Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Waiting for Glue to Dry – The James Sequence

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James 5:7-8

I’m sure you’ve heard this before: Don’t pray for patience because the Lord will give you something to be patient about! Oh, brother! Like I need that! I wouldn’t believe this old wives’ tale if I were you. Being a patient person is what James is talking about in this verse and the ones that follow. He gives the example of a farmer who plants crops and then patiently waits while the rains come at the right time to bring the harvest.

It would be rather comical to see a farmer plant his crops of corn, grab a chair, and wait right next to the plants until the first sprout breaks through the ground. I can imagine him three weeks into the planting and he’s jumping up and down in the middle of the night out there in the field with his chair and flashlight! He just couldn’t wait until that first plant showed up! A rather ridiculous picture to imagine, but that’s a visual example of what James is saying. Be patient!

I’m not really patient when I’m waiting for glue to dry, which has become the one thing in my life that continually haunts me. There is always something broken at my house and no matter how much I try, I can’t wait for the super glue to dry before I let go. I have to see if it’s hard yet, so I take my hands off. Oops! Not yet! Let’s try that again. And again. Elmer’s glue is worse. I definitely can’t wait around for that stuff to get hard. Ugh! So when my grandkids want to make popsicle stick houses that need to be GLUED…I’m outta there! You’re on your own, guys!

God’s plan often means we have to spend our time in the waiting room of life. We can pray continually for something like a job opening, a future mate, or some special place we want to go, but God says, “No, wait.” Speaking for myself…I really, really don’t like waiting. Unfortunately, waiting is not one of my strengths. I have spent an enormous amount of time going back to fix something that I’ve rushed into. And that brings me to another point. If I would have been patient in the first place I wouldn’t have to repeat so many experiences just to get it right on the second or third or even fourth try.

So, Lord, how do I get the patience to wait for your plan? I know, I know…wait, You’ll tell me when You’re ready!

Monday, June 27, 2011

Living in the Vapor- The James Sequence

“For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” James 4:14

Have you ever walked around a cemetery and looked at the dates on the tombstones? There are the dates the people were born, then long dashes and then the dates they died. Those dashes are what James is talking about in this verse. He calls our life a vapor, something that appears and then vanishes in a short time. It’s what’s in-between the dates, the dashes, that tell about how you’ve spent your life.

When my husband died five years ago I didn’t hesitate putting his life verse on his tombstone. That verse is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Those verses were a testimony to my husband’s life and all he accomplished in his 60 short years. On the front of his tombstone are words about him being a father, son, husband, and champion for the unborn because of his work starting crisis pregnancy centers in Eastern Europe. These words are a testimony to a life well-lived for Christ.

In stark contrast to my husband’s tombstone is the one standing next to his. The man’s birth and death are stated and then there are two pictures engraved in stone. One is a bingo card and the other is a set of golf clubs. I’ll let you think about that for a moment. Bingo and golf, not the worst things to spend a leisurely afternoon doing, but is that all he accomplished in his lifetime? Is that the extent of how he will be remembered?

Sometimes I think it would be great to know when my last day on earth would be because I could make so many preparations beforehand. I would make contact with all my loved ones and give them goodbye hugs and kisses. I would finally witness to our unsaved relatives and friends so they would know what I believe and have an opportunity to know Jesus as their Savior. I would get my family papers in order so that relatives wouldn’t have to shuffle through them looking for relevant files. I could also arrange my funeral service so none of my favorite songs or verses get left out. It’s unfortunate, but we won’t have time to get these things in order if Christ should come back today!

When life is over and you stand before Christ to answer for that vapor that was your life, what will be your response? Will your accomplishments for Christ far outweigh the other things that occupy every moment of your life right now?

Monday, June 20, 2011

A Truly Humble Person – The James Sequence

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:10

I love what the Urban Dictionary says about this word:
Humble: An admirable quality that not many people possess. It means that a person may have accomplished a lot, or be a lot but doesn’t feel it is necessary to advertise or gab about it.

Do you know people who would be considered humble? What are their attitudes like? Who do they put at the forefront of every action or reaction? What stimulates their actions? Would you consider yourself when mentioning the word humble?

I’ve know some amazingly humble people in my lifetime. Their primary attitudes are servitude and almost seem to say, “What can I do for you?” They never put themselves at the forefront of anything but are the ones serving in the background, not wanting or needing the spotlight. They often take action to help someone before anyone even asks. They seem to have a sixth-sense about when help is needed. It just comes so naturally to them.

1 Peter 5:6 also tells us, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time...” This verse says that if we behave in a humble fashion, God will take care of the recognition. He alone will lift us up to a place of honor, not as the world does but in His own time. So many people I know seek the limelight in a way that is almost shameless. They did this, they did that, and nobody can do these things as well as they do it all. There is definitely no humility there!

It’s really hard to bestow honor upon someone who is truly humble. Their downcast look or hesitancy in receiving the award awaiting them could be mistaken for meekness. But I have a great answer for those who are described as meek! My former pastor used to say, “Meekness is not weakness, its power under control!” Well, I think that puts a little different emphasis on the word humble. Humble people possess a huge amount of power to be able to pull back from the limelight and be content in their servant’s shoes!

So how would your friends, colleagues, and family describe you? Would they say you’re arrogant, pushy, stepping on anyone in your way as you strive to get to the top? Or would they say you’re a humble person? One who doesn’t seek for self but works well with others and puts the needs of others first?

