Make the Play: It's time to stop sitting on the sidelines

Softball season is in full swing. Yes, that pun was intentional. With four daughters who love to play, I’ve sat through a combined total of 26 seasons of softball games. I’ll probably sit through 37 more seasons unless one of them plays in college. In that case, I’ll have even more.

I didn’t know much about softball when my oldest started playing ten years ago. I played one season of t-ball when I was little and that was the extent of my career. My skills weren’t impressive and didn’t show signs of improvement. My knowledge was minimal as well. Seven innings, three bases, single, double, triple, and hit the ball with the bat when the pitcher throws it.

I know a lot more now. I know the batter shouldn’t drop their shoulder when they swing. If they do, they’ll have a pop fly that’s easy for the other team to catch. I know the pitcher should release the ball at their hip and follow through with their lower arm up to their chest. Release too early, the ball will be too low. Release too late, the ball will soar over the catcher’s head. Don’t follow through with the arm, the ball will fly to the right. Unless the pitcher is left handed in which case it will fly to the left. I know the outfield players are important for backing up throws from the catcher to 2nd or 3rd base when an opponent is trying to steal a base. Here’s an important one – the catcher, not the pitcher, has the most control over the game. If they’re good, they have a picture of the whole field in their mind during every pitch and they know exactly how they’ll respond to each scenario without a moment’s hesitation. They often set the attitude and pace of the game by their actions.

I could go on but my point isn’t to write a softball technique manual. It’s this…

My skills are still lousy on the softball field. I know the batting position but I can’t hit a line drive. A pop fly hit in my direction would probably land on the ground beside me. I’d break my ankle if I tried to slide into home.

I’ve sat in my portable, folding arm chair and watched from the sidelines for all those seasons. I’m usually the one with the score book on my lap.

I’ve sat… learning and learning… but never doing a thing with it. My head is jammed full of softball knowledge but I've never put it into use to make a play of my own.

Churches are full of people doing the same thing. They’ve sat and watched the sermon and worship team for years. They’re loyal, dedicated fans of the church game who give a loud cheer when a great play happens such as a new adult small group, youth mission trip, or adventurous VBS week. They’ve never tried to be part of a great play out on the field, though.

Their experience is a lot of understanding about what it means to be a follower of Christ but no actual game time. They’ve never developed or tested their gaming skills.

On the softball field, those skills are batting, running, catching, and throwing. It involves a comprehension of the whole game and how it all comes together in one play. Following Christ is really no different. The Christian’s gaming skills are prayer, Bible study, discipleship, and living as a witness. They also need a good understanding of the whole game and how it all came together in one play on the cross.

I’ve heard a lot of teaching on prayer but it didn’t become an intimate, active conversation with a loving Savior until I started doing it. I learned how to make the play on the field of prayer when I set aside time every day to talk to Him. That’s when things became real as the power we wield through prayer humbled me.

I sat through a lot of sermons on Bible passages but never remembered much later. I remembered the plays of the game, though, when I started opening the Bible and studying for myself. The Spirit prompted my memory with a verse appropriate to a difficult situation. The hard parts of His Word started to make sense rather than appear as a contradiction as the whole picture began coming together in my mind. I realized I could help another player on the team as they struggled in a certain area just as others have been there to help me.

I’ve read a lot of lists of do’s and don’ts for a good Christian lifestyle; lists created by men to control others. Prayer and Bible study naturally create a lifestyle of good plays without a list of rules. Loving your neighbor comes a lot more easily. Trusting in God’s provision starts to make a lot more sense. We understand the importance of a faithful marriage between one man and one woman as we learn how it all aligns with God’s design. Until we’re on the field and making the plays, however, the list of rules won’t make sense.

I’m not the MVP of this game; many better players are out on the field with me. Paul was a pretty good player and yet he wrote, “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by God’s grace I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not ineffective” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10). The goal isn’t to be the star player on the team. The goal is to be a part of the team, to learn to make the plays, and bring honor and glory to the Coach.

Because then, when the game is over, we’ll be part of the huddle out on the field where He’ll tell us good job, we’ll put our hands together in the middle of the circle, and we’ll all yell His name as we rejoice in victory. We won’t still be sitting on the sidelines.

I'm Too Busy: How will God view our excuses when eternity comes?

The church is full of hypocrites.

A God of love would never send people to hell.

Everyone has their own truth and their own path to God.

My teacher told me God doesn’t exist.

I went to church when I was little so it’s all good. Or, I’m a member of the local church so it’s all good. I’m covered.

I’ve done too many bad things. God doesn’t want me.

I’m a good person. God will let me in.

I can take care of that some other time. I’m too busy right now.

I don’t feel like it.

