4 Dec

Where to you place your trust?

Posted by Amy in random thoughts. Tagged: , , .

“So just as I destroyed Shiloh, I will now destroy this Temple that was built to honor my name, this Temple that you trust for help, this place that I have to you and your ancestors.” Jeremiah 7:14

In Jeremiah 7:14, we see that the people of Judah placed their trust in the temple, a physical place that once held tabernacle. The Judahites went to the temple for forgiveness and cleansing and yet their hearts were far from God, the real source of redemption. God soon took the temple away from the Judahites and then they had no where to turn.

Where do we turn for forgiveness and redemption? If you trust a church or a pastor to receive forgiveness, the Lord may take you away from this church or pastor, particularly if they have become idols. We can sometime see these conduits of God’s Word and teaching as our god. I appreciate my church and its pastors but only God is worthy of my worship. Our pastors can help us understand God and direct us away from our sins but our faith needs to rest in God and not be dependent on a church or a pastor.

Scripture and prayer provide the personal insight into God’s will and direct us how to live a life pleasing to God. It is only by turning to the cross of Christ and repenting of our sins that we are cleansed. Place your trust in the only one who will not leave you – the only one capable of cleansing you of your sins – our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 43:25 “I – yes, I alone – am the one who blots out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. “

2 Dec

Standing out from the Crowd

Posted by Amy in random thoughts. Tagged: , , .

I’m going to Las Vegas later today for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and all the accompanying hoopla.

Part of me is excited. Excited to be surrounded by thousands of other people who live as I live and enjoy what I enjoy – rodeo, country dancing and western lifestyle. There will be countless options for live country music. Post-performance appearances by the cowboys and cowgirls will draw big crowds to the dance halls. And then there’s the shopping — three convention centers host expos for vendors of western wares.

I’m also apprehensive. In a setting like Las Vegas, spending my nights in the dance halls surrounded by partiers, it will be difficult to keep God as my center. It will be easy to regress to my past lifestyle. Late nights and mornings of sleeping in could cut into my prayer and quiet time. My faith could easily be derailed. I prayed last night that God would show me how to continue to live my faith while I’m there. That he would give me the strength and courage I need to overcome temptations.

In my Bible study this morning, I read John 7:1-9. Jesus’ brothers urged him to join the crowds in Judea for the celebration of the Festival of Shelters. They scoffed at him for not going. His words struck a chord with me:

John 7:6-7 (NLT): Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil.”

His brothers could go to the celebration without concern because they lived as the world lived. They reveled with the crowds. Maybe they drank to excess, spent beyond their means, worshiped the celebrities of the day, gossiped or judged people harshly by external appearances. They didn’t stand out because they weren’t any different than the people around them.

I, too, am going to the celebration to mingle among the crowds. How will I be different than the crowds in Las Vegas? Will people notice me because I act differently? Will I rise above the crowds and live my faith? Will I take the opportunity to grow? I will because God is my strength and my shield.

1 Dec

Winter Weight

Posted by Amy in random thoughts. Tagged: , , , , , .

It’s happening already. It’s just December and already Ernie is putting on winter weight to keep warm. Every Spring the vet tells me he could stand to lose about 100 pounds. While it’s natural for him to add weight for winter, it’s so unattractive.

Sadly, people here in the Midwest have the same instinct to eat more when the weather turns colder. Dreary days and fewer hours of sunlight trigger a desire for comfort foods that seem much too heavy in the heat of summer.

Add to that this blissful holiday season that brings families together around scrumptious spreads, companies for year-end parties with elaborate buffets, and cookie exchanges with friends. It’s no wonder the average person puts on 5 pounds during the holidays.

I often struggle with the balance between eating the things I love and maintaining my weight. I’ve been told that I received all the discipline for my entire family because I often pass up certain foods, particularly dessert. It’s a struggle though.

Since the Bible is our guide for everything of the flesh, I find it helpful to consult Scripture when I have these tug of wars. Below are some verses (all from the NLT) that speak to matters of the appetite. After studying them, I’ve come to the conclusion that the condition of our spirit and our heart, and bringing honor to God are more important than living at the perfect weight. God is honored when we balance our needs and wants related to food and are not obsessed over what the scale may say. Scripture says that our bodies are temporary vessels in which our spirit and the Holy Spirit reside and therefore deserve care just like we would maintain a physical building. Keep it tidy but don’t obsess because it’s temporary. After all, God is the center of our worship, not the temple.

Christ, as our example, says in John 4:34: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” We, too, should receive our nourishment from doing the will of God. We should be filled up on Him.

Remember that anything that comes before God in our hearts is an idol. When food becomes an idol, it’s sinful and out of balance. Put God and his will first and he will help you maintain perspective on food. Pray for the strength to find and implement balance in your dietary needs versus wants.

