JESUS TODAY

10/3012 It's here! Lifeway and Cokesbury bookstores both have Sarah Young's newest book. Jesus Today: Experience Hope Through His Presence.

• I have had the privilege of being in touch with Sarah and praying for her during a time of real physical struggle as she was writing this book on hope. 
• Since she prayers daily for all of those who read Jesus Calling, (and her other books) it would behoove us as her regular readers to extend that same "gift" to her. 
• Pray for Sarah as you pick up one of her "little" devotional books with a BIG message and the blessing will go both ways!

Musing Scripture Interrogatively

10/29/12 Sometimes I gain insight as I muse scripture interrogatively. That might sound like a mouthful, but it usually means that I follow the BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) line of questioning as I ponder a passage of scripture. In 2004, at “The Cove” (Billy Graham Leadership Training Center) Anne Graham Lotz taught me to ask these questions when meditating on scripture.

• What does it say? (Facts listed is the way I see this first step.)
• What does it mean? (A comprehensive, in context, going deeper approach.)
• What does it mean to me? (Sort of a how can I apply it to my life approach. A James 1:22-25 reminder to be a “doer” of the word.)

The hearts of the people 
cry out to the Lord.
You walls of Daughter Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest. Arise, cry out in the night,
as the watches of the night begin; 
pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. 
Lift up your hands to him 
for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger 
at every street corner. (Lamentations 2:18-19)

This passage was a hard one for me. From previous verses, I know that beautiful Jerusalem had seen great destruction. Destruction in every area of their lives---physical, mental and spiritual. The prophet Jeremiah was crying out to them. I can only imagine his frustration and drained emotions as he wept for †he Jews. But God had brought this destruction upon them because of their unfaithfulness as a nation.

I sensed pain as I read this and wondered about the starvation and hunger at every street corner. From the context it seems as if it was mainly physical hunger. But could there have been a spiritual starvation present as well?

Though difficult for me to understand, I knew immediately that I could apply this passage to my life by calling out to God. Prayer for my own town and my own nation, where many are starving both physically and spiritually, was my answer. But more than that, I can pick up that envelope off my kitchen table, the one for the Union Mission at 383 Poplar, and send in a donation toward meals for the homeless.

I was encouraged to read in verse 20, that Jeremiah called out to God once again. So there’s another example to follow---perseverance in prayer.

Continue to ask God questions about this “hard” passage throughout the week. He’ll show you the answers He has---answers just for you.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: FALL COLORS '12

10/28/12 Everywhere I've walked or turned all week has been rich with color.....even in my kitchen!

A wagon of pumpkins just say "October 

Root veggies---gorgeous!

Dogwood in fall---a color all its own

Colorful jerseys on a soccer field look good even if blurred by speedy 5 yr. olds

Pomegranate----love, love, love the color!

Afternoon walks in the neighborhood--ablaze with color

Making homemade play dough with brilliant color. MY recipe is the BEST!

Warm play dough, fresh out of the pot seems to roll better.

HEART OF HUMILITY: H2H lesson on James 4:1-10

10/27/12 Because you asked.......at least some of you did, I have posted the link to the Bible Study lesson I taught 10/23/12. Clicking the link should take you right to my voice. Hopefully it will sound familiar to my Ukraine girls. Hopefully, also, being able to pause and use with Google translator might help. I do have notes if that would help. Just let me know.

It's called An Obstacle of Worldliness and Pride though I used "Heart of Humility" as my title. (32 min.)

http://www.firstevan.sitewrench.com/media#!/swx/pp/media_archives/127169/episode/35429

Blessings to all who hear.

Questions for Reflection

10/26/12 Having a daughter who is a professional photographer, I have watched her capture reflections of love, growth, birth and change in all of her “baby’s first year” family portfolios. She beautifully captures those inner reflections of a wide range of emotions.

She has even shown me how one can use reflection to enhance or enrich a picture. I have even tried to capture such reflections as we have traveled. 

Oklahoma City 2012

She can use reflected light or capture diffused light with a filter to show amazing effects and beautiful images. For her, photography is all about lighting. She is always checking her lighting source. She even has meters that read the intensity or degree of the lighting. I’m probably using the wrong terms, but you get the idea of the importance of light and reflection in pictures.

Amateur that I am with a camera, even I, have come to realize that surfaces seem to reflect light more clearly when a surface is completely smooth. To me all this seems to bear a resemblance to a Christian’s reflection of the “light” within them. If I have anxiety in my life or am striving for self- promotion or bearing a fruit of impatience, there’s not smoothness of spirit to reflect that inner light. It will be distorted----full of ripples and waves. Sometimes blurred beyond recognition. Source of light not truly visible.

