Sleep Peacefully

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

Many of us do not get a full night's sleep as often as we would like. It's becoming a national epidemic. People need adequate sleep to function. Some of that has to do with age related issues, babies needing our attention or poor health but much of it has to do with stress and fear about something. It is our concerns about our problems that keep us awake.

Do we dare turn our problems over to the Lord and trust that He will take care of them for us? Can we even trust Him long enough to get a good night's rest? Could a lack of sleep signify a lack of faith?

God is in control. If we pray and trust in Him, He will take care of us. That is very hard to do, but God is able.

Respect for Leaders

"Do not touch my annointed ones; do my prophets no harm." 1 Chron. 16:22 and Psalm 105:15

In my Bible, these 2 verses are identical. When the Bible repeats something, it means it is extra important to remember and do.

Today we were having a discussion about several pastors who are having, or have had, extreme problems with people. They are, or have been, under attack in a totally vicious fashion. What does God think of that? Someone mentioned this verse as a possible indication that those people who oppose the people the Lord has called may also be opposing God. That is no trivial matter.

Among many new believers and those who are returning to church after being away for many years, as well as some of the long time believers, there is an attitude that you do not criticize pastors or do anything against them. There is almost an unwritten rule that to do so is to do it to God. They do not want to disrespect or upset God. I hadn't thought about it much before, but what if they are right? What does God do with those who attack his workers, particularly the leaders?

The average church person may believe nothing happens. God just lets it go. After all, Jesus suffered horribly and died on the cross. But Jesus says of Judas, it would have been better if he had never been born. He is the one doomed to destruction in John 17:12. Jesus says, "woe to that man who betrays him," in Luke 22:22. Something does happen to Judas and it is very bad.

Jesus prays on the cross that the Lord will forgive "them" because they don't know what they are doing. Is "them" really everybody or only those who do not know? He had a lot of negative things to say about the evil religious rulers not entering heaven. In John 17:9 Jesus says, "I am not praying for the world." It is only those who repent who are forgiven and not everybody will repent. The Bible says so. One place is Revelation.

So that gets back to the question of what happens to those who deliberately harm the religious leaders such as pastors, deacons and elders, especially those who are unrepentant? Is God unhappy with them and does he do anything about it? There is reason to believe the consequences may be harsher than for other offenses both in this world and the next. Before he committed suicide, Judas was a tormented person, suffering mentally. Then he died.

Just because the followers of Christ, as well as the apostles and disciples, suffered at the hands of the people of the world does not mean there were not consequences for those causing the harm. Even if they repented, there could be some consequences. Paul repented but his life was not easy and there is evidence of regret.

We know from scripture that teachers and church leaders will be judged more harshly than others. They must be very careful to be faithful and true to the gospel. We also know that false teachers and pastors will go out and spread lies and deceptions. When they do that, it is not man they are offending but God. It doesn't seem too bright to me.

Would God ever strike a person dead in New Testament times? He did Ananias and Sapphira when they lied about the sale of property in Acts 5. How far can we push God before we have crossed a line?

What if God does take it much more seriously if one of His annointed ones, the leaders he has chosen, are being mistreated? What should the average believer do if they are unhappy with their leaders? Do not mistreat them. It could be you who is wrong. Instead pray. You may gently warn the leader if they will listen. If you need to, avoid the leader and find another to follow who is true to the gospel. Make sure you examine your heart very carefully. You too can be deceived and tempted to follow after teachers and preachers who "say what your itching ears want to hear" rather than the gospel.

Leaders who are criticizing or passing judgement on other pastors for reputed misconduct or theological errors must be very careful and prayerful as well. As they judge their fellow worker, God is judging them. He is looking at not only the offense of the one being judged but the hearts and motives of those doing the judging. It would be so easy to fall into the hardheartedness of the religious rulers of Jesus' time. The warning not to harm to the prophets and annointed ones would hold true for those who are also annointed. Chances are they don't get a "pass" from God on this one. Their judgement may be even harsher.

I suspect those who hold that God is not happy when someone does harm in any way to his chosen leaders are correct. We are dealing with a Holy God who is active in our lives, a very powerful Lord that we cannot fully know or fully understand in this life. Fear, reverence, respect and careful consideration concerning our attitudes and behaviors would be a very wise decision for all of us.

