Watchmen!

Posted on August 8, 2013 by suemariericker

The book of Ezekiel is not an easy one; however, as with every book in the Bible, it holds valuable truth for Christians.  I think, particularly in these days of world conflict and national turmoil, this book holds treasures of wisdom for God’s people in a hostile environment.  …and I believe God continues to raise up watchmen (and women) who will speak the truth of His righteous ways into the lives of His people.

God has always had a chosen people to deliver His message of redemption to the world and, although the Jewish people turned their back on God for a time, I believe they still have a special place in His heart; there is, also, much for God’s children these days to learn from the mistakes the Israelites made.  The following is my prayer, based on Ezekiel 2 & 3:

Father, thank you for your Word; thank you for your Holy Spirit who gives light and life to these chapters—fill me I pray, and teach me, with clarity and understanding, the truth encompassed here.

I think Ezekiel’s description of the people of Israel at that time—a nation of rebels who have rebelled against you—describes many people and nations today.  Even within churches, there are those who deny or twist scripture so that they can design their own religions—which allow their personal opinions, perversions, and rebellion.  Rebellion is deep-seated within the hearts of those who will not surrender to your lordship; satan first rebelled against you and many follow in his footsteps!

Forgive me, Lord, for the times I have been dissatisfied with my life, when I have nurtured fear and unbelief in my heart, and responded with a rebellious attitude towards your righteous ways.  Cleanse me of all unrighteousness, I pray; replace rebellion with humility and hope in the goodness of God.  Give me grace always to cooperate with the correction and guidance of your Spirit—fill me afresh today and inspire faithfulness in my life.

Strengthen my heart; strengthen the hearts of all your people to defend your Word and truth.  Give us courage; do not let us be afraid of those who attempt to wound and sting us with their words or actions.  Give us grace to stand firm on the Rock of our salvation.

Thank you for your Word, O God; create hunger in our hearts for it.  Fill us with the sweetness of truth; help your people to assimilate everything you are speaking to us through scripture.

Father, keep my heart tender towards you.  Protect the hearts and minds of my children and their families, also.  Give us grace to hear your words and receive them into our hearts—grant us strength and determination to stand up for your righteous ways; do not let us be shaken by the enemy’s lies and intimidations.  Continue to renew our minds with your Spirit; lift us up and equip us to fulfill the calling and destiny you have for our lives.

Raise up watchmen for your church, O God.  Give your people hearts to live prophetically and speak your truth in love.  Teach us to be faithful to you and the calling you have placed in us.  Give me grace to let the Spirit set me on my feet and guide me in the paths you have for me.

Release the fruits of your Holy Spirit into the lives of Christians and His gifts into your church, so that Jesus will be exalted and proclaimed throughout the earth.  Teach your people to hear you, to respond in obedience and faith, and to speak as you lead.  In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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God-Actualization

Posted on August 1, 2013 by suemariericker

I am quite sure that anyone who has taken a psychology class at some time is familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—presented in the format of a 5-tier pyramid, our basic needs for air, food, water, and sleep comprise some of the foundational elements.  As we ascend through the levels, our need for safety is next, followed by our social needs for belonging and love.  The top two levels are esteem needs—self-esteem, independence, responsibility—and toping the pyramid is Self-Actualization, a place of achieving fulfillment through creativity and realized potential.

We have in God’s Word, the Bible, amazing promises that assure every believer fulfillment of our every need—even the one’s for personal fulfillment.  On the survival level, He promises, “do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we   drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31, 33).

When our trust is in the Lord, we have safety:  “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).  “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10).  “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, who He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5,6).

God recognized humanity’s need for companionship in the Garden of Eden and He created Eve so that Adam would not be alone.  He also gave them the ability to create, and families were born.  Nowadays, one effect of mankind’s fall from relationship with the Father is a stab to the heart called loneliness; “but God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” and “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:8, 5).  Relationship with God is restored, nothing can separate us from His love, and we are encouraged to join other believers in fellowship (Hebrews 10:25)—providing for us that sense of belonging first to God, and then to a community of believers.

