The Good Land

My heart is so tender today as I write this. It is always bittersweet when we end a study. On one hand, we celebrate all that God has shown us over the last 7 weeks and on the other hand we are sad to close that last page. Today, as you complete your lesson, you stand on the brink of something new. I want to challenge you today to not get stuck on the edge but to move forward to all that the LORD has promised you.

The Israelites stood on the edge of the land that Yahweh promised them, a good land (Dt. 8:7) with everything they would need to sustain them, but fear and doubt, that God would not fulfill His promises, kept them in the wilderness for 40 years. I wondered a couple of things this week: have you been in a wilderness season and gotten so used to it that moving forward is harder than staying where you are? Instead of a dreaded place, the wilderness has become safe for you. You may have been led to the wilderness to learn something about the LORD, as the Israelites were, but there is coming a day and it may be today, that the LORD is saying, "Daughter, isn't it time for you to experience the promises."

I wondered this week, if you have turned around one more time to look back at what you have laid down? "It takes faith to say goodbye, it takes faith to say hello. The real travesty is going through all the pain of a goodbye but never enjoying the fulfillment of a new hello." (Page 173)

Oh, sweet sisters, your Creator did not make you to stay standing on the edge of something wonderful, never experiencing your own Promised Land. You have promises to claim from a God who is absolutely crazy about you. I wondered how many promises those other gods in our lives have made and then kept? I can't think of one. Our God cannot lie. Our God is able. Do you believe that today?

Will it be easy? Probably not. He doesn't ever promise easy. But it will be a good place. A place where you can experience joy and peace, a place where every need is supplied (every need, not every want), a place where you can have confidence and boldness to go to the throne of grace because He says you are chosen, you are royalty, you are a priest, you belong to Him and this is your home. You have before you today a great inheritance waiting for you. One that did not come cheaply, bought with the blood of Christ. Easy, no it's not easy to get there but you will never be alone in the journey.

Last night the LORD woke me with a thought. God reminded me in Joshua that the priests were called to move forward in faith, carrying the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders, and step their feet into the swollen water of the Jordan, not knowing how they were going to navigate the entire nation across the river. (Another instance where God said "go" without giving all the details).

When they stepped in the muddy Jordan, the waters down river piled up and the nation of Israel crossed over to the Promised Land on dry land. Here's what God showed me. Those four priests stood in the middle of the Jordan, holding tight to the Ark (the very presence of God) for a VERY long time. About 2 million people had to cross over the river to the Promised Land. Talk about hard work. I was reminded about how long it takes to get out of the church parking lot after service, or out of the stadium after a Panther's game, or even evacuating large numbers of people from Florida during a storm (and they have vehicles). It had to take a long time for the nation of Israel to get to the other side and His priests did what was necessary to get the blessing of the other side. It couldn't have been an easy task for the priest. The ark was heavy; their arms and shoulders must have ached. How long were they standing as the children of God hurried across?

Beloved, God is calling you to lay down those things that weight you down, that promise you a bunch of nothing and deliver even less, to walk away and not look back and step your painted toes into the unknown waters. Hold on to Him tight- that's your job as priest. Hold on, stand so others can clearly see the way, and take claim of what is yours today. It's a good land.

Step in sisters, step in.

Walking the Walk

The first line says it all. "Walking away from our idols is a lifelong process." UGH! We like the quick fix and the magic formula, don't we? LORD, I have this in my life, now be gone! But the LORD seldom works that way for most of us…

He expects us to be like Abraham, walking without the details and showing us the way, step by step. I'm a detail girl…my prior business, in commercial design, was based on knowing and anticipating the details. I like to study the blueprint, see where the problem areas might be before I begin and code the items ahead of time. I build in contingencies, you know in case we've missed something somewhere. After all that, the drawings are stamped by the architect, reviewed by code officials and THEN we move. Clearly, in God's world, due diligence isn't what He's looking for.

