It's like Butta'

"Butter at the Ready"

1Pe 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

A recent prayer of my heart has been to learn how to witness for Christ in the very best way. I am learning so much about Him through studying His Word, learning that we are to share Him with everyone, that I desire to do this and do this well. But, how do I open up and just start talking about spiritual things in a physically focused world? I've tried several times and failed. I've kept my mouth shut and failed. I've prayed this in my heart for both those I am in contact with often and for those with whom I only have a single fleeting moment. Each one, each moment and person, orchestrated by God himself. There are no coincidences. All are divine appointments. So, how am I to handle what I know to be true about God?

This question was at the forefront of my heart and mind when my father came to visit us for the weekend. I had just pulled a steaming hot loaf of banana bread from the oven, a loaf I had made with him in mind. While I pulled out the dense loaf and set it on the cooling rack, my heart echoed this prayer, "How do I share you, Lord?" and the Lord brought something to mind, just for me, just for that time.

Knowing God, nothing is wasted, and it is eternally applicable to any believer's life, so I must share this little lesson that I myself so desperately needed to see. Let me give you a little background...

I have a wonderful homeschooling friend, and more importantly, sister in Christ, who encourages me to bake yummy homemade offerings for my children and husband at least weekly if not, I'm sure she would say, daily. She is an avid baker and does so with ease and enjoyment. I on the other hand, am just newly accustomed to baking things that come out of a box, let alone things that I have to make from flour that comes from a bag! :-)

Along with her baking routine, came another peculiar habit that I was even more unfamiliar with. She keeps her butter on her counter at all times. Now, living in Southeast Florida, I admit that when I first became aware of this practice, I found it rather odd and a little 'old-country' for my tastes, although I admit that I could see the usefulness of having butter on the ready for spreading when one baked as often as she did. I on the other hand, was not in the habit of baking. After all I reasoned, all things baked are far too fattening to be made with regularity, or so I (wrongly) thought at the time. I must admit that as I grew into the wonderfully enjoyable habit of baking with some modest regularity (bi-weekly), it became an obvious benefit to leave my butter out on the counter. Butter left out on the counter in its special container is soft and supple, ready to befit anything that might be enhanced by even the slightest smear of butter. "Butter at the ready", I now call it.

Well, as I was doing my Bible Study for the week and learning about Jesus and how he approached people speaking truth to them with all kindness and gentleness, my attention was drawn to my 'butter at the ready'. Inside its container, the butter was soft and warm, pliable and yielding, ready to be smeared on whatever it might be fit to grace. It was not cold or hard or uninviting, nor were it's corners and edges sharp, but soft and curved with the recent swipes of a butter knife. I pondered my container of butter displayed on my counter and felt a familiarity, it was a picture of my heart. Like this butter, my heart was now yielding, warmed by learning of my Creator's love for me and for even the whole world. No longer was my heart cold and hard, tucked away and not ready for immediate use, unfriendly and unyielding. Now, as it were, it was out, warm, and simply ready, available for use. Its very presence inviting and suggesting of enjoyment. Why? All because of the warmth of Jesus' love.

This scenario didn't come together until my father took a thick piece of freshly baked banana bread in his hand and rather than taking a bite, paused and asked me where my butter was. "Oh man," he said, "This is going to be good! Where's your butter??" "What?" I replied, "That's freshly baked banana bread dad, it's practically cake! You don't need any butter on that." Clearly I jokingly took it as an insult at the time, but quietly, warmly, the Lord whispered, "Give him what he's asked for...". All things come from God. Nothing is wasted or irrelevant. I handed my father a butter knife and pointed to the soft butter in the container on the counter. For the first time, I was wonderfully grateful to have it 'at the ready'. "Oh man, this is perfect!" my dad said, as he spread the soft butter all over his sweet, warm bread. It was already melting into the bread as he finally took his first big bite. He enjoyed his bread immensely. More than he would have without the butter. And as I watched I remembered that the Lord said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." Jhn 6:35. Jesus is the bread of life. I am to keep my heart as the butter 'at the ready'.

Deu 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Jhn 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Rom 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Jesus was always gracious in his dealings with people. He always spoke spiritual truths, parables, parallel stories and examples of our physical world that exemplified spiritual truth. Some understood, but many did not. But this didn't stop Jesus from speaking the truth in love. God is spirit. His truth is spiritually discerned, but Jesus, in His witness of who God is and how great His love is for us, persisted in speaking the truth to us, even when we couldn't understand it. But what made it palatable? What made it desirable, drawing us in to learn more of Him? His grace and God's love. It is by grace that we are saved. We love Him because He first loved us. It is the love of our Savior that melts our hearts. It is His love that makes the truth delicious, a delicacy to be adored in one's heart. There is nothing sweeter than pure truth, the Word of God. But those who do not yet know God, nor understand His word must be drawn to Him, with love.