Achieving the top two levels of the pyramid, for the Christian, takes a sharp turn in understanding than makes any sense to the academic or scientific world—Jesus tells us, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35); “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up” (James 4:10), in fact, the apostle Paul advises, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant” (Philippians 2:3-8).

Our truest identity is found in God because it is “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).  I imagine we often miss our potential as Christians because thinking generated by this world’s economy and valuing what society indicates is important influences our focus.  We also have an adversary who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8)—we may not hear him roar physically, but his roar implies the intensity of his attacks; we resist him by remaining steadfast in the faith.  I also believe that the enemy does not want to see us progressing towards our full potential and identity as Christians, children of our heavenly Father, “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Timothy 2:9).

When I initially considered writing this blog, I thought about the parable in Matthew 25:14-30, about a man traveling to a far country and distributing his goods and finances to his servants for safekeeping.  I confess that I have compared my writing efforts to gifted, prolific writers—weighed myself in the balances and realized my inadequacies—something akin to the servant in the parable given one talent and comparing himself to the others who their master entrusted with more of his resources.

There are several problems with making comparisons, the most important one being that we are not keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  Comparison also has two possible outcomes, either pride in our accomplishments or discouragement with our efforts.  The apostle Paul admonishes us in Romans 12 not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, for every one of us is given grace gifts for our unique function within the body of Christ.

God’s admonition to Joshua as he was about to embark on the journey to establish God’s kingdom presence in a hostile land was, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9)—those are His words for us, also, as we pursue our own kingdom destiny.

I think one of the most beautiful kingdom principles found in the parable of the talents is that, whatever gifts of grace God has given us, when we invest them for His purposes and glory they will be multiplied—and we are blessed.  I also believe that some of the greatest gifts our Father pours into the lives of His children are “being” gifts rather than “doing” gifts—being encouragement to the discouraged, comfort for those who are suffering, discernment for the embattled, wisdom for those younger in the faith, rich in good works (which has nothing to do with money)—I cannot begin to list the potential we have in Jesus through the Holy Spirit!

However, I want to encourage you to recognize the many resources available through the power of God dwelling in your heart–I urge you to invest them in kingdom life “where neither moth nor rust destroys….for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20, 21).

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God’s Favorite Child

Posted on July 26, 2013 by suemariericker

I have three children who I love dearly and would be hard-pressed in any attempt to figure out which one of them is my favorite—each one is unique and extremely special to me, although I relate to them in different ways.  It will come as no surprise to anyone that I have been thinking about my oldest son quite a bit lately since he is currently on deployment in Afghanistan.

Aaron is tall, strong, and very independent—it is a rare opportunity that I can do anything for him or give him anything that he wants or needs.  I love those opportunities, though, and with him serving our country far away in a war-torn land, there are things I can do for him now that I really cannot do at any other time.  I love it!  Moms do not quit wanting to be a part of the lives of their children.

The relationships I have with my children started me to thinking about the relationship we have with our Father God.  We are, each one of us, unique creations; and I believe God relates to us in ways that fit both our needs and our personalities—our needs, because he promises to supply all that we need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19), and He invites us to cast all of our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7); our personalities, because He knew us before we were born and knit us together in our mother’s wombs (Psalm 139).  God has unique plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11) and specialized gifts to give us mission and purpose (1 Corinthians 14).

I also recognize that He has a beloved son, so identified at the river Jordan (Matthew 3:17), and on a mountain top (Matthew 17:5) centuries ago; and our position of favor with God has everything to do with our relationship to His beloved Son, Jesus.  We are no less favored than Mary, His mother, who the angel regaled with, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you! …The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:28, 35).

