Divine Help Is On The Way

November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 RefreshHer2 Comments

I just finished reading a captivating book called, Relinquishing my Dreams, by Sue Burrows and Tricia Bradley. The subtitle is “How to Survive a Prodigal.” This is the true story of one family that dealt with their daughter’s rebellion beginning when she was fourteen years of age. The book also includes survival tips in each chapter, biblical characters to study, and then it ends with a Bible study of twenty-six different Bible characters that will help one to have hope and know how to deal with their prodigal. It’s excellent.

It’s not surprising that one of the characters that the authors study is David. David had a prodigal son named Absalom. Though I haven’t done the study in my new book yet, I did just recently read Psalm 55 where David addresses the hurt and pain he’s experiencing because of a betrayal. This came in the form of an old counsellor of David’s –Ahithophel. Now this man is giving Absalom counsel – against his father. Wow! A double whammy!

David reflects on his relationship with Ahithophel in the early years. In Psalm 55:12-14 he says, for it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it; neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him. But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God incompany. David is referencing Ahithophel’s betrayal in II Samuel 17 where Ahithophel says to Absalom: Let me choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only.

It wouldn’t be half as bad if we would read that Absalom cries out, “No! How could I do such a thing as to betray my own father, the king?” But sadly it reads instead, And the saying pleased Absalom well…

Is there any burden so great as the rebellion of your own child? How did David deal with this pain? We read in Psalm 55:16, 17

As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

David found comfort in prayer. He reminded himself that God would hear him. Note that he doesn’t just whisper a prayer, he’s crying out!! He’s desperate for God’s help and intervention.

None of us like the thought of going through something as hard as what David is experiencing here, but it will be good for us if it does what it did to David – it drove him to his knees. It’s as though that burden is bearing down on us until we are bowed down. It’s that place where we realize that the greatest resource we have is prayer.

Whatever your burden is today, whether you’re dealing with a prodigal, financial struggles, health issues, relationship problems or your own flesh, let it drive you morning, noon and night to cry out in desperate prayer.

David’s God is your God. Divine help is on the way!

Christian Life · Prayer

Stressing Over the Temporal

October 13, 2015November 3, 2015 RefreshHer6 Comments

Last Wednesday found me and my husband on board an airplane flying west to California! I had the blessing of speaking at a Ladies’ Retreat in Grass Valley from Thursday through Saturday. I had never been to the camp before, and I knew only two people there – the director and his sweet wife.

As I prepared for the retreat, I found myself in my normal mode stressing over “What should I wear?!” Will it be cold, moderate, or hot? Will I need a jacket? Will I be over-dressed? What shoes should I wear? Then I remembered my last retreat in the spring and the lessons I learned, and I let it go. I packed a skirt, two tops, a dress, a pair of jeans, a jacket and casual shoes. Done. I thanked the Lord for the reminder that my external isn’t nearly as important as what’s in my heart.

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.

Matthew 23:25

Why do we get so hung up on the non-essentials and not nearly so concerned about what really matters? Because that’s how our flesh and the devil operate. They strive to get us distracted away from the Lord and from the eternal. For instance, it’s easy to get titled sideways over:

A mess – spilled Cheerios, a puddle of milk, a pile of books,
Too much on our schedule
Lack of communication from our spouse
A shortage of money
Getting treated unfairly
People!

But do we get just as upset over:

Our own messy attitude?
Not enough time to read and meditate in God’s Word?
Not enough time to spend in prayer?
A desire to give more to God’s work?
The way God’s name and ways are abused around us?
The needs of a lost soul?

Now that I’m safely back home, maybe I should just leave a suitcase out to remind me each day not to let the temporal, external things stress me! They truly don’t matter.

Oh, Lord, help me to be bothered to the point of change about what is relevant for eternity!

What’s bothering you today? If it’s something that will only matter in this life, let it go. Give it to the Lord in prayer, if need be, but don’t dwell on it. Ask the Lord to help you focus on what’s really important – that which is eternal. Oh, and if you’re traveling to the other coast, just layer outfits and you’ll be fine. 🙂

Lovingly,

Prayer · sin

Ask God Questions!

March 5, 2015March 4, 2015 RefreshHer6 Comments

I’m not sure when it started, but it’s now expected…The Question that comes at the end of our Sunday school class each Sunday. One young woman, hungry to learn more about God’s Word, ends every class session for us the same way each week. I picture her in my mind now, a smile spreading across her sweet face, eyes twinkling, extending her arm upward with her hand flailing to get my husband’s attention while she says,

“I have a question!!!!”

It may be about the lesson, or it could be something someone at work has asked her for whom she needs an answer. Class extends as we all lean in to hear her state the very well thought-out question. I love it and look forward to her inquiry each week!

As I was reading my devotions yesterday, I was reminded that asking spiritual questions is a really smart choice! I read in II Samuel 11 about when David looked at Bathsheba and lusted after her. Why didn’t David ask the Lord to help him with his lust?

