Monday Morning Memo: Scared Spitless

I remember the day well.  I was getting ready to step out on the platform to preach and my mentor in the ministry was there too.  He looked at me and asked if I was nervous and I assured him that I was.  He answered, “Good.  The day you don’t feel some nerves before preaching…you might want to check yourself.  Stepping into the pulpit is a huge responsibility because you are representing our Lord and sharing what He has laid on your heart.  It’s never for our glory…but for His…and that responsibility should make you have some nerves.”  I hope I will never forget those words that were spoken to me many years ago at a time when I was learning to step way out of my comfort zone.

 

Few people love to step out of their comfort zone.  Most of us enjoy feeling comfy where we are…doing what we always do…when we always do it.  So, when the Lord starts telling us it is time to get out of those cozy surroundings because He has something new for us to do…fear and anxiety can easily overwhelm us.  Trust me…I’ve been there many times and I’m confident I could lead a group called C.Z.Anonymous (aka Comfort Zone Anonymous).

 

It gives me reassurance though to know there were those in the Bible who weren’t crazy about pushing the boundaries in their lives either.  Remember Moses?  When he was told to lead his people out of Egypt…he struggled to believe he could do it since he had murdered an Egyptian and was rejected by his Hebrew brothers.  He worried that the people wouldn’t believe him or even listen to him because he wasn’t good at public speaking.

 

Then there was Jeremiah.  God wanted him to be a speaker and warn the people of their sins and the punishment to come.  Jeremiah resisted the call and said he was too young and didn’t know how to speak.  

 

Did God agree with them and let them off the hook?  No, He didn’t.  For Moses, he allowed his brother Aaron to speak for him.  For Jeremiah, God told him He would put the words in his mouth for him to say.  He told him not to worry because He would be with him and protect him.  God never gave up on either of them and whatever Moses and Jeremiah needed to carry out His plans…God provided.

 

There are many others in the Bible, but what about you and me?  How willing are we to do whatever God calls us to do?  What excuses can we come up with so that hopefully God will realize He chose the wrong person?  I don’t know about you…but I usually have a pretty “ready” list to recite back my objections.

 

What if Moses and Jeremiah had just stayed in their comfort zones and rejected God’s call?  Could God have accomplished His plan without them?  Of course He could have.  But what blessings would they have missed because they didn’t follow God’s perfect plan for them?

 

What if you and I choose to stay in our comfort zones and reject God’s call?  This is a question I am currently asking myself.  I believe He is using these days of turbulence, to speak to each one of us concerning what we can do to make a difference…what we can do to further His kingdom.  We have a world full of people who desperately need to see Jesus and if they don’t see Him in us…they may never see Him at all.

 

God is speaking. But if I’m honest, I have to admit that at first, I immediately pulled out my list of objections…hoping maybe He would choose someone else.  But He hasn’t given up on me and continues to whisper His plan and now I’m starting to get excited…and scared spitless!  But I will continue to listen and allow Him to guide me every step of the way.

 

How about you?  I’m confident God is speaking, and it will be up to you as to whether you choose to listen.  I want to encourage you to take the next step in His plan and let Him worry about all the things that have you scared spitless. If He could help Moses and Jeremiah with the huge tasks that were put before them…and if He could help me preach on that Sunday many years ago (especially in front of my mentor!)…He surely can help you!   

Jesus looked at them intently and said, 

“Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. 

Everything is possible with God.”

Mark 10:27

Monday Morning Memo: Behind The Pole

 

Sometimes, living in this crazy world, we just need to laugh…and this graphic made me do just that the other day!  This picture says it all.  How many times in my life have I done something I knew wasn’t pleasing to my Jesus…but I just figured He wouldn’t notice.  I mean…He is so busy with all the major disasters going on and the election coming up…He surely isn’t paying any attention to my “small” sins.

