God Shakes Our Lives To Help Us Focus On Him.

For a long time I have been frustrated that few people in sunny Southern California are really hungry for God’s love and help. My prayer has been “Lord please do what it takes to make people (including myself) seek your presence.” The answer to prayers like this may initially shake our lives but ultimately re-establishes many on a firmer foundation, resulting in a deeper awareness of Jesus.

The Witch Creek fire ravaged our area a year and a half ago and three years before that another massive fire burnt many homes. Watching the television from a hotel surrounded by concrete in San Diego, during the most recent fire, I watched as brush about half a mile or so from our home was in flames. The reporter was windswept and shouted that without water being dropped by helicopters, he did not know what would stop the fire spreading. It was too windy for helicopters. The wind was blowing towards our home and while my kids escaped to see a movie, my husband, Martyn and I watched and prayed.

God Has An Eternal Home For Us.

I prayed about what Bible verses I should read. Immediately I turned to 2 Corinthians: 5: 1. It reads, “For we know that if the tent , which is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens……….” This describes our physical bodies, death and our future eternal bodies in Heaven, but it also reminded me that if my home was destroyed, God had a much better plan.

When we pray fervently and faithfully, we receive God’s peace and the knowledge that whatever happens we will be blessed. On this earth the worst that can happen is to be killed or to experience the painful death of a loved one. 2 Corinthians reminds us that our “earthly tent” or body is temporary and it is “burdened” (verse 4) and we groan. We are not supposed to put our trust in our health, or in our physical appearance, or in our property. Our temporary existence is far less important than our future eternal existence in Heaven.

Don’t Put Your Trust In Homes, Physical Strength Or Income.

If we have the Spirit of the living God living in us we have a “guarantee” (verse 5) from God.  If we are Christians, what is mortal will be “swallowed up by life” (verse 4). Are we focusing too much on our homes, our physical strength and our incomes? All of these things will age, decay and pass away. Instead we should focus on the heavenly body and home that we will receive from God.

The Holy Spirit is life. The Holy Spirit is the life of Jesus indwelling our earthly bodies if we are believers. When life is challenging are we not more likely to seek strength, wisdom and power from Him? If our homes and bodies will one day die, burn or crumble down,  surely we should be thankful when our circumstances test and challenge our faith? Our perception of what life is about should be dominated by the one who offers us life to the full, for one day Jesus will give us a new heavenly body that will never suffer pain and death. Our home will be Heaven.

If We Worship Our Bodies And Our Homes We Will Not Worship God

Let’s receive the challenges that threaten our safety and prosperity as reminders to focus on Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4 encourages us that as we face difficulties we are dying to ourselves, carrying in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies. As we are afflicted by pain, persecution, an aging body, disease or poverty… Jesus  transforms us if we seek Him. If we worship our bodies and our homes we will not worship God.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Our home survived the fire but this no longer seems very important. If we turn to Jesus through the challenges we will realize that our lives are much more than the homes we live in and our physical bodies. Rather than blaming God for fires, loss of income, or declining health, let’s see these challenging experiences as opportunities to re- focus our lives on Jesus. Of course Jesus can heal our diseases and bless our finances but He may wait a while so that we receive the deeper blessing of seeking more of His presence.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Focus on the Heavenly Body and Home that God has Prepared for Us: 2 Corinthians 4 and 5.

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In the movie, the youngest of the three Pevensie children, Lucy,  has the most faith in Aslan, the lion, who represents Jesus. Aslan waits for the children to seek him and he does not force himself upon them. Lucy’s oldest brother, Peter, is eager to take control and leads the Narnians into battle against the Telmarines. The battle is doomed to disaster as he does not seek Aslan’s help. The rivalry between Peter and Prince Caspian is indicative of lives which are not relating to God or in “Prince Caspian”, lives that are not seeking the help of Aslan. Many of the brave Narnian creatures are killed and the stress is unbearable. In our lives, do we encounter unnecessary stress and difficulty because we do not seek the help of Jesus? Do we argue and compete with those who should be our allies? These problems are consequences of avoiding Jesus’ help, of forgetting that Jesus is king and He wants to help us.

Finally in “Prince Caspian” the children seek Aslan’s help and suddenly, dramatically, the Narnians are successful in battle. The river powerfully washes many of their enemies off the bridge, somewhat like the Red Sea (in the book of Exodus, in the Bible) parting to let the Israelites flee from Egypt, only to move back over the land in time to engulf the Egyptians who were pursuing them.

