South Carolina or bust!

For the past 7 weeks we have been living in South Carolina.  Nick has been going to Chaplain school at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  When we found out he would be going to school here we made the decision to travel up here with him.  Because we homeschool the kids we are very mobile, and we believed it could be a great experience.

So February 8th we packed up the van; the next day the kids and I headed off on our great adventure.    It definitely started with an interesting experience.  We had just dropped off Nick when our cat decided to mess his carrier.  As the lovely odor began wafting through the van we knew something had to be done.  So I stopped the van, cleaned the cat's carrier and we were off, again.

We arrived in South Carolina, got our apartment, and found it furnished with the furniture we had rented.  We quickly unpacked the van, unpacked our stuff, and headed out for dinner.  Moving to a new city where you know where nothing is can be a challenge.  It was dark, but I had trusty Google Maps on the phone so we were able to get to where we were going with no difficulty.

The second day in South Carolina included getting the internet set up, getting Nick from the Columbia Airport and getting lost in Fort Jackson.  We eventually got Nick situated where he was suppose to be, and managed to get off base safely.  I had to give Nick his phone that had Google Maps on it so I was mapless for the rest of the time here.

Monday brought new adventures.  We found the library and tried to get a library card...that was an utter failure.  So we found the big library, and we got library cards!  Then we explored the library, it was amazing!!!!!  It has four floors, the garden level or bottom floor is dedicated to the kids.  There are thousands of books and the kids were in heaven!  We explored each floor; Aaron's favorite was the periodical section.  As we where exploring there we found periodicals from the 1870's.  Aaron thought that was amazing.  We would visit that section of the library several more times, including once so Hannah could read for a project an article that was published days after Amelia Earhart's disappeared.  We even discovered story time and we would return several more Mondays to enjoy some stories and crafts at the library.

Tuesday we went to an amazing kids museum.  Admission was only one dollar so we went to the Edventure museum, it was a blast.  The kid's favorite part was the "snowy" area.  They got to have "snowball" fights, and even ride down a "hill" on a tube.  We did have to leave disappointed because one particular area that Bethany really wanted to play in was extremely crowded and she was not able to play there.  We did return a month later on the next Tuesday the museum had $1 admission and she got to play to her heart's content in the area she wanted to play.

We started to get into a routine with school and running.  Our apartment complex has an exercise room where we spent many hours.  I am running a 1/2 marathon on Sunday so it was very important to train. During our time here I ran 172 miles on the treadmill.  While I ran the kids would watch TV in the exercise room.  We finally figured out that Scooby-Doo was on at 10:30 everyday, so we would do our very best to get there by 10:30 so the kids would be able to see the beginning of the show.

Friday brought daddy to the apartment.  We got to pick him up and keep him every weekend!  That first Saturday we went to a performance of Frog and Toad at a children's theatre.  It was a very good performance and it inspired Bethany to check out and read all the Frog and Toad books at the library.  We did some more exploring of Columbia and even found a barber shop that Nick would frequent several more times during our stay so that he could get his hair cut.  Hannah and Nick even started a routine of watching Star Trek every Saturday morning.  She is a trekkie in training!

Sunday we went to church.  As we entered the church we met two other chaplains that were going to school with Nick!  That was probably the best part of the day, because the rest of the day did not go well.  Hannah cried in her class because she was "church-sick," and Aaron spent the time crying because it was a new experience and he hates new experiences.  Bethany loved it-so we got one out of the three.   It took Aaron a couple of weeks, but he grew to love church, and Hannah even made a couple friends.  They even got to go to Awana on Wednesday nights and they loved it.  Well, not the first week they went.  Hannah liked it and shockingly Aaron like it, but Bethany hated it!  The last Wednesday there was crazy hair night, and they had so much fun getting crazy hair.  In the end, church was a great success for the kids and they were very sad then they had to say goodbye.   For me, it was wonderful.  I have been to the same two churches for my entire life and since I was in high school I had always been busy doing something.  For the first time in a very long time I had no responsibilities, and I could just go to church and worship.  I loved it, it was like a breath of fresh air.  I think I really needed a break from serving for a little while.

Over the course of the seven weeks we have been here some days have been boring some interesting.  We have been to an Art museum, we have been to a Three Little Pigs opera, we have played at many playgrounds, we have read many books, we have been to many Build and Grow workshops at Lowes, we have played with Legos at the library,  we have shopped, we even swam in the pool in water that should be called ice water, we have all had some emotional breakdowns, but through it all we have had a lot of fun.  It has not always been easy, I have gotten lost driving through Columbia a few times, we have had our fights, but overall it has been a great adventure.

The last 2 days I have been going to Chaplain's Spouse Training.  For two days the wife of one the chaplains has been teaching us about Navy life.  We have learned more about what our husbands do, we have learned about how to handle deployment, how to read a pay statement, how to move, how to help the kids handle life with dad away.  It has been a great learning experience.  I have enjoyed meeting other women who are in the exact same situation that I am in.  We even had an admiral and his wife come in and talk to us about their life in the Navy.  I am so excited for the ministry that Nick is in. He has an amazing opportunity to minister to so many people and I can't wait for him to finally get started.  We don't know when the next adventure will begin, but we are praying that very soon he will be able to start ministering as an active duty chaplain in the Navy.

Today is graduation, and in a way I am sad to see it because it means that this adventure is over.  I love Columbia, and I am very sad to be leaving.  I am so proud of Nick, he has overcome many challenges, he has accomplished things that he didn't think he could accomplish.  He is a Navy Chaplain!  He is following the call the Lord has given him and a dream he has had for a very long time!   While this adventure is coming to an end a new one is just around the corner and I can't wait to see what life brings.

