Recently, I had made a huge pot of Black Bean Chicken Chili (a family favorite) for some friends. I had not watched it carefully enough after having added the sharp cheddar cheese, and thus was left with a bit of a messy pan to clean. You know how it is with some pots where it cooked onto the bottom a bit more than you would have wanted, knowing it would take great effort to get it back to its original shape!!!?? Spic and Span clean??? Well, this was one of those times.
And while I was leaning over the sink, scrubbing for longer than I wanted or intended, God began to speak to me in that still small voice about my sin. It was not in an accusatory nor condemning voice.......the enemy of our souls does that.........not my Redeemer and Friend. But, He reminded me of how stubborn some of my sins are that have some residue left in the "bottom" of my life. It takes some real work to loosen the dirt of them. It is those ones that others may not notice so much, but I know that they are there..........selfishness, irritations, rationalizations, procrastinations, and even wastefulness. "The little foxes that spoil the vine", hindering true spiritual growth where there otherwise would be if those stubborn spots were gone.
So, I agreed with the LORD, about my dirty heart and proceeded to go about the business of being washed clean by the water of the Word and the blood of Jesus that cleanses me from ALL sin. I love that He doesn't overlook the stuff that is "stuck and harder to get off", but patiently speaks to me at my kitchen sink, or wherever it is that I am in need of some "pot scrubbing"!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
The 5 P's
Practicing the 5 P's has become such a pattern of life for me that I hardly know that I am doing it! What does that mean, you might say? "Practice the 5 P's"???? I will need to back-up about 16 years or so. I really am not sure of the time, but a good friend, who was also one of my prayer partners, shared what she had learned at a retreat in eastern Texas that had changed her life. It was the 4 P's of Philippians 4:6-8: Pray, Praise, Positive Thoughts, Peace.
At the time of this retreat, she was an oncology nurse who had just followed the written orders for the chemo for one of their cancer patients........which, after she had just finished it, the doctor came in and said not to give "Betty" such and such chemo!!! My friend, Esther, responded with the news that she had just completed that round. The doctor proceeded to tell her that "Betty" was not to have that chemo (as prescribed in the orders) and that she will certainly die now because of it.
Long story short, Esther and her husband left town that afternoon for the retreat and all that was on her heart was the terror that she might have killed "Betty". She really did not want to be at the retreat, or for that matter be anywhere, because of the fear and guilt she was experiencing. BUT, the Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth had her at that retreat for the 4 P's!!!! They became her constant companion and pattern for life and all tragedies, small and great. Not only, did that incomprehensible peace guard her heart and mind that week-end while she was so fearful of what might happen to "Betty" (who, by the way, did fine and lived long after that had happened), but has continued to be her experience ever since.
As Esther shared what she had learned that week-end with many of us who have been privileged to have her in our lives, we have learned, also, that practicing the 4 P's makes them really 5. Some time after that retreat, long after she had been sharing them as 4 P's, she ran into the speaker again and told him how they had blessed her life so much. He proceeded to tell her that there really are 5.............and that she had been doing the 5th one...."Practice".
Also, along the way, the format change a wee bit from Praying first to Praising first - giving God thanks in everything and for everything before anything else-- then praying with all prayers and requests. And then choosing to dwell on the positive thoughts listed in that passage: "whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise -- will access for us the kind of peace that is incomprehensible in the midst of terrible crises. And then, verse 9 tells us to keep putting it into practice.
My testimony is this: it is a true and faithful saying - "If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than than the human mind can understand. HIS PEACE will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (NLT) I have seen this through the years, not only in my own life experience, but in the life of every believer who lives this way.
I have lived through the many stages of life which have afforded me the privilege of practicing these truths in a variety of circumstances: 4 teen agers at once, 4 strong-willed children at once, disappointing choices of children, consequences of disappointing choices of children, failing health of family and friends, scary news from doctors for our first grandchild in the womb, her surgery at 9 months, caring for our elderly parents and eventually burying all four of them, shocking news of death of a loved one who seemed to be "too young".....to name a few!!!