Now, here are those verses for your own study:
Ecclesiastes 3:13: And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Ephesians 5:18: Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

Colossians 2:16-18: So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Philippians 3:21: He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Colossians 2:20-23: You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

1 Corinthians 6:12-14: You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.

30 Nov

Bred for life

Posted by Amy in devotion. Tagged: , , .

(c) 2009, Amy S. Lewis

I find it fascinating to observe the way breeders choose studs and mares they cross. They go to great lengths to get what they hope will be a favorable outcome. They’ll study blood lines, colorings, performance records, conformation, past foals, videos and health histories. They’ll travel the country or the world to see horses in person. And the costs involved – stud fees, mare care, vet bills. All to predict the somewhat unpredictable, to increase the chances for a known outcome. Fortunately, these efforts sometimes payoff. Other times, recessive genes rear their ugly head, resulting in undesirable markings, lack of speed or “cowiness,” or conformation or health issues. Sometimes a disappointing result has no explanation.

God has gone to great lengths in creating us as well. He has made each of us wonderfully complex, according to Psalm 139. And Genesis tells us that we are made in his image, which we know is incomprehensibly complex.

Genesis 1:27: “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Think what that means! Just like a horse breeder carefully chooses his crosses for a predictable outcome, the Lord has created each of us to take after him. He has shaped each of us as a potter shapes a clay pot; as a breeder calculates the odds of a desirable foal. In our case, there are no disappointing results – we are exactly as God designed us.

The complexity of each of our bodies, our spirits, our thoughts and emotions is a sign of God’s love for us. He certainly would not go to so much trouble if he didn’t love us, would he?

How does that make you feel? Honored? Do you sense a responsibility to become more Godly or to serve him because you’ve gained an understanding that we were created in His image? If you tend to have a critical self image how can this realization change your thinking about who you are physically, emotionally and spiritually?

Know and trust that you have been made exactly as God designed you.

Romans 9:20b: Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”

Questions for reflection:
1. If you have bred a horse, how have you chosen the mare and stud crosses? What were the outcomes of those matches? What results were as you predicted?

2. How does it make you feel to know that you have been made by God and in His image?

3. In what ways do feel like you don’t measure up to your own or others’ expectations? Why? When do these emotions arise?

29 Nov

Stop Being So Emotional

Posted by Amy in random thoughts. Tagged: , , , .

It strikes me that our society can be void of positive emotions. (Maybe it’s a Midwest thing — all of us Scandinavians or Germans are so stoic.) We do our best not to express our feelings unless we’re feeling angry. Why?

I find it sad. Sad that we aren’t comfortable letting others see who we really are or how we’re feeling. Sad that we may hold back because we perceive others may see us as weak or overly emotional.

The thought first occurred to me at my grandma’s wake a few weeks ago. Family members did their best not to cry. I couldn’t look at my younger cousin because her grief triggered my tears. For Pete’s sake, if you can’t cry when someone dies, when can you? I find myself crying more openly at a sappy, fictitious chic flick than I did at my grandma’s graveside.

In Matthew 5, Jesus said “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” That tells me it’s okay to mourn. It’s okay to cry. It’s natural.

Somewhere in our upbringing, however, we were conditioned not to show our emotions. Crying at work was a sign of weakness. Laughing too much may mean that you don’t take things seriously enough. You might be seen as “flakey.”

The exception is anger. People are all too quick to express their dissatisfaction and outrage. Crabbyness at the grocery store checkout lanes. Road rage. Impatience with children. Anger is all around us and yet smiles, laughter and even healthy sadness are squelched. Maybe we need to focus more on expressing joy and laughter than frustration and anger?

God created us with the full range of emotions. Stifling our emotions is as unnatural as repressing our need to eat. Either we express our emotions in a balanced way, or eat at regular intervals, or we end up bingeing on emotions or food until we are satisfied. Neither is healthy. Suppressing emotions leads to a lack of peace and contentment in life.

When was the last time you had a belly-aching laugh? Have you shed soul-cleansing tears lately? What holds you back from expressing your emotions? Why?

Psalm 30:5b: Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Psalm 94:19: When doubts filled my mind,your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Psalm 126:2 We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy.
James 1:20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

26 Nov

Answered Prayers

Posted by Amy in random thoughts. Tagged: .

Thanksgiving seems like the perfect time to look back at my prayer journal to see how God has answered my prayers this past year. I believe that God answers all prayers — by saying “yes,” “no,” or “not now.” He always has our best interests at heart, so if he doesn’t answer prayers as we request, it’s because it’s not right for us and he has something else in mind for us.

