Galatians 5:14

Mark

An Unholy Alliance

The insights that John Eldredge brings this morning encapsulates not only the reason for a woman’s attempt to “save herself,” but also for a man.  We all are fall into the trap of self-protection or offensive behavior, especially after deep hurt has occurred.  May the insights you are about to read, help you to break through the barriers of unbelief—if we humble ourselves, God will lift us up.

---

An Unholy Alliance
12/30/2007

---

Over the years we’ve come to see that the only thing more tragic than the things that have happened to us is what we have done with them.

Words were said, painful words. Things were done, awful things. And they shaped us. Something inside us shifted. We embraced the messages of our wounds. We accepted a twisted view of ourselves. And from that we chose a way of relating to our world. We made a vow never to be in that place again. We adopted strategies to protect ourselves from being hurt again. A woman that is living out of a broken, wounded heart is a woman who is living a self-protective life. She may not be aware of it, but it is true. It’s our way of trying to “save ourselves.”

We also developed ways of trying to get something of the love our hearts cried out for. The ache is there. Our desperate need for love and affirmation, our thirst for some taste of romance and adventure and beauty is there. So we turned to boys or to food or to romance novels; we lost ourselves in our work or at church or in some sort of service. All this adds up to the woman we are today. Much of what we call our “personalities” is actually the mosaic of our choices for self-protection plus our plan to get something of the love we were created for.

The problem is, our plan has nothing to do with God.

The wounds we received and the messages they brought formed a sort of unholy alliance with our fallen nature as women. From Eve we received a deep mistrust in the heart of God toward us. Clearly, he’s holding out on us. We’ll just have to arrange for the life we want. We will control our world. But there is also an ache deep within, an ache for intimacy and for life. We’ll have to find a way to fill it. A way that does not require us to trust anyone, especially God. A way that will not require vulnerability.

(Captivating , 74–75)

---

From The Ransomed Heart, by John Eldredge, reading 364
Ransomed Heart Ministries www.ransomedheart.com

 

Golden Nuggets in Chronicles

In my travels, I run into very few Christians who possess a love for the Old
Testament. I can remember my OT professor saying that the OT was two thirds
of the Bible and without it, you cannot properly understand the NT. In
fact, most of the NT is derived from the OT.

This morning in my reading of the book of I Chronicles, I found among the
seemingly monotonous listings of genealogical records, a few hidden golden
nuggets. That is what I love about God's Word; for those who seek, there is
always hidden treasure, just around the corner.

One of the breaks in the genealogical record comes with the prayer of Jabez
in I Chronicles 4:6. There has been so much written about this prayer that I
hesitate to spend too much time here. But it is a very beautiful prayer.
First the text says that Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. Then
there is the record of this amazing prayer that should be our prayer as
well:
* And his mother called him Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in
pain."
* Jabez called upon God saying, "Oh that you would bless me and
enlarge my border,
* and that Your hand might be with me
* and that you would keep me from harm (evil)
* so that it might not bring me pain!"

The next narrative insertion that spoke to my heart was found in chapter 5
verses 18-22. The Reubenites, were valiant men who carried shield and
sword, and drew the bow, expert in war. In one of their exploits, the
writer informs us that their enemies were given into their hand, for they
cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because
they trusted in him...For many fell, because the war was of God."

Isn't it interesting that these expert warriors won the battle, not by their
skill, but by their prayers. Recognizing that God is in complete control of
the wars of our life, will determine whether we live under the stress and
fatigue of constant conflict or rest in the peace that passes all
understanding. Therefore,
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts
and minds though Christ Jesus." Phil 4: 6, 7

Out of the mouth of babes

            A friend shared the following video with me today.  For some reason I didn’t bother to open the file and view it but another friend send the same video six hours later.  If you want to understand the real meaning of life and the love of God, you have to watch this.  If you want to understand the reason why people suffer, and the meaning behind the suffering, you will never forget what you are about to see and hear.  This really helped me while I’ve been sitting here with my dad in the ICU since November 14th.  When I pray and read a Psalm to my dad, though eyes closed, he squeezes my hand.  Thank you Lord for the gentle reminders that you are still in control, and care.

            Blessings to all,

            Mark

 

A remarkable phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston

radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. So profound, the station has it

posted on their website. Click below to listen to it. It's short. 

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d5d4ee2c067a456e7c0f

 

 

 

Counseling with God

---

Walking with God
12/27/2007

---

Walking with God leads to receiving his intimate counsel, and counseling leads to deep restoration. As we learn to walk with God and hear his voice, he is able to bring up issues in our hearts that need speaking to. Some of those wounds were enough to break our hearts, create a rift in the soul, and so we need his healing as well. This is something Jesus walks us into— sometimes through the help of another person who can listen and pray with us, sometimes with God alone. As David said in Psalm 23, He leads us away, to a quiet place, to restore the soul. Our first choice is to go with him there—to slow down, unplug, accept the invitation to come aside. You won’t find healing in the midst of the Matrix. We need time in the presence of God. This often comes on the heels of God’s raising some issue in our hearts or after we’ve just relived an event that takes us straight to that broken place, or waking as I did to a raw emotion.

Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever. (Ps. 86:11–12)

When we are in the presence of God, removed from distractions, we are able to hear him more clearly, and a secure environment has been established for the young and broken places in our hearts to surface.

(Waking the Dead , 140–41)

---

From The Ransomed Heart, by John Eldredge, reading 361
Ransomed Heart Ministries www.ransomedheart.com

 

 

Seek Not Bethel

In Amos 5:5 we read, "Seek Me and live; but do not seek Bethel." This seems odd because Bethel means "house of God." Why would God be against Bethel? Bethel had become filled with idols--counterfeits--substitutes for the true God.

 

Two weeks ago I was listening to Chip Ingram's "How to Get God's Best for your Life, Part 1."

 

His insights fit quite nicely with what I have been studying in I and II Kings. If you were to study the books of the Kings, you would find an emphasis on "the sins of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin." The fact that this phrase is repeated more than twenty times is significant. Jeroboam provided a substitute--a short cut, if you will--for the people to worship God. He provided a counterfeit god to serve as an easier means to enter God's presence without sacrifice or toil. Fearing that he would lose control if his people traveled to Judah to experience God's presence, Jeroboam tightened the reigns and provided this substitute, which lasted throughout the entire history of the kings.

