Soul

Idol in My Hand

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Isaiah 44

18 Such stupidity and ignorance!
 Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.
 Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.

19 The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,
  “Why, it’s just a block of wood!
 I burned half of it for heat
 and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat.
How can the rest of it be a god?
    Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”

20 The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes.
 He trusts something that can’t help him at all.
Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,
    “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”

Recently, the Lord asked me to fast social media- again. A week into the elimination of checking news feeds, notifications, friend and follower requests, ministry and blog stats, I realized something extraordinary….joy had returned to the munIMG_4342dane tasks of my life! I had previously assumed I knew God’s reason for the fast, but I now know I was once again leaning on my own understanding….and believing a lie.

The truth, which He illuminated in His Word today exposed an idol that I had been holding in my hand; my cell phone, with its many social networking apps.

Throughout my journey as a disciple of Jesus and leader of other followers, I’ve tried diligently to find my love, worth and acceptance from God alone. Unfortunately, there have been times in which I’ve been deceived into believing the number of followers, likes on our page, “friends,” or comments on my blogs is an indicator of how much I am loved and how “successful” I am in leading others. Without even consciously realizing it, I have been a poor deluded fool. I have feed on ashes, by measuring a block of wood, drawing a pattern on it, carving it into a human figure (Isaiah 44:13) and continuing to worship it.

Jesus wasn’t concerned with being liked by “friends,” networking to obtain more followers, holding larger fish and loaves conferences, or writing #trendy blog posts. His life focus was entirely about loving God & surrendering His will in complete obedience to Him. By doing so, His soul was filled to overflowing with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galations 5:22-23). You see, Jesus felt loved, worthy and accepted by His Father- regardless of how others adored…or hated Him.

Through no effort of His own, Jesus became a famous preacher, teacher, healer and “friend” of many…..yet He always, always, always diverted His praise to the One in which it was due; the Creator of the Universe, the Creator of man and woman, the Creator of me, the Creator of my “ministry.”

“If it is only because of my preaching that people desire to be better, they will never get anywhere near Jesus Christ. Anything that flatters me in my preaching of the Gospel will end in making me a traitor to Jesus; I prevent the creative power of His Redemption from doing its work.”

-Oswald Chamber, My Utmost for His Highest

Father, thank you for ever so gently exposing the lie of the enemy in my soul. Obliterate my pride. Destroy the idol that I have created. Teach me to look to you alone to fill me. Help me to lay down my life for others– regardless if they adore me or hate me, just as your Son did. Thank you for your grace and forgiveness. Amen

Tree Planted Along a Riverbank

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Jeremiah 17:5-10

5This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
 with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salty land.

7“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
 and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
  with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
 or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

9“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
 and desperately wicked.
 Who really knows how bad it is?

10 But I, the Lord, search all hearts
and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
 according to what their actions deserve.” IMG_2963Years ago, during a Sunday morning worship service, God showed me a vision of a tree planted along a riverbank. It had incredibly long roots that were reaching deep into the water, but some of its roots were also climbing up the bank, towards a cluster of trees planted on top of the raven. The above mentioned verse immediately came to mind when I saw the roots that reached deep into the water, but it would be many seasons later before I discovered why some of the trees root system was reaching away from its life source. After recording a horrible sketch of the mental image in my journal, I didn’t think any more about it, until a few months ago when I was praying about moving my blogs to another site. God reminded me of that tree and when I finally dug out my old journal and flipped to the sought after page, I realized that tree was ME….with roots that are often divided. I’ve been a follower of Jesus for nearly 15 years. In the early days of my pilgrimage, I tried to do all the “right things;” read my bible, pray (alone- NEVER in a group!), attend worship services, serve on a ministry team, join a bible study….which were all necessary disciplines that I needed to submit to, but they caused me to only know God in an intellectual sense. I was learning to love God with my mind, but my soul and strength were climbing up the riverbank towards the other trees. My desperately wicked heart was torn between surrendering my will to my Creator and surrendering to what I wanted. Once I chose to submit to Jesus’ call to repent, my heart softened to the revelation that in order to truly love God, I must obey His commandments- all of them. In surrendering my will to His, I began to fall in love with the Lord and He began to show me the barren wildernesses of my soul. In what has been a supernatural, marvelous journey of restoration and redemption, God has retracted some of the roots that were going astray and retrained them to turn back towards His living water. Despite life’s circumstances, when I choose to reach deep into the water and trust the Lord (not mere humans) with my life, marriage, parenting, etcetera, I am not bothered or worried by long months of drought. Instead, I am blessed AND able to remain confident that He alone is my refuge and my fortress.