David questioned those that knew Bathsheba as to who she was, but why didn’t he ask the Lord if he could have her?

He decided to take her and have relations with her, then when she let him know some time later that she was with child, David realized something needed to happen, so he tried several plans. But why didn’t he ask the Lord what to do?

After David has Bathsheba’s husband killed, he brings her in to be his wife, but why didn’t he ask the Lord if he should marry her?

Finally after Nathan the prophet comes to tell David God’s knowledge of his sin and that his son would die as a result, we see David talking to God! As a matter of fact, he prayed and fasted for seven days while the child suffered. God does not see fit to heal the child, but instead, the child does die. After hearing the news, David got up, dressed, worshiped and ate. I truly believe he was able to accept this child’s death because he was on right terms with God now. How did that happen? He prayed. He asked God questions. Perhaps he asked, “Lord, will you place the punishment on me instead of my son? Will you spare my wife this grief? Will you please intervene?” He was finally on speaking/question-asking terms with God!

Now, how about you and me? Talking to God about everything that touches our lives will keep us from sin and sorrow!

“Lord, what about this?

Should I go here?

Should I be a part of this?

Should I watch this, read this, participate in this?”

Let’s be wise and be like my Sunday school friend. Let’s raise our hand and say,

God, I have a question!

Ask first, then act.

Lovingly,

Prayer

Drive-Through Window Prayers

February 12, 2015March 13, 2015 RefreshHer4 Comments

I don’t pull through a drive-through real often, but the times I have in the past have been little frustrating. Oh, I can manage the car right up next to the little box where I’m to

Wait for someone to know I’m there
Hear me speak
Hear them speak back to me.

Image result for drive through speaker

The issues come in the communication. I usually end up shouting talking way louder than is necessary and looking into the speaker, as though the hearer might be standing in that little box. “Did she say $10.32 or $10.52?” It’s hard to know. I attempt to be ready to meet the attendant. I then drive around to pick up the item I asked for. The whole thing is over quickly and I’m on my way, hopefully with what I ordered. The drive-through is used because it’s convenient ~ not necessarily effective.

I’m afraid many times we approach praying and getting an answer from God much like the drive-through window at our favorite fast-food place. We’d like the convenience of getting what we we want in a fast, timely manner rather than “going to lots of trouble.”

Here’s what a “Drive-through window prayer” looks like –

We pull up (bow our head), give our order (give God our list of requests for that day) while the engine is still running (while we’re ready to dash off to the next item on our “to-do” list), and give a salute to the window attendant, (say “Amen”) and hope the order in the bag is what we asked for (get from God what we asked).

Most times, however, Drive-through window praying leaves us confused about the message we were hoping to hear. We scratch our heads, wondering if we got a message…or not. But the truth is…

God doesn’t answer us on the run.

When we pray, we need to pull off and park. We need to turn off the distractions of the world and be still before God so that we can hear His voice and so we can really focus on Him. Prayer isn’t about just getting my needs met – prayer is entering into a relationship with my God. It’s there at the Throne that I learn more about Him and even His Word. As we stop and draw near to Him, we will clearly hear His voice. The answers will be unmistakable and sure. Oh, they may not come right away, but as we continue to pray, He will answer. Jeremiah 33:3

Are you looking for answers today? Don’t look for them at the drive-through. Park and go inside. God will always hear exactly what you’re asking, and He will answer you in a clear, distinct way!

Can you remember a time of prayer in which God spoke to you in His still, small voice and revealed an answer to you?

Refresh your prayer life by slowing down long enough to really listen.

With love,

Prayer

Cottage of Content

September 3, 2013July 19, 2015 RefreshHer7 Comments

What a wonderful and very full week and a half this has been! We have moved out of two houses (my MIL’s and ours), moved into ours, gotten partially settled in, gone to The Wilds to speak for Family camp, cleaned the parsonage to ready it for selling, and then added all the other regular routines of ministry and life into those busy days. But you know what? It’s been so great! Our hearts are rejoicing in God’s goodness to us.

Last week while I was unpacking, I came across a little decorative plate that came from my Grandma. On it is written:

As I was wandering o’er the green,

Not not knowing where I went,

Perchance I saw a pleasant scene,

The cottage of content.

It was at that moment that I knew what I was going to name our new home…The Cottage of Content! This is the place the Lord has given us. It may not be to someone else’s liking, but it’s PERFECT for us! We love the location, the layout, the style, the yard…everything! It has everything that I prayed for, and then some!

Luke 11:11 says that if a son asks his father bread, will he give him a stone? Of course not! There were other houses that we liked, and prayed about, but they were “stones.” The Lord kept back this “bread” for us. He knew we needed to wait for it to be ready. He wanted to give us the best, as a wise, loving Father.

How wonderful when God provides! Whatever you’re praying about, don’t quit! Keep asking. God is a loving Father who doesn’t want to give you a stone; He wants to give you the best bread to satisfy you! Then you can accept what He gives and be perfectly content with it. You, too, can have a “Cottage of Content!” Just wait.

If you could name your house, what would you call it?