A Child's Drawing

(Originally published 10/28/11)

Yesterday, as I was driving to work, I was in prayer. I surrendered my day and asked Him to use me in any way He saw fit. As I sat at the stoplight, I realized how inadequate and fallible I am, even in the midst of obedience and faithfulness. In my human skin, this is the best I am going to get. I am doing all the things He direct Christians to do. I am praying, reading my Bible, going to church, surrendering my will to His direction, and humbly worshiping; yet I am still full of sin.

He gently stroked my head and brought this image to my mind. As a parent, your small child will present you with a drawing. Perhaps it is a card or a picture they sat at their table and lovingly made something special. They present their work of art, proud and hoping you will love it. It was the best they could do. You smile broadly and gush over how beautiful it is; you hug and thank them for the wonderful gift. You do not judge it for what it is not, for it is not the Mona Lisa. You recognize the offering is precious because they are incapable of doing better, and you love them and the picture, exactly the way it is. That is the way God sees us and our offerings to Him, not as a critic, but as a loving parent. I am so grateful for that.

We must try to remember, when we look down at our little offerings, that we should not be critics either. For one day, we will stand before the King, and the offerings we gave Him will be more magnificent than any artwork ever created by human hands. His hand will have perfected us and the gifts. We will rejoice together in this marvelous thing He has done.

Bring Forth in a Day

(Originally published 03/17/15,)

Abigail and Dolley was never intended to be much more than an outlet to write about whatever was on my mind at the time.  At the launch in 2009, I did much of what new bloggers do to build a following but quickly realized that building a blog is like building a business, and I have one of those.  So over the years, I shared with you what was on my heart not focusing on the stats.  Recently though, I feel like God has been teaching me and giving me revelations about His word that are important.

This is frustrating because, while loyal, the audience I reach is small.  I am small.  In the world of Bible teachers, I am the definition of a nobody.  I don't even teach a Sunday School Class.  There are no women teaching eschatology.  My influence in this world is limited to a few people, even people that know me and love me, don't understand what I teach - they don't walk the same path, and if I've heard once, I've heard it a hundred times, "I'm just not that deep, Dolley."  I feel as if I am going to explode with these new revelations and there is nobody to share them with; I miss my Dad.

Tonight, troubled in spirit, I sought the Lord on a walk - seeking what He would have me do.  Questioning if I am doing what I am supposed to do.  Asking if there is something more that I should be doing and am not - most of all, questioning why me?  Why show me things in His Word and then have 15 people read the most important posts of my life?  What do you want me to do?  I seemed to have more questions than I was getting answers.

Then, I walked by a tree in my yard.  I'd taken a picture of it yesterday.  It reminded me of a story. One day, after my Dad moved into his new house, we were shooting baskets.  I asked him what kind of tree was by his driveway. He laughed and said, "I have no idea, but these cool fuzzy buds looked promising." The turned out to be a tulip magnolia. When we moved in this house, he gave me one.

Tulip Magnolia in Bud

Tonight, as I was finishing my walk, not having received answers to the questions that sent me forth, I noticed the tree. The same tree that 24 hours earlier had a half a dozen open blooms looked like this:

Tulip Magnolia in Blossom 

I felt the Lord whisper in my heart, "I can change things in a day.  I can bring forth all the buds in one moment."

I realized then, that I was called to keep going, to keep teaching, to keep writing, and to leave the day of the blossom to Him.  In our lives, we often look around and see buds everywhere, but it's God that brings forth the flowers and the fruit and he can do it in a day.

Love is Something You Do

We are not always lovable, none of us are.  Having been with my husband for almost 25 years, (admittedly not an easy guy to get along with) I speak from experience.  Raising a teenager offers its own lessons in loving someone who is not always lovable.  Throw me in the mix, who can be grumpy in the morning and very detail and process oriented - I make the "big picture" men in my life crazy.  Thus, here we are - three imperfect people with our own foibles and idiosyncrasies, trying our best to remember that love is something you do, not something you feel.  We are largely quite successful at it although you would not know that from the chill that is in the air today in my house.

I've been struggling with something to blog about lately, and advise on how to love one another when you don't "feel" it seems like a timeless topic.

The first thing to remember is that things change, for good or for bad situations and feelings are fleeting.

Do not say things to each other that you would not say to your best friend.

We know each other's vulnerable spots, never use that as a weapon, ever.

Home is a sanctuary.

Women, don't emasculate your men.  Their balls don't belong in your purse.

When you don't feel love for somebody, write them a love letter.  It will remind you and encourage them.

Respect each other.

Have faith that God has each of us on our own journey, sometimes we won't understand the "why's".

Spend time outside together.

Don't let disagreements fester.

Practice positive affirmations and self talk toward your loved ones, "Even though I am angry with them, I deeply love and accept them.  I forgive them.  I will encourage them, ect."

Send them text messages that say that you love them.

Pray Ephesians 6 over your household

Forgive

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and substitute "I" for love in those Scriptures.

