The Nature of God

Posted on May 29, 2015 by suemariericker

The past few weeks have been pretty intense for my family and me, and things are not really going to settle down for some time to come.  I went for a fairly long walk recently, hoping to quiet my heart and my thoughts—and felt gratitude that there was only one F/A 18 and a couple of Harriers to disturb the stillness around me.

A lot of emotions rock my thoughts when change happens and I need to make adjustments.  My first responses are usually less than “spiritual” or noble; however, I recognize my pattern of letting everything  fly out the window, particularly my prayer life and my quiet times—while substituting what is important and eternal with that which is temporary and unsatisfying.  My hope is that this time I will do a better job of adjusting to the changes by recognizing the most important things in life and giving my attention to them—like my relationship with God, and my 4-year old granddaughter, who deserves my full attention because her mommy has left (because of her job in the Navy) for almost 2 months.

I can’t say that I am altogether successful, though—probably because my expectations are misguided and my focus is skewed.  This is new territory, I haven’t walked this path before as I am attempting to figure out how to take care of a child who misses her momma and whose emotions are unpredictable.  I think I can rightly categorize this as a trial, though I have experienced much more difficult times in my life.  I have this idea of what a trial is, though it is one of those words so common in Christian vocabulary that I decided to look it up.  Two of the seven definitions (from dictionary.com) stood out to me:

  • the act of trying, testing, or putting to the proof; and
  • subjection to suffering or grievous experiences; a distressed or painful state.

Difficulties or trials come into our lives with a purpose, “…count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:3); and patience is an attribute of God (love is “patient and kind” – 1 Corinthians 13:4; and God is love – 1 John 4:16).  As we become more patient, we become more God-like.  Paul wrote through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “…we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character, and character hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).

The apostle John was quoting Jesus when he wrote, “These things I have spoken to you” (when he spoke to them about things to come), “that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  Later he wrote, “…and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4).

There was a time when I thought having faith meant getting God to do what I considered He should do or give me what I thought I needed (or wanted).  As time went on, my perspective changed, particularly as the things that are important to me have changed—in my heart I wrestle with the very nature of God who sometimes allows very difficult and painful circumstances into my life and the lives of others.  We all know the tried and true answer about suffering, that evil is present in the world because mankind welcomed it in (and continues to welcome it).  Yet we cannot leave it there because God is sovereign and He cannot deny His nature—“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy….He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:8, 10); and He is good and does good (Psalm 119:68).

Scripture also reminds us that “it is for discipline that you have to endure.  God is treating you as sons.  For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them.  Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:7-11).

Sometimes it is easy to slip into an attitude of “I just want to get past this” without seeking God or allowing the testing of our faith to achieve its maximum benefit.   Sometimes people and situations tempt us to be anxious, grumpy or critical, without an attitude of rejoicing in the Lord—and forgetting the admonition to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God…” (Philippians 4:6).  One of our pastors made a comment Wednesday evening that gripped me:  “Every time we complain we are compromising God’s plans for our lives.”  When our heavenly Father allows situations or people into our lives that toss the waves of our sea, it is for our benefit; and embracing God in prayer, and with thanksgiving in the midst of our storms, impacts our growth and maturity as Christians.

I initially titled this post “Debriefing With God”; however I changed it because it is essential that we understand who God is and trust His character as the One who created us and loves us infinitely more than we can comprehend.  Yet my original point still stands, in that it is so necessary for us to know Him, to read His Word, and to talk to Him about everything that matters to us—because it is through our relationship with the Father that we find a peace that is incomprehensible at those times we need it most.

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Teaching Moments

Posted on May 13, 2015 by suemariericker

I had a “teaching moment” with my 4 year-old granddaughter this morning that I needed just as much as she did.  I should have realized that she was enjoying her shower last night just waaaaay too much—when she got out, smilingly, she informed me that she “cleaned” the shower.  I asked her what she used, her washcloth?  She just smiled and didn’t say a word.  It wasn’t until after bedtime stories and she was tucked in for the night that I found out she used up most of my bottle of facial cleanser for her ambitious endeavors.