I often forget my position of favor with God as well as the power of God living in me.  Our favored child position begins the day we receive Jesus into our hearts by faith—and it only gets better as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior!  God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, freeing us from slavery to sin as well as personal attempts at holiness, and He cries out to God, “Abba (Daddy!), Father—for we are not slaves, we are sons and daughters of God, and Christ is being formed in us through this relationship (Galatians 4).  It is through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus that He presents us to the Father holy, blameless, and above reproach (Colossians 1:22).

The same Holy Spirit power that birthed Jesus inside of Mary, and raised Christ from the dead, dwells in our hearts.  In Christ dwells all of the fullness of the Godhead, and we are complete and strengthened with all might in Him (I’m loving the book of Colossians right now!).  For what purpose? “…for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in who we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:11-13).

In Jesus, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1), only favor:

  • “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.  For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.”  (Psalm 6:11, 12)
  • “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor.  No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.  O Lord of host, blessed is the one who trusts in you!”  (Psalm 84: 11, 12)
  • “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.  So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make strait your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:3-8)

 

  • But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9)

I pray that God blesses you today with His grace and intense favor through Jesus Christ, that you may grow in knowledge and understanding of His magnificent love for you—in Jesus’ precious name.

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Mulberry Trees

Posted on July 21, 2013 by suemariericker

I have been thinking a lot about Mulberry trees the past couple of days—I’m not familiar with them because I grew up in Oregon and don’t remember seeing any growing there.  So I looked up a couple of websites to learn about them, and here are some things I found out:  mulberry trees bear fruit that resembles blackberries and the juice of that fruit is notorious for staining everything it touches.  Also, fallen, decaying trees can rejuvenate to start new trees, dormant buds can germinate, and fallen trees with exposed roots can continue to grow.  (Information I learned at botany.com)

So, why mulberry trees?  It has everything to do with something Jesus said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you” (Luke 17:6 NKJV).

I personally do not know any mulberry trees that bother me so much that I need them to plant themselves in the sea, or in fact be sent to their death; however, there are some long-held beliefs, attitudes, and habits that have deep roots in my soul and they need uprooting.

Every one of us has been given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3), and faith has the potential of increasing (2 Corinthians 10:15); therefore, having faith the size of a mustard seed is well within the grasp of every person—and for many, that seed has sprouted and grown as we have spent time with our Father in prayer, and in allowing His Word to infiltrate our lives.

The characteristics of the mulberry tree that stand out in my mind are, even when the tree is gone, the stain of the fruit may remain; also, if any part of the tree remains, it can take root and grow again.

Whether it is sin we have committed or violations against us, most people recognize that sin stains our souls.  By God’s grace, He forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness when we come to Jesus in repentance (1 John 1:9); however, I believe soul wounds remain from rebellious choices and disobedience, as well as from childhood trauma, past experiences, and twisted belief systems.  Of course, the first step in removing the stain of sin is repentance and receiving forgiveness from our Savior.  The Word also instructs us to forgive others for their offenses and violations against us—not so easy to do, but necessary to receive our Father’s forgiveness (Matthew 6:14, 15).

We also have the amazing glimpse into the future by an Old Testament prophet:  “’Come now, and let us reason together,’  says the Lord, [How gracious is the fact that God, the One who created and controls all that is, wants to have a discussion with us!] “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool’” (Isaiah 1:18).  The beauty of that promise is that God not only removes sin from our lives, but He also removes the stains left behind.

The disciples requested of Jesus, “Increase our faith!” and he told them about the mulberry tree.  He went on to tell them a story:

“And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?  But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do’” (Luke 17:7-10).

This is such a deep contrast between faith that accomplishes much, and duty which demands much but offers nothing—we are but unprofitable servants if we just do what is expected of us.  I admit that I have felt a sense of futility about this parable because I did not recognized it in the context of Jesus’ teaching about faith.  However, our relationship with God changes in Jesus because He assures us, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends” (John 15:15).  It gets even better!  “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:15-17).