All that Bible stuff is too hard. I’ll just wing it.

I went to church but someone there made me mad. I won’t go back.

I’d go to church but someone already there hurt me. I’ll never go somewhere where he/she is at.

They are just after my money. They don’t care about me.

We’ve all heard these excuses for why people reject Christianity. We’ve probably even said or thought some of them ourselves.

I’m not even going to offer a rebuttal to them. Instead, I’m going to skip the debate and go straight to the point. I’m going to focus on the heart of the issue. These are all excuses we use so we don’t have to face the truth. However, when the moment of truth comes, our excuses won’t matter one single bit.

I’m not going to sugar coat this or try to make it politically correct. I’m going to put it out there and leave the rest up to you.

You will stand before God at some point. He’s not going to consider your excuses and make allowances for them. God won’t say, “Yes, I know. The church was full of hypocrites so I understand why you didn’t go. Please, enter into eternity with Me.”

You’ll never hear, “Your teacher told you I don’t exist so it’s not really your fault that you rejected Me. We’ll blame your teacher instead. Heaven awaits you.”

God isn’t going to look at the calendar on your smartphone and reply, “Wow, you’re right. You were really busy with your career and your children’s activities and civic responsibilities and taking care of your home and still trying to fit in some fun stuff. I can see why you never took time to learn about Me. Sure, we can make an exception. I have a spot prepared for you in heaven with Me.”

Do you see where I’m going with this?

We throw out excuses for our rejection of God’s truth as if they’ll make a difference in our eternal outcome. We actually think God will consider those excuses as valid “Get out of jail free” cards in a cosmic, eternal Monopoly game.

I mean, after all, God is love and His is a message of grace, right?

This is God’s Love

“God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

God is a God of love. As Creator of the universe, He has the privilege of defining love. He defined it as a sacrifice made by one person for the benefit of another person. He played it out by sacrificing Himself to pay the penalty for our sin so we might receive the benefit of forgiveness and eternity in heaven.

This is God’s Grace

“Since by one man’s trespass [Adam], death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. … But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:17, 20-21).

God is a God of grace. Grace doesn’t make excuses and exceptions to get around the truth. That’s called lying and deception and they’re trademark signs of Satan, not God. God’s grace recognizes our sin for what it is without excuse. Instead, He forgives it completely and totally because of the blood sacrificed by Jesus.

A difference exists between excusing an offense and forgiving one. To excuse an offense means to pretend as if it wasn’t actually offensive or didn’t hurt you. To excuse an offense gives power to the offender. To forgive an offense means to recognize that the person’s action was wrong, it did hurt you, but you choose not to hold it against them. To forgive an offense gives the power to the one offended. The latter is God’s grace.

No one will hold your hand

When that moment comes and you stand before God, I won’t be there to hold your hand and offer false promises of security. Your excuses won’t be there still promising false justification. That moment will be between you and God alone; all that will matter is what you did with the message of love and grace offered by Jesus. Did you accept it or did you excuse it away?

Please click here to read a full explanation of what it means to accept Jesus’ gift of love, grace, and salvation. It’s eternally significant.

Don't Stand Still: Make the journey and face the enemies

God didn’t deliver us so we could stand still.

That was my take away from a verse I meditated on this week as I posted it on Grow Barefoot social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+). The verse was Psalm 56:13.

A lot of us are content standing still. Hey, at least we aren’t just sitting in a pew – we’re standing! We serve a little in our churches, we pray occasionally, maybe open a Bible sometimes on a day other than Sunday, and pretty much try to live a good life. Sometimes we go a little crazy and put a Christian calendar on our desk at work or a Christian bumper sticker on the back of our car. They fit in real nice between the chrome fish and the stick figures of our family members.

It’s all good. We did those things five years ago, and if God doesn’t return, we’ll be doing them five years from now. And ten years. And twenty years. We’ll keep doing them and never stop doing them because we’re standing still.

So, in the midst of all our standing around, in comes a verse like Psalm 56:13, “For You delivered me from death, even my feet from stumbling, to walk before God in the light of life.” It invades our comfy little standing-around gathering and reminds us all what God did for us. It even has the nerve to go a step further and point out an appropriate response on our part.

Considering Psalm 56

Psalm 56:13 is the conclusion of a brief Psalm written by David when he was in dire circumstances. We have to consider the whole thing to fully understand David’s conclusive call to action.

Introduce the Problem
David is in the midst of his enemies; the Philistines have taken him captive. He knows his life is in danger. Fear overwhelms him despite God’s promise of a future kingship in Israel. The Philistines gasp and pant for the opportunity to crush him. They can almost taste his destruction as they know his defeat will bring them victory against the Israelite army. In their arrogance, they actually think they can stop God’s plan (Psalm 56:1-2).

