To Give or Not To Give...

These verses are written about building the Temple in the Wilderness and it happens After the children were disobedient and broke off their ear rings and made the molten calf to worship as their god. All of that gold was ground to powder and scattered upon the water, and the Bible says Moses then made them drink the water.

Now chapters and who knows how much time later, the children are called to bring their offerings to build the house of God. These were all the things from the spoil of Egypt. Some chose to squander it on their own lusts and make themselves an image of idolitry. Others kept it, and now had the opportunity to use it for the house of the Lord God.

How many who broke off their earrings for the golden calf were now unable to give to the house of God? How many had regret and remorse at their 20/20 hindsight now realizing they could have no part in the monetary giving?

Application:

We have the spoils of Egypt too. God- the same God that brought Israel out of Egypt- brings us out of this world and gives us blessings in abundance.

Then we have a choice.

Do we build His house, or squander it on idols and the lusts in our life?

Do we tithe or buy the new dress?

Ok, make it a little more like the situation for some people....

Do we tithe and truly put ourselves in a position of faith because now we seriously don't even have sufficient money for groceries?

Wow. That might look a lot like FaiTH!!

Let's put it in terms that are more likely the case for most of us in the good 'ol USA.

Do we tithe and not get the acrylic nails, cappuccinos, flip flops in every color, 1/2k diamond earrings, hilights, lowlights, theater tickets, chrome rims, ....... You get my point.

OK, say you are tithing. I think the statistic is 10% of Bible believing Christians tithe, so to you.

I think a good question is, should God ask you to give to His kingdom up and above, could you if your heart was willing? Have you increased your living standard to your level of income, and now couldn't give more because of Master Card and Sallie Mae? A quote that has stuck with me and haunted me more than a few times...

"God does not prosper you in order to increase your standard of living, but to increase your standard of giving."

Do we even begin to understand what it means to live in light of Eternity??

Graduation!

June 9th, 2012 Josiah

On Fire...

There is a phrase people often say that has never set well with me for whatever reason. I understand the premise of it... to be spent, used completely, nothing left, leave it all on the table. But in the context of spiritual truth and Biblical precedent, I disagree that "I want to burn out for Christ".

Semantics, maybe. But true none the less.

Last Wednesday night I had the privilege to sit at church and be preached to by a young 20 year old man that I have known since before his birthday. His mother and I were pregnant at the same time- my oldest, her third born. He has always been a good kid, but now he is a man of God that can preach!

His message was about Rack, Shack and Benny out of Daniel 3. (Not their real names... they have been changed because I love veggie tales to protect their identity.) His whole message was a plea for us to not believe the Lie of the flesh and the world that we are bound in our sin. He passionately presented the facts that while the three men were "bound" before they were put into the fire, the ONLY thing that the fire had an effect on were their bindings!

Those boys were obedient to God, and still they faced the trial of CHOOSING to obey God at the RISK of their life. They chose to OBEY.  Their obedience to God DIRECTLY caused a trial in their life. They were put in a fiery furnace fully meant to and completely able to consume them. To burn them up!

Every one of us as the opportunity to KNOW God. In knowing God, we then have the choice... will we obey? When we obey, we may (more likely in this day and age as well!) suffer persecution for righteousness. (And get a crown, by the way!)

Will we till obey?! We are given the opportunity to PROVE our LOVE to God.

"I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love." II Corinthians 8:8

If we - because of obedience to God, suffer a fiery trial, we will certainly experience some heat, but the only thing that may be burned are our bindings, or the dross that makes the Gold and Silver of our works for Christ less pure. Let the wrong motives and selfish desires be purified in the fire, and then give God glory in the knowledge that you are being made into the image of our dear Savior!

So do I want to Burn Out for Christ? No, I don't think I do.

Do I however want to be placed into the Lord's burning fire of testing and trial? No, not in my flesh I don't. But that is where the verses of me taking up my cross daily and dying to what my flesh wants come in.

Do I want to be as pure Gold and Silver at the coming of my Savior or at His calling me home? YES!

So let the trials come, because they will whether I ask for them or not!