Do we realize that God offers those who believe in Him “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). We have access to God’s wisdom and power through Jesus. As Christians we should not be stumbling in the dark, relying on our limited senses. Rather, we need to reach out to Jesus seeking His help. Paul writes to the Ephesians, commending them for their faith and their love for other Christians. However, Paul is not content for them to stop there. He writes: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.”(Ephesians 1:17)

Paul also prays that they would know “God’s incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms….” (Ephesians 1: 19) What greater power could there be than God’s  power that  raised Jesus from the dead? God can dramatically affect the course of our lives. He can change our hearts, heal us, protect us from danger and give us the right words at the right time to change a life.

God wants to shower us with blessings. If we entrust our lives to Jesus we can ask for His wisdom and supernatural power. We have been adopted into His family and God is our Father who is generous with His gifts. Let us not be like Peter in “Prince Caspian” who relies on his own strength for far too long. Instead let’s kneel before the throne of grace seeking God’s power and wisdom. In this challenging year when it is hard to find work we may be reminded that relying on Jesus  is the best way forward. We may never acquire as much money as we would like but God offers us much more than wealth. He offers us great spiritual riches including peace, hope, forgiveness, wisdom, joy, salvation and a warm friendship with God Himself.

To be honest, I am a bit daunted about my role in 2009. I want to spend as much time as possible sharing the good news about God’s greatest gift to us: Jesus. I also need to contribute more financially so that we can pay our bills. I know that Jesus will provide wisdom, direction and power to show Martyn and me what to do and what to avoid. As you seek Him, I believe that He will direct you too, in His perfect way, and as we seek His path for us we will get to know Him better. Nothing could be more valuable than a more intimate walk with God.

May you receive many blessings from Jesus this year.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

“Prince Caspian” Teaches us to rely on God rather than on Ourselves.

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My son James, who is a junior at high school, was writing an essay about the American Dream and how this ideal has changed for Americans through the centuries. Last night he asked me to edit his writing and it was this that prompted me to think about this further. James compared the colonists’ focus as pleasing God rather than themselves. Their ultimate hope was heaven and this was their “dream”. At the time of the revolutionary war the dream was now related to freedom. Unless they were free and independent they could not be fulfilled. The Romantics were intrigued with nature which was reflected in their art and literature. The American dream for them was to focus on the natural world, to escape from the urban, to see this as their ultimate goal.

I am sure that many other influences have affected the “dream” through the years but I thought that the analysis of the colonists, the patriots and the romantics was fascinating. I was particularly intrigued by the reference to Jonathan Edwards, one of the “colonists” who influenced the “Great Awakening” revival and encouraged many to focus on Heaven rather than on worldly pursuits.

Jonathan Edwards wrote “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” My son, James , said that many of his class mates were put off by the strong references to God’s anger and man’s pitiful nature in Edwards famous sermon preached in 1741. However, I see it as a necessary warning to those who have not recognized that without God’s mercy they are on the way to hell. Edwards says “There is nothing that keeps wicked men, at any moment, out of Hell, but the mere pleasure of God.”

Unless we respond to Jesus we are incapable of correcting our own sinful nature, to make ourselves good enough for Heaven. In today’s Christian market place we are accustomed to hearing the “prosperity Gospel” and Christian book stores are full of self help advice on how to be a better Christian mother, lover, sister etc…. If we are not careful we will miss the point. Unless we repent and believe in Christ and obediently follow His Word, we are on a dangerous, wrong path. There is a real danger that we will try and improve ourselves without falling at Christ’s feet, seeking mercy from His righteous anger. Let’s make sure that our friends understand why we need to submit to Christ. Avoiding mentioning hell might be politically sensitive but we all need to know that hell is a place where we deserve to go and we can only avoid it if we seek Christ’s mercy and forgiveness.

In Edwards’ sermon: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” he refers to the likely response of someone who finds himself in hell. This individual had planned to avoid this awful destination but had failed to follow Christ’s path, following his own dream instead:

“No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself — I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief — Death outwitted me: God’s wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction came upon me.”

We should be loving, welcoming, sensitive and kind yet not to the extent of avoiding telling the truth to those who without Christ will perish. Edwards was preaching a sermon in church. It seems totally appropriate to challenge people directly in church: to wake people up to the necessity of pleading for Christ’s forgiveness rather than assuming that Jesus will pamper them.

Many people do not attend church. They may be pursuing the American Dream or a version of this: prosperity or freedom or New Age ideology. Little seems to have changed. People continue to dream but Christians are Jesus’ representatives on earth and like Edwards, we can help them understand our fate. We need to show, through our behavior, that we are God’s children, changed by Him to reach out in kindness and self sacrifice. Our generous and loving response to those who are not Christians will make it more likely that they will want to listen to God’s message of hope and warning. If we genuinely care about their eternal future we will explain about heaven and hell. We might find Jonathan Edwards’ fire and brimstone preaching offensive, but avoiding spelling out the truth to both Christians and non Christians is ultimately much more offensive.