 

I have a question for you and me.  Why do we brag about our Jesus being all-knowing and all-powerful…but then hope to high heavens He doesn’t see what we are doing when we sin?  Rather silly, isn’t it?  But unfortunately, I’m guessing all of us have done this at some point.  Oh, maybe we figure it isn’t a “big” sin.  Maybe it’s just reading books or watching movies that we know we shouldn’t be reading or watching.  Or, maybe it’s just speaking to our spouse in a way we know we wouldn’t…if we saw Jesus standing next to us.  Or maybe it’s just that white lie we told the person who called because we surely didn’t want to have to spend time with them.  Why, it could even be that money we took “under the table” in our job so we wouldn’t have to report it on our taxes.  When we figure all the “big” sins we see going on in our world today…surely ours can be hidden and ignored.

 

Psalms 139: 1-6 says, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.  You go before me and follow me.  You place your hand of blessing on my head.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”  We read these words and we often think how wonderful it is that He knows everything about us…until we really comprehend that He DOES know EVERYTHING about us! AND, He still loves us anyway…with all of our faults and failures.  Such amazing love.

 

It’s because of His amazing love for us that He wants so much more for us.  He wants us to look more and more like Him…to be more Christ-like in everything we do…and that will never happen if we just continue to think we can hide our sins from Him.  Later in Psalm 139, we find these words, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

 

I know if I really do want to look like Christ, my desire…my longing… should be for Him to point out those things in my life that aren’t pleasing to Him.  Then I have to be willing to ask for forgiveness and put those things aside that are weighing me down and holding me back from being a totally devoted follower of His.  I know that some days will be harder than others to really listen for His leading and then be obedient…but if my heart is truly given to Him…it will be so worth it as He leads me along the path of everlasting life.  

 

As we go throughout our week, let’s keep today’s picture in our mind with each decision we make. Let’s take a moment to ask ourselves if we are trying to hide behind the pole with our actions…hoping and praying He isn’t looking.  Or, are we thrilled to pieces He is right by our side…enjoying the journey with us. The decision my friend…is ours to make. 

Monday Morning Memo: Suffering

It probably won’t come as a shock to many of you that I love to read.  Most who feel led to write…love to read…so it isn’t uncommon for me to be reading more than one book at a time.  And if I have to opportunity to receive a free book…well it’s almost as wonderful as being given a piece of chocolate…almost 

 

So, quite a while ago, I had the opportunity to receive a book entitled, Tortured for Christ, by Richard Wurmbrand.  When it came in the mail, I had every intention of reading it right away, but other things and books took precedence and it ended up lower and lower down in my reading stack.

 

I should know by now, that when God wants to get something across to me…He makes sure I can’t miss His “hint”.  This was proven again a few days ago when I had the opportunity to download a video documentary and as a bonus, the email I received said I could also watch the movie, Tortured for Christ.  To show you how long it had been since I received the book with the same title…I had totally forgotten I even had it.

 

Dan and I decided to watch this movie that evening and to say it made me squirm some…is an understatement.  In a nutshell, Richard Wurmbrand, who was a Romanian pastor, spent 14 years in Communist prisons being tortured, was kept in solitary confinement for long periods of time, endured constant suffering from hunger and cold and underwent the anguish of brainwashing and mental cruelty.  His crime?  It was his fervent belief in Jesus Christ and his public witness concerning his faith.

 

Some of the scenes were so hard to watch as the guards brutally beat Richard while they tried to find out names of other believers.  No matter what they did to him, he never gave them any information and he never renounced his faith.  Even though he knew that praying was totally against the rules…he spent every night in prayer.  The guard would often stop to look through the peephole in his prison door and if he saw Mr. Wurmbrand praying…he would drag him out and beat him.  In one of the scenes, the guard discovered that he was once again praying and so he threw open the door…obviously exasperated…and asked Richard why, with everything he had lost in this world, would he continue to pray?  He asked, “Why do you continue to pray to your imaginary God?  What could you possibly have left to pray for?”  Richard replied, “I was praying for you.” 

 

He was able to come back with that reply, because this amazing Christian man hated Communism and everything that it stood for…but he had love for the Communists.  No matter how badly they beat him…he still cared about them and so desperately wanted them to know his Jesus.  I haven’t been able to get this off my mind.

