GodandMe2theMax

No greater joy...

“I have no greater joy than to hear of my children walking in the truth.”
III John 1:4

 

As we prepared to go to Africa, this is the verse that kept running through my head.  In my mind, though, the phrase was “than to see my children walking in truth…I have no greater joy than to SEE THEM walk in truth...”  And from this mom’s perspective, seeing my children live out their faith on foreign soil was a visual image I wanted to invade my memory, never to leave.

You see, in 25 years of marriage and 20 years of having children in our lives, we have never had our entire family of four on the mission field together.  I have been overseas with Frank about 4 times, one of those times with Amber & Frank, 6 other times with just Amber, a bunch of other times without anyone in the family with me, but never have either one of us been able to serve overseas with all four of us.  (And in case you’re not keeping track, that means the missing element has always been Jacob.)  Not only was this trip a dream come true, but we both believed it was a mandate from God to allow Jacob this opportunity before he graduates and moves on in his next phase of life.  We also knew another opportunity like this was quite unlikely, so trust me when I say that I did my best to soak it all in and savor the moments and memories.

Jacob is…well, let’s just say he’s a typical teenager.  He is anxious to conquer the world, but if I try to offer advice along the way, it is too often quickly discarded as irrelevant and unfounded.  Hanging out with mom is something he does only under duress, and I suspect that isn’t going to change until he really lives the hard-knocks life of adulthood.  I believe that one day, he will realize mom is one of his biggest advocates, and I’m clinging to that tenet!  Until then, he remains a typical teenager who tomorrow morning will begin his last “first day of school”. 

I look at him and wonder how that bright eyed, silky haired boy with the big dimples turned into a big-haired mustache wearing almost 18 year old.

Alas, I digress.  Forgive this mom for the reminiscing.

Back to Africa… 

It was our last day of ministry, and in fact, it was our last day before we started our return to Texas.  We were to leave early the next morning, and the one memory I had hoped for had not yet been made:  I had yet to hear Jacob share his faith -- not even once during the entire trip.

Early on in the trip, Frank was able to go out with him; Amber had teamed up with him a few times; and even Dr. Vance, one of our other team members was able to go out with him one day.  But me?  Nope.  Jacob wanted nothing to do with that idea, and in fact, he vetoed the opportunity when it was presented.  Providentially though, on that last day, we were a bit short on translators.  That my friends, was about the best news anyone could have told me.  Not only did we spend the day together, but an added bonus: Amber also joined with us.  (Frank was at East Africa Christian College finishing up the class he was teaching, so I am the sole possessor of this priceless parental memory!)

Our translator Willfred was on a mission, no pun intended.  He knew where he was taking us, and it’s probably good he didn’t tell us ahead of time.  We crossed the road and followed him on an adventure that none of us will forget.

It was clear that the only way to forge this hike was with high steps through the fields. 

Our guide had a brisk pace, and we all had our eyes on the ground, trying to dodge the cattle dung.  We trekked down the side of a cliff-like ravine, crossed the stream, and then we pressed on up, up, up the mountain. 

I lagged behind the others as I tried to snap some pictures to capture this experience.  By the time we stopped at our first home, we weren’t at the ‘top’ of the mountain, but we were definitely a lot closer than I ever thought we’d get!

The above pictures is with full zoom, looking down on where the church is located.  
When I snapped this, we weren't even all the way up the mountainside yet!

 

As I said earlier, our translator was on a mission.  Every step up that mountain was intentional.  Willfred knew exactly where we were going and why:  to tell his friends about the Lord.  We came upon a central area where we were met by some of his friends. 

In Swahili, Willfred explained that we had come to Tanzania to share with them, and together, they went and gathered together all the extended family who were available to listen.  We must have had about 8 adults and 15 kids that finally gathered around – maybe more.  They were all waiting to hear from these strange white people.  (I’m pretty sure some of those children had never seen a white person, but you’ll have to wait until the next blog entry for that story.)

With all the extended mountain family together, it was determined that I should be the one to share with them first.  I shared my testimony of how as a small child, I made the most important decision I could ever have made:  the decision to put my faith and trust in Jesus.  I went on to share the specifics of what the Bible says about becoming a Christian, and Amber then shared the Evangecube with them.  She started out by asking what they knew about a man named Jesus.  Their response: They knew nothing; in fact, they had never even heard His name.  Can you even imagine that?  We live here in the USA where most of us hear the name of Jesus being taken in vain nearly every day.  Yet these people had never even heard the greatest story ever told – the story of Jesus and His unending bountiful love for us!

As Amber shared, they hung on her every word.  Before she even finished, one of the adults interrupted and said, “I want that for me.  How do I get this free gift of salvation for me?”  Wise beyond her years, Amber is ever-so-cautious of leading someone in a prayer without them fully understanding the commitment that it means.  So she finished articulating the Gospel to make sure they fully understood what it meant to put your faith and trust in Christ and accept His free gift of salvation.  Then each family member, along with some of the older children bowed their heads and prayed a simple prayer of forgiveness, confession, and commitment.  

 

The angels rejoiced; this mom did too, because I have no greater joy than to see my children walk in the truth.

The next home we visited was just a little further up the mountain. (We didn't think it was possible, but it was!)

It was a similar scenario as the last hut:  Willfred had us stop in a central area while he gathered up all the extended family so we could share with a max amount of people possible.  At this hut, however, it was Jacob’s turn to share why we came to Tanzania.  He opened up the Evangecube, and as he began to speak, this momma’s heart was about to explode with pride. 

I watched in silence; I listened intently; I pinched myself.  At times, Jacob would struggle to find the right words.  As if they could read each other’s minds, he just had to glance over at his sister, as if to make an invisible “tag” for her to take over.  Then and only then, would she jump in to bridge the words he struggled to find. 

And as soon as the thought was complete, she in turn would invisibly tag him back, allowing him the ability to take the lead in sharing the Gospel.  It happened like that about three times, maybe four.  If telepathic tag-team witnessing was an Olympic event, they would have won the gold medal, hands down. 

Sometimes you wonder if it is really worth it...all the hours you pour into your children trying to "train them up in the way they should go."  You wonder if they really "get it" and if anything you have taught them really sinks deep.  Of course I know it's always worth it, but it was at that moment, as I watched my children lead others to Christ that I said a silent prayer.  I thanked God for allowing me the privilege of witnessing my children share their faith....not my faith, but their own personal faith.  And I thanked God for answering my prayer to see it happen.

