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How to Keep It Humble: Part 1

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
If you’re as old as
I am and have ever been to church camp, I bet you know this song: Humble
yourself in the side of the Lord, and He will lift you up, higher and higher…
 
It’s scripture, of
course. Sung in a round by the campfire. I now have a sudden urge to slap at
mosquitoes.
 
At the moment, I’m
working through a study on the life of David–written by Beth Moore.
Yesterday’s lesson had to do with pride. Beth asked a question, (like how I’m
on first name basis with the woman?)
 
 “What can you do to stay humble before
the Lord?”
 
I think it’s a fair
assessment to say that we all battle with pride. It comes in many forms. I also
think it’s fair to say that leaders, teachers, anyone with a position may
struggle even more so.
 
So how do we stay
humble? The truth is, too-big-for-the-britches thoughts are going to invade our
minds. Accolades and pats on the back for stellar performances are going to
rise like delicious tingles on our skin. No one can escape them. Not me. Not
you.
 
After reading that
question, I decided to prowl the Word for practical applications. I’d be
willing to guess, they’ll be beneficial to you as well. So I’m going to roll
out a series on How to Stay Humble.
 
Today
let’s look at 1 Peter 5: 5-11.
 
How to stay humble
before the Lord:
 
Let’s look at our
main text first.
 
“Therefore,
humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
 
Who
humbles us?
 
We do.  It won’t come automatically when we accept
Christ as our Savior. It’s a daily process, sometimes minute by minute.
 
It will come under
the mighty hand of the Lord. Not above. Not beside as in partnership–there are
things the Lord partners with us in. But when it comes to knowing our place…
 
We’re
below. He’s above.
 
This passage in
Peter is about submission. And boy isn’t being submissive difficult! We live in
a world where we have the opportunity to be our own gods. We live in a
democracy. We have the right to vote, the right to an opinion, the right to
decide, the right to speak freely regardless of what it is that spews out. We
have more outlets to voice and present our rights than ever before.
 
Yes, our bodies live in a democracy. But if you are a
child of God, your heart resides in a Monarchy. A place where you bow
before your Majesty, and serve Him. A place where you can freely share your
thoughts, but at the end of the day–His will stands. And it is always right.
Always fair. Even when your fleshly tent that dwells in the land of democracy
says, “That is not fair! I. I. I. I.”
 
 
The second half of
that verse is typically quoted on its own in relation to giving your anxieties
and issues to God because He loves you. That is true. But it is tied to
humbling yourself.
 
Why?
 
Because when we do anything less than give what we
can’t control or even things we can to ourselves and not God–it’s exalting
ourselves. It’s pride. Jesus shoulders our cares. When we try to take
that from Him, we come out from under His mighty hand and lift up ourselves.
 
We fret about jobs,
finances, dreams, sickness, global warming, war, government offices, our kids,
choices, insert worry or anxiety here ______________.
 
But if we put it in
the mighty hand who has control. Peace. Mercy. Grace. Love. Perfect will for
our lives, we are humbling ourselves. We are acknowledging who is King and who
is not. We are bowing in submissiveness. When we do this, God will lift us up–in
due time. Not necessarily our time because it’s not about us. It’s about Him
and His glory.
 
Why do we do this?
Let’s skip up a verse. The word “therefore” links this scripture with
the one above.
 
 
1 Peter 5:5 (We’re
moving backwards.)
 
“God resists
the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (This is not saving grace.
Humbleness is not a requirement of salvation. It’s a free gift of grace.)
 
 I do not want God opposing me and that is what
that word “resists” means. If I don’t submit, He’ll make sure
eventually I do–one way or another. Generally, it isn’t pleasant. 🙂 I’d
rather grasp it now and humble myself with the help of the Holy Spirit. What
about you?
 
I think it would be
wise to “therefore humble yourselves under…”
 
Let’s see the
context in which Peter is sharing this verse. “Likewise, you younger
people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one
another, and be clothed with humility, for…”
 
“God resists
the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
 
That word
“submit” in the Hebrew means “to arrange under, to obey, to
yield to one’s admonition or advice.”
 
Peter is talking
about submission in this passage. He even gives elders their does of medicine
to humble them. 1 Peter 5:1-4 “Shepherd the flock…not for dishonest gain
but eagerly, not as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples
to the flock…”
 
Wise people seek
good counsel. Foolish people think they know it all. The proud believe they
have all the answers. The humble know they need godly advice and direction.
 
If you can’t even
submit to godly authority, how will you submit to God? I challenge you to
really think about that. “I do what God says, but no person is going to
tell me what to do.” Is that doing what God says based on this verse?
Could there be a root of pride?
 
