When Being "Right" Can Be Really, Really Wrong

  "...he [Satan] enlists blame and accusation as his co-conspirators, and under his subtle influence the people of God often turn on one another rather than rally in unity against our REAL enemy."(emphasis mine)  This thought has had me pondering since I read it in Bible study this week.  Bizarrely, it hit me square in the face recently as I simply went looking for a picture of the Bible study I am currently in to "pin" on Pinterest.  I inadvertently happened upon a blog devoted to "critiquing" Beth Moore.  Let me tell you, it got pretty ugly.  Her main sins were:  she taught men, she was too emotional, and she was a "premillenialist" (She believes in a pre-trib rapture).  She was called "false teacher" over and over.  When a woman had the courage to write in her defense and give her testimony of a changed life because of Beth Moore's ministry, she was slammed for not giving the credit to Jesus.  I am certain if Jesus was being attacked, this woman would have come to His defense even more courageously, but He wasn't the subject of this blog...NOT AT ALL.  

As I read this blog, my thoughts went to pastor David Parker's recent teaching on unity.  David said, "God is gifting and growing us in Christ so that we might mature together and reach 'unity in the faith' as we follow Him.  Being united in the faith means that we occupy substantial common ground together in our understanding of faith's essential content, character and conduct," and we accept other believers "without passing judgement on disputable matters."  

I remember years ago someone asked Brent Rue, the pastor of  the Desert Vineyard in those days, if he was "pre-trib or post-trib."  He smiled at them and said, "It really doesn't matter what I believe or anyone believes...its going to happen when God says and that's that."  A disputable matter...why waste time on it?

In David's teaching, he emphasized the "substantial common ground" we all have as Christ's followers.  There is "essential content" in our faith in Jesus we all believe...it is  non-negotiable and constant. There is "essential character" we all should have as expressed in Galatians 5:22.  And there is "essential conduct" we all should be showing as we live out our lives in worshipping, serving, giving and in relationship to others.

What if we did just that?  

What if we concentrated on the "substantial common ground"  we have with each other in our faith in Jesus as Savior instead of all the "disputable matters" that really aren't worth the disunity and hurt they cause to the person and the church?

What if we all practiced the character God has said should be in someone filled with His Spirit: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?  

What if our everyday conduct was ruled by the Spirit in us, expressed in love through our faith in Jesus to all we came in contact with?

Everything would change...everything.

That is exactly what happened in the early church.  They grew and matured in their relationship with Jesus and in turn grew in unity with other believers.  They let the disputable matters go (and you know they had different opinions on matters in the church) and continually refocused the attention of all back to the ONE...to Jesus.

We have to be so watchful for the subtlety of Satan as he works to distract us from what is valuable in this one life we have to live.  Being "right" is a desire we all have...practically from the womb.  I KNOW I do and I have to push that monster down in me all the time.  Isn't it unnerving that we have an enemy who wants us to be "right" and to defend that "rightness" until we have offended, hurt and sometimes even destroyed the faith of a brother or sister in Christ.  Here's the irony of this situation:  Our fight for what is right can lead to something destructively wrong in what truly matters in life.  


David asked the question:  "When people see you, do they see a person who lives out their faith expressed through love?  joy? peace? patience? kindness?  goodness?  faithfulness?  gentleness?  self-control?"  These are what we should be growing in day by day, over the months and years as we follow our precious Savior.  Focus on these and unity can't help but become a reality in our lives and our relationships.  Then we will stand firm in the indisputable, essential areas of our faith, but we will do it with a thought toward peace, joy in the truth (not in being "right"), in patience, kindness, goodness, and gentleness, being faithful to the truth but having the self-control to listen to the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom in the expression of it.  

Whenever I am at the bridal shower of a new young bride to be and one of the shower activities is to give some "words of wisdom" to the bride, I always write the same sentiment..."Let the little things go."  Some of the biggest most horrendous arguments in my marriage to Peter  have been over some really ridiculous things.  One especially huge fight was over whether or not the insurance salesman came over on a Wednesday night or a Thursday night the prior week.  Peter and I slept separately that night and practiced some pretty amazing "silent treatment" for a few days.  (Well, amazing that I could do it, not so much an accomplishment for Peter, but when I was "right," I could do the impossible to prove it!)  Another "memorable" fight was over who had the most clothes and why.  Our daughter, Kirsti, is the one who broke up that argument with one simple statement:  "I can't believe my parents are arguing over who has the most clothes."  In that moment both Peter and I realized who was right...Kirsti.  We were being pretty silly and causing a lousy feeling to pervade the entire family.  Much like the faultfinding Christian brothers and sisters do to each other and the Church.  

