Is Jesus Enough?

There are songs of the Christian faith that I love.  There are songs that I can sing in good conscience, with what Justin calls “the worship face” – you know, eyes closed, head up, eyebrows knitted together…

Then there are the songs that I love but evoke a certain insecurity inside, because I know that, even as I sing them, I don’t live them.  They highlight where I would like to be on this journey, but haven’t yet reached.

“More Than Enough” is one of those songs for me.  A great friend once counseled me with these words:

“Jesus wants to be enough for us, just as our husbands want to be enough for us.  How would your husband take it if you said, ‘I’m sorry Justin, but you’re just not enough for me.  I need this guy for this unmet need, and this guy for that unfulfilled desire.’?  How would you feel if he said that to you?”

He wouldn’t live to finish the end of that sentence; that’s how I’d feel.

And yet, I say that to Jesus all the time.

The Chorus of the song says:

“And all of You is more than enough for
all of me, for every thirst and every need.
You satisfy me with Your love,
and all I have in You is more than enough.”

This morning, I was reading John chapter 14.  Jesus makes His famous statement in verses 6 & 7;

“I am the way, the truth, and the life!  Without me, no one can go to the Father.  If you had known me, you would have known the Father.  But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him.”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father.  That is all we need.” (CEV)

I just sat there, staring at it… realizing that I haven’t progressed very far since my friend counseled me last Spring.  Why does Philip get it, and I don’t?

Jesus asks me, “Elizabeth, am I enough for you?”  I sing, “More than enough, Lord!”.  And then choose  not to give what I have so that I can buy something later.  I mean, Jesus doesn’t intend for me to give up my Venti Decaf Americano w/room, does He?  He knows how cranky I get when I have to deny myself a little treat.

Jesus asks me, “Elizabeth, am I enough for you?”  I sing, “More than enough, Lord!”.  And then give in to the pleasure that comes with yelling at my kids about the state of the house.  This includes asking questions to which I already know the answer, like, “Were you born in a barn?” and ends with statements that can’t possibly be true, such as, “You seem perfectly content to live like pigs!”

Pigs live outside, they eat paper products, they are covered in flies, and roll in mud.  My kids don’t do any of that, which makes me a martyr.  A martyr prone to hyperbole.  Great.

Jesus asks, “Elizabeth, am I enough for you?”  I sing, “More than enough, Lord!” and polish off ice cream I wasn’t even hungry for.

If you’re keeping score, this makes me a tight-fisted, overweight, exaggerating martyr with a penchant for crankiness.

Silliness aside, could a soul who believes that Jesus is more than enough let go of  ‘giving in’?  Could a Mom who understands that Jesus is more than enough be at peace despite the mess, and recruit the help she needs without yelling, sarcasm or insulting pigs?

Lord, You satisfy me with Your love, and all I have of You is more than enough.

 

Posture of Prayer

The other morning I awoke with these three little words on my brain…”posture of prayer”.  I did not think it was especially odd, as I have grown accustomed to the Lord’s wake up calls and early morning sentiments.  But I did think that the words He chose for this particular day were a bit unusual.  And quite frankly, I didn’t really understand the meaning.  What exactly is a “posture?”  According to my dictionary, it is “…the position or bearing of the body for a special purpose.”  Interesting!

Within 30 minutes I came across these same three words in my Bible study, penned by the author of the book I was reading at the time.  Huh?  It couldn’t be a coincidence.  I know better than that.  But what was God trying to tell me?

I have spent the better part of two days asking Him that question and listening to His gentle replies.  This is what He has shown me.  There is a certain posture to prayer.  The posture, while it can be seen in the physical realm, is more aptly ascertained in the spiritual realm.  I can bend my knee or bow my head without surrendering my heart to the Lord.  Anyone can do these things.  But to bend your will and to bow your heart to the God of the Universe, that is an entirely different activity, and one that is too often overlooked.  That is the posture that truly pleases the Lord!

I do not necessarily believe that it is for malign reasons that a person approaches God with an incorrect posture in prayer.  It would kind of be like me not bowing to the ground when the king of some country passed by my way.  It would be out of ignorance that I did not bow.  If I had known he was a king I surely would have showed him respect, but to me, he just looked like a regular old guy with some spiffy clothes and a lot of people following him clicking pictures and shouting.  My knowledge of the person dictates the way I posture myself around him.