There are truly no other words to express the overflow of emotion in my heart when I say, “I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in the truth.”

 

 

-- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

Extra, extra hot fudge, please.

"But the one who does not know and does things
deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. 
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded;
and from thw one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." 
Luke 12:48

 

Any time I order a sundae at Sonic or McDonald's, I order a hot fudge sundae, extra hot fudge.    Sometimes I phrase it, "lots and lots and lots of hot fudge."  Sometimes I'll ask for it with "double-triple extra hot fudge."  You get the idea.  It may cost me a little extra sometimes, but it's oh-so-good.  I'm a hot fudge freak, and you can really never have too much of it on your ice cream.  You do know that, right?  I don't like chocolate sauce on my ice cream - it's too thin and mostly, it just doesn't add the rich chocolate flavor that hot fudge does.  Yes, that's it.  Hot fudge makes it rich. 

Frank and Amber are out in California, looking at potential colleges for Amber.  Jacob begged me to have a friend over, so I thought it would be great to have his friend go to church with us this morning, then come over and play Minecraft afterward.  Minecraft, in case you don't know, is their obsession.  I can't even begin to describe it to you, but all I know is that if it were up to Jacob, his friends and him would be on skype together all day long, conquering the Minecraft bandits, and building new kingdoms, or whatever they do.

Now, I've never met this friend of his, but Jacob met him last year when he attended Cooper Jr. High, and they became fast friends.  I picked him up for church this morning, and like a good mom, I tried to get to know him a little.  After all, I wanted to know what kind of kid my son is hanging out with, you know?  But in the process of learning "who this friend is", God showed me a bit about myself, while humbling me in the process.

This is what I learned... 

This friend has 2 sisters, one older and one younger.  They all have different last names, because they all have different dads.  He wasn't ashamed of this fact.  That's just "life" for him.  He doesn't know any differently.  Me?  I grew up in a hot fudge kind of family.  My parents were married until the day my dad passed away.  I have three full-blood brothers, all of whom are still married to their "one and only." 

He told me he's lucky, because he lives in a double-wide, and some people don't have a double-wide like he does. 

I asked if his mom has a job, and he excitedly said, "She's starting a new business!"  When I asked what it was, he replied she was going to start selling e-cigarettes.

Our Honda Odyssey is a 2005 Odyssey.  It's paid for, and we have no plans to upgrade it anytime soon.  We certainly don't consider it a luxury vehicle, but let me tell you what this friend's perspective was. 

He asked Jacob, "What is that?"  Jacob replied that it was the screen for the DVD player.  The friend then said, "I knew they made vehicles with screens in them; I've seen it on tv, but I've never been in a van that has one!  That's so cool that you can watch movies in the car!"

He then went on to compliment us on the shades for the windows, the adjustable sun roof, the CD player that actually can load and play 6 different CD's, and the automatic doors that close with the push of a button.  You would think I was driving him around in a decked-out 2014 state-of-the-art vehicle.  My reality: I was driving him around in what many would consider a late-model van.  His reality: it was the nicest vehicle he'd ever been in or even seen up-close.  Our van was one with double-triple hot fudge.

I told the boys I would take them to McDonald's after church so we could eat quickly, and they could get home to play their game.  Jacob's friend said, "My family doesn't ever go out to eat.  I don't really know what they have."  He then told me he was really hungry, though, because he didn't eat any breakfast.  I suggested he get a Big Mac and fries, because I wanted him to not be hungry.

We went through the drive-thru, and as we made our way to our house, I pressed the garage door opener.  Squeals came from the back.  "Wow!  I have never seen one of those garages that actually open by themselves!"  Jacob told him that I pressed the button on the remote control, so it didn't really open all on its own.  That didn't matter to his friend, because as we pulled the van into the garage, he made a comment about our garage.  Now, we have a 2-car garage, and we actually have it clean and organized enough to park two cars in it each night. 

It's another thing we take for granted. 

This friend, well, he had never been in a garage.  Truth.  He told me he thinks it's awesome that we have a garage to park our cars in and keep our things in.  Oh, the things we take for granted.  A home (and a garage) with extra,extra hot fudge!

As we went inside, I had to turn our security alarm off, and more innocent questions ensued.  He turned the corner, and he saw our table in the kitchen nook where we eat.  I told the boys to sit right down, and I would get plates for the food.  Jacob's friend thought it was amazing that we had a kitchen table - a place for us to all eat together and sit down.  I intentionally didn't tell him we had a dining room table too, one that we only use for overflow company, craft projects, or for homework when the kids need to really spread out.

I got the plates, and I told the boys, "Let's pray."  Jacob's friend had that "uh-oh" look on his face, and he said, "I'm sorry, I already ate a french fry."  I told him no worries, God understands!  We prayed, and then I watched in wonder as he devoured a Big Mac, and at least a large French Fry, plus more from another carton.  This boy was hungry.  I wasn't sure if he had no food at home or just chose not to eat breakfast; I was afraid to ask. 

As I contemplated the conversations I've had with Jacob's friend today, the things I've seen him marvel at -- things routine, taken for granted, and mundane to this family --certainly not considered as "special", I'm humbled.  By God's grace, He gave me the forethought to invite Jacob's friend to church and then over for "hang out time" with Jacob.  The boys get so involved in their game that it never dawned on Jacob to do some socializing outside of Minecraft, so when I suggested inviting him to church, Jacob thought it was a grand idea.  As we pulled out of our driveway this morning to get the friend, Jacob and I prayed together that his friend would start to understand what it's like to have a relationship with God.  Because he was so readily able to attend church with us, we naturally deduced that he and his family are unchurched.  For the most part, this appears to be accurate. 

But as I already mentioned early on, in part, my motivation was also to "get to know this kid Jacob spends so much time playing video games with."  As I thought about the events of today, I can't help but know that my perspective was so wrong.  Perhaps I should be more concerned with how my children are influencing others for Christ instead of what kind of influence others are having on my children.  Yes, I need to be concerned about both, but they both need to work hand-in-hand, with one not weighing more than the other.  We sometimes live in our perfect little hot fudge bubble, hoping no one will pop it our disrupt our lives by emptying the jar.  We want our toys; we want our 2 cars; we want our 3.14 children in our perfect little family.  (I believe that average is actually now lower, probably so the parentals can have more toys.)

And my point is that God has blessed our family beyond anything this friend has ever seen.  To some, we look rich.  Extra, extra  hot fudge.  To others, we look middle class, just with some hot fudge.  The truth is that compared to the rest of the world, even this friend of Jacob's is "rich". 