To writers: Do we
really think we can write a book all by ourselves, never seeking other writers
who are godly and wise and can offer suggestions, ideas, and help? Does it make
it less of our book? Does it mean we don’t get all the glory because the plot
twist actually came from someone else? Could I suggest if you’re seeking all
the glory, you have a pride issue to begin with? Let us examine ourselves.
 
Not just writers.
All of us. Whose hand are we under? Are we under anyone’s? Do we buck godly
leaders? Do we try to take on our own worries, anxieties and cares?
 
The enemy is waiting
for us to puff up just a little. One hurt he can play off of. One tiny sniff of
cockiness and he pounces. He spots pride easily. It’s how he fell in the first
place.
 
“Be sober, be
vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 The very verse after he instructs
us to humble ourselves, to submit.
 
Peter knew better
than anyone that a scrap of pride caused a feeding frenzy among the enemy. If
you aren’t paying attention, the enemy will have your flesh between his teeth,
shake you about like a rag doll, devour his fill and leave you a bloody, shredded
carcass on the side of the road.
 
Maybe that’s you
right now. You’re weak. You feel as though you’ve bled out.
 
“May the God of
all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have
suffered a while, perfect, establish, and settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10
 
You
may feel drained. But the blood of Christ never runs out, never runs dry, never
withholds, never weakens, never waters down, never ever loses its power.
 
You are not alone.
 
 “Resist him, steadfast in the faith,
knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the
world.” 1 Peter 5: 9 And sisterhood!
 
Repent if you’ve
been prideful. If you haven’t submitted to the King in all areas. “For if
you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 And that includes pride.
 
Now that is a King
worth bowing the knee to!
 
Next week, we’ll
discover another way to keep ourselves humble! Hope you’ll join me. 
 

Do
you struggle with areas of pride? How do you keep yourself humble?

Break it Down Like David!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

I’m fairly certain I’m never shopping at Walmart Grocery again. I say this often, but I mean it.

I’ve watched a grown man beat the pulp out of female security guard, though she did hold her own for the most part.

I’ve been cornered by a man asking how to make sloppy joes in the Manwich aisle. 

I’ve been hit on by a man in the dog food aisle. He literally asked if I was married. I thought, “Dude, you must be desperate for one and two, if you think you’re hitting on an animal person, know that I’m buying regular sized dry dog food for an 8 lb mutt with no teeth. I do not plan to water it down either.” 

And today, I was barracaded in the chip aisle by a random dude asking where I go to church because it’s the last days. If he only knew just how right he was at that moment. I was hot, hungry, and in a hurry.

While going to church means nada in the sense that it won’t save your tail from hell, I appreciate his concern. Okay, not really. Well a little. I suppose he thinks he’s doing what he can to spread the gospel, though, that wasn’t at all what he was doing. I sort of wish I’d have said no to hear what he might have said next. Maybe he would have started with, “Hey random lady, have you broken the 10 commandments because that makes you a sinner going to hell. And it’s the last days. Get saved.”

I don’t know. I suppose I get the “Do something!” mentality. I love that people are in love with Jesus and want others to know about Him, His saving grace, His love and mercy. But scaring the literal hell out them isn’t exactly the right approach in my opinion, or cornering them in a market to ask where they go to church. Church doesn’t save people. Jesus does. Granted, you could meet Jesus at church. 

I believe that God can ask you to do something out of the ordinary concerning Him–like praying for a random stranger in McDonald’s, buying the coffee for the car behind you in a Starbucks line, or even speaking a word to someone in the grocery aisle (if you are most certain it is the Lord and you are supposed to) however, there are things that I think happen out of zealousness but they backfire and sometimes do more harm than good.

A youth pastor (not our rocking youth pastor) once told the kids to be radical in their faith. I agree. Be passionate. Then he told a story about a boy so on fire for God he jumped up on the cafeteria tables and started preaching.

 

I had to explain to my daughter that the Bible says to obey earthly authority (not if they tell you to go against what you know is biblical authority). Drive the speed limit, etc…Authority at the school says not to jump on cafeteria tables. It will get you detention. Is it right to break the rules God tells us not to, to preach Christ? Why can’t that boy just live his life out loud, love the people he encounters and preach through his daily living? He could. 

Now, I know that boy was excited about his faith. But his still-on-milk-mentality drove him to break rules that ultimately led to detention and not a revival. I explained while the youth pastor had good intentions, he got it wrong. 

Radical faith isn’t preaching from cafeteria tables or cornering folks at the store with pointed questions that ultimately don’t matter. You can die in your sin and go to church every Sunday.

Radical faith is saying, “No, I won’t go to that movie because I know they take the Lord’s name in vain and show nudity.” “No, I won’t go to that party because there is drinking involved.” It takes bigger faith to look peers in the eye and draw a line than it does to stop a stranger and scare them half to death. (There are always exceptions.)

