The Call of Wisdom

                                                                         

I love the book of Proverbs.  It's like stepping into a warm bath of wisdom, and I love letting the ancient words wash over me.

It's no small coincidence that there are 31 Proverbs.....just enough to read one chapter every day of the month, and then start over again. This has been my practice off and on for many years.

More than ever before, I am feeling the need to know and walk in true wisdom.  It feels to me like life in general has become so complex.  So many different standards, different belief systems, and blurring of ethical lines can leave us feeling a little lost.   The words of Proverbs are like 'coming home' for me.  Reading, I can be refreshed, challenged, and inspired all at the same time.  But, more than that, Proverbs is like a plumb line. As the Holy Spirit breathes on the words, I find myself pulled back to center and timeless truth.

Many scholars believe that the 'Wisdom' talked about in Prov. 8: 22-36 is actually Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Verse 30-31 says that He was 'the craftsman at His side and was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in His presence.  Then in I Cor. 1:30, Paul describes Jesus as 'the wisdom from God'.  

We know that Jesus was the exact representation of the Father, and in His own words said, 'If you've seen me, you've seen the Father.' (John 14:7) True wisdom comes from God.  Anytime we veer away from truth, or anytime we start isolating ourselves from God or hiding from relationship with other believers, we have begun a journey away from wisdom.

Wisdom is portrayed to us in Proverbs as more precious than rubies. We are told that when we find wisdom we find life and receive favor from the Lord.  Those who resist wisdom are portrayed as harming themselves and loving death.  

So how can we pursue after Wisdom and run after this most precious gift?

First, is to realize that Wisdom is a person.  When we encounter God, we encounter Wisdom.  Hidden in Prov. 8 are some instructions for pursuing, valuing, and growing in wisdom.  My favorite is in vs. 34, where Wisdom tells us, "Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors. Waiting at my doorway."  We are to listen, watch daily, and wait for Him.  We've all been taught the value of having time with Him, but there is a lot to be said for the day in and day out faithfulness of listening, watching, and waiting on Him that cultivates and produces wisdom in our lives.  In fact, we won't have true wisdom without it.  The degree to which we have pursued this lifestyle is the degree to which wisdom will be present in our lives.

It's so easy to lower our standards of  integrity and character, especially if others around us are lowering their standards. The growing popularity of 'loosey goosey' Christianity is a good sign that even our Christian culture has wandered from the lifestyle of listening, watching, and waiting in pursuit of Wisdom.

The other extreme would be to somehow interchange true wisdom with a list of rules and regulations.  True wisdom is not about keeping the rules, but about a relationship with the one who is Wisdom.  Godliness, character, and the fruit of the Spirit are all by-products of our intimate relationship with Him.

What is the hallmark of true wisdom? How can we recognize His mark on people, things, and events in our lives?  James 3:17 gives us a standard by which we can know if wisdom is coming to us from heaven or not. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  This is the wisdom litmus test.

"Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her."  - Prov. 8:10-11

     

Not Lacking Anything

                                                                         

My brother-in-law has a company that builds and installs cable barriers along our nation's highways. Before the cable barrier was ever approved for installation it first had to undergo a series of 'crash' tests, the supreme test being an eighteen wheeler crashing into the barrier. The test was necessary to know just how strong the barrier would be, and the barrier withstood the force of the huge truck. The end goal was to save more lives on our highways, and evidently many lives have been saved as a result.

Likewise, the very nature of faith is that it must be tested. Nothing like a good trial (is there such a thing?) to reveal what areas in our life still need the light of the kingdom. But, it's often during these trials that we lose our footing and find ourselves reeling from the blow and wondering what we did to deserve such treatment.

James, in James 1:2, even has the gall to tell us to 'count it all joy whenever you face trials of many kinds'. This is a tall order and in fact can seem almost impossible at times. We're supposed to be encouraged when he goes on to tell us that 'the testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work'. Feel like partying yet?  Me neither.

But, there is something profound hidden in James 1:4, that can help us in the 'count it all joy' process. James says that perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything'.

It is our Father's desire that we be mature and complete.....not lacking anything. I don't think that Jesus is the author of all our trials or that He delights in sending hardships our way, but I do know that He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is a master at taking what the enemy has intended for our demise and turning it around to strengthen, mature, and complete us.

A crawling baby is urged by its parents to begin taking steps. Time and again the baby may tumble, bumping its head, or scraping its knees. The parents endure the agony of this awkward phase because they have a goal in sight. They know without a doubt that one day their child will stand strong and walk confidently. What parent would keep their child crawling on the floor to avoid the risks of walking?

Our Father longs to partner and parent us through our trials, not as an unfeeling, sinister God, but as a wise and loving Daddy who is willing to help us withstand our current pain so that one day we can exchange it for something much bigger and greater.

