Guest Post: The God of ALL Flesh

Hey there, all you awesome people! :)
Back in February of this year, my dear friend Katie wrote a guest post that has been one of the most popular posts on this blog to date. You should absolutely go check it out at this link if you missed it! Today, Katie is back again, with another thought provoking and convicting post. I am so thankful to have good friends that edify and encourage me to draw closer to The Lord! Welcome back, Katie! :) 

**(Just a side note here, there are going to be a couple of guest posts in the next few weeks due to my trip. But that's ok, because like I said...I've got some pretty amazing friends with fantastic writing abilities. ;)

~~~~~~~~~

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”
Jeremiah 32:27

The God of all flesh. That means He’s the God of the atheists, the Mormons, and the Buddhists, whether they know it or not. Their life is in His hands… Job 12:10 says “In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” They will all stand before Him someday (Rom. 14:10). Everyone will worship the true God of the Bible eventually, whether they will be spending eternity with Him, or in Hell.

Isaiah 45:22-23 says, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: For I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue swear.” In Romans 14:12, Paul adds after quoting Isaiah, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Philippians 2:11 clarifies it further: “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

In the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and an atheist. It was difficult to talk to the atheist because since he didn’t believe in God at all, we had totally different worldviews. But it was somehow even more difficult to talk to the Mormons and JW’s because though we agreed on many things, we couldn’t agree on who God is. But they will each bow before Him one day. God makes Himself known in Creation; He does not cause anyone to be ignorant. They are allowed to be ignorant if they choose (II Pet. 3:5), but they have no excuse for it (Rom. 1:20).

What about those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour? Do we act like it? I sometimes forget that I can’t dwell on only the enjoyable aspects of God’s character; I’ve got to take seriously His more terrifying characteristics too. God is good. God is merciful. But He’s not anyone to mess around with! God is my Father. But because He is, He is going to discipline me when I sin (Prov. 3:12, Rev. 3:19). If God sent His chosen people, Israel, into captivity because of their idolatry, it is foolish of me to think that God will always show me mercy and favor when I am putting anything else above my relationship with Him.

God actually desires us to know Him, talk to Him, and have an intimate relationship with Him. He wants to answer our prayers and cause us to live victoriously. We are no more deserving of it than those who reject Him. And yet we forget to thank Him, try to do everything our own way, fall asleep reading His Word, and use prayer as a last resort rather than continually being in a spirit of dependence on the One who gives us all things. How sad. He is giving us each breath we breathe. Let’s act like He’s our God!

Katie

Father, Thank You!

Psalm 30:11-12 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Hello, friends!

I promise I am still alive, contrary to all appearances. :) The last few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind of activity, most all of it good, but still...not too much free time to blog lately. ;)

November is a month of thanksgiving. A month of praising God for His grace, mercy, and bountiful goodness to us. Today, I would like to give thanks to Him for the many things he has done for me just in the past couple of weeks, and the opportunities to come in the next few.

In October, some friends from Alaska came to Wenatchee for several days for a family conference. The services were so good, and the fellowship was sweet. I was able to go to Leavenworth with some of the lovely Humphrey ladies (missed you, Aimee and Krista!! :'(. The fall colors were in full swing as we walked the gorgeous trails in the area, drank some awesome coffee, and ate Bavarian pastries. ;) No matter how many times I've been to Leavenworth, it never gets old. :)

After that, Bro. Doug Hammet and his wife came for a visit. Bro. Doug has been a good friend and mentor to our family and church for a long time, but I didn't remember meeting him in person. (Although apparently I met him at 4 or 5 years old? ;) Anyway, it was a blessing having them stay in our home and being able to talk with them about their amazing ministry to southern Africa. 

This past week, we went over to Oak Harbor for our annual missions conference. As always, it was an absolute highlight of the year! Convicting messages each night, and special missions forums every afternoon were a great challenge to me, especially in the area of personal evangelism. This is one area I very much tend to fail in unless I am actively seeking ways to build good habits. I want to be so much more faithful and bold in this area! I also got to practice tons of music with the group that is going to Fiji. There are 11 of us total, 10 who are singing, so it was really special to sing with them and get ready to minister to the brethren we will meet on the trip. 