Why did that wonderful hymn, Trust and Obey just pop into my mind? (I'm not kidding). Trust and obey, for there's no other way… and now I have visions of Kelly's little cousin, saying "I'm sitting down the outside, but in my heart I'm standing up." In God's economy, we can't have one of those without the other, they are spiritual twins! If we trust, but don't follow through with obedience, then did we truly trust? If we obey but don't really trust then we're like Jonah, missing the 18" connection from the brain to the heart. Trust and obedience have to go hand in hand, even when we don't know the path, even when we don't have the details. Process…

The truth of the matter is there is no formula, because we can't do it ourselves. We have to seek God's help, we can't exercise or diet our way into spiritual fitness in our own power. God has to strengthen us to make the heart change and He will because He is crazy in love with us! You want to put down an idol; you have to bathe it in prayer. Lots of prayer. "You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest…" (Isaiah 62:6).

Beloved, we've walked a good way over these past six weeks. We've come so far – don't give up now, commit to the process that the LORD has for you. It will be different for each one of us, so don't compare what God is doing for you with what He's doing with your friend. Remember, Peter asked, what about John and Jesus said, worry about yourself, Peter. I'll worry about John. (my abridged version). We're about to enter our last week of study together, so stay strong. Pray without ceasing and keep your eyes on Jesus – No Other God is worth the time!

Finally, Kelly (page 145) said, "there are things that we can't make sense of. Things that sometimes our idols can explain much better. And when they can't explain them, they can at least make us feel really good in our confusion" Girlfriend, there is a nutshell is why my hips are getting bigger…

Let's work on really seeking the LORD when those old idols call us back. Let's fill up those empty places with words that satisfy and promises that have never been broken, the REAL comfort food.

See you at the throne this week!

 

Bumper Stickers

This past week on vacation, God reminded me (again) of how very small I am. It didn't matter which perspective I took, from the bottom of the mountain looking up or from the top looking down, I couldn't escape His enormity. Oh, the landscape surely is enough to remind anyone that our Creator is HUGE, but the thing that really convicted me was the bumper sticker. On a crowded highway, the pickup truck alongside of us sported a bumper sticker that proudly said, "My God is BIGGER than My Cancer!"

I couldn't help but look inside the cab, as I silently said a prayer for this precious one; would I be able to discern which of the occupants was fighting the fight of their life? And there she was, pink shirt, pink bandana wrapped around her smooth head.

It wasn't the size of the mountain that that the LORD used to teach me, but the size of her faith. I just pictured her waving the banner of her LORD, Jehovah Nissi. The LORD is my Banner; the LORD is my victory (Exodus 17:15). The banner is the standard that goes before the army to indicate whom it represents. The LORD is my Banner says that we are God's people and He is my God. That is all I had to know about her and all she wanted anyone to know.

How do we let the LORD get so small in our eyes? (Day 4, page 134). I think it is based on our experience with Him and how we see Him. In the Hebrew culture, a name described a person's character or nature. So it is with the names of God. The names of God remind us of who He is, and what He has done, and what He will do. As I review the names, titles and description of God, He increases in size and I would challenge you this week to begin to do that. Then imagine your own bumper sticker saying, "My God is Bigger than my (fill in the blank)!" That's true worship.

Because I'm so technically challenged…and we're having issues with the blog on the church server, I have a list that I have copied from Blackaby's Experiencing God, that I am happy to forward you by email. If you'd like a copy, email me at donnafugarino@hgbc.org, and I will send it to you. It is a great way to be reminded of just how BIG our God is.

Kelly asked the question: "have you ever had an experience with a physical idol?" I have a confession…I have an actual idol in my house. Before you begin praying for my soul, let me tell you the story. I have a friend, Charlé, who traveled to China regularly several years ago, as an importer of Chinese furniture into this country. She had tried many times to teach me to cook authentic Chinese cuisine. Of all things, I stumbled most on the rice. Either I would be waiting on it to soak up all the liquid (meaning it was underdone) while the rest of meal was overcooking, or the rice was too sticky (overdone). I guess I peeked into the pan one time too many… It became a running joke, and on one trip from China she brought me a present, an antique rice god. It was fashioned out of antique Chinese coins and gold plate by some rice farmer, I guess. We had a really good laugh as she said, "maybe this will help your rice skills!"

Can I just tell you…this little piece of metal, that is a great piece of Oriental art, certainly was no help at all in the rice department at the Fugarino house! It is the only thing that silly thing had to do and it couldn't even do that… go figure!

As I look at my list of all God is and all God has done, how can anything compare in our lives? We're at that stage in our study where we're tearing down and tearing out those things that are taking up space in our lives. Now is the place where we have to be sure to fill those empty spaces with the One True God. The One who created the rice, for crying out loud, and who sustained it and mercifully packaged it in little bags that I can put in the microwave for perfect rice every time!