Psalm 62:5-8

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
 for God is our refuge.

Psalm 91:1-2

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
 will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
 my God, in whom I trust.”

Mary, Martha & Maggie

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Luke 10:38-42 

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

While sitting on our back deck on a crisp spring morning, reading my bible and daily devotion, our 65 pound chocolate lab, named Maggie circled around and plopped down beside my feet. She has the sweetest face and most longing eyes, so it was impossible to resist her plead for a pat on the head and a rub of her shiny coat. IMG_4003As she leaned in for more affection, her eyes, ears & nose were working overtime, taking in all the distractions in our yard; birds chirping, squirrels scampering from tree to tree, neighborhood noise and the smell of an impending rainstorm. Unwavering in her pursuit of me, however, she continued to sit, not budging from her current position.

Since her adoption 6 months ago, Maggie has learned that if she will sit beside (or sometimes ON TOP of!) my feet and make eye contact, I am certain to give her the love and attention she desperately craves.

As an adopted daughter of the King, Mary learned the same thing. Despite the distractions of the day, she chose to first sit and soak in the love and attention that only Jesus could give. She realized that before she could do the things that needed to be done, her soul needed to be filled by the Word made flesh. Her sister Martha, however was distracted and worried about serving the guest of honor, instead of worshipping the guest of honor. Martha no doubt had the gift of hospitality, but her whining and complaining proved that she had failed to first pursue the One who had given her the gift.

In order to live life to the full as a devoted follower of Christ, we must learn to be like Mary, Martha…. and Maggie. Each day we need to curl up and sit at the feet of Jesus, look longingly into His eyes and listen to His every Word. Then, when our heart, mind & soul have been filled with love, we will have the strength to get up and use the gifts that God has given us to serve others.

18

/ Jodie / 1 Comment

 Proverbs 18

Unfriendly people care only about themselves;   they lash out at common sense.

2 Fools have no interest in understanding;    they only want to air their own opinions.

3 Doing wrong leads to disgrace,  and scandalous behavior brings contempt.

4 Wise words are like deep waters;   wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.

5 It is not right to acquit the guilty   or deny justice to the innocent.

6 Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels;    they are asking for a beating.

7 The mouths of fools are their ruin;    they trap themselves with their lips.

8 Rumors are dainty morsels   that sink deep into one’s heart.

9 A lazy person is as bad as    someone who destroys things.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong fortress;   the godly run to him and are safe.

11 The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense;    they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.

12 Haughtiness goes before destruction;    humility precedes honor.

13 Spouting off before listening to the facts   is both shameful and foolish.

14 The human spirit can endure a sick body,    but who can bear a crushed spirit?

15 Intelligent people are always ready to learn.   Their ears are open for knowledge.

16 Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!

17 The first to speak in court sounds right—  until the cross-examination begins.

18 Flipping a coin can end arguments;    it settles disputes between powerful opponents.

19 An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city.  Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.

20 Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.

21 The tongue can bring death or life;    those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,   and he receives favor from the Lord.

23 The poor plead for mercy;    the rich answer with insults.

24 There are “friends” who destroy each other,   but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

Yesterday, on the 18th day of May, Doug and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. IMG_1830Mid morning, as we sat on the back deck, sipping our cups of coffee, Doug read Proverbs 18 aloud. I began to chuckle as I recalled the years we’ve spent together and how Solomon’s words of wisdom so aptly applied to our lives….

During the first five or so years of our marriage, we were both unfriendly people. Our constant quarreling proved we cared only about ourselves. I, for one, aired my opinion much to frequently and my mouth was my ruin on many occasions. I had absolutely NO interest in understanding my husband – or my God.

Through the years we’ve since learned how hard it is to win back one another’s trust and affection after an offense. We’ve realized that wise words, spoken at the right time, can satisfy the soul. We’ve also discovered that God honors humility and it is the key to resolution and restoration in a relationship.

