Indefinite Hiatus

Gentle Reader,

I am intentionally taking off from blogging here for an indefinite period of time.  I need to focus on meeting the needs of my husband and children.

If you are new to this blog, then I welcome you.  May you find refreshment and encouragment.  If you are a return guest, I hope you will browse the blog for articles you may not have read.

Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
Hester

Quotations Site

I just stumbled across

http://en.thinkexist.com/

They have a compendium of quotes that might come in handy for the writers among us.

Yours for worthy words,
Hester

When I Find My Drafts

My goal was to post several more articles about fear.  I took my drafts with me on our trip to bury my father-in-law in Arkansas.  I looked at the drafts in the van, but when I tried to find them the day after we got home a week ago, the folder I had them in no longer contained them.  Things were so hectic, I can't recall what I did with them.  Several searches later, I am still empty-handed; somehow I've hidden them from myself!  As soon as I find them, I will resume the series on fear.

Perplexed,
Hester

Sabbatical

My father-in-law passed away yesterday.  We spent hours with him and Mom in the hospital.  Now we're busy with making arrangements for two services, one locally, and one in a different state where he will be buried.

So I'm taking a break from blogging for a couple of weeks.

In the name of Him to whom we must give account,
Hester

Fear, Part 2

Here is a poor quality photo of a church bulletin board I did several years ago.  It reads:  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6-7)  The shield is emblazoned "PEACE."  The sword represents the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

In His peace,
Hester

Leftover Chocolate?!

taken from Terri's Village catalog.

FEAR, Part 1

A couple of years ago, at the urging of a dear friend, I began a Bible study on the topic of fear.  There is so much written in God's holy Word about fear and faith.  It's been a never-ending study.  Here, I share with you some of my findings.

Fear dogs the feet of most of us.  I would say, "all of us," but I allow I haven't met everyone in the world.  There may be that lone individual who has never been afraid of anything.

Admittedly, fear tempts most of us to sin.  The psalmist says, "Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You."  (Psalm 119:11)  The way to keep from sinning when we are fearful is to have a thorough knowledge of God's Word.  Drawing upon this storehouse, we are able to recall he many attributes of the Lord.  We remember that in His power, He created all things; that He parted the Red Sea - allowing the Israelites could pass through on dry ground and then closed it up, drowning Pharoah and the whole Egyptian army; that He miraculously fed Elijah in the wilderness; that on many occasions He supernaturally intervened to conquer the enemies of Israel; and - the best of all - that He raised his Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead.  When we meditate on those truths, our own fears shrink.  A sovereign God that mighty, that powerful surely can handle our piddlin' fears.  It helps us trust Him.

Those who have learned to trust their Maker are able to turn a deaf ear to their own fears.  How do they do that?  It's because they know who is in control of everything:  the Lord of Hosts, the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

Several years back, when I was a new Christian, I developed a little game.  Anytime I encountered a sin, I would try to classify it.   There are three categories of sin, according to 1 John 2:16:  the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.  After playing my game for a few months, I realized that all the sins I could think of would fit into one super-category - Pride.  (I'm not omniscient, but I suspect this is true across the board.)

Pride is what got Lucifer kicked out of heaven.  Pride got Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden.  Pride prevented the Israelites from entering Canaan.  They all said, in essence, "I don't like the way God has arranged things.  I know better than Him.  I want His position."  That is pride.

Lust of the eyes can be traced back to pride.  When we lust after something denied to us by the Lord, such as a new dress that's not in our budget, then we are saying, "I don't have to be content.  I can have what I want when I want it.  Phooey on Your Word that tells me godliness with contentment is great gain, that tells me to die to self, that tells me to exercise self-control."  Once again we are overriding the Almighty.  That is pride.

Lust of the flesh can be traced back to pride.  When I lust after something I shouldn't have, for instance my neighbor's husband, I'm really saying, "Phooey on your rules, God.  You say I should be content with my own husband, that I shouldn't covet my neighbor's spouse.  But I say I know better."  Or - another example - that sugary piece of cake or cookies that will pull down my immune system, thus disabling me from serving my Lord fruitfully and to capacity.  "It's my body.  I can do with it as I please.  I don't have to be a good steward of my body.  I am above the natural laws you have put into place.  I will not suffer undue consequences."  When I do that, I put myself in God's place.  A place I don't belong, can't honestly occupy.  That is pride.

So how is  fear related to pride?  "Surely this is an exception in Hester's game," you might say.

Is it?

I maintain that fear can also be prideful.

Follow me here.  Fear says, "Something bad is going to happen."  Or perhaps it already is happening.  Fear quakes.  Fear lacks faith.  Fear only sees the circumstances.  Fear says, "God cannot or will not take care of me."

Fear is pride in disguise.  Fear puts self on the throne.  Fear wants God to do things differently - namely my way.  But the Lord is sovereign, whether we want Him to be or not.  He has ordained the events of our lives, for His glory and for our good.  For us to fret against that is sinful.

I'm going to leave you at this point to ponder these things.  I hope to follow up this article with at least two others, which will discuss more of the passages I researched, explore the ways we as women sin in our fear,  and offer suggestions and extra-Biblical resources for dealing with our fear.

In the meantime, how about your telling me of a way that you have dealt with fear in your life?  I look forward to hearing from you.

In the name of the Prince of Peace,
Hester

The Savior Leads Me

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,

for Thou art with me.  Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."  (Psalm 23:4)

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

I ran across this comforting hymn a couple of days ago.

"All the Way My Saviour Leads Me"

Fanny J. Crosby and Robert Lowry

All the way my Saviour leads me;

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my Guide?

Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, 

Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate'er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Saviour leads me,

Cheers each winding path I tread,

Gives me grace for every trial,

Feeds me with the living bread.

Though my weary steps may falter,

And my soul athirst may be,

Gushing from the Rock before me,

Lo! a spring of joy I see.

All the way my Saviour leads me;

Oh, the fullness of His love!

Perfect rest to me is promised

In my Father's house above.

When my spirit, clothed immortal,

Wings its flight to realms of day,

This my song through endless ages:

Jesus led me all the way.

What a comfort to know He always walks beside His children!  I especially like the lines that refer to the Rock's gushing spring. It's a vibrant picture of abundant joy, whose source is the Rock, our mighty, generous, gracious Lord.  The joy does not arise from within our withered, pitifully weak souls, cannot be mustered by our incompetent hands, but can only come by our being connected in a lively way to the Source.  Hallelujah!

And because of that connection, our immortal spirits will fly to be with Him for an eternity of endless day.  These undeserved blessings which He pours upon those who love Him call forth songs of praise on our part - now, in happy anticipation, and then, when we see Him face to face.  Can you hardly wait?

Safely abiding under His wings,
Hester

Thankful for . . . .

51.  Returning health and increasing energy and rosy cheeks and toes after many months of being deathly ill!  Praise you, gracious Father!