And so that brings me back to the verse...  "To whom much is given, much will be required." 

Friends, it's not just me.  We are rich.  Period,  And God, the giver of all hot-fudge riches, is one day going to ask us, "What did you do with what I gave you?"  And I must have an answer.  We all must have an answer.  Just like the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, when the master returns, will he say, "Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful in a few things, and so I will put you in charge of many things."  Or, will the master say to me, "You wicked and lazy servant." 

In Jacob's friend's eyes, we are probably the richest people he knows.  Yes, having served overseas, compared to African children, I know our family is so rich -- rich in love, in possessions, and in spiritual blessings.  I just didn't expect to be reminded of that fact this morning by a 13-year old boy who lives 8 minutes from my home. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go feed two boys some ice cream.  With lots and lots of hot fudge.  And whipped cream, too.  Because you know, only rich people keep hot fudge in their pantry, for such a time as this. 

"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.  From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from thw one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." 

And now that you know, you, like me, have no excuse.  Think of that next time you order some hot fudge.

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airplane Repo and Auto Pilot...

 "This is what the Kingdom of God is like.  A man scatters seed on the ground.  Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.  All by itself, the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.  As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."  Mark 4:26-29

One of my new favorite tv shows is called "Airplane Repo."  It's a reality tv show, and as the title reveals, it's all about these thrill-seeking guys who make a living re-possessing airplanes whose owners have defaulted on their payments.  They basically "steal" the airplane and then give it back to the financeer.  And to quote Kevin Lacey, one of the guys on the show, "99% of what I do is 100% legal."

The language can be strong, but the situations these guys put themselves into in order for the big pay-off is more than intense.  Once they think they've located the plane that they're looking for, they have to somehow sneak into the hanger where it's being stored.  (All with a camerman on their heels, mind you!)  Then they verify the serial number on the tail to make sure it's the plane their looking for, and fnally they have to locate the log books.  You see, without the log books, the plane's value reduces instantly in half.  Finally, they literally have minutes to perform a check on the airplane to see if its flight worthy - that's not much time to make sure everything works - and then they take off to return the plane to the bank or individual who hired them.

On one episode, after weeks of near misses, the "Airplane Repo" guys found and took possession of a $3 million dollar plane.  The payoff?  $300,000.00  The biggest payoff of their career.  The problem?  Once they got in the air, they realized that the radio controls didn't work.  There was no calling the tower. Auto-pilot wasn't even an option.  They had little fuel, and the pilot told them they literally had five minutes or less to figure out what to do because they were in a high air-traffic area in southern Florida. Within minutes, they would be in a head-on collission with another plane.  

What happened next?  You'll have to go to Discovery Channel and watch for yourself. 

Now, I don't know a lot about Auto-Pilot or how it works.  But I do know the concept.  It's for simple people like me.  Set something in motion, and if the parameters are set correcly, it will work like a charm.  Right?

I think that's why these verses intriguted me this morning.  So many times we preach against letting yourself go on "auto-pilot" as a Christian.  Why?  Because usually when we go on auto-pilot, it's by human design.  We do what we want, caring little for the things of the Lord and caring more about our #1 priority - the ever important ME.  Human auto-pilot always has the parameters not quite set appropriately.

Yet at first glance, these verses seem to give the opposite idea of the whole "auto-pilot" concept as a Christian.  Jesus shares the parable of "the good seed."  In it, the farmer scatters the seed, and it appears that seed does what it's intended to do, without ever being attended to.  It grows into full maturity, and the farmer doesn't know why, because he's never done a thing for the seed except to scatter it on the ground.  

I'll admit it - I'm a bit hard-headed.  (OK, maybe more than a bit.)  And I'm a simple thinker.  So when I read this the first time, it sure seemed to me like Jesus was saying that some seeds (baby Christians) grow in the Lord, just like they are supposed to - almost like they are on "auto-pilot."  And the end result?  They reach full maturity.  

Simple concept, right?  

No, not exactly.

Now, I've been a Christian a long time.  And that whole concept just doesn't jive.  Everything I've learned tells me that living the Christian life and growing in maturity takes discipline.  I have to work at it.  (Not to be confused with working FOR it!  My eternal destiny is settled, and it was settled at the point that I committed my life to Christ and put my faith and trust in Him!)  But the point is that I can't just go on auto-pilot and expect to eventually be a mature Christian.  

When something doesn't make sense to me, I don't just accept it at face-value and move on.  I need to understand.  And I just couldn't grasp this whole concept of how a seed, paralelled to a baby Christian, could sprout and grow and reach the point of maturity, all without the farmer even knowing how or why. I knew there was something I was missing.

So I read the passage again.  I re-read.  I read a third and fourth time.  Yes, I know, I'm hard-headed, I've admitted that already!  It wasn't until I sat and typed out each word of the parable that it hit me. The seed itself had nothing to do with the growth and maturity in the story.  The farmer had nothing to do with it.  What produced the crop?  It was the soil.  It was only when the seed was firmly established in the soil that the seed was nurtured to achieve its purpose.  

Read it again - A man scatters seed on the ground.  Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.  All by itself, the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.  As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.

The only thing the seed did was to stay planted in the soil, and the natural outcome was that the seed flourished and grew into its intended purpose.  And what is my soil?  It's Jesus Christ.  My job is to grow into the person that the Lord wants me to be by keeping myself firmly planted and established in Him. There is no auto-pilot in this formula.  In fact, if I don't have constant communication with the control tower, just like the Airplane Repo episode I mentioned earlier, I would crash and burn.

Aren't you thankful God redeems us?  Aren't you thankful He provides fertile soil for us to grow, and when we go on auto-pilot, he still possesses us and doesn't re-possess (give us back to the original owner)?  I know I sure am!  I'm also quite thankful for the flight plans and log book He gives me in His word.  

My challenge for today:  Guard against going on auto-pilot.  Be disciplined daily to keep nyself firmly planted in the fertile soil of Jesus.  Read my Log Book and Flight Plan daily.  Change the oil (confess!) Stay fueled up for the unknown trip ahead.  And just like the seed, grow into the person God created me to be.

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

The Choke Hold...

