STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT

When we moved to the higher elevations of NW AR and outside the city limits of Fayetteville...the stars seem to shine brighter.

How kind and Tom Bodettish of the Lord to leave the lights on after dark.  The cover of night seems to attract mischief.

This week the stars have been on my mind as I remember how God has used them as faithful messengers throughout time.

IN THE BEGINNING
Listen in as the Lord explains to Job the way things are.  God says that when He completed creation, the morning stars sang in chorus and the angels shouted praise (Job 38.7).

Think of God's claims about these innumerable stars.  He says He knows each one by name (Isaiah 40.26 and Psalm 147.4) and gives each one a distinct glory (1 Corinthians 15.41).   If He cares that much about the stars, doesn't it follow that He would care for people made in His own image?  Man is more like God than any other creature.  He has been assigned FAR more worth than the sparrow or the stars or even the angels.

Our minds marvel at creation's intricate design and whimsy.  Ever examined the human eye or thought of putting cheeks on a fish?

Who would have thought to make the moon reflect the sun...or doubt the sun's placement?  It's not chance that if the sun were just a bit closer to earth, we'd be crispy.

The Lord hung the great lights (the sun and moon and stars) in the sky for practical reasons AND to help us realize there is a Creator.  It's hard to look around and ignore God.

A clock has a clockmaker, doesn't it?

IN THE MIDDLE
Midway the timeline...God gave us pure light in the arrival of His Son.  And Bethlehem's star handled the birth announcement for Bethlehem's Son.

It is fitting, then, that two of the Lord's names are The Bright and Morning Star...and Light of the World.

Jesus is the most holy and powerful light in the universe.  He is our Rescuer, come to declare that God would move heaven and earth to be near what He created and holds dear.

FINALLY
At the end of time when man has said for the final time he wants none of God's light, the Lord will put the lights out.  Jesus says that after the Tribulation, there will be such cataclysmic activity that even the stars will fall from the sky (Matthew 24.29).

There is a song making its way up to #1 on the Contemporary Christian song chart about this period of time.  It is written by Jennie Lee Riddle (who wrote "Revelation Song") and is sung by Phillips, Craig and Dean.  The song is "When the Stars Burn Down".   click here

So without these rulers of the sky, will there be darkness?

Our Rescuer made a perfect place that was spoiled.  But one day He will again create a perfect earth because His good plan will not be thwarted.   And in that day, the whole earth will dazzle with the brightness of God's glory.

"No longer will you need the sun or moon to give you light, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and he will be your glory."  Isaiah 60.19 NLT  


"Night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever."  Revelation 22.5 NET

CELEBRATE!

Southern women are said to really only need two things...a deviled egg plate and a nice iced-tea pitcher.  Sunday, both were pulled out for a celebratory lunch.

Our family had MUCH to give thanks for on this Mothers Day!

The holiday brings sentimental thoughts.  My mother would have loved to have been at this table to enjoy Matt and Beth's moment.

Our new baby Will was dedicated at church on Mother's Day.  He had never been around that many people and lights.  He just blinked in wonder.

Would you like to check out the 46-second video below?

Sixteen people came to Will's party and his big brother had the most fun.  Nate always loves playing with his cousins...but Sunday he was sparkling like it was Christmas Eve.  His excitement was because he had kept several secrets and EVERYONE knows keeping secrets is hard work!  Nate had made his Mama gifts that he was antsy to give her.  What would Mother's Day be without the handmade prizes?

This morning I am smiling as I think back on Sunday.  It reminds me of when the Lord's mother was startled by those shepherds @the nativity.  Mary and Joseph listened as the sheep-keepers excitedly told of a sky full of angels proclaiming her son's birth.  Scripture says Mary treasured all those words and pondered them in her heart.

I'm pondering/treasuring, too.  Don't you think all mothers hold high the privilege to cooperate with the Almighty in "making" a life?  And of course they ponder, too, the future potential for their children.

Papa and I are blessed and we know it.  We pray daily for our Fayetteville grandboys and the Little Rock grandgirls and ask the Lord to help them come to Him at an early age.  I know Nate and Hanna are thinking big thoughts already.  Last week Nate and his Daddy were going to a Naturals (baseball) game.  In the parking lot, Nate asked..."So why would the Lord put us here just to go to ballgames?"  Good thinking, Buddy!

