Cultivating Life

Posted on March 5, 2014 by suemariericker

I am not thin.  In fact, to some I am just the opposite.  Throughout my life, there were those who teased me about my weight; I’ve been told that no one could love me, rejected in a culture that loves beauty and skinny, experienced anorexia and bulimia, tried every diet I could afford, experienced guilt because one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is self-control and it seems sadly lacking in this area of my life.

I’ve heard Christians say that over-eating is sin because our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (however, the context of this scripture is sexual immorality—1 Corinthians 6:19).  Gluttony – “an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires” – is considered one of the seven deadly sins (though the religious leaders during the time Jesus lived on earth considered Him a glutton—Luke 7:34).  Unfortunately, we err by considering only the over consumption of food as gluttony; when, in fact, there are many enticing things in this culture that encourage immoderation.

One of the difficulties for people who struggle with food issues, though, is judgmental attitudes, first their own because they (we) see ourselves falling short of the glory of God, “less-than” citizens in kingdom life, and the judgment of others who condemn us for not taking care of ourselves (and whatever other reasons people find to condemn those who are overweight).

But the topic of body weight is not where I want to go with this blog; it is just a set-up, a physical prologue to a spiritual truth.  God told the prophet Samuel as he was about to select a new king, “the Lord sees not as man sees:  man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).  Jesus also taught that “it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person” (Matthew 15:11).

Most people recognize, to one degree or another, that we are farmers, constantly sowing and reaping the harvest of our choices.  People sometimes hope to get away with slight indiscretions, others blatantly break laws and hope to escape punishment; yet scripture teaches, “Do not be deceived:  God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7, 8).  For those who are about to say, “I told you so”, my point is a little different than you may think…

The Holy Spirit makes changes in our lives as we commit ourselves to seeking God through Bible study, prayer, and surrendering our lives to Him; yet some of the changes we hope for or expect do not always become obvious; instead, love begins replacing intolerance, joy replaces unhappiness or depression, patience takes the place of impatience—the fruit of the Holy Spirit gradually replaces the weaknesses of our human nature.  Where I may not perceive self-control in one area of my life, I have seen Spirit-empowered control in other areas, such as my commitment to Bible study, scheduling my days, or controlling my responses in taxing situations.

Human philosophy and religion tend to make rules to modify our behavior based on what our culture considers important.  Religious people often quote the verse in Philippians 2:12, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”, to endorse a system of rules and legalism, without completing the verse:  “…for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  We cannot assume that we know what God is doing (or think He should be doing) in another person’s life, particularly when we are having difficulty understanding what He is doing in our own!

Some churches promote insecurity in that, if you do not adhere closely to “the truth” and “keep the law” as specified in their particular dogma (focusing entirely on appearances or an outward show of compliance), then salvation is not ensured.  However scripture does not teach insecurity or fear; instead, the Word encourages confidence:  “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).  And, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).  Paul wrote to his “beloved child” Timothy, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Problems arise when we listen to the accusations of the enemy or adopt the value systems of this fallen world instead of listening to the truth in God’s word and the Holy Spirit, who brings scripture to life.  Remember, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus….Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn?  Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:1, 5-6, 33-34).

For me?  I am cultivating the life of the Spirit and am continuing to grow in grace and the knowledge of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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Wounded Spirits

Posted on February 27, 2014 by suemariericker

I am not sure how many people recognize that there is such a thing as “spiritual abuse”; however, the first time I heard the phrase it resonated with my understanding of the leadership and doctrines of some churches and religions.  I am having some difficulty figuring out how to write what is on my heart, though, because I recognize that all abuse affects our spirits.

It is easy to recognize spiritual abuse in cultic activity such as Heaven’s Gate, Branch Davidian, Rajneeshpuram, or the horror of Jonestown; yet any religion or Christian faction that uses fear to control its members, or preaches a dogma contrary to or twisted from scripture is guilty of spiritual abuse—whether intentional or not.

There are two extremes in scripture that represent the nature of those who wield abusive spiritual authority—overly legalistic and controlling or extremely liberal and permissive.  Also, there are the financially manipulative who prey on the most vulnerable people in our society—and they can be either legalistic or permissive.

Jesus confronts the religious leaders of His day by telling them, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces….For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law:  justice and mercy and faithfulness….For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence…For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.  So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:13, 23, 25, 27-28).

