You have Not because You ask Not

How many of God's daughters don't ask their heavenly Father for anything because of their experience with their earthly fathers' lack of care and interest? Don't answer that.  Many times, we, daughters of the King, stop short of what we need. However, we need to push forward and be bold. 

The Old Testament contains an interesting tale about six behold and asked for what they needed. These girls' father had died and left no male heirs. They asked for their inheritance, and God responded gave them, not only what they asked for, but changed how women were treated in Israel forever: “Our father died in the desert.  Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.” So Moses brought their case before the Lord and the Lord said to him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and turn their father’s inheritance over to them.

God moves the boundaries to bless all Israelite women: “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, turn his inheritance over to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to be a legal requirement for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

God wants us to ask Him for our true  hearts' desires. He desires for us to trust Him to answer those desires. God does not always  answer our prayers when and how we would like, but He does listen; He does care, and He will answer.

Listen, I am encouraging myself in God's loving nature. I have prayed for 26 years for someone with whom to work in the ministry. I believe God knows the right time, the right person, and when I am ready to embark on this journey with that person. Keep knocking, asking, and believing.

Sometimes, God waits so that He can maximize His glory, so that He can prove the naysayers and the misogynists wrong. He did so with Zelophedad's daughters. Did Zelophedad wonder why he wasn't 'blessed' with sons? (You have got to give him credit for trying six times). God wanted to expand His glory, so that His renown as God of equity and equality would be seen through holy chutzpah of six women.

Just like Jesus would later do with Mary, Martha, and the Samaritan woman, God wrote women into the story in a culture and a time that doing so was unheard of or even imagined.

Here's to chutzpah,
mj

Waste-Not Living

God wastes nothing. I know this fact intuitively. I spent last year in Nicaragua, Kenya, and Brazil as I prepare to be launched into full-time international missions. I am presently teaching an internationl business course for students gaining a master's degree in business administration. My first class was yesterday. As I began talking about globalization, ethics, human rights violations, imperialism, and colonialism, I never imagined how all of my recent  missionary trips abroad would enable me to teach from a truly international perspective  how integrity, equity, and ethics can be used in  a secular setting. I shared about the scriptures requried by the class syllabus,  in addition to many others, all the topics, plus several others,for almost 3 hours without stopping just based on what I experienced on the mission field.

God has opened my eyes to the fact that missionary work is really a business; there is a bottom line, and it better be in the black.God is educating me even as I teach these students; as I teach these business principles,  I am learning them as well. In fact, my students' project is launching a private all-girls school,  like the ones God has commanded me to do,complete will all the necessary guidlines for minimum wage, safety concerns, human rights concerns, etc.  I have three MBA students brain-storming the encorporation of  my school in Africa.


When Jesus wanted to feed the mulitude of 5,000,  He asked his disciples what to do: "When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do." (John 6: 5-7).  Like Phillip, it is tempting to respond with a lack of faith- looking at the multitude and not at the God who multiplies division or even Andrew, who has a bit of faith, but then allows reason to get in the way: "Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many? (John 6:7-9).

However, Jesus gives simple instructions, gives thanks to His Father, multiplies the offering, and picks up the leftovers .Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

Jesus wastes nothing. He picks up the pieces, and He had the same amount with which He began the ministry: "When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. " (John 6: 12-15).

I know that God wants to take us and break us to the nations, but are we willing? Are we like Phillip saying it can't be done or we like Andrew, we start with faith but do not end with the faith?


Broken for the Nations,
MJ

What's in your hand?

God asks Moses,“What is that in your hand?” (Ex. 4:2). God is asking us the same question. He is not asking us about our ability, but availability, not our strength, but our weakness. When we look at ourselves, we see our limits, and not God's omnipresence and sovereignty. That is why God asked Moses what was in his hand. God was not interested in the fact that Moses was a murderer, the former child of Pharaoh's sister, had an interracial marriage, or a speech impediment. God wanted to take who was at the moment and the rod in his hand and deliver His people Israel from bondage.

What did Moses do with that rod? It turned into a serpent that ate up the magicians snakes (Exodus 7:10). Moses used the rod  to split the waters; the Red Sea opened so that God's people could walk out on dry land. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.  Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷ I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen” (Exodus14:15-18).

Moses led the people in war with the staff: " Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand” (Exodus 17:9). The rod was the answer to satanic attack; it was the path to deliverance; it was the means of provision. We have all we need to do the work God has sent us to do.

Unfortunately, we can use the tools God has given us inappropriately. Moses did  strike the rock, which represented Jesus, with that very staff. For that offense, he did not enter the Promised Land. Numbers 20: 9:12 states,So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”  Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” This story is a cautionary tale and a lesson for who will wield the authority God has given us. It is not our authority; it is God's, and we must always regard Him as holy.

What's in your hand: is it a staff or five loaves and a few fishes? God will use it and multiply for His purposes.

Jesus told Paul that his strength was perfecting in his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is not about us; it is about Him. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that "we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

In His hands,
mj

mj

Happy Valentines

Dear Friend,
You are 

Valued
And
Loved
Eternally by His Tender Heart
Nestled
Tenderly
Inside His Scarred Hands
Nurtured
Extravagantly by the
Savior's Mercy

mj

In the Tombs- An Allegory

She was so full of fear that she preferred to live her life alone than face the pain of rejection and abandonment. She dug her heels in and resisted God because of past disappointments that she had faced. All she had was broken hopes and dreams. Like the man in the tomb, she sat among the littered graveside, scraping her wounds with broken shards of discarded pottery.  Than Y'Shua asked her to trust Him. No person had ever experienced such fear and trepidation.  But one day, after calming her fears and healing her sore wounds, Y'Shua asked her to love someone more deeply wound than she was.

