What Grade Are You In Today?

The Pineapple Story 12-tape series has been such a blessing to me over the years. In the second tape entitled "God’s Grade School" Missionary Otto Koning talks about giving up our reputation, surrendering our worldly belongings, and yielding our rights as we progress through God’s grade school. Now that’s a whole lot of "nuggets" in just one tape.

I’m a bad one for worrying about what others think of me. I’ve certainly gotten better with age but I have wasted a whole lot of time in this department over the years. Mr. Koning talks about turning your reputation over to God ~ letting Him handle what others think of you. It is so true that when we try to control or monitor a situation, so folk will see us in the light that we want them to ~ well, we will most often mess it up. But if we hand it over to God and let Him take care of how others see us ~ the outcome is so much the better. And just think how much easier it is ~ think how much less stressful it is. I think, for me, I’ve been the most concerned when someone thought something of me that wasn’t true. It is so hard to just lay that down and let God handle it ~ but if God can’t handle it then no one can. Let God have your reputation in all things. Mr. Koning also talks about surrendering our worldly possessions to him. He says "Not everything we give to God will turn to gold but we must surrender it all and see what He will do with it." Nothing is ours ~ really. Every single thing in this world belongs to Him. Koning believes that if you don’t surrender all of your possessions you will never get out of first grade in this life. He says, "Don’t have a goal to be rich ~ just serve God. Nothing is important ~ only God." Missionary Koning compares our lives to that of being in grade school. Those situations and experiences that we find ourselves in each day ~ and the way in which we handle them ~ progresses or demotes us in the school of life. Doesn’t life seem like one situation or trial after another? It seems we hardly get through one situation and another is just over the horizon. It is these times that grow us ~ that make us the person God wants us to be. Sometimes we travel through these times and fall with a thud and at other times we soar like eagles. Mr. Koning says, "God wants us Christ like so he puts the pressure on until we surrender in that area." Oh that we would see it that way ~ I would much rather progress onto the next grade ~ fully surrendering ~ rather than holding on and holding back and going through fiery trial after trial.Life is a grade school. We will progress from Grade 1 to Grade 2 to Grade 3 and so on as we yield our rights to God ~ as we yield our will ~ as we yield our worldly possession ~ as we bend under His pressure to be like Him. Oh what love ~ that Christ cares that much for us. Oh what love. Always remember ~ God puts on the pressure because He does love us. It is when we are not under His pressure that we need seriously address what kind of relationship we have with Him. We want God to be working in our lives until we meet Him face to face. Lord bless you.

The Refiner's Fire

It might seem strange to tell you that this evening, at our special Thanksgiving service at church, I gave thanks for something that has been very painful for me this year ~ and at times I wasn't even sure I would survive it ~ that painful thing is God’s Refining Fire. Yet if it were not for this painful thing, I would not be on the journey I am on today.

Have you ever heard the song The Refiner’s Fire? I'm not even sure who penned the song ~ I first heard it on a music CD I purchased from the West Coast Baptist College Chorale Group. I reckon I’ve listened to the song a cazillion times ~ and each time it speaks to me. I know that I know that I know that to be more like my Lord ~ the refiner’s fire is most necessary in my life. Still yet I struggle with an aspect of the process ~ and it is worded well in the chorus of this song ~ "No matter what I may lose I choose the Refiner’s Fire." That is a hard one for me. And I’m not talking about material loss ~ but rather the loss of a precious loved one. Can I completely entrust my greatest earthly treasures to Him? Can I give it all - no matter the cost? I would like to think that I could and yet the thought does scare me. I do know this ~ the life within the refining process far far exceeds the life I once lived outside of it.

There burns a fire with sacred heat
White hot with holy flames
And those who dare pass through its blaze
Will not emerge the same
Some as bronze and some as silver
Some as gold, then with great skill
All are hammered by the sufferings
On the anvil of His will

I'm learning now to trust His touch

To crave the fire's embrace

For though my past with sin was etched

His mercies did erase

Each time His purging cleanses deeper

I'm not sure that I'll survive

Yet the strength in growing weaker

Keeps my hungry soul alive

Chorus ~
The Refiner’s Fire has now become my soul’s desire
Purged and cleansed and purified
That the Lord be glorified
He is consuming my soul
Refining me, making me whole
No matter what I may lose
I choose the Refiner’s Fire.