The thing about quoting familiar scriptures is that they take on a “ho hum, nothing new there” quality.  And with this scripture in particular, it is easy identify and label hypocrites (usually someone we do not like, either personally or doctrinally), yet one of the points Jesus was making is that it is not so easy to identify hypocrites and those who detract from the gospel—their power is more subtle.  Yet they are notorious for creating burdens for others, ones that they are unwilling to carry themselves (Matthew 23:4).  For many, salvation by grace through faith is not quite enough—the Holy Spirit isn’t quite enough, or as Paul wrote, out of frustration it seems, to the Galatian church, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?…Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?  Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1, 3).

People attempting to take advantage of God’s people, particularly the vulnerable and naïve, is nothing new—ancient Israel dealt with corrupt leaders and false prophets.  The prophet Micah warned, “Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity.  Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money….Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins” (Micah 3:9-12).  Their spiritual leaders also had a propensity for telling people what they wanted to hear rather than the words God was speaking:  “Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘you shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’  And the Lord said to me:  ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name.  I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them.  They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds’” (Jeremiah 14:13, 14).

The apostle Paul gives a New Testament perspective, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3, 4).

Perverted religion skews our perception of who we are as sinners, incapable of personal righteousness, and who God is as completely loving and completely righteous—requiring a righteousness from us that only He can provide.  The problem many have experienced is the introduction of subtle biases into our hearts and minds that whisper we have to be good enough for God to love us; and when breaking away from traditions or doctrines that do not have Biblical support, often there is an undercurrent of fear that we are doing something wrong and God is going to punish us.  However, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

The reason I’m writing this is not to cast suspicion on pastors, Bible teachers, or those who have prophetic ministries; rather, it is to remind us that we have a an inerrant, infallible standard for truth—the Bible.  As we commit ourselves to reading God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives and guide us, we will be equipped to withstand the enemy’s tactic of perverting truth.  We will also receive training and the words to speak into the spiritually wounded places in our hearts and the hearts of others, for “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16).

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Brokenhearted

Posted on February 18, 2014 by suemariericker

I am quite confident that most people have experienced one or more heart-breaking, soul-wrenching circumstances in their lives—whether the loss of a loved one, abuse, crippling illness, abandonment, divorce, or any one of a myriad effects of the fallen nature of our planet.  Sadly, these things, these hurtful situations frequently not only bring pain in the moment, they also leave broken spots in our hearts, spots where, if not consciously surrendered to God, questions that begin with “how can a loving God…” take root and grow into unbelief in the goodness of our heavenly Father.

Christians and non-Christians alike understand that forgiveness is an essential step in healing our hearts and our emotions—recognizing that unforgiveness is poison to our souls.  For the Christian, forgiving others is a key factor in receiving forgiveness and unhindered relationship with God, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14, 15).

The prophet Isaiah beautifully describes the mission of our Savior:  “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4, 5).

I can assure you that I have more “where did that come from?” thoughts and moments than I can count; I know the enemy is a seed planter, I also recognize that there are broken, vulnerable places in my heart where those thoughts can grow if I am not careful.  Many of us have background scripts playing in our hearts written from devastating circumstances and painful experiences.  For instance, the survivor of abuse, whether as a child or an adult (though child victims often become adult victims) hears, “the world is not a safe place and no one will protect you”.  One who has experienced the loss of a parent at a young age or experienced divorce as an adult will subconsciously build walls of protection because people leave, and the fear abandonment is overwhelming.  The loss of a loved one, particularly when it seems long before their time, leaves a broken voice that proclaims, “God cannot be trusted to take care of me or my family”.  Friends who betray or a society that judges one’s appearance negatively insinuate that we are not lovable or worthy of love.

Now as Christians, consciously we recognize those lies, yet often our words, our habits, our addictions, our lifestyles, or our attitudes betray a brokenness, hiding deep within our souls.  Isaiah goes on to write, proclaiming the words of our Savior:  “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound…to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:1-3).

For those moments when we question, “I have accepted Jesus as my Savior and the Holy Spirit dwells in me by faith, so why do I do these things, act this way, or have these thoughts and attitudes?”, it is important to remember that our lives are works in progress—and we can be “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

I am learning that to suppress fearful, faithless thoughts does not confront the source of brokenness in my heart; instead, when I confess them to God, He takes care of the issues at stake.  “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” (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5).

Two powerful weapons available to us are faith and scripture:  “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the…sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:16, 17).

