Junk Mail

Time to check my email.  Wow more emails then I had expected.  I have a habit of deleting all the "junk mail" before I focus on reading the more import emails.  As I scrolled through the list, I couldn't help but notice the object lesson.  How often in my spiritual life am I trying to focus on God, doing my devotions, without cutting out all the many other distractions.  No wonder I haven't been blessed or had as much time for my devotions recently, how have I been prioritizing time?  Am I cutting out all the junk mail, and distractions to place my full focus and attention on the messages God is trying to send me?

Compromise and Guarding Hearts

The message was powerful - Compromise.  "Could it be that we are only getting half of the blessings that God wants to bestow upon us because we are compromising?"  the speaker asked.  "Lord show me where I'm compromising", I prayed.  I kind of already knew what it was, but it's so small.  "This can't really count", I rationalized.  But I knew better!

As girls, it's normal, it's fun "girl talk", what's wrong with match making anyways?  It's all in fun!  We could be wrong we could be right there's nothing really at risk.  After all, I'm single, my girl friends are single, what's the big deal?  It's natural for me to be interested in someone, I mean this is college, not high school, I'm not even a teenager, this is the time.  And what's more, I'm not doing anything wrong!  I'm not having sex -I'd never even think of that! - I wouldn't kiss, I'm not even acting flirtatious, it's just....my thoughts!  But isn't that where it all starts?  Isn't that the root?  I know for me it's too easy to let thoughts slip, I'm castle building, dreaming, wishing, imagining....

What does the Bible say?  "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."  Matthew 5:28  Of course this can apply to women as well as it can to men.  I can't help but think of the many other verses in the Bible about our hearts.  Jesus said:  "For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."  Luke 6:45.  What do my words reflect?  If Christ is first in my heart won't that be who I want to talk about the most?  And when I am thinking about guys, there's a warning lest I think my attractions are the more "mature".  "The heat is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Jeremiah 17:9.  And my favorite out of them all:  "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."  Proverbs 4:23.

Needless to say I could't fight the conviction.

As I silently prayed for strength to live out my conviction, I decided on an easy way to remember where to keep my thoughts at:  Expect nothing, imagine nothing.  Expect nothing from a guy, and imagine nothing.  Simple.  Easier said than done!  I'm not the type of girl who is attracted to a bunch of guys, I know what I'm looking for and it's easy to spot the high quality, spiritual, mission-minded guys.  My attractions are mature!  It's not a compromise!  But I had to look at things from a different perspective.  What if it did work out?  What if I were to marry him?  Would I like him to know how I had talked about him to my girl friends before he had even indicated anything to me?  And what's more than that, what kind of example am I setting for my younger sisters in Christ?  It's not worth the fun of teasing around for the hurt it could cause.  Playing with peoples attractions, affections: it isn't worth the risk.  Is that really the true love Christ would have me to show to them?  And beyond that, as a Christian, I am called to a higher standard.  How will the world see anything different in me if I'm compromising here?

As I drove to the evangelistic series tonight I had time to reflect on my previous decision, and I had time to pray.  "Lord," I prayed, "I'm totally giving this to you, if you ever give him back to me I will count it as a gift from You."  A peace came over me.  I have to say God makes things easier for us when we are willing to surrender to Him!

The meeting was about Jesus - all about Jesus - and the plan of salvation. I've heard it before, but it resonated with me all over again!  As I thought of Christ's love for me and how much he gave up, the risk he took just to give me the chance to make a decision for Him; I was really convicted that Christ love should be all that satisfies me.  When the speaker brought out the point that salvation is a free gift - we can do nothing to earn it - my mind drew a parallel.  In the same way that I am unworthy of Christ's love, so I would be unworthy of a relationship, especially the guy I would be interested in.  It may sound silly, but honestly.  Think about it, what do you do to earn a relationship?  Don't you want to just love each other for who you are?  I couldn't help but think of my prayer earlier.

Truly, love and relationships are a gift, a gift from heaven.  As a young lady I can say it's easy at times to get caught up in wondering what I could do to impress, what he would like, how I could catch his eyes....I'll admit, I'm not above the temptation to impress!  But it's not worth the compromise.  The plans that God has for me - for you - are too much greater!  It's not worth trifling with, it's not worth joking about.  It's not worth the compromise!  It's the least I can do to not compromise, when Christ gave all for me!