In the two decades we’ve known one another, we’ve experienced joy and grief, happiness and despair, life and death….but the greatest experiences we’ve known are the ones in which we have seen and felt the presence of God. For without Him, there would be no marriage. Without Him, there would be no love. Without Him, there would be no possible way for one man and one woman to become one flesh after living together for 18 years!

Genesis 2:24

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Idols

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Ezekiel 6

 Again a message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, turn and face the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them. 3 Proclaim this message from the Sovereign Lord against the mountains of Israel. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills and to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring war upon you, and I will smash your pagan shrines. 4 All your altars will be demolished, and your places of worship will be destroyed. I will kill your people in front of your idols.[a] 5 I will lay your corpses in front of your idols and scatter your bones around your altars. 6 Wherever you live there will be desolation, and I will destroy your pagan shrines. Your altars will be demolished, your idols will be smashed, your places of worship will be torn down, and all the religious objects you have made will be destroyed. 7 The place will be littered with corpses, and you will know that I alone am the Lord.

8 “But I will let a few of my people escape destruction, and they will be scattered among the nations of the world. 9 Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins. 10 They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I was serious when I said I would bring this calamity on them.

11 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Clap your hands in horror, and stamp your feet. Cry out because of all the detestable sins the people of Israel have committed. Now they are going to die from war and famine and disease. 12 Disease will strike down those who are far away in exile. War will destroy those who are nearby. And anyone who survives will be killed by famine. So at last I will spend my fury on them. 13 They will know that I am the Lord when their dead lie scattered among their idols and altars on every hill and mountain and under every green tree and every great shade tree—the places where they offered sacrifices to their idols. 14 I will crush them and make their cities desolate from the wilderness in the south to Riblah[b] in the north. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

 

IMG_2963At a glance, some of the Old Testament seems to portray only an angry, vengeful God. Upon further examination, however, and through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, these passages about God’s judgment illuminate His fierce love for His people. Our God is a jealous God. He created us for Himself. Therefore, He has every right to be angry when we turn our back on Him and devote our lives to the worship of idols.

The idols of today may look different than the carved images referenced in the book of Ezekiel. The heart behind them, however is still the same: rebellion against God through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

At a glance, my life may seem to portray only a perfectly devoted follower of Christ. Upon further examination, however, and through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, one would see that I too can be guilty of worshipping idols.

Each day I have a lengthy list of things to do as a:

Wife

Mother

Home-school Teacher

Marriage Mentor & Teacher

If I’m not submitted to the Lord in them, they will quickly become all consuming, and I will take ownership of every one. Refusing to acknowledge that GOD is the One who placed me in these roles for His purposes and His glory alone will confirm that my soul is worshipping these areas of service- or the people in whom I serve.

So, how do I continue to uncover any hidden idols in my heart?

1)   Read God’s Word

2)   Pray; asking the Holy Spirit to reveal any pagan shrines

Once God has identified the idols, I then have the choice to:

a)   Continue worshipping them

This option will lead to death… not necessarily a physical death, but an emotional and/or spiritual death will occur in my relationship with God -and others. Left abandoned for too long, those relationships will begin to rot away until there is nothing but an empty life “littered with corpses…..”

b)   Clap my hands in horror, stamp my feet and cry out to God to forgive me for these detestable sins!

This option will lead to life and freedom. God will destroy every shrine, and I will escape the destruction that was planned for me. And once again, I will know that HE alone is the Lord and HE alone is worthy of all honor and glory and praise.

HELP!

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Isaiah 43:14-28

14 This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon,
    forcing the Babylonians[a] to flee in those ships they are so proud of.

15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
    Israel’s Creator and King.

16 I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters,
    making a dry path through the sea.

17 I called forth the mighty army of Egypt
    with all its chariots and horses.
I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned,
    their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.

18 “But forget all that—
    it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.

19 For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

20 The wild animals in the fields will thank me,
    the jackals and owls, too,
    for giving them water in the desert.
Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland
    so my chosen people can be refreshed.

21 I have made Israel for myself,
    and they will someday honor me before the whole world.

22 “But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help.
    You have grown tired of me, O Israel!