Here's an indisputable truth.  Jesus said,  "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God."  (Matthew 5:9)   Our goal...to follow Jesus, love others, live our lives so our love of God is obvious and to bring peace, as best as we can.


Love to you this week, my friends!


Cherri

James is Coming!!!!

Hello my sweet friends!


Tomorrow is the day our new Bible study begins!   We are starting off 2012 with Beth Moore's new study on James called "Mercy Triumphs."  James has always interested me, not only for the content, which in itself is life challenging and life changing, but also the fact that the author of this book is the biological half brother of Jesus.  This man who did not follow his brother while Jesus lived, became a pillar of the New Testament church and died a martyr.  Talk about change!


I am also looking forward to sharing with you on this blog as we go on this new adventure together.  It seems to me, as I look back, that all the Bible studies I have done have the very real element of adventure.  Because of this, I have a real excitement and anticipation to see what lies ahead in pages of James.  I hope you will join me and feel free to add your thoughts and even questions on the blog.  Like the blog says:  Together...we are one wise woman:)


I love growing in wisdom with you, dear sisters!  Meet you in the pages of James!


Love to you...


Cherri 


PS  Here is a promotional video for "Mercy Triumphs"

What is a Wife To Do With "Courageous"?

Peter and I did something the other afternoon we hadn't done in quite awhile...we went to the movies!  I wanted to see Courageous because I had heard so much about the movie, and it was at the "Dollar" theater, so the price  was right:)  Here's my quick review of the movie:  It won't win any Academy Awards or Golden Globes for acting, writing or cinematography, but it does have a message worth listening to, and I've got to hand it to those guys at Albany Baptist Church in Sherwood, Georgia, they know how to get a message across.  They did it in Fireproof and in Facing the Giants, and they have done it again with Courageous.  The opening scene is a surprise and sets the theme of the movie.  It is really worth seeing, but probably NOT with your husband...the father of your delightful children!  I wrestled with myself throughout the movie...it was EXHAUSTING!


I am married to a wonderful man...my children think he is, well, pretty much perfect.  He is their hero and the man my girls measure every other man by...poor guys.  And though I, too, think he is pretty amazing, I haven't quite made it to the stage of adoration our children have.  That is why when watching Courageous I immediately began thinking..."Man, I wish there had been a movie like this around when we were raising our kids.  Peter could have been a part of the 'challenge.'"  I wondered, as I sat next to Peter in the theater, if he wished he could have done things differently with our children...if he had regrets.  I wondered if he were thinking about how he could be a better father now.  I thought about the great conversations we would have when the movie was over.  I envisioned it...what I would say...what he would say...I was having a pretty emotional and impactful conversation with myself when I heard that "still, small voice" say"  "Don't you say a word.  You just be quiet."  Hmmmmmm? Could that possibly be the Lord?  Can I tell you that from past experience anytime I hear "hush," it has always been from Him.  He knows my biggest problem is my mouth, so sometimes He has not used such a "still, small voice."  


Whenever I am moved emotionally, I want to DO something.  That can be good or it can be very, very bad, especially when it involves others.  I can see exactly what they should do or say clearly.  In fact, I have rehearsed it for them over and over in my mind.  So there I sat in the theater, completely tied into the characters and the message, and I wanted Peter to be as well.  However, Peter is not a person moved by emotionally charged pleas, in fact, at times, they can be a complete turn off to him.  He hates to be manipulated...actually, don't we all?  But he does like to think things through.  Take his time to ponder before he acts or speaks (a admirable trait I am trying to have in my own character).  This is were the exhausting part came in.  My beautifully rehearsed words and scenes were playing in my mind as the Lord kept saying, "No, don't say it."  "Don't you do it."  Eventually, my final thought as credits rolled was to simply ask how he liked the movie...innocent enough.  "Nope, not even that, Cherri."  So I said nothing. 


