The Art of Marriage: In Review

I'm finally writing.  At least at the moment.  Let's not dwell on it, or else I'll get distracted from why I'm writing, and it will be a waste of verbiage.

Introduction/Disclaimer
My beloved husband of almost seventeen years and I just attended a marriage seminar this weekend hosted at our church.  The seminar was called "The Art of Marriage" (AofM) and was produced by Family Life Today (FLT).  I don't have a grudge against FLT.  In fact, Enoch and I are both thankful to God for their ministry, primarily due to a "Weekend to Remember" marriage conference we attended about seven years ago, when our marriage had collapsed and we were in the process of re-building.  I do not have a grudge against my church.  I'm very grateful that marriage is important to the leaders of our church, that they faithfully preach the Word of God and what it teaches concerning marriage.  I'm thankful that a good number of couples from our church attended and we had good times of mingling and interacting.  And I'm very thankful for some dear sisters in Christ who cared for our children so that we could attend AofM.

In a Nutshell
The AofM seminar is a six-session video event, accompanied by a 140-plus paged workbook that allows participants to follow along as they watch.  There are various breaks built into the videos to allow participants to answer questions from the workbook and think about the material being presented.  A live person (an elder at our church) also led some brief group discussion times at the end of each session.  There are also optional activities to do individually outside of the video time, and I'm looking forward to using these in the future to have good intentional discussions with my husband on some of the topics covered. 

The Positives
The workbook and videos were high quality stuff. Not your typical pink, blue, and goldenrod copies of church paper; theses were glossy-paged, fancy-fonted, and as artsy as can be.  The photos were professional, and coincided with the video on every page.  The pages contained quotes from the video, articles and/or stories from the video, and places to answer questions during the video.  The video was also as high-quality as they come.  It was a combination of dramatic vignettes acted by paid professionals, real-life testimonials of bad marriages that were transformed, and instructional and informative contributions by well-respected and well-known Christian men and women, many with PhD's.  It was replete with kinetic text,  references to the workbook to keep us on the right page, and well-designed features (like soft theme music which played while we worked on our workbooks, visible timers to help us know how much time we had left, and a gentle crescendo when that segment ended and a new one began).

The Negatives
You know there had to be some.  I jokingly said to my husband that the 15-minute refreshment breaks with the other participants were "boring" compared to the cutting-edge camera that refuses to stay still or stay focused in the video.  (It's a style preference; I'm not a fan of it.)  It was so well edited that it was itself a work of art. The scripted vignettes, well-acted and professional as they were, were so dramatically and humorously captivating, I forgot we were at a marriage seminar and felt like we were at a movie theater.  It's difficult (for me at least) to transition mentally from "entertain me" to "teach me" to "analyze me" and back and forth.  That might not seem like a big deal, but it's at the heart of the problem, in my view.

There were a number of well-respected Christian men and women who gave their "talks" on the subjects, but it felt, honestly, like a bunch of smart people giving their best advice and opinions and supporting those ideas with Scripture, only some of the time.  In the workbook, verses were quoted and sprinkled generously alongside quotes by all kinds of people.  In general, I don't recall anyone saying anything that was blatantly controversial, but in my opinion there were only a few very deep and profound comments, mainly pertaining to believing that if God could raise a dead to new life, He could restore a dead or dying marriage.  The fact that it was all "layered" together made it difficult to filter the important stuff from the fluff.

For instance, throughout the workbook there were "helpful" tips for addressing the various issues being stressed.  Tips on "receiving your spouse," "twenty-five ways to spiritually lead your family," and "how a satisfying sex life is built," read like modern magazine articles and were mostly absent of actual Biblical content whatsoever.  In fact, I'd venture to guess that the most verses read in some kind of "context" were the ones from Song of Solomon during the "Love Sizzles" segment.  Even then, the verses were used mainly as tantalizing text rather than examined as holy Scripture meant to instruct us about our relationship with God and with one another.

So What?
So what?  Why is it such a big deal that I'm staying up past midnight to write about it? (Especially since I haven't written anything on either of my blogs in over a year.)  Why am I picking on FLT and their excellent resources?  Because this issue is really hitting home for me, I suppose.  And because I think there is a better way.  

I'm not saying "my pastor's better than FLT" like some 6-year-old kid would say to another one about their hero father.  But I am saying that my pastor(s) could have done a seminar and taught what the Scriptures say about love and marriage and sin and conflict-resolution and living with an eternal perspective, and it would have been grounded entirely in the truth of Scripture.  Not only that, but it would have been beneficial for unmarried participants as well as the married ones.  Of course it would have been without the glossy pages and dramatic stories, worldly wisdom, and edgy camera flashes and fades, but they would have had my attention and my full appreciation, for what it's worth.  (And as I'm reading this through, I just want to add that I think that is what our pastors are currently doing this month and next month as they preach and teach on the Biblical roles of men and women, so there!)