Sometimes, by discipline and strength of will we can make changes in our lives—but not root changes in those places where sin causes trees to grow.  It is through faith, not duty, that we become friends and children of God. …and it is through faith that we sit at the table with our Father instead of standing at attention as a servant.  It is the Spirit of the Lord who transforms our lives into the glorious image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18); and we can be confident that the work He has begun in us, He will bring to completion in His perfect design (Philippians 1:6) – It is God who makes us complete, and it is He who is working in our lives what is well pleasing in His sight (Hebrews 13:21).

Do we serve Him?  Oh, yes we do! Because we can do no less for the one who loves us and gave His life for us.  We also know what pleases Him—our faith; because “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).  And we serve others – “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:13, 14).

morus_alba

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Fight for Joy!

Posted on July 12, 2013 by suemariericker

Our pastor concluded a teaching series on spiritual warfare this past Sunday with a sermon titled, A Battle for Joy.  Now honestly, I’m sure I would not have thought to put “Joy” into a teaching about the battles that rage in the spiritual realm; however, my thinking has certainly changed in that regard!

I understand war to be conflict between two or more opposing countries, factions, or realms.  That being the case, the kingdom of the enemy and this world are at war with the kingdom of our God.  Of course, our sovereign God wins, and we step into that victory when we come to the cross and accept Jesus as our victor.  “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4).

Paul gives us some insight into the kingdom of God—not physical characteristics; instead, spiritual:  “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

I’m am pretty sure that most Spirit-filled, Bible-believing Christians would agree with me that righteousness, God’s righteous ways, are constantly being attacked in the world today.  Satan began attacking that aspect of God in Eden when he questioned, “did God really say that?” insinuating that God was not righteous in His dealings with mankind.

Isaiah writes, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”  (Isaiah 5:20)—confrontations with God’s kingdom exist when righteousness is attacked, and misaligning good and evil is a direct assault

The enemy, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), also targets our peace.  Again, if you have any doubts about that, check the headlines!  However, we have the words of Jesus to ensure peace, because as long as we are in this world, tribulation will be our companion—the good news is that Jesus overcame the world! (John 16:33)  He give us peace; the God of peace gives us peace through our Savior.

Joy is one of those over-familiar words which is easy to over spiritualize without realizing that it is an integral part of God’s kingdom.  I have heard it given somber significance apart from happiness, but the dictionary describes joy as “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.”  If our faith isn’t the source of exuberance in our lives then we may want to consider the possibility what we are calling “Christianity” has degenerated into a duty, an obligation, or a dead religion.

We must recognize that our submission to God’s sovereignty and kingdom authority are constantly under attack; therefore, it is wise to acknowledge the threats assailing our ability to live joyfully.  I honestly do not like it when joy becomes so spiritualized and sterilized that the element of happiness is removed from it—we have just so very much to be happy about!

Here are some obstacles I have found to living in the fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11):

We can’t escape the presence of God—He is everywhere!  But we can be absent from His joy when we aren’t trusting Him or His ability to work all things together for our good.

Sorrow and disappointments often steal our joy if we do not follow the difficult process of trials to their best conclusion:  “…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).

Sometimes circumstances that we have no ability to control create frustration, and joy flees when we allow annoyances to drive a stake into our hearts.  I think a lot of my frustration comes from thinking too highly of my opinions, and myself.  The best attitude to have is that of our Savior, who “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant…” (Philippians 2:7).  I can assure you, it requires much repentance and willingness to change the way I think and the way I talk, to walk away from the frustration born of pride and selfishness, and towards the attitude of our servant Savior!

There is no place for bitterness (a faithless, harsh and disagreeable attitude) when joy and peace stand hand in hand—“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:  looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble” (Hebrews 12:14, 15).

There is no true joy without God’s forgiveness, yet if we are unwilling to forgive others, forgiveness from our heavenly Father will be elusive.  How can any one person hurt or offend us more than we have offended God?—yet he freely offers forgiveness to all who ask for it—“To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him” (Daniel 9:9).  We have forgiveness through His redeeming blood, and by that, peace with God; however, “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).

