Intimidation.

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(scene from The Little Giants)

"...has it occurred to you that you are...well,

...a little intimidating?

I mean, that maybe when other people look at you, they see that you've set the bar so high for yourself that we all assume that you set the bar that high for us too - even if you don't think you do? And that some people feel inadequate just being around you, or when they see your online posts, or when you're teaching..."

The Lord knows that I'm in a time of my life when I need to hear hard things. I've had conversations where something like the above comment was mentioned FIVE times in the last couple months - which means God is trying a message through!! And He has been faithful to put in my path a women who are faithful to speak those hard things. In love, because they care. He has also given me the gift of Will, who knows me better than anyone else, and is openly honest with me about my weaknesses.

When it comes to my own heart and my relationship with the Lord - I want perfection. I want excellence all of the time. I want to be a beautiful ambassador for Jesus.

I have been so full of pride. I have faltered while thinking I'm okay.

One of the proverbs that utterly. terrifies. me. is 25:26:
A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

Do you know what happens when people try to find refreshment by drinking from a murky spring or polluted well?! Disease! Maybe even death! They end up sicker and weaker than when they began!

I cannot describe to you the deep-down terror I feel at the idea that someone would come to me for encouragement, or examine my life to see what Jesus is all about, and go away from me spiritually weaker than when they began. I want my life, my heart, my words, my actions, my motives to be a neon sign that points straight to Jesus Christ and His mercy and love and patience and might - always. And because of that, I don't graciously tolerate less than perfection from myself, as it pertains to my journey with the Lord.

The strife comes when I project that desire for "perfect" onto other people. Like my husband, or daughters, or fellow moms, or other brothers & sisters in the Lord, or ...anyone. There is pain, discord, and broken fellowship when I hold them to the standard that only Jesus Christ can attain!

People let people down. I let people down every single day (mainly, Will & the girls, because they are who I spend most of my time with!). It's what people do! I have been so foolish to expect & require perfection from everyone around me and myself. For years, I have been breaking hearts and driving the people I love the most AWAY from the Savior, because I inadvertently expected them to look exactly like Him when really I expected that I should look exactly like Him.

God is showing me (because I'm finally willing to see!!) that there is a huge difference between:
1) expecting/demanding consistent excellence from myself and others, and
2) striving toward becoming excellent in those areas where Jesus has called me while gently guiding and encouraging others to also strive toward excellence in those areas where Jesus has called them.

For instance:
Doing these things

• demanding my daughters have a perfectly clean room, flawless manners, and impeccably sweet attitudes all of the time only teaches my daughters that it's the outward appearance that matters.
• expecting myself to be able to maintain a perfectly clean home every single day only leave me feeling guilty and overwhelmed by my struggle with laziness - and may compel me to only worry about the surface cleaning - taking shortcuts to make sure everything looks okay at a first glance.
• requiring that my husband should always be completely loving - patience, kind, not arrogant, not rude, never failing - teaches him that I think he's a failure because he can't do what only Jesus can do.

...kills joy, love, peace, patience...you name it. No wonder I'm a drag to be around! Ugh!

But this approach

• extending grace to my girls when their room is not clean - maybe giving appropriate consequences when they trash the place but understanding that they are girls and they love to play with each other (and what a huge blessing that is!), or reminding them as many times as necessary to say thank you/please/excuse me/etc because love is kind, or remembering that even I don't have an impeccably sweet attitude all of the time and showing them what repentance looks like when I don't...that teaches them that the Lord cares about their hearts and how they treat others.
• giving myself grace when the dishes are still in the sink or the laundry is still in the washer, and just getting up every morning and trying for one. more. day. to battle the desire to be lazy, knowing that each small victory is a step toward excellence.
• encouraging Will to look to Jesus as the example while pouring grace and mercy all over his heart when he gets distracted...

fosters life - abundant life in Christ! - and growth in the Spirit.

Oh, Lord, I'm so slow, but I'm learning. I'm so sorry that I resisted Your way of grace for so long, to Will's grief and the girls' frustration, and to the hurt of my friends & family. Help me to let go of my deadly grip on intimidating perfection & my own excellence, and to lean hard on Your grace, Your compassion, and Your excellence. It's not my perfection in You that draws people; it's You loving me patiently in my imperfection that is most beautiful.

Seeking His excellence,

for His glory!

~Lisha

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A Post-Worthy Life

Here is a snippet of an email I received this morning from someone who is very close to me:

"What you are striving for, perhaps without realizing it, is a perfect post-worthy life. I believe you want to be able to marginalize the real bad stuff and exacerbate the trivial bad stuff in order to feign godliness and earn friends while stubbornly refusing to change or admit error so that you can bask in the glory of having been right all along..."

