Rubber On The Road  

When I was a little girl, my aunt had a close friend, Mary Elizabeth.  Everybody called her Tony. Tony had the gift of gab; she could talk faster than anybody I’ve ever seen in my life!  She talked so fast that she didn’t even seem to breathe. Even when somebody would talk to her, she kept right on talking!  

It’s so easy to spend all of our time in prayer talking.  There are so many needs, not only for our own family but for friends and the world around us.  Sometimes our heart feels so eager to pray that we enter into God’s presence, falling to our knees with our mouth going a mile a minute.   

Admittedly, God’s word does say that we should pray continually, without ceasing; but, an important part of prayer is listening.  Just like when we talk to each other, there is a time to speak and a time to listen.  God created us for relationship; a dialog, not a monolog.  

When we don’t take time to listen, we have a difficult time knowing God’s perfect will. When we’re familiar with the sound of His voice, it’s easier to trust; God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we expect. When the answer is not what we thought it would be, we may not understand. When we fully trust the Lord we let go and have faith to trust whatever His answer is.

The next time we pray, let’s remember to not only enter His courts with praise and thanksgiving (Ps. 100:4) but to wait with listening ears before we exit. 

Psalms 46: 10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 

Prayer:  Father, give me listening ears so that I not only tell you my problems, but listen to your directions.  Show me your answers in your Word and through the Holy Spirit’s direction in my heart. I love you. Thank you. Amen.

Scripture reference: Psalms 100:4   Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

The Holy Bible, New International Version®. Pradis Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, © 1973, 1978, 1984.

Every morning, when my kids were in school, I packed them a lunch.  Not just any lunch but a lunch covered with prayer.

School, even then, was a place of worldly influence and often persecution for kids who went to church.  So, I took lunch prayers very seriously. 

As I fixed the lunches, I prayed over every part then once completed, I prayed over the bag itself.  I prayed that God would touch their lives, give them direction and create in them a heart of worship.  

Years later, my oldest son was home to visit. He was active in his church and having newly married, established a Christ centered home.  As we were chatting, he asked me if I remembered a kid he went to school with.  I told him no, I didn’t remember this boy. 

My son laughed and told me that he was the kid that always stole his lunch from him at school!  (I wasn’t aware this had gone on) When I asked if he ever got his act together, Todd told me the guy now pastored a church!  God is faithful, in ways we can’t even imagine! 

Sometimes, our prayers are evidenced by committed lives or changed circumstances. Other times, we stand in faith, knowing that God uses the hard things in our life to manifest compassion for others (II Corinthians 1:3-4) 

Every prayer is an answered prayer. God never ignores the prayers of his children! However, God is sovereign; He does whatever necessary to accomplish His perfect will in the lives of those who truly seek Him.  

Sometimes, God even uses ‘us’ in unlikely ways to bring Godly influence into the lives of others. Cover every area of your children’s lives with prayer.  Even though we often don’t see the miracles that our prayers have influenced; prayer is powerful!

James 5:16   Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

As a child, I sometimes visited a Pentecostal Church with a friend. There was an elderly lady, Sister Jones, who, sometimes would jump up, wave a hanky, scream “waaho!” run down the aisle and keep right on going.  

Only certain songs incited this hasty departure.  I never knew if this behavior was brought on because she liked the songs or because she didn’t.  Nobody ever said a bad word about her departure and nobody would see her again till after church.  

As a child I’d often wondered where the dear sister would run to. Who’s to say she didn’t run on out the back door and go home for another piece of jelly toast?  Things that make a child’s mind say, ‘hmmmmmm.’ 

Churches have split over things like what kind of music is played and even the color of the new carpet. The pastor’s sermon, the prayer, music; ALL these things are important to our individual perception of “church.”  

When the congregation has hundreds of people it’s not likely all of the people are going to like what’s being done all the time. The science of statistics proves that’s just not ever going to happen, no matter who is in charge of WHAT!  

I love my church; it has lots of people, including me, not “just me.” When I become involved in the ministry and outreach of the church, I find I’m less likely to be critical and more likely to focus on the joy of simply being a participant.  Our surroundings can enhance our mood but worship comes from  our heart.  

Psalms 34:3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

Prayer:  Father, help me to focus on who I worship and why I worship instead of how everybody else is worshipping.  Show me how to stay  my mind on your presence and not on the “stuff” that distracts.  I want to know you, to worship you.  Amen.

