June 19, 2015
Love and be Loved
Ephesians 5:25-26
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.

My husband always says that if John, the Apostle, was a pastor doing marriage counselling today, all Pastor John would say is love one another. In fact, my husband has considered just leaving the next couple he counsels in his office alone to read the book of 1 John together. That's all the marriage counseling they would need. John's answer for everything is love. Love, love, love.

And whether women like it and acknowledge it or not, men are the head of the house. They're taller. Everyone in an emergency situation looks to the tallest person for leadership even if it's a stranger. George Washington was super tall. Height aside, God put men in charge (See Ephesians 5:23). They set the tone for the whole household. How fabulous it would be for every home to have a loving man at the helm. It would change everything. 

I am so thankful for my loving man at the helm in our home. He practices love and decides to love me every single day, even when he doesn't feel like it and on days when I don't deserve it. And I am so glad. It has molded who I am. He makes me feel so wonderful about myself and so cared for. I am the most beautiful and wonderful wife in the whole wide world because he tells me I am and proves it by how he treats me. Our kids are affected the same way, and they want to please their daddy because he loves them so much. The husband's love truly influences everything.

We all love our families, but being loved is what makes us love even more.

1 John 4:11-12
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

Dear God,
Thank you for Rob. Thank you for his love for you that overflows on to me and our kids. Thank you for his genuine care for each one of us. Thank you for the peaceful home that is the result of an obedient man loving on his family so dearly. I just can’t thank you enough for blessing my marriage and family with your love. I love you and praise you in Jesus’ name, amen

June 18, 2015
Hot Mess of a Mom
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

I saw a horrible display of parenting yesterday at our friendly neighborhood Costco. It was a mother and not a father, but nonetheless, she was definitely exasperating her child and it was actually disgusting to witness. He obviously was misbehaving, I missed that part, but she knew what hot words to use to keep him in an unconsolable state, and she just didn’t let up. She threatened him with thing after thing and his gross sobs increased in noise and intensity. Then she told him that he was embarrassing himself (he was like 9 or 10 and blubbering on the floor like a toddler) and that everyone was starring at him. She was right, we were staring but not at him. She had complete control over his increasing tantrum and kept feeding it, and seemed to enjoy doing it. That is just nasty!

It was probably the most accurate definition of exasperating a child I have ever seen. There was no end in sight to the punishments on top of punishments she kept loudly threatening him with that just kept upsetting him more and more. It started off with, “That’s it! You’re going to work with me tomorrow and for the rest of the summer,” to “and I’m going to take away your new (thing) you just got,” and a bunch of “and (so and so) isn’t coming over anymore...” She just didn’t stop. That kid had 50 punishments for whatever 1 infraction he had committed in the store. They didn’t even leave the store. She just kept simultaneously shopping and verbally assaulting her son saying mean thing after mean thing, and he would loudly escalate his caterwauling accordingly. What a freaky mess!

I am so THANKFUL that God doesn’t ever never not ever discipline, instruct, correct, or parent me in this way. Would I want anything to do with God if he did? Like the Unmerciful Servant from Jesus’ parable in Matthew 18, God is furious with people who treat people like they themselves would not appreciate being treated.

God’s parenting style is the opposite of exasperating. In fact, Paul says, in Romans 2:4, that it’s God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. That kid in the store was just a miserable pile of snot and tears. He did not repent one single time. Coincidentally, his mother was not kind.

What if she’d just simply taken him out to the car and gave him a little spank for whatever he’d done and let that be the end of it. That would have been kind. The piling on is what constitutes exasperation. And if one enjoys it, like this mom obviously did, then there is a sick demented side to them of which they need to repent. She could have easily assessed he was not up for a shopping trip and just taken him home and given him a consequence for having to make her leave the store, that’s fine. She had the power to end the crisis. And whenever we have an opportunity to do good, we should do the good thing (Galatians 6:10) not make things worse.

Parenting 101 from Psalm 103:7-10...
The Lord shows mercy and is kind.
    He does not become angry quickly, and he has great love.
He will not always accuse us,
    and he will not be angry forever.
He has not punished us as our sins should be punished;
    he has not repaid us for the evil we have done.

This passage doesn’t advocate indulgent parenting but calm, rational parenting. If a kid is obviously inconsolable (and most likely tired and hungry by 4pm in a Costco) don’t fan the flame... Slow to anger. 

