Monday Morning Memo: Throne Thursdays

It all started with a free journal that came in the mail.  For some reason, when I saw it, I had a feeling there was something in particular I was supposed to use it for.

Confession time…I’m not a journal-er.  Yes, I love to write…but recording my thoughts in a journal every day has never been on my to-do list.  I’m not sure why…I’ve just never made it a priority.

After I received this journal, I was listening to a sermon and the minister was talking about how important it is for us to pray for others.  We all get so wrapped up in our own lives and our own concerns…and we neglect to take other’s prayer concerns to the throne of God.

The throne of God.  For some reason, I kept having the words “Throne Thursday” go through my mind during this time and again, I had no idea what that meant.  It sure drives me crazy when fragments of ideas rattle through my brain and I’m not sure how those pieces of the puzzle are going to fit together.

Then, we took that trip to Washington DC that I wrote about last week, and I wanted a short book to read while we were gone.  I walked in my library and the first book that caught my attention was Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala.  I’ve read this book several times but knew it would be a good one to re-read. 

As I was reading…these words jumped off the page at me, “…the writer to the Hebrews nails down the most central activity of all for Christians:  ‘Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Heb 4:16).  It doesn’t say, ‘Let us come to the sermon.’  We in America have made the sermon the centerpiece of the church, something God never intended.  Preachers who are really doing their job get people to come to the throne of grace.  That’s the true source of grace and mercy.”  There was that word “throne” again.  I’ve never heard it so many times before in a matter of a few weeks.

We then had the privilege of hearing Max Lucado speak at the Museum of the Bible in DC.  What an awesome evening.  He talked about how we are to be encouragers to those around us.  They need to know that we care; that we will listen; that we want to hear their story.  Hmmmmmmm…

We were given Lucado’s new book that evening entitled, How Happiness Happens.  I brought it home and began reading it and what did I read?  “Our heavenly Father has invited us to be his partner.  Dare we accept the invitation?  Our prayers unlock the storehouses of heaven.  The link between God’s goodness and your friends is your prayers.  When you pray, when you speak for the ones who need help to the One who can give it, something wonderful happens.”  Suddenly, everything that had been knocking around in my brain came together and finally made sense and a new ministry plan was born.

The free journal I received is not for me…it is for you.  I want to use it to record your prayer concerns so that I can take them to God’s throne.  So, beginning this Thursday, I will begin “Throne Thursday”.  On Thursdays, you can let me know of a prayer concern that you have, that you would like for me to pray about.  You don’t even have to tell me details if you don’t want to. Just let me know that you have an urgent, unspoken request that needs taken to the throne…and I promise to do just that.

As with anything, there needs to be guidelines…so here they are:

1.     Please let me know of your concern either my email – luannfulton@gmail.com, or through Messenger on Facebook.  Those are the places I will be looking for them.

2.    Due to the fact that I have no idea how many requests I will receive, please share just 1 particular prayer concern with me.  I want to be able to cover everyone who asks…so at this time I will take one per person.

3.    Please know that if you decide to share details of your request with me…so that I will know how to specifically pray for you…I will share this with no one else.  Anything sent to me will be kept in strict confidence.

4.    All I ask from you, is that you let me know when your prayer concern is answered.  I am always blown away at God’s power and how He works in such mighty ways.  So please, let me know when you see His hand at work in your situation and I will record it in the journal.

It all started with a free journal…which will now be used to record your prayer concerns and answers, every Throne Thursday.  I then promise to take your need to God’s throne…asking Him to intervene in a powerful, mighty way.  I am committed to approach our gracious God boldly, so you may receive His mercy and find grace to help you when you need it most!

 “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. 

There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace 

to help us when we need it most.”

Hebrews 4:16

Monday Morning Memo: Preconceived Ideas

I knew I wouldn’t like it.  I’d like the opportunity to be with friends…but I wouldn’t like the city.  I mean, who would like a city that is overcrowded, littered with trash and filled with politicians? No one in their right mind would…I was confident of that.

But then…I’ve been told I’m not always in my right mind J  We were invited by friends to go with them to Washington DC last week to see the Bible Museum and other highlights in the area.  I immediately wanted to go…but I knew I wouldn’t like the city.  And I was right…I didn’t just likethe city…I think I sort of loved it!

My preconceived thoughts of Washington DC couldn’t have been more wrong.  The city is absolutely beautiful and very clean.  We spent hours walking and walking and sightseeing and then did more walking…and I loved every minute of it.  The Bible Museum was awesome and I highly recommend it if you get to DC.  The Holocaust Museum was so moving and left a lasting impression on me.  The sightseeing trolley ride was great and I loved seeing the U.S. Capitol, Bureau of Printing and Engraving, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and all the other sights that we crammed into 3 ½ days!

