foolishness – Oh Lord Help Us

Doubt, fellowship, devotional, scripture, foolish, hope, hopeless, love, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Doubt: Eliminating Foolish, Hopeless Lies from Our Lives

DevotionalsAugust 13, 2019August 12, 2019

It’s easy to allow doubt to clog our minds. We must eliminate foolish, hopeless lies that distract us from living for Christ.

My dad manages an auto mechanic shop and he can tell you some crazy stories about clients and their cars. I heard this story about a car and a squirrel the other day on the radio. A lady took excellent care of her car and did all the proper maintenance, however, she noticed her car would not run over 40 miles an hour.

She took it into the shop to see if they could solve the problem. When the mechanic looked under the hood you will never believe what he found! A squirrel had packed her air filter full of nuts!!! The air filter was clogged and the car could not run properly. After the squirrel’s nuts were removed, the car ran like new!

What squirrels do we have in our spiritual lives that are keeping us from living for Christ? Squirrels–I am going to be honest–are one animal I really do not care for. There are so many of them and they are so annoying! Now, I know every animal serves a purpose according to God’s plan, but today we are going to talk about getting rid of the metaphorical squirrels in our lives.

The Foolish Squirrel

The definition of a fool is a person who acts unwisely or lacks judgment. Now I am sure all of us have fit into this category more than one time in our lives. But a fool is also someone who seeks to trick or deceive someone. The foolish squirrel is there to trick us into taking our eyes off of Christ.

A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.
Proverbs 18:2, NKJV

If we allow the foolish squirrel to trick us, then we become foolish as well. This keeps us from pursuing wisdom and happiness with the Lord.

The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 10:8, NIV

I do not want to become a fool and have my life in ruin as I am sure none of you do as well. Let us keep our focus on Christ and let His words bring wisdom and discernment into our hearts and lives.

Remember, when we fear the Lord (reverent obedience), then we begin to have knowledge. The foolish will always despise His wisdom and instruction. The book of Proverbs discusses the foolish and the wise. Get rid of the foolishness and seek wisdom instead.

The Hopeless Squirrel

There were days not too long ago when I felt hopeless. My heart and my life were broken and I felt no hope of ever being happy again. If any of you suffer from depression, then you understand this ache.

On those dark days, you think ‘why bother’ or ‘why should I try?’ This is when the hopeless squirrel comes to fill our mind with chatter. He feeds on our worries and doubts. This is when we know the devil is lurking and must not give in to his lies.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:10, NKJV

The Doubting Squirrel

When we give in to the hopeless squirrel, then we allow the devil to place seeds of doubt in our mind. If we are not careful, then we will start to doubt God. We will doubt His love, His will, and His plan for us.

Doubt is Satan’s sharpest arrow. Throughout the Bible, the devil has shot arrows of doubt in the human heart. I think back to the Garden of Eden where Eve doubted God’s warning. The children of Israel doubted God and ended up wandering 40 years in the desert. Sarah and Abraham both doubted God could provide a child in their old age, they even laughed at God.

I encourage you, not to give in to your doubts and fears. Is it easy? No! Is it worth it? Yes!

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is doubleminded and unstable in all they do.
James 1:5-8, NIV

Wow! Do we want to be double-minded and unstable, or do we want to seek wisdom from God?

Hopelessness leads to doubt, which can lead to doubting God. But we will not be double-minded or unstable, we will seek His wisdom! Click To Tweet

Keeping the Squirrels at Bay

Now that we know which squirrels are so destructive to our lives, how do we keep them at bay? Let your faith roar so loudly you cannot hear what doubt is saying!

Saturate your mind with God’s word and His promises. There are many wonderful promises in the Bible that are like gems waiting to be discovered. Hold His words in your heart and recite them when needed.

There are many days when I am driving down the road and the devil brings horrible thoughts to my mind or images that he knows will hurt me. During those times I recite the verses I have held in my heart over and over again. The doubt begins to lessen, the grip of hopelessness fades, and the foolishness goes away.

Stay faithful to the house of the Lord and the fellowship of believers. God reminds us of how important this is in Hebrews.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25, NKJV

We need the fellowship and camaraderie we find in our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need accountability, mutual friendship, understanding, support, and trust we find in God’s people. But, we also need the instruction and guidance we receive when we are faithful to the church. Do not let the foolish, the hopeless, or the doubting squirrels distract us from living our lives for Christ.

