Devotions

A long time ago, decades really, when our children were young, Bob and I hosted seven men who had come to Sacramento for Bible training. They were from Canada, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Indonesia, and two from the USA. One spoke very little English. One did not bathe regularly, as that was “unmanly” in his culture. A couple had no idea what was being served to them at mealtime since they had nothing like that in their own country. But all loved the Lord and were enthusiastic about serving God. They danced and sang with our children in the evenings. It was a great experience for them and for us.

I was reminded of the young man from Nigeria today, John Okoriko, when I read the article in the Christian Post.  It opened: “Church leaders in Nigeria have said that Christians are experiencing “pure genocide” as 6,000 people…have been murdered by Fulani radicals since January.”

The article went on to declare that 200 Christians have been martyred in just the last weeks. I wondered about John. I wondered about all our young men.  Are they still alive, are they still serving the Lord? What happened to them when they returned to their native lands.

At times we only have a short while to make an impact on people for the Lord.  We scatter our seed, we water the seeds already scattered. We may or may not see the harvest. That does not negate the command to scatter our seed to everyone in courageous humility.  We invested a few weeks into seven young men. They took our love and God’s love back to their home lands. I pray they were able to reap a harvest there.

Mark 4:3-20: “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”  Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  [vs 8-9 NIV]

https://www.christianpost.com/news/pure-genocide-over-6000-nigerian-christians-slaughtered-mostly-women-children-225655/

House prices are skyrocketing in our area, so are rentals, apartments, condos, etc. There are subdivisions going in everywhere (but most of the homes are large, fancy and priced out of range for many). Many families cannot find affordable homes. We know a family that is right now being forced to leave their affordable rental by the end of the month so the owner can fix it up and sell it. They cannot find any place available that they can afford.

Bob and I on fixed incomes are also finding it difficult to keep up.  As the value of our home rises more each year, so do the taxes and insurance. Last year’s 2 percent “increase” for social security netted $2 less for me, $1 more for Bob as our Medicare premiums rose and gobbled up all the increase.

We have talked about selling the house while prices are high, but where would we live afterwards? Apartments are just as expensive and even more scarce.  While it is bad in our area, it is even worse in others.  The America dream is rapidly becoming the America nightmare for a lot of people.

The values in our country have certainly changed.  It seems we have become a culture of greed and covetousness.  While we are wanting more and demanding more, we have lost sight of what used to be this country’s greatest asset … its people. Wealth is not what is important, people are.

Jesus told us to be careful about what we treasure. He was clear in Luke 12: “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  [v 33-34 NIV]

As Christians, our treasure and our rewards are not of this world. It is what we do unto the Lord for others that matters. “Where is your treasure?”

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”  [Eph 6:10-11 NIV]

Take a minute and read Ephesians 6:10-18. Notice a word that is repeated over and over … that five-letter word “stand.”

One of the hardest things to do sometimes is simply to stand. Much easier to walk or run. Standing in the face of fear, or opposition, or difficulties is hard. Standing when the winds of circumstances are blowing against you is downright tough. (Ever watch those weather reporters trying to stand and report during a hurricane? That’s what I mean about standing.)

Yet, standing is what we must do at times–standing firm in the face of false accusations, in the time of trials and personal attacks. I was listening to Rick Rigsby’s famous commencement speech the other day, “Lessons from a third-grade dropout.” I was reminded of the fortitude it takes to simply stand when he recounts toward the end of this video the last words of advice his father gave him. As they stood at the casket of Rigsby’s beloved wife, his dad said to him, “Son, just stand.”  Meaning “don’t ever give up.”

That’s what Paul is saying to us … son, daughter, just stand – don’t ever give up. Put on the full armor that God supplies and stand against the devil’s schemes aimed at you.  Just stand.

Beloved, just stand. Be the person God has called you to be no matter what comes against you!

Link     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_Q7KYWG1g

I’m not a fan of the modern 4^th of July and I don’t care for fireworks. If you ask the man standing behind you in Walmart today with a slab of ribs under one arm and a case of beer under the other what this holiday is all about, he might not know. I remember a segment with Jay Leno on the Tonight Show where he asked people on the street what 4^th of July was all about. Most didn’t know.  When he told them it is Independence Day and asked “from whom did we gain our independence?”, he got some strange answers. One young woman said “China.”  China?

I am a back-east girl, native of Pennsylvania (one of the 13 original colonies), raised in a small town on the banks of the Monongahela River not far from Pittsburgh. As such, my history lessons did not center around the discovery of gold or settlement of the west, they centered around the founding of our nation, the signing of our Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War and drafting of our constitution.