All the grands will have to make their own decisions, but they're each getting homeschooled in the love of God.

That makes us say with 3John 1:4 "I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children live in the truth."

TRUST HIM

From the beginning of time and until yesterday...the baseline of civilization was marriage.  Now we are being told the institution needs to bend to accommodate an evolving "new" thought so that everyone will be equal.

If equality were the goal, consider that we are made by a Father with no cookie cutter.  Each of His creations is unique with differing gifting, roles, intelligence, and opportunity to advantage.  So how are we equal?

We are equally loved by Him.  We equally have been given potential access to Him and His plan for our lives.  We equally can please Him.  Equality is in Him.

Yet we're pretty bodacious.  Rather than tweak civil unions, we purport to redefine God's blueprint.  Do we imagine marriage and civil unions to be the same?  They are not the same just as a horse is not a zebra.  Still, people cheer such "progressive" insight.

Are we truly that removed from reason to claim ground higher than Divine authority?  Where would a feller go to find such high ground?

Where is the evidence that we are evolving "upward"?  Our discourse is smutty; the sum of the words that we DO know are woefully short of Shakespeare's vocabulary.  Certainly our propensity for self-indulgence shouldn't be taken as an upward sign.  Nor should the culture's uptick in aggressive, in-your-face strife...or the increasingly vulgar things that our eyegate allows.  Do we dwell on thinking high thoughts?  Moving upward is heavy lifting apart from the Spirit of God.

The next time you hear a horrific report of a beheading or a mother killing her children or a mob assault because someone was "in their neighborhood"...remember our culture's purported progressivism.

On the other hand, there is One who conceived of a plan, created the world to implement the plan, and is bringing the plan to fruition.  Such a Creator would know the plans He has for us and how to sync the plan for our good.

Then we get an awesome choice.  Will we bow up or cooperate?  Why would anyone want to spit in a good God's face?  Is there no longer the concept of consequence?

Marriage has been part of God's plan from the beginning.  It is more than companionship or procreation or equal hospital visitation rights.  LIFT YOUR EYES!  It is a picture of God.*

Sarcastic mockers take potshots at the Old Testament as though the text proves it to be waaaay past its expiration date.  Then how about if we just set the Old Testament aside temporarily and try the New.  Just read one chapter...the first chapter of Romans.  Read the chapter in some new translations.  The One who made us KNOWS how we tick.  He is the epitome of kindness and would not have us hurt ourselves.  The God-Who-Does-Not-Change did not stutter in either testament.

So is it broad-minded and loving to allow these same-sex "rights"?  That's pretty shaky ground when God's counsel is to the contrary.  Being righteous is more important than appearing righteous.

It seems reasonable to consider what the Almighty has to say.  Christians know that when this blip of time is over (in a blink of an eye)...marriage will not be part of that coming kingdom.  click  This world and all that is in it is passing away, while we wait for a city with foundations whose builder and architect is God.  He desires our companionship in that city for eternity and He left a ticket at the "will call" window.

It's decision day.  Will I trust His plan...or my own reasoning?


* "MARRY ME", an earlier blog from April 15, 2012

PROCLAIM

If you had to guess what Scripture names as the most-mentioned musical instrument...what would you guess?

Yesterday's SS lesson was great; I'm smitten with my teacher.  We were talking about what will happen when the Lord returns.  And that will include the Final Trumpet call of God.

Now do you know the instrument?  It's the shofar, an instrument which has not changed in 5,000 years.

Of course, God doesn't change, either.  It gives me comfort to know that He is the same THOROUGH and INSTRUCTIVE God yesterday, today, and forever.

He gave instruction that the shofar be made from a hollow-horned bovid, such as the ram.  Yemeni Jews also use the kudu, which is long and twisted.  The purpose of the instrument is to proclaim the message "awake, sleeper!"

In Old Testament days, the blast of the shofar was used in battle as well as in the temple to announce festivals, the new moon, and the new year.  Joshua used the shofar at Jericho when the walls came down. Moses went up on the cloud-encircled Mt. Sinai while the people below partied with a golden calf.  But when they heard the blast of the shofar, Scripture says they trembled.

