January 27, 2014, Military Monday, Genesis 22-24, Jeremiah 29, All Captive Places

This morning early I was unable to sleep and thought of a friend of ours whose husband is away for Army training. She had to make a long drive, and it was raining, and like me, she hates driving in the rain, so she asked for prayer. God answered in some really neat ways that made it easier, but still she has to drive those two hours. In the time I was awake I lay here and prayed for her.

I think sometimes we try to make prayers so pious that we forget they are personal. Yes, our men and women in uniform are warriors who deal with things most of us hope to never see, but they also deal with stuff that hits us every day. They are married. They have parents who are ill. They lose friends. They get home sick. They worry about their kids.

When we pray for our military personnel, we don’t have to pray some official sounding prayer. All we have to do is look at our family and our friends and ourselves and know what to pray.

PRAYER

Lord,

I lift up our military personnel to you. For whatever reason, I keep thinking about the important days at home they miss. I think about the birthdays—and the births…and the deaths. I am thinking about the anniversaries that are celebrated with a quick skype session if they get celebrated at all. I keep thinking of the time they are gone and the things they miss that there is no way to get back, and while these men and women are committed warriors, they are human, and I know these things hurt them. I know their hearts ache.

I ask you to comfort those aches. Somehow give them peace. Only you can, and they need it.

I pray for the family and friends who are missing them. I pray that you would comfort them as well. I ask you to help the couples and the families to find ways to connect, even if it is so far away. I pray that you would give them special things to bind their hearts together, whether that be a special code or signal or word. Maybe it is a wink or a hand sign. Lord, help them to find a way to be one and to be connected even when they are so far apart.

Keep their hearts steady and faithful and give them strength to get through these hard times. They need you. Be everything for them.

Thank you, Lord.

 Amen

 BIBLE READING

Genesis 22—I have heard this story since I was little. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it then. I now have kids, and I realize how much faith it took for Abraham to do what he did. Okay, so I’m not impressed with the way he treated Sarah, but this is hardcore. This man had faith on a scale I can’t touch.

 Genesis 23—Sarah is dead. I’ve heard different sermons on this passage and the negotiating that went on, but the simple fact is Sarah is dead and buried. Moving on.

 Genesis 24—Faith. “So what if the woman won’t come back with me. Do I take your son there?”

 “No. The promise is HERE.”

 The answer wasn’t based on circumstances or what Abraham could see. It was based on faith. He knew his son would have descendents. He had to for the promise to be fulfilled. Abraham’s servant was ready to do what had to be done to make the promise happen. Abraham knew God would do what He had to do to keep the promise. Abraham did not have to make things happen. He just had to let God fulfill His promise.

 

MEMORIZATION

Working on finishing this up.

Jeremiah 29

10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.

11 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.
12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.  I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

I memorize, and I meditate. Yesterday I got through, “I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”

Then today I was going to finish this, but I got caught up in the next sentence.

“I will gather you from ALL the nations and places I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.

All the places of banishment. All the places of captivity. All the places of rejection.

All the places where the true identity was lost and a false identity was taken.

You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart…and I will bring you back from all the places where you’ve gotten lost and lost yourself….

 

BIBLE STUDY/JOURNAL

 I’m pondering….

January 26, 2014 Sabbath, Genesis 19-21, Jeremiah 29, Restoration and God's Perfect Timing

PRAYER

Lord,

Today is the day I choose to rest in you. I choose not to take up concerns about the nation, the world, or next week. Today I simply want to breathe. I want my mind to rest and my soul to rest and my heart to rest. I want a break from all the stuff. Help me today to focus on the moment. Today I have time in your house. Let me focus on the worship and giving you my praise. Help me to focus on how worthy you are and how good you are. Help me to tune out everyone else and just pour myself into you.

 After church, I have time with my family. I know Sunday is usually seen as “my only day off”, but, Lord, it’s the day I have when I can focus on my family. Help me to really hear them and really see them. Help me to think of ways to show them I know they are gifts.