 

 

Today we seek counterfeits in much the same way. Fear and insecurity are powerful factors when it comes to worshipping false gods. When we are fearful, our faith is restricted; without faith our resistance is lowered and we become susceptible to the false gods that live in lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

 

 

Ingram's insights on counterfeit gods are unforgettable golden nuggets. According to Ingram, the three counterfeits, "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," can be best understood in the following terms:

 

1. The lust of the flesh is our desire to "feel". We replace God with our desire to feel good through food or sex. This addiction to be satisfied through our feelings is known as hedonism.

 

2. The lust of the eyes is our desire to "have". This involves our  possessions. It is a compulsion to fill the void with things.

 

3. The pride of life is our desire to "be." This desire for status 

 

involves our ego. We choose to live by sight or status because exercising humility and living by faith is too risky. These three counterfeits, "pleasure," "possessions," and "position," keep us from seeking God and experiencing life! That is why God says, "SEEK ME AND LIVE!" He has come to give us life and life more abundantly. But DO NOT SEEK BETHEL. Do not seek the counterfeit gods that temporarily fill your longings but require more and more from you. These gods are thieves--they do not have your best interest in mind. Seek the LORD and live!  Amos 5:6

 

Mark Hamby

Out of the mouth of babes

            A friend shared the following video with me today.  For some reason I didn’t bother to open the file and view it but another friend send the same video six hours later.  If you want to understand the real meaning of life and the love of God, you have to watch this.  If you want to understand the reason why people suffer, and the meaning behind the suffering, you will never forget what you are about to see and hear.  This really helped me while I’ve been sitting here with my dad in the ICU since November 14^th.  When I pray and read a Psalm to my dad, though eyes closed, he squeezes my hand.  Thank you Lord for the gentle reminders that you are still in control and care.

 

            Blessings to all,

 

            Mark

 

A remarkable phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston

 

radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. So profound, the station has it

 

posted on their website. Click below to listen to it. It's short. 

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d5d4ee2c067a456e7c0f

 

 

 

 

 

A Man's Mission

---

The Warrior Heart
12/24/2007

---

I have in my files a copy of a letter written by Major Sullivan Ballou, a Union officer in the 2nd Rhode Island. He writes to his wife on the eve of the Battle of Bull Run, a battle he senses will be his last. He speaks tenderly to her of his undying love, of “the memories of blissful moments I have spent with you.” Ballou mourns the thought that he must give up “the hope of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our sons grown up to honorable manhood around us.” Yet in spite of his love the battle calls and he cannot turn from it. “I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter . . . how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and sufferings of the Revolution . . . Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break” and yet a greater cause “comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistably on with all these chains to the battle field.”

A man must have a battle to fight, a great mission to his life that involves and yet transcends even home and family. He must have a cause to which he is devoted even unto death, for this is written into the fabric of his being. Listen carefully now: You do. That is why God created you—to be his intimate ally, to join him in the Great Battle. You have a specific place in the line, a mission God made you for.

(Wild at Heart , 141)

---

From The Ransomed Heart, by John Eldredge, reading 358
Ransomed Heart Ministries www.ransomedheart.com

 

"The Christmas Story"

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations – extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate to the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old. For weeks, he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s “Winter Pageant.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there’d be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song. Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as “Christmas,” I didn’t expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment – songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son’s class rose to sing, “Christmas Love,” I was slightly taken back by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row—center stage—held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing “C is for Christmas,” a child would hold up the letter C. Then, “H is for Happy,” and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, “Christmas Love.” The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter “M” upside down—totally unaware her letter “M” appeared as a “W.” The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one’s mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her “W.”

Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.

For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: “CHRISTWAS LOVE” And, I believe, He still is.

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him, might be saved.” John 3:17

The Painting and the Auction

Earlier today I received this story. This one is worth passing on.

Mark, this is great, take a moment to read it. It will make your day!

The ending may surprise you...

TAKE MY SON:

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had
everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often
sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very
courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was
notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A
young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son
gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to
safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often
talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this
package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think
your son would have wanted you to have this.'

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the
young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the
personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes
that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered
to pay him for the picture. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son
did for me. It's a gift.'

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to
his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them
any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his
paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great
paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son The auctioneer pounded his
gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid
for this picture?'

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous
paintings. Skip this one.'

But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will
start the bidding? $100, $200?'

Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see
the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!'

But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime
gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting.' Being a
poor man, it was all he could afford.

'We have $10, who will bid $20?'

'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'

'$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?'

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.

They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'

A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the
collection!'
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'

'What about the paintings?'

'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a
secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation
until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever
bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the
paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything!'

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the
auctioneer, His message today is: 'The son, the son, who'll take the son?'

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER
BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

GOD BLESS.

video: I asked God.

If you enjoy beautiful scenery and a thoughtful presentation, you will enjoy this.

http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/

 

 

The Life Ahead of Us.

The Apostle Paul said that "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we
are of all men most miserable. I Cor 15:19

We Can Only Hope for What We Desire
12/16/2007
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Once we come to accept that we can never find or hang on to the life we have
been seeking, what then? As Dallas Willard writes, it matters for all the
world to know that life is ahead of us.

I meet many faithful Christians who, in spite of their faith, are deeply
disappointed in how their lives have turned out. Sometimes it is simply a
matter of how they experience aging, which they take to mean they no longer
have a future. But often, due to circumstances or wrongful decisions and
actions by others, what they had hoped to accomplish in life they did not .
. . Much of the distress of these good people comes from a failure to
realize that their life lies before them . . . the life that lies endlessly
before us in the kingdom of God. (The Divine Conspiracy)

Blaise Pascal also observed, "We are never living, but hoping to live; and
whilst we are always preparing to be happy, it is certain, we never shall be
so, if we aspire to no other happiness than what can be enjoyed in this
life."

Desire cannot live without hope. Yet, we can only hope for what we desire.
There simply must be something more, something out there on the road ahead
of us, that offers the life we prize. To sustain the life of the heart, the
life of deep desire, we desperately need to possess a clearer picture of the
life that lies before us.

(The Journey of Desire , 104-5)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

From The Ransomed Heart, by John Eldredge, reading 350

Update on dad: decision made

This morning starting at 3am, I was faced with the decision to take my dad
off of his oxygen supply. It was an anguishing decision...more anguish than
I have ever had to face or experience. As I prayed, I felt more and more
uneasy. Where was the peace that passes all understanding. Dad's condition
had deteriorated so much over the course of the week, that I thought this
decision was already made for us. Even my mom agreed that it was time. His
kidneys had failed, his lungs were on the highest level of oxygen, and now
his mental state was unresponsive. If only we could ask dad for
himself...i really believe I knew what he would have wanted...to go home to
be with Jesus.

