This week I have been challenged afresh as to my approach or attitude to God in prayer. There is a whole new teaching out there that we have to “name it and claim it” before God and at first, I was not sure if it was just me, my upbringing or what it was that makes me feel that claiming something is demanding it! I can”t imagine me being very pleased if one of my kids had named and claim something before I even gave it to them. Is that not just a little presumptuous? I would think my child was disrespectful if he demanded his rights, and I certainly don”t want to spend time and effort being disrespectful in prayer, yet neither did I want to miss something if it was important. I decided to look into this further.
I guess the first prayer to look at is the one taught by Jesus Himself to us. The model prayer in Matthew chapter 6 is full of respect and yet clearly states what we want God to do for us and in us, according to what He has promised, but also in direct relation to what we have done for others. “Thy will be done,” it is important to remember that we pray and ask according to His Will. “Give us this day our daily bread” (He has promised to provide our daily needs and we can expect He will provide in His way.) “Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors,” I wonder how much claiming we can do on this one, as it is always easier to ask God to forgive us than it is to forgive someone who has wronged us.
I note this name/claim philosophy especially in the area of healing. When someone we love is sick then of course we want to claim every promise Christ has made for their healing. That is true! We can and should plead for them in prayer, but in a humble manner, not demanding that God answer our prayers, our way, but rather in the way which will bring the most Glory to Himself.
The Apostle Paul, was one who asked God on three different occasions to remove whatever was afflicting him. Yet, God chose not to, but rather told him that, “My Grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. Sometimes we can glorify Him better with our debilitation, as He gives the needed strength to carry it and to use it for His glory.
If Jesus could ask his Father to remove the cup of suffering from Him and then accept God”s Will as perfect, who are we to think we can do different? Knowing the answer would be that He had to die bearing our sin, did not however stop Jesus asking for it.
We are to “ask and it shall be given us (according to His Will), seek and we shall find (sometimes what we find might be peace in acceptance), knock and it will be opened unto us (humbly and pleadingly knocking, not barging in and demanding.) Matthew 7:7
The Shorter Catechism, which being brought up in the Highlands of Scotland, I was privileged to learn from, teaches that “Man”s Chief end is to Glorify God and enjoy Him for ever”. Larry Crabb in his book, Finding God ‚Äì isn”t that Attractive, writes, that as Christians we have changed the teaching from this to, “the chief end of God is to gratify people.” How sad!
I know this is a huge subject and don”t be surprised if I come back to it again as I work on it. I want God to answer prayer in many ways, dramatic ways, assuring ways, but most of all I want Him to be glorified, in even my prayer life. Let us ask, believing, taking comfort from His Promises and having the deep assurance that He has it all in control, and will work things out according to His Will for our greater good.

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and strength to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

This verse has become especially meaningful to me this week. I guess I have always known that people work better with a little encouragement rather than tons of “helpful” criticism, but this week I have watched it in practice.

We have family working here helping in our building project and one of those is a dear nephew who was born with Down”s. He is a great young man and always wants to be doing whatever the men in the family are doing.

Many of the tasks being done here are hard work and Glen is not the most able, but will he take a break?. He is determined to do every job he gets and do it perfectly. As long as he gets encouragement!!!

Being typically Irish the “uncles” are given to teasing a good bit and when they tease Glen about a job or tell him he is doing it too slow or not well enough, it is amazing to watch the light leave that young man”s eyes as he trudges through the task attempting to finish it in any way possible.

However, when he is encouraged just a little, he takes off and does his work with joy and really very precisely. Glen has a work ethic which I seldom see in people nowadays. He tries his best, and by doing so, overcomes much of his disability. Yet, without encouragement, he is not able to function nearly as well and certainly not happily.

How true this is of each and every one of us. Not that we go looking for praise for all we do, but it is so special and encouraging when someone says some appreciative words, especially when we don”t feel that what we do is worth noticing. Somehow when praised we see the job in a different light and the burden seems to suddenly get lighter.

For some reason, it is also much easier to take advice from those who have an encouraging spirit, than from one who, although happy to teach us how to do something better, is very critical of what has been done up until that point. We want to listen to the encourager and have him show us even better methods.

