Category Archives: Christianity

September 2 – God Reveals Himself

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Ezekiel 20-21

Everything that happened to the children of Israel happened for one reason. Many believe things happened because they were God’s chosen people, people He loved best and blessed most. I’m not so sure about that.

God makes it clear that the things that happened to Israel happened to reveal Himself to them and the world. (20:5,9,12,14,20,22,26,37,41,44,48)

Everything that happened to Israel happened because He loves you and me, because He wants us to know Him. I read Ezekiel and hear God say, “Connie, I love you. See me. Obey me. Know me.”

I believe the same holds true today. Everything that happens to us happens in order to reveal God to the world. So, if you have a minute, I’d like to share how God has revealed Himself to me this past month.

I’m actually writing this on Saturday September 3. It’s been quite a week.

I shared with you a while back that I was selling two condos in order to buy a house on the island where I have had a vacation home for a few years. My prayer was that God would open and close doors as He saw fit. I promised I’d not push on any door He closed, and that I’d walk through the open ones. Not my will, but Thine dear Lord.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to share all the details of my journey (nor would it interest you) but here are the highlights:

Both condos sold the first weekend they went on the market. That threw me into panic mode as it would leave me homeless as soon as they closed. One was a cash offer, so I had some flexibility there. The buyer agreed to rent to me for two weeks after we closed. She even let me name the price. Blessed!

I began an urgent search for houses. My realtor goes to my church and worked hard to find what I was looking for. I thought he’d succeeded, and put a bid on a cute little house in a neighborhood I liked. I walked through that open door.

They rejected my offer. I countered. They rejected the counter. My realtor felt they were asking $50,000 over what the comps showed. I walked away from that closed door. And looked at about twenty more homes.

I had to go back north to take care of my Ohio condo. So I left my realtor and a dear friend, Mary Jo, in charge of house hunting for me. The next Friday I got a call from Mary Jo. “Connie,” she said. “You’ve got to see this house. I would buy it myself. And I don’t think it’ll be on the market long.”

Another open door? I immediately started packing for the thirteen hour drive. I called my sister who said she would go with me. She was at work, and rearranged her schedule. We’d go down Friday, see the house on Saturday, and head back to Ohio on Sunday because she had obligations on Sunday night. We braced ourselves for a grueling weekend.

We were about two hours down the road when she got a frantic call from her daughter. Something was up, and she needed her mom. After several minutes of trying to figure how that was going to happen, I pulled into a Comfort Inn. My sister would call her husband to come get her, and I’d go to Georgia on my own.

I got to Georgia at about 1:00 on Saturday and went straight to the house where my realtor and Mary Jo were waiting for me. It was perfect! It was close to everything. It had been remodeled recently. And I loved it. My realtor put a call in to the other realtor with my offer. I felt God had opened this door for me to go through.

While they were on the phone, the other realtor got another call from someone with cash. Long story short, the owner asked us both to give us our last best offer. They would decide which offer to accept on Monday. I put in my offer. Open door, you know.

I went to my vacation home (it was still mine as closing hadn’t happened yet). I was set to go north the next day, Sunday, when I got a call from my realtor. He said there was an open house on Sunday he thought I might want to see in case the house I was waiting on didn’t go through. I really had no pressing reason to hurry back north, so I said I’d stay and go to the open house.

Ok. Are you still with me? This house is on the north side of the island. I’d been looking on the south end. It’s in a nice neighborhood, but it’s seven miles from my desired area. But I didn’t want to miss an open door. Remember I’d promised God I’d continue to walk until He closed the door.

Sunday after church, we pulled into the drive at the open house. Cute! We walked up to the front porch. Perfect! I walked through the front door and immediately fell in love. I told my realtor I like this one better than the one I had put an offer on just the day before. It was bright, and open, and I could immediately see my furniture in there.

Needless to say I put an offer on it. My realtor went right to work putting together the necessary papers, dot.looped them to me and the seller, and by 10:00 Sunday night I had a home ($35,000 less than the house I had an offer on the day before).

We withdrew the offer on the other, more expensive house.

Now here is where I see God reveal Himself. If my friend had not seen the house on the south end of the island and called to tell me about it, I would not have gone to the island that weekend. If my sister had indeed gone with me I would not have been available to go to the open house and see the home I eventually bought.