So here’s summary of some of the answered prayers this past year (private petitions omitted):

Healing of friend’s sister of pneumonia
Guidance for friend’s decision to go on mission trip (she went)
Raise up leaders for BSF (4 new leaders answered the call)
Dismissal of lawsuit brought against family member (dismissed in Sept.)
Healing of grandma’s pneumonia (eternal healing)
No glitches in cousin’s wedding in Indonesia
Countless petitions for safe travel
Motivation to post regularly to blog (hope the answer’s obvious)
Motivation to finish initial draft and editing of Teachings from the Trail book (finished in August)
Protection from injury while biking and horseback riding
Strength to give up caffeine and pop (success!)
Reconciliation of two marriages
Friend who was told she couldn’t have a baby 8 years ago gave birth to son
Smooth transition for friend’s cross-country move
Healing of friend with cancer (eternal healing)
Remission of cancer for three people
Reduction in size of cancerous tumors for two people
Full recovery for 7 year old who had heart surgery
Hope and provision for Alpha group member
Draw new (right) pastor to position at Hosanna (Ryan Alexander)
Smooth bypass surgery and full recovery for friend’s mom
Smooth heart surgery and complete recovery for relative
Provision for several self employed friends, family members and me (all continue to make ends meet)
Frequent help for me in leading meetings, small groups
Guidance in decisions about clients/new clients for my business
New jobs for four people (still praying for several others)
Peaceful rest for grandma amid her battle with pneumonia
Strength and comfort for those who said goodbye to loved ones this year

How can I think God is anything but faithful as I look over this partial list of answered prayers? It gives me hope for those petitions I continue to bring to him — for economic recovery and job growth, for a cure for cancer, for healing of friends undergoing cancer treatment, for peaceful relationships, for loved ones to come to faith, to bring him honor in all that I do.

Happy Thanksgiving! If you have a minute today, think about all the ways God has answered your prayers and blessed you.

25 Nov

I beg to differ

Posted by Amy in random thoughts. Tagged: , , , .

I’ve been a peacekeeper my whole life – or at least try to be. That’s different than being a peacemaker. Peacekeepers avoid conflict; peacemakers understand that sometimes only conflict or confrontation brings resolution.

Being a peacekeeper causes me to shy away from people who have differing opinions, political views or religious views than me. I avoid confrontation. I won’t read books that may refute what I believe. Being a peacekeeper has caused me to be narrow minded, truthfully. I’m working on overcoming that.

Writing this blog puts my beliefs and opinions out in the open. Unlike a live conversation, I can’t sugar coat my views so that everyone may perceive my opinions to align with their own. As much as I want to be, it’s a little more difficult to be a peacekeeper on these “pages.”

Christ, our example in all things, wasn’t always a peacekeeper. He cleared the temple of merchants who had turned the house of God into a den of thieves and challenged the Pharisees (and popular opinion) on many occasions. He didn’t tell people what they wanted to hear but rather what they needed to hear (i.e., the rich young ruler).

As a blogger, leader and Christian, I won’t always be popular. My Biblical views often don’t agree with society’s views on issues. But I have to be true to Christ first and myself second while at the same time being understanding and loving toward those whose opinions differ from mine.

Michael Hyatt points out that as a leader (and, I might add, a blogger) we will always have critics. His post on how to differentiate and deal with friends, critics and trolls was helpful to me. Perhaps it will help you today, too.

1 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT): Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.

Proverbs 28:23 (NLT): In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.

24 Nov

More Treats

Posted by Amy in devotion. Tagged: , , , , , .

(c) 2008, Amy S. Lewis

I have a bad habit – well, more than one. One in particular is that I enjoy giving my horse treats. Apples. Carrots. Oatmeal cinnamon treats. Peppermints. That’s not necessarily the problem. The problem is that he expects treats from me. He watches my hands intently to see if I’m holding something edible. He nuzzles my coat pockets searching out a treat. Of course, I’m a pushover and give in. Before he’s even swallowed, he’s begging for more. He’s constantly turning his head or nudging me asking for more when I’m trying to saddle him. It’s as if he’s forgotten I had just given him something good. He doesn’t appreciate what I’ve already given him.

How quickly and how often do we do the same with God? Do we remember His past goodness to us as we wait for an answer to prayer? Do we receive an answer to prayer and shortly thereafter question God’s faithfulness or wonder why he appears to be absent from another situation? I know I have.

Psalm 40:5 (NLT):
O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us…
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them.

In Matthew 15:33, Jesus implies that he and the disciples should feed 4,000 people in the middle of nowhere. The practical disciples ask Jesus where he expects them to buy food for 4,000 people. Seems logical until we remember that just a few days previously Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 with just five loaves of bread and two fish. How quickly the disciples forgot Jesus’ divine abilities.