Remember that Romans 5:8 teaches us about love.

In the end, if we employ the above we will be loved and will love those the Lord has given us well.  We will be a testimony to His faith and righteousness if we love.

Coping in a Lost and Dying World

Abigail and Dolley readers my news feed posts are disturbing.  Terrorism, lawlessness, disasters, corruption, scandal is all daily fare.  I am old enough to remember when each of these things could dominate the news cycle for weeks at a time, today if they last more than a day they are epic.  As the days approached to the Fall Feasts in 2015, I coped very well.  I figured this is what is prophesied and we just had to hold out a bit longer and then we'd be out of here!  It's January 1st, 2016 and we are still here but the world is even crazier.  So how do God's people keep encouraged during the approach of the darkest times in world history?

We have to fellowship with one another; now you have to find like minded people (which is a post in and of itself) to share with.  I have a couple of discussion groups that I belong to and appreciate their support and encouragement.  If you can find a local church that supports you and feeds you, even better.

Turn off for a while; stay off the computer, stay off facebook, turn off the news.  The truth is that the world is rapidly declining, there is nothing you can do about it in the macro so do not fill your mind and your spirit with troubling images day after day.

Stay in the Word, stay in prayer, and keep letting your friends and neighbors know the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Keep doing what you have been called to do, He is faithful.  Trust Him, trust the Word, He IS coming.  Maranantha.

We Are Still Here...

For the first time in two years, I don't have a count down clock.  There is not a bright red date on my calendar that I am anticipating. Everything we were watching for in September happened, except the thing we were really watching for... Daily, I lament to my husband, "I can't believe we are still here!"  I'm not alone.

Looking Up in Bewilderment

I know of no one who was led by the Holy Spirit that there was a certainty.  In the months leading up to September, I'd call out to the Lord for confirmation and I never got it.  The best I got was, "Discern the times".  He is just bigger than we are and His ways are higher than ours.  So we move forward.  Surgeries are being scheduled.  Resumes are being written.  Houses are going on the market.  Fitness regimes are being resumed.  All of life's disruptive events that folks hoped they would not have to endure are back on.  Along with a profound sense of disappointment that we are indeed still here.

Day 29 of the Birth Pangs series, the Lord gave me a line that has echoed in my heart for weeks, "The Watchers on the Wall are tired; hoarse from beseeching a world that no longer hears, fighting an enemy whose time has come, and tamping down a desire so fierce just to be done. All the while going about 8-5 life like tomorrow is going to matter and being afraid that it actually does."

Finally, we rest in the absolute conviction that we were not wrong.  Any fool can read the headlines and know that even though we are still here, He isn't far off.  As Jack Kelley was fond of saying, "You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah."  Maranantha, Friends.

A Holy God

Hebrews 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Exodus 33:20 But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!"

Exodus 19:18:  Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.

Fire Lion

Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Psalm 97:2 Dark clouds surround him.  Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes.

4 His lightning flashes out across the world.  The earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

Below is a clip of my church singing Psalm 97, the Lord reigns (I will look for a more truncated video of the song but for now, it's the first song).

Many years ago, we were flying high after a rousing version of the Lord Reigns and Pastor Livingston gave a sermon about God's holiness.  We'd "get happy" singing this but had we ever stopped to consider the words?  Had we ever considered what the mountains melt like wax in the presence of the Lord means?  I must confess, I was convicted into my seat, convicted to the soles of my feet.

We do not understand a Holy God, a God of Fire and Wrath, the Living God.  We have been fed such a diet of God's love and grace that we do not recognize the Holiness.  We call God our buddy, our friend, our Papa... we have no reverence, no fear, and no concept of who He is.  

If we dare to assert that God will judge - it is WE who are accused of being judgmental.  If we insist on decorum and reverence in worship - it is WE who are uptight and stiff.  If we repeat what the Lord says about sin, death, and hell - WE are accused of being hateful.  All these things are from the church, not the lost.

I am guilty.  I try to put God in my pocket.  I am comfortable with a tame God that I think I can understand but He reminded me today, that He is Holy, He is Righteous, and His ways are higher than our ways.

The Devil's Tomato

About 13 years ago, a nasty weed came up in my flower bed.  I went to pull it out and a thorn penetrated my glove and pierced the skin.  That made me mad, "This is my garden!"  I declared and went after it again, albeit a bit more carefully this time.  I pulled it up but I could tell I hadn't got all the roots.  This weed was like a mythological hydra, and grew back 7 more plants!  I dug deep but couldn't find the source.  It laughed at Round Up.  I nicknamed it "The Devil's Weed".

Solanum carolinense - Devil's Tomato

Turns out, everything about this deep rooted pest is poisonous - including the thorns which made the joint sore on my pricked finger.  I battled this thing for a decade.  Finally, I set out to find out what it actually was in hopes of final eradication; Solanum carolinense aka Carolina Horsenettle aka Devil's Tomato.  A nasty thing with a tap root that can grow quite deep and spreads underground by rhizomes and seeds.  Now that I understood it, I was going to tackle it from a new angle - a full size shovel.