 

You see, it is easy to complain and whine because of physical “suffering” I have had to endure.  It is also easy to find myself complaining at times when maybe I was “inconvenienced” by having to do something Jesus asked me to do.  I’ll be honest…I didn’t sleep well that night after we watched this movie, because I was ashamed of the times I have reacted in one of these ways.  Trust me…I have never suffered nor truly been inconvenienced for the cause of Christ.  Never.

 

I also had to think, once again, about what is transpiring in our world today…where hatred is being spewed everywhere.  Yes, I may disagree with how others think.  I may have totally different value systems, political viewpoints and heaven forbid…I may even have a different opinion on whether a mask should be worn or not.  But regardless…even if I totally disagree with someone else…I am called to still love them.  I am called not to stoop to name-calling and berating…I am called to love.  I am called to show them my Jesus…not my uncontrolled mouth or reactions. 

 

The day may come when I will truly have to suffer for the cause of Christ…and I pray I will respond as Richard Wurmbrand did.  I Peter 4:14-16 says, “If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.  If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.  But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian.  Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!”  Oh, that I can devour these words and live them out each and every day…is my fervent prayer.

 

By the way…if you want to see this movie that I wrote about today, you can click on the link below.  It will only take about an hour of your time…but it just might change your life forever.

https://www.persecution.com/tfcmovieevent/?_source_code=EMDS1N&_share=mt

Monday Morning Memo: Seeing Others

Well today is Labor Day, which is a sure sign that summer is coming to an end.  UGH.  As I have shared before, summer is my favorite season of the year and winter is my least favorite.  So, I’m praying that we have many more sun-soaked, warm days before the snow flies!

Labor Day is a day when we honor the American worker; those people who work hard day in and day out to keep this world of ours moving forward.  Everywhere we look, we see laborers who are faithfully doing their job to the best of their ability.  Yes, I’m not naïve enough to think that everyone is doing their very best and working their hardest…but I don’t want to dwell today on those who choose to do just enough to get by.

 

As we all know, 2020 has been a year like no other…so even our laborers look much different.  Many places of business had to close due to the virus…and unfortunately…many of those businesses have never reopened due to their severe financial loss.  Some have been able to reopen, but it is taking everything they have to stay afloat.  America’s workforce is stressed beyond measure and there are few homes that haven’t been affected in some way.

I think it is even more important then this year to be observant of those with whom we come in contact as we go about our daily lives.  In many cases, we have no idea what each person is facing in their life and we may not realize that some are at their breaking point.  They may be holding on by a thread and it just may be that our making sure we “see” them, could be what makes the difference.  I think so many people feel invisible in this world and believe that no one cares…no one even sees them.  

 

It is so important that we recognize and appreciate these workers today on Labor Day and in the days to come.  It doesn’t matter whether they are a cashier, a salesperson, a teacher, a lawyer, a ditch-digger, a stay-at-home parent or a doctor.  We need to make the effort to truly “see” them and thank them for what they are doing.   Many give their all in everything they do…even when the world seems to be unhinged…but never have anyone notice and I find that really sad.  It is easy to become so busy in our day that we overlook those whom God has placed in our path who need an encouraging word.  

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, as we go throughout each day, we were intentional in praising those we see?  It doesn’t have to take a lot of our time; sometimes just a simple, heartfelt “thank-you” is appropriate.  Maybe it is just asking the cashier how he or she is before they can say anything to us.  Maybe it is writing our child’s teacher a note, thanking him or her for all they do to instruct our loved one.  Maybe it is taking the time to tell our spouse how much we appreciate all they do each day to make our lives easier. 

The list of those we can encourage is endless.  The key is that we have to be intentional; otherwise opportunities will be missed.  The amazing thing is that as we lift the spirits of others, we will also be blessed.  The reason is that we can’t out-give God…so as we deliberately strive to bless others…we will be blessed in return.

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So, let me begin by thanking all of you, my readers, for the love, support and encouragement you have shown me.  I am so humbled that you take your valuable time to read my ramblings.  Some of you I know quite well and there are others whom I have never met.  Regardless, you have blessed me immeasurably and my prayer is that God will shower you with His blessings as you continue on your journey with Him!

