Sunday, August 26, 2012

MeccaMusing: Prayer: What's the Big Deal Anyway?

MeccaMusing: Prayer: What's the Big Deal Anyway?: Good Evening, sweet friends.  It has been a few days since I have written anything, and as always, I have missed writing and missed you.  Th...

Prayer: What's the Big Deal Anyway?

Good Evening, sweet friends.  It has been a few days since I have written anything, and as always, I have missed writing and missed you.  That might sound like a cliche', but I truly feel a kinship with the readers.

I can look and see how many people have read a particular blog, and I always wonder who they are and actually ask the Lord to speak to each reader's heart, to meet them where they are, and to use what He is doing in my life to be a blessing.  Why else do I write?

I have been thinking about prayer the past few days.  Why is it necessary?  Since God is omniscient, He already knows what's in my heart, what my needs are, what I am thankful for, and why I am burdened.  So, why be redundant and "spell it out" in prayer?  What is the big deal about it?  As I read about prayer in His Word, I find that He not only wants me to "spell it out," but He wants me to do it without stopping.  Amazing!  Right? I Thess. 5:17

That doesn't mean to stay on my knees all of the time (I'm glad because these days my knees couldn't take it), or keep my hands lifted in the air, (I'm not a hand raiser.) or pray out loud (Sally, are you reading this?).  The Lord wouldn't ask us to do anything that would be done for show or would be disruptive to our daily lives.

I have heard it said that prayer is actually our spiritual breath. It gives life to our spiritual walk because it ushers us into the very presence of God, (unless it is vain prayer, and that is a completely different subject.)  So, if we are not faithful and constant in communing with the Lord and drawing on His strength through knowing His Word and spending time through prayer (I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me, Phil 4:13), then we are not exercising our spiritual lungs.

If we are not operating with spiritual breath, we are operating in the flesh, a substitute for the real thing. That only lasts so long before its real nature quickly manifests itself, and we grow so increasingly weak spiritually that we are completely unable to even respond in the slightest circumstances in a way that brings glory to the Lord.

We go from eating the meat of the Word back to being babies in Christ, lose our spiritual teeth so to speak, and become anemic. It is amazing how quickly we can be come snaggle-toothed in our Christian walk.  That is so unnecessary and not a pleasing sight, especially to those we are wanting to attract to the Lord Jesus in us.

The flesh is an ugly thing.  It is a stench in the nostrils of the Lord Jesus.  He calls it "filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6 "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts (words) are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

That is exactly what happens to the flesh when the lungs don't have enough oxygen.  So, the picture is clearer of what happens to us spiritually when we don't exercise our spiritual lungs through open, honest communication with the heart of God. "We all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."  

OK, now I think I might be telling too much on myself.  

I shudder to think about what kind of representative I am of Christ when I so boldly claim to belong to Him but don't spend enough time with Him to be dead to the flesh and alive in Him.  It reminds me of what Mahatma Ghandi said,

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

Oh, Lord Jesus, please forgive me for my neglect of prayer and for being a stench in your nostrils when I accomplish things in my own flesh and try to lay them at your feet as if they were a 'sweet smelling fragrance.'  Thank  you for covering me in your blood so that to God, I am always the aroma of Christ"  II Cor. 2: 14, and part of 15. 

The beauty of prayer is that the older we get, if we are exercising our spiritual lungs, the stronger they become, the more clarity we have in who we are in Christ, the higher we can climb spiritually, the more we operate in Him "Who is able to keep us from falling..." (Jude 1:24), and the greater our influence for His honor and glory.


And all God's people said, "Amen and Amen."


Saturday, August 18, 2012

A seemingly "Silly" Request

Good Evening - what a wonderful day.  It is my birthday weekend.  My "suster" arrived yesterday with a bow on her head.  She is the best birthday present.  Today, we slept in, ate a bowl of oatmeal, bought plants, went to a movie, went out to eat, and got a pedicure.  Then, we topped off the day with yogurt.  She treated me the whole day.

