Out of Laodicea

While God was preparing Revelations for the churches, He was also preparing a message for us. I have heard a number of sermons on the letter to the church of Laodicea. Each sermon makes a clear connection between that church and the church of the United States, particularly the church of the “rich.” Revelations 3:15-17 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are luke-warm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” Yup. We are blind, naked, wretched, pitiful, poor, and can I add: asleep. Twice in Proverbs God warns us about “sleeping” Proverbs 24:33 and Proverbs 6:10 both say: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come upon you like a poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.” God has shown me the connection to staying spiritually awake!




I beg God to keep me spiritually awake. It is sometimes way too easy to nod off in our culture. Another great example from scripture is also in Proverbs: Proverbs 30:8-9 “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”



If I am really to draw a parallel between falling asleep in the spirit and being like the church of Laodicea, I have to realize that the solution is to stay awake. But staying awake is very uncomfortable. And one thing I realized is that I don’t like being uncomfortable. In fact, if I really examine my response to the prayer in Proverbs 30, I actually would rather have “too much.” YIKES! That is a scary place to be. Ahhh, too much and I get comfortable, I rely on myself, I forget about God, and I go. To. Sleep…



NO! Stay awake! In the garden at Gethsemane, Jesus BEGGED his disciples to STAY AWAKE! No caffeine pills there. But this is a different type of awake. To stay awake, I am trying to do what God has for me even if it seems uncomfortable.  Actually, especially if it seems uncomfortable!  Sooooo, the move is on! We are off to a new city in a few days. And we have already taken the first step in the next adoption process.  We are wasting no time bringing more kids home. One thing that all parents can attest to is that kids keep you AWAKE!



Another section of scripture that was brought to my attention was the battle of Joshua. As they prepared to enter the promise land, they had Passover and then they ate from the fruit of the land and that was the end of the manna. 2 things crossed my mind as I was reading about this: 1. God expects us to work. When work can be done, we need to get out the hoe and do it. 2. God’s provision is there when we need it, but it won’t be there if we rely only on our own strength and provision. Wow.



God made all things. Why then do I get comfortable with my own provision, focus on my own resources, and then fall asleep? Why after the clear lessons here would I allow myself to do that? Easy: It is EASY! Staying awake is HARD and uncomfortable at times. But the rewards are huge! Here is the promise: Revelations 3:19-21 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am ! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and him with me. To him who over comes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne just as I over came and sat down with my Father on his throne.



Francis Chan reminded me in a sermon this week about what that throne looks like: There was a sea of glass as clear as crystal; creatures singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come.” There were elders in white robes with golden crowns…etc. And we can sit there. An honored guest. Witness to all of this! It is ours if we “overcome.”



Please God. Please keep me awake. Please stop me from becoming to content so that I don’t forget you. Please keep me in your power so that I don’t become afraid. Let me look to you as my Rock, my Fortress, and my hiding place. Thank you Lord for the promises that are true. Amen.

Memorial Box Monday

A letter about answered prayer I wrote to my "friend" Linny (who I have mentioned before - here -)

Hi Linny,

I am so thankful that you have been calling these “corporate” days of fasting and praying!!! God is so good and is so faithful to answer the prayers of his people! I have been able to participate with everyone and it is so awesome and amazing. This last time, I asked for prayer. I wanted to post an answer right away, but I didn’t want to post until the answer was complete. Now, I am not sure where to put this, so I am sending it to you. Maybe it is only meant for your eyes, but I am so giddy with excitement!

My prayer request was for our purchase of our new home. We are “legally” maxed out in this home. We want a HUGE family, (We have 4. 2 bio kids and 2 adopted through foster care.) We think God has 2 to 4 more through foster care and then a bunch of kids around the world. We hope at least 2 in Uganda. So…our small house wouldn’t cut it. There were so many things that had to fall into place, that I thought there would be no way we would get this home. Another email, I will tell you how great this specific house would be and how it came in right under budget! Anyway, my friend Leah had posted an email asking for prayer for our adoption ministry. She got an awesome answer to her prayer and stopped at my house to share and we jumped for joy! (You posted her answer.) I walked into my house after hearing that news and found my husband telling me that one of the major hurdles to the new home was CLEARED!!! I wanted to post then, but we had one more big one to go. That big hurdle was cleared yesterday!! It looks like we have a move date of Mid November! Woo Hoo!!! God is so amazing! I finally feel I can share. BUT! It is so awesome that the very day after our day of prayer, the very moment after I learned of a wonderful answer to an important request made by my friend, God would also give an answer to me and then follow it through to completion! I am looking forward to starting the homestudy as soon as we move! Talk about Yipee Jesus!