We too need to remember His divinity and what he’s done for us in the past in order to trust him for the future. What prayer have you consistently prayed that has yet to be answered? What previous answered prayer do you recall that might help you rest in His faithfulness for your current prayer? What prayer will you bring to Him with renewed zeal as you remember what He has done? In this season of Thanksgiving, will you remember how He’s cared for you and answered your prayers, and then thank Him for all He has done, and will do?

Lamentations 3:23,25 (NLT):
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning…
The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.

Just like Ernie will continue seeking treats from me, knowing I’ve delivered in the past, we need to continue praying to God, trusting in His eternal faithfulness and thanking Him for all He has done. He has been so good to us.

Colossians 2:7 (NLT): Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Questions for reflection:
1. What prayer have you consistently prayed that has yet to be answered? Can you see how God may be slowly working to answer your prayer?

2. What previous answered prayer do you recall that might help you rest in His faithfulness for your current prayer?

3. What prayer will you bring to Him with renewed zeal as you remember what He has done previously? For encouragement, see Luke 18:18.

23 Nov

Thanksgiving before Christmas

Posted by Amy in random thoughts. Tagged: , , , .

It’s hard to tell sometimes that Thanksgiving is a few days away. Christmas has overtaken Thanksgiving in the stores, on radio stations, in our newspapers. Our materialistic society wants to skip right over Thanksgiving and get to Christmas. Retailers want us to start shopping early, especially in recessionary times, because we buy more and spend more.

I think there’s a reason Thanksgiving falls before Christmas. I believe that if we truly focus on the meaning of Thanksgiving — the acknowledgement of the blessings in our lives — we will be more satisfied with what we have in our lives and will spend less on Christmas. If we focus on being thankful for what we have, we will realize how full our lives already are. We will have a better sense of what we need versus what we want.

The line between need and want is easily blurred in our society. Advertising convinces us we need new clothes, a more economical vehicle, a “more practical” computer, or a winter getaway to somewhere warm. It causes us to be discontent with what we have. It’s designed to stir emotions within us to convince us that we need something rather than just want it.

Rather than letting society’s Christmas crowd out Thanksgiving, let’s allow Thanksgiving to crowd out society’s Christmas. Let’s focus on being thankful for what we have rather than desiring what we don’t. Let’s be thankful for Christ, the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Proverbs 10:22 (NLT): The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.

Colossians 3:5 (NIV): Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

21 Nov

Choosing Thankfulness

Posted by Amy in random thoughts. Tagged: , , .

Thankfulness is a choice.

My family and I buried my grandmother yesterday. We can choose to say, “thank you, God, for the time with her,” or we can focus on our loss. I can thank God for grandma’s long life and her influence on my family and me, or I can be angry that death is even a part of life. In either case, I can be sad. Being thankful is the healthier choice.

This Thanksgiving when so many people are unemployed or facing foreclosure, and the headlines always seem to be discouraging, we need to choose to be thankful. Thankful for what we do have — family, warm weather and sunshine, good health, clean water to drink, freedom to say what you feel or read what you choose, etc. I don’t mean to make light of problems. There are always challenges. I believe, however, that focusing on our problems can lead to increased worry; remembering God’s provision in the past and his eternal faithfulness, we can trust him for today and tomorrow.

In every situation, there’s likely a positive aspect for which you can be thankful. If you’re frustrated at work, be thankful you have a job. If you’re wondering how you’ll afford Christmas this year, thank God for your family with whom you can share Christmas. If your schedule seems overwhelming, choose to be thankful for the friends, work commitments or family activities that are available to you.

This is my challenge to myself today and in this coming week. Be thankful for the car that I hate – because I have a car. Be thankful for my house that’s not a hobby farm – because I have a house. Be thankful for the family who often frustrates me – because I have a family with whom I can share Thanksgiving. Be thankful for the chilly fall weather – because it certainly could be worse for the end of November.

Of course, there are many reasons to be thankful this season that don’t require a positive “spin.” I am thankful for family, friends, my horse, food to eat every day, freedom to worship and read the Bible, etc.

If you’re not feeling so fortunate these days, think of our military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are spending this Thanksgiving apart from their families. They don’t get to choose what to wear each day. They can’t drive down the road without facing potential danger. And they’ll eat their turkey dinner in a giant tent (guessing) with hundreds of other enlisted personnel dressed exactly as they are. Now can you choose to be thankful? If nothing else, be thankful for those military personnel who are serving our country, doing their jobs and protecting (in principle) our freedoms.

Psalm 136 (NLT)
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
8 the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
9 and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever.

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