This week, as Kelly suggests (page 125) let's stop spending so much time on trying to get rid of rebellion, lust, jealousy, materialism, addictions and whatever other idols rule our lives, and spend ourselves on knowing, truly knowing God.

Check your basement for unopened spiritual guitar cases…what's stopping you from opening them. Last week, my husband, Joe, had planned a grand finale of hikes for our last day. I have to say that I was less than thrilled because it had a difficulty label that read "strenuous". As the week drew to a close, I was contemplating a dozen scenarios that might help me avoid this trail…I was afraid it would be too hard for me. Every other hike we completed had said "moderate" and they were really tough. I so wanted to leave this guitar case unopened, until Joe pointed out that I was focusing all my attention on a word, "strenuous" and I was willing to let a word keep me from the climb. Hmmm, that will preach!

Anyway, Friday morning, we hiked what was probably one of the most beautiful trails we have EVER hiked. I made it to the destination and it was easier that the previous hikes we did earlier in the week. I am humbled by what I might have missed and what I have surely missed before.

God you are mighty, bigger and mightier than anything or anyone that I can imagine and I pray that this week as we continue this study that we will not settle for unopened cases that bear labels that keep us from knowing You. You are worth the climb!

New Hellos

I'm on vacation this week, so I'm posting a little early this week. I didn't think you would mind. We're climbing some mountains, literally, we're hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains and I can't wait to see what God will show us along the trail.

We'll be on trails we've never been on before and sometimes that's scary because we're trusting that what we see when we get to the top is worth all the effort (and shortness of breath) as we climb. Sometimes, it's a bit dangerous. Twisted ankles, dehydration and well, bears are all possibilities along the trail. But we have a map to depend on; and we've researched the trail and we trust that the author is correct when he says there is something wonderful at the summit. We're rarely disappointed.

If only I would approach spiritual mountains the same way. One foot in front of the other, just keep going, the Guide says it will be worth it when I get to the top. In fact, He'll walk right there beside me. I know this Guide and what He says is trustworthy and true, but with Him, I still hesitate...are you sure?

A good hiker watches what's in her backpack. There are some things you need that are good and useful but then there are also some things that just add weight and ultimately hold you back. When the mountain is looming ahead, you don't need added weight to hinder your climb. But I don't want to say goodbye to my stuff!! So, I pack it neatly and hoist it to my back and huff and puff under the burden, just in case something unexpected happens. Be prepared, isn't that right? The unknown before me is sometimes bigger than the giant I see. Facing the unknown without my props is even harder.

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." Corrie Ten Boom

I've been studying Jeremiah in my quiet time this week. Jeremiah was a reluctant prophet who was given the assignment to give the stern warning to Judah about the coming judgement. Judgement of what? Check this out:

Jeremiah 1:16 "I will pronounce my judgements on them (Judah) concerning all their wickedness, whereby they have forsaken Me and offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands." The LORD continues in 2:5, "What injustice did your fathers find in Me, that they went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty?" (Is that the leanness of the soul we studied?) LORD, can you be talking about me? Have I sacrificed (time, effort, money) to the works of my own hands, things that in reality just leave me empty but weigh a ton?

Why are we carrying these things in our packs, girlfriends? In Jeremiah 10 (you should read the entire chapter) the LORD points out the absurdity of the things we rely on instead of Him. He says, (my abridged version), "this stuff you're carrying around is like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, it can't speak, in fact, it can't walk, it doesn't help you walk, you have to carry it." (v5).
Jeremiah asks Judah, "did they (little g gods) create anything themselves...no, "there is no breath in them." (v 14).

Do I need a god that I have to carry? Do I need a god that needs me to do everything for it? Isn't that backward? Indeed!

Hmmm, how foolish to carry extra weight that can't even carry itself!! How foolish to carry things in my pack that will just cause me to breath harder from the effort of carrying them around! "Where are your gods which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you." (Jeremiah 2:28). Think about it; it's absurd, isn't it? We made them, they didn't make us.

It's time to lighten the load in my pack and say goodbye to stuff I've been packing that's too heavy to carry. We're not pack animals, we walk on two legs. We weren't made to carry junk. If it can't walk beside me (thank you Jesus for promising to walk beside me), then I don't need to drag this junk anymore. I've got everything I need for the trip right beside me!