I dug huge holes in my garden, but cutting the roots made it spread and any tiny piece of root took hold in the lawn and in the surrounding area.  Finally, I just started pinching it off and throwing away the little shoots.  After a year, what comes up is small and easily dealt with - I keep after it.

Today, when I was clearing out five or six tiny shoots I realized that in many ways this weed is like sin in our lives.  It springs up out of nowhere, it's difficult to kill, it spreads when you least expect it, deep digging won't always eradicate it permanently, and to keep it under control you have to be vigilant and nip it when they are tiny and throw them in the trash.

Why I'm Sad for My Homosexual Friend

What do I say to my homosexual friends, now?  What I want to say is this:

"Thank you for sharing that with me, please know that I still love you. As a Christian, you know where I stand but I also want you to know that my heart is breaking for you, for what you will go through by making this choice and what you will lose.

I weep for you that you will never experience the tender love between a man and a woman, the way we were intended to experience it.  That you will never know the heart stopping joy of creating a child out of that love and bringing it into the world.

I am fearful for your health and your well being; for it is often an abusive and violent lifestyle riddled with promiscuity, substance abuse, and depression.  Rates of AIDS, hepatitis, suicide and domestic violence are a sad hidden fact.  Because I love you, I don't want you to be hurt.

I worry about your soul and what you will have to do harden your conscience.  By engaging in willful sin, you risk separating yourself from true fellowship with God and the safety that living within those laws bring to you.  (Matthew 13:14-15)

The Lord's laws are no different than the rules our parents made for us when we were kids, "Don't touch the stove, it's hot."  "Don't put the chair on the ladder to climb up there, you'll get hurt."  "Don't hang out with that boy, he's doing drugs and might drag you in."  Those are all things our parents do to keep us safe, how much more are God's laws designed for our benefit, for our good, for our safety?

Personally, I am sorry that you have made this choice but it does not hurt me.  Honestly, in my own skin, I deal with my own struggles and I don't want to know what anybody is doing in the bedroom.  I don't want you to be lonely or hurt or rejected - I don't.  I'd also stand between you and ANYONE who wanted to harm you over this because you are my friend and I love you.  But I am not going to tell you it's okay, I'm not going to tell you I am on board because I'm not.  It's not my approval that you are looking for anyway.

Regarding the politics of the thing, I wrote this after casting a vote (that has been overturned twice now by federal judges) to protect natural marriage:  "At the end of the day, while my human side would love a compromise, the human side of me sees all the gray, and the human side of me knows and loves many different people; I could not in good conscience vote against (natural marriage) something that is explicitly and meticulously clear in the Word of God. I don't raise my hands in praise and fall to me knees in worship to a God that loves me so much he died for me and then spit in His face at the ballot box. I do not pick which Scriptures I like or obey - If you know me, you would expect nothing less."

The rainbow profile pictures are like a middle finger to God.  Scenes of half naked homosexuals screaming at preachers upset me.  It scares me that people who believe like I do are being driven out of business, persecuted, and that the government is doing this in the name of tolerance.  An evil that tolerates everything except me and my Christian principals and beliefs, is an evil that will one day come after you.  So forgive me while I weep and lament, for you, for this Nation, and for the future.  This is not a victory for good and my heart is broken."

The Narrow Path

It's called the path, the way, the narrow road, the walk, the race; this walk through life.  For believers, it's a narrow road that requires prayer, discernment, and discipline.  All my Scriptures and study for the last several weeks keep bringing me back to the walk.  One evening, the Lord prompted me to pick up a book I read in 1998, The Edge of Eternity by Randy Alcorn.  This is a fanciful, allegorical tale of a man who finds himself on a journey.  His only instructions were to take the red road and keep moving forward.  I enjoyed the book more the second time than the first.  So along those lines, I'd like to share with you some of the thoughts I have on this journey.

(Originally Published July 29, 2013)

As a prerequisite, realize YOU are on a path, ponder it, and consider carefully where you are headed. (Proverbs 4:26)  Everybody is walking toward eternity, good or bad; your choice (Proverbs 14:12) and (1 Corinthians 9:24).

Path to Hell

If you choose to follow Christ then here is a bit of a map.  (Proverbs 3:6)

First, the path is indeed narrow and only a few find it (Matthew 7:14).  In some places, it's a tight rope with deep chasms on either side.  These are the areas of your life where you have struggled the most.  One step to the right and you enter into the mire of the flesh; the willfulness in each of us that wants what we want and we want it now. (Proverbs 4:27)

Tightrope

Stumble to the left and you enter the despair and hopelessness of the evil enemy.  Sometimes, we bounce back and forth between the two sides, like a pinball caught between bumpers.  We cross over the path but don't plant our feet firmly on the ground.  On these tight rope sections, we are not capable of staying on the path in our own strength, through our own will, and by our own proclamation; we have to surrender to the Lord and let Him hold us up and get us through.  (Philippians 2:13)

Quicksand

Secondly, don't show off.  How many of us are guilty of trying to impress the Lord, to demonstrate how much we have learned, and how strong we are; we don't realize how often the quicksand is up to our necks before we call out for help.  I hope I stop getting in up to my neck.  It takes a humbleness of Spirit to ask for help, self sufficient, type A achievers like to be independent, we like to take charge and do it on our own; that way we get the glory.  Well, there is nothing glorious about being covered in quicksand.  No one in the Bible knew this better than Peter who writes (1 Peter 5:5-6) that we must be humble before the Lord.