The nurse yesterday wanted to put him on a drug that would ease his
suffering and begin the process of taking him off the oxygen. The nurse
last night wanted to start him on morphine to easy his suffering. She was
concerned that his cough was too hard and too often for him to tolerate. I
must admit, it was very difficult to watch my dad have those coughing
spells. But then I remembered that for the last four weeks, the entire
staff was concerned that he wasn't coughing hard enough. Now that he was
coughing, they wanted to drug him to suppress it, not to mention that these
are the drugs that had damaged his kidneys. Why not? He is about to die,
why not ease his suffering. But then I never did believe that coughing was
synonymous with suffering. I'm sure that chronic coughing can cause one to
suffer, but dad's coughing was no more than what most patients who have
pneumonia experience. You certainly don't put them on morphine, if you want
them to get better...this doesn't take a doctoral degree to determine.

I didn't realize that if I didn't follow the nurses recommendation, that I
would be accused of cruel treatment of a patient...and this patient happens
to be my dad. I was amazed...everyone around me was appalled that I would
allow my dad to cruelly suffer like that. Then I realized that I needed a
definition for suffering. I asked the nurses, but they could not give me a
definition...how subjective I thought...each patient gets their dose of
morphine based on how much the nurse thinks he's suffering...regardless
of how that medicine might effect his organs and mental state.

Combat...staring me down with the accusation that I was being cruel...i
asked her to explain what was cruel. She couldn't. Then she pulled the
patient advocate on me. She stared me down..."my responsibility is to the
patient," she said. I said "That's good. Then you can follow my dad's
desires that
he doesn't want any medication that will impair him mental status." End of
discussion. She was ticked...I wasn't backing down. She wanted to drug him
to make her night easier...she should find a different occupation.

As I looked at my dad at 3am, I was certain that I needed to take him off
the
oxygen..we all were. My dad would soon be with the Lord. I held his hand,
his head, his heart in my hand...i cannot express the love I have for my
dad...it will take the rest of my lifetime to express that love...and now
that he is a child of the Savior, my love is amplified.

5am, 6am, 7am...i was exhausted. Very little sleep this entire week...my
sleep mechanism was altered. I was able to stay awake without caffeine. At
7:30 I fell asleep but was fighting to wake up...finally at 9:25 I awoke and
went quickly to dads room. I was upset that I had let so much time go
by...i wanted to have this over with before noon, so I could get my mother
home and we would have the rest of the day to mourn and plan for the
memorial service. As I walked into his room, everyone was sleeping--my mom,
sister, Debbie, and Jennifer. I held dads hand and noticed that his eyes
were wide open. He looked as though he had already passed on. As I
observed him, checking for his breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, I
realized that everything was at normal levels. His eyes were moving...
what did I have to lose, so I asked him what he wanted to do..."dad do you
want
to go and be with the Lord?" No response. "Dad, do you want to go home and
be with mom?" A definite nod of his head...and a repeated nod of his
head--YES.
Debbie had just walked up to the bed and witnessed the questions and
answers. Then the doctor walked in. "AJ, do you want to continue fighting
for your life?" asked the doctor. What we were about the experience was
totally unexpected. Dad began to nod vehemently and almost lifted himself
off the bed. For the past seven days, dad has showed almost no response.
This was his moment; his performance. Unless the doctor was convinced that
this was dad's coherent response, he would not continue treatment. The
doctor looked up at us, and said, "It would be unethical to continue with
removing any life support. This man has the will to get well and that is
what we need to do."

God has given us another day. Tomorrow, He may take dad to Himself...today,
we get to be with our beloved dad and papa and enjoy the life that has given
us all so much joy and security all our lives. Thank you Lord, thank you
dad! Life truly is in the hand of God...our God is a great mystery...that is
why He is God.

Daniel 5:23 "Our breath is in the hand of God."

The $20. Bill

 

20 Bill

 

 

Recently, the Lord gave me a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the power of His awesome grace to one of my sons.

 

This son phoned me at the bookstore one day and said, "Guess what, mom... I found a $20 bill in the pocket of one of my pairs of shorts."

 

Immediately I discerned that what he was telling me probably wasn't the truth.  But I congratulated him on finding the lost money and we speculated that it was probably some forgotten birthday money.  End of phone call.

 

When I hung up the phone with him I tried to remind myself to check in a drawer at home to see if a $20 bill was still there.  It is a drawer that the older boys know about... where my husband and I stash extra cash for emergencies.

 

That night I forgot to check, but a few days later I remembered and saw that it was missing.  My husband hadn't taken any money from it... and money had never been missing before.  I knew I had to talk to my son. 

What a flashback to my childhood!!
 
My son was from my blood, for sure.  But he didn't have the desperate, driving need for money that I thought I had as a child... or did he?  I remembered the guilt and shame... and the loss of trust with my parents as I stole time and again and was caught and disciplined for it.  I remembered how it felt... how I knew I lost their trust so I didn't care after awhile... Oh, no.  I don't want my dear son feeling that way or taking that path!
 
I brought him into a quiet room away from his brothers and we sat down together.  I told him I wanted to tell him a story... and I proceeded to tell him about when I was a little girl and I had taken a $10 bill from my mother's wallet.  My mother found the money missing very shortly afterward and was distraught.  It was the only money we had for groceries that week!  I felt so terrible... and I really wanted to return the money.  But how?  I decided to make up a story to cover my sin.  I went outside to where the sprinkler was watering the lawn and I pretended to find the money under the sprinkler.  I went in the house, triumphant that I had "found" the (now wet) missing money, eager to hand it over to my distraught mother and make things right again.

Much to my dismay, I was met with an angry parent who vowed that I was lying... that I had stolen the money... and that I could never be trusted.  I sank deeper into my sin, believing that I might as well be what she claimed I was.  It didn't matter anymore.

I knew that I wanted this encounter with my son to be very, very different.  So I told him the story while holding him in my arms and rubbing his back.  Then I let him know that I was missing $20 and I asked if it was possibly the $20 that he had found in his pocket.  He immediately said, "No, mom... I did find that in my pocket."
 
