I have talked before of my  lack of domestic skills. One of those would be the growing and keeping alive of plants. Whenever there is a death in the family people send plants. It’s a lovely gesture, but hasn’t there been enough death already? Why add more, even if it is just a plant? I cannot keep them alive. I inherited my grandmother’s black thumb of death. To the utter shock of a store worker whom she was trying to explain this to, she walked past an artificial flower arrangement and the leaves fell off. That would be me.

There is one part of gardening, however, that I do like, and that is weeding. I don’t know why other than the fact that it involves purging and cleaning up, two skills I do have in spades. Running along our driveway is a patch of ground that really belongs to the neighbor, but since it’s behind his garage he ignores it which means I get to deal with it. I got lazy and didn’t mess with it for months. It became overrun with weeds. My husband wanted to spend $26 on weed killer to which I emphatically disagreed. We both have these amazing tools at the ends of our arms called hands. We could use those! Do you know what I can do with $26? Weed killer was not what I had in mind.

Had I listened to his gentle suggestion of purchasing the weed killer I wouldn’t have spent three hours in the hot sun like Scarlett O’Hara working the land! Some of them were so deep and prickly that they required the use of a shovel to get to the root. It occurred to me as I was pulling and yanking and sweating that this idea of weeding and treating weeds before they get bad is parallel to the ongoing battle between evil and righteousness.Not only does evil need no encouragement to grow, if not taken care of at the outset, it takes over and the results are devastating.

To take it a step further let’s have a little science lesson. Yesterday I had my van in to have a mechanical problem looked at before I spent $1000 having it repainted. The history of this van and it’s less-than-stellar paint job is long and painful. Suffice it to say, the recall is up, and if I want it painted, the cost falls on me. Normally this is not something I would invest in, but I’m trying to be a good little consumer and take care of what I have rather than buying new. So I asked the mechanic about rust and why must it take up residence on my van. He gave me all sorts of scientific explanations about metal and their natural state. Yada yada. I could feel my eyes glazing over the way they do in a math class. However, I did get this out of what he said which I found fascinating. Did you know (you probably did) that rust is metal’s natural state, and that most things will revert back to their natural state? Hmmm.

What is man’s natural state?

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, KJV).

Well, I think that’s pretty clear, don’t you?  Our natural state is wickedness, desperately wicked. As believers we are constantly fighting the sin nature. Though we are new creatures, this side of heaven the evil that is naturally a part of human nature will crop back up if we are not proactive in our faith. Were it not for the aggressive action of the Holy Spirit working in tandem with our own active compliance we would automatically default back to our natural state which is evil. Righteousness simply is not our normal state. I’m not suggesting a loss of salvation. I’m merely suggesting that there is a state that we find ourselves in when we haven’t been on guard against the enemy. What ends up happening is similar to the weeds in my patch of grass or the rust on my van. The natural state of who we are takes over, and the work it takes to get back to where we were and beyond becomes daunting. But Paul’s charge to Timothy is God’s charge to us:

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (I Timothy 6:11, 12, NIV).

Lest we think it’s up to us to accomplish this, be encouraged!

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, NIV).

Why is freedom such a tough sell? In his farewell address to Congress on November 14, 2012, Ron Paul had these words to say in his speech entitled, Farewell to Freedom.

“I have thought a lot about why those of us who believe in liberty, as a solution, have done so poorly in convincing others of its benefits.  If liberty is what we claim it is- the principle that protects all personal, social and economic decisions necessary for maximum prosperity and the best chance for peace- it should be an easy sell.  Yet, history has shown that the masses have been quite receptive to the promises of authoritarians which are rarely if ever fulfilled.”

Read more: http://nation.foxnews.com/ron-paul/2012/11/15/last-speech-ron-pauls-farewell-freedom#ixzz2XoBqjBql

Though he was talking about the results of America’s decisions affecting it socially, economically and personally for each citizen, the principles can be applied to our spiritual lives. Why is freedom such a tough sell? Why is that Christians can’t seem to convince the rest of the world that faith in Jesus is the way to go? Those of the Muslim faith have no problem convincing multitudes of people that their way of thinking is the way of living despite the obvious proofs that peace is anything but the ultimate objective.