I’ve talked to her about leaving grandma’s things alone when she is in the shower, this wasn’t something new to her; so this morning I reminded her that what she did was wrong and she needed to apologize and ask for forgiveness.  I was about to go on and tell her to promise that she would never do it again when the Holy Spirit stopped me with the realization that kind of promise is unscriptural.  The Bible tells us that, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

…doesn’t say anything about promising to never sin again!

I don’t want to alienate myself from God by sinning, and for the most part I am willing to align my choices and activities to avoid active rebellion; yet there are times when my thoughts or attitudes are much different than my appearance belies—for I am by nature a sinner, although saved by grace, “not of works, lest [I] should boast” (Ephesians 2:19).  The apostle Paul writing as the Holy Spirit directed, confessed “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.  Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me….O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?  I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:18-20, 24-25).

I did not realize that Paul was speaking of a future event—“Who will deliver me?”  It hadn’t happened yet, but by faith he claimed victory “through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  What a release from condemnation!  (“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1).

The problem with the promise “I will never do that again” is that it is about me and what I will do instead of what Jesus, by the Holy Spirit is doing in my life—my strength, my righteousness, instead of His.  Jesus promises to forgive us when we humble ourselves in repentance and He cleanses us from all unrighteousness.  “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3-7).

I know that there are some that believe people will “go all crazy like” on the grace of God, accepting permissions that our Father never intended.  However, it is not the wrath of God that holds our lives in check, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this:  that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).  The scripture goes on to say in verse 17:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

I remember as I raised my children, just how important it was to me to make sure that they were well behaved, and strictly disciplined—it did not even dawn on me to teach them about the grace of God.  Much to my regret.  I recognize that punishment and legalism were deeply rooted in my life and I am sad that I passed that heritage on to my kids.  But for the grace of God…  He has given us opportunities to mend our pathways and to experience the grace and forgiveness that comes from intimacy with our Savior.

May you have a grace-filled life, walking in faith and forgiveness; knowing that,

 

“The Lord is merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

He will not always chide,

Nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,

Nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is his steadfast love toward those who fear Him;

As far as the east is from the west,

So far does he remove our transgressions from us.

As a father shows compassion to his children,

So the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

For He knows our frame;

He remembers that we are dust.”

 Psalm 103:8-14

 

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Let Aaron Do It!

Posted on May 5, 2015 by suemariericker

A couple of teachings came together in my heart recently; and when I was trying to figure out what to title this post, the above came to mind.  Of course, for my family it holds a bit of humor because one of my sons’ name is Aaron.  However, I am not going to write about him—I am writing about Moses and his brother, Aaron.

When Moses encountered God in the wilderness, appearing to him as fire engulfing yet not consuming a bush, he gave a number of objections and excuses for why he could not follow the Lord’s instructions—and the God-given destiny for his life.  As you read the account in Exodus 3:1 – 4:17, you will see that Moses was quite adept at using the “Yeah, but….” avoidance technique.

I wonder if Moses was grasping at whatever he could come up with when he “said to the Lord, ‘O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue’” (Exodus 4:10)?  Moses was about 80 years old at this time, with a home, a family, and a career—he was quite established in his identity and his lifestyle and yet God was calling him back to a place where he was rejected, despised, and endangered.

And the Lord responded, “Who has made man’s mouth?  Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind?  Have not I, the Lord?  Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say” (vs. 11 & 12).  Not surrendering easily, Moses came up with one more “But”—“O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send” (vs. 13).

I think it is interesting that, after all of Moses’ arguments and excuses, God finally got angry.  …and yet He was merciful towards him:  “So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said:  ‘Is not Aaron the Levite your brother?  I know that he can speak well.  And look, he is also coming out to meet you…So he shall be your spokesman to the people” (Exodus 4:14, 16).

God, our Father, does not reject us when we ask questions, when we are honest with him about our fears and our vulnerabilities—in fact, He is willing to help His children in the places we feel most vulnerable.  Yet, as much as we would like to “let Aaron do it” when it comes to ministry or speaking truth in the midst of a dark and decaying society, every one of us is to be a sentinel of light, testifying to the righteousness of God and His awesome, magnificent, generous salvation available through Jesus Christ.

As easy as it is to look at Moses’ vulnerabilities, it is best to keep our eyes on the mercy and kindness of God—and to realize that this was the beginning of a powerful relationship and example of a growing life of faith for Moses.  The book of Hebrews records, “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ great riches than the treasure in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.  By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them” (Hebrews 11:24-28).

