When Is Enough Enough?

During a recent speech on financial reform, our President raised the ire of many by insinuating there were those who have made enough money in their lifetime and that to further enrich themselves was unnecessary and revealed their greedy nature.  This statement was not intended to encourage those with less to reach for higher goals and aspirations.  Nor was it expressed to encourage those with more to continue to work hard and provide jobs that are so greatly needed at this time.  Instead, it was meant to belittle and denigrate those who have succeeded in attaining wealth through a lifetime of hard work and, more importantly, cause the lower income classes to resent those who are successful and demand they be given what they have not earned from the treasuries of those who have earned it.  In effect, Obama was placing a cap on how much he felt a person could amass in his lifetime, furthering his hatred for capitalism and his lust for control of the U.S. economy by using intimidation and finger-pointing.  Perhaps he should turn his accusing finger upon himself, considering his $5 million declaration of income last year.  Might I ask, Mr. President, if it was enough for you?

Although I strongly disagree with Obama’s entire socialist agenda and his attempt to tear down the America we know and love and unite the world into one giant global government and economy, the question “when is enough enough” should be asked by each of us.  Not in the way Obama wants us to apply it, but by Biblical standards.  It is not the “what” and “how much” we have in our lives that matters.  Rather it is the “Who” we hold claim to that should be the most vital asset we possess.  A person could be the most poverty-stricken soul on this earth yet, if he possesses the Lord, he has the riches of Solomon, the wealth of a thousand kingdoms.  Nothing more can be added that could possibly assure him of greater wealth, comfort, or stature, because he wears a crown of glory upon his head and is adorned with a white robe of righteousness wrapped around his shoulders by God Himself.

When we possess Jesus Christ, our treasury becomes an indestructible heavenly storehouse of riches.  It is eternal, everlasting.  It is divinely guarded and impenetrable.  Unlike our earthly possessions which our President wants to pilfer and give to others, our heavenly treasures cannot be taken from us (Matt 6:19-21).  They are diamonds and rubies fixed firmly in the purest gold that no man can ever pry from their setting.  They are pearls of great wisdom, and silver and gold refined and tested in eternity’s furnace.  And all is laid upon a foundation of the most precious gems, making it durable and everlasting (Rev. 21:19-21).

This, and more, is the answer to Obama’s arrogance in his statement.  He may want to take all that I have and put it into the hands of those who do not deserve it, but he will only temporarily harm me by doing so.  His actions may make my earthly life uncomfortable.  He and the world may even frighten me at times.  But I know when enough is enough for I have already attained it.  I have an eternal inheritance that can never be taxed or taken from me.  The “Who” I hold and claim as my greatest treasure is my Portion, my Savior Jesus Christ.  He is the answer.  He is enough for me.

Additional reading:

Genesis 33:9
Psalm 119:57

You can also read a commentary and watch Obama's speech here.

The Suffering Blog!

I thought I should post a quick note to let everyone know that I haven't abandoned the blog.  Last fall, my husband and I bought a boat - a big boat.  Well, at least it is big enough; almost too big because of the requirements to tow it.  But we knew this before tackling such a behemoth and are really looking forward to finishing the refurbishing we began when we got it home so we can get it in the water and enjoy it with our kids and grandkids.

 

My husband, Steve, filled his unemployed time last winter by completely restoring the interior of the cabin and, I might pridefully add, has done a wonderful job.  After removing all the cabinetry and months of sanding the teak and mahogany that literally cried out for help, applying many new coats of varnish, and tearing out the original carpet and upholstery that absolutely needed to go and laying down new teak floor, she is almost ready for her christening and launch.  That is, after we get some outside work completed that required warmer weather and I get done reupholstering the interior. 

I wasn't sure I wanted to tackle such a project.  Mainly because I needed a heavy duty sewing machine to sew the #10 duck canvas I wanted to replace the old fabric with (grandkid-proof!) and I lacked the space needed to roll it out and cut it.  But the estimates we received convinced me that it would be prudent and cost-effective for me to do so!  (Ouch! they were high!)  So to EBay we went for the sewing machine, the fabric was ordered and the supplies I needed purchased, and that's currently where I'm at.  By doing the work myself, we have saved over two-thirds of the estimated cost!  It's a big project, but I am confident I can accomplish it.  My living room floor has become my cutting table and my dining table sports the sewing machine.  It's the moving everything around that's the biggest headache.  Oh, how nice it would be to have a room I could make a mess in and then close the door when I was done!
 