HIstory is laden with examples of the human race choosing captivity over freedom. The trial of Jesus is one of the most profound examples of this. As was customary during Passover a prisoner would be granted release. During Jesus’ trial Pilate had offered the crowd the option of releasing Jesus, the innocent, giver of life, or a notorious scoundrel, Barabbas, a known terrorist and the taker of life. I find the entire exchange fascinating as it brings to light the different players involved in the release of Barabbas over Jesus.

Motivated by one of the deadliest diseases in human nature, envy, the religious leaders couldn’t stand Jesus’ popularity. Just like Jesus refuses to share space in our hearts with anything or anyone, so Satan isn’t doing it either. Not without a fight. The chief priests were losing their hold on the people. This quiet meek individual was walking around the streets of Jerusalem preaching faith and salvation apart from the Law.

Though Barabbas represented a physical threat, Jesus represented a much bigger one: the minds and souls of the people. He came to bring freedom from the Law with its rules and regulations, and the chief priests simply couldn’t have this. Tradition was at stake. Barabbas could be controlled. He could only hurt one person at a time. Jesus on the other hand could affect many at once with His words, His ideas, His love.

To say Pilate was a wimp would be an understatement. During Jesus’ trial he sent Jesus to Herod hoping he would deal with it, implored the people on three different occasions to reconsider their insistence on His death, got a note from his wife demanding he walk away from the case, and finally washed his hands publicly of the whole thing. He chose Barabbas to keep the peace, appease Caesar and avoid a bigger uproar than what was already brewing. Pilate had the power to release Jesus but not the courage. What choices do we make out of fear rather than courage?

Finally, the crowd, a representation of every emotion run amuk. Some in the crowd were afraid to call for anything but Jesus’ death as a result of the Pharisees worming their way through the crowd persuading them to do so. Sometimes the right mixture of threat and manipulation from an authoritative figure  is all it takes to clamp shut the mouth of truth. I’m sure there were others in the crowd who were passive onlookers not realizing their passivity spoke just as loudly as the chanting around them.

Lest we walk around self-righteously as we read the story, I would like to suggest that every time we sin we have chosen Barabbas over Jesus. Think about it. He was a known killer. That’s what he did. He took life. Sin is the same. We are always choosing righteousness or evil, freedom or captivity.

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin'” (John 8:34, NIV).

Every choice we make represents a choice for the life-giving freedom that God longs to give us or the stifling chokehold of sin.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, NIV).

As I’ve said before we can’t possibly hope to change anything around us if we aren’t first addressing the private sin of choosing Barabbas in our own lives. At one time or another we have represented one or all of the players of that day. Some days we align ourselves with the religious leaders and their refusal to die to self. At other times, we move with the masses knowing what’s right but not having the courage to do it. And finally we’re the crowd either insistent on our own way or quietly trying to live around the frustration of the culture, fussing about it and doing nothing, therein making our choice.

I have found in my own life that it takes courage to choose correctly. To choose to die to myself takes courage to believe that Jesus has my best interest in mind and has much better things for me than I have for myself. To stand for what is right despite the manipulation of authority or peers also takes courage. The higher the cost, the more courage it requires. It also takes courage to not be passive with sin, to not just accept that “it is what it is” and try to carve out the most comfortable existence within the circumstances.

What is your Barabbas? What motivates the choice? Do you have the courage to choose freedom?

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV).

Why is freedom such a tough sell? In his farewell address to Congress on November 14, 2012, Ron Paul had these words to say in his speech entitled, Farewell to Freedom.

“I have thought a lot about why those of us who believe in liberty, as a solution, have done so poorly in convincing others of its benefits.  If liberty is what we claim it is- the principle that protects all personal, social and economic decisions necessary for maximum prosperity and the best chance for peace- it should be an easy sell.  Yet, history has shown that the masses have been quite receptive to the promises of authoritarians which are rarely if ever fulfilled.”

Read more: http://nation.foxnews.com/ron-paul/2012/11/15/last-speech-ron-pauls-farewell-freedom#ixzz2XoBqjBql

Though he was talking about the results of America’s decisions affecting it socially, economically and personally for each citizen, the principles can be applied to our spiritual lives. Why is freedom such a tough sell? Why is that Christians can’t seem to convince the rest of the world that faith in Jesus is the way to go? Those of the Muslim faith have no problem convincing multitudes of people that their way of thinking is the way of living despite the obvious proofs that peace is anything but the ultimate objective.