The Response to Fear
David’s afraid – very afraid. He didn’t allow fear to paralyze him, however. He didn’t let it control his thoughts, actions, or emotions. As waves of fear came over him, he purposely chose to place his trust in God. That’s not a normal human response; David must have had enough life experience by this point to discipline his response to fear. He knew to trust, not panic or doubt God’s promise. After all, he had the very Word of God – a promise given through the prophet Samuel – that God had a future for David. In response, he could quiet his fears, assess the situation, and proclaim to his captors, “What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4).

The Six Attacks of the Enemy
The Philistines didn’t come at David in only one way. They attacked him relentlessly from six different angles. They tortured him with words as they twisted and distorted the truth to which he clung. They schemed and connived every sort of evil against him. His enemies gathered together under a common cause of stirring up strife in David’s life. They hid themselves away in the deceptive shadows. They watched him from those shadows. As they schemed together, hidden and watching, they panted for a chance to crush and destroy him (Psalm 56:5-6).

God’s Response to David and his Enemies
The stage has been set, David’s attention has been focused in the right direction, and the enemies are scheming their evil plan. With that, we reach the climax of the Psalm. “Will they escape in spite of such sin?” David’s trust in the surety of the Word of God empowers him to prophesy his enemies’ demise – God will bring them down. Their outcome is certain.

David’s outcome is different, though. The same Word that promises the destruction of the enemies of God’s chosen people promises a future for those He has chosen. For them, God has a record of our walk… our journey… our wanderings. He has our tears preserved in a bottle. Our whole walk, including every tear, every moment of fear, every rejection, and every attack by the enemy, is recorded before God’s throne (Psalm 56:7-8).

The Outcome
David’s enemies imprisoned him; his situation looked bleak. Yet, he knew God’s Word and therefore he knew the outcome that awaited. He didn’t cower in fear. He didn’t stand still. He rose up against his enemies. He called out to them knowing they would retreat because he also knew that God was for him. He didn’t need to know the details. He only said, “This I know: God is for me” and that was enough.

Not just any God either. When David entered his dire situation and fear threatened to envelop him, he relied on the Word of God. He trusted the Word and even reached a point of praise in his prison. By the end, though, he had grown. He found victory from the threats and evil intents of the Philistines. He experienced the comfort and compassion of a God who keeps each of our tears in a bottle. He put God to the test and found Him faithful. The experience of his journey led him to add a new line to his song of praise. He not only sang “In Elohiym, whose word I praise” but now the victory of his test leads him to sing, “In YHWH, whose word I praise.” Yahweh, Jehovah, the one and only true God was the source of David’s victory and assurance for the future. With even more confidence and power, I believe he loudly dared any who might rise against him, “What can man do to me?” (Psalm 9-11).

Our Response
Here we are – almost to the verse that began this whole grand saga. God provides epic defeat of the enemy. He not only freed David from captors who lusted for his death; He delivers us from an even worse torment imprisoned in Satan’s lair. He offers us a walk of victory where our feet won’t even stumble. All that He asks is that we take that walk – make that journey. Rise up against those enemies and boldly declare, “God is for me… What can man do to me?”

We’ll never make that walk if we keep standing still.

What might happen if we start walking? We'll become healthier, stronger, and we'll start moving forward. Click here to read more.

A Christian Hijab: Two signs that show you follow Jesus

I ran several errands in my local community the other day. While out and about, I noticed several women wearing a hijab (Muslim head scarf). My Christian friend wears a hijab since she lives in a Muslim country and works among Muslim people. She wears it as a sign of respect to their culture.

 

However, a woman only wears a hijab in the heart of Midwest America if she’s Muslim. She may wear the hijab out of a sense of obligation or the force of habit but – rather intentional or not – if she wears a hijab in my local culture, she is proclaiming her religious beliefs.

I stood in line at Target, considering one such woman in line behind me. I wondered to myself, “If I had to consistently wear something that so publicly declared my religious beliefs, would I do so? What would I wear?”

Would I wear my Christian hoodie with the clever tagline? Would I wear a cross necklace?

 

Would I wear it if my religious system made it a requirement? After all, I'm not very good at following the rules. Tell me I have to do something; it’s a sure fire way to keep me from doing it.

Here’s the reality, though. Following Christ doesn’t require any outer sign on my part. I don’t have to wear a head covering, fix my hair in a certain style, make any marks on my skin, or perform any other outer religious modifications to who I am.

I can be me.

You could place me in a line up with several other women and you’d see no distinguishing marks of my decision to follow Christ.

During the times of the Old Testament, God did require an outer mark – circumcision. “This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every one of your males must be circumcised” (Genesis 17:10).