Instead I WATCHED him to see if the movie had any kind of impact on him.  I silently graded what he said and did for the next 24 hours based on "the movie."  So at any given moment I might be encouraged because he took Anna to see her car (the importance of spending time with your children...theme #1 of the movie) or discouraged because he was watching the History Channel when he could have been doing something "fatherly."   About this time is when you are thinking "Cherri is completely crazy" and you have complete and utter compassion for my husband.  That's ok because I think the very same thing.


But then something happened...I sat down with that precious LIVING WORD in my lap one morning.  I have been reading in the Psalms but this particular morning I flipped to the concordance and looked up "Mother."  The thought came to me to look up all the verses on mothering even though I have read countless books on the subject, gone to seminars and done Bible studies on practically every aspect and to top it all off...I teach parenting classes, so I am immersed in motherhood.  And I got to exactly three before I realized how much I needed to work on my own self.  The next morning I got to a whole entire one.  All my focus on Peter and his role as father faded as God zeroed His light on my heart and my life, and I was humbled.  I had PLENTY to work on.  Too much to be concerned with "helping" Peter.  Besides, the thought occurred to me that there is a reason why all my children hold their father with high esteem...he deserves it.  He has been an honorable man their entire lives.


So, my advise on the movie Courageous...see it with a heart open to pray for the man or men who hold this position in your life.  I began to pray not only for Peter, but for my sons and sons-in-laws who are fathers themselves.  Pray for your young sons and your daughters' future husbands, pray for your own father, if you are blessed to have him still with you. The truth is they have a profound responsibility and position in the family.   And most of them, including the one I am blessed with, work hard to be and become the father and husband they are called to be.  I wouldn't want to be a man.  The truth is they are growing just like we are.


Have a wonderfully blessed New Year, my friends!!!!!


Love to you...


Cherri

Hey, Sweetie, could you run to Lowe's and pick me up a...?

Hello, my friends!


My dear husband, Peter, from the day I married him, always had a project going.  Weekends and even vacations have been spent building, remodeling, or repairing something.  I could not possibly count the number of times he has been in the middle of one of these projects and has asked me if I could run to Lowe's or Home Depot or Harbor Freight for some tool, bit, piece or part.  I used to HATE doing this because I NEVER got it right the first time. Until now.  Whoever invented the cell phone with a camera...I love you!  My iPhone is my best friend when I have been sent on Lowe's-Home Depot run. Now all I have to do is snap a picture, send it to Peter via text message:  "Is this the ONE?"  And then wait for the reply.  It is a beautiful thing.  However, it wasn't so easy in my younger years...not by a long shot.  In fact, sometimes it could be down right traumatic...


 I will never forget the very first time Peter sent me to Builder's Emporium for a part needed in a plumbing repair he was in the middle of and neither will the gentleman I ran into. I was probably all of eighteen or nineteen years old at the time and thrilled with prospect of helping my handsome, young husband. So off I went completely oblivious to the shocking discovery that was soon to be coming my way.  Peter told me the part I was to get for him (although I can't remember what it was now) gave me a name and a detailed description...though obviously, as you will see, not quite detailed enough.  I thought it would be a snap.  The problem was when I got to the store, there were about 100 of these plumbing "thingamabobs" in little clear plastic bags hanging on the aisle.  I had no idea which one to choose.  So I stood there pondering until an older gentlemen  finally had mercy on me and asked if he could help.  I told him what I was looking for and He said, "male or female?"  I was not expecting this at all.  Obviously this guy did not hear me correctly, so I repeated the name of the part I needed.  And he looked at me and said, "Right, male or female?"  There was a moment of awkward silence................  I hadn't the foggiest idea what he was talking about, so I asked, "What sex are they usually?"  As I look back on the scene, this guy was trying to keep his composure the best the could but finally all he could say was:  "Honey, you need to go back to your husband, ask him if he needs a male or a female and have him explain it to you."


And so I did.  When Peter explained to me that it was terminology to describe how something was threaded: on the inside "female" or the outside "male," believe me I was APPALLED at his explanation!  Obviously a guy came up with that great idea.  It took me years to be able to use the terms without being just a bit embarrassed.  Why couldn't the terms be something different but just as accurately descriptive as, oh, maybe "innie" and "outie"? In later years, as I went to different marriage seminars, retreats or even read books on marriage, I heard over and over how often men think of sex...and I all I could say to myself was "No kidding!"  It seems they reference it whenever they get a chance:)


For those of you who were looking for some spiritual value in this post...I am so sorry...there isn't a lick of it.  Just a silly story that I hope brought a smile to your face:)  Next week I'll do better, I promise!