52.  All the people who have helped make number 52 possible.

53.  The ability to serve others after a long hiatus.  What joy I find in being His hands and voice!

54.  The precious breath given each of us at birth, so tenuous, so fragile and gossamer... and the way the Lord sustains life.

55.  The people with which He surrounds me - the difficult ones as well as the lovelies.  They are all made in His image, and each life is precious in His sight, each to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their station in life.

56.  Industrious daughters who cheerfully go about their chores.

57.  Innovative sons who use what is at hand to fix things.

58.  A steady husband who leans hard on the Lord so others can lean on Him too.

59.  Winter clothes!  Especially my purple turtleneck, which I thought I had lost.

60.  Ceiling fans and windows - which can be opened on temperate days, and closed on cold days!

Thank you, dear Father, for these numerous blessings!  You are too good to us!  But I'm so thankful.

Your daughter,
Hester

No Small Thing

Are you a mom of small children?  Do you think that what you are doing doesn't count for the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Are the mundane tasks of cleaning house, preparing meals for your family, changing odiferous diapers getting you down?  Will your efforts to train up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord pay off?  Does something else "out there" - some other career  - seem more appealing to you just now?  Steady now!  You couldn't be doing anything more important than training up soldiers for the Lord.

Please watch this video by Sarah Mae of "Like a Warm Cup of Coffee," and be encouraged, sister.


Sarah Mae encourages those of you who feel insignificant in the Lord's kingdom as you work at home with your young children.  Yes, ladies, you are doing big things for Him.  Don't be disheartened.  Be faithful in the small things, and He will make you ruler over much.

If this doesn't apply to you, but you know a woman who would be encouraged by this, please forward the link to them.

For the Kingdom's sake,
Hester

Ten Things for Which I am Thankful

41.  Cooler weather.  The summer was nice, but there's something invigorating about the crisp September air!  I also like the shorter days.  Our household tries to pack so much activity into our days, and the longer summer days tempt us to stay up way to late.  We tend to get more sleep during the fall and winter because we go to bed earlier!

42.  The rain that brought the cooler weather.  Seems like this year the LORD has spread out the rains more evenly, and for that I am grateful.

43.  A rained-out church picnic that moved to our home.  We had a lot of cozy fun with a bunch of people we love!

44.  The graces measured out to us daily in the form of extra time with people whose lives hang by threads.

45.  For my mother-in-law, whose birthday was yesterday.  Happy Birthday, Mom!  Hopefully we're going to be at her house later today helping her celebrate in a lonely house, since Dad is in rehab hospital for the next couple of weeks. 

46.  Spiritual warfare that drives us to our knees before the throne of grace.  Protection from the Lord during those times of intense battle with the powers of darkness.

47.  The wisdom given by the Father through His Spirit when requested.

48.  The tender words of endearment from family members at unexpected times.  "I love you, Mommy!" from my youngest son, hanging out the car window as he drives off with his Daddy.

49.  The enthusiasm of my youngest daughter (a creative soul) as she plans a costume to go along with our medieval unit study.

50.  The enthusiasm of my youngest daughter (the social butterfly!) as she plans our fall calendar hospitality.

Awww!  Do I hafta quit now?  There are SOOOOO many things for which to be grateful!  Thank you, Lord!

Your daughter,
Hester

Mind and Body

"My mind keeps writing checks that my body can't cash."

Looking Ahead Part 2

After a friend pointed out doctrinal errors in Henry Blackaby's EXPERIENCING GOD, I have decided to remove the "Looking Ahead" posts.  Please forgive me for misleading you by promoting this book.

Contritely,
Hester

Here are two critiques of the book:

 

http://content.glidesociety.com/stream/18F9E132-5514-4F58-B478-02E6D0140219/2D8FC48F-4DBF-45FA-B10F-B26DE93DD8FA.pdf

http://www.soundwitness.org/evangel/book_review_experiencing_god.htm

Personal Financial Disaster

Here's a great Yahoo! financial article about why most people have to declare bankruptcy.  I think they've hit the nail pretty squarely on the head.

Let's be good stewards of the resources the Lord has provided for us!

Hester

For These Things, I Thank You, Lord

31.  For our friends John and Ilyana, who so graciously hosted our church family in their home for an ethnic meal!  Yum, yum!  Cabbage rolls!


32.  For dear grandparents.  Lord, please help them in their infirmities.

33.  For shoes and socks.


34.  For a persistent neighborhood kitten who has won my heart against my will.  Love you, Carson!  You rascal.

35.  For the privilege of reading a good book with my young son.

36.  For the privilege of reading a challenging, convicting and encouraging book aloud to my family.

37.  For lapbooks and mini-offices.  We're having fun!

38.  For telephones that help us keep in touch with loved ones, and sometimes let us talk to real people and not computers.

39.  For cooler weather and gentle breezes.  The sky was beautiful yesterday when I sat outside to drink my special nano-tea.

40.  For neighbors.  We are so blessed to have many wonderful neighbors.

Thank you, dear Father, for these gifts from Your hands.
Amen.

Hester

Kleptocracy

I heard a new term a few weeks ago:  kleptocracy.  Probably it's a recent creation, but perhaps not.

 
You may recognize the component parts, and can guess at its meaning.  We've heard chronic shoplifters dubbed as "kleptomaniacs."  So there's an idea that "klepto" has to do with thievery and stealing.  And we've lived in a democracy all our lives.  A hazy conception presents itself that "-cracy" is somehow related to government.

Wikipedia's dictionary confirms these concepts:  "Klepto" - "representing a combining form of Ancient Greek kleptos "thief" and klepto "steal."  Then, "-cracy" - Ancient Greek kratos "power, rule."  We deduce that kleptocracy must have something to do with people in power who steal.  Wiktionary gives this meaning for kleptocracy:  "A corrupt and dishonest government characterized by greed."  Hmmm.  Since I have promised to keep this blog politics-free, I won't comment on this.  But I thought it a novel and possibly useful term.

Yours for expanded vocabulary,
Hester

Good Food & Missing Legs

When our youngest daughter was learning to talk, she made her first joke.  She entered the room holding a saucepan, which contained her elder sisters leather boots.

With a twinkle in her eye, she pronounced, "Good food."

  ------------
 For some reason, when children are very young, their tangible world is limited to what they can actually see.  About the same time as the "good food" incident, she came into my bedroom as I lay under my blankets, just awakening.  

Her little head was barely above the bed.  With grave concern, she queried, "Mama, where you glasses?"

Her eyes followed my finger as I pointed to the nightstand.

"Oh," she said.  Then with even more urgency than the first question, she asked, "Mama, where you legs!" 

Isn't it refreshing to see the world thru the eyes of little ones?  I'm so thankful for the fresh perspective the Lord gives us that way.

With a bettered view of life,
Hester

Still Grateful

Sigh.

