Glory Renewed

The Good Soak

I love doing dishes, call me crazy, but dishwashing is my favorite household chore. I enjoy getting my hands into warm, soapy water and turning something visibly soiled into something sparkling clean and ready to be used again. Yet in all that fun, I can get annoyed if things take a little too much elbow grease to get clean. Baked on, caked on debris can be a bit of a challenge so I always put those items to soak as soon as possible. After the soak has had its say, the dish comes clean with a minimum of effort and all is well again at the kitchen sink.

Translate this to our spiritual lives and there is a similar pattern. When we feel the dirty, caked on grime clinging to our souls from sin and shame, nothing reveals this and makes it easier to remove than a good soaking in the Word of God. This is where lies are revealed for what they are and truth makes a way for the wrongs to be righted and the sparkling, clean and new you can emerge for a brand new try at following Jesus, moving on, with His mercy and grace.

God tells us in Psalm 103 that he has not dealt with us after our sins; nor regarded us according to our iniquities. (vs.10)

“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103: 11-12

This washing makes the soiled soul rejoice because there is just no way we can “clean-up” ourselves. A favorite promise of mine in the Bible is 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This promise starts with an “if” which means we have freewill to choose to obey God in confession and if we do, the fulfillment of the promise follows. And that act of forgiveness is huge because it not only means God says He forgives us, but He cleanses this sin from our record. Removes it, never to remember it again.

Confession is the key. Recognizing our sinfulness, we let God know that we know what we’ve done. We agree with Him that it was wrong and we need His forgiveness, first and foremost. How do you know, that you know that you have done wrongly, except to know His Word and listen to His Spirit as He convicts you until He convinces you that you need a washing.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved, us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Titus 3:5

After a soak in His Word, and confession from a repentant heart, you emerge: a sparkling, clean vessel, ready to be used again.

Love you in Christ, Vickie

I try every year to find a word. Sometimes it doesn’t come till half-way through the year but I’ve experienced that certain words pop up in my life in a repetitive fashion during particular years and cause me to believe they are from the Lord.

There was the year of “surrender” where white flags kept popping up everywhere and I could not get the hymn “I Surrender All” out of my head.

The year of “abide” when Jesus beckoned me and I realized that His Presence in my minutes, hours and days was all I needed to comfort and strengthen my heart.

This year it’s “new.” At the end of last year I got hungry for something new. I couldn’t look at the old things and be happy. Mainly myself being the “old” thing. My energy seemed to be waning, my skin sagging, my initiative lagging. I was lost in thoughts about what I used to be rather than living in the reality of who I am now and looking for a vision of what God by His grace has for my future.

I refuse to believe it is just a coincidence that this word started popping up. In a Christmas gift from someone I love and respect and know has a close relationship with God. In a sermon I listened to on the internet. In a long-forgotten, unread book my eyes fell on while looking for something else.

I have found that in order to please most people, you stay the same. They know you that way and there is comfort in the known. But God never intended us to be that way. With each new day, month and year, we are to keep growing and learning and becoming all He planned for us to be. I am not commanded to settle for the “me” of my past.

When I was saved, I became a new creation in Christ. I knew there was a difference in the old me and the new me. The old me no longer defined who I was, the new me had Jesus, the hope of heaven and in the meantime a Friend that sticks closer than a brother and never leaves.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

But the newness doesn’t have to stop there, and shouldn’t.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

If I want something new in my life, I need to do some pressing-in to what He has for me in my future, and dwell less on what my past holds. My past has no hold on me if I am pressing forward.

Imagine with me a race where, at the finish line the runners press forward with their upper bodies to be the first one to touch the tape. The last kick of their energy aimed at the finish line. That’s the vision for my future, and the future of every believer serious about finishing well.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

But the Scripture that I have found so rich with the “new” word is Isaiah 43. The Lord is speaking to “every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” (vs. 7) “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.“ (vs. 11-12) “Behold I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” (vs. 19)

What this tells me is that God made me, saved me and I am to be a witness for Him. I am to hate sin and never make anything this world has to offer a false god to me. And He makes the way for this to happen. He will even clear the wilderness in my life and water the dry places when I thirst for His living water. That He is doing new things for me and for you dear sister. Just press-in to His Word and let go of the past and press on to the new things He wants to do in your life. I’m so ready, how about you?

“But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19

Mothers notice things, keep things in the most secure space they own, their heart. The space that spasms with every joy or sorrow. That jumps to attention when her loves are threatened. That melts in moments when her loves return affections or do something from their own hearts of love for others.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was no different. She felt the full range of mother monitoring. She quickly offered her breast to her hungry baby. She knew that this birth meant immeasurably more than any other baby’s birth in the history of the world. That His fame would be a flame that could never be extinguished. I imagine that it was all too much at first, but God made it just enough for her to handle. He quieted her heart to ponder what was happening. He caused her to keep it all in the safe place of her heart. He revealed at the most appropriate times all that raising the Son of God would entail.

