When He Doesn't Want Your Jesus, Part 1

1 Peter 3:1

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the Word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives."

What do you do when your husband doesn't want your Jesus? 
When he won't to go to church?
When he doesn't want to hear your "Bible-beater lingo?"

Do you divorce him?

Do you beat him over the head with your Bible anyway?

Do you guilt him into submission?

We live in a self-sufficient, independent world.  Often, the last thing I want to do is depend on someone else.  Especially when I think I'm right!

Recently I read 1 Peter 3:1 from the Amplified Translation.  It's made me look at this issue of submission in an entirely new light.  Maybe it will help you as well.

"In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands

[subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them],

 so that if any do not obey the Word [of God],they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives."

No, we don't divorce them; we don't beat them into submission...

We intentionally choose to be second in rank (in the home) -

despite what the 'Housewives of New York' are doing.

We choose to become dependent -

despite our independence teaching world.

We adapt ourselves to their desires and schedules -

instead of insisting they adapt to us.

As we choose to intentionally snub the world

instead of God's Word,

He'll cause your man to want your Jesus.

What Time is It? Part 2

“Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”

Psalm 19:2

As I started to tell you last week:

The clock said 4:34.

And, yes, that was “a.m.”

This, however, was not a typical “roll over, glance at the clock, go back to sleep" moment:  those numbers JUMPED off the clock and knocked me awake.

When I heard “Look it up,” I knew that this was not an “inconvenient” wake-up:  this was an “invitation” to a Daddy-Daughter date. 

Seeing the hours and minutes on the clock just might be

a SCRIPTURE REFERENCE, calling you to dive into God’s Word.  

3:16 is about the only one I could identify by itself, for it’s John 3:16.  

I don’t easily memorize chapter and verse.  So- - -4:34?  All I can say is, PRAISE THE LORD FOR GOOGLE! 

I grabbed my laptop, typed in “4:34” and  - WOW!

The primary verse that leapt off the page was :

Luke 4:34  - - - -“My food is to do the will of Him who sent me

and to accomplish His work..”

Why was this important to me? 

It affirmed to me my position with Tara and the Knowing God Ministries team . . . on the very week that we were kicking off this new season.  My sweet Lord was letting me know:  I’m exactly where I belong. AND, it affirmed:  I’ve got work to do.

And a second reference did the “resonance” thing, too:

Mark 4:34.  - - - - “He did not say anything to them without using a parable.

But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.”

Oh, what another sweet confirmation this verse is to this “artsy” and “deep” woman!  Jesus Himself used parables - - word pictures – ORDINARY IMAGES – simple, daily-life “things” to speak and teach His truth!

So, the “work I’ve got to do” is in staying true to the purpose He has created for me:

1. Being obedient to hear His voice –
2. Writing what I hear. . .  
3. Not being afraid of using ordinary life things – like digital clocks! – to share His truths!

Have fun with this one, friends!  Use the digital-clock-Google-reference method (disclaimer:  not found in any theological seminary curriculum!).

Sometimes it’s just a fun exercise in searching for Biblical references.  But what I have found is this – any time I am faithful to open His Word, He is faithful to speak.

[Please share your experiences with the digital clock “prayer trigger” 

and encourage us all by commenting below any time.]

What Time is It? Part 1

“Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”

Psalm 19:2

The clock said 4:34.

And, yes, that was “a.m.”

This, however, was not a typical “roll over, glance at the clock, go back to sleep"moment:  those numbers JUMPED off the clock and knocked me awake.

Backing up a bit . . .

Recently God has finally gotten through my thick skull this concept:
He wants to speak to me– AND (even harder to grasp) He’s speaking all the time . . . if only I have “ears to hear.” 

He first started using the digital clock to call me to pray for people by having the time displayed remind me of someone’s BIRTHDAY.

6:16?  The day of my daughter’s birth.  So of course when I see it, I think of her and pray. 

But one day I happened to glance at various clocks and saw 6:16 THREE TIMES (yes, one clock was way off).  God got my attention and I was praying intently for my daughter.  In fact I almost emailed; but I didn’t get to it before her husband called that evening:   they had just taken their one-month old daughter to the hospital for a serious respiratory infection!

Was I concerned?  YES. 

Was I fearful? NO! 

For the Lord had “gone before” to call me to prayer, and let me KNOW:  He is in control.  In that moment I experienced the “I will not be shaken” (Ps. 62:6) of walking with the Lord:  to be in a storm but not have it “rock my world”.

The best part of using a digital clock as a “prayer trigger” for people is that EVERY BIRTHDAY possible occurs!  Twelve hours?  All twelve months are represented! 

Next post: we’ll go a little deeper, but for today, allow God to bring people to mind through the clocks you see . . . and pray as the Spirit leads you to pray.

Sometimes you’ll be prompted to pick up the phone and call them to let them know. 

Sometimes you’ll feel led to send an email or a text (or even send a card).

Sometimes you’ll simply pray.

Regardless, TRUST:  the God of the universe is speaking TO you and working THROUGH you to deliver His love to the world.   

So, I ask you now: 

What time is it?

[Please share your experiences with the digital clock “prayer trigger” 

and encourage us all by commenting below any time.]