Sometimes, it is not easy to find something that a person is doing well, but if it is important enough to mention in the Bible, then it is obvious we are meant to use encouraging words with every person. No matter how hopeless is the work which has been done, there has to be something good we can say about it, even if it is only to tell them not to worry as it can be done again at another date. The Bible tells us to “encourage ourselves in the Lord” and the more we do that the more we will be able to encourage others.

Let us try to encourage one another by looking for the positive in every situation, meaning more will be achieved, and those we come in touch with will be more inclined to listen to what we have to say. People who have strong bones and sweet souls are good workers for the Lord and God has allowed us the privilege of strengthening others merely by encouraging them. It doesn”t take a rocket scientist, anyone of us can do it and indeed we should.

Doesn”t it give us a special thrill to see God doing his own work, through us? Sometimes without much effort of my own, I feel God working things out for His Glory.

This month I had an aunt go on to meet her Savior. This lady loved Jesus, told others about Him and effused the Gospel to people with her life. I have no doubt that today she is enthusing over Heaven and all that she experiences there, and especially over Her Savior, whom she has finally met face to face. She was faithful to Him in every possible way in her life. I will miss her, especially as a prayer partner, but yet I rejoice that she is already there and I am going to be there with her some day.

In the intervening time, we serve as best we know, we reach people every day and influence them one way or another. But there are times (and this week was one of those times) when you just know God has a heart prepared or a situation worked out already, and all you are required to do is be in the right place and watch and learn!

We were approached by a man who wanted to help us with a translation problem. On meeting us, he told us he knew before leaving home that this was going to be a special day but he was not sure why. Now not many people feel that way about having to help us make ourselves understood, so we were a bit surprised!!!

As we talked, he asked us where we were from and, inevitably, if we were on holidays. So we told him that we were missionaries and we had come to live close by. He immediately wanted clarification as to what a missionary was and what we did. So we explained and he got very excited. “I knew this was a special day”, he declared, “and now I know why!”

With his wife, he had begun reading the Bible every day. They were learning a lot but still did not really understand much of what they were reading. Recently, a few friends were gathering together on a Monday night to study the Word in his home, but they had no one to explain the Scriptures. Does that remind you of anyone?

In Acts 8: 26-36, Phillip met with the Ethiopian man and was asked to tell him what the Scriptures were trying to say. This man asked if we could come along and help them understand. What an opportunity for us! What a hunger for God they have to be searching the scriptures alone! God has already prepared their hearts! He is doing His work His Way and giving us the joy of going along.

In another situation, we have a major prayer request set out before God. He has opened a door and we are willing to walk through it. But, so far we wait for Him to work out the details, in His time. This is, of course, much harder to do. As we get impatient to be doing, we try to find ways round the waiting, but sometimes what is required of us is simply to wait.

I am so glad God gave us the privilege of the first instance before He asked us to wait in the second instance, as it means we can look back and remember in the not so distant past, what He did while we just stood back and watched.

Each of these experiences are special times when you know His clear leading, but the time of waiting is not as easy, yet it is what produces patience and perseverance in our character. Be encouraged, “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.” 2 Corinthians 4:17.

Hang on in there! He has it worked out!

A number of weeks ago, while swimming, David lost his sunglasses in the sea. Of course, we thought never to see them again! But just last week we went for a walk on the beach and on our return journey the glasses were suddenly washed up at my feet. Perfect and complete!

Although it was no real tragedy to lose these glasses, it was still such fun to actually find them again. This reminded me of the verse in the Bible which says, “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.” Ecclesiastes 11:1 ‚Ķ.and I got to thinking!!

Launching out for Him ‚Äì This verse means “send out your grain in ships.” Solomon who wrote Ecclesiastes was saying that when you send out the grain, you have to have faith that it reaches its destination and that it will return. He had a lot to do with trade and the merchants could have been gone for many months before returning with their wares, but eventually they did and it was then worth it all.

When we launch out in a venture for the Lord, often we don”t see the fruit of the labor for a long time, maybe never in our lifetime, but He has promised that “His Word will not return to Him void.” Therefore what we do for him and in His Name will “return after many days”.