May God help me to be true to my conviction!

GRACE!

Today I experienced grace for the "first" time!  I was driving to school to teach violin lessons, and I was running late.  Passing a 40 mph sign I somehow began accelerating nonetheless.  A minute or so later I found myself thinking, "the speed limit has to be 55 by now!"  As I rounded a corner I saw a red car pulled over, it didn't look like a police car, but it still made me wonder.  Before I knew it the car had pulled around and I had flashing lights behind me.  I felt like crying, and I wanted to tell the police that I had never been pulled over before, but I politely answered his questions.  My feelings must have been written all over my face, (I don't hide my emotions very well).  "So do you know why I pulled you over?", the officer asked me.  "I was going too fast".  (I couldn't even use the proper term-"I was speeding", which might have sounded better...oh well!)  "You were driving 55 in a 40", he informed me.  He asked to see my drivers' license.  "Are you a student at Southern?"  "Yes", I replied.  "So what are you in a hurry for?"  "I'm running late to work." "Where do you work?"  I'm told him what elementary school I was headed to.  "I know where that's at", he replied.  "Well do me a favor, and slow down, it's 40 mph here and up ahead it drops to 35 mph. And hope you enjoy your work."  "I will do that" I assured him, "Thank you so much!"  And that was it!  

As I drove away it struck me that I had just been a recipient of grace.  It was hard not to keep back the tears!  That was close!  I was going 15 miles over the speed limit, the police had all rights to write me out a ticket!  And yet he had let off the hook without even a written warning!  The moment I realized I was being pulled over, my imagination went to the ticket I was going to have to pay, and "wait, I'm still under 21, does that mean I would have to go back to drivers school?  Or was that just for when I was under 18 with a license?  What would the implications be, besides a low bank account, I really can't afford that right now!"  I knew full well what I deserved, but grace had given me the exact opposite.  This week in Christian Beliefs and Christian Spirituality we have been studying salvation.  I couldn't help but think of the amazing grace that God has for us.  "The law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound...."  Romans 5:20.  The words of one of my favorite hymns comes to mind: "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!  Yonder on Calvary's mount out poured-There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt."  Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;  Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!"

  This afternoon, grace took on a newer meaning to me. I always had the theoretical knowledge of grace, but now I knew the experience!  How many times have I failed,  "the evil which I would not that I do." (Romans  7:24).  Even my original motives for seeking Christ were not pure.  But His grace sought me out before I knew Him, "But God commended His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8.  It's one thing for the police to not write you out a ticket, but what if he had to pay the ticket for me?  He had never even met me before.  "For scarcely for a righteous man some would die..."  Romans 5:7.  The implications of what Christ did for me are infinitely greater than the mercy that I was shown this afternoon, but even that warmed my heart!  O the matchless, amazing love, and wondrous grace and mercy my heavenly Father has for me!  

Grace is truly a mystery, even Paul says so.  "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote before in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is nor revealed...."  Ephesians 3:2-5.  Truly Christ revealed unto us the greatest mystery of grace, a gift, a privilege, a power to keep us from falling back into the same issues, something I totally don't deserve, but freely given out of love.  Paul wrote to the Galatians and told them, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ..."  Galatians 1:6.  

"O Father help me to not run from your grace!  May I value it for what it is and live in it, and not make it into cheap grace!  Thank you for grace!"

A Lesson on How to be Ready to Receive the Holy Spirit

Busy Friday afternoon, cleaning up the dorm room, - after a worship and picnic with Southern Connections.  Only an hour or so till vespers!  As I worked on cleaning, I couldn't help but think of how much higher my standards of neatness were than my suite mates.  No matter how clean I cleaned things, they wouldn't say anything about it, and the bathroom would still get messy again.  My room couldn't be the paramount of cleanliness, beauty and order as I can how tidy my room mate wants to be.  As I evaluated my train of thought I realized how much I was missing the point!  It was all about what I wanted, and how much better I was for cleaning.  My motives were all wrong.  Just a few hours before I had posted on face book "Ran to town this morning to do some errands, left my clothes in the dryer not expecting to be gone log.  Came back to my clothes folded!  Thank you to the person who will likely never read this!  I love thoughtful people!  I will have to remember to return the favor."  Now here I was with the opportunity, and instead I was having a begrudging spirit!