Words of Encouragement
So to my pastors and elders, I want to encourage you to preach the Word.  Remember that the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).  It restores the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, endures forever, is altogether righteous, and is more desirable than any material thing (Psalm 19).  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.  But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene (2 Timothy 2:15-16). If you commit to doing this, people might complain that it's too boring.  They might rather look at glossy photos and read magazine-like tips than listen to the likes of you.  You probably won't become famous or better looking by the world's standards because of it.  But don't be discouraged by that.  Instead, call us out to forsake our lack of appetite for the Word of God.  Challenge us to trust in the sufficiency of Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our lives!

Our population seems to feed on this need for artsy, edgy and dramatic, but has little appetite for understanding the Word of God and looking deeply and intently on what it says and what it means by what it says.  So to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ: laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious(1Peter 2:1-2)!

Open Doors

I'm posting the following letter with permission from Joe Mellon, a good friend and missionary who has been serving the Lord in France for many years. Joe does the work of an evangelist. Among the many things he does on the mission field, he actually shares the gospel with people, personally. For that reason, it is always encouraging to read his letters, because I am reminded that I, too, should be doing the work of an evangelist in the location God has placed me. And Joe's faithfulness and boldness encourages me to be the same.

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Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ......

Colossians 4:2-3

Dear Enoch & Merrilee; April 4, 2011

What does an open door look like? How do we know when it is opened? Do we need to push on the door or does it open automatically before us? Have you had any open doors recently? If the door is open and we don’t speak, is that sin?

Having lived in France for 25 years where the topics of God, Christ, Bible and such are treated with mild scorn and continued irrelevance, I constantly pray for God to open a door for me to explain the gospel to lost folks. At times, it is not always easy to determine if God has opened a door or not. But, when He does, it is a magnificent thing to observe and experience.

I have two stories to relate to you about open doors. You ought to be thrilled to read these; after all, this is what you sent us here to do. Read on.....

Open Door #1..... FINALLY!

As you are aware, I have been involved with the American football Club in Chambéry, first as a consultant, and more recently as the Head Coach. The personal goal of my involvement is to talk to the men about Christ, nothing more--nothing less. I also put an enormous amount of effort into coaching football. In this setting, waiting for the open door takes time and in this case, about 19 months. Let me be clear, when I say “talking to folks about Christ”, I don’t mean short conversations on the existence of God or why the catholic church is worthless. Those are frequent, easy and probably useless discussions. I’m talking about presenting the truths of Scripture centered on Jesus Christ with a gospel presentation including the consequences of unbelief.

On Saturday, march 23^rd, we went south to Toulon for a Saturday evening game. The bus trip was about 4 ½ hours. About halfway thru I was absorbed in a book about the raid by the Israeli commandos on Entebbe in July 1976. That was the year that I got saved. The fellow sitting in the aisle next to me tapped me on the shoulder and said “Joe, can I ask you a question”. Of course, I responded. Greg continued, “What’s a Protestant”? (Did you just hear that door swing open?) That launched a half hour conversation with Greg, his girlfriend and Tony who was sitting in front of them. We covered everything, The truth of the Scripture, the person of Christ, evil in the world, the atoning work of Christ and the need to be converted or one goes to hell for eternity.

Then, all of a sudden, the door closed. I could hear it shut. That was it. Game Over. I just reveled in the joy of having seen God’s Hand at work on that doorknob. And I said, “Yes, the 19 months have been worth it”. Do you know how often that happens? But it did. We lost the game that night, 7-3.

Open Door #2.....Captive Audience

I led a camp in August 2010 for 10-14 year old French kids with the goal of teaching them some English. We had a week of simple English lessons, games, Bible stories and crafts. Each staff member had a Bible study group in the evening. I had the older boys cabin that consisted of 5 young men. Our Bible study consisted of me answering any questions they had. We did not lack for topics and I remember covering Creation/Evolution, Cults, Why do I have to go to church, do we have to put up with Arabs in heaven, etc. No matter where the discussion wandered for the evening, I always finished with an explanation of the New Birth and an urging for them to be right with God. One of the young men in my group was Benjamin Orset. Read on.........

On January 22, 2011, 14-year-old Benjamin Orset died after eating two contaminated hamburgers at a Quick Restaurant in Avignon, France. An autopsy report concluded that Benjamin died from food poisoning. Traces of staphylococci were detected in the boy’s body, as well as in five of the eight employees. Quick’s managing director, Jacques-Edouard Charret, has refused to accept responsibility for the death of the boy.

Was there an open door for the gospel? Yes. In fact, it was easier than the door for which I waited to be opened with a few of the football players. At the camp I had a captive audience, and they were wired with questions. Did Ben make a profession of faith at camp? Not to my knowledge. But he heard, that is for certain.