Ouch.

But there is truth to be gleaned from this. Social media has suckered me in, and appealed to my "people pleaser" side - I want people to like me. I want them to think well of me and the work that I'm doing. I do tend to leave out the unbecoming qualities, and post more of the Christ-like thoughts and plans and happenings than anything else. I am often stubborn and slow to see the plank in my own eye before I try to meddle with the speck in someone else's. And the allure of proving that I'm right is strong.

And it shows. And I'm grateful that this close one brought it to my attention. It breaks my heart to think that my life would be the reason a person would reject Jesus - and I know it has been. too many times. For shame.

I don't want a post-worthy life, I want a gospel-worthy life.

Lord, keep transforming my heart & mind and forming my will until they look like Yours!!!

Praising God for the truths I need to hear,

even when they hurt,

for His glory!

~Lisha

I'm sharing this post over at some of these Link-up parties!

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anguish...and hope! [Lamentations 3]

image from www.shellibourque.com

One of the first places I turn to is Lamentations 3:22-24 when my soul is troubled: "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I hope in Him!' But I don't take the time to read what's around those verses. 

It's easy to search out verses that bring me peace, but I need to take in the whole counsel of God - not just the bits and pieces of passages that I find comforting. So I read most of the book of Lamentations (5 chapters - it's in between the books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel). Jeremiah wrote this lament over Jerusalem, and it's not uplifting at all, save the few verses in chapter 3. He describes the utter shaming of his people, his homeland; how the judgement of God had come upon them. He writes of starvation, death, destruction. Jeremiah is in anguish over the state of things - and that God has allowed these things. The first 20 verses of chapter 3 describe how the Lord has greatly afflicted Jeremiah. My eyes filled with tears for the hopelessness pouring off the pages. for the confusion. for the agony that he felt watching his people suffer for their sins. and then for the dread of what I know I deserve for my unfaithfulness to the Lord. Four and a half of the five chapters are painful to read!!

And then, this respite in a barren place:

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope!!
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I hope in Him!”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
to the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
It is good for a man to bear
the yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and keep silent,
because God has laid it on him;
let him put his mouth in the dust—
there may yet be hope.
Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
and be full of reproach.
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Though He causes grief,
yet He will show compassion
according to the multitude of His mercies!
For He does not afflict willingly,
nor grieve the children of men.

He does. not. afflict. willingly. For all that befell the Israelites, and all that has come to me in the way of uncomfortable circumstances - God does not afflict willingly! He does not grieve my heart willingly. He IS merciful and compassionate, and it's easy enough to cling to just those few verses - but until His mercy is cast upon the somber and devastating backdrop of the wretchedness of my deeds and my sin and my unfaithfulness - it doesn't mean as much to me.

I need to be reminded often that I. am. depraved. Left to my own desires and wishes, I want what I think is best for me. When the Lord allows affliction, it's sometimes because He wants me to come to terms with my sin and cast myself again upon His mercies.

A little farther down, I see:
Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
when the Lord has not commanded it?!
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that woe and well-being proceed?
Why should a living man complain,
a man for the punishment of his sins?
Let us search out and examine our ways,
and turn back to the Lord;
let us lift our hearts and hands
to God in heaven.
[Lamentations 3:21-33,37-41]

Why should I complain when I see the consequences of my sin? It's true that Jesus Christ bore the punishment for my sins once and for all on the cross; but it is also true that when I sow sin in my life, I will eventually reap the consequences. God's grace may cover the due punishment for my sin, but it does not allow escape for the outcome.

Let me continually search and examine my ways, to see whether or not I am being selfish or seeking what the Lord says in any and all matters; Father, let me always turn back to You the instant I realize I'm beginning to turn away! Thank You that You are merciful, and Your compassions never fail; thank You that You are faithful to Your word regardless of how faithless and sinful I am!! Without the depths of my sin, I'd not appreciate the heights of Your forgiveness & love. Be it ever so, Lord!

Great is His faithfulness,
for His glory!
~Lisha



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sin. repent. repeat. (or: a brief update)

It's been a while since I've been able or have even wanted to sit here and write.

The Lord God Almighty has been faithful to our family, even as we have been so unfaithful to Him. And He has carried us for the last couple of weeks months years.

For those who are unaware, our oldest daughter had surgery in late November (see I did not sign up for this part! for the details). And 3 days later, we moved into a new home.

