Week Thirty-Five - According To, Too

Last week, we thought about God's power to answer prayer according to His ability. Today, let's look at another aspect of those two words, "according to." The "according to" that places strength and power within us.

In Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul basically records his prayer for the people in the church at Ephesus. The verses take a different focus when you read them as a prayer.

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Such a wonderful prayer. I'd love someone to pray that over my life, wouldn't you? To ask God to grant me the strength of the Spirit in my inner man, according to the riches of God. God, who giveth liberally? God, with whom all things are possible? God, who is for me? And for my petitioner to do so based on the power of God that works in us both?

Let's not stop there, for Paul records his prayer for the church at Colosse, as well. Colossians 1:9-12 reads:

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light."

There is that request for strength again. This time, coupled not only with the knowledge of Christ's love, but also with the understanding of His will, fruitfulness, and the qualities of patience, longsuffering, and joy. 

These are prayers that recognize the abundance of God's supply, prayers that tap into who God is and what all He wants to accomplish in us, according to His power working within us. 

I don't know about you, but when I think about God's power within me, I'm humbled, fearful, and even empowered. Not by what I can do, but by what He can do according to His attributes and character. I'm not a little non-count, I am a child of God, and according to His Word, all power is given to me as well. Amazing! And when I translate this power into my prayer life, even more amazing things happen. For now, I am praying according to my belief and within God's will. It opens the door of the impossible!

Week Thirty-Four - According To

Two little words, according to, can change the whole focus of your prayer life. For example, when you withdraw funds from your bank account, you can only do so according to how much is available. When you order online, you can only request an amount according to what is available for purchase. And when you pray, your requests are only limited according to what God is able to do. 

And what is He able to do? "Exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20). And how much power is available to us? Jesus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). How does that work? Ephesians 1:9 says, "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." He does the work through us. His power flows through us. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:29, "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily."

So, according to God's reckoning, we have His power working in us according to what He can do, not what we can muster up. 

Dick Brogden wrote, "We must approach prayer knowing that any answer is for the sake of the supplier, not the supplicant. This is a difficult lesson for us: to make prayer God-centric in answer as well as in petition."

Did you catch that? God is central to the answer as much as He is central to the supplication. How many times are we guilty of whining and begging before God, thinking we might use some magic word or mystical tear to tap into His graces? Do we view prayer as only a petition without thought of the God of vast supply available to those who believe? Are we so small that we think only of our puny selves kneeling in some fruitless exercise? Do we get hung up on trying to say it right, be right, or do right, so God will hear us? If so, we are praying with the wrong focus. Prayer isn't about us. That might be hard to swallow. 

Dick Brogden says, "All things, including answered prayer, are for the glory of God - not the glory of humanity. Everything that God does, He does for His own glory and purposes. Everything we do should also be for Him. The only reason this concept offends and unsettles us is because at our core we want to be the center of the universe. The sanctification process is a long lesson in embracing Jesus as the center."

When we grasp the truth that all we are, all we have, and even every petition we put forth are based on Him, prayer takes a different path. We pray, not focusing on what we can do, or what we can figure out, or what we think God should do, but we begin resting in who He is, what He has, and what He wills, according to His mercies, His riches, and His abundant supply for the answer to every prayer. 

He becomes central, capable, trustworthy, and all-powerful to answer according to Himself alone. 

Chew on this for a while, and next week, we will add to the thought according to what God has revealed in His Word!

Week Thirty - Three - Trampled in the Street

Speaking the truth is not always welcomed because the truth can be hurtful. It can also get in the way of people's goals or plans. Truth creates accountability and is a measure of integrity. It is beautiful, but it also stings.

In 1 Kings 22, Jehoshaphat and Ahab, after three years of peace, decide to take back the city of Ramoth from Syria. It sounds like a great day out! All 400 prophets agree. But Jehoshaphat asks, "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?" (1 Kings 22:7).

Much to Ahab's chagrin, the prophet Micaiah is called. Ahab's words were, "I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."

The messenger pleads with Micaiah to agree with the words of the prophets. Still, Micaiah tells him, "As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak" (Vs. 14). 

Standing before the two kings, the prophet seems to be playing a game with Ahab as he says, "Go, go ahead and go to war." But Ahab isn't easily fooled, saying, "How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?" (Vs. 16).

Even though Ahab hated what Micaiah had to say, he still preferred the truth. Not one to be intimidated, Micaiah goes on to prophesy defeat and the death of Ahab. 

We face pressure every day to conform, keep quiet, and agree, but we must not succumb to these voices. We don't have to be beligerent, we just need to remain faithful. God will take care of the rest.

Dick Brogden writes, "God expects His people to do the dangerous work of trusting Him and remaining rooted in troubled environments."

Speaking the truth, standing firm, and graciously disagreeing can be a dangerous stance. But if we go with the flow, if we shy away from the truth, if we remain silent when God is wanting us to speak, we wash truth away. 

Truth is trampled, or as Isaiah 59:14 says, "Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street."

Someone must man the oars and guide the boat to safety. There must be those who hedge the gap, speak truth, and recognize that God is the majority. Macaiah was that man in his generation. Will you be the one in yours?

