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Posted on August 31, 2021 by beverlyeash

My reading this week revealed to me the four false beliefs that plague most lives. These are lies or distortions of truth, needing to be exposed so they lose their power over us. In them, I see myself. I have, at one time or another, been controlled by believing one of these lies so I am compelled to repeat them here in an effort to expose the enemy. It is my deepest desire to see people brought to complete freedom in Christ, enjoying the full life he planned and identifying as a child of the living God!

The next four days will be dedicated to these false beliefs – one each day with corresponding truth from God’s word. This material is originally from Robert McGee’s book The Search for Significance.

I must meet certain standards of performance to feel good about myself!

Let me ask — who hasn’t at one time or another felt the need to perform to an unspoken standard? I know I have!

When Dave and I first married, we attended a church that gave certain directives one followed to ensure good standing in the church. They related mostly to what we wore, where we went, how we looked. At first, I really tried to comply. I wanted to fit in and I was an approval addict at the time. As time went on, I struggled. You see, I knew in my heart that I wasn’t complying even though on the outside everything looked okay. It was like the child whose mother told him to sit down and he replied, “I may be sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.” I was so afraid someone would discover what it looked like on the inside.

Nine years into our marriage, I visited the doctor for my yearly exam and, while answering her general health questions, revealed that I was experiencing some obsessive compulsive behaviors. She suggested I might be depressed. Looking back, she was spot on, but I denied it at the time.

Attempting to live up to certain standards in order to feel good about oneself is dysfunctional and destructive, often resulting in a depressive, anxious life. I needed to be set free!

The truth I needed to appropriate in my life is that in Christ, I am a new creation! I don’t need to perform to be accepted or to feel good about myself. I can feel good about myself because the Word says I am chosen (John 15:16); set apart (John 17:17); a child of God (John 1:12); the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16); God’s work of art (Ephesians 2:10); seated with Christ (Ephesians 2:6); justified by faith in Christ (Romans 5:1).

When I place my faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection and receive the free gift he offers me, I am changed. I am set free to worship God in spirit and truth. I am his child with a glorious future and an unimaginable inheritance.

Are you caught in the trap of trying to meet certain standards to feel good about yourself? Do you perform for approval from others? Take a moment to read the scriptures again and ask Jesus to show you how he sees you. Let him set you free from the bondage of performance!

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Posted on August 30, 2021 by beverlyeash

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others… when you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them… and when you fast, don’t make it obvious…wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” –Jesus (Matthew 6)

As I read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from Matthew’s gospel – chapters 5-7 – it seems Jesus knew we would attempt to meet the longings of our heart with food that cannot satisfy.

He knew we would seek admiration from others rather than look to him. He knew we would want others to notice our accomplishments rather than knowing he sees what we do. He knew we would want applause and accolades, rather than listening carefully for his “well done!”

Jesus diagnoses the problem, the missing element, making it seem like a good idea to run after all these things that can never fill the desires of our hearts. He says it like this . . .

Why do you have so little faith?

Matthew 6:30

I am taken aback by that. I am slow to equate my wanderings to a lack of faith. But that is exactly what it is. I don’t trust that God will meet all the longings of my heart. Perhaps I am afraid he won’t, that I am not on his radar.

But he does see me. Jesus said he is aware of the flowers of the field that are here today and gone tomorrow. He dresses them in finer attire than Solomon ever enjoyed and if he does that, he can take care of me.

He also sees you! He knows your needs, the longings of your heart, and is eager to meet them!

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Posted on August 27, 2021 by beverlyeash

1“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free! 2Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. 3“Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life.

Isaiah 55:1-3

This might only be my habit. But maybe you do it too?!

I confess — I peruse the shopping carts of other shoppers while in line at the supermarket. My curiousity gets the best of me and I unashamedly take stock of the food items others are buying.

Wednesday morning I made a quick stop at the store to buy a leek. The man in front of me had four frozen pizzas and yogurt. The man behind me had microwave popcorn, soda, candy and a package of waffle cookies. I wondered if these items were staples in their homes or special purchases. To be honest, it didn’t seem like food that would give much strength for the day.