It's been too long since I've added to my "1,000 Gifts" gratitude list.  And to be honest, I've been having a hard time making myself be grateful.  What a wretch I am!  How can I NOT be grateful, being surrounded by so many blessings.  Blessings like:

22.  New friends.

23.  Surprise provision of a large sum of cash from an anonymous source.  Much, much needed.

24.  The ability to minister to other people's needs.  Very significant for me, having been prevented from doing much of that in recent months.
                                                                                                             
25.  The steady love and prayers of my husband.                                                                                  

26.  The way the Lord is leading my husband, step - by - step, to lead our family.  Pretty exciting!

28.  Our daughters getting to do something they've wanted to do for a long time!

29.  Websites such as ABE books and Amazon.com and paperbackbookexchange.com, where we can purchase books economically.

30.  How much fun it can be to home educate a 3rd grader!  And how much I learn as I teach my junior-higher. 

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, for these and for hundreds of other gifts - small and large - that You pour into my life so abundantly, I thank you.  May my life be a continual response of gratitude for Your loving care and provision, and flat out indulgence toward me, your unworthy wayward daughter.  Amen.

In the Name of the Giver of every good and perfect gift,
Hester

My Response to Disobedient Children

As a mother, my "response to disobedient children should be characterized by God's discipline toward" me.

"The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in mercy."
Psalm 103:8

"If someone is overtaken in any trespass,
you who are spiritual
restore such a one
in a spirit of gentleness, 
considering yourself
lest you also be tempted."
Galatians 6:1

 Adapted from the Peacemaker website

Journaling

Journaling has been a habit for me since high school.

I used to be quite the sloppy thinker.  Actually I emoted more than I reasoned.  I was by no means unintelligent.  Just undisciplined and illogical, encouraged by the spirit of rebellion festering in the '70's.

I've also had a double infection - staph and Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) - since my teens.  (Didn't know it until recently.)  These infections cause cloudy brain function.

The brain fog combined with the undisciplined thinking made for a lot of confusion and noise in my noggin.  Most days found my active brain teeming with ideas and thoughts - and I would feel overwhelmed.  It seemed  there were 50 ping pong balls bouncing around in there.  If they'd only be STILL, and get in line, then I could think properly!

My solution was to journal.  I'd grab a ping pong ball, read what was inscribed on it, then record that in my journal.  Then I'd pluck another ball, read it, then write it down.  And so on, until I had captured the last, lone elusive thought on paper.  And guess what?  There weren't 50 balls (thoughts).  There were only maybe 7 or 8.  They just seemed numerous because they were always moving around!  Writing them down not only tamed them, but helped me realistically evaluate the quantity and scope of my thoughts and feelings.  I could order them on paper.

I've owned some fancy journals, with pretty designs on the outside, or scrollwork down the page borders.  But my favorite and most common format is the humble spiral notebook.  Fifteen cents at Wal-Mart in August.  The 70-pager seems to be a manageable size for me.  When I begin a fresh notebook, I just write my name on the front with a fat marker in large block letters.  Then I record the beginning date followed by a dash.  The ending date is added to the front when I use the last page.

I used to have a separate notebook to record the books I've read.  About 3 years ago, I struck upon the idea of writing that list on the back of my journal (that cheap notebook).  I like that idea - it's very convenient, and most of my books actually get recorded.

I not only write my thoughts, but I record events and even paste in cards from friends, or magazine clippings, or some other piece of paper I think worth saving for posterity.

I express my frustrations and joys, and write out my prayers to the Lord.  Sometimes I'm too honest, and think about it later.  What if someone found this and read it?  Yikes!  Then I go back and black out the incriminating words!  Too bad for my posterity.  They'll never know what I meant there!  Ha!  It was only meant as therapy for my confused soul, only for the eyes of the Lord.  Seeing it written out somehow helps me think better.

Do you journal?  Let me hear from you how you think that has helped you and why you do it.

With writer's cramp,
Hester

The Lord's Mercies and Waiting Quietly

 Lamentations 3:21-26

"This I recall to 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."



You may recognize this as the passage from which the comforting hymn, "Great is Thy Faithfulness" is taken.  These are perhaps familiar verses, but full of rich meaning.

Lately, I have been feeling low because of some stupid things I've done.  Questioning whether I'm worthy to even post things on a blog with such lofty goals.  Thinking, "If only people really knew what a thoroughly wretched sinner I am, they'd not give me the time of day." (Ha!  That was a rather presumptious and arrogant statement.  Maybe people already do know, and they avoid me!)  Questioning the Lord's provision.  My spirit has been agitated and I've been running around trying to right things and seemingly only making them worse.

This passage recently came to my attention and I copied it onto a 3x5 index card and put it with my Scripture card stack that I review.  The poignancy of these verses ministers to my heart.

When I think of these truths, I do regain hope. 

The Lord is faithful.  Hallelujah!  Have you ever thought of this?  If the Lord, for even one split second, decided to not be compassionate, we would surely be consumed because of our sins. Wow!  Just take a few moments to ponder that.  If that doesn't impact you, then I urge you to think about it some more.  "His compassions fail not."  What a blessed whisper of hope and comfort to a sin-weary soul.

"His mercies are new every morning."  I can only begin to tell you what meditating on that verse does for me.  It gets my focus off how awful I am, and onto His character.  It gives me hope for the new day.  Yes, yesterday was a complete failure, but I have confessed my sins and asked forgiveness.  With the Lord's mercies, I have a fresh start this morning.  My spirit soars in a song of praise to such a compassionate and gracious Creator!  Thank you, Father, for giving us a new beginning - every day!  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!


"The Lord is my portion."  Truly, He is all I need.  If I have nothing else, and I have the Lord, I ought to be content.  Eternity with the Lord awaits those of us who are called by Him.  We have abundant life now.  What more can we ask?  "The Lord is my portion, therefore I hope in Him."  Yes, the fact that He is all I need gives me large hope.

"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."  It struck me for the first time that this promise is conditional.  The Lord is good, yes, but He is good to those who wait for and seek Him.  Can I expect His goodness toward me if I am not waiting upon Him and seeking Him?  Sigh.  That's great incentive to do so, because I want Him to bestow His goodness upon me.

The next phrase tells me how I am to wait for Him.  Quietly.  Whew!  Waiting quietly does not come naturally for me.  How about you?

Okay.  It's not enough for me merely to copy this passage.  It's not enough to simply review it frequently.  It's not enough for me to post it here.  Now the challenge is to put it into practice, daily, consistently.  Lord helping me, I commit to do so.  How about you?

Hopeful and resting in the Lord's morning-fresh mercies,
Hester

Update on Computer Files

Found the files!  Thank you, Lord!

Hester

More Gratitude

Today, I'm grateful for...


16.  For my parents, who gave me life, cared for me, brought me into adulthood, and with whom I have a loving relationship.  Their aging pains me.  But I am so grateful for their examples of hard work and integrity.

17.  For my in-laws, who gave my husband life, and gave him a religious foundation.  They are still married nearly 54 years later.  I'm especially grateful to the Lord for extending the life of my father-in-law, whose health is fragile right now.  I'm grateful for every day we have with him.