 
“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Philippians 1:3-6

 

Monday Morning Memo: Heart-Breaking

I was reading my devotions last week and came across some verses that made me chuckle.  I’m sure they weren’t meant to be funny…but for some reason I immediately pictured in my mind what it would look like if these words were describing me.  This is what I read:

“Then the Spirit came into me and set me on my feet. He spoke to me and said, ‘Go to your house and shut yourself in. There, son of man, you will be tied with ropes so you cannot go out among the people. And I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be speechless and unable to rebuke them, for they are rebels. But when I give you a message, I will loosen your tongue and let you speak. Then you will say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says! Those who choose to listen will listen, but those who refuse will refuse, for they are rebels.’” (Ezekiel 3:24-27)

I’m thinking this might be a very good idea for me…except I’m guessing I probably wouldn’t be talking very much.  If I’m honest, if God would make my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth so that I couldn’t say the wrong thing…it would definitely be a lot quieter at my house 

You see, my mouth is often my downfall.  It is so easy for me to speak before I think…and as a result…the wrong things can be said.  I think this happens sometimes because I’m already thinking about what I should say next, while the other person is talking.   So, the second they take a breath…I quickly blurt out what I’ve been thinking about and it can be the wrong words…because I truly wasn’t listening to what the other person was telling me.

Oh, how much easier it would be if God would just make it so that I couldn’t talk unless my words were His words!  And can you imagine what a difference it would make in our world if all of us could only speak when God wanted us to speak or post on social media when He directed us to do so?  

As I’m sure you have noticed…right now in our world there are so many words being thrown around that I am confident are not pleasing to God.  To be honest…my heart is breaking over the hateful, spiteful words that some Christians are spewing out to degrade others just because someone is either choosing to wear a mask…or refusing to do so.  As children of the King, every action and every reaction we have should be based on Biblical principles…not on our emotions.  When we choose to run our life based on how we feel…instead of on what God teaches…Satan claps…because He knows it won’t take much to cause division.  What a tragedy.

James 1:19 says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters:  You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”  Unfortunately, I have not perfected this verse in my life and I know it is something I need to work on.  How about you?  Maybe it would be a good idea if all of us would make a point today to be quick to listen (even to those who may have a different opinion than us)…slow to speak (even when we are confident our way is the right way) …and slow to get angry (even when we really want to give others a piece of our mind).  

Would you pray with me?  “Father, I know that my words can either lift up…or tear apart.  Guard my mouth Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips…so that I will only speak…or write…those things that are pleasing to you. Help me to act and react according to your Word…instead of my emotions.  I know the world is watching and listening Lord…may I be the light that is needed in this very dark world.  Amen.” 

Monday Morning Memo: No Set Pattern

This is my favorite plant on our property.  It’s called a “Porcupine Maiden Grass” and I love it.  Every time I walk by, it catches my attention and I have so enjoyed watching it grow this summer. 

As I looked at it this past week, something came to my mind.  This plant’s leaves have no set pattern.  If you look up close at them, you see that they just go every which way and you could say it looks like an explosion of leaves.  As I considered this, it made me think of times in my life when everything was in a whirl.  Nothing made sense…I felt like my thoughts were just an explosion of pieces that never came together…I failed more than I succeeded…and there was definitely no set pattern.

But if you step back and look at this plant…you realize that it’s the lack of set pattern that makes it so beautiful.  It’s that explosion of leaves that creates something that makes me in awe of God’s creation…because yes…this is something He designed.

Hmmmm.  I then began to think about those times in my life when everything was in disarray…and when I stepped back and looked at what all I was going through…I realized that those times helped make me who I am today.  How?  Because God uses every situation…every detour…every failure…to make me look more like Him.  Because just like this beautiful plant…I was created by Him and I am His child who was made in His image.  

I am a child of God even with all of my faults and failures.  WOW.  That just blows my mind.  And do you know what?  You are too!  If you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, you are His precious daughter or son, and He so desires to work in and through you to make you look just like Him.  You were created in His image and you are a beauty to behold…even if you feel like you have failed Him over and over again…He still loves you and wants you to see your worth.  