After each event in our day, we would call our Muther and let her know everything we were doing so she could feel like she was part of our day.   (Frank is out of town but will be back on Sunday to celebrate).

Many years ago when I was teaching school in Denver, Colorado, Suster spent the summer between her junior and senior of college with me.  What memories we made.

We laughed, cried, got mad at each other, ate one meal a day that consisted of frozen vegetables and a hamburger patty, dug in our pockets for gas money, shared one car between us for two different jobs going in opposite directions and thought we were rich.

We fell in love with a particular country song by Don Williams, titled, "You're My Best Friend."  It is probably the most concrete memory of that summer.  Every time it came on the radio, we sang, harmonized, made up background words to the chorus and acted like we were the "Cha Na Nas" or something.  To this day - some thirty years later, we will call each other every time we hear that song and sing it together.

This morning as we started our day, we backed out of the driveway - wonder why we call it a driveway when we pull in and park.  We looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders and grinned from ear to ear like two little girls about to get into the cookie jar - and affirmed what a wonderful day it was going to be.

At that moment, I said, "Lord, it would so cool if we could hear our Don Williams song today.  It would make it a perfect day."

I've been on a redecorating kick updating our house the past few weeks and finished some bookshelves this evening.  I fixed myself a glass of tea (on crushed ice - nothing like it).  Suster had been helping, and we both sat down and heaved a tired sigh. I had completely forgotten about my request of the God of the universe Who by the work of His fingers set the moon and stars in place (Psalms 8:3).

He hadn't forgotten.  At 11:55pm, as Suster and I were talking about our fun day, our Don Williams song came on the XM Radio station we were listening to.  If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'.  Isn't that priceless?  Answering that request when the day was within minutes of being over reminded me of a testimony I heard someone give.

She said, "God is never late, but He sure has missed a lot of opportunities to be early."  But really.  Isn't that something?  He does care about the smallest details of our lives.  In I Peter 5:7 He tells me to cast everything that I care about at His feet, because He cares for me.

Someone once challenged me to insert my own name into verses as I was reading to make the Word of God more personal more personal to me.

Here's what that sounds like.

Psalms 37:4 Mecca, delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Mecca, commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.  

Lest you think I am trivializing the Word of God by using it for my own purposes, I want to assure you, sweet friend, that my request came straight from a full heart of gratitude.  I didn't even realize how important it would be to me when He answered that seemingly "silly" request.  But He does promise to do more than we even ask or think, right?  (Ephesians 3:20)

When even the slightest prayer is answered, it is the Lord's way of reaffirming that I am His child, that I matter, and He loves me.  Answered prayer strengthens my faith. What a teacher. What a friend. What a Savior.

I am basking in the love of God and His attentiveness to me because He created me and loves me with an everlasting love.  Happy Birthday to me.

I am approaching my birthday with joy.  Love to you all, Mecca.




Friday, August 17, 2012

"I Just Wanted to be Sure of You."

Good Evening sweet friends.  I hope you have had a great day.  Mine started out with a call regarding a situation for which I am responsible, but one I cannot fix.  Talk about frustrating.  The flesh (...is the same doesn't matter whose bones it's on...said Del Fehsenfeld, Jr.) immediately started giving orders, stating opinion, making quick decisions - in fact - it went on for about 30 minutes on the phone while I was on my way to work. I'm talking like I didn't have anything to do with it, aren't I?  Well, the big "I" had everything to do with my response.  "I" was going to prove "I" was right and "I" could fix it - come H--- or high water.  

Now, I do apologize for that kind of talk (especially after the dissertation on the tongue in yesterday's musing). The person on the receiving end of that conversation kept saying, "I agree with you, I agree with you.") She was just as frustrated.  I was so agitated by the time I turned onto the street where I work that I was dreading the day. 

I was on my way to an 'important' meeting, and I needed to regroup.  

First, I was going to get something sweet to eat and a diet coke to wash it down. (My enemy surely knows where my pits and bruises are.  He knows yours, too.  Be careful!)