I have found over the last several years that my physical and spiritual posture in prayer have changed toward God.  I used to lie in bed and half-heartedly choke out some prayers out of religious duty or fear of upsetting God and soiling my near-perfect record (ha-ha).  I approached him about the same way that I would have approached that nameless king in the last paragraph.  I wasn’t trying to be rude.  It is just that I didn’t really know Him.

I know Him now, and that is why my posture has changed.  I find my spirit is the most willing to pray when I am on my knees with my face to the ground.  This outward display mirrors the inward sentiment of respect and adoration that I feel towards Him.  It is not because I am afraid of Him or that He will order my head to be chopped off if I don’t bow; it is just because when I become aware of His presence there seems nothing more fitting for me to do than lower myself in order that He may be glorified.

That’s all.  That’s what God has been talking to me about for the last couple of days.   It was just God talking to me, and me listening.  I love Him for doing that!

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”  (Matthew 6:5-8)

 

Not feeling included?

BECAUSE HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS….

Genesis 1:1 (NIV) ~ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The Creator of this very universe had you in mind as He chose to shape the world.

Our Creator did not put this world into motion and then step away to watch how it all would pan out.  Our Creator has had the plan of our existence and knew the importance of our lives from the beginning moments of His molding and shaping process.

I am not an artist.  I am not good at any type of art because my brain will not allow me to focus on any idea or concept long enough to create good artwork.  I can never seem to have a plan or complete direction in the area of art expression.

Any gifted and refined artist has a passion about his craft.  His passion drives him beyond creating into a relationship with what he has created.  Does the artist fall in love with his artwork?  I would say that on some level he does.  He has a motive to relay a message and captivate his audience.  He wants to draw another toward his thoughts and visions.  There is a purpose and a relationship conception.  There is an inner beauty and expression that comes to the forefront of the art piece.

Our creator looks at each of us and proclaims His efforts are forms of love and passion.

His eyes are upon us and He recognizes that we are each different.  He planned us that way.  He created us to relate to Him, to draw to Him, to be complete in Him.

He created the world around us to meet every physical need we would have.  He created our spirits so that we might have an inner need to know Him.  He yearns for us to need a full and deep relationship with Him.  He allows our movement upon this earth to be in purposeful interaction with others around us and that we might enjoy the beauty of His creation.  We were not meant to roam aimlessly, but to be in community.

If your life has brought you to a point of feeling alone and purposeless, just remember:
YOU ARE INCLUDED!

More than that, you are desired by the Creator of the universe.  He is aware of you.  He knows your innermost thoughts and He remembers the day you were designed.  He loves you!

Genesis 1:27 (NIV) ~ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Father God, we acknowledge you as the Everlasting God, the Creator of the universe.  We claim that you purposefully created our place on this earth.  We pray that we will be good stewards with all you have given us.  Father, we see your hands at work and we thank you that you call us your children, your creation.  Father as we seek to know you more fully, draw us close.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Oh, There You Are!

I had a funny little conversation with my kids the other day.  I was explaining to them why people don’t always like each other.

“Friendship”, I said, “boils down to this:  How do people feel about themselves when they are around you?  If I like how I feel when I’m around someone, I’ll want to be around them more; if I don’t, I won’t.  It’s important to learn how to be good building people up and encouraging them.  Do that, and you’ll never lack friends.”

“Well,” my matter-of-fact 10-year-old daughter said from the back seat, “I really only need 1 or 2 friends at the most, so I won’t have to work that hard.”

I laughed out loud!

I have thought of that accidental punchline for several days now.  It has made me question how I’m doing in my own life.  I wondered, do I tend to only to ‘work that hard’ for those whose friendship I seek?

I began thinking about how I treat people.  All people.  God’s principles do not  fall into neat categories labeled, For Friends and For Non Friends.  God is clear as to how we are to treat every human with whom we come into contact.   Two scriptures came to my mind.

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters:  You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to be angry.” James 1:19 (NLT)

Have you tried to merge into a different lane in rush hour, lately?  Or been in a long, frozen line after an even longer day at work?  Have you had bad service in a restaurant?  Have you ever been betrayed by a co-worker or a friend?