Complacent Christian

Thirdly,  the narrow path has two sides along it entirety.  There is no part of the journey that is not flanked on either side with evil and the flesh.  There is no safe place to let down our guard and coast along, the Word warns us of complacency and if you've walked the path for more than 10 minutes you know this is true.  (Zephaniah 1:12)

Walk with Others

Fourthly, we must walk the road with others.  We are not strong enough to make it by ourselves.  We need godly friends, church folks, and family to help along the way. Help others, live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.  (Micah 6:8)

Pathway of Light

Finally, commit yourself to prayer and reflection every day.  If you seek the face of God in the morning, even if you went off the path the day before, He will set you right.  His mercies are renewed everyday.  If we check our steps regularly, we won't stray far.  (Romans 12:2)

He never promised the road would be easy but He did promise us eternal life in Heaven.  (2 Timothy 4:6-7)  So we strive toward the prize, we groan in our Spirits, we look forward to the end of the journey and to coming Home.  (Philippians 3:14)

Counterterrorism in the Spiritual Realm

Have you ever considered that evil has a full armor?  Since we are told in Ephesians 6 that we struggle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places, then logically, the armor we are told to don is exactly opposite of what the enemy wears.  To wear the armor as purely a defensive barrier is perhaps an underestimation of the battle.  If you watch martial artists fight, you recognize that the sword is not the only weapon.  You also realize that the expression that there is no armor for your back is a misnomer, because the belt and the helmet cover your back.

(Note this blog was originally published in August 2013)

Pastor Mark Bilitz of El Shaddai Ministries puts forth a compelling argument that the armor of God is not patterned after a Roman Soldier but after the robes of a Jewish Priest.  That hypothesis resonates with me on a very deep level in my soul and has caused me to rethink this important part of Scripture. It is with fresh eyes and an open heart I would like to take a look at the weapons of warfare and those of our adversary, I think the church needs to employ some counter-terrorism strategies.

Garments of a High Priest

If we gird our loins with the belt of truth, the enemy must seek to wrap us with their chains of lies.  We discern lies in our guts.  Jesus says that Satan is the Father of Lies and that every word from his mouth is a lie and that when he lies he speaks his native language; he was a liar from the beginning.  Thus, the first area of attack begins with a lie.  We are faced with lies in the public arena everyday.  The adage of Lenin that if you repeat a lie long enough people will believe it is being played out in spectacular fashion today.  When trying to discern the truth of anything, the first thing you must do is discover the lies that have perverted what you are studying.  (ie if you are looking to astronomy, you have to deal with the lies of astrology.)  Imagine if our belt of truth was similar to Wonder Woman's lasso of truth... what if in warfare we periodically tie the belt of truth around the mouth of the prevaricating enemy?

We put on the breastplate of righteousness, which is the righteousness of Christ - the enemy tries to hang the millstone of sin around your neck.  Knowing we have no righteousness in ourselves we valiantly try to lift our heads but our past keeps our heads bent to the ground.  We can only see the shadow of sin before us, our hearts break and it becomes impossible to breathe the breath of life.

Instead of walking in the shoes of peace, we roll out of bed and put on the slippers of fear.  Our steps are dogged by every type of fear the enemy can throw at us.  Our hung heads watch our fearful feet trudge along the dark paths of our past sins.  Think of the powerful weapon that the shoes of peace are on the body of a skilled martial artist; when you are walking in fear throw a few roundhouse kicks at your enemy, you will feel the fear lift, and your path will once again be one of peace.  In John 14:27 Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

The enemy would have us armed with a shield of doubt and disbelief that is but a holey piece of Swiss cheese.  It is not an impenetrable force field of faith, it is not a dome of covering, it is a flimsy excuse of a weapon that does nothing to protect the wielder.  The "Name It and Claim It" false Gospel has been brilliant in disarming Christians for decades of their shield of faith.  By urging baby Christians to "believe God for things" they destroy the fragile and innocent faith new converts bring to bear.  Many folks continue to believe God for the big things of salvation and eternity but fail to have faith that He cares for them.  The twisted gospel takes admonitions of prayer and asking and perverts them into ways to control God.  The wreckage they leave behind is an abomination to God.