When you feel exposed and your soul is in jeopardy, remember… “You [God] are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7).

When you fear abandonment, remember God’s promise… “‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’  So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?’”

When you are tempted to think that God cannot be trusted, remember… “The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Corinthians 3:3).  “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him” (Psalm 18:30).

When you feel unloved or unlovely, we have our Father’s assurance… “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35, 37-39).

Jesus invested all of who He is in our salvation—He is committed to our healing and restoration so that we “may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified”.

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Being God’s Friend

Posted on February 11, 2014 by suemariericker

On the list of adventures I could choose, driving across country with a 3-year old in the car would not appear in my top ten.  However, when God puts a path before you, it is a good idea to figure out ways to make the most of it.  …which is why, in planning our drive from Virginia to Southern California (and when I say S. California, I mean my cell phone thinks I’m in Mexico), we decided to make it an adventure, with interesting stops along the way.

After saying goodbye to my son and his family in Roanoke, the next stop on our journey was in Petersburg, Kentucky at the Creation Museum—an amazing, faith-confirming destination.  Now, with the Museum not so far distant in our rear-view mirror, news of the debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham intrigued me.  Honestly, I cannot say that the idea of a debate is one that I’m usually interested in, however, I couldn’t resist listening to a good portion of this one.

Anyone who reads my blog consistently, knows that I am a Bible-believing Christian, and I am not here to continue the debate, because frankly, I do not know as much about science as the authorities who carry on these discussions.  I am quite familiar with the Bible; however, I could learn much more from Biblical scholars.  With all of the fallout coming from this debate, I am also amazed that there are those who profess to believe the Bible and yet they reject the Genesis record of creation.  I am not quite sure how they separate the account of earth’s earliest history in Genesis apart from the rest of the historical record in the book, but then again, I do not have the educational background of many scholars.

Here is what I do know:  My mind is being renewed and transformed through a commitment to read God’s Word, the Bible—and I have His assurance, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).  I also recognize that there is a distinction between the natural wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God: “we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are coming to nothing….These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned….But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:6, 13-14, 16).

There are always going to be points where the wisdom and culture of this world collide with the wisdom and culture of heaven.  In the accounts of the ancient Israelites, God’s people proved repeatedly that the accepted beliefs and practices of the cultures surrounding them were never acceptable to God—things are no different now.

Here is something that I have noticed:  There are spiritual bullies who do all in their power to intimidate, belittle, threaten, and contradict those who put their faith in Jesus instead of the philosophies of this world, who accept the Bible as an amazing gift from the Creator of the universe, and refuse to compromise the principles of righteousness we are called, as followers of Christ, to live by.  Although our first inclination may be either to run and hide or respond in kind, we must remember who we are and who God has called us to be in the world.  “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience….But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus….For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:1-2, 4-6, 10).

God showed great mercy and love towards us even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, how can we treat those who do not know him any differently?  Of course that is an impossible prospect apart from the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and our surrender to the Lordship of Jesus.  Evidence of Holy Spirit’s presence in our hearts shows up in our attitudes and presence in the world:  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 6:22, 23).  Jesus taught us, “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:44, 45).

Although some Christians may not hold to the same tenets of our faith that you or I do, adopting accusatory attitudes towards them puts us on the enemy’s payroll by being an “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).  Instead, it would be best to follow Paul’s advice in his letter to the Colossians:  “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Colossians 3:12-14).

Scripture notes that friendship with the world means enmity with God (James 4:4), often the opposite is also true; friendship with God means enmity with the world—I encourage you to pursue your friendship with God anyway!

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Let The Words Of My Mouth…

Posted on February 4, 2014 by suemariericker

We’ve been in California almost three months now and I’m pretty sure our search for a new church home is over; though I toyed with the idea of leaving before the service started this past weekend when I saw the sermon title – “The Sin of Complaining”.  Sin is such a harsh word!  Yet scripture makes it very clear that there is no other way to address the expressions of a dissatisfied heart.  The upside to conviction is that when I respond with confession and repentance about those areas in my life where the Holy Spirit is directing His laser pointer, God is quick to forgive and release His power to begin some serious house cleaning (1 John 1:9).

Some years ago, I was working at a job I kind of enjoyed, for an employer whose personality was quite abrasive—good news, bad news, but I believed that God led me there.  I remember sending my daughter an e-mail one time “sharing” some of the difficulties I was experiencing with the job and the boss.  She replied with a scathing rebuke, essentially saying that, if things were so bad, why did I stay there? (our kids can be so smart sometimes!).