Although God got angry at Moses for what seemed to be a lack of faith, or fear, or unwillingness to move away from the life he was accustomed to, God recognized faith in him and a potential that Moses himself did not recognize—and that we might not recognize just by reading the account in the wilderness.  The same goes for each one of us; we might not see ourselves as God sees us or recognize in our hearts the same faith that propels us to seek Him and obey His call on our lives.

It is more than a matter of deciding whether we have faith or whether we are “gifted” enough to serve God, because faith and His destiny for our lives are gifts and it is up to receive them, to nurture them, and to use them for God’s kingdom and glory.  “…Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:1b, 2a); and, “therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Peter 2:10).

Just as Moses made the decision “to suffer affliction with the people of God [rather] than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt,” we also must decide what is most important to us—whether we will choose the pleasures, the morals, and conformity to the opinions of this world or honor God’s kingdom principles, which may lead to reproach and persecution for our faith.  He calls us to be light in the midst of darkness; it is up to us not to hide that light—not so much by the doctrines we preach; rather by way we live and how we treat others.

Jesus told his disciples, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.  Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’?  Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:35).  In whatever field God plants us, it is our mission not to lie dormant!  Jesus also declares, “I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing…By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples….You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that you fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  These thing I command you, that you love one another” (John 15:5, 8, 16-17).

Let us man/woman up for the kingdom of God! …bearing much fruit so that the gospel will spread throughout our personal fields and the Father will be glorified!

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A Different Perspective

Posted on April 21, 2015 by suemariericker

I think everyone has a little place in their minds where they (and when I say “they” I mean “we” because I am no exception) become set in their ways of thinking and doing things.  There is a lot of security in not “rocking the boat” by challenging our viewpoints or altering our daily agendas.  For the Christian, unalterable truth is revealed through Jesus Christ and the Word of God, the Bible.  Unfortunately, we have an enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy people by twisting and perverting truth as evidenced in the Garden of Eden and the wilderness where satan tried to divert Jesus from His mission to save mankind.

The fact that people can become set in their ways, no matter their ages, became very apparent to me on a couple of short-term mission trips I took a number of years ago.  Remarkably, older people seemed better able to adapt to their circumstances and be flexible as situations demanded than the younger folk—I guess that is because life has demanded many adjustments from most of us.  I do not think that is necessarily true when it comes to seeing things from different perspectives, though. Sometimes we become so set in our individual viewpoints that it is very difficult to see beyond our “religion” into the hearts and souls of those who are struggling, broken, or wounded.

I experienced a perspective adjustment a few weeks ago as the result of a sermon I heard at church—like the focusing of a lens, I saw with increased clarity something that I have wrestled with most of my life in a new light, with new understanding.  And I am experiencing a new freedom, which is the result of truth—because “…you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free….Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed!” (John 8:32, 36).

I have struggled with self-control, thinking that as a child of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, I should not have any problems controlling what I eat and keeping the pounds off.  Yet that has not been my reality and I have truly wondered what it is in my life that is blocking the fruit of the Holy Spirit, particularly in the area of self-control.  (“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” – Galatians 5:22, 23).  My struggles produced guilt, which inadvertently led to condemnation – however, “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

I did not realize, though, that I was confusing self-discipline (discipline and training oneself, usually for improvement) with self-control (control or restraint of oneself or one’s actions, feelings, etc.).  Self-discipline is often based on personal strengths and contribute quite generously to a sense of pride in accomplishment.  Holy Spirit self-control ignites the restraint of our actions, attitudes, and feelings when lured by the works of the flesh.  “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissension, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like…” (Galatians 5:-21).

We receive the Holy Spirit the same way we received Jesus—through faith (Galatians 3:14).  As we continue to feed the life of the Spirit within us, the fruit of the Spirit will grow and shine through.  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7, 8).

After a discussion about faith with some friends recently, I’ve given some thought to another aspect of perspective—in our relationships with others and how we handle the basic tenets of our faith.