After finishing cleaning and changing my clothes for vespers I realized I was running late, I quickly checked my email to see where I was going (since I'd never been there or heard of it before.)  Needless to say, I spent fifteen minutes driving past it not seeing it because it was back in the woods.  Frustrated, I sent a text message to someone there to get directions....swallow my pride and admit it's nice to get directions from someone else sometimes!

"What a way to begin the Sabbath!"  I thought to myself!  "Struggling with a bad attitude, and then late to a vespers!"  As I thought about it hit me:  God was bringing out just the weaknesses in my character that I needed to submit to him to be right with Him, and draw closer!  First the holier than thou attitude/begrudging spirit, and secondly my tendency to not want to ask anyone else for help.  In Corinthians it talks about how God loves a cheerful giver, was I giving my time cheerfully when I was going above what the necessary standard of cleanliness was?  What was my motive anyway?  Just too look good?  God created us to live in communities, and learn from each other and help each other.  That's an easier concept for me to accept when I'm NOT on the receiving line.  Volunteer to help me and most of the time I'll bulk, tell me I need to ask for help, and I'll think "no I can handle it myself!"

The Sabbath School lesson this morning was about preparing to receive the latter rain of the Holy Spirit.  How beautiful of the Lord to reveal my weaknesses and my need of a Character transformation!  When I'm willing to open my heart to God he has great things in store for me!  "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall com e from the presence of the Lord;" Acts 3:18.  How I'm looking forward to and praying for that time of refreshing!  What a merciful God we serve!

So next time you feel like you're at the end of your rope, and circumstances bring out the worst in you, step back, take a breath, say a prayer, and ask the Lord what he wants you to learn through it.  Look at it as an opportunity to draw closer to Him and let Him prepare your heart for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit!

  

Bible Study!!

"We are still a few minutes early", I said, "well let's pray", my outreach partner suggested.  So that is what we did, we prayed for a good 15 minutes, pouring out our hearts, interceding for our new Bible study contacts.  The focus of our prayers was Mrs. A, we were about to knock on her door and study with her for the first time.  We were especially praying that she would be home and we could study the Bible with her!

It all started two weeks, ago...no actually...it started months ago...wait, years ago?

Rushville, IL, 2005.  I was twelve, a speaker had just visited our church for a weekend seminar, he spoke on the importance of sharing our faith with others, how probation was soon to close, and the signs that showed we are nearing the end.  "But I'm not really capable of sharing, and I don't have any one to share with, and I don't know enough to share!", I thought to myself.  I remember talking to the speaker and he quoted Proverbs 11:25, "he that watereth shall be watered also himself."

Fast forward...Summer 2013, Maple Plain, MN.  I was working as a canvassing leader. Towards the end of the summer I had a lot of time to canvass on my own as the other students knew what they were doing.  I was really struggling trusting my future to God.  I wanted a plan so bad.  As the last two weeks of canvassing rounded up I met ten people interested in studying the Bible.  Through the experiences God lead me to go to SALT at Southern Adventist University.  (By the way it's excellent training, you should go through it if you want to become better equipped to study the Bible with others!)

East Ridge, TN...My outreach partner and I walked up a hill to some apartments, it was my turn to canvass.  A nice lady came to the door and opened the door and invited us in.  She had her grandson at home with her, and she shared with us that her and her husband were in the middle of getting custody of him.  She said in through the tough experience she had been reading the Bible more and it was giving her just the strength she needed.  It was so exciting to have a Bible study contact who I could tell was really interested!  We scheduled the study two weeks from that day.  

Back to this afternoon....Our prayer time ended and we went up to find her apartment.  She came to the door and invited us in!  Praise the Lord!  We went in and started visiting with her.  "I haven't studied the lesson yet," she confided, that's okay, we assured her, we will go over it together.  We continued to visit, and then asked for prayer requests.  She asked for prayer for strength with what she was going through with her daughter, in getting custody of her grandson.  As we started the lesson she told us that she had had more peace since we had come to visit her two weeks ago.  What an answer to prayer!  "I really appreciate you coming."  "I have been sick with pneumonia, she told us, "but today I am felling better"....what providence, I thought!  