What if I had quit the Football Team because there was no interest? Or I was tired! What if I had not talked to the 5 boys constantly about their souls? Or better yet, I developed a gutless and hell-less theology that allows everyone to enter heaven by his or her own merit. Then I could be a super nice guy, coach football, run camps and watch people slowly slide into a Christ-less eternity. No urgency, no appeal for their eternal souls. No Thanks. I will stick with being the odd man out, holding to a message of forgiveness through the Savior alone.

Jesus said, "Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut....”

Revelation 3:8

Yeah, they were OPEN DOORS for certain. Let us not grow weary of praying for, anticipating and walking through OPEN DOORS with the Gospel message.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will

dine with him, and he with Me”.

Jesus Christ

Pressing on in Chambéry.......

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Book Burnings and Bumper Stickers

I encourage you to read the post at Biblical Christianity here regarding this subject.

While I was playing UNO with my 3-year-old yesterday, we had the White House press conference playing on the computer in the background. I was mostly interested in hearing what was being said about the issue of the flamboyant man in Florida who was planning to burn a particular religious book on public display, an activity that has received world-wide attention.

As I listened to the reporters ask their questions, I got the eerie feeling that we (the USA) might be headed towards a communist state, at the urging of our own people. You think I'm exaggerating? I heard suggestions that book burning (this particular book) could be considered a "hate crime," which could be determined to be illegal. There were also suggestions that the leader could be "detained indefinitely," basically until they determine what particular laws (that they haven’t come up with yet) has this man actually broken. And there was plenty of talk about various "commanders" and "the Commander in Chief" as people were grappling to figure out who has authority to tell this man what (or what not) to do.

I seriously got the sense that the people asking the questions were trying to help the White House figure out a way to get rid of this man, and make it appear to be legal. And the best things they could come up with were to either dismiss the Constitution, particularly the part ensuring our freedom of religion and freedom of speech, or lock the kook up under phony charges just to keep the peace. The next thing I expect to hear in the “brainstorm” of ideas might require all religious groups to be monitored by some branch of bureaucracy or military, and perhaps forced to take courses in diversity and tolerance and sign statements that denounce their exclusive and narrow-minded beliefs.

I don't consider myself to be particularly outspoken in political matters. But as a Christian, I should be particularly outspoken about religious matters, to some degree. And part of my time spent thinking about this issue had me imagining what would happen if that man went forward with his plan. And it's not a pretty thought, but one worth considering. The world is rapidly changing, as are public opinions. What actions, reactions, events and public pressures could we be facing sooner than we think? It's probably only a matter of time before another fool tries to one-up this one and another opportunity to preach the gospel presents itself.

I don't think American Christians should roll over and surrender their liberties, but we are generally pretty blind to the fact that they have been protected/given to us through the Constitution, and that document will not endure through eternity, nor does it have supreme authority over Christians. And let’s not forget that a large portion of the world's Christians exist/survive without such liberty. We may need to learn from them how to live for the glory of God while being oppressed, because it could be just around the corner. Better yet, we can learn from the early church and how they endured the persecution that came after Christ’s resurrection, by studying it in the Bible.

So Christians, prepare your "official statement." What is the 15-minute version, the 2-minute version, and the bumper-sticker version of the message you are commanded to preach? Why do you preach it? And Who is your commander? Are you prepared to preach it to the world, and suffer for it?

Out with the Old, in with the New, part 4

It has been a while since I’ve written about New Years Resolutions. I understand that January is almost over, and that subject matter is already old, but still—I’ve been meaning to write about it, and since it’s not February yet, I give myself permission.

A little over a year ago I was too overcome with dismay over having just turned 35 to even think about any new year’s resolutions. All I wanted to do was eat chocolate and have regular pity parties because I was 35 and still not rid of some of my most hated bad habits. And instead of making token new years resolutions that I had no intention of keeping, I just made none. Well not this year. This year I’ve made a couple of resolutions, but I became even more aware of my natural tendencies in the process. You see, recognizing that I have no intention to follow through with my decision is one thing, but hating that about myself and being willing to change that about myself is something entirely different. I have become way too comfortable with my bad habits (even hating them)—and I know that I need to change. James 4:13-17 says,

“Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.' Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (italics mine.)

Did you know that this verse was not recently added to the Bible? I didn’t just come across it for the first time in my life, either! It’s been there all along. (Along with other verses that I know are there but I have allowed myself to not pay close attention to at times when it was an inconvenient truth.) I’ve been basically allowing myself to be comfortable with sinning because I was comfortable not doing those things that I know I should do.

I'll give an example: Finances. It has been years since I've actually balanced the checkbook. I don't regularly overdraw our account (although it has happened a couple of times), and I pay all of our bills (mostly on time). We have a good credit score, so it's not that big of a deal, right? Wrong. God says in Psalm 50:10-12,

"For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains."

And in Haggai 2:8, "'The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,' declares the Lord of hosts."