"The farmer sows the word.  Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear it, satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
Others, like seed sown n rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life,
the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word,
making it unfruitful.  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it,
and produce a crop --thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown."
Mark 4:14-20 

 

I'll admit it.  When I was a teenager, I was a "Big-Time Wrestling" fan.  I could cite stats on Hulk Hogan, Jake the Snake Roberts, Sergeant Slaughter, Andre the Giant (and a host of others) on demand and sometimes faster than Vince McMahon.  (Only a real fan knows that Hulk Hogan's real name is Terry Gene Bollea...and I knew that long before Al Gore invented the internet or reality TV arrived on the scene.) When I say I was a fan, I mean I was a die-hard fan.  I watched every match, hoping one of my favorite wrestlers would be up next.  

I went to some live matches, too.  I touched Hulk Hogan's shoulder once. He shook his sweat on me as he walked by.  I had Hulkamania posters on my wall; I had a Hulk Hogan "Stretch-Armstrong" doll. You get the idea?  I loved watching WWF wrestling.  No one could convince me it was fake.  Sure, I could see that might be a very slight outside possibility, but I wanted to believe it was real, and therefore, I did. 

Well, thankfully, I've matured a little, and that chapter of my life's obsession is now over.  But in those days, a common wrestling move was called "The Choke Hold."  Real fans also knew it as "The Sleeper." You can probably imagine what it looks like.  One wrestler wraps his arm around the other wrestler's throat until oxygen is seemingly cut off from the brain, causing them to pass out.  (Or at least appear as such.)  

As I read this passage in Mark this morning, I couldn't help but think of "The Choke Hold".  

How many times are we challenged (convicted) by something in the sermon on Sunday, but by Monday, we can't even remember what the sermon was about?  Why is that?  It's because satan's ultimate goal is to put that "choke hold" on Christians.  He can't win the match, and he knows that, but he wants to put the moves on us to make us immobile for the cause of Christ, so he uses the distractions of life to do just that.  

Take a look at verses 18-19:  "...still others hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."

Now, as you probably know, I have a brown thumb.  I have but one plant, and it's one that I'm told you just can't kill.  It was given to me by my boss when I was in the hospital with my 2nd cancer surgery, and it's very special to me.  But aside from that one amazingly still green and growing item in my home, no other plant exists.  My sweet neighbor keeps telling me in her adorable Indian accent, "Beth.  I will teach you."  I just giggle at her and shake my head.  You see, Ankita can try to teach me all she wants, but a horticulturist I will never be.  

A sports fan, though, yes!  That is me.  And sports analogies just work better with my tom-boy, 3-brother/no sister brain.  So when I read this passage, I don't think about the farmer and the seed; I think about a sports event - and in this case - a wrestling ring.  (I don't know why they call it a ring, anyway.  It's very clearly a square, don't you think?)

We are truly in a wrestling match with satan. His one and only goal is to put us out of commission, to put the "choke hold" on us.  The sleeper.  After all, what good are we for Christ when we are just doing nothing?  What good are we when we're distracted by the worries of life and things of the world?  Absolutely no good.  And satan knows it.

But as I thought this through and contemplated the whole scenario and satan's evil tactics, I remembered scenes from yesteryear.  Perhaps you've seen the images as well.  Do you ever remember watching one of those WWF matches and seeing one of the underdog wrestlers just about get beat to a pulp when out of nowhere comes another wrestler to his rescue?  Usually it's one of the really popular ones who has come to stop the slaughter - to be the savior of the day.  Well isn't that what God will do for us?  But the truth is, our tag-team partner Jesus Christ is right there the whole time.  He doesn't have to make an illegal move onto the mat to come to our rescue.  All we have to do is call on Him for help!  At the mention of His name the demons tremble, and the choke-hold is released.

I often wonder how many times I put the choke-hold on myself.  I allow fear to immobilze me from taking a step of faith.  Sure, satan is right there whispering in my ear telling me I'm not good enough, telling me I'm a nobody, telling me to not try because it's a worthless cause.  And it's at that point that I have to realize who is speaking more strongly in my ear.  Satan or Jesus Christ.  Who will I listen to?  Who is King?  And who is the all-time, undisputed, undefeated, reigning champion?  Is it a belly-wallowing serpant?  Or is it the King of Kings who defeated the grave and sin? 

And just like the wrestler, down on two knees, almost ready to concede finds the strength to stand, to defeat the opponent, and to claim the victory in Jesus Name...
Not by might, not by power, but by His spirit, Victory is gained and the choke-hold is broken.

Until the next match.

Be sober, be vigilent, he is walking around looking for people to devour.

 

 --- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

Spiritual Flossing...

“…Dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
2 Corinthians 7:1

 

Are you a flosser?  Most people are or aren’t.  They do or they don’t.  Me?  Well, I was one of those people more classified as “never”.  You see, while my parents taught me that I should brush my teeth every day, flossing was not included in the daily required regime.  I’m not even sure that I knew about floss back then.  The only time I can remember even going to the dentist as a kid was when I was in 6^th grade and chipped my front tooth, needing it capped.  I’m sure there were other times, but I definitely didn’t go to the dentist twice a year for a check-up like my kids do today.  And flossing?  Well, that was a foreign concept to me.  So I admit it.  I used to be one of those people who “don’t”.  That is, until I started going to church with my dental hygienist.  Then I felt a sudden urge to start taking care of my teeth in the way the dentist has been instructing me to do for years.  Why?  I had to face someone each week who ultimately would know the truth about my poor habit of not flossing.  She would know at my 6 month cleaning by the amount of plaque build-up on my teeth if I’d been doing what I was supposed to be doing. 

So the truth is out - I am now an avid flosser, and I go to the dentist every six months, just like I’m supposed to.  But because I had those poor dental hygiene habits early-on in life, I kind of suffer now.  I have very weak enamel, several crowns and fillings, and my teeth are extremely compacted in the back, because of all the necessary “repair work”.  When I say compacted, I mean, tighter than tight.  Every time I would floss, the floss would shred and break in my teeth.  Until recently, I usually spent more time trying to get the broken floss out from between my teeth then I did manipulating the floss between my teeth.  Every floss I bought ending up breaking and fraying.  I tried GLIDE, WAXED, MINT, and really, just about everything, but nothing was strong enough to work it’s way through the back of my teeth to floss correctly without breaking.  For someone who was trying to have good hygiene practices, it was  not the most optimal situation.  Literally, I would spend about 15-20 minutes of every morning initially trying to floss, then re-floss and remove the frayed strands that had become stuck in the back.  When the floss gets stuck, it can actually be painful. 