One area of this year's conference was difficult, in that my great grandma went home to be with The Lord. She was 97, and had been a faithful Christian for many years. My mom was not able to make it to most of the conference due to being there with her, but I am so glad she was able to! I think it was truly important that she be there. I am deeply thankful to The Lord for making a way through His blood for me to see her again! Even though it hurts and there are tears now, I know that this is not a final separation. In a week and a half, we will be heading up to Canada for her memorial service, and I'll be heading straight from there to Oak Harbor in preparation for the Fiji trip!!

That means I have 11 days from right now to get ready for three weeks overseas. 10, if you are reading this on email. I can NOT believe it's so close!! I'm so excited for this incredible opportunity to return to the South Pacific and be a blessing in every way I am able! We will be attending a 4 day conference, as well as going to a couple of different churches for the guys to preach in different areas. We will be singing a lot as a group and in smaller duets and trios. It will be interesting seeing how everything works out, as many details can't be planned out until we are there. If then. ;) I think a lot of more minor things will just be done on the fly. Which is cool with me! International travel is unpredictable and just a bit scary anyway, a few more little unknowns aren't going to make a difference. ;P I will be away for 3 full weeks, (Thanksgiving Day through December 14th), so the blog may be neglected unless I can get some good Samaritans to send me a guest post. Ahem. Any volunteers? ;) 

A few more things I am super thankful for this month...

Hot soup on cold days. Huge sweaters and steaming coffee. My new job at a Sew and Vac store!! Long late night phone calls. Snail mail letters that make me laugh. My new tangerine clove candle that smells like Christmas. My Peaceful Guitar playlist on Spotify (so nice to fall asleep to!). Autumn colors blazing on the trees. Driving through the Cascades and being blown away by the majesty of them for the thousandth time. Cozy socks. Folding fat quarters at work. :) Christmas coming up. Siblings' birthdays. 

What are you grateful for? <3 Have a blessed Thanksgiving if I'm unable to post again before then!! Love,

Mykaela 

Are you a Chameleon Christian?

 

Psalm 31:19-20 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

 

Last night, I read this passage and stopped short. I've read it a million times but never really broke it down and thought carefully on it! (I know I'm not the only one here. ;) 

 

How great is God's goodness, which he has laid up for them that fear him, and trust in him before the sons of men. How many of us truly fear God and trust in Him, so much so that it's evident to the lost that we come in contact with? In other words, are you a Christian at home and at church, but once you enter the workplace suddenly all traces of your faith melt into the background? A "Chameleon Christian" as some have so aptly put it? Food for thought. 

 

A few days ago I stood near two of my coworkers who were having a discussion, and since we were in the Staff only area, the filters came off their mouths. The language that they used saddened me so deeply, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh--what they were saying was evidence of the depravity of their hearts. (Note: I am not passing judgement on them, God's Word has already done that. I am simply stating the fact that the lost cannot do the things of God, because they are not His children.) 

 

This verse made me think, though--should I have stood by passively, or should I perhaps have stood up and said something? I don't know exactly what the best course of action would have been in this situation--after all, the conversation did not include me. But I'm trying to think here...is it enough for me to merely NOT join in the ungodly conversations and actions that go on around me? I have had people tell me before, "Oh, you are doing great, the lost will notice and realize there is something different about you." Hmm...this sounds an awful lot like so-called "Lifestyle evangelism" to me. Something I wholeheartedly disagree with. Proverbs 29:24 says, "Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not." The person who hears cursing, and doesn't protest it is described as hating his own soul. Who could hate their own soul?? 

 

In the verses at the top, it says, "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues." In the secret of God's presence. In a pavilion. Those sound like peaceful and truly pleasant places to be! What is the biggest fear that stops us from stepping out more boldly in living out our faith? My guess would be fear of man. For me, that's what it is. I think things like, "They are going to think I'm a nutcase if I mention the goodness of God in this difficult situation!" or "I don't want them to think I'm being super annoying by asking them to please watch their language AGAIN." (Even though I don't think any one of my lost friends would mind if I did ask them this). Wow. How much am I fearing and trusting God before the sons of men? Not nearly as much as I should be, I fear. :( And yet why do I fear this when I have God's promise that He is enough, that I can hide in Him, and that He will protect me when I obey Him?