I exhaled a bit; my breathing returned to normal, and I calmed down long enough to hear that "still, small voice whisper, "Mec, you're toiling.  Stop toiling.  I am not surprised by anything that will happen in your world today.  I've got this." (He calls me by name. He knows the shortened version "Mec"is especially endearing to me.) I immediately thought of the verses referring to lilies in the field.  "See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil or spin....what little faith you have." Matt. 6, part of 28, 30.

I immediately asked my Heavenly Daddy to forgive me, and I yielded control back to His safe keeping.   I thanked Him for His loving attentiveness and long suffering towards me.  He met me where I was.  What a powerful thought that the God of the Universe meets me where I am, calls me by name, and speaks to me in a way that tells me His love is unconditional, His patience is enduring, and His protection over me is unfailing.

There was a peace and calm that covered my soul before I even reached the office, and as I drove up and parked, I thought of the chorus to a precious old hymn that I love, "Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me.  Not for the years of time alone but for eternity."

I walked toward the meeting room of the corporate campus of a large Early Childhood Education Company, and a smile lit up my face as I remembered A.A. Milne's words in "Winnie-the-Pooh.


Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh?" he whispered."Yes, Piglet?""Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you.”  

As I sidled up to my sweet Jesus, my heart skipped a beat as I whispered, "Lord Jesus."  "Yes, Mec?" "Nothing," I said, taking His hand.  "I just wanted to be sure of you."  And I was.  Are you sure of Him and His presence in your life?  

That's how I continue to approach each day with the joy that comes from walking in step with the One Who created me, knows me by name and meets me where I am.  Oh, how I love Jesus.  Love to you all. Mec.







Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Set on Fire of Hell

Good Evening sweet friends - I have missed you.  It has been too long (over a week) since I last shared my thoughts with you.  I have not felt good, and I am trying to do my best to take care of myself and get enough rest.  I was admonished by my sister-in-law to at least write a paragraph each night, and I think that is what I will do.

I have so many thoughts running through my head, straight from my heart and from that "still, small voice."  I wondered if I should share with you what the window washer said to me today just off the cuff that the Lord used in a specific way to speak to my heart about who I am in Christ, or the lesson He taught me about the importance of everyone He brings into my life, or the power of the tongue.  I settled on that sorry ole' tongue.  It either encourages or discourages, speaks blessing or cursing, honors the Lord or opens the door for "disorder and every evil practice."  That is a powerful statement.

I can remember telling sweet Opal Dunn (I don't usually name anyone, but she is in Heaven now and always laughed when I said this to her) that she needed to lay that tongue of hers on the altar, but our church altar just wasn't long enough.  What made that funny is this dear sweet person probably never said an unkind word in her life.  There are others I could have said that to and caused "disorder," myself included.

I will share my other life's lessons over the next few days because I was truly blessed by my Heavenly Daddy sending sweet messages to me through different people and circumstances.  (He did use Balaam's ass to talk, so I have no doubt He is perfectly capable of using anyone or anything to speak to my life.  I am not talking about anyone specific.  Honest!)

I have a feather pillow that I love because I do sleep so sweetly when I use it.  It conforms to the shape of my head and shoulders, and that is a good thing.  I do have to double case it because the feathers tend to stick out of the pillow and can prick the skin - not a good thing.

The other day I noticed a slight separation in the seam which means several feathers could escape.  I keep finding them.  Just when I think they are all cleaned up, I find another.  They are elusive little devils.  They are so light and airy that it is impossible to gather all of them up.

It reminded me of a story I heard about a man who had repeated something that had caused great harm to another's reputation.  He desperately wanted to make amends and asked his parish priest what he should do.  The priest told him to break open a feather pillow and put a feather on the door step of every person that knew what he had told and to come back when he was finished.  Sure enough, the man came back after a couple of days and asked what he should do next.  The priest told him to go gather all of the feathers back up.  The man couldn't believe what the priest had told him to do.  He retorted, "I can't do that, all of the feathers have blown away."  To which the priest replied, "I know, so have your words.  Once they are spoken, they can never be taken back."