My response was something along the line of saying that I was just sharing my feelings, not complaining, because I believed I was where I was supposed to be.  Classic Denial, with a touch of Blaming God for my problems.  Here is the thing about my spiritual journey, there has been a lot of emotional healing and some counseling along the way, and a part of my growing process was to “get in touch with my feelings” and to express them.  The biggest problem with that is, when I attempt to roll the burdens off my shoulders by thinly disguising my complaints as “expressing my feelings” someone else is often in the way and if not careful, gets knocked over by them.

I think most Christians are familiar with the misadventures of the Israelites wandering their way from Egypt to Palestine; everything went wrong and nothing seemed to make them happy.  Very often their circumstances appeared overwhelming, yet they belonged to a mighty God who parted a sea, sent manna from heaven, and turned bitter water sweet—however, they did not act or talk like it.  Numbers 11:1-15 records Moses’ response to their continual complaints (“just kill me now!”) and God’s opinion of their attitudes (“his anger was kindled”).

The writer of Hebrews tells us “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).  Unfortunately, I am more inclined to take the easy route by complaining or harboring faithless thoughts and attitudes instead of diligently seeking God.  I’m sure I’ve found different wrappings for my gripes such as “but I’m so frustrated” or “I can’t help it if I feel that way”; however, no matter how we package it, complaining is evidence of unbelief.

The apostle Paul writes, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14).  I find a couple of interesting things in this verse—the first is there are no caveats!  He tells them “do all things without complaining….”  There are no exceptions; he excludes no person or situation from this command.  The other thing I find significant is that our refusal to complain in the midst of difficult situations sets us apart from the rest of the world.  Or another way to look at it is, when we voice discontent and complaints, we extinguish our ability to be light in a dark world.

Paul also confirms to the church in Philippi, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11).  I’m suspicious that Paul did not immediately become content the moment he “saw the light”; instead, it was an attitude he learned throughout the difficulties he encountered as an uncompromising follower of Jesus—he also recognized the spiritual basis for some of his challenging encounters with people when he wrote, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…” (Ephesians 6:12).

There are some things to keep in mind when we are inclined to complain:  First off, if there is something we can, in love and with the approval of the Holy Spirit, do about a difficult situation, then do it!—don’t just complain about it.  Second, take Peter’s advice to cast (and continue casting) all of your cares on Jesus, because “He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).  Third, believe Jesus, who said, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31, 33).  Fourth, and I think the most important, is to follow Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

My heart echoes the words of King David who wrote, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

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“House of Mercy”

Posted on February 1, 2014 by suemariericker

I woke up a couple of mornings ago with a strong sense of my need for the mercy of God.  I’m in one of those spots where I’m facing a demanding situation and insufficient personal resources to address it—in the natural realm, an unwelcome and difficult place to be, yet, spiritually, an excellent position to be in.

It reminded me of something that happened many years ago, when I was in my early 20s.  I was anticipating moving into a “church house” being started for young, single working women.  We were trying to come up with a name for our house that represented who we were—all I could think of was “House of Mercy”.  Well, to say that name fell flat is a mild understatement!  My friend, the one chosen to be the overseer of the house did not like that name because it communicated a sense of weakness or vulnerability, attributes she did not think represented who we were.

I definitely could see her point; I do not like weakness and certainly do not want anyone to think of me as needy.  Our society, for the most part, rejects neediness, particularly when it might invade another’s space or resources; emotional neediness definitely puts strains on friendships and relationships.  Yet there is something very strong in God’s mercy, because it is in those times when we feel the neediest or the weakest that we are positioned to see God’s saving grace—as he spoke to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Many years have passed since that experience; and I am growing increasingly appreciative of Mercy.  Too many poor choices, too many unvirtuous attitudes, way too many careless words remind me of my weaknesses, my vulnerabilities—and apart from the mercy of God, which I cannot earn, I would be lost in the quicksand of depression!

It would be quite easy to blame my performance-based mentality on a religious upbringing; however, much of our society is accomplishment driven, particularly when defining success—which we tend to measure in dollar signs.  Unconsciously, it is easy to adopt some of the opinions expressed around me rather than searching out God’s opinion from His Word or listening to what the Holy Spirit might have to say.

