Posts Tagged bible

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Last week I wrote a blog about not finishing strong. I used Paterno and DeLaughter as examples of men who achieved greatness only to stumble before reaching the finish line. It was by choice that they stumbled. And that is what most people will remember.

This past weekend, John and I attended the memorial service of our friend and former associate pastor in Oklahoma. I don’t recall ever leaving a funeral service feeling like I did this one. I have been to beautiful services, some we laughed more than we cried, others we cried without laughter and some we were just in shock to be there because of the timing of the death. Regardless, I hate funerals. I selfishly want to keep all my family and friends with me forever.

But listening to the testimonies of this man’s life both convicted and inspired me. We laughed and we cried and we celebrated a strong finish. I left wanting to be more. Do more. Love more. So did John. I hope this service is life-changing and my legacy grows stronger and more impactful. Even in his death, he is ministering to me.

This is his Bible. This beautiful, worn out Bible is the foundation for Pastor Herb's love for all people.

This is not a tribute to Pastor Herb Hull, even though he is worthy. His legacy and the impact he had on thousands and thousands of lives speaks a greater tribute than any words I could ever type out. And his legacy was summed up consistently and continuously with each speaker and condolence written, “He loved people.”

Do you know how hard it is to love all people? Not just the loveable ones, but all of them? If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit it is not an easy challenge. Sometimes, even in our own families, it can be difficult. And it feels near impossible to be faithful in thinking more of others than ourselves. If we are honest. But Pastor Herb did it. So we know that it can be done.

Of course, Christ did it. But often times we dismiss that with a wave of the hand and an attitude of “But He is Christ, He was perfect. I’m not perfect so I can’t be expected to always love and serve others.” But here is an example of an imperfect man that loved others and served people his entire life.

These tattered pages are an amazing legacy Pastor Herb left his loved ones. Proverbs 20:7 says "The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him."

 The older I get the more I realize how much I need God’s Word every day. Opening, reading, applying scripture daily is where I will create the legacy I want to leave for my children and grandchildren. Devouring God’s Word is the very foundation for a strong finish in my life.

Keeping God’s Word hidden in my heart is how I can live a congruent life. Pastor Herb’s three sons are of the same opinion that their dad was the same man at home behind closed doors as he was behind the pulpit. That is quite a testimony. Congruency in our lives creates a strong finish.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17) All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As I said last week, I don’t want to live my whole life loving and serving only to fall short in the end. I want to finish the race God has called me too, strong and charactered. Spending time in scripture will be my foundation to a strong finish. Just as it was for Pastor Herb.

It is not my New Year’s resolution, because I usually only last until the 4th or 5th of January on those. It is my commitment. I’m not going to keep cramming in my Bible study time in the carpool lines at school or the last minutes before I fall asleep exhausted at night. My time with God and studying His Word is going to be priority in my days. Not the left-over, need-to-get-done time.

And through that I know God will help me in my desire to be more. Do more. Love more.

 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21)

Monday, August 1, 2011

My oldest little pumpkin just recently went to spend a week with Grandma and Papa. This was the first time he went without at least one of his siblings. He was really excited to be the sole-attention-grabber for a whole week. I called him half-way through his visit and asked him if he wanted me to come get him early.

His response was, “Mom, I am in paradise. Just let me enjoy it for a few more days.”

He experienced another first this week as well. Golden Corral. I don’t remember the last time I set foot in a Golden Corral, but I know it was many years before he was born. Apparently, this place is a young boy’s dream come true.

 ”Mom, you would not believe it!” He gushed to me. “We went to this place called Golden Coral.” Yes, he pronounced it as coral instead of corral.

“They had these separate concession stands set up where you just walk up and get food for free. And they had all kinds of different foods. And you can get all you want.” Deep breath so he could continue to gush words as fast as possible.

“And they even had shrimp. Oh my goodness, Mom, it was like the best shrimp you have ever had.” Obviously his palate has not developed yet. “And you can eat all you want of it. And they had desserts too. They were really great concession stands.”

Yes, it is apparent to me too, that we need to expose our children to more….things….buffets…variety. But taking them to Golden Corral would mean we would have to eat it also. That is a problem to solve for another day. But his Dad and I did rather enjoy his story.

This morning during my Bible study though, I thought of his story. I pictured him having all these choices in front of him. And picking and choosing what he would take. Sometimes carefully choosing, other times not picking something because he didn’t know it was even there or he didn’t know that it really did taste good, and was good for him.

I am studying the peace of Christ. He is the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 calls Christ the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. I read in four different verses in the Gospels where Jesus said, “Peace be with you.”

One of my biggest problems/sins/setbacks/difficulties/hindrances is that I am a worrier. I worry. Too much. A lot. Matthew 6:25 says, in red I might add, to “not worry about your life.” And verse 27 goes on to say, still in red,”Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

In fact, worrying can take hours from your life. It is a proven cause of many disesases, because worry is stress. But what it does for me is steals from my quality of life; worrying steals my joy. I am at a table of all God has promised to His children – and I am His daughter – and I am not accepting what He is offering me. I am treating it like a buffet line, picking and choosing. That is not what He intended.

I do not have to worry, because He is the Prince of Peace. I should be casting my cares on Him every day, every hour. (1 Peter 5:7 and Psalm 55:22). And how I am learning to do this is by meditating on the scripture in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that says “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” When I am not practicing taking every thought captive to Christ, I worry. And I am not obeying Christ.

In Matthew 6 Jesus goes on to say in verses 33 and 34, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

The devil will pitch a tent my mind when I am not taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. The devil sets up camp and I sin with constant worry. I am definitely a work in progress. But when I feel myself weaken in my resolve to capture the worry and cast it on Christ, I remember one of my mottos: Don’t allow anything in your life you don’t want reproduced in your children’s lives.

I guess today’s lesson was written by me and for me. But I wish you worry-free days, Girlfriend, filled with peace and joy.