I was so pleased that God was in control!!!  It was at this point that I got the awesome opportunity to heal a great wrong in my life... simply by treating my son (in his sin) the way that I had only dreamed of being treated.
 
I said to him, "I BELIEVE you."
 
I hugged him and sent him on his way.

Later that night I mentioned to him that we needed to put the $20 up on his "chart."  We keep a running account of the younger children's money on a chart on the refrigerator.  Then we keep the cash for them so they don't lose it.  They do this by choice, and he had already given me the $20 bill the day he had called me to say he had found it in his pocket.  They usually keep smaller amounts in their wallets, but the bigger amounts they give back to us and write up on their "account."

I had joyfully written the $20 entry on his account.  I felt such peace... such joy.  Conviction of sin was up to the Holy Spirit alone!!  I had done the only job required of me... I had lavished "prodigal" grace on my son.
 
I call it prodigal grace because prodigal means "reckless, lavish, wasteful."  The father in the parable of the "prodigal son" was actually the one who was reckless, lavish, and wasteful!!  He "wasted" the fatted calf on his wayward son; he "lavished" an undeserved gift of a robe and a ring.  He recklessly ran down the road to meet him.  He poured out unconditional love.  Yes -- that is what I lacked as a child.  That is what I wanted my son, yet in his unrepentant sin, to experience.
 
A few hours later I was preparing to read aloud a book to the boys.  My heartbroken son came into the room and burst into tears at my side.  I hugged him.  I asked him if he would like to tell me something.

"Yes...", he stammered, "I.... I did take that money out of your drawer, Mom."

What joy in my heart to see the Holy Spirit bring about the work of repentance totally unhindered by me!!!

I said this to him...”Oh, my dear son... I LOVE you.  I am so proud of you for telling me the truth.  That took SO much courage.  I believed you when you told me that you didn't take the money because I really trust you.  I'm so glad I can trust you to tell me the truth.  I know that was a hard thing to do.

I do want you to know something.  All that I have is yours.  If you ever feel like you need money you just come and tell me.  I don't ever want you to feel like you have to steal.
 
And I want you to keep that money... I don't want it back.  I'm just so glad you let the Holy Spirit work in your heart."

Yes... I wanted him to keep the money.  And no one else in our household knows what happened.  I covered over his sin for a very good purpose --- so that he will never forget what that kind of love feels like.

I don't believe I'll ever deal with this issue with him again.  And for that very reason... it was worth it to be a prodigal mom.
 
God's love is so radical toward us... so incredibly unbelievable!!  We were ungodly, we were sinners, we were enemies.
 
            One will hardly die for a righteous
            man; though perhaps for the good
            man someone would dare even to
            die. But God demonstrates His own
            love toward us, in that while we were
            yet sinners, Christ died for us.
            (Romans 5:7-8)

Won't you show a little of that "amazing grace" to your undeserving child today.

 

The Elastic Band

Video: You Can Make a Difference...

I sent the following message to my staff to encourage them. May you be encouraged as well.

Mark

Dear Lamplighter Staff:

Please watch the link below before starting work tomorrow. In the past thirty years I have seen someone like this only a handful of times, actually do something that would draw others to come back again and again. I believe we have the kind of staff that is made out of the stuff that this boy possesses. May his life inspire you…may we make a difference in the lives of others as we serve. We can make a difference...it just takes a little thought and initiative.

Mark

<http://www.simpletruths.com/a.aspx?mo=stsr&t=2>

Video: Little Girl and Psalm 23

 

This will make you smile...
http://www.godtube.com/view_video?viewkey=9e7c4b40cf5a13cea6ca

Unsaved 80 year old Mother

Dear Mark....I read your newsletter and cannot stop thinking about which book to get my mother...we had a very good talk this past october about hell, of all things...I have been saved by Christ's blood since 2001 and witnessing to my unsaved mother on and off since then. She verbally showed interest in wanting to read the bible this time...she loves history and we know the bible is so full of history. She is a very bitter and angry person, among so much good...i so much want to know I will see her in heaven..my dad is already with Jesus...She believes she has to be a good person to go there...can you recommend one of your books that I could pass on to her...thankyou for all you have done...

 

Dear_________:

            If she were my mom I would start with the Hidden Hand…IF she is a reader.  This is a long book but it would draw her in because it is so captivating.  However, it would not be the book that I would choose to lead her to Christ .  My dad read this book and loved it, but it was the other books that drew him to the Lord.  If you wanted to start with something more historical and centered on Christ, I would choose Titus: A Comrade of the Cross. This a very powerful book about the two thieves on the cross and why the one thief repents at the last moment.

            Now this is going to sound confusing, but if you wanted a story that had the message of salvation plus dealt with anger and bitterness, it would be the Lamplighter…this is our signature book.

            Lastly, if you wanted to solely soften her heart to reach her for Christ, I would start with Winter’s Folly, then Jessica’s First Prayer, then Christies Old Organ.

I hope I didn’t confuse you but since I don’t know her real well, I have tried to cover all the bases…My dad read about fifteen of these stories before he came to Christ.  The process was just an amazing miracle to watch.  Charles Spurgeon was right when he said that it is the continual interaction with the Word that leads us to Christ…and these stories do just that.

May our Great and Saving God, reveal Himself to your mom.

Sincerely,

 

Mark Hamby

 

 

perspective

Dear Lamplighter,

If possible, this message is meant for Mark.  My name is ________ and I met you briefly in June at the Homeschool Conference.  I am the young widow with 4 little boys that spoke with you. 

 

This note is far overdue, but I just had to write and tell you how much you challenged and encouraged me in your seminars and how you have blessed me with your books.  Thank you for the gift of The Hidden Hand.  I enjoyed it immensely and have since shared it as well as your catalog with others.  My older boys have also enjoyed the books I purchased to read aloud to them, especially Teddy's Button. 

 

God has been faithful this past year to care for us and meet our needs, in many times, remarkable ways.  We just past the 1 year anniversary of my husband's death and I am amazed at how far God has brought me, although I still miss my husband with all my heart.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to minister to a hurting heart.  May God bless you and your loved ones in this season of our savior's birth.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I then wrote back to her and this was her reply…she really helped put life back in perspective.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mark,

I rejoice with you in the salvation of your father, while I know you grieve his illness.  I understand the human dilemma all too well of wanting someone you love to be healed and stay with us a while longer, and knowing that they would be better off whole in heaven.