Farmer's Market

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8

Our Farmer's Market is wonderful! Most of the food displayed was picked that day or the night before and is very fresh. Fresh produce has so much more flavor. It's heavenly. And there is quite a variety to choose from. I bought peppers and potatoes, cucumbers and squash, beets and broccoli and eggplant this week. There were also tomatoes, watermelon, cantalope, onions, corn, green beans, pumpkins, flowers, eggplant, herbs, cabbage, numerous kinds of winter squash, sweet potatoes, strawberries, asian vegetables, local honey, local organic meats and eggs, homemade breads and pastries, and much more than I can remember.

Many of the vendors use little or no fertilizers or pesticides on their crops. While we are assured that all those chemicals won't hurt us in small quantities, it still seems like less should be better. So many of our large food companies have had to recall food due to bacteria and contamination. It can happen to the small growers too but I feel more secure about it.

There is something that seems right about buying from people who live nearby first whenever possible. It isn't always possible and there is nothing wrong with buying from those who live further away, but it just seems like the thing to do to support those in your own area first.

But mostly I like to buy from Farmer's Market because the food tastes great! It's not just a shopping trip for me, it's an experience. I have to walk back and forth along the row several times, looking everything over before I make my purchases. I ask questions and we discuss food related subjects. It's one of those shopping trips where it is better for me to go alone. I'm in no hurry. I'm enjoying the experience. That annoys some people greatly if they are with me. And I often buy too much, but that's a different issue. That's what freezers are for.

When somebody encourages us to taste something, it is because they believe it is very good and we will like it too. They want us to buy it, in the case of the market. The psalm encourages us to find out for ourselves about the goodness of the Lord. If we take refuge in Him we will be blessed.

Outsmarted

"Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought..." Romans 12:3

I love watching the squirrels. They remind me of some people I have known. They chatter at one another and chase one another round and round. They aren't going anywhere in particular but they are in a big hurry to get there.

Sometimes a young squirrel will get up in a tree and start yelling loudly at nothing at all. I think they yell just to hear their voice. When I make a similar noise back to them, they yell right back at me as if in a conversation. If I talk to them in a human voice, they might stop and look at me, as if listening, then resume their yelling when I get done.

Squirrels will chase birds and birds will chase squirrels. It looks like they like to bother each other just for fun. In the spring the squirrels are being chased because they are after the bird's eggs. But they are always busy being busy. I wonder if that's how God sees us, busy being busy with things that don't matter much in light of eternity.

The squirrels bury things in the yard, run zig zagging all over the place and steal my green tomatoes. Then they sit on the fence posts outside my windows and eat them in front of me. It is almost as if they are either taunting me or thanking me for growing their food. Until this year it was never a problem but the ice storm took out several trees including mulberry and some other wild berries. Next year I will have to rethink the way I plant the tomatoes so the squirrels can't get them all. As dumb as it sounds, it may be quite a challenge to outsmart the squirrels. There are hundreds of them and only one of me. They have all the time they want to try to get around anything I try to put up. I think God may have sent squirrels, with their little pea sized brains, to keep us humble. We aren't as great or as smart as we think we are.

Differences

"There are different kinds of gifts but the same spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord." 1 Cor. 12:4-5

I love seeing the deer on my walks. They are so quiet and peaceful. They are beautiful creatures. On some walks, the deer will be relatively close to the path or even in it. I like to talk to them. They stop whatever they are doing and look up at me for a minute, as if listening, then go back to their grazing.

Over the years I have known many hunters. They don't see what I see. They see lunch on 4 legs. I can't count how many times I have been made fun of and ridiculed by hunters for seeing a creature of beauty and not caring about the meat they see it as representing. Hunters think theirs is the only way and can be a bit rough on people who think differently.

We see the same animal. It can be meat on someone's table. It is also one of God's beautiful creatures. Both are correct.

Many times in life we can look at the same thing and understand it differently. More than one person can be correct at the same time. If, instead of ridiculing or arguing with one another, we should strive to see things from the other person's point of view which could make our lives more peaceful. We do not have to adopt that person's habits or point of view, just as I have no intentions of ever hunting as a hobby (or at all) and I do not care for deer meat. We can accept that their differences are valid for them and we can agree to disagree agreeably.

Webs

"Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them." Psalm 111:2

On one of my nature walks I saw a large spider web with a perfect circle in the center the size of a CD. The circle was woven more tightly than the rest of the web and, with the sunlight reflecting off it, it looked like a silver disk. Amazing. When I returned the next day, it was gone.

