Good morning Zebras,

I love you.

Yesterday, I had a wonderful morning with God.  I was up early and at 7:30 I felt like I was supposed to shower and head off to an 8:30 yoga class.  It isn’t a class I go to, but since I put every day before God and try to listen to what He is saying, I went.

I hadn’t gotten very far before I came to a stop sign with two other cars.  The lady in the car on my right was looking at me rather oddly so I smiled and waved.  As she made the turn in front of me she slowed down and started rolling down her window, I just waved and kept on driving.

A few seconds later the wind caught a reusable shopping bag hanging from the passenger’s side mirror of my car and I realized that is what she had been trying to tell me.

So many lessons, but maybe the main one is, we control what gets in our lives and God will help us if we choose to not let in things that dishonor Him.

The reason I didn’t roll down the window was because I have been yelled at too many times by other drivers. I hadn’t stopped at the intersection properly, my front tires were over the white line, and I figured that is what she wanted to yell at me about and I didn’t want to hear it.  I was happy in my little “God bubble” and I didn’t want to let the world’s hostility in. 

We control what comes into our life.  We control what we watch and what we read, and we control what we let into our heart.  Life can be tough, people can say unkind things, but that doesn’t mean we have to listen or believe what they say,

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Far too much mental energy is wasted thinking about things, people, and situations that are not true, noble, right, etc.  Mental energy that could be better used for prayer. 

Philippians 4:6–7 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 transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If we want the peace of God that transcends all understanding then we need to learn to control our thoughts, take every thought captive to obey Christ, and quit "rolling down the window" and letting other people rob us of our joy.

Love,

Jill

P.S. Other lessons: Sometimes we misjudge people's motives; guarding yourself against getting hurt can disqualify you for ministry-we must be willing to pour ourselves out like drink offerings in the service to Christ; and you won't be as concerned about being yelled at if you don't do anything wrong. Love you Zebras-enjoy your weekend!

Good morning Zebras,

I have read the story of the Exodus many times, but yesterday was the first time I’d noticed this.

Exodus 13:17-18 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So, God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.

God knew what His people could handle, He knew at what point they would have turned back so He didn’t make them fight for their freedom instead He miraculously parted the Red Sea and they walked  to safety on dry ground.  Then God closed the sea and drowned all who were trying to pursue them.

Exodus 14:27-29 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

In the same way God did not make us fight our way to Salvation.  He provided a miraculous escape from the world through faith in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8–9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

And He has given us the power to overcome all the enemies that pursue us.

1 John 4:4 “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Of course, our enemies now are not usually flesh and blood.  They are the pesky little emotions that rob of us our joy.  Worry, fear, doubt, frustration, anger and jealousy can all get in and ruin our day.

Which is why it’s important every morning we resolve to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. And put on the full armor of God so we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes.

Unfortunately, we often forget because we have “putting on the armor of God” in the same category as “eat your vegetables,” something we know we should do, but don’t.

Love,

Jill

Good morning Zebras,

I am enjoying my journey through Acts.

Acts 18:24-26: “Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

I used to tell my kids, “If you think you already know everything, you can’t learn.”  Of course, it was in reference to homework.  But it applies to spiritual things as well.

If you think you know everything there is to know about God, then your mind is closed and you may be robbing yourself of all God has to offer, especially if it is closed on the subject of The Holy Spirit.

All Apollos knew was the baptism of John, which Paul says is the baptism of repentance.  The Bible doesn’t record what Priscilla and Aquilla explained to Apollos, but it was probably the same thing Paul explained to the Ephesians.

Acts 19:1-6: While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.  There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”  They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”  “John’s baptism,” they replied.  Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”  On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Repentance is half of the Gospel but “Rebirth,” (the new life that comes with the power of indwelling Holy Spirit,) is the rest. 

I love you Zebras, so much.  If you stumble and fall more than you walk in the Spirit, if your faith is more of a burden than a joy, ask God if you’re missing something.

Luke 11:13:  If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

It is the Holy Spirit who allows us to say: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13) Jesus Christ reconciled us to God but the power of the indweling Holy Spirit is what allows us to live it out.

Love,

JIll

Good morning Zebras,

Yesterday’s Oswald led me to this:

Acts 15:36-41 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Paul had a job to do from God, and he didn’t want to take someone who had turned back in the past.  Ministering to the world is difficult work, he needed people he could count on. 

Barnabas felt differently, maybe because Mark was his cousin. (Col 4:10)

Nowhere is Paul chastised for his decision and John Mark probably learned something from being left behind. 

From the profile on John Mark: "Mistakes are difficult teachers.  Their consequences have a way of making lessons painfully clear.  But those who learn from their mistakes are likely to develop wisdom.  John Mark was a good learner who just needed some time and encouragement.”

Which is exactly what he got from Barnabas.

Neither man was wrong and together they illustrate the righteous judgement and mercy of God.

Love,

Jill 

Good morning Zebras,

I love you.

