Heading Home

(I hope you don't mind another rerun!)

“He took him aside, away from the crowd.” (Mark 7:33a NIV)
Taken aside…In 1666, John Bunyan was imprisoned for unlicensed preaching. What came out of that dark, damp Bedford jail in England? Out of his captivity came Bunyan’s Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and the most famous of all Christian allegories Pilgrim’s Progress.

Taken aside…Out of years of service in Japan and China, as a missionary in the early 1900s, and out of the imprisonment of her husband’s sickness and subsequent death, came Mrs. Charles E. Cowman’s beautiful, classic devotional Streams in the Desert.

Taken aside…Catherine Marshall, at the age of 33, suffered two years of physical imprisonment with a life-threatening bout of tuberculosis. When her husband Peter died, she took care of their nine-year-old son Peter, Jr. Out of her suffering, she authored over 20 books, among them the well-loved Christy.

Taken aside…Paul, imprisoned. The most fruitful period of his ministry. What did he do? He praised God as a prisoner, not of disease or circumstance, but as a prisoner of the Lord. Out of those times came his letters of encouragement to the churches, giving untold generations the books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and possibly Hebrews.

Have you been taken aside by some life-shattering circumstance? Do you trust that God will be with you through it and use whatever imprisonment you might be suffering for the benefit of others?



Today, I'm hooking up with...

“The tree you saw was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves…Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches.” (Dan. 4:20-21 NLT)

That was Tree. Deep in the midst of nature’s sanctuary, he stood above all the rest. Grand and beautiful.

Tree’s branches stretched toward the sky as if to touch his Creator and reached out in a wide circle as if to encompass all those around him.

In spring, he blossomed with new growth, opening his limbs as a portal of welcome for the birds to come sing their sweet melodies to their Creator.

In the hot, summer sun, his leaves unfurled as a canopy of shade for the lovers who came to sit on the bench beneath his shadow and commune with the Master of the forest.

In the midst of fall, seedlings of hope fell from his limbs to the ground, spreading out his tiny descendants of the future. He dressed in a multicolored coat of beauty for all to enjoy before the grave of winter entombed him.

With all that, he still felt useless.

I provide comfort for all the Creator’s creatures, thought Tree. But oh, I wish I could be of greater service to Him. How can I be an entrance of praise to my Maker? How can I be a support to the Creator’s followers? How can I be a likeness of the Master’s message of love and forgiveness? Oh, to be of greater service!

But he puzzled just how to this.

One day, Tree heard his Creator say, “Because it is in your heart to serve Me, I shall grant your heart’s desires.”

On the outskirts of the forest, nestled in the lush, green valley laid a picturesque town. A small, white church sat in the midst of the town square.

One day, a fierce twister ripped through the area, cutting a devastating swath through the forest and the middle of town, destroying most of the old church.

When the parishioners came to assess the damage, they were overwhelmed with despair as they walked through the piles of rubble. But they gathered themselves together and began working to rebuild the church on their own as they could not afford to hire anyone for the work.

One day, one of the workers, a carpenter, had an idea. He went out to the forest to find a tree felled by the storm’s ravages. He walked deep within the forest and found a magnificent tree lying on the ground.

Oh, how can I ever be of service now that I am destroyed? thought Tree.

Taking out his axe, the carpenter chopped Tree into sections and hauled them back to his workshop.

On his way there, three ideas swirled around in his head. For the next several months, the carpenter sacrificed all his time to fashioning three special items out of the tree for the church.

The following spring, when the work was completed, the people came the first Sunday to worship. Arriving at the church, they all marveled how beautiful it looked and how it glorified God. The carpenter had used the remnants of the tree to fashion the front door, the pews, and the cross.

You could almost hear Tree sigh. Now, my heart’s desires to be of service are answered.

Because of the carpenter’s handiwork, I am now an entrance of praise, a welcoming portal, that worshippers may come to the sanctuary of God and sing their sweet melodies of praise.

Because of the carpenter’s artistry, I am now polished pews, supporting the Creator’s followers, as they come to commune with the Master.

Because of the carpenter’s sacrifice, I am the cross that proudly proclaims the Master’s message of love and forgiveness, that more may have eternal life.

We are God’s trees of righteousness (Is. 61:3). Though we serve the Lord, occasionally, we feel useless and desire to be of greater use. Just as the little, white church, we, too, must sometimes suffer a ravaging storm to blow through our midsection as it attempts to destroy our temple that we may be of higher service.

When we feel we have been felled by the world’s axe of affliction, the Carpenter can still make us useful. If that is our hearts’ desire.

*Because of God’s handiwork in our lives, we open our hearts to praise Him.
*Because of Christ’s artistry in our lives, we can be reshaped to support God’s people.
*Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we can share His love with others and point them to His cross of forgiveness and eternal life.

Just as the carpenter sacrificed all his time to fashion special items for the little church, Jesus the Carpenter sacrificed for us to be made into His implements for the church to glorify Him.

