I looked up the definition of 'peace'..."freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility". I can barely type this out from laughing hysterically one moment and crying a very ugly cry the next. Laughing because our home experiences 'freedom from disturbance' only if no one is home and crying because I don't even think we experience 'quiet and tranquility' even while sleeping...seriously. I have commented many times lately that our home has no peace. I continually ask for prayer any chance I have and I certainly have not grown weary of asking the Lord for it myself. But I believe that I need to expound on what I mean.
There is a verse that appears in two separate chapters of Jeremiah that recently grabbed my attention in a whole new way. You see, the Lord has been teaching me a powerful truth over the last several years and just when I think I'm getting close to fleshing it out in a way that would be pleasing to Him, He grabs my attention yet again. What is this truth? It is the beauty of living a transparent life...no pretenses, no duplicity, only authenticity! For years I honestly believed that I was living a transparent life...only to have the Lord open my eyes to the lie I had been living and sadly, teaching my children to believe and live as well (that's a post all of it's own...and will come soon!)
So, back to this verse..."'Peace, peace' they say, when there is no peace...", Jeremiah 6:14 and 8:11. In these chapters the Lord is preparing to unleash His wrath because of the wickedness that abounds among His people. They ignored their circumstances and tried to cover it up by shouting, "peace, peace", when in actuality there was no peace at all! So many of us are guilty of this very lie...I was for so long and I don't want to be ever again! There are people all around us that have yet to make their eternity secure in Jesus and they are in turmoil and chaos...lacking any sign of hope or peace. They look at those of us that call ourselves Christians, as we walk around with our plastic masks on trying our best to disguise our chaos, shouting, "peace, peace", all the while our bank accounts are overdrawn, our children are misbehaving, our marriages are struggling and we're fighting all manner of physical, mental and emotional sickness...no peace at all. No earthly peace, that is...here's the perspective that we're missing...
Jesus said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." One of the wonderful blessings of having a personal relationship with Jesus is the peace that passes all human understanding that only He can give (Philippians 4)! Do we have troubles? Yes! Do we have struggles? Yes! Do we have difficulties? Absolutely! However, we also have the powerful promise of Jesus Himself...this part is my absolute favorite!! Just two chapters over, in John 16:33, He gets real with us, I can hardly bare it..."I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Wow!! Such joy and yes, peace, in that one powerful verse! He is so honest...there is no pretense about Him...He tells us exactly what to expect. In this world we WILL have trouble, but IN HIM we have peace...real peace...not fake, not plastic!
So, if you peep inside the windows of the Chamblee home...and you're very welcome to do so, but you better bring your Windex if you expect to actually SEE inside...you will not see earthly peace...yet, but I refuse to stop asking;) You will see some siblings argue, you will see one of our sweet blessings struggle with sensory sensitivity disorder which causes a little turmoil and heartache most days, you will see toys, laundry and half empty bottles of soda lying around, you will see me...the mommy...send some very loud kiddos to their rooms and you will see our friends and others from the community stop by for some encouragement in the midst of it all.
But here is what you will NOT see...you will not see or hear us shouting, "Peace, peace" when there is no peace. You will see and hear us shouting, "We're having a hard day and chaos abounds, but we have peace like a river because our mighty Savior has overcome the world and filled us with His Spirit!" and all the while I will continue to daily ask the Lord for that earthly peace to be present in our home, knowing, believing and accepting that if it is His will He will grant it, if not...His grace is sufficient! As followers of Jesus, we do not need to pretend that our circumstances are perfect and peaceful...we need to proclaim that our God is perfect and peaceful in the midst of our circumstances.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
...one thing is necessary...
I was challenged earlier today by an email a dear friend of mine sent asking for prayer as she follows through with a difficult decision she had made in the wee hours of the morning. She is following the prompting of the Holy Spirit to properly align her priorities. As I read her heart message, all I could think about was the story in Luke 10, telling of when Jesus went to the home of Martha. The words straight from Jesus Himself as He spoke to Martha when she asked Him to send Mary away from Him so that she could help with the work, "Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things...Mary has chosen what is right and it will not be taken from her." I could hear those words in my head, but before I typed them out to send to my friend, I wanted to make sure I was remembering them correctly. To my delightful surprise (I LOVE it when the Lord surprises me!), there was a phrase that I had omitted from the conversation. Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
How quickly I forget...Jesus. He is necessary. Our complete devotion and attention is to be fixed on Him. Truth is, all other things fall into place when He is in His rightful place. Just as Martha, we are distracted by many things...even good things...family things, church things, fun things. Our desire to please the Lord can sometimes turn into "stuff" that simply makes us busy and distracts us from the very thing He has called and equipped us for..."Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." Isaiah 26:8. His name and renown...that is to be our desire. He is necessary.
The Lord has used my friend to bring fresh resolve into my life. My heart cry is that when I begin to allow the things of this world...even the good things of ministry...to consume me, the Holy Spirit will quicken my heart, open my eyes and remind me of what's necessary. Him and Him alone. One thing is necessary...may we choose the good portion, that it not be taken from us.