I made some comments about the necessity of faith with the day of my son’s next deployment drawing near, as well as some other things going on in my family right now.  Someone mentioned that we all live by faith all the time.  …which is true; however, there are times in our lives when faith has an edginess that requires us to fight for it.  We fight to take our thoughts captive; we fight for hope.  We will not open the door an inch to let the enemy stick his foot in with “what ifs….”  In the midst of deployments, injuries, difficulties and crises of many kinds, family tragedies, catastrophic illnesses and the like, where there is an underlying acknowledgment that there is nowhere else to go but to Jesus, yet the battle for our hearts and our faith is real.  There are times when we don’t necessarily need the religious answers, we need the hope and comfort that only the Holy Spirit can bring.

I love the encouragement in 1 Corinthians 1:3, 4 where Paul writes through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  I love that God is so personal that He comforts us throughout the tribulations of life; I am also grateful that he brings people into our lives who have experienced similar trials and can share hopeful perspectives on the demands placed on our faith in the difficult times.

Sometime we just need to let the Holy Spirit shake us up a bit, to loosen up those places in our hearts that have become settled and stagnant—to listen to God’s voice in the moment, to listen beyond the words of others to hear what their hearts are saying.  …to see life from God’s perspective.

May all of our lives be refreshed with cool breezes of the Holy Spirit today so that we can read His Word with renewed understanding and gain revitalized perspectives, while seeing others, and ourselves, as God sees us!

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Forgiven!

Posted on April 11, 2015 by suemariericker

Easter is an incredibly meaningful holiday for Christians, though I do not think we will grasp the full significance of the resurrection until we see Jesus.  I struggle, though, trying to comprehend all that Jesus did (and continues to do) for me—sometimes finding it difficult to align my heart and my understanding with His awesome sacrifice on the cross and the power that raised Christ from the dead—recognizing that same power is alive inside of me through faith. 

Oftentimes I focus so much on my personal vulnerabilities, the weakness of my humanity, and the daily struggles of life that I forget that I am an overcomer in this world “because He who is in [me] is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4); “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4, 5).

I remember, many years ago being a part of a church that condemned “emotionalism” in Christianity.  I recognize that some churches have developed some unbiblical, crazy practices in their services; yet as believers in Christ, we cannot separate our emotions from the worship of our risen Savior.  In fact, the week between Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey amidst shouts of praise and the waving of palm branches, and the day that He defeated death through His glorious resurrection, is commonly referred to as Passion week. …not because of our passion for Him but for His amazing love and passion for us.  How can we not share in that passion with our total—mind, will and emotions—devotion to Him?

Our greatest caution in worship is that we not become like those who praised Jesus on Sunday and then turned around to deny Him on Friday.  We also must be careful not to reflect the attitudes of the Pharisees in our judgments of how others express their worship and love for the Savior—the scandalous story of the “sinful” woman who poured the alabaster flask of fragrant oil over Jesus’ feet, washing them with her tears and wiping them with her hair, reminds us how outrageous our devotion seems to a skeptical world.

Jesus told this parable to the critical spectators, “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more? …Do you see this woman? …I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:41-42, 47).

It is possible (I speak from experience) to be such a “good”, law-keeping, church-attending, religious person that does not recognize that the debt each one of us owes to God is no less than the woman caught in adultery.  Sometimes our human nature catches up and overtakes us in overt sin, but often attitudes of pride, self-righteousness, rebellion, greed, covetousness, bitterness, hatred, judgment or criticism (to name a few) run as a looped tape in the background of our hearts and we do not recognize the insidiousness of sin within us.  The joyous news is that as we acknowledge the fallen inner workings of our souls, the more reason we will have to praise him for His amazing grace “that saves a wretch like me.”

I find that writing about Easter is difficult because of the vast amount of eternal significance bound up in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus; yet there are some effects of the resurrection that hold particular meaning for me right now:

Because He lives, my heart is comforted with the hope that I will again see my mother, who died when I was four years old, again.

Because He lives, I know that the same power that raised Christ from the dead resides in me and will give life to my mortal body—and I am being kept for an eternal inheritance through the power of the Holy Spirit.  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for [me] who [is] kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5).

And best of all, because He lives, through faith in Jesus, my sins are forgiven and no principality or power of the enemy can have dominion over me.  “…you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:12-15).

For these reasons, the stony alabaster box encircling my heart is broken and every part of me responds in worship to the Savior.

