November 2008

Lauren Fletcher

NOVEMBER 2008

Week 1: A Name Was Missing on my Ballot!

Week 2: “It’s All in How You Look at It”

Week 3: Thanking God for the Fleas!

Week 1: A Name was Missing on My Ballot!

When I entered the voting booth yesterday, I was surprised to find 13 candidates for President printed on my ballot. Despite the long list of men from which to choose, the name of the One who offers real hope for our country was missing from the list!

We have a tendency to believe that human leadership and strength is the key to our prosperity individually and as a nation.

Though qualified leaders can have a great impact, they are not to be solely trusted in or relied on as the hope for our future.

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD’” (Jeremiah 17:5 NLT).

In fact, one who puts his trust in a mere human and turns away from the Lord is compared to a stripped, destitute shrub in the desert, with no hope for the future.

“They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land” (Jeremiah 17:6 NLT).

The blessed are those who trust in the Lord and place their hope and confidence in Him.

"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence” (Jeremiah 17:7 NLT).

Those who are rooted deeply in the Lord are not destroyed by the heat or even long months of drought. Amazingly, they continue to experience and enjoy a steadiness and a consistency in productivity and prosperity.

“They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit” (Jeremiah 17:8 NLT).

Our hope is in the One who will never be up for reelection because His Office is “eternal in the heavens”.

"And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33 NKJV).

Now, to enjoy this peace and truly have hope for your future, one has to move from the theoretical to the practical - and that is what genuine faith does. There is a huge difference in believing in God and believing God.

Those who put their hope in God know that He has a bright future planned.

^”For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV).

So, who is getting your vote of confidence today, November 5?

“I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, …My flesh also will rest in hope” (Psalm 16:8 NKJV).

Have a blessed week!

Week 2: “It’s All in How You Look at It”

Yesterday, I read the book, Ladybug at Orchard Avenue, to my four year old granddaughter. The purpose of the book is to instruct children about what ladybugs eat, how they defend themselves, and where they hibernate during the winter. The highly magnified pictures, however, of the ladybug and her possible predators turn this potentially boring book into an adventure that leaves you wondering the ladybug’s fate until the end of the story. Through magnification, a seemingly harmless ant looks like a monster from a sci-fi movie. The ladybug, one of nature’s cutest insects, ceases to look quite as adorable when her features are portrayed many times larger.

Magnification definitely changes the tone of this book and can do the same in a person’s life.

Every day, each of us determine what and to which level we will magnify our circumstances and the actions of the people in our lives. Depending on the level of magnification with which we ponder, evaluate, and observe, people may cease to be appealing to us and situations may start to produce anxiety.

When you have a thankful heart you will quickly move your magnifying glass to that area within a person or circumstance for which you can still be appreciative. And, when you do that, your perceptions change so that peace can reign.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15 NKJV).

What, you may be thinking, should you do when there is a legitimate reason to feel anxious?

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 NKJV).

We are encouraged to take our anxiety to God, but even in our prayer, we need to move that magnifying glass to that for which we have to be thankful - God’s love, care, and faithfulness to us - His previous answers to prayer - His many promises recorded to us in the Bible …

“Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 NLT).

One of the best examples in scripture is a woman who faced serious consequences for pregnancy before marriage, and in addition, ridicule for claiming that the child she was carrying was from God. It probably seemed likely that her fiancé would not believe her. The pain Mary would experience when Jesus was crucified would pierce her heart.

What was her response?

“And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation” (Luke 1:46,47,49,50 NKJV).

This is the thankful prayer of a peaceful, happy woman who focused her magnifying glass on our mighty, holy, and merciful God! As a result, her spirit rejoiced and was peaceful.

What are you going to magnify? Choose carefully, because it will change the tone of your life!

(I have underlined and highlighted certain words in the Bible verses above for emphasis.)

For simple ideas on enjoying this season, see the Fall 2008 page!

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Week 3: Thanking God for the Fleas!

As unbelievable as it seems, two sisters actually transformed the atmosphere among a group of women in a prison camp. Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, Betsie, were Christians imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding Jews in their home in Holland. They were placed in Barracks 8 right next to the punishment barracks, where, day and night, they heard blows landing in regular rhythm and screams keeping pace with the blows. Eventually, they were moved to Barracks 28, a filthy place with broken windows, backed up plumbing, soiled and rancid bedding, and broken windows. The beds were platforms covered with straw that reeked. The deck above was so close that they could not sit up in bed. Suddenly, Corrie felt something pinch her leg and realized that the place was swarming with fleas.

Overcome with despair, she asked her sister how they could live in such a place! Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were on their third complete reading of the New Testament, which they kept hidden from the guards. Betsie reminded Corrie what 1 Thessalonians 5:18 said about giving thanks in everything. Betsie began by thanking God that she and her sister had been assigned to Barracks 28 together. They continued by thanking God that there was no inspection when they entered and therefore, their Bible was not taken from them. This was followed by thanking God for the women in that room who would come to have a personal relationship with God. They then realized that since they were packed so closely, many would hear when they shared the Word. Finally, Betsie did the unthinkable. She thanked God for the fleas. Corrie responded that there was no way she could be grateful for a flea, but with Betsie’s encouragement finally expressed thanks for the fleas.

With great timidity, Betsie and Corrie began to hold meetings to read the Bible. Night after night went by without a guard coming anywhere near them. Though they were under rigid surveillance, guards never came in their dormitory room. They did not understand it until someone had actually asked a supervisor to come in to settle a problem and they refused. Her response was, “That place is crawling with fleas!”

Corrie immediately remembered her sister’s bowed head, giving thanks to God for those very fleas.

Those interested in their services grew and though the Bible was read in Dutch, translations were passed on in German, French, Polish, Russian, Czech, etc.

As a result, the atmosphere of Barracks 28 was transformed.

What about you? Are you giving thanks “in all things”? Are you thanking God for the fleas in your life?

This story was summarized from:

http://www.broadcaster.org.uk/section2/transcript/hidingplace.html

The story in its entirety can be found in Corrie Ten Boom’s book, The Hiding Place.

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