Trust the Carpenter to do His work well with you.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21 NKJV)

Little Valley lived among the verdant hills that stood tall and proud. Each tree, each flower on the hills stretched out in service for its created purpose. A true testament to their Creator.

Although delicate wildflowers and sweet-smelling honeysuckle adorned Little Valley, the artistry of the hills intimidated her. She compared herself to the regal hills and thought poorly of herself, “What am I amongst these majestic hills of the Creator? Nothing but weeds and stones cover my terrain. I have no beauty with which to serve and magnify My Maker.”

One day, dark billowing clouds as black chariots of doom gathered across the sky. On the hills, the flowers closed their petals, the trees folded their leaves in terror. The sun disappeared, leaving no ray of its existence upon anything.

Little Valley shivered in the foreboding gloom and swirling winds, as the calamity wrapped itself around her shoulders as a sinister black cloak.

The hills trembled under the mighty power of the tempest as its violence ripped at its beauty. The proud hills crumbled under the oppressive weight.

The silence of the hills contrasted with Little Valley’s bemoaning of her situation. The storm struck at her heart, leaving a gaping hole in her landscape. The birds disappeared; their songs of praise gone with them. And all the other valley creatures departed for homes unknown. She cried great tears of grief for her loss.

In her mourning, she cried out to her Creator. “Save me, Master. I’ve been torn asunder. All is lost.”

Whispering back, He answered, “My sweet field of pleasure, My Little Valley, nothing strikes at your heart except it is sifted through My loving fingers. You do not see now but you will see later the beauty born of suffering. You will bring great glory to Me. Do not compare yourself with others. Trust in My Word. Trust in My promises.”

Little Valley sighed and rested in the knowledge that the Master Creator knew best.

Though they eventually ceased, the tears Little Valley shed filled the gaping hole and a beautiful pool of water emerged. The calm waters belied the rugged rocks lining its depths.

Water lilies began to appear on the pond’s surface. A profusion of multi-colored blossoms poked their heads up around the water’s edge. The grass grew the most beautiful shade of green and flourished everywhere. The birds returned to nest in newly formed trees.

Little Valley reveled in the results as she blossomed with new strength and beauty, born out of the suffering as the promise of the Lord. For the rest of her days, she knew she would serve her Master and bring glory to Him.

Though God has gifted you and set a purpose for your life, do you feel unworthy, untalented, or lacking in some area to serve Him because you compare yourself with others?

Just as the hills and valleys each have their own beauty and their own purpose, so does each child of God. Each of us serves to glorify the Lord in our own capacity, which is honoring to Him and beneficial to others. Whether you minister to large numbers or you minister to your next door neighbor, it is all serving the Lord. No one ministry is greater than another.

You are worthy to serve because Christ lives within you, so “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him,” (Col. 3:17 NIV) as “though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Col. 3:23 NLT)

I pray you know this…“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (Zeph. 3:17 NLT)

“What nobler decoration of honor can any godly man seek after than his scars of service, his losses for the crown, his reproaches for Christ’s sake, his being worn out in his Master’s service!” Unknown

All soldiers compare their wounds and battle stories, especially when in their sunset days. They are proud to share them as badges of honor, as victory scars of service for their homeland, proving they made it through the campaigns, the conflicts.

How many saints in heaven will not have battle scars, their scars of service, endured for the sake of their heavenly homeland? Not a single one! Male or female, all will be a part of that brotherhood of soldiers, who have fought the good fight and won.

As Paul approached the end of his life, he gave his valedictory speech in his second letter to Timothy, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:6-7 NKJV)

How many victory scars of service did Paul have? More than most of us. Some may have even more than Paul. But he fought the good fight. He endured the scars. He received his crown.

Charles Spurgeon (a British preacher in the 1800s) said, “We will be content to share the battle, for we shall soon wear the crown and wave the palm.”

We all suffer struggles of one sort or another and one day they will cease. When we come to the end of our earthly conflicts, we will all gather on those heavenly shores and exchange the sagas of our days on the battlefield.

How many different service scars will we find? What stories of conflict will we hear? Voices will ring out…

*See, here, that’s my scar of divorce.
*This one is the scar of prison.
*This one is the scar of severe sickness.
*This one is the scar of being abused as a child.
*This one is the heartache of my spouse’s infidelity.

*Mine is the scar of rape.
*This is the scar of poverty.
*This is the scar of great heartache.
*This is the scar of children who went the way of the world.
*This is the scar of agony of torture for my stance in the Lord.

Throughout all our battles, God says to us, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.” (Is. 41:10 NLT)

God is our help and our shield (Ps. 33:20). We have His full armor to protect us (Eph. 6:11). He never leaves us on the battlefield alone. He is Immanuel…God with us, always (Matt. 1:23).

What battles do you fight? Are you victorious? What scars of service do you proudly share with others, telling them you made it through the conflicts?

When our days of battle on earth end, I will meet you on those heavenly shores. We will wear our crowns of perseverance and wave our palms of victory. I look forward to sharing with you the scars of service we have each endured.