...December was a rough month for us, as E healed. So slowly. There were lots of rough days. I'll spare you the details, because if you've ever known anyone who had any kind of major surgery, you probably know the details. Will left his job the week before Christmas because he was offered a new job (which did not start until the first week of January).

Amidst the visible changes in my life, there is a much more intense change below the smiley surface. God is confronting and convicting me in a big way about my priorities.

and how i am not the believer that i think i am.
that i am not the believer that most people believe that i am.

and that is draining. and painful. and embarrassing.

it means getting up every morning and starting my day with my nose and my heart in the Word, begging Jesus to somehow give me the presence of mind for every moment of the day to choose what glorifies Him the most because that's not my default setting. even though I want to pretend that it is.

and it means that when i do not do what glorifies Him the most, that i weep, repent and ask Him for the forgiveness that knows no depth. and for the grace to choose better next time. both of which He joyfully extends.

and repeat

over (being snappy in my speech)
and
over (not giving my full attention to will when he's talking)
and
over (asking abby to bring me something that i forgot because i'm too lazy to get up)
and
over (shouting at hannah because she did something that annoys me even though it's not sinful)
and
over (wasting those five minutes 'just checking facebook real quick!' when i know i should be making lunch or supervising the girls' schooling)

until i crawl into bed, to thank Jesus with weary lips that His mercies will come new with the sunrise and that i'll get another chance to choose worship over worry and mercy over meanness and family over facebook.

not yet like Jesus,
but someday i will be-
for His glory
~lisha

I may be sharing this post at these Link-up parties.

For the speechless.

Dear one,

Tonight, abortion is heavy on my soul. Actually, this message has been on my heart for months; I have been ignoring it. It's a personal issue, my mind says to me, and everyone probably knows where I stand, so why bring it up when it's already a hotly-debated topic?!

And then my Lord says to me:

Open your mouth for the speechless,
in the cause of all who are appointed to die!!
[Proverbs 31:8]

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
[James 4:17]

www.180movie.com

First, a word to those who count themselves as "pro-life":
You will do more damage to the message of Christ when you try to argue people into His kingdom with facts and statistics and judgmental speeches about abortion. It is not your job to change a mind or a heart or to judge a circumstance; it IS your job to show grace and compassion while pointing people to examine Jesus and His Law. So please, think before you share a judgmental or rude or sarcastic comment. When you see people lauding abortion or a woman's right to her own body - try patiently waiting until s/he is done speaking and then making sure your response is full of grace and gentle truth. And remember that you don't need to comment on every post about abortion that you come across. Sometimes, silence speaks infinitely more than stating your opinion. Pray for discernment about when to contribute. If you don't believe this method will work, search through the book of Proverbs about how to speak with people.

And before you start ferociously championing the end of abortion - consider that about 3,700 babies are aborted in America every day. Are you, who claim to follow the King of Glory, willing to open your heart and your home and your life to adopt some of the babies who would be orphaned by not being aborted? What do you think would happen to all of those babies if abortion ended today (hint: they'd become part of an already overwhelmed and understaffed foster care system, raised by the government!)? If you aren't willing to take them in - if you hesitate - please go back and read what God has to say about how He directs His people to care for the orphans. We will not win a nation for Christ by legislating it - start praying for a spiritual awakening and starting loving people where they are at. Once the Spirit sweeps through, we won't need a written law because the people of America will have the Law of God written on their hearts. What a day that would be!

And also on my heart: are you pro-life, or just anti-abortion? Because there is a big difference! Do you honestly value each and every life on the planet simply because everyone is made in the image of the Almighty?! Everyone!! Or do you flippantly joke about how some groups of people shouldn't be allowed to have kids, or that our society would be "better off" without certain groups of people? Do you strive against some "undesirable" groups because of what they choose to participate in? If you do that, you need to go back to the Word and repent of your pride and your ignorance! God uses the weak, the base, the nobodies to bring to shame those who are powerful, strong, and smart. Believer, let your heart beat in sync with the Lord's on this, that every single life, whether newly conceived in the womb or in the late stages of terminal disease; whether mentally impaired or physically incapable; whether normal and average, is precious and purposed by the Lord of Hosts and each can be redeemed from their sins by the power of Christ's atonement - just as you once were!!!

And for those who are committed to the cause of a woman's right to choose abortion:
It is not my job to convince you that I'm right, or you're wrong! It is not my job to make you stop what you are doing or make you feel guilty! No, I have no power to change your heart or your mind, and I am not going to try!

But I will share these few verses, and please know that I am praying for you. You, who are made in the image of God; you, who were formed for a purpose long before the world even began. You, whom the Creator does not desire should perish because of your sins, but have everlasting life in Christ!