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Recluse

Posted on March 27, 2015 by suemariericker

I cannot begin to tell you just how many times I have remarked that I would love to live in a secluded cabin in the woods, isolated from the demands and interactions society and life seem to impose on me.  …well, isolated but with hot and cold running water, electricity, and internet.

However, a verse I read in Proverbs the other day challenged my desire for solitude:  “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment” (Proverbs 18:1).  As much as I would often like to avoid interactions with others, a lifestyle of doing so does not necessarily foster sound judgment.

 That is not to say that there are not times we should get away by ourselves for rest and to nurture our relationship with God—Jesus, the Son of God, demonstrated that essential aspect of a relationship with the Father by His life on earth.  “And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while’ (Mark 6:31); and, “Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray” (Mark 6:45, 46).

I am beginning to recognize that there are ways of isolating myself, setting myself up as a recluse, without withdrawing from society to an isolated place.  Proverbs 18:2 hints at another way we can isolate ourselves:  “A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.” 

As much as some dispute the authenticity or accuracy of the Bible, there is an indisputable truth regarding its authority, truth concerning who God is, who we are as God’s creation, as well as the relationship we are able to enjoy with God through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.  However, some do not desire understanding; rather, their ultimate authority lies in the personal knowledge and understanding their own hearts afford them—thus they isolate themselves with their individual perspectives. 

And lest anyone thinks this is a Christian vs. non-Christian issue, pride, particularly arrogant pride, is a catalyst in the lives of many to set themselves apart from others.  “A proud and haughty man—‘Scoffer’ is his name; he acts with arrogant pride” (Proverbs 21:24).  Paul wrote this to Timothy, “If anyone…does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth…” (1 Timothy 6:3-5).

Pride is a rather insidious sin, difficult to recognize unless we are open to the Holy Spirit and the light He shines into the darkest corners of our hearts, illuminating sinful attitudes that tend to creep in unnoticed and lurk there—and judgmental or critical spirits often cloak a prideful spirit.

Fear, particularly fear of rejection, often isolates people.  Yet we have the assurance to pray as King David, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1) – because “in this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins….there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1 John 4:10, 18).

Harboring sin in our hearts or practicing sin in our lives can also isolate us “—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ….If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:3, 6-7).

From another perspective, poverty can isolate us; “Wealth makes many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend” and, “All the brothers of the poor hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him!  He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him” (Proverbs 19:4, 7).  This is a striking commentary identifying our fallen human nature, which is drawn to the strong, the beautiful, the powerful—respecting the wealthy while quietly assessing the poor amongst us with a critical eye and disassociating with those in poverty, the weak and the broken.  James addresses this problem in his epistle, “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.  For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?  Listen, my beloved brethren:  Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” (James 2:1-5).  This particular situation may not play out in our churches (though if our churches are fulfilling the ministry of Christ, there is a very good chance that it will), but very often this is the attitude of our hearts.

Unforgiveness causes alienation and isolation—just as the devil, the one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, targets lives and relationships.  Rather than let any of the subtleties of the enemy or inclinations of our flesh cause us to isolate ourselves from the body of Christ, “let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24, 25).

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A Dangerous Thing

Posted on March 12, 2015 by suemariericker

The opportunity to defend life came to our little town recently and, as in every place where convenience or “personal choice” conflicts with the value God places on the lives of every person, born or pre-born, an emotionally charged situation developed.  …and, as in most cases—going beyond the issues of freedom or choice—politics and money played heavily into the issues at stake.  Remarkably, a number of those professing Christianity vacillated on the issues surrounding abortion—recognizing that it is probably wrong but not necessarily convinced that every time a tiny life is sucked out, a murder has been committed.

We are not naïve about the physical and emotional scars a woman carries when she chooses to end the life of her child, nor the fact that many men are deeply affected by abortion.  We also recognize the amazing grace of God, who offers forgiveness to all who come to Him in repentance—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  It is also essential that we not become calloused or indifferent to the difficulties a woman may face when she chooses to let her baby live—and be willing to come alongside in support of those struggling to raise children in difficult circumstances.