Feeling condemned is an intense emotion and one that effectively keeps many people away from the steadfast love and faithfulness of God.  Religious systems often propagate guilt and condemnation; however, those who are in Christ Jesus, who have received forgiveness for their sins and walk according to the Spirit, have their guilt removed and are no longer condemned (Romans 8:1).  What a source of unspeakable joy!

Fear erects barricades against joy; however, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

I am sure there are other common and personally designed strategies satan uses against God’s people to steal away their joy; I think it is a good idea to identify our areas of weakness and stay alert to the schemes of the enemy.  Maintaining joy is critical in warfare though; and the one whose intent is to destroy, targets our joy.

“Do not sorrow for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10).  The enemy does not want strong Christians; rather, he seeks to defeat us—so when we choose to maintain joy in the midst of the tribulations of life, he loses!

…and how do we fight the battle for joy?  Be filled with the Holy Spirit, for “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22); by taking up the shield of faith and arming ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

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Blocked Reception

Posted on July 7, 2013 by suemariericker

I experienced one of those moments (that lasted 2 days) this week that most of the less technically adept encounter at one time or another.  In this particular instance, my computer, the one I use for most of my writing, decided that it would not connect to the internet—and no amount of coaxing or troubleshooting was going to change its little electronic mind!  When I did everything I could think to do twenty-five or fifty times, and received a message that there was a problem with the access point, I decided to resort to prayer.

In my quest for a solution, I restarted my computer a number of times in hopes of resetting its magical inner workings to get it to connect once more.  I restored it, lost important program components, was able to recover them again, and happily recovered all of my files.  I continued my problem-solving research on my little MacBook, used primarily for e-mail, Facebook, and games, in hopes of finding a solution to my PC’s inability access the strong wireless signal it was receiving.

I eventually found the answer—I needed to reset my wireless router, turned a button off and on again, and everything was working just fine again.

I expended so much time, energy, and frustration attempting to fix the problem that I could not help but reflect on it later.  It would be nice to let everyone think that I am a spiritual giant, but my reality, as well as every other person’s, is that we are wrapped up in humanity—sometimes our spirits soar, but it seems more often we are stumbling to get through the day, get out of the heat, and relax in the shade.

When I prayed about the computer, it was a very superficial “help me fix this, Lord” and a rebuking of the enemy who I thought may be causing the problems.  I didn’t really want to plumb the depths or significance of what all this may mean—initially—I just wanted to have my way and God’s support in it.  The Holy Spirit graciously worked with my attitude to get me to a place where I could affirm God’s purpose for me is to write and be able to trust Him to work out the details—and say, “not my will, but thine be done!”

God also spoke to my heart, to the access point of my life, and reminded me that frequently I allow activities and distractions to block reception of His voice.  Often I wake up in the morning with a sense that I did not walk well with my God the day before and I determine “to do better today”, as if, in myself I am able to do better!

However, He does not want me to just “do better”—that mindset has never worked for anyone!  God’s purpose in sending Jesus was to become sin, to die for our sins—and to restore relationship with our Father.  Man-made religion says, “Do Better!”  …though “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong!” (Romans 7:21)

Instead, God has given us a “reset button” for our lives—we call it repentance!  More often than I care to acknowledge, “ceiling-high” prayers depict my conversations with God—they hit the ceiling and go no further.  The joyous news is that they need go no further because God is ever-present with me.  The difficulty lies in my ability to receive His strong signals.  Those are the times when I bow before Him and acknowledge that something is awry in our relationship, and I need His grace and forgiveness to reset my heart to receive His Words.  “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).  (–and He is much quicker to respond to me than I am to Him!)