For instance, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:4-6).  He not only saved us for eternity, he also cleanses, regenerates, and renews our lives in the present through the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior”. 

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that there is no, “I’ve had it just about up to here with you, young (old?) lady…!”  With God, there is no quota on sin He will forgive if we ask; no, “you are trying my patience and you have gone too far this time”; no, “I was going to answer your prayers, but you just have not been doing your part”.  In fact, “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is [His] faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-24).

The author goes on to paint a picture of how we receive Gods mercy: “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’  The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.  It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (v. 24-26).  Nurturing a relationship based on hope and waiting quietly for God does not come easily in our “just don’t stand there, do something” world!

I have watched many, many VeggieTales stories with my grandchildren, and one phrase, spoken by Larry-Boy frequently comes to visit me:  “With great chocolate comes great responsibility”.  I know it is silly; however, as I was considering what to write here, the phrase came back to me a bit differently.  “With great mercy comes great responsibility.”  Not a “sit back and enjoy the ride” perspective, or even a “oh well, God still loves me” carelessness; instead, we are to “render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another” (Zechariah 7:9).  Jesus told a parable about an unforgiving servant, who pleaded with his master to forgive his huge debt, then turned around and abused his fellow servant who owed him but a pittance—the response of the master was, “should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Matthew 18:33).

And in the parable of the Good Samaritan, where self-righteousness and judgment came so much easier than compassion, Jesus taught the one seeking to justify himself, that to love one’s neighbor is to show mercy—and Jesus went on to tell his questioner, “You go, and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).

I confess that my attitudes and words frequently reveal a lack of mercy in my heart—I am so eager and at times desperate to receive God’s mercy, yet my opinions and speech often confirm the same self-righteous and judgmental spirit of the lawyer who questioned Jesus.  At those times, all I can do is repent and open my heart to the washing, regenerating and renewing work of the Holy Spirit.

My hope is also that my home and the homes of my children and their families will become and remain “Houses of Mercy”.

 

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Antagonism

Posted on January 22, 2014 by suemariericker

Sometimes when I am talking, my thoughts get quite a ways beyond what I am saying and I become a bit tongue twisted and confused.  The upside is that I usually don’t have the same problem when I’m writing.  Usually.  I have had a lot of thoughts about where I want to go with this post but am not quite sure how to get there, but I’ll jump right in and see if I can make some sense of it.

I have observed a growing hostility towards Christians.  I have a few Facebook friends, acquaintances from my “school days”, that are not believers, who I have stayed in touch with through the social media.  Through some of their posts, and even some comments made on Christian posts, I have seen a number of very antagonistic remarks made about those who believe God and put their faith in Jesus Christ—particularly high profile Christians.

Some of the attitudes I’ve noted stem from a perceived intellectual or “moral” superiority, information gathered from sources that support opinions of skepticism, and assuming guilt—finding fault and condemning those who stand up for faith and the Word of God, the Bible.  Essentially, many of those who claim tolerance in a liberal sense, speak and practice intolerance towards those who choose to live their lives under the authority of God, our Creator.

I cannot begin to come up with all of the reasons people give for resenting and despising Christians, no need to because there is one underlying principle—darkness hates the light, and there is a war being waged between the forces of the spiritual underworld against God’s kingdom and authority.  Granted, there have been some violent and stupid things done in the name of Christianity that definitely cast a shadow on the Name of Christ, yet I find it interesting that our society can, for the most part, differentiate extreme Islam from most Muslims, but not acknowledge the difference between extreme religious activities supposedly performed in the name of Jesus, that in no way reflect the character of our Savior.  

Yet I feel a stabbing pain in my heart when I read or hear condemning comments about Christians—it is interesting, if you examine the statements, they are emotional criticisms based on perceived faults or personal inconsistencies.  The reality is that critics find what they are looking for—something to condemn; the same thing happened to Jesus, the perfect Son of God.

Antagonistic attitudes cannot surprise us because scripture assures us “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).  The apostle Paul, in speaking to Timothy, goes on to say, “But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived…from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work” (v. 15, 16).

As easy as it might be to make compromises in order to create a “gospel” acceptable to most people, with an attitude of trying just “to get along”, scripture does not teach that.  Instead, the Bible teaches an unattainable standard apart from the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit—“Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect ” (Matthew 5:48).  The good news is that, “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

The “prologue” to Jesus’ teaching about being perfect has everything to do with our response to those with antagonistic attitudes:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45).