As we began to get into the Word, she was really interested.  As we talked about the image in Daniel 2, she said "That is cool, these metals match up perfect with like the bronze age, etc., in history!"  "Are you a history buff?", Jaime asked,  "Yes a little bit."   She also told us, "I am just getting into the Bible all over again.  This reminds me of studying the Bible every Sunday when I was younger, my Dad was a deacon in church.  We tend to turn to the Bible when hard things come into our lives."  She shared.  Through the study her husband confided that he was starting to turn to the Bible as well.  "When we got married I decided to not push my religion on my husband", she said.  "I'm listening too", her husband insisted, "I just need to help entertain our grandson and keep the dogs quiet for you."  

As we continued to study she asked the question, "I wonder how long it will actually be till that kingdom comes, how do we know?"   "That's a great question!  We will be covering it in our next Bible study!"  I ended the study by reading John 14:1-3, and pointing to our hope for a Christ's kingdom that will last forever.  "John is a great book to read for devotions," I threw in, "its so focused on Jesus!"  "We will have to remember that", she said!  We ended and set up a time to come back.

As I was thinking back over our study together, I couldn't help but remember two weeks ago hurriedly filling out the same Bible study guide for class, it was really easy, "I already know all this, it is so simple!"  I remember thinking.  I honestly didn't get anything out of it.  But this time sharing it with someone else, the Word was coming ALIVE, we were all INTO the Word!

It was the most amazing experience ever!  I left with a joy that I haven't felt since my baptism.  The words came into my mind "he that watereth shall be watered also himself."  Proverbs 25:11

God's word is truly powerful!

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it"

Isaiah 55:11

On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand

What is it about climbing?  Rocks, mountains?  I just love them!

This past Sunday my room mate and I went for a walk and ended up at the Wellness Center; "Let's try the walk wall!" she said enthusiastically.  I finally agreed...homework can wait till the morning.  As I climbed up, one hand hold at a time, one step at a time, I thought of what it really takes to make it to the top - and the spiritual object lessons as well.  First you have to keep going not matter what.  You have to keep looking up, - higher and higher - at where your going to place your hand next.  I found that for the harder climbs it was helpful to watch what handholds other people had used.  The hardest part for me honestly was letting go, I would hold on tightly to the handholds - even if I wasn't sure where to go next - but to just let go and let the rope hold me and take me back down when I was done climbing...now that was a little scary!  It made me realize how much I really do struggle with trust.  Can I really trust the rope?  Would it really hold me?  What would it feel like to have my hands on nothing and just be hanging in the mid air?

How often do I have the same attitude in my spiritual life?  Yes, there's a climb, but where is my trust?  Is it in the almighty arm that holds me up?  Is it the tie of my Jesus' love that holds me up to my Heavenly Father?Or is it my grip on where I'm at right now?  Could it be that in the Christian race, the climb, the journey, I may get so focused on where I'm at right now - just trying to hold on with a tight grip - that I forget who is holding me?  One of my favorite quotes says of Jesus:  "In taking our nature, the Savior has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken.  Through the eternal ages He is linked with us.  "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son." John 3:16"  Desire of Ages 25.  I have every reason in the world to trust myself to my Savior!

The other vital principles were looking up (not down!), and watching how others climbed.  This weekend we had a beautiful retreat for the class "Intro to Ministry".  For one of our activities on Sabbath afternoon we were to write out all the different life experiences that had impacted us.  In the discussion that concluded Dr. Tryon told us that the purpose is to keep going forward (although we need to learn from our past), as Paul said:   "But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."  Phil. 3:13-14.  In climbing looking down only makes you dizzy and totally loose focus on where your are headed up next!

Friday night at retreat we read the Hebrews 13:7:  "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow...." and talked about the importance of learning from the spiritual leaders God has placed in our lives.  It is always helpful to learn from observing other people!  As Paul says to the Corinthians:  "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

1 Cor. 11:1 

As I begin a new week of classes, the restful Sabbath hours ended, the pressures of assignments and deadlines to meet, I have to challenge myself, am I looking up?  Am I following the foot steps of my Master who I walked this way before hand?  Am I holding on to the tie that can never be broken?  How thankful I am that the love our master rock climber has for us is a love that "neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from.  Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us!"  Romans 8: 38, 39, 37

"A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, A wonderful Savior to me, He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, Where rivers of pleasure I see.  He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock That shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand, And covers me there with His hand." 