23 You have not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings.
    You have not honored me with sacrifices,
though I have not burdened and wearied you
    with requests for grain offerings and frankincense.

24 You have not brought me fragrant calamus
    or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices.
Instead, you have burdened me with your sins
    and wearied me with your faults.

25 “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
    and will never think of them again.

26 Let us review the situation together,
    and you can present your case to prove your innocence.

27 From the very beginning, your first ancestor sinned against me;
    all your leaders broke my laws.

28 That is why I have disgraced your priests;
    I have decreed complete destruction[b] for Jacob
    and shame for Israel.

When the river of life’s circumstances begins to rise over its banks IMG_2704and the fire of oppression threatens to burn me, I instinctively want to save myself from drowning and being consumed by the flames.

But my instincts lie…..for they are motived by the selfish desires within me.

Instead of choosing to bring God my burnt offerings and sacrifices I wear myself out doggy paddling in the river, clinging to every stray log that floats by to keep myself from going under. I grab my fire extinguisher and attack the flames, while simultaneously freaking out because the things I hold so dear are being destroyed!

How many times have I made God weary with all my faults, instead of trusting Him and His promises?

 

Isaiah 43:1-4

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
    O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.

2 When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.

3 For I am the Lord, your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom;
    I gave Ethiopia[a] and Seba in your place.

4 Others were given in exchange for you.
    I traded their lives for yours
because you are precious to me.
    You are honored, and I love you.

According to the prophet Isaiah, I need to listen to the Lord so I can know:

 

-God created me

 

-He has called me by name

 

-I do NOT need to be afraid!

 

-I am His

 

-I am precious to Him

 

-I am honored by Him

 

-He LOVES me!!!

 

And I need to trust that:

 

–He will be with me (in every river of difficulty and every fire of oppression)

 

–He will make rivers in the dry wasteland of my soul

 

–He will refresh me

 

But in order to know Him and trust Him, I must be still……& ask Him for HELP!

 

Psalm 46:10

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
  I will be honored by every nation.
 I will be honored throughout the world.”

http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=2013616

Cleanse Me

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Psalm 19:12-14

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
 Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin.

14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

There’s a common misconception among those who visit our home. Repeatedly we hear “your house is so CLEAN- how do you keep it that way with 4 kids?!” in which I reply “I like to keep things tidy…but if you look close, you’ll see its not really clean!”

When I was a little girl, I passed over the top of the toilet, sink and shower with my sponge just enough to make it LOOK like I had actually cleaned the bathroom. But my mother wasn’t fooled. She frequently had to make me go back and re-do all of it.

Our kids are the same way. They wipe the surface of the fixtures, but they really don’t scrub them in order to clean all the hidden yuck lurking beneath. Perhaps they just don’t see it. Perhaps they’re too lazy to do the work. Or, perhaps they’d rather get their chore done as quickly as possible to do something more FUN!!! It’s probably all of the above. I should know, because I still do the same thing when it comes to cleaning the master bathroom shower. In fact, I’ve even started asking my husband to clean it for us (he’s a much better detailed cleaner than I am anyway….but really, I just don’t wanna do it!!!)

It’s a similar tactic the enemy uses on me time and time again to keep me from seeing the sins lurking in my heart. Sure, I may “confess” my general sins in order to wipe the surface, but often I’m too lazy to ask God for specifics, so that I may sincerely repent. To be completely honest, most of the time I just don’t feel like allowing Him to expose the yuck. It’s much easier to ignore it or blame someone else for the dirt- and try to force them to clean it up.

Let’s face it; cleaning the bathroom takes time, effort and a lot of scrubbing. But, when the hidden yuck is removed and the surface begins to sparkle like diamonds it can finally be used – and enjoyed – for its intended purpose.

If I truly want God to cleanse me I must be willing to invest the time and effort for the Holy Spirit to remove the yuck from my soul….AND I must be willing to crucify my flesh and submit my will to His. Only then will love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control shine like the Son on the surface of my life.

1 John 1:9-10

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for the yuck to build back up in the bathroom….so I need to keep the cleaning bucket ready for touch up cleans, as well as the regularly scheduled deep cleans that are required. The same is true for my soul; cleansing isn’t a one-time event- it’s an ongoing, life long process.