The next rule for Being the Revival:
5. Adjust Your Vision
I am a scaredy cat. I was always the kid who had to be coaxed down the water slide, encouraged to meet Santa (he still scares me), cajoled into trying new foods. To list more would mean breaking out my Thesauras to find more words that mean "coaxed"....and that thought terrifies me.
But, in the Christian walk, God does not take "I'm too scared" as an answer.
You see, I was totally ready to do great things for God....once I wasn't so scared.
I kept waiting and waiting for the fear to go away.
I though, any minute, after I reached a threshold of memory verses or clocked in a magical, heavenly number of hours reading my Bible, suddenly the Holy Spirit would blow over me like a mighty wind and I'd become a Moses or an Abraham.
(Side note...also wimps...look it up...)
Then, while researching how the heck to start a neighborhood Bible Study, I stumbled upon a woman's blog post. I wish I could link to it but I can't find it anywhere.
She said, "The fear never goes away."
Oh.
This was a fairly freeing feeling...knowing that people I emulated were scared, too. Somehow, they did not allow fear to rule their day. Okay, I can try that.
With THAT in mind, Brenda (aka, "Melissa"...I had changed her name but she said it was cool) and I started meeting.
We'd meet and pray and then start talking. We'd share our hearts. We'd strategize. We'd pour over Bible Studies. We'd make lists of people we wanted to invite.
But we neeeeeever quite got to the point where we'd set a date.
Next meeting..."Hey! Lets NOT set a date!" Christmas was coming up. Why didn't we plan a neighborhood Christmas Party and use THAT as our jumping off point to then LATER do a Bible Study!
After spending weeks planning this party and flipping through Oriental Trading Company magazines, circling an appropriately balanced mix of Santa stickers and Baby Jesus balloons, it dawned on us...like, AS we were dog-earing a page with "Luke 2" bookmarks on it...that we were stalling.
I remember it very clearly. That day, sitting at Brenda's kitchen table, holding hands, and praying.
We told God we were too scared.
We accepted the fact that we were fearful.
Trying to rise above on our own and embrace fear as if we were those insane bungee jumper people just wasn't working.
You know what scared me? It was a vision. A vision of Brenda and I standing at our very social, very close-knit bus stop waiting with about 8 other moms for our kids. They'd all been invited to our Bible Study and were ALL huddled together talking about how Sara and Brenda somehow turned into Crazy Christians...and did you know they were those fundamental looney types?...and I bet they go door-to-door...do NOT answer the door if they try to say they need to borrow a cup of sugar!
We'd pray and plan and list people...but those names on a page morphed into real people who I KNEW and who did not live a lifestyle that seemed conducive to accepting a Bible Study invite.
God, because He truly is "rich in mercy" (Psalm 103:8, Ephesians 2:4), slowly began to adjust our vision.
I guess that's another "Rule"...or at least something to keep in mind. You are God's child! You are going to mess up! This isn't just about Being the Revival and doing great things...its about growing and maturing and learning. And you have the BEST most patient and loving Teacher.
Suddenly that old hymn "Be Thou My Vision" made sense.
My "vision" was messed up. Like Peter...
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
God was so proud of His two little girls, I just know it. He saw us amidst our pile of Oriental Trading Company magazines and our most earnest circlings of "Merry Christmas" bubbles, crying crocodile tears in our fear.
He knew we saw the wind and the waves licking at our feet. BUT...at least we tried to get out of the boat. And truly, we were crying, "Lord, save me!"
If I were God, I would've deemed those two wimpy girls as hopeless and moved on to someone else.
But, He took our eyes, and directed them back to Himself.
Our great great God.
The God who controls the wind and the waves.
The God that David saw as he looked straight into a Goliath's face and said:
“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
Now, it is a deep personal conviction of mine to not vow to cut off people's heads or declare that I will feed their carcasses to the animals. I find that abrasive in a Post-Modern culture...and illegal. But, how do you explain a little pubescent kid standing before a Giant without a thought for his own safety?
A Powerful God was more of a reality to David than A Scary Giant.
The more I understood who this God was, the more I could trust the results of my Bible Study to Him.
Brenda and I just kept adjusting our vision. Over and over.
And, you know what? I haven't arrived. I love this Bible Study. I can't even call it "my" Bible Study because it is just so stinking obvious that God has handled every detail of it. But, as much as I love it...this will be my fourth study...and I still cry in the shower each Thursday before I go to lead it.
I admit it. I panic that, after all I've done to prepare, that I don't have anything to actually say. Every week. But God, who is STILL rich in mercy, just keeps adjusting my vision.
So, just be honest with God. Tell Him you want to get out of the boat. Tell Him you are fearful. Admit it! I tell you...THAT is right where you should be. If you walk in to a situation cocky and flaunting your seminary degree and your righteous behavior...psh...God will cut you down to size in seconds. Trust me. He wants you humble. He uses helpless.
And He sees your tears and your fears and is SO proud of you for asking.
What are you afraid of? List those fears that hold you back. Then list what you know to be true about God next to it. Trust me...it will be a much bigger list. Then say those truths back to yourself.
"You are Ancient of Days....none of this surprises you, you've seen it before. You are a Mighty King...you've won the battle already, how can I fail! You are Conqueror...if God is for me, who can be against me?"
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
Be The Revival: "Just" Pray
Do you want to witness mass confusion really badly?
Get a group of Christians together and ask them how prayer works.
I have heard it all.
"Its for us, not for God."
"Scripture says if we beg God enough, He'll listen to us."
"Well...okay...its like...um. Like, God is going to do what He wants but prayer is how we become part of His great plan. If we pray toward something, and that thing happens, we get to share in the blessing of it."
"God is all powerful...but He changes His mind...if...we...um, pray? Is that right? That doesn't seem right."
"Prayer is like the fuel that makes angels do God's bidding."
I am by no means knocking these responses. Fuel for angels...I don't know about that one...but the rest seem logical...the begging thing is even Biblical (Luke 18:1-8), and, well, bless the Fuel for Angels people's hearts for trying!
I have to be honest with you. I have no idea how prayer works. But I know it does.
And its essential if I want to Be The Revival.
Confession: I'm bad about praying. I'm a doer. I'm a solver. I am not a pray-er.
Just look at my first attempt at a Bible Study.(this link isn't posting, go here: http://theyankeepeach.blogspot.com/2013/01/be-revival-appointed.html)
I just did it. And no one showed up. Now, turns out it was a good thing I still did it! But I believe God allowed me to play to my weakness to eventually reveal His strength.