-Fanny Crosby

11:30 p.m.  "I am never doing this again!  My brain is dead!"  I said to myself!  I had been up since 6 in the morning, left campus for outreach classes and door knocking at 8:30 and then didn't get back till 8pm!  It had been way too long of a day for me!

The first two weeks of classes were pretty easy.  I could wrap my mind around the homework and I was just all excited about the opportunity to learn again, make new friends, etc.  It was a little like the honeymoon experience after you have made a commitment to something new.  But yesterday it really hit me...the rubber met the road.  I hadn't studied for my quiz, I hadn't done all the reading I was supposed to for classes, the enjoyable weekend had threw me off.  I wrote out all my homework for the next day of class on my daily planner and wondered how I would finish it all!

There was a paper due for the next day, "I guess I'll start writing it now, I can finish it tomorrow morning".  (It was an easy paper, not an essay.)  As I downloaded the instructions for the assignment off eclass, I realized it was due that night in just three hours-not tomorrow!  I began to write away, and to my dismay didn't get to bed till 11:30!  That is totally against everything I have been taught-every right principle, against what my body needs, against my college resolutions! "I can't do this to myself again", I thought, as I went to sleep!  I was too tired to be stressed out, and I was sure I would get a decent grade on that assignment; but my thoughts rolled to homework. "How am I really going to be able to keep up with all these assignments this semester?  I have other things to do to! There's outreach, the new Bible study contacts, my new job teaching violin lessons, and the small group Bible study I will be starting soon.  Something is going to have to go....Do I just pick a class to get a C in and skip some assignments?  Do I try hard to manage my time better?  Do I cut out social time and take less time eating?  Going to bed late is just not an option....And neither is stress I need a battle plan!!"

This morning as I woke up I decided to do Scripturetyper (a website for memorizing and reviewing Bible verses by typing them), for my devotions to keep my Bible memory up to par.  Before I started I prayed, "Lord I don't want to just type these from memory please speak to me through your word what I need to hear."

2 Chronicles 20:17 "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle set yourselves stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you; O Judah and Jerusalem fear not nor be dismayed to morrow go out against them for the Lord will be with you, for the battle is not yours but God's."

It was a beautiful reminder, a gentle rebuke to me that what I am facing:-the battle to keep above drowning in homework...the battle to keep a balanced life and remember that relationships are more important than grades...the battle to come higher in my walk with Jesus this semester and put him and sharing him first before my own responsibilities-all of this is not my battle it is the Lord's.  I know God brought me here, and he is saying "Don't be dismayed Leah, don't worry this is My responsibility, I will fight your battles for you!" What a beautiful assurance!!

The amazing thing is God didn't even tell them "Get up go fight right now, here's how your battle plan, I'll be with you."  That would be my picture of working with God- do it immediately, and yes he'll be with you but you've really got to still fight hard!  But that isn't the picture here!  Instead it's a picture of rest "stand still", see the salvation of the Lord.  It's not about seeing the salvation of Leah, the good grades, etc.  No God is calling me to stand still.  And he said "Tomorrow go out against them."  Why tomorrow?  All I can say is that God's timing is perfect and when he says tomorrow not today that is what he means.  It reminds me of the story of the disciples after Jesus went back to heaven, He had told them to tarry at Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  Now you would think to just go out there and evangelize the world, I mean how exciting Jesus had rose again!  Let's get the boll rolling, right?  But no again in scripture there was a pause, a demand in fact to pause and pray and wait for the Holy Spirit.

I have to ask my self "Am I standing still enough to really see the salvation of the Lord?  Am I taking a significant amount of time to pray and let the Holy Spirit come into my life each morning before I hurry off to breakfast, and finish a few assignments before starting class at 8:30?"

Life will never "calm down".  College is a great place for me to learn how to prioritize.  My prayer is "Lord help me to remember to be still and know that you are God!  Remind me to stand still and see your salvation!  Thank you that this semester is yours, that you have a plan for me.  Thank you for bringing me here and teaching me to depend upon You and not my own strength!  I give You permission to take over my life!  Thank you!  Amen"