The prophet Daniel’s attitude toward the sorcerers and wise men in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom speaks volumes about our relationship to those who oppose us—although they served foreign gods and demonic spirits, when Daniel may have sought political advantage by allowing them to be destroyed, he instead interceded on their behalf; “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon…” (Daniel 2:24).

There is no doubt in my mind that things are going to wrap up here on earth and Jesus will return.  I once thought being prepared for persecution and end times was about proof texts; instead, I believe it is about reflecting the life of Jesus in the world, and remembering that, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.  If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!” (Matthew 10:24, 25).

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Musings

Posted on January 15, 2014 by suemariericker

I’ve spent the last week and a half trying to figure out what to write here—not that I didn’t have moments of inspiration, they just seemed to be very fleeting and I was either too busy or too distracted to write anything down in the moment.  I’ve carried a harsh taskmaster along with me most of my life, one that indicts me for being unproductive, the one who points fingers at me when I don’t live up to an imaginary standard—where I picture God holding up a ruler on a door jamb, measuring my growth, acknowledging where I stand and pointing out where I should be in this journey called the Christian life.

It gets a little tricky, though, because there have been times where my religious activities have been formed from a sense of duty rather than birthed of the Spirit of God—yet how in the world can I communicate the love of God without fear of reprisal when my motives are fueled by fear and obligation?  There is a fine tension between the grace of God and obedience to God—and it can only be resolved through relationship with Him and the presence of His Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts by faith.

I remember making some marks on the doorjambs when my children were growing up—the interesting thing is that I never looked at those marks and compared them to where I thought they should be; instead, I recognized them as growth marks, stages of development they already achieved—and it was exciting!  The thing is, as long as we have breath, we are either growing or declining spiritually—and it has everything to do with faith.  “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

In and of itself, Bible reading is not a growth mark on the wall; yet the apostle Paul teaches, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans10:17).  Faith grows as we feed upon God’s Word, the Bible—not so much dutifully as hungrily seeking to know the One who made us and shows his love for us throughout scripture.

I love my routines and quiet times in the mornings, yet life is not always so accommodating.  It’s been a long time since I had small children around and now that I’m living with my daughter and 3-year old granddaughter, I am remembering the demands of family and the difficulty it was to have quiet times.  And life is so demanding for many others, that stolen moments of Bible reading become a luxury.  Observing the life of military members also gives me a sense of, “how do they do it?” when their work schedules are often changed from days to nights and back again—there really is no such thing as a forty-hour week for them—what a challenge to establish a pattern of Bible study and meditation!

The reality is that there are forces greater than our schedules, greater than the demands of home and family, and greater than the responsibilities of our work that distract us or set up roadblocks on this journey towards spiritual maturity.  We have an enemy who has had thousands of years of practice undermining the faith and the lives of believers.  I do not know all of his strategies but I do know that he does not want people studying the Bible and growing in grace and the knowledge of God, for he is a thief and he “comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10).

I have come to see Paul’s instruction on spiritual warfare, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12), from another angle.  It is more than a struggle against my weaknesses and my flesh that distracts me from reading the Word and spending time in prayer; rather, the enemy recognizes the vulnerabilities of humanity and, as a lion seeking its prey, pursues my destruction.

We fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons:  Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God—we do not want to let the enemy disarm us in any way!  We can also be confident that the One who began a good work in us “will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6), God is for us and nothing can separate us from His love, and “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

I recognize that I’ve got a lot of growth ahead of me in my relationship with God, yet I let go of the guilt and condemnation from the past, as well as the unrealized expectations I put on myself.  I press on, knowing that God has much more of His presence and power for me to experience.

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Happy New Year!

Posted on January 2, 2014 by suemariericker

I have a great deal of reticence towards writing a New Year’s blog – though I’m sure many people are sharing their thoughts and inspirations for 2014 – I don’t do resolutions because I’m sure I’ve broken as many as the years I’ve been alive (and considering that I’m a grandma, that is quite a few!).  Yet this morning I woke up with a feeling of optimism, a new beginning – a sense that today I have an opportunity for a brand new experience of God’s love and His grace.

Apparently the Holy Spirit does not leave us alone with our disappointments – in fact, we have God’s promise of hope for the broken, dried up, wasted areas of our lives:  “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert…for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise” (Isaiah 43:19, 20-21).