It’s like that commercial from the 70’s. Hey Koolaid. What is up with
that? Remember those commercials? Did I date myself? As a kid, Kool Aid running
through the wall to save the day was pretty kool.

 

 
He was passionate
about his drink and helping others. Passionate about the right thing. Kool Aid
had lots of zeal.
 
However, did he
really need to bust through a wall? Was that really the right way to go about
being passionate? Is impulsiveness the answer?
  
Look with me at 2
Samuel Chapter 6. David is king and he’s bringing back the ark. The presence of
God! The Philistines had captured it, then they were plagued with rats and
tumors until they sent it away and at this point it was in the home of
Abinadab, and David was ready for it to be back in his city.
 
He was zealous.
Passionate. And so were the people.
 
They busted out the
harps, lyres and wooden instruments and played music. It was a joyous occasion.
 
They loaded the ark
of God, whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between
the cherubim onto a new cart and Abinadab’s sons pushed the cart. The people and
David went ahead of the cart, rejoicing. Dancing. Singing. Breaking it down.
 
And the cart hit a
bump.
 
And Uzzah, one of
the sons, reached out to steady it.
 
And he dropped dead.
 
That last party horn
gave a sorry “hrrrrngh” and everyone stopped. The singing halted.
That woman near the end carried her note maybe 30 seconds longer than the rest
until it died off in a weak echo.
 
The Lord had struck
Uzzah down. In his passion. His zeal. Why?
 
Because though their
motives and passion was pure, they did not follow the proper order.
 
God was specific
about that ark and how to carry it. He had them make poles that slipped into
the four grooves on the ark. And the sons of Kohath were designated to carry
it. No carts.
 
This was the very
presence of God. A holy God. As if man could just reach out and touch Him
(then–before Christ came and made a way so we could). 
 
RC Sproul says, “The presumptous sin of Uzzah was this…He assumed that his hands were less polluted than the dirt.” 
 
They got caught up
in being passionate that they forgot order. God is God of order.
 
David was angry. Not
the same Hebrew word for angry that God was. He had no reason to be angry. He’d
disobeyed. But God’s anger was righteous.
 
David left the ark
at Obed-Edom. Everyone went home, solemn. Probably confused. Some ticked–like
David.
 
But David was a man
who took his emotions to the Lord. He had a teachable spirit. And three months
later, David did it right.
 
He went to the Lord in his passion and consulted God. This time (verse 13) those bearing the
ark, with the poles carried it about six paces and no one died so they stopped
to sacrifice an offering to the Lord.
 
And then they danced
before the Lord and David was in nothing but a linen ephod, making merry. Full
of passion and joy. Not caring what others thought.
 
He’d done it right.
 
His wife, however
wasn’t so happy about it. “How dare you dance around like a fool, half
naked. You. Are. King.” (my paraphrase)
 
And David said,
“In God’s presence I’ll dance all I
want! He chose me over your father and the rest of our family and made me
prince over God’s people, over Israel. Oh
yes, I’ll dance to God’s glory—more
recklessly even than this. And as far as I’m concerned . . .
I’ll gladly look like a fool . . . but among these maids you’re
so worried about, I’ll be honored no end.” 2 Samuel 6:21-22 MSG
 
Some translations
say, “I’ll be even more undignified than this!”
 
I love it.
 
Passion plus order.
Then you can dance recklessly! It’s important that we go about things God’s
way. We consult Him first with the steps. The fact is, David knew the steps,
but he got so caught up in his excitement, he left the most important part out.
 
Obedience in all
areas. God wants us to delight in Him and be full of joy. But He also expects
us to follow each step accordingly. And to follow man-made authority that doesn’t directly go against what He says.
 
Be radical. Be passionate. Be full of zeal. 
 
But be smart.

 

What makes you want to dance before the Lord?

 

Knot Again!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
I thought how fun it
would be to title this Christmas in July until I realized, July is behind us.
 
My kids go back to
school tomorrow. I have a daughter in high school. Do I really even have to ask
you for prayer on that one? I didn’t think so. Thanks for praying for me. And
for her.
 
I’ve been going to
the gym with my maniac husband six days a week. I’m working into my fifth
week–I think (Remember I thought it was July until a few minutes ago). The
other morning, I grabbed my earbuds and the cord was tangled into this
ridiculous knot.
 
My first thought
was, “Got a little knot here, Russ. You work on that.” Did you guess
the movie?
 
Christmas Vacation.
I love those crazy Griswolds.
 
I was on a time
crunch–had to get out the door and to the gym by five a.m. So I started shaking,
tugging, stretching and you know what I did?
 
I made the knot
worse.
 
Which irritated the
snot out of me.
 
I was ready for that
crazy knot to be
 

untangled so I could move on with my day.

 
Knots aren’t always
quick fixes. The bigger and tighter the knot, the harder to unwind it–to make
it straight.
 