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you...
[Jeremiah 1:5]

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...
[Psalm 139:13]

Here are two outstanding resources for everybody who is reading this blog post right now. Educate yourself and continue to seek out what God says about the precious gift of life that He has given each of us.

180 Movie
Baby Choice

Opening my mouth for the speechless,
for His glory,
~Lisha

PS If you want to talk, if you need a compassionate and non-judgmental ear, if you want me to pray with you or help you search the Scriptures, or if you need to know more about Jesus, please let me know!! Please!! My heart is SO burdened tonight - for the babies who have been silenced and for the women who are in agony over such a heavy load of guilt or shame that they do not have to continue to carry, and for those who blindly follow a culture of death without realizing it.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest! Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. -Jesus
[Matthew 11:28-29]

Turn to Me!

"Now, therefore,” says the Lord,

“turn to Me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning!”

So rend your heart, and not your garments;

return to the Lord your God,

for He is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and of great kindness;

and He relents from doing harm!!

[Joel 2:12-13]

God has been doing a deep and mighty work in my heart lately.

He is teaching me (or, I'm finally realizing even though He's been showing me all along!) that I have been living:

1) acting like I have it all together, instead living honestly even when I don't;

2) serving my family because it's a necessary duty, instead serving my family joyfully because I love them;

3) wanting others to see how spiritual I am, instead of openly acknowledging that I am not unless I'm in Christ; and

4) feeling guilty under the weight of my sin instead of fearing the LORD in such a way that I do not choose to sin in the first place and accepting His total forgiveness.

It is a painful place for me to be. Daily I'm being reminded that I, apart from the redemptive work of Christ, am not.

Am not what?

complete. wise. mature. spiritual. loving. kind. joyful. patient. faithful. tempered in my appetites. an excellent wife. a dedicated mother. a decent friend. a decent human being.

Lest you think that I'm in a state of despair - read on! When the Lord chastens and humbles His daughter in such a way, it's because He loves me. Fiercely and completely. Enough to inflict a momentary hurt in exchange for eternal freedom. I hurt, but I know it's because I am loved by Almighty God. I know that this is a good pain to be experiencing. I am not hopeless! Sorrowful, ashamed, angry with myself at times - yes. But never hopeless. The joy that I have right now is that I can put full trust in Jesus and His Word. There will be exuberant joy afterward. But now, a quiet underlying joy that reminds me that He is molding me to be more and more like Jesus.

And here are the sermons and studies that God used powerfully to bring me to this place in my journey with Him:

Examine Yourself - Paul Washer

If My Words Abide In You - John Piper

Seeking Him

...and pretty much any of the Psalms and the book of Romans.

Humbled and clinging to Jesus,

for His glory!

~Lisha :)

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;

You do not delight in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

a broken and a contrite heart—

these, O God, You will not despise! [Psalm 16-17]

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God!, that you may obey His voice!, and that you may cling to Him!, for He is your life and the length of your days!!!!; [Deuteronomy 30:19-20]

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and instruction. [Proverbs 1:7]

He must increase, but I must decrease. [John 3:30]

When pride comes, then comes shame;

but with the humble is wisdom. [Proverbs 11:2]

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!! Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" [John 6:66-69]

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Who? Me? (Or: a reflection as we approach our anniversary)

It's really hard to live someone who can be selfish, stubborn, given to outbursts of anger, impatient, untrusting, mopey, disrespectful, unwilling to change, unteachable, lazy, arrogant, expecting and needing to be right.

It's really frustrating to be friends with someone who wants their own way and takes no interest in your hobbies; who says you are their best friend but doesn't always take your dreams seriously and who can be quick to share their dreams and heart with almost anyone else before opening up to you.

It's really discouraging to keep on giving to someone who doesn't often say thank you and who kind of just expects that you're going to do so much for them - like you owe it to them or something - and they are slow to give back.

I know this, because Will lives with that someone every day (me!!) - but in the strength of the Lord continues to honor his vows till death parts us. It's been 8 years of marriage. Eight years of learning more about Jesus and we've both got a ways to go, but I am grateful that Will has not relented in his commitment to me even when it would be so convenient in the "sicker", "poorer", and "worse" times.

Jesus - transform me - but also, give me the strength, desire, and conviction to change. Your Spirit working in my heart is for naught if I'm not willing to obey and do my part! Help me to be the helpmeet that Will needs. And please, always always cover us both in your extravagant grace! Thank you, Lord, for the sweet gift of my dear husband - who, though a sinner, is still a picture of how Christ loves His church by laying down His life for her.