Even during that time, however, God said that sign would eventually change. He later wrote of a then future time when “The Lord God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). We’re living in the midst of that fulfillment now, but that’s another article.

This verse from Deuteronomy sums up a lot about signs of our relationship with Jesus. We base our relationship on two signs – an inner circumcision of the heart and a little thing called love.

Inner Circumcision of the Heart

Paul recalled Moses’ words from Deuteronomy when he wrote, “circumcision is of the heart – by the Spirit” (Romans 2:29). A cross around our neck isn’t a sign of our salvation; the sign is the presence of the Spirit of God within us. “When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13).

He marks us as a follower of Christ in a way that’s more impacting and permanent than any tattoo could ever be.

Going back to the idea of placing me in a line up to pick out the Christian… The presence of the Spirit of God within us isn’t very visible to the world is it? That’s where love comes in.

It’s all about love

God left us with another kind of sign. This one also comes from inside us – love for God and for each other.

Jesus emphasized this transition from outer signs to inner transformation when a Jewish rabbi asked Him which command from the Old Testament is the greatest. He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets depend on these two commands” (Matthew 22:37-40).

Christianity doesn’t require me to wear a certain headscarf or any other outer modification or adornment. It asks that I love God. People aren’t able to see that one quite so easily, though, so it doesn’t end there. Jesus made it really clear when He said, “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). When you look at love in the Bible, you quickly realize that God’s kind of love looks a lot like service and sacrifice.

It flows with generosity.

It aches with compassion.

It's exhausted by perseverance.

It dares with kindness.

What’s my sign?

Wear a cross necklace if you want. Enjoy your Christian t-shirts with clever taglines on them. But those things aren’t going to reach the world. Your waitress or store clerk might give you a little, “Hey, I like your shirt” quietly indicating that they are a believer as well. That’s probably all your outer sign is going to accomplish.

The world is changed and lives are transformed when people see us serving and sacrificing – in short, loving – in a way that’s only possible by the presence of the Spirit of God in our lives. The sacrificial love of God will mark us as different.

Invest: How much is too much?

A friend of mine started Discovering Beautiful, a ministry designed to encourage individuals struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. As such, she stays up to date on what's going on in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse. I've often thought our ministries are similar; we both focus on helping people find freedom.

 

The state of Colorado recently legalized the use of marijuana. During a subsequent conversation, my friend told me about the extent of money invested by proponents of marijuana legalization. Those campaigning to legalize marijuana had invested over $12,000,000 at that time. Those who wish to keep marijuana illegal had invested $56,000 in the fight. Those supporting the legalization of marijuana invested 214x more money to make their case heard - and they won!

 

In other words...

 

 

Here was my take away from that conversation...

 

Are we ready to invest in the battle?

The above doesn't apply only to the fight against drugs. It applies in all areas - abortion, definition of marriage, human trafficking, pornography, education standards, etc. A secular worldview is fighting hard to gain victory in these areas; they are investing time, money, and resources to win their battle. Many in the American church don't even realize a battle is going on, let alone are they ready to fight.

 

Grow Barefoot focuses more on missions than the war on drugs. Lottie Moon was a missionary to China for forty years; her service ended only by her death in 1912. A friend gave me this quote from Lottie Moon a few weeks ago, "Why should we not ... instead of the paltry offerings we make, do something that will prove that we are really in earnest in claiming to be followers of Him who, though He was rich, for our sake became poor?" (Source)

 

Read her story and you'll soon realize that Lottie wasn't content until she was giving the full extent of what she had in service to God's kingdom. She taught others the Word of God, she encouraged the American church of her day to support more missionaries out on the field. She wrote letters and articles to plead the cause of mission work in China. She evangelized and discipled people. She gave all of her time, resources, and meager income until God called her home.

 

Lottie Moon realized a battle is going on; she committed her life to fight. She willingly invested all she had.

 

Some of us may go to places like China or other locations in the far reaches of our shrinking globe. God calls the rest of us to join the battle right here and now. He asks us to invest our time, money, and resources in the battle. The world won't change and lives won't transform until we do.

 

American church, I believe a time of testing may be on our horizon. God will say, "I've blessed you in abundance; now what are you going to do with it?" Did we build mega-churches or did we feed the hungry? Did we give the homeless a place to sleep or did we lock our doors? Did we reach out to the abandoned, the imprisoned, and the lonely or did we wait for them to come find us in our cushy pews?

 

 

Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

 

For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat;

 

I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink;

 

I was a stranger and you took Me in;

 

I was naked and you clothed Me;

 

I was sick and you took care of Me;

 

I was in prison and you visited Me.  ...

