Prepare Our Hearts

Category: Faith

  • Go Where He Leads You

    The Israelite’s exodus from Egypt is one of the most engaging stories in the Bible! You read of the calling on Moses, the plagues of Pharaoh’s land and the Israelite’s trek through the wilderness. All of it is impressive and amazing to contemplate. However when you come to the passage about God dwelling with them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night you can only stop and just imagine the power of God.

    While I was reading this morning something caught my attention:

    When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer; for God thought, “If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.” (Exodus 13:17) You see God wanted them away from the Egyptians so they could be free to worship Him. As the Egyptian’s slaves they also were incredibly mistreated and God heard their cries. He would rescue them but it would not be easy and because of their tendency to go back to the things which would destroy them (like idol worship), God wanted this experience to be something unforgettable, something that would be seared into their hearts and minds forever.

    So God led them through the wilderness.

    traffic-circle-from-hellHave you ever been on a roundabout in a little town? You can always see where you want to go, but there’s always someone in front of you or a person on your right turning into your lane and you cannot tell who has the right of way. Going on a roundabout takes some patience, even practice if you want to make it out unscathed.

    Sometimes God takes us on the roundabout. For many years I’ve felt a specific calling on my heart, yet the door has never fully opened for it. I’ve seen it opened for other people and closed for some as well but it’s always obvious God is in the mix, taking someone where He wants them most. For some reason I’m still here. Have you been on a roundabout with God? Trying to figure out which way to go? Trying to head in the right direction? When God took the people in that direction, He took them the long way around, and He did it because it was the best thing for them. He was protecting His people. He wants to protect us in the same way.

    What would happen, if you make a commitment to go wherever He leads you? Even if it’s not where you want to be right now? Even if it’s not the place you think you’re destined for? Who knows, you may still get there, just not right now. And why go where He hasn’t obviously opened up the door and led you?

    Look at this:

    Exodus 13:21-22

    The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

    eikon_1129_02Imagine that you are one of those Israelite’s and your God is before you as a pillar of light, you’re in the wilderness surrounded by complete darkness, howling animals, the fear of Pharaoh, and the weight of all you’re carrying on your back. Would you turn and walk in any other direction besides the one you’re being pointed in by your God? Of course you wouldn’t, that would be a death sentence!

    Remember today, you can follow, because He is leading. Where you see His presence, go. Where you hear His voice, go. Where you know He is changing lives, go.

  • Saved?

    Haiti_Walk by Faith“Are you saved?” We hear that term a lot in Protestant churches. Personally when I heard it myself as a kid I knew I wanted it. Whatever “being saved” was, I needed it. In Acts, the apostle Peter describes this process, we have come to know as salvation:

    Acts 2:38

    Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.

    Look closer at those two words “repentance”, and “baptism”. I’m going to give you the description of both of those words and I want you to think about them. Are they more than a prayer?

    • Repentance – the act of saying “I am sorry”, feeling bad for what you’ve done wrong AND turning from it, turning away from the sin.
    • Baptism – publicly standing before an audience of people, before God, saying “I receive His forgiveness for my sin”. Baptism is an outward expression of your new faith in His forgiveness. It’s walking into the journey of life WITH Him. It’s taking the new life, the free gift of salvation. It’s publicly putting on the righteousness you receive through faith in Jesus Christ.

    Paul, also described salvation.

    Romans 1:16-17

    I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile, for in the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written. The righteous will live by faith.

    He spoke of being unashamed. I love that word, “unashamed”. If you’re really all about Jesus, people are probably going to know it. Because you’re probably not afraid to show it. There’s this chick that is trying to stand for her faith, Kim Davis, in a case of homosexual marriage and her duties as a clerk court. She’s trying to say I’m not ashamed of my faith and what I believe. I’m unashamed of Christ. Now whether or not you agree with her, (yes, she’s been married quite a few times – but that happened before she became a follower of Jesus) you have to admit, she’s really trying to stand up for her faith. It’s kind of inspiring. Just this week a Muslim airline stewardess was fired for not serving alcohol aboard a flight. She too, claims she was standing up for her religious beliefs. I don’t know about you, but I like knowing there are people out there who still stand up for what they believe is right.