When we signed up for Christianity we excitedly signed up for Warriors 101, and Overcomers 201. Why are we so surprised that overcomers need something to overcome and warriors need a battle to fight? It's fortunate that we're not allowed to drop our classes, but as Graham Cooke says, "we just get to take them over, and over, and over....."

So, how will we know when we have passed a test? There is lots of mystery surrounding that question, but I will share a few things I have learned on my journey:

• God isn't looking for perfection, but did my response mostly reveal my belief in Him, or did it mostly reveal my unbelief? 
• Did my response include questioning the character and goodness of God? 
• Did my response cause my heart to harden and my stance to be withdrawal, or did it produce a softening of my heart and a determined advancement? 
• Did I play the 'blame game', or did I allow my heart to be changed? 

I found out from my husband that the cable barrier I mentioned earlier had to undergo crashes from lots of different angles, and if the barrier did give way, it would always happen at something called the 'anchor point'. We're made the same way.  When we don't pass our tests, we undoubtedly need an adjustment at our anchor point.

Passing our tests is much bigger than just getting through the trial and alleviating our current pain.  God is building something within us.  He has to know who He can trust and who will represent Him well. He doesn't get upset or even disappointed with us when we fail.  He is so ready to meet us where we are and help us make the necessary 'anchor point' adjustments so we can try again.  He is very patient.

I've always been challenged by 9 little words found in Job 13:15; "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him". Oswald Chambers says that this is 'the most sublime utterance of faith in all of the Bible', and I think I agree. Many times our trials feel like He is 'slaying' us, but the only thing He wants to slay is our flesh. He wants the real you to live, and live maturely, completely, abundantly.....not lacking anything.

The Fierceness of His Love

                                                                     
Have you ever felt swallowed up by love?  Have you ever known what it is like to be fought for, defended by, and pursued after by God's fierce love?

Fierce might seem a strange word to describe love, but it is a fitting word to describe the love of God.  Fierce, in the Merriam-Webster dictionary means 'marked by unrestrained zeal or vehemence'.   That's it.  God's love is marked by unrestrained zeal.  He holds nothing back.  And vehemence denotes intensity.  He is unrestrained and He is intense in the measure of His love.   He does nothing halfheartedly.   Fierce love looks like the father of the prodigal son, running full speed to embrace his wayward son, throwing a robe around him, and giving a party on his behalf.  Our Father doesn't have to count the cost of his lavish love because the cost has already been paid.  Fierce love looked like His one and only Son dying on a cruel cross.  

It's Father's desire, and Paul prays this for us in Ephesians, 'that we might be rooted and established in love'.   Have you ever seen a tree that didn't develop a strong root system?   The first strong wind that comes along, and it is likely to topple.  We're the same way, but our root system is nurtured by love.  Love is the thing that settles us in place and allows us to grow deeply and securely where God places us.  His love establishes us.  Without His love, we are like the roots of an unwatered tree.  We will always be searching for the thing that we need and many times looking for it in all the wrong places.  

The greatest delight of our journey is this unfolding discovery of the love of God.  Paul continues in his prayer in Ephesians 3, asking that we 'may have power, together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge....' .  It sounds like a funny play on words when Paul says that we can know this love that surpasses knowledge. But, I don't think he meant that we can know it in it's entirety, for that would take all of eternity.  I do think he meant that we are to experience God's love, and know it intimately.  Love is not meant to be reasoned, analyzed or studied from afar, but it is meant to be felt and known. 

Many times when we have been hurt in this life, we tend to put up walls and numb our emotions.  It's a normal response to pain.  But, in order to experience God's love, it will be necessary to be willing for the walls to come down.  It will also be necessary to admit the deepness of our hurt.  Being honest about our hurt and receiving His healing for our hearts sets us up for a love encounter.  It's in this place of vulnerability and honesty that we can experience His love.  

My first experience of His love was like the dawning of a new day.  The tiniest ray, like my first realization of His love, cut through the darkness and brought hope, security and life.  But He didn't stop there.  His love, like the rising sun, continues to come, and come and relentlessly come.   He pursues, He runs after, He overtakes me with the fierceness of His love.  

The Sinkhole Syndrome

Faces etched with worry and our hearts full of concern, we found ourselves as young parents on the way to the emergency room with our 6 month old son Jared. Just the day before we had visited the pediatrician's office and left armed with multiple prescriptions to fight the double ear infection, pinkeye, fever, and sore throat. We had done the ear infection, pinkeye thing many times with our 2 year old daughter, so we knew the routine. But, this would prove to be anything but routine.

Within 24 hours, Jared's symptoms worsened. His fever rose and he became lethargic, crying frequently, and his eyes were now almost swollen shut. We called our pediatrician and in a serious tone he said, 'Meet me at the ER.'