Confession: There is a little more to that very first Bible Study than just "No One Came" I wanted you to see to what depth God was working by fast-forwarding to my neighbor's phone call.
But, if you notice, I stopped the narrative at 10:30am on that fateful Friday.
10:30am...I had waited 30 minutes for someone to come. Truly, no one came.
10:31am...I got a knock on my door.
It was another neighbor...a believer, down the street named Mary, that I had met before.
I have to admit, I was super disappointed. "Great!", I thought, "Another Christian. I was trying to reach seeking people, this lady is a waste of my time!" (I'm so nice)
Mary was checking in to see how my Bible Study was going, having received a flyer but also having a commitment that day.
Mary sat down and I told her about my heart to reach my friends. She told me that she struggled with the same thing.
We talked and talked and talked. We talked about how Great our God is. We wondered why we were so scared. We started wondering what God could do through us.
Then...we did something I hadn't really done alot of...we prayed.
Oh did we pray. Mary is a prayer. We wept and plead with the Lord. We confessed things. We lifted each other up. We worshiped.
We decided to meet again the next Friday..."just" to pray.
Why do we always say that? Why do we always say, "All I can do is pray!" as if, by praying, we've thrown our hands up in the air in total and utter defeat?
Why does prayer feel like a gesture of helplessness?
Well, at the time, it did feel that way. I'd tried the Bible Study thing. I'd done something bold and beautiful and failed.
Might as well try praying...
Mary and I met the next Friday. I don't know when it happened, but our conversations started changing.
The more we prayed, the less helpless we felt and the more strategic we became.
What was once, "God help us! We don't know what to do!"
Was now, "You know what, God? Isn't it interesting that (insert neighbor's name) just asked Mary to pray for her after years of turning a cold shoulder to any talk of faith? Interesting..."
Names came to mind, people were specifically mentioned before the throne of God.
We began "noticing things".
A couple tragic things happened on our quiet little street that suddenly brought the concept of eternity right to the forefront. We did not rejoice in these tragedies, but weeks and months later we noticed that they occurred and realized that we'd had some very honest conversations with neighbors.
I noticed that, instead of just trying to share the gospel quick...like taking off a band-aid...to say I'd done it, I was actually forging deep friendship and relationships built on trust.
Sometimes, I over-strategized. Sometimes, I could not stop talking to Mary about how overwhelmed I felt and helpless I felt to reach so many people.
"Calm down!", Mary would say. "Let God work. Just be patient."
I did feel so helpless. I felt like I was "just" praying. In my mind people that "just" prayed for their neighbors instead of DOING something were being wimps.
But that's where I was wrong. Prayer IS something. Prayer is EVERYTHING. Prayer is the artillery barrage before you send in the ground troops. (Me being the ground troops)
Every Friday. We prayed.
Then, 7 months later, I get the call from Melissa, who was interested in attempting the Bible Study again.
Its interesting to me that, about the time Melissa called, Mary started fading out of the picture. She often had migraines. It wasn't her fault. And she is still a vibrant prayer warrior. But, God phased out our season of prayer as I began my journey toward action. Mary passed the baton to Melissa, so to speak.
"How does prayer work?"
I could not explain to you in theological terms how prayer works. But I can tell you this. Planning this second Bible Study was an entirely different ball game.
It felt like God had literally prepared the way for us. He had actually "gone before us". As real as I see the street in front of my house, I could see God raising up individuals out of the woodwork. It was effortless.
I am trying to parse out a thousand layers of my life into blog posts...its very difficult. There is more. More from Melissa, more about our Bible Study.
But for now, your new Be the Revival rule is this:
4. You Never "Just" Pray
My friend just posted this quote today on his Facebook page:
"Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work." Oswald Chambers.
You want to Be the Revival. But you are too scared. You just had a baby. You just moved. You aren't sure if you are supposed to start a Bible Study or just plain old talk to your friends. You aren't sure WHO to talk to or what to say.
Pray.
Its your first bit of practical wisdom from the Be The Revival series. Pray.
Pray passionately.
Pray consistently.
Pray strategically.
Pray persistently.
I mentioned Luke 18...the parable about the persistent widow...I love how it starts:
"Then Jesus told them a parable to show them that they should always pray and not...lose...heart."
Here are some other things I prayed...often personalizing these prayers to read as if they were for me (ie, "Help me to be wise in the way I act, making the most of every opportunity")
Colossians 4:3-6
3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Psalm 20:7
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (for when I felt overwhelmed or scared)
1 Corinthians 2: 4,5
4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
There are so many more. As I think of them, I'll post.
Pray these verses. Mention your friends to the Lord. What a cool thing, to know that you can bring your friend or family member up before the very throne of God!
So the next time someone asks "How does prayer work?"
Be ready with your own story.
I can't wait to hear it!
Get a group of Christians together and ask them how prayer works.
I have heard it all.
"Its for us, not for God."
"Scripture says if we beg God enough, He'll listen to us."
"Well...okay...its like...um. Like, God is going to do what He wants but prayer is how we become part of His great plan. If we pray toward something, and that thing happens, we get to share in the blessing of it."
"God is all powerful...but He changes His mind...if...we...um, pray? Is that right? That doesn't seem right."
"Prayer is like the fuel that makes angels do God's bidding."
I am by no means knocking these responses. Fuel for angels...I don't know about that one...but the rest seem logical...the begging thing is even Biblical (Luke 18:1-8), and, well, bless the Fuel for Angels people's hearts for trying!
I have to be honest with you. I have no idea how prayer works. But I know it does.
And its essential if I want to Be The Revival.
Confession: I'm bad about praying. I'm a doer. I'm a solver. I am not a pray-er.
Just look at my first attempt at a Bible Study.(this link isn't posting, go here: http://theyankeepeach.blogspot.com/2013/01/be-revival-appointed.html)
I just did it. And no one showed up. Now, turns out it was a good thing I still did it! But I believe God allowed me to play to my weakness to eventually reveal His strength.
Confession: There is a little more to that very first Bible Study than just "No One Came" I wanted you to see to what depth God was working by fast-forwarding to my neighbor's phone call.
But, if you notice, I stopped the narrative at 10:30am on that fateful Friday.
10:30am...I had waited 30 minutes for someone to come. Truly, no one came.
10:31am...I got a knock on my door.
It was another neighbor...a believer, down the street named Mary, that I had met before.