He revealed Himself in the quick sell of two properties, through the realtor who gave up his Sunday evening to get this done, through timing, timing, timing. He even revealed Himself in that, the house I traveled thirteen hours to see is still on the market after the inspection revealed several serious issues.

 

Now it all hasn’t been smooth sailing. I closed on this house Monday, moved my furniture in on Wednesday, and was welcomed by Hurricane Hermine on Friday. The large oak tree in my back yard blew over, damaging a fence and my new neighbor’s enclosed porch. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

I could tell you that one of the tree guys I spoke to said, after looking at the root system, that this could have just as well demolished my house and the neighbor next door. I could tell you about the guy who is painting my house, who was able to clean up the tree in my yard and my neighbors today, the day after the storm, when the tree guys had me on a waiting list.

Right now I am sitting on my back porch, listening to the happy sounds of children in the pool of the family who found my tree in their back yard. The sun is shining, and the humidity is thankfully low. And I know God is in it all, because everything that happened revealed a God who directs our paths when we let Him, and who wants everyone to see Him in me, in us who know Him.

Because He is not willing that any should die without Him. Let’s allow Him to continue to reveal Himself in the details of our lives, and let people know Who it is that directs our steps.

September 1 – Satan’s Captives

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Ezekiel 18-19

I am one who sees the correlation between the Old Testament nation of Israel, and the New Testament Church. So when I read Ezekiel’s lamentation for the princes of Israel, I consider what God would have us know in 2016.

Israel, and the Church, started strong. We were strong and vital, fruitful and full of branches. But the nations, the world caged us “so that (our) voice would be heard no more…” (19:9)

“It withered, and the fire consumed it.” (vs 12)

“And fire has gone out from its branch; it has consumed its shoots and fruit, so that there is not in it a strong branch, a scepter to rule.” (vs 14)

I think God would have us take stock of the strength of our army, the fruit of our lives, and ask ourselves if we are living in captivity. Are we allowing the voice of nonbelievers to shackle us?

Or is there still power in the Church to defeat our enemy? Are we voicing the Truth according to Scripture, or are we living like caged men and women, afraid to speak up?

Are people coming to the Savior because we are out there sharing the Gospel? I pray that is so.

Let’s not live like Satan’s captives. Remember, greater is God in us than that evil one who is in this world.

 

August 31 – Don’t Squander The Gift

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Ezekiel 16-17

The analogy in chapter 16 spoke to me today as if I read it for the first time. A baby is born, unloved, uncared for, discarded, thrown into the open field to die, abhorred. It’s a picture of a helpless one without hope.

But God came along. He saw the newborn squirming in its own blood, and said, “Live!”

That’s a picture of me. I was dying in my own filth, abhorrent to my God. But He looked at me who was without hope, and gave me hope. He gave me life. He gave me Himself.

In the analogy, God nurtures the one He saved. “Then you grew up, became tall and reached the age for fine ornaments…” (16:7) I relate to that. I have also enjoyed the benefits of growing in the Lord, of getting stronger, of becoming the woman He wants me to be, and I am blessed because of Him.

But, sadly, the analogy does not end well. That baby saved by grace, grew up to become a harlot. She used the beautiful jewels given to her by God, and made idols from them. She used the embroidered cloth, and the bread and honey, for her idols. She even became a harlot who paid her lovers instead of receiving payment for her favors. How degrading. How deplorable. How can that even happen?

I’m just reminded not to get too comfortable in my relationship with God, not to get too confident in my position as His child. I don’t want to neglect to recognize Satan’s attacks, his subtle attempt to lure me away from the One who saved me. And I never want to squander the precious gift Jesus has given me.

Ezekiel’s analogy has me wanting to protect what is mine through grace, by protecting my relationship with the One who saved me.

August 30 – Think Again

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Ezekiel 13-15

You all know who Noah, Daniel, and Job are, right? These men had testimonies that rivaled no one. They were godly, obedient, trusting men who had close relationships with God Himself.

But Ezekiel tells us that even if these three were alive, they wouldn’t be able to deliver their sons or daughters from God’s wrath.

Dear one, if you are counting on your parents’ relationship with God, or your spouse’s relationship with God, to get you into heaven, think again. It’s your relationship with God, your acceptance of His grace, that will make the only difference when you see Him face to face.