However, there is one who is committed to destroying the relationship we have with our Father, the one who from the beginning set out to deceive, and continues his attempts to kill, steal and destroy.  God admonishes us in Psalm 46:10 to “be still and know that I am God.”  I am convinced that one of the enemy’s strategies is to disturb our peace and bombard our lives with noise, distractions, busyness, and even religious activities, to disrupt every opportunity we have to be still and enjoy the presence of God.  Enemy forces unite to keep us so occupied that we will not be able to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us—and our knowledge of God is then limited.

There is a point where it is possible for Christianity to become just another useless religion, where it degenerates into a set of man-defined rules and interpretations of law, separated from the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.  God gave the law to define sin; people took those same laws and attempted to establish their own righteousness.  Apart from intimacy with God, commitment to the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts we are susceptible to the same blindness crippling the Pharisees during Jesus’ life on earth.

But our Father has so much more for us! …and to all people He extends an invitation to seek Him, to hear His voice, to discover the treasures of His goodness, and experience the richness of His presence.

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Our God of Surprises!

Posted on July 2, 2013 by suemariericker

I can guarantee you that I do not fully appreciate uncomfortable situations or difficult circumstances, particularly in light of the significance and faith-growth they hold for me!  I like certainty; I like security—I do not like facing the unknown. …in my natural way of thinking, that is.  My natural way of thinking just sees problems and tries to work out solutions to either remedy or detour around adversities.

As I write this, I am reminded of the Robert Frost poem that declares, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I took the one less traveled by” (not sure if I quoted it accurately, but that is the gist of it).  I think that, when we picture the two-road scenario, it is in the context of choosing to serve either Jesus or the self and the world.  What if, after we choose to follow the Savior, there are other road-choice opportunities?—where we are challenged with a deepening faith road or a safe road?

We serve a God of surprises and endless possibilities!  In the midst of “leaning on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5), we can miss the big picture—or rather, the big God in the midst of the cinema of our lives.  I confess that I have faced some rather daunting circumstances in my life, and in my prayers I have explained to God how He needed to resolve my problems, and how He should provide for me.  I so easily forget Who I am talking to!—the One who created all that exists from the Words He spoke, continues to speak!

When the disciples were puzzling over the possibility of salvation, Jesus told them, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).  Salvation, and everything else is possible with our Father, who loves us—“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).  God is a God of limitless possibilities and provision for everyday life and for the extraordinary times of difficulty.  He is present (Immanuel – God with us, Matthew 1:23), and He is “the same, yesterday, today, and forever!” (Hebrews 13:8).

Things get a little tricky, however, when we don’t see the answers we hope for or expect.  We can ask a couple of questions when that happens… The first is “did I ask, or did I just assume that God knew what I needed and expect His provision?”  He knows.  Have no doubt about that!  However, the Bible instructs us that we do not have because we do not ask.  Jesus came to restore our relationship to God, yet as Christians often we do not live in relationship to our Father. …or we live without truly understanding the rapport we now have with Him.  I believe that relationship with God, just as bonds with other people, is a journey of discovery.  I know my children well, but I do not know them completely or perfectly; I often learn new and exciting things about who they are.  It is similar with our Father—I know Him through Jesus and the Bible, but also I am daily learning new and exciting things about Him.  It is from the basic aspect of relationship through conversation, that He listens to us and entertains discussion about the circumstances of our lives and the provisions we need.

The other question I find important to ask myself relates to motivation—“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:2, 3).  God is all about motivation, that is, while we look at outward appearances and situations; He is focused on our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 15:11, 18, 19).  I believe it is wise to ask the Father to expose my motivations (if I ask myself, I’m pretty sure I’ll get the wrong answer).

God doesn’t deny us pleasure—“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11)—however, the places where we find joy and the things that bring us pleasure change as we proceed down the path of life.  Our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3), and Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 10:12), where pleasures exist, therefore, we have a life of pleasure available to us!