 

God promises great blessings and goodness to those who apply this. It says He has wrought great goodness...that means He specifically planned out these rewards. How much of His special gifts am I missing out on?? I heard a quote somewhere (I think it was from Mark Cahill), that says, "Never let your fear of man trump your love for God." I liked it so much I lettered it out and hung it in my room. But is that all it is--a hanging on the wall? Am I letting my fear of man overrule my love for God and my desire to follow His commands? I would encourage you to think on this with me as we go throughout this weekend--are we living boldly and passionately for Christ all through our lives? Or just in the parts where we won't face any ridicule or weird looks?

Mykaela 

Sunday Snippets: Loaded, Overflowing, and Abundant!

Psalm 68:19 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation."

This is one of my Dad's favorite verses, and I love it as well. He uses an illustration to demonstrate this verse, that I think is so apt. 

Think about the phrasing here: he "loadeth us with benefits". What is a load? Well, a good example of a load would be if someone took a bottle cap, put it inside a grocery bag, and placed it on my back. I mean, that is a LOAD. I would probably have trouble walking even a few feet with that burden on me, right?? No, of course not...that's ridiculous!

A load would be if I was to try carrying a king size mattress and box spring up a staircase. Now that would be difficult, most likely impossible for me to do. It would be a staggering, pretty much debilitating weight. 

And God loads us down with benefits. Daily.

His benefits and blessings are so overwhelmingly vast: the illustration I just gave doesn't even cut it! If we sat down and thought carefully about all the benefits He has provided, just in the fact that we are alive and breathing the air of this earth--we can't even comprehend it. 

When we as finite beings try to fathom eternity, or the existence of God from everlasting to everlasting, we can't do it. Our brains can't understand it no matter how we may want to. The blessings of God are like this as well. That He would choose to pour out His infinite mercy and goodness on us...pathetic, tiny, insignificant specks of humanity?! And He does this day after day after day after day...?? Even the workings of plants and animals to provide an ecosystem perfectly designed to support human life proves that God is actively working in our lives--even when we don't recognize it as His hand at work.

The Bible tells us that He sends His rain on the just and the unjust. God doesn't only bless those that love Him! As we strive to be more like the Master, we need to realize that our lives should be an outpouring of the benefits He has given us. Freely we have received, freely we should give. As we look at the lost world around us, do we withhold showing love to them because they "aren't nice"? What were we before salvation?? Let's share the Gospel of Christ to those who live daily under the load of His benefits, (just as we do!), but do not know that their Creator has also made a way for them to know Him. Praise God for His overflowing goodness to the children of men!
Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: All Are Precious in His Sight

Acts 17:24-26 "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;" (emphasis mine)

Within the last couple of years, there have been tragic events that, with increasing frequency, are causing an immense amount of criticism of our law enforcement here in the U.S. Racism claims and accusations are flying, with little regard for the plain truth of what the events were, and who was involved. I do not follow the news really at all to be honest, but this has been such a major issue, who hasn't heard about it? 

So many people go on and on about "race". So and so is of this race, I am of that one. On applications they ask what your race is. Such and such couple was an interracial marriage. The list goes on. Obviously we as Christians are to base our worldview on The Bible, not on society's thinking. (Which is pretty messed up, by the way). So let me ask you this: is there any such thing as different races? 

In the passage above, Paul is preaching on Mars Hill. I'm sure there was a huge diversity of people listening at the time; after all, they were busy worshipping literally every god known to man and more. There had to be a lot of people from different regions. One of the first things Paul says is that God made "of one blood" all nations. So to answer my own question...is there any such thing as different races? No. There is one race living on this planet. The human race. So when people talk about a group of people as being a different "race", they are incorrect in the very groundwork of their thinking.