So as I read in 2 Corinthians 7 this morning, I couldn’t help but think of the parallel between flossing and verse one.  It says, “Dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”  What does earthly flossing do?  It purifies us from things that contaminate our teeth.  But what about spiritual flossing?  It’s when we are disciplined enough to invite God into those tightly fitted cracks to remove the things in our life that contaminate our body and spirit.  Why does He want us to spiritually floss?  To perfect holiness.  It’s the process of sanctification – becoming more like Him.

God created us as humans with a free will.  Just like earthly flossing, spiritual flossing is a discipline.  It's a choice.  Purifying ourselves is a two-fold action – turning away from sin and turning toward God.  In the passage, Paul was speaking to the Corinthians and urging them to not have anything to do with paganism.  They were to make a clean break from their past and give themselves to God alone.  Paul urged them to identify the things in their lives that were causing contamination and keeping them from becoming more like Christ.  He urged them to do some spiritual flossing.

If you’re like me, when you first get in the habit of flossing, your gums bleed a little (ok, maybe a lot!), and it’s not the most pleasant thing to deal with.  It's painful.  And when you get in the habit of spiritual flossing, truth be told, it’s even more painful.  God so desperately wants to remove the plaque of sin that has been built up in those tightly guarded areas, but we have to be willing to seek Him and ask His Holy Spirit to show us what needs removed.  We must ask Him to use His super-strength floss on us that doesn’t break off and give out when tested.  We have to know that if we are going to be more like Him, as He perfects us and removes the sin that contaminates us, it will be painful, especially at first, if we’re not used to it.  But the end result is so worth the pain – becoming more like Him. 

You might remember I said earlier, “Until recently, I usually spent more time trying to get the broken floss out from between my teeth then I did manipulating the floss between my teeth.”  Yes, until recently.  While on a business trip last fall, I ran out of floss, and I was devastated!  You see, when you start to floss, you also become addicted to it, in a good way.  You don’t feel right if you haven't flossed.  So I went around asking my colleagues if they had any floss I could have.  Sure enough, one person out of the whole group had some, and she gave it to me.  I looked down to see what kind it was:  Rite Aid Premium Waxed Floss.  I thanked her, but in the back of my mind, I highly doubted that it would be strong enough to withstand my tightly compacted teeth.  How wrong I was!  This is the best floss I’ve ever used, and never once has it even broken in between my teeth.  My flossing time is 5 minutes a day now instead of 15-20, and when I’m done, my teeth feel cleaner than if I had used an expensive brand.  (I don’t have any Rite Aids near me, so feel free to send me some!  That’s what my mom gave me for Christmas, by my request…that’s how good it is!)

So, if you’re not a flosser, why not?  What’s keeping you?  You know what you’re supposed to do, and there’s really no excuse for NOT doing it, especially since you now know my secret weapon of the Rite Aid Premium Waxed Floss.  But more importantly, are you spiritually flossing?  Are you asking God each day to remove the things that are contaminating you physically and spiritually?  Are you spending time with Him each day reading His Word?  Are you praying and asking the Holy Spirit to reveal truth so that through Him and Him alone, sin can be removed?  Then are you confessing and taking action against the sin?  Remember, it's a two-fold process, turn away from sin and turn toward God.  If your're not flossing, go start today…with both kinds!  Make your goal to go “2themax” with God!

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

Discovery #3 - Peter really has a bad rap

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”  Matthew 14:22-33

 

In case you've missed the last several posts, I've been writing about Jesus (and subsequently Peter for a short period of time) walking on the water, found in Matthew 14.  I tend to be a bit garrulous, so I've split my thoughts into three sections.  (Thank you Baptist Christian School for that vocabulary word!  I use it often!)

As I said earlier, I'm no theologian.  These observations are simply what God has shown me after studying this passage, and so when I say "Discovery" - I am definitely using the term quite loosely, not scientifically.  To recap, Discovery #1 (October 22, 2012) was "Jesus sometimes pushes us right into the eye of the storm."  Discovery #2 (October 23, 2012) was "When you're looking for Jesus, you'll know Him." 

And now I'll try to compact my random thoughts into Discovery #3 - "Peter really has a bad rap." 

I started to look at this whole episode of Peter walking on water.  Remember, this is Peter, the “speak before you think” disciple.  What does he say in verse 28?  He says, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to You on the water.”  I don’t think Peter really thought about what he was saying.  He was impulsive.  He was perhaps a little ADHD.  OK, if you know anyone with ADHD, Peter was more than a little, in my humble opinion.  I imagine Peter was the disciple who was always moving, sitting there, shaking his leg, tapping his fingers, spinning his fountain pen or whatever they wrote with in those days.  I think Peter was always on the move.  So when Jesus said, “Come”, Peter didn’t hesitate.  He heard his Lord’s voice and went without thinking. 

How I would love that quality.  To know God’s voice so much that I deny all reason...to obey.  Let that one sink deep.

Growing up in Sunday School, the one thing my teachers always pointed out in this familiar story was that Peter started to sink because he got afraid and took his eyes off Jesus.  In truth, anyone who is familiar with this story would likely agree they've been taught or heard the same thing.  But look at verse 30.  He may have noticed the wind and gotten afraid, but what else happened?  He said, “Lord, save me!”

Peter not only was the only disciple to recognize Jesus, take a step of faith to come to Him, but even though Peter got scared, he knew his Lord was one armstretch away from delivering him from the depths.  While the other disciples were cowering inside the boat, Peter was walking toward Jesus on the water!  Sure, he got a little scared, but he had enough sense of mind to know Jesus was right there to save Him, to catch Him.  That, my friends is faith, and Peter...well, Peter really has a bad rap. 

As I researched this story in the gospels, I realized something else.  Matthew 14, Mark 6, and John 6 all tell the story of Jesus walking on the water.  Now, some might argue that each of these events that are told are not the exact same event...that Jesus walked on the water numerous times.  And that may be so, because we all know by now that I'm no theologian.  I'm just a simple girl trying to go to the max with God.

But let's just assume for a moment that the events in these three books were the same event.  Did you know that Matthew 14 is the only passage in the Gospels that talks about Peter stepping out of the boat?  Truth.  Go read it for yourself.  Don't take my word for it!  Compare the stories!

Why?  Why?  Why?  Why does only one book mention Peter stepping out in faith, then nearly sinking?  ...And that is the question of the day...now the question of the week for me. 