Will & I :)

Bless our marriage, that it might be
for Your glory!
~Lisha

I may be sharing this post at these uplifting Link-up parties!

Selah.

Every year, around this time, I take a moment (or two. or lots) to reflect on how it is that I've become the woman I am.

This year, I don't really know what to say that I haven't already written before. It's not for a lack of reflecting; it's just that most of what I would say has already been poured out. The only thing that has changed between all the years past and this one is now, it's been 10 years since Sarah entered God's rest and is celebrating Christmas with Jesus. And what change God can affect over the course of a decade!! My life is not what I thought it would be; but through God's grace and the power of a child's faith I am right where I need and want to be. 

I want to share what I've written before, in case you've never read or heard about how it is that I decided to follow Jesus. 

a brief introduction. (2009)

Dear Sarah, (2010)

I'm so thankful for God's abundant grace and the depth of His mercy. My heart's deepest desire is to live like I mean it, that you would want to follow Him, too!

By His grace,

and for His glory!

~Lisha

Everyone who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ has a story of how He saves to the uttermost...

www.servantevangelism.wordpress.com

It Doesn't Look Right

There's something about it that just doesn't look right to me.

Snow on the ground while there are still so many leaves on the trees, I mean.

The trees haven't finished preparing for their winter sleep, but the blanket is laid down anyway. It doesn't look the way it should. The trees are supposed to shed their old leaves first, and then they are ready to be covered in the crisp, white snow.

I was on my way to the grocery store today, and it takes about 15 minutes to get there. There are a lot of trees, and right now there is also a lot of snow [some reports say we got about 25-30"!]. As I was thinking about how 'not-right' the whole scene was, I started to think about why.

I think it bothers me so much because it's not the way the cycle is supposed to go. There is supposed to be death: the leaves die and fall off of the trees. Then comes the quiet layer of snow before the springing forth of new life. There's not supposed to be so much overlap. The leaves aren't done dying and falling away before they are buried in snow.

But there was a deeper reason that it bothered me, that really had little to do with the leaves, weather, seasons, or trees at all.

How many times have professing Christians (such as myself) not "looked right?"

The Bible says that if we are in Christ, the old is gone (dead to the power of sin) and we are made new (alive in Christ). There is no room for "overlap". You cannot be partially dead to your sin nature and be mostly new in Christ. It doesn't "look right" to the rest of the world.

You're overlapping if you still laugh at crude jokes but sing praise songs.
You're overlapping if you're watching shallow reality TV but also watching wholesome family movies.
You're overlapping if you yell at your kids but encourage your Christian friends.
You're overlapping if you give money to 'good causes' but inwardly mock someone who looks/acts different than you.
You're overlapping if you would do anything for your parents but roll your eyes at your husband when he asks you to do almost anything.

...and so on. You may be able to fool the people in your church that you're doing pretty well but unbelieving people can pick up that hypocrisy about 10 miles away, and it does no good for your testimony nor for their chances of really being introduced to Jesus (at least, by you).

[By no means I am trying to imply that I have this down pat. In fact, this is much of the refining work that the Lord has been doing in my heart lately - am I rendered dead to sin and to the things of this world even when no one else is around, or am I content to let my facebook posts make me look great while I'm off watching a movie that does not glorify the Lord, or while I'm barking at my kids for making honest mistakes, or entertaining injurious thoughts toward Will because he's just asked me to do something that I wasn't planning on doing today? Friends, I am learning this, too. I write to encourage you to walk the narrow road and exchange the rubbish of the world for the beauty of worshiping the Lord in His holiness!]

Stop trying to make it seem like people can follow Jesus and still look cool. They can't, and neither can you. Being alive in Christ means being dead to everything that the world thinks is really worth paying attention to.

You're not going to make people want to follow Jesus by trying to look as much like everyone else as possibly except that you do your devos and go to church and you 'protect' your kids by not letting them watch PG-13 movies. People are transformed by what Jesus has done as they watch you live a life that is so radically set-apart from what they know, in complete confidence, because you have been rendered dead to all this world holds dear and you have been raised to a new existence that reveres God and desires to be holy.

Either we are dying in our sin - like the leaves on the fall trees - or we have been washed clean from the stain of our sin  - like the cover of snow in the wintertime. We can't be both. It doesn't look right.

For His glory!
Lisha

PS It doesn't mean you'll never sin again. We're sinners - saved by God's grace alone! But because we are no longer slaves to sin, we have the ability to chose to sin or not. The world is quietly watching. Bring honor to the Lord by living worthy of the gospel, and living like you were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ!