I think of Mary more at Christmastime because of the focus on the Savior’s birth. I thought of her with each of my own children’s births. Going through the labor and delivery process with a mind prepared by Lamaze, in a clean hospital with good support. I felt empathy for this young woman who only had Joseph and a stable. How strong and trusting she had to have been.

This Christmas I have been stuck on the song “Mary did you Know?” The lyrics, penned by Mark Lowry, ask a question, over and over, listing the miracles that Jesus would perform, the redemption and deliverance He came to offer. Where He came from and where He was going and what He would be doing in the time between. I believe Mary knew her son was God’s only begotten Son, yet a human heart can only hold so much.

“And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” Luke 2:51

The pondering part is always the rest of the story. In her heart she knew her baby boy would change the world. In her heart she knew that no one would ever be the same once they asked Him into theirs.

Mothers really can’t know everything their children will do or become. Will they cause your heart to almost burst with pride and love or will they cause your heart to break with disappointment? In my experience, yes and yes. They are human beings after all. The cost of loving your children is so high at times you wish you could somehow bail yourself out. But you can’t. Mother love is unconditional.

For all the mothers pondering all you hear, all the “sayings” that will be in your hearts forever, Jesus came, and what that means to me and all of us is this, “God with Us” Emmanuel. (Matthew 1:23) No struggle we face as a mother is a surprise to God. The shock you may feel in the deep tender area of your heart needs the comfort that God sent Jesus to give.

Mary had to have known that her baby boy would have to die one day, yet she pondered the moments that lay ahead of her, the mothering day to day. And this is all we can do. Ask God for guidance and help in the now. Trust God to handle the future. Live in the hope that everything is going to be alright, because God gave us His Son to one day right all the wrongs in this life.

On these days after Christmas, before we set out on this New Year, I pray you linger at the manger a little longer. With Mary, ponder all the things that really matter and let this year go in gratitude and grab on to the new one with gusto. In Christ, the best is truly yet to come!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:13-14

“For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that I do not;

But what I hate, that do I.” Romans 7:15 (KJV)

How do we get from a battle we cannot win, to a battle we cannot lose?

A little more clarity comes with the New King James Version:

“For what I am doing, I do not understand.

For what I will to do, that I do not practice;

But what I hate, that I do.” Romans 7:15

One of the most perplexing chapters in the Bible is Romans 7. You have to read it very slowly, you have to read it reflectively. You have to read it responsively. Repenting at the end of nearly every verse. It is that convicting. You have to read it with gratitude to Jesus, because He truly is your only hope.

Believers have a type of split personality. The Bible calls it out as a struggle between two natures. The “old man” and the “new man.” (Ephesians 4:22, Colossians 3:10) One part that is corrupt, dying daily and one part that being made new and is alive forever.

The term “born again” describes it perfectly. Our first birth, by flesh and blood, our second, by the Holy Spirit. Our first birth, biological, our second, spiritual. Our first birth, on a journey that ends with the grave, our second, everlasting, from the first moment we trust Christ as our Savior. (John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:23)

Romans 7 describes the time between the second birth and when we leave this fleshly existence and enter the eternal, when we are glorified. (Romans 8:20) Everyday, after day, is a step in the process. A struggle between the old and new you. One nature that can be tempted and tried by the enemy, Satan, and a nature redeemed by a Savior that gave His life for you. Jesus.

We might ask, and I do often, why we have to battle this when Jesus has already won it for us. The only answer is found in faith that God knows the struggle is good for us and produces good in us. This struggle in my life forces me to trust Him, to seek His help and find the only peace and joy that truly satisfies my soul. The answer is found in our focus. What do we seek and set our affections on? (Colossians 3:1-3) We can be too short sighted. What we want right now becomes more important that what we would hope to become on the other side of the struggle.

Because of Jesus, not me, I am not condemned, no matter what. Even though I am flesh, I am also born after His Spirit and am free from the law that, even though it is good and points out my sin, could never save me from it. Only Jesus can, and has and does forever. (Romans 8:1-3)

Claim this today. When you step over your restrictions and guilt comes. Claim this today when you know you thought wrong thoughts, said wrong things, ate too much, spent too much, worried too much, complained too much. Claim this when you find it hard to love or serve someone. Walk on, dear one. In the Spirit.

“Trying…Again.”

“MY heart is overflowing with a good theme:

I recite my composition concerning the King;

My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

Psalm 45:1

Gratitude 13,763: “Writing…again.”