My problem solving nature always wants to find a solution or an explanation as to why things go wrong or why my prayers don’t get answered within my allotted timeframe or in the manner I deem most appropriate.  It is a better approach to go to my Father and ask for his perspective—He is more than willing to give me wisdom!  And often there are unseen benefits and lessons in the experience, as well as an opportunity to learn from Him.  I get into trouble when I try to establish formulas or discount God’s promises, thinking them (and Him) untrustworthy.  I try to establish conditions and criteria for getting my needs met and manipulating God into doing what I want.

I admit that I have looked at the promises of God and conjured up reasons why they probably were not applicable to me.  I have formed human traditions, just like the Pharisees, in an attempt to give flesh to the things that are spiritual—adding conditions, caveats, and explanations where I felt them necessary, and effectively discounting the “exceedingly great and precious promises” of God (2 Peter 1:4).  There is a word for that:  UNBELIEF!

God has been so gracious to rearrange my thinking.  It has been quite a process to unlearn old, religious habits of fear and unbelief, but this journey is amazing!  …makes me think of a kid sticking his/her foot into a lake—hesitant.  It seems chilly at first, but in unbridled joy, the child who just wants to play, is soon splashing around in the refreshing water, ducking and jumping, laughing and swimming, oblivious to all else, just enjoying life!  That is how our Father wants us to be, enjoying life—The LIFE, who is Jesus—that he offers, open to all of the surprises and possibilities He has for us.

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A Good Man!

Posted on June 23, 2013 by suemariericker

I was raised in a church that sadly, did not give me any confidence in the saving grace of Jesus and the keeping power of the Holy Spirit—claiming to be “saved” was a little too presumptuous because there was no knowing if perhaps I might get “unsaved” down the line.  The problem with that type of belief system is that it isn’t particularly Christian and it is definitely not biblical because the focus is wrong—it is Jesus who does the saving and the keeping, not me! 

[God] “has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has not been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel….for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day!” (2 Timothy 2:9, 10, 12)

“Being 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).

My background also put much more emphasis on the, “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understand; there is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one (Romans 3:10-12), without hearing the rest of the story.  “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

It is crucial that we understand the immense love in God’s eyes when He looks at Christians because He sees, not our weakness and failures—instead, He sees the righteousness of His Son, our Savior—Jesus.  “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).  …and the promises found in God’s Word, the Bible are available to us now!  “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us!” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Today, as my son deploys to a hostile land, I believe that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23).

Today, I believe my son’s orders are, “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you.  He will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

For the months ahead, “surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.  He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.  You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor the arrow that flies by day….A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you….Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you To keep you in all your ways.  Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.  He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation” (Psalm 91:3-5, 7, 9-11, 14-16).

Today, every one of us has received the same orders from God, to not fear nor be dismayed.  As hostility increases towards Christians, we are commanded to “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13), to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and to be well armed so that we can stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:10, 11).

Today, I choose to stand strong–believing the One, who both calls and commissions believers to duty.
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God Sees Sparrows (I look for cardinals)

Posted on June 20, 2013 by suemariericker

I love my morning walks at a nature preserve near where I live; the serene lakes, tall trees, refreshing morning air all serve to quiet my soul.  I particularly love seeing the birds and critters that make this park their home.  Originally a west coast native, I am not used to seeing cardinals flit around, so I am thrilled when I glimpse their brilliant red feathers brightening the scenery.

Recently, I saw one of the elusive little birds hiding in some bushes—I hoped to take a picture of him but wild life, cameras, and me are usually not a successful mix.  However, I saw plenty of plain brown sparrows frolicking and soaring through the air, posing for my feeble photographic abilities.  In mild frustration I told them, “I’m not interested in you, I saw plenty of sparrows in Oregon—I want to see the pretty birds!”

Wow! That caught me up, spoke resoundingly to my heart!  I am so remarkably grateful that God sees sparrows, because, frankly I am a sparrow—kind of plain, one of a million, no extraordinarily beautiful features or outstanding characteristics, but God sees me and He takes care of me!

