Pleasing God or Man?

I want to please my Father!

As I conclude the series on strongholds-- that keep us from experiencing the abundant life that God has promised us--I want to look at a couple of things.

·    If I am tuning in to what God’s will is for my life, then I am going to have to know His voice and respond in obedience when He calls.

·    By getting to know and recognize His voice I should be able to detect when the enemy comes along to pull me off track.

John 10:27

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

Am I willing to forego pleasing men to be in the will of my Father?

There are times it seems that so many things pull and vie for my attention and all I really want to do is what my Father has called me to do. But, there is this voice over here that says how good I might be at that task or asking me if I could serve on this committee; and there was that burning desire in my heart to take up that cause so near and dear to me. Oh, there are so many things that are calling my name. But then there are also the negative voices that say you are crazy if you think that you can do that or go there, or you are so unqualified to be even thinking of doing that job. But, I just want to please my Father.

God can call us to do some pretty out-of-the- box things that people sometimes do not see as ‘God’ things. Would you respond and how would you respond to a friend who decides to move to the inner city to minister with a group of like-minded folks who see the lost and hopeless as another facet of God’s treasure? I don’t just mean a two week stint, I mean until further notice that will be the residency of that friend and his/her family? You might respond by saying that they are just too radical and throw all the ‘what if’s’ at them. Would you try to convince them that they should not be thinking of doing such a crazy thing after all consider your family? And you might fire right off with whether they were really certain that it was God’s voice that they were responding to, right? These do seem to be pretty valid questions!

I absolutely love when I run into or hear of someone who is so sold out and convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are doing just what God has called them to do, radical or not. These are people who care about one thing and that is being obedient to their God-calling! The coolest part of this is that amazing things can happen when we are obedient to our calling.

The flip side of this is when we succumb to the nay-sayers that keep us from taking that step forward by considering man’s opinion over God’s calling, even if we know we are capable. On the other hand, you may appear to be totally unqualified according to man’s standards and yet God calls you in spite of your lack of qualifications and you do something you never imagined that you could do.

A few years back our church lost its worship arts director. She was a gem that the Lord brought to usher us into a contemporary worship service. Our church decided to hold two services, one traditional and one contemporary. Her husband, after three years with us was called to serve at a different church and we were left without our worship arts director. She had asked me several times if I were interested but I just never believed I was qualified. I have minimal musical training but I love to worship. That was all I had to go on. After much persuasion and prayer I finally succumbed to the request and really gave it my best for a year. Friends, emotionally, it was one of the most difficult years I have ever had, I believe, primarily, because I allowed the varying comments of too many to cause me to doubt that I was doing what I was called to do. This affected the team, who lost confidence in me and began to resist my direction.

It was a horrendous year and I have often wondered if I became too concerned with making the team members happy, or did I just not belong in that position? After all I was only there until someone came on board who was a ‘true’ director? I prayed and sought the Lord big time! I love the element that worship brings to the Sunday service and I love to worship, and I so wanted this to work out of my worshiper’s heart, but I leaned more on people’s varied opinions instead of my Father’s direction. I remember screaming out loud one morning, “Lord, I just want to please You!” Well, circumstances at home would present a difficult summer ahead and I resigned the position after a year to be available to my mother who spends the summer with us. God knew I would not have the time required for the job and that I would be needed at home and frankly, it was a huge relief!

At the radio station where I work, we run into so many opinions from our listeners and music is the subject that causes the most dissension. Some years back, we had a difficult time when we clearly felt the Lord was calling us to change our music emphasis to primarily praise and worship. We were headed in a top 40 Inspo format and three of us distinctly heard the calling from the Lord to open the music format up to praise and worship. Yes, it was different and yes, most stations were not going in that direction. Our calling was to raise a canopy of praise over northern Minnesota and Northwestern Ontario. We were called to help usher in the presence of the Lord in a very hardened and dark region. We definitely ruffled feathers and it would have been much easier to try to flex to fit the opinion of many listeners. But the risk in compromise is that you lose sight of your calling for the ministry and what it is that God wants to do. We have to remember our focus, our calling, our purpose and that God, the creator of the universe, has positioned us to accomplish His purposes and His voice is really the voice we need to be listening to, not the opinions of hundreds of people who may or may not know what that calling is. Yes, it is difficult and people can be hurt or upset if when we do not consider their opinions.