I immediately thought of the old idiom, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me." That is not true, is it?  I have a broken little finger on my left hand that doesn't bother me one bit.  I broke it playing softball at recess in the 5th grade; but I can think of words that were spoken to me by my 5th grade teacher that the devil still uses to try to discourage me.

How many of us have said things we wish we could take back?  We can apologize, ask for forgiveness, and by the miraculous power of the blood of Jesus, forgiveness can be complete; however, words spoken are always available to our arch enemy to use against us.  Never confuse the source of the voice that speaks to you.

In James 3, there is a perfect description of how we know that what we are hearing and experiencing is from the Lord.  He tells us that words spoken to us by the Lord Jesus are "first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [that produce] Peacemakers who sow in peace and reap a harvest of righteousness." When our words produce the same results, we know our tongue has been tamed by the Holy Spirit (we certainly can't do it.)


James also describes for us how we know words spoken to us or words we speak are "set on fire of hell." Are we ready for that description?  "But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."

That is truly mind boggling, and why the Lord Jesus is so clear about warning us about our thought life. Whatever we think, we will eventually say.  Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." (Luke 6:45).  What we speak, we eventually do, what we habitually do becomes a habit, and our habits determine our character.  

I am thinking right now about how dangerous envy and selfish ambition are.  Where it exists also exists the potential for every evil thing.  Oh, dear Lord Jesus, help me to keep my mind stayed on You, so my w
ords will be sweet, encouraging, peaceable, full of mercy and sincere.  Don't let me regard envy and selfish ambition in my heart so I will be able to please you by being "salt and light" through your power.

I tried several times to take this discussion to a funny, sarcastic place.  The subject of the tongue is rife with that opportunity, but the Lord wouldn't let me.  He is serious about the devastating effects of a tongue "set on fire of Hell."  I need to be as well.  If you don't mind my saying, you do too.  

 
And all of God's people said, "Amen." 


Goodnight, sleep sweet, resting in the peace provided by your Heavenly Daddy. I am still approaching each day with the joy of the Lord.  Love you all, Mecca

.




Sunday, August 5, 2012

Politics - The Good and Evil of it All!

Good Evening sweet friends - so much is going on in my world at the moment.  I have several projects going on at work; I am working on my eating and exercising and spending time with the Lord each day.  


My dentist tells me I need two fillings. I need to have a colonoscopy, to get my hormones checked, and "let's see, what else?" Oh,I have an eye appointment on Wednesday."  I am so glad that the Lord warned me about this. 


Paul said, "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are [breaking down,] yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." II Cor. 4:16.  I am just like everybody else.  When we are young, somehow we think we will be the exception to the rule.  I am here to tell you "younguns,"  there are no exceptions, so take good care of yourselves physically while you feel like it, and the energy to do it comes easily.  


In my youth, my mother-in-law and I shared a love of shoes. (I still love them.  I just wear comfortable ones now.) We used to say we could stand anything for an hour if it looked good.  Well, the deal is I have corns and bunions now, and she has perfect feet (if they are in Heaven with her, yet.  Sometimes I get confused about the theology of whether or not we have bodies when we first wake up in Heaven).  


Whew!  So thankful for eternal life where the perishable no longer exists.  By the way I am still very young, because it is an attitude of the heart.  My body just doesn't agree with me all of the time.  


That was the prelude.


I have several things I want to share with you that the Lord is teaching me, but one in particular is on my heart this evening.  


For any of you who know me, you will not be surprised when I admit that I am very opinionated, know exactly what I believe and why I believe it, and I don't mind one bit telling you about it - whether you ask or not (not necessarily a good thing).  People have called me "bossy."  I know, I can't believe it either, because as the saying goes, "I'm not bossy, I just have better ideas." What is so wrong with that?


So, to the point of this musing.  The political storm is swirling.  We have the far left, the far right, and then there is "leading from the center."  The hot buttons are Obamacare, abortion (always will be), deep deficit, too much spending, the ever-present agenda of "spreading the wealth" vs. individual responsibility, bias of the media, corruption in the government, love of country, loss of religious freedom; and if I keep listing them, I will go off on the tangent about which the Lord warned me.