So what's the big deal about love? Part 2

Here is the link to first part.

After I finished that post I kept on thinking of more examples of God's love throughout the Bible, but that will have to wait for another time.  This time I want to look at how the love that we have been shown transforms us.

Romans 5:7-9 ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The greatest expression of God's love toward us was Christ's death.  God's righteousness, holiness, and justice required a punishment for sin.  That punishment was death, an eternity separated from God, it was a heavy price, it was a price that we in our limited capacity as humans had no way to pay.  We had no hope of ever being able to escape the punishment or to pay the price; it was hopeless. But God is his love offered to us his Son.  His Son, Christ on the cross received the punishment that each of us deserved.  God's righteousness, holiness, and justice were satisfied, the price for sin that no human could pay was paid by Christ.   There is no way in this world that I would ever think to offer my son up  for the payment of someone else's debt, but that is what God did for us.  We often forget the significance of that love; do we even have a grasp of what that love is?  The big deal about love is that without love we would still be dead in our sin.  Without love we would be destined for eternal separation from God.  That love is the very foundation of our faith, without the love of God there would be no hope.  

Three separate times in the last lesson that Jesus taught to his disciples before his death he instructed his disciples to love one another.  

Jn 13:34-35

³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Jn 15:12-14

¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Jn 15:17-18
¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another. ¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

In the prayer that Christ prayed before he went out into the garden he even prayed that his disciples would have the love that his Father had toward him would be in his disciples.  It was how he finished his prayer.


Jn 17:24-26
²⁴ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
²⁵ O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. ²⁶ And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

In the life of a Christian love is one of the most important attributes that should be exhibited.  Christ said that the two great commandments were to love the Lord and to love your neighbor.  He said that on these two commandments hung all the law and the prophets.  If you love your neighbor then you will be kind, you will treat others correctly.  You won't lie, steal, or cheat etc. if you are loving your neighbor.  The importance of love is that without love you will ever be able to be a Christ-like Christian, because love is integral to his character.

Up next will be a look at I Corinthians 13.

So what's the big deal about love? Part 1

Sometimes it is amazing to see how the Lord uses many people to help teach us lessons.  In the past week I have had two separate conversations with people about love, and then I heard a message on the topic.  It is the topic that I have been pondering for a while.  So what is the big deal about love?

So often as Christians we focus on God's justice, holiness, and righteousness.  We acknowledge that God is love, but it is never the focus.  We consider it good enough for the kids in preschool (one of the first verses they learn is "God is love"),  but that basically as far as it goes.  We mention it when we talk about Christ's birth and death, and we gloss it over when we talk about how we should live our Christian life.  Focusing on God's love doesn't mean that we ignore justice, holiness and righteousness or any other attribute of God it just means we are taking some time to mediate on the concept.

So where to we see God's love?   It starts on Genesis with Adam and Eve.  God could have allowed Adam and Eve to die immediately because his justice, holiness, and righteousness required it.  His love not only gave them a lighter judgement, but gave them the promise of a Messiah.

Think of Cain.  He murdered his brother, he deserved whatever punishment God gave him.  God's justice, holiness and righteousness required punishment, but His love meant he listened to Cain's complaint of the punishment being too hard and extended mercy to him.

Even Noah.  God's justice, holiness and righteousness required that the whole world should be destroyed, but his love saved Noah and his family.  His love extended the promise that He would never destroy the earth again with a flood. 

With Moses.  God's justice, holiness and righteousness required that Moses do what God commanded him.  His love gave Moses someone to help, Aaron.

With the children of Israel.  How many times do we find that God's justice, holiness and righteousness required the death of the people?  But how many times do we find His love preventing their destruction? In the wilderness with fiery serpents, we find his justice sending the snakes, but his love providing salvation from the death the serpents brought.

With David.  David sinned in numbering the people.  God's justice gave a consequence, his love stopped the consequence.  

With the city of Nineveh.  God's justice and righteousness demanded that the city be destroyed.  His love and mercy sent Jonah with a call to repentance.

With the woman caught in adultery.  She deserved death that was what the law required, it was what God's justice and holiness required.  Christ offered her only love and forgiveness.

With the disciples.  It was love that Christ offered them in the face of their betrayal and abandonment. 

With the children.  While the disciples offered the children only distain, Christ offered them love calling the little children to him, and chiding those that would prevent them.

With the Jews that rejected him.  His justice brought condemnation and a prophecy of destruction.  His love led to Christ weeping as he looked at the city.

With the human race.  God's justice, holiness, and righteousness required that the price must be paid for sin.  His love offered his only son to pay that price.

A focus on His love does not deny or minimize any of His other character traits.   If we study with out pre-conceived notions of what we think the Bible says, we might find something that we missed.

There is a lot more to ponder on this topic, hence the part 1.  More will be coming soon.

Part 2

A Look in the Mirror

One of the most difficult things to do as a Christian is to honestly look at ourselves in the mirror of God's Word.  It is so easy to read passages that are condemning a group of people for their sins and self-righteously pass over it thinking that we are nothing like that group of people.  The passage I have been mediating on lately is one such passage.

Matthew 23 is Christ's warning to the people about the duplicity of the scribes and Pharisees, and a harsh condemnation of their behavior.  This passage is often looked at with the viewpoint that those scribes and Pharisees were really terrible people and we are nothing like them.  But is that really the truth?