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:" I Peter 4:12

Trials WILL Come! But every trial will only bring God's perfect intended result if I submit, surrender and obey.

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. " Ephesians 6:16

Clearly there is a difference...!

In the mission house we are at, Micah and Savannah have to share the same room. More often than not... This is how the room looks. She was trained well by her big sis :)

Yum!!

Anyone who knows me knows I love coffee... No flavors, just strong and with a little half n half. Easy, right? Back to that not high maintenance thing. :)


I don't like nuts. I am not southern. But this coffee.... I LoVe it!!

We are in KC,MO, and while at the local Price Chopper I just happened to see it and scooped it up figuring Dan will drink it! So I got home, brewed it a little stronger than usual (notice the dot closer to the "light" side on the little gauge at the bottom??) and I can honestly say it is one of the first flavored coffees I actually like!! Now it is 5:20 pm where I am. Tastes a little like a dessert, so I am not too sure of this could be my morning joe, but hey! This is a good thing!! I hope that I can begin to enjoy it with less and less creamer. The day I can drink black coffee is the day I will truly feel like a grown up :)

Chipotle to Chipata...!

Hands down, Chipotle is my favorite restaurant. I am not high maintenance, and this definitely proves it!

Fresh, the way I want it, and enough for two meals... what more could I ask for??!

How about one in Chipata!???

Likely it won't be happening anytime soon, for so many reasons. I have been compiling internet recipes for many of my favorite things that I conveniently buy is America from a mix. I am learning what cumin, cilantro, thyme and cardamon are, and when and how to use them. YUm!! This has really expanded my "just throw it together and see what you get" cooking style!

So, in my efforts to learn all things Chipotle so that I can recreate my favorite restaurant in Zambia at my own kitchen table, I have found this GeM of a site!! ChipotleFan  Oh MY!! Everything I could want... all in one place!

Everything from the meat recipes to the salsas, and even the lettuce and sour cream... which in my opinion are so obvious, right?! In any event, we are having company while here in KC, MO, on Thursday night (wow! Being a hostess while on deputation is certainly a FIRST for me!! ) (Except the time we had friends in the camper for Keurig coffee one night...) (So would this be the second time??!)

Anyhow, I am excited to try all of these things for our friends! WooHoo!! :)

The Joy of the Lord...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

John 1:1 

In church today, I received a double blessing. We were in a church in the heart of Kansas City, Midtown Baptist Temple, and it is in a location that most pastors would not even take a second glance at when it came time to choose a church location. The neighborhoods on either side each made the top 20 list of the worst neighborhoods in America. The pastor left a thriving church with a well established ministry to be a visionary man for the Lord and start a work in the city. To reach the Lost. The undesirables. Anyone they could! Truly the Lord is blessing their work, and today was such a treat for us!

The collection of people felt a little like the way it will in Glory, with every tribe and tongue praising God. Truly the presence of the Lord is in that place! Before church even began, I noticed this man. I don't remember his name, but I loved watching him read his Bible.

He had to look in the beginning for the page number of the book the preacher wanted us to turn to, and once he got to the right place, he began to read. His face would break out in a massive smile, and he would continue to look at the pages of the scripture just like the Lord himself wants everyone of us to. He would be lost for a while, or so it looked to me, just basking in the love letter that Jesus wrote just for him. He would miss several other requests to turn to other passages because he was so engrossed in what the verses he was reading were teaching him. Words of Promise, Hope, Purpose.

It was as if his face completely revealed on the outside the exact same change those words had done - and were continuing to do - to him on the inside. Give him LIFE, JOY, HAPPINESS! I have no idea of his place in life. He had a large back pack with him, and may have very well been homeless, and was appreciating a dry place to sit for a while during a massive thunderstorm, with a hot cup of coffee and a few donut holes to fill his stomach. He may have had plans after church, and needed to take a bus so he has to keep his things with him. I have no idea.  

I do know his joy was contagious. I could not watch him without smiling myself. I couldn't stop praying for him, that the Lord would continue to draw this man into His grace. And for ME! that I might display the joy of the Lord in the same way for any and all to see.

This is an amazing ministry, and I am glad we were able to fellowship with them today.