Having a pedicure is one of life’s treats. If you have ever had one, you understand the magnitude of this extravagance! Today, foot washing is a luxury and comes at a hefty price.  

In Biblical times, ‘foot washing’ was viewed as hospitality and offered to every guest entering your home. In the event of an honored guest, the home owner, himself, washed the guest’s feet.

I Samuel 25:41 is the first mention of foot washing as an act of humility. Sometimes, there is more than one ‘lesson’ in familiar scripture. The foot washing scriptures in John 13 are rightfully taught as an example of how important it is to have the heart of a servant.

The Bible even says that we are to be like Christ, who humbled himself and became a servant as our life example (Matt. 20: 26-28). There is no act more expressive of servant hood than to be willing to wash the feet of others.

However, could there be another lesson; other than the obvious lesson of humble service? Jesus pointed out to Peter that if he didn’t ALLOW his feet to BE washed, then he had no part in “Him,” the Christ.  

A very big part of loving others, including God, is ALLOWING ourselves to be loved. So often, when it is our turn to receive, we feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.  Yet, common sense reveals that you can only give so much till the vessel is empty and must be refilled.  

The Bible illustrates that receiving is a natural return of giving! (Luke 6:38 “Give and it shall be given to you.)  Both giving and receiving are an important part of a loving relationship.

When you give from your own stores, without first receiving from God, there’s a vacuum in your heart.  Bitterness and anger can easily take over when we are focused only on serving. God’s first act was to—give.  Our first action must be to–receive God’s gift.

One of satan’s tricks is to tell us that we aren’t worthy of God’s love. We must EARN it; by doing more and more and more.  In Luke 10:38-42 Jesus illustrated that  Mary’s desire to sit and be ministered to was to be chosen first over the busyness of Martha’s servant hood.

Obviously, Jesus was not saying sitting at the feet of Jesus is our ONLY ambition. He did not tell the busy sister to stop and not go back to her serving; He said to choose sitting at His feet—first.

Christianity isn’t about rules, or about works; it’s about relationship.  When we have relationship, God’s ways are not hard or demanding. But we must make time to receive in order to pour out that love to others. Sit at the feet of Jesus today; let Him wash your tired, achy, busy heart with his Word. Then, go and put on your servant hood.

John 13:6-9   He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”  Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”  “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Prayer:  Lord, help me to not only be a servant but to humble myself and allow myself to be served. Unless I understand the need to receive, as well as serve, I can’t fully understand Christ’s gift at Calvary.  Jesus gave, I must receive, then I can serve. I want a humble servant’s heart.  I love you, amen.

Scriptural Reference:

Matt. 20: 26-28  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 6:38  Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I often ask my grandkids if they have Jesus in their heart.  One day, four year old Max said, “Nope, not any more.”  

Startled, I asked why. He said cause his heart is full and Jesus was in the way in there and he knew he had to put Jesus someplace, so now Jesus is in his socks.   

This childish rational makes us laugh; but, there is some deep truth hiding inside the reasoning. How often have we found Jesus to be ‘in the way’ in our own hearts and life?  

When we choose to watch R rated movies or to use dirty words to fit in with the world where do we put Jesus? Do we put him in our socks and walk on Him to be popular with friends? The Bible says when we say we belong to God yet dishonor Him with our behavior, we lead others to sin. (Rom. 2:23-24) 

In our busy life, is our heart too full for Jesus so we don’t plan time for prayer and Bible Study? Do we choose to move Jesus into our socks, out of the way so we can live however we want? Then, before we go to bed, do we pull off our socks, dump Jesus back out and let Him be important again in the privacy of our own room? Every day of our lives we make a decision on where we put Jesus.   

Do we establish Him as Lord of our life, reigning in our attitudes, relationships and activities?  We must ask ourselves, on a daily basis, “Where do I put Jesus?  Is He reigning in my heart, or in my socks, under my feet?” 

Luke 6:46-47 Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice.

Prayer:  Father, help me to keep Jesus a priority in my life, my constant companion. Teach me to recognize temptation and turn away.  Thank you for the voice of your Holy Spirit, guiding me.  I love you. Amen.

Scripture references:

Rom. 2:23-24  You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?  As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

I John 5:14-15

Today, as I was busy about the house, my heart was suddenly taken with the need for prayer.

I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us that we are to pray without stopping; within our heart to continuously pray.

