Kathy Howard's Blog: Unshakeable Faith for Life, page 85

This Thanksgiving marks the 86th year of the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Since 1924, Manhattan has welcomed the ever-growing line of floats, balloons, animals, bands, and more.

When we think “Thanksgiving parade” we automatically think “Macy’s.” But did you know there’s a thanksgiving parade in the Bible?

Long before the Pilgrims shucked corn with the Native Americans, God’s people thanked Him for His blessings. In fact, they went all out.

About 450 years before the birth of Jesus, Nehemiah left Babylon on a mission: to rebuild the walls and gates around Jerusalem. God moved King Artaxerxes to give Nehemiah permission, protection, and supplies. (Note: In 586 BC, Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon and the Israelites were carried away into exile. The first group of exiles returned in 538 and the temple was completed in 515 BC.)

photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem was long and difficult, but the rebuilding project was even harder. The pagan people surrounding Jerusalem opposed the rebuilding of the wall. Nehemiah and the other Israelites had to work with one hand and hold a weapon in the other. Half the men worked and the other half guarded them.

But God was with them and after just 52 days, the wall was finished! It was time to celebrate and thank God for His mighty provision.

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.  The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem… I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right… as well as some priests with trumpets… and also Zechariah son of Jonathan… and his associates— with musical instruments… Ezra, the teacher of the Law, led the procession…

The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people… At the Gate of the Guard they stopped…  The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, as well as the priests… with their trumpets… The choirs sang… And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.  Excerpts from Nehemiah 12:27-43, NIV

I would have loved to have seen the Israelite’s parade! Singers, music, and sacrifices. On the ground and on the wall. Men, women, and children. Old and young. The sound of rejoicing was so great it “could be heard far away.” All those who had opposed them knew that the Israelite’s God had done great things.

Macy’s started their Thanksgiving parade in New York City to draw attention to their store. Nehemiah’s “parade” drew attention to their God.

Who – or what – will get the attention on our Thanksgiving? The turkey? Football? Family? I pray our rejoicing draw attention to our God. And wouldn’t it be great if the neighbors heard?

What can we do to make sure God gets the attention He deserves this Thanksgiving?Share and Enjoy:[image error][image error][image error]

The call came from my father-in-law right after dinner. He and Wayne’s mom had been in a car accident. He had suffered some cuts and bruises. She was with Jesus.

It was January 2004. We had been with them just two weeks earlier for Christmas when we made the 2,000 mile trek from where we lived in Alberta, Canada to their home in Louisiana. Now the distance seemed insurmountable. We would leave as quickly as possible but so many things had to be done. The first thing I did was call my friend Susan. Twenty minutes later the house began to fill up with loving members of our church family.

They began to care for us immediately. Connie spent two hours on the phone with the airline making reservations and securing the compassion fare. Steve gathered the Sunday School material so he could teach Wayne’s class. Jimmy arranged to take us to the airport. Others handled the dog, the house, and countless responsibilities we could not simply walk away from. And in the midst of all the activity there was prayer, hugs, and tears. Within hours we were ready to travel.

In Louisiana, my father-in-law encountered the same love and care from his church family. Friends went to the hospital to bring him home. Two men stayed with him throughout that first night after the accident. Some of the women made sure the beds were ready for us. By the time we arrived the kitchen and refrigerator were filled with food. No need went unmet.

In our time of grief and need, God used His people to love and care for us. He designed the church to do this very thing.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:11-12, NLT

Sisters in Christ doing life together, circa 1990′s!

God is not here with us physically, but He lives in every believer. God calls us to be His “ambassadors of love.” As we support, encourage, serve, and minister in His name and in His strength, we are pouring out His love to His people. (See Monday’s post, “Love Him, Love Them Not”, to learn more about the inseparable connection between our love for God and our love for His people.)

And the reverse is true as well. When we love God’s people, we show love to God Himself.

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25:40, NLT

We can both give and receive God’s love through a vital connection to a local church. Don’t miss out on the blessing and the love the Father wants to give you!

I would love to hear how God has shown you His love through a fellow believer. Share with us!Share and Enjoy:[image error][image error][image error]

Do you love God?  Most of us would probably quickly say “yes, absolutely!”

Now for the trick question: Do you love God’s people like you love yourself (Mark 12:31)? Enough to “lay down your life” for a brother or sister in Christ (John 15:12-13)?

Do I hear a bit of hesitation? If we’re really honest – yes, me too – our answer to the second question may not be as enthusiastic as our agreement to the first.

Lately God has reminded me about the nature of the love He calls us to embrace. We cannot separate our love for God from our love for other Christians.