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

God With Flesh On – The James Sequence

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17

If you’re like me, you have plenty of friends who are willing to offer advice about any aspect of your life. They may be good friends and have genuine intentions, but is their wisdom and advice purely from a godly viewpoint or just what they would do in your circumstances?

Critical times in your life are when you need someone to give you advice that is truly God-centered. This is advice from someone who prays for you, knows your heart and wants God’s best for you. That’s why it’s important that you develop close relationships with Christ-centered believers early in your life. I know this for a fact. I’ve had two prayer warriors in my life for over 40 years!

When going through a crisis or painful time in your life, sometimes you are unable to make decisions on your own. It’s hard enough just to motivate yourself to get out of bed, get dressed, eat, and live. I can speak from experience about this. When my husband died five years ago in the month of June, I was stunned. Unexpectedly, he passed from living one day to heaven the next. How was I to keep going on alone after 40 years of marriage? He was the only one I’d dated, the only one I ever cared for. How could this be God’s plan for my life?

Through those rough, awful days of the funeral I knew two ladies specifically were praying for me. They didn’t need to know details about anything, they just prayed full-time for my needs and for God to give me strength. I felt it. I experienced it in dramatic ways. I can’t explain what all happened during that time, but when I needed someone to talk to, they were there. They mostly listened but when they did offer advice I knew they had already prayed about what to say to me. It wasn’t frivolous stuff like my unsaved friends and relatives were offering. It was solid, Bible-based instruction on how to go on with life. How God would provide for me through His servants. How God had a plan for me, too. Oh, I didn’t know how to believe that at the moment, but they did and they prayed over me and with me. It was my salvation through those very, very tough days. They were God with flesh on for me.

Today, they’re still praying! They ask me all the time how I’m doing. They write me encouraging emails and let me know that they want to know what to pray for. Isn’t that amazing? I’m amazed! Those two ladies have taught me so much about being a wise person who gives wise advice. Not to be frivolous in offering just any words, but words of encouragement, peace, and strength. I want to be that kind of wisdom seeker, don’t you?

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

If You Can’t Say Something Nice… – The James Sequence

Ever been punched in the gut? I’m told it hurts terribly! I’ve never had the physical punch but the verbal one hurts just as bad.

James tells us, “The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature…no man can tame the tongue! How true it is. The tongue, my tongue in particular, makes me look like a raging lunatic some days. Why is that? Why can’t I tame that little thing to do what I really want it to?

I have an active Facebook page and often I post about experiences I’ve been through. Like recently, when Dr. Jack Kevorkian died. If you aren’t aware of who he was, he had perfected a combination of drugs that, when administered correctly, would kill you. So people who wanted to die (usually because they were going through difficult diseases) injected themselves with this potion that killed them in a short amount of time.

Forty-four years ago I worked for Dr. Death, as he was called by his colleagues. He was the head of Pathology in the hospital I worked in. I was his stenographer in the morgue and also in the lab for biopsies he performed.

When he died recently, I posted the information and stated that I wasn’t too sad about it. Many of my friends commented about the fact that I’d worked for him. But one person posted this: “Jesus was sad.” Ugh! Ouch! Right in the gut! Why hadn’t I thought about what that little phrase would really mean? Of course Jesus was sad! He was sad that the doctor hadn’t chosen eternal life.

Have you ever felt like you needed to have a proofreader review everything you say so you don’t say something stupid? I sure do. Right when I think I have it all together, my mouth opens up and out comes something I immediately wish I could take back. Oh, help me!

James goes on to say that our tongues are full of iniquity…and it is unruly and full of poison. Precious Father, help me realize that what comes out should be a reflection of You! If I take that perspective, possibly, hopefully, I’ll gain some ground in this war of the tongue!

So consider your tongue to be your greatest asset or your biggest enemy, whichever fits. Pray that God will help you tame it into submission soon!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Footsteps from Above – The James Sequence

Once a month I have breakfast with a bunch of ministry leaders at a local mission. We sit in a quiet room eating breakfast as we listen to each other’s prayer requests. At the end of the meal we pray together.

The mission where we meet houses many homeless women and their children. Often while we’re praying, the kids are getting ready for school. We can hear their tiny footsteps walking or running overhead. Some may think this would be an interruption to our quiet prayer time but I think it’s just about the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.

Those little footsteps represent children being helped—a family being saved from living on the streets. It tells me of the eagerness of the children to get to the normality of school and friends. Mission living is not normal; a house is normal, an apartment is normal. The kids need normal. The mission is the beginning for them—a start-over you might say. It’s a place where their family can heal and put life back together.

James tells us we should be doing all we can for those in need. In chapter two verses15-17 it talks about faith and works. If we see a poor, destitute person and just tell them, “Depart in peace and be warmed and fed,” but do nothing to ease their hunger…in what way are we helping? We have to make our faith in God real and visible to them. We need to put our faith to the test and see if we really believe what we say we believe. If I give my food to a hungry person can God replace it with what I need to survive? Yes, He can!


Those little children tromping across the floor at the mission depend on folks like us to step up to the plate to do what we can to help them. They’re too young to understand foundations and donations and all that stuff, but they’re not too young to understand a hug, a look of love, and help from a friend. It takes God’s people to show His love to the unloved and hurting. It takes our hands to give and hug someone in need.

So are you going to put your works next to your faith and help someone? It may be rewarded with footsteps from above someday!