Matt 23:3-11 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

At first glance, the horror! How could the Pharisees and scribes do such horrible things?  They say one thing and then do the opposite, they want everyone to see all the good things they do, they place heavy burdens on others.  Our righteous indignation starts to simmer.  Then the tough part-let's look at ourselves.  How often do we disciple new Christians by giving them a list of rules:  read your Bible, pray, come to church every time the doors are open, tithe, give to missions, don't listen to that, don't watch that, don't go there, don't wear that, only wear this, go out soul winning.  Before long we have heaped a heavy burden onto a new Christian.  When we disciple teens they get the same list plus the added pressure of: make sure your are in the center of God's will, don't date, don't play video games, don't have facebook, don't go to the movies, have the right friends.  Even the adults: are you reading the Bible enough?, are you praying enough?, are you knocking on doors enough?, are you tithing enough?, are you confessing all your sin enough?, are you going to the altar enough? are you memorizing the Bible enough?.   Did we miss the part,  "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your soul for my yoke is easy and my burden is light"?  

We are so busy binding heavy burdens onto ourselves and others that we have become just like the Pharisees.  We don't even consider the rest the Christ offered us.

 We are all guilty of hoping that thing we did will be seen and praised.  That special we sang in church, the work we did to clean up after a meal, the meal we took to others, the Sunday School class we have taught, the bus ride we have taken, the people we have ministered to, all those things and more we want the praise.  We may do them so spiritually, but we secretly hope someone will notice.  If no one notices we try to casually work it into a conversation so we get at least a little bit of praise.  We revel in the praise when someone calls us out publicly for the good we have done, or we make it a "praise" during a time of public praise.  Are we not just like the Pharisees?

Matt 23:23-28 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Maybe this doesn't apply; We don't tithe spices, surely this isn't talking about us.  Look back in the mirror. How often are we so worried about how the teens are dressed, how the adults are dressing, if the women are wearing the right clothing, if the music is exactly the right style.  We worry so much about these issues, but what about judgment?  What about mercy?  What about faith?  What about love? What is most important to us?

Is it that the teen sitting beside us is wearing a top that is a little too tight or is it the thought are we showing Christ's love as we address her?  Have we stopped to consider her situation?  Have we stopped to actually talk to her instead of talk at her.  Do we listen as she tells about the difficulties she is having at home, or are we too busy thinking of all the right verse to use to tell her how she is not dressing appropriately?   When that family comes in that smells strongly of smoke do we quickly judge them and find them wanting; or do we sit beside them and learn about them and the struggles they are having?  We look good, we dress right, we say all the right things, but inside we are full of condemnation and judgment.  Even with other Christians, we overhear about an activity that they are doing during the Sunday night service instead of coming to church.  We smugly think to ourselves...at least my family will be in church.  

So now what?  The picture in the mirror is not looking to good. Do we ignore it?  That won't do much good.  We walk away the same way we came.  What can we do?  Pray more...that will do it.  No, maybe reading our Bible more....if we read for 1 hr every morning surely that will do it.  It might help.  Beating ourselves up about it....that might work.

Christians, let's take our eyes off ourselves and look to our Savior.  The only one that can save us from our wretchedness is not ourselves.  No amount of work or works that we do can ever change us.  The change can only come through Christ and Him alone.  Instead of teaching a list of rules and regulations that must be kept in order to be a good Christian, let's teach His love.  Take the focus off works and put it back on Christ.  Ponder his love, we who were dead in our trespasses and sin yet he saw fit to love us.  He gave up everything to demonstrate his love to us.  He loved the unlovable; he loved the diseased; he loved the dirty; he loved the children; he loved the doubters.  As unlovely as we are, as hypocritical as we are, as sinful as we are-He loved US.  That love transforms us, that love cleanses us, that love redeemed us, that love sanctifies us, that love frees us, that love never leaves us, that love saved us, that love compels us to live for him, that love strengthens us as we walk in Him.

The solution for the image in the mirror is Christ, always has been and always will be.  It's not any easy thing to look in the mirror, it's not any easy thing to admit that we are hypocritical, but it has never been difficult for Christ to love us!

Romans 5: 6-9 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Forgiveness

John 8:2-11 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them,He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

Several weeks ago the kids and I were discussing this story, and some of the things we discussed I have been meditating on.   As we were talking about how Jesus told the people that the person that is without sin should throw the first stone, one of the kids pointed out that Jesus could have cast the first stone.  I don't think I have ever thought about it in that perspective, but it is absolutely true.  Christ was without sin-meaning by his own declaration he had every right to cast the first stone, but he did not!   Instead of condemnation, he offered this woman forgiveness.   Instead of righteous indignation, he offered unconditional love.

As Christians, often we are the first in line to cast the first stone, not at others but at ourself.  We sin, mentally berate ourselves for that sin, then finally beg and plead for Christ's forgiveness hoping to escape his condemnation.   But, we have missed the point.   Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.    Christ does not offer us condemnation, he only offers his love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

Unfortunately, we accept the forgiveness for salvation, but then reject the forgiveness for the Christian walk.   In our Christian life we are so worried about keeping all the rules, doing the right things, reading our Bible enough, praying enough and witnessing enough.  If we fail, we condemn ourselves, beg for forgiveness, and resolve to try harder.   We fail to realize that we cannot do anything to lose the forgiveness that has been unconditionally offered.

Let us walk in the assurance that Christ has unconditionally forgiven us, that he will never retract that forgiveness, and let us allow that forgiveness transform our lives.

Run

I enjoy running and I was recently asked my thoughts on running on a treadmill vs. running outside.  There are benefits to both.  When I run on a treadmill, I am constantly moving but making no visible progress yet I can run at a faster, more consistent pace, while running outside is much more freeing and enjoyable to me.  I was contemplating that thought this morning during my run and thought of the comparisons to our Christian life.