"If you're just beginning to praise and worship, you're on the threshold of a great adventure. You'll find that your gracious, mighty and majestic God is delightful beyond imagining. You'll discover what a high privilege it is to praise Him! And whether or not, you're a beginner, the more you honor the LORD with your praise, the more He will refresh you and deepen your experience of Him." 31 Days of Praise by Ruth Myers
Okay, friends!! I emailed this to my friend Esther to see if it would be agreeable with her to post it. And I have to give you her response to me. ......." just went on line, having not been on yesterday, and got your wonderful blog about the 5P’s! I feel humbled and honored that you would want to share that part of my story. Of course you can use my name! I’m so glad that you stressed that part about praising God because I, too, believe that is the real secret to the power of the P’s! I will never forget one day when I was having a grief attack and I started just really praising God for it. Within a very few minutes I went from feeling despair and tears flowing, to a huge smile on my face and real peace and joy in my heart! I asked Him, “Dear Lord, how do you do that, taking me from despair one minute to pure joy the next? I heard Him say in my mind and heart,” It is because I inhabit the praises of My children. I remember thinking, Wow, Lord, I never really knew that’s what You meant in that verse! His presence is so powerfully felt inside us when we praise Him! I still use 31 Days of Praise too! What a blessing that book has been in my life and I still give it to any young women I am mentoring, Well, my dear Carolyn, I’m sure you did not need all that, but it is just fun to visit with you! Have a wonderful day! Love, Esther"
So, this is what it all looks like, the practice of praising the LORD..........a real 2008 live example of how to live in the Presence of the LORD. He inhabits our praises!! Go for it!!!
At the time of this retreat, she was an oncology nurse who had just followed the written orders for the chemo for one of their cancer patients........which, after she had just finished it, the doctor came in and said not to give "Betty" such and such chemo!!! My friend, Esther, responded with the news that she had just completed that round. The doctor proceeded to tell her that "Betty" was not to have that chemo (as prescribed in the orders) and that she will certainly die now because of it.
Long story short, Esther and her husband left town that afternoon for the retreat and all that was on her heart was the terror that she might have killed "Betty". She really did not want to be at the retreat, or for that matter be anywhere, because of the fear and guilt she was experiencing. BUT, the Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth had her at that retreat for the 4 P's!!!! They became her constant companion and pattern for life and all tragedies, small and great. Not only, did that incomprehensible peace guard her heart and mind that week-end while she was so fearful of what might happen to "Betty" (who, by the way, did fine and lived long after that had happened), but has continued to be her experience ever since.
As Esther shared what she had learned that week-end with many of us who have been privileged to have her in our lives, we have learned, also, that practicing the 4 P's makes them really 5. Some time after that retreat, long after she had been sharing them as 4 P's, she ran into the speaker again and told him how they had blessed her life so much. He proceeded to tell her that there really are 5.............and that she had been doing the 5th one...."Practice".
Also, along the way, the format change a wee bit from Praying first to Praising first - giving God thanks in everything and for everything before anything else-- then praying with all prayers and requests. And then choosing to dwell on the positive thoughts listed in that passage: "whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise -- will access for us the kind of peace that is incomprehensible in the midst of terrible crises. And then, verse 9 tells us to keep putting it into practice.
My testimony is this: it is a true and faithful saying - "If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than than the human mind can understand. HIS PEACE will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (NLT) I have seen this through the years, not only in my own life experience, but in the life of every believer who lives this way.
I have lived through the many stages of life which have afforded me the privilege of practicing these truths in a variety of circumstances: 4 teen agers at once, 4 strong-willed children at once, disappointing choices of children, consequences of disappointing choices of children, failing health of family and friends, scary news from doctors for our first grandchild in the womb, her surgery at 9 months, caring for our elderly parents and eventually burying all four of them, shocking news of death of a loved one who seemed to be "too young".....to name a few!!!
"If you're just beginning to praise and worship, you're on the threshold of a great adventure. You'll find that your gracious, mighty and majestic God is delightful beyond imagining. You'll discover what a high privilege it is to praise Him! And whether or not, you're a beginner, the more you honor the LORD with your praise, the more He will refresh you and deepen your experience of Him." 31 Days of Praise by Ruth Myers
Okay, friends!! I emailed this to my friend Esther to see if it would be agreeable with her to post it. And I have to give you her response to me. ......." just went on line, having not been on yesterday, and got your wonderful blog about the 5P’s! I feel humbled and honored that you would want to share that part of my story. Of course you can use my name! I’m so glad that you stressed that part about praising God because I, too, believe that is the real secret to the power of the P’s! I will never forget one day when I was having a grief attack and I started just really praising God for it. Within a very few minutes I went from feeling despair and tears flowing, to a huge smile on my face and real peace and joy in my heart! I asked Him, “Dear Lord, how do you do that, taking me from despair one minute to pure joy the next? I heard Him say in my mind and heart,” It is because I inhabit the praises of My children. I remember thinking, Wow, Lord, I never really knew that’s what You meant in that verse! His presence is so powerfully felt inside us when we praise Him! I still use 31 Days of Praise too! What a blessing that book has been in my life and I still give it to any young women I am mentoring, Well, my dear Carolyn, I’m sure you did not need all that, but it is just fun to visit with you! Have a wonderful day! Love, Esther"
So, this is what it all looks like, the practice of praising the LORD..........a real 2008 live example of how to live in the Presence of the LORD. He inhabits our praises!! Go for it!!!
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