“…in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Phil 2:3b (NIV)

Ouch.  ‘Nuff said.

Here’s another quote that slapped me like a drunk uncle:

“There are two kinds of people in the world – those who walk into a room and say, ‘There you are!’ – and those who say, ‘Here I am!’” - Abigail Van Buren

Most often, the reason I don’t ask my cashier how she’s doing today is because I don’t care.  Subconsciously, I’m thinking, “Here I am!  And I’ve had a busy day and I’m running late, so less chatting, more bagging!”   We’re not friends, my friend box is full, so … no need to interview her.  Time saved.

Most often, the reason I don’t stop to talk with the lady whose life is always a train wreck is because today is probably no exception, and I don’t have time to hear chapter 12 of her drama.  It is too easy for me to conjure up a flustered look, flip open a cell phone that didn’t really ring, smile big, wave, and rush by, hoping my phone doesn’t ring while it’s on my ear as I pass her.  That’s my, “Here I am!  I sooo wish I had time to counsel you, and I would if I weren’t sooo rushed and distracted right now!  Good luck to you!”

I am given many opportunities every day to practice humility and grace, simply by choosing to be ‘others’ focused; quick to listen to them, slow to tell them about myself, slow to being annoyed by them, considering them better than myself.

Jesus, help me to remember that nothing is more important to you than people.  Give me the grace to treat them with the care and consideration with which You tend to me.  Amen.

 

Victim or Victor? It’s a Choice!

I have often heard it said that the things you despise most about other people tend to be the very things that you are blind to in your own life.  Ouch, right?  I have actually quoted this to other people with a congenial smile on my face as I think to myself, “Stinks to be you!”  Not exactly Christ-like, is it?

About a month ago, God used my husband to show me something about myself that I hate in others.  I assure you it was not a comfortable conversation, and I doubly assure you that I do not hope to repeat it ever again in the future.  With kindness in his voice and hesitation in his phrasing, my husband pointed out that I often times play the part of the victim.  Ouch again!  My ears and skin prickled to hear it from his lips, but my heart agreed with his proclamation.  The only reason my heart was able to finally see this truth was because I was in such a desperate state that I would have admitted nearly anything to get out from under the suffering I was enduring.  Once I confessed it with my mouth, the rest of my life changed.  And I really do mean that!

God showed me something powerful over the course of the next week or so.  He posed the following question to me, “Who is keeping you a victim instead of letting you be a victor.”  “I am,” was the appropriate response, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the way He used the letters in that word (im) to drive His point home.  Ouch again!

The scriptures tell us that “…in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37 NIV).  If as Christians we are more than conquerors in this life, then why am I going around acting like a victim?

I have to admit that even though I was agreeing with my husband’s assessment, I still could not see it in myself.  The way I played victim did not look the same way as others I have known.  So I asked the Lord if He would point it out to me the next time He saw me doing it.  He was more than obliged to help me in this little experiment.  Within the hour, He pricked my spirit when a certain thought and subsequent comment came out of my mouth.  He was showing me an example of it in my life at that very moment.  Praise God I didn’t tune Him out in denial this time.  I shudder now to even remember it, but I thanked Him nonetheless.  He proved Himself to be faithful yet again.

So, let me ask you this question.  Are you a victor?  Or have you fallen into the comfortable role of being a victim…of your circumstances, of the system, of your employer, of your past mistakes, or of your relationships?  Do you find that you feed off of other people’s reactions to your poor situation or circumstance?  Do you get charged when someone tells you how much they admire your courage or your stamina as you endure your situation or circumstance?  A person who is a victim feeds off of the responses of other people, negative or positive ones alike.  Do you feel sorry for yourself?  Sometimes?  Or most of the time?  I would encourage you today to sit with the Lord and ask Him to reveal truth to you in this area.

“ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ “ (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).  God has plans for your life dear sister! Those plans do not involve being a victim, but rather, a victor.  Join me on the victor’s side.  The view is better from here, I promise!

Dear Lord, We ask that you would help us to see those things that keep us bound in chains.   Open our eyes Lord and be gentle with us for we are weak.  Thank you Lord for caring about us enough not to leave us the way you found us, even when that means you must watch us endure pain.  We love you Lord!