For He knoweth the way that I take, and when He hath tried me I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10

All Is Vanity Without Him

One night I sat down and read the Book of Ecclesiastes in its entirety ~ it is only 12 chapters in length. The book was written by King Solomon (as was the Book of Proverbs). It has been said while Proverbs reveals Solomon’s wisdom, Ecclesiastes reveals his foolishness.

J. Vernon McGee states that "the key word is ‘vanity’ ~ which occurs 37 times ~ while the key phrase is ‘under the sun’ ~ which occurs 29 times." Another recurring phrase is ‘I said in my heart’ ~ which further reiterates that this ‘man under the sun’ (King Solomon) was sharing his conclusions to living his life away from God. All is vanity indeed. When I finished reading the book I was not uplifted or encouraged as I usually feel when reading The Word. On the contrary, the book was a bit of a downer. God’s Word is inspired ~ it has been accurately recorded ~ but King Solomon living away from God and trying to find love and happiness in all the wrong places was not of God. Yet as with everything in life ~ God can turn anything bad to good that He might be glorified. And the Book of Ecclesiastes is no exception.

King Solomon is on a quest for happiness outside of God’s will and he finds that it simply isn’t possible. Not pleasure and materialism, nor the laws of nature, nor wisdom and philosophy, nor living for the ‘now’ will bring satisfaction and happiness. All is vanity. And that in itself is great encouragement for the Christian ~ to stay close to the Lord ~ for living away from Him will be vanity. The Book of Ecclesiastes is a living testament of that very truth. I don’t know how folk live without Christ. King Solomon’s description was depressing with no hope. So hang in there Christians. These are troubling times. But you can’t go wrong with the Lord. You can’t go wrong with staying in His Word. You can’t go wrong with crying out to Him in prayer. For there is no friend like Jesus - no not one!

Without Him I could do nothing.
Without Him I'd surely fail.
Without Him I would be drifting ~
Like a ship without a sail.
Without Him I would be dying.
Without Him I'd be enslaved.
Without Him life would be worthless ~
But with Jesus, thank God, I'm saved.
(Written by Mylon R. Lefevre)

They sure sound like some lyrics King Solomon could have sung.

My "Thankful" List

Tonight a friend sent me a message that led me to one blog, which led me to another, and then another ~ you know how that is. Anyway, the gist of it all was about showing gratitude to God ~ finding Him in ALL things. The idea is to simply keep a Thanksgiving Journal ~ not just at this time of year but all year long. As I hopped from blog to blog I was finding those who were actually keeping their list online for others to read.

So I decided to follow suit and take the time to truly count my blessings ~ listing them as God lays them on my heart and brings them to my attention. And in so doing, I believe I will be a more thankful person ~ a person more enthusiastic in the harder times of life ~ and hopefully be an encouragement to others that they might count their blessings as well. So here goes....

I am thankful for ~

1. My salvation

2. God's Word

3. Three wonderful daughters that love the Lord

4. A warm bed to sleep in each night

5. Hot cocoa on a cold day

6. My calico cats Callie, Fluffy, and Camie.

7. America

8. Fresh green beans from the garden

9. My mother who led me to the Lord

10. My sister Jo Carol who makes me feel special

11. A beautiful sunrise

12. A rainbow of colors at sunset

I think I will stop there and start again tomorrow. Why don't you try this along with me ~ simply counting your blessings. As the old hymn says "Count your many blessings name them one by one and it might surprise you what the Lord hath done." Amen to that.

My Greatest Treasures

Jesus Christ said Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal (Matthew 6:19-20). I don't have a lot of treasures here on this earth. My greatest treasures are my three daughters ~ Sarah, Katelyn, and Ashley. Thankfully they are treasures that I have "laid up in Heaven." All of these girls have made a profession of faith - asking Jesus Christ to be their Savior. This is the greatest gift that they could ever have given me as their mother.

And I'm so glad that years ago my husband and I made the decision to home school these girls. Fourteen years later each new day continues to brings new blessings. It is without a doubt one of the greatest experiences we have ever had. We live in a day and time where our children are asked to grow up so quickly in so many ways. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to keep the girls in the nest a bit longer ~ guiding, protecting, and preparing them for the world that awaits them. Thank you to my husband for working so hard that I didn't have to work outside the home. Thank you Lord for the glorious opportunity.