So often we hear about the Christian race and we determine on our own to run the race to the best of our ability.  We quickly memorize a checklist of things we need to do to run a successful race and begin implementing it in our unfulfilled life.  When considering those things, we realize that the list is long: read and memorize your Bible, go to church every time the doors are open, hand out Gospel tracts, go knock on doors, help in the bus ministry, teach Sunday school, give your tithe generally, ensure that you don't sin. We find ourselves running on a treadmill, constantly running, but never going anywhere.

If we take the idea further we can envision Christ standing by our side handing us the new running clothes of His righteousness, but we lay it carefully to the side.  Often we are afraid of soiling it as we run, so we trade the new clothing for our own stain covered righteousness  On the screen of our treadmill we see the list of do's and don'ts and the pace we are forced to run.  We try adjusting speed but end up running ourselves ragged because we just don't measure up. The running of this race is overwhelming, disheartening and exhausting.

Through a large picture window we are confused as we see other Christians running their races, because it seems like they are enjoying the race. We wonder, "What am I doing wrong?"  Anxiously we check our list on our treadmill, then run to Christ confessing all the sins that we can think of that have been committed, and vow to run better on our treadmill. He sadly smiles beckoning, "My child, I love you just as you are. Come run with me." 

Blinded by our need to do better, we increase the pace on our treadmill.  We beginning to check off the list on our treadmill.   We ensure we have followed the checklist regarding our dress, then our music, then what we read, then what we watch, then our friends.   As the list becomes longer we become more and more proud.  As we run, we begin to look down on those who have not completed as much on their list. We are filled with pride in our success in following the list when we see those running outside with complete freedom. But still, the race is overwhelming, still something is not right, we look at ourselves in the mirror and still the hopelessness-we can't seem to get it right.

Suddenly we trip and fall to the ground.  Immediately, our Savior is there gently picking us up and once again pleading, "Come unto me, put on my righteousness and run with me."

Confused we dust ourselves off as we wearily climbing back on the treadmill.  "If I just read my Bible more, memorize more, pray more, give more-then I will be worthy."

He replies, "Come child, I love you, let me teach you to run."

Stubbornly we grab the handles of the treadmill, "I know how to run. I need to be worthy, I have to do more, if I just determine to do more I can do it."

As a loving Father, He watches our feeble attempts to run the race. He holds in his nail-pierced hands the freely-offered garments of His righteousness.

Finally, exhausted we step off the treadmill. Our Savior hands us His righteousness asking, "Are you ready now?"

Our reply, "No, but I can't do what I am doing any more."

With a smile He replies, "My grace is sufficient, my strength is made perfect in your weakness.  Now put on my righteousness."

As we trade the old for the new, we revel in the feel of it, we wonder why did we wait so long to put it on?  We spot our reflect in the mirror, we are hardly recognizable.

He takes our hand, "Come run with me."  Tentatively we step out temporarily blinded by the beauty of it all.  Again he beckons, "Come run with me."

Fearfully we take a step back, "But Lord, what if I soil your garments with sin?"


"My child, my righteousness cannot be soiled."


"But Lord, what if I don't take the right path."


His tender reply, "My child, I will direct your path."


"But Lord, what if...."


"My child, come, I will never leave you, nothing will be able to separate us, take my hand and let's go."


Cautiously we begin the run, the doubts still overwhelming us. The first step is hard, the second is a little easier, the third even easier, suddenly we begin to enjoy running for the first time, as the doubts begin to fade. For the first time, reading His Word becomes a pleasure, praying becomes like talking to your best friend, attending church becomes a time of utter enjoyment, telling others about what He has done is no longer an obligation.  Puzzled we ask, "What happened?"


His reply, "Love! All I have ever asked of you is that you love me and love others."

"But what about before, I did all the right things I never seemed to get it right, but now I love doing those things."

"My child, when you love me, everything else just falls into place, let's keep running. You have much more to learn."

As we keep running at a steady pace, the run is now utter joy, it's free, it's invigorating, it's indescribable!  Suddenly, the path ahead takes an unexpected turn, it looks dark, we stop in fear. "Lord, I can't do it, I can't see the path."

"Child, my Word will light your way, plus-look behind you."

Confused we turn towards the path behind us; we are surprised by the sight.  The path had been tough, the path had been covered by rocks, thorns, and weeds, it had been a difficult path all along.  "Lord, how did I make it through?"

"My grace. My grace will see you through the path ahead."

Again we take His hand and we run the race. The path may be difficult, the run may be hard, but running with the Savior instead of for the Savior has made all the difference.

Nick has been gone at Officer's Development School (ODS) for the past week.  I never knew how long a week could be, how slowly the time could pass, or how lonely it is without Nick.  I have a new appreciation for those I know whose spouses are gone for long periods of time.

Isn't he so handsome :)  I am very proud of him.  He was been working so hard for the past year and a half for this.  He was been gone for one week, and he will be gone for another four weeks.  He was been blogging about what has been going on in his blog here.

The kids and I are attempting to stay busy since our school year has been over for the past couple weeks.  We spend last week cleaning out bedrooms.  This week we will be spending time in the doctor's office getting all the kids their wellness check-ups.

Aaron's 5th birthday is this week.  It is hard to believe he is already 5!  Five years ago at this time I was very impatiently waiting for my son who was already 6 days late!  He keeps asking if he can have has birthday presents early; he has no patience!  We are having some friends over to help celebrate his birthday and we are having his favorite meal-chicken and fries.

So basically life is pretty boring around here, not that boring is a bad thing, it just makes the days seem really long.