In no way do I want to identify with this hot mess of a mom. Thank God, by his grace my children have been spared of me ever being that exasperating to them. And witnessing such a parenting disaster in Costco yesterday furthered my resolve to not let exasperating parenting styles be present in my parenting toolbox. All I thought about for the rest of the day after seeing that was Zephaniah 3:17. The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; he will quiet you with his love; he will rejoice over you with singing. That’s what I want for my kids because that’s what I want for me! How wonderful it would have been to see that mom just pick up her overly overwrought son, just hug him and clam him down whether he deserved it or not.

From my own experience, more productive parenting, instruction, and discipline is accomplished when I quiet my children with my love. And when punishment needs to be executed because a child has refused discipline, it should be one punishment, and then it’s over. New Start. Restoration. Do Over. No Grudges. Lots of Grace. All things I enjoy and appreciate from my Heavenly Father should be available to my own children exasperation free by me because I belong to HIM. Otherwise, I am the Unmerciful Servant, a violator of The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12), or worse yet, that nasty Costco mom! 

Dear God,
I pray for that lady, whoever she is, to find you today, and if she already knows you, help her to realize that YOU are the parent she should imitate, not whomever parented her. I love reflecting on what a kind and patient Father  you are with me; thank you for showing us through your Word how you parent us, and help us translate that into our parenting of our kids. Thank you that kindness and quieting with love actually works better than rage and shame.  I love my kids so much; please keep showing me how to treat them like the special treasure they are so they can grow up and repeat the cycle. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

June 12, 2015
Look Up!
Psalm 19:1-2
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.

Lots of people think “we are not alone” simply by looking up at the sky (and watching too many scifi movies). Isn’t that why God made the sky the way he did? So that we would know we are not alone. But God didn’t create the exosphere to prove the existence of little green men (that's a human's idea); it’s proof of HIMSELF!

Maybe if God created the world in a box with a lid, there’d be no reason to look up; then people could have an excuse for denying his existence. But we can see the heavens. The ground is what’s finite; we stand on it and can’t observe it infinitely without a shovel ( a really good shovel). But this verse doesn’t say the ground proclaims the glory of God because the ground isn’t infinitely visible and expansive to the naked eye like the sky. No one sits and stares at the ground outside at night. But the night sky is filled with stars, comets and such – things that are not here – things beyond us. Everyone who believes in telescopes believe there are things beyond us. This is a logical progression of thought so much so that honest to goodness scientists try to explore space as far as they possibly can. To not acknowledge God because there isn’t “proof” is just as ridiculous as not acknowledging that there’s even more stuff out there in space we haven’t seen yet. Of course, there’s more to see; that’s why astronauts and astronomers keep looking!

God didn’t make looking  up as finite and closed off as looking  down seems to be so that when we look up we would easily be able to acknowledge him and his creation like a great, big physical invitation. I love to look up. Even the old encouraging phrase, “Look up, things will be ok,” is literally spot on. Looking up shows us something infinite and wonderful, and that certainly sounds exactly like God! 

Ephesians 3:18-19
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

And as complex as God is, he sure made himself easy to find; look up!

Dear God,
Thank you for displaying things that are beyond what I can touch and see as literal proof that what I experience in life isn’t all there is. There is more, so much more about life that can’t be contained because you are infinite. But for as complex as you are, you made yourself easy to find, and I am so glad. Thank you so much! I love you and praise you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

June 10, 2015
Remembering is the Key
Colossians 3:13
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Making allowances for another person’s faults is a lot easier when I remember that I have faults of my own. However, it is human nature to be more irritated with others than with ourselves. But, God’s nature is full of GRACE. And I get to live in that world of generous grace as God forgives every single one of my faults, lavishly provides for me and my family, and has a place for me in his family for eternity. I’ve done nothing to deserve this from him, and there’s no stopping him. He just blesses me with it every day.

So the word, remember, in this verse is the key. If I forget and just take for granted all that God does, then I would be holding grudges when I should be extending grace. But when I remember how freely forgives me, it helps me to freely forgive others. And I can even forgive the ones who are not sorry; I may not be able to have a relationship with them, but I can forgive them. For God forgives everyone; he knows that everyone is a helpless sinner, but he only has a relationship with the ones who are repentant. Forgiveness with restoration is the best, but when it’s not an option, I can still love them anyway since one way to show love is to simply not wish anyone ill will (1 Corinthians 13:6). I can do that.