How about you? Got something you need to say goodbye to? Are there things taking up precious space in your life that the LORD says you don't need because you have everything you already need? Or maybe you already laid it down but sometimes you just want to run back and get it, goodbyes are hard!

Let's check: Can it save you when you're in trouble? Can it speak words of comfort when you need them or is it a scarecrow in the cucumber field? Can it create new life in you? Can it walk beside you? Will it rejoice over you with singing? (Zephaniah 3:17)

It's time to say some goodbyes and some new hellos. Let's get reacquainted with the real Guide.

I'll meet you on the summit; the Guide says it's worth the effort to get there. I'm going to trust Him. Wow, I just lost some weight...that's the best diet I've ever been on!

Love you gals!
Donna

A Tale of Two Sisters

This week we looked a tale of two sisters, Leah and Rachel, as we studied, The Problem with Idols. King Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun. And our scripture text (Genesis 29-30) confirms it. The very things that Leah and Rachel experienced all those years ago still plague us today.

Just look at the two descriptions of the sisters. "And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face." Now that's a comparison in contrasts. The outstanding attribute to describe Leah was weak eyes! Commentaries are split in exactly what this means. Some say that it means exactly what it says, she had bad eyesight. Perhaps she walked around squinting to see, she might have been prone to bumping into things. What in the world did people do when they couldn't see back then, Lens Crafters wasn't just around the corner? For someone who can't see beyond 3 feet in front of her without the aid of contact lens, I can relate to how isolated you might feel when you can't see clearly what is in front of you. Perhaps you withdraw for safety's sake or because you appear bumbling or because someone has made fun of you. Other scholars think that the Hebrew word "weak" means "dull, not sparkling or vivacious", so perhaps she was sullen and sad, depressed (maybe because she couldn't see; it could be both meanings). Either way the comparison is not favorable. Even their Hebrew names set a direct contrast. Rachel (the beautiful, lovely one) means "ewe", but Leah, on the other hand, bless her heart, means "wild cow" (thanks a lot mom and dad)!

Whatever the meaning of "weak" eyes, one thing is certain, Rachel was physically beautiful and Leah was not. Rachel was loved by Jacob; Leah was not. Ann Spangler writes how Leah might have felt, "we buried my sister Rachel today. But she is still alive. I catch glimpses of her in Jacob's broken heart, in dark-eyed Joseph and little Benjamin, his favorite sons. Rachel's sons…" So sad.

She continues by saying, "with the birth of each child the unhappy Leah hoped to secure her husband's affection. But each time her disappointment grew. She felt the old curse asserting itself: 'Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you.'" (Gen 3:16)

Rachel behaved like a victim. Her struggle was not in being unloved; Jacob adored her. She became so intensely focused on comparing herself to Leah who now has a houseful of children, that she demanded Jacob give her a child! Each of them wanted desperately something the other had. It became the only thing they could think of.

The world tells us that desperate times call for desperate measures, but God says desperate times call for more of God! In moments of desperation, we lose our balance and focus, the balance of loving people or idolizing them. It wasn't until her fourth child, Judah, that Leah simply praised the LORD (Gen 29:35). Ann Spangler said that "Leah, not Rachel, was destined to be his first AND last wife… the promise of a Savior was carried not through Rachel's Joseph but through Leah's Judah…and in the end Jacob was laid to rest next to his first wife, Leah, rather than his favorite wife Rachel."

Makes me wonder how many ways the LORD wanted to bless the sisters if they had put Him before other people. Had they made the LORD their focus from the beginning, how would their lives been different? How would ours?

This week, let's think about these things:

What happens when desire becomes the driving force in your life? Discontentment is a trap. It leads us to think that what was enough is no longer enough. What do you long for that you don't have? How can you tell if your longing has crossed the line?

What is the ultimate thing in your life? Is it balanced and healthy or is it unbalanced or lop-sided? Page 90, Kelly says, "it doesn't matter if you have it all and get everything your heart desires, or if you're left wanting and unloved. Neither works. The two women had vastly different circumstances, yet both were left hungry. Why? Because God was not their ultimate thing." What price are you willing to pay to get the ultimate thing?