 Help me to rest from everything I can do nothing about today. Help me to lay it down and just enjoy today with no thought of tomorrow, just to enjoy the moment.

 Thank you for this Sabbath to rest in you and worship you. May you be glorified in me.

 Amen

 

BIBLE READING

Genesis 19—What a mess! It is really easy to look at Lot and wonder where his brain was. I mean, God was trying to get him out of there, and he was doing everything to stay. It’s always easier to see in other people’s lives. But how often do I stay in friendships, stay in commitments, or whatever when God is saying, “Get out! This is BAD!”? How often do people stay in jobs or even marriages long after they should have left because they can’t see past the walls or people around them? Yeah. Suddenly Lot doesn’t look so stupid. Suddenly Lot looks a lot like the person looking back at me from the mirror.

Genesis 20—I like how Abimelek “vindicated” Sarah and said in front of everyone, “This isn’t your fault.” Good man.

Genesis 21—A promised baby arrives.

A human fix was sent away.
A man of God was recognized.

MEMORIZATION

Working on finishing this up.

Jeremiah 29

10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.
11 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.
12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.  I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

BIBLE STUDY/JOURNAL

In the Bible, the word “restore” means to return to the point of departure.

In Jeremiah 29:10-14, the Lord keeps saying, “I will bring you back to where you left.”

I will restore you.

Today the kids picked a movie to watch, and they picked the new one we have, “The Book of Daniel.” It started with a soliloquy of Daniel praying, and he quoted this scripture. It makes me wonder.

When we moved here, it felt as though the Lord said the days of loss and sorrow were over, that this was the new beginning. Then so many things happened that were so hard. It felt like all of last year was just hard.

Then at the beginning of this year, the Lord gave me a word for this year, but then He also told me to memorize this scripture, the whole passage. The whole passage isn’t the too often incorrectly applied great plans part. The whole passage is about restoration. When the time of punishment and correction are done, I will bring you back to this land.

The land was their inheritance. It was their promise of good things. It was more than that, though.

The land was their identity…as tribes of Judah, as God’s chosen people.

When the time of correction and discipline is over, I will come and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. Then you will call to me and come and pray to me. You will find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, and I will bring you back from captivity. I will set you free from the lies that hold you imprisoned. I will set you free from what keeps you from living all you truly were created to be.

I have to really just sit in this. Not only is the passage I have just memorized, but we’ve had that video over three months and just watched it today. The Lord leads my path. The timing of those two things are perfect in Him. I really just have to sit in this.

January 25, 2014 Genesis 16-18, Praying for Israel, Being Still and Knowing

Last night I attended the visitation for Jack Clark. Today they lay his body to rest. I was up late thinking about a lot of things. It was a good thinking. However, this morning I am running late, but even when I am running late, the first place to run to is Him.

 

PRAYER

Today is Sabbath for Jews and Messianic Jews alike. While we as Christians are grafted into the family of God, the Jews are still the chosen people, and we are told two things in the Bible that should keep the Jewish people and Israel in our prayers.

1.     I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”—Genesis 12:3

2.     Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
  “May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
    and security within your citadels.”—Psalm 122:6-7

 Father, this morning I lift up Jerusalem to you, and I ask that you would grant it peace within its walls and security within its citadels. I ask you to stand against the enemies of Israel and pass judgment on them accordingly. I ask you to raise up your people to be a blessing. There are so many answers to the world’s problems within your people. I ask you to make them a showcase. Lord, forgive our country where our leaders have not supported Israel. I ask you to give them a change of heart and turn their hearts to you and your people. I pray that the blessings of Heaven would be poured out on Israel and your people. Reveal your Son to your people and unleash the Holy Spirit as never before so that an even greater harvest of souls unto salvation would come. May you be glorified and exalted among your people and throughout the earth. Amen