18.  For the rain yesterday and today.  Much needed!


19.  For computers (I think).  It's a love-hate relationship.  (Can't locate some files that I know are there.  It's enough to almost convince me I've lost my mind.)  But computers have helped me / us so much.  They're tools, for which I'm cautiously grateful.

20.  For daughters who help me with computer problems.  If it wasn't for my two dear daughters, I'd just give up my hands and throw up.  They help keep me sane.


21.  For the honor of being able to home educate our children.  Hard work, but the Lord helps.  (Thank you, dear Father.)  And now that most of them are teens and older, we are seeing the precious fruit of our labors - children who have a Biblical worldview, who have clear countenances because their hearts are clean before the Lord, who have a desire to serve God and others.  I could go on and on, but then that would sound like bragging.  ("It ain't braggin' if it's true!")

From a full heart,
Hester

Nature by Numbers

 I was blown away by this stunning video. It's not really about words or communicating, but about math and orderliness.  The images will put you in awe of our matchless Creator, and hopefully put you to your knees in worship of His creative genius and power.  And that, my gentle reader, should bring you much encouragement.

Because the word "awesome" has been worn thin in the past decade,  I've chosen to reserve it strictly for things that the Lord has done.  This math-challenged mom has entertained a recent fascination with Fibonacci numbers (0+1=1, 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 2+3=5, 3+5=8, 5+8=13, and so on) and the Golden Mean, so this video held me spellbound with dropped jaw.  Unresevedly, I say after watching this, our God is an AWESOME mathematician and artist!

You  might want to mute the sound.  There is no narration, only a very, very, very monotonous song.



In awe of our Creator,
Hester

Transfer was Successful

Well, I have just completed transferring all my blog posts from the old blog site.  I did not transfer comments.

One reason I moved to Blogger is because as I've been brainstorming about what to post on my blog, I kept thinking of books I would like to recommend.  Greed is not the driving factor here, but I thought, "If I'm going to recommend books, why not profit a bit from it?"  The Wordpress free blog could not be monetized, so I've switched.  I hope this doesn't seem mercernary, but in this tight economy, with medical bills to pay, every penny of extra income counts!  So, if you see something you like that I've recommended, I thank you heartily for purchasing it.  (I do discourage you from spending money you don't have.) 


I hope to continue to uphold my goals for the purpose of this blog. 

Please tell your girl friends about this blog.

One weary, but finally-transferred blogger,
Hester

Psalm 50

When the difficult times come, we must put our eyes on the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Psalm 50 is a majestic reminder of who the Lord is, and recounts His sovereign power.

The Mighty One, God the LORD, has spoken
and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;
A fire shall devour before Him,
And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
. . . .
"Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you;
I am God, your God!
I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings,
Which are continually before Me.

I will not take a bull from  your house, nor goats out of your folds.

For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

"If I were hungry, I would not tell you;

For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most high.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

To the wicked He says at the end of the psalm:

"You thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes.
"Now consider this, you who forget God,
lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver:
Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God."

Psalm 50:1-3, 7-15, 21-23  NKJV

Basking in His glorious love and power,
Hester

More Gratitude

copyright 2010 Joel G. Kautt

Adding to my 1,000 Gifts list:

6.  For the Word of God, that sword which is living and active, which is sufficient and authoritative, our rule for life and godliness.

7.  For the gift of the Holy Spirit, who quickens me to life, convicts of sin, guides by the Word, comforts and empowers me.

8.  For trials, that cause me to keep my eyes on the Lord.

9.   A faithful husband who loves the Lord, and thus has been able to love me through thick and thin for nearly 30 years.

10.   Grown offspring who love the Lord wholeheartedly and serve Him in some pretty amazing ways.

11.  Younger offspring who bring delight with their unique personalities and funny antics and creative ways.

12.  Godly friends who love me enough to say the hard things, and who accept my weak overtures at friendship.

13.  Daily provision of needs.

14.  Masterpiece sunrises.

15.  A lovely home, in a lovely neighborhood, with kind neighbors.

Hester

Psalm 16

My dear Ladies,
You may have read Psalm 16 many times.  Today I invite you to take  a deep breath, sit back and relish this passage with me.  It is so meaningful.  Take some time to think about each word, each phrase and how it impacts your life.

Psalm 16:1-3, 5-9, 11

Preserve me, O God,
for in  You I put my trust.
O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
"You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.
As for the saints who are on the earth,
They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight."
. . . .
O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
. . .
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Amen.  And Amen!

I have found that I am able to say, even in the midst of want and trials:  "The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places" because of the next line - I remember that "I have a good inheritance" awaiting me.  Heaven and living eternally in the presence of the Light of Life.

Hester

1,000 Gifts

My daughter came upon a weblog where the authoress inadvertantly started a wonderful trend that has burgeoned.  She personally made it her goal to try to think of 1,000 things for which to be thankful, 10 at a time, each Monday.  My daughter has now done that for her blog.  I had already begun doing it many months before I heard of the practice.  Because of some severe, depressing trials in my life, my mother had  suggested I write down five things every day for which I was thankful.  As life has eased up a bit, I've let that habit drop.  (Crazy, isn't it, that it was easier for me to be thankful during the hard times, and now when I have even more blessings, I forget to thank the Lord?!)  I plan to resume the habit.   I may share some of them on my blog.



If that link doesn't work, then go to http://www.aholyexperience.com/2003/06/gratitude-community.html

For my own personal list, to begin,

1.  I'm eternally grateful for the Lord God Almighty's sovereignty over all things.
I'm thankful to Jehovah for the faith to believe in His beloved and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who bought my salvation.

2.  My heart swells with joy to think of living in the presence of our high and holy God throughout eternity, unshackled by the fetters of sin, able to worship Him in perfection and in the beauty of His holiness.

3.  That the Lord would also bless me with abundant life here on earth before I die puzzles me, but still I am grateful.

4.  And, Father God, for the gift of your Spirit, who helps me live life the way you require, I thank you.  The comfort, the conviction of sin, the guidance, the discernment the Spirit gives is such a daily blessing, in so
many ways.

5.  Lord Jesus, for your Bride, the Body of Christ, I express gratitude.  To know the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ is a unique and special joy one can experience in no other relationship.  I find I have "family" all over the world.

For these things I am grateful.  In the name of our matchless Lord, Amen.

Gratefully yours,
Hester

Hymn History Site

Some of you may have looked at the comment Mr. Cottrill made about the hymn, "The Love of God."  He has a blog about the history of hymns that is worth investigating.

wordwisehymns.wordpress.com

Singing along with you,
Hester

Treating Others Well

It seems to me that in God's economy,

the work we are given

is as much about providing us

an opportunity

to treat each other well

as it is about the job.

Allison Bronson, "What's the Point?"  BJU Home School Helper, January 2006

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, 

even as God in Christ forgave you. 