Today Jews use the shofar primarily for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  And silver trumpets also play a part in worship.  Sometimes both instruments play together and other times, worship calls for them to play alone.  There are different sound patterns which convey differing messages.  The shofar's short blast is to awaken/stir...a series of broken notes represent hearts broken over sin...an alarm sound of staccato notes warn of the enemy's approach...and a long blast was for a coronation.

When believers read 1Thessalonians 4:16, 17 we know we will hear God's trumpet.  And we wonder if that will be a silver trumpet or the shofar?  There are differing opinions and God will do as He pleases... but I'm going with the shofar.  Here's why:

JEWISH TRADITION

Abraham was told to cut off the horns of the sacrificial ram 

that took Isaac's place.  He used the left one (The First Trump) 

and throughout generations, it was supposedly
passed down from Abraham through Moses.  

Jews believe that the right horn (aka The Last Trump) 

will be the one blown to announce the Messiah one day.

REASON

Christians might reason that the silver trumpet was used for
 occasions such as calling to assembly and breaking camp.  

But the shofar was used for matters of heart.

We also reason that the silver trumpet is man-made, 

while the shofar is from the "God-made" ram.  

That reminds us that when God told Solomon how to build His temple, 

instead of choosing man-made bricks, He chose stones that He had made.

Is there a spiritual application to all this "shofar talk"?  In order for the shofar to be made ready for use, it first needed cleanup (the removal of skin/blood/flesh).  Then the inside rough edges had to be sanded down in order for the best possible sound...an opening sufficient for the "Breath of life" to flow through.  Isn't that our story?

The entire life of the ram (from being used as a sacrifice to the finished instrument) was used in the praise of God.  Could we have a more glorious purpose than to be living shofars, announcing the coming of the King?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VI3xVpCiMM

HANDLING WEALTH

Who hasn't dreamed of winning the lottery?   Isn't that why so many tickets are sold?

But lottery winners tell unbelievable stories about the corrosiveness of their windfall wealth.  Dave Ramsey says the divorce rate among Lotto winners is four-fold the national average.  He also says 65% of the winners are bankrupt within 15 years.   click

It would seem that when we mud-wrestle with money, money wins.  Of course, that would not happen to ME; I could manage it better.  Uh huh.  Let's just say that wealth can reveal a man's mettle.

Could we also say then, that men who have handled wealth well over forty years...have proven themselves?  Not in the political world.

Mitt Romney takes a beating for what he has accomplished in life.  Why would that be?  Do we lust for Lotto money, but not for honest gain?

Romney's critics are curiously silent about their own wealthy pals.  Methinks it curious that neither John Kennedy nor John Kerry are criticized because they are rich.  Let's unpack that...

JFK inherited his wealth; JK married his.

On the other hand, Mitt Romney inherited dollars earned from an immigrant father who came to this country with no money/education.  George Romney rose to the pinnacle of success in business (running American Motors) and politics (becoming the Governor of Michigan).

When Mitt inherited his wealth, what did he do with it?  He gave it all to charity.  Then he proceeded to make his own money.  Isn't that laudable?  Since then, Mitt takes his own earnings and regularly gives beyond a tithe (to repeat...he gives BEYOND A TITHE) to those less fortunate.  Isn't that laudable?

JFK was a President who inspired the country, but was personally flawed.  John Kerry married the Heinz ketchup fortune and gives a pittance to charity.  click  Those are not mean-spirited comments, but defining facts.

May I stop and smile just now?  Here I am writing in defense of a man who has my tepid support.  Mitt Romney was not my candidate of choice.

But here are three things I CAN say on Governor Romney's behalf:

1.  Mitt has passed through the fire of handling personal wealth, coming out on the other side with an "A".

2.  He has my applause for his 43- year-commitment to Ann and their five boys.  Marriage and family are also revealing fires.

3.  The Governor has a resume of business success and the Lord knows Uncle Sam needs some help running the store.

So the next time Mitt is criticized for being a plastic Ken doll, could we ask for a more substantive evaluation of a life well lived?  And when the Governor is criticized for being rich, can we agree that he is living the American dream, and his stewardship brings blessing to many?

Each of us have a life story to back up what we say.  Mitt Romney's life story sparkles.

ELECTION INTEGRITY

Ever heard of the Battle of Athens?  It was a citizens rebellion in Athens and Etowah, Tennessee in 1946.  Locals and WW2 returning vets were protesting a "good ole boy" system of political corruption and voter fraud.

