TRANSCENDENT PEACE

My mind is often in way too many places at one time. This moment for me was a holy moment. I am in church blessed by the colors around me, holding hot citrus, honey, ginger tea I made. I'm sipping it as it's warmth fills my body on a cold day. I really am  listening as Elvin O. Torres  preaches on peace. Yet, I am thinking of Naomi Bates Frizzell. She gave me my mug because it says, "Be you". I am always saying, "Thank you for being you. When she saw it, it made her think of me. I smiled inside as the memory filled my heart. I am following along reading the verses as Elvin reads them and taking notes on his four points of peace.

Then I heard Elvin say, "His peace which surpasses all understanding. It is transcendent."

Oooh I liked that! 

TRANSCENDENT PEACE

TRANSCENDENT PEACE! 

Go ahead and just say it aloud, 

TRANSCENDENT PEACE

Now that is a prayer worth praying.

Life crazy? Father, help me to rest in your TRANSCENDENT PEACE and get off the crazy cycle.  

Lots of pain got ya down? Father, You give me TRANSCENDENT PEACE. I will look up to You.

Illness plaguing you? Father, Your  TRANSCENDENT PEACE will help me move through this. Cover me and move through me with Your TRANSCENDENT PEACE.

I have always prayed for the peace that surpasses all understanding, but to say transcendent makes me feel like I am tapping into the beauty of the mystery of God's peace. I know that neither word makes a difference. It is all about who He is and what He gives us even when we may not deserve it. 

But in His goodness God chooses to give us TRANSCENDENT PEACE.

Peace that doesn't make sense. 

Peace that makes us strong. 

Peace that helps us hold our heads high and walk through. 

Peace that gives hope.

Peace that is present. 

Peace that shuts the enemy up because it is evident God is with us. 

So I marked the moment God blessed me with the prayer of TRANSCENDENT PEACE!

Will you pause and pray for His TRANSCENDENT PEACE to be evident in you today? I know I am!

Shalom y'all.

Heaven’s Hospitality for Women

One day as I drove to a speaking engagement to a women's event in South Dakota I was praying about International Women's Day. It was heavy on my heart that the women of the world are not taught their value in Jesus. God began to place on my heart all of the stories that helped me realize my value. These stories are the very stories that helped me to discover my identity in Christ and that I am worthy of honor and respect. I could not wait to go home and compile the list of what God gave me that helped me to discover Heaven's Hospitality toward me! God gave this to me when I was writing and teaching Heaven's Hospitality so I called it Heaven’s Hospitality for Women. Jesus’ conversations with women reveal that He knew women had the capability to comprehend the gospel, discuss theology, be a witness, make disciples, provide financial assistance, and assist in ministry without being a seductress. Jesus allowed women to be actively involved in kingdom building. Jesus’ interactions with women transcended culturally defined roles. 1. Jesus honored His mother’s request to turn water to wine at the wedding of Cana (John 2:11). 2. Jesus initiates conversations with foreign women (John 4:9). 3. Jesus did not gloss over the sin but confronted the sin of the women He interacted (John 4:16-18). 4. Jesus allowed women to be actively involved in kingdom building (John 4:21-24; 39-42). 5. Jesus trusted a woman’s testimony to lead an entire village (John 4:21-24; 39-42). 6. Jesus revealed His identity to a woman (John 4:26). 7. Jesus healed women: Peter’s mother-in-law and Woman with blood flow (Luke 4:38-41; 8:44; Luke 13:16). 8. Jesus spoke to women in public and showed He was tender hearted toward their suffering (Luke 7:11-17). 9. Jesus welcomes worship from a sinful woman (Luke 7:38; Matthew 26:13). 10. Jesus forgave/forgives women (Luke 7:48). 11. Jesus gave dignity when man sought shame and when the law demanded judgment (Luke 7:36-50). 12. Jesus trusted women to be persons of faith (Luke 7:50). 13. Jesus allowed women to travel with Him for ministry (Luke 8:1-3). 14. Jesus allowed women to minister to Him financially (Luke 8:1-3). 15. Jesus confronted sin with mercy (John 8:11). 16. Jesus used affectionate familial terms when talking to women… daughter (Luke 8:48). 17. Jesus showed compassion to women and did not view women as unclean (John 8:43-48). 18. Jesus settled disputes with a kingdom view (Luke 10:41). 19. Jesus commends sacrifice of widowed woman (Luke 21:2). 20. Jesus noticed the outcast and socially invisible woman (Luke 21:2). 21. Jesus took care of His mother (John 19:26). 22. Jesus used women as eye-witnesses (Mark 16:11; John 20:11-18; Matthew 28:1-10). 23. Jesus parables about women to teach truth (Matthew 25, Luke 15; 18). 24. Jesus had theological discussions with the Samaritan Woman on Living Water, Martha on the Resurrection of Life, and Mary Magdalene was the first eyewitness after Jesus rose from the grave. I do not feel this list is exhaustive. I realize that I need to make a list for the Old Testament too! My favorite Bible story to use in the Old Testament is the Widow's Oil in 1 Kings 4:1-7. We also need to consider the Ten Commandments, the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and the Spiritual Gifts. These are commands and gifts that are given with the intent that both men and women fulfill them. If I may encourage the freedom that is modeled and commanded to be lived out among us. Live in Heaven’s hospitality and be a blessing as you are blessed.