So why is it so…hard to move in God’s direction? Most of us want to be loved and accepted and I do not know anyone who likes rejection, but if you are doing what you are called to do you very likely will take some heat for choosing to please God instead of man. But, how precious are the words of our Father as we read of the parable of the servants who tended to their master’s business while he was off in another country!

Matthew 25: 20-21 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'”

Father, I love You so much and I truly want to ‘dance’ for You and serve You with all my heart. But sometimes I hear voices that cause me to second guess whether I am doing the right thing. I am asking that You help me to know You more and to recognize Your voice when You call me to do Your will. I so want to hear you say well done, Kimberly; you have served Me well…enter into the joy of your Lord!” Your word says in Proverbs 16:7 that “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” The rewards for walking in obedience to Your calling are well worth the difficulty that can come when we are a God-pleaser! Thank you for giving me the courage to press on for Christ’ sake and in His name!

A Momentary Light Affliction?

I have recently memorized the following verses from II Corinthians 4:17,18

“For our light affliction which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporary but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

When the difficulties come (and I didn’t say if, but when) will we endure with faith knowing that God is working that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (a thought and truth than I can barely imagine!) How in the world do we hold on believing that we are in that difficulty only for a season and time and that it will not last forever? It may be for this temporal lifetime but not eternally because of our positioning in Christ Jesus! We see suffering with that temporal mindset but to the One who says a day is as a thousand and a thousand is as a day, knows our afflictions (whatever they may be) are truly momentary.

I was so burdened for our dear friends of the radio ministry. Mike and Christa Shore. You may know them too from our “Draw Near to the Father’s Heart” Ladies’ Retreats. These are folks who have a gifted ministry of music and outreach and they have worked together on many occasions. This precious couple, has been going through some very difficult times that began five years ago when Mike was diagnosed with IPF. With this disease, the lungs are no longer able to perform as they were created to and at this point there are no therapies to halt or reverse the course of IPF. Sadly, about two-thirds of IPF patients die within five years. The ultimate treatment for IPF is a lung transplant. In January 2009, Mike had a single lung transplant that has taken him just slightly beyond a year. But not without several rejections and now the transplanted lung is threatening to quit working in Mike’s body and his remaining original lung is nearly depleted.

Although this is not necessarily my story to tell, none the less it has moved me to the reality of the two verses above that I have just memorized. It is terribly difficult to look into a situation like Mike and Christa’s and apply an eternal perspective. These are relatively young people and obviously if something cannot be done to remedy Mike’s condition he will not be long for this world.

Paul certainly talks about being torn between living and dying for Christ. In Philippians 1:21 he says, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Anxious to depart and be with Christ which would be the best, yet to serve Him here in the temporary and bring the gospel so that others would also be heaven bound was Paul’s passion.

There most certainly is an advantage to maintaining a heavenly mindset that knows that a day will come--on the other side of our affliction—when we will be ushered into the presence of our Lord and Savior. With eyes fixed on that goal we can endure to the end. And I do not mean to indicate that this truth, as wonderful as it may seem, makes for a smooth road to travel. As believers, we must purpose to forgo allowing our circumstances to press us down. As difficult as it can be for some in situations like Mike Shore’s.

