If Not Me, Then Who? A Message From My Heart

“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Romans 10:14 (NIV)

There are so many needs in our world today, needs in our country, in our communities. Poverty is rampant, major illness of some sort seems to be touching every family, political unrest hovers in nearly every country. Looking at the vast amount of need can be overwhelming. It is also easy to look at one’s own life and see the need.

How can I help with poverty when I can’t even pay all my bills right now?

How can I help take care of others when my health is an issue right now?

How can I give more time out of my day when my day is so very busy and I don’t get everything done now?

How can I step in and do anything when what I do may just equate to a small drop in a big ocean?

Yet, God is calling us, calling me to do something about those in need, about the biggest need of all- hearing about Him. For that need is what the true need of the world is today. How do you answer “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" (Isaiah 6:8a)? For if not you (me), then who?

Today, with faith, believing in Him, I am responding “And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8b). One step, one action at a time so that all may here the greatest message of all: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16).

If not me, then who; if not you, then who? If not for the one who told me, who told you..............

Sustains

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.” Psalm 3:5 NIV

Today is Thesaurus day. I appreciate the thesaurus tool that is built into my “word” program and use it with some frequency. Employing the thesaurus helps with eliminating the overuse of ubiquitous or repetitive words. Many times over, it has assisted with increasing my knowledge and understanding of different words. However, something to keep in mind when availing oneself of the thesaurus is that no two words “mean exactly the same thing and are not directly interchangeable” (Dictionary.com). One such example is the word “sustain”. I knew that sustain connoted maintain, nourished, but did not understand that it also means suffer.

How do you answer the question, “what sustains you”? What is your understanding of that word? Is the question asking what maintains you, what nourishes you? Or is it asking about how you suffer? The question is best answered through understanding the context within it is being asked. Suffer, though, means to endure. Thus, asking what sustains you can be equivalent to asking how you are enduring.

Living in a privileged world, I enjoy and utilize the many different translations of the Bible. The different translations provide just a slightly different perspective of the word and often clarify something that is hazy. And yet, each translation still offers the same meaning for the verses. Incredible isn’t it?!

So, I ask, what sustains you? For me, the answer is simple. “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.” (Psalm 3:5 NIV). Sustains, supports (GWT), watches over (NLT), preserves, protects, upholds, feeds, aids, assists, bears… and the list of verbs can go on and on. God’s sustain is a peace that transcends understanding, resting on faith through belief.

Praying that today you will fully know the peace that sustains through everything can be yours.

Digging deeper: Psalm 4:8; Proverbs 3:24; Psalm 55:22

Faith Filled Friday

"Blessed are all who take refuge in Him" Psalm 2:12b

When you feel like you are being pulled under, take hold of Him!

Reflecting on 2011

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

New Year’s seems to be a time for reflection and resolution. Beth Moore challenged her readers to spend time with the Lord reflecting on 2011 and then characterize it in three words. What an incredible challenge. I am a firm believer in that history has much to teach us if we but take the time to look and ponder on the events that occurred. One of the most important lessons that I have been able to take away from participating in such events is that while the season may not have been wonderful, God has always been good and faithful, extending grace beyond measure.

The three words I would use to characterize 2011 are blessed, challenging, and ordinary-extraordinary:

• Blessed: the birth of Faith Evelynn, being able to spend time with all the grandchildren in April and June along with their parents Sarah and Keith, seeing the love and happiness in that family; spending time with David and enjoying his gift of music; spending time (even though it was short) with my three brothers; spending time with my mother and mother-in-law; making it through two challenging parts of the doctorate program; a safe trip down and back to Dallas for residency; connecting with friends on Facebook; new books to read; connectivity to friends and family far and near through the internet; time with Chris; and our needs were always met. The list could go on and on, because the blessings were abundant;

• Challenging: a year of more month than money; work; schooling; family health issues; loneliness; questioning of the journey and all the cost involved; not living right near everyone; unmet expectations;

• Ordinary-extraordinary: life is what 2011 has been, filled with blessings and challenges, with ups and downs, with disappointments and wonderful surprises. And through it all God has been, is and will be (Hebrews 13:8). You see, while my life is ordinary, I have an extraordinary God who calls me His own and that makes even the usual, the mundane, the average, so much more.