So, bear with me, folks!  I will try my hardest to post new articles as my work on the upholstery progresses.  When I'm done, I'll post a picture of the newly refurbished boat so you can see what we have done.  In the meantime, delight in the Lord and continue the work He has set before you! 

Crossing the Line: Should A Woman Preach In Church?

There is a question that is all-to-often ignored in today's churches.  It has spawned a great amount of debate in many denominational circles, including the Episcopal and Catholic churches.  It is also one that is blatantly ignored in churches that are influenced by the charismatic movement that have arisen over the last century; i.e., those who misinterpret and misuse the "gifts of the Spirit" (see 1Corinthians 12-14).  The question is whether or not women should preach or teach in the church.

I am a firm believer that God's divine plan was for women to be submissive to men.  Not in an authoritarian and oppressive way, or that a man should debase a woman by hovering supremacy over her, but in align with the structure God set forth from the beginning with Adam and Eve, and her being man's "helpmate".  The problem I have had in the past when hearing a woman assume the pastoral role when the body of Christ meets, or in any other situation that demonstrates a teaching position, has been one of extreme discomfort.  For no other reason than the obvious Biblical instruction, it greatly disturbs me to hear a woman preach and I will not take part in that setting, even rising and leaving the church that allows it.

To some, this may sound "legalistic".  On the contrary, it is Biblical and it is also God's will that in His wisdom in establishing governmental structure over His church as Scripture teaches us, there is divine influence regarding a woman's proper role :

"Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."  (1Corinthians 11:3)

This does not mean that man is superior to woman other than he is the source of her existence (Genesis 2:4-25), and also the source she should seek for proper Godly instruction.

Peter defines God's will in this by stressing a woman's submissiveness to her husband in 1Peter 3:1-6.  Her true beauty will be found on the inside, not through adornment on the outside.  She will also show her husband tremendous respect and love by remaining obedient to the position she has been placed.  I must add, however, that there is also a responsibility with the husband to remain obedient to God and to share his Godliness and the instruction he has received with her in order that she be the wife to him that God desires.

Pastor John MacArthur does a much better job at explaining the Biblical instruction regarding this question.  I invite you to click here to read and, prayerfully, understand God's will, as spoken through the Apostle Paul where he addressed the church that was allowing the practice of women to speak during an assembly  (if you are not directly linked to the commentary relating to this subject, please see the right hand column on Pastor MacArthur's page that shows "Recent Q and A's" for the correct one).

Paul understood God's intention was to prevent disruptions during worship and a way for man and woman to work together for the betterment of the church body, rather than dividing it.  God established a line of authority that, if applied correctly, would keep the church unified and in agreement.  It is my firm belief that if this line of authority is crossed, the body of Christ suffers and is in peril of being deceived.

I encourage you to read God's Word and Pastor MacArthur's commentary so that you can determine this for yourself. 

Uncertain Certainty

The title to this post sounds like an oxymoron.  But if applied correctly, it speaks of an assurance that our patient waiting for guidance from God will not be in vain.

Rather than lean heavily upon God in anticipation of our next step, we have a tendency to forget about the certainty that He will do what He has promised.  Instead, when He is silent and our life appears to be emptied of His presence and direction, we become uncertain.  Our impatience breeds doubt in His word and we begin to question not only ourselves, but Him.  Uncertainty then becomes a bad thing because we see ourselves as having failed at reaching our self-perceived goal.

Oswald Chambers, in “My Utmost For His Highest”, writes:

“Certainty is the mark of the common-sense life; gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.”