Most every day I take two walks, I walk my dogs in the morning and I walk myself in the afternoon, but yesterday it was supposed to get hot so I decided to walk myself in the morning too.

At the last minute, I decided to walk the dogs first which was a mistake.  As we strolled along, them stopping and sniffing at every bush, I realized that it was going to get hot before I could finish my big walk, which meant I was going to end up hot and crabby.

We think we are doing other people a favor when we put them first, but we aren’t if that means we are putting them before God. Jesus very clearly said if we wanted to be His disciple He needed to come first.

Luke 14:26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

We don’t have anything to give others, except what God gives us.  He is the vine and source of living water.

John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 7:38–39: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  By this he meant the Spirit.

Running dry on water?  Fruit looking rather puny?  Try increasing the time you spend with God.

 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” is the first and greatest commandment.  “Love your neighbor as yourself” is number two. (Matthew 22:37-39)

God first, others second.  If you reverse the order or even worse cut God out of the equation all together, you are going to find yourself walking up hill in the blazing sun getting hot and crabby.

Love,

Jill

Good morning Zebras,

Every time I take a shower I squeegee the shower walls to keep the hard water deposits and soap scum from building up and ruining the glass.  Every morning I think, “There has to be a God lesson in this.”

The obvious lesson is that we need keep our heart as clean as I keep the shower walls, constantly presenting our hearts to the Lord. 

Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”   

Maintaining as Paul often said, “a clear conscious before God.”

Acts 24:16: “So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.”

Yesterday I read this in the introduction to the book of Judges.

“Judges is a book about sin and its consequences.  Like a minor cut or abrasion that becomes infected when left untreated, sin grows and poisons the whole body…The first step away from God was (is) incomplete obedience.”

Disobedience is our first step away from God.  And the result is a gradual deterioration in our relationship with God.  But like the frog in the warm water we often don’t notice until the situation gets intolerable.  At which point we throw ourselves before God and beg for forgiveness. 

We could save ourselves so much grief if we would just choose to obey.

I love you Zebras, so much. Sometimes I feel like I say the same things over and over again but truth never changes and incomplete obedience is just disobedience with a different name.

It takes discipline to stop and squeegee a shower every time you use it but I do it because I value my shower. It takes discipline to stop and daily spend time with God, to listen with an open heart and a desire to obey. But we do it because it shows we value God.   

Love,

Jill

Good morning Zebras,

I love you.

An important reminder from Oswald yesterday:

“No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it removes God from the throne of our lives, replacing Him with our own self-interests.  It causes us to open our mouths only to complain, and we simply become spiritual sponges-always absorbing, never giving, and never being satisfied.  And there is nothing lovely or generous about our lives.”  Amen!

I am so grateful God allowed Oswald’s words to be preserved.  Even after reading them for fifteen years he continues to challenge and encourage me.  God has given us everything-for free.  Our job is to pass it on.  Self-pity makes that task impossible. 

Philippians 2:1–2, 4 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose…Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Matthew 10:8b Freely you have received, freely give.

I love you Zebras, so much, I know I already said that, but I do and I desire for each of you to be encouraged and challenged to go do the things God has given you to do because together we can impact the world.

Love,

Jill

Good morning Zebras,

I love you.

I got locked out of yoga this morning, but I wasn’t surprised.  I was late and I knew the teacher was going to be faithful to her guidelines and lock the door when class began.  I drove over there anyway, hoping that I would make it but I didn’t.

God is faithful.  He has done what He promised to do, He destroyed the nation of Israel because their hearts turned away and worshipped other gods. 

Deuteronomy 30:15–18 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.  For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

And He is going to be faithful to do what He has promised to do, which is to shut the door of Heaven in the face of those who are not ready. 

Matthew 25:1–13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.  The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’  “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’  “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.  “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’  “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’  “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Theologians say the oil represents the Spirit of God which means the kingdom of Heaven’s door is going to be shut on those who do not have Him. 

Romans 8:9–11 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Acting like it isn’t true doesn’t change the facts.  And counting on God to change His mind is just dangerous. 

Love,

Jill

Attributes of God: He is Faithful

Good morning Zebras,

One of the greatest dangers of begging on God’s behalf is it’s so easy to go that one extra step to win someone to the faith and water down the Gospel.  To get excited and offer “cheap grace,” salvation with no strings attached.  A ticket out of hell, with the unstated understanding that God doesn’t expect anything in return.  Which is simply not true. 

We can, like Paul, change ourselves to reach someone with the Gospel, but we should never change God because if we do it is no longer begging, it is lying. 

1 Corinthians 9:22:  “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”

Notice, Paul changed, God did not.

God has done everything to save us, He called us to Himself and He provided the way of reconciliation through Jesus Christ.  Jesus’ life, death and resurrection paid the price for our sins and restored man’s broken relationship with God.  There is no other way to God except through Jesus.