My understanding is that Mike will be top on the list to receive a double lung transplant in April. And my prayer is that it would happen as soon as he is able to receive it. With this life-giving transplant Mike should, Lord willing, have more time with family and loved ones and more time to hopefully minister and win souls for God’s kingdom. Please keep this family in your prayers as you read this.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing ; persecuted, but not forsaken ; struck down, but not destroyed ; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

II Corinthians 4:7-11

Father, we thank you this day for all that you have given us and trust that You are working for us that “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” as you prepare us for that glorious day to come when we will be welcomed into Your presence. Give us the strength to endure to keep pressing on and that we would not forget that our purpose on the face of this earth and in our environment is to glorify You in all that we say and do. I desperately want Paul’s mindset that to live is Christ and to die is gain. Let me be able to make a difference in people’s lives for Christ’s sake. And thank you for people like Mike and Christa who love you so much lives that they live to bring glory to You, leading many too You through their ministry. Provide the needed lungs for Mike quickly Lord, in Jesus Name I ask.

A Simple Prayer of Faith

The Prayer of Faith

God blesses us all the time. Sometimes in small ways and sometimes in great big ways! It seems that it is quite the same with our prayers. Although I do believe He always answers our prayers—it may just not always be the way I think that He should or in the time-frame I think that He should answer them.

The Lord is teaching me some big things about prayer as of late. Like why pray if you don’t expect Him to answer? I have done a lot of praying but honestly, I have not seen a lot of obvious answers. Now I am not saying that He is or has not answered, just that I do not always see the results and especially right away.

Recently I was reminded of a time several years ago when my daughter, Becky lost her wedding ring. She just had her first baby and they had gone swimming at David’s place of work. She took her wedding ring off her finger to shower in a public place and forgot put them back on before she left. She was devastated! When she finally told her husband, he even put notes on the bulletin board at work with hope that the person who took it would see the note and return the ring.

A few weeks went by and we were visiting when I noticed that her ring was not on her hand. She tearfully told me the story and as we sat on her bed we prayed together asking the Lord to return her ring and even allow the person wearing it to be very uncomfortable with it on their finger. I remember very distinctly that something rose up in me as I prayed for this situation feeling certain that she would get her ring back.

It was but a couple of weeks later that my daughter’s husband David, received a package at work with no return address label. He opened it to find the stolen wedding ring. We were amazed and so grateful, both realizing that God had answered our prayer as well as the prayers of others who were also praying for the ring’s return to its rightful owner. It had not so much been the value of the ring as it was the sentimental value considering the diamond had once belonged to her great grandmother. We were ever so thankful for this victory indeed!

It is interesting how James talks about the “prayer of faith” being enough to even heal the sick.

James 5:15 NKJ

"And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."

James 5:13 NIV

"[The Prayer of Faith] Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise."

James 5:15 NLV

"And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven."

The various versions show that it is possible for a few different things to happen here in regard to the “prayer of faith”:

• The sick will be saved
• The sick will be healed
• Those in trouble should pray

I am not certain what we do with those prayers that appear to go unheard. But it does seem to me that when God does answer our prayers whether big or small, that it should certainly serve to increase our faith for the next time. (Kind of like filling for reserve.) For even when it doesn’t look as if something is happening, we have to believe that God has heard and is applying Romans 8:28 to our situation.

Let me leave you with another amazing little story of my own. About four years ago I lost an earring. It was one in a pair of simple hand crafted opals set in sterling silver, that were a gift from my mother. (I should never wear French hook earrings with out stoppers on them and have since tried to remember to do so when wearing that type of earring.) These were a lovely little pair--probably not extremely valuable but they have sentimental value being handed down from my mother. I had no idea when or where I could have lost the earring and I looked high and low (literally) around work, my car, etc. all to no avail. I never dared to tell mom, as she would have been terribly disappointed. I did pray though and I asked the Lord if He would help me find them so as not to upset mom should she ever ask. And I always believed that they would show up.

Within the past year, the earring was still missing and I even toyed with the idea of having the jeweler see if I could get a replacement. This could not be done without knowing the company who made them. Well that was out because I would have to ask my mother and then she would know the story. So I just let it rest.

Last fall I found myself vacuuming the floor of the radio station studio as my husband and I ripped out carpeting to prepare the floor for the new carpeting that was to be installed the next week. I was naturally amazed at the dirt that showed up after the carpet was ripped out. I was on my hands and knees with my husband’s big old shop vac, giving the final touches on the nooks and crannies way underneath the console. I bent down low to the floor to look under a computer that sticks out on a low shelf and to my utter amazement there was my opal earring! There is no logical reason for it to have survived the carpet rip-out, and the shop vac’s super suction to be found just sitting there on the floor, but for God!