The poor warrior who is now chained with lies, with a millstone of past sins hanging from their neck, walking on the path of fear flanked by doubt and disbelief is now crowned with the vise grip of suffering and defeat.  The helmet of salvation and deliverance that would protect the brain and the ears is stripped away and messages of failure, hopelessness, and pain are heaped upon the believers head.  It is indeed a dark and scary walk at this point.

Lastly, instead of the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, we are given the Wisdom of the World.  Everything is backwards in the Bible, look at how you are suffering when those that follow the enlightened path of the World prosper in all they do.  Worldly wisdom, common sense, and "the way things are done" bury the warrior; most submit.

In the depths of the battle, you may find yourself valiantly trying to follow Ephesians 6 and in the end having done all you can, to stand.  Use the weapons that God has given you to fight the enemy.  Recognize the tactics and respond with the correct piece of armor.  In the end, ask God for what you need, even if it is to fall in battle and ask Him to rescue you and fight on your behalf.  God who is faithful and just will hear your prayers and deliver you from the hands of the enemy.  In our weakness, His Grace is made perfect.

No Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper

Downward Spiral to Judgement

The break neck speed of world events is beyond the comprehension of man.  The acceleration, since the last Blood Moon is staggering and those with eyes to see are dizzy with the warning of it.  Like an evil funnel, the closer we get to the bottom the faster the time between catastrophes and the severity thereof.  Let no man deceive you, we are on the precipice of judgement.

Downward Spiral of World Events

For the born again believer, these are exciting times for they signal the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  These are fearsome times for the rest of humanity; right at the door, destruction draws nigh.  This downward spiral is a warning, a harbinger of judgement that will befall the world, and individual man.

God is merciful and it is His wish that no one should perish that all would come to faith in His Son and have ever lasting life but I have to tell you that He is also a God of utter righteousness.  He is fearsome to behold, He is a God of Wrath, and a perfect Judge.  In the Days of the Gospel of Love we have failed to understand or to teach that falling into the hands of the Living God without the covering of the Son's Blood is a terrible thing.

We have failed to tell unbelievers that they are enemies of God (Romans 5:10) and we fail to tell them that their eternal fate is choosing to send themselves to Hell.  In our desire to woo them into the Kingdom we neglect the Outer Darkness, we have to warn not just woo.

The Laodicean Church and the Great Deception

Who is the Laodicean Church?  The last church mentioned in the Revelation role call of the churches Chapters 2 and 3.  This will be the last great church born of the Church age and corresponds directly with the Emergent or Community Church.  The Bible says they are neither hot nor cold and the Lord is disgusted with them and spits them out of his mouth.  They say they have everything, that they are rich but the Lord says they are naked and wretched. (See past work on Modern Laodicea).

What is the Great Deception?  This is the lie that the Lord sends to people who have heard the Gospel and hardened their hearts against it prior to the Rapture.  The Bible says that because they have refused to believe the truth, God sends them a deception and they will believe the lies of the Anti-Christ.  (See past work The Great Deception and Days of Awe)

The Rapture will be the biggest world wide miracle the Planet has seen since the Flood.  How then might the Anti-Christ fool those left behind?  What could he possibly put forward that would cover why the Christians and the children are all gone?

Mega Church designed for Unbelievers

He's had thousands of years to work this out, don't forget he is the father of lies, and has deceived the whole world.  I put forth that he also will take/abduct non-believers in conjunction with the Rapture.  Think about it for a second, you are a member of a church.  You faithfully attend, you tithe, you pack lunches for the poor but you and your church are still here.  Your unbelieving co-worker, who you've tried to get to come to church with you, is missing also.  Then the broadcasts start where we see all sorts of "missing" men and women on "space ships" or "new lands" assuring us that they are okay and so thankful to have been chosen.

The first Sunday after the disappearances you head to church and the pastor says, "There has been no Rapture!  Look we are still here.  You've seen the news clips, the people have been removed to a safe place by our new friends who have come to save us."

In the coming days, the church leaders that are left will join together and proclaim their unity.  The one world church will be formed and these, that have been left behind, will be as sheep to the slaughter.

Attending a church does not make you believer.  These new churches are designed to appeal to the unbeliever, the gospel they preach is watered down and false, and there are millions of people who think they are Christians but are not.  They want the bread without the blood.

In the days after the Rapture, the Lord will appear at the door and knock.  Instead opening the door, falling on their knees, and repenting, they will respond with the classic Jilted “Bride” song, “I will survive.” *

*Note, when I was praying about this blog, it was late at night and I was walking in my quiet neighborhood.  Out of no where I heard the Lord whisper in my spirit, "They have always wanted the bread without the blood." (John 6:26 and John 6:51-52)  I stopped in my tracks, it is so true.  As I walked on my heart hurt for those lost in dead churches and out of no where and I mean no where, a haunting line of "I will survive" boomed through the air and I felt him again whisper in my spirit, "This is the song they will sing to me."