THANK YOU so much for listening so carefully to God’s voice and following through! I sure hope you are as encouraged and excited as I am. (Oh and also, I have to meet you in person one of these days because when I refer to “my friend, Linny” people look at me funny.

Love to you!

Sandi

Psalm 121

We walked through the lanes of "Fright Fest" at Discovery Kingdom this weekend.  Not on purpose.  We went for a cheerleading competition and the fact that "Fright Fest" existed was not on my radar.  As we navigated through the park, avoiding the scariest routes, my little guy noticed some frightful decorations and displays.  Passing us to get to the performance areas were more costume wearing "zombies."  The festivities honored the name.  It was repulsive to me, but very frightening for my littlest two, especially Emilio.

As we walked, I was diligently previewing the upcoming visual displays being sure to distract Emilio as often as possible.  There were times, however that there was simply no where to look except at Kevin, his dad.  I would say to him, "Emilio, just look at your dad.  Keep your eyes focused on him and you won't even see the scary stuff.  Just don't look anywhere but at your daddy."  Emilio did.  He watched his dad like crazy and when he looked away, he quickly covered his eyes and refocused them back on Kevin.  When he was looking at Kevin he felt happy and safe but as soon as he turned to look away, he was scared.

Everyday God uses these precious treasures to teach me just what God wants me to know.  Of course, the common theme lately:  The Move.  I am scared.  I am also scared about having a big family, about adopting again, etc.  So, where do my eyes need to be focused?  On my Heavenly Daddy.  If I keep my eyes there, not look to the "left or the right" I will not be afraid.  I can feel happy and safe and satisfied.  If I allow myself to glance around.  I will be scared.  God asks me to keep my eyes on Him.  I am so thankful!  Psalm 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD the Maker of heaven and earth.

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As we get closer to the move and to what we believe is God's will for our lives, I am frightened.  I worry about everything.  I know how hard it is when new kids come into our home.  I know it will be a challenge for all of us.  Unfortunately, (or so I thought) everywhere I turn these days, God is showing me that His path isn't always easy.  In fact, it can be down right painful. 

As of last Sunday, the message of "difficulty" was brought to my attention 3 times.  Then, I read Katie's blog and realized that she also gets discouraged sometimes.  After that, in my own studies, I read about Paul in Acts 21:10-14  After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "the Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and  will hand him over to the Gentiles."  When we heard this, we and the people other pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.  Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?  I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."  When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."

I prayed.  Please LORD!  Give me the strength of Paul.  How do I knowingly walk into danger and still embrace it?

The "funny" thing is that I know I am not entering into any sort of "danger" but I have no illusions as to the difficulty of my journey.  When I allow the fear to enter my thoughts, though I am hesitant to take the next step.  Then God showed me that it isn't MY courage that I will need.  I won't need courage at all.  I will be compelled.  Like I found in Jeremiah 20:9  But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name, his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.  I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."

God is answering my prayer for courage, first by showing me in scripture that His will is compelling, but also through the book "A Million Miles in a Thousand years" by Donald Miller.  He writes:  "...and once you live a good story, you get a taste for a kind of meaning in life, and you can't go back to being normal;  you can't go back to meaningless scenes stitched together by the forgettable thread of wasted time."  and then, talking about when things get tough..."I think this is when most people give up on their stories.  They come out of college wanting to change the world, wanting to get married, wanting to have kids and change the way people buy office supplies, but they get into the middle and discover it was harder than they thought.  They take it out on their spouses and they go looking for an easier story."

As I have come to the conclusions:  It will be hard.  I am compelled.  I was still left with the wonder of how to proceed, not quit, through the tough times.  God gave me Francis Chan.  I am so thankful for God's provision of shepherds to help me find His way.  God showed me through Francis' sermon the last link that I was missing.  This is "GOD'S PARTY."  I am NOT inviting God to join me, but God is inviting me to join Him.  God showed me:  Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."  (Mathew 28:19)  It is the God who made the world, who hung the stars, who creates the "supernatural" events that leaves people in wonder.  What do I have to fear if He is with me...better yet, I am with Him!  It is His party, I am just a guest.  One of the last chapters in Donald Miller's book was titled, "A Tree in a Story about a Forest."  That was a great reminder.  I am just a tree.  God's story is about the whole forrest and that story is way more interesting. 

My prayer now is:  Thank you Lord for letting me be that tree in this story.  Help me remember that YOU are the one in control of all things.  To Jesus, You have given power and authority over everything - that there is nothing left out.  If I believe this is true then there is nothing I have to fear.  Praise You Lord that I can be invited to Your party.  That I can watch Your majesty unfold in the world.  I pray that when I am weak, You will refocus my attention back to You so that I won't quit and look for an easier story to belong in.  Through Jesus' authority, I pray.  AMEN