However, this wasn’t the usual ongoing reminder to pray, this time, there was a sense of urgency. The Spirit of God within me began to pray before I even knew what to pray for. (Ephesians 6:18, Romans 8:26)

There are five TYPES of prayer, adoration, petition, penitence, intercession and thanksgiving. Prayers of petition, penitence and intercession are all prayers that are “asking” for something; aieto, a Greek word that means, “a request with increasing urgency.”

Some urgent prayers we will never know “why” this side of heaven. Others, the Spirit will, in time, connect the dots and reveal what the need was and who it was for. Prayers of request are prayers that come from need. Prayers of adoration and thanksgiving are made because of intimate relationship.

Prayer is a conversation with our heavenly Father; a part of relationship. To nurture an intimate relationship with a person, you spend time with them. To know God and find His will for our lives we must make time to talk to Him and listen to Him.

In the same way we schedule time to build relationships with family and friends; we must plan time to spend in building our relationship with God. Our God is the only God who wants to have a relationship with His people.

God gave His son, Jesus, to die for our sins so we can come to God boldly, (Hebrews 4:16) in intimacy instead of fear. Prayer is not big fancy words or specific words said to evoke a hoped for response. Like with any conversation, prayer is a “two way” activity. We speak, and then we listen to what the other person says.

God speaks to us through His Word and His Spirit (I Corinthians 2:10-11). When I have a conversation with my Lord, I also read my Bible. Then, I listen for the Spirit to speak to my heart through God’s Word.

As I spend time with God, in His Word and in prayer, listening as well as talking; God reveals His direction for my life. He also grows compassion and understanding in my heart so that I have a desire for ministry to the lost and hurting.

I John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Prayer: Father, thank you for loving me so much that you want to spend time with me. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die for my sins so that I can come before you without fear. Thank you for your Holy Spirit and your Word that reveals your thoughts so you can talk to me. Help me to understand that you care about every part of my life and want me to tell you about everything in my day to day life. Amen.

Scriptural References:

I Thessalonians 5:17  pray continually

Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I Corinthians 2:10-11 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 

One summer, my mother and I signed up for a low fat cooking class. The dish we were to prepare was low fat lasagna with whole wheat pasta. We were told that lasagna’s main downfall was the obscene amount of fat contained in the dish.

Chef tapped her wooden spoon on the countertop and informed us that making a few low fat ingredient substitutions would not change the flavor. But, it would make the dish contain less than a third of the fat and half the calories. She assured us that the “lighter dish” would look and taste the same.

The instructor was right in that the lasagna looked the same as the real thing, at least at first glance. However, after several mouthfuls, the “lack” started to be noticed. The richness was missing and the “satisfied” feeling just never developed. It was mildly satisfying, but not as good as the original version.

There are some people who believe that there are shortcuts and substitutions that can be made in serving God. When we search the scriptures to find “loop holes” so we can make substitutions; we deny the authority of God’s Word.

When we look for easy Christianity, we are looking for permission to live the way we want to while expecting God’s blessings to continue. The world lives by a different standard; God’s laws are not hard laws. They are made for our good, to maintain healthy attitudes, relationships and activities.

I’m not talking about the “manmade” holiness that is dictated by hard rules. I’m talking about a committed Christ life, based on Biblical truth, not traditions and rules set by men. (Colossians 2:16-23)

God gives His Holy Spirit to convict of righteousness (John 16:8-10) and His Word to give us direction (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  The body of Christ gives strength in fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25) and through sound preaching and teaching; God works to confirm His Word (Mark 16:20).

God has provided all the resources that I need to live a committed Christ life and have an intimate relationship with Jesus. What I do with those resources is up to me; how I serve God is a personal decision. I will be held accountable for my own decisions and my own life choices.

I John 5:3-5 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Prayer: Father, help me to live by the standards in your Word and not the standard of the world. Help me to recognize the difference between the traditions of man and the solid truth of scripture. Give me grace, purity and wisdom as I live each day for you. I love you. Amen.

Scriptural References:

Colossians 2:16-23 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.  Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

John 16:8-10  When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me;  about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Mark 16:20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

This week, I saw a young mother eating lunch with her two children. One child was an infant; the other looked like she was eight or nine years old. While enjoying their lunch, I watched as people stopped by the table to speak to the young mother.  

Folks gushed over the baby with cooing admiration. I observed that not a single person even spoke to or noticed the older sibling. The older child was of equal worth, but she was busy with her burger, didn’t notice and wasn’t noticed.  

It’s easy to feel we are overlooked, especially when we are busy and don’t draw attention to our self. It’s important to understand that God never overlooks us. Scripture shows that I’m so important that even when I feel unnoticed, God sees me.  