Week Thirty-Two - Stop Meddling

My sister and I were too curious for our own good. Hence, the words from our grandparents were, "Stop meddling." They were instructing us to stop poking into things around the house, but as we grew, the same instruction came if we drifted into gossip or surmising about others. "It's not your business, so stop poking your nose in. Stop meddling," was their advice. Have I always managed to follow it? Nope. And it has come back to bite me.

My Bible reading this past week was in 2 Kings. In chapter 14, Jehoash, king of Israel, and Amaziah, king of Judah, meet face-to-face, not for reconciliation, but for power. 

Amaziah, fresh from a great victory against Edom, thought he'd now take on Israel. Jehoash warned him this was not a good challenge, but Amaziah would not hear  (vs 11). The battle ends in a complete thrashing of Judah, resulting in the loss of all the gold, silver, and vessels in the Lord's house, along with all Amaziah's treasure, and a group of hostages taken by Israel.

Some things are better left alone, right? Picking fights, antagonizing others, or flexing our muscles doesn't mean we will win. There is always a cost to such actions. Amaziah lost it all. And when we create drama, stir situations, or show off, we are in danger of losing, too.

Meddling is when you insert your opinion without being asked. Meddling is when you dig for information that should be left private. Meddling occurs when you try to manage others without having the authority to do so. Meddling genders strife and sets people against you. It isn’t the way to win friends and influence people.

Ecclesiasticus 11:10 reads, My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing." (Please note, this quote is from Ecclesiasticus, not Ecclesiastes)  This is still good advice. Meddle not! 

God gives the same instruction to the children of Israel, "Meddle not with them," in Deuteronomy 2:5. And in Proverbs 24:21 we read, “My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:”

Meddling puts you in danger of loss. You may lose friends, reputation, or even wealth. God says we are to mind our own business. That will keep us busy enough. 

Let's end with the instruction from 1 Thessalonians 4:11: "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands."

So, stop meddling!

Week Thirty One - Sowing for the Harvest

In July, Tom and I spent a long weekend in Cornwall, sharing time with two churches and five missionary families. What a blessing to see God moving there, planting new works, and bringing in more workers. Cornwall is a beautiful part of the country, and well worth a visit. But that wasn't what caught my attention. It was the testimony of one of the missionaries whose ministry underwent a significant transformation during Covid.

Bro Grissom and his wife have served the Lord in several places in England, but a few years ago, the Lord led them to plant a church in the city of Plymouth. They distributed flyers, knocked on doors, and did all the things a missionary does to get a church-plant off the ground, but not much was happening. Then came Covid, and the Lord told Bro. Grissom to begin the Ruth Project. God's instruction was to plant vegetables and give them away. So the soil was tilled, the seeds planted, and God gave the increase.

Bro Grissom has continued the Ruth Project for the past few years, but let me share with you his testimony. At one point, he began to grow weary of the planting and tending. He wasn't enjoying the work of gardening, even though things were growing well. A keen gardener visited his patch and made this statement, "You aren't a very good husbandman."

And the Lord used that comment to challenge Bro. Grissom. He was planting seeds, which were growing, and he was sharing with others, but he had missed the project's purpose. It wasn't about giving away vegetables; it was about reaping a harvest. And that harvest wasn't just the fruit of the ground; it was the souls reached by the Ruth Project.

As he talked with us about sowing seeds and sowing for a harvest, his heart burned with passion to explain the difference, a key difference that enabled a church to get off the ground and begin to grow.

When we sow for the harvest, we tend the seeds more carefully, guard them against pests, create frames for growth, and position them for sunshine. Sowing for the harvest means we are diligent, discerning, and disciplined. Seeds thrown to the ground will often grow, but those tended grow best. 

Perhaps it is time to reflect on the kind of husbandmen we are in God's ministry. Are we guilty of the same? Do we witness carelessly, throwing seed as if it were just something we have to do? Or do we witness with purpose, keeping the door open, leaving open questions that will lead to further opportunity? Do we hand out tracts like we're handing out candy? Or are we praying over the tracts and making sure the ones we distribute have a solid message? Are we sowing for the harvest or just throwing out seed?

Week Thirty - What's Cookin'?

A scripture I had never noticed before was brought to my attention in Dick Brogden's Live/Dead Devotional. Tucked away in 1 Chronicles 9:31, it reads, "And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the set office over the things that were made in the pans." Mattithiah was the kitchen manager!

Each Levite had an assigned role or position within the temple. Their tasks varied - some cleaned, some sang, and some, like Mattithiah, were entrusted with cooking.  

Cooking is one of my least favorite tasks. That eternal question, "What's for supper?" is a source of stress for me. Probably because I'm not a foodie. I eat because my body tells me I have to. However, for my husband and children, food is a top priority. We even make jokes about being in a room full of hangry (hungry and angry) Gritts's. It isn't a safe prospect! Therefore, mealtime must be tended to faithfully.

Back in 2019, I wrote about Angels in the Kitchen. This says it all.