BIBLE READING

Genesis 16—I’ll be honest. I think Abram and Sarai are a mess. I mean really. He says, “Lie and tell them you are my sister,” and leaves her to the hand of other men. Thank goodness God  thought more highly of her than Abram did. Then she has this great plan to let him sleep with her maid so the maid would get pregnant. The plan works perfectly, and then, she gets mad and blames Abram. Talk about a dysfunctional couple! And, yet, out of this craziness comes the people of God…and the Savior that allows God to reach people. Oh. My. Lands. Their family line went from an amazing mess to an amazing Messiah. Only an amazing God could pull something like that off. And He is MY amazing God. I wonder what He wants to do with me.

Genesis 17—My take away? Abram did it at once. He didn’t lollygag around. He didn’t give himself time to rationalize not doing it. He didn’t ask for confirmation in fifteen different ways because, really, surely God would never ask for THAT. Nope. He was all in right then. So you know, now I’m asking, “Lord, forgive me for excuses and ignoring you. Can you please repeat anything that I didn’t listen to the first time so I can hear you and do it now?” Yes, I know. If you prayed that, you are really hoping there is nothing. I know. Me, too.

BUT, can we talk about the name change a moment? I am now officially in my mid-40s, and one of the mental torments the enemy likes to toss my way is my age and how much of my life is used up. I want to point out something really big here. Abraham was nearly twice my age when God changed his name. The issue was Abraham’s age. It was God’s plan. NEVER let worldly circumstances dictate heavenly outcomes.

Genesis 18—Fifteen or more years after the original promise of a baby…Sarah laughs at the idea that the promise still holds its power. It is easy to sit here and question how she could doubt God, but the real question is: How can I?

MEMORIZATION

Today I am just simmering in God’s power and faithfulness, and I am challenged. I know some of the promises He has spoken to me, and as I read through Genesis, I am convicted. Am I believing or laughing? Have I let circumstances affect my expectations? As these thoughts roll through my mind, I also hear a verse I memorized two weeks ago.

Be still and know I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations.
I will be exalted in the earth.
--Psalm 46:10—

BIBLE STUDY/JOURNAL

Be still.

And know I am God.

The stilling is first. Then the knowing.

From my journal…

It is tiresome trying to hold onto a promise that never happens…but hurts you, and this just hurts.

Last night I was reading Genesis 13-15, and God made a monster promise to Abram. “Children numbering more than the stars.”

I cannot imagine how hard that was. He and Sarai wanted a baby so badly. It must have been the most raw and painful part of his heart, and God laid it wide open.

Then they waited.

 

To read more, please join me here.....

January 24, 2014 Family Friday, Abram, and Aching Heads

Some days are hard. Today I am battling through a headache, home issues that need to be fixed, and other things. My temptation is to skip today and make up tomorrow. However, I know the importance of habit, but more than that, I know when I can't find Him, He can still find me.

 

PRAYER

Lord, there are people in our families do not believe in you, who do not believe they are in need of salvation. Make your truth known to them.

BIBLE READING

Genesis 13—Things to note: Lot took what looked better, but in the end, it nearly killed him.
Abram built an altar wherever he was, and he just kept getting blessed.

Genesis 14—The conversation between the king of Sodom and Abram still impresses me. Abram refuses to take anything that might even hint that he was blessed or increased because of wickedness.

Genesis 15—And Abram believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

MEMORIZATION

I have spent most of my day with a headache throbbing behind my eyes.  I have gone through verses I know, but I have not worked on anything knew. You?

 BIBLE STUDY/JOURNAL

 I am challenged by Abram and his faith. I have nothing to say. Just pondering.

January 23, 2014 Genesis 10-12, Being the Blessing in Our Community, Jeremiah 29, When Everything Changes

Pretty chilly in my neck of the woods this morning. On mornings like this, it is easy to curl up under the covers and hide. While you’re hiding, hide in Him, and while you’re at it, hide some other folks with you.