I have to admit, I was super disappointed. "Great!", I thought, "Another Christian. I was trying to reach seeking people, this lady is a waste of my time!" (I'm so nice)
Mary was checking in to see how my Bible Study was going, having received a flyer but also having a commitment that day.
Mary sat down and I told her about my heart to reach my friends. She told me that she struggled with the same thing.
We talked and talked and talked. We talked about how Great our God is. We wondered why we were so scared. We started wondering what God could do through us.
Then...we did something I hadn't really done alot of...we prayed.
Oh did we pray. Mary is a prayer. We wept and plead with the Lord. We confessed things. We lifted each other up. We worshiped.
We decided to meet again the next Friday..."just" to pray.
Why do we always say that? Why do we always say, "All I can do is pray!" as if, by praying, we've thrown our hands up in the air in total and utter defeat?
Why does prayer feel like a gesture of helplessness?
Well, at the time, it did feel that way. I'd tried the Bible Study thing. I'd done something bold and beautiful and failed.
Might as well try praying...
Mary and I met the next Friday. I don't know when it happened, but our conversations started changing.
The more we prayed, the less helpless we felt and the more strategic we became.
What was once, "God help us! We don't know what to do!"
Was now, "You know what, God? Isn't it interesting that (insert neighbor's name) just asked Mary to pray for her after years of turning a cold shoulder to any talk of faith? Interesting..."
Names came to mind, people were specifically mentioned before the throne of God.
We began "noticing things".
A couple tragic things happened on our quiet little street that suddenly brought the concept of eternity right to the forefront. We did not rejoice in these tragedies, but weeks and months later we noticed that they occurred and realized that we'd had some very honest conversations with neighbors.
I noticed that, instead of just trying to share the gospel quick...like taking off a band-aid...to say I'd done it, I was actually forging deep friendship and relationships built on trust.
Sometimes, I over-strategized. Sometimes, I could not stop talking to Mary about how overwhelmed I felt and helpless I felt to reach so many people.
"Calm down!", Mary would say. "Let God work. Just be patient."
I did feel so helpless. I felt like I was "just" praying. In my mind people that "just" prayed for their neighbors instead of DOING something were being wimps.
But that's where I was wrong. Prayer IS something. Prayer is EVERYTHING. Prayer is the artillery barrage before you send in the ground troops. (Me being the ground troops)
Every Friday. We prayed.
Then, 7 months later, I get the call from Melissa, who was interested in attempting the Bible Study again.
Its interesting to me that, about the time Melissa called, Mary started fading out of the picture. She often had migraines. It wasn't her fault. And she is still a vibrant prayer warrior. But, God phased out our season of prayer as I began my journey toward action. Mary passed the baton to Melissa, so to speak.
"How does prayer work?"
I could not explain to you in theological terms how prayer works. But I can tell you this. Planning this second Bible Study was an entirely different ball game.
It felt like God had literally prepared the way for us. He had actually "gone before us". As real as I see the street in front of my house, I could see God raising up individuals out of the woodwork. It was effortless.
I am trying to parse out a thousand layers of my life into blog posts...its very difficult. There is more. More from Melissa, more about our Bible Study.
But for now, your new Be the Revival rule is this:
4. You Never "Just" Pray
My friend just posted this quote today on his Facebook page:
"Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work." Oswald Chambers.
You want to Be the Revival. But you are too scared. You just had a baby. You just moved. You aren't sure if you are supposed to start a Bible Study or just plain old talk to your friends. You aren't sure WHO to talk to or what to say.
Pray.
Its your first bit of practical wisdom from the Be The Revival series. Pray.
Pray passionately.
Pray consistently.
Pray strategically.
Pray persistently.
I mentioned Luke 18...the parable about the persistent widow...I love how it starts:
"Then Jesus told them a parable to show them that they should always pray and not...lose...heart."
Here are some other things I prayed...often personalizing these prayers to read as if they were for me (ie, "Help me to be wise in the way I act, making the most of every opportunity")
Colossians 4:3-6
3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Psalm 20:7
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (for when I felt overwhelmed or scared)
1 Corinthians 2: 4,5
4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
There are so many more. As I think of them, I'll post.
Pray these verses. Mention your friends to the Lord. What a cool thing, to know that you can bring your friend or family member up before the very throne of God!
So the next time someone asks "How does prayer work?"
Be ready with your own story.
I can't wait to hear it!
Friday, February 1, 2013
Be the Revival: You Can Not Fail
If you truly want to stop "going through the motions", as Matthew West said in his song, stop hoping that Revival sweeps this land, and start Being the Revival in your little realm, you need to keep this very very very important thing in mind.
3. You Can Not Fail
I despise failure. Actually, I fear failure. My entire life, I have always only done things at which I know I will succeed. I still struggle with this on a daily basis. It cripples me more than people know, and has hurt my ministry, my family, and my friendships at times. I famously told my Worship Pastor that I have a Church Music degree and several years' experience in Worship Ministry before I had kids. He was so excited, and listed about 5 things I could do. I said, "Oh, no...oh, I'm not ready for that...I mean, its been 4 years...I'm so rusty." I offered my help, then rejected him on every level. I get reminded of that often :)
BUT, as far as Being the Revival went, I'd already decided not to Wait 'Til I'm Great and remembered that I was Appointed, so I felt a little more ready to take the plunge.
My flyers went out, the friends and family prayed, the cookies were baked, the Bible Study was at 10am and my husband was going to call at 11:30am to see how it went.
10am came.
Then 10:15.
Then 10:30.
No one came.
I sat, perched on my little red sofa, staring at the door.
No one.
Stinking.
Came.
During that 30 minutes, I had quite a little spiritual journey. But not what you probably think. I didn't go through shock, denial, embarrassment, only to rally and move on.
No, I sat there, waiting for all those emotions. But they didn't happen. In fact, I felt fantastic!!! I was pleasantly shocked! Around 10:30am, it dawned on me that God had given me a precious gift.
Failure.
Because, honestly, isn't that the thing we dread most about sharing our faith? Failure?
I failed! No one came!
...and I was alive to tell about it!
I was not ashamed, I was not embarrassed, I was not mad. I'd faced my biggest, most crippling fear and felt just fine. Its as if I thought a big monster was under my bed, but my Heavenly Father came into my room, turned on the lights and showed me that it was all an illusion.
Want to know why?
There is no failure in obedience.
Do you hear me? Say it out loud to yourself! THERE IS NO FAILURE IN OBEDIENCE.
Think about it.
Can God fail?
No! Then, if He asks you to do something and you obey Him, can YOU fail?
