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Keep It Humble Part 2

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Do you struggle with
pride? It comes in many forms. Week before last we started a series on how to
keep it humble. You can read the first part: Keep It Humble: Part 1
Turn to Romans 12 or
click it.
We’re going to look
at the middle of a humble pie. The first layer is the crust: Romans 12:2
“And do not be
conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
If you are not in
your Word, and I don’t mean the kind where you read out of obligation or skim
or forget to chew on and understand what you’re reading, then you can not renew
your mind. And if you want to know the acceptable and perfect will of God, you
have to have a renewing. Enough said. Let’s move on.
 Paul goes on to talk about using spiritual
gifts. But we’re going to pick up in verse 9. It’s too much meat to try to chew
and swallow down in one bite (refer to above statement about
chewing/understanding), so we’re going to pick it apart and savor it over the
next few weeks.
Why?
Scripture in small
bites, goes down not necessarily easier but more manageably. And isn’t that
what we want? To digest it so we can let it spread to all the parts of our
body, fueling it for service i.e. application.
Learn it. Love it.
Live it.
How can we keep it
classy–humble?
“Let
love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”
This is the first
applicable step. We have to renew our mind–check up from the neck up. But we
renew our mind through the Word.
So here it is.
Love without
hypocrisy.
In the words of
Shakira from the Voice, “This is toughie one.”
What
do you think loving without hypocrisy means? What does it look like in action?
The KJV translation
says, “Let love be without dissimilation.” The Greek word for this is
“anypokritos” meaning undisguised,
sincere.
Think over all your
relationships. Are you loving with total sincerity and no ulterior motives?
Really examine yourself!
So many times we
hear things like: I won’t go to church. They’re nothing but hypocrites. I can’t
serve in ministry, I feel like a
hypocrite. I really shouldn’t even be here.
Can I just say there
is a difference between knowing what is wrong and willfully doing it then
acting “religious” and working hard to do what is right, while
struggling with sin, weaknesses, and bad habits. The latter doesn’t make you a
hypocrite. It doesn’t make the church hypocrites. It makes us human. Flawed.
Far from perfect. It means we’re progress with lots of potential.
Are there hypocrites
in the church? Absolutely. But I believe there are far more Christians trying
to live this thing out called life and it won’t come without a few slips
ups…and even some big ones. Note* Take responsibility for them and apologize.
Never try to act like you have it all together. Even Paul made a point to say
he wasn’t an expert in all this, but he was looking toward the goal–Jesus–and
running forward, not looking back.
So
how do we love with sincerity? Free from ulterior motives? And how will that
humble us?
 If we cut our “self” out of the
equation by axing ulterior motives and insincerity, we’ve really just abolished
pride. Selfish pride. But how do we even do that? By nature, we are selfish. We
are prideful. We are looking for motives that benefit us.
We first: Abhor what
is evil.
A woman I love
dearly prayed over a women’s meeting and she said this, “Lord, let us love
what you love and hate what you hate.” Not WHO–what.
Evil.
It’s easy to abhor
child molestation, physical abuse, torture, rape and murder.
What about adultery,
fornication and drunkenness in the forms of our favorite TV shows?
What about dropping
F bombs and taking the Lord’s name in vain in movies with the disguise of,
“Well, that’s life. It’s realistic.” Should it be entertaining?
That’s up to you and
your convictions. I’m not saying don’t watch it. I’m just tossing out some
questions for all of us, myself included.
How do we abhor
evil? Especially the evil that has become our normal? Our entertainment? Our
reality. When we’ve been desensitized through media outlets?
“Cling to what
is good.”
Cement yourself,
glue yourself, join with, fasten.
How do we know what
is good? Below are some scriptures to help us line up with good. To renew our
minds. Recalibrate.
Check up from the
neck up.
Life Application: This week, I challenge you
and myself to meditate on these scriptures. Examine our hearts and see where we
fall short. Where do we not line up with God? And then take the ax to what is
evil. Cling to what is good. Whatever you may decide to give up, fill it with
something good. Or it’ll just remain empty. Empty is not good. 😉 Do this for
one week. Just one. And see if your love becomes more sincere, less selfish.
See if the Holy Spirit sensitizes us to what is evil.
I’ll be honest,
there are things I’m going to have to give up that I find entertaining, but
they don’t bring glory to God nor line up with scripture. And I’ll be even more
honest, I don’t (at this second) really want to do it–ax it. Isn’t that sad?
But I will.
Because I want more
of Him. And less of me.
Because in the end,
I can’t take that entertainment with me.
Because this life is
all about bringing God glory.
And when I cut out
myself…that’s really what I want.
What
do you want? Will you take the weekly challenge to abhor evil and cling to what
is good? Let’s get focused.
Prayer: Lord,
we love you. We want to love what you love and hate what you hate. Open our
spiritual eyes to see what has become our normal that does not line up with
Your Word, Your goodness, and Your holiness. Give us the strength to turn away
from evil, to ax out things in our life that do not belong. And show us how to
fill our idle time with goodness. Convict us, Lord. Break our hearts for our
sin. For You are close to those with broken hearts. Mend us, heal us, fill us.
Let Your precious Word become a joy to us as we seek to understand Who You are
and your perfect will. Teach us, Holy Spirit, as we study and meditate on the
scriptures. Apply them to our lives, root them deep in our hearts so that we
may not turn from You. And Lord, daily remind us to go low, so that You remain
high. For Your glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Weekly
scriptures to meditate on:
“He
has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But
to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:8
“And God saw the light, that it was good;
and God divided the light from the darkness.” Genesis 1:4
“This
Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it
day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in
it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good
success.” Joshua 1:8
“O my
soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart
from You.” Psalm 16:2
“Depart
from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14
“Every
one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none
who does good, No, not one.” Psalm 53:3
“But
it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
That I may declare all Your works.” Psalm 73:28
“A
good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with
discretion.” Psalm 112:5
“You
are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes.” Psalm 119:68
“It
is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the
Lord.” Lamentations 3:26
“Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify
your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
“But
I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those
who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute
you…” Matthew 5:44
“The lamp
of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be
full of light.” Matthew 6:22
“A
good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.”
Matthew 7:18
“Therefore
the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” Romans 7:12
“For
your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but
I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.” Romans
6:19
“Do
not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 1 Corinthians 15:33
Let no
corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary
edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29
“Test
all things; hold fast what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21