Trusting Him Completely – It requires faith. Neither the merchant nor the seaman has any control over the outcome. The ship could hit a rock, storm or whatever and the ship and grain could be lost. Solomon had already gone through many experiences which made him think that life was futile and yet after all this hopelessness, he can come out with something as profound as this, believing in returns for their labors.

In the Spiritual sense, even though we hit rocks, go through storms, even become shipwrecked, with Christ as captain, we will get through and He will use even our feeble efforts for His Glory and purposes. What it takes from us is complete faith in the Captain! When going through the storm, it is often we want to give up, but after a storm has past there are some of the most beautiful calm seas and wonderful scenery possible. So it is with our struggles. They are never nice at the time, but they do produce in us perseverance and stronger faith in the ability of our captain and His love for us.

Rejoicing in the Returns. – The ships went out bearing grain, and came back bearing wealth in return for the grain. We can be assured that when we go out with the Word in our weakness, it will return with the wealth of souls and Christ at their helm. It is His job to open the hearts and turn people to Himself, ours is to be faithful in whatever He has asked us to do for Him. But we also get to rejoice in the returns. With the angels in Heaven we can rejoice over each precious soul who finds Him. Then we know it has been worth “Casting our bread on the waters and waiting the many days until it returns.”

If you haven”t seen it happen yet, don”t be discouraged it will! He has promised!

If you haven”t trusted Him, He continues to call and says, “Come unto me, All you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest,”

Last week when a friend of ours went into the church building, he heard a noise from the washroom area. On opening the door, he realized a pigeon had crawled in the air vent pipe and was now trapped inside. There was a window in the washroom and the bird kept throwing itself at the window on the hopes of getting outside. Other birds were flying around in his line of vision and he wanted to join them but kept hitting himself against the window pane and of course could not get out.

Our friend decided to leave the door open to try and allow the pigeon to fly through, but there was no way it was coming out into the room where he was. And so the confused bird kept trying to fly through the window pane. Eventually, our friend hid himself and after a while the pigeon decided it was safe to leave and so he did, as quickly as he could! But the mess he left behind was something awful.

There was not only pigeon droppings everywhere but feathers also, as in panic he had flown around and hit repeatedly against things. Our friend spent a good few hours cleaning up after the pigeon and as he was doing so began to see the parallel between our behavior and that of the pigeon.

God has provided a big area for each of us, where we are free to move around and be happy. Yet it is so often the cramped, difficult things that attract us. The things we are not allowed for our own good! We end up costing ourselves precious time and alienating ourselves from others who are believers. We lose so much joy because we do not want Christ”s way out of a problem. Especially, if it means we may have to ask someone”s forgiveness or maybe even forgive what someone has done to us. We would rather beat ourselves up than get to the root of the problem and return to the joy of the Lord.

Then we look back on the life we had before. We see others enjoying these freedoms and we are stuck and can”t go anywhere. We have caused a prison for ourselves and there seems to be no way of escape. The pane of glass lets us see through to the outside, but no matter how hard we bang our heads we remain imprisoned of our own doing.

Even although we may have learned there is Someone, who will release us and allow us our freedom, we will not go that way. Fear and rebellion makes us want to do it our own way! Yet the offer of freedom is staring us in the face. And while we are trying to free ourselves, what are we actually doing? Making a huge mess of everything we try, and leaving that mess for others to try to clean up for us.

If you don”t already know Jesus as your Saviour, He is offering you the freedom of sins forgiven and an eternal home in Heaven. If you are His child, but find yourself trapped again in sin and have lost the freedom you had in Christ, return to Him, He will allow you to be free again and will even help you clear up the mess! John 8: 36, “If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

If you are a Christian keep witnessing, keep showing those trapped in sin that there is a way out and He will bless you for it. Ask Him for opportunities to serve in this way!

This year we have had a very busy program and although that is not unusual, there have been other times when we have tried to set aside time for ourselves for birthdays and anniversaries etc. But this year, it was not looking like there was a chance of having some time around our anniversary, so neither of us were too worried.

However, it turned out we had a day spare. We quickly got ready for our next guests coming the following day and left the house before anything else would steal the time away. It was such a blessing just to have some time alone, time to think, chat, relax and have fun. In all the busyness of life we often forget to appreciate one another and this was an opportunity for that.