PRAYER

Thursday morning and we are hiding our communities with us in Him.

Father God,

This morning I am lifting up my community to you. I know several of them but certainly not all. Of the ones I know, a few truly follow you. A few attend church, and some know you exist but nothing else. I am asking you to bless my community through me. Show me how to strengthen friendships and love them like you do. Show me how to be a support to them. Give me the right words, not my words because they come from my small human knowledge, but your words because they come from your knowing all. Help me to love them like you do. Even when I don’t agree with their choices or lifestyles, strengthen me not to judge but to love, and, Lord, work in me to be an example of a Christ-lover and Jesus-Liver so they see you and know the power you have in a life.

Holy Spirit, be at work in my community to prepare hearts to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. I know there will opposition in the spiritual realm to the advancement of your kingdom, and I am asking you to fight on behalf of these people. I am asking you to protect my family as we seek these hearts for you. Give me courage and strength to never back down from the right thing, to never stop loving, and when someone slaps me on the cheek, because we both know it’ll come, give me peace to love them anyway.

And, Lord, forgive me if I grumble because it seems too hard. Thank you that some folks I’ve known fought for me and my soul and didn’t find it too hard. I pray I would have the same tenacity as they had. Thank you for loving every single soul in my community. Thank you for the chance to love them and serve them. To you always be the glory. Amen

BIBLE READING

Genesis 10—About the second or third time I read this through, I decided to do a family tree to see where all these people went because I knew they were important. I knew they were not just random names but had impact on the future generations. I couldn’t make it big enough. However, I am still fascinated, and every once in a while, the idea crosses my mind again.

Genesis 11--⁶ The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” I want to keep this thought in front of me. I’ll talk about why in a minute.

Genesis 12—

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

² I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

⁴ So Abram went, as the Lord had told him…

I really need to add this to my memorization list. This is so rich in promise and challenge.  For me, this is very personal right now. As some of you know, a little over 3 ½ years ago, our life changed radically. At one point, I told someone, “I still live in the same house. I still have my kids. Everything else has changed.” It was true. Now, we have moved and are not even in that area. It seemed like God was just destroying everything we knew and cared about, but that is not God’s nature. God is not a thief. God is a giver. He started the world with giving. He gave the perfect environment. He gave an amazing garden. When mankind blew it, He gave them covering, and eventually, He gave them a road back in through Christ. God is a giver. It is the essence of who He is. What looks like God taking Abram out of all he knew is really God giving him a new place to flourish. He’s giving him a new way and place to be blessed. He’s giving him a great name, a great life, and a great promise.

In our lives, God did the same thing. Yes, a lot was taken away, but we’ve been given a new life here, a place to bless people, new relationships that bless us. He has given us promises for this place that are just as real and certain as the promises He gave Abram.

I’m telling you this because 1) I have had a few mentally challenging days, and I need to hear this. I need this in MY journal in capital letters, and believe me, it is, but 2) I think there are some out there who are watching life changes in radical ways, ways you would have never chosen. I understand. I wouldn’t have chosen ours either, but I want to encourage you that change and having what has always been taken away isn’t always punishment for something you’ve done, and it certainly isn’t because God is just cruel and likes to see if He can wreak havoc in your life. If He is taking you out of something or away from something, it’s because He is taking you TO something, and His intentions for you are always good. His heart for you is good.

It may not look like it is good or His plans are good, and I’ll tell you one woman at a previous church said that to me at the wrong time, and my response was raw and ugly. Right now, you may have a raw and ugly response, too. That’s okay. I’ll take it. I’m not asking you to love this or the process you are in at this very moment. Sometimes those moments are hard and excruciating. All I’m asking is for you to ask Him to show you something good about where you are and where you are going and keep looking for the answer. It may not come in a second, but if you keep looking, you’ll find it. If you seek Him, you will find Him because right now, at this very second, He is seeking you because He wants to be found.