There is a YouTube circulating about the incident.  When I watched it, I immediately called a friend who hails from Etowah.  She agreed that the incident happened, but said the video had "Hollywoodized" it because there really were no casualties.

Still, we see in the Battle of Athens a citizenry committed to self-determination and concerned for the integrity of the ballot box.

And isn't self-determination a gift that has been given Americans?

Accountability has always gone hand-in-hand with our election process.  As the Election Day 2012 gets closer, there are several concerns about the integrity of our process.


VOTER ID

Some states require a picture ID while others do not.  There are several videos circulating which purport to show people in "no ID" states signing up to vote under fictitious names.  Or, the poser asks for a handful of ballots to take to a nursing home.  That's troubling.

Tell me again why polls report minorities support voter ID, but elected officials call it discrimination?

Why would it be normal procedure to show my ID to access any number of places, but discriminating to prove who I was in the voting booth?

VOTER INTIMIDATION
Who would have believed this Black Panther intimidation from 2008 in Philadelphia?

Who could conceive of the lack of prosecution for such an offense?  click

VOTER FRAUD

Everyone laughs about the dead people who vote in Chicago.  Now there's a new potential for fraud with exponential possibilities.  

The system in place in some states allows the election box results to be funneled into a software system run by a company named SOE, which is based in Tampa, FL.  An SOE server takes the information from the precinct voting machines and compiles a total for a more streamlined, timely result.  Faster IS better...but how safe is this?

As the information leaves the local precinct, the numbers posted at the precinct can still be checked against what SOE publishes.  That affords some accountability and accountability is our friend.

That has changed.

A company called SCYTL has bought SOE and they offer a ballotless system of internet voting (both poll touch screens and remote internet voting, which has been used for soldiers overseas).

Unfortunately, we lose the ability to audit SCYTL's numbers against the precinct numbers.  Once SCYTL has the numbers, there will be no physical evidence or chain of custody for comparison.  There is no way for the public to authenticate who cast the votes...or keep up with the chain of custody...or the count.

So who is SCYTL and when did we give all our cookies over to them? 

SCYTL is a company based in Spain which either has run/will run elections in the UK, France, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, India, and Australia.  They are funded through international venture capital funds.  In the United States, there are 14 states which now use this new paperless voting system. click

A few questions immediately come to mind...

1.  Hacking.  Sites say that just before the November 2010 election, Washington DC's new electronic voting system was hacked.  How would we know our voting was accurate?

2.  Sovereignty.  An American election is run by a Spanish conglomerate?  

3.  International Venture Capitalist Investors.  Who are they? 

4.  Since when has "no accountability" EVER worked in anything?  Trust and verify is a good policy.

"The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter."  

Dwight D. Eisenhower

President Eisenhower, you have no idea how much we hope that is so.  

MARRY ME?

Most Americans (78%) were married in 1950.  By 2010, the percentage had dropped to 48%.

Is that a big deal that marriage is in decline?  You betcha.

With less stability in homes, the stats show single parents are stretched thin and overwhelmed.  With only one income, they are more likely to be in poverty programs.  Thirty-five percent of girls whose Daddy left home before they were six...became pregnant out of wedlock.  Boys without their Dad are two-thirds more likely to end up in prison.

These stats are not absolute predictors, but how can we ignore them?

Our next generation demands to know...why SHOULD people marry when you can live together?  Why CAN'T two women marry?  And then there's the old familiar cry "I beg your pardon...submit?...I don't think so!"

 In 1970 Mike and I said an oblivious "I do".  And we did for a while.  But when love's buzz wore off and we woke in counseling, we began to gather snippets of truth so obvious that we were red-faced that they had gotten by us.  We missed truths like...men and women have differing expectations/speak different languages.  Guilt doesn't work.  And there should be more reason to stay together than "no one in my family has ever gotten a divorce".

Our teachable moment taught us that it was possible to go from smitten to mystified to chronically alienated in only six years.  Marriage sure wasn't working out like we had always thought it would.

Since that bumpy start, we have decided to follow Christ and we're seeing things differently.  It was helpful to know marriage wasn't just about us and my mate wasn't my enemy.  We were surprised to find the Bible actually had practical tips for marriage that worked.  The ancient words summed it up perfectly:  "women need love/men need respect".