HIstory is laden with examples of the human race choosing captivity over freedom. The trial of Jesus is one of the most profound examples of this. As was customary during Passover a prisoner would be granted release. During Jesus’ trial Pilate had offered the crowd the option of releasing Jesus, the innocent, giver of life, or a notorious scoundrel, Barabbas, a known terrorist and the taker of life. I find the entire exchange fascinating as it brings to light the different players involved in the release of Barabbas over Jesus.

Motivated by one of the deadliest diseases in human nature, envy, the religious leaders couldn’t stand Jesus’ popularity. Just like Jesus refuses to share space in our hearts with anything or anyone, so Satan isn’t doing it either. Not without a fight. The chief priests were losing their hold on the people. This quiet meek individual was walking around the streets of Jerusalem preaching faith and salvation apart from the Law.

Though Barabbas represented a physical threat, Jesus represented a much bigger one: the minds and souls of the people. He came to bring freedom from the Law with its rules and regulations, and the chief priests simply couldn’t have this. Tradition was at stake. Barabbas could be controlled. He could only hurt one person at a time. Jesus on the other hand could affect many at once with His words, His ideas, His love.

To say Pilate was a wimp would be an understatement. During Jesus’ trial he sent Jesus to Herod hoping he would deal with it, implored the people on three different occasions to reconsider their insistence on His death, got a note from his wife demanding he walk away from the case, and finally washed his hands publicly of the whole thing. He chose Barabbas to keep the peace, appease Caesar and avoid a bigger uproar than what was already brewing. Pilate had the power to release Jesus but not the courage. What choices do we make out of fear rather than courage?

Finally, the crowd, a representation of every emotion run amuk. Some in the crowd were afraid to call for anything but Jesus’ death as a result of the Pharisees worming their way through the crowd persuading them to do so. Sometimes the right mixture of threat and manipulation from an authoritative figure  is all it takes to clamp shut the mouth of truth. I’m sure there were others in the crowd who were passive onlookers not realizing their passivity spoke just as loudly as the chanting around them.

Lest we walk around self-righteously as we read the story, I would like to suggest that every time we sin we have chosen Barabbas over Jesus. Think about it. He was a known killer. That’s what he did. He took life. Sin is the same. We are always choosing righteousness or evil, freedom or captivity.

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin'” (John 8:34, NIV).

Every choice we make represents a choice for the life-giving freedom that God longs to give us or the stifling chokehold of sin.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, NIV).

As I’ve said before we can’t possibly hope to change anything around us if we aren’t first addressing the private sin of choosing Barabbas in our own lives. At one time or another we have represented one or all of the players of that day. Some days we align ourselves with the religious leaders and their refusal to die to self. At other times, we move with the masses knowing what’s right but not having the courage to do it. And finally we’re the crowd either insistent on our own way or quietly trying to live around the frustration of the culture, fussing about it and doing nothing, therein making our choice.

I have found in my own life that it takes courage to choose correctly. To choose to die to myself takes courage to believe that Jesus has my best interest in mind and has much better things for me than I have for myself. To stand for what is right despite the manipulation of authority or peers also takes courage. The higher the cost, the more courage it requires. It also takes courage to not be passive with sin, to not just accept that “it is what it is” and try to carve out the most comfortable existence within the circumstances.

What is your Barabbas? What motivates the choice?

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV).

Everyone needs a good makeover once in awhile, and a blog is no exception. When I first started this blog I just wanted to get it up and running and see what it was like maintaining it. Thanks to my sweet friend, Andrew, a genius high schooler who got it going for me, I was able to do just that. However, it didn’t take long before an idea for the overall look started forming in my head.

Being the computer simpleton that I am, there was no way I could begin to make my vision a reality. So I did what any reasonable person would do and found myself another genius young person, Leslie Noll, a recent grad in web design. You can check out her website here. She took my ideas of over-the-top bling and turned them into what I think is a great representation of what I once considered priority. Hopefully as you read, however, you will see where God has brought me and continues to take me.