How would you describe 2011? Was it extraordinary? You can make 2012 such a year by becoming a child of God. No, all your problems will not go away; yes, there may still be hard times, but you can experience a peace that underscores it all. Just confess to Him that you want such a year, that you want to be His (I John 1:9) and you too can know that ordinary is so much more. Praying this for you.

Direction for the Journey

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).

When I go on a trip, before I even leave home, I check on the map where I am headed. I make sure I have the necessary directions to arrive at my destination. If I have some place specific to be, I want good directions. I am not fond of getting lost. Directions provide guidance of how to travel from point A to point B. With today’s GPS systems, one can have step-by-step directions from door-to-door.

An angel appeared to several people on this journey to Bethlehem, preparing them for journey with two simple words of direction, “Fear not.” The journey of life, like that journey to Bethlehem 2000 years ago, can seem frightening, overwhelming. At the time of the birth of Christ, the journey to Bethlehem was a dangerous one to on which to embark. The route, a seventy mile journey which Joseph and Mary took was in rocky highlands in which bandits lay in wait for those who risk traveling. The travel is exhausting and vastly uncomfortable.

However, God told the travelers to “Fear not” for He was with them. As God was with those weary travelers long ago, He is with us today. Our journey may not be without pain, it may not be without risk and it may be tiring and uncomfortable. Dear one, fear not, for God is with us; we need no other direction.

Digging deeper: 2 Timothy 1:7; Mark 6:50; Matthew 17:7; Revelation 1:17; Genesis 26:24; Isaiah 41:13; Romans 8:15

Rejected Again

“He came to his own, and his own people did not receive Him…. There was no room for them in the inn” John 1:11, Luke 2:7b

Anticipation and dread mix together as the e-mail is opened. Then the words “we thank you for applying but”; rejected again. Louise Brown wrote “I could write an entertaining novel about rejection slips, but I fear it would be overly long”. Rejection hurts; it pierces the heart and wounds the pride.

The Christmas story is not without rejection. It came about because man rejected God. How this must grieve the Father’s heart. No room at the inn for the weary travelers, one who is carrying the Christ child, purports rejection. Back in that time, hospitality was very strong part of the culture and yet no one could make room or give up their comfort for a very pregnant woman. This rejection speaks much about the very heart of mankind during that time and of mankind right now.

Christmas today is stilled filled with rejection by mankind. Room is still not given for the Savior; comfort is not put aside to do the work of the Father. Too many still reject the ultimate gift, that of eternal that God in His infinite mercy offered by sending His son, who experienced rejection before He was even born.

Neal Maxwell writes “Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus”. Are you handing out the rejection slips? Are you rejecting the greatest gift of all? You need not; just accept Him into your heart and know true acceptance for none are rejected.


Digging deeper: I John 1:9; Joshua 25:15; I Kings 18:11; I Peter 2:4; Psalm 94:14

Filtering

“It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth." Matthew 15:11 (NLT)

I watched with curiosity as my husband took a drink of his coffee and then dumped the rest down the sink. He then reached into the cupboard and took out a filter, poured a second cup of coffee into the mug, which he then drank. You see, the first cup had coffee grinds in it and for it to be more palatable a filter was needed to get rid of the grinds.

Not everything we think or feel should come out of our mouths. We should not let the words we speak hurt others; rather we are “to encourage one another and build each other up” (I Thessalonians 5:11). We are admonished to speak the truth, but to speak it in love; in other words, filter what comes out.

The best way to filter what comes out is to filter what goes in our minds. We are admonished to “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8). Therefore we need to be conscientious about what with what we are filling our minds. What kind of music are we listening to, what is our chosen reading material, what are we watching on television or in the theater? How are we spending our time? Perhaps the more time I spend in the Word and with the Father, the less will need to be filtered that comes out of my mouth. How about you?