Preconceived ideas.  I wonder how many other times in my life my thoughts have been wrong.  How many times have I not gone somewhere or done something, just because I was sure I wouldn’t like it?  How many times have I met someone and made a very rash judgement of what he or she was like and neglected to take the time to really get to know them?  How many times have I immediately said “No” when asked to serve in my church or community…because I just knew I couldn’t do it?

Our trip last week has left me wondering what all I have missed out on and who all I have missed getting to know…because of my preconceived ideas.  I’m guessing that I have missed out on quite a bit.  

What about you?  Have there been opportunities that you have passed up because you were confident that you wouldn’t like it?  Have there been people you immediately stamped “Reject” without really getting to know them?  Have you said “No” when asked to serve because you knew, without even knowing the details, that you weren’t qualified?  I hope not.  I hope you are a better person than me and wait to make judgements until after you know all the facts.

If you do struggle with this like I do…let’s make it a point this week to look at places, people and opportunities with a more open mind.  Who knows…we might find out that we’ve been missing out all along!

 “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”

John 7:24

Monday Morning Memo: His Reflection

I read a story a few weeks ago about a man who had rented a house which had a large mango tree in the backyard.  The owner told him that unfortunately, the tree had never produced fruit.  Following that discussion, a man came to cut the grass and he told the renter that he knew what to do to get the tree to bear fruit the next year.  The renter was thrilled and told him to do whatever he had to do to get it to produce (I had to wonder what the owner felt about that!).

Later that day, the renter went out to look at the tree and he was mortified at what he saw. The tree, which was previously lush and provided shade for the house, was now barren.  Almost all of the branches had been cut off and all that was left was the tree trunk.  He wanted to be angry…but he knew he had given the man full reign to do what needed to be done.  And much to his surprise, the next year the tree was filled with mangos.  The gardener had known how to prune a tree so that it would bear much fruit.

I found it interesting in this story that it wasn’t that the tree looked dead when the man moved into the house.  He said that it was lush and was providing shade.  So, to look at the tree, no one would have known that there was a problem unless you were told that it was supposed to be bearing fruit…but it wasn’t.

This observation made me think of my life and what others see when they look at me.  Do I have the appearance of being a Christian only on the outside?  If someone sees the real me…do they see fruit or am I barren?  And am I willing to be pruned by my Jesus to ensure that I am bearing fruit to the fullest?

I think it all comes down to a word that I’ve written about many times before…trust. Do I trust that Jesus knows what needs to be stripped away in my life so that I will bear the fruit that He desires? The truth is, if I do trust Him completely, then I should be willing to let Him work in me and through me for His glory.

I have this small pot hanging in our front yard.  Because the pot is so small, the plant in it grew quickly and so twice this summer I have had to cut the plant way back.  Both times it hurt me to have to take so much off of it, but each time the plant has grown back fuller and even more beautiful.  When I look at it, I am reminded that, just like this plant, sometimes Jesus needs to cut things out of my life, removing any dead branches that aren’t producing so that my life can yield more fruit for Him.

Allowing Jesus to prune me isn’t always fun…but I know it will be worth it in the end. Why?  Because then I will look more like Him…and that’s a reflection in the mirror that I long to see! 

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

John 15:1-4

Monday Morning Memo: A "Duh" Moment

I’ve written that I have been blessed this summer to be able to mow.  I’ve also shared that I usually use this time to pray and praise my Jesus.  But if I’m honest…there are times that I find myself whining instead of praising.

It happened this past Saturday.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day and I was anxious to spend time outside.  Unfortunately, though, it didn’t take long for me to embark on a complaining session instead of a time of prayer.  My heart was heavy over a couple of situations and I was soon spending my time telling Jesus what He should do to make everything alright.  Of course, the more I whined…the more troubled I felt.  The strange thing was that the entire time I bellyached…there was a tune going through my mind.  But the problem was that I was so busy instructing Jesus, that I failed to even pay attention to what this melody was that I was “hearing”.

And then it happened.  I had a “Duh” moment.  I realized that the song that kept playing in the back of my mind was the old hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. If you are familiar with this song, you know the words are:

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

I actually laughed out loud when I made this realization.  What a fool I had been!  Instead of spending my time giving my needs to Jesus and letting Him carry them…I was holding them in my tight grip.  As a result, I was forfeiting peace and bearing needless pain.  These words just couldn’t have been more appropriate.

Oh, when will I learn?  I immediately asked Jesus to forgive me for trying to orchestrate these situations on my own and asked Him to please take control of the “wheel” of my life once again.  I’m so thankful that He loves me unconditionally and is always working on chiseling those areas of my life that aren’t pleasing to Him and keep me from looking like Him. When I fall short…He picks me up and cleanses me anew.  I sure don’t deserve it…but His grace covers me anyway.