 

There are still many, many days I ask God why he didn't heal my husband.  We would have been faithful to share the amazing testimony and give Him all the credit.  His condition was such that only a miracle from God could have restored him.  However, although I still don't like it very much, I'm coming to realize that I have the greater testimony now.  How trusting in God and continuing to praise him in the midst of the greatest tragedy of my life and that of my boys, speaks more powerfully of how God can change us from the inside out, than healing my husband's brain would have been.  It's easy to praise God when he does what makes us happy.

 

I pray for your father's healing, and peace for you whatever the outcome.  I know that nothing is wasted with God.

Have a blessed week.

 

 

 

 

Prodigals and those who love them

Dear Mark and Debbie,

     I recently read "Prodigals and those who love them" and it was such a tremendous

encouragement!!! I am so thankful it is in the Lamplighter resources and will recommend it!!

      I would also like to share a praise: My son and his childhood friend both had their 20^th

birthdays recently. We gave our sons friend a copy of "Titus: A Comrade of the Cross" for

his 20th birthday. He rides the city bus to a drug court class everyday as part of the court

program he is in. He called us this week to tell us that he had just finished the book and it was the

best book he ever read!! He said he would cry on the bus everyday while he was reading it!!!

The day he finished the book, he was so overwhelmed with his love for Jesus, and what

Jesus has done for him on the cross, THAT day he led someone to Christ!!!!! We were rejoicing

with him and prayed with him on the phone-after we hung up he called our son and talked to him

for 30 minutes and he led our son to Christ on the phone!!!!! I had been asking God to do a work in

our son's heart BEFORE his 20th birthday and all this happened the DAY before he turned 20!!!!!!!!

God is sooooooo AWESOME!!!!!! WOW!!!!! He is faithful to all generations!!!!! God is restoring

the years the locust had eaten!

   It is such a privilege to be part of His Glorious Kingdom and family--you are in our prayers and we love

you with the love of Jesus! We thank God for all He has done and is doing,to Him be the Praise and the Glory

May you and your loved ones be filled with the Lord's amazing grace and peace and blessed assurance that He will

never leave us or forsake us!!! Love and Prayers,

Your Friends forever in Christ

 

update on dad

For those who are following the news about my dad and praying for him, this has been a most difficult day.  The doctor said that dad would not walk out of this hospital.  A week ago this would have been shocking and quite a hit for me to take, but after being around this new doctor for the week, it did not surprise me to hear him say this.  He is right in his assessment that dad’s current health does not paint a very hopeful picture, and he may be correct in his assertions. But I can understand why he thinks that we he does.  He is governed by his worldview, which is not a Christian world view.  Dad has now been here for twenty-six days.  He has been in critical condition for twenty-one of these days.  He was on life support, then off, and now on again.  His lungs are not strong enough to move the fluid off and his kidneys as of last night were not filtering toxins…tonight, the kidneys have shown some improvement which reignites our hope. These past two days I have prayed like I have never prayed before…I would love for dad to have a miraculous recovery for many wonderful reasons, but one would be to bring glory to God by demonstrating his mercy, grace, and power to an unsaved doctoral staff.  For the first two weeks, we had a Christian doctor who gave us facts, told us of the seriousness of dad’s situation, but gave us hope each day…thus the result of his Christian world view.  Our world view really does influence the way we live our lives.  Because I believe that God is totally sovereign in all of the affairs of man, I can trust my dad’s future in His hands.  This doesn’t mean my heart does not ache, nor does it mean that I am not responsible to pray without ceasing, and this doesn’t mean I will not grieve if the Lord decides to take my dad to his new home…it does mean that I can trust a God of love who works all things together for good to them who love Him, to them who are called according to His purpose.  (Romans 8)

 

Ps.  Tonight and tomorrow may determine the fate of my dad’s future…please pray for him.  Thank you,

Mark

It's About the Cross--video

The linked video was sent to me by one of our readers. This is an excellent video that uncovers the real meaning of Christmas; the cross is central once again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyR0lwO-nXc

If you haven’t seen the “Everything” video you will not want to miss this; very powerful: http://www.ksbj.org/eblogs/afternoonShow/?p=86

Deliverance from Hidden Moral Failure

After writing the article on pornography a few days ago, a reader sent me the following link to an article that I found to be one of the most insightful and freeing articles on this subject I have ever read.

http://ati.iblp.org/ati/supportlink/ministryfamilies/speed/

The Dentist

Laughter is like Medicine...health to the bones.

The Fastest Donkey Ride Ever! II Kings 4

Can you imagine telling people "All is well" right after someone you love has died? I am sure that many of you are familiar with Horatio Spafford's famous song It is Well with my Soul. I am sure that many know that he wrote that song after he learned that his four daughters had died in a collision when their ship was crossing the Atlantic. What you may not know is that the composer, Philip Bliss, died tragically in a train wreck shortly after writing this music. Life is filled with uncertainties and pain. But life can also be filled with the miraculous power of our wonder working God.

In the book of 2nd Kings, the prophet Elisha blessed a wealthy Shunammite woman. God allowed her to give birth to a son because of her gracious hospitality toward Elisha. She actually had her husband build an additional room to accommodate the traveling prophet. She fed him and provided a room for him to sleep and study. I find this unusual because the woman was rich. Often those who have much are the least giving. But not this woman. She understood what Paul was teaching in I Timothy 6, that "we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out, so with food and clothing, let us be content. Because they who are rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and wasteful loss... therefore Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly, all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to share. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."

I have quoted this long passage because I want to highlight the importance of "laying up in store" and the connection of "laying hold of eternal life." Back to 2nd Kings 4. After the miraculous birth, the child grows up and begins helping his father in the fields. But one day, the child become grievously sick and the father asks the servant to carry him home. The Scriptures do not say much about this father, but it is hard to believe that he stays at work while his son had to be carried home. When the child arrives home he is held by his mother until the child dies. The mother then does something unusual. She doesn’t tell anyone that the child has died. She quickly takes him to the prophet’s room and places the child in Elisha’s bed, closing the door behind her. She then goes to her husband, (who is still at work!) and asks for permission to take a donkey and a servant because she wanted to visit Elisha. Her husband doesn’t even ask if their son is ok but is concerned that her request is a little out of the ordinary. Her response is very important; she says, “Shaloam, Shaloam.” Or “All will be well,” or “All is well.” Our English translations offer both of these possibilities. I personally prefer the first…"All will be well.” She then tells the servant to keep the donkey going at a fast pace unless she says otherwise. This woman is on a mission and nothing is going to stop her. The trip to Elisha is about fifteen miles. Can you imagine traveling on a donkey at a face pace for fifteen miles? Oh the love of a mother! I wouldn’t have wanted to be the servant because he would have been the one walking fifteen miles while prodding the donkey forward.