I suppose everyone pays for food at one time or another that doesn’t really feed the body well. There was a time in our family life we did that very thing. Sunday evenings were our party night. The children were quite young and we allowed them to choose all kinds of food that didn’t provide much nutrition. Candy, chips, pizza, popcorn, soda — whatever they wanted. Then we ate these snacks and watched movies. It made great memories but didn’t fuel our bodies very well.

There are other needs we have that are unrelated to our physical body but just as important. We are all put together with longings designed to be met in relationship with our Creator. We need love, security, significance, purpose, belonging, understanding – to name a few. Too often, we attempt to find fulfillment for these longings outside a relationship with Jesus.

I need to know I am unconditionally loved which too often I looked for in human relationships. My desire to belong was filled with groups, clubs, causes that may or may not have reflected wholesome values. In order to be significant, I needed others to know I was smart, talented, educated, accomplished. I doubted that in myself I was enough. I remained hungry and unfulfilled with my longing still screaming to be met.

Spending money — time and effort — on food that does not satisfy or fill the longings of the heart keeps one busy and preoccupied. It might even be difficult to understand how a relationship with one’s Creator could fill those longings. I understand that conundrum. I cannot physically see God, but he fills the human longings of my heart?

It’s much easier than it sounds. Because God is alive, active and involved in the world in the presence of the Holy Spirit and through his written Word, I can know real fellowship with my Creator! I read his Word and know that he loves me unconditionally. It tells me my purpose is to love God and love others in all I do. He understands me completely, even when others don’t. He is my fortress, strong tower, my protection and security. He can be yours as well.

If you find that you have spent too much money on food that doesn’t fill your heart or satisfy your longings, I challenge you to give the invitation in today’s verse a try. Come to him with your ears wide open and give him a listen!

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Posted on August 26, 2021 by beverlyeash

9I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. 10Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:9-10

Last week I stopped at a local potter to choose mugs for use in The Cabin. It was so enjoyable to peruse his selection of mugs, bowls, vases and urns. A favorite was his collection of misshapen vases. While some might have considered them mistakes, they were an intentional design of the artist to bring interest and movement to any space. It was a beautiful picture of reframing the definition of perfection in pottery.

I appreciated the imperfection of these pieces. You see, sometimes I feel like a misfit — like maybe I don’t quite fit. And then I remember what God says about me. I am not destined for the trash! He is the helper at my right hand, he strengthens me and holds me up, even in my weakest moments.

Is today one of those days you wonder if you are worth the space you take up? If so, be assured that you are chosen. There is no danger of your Creator throwing you in the trash like a misshapen piece of pottery! No matter what your circumstances might indicate, the Lord is with you and will hold you up.

Before you go into the rest of the day, pause a moment. Identify the image you hold of yourself. Is it trash or treasure? Imagine the strength of the Lord come alongside you to hold you up. Feel his courage flow through you. Allow him to remake the image you hold of yourself from trash to treasure!

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Posted on August 25, 2021 by beverlyeash

I love pasta of all kinds but especially spaghetti. It is particularily delightful when the sauce clings deliciously to every noodle, making it impossible to eat without wiping your mouth after every bite. Deliciousness!!

Spaghetti noodles have a way of intertwining while they cook creating a puzzling mass of pasta goodness on the plate. It is the skilled eater who learns to twirl the noodles on a fork using only the side of the plate or bowl as a foundation to ensure a tight wrap of the pasta before taking it to the mouth.

But then, who hasn’t struggled with the fork getting too full? It seems like every bite is still in some way entangled with the pasta left on the plate. As hard as I try, I have a hard time getting a clean forkful of pasta.

My life feels like that at times. Everything is all interwoven and touching. There is a book entitled, “Guys are Waffles; Girls are Spaghetti,” and it contains many solid examples of that theory. But I contend that much of life is more like spaghetti than waffles. Let me explain.

When I struggle with insecurity or discouragement in one area, it impacts other spaces in my life. It might be how patient I am with my family, how motivated I am to go for a walk or my desire to make good food choices. Coincidentally, when I make headway with the insecurity or discouragement, the other areas are less troubling as well.