    Being unashamed of Christ, of your faith in Him, might require more than a prayer you know? It might require jail time, or a fine, or a business loss, or lost friendships and popularity and in a country other than America it might mean you will lose your life. Saying, “I’m following Jesus now”, and publicly being baptized could bring your earthly death. It’s not all peaches and creme. Yet for some reason people in the Church like us to think it’s just a simple prayer, just come down to the altar and “get saved”. Well, there’s a bit more to it than that. Don’t think I’m against altar calls, in fact I think we should have them every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, (you get the idea) and it’s unfortunate when a preacher or teacher dismisses that opportunity, some people are desperate to come up and bend their knees before God – myself included. But choosing to follow Jesus isn’t just a quick prayer, it’s like a diamond with endless facets, it’s bigger and deeper than a slam, bam, thank you ma’am kind of thing!

    It’s life altering, it’s an adventure you wouldn’t even dream of. And sometimes it’s downright hard to deal with – and it’s good we also share that message when we share the sinner’s prayer. Just listen to what Paul went through:

    2 Corinthians 11:24-27

    5 times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one

    3 times I was beaten with rods

    1 time I was stoned

    3 times I was shipwrecked

    A night and a day I was adrift at sea

    On frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, wilderness, sea and false brothers, in toil and hardship, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

    Being a Christian, being “saved” isn’t for the wimpy person, it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s for those who are choosing a hard walk in life but we do it because one day this life will end and we want to spend the next life with Jesus, worshiping Him. We repent and turn away from our sin, we live differently because Jesus is with us, His Holy Spirit guides us.

    I don’t know what you think, or where you are with all this, maybe it’s hogwash to you right now but I am familiar with that empty feeling you get and you don’t know why you have it, or how to get rid of it. And that feeling of “what am I here for” and “why do I exist”. My life is a living example of what happens when we turn away from sin and turn to Jesus. My healing and behaviors didn’t change over night, well some, but most have taken a little time. God doesn’t microwave people usually. Because of Him I am set free from so many chains, so much brokenness and shame and deep sadness!

    If you’ve got that desperation in your heart to know if He’s real, just ask Him, start a conversation with Him. Go sit out under the sun somewhere, or somewhere you can see the amazing things of this earth, creation, and look up and ask Him, “Are You real God?” “Do You want to know me”? Read some of the Bible, look at who Jesus was. Start asking questions. God’s not afraid of those, in fact lots of people in the Bible even ask, “Why?”

    There’s one more part to that verse up there on salvation, it’s that of being called. If you’re reading this, it’s highly likely that God is calling to you. You might be able to look back and see Him pulling at your heart in all kinds of places. I remember sitting in a bathroom all high on drugs and feeling God knocking on the door of my heart. I begged Him to let me live. There were several times like that with drugs, begging God for my next breath. How thankful I am that I get to sit here and type this message to you today! I believe He saved me, even for such a purpose.

    Trust God today, He’s got an adventure for you too. And it may not always be easy but I can promise it’s worth the cost.

    Are you saved?

  • Pray Much?

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    There once was a little girl whose best friend’s grandmother was dying in a bed. The doctor had given her three days to live. As long as the little girl had known the friend, the grandmother had silently laid in the bed, several years. As the time of her death approached the little girl stopped to pray beside her. As she reached out to touch her arm she could see her skin hanging off her bones and sensed that death was close by. She begged God for the grandma’s life. She had already known the pain of a loved one’s death and did not want her friend to go through it. Later the little girl talked with her friend and the friend exclaimed, “My grandma is sitting up eating food, feeding herself”. After more time the grandma got up and walked around the house with a walker! That little girl had left her Bible there with the mother and the mother (who cared for the grandma) thanked the little girl but the girl knew it was God. Her prayers were answered. The family experienced a miracle, one they could see with their eyes, God was revealing Himself to them. The little girl saw what happens when you ask God for something that makes Him famous.

    When we study the early church we can see that they had four things in common:

    Acts 2:40-47

    And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.  All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. (NRSV)

    Teaching. Fellowship. Communion. Prayer.

    When we are together with other followers of Jesus we should be praying.

    Luke 11:1-13

    He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say:

    “Father, hallowed be your name.

    Your kingdom come.

    Give us each day our daily bread.

    And forgive us our sins,

    for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.

    And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

    And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’  I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

    “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.  For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish?  Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

    Listen to a few key phrases in there:

    His will is above our own. When we pray and first acknowledge His holiness we also pray for His will to be done. That’s first in Jesus’ model prayer for us.