Kelly says that, "no matter how amazing a person is humans always make terrible gods." Look at page 83 discuss the last paragraph, "when we esteem the world, its beliefs, or anything in the world and make it our god, it is as if we are breaking union with Christ, looking for our needs to be met elsewhere… so when we look to idols we are being unfaithful to Him. This idolatry is the root of jealousy, which is the root of fighting and quarrels and wars." Oh My or Oh Me?

Lastly, remember that we serve a God of grace. Let's praise Him. If you are like me, you've probably been beat up a little over this study, God saw Leah's suffering and had compassion on her. How aware are you of God's compassion for you? Remember that wherever you are, whatever circumstance, He is all you need, He is enough. Pray this week that nothing will hinder you from placing the LORD first and receiving all that He has to offer you.

"I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13

It's All God, baby!

Donna

 

True Worship

Behind every false god is a lie. What's the biggest lie you've ever believed? Oh, we could have some fun with this and I'd love to hear a story of something that someone got over on you, because I have a bunch (it's how God keeps me humble). I am amazed at some things that I have believed because someone was a real good story teller…how about you?

Just like the lizard, we can be seduced by what we surely believe is truth only to find ourselves with our head in a can, at best looking foolish, at worst, well, dead…

Kelly led us to Paul's second letter to Timothy. I have to say it is one of my favorite books because it talks so much about God's Word, what it is to us, how we handle it and apply it. And Paul offers stern warnings also. In fact, he points out to us that we as women are particularly vulnerable to deceit.

You may think Paul is a woman basher. He does, after all, call women "weak-willed". But Paul is not bashing us – he is teaching us… I happen to believe that Paul is a great supporter of women, but that's a post for a different day.

This is why I love the word of God and it is also where we can get into so much trouble. So let me share a couple of things that we need to be mindful of. There is one interpretation of scripture but many applications to our lives. That means that we can't take a position and then look for a scripture to back us up…it should be the other way around. Scripture teaches and guides us, then our position lines up to His Word. Secondly, be sure you know who's doing the talking. Check what the scripture says. Look at it in context; get a good lexicon or commentary to help you understand the meaning of the words (a keyword Bible is great). Just a change from "the" to "a" can take us from gospel truth to a cult. Read your Bible.

So, how come Paul says we're weak willed? Paul is saying that we are emotion driven. It's how God wired us; we are fearfully and wonderfully made, just the way the LORD wanted. We are touchy, feely creatures, but Paul says we need to be careful. Emotions (2 Timothy 3:7) can keep us always seeking but never coming to truth. We can look godly on the exterior but it hasn't sunk through to the heart.

"The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God. They look for a feeling, and if it happens, they conclude that they have worshiped. Wrong! In fact, God often removes our feelings so we won't depend on them. Seeking a feeling, even the feeling of closeness to Christ, is not worship." Dr. Joe B. Brown

Oh, sisters, we can get really turned around on this very thing and make our worship all about us and not about Jesus. Worship isn't about the music; it isn't about the feeling or being comfortable at all. Worship is about Jesus and for Jesus. And if Jesus isn't our focus then we aren't worshipping. JESUS IS LORD!

Kelly makes a great point about the little things that "creep" into our lives from the media, movies, and magazines and even on our iPods; we live in a culture that keeps our senses stimulated. But do we need all that? Are we just conditioning ourselves for more of the same and when we feel devoid of stimulation, we seek to create it? I see a golden calf popping out of the fire…

Paul says, "for a time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from truth, and will turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4

It is time that we stop wanting to have our ears tickled and stop and look for the face of Jesus. Jesus said, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray.

This week, take a look at all the stimuli around you. What are you watching, reading, and listening to? Is there something that God might want to purify (or purge) in your life?

Page 69, Kelly asks: are you routinely putting yourself in front of things that compromise the good the Lord wants to accomplish in you?

Check out page 70 and ask yourself, "am I willing to seek the truth or I am still looking for a loophole?"

The enemy is real. He is prowling. Watch and pray. Know what Jesus says. Apply it to your life and we'll give no space in worship to anyone or anything but JESUS!

Donna

 

 

 

Technology Issues and General Distractions

Hey NOGs! I haven't forgot you; we're having some technical issues from my end…our blog is being blocked by our server! I have a lesson for you and hopefully will be posting very soon!

Donna