 

I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me' (Matthew 25:34-36, 40).

Intentional: Living as a force for good

It’s that time of year here in the Midwest. It comes every November.

No, not the time of family gatherings, stuffed turkeys, and thankful thoughts. It’s the time of camouflage coverings, early mornings, and deer stand hangouts.

I’m not a deer hunter. I’ve never tried it, have no desire to try it, and probably never will. But I’ve been happily married to a deer hunter for two decades. Over those years, I’ve come to appreciate his hobby, the happiness it brings him, and the food it provides for our family.

However, a group of us deer widows was talking at church the other day. And well, here’s the story…

We came across these verses while studying the actions of evil in Psalm 37, “Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the man who carries out evil plans. … The wicked person schemes against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him.” (Psalm 37:7, 12).

We started discussing the two actions of evil listed in these verses.

• Men carry out evil plans.
• The wicked scheme against the righteous.

They plan and scheme against us who follow Jesus. The forces of evil plan how to bring down the righteous. They actually take the time to think about it and come up with ways to plot evil intent. Evil is highly intentional about causing destruction in our lives (Hebrew: zamam).

My husband is a good man – a true, dedicated, and devoted follower of Christ. But I’m going to compare him to the forces of evil for just a minute. Sorry, honey.

Because here’s the deal that the other deer widows and I started to discuss…

My husband has been planning his deer hunt for weeks. He scouts early in the season for scrapes from the deer antlers. He hangs a motion sensor camera in the woods so he can find when and where the deer are traveling. He applies the deer scent stuff that I think stinks but I guess smells alluring to a buck. He layers on the camo clothing so nothing will see him perched in the tree. He practices making the right noises so he sounds like a deer grunting or antlers rattling. He invests money in a tag, ammunition, gadgetry, and specialized clothing. This year, he even downloaded an app that utilizes Google satellite images of the region where he hunts. On the image, he marked where his tree is, the trees of the men with whom he hunts, any deer markings they found while scouting, and probably more stuff I don’t know about. The app even tells him the direction and speed of the wind.

Alright…you get the point. He’s very INTENTIONAL about his deer hunt. He doesn’t wake up some morning, decide to grab his rifle, and hike off into the woods. He plans, schemes, and invests to make his hunt successful. He covers his body, his scent, and his noise in order to DECEIVE all the senses the deer uses in self-protection.

Based on Psalm 37:7, 12, Satan and the forces of evil are doing the same thing to us. Psalm 83:3-5 says it this way, “They devise clever schemes against Your people; they conspire against Your treasured ones. They say, ‘Come, let us wipe them out as a nation so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.’ For they have conspired with one mind; they form an alliance against You.”

Satan is out to get you, friend and fellow follower of Christ. He’s planning and scheming to bring you down. He doesn’t decide on a whim to kind of trip you up a little bit. He is investing in every tool, opportunity, and gadget at his disposal to make his hunt successful.

What are we going to do?

We have to be just as intentional. We can’t wake up one morning and decide, “Oh, I think I’ll do something good today. Maybe I’ll go to church or read a Bible chapter.”

I’m not knocking church attendance or scripture reading, but we’re going to have to be more intentional than that.

Bible reading

The Word of God is the power to transform your life. The Word reveals truth in a world that is so messed up we have Muslims worshiping in a Christian cathedral, schools raising children instead of parents, and babies that aren’t safe in their own mother’s wombs.

Casually perusing a verse or two a day won’t do much for you though – kind of like eating a bite or two of food in a day won’t do much to sustain you. Intentional Bible reading studies it, learns what it says, and applies it to life. Intentional Bible reading figures out the hard parts – not skims over them.

Prayer

You can talk to God – right here, right now. The One who created the universe waits to hear what’s on your mind. The Savior of all mankind wants to know what’s bothering you. Yahweh who knows everything wants to know how your day went.

But He’s not an overpaid psychiatrist or a priest in confessional who can’t really do too much in response to your pleas. He can summon the angels and dispel the demons. He can provide from infinite riches and protect beyond imagination.

Intentional prayer goes beyond meal time thankfulness or casual conversations during mundane tasks. Those are good times to pray but intentional prayer takes it up a notch. It carves out part of the day and declares it as time to prayerfully enter God’s holy presence for a time of praise, thanksgiving, and intercession. Intentional prayer makes that time regular and frequent.

Invest in others

I know you’re hurting right now – so is the person next to you at work, at church, or in the grocery store line. It’s easy to invest in your best friend, spouse, or children but can we invest in those who think differently than us? Or look different? Intentional investment steps outside what’s convenient and easy. Intentional investment extends a word of encouragement, offers some help, or serves another when it’s hard to do so and maybe even dangerous.