After we arrived at the ER words like Spinal Tap and Spinal Meningitis were being thrown at us and I felt like I was living in a nightmare. The Spinal Tap was done only to be followed by more sessions of poking and sticking with needles to try and insert an IV in his tiny veins. This was more than either of us could bear and we were told to take a walk while persistent nurses did their work.

After the Spinal Tap, Spinal Meningitis was ruled out, but the doctors admitted they had no answers for why he was so sick. The course of treatment would be high powered intravenous antibiotics to fight whatever enemy this was that had invaded his tiny body.

I was allowed to sleep on a cot in his room and settled down for what would be the first of a week of nights in this cold sterile room. But, sleep wouldn't come as my thoughts were filled with scary scenarios and my heart was aching with the agony of fear and uncertainty. Where was my faith? Where was the peace that I knew a Christian should feel at a time like this? Certainly any parent would experience a degree of anxiousness in such a situation, but what I felt was over the top. I was terrified.

I had hurriedly tossed a few things in a bag as we quickly left for the hospital and grabbed a book that I was reading, Ordering Your Private World by Gordon McDonald. As I read, the author talked about a phenomenon that had happened in Florida where streets, sidewalks, and apartment buildings had been built on ground that once had a stream flowing underneath. Now, years of drought and the unthinkable had happened. The ground was no longer stable, and a slight shifting of the earth, brought cars, lawn chairs, streets, sidewalks, and ultimately the apartment building tumbling into the chasm called a sinkhole. The illustration revealed that our lives can be built on faulty ground as well, and the troubles that we inevitably encounter in life will reveal how firm our foundation really is and what lies beneath the surface.

With a deep conviction, and tears of remorse and pain, I cried out to God at that moment. I knew that my foundation was faulty and that my inner world was operating from a deficit. I did not understand at the time, but I was living out of some incorrect beliefs about God and how He works in our lives. I had no solid idea of what my true identity was at the time, and as a result I was vulnerable to the lies of the enemy. I had a fear based mentality and and had no foundation of love from which I could draw strength.

But, God in His grace gave me the strength to make it through that week long ordeal and we left the hospital with a happy 6 month old in our arms. Though I still did not have revelation of the truth that my heart needed, I had experienced the sober reality that my heart had been tested and found lacking. I don't believe that God caused the sickness or had some elaborate plan to reveal my heart. But, instead He lovingly revealed to me the source of my pain and then comforted me right in the midst of it.

I left the hospital at the end of that week realizing that my private world was very much in need of ordering. I had found myself falling into a sinkhole and didn't want to go back there again. That experience was a defining moment in my life and through the years since then God has been so faithful to nurture, restore, and replenish the broken places of my heart. He's taken my blank slate of identity and written on it who He says that I am, and He's taught me truth upon truth so that I can more easily recognize the lies of my adversary. And now I know that I have a river of His very life, love, and presence within that I can draw from at any time and any place.

If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength. - Prov. 24:10

Keep Love in Mind

                                                                           

For years I struggled with fear.  Fear is one of the earliest emotions I remember feeling.  As a child, I don't remember many days without feeling some measure of fear.  It would seem as if I had come from some terrible situation producing this continuous geyser of emotion, but quite the contrary is true.  In many ways I had an idyllic childhood.  My neighborhood, school, church, and community were 'Norman Rockwall' like and life in many ways was very good.   I was not abused as a child and my basic needs and wants were met.

So, I have no horrible story depicting the 'why' of my fear, but just the memory of this dark shadow that weaves it's way throughout much of my early and teen years.

It would be many years later while doing a Bible study called "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby that I read a statement that shook me to my core.  'If you have a fear problem, you have a love problem'.  Though I didn't have full understanding of why this was so, this marked the beginning of a journey into freedom for me.

I would like to tell you that the healing happened quickly, but instead it was layer upon layer as God worked His way into the innermost workings of my heart.   I think it important to mention that before God began His process, I first tried dealing with fear on my own.  I memorized scripture, I repented, I read books, but none of these dealt the death blow to my enemy called fear.

It was not until God Himself began to reveal to me the wrong perceptions in my mind and  heart concerning His nature and His goodness, that I began to understand what had kept my heart so bound.  I had seen Him as disinterested, uninvolved, and busy, and I had stinky theology in some areas concerning His sovereignty and judgments.   I had no concept of what it meant to snuggle up on a father's lap and receive affirmation, comfort, and protection, so I developed my own futile ways of receiving these things.  

But, God in His goodness entered into my world to dismantle the false system that I had built, and then began to build a foundation of identity, security, and love that flowed directly from His heart to mine.  I learned to enjoy and look forward to my times in His presence as He always spoke into my heart just what I needed to hear.

It's been many years now that I began this journey to know and experience His love.  Do I ever still struggle with fear?   Yes...occasionally.  But, it no longer has a hold on me, and it's unwelcome visits are usually short as I know where I need to go to send fear packing.