In Abram’s case, he was offered the easy choice move. Some of us don’t get it easy, and we don’t get a choice. The floor is totally jerked out from under us, but the promise is the same for both: I will turn this into a good thing. I will bless you. I will make you a blessing.

This is where we do have a choice. We can trust Him, follow Him, and let Him bless us and make us into a blessing, or we can hold onto the hurt and anger and close our hearts to Him. This is where the temptation to do it our way likes to take a foothold because if that is the best He can do, we can do without Him. Trust me on this. You will never see the best of anything from a place of anger or rage. You will only see the best of Him when you follow Him and trust Him and let Him give you the good things. This is the place where our faith is tested. Abram believed Him and look at the results. A nation was created…a Savior was born.

The question then becomes: do I trust Him to bless me like that even when all I see is what it looks like I’m leaving or losing? Do you?

 

MEMORIZATION

Why do we memorize? Because God is one big picture, not a 10,000 little pieces. The verse I’ve been working on this week is the same thing God could have told Abram back in Genesis.

“Abram, I know you are leaving everything you know. I know this looks crazy. I know you always assumed your future was here, but trust me. I know the plans I have for you, Abram. I plan to prosper you and not do you harm. I plan to give you hope and a future.”

 Who knows? Maybe if Abram had really understood that middle part about not doing harm, he wouldn’t have asked his wife to life to save his bum. Why memorize? Because when the hard things come that knock us to our foundation, our foundation had better be Him.

 This is what the Lord says,

“When seventy years are completed for Babylon,
I will come back to you and fulfill my good promise
Bring you back to this place.
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.
Then you will call to me and come and pray to me
And I will listen to you.
You will seek me, and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
 

BIBLE STUDY/JOURNAL

I think it is safe to say, I covered this part already. And so you know, the above is being posted without edit. I don’t edit when I journal, and I am not editing here. This is not about my being a perfect writer or getting bogged down in words or delivery. It’s about being real, and sometimes, it’s about being really raw. I know I said I wanted to get back to the verse about their being one and nothing being too hard. I will see about writing about that on Undaunted Reality later today or maybe I’ll write it up and post it here. I do want to get it written because it is powerful, and it is a concept our world doesn’t comprehend. Marriages, families, and the body of Christ in general are coming apart because we don’t understand the importance or power of oneness. Stop! I’ll end up writing another page for you to read. Don’t worry. This is too important not to discuss, but I don’t want it competing with the power of the promise of blessing we just discussed with Abram. So for now, thanks for hanging out with me while I spent time hanging out with Him. Hope you take Him right into your day with you.

Blessings,

Jerri

January 22, 2014 We the People...Who Give Lavishly, Genesis 7-9, Jeremiah 29

Today as I write this, I don't want to be writing it. What I want to write is about the loss of a beautiful man. Jack Clark taught agriculture (AG) and shop classes for decades where I went to school, and today he passed on. I have no idea how many of us are feeling the gaping hole tonight, but honestly, I just want to think about him and what a blessing he has been to so many and how much better our lives are, and I've been trying to figure out how to shift my gaze from Mr. Clark to our nation, and how do I pray for our nation when I hurt for his family? I think I know.

PRAYER

Dear Lord,

Today you chose to take home a man who loved like I believe you love. He didn't teach a subject. He taught young people. He taught them the power of patience by giving it. He taught them they can do great things if they stick to it. He taught them needing a second try was normal, and he taught us to not give up on ourselves and not to give up on others.

He taught us so many things about living well.

Lord, this country is built by people like Mr. Clark, teachers, mentors, leaders, neighbors, folks who step in when parents aren't there, people who give of their lives so living is made more clear. I ask today for your blessing on these people. I ask that you would bless them for how they strengthen this country with their lives. Thank you for their selfless giving. Lord, bring forth more of them.