When the Shunammite woman arrives, she is approached by Elisha’s servant and asked if all is well with her, her husband and her son. Her response is “All is well!” Can you believe it? Why is she concealing the deep anguish within her? This is very peculiar. Keil & Delitzsch write that “Shaloam” can be used “when the object is to avoid giving a definite answer to any one, and yet at the same time to satisfy him.” Her only thought at this point is that she needs to get to Elisha and no one is getting in the way. She knows that if she shows she was in an emotional state, Elisha’s servant would have kept her from seeing his master. She knows exactly what she is doing and as soon she sets her eyes on Elisha, her reservoir of anguish can no longer be contained. And just as the servant is about to cast her away, Elisha says—“Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” Everything in this chapter is rather hidden. Elisha from the beginning speaks to her through the mouth of his servant and remains somewhat distant. The woman keeps the news about the death of her son hidden. Why? There are some things in life that are so intimate and so sacred that they cannot be shared haphazardly with others. Some things are for the ears of God alone. This past week I experienced this. While sitting here with my father who has been in critical condition for the last 23 days, I was able to cry out to God from the depths of my love for my dad…I can only share these deep feelings with the Lord…He is the only one who could possibly understand.

The Shunammite woman wanted to hold on to the one who brought her son into this world and could now give him back. She believed this was the only possible solution for her despair; why try any other avenue when they couldn’t possibly deliver. Why do we waste so much time seeking help in all the wrong places…oh, precious prayer…"the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” She was fervently effectual. In Greek this means to be mighty. God is waiting for us to come BOLDLY to His throne of grace. This doesn’t mean that we can’t weep and plead…but we need to have bold faith and believe that He is able…God expects us to come boldly yet reverently, humbly. Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief…Lord, remove this cross, not my will but yours.

What does all this mean? We need to avoid the distractions that keep us from the throne of God and lay our petitions at his feet—not a counselor, not a friend, not anyone but Jesus Himself. What is beautiful about this picture, is that there is a direct parallel in Matthew 15 and Mark 7…it is here that the Syrophonecian woman breaks through the barriers of the disciples and the barriers of Jesus’ soul searching roadblocks—He doesn’t make it easy for her. Now why would Jesus make it difficult for anyone to come to Him? He was helping this woman to see the needs of her own heart before she could meet the needs of her daughter. And so often that is what God is trying to do…we need to become spiritually healthy before we can help others. The reason I believe there is a parallel here, is because if you continue reading in 2^nd Kings, you will find not only that the two woman have much in common, but Elisha miraculously feeds 100 with a fragment of bread with an emphasis that there will be some left over. A similar miracle appears right after Jesus heals the Syrophonecian woman’s daughter with the feeding of the multitudes with leftover baskets of food.

In 2^nd Kings 4, when the Shunammite woman lays hold of Elisha’s feet, the flood gates of her heart are released as she tells him that she wasn’t the one who asked for a son! So why did he deceive her, only to give her one and then take him away. I just love this woman’s approach. She doesn’t waste any of her anguish on others…she comes straight to the throne of grace…she breaks through the barriers. Why waste time talking to servants when she can go straight to the source? The heart of the prophet has been moved…her son will be raised from the dead. “All will be well”…"All is well.” What incredible faith…what an incredible approach to the throne of grace. May we learn the lesson that the Shunammite woman teaches—that those who “Lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come…may lay hold on eternal life.” Store well, my friends…only those who have this solid foundation will be able to get through the barriers, and right to the throne.

Seek Not Bethel

In the book of Amos chapter 5 verse 5 we read, “Seek Me and live; but do not seek Bethel.” This seems rather strange because Bethel means House of God. Why is God against Bethel? Bethel had become filled with idols, substitutes for the real God--counterfeits. God is crying out to us to seek Him and not counterfeits. Yesterday I heard a sermon from Chip Ingram, Liviing on the EdgeHow to Get God's Best For Your Life Part 1 - 12/4/2007

Today we seek counterfeits in the same way that they did in Amos’ day…through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Chip’s insights on the counterfeits of life are quite unforgettable. He says that these three counterfeits can be best understood in layman’s terms.

1. The lust of the flesh is our desire to feel. We replace God with our desire to feel good with food or sex. This is hedonism…an addiction to be satisfied through our feelings.

2. The lust of the eyes is our desire to have. This involves our possessions…once I get that, or once I own this…a compulsion to fill the void with things.

3. The pride of life is our desire to be. This involves our ego…a desire to have status. This allows us to live by sight/status because living by faith and exercising humility is too risky.

These three counterfeits, pleasure, possessions, and position, keep us from seeking God and experiencing life! That is why God says to us, to SEEK ME AND LIVE! He has come to give us life and life more abundantly. BUT DO NOT SEEK BETHEL. Do not seek the counterfeit gods that fill you for a while but require more and more from you. These gods do not have your best interest in mind…they are thieves. Seek the LORD and live! Amos 5:6

Update on my dad: This is our 22nd day, waiting, praying, and hoping. We are still by dad’s bedside in the ICU. We have seen God answer prayer and have met many wonderful people. The staff has been great. We even have opportunity to share God’s love with other family members who have loved one’s here. Dad is still in critical condition. He came off of life support about a week ago and we were so excited, but on Friday, he was becoming short of breath again and they decided to place him back on the ventilator. The main problem is an infection that they have been unable to isolate which is causing a build up of fluid in his lungs. We appreciate your prayers…we are praying for a miracle…we serve the God of the impossible! And at the same time, we desire for God’s perfect will.

pornography (revisited--new material)

I receive a considerable number of requests from parents who are desperate for help when they find that their teen has been viewing pornography on the net. I am not sure of the statistics, but in my experience, those teens who seem to have more chronic problems in this area are the teens whose parents have also had problems with pornography. This is usually my first question for parents and the response is usually one of defensiveness. One dad in particular didn’t see how is addiction to pornography had anything to do with his son’s attraction to porn, especially since his son was only a toddler at the time. What parents need to know is that our sins do indeed effect our children, regardless of how old they are. I am not sure if this void in our children’s lives occurs as a result of a spiritual transfer or caused by an emotional impact.