More importantly, I thought how often I rush through my time with the Lord, and how seldom I get time to spend at His feet appreciating all He does for me. In my younger years, I often took a day when I saw no one, but spent the time relaxing with my Bible and my Lord. Time to sleep, read, pray and listen! That was not difficult when the work hours were organized for me, but as life went on things got busier and when you are a full-time missionary, there is no official off duty, unless you make it!!!

There are many times of corporate or couple prayer but the time alone is vital more especially that the Lord can speak to us.

This week we feel refreshed and ready for the challenges and I have been reminded once again of the importance of shutting out the world and having time alone. When it was important for Jesus to do come aside and spend time with His Father, what makes us think we do not have to?

I also believe, if we do not do this of our own free-will, it could happen that we are laid aside for awhile that God can get our attention. How often have you heard someone say after an incident when they are unwillingly made to rest, that they had some great times with the Lord or that He had set them there to gain their full attention? We heard that also this past week as a friend of ours has been laid aside and already God has shown him some things he needs to put in order in his life.

As it reminds us in James 4:8, if you “Draw near to God, He will draw near to you.” Do you remember how delighted you are when a loved one draws near to you, wanting to be close to you and spend time with you? These times with God are special days and will be in our memories for a long time to come. They strengthen our faith as they show us God is in control and still working in the hearts of His children.

Take time this week to show those closest to you your appreciation, and you will also feel better for having thought about the things they do for you. But also, take time for God, appreciate Him and actually, you will feel refreshed and relaxed because of the immense blessing the privilege of communion with God affords us.

This week I have been reading a book about a couple who after having been married for 24 years discover that the wife has Multiple Sclerosis. The story goes through all the details of her illness and the different effects that has on the family. It also maps very graphically what it means to be a caregiver, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for many years.

This book is written very simply, primarily for lay people who are in the same situation as this family, but it is probably the most open, honest account of what life is really like, for the patient, for the caregiver and the other family members. For me there was nothing new to learn about Multiple Sclerosis in its pages, as that was not its purpose, but it affected me profoundly, to realize how often we care for the sick person and totally forget the one who is giving the care. In this world today, it is not to be taken for granted when someone decides to care for a loved one at home, yet seldom do we think of that person”s needs.

I was brought full circle round to thinking about how often we ask people how they are, not actually wanting to hear details, but hoping for a pat answer of , “Fine, thank you and yourself.” When people do have a major issue they wish to discuss, are they free to do it? Would we want to hear, “Not good, actually, I have had a terrible week‚Ķ..”, and if we got such an answer do we know what to do with it?

It is so easy to wear a mask when we are out meeting people and smile when asked how we are. It is often much easier and less problem to give the pat answer and keep the people happy. Yet, there are times when we desperately need someone to come alongside and listen to the hard things. Someone who will not judge us for the absence of the permanent smile pasted on our faces, or for experiencing a bad week. It is however, very hard to find that person, who will accept that kind of conversation, and treat you in the appropriate way.¬† Most get flustered, have no idea how to approach it and avoid asking you next time. Others can”t wait to find another listening ear to pass on the latest gossip to. Shame on us!

In our Christian lives, we are not promised it will always be easy, and there are certainly many Christians who are suffering for their faith, those who have problems finding work because they are believers, but there are also those whom God has allowed to carry very heavy burdens through this life. These people need us, not only to listen but to help carry the burden, without being intrusive into their lives. Cook a simple meal for a needy family, take the disabled child for a walk that the mother can shop in peace, offer to sit with a person who is housebound, to give the caregiver an opportunity to go the gym or take a swim, bring an elderly person out for an outing, or even to church. The opportunities are endless and need not cost us much more than a bit of time, but mean such a lot to those under stress.

But even without that much burden, everyone has “lousy” days: days when we would like to hide under the blankets and not come out till another time. These days do not mean we have “lost our joy” or “committed some crime.” Merely, that we are overtired, over stressed, over worked, needing a break or an uplift. What do you think Jesus felt like that night in the garden of Gethsemane when He asked God to remove the cup if possible? He had no real intention of giving up as He knew what he had to do, but the burden was proving hard to carry.