How quickly I forget...Jesus. He is necessary. Our complete devotion and attention is to be fixed on Him. Truth is, all other things fall into place when He is in His rightful place. Just as Martha, we are distracted by many things...even good things...family things, church things, fun things. Our desire to please the Lord can sometimes turn into "stuff" that simply makes us busy and distracts us from the very thing He has called and equipped us for..."Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." Isaiah 26:8. His name and renown...that is to be our desire. He is necessary.
The Lord has used my friend to bring fresh resolve into my life. My heart cry is that when I begin to allow the things of this world...even the good things of ministry...to consume me, the Holy Spirit will quicken my heart, open my eyes and remind me of what's necessary. Him and Him alone. One thing is necessary...may we choose the good portion, that it not be taken from us.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Choosing joy because choosing misery is...miserable!
I chose it today. Misery, that is. There it was right before me...the choice between joy, peace, harmony or anger, rage...pure misery. I reached out and grabbed hold of every bit of anger, rage, bitterness, hostility...just plain evil...that I could get my hands around. Actually, it was my mouth that was reaching, not my hands. I'm still suffering from the headache that followed my fit of rage.
The most disheartening truth about the whole situation is that just last night I was standing in front of the women in our Tuesday night Bible study, proclaiming with absolute confidence and excitement, that we must, "walk by the Spirit so that we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature", Galatians 5:16, (we're studying "Living Beyond Yourself", by Beth Moore...how surreal). Passionately I read Scripture of Jesus crying out, "Abba, Father...not my will, but yours be done...", Mark 14:36, and almost with the same breath I was not only living by my own fleshly will, but I was spitting on the very idea of crucifying myself and choosing to "have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus", Philippians 2:5. I think it's time for me to begin fleshing out the very thing that I so frequently dish out to others!
So, here's the good news...our God is so faithful to forgive! But, how could I ask for forgiveness after willfully, intentionally, choosing such sin? Here's how..."while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. Thankfully, He knows our sinful condition and He gave His sinless life so that we could walk in His righteousness. 1 John 1:9 tells us that, "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness". I did just that...cried out the entire chapter of Psalm 51 to Him, so sorrowful and begging His forgiveness. As I took several minutes to think about all that had happened, I began to be overcome with guilt. Even then, He so kindly reminded me what Psalm 32:5 says, "Then I acknowledged my sin to you...and you forgave the guilt of my sin.". He not only forgives us, He forgives our guilt! Glory...what a Savior!!
Be encouraged...we all choose moments of flesh over Spirit. We find ourselves in a situation that is uncomfortable, frustrating or forced to deal with something we disagree with, that may anger us and we are enticed by the lure of possibility. The possibility that if we express how we 'feel', or if we make our thoughts known, if only we could right what has been wronged, then we will 'feel' better. We are therefore so very deceived by our own flesh as Scripture tells us in Isaiah 44:20, "The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can't help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, "Is this thing that I'm holding in my right hand not a lie?". And we're even warned to take head, lest we end up deceived like Eve..."But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.". Bam! and so was I! BUT (I'm SO thankful for that three letter word!)..."greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4. So therefore, I say OUT LOUD to Satan and my flesh at the same time, "Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light." Micah 7:8. We're forgiven, we're full of His Spirit and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead...let's choose to walk in the joy of that salvation today!
The most disheartening truth about the whole situation is that just last night I was standing in front of the women in our Tuesday night Bible study, proclaiming with absolute confidence and excitement, that we must, "walk by the Spirit so that we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature", Galatians 5:16, (we're studying "Living Beyond Yourself", by Beth Moore...how surreal). Passionately I read Scripture of Jesus crying out, "Abba, Father...not my will, but yours be done...", Mark 14:36, and almost with the same breath I was not only living by my own fleshly will, but I was spitting on the very idea of crucifying myself and choosing to "have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus", Philippians 2:5. I think it's time for me to begin fleshing out the very thing that I so frequently dish out to others!
So, here's the good news...our God is so faithful to forgive! But, how could I ask for forgiveness after willfully, intentionally, choosing such sin? Here's how..."while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. Thankfully, He knows our sinful condition and He gave His sinless life so that we could walk in His righteousness. 1 John 1:9 tells us that, "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness". I did just that...cried out the entire chapter of Psalm 51 to Him, so sorrowful and begging His forgiveness. As I took several minutes to think about all that had happened, I began to be overcome with guilt. Even then, He so kindly reminded me what Psalm 32:5 says, "Then I acknowledged my sin to you...and you forgave the guilt of my sin.". He not only forgives us, He forgives our guilt! Glory...what a Savior!!
Be encouraged...we all choose moments of flesh over Spirit. We find ourselves in a situation that is uncomfortable, frustrating or forced to deal with something we disagree with, that may anger us and we are enticed by the lure of possibility. The possibility that if we express how we 'feel', or if we make our thoughts known, if only we could right what has been wronged, then we will 'feel' better. We are therefore so very deceived by our own flesh as Scripture tells us in Isaiah 44:20, "The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can't help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, "Is this thing that I'm holding in my right hand not a lie?". And we're even warned to take head, lest we end up deceived like Eve..."But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.". Bam! and so was I! BUT (I'm SO thankful for that three letter word!)..."greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4. So therefore, I say OUT LOUD to Satan and my flesh at the same time, "Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light." Micah 7:8. We're forgiven, we're full of His Spirit and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead...let's choose to walk in the joy of that salvation today!
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