I know I’m not going to get along with everyone. Some people are going to rub me the wrong way, and I’m well aware that I do the same. But I don’t ever want to withhold grace from anyone because I love grace, and I love it when grace is extended to me. So I also don’t want to have no grace for someone with no grace. I’m going to give it anyway and in so doing remember what the Lord has done for me!

Dear God,
Thank you for giving me what I do not deserve and for not treating me the way I deserve to be treated. Help me to not fall into the prideful trap of thinking I need special treatment from others when I have just as many faults. I enjoy when people don’t hold grudges against me, but I pray for your Holy Spirit to help me to have grace for them even if none is going to be given in return. Thank you for all the options available to me of how to show love according to 1 Corinthians 13, and help me to do those things freely today like you do for me. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

June 9, 2015
Not A Whole Lot Of People are Looking For It
Matthew 7:13-14
You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

What makes the Gateway to Life difficult and hard to find? Especially when, deep down, people do know exactly what is right and what is wrong in their lives according to Romans 2.

For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.  They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. (13-15)

It isn’t that mankind isn’t informed, but it isn’t the information that saves us. It’s not even obeying the information that saves a person if they haven’t changed they way they think. Paul says in Romans 3,

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.  We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are...Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.  So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. (v.3:21-22, 27-28)

And there it is -- the difficult road. People are willing to do the “right” thing, but not so much willing to change the way they think, to not be in charge, to not submit. People do this all the time; they’ll do an exemplary job at work for a boss they hate and talk bad about behind his back, serve him with a fake smile, and grind their teeth at the sight of him. Even toddlers who haven’t even been living very long like to say, “I can do it” when they really can’t because they already want to love independence. 

We do love our independence, don’t we? But God knows we can’t save ourselves. We must admit we’ve been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8) rather than boast that we are not hardened criminals. And that is why the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it  because not a whole lot of people are looking for it.

Dear God,
I do not mind changing the way I think, submitting to you, and accepting your grace. It has been a fabulous way to live because you are so good, so freeing, and so kind. You love me so much and take really good care of me because of who you are not because of what I’ve done. So, I pray today, again, for our dear friends and family who think they are “good people” and do not care about faith in you, submitting to you, or accepting your grace. They are smug and proud of themselves and don’t ever think about finding the Gateway to Life. I pray they would change their hearts towards you right now even as I pray for them. Let them think about their final destination soberly and correctly tonight before they go to sleep. I love you and thank you for the miracles you’ve done in people’s hearts and that Heaven will be full of surprises! And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

June 8, 2015
Thank You For Being My Strength
Habakkuk 3:19
The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

The Sovereign Lord... God is sovereign; that means he is the authority and most important and most potent. Some people think God being the supreme authority means that he authorizes everything — even the bad stuff. But that kind of thinking eliminates the very real fact that we have an active Enemy who lives to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Our Enemy is the one who authorizes crime, disease, and chaos. What makes God sovereign and supreme is that he is not subject to the bad things and is more powerful than anything bad that could happen. In fact, God works all things together for good (undoing the destruction intended and making a miracles out of  bad situations) for the people who love and trust him (Romans 8:28). That means God is not subject to the destruction of Satan, and that is what makes God sovereign; it is not the other way around.

...is my strength... Someone who is not a “morning person” might say that coffee is their strength. That simply means they wouldn’t do a thing without a little cup of caffeine first. Someone who is a vegan or vegetarian feels confident their perceived superior diet and way of life will give them great health and long life. Someone who is making tons of money at work works a lot, and someone who is famous only stays famous by staying on the road all the time. These things are what perpetuate and supply these people with what they pursue. BUT if God is my strength, that means I go to HIM first thing in the morning, I don’t make decisions without consulting him first, and I don’t live under the stress of having to keep a bunch of plates spinning in the air. For, Jesus said this: Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. (Matthew 11:28-30) Same as my husband would carry the heavy bags at the airport; I let him use his strength for me.

He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights... This would definitely be the work of God enabling me to do things I normally wouldn’t do because I do not like heights! I also do not like humbling myself, seeking forgiveness, being patient, or waiting. But God makes these a reality for me all the time. In fact, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). And we’re back to the Sovereign Lord is my strength.