I might be sharing this post at one of these magnificent link-up parties!

[If this post has blessed, encouraged, or inspired you, please comment or share it with a friend!]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. [2 Corinthians 5:17]

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. [Ephesians 2:1-10]

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 6:1-11]

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. [1 John 1:5-7]

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? [James 4:4-5]

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. [Exodus 20:2-5]

A righteous man who falters before the wicked
is like a murky spring and a polluted well. [Proverbs 25:26]

Jesus Loves Me?

Friend,

The gospel of my Lord Jesus Christ is not

The western church has cheapened the meaning of Jesus' message by using that phrase and others like it on bumper stickers, on kids' toys and cheap party favors, on T-shirts and keychains everywhere.

I have yet to find a place in the gospel accounts where Jesus is walking around telling people "Smile, I love you!", and that alone is sufficient to save them. God does love everyone - that is what compelled Him to come. But it's the Atonement by His death that saves, when we believe, not just His saying "I love you!".

If you think that sharing the gospel with others is being bold enough to tell them that Jesus loves them, my friend, you are not sharing the gospel with them.

People who don't know that they are sinful and who think that they are worth loving don't really care that Jesus loves them. After all, a lot of people love them. They're pretty awesome. That was my attitude before I knew that Jesus was my savior. I don't know if you knew me back in high school and college, but I was arrogant. And I was awesome.

My accomplishments and good deeds were many. I had a lot of influence and I had a lot of acquaintances. So what if Jesus loved me? I totally deserved it because I was an amazing human being! When well-meaning Christians told me that Jesus loved me, I rolled my eyes at them because, hey, why wouldn't Jesus love me?!

It wasn't until my sophomore year in college when I was confronted with the message that I needed to

that God got my attention. Someone finally was bold enough to tell me that I was sinful and that I needed to admit it and trust that Jesus had died on my behalf if I had any hope of getting into heaven.

What makes the statement "Jesus Loves You" so amazing is not that He loves you because you're astounding. It's because in spite of the fact that you are a depraved wretch, He still bore the entirety of my sin and your sin to Calvary and was executed for it, that God's justice might be totally satisfied instead of poured out on us. But unless we each choose with our lifestyle and heart, soul, and mind to daily appreciate that sacrifice and confess that Jesus Christ has every right to all of us, even to our very breath - we will each be expected to personally make payment for each and every one of our individual sins. Eternally. Because that's what it costs. [The wages of sin is death. Romans 3:23]

Jesus Christ came to share that the kingdom of God was at hand and that every body has been given an opportunity to repent of their sinful ways. The good news is that Jesus Christ accomplished for us what we could never hope to accomplish ourselves - to fully satisfy the wrath of a just God by paying with his sinless life. 

It's not a message you want to hear. It's a lot easier and comfortable to hear "Smile, Jesus Loves You!". But I'm not interested in your life being easy or comfortable. I'm increasingly interested in your repentance and eternal salvation through Jesus.

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord... [Acts 3:19]

For His glory!

Lisha

Hide and Seek!

Elizabeth and Abby love to play hide and seek! In fact, they can and will play for an hour or so if I let them; longer if they've got some good hiding spots. However, they don't play according to the rules - they play backwards.

"Okay, Mom, you stay there, and I'll go find you!" That's how Abby starts every single game of hide and seek that we play. The rule is that I sit on the couch, and Abby runs into the other room, counts loudly, and then slowly makes her way back toward the couch "looking" for me in every place she can think of.

It's quite comical. Eventually, she finds me - even though she really knew where I was all along because she told me where to hide.

That sounds an awful lot like my relationship with the Lord lately. I like to play Hide and Seek with Him, but I don't play according to His Word. I make up my own rules and I play backwards.

How does He want us to "Hide and Seek", according to His Word?

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
from the wicked who oppress me,
from my deadly enemies who surround me.
[Psalm 17:8-9]

For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
in the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD!
[Psalm 27:5-6]

Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
who sharpen their tongue like a sword...
[Psalm 64:1-3]

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
[Psalm 9:9-10]

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
there is no want to those who fear Him.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
[Psalm 34:8-10]

Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
Seek the LORD and His strength;
seek His face evermore!
[Psalm 105:1-4]

There are so many other verses about hiding and seeking. To me, it is clear that God wants us to hide in Him, not from Him; to seek Him at all times, not just when life is at its worst.

And that's where I tend to get it backwards!