What about you? Are you struggling right now with something that you need to give to Jesus?  Instead of letting Him carry it for you…are your knuckles white from gripping it too tightly?  If so, I hope you also have this tune playing in your mind, causing you to have your own “Duh” moment.  He is just waiting for you to hand it over and allow Him to take you in His arms and give you peace…even in the storm.  Don’t ever forget that we have a friend in Him and He loves us more than we can even imagine.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

 

 “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary 

and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”

Matthew 11:28

Monday Morning Memo: Limitless Love

Well, I had my post all written for today…but I guess God had different plans.  After it was written, I was looking for something in my files and came across a devotional I wrote several years ago…and God immediately impressed on me that I should share it again today.  Someone needs to read this…I have no clue who…but God knows…and that’s all that matters!  SO…here goes…

Let’s pretend that I am a senior in high school, and I am an amazing athlete.  For those of you who know me well, you know that high school was a very long time ago and the thought of me being an amazing athlete at any stage of my life brings hysterical laughing.  But if you would, please allow me to live in this dream world for a moment.

I am not just an amazing athlete; I am the cream of the crop.  Colleges from all over the country are contacting me wanting me to come to their school and play for their team.   I’m getting offers for a free ride, for extra perks that only the best can have.  Everyone showers me with love and attention and they will do just about anything to get me to select their campus.

I finally narrow my choices down and select my college of choice and a meeting is set for me to sign the all-important letter of intent.  I arrive at my destination and the room is filled with cameras from every TV station around, making sure that this momentous occasion is captured on film for the world to see.  Right before my pen hits the paper though, I lean into the mic and make the following statement:

“I am honored to be here today and am really excited to play for this team.  But, before I set foot on this campus to live, I want you know ahead of time that I am not going to follow through on any promises that I make.  I know this school has a no drinking policy, but I love to drink and I plan on getting plastered every chance I get.  In fact, I’m guessing that I will be hung over so much that I won’t make it to most of my classes and I really doubt I will feel up to going to practices.  I also know that one of the rules is that guys can’t be in the girls’ dorm rooms after midnight, but I don’t care about that. I’ll have as many guys as I want in my room for as long as I like and you can’t tell me any different.  I’ll run this school down to everyone I meet and backstabbing others will be a favorite pastime of mine.  It won’t matter to me how much you plan to do for me; my complete focus will be on me, my needs and my desires.”

By the time I finish my speech, the athletic director is squirming.  I’m not the person he thought I was and I’m definitely not someone he wants on the school’s team.  He then stands up, rips up my letter of intent and says, “Thanks, but no thanks.  You’re not who we thought you were and we want no association with you.”  It’s interesting that up until this moment, they thought I was pretty amazing and probably about as perfect as they come…but in just a few minutes, their “picture” of me was shattered and their high hopes for my abilities were dashed.

In this pretend scenario, the school only cared about me for as long as they thought I was what they wanted for their sports team.  As long as I kept up my part of the bargain, everything was fine.  But when I showed my faults and failures, their “love” for me suddenly disappeared.

You are probably wondering about now where in the world I am going with all of this. This illustration came to my mind recently as I was thinking about God’s love.  Did you know that He loved you and me before we were even born?  He even loved us before the world was created. Ephesians 1:4 & 5 tells us, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”

This just blows my mind to think that He has always loved me.  What really amazes me is that when He decided to love me…when he decided to adopt me into His family…he knew that I would fail him.  He knew that I would have tons of faults and failures but that didn’t deter Him from loving me.

Nothing I have ever done has surprised Him.  Not once, when I acted against His teaching…when I chose to sin instead of listening to His leading…did He say, “Wow, if I would have known she was going to do that, I sure wouldn’t have said I would love her.  If I had realized that she wasn’t going to live up to my standards, I sure wouldn’t have sent my Son to die for her.  Thanks, but no thanks LuAnn.  You’re not who I thought you were and I want no association with you.”  He knew…but He still loved.  There has been nothing that I have ever done…nothing that I will do today or in the future that will stop Him from loving me.  

The same is true for you.  God doesn’t look at the failures in your past and stamp “REJECTED” on your life.  He knew before the stars were put in place that you would disappoint Him with your actions, but that didn’t stop Him from loving you then or now.  He adopted you knowing full well that you wouldn’t be perfect; that you wouldn’t live a life free of sin.  His love for you was and continues to be limitless.

If you struggle with feeling worthy of His love, re-read the verses I shared in Ephesians. Remind yourself that God loved you from the beginning, and His choosing to adopt you into His family brought Him great pleasure!

By the way, since we have a God who loves us that much, why in the world wouldn’t we desire to love Him?  Why wouldn’t we do all we could do to be a child who acts like Him and loves like Him? No one else even comes close to deserving our praise and our obedience like He does.   I hope you feel like I do when I say that there is no other “team” I’d rather be on than His!