My daughter also took a positive stand for life on social media recently and the comments that ensued were pretty much what anyone would expect…  blaming all Christians for the activities of a very few violent, radical people claiming to be Christians; that “God will love and cherish the baby better than this world trying to accept its creation”, “a woman’s personal choice or right to an abortion should not be taken away” (that logic stumbles when the child’s right to life is denied), and, “the Bible is just a book full of stories with good morals”—to name a few of the arguments.  Nothing unique—all comments fairly common to these types of discussions.

There are those who know a bit about the Bible, can give some vague quotations taken roughly from scripture, and concoct a comfortable belief system to accommodate who they think God is, while establishing a personal value system based on their own definition of right and wrong.  Yet God doesn’t think the way people think: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.  ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thought than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8, 9).

Most Christians are familiar with the gospel account of satan confronting Jesus in the wilderness and recall the enemy’s tactic of perverting God’s Word—a tactic that worked so successfully on Eve that the devil continues to twist scripture into a workable format, acceptable to most people who would not otherwise make any sort of relational commitment to God.  …and that is a dangerous thing, being seduced by an enemy who delights in destroying lives.

The book of Judges records ancient Israel’s radical departure from God’s intentions for His people as they adopted the idolatry and lifestyles of surrounding peoples and nations.  More than not having a king of their own, they rejected God’s authority, bringing judgment, destruction, and captivity on their nation.  The book is summed up in the last verse, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).  Many people continue to risk judgment, destruction, and captivity as they reject and redefine God’s authority in their lives.

I have thought lately a lot about Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins; how, more than just a very linear explanation such as “the oil represents the Holy Spirit”, there is a depth of relationship communicated in the phrase, “watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matthew 25:13).  …and there is more to the word “watch” than just shaking our heads at the news.  Jesus is telling us that our salvation is more than looking like a Christian, claiming to be one, or associating with Christians.  There is an intimacy in our relationship with God that only the Spirit can fuel; once ignited by the Spirit, the responsibility to remain filled with the Spirit belongs to each individual.

Jesus warned the disciples, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).  The Holy Spirit continues to speak through the apostle Paul, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have been taught; avoid them.  For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve” (Romans 16:17, 18); and in a letter to Timothy, Paul writes, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16).

As the enemy aggressively blurs the lines between truth and lies, right and wrong, and righteousness and apostasy, let us heed the Spirit’s warning, given through the apostle Peter, “Be sober-minded; be watchful.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experience by your brotherhood throughout the world.  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:8-10).

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Is it Faith?

Posted on March 3, 2015 by suemariericker

My intention was to post here more often; however, life is busy and I’ve dedicated a lot of time to another writing project.  I am at a bit of a stopping point for now, so hopefully, I will be able to spend more time with my blog.

I am a writer and have been writing for a long time—it is work in progress.  Though I am not necessarily “published author”, I would like to be, but it is something I have committed to the Lord—which is the best thing I can do with my hopes and dreams:  “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 16:3); and, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).  That is not to say I haven’t taken steps to see that dream come true, but only as God gives opportunity.

The vision I had for my life at 20 was much different from the way things worked out—I am sure many can say the same thing.  Perhaps there are some shadows of disappointment, but my confession is that God is good, He does not disappoint, and I am truly blessed!  I also recognize that my life is not over and I have not given up on having hope and dreams—whatever comes of them, I know they are in God’s hands.

I have been a part of a women’s Bible study for the past month or so now and we are examining the book of Hebrews—one of my favorite books, but also a very detailed one, describing the mechanics of our salvation.  Most Christians are familiar with Hebrews 11, the “faith chapter”, and for many of us, Hebrews 11:1 is a verse we were taught to memorize:  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 

I have been thinking about faith in the light of my hopes lately, and I am compelled to ask myself, “Do I really have faith, or am I living with resignation, the loss of the dream, passivity or an absence of hope?”  Is there a difference between surrendering our hopes to God and just giving up in defeat?  Happily, God is eager to reveal the attitudes of our hearts when we ask Him.

Here is something to remember:  Everything about our relationship with God includes passion!

            “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

            “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulations, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:11, 12).

            “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).

            “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

            “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1).

            “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:6, 7).