I love the words in Isaiah 4 in the version The Message, “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.  I’ve called your name.  You’re mine.  When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.  When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.  When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end – Because I am God, your personal God.  The Holy of Israel, your Savior.  I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!  That’s how much you mean to me!  That’s how much I love you!  I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.”

If you feel like God doesn’t love you or that He’s given up on you…I want you to read and reread those verses in Isaiah.  No matter where you are or what situation you find yourself in…God is right there and He will do anything to make sure you are taken care of.  Why?  Because He loves you that much!

Why not take a step back today and look at your situation through God’s eyes?   Even when life feels like a whirl and there is no set pattern…remember that God can use your situation to mold you and make you look more like Him.  I’m praying you will see the beauty that He sees when He looks at you, because you, dear child, were made in His image and oh, how He loves you so!

Monday Morning Memo: Later

“Grandma, you need to come downstairs!  I’ve been cooking for you.”  These were the words I kept hearing from my precious, four-year-old granddaughter, Emma, last Thursday.  At the time, we were canning green beans, so every time she urgently begged me to go with her, I had to tell her that we would do that later.  Each time, I saw the disappointment on her face, and I felt so guilty.  I finally promised her that as soon as dinner was over, we would go downstairs.  As you can imagine, as we finished our last morsel of food, Emma was pulling my arm to guide me to the basement.

After we descended the stairs, I saw what her excitement was all about.  Emma had worked hard to prepare quite a feast for us to share, and her eyes just danced as I raved and raved about her culinary selections.  She was so proud, and I have to admit…I was really proud of her too…and so touched that she had persistently invited me to join her for our precious “meal” together.

As I thought about this over the weekend, I realized that this scenario is similar to what our Heavenly Father is doing for us.  He is preparing a feast in heaven, and He so desperately wants all of us to someday sit at His table.  He just keeps asking us if we will accept Him as our Lord and Savior…so that someday we will “dine” with Him forever.  

Unfortunately, many are just too busy.  They have too much to do to accept Christ’s invitation.  “Later”…some are saying…and they keep putting off the decision.  I think many are hearing Him plead with them and might even have a tinge of guilt when they keep putting Him off.  But yet, the all-important, life-changing decision isn’t made…because they think there will always be “later” to accept His invitation.  I can’t imagine the disappointment that Jesus must feel every time He is rejected.  He came to earth, to suffer unimaginable pain and anguish on a cross, for my sins and for yours.  Yet, some continue to turn their back on Him and refuse to accept His free gift of salvation.  

Friend, the truth is that there may not be a “later” time.  None of us know when our life on this earth will be over and if we haven’t made the decision to accept Christ when we die…there won’t be a second chance.  We won’t have the opportunity to sit at the feast that has been prepared for us and our eternity won’t be spent in heaven…but in hell.

If you are reading this and haven’t asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, I want to urge you to do so today.  Jesus is the reason I get up every morning, pen every blog post and urgently pray for those such as you who need to know that there is hope!  Accepting Him is not difficult; you can come to Him just as you are right now…today.  All you have to do is say a prayer such as this:

“Dear Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, were resurrected and that you are alive and well today.  I believe that you are the Son of God and that you deeply love me.  I confess that I am a sinner and I need you to forgive me and cleanse me from my sins.  I accept you as my Savior and want you to create a new and clean heart in me.  I now want to live every day for you and I know that I will have eternal life with you because of what you did on Calvary’s cross for me.  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen.”

If you have prayed this prayer, I would love to know so that I can be praying for you as you begin your walk with our Jesus.  Feel free to e-mail me (luannfulton@gmail.com) so that I can celebrate your decision with you!

Please, please don’t wait until “later” to accept Christ.  You and I aren’t guaranteed a “later”…today may be our only opportunity to trust Him.  I’m guessing His eyes will dance, just like my granddaughter’s did, as you accept His invitation to feast with Him forever! 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14:1-4