It takes several
deep breaths before a close examination.
 
You pick one strand
to work with. And you use that strand to dip under, through and around until
you can break free. Even if a little.
 
It takes a few
minutes of concentration, patience, and endurance.
 
But when the knot is
untangled, you can move on with your day. With your life.
 
You ever get knots
in your life? You neglect it and becomes entangled with other areas of neglect
or dare I say unconfessed sin?
 
You may think,
“I ought to just go for the world record of the largest sin and neglect
knot. I could win the Guinness.”
 
One big knot looks
daunting.
 
But one strand…
 
 
I thought about
Russ’s father, Clark, leaving him there to untangle that huge knot all by
himself. The look on that boy’s face was utter hopelessness.
 
God never leaves us
to sort out our own knots. While we’re jerking, shaking, and getting frustrated
trying to do it on our own. He patiently waits for us to bring it to Him.
 
Sometimes He helps
us in a matter of minutes. And sometimes we have to work that one strand for a
period of time.
 
But He never leaves
us or disappoints us. Not like Russ’s dad.
 
Maybe it’s a bundle
of nerves. A knot of despair. A ball of worry. Whatever it is, you can take it
to God and He’ll help you straighten it out.
 
“Disciples so
often get into trouble; still, God is there every time.”
Psalm 34:9 MSG 

 

 

 

What’s got you in knots today? 
And how can I pray for
you?
 
 
 

It’s Not Always a Hop, Skip, and a Jump

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
You are beautiful.
Don’t look around or behind you. I’m talking to you.
 
Yes. You.
 
You’re beautiful.
 
You’re a work in
progress. Can’t see it? 
 
You, the one who
wonders if your dreams will ever come to pass.
 
You, the one who
teeters on the edge of tossing in the towel because your passion might be too
big after all.
 
You, who’s been told
“no” more times than you’ve ever been told “yes.”
 
You, who feels
unworthy for such big dreams, ministry, a family, a nice home, a great job,
children, extras.
 
You, who feels
abandoned by loved ones. By God.
 
You, who can’t make
sense of what’s going on in your life, why circumstances are bleak and painful.
 
You, who rolls into
a fetal position at night and cries so your husband doesn’t ask you what’s
wrong. You, who can’t admit the truth.
 
You, who longs to be
so much more for God but can’t get out of the rut you’re in.
 
YOU.
 
You are a dot to
dot. Not a puzzle piece. Your life may be a mystery to you. But it is not
puzzle to God.
 
He knows where you
begin. He knows where you end.
 
“Your ears
shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in
it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the
left.” Isaiah 30:21
 
 
It may look like a
mess at times. Dot to dots can be tricky. One step to the  next may be a short skip.
 
And sometimes it’s a
long stretch to the next point. But each one is necessary.
 
Necessary to create
the beautiful picture called YOU.
 
You don’t see it all
right now. You’re going from glory to glory gazing into a dim mirror.
 
When the steps are
completed–in the proper order–you will see in full.
 
But know with each
stretch, no matter what.
 
You are beautiful.
 
God isn’t finished
with you yet.
 
He’ll get you to
each dot.
 
You’re made in His image. And that makes you…
 
Beautiful.
 
 “For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
 
 

Do you feel like a dot to dot or a puzzle and why?

 

Holy Thunder!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

“When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the
ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing
from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.” Exodus 20:18

 
I am always awed by the holy sound of God. Can you imagine
the horn blowing from the heavens? No trumpeter to see. No horn to gaze on.
Just a holy blast.
 
Lightning in a slicing flash, so bright you’d have to
squint.
 
And
thunder that surpassed a mighty roar.
 
Last week at my mom’s, it stormed. A fierce storm. The
garage door was up and I opened the kitchen door to hit the button and let it
down, but the second I swung it wide, thunder cracked and lightning struck the
ground ten feet away. Pink and purple sparks flew like fireworks and the house
across the street lost power.
 
I’ve heard loud thunder. I’ve seen vivid lightning, but
never struck so hard and close that my chest shivered. It terrified me so much,
I shrieked and ran.
 
Before I had a single thought.
 
Before I could tell myself I was safe.
 
Before I could rationalize it was only lightning and thunder.
 
And I think that must have been what kept the people
trembling with fear at the foot of the mountain.
 
I think it’s why they refused to go back, telling Moses he
could relay God’s word to them but they would not get closer.
 
Because
God is awesome. He is holy.

 

And our first reaction is to run as far away as we
can. We are sinful. The wages of sin is death. And we are to fear a holy God.

 
And that is why I am so thankful for a holy Savior—who came
so that when the awesomeness and holiness of God thunders, we bow. We fear, but
not in a dreadful manner. But with deep respect. We don’t run.
We draw near.
 