If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

1 John 4:20, NIV

I can say I love God… but if I don’t love His people, I don’t really love God with all my “heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Mark 12:30-31). If I really love God, I will also love His people.

But that’s asking too much, isn’t it? People can be really hard to love sometimes. They can be selfish, mean, and hurtful. How can we feel love for people like that?

Here’s the good part: We don’t have to muster up feelings of love. We can purposefully choose to love.

The Greek word translated as “love” in Mark 12, John 15, and 1 John 4 is agape. According to the The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, “agape love is capable of being commanded because it is not primarily an emotion but a decision of the will leading to action.”

We can choose to love those who are hard to love because God’s kind of love is not a gushy, emotional feeling, it’s an act of volition. We can choose to act loving even when we don’t feel loving. We can choose to serve, give, comfort, encourage, and help. And our fellow Christians can choose to love us too! In fact, one of the primary ways we feel God’s love for us is through His people acting in love towards us.

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.  1 John 4:12, NLT

Is there a fellow believer that needs to receive God’s love through you today? How can you love them in a concrete way?

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Coming down off a sugar-high

Twix. M&Ms. Heath. Kit Kat. Snickers. I bought the Halloween candy much too early. A fun-size here and a fun-size there adds up to way too much sugar for me and not enough candy left to meet the need when the neighborhood kids came knocking.

I told myself I could stop with just one piece. Ha! One piece only created a desire for more. One bite was so good, it lead to another. Two bites dictated a third. Once that indulgent taste was in mouth, I just couldn’t get enough.

I know from experience that best way to develop my sweet tooth is to keep slurping up the sugary treats and the quickest way to shut down my sugar cravings is to stop eating sugar. When I deny myself, I forget how truly great the treats taste. My desire for sugar continues to lessen with time. But if I have a taste – say, even just one small Hershey Kiss – then I want more. And the more I consume, the more I long to experience the creamy sweetness on the roof of my mouth.

Longing for God

In a similar way, I can either fuel or smother my passion for God. If I want my faith to remain dull and lifeless, then I limit the time I spend with Him. I will keep God at arm’s length. But if I want to increase my desire for Him I will position myself to experience Him over and over.

David’s desire for God consumed him. In the sixty-third psalm, He compared his longing for His maker to the need for water in the desert.

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1, NLT

David longed for God like a thirsty body aches for water. Or like a sweet-tooth craves more sugar. However, one drink of God did not satisfy David. The more David experienced God, the more deeply he longed for Him.

God created within us a passionate desire for something beyond ourselves – an intense longing that only a passionate pursuit of Him can ultimately satisfy. Unfortunately, we too often try to satisfy our God-given, passionate craving with something else like money, a career, children, or other relationships. But, no substitute will ever permanently quench our spiritual longing for God. Only an intimate, passionate relationship with our Creator can fully and completely fill us up to overflowing.

Developing a Desire for God

And like my craving for candy, the more we partake or experience God the more we will desire Him. We won’t be able to get enough of Him. Experience with Him fuels our passion. Someone with a fiery passion for God will be satisfied in Him yet always seeking more of Him. Theologian A.W. Tozer calls this the “soul’s paradox of love.” (By the way, Tozer wrote this long before the Newsboys sang it.)

King David is the ultimate biblical example of this kind of unquenchable longing for God. Although David had found God he continued to relentlessly pursue Him.

How strong is your desire for God? If it’s weak, the best way to develop it is to get a taste. If you don’t spend time with Him regularly, start small. If you do, take it to a new level. Spend a day in prayer and fasting or take a spiritual retreat. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you in even some small way. Listen for His voice. Watch for His activity. Experience His goodness and love. You won’t be able to get enough.

What are some things you can do to strengthen your craving for God?

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As my husband’s fortieth birthday approached (it’s been a while!), I spent several months putting together a scrapbook to commemorate the milestone. I asked Wayne’s mom to send baby pictures, and I contacted his friends from childhood and early adult years to send photos and greetings. He loved the gift!

In the book of Malachi, the people who chose to fear God, also made a special book – or scroll – to record how they felt about God. Here’s the account:

16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. 17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. Malachi 3:16-18, NIV

These God-fearers were a remnant within a remnant, just a portion of the people God brought back to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. They made a conscious choice to take a stand for God and honor His name in the midst of a culture that was simply going through the motions of religion. Sound at all familiar?

God responded with pleasure. He inclined His ear to their commitment and claimed them as His “treasured possession.” He made a promise to spare them when He comes in judgment.