Last week, I struggled with some internal dialogue that threatened to undo me. At the same time, I experienced discouragement about other unrelated areas of my life and found it difficult to be motivated to action. What did I do? I reached out to the network of people around me. I spent an hour exposing my tangled, messy thoughts, bringing them into the light of truth. It was in the unraveling I found freedom from both the unhealthy internal dialogue and the despondency I experienced.

4In the human body there are many parts and organs, each with a unique function. 5And so it is in the body of Christ. For though we are many, we’ve all been mingled into one body in Christ. This means that we are all vitally joined to one another, with each contributing to the others.

Romans 12:4-5

24Discover creative ways to encourage others  and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. 25This is not the time to pull away and neglect  meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.

Hebrews 10:24-25

I am so grateful for community, a place to share the difficulty of life. Next time, I will be the one to lift someone up. Last week, it was my turn to be helped up and pushed in the right direction.

How about you? Do you have someone with whom you share the discouraging moments? Have you ever considered intentional involvement with a mentor, spiritual director or coach? How can you be the encourager for someone else?

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Posted on August 24, 2021 by beverlyeash

I am not the person who picks up poetry to read fireside. I remember studying some in English class, but it was more confusing than inspiring. Poetry is a form of art that uses words to stir emotion and express deep, sometimes dark, feelings in a way that invites others to join in an emotional experience.

In the Bible, there are five books of poetry: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. It is important to read these books as one would read any poetry, understanding the expressions are not to be taken literally, but figuratively.

In my reading yesterday, this passage stood out to me from the book of Job.

14“One should be kind to a fainting friend, but you accuse me without any fear of the Almighty. 15My brothers, you have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook that overflows its banks in the spring 16when it is swollen with ice and melting snow. 17But when the hot weather arrives, the water disappears. The brook vanishes in the heat. 18The caravans turn aside to be refreshed, but there is nothing to drink, so they die. 19The caravans from Tema search for this water; the travelers from Sheba hope to find it. 20They count on it but are disappointed. When they arrive, their hopes are dashed. 21You, too, have given no help.

Job 6:14-21

Job expresses his dismay for his friend’s lack of compassion in a metaphorical manner. He found them to be available and helpful when life was going well. But when the heat of trials came along, their friendship was not a comfort to him. It did not provide refreshment to his weary soul.

I understand Job’s picture quite well. Living on a river that overflowed with the spring thaws and receded with summer heat, I easily picture the scene he paints. It helps me to understand Job’s angst with his friends, the disappointment he felt when they accused him of wrong doing.

I am challenged to consider what type of friend I am to others. Do I accuse rather than affirm? Am I apathetic (without feeling) or empathic (sharing the feeling) with others? How can I provide the refreshment others need and desire?

How about you? What type of friend are you? Are you available when all is going well but disappear when the heat turns up? How can you provide refreshment for someone today?

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Posted on August 23, 2021 by beverlyeash

Dave and I, along with many others, are reading through the Bible in a year. If you are one of those who joined the challenge, you are reading in the book of Job right now.

There are a few notable characteristics of the book that are helpful to know. The first two chapters and the last chapter are prose; the other thirty-nine chapters are poetry. The first two chapters also give the reader backstage information the characters in the book, namely Job and his friends, do not enjoy. As the omniscient reader, I know that God considered Job blameless and righteous in everything he did and God allowed Satan to interfere in Job’s life. You see, the book of Job is not a test of Job as much as it is a test of God.

Let me explain.

Chapter one begins by telling the reader that “one day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.” This was a casual meeting between God and the heavenly court, including Satan.

God asked Satan where he had been and Satan said he was roaming around the earth noticing everything that was happening. God asked if he noticed Job and Satan said he had indeed seen him. It is here that the test of God is introduced. Satan says this:

9Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

Job 1:9-11

In other words, Satan says the only reason Job is faithful is because God protects him. If God removed his hand of protection, Job would turn away and curse him. God allowed Satan to interfere in Job’s life. He believed that Job’s faith was deeper, a reflection of relationship. So the test was really for God — was his relationship with Job strong enough to endure hardship.

This reminds me of the three men taken captive to Babylon who were being forced to bow down to a statue of Nebuchadnezzar. When they refused, Nebuchadnezzar threatened them with the fiery furnace. The three men responded in this way:

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Daniel 3:16-18

These men’s faith was not predicated on God behaving in a certain way. Their faith was solidly in the goodness of God, regardless of what the king would do.