Most of us want order in our lives.  We want each step to be carefully measured out so that there is never any question left hanging in reaching our ultimate goal.  This is the “mark of the common-sense life.”  And when things fail to go as we think they should, our certainty in ourselves and in our own efforts are shattered.  Clinging to our “common sense” and to our attempt to keep our steps orderly and in line with how we want things to play out will ultimately lead us to places we ought not go and, eventually, further from God and His perfect plan.  In other words, we want to lead Him rather than allow Him to lead us, especially if it means a certain amount of disorder must be endured.

The “gracious uncertainty” Chambers speaks of is one of joyful anticipation for God’s spontaneity.  We can compare it to a child waiting in anxious expectation for the moment he is to receive a much-wanted gift that has been promised him.  He knows it has been ordered, but he must wait patiently because the timing of its arrival is not determined.  The shipment has been delayed.  It could come tomorrow, or it could come next week.  He may be uncertain of the time of delivery, but he knows it will eventually come because he believes and trusts the one who has made the promise.

Our uncertainty should never lie with distrust that God will not deliver upon His promise, rather upon what He will do next.  Even though we have periods of idleness in our desired work for Him, He is carefully planning His next move.  This should excite us as we wait to see how He will use us and where He will place us to further His kingdom.  Like the child joyfully anticipating his gift, we should wait with uncertain certainty that eventually God will come and when He does, we must be alert, listening for His instruction, and ready to act upon it.

Open the Door!

Have you ever tried to save yourself multiple trips and had your arms loaded with groceries, finding yourself unable to grasp the doorknob or slip a key into the lock in order to let yourself into the house?  The items you are carrying are heavy, your arms become weary from bearing them and they begin to shift and threaten to spill from the bags onto the stoop below.  A family member is somewhere inside the house and you begin yelling and kicking the door in hopes he or she will hear you.  Visions of broken jars, dented cans, and two dozen cracked or broken eggs cause you to yell and kick even louder.  But the person in the house is not hearing you.

The only way to gain entry by yourself is to relieve yourself of your burden.  You slowly lower the heavy bags, placing them on the ground below.  Instantly, you feel relief from the weight you were attempting to carry.  As you finally let yourself into the house, you determine that next time you will make that extra second or third trip.  The kids come running to see what treats you have brought home and you chide them for failing to come to your aid. 

"But, Mom," they reply, "you told us to never open the door to strangers!"

Jesus told a parable in Matthew 25:1-13 that bears a striking resemblance to the response given by the children in my own, and one that should give us pause.  At a specific time in the  not-too-distant future, there will be many, their arms loaded down with heavy burdens, who will find themselves locked out of His house.  But this time, the One Who holds the key will be on the other side of the door.  Their failure to prepare and be ready for such an event will prevent them from gaining passage, no matter how feverishly they pound upon the door and plead with the One Who possesses the key.  His response will be, "I tell you the truth, I do not know you." (v12) 

Will you find yourself in this situation?  Are you struggling on your own to bear the entire burden you carry?  Or have you gratefully handed it over to Jesus to carry for you?  Are you approaching the door with Him by your side, the key to heaven's door in His hand?  Or are you stubbornly refusing His help, only to discover when it is too late that He is behind the door that is forever shut tight against you?

Jesus says, "Do not be afraid.  I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive for ever and ever!  And I hold the keys of death and Hades." (Rev 1:18)  He will determine who He allows into His eternal kingdom.  It will be those who "trimmed their lamps" (Matt 25:7) and kept faithful watch for His return (v13) that will be rewarded entry into His house.  Knowing that He alone carries the key that not only opens the door to eternal punishment, but also to heaven, should urge us to be counted among His children who are blessed with acceptance into Paradise.

There is still time to be included with those who will find an unlocked door awaiting them.  The way is easy for those who choose to take it.  Jesus explains just how simple it is to find God and enjoy eternal peace and everlasting joy in this promise: 

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)

Don't be caught off guard and find yourself to be a stranger to the One behind the door.  If you do the things He asks of you, Jesus will know you when you come knocking.

Adopted As a Son of the Promise

To be naturally born into a family affords a child full rights as a family member and, by law, makes him an heir of his parent's estate.  He enjoys an intimacy with other siblings, becoming a part of the family unit and sharing with them all that comprises what we know to be a family.  The child associates with other relatives that make up the broader extended family; learning from them, relying on them for companionship, looking up to them for leadership, and assuming similar morals and values that are carried on into his adult life.  The family is essential in his growth and maturity into adulthood, for what is put in is what he will reflect when he begins his own.

