From the series “Truth or Fiction?”
My husband and I got a good laugh recently. Over breakfast, he asked me if I had seen my youngest brother’s new blog. “No, honey. What do you mean? He’s doing a blog?” It was an innocent enough question, since my brother has a company website. I assumed his blog had something to do with his business.
It turns out my baby bro has a new creative outlet for his insights on culture, politics and world events. His new blog is socially shocking at best and politically provocative at it’s worse…by design! My husband asked me not to read it (expletives are used ‘liberally’ – pun here, since baby bro is a militant conservative). And he proceeded to give me an overview of the subject matter.
I asked him, “When did baby bro start blogging?” and my husband replied, “About the same time you did!” Then he added, “How’s that for balance in the universe?!”
We both laughed and then we both sighed. We have a Biblical worldview where there’s no concept of “balance in the universe,” yin and yang or karma. Read More »
First in a New Series: “Truth or Fiction?”
The “Truth of Fiction” Series will address current cultural messages that are contrary to the truth of God’s Word.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 1 Corinthians 2:13-15
Our True Source of Joy
Yesterday for me was the day most women dread, a day when we decide to “do the right thing” and heed the counsel of our doctor. Yes, yesterday was Mammography Day. Women know why they dread it and men, frankly, don’t want to know what they’re missing! I’ll skip the details get to the point.
As I entered the facility for the procedure, my eyebrows lifted a bit…very nice, very cushy, very pink! For a moment my thoughts were on a friend who’s going to a third world country for a year of service to our Lord. I knew the ladies she would be ministering to would not have medical facilities like this! This facility was spa-like and truly lovely. We are blessed to the point of absurdity – all the latest in digital imaging surrounded by soft lighting and muted pink decor.
I gave my name to the receptionist and had a seat as directed. My eyes were immediately drawn to the feature wall in front of me. There was a HUGE quote by Thomas Wolfe stenciled on the wall – several feet high and at least 10 feet long. It read:
There are some people who have the quality of richness and joy in them and they communicate it to everything they touch. It is first of all a physical quality; then it is a quality of the spirit.
What….?! I read it again letting the words sink in. Then I realized someone was staring at me. I was bust-ed, so to speak! (Mammo humor here) Read More »
Christian friends always give you the benefit of the doubt, right? They don’t make assumptions, right? They reach out before jumping to conclusions, right? The answer to all these questions is, of course, no.
We’re all in the same fleshy tent and we do allow our emotions to lead from time to time. And the enemy is well rehearsed and practiced. He’s set traps and snares a million times before. He knows the chinks in our armor. He knows when we’re not fully strapped in. Then the fiery darts are launched and some land on tender flesh.
The Snare of Offense & The Offense of the Flare
This time, the fiery darts lobbed at me were the perceived offenses of a dear Christian friend. The enemy uses and abuses and he was having a party in one of my closest relationships. Then a crash occurred and I was shocked. Not that I should have been! The Lord had tried to warn me several days in advance – with a road flare, a “Caution: Danger Ahead” sign in my heart. I knew I was to make a call to check in with my dear friend. But I didn’t.
I was vulnerable because I was lugging around my own yoke and losing the joy He had given me. I was overcome with activity, commitments took over and forgetfulness happened. No phone call was made I allowed the enemy to gain a foothold (Ephesians 4:26-27). That’s when the relational crash occurred – fueled by perceived offenses.
It was just days ago that I wrote about “Standing in the Gap” of faith. And in God’s perfect timing, He allowed me to be tested by the very thing I wrote about. He was teaching me the application of His Word, how to stand in the relational gap and how to persevere while standing: Read More »
The Lord has been gracious in allowing me to participate in an intercessory prayer group for one of our foreign mission teams. This team of two young men are serving our Lord in Asia, and they recently shared wonderful insights into their experiences in the foreign missions field.
They didn’t realize it at the time (or maybe they did!), but the wisdom they shared has a far greater application. Their insights are incredibly relevant to the life of every Christian and are an encouragement to us all. No matter where our mission fields are located – the office, the city, the ‘burbs – these truths still apply.
Understand the Culture & Its Value System
Their context is specific to Asia and they related their experiences in learning about that polytheistic and evolutionary culture. In order to minister to those in that culture, the missionaries needed to understand the religious framework and how it affected the core value system. You need to know how the culture thinks! And you need to understand their worldview. Read More »
This week the Lord has allowed me to witness remarkable acts of courage among His faithful. These acts were courageous because they had a cost. Each situation put a relationship at risk or compromised someone’s standing in the world.
As battles waged between their flesh and their spirit, battles of opinion were waged with those who surrounded them. The flesh whispered, “You’ll be offensive. Don’t hurt their feelings. What could you possibly say to comfort them?” And the Spirit reminded them of their relationship with the Lord. They knew the Lord had uniquely equipped them and placed them in their particular situation:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
Read More »