No.
So what if no one came? I had obeyed!!! After YEARS of saying "no", I said "yes"!! And it felt SO stinking good!
I wanted to run and tell everyone I knew, "NO ONE CAME! AND IT WASN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL!"
If I wrote a book on my experience, I'd want the title to be, "NO ONE CAME!!"
I had prayed so hard in prepping for that Bible Study, that God would do "immeasurably more than (I) could ask or imagine." And He did! I could not imagine the untold amount of freedom that could come from simply obeying without the satisfaction of seeing any results.
And now, the gift keeps on giving. I'm heard alot of speakers get up and share about their successes. I go away inspired, but think, "I can never be like them." I'm not Billy Graham. I'm not Mike Eleveld (my Dad), I'm not Andy Stanley. And quickly return to my every day life, assuming that God has just called me to be average.
But ONLY at Yankee Peach will you find motivation through my total lack of success! The standard is so low...you can be motivated AND surpass me...kill two birds with one stone.
Don't worry, my friends, if you totally bomb in the name of Jesus. If God asks you to do something, do it. Sure, it may not have succeeded by the world's standard, but you can now rest your head on your pillow knowing that you obeyed God and that He never ever fails.
And He doesn't fail.
My story is not done.
7 Months Later...
I'm minding my own business. Living life. And I get a call.
Its a woman on my street that I barely know.
"Hey Sara, this is Melissa. You put a flyer in my mailbox a long time ago about a Bible Study. I couldn't go and I'm sorry I never said anything to you. But since then, God has been convicting me. I have lived in this neighborhood 14 years and have never been bold with my friends. I kept thinking about that flyer. I'm scared, but I need to try and do something. Are you at all still interested in leading a Bible Study? Maybe I can help you somehow..."
God. Does. Not. Fail.
(To Be Continued...)
3. You Can Not Fail
I despise failure. Actually, I fear failure. My entire life, I have always only done things at which I know I will succeed. I still struggle with this on a daily basis. It cripples me more than people know, and has hurt my ministry, my family, and my friendships at times. I famously told my Worship Pastor that I have a Church Music degree and several years' experience in Worship Ministry before I had kids. He was so excited, and listed about 5 things I could do. I said, "Oh, no...oh, I'm not ready for that...I mean, its been 4 years...I'm so rusty." I offered my help, then rejected him on every level. I get reminded of that often :)
BUT, as far as Being the Revival went, I'd already decided not to Wait 'Til I'm Great and remembered that I was Appointed, so I felt a little more ready to take the plunge.
My flyers went out, the friends and family prayed, the cookies were baked, the Bible Study was at 10am and my husband was going to call at 11:30am to see how it went.
10am came.
Then 10:15.
Then 10:30.
No one came.
I sat, perched on my little red sofa, staring at the door.
No one.
Stinking.
Came.
During that 30 minutes, I had quite a little spiritual journey. But not what you probably think. I didn't go through shock, denial, embarrassment, only to rally and move on.
No, I sat there, waiting for all those emotions. But they didn't happen. In fact, I felt fantastic!!! I was pleasantly shocked! Around 10:30am, it dawned on me that God had given me a precious gift.
Failure.
Because, honestly, isn't that the thing we dread most about sharing our faith? Failure?
I failed! No one came!
...and I was alive to tell about it!
I was not ashamed, I was not embarrassed, I was not mad. I'd faced my biggest, most crippling fear and felt just fine. Its as if I thought a big monster was under my bed, but my Heavenly Father came into my room, turned on the lights and showed me that it was all an illusion.
Want to know why?
There is no failure in obedience.
Do you hear me? Say it out loud to yourself! THERE IS NO FAILURE IN OBEDIENCE.
Think about it.
Can God fail?
No! Then, if He asks you to do something and you obey Him, can YOU fail?
No.
So what if no one came? I had obeyed!!! After YEARS of saying "no", I said "yes"!! And it felt SO stinking good!
I wanted to run and tell everyone I knew, "NO ONE CAME! AND IT WASN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL!"
If I wrote a book on my experience, I'd want the title to be, "NO ONE CAME!!"
I had prayed so hard in prepping for that Bible Study, that God would do "immeasurably more than (I) could ask or imagine." And He did! I could not imagine the untold amount of freedom that could come from simply obeying without the satisfaction of seeing any results.
And now, the gift keeps on giving. I'm heard alot of speakers get up and share about their successes. I go away inspired, but think, "I can never be like them." I'm not Billy Graham. I'm not Mike Eleveld (my Dad), I'm not Andy Stanley. And quickly return to my every day life, assuming that God has just called me to be average.
But ONLY at Yankee Peach will you find motivation through my total lack of success! The standard is so low...you can be motivated AND surpass me...kill two birds with one stone.
Don't worry, my friends, if you totally bomb in the name of Jesus. If God asks you to do something, do it. Sure, it may not have succeeded by the world's standard, but you can now rest your head on your pillow knowing that you obeyed God and that He never ever fails.
And He doesn't fail.
My story is not done.
7 Months Later...
I'm minding my own business. Living life. And I get a call.
Its a woman on my street that I barely know.
"Hey Sara, this is Melissa. You put a flyer in my mailbox a long time ago about a Bible Study. I couldn't go and I'm sorry I never said anything to you. But since then, God has been convicting me. I have lived in this neighborhood 14 years and have never been bold with my friends. I kept thinking about that flyer. I'm scared, but I need to try and do something. Are you at all still interested in leading a Bible Study? Maybe I can help you somehow..."
God. Does. Not. Fail.
(To Be Continued...)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Be The Revival: Appointed
Story Time!!!
God had been pestering me for quite some time. He was really getting annoying. We moved alot, and EVERY TIME we did, He would impress upon my heart the need to do more in my new neighborhood than just be "neighborly".
He didn't want me to be the girl who gave casseroles to people when they were sick or the girl that people knew not to swear around.
Funny thing...it seems like, as Christians, we feel like we've accomplished much for the advancement of God's Kingdom by being the person people know not to swear around. I'm judgy. Its true.
He kept telling me that those things were just being a nice person, but didn't mean much in the scheme of eternity if I did not connect my goodness to Christ.
Okay! Absolutely! Here am I, send me!
But...then my babies were small.
But...then it was winter and we never went outside.
But...then I already knew my neighbors and now its just plain awkward to bring up my faith!
Slowly...every so slowly...I forgot.
Evangelism, for me, became like flossing. Something I KNEW I should do...but just somehow forgot about.
