True Autumn Glory

Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. 

Psalm 125:5-6

This is a timely verse for Autumn, a time of reaping what has been sown, of farm-stands dotted with orange pumpkins and squash and corn. 

  "Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow"--the image is of farmers who  carry onerous bags of seed across their fields, laboriously sowing row after row. Their work is so hard, the seed so heavy, they weep.   

"Will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them." But then they reap the bounty of harvest. The sheaves of wheat or other grain, are their reward. They have armfuls of them to show for their labor. Food for home and families.

   But I urge you to look past the agricultural image and see the deeper spiritual meaning. 

The "seed to sow" represents our prayers. We carry them to the Lord in what often feels like a burden, a labor.  

I don't know about you, but I can rarely come before God without shedding tears over the "seeds" I carry. The heartfelt pleas for lost loved ones, for needs and requests that, apart from grace, could weigh me down. 

I "plant" my seeds into the LORD's loving hands. And I know the joy will come. Answered prayer. Miracles. Intervention where none could be seen coming; help where none was expected; healing where there was hurt; saved souls where there was darkness and hopelessness. Sometimes the answer is "no," or "wait"--but plant the seed of prayer and joy is on the way.  

This is true Autumn glory--God's assurance that when we sow in tears, we will reap in joy. 

Weeping may tarry for the night,

    but joy comes with the morning. 
Psalm 30:5

A free book on Amazon this week may help you find determination to spend more time in prayer. The Lost Art of Intercession. I haven't read it yet but share it in the hope that it's well written and encouraging.  

Till next time,blessings and grace,Linore

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Take Five for this Celtic Woman--Roma Downey's--"Irish Blessing"

This beautiful little masterpiece of pictures and music, with narration by Roma Downey is one of the most worthwhile "view this" emails I've ever received. It's better than a "YouTube" video because it comes with no obnoxious ads or distracting side bars. Furthermore, it's a blessing to both eye and spirit!

Special thanks to my reader-turned-friend Lois for sending it to me (It's beautiful, Lois, just as you said--thank you!) which I now take great pleasure in sharing with you.

Take five from your hectic life and prepare to de-stress.
Be sure to have your sound/speakers on.



I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Once again, click here and be blessed!

Until next time,

Linore
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Hamlet, E.M.Bounds, and Prayer

Ever feel like praying leaves you high and dry? As though no one is listening? We all have moments when we're tempted to feel that way. Like the murderous Claudius in Shakespeare's Hamlet we leave our knees feeling that our efforts were fruitless.

Don't believe it!

Shakespeare was a literary genius and could portray characters with faulty theology to a turn. The question is, do you recognize when your theology regarding prayer is faulty? Had the characters in the play done so things might have turned out quite differently.

Here's a meaty quote from theologian E.M.Bounds. Afterwards, I'll post some of the lines from Hamlet where first the guilty King draws a false conclusion based on his own reasoning rather than Scripture; and then a surprising line from the young prince himself that hits closer to the truth.

Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. It purifies the air;
it destroys the contagion of evil. Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence.

E.M.Bounds (1835-1913)

And now, lines from Shakespeare's Hamlet. (Faulty theology can really ruin your day.)

Claudius killed his brother to usurp the Queen and the throne. He vacillates between thinking prayer can save him, or despairing that his guilt is too great because he isn't really sorry for what he's done. Poor Claudius! We've all been there.

KING:
What if this cursed hand(45)
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood,
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow? [Yes, Claudius, there is.]

But, O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?'
That cannot be; since I am still possess'd(55)
Of those effects for which I did the murder— [False conclusion]
My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
May one be pardon'd and retain the offence?
...
Try what repentance can. What can it not?
Yet what can it when one cannot repent? [He admits he's not truly repentant.]
O wretched state! O bosom black as death!
O limed soul, that, struggling to be free,(70)
Art more engaged! Help, angels! Make assay. [He asks angels, not the Lord, to help him.]
Bow, stubborn knees; and heart with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe!
All may be well.(75) [He dares to hope and falls down to pray.]

Unfortunately, he ends up where he began, as follows:

O, my offense is rotten. It smells to heaven,
It has the oldest, basic curse on it,
A brother's murder! I can’t pray,
Though my desire to is as sharp as my will.
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,
And, like a man bound to double business,
I can’t decide where I should begin.

KING:
My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.
Words without thoughts never to heaven go.

Hamlet enters the room to find Claudius upon his knees and
puts off his mission of revenge, thinking the murderer is seeking forgiveness and thus ablution.