However, there are times when a child is denied a complete family and the benefits he could gain from it.  Often, children become disconnected from the natural order and are thrown into confusion over who their true family is.  To not know one or both of their biological parents because of mistakes made in their parent's pasts, or to be subjected by their parents to multiple marriages, creates a mindset of confusion that can often have disastrous results.  The child who is thrown into this unstable situation finds it difficult to cope with the constant uncertainty or changes that are forced upon him and which he has no control.  He may attempt to have his pain heard by rebelling and becoming involved in destructive behavior, because no matter how reassured he is by his parents that another change will make things better, his anger festers and threatens to destroy what little security he has left.

I have personally witnessed this scenario being played out, and it involved two little boys that instantly became family members.  This came about not by the natural order, but by inclusion through our own son’s marriage that dissolved after seven or eight years and two children of his own.  When his marriage ended, my son made a determined choice to remain in the boys’ lives.  The oldest did not know who his father was.  The youngest did, but his father was selfishly absent.  My son’s decision to be the father neither of the boys had previously fully known was one I felt extremely proud over.  He did so out of a tremendous love for them and a desire to nurture them and provide for them what they lacked.  He wanted to help correctly guide them so that, one day, they would also be able to make the right choices.  

Problems were evident, even at their very young age.  Two small boys, who were tossed about on the turbulent waves of multiple marriages and unstable relationships, and made vulnerable to their mother’s whims, each were forced to make their own choices as they matured.  The youngest chose the path of rebellion and, although unknowingly I am sure, wanted to punish his mother for her indiscretions.  Although I have no doubt that she loved them, she knew only what her own childhood had taught her: that it was okay to not remain in a marriage and make it work, even for the sake of the children.

The oldest boy, Stephen, was drawn onto another path, however.  He looked up to my son as the father he had always longed for, and their relationship became closer as time went on.  When he was faced with decisions that would directly affect his life, he came to my son for guidance.  He sought instruction over moral issues and desired the intimacy that is shared between a father and his son.  He assumed my son’s strong values and began to apply them to his own life.  And, much to our delight, he visited us often when my son brought our other grandchildren for a visit and gained childhood memories he will always cherish.

Perhaps the pivotal point in obtaining the full rights enjoyed by natural family members came when Stephen enlisted in the Marines and asked to list my son as his “father” on his military documents, and to name my husband and me as his “official grandparents.”  It was then that his adoption into our family became formal; not with a piece of paper stamped with the approval of the courts, but divinely sealed in our hearts by the hand of God.  The Lord had brought Stephen into our lives, had caused our hearts to love him, and gave him the family he always wanted.

Yesterday, Stephen, along with his Marine unit, was deployed to Afghanistan.  Although my son was in the Air Force for eight years and strongly adheres to the values he learned there, his heart is crushed at this time.  He knows the danger Stephen faces.  He understands Stephen’s desire to serve his country in this way because he, too, would be there if not for disabilities that prevented him from a career in the Air Force.  But because Stephen is his son, not by natural descent but by divine adoption, accorded the full rights as heir of our promise, he worries about him.  And we also worry.  We are truly blessed to call him our own.  God has deeply embedded him in our hearts, he is greatly loved as much as our natural grandchildren, and is ever on our minds and in our prayers.

We trust the Lord to keep Stephen safe.  We believe He will bring him home to us, unharmed and ready to begin a life with his new wife, Diana, and to gain even more intimacy with us, his family, and the extended family that need to know him.  We have no choice but to believe and trust the Lord to do this, for He promised when Stephen was born that he would eventually belong to us.

Please keep Stephen in your prayers.

(The picture on this post is of our granddaughter, Emmie, and her big Marine brother,  our grandson, Stephen!)

Believe In the Light

John 12:36 - "While ye have light, believe in the light."  Or as the NIV translates it: "Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you can become a son of light."

Jesus is the Light of the world.

