Psalm 37:4 Seeking God’s heart

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Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

This verse came to my attention at one of the down times in my life. I prayed for relief from serious financial problems as I clung to this verse believing God was going to send an angel down a moonbeam or something to rescue me, yet the problems continued. An answer eventually came four years later, but there was going to be no easy out.

As I look back over my life I see many hurdles and prayers that seemed to take forever to get answered. It was during those low times that I grew the most through soul searching and Bible study. I remember sharing in my Bible study group many years ago that maybe the reason God wasn’t answering a particular long time unanswered prayer was that in his wisdom he knew that to let the pressure off might cause me to relax and drift from my Bible study and prayer time.

Don’t get me wrong, I have seen many prayers answered in my life. God has answered them in his time frame, which always turned out to be on time. Some were like an angel coming in on a moonbeam – like when he worked it out for me to pay for my masters’ degree on school loans that would never have to be paid back – and like when I got a good paying job within one day of probable bankruptcy. But for me, the down times have been the times that pushed me hardest to seek God’s heart.

Down times are nothing new. Joseph spent years of down time in prison before he became the number one official for Pharaoh. Through many hardships, Joseph’s faith in God found a way to flourish.

David’s early years were spent as a shepherd. It was during those long lonely days that David learned to sing and play his harp and to trust God to enable him to kill a bear, a lion, and Goliath. David, known as “the man after God’s own heart,” spent many years being hunted down by jealous King Saul, but in spite of his hardships (or through them) his faith continued to grow stronger.

I have learned to thank God for the hardships and trials in my life because through them I’ve learned to trust him more and to see his heart in the little things we take so much for granted. We have so much in America. If we have a house, no matter how small, we are rich compared to the average family around the world. And if we have a heart’s desire to please God, we have everything we need.

Father God, thank you for the tough times that stretched me and caused me to seek after you. Help me to never let any hardship go to waste by not seeking your heart.

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John 4:4-30 Jesus meets us where we are

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John 4:4-30 Click on this link to read the passage. You may select your preferred version of the Bible after the link opens.

What a scandal! Jesus, the holy man everyone was talking about initiated a conversation with a promiscuous Samaritan woman. Didn’t Jesus know the three-strikes-you’re-out rule? Jews don’t socialize with Samaritans – strike one. Jews should snub promiscuous people – strike two. Jewish men don’t go out of their way to speak to women – strike three.

Jesus was not afraid to challenge the status quo. He continued to seek the lost. He was often seen eating and talking with sinners and tax collectors. How different from what happens in most churches today. Outsiders stay away because they fear rejection. Church members groom themselves to appear more saintly than they actually are, and hope no one will be the wiser.

But Jesus is our example, and we should take notice. Jesus went to where the Samaritan woman was – at a well getting water in the heat of the day when no one else was likely to be around. Jesus didn’t tell the woman to clean up her act and then show up in church if she wanted to be saved. Jesus opened the conversation by asking her for a drink of water (which she apparently never got around to getting for him). As the conversation moved along Jesus told her he had “living water” to offer. When she wanted to know more, Jesus told her to get her husband and come back.

The woman denied that she had a husband; perhaps she thought Jesus might be a good “catch.” Instead of rebuking her for her deception, Jesus told her she had answered correctly, and then revealed what he already knew about her five previous husbands and her live-in boyfriend.

Jesus hates sin, but he loves people. He reaches out to the unlovely and unlovable (by human standards) and offers them hope and eternal life. Are we willing to follow in his footsteps, or would we rather cushion our lives by only associating ourselves with people who are properly groomed to look like holy people?

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us of our hypocrisy. Open our hearts to those who are hurting and falling apart inside. Help us to step outside our comfort zones to share your love with the unlovely. May our lives cause them to hunger and thirst to know you better and to seek your will for their lives.

John 3:1-17 God’s Greatest Gift

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John 3:1-17 Click on this link to read the passage. You may select your preferred version of the Bible after the link opens.

This passage of scripture is very familiar to those who have grown up in any denomination that follows Christian teachings. In this passage is found the roots that most evangelicals cling to for their beliefs in what one must do to be saved.

Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees. He came to see Jesus at night for a heart to heart discussion. Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is born again. He added that people must be born both of water and of the Spirit. Some interpret the water as baptism while others interpret it as natural birth. I feel no authority to declare it as one or the other, but to let it rest as it is written.

Jesus focused on the Spirit when he spoke to Nicodemus. It is when the spirit changes our hearts and our way of thinking that we find the peace that God has to offer us. John 3:16 tells us that whoever believes in Jesus shall not perish but have everlasting life.

We must believe in Jesus resurrection. We must also believe in Jesus’ teachings. To believe in Jesus’ teachings is to agree with him that sin is sinful – especially the sin in our own lives. We must trust Jesus enough to let him show us how to live better lives, and to follow him with our whole hearts.

In light of eternity, our lives are but a few breaths. We are given this time to reach others for Christ and to prepare ourselves to be the bride of Christ for eternity. (Matt 9:15; John 3:29; 2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:7; Rev 21:2, 9) Let’s not waste our time arguing with God over what is and isn’t sin, and miss out on his greatest gift – forgiveness of the very sins we are prone to argue about or to refuse to look inward and find – and ultimately miss the joy of spending eternity with Christ who loves us enough to die for us.

Let us also learn to love others into heaven, not point out their faults. If we are focusing on our own sins, we will become more and more sensitive to the pain of others and find ways to apply healing salve, not sandpaper to their struggles with sin.