Enter Hamlet.

HAMLET:
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven,
And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd. [Don't miss the sarcasm, here.]
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.(80)
O, this is hire and salary, not revenge!

Hamlet recognized that no one is beyond repentance, but ironically, he seems to think once the King is no longer on his knees, he can safely be dispatched (no longer going to heaven). If the King had truly repented and sought forgiveness, he would have found it, however, and been "saved" as we Christians say.

Recall what Bounds said:

Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence.

And Scripture:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 1 Chronicles:7:14

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. John 6:37

Both Claudius and Hamlet mistake the matter. As I said, Shakespeare was a literary genius but Hamlet is certainly not a treatise for Christian doctrine, nor was it meant to be.

In the end, we can say with E.M.Bounds of prayer that:

It is a voice which goes into God's ear, and it lives as long as God's ear is open to holy pleas,
as long as God's heart is alive to holy things.

God shapes the world by prayer.

Warmest Blessings,

Linore
PS: Bounds wrote numerous books on prayer. Here is one to download that is free online.

Today's "guest post" is from a friend who sent me the following in an email. It's refreshing, though eerie in a way, to hear someone finally calling the kettle black.
Our nation is attempting to hide its sins by euphemisms, but Christians are called to be "truth and light." Read the following short prayer for a little light today.
Also, adopt the burden of praying for this sorry state of our country!

Linore

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God!'

E.M.Bounds: On Prayer

The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be, the mightier
the forces against evil everywhere.

Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. It purifies the air;
it destroys the contagion of evil. Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence.

It is a voice which goes inot God's ear, and it lives as long as God's ear is open to holy pleas,
as long as God's heart is alive to holy things.

God shapes the world by prayer.

E.M.Bounds (1835-1913)
Author of numerous books on prayer, here is one that is free online.

THRIVING ON LESS


Today I'm simply sharing the availability of a free ebook, called, "Thriving on Less." My quiet times lately have resulted in a spree of reducing, eliminating and trimming of "fat" around the house. I haven't read this ebook yet, but I downloaded it, and the table of contents looks like it will help me declutter even more.

Here's the Table of Contents

Introduction
1. A Simple Lifestyle
2. Focus on the Essentials
3. Thriving on Less, Not Struggling
4. Focusing on Enough, Not More
5. Make Small Financial Changes First
6. Look at Large Expenses for the Long Term
7. Changing Your Spending Habits
8. A Guide to Getting Out of Debt
9. Tools for a Frugal Life
10. Resources

Debt is not my problem, but nevertheless there are some chapters that hold promise for me. I am also reading a book on de-cluttering, by the way, which has been useful. I'll talk more about that soon.
Why am I focusing on cleaning when this blog is supposed to be "devotional?"
Because having a neat and orderly environment helps me focus on other things, including God. I just find it easier to pray when I'm not distracted or weighted down by a cluttered room. An added bonus is that I've recently discovered a thrift shop whose mission is to support other missions. Therefore, my giving results in helping missionaries whose call is to spread the gospel. That's what I call a win-win situation~!

Hearing From God

"A wise man listens to advice." Proverbs 12:15

How are you at taking advice? Could there possibly be anyone more qualified to give it than the One who made us? Yet, many Christians are wary of trying to hear God's voice for themselves.

Reading the Bible is the single most important way to hear from God. Since it is God's WORD, it follows that when you read and live accordingly, you are listening in the sense of obeying. When you "hear" the Word come alive in your heart, you are doubly "listening"--letting it speak to you at the core of who you are. However, there is still another way to listen to God, which is, during prayer and quiet Bible reading time to actually listen for God's whispers--personal promptings and urgings which you won't find elsewhere.

There are Christians who have been earnest believers for decades but have never experienced hearing just such a "God-whisper." Are you one of them? Admittedly, it takes faith. And, if you aren't already familiar with God and His Word, you can mistake your own wishes for the voice of God, so it's not surprising that some choose not to even try and hear a personal word for themselves. Generally, however, people who do not "hear" the whisper of God (and it may not be an audible voice), do not hear it because they do not listen for it. There are a few main reasons which prevent some from doing so:

A: They don't believe they can hear from God. If you simply don't believe that God can inspire your thoughts with his own, or yes, "whisper" to your heart, then you are very unlikely to have it happen. God in his sovereignty can choose for it to occur, but it's far more likely to happen in the life of a believer who lives in expectation of it. Faith ushers in the fact of occurrence.