Ephesians 4:32

One Courageous Lady

Gentle Readers,

Find here the inspiring account of Irena Sendler, a brave woman who helped Jewish children escape the Nazi oppression.

http://www.irenasendler.org/team.asp

May we also be as strong when the time comes for us to jump in and save those drowning around us.

Yours in the name of the Lord who gives us courage,
Hester

Mother's Quilt

The following is a poem read at Mary Elizabeth Nuckel's celebration service after she had gone to be with the Lord.
Her daughter-in-law, Donna Nuckels, wrote it for Mrs. Nuckel's 80th birthday.  I thought it a lovely tribute.

Mother's Quilt

For Mother's patchwork quilted life
We praise the Lord today --
So many years to cook and sew
To love, to give, to pray

And for her life we all give thanks
Its simple majesty
Exemplifies the way to live
And love unselfishly

She stitched together weeks and months
In patterns clear and bright
And quilted them into a gift
Of color, texture, light

To us she gave this rich heirloom
This patchwork legacy
This lovely quilt we treasure now
This warming memory

As you might have guessed, Mrs. Nuckels crafted beautiful quilts, some of which were displayed at her celebration service.

"Her children arise and call her blessed."

Sewing and stitching lives along with you,

Hester

For the Young Single Woman

My 20 year old daughter enjoys these blogs:

This link is to the Young Ladies' Christian Fellowship, a conservative blog that encourages young women, single and newly married.

http://ylcf.org/christian/


The following is Jasmine Bauchum's blog.  (Jasmine is Voddie Bauchum's daughter.)

http://www.joyfullyathomeblog.com

For the young and single among us,
Hester

"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"

My friend Suzan and I were discussing the Lord's marvelous grace in giving us what we need, many times even before we know we need it. What a loving Father! I was reminded of the hymn, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” written by Joachim Neander, translated by Catherine Winkworth. There is a line in it that took away my breath the first time I heard it:

Hast thou not seen

how all they longings have been

granted in what He ordaineth?

At first blush, that appears quite an arrogant and possibly false assertion. But the more I considered it, the more I found it to be true. He is my portion. He alone satisfies. All other promises and fulfillments fall far short of the blessing and completeness He alone can provide. It's true. Even before I know I need it, my longings have all been granted in all that He ordains in my life. May it be so in yours.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him for He is they health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
not to His temple draw near;
Join me in glad adoration!

Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wonderously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yes, so gently sustaineth!
Has thou not seen
How all thy longings have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper they work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again:
Gladly – for aye we adore Him.

For thus says the LORD of hosts:  'Once more (is is a little while)
I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;
and I will shake all nations,
and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations,
and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the LORD of hosts.
Haggai 2:6-7

In the Name of our satisfying Lord,
Hester

Writing and Bible Study Links

Here is a list of links to help you as you write and speak:

thesaurus.com

www.quotationspage.com

http://www.Bartleby.com/100/ (for Bartlett's Quotations)

www.refdesk.com

Check out those possible urban legends before you hit the forward button:

urban legends.com, hoaxkill.com, http://www.truthorfiction.com

Bible study helps:

 BibleGateway.com/passage/?search=

Hester

Snarky?

In the last year I've heard the term "snarky" used four times.  (Okay.  So I don't get out much.)

I think I know what it means, from the way it was used.

I could look it up in some modern dictionary.  (It would have to be modern.  I'm fairly well-read and this word "snarky" has only recently crossed my radar.)  Makes me wonder if it has been infused into our culture by some line in a movie or tv show.  (You know, kinda like  "You go, girl!"  From whence came that?  And "snarky"?)

Yes, I could look it up, but I thought I'd have some fun.  How's about youse guys tellin' me your definitions?  Then I'll tell you if they line up with what I thought it meant.

Deal?  Deal.

Yours for expansion of vocabulary,
Hester

Truth

But he that would use faithfully the talent of truth must never trade with borrowed capital;

the truth that has not first been made his own will bear no interest when lent to others.

from CRUSHED BUT CONQUERING:  A STORY OF CONSTANCE AND BOHEMIA

by Deborah Alcock

Gentle Reader,

As much as it is within me as a weak human, I love truth.  That is not to say that I've never lied.  I have.  More than once.  I'm not proud of that and have repented of it.  But my heart's desire is to "have truth in the inward parts."  I think of  John's statement:  "I have no greater joy than that my children walk in truth."  I hope he would be delighted in my walk.

I love truth.  And I expect everyone who names the name of Christ to love truth.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life...."  If we love Him then we ought to love truth, for it is intrinsic to His nature.  There are few things more frustrating to me than trying to share truth with someone who claims to be a believer, and they just don't seem to get it.  Yes, I'm impatient.  Perhaps they're just not as far along the path as I am.  Forgive me, Lord.  "Patience, Hester."  I have to remember that I myself have not always been a truth-lover.

What is truth?

Some would answer, "Truth is found in the Scriptures."  Or, "Jesus is Truth."  I would wholeheartedly agree.  For me, these are simply "givens."  We spend a lot of time at our house talking about the Scriptures and how they apply to our daily lives.  How ought we to react in this situation?  What should we say in return to the comment of another?  How should we steward our time and resources?  What if someone is unkind to us?  How do we reach the lost?  What does worship look like?  These are all important spiritual topics.

But is truth limited to the Scriptures?  Would you think outside the box with me for a few moments?

Could you honestly categorize Velveeta cheese as truth - something that has been processed to the point it has forgotten that it's food?  Would you categorize synthetic fabric as truth - something that has been manufactured and is toxic next to the skin?  What about baby formula?  God's design is that babies be nourished at their mothers' breasts.  (Please don't sent hate-mail.  I realize that not every mom is able to breastfeed.  But formula would be the last thing I'd choose as an alternative.  In fact, we faced that problem with the last of our six children.   When after two weeks of nursing and he was almost "failure to thrive,"  we

fed him goat's milk, which is very similar to human milk.)
Now here's one that will make me unpopular with the masses:  What about pharmaceuticals (aka over-the-counter or prescriptions drugs)?  God gave us the herbs of the field for nourishment and  healing of our bodies.  Nobody ever got sick because of a deficiency of Coumadin or Benadryl or synthetic steroids.  But most of us are sick because of nutritional deficiencies, which has to do with the food we eat.  That's where the herbs of the field come in.  If we're sick because we haven't been eating them, then it makes sense we can improve our health by eating them.  But we still have to be careful - even the most basic, non-processed food we eat can make us sick.  For instance, a lot of store bought produce is sprayed repeatedly with chemicals to prevent insect infestations and to enhance growth.  These are toxic to our bodies.   Because of poor farming practices, the soil has been depleted and thus the produce grown on it is deficient in important nutrients. Organically grown produce, especially fruits and vegetables you grow yourself, are the best source of nutrition.