We are
safe. Thanks to Jesus. Thanks to His righteousness covering us.
 
“Christ ended the law so
that everyone who believes in him may be right with God.” Romans 10:4 NCV
 
This morning on the way to work, it was storming. Loud
thunder. Brilliant strokes of lightning.
 
And I was listening to this song–new album out from Kim
Walker-Smith with Jesus Culture. Take a few minutes and feel the holiness of
God. 

Absorb it. 

Tremble at it.

 
Bow to it. 
 

 

Have
you ever watched lightning strike the ground? 

 

Bottoms Up!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
“Mike
Wazowski!”
 
I took my son to see
Monsters University on Monday.  Totally
cute movie and unlike Man of Steel, I
didn’t cry through the entire film. You can read my post Man of Steel vs. the Cross HERE.
 
But something hit me
for sure. (I don’t think I’m giving away spoilers, but it’s a kids’ movie, so
do you really care?)
 
All Mike ever
wanted was to be a scarer. But no one believed he could. Yet, he had
faith. It was his dream.
 
He
was going to show the world.
 
Enter Monsters
University and the Scare program. He worked harder and longer than
anyone–especially Sully. He had a lot to prove.
 
During an argument
(Mike once again proving he was good enough) he and Sully caused an accident
and it landed them out of the Scare program.
 
Mike and Sully’s
dreams seemed destroyed. Then Mike remembered the Scare Games–a competition
amongst fraternities. He bet the dean he could win them and if he did, she’d
have to admit she’d been wrong and he was the scariest.
 
Once
again, Mike sought his dream. But it was for his own glory. His own good. His
own fame.
 
The most unlikely
band of monsters came together and they learned valuable lessons: Team work,
camaraderie, and even friendship. But Mike still had his eye (ha, don’t pardon
the one-eyed pun) on himself. His end goals.
 
While they seemed to
have won, Sully cheated. Because Mike, well…he just wasn’t scary.
 
That little diddy
landed their expulsion.
 
What happened to
Mike’s dream? Poof! Gone.
 
Was it?
 
What he learned
through a few more scenes was he was okay being just okay. And what Sully learned was, Mike wasn’t just okay.
He was brilliant. They never could have made it as far as they had in the games
or in that final battle had it not been for Mike.
 
Mike decides, you
know what? We’re not beaten. We’re not down. And he and Sully start out at the
Scare Company’s mail room. Photos in their work locker show them moving up in
the ranks. Starting at the bottom and working up.
 
 
Until finally, they
make it to the scare room floor.
 
And that’s when a
spiritual lesson hit me.
 
Sometimes we fail
because we’re chasing after our own glory. We want to prove we can do something
just for the sake of being somebody special.
 
But
you are special. I’m special. To God.
 
And sometimes our
dreams won’t always come in the ways we expect them. They won’t be big and
flashy. They’ll come small and steady. You can read about small beginnings
HERE.
 
Sometimes it’s a
process of starting in the mail room, being diligent and persevering that
inches us toward our passion.
 
Sometimes, God keeps
us low, so He can go high. He has lessons in character building He needs us to
learn, and He wants the glory. If we are faithful with little, we’ll be ruler
over much.
 
Laboring
is hard work. It takes time. Endurance.
 
“For God is not unjust to forget your
work and labor of love which
you have shown toward His name, in
that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”
Hebrews 6:10
 
The question is, who
are you laboring for? Love for God or for yourself?
 
“Be…not lagging in diligence, fervent
in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing
in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;…” 
Romans 12:10-12
 

 

Would
you say you’ve been enduring with diligence and the 
right focus or not? 
 

Small Beginnings and a Big Finish

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
We want the big. We
want the great. We want the finish without the start. The grand finale without
the in-between.
 
In the book of
Zechariah, God is using him as a voice to the people. That’s why he’s called a
prophet. His ministry was to the exiles returning to Jerusalem.
 
Nebuchadnezzar
(Babylonian empire) had invaded, taking the captive (including Daniel–the one
from the lion’s den) the people, and destroying the cities. You can read more on this in my post, Joy from Light bulb moments: A Lesson in Daniel. 
 
Then the Medo-Persian
empire took power and Cyrus began letting the people go back home to
rebuild–Jeremiah the prophet prophesied this. These were the scrolls Daniel
read (the ones Baruch had written for Jeremiah. You can read about that in my post, Pick up the Pen and Do it Again).
 
The exiles were
going to go back home to face utter chaos and ruins.  Imagine that. But like last week’s post, It
isn’t over until God says. He hadn’t forgotten His people.
 
In fact, they had a
constant reminder from Zechariah. Just by hearing his name. It means, “Yahweh Remembers.” Isn’t that
beautiful?
 