A look back

This past year has flown by, there have been struggles and difficulties a long the way, but the Lord has been faithful to us through it all.  We as a family as learned so much.  A year ago at this time we were looked at what I considered a fearful storm, it looked very ominous in my mind and I was very afraid.  I knew in my head that the Lord would take care us, but I couldn't see how.  As I consider the events of this past year, I must say it has been a great year.  We saw the Lord provide for us abundantly.  Every need that we had was supplied, not just that, but the wants that we had were supplied.  We serve a great God!

I have learned so much about the Lord that we serve this year.  I have learned of his faithfulness and goodness. I have been amazed by his mercy and his justice.  I have sat in awe of his amazing love for us.  I have contemplated verse like: Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
How small is our faith.  We have a Heavenly Father who gave his only begotten, beloved Son so that we could have eternal life.  He gave us something most amazing, but He is not done yet.  He will freely give us all that we need. In response we fret and worry about things that we need, when we have a Heavenly Father who gives to us freely!

An Anniversary

Last week we marked a very special anniversary!

It was the anniversary of the fire, it has been two years since the fire.  The fire has become a way we mark time.  When we talk about when something happened the kids always ask if things happened before or after the fire.   The fire was definitely a life-changing moment.  Our remembrance simply included a mention that it was the anniversary, and a few tears were shed by Hannah for Andy our cat that died.

The past two years have been a learning experience.  We have learned that trusting God is more than just lip service.  The day of the fire we were interviewed by a local news station, the interview was never aired, but in it we stated that we were looking forward to what God would have for us, because He has always taken care of us.   Looking back at day, it almost seems like a lie.  Not the part about God always taking care of us, but the part that we were looking forward to what God would have for us.  It must have been the shock talking!   We had no idea at all how God would take care of us, and frankly I was more frightened than anything.  I knew all the right words to say, but the action of trusting was much more difficult.  It is a fearful thing to walk totally by faith not having any idea how the Lord would be guiding our steps.  We had to walk daily trusting that things would work out.

The greatest blessing of the fire was not the new house, not that it wasn't absolutely wonderful!  The greatest blessing was the lessons of faith that we learned.

The lessons of faith was exactly what we needed, because a year ago we made a life-changing decision.  It was a decision that would require a walk that would be totally by faith. At the time it felt like a flying leap off the edge of a cliff with no safety net.  When we made the decision for Nick to quit his job to pursue the chaplaincy it was very scary, but what kept us going was the lessons of faith we had learned from the fire.  In the darkest days after the fire we could see how the Lord was working and taking care of our every need.  Because of that we knew that the Lord would take care of us as we embarked on our new adventure.  That is not to say that we have been pillars of faith in fact at times it has been quite the opposite, but in the times when our faith has wavered the Lord has continued to take care of us.

When it comes to things I am thankful for one of the things very high on my list is the fire.  Not because I ever want to have another fire, but the lessons that we learned have been so valuable!  We have seen in the last two years more than any other time in our lives the greatness of the Lord!

Mrs. Schmuck

Today is my birthday, and I have reached the milestone of my thirties.  Somehow though it doesn't seem important, how long you live, what age you have reached; it doesn't really matter.  What matters are the lives that you impact.

Today, one my high school English teachers died.  Mrs. Schmuck was known for her smile the most.  I can remember people complaining about having her first hour because she was so cheerful, and people complaining about having her seventh hour because she was so cheerful!  The poems that she taught us stick with me still today.  At random moments, a poem that I learned with Mrs. Schmuck will pop into my head.  The things she taught were not just academic lesson; with her life she taught many spiritual lessons.

Over the past several days her facebook page has been inundated with people posting how Mrs. Schmuck influenced their lives.  It wasn't the grammar, literature, or spelling words she taught that made the greatest impact, her influence went much farther than that.  It was her Christian life that made the greatest impact, she truly lived a life that exemplified the joy of the Lord.

Yesterday, Steve Jobs died; today facebook, has been filled with people discussing his life.  He made a great impact on the world, even on my world, since Apple is Nick's employer at the moment. I can't help but see a stark contrast between the two.  Mrs. Schmuck was a high school English teacher, Steve Jobs an innovator. Steve Jobs made millions, Mrs. Schmuck not so much.   Steve Jobs became a household name, Mrs. Schmuck not so much.  But the impact that Mrs. Schmuck made was so much greater.   The treasure Steve Jobs accumulated won't last.  The treasure Mrs. Schmuck accumulated will last forever.  The headlines won't ever report about Mrs. Schmuck's, but her life and influence has greatly touched many lives.

So you see, age doesn't matter, it's not important.  The people that we influence, the love of Christ that we show, that is what truly matters.

The Lord is Good

This past January when Nick left his job at church it was a terrifying time.  We had a bit of money in the bank, we had figured out how long we could survive with out an income, and it was very clear that we would have to learn how to trust the Lord.

Through the past seven months we have seen the Lord's faithfulness.  We are still able to pay for our groceries with cash, we still have money in the bank several months past the point that we thought it would be gone, all our bills have been paid on time, and the only new debt we have incurred is Nick's schooling.   All those things have not happened because of anything we have done, but because the Lord has been faithful to us.  In January, I told Nick that it seemed like a huge storm as brewing in the distance and that thought of it was overwhelming.  It's almost the middle of August and that storm still hasn't shown up!

We so often want to be in control of our situation; we try everything possible to try to get the results that we want.  We struggle and worry, all the while forgetting that our future is not in our hands.  The Lord is the one guiding and directing our steps.  If we just walk one day at a time trusting Him, those things that seem so overwhelming suddenly are not.

The Matthew 6:25-34 suddenly has a whole new meaning.  It is no longer something that you have just read and heard sermons on, it is a way of living that is not always easy, but it is full of blessing!