Now this is not a treatise on health foods.  (Perhaps I'll do a separate article on that topic, since it is one of great interest to me.)  My point is this:  Are we walking in truth when we put chemicals into our bodies to try to heal them when God designed them to be healed naturally?  Are we walking in truth when we feed our babies formula if we are able to nurse them?  Are we walking in truth when we spray toxic chemicals on our yards and gardens?   Are we walking in truth when we eat, ugh, Velveeta?  I'm giving examples that come immediately to mind.  I could name several other areas for us to consider, but I think you get  my drift.

Organically grown produce is truth.  Velveeta is not.  Herbs are truth.  Drugs are not.  Mom's milk (and goat's milk, if necessary) are truth.   Formula is not.  Cotton and wool and linen are truth.  Polyester and Spandex are not.  Compost and cow manure are truth.  Chemical fertilizers are not.  Hot pepper and garlic spray are truth.  Raid is not.  And so on and so forth.
I don't want to be legalistic.  These are not matters of salvation.  You're not going to hell if you feed your baby formula, or eat, ugh, Velveeta, or spray your weeds with Roundup.  (However, there might be other unpleasant - perhaps even dire -  temporal consequences.)

But if we are to walk in truth, I think we need to examine every aspect of our lives to see if perhaps we are practicing some form of falsehood.  Of course, it wouldn't be good to spend a lot of time on the little things to the neglect of the larger spiritual issues.  But perhaps what we think are little things are truly bigger than we might have formerly realized.

What is truth?  He is Jesus Christ.  Truth is found in the Word of God, which is to be the rule and standard for every Christian.  And truth is also found in the world around us, the world that the Truth created.

Yours for truth in every aspect of our lives,
Hester

Happy Independence Day

{NOTE:  THIS WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED JULY 4, 2010.  I have transferred this post from my old blog address.}

Here's a video about the second verse of the National Anthem.  Enjoy.  And please pray for the leaders of our country, including and especially the shadow powers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9_bP219ehQ&feature=topvideos

Yours for true freedom,
Hester

"Lest We Forget"

She came tonight as I sat alone,

The girl I used to be . . .

And she gazed at me with her earnest eye

And questioned reproachfully:

Have you forgotten the many plans

And hopes that I had for you?

The great career, the splendid fame,

All the wonderful things to do?

Where is the mansion of stately height

With all of its gardens rare?

The silken robes that I dreamed for you

And the jewels in your hair?

And as she spoke, I was very sad

For I wanted her pleased with me . . .

This slender girl from the shadowy past

The girl that I used to be.

So gently rising, I took her hand,
And guided her up the stair
Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay
Innocent, sweet and fair.

And I told her that these are my only gems,
And precious they are to me;
That silken robe is my motherhood
Of costly simplicity.

And my mansion of stately height is love,

And the only career I know

Is serving each day in these sheltered walls

For the dear ones who come and go.

And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,

She smiled through her tears at me.

And I saw that the woman that I am now

Pleased the girl that I used to be.

Author Unknown

The Teaching Home magazine                     July / August 1997

Baby Goats?

The following post is very much about the necessity of proper communication, as you will see if you click on the link.

Our family got some good belly laughs out of this video about the importance of missionaries learning to speak the native language of their target people group.



Now we have some new family "inside jokes."

Yours for a good gut workout,
Hester

Their, There or They're?

At Mrs. P's request, I bring to you my understanding of the usage of three words: there, their & they're.

How do we keep these three sound-alike words (homophones) straight in our daily usage?

There means "at that place."

Their means "belonging to them."

They're is a contraction for they are.

Examples:

Put the book over there.
We went to their house.
They're on vacation this week.
[They are on vacation this week.]

"Their" is possessive. The house belongs to them. "There" indicates a place.

If you have trouble remembering it, remove the "t" from "there" and you have "here," which is a place, as is "there."

"They're" has an apostrophe (that hanging comma thingy), which tells us it is a contraction. The apostrophe replaces a space and the letter "a." Thus "They are" becomes "They're."

I welcome any mnemonic devices you readers may suggest. [Mnemonic ("nee-mah-nik") adjective, assisting or intended to assist the memory. Random House College Dictionary, copyright 1980.]

Another common error is using "there's" or "theres" when "theirs" is meant. My grammar/spell check is screaming at me right now about "theres." Theres no such thing. (Did you catch my error? I should have said, "There's no such thing.") "There's" is a contraction for "there is," not to be confused with the possessive "theirs."

The Loyola University Press WRITING HANDBOOK (copyright 1953) gives these examples:

The money is theirs, belongs to them.
There's[there is] enough food for everybody.
These must be friends of theirs.

I hope that helps somebody out there in cyberspace!  I welcome your comments.

Thank you, Mrs. P, for the suggestion.

Hester

Seven Directive Questions

To get more out of our study of the God's Holy Word, it is helpful to ask seven questions:

In this passage of Scripture ...

1. Is there an example for me to follow (pattern for life)?
2. Is there a sin for me to avoid?
3. Is there a command for me to obey?
4. Is there a promise for me to claim?
5. What does this passage teach me about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, salvation, etc.?
6. Is there something difficult for me to understand that I need to study further?
7. Is there something that I should pray about today?

(from HOW TO GIVE AWAY YOUR FAITH by Paul Little.)

Blessings on your study time,
Hester

"Orchard Apples" a Short Story

I am writing a book for our children called THE EBENEZER WALL*. The name Ebenezer means "stone of help." (See 1 Samuel 7:2-13.) 

Following the suggestion of a long-forgotten source, I hung a shadow box on our den wall. It contains miniature items which represent different ways the Lord has helped our family through the years. It is a constant reminder to us of God's power, comfort and provision. We call that set-up the Ebenezer wall. The book tells the account of each of those items. Thus the name THE EBENEZER WALL.
I present here one of those accounts.

ORCHARD APPLES

There's nothing like vine-ripened produce for flavor and nutrition. And there's nothing quite like the taste of a ripe apple plucked straight from the tree. Once, our family went to a local orchard and bought a half-bushel of freshly picked apples. They weren't as pretty or as large as the store-bought. But they sure made our mouths water in anticipation after the first bite.

The next year, when we desired to repeat the experience, we were disappointed to learn the orchard was no longer in business. We didn't know of any other orchards in the vicinity. Our taste buds craved recently harvested fruit. On a Wednesday, I asked my heavenly Father if we could please have some orchard apples. With four little ones milling around my feet all day long, I didn't have time to dwell on that request, and promptly forgot it.

On Sunday, one of our church elders said he had something for our family, and presented us with two paper grocery sacks. Can you guess what they contained? Of course, they were full of apples from his own trees. Thank you, Lord, for giving us something we didn't really need, but only desired. You bless super-abundantly.
Perhaps I will give you another sample in a few weeks.

Yours in the Name of the Stone of Help,
Hester

Dictionary Site

Thank you, Allison, for alerting us to www.dictionary.com. Check out the little box on the upper right hand of the screen called "Today's Word Picks." They'll stretch your vocabulary.

Yours for exercised minds,
Hester

Octupus Joke

My young son just came to me and asked if I knew why the octopus was late for supper.
I didn't.