The parable in the Bible about Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16: 19-31) reminds us of the reality of hell. The rich man goes to hell and the beggar, Lazarus, goes to heaven. The rich man wants his brothers to be warned about the horrible reality of hell. His life of luxury could not help the rich man in his eternal plight and his desire for his relatives is not a life of ease or of political correctness, but that they should be told the truth. I want to emphasize that we should avoid any type of American dream that fixes our attention on present riches, or on created things rather than on the Creator. The message of the Bible will be offensive to some but it will persuade others to seek God’s mercy. Jesus received God’s righteous anger when He died on the cross, receiving the punishment that we deserve. We can only expect God to avert His anger if we follow Him on His terms and seek His forgiveness. In contrast, worldly dreams may be inspiring but if they are not true, we will be bitterly disappointed one day.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

The American Dream compared with Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

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One of the dangers of money is that it can give us a false sense of security, lulling us into a reassuring state that we are in control and that we have the power to do what we like so long as we can afford it. I feel very sorry for those who have lost a lot of money in the recent stock market crash. We have not because most of our assets are in our home, but that has also gone down in value and so has our business….Our financial shock started a few years ago and it absorbed much of our thoughts and time. It took away our power, our status and a sense of control.

Of course we never really had much power or control anyway but the perception can be reassuring. The Bible warns us of assuming too much: “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog-it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13-16)

Our financial situation is more threatening now than when we first experienced a downturn in our personal finances. However, it seems so much better because we no longer expect to be in control. Martyn and I worry less and pray more and Jesus gives us encouragement and reassurance. Recently our van “died”. Martyn suggested that we should pray and soon after a good friend gave us one of his cars. It had belonged to his wife who had died a year ago and he very kindly offered it to us. Meanwhile, the talented Welsh man who has been working on our roof applied his technical skills to our van. He managed to salvage it and now that California has re-introduced the scheme to pay money to car owners whose cars fail the smog test, we will now receive $1,000 dollars for the vehicle. A few weeks later, I was handed a $100.00 visa card at church. Minutes before I had told a friend that we were enjoying an opportunity for kids to find out mote about the Bible in our home, but feeding teenage boys regularly could be expensive. The gift was perfectly timed and was a reassurance that Jesus understands and cares about what we are doing. I believe that the givers will be blessed for they are significantly involved in God’s work.

At different times in our lives we may have much or little money, but it is important that we do not let it, or other concerns, dominate our thoughts, words and actions. I can say with confidence that Jesus will take care of us. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us that Jesus can very competently deal with our worries: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all that he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything that we can understand.” This does not mean that we complain at God but rather that we should trust Him with the outcome with a thankful and faithful heart.

Unless we re-focus our lives and yield control to Jesus, we are in danger of looking like the seeds in the parable about the sower (Matthew 13) that started to grow but they were choked by the thorns. Verse 22 explains that “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.” Isn’t it ironic that stressing about life’s worries and pursuing wealth as a life goal can actually prevent us from being fruitful as Christians. In fact these people, along with those who give up as a result of persecution (verse 21and blog post: “Christians should expect persecution“) are in danger of falling away completely. They may earn lots of money but in the end this will not solve the eternal issues of life and death and peace, and our need for the wonderful presence of Jesus in our lives. Let’s not crowd out Jesus with other distractions.

In answer to the question “Could money worries be fatal?”, the answer is yes. Not only are we more likely to suffer an early heart attack but also a preoccupation with money can prevent us worshiping the one who can give us everlasting life. This would be fatal.

Christian Women Respond: trust Jesus completely whether you do or don’t have much money.

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Could money worries be fatal?

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See you at the pole artwork

Kids get up early to stand round their school’s flag pole to pray for their school and their nation. This is a good start, but it should be seen as the faithful launch of an endeavor to continue to pray and to continue to reach out to their fellow students throughout the year.

I was at a recent meeting in San Diego for leaders concerned about the youth of our city. Here in San Diego the sun shines constantly and beaches are nearby. Sports or band or homework or family demand much attention and we should not be surprised that most teenagers no longer attend a place of worship. The sad consequence is that these passtimes have replaced Jesus. They are all enveloping and the expectation is that kids either pursue excellence for hours each day or they almost drop out. It’s all or nothing…The same is true for many of their parents. Most jobs demand long hours and offer little paid leave. The impression must be given that the job is the number one priority and vacations must be kept short. Alternatively, and increasingly common is the tough reality that many adults have few work options and struggle with unemployment.