I am most excited about the little pink and black globe titled “God of the Nations.” As a journalism major I envisioned myself embedded with our troops overseas reporting to the American people everything that went on because they “needed to know.” I would be an ambassador of sorts reporting the truth despite the risk to my own personal safety. Though the idea seemed farfetched and the stuff of movies, God has brought to my attention that, in fact, as a believer, that is exactly what I am, His ambassador, speaking the truth of who He is no matter the cost. I do that from my post here in Central Illinois, but there are hundreds of ambassadors all over the world that have stories of what God is doing in their corner of the world. Some of these people are ex-pats, some missionaries, some native believers but all with a story to tell.

“God of the Nations” will hopefully answer questions like, what is God doing in ?, what is the cost of Christianity, what does Christianity look like there, in what specific ways have these believers seen the hand of God? how is God drawing people to Himself?

I’d love to be all over the world reporting the works of God, but that’s impossible. Besides there are wonderful people out there with amazing stories about God that they should have the opportunity to tell in their own words. So if you’ve experienced the opportunity to serve God somewhere other than your own country or know of someone who has, please send me a quick note on facebook.

In the meantime, look around and please excuse any glitches I’m still working out. Thank you for taking the time to read, follow and encourage. I love knowing that there is a community of like-minded people out there who love God and desire Him.

Everyone needs a good makeover once in awhile, and a blog is no exception. When I first started this blog I just wanted to get it up and running and see what it was like maintaining it. Thanks to my sweet friend, Andrew, a genius high schooler who got it going for me, I was able to do just that. However, it didn’t take long before an idea for the overall look started forming in my head.

Being the computer simpleton that I am, there was no way I could begin to make my vision a reality. So I did what any reasonable person would do and found myself another genius young person, Leslie Noll, a recent grad in web design. You can check out her website here. She took my ideas of over-the-top bling and turned them into what I think is a great representation of what I once considered priority. Hopefully as you read, however, you will see where God has brought me and continues to take me.

I am most excited about the little pink and black globe titled “God of the Nations.” As a journalism major I envisioned myself embedded with our troops overseas reporting to the American people everything that went on because they “needed to know.” I would be an ambassador of sorts reporting the truth despite the risk to my own personal safety. Though the idea seemed farfetched and the stuff of movies, God has brought to my attention that, in fact, as a believer, that is exactly what I am, His ambassador, speaking the truth of who He is no matter the cost. I do that from my post here in Central Illinois, but there are hundreds of ambassadors all over the world that have stories of what God is doing in their corner of the world. Some of these people are ex-pats, some missionaries, some native believers but all with a story to tell.

“God of the Nations” will hopefully answer questions like, what is God doing in ?, what is the cost of Christianity, what does Christianity look like there, in what specific ways have these believers seen the hand of God? how is God drawing people to Himself?

I’d love to be all over the world reporting the works of God, but that’s impossible. Besides there are wonderful people out there with amazing stories about God that they should have the opportunity to tell in their own words. So if you’ve experienced the opportunity to serve God somewhere other than your own country or know of someone who has, please send me a quick note on facebook.

In the meantime, look around and please excuse any glitches I’m still working out. Thank you for taking the time to read, follow and encourage. I love knowing that there is a community of like-minded people out there who love God and desire Him.

“Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.”
A.W. Tozer

It would be an understatement to say that I am no good at math. It started in kindergarten when I brought home a worksheet marked up with red pen and a note saying that I needed to work on my math skills. Apparently, I had trouble looking at a row of red apples, crossing out a couple of them and coming up with the amount left. In fifth grade, I had a perpetual stomachache during the unit on fractions. I still get giddy when a batch of cookies turns out correctly! In sixth grade I was required to work at the little store at our school selling supplies once a week before school started as part of my job on student council. My mom still recalls the glazed look I got in my eyes as she tried to teach me how to count back change in preparation for this. In high school my geometry teacher gave me the lowest possible passing grade. I don’t know if she was showing mercy to me or sparing herself another year of seeing me an hour before school started each morning. In college, I took a math class three times before I finally passed it just so I could get my degree in writing. Not a stellar career.