As I read the Scriptures I see a repeated emphasis on the children following in the sins of their fathers. The books of I and II Kings are filled with this repeated information. Again, we are not told how or why this occurs, but it stands to reason that our children follow the models they have been raised with. Though I do not believe that the sins of the fathers are passed down generationally any longer for believers, (Christ has set us free—yes I know this is controversial), I do believe that each of us possess certain genetic predispositions that makes us susceptible to certain addictions and tendencies. For example, alcohol and drug use can be traced in my family history. I personally do not like the taste of alcohol and do not drink as a Christian because of certain biblical convictions (this is another controversial subject…but if you are a king and priest of Christ, kings don’t drink alcohol…like I said controversial). Neither do I do drugs…however, there was a time in my life that I needed medication that was highly addictive, and it was very difficult for me to get off this medication. It actually took me two years to overcome this. Without even realizing what was happening to me at the time, I had been addicted to a drug, thus the connection to my family history…a genetic predisposition. Anger can be another genetic predisposition as well as a host of behaviors inherited from our ancestors.

When it has been discovered that a teen has an attraction to pornography, the first response must be one of soberness but not harshness. If a parent responds in an out of control manner, the child may cover his sins more carefully or withdraw because of shame. Our children need to know that they are FULLY LOVED, FULLY KNOWN, WITHOUT ANY FEAR OF REJECTION. This is essential. We need to recognize that we all struggle with sin in one form or another. When a teen is caught with something that is shameful, we need to be shame removers. Shame was the same reaction of Adam and Eve, and God Himself covered them. Love covers a multitude of sins. And even if the child is caught again, we need to be consistent with our approach, gently guiding them to understand the spiritual nature of the sin and how Satan is trying to rob them of the beauty that will one day be theirs in marriage. They need to know that Satan is trying his best to distort what God created as pure and beautiful so that they will never be able to enjoy the fullest of God’s gift to them. If you can get them to begin thinking of this as something that they need to take on as a person fight, then there is hope.

This is also a time when the child can come face to face with his own lack of intimacy with the Savior; a time when he needs to reflect on whether or not his salvation is real. Again, no shame. This is an opportunity for both parent and child to come before the throne of grace, seeking for God’s mercy to find grace to help in the time of need. If the attraction continues, then the next step is one of boundaries, though this could be instituted on a less aggressive schedule from the start. But if it persists, then drastic measures are in order. Jesus taught us how to deal with addictive behavior: if your eye offends, cut it out; if you hand offends, cut it off. Jesus is teaching about radical and drastic measures when repeated sin has a hold on our lives. I have found in my experience that a more soft approach rarely works. Let me share some of the more drastic and radical approaches of overcoming this particular sin.

As I have stated above, our approach with teens and children needs to be one where we release guilt and shame offering guidance and support. However, adult attraction or addiction to this sinful activity must be met with a more radical approach…in my opinion. The only men (I have not dealt with women in this area) that I know of, that are no longer addicted to this behavior are men whose wives took action immediately, swiftly, and radically. One woman, took the tv, computers, and video games and smashed them on the front sidewalk serving as a welcoming mat when her husband arrived home. He got the message immediately, and there was an immediate confession and repentance. She also pulled the cable out of the plastered wall, leaving quite the trail. This woman fought for her husband’s welfare and wasn’t going to wait for him to waffle through a period of accountability partners and group therapy. She was bold and courageous and as a result her husband today is serving the Lord and is a great father and husband.

Lastly, when dealing with a teenager, I would say that one of the most important things to do, is to NOT force the Bible down their throat, but let devotions and Scripture be an influence as well as many godly outside influences like youth pastor etc... Next I would influence him with as many godly examples found in books. Ronald Reagan said it was the book That Printer of Udell’s that led him to Christ and prepared him to become the president of the US. Here are my choices for the most influential books that teens should be reading that will provide a greater attraction that the false substitutes the devil provides:

1. The Hedge of Thorns

2. Tom Gillies

3. Rising to the Top

4. My Mates and I

5. Throw Me Overboard

6. Shipwrecked

7. Stick to the Raft

8. Ishmael and Self Raised

9. That Printer of Udell’s

10. Thoughts for Young Men

Remember, no shame…they need to know that they are fully loved, fully known, with no fear of rejection…they need to know that they are fully known, and that is ok…it is ok, because we know that we also are fully known by God and it wouldn’t hurt if our teens knew that we too struggle with sin as well. We are all in this together. The models they will learn about in the books will, with the help of the Holy Spirit, etch into the fabric of their moral conscience, a pattern for godliness that they can follow. With a parent’s fervent prayers, our children can be helped to overcome these enticing sins of the flesh. I have found that it is far better to fight this sin when they are young rather than to face it when they are married. This is what parenting is all about. Sin in the lives of our children must be approached with all of our strength, and humility…we can’t cry out to God enough….they need our protection…I would also consider talking with them and having a plan so that they know what happens if they are caught looking at porn again…i.e. Loss of computer; involvement with pastor or youth pastor…a little fear and known consequences would be helpful…without shame.

Helpful resources: http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/06/survey_finds_evangelicals_addi.php

more statistics - http://www.blazinggrace.org/pornstatistics.htm

articles - http://ati.iblp.org/ati/supportlink/ministryfamilies/speed/

lying spirit from God? pt. 2

In order to continue with my interpretation of God’s involvement of the lying spirit, it really is important that you read the text below:

5 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.” 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” 8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” 9 Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.” 10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.’” 12 And all the prophets prophesied so and said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

13 And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” 14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” 15 And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go up and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 16 But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 17 And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’” 18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” 19 And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; 20 and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ 23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”

24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?” 25 And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” 26 And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son, 27 and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in prison and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.”’” 28 And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!”

It does appear that God is requesting for someone to go and entice Ahab through a lying spirit. The vast majority of commentaries defend this position and state that God is sovereign over the spirit realms and the affairs of mankind. God did give Satan permission to take Job’s health away but God didn’t initiate this. In I Kings, God is the initiator, or so it seems. God was the initiator with Pharaoh, by hardening his already hardened heart. God is without question sovereign. But to ask a group of spirits in heaven who is going to entice Ahab, just seems a little out of character for God. I would propose that there is another explanation.