Scripture presents “godly fear” as the proper response to our holy God. Here’s some other promises found in the book of Psalms God makes to those who fear Him:

He will confide in them (Ps 25:14)
He will bestow His goodness on them (Ps 31:19)
His eyes will be on them to help them (Ps 33:18-19)
He will treat them with compassion (Ps 103:13)
He will be their helper and protector (Ps 115:11)
He will fulfill their desires, hear their cries, and save them (Ps 145:19)

And this is only a sampling of the blessings promised to those who fear God. Have you ever made a choice to fear God? Do you long to be God’s treasured possession?

Let’s talk: Do you fear God? What does it mean to “fear God?”

Note: If you’d like to learn more about what it means to fear God, take a look at Kathy’s Bible study “Before His Throne.” Purchase now on Amazon. Watch a video introduction to the study on You Tube.

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Grace Kelly was a real life Cinderella. Born in Philadelphia in 1929, she headed to New York after high school and made her Broadway debut in 1949. Then Kelly starred in a string of hit Hollywood movies with male co-stars such as Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Bing Crosby, Cary Grant, and Frank Sinatra.

But for all her worldly success, after five years in Hollywood, Grace Kelly was ready to leave. This quote came from an online bio:

 “I hated Hollywood. It’s a town without pity. I know of no other place in the world where so many people suffer from nervous breakdowns, where there are so many alcoholics, neurotics, and so much unhappiness.”

Then in 1955, Kelly met Prince Rainier of Monaco when she attended the Cannes Film Festival. The couple married the next year. They had three children, including the heir to the throne.

Real Life Princess

Many of us not only pretended to be princesses when we were girls, we also dreamed of being real princesses one day. We dreamed of being swept off our feet like Grace Kelly by a real prince who would take us away to live happily ever after.

If you are a Christian, if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you are a princess. You have been adopted by His Father. You are a daughter of the King of Kings.

 For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and good will. Ephesians 1:4-5, NIV

 

Before Christ saved us we were under the rule of the Prince of Darkness. We were in bondage to sin and under the power of death. But God reached out with His powerful hand and snatched us away from the darkness. He swept us off our feet and joyfully brought us into His Kingdom of Light.

 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Eph 1:13-14, NIV

Privilege and Responsibility

When Grace Kelly married the Prince of Monaco she entered a life of privilege and royalty. Yet with it came great responsibility. She was expected to produce an heir to the throne. She had to leave things from her previous life behind. No more acting for Kelly, in fact, the Prince banned her movies in Monaco. Kelly was no longer Grace the actress, she was Princess Grace, wife of the ruler of Monaco and the mother of the heir to the throne. She was the representative of her people and her country to the world. She had to act like the princess she was.

If you are a Christian, then you are a princess. A daughter of the King. The bride of His Son, Jesus. Being daughters of the King bring great blessings that are eternal. However our status also comes with great responsibilities. As Kingdom princesses, we are called to shine our Father’s light to a dark world. What a privilege! What a great responsibility!

Are you taking your role as a Kingdom princess seriously? Share some of the privileges you enjoy and the responsibilities you embrace!

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Several years ago I went away to spend two days alone with God. For my spiritual retreat, I chose a hotel in a tiny town with one street. There was no television, radio, or room service. Just me and my heavenly Father. Sounds great, right?

I quickly discovered I had a lot to learn about silence, solitude, and spending focused time in prayer. As the sun set on that first day I felt restless and just a little bit panicked. What was I going to do with all this time alone with God?

Be still, and know that I am God… Psalm 46:10a, NIV

Psalm 46 celebrates the presence of God with His people. The psalmist calls the people of God to forget all the things that vie for our time and attention and be still before the only One is who is deserving.

Forget the clock. Forget the to-do list. Forget everything and be still before Him. Often said; seldom done.

We often cite busy lives, a lack of time, as the reason we don’t spend more time still before God. Yes, our culture not only fosters a busy lifestyle, it honors it.

But did you know the average American spends 8 1/2 hours a day watching television, using computers, and in various other forms of entertainment? (Article in New York Times, Dec. 2006)

Think for a minute. How much time do you spend in these activities? How much time do you spend in prayer?

Praying, sitting still in the presence of God, is how we come to know Him, experience Him; learn to depend on Him. If we believe in the power of prayer, and more specifically the nature of the God to whom we pray – then we will pray. Regularly and often; continuously and fervently.

I haven’t gotten this right. I am still a prayer babe. Like an active toddler who can’t sit still for five minutes, I so often sit down with God only to be up and moving again far too soon.

But I’m practicing Psalm 46:10. Because it’s in the stopping and the stillness and the waiting that we meet Him.

How are you doing with sitting still before God? In what specific ways do you struggle? What tips can you share for “being still?”

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My husband and I have moved seven times in our twenty-nine years of marriage. We’ve learned from experience that God uses Wayne’s job to move us where He wants us. But the move from Casper, Wyoming, tested our trust more than the others.