"Because it took him so long to wash all eight of his hands."

Tee hee!

Uncommon Homes: Honoring My Mothers

Ephesians 6:2-3 “’Honor your father and your mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”

As I’ve talked with my friends about their growing-up years, I am made acutely aware that, for some obscure reason, the Lord had blessed me and my husband with uncommon childhoods.

Ours were the exceptions. We grew up in almost idyllic homes. Homes where the parents loved each other and their children. Homes where the fathers were not abusive, but sober, responsible, steady wage earners. Homes where the mothers spoke of the love of God to their offspring. Homes where the Lord and His Word were revered. Homes where weekly church attendance was required of all family members. Homes where honorable traits were modeled. Homes that are still intact five decades later.

We are truly blessed. Today I honor the mothers of those two extraordinary homes, my mother, and my mother-in-law.

My mother gave birth to five children and nurtured us at her breast in an era when bottle-feeding was the “norm.” When I was a pre-schooler, she provided foster care for two infants, and later befriended a string of underdogs. She resisted the societal push to work outside the home until the youngest child was in school. She fed us nourishing meals, then took us for walks, where she taught us to observe God’s creation. She brought us home and made us take naps with her.

(At this point, I’ll digress. “Lay still, Hester,” Mom would mutter in fatigue. I thought she had designed a special form of torment – how in the world could I possibly lay still? Later, as a mother of toddlers and preschoolers, I understood the challenges of suppressing their energy. Sometimes I’d wearily look at their angelic sleeping faces and think, “Alas! They are only re-charging their batteries!”)

My mother baked and decorated special cakes for our birthdays. She sewed our clothing. (I fondly recall the jumper with the orange fish she appliqued to the pocket, made when I was about 5.) She remodeled her own outfits. Her creativity was partly inherited from her mother and father, who made quilts, crocheted and sewed.

We were very poor and my mother’s creativity saved the day on many occasions. It seemed to me that she could conjure meals from nothing. When it came to household needs, she could make something that we needed from something we already had at hand. Her motto must have been: “Make do. Do without. Use it up. Wear it out.”

She taught me to sew when I was nine. She taught me mostly because I was so picky about my own clothing – even then! – and she was disgusted that I didn’t appreciate the time she put into sewing for me! I’m so thankful for her patience in teaching me that valuable skill.

She tried to teach me how to cook and clean, but I managed to wriggle out of those responsibilities. To this day, I regret missing out on that training. As you can tell, I wasn’t the easiest child to raise! Sorry, Mom, for being such a toot.

She let me take care of my baby sister, thirteen years my junior. That was an honor and a privilege, and I treasure that time. My sister and I had a very special relationship. I learned so many valuable things about child care and loving a little one from that experience.

My mother was constantly singing, and making up little Scripture ditties to help her memorize the Word.
She found money for piano lessons for my siblings and me.

The thing that impresses me most about my mother is her servant’s heart. She just turned 70 and still – with her limited physical abilities – she makes herself available daily to help my father and others around her.
She has fully supported my father throughout their whole marriage. Theirs has been one of mutual respect and enduring love.

I could go on and on.

I love you, Mom, and I’m so grateful that the Lord placed me in your care and tutelege. I’ve learned so much about the Lord, love and living from you. Thank you for providing a stable home in the face of daunting hurdles. Thank you for teaching me, yet today!

My mother-in-law is one remarkable lady. I’m especially grateful that she gave birth to my husband, and spent herself training up him and his siblings. She and Dad did a great job and, as a result, I am married to an equally remarkable man.

She earned her teaching certificate at age 68 and has been teaching full-time in the public schools for the last four years. Not only does she hold down an outside job, but she manages to care for an ailing husband, to pick up after her live-in grandson, and to help care for her 95-year-old mother. Through it all she manages to maintain an upbeat spirit.

Her motivation is a love for the Lord and a love of people. She cares deeply about her family, and shows it in a myriad of ways. She takes literally the Lord’s command to love her neighbors; she is constantly doing something for one of them. She loves to cook; her hospitality has blessed not only family members, but countless friends and strangers down through the years.

Thank you, Mom, for embracing me as your daughter, for your patience with my immaturity and unkindness in the early years, for loving, supporting and encouraging our family.

Uncommon homes. Yes. I am honored to be the daughter of these two fine women. I pray that the Lord will bless them with many more productive years of service to the Lord, that He will encourage them as their bodies refuse to obey their ambitions, that He will carry them through the later years of their life with victory and courage.

Thank you, Lord, for our mothers.

Hester

National Day of Prayer

[Note:  This was originally posted on May 6, 2010.]

On this National Day Of Prayer, I'd like to look at a familiar Bible passage - 2 Chronicles 7:14:

If My people,
who are called by My name,
will humble themselves,
and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Let's think about the significance of this passage. Most of us get the praying and seeking-God part. And we sure want the Lord God Jehovah to hear from heaven and forgive us and heal our land. Some of us are even willing to humble ourselves by prostrating ourselves - face down - on the floor while praying. But how many of us have glossed over that fifth line? Does it make us uncomfortable? Wouldn't we really rather think about someone else's sin - those rotten heathens - than our own?

Let's read it again, and together, let's give special consideration to the words in bold.

If My people,
who are called by My name,
will humble themselves,
and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven....

To whom is the Lord talking? The "pagans?" Or is He speaking to His people?

His people. In the Old Testament, that would have been the people of Israel. Today the people called by His name are Christians, people who profess to follow Jesus Christ, people who have asked the Lord to exchange His righteousness for their unrighteousness so they can gain entrance into the eternal presence of a holy, righteous God.

What is the Lord asking His people to do? Humble themselves, pray, seek His face. Yes. But what about that fifth line? "Turn from their wicked ways." Could it be possible that we Christians have wicked ways? Could it be that the reason our nation has fallen to its low degree is because we Christians cling to our wicked ways?

Dear Heavenly Father, we are in desperate trouble as a nation. Teach us to humble ourselves before you to the extent that we will examine our lives and see if there is any wicked way in us. Do we dishonor our husbands or our parents? Do we misuse our time? Do we gossip? Do we exasperate our children? Do we cross jurisdictional boundaries? Do we neglect our duties in pursuit of pleasure? Do we neglect Your Word and prayer? Do we permit things to come before our eyes and into our ears that You find abominable? Please open our eyes to our hidden sins. Please help us to be willing to humbly admit them before you. Please cause us to hate our sins as much as you do and to turn from it - not only on this special day, but to renounce them for life.

We repent before you. Hear our cry, O Lord! A humble and contrite heart You will not despise. Oh, gracious Abba, please forgive our sins, and heal our homes, our churches, our nation. I ask these things in the high and holy name of our fearsome and majestic Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Yours for national repentance,
Hester

PS These words have convicted my own sinful heart.

Belief Drives Action

I'm working my way through EXPERIENCING GOD by Henry Blackaby. This study was published back in 1990, and is still fresh and relevant for today.