The thing about math is that there is no room for interpretation. Math is black and white. There are no gray areas in the realm of equations. Two plus two does equal four. E really does equal MC squared, (although I really have no idea what that means). With all of the absolutes in the mathematical kingdom, the fact that God instructs us to give a portion of what we earn back to Him with the promise that He will multiply it defies everything I attempted to learn in math. I have no idea what mathematical equation Jesus was using when He took five loaves of bread and two fish and fed a crowd of 5,000 and still had leftovers! And I still haven’t been able to figure out what equation or theorem is at work in the area of tithing. What I do know is that He insists on tithing. It’s not a suggestion. And like any other command, there’s a good reason for it and a promise behind it.

“’Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it’” (Mal. 3:10).

Do not misunderstand me. I do not for a second buy into the idea of the prosperity gospel being taught today. He has so much more for us in this life than thinking about the level of our comfort. His blessings are not limited to material things. They come in different forms such as financial peace, freedom from worry about needs being met and an inexpressible joy in watching God do miraculous things with our measly offerings. I am no stranger to the miracle of tithing. Let me explain.

I will never forget the day my mom told my sister and I that we were going to have to tighten our belts. The three of us had just moved into a small apartment building following my parents’ divorce. Money had always been tight, not because we didn’t have any but because none of us were any good at handling it appropriately. At the time, my mom worked a part-time job at a department store selling my favorite things, clothes! It was a small income to say the least.

On paper, we never had enough to pay the bills let alone buy groceries or clothe ourselves. We also never missed the opportunity to give God what was due Him. I don’t know how He did it, and I know that not even Einstein would be able to explain it. But never once did my mom miss a rent payment, we never went without food, and I still had a pretty awesome wardrobe considering my financial state.

In my journey with money over the years I’ve vacillated between obedience and rebellion in the area of tithing. I know what God can do when we are obedient. Still, I’ve had month’s even years where money was so tight I felt that just this once He would understand if I didn’t obey. “Just this once” turned into months. Not only were we not tithing, our bills weren’t getting paid either. It’s not that God doesn’t provide money to pay bills and feed our kids if we don’t tithe, but there are a few things that happen when we do tithe.

First, it’s a step of faith. We had gotten out of the habit for a couple of years at one point, and in the meantime, things were going south with our finances, again. One Friday after I’d cleaned a few houses that week, I decided that I had to get back into the habit. (Just a side note, we always give from my husband’s income, just not mine). So I went to the bank, cashed the checks and paper clipped the ten percent for that week to the inside of my Bible. When the plate was passed at church that week, for a moment I actually questioned if I should put the money in the plate. After all, we could use it for something. Thankfully, I dismissed the idea and plunked my chunk of change into the bucket and passed it on.

The second thing I’ve noticed is this: choosing to obey brings peace and a sense of anticipation at how God will meet our needs that week. A friend of mine recently reminded me that what God calls us to do is a sliver compared to the part He does. All He wants is for us to do our sliver, and He will do the rest. I found myself resting in the promise that He will do what He says He will do.

At my church when we are getting ready to take the offering, everybody applauds. At first I thought that was a little strange, but that’s the third thing that happens with tithing. Once you start obeying, resting in His promise to provide, and experience His peace in the process, there is a joy that comes with giving. I love setting the money aside for that week’s offering. I love knowing that I’m obeying. I may question God’s will in other areas of my life, but in the area of tithing it’s mercifully clear what His will is.

The last thing I’ve noticed is that I tend to forget about the money that I’ve put in the plate. I don’t pine after it thinking I could have used it for something. And let’s be honest, the ten percent that I give wouldn’t pay for much. But even if you’re tithing large sums of money, it doesn’t matter. God doesn’t need our money. He doesn’t need anything from us. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10). What could He possibly need from us? That’s the beauty of it though. He wants our involvement. He wants to show what He is capable of to a people who are obedient to Him. He can accomplish His purposes without us, but He desperately wants us to be a part of what He’s doing.

In my search for financial freedom, I read tons of material and listened to copious amounts of advice. Several of these sources said to pay yourself first, meaning set some money aside in a savings account. While saving some money each month is wise, my advice is to get the tithing thing down first. This is not a new concept by the way. God spent the whole 27th chapter of Exodus telling Moses what He expected of the people in regards to giving back to Him.

“’A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord’” (Ex. 27:30, NIV).
Not only does a portion of what we earn belong to God, it is holy to Him. The command is simple, very black and white, just like math. But don’t try and figure out how He takes a little and multiplies it into much. It’s beyond even the most intelligent of math geniuses.

“Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.”

A.W. Tozer

It would be an understatement to say that I am no good at math. It started in kindergarten when I brought home a worksheet marked up with red pen and a note saying that I needed to work on my math skills. Apparently, I had trouble looking at a row of red apples, crossing out a couple of them and coming up with the amount left. In fifth grade, I had a perpetual stomachache during the unit on fractions. I still get giddy when a batch of cookies turns out correctly! In sixth grade I was required to work at the little store at our school selling supplies once a week before school started as part of my job on student council. My mom still recalls the glazed look I got in my eyes as she tried to teach me how to count back change in preparation for this. In high school my geometry teacher gave me the lowest possible passing grade. I don’t know if she was showing mercy to me or sparing herself another year of seeing me an hour before school started each morning. In college, I took a math class three times before I finally passed it just so I could get my degree in writing. Not a stellar career.

The thing about math is that there is no room for interpretation. Math is black and white. There are no gray areas in the realm of equations. Two plus two does equal four. E really does equal MC squared, (although I really have no idea what that means). With all of the absolutes in the mathematical kingdom, the fact that God instructs us to give a portion of what we earn back to Him with the promise that He will multiply it defies everything I attempted to learn in math. I have no idea what mathematical equation Jesus was using when He took five loaves of bread and two fish and fed a crowd of 5,000 and still had leftovers! And I still haven’t been able to figure out what equation or theorem is at work in the area of tithing. What I do know is that He insists on tithing. It’s not a suggestion. And like any other command, there’s a good reason for it and a promise behind it.

“’Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it’” (Mal. 3:10).

Do not misunderstand me. I do not for a second buy into the idea of the prosperity gospel being taught today. He has so much more for us in this life than thinking about the level of our comfort. His blessings are not limited to material things. They come in different forms such as financial peace, freedom from worry about needs being met and an inexpressible joy in watching God do miraculous things with our measly offerings. I am no stranger to the miracle of tithing. Let me explain.

I will never forget the day my mom told my sister and I that we were going to have to tighten our belts. The three of us had just moved into a small apartment building following my parents’ divorce. Money had always been tight, not because we didn’t have any but because none of us were any good at handling it appropriately. At the time, my mom worked a part-time job at a department store selling my favorite things, clothes! It was a small income to say the least.

On paper, we never had enough to pay the bills let alone buy groceries or clothe ourselves. We also never missed the opportunity to give God what was due Him. I don’t know how He did it, and I know that not even Einstein would be able to explain it. But never once did my mom miss a rent payment, we never went without food, and I still had a pretty awesome wardrobe considering my financial state.

In my journey with money over the years I’ve vacillated between obedience and rebellion in the area of tithing. I know what God can do when we are obedient. Still, I’ve had month’s even years where money was so tight I felt that just this once He would understand if I didn’t obey. “Just this once” turned into months. Not only were we not tithing, our bills weren’t getting paid either. It’s not that God doesn’t provide money to pay bills and feed our kids if we don’t tithe, but there are a few things that happen when we do tithe.

First, it’s a step of faith. We had gotten out of the habit for a couple of years at one point, and in the meantime, things were going south with our finances, again. One Friday after I’d cleaned a few houses that week, I decided that I had to get back into the habit. (Just a side note, we always give from my husband’s income, just not mine). So I went to the bank, cashed the checks and paper clipped the ten percent for that week to the inside of my Bible. When the plate was passed at church that week, for a moment I actually questioned if I should put the money in the plate. After all, we could use it for something. Thankfully, I dismissed the idea and plunked my chunk of change into the bucket and passed it on.

The second thing I’ve noticed is this: choosing to obey brings peace and a sense of anticipation at how God will meet our needs that week. A friend of mine recently reminded me that what God calls us to do is a sliver compared to the part He does. All He wants is for us to do our sliver, and He will do the rest. I found myself resting in the promise that He will do what He says He will do.

At my church when we are getting ready to take the offering, everybody applauds. At first I thought that was a little strange, but that’s the third thing that happens with tithing. Once you start obeying, resting in His promise to provide, and experience His peace in the process, there is a joy that comes with giving. I love setting the money aside for that week’s offering. I love knowing that I’m obeying. I may question God’s will in other areas of my life, but in the area of tithing it’s mercifully clear what His will is.

