also appearing in glorified fashion, and they were discussing the upcoming culmination of Jesus' earthly ministry. 

The three men awakened to an astounding sight. Jesus, transfigured, standing before them in glory, accompanied by Moses and Elijah. We will see that the sight inspired worship, as  it deepened their recognition and understanding of this Jesus they followed. 

If they had only stayed awake, though, what inspiration might they have received? Jesus, Moses, and Elijah had been discussing the upcoming events that would take place in Jerusalem. Had the disciples heard the conversation, they might not have been caught off-guard when Jesus was arrested and condemned. Perhaps Peter would have understood what was happening around that fire on the night of the crucifixion and stood firm despite his fear. Perhaps they could have avoided regret and shame. And yet, they slept. 

Their dawning recognition of Jesus, the Son of Man, as the holy Son of God was pivotal, but how tragic to miss an understanding of the plans Jesus had for them! How tragic to endure what might have been avoided by staying alert and on their knees! 

We, of course, do essentially the same thing, week after week. Attendance at worship services should bring us into the presence of God Almighty and leave us changed in clear and discernible ways. How often, though, do we leave with comments about the sweet Spirit, but no recognition of that for which God drew us to the service. Words straight from heaven were spoken while the men slept, and they missed them all. We are also slumbering disciples in desperate need of arousing to the words of the Holy One. As we head to services this week, may our focus be on the One in whose presence we are, the words He has for us, and the change He longs to make in us. May we leave not just entertained but transformed into the likeness of our Lord.  

Friday Night with Friends: Hear God Speak When You Read Your Bible by Aletha Hinthorn

Aletha Hinthorn is a dear friend of mine with a deep walk of faith.  She is the founding director of Come to the Fire women's ministries.  Their vision is to bring the holiness message to women around the world, challenging them to live wholeheartedly for Jesus.  Be sure and stop by her website with the link above.  Her devotional is a perfect accompaniment to the one this morning.  
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Having a notebook and pen beside me as I read my Bible has become one of my ways to say, "Lord, I am expecting to receive something too good to forget when I read today. I want to demonstrate my love for You by caring for wisdom when it comes." If a verse strikes me as one I would like to better understand or I simply like what it says and want it to be lived out in my life, I write it down. 

When the burning bush appeared to Moses, Moses did a significant thing. He "turned aside to see" (Exodus 3:4). The way I "turn aside to see" is to write down a phrase or a verse that I'm interested in. 

When David was giving his son Solomon the instructions for the temple he was to build, he said, "All this the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me" (1 Chronicles 28:19 KJV). I understand this verse to say that as David wrote, the Lord gave him understanding. 

I've discovered that is often the process. New insights come as I write down a verse, perhaps because writing slows me down so I can consider carefully each detail. Recording what I'm reading becomes my way of saying to God, "I'm looking to You to teach me what I should hear You say through this verse today." He responds to this desire.

The simple process of recording what I've read also insures I am more likely to recall those words. One study showed that when we transition from being a passive listener to an active listener by doing something such as writing down what we've learned, our retention changes from 10 percent to 40 percent. 

Dear Lord, help me to carefully protect the treasures You teach me as I read Your Word.

"Wise men lay up knowledge" (Proverbs 10:14).

Burning the Trash (Luke 3:17)

"...He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” (Luke 3:17 MSG)

NASB translates this by saying Jesus has a winnowing fork in his hand and he will gather the wheat and burn the chaff with an unquenchable fire. 

The Holy Spirit comes into our heart when we allow Him to ignite the fire in our hearts, but John wants us to understand something important. Holy Spirit's job is not to tend the fire. We tend the fire by staying close to our Lord. Our obedience and surrender tends the fire. 

The Holy Spirit gets busy with housecleaning. He wants to keep all that is good (the wheat), but whatever is not good goes straight to the fire. Wikipedia defines chaff as "the dry, scaly protective casings of the seeds of cereal grain..." It's inedible and keeps us from the "good stuff", the nourishing grain inside. Why would we want to hang on to chaff? It's just the waste part. It's wheat trash. How silly we are to argue with The Lord about keeping such useless garbage. But, we do. 

Holy Spirit is no dummy. He knows that, given our druthers, we would try to keep the wheat AND the chaff. Sometimes we are even foolish enough to try to keep the chaff at the expense of the wheat. He has a great solution for that - FIRE. He just burns it up.

Here is the really amazing thing that occurs to me for the first time - maybe the unquenchable fire with which the Holy Spirit has baptized us, the fire of His love in our hearts, is the very fire that burns up our chaff (so we can't get it back) and leaves the wheat. 

How great is that? God is determined to cleanse us and He does it with the powerful fire of His love! Wow! Heart cleanup doesn't seem nearly so scary when we look at it like that, does it?

Well, that brings us to our own chaff. I had a little chaff burning yesterday, and will need some more chaff burned today. I have the worst problem with chaff, but praise God He can handle it! Better yet, He prefers to do a daily clean up rather than handle a mountainous mess at once. He keeps our hearts clean and usable that way. 

Take a look at your life, your heart. What chaff are you storing? What needs to go? Today, invite the Spirit to pile all your chaff on the fire of His love. Just imagine the blaze it will make. The good news is this: burning chaff makes the nicest blaze, and it warms you all the way through!

Today, pray that we and our loved ones will recognize the chaff our Lord sees and will invite Him to cleanse us with His love.