One of the greatest moment of my life was when I stood in that darkened chamber in the National Archives and read the words: “In Congress, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

It’s not about BBQs and beer and burned bits of exploding cardboard. It’s about men, their sons and their fathers, who picked up their muskets and fought long and hard for the right to declare that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. And it’s about the women, their daughters and mothers who sewed flags and wrapped bandages, who cared for the wounded and sometimes saw their men brought home in a box.

If you have never read their declaration, you can do it today, this July 4th. Link:  https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

I was reminded again recently what a tough world this is. Please don’t misunderstand, I know that there is joy, love and goodness also. I see it in my God, in my family, my church family and even in the acts of strangers.  But weaving through those things I also find difficulties, injustices, unfairness and evil. When these things approach me, I can usually deal with them. When they approach my children, my grandsons, my beloved friends, I get angry.  Recently, I got very angry with the enemy of our soul.

I remember people telling me as a new Christian that if the enemy of our soul wasn’t actively working against me it was because I wasn’t actively working against him!  In other words, if I was an ineffective Christian, content to just coast along, there would be no reason to attack.  But if I was making inroads into the realm of darkness, I should be prepared for the enemy to notice and do everything to stop me.  Well, we must be making some inroads into that realm!

Prayer. I think the enemy cares little if we go to church and listen to music and messages. Certainly, he’ll throw a few stumbling blocks in our paths, but nothing too aggressive. But when we pray, oh my, that’s a different story. When we approach the throne of God with the confidence that God will hear and will respond, and that we will hear what God tells us (and be obedient to His command), then the attacks get a little more intense. Prayer really shakes up the devil and his minions.

We must remember when this happens that we aren’t fighting people, which can be a channel through which attacks come.  We are fighting powers we can’t see, spiritual powers in heavenly realms!  “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” [Eph 6:12-13 NIV]

Beloved, keep up the good fight!  If attacks are coming your way, and they are not of your own making (smile!), then you must be making inroads into the realm of darkness for the Kingdom of our Lord and King.

Three little letters. They appeared on “MyChart” for the first time. I had lab work done for an upcoming surgery.  Last Thursday I received an email that “MyChart” (the patient electronic record for my health care system) had the results of my tests. I wasn’t too surprised by anything, most everything closely resembled my last lab work in April.  Except for those three little letters that appeared on my medical record. I expected the Diabetes II, alongside some other things.  I didn’t expect those three little letters – CKD.

CKD stands for Chronic Kidney Disease. Not only that, it was followed by the qualifier Stage 2. (What happened to Stage 1?) I immediately hit the internet and logged on to Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic websites to find the details of CKD. Apparently, there are five stages, and most people don’t show any effects until Stage 4. Still.

Three little letters. I do have one of the biggest causes of CKD with my Diabetes II. I also learned that the medicines given for Diabetes II can contribute to CKD. If that isn’t a Catch 22 I don’t know what is, both the disease (Diabetes) and the medicine given to treat it can cause CKD.  So, I’m on an extra special push to talk to my physician and to get my A1C even lower (if possible) with only diet and exercise.

Three little letters recorded in “MyChart” changed things for the remainder of my life. Immediately, I thought about the three little letters written in another book.  “Another book was opened, which is the book of life…. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” [Rev 20:12, 15 NIV]

Beside my name in “MyChart” you will read CKD.  Beside my name in the “Book of Life” you will read HIS, with the qualifier – FOREVER.

Beloved, three little letters will change things for you forever … make sure HIS is written next to your name!

You may think I’ve forgotten about Pursuing the Presence of the Lord for our generation because I haven’t written about it recently.  Be assured, I have not. I know summer is busy, people are out late or traveling. While I’ve cut back on the organized prayer to twice a week, I’ve not cut back on my private prayer.  Every morning, when I take my worship walk, my thoughts turn toward Revival, in other words, to the Presence of the Lord in my life, the lives of our congregation, our church, and our community.

Last Tuesday I was alone at prayer. I started to cry, the burden seemed so heavy at that moment. I wasn’t doubting God was bringing Revival, I was crying out that if I am the hindrance to it, I would step away to see The Way blessed by God’s pastoral choice to bring it.

I had been walking around the inside of the church perimeter as I prayed, head down, eyes open just enough to keep me from tripping over something. As I rounded a corner at the back of the church I looked up … and saw the cross on the wall perfectly highlighted by a reflection of the sun bouncing off my car windshield through the church window. I was immediately overwhelmed with the Father’s love. I stood there staring at it for a few minutes, then as it started to move, I ran and got my phone-camera to record it. (The picture does not do it justice, as it had already begun to move and fade, and it was a brilliant light in the darker church that my phone-camera could not capture.)

