Power or Pretense?

I love my bread machine. It does all the hard work of mixing and kneading. Then all I have to do is shape the prepared dough into rolls or loaves. So imagine my grave disappointment when my machine quit working the day of our Thanksgiving feast.

 

It still looked like a bread machine—filled up, plugged in, and set to make dough. It sounded like a bread machine doing what it was made to do. But when the timer beeped 45 minutes later, the ingredients hadn’t even stirred. It was only pretending to be a bread machine. Not tragic, but very frustrating. 

The tragedy is when this happens to us spiritually—when those who claim to be believers cease doing what we’re created to do. It’s grievous when those who claim to follow Jesus practice “a form of godliness, but deny its power” (2 Tim. 3:1-5). It’s not enough to look like a believer, sound like a believer, while denying the power to live a godly life. 

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is more than going to church, raising hands in worship, going to small group meetings, and even reading the Bible. It’s not enough to talk about Jesus and how marvelous He is if He doesn’t have full authority to act. 

I realize I deny the power of Jesus Christ:

When I wallow in self-pity

When I allow my feelings to dictate whether I will be completely obedient or not

When I give in to discouragement or worry

When I reject God’s unlimited resources and wisdom

It’s not enough to “sit on the counter” filled with the right ingredients—plugged in, and making the right noises—if I deny Christ’s power to accomplish His purposes in me.

If you are in Christ, you have access to spiritual power—

To pray the Name of Christ with authority over the forces of darkness

To face life with courage

To practice self-control and overcome temptation

To have wisdom beyond human intellect

To gain victory over despair

To receive healing from the sins and scars of the past

Apostle Paul revealed the secret in his letter to the Ephesian church:

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:18-21).

God’s power that raised Jesus from the dead; that’s what we need! God promises when we’re weak, He is strong. 

I qualify! 

I’m too weak to face the challenges knocking on my door. I’m ready for an infusion of God’s almighty power to do through me what I cannot do in my own strength. God doesn’t give us this impossible task to “live as Christ” without the resources to accomplish it. With Jesus on the inside, we can love the unlovable, patiently endure piles of trials, maintain hope against impossible circumstances, and experience joy in a world filled with hate and confusion.  

For the Beauty of the Earth

I’ve been mindlessly humming this old hymn quite a bit lately. I am awed by the variety and surprising qualities of beauty all around us. Suddenly I’m noticing what I haven’t noticed before. With Thanksgiving days away, this has become my theme—to recognize and thank God for the beauty I see each day.

I thank God for the beauty of the sky:

A sunrise that bursts through gray autumn skies

Sunset hues of purple, pink, and orange that paint swaths of color across the horizon

The moon, clear and bright white in a midnight sky

I thank God for the beauty of food:

A multi-colored selection of fresh fruits and vegetables

Beautifully prepared desserts and platters of savory meat

 I thank God for the beauty of life:

A welcoming smile meant just for me

Laughter, free and unsullied by sarcasm or innuendo

Babies and children with silky soft skin, dimples, and the scent of newness

New believers in Christ, full of faith and enthusiasm, undaunted by the challenges of the day, because they trust in the Sovereign God 

I thank God for the beauty of words:

Of appreciation or praise, affirming my wounded soul

Descriptive words that paint pictures my heart can see

The Word of God – comforting, challenging, poetic, hilarious, empowering

I thank God for the beauty of love:

The look that says, “I’m glad you’re mine” despite my flaws and failures

Invitations to chat or adventure, because we are friends

The Body of Christ—a  diverse and motley group, fraught with failures and opinions, bound together by God’s forgiving, abounding love 

I could go on and on about: candlelight; music that makes me cry, dance, and sing; the green of the forest; the ever-changing ocean; eyes so deep and tender they pull me in; childlike trust, exquisite compassion, graceful joy. All this and more surrounds us and I am consciously trying to focus on these evidences of God.

These things Satan cannot take away—despite devastating world news, illness or injury, job loss, cutting words, computer problems, current circumstances, or the weather. God gives us beauty to delight our souls and remind us of the Creator’s great love for us. It’s a free gift no one can steal away. Beauty lifts our spirits, even on the darkest days, and gives us hope for tomorrow. It helps us look ahead to eternity in heaven, where beauty is unsullied by sin and hatred—set free from the limitations of this earthly life.

  

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, and eyes to see and appreciate the beauty of these simple yet profound evidences of our Savior’s love. Look for it in nature, in family and friends, and in Jesus, who has given himself for us. We have so much to be thankful for!

Here are my favorite verses of this Thanksgiving hymn. I hope it makes you want to sing and begin spotting the beauty around you. 

“For the Beauty of the Earth” by Folliot S. Pierpoint, 1864

1. For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

4. For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

5. For thy church, that evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
her pure sacrifice of love;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

6. For thyself, best Gift Divine,
to the world so freely given,
for that great, great love of thine,
peace on earth, and joy in heaven:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

Identify Your Enemies

Trish knows about our ongoing battle with slugs and snails. She’s heard of our exploits in the dark of night, armed with flashlights and salt. She laughs at Kelly’s search and destroy missions when he proudly announces the “death count” from his morning hunt. For my birthday she gave me a humorous, but enlightening book--50 Ways to Kill a Slug, by Sarah Ford.