The last thing I’ve noticed is that I tend to forget about the money that I’ve put in the plate. I don’t pine after it thinking I could have used it for something. And let’s be honest, the ten percent that I give wouldn’t pay for much. But even if you’re tithing large sums of money, it doesn’t matter. God doesn’t need our money. He doesn’t need anything from us. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10). What could He possibly need from us? That’s the beauty of it though. He wants our involvement. He wants to show what He is capable of to a people who are obedient to Him. He can accomplish His purposes without us, but He desperately wants us to be a part of what He’s doing.

In my search for financial freedom, I read tons of material and listened to copious amounts of advice. Several of these sources said to pay  yourself first, meaning set some money aside in a savings account. While saving some money each month is wise, my advice is to get the tithing thing down first. This is not a new concept by the way. God spent the whole 27^th chapter of Exodus telling Moses what He expected of the people in regards to giving back to Him.

“’A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord’” (Ex. 27:30, NIV).

Not only does a portion of what we earn belong to God, it is holy to Him. The command is simple, very black and white, just like math. But don’t try and figure out how He takes a little and multiplies it into much. It’s beyond even the most intelligent of math geniuses.

 

I have warned my husband off and on over the years of my quickly diminishing interest in the domestic arts. He has ignored me. There is a phrase from William Congreve’s, The Mourning Bride, that says, hell has no fury like a woman scorned. Well, I would like to mention that the results aren’t any better when a woman is ignored.

My kitchen disasters over the years have not been intentional. However, I can’t help but wonder if my subconscious is attempting to take over where my conscious side has failed. Over the years I have put down glass lids on hot burners, left the room and then reacted with sheer shock at the explosion of burning glass flying around the room. The upside was the new kitchen floor I got out of it.

At other times, I have accepted my lot in life as the preparer of food with such enthusiasm that I have fancied myself as Rachael Ray’s twin sister. My fingers rocked the ultra sharp knife back in forth with such rhythm that I lost control and sliced off the tip of a very important digit. It looks so much easier on TV.

At other times, my romantic side has taken over, and I have envisioned my beloved family coming home to a roaring fire in the fireplace of our 1930’s bungalow. But a thick menacing smoke filled the house thwarting my plans. Stupid fireplace! I called a friend. (A call to the fire department seemed a bit dramatic). She walked into the house, walked over to the fireplace and mentioned that maybe I might consider opening the flue next time as she gave it a yank.

If you are friends with me on facebook you will have heard about my latest domestic disaster. I hate to cook. My mom says her perfect house doesn’t have a kitchen, and I’m inclined to agree with her. But there are living creatures in my house that have need of nourishment with some sort of food. It’s a conundrum.

The other day I revisited my Rachael Ray desires and attempted iced tea. We aren’t even talking food here! I could have used the mix, which we had in the cabinet, but homemade is better. So having brewed sixteen cups of water to the boiling point, I poured it into the glass pitcher and attempted to move said pitcher from the counter to the refrigerator. The lid WAS securely tightened onto the glass pitcher. Somehow the glass pitcher separated itself from the plastic lid and crashed to the floor. A very sick joke.

What followed was like slow motion in the movies. I could not move my feet out of the scalding water fast enough. It lapped up layers of skin on my foot with speed and fury. The last time I saw a burn like this was on my then 10-month old son right after he grabbed a hot cup of coffee and spilled it down his front. He was wearing fleece. Fleece and heat are not a good combination. Now I knew how my poor baby felt as he lay flailing in my arms in the ambulance.

My feet will live. The human body has an incredible way of healing itself. Just more evidence for the argument of intelligent design by a very creative Designer. Here’s what I learned:

1). I will never mix glass and extreme heat again. I will use plastic, and I don’t care if it’s filled with BPA’s. It’s a much less painful way to go.

2). Just because your 13-year old son spends more time in his lair than he does in the family room does not mean he has no ability to react lovingly in a crisis. For some reason, my husband is always MIA during these situations. If it hadn’t been for my sweet Nick pouring cold water on my feet and ordering me to the tub, I don’t know what I would have done. He called my husband at work, got me to cold running water and started cleaning up the mess. Great affirmation that his brain is developing normally.