First, the prophet said that what he is revealing is something that he saw. So initially, this prophecy is not a direct word from God, but something of a vision. Even though, this doesn’t offer an explanation. Second, when the prophet is told to speak favorably to match the favorable words of the false prophets, he says, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” BUT HE DOESN’T! From the very beginning this prophet does not speak the truth. His speech is obviously sarcastic. You can tell this by the response of the king: “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” It appears that this wasn’t the first time the prophet and king had a conflict. So the prophet begins speaking the truth but the king can’t handle it: “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

Now we come to the controversial section of God looking for an enticing and lying spirit. It would be my view that the prophet is once again resorting to sarcasm. The scene in heaven that he is describing is a means to irritate Ahab and mock his prophets, conveying that they are nothing but puppets on a string, and that they are all liars. It is a fabricated story designed to do nothing more than to irritate both Ahab and the prophets, and that it did. The reaction to his prophecy is first one of rage coming from Zedekiah and unbridled authority from the king. He sends the prophet to prison, possible back to prison.

At last the prophet speaks in a serious tone and says, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!”

There is a pattern here that might help resolve some of the tension concerning God and the lying spirit. The pattern is found in the prophet Micaiah’s speech to the king:

1. Sarcasm

2. Truth

3. Sarcasm

4. Truth

The story of the enticing and lying spirit is one of sarcasm that follows this alternating pattern of truth. It is designed to both mock sinful king Ahab and bring about confusion so that he will indeed follow the advice of the false prophets, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL KNOW THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD IS TRUE INDEED. And only those who heed it, will be spared. God does not need lying spirits to accomplish his will…mankind already does that which is right in their own eyes. The prophet was only making use of sarcasm to both irritate this self-centered selfish king and prove his point that Ahab really didn’t want to hear what he had to say. You can tell that the king heard sarcasm because of their response: first he was slapped in the face, then he was placed in prison and ordered to be fed only meager rations. If Micaiah was being genuine and sincere, there would have been no reason to slap him...he was obviously mocking both the king and his false prophets.

Whenever there is a difficult passage of Scripture that seems to conflict with the nature and character of God, there is an explanation if we are willing to dig deeply. The character of God , his love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, truth, and justice, must always be our guide when interpreting Scripture.

Lying Spirit from God?

I Kings 22 may be one of the most difficult sections of Scripture to understand.  The text clearly states that “the Lord placed a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets.” I Kings 22:23

Or does the text really say this? I love finding controversial sections of Scripture.  The more difficult the more rewarding because they cause you to dig deeper and the deeper you go the more you begin to see the amazing beauty of the Word of the Lord.  Before I begin, I would recommend reading this chapter first.

           

God certainly would not sanction lying. Or would He?  Satan is the father of lies.  Titus 1:2 states “which God, who never lies…”  God did bless Rahab the harlot who lied about the two spies.  God did send an evil spirit to Abimelech in Judges 9:23.  In I Samuel 16:14 God sent and evil spirit to Saul.  In 2^nd Thessalonians 2:11 God sends those who refused to believe the truth, strong delusion.

 

A casual examination of I kings 22 reveals several interesting factors.  First that Ahab still has prophets.  In I Kings 18 Elijah has already killed 450 prophets of Baal.  But he didn’t kill the 400 prophets of Asherah.  The text doesn’t reveal why Elijah didn’t kill the rest of the prophets but it is possible that these are the prophets that God uses in chapter 20 to be the carriers of the lying message.  There are exactly 400 of them (22:6).

 

Another observation of chapter 22 reveals an interesting structure.  Note the following form that is found in verses 12 – 15:

 

            Go up and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.

            words of the prophets

            favorable

            favorably

            Words of the Lord (the Lord says to me)

            Go up and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.

 

You can see how this paralleled structure reveals beautiful symmetry except for the contrast between the words of the prophets and the words of the Lord.  The King of Israel is trying to discern whether to go into battle against the king of Syria.  400 of his prophets are telling him to go…the victory is his.  But one prophet is telling him otherwise.  Who should he believe?  Can you imagine having so many people confirming what you should do and just one person, a person you really don’t like, telling you the opposite?  Whose advice should you follow? I have found the people really don’t want to follow advice.  They are going to do what they want to do regardless.  Having someone agreeing with you just seems to bolster our pricked conscience, masking our guilt.  “of course you should leave him…you don’t deserve to be treated that way.” And the list of advice goes on an on, often contrary to the Word of God.           

To be continued….

 

(for those who are praying for my dad, this morning dad took a turn for the worse and needed to be placed back on the ventilator.  The doctors are concerned for possible organ failure again…this is discouraging because his kidneys had just started to respond to almost complete functioning.  Please pray for God’s will to be done and if my dad’s life can be used to bring glory to Him, to please spare his life.  I would love to serve with my dad…thank you for your prayers.)

 

 

Tales of the Kingdom

If you have never read the Tales of the Kingdom Trilogy by David and Karen Maines, you will want to place this on your list of books to read to your children. I have read these stories well over a hundred times. They were my children’s favorites growing up, especially as you grow to love the characters like Caretaker, Old Mercy, Princess Amanda, Ranger Commander, the Baker, and of course the King! My three personal favorite stories in this collection are The Baker Who Loved Bread, Princess Amanda and the Dragon, and Thespia the Most Beautiful Player of All. I have never been able to read The Baker Who Loved Bread without shedding a few tears. As you can see from a mom’s letter below, the Kingdom Trilogy will be loved by your children. If you are looking for something far better than Harry Potter…you have found it!

(fyi: The Kingdom Trilogy was not originally written for children, though children will love them. If you are searching for literature that can bring healing to adults who have been through very hurtful times and live with wounded hearts from the past, I highly recommend these stories—there is something anointed about these books.)__________________

Hi Mark,

I wanted to tell you that you made a very good suggestion for my son Seth back in August. I had shared with you that he is 7 and an avid reader. You recommended the Trilogy series of the Tales of the Kingdom. Seth LOVED them. He even this past week had to do a book report, bring in 5 things the book talks about, share with the class about them, give his opinion of the book and would he suggest it for the class to read. He chose Tales of the Kingdom and we used little figure guys to represent the Caretaker, the King, Scarboy, etc...I even made an outfit(sewed by hand) for Caretaker..we really liked him! We had so much fun, the kids enjoyed the book, want to read it and Seth received a 100% for his grade!

Thank you for excellent advice.....we love your books...

Have a very Merry Christmas and may you be blessed in return for blessing others!

In Him,

Melissa