Hebrews 10:1-25

I have been reading through the epistles for the past several weeks and have been thoroughly enjoying it.  I really enjoyed reading through the book of Hebrews and one passage that stood out to me was Hebrews 10.  


Heb 10:1-4  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.   For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 

The law and the sacrifices that were set up back when the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness were simply a shadow of things to come and simply a glimpse of what Christ would do.  The yearly sacrifices could not ever take away sin-it was not possible.

Heb 10:5-10  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:   In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.   Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;   Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

When Christ came into the world He came to do the will of the Father.  When He died on the cross He did what the blood of the animals could not do-so took away our sin.  The sacrifice did not have to be made yearly-the sacrifice was complete "once for all,"  because Christ was able to take away our sins.

Heb 10:11-14  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:   But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;  From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 

Here is the comparison between the sacrifice that the priest did daily which could not take away sin, and the sacrifice for sin that Christ completed.  The price for sin was completely and totally paid by Christ's sacrifice, while the daily sacrifices could never take the sin away.

Heb 10:15-18  Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.   Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 

What a comfort to know that our sins will be remembered no more.  The sacrifice has been made and there is no need any more for offerings for sin.  What a great comfort that is!

Heb 10:19-22  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;  And having an high priest over the house of God;   Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 

Because of what Christ did we now can boldly enter into the presence of the Lord.  We have a new and living way to live, because of what He did for us.  

Heb 10:23-25  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Because of what Christ did for us we can hold onto our faith without wavering because He is faithful.  We don't have assurance of our faith because of ourselves, but because Christ is faithful!  Because of that there are some things we should do.  We should encourage love and good works, we should assemble with other Christians and encourage one another.   

What a great Savior we have!  He paid the price for our sins that no one else could pay.  That assurance should prompt us to love one another, to service others, encourage others and live in the joy that our sins are remembered no more!

It's been a while!

The past several weeks have been absolutely crazy, so I haven't had an opportunity to sit down and do much study.  The passage I am looking at today is 1 Samuel 8.


1Sa 8:1-5  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.   Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.  And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.  Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,   And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 


This first part of the chapter talks about Samuel's sons.  It is very sad to see that even though Samuel was the man of God and that he was used mightily of God, his sons did not follow the leadership of their father.


1Sa 8:5-9  And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.  And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.   According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 


The children of Israel wanted a king; they wanted to be like everyone else.  The Lord told Samuel to tell the people exactly what they would get with a king, but He was going to allow the children of Israel to have a king.

1Sa 8:10-18  And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.  And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.   And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.   And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.   And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.  And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.   He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. 


Samuel tells the people exactly what would happen if they got a king.  He lays out very clearly what the consequences of having a king would be.


1Sa 8:19-20  Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 
 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 


Samuel's instructions didn't even register in the people's mind.   They had made up their minds that no matter what, they wanted a king!

1Sa 8:21-22  And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.   And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city. 


In the end, the Lord told Samuel to give the people what they wanted.
 
Looking at this story from the perspective of a parent/child relationship it is interesting that the Lord allowed the children of Israel to have exactly what they wanted.  He warned them that it would lead to great problems, and that it would have serious consequences.  He knew that it was not the best thing for the people, but He allowed them to make a foolish decision.  He could have refused them, but he didn't!

Have we considered that there may be times when we just have to let our children make their own decisions.  We must let them know what the consequences of their actions will be, but sometimes they have to make their own decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions.

A challenge from Teen Extreme

Last week we took our teens from church to Teen Extreme Camp at PCC.  We had a great week, and we were able to see the Lord working in many of our teens' lives.  The preacher was Kenny Baldwin and we thoroughly enjoyed the preaching.  One of the messages that really challenged me was about adding to our faith.


2Pe 1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 
2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 
2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 
2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 
2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 
2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 
2Pe 1:11  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

These verses remind us of the salvation that we have received and gives a blueprint for walking with God.  To our faith (salvation) we should be adding things.  It doesn't mean that we are working for our salvation-Christ completed that work, but we should be working to add to our faith.  The illustration that Kenny Baldwin used was a Christmas tree.  When we get saved it's like we get a Christmas tree,  we are saved but there is nothing on the tree.  The things we add are what make the Christmas tree more interesting.  

To our faith we need to be adding virtue (doing right), knowledge (knowing what the Bible has to say), temperance (self-control), patience (waiting), godliness (being more like Christ), brotherly kindness (love for other Christians), charity (love for others).  It is not a once in a lifetime adding though; daily we need to be adding these things to our lives.  Peter says that those that lack these things forget how they were cleansed from sin.  If we do add to our faith then verse 10 says that we will not fall.  

So often in our Christian life we are content with where we are.  We have learned lots of Bible in Sunday school, church, Christian home, Christian school, and Christian college.  We often imagine we have arrived  spiritually were we should be, but if we take a long hard look at our lives are we really?   Our goal should be being more like Christ, until we reach heaven we will not be able to be completely like Him, but we must work everyday to be more like Him.  We can't be content at the spiritual level that we are currently at.  We must add to our faith!

Our great God

Often there are days in our living by faith that the flesh gets in the way.  We start to look ahead at the future and we have no idea how the Lord is going to provide for us in a few months when the savings run out.  We start to worry and fret, fortunately we have a great God that brings us gentle reminders that He is in control and that He is taking care of us today!  I read these verses in my devotions yesterday and they were a great encouragement, mainly because we have been seeing the Lord's faithful.

Mat 6:8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.