How could He ask such a thing- to leave the quiet of the garden tomb to enter a hell of screeching demons- to involve herself  in a bitter tale of woe? Holding her hands over her ears to keep the screams and moans at bay, she entered the dark dungeon that was literally a cave.  Y'Shua gently removed her hands  from her ears as she cowered beneath the frightful sounds "You must fully feel the misery of this place to love its inhabitant. She countered - "I thought you were bringing someone to love me?" " What is this nightmare?" she questioned. 

Then she saw a person hobbled with chains linked to the cave's walls, covered in thick debris, smut, and soot. The stench that emanated from this human collection of skin and bone was at the least malodorous, and his eyes literally leaped from their sockets. She kneeled before it- still  trembling and disbelieving. She turned to Y'Shua - to question what was the bitter tale of woe in which he had involved her.

But He was gone.

The thing, huddled closer to her and reached out his skeletal hands towards her.  Its touch so light and gentle for a maniac. With no water, she began to wash, with the very tears, from her eyes and water from her lips. Each touch seeming to caress the thing's very soul and his innermost being trembled. Many days continued hence. Suddenly, Y'Shua appeared behind her- hands outstretched. Use this- in the goblet- my blood is poured.Take and drink "

As she and the monster partook of  the communion, a beautiful prince emerged. His shackles fell off, a crown upon his head, and leather shoes in his feet. sinew, muscle, and tendon were held together. He stood erect and powerful. She had been dirtied in the whole process, and  now she was ashamed of her appearance. She held her head down - reproachful of herself. But the prince lifted her chin and looked into her eyes and her very heart rumbled. His words soothed her heart, "For this act of love, God himself anoints you with the oil of beauty for ashes - the oil of joy for mourning."

When he took her hand, to lift her, the rags fell into a heap at her feet. A golden crown appeared on her head. And brilliant raiment- white and gold was around her. A scepter was in her right hand and golden slippers were on her feet.

Y'Shua's voice boomed,  "What you have done to the least of these, you have done to me."
The walls suddenly fell away from the cave, and the fragrant air of the country rushed in.

Hepzibah - Married and Beulah-my Delight in her are her new names. The prince who was a pauper, the grotto a living hill, this story of a nightmare. But God knew its true meaning.

I Come From a Long Line of Women

To Sylvia: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come” Proverbs 31:25

I come from a

long

line

of

strong

 women

Muscled arms

Sinews of steel

From hard days

in the field

Backbones of iron

Sure-footed

On the hard-packed

Soil of racism and defeat

 Stout of heart

Full of courage

Not easily broken

By life or putting to the ground

Children or husbands

Wise beyond years

Practiced in the art

Of intercession

Moaning

Groans

Only the Spirit 

Could understand

I come from a
Long line of such

Women

The same fields

 In the cool of

The evening

Became

A temple of praise

And love

 I come from a long

Line of

Strong women

Who reach

Beyond their

Own pain

To pull future

Generations

From the depths

Of the abyss

Dry Bones

The Valley of Dry Bones- Ezekiel 37

 ¹ The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

   I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”

 ⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! ⁵ This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath^[a] enter you, and you will come to life. ⁶ I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

 ⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

 ⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

 ¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

Spirit breathe on me. I feel like a bag of bones. I understand Ezekiel, how he must have felt. God is telling him what great work He is going to do with this fleshless army. God has placed a mandate on my shoulders: build schools for impoverished girls all over the world. Not just any school, schools that focus on performing arts. God has spent twenty years pouring skill, determination, and audacity into this pint-size prophet. But the hard part has not been untethering my lines, for I know with whom I am sailing at the helm of the boat.

The hard part is heading out alone. But alone, I must head. I see them just as Ezekiel saw the bones take on life. I see their shining brown, black, white, and tan faces. I have heard their prayer:  teach me with excellence all that I need to know to live a godly impactful life. It is different from the prayer I have prayed for ten years: give my students a desire for excellence in their education. I am going to be the answer to prayer now, and I won’t be alone for long.

When I visited Kenya this summer as part of a missionary team, God commissioned me to build schools for these impoverished girls within their native  countries. I would like to introduce you to Teachers of the Nations Ministry, which is dedicated to building schools for emotionally and physically traumatized girls in Africa and beyond. The Christian curriculum that will be used to educate these girls will provide an open doorway to share the Gospel message, as Christians are commanded by Jesus to do (Matthew 28:18-19). 

Girls in Third World countries, such as Africa, are more often the victims of war, sexual trafficking, female circumcision, and ethnic cleansing than are females in other parts of the world (Sengupta 2005). Consequently, these traumatized girls find it difficult to cope emotionally, are often sexually and physically abused, unable to find gainful employment, and live in poverty.

 In fall 2012,  the vision begins to take on flesh as God breathes life into communities and countries by raising up an army of young girls. Here are God's mandates:

         Provide a godly-educational setting for girls who are unschooled.

         Provide medical services to meet the girls’ physical needs.

         Recruit mental health professionals to donate time to help with the girls’ emotional needs.

         Teach students viable economic skills so that can support themselves and their families.

         Equip students to share the message of Christ within their own communities

I see those bones come together and begin to dance, sing, and become an orchestra of praise to God.

 Spirit-filled,

mj