I just have to. When the Lord asks you to do something, there’s just no way around it. If your eyes have fallen upon these words, they are for you. I have prayed for that.

The Scripture that precedes my words describes the calling. From an overflowing heart I write. Everything we do or see others do comes from an overflowing heart. A heart overflowing with grace or grief, good or evil, love or hate, fullness or hunger. Hearts overflow and spill out with what they contain. What will yours spill out today?

The alternative is to attempt to hold back what your heart contains. Methods may vary. Believe me, I know. And some not at all bad. Avoiding people and situations that cause you to spill out the bad stuff can be helpful until you’re ready to constructively handle them. Some can be quite bad though. It can be destructive to try to numb your heart with substances or experiences that are fake or counterfeit. It can be harmful to isolate yourself from friends or family for fear of burdening them or revealing a false image or reputation you are trying to protect.

It can be hard to try again, when your past experiences have been unsuccessful to say the least. Try again anyway friend. Prepare your mind by taking it to a higher level of thought. One led by His Word.

“Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Philippians 4:8

I’ve been knocked down this year, we all have, but don’t stay down for the count. Rise up! It starts when we change our minds. When we change the way we think. Let’s dwell on things that are

TRUE:__________________________________

HONEST:________________________________

JUST:___________________________________

PURE:__________________________________

LOVELY:________________________________

OF GOOD REPORT:_______________________

VIRTUOUS THINGS:________________________________________________________________

PRAISEWORTHY THINGS:____________________________________________________________

You fill in the blanks. Soon your heart will be spilling over and blessing others and heart of our Savior. In His love and mine

Do We Need To Say It?

Ah, the power of words. Sometimes I think that it would be easier if I were born mute. If I couldn’t speak, I would not be able to say words that hurt people, or words that were not meant to hurt people, but did. Words that could be taken in the wrong way, for good or for bad. Words that tried to elevate myself or put down another. Why do words carry so much weight?

I have to go back to the very beginning. “And God said.” There are nine of those (God saids) in the first chapter of the first book of the Old Testament, Genesis. The book of beginnings. The first eight times the “God said” is followed by something that never existed before.

1. Light
2. Firmament (heaven)
3. Waters (bodies of)
4. Grasses, herbs, fruit trees
5. Sun, moon, stars
6. Animal life of sea and air
7. Animal life of earth
8. Humans (male and female)

These were all created over 6 days, (bodies of water, land and vegetation were created on the third day.) Of all of His creation, He gave humans something extra. His breath.

Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD GOD formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

It is impossible to use our voice without breath. We are able to speak out loud when air, as we exhale, passes through the folds of our vocal chords. This vibration causes the unique sound waves of our voices. I find it so amazing that God shared not only His intent when He spoke us into being, but He shared His breath with us to make us a living soul. And with that breath, we can speak too. And those words have creative power. Power to build up and power to tear down.

I am a big proponent of Ann Voscamp’s mantra “Only speak words that make souls stronger.” But there are times I fail. Miserably. I have to remind myself that just as God breathed life into Adam’s nostrils and he became a living soul, God breathes life into me as I follow the example of His Son, Jesus. When I choose to love and forgive. When I choose to examine my own heart before judging another’s.

Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

Every time I say something that I shouldn’t have, whether the words were wrong, or the timing was wrong, or vice versa, or both, I have to examine my heart. Maybe silence would have been a better choice. Can you relate? Only God has a perfect enough heart to speak and only good, always good, be the outcome.

Any time I dare to think that when bad things happen to good people, like cancer, persecution, injustice or other types of tragedy, I want to question God. I do. Still, after He has given me so much and proved His goodness to me time and again. I wonder why He could not have spoken good, or what I consider to be good over that person and caused it to happen. And He appeared silent. Knowing that all the while He has told me in Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I would not want to believe in a God that thought or did things like me, I am no match for his wisdom and power.

In our nation today, there is a lot of injustice. A lot of anger and revenge and disillusion. And fear. And a lot of words that aren’t helping. I have to believe that it is because they are not necessarily the right words for healing and hope. Only God’s Word holds those.

Only what God has said is what will stand and win the victories we are all longing for. And we may not even know that is what we are longing for because we are looking at the symptoms and not the root cause of our problems. Sin. We just feel this hunger for righteousness, for things to be made right that never will be, apart from a right relationship with our Creator. He is the Source for words that speak peace and calm into chaos. There are some of those voices out there and you know them when you hear them.