House after house. State after State.
Meanwhile, God got more and more irritating. And, yes, God can be irritating...just ask Jonah.
Then, we moved from Michigan to Georgia. It was sudden and miraculous. Everything came together so smoothly.
Too smoothly, really.
It dawned on my husband and I that, maybe God wasn't moving us because He wanted George to make more money or for us to get away from the cold. MAYBE God cared very little about our comfort and happiness. MAYBE...we were being appointed.
This is point number two toward Being the Revival....
2. YOU ARE APPOINTED
How does that change things for you...to think of yourself as appointed? You don't live in your house because that house was the right price, with a full basement, and a 4th bedroom for guests.
You live in your house because you were appointed to your neighborhood.
You don't have the crazy insane family that you have because your Irish immigrant grandparents met at a country dance in the 1930s and the rest was history.
You have your crazy insane family because you were appointed to it.
You don't have your career because you moved up the corporate ladder and paid your dues.
You were appointed.
You are part of a Strategic and Divine Plan.
God has a task for you.
And that task is more than just raising healthy babies and being the person everyone knows not to swear around.
2 Corinthians 5:20 says
We are, therefore, ambassadors for Christ as though God were making His appeal through us. We plead with you, on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God!"
If you are a Christian. You are an ambassador. You are representing God and YOU speak to the world regarding God's appeal for reconciliation.
My Dad (remember him? You will hear from him alot in Be The Revival posts) says it this way:
"If you are a Christian, you ARE an ambassador. Its just a matter of if you are a good one or not."
UGHHHHHHHHHHHH! That kills me every time!
It killed me, one night, as I was chopping vegetables in my kitchen. Just minding my own business, chopping away.
Up to that moment, God was really pressing me hard to reach my neighborhood for Christ. I was torn up, but too scared to do anything about it! My pastor could speak on tithing and I would go home convicted that I needed to share my faith with my neighbors. It was nuts. God was in relentless pursuit and I deeply resented the struggle.
So...there I was...chopping vegetables. When all of a sudden, the song "Going Through the Motions" by Matthew West came on the radio. I'd heard it a million times. But suddenly, I laid down my knife and my tomato and began to sob.
God had been pestering me for quite some time. He was really getting annoying. We moved alot, and EVERY TIME we did, He would impress upon my heart the need to do more in my new neighborhood than just be "neighborly".
He didn't want me to be the girl who gave casseroles to people when they were sick or the girl that people knew not to swear around.
Funny thing...it seems like, as Christians, we feel like we've accomplished much for the advancement of God's Kingdom by being the person people know not to swear around. I'm judgy. Its true.
He kept telling me that those things were just being a nice person, but didn't mean much in the scheme of eternity if I did not connect my goodness to Christ.
Okay! Absolutely! Here am I, send me!
But...then my babies were small.
But...then it was winter and we never went outside.
But...then I already knew my neighbors and now its just plain awkward to bring up my faith!
Slowly...every so slowly...I forgot.
Evangelism, for me, became like flossing. Something I KNEW I should do...but just somehow forgot about.
House after house. State after State.
Meanwhile, God got more and more irritating. And, yes, God can be irritating...just ask Jonah.
Then, we moved from Michigan to Georgia. It was sudden and miraculous. Everything came together so smoothly.
Too smoothly, really.
It dawned on my husband and I that, maybe God wasn't moving us because He wanted George to make more money or for us to get away from the cold. MAYBE God cared very little about our comfort and happiness. MAYBE...we were being appointed.
This is point number two toward Being the Revival....
2. YOU ARE APPOINTED
How does that change things for you...to think of yourself as appointed? You don't live in your house because that house was the right price, with a full basement, and a 4th bedroom for guests.
You live in your house because you were appointed to your neighborhood.
You don't have the crazy insane family that you have because your Irish immigrant grandparents met at a country dance in the 1930s and the rest was history.
You have your crazy insane family because you were appointed to it.
You don't have your career because you moved up the corporate ladder and paid your dues.
You were appointed.
You are part of a Strategic and Divine Plan.
God has a task for you.
And that task is more than just raising healthy babies and being the person everyone knows not to swear around.
2 Corinthians 5:20 says
We are, therefore, ambassadors for Christ as though God were making His appeal through us. We plead with you, on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God!"
If you are a Christian. You are an ambassador. You are representing God and YOU speak to the world regarding God's appeal for reconciliation.
My Dad (remember him? You will hear from him alot in Be The Revival posts) says it this way:
"If you are a Christian, you ARE an ambassador. Its just a matter of if you are a good one or not."
UGHHHHHHHHHHHH! That kills me every time!
It killed me, one night, as I was chopping vegetables in my kitchen. Just minding my own business, chopping away.
Up to that moment, God was really pressing me hard to reach my neighborhood for Christ. I was torn up, but too scared to do anything about it! My pastor could speak on tithing and I would go home convicted that I needed to share my faith with my neighbors. It was nuts. God was in relentless pursuit and I deeply resented the struggle.
So...there I was...chopping vegetables. When all of a sudden, the song "Going Through the Motions" by Matthew West came on the radio. I'd heard it a million times. But suddenly, I laid down my knife and my tomato and began to sob.
"'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"
That was it. The irritation and guilt became stronger than my fear! My time as mediocre ambassador was over. I had been appointed...time to step up to the front lines.
I did very little thinking...or praying (but more on that later!)...I just acted. I had to act fast before I could change my mind. I decided the best thing to do would be to start a Bible Study. I made up really pretty flyers. I canvased my street (sure it was just my street...but its a long street, I swear!). If people weren't home, I left them in mailboxes.
I THEN took my HOA phone book and literally cold-called a bunch of people that I did not know but that lived all around me. I am mortified when I think about it, even as I write about being brave:) I did not relent!
But do not think about me as this amazing person. Remember, this took years to accomplish. I was a total wimp!
That's the thing about realizing that you are appointed, though. It also means realizing that Someone has appointed you. Someone thinks you are the best person for the job. Someone has your back.
Think about it. An American Ambassador in France. Paid by the U.S. In constant communication with the U.S. Backed by all the power and influence and guns and military and might and distinction of the U.S. Face it...whatever your view on American foreign policy...if you are a US Ambassador...you have sway.
Remember, point one? Don't Wait 'Til You're Great Remember that you are ordinary...but God speaks through you.
If you are appointed by God, then you are also equipped by God!
