Okie Verse

Tower:
Eiffel Tower?
Sears Tower?
Leaning Tower of Pisa?

Somehow I don't think that's what God had in mind when he commissioned the Proverbs scribe to write The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (18:10).

No, in those times, towers were a place of refuge, of security. No armies could defeat you. The walls were impenetrable. I picture men, women, families running to the tower - knowing that once they reach its stone wall they can rest and know they are completely secure.

I picture a modern storm cellar. Here in Oklahoma, it's the only real place I feel safe when the sirens of the city sound. Thunder crashing, lightning. If you're in the path of a tornado, the only thing stopping it from hitting you (other than Divine intervention, of course) is being underground.

Once, my husband and I heard the sirens and dove for the bathtub (if you live in the South, you'll understand). Pillows and blankets stuffed around us, we hoped the walls of the tub would keep us safe. Michael had his weed-eater helmet on and I doubled up the stuffing around myself. (I should also throw in that we put the dog in his kennel and the kennel in the cabinet under the bathroom sink - I'd hate for you not to have a clear picture).

When I want to feel completely safe in a literal storm, I want a cellar. No pillows or stuffing or helmets. Only a cellar will do. Living in Oklahoma during one of the worst tornadoes in the nation's history, I know that bathtubs and closets many times just hide the fact that a storm is outside. Often, it can't stop the storm from burrowing through.

So, while it's not very pretty, my version is
The name of the Lord is a storm cellar; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Degrees of Prayer

In all honesty, let's think of how hard we'd pray for the following situations. I'm going to base my answers on what I've seen of "church folk" over my 28 minus 4 days years. I'm considering how long people will pray, how "hard," how deeply, how sincerely, etc. Scale of 1-10 with 10 being praying so hard, fasting and weeping and begging, and 1 being barely praying at all - if any.

• 1=Personally having a cold
• 4=Child or Grandchild having a cold
• 3=An 80 year old with cancer
• 9=An 8 year old with cancer
• 1=Personally having a headache
• 2=Buying a red car or a blue car
• 8=Not having money to buy a car

So, let's talk here. Why would we not pray as much if we had a cold or a headache? Well, probably because we know that it will go away "on its own" if God doesn't intervene. Personally, I don't think many people think God will intervene. Why waste God's time on praying for a headache that an aspirin can cure anyway?
There was this guy at church who would say, "Hello, how are you." If you said anything but "Good" he'd immediately take your hands and start praying. I stopped talking to him for a while...
Why would we pray harder for an 80 year old than an 8 year old? Eh, the 80 year old has lived her life. It's her time to go.
Why do we pray harder for the money to buy a car than for making the right choice on a car? We know only God can work in "impossible" situations. And, while I'm sure that's flattering to God, He still wants to be consulted on the other parts of life.
Why do we limit God? Why do we lack faith or sometimes not even care if we have faith at all?
My husband once prayed at night, "Lord, please help me to feel a little better in the morning." Why? Why do we limit God and ask to feel "a little better?" Do we feel the need to punish ourselves for all the things we did during the day that God should deduct from his blessings & healings?
I strongly feel that how "hard" we pray coincides with how difficult we think the situation is to remedy without God's help. A head cold will be remedied in a few days "on its own." Cancer could kill us - whew, better call God.
I suppose my sarcasm can be better understood as realization. A realization that God answers our prayers in spite of us. In spite of our "little better" prayers. In spite of our lack of faith over the headaches and over abundance of desperation for the impossible.

...Had many sons... many sons had father...

Abraham.

So, I'm suppose to have his faith because, well, we all know that Jesus had faith, duh. So, when he was talking about faith in the Bible, he couldn't really use himself as an example. So, he used Abraham, for one.

Have you seen those cholesterol commercials where people walk around wearing signs with their cholesterol level? Well, that's how names were in biblical days. Adam means "man." The every popularized Jabez, for example, meant sorrowful things for poor ol' J. (Too bad he's not around to benefit from the profits his name has created today!) Abraham walked around as "father of many."

Shame. Embarrassment. If I were Abe, I'd feel horrible every time someone asked my name.

"Thank you for dining at Red Lobster, sir. Your name, please?"
"Father of many."
"Great! And how many will be at your table tonight?"
"Just me and Sarah."
"'Left the kids with a sitter?"
"Um, no. No children" (head down, embarrassed)

Let's liken it to my painting skills. I have none. I can't paint a picture to save my life. It would be like a museum hearing that I was a great artist & asking to display my art. Then, me giving them my best work, which consisted of connect-the-dot and paint-by-number pieces.