            I cannot begin to tell you all of the excuses I have come up with for not trusting God, and not earnestly pursuing the unique gifting of His Spirit.  Some of the tricks the enemy uses to render us quite ineffective include comparison – “I’m not as good at doing __________ as ____________ so it must not be my gift or calling”.  …0r fear – “I am afraid of what others may think of me” or “it must be spiritual pride that drives my desire”; or defeat – “I haven’t seen the answer so God probably won’t respond to my prayers,” or intimidation – “that desire is too big, I could never do that.”

            God doesn’t call us to be great; He calls us to be faithful and to trust Him.  Jesus taught about faithfulness in the parable of the talents and concluded, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.  Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).  Many times we become so consumed with the business of life that we forget that earth is only a temporary duty station, and we are on a mission here to spread the good news about Jesus.  …and even if our responsibilities or jobs don’t seem to have anything to do with ministry, we are called to positively affect the lives of others by our integrity and faithfulness to the Savior.  …and our faithfulness in little things can touch lives in ways no one else can.

Often our prayer life is an indication of our faith—we tend to pray less when we think it doesn’t matter much.  Or we may have prayed for something for a long time and given up hope—and our instant gratification culture doesn’t help with the godly characteristic of perseverance!  Yet scripture advocates praying fervently (James 5:16), and being steadfast in prayer.

Do you have a dream?  Do you have a talent, hobby, or gift you enjoy?  Give it to Jesus and see what a glorious tapestry He will make of your life.  Just as the priests’ robes, worn in the tabernacle of old, were made of fine linen, decorated with blue, purple, and scarlet yarns, the Master Designer also desires to weave our lives into things of beauty—for we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that [we] may proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

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What Comfort?

Posted on February 13, 2015 by suemariericker

I was upset as I read a comment someone made on another’s post a few days ago, adding scorn and criticism to an already wounded soul.  I think it is the many broken places in my own life that stirs my heart with compassion when I hear of someone else’s struggles—I don’t always recognize the depth of the wounds, but there is a point in acknowledging my personal weaknesses, wounds, struggles, and disappointments that positions me to identify with those who are facing similar battles.

Scripture confirms, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4).  So amazing that our Father, the God of all comfort, entrusts the ministry of comforting others to broken people—yet it is in that very brokenness that we are able to identify with the vulnerabilities of others.  It took me a very long time to figure out that it is not from what I think are my strengths that I can do most good, it is from a place of vulnerability where I can touch the lives of others.

There are two well-known stories in the New Testament that reveal God’s heart of compassion:  the story of the Good Samaritan when Jesus taught that compassion towards all people was the essence of being a good neighbor (Luke 10:33, 34); and the story of the prodigal son, when the Father ran out to meet his dirty, broken son—and He embraced the son in His arms, calling for a great feast to celebrate the son’s return (Luke 15:20-24).

Many times, though, we do not consider with compassion those who are different from us.  …and people who bear the scars of sin and shame, or the ones facing big consequences for seemingly small errors in judgment also come under the canopy of our silent judgment.  We may not admit to despising someone, though our criticisms speak otherwise.  The Holy Spirit, through Solomon cautions, “Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor” or as the New Living Translations puts it, “It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor; blessed are those who help the poor” (Proverbs 14:21).  Often it is much easier to be generous with our money than it is with our assessments of others!

I recognize that, as humans, many of us have the propensity to be judgmental in our opinions of others.  I have a pretty good idea why we do it, based primarily on my own foibles (my “official” qualifications for understanding behavior).  It took a very long time for me to realize that perfection does not make me lovable, though many of the messages I received throughout my childhood, some relationships, and from fear-based religion seemed to communicate that flawlessness is what it takes to be accepted, and loveable.  …therefore, I could only see others from the perspective of what I thought I should be, not who I am—a sinner saved by grace—and judged them accordingly.

God’s admonition to Samuel serves as a reminder that there is so much more to what we see of a person or the difficulties they may be facing:  “For the Lord sees not as man sees:  man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).  We really have narrow perspectives with our backgrounds and unique personalities; it is so easy to figure out how people and things “should be” from where we are standing in life without seeing from the perspectives of others.