So many refuse to come out of the darkness into His glorious Light, even though there is much to fear in staying in the darkness, and nothing to fear once in His brilliance.  As His "lamps", Christ's children try to draw others to His Light.  Some rush to it like moths to flame.  Others are offended by it and squint and wince because they prefer not to have their sins exposed and acknowledge their need for forgiveness.  These men and women would rather run from the Light back into darkness and attempt to hide the offenses they have committed from Him.  It would be better for them if they would allow Him to bathe them in His cleansing Light now instead of later, when it will consume them because of their unbelief and sinfulness and condemn them to an eternity of suffering.

To my friends and loved ones who are trying to hide in the darkness: You cannot hide.  He sees you there.  Believe and come out into His glorious Light and be saved.

Here's a little Bible trivia to brighten your day.

Did you know that each Hebrew letter has a numerical value? With that in mind, consider this:

Following Jesus' resurrection, the despondent disciples were out in a boat on the Sea of Tiberius attempting to catch some fish. However, their efforts proved unfruitful. The next morning, Jesus stood on the shore of the sea watching His disciples cast their nets and haul them in empty and void of fish. He "called out to them to" cast their net on the right side of the boat, where they proceeded to pull in "153" fish (John 21:1-14).

Have you ever wondered about the importance of citing the number of fish that were caught? Scripture could have simply maintained that there were so many, the disciples "were unable to haul the net in because of the large number" of them (v6). But in verse 11, it states "It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn."

By applying the numerical value to the Hebrew letters contained in the number of fish, the result is surprising.  It translates:

"I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD."

Of course, the account is a lesson, not only to Peter and the other disciples, but also to us; to be "fishers of men", to fill our nets "full of large fish", and to take comfort that in our service to Jesus, the "net" He holds in His hand will not let loose of them. But I found great encouragement and pleasure in learning this little bit of trivia.

When you think your "net" will forever remain empty, allow Him to direct where you cast it. Jesus knows the "fish" He wishes to "catch", and He will fill His "net" with them in large numbers, not letting a single one threaten to fall through the tears and back into the sea below.  Then, when at last we are on the shore with Him where He has prepared an abundant feast for us, we will share in His eternal joy and everlasting peace.

So, with that, go out and cast your net for Jesus. If you listen to His instruction and place your net on the right side of the boat, He will be faithful in filling it with more fish than you can haul in.

When the Pen Becomes A Sword

The ability to express oneself in the form of the written word is a true gift from God.  Not everyone is able to effectively accomplish this, regardless of their verbal eloquence or higher education.  Many uneducated men and women became some of the greatest authors in history, filling library shelves with well-written tomes worthy of reading.  The necessary tools are elementary: a pen and a passion to transfer thoughts onto paper.  This passion, this deep-rooted love for words, drives the writer to convey opinions, reveal truths or falsehoods, or weave tales of adventure, intrigue, humor, or life’s ups and downs.  But if we fail to remember where the gift has come from, it can also be used to inflict damage or cause pain to the reader at which it is aimed.

It can be safely said that the pen has inflicted as many fatal wounds as the sword, because the source of the written word is the heart.  Unsheathed, the pen is able to cut to the very marrow of a man’s soul.  Unbridled, it has the capacity to slice through tender hearts, rendering them broken, despondent, or creating an incurable wound.  If the heart’s enemy is allowed to take hold of the pen and wield it as a weapon, the damage it inflicts can be devastating and life-threatening.  The writer who brandishes the pen of arrogance or hatred causes it to be a sword of destruction rather than a tool of instruction or enlightenment.  And, I might add, no writer is immune from using it in ways it should not be used, including this one. 

There are times when the pen should become a sword, but its use in this way should be reserved for times of necessity; for encouragement, correction, and even rebuking.  It is the method by which the pen is used as a sword that proves its effectiveness.  It should never be used to slay the heart or empty it of its lifeblood.  Rather, it should be applied as a surgical instrument that gently cuts out any offensive parts, leaving a wound that can heal the flesh surrounding it with greater strength than it had before.  

