Nick's Choice

Good morning Zebras,

My son is a junior at Moody Bible Institute training to become a youth pastor.  This summer he is required to do an internship.

Two prospects floated to the top.  The first was a church in Illinois that was willing to pay $4,000 plus room and board for a youth ministry intern.  The second was paying your own way to minister somewhere outside of the United States.  He asked me my opinion.

Of course, the first thing I said was that he needed to pray.  I know God talks to Nick, I’ve seen it before, he just needs encouragement to trust what he hears.  The second thing I said was that money should not be the driver to do God’s work. 

Christians have an interesting relationship with money.  They know the Bible says:

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Followed by:

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

But they still act like they can negotiate a truce.

Years ago, I convinced Gary to quit putting money into savings and to just use what God gives us for His glory.  At the time the parable of the “rich fool” struck a little too close to home.

Luke 12:16–21 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”  

But it was God who convinced Gary to start taking it out.

Matthew 6:19–21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I don’t know which door God will open for Nick but I’m praying it is the one that has the greatest potential of seeing “the fire of the Spirit” at work. 

Love,

Jill

If It Be Your Will

Good morning Zebras,

Yesterday, when I went to walk my dogs I forgot the “poop bags.”  Of course, I didn’t notice it till I needed one and then it was too late to do anything about it.  I refuse to leave poop in other people’s yards, so I searched my pockets to see what I had to pick it up with.

My searched revealed a few tissues I carry for my OPDN, (old person drippy nose.)  Not exactly ideal but they would have to do.

I picked up the poop and immediately began to pray “Dear Lord, you know I don’t want to carry this poop all the way home in a flimsy tissue but I will if that’s what You want me to do but you know my heart and you know I would really appreciate it if You provided a bag.”

After praying I started searching the streets for “the bag,” because I have learned once you start praying for something you need to start looking for the answer.  But the answer didn’t come only another poop, which I picked up with another tissue. 

At this point I have two tissues, two poops, and still no bag.  So, I repeated my prayer. “Lord, you know I really don’t want to carry this poop around but if that is Your plan for me today, I will.  But I would really appreciate a bag.” 

This time after I prayed, a friend walked by and she was carrying extra bags so she gave me three.  Way more than I needed!

Moral of the story:  

You need to be willing to carry poop if God tells you to, He asked a lot more of Jesus:

Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Know that God hears your prayers.  Have faith, expect answers.

Mark 11:22–24 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that fwhat he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Pass on what God has given you, it will be a blessing to someone else.  

Colossians 3:12–13 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

And be honest when you speak to God, you can’t fool Him anyway, He already knows your heart.

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Love,

Jill

https://youtu.be/wHAHt2Hv_DI

P.S. The link is to a great song that fits with today’s message of being willing to “carry poop” for God.  Years ago, our worship team played it and I’ve loved it ever since.  Leonard Cohen, who was Jewish, wrote a great song on submitting to the will of God.  The introduction is eerily relevant considering it was recorded in 1985.  

Disciple or ?

Good morning Zebras,

“With the exception of the Bible, no book has had as profound an effect on my life as “My Utmost for His Highest.” - Charles Stanley.

I couldn’t agree more.

I’ve been reading Oswald Chambers for at least thirteen years, maybe longer.  In the early years, I didn’t understand half the entries but I persevered.  It is a good journal and marker of growth because I make notes on the pages and then reread them on the exact same day every year. 

Thursday was the first time, I can remember, that I disagreed with what he wrote.

The thing you need to know about this book is Oswald didn’t write it, he preached it and after his death his wife gathered up his sermons and made them into a book.  I say that because yesterday’s entry was preached to a group of students that were pursuing ministry at The Bible Training College where he taught, so the focus was the call God places on people to preach the gospel.

“Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:16

His point was that the call to preach the Gospel is different than the call of salvation, which is true.  When God places the call to preach on you it becomes a burning desire that must be answered.  What I disagreed with was this:

“Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that He requires for salvation… discipleship has an option with it-‘If anyone’”

Luke 14:25–27, 33 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.  And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple…In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Maybe it’s just semantics, maybe he’s using the words differently than we do now or maybe I’m missing something.  But I do not see salvation as an experience separate from discipleship.  Salvation is the beginning, discipleship is the outcome.  And even though Jesus says “If” I’m not sure refusing to be a disciple after salvation is an option. 

What are you if you aren’t a disciple?

I do not see Jesus saying: “Oh, you want to have salvation and not really follow Me?  That’s fine, I’m totally good with that.  I’ll just save you and not require anything.  I have a two-tier system consisting of disciples and the merely saved.  You go back to doing whatever it is you were doing and I’ll catch you later in heaven.”

Salvation is easy it comes from God, discipleship takes work but the power and the desire comes from God as well and it’s our job to work out our salvation with “fear and trembling” with the power and  direction of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:11–14 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. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

And I know Oswald Chambers agrees with that.

Love,

Jill

Witnesses for God

Isaiah 43:12c

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.”

