"Wallflower"

What is a wallflower?  The girl who is never asked to dance; she is so painfully shy that she literally melts into the wall. She holds her head down and because she knows that she will not be chosen to dance, or at least, so she thinks. Walls, what are their purposes? For me, I built walls to protect myself from the pain that others brought and just life itself. Yet, God declares that, "this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant" (Isa 30:13). God tells the Israelites that they trusted in their walls, other means of salvation and deliverance, in this case, the Egyptians. Yet, those very walls would crash and ultimately, destroy them.

In fact, "It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern" (v. 14). God promises nothing useful will be taken from these idolatrous walls. God asks the Israelites and us today to accept his solution, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength" (v.15). God asks  us to trust in Him and not in our own defenses, but how can we do this?

After experiencing pain recently, I was offered the choice of retreating behind my walls, but I knew that those walls were idols that I used to control my emotions. They were vain imaginations that I used instead of leaning my entire personality on Christ.  So, what choice did I have?  I heard God say that He desired for me to know truth in my inner parts (Psalm 51:6): "Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place." What exactly does that mean? It really meant to tear down every vain imagination and high lofty wall I had built that contradicted who God said He made to be and who He was to me. II Corinthians 10:5 declares that we must "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." The truth is  "I am accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:6); "I am more than a conqueror" (Romans 8:37), not this wallflower myth I have believed for so many years. Thank God for freedom! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

Those who have been abused suffer a second-time for not having been believed, so it is tempting to try and prove our innocence. But, God is our vindicator and defender. We cry out to God who delivers us from our enemies. We don’t need walls to retreat behind. We don’t have to deaden our pain through food, exercise, and alcohol. We can come from behind the walls because Adonai Tzvaot, the Lord of Hosts, rouses Himself, to fight on our behalf: "Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered; let those who oppose Him run in defeat from his presence" (Numbers 10:35).There is no fear in love (1 John 4:18). If I fear, I hide behind walls. I become a wallflower. Read the questions and answer them truthfully. What if you could accept what Christ has done for you?

Why does rejection speak louder than Your Acceptance, Y’Shua?

Why does fear speak louder than Your Love, Y’Shua?

Why do curses speak louder than Your Blessings, Y’Shua?

Why do criticisms speak louder than Your Exhortations, Y’Shua?

Why do lies speak louder than Your Promises, Y’Shua?

Why does loneliness speak louder than Your Presence, Y’Shua?

Why does pain speak louder than Your Peace, Y’Shua?

Why does sadness speak louder than Your Joy, Y’Shua?

Why does emptiness speak louder than Your Spirit,  Y’Shua?

Why does doubt speak louder than Your Cross, Y’Shua?

Why does fear speak louder than Your Love, Y'Shua?

Gladly, No longer a Wall-flower,

MJ

"Why the Long Pause?"

I wonder what Ruth thought and felt on the day of  her second betrothal. It had been a long and arduous path she'd taken. From the dusty hills of Moab, thru barren plains, the inhospitableness of desert stretches, to the small village of Bethlehem. Saddled with losses of home, kin, and husband, her outlook certainly could have been bleak. Upon arriving in town, hearing the well-wishes of the neighbors returned with  bitter acrimony from Naomi certainly would not have put any wind in my sails. So, why keep trying? Why get up every morning and head down the dusty lane to pick up the barley left by the harvesters? Why work to feed and clothe a body that only covers an empty soul?

There are silences in the Bible: in fact, too many for my liking. I want know the in-between stories of how Joseph persevered or what happened before king so and so rested with his fathers. Those lulls in the story where we all wonder how 'they got over' or 'how they put one foot in front of the other' through the long walk of faith and perseverance. How did hope not die within these Bible heroes like a forgotten stalk of wheat in the field?
All of my blogs are from my heart, but this one even more so because it is being written out of place of pain and hope.  Pain, because of loss, and hope, because somehow I must believe that God can be trusted in the midst of my hurt and disappointment: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.  If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them" (Hebrews 11:13-16).

Even when God chooses not to rescue us from our pain, we must remain convinced of His goodness.  When we are disappointed and disillusioned by our relationships, we must make sense of our feelings of abandonment that occur when God chooses not to rescue us from painful situations- such as widowhood or poverty as in Ruth's situation. How did Ruth hope and not fear being left alone again? Brother Andrew, who is best known for his idea of practicing the presence of God, states, "He sees, he hears, he understands." Even if Boaz had not taken notice of Ruth, God saw her. His protection of her was more real than that  which Boaz promised- His care more tangible than Boaz's promise to attempt to redeem Naomi's land and Ruth herself.

I must ask myself if I trust that everything that has happened in my life is necessary to bring me to the place where Christ is formed in me- where His beautiful face is reflected in my own. God used the famine, the death of all the male members of Naomi's immediate family, Naomi's bitterness, and Boaz's long-standing singleness, and even Orpah's return to her people, to bring about his plans for Ruth, Naomi, Boaz, and even us, through the Messiah. Why did God use a maniacal leader and a series of nasty plagues to achieve the release of his Israelite people? Surprise! God uses the messy, inconvenient, and mostly painful realities of our relationships to change us into useful servants: "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18). May you and I allow God to form Christ in us, especially in our trials.  Remember that God sees you; He hears you; and He understands. He will not let your hope wither on the vine. He will bring fruitfulness from this desert. He is present and He is holding you even now.