God promised Abraham many children. Abe didn't know when where or how & was sick of waiting. He was sick of being embarrassed, ashamed of the "lie" his name was telling.

Let's skip many parts of the story & fast forward to Issac - the promised son.

So, after years of mental torment (as I see it anyway), Issac was born.

"Why, here's one of "father of many's" sons right now! Hey, Issac!"

I'm sure Abraham loved Issac. He redeemed him to the world. No longer was his name a lie. Issac proved Abraham's faith - like the rain proved Noah's - to the world. Oh, what a precious relationship Issac must have had with his dad.

"Oh, Lord," Abraham must have prayed, "thank you for Issac! He's just perfect. I love him so much. Look at his hair and eyes! He looks just like me. Oh, and Lord, he loves being with me. We have fun together, and... what? What's that, Lord? You want me to sacrifice him?"

Did Abraham cry? Did he doubt God? Did he go to Sarah and ask for advice? Did he pace the floors wondering if he'd missed God? Did he wonder if God was punishing him for something?

No. Genesis 22:2 says "God said..." and verse 3 says that Abraham acted on what God said.

So, it's taken me a while to get to this point, but, here's where I want to be.

So many times we hear God. But, what he tells us seems crazy - even may seem to completely contradict what we heard him say before. It makes no sense. We don't understand.

So, we pace the floor. We ask former Sunday school teachers, the pastor, and the church janitor what they would do. We contemplate if we actually heard God. If we were in Genesis 22, there'd be thousands of verses between verse 2 & 3 telling just what we'd did to figure out if God was really speaking.

It seems so difficult for me to think that God wants me to have that kind of faith. I'll be honest, I just don't see how that kind of faith is possible.

God's never let me down.
God has no record of telling me something to do then failing me.
God has never broken a promise to me.
In fact, God has done so many "impossible" things in my life.

Why shouldn't I have that kind of faith? I can't think of a reason.

______
My name means bringer of truth. While God didn't give me this name, he did give me the name Christian - like Christ. Oh, Lord, please help me to live up to that name! Let me never shy away from it or be ashamed! So many promises come with that name. Praise the Lord! Let me have the faith of a mustard seed - even if I'm only starting out with the faith of the tiniest molecule of life! Birth in me a faith that can move mountains and give me the willingness and even the audacity to act upon that faith.

Men!!

No, I'm not mad at my husband - or any man for that matter. I'm just cracked up at good ol' Paul. You know, "Apostle Paul."

1 Corinthians 1:14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)

Isn't it great that God, who ordained all scripture, decided to leave this part in? The part that says Paul couldn't remember baptizing someone? Ha! I would think that baptizing someone would be a big deal! Especially if there were only a few from that town. What is up with that!?!?

So, ladies, the next time your husband forgets something (and we all know they do), just remember good ol' Paul... because your husband sure won't. :)

Red Jell-O

"Why do they make Jell-O red?" I whined aloud as my 4 month old smeared Cherry (sugar-free) gelatin across his face. His bib was soaked, his face was tinted, his car seat had red splotches, and his socks were even drenched syrupy red from him reaching for his "little piggies" after he'd chewed on his fingers after every Jell-O slurp.

There was no denying he'd just eaten - and I'm sure it would only take a few guesses for anyone to figure out what he had eaten. He was evidence-soaked!

I wonder if that's how Christians feel? Baby Christians? The Bible compares those who are just saved to babies.

What if, when new Christians mess up, they feel like they are stained with evidence? Do they hide in shame, bearing marks of yesterday's mistakes? Do they feel like everyone is staring at them, as though they just spilled a cup of Jell-O on their once spotless shirt?

Do they cry, "Lord, my clothes were sparkling white after Sunday service! Now look at me! Everyone will know what I did. Surely they can see it all over my face!"?

Or maybe they cry, "Lord, I'll just cover this stain with a coat. No one will see it! I don't have time right now to change anyway!" Do they wear that coat, and then another, and another burdening themselves until their load is too heavy, once again, to bear?

Like David in Psalm 38:4, have they said, "my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me."?

Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you. Psalm 55:22

My version: Give your stained clothes to God (the ones you think everyone is looking at, the ones soaked with yesterday's sins, the ones you've tried to hide with heavy coats of denial), and he will carry you through to make you clean.