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are called the synoptic Gospels.  They often tell the same stories, but each has a different slant, a different purpose, a different audience. The book of Matthew was written primarily to the Jews, and the purpose was to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the eternal King.   I don't really have an answer as to why the other Gospels don't tell the story of Peter.  I do know that the Bible does not contradict itself.  Period - end of subject.  And I take it in faith that it's fitly pieced together, beyond my understanding.

(Sidenote...  Are you familiar with what is referred to as "Peter's Confession", where Jesus asks Peter "Who do you say that I am?"  And Peter replies, "You are the Christ."?  Well, interestingly, the book of Matthew is also the only Gospel that mentions Jesus response to Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.”   Hmmm...  It gets you thinking.

Maybe Matthew was really was impressed with Peter and felt like he needed to help improve his bad rap, just like I feel today.  OK, probably that's not the answer, especially since the Bible says "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God."  Or, there simply must be a reason why Matthew mentions Peter and the other Gospels do not.  I have some ideas, but they're probably wrong, so I'm not going to even try to explain them.  You see, I don't have to know the answer "why" - I just have to know it all fits neatly together for a purpose.  And I trust God at face value on that one.  End sidenote!)

Finally, I love how the story ends.  Take a look at it.  Of course Jesus chastised the disciples for their lack of faith, but then what happened?  Jesus climbed into the boat with the disciples.  He met them at their point of need.  What a beautiful visual Christ gives us.  The disciples were in the middle of a storm in their life, scared out of their mind, Jesus walked to them, then He climbed in the boat with them!

We are not in our storms of life by ourselves, friends.  If we have a relationship with Jesus - if there's been a time in your life when you've asked Him to come into your life, forgive you of your sins, and take control, if you've made that personal decision for yourself, then He is in the boat with you.  And if you have not made that decision for yourself, He is outside on the water, hand outstretched waiting to save you, waiting to pick you up from drowning.  I find that both exciting and encouraging!

So spread the word, Peter's not such a bad guy.  He knew Jesus' voice.  He asked to come to Jesus.  And when Jesus called his bluff, He obeyed immediately.  Sure, he got a little scared, but can you honestly say you would have even take the first step out of the boat?  I dare say most of us would have stayed with the rest of the disciples!  And finally, Peter knew who would rescue him.  All in all, I think Peter had a much better understanding of Jesus than we give him credit.  He just needed a little adderol, that's all.  I'm sure if he had some meds back then, he wouldn't have the "open mouth, insert foot" disciple rap.  And that's a wrap on this passage!

 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

Discovery #1 - Jesus sometimes pushes us right into the eye of the storm...

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat
and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  Matthew 14:22

Discovery Channel.  It takes you inside the wildest, most amazing, and craziest phenomena in the world.  Take some time to go read Matthew 14:22-33.  It's the age-old story of Peter walking on the water, taking his eyes off Jesus, then sinking, and I dare say that if the Discovery Channel were in existence in Biblical times, whoever got that on film would have won some serious photo-journalism awards.

I always refer to good ole Peter subconsciously as the "open mouth-insert foot” disciple of the New Testament.  Maybe it’s because I relate to him so well.  I often have good intentions, my motives are pure, but sometimes my flippant mouth gets me in trouble.  Maybe you can relate?  I’m sure I can’t be the only one with a tendency to speak first and think later….

Well, in passing during our Life Group on Sunday, we discussed the story of Jesus (and Peter for a short time) walking on water.  The comment was made that everyone faults Peter because he took his eyes off Jesus and became afraid, thus failing at his quest to walk to Jesus.  But the truth is, Peter was the only one who had faith enough to step out of the boat.  He heard Jesus’ voice, confirmed it was Him talking, and then Peter took the first step of faith.  Granted, he got scared and started to sink, but the fact remains that none of the other disciples even stepped out of the boat in faith.

This morning as I sat down to have my quiet time, I decided to re-visit this old story and see if God has any new truths for me to see.  I think personal discovery is one of the coolest things about how God speaks today.  I love how I can read a passage (maybe even something I’ve read and known about since I was a kid) and then discover God in a fresh way...just by looking and asking Him to show me what He wants me to learn.  That’s kind of how I feel about this passage after studying it again.  When I finished writing about all God was showing me, the "blog" turned into way too many paragraphs for a blog, and my husband (who is always chastising me for being too wordy) would have my head if I actually put it all into one blog.  

So over the next few days, I'm going to focus on a few of my discoveries.  Discoveries to me, anyway.  I'm sure they're not profound; I've never claimed to be a scholar...just someone who is always looking for Jesus in the every day and ordinary.  And to be honest, my little "discoveries" - I"m quite sure they're not new.  But nonetheless, they are new and fresh to me. 

Right off the bat, the first thing I discovered was that verse 22 says “Jesus made the disciples get into the boat.”  Some versions say He compelled them.  He bade them to get in the boat. Did you catch that?  In other words, "they got told."  It wasn't a choice. 

I find that so interesting.  Of course Jesus knew the disciples were about to go into a storm.  Hello!  He’s God!  But even with this knowledge, He sent them directly into the would-be rough waters.  Can you relate?  How many times in your life have you known you’re exactly where God wants you, yet you’re going through some pretty time times?  Just like He did with the disciples, God knows about that storm.  He knew about it before you went into it, and He’s big enough to get you through it.  Maybe even like the disciples, He gave you the push-off to head right into the storm, leaving you scratching your head trying to understand why. 

Can you just picture Jesus at the shore with the disciples in the boat, giving that final shove to push them on their way?  “Have a great trip!   I’ll see you in a little while!”  Smiling.  Waving goodbye.  "Bon Voyage!”  I wonder what went through Jesus’ mind as He gave that final push, as He said goodbye to them, knowing exactly where they were headed.  Oh to know the mind of Christ! 

We all know this fact: Nothing takes Jesus by surprise. 

{Sidebar.  Can I rant for thirty seconds?  And if you read fast, it will be even less!  It drives me crazy, and I mean totally crazy when someone will tell me, “God’s got this.”  It’s kind of my little hot button...well, one of them anyway.  My mind starts to spin.  Maybe it's because I find it insulting that someone feels the need to tell me that.  Really?  I know He’s got this…you don’t need to remind me!  That's elementary, my dear Watson!  That little expression is so overused today, and it’s said so flippantly that it drives me crazy.  End sidebar.} 

OK, I feel better now.  Thank you.  Hopefully you were a fast reader and didn't have to endure too much of my ranting.