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).

“Look at the birds of the air:  they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they? …Therefore do not be anxious, 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 will be added to you” (Matthew 6:26, 27, 33).

Human nature seeks out the beautiful, the remarkable, and the flashy; however, Jesus came to seek and save the lost—that includes sparrows and cardinals alike!  But whom specifically does God bless?  “My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine.  I, the Lord, have spoken!  I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word” (Isaiah 66:2).  And whom does He seek?  Worshipers!  “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).

I want to be that person, not just a sparrow on the outside, but also having a humble and contrite heart within me, worshipping Him in spirit and truth.  I treasure His Word because it holds a world of treasures for me.  …and my prayer is to be able to see as God sees, to value what He values, and to see worth in people who, to the world, appear insignificant.

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Contentment

Posted on June 11, 2013 by suemariericker

My daughter and I were discussing the state of our kitchen last night and we agreed that it would be nice to have a matching set of good quality pots and pans. To be perfectly honest, we have parts of a couple of pretty good sets of cookware—adequate, but not the best.

I started thinking about that this morning and the niggling little voices that whisper dissatisfaction to my soul.  We have everything we need, but we don’t have the best of things.  We have a good life, but there are more things I want to do and places I would like to go.

In my musing, I thought about the apostle Paul and his comment, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

I have an understanding of contentment, but being a stickler for nuances, I looked the word “content” in the dictionary:  “happy enough with what one has or is; not desiring something more or different; satisfied.”

Sadly, our society breeds discontent, both with what one has and with who one is.  Lasting satisfaction seems to be a commodity stored on the top shelf, in the farthest corner and just out of reach.  “Happy enough” isn’t quite good enough—we would be happier with the ability to have more, buy more, and be more.

I have begun to limit the advertisements that I look at—at one time I looked at ads to find things I need, that I hoped were on sale; however, it evolved into finding things on sale that I either (suddenly) realized I needed or wanted.

I love technology:  computers, smartphone, iPad, and nook, to name a few—all the latest greatest—but my desires far exceed my need! …and kitchen stuff, I love to bake and sort of love to cook, and long for the latest and best kitchen innovations.  I have difficulty being satisfied with the clothes I wear and often see shoes that would be really nice to have, though I have plenty of shoes that I rarely wear.  I often think that I would be happier with my life if I was thinner; more disciplined, and exceptionally gifted—not content with who God created me to be.  Sadly, when our focus is discontentment with who we are—if all we can see is what we are not, then the opportunity to develop into who God has created us to be is stifled!

The Holy Spirit is a treasure that God has given us to enrich and empower our lives with the goodness and righteousness of our Father.  He also lets us know when we take missteps or harbor unrighteous attitudes—and discontent (along with greed and covetousness) is sin.  My human nature tries to diminish that reality by finding justification for my thoughts and behavior; but in reality, when I nurture dissatisfaction I am not trusting that God actually is providing for me and supplying all of my needs (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:31-33).

Our lives are best served by “‘fessing up” to wrong thinking and errant attitudes.  Old Testament history shows that legalism is no sin solution—besides an inability to consistently obey God’s laws, they couldn’t begin to touch the inner consequences of a sin nature.  It is no different now—trying to think better or be better will neither save us or change our hearts.  Instead, scripture promises 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).

It really is as simple as that:  confessing that there is a problem in our hearts, and trusting His forgiveness and His cleansing of those unrighteous attitudes.  It is easy to think sin is about things we do or don’t do without recognizing that sin is internal, and can only be dealt with on the spiritual level before God’s healing can be seen externally through our lives.  Sadly, many churches and Christians are so focused on outward adherence to laws and behavioral standards that the heart issues are neglected.

Another “fix” for a discontented heart is a thankful heart, a grateful attitude for all that God has provided and done for us through Jesus.  Every person alive has something to be thankful for, and today I encourage you to give thanks to God for who you are—for you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)—and what you have (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

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