The Meaning and Purpose of Worship

Join me in welcoming, again, our own Jennifer Brown from LHCC Youth.  Today she teaches us about worship.  Take it away, Jenn…

In Merriam Webster the definition of worship as a verb is this: to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power. When we worship God there is no right or wrong way to do so. The definition of worship is acknowledging God for who he is. This does not have to be done in just going to church and while singing, raising your hands because everyone else is. This can be done in your day to day life.

For example today I was struggling in photography class. I know some of this makes no sense but let’s just go with it for a second. So in photo class in the dark room while printing I kept my light settings two clicks to the dimmest and had my enlarger set up correctly, but when I put in my test strip it came out black but with borders. Meaning my paper’s fine. So I changed my light settings to dimmest. I had the same result. Now I’m not one for patience but something told me to calm myself when I began my third test strip. Frustrated, and upset for wasting photo paper I just said a small prayer. “God calm my heart, and give me patience with this test strip.” Right after this I got a good solid test strip. I smiled to myself and thought, thanks God for this small thing. You know I’m impatient, but once I went to you I calmed down and I can see how you work even in the small things.

The thing is that our worship to God shouldn’t be classified as something specific. We personally might know ways that we can worship him, but as a church family we need to all find ways to give our God the worship he desires from us. He is not like the Greek gods who needed to survive on worship, praise and prayer. God wants us to be a relationship with us, he is a jealous God.

In Revelation chapter six verse thirteen (NIV) we hear how the angels worship God. “Then I heard every creature in Heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them singing, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” In this verse we see the object being worshiped is God, the praise comes from everything on earth that is singing. But the honor, glory and power can be acknowledged by living our lives for Christ and being living sacrifices for him.

What to do if you smell smoke.

Joshua 7:1 (NIV)-But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things…So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel.

When I read this passage I envision a crowd of people doing so many wrong things.  I think of the ungodliness of their thoughts and actions.  I cannot believe how many times they doubted God and His direction.  I have a hard time understanding their blatant sinfulness, but it’s easy to sit a bit disconnected from the story.  This all happened thousands of years ago and they were really awful.   Really?

How many times have I caused my Lord to be “burning” in anger?  Am I guilty of accusing another’s sins to be worse than mine?  What happens when I am unfaithful with my tithe?  What happens when I ignore the calling to pray with a friend?  What happens when I turn my back on His Word?  What happens when I refuse to stop and help a person in need?  What happens when I lie or cheat?  What happens when I am proud and unforgiving?  I have taken “devoted things” and I’ve hidden them.  I am sure the Lord’s anger burns because I have been “unfaithful in regard to the devoted things“.

I have been passive in my grieving of the Lord’s anger over my sinful nature.  I have thought, “When I’m sinful, I am probably making Him a little mad.”

Really?

When I choose those thoughts I am also choosing to believe that I am somehow different from those Israelites.  I have chosen to believe the weight of my sin doesn’t deserve the fullness of God’s wrath. I am not different.  I am guilty. I’ve seen the smoke rising, and the smell of smoke has rested heavily upon me.  Worse than that, I have fueled the fire of my Lord’s anger.  I have stirred the ashes with a stick and caused a flame.  This thought immediately causes me to shutter, my heart stops and I am humiliated.  Have you been there?  Are you there now?

So, how do I get beyond the smell of smoke?  I ask for forgiveness, the forgiveness that only the love of Christ can bring.  He takes me back as I come to him in pain and shame.  My grip on the devoted things is released and His grasp on me is firm.  He refreshes me with the cool water of His abiding  love.  I stand upon faith, knowing that I am forgiven.  I Timothy 6:12 (NIV)-”Fight the good fight of faith…” I am freed from my past.  I no longer reek of smoke.  I move forward.  I focus upon God’s purpose for me.  I delight fully in the success along the way and point back to Him with gratitude.  I look intently at direction I am given through His Word.  I rejoice in knowing He is always with me, wanting my best.

I walk a narrow path and it gets more and more narrow each day.  I desire to be responsible with my life.  And, when my desire places Him above all else, I am walking that path with empty hands…without fuel for the fire.

Father God, please look upon us with forgiveness.  Help us to be alive in you.  Help us to feel the freedom to move through our lives knowing that you desire our hearts and we are perfected with your love.  Thank you gracious Father-Amen.