It seems that most people are either too busy or too depressed to walk confidently into their schools or work places to talk about Jesus, to reach out to the lost with Christ’s compassion. It is hard to think of the busy successful ones as lost, but from Jesus’ perspective they are just as lost as those dependent on drugs or alcohol, if they have no relationship with him. In Luke 19:10 we are reminded that “the Son of Man (Jesus) has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” That was his purpose in coming to Earth.

In Luke chapter 19 Jesus seeks Zacchaeus, a greedy tax collector, notorious for cheating people. Jesus wants to spend the day with this man who is rich and selfish, a man who in Jesus’ eyes is definitely lost. Jesus does not just want to hover in churches or even round flag poles with the favored few, the holy huddle. He wants to reach those who have no concept of religion. Jesus does not wait for Zacchaeus to step into a temple or church; he invites himself to the tax collector’s house and Zacchaeus’s life is transformed: from profiteer to generous benefactor in a single day. He gives away half of his wealth to the poor and he repays those he cheated four times what he took! Jesus concluded that “salvation has come to this house today..” Jesus went after this guy and apparently prompted him to change totally. Zacchaeus’s actions show a repentant heart expressing Jesus’ love.

If you have not experienced the love of Jesus, call out to him and read his words in the New Testament. He loves you and he will change you, if like Zacchaeus you are willing to repent. Perhaps you are already aware of Jesus. Have you allowed him to change you, has he empowered you with his love and his Spirit so that you can’t help but reach out to the lost at school or at work? Let’s move beyond “see you at the pole” and respond like Jesus. Salvation is far more important than being politically correct or being successful: it is about whether or not we and our friends spend an eternity with Jesus. It is about radically changed lives in the present as well as in the future. It is about letting Jesus work in and through us to change the world.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

See you at the pole

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Karl Marx, German political economist, 1861

We studied various political thinkers including Marx and we read George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty Four”, wondering whether the Iron Curtain would become an even harsher barrier separating east from west. Europe seemed much smaller then, as most people living in the Eastern Bloc were virtual prisoners and could not join us to present their perspective. Our parents were children in Britain during World War Two and their memories also reminded us that the power of evil could impact us as it had impacted them. Although their gas masks looked like Mickey Mouse they were still a reminder that danger was a real possibility. Europe was not necessarily fine and there was much to discuss.

When we arrived in The States in 1999 we came at the end of an era. There was still the assumption here that the US was safe and far away from danger. Waitresses smiled continuously and there was a sense of satisfaction. There seemed to be an abundance of money: sufficient money to throw away on details. There was a sense that we could all fall in love with the present because it was good and we were happy. Vietnam was a bad memory but best swept aside as it should not spoil the fun of the present.

September 11th threw a hand grenade into much of that. It was a terrible day that reminded Americans that evil was a reality and that like Europe, America is not necessarily fine.

Our oldest son Tom is going to college for the first time this week. I hope that he will be challenged to think beyond the fun. Perhaps now there is more debate here about good and evil and while Islam seems to be more threatening than communism, it demands a response in the same way that the Iron Curtain provoked us to comment. September 11th can never be justified but the Bible teaches that God works for good in those who love him and I think that there is value in being challenged to question why. Without recognizing evil we cannot understand our need for a savior. This world is full of evil, full of examples of man hating man.

Jesus is God who came to Earth as a baby, at the first Christmas, to grow up to die for us to receive the punishment that we deserve, at the first Easter. My desire is that our son, Tom, will be in an environment, like I was, where students are prepared to push aside the Easter bunny and Santa Claus and consider how Jesus stands against evil with his love and hope. Instead of hiding behind fixed smiles, we also can consider the claims of Jesus and how he can help a hurting world, how Jesus can help us. Pursuing truth will offend but it is more purposeful than avoiding conflict by saying nothing. It is more purposeful than pretending that the Easter bunny has all the answers, smoothing over family difficulties by offering candy to maintain peace. This fictional interpretation of Easter contrasts hugely with what Jesus achieved on the first Easter when he shed his precious blood to offer peace to a people who deserve punishment.

As I travel to Chicago with Tom tomorrow I will be silent for a few days, Please use this time to scroll back to the beginning of this blog to see what I was like when I was also seventeen and starting college, and how God changed my life. Read some of the comments, including a current conversation investigating the meaning of life.

May God bless you.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

college is a place to ask why

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