To God be the glory!

Ebenezer? Who is that? No, not Scrooge. This Ebenezer was a what, not a who. In the Bible, Ebenezer means stone of help. It’s purpose? Let’s see…

At one time in Israel’s history, when they faced the Philistines, Samuel and Israel fasted, prayed, repented, and offered a sacrifice. God answered their plea by confusing and defeating the enemy that pursued them. To commemorate the fact that Israel was victorious and recovered all the territory the enemy had taken, Samuel set up a stone as a marker of remembrance.

When he did this, he exclaimed, “Up to this point the LORD has helped us!” (1 Samuel 7:12 NLT) Samuel, whose name meant heard of God, knew the Lord would hear them and be on their side in the future.

The Lord’s hand remained against the Philistines as peace reigned throughout the land. The enemy never came into the territory of Israel again all the days of Samuel.

Did the enemy pursue you this past year as he did me? In the midst of all the raging storms against my life, God’s hand was evident to me. Did you experience the Lord’s presence with you? I felt His canopy of caring covering me. Were you aware of it over you? Did He provide shelter and sustenance, even if in quantities less than desired? Yes, He did for me.

Through all the contrary times, through sickness, through loss, through poverty, through grief, through trials, through temptations…the Lord has provided up to this point.

May we not halt or destroy God’s plans for the future, for, out of the old, a newness arises through His regenerating grace, creating all things afresh, as God said through Isaiah, “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Is. 43:19 NKJV)

Will there be room in the New Year for the Lord to do a new thing in our lives, or will we be filled with last year’s leftovers? Therefore, let us not carry into the New Year the baggage of regrets, unforgiveness, resentments, failures, ungrateful hearts, or disappointments in others or in ourselves, all of which weigh down our usefulness.

As He stands in the present, He is poised, firmly fixed between the years, His presence casting a shadow over the past year, concealing its troubles, sorrows, and disappointments and transforming all the old…the old attitudes, the old habits, and the old ways, into something new.

As the light of His guidance beams across the New Year, illuminating the passage into the land of the unknown, His road will take you through each dry wilderness to streams of fresh, flowing water.

Will you stand bravely at its threshold, ready, willing, and obedient to follow the Lord, no matter where He may lead? Will your attitude be to enter His portal with thanksgiving, remembering His goodness over the past year, and to ask His blessings over the coming year?

Instead of resolutions, set goals and ask yourself these questions:

* How many lacking souls can I replenish?
* How many heavy-ladened spirits can I encourage?
* How many grieving hearts can I console this year?
* How many lost ones can I introduce to salvation?

To commemorate your year of the Lord’s goodness and your victory and recovery of all the territory the enemy has tried to take from you, set up an Ebenezer stone…the Lord, “The Stone of Israel,” the Rock of your salvation.

May the Lord’s shadow of forgiveness conceal the disappointments and troubles of your year now past, while His light is cast as a beacon of guidance to His safe haven of the days yet to be explored. May His hand be against your enemy and His peace reign all your days.

As “the LORD Himself watches over you,” I pray that the His hand will be upon your household “from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year,” that His comfort and blessings fill every room of your home so that the sounds of joy can be “heard far in the distance,” and that He will “preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.”

May His servants Goodness and Mercy pursue you throughout the days to come.

Have a very happy New Year!

~~Blessings, Lynn~~

“The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23b NKJV) “For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, Him only you shall serve.’” (Matt. 4:10 NKJV)

‘Worship service’ is more than a phrase given to our church assemblies. Worship is service to God, as the priests of old worshipped God by their tabernacle or temple service. In Greek, one word for ‘worshipper’ means a temple servant, or one having charge of a temple to keep it clean and adorn it. Our word ‘worship’ is derived from the old English word meaning ‘worthship.’

We are all temple servants of God, doing our duty by taking care not only of the temple of the church building but also of the temple of our hearts. Paul tells us of the highest form of worship-service we can offer God, “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you…to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” (Rom. 12:1 AMP)

Our godly service then is keeping our temples clean and unspotted by the world, adorning them with acts of service, and having a lifestyle of holy living that honors the worthship of God. In all we do, we should “Worship and serve Him with (our) whole heart and with a willing mind.” (1 Chron. 28:9 NLT)

To worship the God of creation is to bow down in reverence to Him because He is worthy, acknowledging His divinity, to bow in humility and obedience, to bow to His will, His plan, and His purpose by relinquishing one’s own agenda, to bow in service to Him with one’s life, honoring Him as the One True God.

Do we seek the Lord’s Presence or His presents? Do we seek His handout or His hand? Do we always seek something from Him as the multitudes did, or do we lean upon His breast as John the beloved did, just to be with Him, to sit at His feet as Mary did, just to serve Him in worship by pouring out our thanks and tears as fragrant oil upon His body?

How lavish is your worship of the Creator’s worthship?

Prayer: Father, as You desire and seek true worshippers, may my words, my actions, my total life, be a service of true praise and worship that honors and glorifies Your worthship. Amen.