3). I will accept my lot as a half-hearted domestic diva. There are fewer accidents when I’m not trying to be something I am not. Plus, it will give my kids something to tell they’re therapist when they’re adults. “I was so abused as a kid. We ate cereal for dinner” they’ll say. To which the therapist will shake his head with a “tsk, tsk” and a “Shameful.”

4). I’m not kidding when I say that my first coherent thought on the way to the ER was “Is this what hell will be like?” I know, depressing, but think about it. This was just a foot that got burned that was treated quickly with ice, topical ointment, bandaging and some very strong pain medication. There will be none of that in hell, not to mention, there’s going to be more burning than just feet with no end in sight. And that’s just the physical torment of it. It was sobering to say the least.

The moral of the story is that our feet need to be fitted with the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). When mine are healed I need to be using them to walk the Gospel message to those who’ve never heard it.

We’re talking about waiting, and since I’m a word person, I’ve devised a way to help me remember what God is teaching me about waiting using an acrostic with the word, WAIT. But before I get into that I have to say that I really don’t think waiting well, or doing anything well, for that matter, can be done if we don’t know what we believe about God or even why we believe it. What I mean is this: there have been countless times in my life that I have had to wait on God and have been in such a state of frustration and anger that He has gently taken me by the hand, walked me through the pages of my life and His word, and pointed out who He is and what He has done. Often I will hear Him say, “Do you trust me? Do you believe I am who I say I am? Do you believe that I am good no matter what your circumstances? Or is it all just words?” Ouch.

Until we get our heads around who God really is and what we believe about Him, waiting well is a wasted concept. I really believe this is why people like Elizabeth Grant (Click here) cause such a swirl of chatter because we are all so amazed at how they handle their situations. It speaks volumes about their belief in God and the relationship they have with Him.

In Acts one Luke is giving Theophilus a run-down of recent events surrounding the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and more specifically those whom He appeared to after rising from the dead.

“On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about'” (v. 4, NIV).

This is not a perfect four-point sermon where everything in Acts one goes in order according to the acrostic, but upon reading it, I noticed different things about how the apostles waited for the promised Holy Spirit.

Watch your words and attitude. We can spend all of our time fussing and complaining about our situation or we can do what the apostles did. After two men approached them and asked them why in the world they were staring into space when clearly Jesus was gone, they hightailed it back to the city and started praying. This is never my first approach. I usually don’t feel like it, but once I’ve given in, worship becomes like a salve for the soul. Only God quiet the questions.

Anticipate what He will do. This could not be more clearly seen than it is at the end of the chapter. The apostles knew they had been chosen to bear witness of what Jesus had done. They also knew that they needed a replacement for Judas. So they got down to the business of choosing this person in anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit. There was a certain order of events and things that had to be accomplished beforehand.

“‘Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas'” (v. 16, italics mine).

“Therefore, it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us'” (v. 21, italics mine).

“For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection” (v. 22, italics mine).

Ignore the distractions. I’m imagining they had questions beyond whether or not this was the time Jesus would finally restore the kingdom of Israel. I could be wrong. I know for me the nagging questions of when, why, how much longer and everything in between only makes waiting more difficult. We prostitute our hope every time we pander to the tauntings of the enemy. Adam and Eve are perfect examples. So is Sarah, who instead of waiting and trusting that God would do what He said He would do, took matters into her own hands. I think we all know the outcome of that. Why cheapen what we know about God by listening to the lies that Satan throws at us in the form of questions that God isn’t ready to answer?

Thank Him for what He will do. Again, the text doesn’t say that they thanked God for what they knew would come after a time of waiting. However, it’s probably safe to say that they did thank Him: for everything, for the years they’d been privy to, for choosing them to be the first to carry out His message, and for everything He had yet to do with them and through them. At least that’s what I would have prayed had I been in the correct frame of mind!

The bottom line is that we all at some point are, will or have been living in liminal space. How we do it affects everything. What would have happened if the disciples hadn’t stayed in Jerusalem and waited for the Holy Spirit? What if they were just so excited about everything they’d seen and heard that they went ahead and attempted to spread His message without the power of the Holy Spirit? How different the Church would look!

Jesus says, “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29, NIV). In other words, the weight of the wait is on Him.