This book is full of
visions about the Second Coming of Christ and is very interesting, but what I
want to hit home today comes from Chapter 4, concerning the finishing of the
temple which had been destroyed when the Babylonians invaded.
 
God is talking of
Zerubbabel, the grandson of king Jehoiachin and leader of the first group of
returning exiles from Babylon.
 
Verse 9-10: “Zerubbabel has laid the foundation of this Temple, and he
will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord All-Powerful has
sent me to you. “The
people should not think that small beginnings are unimportant. They will be happy when they see Zerubbabel with tools,
building the Temple…”
 
In the
NKJV, it says in verse 10, “For who has despised the day of small
things?”
 
This
verse hit me hard. It reminded me of something a friend of mine always says
about publishing. That she’s okay with small beginnings. I agree with her. I am
too. If we are faithful with little, we’ll be ruler over much. Jesus said that,
not me.
 
But the
morning I read this, it really stuck with me. I was thinking over a twenty year
dream (not about writing) and things have been so small. A door is about to
open which is huge and yet…compared to my big dreams, it’s still a small
beginning.
 
But small beginnings aren’t unimportant.
 
So, I
cross-referenced it for further insight and it led me to 2 Chronicles 16:9.
 
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose
heart is loyal to Him.” 
 
That
word loyal stuck out to me. Here were a few of my thoughts directed to God in
that moment:
 
What do
you mean by loyal, Lord?
I feel
like I mess up so often, I couldn’t be considered loyal.
But I
want to be loyal.
Loyal
translates kindness in some passages…what exactly is this?
 
But I
didn’t have time to pull up my Lexicon and see what that word meant in the
Hebrew. I decided I’d come back to it later.
 
I
grabbed my iPad and headed out to the gym with my husband. After our strength
training session, I climbed on the treadmill and pulled up a John Piper sermon,
using my Desiring God app.
 
The last
thing I’d read was 2 Chronicles so I clicked on a sermon from that book and
began to read. You can read the full version of his sermon HERE.
 
When you ask God questions, when you’re curious
about His Word, He answers.
 
Here is
what I read from John Piper:
 
“…It’s
one of my favorite verses in all the Bible. I hope you will learn it by heart.
‘The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show his
might in behalf of those whose heart is blameless…”
 
The same
verse I’d read in NKJV earlier from 2 Chronicles. But he went on to share what
that word blameless (loyal) means.
 
“whole,
i.e., wholly relying on Him, that’s what the context requires toward him.”
~John Piper
 
Right
there the Lord spoke to me. Through His Word. And into my heart.
 
God is
looking, searching for those who will rely wholly on Him–to be strong on their
behalf.
 
My
prayer on that treadmill was a picture. In my head I saw the menu screen of the
Shrek movie–where Donkey is pacing the crowd and jumping up over their heads.
 
“Pick
me! Pick me!” He chants repeatedly.
 
I said,
“Lord, I will rely wholly on you. Pick me! Be strong for me! I’m just like
Donkey. Stubborn, run my mouth way more than I ought to and half the time
nothing of any substance comes out, I have off-the-wall ideas that generally
fall flat, but I’m willing. Pick me. Pick me.”
 
Sunday
during worship (I can’t even remember the song), that image popped into my
brain but this time, strong hands took hold of Donkey’s face, calmed his spirit
and settled him down from jumping and pacing and begging, “Pick me! Pick
me!”
 
And He
whispered to my heart.
 
“I’ve
already picked you. Before the foundations of the world.” This was in
reference to my dream and what I desperately long to do. At this moment, I
can’t give the details (it’s not writing related at all) but when I can, I
will. But Sunday I was uncertain. Sunday, I just wanted to beg God to use me.
To try and convince Him, I’d rely on Him wholly.
 
And He reminded me: “Yahweh Remembers.”
 
Sometime
we–I–let the areas I struggle with overshadow the areas I’m obedient and I
ignore that my heart longs and desires to be in God’s will. I forget that I am
trusting wholly in and on Him.
 
I need reminded: God didn’t ask for perfection. He asks for
commitment. To wholly rely. I’m progress. Not perfection.
 
And God
is moving on my behalf. And yours.
 
Small
beginnings means there’s an end.
 
God will
perfect that which concerns me, and you.
 
He will
finish the good work He began in me, and you.
 
“…Not
by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.”
Zechariah 4:6:
 

 

What about you? 
Are you relying on Him wholly? 
How do you feel
about small beginnings?
 

When It All Goes to Pot, Buy a Field

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
Can you imagine God sending you to the President of the
United States to tell him he’s about to lose the “throne” to an enemy because he’s
neglected God? And the President had all the power to put you in prison for
that…or worse? If there were no such thing as freedom of speech?
 
Well that’s sort of what happened with Jeremiah the prophet.
 