    He taught us to pray asking for forgiveness for our sins and those who sin against us. (This must be important, to unify us, and strengthen us because when we are divided we fall).

    He said, “Lead us…, deliver us…”

    Look at the word “persistence”, don’t give up when you go to God in prayer asking for something, Jesus said we are to be persistence in the story of the man at the door.

    Ask

    Knock

    Seek

    Find

    When we approach God about our needs, our Father wants to help us. He wants to give us the desires (He has placed) in our hearts.

    Now, I know there are many needs to ask about, but what if we ask for some big ones, some ones that have huge eternal ripples? What if we ask for souls? For people to come to Christ? Are we begging God for people to get to know Him, to find Him, to be with Him?

    Jesus prayed for us.

    John 17:20-26

    “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word,  that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one,  I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me.  I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them” (NRSV).

    Look at these:

    Be one  …that the world may believe

    …that the world may know

    …that they may behold My glory

    …that the love may be in them

    Matthew 16:17-19 says, “And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

    The gates of hell will not prevail against what? Against His Church. If you’re a follower of Jesus, then He’s talking about YOU!

    He said, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”.

    When you’re praying, for whatever you are praying for, believe Him. He has the answer. It’s not yes, I know, but man when it is yes! Ah, when it is “yes”, it’s an awesome thing to see, and be a part of. Start praying friends, and have faith becasue He has the answer. Amen.

  • But who am I?

    20150720_151113“But who am I?” Moses asked God. Ever been in that situation? Ever been called? Moses objected to God’s calling first (of four times) with uncertainty because Moses knew who Moses was. Why would the God of the universe want to use a man like Moses?

    Exodus 3:11

    But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelite’s out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain” (NRSV).

    “But who am I?”

    We doubt ourselves. We doubt god would or even could use someone like us. At this point however God does not list all of Moses’ qualifications or even his dis-qualifiers and a remedy of fixes. Instead He simply replied, “I will be with you”!

    How often are we asking this question of ourselves? I’m unqualified, under-educated, not intelligent enough, not well spoken, not good at details, calendars, my past is…

    BUT God said, “I will be with you.” It looked impossible to Moses.

    You know, sometimes it’s the things that look impossible that turn out to be the most incredible. I remember when I first heard of a mission trip to Haiti my church was taking. We were pay-check-to-paycheck then, still kinda are, and the cost was like $1500 to go. Plus you had to board a plane, and then on top of that you had to board a plane again, and again, and once again. I also had 4 little children at that time and my husband’s work does not give paid time off. Finding the money for that trip meant writing letters, selling guitars and sewing machines and collecting pennies. The pennies seemed to line every street I walked down however and the people who responded to the letters were the most unlikely, some not even Christians. God used that first trip to not only show me the ocean I’d never seen, and the conditions of our world but He used it to teach me about Himself. It looked impossible to go but I had to trust Him. I flew out of Columbus, Ohio with a 103 degree fever but nothing was going to stop me from seeing what He was up to! Now I keep going to Haiti and one day hope to get to live there and be a part of what He’s doing there.

    Why let you stand in the way of what God wants to do? Why let your dis-qualifiers be the thing that stops His work in your life? What if you just remember He is with you? And know that no matter how impossible (remember we are talking about the Pharaoh of Egypt, that Moses feared because he had murdered an Egyptian, and teams and teams of Israelite’s
    hundreds of miles from their destination) God is with you! Just like He was with Moses, when you are called, He is with you!

    Joshua 1:9

    “I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (NRSV).

  • Why Unity?

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    Phillipians 2:1

    If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. (Jesus was self emptying!! -Kenosis).   Phillipians 2:1-8 NOAB

    (more…)

  • To Bear Fruit

    To Bear Fruit

    Matthew 7:15-23

    “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (NKJV)

    Differing versions say:

    -“…you who break God’s laws” (NLT)

    -“…all you did was make yourself important.” (Message)

    -“…you evil doers.” (NOA)

    What is God’s will and are we doing it?

    As followers of Jesus our job is to point people to Jesus. Plain and simple. Our actions, our words, our efforts should all be a part God’s plan to reconcile people to Him, as we shower them with the love of Jesus and truth of the Gospel.

    Are we bringing people closer to Jesus, or are we pushing them away from Him?

    Evaluate your relationships, your efforts, your church and its efforts. Is your church repelling unbelievers or bringing them in? Does you leadership understand its purpose, to grow the Kingdom? Do you know that’s the purpose you were created for? A relationship with Jesus and pointing others to Him?