You see, the real problem is NOT that we don’t know that "God’s got this."  It's not that I don't realize "God's got this."  The real problem is the transfer of knowledge from the head to the heart.  Everything fits together nicely and neatly in our mind, but when it comes to reconciling that rational part with our emotional heart, well, that's where the conflict is.  The transfer of control of the mind's peace,  to rest in the knowledge that we stand on, well, that is the difficult part of going through a storm. 

So Jesus pushed the disciples off into the boat with full knowledge of what was to come.  And that’s exactly what He does with us.  Sometimes we’re exactly in His will, doing exactly what He’s asked us, and we still go head on into turbulance.  Trials in life are not always because we’ve sinned or made a bad choice. Sometimes it’s just because that’s what God’s plan is for us.

I don't know why I've never noticed this little detail before about Jesus making the disciples get into the boat.  When you think about it, it's actually not a "little" detail at all.  It sets the stage for everything that is to come.  It should be flashing at me "TAKE NOTICE!!!"  Yet, I've never heard a sermon preached on it.  When I've read the passage before, it never "jumped out at me."  I totally missed it all these years.

And so that's my Discovery #1.  Jesus sometimes pushes us right into the eye of the storm.  Stay tuned for more.  Or better yet, go Discover for yourself and look for what God wants to say to you.

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

Whittle by Whittle...

“Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed!”
Romans 12:1

 

Whittle.  Such a weird sounding word, isn’t it?  To be honest, I had to look up how to even spell it!  But over the last week, that’s what has been on my mind…this concept of “whittling”. 

You see, over the last few years, a few of my friends and I have been writing music together.  My role in our partnership is primarily writing lyrics.  Sometimes I start out with what I think is a great concept.  To the naked eye, the words on paper look like a masterfully crafted lyric, with great rhymes and imagery.  Then we start to examine it, line by line.  We start whittling away at the song.  Sometimes when the song is done, it looks nothing like what it originally started out as.  To be honest, sometimes it kind of hurts, too...to delete some of the words that I chose originally because I loved them.  But the truth is, if I settled with my original first draft "masterpiece", the song would never be transformed into the final beautiful song it is today.  (Yes, I might be slightly biased with that term "beautiful" but in my humble opinion, that's what the end result is!)  You see, I had to be willing to chop it up, take out the "unecessary" and "useless" words in order to make it better.  No, not "better", I had to do it in order to make it the BEST it can be.  It was necessary pain.  Kind of like waxing your eyebrows.

I grew up in Northeast Ohio, and on a few occasions, my dad would take us over to Dover, Ohio, to visit the Warther Museum.  Unless you’re from the area, you’ve probably never heard of it.  No big deal - no reason to put this on your bucket list, right?  Wrong.  As a kid, I remember going under duress several times because not only did my dad want to go, but I had already been there a few times on field trips.  (When you're a child, once is enough for a museum!)  But my dad loved that place, and although we didn't go often, I remember how enamored he was with it.  As an adult, now I understand why he loved it and wanted to expose us to its offerings. 

What I remember most about the museum (now in its 4^th generation of knife makers and wood carvers) is that there’s one specific display that you cannot miss.  It is an exact scale model, inside and out, with working pieces, of a Great Northern locomotive – all originally carved out of one block of wood by Mr. “Mooney” Warther.  This man who had a 2^nd grade education could envision something and create it, to scale, exactly how it should be.  He started with nothing special – just a block of wood.  Then he began carving.  Whittling.  Until little by little, whittle by whittle, that block of wood began to be transformed into what the master craftsman, Mr. Warther, envisioned in his mind for that block of wood.

How much more able is my omniscient Master Carver able to whittle me into his beautiful creation?  The Bible says in Jeremiah He has plans for me.  He’s thinking about ME, and as the Creator, He knows what He wants me to ultimately look like.  He knows HIS PLAN for my end result.  The difference in the two, of course, is that a piece of wood is an inanimate object.  It couldn’t jump out of the way when the knife was headed toward it to carve away a blemish or cut off an unnecessary part that wasn’t necessary.  But me?  Well, sometimes that’s exactly what I do.  Sometimes it’s easier to jump out of the way than see the long-term benefit of obedience.  God created us as free-will beings.  He doesn’t force Himself on us.  Just like it's up to me to be willing to whittle away the lyrics of a song, it’s also up to ME to allow God to whittle me into His beautiful creation.  It’s my choice to allow Him to carve away the blemishes of sin and transform me into His master creation – one whittle at a time.

Sometimes we talk about our lives as if it’s God painting us into His masterpiece.  I’ve probably blogged about that myself over the years.  But this morning, I’m thinking that for a Christian who is yielding to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to make changes, perhaps “whittling” is a much more accurate term compared to “painting”.  Either way, the bottom line for me this morning is to ask myself the tough questions.  Do I look different now compared to last year, last month, or even last week?  Unlike that train made from one block of wood at the Warther Museum, on display for all to see, I have never arrived.  My life should always be changing as the Master Whittler carves away the blemishes and transforms me into His image, whittle by whittle, one whittle at a time.

 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

Moments of Greatness...

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  "
II Corinthians 3:18

 

Moments of Greatness.  If you’re a Cowboys fan like me, that’s the one phrase that can describe them this year...at least so far.  They are 2-2, and it’s been rather frustration.  They have the talent to win.  They have moments of greatness, followed by moments of pure pathetic athletic exhibition.

I started to think about that phrase this morning.  I cannot help but wonder if God views me sometimes with the same frustration and disappointment that I view my Cowboys (yes, despite their poor performance on Monday Night Football yesterday, they are still MY team).  You see, I’m a fan for life.  I love them when they’re bad, and I love them more when they’re good, but I still love them, nonetheless.  I’m not a fair weather fan who jumps off the bandwagon when they don’t act like the team I know they can be. 

Think about Abraham.  He had moments of greatness – pure genius, actually.  Then he had some moments that we read about and just scratch our heads saying, “What was he thinking?”  Consider the journey he made up Mount Moriah, knowing he didn’t have a lamb to sacrifice on the alter, knowing he had with him only his one son, the promised one, the child through whom God promised to make Abraham a great nation.  His faith did not waiver, at least not that we can see.  He only told Isaac, God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”  God did provide, and Abraham is mentioned in Hebrews 11 because of his faith.

Then there’s those other moments in Abraham’s life – well, let’s just call them Cowboys moments.  Moments you’d rather forget than remember.  I have to just scratch my head as I read about Abraham denying Sarah as his wife not once, but twice?  In Genesis 12 and in Genesis 20, he told people “She is my sister.”  Hello!  I’m sure God was looking at him just shaking his head, much like a true Dallas Cowboys fan would have done last night.  God didn’t jump off the bandwagon in His love for Abraham or abandon His promise to Abraham though, in spite of the lacking "moment of greatness." 