For three days in a row there was leaf suspended about 4 foot off the ground as if by magic over the center of one of the paths. It was a small, yellow elm leaf that spun in the breeze. It was held up by a single strand of a spider's web off a branch several feet above it. Some spider must have felt a need to suspend a leaf from a tree like and ornament. He probably didn't catch many bugs that way.

Spiders are yucky but their webs, from a distance, can be interesting. I did not set out those days thinking, "I'm going to go out and look at spider webs." That would have made me feel creepy before I even started. I was open to seeing beauty and interesting things wherever I found them. When we are open, it is possible to see the hand of God wherever we look.

Encouraging Noises

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up....." 1 Thess. 5:11

On one of my walks at the nature center I spotted a wild turkey at the bottom of a hill. It started calling out. Very soon, two more turkeys on the opposite side of the creek were answering. The three turkeys kept calling back and forth, even though they could not see each other, as they slowly moved closer to each other. The turkeys weren't just making noises at each other. The sounds varied in pitch, length and frequency which would lead me to believe they were somehow communicating something. I made noises at the turkeys and they answered me too, but kept moving toward one another.

Many people lose their way from time to time and may feel separated from the group. If we only had as much sense as those turkeys and called out to one another so we could find our way back. People are not always as bright as the turkeys. The turkeys answered me when I called to them but they knew not to follow my voice. People often hear other "voices" calling to them to come their direction, and stray from the Lord. If there are no fellow Christian voices urging them on, people may follow the false voices which lead to pain and heartache and worse.

Let's continue to encourage one another to stay together as the body of believers. If the turkeys can do it, we can too.

Understand

"My son, preserve strong judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight. They will be life for you...." Proverbs 3:21-22

Two little boys and their dad were ahead of me on a path at the nature center. They spotted three deer near the path and started shouting and running and waving their arms excitedly toward the deer. Of course the deer ran away and the little boys were disappointed. They were too young to understand what they were doing wrong.

Sometimes in life we are loud when we should be quiet. We act on impulse rather than thinking first about how our actions will be received by others. For that reason, our results are not what we'd hoped for. If things aren't going our way and we have no idea why, such as the little boys, we can turn to scripture and study what God's word says about how to live our lives. The Bible is much more than a book of rules or stories. It is also a treasure guide for those who will take time to study it earnestly.

Be Still

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Recently I was walking through a nature center by myself. The concerns of life left me feeling weary and in need of getting away by myself for a while. Rather than focusing my thoughts on what had been happening, I focused my attention on my surroundings. On most walks I see deer, but not this time.

I stopped for a few moments just to look at the towering trees and the fallen stumps all around me. It was then that I heard a faint noise. Hidden behind the leaves of the trees were two deer in the distance. If I had not stopped to look at the trees, I would have missed them.

The Bible tells us that God wants us to be still sometimes so we can hear Him. When life gets too hectic and noisy, it's time to slow down and take time for the Lord.

Coffee and Ministry

For many years my husband and I have gone out for coffee together on Saturday morning. Every couple needs time alone together for a strong marriage and this is the time that worked best for us.

A couple of years ago some of our members found out that we had a tradition of having coffee and decided it would be better as a group event. The idea was to use the Saturday morning coffee event as evangelism and outreach to new people. They had done it successfully in another area and we had read about having an off site, casual get together as a means of outreach. We started getting together as a ministry. (If it weren't a ministry I'd still be having coffee with just my sweetie. Marriages are important too. Fifty percent of them break up.).

We have continued because it is fulfilling it's purpose. We are doing ministry. There are people who would not be attending our church if they had not first come through the coffee fellowship. They wanted to talk to the pastor and some of the members informally first and see if this was the right group for them.

There have been other facets. This is another place for people to get to know one another better and get connected. People have learned that they have common interests and have started doing things together.

There are no unwritten rules to worry about violating in a coffee shop as opposed to a church building, especially for those who are new to the church or who have not been since they were a child. They can relax about those things. Sometimes people will ask us in this setting what is appropriate and what is not at church, such as are they welcome to take communion or are they expected to dress a certain way. People get very anxious about these things, particularly if they have been treated harshly elsewhere.

For some it has been an educational time. They have questions about theology or what the Bible says. They may want to know what our denomination believes about certain things. It is very normal to get questions on "where in the Bible do I find...." or "how does God feel about...". Those who attend know this is a good time and place to get the answers to the things they are pondering (or sweating). Sometimes the coffee is more like a Bible study. Every so often a group of people will get into a heavy theological discussion, an opportunity not available in other settings.