Let us think and look at the person we are asking after in church or even in the workplace. Look at them in the eyes, show concern and ask more probing questions than, How are you doing? Offer some kind of help without being asked. Don”t say, Can I make you a meal? But rather, Which day would be best for me to leave a meal around for the family? When is it appropriate for me to have a few hours alone sitting with your mother to let you get out? The caregiver will appreciate it and the housebound person will appreciate a different face and other conversation for a while, as they have very little to look forward to in a week.

Even if you are feeling a little down yourself, do it for someone else and you will be uplifted, as well as realizing afresh that there are always those much worse off than you. There is nothing like this realization to help shake us up to get on with life. If you would like to read the book called Silent Struggler by Glen Mollette, I highly recommend it.

We have family visiting this week, and on the return journey from a service we had a discussion about the origin of the phrase, “to pass the buck.” David had used it in a sermon and the translator could not translate it as she had no idea what he had meant. We had many ideas as to what it could or should have originated from, but none of our ideas were correct.

I looked it up and found this answer, “Passing the buck” originated from a ritual practiced during card games. Card players used to place a marker, called a “buck,” in front of the person who was the dealer. This was often a knife, and knives often had handles made of buck’s horn – hence the marker becoming known as a buck. When the dealer’s turn was done he ‘passed the buck’. Silver dollars were later used as markers and this is probably the origin of the use of buck as a slang term for dollar. That marker was passed to the next player along with the responsibility of dealing. Eventually “passing the buck” became synonymous with passing on responsibility.

Isn”t it strange how often we use phrases that we have no idea of the origin? Well, at least we know the modern meaning of the phrase, but what of those who are listening to us. Do we speak clearly enough that others hear what we want them to know? On this occasion, David had no problem finding another phrase which his translator understood, but in every day life, do people understand why we want to tell them about Jesus? How do we help them to understand the importance of the message of salvation for their eternal destiny?

Not one of us who are believers can “pass the buck” to anyone else, as it is our task to pass on the message. Jesus said, “Ye shall be my witnesses, in Jerusalem (at home), in all Judea (in the surrounding area) and Samaria (even to those we do not particularly like) and to the ends of the earth,” Acts 1:8. (parenthesis and italics mine) He wants us to witness of Him. That makes me think of what impression I leave on other people of who my Jesus is.

But he doesn’t leave us powerless to do this task. The same verse tells us we shall receive power from the Holy Spirit. There is no need to pass the buck! He will strengthen and empower us to do the job and also prepare the heart of the person we are witnessing to. It is after all His Will that they hear about Him and understand their need and the remedy for their sins.

While swimming this week, David”s brother heard shouts in a language he does not even know one word of. He could have passed the buck and ignored the lady calling. No one would have thought anything of it. But he didn”t. Instead, he took the responsibility on himself to go and see what the problem was and ended up rescuing a disabled lady, who was having difficulties in deep water. She would most certainly have drowned had he not done something.

Let us be on the look out for people to talk to this week who need to hear about Jesus. David is one of the best people who I know at this task. He can turn a simple question about time, weather or even directions into an opportunity to tell people about the need to be ready for Eternity, the Saviour who loves them unconditionally and made the way for them to get to Heaven. Not only that, but he loves to do it, savoring the opportunity to share with others what He knows to be great news. That is a Gift, and not all of us have a gift just like that. But we can live a life of example, help someone in need, give a Gospel Tract or say a word or two at the right moment. Then, at least in these instances, we need never “pass the buck”

This week we have been getting ready for the arrival of some of our family and as usual, I got to thinking about all the preparation etc.

Already a couple of weeks ago we were finding out all the things they might be interested in around the area for them to do while here.

Then last week, it was time to bake extra and stock the freezer. Cooking a couple of meals ahead to save time and leaving more freedom to entertain, seems like a sensible thing to do. Beds are made up clean and fresh and rooms dusted and cleaned.

We clean out cupboards and get into corners that we know fine well most guests will not be in, but we do it anyway. We are meticulous in cleaning where normally a light rub over will do. Why?

Because we don”t want the flaws in our housework to be discovered!