The LORD is with you when you are with Him!

(Watercolor by AmosCatfish.com)

When I was in my twenties, I drove by a grocery store with a billboard that was not the typical post. Instead of declaring the weekly special, it said, Wherever you go, there you are! I literally laughed out loud! Nothing like stating the obvious. That crazy true statement is quite profound and has caused me to remind myself through the years to be present where I am at.

This morning as I read my Bible, I had another one of those laugh out loud moments from someone stating the obvious.

"The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. ² He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. ³ For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. ⁴ But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them" (2 Chronicles 15:1-4).

The LORD is with you if you are with Him! Azariah stated the obvious to Asa because Israel forgot to bring God along. It is pretty easy to do. I wake up, get up, get my tea and start the day without inviting God to join me. Sadly, it is pretty obvious when I have forgotten to bring him along. Greg will testify that my responses are less kind and if I am in a foul mood I can be downright rude. Ugh. 

I guess this is why I like these two reminders. Wherever you go, there you are! I want to be present, but not just present. I don't want to ever forget that the LORD is with me when I am with Him. 

So, when I wake up in the morning, I often greet the LORD in my mind which draws a smile to my face. I start talking about my day. I get up and let the dog out. Get my hot tea and settle in with my Bible to read and pray. I then take out my prayer journal and start processing my day with God. Some days are longer and richer than others, but it is my heart that I seek to be present with God and invite Him so that wherever I go, there WE are! 

Take courage! It really is that simple. 

Would you invite God to be present with you, wherever you go? Remember, the LORD is with you when you are with Him!

Shalom y'all! 

Jesus' Birth Inspires Generosity

Listen here: Jesus' Birth Inspires Generosity

As I listened to the Christmas story of the wise men visiting Jesus, I was again struck by the generosity of their gifts.

It wasn't just that they brought gold, frankenscence and myrrh. These are meaningful and prophetic gifts even if they did not know it.

They left their country, traveled long distance by foot or most likely on a camel. 

They sacrificed the time to travel there. One speculation is if these wise men were from Babylon in the east (about 1,677 miles or 2,700 kilometers) it would have taken them four to five months traveling a little less than 19 miles or 30 kilometers a day. 

They sacrificed time with family and work. Can you imagine an astronomer wakes his wife up and says, "Hey babe, there is a baby that has been born in Bethlehem, but will be moved to Egypt and I am going to go do a baby visit. I will be back in a year or maybe even a little more!"

It also would have required a huge caravan to carry what they would need for the journey and for anyone traveling with them. 

The birth of Jesus inspired uncommon generosity and sacrifice.

The birth of Jesus also inspired unimaginable evil. Herod the Great, king of Judea ordered a decree that all two-year-olds and under in or around Bethlehem to be killed when he heard that the King of the Jews was born. This is referred to as the Massacre of the Innocents. 

Herod sacrificed others because of his desire for power. Some hearts have moved so close to evil that they no longer are affected by the beauty and gift of a child or the gift of God. 

Jesus draws out the passion that is held in the heart. His name alone can cause great joy and inspire unimaginable generosity or cause the evil within to be revealed and unleashed on unsuspecting innocents.