Monday, Hannah and I went thrift store shopping to find her some clothes for camp.  I was praying all morning that the Lord would provide and that we would be able to find the things that she needed.  The Lord answered my prayer!  We were able to find 3 pairs of shorts, 2 skirts, and 1 dress for under $15!  This verse "your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him,"  we saw in action!  The Lord knew long before Monday morning that we would need clothes for Hannah.  When we went to the thrift store the clothes that we bought did not magically appear on the rack, they were already there.  Some one donated them, some one tagged them, some one put them on the rack, just so that when we walked in Monday they would be there for us to buy!  The Lord was working through others long before I realized there was a need so that my prayer would be answered!

Mat 6:25-34  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?   Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.   Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

These verses tend to be a struggle for us, mostly the part that says, "take no thought..."  So it is good for us to consider how the Lord has taken care of us.  In the past couple weeks, the Lord has provide some students for me to teach, several computer jobs for Nick, a job helping a friend with some repairs that Nick got paid for, and a couple dresses for Bethany costing only $3!  Each one of those things are the testimony that the Lord is taking care of our daily needs!  

Several mornings each week we go to the park near our home to go running.  When we are there we usually see the same people.  One of those people is lady that that stops and talks to us occasionally.  Yesterday,.she stopped to talk to us and asked us if we like cucumbers.  Apparently, her husband enjoys gardening and was harvesting more cucumbers than they needed.  She told us that this morning she would bring us a bag of cucumbers.  After we finished talking to her I was ready to have a praise service!   Every year I plant cucumbers in my garden, and every year we get a good enough harvest to be able to put up cucumbers.  This year because it has been so dry and we are too cheap to water, I did not even get one cucumber.  What a huge blessing that a lady, that we only know because we see her at a park, has offered us cucumbers! 

The Lord has been so good to us, and He is providing for our daily needs.  That is just the encouragement we need to keep on in this journey of daily living by faith!

What to do when everything is going wrong.

I have been reading through the minor prophets which are full of a lot of destruction and also the great promise of redemption, and complete restoration of Israel.  As I was reading these verses jumped out at me-so to speak.


Hab 3:16  When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. 
Hab 3:17  Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 


By all accounts everything is falling apart!  The fig tree isn't blossoming, the vines are not producing, the olives are worthless, the fields are not producing anything, the animals are doing horribly.  To sum to up: things are awful!!  But even the midst of it all there is hope!

Hab 3:18  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 
Hab 3:19  The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. 


When life is falling apart at the seams we need to do what Habakkuk was doing-rejoicing in the Lord.  The Lord is our salvation and strength; and He will help us when life's troubles come our way!

Does our joy come from the things we have, or the things we do?  Without even a slight warning our world can turn completely upside down!  One day we are going about our regular routine, the next thing we know our house is destroyed in a fire!   If our joy is in those things-the joy has been destroyed.  If our hope and joy is in our Savior it doesn't matter what happens.  When anything and everything is going completely wrong we have an unchanging hope that can't be destroyed!  Let's make the Lord our joy and strength, and not rely on anything else-He will never fail us!

Jonah

My reading through the Bible has led me to Jonah, so time to do some study.


Jon 1:1-2  Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 

This story starts off with the Lord giving a command to Jonah.  It was very straight-forward and clear what Jonah was to do.

Jon 1:3  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 

Jonah did not like what he was told to do.  So he decided to go to Tarshish, where he thought he would be able to get away from the Lord.  Jonah tells the Lord in chapter four the reason why he went to Tarshish.

Jon 4:2  And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 

Jonah told the Lord the reason he fled was because he knew the character of the Lord.   He knew that the Lord was gracious, merciful, long-suffering, kind and that the Lord would not destroy Nineveh if they repented.  

Jon 1:4  But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 

Jonah was not going to get out of doing what he was suppose to do so easily.  The Lord send a great storm.  The storm got the attention of the mariners, but it did not get the attention of Jonah.  In fact he was doing his very best to ignore the whole situation as he was found sleeping down in the boat.

Jon 1:8-10  Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?   And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.  Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 

The mariners questioned Jonah to find out why the terrible storm was raging, and when they found out they were terrified.  

Jon 1:11-12  Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.  And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. 

The mariners want to know what to do to stop the storm; Jonah came up with a solution, but the mariners did not like the idea.  It is interesting to note that no where do we see Jonah praying, asking for forgiveness.   It almost seems like he doesn't care.  In chapter four, twice Jonah asks the Lord to let him die, perhaps Jonah here was thinking it would be better to die in the water than to have to preach in Nineveh.

Jon 1:14-17  Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.   So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.   Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 

The mariners beg the Lord to not punish them for throwing Jonah overboard, then they threw him into the sea.   The storm stopped when Jonah was thrown into the water, and the mariners feared the Lord because of His great power.  The Lord sent a great fish to swallow Jonah, and for three days Jonah had time to think about what he had done.  The Lord was using a time-out on Jonah!

Chapter 2 finds Jonah praying to the Lord, and the Lord commanded the fish to spit Jonah out.

Jon 3:1-3  And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,   Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.  So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. 

The Lord once again instructs Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach to the people.  This time Jonah has learned his lesson and he obeys the Lord's instruction.

The Lord in this story has an interesting way of dealing with Jonah.  He gives Jonah the instructions and Jonah just directly disobeys.  The Lord then sends the storm to get Jonah's attention, but the mariners are paying better attention than Jonah.  Once Jonah is thrown overboard, the Lord has Jonah's undivided attention for three days.  The consequences for Jonah's actions were enough to get him to go to Nineveh.  The Lord did whatever it took to get Jonah to obey, and He used some rather unorthodox methods to accomplish his purpose. 

As parents, when our children disobey are there times that an unorthodox approach to getting the results we desire is necessary?  Are we willing to do whatever it takes to get our child's attention so that they will obey?  

A challenge from Joshua

This passage is Joshua giving his final words to the children of Israel before he died.

Jos 23:6-8  Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;  That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:   But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. 