Check it:
 
“This is the word the Lord spoke to Jeremiah in
the tenth year Zedekiah was king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.  At
that time the army of the king of Babylon was surrounding Jerusalem. Jeremiah
the prophet was under arrest in the courtyard of the guard, which was at the
palace of the king of Judah.
 
Zedekiah king of Judah
had put Jeremiah in prison there. Zedekiah had asked, “Why have you prophesied
the things you have?” (Jeremiah had said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I
will soon hand the city of Jerusalem over to the king of Babylon, and he will
capture it. Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the Babylonian
army, but he will surely be handed over to the king of Babylon. And he will
speak to the king of Babylon face to face and see him with his own eyes.  The
king will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I have punished
him,’ says the Lord. ‘If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not
succeed.’”)” Jeremiah 32:1-5
 
Didn’t matter that the king didn’t like what Jeremiah had to
say. Didn’t matter he imprisoned him for it.
 
“If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not succeed.”
 
God had a plan. It involved some serious discipline.
Intended to bring repentance. And it was part of a conditional promise God had
made to His people. They broke their end and turned after other gods.
Sacrificed their babies to the demon god Molech through fire on the very
rooftops of their homes.
 
And God allowed, key word here: allowed, Nebuchadnezzar to
be the instrument of discipline. He brought his troops in, over a period of
time, and ransacked the city taking many captive (including Daniel).
But in the following verses, God does something weird. He
tells Jeremiah that his cousin is coming to see him and to sell him a field. By
law, next of kin had rights to buy property (redeem it; like in the story of
Ruth) if a family member was in financial troubles.
 
Sure enough, the cousin comes and tells Jeremiah to buy the
field from him.
He’s just prophesied that their land was about to be in
ruins. Destroyed.
Jeremiah says to God, ““Look! The enemy has surrounded the
city and has built roads to the top of the walls to capture it. Because of war,
hunger, and terrible diseases, the city will be handed over to the Babylonians
who are attacking it. You said this would happen, and now you see it is
happening.  But now, Lord God, you tell me,
‘Buy the field with silver and call in witnesses.’ You tell me this while the
Babylonian army is ready to capture the city.” Jeremiah 32:24-25
 
In other words: Have you lost your mind, Lord? You’re making
me look like an idiot!
 
“Hey ya’ll Ole Neb’s about to do us in…well, you guys
anyway. Me? Well I’m gonna buy a field. Are you kidding me?”
 
The Lord said (paraphrase) “I am going to do these things. I
haven’t lost my mind. You see it’s not over until it’s over.”
 
However,
it’s not over until God says it’s over.
 
“I am the Lord, the God of every person on the earth.
Nothing is impossible for me.” Jeremiah 32:7
 
He goes on to explain why He’s allowing this tragedy to
befall the people, but He ends with a promise.
 
“This is what the Lord says: “I have brought this
great disaster to the people of Israel and Judah. In the same way I will bring
the good things that I promise to do for them.” Jeremiah 32:42
 
Verse 44: “…They will again buy fields in the land of
Benjamin, in the area around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the
mountains, in the western hills, and in southern Judah. I will make everything
as good for them as it once was,” says the Lord.”
 
Do you
feel like things are crashing down around you? Burning to the ground? Do you
wonder where God is? If He even cares about you?
 
It’s through trials and tragedies, we learn to trust most.
 
He cares. What seems to be an ash heap, can be rebuilt.
Reborn. Reclaimed.
 
Sometimes it’s consequences for our sins and poor choices and
sometimes simple pruning (though nothing feels simple at the time, does it?)
that leads us into these kinds of circumstances.
 
In this context, the people had turned their back on God,
chasing other lovers. Putting things before God, after promising never to do
that.
 
Weeping
may last a night, but joy comes in the morning.
 
God planned to restore what was being lost. To bring back a repentant
people.
 
Jeremiah buying that field at God’s request was a living
picture of God’s love for His people.
 
He loves you.
 
It ain’t over till it’s over.
 
Do you like reading the Old Testament?Why or why not?
 

 

 
 
Happy 4th tomorrow! What are your big plans?

Get Your Ax Out of the Water!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
I’m
not a lumberjack. I’ve never chopped wood with such determination that my ax
flew from my hands. I have watched a wide-toothed comb fly across the bathroom
due to tangles. Similar…yet not so much.
 
In 2
Kings Chapter 6, we read about the sons of the prophets who Elisha taught. Some
translations say a group of prophets. A guild in some commentaries. Point is
they decided to build a bigger facility for them to live in. So they went out
to cut down cedars.
 
On
in particular had borrowed an ax. An iron ax. Look at verse 5:  “As one man was cutting down
a tree, the head of his ax fell into the water. He yelled, “Oh, my master! I
borrowed that ax!”
 