“Beloved,
do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but
he who does evil has not seen God.” 3 John 1:11

A Glance at Humility

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Need a lesson in
humility? Know someone who does? If you chose several people and excluded
yourself, dare I say…you do need a lesson! So do I. The next few weeks we’ll be
searching scripture and finding practical ways to help us keep it classy i.e.
humble.
Today, read through
the following scriptures and let them sink deep into your heart. When I come
back to blogging–yes, I’m taking another quick break to get ready for the
American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Indianapolis next week– these
will be the verses we unpack and put a spiritual magnifying glass to.
Romans 12: 9-21 NKJV
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is
good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another
with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord;12 rejoicing
in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the
saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless
and do not curse.15 Rejoice with
those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your
mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own
opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard
for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If
it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves,
but rather give place to
wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine,
I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“If your
enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is
thirsty, give him a drink;
For in
so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good.
And here it is in
the NCV.
9 Your love must be real. Hate what is
evil, and hold on to what is good. 10 Love
each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honor than you want
for yourselves. 11 Do not be
lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart. 12 Be joyful because you have hope. Be
patient when trouble comes, and pray at all times. 13 Share with God’s people who need help. Bring strangers in
need into your homes.
14 Wish good for those who harm you; wish
them well and do not curse them. 15 Be
happy with those who are happy, and be sad with those who are sad. 16 Live in peace with each other. Do not
be proud, but make friends with those who seem unimportant. Do not think how
smart you are.
17 If someone does wrong to you, do not
pay him back by doing wrong to him. Try to do what everyone thinks is
right. 18 Do your best to live
in peace with everyone. 19 My
friends, do not try to punish others when they wrong you, but wait for God to
punish them with his anger. It is written: “I will punish those who do wrong; I
will repay them,”says the Lord. 20 But
you should do this:
“If your
enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if
he is thirsty, give him a drink.
Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his
head.” Proverbs 25:21–22
21 Do not let evil defeat you, but defeat
evil by doing good.
It’s too much to
study at one time, so each Wednesday, we’ll select a few verses at a time, give
it life application, and then practice it for a week before tacking on another
few verses. I hope you’ll come along with me as we learn to go low and raise our
God high.
You can go back, if you missed it and read How to Keep It Humble Part 1 from 2 weeks ago. 
See you back here
Wednesday, September 25th.


When is the last time you did an    
in-depth topical
study and what was the topic? Care to share life lesson from it?

Faith Readers Group Review: Mistaken By Karen Barnett

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

We kicked off the night with all the ingredients to make Chocolate Egg Creams, which by the way have no eggs and no cream. Yeah, I know, crazy right? I played Soda Jerk. Keep your comments to yourself, yah hear!

While we sucked down the delicious drink, root beer floats and homeamade chocolate cobbler, we discussed Karen Barnett’s debut novel, Mistaken.

Here are a few comments made:

I loved her writing style. It was easy and flowed well. I could picture everything going on.

I had no sympathy for the drunk.

I could understand why he drank and I thought it was sad, but it didn’t make what he did right.

I loved the era. The cars, the pharmacy, the clothing. I would have loved to wear that clothing.

Sometimes I wanted to slap the heroine, but I want to slap just about every heroine. (That might be my favorite comment of the night and it wasn’t even mine. 😉  lol ~Jess)

I liked how they discovered God on their own. No one preaching to them.

I didn’t think that there was much of God at all in the book, but it was good.

After we talked with each other, we had the privilege of talking with Karen over Skype! FaithReaders feel so honored to have “broke in” several authors over Skype as the first book clubs ever to chat with them! Karen was warm and lots of fun. She answered all of our questions even sent us some pictures she used for research, including head shots of who she thought would play the characters well. Great job, Karen!