Waiting on the Due Date

Very Pregnant Lady

Abigail and Dolley readers I've been contemplating Birth Pangs and waiting on the Lord.  I've written about this for years; from a plaintive cry in May 2011, to Warning Signs in 2013, to the Convergence of Signs in Sept 2014.  I was hit anew with the realization that the labor pains are coming fast and furious now.  Anyone who has ever eagerly awaited the birth of a child knows what this feels like, the waiting is long.

From the moment of conception, it becomes a hope.  As the baby takes root and the test results are positive, the loved ones and the expectant mother celebrate the happy news.  They settle in to wait.  They plan, they shop, they decorate, they visit the doctors to check on the signs but most of all they wait and wait and wait...  For the Fathers it does not really seem real, for Mothers it is real because we can feel it, we live with it, and waddle with it every day!

Toward the end, rounding the last corner, the final month I thought I would be pregnant forever!  I was bed ridden and grumpy; I was huge and swollen without a definitive due date.  The baby measured much larger than he should have at the first ultrasound so we were not sure if he was due at the end of April or the end of May!  It was terrible - we knew there was a baby coming but we just did not know when.

Because of this ambiguity, the anxiety level began to peak.  This picture was at the end of April, after 6 weeks of bed rest.  I started to lose it contemplating another month.  I cried to my Dad, I just could not stand the thought!  He calmed me down and told me to relax and take it one day at a time.  I remember being irritated at him about that advise!

Finally, they set a date.  In the days leading up the appointment, I was exhilarated that the wait was over but nervous.  Each day it got closer, each day was a new realization that the wait was finally over but it still wasn't quite real.  Driving to the hospital was almost surreal...

What I described is exactly what the Body of Christ is going through now.  We know He is coming, we've been waiting a long time.  The signs are here, the birth pangs are upon us, we just aren't quite sure when the due date is!  We are on bed rest, sick, swollen, and miserable and the thought of going through this indefinitely is just more than we can take.

When I began to study the Festivals, the moedim, the divine appointments it struck my Spirit that God has set the appointment already.  In the fabric of time, from the foundation of the world, the appointment was set we just have to stay strong and take my Dad's advise - one day at a time.

What Would You Know?

This morning we were discussing the article, "No Man Knows the Hour or the Day?" and lamenting the fact that most pulpits would never touch this subject, nor most of what this blog teaches and explores.  What would you know about your faith if all you knew was what you'd been taught in church?  Think about that for a minute... what would you know?

Pew Warmers

Let's surmise that most would know the Christmas story, even the unchurched know the Christmas story.  You'd know the Easter story but the unchurched have vague ideas that Easter Sunday is actually Good Friday and that completely confounds them...  You've probably heard different vignettes about David, Moses, and Abraham.  A Sunday Morning Christian knows the stories, a couple of scriptures, and perhaps a creed.  All good things but are they enough?  

Chinese Lecture

Think of it this way:  Every week, for one hour, you sit in on a Chinese Language lecture. When you come home you don't read the text book, you don't listen to tapes, you don't speak Chinese with anyone.  As the weeks and the months go on, you pick up a couple of phrases.  Years go by... can you write the characters?  Remember, it's a lecture you've been attending, not a class room.  Can you honestly say that you speak Chinese?  Can you honestly say that you are fluent or can you just fake your way through?  Do you lie to yourself?  If you meet the King of the World and He speaks Chinese will you be able to provide an answer or will you hear:  

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

The Reluctant Servant

Why do we always assume that God’s calling on our lives is something we hate?  Why have we been regaled with stories of the reluctant man used by God?  Where are the testimonies of people who sought God and He gave them a path that they loved?  The path was something that they were created for and they did not resist?  Why do we think that God’s calling is something we should dread?  Why have we glorified those stories in having glorified them planted within the minds of young and old that God’s calling on our life will automatically be something horrible that we do not want to do?

Struggling with God's Calling

Think for a moment, does this notion jive with what you know about the Living God?  Have you never sought the plan and purpose for your life because you dreaded what god would give you?  I did, and regret my rebellion.  When I finally submitted, when I finally let go, (see Being an Ant) I was blessed some weeks later with my dream job.  It was exactly what I was made for, it was a fulfillment of decades of work, and it was His good work.

God is a Loving Father

Instead of filling young people's heads with "Dreaded Calling", we need to encourage them.  We need to tell them that their Father in Heaven does not call them to drudgery and loathing but to their perfectly suited occupation and life.  I am not saying that it will be easy, because we know that life is not easy, but when you are operating in His will your soul will prosper.  After all, the Word says that we were created for good works, that He foreordained for us to do while we are on this Earth so that we might have His rewards in Heaven.

So, in this Season of Graduations, let me encourage you.  God has not called you to drudgery.  He has called you something perfectly designed for you.  Do not be afraid, He's your Dad.

Accepting God's Calling

Redeemer of the Bread

Abigail and Dolley readers bakers will tell you, that once you learn the science of bread baking, it becomes an art.  The nuisance of flour, water, yeast, humidity, and temperature insure that no loaf of bread is identical.   Much like the daily walk of faith, we experience the richness of our lives in the variety of the bread.   We bake a lot of bread around here; the theme of bread is spread through the Scripture.   Bible believing Christians should reject the evolutionary theory diets and consider the wholesome and heady art of homemade bread; we've never looked back.