1Jo 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

We are to love people with truth. God's Word is truth. Only God's Word can change the lives of men. Therefore, it is His Word that we must share. His Word is not only truth, but full of grace. My heart is melted by His grace and truth, by the presence of the Holy Spirit within me. It is my warmed heart, soft and malleable, that responds to His promptings to live out His truth, to give Him all glory and honor and praise. It is our testimony, how we manifest and express what is in our hearts, that butters the truth, God's Bread of Life. How we live our lives should make others hunger to know where our joy comes from. Our personal story of His goodness in our lives, of the warmth and sweetness of His presence and gentle guiding, makes the truth of His new life more palatable, more desirable, more delicious.

It is His love, the evidence of Him in our life, that we have to butter the Bread of Life as we offer it to others when they ask what it is that we have that is so delightful. "Here, may I offer you a piece of freshly baked bread? Would you like some butter with that?" It's delicious! :-) This should be our ready response. God is so good. We are to bring Him glory and share His goodness with others, in truth and love, just as Jesus did. There is no other source of genuine love or truth than God. God is love. He alone has love to give, true love. And He alone has truth to give. We are benefactors of knowing and melting in this love, of growing in this truth. It is our blessing to spread our thanksgiving and adoration upon God's truth as we share with others what He has done for us. It can't get more real, and it couldn't be more delicious. It's like butta'. My heart is butter for You, Lord. :-) Use me.

1Pe 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Lord, thank you for using my life to teach me Your ways. May I appropriately share these little life lessons, that others may also learn and enjoy what You have shown me. May we all remember that You are the Bread of Life, Jesus, and recall that it is our gracious honor to be soft as butter for You, as we offer Your truth and grace to others that they might "taste and see that the Lord is good" - Psalm 34:8.

Jesus, may all glory and honor and power be yours, my Bread of Life. Amen.

The Other Shoe

"Waiting for the other shoe to drop." We've all heard this expression. It is used to say that we know that when one thing happens, it's paired with something else, so we are expecting the second thing because of the first.

Last year, we studied the book of James. James was Jesus' half brother, the son of Mary and Joseph. James didn't believe Jesus was who He said He was until James saw his brother risen from the dead. Then James went on to spend the rest of his life encouraging other believers in the truth. He ultimately gave his life for the truth of salvation through Jesus Christ. This fact makes the book of James all the more poignant and meaningful to me, because it was written by a man who grew up with Jesus, in his own house, who came to thoroughly understand the truth once it was revealed to him. What a rich experience that must have been! James made it his life to further the salvation that Jesus died for, that all might know the grace that is available through the sacrifice of Christ. James lived a life of obedience and sacrifice to further God's truth because of his faith. He knew it was true. It was worth dying for.

But this post is about shoes... isn't it?

We were studying in the book of James how true faith is expressed in actions. What you believe, you do. If you want to know where your beliefs are, look at what you do. What you do reveals what you believe. Ultimately, true faith acts:

Jam 1:22	Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Jam 1:23	Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
Jam 1:24	and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
Jam 1:25	But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.

I was thinking on these things throughout my day a few months ago, when I found myself distracted in the grocery store with three young children. Sama was in the grocery cart. Dylan was pushing Jacob in the umbrella stroller. With budgets, menus, choices, children's behavior and time all on my mind, I didn't notice Jacob taking off his flip-flop in the produce department. Further down the isle we were stopped when a little old lady said, "Excuse me, ma'am, but your son dropped his shoe." "Oh! Thank you!" I said, relieved to have it back. As I turned and knelt down in front of Jacob to put his shoe back on, I said to him, "Jacob, you don't want to lose a shoe. What good is just one shoe? We might as well throw away your other shoe because without them both, you don't have any shoes!" Well, you should have heard the gravity with which that statement hit my heart. "Just as faith is worthless without action, you must have both to be effective in this world. To have effective faith, you must obey my Word." Oh my, suddenly it was so clear, just how useless is that one shoe!

Well, now its about 9 months to a year later, and I'm still learning this lesson. And God is still using shoes to demonstrate it in my life. Last week I had a run-in with Sam's shoes and Jacob's shoes in the same day. I bought Sam a new pair of shoes and didn't come home from the store with them. When I realized we'd left them, we immediately went back to the store, sans naptime. Well long story short, we did finally find the shoes I paid for, thankfully. At this point, with everyone up, I had to go to the local grocery store to get the things that the first store didn't have, so on we went to the next store. When we got there, I realized Sam didn't have on any shoes! So on went the new shoes from the previous store. After picking up the last few things at the second store, we unloaded into the van with a one-shoed Jacob. I knew he had taken off his shoe in the cart. I made a mental note to retrieve it and promptly left without it! Once home, with a one-shoed Jacob, back to the second store I went again to get his flop out of the cart in the parking lot. And, thankfully, there it was! I found myself asking again, "What good is just one shoe??" I can tell you. It's no good. Now, Dylan's newest flip-flops are down a shoe. Just one lies in the middle of the dining room floor, very lonely and very useless. Just like my faith, if I don't learn, desire, to obey all that I have been revealed from studying God's holy Word.