So how does knowing that there is only ONE race translate into our daily lives? First of all, we need to realize that within every single people group and skin color on this earth, there are people who live wickedly, and people who live "morally" by the world's standards. But does that mean that the moral ones are on their way to heaven? No!! God's plan of salvation is the same across the board...if someone hasn't accepted Christ as their personal Saviour, they are lost, no matter how they live their daily life--moral or otherwise. What I'm trying to say is, that we have our focus all wrong. We look at the situations in the news and say "The cop ended up doing this and the other guy did that, and this or that one was black, so there must have been a racial issue, yada yada..." what we are forgetting is that red or yellow, black or white, every single one of them needs Jesus Christ! It doesn't matter who was right or wrong, who was black or white, who had a racial slant going and who didn't: they are all human beings with immortal souls that need salvation.

As followers of Jesus, let's not get caught up in racial disputes or discrimination claims. He hath made of one blood all nations. We are called to share the love of Christ, and the message of His Gospel, with every creature; and it does not matter what color skin they may have. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God searches the hearts of men. Let's get out there and start sharing what He's done for us, and what He can do for others! That message of grace is the only one that can bring peace to people with war and hate in their hearts.

Mykaela

P.S. Please bear with me, as I am doing some revamping on the blog design...a couple of posts may show up out of order and/or repost previous articles again. I'm having a few technical difficulties with that. ;) Thank you for your patience!

Sunday Snippets: What's So Special About Your Fish?

Matthew 14:17-18, 20-21 "And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children."

John 21:9-10, 12 "As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught."

Luke 24:41-43 "And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them."

I know there are a lot of Scriptures there to read, but please do take the time, or my points aren't going to make that much sense. (They might not anyways, so please just give me the best chance you can, haha! ;) 

This past week I was feeling a bit discouraged because sometimes I feel like I am not using my abilities to their fullest potential to serve The Lord. I do what I can, but sometimes it can feel very small! As I was working out one evening, I was reading the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, and it struck me again how the sweet humility of a little boy who shared his fish with The Master blessed thousands of people. Thousands. I highly doubt he could have guessed that on the day he walked out to see Jesus, carrying the little lunch his mama packed for him, that he would be used of God to bless that many people with a satisfying meal AND the incredible privilege of seeing a miracle!! He simply gave his fish to Jesus, trusting that they would be used how He willed. 

The second story took place after Christ's resurrection, when the disciples went back to their old occupation of fishing. (Not for men). Having caught nothing at all during the night, they were returning wearily when Jesus called out to them from shore, asking if they had caught anything. When they replied in the negative, He told them to throw their nets on the other side. We know the story from there...they did, and the nets were filled to breaking with fish. When Peter realized Who the man on the shore was, he jumped overboard and swam to meet Him. After they all got there, Jesus had cooked fish waiting, but He also asked them to give some of the fish that they had caught. The small group of disciples then ate a meal with Jesus.

My last example is from right after the resurrection, when Christ went into the room where the disciples were gathered and mourning His death. They couldn't believe that it was truly Him, and were afraid that it was a ghost! To prove to them that He was real flesh and blood, Jesus ate fish and honey in front of them. 

You can probably see where I'm going with this by now. Let's compare our talents, abilities, and resources to fish. When we give them to God to use as He wants to, does it really matter what He chooses to do with them? If I were to write a song, and God used it to bless thousands of people, what a wonderful thing!! However, if it only encouraged a small handful of believers, or if I just sang it in my heart as a song of praise to The Lord, is it any less wonderful? I don't believe so! Or what if someone was an amazing carpenter or builder, and wanted to use his talent for God: If he constructed a massive church building that could hold hundreds, and with the same humble attitude of giving, put on a new roof for a struggling family in the church, I don't believe God would be any less pleased with him for the "smaller" service.

If I sent someone a gift of money on their birthday, would I text or call them every single day after they got it, to make sure that they were spending it how I wanted them to?? Of course not! That would be totally ridiculous! So if I'm giving God everything I have in me, should I be worrying about how He uses it? Nope. If He decides to lift up and encourage just one single person through me, it's worth it. It will always be worth it to give my all to Him. Whether my fish are big or tiny, beautiful or rather smelly, weird looking fish, I want to be willing to let Him have them! :)

This week, let's give our fishes to Jesus, and leave them in His hand to use...Let's not take them back because He's not feeding five thousand with them! Maybe He wants you to give your fishes to Him just as a test of your love! May we always give of our best to The Master.

Mykaela