He
could have sighed, dusted his hands on his pants and copped a squat. “Well, I’m
out. Ya’ll keep working on your own beams. I’m gonna sit back and do nothing.” Or
“I’m just going to wait until Elisha sees I’m sitting on the sidelines and says
something.” Good thing Elisha was there. Verse 3 lets us know that Elisha told
them to go, but they asked him to go along with them. Good lesson right there.
 
Back
to the man:
 
He
cried out! “It’s gone! My ax head has been flung from my hands and has been
buried in the water!”
 
Notice
Elisha did not say, “You should have had a better grip. Stinks for you. Go
find another ax.” He said, “Where did it fall?”
 
The
Ax head may represent your dead dreams. A promise. A failed marriage. A broken relationship.
Finances (Fill in the blank). At some point along the way you were working and  it flew from your grasp, landed with a splash and
sunk to the miry bottom. Never to be seen from the murky waters that drowned
it.
 
Where did it fall? Where were you in
life? Where were you spiritually?
 
The
man knew. And he showed the place to Elisha.
 
Then
Elisha did something similar to what Moses did when he cast the tree branch
into the bitter waters in the desert, making them sweet and drinkable. Elisha
cast a stick, wood, into the water.
 
And
the laws of gravity were defied. Iron doesn’t float. Period.
 
But when Jesus died on a wooden cross,
everything became possible for those who believe. For those who cry out.
 
When
that wood went into the water, something miraculous happened. The ax head floated.
 
But the
man had to reach out and grab it. Elisha didn’t do it for him.
 
Are
you ready to pick your dream back up if it’s flown from your hands? Have you
cried out to God to help. He cares for you. He cares about things that are big
and small to you. But nothing is too big or small for him. Nothing is too
difficult.
 
You
may have to go back to the place you lost it. And that might be painful, but
the same power than makes iron float can heal whatever wounds you carry.
Disappointments, struggles, exhaustion from working so hard. Whatever it is,
God can change it. He can resurrect what you think has sunk.
 
There is nothing He cannot bring to the
surface and restore.
 
Nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
 

 

Will you reach out and take it when it
surfaces? 
 

Man of Steel vs. Man of the Cross

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
Lots of buzz
circulating about the newest Superman movie, Man of Steel. I entered the theater with my family on Father’s Day.
Excitement bubbling. Superman is my favorite hero. From Christopher Reeve to
Brandon Routh. I’ve enjoyed them all.
 
As I took my seat and
the music began to play, I felt a keen sense that God was near. I know He’s always
near, but it was almost tangible. You ever experience His nearness like that?
 
I cried through the entire movie. I
swear I did. Not because
it was a fabulous romance. Not because it was an emotional watch, but I
recognized many of Jesus’ attributes during the movie and it moved me. Superman
was modeled after Jesus. But like every good fictional character, he needs
flaws. 
 
Unlike Jesus Christ.
 
After I left the
movie, I couldn’t get a particular scene from my head. (NO spoiler alert, keep
reading) A scene that jerked and awakened my insides, and seared into my brain.
 
Yesterday, during my
morning time, I was reading a story about a farmer who tried to protect his
wheat field from a fire. When he did a final check, he discovered a dead hen.
Burned to a crisp. He kicked it over and out from under her wings, several baby
chicks scattered, untouched. The story was in relation to the verse about Jesus
wanting to cover the people like a hen covers her chicks with her wings.
 
The scene from Man of Steel replayed in my head as I
thought about the fire
 

ravaging the hen.

 
Superman was coming
to Lois Lane’s rescue (as always) during a huge explosion. He caught her
mid-air and drew her to his chest, wrapping powerful arms around her as fire
blazed through the air.
 
Lois tucked her head
down and as new intense flames burst, Superman did a sudden turn, shielding her
from the heat. His back took the brunt, and his red cape blew gloriously around
him, encircling her, and he blew through intense fire to freedom.
 
Lois unscathed.
 
And that’s when Jesus
whispered to my heart Isaiah 43:2-3: “…When you walk through the fire, you
shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your
God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;…”
 
 
Superman didn’t take Lois from the
flame. He took her through it.
 
Isaiah 61:10 says, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered
me with the robe of righteousness…”
 
Just like Superman’s crimson cape extended
from himself and covered Lois, saving her, so does the blood of Christ envelope
us, inking out our sin and robing us in right standing with God.
 
No matter what fiery
circumstance you find yourself in, God will bring you 
through it. Unscathed.
Stronger.
 
Hang on, draw near.
Revel in His glorious comfort and protection. And know that your Savior has no
weakness. No flaws. He is all-powerful. All holy. 
 
Almighty. All splendorous.
 
All Able.
 

 

 
 

 

Have you seen Man of Steel? If you’re going through fire, how can I pray for you?
If you don’t want to leave a comment, send me an email. Click on the Connect
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