Once I let go. Once I realized that fear was not an excuse...that I would always be a little afraid, but that courage comes from accomplishing things in spite of the fear. Once that happened, God ignited a fire in me that was not my own.
For weeks I prepared. Then, the Friday of my first Bible Study came! I was new to the neighborhood and didn't know what or who to expect, really. I made cookies. I situated everything in my front room. I had all my notes and worksheets. I had people praying for me.
The rest was up to God.
And boy, did He make "the rest" SO much more than I bargained for!
To...Be...Continued...
Be The Revival: Don't Wait "Til You're Great
I sat down today and stared at a blank screen, completely unsure what to type or where to start.
Thank goodness for pushy (and loving!) friends...one in particular...who has said enough is enough and I need to write something!
Let's start with a pep talk. More than anything, Christians need pep talks in order to stop hoping for Revival and to start Being the Revival.
The very first thing I have learned is this:
1. DO NOT WAIT 'TIL YOU'RE GREAT
I bring your attention now to a passage in scripture that was first shared with me at SEMP (Son-life Evangelism Missions Project)...a week-long intensive training course in Chicago that changed my life.
Acts 4:13
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus."
To really get this passage, you need the set up. Read Acts 4:1-12. John and Peter were preaching and got arrested for healing a man in the name of Jesus. The Sadducees...a very scary, very powerful sect of Judaism...brought John and Peter into their midst for questioning.
This was not an organized American Court system . This was men, in a circular auditorium, seated on ancient bleachers, looking down on John and Peter both figuratively and literally. (Now, this next part is from my Dad....a very wise biblical scholar) The prisoners were expected to face their questioner. SO, the Sadducees would do rapid-fire questioning from opposite sides of the circle in order to intentionally confuse their victims/prisoners. It was a terrible position for Peter and John.
But Peter gets bold...
"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’[a] 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Boo...flippin'...yah!!!
Peter stood up the to Sadducees. Not only that, he pointed the finger back at THEM! If there was a sound system there, I imagine Peter throwing his mic on the ground and strutting off the stage while "We Will Rock You" played in the background.
"Such a great man!" you say.
"Oh, I could share my faith if I had THAT kind of courage!" you exclaim.
But wait. Hold on. Its not just his courage! That's only half of it!
The Sadducees...
1. "Saw the courage of Peter and John"
BUT they also...
2. "realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men"
Their ordinary-ness was their secret weapon!!
Then what? Did the Sadducees get super impressed with them and ask for their autograph? Did they comment amongst themselves that they were obviously interviewing true greatness?
NO!
"They were astonished and took note that these men...
had
been
with
Jesus."
You feel a prompting in your heart. You KNOW what you have to do. You KNOW you need to view your neighbors, your friends, your family as people in need of truth and love. But you are so scared!
"Oh, God!", you cry, "I am SO ordinary!"
"Oh, Lord!", you cry, "I am SO unschooled in how to do this!"
Perfect.
I can't tell you how many times, when talking to someone, the thought has popped into my head, "Ugh, I'm screwing this up. I'm accidently making them an Athiest. If my Dad were here instead of me, this person would get what I am trying to say."
No. Wrong. Total Lie.
If my Dad was supposed to talk to a lady on a flight from Amsterdam, God would have put my Dad in that seat. But He did not.
If God wanted your pastor to share his faith with your neighbor, He would've had HIM fall in love with your house, get a good deal on it, and move in. If God wanted anyone else in the universe to touch the lives in your sphere of influence, He would have done so.
He does not want anyone else in the entire universe.
He wants you.
And, here's the secret...Peter wasn't even all that brave. Not on his own anyway.
He didn't whip up some courage before speaking. He didn't dig deep and become a successful orator on his own merit.
No. He was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Hey, you have the Holy Spirit! I have the Holy Spirit!
Your excuses are just excuses. You literally have all the resources of heaven...including the Counselor and Helper.
Let me leave you with a pre-Holy Spirit passage, but one that reminds me why I can be ordinary and unschooled and still risk great things for God.
Exodus 4: 10-12
The Moses said, "Oh Lord, I have never been eloquent. Neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow in speech and tongue. The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, go! I will help you to speak and will teach you what to say."
Don't wait 'til you're great. It'll never happen.
God wants you ordinary and unschooled so that people will notice HIM not YOU!
On top of that...HE will give you the words.
Honestly, if God is in it and the Holy Spirit is working through you, you could stare at the person, throw up, then walk away, and God would use it.
I strongly suggest you write these verses on 3x5 cards like I did many years ago, and let them be a constant pep talk for you.
Now "Go"...as God says. And Don't Wait 'Til You're Great.
Thank goodness for pushy (and loving!) friends...one in particular...who has said enough is enough and I need to write something!
Let's start with a pep talk. More than anything, Christians need pep talks in order to stop hoping for Revival and to start Being the Revival.
The very first thing I have learned is this:
1. DO NOT WAIT 'TIL YOU'RE GREAT
I bring your attention now to a passage in scripture that was first shared with me at SEMP (Son-life Evangelism Missions Project)...a week-long intensive training course in Chicago that changed my life.
Acts 4:13
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus."
To really get this passage, you need the set up. Read Acts 4:1-12. John and Peter were preaching and got arrested for healing a man in the name of Jesus. The Sadducees...a very scary, very powerful sect of Judaism...brought John and Peter into their midst for questioning.
This was not an organized American Court system . This was men, in a circular auditorium, seated on ancient bleachers, looking down on John and Peter both figuratively and literally. (Now, this next part is from my Dad....a very wise biblical scholar) The prisoners were expected to face their questioner. SO, the Sadducees would do rapid-fire questioning from opposite sides of the circle in order to intentionally confuse their victims/prisoners. It was a terrible position for Peter and John.
But Peter gets bold...
"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’[a] 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Boo...flippin'...yah!!!
Peter stood up the to Sadducees. Not only that, he pointed the finger back at THEM! If there was a sound system there, I imagine Peter throwing his mic on the ground and strutting off the stage while "We Will Rock You" played in the background.
"Such a great man!" you say.
"Oh, I could share my faith if I had THAT kind of courage!" you exclaim.
But wait. Hold on. Its not just his courage! That's only half of it!
The Sadducees...
1. "Saw the courage of Peter and John"
BUT they also...
2. "realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men"
Their ordinary-ness was their secret weapon!!
Then what? Did the Sadducees get super impressed with them and ask for their autograph? Did they comment amongst themselves that they were obviously interviewing true greatness?
NO!
"They were astonished and took note that these men...
had
been
with
Jesus."