In other words, He gets out red Jell-O... :)

...Ears, Eyes, Nose...

A Cup of Ocean

When I was 13ish, we went for a family vacation to Galveston. It was my first trip to the beach and I remember getting so excited when we topped a hill and I saw the ocean on the horizon. Large and magnificent - it was more than I could comprehend. Our hotel faced the water and every morning I'd just stare outside.

Grabbing my beach bag and tanning lotion (13 year olds don't wear sunscreen - c'mon!), we'd head to the sandy beach. I'd jump right in the waves, my dad right with me, but my mom would sit under the shade of an umbrella. She wasn't scared of the water and knew how to swim, but she just was content under the umbrella. We'd offer to dip a cup into the ocean and bring it to her, just so she could say she'd been in the ocean.

That's how some Christians are. They know how to "get" God and they've been in His presence. They've seen others dive into worship and swim in His blessings. They've got this whole God in front of them with all these blessings, but they are content with their cup of Sunday service.

James 4:8 says "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

I like to think of that verse like this:
~Give God a cup, and He'll pour a cup of Himself into it.

God is a massive Ocean of salvation, blessings, promises, healings, gifts, and too many et ceteras to add on. Why just give Him a cup? Dive in!

ExerSaucers and Swords

At a baby shower for my soon-to-be-born son, we received an ExerSaucer. It's one of those "walkers" that doesn't actually move anywhere, but instead has tons of little toys and gadgets all around it where a child can sit in its colorful cloth seat and spin from toy to toy. Just picture a baby walker on steroids.

Anyway, if you were to ask me if I had one, I'd have to say yes. But, it just sat in the box for several months. So, yes we had one, but no, we didn't use it.

I put off opening the box, knowing full well that thousands of tiny screws and bolts would fall out. My husband, too, never found the time. So, good ol' Grandpa came over. He tore into the brightly colored box and, sure enough, all these attachable toys in wrappers, plastic screws, and red and yellow cloth spilled out.

Yes, we had an ExerSaucer. But it seemed a little overwhelming and, if it had been me, I think I would have just put all the little pieces back in the box and headed to the WalMart return desk.

After what seemed like hours (for all those involved and uninvolved), the ExerSaucer was complete - shiny, noisy, bouncy, and colorful.

See, we had an ExerSaucer the whole time. But, it wasn't used for its purpose. Baby Cole couldn't play with the bouncy clown on top or spin on the saucer disk. It wasn't until someone opened the box and dove into the un-understandable instructions that Cole could play with his "new" toy.

God has given us gifts to use. One of the best gifts is His word. He calls it the "sword of the spirit.” I find this interesting because, God wouldn't have given us a weapon if he planned to do all the fighting for us. He wouldn't have armed us for battle if he'd always cause the enemy to run way.

No, God gave us a weapon to use for battles he knew we’d face. And yes, the Bible does have other uses (correct, instruct, etc.), but His word specifically calls it a sword. What are we fighting? What comes against us?

• We have "divine power to demolish strongholds" 2 Corinthians 10:4
• "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God" 2 Corinthians 10:5
• We "war against the law of [our] mind" Romans 7:23
• "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

Beth Moore has said (as I'm sure others have too) that Satan's already lost his war with us when Jesus died on the cross. So, he plays make believe. He tries to "make us believe" that our worries, guilt, shame, doubts, fears, past hurts, heartaches, enemies, and words that come against us are justified and real. God knew he'd try to do this, so he gave us the greatest weapon of all (it's never lost a battle!).

David (who was a man after God's own heart - with his share of pitfalls) writes in Psalms 119 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

His word - this weapon - is so important that we should know it, read it, use it. Like an ExerSaucer in a box, it does us no good sitting on a shelf. We must know it so fully that...

...when Satan comes against us we can say (or YELL at him), "The one in me is greater than you!" 1 John 4:4

...when we feel alone we can remind ourselves that He said, "I will never leave or forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

...when we dwell on old failures and mistakes, we can remember that He doesn't hold them against us and remembers them no more. Hebrews 8:12

Oh, there are so many more! So many ways we can use this wonderful weapon and win every time.

Do you feel like you're losing a battle? Do you need encouragement? Is life getting you down? Just pick up your sword!

King's Table

I was reading last night about how Mephibosheth ate at David's table (David was the king) and it was apparently an honor to eat at his table.