The question I was asked to answer is this, "What effect does your belief have on the way you live your life?"

My response: "Everything. Belief drives actions."

I went on to write: "For example, I used to believe that I chose God, therefore He was obligated to obey me. I got angry when He didn't do things my way. When I was about 42, I was stunned by a passage I had read and heard many times, as if seeing it for the first time:

John 15:17 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit...."

I wanted to argue, "He spoke these words to the apostles, not me." However, I began to find other passages that verified that He chose all His children, not only those special few disciples. (For example, see Ephesians 1:3-6; Romans 8:28-34; 9:11-23; John 6:44-45; 10:26-29.)
If He chose me, then I am His inferior and I must obey Him, not vice versa. How despicably presumptuous I had been all those years of bossing Him around. My anger toward Him not only was unfounded, but was a travesty of the worst sort against His sovereignty. "Shall I, the clay, say to the Potter, 'Why have you formed me thus an such?' Has not the Potter the right to shape His vessels any way He deems necessary for His purposes?"

And what are His purposes?

First, to glorify Himself.

Secondly, to do what is best for us. This means, like a wise parent, He withholds certain things from us - things that we may strongly desire, and may not understand why He withholds. Things that may even appear to us like they would be good for us. Like a wise parent, He disciplines our sin. Like a wise parent, He requires hard things of us in order to mature us.

I didn't understand these concepts - truly understand - until the last few years. Habits of wrong thinking had to be torn down and righteous thinking built up. I'm still doing it - probably will be till the day I die. The Word of God is helping me renew my mind, and thus changing my actions.

The most disturbing of my old habits is one of walking in defeat, pulling others down with me. Another sin habit was/is responding out of fear (sinning in the process), instead of using the eyes of faith. It's all because I didn't know the Word of God. I didn't know who He is.

As I have committed to studying the Word and hiding it in my heart so I won't sin against Him, I am coming to fear this terrifying God who has the ability not only to kill the body, but to send my soul to eternal damnation. This fear makes a difference in the daily choices I make.

I can hear someone crying "foul" about now. "You make Him look like some awful, spiteful ruler. You've got Him all wrong. He's a God of grace." I won't argue with you on the grace part. But we've done the pendulum swing from the hell-fire-and-brimstone gracelessness of the 1950's to an almost grace-only church culture. We seem to be ignoring all the times that God wiped people out because of their cavalier attitude toward His will and His ways. Read 2 Samuel 6:1-15 and see what happened when the Ark of the Covenant was transported in a manner different than that prescribed by Yahweh. And what happened to Nadab and Abihu, who offered fire on their own terms?  (See Leviticus 10:1-3.)  Or to Korah and his followers when they rebelled in the desert?  (See Numbers 16.)

"But that's the Old Testament," you protest. "This is the New Testament era."

Okay. Then take a look at Acts 5:1-11. God's response to the deceit of husband and wife, Ananias and Sapphira was to strike them dead on the spot. Verse 11 says that "great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things."

The Lord hates sin. We as a church-culture seem to have forgotten that. We need to become thoroughly acquainted with God's holy nature; and we must become holy even as He is holy (1 Peter 1:13-19). We must fear the Lord with proper reverence. We must hate sin as much as He does.

But there must be balance. Pastor Marcus Serven tells of a Scottish preacher who went on a hiking trip in the Scottish highlands. After a bit, he met with a river that he wished to cross. There was no bridge, so he travelled parallel to the river bank. He came upon an old Scotsman with a rowboat, and hired the old man to ferry him to the other side. While crossing, he offered to row awhile. Inscriptions on the oar handles caught his attention. The left oar read, "Law," the right oar read, "Grace."

"Why do you have these words on the oars?" the young man asked the ferryman.

The old Scotsman instructed him to row with only the "Law" oar.  Of course, when the preacher did that, the boat traveled in a circle.  Then he was told to row with only the "Grace" oar.  He obtained the same result, only in the opposite direction.

"Now row with both oars," said the old man.   Mr. Serven says, "He made it in short order to the other side."

The boatman had made his point.  When we focus only on grace, we will be off balance, in the direction of license.  When we focus only on law, we will become harsh and proud.  The good news for us believers is that, although we need to respect this holy God, there is also His grace available to us.  We don't have to cringe under the table, incapacitated by our fear of Him.  The good news is that, because we are His adopted children - covered by the blood of His precious Son, Jesus Christ, we have privileges, rights and resources available to us that help us walk fearlessly and victoriously.  As we fulfill our responsibilities to Him, He makes it possible for us to serve Him joyfully.  What an awesome, mighty, worthy God we serve!  May His name ever be praised!  Amen.

Hester

Lips and Slips

If your lips you'd keep from slips
Five things observe with care:

to whom you speak,
of what you speak,
and how and when and where.

1 Peter 1:3-9

Here are some verses to encourage those of us who have received salvation from Christ Jesus our Lord.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His abundant mercy
has begotten us again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead,

to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled
and that does not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you,
who are kept by the power of God
through faith for salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while if need be,
you have been grieved by various trials,
that the genuineness of your faith,
being much more precious than gold that perishes,
though it is tested by fire,
may be found to praise, honor, and glory
at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
whom having not seen you love.

Though now you do not see Him,
yet believing,
you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith --
the salvation of your souls.

(1 Peter 1:3-9, New King James Version)

"The Love of God"

In an age where music has largely gone mindless, sensual or “ugly on purpose,” and where religious tunes seem to rely on the beat and instrumentation while the words focus on self, I hearken back to the old hymns. Many of them are so rich in teachings about who God is and why we should serve Him. They point us to His majesty, His fearsomeness, His power, His will, His compassion to sinners.  Their tunes may be more simple and straight than the modern world likes, but the music usually supports the words.

One of my favorite hymns is “The Love of God” by Frederick M. Lehman and Claudia Lehman Mays (1917). Here I find a perfect melding of vivid word pictures and theology.

The love of God is greater far

than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

and reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair,

bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child

He reconciled,

and pardoned from his sin. 

Refrain:

O love of God,

how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints' and angels' song. 

When years of time shall pass away,

and earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men, who here refuse to pray,

on rocks and hills and mountains call,

God's love so sure,

shall still endure,

all measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace

to Adam's race—

the saints' and angels' song.   

(Repeat refrain)

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

and were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

and every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll

contain the whole,

though stretched from sky to sky.  

(Repeat refrain)

 

Can’t you just see the large inkwell of the seas, and the scroll of the sky and all the men with quill pens trying to write the infinite, matchless and beyond-description love of God?  His love is indescribable.  But I'm so glad poets and hymn writers continue to try to help us understand it.

Naturally, the Bible says it best, "For all have sinned and are continually falling short of the glory of God....  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord....  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God....  God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him"  (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:1-2, 8, 90.

Soli Deo Gloria (“Only for God’s Glory”),
Yours in the love of God,
Hester