B: They've never experienced it before. Just as people laughed at Noah when he said it was going to rain because it had never yet rained on the earth, some people scoff at the idea of listening to God simply because they've never heard him for themselves and don't think it's possible to. Often in life, we get what we expect; conversely, we don't get what we don't expect. We miss what others see, simply because they have conditioned their minds to be open to it; Which brings us to the third reason some people never will hear God's whisper:

C: They're secretly afraid to. What if God tells them to go be a missionary to Africa? On a less extreme note, what if God simply tells them to do something they don't want to do? What if their nice, ordered world is disturbed? If this is you, you are likely rushing through Bible reading and prayer, without getting still before the Lord. "Be still and know that I am God," is not one of your favorite verses. In a similar vein, some are afraid they will 'mis-hear,' and perhaps make a terrible mistake in life due to the misguided notion that "GOD SAID."

It is a good idea to be aware that this has happened to many well-meaning people. That's why the Lord also instructs us to consult "a multitude of counselors" on important matters. If your pastor, your godly friends, your spouse, or even your own inner voice is shouting "NO!" then it is unlikely you are following the voice of God, in a path that is controversial. Likewise, knowing the teachings of Christ and the Bible is a a safeguard against mis-guided ideas of your own invention.

Actually, the Lord is much more likely to gently encourage you in baby steps of growth that will lead you to become more like Him, rather than sending you straight off to Africa. Often, he wants to encouragie us in ways to use the gifts he has given us, things that will improve our lives and the lives of others; He may help you to focus on an important issue you've been ignoring or putting on the back burner too long. Another day, He may remind you of a relationship that needs healing, a step you need to take to initiate it.

Do some people abuse the notion that God speaks to his people? Absolutely. The person who constantly says, "God told me this," or, "God said that," (who wears green socks instead of black because "God" told him to) is likely mistaken. Great errors have been made based on someone's mistaken idea that "God" told him or her to do something. This is why a knowledge of scripture is vital for listening. The Lord will never direct anyone to do something outside of his revealed will in His Word!

The best way I know to "listen" for God's voice is to keep a pen and notebook with me during prayer and Bible study time. It is during those quiet times with the Lord that I get thoughts for the devotions I write. God is giving me the lesson, and I simply share it with you. So try it. Keep a pen and paper handy. Jot down the names of people the Lord brings to your mind while you pray, or during your reading. Be willing to stray from your own prayer list as the Holy Spirit reminds you of other needs. Often, I am reminded of unfinished business with a person, and sometimes I stop right there and then to shoot off an overdue email, or pick out the right card to send to someone later. I do this trusting that the Lord knows the important from the urgent, whereas I often confuse the two.

"Wise men store up knowledge." Proverbs 10:14a.

Action Step

Next time you pray and read the Word, have a pen and paper with you. Make an effort to "listen" by asking the Lord to speak to your heart, and keeping an open mind. Then, see what happens! Use a notebook just for this purpose, and soon you'll be storing up knowledge-right from the mouth of God!

This article was first published on the devotional blog "Inner Fulfillment" by Linore Rose Burkard. "Inner Fulfillment" offers daily short devotions for Christians, by a group of talented writers.

The Tyranny of the "Urgent"

Have you ever noticed that when you start to pray you are sometimes instantly flooded with all of the urgent needs in your day? The things that must be done--right now! I mean, they can't wait another second! (At least it feels that way.)

Usually, I am prepared for this onslaught and can keep praying. In fact, the irony is that these things which seem so urgent are occurring to me just as I am praying, (and can get help!) which is twice the reason to stay solidly on my knees, or at my desk with my head bowed--and yet there are days when I succumb to that "urgency" and leave my Lord to "accomplish" something.

I firmly believe there ARE times to leave the prayer closet before you pray deeply, such as when you must take care of tasks which have been left undone--despite divine nudges. But these are few and far between. Some are:

• When unforgiveness has lingered, and you need to make something right. You may need to speak to that person, write a note, extend an invitation for a get-together, whatever the case may be. This IS urgent, for unforgiveness will come between you and your Lord and must be attended to. It is an ugly weed in your life and you need to get that thing at the root! (Asking for divine help to do so is wise, however.)
  

• When God has already been dealing with you to do a thing, and you have been dragging your feet. There are lots of reasons why we dread doing certain tasks in life, but if the Lord has already been dealing with you about something, then by all means, DO IT! Whatever the issue or task, it is not worth becoming a sin in your heart, which also comes between you and the lover of your soul.
  