Here's is how the warning happened.  


I love the people with whom I work.  We have a special group of ladies.  We have fun together, respect for one another, and truly trust each other.  There is a large political divide, however, that I have not always been wise enough not to discuss. (They still have to remind me sometimes but not very often anymore).


I love political bantering, am very interested in the issues, and am deeply committed to what I call the "right side."  People for whom I have a great deal of respect feel just as strongly for the opposite side.  One person in particular chided me by saying we just  couldn't have this conversation, to which I replied, "Of course we can.  We can be Hannity and Colmes."  That got a laugh so I decided we had diffused that one. Did I learn anything from that?  No.


To my own personal detriment and that of the testimony of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ in me, I said something that made a huge "sizzling" political point - one I really believed in.  My pride was at its peak, and I was figuratively "beating my chest," when my fellow department member said, "Mecca, that doesn't speak very highly of you," and she left the room.


I was devastated.  My pride fell away, and I was left with just "my soul and the Savior."  I felt like Peter must have felt when he denied Christ and realized what he had done.  I suddenly felt my Heavenly Daddy lovingly shake me, unsettle me and say, "What was your point?  You told me you wanted her to see me in you.  What did she see and hear just now?  How will you correct her perception of me in you?"  All of that happened in seconds.  I literally ran to where she was and told her how sorry I was for what I had just said and that no point meant more to me then her feelings.  She repeated what she said, "it did not speak well of you." All I heard was "it didn't speak well of your Lord," to which I replied, "you are absolutely right, and I am asking you to forgive me."  She patted my arm and walked away.  She did forgive me - maybe not right then, but later. 


My constant prayer is that whether I eat or drink or whatever I do, I will do all to the glory of God.  I Cor. 10:31.  (paraphrased)


What the Lord reminded me of that day was that my enemy will take something that is good, something I love and use it as a weapon.  He does it pretty easily because he knows what I am "drawn" to because of my past actions, attitudes, and conversations.  While he knows he no longer controls my eternal destiny, he will do everything he can to destroy my influence for the Lord Jesus while I am here.  He won a battle that day in my life from which I had to retreat and offer the flag of peace. 


Don't misunderstand me.  I love sending emails about my political views to like minded friends and family members and am the first to get into a political conversation with this same group.  I just want to share the lesson with you the Lord taught me. We are not called to win political battles, to make a political point, or to convince someone to vote the way we want them to vote.  We are called to "let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Matt 5:16


He has a call on each of the lives of His children.  If your calling is a political one, then by all means be involved and stand on the principles of God's Word.  He wants all of us to stand up, act on Biblical principles, live through the power of the Holy Spirit, be a good citizen, obey the law until it requires us to violate Scripture (a whole different conversation we will have on another day), vote, and above all, be filled with the Holy Spirit so that Christ is seen in us. 


I am convinced that when we approach the throne of God in prayer or meet Him face to face, the words, "Democrat," "Republican," "Libertarian," "Independent," "tea party," or "Occupy Wall Street" will not come up.  The only questions will be, "What did you do with Jesus?"  Does the answer to that question affect our political beliefs as well as everything else we think, do, or say?  You bet it does. It affects the life we live in the flesh, and where we will spend eternity.  


I just had one more thought, "He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them.  He gives wisdom to the wise and understanding to the discerning."  Daniel 2:21


Kings and Kingdoms are my Father's business.  


My sweet Lord Jesus is in control.  He is not surprised by anything.  So, let the political storm swirl. These are mere skirmishes.  The enemy knows who wins the final battle, but he is in the fight to the death.  Just don't let him draw you in on his battleground using his rules like he did to me to the detriment of how I represented the Lord Jesus.  


What a joy to rest in Him Who holds the future.  How sweet to think that His loving arms are my resting place (yours as well if you know the Lord). That's the only way I can 
continue to approach each day with joy.  Love to all, Mecca