John 10:27  “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

Yet, what are we supposed to do with all this anger and energy we feel when something atrocious happens and injustice follows? Could I suggest that we might first try energetic self-examination and repentance…energetic intercessory prayer…energetic worship…energetic love for others. Energetic reading and memorization of Scripture. (And may I add that in the day of COVID, all of this can be done while social distancing.) Perhaps if we do this first, we might be able to use words that build up, that bring about justice, that heal and give hope, and finally with wisdom, answer the question, “Do We Need To Say It?” And if we do, do so with kindness and courage.

Ephesians 4:14-15, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head even Christ:”

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the width and length, and depth and height- and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14-19 (NKJV)

What more could we ask for? What more could we pray for? For ourselves or others, as we wait. As we struggle with living a life with purpose when we feel like our purpose has been put on hold. I want to encourage you that your purpose has not been put on hold. What you have to offer during this time is crucial. It may look different and some days be hard to figure out, but that is what the “through faith” is for.

When I wake in the morning I am finding that I need to take extra time with the Lord to do “this” again. To do another day of social distancing. Another day of keeping anxiety at bay when doing things that I would normally do, without wondering if the invisible enemy might get into mine, or my loved ones, lives. The things I see now, on the news, when out and about, seem so surreal. Dear reader, aren’t you thankful that you don’t see what’s coming sometimes?

Who would have thought we would be wearing masks, standing six feet away from others and told not to go visit people? That there is the potential of giving something to someone else that could be life-threatening? That going to a church building and worshipping together could be irresponsible?

During these times, I have found I need more structure. More accountability with myself that what I can still do, gets done. I’ve started my “to-do” lists again. I find that just checking off some things that are important to me and my circle is incentive enough to make sure they get done. Laundry, check. Workout, check. And so it goes. I was afraid that if I put my prayer and journal time on the list it would become more robotic and not spirit-filled, but that has not been the case. It goes on the list too. My prayer and journal time are richer than ever. God has seen to that. Do you already do the checklist thing? If not, do you think maybe it will help you right now to keep the things that need to happen, happen indeed? When so many of our “normal” routines have been disrupted, it feels good to create some new ones that you can actually keep.

When things that should normally happen, don’t, because of this virus, it can be very difficult to continue with what control you really do have over your hours and days. If I don’t have to go to work, do I need to shower and dress for the day? If I’ve got all day to do just a few things, is this a license to be lazy? This could be the time in your life when you will shine the brightest! This doesn’t have to finish us and make us feel completely inadequate and out of control. (Preaching to myself here.) May I suggest a few things that might help based on Paul’s prayer for the church?

1. Realize the tremendous power of prayer. First thing, for me, just to know that one of the great saints of the Bible, the Apostle Paul, prayed for me. He prayed for you too. He was a faithful servant so I am sure he had God’s ear. He bowed his knee. He humbled himself before God for my sake. I can rest in the fact that I am prayed for and pray for others more with the more time I have at home. That prayer is always accomplishing something. (James 5:16) We do not need to see the results, although He is gracious to show us them at times. Just pray in faith believing and know that God, in His wisdom and power, will use those prayers for our good and His glory.
2. Paul prayed that the strength I need for each day is available when needed and the way needed. My weakness is not something to fret about. The strength that I need will be supplied by the power of the Holy Spirit. It will be deep inside me and I will have the faith I need to know that Christ is dwelling with me at all times through His Spirit.
3. Paul prayed that the love that God has for me, through Christ, has strong roots. That because of this, I am grounded in the truth of His Word. When other words try to discourage me or cause me to fear, I have His Word as the unfailing truth. I can read it and meditate on it, pray it and practice it. His love surrounds me and envelops me. It is so large I would never be able to fully comprehend its enormity. It will never run out or give up. God’s love is perfect.
4. Finally, Paul prays that I would “be filled with all the fullness of God.” To be full with all that it means to call myself a Christian. That I would be a shining example of Jesus. The fullness of God means I would have His character, love like He does and live like Jesus did when He came to earth to show us His Father’s love and character. The word “Christian” means “little Christ.” We are to be “little Christs” in this world, doing big things for His Kingdom. I know that I am no way near that standard, but this is what the journey is about. We are pilgrims as it says in Hebrews 11:13. All our days here are but opportunities to show others how to find God, and how to inherit eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. Our lives can be the example of His goodness.

I imagine this wonderful example of a man who was found by Christ when he was on a road to persecute Christians, got blinded by God’s love, gave his life to Christ and then spent the rest of it proclaiming Christ and Him crucified.

“For I am determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Paul, 1 Corinthians 2:2.

When the troubling thoughts come, when I see myself be less than I hoped and wonder how God could still allow me to draw breath, I want to remember that Paul prayed for me and possibly that is why I can do this again, one more day. And I am praying these verses in Ephesians for you Dear Reader, that you are well and growing in grace during these trying times. One more day at a time.