If one's life is in turmoil from trying to control life himself and do things in his own strength, won't the reflection be wavy and distorted? 

If one's light source is Christ and yet that light is not visible, how can one truly reflect Him and His character?

Living a light-filled worthy life, one submitted to God, will bring about the "smoothness" that comes even with life's bumps and enable us to reflect the Spirit within, as Paul reminds us in the fourth chapter of Ephesians.

 “Live a life worthy….with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
 bearing with one another through love,
 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit
 through the bond of peace; (Ephesians 4: 1b-3)

Have you seen this worthy life in others? Do you reflect this yourself?

Reflections of the Heart

10/24/12

“A mirror turned away from the sun cannot reflect the sun's rays. And a human being turned away from God's Son cannot reflect His love to others.” (Ellen White) This quote has been around a long time and it still holds true.

As I learned in this week’s prep for teaching James 4:1-10, Self is the fullness of a heart turned inward…….NOT outward toward God. There is no reflection of God until we turn toward Him. In humbly turning in love and devotion toward Him, we are then able to reflect that love toward others. It just overflows.

Last week's blog asked, " What would a glimpse of my heart/soul show?"

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

When others see me, “Do they see His image?”

The reflection of this morning's sun streaming through the patio door reminded me of the correct answer.

A soul that reflects Jesus.

Ora et Labora

10/23/12 The book of James, which I will be teaching from later this morning, is about faith producing good works. The good works don’t produce the faith. The root of faith is God’s grace. Faith is a gift from God and works are the fruit of that. The two go hand in hand.

Prayer is a part of the Christian faith---but we don’t stop there. Action follows in ministry to others.

I love the way this parochial school entry proclaimed that idea.

Ora et Labora---Latin for pray and work.

Monday thinking

10/22/12 Sometimes scripture can start us thinking about our own impact on others---both good and not so good. 

Tonight’s BSF lesson leader, Cathy C. shared such insight from Genesis chapter 5, which is somewhat a long list of generations. A quick scan would show that death comes to all men---“then he died” being the common refrain. A sobering reminder as this window sign reminds us. 

But Cathy didn’t stop there. Thank goodness. She gave us great faith truths, both comforting and challenging, from God’s word.  Then, she gave us an illustration of a recent class assignment she had given her 11^th graders.

"Use 6 words to write a biographical sentence about yourself." A tough assignment for any of us.

She then gave examples of 3 Old Testament men who stood out because of their faith. It was easy to give a 6 word bio, from scripture, about each of them. Six words in a sentence that accurately depicted the truth about their lives and in one case the impact on others.

Enosh (Gen. 4:26) Enosh called upon the Lord’s name.

Enoch (Gen. 5:22 & 24) Enoch walked closely with the Lord.

Noah (Genesis 5:29) Noah comforted others in the Lord.

Think about your own bio.

What 6 words would describe you and what was important in your life? 

Would any of those words indicate a positive impact on others?

FRANKLY FACING OURSELVES.....

10/19/12.....as we answer this Friday's question since the weekend will be reserved for writing. I will be tweaking the James 4:1-10 lesson I will teach next Tuesday and Wednesday.

I saw this sign on a St. Benedict's school tour a few weeks ago. 

It has certainly had me thinking, "what amount of my heart is filled with gratitude?"

Frankly, "Give thanks with a grateful heart....." has also been "playing" in my head.

WINDOW REFLECTIONS

10/17/12 I am the daughter of a woman who loved clean windows. Hers glistened. In her eulogy, her grandson Buddy recalled seeing her wave good-bye with one hand while holding her Windex in the other. Not just ordinary windex either, but "foaming" Windex glass cleaner which she special ordered. Those storm door smudges were gone before we backed out of the driveway.

I, on the other hand, see (at least for a few days) those smudge remnants as reflections of a treasure---a treasury of time well-spent with "little" folks. 

A recent neighborhood walk had me checking out reflections in windows along my way. Many must employ full time window washers. One home had two beautiful symmetrical windows anchoring the front of the house. The one on the right reflected a light on in a dining area and gave just a glimpse inside. The one on the left caught the sun and reflected the glorious colors of the turning of the season. 

The contrast had me doing a little self reflection. If someone saw past my outward appearance, what would they see? What would a glimpse of my soul show? My outward countenance should be a reflection of the window of my soul. But....is it? Do I just put on a happy face or a pious face for the world's view? 

I don't want to be like the Pharisees in Matthew 23 who only have a clean exterior.

 “Everything they do is done for people to see..."v.5

As The Message says, They talk a good line, but they don’t live it. They don’t take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It’s all spit-and-polish veneer.

Those are my reflections, what are yours?