When one goes to war, the most important strategy is getting to know your enemy. What does he look like? Where does he hide? What are his habits? What are his strengths? And most importantly, what are his weaknesses? From there, you can plan an attack and successfully defeat your foe.

Here’s a few slug facts we’ve learned:

They are hermaphrodites—both male and female. So they don’t need a mate in order to reproduce. And they’re prolific, laying more than 100 eggs a year.

They hide in the daytime, their natural camouflage helping them blend with their surroundings, and come out at night to do their damage.

They have 27,000 teeth. No wonder my hosta plants look like lace doilies after their nighttime ravages.

But here’s the good news. Salt kills them on contact. Spraying plants with vinegar, or soap and water mixtures, deters them. They have soft bellies and don’t like to cross jagged pieces of egg or sea shells. Carpet scraps will dry their slime and stop them before they can reach your plants. Beer and grapefruit, two of their weaknesses, can be used as bait. They also love bran, which swells after they eat it, and sometimes makes them explode. (Did I hear a war whoop?)

What does this have to do with our daily walk with Christ? As you know, those who love Jesus have an enemy. He comes to steal our JOY, kill our bodies and will to serve, and destroy our marriages, families, resources, and more. In one passage identifying our enemy, Apostle Peter warns us to, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). Worse than a slug with 27,000 teeth.

There are other nameless enemies who want to take us down. We need to identify them, and arm ourselves against their tactics. The enemies you battle may differ from mine depending on your background, time of life, and personal weaknesses. But our tactic is the same.

Psalm fifty-nine says, “Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me” (Psa. 59:1). Today, I arm myself against LIES that shake my trust in the goodness of God. Also FEAR—of failure, rejection, and not being good enough. I name them, and others, and speak scripture in my counterattack—salting the demon hoard.

Who are your enemies today—self pity, lust, pride, addiction, grief? What enemy rises up to pull you off course, discourage, or cause you to doubt? What is eating at your faith, your confidence, your JOY in Jesus Christ?

Identify each one by name. Find a verse that repels it, stops it in its tracks, drowns it, blows it up, or dissolves its power to defeat you. Speak scripture out loud. Write it on a 3x5 card and carry it with you. Tape it to your mirror, or keep it in your car, and continue to offensively pound the enemy.

You can be sure you’re not alone in this war. Your brothers and sisters everywhere are fighting also. And God gives us the energy to fight; a safe place to rest and recoup in between skirmishes; and He goes ahead of us into battle. “O my strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. God will go before me” (Psa. 51:9). With God, we will not be defeated.

Unsolicited Advice

Call me a rebel, but whenever I hear the words, “You know what you should do…”I can feel my defensive guard going up. My fight or flight mechanism goes into overdrive and it’s hard to politely listen to whatever wisdom might come next.  
 

Is it just me, or do you bristle a bit when people give you free advice on how to - do your job, raise your kids, run your household, order your love life, or any number of personal dealings. It doesn’t matter - they’ve got the answer for you.

It’s not that I’m against seeking advice. I need advice. I want advice. But I want to ask for it first, from the person or people I feel are most qualified to give it. That’s why I rankle so much when those who barely know me presume to provide answers for my situation. They bestow advice as if it were a gift for which I should be grateful.

If we spent more time in conversation, I might discover their advice is exactly what I need and I would be very grateful for it. And I might immediately put it into practice. But when it’s pushed on me cold turkey, with an air of condescension, it’s more offensive than inviting. I agree with the proverb that says: “The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, and a wise friend’s timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger” (Proverbs 25:11-12, Message).

The key words are “right word,” “right time,” “custom made,” “friend.” These speak of a relationship between the advisor and the one receiving the advice. In this case, even if the advice wasn’t sought after, it would be welcome, or at least considered, knowing the giver spoke from love.

I wonder, sometimes, if that’s the way unbelievers feel when believers try to tell them about Jesus. Does it come across as unwanted advice on how they should live their life and what changes they need to make? Is there a relationship, or does it come out of nowhere from a virtual stranger? Has the unbeliever expressed a need, or is the information given in an “I’m better than you” attitude? Do we even give them a chance to ask before we give the answers?

Jesus calls His followers to live our lives in such a way that people would want to know - what we think, what we would do in their situation, what keeps us going when times are tough, where we get our hope, how we manage to forgive when we’re wronged. We need to be ready with answers.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15, NIV). If we are gentle in our responses – not angry or defensive - respectful to others, and humbly put Christ ahead of our own ego, people might be more willing to approach us with questions. These are the conversations we dream of; this is the hope we long to share with the world around us.

I want live His peace, His JOY, His love, His hope,and for others to ask where I got it. I want to be ready to answer in a manner worthy of my Lord and Savior, giving Him all the glory.