Dear God,
Thank you for being my strength. Thank you for watching over me and equipping me when I need it and supporting me every day. Thank you for being more powerful than anything the Enemy could think up, and thank you for loving me so much. I love you and praise you, and I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

June 4, 2015
True Environmentalism
1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.

A perfect prayer for our Perfect Landlord.

When I was in college I would often get the opportunity to housesit for my mom’s fancy friends. They had fancy homes in fancy hills with fancy cars and the fanciest bathrooms I have ever seen. They’d even leave money for me in a fancy jar in the fancy kitchen for groceries. Looking back I realize that when you get free reign over something so wonderful like that you treat it like it’s yours. It didn’t enter my mind to trash the place, steal anything, or break something. The owners hadn’t withheld anything from me; the whole place was mine to enjoy. I liked staying there even though none of it was mine. I appreciated my hosts very much who even paid me for living there. It may have been a very different experience if they limited me to one room, locked everything else away, and hired security to keep an eye on me. That probably would have made me curious to the point of disobedience. But when someone out of kindness liberally and graciously shares all they have, the result is appreciation and satisfaction.

The earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord (Psalm 24:1), but he liberally and graciously has held nothing back. Everything is his, but we get to use it. God holds nothing back regardless of what the Enemy told Adam and Eve in the Garden. We do live in God’s kingdom –  his Creation. And he wants us to enjoy it and dwell in it out of his kindness. He did not design this place for us to fear it, worship it, take advantage of it, or declare it off limits. And people who are grateful to their Host don’t trash the place either. We guard it as our very own while at the same time enjoy every single bit of it.

Dear God,
There are so many beautiful places here. And I love our home and our yard, the mountains outside our backyard, the dairy down the street, and our garden. I am so thankful with what you have entrusted to me to take care of because you bless me and share all that you have for my physical, spiritual, and emotional well being. I love you so much and just can’t thank you enough for all you graciously share with me, and I pray in Jesus name, amen.

June 1, 2015
Their Own Undoing
Romans 1:28-29
Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness...

When we look at all that is wrong with the world today, it’s definitely due to increased wickedness disguised as tolerance, selfishness disguised as politics, and greediness disguised as raising awareness. 

God made his existence completely obvious by all of creation. And the popular response to all that we see around us is Evolution? That simply defies all logic and common sense that all the intricacies of nature just accidentally occurred. When my husband and his dad built a house together (and then later a church building) that was no accident. There was careful planning involved, and all the walls and all the plumbing went exactly where they intended. Nothing created is created by accident or by random events magically happening over super long periods of time. It defies all logic and common sense to think so. If my husband and his dad left all the building materials out for a bagillion years there would only be dusty and old materials not a building. 

But someone who wants to deny God has to just flat out make stuff up no matter how much it defies logic to believe, and they believe it with absolutely no proof at all because they want to deny him so badly. Creation is the proof that God exists. It’s obvious! Romans 1:20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. But someone who does not want to acknowledge God will make stuff up and pass them off as good ideas.

How about homosexual marriage? It defies all logic and common sense that it should be a thing. Purely from a logical view, this kind of relationship leads to extinction. Look at any anatomy book anywhere and it is obvious how people’s parts fit together. 

How about global warming? Anybody got an almanac? Weather is unpredictable pure and simple. It always has been. Everybody knows that, but greedy people have turned it into a thing that is not a thing and their plans will lead to destruction for people (no longer endorsing a thriving way of life) in favor of what they think (with no proof) will help an environment that has always been subject to change. 

How about abortion? Unborn animals in zoos are given more value than a human life. That doesn’t make any sense. Will we ever reach a point where there are finally enough pandas in the world that we won’t care if they’re aborted with governmental assistance to keep the population lower? Abortion is totally a God-less idea that absolutely leads to destruction and extinction too.

I’m sensing a theme. All the ways man comes up with to live without God are bad ideas. Godlessness leads to destruction and extinction. That’s why God abandoned them to their foolish thinking... they will be their own undoing; their awful ideas will eventually cause them to die out!

Dear God,
I pray for the people that I know and love that love to deny that you exist. Don’t let them enjoy their foolish ideas or have any success while they pursue ungodliness, and please continue to protect us from their awful ideas. I love you so much and am so glad that your ways never lead to destruction and extinction. You are the Way, Truth and LIFE – the absolutely opposite of extinction. Thank you so much, in Jesus name I pray, amen.