I want to have the faith of Job and these three men. Regardless of what life might throw my way, I want to remain faithful and convinced of God’s presence in my life. Job had lots of questions, but he also never wavered from his belief that he was blameless before God. Even when he didn’t understand.

Does it feel like life is falling apart? Things are going from bad to worse? I want to tell you, in the midst of it all, God is still your friend. He knows everything about you and he has not abandoned you. Stand firm! Can you say with the three men, “Even if he doesn’t…”

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Posted on August 20, 2021 by beverlyeash

I love a bargain! There is nothing quite as exhilarating as coming upon a sales rack in my favorite store filled with clothing I like at a reduced rate. It’s like winning the lottery! Which I have never done, so I can’t technically know that!

In 2006, we traveled to China. Shopping in Beijing was a whole new experience with bartering required. That is not my forte. This is how the day progressed – Dave and I wandered the stalls until we found something of interest. Picking it up signaled the sales person you were interested. They swooped in with calculator in hand and practiced English phrases intended to convince you to buy at their price.

The calculator was utilized as a tool of communication. The sales person put an initial selling price on the screen and showed it to us. Obviously, we refused and countered. This continued for some minutes, while the sales person put on a sad face, asking “Why you don’t like me? ” when we didn’t accept the price. I was ready to pay and move on long before Dave was done haggling; but then, that was all a part of the process.

I don’t like that kind of shopping!

A few days ago, the reading from Proverbs landed on me with a thud. It challenged and convicted me to watch how I barter for services.

14The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain!

Proverbs 20:14

Initially, I might be tempted to laugh and applaud this type of haggling. But I am brought up short by what lies behind this behavior. It is disingenuous and does not bring glory to God, revealing an ungrateful, stingy spirit.

May you live with generous open hands, blessing others however you are able and trusting God for bargains when you need them.

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Posted on August 19, 2021 by beverlyeash

How does one take seriously the admonition to consider others better than oneself? Or as Paul puts it in his letter to Rome …

9Let the inner movement of your heart always be to love one another, and never play the role of an actor wearing a mask. Despise evil and embrace everything that is good and virtuous. 10Be devoted to tenderly loving your fellow believers as members of one family. Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another.

Romans 12:9-10 TPT

Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another!

That is quite a challenge. As I read Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, I don’t hear that they did this well. Rather, he admonishes them for acting like people who aren’t in partnership with Jesus. Listen to the questions Paul asks these first century believers.

 3for you are living your lives dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. Ask yourselves: Is there jealousy among you? Do you compare yourselves with others? Do you quarrel like children and end up taking sides? If so, this proves that you are living your lives centered on yourselves, dominated by the mind-set of the flesh, and behaving like unbelievers. 

1 Corinthians 3:3

Today, I ask you to consider these questions for yourself. It is not comfortable, but it is necessary. Are these practices evident in my life? Am I jealous of others? Comparing myself with someone else? Am I quarreling with someone – like my grandchildren quarrel – taking sides? If so, then I am living a life centered on myself.

I am called to more!

Rather, I want to reflect the kind of life Paul encourages in his letter to Rome –

Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another.

What would change today if you looked for ways to outdo yourself in loving and respecting others, especially those with whom you disagree? If we all did this wholeheartedly, we just might change the world because, not only is this counter-cultural, it is truly WISE!

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Posted on August 18, 2021 by beverlyeash

Omniscience is the state of knowing everything. There are people who think they know everything, including the thoughts occurring in someone’s head. That’s just not possible. Only the person thinking the thoughts can know the thoughts. Unless he chooses to reveal them to someone. Otherwise, they remain his sole property.

One of the greatest honors in my life is when someone shares their innermost thoughts. I carry those secrets like precious treasures, guarding them carefully.

God also reveals secret and hidden things to those who receive the free gift he offers. He does this through his Spirit in our lives.

10But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12

This is a beautiful aspect of partnership with God that he shares his deepest secrets. And what is that deepest secret?

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

1 Corinthians 2:9

Go ahead, read that again. Meditate on that secret for the day and see what it stirs up in you!

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