What is revealed in your heart when you hear that God so loved the world that He gave His only so that all who believe in Him will not perish? 

I hope it is a yes and you allow the generosity of God to begin teaching you how to be just like Him... generous in all your ways! 

Treasure These Things

Listen here: The Angels Tell the Shepherd's about Jesus

Have you ever noticed how a baby can reduce the the toughest guy to the most gentle of man? I love this! Everyone loves a little baby! 

This irony should not surprise us especially when we discover that God chose shepherds to be the first to welcome the Lamb of God, Messiah! 

If anyone was rough and lowly in culture it was a shepherd. Yet, God chose them to see His Son and tell the people the Savior has arrived. 

If anyone could understand the importance of a first born sacrifice, it would be a shepherd. They were the ones that cared for the mother and delivered the little lamb. They had to inspect it to make sure it was without blemish and then walk it to the temple for it to be sacrificed. Shepherds got it! 

And they were amazed! They ran and told everyone.

While Mary treasured these things in her heart. Little Hinley (5 years old, Anneliese Kliewer) summed it up beautifully, "Mary locked these things in her heart." When he heard the story he understood that Mary was not going to forget the beauty of her little babe being born and the rugged shepherds coming to welcome Him. Or that they declared that a host of angels sang over them as they watched their flock that night. Because an angel told both her and Joseph about Jesus. Jesus would be the Son of God and Savior of the world. 

Have you welcomed the beautiful baby Jesus into your rugged ole' heart? 

I have! Shalom y'all!

Worry and Fear Kill

(Art by Scott Young)

"Death was walking toward a man who stopped him and asked, "What are you going to do?" 

Death said, "I'm going to kill ten thousand people." The man said, "That's horrible!" 

Death said, "That's the way it is; that is what I do!" As the day passed, the man warned everyone he could of Death's plan. 

At the end of the day, he met Death again. He said, "You said, "You were going to kill ten thousand people, and yet one hundred thousand people died." 

Death explained, "I only killed ten thousand. 

Worry and fear killed the others." (Source unknown, but found in Holman New Testament Commentary). 

Worry seems to be in a lot of my conversations and if I am honest my mind spends way too much time worrying, too. 

Been thinking on this alot because Grant has quoted at least three times, well maybe more, a line from Fantastic Creatures. "Don't worry because this means you live it twice." 

Everytime, he says it, I think some die a thousand times over. I know! It is easier said than done. I know this is why we are commanded to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Mind renewal isn't just taking a positive thinking stance. It is the willful obedience to release the circumstances to the LORD and trust Him with the outcome. Sometimes, this must done a thousand times over before we just realize, "Hey, I did not think on that today!" 

Where are you reliving something two, three times or more?  

Beloved, release it to the LORD JESUS and enjoy the peace which surpasses all understanding to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. No point in giving Death more than he is accountable for!

Knowing the Names of God Builds Enable Obedience and Obedience Builds Hope

Listen here: An Angel Tells Joseph the Baby is Jesus

How do you respond when someone says, "Obey or Obedience!"  Does it cause you to want to fight or listen?  What if I told you that often obedience builds hope? 

In today's advent story, we will discover that Joseph's obedience gave him hope to do the right thing. 

This week as I reflected on the Christmas stories to teach them I wrote out every name given to Jesus through the Christmas stories. Here are some I noted.  They are from the three angel visits to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherd's stories.

Jesus

Son of the Most High

King David's descendant 

King of Israel

Holy

Son of God

The LORD Saves

Emmanuel

God with us

Messiah

Savior

The Lord

Knowing the names of God help us to understand His character and that builds hope. It also helps us to obey when things just don't make sense or seem hard. 

I love how God made sure Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds were given the character traits and names that would help them walk in obedience to fulfill His will in their lives. Our lives are changed because of it.

Where do you struggle with obedience? What character trait of God do you call upon to help you walk in obedience?  How did it give you hope? 

Blessings come when we obey! Joseph got to become the earthly father of the heavenly king because of his obedience and we now live in hope because of his gift.

Father, please use this story to build hope today. Here is to knowing the character of God and walking in obedience. Thank you for hope! 

Shalom y'all!