That’s all I got – maybe you can think of more ways we can live intentionally as a force for good. If so, please share in the comments.

The forces of evil intentionally fight to bring you down – to destroy your story. We must counterattack with intentional living for Christ as a force for good. Remember, “You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

The Rock: Rejecting the truth to follow a lie

“Pay attention, heavens, and I will speak; listen, earth, to the words of my mouth.

“Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants.

“For I will proclaim Yahweh’s name.

“Declare the greatness of our God!

“The Rock – His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just. A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

Gentleness and tenderness build to a dramatic proclamation as Moses declares to the people a new name for Holy God.

The chapter continues with powerful words to the people as they have allowed corruption and deceit to permeate their lives. They did so despite all that God had done for them. He created them as God but He also sustained them as would a Father (verse 6). He pulled them out of desolation to make them His chosen people (verses 9-10). He was God to them – Most High over all other gods (verse 12). He blessed them in abundance (verses 13-14).

And yet…, 

I shake my head as I see myself and our culture in their response.

Despite all God did for His people, they gorged themselves on the provision rather than the Provider. They became fat and bloated on it (verses 15). They ignored the God of their fathers as they followed after foreign gods and deceptive demons (verses 16-17).

“They ignored the Rock who gave them birth; they forgot the God who gave birth to them” (Deuteronomy 32:18 paraphrased).

They ignored the Rock – and the response didn’t go well for the people of Israel (verses 19-27). They never realized weak earthly attacks couldn’t come against them “unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up” (Deuteronomy 32:30).

They followed their little idols not realizing that “their ‘rock’ is not like our Rock” (Deuteronomy 32:31).

And yet, despite all their gorging selfishness and their love affair with the idols of Satan, “the Lord will indeed vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants” (Deuteronomy 32:36).

Why on earth would He do such a thing?

God’s mercy and grace pour out on His people because they are just that – His people. Their sin is ugly – horrifying, really – but Holy God cut covenant with them. If He went back on His word and didn’t provide for them, then He would be an untrustworthy liar. That’s not going to happen. Not only that, but if He doesn’t protect them, then those who brought down His people would take credit for their destruction. Or, in other words, Satan would get the glory for bringing the defeat of God’s people. Again, not going to happen. (See verses 26-27. Did you notice the italics on provide and protect? Remember those words because they’ll be important in the next part of this series.)

“See now that I alone am He; there is no God but Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal. No one can rescue anyone from My hand” (Deuteronomy 32:39).

Why do we care?

We care because we see ourselves in the Israelite people. God didn’t only create them – He created us. He didn’t only sustain them as would a Father – He sustains us. He pulled us out of desolation and chose us as His people – adopted in as children of Abraham. He is our Most High God with abundant blessings.

And we said, “Screw it. I don’t care. I want my own way. I want to pour my passion into the ‘rocks’ because I know better than the Rock does.”

Even still, He has compassion on us. Even still, He provides with the Rock of living water in the desert. He protects us in the cleft of the Rock. This is going to get good…please continue on for the next part.

Good & Evil: What to do in a world of evil

The horrors of evil elicit many different responses when they fall upon our ears. When you read my article of Boko Haram butchering Christians in Nigeria last week, I’m sure your thought responses were as varied as is our reading population. I’m sure it was the same when you heard of ISIS beheading a second American journalist, Steven Sotloff. Or when you heard of any act of evil carried out on the innocent in recent days.

Some people stop listening / reading as the pain and suffering are more than they can bear.

A need to fight for justice overcomes other people in the face of evil.

Others bury their heads in the sand as they deny such evil could possibly exist.

For some, frustration mounts as a lack of resources or opportunities squelches the desire to help in any way possible.

Hopefully at least a few whisper prayers for those who hurt in the hands of evil.

Psalm 37 – Good & Evil

Last week we began a study on Psalm 37. We considered some characteristics we should have as we live as children of God in a world of evil. Ok, “considered” is such a gentle word – it’s more like those characteristics plunged into our soul. They reminded us we aren’t of this world; we’re made to live different. This week we’ll pull out some parts of Psalm 37 that help us know what to do before we read next week what God promises to do. Then, we’ll wrap it up comparing the outcome that awaits both the good and the evil.

What to do in a world of evil

37:3 – Trust in the Lord and do what is good. Trusting God empowers us to do what is good. Our excuses become weak in the presence of His truth. I came across a verse a few weeks ago when Jimmy was in Africa. I’ll admit it; I was stressing a little over some stuff. I had to write it out and post it where I’d see it often, “God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

We can trust Him in the face of evil; we can even step out and do good in the face of evil. We can trust and do good because God has the situation under control. We will always have everything we need to excel in every good work.