You feel a prompting in your heart. You KNOW what you have to do. You KNOW you need to view your neighbors, your friends, your family as people in need of truth and love. But you are so scared!
"Oh, God!", you cry, "I am SO ordinary!"
"Oh, Lord!", you cry, "I am SO unschooled in how to do this!"
Perfect.
I can't tell you how many times, when talking to someone, the thought has popped into my head, "Ugh, I'm screwing this up. I'm accidently making them an Athiest. If my Dad were here instead of me, this person would get what I am trying to say."
No. Wrong. Total Lie.
If my Dad was supposed to talk to a lady on a flight from Amsterdam, God would have put my Dad in that seat. But He did not.
If God wanted your pastor to share his faith with your neighbor, He would've had HIM fall in love with your house, get a good deal on it, and move in. If God wanted anyone else in the universe to touch the lives in your sphere of influence, He would have done so.
He does not want anyone else in the entire universe.
He wants you.
And, here's the secret...Peter wasn't even all that brave. Not on his own anyway.
He didn't whip up some courage before speaking. He didn't dig deep and become a successful orator on his own merit.
No. He was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Hey, you have the Holy Spirit! I have the Holy Spirit!
Your excuses are just excuses. You literally have all the resources of heaven...including the Counselor and Helper.
Let me leave you with a pre-Holy Spirit passage, but one that reminds me why I can be ordinary and unschooled and still risk great things for God.
Exodus 4: 10-12
The Moses said, "Oh Lord, I have never been eloquent. Neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow in speech and tongue. The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, go! I will help you to speak and will teach you what to say."
Don't wait 'til you're great. It'll never happen.
God wants you ordinary and unschooled so that people will notice HIM not YOU!
On top of that...HE will give you the words.
Honestly, if God is in it and the Holy Spirit is working through you, you could stare at the person, throw up, then walk away, and God would use it.
I strongly suggest you write these verses on 3x5 cards like I did many years ago, and let them be a constant pep talk for you.
Now "Go"...as God says. And Don't Wait 'Til You're Great.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Globes Fashion 2013
I can't decide whether to take this from a "This is what I would wear to pick up my Best Lead Actress in a Musical/Comedy award" angle or from a "This is what I think people will wear" angle. So, it might be a little bit of both.
Here's the thing about the Globes. Its the homely sister of the ravishing Academy Awards. Its cool and all, and has a great personality, but you don't pull out all the stops until Oscar Night. Its important to look good but you don't want to peak early.
STILL...I'm calling dibs...even though it shouldn't be worn until the Academy Awards...
I find this dress to be completely breathtaking and a lovely departure from the mermaid and column dresses we see constantly. Its exquisite. I will need to have the worlds best spray tan because my pink skin is not a fan of yellow but its my favorite.
But, if I'm going understated...
This is very Michelle Williams, to me. Or..
I'm a sucker for Oscar. My grandma is a classy broad who owns several "Oscars". They are just as beautiful today as they were in 70s when she wore them.
I like these pretty drapey things, too...
Those are both Zac Posens.
I'm so tired of the mermaid thing. INSTEAD lets move on to classic dresses with a little twist.
Okay, I've just decided to save my yellow Oscar for the actual Oscars. I'll wear the one shouldered number instead. Wish me luck!
Here's the thing about the Globes. Its the homely sister of the ravishing Academy Awards. Its cool and all, and has a great personality, but you don't pull out all the stops until Oscar Night. Its important to look good but you don't want to peak early.
STILL...I'm calling dibs...even though it shouldn't be worn until the Academy Awards...
 |
| Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2013 |
But, if I'm going understated...
 |
| Caroline Herrara, Fall 2013 |
 | |
| Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2013 |
I like these pretty drapey things, too...
 |
| Pucci, Fall 2013 |
 |
| Jason Wu, Fall 2013 |
 | |||||
| Helmut Lang, Fall 2012 |
 | |||||||
| Zac Posen, Fall 2013 |
Or, since Sofia Vergara will be there and will need something to wear...
I'm so tired of the mermaid thing. INSTEAD lets move on to classic dresses with a little twist.
 |
| Pucci, Fall 2013 |
 |
| Prapal Gurung, Fall 2013 |
 | ||
| Caroline Herrara, Fall 2013 |
 |
| Jason Wu, Fall 2013 |
 |
| Oscar de la Renta, Fall 2013 |
 |
| My boyfriend, Oscar, Fall 2013 |
Okay, I've just decided to save my yellow Oscar for the actual Oscars. I'll wear the one shouldered number instead. Wish me luck!
Monday, December 17, 2012
Be The Revival
Tragedy struck on Friday.
There is no point in asking why. At no point will we say, "Ohhhhh, THAT'S why that guy murdered 20 sweet babies and several of their caretakers!"
But I want to tell you a couple things. In my Bible Study, I try to give one encouragement and one challenge. I think we should start with the encouragement, don't you? We all need it.
God is "Jehova Rapha"...God Our Healer.
There is no point in asking why. At no point will we say, "Ohhhhh, THAT'S why that guy murdered 20 sweet babies and several of their caretakers!"
But I want to tell you a couple things. In my Bible Study, I try to give one encouragement and one challenge. I think we should start with the encouragement, don't you? We all need it.
God is "Jehova Rapha"...God Our Healer.
“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord
your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His
commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases
on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” - Exodus 15:26
Some names of God are ones that were assigned to Him by people who experienced Him in a unique way. This one, He gave Himself. He wanted us to know that He is the Healer, whether we'd experienced it yet or not.
Trust me, my dear friends. You are currently being healed. The minute the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary struck, God began the healing process.
You do not feel it, you cannot see it. You probably don't think it will ever happen for you, let alone for those poor parents of those children.
But, God is in the business of healing. One definition of "Jehova Rapha" is that He Restores Us. If God can do the impossible and restore a fallen race of man to their Holy Heavenly Father, He can heal you from the senseless evil in the world. Our hearts may have a scar, but we will heal.
I won't go on. You need to grieve and be sad. But, please, if it helps at all...know that even as you grieve you are currently being healed. The only thing that would stand in the way is your own anger toward God. Let Him heal. And be patient.
God is Emmanuel....God With Us.
I hate to do this to you. But I have a challenge. The name Emmanuel was given in a prophecy regarding Christ's birth. "God"..."with us"...was an incredible concept to the Israelites, who had to contain God (in a sense) in the Holy of Holies for fear of being struck dead at the sight of Him.