Thank you for Mr. Clark and Kay and all they poured into each of us. Thank you for the other men and women that other young people say the very same thing about. Thank you for the impact they had on this country through the impact they had on our lives.

Tonight, I ask especially for Mr. Clark's family, for their comfort. Only you can comfort them and carry them through this. Be with Kay as she lives without her best friend's presence. May you comfort those who mourn, and with time and your healing, may they dance again.

With deepest gratitude for those who love like you,

Amen

BIBLE READING

Genesis 7--Did you notice? He didn't take one pair of each animal. He took seven pair, which happens to be the number of pair needed to develop a new population of animals that are healthy.

 

And the very day Noah and his family entered the ark, it started to rain. God's precision timing always leaves me amazed, and sometimes it leaves me annoyed. Just keeping it real.

 

Genesis 8--Instead of grumbling about the smell or the chore or the conditions of life in the ark, instead of walking out the door and bellowing, "It's about time!", Noah made an altar and sacrificed to the Lord. No wonder the aroma was pleasing. No wonder it reached His heart.

 

Genesis 9--God blessed them and told them to increase. Does God ever bless and it not come with increase or obvious fruit? Seriously. Anybody see that in the Bible? I can't think of any instance where that happened. Anyone have one?

 

 

MEMORIZATION

This is hard to focus on today, so I am making sure my verse for the year is solid, maybe because I feel helpless with knowledge of how Mr. Clark's family is grieving. Maybe I need to remember even in the worst places, I can offer a safe place.

Each one will be like a shelter from the wind,

and a refuge from the storm,

like streams of water in the desert,

and the shadow of a giant rock in a thirsty land.

Isaiah 32:2

Lord, grant me wisdom to know how to be a comfort in hard places.

BIBLE STUDY/JOURNAL

 

Today I find it interesting that I read about Noah and the ark. For the first time, I saw the journey we were on as a trip in the ark. God said, "I'm going to destroy everything as you know it, but I've got you," and He did, and He has. Just like the new life He gave Noah, ours is blessed and fruitful and good. It has aspects of what it used to be, but for the most part, it's all new, and we have to learn to live in it differently.

Today the Clark family enters into an ark they will hate, just as we hated ours, and they will ache for what was, but it is gone. They will have to do like all of us. They have to find life on the other side of the destruction. It is a hard thing, but it can be blessed richly.

I wonder how many of you are sitting in an ark knowing what you knew and loved is gone. You can't imagine the future yet. You just know it isn't what it used to be, and the transition to get there stinks and is hard and uncomfortable and miserable, and does it really matter if you get out of bed? I mean, this ark sort of floats itself, you know.

If you are in the ark, I want to you know, I spent a few years in an ark between the life with a husband/dad, mom, extended family, and hopes for a happy ending and where we are now. I hated it, but I realize it had to happen for me to get here. No. I am not trying to candy coat or cliche' comfort.
Some of you are wondering if their is any hope at all, and I want you to know, yes, there is. I know it is hard. I know it hurts. I know this is not the ride you would have asked for, but I also know God is good, and on the other side of this are blessings and fruitful life and increase...and a rainbow with your name on it.

You see, that rainbow wasn't just about the flood. It was a promise for everyone who ever steps into an ark. It's a promise that the rain will one day stop. You'll walk out of the ark, and life will really happen again.

May God grant you strength for the journey and courage to believe in your rainbow.

From My Journal--A Love that Expects Nothing

I'm still stuck on that tree in the Garden.

I can't get it out of my head because here is the thing. God really had to put that tree in there. Think about it. Without that tree, Eden suddenly goes from paradise to a spiritual whorehouse with one doozy of a powerful pimp on a domination kick. The tree had to be there.

Except, it didn't.

If God wanted to play the God-All-Mighty-and-don't-you-forget-it card, He could have. He not only had the power, but He had the right.

Instead, He planted a tree.

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