In Hope and Trust,

MJ

"It's Gonna Be Worth It All"

Backwards and Forwards

The King is Coming

Earth, bow, low

Inhabitants seek shelter –

Its depths or heights

Village and hamlet

You will see

Melech comes here

His Splendor and Brilliance

A White Horse, He Rides

His outstretched scepter

And crimson banner

Melech Y’Shua .  .  . See

King, Coming in Splendor and Majesty

Whose Breath earth stills

And falls silent

Ungodliness ceases

He reigns, Hallelujah

Reverberates

Earth, rocks, and grass

Sing Him Praises

The Olive Mountains twain

Perpetual living waters flow

Regard, the Lord has kept covenant

Rescued His People

Redeemed the earth from bondage

Bondage from the Earth

Redeemed !

His People Rescued!

Covenant Kept!

Has the Lord regard?

Flow waters

Living, perpetual

Twain splits the mountain

Praise Him

Sing, grass and rocks

Earth reverberates

Hallelujah reigns

He ceases ungodliness

Silent falls and stills earth

At Breath, whose majesty and splendor

In coming King,

See,

Y’Shua, Melech

Banner Crimson

Scepter out-stretched

Rides He,

Horse White

A  Brilliance

and splendor

here comes Melech

See will you?

Hamlet and Village

Heights or depths

Its shelter seek

Low, bow, earth

Coming is Melech

Oy Vey: The Lesson of Joy

Most of us have heard the acronym J-O-Y: Jesus first, Others Second, and You, last.  I have recently had my own applecart overturned.  I generally placed Jesus first, served others without always really letting them into my heart, and quickly running to the Y part of the acronym. Jesus has been pushing me 'out of the nest,' so to speak- asking me to really engage with people, despite their track records.  While attempting to do that, I have found that Jesus got shoved to the side as I tried to make sense out of the O and Y. When you put the two together, you get the great Yiddish word, Oy as in Oy Vey! Translation: "Oh, My Gosh! That's what happens when you take the "J" for Jesus out of Joy. You are simply left with Oy Vey!

I have spent the last week listening to teachings on joy from the book of Philippians.  I have wondered how I can serve the people. It is only through God's strength that I can serve others. As I am in God's presence, I am enabled and empowered to serve: "Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).  God enables me to give to those who cannot give back to me and all the while without being angry. In the natural, we would think these people are simply moochers or leeches.

If I look at my 'watch,' I might think that too much time has passed and why aren't there greater changes in the Body of Christ. I have recently realized that it is more about timing than time. Paul's joy is based on his right relationship and the presence of God in believers: "More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:11). He realizes that they are a 'work in progress,' and so must I; otherwise, I will lose my joy in being frustrated over what I see as too little change in too much time.

For months, I have sought reconciliation with a dear friend, so I understand Paul's desire to be reconciled with other believers. When there is a break in relationship, there is a sapping of power and joy. My prayer is that all believers "be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified [us] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:11-14). When I remain cognizant of my position and the position of every believer as purchased by grace, I can extend mercy to myself and others.

"Y"- Only when I center on God, do I really understand me, for it is God who "make[s] known to me the path of life; in [His] presence there is fullness of joy; at [His] right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11). I know who I am and what my purpose is- to love and serve Jesus and others. It is nothing for God if we act badly when mistreated; however, if I can respond with love and joy, it truly is a testimony- a living epistle to others around me.

Lord, help me to see people through your eyes; to esteem others higher than myself and do nothing out of selfish ambition.  As I esteem Christ in others, I am free to enjoy others and allow God to use me and give me purpose. As I rest in God’s hands and allow others to rest in God’s hands, I remain in joy.

Joyfully Yours,

M. J.

How to Be A Man: The Lesson of Boaz

Men want to leave a legacy:  Not just sons or grandsons who have their names -but men of power and grace of whom they can be proud. David, the grandson, of Boaz was such a man.  David, this son of Obed led his nephews to be leaders of mighty men:  "In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him " (1 Chronicles 20:6-7).

David is described as a man after God’s heart. What happened that Obed,his father, did not recognize God’s call on David's life. He was raised at least partly by Naomi. That may answer some of the questions, but Obed did something right because David knew his God. But let's start at the beginning with the first honorable man in this story: Boaz.

Who taught Boaz how to be a man? How to honor a woman’s reputation?  How to care for the widow? How to manage his servants with grace and kindness? To be a man who keeps his word? His reputation proceeds him as a promise-keeper;  community members recognize and characterize him as diligent, straight-forward, and even shrewd when necessary. Gentle and generous. Wise and careful.   Boaz, this man of standing (Ruth 2:1) causes Naomi to proclaim, "The Lord bless him!” Naomi declares of Boaz, “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead” (Ruth 2:20). She adds, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers” (Ruth 2:21). 