There is alot of public outrage against our schools for the "lack of God in our schools". I get it. Trust me. I fight it on a daily basis. My kids don't want to pray or share their faith because they think they are not allowed to do it. My husband and I are constantly working to correct that notion.
Right now...in the wake of grotesque tragedy...is not the time for Christian Indignance. Its time for Christian Compassion. Write your school administrators and teachers and let them know you are praying for them. They are having a tough tough time. Most are good people.
But the real challenge is this. If God is "With Us", then He is in our schools. If we are going to assign blame by saying that there is no God in our schools, then we need to shoulder some of that responsibility for not letting God show THROUGH US in our schools.
If you are a Believer and have set foot in a public school...God is in that school.
I am NOT trying to assign blame. Again, we will never know why this happened. But instead of defaming good people who are also grieving, and throwing our hands up as if helpless to ever see God in our schools again, lets do something!
Take this tragedy and do NOT let evil have the last word. Set foot in your kids' schools and let God show!
I am having a hard time abiding this notion that "God is not allowed in our schools". What?!? When, in the history of mankind, has the Supreme Ruler of the Universe ever cowed in fear at the Laws of Man? Do you think there is a piece of legislation anywhere that will keep God from advancing His Kingdom? If this notion were valid, the Middle East would not enjoy the many many conversions to Christ that it is currently experiencing. China would not have an ever-expanding labyrinth of underground churches. Christendom, as a movement, would have died before it even began. The traditional seat of Christianity is in Rome...at the time of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, Christianity was spreading like wildfire in a completely Pagan city that used Believers as Gladiator-bate.
Do laws expand God's Kingdom? No. People do. HIS people.
Christians, I love you, but wake up. You are living in a dream world if you think prayer is going to be established in school again. You are refusing to acknowledge major portions of Scripture if you think the world is somehow going to become easier for followers of Christ.
I want all the things you want. But, lets face it, establishing some sort of public prayer in school just means that a bunch of people will spit out a prayer without any personal relationship with Jesus. Our seemingly lofty aspiration is really a temporary, earthly one. Its relying on the government to "fix things" by legislating morality. Its lazy. Its beneath...way beneath...God's calling for our lives to "shine like stars in the universe...in a crooked and deperaved generation" (paraphrase of Phillipians 2:15)
WE...our message...the hope we hide in our heart where no one can see it...can turn the tide in this nation! But who is willing to make a stand? And, no, I don't mean the kind of stand where you picket with angry signs in front of a courthouse. This kind of stand...
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for the salvation of souls." Romans 1:16
Its time to stop hoping for Revival. Its time to go past praying for Revival.
Its time to BE the Revival.
How? Hm...sounds like a Yankee Peach series to me...
Some names of God are ones that were assigned to Him by people who experienced Him in a unique way. This one, He gave Himself. He wanted us to know that He is the Healer, whether we'd experienced it yet or not.
Trust me, my dear friends. You are currently being healed. The minute the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary struck, God began the healing process.
You do not feel it, you cannot see it. You probably don't think it will ever happen for you, let alone for those poor parents of those children.
But, God is in the business of healing. One definition of "Jehova Rapha" is that He Restores Us. If God can do the impossible and restore a fallen race of man to their Holy Heavenly Father, He can heal you from the senseless evil in the world. Our hearts may have a scar, but we will heal.
I won't go on. You need to grieve and be sad. But, please, if it helps at all...know that even as you grieve you are currently being healed. The only thing that would stand in the way is your own anger toward God. Let Him heal. And be patient.
God is Emmanuel....God With Us.
I hate to do this to you. But I have a challenge. The name Emmanuel was given in a prophecy regarding Christ's birth. "God"..."with us"...was an incredible concept to the Israelites, who had to contain God (in a sense) in the Holy of Holies for fear of being struck dead at the sight of Him.
There is alot of public outrage against our schools for the "lack of God in our schools". I get it. Trust me. I fight it on a daily basis. My kids don't want to pray or share their faith because they think they are not allowed to do it. My husband and I are constantly working to correct that notion.
Right now...in the wake of grotesque tragedy...is not the time for Christian Indignance. Its time for Christian Compassion. Write your school administrators and teachers and let them know you are praying for them. They are having a tough tough time. Most are good people.
But the real challenge is this. If God is "With Us", then He is in our schools. If we are going to assign blame by saying that there is no God in our schools, then we need to shoulder some of that responsibility for not letting God show THROUGH US in our schools.
If you are a Believer and have set foot in a public school...God is in that school.
I am NOT trying to assign blame. Again, we will never know why this happened. But instead of defaming good people who are also grieving, and throwing our hands up as if helpless to ever see God in our schools again, lets do something!
Take this tragedy and do NOT let evil have the last word. Set foot in your kids' schools and let God show!
I am having a hard time abiding this notion that "God is not allowed in our schools". What?!? When, in the history of mankind, has the Supreme Ruler of the Universe ever cowed in fear at the Laws of Man? Do you think there is a piece of legislation anywhere that will keep God from advancing His Kingdom? If this notion were valid, the Middle East would not enjoy the many many conversions to Christ that it is currently experiencing. China would not have an ever-expanding labyrinth of underground churches. Christendom, as a movement, would have died before it even began. The traditional seat of Christianity is in Rome...at the time of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, Christianity was spreading like wildfire in a completely Pagan city that used Believers as Gladiator-bate.
Do laws expand God's Kingdom? No. People do. HIS people.
Christians, I love you, but wake up. You are living in a dream world if you think prayer is going to be established in school again. You are refusing to acknowledge major portions of Scripture if you think the world is somehow going to become easier for followers of Christ.
I want all the things you want. But, lets face it, establishing some sort of public prayer in school just means that a bunch of people will spit out a prayer without any personal relationship with Jesus. Our seemingly lofty aspiration is really a temporary, earthly one. Its relying on the government to "fix things" by legislating morality. Its lazy. Its beneath...way beneath...God's calling for our lives to "shine like stars in the universe...in a crooked and deperaved generation" (paraphrase of Phillipians 2:15)
WE...our message...the hope we hide in our heart where no one can see it...can turn the tide in this nation! But who is willing to make a stand? And, no, I don't mean the kind of stand where you picket with angry signs in front of a courthouse. This kind of stand...
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for the salvation of souls." Romans 1:16
Its time to stop hoping for Revival. Its time to go past praying for Revival.
Its time to BE the Revival.
How? Hm...sounds like a Yankee Peach series to me...
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