Dylan hasn't worn that one shoe out of the house in weeks. He can't find the other one. Every once in a while he'll go around the house with that lone shoe on his foot, limping about. What use is just one shoe? What use is it to say you have faith, but have no deeds or any actions that show others and even yourself, that you believe in the Living God?? What good is it to tell everyone about who Jesus is, which is true, but then go on to act like you don't believe it, which makes it seem untrue. Actions speak louder than words. You have to have the shoe of faith to have effective actions, but without the shoe of actions, your shoe of faith has no pair, no mate that makes it worthwhile or effective to you or anyone else. And isn't that what faith is all about? Something that effects your life and how you live it. Not just talking the talk, but more importantly, walking the walk. Funny how God used shoes to illustrate this lesson...!

Jam 1:26	If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
Jam 1:27	Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Words versus actions. Actions, obedience to God's Word, they are the evidence of a true faith. They are what affects others for Christ.

I pray we find Dylan's missing shoe. I pray that I apply this lesson to my own life and never step out without both the shoe of faith, and the shoe of obedience. If you truly believe it, you will act accordingly, especially before expecting anyone else to take your word for it. I must remember this.

You wouldn't go into battle with just one shoe on, would you? It's not safe! Your steps would not be sure. You wouldn't try to run a race with just one shoe? You won't get very far. And it would hurt! Yet we are called to do both in this new life, to fight the good fight and run the race with endurance. For these, we need both of our shoes. Faith and Obedience.

Help me, Lord, to love and teach my children with both shoes on, the effective pair of faith and obedience. May the next step I take be done in faithful obedience and love for You and Your Word. May I be inspired by the life of James, the brother and willing bond-servant of Jesus Christ.

I'm looking forward to that other shoe dropping, the shoe of action and obedience. After all, what is the next step for a faithful child studying the Word of the Living God? :-)

Thank You, Jesus for Your Word. Your Word is truth.

I love and adoration, Amen.

Bread Enough to Feast On

Today's lessons... God-given, in perfect, child-sized bites:

DETERMINATION:
Today my children and I talked of David and Goliath and my heart cried...
Lord, make me like David.
May I not only faithfully step out on the battlefield, but even after I know my foe is defeated, may I also cut off the head of my enemy, declaring to all that I am not longer under the oppression of such an aggressor. May I be dedicated to public victory!

1Sa 17:23

As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.

1Sa 17:45

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

1Sa 17:46

This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.

1Sa 17:47

All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

1Sa 17:48

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.

1Sa 17:50

So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

1Sa 17:51

David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

DETERMINATION:
We talked of Zacchaeus and my heart cried...
Lord, make me like Zacchaeus.
May I know my limitations and do what ever it takes to get above my obstacles and make every effort to see you and not miss You. When you call my name, may I also respond like Zacchaeus, repentant and eager to just be right with you above all else.

Luk 19:1	Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
Luk 19:2	A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
Luk 19:3	He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.
Luk 19:4	So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore‑fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
Luk 19:5	When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
Luk 19:6	So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
Luk 19:7	All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ ”
Luk 19:8	But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Luk 19:9	Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
Luk 19:10	For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

DETERMINATION:
We talked of the parents bringing their children to Jesus and my heart cried...
May I be so bold as to bring my children to sit on your lap despite what others may say.

Mat 19:13	Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Mat 19:14	Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Mat 19:15	When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

DEDICATION:
We talked of football and watched highlights on TV and my heart cried...
Lord, make me like a flag-bearing cheerleader.
May I run into the stadium of life, jubilant and smiling, giving all my effort to exult You, holding your banner up high that Your Name might be displayed with joy and glory.

Exd 17:11	As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.
Exd 17:12	When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
Exd 17:13	So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Exd 17:14	Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”
Exd 17:15	Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner.
Exd 17:16	He said, “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

Isa 49:22 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.


Lord, thank You for little lessons that carry me through my day. Each of these lessons, though discussed individually and in unrelated ways, teaches and emphasizes what I long to have in my life. May I be determined and dedicated to You alone, just as Your Word teaches us that David, Zacchaeus, the Godly parents, and Moses were dedicated and determined to follow and live for You alone. Write these qualities on my heart and on the hearts of my children, make them the method of my walk. Thank You, Father. You, and Your Word, are so good. May You be exalted.

With Love, Amen.