37:4 – Take delight in the Lord. You can be happy in His presence; you can smile when you think about Him. Excitement can come over you at the thought of talking to Him. You can find a true relationship.

King David, who wrote Psalm 37, knew how to delight in the Lord. For example, he also wrote “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1). The ancient Israelites rejoiced to ascend to the Temple in Jerusalem because the Spirit of God dwelt there. For us, the Spirit of God dwells within each of us as followers of Christ. We can rejoice in a relationship with God even in the midst of an evil world.

37:5 – Commit your way to the Lord. Commit means “to roll” (Hebrew: galal) which may seem odd but is highly significant. It’s more than I can get into here. In short, let’s think of it this way… Go full circle with God. Allow Him to mark you as His child, hold fast to His truth, totally believe Him, and not just in Him.

“The LORD then said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away (Hebrew: galal) the disgrace of Egypt from you.’ Therefore, that place is called Gilgal to this day” (Joshua 5:9). Friend, God has rolled away the disgrace from your life. An adequate response is to roll away your own plans for your life. Commit your way to Him instead and allow Him to act even as evil abounds.

37:7 – Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him. God doesn’t need us to tell Him what to do or how to solve a problem. He needs us to be a willing vessel through which He can work to accomplish His plan. He needs us to wait on His plan; not make a mess even messier by jumping in with our own plan. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10 NIV).

37:9, 34 – Put your hope in the Lord. That’s the HCSB version but almost all others translate this as “those who wait for the Lord.” It’s a figurative term that loses something in our English translations. The Hebrew word, qavah, literally means to collect or bind together. It’s the same idea as strands of string bound together to make a rope. In a world of evil, we can bind ourselves to God. We can tightly intertwine our lives with Him and His Word. “Wait for the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land” (Psalm 37:34).

37:27 – Turn away from evil and do what is good. We can’t do all these things if we haven’t turned away from the evil in our own lives. We’re not perfect; no one expects us to be. But, we can make a conscious effort to remove the evil in our own lives while also making an effort to do what is good. "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God" (3 John 1:11).

So,

As it turns out, we can do something in a world overrun by evil. We can trust God who is in control. We can do good to those around us in our own corners of the world. We can delight in God; after all, He loved us enough to give Himself for us even though we were part of that prevalent evil. We can roll away our own plans for our life and commit our plans to Him because we know He will act in our lives. We can wait for Him to speak rather than try and tell Him what He should do. We can intertwine our lives with Him so that all we do and say is for Him and His glory. We can do our best to not live like those who spread the evil upon our land.

We can make a difference. We can live the difference.

Click here to read the previous article in this series.

Click here to read the next article in this series.

Look to the Future: Praying for the work to be done

Jimmy and his team are home; Africa 2014 is over. But that doesn’t mean the work is finished.

Despite the delays in luggage and the resulting shortage of tools, they installed the solar panel system in the home of a doctor and his family. One thing North Africa has in abundance in sunshine; a solar panel electrical system makes a huge difference for those serving in this region! We received this note yesterday from Doc, “Every day we think of you guys and cherish our fridge and freezer and power…I have not turned on the generator since you left!! Amen!!! Now the battery to the generator is dead…need to charge it. It’s a great problem to have. The system is running beautifully!”

You may recall that Jimmy flew to visit missionaries serving in a different location after they finished installing the solar panels. Grow Barefoot worked with this family two years ago to provide them with solar power as well. He flew in to find the village surrounded by floodwaters; they are a community entering a time of disease, food shortages, and inaccessible medical care. I don’t have any miraculous updates for you on this issue but we continue to trust the One who is the worker of miracles. Please join us in praying for this village as they recover from this debilitating natural disaster. Their national government told them they would not provide any assistance. Floods may have cut off all roads to the outside world, but the road to Almighty God – paved in the prayers of His people – is never cut off.

We didn’t know until Jimmy began his journey home that his friend there, Kap, is also suffering from severe malaria. Despite the lack of available medical care, he continues to improve quickly. Again, God answers prayers.

Which is why I appeal to you today

God does answer prayers. So, I’m asking you to pray for Grow Barefoot as we consider how to work in this region in the future. Some projects we are considering include –

• Doc would love to have a medical team come in to do a clinic. The surrounding villages and tribes need so much in basic medical care and education.
• Doc would also like to begin a milk clinic for babies whose mothers are unable to nurse or are just not available, perhaps due to death. GB has worked with a milk clinic in Haiti; perhaps we can combine knowledge gained in Haiti to help begin a program on the other side of the world.
• Kap is already working on digging three or four wells in outlaying tribal areas so the people may have access to water. This is an immediate need.
• Kap would also like to start a training center in his area. They would teach English, water cleanliness, and job skills for people to develop a trade, earn a living, and create jobs in the community. This is a great method to build relationships with the people, which in turn leads to great discussions and opportunities to share the message of Christ.
• Kap and Chica would also like for me to come and lead a conference based on “Seven Roles, One Woman” for the local women in their area. The Muslim population accepts the book of Proverbs so this study based on Proverbs 31 may be a great way to build relationships, help women understand their value in God’s eyes, and share Christ with them as well.