From a Biblical perspective, the rule of first mention finds the term to be one of struggle to feed.  Genesis 3:19 is where God is passing sentence on mankind and the earth for the fall.  The context of bread is that it will cause man to sweat to eat it, toil and hardship from the ground.  The world suffers from hunger and toil; the soil is cursed because of the fall.  The Hebrew word is Lechem and means bread, food, grain but the root word of Lacham means to fight and to do battle.  We also have Unleavened Bread with first mention in Genesis 19:3 of the word Matshsah, in context, Lot is hosting the two angels who have come to destroy Sodom and he feds them unleavened bread.  We also see Chametz in Exodus 12:15 used to describe unleavened bread and used in the same sentence as Matshsah.  Chametz has as it's root word Chamets which means to be cruel, sour, or red.  Manna in Exodus 16:15 from the Hebrew word Man which literally means, "What is it?" it's root word being Mah and is used the first time, when God says to Cain, "What have you done?" Genesis 4:10. Expanding further, we have Challah and Raquiyq as cakes and wafers introduced in Exodus 29:2 which was the consecrated bread of the priests.  For centuries, the Jews have celebrated the Passover Seder never realizing the Messianic significance of the breaking of the bread, the hidden bread broken and hidden away.  The matzah bread eaten on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a symbol of the pierced, stripped, and broken body of Christ.  The process that Jewish bakers employ to insure there is absolutely no yeast or rising of the bread is heroic in its adherence to the law but yeast exists in the air, it grows on our bodies; it symbolizes sin.

Conversely, in the New Testament, the word is Artos which means bread or to eat – Matthew 4:4 the first mention being made by Satan, when he tempts the Lord to turn rocks into bread.  Christ quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 where the Hebrew word Lechem is used.  Jesus tells us he the bread of life, (John 6:35) that those who would partake of his sacrifice will live and reign with Him forever.   At the Last Supper, he took the bread and broke it, the giving it to his disciples and commanding them to partake in his body, broken for them.  After His resurrection, it was the breaking of the bread that revealed his identity to the two disciples that had walked with him on the road to Emmaus.  (Luke 24:30-31).

Where man has had to struggle since the fall under the weight of sin and death, Jesus Messiah's sacrifice did what no mere man could have ever done, He redeemed the bread.

To learn more about how Jews and Christians share in this celebration, I'd ask you to watch this video:

I Feel the Same Way About My Son - Good Friday Message

Abigail and Dolley readers I think it is universally accepted that the teenage years are difficult.  THE most difficult might very well be 13.  The last year of Middle School, the beginning of puberty, and the forming of the personality and social group identification that will steer most kids through their High School years and beyond.  It is a year of awkward growth spurts, or lack thereof - a year of acne, mean girls, and teenage angst.  As spheres of friendships move beyond the neighbors, life long friendships that once were close fade to a distant memory as kids grow up and apart.  No parent enjoys watching their kids struggle but it is part of life and to shield them from these trials can be detrimental to their development; compassion, perseverance, strength, and resilience can only be learned through trial.

All this said, it's still hard for a parent to feel warm and fuzzy about a child who has hurt yours.  Parents of children who are bullied, will immediately understand this sentiment.  I am dealing with such an instance, but this snub has come from child that has been in my house for many years; who I have been fond of, who I've fed, who I've carted around, and welcomed hundreds of times.  Over the last few years, my son would have appreciated his long term friend's support and companionship - instead this boy seized the fact that his major social competition was out of the way and began a nasty little war against my son.  Not only did he withdraw his friendship but then he sought to do my son harm, for which he has been quite successful.

As such, I've had to constantly pray and give this over to the Lord.  I am angry, the Mama Bear in me is riled, and I'd like to pinch his head off.  Yeah, keepin' it real around here at Abigail and Dolley.  I'm human.  So I'm in the yard today and I once again had to give it over to God.  I prayed, "I'm just so mad that he has hurt my son.  We've been good to him and this is how he acts?  Lord, I'm having a hard time."  Very clearly, I felt the Lord say, "Yes, I feel the same way about my Son."


Boom - there you have it, on Good Friday 2015, "I feel the same way about my Son."  Nothing brings home the reality of the cross like personal knowledge.  Nothing makes the judgement of unbelievers clearer than that statement.  John 3:16 is God's love, his way of Salvation, his Sacrifice for mankind - for those who reject it, reject the Son's sacrifice, and the Lord feels no compassion for them. Matthew 22:13.  I get that a little more today.  (Disclaimer - of course I am not comparing the temporary inconvenience of my son's teenage angst to the sacrifice of Christ.  The above is to demonstrate in a tiny way the enormity of the Lord's anger and inability to allow those who have rejected His Son into Heaven.)