I learned that the only antidote to fear is His perfect love.   Thank you God that fear cannot co-exist with Your love.

God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.  In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like Him.  There is no fear in love.  But, perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - I Jn. 4: 16-18

The God of Fire

                                                                                                                                                             
Can you imagine the stories that must have circulated from generation to generation among the children of Israel? The parting of the Red Sea, the manna that fell from heaven, and the pillar of fire and cloud that followed them, were just a few of the highlights. But, one that must have been told with a holy hush was the story of Moses returning from his visit with God, his face glowing so much that he had to cover it.

This reality, that someone who encounters God comes away radically transformed, became part of their cultural DNA. Moses had a hunger to meet with God and he had a burning desire to see His glory. After his encounter with God, where God lovingly shielded him from too much glory, his face shone with a light that must have amazed those who saw him.

It is this scenario that makes the language of Psalm 80:3 much more understandable. Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. The Psalmist understood what those who walked with Moses must have known; it is impossible to encounter God's glory and not be changed. Throughout the Psalm he repeatedly cries out for restoration, but it is equally important to note that he has an understanding that it would be God's shining face or His glory that would bring about the depth of salvation and deliverance he so longed for.

It's these thoughts, and a burning desire to see more of His glory, that fill my heart and mind as we enter 2013. I'm so thankful for how He came in 2012, and the increase that we have seen in His presence. But, as one who has been in some type of ministry for over 30 years, I know that I know, that in order to see the dreams of my heart, or the great harvest prophesied by so many, I need a greater encounter with the God of glory.

In much the same way as Elijah when he faced the prophets of Baal, our backs are to the wall. We are facing a Godless culture who desperately need to see a demonstration of His power and glory. It will require the type of radical faith that Elijah had when he stood alone to face 450 prophets of Baal. As he gave the orders and prepared a place for God to come, he was walking in a steady, deep confidence that His God would come.

My favorite line from the story is set against this very backdrop of wood and sacrifice, 'The God who answers by fire-He is God'. Though I doubt that we will see a physical display such as Elijah saw in this incredible encounter, I can't help thinking that He is still the God who answers by fire. Isn't this what we need? We need a radical encounter with the God of Fire. We need to encounter the fire of His glory.

This is my prayer for 2013....that we will have the type of encounters with God that Moses had, that God's face would shine upon us in unprecedented measure, and that we would experience the God of demonstration and power such as Elijah saw. May He give us all the faith, tenacity, and courage to pursue Him until He answers by fire.

A Season of Promises Fulfilled

                                                                                                                                                                 
I love all the different ways that God can speak. I love the adventure of hearing His voice and the absolute exhilaration that comes when I sense I have heard from Him. I love the mystery that surrounds hearing Him, and the joy of discovery that awaits us each time He leaves a message in hope that we will find and understand it.

Recently I have observed something unusual that has me taking notice and asking Father, 'What are you saying?' About 3 months ago on a Monday night I drove to our church to help with the Healing Rooms. As I walked up on the front porch of the church, I noticed a beautiful rainbow in the northern sky, and then gasped as I saw that it was actually a double rainbow! I had never seen a double rainbow before or talked with anyone who had. I took a picture with my cell phone and after that, I really didn't think much about it again.

A few weeks passed and then the unusual began to happen. Over and over again, I began to see or hear of other double rainbow sightings. One with some friends on a trip in the UK, another with a friend in New Braunfels, another was spotted in the Leander sky the night that the 90 days of continual worship ended at the HOTHOP, another friend who recently moved to Austin from California saw 6 double rainbows on her trip here. Then, just this evening at a party, a friend casually showed me a picture on her cell phone. You guessed it....a double rainbow! Scrolling through Facebook after I got home from the party, I see another friend has just posted an entirely different photo of yet another double rainbow. I've learned that when I began to hear or see the same message repeatedly, God is usually up to something and I should lean in an listen.



The obvious message is that rainbows speak of promise and covenant. It stands to reason then that double rainbows speak of double promise and double covenant. In a season when all around us is shaking and uncertainty shouts at us from every front, I believe God is heralding to us the message that He has not forgotten His people and He has not forgotten His promises. But more than that, what I'm hearing is that the double rainbow speaks of an Ephesians 3:20 kind of promise, where Paul says, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.....".

For our region here in Central Texas, we have had many promises and prophetic words given in the last few years of revival and an unprecedented outpouring of His Spirit. I believe we are already in the early stages of the fulfillment of those promises. So many that I know or meet are like myself, pregnant with promise, and it is as if we are all waiting for the birthing of this thing that God is about to do.

I'm smiling as I write this because I know that God has really good things ahead for us. Powerful things. Amazing things. We're entering a season of double blessing and double promise, a season where God honors the covenant He has made with His beloved, a season of promises fulfilled.

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13