A true leader is one who commands respect in the gate, in whose speech lies no duplicity- a godly man who fears the Lord: "Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know" (Ruth 4:1).

“I will redeem it,” replies the closest kinsman. Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” At this, the kinsman-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.” (Ruth 4;,3-6).

The other male relative sought his own gain. If marrying Ruth would devalue or threaten his inheritance, he had no interest in helping the widow.  Yet, Boaz acted as the kinsman redeemer: "So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!” (Ruth 4:8-11).When Boaz took off his shoe, he began to walk in Elmilech’s shoes – to fulfill responsibilities to Naomi and Malchon’s widow.

Today, we are God's witnesses that Y'Shua redeemed you from our desperate situation and gave you a new inheritance. Because you are now a member of Christ's family, you can leave behind generational curses and limitations and embrace Christ's future for you. God knows the plans He has for you, plans to bless you and prosper you, and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11,13).

 

Here's to your new future,

M.J.

What happens in Vegas . . .

When people spout the adage,"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," what they are saying is that their sin will not find them out and there are not consequences. But this is a lie straight from the devil's heart.  Sin has consequences: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:23).

What is done in Las Vegas is supposed to stay there. But what happens when it doesn’t? Sin can never stay contained. What is done by an individual affects the corporate body.  A scourge of  recent murder and suicides have left children orphaned and people deeply scarred. These tragedies have left people questioning how could something like that happen. Pretty simple. Someone looked the other way. Someone did not speak out.

 Thank God, the community women did not let  Naomi ‘off the hook.’ Her ungrateful attitude after Ruth’s faithful service was not palpable to them. Her ungratefulness and murmuring needed to be addressed. And so they did so, blessing her at the same time. They emphatically state that  Ruth is the best thing Naomi got- better than seven sons: "The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth” (Ruth 4:14-15).

I have a question: "do we have the moral integrity to confront the sin we see in others?  More importantly, do we have the chutzpah to confront sin in ourselves (see the blog entitled “Confession Anyone”)? Someone will pay for our individual sins.  Ultimately, Y’Shua paid that price on the cross (I Peter 2:21-25); however, that does not nullify the effects of our actions. We can not make sinners our heroes; we can not make of our sins some tribute. It is sin and its consequences are painful- to our children and their children’s children. Every wound and dysfunction we pass on devalues and constricts the lives of those we profess to love: "He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had been" (1 Kings 15:3).  Yet, God promises, "But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things" (Ezekiel 18:14).  Let's not be deceived by sin's allurement. Thank God that "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever" (Isaiah 32:7). Let us leave a godly inheritance for our children and their children.

May we walk out of sin through confession and accountability,
M. J. - A fellow penitent

The Lord of the Harvest

Men’s roles and women’s role: In the context of the story of Ruth, the women arose and spoke into Naomi’s life and blessed Ruth as well. The men sat at the gate for they judged and maintained order. The men had a role as essential as the women.The women surround each other; for instance, they helped Ruth a first–time mother in the birthing process (Ruth 4).  Both parts, male and female, are necessary for good government and community. When the strictures of society are out-of-place or simply do not exist, we have the dissolution of family and community.

The Proverbs 31 woman makes her husband strong in the gate. She does him good and not evil, all the days of his life.  Still, men need to observe other men to learn how to act. Developing as a man for a traditional Jewish male included the meeting in the gate, the traditional praying as a minyan or quorum of ten, and the study of God's word together. Allowing young men to observe and experience civic duties and study of the Torah in the synagogues and yeshivas were intrinsic aspects of the male maturation process. Bar mitzvah was the cumulative exam of what the traditional Jewish youth had learned. How would you like being considered an adult, morally responsible for your choices by the age of 13, yikes?

Men normally look at their wage-earning abilities as the definer of who they are. Men look  to be providers, but ultimately, God is the Provider: "Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest" (Jeremiah 5:24).

It is Adonai who causes the earth to put forth sprouts and grow. Therefore, Boaz must rely on God to cause the barley harvest  to grow.  A man or a job is not ultimately our provision. Ultimately, we rely on God as our provision. Boaz relies on God, and Ruth relies on God's provision through Boaz. Ruth 2:8-9 states, "Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn."  Adonai is Jehovah-Jireh- the Lord our Provider. Our trust as women and men should be solely in Him- whether dealing with relationships, finances, or whatever we face.

This trust issue came to a head for me when I visited Israel. I had limited finances, but I decided that I would trust God. I did not carry a credit card. But, God placed in the heart of people, unknown to me prior, a willingness  to give me shelter and invite me into their homes. I would go into a bakery and leave with more than I actually purchased.  Irealized that God's favor is worth more than any money.
In these trying financial times, we can rest in the fact that nothing is too hard for God. He meets
all our needs; He knows we are no longer in Moab, and we have thrown caution to the wind and are foolish enough to trust Him. God has promised, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22).

May we trust the Lord of the Harvest,
M.J.