The amazing thing about this promise is that it is God’s provision, not my self-determination or will power that causes the Water of Life to flow into my soul.  And yet, He gives me the opportunity to participate!  That is what I woke up thinking about, in light of the indulgences of the holiday season:  eating more than usual, watching more television than usual, spending less time than usual in prayer, in the Word, and writing – essentially sowing to and indulging the flesh throughout the past month instead of my spirit.

The Bible teaches us much about sowing and reaping:  “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you” (Hosea 10:12). …and “Do not be deceived:  God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:7-9).

So this is my hope for the New Year, I am not going to make rules or establish a religious format for what I think God expects of me or what I expect of myself; instead, I am going to sow life to my spirit.  I am going to reject condemnation when I do not live up to religious expectations because “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do…For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:1-3, 5).

I am going to treat each day as New Year’s Day because, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).  The transforming power of God’s Spirit is at work in my life, and as I focus on the glory of Jesus, He will continue to transform me into His glorious image.  I recognize that when I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to not only forgive me but also cleanse me from unrighteousness – so much freedom and cause for rejoicing in that!

My intention is to follow the encouragement of one man, who was well acquainted with his own imperfections and vulnerabilities, and yet he taught us, “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).  I recognize that as we grow in His grace, our knowledge of Jesus as Lord and Savior will also grow.

2013 is past – I recognize victories and defeats, times of growth and times of stagnation, times of fruitfulness as well as times of doubt, yet none of these things define me.  The only one who can establish my worth is the One who chose to die so I do not have to.  So, like Paul, I will forget what is behind me and press on to what lies ahead, the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  2014 lies ahead, full of hope and full of promise because those are God’s plans – His intention is to provide a future and a hope.  My response is to seek God and declare His praise; and to walk with Jesus throughout the coming year, and years ahead, the same way as I received Him—by faith.

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Holiday Spirit vs. Christmas Spirit

Posted on December 23, 2013 by suemariericker

My daughter, granddaughter, and I attended the chapel service on base a couple of Sundays before travelling to be with family for the holidays—to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised!  I admit that I did not know what to expect because there is no way of knowing whether a chaplain is actually a Christian or not—or whether their teaching is biblically centered and touched with a Holy Spirit dynamic; yet I can confirm God is alive and well represented at this Naval Air Facility!

The chaplain has been teaching a holiday themed series on the Christmas Spirit which added a new dimension to my thoughts about the Spirit (and spirits) of the holiday season.

I recently read an ad proclaiming, “Don’t let anything break your holiday spirit!” and I cannot help but wonder, “Which spirit is that?”  To be honest, it is quite easy to enumerate negatives such as misguided expectations and selfishness, greed and covetousness, conflict and competition (to name a few) that stand out; yet many, unbelievers and Christians alike, will cite joy and generosity, along with special family times, and gatherings with friends as characteristics of the holidays.

Clearly, the Christmas spirit is multi-dimensional; yet there is only one Spirit mentioned in Scripture that truly identifies this season.  “And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).  The account continues with Elizabeth’s response to Mary, “And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:41-45).

Even though many who are antagonistic towards Christians are working to do away with everything that suggests the entrance of the eternal God into time and human history, nothing can stop the life and power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who believe that God will fulfill all that He has spoken.  For those who celebrate the holidays without Christ, the blessings and the joy will be fleeting—for it is the Holy Spirit who brings an eternal quality into the holidays, making them the Christmas season.

The grace of Christmas echoes through the ages in the angel’s proclamation, “‘Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you:  You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” (Luke 2:10-14).

Most people are touched with the joy birthed that day; and no device of the enemy can stop the joy, peace, and goodwill that were sealed through the cross—one does not have to be a Christian to be touched by the joy and celebration of the season; however, for those who receive the gift of the Messiah, the party is just beginning!

The Holy Spirit, who came upon Mary, also enters our lives when we receive Jesus—and as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, as we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) continue to grow in us.

Yet in reality, for some the holidays also hold remembrances of pain, whispers of loneliness, and disappointments much deeper than misjudged or forgotten Christmas gifts can bring—and apart from a response of faith and God’s Spirit in our hearts, bitterness can take root.  Jesus instructs His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

In those times when “great joy” feels fleeting or it appears everyone else is a part of the celebration, we have the opportunity to “Take Heart!” – knowing that in Jesus, this prophecy is fulfilled, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:1-3).

May we all have a Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year in the Spirit of Christ!

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