• When other people will suffer from your absence. If your kids need you first thing in the morning, you must either get up earlier to pray unhindered, or take care of them first. Same for anyone else who is dependent upon you for their care or sustenance.
  

This morning when I went to pray, the usual onslaught of URGENT tasks hit me with a vengeance, including the "need" to write about that very thing here on my blog. I stopped to do so. For everything else that came, and continues to taunt me, I will give them all to Jesus. Right now. Because being Mary in a Martha world is the "better thing" that won't be taken away from me, ever. I hope you'll be a Mary today, too.

Affectionately,

Linore

A Thought for The Disciplined Life

"Through Scripture, creation, the church, and by his Spirit, God fills
the world with his voice. The only issue is, 'Are we listening?' "
C.J.Mahaney, Disciplines for Life.

How's Your listening, today? Have you taken some time to speak
to God and hear His voice? If not, take five and do it, now!

Sometimes, as the old song says, "It only takes a spark to get
a fire going!" If you're feeling lifeless, bring yourself to God and let
Him kindle that spark in you.

[Where have I been? Meeting my latest book deadline, and traveling, and entertaining company.
I hope you enjoyed today's little thought; I need so much time to be a wife to my husband, mom to my five kids, and manager of my home, that writing my daily devotions
was getting too time consuming--hence my "vacation" from this blog. My solution for now is that I'll be posting some "God-thoughts" a couple times a week or more--just a snippet from my devotional time with the Lord. I pray you will find them edifying, as I have.
It's good to be back!]
Blessings,

Linore

Today is the National Day of Prayer

"One day, with one purpose.
To Pray.

Have you prayed today?"

Click HERE to post your prayer on the wall, and join tens of thousands of
other Christians as we pray for our beleaguered nation!

Devotions Take Devotion

Are you fully committed to having a devotional time with the Lord each day?
Devotions take devotion.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus must be done purposefully. In order to take in the Word,
you must empty yourself; or how can he fill you?
When I spend time quietly in Scripture in the mornings, I am continually awed at His
faithfulness in teaching, rebuking, correcting, leading, or encouraging me.

Last year, I started with an empty notebook, and each day, after reading a portion of Scripture
(mostly the Psalms and Proverbs at that time), I would jot down the thoughts and ideas
that came to me. It was astonishing even to me, a writer, how quickly the pages
filled up. Each and every day, I had new ideas to record; new thoughts or reminders of old
lessons that I needed to keep in mind, or to share with others.


Nowadays, instead of writing down all my thoughts I record them as devotions. Occasionally I keep them to myself, if I feel they are only meant for me. But
the focus here is not me or what I do with the gleanings from the Word; the idea I want to
convey is that you, too, can have daily communion with the Lord, and "hear" his thoughts.
That's what reading the Bible is all about.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss says:
"Each of us has the opportunity to cultivate the beauty of a daily devotional life. Time
spent alone in the Word and prayer each day will bear fruit in our lives as we experience an everdeepening intimacy with the heavenly Father.
Those who are willing to come apart from the clamor and demands of each day’s activity
in order to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to His words will experience an intimacy that most
believers will never know. The fruit of that devotion will be manifested in an orderly, peaceful
life.
Should you choose to cultivate your heart as a garden of the Lord, you will be blessed
and others will be blessed. And it is all, all, all for the Beloved."

Having a nice little devotional to write is fine and good; but living a godly, ordered and peaceful life is even better and both result from time spent in the Word and prayer.
So, I'll ask you again--Are you spending time with God each day?
Are you devoted to having devotions?
If not, determine in your heart to become so. A better life is only a closer walk with Jesus away.

PRAYER: Lord, Grant that we may come humbly before You each day, seeking Your wisdom,
leading, correction or encouragement-Your strengthening. We need You. It is not a sacrifice to
come to You--it is a great and miraculous privilege, forged for us through Jesus' Sacrifice. O, thank you for it! Speak to our hearts until we all reach a unity of the faith. Start with our lives, and affect the culture as You see fit. In Jesus' Name.

A Final Note: From Ms. DeMoss again, comes the following quote:
"S.D. Gordon said, 'Prayer wonderfully clears the vision, steadies the nerves,
defines duty, stiffens the purpose, sweetens and strengthens the spirit."
I couldn't agree more.
Amen, and Amen.

Linore
©2009 LinoreRoseBurkard