Like Zacchaeus, the wee little man who climbed up into a tree. He was a tax collector and not only did nobody notice him; nobody even liked him! But Jesus, even though there was a crowd of people, saw Zacchaeus. (Luke 19:1-10) 

Jesus died at Calvary for all of us and for each of us, individually. Scripture says He knew us from the beginning of time, even when we were in our mother’s womb (Jeremiah 4:1-5).   

Satan loves to make me feel insignificant; worthless, unnoticed.  The world talks a lot about ‘self-worth’ but bases that worth on what I think about myself.  This is a lie and a ‘me.’ good example of how important it is to read God’s Word so I know the truth.   When I have trouble with my ‘self-esteem,’ I turn to God’s Word and I’m reminded of what God thinks about “me,” 

I love God’s Word; it speaks to issues of the human heart! If I don’t know my worth, I can’t appreciate the huge price that was paid for my salvation at Calvary. When I fully understand how much God loves me, I don’t believe the lies about being worthless any more. 

Sometimes, when I doubt my worth, I put ‘my’ name in John 3:16; “For God so loved (my name) that He gave His one and only Son, that if (my name) believes in Him, (my name) will not perish but have eternal life.”  Try it— it’s awesome to hear it that way.  

John 3:16  God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” 

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I Peter 3:3-4

One of my daughters is a professional make up consultant. My idea of face care is ordinary soap and water. My daughter is absolutely horrified. But, hey, it works.

My daughter went to a beauty consultant’s seminar where she learned about lips. She gave me a bag of different colored pencils to line my lips with.  I know why you line a garment, but my LIPS? I didn’t know they could come unraveled. They’ve been sitting on my face for decades and never given me any problems.

Anyway, she has me doing all this STUFF to keep my complexion young and vibrant. She assures me that all this ‘stuff,’ if I do it every day, will, in the long run, keep my complexion soft and youthful. Personally, I can’t tell the difference, but I do it anyway because, after all, she IS a makeup expert.

If I’m not careful, I can let the same attitude I have toward complexion care, “why bother, I can’t tell the difference anyway,” determine my time spent in Bible study and prayer. It takes time and discipline to spend time every day with the Lord. The results are, often, not immediately visible.

However, just like with my daily beauty regimen, if I consistently follow the daily plan for a gentle and quiet spirit, Bible reading and prayer, I will see results. The Lord, after all, is an expert on the trials of life.

I Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in God’s sight.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, help me to understand that true beauty comes from inside my heart. Show me how to make time in my busy day to study your Word and talk with you. Help me to be as eager to make my heart beautiful as I’m eager to make my outside appearance be beautiful. Thank you for loving me, just the way I am, and encouraging me to be more like you. Amen.

—–****************—–

My two year old grandson, Sam, was visiting us in Florida.  His mama and I had taken containers of cold water with us to the beach.  The sand was getting warm and Sam was jumping and chanting, “hot, hot, hot!” 

We laughed as we watched little Sam open and dump out both containers of drink; one in each hand, in his attempt to cool down the hot sand.  The sight of the toddler dumping cold water onto his hot little feet was just—adorable!  

He was so cute that we didn’t mind the inconvenience of not having cold water readily available. If his older brother had done the same thing, he’d have been scolded. The action was cute because of Sam’s innocence—cute because of his childish immaturity and total unawareness of consequences.   

The Apostle Paul pointed out the same difference in expectation between new Christians and mature Christians. Personal growth is important; ‘we’ are the church. The body of Christ is as mature and effective as its individual members. (Ephesians 4:14-15) 

Children want to grow up; they’re eager to enjoy the benefits of maturity. However, they soon find that with the benefits of maturity comes responsibility and work. Spiritual growth also has responsibility that goes along with the benefits (Ephesians 4:11-15).  

Just as we must learn self-discipline to achieve education for work in order to become a productive adult; a Christian must discipline themselves to a time of daily Bible study and prayer (I Peter 2:2).  Maturity, whether social or spiritual, doesn’t just happen; it is a choice. I Corinthians 13:11 illustrates that putting away childish attitudes is something “I” do; as evidence of maturity. 

When adults fail to learn the discipline of work and responsibility, their lack of maturity can make undeserved hardship on those around them. In the same way, without the self-discipline of Bible study and prayer, I won’t become a responsible, productive member of the body of Christ.  

Hebrews 5:12-14 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.