And so bringing it full circle, what about those “moments of greatness” with me, spiritually?  What about you?  When the game is over, what evaluation will God the ultimate Coach say?  Will His commentary go something like this:  “Beth Banfill – at times, you showed moments of greatness as you reflected Me to a dying world, but then there were times I just shook my head in disbelief at how you played the game.  I mean, what were you thinking?"

So before we start hating on the Cowboys today, let’s remember we all have those moments of  greatness, just like Tony Romo last night.  Sure, he threw 5 interceptions in one game for the 2nd time in his career, but who's counting, right?  He's also holds some of the top stats for a Dallas quarterback, even though he doesn't even have a SuperBowl ring.  It’s a good reminder to me today that even though people aren’t watching my life lived out on Monday Night Football, there very well could be people watching my every move, evaluating if my walk is matching my talk.  And most importantly, my Coach and Best Friend is there with me each step of the way.  As the great Tom Landry once said, “A coach is someone who tells you what you don't want to hear, who has you see what you don't want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.”   Isn’t the Holy Spirit exactly that to Christians?  He convicts of sin.  Asks me to change my game plan, even though I may not want to.  And why?  So I can have those moments of greatness for Him…and hopefully as I grow, there will be more than just a few fleeting moments.

 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

Perspective Lenses of Praise...

“I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”  Psalm 104:33

“Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!  Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!” Psalm 47:1,6

 

On the way to church on Sunday, I heard an old Amy Grant song, “Sing Your Praise to the Lord.”  It’s probably been years since I heard that song, and even longer since I actually focused on the content and meaning of the song. To be honest, the introduction and instrumentals in the song are so cool, that my brain has always been drawn to the music instead of paying attention to the words.  When I heard the intro, I opened the window a little on a cool Texas morning, cranked up the volume, and tried my best to sing with Amy.  With each breath, each attempt to spit out a line of words that I’d not thought of for years, the meaning behind them came to life, perhaps for the first time.

Sing your praise to the Lord, Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord, I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's Gonna do ya
Just to sing...anew...The song your heart first learned to sing when He
First gave His life...to you...The life goes on and so must the song…

Singing praise to the Lord isn’t just for Sunday, you know.  Our praises should be constant, not a set time to “praise” but a state of being.  Yet, what happens when I begin to focus on my own life’s problems?  Immediately, I stop praising.  The focus is on ‘me” instead of God.  It’s misdirected.

I love the line “life goes on and so must the song…”  How true! Nearly everyone can identify something we are going through right now that is causing pain or emotional anguish.  I sure can, and it doesn’t take even half a second to identify it, either.  That’s how close to the surface it is.  For you, maybe it’s the loss of a job or even being stuck in a job that consumes you.  Maybe you feel like your family is falling apart.  Maybe you’re a student who is overwhelmed with your workload.  It could be financial burdens, health issues, a wayward child…  Yes, we all have something.  But God doesn’t promise us a life without problems; that’s not what being a Christian is all about.  He does promises us that He will be here for us, and He promises abundant life in Him.  IN HIM.  Not in ME.  The only way to have that is to stop the self- focus and direct it toward Him.  “So life goes on, and so must the song.”

You gotta sing...again...The song born in your soul when you
First gave your heart...to Him...Sing His praises, once more
Sing your praise to the Lord, Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord, I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's Gonna do ya

Think about the joy you had in your heart when you invited Jesus to take control.  As a small child, I remember kneeling down one Sunday afternoon with my mom in my bedroom.  She explained to me what the Bible says about becoming a Christian. As best I knew how, I prayed and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and take control of my life.  Sure, I wasn’t a drug dealer or alcoholic, but I was a sinner just the same.  If you were a child like me when you made that decision, maybe you can’t exactly relate to this song and describe the joy you felt.  But I can sure describe the joy I have today because of that decision so many years ago.  He has spared my life from so many bad decisions because I made the choice at a young age to give Him control.  As I sang these words, I was reminded of the countless blessings God has given to me because I belong to Him.  No matter what, I gotta keep singing; keep praising.  “I can never tell you, just how much good that it’s gonna do ya!”

Just to sing...aloud...The song that someone is dying to hear
Down in the madd'ning crowd...As you once were before your heard the song,
You gotta let them know...The truth is a life to shine upon the way,
So maybe they...can go...Sing His praises, once more
Sing your praise to the Lord, Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord, I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's Gonna do ya

How many missed opportunities have I had because my focus has been on me and my problems?  I don’t think I want to know the answer to that. Would you?  How many people around us are dying to hear about Jesus?  OK, in today’s western society, it’s not like they are knocking on the door begging us all the time.  But the truth is that people are searching for life’s answers, and it’s up to us to point them to the truth.  A lot of people know about God -- even believe in Him.  But so many have a misconception of Him and what the Bible says about becoming one of His children.  Just because they believe doesn't mean they're a Christian.  The Bible says in James 2:19 "even the demons believe!"  We must be vocal.  We must tell them the truth that it's only by putting your faith in Christ and Christ alone for salvation, repenting of sin, and giving Him control that is TRUTH.  We must sing aloud!  We must let them know “truth is a life to shine upon the way!”

Just to let the name of the Lord...Be praised, both for now, and evermore,
Praise Him all ye servants, Give Your praise to the Lord, Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord, I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's Gonna do ya
Just to sing, sing sing...
Come on, sing, sing, sing...
I can hear you now, sing, sing, sing...

I learned a long time ago that when the path of life is blurry and you can’t quite see the way, all I need to do is put on my “Perspective Lenses.” Once I see myself and my problems with God’s perspective lenses, things start to become clear.  I may think my problems are ginormous.  (Yes, that’s a real word by the way, added to the dictionary in 2007!)  But my perspective lenses tell me otherwise.  They bring truth to focus.  They tell me that God has a plan.  It’s my choice to put this song into action each moment of the day.

So are you with me?  Are you going to praise Him in the good and the bad?  Are you going to praise Him “now and evermore?”  Are you going to stand with me and sing “one more hallelujah!”?  “I could never tell ya, how much good that it’s gonna do ya.  Just to sing, sing, sing…Come on sing, sing, sing…I can hear you now, sing, sing, sing!”

 

-- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com