Not even your godly grandmother can prevent you from God’s wrath against your sin. Only Jesus can do that.

So the next time you start to think you can ride your dad’s coattails into heaven…

think again.

August 29 – Willing To Be Weird

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Ezekiel 9-12

Ezekiel might have looked like a crazy man to his neighbors. He packed his bags and took steps into exile in broad daylight. Then he did the same thing in the evening. He dug a hole in the wall with his bare hands, and went through it like he was escaping. He put his bags over his shoulders and covered his face.

Weird.

But Ezekiel’s example speaks to me. Ezekiel obeyed God without giving a thought about what he’d look like to his neighbors. God said it. So Ezekiel did it.

Am I willing to appear weird to my neighbors for Jesus’ sake? If I go to church on Sunday instead of play golf. If I don’t drink alcohol at the neighborhood block party. If I don’t laugh at dirty jokes or listen to gossip. If I love my neighbor whose dog does its business in my yard. Do people think I’m a prude, or out of touch, or just plain weird?

If God is asking me to live a life that looks different from my unsaved neighbors so that He can reveal Himself through me, do I balk because I’m afraid I’ll look weird?

God, give me the courage to be weird if You ask me to be.

August 26 – God’s Weapon Of War

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Jeremiah 51-52

Listen to what God says to His people concerning His battle plan:

You are my war-club, my weapon of war; and with you I shatter nations, and with you I destroy kingdoms. With you… and with you… and with you… (51:20 ff)

God has chosen to fight this war against our enemy, Satan, along side of us. He is not up there pushing buttons on a game system controller. He wants you and me to go into battle with Him.

Are you a sharpened sword? A sturdy shield? An obedient soldier? This is war. God has a battle plan that includes you and me. We are His weapons of war as we share the Gospel, as we live lives set apart, as we study and pray and go and stand for the Truth of Scripture.

Don’t minimize your role in this. God is depending on each of us to be faithful.

“And with you I shatter…” He says.

Could God defeat Satan without us? Sure. But He has devised a battle plan that depends on our faithfulness.

May faithfulness describe all of us who consider ourselves His people. May we be God’s effective weapons of war.

August 22 – Yet

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Habakkuk

These days it’s easy to be fearful of what lies ahead for planet Earth. The persecution of Christians is seen in parts of the world and, the signs are such to believe it will happen here. We read about a child who is strapped with a bomb, going to a wedding and blowing himself and 51 people up as an act of terrorism. We see sin celebrated like we’ve never seen before, and Jesus reduced to just another religious leader.

How long is God going to tolerate our depravity before He punishes us? How long before we realize God’s wrath?

Habakkuk was fearful about his future, too. In 3:16 he said he had butterflies in his stomach, his lip quivered, he felt sick because he found himself waiting for “the day of distress” when God would send people to invade them. The signs were there. God’s wrath was inevitable. And Habakkuk was scared to death.

But Habakkuk ends his book with a determination I want for myself. He says no matter what happens, if the vines quit producing fruit, if there is no food, if the livestock is cut off and no cattle are in the stalls:

Yet I will exult the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength… (3:18-19a) (emphasis mine)

I don’t know what is around the corner for us here in 2016. I could make myself crazy worrying about it. But Habakkuk has a better idea.

I’m going to praise God every day. I will rejoice in the fact that my sins are forgiven and I walk with God. I will allow Him to be my strength and to direct my path. I will be faithful to Him no matter what, and will share the Gospel until I have no breath left.

That might not be easy, depending on what lies ahead. But, with Habakkuk I want to say no matter how bad it gets…

YET I will exult the Lord.

August 18 – Participation Trophies

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Jeremiah 32-34

When I was first given the responsibility of assigning the Presidential Academic Fitness Award at the school where I was the Guidance Counselor, the qualifications were rigorous. Students needed to keep a high GPA through Middle School as well as score consistently high on standardized tests. There were no subjective qualifiers. And, as hard as it sometimes was, a 3.2 GPA didn’t qualify if 3.3 was the standard.

But receiving that award was a great accomplishment for those who earned it. Soon, someone decided that the feelings of kids who didn’t meet the mark outweighed the feeling of pride and success of those who did. More subjective benchmarks were included. It changed the whole picture of what that award had been.