Love to you all...


Cherri

Like a Mighty Wind

Hello dear friends!

   It has been pure sweetness to spend the last five days with my sisters, Joni and Della, just at the base of the High Sierras in Nevada.  Nearly each day we put on our hiking boots and "head for the hills."  All three of us love to hike and enjoy discovering together the beauty we find in all God has created here in the mountains.  Each corner on the trail brings new delights and adventure, and this week I, along with my sisters, experienced something we have never seen or heard before. 

On Friday night a snowstorm hit, so Saturday morning everything was covered with a pristine blanket of white.  We decided to go ahead with the hike planned for the day, and I am so glad we did.  Two hours into our hike, we found ourselves in a snow covered winter wonderland that looked as if it had come from the pages of some fanciful children's storybook.  We stopped in awe of the scene...the beauty and the stillness of the moment mesmerized us.  And then we heard it before we ever saw it.  The sound seemed to come from the heavens.  The wind hit the mountain high above us, racing down the mountainside whipping the treetops near us into a whirling frenzy.   We had never seen or heard anything like it.    And then, it struck US!  At first, we turned away in fear but just as quickly, turned to face the gust...to take such power in for that short moment. Honestly, it was exhilarating to stand before such a force as it  filled the air with sparkling ice crystals reflecting the sun like millions of tiny diamonds suspended...floating all around us! 

In that moment, the verse from Acts 2:2 came to mind: "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting."  Can you even imagine what it must have been like the very first time the Holy Spirit was released on this earth to do this new great work?  He sounds like He could hardly wait!  I wonder if  when the Holy Spirit hit that house it was a scary few moments for all within...probably...until they realized what the Spirit brought, and then they were overjoyed, in fact, so overjoyed that the people near them thought they were drunk!

The Holy Spirit!  In them!  In us!  The law no longer reminding us over and over of our sin; but, instead, the Spirit reminding us we are a new creation created for good works and empowered to do them.  The Holy Spirit!  A pledge given to remind us that our inheritance is real...it's waiting for us and until then we have this Wonderful Counselor!  That is power and that is something worth getting excited about!

However, during all my years as a young Christian, I very rarely heard of the Holy Spirit except a mention of Him at the end of prayers or maybe in a song or two.  I never learned of the truth that He lived in me and that I had the power to live righteously.  Why would many in the church not want to mention this great gift of the Spirit into our lives?  Could it be that maybe there is a smidgen of fear.  C. S. Lewis said that Aslan (the lion who was used as an analogy for Jesus in his Chronicles of Narnia Series) "was not a tame lion."  Well, the Holy Spirit is not tame either.  He makes me uncomfortable sometimes.  He does not do things the way I would do them.  He does not answer my prayers the way I picture them being answered.  And my life...well, sometimes He takes it places I was not planning on going.   No, He does not fit neatly into my plans.  Instead, if I allow Him, He will put me right into the middle of His wonderful, beyond my imagination plan!  And I get to participate as much or as little as I choose. 

Maybe it's scary to give Someone with such power complete control?  Maybe the lie that Satan feeds a good portion of the church is that the Holy Spirit is scary and you can live life much more comfortably without Him.  If you think about it, that is the perfect lie for Satan to spread.  How sad that some Christians do not realize the power of the Holy Spirit at their disposal simply by asking, listening and choosing to obey. 

As I walked back down the trail that afternoon I couldn't help but notice some of the pine trees that lined our path.  A couple in particular caught my attention.  One giant redwood obviously encountered some trouble.  About a third of the way up its trunk, it jutted abruptly out and then continued straight on into the bluest of skies.  Another had been denuded of his branches on one side of its trunk and still it grew on.  These great beauties were not perfect, but, I'll tell you what, they kept on growing anyway. 

As Kay says on our last day with her this week"...the flesh is still very much alive.  But, free woman, you are not a slave; you have a choice.  You can choose to walk in the Spirit."   Life stuff might happen to us...our flesh might creep in and ding us a bit, but, girl, we are going to keep walking...keep growing, because like a mighty wind, He has entered our hearts and given fresh, new life, sparkling with the promise of all we can be! 

Love to you, my ever growing sisters!

Cherri