Good morning Zebras,

In the evening when I walk in the park I often see the same man with his Queensland Heeler.  This dog is incredibly well trained and the man loves to show him off.  He puts the dog on a park bench and tells him to stay and then he walks away.  He doesn’t just walk a few feet either, he walks a long ways away, and that dog stays on the bench and he doesn’t jump down until his owner gives the signal.  But when that signal comes the dog flies across the park to be at his master’s side. 

The first few times I saw him I was impressed with the dog, but the other night my attention switched over to the owner.  You can tell just by the way he walks that he is proud of his dog. His dog is not like the other dogs in the park.  It is different, it stands out, it doesn’t get distracted by other dogs or people.  It is obvious who its master is.  And that makes the man happy.

And I thought “I hope God feels that way about me. I hope I make God happy. I hope my actions let everyone know it is God and God alone that I am following.”

And I’m guessing you feel that way too.

I love you little Zebras, let us live today in a way that is honoring to God, in a way that declares to everyone who is watching that the Lord is our God and we do exactly what He tells us to do, even if it is just sitting on a bench.  

Love,

Jill

Stand Firm

1 Peter 5:8–9  

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Good morning Zebras,

Today’s verse is one I use all the time when explaining the vision of Zebras.  Our enemy is prowling around looking for someone to devour and just like the lone zebra it is the lone Christian who is easy prey.  Today, however, I looked the verse up in the Bible to read it in context and found the next verse works as well.

1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Knowing there are other zebras out there standing firm for our faith encourages me every day to do the same.  Hopefully it encourages you as well.  You are not alone, even if you feel like it.  As God told Elijah there are thousands out there who have not bent their knee to Baal.

Paul told us in Ephesians to “be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”   Every time I see zebra stripes I do just that and I know many other zebras do as well.  So be encouraged today little zebra, knowing that people you don’t even know are praying you will remain strong and resist the devil.

Love,

Jill

Waitimg

Acts 16:28b

Don’t harm yourself!  We are all here!

Good morning Zebras!

Recently I’ve been contacted by a few zebras inquiring about my well-being.  So I wanted to let you know I’m doing well, I have almost completely recovered from hip surgery and I am just waiting on God to show me what’s next.

A few weeks ago I asked God if staying silent and remaining inactive was what He really wants me to do, it just flies in the face of our busy American culture.  But He reassured me that waiting is more honoring to Him by reminding me of Paul’s experience in prison as recorded in Acts 16:16-37

As you may recall Paul and Silas were thrown in prison for removing an evil spirit from a slave girl.  As they sat in prison singing songs of praise to God there was an earthquake and the prison doors flew open and their chains were loosened.  When the jailer awoke he drew his sword to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had all escaped.  He stopped when Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself!  We are all here!”

Paul’s choice to stay in prison, even when he had the chance to go free, brought honor to God and resulted in the jailer and his family accepting Christ.

Now obviously I’m not in prison, I have the freedom to go and do whatever I decide to do and there’s nothing physically stopping me from writing z-mails every day.  But I feel God is telling me to stay silent and wait because it is the waiting that honors Him the most.

I know I am not the only one out there who is waiting on God, I know many of you are going through the same struggles that I am.  So here is my encouragement, if you feel like you are in a prison of God’s making, and you are tempted to wiggle your way out of it, wait with joy because miraculous prison breaks are possible and He has a purpose for the trial.

I love you little zebras.  Thank you for the prayers.

Love,

Jill

Lamps

Matthew 5:14a (NIV84) 
“You are the light of the world.”

Good morning Zebras,

I love when God gives me a tiny glimpse of how large His is. How He has looked down through time and connected people in ways that they do not even realize. One of those moments recently happened at my house.

God has given me the joy of hosting a group of women in my house on Monday nights to discuss Him. A few weeks ago one of the women tried to turn on a lamp in my living room. The lamp is broken so I told her “It just looks like a lamp, it doesn’t really work.” By the next morning I was in tears over that lamp. Not because I care whether or not the lamp works but because of what the lamp represents. 

For me the lamp represents God’s people. Many of His people are getting tired and burned out. They want to be the lights of the world but they are weary. They need someone to come alongside them to encourage them and remind them of the God they serve. I believe that’s the purpose of Zebras. 

This Monday God confirmed it through another woman in the same group. I shared my story about the lamp and she felt prompted by God to share the following poem she had written when she was twelve. We both knew she was talking about Zebras. God had given her a vision for this ministry before He gave it to me.

Candle Light 

A Christian is very bright 
Just like a candle light 
A candle Glows just like a Christian shows 
Other people about Jesus Christ 

When the candle is blown out 
Or the Christian starts pouting about 
It takes a helping hand 
To help the Christian glow again

I don’t know what kind of lamp you are right now, maybe you are shining so brightly that you hurt people's eyes, but if you are broken or wounded here is the encouraging end to the story. Two days after I grieved over my broken lamp God brought someone along who fixed it. And I felt Him say “I can fix My broken lamps if they will just give Me the chance.”

I love you little Zebras, but our God loves you even more.
Jill