Everyone plans to read her next book so I guess all we have left to say is: Hurry up and release it! 🙂

Here’s a peek at Mistaken:

Connect with Karen on
facebook
twitter @karenMbarnett
website
Since booze and
prohibition have made criminals out of every man in her world, Laurie Burke
resolves to find at least one honorable man to fill her life. Convinced that
handsome newcomer Daniel Shepherd is connected with her brother’s rum-running
gang, Laurie quickly scratches his name off her list. Daniel has mixed feelings
about returning to the dirty mill town of his youth, but grudgingly agrees to
manage his grandfather’s drug store until a replacement can be found. The
moment he meets Laurie on the windswept bluff overlooking the beach, he knows
that if he can earn her love, he might have a reason to stay. But when Laurie
pushes him away–for none other than Federal Agent Samuel Brown–Daniel wonders
if Laurie really is the upstanding woman he thought her to be. The Strait of
Juan de Fuca, just off the beaches of Port Angeles, Washington, was treacherous
water for reckless rum-runners—and the agents who tried to catch them. So when
she realizes her brother is in danger, romance is the last thing on Laurie’s
mind. Yet the people she believes she can trust, may not be so honorable after
all.

A lesson in Trust by Karen Barnett

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
“I
found the perfect job posting.” My
husband, Steve, smiled—something he hadn’t done in months.
“Great!
Where is it?” I held my breath. He’d looked for jobs in our hometown. Then in
our region. In our state. Things were scarce. We were now looking nationwide.
“Iowa.”
My
stomach sank. Nothing against Iowa. It’s a lovely place. I visited once during
college, so I knew the people were friendly and welcoming, but born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Iowa seemed far.
I
searched the advertisement for faults. There must be some reason this wouldn’t
work out. God wouldn’t send me to Iowa, would He? No ocean? No mountains? No
extended family? I cried out to Him, Please,
not Iowa. How about Colorado? California? Washington? Michigan?
My
husband pledged to trust in God’s direction, and he applied for the job.
I
sulked.
Weeks
went by, and Steve sailed through the application process. Sitting in an
evening service at my church, I fumed at God. You
say to trust you, and then you threaten to uproot me from everything I love.
When my toddler fussed, I scooped her up, relieved for an excuse to sneak out.
We took refuge in a preschool room. She grabbed a book and climbed into my lap.
I opened it.
“And
God sent Jonah to Nineveh. But Jonah didn’t trust God. He didn’t want to go to
Nineveh.”
My
heart broke. I stared at the scowling cartoon figure on the page. Was that how
I looked?
I did
a 180-degree turn (Well, maybe about 175). Not
my will, God, but Yours.
A
weight lifted from my chest. I would go. And what’s more, I would rejoice in
this opportunity. I confessed my bad attitude to my husband (as if he weren’t
already aware of it) and over the next few days, God adjusted my attitude. I
discovered our soon-to-be-hometown had an amazing library, an aquatic center,
outdoor ice rinks, and a city park with a stable of Shetland ponies. Before I
knew it, I was dreaming about raising my family in Iowa.
But
God wasn’t finished.
Steve
glanced up from the computer. “Guess what! There’s a job opening down the
road.”
“What?”
I swallowed hard. “But… what about Iowa?”
He
laughed and shook his head. “I’ll never figure you out.” The job was a perfect
match to my husband’s skills. Pieces fell into place quickly.
I was
a bit confused. Um, God? I don’t mean to
complain… but what about Iowa? I thought you wanted us to go to Iowa?
I felt
a gentle nudging in my heart. It was never
about Iowa. I wanted your trust.
Trust in the Lord with all your
heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:4-5 (NIV).
For I know
the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to
give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and
come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me
and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah
29:11-13 (NIV)

Karen Barnett, author of Mistaken, lives with her husband and two kids
in Oregon (not Iowa). A former park ranger, Karen enjoys playing on the beach
and hiking in the Cascade Mountains. She also drags her family through boring
history museums every chance she gets. She’s been published in Guideposts and other national magazines. Her
next novel, Out of the Ruins, releases
in May of 2014.
Since booze and
prohibition have made criminals out of every man in her world, Laurie Burke
resolves to find at least one honorable man to fill her life. Convinced that
handsome newcomer Daniel Shepherd is connected with her brother’s rum-running
gang, Laurie quickly scratches his name off her list. Daniel has mixed feelings
about returning to the dirty mill town of his youth, but grudgingly agrees to
manage his grandfather’s drug store until a replacement can be found. The
moment he meets Laurie on the windswept bluff overlooking the beach, he knows
that if he can earn her love, he might have a reason to stay. But when Laurie
pushes him away–for none other than Federal Agent Samuel Brown–Daniel wonders
if Laurie really is the upstanding woman he thought her to be. The Strait of
Juan de Fuca, just off the beaches of Port Angeles, Washington, was treacherous
water for reckless rum-runners—and the agents who tried to catch them. So when
she realizes her brother is in danger, romance is the last thing on Laurie’s
mind. Yet the people she believes she can trust, may not be so honorable after
all.

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?