Father God, you and your Son Jesus have shown us what is holy. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to know and share your salvation and your will for our lives.

 

Purim – a holiday to remember Queen Esther

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“Happy Purim! ”
“Happy what?”
“Happy Purim! You know, when Queen Esther saved all the Jews from getting killed.”

Are you one of the people “in the know” about Purim, or is this a holiday you have never heard of?Chances are you remember something about the story of Queen Esther from the Old Testament. It is one of my favorites.

The Jewish holiday Purim begins at sundown on Saturday, March 19, 2011 and continues twenty-four hours until sundown on Monday, March 20. (Like Easter, Purim doesn’t always fall on the same dates each year on our calendar, but it does come out the same day on the Hebrew calendar.) Purim celebrates the life of Queen Esther whose courage saved the Jewish people who were living throughout the Persian Empire from being killed in one day. Here is an article about celebrating Purim found on a website called Hebrew for Christians. (Click on website name.)

The book of Esther in the Old Testament is 10 chapters long. The story moves at a rapid pace so that parents and older children might enjoy reading it together. It may help you to understand the story to know that King Ahasuerus and King Xerxes are the same person. Queen Esther also has another name Hadassah, though it is only mentioned a time or two.

I looked online for a re-telling of the story and was disappointed with several of them. Many took liberties in the re-telling that introduced material that was not Biblical, and one in particular threw in a lot of “information” that was totally wrong. Here is a web page with Bible stories you may want to share with your younger children:  http://www.touchoffire.com/biblestorymain.htm You will have to select Queen Esther in the sidebar on the left. (I did not read all the stories so am unable to comment on the rest.)

If you read the story of Queen Esther from the Bible or from a good Bible story book, you may want to try this puzzle when you finish reading the story.

Queen Esther

Across

3. Haman was hung on the _______ he built for Mordecai.

5. A Jewish holiday celebrating the bravery of Queen Esther who saved the lives of the Jewish people in Persia

8. The king of Persia also known as King Ahasuerus,

9. Haman had to lead Mordecai riding on a horse the king had ridden and wearing a crown and ____ the king had worn.

10. A queen of Persia who lost her position as queen because she refused to come to the king’s banquet when he called her

Down

1. A wicked man who made up a plan for all the Jewish people in Persia to be killed in one day

2. A young orphan girl who became queen and bravely defended the Jewish people from being killed

4. Mordecai encouraged Queen Esther to risk her own ____ and go to the king. He said to Queen Ester “Who knows but for such a time as this you became Queen of Persia.”

6. A Jewish man who raised an orphan girl. He became the second most important person in the kingdom of Persia

7. All the beautiful young girls were brought to the palace and given beauty treatments for a whole ____ (how long?) before they would be presented to the king so he could select his new queen.

Words to use:  Esther, gallows, Haman, life, Mordecai, Purim, robe, Vashti, Xerxes, year

 

I created this puzzle using Puzzlemaker at DiscoveryEducation.com
Discovery Education

 

 

Matthew 4:1-11 Who do I follow?

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Matthew 4:1-11 Click on this link to read the passage. You may select your preferred version of the Bible after the link opens.

Jesus’ ministry began at the time of his baptism by John the Baptist. During the next forty days he went into the desert (or wilderness depending on your Bible translation) for a time of fasting and prayer as he talked to his Father for guidance and direction. Satan was lurking around waiting for an opportunity to tempt Jesus.

The first way Satan tempted Jesus was to suggest he turn stones into loaves of bread. Jesus had physical needs by this time, as he had gone without food for 40 days. Jesus knew it would be a simple matter to use his powers to produce food for himself, but he knew his powers had been given to him for serving others and not himself. Furthermore, it would minimize the value of fasting to resolve it so simply by turning the stone into bread. Other people couldn’t do that, why should he? Jesus quoted scripture to Satan saying “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”

The second temptation was to make a big show of his powers so all the people would see and be instantly impressed with Jesus. Again, this would have been a self-serving approach for the sole purpose of gaining attention. Jesus knew he needed to use his powers to serve others. Jesus again quoted scripture saying “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord your God.”

Satan then tempted Jesus a third time by promising him all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would bow down and worship him. Jesus didn’t accept Satan’s shortcut. Jesus again quoted scripture telling Satan that it is written to worship God and only God.

What does Satan look like in our world today? I doubt he has asked many of my readers to turn bread into stone, to jump off a high tower so angels can catch them on the way down, or to literally bow down and worship him. He is more cunning than that.

When might we be tempted to take an unethical advantage of others for personal gain? What about the temptation to cheat on taxes, make ourselves look good at another’s expense for personal glory or a promotion, pocket the change when the cashier makes a mistake in our favor, lie to keep from getting caught for something we or our child did wrong whether it was an honest mistake or not, tell half truths, make a big show of some good deed we have done for personal glory, …?

Jesus made it clear to Satan (and to the world in the retelling of his temptation in the wilderness) that he didn’t come to earth to serve himself. Jesus would be glorified in the end, but not from taking shortcuts and pleasing people in authority. Jesus left the timing and the glory up to God and took the hard road of service to others throughout his ministry.

If we spend time daily with God in prayer and reading his Word, we will hear his voice clearly; and we will be able to respond appropriately to Satan’s temptations. Jesus quoted scripture to counter Satan’s temptations. We should follow his example.

Father God, may we spend so much time with you in prayer and in your Word that we will easily know the difference between following your voice and yielding to the temptations Satan puts in our path. Give us the courage to always serve you and not ourselves.