Once again, God answered a small “prayer of faith” and it served once again to bolster and fill my faith reserve once again. A reminder to pray with the expectation of getting the right answer, at just the right time!

Matthew 17:20 NKJ

“So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Father, you absolutely amaze me when you answer our prayers. I know that there are many that we do not see and I am thankful that You are the one Who sees the big picture. I would ask that You continue to remind me that when I ask, I am to ask in faith, believing for Your perfect answers every time! I want to exercise the “prayer of faith” when I pray for one to be healed and or saved or simply to find a lost something of importance to whomever! In Jesus’ Name!

How's the New Year's Resolution Going for You?

It is so funny how we look for a starting place to invoke change. I do not believe that most of us just wake up on a day and say I am going to quit this or that. Or, I am going to quit my job and start a business of my own (you fill in the scenario.)  Now if I am wrong let me hear from you! For most of us, change or the desire for change comes to somehow better our circumstances. We ponder what it is we desire to change for a time, and sometimes it is just a bad habit or a plaguing issue that we desire to be rid of, non-the-less it is still change.

The New Year is always a great way to jumpstart your planned changes. It might be to start a diet and exercise program. These are common resolutions. But, if you are like most people after a few weeks or say a month with no real visible change occurring, you just get frustrated and, well, quit. I think I have done this myself a gazillion times! Shoot off the starting line and fizzle out after a few weeks because of discouragement and then give it up. What is up with that?

Well this is my approach to the resolution thing. I have decided I will resolve to do something right every day. And yes, I do have some goals.

• Being in the Word daily
• Cultivating a thankful heart
• Watching my consumption a bit closer
• Taking my supplements
• Exercising
• Being Kind

This is quite simple, if I get nothing else done but my daily Bible reading, then I have done one right thing in my day. I get to count walking the dog as my exercise and we can go a mile or more either walking out side and or on the treadmill. Suffice it to say that this would make for two right things in my day. Should I remember to take my supplements before I go to work then I can add another right thing to my day. Although I really don’t like to take supplements, I know that they are good for me and do help me to feel better.

As for the diet thing, I wrestle with sweets/carb consumption. I know how detrimental sweets or too many carbs are for me and this can pose as one of my most difficult challenges. I have found that some days I can forgo the sweets and then there are other days I cannot get enough of them! So on the days when I can ignore sweets then I can add another right thing to my day.

This verse in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 is such a convicting verse for me when it comes to dieting.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.”

Do you ever look at rude people and think how selfish and unaware they are of others around them? I am certain that we can all be that way at times but I do not want that to be how people see me. Therefore I have included on my list to work at being kind. There are so many folks that just need a kind word spoken into them. And who is to say that the word of encouragement would be used to change the course of that person’s day by just being kind to them? I can sometimes snap at my spouse and then wonder why he won't communicate with me, why would he? So now I try to remember to ask the Holy Spirit to show me how to speak kindness to my husband.

In Proverbs 12:25 (NIV) it says

“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

And in Proverbs 25:11 (NKJ)

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

Then there is often the opportunity to engage in (or initiate) talk that is not positive about another person. Because I am making the choice to do “right things” I can now consciously make the decision not to go there. There is indeed much to be said for being kind. And by doing so I can then add another “right thing” to my day.

So as I begin my day I am asking the Lord for the courage to do “right things” everyday and as many as I can. You know, even if it was only one or two “right things”, I am progressing and feeling better about a heightened level of awareness as I go about my days, weeks and months to come! I hope this might help you with your resolutions if you too easily fizzle out after a few weeks into the new year!