Nothing we do can ever pay Him back for our lives, but that does not mean we owe Him nothing.  What it does mean is when we realize all He has done for us, the natural and reasonable response is to give Him back the life He saved.

We have all heard of the tradition that if you save a man’s life he becomes your slave until he repays his debt.  In the case of Christ, it’s a debt we can never repay so we have become His slave for life, but because He’s a loving God, He made us sons instead.  And true happiness and joy is found when we finally understand that.

We don’t do anyone any favors when we cheapen God’s grace and offer them something that doesn’t exist.  Instead we need to speak truth, God loves them and gave up His Son so that they could be with Him forever.  Accepting Him will change everything.  Rejection is death. 

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the entire Gospel, spoken with love and truth is what changes lives.  But for most of us that’s just not easy to do.

Dear Heavenly Father, Please give us the words to speak to those who don’t know you, make us willing to die to ourselves and become beggars on Your behalf.  And please keep us from misrepresenting You to the world, because it’s truth of who You really are that sets people free. Amen.

Love,

Jill

Good morning Zebras,

A continuation of yesterday’s post.

God does not beg people to accept Salvation nor does He beg them to serve Him, because true disciples do not need to be begged to serve God.  If we don’t realize it’s a privilege to serve the Creator of heaven and earth, then we haven’t really seen Him.

Yesterday I said it was our job to get out the message of the Gospel.  Which is true, it’s our privilege to have the Words of Life to share with others, and we were given the Great Commission, but if we choose not to do it God can use something else.  We are the ones who will miss out.

Luke 19:37–40: When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”  “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”  “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

God does not “need” any of us, that doesn’t even make sense.  He is God.  He has at His disposal everything, everything and He has been testifying to His existence since the beginning of time.

Romans 1:18–20:  The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

The fact God allows us to be part of His work is not something we should be guilted into doing. Nor should it be a source of pride.  It is a privilege and an honor and, at least for me, it’s what gives meaning to life.

Love,

Jill

Good morning Zebras,

God is not a beggar. We are beggars on His behalf.  

God is offering Salvation, but He does not beg people to take it.  Read the story of the rich young ruler if you don’t believe me. Matthew 19:6, Mark 10:17, Luke 18:18.  Three times it is recorded and not once does Jesus beg. 

Every time Jesus is recoded as saying this:

Mark 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

To me that seems like the exact opposite of begging.  He lays down stringent requirements and then lets the man walk away. 

A train does not beg a person to get off the track nor does it alter its direction.  In the same way, God does not beg people to follow Him or alter His Word to make it easier.  But those of us who know God and know that He is not going to change His mind need to beg on His behalf.

2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

We are the bystanders in the train scenario. Or maybe the engineer.  We are the people who “understand” the train and know playing on the tracks is dangerous. So, on God’s behalf we beg, plead, and urge the person to please, please, please get off the track. We blow the whistle, we try our best, but in the end the choice is their’s.

If a person chooses to stay on the track after they have been warned there is nothing you can do.  But allowing someone to die because you were too afraid to sound the warning is something else.

Another one of my life changing passages:

Ezekiel 3:17–21 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.  When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.  But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”

Love,

Jill

Good morning Zebras,

Interesting how small things make a difference.

On the second day in Korea I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of a clock ticking away the seconds.  Maybe it was because I was jet lagged, or maybe it was because I was in a country that is concerned about being attacked by their neighbor but the sounds of the seconds ticking away as millions died without the full truth of the gospel confirmed the urgency God has placed within me to get the message out.

We love the faithfulness of God.  But it is a two-edged sword.  He is faithful to do all the good He has promised, but just as faithful to do all the “bad.”

Those who die without Christ are facing an eternity without God and those who claim to have salvation but chose to live in a way that denies His existent are in for an unpleasant surprise.

There is no half way with God.  There never has been and there never will be. 

The first retreat I did I dressed up as Moses and memorized Deuteronomy 30:11-20, I would encourage you to read it for yourself.   It is Moses’ address to the people where he tells them to choose.  He puts before them life or death and urges them to choose life, to follow after God whole heartedly and not turn away to worship other gods.

Of course, most of the Israelites turned away and God was faithful to bring about the destruction He promised. Make no mistake we are the Israelites. 

Jesus’ last message to His people is not the great commission it is the book of Revelation. 

The last Precept study I taught was Revelation and after we did the first three chapters I felt God tell me I could step out so I did, right in the middle of the study.  God told me it didn’t matter whether I understood the rest of the book or not it only mattered that I understood and took to heart the first three chapters.

They are Jesus’ last address to His people, the church, and He is telling them to choose between following Him whole heartedly or turning away to worship other gods.

God’s people are not lukewarm, they are filled with the love of God, zealous for the complete truth, unwilling to compromise and doing work empowered by the Spirit.

If that does not describe you then somewhere in your life you have compromised and chosen something other than God. But the good news is, there is still time to repent.

Love,

Jill