So it all belongs to God, and I have been given the privilege of taking care of His belongings. Even if no one else really cares whether or not I balance my checkbook, God does. The attitude of my heart is the issue. It doesn't require calculus or even division to be able to balance my checkbook, but I have developed a bad habit that I have become comfortable with. “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

He commands in Proverbs, "Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations." (27:23-24)

So the buck stops here. This year, as we work on our financial goals to pay off our debts as quickly as possible, I have as a goal to balance the checkbook every month and carry the balance down as I go. It's a small change that won't be noticed by the people to whom I write checks or who read this blog, but it is an exercise in faithfulness and diligence on my part that will be noticed by the Owner of it all.

How about you? Are there areas of your life that you know need to change, and you have been unwilling to face them? Maybe you balance your checkbook and clean your house regularly, but you watch TV shows or movies that you know you shouldn't. Perhaps its your tendency to feel entitled to your selfish desires, whether it be to eat whatever you want, or to hold a grudge, or to break the posted speed limit. Well...

Out with the old! Let’s not take it lightly any more! Let’s do battle with our sin. Let’s go to war against those bad habits in our lives that drain us and essentially cripple us from truly glorifying God. I, for one, know I need to change in some areas, and this year on this blog I’ll be writing about some of them.

And my hope is that as I become faithful with the things God has entrusted to me, that He would be pleased and that others would glorify Him as a result.

Happy New Year!

Facebook Phenomenon

Well, after a couple of invitations from my sister and a friend, I finally decided to look Facebook in the face and see what the phenomenon is all about. WOW! It's a bit overwhelming. I was just telling my Mom the other day that I think I like the pace of blogging much better. I don't get the kind of "traffic" that Facebook almost automatically throws my way, which is so distracting to me. It's already hard enough limiting the amount of time I spend doing blogging; Facebook is even more tempting as a distraction, because you're perpetually aware of who's online, who commented to whom, who did what (or is currently doing whatever). It's over the top! And my inbox is flooding!

I shouldn't complain. It's nice to re-connect with people I haven't connected with in years. But my challenge (that my long-distanced best friend lovingly reminded me of) is to actually re-connect with actual people and to develop actual friendships, rather than online friends who are easy to be friendly with but hard to be truly honest with (and almost impossible to have over for dinner).

Unfortunately for me today, I have to skip my Tuesday morning Bible study class at church (with actual people) because I'm keeping Tristan home from school due to a cold. So here I sit, at least for a few moments, in the computer state. My thoughts are trailing now, so it's best to wrap it up. But in conclusion, Facebook seems too much in my face. I won't write it off completely, but that's how I feel about it at the moment. At the same time, I'll just holler out to anyone interested--let me know if you want to be a part of Facebook, and I will gladly be your "Facebook friend."

B.J. for President

My fellow citizens, today is a brand new day! It’s time to consider the future. Soon we will be electing a new person to lead this great country, and I am in favor of embracing new ideas, new strategies, new onesies—whatever it takes to make this great country great again. Therefore, I am announcing my candidacy for president. It’s not too late to make a change, so vote for me on election day.

I am pro-family. I support the notion that there should be a breast for every baby, and a baby for every breast. My opponents want you to believe that because of my inexperience I am not capable of leading this country. I say poo on them. Just look at my bald head. Not a single one of my opponents can boast that they are naturally bald and beautiful. Let me tell you something, and look at me carefully: I didn’t get this way overnight!

My ideas about health care are simple. Everyone should take at least two naps a day, and sleep for ten to twelve hours a night. If that doesn’t cure you, then it’s time to visit your Mama. My opponents think that my health care plan is naive. But I think they’re just saying that because they haven’t slept a decent night since they were five.

My opponents think that because I haven’t picked a running mate yet that I have no idea what kinds of responsibilities a president will have while in office, or something like that. I can’t remember exactly anymore. Who cares what my opponents think? I can make a fist and shake it just as passionately as they can. I can even make a mean looking face that shows people I’m serious when I’m talking.

And I’m talking! Even if my lips are sealed, I mean business. And I’m in the business of change. C-H-A- whatever. You know, change. Business. Speaking of business, I’ve been a little busy myself and could use a change. Mommy!

Peace, out. Power to the Pampers!

Vote for B.J.!

Let Freedom Ring

Those of you who know me know that I don't categorize myself as incredibly patriotic. I am thankful to be blessed to live in this country as a citizen, but I consider my citizenship to be in heaven above far more valuable. I tend to avoid making emotional comparisons of sacrifice for one's country with the Ultimate Sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross when He paid the penalty for our sins. But I had these cute "patriotic" photos of the kids (thanks to the wardrobe choices of their grandparents), and wanted to at least make the most of the opportunity. So here's the photo, followed by a passage from John 8.

John 8:31-36

Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had beleived Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

They answered Him, "We are Abraham's offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say , 'You shall become free'?"

Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

May your celebration of the freedoms that you enjoy be centered around the eternally liberating Truth that sets all men free!

Reflections on God's Infinite Wisdom

I recently posted about the fact that I've been reading in the gospel of John, chapters 18-21. This portion of scripture deals with the betrayal of Christ in the garden up through the post-resurrection account of the overflowing nets and fish-fry that involves Christ telling Peter, "feed My sheep" numerous times.

I've been reading this chunk of scripture daily (as I am able) for the past two weeks or so, and the other day something stood out to me that I never fully took notice of before in John 18:7-11:

I don't exactly know why this stands out to me so much, but try to follow this. Peter essentially attacks Malchus with his sword, and other gospel accounts say that he cut off his ear (Mark 14:47 and Luke 22:50). We also know from Luke 22:51 that Jesus "touched his ear and healed him," a miracle that doesn't get much attention, but a miracle none the less! After Christ is arrested and taken to trial, Peter is still hanging around the mob scene, and is even recognized by one of Malchus' relatives (John 18:26), but still not captured or questioned. In fact, I might even go so far as to say that by the very act of keeping His disciples from being arrested that night, Christ performed yet another miracle, which we tend to take for granted sometimes.

These are some questions that came to my mind:

1. Why didn't anyone seize Peter for attempted murder in the garden? There were plenty of witnesses to condemn him, and they most likely outnumbered Jesus and his couple of disciples. Wouldn't Peter's arrest have been useful in further incriminating Jesus as well?
   
2. Of all the people he could have attacked, why didn't Peter head straight for that scoundrel, Judas? (I know this question is a digression, but it did come across my mind!)
   
3. After Jesus healed Malchus (re-attached his ear), why wasn't anyone affected by having seen this miracle first-hand? Instead, everyone goes on as if nothing happened, determined only to seize Jesus.
   
4. Why did Peter stick around the scene after attacking someone with a sword in the midst of a crowd of witnesses? (Can you imagine: in modern times he would be considered a stupid criminal, caught on video surveillance, returning to the scene of the crime--or worse, never leaving the scene of the crime!)

Just a few thoughts. If given more time and uninterrupted study, I could come up with more questions asking why. When trying to answer my own children's "why" questions, I sometimes have to resort to this answer:

God in His infinite wisdom designed it that way!

I know that's an easy answer, but it's actually a good place to begin. (And sometimes to end, when we cannot know or comprehend the answer in full.)

Of course our merciful God does give us some clue as to why in the scriptures:

(John 18:8-9) Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way," to fulfill the word which He spoke, "Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one."

God, in His infinite wisdom, allowed his disciples to safely avoid being arrested along with Jesus and placed on trial that night for any number of reasons. First on the list would be what John points out here, to fulfill the word which He spoke. He's referring to what Christ said in John 17:12, that He guarded them and not one of them perished, and also in John 10:27-30, that by His authority, His sheep cannot be snatched out of His hand. If there's a basic lesson to glean from that little bit it's this: Jesus keeps His word. That little bit of information may have been critically important for His disciples during the coming days and weeks following these events, as the Holy Spirit began to teach them what Christ meant when He was with them, and reminded them of what the scriptures say.

Jesus keeps His word.

His very own closest earthly friends couldn't always understand what He was trying to teach them, but after He ascended to the Father, His disciples began to understand that Jesus keeps His word. It's not just that what He says is true and trustworthy, but that He keeps his word. He fulfilled it. He, being God incarnate, made it come about or come true.

Jesus keeps His word.

Due to time and life constraints, I must leave my reflections here, but at least wanted to share them with anyone who might be interested. What stands out to you? What questions come to your mind, or perhaps what answers? What have you read lately that made you think,

God in His infinite wisdom...

Well Stated

On my sidebar, you'll find a link to free podcasts of messages by Dr. John MacArthur. I have greatly appreciated his teaching ministry in the last couple of years, and have been listening to the free podcasts while doing housework (a multitasking habit I highly recommend, along with listening to the Bible on tape). Lately the topic has been on speech and taming the tongue, and I liked this quote so much, I wanted to share it with you all. He was teaching from Ephesians 6:18-20 and commenting on the topic of preaching the gospel:

Listen beloved, God wants you to proclaim Christ but He wants you to proclaim Christ as it ought to be done. (...) I'm afraid sometimes that a good message proclaimed in a bad way will do just about as much as a bad message.

It's important for people to hear the truth about their position before God apart from Christ. That message must come first before the message about His love for them. Otherwise, it's not really the gospel, it's more like a "warm fuzzy from Jesus," which falls on empty ears. So what if Jesus loves me? I'm doing pretty well without him, thank you!

We all need that boldness to speak as we ought, as Paul says.

(For more information and resources on Dr. MacArthur's ministry, visit gty.org.)

Catching Up On Life

Well there's a lot to catch up on, I know. The night of my last post was the beginning of a horrible 24 hours of being unable to keep down any food or water. I'll spare the technicolor details; thankfully the upchucking only lasted the 24 hours, but the recovery...well, that's part of the problem. I've had a harder time coming out of the "sick mode" and getting back into the swing of things. Thankfully, the Lord has blessed me with a husband who willingly picks up a lot of slack for me; he cooks, he cleans, he shops, he even gets the kids to help, and does it in half the time. He's Super Hubby!

More or less, it's time to finally come up with those long-overdue New Year's resolutions to get my life in order, and find my inner Wonder Woman! So please bear with me. I realize I'm not perfect, and anyone who knows me also knows this about me. But, I'm not content describing myself in that way, either. I'm not perfect, but, as a believer, I know God's Word talks about perfection (His perfection), and how it is His perfection which brings about the spiritual maturity that I so desire in my life. (See Matthew 5:43-48, 1 Chorinthians 13:9-13, 2 Chorinthians 12:7-10, and James 1:2-8--or click on them to read them right now.) So I cannot be content with my weaknesses and lousy habits, but rather I must do as it says in 2 Chorinthians 10: 3-6:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

So, it comes back to obedience. This is a concept that has continued to surface in my life in the past year or so it seems. So when you think of me, you can pray for strength and discipline to obey what the Lord commands me to do. And in particular, in this season of my life, those things consist of basic responsibilities to my husband and family and neighbors and fellow believers; those things that sometimes get easily categorized as boring, burdensome, or endlessly draining--but those simple things that the Lord has entrusted me to do, for His sake and for His glory. My time is up, and my pep talk is over. Now off to find my cape.

(And those catch-up photos are coming--I promise! I also promised Tristan he could "type" and my timer just went off, so it's his turn.)

Day 1: Good deeds

1 John 3:16-20

I've been reading the book of 1 John nearly every day for the past month or so, and recently as I was reading, this particular passage stood out to me, and I felt compelled to write about it. I guess it stood out to me because this is the time of year when many people are generously giving to charity as well as giving gifts to loved ones.

Usually about this time of year I'm thinking about what I would give to people if only I had the money, and then I think about what I could possibly make that would be generous as well as affordable... And the more I think about it, the more discouraged I can get!

We have been blessed year after year by family and friends who have given generously to us at Christmas as well as throughout the year. If it weren't for them, Christmas would certainly be a lot more sparse at our house, that's for sure! Not that there's anything wrong with sparse; We try to live by the "less is more" philosophy, and remind ourselves to be content in whatever state we are in (Philippians 4:11-13). At the same time, I've been convicted time and again about my own laziness when it comes to showing thanks and gratitude to those who have been so generous.

That's what stood out to me in the 1 John passage, as it spoke of our heart condemning us. As I re-read verse 18: "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and in truth," my heart was convicted. I've had people tell me I'm pretty good with words. Those times when I do sit down to write a thank-you note or a note of encouragement, the words come easily, and I find myself pleased with the outcome. I actually get a good feeling from doing it. But usually I let time pass, I keep carrying around the intention to do it, but before I realize it, February is here and already Valentines Day and Julien's birthday packages are arriving!

This passage is really talking more about not "giving lip service" but instead doing things that come from an honest and sincere heart. Although this passage is saying not to love with word or with tongue, I think that the "deed" and the "truth" that I need to love with is exactly that: the deed of using my words to express the true appreciation I have for those who love us so much. I need to be willing to lay down my life so that I can love in the way that the Lord lays on my heart. What exactly that will look like, I don't know, yet. But that's what is on my heart today.

I hope this passage makes you pause and think about the things that you are doing this holiday season (and throughout the year). I hope you find the deeds and truth in which you are to love others this Chirstmas.

A Quick Quote

Here's a quote from one of my new favorite websites, Biblical Womanhood.

If you really want to stay home, you can. There are many women who are doing it. Being a stay at home woman is not so much a matter of economy as it is of philosophy. To a large extent, your beliefs will rule your actions. So much of the time, people say "That will never work." I always like to say, "Have you tried?" If it is God's will, He will make a way!

For any of you who are doing it or considering doing it, I hope that website will be a helpful resource and an encouragement for you to pursue the dream of being a stay-at-home wife and mother! I love my job!

Intellectual Satisfaction

I'm reading a book that has taken me years to finally get around to reading. It's titled Discipline: The Glad Surrender, written by Elisabeth Elliot. It was given to me as a gift some years back, and I had one failed attempt at reading it through. How discouraging: a failed attempt to read a book about living a disciplined life! But I haven't let it get the better of me: I've been able to chunk away at some books that I would have otherwise been unable to read because I've been making use of the time that I nurse Rosalind. The 10-15 minute segments add up to about an hour a day, and before I realize it, I'm well into finishing, and reluctant to put it down! If you keep your eye on the book list at the left side of this page, you'll see a couple of titles that you'll understand are not the result of pleasure reading with the boys. It's those that I am most proud of accomplishing, since those have been read during Rosalind time.

All that to say that I came across this statement from the book by Mrs. Elliot, and thought it was worth sharing with others:

"The Bible does not explain everything necessary for our intellectual satisfaction, but it explains everything necessary for our obedience and hence for God's satisfaction."

Some people get hung up on those things in the Scriptures that they cannot understand or fathom. Or they might tend to not give any of it much deep thought or consideration because they don't consider themselves to be intellectual heavy-hitters. Others may even forgo studying and applying the truth of God's word to their lives, claiming "it's a mystery" as an excuse for intellectual slothfulness and moral indifference. So they either become inoculated to the gospel and believe that knowing is believing, or they dismiss the Bible altogether and live to please themselves and make up their own way. But what this quote suggests is that it is God's satisfaction that we are to be striving for, not our own. The Bible may seem unclear on some things, but it is very clear when it comes to everyday obedience, and that is what God is pleased with. "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:21-23

Just a thought for you to chew on. Your comments are always welcome!

My Own Understanding

Sometimes the verses we know so well seem to jump out at us when we least expect it. I've had a lot on my mind lately, and the other day I turned on the Christian radio station and heard a snippet of a radio program in which the preacher was talking about Proverbs 3:5-6:

"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 your paths straight."

The preacher was at that moment emphasizing the part about not leaning on our own understanding, and it was something I needed to hear. I was reminded of how I sometimes get so caught up in what I know and what I think I know that I become the kind of person who gets prideful and even a tad self-righteous concerning others who don't know what I know, you know? And then I become anxious or impatient or a bit lacking in the area of compassion and forbearance. But the Lord is good, and knows how to humble us and make our paths straight.

I hope that as you read my blog, you would constantly be directed to the Lord. Trust in Him with all your heart, not just the parts that you're comfortable with, but with all your heart. Not clinging onto or locking up those parts of your heart that you just don't want to let go of yet. Trust Him with all of your heart. And trust that your own understanding is only a partial picture; He sees in full, and knows in full. Even the hard facts that you know can be misinterpreted by your own understanding. Trust in Him. And acknowledge Him. Don't just say, "Yeah, I know You're here God," and continue to focus on the problem before you. A private in the military acknowledges a superior officer by standing at attention and saluting, which demonstrates respect and a willingness to readily obey the commands of the officer. He stands in silence waiting for orders. As long as the officer is in the private's presence, the private remains ready and at attention, unless commanded to be at ease. I don't tend to think of God in that way. Maybe I should more! I often used to (and sometimes still do) imagine that God is standing right behind me, with His hand lovingly and gently holding my shoulder, occasionally leaning into me to whisper His words into my ear. He is intimately acquainted with all my ways, it says in Psalm 139. As I listen to His words, He guides me in the way I should go.

Okay, that's all my preaching for now. I have a couple of incredible pictures of the garden from harvesting this morning. Today is very humid and the heat index is over 100. Thankfully our neighbors invited us over for a dip in the pool, which felt wonderful. I'm still waiting for good zucchini recipes. I'll have to start posting recipes as well!

True Rest for your Soul

Do you feel overwhelmed sometimes? Tired, but not exactly sleepy? Unsettled in your heart, unsatisfied with your life? Ever wonder why? Is it just a physical problem, just based on our circumstances, or is it more than that? Consider these words spoken by Jesus Christ:

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NASB)

It seems a contradiction to rest, putting on a yoke and bearing a load, doesn't it? Didn't He just refer to all those who would come as weary and heavy-laden? How can He possibly promise to give us rest while at the same time putting on a yoke and bearing His light load? How does that work, anyway? Let's look at what Jesus is telling us to do.


1-Come to Me. Three words which mean so much! Come. Implies that you are not near, and must move in order to be near. To Me. It is Jesus to whom we are to come. James 4:8-10 says,

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."

Why is this passage talking about such "downer" feelings of gloom and doom? Those feelings don't seem to bring about rest! What's going on here? To come into the presence of a holy God, we must also be holy, perfect, and without sin. God hates sin, and has no tolerance for it. How can we, who are sinners and double-minded, possibly cleanse our own hands and purify our hearts and come to Him? Scripture says in Revelation 21:7-8:

"He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Coming to Him sounds impossible, since we all could be described by one or more of those things on that list! Now that's a reason to be miserable and to lose sleep! Our own conscience nags and accuses us because we know that we fall short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23), and we have to face God some day to be judged by Him (see Hebrews 9:11). Consider what it says in 1John 1:8-2:3:

"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments."

So how do we come to God? We can only come to Him if we have Christ as our Advocate, knowing that we deserve God's wrath and punishment for our sin. And so we come. We come from a position of distance, separated from God the Father because of our sin, knowing that we deserve His wrath, yet trusting in Christ as our Advocate to get us through to Him.

-2 Take My yoke upon you. Of all the things you've heard about that Jesus wants to give you, why this? Why not love and peace and fulfillment? What's a yoke anyway? Isn't that what a farmer puts on the necks of large animals in order to pull a cart and to work? Didn't slave-owners put them on slaves for the same purpose? That seems to be an act of gearing up for hard labor, not for rest! To take a yoke and put it on yourself is an act of willing submission. You accept it being given to you, and you put it on. Christ doesn't tie you down and wrangle you into submission. You willingly accept Him as the One in control, trusting that He knows what is best and will lead you in the way you should go. In order to do this, you must trust Him with your life, be willing to give it to Him without reservation, and allow Him to be the Master. Then you must let Him lead. Christ describes Himself as gentle and humble in heart, and assures us that His yoke is easy and [His] load is light. What better description of a master can you find? And what is it that He wants us to do?

-3 Learn from Me. How do we learn from Christ? What does He want to teach us? We can learn from Him by observing who/what/where/when/why/how He lived, what He did, what He said, and what those who knew Him personally said about Him, even those who made scathing claims against Him. We can know Christ by studying the Scriptures. Evidence that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments (see above reference in 1John). It's that one idea that we tend to harden our hearts to: obedience.

Keep the mental picture in your mind of the yoke on your shoulders. Imagine the yoke as a double yoke, with Christ as the one beside you, sharing in your trials. You see, He lived a life of perfect submission and obedience to God the Father. He was tempted in every way that we are, and yet He never rebelled against His Father's will. (see Hebrews 4:15) When a younger, weaker animal is yoked together with an older, stronger animal, it learns to do what it is supposed to do. Its tendencies to be easily distracted, frightened, or strong-willed become diminished over time, and eventually, the animal becomes more and more like the one he is being trained to emulate. Since it is Christ we are to emulate, consider what the Scriptures say of Him in Hebrews 5:7-10:

"In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Did you catch that? Right there, in the middle of that paragraph: Christ learned obedience from the things which He suffered. He learned to obey, and so can we. And if we obey Him, we are obeying the One who is the source of eternal salvation! He learned from suffering. Suffering? Wait a minute. That's not what you signed up for, was it? Wasn't it just an easy decision to accept the love, forgiveness, and eternal life that Jesus wanted to give to you freely? There was no mention of suffering, was there? And when do we get to rest?

I will give you rest. Jesus. God. The great I AM. The gentle humble Master. Will give you rest. When you come to Him, weary and heavy-laden though you may be. First come to Him, then He will give you rest. Submit yourself willingly to Him as the Master of your whole life, and learn from Him how you are to walk, then He says

You will find rest for your souls. Is that what you are longing for? Is that what is always evading your grasp? Rest for your soul? You cannot find it anywhere else, or from anyone else. Only through Christ, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." (John 14:6)

Eternal Rest. There is more to be learned about the subject of rest. Hebrews 3:12-4:16 talks specifically about rest. It is not only a temporal thing (a break from doing labor or a sabbath day off from work), but it also refers to an eternal rest which God does not allow unbelieving disobedient followers to enter into, referring to heaven. The Israelites in Exodus were an example of those who were followers of God, and yet because of their unbelief and disobedience, He did not let them enter into the Promised Land. If you are unsure whether you are a true believer and not just a follower of Christ, I want to hear from you, and help you to understand how you can know for certain where you will stand on the day of judgment. You can contact me by e-mail at Merrilee.Stevenson@gmail.com. I don't claim to have all the answers or know all of Scripture and what it all means, but I do know the One who created all things, and who has given us His Word as a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, and I have found my rest in Him!

Patriotic Christianity

The following photos were taken during our local Memorial Day parade. The parade ended at the corner on our street. Although I had to stay home and rest while Rosalind was napping (poor me), The bands and the fire trucks were as loud as ever, and the boys were able to watch along with Daddy and Aunt Becky. Since there's so much space here, I have a few comments regarding "Patriotic Christianity" that I want to get off my chest, so here they are. By the way, your comments are welcome!


Memorial Day has come and gone, and my thoughts on the occasion are somewhat mixed. I have no problem with the purpose or reason for the holiday itself. I appreciate the people who have served our country and I find it totally appropriate to respect the memory of those who died serving our country. I enjoy parades and fireworks and the Fourth of July. I can even appreciate the parallels that can be made between those who gave their lives for our freedoms and Christ, who gave His life for our freedom from sin. What seems to get my goat is that we as American Christians seem to have married that concept to the point that our worship on those "patriotic Sundays" becomes blurred into a worship of God and country. To me, it feels wrong to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag in a Sunday church service. That's something I expect at a civil event or in a public school classroom, not at a time or place dedicated to worshiping the Almighty Creator of the Universe. I could even do without some verses of the patriotic hymns we sing, and especially without some of the more modern attempts to praise God for America. Call me unpatriotic if you must; my citizenship is in heaven above! I don't have any statistics, but I would venture to guess that most Christians in this world are not American citizens either, and frankly would be unable to make a connection based on Scripture for the purpose of patriotism in the act of worship. Comments and responses are welcome here...