    The Pharisees, whom Jesus was addressing in this passage, were like a tree that was bearing bad fruit. You might want to pick something to eat, but their fruit was all rotten and stinking. Now who eats rotting fruit? No one, because it’s good for nothing.

    Internet Photo
    Internet Photo

    Their evil was stinking up to the heavens, they looked so good to all the people but in reality they pushed people away from God.

    With all this in mind, what are you doing to help your friends grow closer to Christ? What are you doing to help your family see Jesus clearer? What are you doing to share Jesus with your community, your world? Let it be said of you one day when you stand before God, that your fruit was a fragrance He smelled sweetly. Let your life be poured out for His glory!

  • What Can a Woman Do?

    Me with some of my favorite women!
    Me with some of my favorite women at Women of Faith in Columbus, Ohio!

    What kinds of contributions are okay for a woman to make in the Christian community? Can they be preachers? Can a woman work outside her home? Can she be a missionary? Can she… Can she…. Can she… These are questions that I as a woman want to know an answer for. So instead of listening to a televangelist, a pink wife book, or a well-meaning stay at home mom that wants me to also stay at home, or a mom that works outside the home, though their advice is appreciated and even helpful, I think I’ll go with what the Bible says. Here are a few examples…

    Phoebe

    Romans 16:1-2

    I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

    “servant of the church in Cenchrea” – in greek diakonon (office of deacon)

    1. 1:1

    Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,… [slaves of Christ Jesus]

    -Phoebe was a slave to Jesus, a bondservant…

    1. 1 Tim 3:8

    Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money…

    -Phoebe would have fit this description if he used this word “diakonon”

    1. 1 Tim 3:12

    Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

    -The word “deacon” is used to refer to a male here but in Romans 16, we can see that Paul may have counted Phoebe as a deacon with his use of work “diakonon” (deacon).

    Deborah

    Judges 4

    Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

    “God doesn’t explain Himself. Suddenly, in a time when Israel has become unfaithful to the Lord, the scripture proclaims the position of Deborah, the only female to rule Israel during the years of the judges – the era between Joshua’s death and Saul’s accession as king. Deborah was not just a minor judge; she was an authoritative woman who decided disputes between men and held the power common to all Israel’s judges… As a prophetess, Deborah would have heard and communicated God’s will to His people. Though she is not the only prophetess in the Bible, she alone ruled Israel. Not only that, she effectively led her country during wartime, when many people might have chosen a man for the job.” (The Top 100 Women of the Bible. Pamela McQuade. P. 36-37. 2007)

    -As you read this chapter, also see the incredible contribution to the nation of Israel by the tent making wife Jael, who used her tent-setting skills to drive a stake through the enemy’s temple. No king, or prince can say he had the victory in this chapter, it was God’s faithful daughters who answered His call and captured back their nation’s freedom. God shows us that even women are put to work in mighty ways for His glory.

    What Stops Women from Participating in Ministry?

    1 Timothy 2:8-15

    I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

    -“Silence” -a woman will be in silence? Is that really what he is saying? That word in the Greek is “hesychia” and it means to be settled down, undisturbed, not unruly, restful..” It is not the word “sigao”, which means to actually be literally silent, saying nothing out loud. We are misinterpreting the scripture, missing the point if we think we are to be silent in church, silent in the Christian body!

    Priscilla

    Romans 16:3

    Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

    -Priscilla is not mentioned without her husband, however as is noted among commentators her name appears first – she was possibly the greater contribution to the work of the church.

    100+ women are listed in the Bible, some good some evil, some great warriors, great leaders, great business women, mothers, wives, grandmothers, heroes of faith – all are listed to show us the intricacy of a woman, the uniqueness of God’s creation. He has a purpose for each woman, each vessel. Are we willing to be used in whatever way He chooses to accomplish His mission?

    Remember these words as you consider your role in family, your contribution to the Christian body, and to your community:

    Joel 2:28-29

    I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves; in those days, I will pour out My Spirit.

    Commentators point out this passage being about all nations, an important observation. However don’t miss the part about it including both genders, male and female. This was written in a time when the female was often disregarded and here she is portrayed as equally important to the future work of God. Do some homework today, get out your commentaries and start looking at the women in your Bible. Pink wife books are terrific, but what does God’s book have to say about who you are as a woman?