"Mutter, mutter, mutter! I hear my heart grumbling as I slap toast into the toaster and wait for the kettle to boil. Slinging silverware to the table, I watch the bacon impatiently while I wait for the family to get downstairs.  “Why do I have to wait on these people hand and foot?  Why do they wait for me to scream up the stairs before they come down?  Can’t they smell the bacon and hear the kettle?”

Just as I get ready to take the cups to the table, the family spills down the stairs with excitement. “Why are they so happy?  Don’t they know how irritated I am being the only one down here getting things ready?” 

“Good morning,” they all chime. 
“Ump,” I groan as I butter the last piece of toast.
Once they are all out the door, I go to my quiet place for some solace and encouragement. It’s been another hard morning, and I am anxious to hear from the Lord.

Hebrews 13 is my reading. “Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” 

“Well,” I thought. “I haven’t entertained strangers this morning, and I’m sure they are not angels.” Then, I heard the Lord reminding me of 1 Peter 4:9, “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” 

“Okay, okay!”  So, I was a bit grumpy this morning. To be honest, I am grumpy at having to man the kitchen alone. I don’t like cooking. I don’t like the feeling of everyone expecting me to do it with no help. I’m sorry, but it is probably the task I despise most about housework.

I laid aside my Bible and picked up a little book I had been reading. The faded green cover revealed its age, and the writings were short excerpts, so maybe I could find some comfort there to lift my annoyance, but the Lord wasn’t going to let me off that lightly.  My eyes fell on:

  “In one of Murillo’s pictures in the Louvre, he shows us the interior of a convent kitchen; but doing the work there are beautiful white-winged angels instead of mortals in old garments. One shining spirit serenely puts the kettle on the fire, and one is lifting a pail of water with heavenly grace.
   One is reaching plates from the kitchen dresser, and there is also a little cherub running about and getting in the way while trying to help. It all serves to remind us that heaven is about us in our kitchen, and that God may help us with the most menial and humdrum tasks.” 
Adapted from Blessed Be Drudgery by Williams C. Grannett

“Well,” I continued to mutter, “there were no angels helping me today.”  Then, my eyes caught the next short thought in the faded green book, “There can never be a really happy home if there is trouble in the kitchen.”

I was guilty. I knew my bad attitude could spill over to the rest of the house. I wanted a happy home.  I felt I had a happy home, but my heart’s attitude and outward actions in the kitchen revealed something different.

“Lord, forgive me. Help me serve my family as unto you. Forgive me and change my heart and attitude. May my influence be one of genuine hospitality, coming from a heart of love and care. Help my family to overlook and forgive my selfishness and curt impatience. May grace and angelic presence abide in my heart, hearth, and home for your glory.”

Nearby, staring back at me in blank resolve was a tiny, white angel ornament recently made for me by an old friend. Was I going to allow angels into my kitchen?

I took the tiny angel and placed her near the sink as a reminder of my Lord’s instruction. Perhaps tomorrow morning, she will remind me that I am not alone in my kitchen, and serving my family, done as unto the Lord, does not go unnoticed.   

Excerpt from: Good in Everything by H.L. Gee, p 56 

Just as Mattithiah was entrusted with the kitchen, so am I. And the attitude with which I perform my duty matters. Dick Brogden wrote, "The evil you let into your heart will leap from you to your vulnerable ones." I don't want my family memories to be of an angry mother in the kitchen. What's cooking matters!

And that's not only about the physical food, but also the spiritual aspect.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

Week - Twenty-Nine - Dry Times

Enter Elijah, the prophet who bravely announces three years of drought to King Ahab. He refers to the authority behind his proclamation, and throughout the chapter, we read phrases like "according to," "the word of the Lord," and "I have commanded." Amid the sin and idolatry of Ahab's society, Elijah speaks for God. 

This was a dry and dark time for those who followed the God of Israel. Prophets were hiding in caves, some were walking carefully among the people, and in the courts, it was not a safe time to be a believer. After Elijah's bold prophecy, God hides him by the brook Cherith and commands the ravens to feed him. Once the brook dries up, God commands a widow woman in Zeraphath to care for God's man. 

From the conversation, it seems she reluctantly offers Elijah hospitality, yet God cares for all of them by providing a never-ending source of oil and meal. But when her son falls ill and dies, she begins to doubt whether Elijah was indeed a genuine prophet. Elijah, too, seems to question God's action toward the widow woman, and cries to the Lord to restore the child. 

As the child stands again before his mother, her words are, "Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth" (vs 24).

Why tell this story today? Because dry times do come. There are times when following Christ is difficult, and sometimes downright scary. We might feel like hiding away. We may need discernment in how we present ourselves to others. We may be in a dry patch, feeling alone with God as our only companion, or we may be on the edge, living solely by faith in God's provision. 

But during dry times, we need not dry up on the inside. God's promises hold true. His Word remains and refreshes the thirsty soul. Continue doing what God has commanded. Speak for Him. Place your faith in Him, according to what He has said and how He has worked in the past. His integrity is impeccable. 

Serve, give, and love according to what He has directed, for there is the place of provision, protection, deliverance, and blessing. God will prove Himself faithful. Dry times are not dry to Him.