Our Lord Jesus Christ stated that He came not “to bring peace, but a sword” which would divide, setting us apart from others, and cause conflict because of our commitment to God (Matthew 10:34-36).  His coming, as described by Simeon, promised a piercing of not only His mother, Mary’s, soul, but our own (Luke 2:35), for the word He brought, the sacrifice He made, would pierce and convict us of our sin and the need for His intervention.

In the apostles' letters in the New Testament, they illustrate for us the proper usage of the pen as a weapon for God and eloquently demonstrate how, if used effectively, the written word of God is able to penetrate the heart of man, convict him, and lead him towards salvation and righteousness.  The Sword of the Spirit, as described in Ephesians 6:17, is the written word of God.  To the person whose desire it is to wield it in service to Him, he should always apply the apostles' method and check his Source before it is unsheathed, never allowing arrogance or pride to cling to it and cause destruction.

The power of the written word comes from the heart.  It is conveyed to the pen we hold in our hand and written onto the blank page before us.  Like spoken words, once published for the world to see, written words are hard to take back.  If we, as writers, pause before the first stroke of the pen and ask God to provide us with His wisdom and His word of truth, which is “living and active" and “sharper than any double-edged sword,” (Hebrews 4:12) then the dynamics with which we write may just cause a reader to decide for Him.  The result will then be a manuscript we can humbly take pride in, for the true Author has written it.

Answered Prayers! Gao Zhisheng Update

Shalom Alechem...Barukh Hashem Y'shua!
(Peace and Blessings in Jesus' name!)

How faithful our God is in answering our prayers!  Thank you to everyone who has kept Chinese Christian attorney, Gao Zhisheng, lifted before God's throne.  I would like to share the following information I recently received from China Aid, the Christian organization that has tirelessly worked on Gao's and his family's behalf:

Yesterday morning, on April 6, 2010, ChinaAid President Bob Fu spoke with Gao Zhisheng over the phone. This was the first direct contact Bob has had with Gao Zhisheng since he last spoke with him by phone last January, as Bob was rescuing Gao's wife and children in Thailand. The conversation brought hope and light for the two men, after more than 400 days of uncertainty and doubt.

Gao told Bob he had spoken with his daughter Gege in New York earlier this morning. "She told me she felt like God was silent, that He had not heard her prayers," Gao shared openly, deeply pained by his daughter's anguish over their prolonged separation. He expressed concern for his family's safety and well-being, and his desire to be reunited with his family.

Gao thanked Bob Fu personally for ChinaAid's role in pressing the FreeGao campaign internationally on his behalf for so long, and for aiding his family in their escape from China.

He informed Bob that he had just returned to his Beijing apartment from his guarded location in Shanxi. Abandoned for more than a year, Gao was saddened by the thick layer of dust covering the apartment and the emptiness of the rooms.

Using the words of Psalm 23, Pastor Bob Fu prayed for Gao Zhisheng and his family, reminding him of God's faithfulness and love.

Gao further reported he had just recovered from a racking cough for more than a month, but was not able to give any further details about his physical condition. According to Pastor Fu, Gao was deeply concerned about the condition of his family in New York, but has remained strong in his faith.

"Gao Zhisheng and his family have suffered deeply from the long separation," said Pastor Fu. "Despite the persecution, he continues to trust the Lord."

Pastor Fu was moved by Gao's need to be with his family. "By allowing us to speak with Gao Zhisheng, the Chinese government has shown they have been forced to respond to the international outrage and pressure on Gao Zhisheng's behalf.

"Yet, Gao is still not able to speak or move freely. According to international norms and Chinese law, he has the right to travel overseas to reunite with his family and to be free, if he is not found in violation of laws during his probation."

"We must call on the Chinese government to release Gao Zhisheng and permit him to reunite with his family in the United States. It is his legal and basic human right to be united with his loved ones."

Please continue to pray for Gao and his family.  Ask the Lord to continue to strengthen his faith and trust in Him and to wait upon Him for deliverance, for the Lord's timing is perfect.  Pray also that those who are detaining Gao will see the light of Christ through him, repent, and seek salvation through the only One that can give it.  Also, please keep Gao's wife and children lifted up in prayer, asking for comfort and peace for them, knowing the Lord is watching over His servant.