Father, I confess the trap of not finishing what I start out to do. I have made hundreds of resolutions and gone bad on them time and time again. I am thanking You for shedding a new light on this for my new year! Holy Spirit, will You heighten my awareness and conviction so that I will desire to continue to do as many “right things” as I can. Let this alter not only my perspective but also the lives of those that I come in contact with for Christ’s sake!

A Time of Loss

Such a Sadness

Recently our community has been saddened by the deaths of four people, all suddenly and all within a week. In a community of approximately 6,500, you realize that the loss of four people (who were a vital part of the community) is significant. There is a heavy sadness here today.

Most people--if in our thirties upward--are usually jogged when the loss takes a woman in her early forties, and a woman and man in there fifties and a sixty year old man suddenly. We are shocked and suddenly drawn to ponder the shortness or brevity of life. That probably is not such a bad thing to do once in a while but it is difficult coming on the heels of four deaths in a row.

The first death was extremely sudden and the gentleman was a custodian in our schools. A good man and loved by the kids and staff as well. He leaves a wife and several children. His funeral was even at the High School where he spent so much of his time. My daughter went to school with his son and stepdaughter and she even made it home to attend his funeral.

While preparing to come home for that funeral, my daughter also got word of the death of one of her best friend’s sister. She had been hospitalized suddenly a few weeks prior and given a short time to live. Friends, she was only forty-two, a wife and mother of two young men! My daughter being so concerned for her dear friend was beside herself. Needless to say she planned to return home once again to attend another funeral. This one was a bit more personal because she had known the family since a young age.

The man in his sixties was unknown to me but many others knew him. I don’t really know anything about him but I believe that sixty is just too young! I have a friend whose husband was impacted by his death because they graduated together. How hard it is when we begin to see people our own age start to die.

Finally, I want to mention the life of a vivacious woman who I had the privilege of knowing (as many others did) because she was dedicated to helping people achieve their college degrees. Several years prior she was dealt the blow of cancer and survived only to have it return again recently to take her. She leaves a husband and daughter and many people who loved her for her kindness and fun personality, but mostly, I believe, because she seemed to be so genuine and care. Her life has had an impact on many because of the job she held at our community college.

Death is an interesting process that we all have to go through as the life process completes. It will come to all of us! It will have an affect on the people in our sphere of influence and most probably on our families. To those in the process of grieving the loss of someone (especially if the death seems untimely) it is just a very difficult process to have to go through and live out. We miss those who are taken at such a young age and unexpectedly. We wonder about all the “what if’s” and what could have been done differently, and all the things we should have said to that one who leaves us so suddenly. Chances are good that for a time we will change the way we look at life as we see it just a bit shorter than we did previously.

I recently had my own epiphany regarding life and its brevity. My belief in Jesus Christ has given me a new outlook on life and one thing I know is that it is the Lord who gives and takes away. His hand is providential and He guides us along the way. Yes, things like cancer and poor health can come along and zap us but the Lord permits all things to happen to His children. Not one thing happens that isn’t run through His loving hand and that He isn’t aware of or going through with us.

In the third chapter of Ecclesiastes we read from the pen of King Solomon (the wisest of men) that there is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

A time to be born, And a time to die;

A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill, And a time to heal;

A time to break down, And a time to build up;

A time to weep, And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain, And a time to lose;

A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

A time to tear, And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

A time to love, And a time to hate;

A time of war, And a time of peace. (:2-8 NKJ)

How is your life today? Like me you might choose to run about--especially now that we are entering the harried holiday season with so much to do—without much thought about tomorrow. But let me encourage you to look out beyond yourself today. If we could just make a difference for one person each day we have on the face of this earth, why we will make a significant difference and we will be remembered by how we loved God and loved each other! I continue to say that I want to finish this earthly race strong. Whether in sickness or in health I can make a difference within my sphere of influence.

Friend, how about you? How is your heart today? Will you look beyond yourself and see others the way God sees them?

Father, show me who it is today that needs an extra touch of kindness. Let me be the one who will do something kind for someone who needs that little extra help today. Use my words of encouragement to help that one struggling to go another day! Let me bring words of hope that will make a difference, in Jesus Name, amen.