Please pray for our continued ministry in these areas as we desire to follow where God leads.

I'm not Superman

We see God work every day if we allow ourselves to have eyes to see His impact all around us. Lucky situations and amazing coincidences don’t just happen by chance; God ordains them and then allows us to witness His holy sovereignty in the moment.

I’ve received the first update from Jimmy regarding the trip to North Africa. As has always been the case, he started to see the hand of God work before he even left American soil. He writes,

My city of departure had a huge, national medical conference that ended the night before I left. My entire flight was full of medical doctors, nurses, and resident students from southeast America; I was flying to Atlanta.

I was able to strike up a conversation with a couple of residents and a dorm mom who was helping them. I went through who I was and what I was doing.

Going to Africa? Why?

I’m going because a doctor and his family need help adding solar power to their house as they work at a clinic in North Africa. As doctors to be, they found the whole story of going to help people in Africa exciting since they are helpers themselves. They help people here; not there.

“The world needs more people like you in it," the young 20-something stated.

“I’m just doing what God wanted me to do,” I answered. “I’m going and following and asking Jesus to direct my hands, my mind, and my feet.”

This brought the dorm mom to my side as she’s from the southern Bible belt. "You’re so sweet doing that for them.”

I do enjoy praise.

But this isn’t about me.

I can do a lot of things well but I’m not an expert in anything that I know of. I’m definitely not an expert in solar panel systems. But, “I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

I’m not Superman. I’m a guy doing what God asked me to do. The world is what it is with or without me but not without Christ. Don’t praise me as I will fail you. Ask my closest family and friends – I mess up a lot.

But,

because of Christ, His sacrifice on the cross, and His Love for us, we have hope and eternal life in Jesus.

I’m writing this in the Atlanta airport sitting next to another man we’ll call Big Daddy R. He too is no Superman. But we’re on this journey together – seeing, watching, and participating in what our Lord Jesus Christ is doing. We’re following, ready to go, and ready to do. We’re ready to see Him work.

More to come, Lord willing.

Kindness in an Unkind World

My mom had entirely too high of expectations for my brothers and I. She expected us to talk nicely, be polite, be respectful, be kind, etc. It seemed no one else did those things; why should we?

Now I’m all grown up though.

Now I see the results of a society where those behaviors aren’t as valued as they once were.

Now I endure the struggle of teaching my children to talk nicely, be polite, be respectful, and be kind.

The last one in that list has popped up on my radar a lot this past week. Kindness; it’s such a hard word to define, let alone implement! Fortunately, God used Paul to teach us a few things about how to be kind.

Be ye Kind

“And be kind and compassionate to one another” (Ephesians 4:32).

Thankfully – if we take the time to consider the context of Paul’s words – he gave us some clues as to what it means to be kind and compassionate.

Being kind includes…

• Careful word choice, whether our words are spoken or typed online (Ephesians 4:29). Our words shouldn’t be corrupt or of poor quality; they should encourage and benefit other people.
• Listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit within you (Ephesians 4:30). Yes, it’s possible to be unkind to God. One key way is to ignore Him.
• Don’t be bitter and angry. Don’t fly off the handle at people. Don’t fight and tell lies about other people. In short, don’t be mean (Ephesians 4:31)!
• Forgive people. Not because you were right and they were wrong. And don’t forgive to be the better, more upright person. Forgive because God forgave you. Period. And He forgave some pretty messed up stuff in you. I know He did because He did the same in me.

Love is Kind

God also told us that “love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4). This helps us understand kindness a little more. In God’s Word, love is all about sacrifice. It’s about putting other people first even when we don’t want to do so.

I admit it – I’m not very good at that type of kindness. I don’t like it when I feel like I should do something but it requires me to let go of what I want so I can focus on someone else. Yet that is what Christ did for us and that’s the love and kindness He wants us to show others.

Make a Difference

Can you imagine the difference we could make if we as Christians started choosing our words wisely, listening to the Spirit of God, stopped being mean, started forgiving people who hurt us, and put others before ourselves?

As a people group, we’re not really known for those kind of behaviors, are we? Maybe if we acted these ways more often, then it might be easier to show people the incredible advantages of being a follower of Christ. 

original photography by Deborah Cook