Many schools have eliminated Valedictorian and Salutatorian honors for the same reason. And how many of you have “participation” trophies sitting on your shelves? We’ve taken away competition at the same time we are trying to compete with other countries around the world. That’s a soap box I could stand on. But God wasn’t really speaking to me about competition this morning. He was, however, speaking to me about participation.

God told the Jews to free their Hebrew slaves. “And all the officials and all the people obeyed…” (34:10) They all participated.

But then they enslaved their brothers once again. Did they obey or disobey? Shouldn’t they get credit for participating? Here’s what God says about that:

Therefore thus says the Lord, You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming release each man to his brother and each man to his neighbor. Behold, I am proclaiming a release to you, declares the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine; and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. (34:17)

God goes on to say they will be given into the hand of their enemies. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds and the beasts.

Friends, there are no Participation Trophy Rooms in heaven. There is no less heat in hell for those who kind of obey. God has set the standard, He’s spelled out His demands. He’s set the bar pretty high – ALL!

It’s not good enough to go to church and read your Bible occasionally. It’s not enough to refrain from alcohol or to be faithful to your wife. It’s not enough to be a good neighbor, an honest person, thoughtful and kind.

God’s standards are these: Give Him 100%. Confess your sins AND repent. Accept Jesus as your Savior. Lay at His feet your life, your dreams, your health, your family. Trust Him. Seek Him with all your heart. Love Him above all. Obey Him.

No one said it’s easy. Nothing worth having is. But understand this: God is not going to change His standards for fear you’ll get your feelings hurt. If you’re hoping for a participation trophy, look at the cross. Does anything you’ve done compare to what Jesus did for you?

August 17 – Don’t “Should”

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Jeremiah 30-31

There is a former student of mine, the mother of four, a young woman who loves her husband and who is loved by him, yet who battles depression and the all-too-often desire to stop living. She’s not a Christian. She reads self-help books, listens to Oprah, and tries to follow the advice of friends who tell her she shouldn’t feel that way, that she should be thankful, that she should tap into her own strength and pull herself up.

But I think all those “should’s” just make it worse.

I thought about her today as I read these chapters. God is telling the Jews that they have a serious injury, an incurable wound.

There is no one to plead your cause; no healing for your sore, no recovery for you. (30:13)

God even goes a step further and tells them to  quit crying about it. Felling sorry for yourself doesn’t change a thing.

Wow, God. Thanks for the encouragement. I feel so much better now.

Read on. God gives more than just a sympathetic pat on the back.

For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds, declares the Lord. (vs 17)

The truth is we all have reason to loathe ourselves. We’ve all done things to be ashamed of, to be sorry for. But trying to fix things by our own efforts is a bit like putting a bandaid on that incurable wound. We may feel better for a time. But when we fall (and we always fall) that wound bleeds a bit more. We feel worse than before, more useless, more of a failure than before.

God wants us to know that we don’t have to manufacture a feeling of healing. HE IS THE HEALER. We don’t have to pull ourselves out of the pit. He died, went into that pit Himself, so we wouldn’t have to live there. He rose again so that we could be born again ourselves, be free from the power of sin, and know the joy that comes from having our sins forgiven.

I think the only “should” we should listen to is the one that tells us we should go to the Father, repent of our sins, and let Him heal us. There is a sense of relief in that “should.”

August 16 – At Any Cost

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Jeremiah 26-29

If you are reading this blog you are probably sitting in air-conditioning, or looking at your cell phone with a cup of coffee in your hand. I know that is an exaggeration, but most of us have to admit we’re pretty comfortable.

Most of us go about our day without too much difficulty, and I would imagine none of us fear we’re gong to be killed today just because we love Jesus. Not so in some parts of our world. The reality is, some people WILL die today because they are Christians.

Jeremiah was facing death because he was a true prophet of God. He told it like God told him to tell it, and refused to tickle the ears of the people, or to be politically correct. Listen to what he said to those who had given him a death sentence:

… The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will change his mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing. (26:12b-15) (emphasis mine)

In the face of death, he didn’t back down. Jeremiah was willing to die. But he was determined to live for God at any cost.

Does that describe me? Am I determined to follow Christ even if it costs me friendships, a career, a dream, my health, my life? I pray that I will live every day unashamed of the Gospel, that I will not compromise the Truth “for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

At any cost.