It usually starts when I get lazy about taking every thought captive obedient to Christ. When I think, "hey, it's okay to overeat/not do chores/snap at the girls/just go a bit above the speed limit/be rude to Will...just this once. I mean, I'm justified...I've had a bad day (insert any lame excuse here). When I give a place to a "tiny" sin. Then I have to save face before God, and I start hiding FROM Him. It's ALWAYS a bad idea. Adam and Eve tried it too - and they didn't get away with it, either (see Genesis 3).

Then that little sin can get out of control and before I know it, I'm cranky, proud, stubborn, easily provoked, and a whole host of other nasty things. Hiding from God (by not praying and not being in the Word daily and by "covering up" my sin by doing other good things) leads to ruin. Ruin in my home. Ruin in my spiritual life. And that leads to needing to seek God and His mercy. Don't get me wrong - I am SO thankful that His mercies are new every morning, but I think He'd rather me not choose sin in the first place! He wants to be sought because of my love and passion for who He is, not because I've told Him "okay, You stay here, and I'll go find you!" only to wander back to Him at the end because I knew where He was all along and I'd exhausted all other possibilities.

Friend - are you hiding in God's love and grace, or are you hiding from God because your sin prevents you from wanting Him to find you out? Are you seeking God because you delight in Him and want to see His face and give Him glory, or are you seeking Him because you've exhausted all other possibilities and He's your last resort?

He makes it clear in the Bible that He wants to be our refuge in times of trial and in the 'regular' times too. He is a strong tower and a mighty fortress, and He longs for us to place our safety and trust in Him. To hide our vulnerable, mortal selves in His everlasting strength and might. So, run to Him. Hide in His strength. Seek Him in the good times - He says that when you seek Him with all your heart, you'll find Him! Don't wait until you're at your most desperate hour to seek Him. Let today be the day that you recognize that you can't hide your sin from God, and that you can find freedom and hope and life in seeking Him right now!

Only by His grace!
Only for His glory!
~Lisha :)

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. [Hebrews 4:12-13]

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity... [Jeremiah 29:12-14]

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If you can't say anything nice...

"Hannah keeps overestimating the size of her mouth!"

Will and I were watching Hannah play the other night. She would pick up a toy and immediately try to shove the entire thing in her mouth. It frustrated her quickly, because her mouth is not as large as her toys are; they just didn't fit. We were chuckling at the determination when Will made the above comment.

Almost all babies are prone to overestimating the size of their mouths. But the truth is, I think grown-ups are, too.

Babies overestimate by trying to put things in their mouths that are too big; adults overestimate by saying things that are too big and arrogant for them to be uttering.

Photo by Molly Viglione Photography, 2012
www.mollyviglionephotography.blogspot.com

I was convicted by the Holy Spirit years ago (just before I got married) while taking a course at church called "The Excellent Wife" (and also a few years later while reading the book "Beautiful in God's Eyes") of the following:

If the words that are going to be coming out of my mouth are not 1) kind or 2) wise, then I have no business saying them. NONE. This conviction is based on Proverbs 31:26: 'She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness' and James 3:9-10: 'With [the tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so!'

+Gossip should not come out of my mouth, even (and especially) when it's being said under the cover of being  a "real prayer concern." [See 1 Timothy 5:13]
+Insults should not come out of my mouth.
+Arrogant statements and assumptions should not come out of my mouth.
+Statements that make me sound like I am an absolute expert on something should not come out of my mouth.
+Words that dishonor God, my husband, my parents, or my government leaders should not come out of my mouth.
+Jokes at the expense of someone else's heart should not come out of my mouth.
+Complaints and whining should not come out of my mouth. [See Philippians 2:14]
+Rash retorts should not come out of my mouth. [See Proverbs 15:1]
+Venting anger should not come out of my mouth. ["Venting" is not healthy. It is a sign of a lack of self-control. See Proverbs 12:16, Proverbs 18:2 and Proverbs 29:11, for starters.]
+Words that mock, cut down, belittle, irritate, or purposely offend should not come out of my mouth.

"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." -Jesus {Matthew 12:34}
These kinds of words, when allowed to escape, are a symptom of a much larger problem. When I think that I deserve to say these kinds of things because (somebody hurt my feelings; someone has wronged me, I feel that I am owed something, etc), I am making a very wrong assumption that I'm entitled to execute judgement or justice on that person.

And those are awfully big words to be coming out of my mouth. With a very inflated heart attitude behind them.

When pondering my place before an almighty God, I realize that I am not more powerful, more entitled, more worthy, more justified than anyone else on the planet. I am a sinner. I have no right to be speaking those kind of words.