Often people come with ideas on things the church could do or things they would like to do. Many good ideas and programs have come out of the Saturday morning coffee. It is a chance for those who are interested to get feedback from several others, including the pastor and elders, to refine their ideas for presenting to session. The float trip as one example, which has been very successful as a ministry to both members and those outside of the church, came as a result of one of the discussions.

A correlary to this is things people feel God wants them to do but they don't know how to get started. As an example, one of our members felt the Lord was calling him to write a book. We helped him get started. If you go to the church, you know who that is.

Over half of the time there will be at least one person who is involved in a difficult life issue and is looking for someone to talk to. For these times it is a support group. Sometimes the need is just for someone to listen and care. Other times they are looking for advice or practical help. Rarely does a person with personal issues tell the whole group. They generally just talk to a few nearby. That is quite appropriate. Some things are better off not being announced. (Which means I could be really put on the spot if somebody wants me to tell a group what went on at coffee that week. They are going to get the answer, we talked and had fun.)

Another part of ministry that happens on Saturday morning coffee is the planning of details, especially involving food or church events. Mainly ladies sit and talk about what they are fixing for this or that and may spend an hour or more coordinating and refining. It may be decorations or one of the other ministries. A few times it has been weddings or showers. Sometimes the details the guys discuss with the women have to do with things that need fixing in the church or discussion of the things needed to make everything run more smoothly. Everything that is going on has probably been discussed and benefitted.

There is always the obvious reason for coming to coffee with friends, to enjoy their company. We live in a world of stress and pressures. It's nice to be able to go somewhere and be assured you will be greeted and welcomed and people will smile when they see you just because you are you. They do not expect a thing out of you. And that's a ministry too.

Food thoughts

I had not noticed until tonight how a good gooey butter coffee cake and creme brulee are similar. Both have a very thin, crunchy sweet top layer with a creamy vanilla flavored, pudding like flavor underneath. Coffee cake has a bottom layer of cake, which creme brulee lacks. The flavors are a bit different but very similar. Both are delicious.

This is a wonderful time of year for fresh fruit. In season everything has so much more flavor. The same goes for vegetables. Fresh vegetables tend to have a sweetness about them as well as having a lot of flavor. Lots of foods taste best the way God made them, plain and fresh out of the garden.

I finished the MacDonald book yesterday and finished a book called "Faith Sharing" by H. Eddie Fox and George Morris today. Both are good books worth reading.

Monday evening

Our friend's mom's name is Trudy and she just learned she has acute leukemia on Saturday. She will find out more about treatment tomorrow. She will be on our prayer list.

Our waitress this evening was a college student. She was telling us about her friend who attends college where I am a campus minister and is feeling pretty homesick and having a hard time adjusting. I gave her my card and told her the friend could call me and talk if she wanted to. We also invited her to the church through this friend.

In addition to my nephew and his wife, my niece and her boyfriend had lunch with us also. We had a good visit. It will take time for everybody to be comfortable again. All the kids are doing very well. None of them have anything to do with the church at this point in their lives. More people to pray for.

I'm almost halfway through the book "Ordering Your Private World" by Gordon MacDonald. It has some interesting ideas. This was one of the textbooks for a PAS class, one I did not take, just wanted to read because I was told it was good.

Monday

We had a good drive last night. I had a hamburger happy meal for supper. I didn't feel like eating a lot and I could get apple slices instead of french fries. I like the toy too. They gave me a My little pony which I will put in an Operation Christmas Child box.

We are going to have lunch with my brother, our nephew(his son) and our nephew's wife. My brother has very recently divorced and there are very mixed emotions still. It will be interesting to learn how my nephew and wife are doing. He is an engineer in another city and she is a labor and delivery nurse. He has been out of school less than a year. They bought a new house and a new car and seem to be doing well.

Later today the three of us are going to see an old friend and spend some time together. He called my brother yesterday and told him he had learned that his mother, who is a widow in her 80's has leukemia. Life has not been particularly fair to this friend. He lives with him mom and had made a poor choice in selecting a wife. He is divorced with two teenage daughters. The majority of his income goes to the kids and his ex. Bill is a really nice person though and I will enjoy seeing him again.

For now, I think I'll go out on the deck and enjoy the nice morning temperatures.