Satan is Prince of the Power of the Air

What Does it Mean that Satan is Prince of the Power of the Air  (Ephesians 2:2)?"

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1–2). In this text the apostle Paul describes Satan first as a “prince” with power, because he has authentic power in the world (1 John 5:19). This power has been given him by God (Luke 4:6). Satan has power over some illnesses (Luke 13:16; see also 2 Corinthians 12:7—it’s unknown if Paul’s “thorn” was an illness or something else). In some sense, Satan has power over death (Hebrews 2:14). The reason Satan is called a prince rather than a king is because there is only one King—Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 6:15).

Satan also has power over some people. The “sons of disobedience” referred to in Ephesians 2:2 are those who have not trusted Christ as Lord and Savior (cf. Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 13:12). The demons are also under the rule of Satan (Matthew 12:24), and one of his titles is “prince of demons” (Matthew 9:34). Satan has a kingdom (Matthew 12:26) and a throne (Revelation 2:13). Satan is called a prince because he is a ruler and possesses power to manifest evil in the world through influencing people and commanding demons.

“The air” in Ephesians 2:2 may refer to the invisible realm above the earth where Satan and his demons move and exist. This space, of course, is the location of the earth’s atmosphere or “air.” In Ephesians 6:12, Paul writes, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This evil realm called the “air” could be an actual locality, but it could also be synonymous with the “world” of John 12:31. This whole world is Satan’s domain (Matthew 4:8–9).

Although Satan has power and authority in the current world system in which we exist, his power is limited, always under the sovereign control of God (Job 1:12), and it is temporary (Romans 16:20). God has not revealed all of the why’s and when’s concerning Satan’s rule, but He has made it clear that there is only one way to escape the power of Satan’s dominion, and that is through His Son, Jesus (Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:13–14). It is Jesus who, speaking of the impending cross, declared victory: “Now the prince of this world will be driven out” (John 12:31).

(from GotQuestions.org, CEO Michael Houdmann)

Prayer is not a Monologue

The other day, I was driving and praying... but was I really?  Out of nowhere, the Lord interrupted me with an answer.  I was shocked.  My prayer time that day was a monologue; a one sided conversation where I did all the talking.   Why was I startled when the Lord answered?

I couldn't get this out of my mind, I kept reflecting back on it and realized that perhaps there is a bigger picture to paint.  As the body of Christ, why do we give each other "the look" when someone says, "Well, I was praying and the Lord spoke to me....".  Why do we hesitate to share with one another when the Lord speaks to us?  When did we accept that prayer is a monologue?

Is it because, somewhere along the line, we stopped expecting to hear from God?  Perhaps it is because He just stopped saying "No" to a certain prayer we keep praying hoping He will change His mind?  Maybe it happened when we were little and some unthinking adult squashed the expectation we had that God would answer?  Or possibly, in our hearts, we are not quite sure He is there so we would be closed to any answer He might give?

Whatever the reason, each believer needs to ponder this.  What's your prayer life like anyway?  Are you a baby praying the same way you prayed as a 5 year old?  Does your mind wander to the grocery list, the errands, and what to cook for supper?  Has it become a duty and an obligation on your daily checklist?  Or are you just so far away from the Lord you don't even talk anymore?  It's time to get serious about this; it's time to pray.

We have but one offensive weapon in this war we are in, "The Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  We don't wield it effectively or often enough.  I beseech you faithful readers, find a group of people to pray with corporately.  Change your dead routine, step in faith, go deeper, and expect God to answer.  After all, He would like to get a word in edgewise.

Skipping To The End

Abigail and Dolley readers do you skip to the end of a book to find out what happens?  Do you fast forward a movie to the closing scenes?  If you've missed a TV broadcast, do you search for a recap or do you wait for the episode post?  Most folks do not do any of these things, we enjoy vicariously watching others on their journey.  We like the story, the struggle, the growth, and the journey; but most of all we love the happy ending.  We know it's coming so we sit on pins and needles and watch the drama unfold.  Why then, in our own lives, do we want to skip to the end?

Missing Your Life for Work

In our own lives, the struggle is not that much fun.  We want to quickly skip through the pain and get to the good stuff.  Several years ago, Adam Sandler starred in a movie where he found a remote that would speed up his life.  At first, it was a blessing but towards the end it was heart breaking to see the result of a life not lived.  As Christians, the Lord will not allow our story to unfold that way.

In retrospect, most of the time, when we look back we would not trade who we became out of the struggle for an easier time.  Even some of the toughest times, if given long enough will dull in pain and we can see God's hand on us: guiding, forming, and changing.  We choose not to relive but we appreciate the journey.

Waiting in the Wilderness

Friends, I am guilty of fast forward prayers.  I am particularly impatient with long waits and no progress, like the camping section of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  Languishing in the wilderness, isolated, confused, and tormented by the voice of the evil one - we desperately seek to escape those times but the Lord will use them for our good if we let Him.  So appreciate the day, enjoy the journey, find joy in today.  As Christians, we hold on to the certainty of a happy ending.