But I ask myself: Are the people any more comfortable because I have everything bleached and blitzblank? Most folks are not coming to view a house or inspect the dust, they are coming to see the people and we would be much more pleasant company if relaxed instead of stressed out with cleaning and sorting. But no matter whether we know that or not, we still clean our hearts out.

I wonder do we take the same care when we are meeting with the Lord! When He comes to visit us, are our hearts swept clean and ready for His Word to our hearts. Let us take time for Him this week and be ready and open to His still small voice prodding us to reach out to others.

When He sends someone into our lives needing our listening ear are we too busy with our own cluttered lives to listen to them? Is there something they are interested in that we could also learn about as a means of getting to know them better? Some common denominator, allowing us an opening to speak of the New Life Jesus can give them.

As I like to have the freezer stocked up with the fresh baking and cooking, let us prepare to be fresh and¬† have lives which are “a sweet-smelling savour” to the lost whom the Lord brings across our paths. People are hungry, and need to have that hunger satisfied. If we don”t fill their minds with thoughts of Jesus and their need of Him, then satan and the world will send them some appetizers and they will miss out on the real feast. Do we even stop to think of how awful a lost eternity will be for those who are not ready? It will be a million times worse than the worst scenario we can imagine and it will never cease! This should send us to our knees in earnest supplication.

Now that I am ready and prepared for my guests, I can look forward with anticipation to their arrival and all the fun and joy that holds. I have already decided on people we want to have over while they are here to have fellowship, food and fun. There will be a few surprise visits with people calling, as there always is in this house. As we anticipate the future with the Lord, make sure you are prepared and ready to bring as many others with you as you can. That is why He entrusted us with the message, that we could share it! It is amazing that no matter how we anticipate what eternity with Jesus will be like, there will be a few extra surprises and it will be much more than a million times more wonderful than the best we can possibly imagine. I Corinthians 2:6 declares, “Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” And it will never end! Our guests will go home in a couple of weeks, but Heaven will go on for eternity. Only what is done for Jesus will last!

Blessings!

Wilma

I lost a special friend to cancer this week. Ok, she is not lost, as I know full well she is with her Saviour and happier than she ever was on this earth. But for me she is gone and I already miss her.

Helen was a few years older than me and still we became very close. Both Scottish, both nurses and both believers we had a lot in common, yet we only knew each other for about 12 years. Helen was the mission secretary for her church and there began the contact. She was a happy, bubbly person who oozed the love she had for the Lord to everyone she met.  She was capable, practical and totally efficient, yet could be thrilled at the smallest blessing and delighted by any touch from the Lord. She prayed, expected answers from the Lord, and was thrilled to hear of how He worked it out!

Helen battled her cancer in the best of ways, doing all she could to live, but also looking forward to the Lord taking her home, if it was His will. Even in her last days she struggled to write a letter, sending me the information about missions etc that she always sent. She had a great birthday two weeks before she died with many of those she loved around her, then put all her affairs in order and finished well!!!

John 16:33 says “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” God never gives us grace for tomorrow, but for the moment we are going through right now. Helen was “of good cheer” even when being seemingly defeated by her cancer. She knew her victory was in total dependence on Christ. It was a lesson to me to see one who, in herself was so capable and efficient, be so totally reliant on God for every moment, accepting His will as Perfect.

Max Lucado writes, “Do you see Jesus in your clouds? Rev 1:7, Behold He is coming with clouds… Clouds are a sign that God is there, …..Sorrow, bereavement and suffering are actually the clouds that come along with God!”

We don”t often see it that way. Yes, we see the clouds of bereavement and sadness but don”t realize that God is revealing Himself to us through them and strengthening our faith. He gives us greater assurance that Heaven is ahead and He has the way ahead prepared for us. As the clouds pass over, we are left with the sweet memories of our loved ones and even this sad experience serves to assure us that the life ahead is so much more satisfying. That is the one side of it all.

The other side is a reminder of our great responsibility. We realize how short the time is and how many do not have that assurance. We are the only ones who can tell them about our Saviour Jesus Christ who loved enough to die for them and lives to make them ready for Heaven and Home. No other god or religion offers such assurance, such a future or such a pension scheme. We have this treasure, worth more than life, let us share it, until we meet with these loved ones again and rejoice together over all He has done.