But, when I picture this scene in my head, the table is long - at least 40 feet - and narrow. David sits at one end with a feast of colorful fruit, thick roasted chicken legs, and large glasses of wine. Mephibosheth sits at the other end - at least 40 feet away - with a tiny piece of bread.

Surely, this is the wrong picture.

2 Samuel 9:11 - Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. Hmm, eating at the king's table meant you were treated as a son or daughter of the king. They had special privileges. In fact, they were in line for the throne...

1 Kings 4:27 - The district officers, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king's table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. Eating at the king's table means you lack nothing. In fact, you don't have to go out and get what you need.... it's supplied for you.

Jeremiah 52:33 - So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table. You don't have to be who you were. Jehoiachin was in prison! Not only did he get to eat at the king's table, but he didn't have to eat there as a prisoner. He was able to cast of his old clothes - his old self!

2 Samuel 9:13 - And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet. Mephibosheth, in many eyes, was worthless. He couldn't even get from one place to the other! The King didn't care!

Luke 22:14 - When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. Jesus reclined with his apostles. They were his closest friends. He confided in them. He told them of blessings. He prepared them for work and for his kingdom. They had to have been close - spiritually and physically - because Jesus was able to break bread with them, talk with them, and recline with them.

Lord, Your table looks beautiful! I can be treated like your daughter there. Oh, how I’d feel your love! And You’d provide for me – everything I need. I’d lack nothing! You’d treat me for who I would be – not for the sinner I was (and deserved to be treated as). You’d look beyond my faults, even faults others so readily expose. And, Lord, You’d share with me. You’d commune with me, telling me things I long to hear and you long to tell me.
Luke 22:35 - Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready...
Lord, find ME ready! I want my lamp to be burning! I want to be ready for service! Use ME for Your glory. I desire to recline at your table. Lord, I wait for your blessings.

Investments

2 Chronicles 25:
6 [King Amaziah] also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him and said, "O king, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel--not with any of the people of Ephraim. 8 Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow." 9 Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?"

But God, why do you want me to work in a prayer ministry when I've invested all this work in the choir ministry?

But God, I've bought this house to fix up for my family. Now you want me to sell it?

But God, I paid good money for these baseball tickets, why would you want me to miss the game?

But God, I put all this time into a children's ministry and now you want me to give it up?

But God said (through his prophet) "The Lord can give you much more than that."

I'm sure Amaziah thought he was doing good in hiring those men to help fight. I mean, what could be wrong in preparation? Sometimes, I really think we can do what seems to be good in our eyes & everyone elses' too. We can invest our money in something that seems so wise. We can invest our time into ministries. What could be wrong with a ministry? We could invest our talents. God gave us the talents. Shouldn't we use them?

To everything there is a season. Sure, using talents for God is wonderful. But, has He given us other talents to use for THIS season? Sure, God wants us to enjoy life and, for example, purchase those baseball tickets we've been saving for. But, would he rather us use that money for something else now?

Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

Praise the Lord that His ways aren't my ways! I don't know what's best for me! This is why I should consult him...

...even when I think I know what's best
...even when things make sense
...even when it's something "godly"
...even when it seems wise to me
...even when I've already spent my time & effort & money & talents
...even when I think I know what He would say

Because when I consult Him and really listen (as His word tells me to do SO many times), I find out what He wants me to invest my ______ (time, money, talent, etc.) in. And, just has he promised Amaziah, he can give me a much better return on that investment!

Amber Alert

When I see an Amber Alert or hear a Code Adam in a store, I immediately start looking for anything suspicious. Was that the car with the broken tail light described by the news? Is that the little boy with the missing front tooth whose mother is so desperately looking for him?

I just received an email from a great Christian friend. It was an Amber Alert. He’d forwarded it to everyone on his email list who would then forward it to all of their friends.

If my son or daughter, aunt or uncle were missing, I would not hesitate to call the police, print posters, call neighbors, and search on foot. I suppose I would not sleep until they were found.

It seems, though, that many of my friends and family are lost. If we truly believe that Jesus is coming back soon, if we truly realize that our lives are just vapors, and if we really believe in a fiery hell, shouldn’t we have our own spiritual Amber Alert?

I’m not saying I have a list at all. I’m just saying this was eye opening to me. We search so frantically, and with good reason, for those who are physically lost. But, those who are spiritually lost are often in greater, eternal danger.

Amber Alert:
Uncle who is lost in sin. Wearing guilt and shame.
May shows signs of exhaustion from fighting a losing battle with this world.
P.S. If found, rejoice with the angels