When the company announced it was closing its office in Casper, many employees were worried about their futures. Some would be moved to another office, some would be encouraged to retire early, and some would lose their jobs. More than a few asked Wayne how he could remain so calm in the midst of uncertainty. He simply told them he trusted God to take care of his future.

Trials are an opportunity

When Christians endure difficulties with peaceful dependence on God, others notice. Trials are an opportunity for God to prove our faith in Him works. The Apostle Peter put it like this:

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:6-7, NLT

Show your faith works

It’s easy to say we trust God to take care of us in hard times. It’s another thing to prove our faith genuine by relying on Him when the hard times come our way.

When believers stand firm and remain strong through situations that would shake others it shows the world that the Object of our faith is powerful and dependable. Trials are an opportunity for you to testify to Christ. Lean on Him. Stand firm. And give Him the glory!

Are their people in your life that need to see your faith in action? What can you do in the midst of a current situation to show them your faith is genuine?

Note: Monday we learned that trials work our faith to strengthen it. See that post here.Share and Enjoy:[image error][image error][image error]

Do you want stronger muscles? You need stress.

“Stress” makes our muscles bigger and stronger. When we lift a heavier load than our muscles have lifted before, a physical process begins to adapt the needed muscles to the new load. Without stress, our muscles are content with their current size and strength. Add stress, and our muscles begin to change to meet the need.

Our spiritual strength is similar. The difficulties of life “stress” our faith. Trials work our faith like heavy loads work our muscles. As we faithfully endure, we grow spiritually stronger. Without difficulty, our faith tends to stagnate.

Do you want stronger faith? You need stress.

Years ago, I noticed that my friends with the strongest and most unshakeable faith were the same friends that had faced many trials and difficulties. A friend with breast cancer. A friend who just lost her mother. A friend whose husband couldn’t find a job.

I also noticed that not only was my life easy, but my faith had also grown stagnant. I continued to study God’s Word and acquire more knowledge, but I knew there was much more. I began to pray that God would refine and strengthen my faith. And He answered!

Many difficulties began to pop up. Our house flooded. Our oldest daughter was stalked by a schoolmate. My mother-in-law was killed in a car accident. We were transferred. All these things happened in the same few months. I had to cling to God, trust Him, and follow closely. The refining process had begun.

Trials work our faith.

The New Testament writers agree. James, Paul, and Peter all taught that God uses trials to refine and develop our faith. Here’s a passage from James’ letter:

2 Dear brothers and sisters,when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4, NLT

In the midst of trials we learn to lean and depend on God. As He proves Himself powerful, faithful, and reliable our faith in Him grows and strengthens. And because we must cling to Him so closely during difficulties a deeper intimacy develops in our relationship.

Like using our muscles to carry heavier loads make them stronger, the trials of life gives our faith a workout. God will use them to grow and develop your faith so you will be spiritually mature, not lacking anything!

Are you facing trials and difficulties today? How is God using them to grow and strengthen your faith?

 Note: Come back Thursday when we’ll talk about how “Trials Prove our Faith Works!”Share and Enjoy:[image error][image error][image error]

Many of the tombstones dated back to the late 1800’s. Some we could read, but many others we could not. Time and the elements have erased the letters from the stone. Names, long ago engraved to be remembered, now forgotten.

Curious about the old headstones, my husband, son, and I respectfully strolled through New Hope Cemetery. Generations of my husband’s family are buried in this small country graveyard north of Ruston, Louisiana. Whenever we travel that way, we usually stop and put fresh flowers on my mother-in-law’s grave.

During our visit just last week, we also wandered through the oldest section of the cemetery. Some of the names, dates, and inscriptions were easier to read than others. Loving family members had deepened the engraving by hand on a couple of the markers. Others were cracked and chipped. Some had large chunks missing. And a few graves only had stubs of stone left where ornate headstones once stood.

One marker stood worn, but whole. The stone was intact but time had completely obliterated the engraving. The thought hit me that no one who looked at this headstone would know the name of the person buried here. Gone and forgotten. No one knows her name.

But then the Holy Spirit reminded me of a glorious truth. If this person was a believer in Jesus Christ, God knows her name. It will never be forgotten. And the same is true for every believer.

Our Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, knows each of His sheep by name (John 10:3). God promises to never forget the name of His people. He has even engraved our names on the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:15-16). And no one can ever snatch us out of God’s hand (John 10:28).

Do you feel forgotten today? Do you feel like a nameless face in a crowd? Believer, God knows your name. He has engraved it on His palm – and His heart. He lovingly holds you in His hand and no one can take you away from Him.

How can these beautiful truths impact your life today?Share and Enjoy: