Every Day With Christ

Creativity and the Daily Walk, Part II

2011-10-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

I continue to seek greater creative expression in my work. And in my daily walk with the Lord, I ask for insight and guidance on being creative. And the Lord often reveals more about the source and expression of creativity.

Here are some of the latest notes on creativity from my prayer journal.

"I instilled [creativity] in you from the beginning. It is from Me, and within you. Give it space and time. [Creativity] must be nurtured, allowed to breathe—to have breath. It cannot live otherwise. Breath is life in all things. Let it breath. Do not crowd out your creativity with too many thoughts. Our creativity works together—what I’ve instilled in you, and what I inspire you with. That is how the gift works."

"Through the gift of creativity, the creative process on earth continues beyond the [original] creation, for you are my agents. I work through you if you answer the call."

"The [creative] expression is yours. The Source is Me. You have the nuances of expression, and the content is Mine. [Creativity] flows from Me to you. Accept it. Expect it. Embrace it. Look for it every day."

The Lord has cautioned me to not block creativity. Following the crowd—following the popular trends of whatever creative endeavor we’re involved in, can block creativity. Instead, the Lord encourages us to seek His approval rather than approval from the others. "Don't focus on others; focus on what you can do, and do it well. You know what you do well…cultivate your uniqueness."

And for anyone who looks at what the Lord has created, this note will not be a surprise. "There is beauty in all [that I create]. Beauty and function co-exist in perfect harmony."

Letting Go

2011-10-10T01:42:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

It wasn't until I let go

Not until I relinquished control

Did my life become whole.

I'd gone as far as I could go

Alone, under my own control

And still, I was not whole.

Not until I let go,

Not until I turned over control

And said, "I give up,"

Could He make me whole.

Because He knows me,

Because He cares,

I could dare

To let go.

Which Do You Love Most: Glory from Man or God?

2011-09-26T00:50:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

As I was reading the Gospel of John, I came across a familiar passage that describes the reaction of many who saw the miracles that Jesus performed.

“Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so they would not be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” (John 12:42-43 ESV)

This passage made me stop and think. In a world of pervasive social networks where the goal is to collect the most “friends,” “likes,” “followers,” “+1’s,” or be in the most “circles,” I thought about how we chase the glory that comes from man now more than ever before. But more specifically, I questioned how much of what I do is to glorify myself rather than to glorify God.

So I asked myself questions. When I write articles or books, do I write in such as way as to glorify God, or do I write what I think will be popular with readers? When I make pictures, do I choose scenes and subjects that I think will gain recognition for me as a photographer, or do I photograph subjects and scenes that will help others “see” God? While I can honestly say that most of the time I want to glorify God through the work He gives me, it’s still tempting to slip into the popularity-contest syndrome, or to do what I or my client thinks will sell best.

And then there is the problem of experience and habit. Once I get deeply involved in a project or I’m facing a deadline, I fall back into my years of experience and forge ahead, neglecting His presence and leading. I hate it when that happens, so I’ve learned to do two things.

First, every morning, I ask for the Lord to guide me in all that I do. And, second, at the end of the day, I evaluate what I’ve done during the day. Almost always, I can pinpoint times when I went off on my own. So I talk to the Lord about why it happened and ways to keep it from happening tomorrow. For me, it’s an ongoing process of learning to be attuned to His presence in every moment.

Doing work that glorifies God begins at the outset of whatever work we do—at the stage of conception. With photography, it is looking for the light and subject that illuminates the stunning beauty of God’s creation. And the focus on glorifying God continues as I edit images with integrity toward what I saw and photographed. The same is true with writing, and with any work. From beginning to end, the goal is to glorify God in every step. The beauty of it is that if I ask for His help, He graciously and generously provides the ideas, light, subjects, and words that I need. And what the Lord provides is always far better than anything I could come up with on my own. (And while I'm talking about work in this post, glorifying God applies to all that we do in our lives.)

Earlier in the book of John, Jesus said, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’” (John 12:27-28 ESV) Our work is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ so that He, in turn, can glorify the Father. And Jesus promised, “If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:26) It is for this purpose—to glorify God—that we have life.

Are You a Missing Note?

2011-07-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Are you a missing note in the song of the Kingdom today?

I believe that God has orchestrated His believers so that each of us has a part, or a note, to play in the Kingdom song — the song or work that is playing or being accomplished at this moment in time. And for the song to be complete, every note is necessary.

I recently questioned my part in the song. As I looked at the plethora of accomplished photographers and writers, I wondered if I had anything to contribute to the song, or was I simply duplicating the same note that many others were already playing.

The Lord reminded me that many people are blessed with the same talents that I have, but they cannot do what I have been – and what you have been – singularly anointed to do in the Kingdom of God. The Lord reminded me that, “There is only one you. And only you can do what I have given you to do. Do what I have given you to do.”

This message is for every believer. The Kingdom song—the Kingdom work—is not complete without your unique note. No one else can play your note, for it is ours alone—your unique calling. And that’s what not only makes the song complete, but it is what makes a difference.

By way of example, there is only one person in the world that has my, or your, testimony. This is the unique story that God has given each of us. Part of our work in the Kingdom is to share our story with others. Another part of our work is to uniquely use the talents and gifts that God has given us to advance the Kingdom.

You may think that your talents and gifts are so small or insignificant that they would make no difference. Sometimes, and even often times, it’s hard to see what, if any, difference our work makes in the Kingdom. But seeing the difference we make is less important than faithfully serving the Lord with the talents and the gifts that we have received.

When Jesus commissioned the disciples, He told them to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. He concluded by saying, “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8) And so it is with us. We are gifted—every one of us with our part. It’s our work to freely give back to the Kingdom what we have freely received.

Play the note that you, and only you, can play in the song of the Kingdom.

Preparing for the End Times

2011-06-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

When we see disasters such as the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, we automatically ask ourselves if we are prepared for such disasters. For example, I have stocked a supply of drinking water and food, and I have a plan for temporary shelter if my home becomes unlivable. With natural disasters, we never know if we will experience one, but we prepare just in case.

For Christians, there is no question of whether Christ will return. It's not a matter of "if" but "when." And just as with a natural disaster, the question is, are we prepared? And having asked that question, the next question has to be, "What does being prepared mean?" The following list provides starting points for Christians to prepare for Christ's return.

What Does Being Prepared Mean?

Know the Word of God. Be able to quote Scripture when you come against the evil one. He will try to trick and deceive followers of Christ. Answer with the Scripture, just as Christ did in the wilderness temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), and as He did when many questioned him during his time on earth. Know both the promises and the commands of God by heart.

Prepare your heart. It is easy to follow Christ when there are no trials in our lives, but He has called us to stand strong in trials, and there will be trials for Christians even in Western countries. Be prepared to stand firm in the faith and in His words.

Expect trials. Many Christians are asleep, unaware of growing evil, unaware of the growing threats to our Western freedoms, and unaware of how insidious changes are happening every day. In thinking about trials, I think about what the saints of the first-century church did when they were brought before government courts, and what they did when they were thrown into jail. I also think about what Jesus did under persecution. Ask yourself what you would do if everything you have was taken away, and you faced a group of armed, hostile kidnappers? Imagining these scenarios may seem foreign to Western Christians, but they are every day experiences for Christians in the Middle East, China, India, and parts of South America and Africa. Be prepared.

Expect the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. His coming will be soon--sooner than you think. As Jesus says in Matthew 24:35-37 (NIV), "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angles in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." in Mark 13:33, Jesus adds, "Be on guard. Be alert. You do not know when that time will come." (Some manuscripts say be "alert and pray.")

Prepare for His coming. As Jesus said in John 4:34-36 (NIV): "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish His work. Don't you have a saying, 'It is still four months until harvest?' I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together." In all harvests, the Holy Spirit prepares the way. Follow the Spirit's urging. Tell your story to others. The time is short. Of those you love, who will be left behind at the trumpet call? Have you shared your story with those people?

Test the spirits. As John says in I John 4:1-3, "Dear friends, do no believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." The Message puts verse 1 this way, "My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world."

And regardless of the trials that the end times bring, remember John's words in I John 4:4, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

Called to Love

2011-05-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

I remind myself very often that Christ called us as believers to first love God with all our hearts, all our strength, and with all our minds, and to love others as ourselves. But once in awhile, I have to be reminded that we are to love others as they are, not as we want them to be.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." (I Corinthians 13:12-13 NIV)

Support Israel

2011-05-23T00:20:00.000-07:00

In light of the speech by President Obama suggesting that Israel return to the pre-1967 borders, many Christians are taking action to support Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's response to President Obama's suggestion that a return to those borders is indefensible.

If you want to support Israel's response, I encourage you to visit the Christians United for Israel Web site (just click the previous text to visit the site), and send an e-mail supporting the Prime Minister's stance. The e-mail text is written, you only need to sign the letter. The goal is to have 50,000 letters of support mailed by Tuesday, May 24 when Prime Minister Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress.

God in Every Moment

2011-04-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

I often hear sermons about waiting for “God to show up.” When I hear these sermons, I am inevitably confused. I believe that God shows up in every moment of life. There is no waiting. He said that He will never leave us or forsake us, and I take that promise literally. I believe that it means He will be present in every moment of every day of my life.

This is important because for many years, I was determined to live my life myself—all by myself. Independence was the watchword of my life. I trusted no one except myself. After I found Christ, one of the first changes in my life was turning over everything in my life to Christ. Relinquishing control over my life required complete trust in Him.

Through the years, day-by-day, challenge-by-challenge, I've found Him to be wise beyond human understanding. His decisions are sometimes beyond my understanding, and they are always perfect. The impossible becomes possible, not once, but over and over again. Ordinary moments became extraordinary as I learn of His love. Moments are also extraordinary as I also experience His marvelous sense of humor. Periodically, I still remind Him that He's invited to be in every moment and every aspect of my life. And, once invited, He is there faithfully. I never have to wait.

Does this mean that everything goes perfectly in my life? Far from it. I know that there are many things that He has to teach me that involve changes and challenges. And in the course of an average day, I make mistakes. But because He is in every moment of life, I can immediately talk to Him about the mistakes and learn from them. And we, together and in that moment, can move on from that place.

After all these years, I can imagine my life no other way. I never wait for God to show up. I know that He is there in every moment, just as He promised.

For me, a moment without God is a moment without breath. I pray that He is in every moment of your life as well.

Blessings During Easter Season

2011-04-24T17:40:00.001-07:00

Easter is celebrated on one day, but living life as a follower of Jesus

is a journey that lasts a lifetime.

As Easter day passes, let us

live the power of the resurrection every day!

Thoughts for Holy Week, 2011

2011-04-17T20:53:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

If you’re like me, the ongoing events throughout the world are clear signs of Biblical prophecies being fulfilled before our eyes. As we enter holy week anticipating the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, I’m reminded of His command:

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this, if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24: 42-44 NIV)

As we watch and wait, I hope that you will join with me in praying for:

A mighty, powerful revival that will sweep through the world.
A strong, clear voice for Christians worldwide.
Our brothers and sisters in Christ worldwide who are today being persecuted for their faith in the Lord.
The Lord’s continued protection of Israel and Jews worldwide.

Jesus said that many deceivers would come. And today, we’re conditioned to be tolerant and accepting of other beliefs and religions. But the Lord didn’t tell us to be politically correct. He warned of false Christs and prophets that will deceive many. Rather, we are to test the spirits. I John 4 says, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” (I John 1-6, NIV)

For a new and important look at the end times and prophecy, I recommend reading God’s War on Terror. This book by Walid Shoebat, a former Islamic terrorist who converted to Christianity, provides a detailed and revealing look at the end times.

I pray that this week will bring a renewed commitment to sharing the Lord Jesus Christ with friends, family, and anyone who will listen.

Prayer Is a Conversation

2011-02-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

For years, I’ve admired believers who can pray with power and passion, with eloquence; prayers that inspire listeners to renewed faith and service. For years, I’ve known that I am not I am not one of those people. I’ve thought that I “should” be an eloquent pray-er, and that’s been troubling. In fact, if even one other person is present, I get nervous and self-conscious—a response that is a world different from my daily ongoing conversations with and prayers to the Lord.

Of course, I know that there is a difference between prayers prayed in different contexts, such as prayers prayed in a worship service with a group of believers, and the daily prayers of an individual believer.

First, I looked at what Jesus taught about prayer. The classic passage on praying is found in Matthew 6. In verses 5-15, Jesus gave specific instructions on prayer. To paraphrase, He told us:

Not to pray in places and in ways to bring attention and credit to ourselves.
To pray simply. The Father already knows what we need. Just ask.
To pray privately--in a prayer closet with the door closed.*

And then Jesus gave us the Lord’s prayer, a short prayer of perfect order and simplicity. First we honor the Father and pray for the advancement of His Kingdom. Then we ask him to provide for our daily needs—needs that He already knows. Then we ask for forgiveness of our debts as we forgive others. We ask for His protection from temptation and evil. Then we give Him the glory and honor that belong only to Him.

Certainly, Jesus’ model of prayer argues for simplicity. But I wanted to know more, and so I asked. As I’ve known for many years, prayer is a two-way conversation. With every sentence there must be time for an exchange. If the Lord questions me, I pause, listen for His questions, and then answer from the heart. I am careful with answers. Because He knows the heart, only a heart-honest answer will do. And if I ask questions, I must likewise pause and listen from the heart.

That attitude of prayer as a conversation sets the stage for a rich exchange. Beyond that, the Lord expects that we will, “Pray always from the heart simply, for I know the heart. Anything else is simply noise, and it is not heard.”

It’s important to note that He did not say to pray from the mind. The mind is strong and opinionated. It makes excuses. It has desires, logic, and it colors real needs with both right and wrong motivations. By contrast, the heart reduces the chatter of the mind to our true, essential needs. In some ways, it is harder to pray from the heart than from the mind. For example, to pray from the heart, I have to first question myself closely before prayer to see what lies heavy on my heart. And when I know what’s on my heart, then my prayer is unfailingly simple and direct. In other words, searching the heart truly gets to the heart of things.

Finally, the Lord added, “It is the heart that the Father know and sees. It is the heart that He cares for.”

And when I still have questions about whether my prayers are acceptable, He asks me, “Are your prayers answered?” And the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” So I continue to pray as a two-way conversation, simply, and from the heart. And it is indeed good.

Amen, and Amen, and Amen.

* The prayer closet brings to mind the Jewish custom of covering the head with a tallit for morning prayers. A tallit is a large, rectangular shawl. When closed, the tallit forms an instant prayer ‘closet.’ A blue thread is sewed into the fringe so the wearer will remember and do the commandments of the Lord, and be holy unto God. (Numbers 15: 38-40)

Looking to the Bible for New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

New Years is a time of new beginnings, fresh starts, and resolutions seem especially appropriate today with the unique calendar sequence of 1/1/11. We resolve all sorts of things, but at the heart of them all is to the desire and conviction to change one thing or another in our lives. Of course, all the resolutions in the world pall by comparison to the life transformation that comes through Jesus Christ.

But when we "resolve" in unison with the Lord, we can experience success in our goals. I looked in the Bible for resolutions, and I found many. These resolutions inspired me, and I share them that they may inspire you as you look forward to this new year.

"Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, 'A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar' (that is En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help form the Lord; Indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek Him. (2 Chronicles 20:2-4, New International Version)

"The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way." (Daniel 1:7-9)

"I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." (Psalm 119:16 NIV)

"Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name." (Psalm 18:49 NIV)

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2)

And my favorite resolution from the Bible is in Joshua:

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

May the Lord richly bless you and keep you now and always.

What Is Christmas About?

2010-12-19T19:09:00.000-08:00

It isn't about black Friday or consumer spending.

It isn't about tinsel, garland, or decorated trees.

It isn't about Santa Claus.

It isn't about a snowy white day.

It is about the birth of the Son of God.

It is about the Lord Jesus Christ, and no other.

It is about a revolutionary new covenant that reconciles mankind with God.

It is about the light that Jesus brings in a world of darkness.

It isn't about sugar cookies, homemade fudge, or peanut brittle.

It isn't about holiday parties or velvet dresses.

It isn't about covered casseroles, eggnog, or hot toddies.

It isn't about the number or cost of the gifts that we give.

It is about letting His light shine in our lives.

It is about living the change that He's made in our lives every single day.

It is about the rising, irrepressible joy in our hearts knowing that

It is about the Savior who is coming again.

Live Expectantly

2010-11-28T22:01:00.000-08:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Since I began following the Lord, there are many days that I am astounded by His work in my life and His work in the world. But in a recent conversation with the Lord, I learned that being astounded is something that belongs in the beginning of a walk with the Lord, but over time it should change.

The Lord taught me that, "As long as you are astounded, you do not experience the power that is available to you as you walk in the Kingdom day by day. Astounded is for the beginning of the walk."

Rather, He explained, I should, "Expect in faith all that I can do every day. Be expectant." He emphasized again, "If you want the power of the Kingdom, move beyond being astounded. Be expectant."

And so while I am still in awe of all of His creation, it serves to remind me that He can do everything, and I can expect Him to work in my life far beyond my imagination.

Giving the Gift of Praise

2010-11-21T17:28:00.000-08:00

On some days, I am so filled with joy and thanksgiving that I want to sing, write poems, and do anything and everything that I can to praise God. On one of those days, I thought about praising God, and I realized that any ability I have to praise comes directly from the God I'm praising. And this idea began a conversation with the Lord. Here is what I learned.

Everything good within us comes from God. There is no beginning and no end; there is no separation. While I wanted to give Him a gift from me, I had to wonder if it was really a gift if it came from Him in the first place.

The answer to that was that "He desires back what He has given to you, for that glorifies Him."

The expression is ours, but the Source is God. Simply stated, praise flows from Him to us, and then back to Him for His glory. So praise is yet another gift from Him. Our part is to: "Accept it. Expect it. Embrace it." And we should expect it every single day, and, of course, to give it back to Him every single day.

Alway Enough Time

2010-11-07T01:11:00.000-07:00

If you're like most people, there never seems to be enough time to do what needs to be done, much less enough time to do what you want to do. If there is a common answer to most questions that come our way, it most often is, "I don't have time."

Not long ago, I was given a writing deadline that astounded even me. In recent years, I've worked on short book deadlines as a matter of course, but when I saw the deadline for a new project, I thought that it was a typo. I quickly learned that it wasn't a typo. I protested and resisted without success. Then I prayed. The Lord assured me that there was time. Because I know that He knows, I put away my resistance, and I got to work. To my astonishment, there was time. Maybe not all the time I wanted to polish the project, but there was, indeed, just enough time.

Just as there is God's "perfect enough," there is also God's "time enough." For God, there is only the infinite, divine Now. His yesterday is His today, and His tomorrow is His today. Time was made for man, and the Lord is not bound by it. So when He gives us work to do, there is also time enough to do it. No rush—but time enough. We are in the unique position of walking simultaneously on earth and in His Kingdom, so we, too, are on divine time.

When we stay focused on Him, there it time enough to do all that He would have us do.

More Insights from Prayer

2010-05-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

One of the beautiful things about walking with the Lord is His way of teaching me every day just exactly what I need to know. Sometimes I have the urge to understand everything about a problem, concern, or even an area of interest that is on my mind. But the Lord reminds me that He shows me the way as I need to be shown.

I know myself well enough to also know that even if He showed me everything at once, I would likely not remember it all. But when I’m shown what I need to know as it relates to my situation, then I remember it well. His way is always perfect.

And here are some recent insights from prayer time that I hope will be helpful and encouraging to you.

It’s important to walk strong in His victory—the victory won on the cross and with His resurrection. The Kingdom needs those who are strong—those who can walk strong in His victory.
Being “in the will of the Lord” means doing every day what He gives us to do. Very often, my daily work seems unrelated to Kingdom goals. But the Lord reminds me that I may not know how my work serves Him, but He knows, and that is enough.
“Our creativity works together—what I’ve instilled in you, and what I inspire you with. That is how the gift works.”
“Stay where I have placed you. Do not be anxious about other things, or you will miss what I have for you here.”
Do not crowd out your creativity with too many thoughts. Give it space and time. Let it breathe.
You are in only one place at a time. Be there completely and fully.
You forgive the person, not the act.
“In all things, I am able.” Amen.

Counting Our Easter Blessings

2010-04-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

We are blessed--so very blessed. Through immeasurable and profound grace, we have a path to salvation. We have the privilege of a personal and daily walk with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. By the way of the cross, we are part of the Kingdom of God on earth here and now as well as through eternity. There is every reason for us to live the victory of His marvelous resurrection.

Let us do as the apostles did.

"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:33)

Recent Insights on Following Christ

2010-03-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

Periodically, I post snippets from the time that I spend every day with the Lord. I’ll continue that tradition with this post that includes some of the latest insights from the Lord.

Being a spendthrift goes contrary to the gift of giving. When I think that there is barely enough, it limits dreams and actions. He owns everything. There is always enough because the Kingdom is limitless.

Worry is useless. Rather, let the thoughts of the past fall away. “Walk forward in faith, trusting Me to provide all things. The burden is Mine, not yours, and I am able.”

I see my faults. The Lord sees how much He loves me. Together, the Lord and I always work through my shortcomings because the Lord concentrates on His love for me rather than on how short I fall. “Concentrating on love makes all the difference. And, likewise, you must also concentrate on your love of others, not their faults.”

If you know what “resting in His peace” means, then you know that it is a profound experience. I believe that resting in His peace is resting in the Source of life. Sometimes I think that tension is the glue that holds the events of the day together. But it’s not true. He is the glue that holds everything together. “In His peace, all things work together perfectly. There is no tension. Tension is the antithesis of peace, and of all having all things work together. There is no tension in His presence; there is tension only in the presence of man. In the Kingdom, there is only one struggle, and that struggle is against satan and his armies.”

It’s not how much we have, but what we do with what we have that’s important.

“You don’t have to take on the world-only what I’ve give you. Be where you are fully present, and that is enough.”

Are we near the end of times in human time terms or in heavenly time terms? “Both. Be prepared. Be doing what I’ve given you to do. Be watchful. Do not be surprised when the end comes, for it will come swiftly and without warning. Do not worry. Do what I’ve given you to do, and you will be accountable at the end of times. It means that you will have done what I gave you to do. Do it well. Lean on Me in all things.”

Due to the ongoing problem of spam, I've turned off the ability to comment on articles. If you have comments, e-mail them to me at charlotte@everydaywithChrist.com.

When Independence Is Weakness

2010-02-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

For a good part of my life, I fought fiercely to be independent. I was determined that I would depend on no one else, and that I would always make my own way. Dependence was a sign of weakness, and I didn’t want to be weak.

Of course, after I achieved independence, I worried about maintaining my independence. I was watchful for anything that could infringe on me being able to take care of myself. When I decided to be self-employed, it was hard to concentrate on the current project because I always looking for the next job, looking for new ways to make money, and looking for ways to save money.

Then I accepted Christ, and everything changed. I remember one morning at my desk. I was smiling and full of His joy, despite not having a single paying project on the horizon. Somehow, it didn’t matter. As I saw and experienced His unfailing provision over and over, I gladly gave up my independence. His provision is so much richer and more joyful than what I provided for myself.

As a young Christian, one of the first things I understood is that everything belongs to Him. I am only a steward of the blessings that He has generously provided. More important, I know that dependence is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength as I cling to the Source of life. In Him are all things. In Him, I become strong. The Lord taught me that by not depending on Him, I cut myself off from the very source of life, and I become weak.

I learned that my talents are best used in His presence, for He is the source of all my talents. And I know that my talents should be used for His glory alone. Not my glory, but for His glory.

When I think about what He has given me, I know that I will never use the talents and abilities that He has given me unless I completely depend on Him.

Today, I know that independence is weakness. True strength is complete dependence on Him.

Postscript: Due to the ongoing problem of advertisers posting unsavory product ads, I've turned off the ability to comment on articles. If you have comments, please e-mail them to me at charlotte@everydaywithchrist.com.

The Gift of Giving

2010-01-23T23:44:00.000-08:00

The gift of giving is one of the most powerful gifts that we have. The Lord gives without counting the cost or measuring the volume. All thing are His to give. And what He gives to us, we are free to give to others.

Our work is to give as He gives to us, without counting the cost. "Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8 NIV)

That means that we give all things: material wealth, spiritual insights, His peace, and His joy. We paid nothing for them, and we are charged with giving them away that His work may be multiplied. It is an unending chain of sharing.

Enough is enough.

More than enough

should be given away.

Nightline Slates Ten Commandment Series

2009-09-20T19:09:00.001-07:00

Nightline begins a new series that explores the Biblical commandments from a modern-day perspective starting Thursday, Sept. 24 at 11:35 p.m. ET. The program will look at each commandment, what it means, and how the program's anchors and correspondents apply them to daily life.

Creativity and the Daily Walk

2009-09-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Because I’m a writer and because I’m a photographer, I often think about creativity, and specifically about how creativity relates to my walk with the Lord. I’ve asked the Lord for insights and teachings on creativity. He faithfully provides teachings at the perfect time and in the perfect way.

Is there anyone better to teach creativity than the Great Creator of the universe? I think not. It is humbling to think that the greatest Creator ever would take time to teach anyone, much less me, but He does.

By way of background, the concept of “chance” has no place in my life. Rather, a finely tuned knowingness alerts me to the slightest whisper of the Holy Spirit as He brushes by touching each moment with His wisdom and leading. It’s the Spirit who tells me to look up to discover a new perspective or a new idea. It’s the Spirit who tells me to go left instead of right to discover the best light for the next image. It’s the Spirit who uncovers sweet secrets that I'd otherwise miss.

I’ll share some of the teaching and insights that I’ve received so far. I hope that this is only the beginning of the teachings. Note that in some cases, I’m taking the teachings and insights out of the context of a specific situation or a longer conversation; but for the sake of brevity, I’ll provide the brief version.

“You have to believe that there is a new song hanging in the air around. You only need ears to hear it.” I believe that heaven is filled with music, literally overflowing with music. And I believe that much of that music is, indeed, flowing around us as we walk in the Kingdom on earth. We only have to ask for Kingdom ears to hear the divine symphony.

“Creativity is not random chaos. Rather there is beauty in orderly structure. Structure is part of all creative things.”

“It is your vision of what can be from what exists that’s creative.”

“Habit inhibits creativity. If you travel the same road every day, you see the same things, and your senses become dulled. Take a new way. See new things. Open your eyes to what is around you. Be aware of My voice and My leading.

I hope to add to this article in coming weeks. If you have insights to share, I'd love to hear from you. Just drop me an e-mail or respond to this article.

Continuing Insights on Following the Lord

2009-07-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

The great joy in following Christ is the continual learning -- learning how to live in the Kingdom, how to follow, how to reorient thinking, responding, working, how to live as a child of the King. And here are snippets of continuing insights from Bible study and talking with the Lord each day. I hope that these insights resonate with you as they have with me.

The life you live testifies louder than words. Live so that others see Christ in you.

It's not what happens but how you respond to it that makes the eternal difference--for you and for others.

If you do everything with a heart of love, you'll have no regrets.

Every single thing is transformed in His presence.

There are 365 "Fear not's" in the Bible--one for every day of the week.

Wonderful New Worship Song

2009-07-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a worship song by Chris Tomlin named, I Will Rise. Click here for a link to a video of Chris Tomlin performing the song and the words to the song.

Insights

2009-05-04T00:16:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Here are some notes from recent Bible study and prayer that I hope will strengthen you in your walk with Christ.

* Love looks through the lens of eternity with Kingdom values in sight. Love endures through eternity, for God is love. And without forgiveness, there can be no love.

“Stop limiting yourself in your thinking. You have all of the resources of heaven at your disposal. Do you need more than that?”
Stewardship is moving the Father’s resources to new places to advance the work of the Kingdom. It is using what He gives you for His purposes.
There are not two sets of priorities—yours and God's. There is only one set of priorities—the Kingdom priorities. There is no division. There is one purpose in heaven and on earth—that the Father’s will be done. That simplifies everything.

2009-04-11T22:47:00.001-07:00

Living to Show Christ In Our Lives

2009-03-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

When I think back to when I accepted the Lord, I wasn’t convinced by someone testifying to me or by listening to a sermon. I had heard a lot of sermons growing up in a Christian home. I had been witnessed to, and, before I strayed from the Lord, I had witnessed to others.

That time away from the Lord was long—around 30 long years. In those years, I worked to acquire status, a modicum of fame, and worldly possessions. In short, I had it all.

Then I interviewed a professional photographer for a feature article that I was writing. During the one-hour telephone interview, I was struck again and again by the photographer’s profound peace. I couldn’t “see” his peace, but I could hear and sense his peace. By the end of the interview, I had only one burning question—how had he achieved peace?

In response, the photographer told me about the religions that he’d encountered during his worldwide travels. And then he told me that he was a Christian—a Christian who grew up in a country where Christianity is a minority faith. He told me quietly. He didn’t ask me if I was a believer. He didn’t try to convert me. He answered my question simply. And still his profound peace hung heavily in the air.

When we hung up, I was determined to find that peace for myself. I had everything that I needed and wanted, and I considered myself to be happy. But after experiencing this man’s peace, I knew that I wanted that kind of peace.

I set about studying different religions—Western, Middle Eastern, you name the religion, I explored it. I read books. I talked to different people. But nothing rang completely true. Finally, I decided that I should give the Bible another chance. I began reading. And as I read, and over a period of weeks, I knew that the right and true answer was Christ. My decision came slowly, but the first gifts were a profound peace and abiding joy.

I recount this story because in study and prayer this morning, the Lord reminded me:

“The life you live testifies louder than words. Live that others may see Me.”

And that is my prayer.

Running to Win the Prize

2009-03-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

If you’ve trained for an athletic competition, then you know the commitment and dedication necessary to qualify, compete, and win the competition. And even if you’re not competing for a prize, but rather for a personal best, the regime is still demanding — requiring over and above what you normally give to the sport.

In fact, is you Google Olympic training, you’ll find that six training sessions of four to eight hours a week is a minimum for a person training for a triathlon. And for gold medalists, training is year-round and often 10-12 hours a day. For Michael Phelps, peak training involves swimming 80,000 meters—nearly 50 miles—every week during two-a-day practices, and sometimes three times a day, every day including Sundays.*

Winning an Incorruptible Crown

The Olympic games must have been familiar to the Apostle Paul, a Roman citizen living and traveling during the height of the ancient games in 55 AD. During the time of Paul, the games were held every four years. (Note: the games ran from 776 BC to 393 AD when they were banned by the Christian Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I.) The victors were crowned with wreaths made from a sacred olive tree that grew behind the temple of Zeus. Legend had it that Hercules, the founder of the games, planted the olive tree. Victors paraded around a grove to the music of a flute while fans chanted songs written by prominent poets.

In fact, Paul uses the games when he writes to the church at Corinth. As a thriving city of trade, Corinth was home to at least 12 temples, including a temple in the center of the city dedicated to Apollo, the son of Zeus and a pagan Olympian deity. And Corinth held foot races in their own Isthmian games every other year. These games were second only to the Olympics.

So when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he used an analogy that most Corinthians would identify with immediately—a regimen of athletic training. But Paul wasn’t talking about training for athletic competition. Rather he referred to the race we as Christians run in following Christ.

In I Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV), Paul says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Keeping an Eye on Training

I can’t help but read Paul’s words and know that Christian discipleship requires far more training and has far more at stake than any Olympic race. Paul continues, “Therefore, I do not run as a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Clearly, Paul refers to the need to train himself to resist temptation and sin even as he preaches the Gospel. And like Paul, we must be vigilant and unyielding in resisting temptations of our sinful nature. Our goal, like Paul’s, is to glorify the Lord Jesus in all that we do. Ours is not an aimless race toward a finish line that is arbitrarily set for the duration of a competition. Our finish line is winning the incorruptible crown of life.

The Lord calls us to run like winners. As I considered Paul’s words, the Lord reminded me that winning requires all that we are and all that have. It’s easy to compete for personal glory and for the accolades of bystanders. But He reminds us not to listen to the world. Rather we are to listen only to the Lord, and He will guide us over the finish line.

* From USA Today

Prayer Challenge

2009-03-01T23:51:00.000-08:00

How is your prayer life these days?

In Mark 1:35, we read: "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."

Jesus knew the value of prayer, and before He faced His day, He had long conversations with the Father. Only then did He walk out to minister, heal, encourage, feed the hungry, and to do the Father's will.

How would your life change if you spent hours in prayer before setting out on your daily journey?

You'll never know until you try it.

Here is the challenge:

Spend at least as much time in prayer this week as you spend watching television.

If you take the challenge, I'd love to hear from you. Just e-mail me at charlotte@everydaywithchrist.com and let me know what happens in your life as a result of your hours of daily prayer.

Learning His Word "By Heart"

2009-02-22T17:46:00.000-08:00

By Charlotte Lowrie
When I was growing up, our rural Oklahoma church was one of a group of German Congregational churches in the central United States. Every year, all the member churches would convene for an annual conference hosted by one of the churches. Each conference included many sermons, business meetings, teachings for all ages, and wonderful combined choirs. One of the kid events was a Bible memorization contest.

Much like a spelling bee, the contest was organized by ages, and each contestant recited Bible verses with Scripture references. Contestants stood in a line and the first child recited a verse. The judges verified the accuracy of the recitation and Scripture reference. Then the next child recited, and so it went until one or another child ran out of memorized verses. The last child standing won the contest.

So every year, well before the annual conference, my parents would get me started memorizing Bible verses. I remember being somewhere in the vicinity of 7 or 8 years old, as I walked from room to room in our farmhouse practicing my Bible verses. Of the two or three years that I competed, I remember winning only one contest. That year the conference was hosted by a member church in Kansas. The contest was held on an exceptionally hot summer afternoon. I was wearing a pretty dress that Mom had made, but suddenly the yards of fabric in the full skirt seemed heavy and close that afternoon. And the hotter I got, the more firmly my curly blonde bangs stuck to my forehead like glue. But I kept reciting verses, searching hard and fast for verses that hadn’t been recited by other contestants.

Then I remember realizing that I was the only person standing on the stage. Mom and Dad were smiling at me, but I was completely mortified to realize that I was on the stage all by myself. (Clearly I was too young and naïve to know what winning a contest meant.) Whether I got a prize or not escapes me, but I remember the great sense of relief I felt when they told me I could go back to my seat.

In the 1950s, we called Bible verse memorization, “learning by heart.” As a child, I always assumed that was just another way to describe memorization. But these days, I’ve learned that it means much more.

The Psalmist wrote, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from our commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119: 10-11 NIV)

Just as Jesus used the word of God against satan in the temptation, so the word of God serves as our shield and armor. With it, we can resist temptaton and evil. The Bible says that the word is sharper than a two-edged sword. The Lord reminds us to use His word well, to hide it in our hearts. And when we do that, it will be there when we need it.

Now, at an age when I can neither remember where I last laid my glasses nor see well enough to find them, I’ve begun again to learn His word by heart. Every week I choose a new set of verses and begin the process of learning them “by heart.” Some weeks, I learn two verses. Other weeks, I learn a lengthy passage of six or seven verses. And almost every day, I recite this week’s selection along with the passages that I learned by heart in the previous weeks.

This journey that echoes that of my childhood is rewarding beyond description. The blessing that He gives me as I recite passages is sometimes overwhelming. Other times, my favorite passages bring immediate tears of gratitude and joy. Now, as I learn by heart, I know that His words have become part of the sinew of my heart, deeply and richly embedded within me.

And I’ve found some creative uses as well. For example, I am in the last stages of a multi-stage procedure with the dentist. The dentist’s office is my least favorite place to go, and I cringe at the sound of the drill. But I finally found a good dentist--so good, in fact, that while he drills away on my tooth, I recite my Bible passages silently. If the drilling gets dicey, I just recite faster and mentally louder. And if I forget the sequence of a long passage, the Lord is there to prompt me with the first word or thought to get me back on track.

It seems improbable that it would take me all these years to understand what learning His word “by heart” means, but now I know, and I'll never forget.

Ask and You Will Receive. Really.

2009-02-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

I want to share a recent experience with the Lord. But first, I need to give you some background so that you’ll understand the story.

I have a morning routine that almost never changes. Here is how the routine goes:

First, I read the Bible while I eat breakfast.

I make coffee, and then go upstairs to shower.

Then I come downstairs and sit at the breakfast table talking aloud to the Lord (conversational prayer).
I then kneel to pray to the Father (usually the Lord’s prayer with some daily conversation thrown in).

I sit down again and ask the Lord what He would have me do today. (Note: About a year ago, I gave the Lord the responsibility for scheduling my days. So He tells me what to do and in what order. When I do what He says, there is always time to get everything done. It never fails.)

Recently, during our morning conversation (and before praying to the Father), I told the Lord that I was gaining too much weight, and asked if He could schedule in time to start working out again on a consistent basis. He said He could. We continued talking about going somewhere to do some photography that day.

Then He asked, “Why don’t you go clear the snow off the deck?”

“Now?” I asked thinking that we were going out to do some photography.

“Yes,” He replied.

I thought that the timing was odd because it was before the prayer, and we had just talked about going out shooting. I was puzzled, but I got busy and started clearing snow off the deck.

For the next two hours I worked on the deck. The sun was shinning with a soft golden glow that makes all the trees an amazing shade of green. The sky had watercolor shades of Northwest blues and slate-grays, and there were enormous, complex, and stunning cloud formations all strolling from west to east where they eventually stack up on top of the Cascade Mountains. It was just too beautiful for words. And it certainly made walking back and forth across the deck over and over pushing snow seem a lot less like work.

I came back inside and was drying my shoes and socks with the hairdryer when the Lord commented that the job didn’t take very long.

“It was quite a workout,” I responded.

“Isn’t that what you asked me to do?” He asked.

All I could do was laugh.

And, as He pointed out, “It was two days-worth of workouts.”

So then I prayed. Then I went to the store and bought some orchids.

Then I did that shooting that we had discussed.

And, sure enough, there was time for everything.

Learning to Let It Go

2009-02-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I heard something that troubled me. It involved someone close to me who was taking a financial risk that seemed both ill advised and unnecessary. Despite proposing alternate ideas to the person, I failed to convince them. Of course, I thought that I was right, but I decided that I would say nothing to anyone about it. If you’ve ever tried doing this, then you can predict what happened. Eventually, I told someone else. Immediately I regretted it.

As I talked to the Lord about it, He helped me understand that I was relying entirely on self control. My self-control may last for a few days or months, but as long as I'm holding something in, it naturally wants to come out. Plus, if I think that I’m right about something, I also naturally want confirmation from someone else. (I’m not proud of that, but I’m also being honest.)

When I began to follow Jesus, one of the first things I learned was to give Him everything—all of my sins, problems, joys, worries, ideas, plans, work—literally everything in my life. And of course, I should have given Him my concern about this situation as well.

What’s more, I’ve learned that can’t obey the Lord’s commands under my own power. Obedience is beyond our natural ability. Thus I can truly obey only through His power.

I gave the concern to the Lord. And now, instead of holding in situations that bother me, I give them to the Lord. And to remind me about this lesson, I created, or the Lord gave me, a two-sentence summary that is easy to remember. I share it here hoping that it will be useful to you as well.

Whatever you hold in naturally wants to come out.
But whatever you give to the Lord is gone for good.

Inspiring Teachings

2009-02-08T15:07:00.000-08:00

I think that Christ followers in the United States in particular are blessed beyond measure. Among the tremendous blessings that we have is our ability to hear the teachings of inspired and inspiring pastors around the country by watching them on television.

During the past three years, I’ve found a group of pastors who continue to help me grow and understand more fully this amazing daily walk with Jesus. As I listen to them, I’ve written down my favorite quotes from them on anything that I had handy at the moment. As a result, I have a stack of yellow sticky notes filled with quotes, as well as a notebook that I continue to fill.

This week, I’d like to share some of my notes from pastors including Casey Treat of Christian Faith Center in Seattle, Kevin Gerald of the Champions Centre in Tacoma, WA, Ed Young of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX, and Mark Crow of Victory Church in Oklahoma City.

Here are some of the quotes. Unfortunately, in some cases, I neglected to note the pastor’s name, and I only wrote down the quote. I’ll start with the unattributed quotes first.

“Every problem is an opportunity the Lord provides us.”

“God never performs His best in our yesterdays.”

Re: Joshua 3:4. “God didn’t part the Red Sea until the Israelites stood in it.”

“Worry is faith in the devil. Faith is trust in the Lord. Faith speaks to the storm. Speak joy, life, and prosperity. Believe what you say will come to pass. Speak to your storm or your mountain.” In other cases, we must walk through our storms (Matthew 14), and in still other storms, we “float” through as with Paul on the ship in Acts 13.

“Pray with unwavering faith. Determine that you will not pray wimpy prayers.” And then live as if your prayer is being answered. If you pray for rain for crops, then go out and prepare the fields for the rain.

“We’re blessed to be a blessing.” Ed Young

“What is prosperity? It's being in the will of God.” Ed Young

“What we believe affects what we receive. Don’t go back to Egypt when God has great things in store for you. Famine is temporary. God has something better in store. Believe that God will bring you into a place of favor. God is strong in battle. He is your very present help in the time of trouble.” Kevin Gerald

Re: II Samuel 15: 13-22. “Once you’ve been in or near the presence of God, you want to stay there. The Ark of the Covenant had been with Obed Edom and he was blessed. [When the Ark returned, Ittiai the Gittite followed because he knew what it was like to be in the presence of God, and he wanted to stay there.]” Mark Crow

“There are four foundational truths. 1. Value what God values. Do not love money. 2. Trust in the Lord, and do not worry (Matthew 6:24). 3. Remember God’s ability. Do not give up. God can turn things around. God’s economy never fails. 4. Focus on what God has given you.” Casey Treat

“Operate in faith rather than responding in fear. Don’t curse the shaking. Determine to love, serve, and worship God no matter what—with confidence. The world is looking at us now and at our confidence in God. Before you speak, ask, ‘Does this glorify God?’ When others see hope in you, they will ask how they can also have that hope.” Mark Crow

“This may be the greatest hour of evangelism ever—the greatest shaking ever.” Mark Crow

“Make the most of every opportunity. Opportunity comes dressed in work clothes or disguised as problems. Concentrate on adding value, not on being valued.” Kevin Gerald

Use It Or Lose It

2009-02-01T22:01:00.000-08:00

The story of the 10 minas in Luke 19 is familiar. A nobleman leaves his estate to journey to a distant land so that he may be appointed king. Before leaving, he calls 10 of his servants to him. To each servant, he gives a mina, about three months’ wages. Then the nobleman tells his servants to put the money to work until he returns.

On his return, the master calls the servants to account for how they invested the money. The first servant wisely invested his mina and earned 10 more. The master praised his service and put him in charge of 10 cities. A second servant’s mina earned five minas more during the master’s absence. The master commended the servant and put him in charge of five cities.

The third servant hands the mina back to his master. The servant explains that he kept the coin in a napkin where it remained untouched, useless, and dormant. The servant said that he was afraid to invest the mina because he knew that his master was a “hard,” uncompassionate man who required what was not due to him.

By way of response, the master turns the false accusations back on the servant. At the very least, the servant should have deposited the mina to gain simple interest—especially since the servant regarded the master as a strict taskmaster who would demand an accounting from him. The master took the third servant’s mina and gave it to the servant who had 10—the servant who made the greatest use of his what had been entrusted to him by the master.

In this parable, three people start on a level playing field. At the end of the story, one ends with 11 minas, another with five, and another with zero. The only differences are the choices they made.

What's Been Entrusted to You?

Although I’ve read this story many times, I always narrowly related it to the stewardship money. But as I read the story again, the Lord asked me, “What have I entrusted to you?”

The obvious answer, after having just reading the story, was money. But I knew that He wanted me to consider all that He has entrusted to my care. I thought of the valuable gifts that He has entrusted me. Years ago, He entrusted two children to my care, and, more recently, grandchildren, as well as a wonderful extended family. He entrusted me with the talents of writing and photography, with health and intelligence, and a home.

Then I added to the list my gifts of the Spirit, which unquestionably have been entrusted to me to invest in the Kingdom until He returns.

Two Choices

Following the parable, we have a choice. We can use what God has given us or not. What would I do with what the Lord has given me? One choice is to do nothing. I considered the snarly, self-centered attitude of the third servant. Was he fearful, or lazy, or was he simply determined to avoid risk at all costs? In today’s vernacular, this would be the person who says, “Why should I do this—I’m only an employee, it’s not my job?” “What if I make a mistake and lose my job. He’s just looking for a reason to fire me?” Or, “Why try? No matter what I do, it won’t be good enough; thus, it’s better to do nothing.”

The other choice is to get busy and put to work what we’ve been given. We look for ways to invest our money, talents, time, and resources in the Kingdom of God. Whatever we’ve been given will increase the more we use it. John Gill notes in his Exposition of the Bible that the Vulgate Latin version adds, “and he shall abound or have abundance.” In the case of the first two servants in the parable, abundance translated into half again as much and double what the servants started with at the beginning.

The parable in Luke 19 promises us that the Lord will give us more if we choose to put to work what He’s already given us. The only thing standing between us and the promise is a simple choice.

The Tiniest Fragment of Obedience

2009-01-24T16:30:00.000-08:00

The following is a classic selection from Oswald Chambers book, My Utmost for His Highest. I hope that you enjoy reading and meditating on it as much as I have.

"Obey God in the thing He shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened up. One reads tomes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when one five minutes of drastic obedience would make things as clear as a sunbeam. 'I suppose I shall understand these things some day!' You can understand them now. It is not study that does it, but obedience.

"The tiniest fragment of obedience, and heaven opens and the profoundest truths of God are yours straight away. God will never reveal more truth about Himself until you have obeyed what you know already." -- Oswald Chambers

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Westwood, NJ: Barbour and Company, Inc., 1935, 1963), p. 210.

Insights on Prayer

2009-01-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

The winter of 2008-2009 in the Seattle area blew in as a force to be reckoned with. In an area that seldom sees snow deeper than 5 or 8 inches, the Christmas season brought a record 26 inches of snow in my area. As beautiful as it was, the dangers grew with each new snowfall. Roofs were heavy with wet snow, and roads that almost never see a snowplow accumulated a deep, slick snow pack. Electricity was unpredictable at best. Christmas Day, in particular, was better spent outside shoveling snow than sitting in a cold house with a few lights powered by a gasoline generator.

Just as the mounds of shoveled snow began to shrink, the floods came. Some areas received their total annual rainfall in two short days. Rivers crested 5 and 8 feet above flood level washing a foot of water into homes that had previously never flooded. Roads that had been cleared of snowpack were now covered with water and impassable again. Entire communities were transformed into isolated islands surrounded by swelling lakes of water.

Through each new weather event, I prayed. Early on, my prayers vacillated between praising God for the singular beauty of the snow and praying fervently for protection and an end to the storms. As I prayed for what I thought needed to happen, the Lord stopped me. Gently, He told me that my prayers sounded like someone asking a magician to perform tricks.

His said clearly, “I am not a magician. I am the Lord of the Universe.”

Immediately, I realized that I was praying as if I thought that I knew best, and if He would just do what I asked, then everything would be okay. Instead, I should have turned over the situation to Him and prayed for His will to be done. After all this time of following Jesus, I know without question that His solutions are always perfect--so much better and more complete than anything that I can propose.And I know that His power is greatest in the storms of life.

In short, I had been praying with my limited earthly vision. I should have been praying for intervention and help that comes from His divine Kingdom vision.

But then, I was also confused. Did this mean that I should not bring my needs to the Lord? He clarified for me, “You should ask Me for help, but not as a puppet who perform miracles on request--but as your God who is all powerful.”

Enough said. The storms have passed, but more are certain to come. In those storms, I will ask for His insight and leading, and then I’ll pray according to the insight and revelations He provides.

New Book Recommendations

2009-01-11T21:16:00.000-08:00

There are few times when I am not reading one or more books. And I want to pass along my latest favorite books to you with my highest recommendations.

* The Language of God, by Dr. Francis S. Collins. Dr. Collins was the head of the Human Genome Project, and is one of the world’s leading scientists. And Dr. Collins is a man of unshakable faith in God and the Scripture. His book takes the reader through modern science and how it can fit with belief in God and the Bible. He also documents his path from atheism to faith. I highly recommend this book.

* What In the World Is Going On?: 10 Prophetic Clues You Cannot Afford to Ignore, by David Jeremiah. This book is absolutely up to the minute with current news, but most important, it ties today’s headlines to the essential 10 most important Bible prophecies. This is an important book for anyone who watches the headlines with an eye toward our place in the end times.

* Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer, by Dr. Myles Munroe. Dr. Munroe presents an essential path to powerful and effective prayer and answers practical questions about communicating with God.

Responding from His Spirit Within Us

2008-07-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs of gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” Colossians 3: 15-17 (NIV)

Every day we have a choice in all situations to either respond from the peace of Christ and in the name of Jesus Christ or to respond from our natural selves. The natural self is what’s right on the surface of our responses. Natural responses are those that we learned by living. They are the tip-of-the-tongue, instinctive responses that we can justify based on our life experiences. They arise from life’s collective assembly of logic, defenses, joys, sorrows, education, and even our mood of the moment.

But those natural responses are most often not the Lord’s responses. When we accepted Him as Lord of our lives, we took on His body and Spirit; they came to dwell in us. His responses are not the superficial responses. Rather, they are the deep responses—the responses that we make at the prompting of the Spirit and in the name of the Lord Jesus. In all situations, we have a choice: to respond from the superficial and natural self, or to go deeper and respond from His Spirit that lives within us.

When we respond from the deeper place, we learn to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us whether it makes sense to us or not. It’s not our natural response, but, as with so many situations, we learn that His ways are higher and more mysterious than our natural inclinations.

And in all situations, the Lord calls us to stay in His peace. In fact, it is only by resting in His peace that we find the way to the spiritual response. In His peace, all things may be discovered.

We always have a choice—to remain in the natural or go deeper into the spiritual. We’re called to make the spiritual response our daily reality. It is from His Spirit that all of our responses should arise.

Prayer Insights

2008-06-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

We cannot ask too much of God. He cares about every detail. Noting is too small or too large for Him. And when we ask according to His will, we can trust that it will be done.

After all, He created heaven and earth, and He can make all things come to pass. He tells us, “Do not hesitate to call on Me.”

There Is No Recession in the Kingdom

2008-06-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

Every day the headlines ratchet up news of worsening economic distress. The economic downward spiral began with mortgage failures, followed by oil prices soaring to all-time highs. Then food prices—tied closely to the fortunes of oil in terms of transportation costs and the increasing demand for biofuels—increased, followed by rising unemployment rates. Then historic flooding in the U.S. Midwest, the nation’s bread-basket, resulted in an estimated $3 billion in crop losses. Meanwhile the transport of corn, coal, and steel along the Mississippi River came to a standstill. Like a house of cards, the first card fell hitting the second card, which hit the next one, and so they continue to fall in on themselves.

Avoiding Knee-Jerk Responses

As the economic reality of the headlines filters into daily life, the knee-jerk response is to cut back on spending and to prepare for the hard times. As an avid news watcher, that was certainly my natural response. But as often happens, the natural response is not God’s response.

As believers, we are in the unique position of walking both on earth and in the Lord’s Kingdom—and, in the Kingdom, there is plenty, not want. God is unaffected by human affairs; and, in fact, the Kingdom economy prospers regardless of earthly events. And we are His agents on earth charged with advancing the Kingdom during our time here. That means that even in times of recession or depression, all we need will be provided from His vast storehouses to advance the Kingdom purposes.

We’re reminded to not see ourselves as being swept up in the tide of human events, but to see ourselves being solidly planted in the Kingdom.

Look at God, Not at the News

In short, God says to look at Him, not at the news. God will make all things right according to His divine purposes and in His time.

Advancing the Kingdom is the focus. When we think of recession and depression, the natural response is to think of our own current and potential needs. Life as we know it is changing, sometimes dramatically, but we have to remember that the Kingdom does not change. As we think about our needs, it’s important to know that He is faithful to provide.

And more important, we know that our needs are not separate from the work of advancing the Kingdom. In other words, there are not two sets of priorities—our priorities and God’s priorities. There is only one set of priorities—the priorities of the Kingdom. There is only one purpose in heaven and on earth—that the Father’s will be done. And when we focus on Kingdom priorities, then there are blessings aplenty to go around.

If we focus on earthly events, we can easily lose sight of the work of advancing the Kingdom. I did that, but the Lord reminded me to stop thinking of want and to start thinking of prosperity. He is able, He told me again, to provide for everything because He is the Creator of the universe. All things are in His control—and there is plenty, not want. Limitless. Infinite. Abundant.

As each of us work in our own way to advance the Kingdom, we should dream big Kingdom dreams and ask God to supply all that’s necessary to bring those dreams to reality.

We limit ourselves, and we limit God, when we think that there is not enough.

Favorite Books and Web Sites

2008-06-15T00:30:00.000-07:00

It has been a good while since I added new articles to the blog. In that time life has included writing three new books, the passing of our Mother in April, and a variety of new challenges. And in every situation and challenge, the Lord has been faithful to His promise to never leave or forsake me.

I want to share a few of my favorite recent “discoveries” with you.

Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, by Richard J. Foster. This is a book to savor, to read slowly and to contemplate with the Lord as you read. In his tradition of insightful teaching, Foster, bet-selling author of “Celebration of Discipline,” guides readers through 21 inward, upward, and outward prayers with rich historical background and incisive insight. I highly recommend this book.

The New Temple and the Second Coming. This book is written by TBN host and best-selling author, Grant R. Jeffrey, offers a combination of Biblical prophecy and the latest research in recovering lost artifacts from the ancient Temple. Jeffrey documents the search for Temple treasures that will be key for use in the new Temple worship, discoveries made in Jerusalem, progress toward recreating sacred Temple vessels, and more. Jeffrey packs the book with historic background and facts that make this book a page-turner.

And for those who follow the progress toward building the new Temple, be sure to visit The Temple Institute Web site that has fascinating updates, images, and videos on all aspects of the Temple.

Also watch for more new and more frequent updates to this blog!

...Charlotte...

Every Day Thoughts

2008-01-21T00:55:00.000-08:00

· The promises of the Bible are ours, but we must claim them. To claim the promises, we must read His Word, write it in our hearts, memorize it, and be ready to speak it at any time.

· He can pick up the pieces of our failures, shine them, and make them whole again. He can work even the worst situations for good—for His glory.

· Relax. We have the power of Christ. We have the power to do what He has given us to do. There is no need to strain or worry—we only have to follow.

· Rest in His peace. That’s where we hear Him better. That’s where we see Him better. That's where He teaches us. In His peace is life and breath. In His peace is everything we need.

· If He wanted us to conform to everyone else, He would have used a cookie cutter. He made you the way you are for a reason. Bring your richness and vitality to His Kingdom and to His church. The Lord doesn’t need more dead doornails. He needs people who will move out with courage, who will take on the Great Commission with gusto. Do not shrink back. Do not fear criticism. Keep moving forward. Keep doing what He tells you to do.

· The gifts of the Father will always exceed our expectations because He is purely righteous; He is purely love.

· There is nothing that is not touched by God. There is nothing outside His dominion.

· God is a God of details. Everything that you do merits God’s attention—everything.

· Think about it—every word we speak we will account for to Him. Every single word.

· Pray that we as Christians will love fearlessly. We cannot love and be afraid. Fear cancels out love. Pray to have His love, to live His love, to bring His love to others.

Reflecting on Truths from 2007

2007-12-30T15:30:00.000-08:00

By Charlotte K. Lowrie

Oh, the joy in knowing that Jesus is with us, as near as our breath, wise beyond comprehension, loving us without reservation, guiding, teaching, consoling, encouraging us in every single thing that we do. He is the perfect teacher, the perfect friend, the perfect Savior, the Holy Lamb of God.

Thinking toward a New Year and reflecting back on the past year, I take stock of my daily walk with Christ. Of the many, many truths that He has taught me during 2007, one truth in particular resonates with me, and that is to stop worrying. During the past months of writing two books, I learned much more about trusting the words of the Lord in Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV), excerpted here.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store way in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

It seems that no matter how much I’ve learned in the past about not worrying, there is always more to learn. I’ve learned that because worrying is one of those “human things,” it’s also one of those things that I have to give to the Lord over and over again. Despite my knowing for certain that He will provide for all of my needs, I still periodically fall back into my old habit of worrying about people, projects, and plans.

Most recently, I learned that when I worry, I lose focus on Jesus. When I fill up my mind with concern about a project or a task, there is no room for Him. And, predictably, I go my way instead of His way. And it’s at the end of “my” road that I need Him to step in and fix my mess. I’ve learned that if I stay on-focus with Jesus, all that I would otherwise worry about never becomes an issue of concern.

I’m reminded that it’s my job, my life’s work, to follow Jesus. The more I follow, the more my heart becomes like His heart. That change of heart represents true change, not simply a rote reminder to follow Him, but rather a change in who I am and how I respond to all of life’s experiences.

I’ve also been reminded that it’s not the approval of others that I work for, but rather I work for His approval—and that changes everything. The Lord reminded me that, “I didn’t call you to follow the crowd. I called you to follow Me.” Enough said. Human approval—whether it’s from the editor reviewing my latest book, or approval from my friends—means nothing in the Kingdom of God. What means everything is doing all work as unto Him.

I’m reminded that when I let go of my worries and minor obsessions and give them to the Lord, that He will give those situations back to me with His victory. Every time I give Him my worries, I can watch in awe as His perfect purpose is accomplished.

And most of all, I’ve learned again that on other side of worry is His perfect peace—now and always. Could I ask for more?

Wishing you a closer walk with Jesus Christ in 2008.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T00:33:00.000-08:00

The Perfect Christmas Gift

2007-12-22T00:30:00.000-08:00

The day of Christmas dawns.
We celebrate the gift of the Father,
His only Son, Jesus Christ,
Come to earth to live among us;
Mighty in strength,
Full of love,
Full of righteousness.

He came to bear our burdens,
To lift us up
From our trouble.
He came that we may have life;
The life the Father intended
From the beginning,
The life that leads from
Glory to glory.

It is the Father’s heart that
None would be lost,
But that all would come to Him,
Reconciled and redeemed,
Worthy of sharing His great glory.

He gave the gift in love,
A love greater than we can imagine,
A love that stretches through eternity.
The only requirement is that we believe.
And in believing, we have life,
Life that springs from the Father,
Life that is ever-lasting.

As Christmas dawns,
Think on that gift.
Think on the Holy Son of the Father.
He came freely,
And at no cost to you or to me.
He came that you might have life.
Think on it.
Rejoice in it.
Share it with others.

So great a gift.
So great a love.
Can we do less
Than praise and honor Him
Now and forever?

Can we step outside ourselves
And celebrate this great gift?
For only if we step outside of ourselves,
Will we see the true gift of Christmas
That was brought to all of mankind.
And having seen it,
We see that we must
Live this gift of love in our lives.

We did nothing to deserve such a gift,
Nor can we earn it.
Rather it is ours to receive,
To live, and to share.

A transforming gift of love;
A gift that never wears out,
A gift that grows more beautiful
With use year after year.

Celebrate with JOY
This matchless gift from God.
Dance and sing with abandon
For you will never receive
Anything of greater value
Than the gift of that first Christmas—
Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

There is only one God,
And He reigns eternal.

What Makes an Eternal Difference?

2007-08-05T00:19:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Last week, I was getting estimates on having the exterior of the house painted. The first estimator came into the house to review the estimate with me. As we walked in, I was immediately aware of how messy the living area looked.

My living area looks like a writer and photographer’s work area—stacks of books, ranging from photography books to Bibles and concordances cover most free surfaces, while camera gear fills the remaining surfaces. And a good chuck of floor space is devoted to my desk, two computers, and two large monitors. Why do I notice the messiness only when I see it through the eyes of a guest? But I noticed, and I was unsettled by it.

As the estimator and I talked, I tried to concentrate on the painting estimate, but in the back of my mind, I wondered why I hadn’t cleared the table so we could spread out the papers.

What Makes an Eternal Difference?

I didn’t think about the incident again until one morning in prayer and meditation. Gently, the Lord pointed out that I have a strong sense of responsibility for maintaining the house and yard. While that sense of responsibility is good, it isn’t the most important concern.

The Lord brought to mind the story of Mary and Martha. When Jesus came to visit, Martha was the one who fretted over the household concerns. I’m sure that Martha had many of the same concerns that we have today. What would they eat? Was the house clean? Who would go to the market for food and cook it? And when Jesus arrived, Martha was probably in a hot kitchen cooking.

Mary, on the other hand, was enthralled with the Lord. Unlike Martha, Mary likely didn’t care if Jesus or anyone else ate. She cared that she could sit at Jesus’ feet to absorb His presence and His words.

Martha fretted about earthly cares. Mary focused on Jesus. Martha complained to Jesus.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 NIV.

Like Martha, I fretted, although silently, that the house wasn’t picture perfect.

As the Lord showed me, the priority is to bring His presence to the others—in this case, to bring His presence to the my guest. No one cares what the house looks like. As a follower of Christ, it is all about Jesus—about bringing Him to the table.

The Lord asked, “Did your guest see you silently fretting about the house, or did He see Me?”

The answer was clear. I was preoccupied not only with the way the house looked, but also about the estimate, the contract, and the schedule. To my way of thinking, I was being responsible for the blessings that the Lord has given me. But, like Martha, I missed the point entirely. We are to focus on Jesus, not on earthly cares. Earthly cares will pass away. Jesus will never pass away.

I pondered this for many long minutes. Bringing His presence is a simple matter of asking Him to be present in all encounters. Nothing we do draws people to Jesus. Just as it has been for more than 2,000 years, people are not drawn to us, they are drawn to Jesus—to His presence.

A clean house makes no difference. Bringing Jesus to the table makes an eternal difference. That is what it means to do His will on earth, here and now, as it is in heaven.

If we don’t bring Jesus to the table, to the office, to the grocery store, to every encounter, who will?

Lesson Learned?

With this profound lesson in mind, I prayed with extra fervor that the Lord would be with me throughout the day. Then I left to run some hurried errands. As I stopped at various stores, I reverted to my usual strategy with sales people—keep conversations short and avoid unwanted sales pressure at all costs.

When I got home, I prayed again. Clearly, the Lord had seen many needs in the people we encountered that I had not seen. Instantly, I realized that it had been all about me again, all about my schedule. I had overlooked the need to bring His presence to all the people—even to eager salespeople.

I wish that I could say that I learned this vital lesson, and then immediately put it into practice, but I can’t. I trust that over time I will pray His presence in every encounter.

I know now that nothing will make a bigger difference both now and for eternity.

Conversations with the Lord

2007-07-29T22:55:00.000-07:00

This, and many other articles to come, arise from spending time with the Lord in prayer and conversation. The messages are, of course, too rich not to be shared.

· You cannot pacify people and be effective. You must electrify people to be effective.

· Do you think that any one of the Saints would have chosen the lives they had? They followed the Lord and became what He needed for the Kingdom’s work. That is the highest calling—to be what the Lord calls you to be; to serve the Lord, no matter what.

· Under the old covenant, God’s people lived under God’s law. Under the new covenant, we live free of the law, but we live with responsibility to take an active role in the Kingdom. Greater is our responsibility than theirs, and greater is the grace.

· It’s the Lord’s way, not our way. It’s the Lord’s timing, not our timing. He leads. We follow. We have the power to do what he has gives us to do without strain or worry. He opens doors. We walk through those doors by faith.

· Earnestly seek the pure love of the Holy Father. That is the love that led the Lord to the cross. That is the love that allowed Him to bear the sin of the world. That is the love that gives us the strength to endure all things.

· Love is what changes people. Love is what draws others to Christ. Love is what heals us and others. We are to bring His love to others.

· There is nothing that is untouched by God. There is nothing outside of His domain. Everything that we do merits God’s attention—e v e r y t h i n g.

· People are not drawn to religion.
People are not drawn to church.
People are drawn to the Lord.

· In the Scriptures, nothing is left undone. Every word, every message is meaningful in multiple ways on multiple levels. To discern the meaning, we must have eyes to see and a heart to understand.

· Contrary to popular opinion, we cannot live and let live. We live for the Lord. It's our job to step on toes.

· Don't preach to the choir, preach to the lost. Few unbelievers find their way to church. We must go to them with the Lord's message wherever they are. Sunday isn't the only day to save souls. Any day is a good day to bring the lost home.

· The Father doesn't want to lose any who are called. Our responsibility is to call them in the Lord's name, through His cross, and bring them home.

Take a Look Across the Room

2007-06-16T22:29:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte K. Lowrie

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he left a single, all-important charge to those who would follow Him.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 38:18-20 NIV.)

I read this passage, known as the Great Commission, as applying to all followers of Christ, whether they have the spiritual gift of evangelism or not. And even if you disagree with my view, I have to wonder how we, after receiving such great grace and love, cannot let these divine gifts spill over onto everyone in our lives?

Asking the Hard Questions

The ordinary and extraordinary events of everyday life recently prompted me to ask myself some hard questions about sharing my faith in Christ. Every time I look across the room, or I visualize my far-away friends who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, I get cold chills. What if they never heard about the forgiveness, joy, and peace that Christ offers just because I am too fearful, too lazy, or too preoccupied with work to share it with them? Would I regret not sharing the gift of Jesus? Yes! Would I be able to stand before Christ knowing that I had not taken His Great Commission personally? No!

As I look across any room and see people who could miss the greatest experience of a lifetime, my perspective changes. It is that change in perspective that led me to write the list of questions that follow. I share these questions with you in the hope that you will find them useful in your daily walk with Christ.
· When was the last time that you spoke of your faith in conversations with non-believers?
· What is the boldest word you’ve spoken or action you’ve taken for Christ in the past month?
· If a non-Christian asked you why you are so into God, can you tell him or her why? And if you can, would you deliver a long monologue, or would you hunker down for a soul-deep dialogue. Can you listen carefully to the other person’s questions and relate your experiences to their questions and problems?
· Can you talk about your faith in everyday language to non-believers? Can you use contemporary words that non-believers can immediately relate to and understand?
· In two minutes or less, can you tell a non-believer how Christ changed your life?
· Do you ask people to come to church because you’re afraid to or uncomfortable in asking them to come to Christ?
· Do you eagerly jump at the opportunity to say a word for God in conversations, or do you shy away for fear of being politically incorrect?
· Do you talk about your faith as an everyday reality and necessity regardless of who’s in the audience?
· If you knew for certain that the Lord would return next week at this time, which non-believer would you want to share your faith with immediately?
· Can people tell that you are “different;” can they feel that an extraordinary love lives within you and that that love is directed toward them?
· And, finally, do you think of God as being there to serve you, or do you think of yourself as you being here to serve Him?

Regardless of which questions resonate with you, one thing is certain: Time is short. Whether it is the short amount of time left in your life or in the lives of others, or the nearness of the Lord’s return, we have this moment in time to make the Great Commission part of our everyday lives.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b NIV)

Two Very Different Approaches to Serving

2007-05-22T22:50:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Serving—some call it one of the essential Christian disciplines. It is a discipline, but, for me, serving is a high privilege. Jesus set the example for serving in virtually everything that He did while on earth. But perhaps the best known and most quoted example is from John 13. In this passage, Jesus and his disciples share their last meal together. During the meal, Jesus quietly leaves the table, fills a basin with water, ties a towel around His waist, and washes and dries the disciples’ feet.

When all of the dusty feet were washed and dried, Jesus asked his disciples, “Do you understand what I have done for you?” Clearly, Peter, who objected to the Lord washing his feet, didn’t understand. For Peter, washing the guests' feet was a job for the servants—far too demeaning a service for the Teacher.

So Jesus explained. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should wash one another’s feet. I have set for you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:12-15 NIV)

Choose an Approach

Recently I had several opportunities to serve. I was excited. It didn’t matter what the service was, I was anxious to serve, and I jumped in with both feet. But while serving, I realized there are two very different approaches to serving.

One approach to serving is motivated from a natural desire to be helpful and to give to others. Another approach to serving is as if we are serving the Lord Himself.

Obviously, there is a significant difference between the two approaches.

The innate desire to be helpful is instinctive for many people. In this approach, we offer our time, compassion, and help to those who are in need. But this approach falls short of the standard that Jesus set for us. Paul describes this approach in Colossians 3:23-24. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ that you are serving.”

Serving as if we are serving the Lord Himself not only helps others, but, most important, it brings the light of the Lord into the lives of those we serve. Rather than serving in our limited human compassion, we bring the Lord to others via His work through us. And that changes everything.

Lead or Follow?

But the second approach is harder for several reasons. To serve in this way, we have to be in fellowship with the Lord moment by moment, committing the work to Him and seeking His inspiration and revelation.

It’s also more challenging because we have to give up on assuming that we “know how” to do the task. And this is a biggie! Whether our service is a project for the church, bathing a sick family member, or bringing food to a family, we take pride in thinking that we know how to do the work. And because we know how, we can jump in and do the task quickly and efficiently.

But in the process of hunkering down and getting the work done, we crowd out the Lord. In short, we lead rather than follow the Lord. The result of our service is a practical, lackluster exercise in “doing good.”

Sure the work gets done, but the experience is empty of divine richness and rightness.

Last week, I barreled through the service opportunities as if I were trying to prove myself to the Lord, or worse, as if I were adding a few “good works” to some mental score card.

But the Lord already knows what I can do under my own power. He wanted to show me what He could do through me under His power. And there is no score card—there is only minute-by-minute following Him. I also realized that if I don’t bring the Lord with me in the service, how will others see Him? Jesus told us to let our light shine. And dedicating our service to Him allows His light to burn brightly to those we serve.

This point is critically important because time is short. Whether you realize that your life is as brief as a noon-time shadow, or you sense the nearness of His second coming, our work is to bring His light to all of those whom we serve. Paul emphasized this in Colossians 4:5: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.”

Jesus concluded His explanation to the disciples by saying, “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:16-17)

Not only will you be blessed, but those whom you serve will also be blessed.

What Could We Do If We Didn’t Think We Can’t?

2007-05-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

A friend was telling us that she has no luck growing plants. Knowing this, she takes her plants to the preschool where she works, and the children water the plants for her. She described how the children keep pouring in water until the plants are flooded. Regardless of the drenching, the plants thrive under the children’s care.

It occurred to me that the plants thrive because the children don’t know yet that they can’t grow plants. How much more could we do for the Lord if we didn’t ‘know’ (or think) that we can’t?

And with that, here are a few recent thoughts on living every day for Christ.

· You get to keep what you give away. Has the Lord blessed you? Then give away blessings. Has the Lord healed you? Then give away healing. Has the Lord taught you? Then teach others. Everything He has given you, give away to others--never counting the cost.

· The Lord takes care of you even when you’re not looking.

· Get over the shock about evil deeds and acts. Satan is evil. Evil is as ugly as it gets regardless of how prettily it is disguised. The Lord didn’t mince words about satan. The everyday struggle against evil is a life-and-death battle of epic proportions.

· Recent conversation. Question: Why can’t my faith move mountains? Answer: Have you tried to move mountains? And if you tried, would you believe that you could?

· Have you counted up the works of the Lord in your life lately? If you look only at individual works, you’ll learn only individual lessons. But if you look at the whole of it, you’ll realize the big messages that the Lord is speaking in your life.

· Speak of the Lord with boldness. Be strong, be forceful. After all, the stakes ARE life or death.

· Get out of your personal box. You are bigger than your circumstances, bigger than your career, bigger than your problems, and bigger than your finances. You are bigger because God is bigger.

· Look beyond immediate needs and problems. Get a vivid vision of God's Kingdom and what He needs you to do in that Kingdom.

· Humility is not self-deprecation. Humility is genuine when our sins sicken us as they sicken the Father.

· Every single day, claim the promises, rights, and privileges of being a child of God, and claim the power that comes from serving our risen Savior!

Live the Victory on the Other Side of the Cross

2007-05-02T01:02:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Only last month, we marked Easter—a celebration of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. If you spent any time pondering the cross, or considering the burden that Jesus took on his shoulders for our sins, then the only response can be humility and profound gratitude. Time spent at the foot of the cross is humbling.

But the foot of the cross isn’t where Jesus wanted us to stay.

He expected us to get past our sorrow, to move beyond our own sense of unworthiness, and to fully realize the victory and power that His resurrection gives us.

It’s on the other side of the cross, in the shadow of His gloriously empty grave, that Jesus expected us to prevail over all earthly darkness with the divine power that can come only from a risen Savior!

No, You are Not 'Only Human'

‘Yeah, well,’ you say, ‘that was Jesus, and He is God. I’m only human.’ Oh so wrong. If you are a Christian, you are supernaturally human. If you don’t believe me, then believe what Jesus said in John 14:12-14 (NIV):

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Now think about what Jesus did while he walked the earth. He healed the sick, He performed miracles, and He wrought mighty signs, and wonders. And always, He healed all of humanity that fell within His shadow. And He expects that we will do this and even more.

To that end, He sent the Holy Spirit. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26).

As a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit now. And the Spirit is a mighty thing. As Bill Johnson points out in his powerful book, When Heaven Invades Earth, “There is no economy class Holy Spirit. He only comes fully equipped. He is loaded, full of power and glory. And He wants to be seen as He is, in us.” (Emphasis mine.)

If you spend any time thinking about what living on “the other side of the cross” means, it just doesn’t jibe with our comfortable routine of church-on-Sunday and mid-week Bible study.

Doing the Work of the Kingdom

The point of the cross and the resurrection was to give us His power. Jesus expected us to see beyond our own lives. He expected us to see, and to sign up to do the work of His Kingdom. What is that work? The work is to bring the light of Christ into the darkest places of our neighborhoods, communities, and cities.

He lived, died, and rose again to provide the power. It’s up to us to believe it and use it.

We are humbled by the cross, but
We are EMPOWERED by His RESSURECTION.
Live His Victory.

Worrying Over Our Lives

2007-04-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

Why do we think that anything is too hard for God?
Why do we think that we always know better than God?
Why do we think that worrying will help God along?

Jesus said in Matthew 6:27, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

And Jesus went on to say, “So do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. “ Matthew 6:31-34 (NIV)

But worry is ingrained in us. How much we want and think that we ‘need’ to control everything. And worry is only one symptom of our need to control.

But in fact, we are not in control. God is in control. He always is in control. But He also always gives us the ability to choose. We can choose to turn over control to Him, or we can continue to frantically direct our own lives.

I think of it this way: We can choose to give Him control and receive His blessing, or we can keep control now, and then ask Him to bless the mess we’ve made tomorrow.

Remember, the Lord always gives to His children never measuring the amount. He gives to us in a measure so full that it can’t be contained within a single soul.

What's Your Story?

2007-04-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

How many times have I felt that I was unqualified to do one or another task for the Lord? But then I realized that the Lord equips us for whatever He asks us to do. For example, when we accept him as our Savior, the first tool that He gives us is our story; the story that recounts the road that led us to Him.

For each of us, the story of how we encountered Christ is unique. You may not think that your story is impressive or dramatic enough to tell. But I’m convinced that each story has the exact words, the precise experiences that someone somewhere—or many people everywhere—need(s) to hear. Your story will resonate with them as no other story can.

The Lord didn’t give us the gift of our story to keep it to ourselves. He gave it to us as our first tool in serving Him. And as we continue to experience Christ fully, He gives us more stories—more tools that will surely touch the lives of others.

Having realized this, I also realized that it is foolish to think that I am unqualified to tell others about Christ. He gave me my story. And that story immediately equips me to tell others about Him.

Jesus teaches us to let His light shine. Let your story illuminate someone else's path to Christ.

Note: If you’d like to share your story here, please e-mail me at charlotte@everydaywithchrist.com.

A Prayer for Those at Virginia Tech

2007-04-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

Lord, may You abide with all those who are suffering from the tragedy at Virginia Tech.
Let Your light shine in the terrible darkness of this tragedy.
Heal the wounded.
Hold those who grieve in Your loving arms.
Give them Your comfort and bring them into the light of tomorrow with your love.

In the name of our precious Lord Jesus, we pray.
Amen

Putting the Lord's Lessons into Action

2007-04-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Since I posted the article, Refined During Times of Testing, a work opportunity came up to test the lessons that I’ve learned in the past two months. This week, I received a call asking if I would help with a project that was in a jam. The call was from a company I’d worked with for years, so I had some loyalty to them.

The good part was that the pay would be nice. The bad part was that the project would ‘silently’ violate a non-conflict contract that I signed with another company. To get around this, the person explained that no one would know that I worked on the project, and, thus no one would know that the contract was violated. Before I could say no, the person asked me to think about it, to sleep on it, and to call back the next day.

Knowing that I would refuse, I mentally reviewed the telephone conversation as I showered, and then I came downstairs to pray. I was anxious to get the Lord's insight.

Precise Words that Ring True

The Lord’s message was that I don’t have to take every project that comes my way. Instead, I should take the work that He sends to me: And I will recognize that work because it will be “pure and guileless.”

I thought about the words of the message. Certainly, I’d heard the word “guileless” from reading the Bible and from childhood sermons. But I had only a vague sense of what the word meant.

The dictionary was close by, so I looked up “guile.” Here is a summary of the most applicable definitions. Guile: insidious, treacherous, cunning, deceit. A trick; stratagem. Wow! That described the situation perfectly. I had always thought of “guile” as being an old-fashioned King-James-type of word that I usually brushed over. Obviously, I was wrong.

While I was at it, I looked up the word “pure.” Here is a summary of the applicable definitions. Pure: free from adulterants or impurities; . . . Free from dirt, defilement, or pollution; clean. Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous.

It struck me again how the Lord uses language not only concisely, but also with a razor-sharp precision that leaves no room for questions. And Mark 4:22 (NIV) also leaves no room for questions. “For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought into the open.”

The Lord's insight was what I wanted, and He provided it again. I was happy to turn down the offer the next day.

Refined During Times of Testing

2007-04-14T23:43:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Who hasn’t gone through times of testing from the Lord? Regardless of the timing or situation, you can usually tell that you’re in a testing time when your prayers seem to hit the ceiling and rise no further. For some reason, divine intervention seems to be stalled indefinitely. In the meantime, you try everything you know to do, but, inevitably, nothing works. Then, sometimes, entropy sets in, and the situation or problem goes from bad to worse.

No. Our Needs Do Not Trump the Lord’s Needs

During the times when the Lord tests us, we often don’t know why. And usually, there is no early warning system. If your tests are like my tests, the one sure thing is that they come at what seems like the worst times.

So we wait. Surely, we think, our urgent needs trump the Lord’s need to test us. (Of course, at a later juncture, we understand how our thinking was flawed.)

But the Lord's need to transform us is most important. The Lord tests us so that He can refine us. The Hebrew word for refine, “tsaraph,” paints the picture beautifully. Tsaraph means to cast, refine, melt, purge away. Visualize a metalworker heating metal so that he can separate out the dross—the refuse, or waste—so that only the pure silver or gold remains.

Additionally, think of refining as reducing to a pure state, cleansing. These definitions and insights make sense. When we sign on as Christians, we sign on to become more like the Lord, and that process necessarily entails ongoing refinement.

But that doesn't mean the refinement process is easy.

Silent Screaming and Wringing of Hands

I just spent the past two months in a time of testing—and the testing came at exactly the time that I needed new work, and needed it quickly. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t planned in advance for ongoing work. But suddenly, previous verbal promises of work were inexplicably stalled. I couldn’t change the situation with any amount of trying. I realized that I was in a time of testing.

Of course, I knew that there are both lessons and blessings in every test; but as the days and weeks ticked by, I began to wonder, was I the world’s slowest learner? There were days when I felt like running around the house alternately screaming and wringing my hands.

But screaming wasn’t helpful since it scares the dog, so I settled for silent screaming. And since nothing I did made any difference, I was forced to look past my needs and concentrate on how the Lord wanted to refine me.

He taught me what needed to be refined. I learned, and the learning changed everything.

Check Your Motives 101

In a nutshell for my trial, I learned that I must examine my motives for everything that I ask the Lord to supply to me. I learned that the Lord’s top priority is not my income, but it is building His Kingdom. And I learned that whatever work I do, I must do it ‘as unto the Lord.’

Many times during the two months, the Lord reminded me that He didn't put me on this earth just to 'survive.' He put me, and all Christians here to serve Him.

He assured me that work would come "soon." With stunning insight, every time I'd ask, "When?" the Lord would ask, 'What's your hurry? Are you looking for income, or are you looking to do My will?'

When I answered honestly that my motive was money to pay the bills, He'd remind me that was the wrong motive. Rather, I should be looking to do His will, and then the rest would be added to me. I pondered that long and hard. It's not as if I am a pastor or missionary. I write, teach, and do professional photography in secular venues. But I learned that every kind of work is an opportunity to touch people with His love and light. In other words, every single thing counts to and for Him.

We had these conversations more times than I can count. And in every conversation, He told me check my motives. It's not as if I didn't consider all work as an opportunity to serve Him, but this lesson refined that thinking by fire. I was no longer in my own little sphere directing events and asking the Lord for help. Now, He is in charge, and I am in Him—same sphere, totally different concept.

I knew that He had brought me to a new place. While I had no landmarks, no directions, and I didn't know my way, I knew that this was His place, and that was both comforting and reassuring. I learned what it means to wait on the Lord.
Eventually though, I had to ask, "How long is soon?" He reminded me that "soon" is when He says.

Finally, I understood. Only after these lessons were permanently engraved in my head and on my heart did the work come. And I looked at the work opportunities much differently from the way I would have looked at them two months earlier. After all, this was not just another in a string of income-producing projects, this was the Lord’s work. He supplied it. And regardless of whom I work for technically, ultimately, I work for the Lord.

Tests are marvelous opportunities to know the Lord in all kinds of life events and in all circumstances. And in knowing Him better, we learn that He is faithful to bless us in more ways than we could imagine.

If you asked me about the test today, I’d tell you that I am just as thankful for the test as I am for the work that He provides me.

A Cure for Couch-Potato Christianity

2007-04-12T00:16:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

After celebrating Easter, I began reading the book of Acts, anxious to review the early days of the first Christians. The first-century history is so incredibly rich and inspiring that it’s impossible to sit still after reading about the church’s work. And as I read Acts 22, the whole idea of “sitting still” became a topic in its own right. But first let me set the stage with a brief summary of Acts 22.

An Apostle and a Riotous Mob

Paul returns to Jerusalem after a missionary journey. Just before Paul’s missionary journey ends, Paul’s companions and church leaders warn him that if he returns to Jerusalem, he’ll be arrested. Paul feels led by the Holy Spirit, and he returns to Jerusalem anyway. Upon his return, the church leaders in Jerusalem suggest that Paul take a vow to be purified—a process that includes shaving his head and making sacrifices. Paul does this, and just before the seven-day purification period is finished, some Jews from Asia recognize Paul at the temple. These men, who knew Paul from his missionary trip, accuse Paul of teaching against Jewish laws and traditions, and of bringing a Gentile into the temple court—an offense that called for the offending Gentile to be killed. (There was no evidence to support this accusation against Paul.) Within minutes of these accusations, people come from all directions to form a large and angry mob. The mob drags Paul outside the temple gates and beat him, intent on killing him.

Just then, a Roman commander arrives and the crowd backs off. The commander arrests and chains Paul. But the mob isn’t satisfied. In fact, by the time the soldiers and Paul reach the steps of the barracks, the soldiers have to carry Paul through the crowd to avoid further violence.

But Paul asks the Roman commander for permission to speak to the mob. Then Paul asks the crowd to listen to his “defense.” Instead of pleading with the mob for a fair hearing, and instead of defending himself against the charges, Paul tells the mob what Jesus has done in his life. In short, Paul doesn’t plead for himself: He pleads for Jesus.

The crowd settles down and listens to Paul’s story of his encounter with Jesus until he gets to the part where Jesus sends Paul out to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. At the mention of Gentiles, the mob erupts again, and Paul is taken into the barracks.

Jesus Didn’t Call Us to the Couch

I stopped reading at this point. I had to wonder why Paul chose such a dicey platform to testify about Christ. But even a cursory reading of Acts shows that Paul and the other Christians seized every opportunity to spread the Gospel of Jesus. They didn’t question whether speaking out for Jesus was “wise” or not. They acted decisively. And their actions, their passion, and their commitment laid the foundation of Christianity. Their courage and their testimony stand as their legacy to Christians today. We stand on the shoulders of their ceaseless and courageous work.

For early Christians, following Christ was nothing but hard. Comparatively, for most of us in America, following Christ is easy. So easy, in fact, that it’s easy to grow complacent. Complacency means that we leave the business of introducing others to Jesus to “the church,” or to preachers and missionaries. And as for speaking out for Christ, complacency means that we avoid politically incorrect religious discussions that could offend others. In short, it’s easier to just live and let live.

And isn’t that just what Satan wants us to think, and isn’t that just how he wants us to act—or, more precisely, to not act? Can you think of a better way to grow crop of couch-potato Christians who don’t make one bit of difference? I can’t. And I’m not pointing a finger at anyone. I have plenty of first-hand experience as a couch-potato Christian. I know how easy it is to sink into the couch after a stressful day at work, grab the remote, and dissolve into the spiritual—and mental—black void of television.

But Jesus doesn’t call us to the couch. He calls us to follow Him.

“Follow” Is an Active, Moving Kind of a Word

Still, I wondered, what exactly does it mean to “follow Him?” So I looked up the word, “follow.” In modern language, it means to move; in other words, it means to take action, to move along a course, to emulate.

Then, I got out the concordance and looked up variations of the Greek definition of “follow.” Follow not only means to follow a teacher by becoming a disciple, but it also implies accompanying, going with, following along and continuing to the end, and following close up or side by side. (Emphasis added.)

Interestingly, in no dictionary that I own does “follow” mean to sit on the couch.

Dictionary and concordance definitions are enlightening. But the Bible is, predictably, even more enlightening. Jesus gets to the heart of what ‘Follow Me’ means:

* Luke 9:23 (NIV): “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’”

* Luke 18: 22 (NIV): “When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”

The way I read this is that no couch or television remote control is involved—rather there is action, movement every single day. For a minute, I considered how ironic it is that I expect Jesus to be here for me regardless of the time of day or the situation. And sure enough, He is there whenever I call on Him. He never stops working on my behalf. But, likewise, He calls me, and us, to work for Him—whether ‘working’ means showing kindness to an elderly neighbor, bringing food to the hungry, or telling others about how Jesus has changed our lives.

Get Moving

When Paul’s spoke to the mob in Jerusalem, he told them how the brilliance of the light of Christ temporarily blinded him. The brilliance of Christ’s light burns just as bright today as it did for Paul. We just have to let Him shine through us. And I’m convinced that won’t happen if we’re sitting on the couch with the remote control in hand. Nowadays, my prayer now isn’t for a day off to relax on the couch; rather it is for His guidance on getting “moving” —following Him.

We Serve a Risen Lord

2007-04-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

Good Friday

2007-04-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

“Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

We all like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Isaiah 53 (NIV)

The Last Supper

2007-04-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

“‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.’

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’

And he took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’’’ Luke 22:14-22 (NIV)

The Stones Will Cry Out!

2007-03-31T19:46:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Palm Sunday

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

‘Hosana!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the King of Israel!’

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,

‘Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
See, your king is coming,
Seated on a donkey’s colt.’”

John 12:12-13 NIV

“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’

‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘If they keep quiet the stones will cry out.’”

Luke 19:39-40 NIV

Words of Encouragement

2007-03-28T22:55:00.000-07:00

By Mildred Mungan

I wanted to share a word of encouragement:

“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22, 23

These verses were part of my devotional this morning, and I wanted to share them. May they encourage you as they encouraged me this day.

He is faithful even when we are not, or even when we don’t feel like being so.

Rest in His peace.

We Are the Dot on God's Timeline of History

2007-03-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

In our small group, we have the privilege to study Beth Moore’s amazing video series on the book of Daniel. The second half of the 12-week course focuses on the prophetic chapters of Daniel.

Through history, we know that Daniel's prophecies have come to pass as the world moved from the golden age of Babylon, to the silver age of the Medo-Persian empire, to the bronze age of the Grecian empire, and then to the iron-and-clay Roman empire. And now, we are in Church Age as we wait for the remainder of Daniel’s vision to be fulfilled.

This short history recap may sound innocuous.

In fact, you may be yawning.

But as Beth Moore points out with stunning urgency:

WE are the current dot on God’s timeline of history.

There are no more empires waiting in the wings--only the end times await us.

Stifle the yawn because this means that:

This is the age.

This is the time.

This is the hour.

This is the moment to shine for Christ.

We are literally the Light of the World that Jesus spoke of.

That means you.
That means me.
Right here.
Right now.

Rock Our World

2007-03-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

How far removed are Christians today from Christians of the first century? I’ve often wondered about that question, so I went to Acts 3 and 4 to learn more. In these chapters, Peter and John call on the power of Jesus’ name and heal a crippled man. The healed man, joyous with his new mobility, walks to the temple courts with the disciples. Actually, he alternately walks and jumps—praising God the entire time. People recognize the crippled beggar, and they are stunned to see him walking and jumping.

Soon a crowd gathered around the three men at Solomon’s Colonnade, a raised porch at the outermost part of the temple.

Peter saw the surprise of the people, and he quickly and powerfully told them that they had not healed the man through their own power or goodness but through the name and power of Jesus. Peter reminded them that in ignorance, they and others had handed over Jesus to the authorities, and ultimately they had “killed the author of life.” (Acts 3:15 NIV) But Peter told them that God raised Jesus from the dead. And in the name of Jesus, Peter and John were able to heal the crippled man. Many in the crowd believed in Jesus that afternoon, but the temple guards, priests, and Saducees were quick to quell the disciples’ teachings. They took Peter and John into custody and threw them into jail for the night.

Interrogation before the Sanhedrin

The next day, Peter and John were taken before the Sanhedrin for questioning. The 71-member Sanhedrin, presided over by the high priest, was the highest Jewish council, something like a Supreme Court for Jews. Peter and John had every reason to be concerned. After all, the Sanhedrin was the governing body that plotted to have Jesus arrested and killed. With Jesus’ persecution and crucifixion still fresh in mind, Peter and John were doubtless aware of the potential consequences of preaching the name of Jesus and answering to the Sanhedrin for it.

Yet, during the questioning by the religious leaders, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke boldly. They told the council, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” (Acts 4:10) Peter quoted Psalm 118:22: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” pointing out that the stone refers to Jesus. Then Peter told them, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 3:12)

The religious council members were cornered. Standing in front of them was the healed man. Many people on the temple grounds had seen the healed man enjoying his newly found mobility and praising God. Clearly, the religious leaders were in no position to publicly discredit or punish Peter and John. So they ordered Peter and John to stop teaching in the name of Jesus.

Peter responded, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 3: 19-20)

Then the disciples went back to their group of believers and told them what had happened. Without hesitation, the new Christian congregation responded with prayer. They based their prayer on Psalm 2, a powerful Psalm prophesying of Jesus and His ultimate authority over all nations on earth. The Psalm asks why nations conspire and people plot against the Lord and His Anointed One? It says that when rulers conspire to ignore or depose God, God not only laughs, but also makes rulers the focus of His righteous anger. In this Psalm, God sets His Son over all nations, making it clear that nations are to serve Him with fear and trembling. In their prayer, the early Christians remind God how rulers conspired against Jesus to bring to pass all that God had ordained beforehand for His Son.

Rocking the World for Jesus

Theirs was a powerful prayer, to be sure. But as the prayer continues, it is important to note what the believers did not pray for, and to consider what we would pray for if we were in similar circumstances today. They, or we, could ask God:

· For protection from harsh actions from the Sanhedrin including jail,
banishment from the temple, and other sanctions
· To escape to a safer city to spread the Gospel
· For religious tolerance
· For freedom of speech

But they didn’t ask for protection or fairness. Instead they prayed to speak with the Lord’s word with “great boldness.” In effect, they did not pray to be spared, but they prayed to be placed in the thick of the battle: To speak louder, to speak more eloquently, to speak more powerfully for the Lord. They showed no fear, and they had no hesitation. They wanted even greater power to rock the world for Jesus.

The believers realized that the religious leaders showed restraint only because of the miracle of healing the crippled man. So they also prayed, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29) And with the backing of irrefutable miracles and signs, they wrapped themselves with the mantel of the Lord—impervious to harassment and threats. They prayed for the power to do more in the name of Jesus.

God responded to their prayer immediately. “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 4:31) And, indeed, they spoke the word of God boldly. As Christians today, we are a living testament to their boldness and to their courage.

What a great lesson in prayer! How many times are our prayers skewed toward not having our world rocked? How often do we resist having our tidy world rocked, rearranged, threatened, or changed in any way. What would we have done if we had been in the same situation? Would we have prayed for greater boldness, or would we have wanted to avoid trouble with the authorities? The early Christians prayed to create more ‘trouble,’ regardless of the consequences. They claimed the promise of Psalm 2:12, “…Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”

The early Christians realized—far more intimately than those of us who live in a safe Christian nation—how important it was to keep spreading the Gospel at all costs. Thinking through this story in Acts, I had to take a long and hard look at my courage to speak out for Jesus. And since that long hard look, my perspective, and my prayers have changed. Today, my prayer is that God will rock my world and let me speak the Word of the Lord boldly. And like the early Christians, I pray that He will stretch out His hand to rock the entire world with His healing, and miraculous signs and wonders.

Celebrating His Presence

2007-03-17T00:31:00.000-07:00

His voice whispers in every living thing.

In every seed that breaks forth,
In every wind that blows,
In every mountain pushing up to the sky,
His signature is beauty and majesty.
From Him all beauty, purity, and knowledge flow.

Lessons from the Blind Man

2007-03-10T02:19:00.000-08:00

Charlotte Lowrie

Recently my daughter wanted a framed picture to put in her new office. I knew that I had a picture like the one she described, so we set off to my upstairs “junk” room, to find it. We looked though several stacks of framed prints and photographs, but it wasn’t there. So we fanned out, looking through other rooms and closets. Eventually, we regrouped in the junk room, both of us ready to give up. Then my daughter said, “Turn around.” There on the wall behind me was the picture we were looking for. It had been in hanging front of us the entire time.

We went downstairs laughing that we had missed what was right before our eyes. Our encounter with “blindness” reminded me of the story in John 9. Here is a recap of that story.

One Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples encountered a man blind from birth. Jesus spit on the ground and made enough mud to cover the blind man’s eyes. Then Jesus told the man to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. The blind man went and washed, and he could see for the first time. The dismayed neighbors took the healed man to the Pharisees where the man began a long interrogation process. The judges, however, refused to believe the man, and called in additional witnesses; in this case, the man’s parents. Sure enough, the parents testified, this was their son, and he had been blind since birth.

But that wasn’t good enough. The Pharisees called the healed man in again, this time warning him to give the glory to God because they “knew” that this man Jesus was a sinner. The healed man replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.”

But the court still wasn’t satisfied. They asked the man to repeat the story of his healing, this time accusing the man of being a disciple of Jesus, and reminding the man that they didn’t even know where this fellow Jesus came from.

Clearly exasperated, the healed man said, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” Predictably, the Pharisees were enraged at this lecture and threw the man out, telling him that he’d been a sinner since birth.

Jesus heard what happened to the formerly blind man. Jesus talked to the man, and the man became a follower of Jesus. Pharisees, who were hanging around nearby, overhead the conversation between Jesus and the healed man. They asked Jesus, “What? Are we blind too?”

Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (Recounted from John 9:1-41 NIV)

Like the picture that my daughter and I searched for, the Pharisees, men of "vision," missed what was right in front of their eyes--Jesus, the very Savior that they were waiting for.

On the other hand, the man who had no vision, allowed a stranger to pack mud on his eyes. Then by faith, he walked to the pool, washed off the mud, and he could see--for the first time in his life.

Then, the time that should have been a wonderful celebration for the healed man turned into an ugly court hearing. But the healed man’s testimony is absolutely classic. With the eloquence of a man whose entire life changed by Jesus, the healed man says simply, “One thing I do know, I was blind, but now I see!”

And don’t those words from the blind man encapsulate our own testimony about Jesus?

Sometimes, I 'envision' the grand things I want to do for Jesus. That's when He reminds me to keep it simple: “I didn’t call you to be great. I called you to follow Me.”

Jesus doesn’t call most of us to be great. He calls us to simply testify of His life-changing presence in our lives.

Nothing fancy. Nothing difficult. He calls us to tell what He has done for us—to simply tell our story to one person, then another, and another.

And in that way, we spread His light; and in that way, He continues to open the eyes of the blind.

Plugged in to His Promises

2007-03-03T23:52:00.000-08:00

It’s amazing to me how the Lord is there for us just when we need Him. I recently sent my tax information to my accountant—tax time is always a dicey time of the year. A week later, the accountant called with devastating news. While the Lord had blessed me last year, the Federal Government wanted a huge chunk of money, not the least of which resulted from a doubling in the self-employment tax.

Unlike my reaction in years before accepting the Lord as my Savior, I remained calm throughout the conversation with my accountant and afterward. Still, I knew that this tax bill would set me back and make it very hard to keep up with monthly bills this year.

I went to the table to eat breakfast, study the Bible, and pray. I’d been reading through Isaiah again, so I opened to the chapter for the day, Isaiah: 59. These are the first words that I read.

“Surely the arm of the Lord
is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.”

I read the first verse, and then I read it again. Then I read further to see what the context was. The context was that Israel’s sin separated them from God.

Despite the context, the Lord kept bringing me back to that first verse. He reminded me that we live under His new covenant, and that I should trust this promise. From past experience, I know that the arm of the Lord is long, strong, and faithful. So I trust His promise, knowing that He will work this situation, and everything else in life, to His glory.

Rumor has it that there are no taxes in heaven. . .

Thoughts for the Journey

2007-02-24T00:38:00.000-08:00

"Loving other people, it turns out, is all about them. Then in serving and loving the other person--after making that person's cares my priority--the reward from that eventually comes back to me. That means hanging on. Praying without ceasing.

"...Love one another as I have loved you. Jesus meant that for real, it turns out. And what a Savior. He showed us how to do it: Love imperfect people because I have loved even you."

-- Patricia Raybon, from I Told the Mountain to Move.
-----------------------------------------------------
"I simply argue that the cross be raised again
at the center of the market place
as well as on the steeple of the church,
I am recovering the claim that
Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral
between two candles:
But on a cross between two thieves;
on a town garbage heap;
At a crossroad of politics so cosmopolitan
that they had to write His title
in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek. . .
And at the kind of place where cynics talk smut,
and thieves curse and soldiers gamble.
Because that is where He died,
and that is what He died about.
And that is where Christ's men ought to be,
and what church people ought to be about."

-- from, "I simply argue that the cross" George MacLeod, as quoted in Charles R. Swindoll, Come Before Winter (Carol Stream, III: Tyndale House, 1985)
-----------------------------------------------------
"A man prayed, and at first he thought that prayer was talking.
But he became more and more quiet until in the end he realized that prayer is listening."

-- Soren Kierkegaard

-----------------------------------------------------
"If our prayers are to mean anything to God, they must mean everything to us."

-- Frederick D. Haynes III, from "Prayerfully Handling Situations beyond Your Control," in No Other Help I Know: Sermons on Prayer and Spirituality, ed. J. Alfred Smith, 1996.

The Lord Waits on Us

2007-02-18T15:45:00.000-08:00

The Bible tells us to wait on the Lord.

For example, in Psalm 27:14, David says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

And in Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah writes, “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

But very often, it’s the other way around—the Lord waits on us.

In Exodus 12:42, it says that the Lord “kept vigil that night to bring them [the Israelites] out of Egypt.”

In Joshua 3:17, the Levite priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood in the middle of the Jordan River and waited while the entire nation of Israel, about 40,000 armed for battle, crossed over before the Lord on dry ground.

Think about 40,000 people. That is literally acres of people. To make a modern-day comparison, Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon that seats 46,000. Imagine the time it takes to empty a stadium of that size. Now factor in that the people aren't wearing their running shoes and carrying little felt pennants; instead, they're wearing armor and carrying big, heavy shields and spears. There is no question in my mind that the Lord, and the priests, waited patiently a very long time.

Isn’t it astounding that the creator of the universe loves us so much that He will, and, He most often does, wait for us to cross safely to the other side regardless how long it takes?

The Greatest Hero of All

2007-02-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

Ever since I can remember I wanted to be a hero. As a boy I would play Tarzan in the mulberry tree in our yard or I would tie a towel on myself and become the caped crusader. I’m sure you know what I mean.

Hero’s captivate our imaginations and find their way into our hearts. Everything from rescuing a kitten from a tree to the incredible men and women who risked their lives in the 9/11 tragedy.

Every legend, every movie, every sporting event and epic battle has a hero. It’s the person who stands out the one who is spoken of with reverence. That’s who I always wanted to be.

“I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15

At 41 years old I stood guilty in a courtroom as an honorable judge looked upon me as if I was the most despised criminal he had every seen. At least that is how it felt. He looked right at me and sentenced me to 2 ½ years in a state prison. That night I went down and he went home – justice served – who’s the hero?

I had become a drug addict, a thief; I abandoned my family, my business. I had become the most selfish person I had ever known. I have done things that to this day haut my imagination. The power of addiction, one of Satan’s greatest lies, enticed me to do, to be, the very thing I hate.

The pain of facing the guilt and the shame caused bitter depression within me. I had the sour taste of defeat in my mouth and as hard as I tried I just couldn’t spit it out. I was stripped of everything; even the last ounce of pride I cherished was gone. Amidst the tears and despair I could hear a voice inside of me, I just couldn’t understand it.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

My dysfunctional way of thinking and my addiction to chaos created great void within myself. As I moved through my own life, I learned to live with a distorted view of who I was.

Even though in the middle of all my confusion I could faintly hear that voice glowing louder. Then, as I found myself in prison the voice was as plain as day.

“I have so much more planned for you than you have planned for yourself.”

Now, if I can believe that God loves me enough to send His son to die for the sins that I committed so that I may be freely pardoned to the Kingdom of Heaven then how could I possibly believe that God would spend His time creating me so that I would grow to 41 years old and become totally and utterly defeated.

This is something that deserves some thought. God has called us His masterpiece – the King James Version says we are His workmanship. I have recognized that the way we view ourselves is a long way from the way God views us.

I built roads and bridges in the outside world. I’m a crane operator, heavy equipment operator; I’m experienced in concrete and even owned my own contracting company. When we would get a job I would review the blueprints, survey in elevations, cut and fill in dirt to make the roadway smooth and straight, a little concrete here and a little concrete there. Soon the whole environment resembled the vision of the designer. This roadway has a specific purpose.

God works the same way. He takes the time to design us with purpose, then He sends us out with a plan and we screw it up. It’s like sneaking into a museum and drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa with a magic marker. That’s who I had become, 41 years old walking around with a magic marker.

“Forget former times, do not dwell on the past, see, I am doing a new thing!” Isaiah 43: 18-19

Things got a whole lot easier for me when I truly realized that God was for me an not against me. He is a God of many chances and we should give many thanks for that.

But honestly, I have looked in the mirror and wondered “What can God really do with me?” I have wasted so much and quite frankly coming to prison has felt more like the end than a new beginning.

Here is what I know – this I understand, I know what it is like to have an uncontrollable addiction. I know what it feels like to abandon people who love and depend on me and I know what it’s like to be abandoned. I know the severe pain that comes with guilt and shame. I know what it’s like to lie, cheat, steal, rob, hurt someone just to finance an addiction. I know what it’s like to lose all my respect of myself and the respect of others, to lose everything and to sleep behind dumpsters or on the steps of a broken down building.

I know what it’s like to raise my hands up to Heaven and beg God to let me die. How could God possibly use this …?

“Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

As I was laying in my bed last night I realized for the first time in my life what a true hero really is. You see I always wanted to be a hero so that I would be recognized, maybe a parade, or a medal or the front page of a magazine. I waned to be a hero for me.

A hero is someone who becomes self-less in adversity not selfish for notoriety. A hero puts others before himself and uses what he has to help them, like a fireman uses a ladder – it’s what he knows.

If I could use what I know to help even one to see he Saving Grace of Jesus Christ then I would become the hero that god created me to be. My desire to be a hero has been his plan all along. In fact, He calls us all to be heroes.

The circumstances of our past can be used like a coat that we can through over a puddle so other won’t get their feet muddy. We lay our lives down maybe not literally but figuratively, just as Jesus did – The Greatest Hero of All.

Anonymous

Hero Rescues Trucker Dangling Over a Gorge

2007-01-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

By Mike
Gallagher

I met truck driver Ron Hall, the man behind the wheel of the rig in these pictures, during a 50-car pileup on I-90 in Erie. PA.

Ron opened his door when his truck came to a stop during the pileup. Ron looked down, and realized that he was dangling 200 feet above the Winter Green Gorge. He thought he was going to die.

When he looked back across the bridge, a man in a Carhart sweatshirt was walking the 8-inch-wide guide wall in an attempt to save the trucker before his rig fell. The man climbed on the wrecked rig, broke out the windshield, pulled Ron out of the cab, and then walked him back along the ledge to safety.

When Ron Hall approached me, I asked if he was one of the drivers in this wreck.

He said, “No. I am the Power Ball winner who was behind the wheel of the truck dangling over the gorge. Last night, one person won $250 million in a lottery. Today I tell you I am luckier than that person because some man put his own life in serious jeopardy just to save my life. When we made it to safety, I was in tears. I turned to thank him, but he had walked away into a snow whiteout, and I never even got to get his name."

In the eyes and heart of Ron Hall, he had met a hero or an angel. Whatever the case, in a world where there is so much bad, there is also some good when one man is willing to put the life of someone he did not even know above his own!

I have had the good fortune to produce photos and videos for stars like Pat Monahan, NFL Hall of Famer, Dan Marino, All-Pro Quarterback, Marc Bulger and so many others. But when the time comes to sit down and write a book, you can bet that the unknown hero and the grateful trucker are sure to be featured in a prominent fashion.

I hope you all can see a few of my photos and understand why this act of bravery has me in tears more than 24 hours since Ron hall walked up to me on that bridge.

I wish you all a great day and no matter what life throws at you take time to value what little time we truly get to be alive!

Thank you, Ron Hall for sharing your story with me. And to the hero that saved Ron, we may never know your name, but I would guess that when your day finally comes there will be a place on the other side of the pearly gates that already has been reserved for you.

M.Y.A.T.G.
Mike Gallagher

Postscript: "MYATG" is my new motto that stands for, Meet You at The Gate!

--------------------------
Editor's Note: Thank you Mike for sharing the inspiring story and pictures! Visitors who would like to comment on this amazing story can click the Comments button below to post comments.

This Is the Day the Lord Has Made

2007-01-27T01:05:00.000-08:00

Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter and give thanks to
the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord

through which the righteous may enter.

I will give you thanks, for you

answered me;

you have become my salvation.

The stone the builders rejected

has become the capstone;

the Lord has done this,

and it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalms: 118: 17-24 (NIV)

More than Just a Flat Tire

2007-01-23T19:23:00.000-08:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

Soon after I finished reading the Old Testament, I began thinking about the many times that God commanded the Israelites to keep the Sabbath holy. A typical Sunday for me was church, and some work or catching up around the house. But as I thought about what I read in the Bible, I finally decided that I should make Sunday a day of rest and celebration of the Lord.

Of course, immediately after making the commitment, my workload increased. One Sunday afternoon, I felt the need to go out to do some photography. I had two projects that required new sports images. But then, I thought about my commitment to not work on Sunday, and I nixed the idea of going out to shoot. But, still, there was a seriously strong urge to go out anyway.

Finally, I gave in and drove to a local park where I could capture different types of action images. I shot pictures for about an hour, but the pictures were lousy. The day was hot, I was frustrated, and, what’s worse, I had broken my commitment to not work on Sunday.

As I walked back to the truck, I saw that a tire on my truck was almost flat. I remembered the clicking sound that I’d heard for the past several weeks while I was driving. I thought that a rock was embedded in the tire tread and assumed that it would eventually throw itself out. Clearly, I was wrong.

I drove slowly to the nearest gas station and pulled up to the air compressor. I got out of the truck and could see a huge, metal bolt embedded in the tire. In fact, the tire had stopped so that the bolt was precisely at the top of the tire—there was no way that I could miss seeing it. I put air in the tire, and then drove home slowly. On the drive home, the constant clicking sounded twice as loud as before.

About halfway home, it hit me—the restless feeling I to go out shooting was the Lord’s way of getting my attention. I realized that I had been driving on the bad tire for weeks at highway speeds without the tire losing air pressure. The Lord sent me out that Sunday so that I’d finally see that the tire was about to fail. The next day, I bought a new tire.

I think about how much work the Lord went through to get my attention, and I’m thankful that He didn’t give up on me. I still do not work on Sundays, but I also pay careful attention to restless urges—just in case the Lord is trying to get my attention.

Thoughts for the Day

2007-01-22T21:53:00.000-08:00

Here are a few thoughts for the day.

God cannot speak to us if we are talking all of the time.
God cannot guide us if we think that we already know the way...Christians ask for directions.
Any promise that we make to someone else is a promise we make to God.
It is not about me.
It is all about Him.
We don't have to know everything. He already knows everything, and He's happy to share with us.
Jesus showed us that love and forgiveness are possible even in the most tragic of circumstances.
Don't worry. Hand it over to the Lord instead.
He will never leave us or forsake us. Really.

Six-Year Old Leads His Little Sister to Christ

2007-01-22T14:16:00.000-08:00

From Vickie in Texas

I've always said I believed that Cody, my six-year-old son, is going to be used in a very special way. He has such a big heart for the Lord and for others. In school, he's learning so much about children around the world who have a very difficult way of life, who don't have things like we do, and who are not shown love. He asked me if we could go to some of these countries and bring back kids that don't have a home, a Mom, and a Dad.

And the other day he did something that blew me away.

What about Heaven?

I had just left the house to take the kids to school. Grace, my daughter, started talking about heaven. If it had just been me and her in the car, I would have probably just answered the questions that she asked me. But Cody was in the car, and he started talking to her about heaven trying to make her understand. Then he told her about hell, too.

He said if we don't have Jesus in our hearts, when we die we will go to hell. And once we get there we can't leave. He told her that that is where Satan and all the bad people go to live forever.

I just watched them from my rearview mirror—remaining silent—letting Cody do all the talking and watching how Grace was listening to her brother. He was very serious about what he was talking about.

Can Scobby-Do Go?

Grace asked if Scobby-Doo could go to heaven. Cody said, “No, because he's not real.”

Then Grace said, “I don't want to go to hell—I want to go to heaven.”

Cody asked, “Do you?”

“Yes,” Grace said.

He told her to put her hands together. Cody said, "If you want to go to heaven, then you need to say what I tell you to say."

Then he led Grace in a prayer that was so sincere and honest and completely from his heart.

Cody prayed, “Jesus, please come into my heart. I love you and I want to live in heaven with you forever.” Grace repeated the prayer word for word. And with those few words my six-year-old son led his four-year-old sister to the Lord.

I don't know if she completely understood everything that she was saying. But I know that she meant what she said. I had prayed with Cody two months before he turned five. To this day, he can tell me word for word what we said.

I wish I could take credit for the amazing things that he does. But it's not me at all. I pray hard for my kids. And we have been blessed so far with being able to send Cody to a Christian school. He loves church and learning. They both are like little sponges right now.

It's amazing how I learn things from Cody. He understand more now than I did at 12!

I wanted to share this story and hope that it blesses all of you.

Editor's Note: Thanks so much to Vickie for sharing this inspiring story! We encourage you to share your stories with us. Just e-mail charlotte_lowrie@hotmail.com.

Please be sure to comment on Vickie's story by clicking the Comments button below.

The Greatest Writer of All Times

2007-01-21T23:59:00.000-08:00

As a writer, I truly appreciate fine, lyrical, masterful writing. In years and years of reading and writing, I've never read more beautiful writing than the words of God found in Job 38-42. If you want to be lifted up to the heights, read these books of Job and know that God is the Master Writer of all times.

In Job, God challenges our assumptions with Divine insight, with startling imagery that is often beyond our imagination, and yet, with imagery that tantilizes our imagination.

We glimpse God as the All-Knowing Creator of the universe, and all in His own words. How marvelous is that?

I'll share a few verses from Job. In these passages, God is speaking to Job out of a storm. Job has just lost all of his worldly wealth, all of his sons and daughters, and now Job is covered with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Job's friends offer counsel, but God has the last word. Here are some of the words God spoke to Job.

"Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?

Can you Loose the cords of Orion?

Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the Bear with its cubs?

Do you know the laws of the heavens?

Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?

Can you raise your voice to the clouds

and cover yourself with a flood of water?

Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?

Do they report to you, 'Here we are?'

Who endowed the heart with wisdom

or gave understanding to the mind?

Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?

Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens

when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together?"

. . . Job 38:31-38 (NIV)

God's Wonderful Work in the Most Unlikely Places

2007-01-21T23:21:00.000-08:00

He walked into the pub and laid his Bible on the bar...

By Bryan Lowrie,
Dallas, TX

It is strange how God works, and it is wonderful at the same time. I’ll share an example. I got off work a couple of Friday’s ago and went to a local watering hole here in town. I met Leigh, my girlfriend, there. We had been there for about 20 minutes when I got a business call. I didn’t have the information that I needed and had to go out to my truck. As I was leaving, a guy sat down beside Leigh. I noticed him as I was walking out but didn’t think anything about it.

I was in the parking lot for about 15 minutes, and then I went back in. The guy was no longer sitting beside Leigh. We talked for awhile and Leigh mentioned that the guy’s wife had just filed for divorce and he was very upset and emotional. I thought, 'Well, that stinks. I’ve been through that, and I know how hard it is.'

A little while later he came back around and joined us. Leigh introduced us. After talking for a little while I told him that I was sorry about what he was going through. I could see the pain in his eyes. I shared with him that I had been through the same thing before and understood how painful it is. They have a 5 year old son.

He asked how I got through my divorce, and I said, “Faith---Faith in God that it would all work out. Sometimes we don’t know how but he has a plan as along as we believe in Him.” We continued to talk for awhile. He mentioned that he had started going to our church a couple of Sunday’s ago. I told him about our church and pastor. I stressed the importance of surrounding yourself with Christians. I offered to meet him for coffee any morning he wanted to just talk and read the Bible. He said he would like that.

The following Monday he called and wanted to know if we could get together that evening. Well, the Cowboy’s are playing the Eagles on Monday Night Football. I looked up at the sky and aksed, “God, why tonight? Don’t you know your team is playing?” But, this wasn’t on my timetable, it is on His. So I called the man back, and told him that I would be happy to meet him. I did mention the Cowboys game, and, thankfully, he too was a Cowboy’s fan and had no intention of meeting during the game. He was hoping for 6:00, before the game started. That was a small prayer answered!

At 6 p.m., I walked into the local watering hole with my Bible in hand not really knowing what to expect and really not having expected to meet in this particular environment on this particular subject. But, I had faith, and I walked on in anyway.

We talked for awhile, and then he turned and looked me in the eyes and said, “Thank you.”

I said, “You’re welcome, but for what?”

He said, “For Friday night.”

“Okay, anytime,” I replied.

“No, you don’t understand,” he said. “I was saved Friday night.”

I asked him what he meant exactly. He told me that he had a powerful feeling come over him after our conversation and there was a huge burden lifted off of his shoulders. He didn’t understand it, but it was definitely there. He called his family and friends and told everyone he knew. I told him that was called being “radically” saved. I told him that was fantastic! I was very happy for him. I shared with him the importance of surrounding himself with the right people to stay on the right path but he was in for a wonderful journey.

He told me that he knew now that most of the problems in his life were because of him, and he finally knew why. He had been molested by their family doctor 17 years earlier. He had lived with that without ever telling anyone. After Friday, he confided in his brother only to find out that his brother had been molested as well. Both of them had harbored that horrible secret without knowing that the other had the same. They were finally able to release that emotion with each other after so many years.

The story gets better

A woman had been sitting behind us listening to our conversation. She asked if she could join us. We were at the bar and through the course of our conversation I had referred to Scripture a number of times. She apologized for having eaves dropped on our conversation, but she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Not only that but she saw that “Book” sitting on the bar and was shocked that there were two Christians at the bar talking about what we were talking about and reading a Bible. She said she had been molested as well and had never told anyone before.

She sat down on the other side of him and they commenced to having an in-depth conversation about that for about half an hour. When it was all said and done, he looked at me and said, “Man. This is really real!” I said “Yes, it sure is.”

He said, “You know, I came here looking for help and ended up helping someone else.” I said, “Yep, God works in ways you would never dream and tonight is proof!” We stayed until half time, and then parted ways. He was in church the following Sunday. He is trying to work it out with his wife and now has a new found hope.

I didn’t really do much. God put him in front of me, I opened the door, and he walked through the door.

Isn't God wonderful?

He Is with Us, Whether or Not We Pay Attention

2007-01-21T00:26:00.000-08:00

Recently, I went out to photograph a snowy landscape. As I futzed with the camera controls, the Lord silently positioned the clouds across the sun to create a brilliant, horizontal ray of sunlight that reached precisely to the tip of the snow-covered tree that I was photographing. I didn't notice the light ray until I processed the image on my computer. And there it was, the finger of God as a ray of light reaching across the sky to light the tree top. As with other times, I failed to see His touch until later. When I saw the ray of light and the perfect shaping of the clouds around the tree, I knew that He had been there with me--as always, faithful to reveal His majesty.

The Lord is always there, whether or not we pay attention.

For example, look at the slender fir branch holding a chunk of snow two or three times its own weight. If you look closely, you see that God creates the perfect tension, the perfect balance of weight, temperature, and position to defy the laws of gravity.

And if the Lord can do this with trees and snow, how much more can He create a perfect balance in our lives?

Resources for Christians

2007-01-20T23:58:00.000-08:00

Here are some helpful and inspirational resources:

Peace with God: http://www.occ.org/resources/christianfaith/peacewithgod.asp

Bible Resources: http://bibledev.azaz.com/bibleresources/passagesearchresults2.php?passage1=Genesis+17&book_id=1&version1=31&tp=50&c=17

Bible Places Blog: http://blog.bibleplaces.com/

Christ@Work: http://www.fcci.org/

Purpose Driven Life: http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/

Living Proof Ministries: http://www.lproof.org/

Overlake Christian Church, Redmond, WA: http://www.occ.org/index.asp

Christian Faith Center: http://www.caseytreat.com/

Sojourners: http://sojo.net/

Campus Crusade for Christ: http://www.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/

The Xtreme Team: http://going.imb.org/go2years/information/xtremeteam.asp

Christianity Today: http://www.christianitytoday.com/

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: http://www.billygraham.org/

Investigating Faith (Lee Strobel): http://www.leestrobel.com/

Promise Keepers: http://promisekeepers.com/

Travis Cottrell: http://www.traviscottrell.com/main.html

Firefighters for Christ: http://www.firefighters.org/

World Vision: http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/master.nsf/home/

Lifeway Christian Stores: http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/

Learning to Ask Him for Help in Times of Trouble

2007-01-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

By Charlotte Lowrie

In mid December 2006, the Seattle area was hit with a powerful wind storm with some wind gusts up to 90 and 100 mph. Power lines fell onto the pavement like spaghetti on a platter. Huge fir trees were ripped from the ground and crushed homes and cars. More than 1 million homes, including mine, were left without electricity. At first, I coped well enough with the power outage. Using a large gasoline-powered generator, I could run essentials including the refrigerator, the computer, space heaters, and a small portable television. Unfortunately, the heating system wasn't powered. But my having the generator was far more than most people had, and I was thankful. On the first day after the storm, I filled the generator with gasoline...and I continued to fill it three or four times a day from the next six days. I was comfortable enough though the temperatures dropped into the low 30s, and the house was chilly to say the least. Somehow, however, every day had the feel of camping out, and every day it became harder to find a gas station that had both electricity and gasoline to sell. I carried 5-gallon cans of gasoline back and forth daily. The car, the house, and my clothes smelled either like gasoline or generator fumes or both.

The Stress Increases...
By the end of the sixth day without electricity, I was feeling the stress-- stress from keeping the household systems running, watching the water rise in the backyard from the rain, and trying to work despite the ongoing fallout from the wind storm. I also realized that the biggest stress was from my own selfishness and self-centeredness. I wanted electricity back, and I was trying to act like everything was okay.

Within six days, I'd become an irritable and angry person. I stopped morning prayer. Instead, I pulled on clothes, so I could go out to a cold garage, pour oil and gas in the generator, and then come back in the house and march around the kitchen to warm up. Then I was off to a warm shower so that I'd be presentable for whatever the next crisis might be. But Dec. 20 was a tipping point. The septic system wouldn't pump, and the glowing red light told me that the system was full. I plugged it into an extension cord from the generator, but the light continued to glow red. I was at a loss. It was the last mini-crisis, and I couldn't solve the problem.

About 10 p.m. on the sixth night, I turned off the cell phone, the little TV, and I opened my Bible at random. The passage that I opened to was Psalm 20 that begins, "May the Lord answer you when you are in distress. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion... May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed..."

He told me to ask...
Certainly that was an appropriate message for me. I bowed my head to pray. I seldom ask for the favor of the Lord especially when I know that other people are in much worse circumstances than I'm in. Praying for myself seems too selfish. But with the drone of the generator in the background, I listened with bowed head. The Lord very clearly told me, "You have to ask." I hesitated for a long time because that’s a very hard thing or me to do. But He told me that He delights in giving good things to His children. He told me that His resources are unlimited, and that my asking does not deprive others. He told me that when I receive His favor, I then have an opportunity to give His love to others who are in need.

So I asked. First, I asked Him to fix the septic system pump, and then I asked Him to turn on the electricity. Then I asked for forgiveness for my selfish behavior. I turned over all of my anger and resentments to Him. I also turned over my sense of "sole responsibility" for the house and the septic system to Him. And I told Him that I need His help to keep the house going. When I said Amen, I felt instant and complete relief.

And then He answered...
I started the nightly shut-down routine. I lit candles in the house. I put the blankets by the fireplace to warm. I grabbed the flashlight and went to the garage where I turned the generator power panel switches to Off. The garage was pitch black except for the light from the flashlight. I turned the generator off and closed the door. Then I went back to the power panel and turned all the switches to "Line" – just in case the power might come on during the night.

Using the flashlight to light my way, I went to the door leading into the house. I turned the doorknob, and, at that precise instant, the lights in the garage come on. I was stunned and confused. Surely, I thought, I must have made a mistake shutting the generator down. It took seconds for me to realize that, yes, indeed, it was real electricity powering the lights in the garage. I went through the house turning on lights. They all worked!

I stopped at the kitchen counter and prayed a prayer of praise and thanksgiving! This was His answer to prayer, and it came complete with His perfect timing! I opened all the furnace vents--throwing the cost of electricity to the wind. I turned up the heat to a full and glorious 65 degrees! I turned on the electric blanket to high. For the first night in the past five nights, I would sleep in bed instead of on the sofa by the fireplace.

His faithfulness is amazing and wonderful.

The next day, I went out to buy warm food for the power crews who were working in cold rain to restore electricity for those who were still in the dark.

I've learned that it is okay to ask. And, of course, He is faithful to answer our prayers.

Every Day With Christ

Creativity and the Daily Walk, Part II

Letting Go

Which Do You Love Most: Glory from Man or God?

Are You a Missing Note?

Preparing for the End Times

Called to Love

Support Israel

God in Every Moment

Blessings During Easter Season

Thoughts for Holy Week, 2011

Prayer Is a Conversation

Looking to the Bible for New Year's Resolutions

What Is Christmas About?

Live Expectantly

Giving the Gift of Praise

Alway Enough Time

More Insights from Prayer

Counting Our Easter Blessings

Recent Insights on Following Christ

When Independence Is Weakness

The Gift of Giving

Nightline Slates Ten Commandment Series

Creativity and the Daily Walk

Continuing Insights on Following the Lord

Wonderful New Worship Song

Insights

Living to Show Christ In Our Lives

Running to Win the Prize

Prayer Challenge

Learning His Word "By Heart"

Ask and You Will Receive. Really.

Learning to Let It Go

Inspiring Teachings

Use It Or Lose It

The Tiniest Fragment of Obedience

Insights on Prayer

New Book Recommendations

Responding from His Spirit Within Us

Prayer Insights

There Is No Recession in the Kingdom

Favorite Books and Web Sites

Every Day Thoughts

Reflecting on Truths from 2007

Merry Christmas!

The Perfect Christmas Gift

What Makes an Eternal Difference?

Conversations with the Lord

Take a Look Across the Room

Two Very Different Approaches to Serving

What Could We Do If We Didn’t Think We Can’t?

Live the Victory on the Other Side of the Cross

Worrying Over Our Lives

What's Your Story?

A Prayer for Those at Virginia Tech

Putting the Lord's Lessons into Action

Refined During Times of Testing

A Cure for Couch-Potato Christianity

We Serve a Risen Lord

Good Friday

The Last Supper

The Stones Will Cry Out!

Words of Encouragement

We Are the Dot on God's Timeline of History

Rock Our World

Celebrating His Presence

Lessons from the Blind Man

Plugged in to His Promises

Thoughts for the Journey

The Lord Waits on Us

Recommended Reading

The Greatest Hero of All

Hero Rescues Trucker Dangling Over a Gorge

This Is the Day the Lord Has Made

More than Just a Flat Tire

Thoughts for the Day

Six-Year Old Leads His Little Sister to Christ

The Greatest Writer of All Times

God's Wonderful Work in the Most Unlikely Places

He Is with Us, Whether or Not We Pay Attention