I sometimes (daily) overestimate the size of my mouth and my heart attitude. I lose my cool with my girls; I argue with my husband over small matters; I mutter under my breath at the grocery store when there are slower people in front of me or stopped right in the middle of the aisle and seem to need to read every single label on both sides before moving on. I am continually seeking forgiveness for the things that I let come out of my mouth and am working to discipline my tongue to speak only kind and wise words. James 3 is a great place to start if you want to know just how hard it is to use our mouths for God's glory by exercising self-control in that area; so is the entire book of Proverbs.

When overestimating the size of my mouth and my importance, I will find myself frustrated, like Hannah, because things do not fit the way I thought they would. I need to speak wisdom and kindness into the lives of my husband, children, friends, and everyone I meet! In matters where I've been hurt by someone's words or actions - I need to bring the hurt to the Lord and let Him take care of the matter. No comment, no hurt is so deep that Jesus cannot heal me completely.

We need to stop using ugly words. Stop airing bitterness and family politics on Facebook/Twitter/etc. Stop talking about people behind their backs. Stop snapping at our kids and our spouses. Stop complaining about people and situations that bother us. Stop mocking people who are different than we are. We need to delve into the Word of God to come up with a better solution for each of these scenarios. God's Word does not fail. And we will find, as we estimate rightly the size of our mouths and what our heart's attitudes should be that life will be less frustrating.

"[A virtuous wife] opens her mouth with wisdom, 
and on her tongue is the law of kindness. [Proverbs 31:26]

Growing in wisdom & kindness,
for His glory~

~Lisha

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A lesson in...vomit?

this was originally written in june of 2007 - i was 6 months pregnant with abby, and elizabeth was about 15 months old. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

so i had the '24 hour bug' on monday. it was yucky. the gastrointestinal pyrotechnics raged about every 20-30 minutes from 2am until about 2pm when i finally went to the doctor's office, because baby and i were very dehydrated. then i spent the rest of the evening on the couch watching pbs documentaries trying to sleep and keep down watered-down apple juice while will took care of elizabeth all day (he is the most amazing man that i know). 

you might think that there's not a lot to learn about puking. primarily because it's just really, really gross. 

however, as i lay in bed thinking about it monday night, i realized that puking and getting rid of sin in my life aren't really that different. there are three 'stages' to puking: 

stage 1) the really nauseous feels that makes you feel nasty, like you need to throw up. you dread it, because no one likes to throw up. it's not terribly pleasant. 

stage 2) your body actually purging itself of food and anything else that is in your body. this is undesirable, for two reasons. first, throwing up hurts your tummy, your throat, and tastes really bad. second, it makes you look downright ridiculous. your face is all contorted and someone's holding your hair back (maybe you) and you're leaning over some kind of container hoping that you don't lose it all over the floor. 

stage 3) relief. once you are done throwing up, you just feel better. (at least, i do). 

well i have been dealing with a lot of sin in my life lately. one of the biggest problems i have is being bitter toward people. you know, not forgiving them for things they have done, harboring stupid grudges, treating people badly (whether to their face or behind their backs). it's not many people, but there are some. and God showed me, in the midst of my puking, that getting rid of the bitterness in my life is going to be a lot like puking: 

stage 1) harboring bitterness makes me feel gross - not physically, but emotionally. i don't like treating people badly or harboring grudges. i don't know many people who do; it has a way of making you miserable. i know i need to change, but i dread it because it's not going to be fun or easy to change. 

stage 2) actually getting rid of the sin of bitterness, and replacing it with the love that God has called me to have towards others. when your sin is being purged, it hurts you - usually, your ego. in order to give up my bitter feelings, i need to lay down my pride and self-absorbed sense of justice and righteousness and recognize that God is the only One who is qualified to judge the person i am mad at. i also have to humble myself and love this person, regardless of what they have done to me. God doesn't tell us to only love people who love us back; He commands us to love everybody. even, and especially, our enemies (see matthew 5 and 6). it also makes you look utterly ridiculous to the outside world. forgiveness - true, complete forgiveness - is a quality that the world does not embrace or understand. as a race, humans are very reluctant to give up their sense of justice and just let things go. 

stage 3) relief!!! when i come to a place where i have truly exchanged my bitter feelings with the love, forgiveness, and compassion that Christ calls me to have for others, life is sweeter. living a life of love is much more desirable than living a life filled with bitter grudges and hatred, is it not? 

so as my body recovers from the worst (and grossest) physical illness i have had in a long time, my heart and soul rest easier, knowing that i will be recovering soon from the emotional illness of a bitter heart. even in the midst of puke, God is there, teaching and guiding. how amazing is that?!