I am not sure I can tell you what it all meant. I only know that at that one moment I knew God heard my prayer and that He was with me.  I also knew that Revival was coming, that His Presence would grace us, no matter who is behind the pulpit. Be assured, I have no desire to vacate the pulpit, my heart is still firmly attached to The Way.

The writer of Hebrews has laid out a pathway for those who seek the Presence of the Lord. It’s a pathway that I desire to follow.  “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God….”  [Heb 12:14-15 NIV]

Amen.

Carter, our oldest grandson, and I visited a local Bosnian restaurant on Monday. The food was delicious. I think I have found a new “favorite” place. Carter and I laughed and talked for about an hour and a half. It was fun, but it was also sad. He’s leaving early July for Western Oregon.

Monday as we sat there, I looked at this now-grown 6’2” man and remembered the little boy I first knew. Carter came into our life “ready-made” when he was a baby. He’s been my “bud” since he was around two when his parents moved to Idaho. There were a few years where we spent almost every Saturday together. We’d have breakfast at IHOP, then go off on some adventure, grab a little lunch, and finish the day at Baskin-Robbins where he would make me tell him what all the 31-Flavors were before he made his choice.

I’ve taken him on a plane to California, train rides, a car trip to Eastern Idaho to see the T-Rex Named Sue, and lots of other places. We spent a week in Washington DC together, just the two of us when he turned 18. We’ve visited museums, new art exhibits, tea shops and ethnic restaurants. And we have talked about everything, no subject off limits. Now he is going off on his own and I am going to miss him greatly.

A couple of us were talking about adoption the other evening. I said that while Carter has none of my DNA, he has all of my heart.  From the first moment I saw those blue eyes and blond curls I was hooked, line and sinker! Adoption is one of the most beautiful words in any language. It is especially beautiful in God’s language.

“In love [God our Father] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” [Eph 1:4-7 NIV]

My oldest and only grandson in Idaho is moving to Western Oregon. Carter is my ethnic food adventure partner. For as long as I can remember, he and I have enjoyed trying out every new ethnic food restaurant that calls the Treasure Valley home. We have eaten at Greek, Indian, Vietnamese, Himalayan and lots of others. Monday, we dined at a Bosnian restaurant (which I really liked!).

I love trying new things with him, like yak mo mo’s, moussaka and sirnica. I am going to miss my culinary adventure partner, because I know I’m not going to get Bob to try any of this! He got as far as Baba Ghanoush and quit.

I love my children. I adore my grandchildren. It’s a special kind of relationship. I’ve heard it described as all the fun of being around kids, without the responsibility. While that is true in some ways, it’s not in others. We have a responsibility to and for our children’s children … and their children if we live long enough to see them.

We must be a stable influence for Christ, teaching them the love of the Lord through our words and our actions. We need to pray for them that they hold strong and steady after we are gone. But more than anything, we need to show them our love for them is completely unconditional and will never waver – no matter what phase they may be going through at the time or how badly they are driving their parents crazy!  When they come to us, they will always find someone who loves them and finds the best in them.

Solomon was right when he wrote, “Children’s children are a crown to the aged….”  [Proverbs 17:6 NIV]

Monday morning, we opened our windows when we first awoke. Knowing that the temperature was predicted to top out the day in the upper-90’s, we were hoping to get the house cooled down early. Immediately, we were flooded with a terrible stench. When the wind blows from just the right direction, combined with the morning humidity, we are blessed with a reminder that we aren’t that far from the sugar beet processing plant.

I remember when we first moved here from California, we drove by the Sugar Beet Factory and the stench was almost more than I could stand. I didn’t think I had smelled anything that bad since we drove by the pulp mills in Northern California.  Later, I read an article where someone who worked there was asked about the smell … citing the fact that people moving into the area thought it was awful.  The worker remarked that it was a sweet smell to him since it represented his financial security for his family.  I remember that article every time I open my windows to the “sugar beet factory blessing!”

I also remember what Paul wrote.  “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”  [2 Cor 2:14-16 NIV]

I thought as I shut my windows Monday morning to block out the stench, that the world thinks of us the same way.  We are a “stench of Christ” – the smell of death to them. No wonder they want to block us out, to remove us from their midst. But we are also the beautiful fragrance of Christ to our Father God and to all those who have placed their trust in His Son, Jesus, the Christ. Praise His Holy Name!