Beyond that, we were shown how marriage is the way God proclaims Himself...perfects us...and prophesies our future.



GOD PROCLAIMS
Since the Genesis beginning, we read that God created us male and female.  Then because it was not good for the man to be alone, God said He would make a companion for Adam who would help him.  And God says the design of the marriage is for a man to leave his father and mother and unite with his wife and they would become a new family.  And procreate.


All of that is true, but oneness in marriage is much more.  Oneness reflects a clear picture of the Lord; it's a glossy 8x10 of His nature.

God is neither male nor female, but in the marriage relationship we get both sides of the picture.  He is called El Shaddai in the book of Isaiah.  That is translated "God Almighty" or "The All-Sufficient One".  But there is another interesting translation.  From the "el" we get the meaning strength/might.  He is the Mighty God.  But from "shad" we get breast.  So another translation can be "The Breasted One", referring to God's nurturing side which allows us to come to Him and lay our head on His chest.  There is an implied quieting that comes just as a baby is put to the breast and quits fussing.  So two divergent descriptions come together to say that God is tender and mighty.

We see that contrast in Isaiah 40:11 where Isaiah says "like a shepherd He tends His flock; He gathers up the lambs with His arm; He carries them close to His heart; He leads the nursing ewes."  That is God's soft side.  Then in the next verse, there is a description that only the Almighty could do:  "who has measured out the waters in the hollow of His hand, or carefully measured the sky, or carefully weighed the soil of the earth, or weighed the mountains in a balance, or the hills on scales?" Obviously, the answer is NO ONE but an all-powerful God.

God proclaims His full image in His institution of marriage.

GOD PERFECTS
Every baby is born with a selfish nature.  We may think we are patient or forgiving...and as long as we are single, that may be the case.  But when we marry and enter a relationship that calls for walking in lockstep, we see just how patient/forgiving we really are.  Our relationship with our mate becomes a fertile field for growth.

Mike would tell you the issue of praying together has had a perfecting effect.  My husband began our prayer life one night and something he said tickled me.  I giggled and it set our journey back about six months.  I wasn't laughing at what he said, but at a random thought it triggered in my brain.  Still, I wouldn't advise prayer giggling.

Oneness in marriage shows the world mutual submission and selflessness and it demonstrates Christ-likeness.  Have you seen the triangle illustration?  If the husband and wife both have a desire to move up toward God, guess where they also end up?  Closer to one another.

Marriage is God's gift to help us finish "growing up".



GOD PROPHESIES
The Lord gave the apostle John a vision of what would happen at the end of time.  You could say that marriage bookends the Bible because it began in the garden, and history culminates in another wedding analogy in the book of Revelation.  Jesus says He will return to eat the marriage feast with His bride, the church.  We look forward to the day that we will join Him at the banquet.

When Christ first left the heavenlies for Bethlehem, the angels were wonder-struck at His humility and rejoiced at His great love.  They praised God that He would think up such a rescue plan.  The Dear Son gave up all status and even His life for His bride, the church.  He bought our ticket to the banquet and to eternity.  One day there will be great rejoicing as we come to the marriage feast.

Women are to lovingly submit to our husbands as Christ submitted to the church.  Our husbands are to give themselves up for their wives as Christ gave Himself up for the church.  What woman would mind serving a man who served her unto death?  And what man would mind giving himself up for a wife who adored him?  We would all stand in line for that mutual admiration society.

BOTTOM LINE
What about today?  Can we trust a "dated" structure such as marriage?  We can trust it's Inventor.  We can live as He calls us to live and our faith will please Him.  If you are thinking that your husband/wife does not deserve such honor, their office does.  Honor that.  Ask the Lord to help you.

It has never been as important as it is today to reflect God's image in marriage.  Married people hope that the world sees God's reflection in their relationship.  Do you believe He has a purpose for your marriage?  Are you trusting Him that the plan will be for His glory?

From Genesis to Revelation, the plan has been for marriage.  We can honor God by honoring His institution.  The Bridegroom will soon be back for His bride!

"Hallelujah!  For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come 

and His bride has made herself ready.

Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

Then the angel said to me, 'Write the following:

blessed are those who are invited to the banquet

at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!'"

Revelation 19:6-9