Joshua encourages the children of Israel to be courageous in keeping and doing all that was written in the book of the law.  He encouraged them to not turn to the left or the right, he told them that they should not mention the false gods of the other nations, take an oath by them, serve the false gods or bow down to them.  Joshua was very aware that the children of Israel frequently struggled with the sin of idol worship.  Instead of just telling them what not to do, he also told them what they should do.  He told them to cleave to the Lord!

Jos 23:9-11  For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.   One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.  Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. 

Joshua then gives the people a reason to cleave to the Lord.  It wasn't just because "I said so;"  it was because the Lord had given the people great victories, and in the future He would give them great victories because the Lord was fighting them.  Then Joshua tells the people to take heed unto themselves to love the Lord.
 
Jos 23:12-13  Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:   Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 

Joshua tells the people what would happen if they did not cleave to and love the Lord.  If they did not obey the Lord, the Lord would not drive the nations out of the land.  Instead those nations would cause many problems for the children of Israel.

Jos 23:14-16  And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.  Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.  When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you. 

Joshua tells the people that he is dying!  He reminds the people how the Lord had kept word.  If the Lord kept His word about the good things, then the Lord would keep His word about the bad things.  If the children of Israel did not obey the Lord then they would receive the consequences.

This story as many truths we can apply to our lives, then teach to our children.  Joshua told the people to keep and do the Lords commands, to cleave to the Lord and to love the Lord.  If we do those things we will not be cleaving to the things of the world.   Joshua, as he was instructing the people gave them reasons for cleaving and loving.  The reasons were because the Lord keep His word, and would continue to keep His word.   Are we teaching this lesson to our children?  Do our children see us loving and cleaving to the Lord?  To we given them reasons why we do those things or is it "because I said so"?  Our relationship with the Lord is so important because our children can tell if we are giving lip service to the Lord, or if we really have a relationship with the Lord. 

When I was younger, occasionally I would go over to my grandparents house to spend the night.  One of the things that I remember is devotions with my grandparents.  They would read a short devotional, some Scripture and then pray.  As I listened to my grandfather pray, I knew that he had a special relationship with the Lord.  That is the kind of relationship I want with the Lord!

Fathers

Today, I decided to do a study of what the Bible has to say about fathers and our heavenly Father.

Luk 11:11-13  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?   Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?   If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? 

This passage is at the end of the familiar passage that talks about asking and receiving "ask and it shall be given you."  After Jesus finishes exhorting the disciples to pray, he gives an example they would have been familiar with, the example of a father and his child.  Jesus describes an earthly father that gives his child the things he daily needs.  Then the Lord compares the earthly father to our heavenly Father. If the earthly father can give good gifts so much more will our heavenly Father.

1Th 2:10-12  Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:   As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,  That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

These verses do not reference our Heavenly father, but they do discuss what an earthly father does.  He exhorts (encourages), comforts and charges (commands) his children.  

Heb 12:5-11  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?   But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.   Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?   For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.   Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

These verse discuss how God deals with his children compared with how an earthly father deals with his children.  As Christians we are to not to despise the chastening  (Correcting; afflicting for correction*) that the Lord gives us.  The Lord is shown as a loving Father that chasteneth and scourgeth (To afflict greatly; to harass, torment or injure.*) his children.  The encouragement is that if the Lord is chastening you then you are His child.  Then the comparison is made to our earthly father.    Our father corrected and chastened us for a small amount of time for his own pleasure, but our heavenly Father does it so that we could be more like Him.  That chastening is never pleasant, but it does result in righteousness. 

So what can we learn from these passages?  The Luke and Hebrews passages both compare our heavenly Father with an earthly father.  Both the earthly father and the heavenly Father give gifts to their children and chasten their children.  The I Thess. passage describes an earthly father that encourages, comforts, and commands his children.  So as parents do we have these characteristics?  Could we be described as giving, chastening, encouraging, comforting, commanding?  

*Definitions are from http://av1611.com/kjbp/kjv-dictionary/kjv-dictionary-index.html

An encouraging word

The first several verses of the book of Joshua show us the Lord encouraging Joshua in the task that was before him.

Jos 1:1-6  Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.  Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.   Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 

Joshua now had a tremendous responsibility.  He was to lead the people of Israel as they conquered the land of Canaan.  He did not have to do it alone though, the Lord promised to be with him all the days of his life.  The Lord promised Joshua with He would not fail him or forsake him.  The Lord then told Joshua to be strong and of a good courage, because the Lord was going to keep His word.


Jos 1:7-8  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

Then the Lord repeats himself; He again tells Joshua to be strong and very courageous. This time the Lord tells Joshua to obey all the commandments that Moses had given him.  Joshua was to mediate on the commandments day and night; the reason was so that he would be able to do the commandments.  If Joshua followed the commandments, then he would prosper in the task that he had been given.


Jos 1:9  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. 


Once more we see the Lord repeating himself.  He tells Joshua to be strong and of a good courage and to not be afraid; the reason was because the Lord was with Joshua where ever he went.

This story brings to mind the phrase I heard often in my education classes in college, "Repetition is the key to learning."  The Lord as the master teacher, three times instructs Joshua to be strong and courageous.  To Joshua these words must have been a great encouragement considering the great task that he was facing.

How about us as parents?  The tasks our children face to us may seem rather small and insignificant, but to them it may seem as big a task as Joshua was facing.  Let's take the opportunity to encourage our children, but not just once, let's do it often!  We obviously cannot hold their hands and be with them every were that they go, but the Lord can.  Let's encourage them to trust the Lord to help them through those difficult tasks that they may be facing.  A simple word of encouragement to our children can go along way!

Pro 15:23  A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!