We also have a very limited view from the pinnacle of our strengths, “I did this” or “I was able to overcome this bad habit”, “you should be able to do it, too”.  That message came home to me many years ago; as “food issues”, and weight issues, and self-acceptance issues have circled the nest of my heart for so very long, the messages of “why don’t you just control yourself?” or “why can’t you just stop eating”, or “you could do this if you would just try” or “…if you wanted to” came piercing my soul with shame and condemnation.  Oh, how we judge the outward appearances of others!  Oh, how we judge the parenting skills of others!  Oh, how we judge the driving habits of others!  Who escapes the judge and jury of our inward voices and personal strengths?

Yet, the battlefields in many lives are rarely obvious—the battles are taking place in the unseen corners of our souls that only God can see, and though the victories may not be discernable to others, we know that Jesus came to heal the broken-hearted and set captives free.  We have His promise that the good work He began in our lives, He will bring to completion when we see Jesus.  We are His work of art, created in Christ Jesus for a lifetime of good works which our Father prepared for us.  We are valuable because God says so—and so are those who we are so quick to judge.

The apostle Paul quite understood where his true strength lay, “But He said to me, ‘my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10).

Christ’s act of redemption has many dimensions—one being that He is replacing our hearts of stone with soft hearts:  “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).  It is a rewarding journey when we allow God to remove the rocks that crop up in our hearts, clearing our paths for greater usefulness to His kingdom.  As we allow Him to mold our hearts, our ability to “love one another with brotherly affection”, “to outdo one another in showing honor”, bless those who persecute you…rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, live in harmony with one another…not be haughty, but associate with the lowly, never be wise in your own sight…do what is honorable in the sight of all”, and “…so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” will grow.  (Romans 12:10-18).

May we continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, allowing Him to heal our hearts and teach us how to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

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Fighting Words!

Posted on January 30, 2015 by suemariericker

I don’t know the source of the phrase “them’s fighting words!” but it came to mind the other day when I was working on memorizing a scripture in 2 Corinthians.  I think I have mentioned before that I have a rather random mind, which can be entertaining at times.  However, the verses that ignited my thoughts come from chapter 10, verses 3 to 5:  “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

I think the context of the phrase speaks of defending the honor of one’s self or their loved ones.  However, in a spiritual setting, it speaks to me of proclaiming truth in the midst spiritual attack.

This is conjecture, sourced primarily from experience, but I believe that there are times in our lives when demonic activity is ramped up against the church corporately as well as individual Christians.  I had some craziness going on in my finances the past few months, including some fraudulent activity, unexpected expenses, and some issues with my computer that ended up costing quite a bit.  It is incredibly naïve to think that any area of our lives is off-limits to demonic assault, so I asked God whether this was “just happening”, a spiritual attack, or if there was something in my life that needed adjusting.   The Holy Spirit responded to my heart:  No, Yes, Yes!  (He is not always so brief, but I was pretty specific in my questions.)

The first two answers are quite self-explanatory, and the Holy Spirit let me know the adjustments that I needed to make in my life.  It started with my willingness and attitudes about giving.  Sometimes I let fear determine my generosity instead of the Holy Spirit—it is up to me whether I am going to believe what God says in His Word, though:  “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.  The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (Proverbs 11:24, 25).

And, “But this I say:  He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).

Spiritual attacks are wonderful opportunities to make adjustments in our lives that will bring greater honor to God and glory to His kingdom; and they are best handled with prayer (“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” Ephesians 6:18), Holy Spirit insight (“When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” John 16:13), and countered with scripture—“the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).

My daughter came home in tears earlier today because of a situation that came up at work, calling into question her integrity.  Interesting, because living her life and working with integrity is a principle she lives by; however, this issue has the possibility of far-reaching implications.  This is exactly the type of problem that the enemy will use to create fear and uncertainty, causing us to wonder if God is capable, or cares enough about us, to bring us through in triumph.  We have the assurance, though, “that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 2:28).  And as Joseph’s brothers came face to face with him years after their abuse and betrayal, we can echo his confession, “you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…” (Genesis 50:20).

Demons often attack our faith in God, what we believe to be true (scripture) and our identity or value as His child.  Scripture counsels, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).  And sound counsel from the apostle, Peter:  “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:14).

“Fighting Words” – that is what this blog is about.  We are children of our heavenly Father, not victims of a ruthless enemy.  God gave us a book of hope, of salvation, and promises to fight back when the enemy attempts to assault us.  I pray that we, as God’s beloved, will learn to fight back with the weapons available to us through His grace.

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