Until we meet again…Gracie

Yannick Menard

foolishness, God’s Kingdom, intimacy, obedience, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Follow: Laying Down Our ‘SELF’ in Obedience to God

DevotionalsJuly 22, 2019July 11, 2019

Our response to God’s call is often “Yes, but…” We must surrender our ‘selves’ in obedience to God and intimately follow His leading for the Kingdom.

Courage isn’t doing what you want in life; courage is laying down your life. Otherwise, it’s not courage – it’s self-gratification.
Ann Voskamp, The Way of Abundance

Follow Me…

There is a passage in Luke, which I have read since childhood, subtitled, “The Cost of Discipleship”. In my past Bible’s, it was in red letters. I imagine over the years I have secretly, self-righteously judged the people to whom Jesus spoke these words, but as I’ve grown older it has become easier to see myself in them…

Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, ‘Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ Then He said to another, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.’ And another also said, ‘Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’
Luke 9:57-62, NKJV

Misunderstanding

Now, I must admit, often when I’ve read that over the years, beneath my self-proscribed piety, I have winced at the harshness of the responses of Jesus. They seemed dissonant with His character. They weren’t fit for the kingdom because one wanted to bury his father and the other wanted to say goodbye to his family? Something was inconsistent here…

Therefore, there had to be misunderstanding on my part. One thing I learned was about the priorities of the would-be disciples.

Robert Stein said in The New American Commentary on Luke, “In both the second and third sayings, the individual’s ‘first’ priority was clearly something other than following Jesus… discipleship requires a radical shift in priorities. Jesus must be first. He will not accept second place to anyone or anything. Even a good thing… cannot usurp the place of the best thing, which is to love Jesus with all one’s heart, strength, and mind.”

Yes, but…

Jesus doesn’t appreciate a “Yes, but…” from us any more than we do from our children. Even though I learned as a young Christian that ‘delayed obedience is disobedience,’ I can’t say that I practice immediate obedience each time I hear my Father’s voice.

Example: The Holy Spirit has said to me, “Dodie, I want you to call this person who needs encouragement.”

I say, “Yes, Lord, but first I need to ___.” (and then sometimes I forget completely until He tells me, again!)

Or, “My child, pray for _____. They are in need of strength in this very hour.”

“Yes, Lord; I will, but I need to finish this first…”

These are small things to us, my friends, but to the Lord, it speaks to our priorities and our willingness to obey His voice immediately. If I am lackadaisical about obedience in the small things, why would God entrust me with the mighty things of the Kingdom?

To follow Jesus and place Him above everything, requires the courage of self-denial and self-sacrifice. Two things our culture knows little of…too often, two things I know little of.

Forsaken

Another way of better understanding the passage is a reference on the last phrase of the chapter. It takes us to a short verse in 2 Timothy.

for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica – Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.
2 Timothy 4:10, NKJV

Demas – there are few mentions of him in the New Testament. In fact, the only other references to him are found in Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24, when he was called a “fellow laborer” with Paul and Luke. Can you imagine working alongside the apostles Luke and Paul and then deciding to chuck it?? Not only did he decide the Christ-life wasn’t for him, but he also deserted Paul when Paul needed him, (verse 9). Demas revealed himself as someone who “put his hand to the plow and looked back.”

Why did he look back?

Because he loved this present world…

Loving the World

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.
I John 2:15-16, NKJV

Do you sense a slight bristling here?

Perhaps we’ve grown deceived in believing we never look back, (which is literally looking unto the things behind, or the things we’ve left behind for Jesus). Or, it has been awhile since we’ve confessed anything, so the thought of us loving the world feels odious or foreign to us.

Really, ME? How?

Intimacy with God

Recently, I watched a Beth Moore training DVD where she taught women writers, teachers, and speakers, (or those aspiring to). Once again, I was struck and humbled by her passion, not for ‘the ministry,’ but for Jesus and His Word. She declared, “There is no short-cut to long-term effectiveness: Bible Study and prayer will never change concerning your intimacy with God.”

How do we love the world? By spending on luxuries or drinking excessively?

No, it’s much more subtle than that. Our time and energy get sucked up by Facebook, Little League, Twitter, the fitness club, soccer, volunteering, church activities…then we fall in bed at night, arise the next day and begin it all again.

Intimacy with our Father? Seriously, who has time?

Will He love us less? NO. But will we be effective in the Kingdom?

No.

Living Foolishly

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Galatians 3:3, ESV

Like Demas and the Galatians, we may all begin strong, with a passionate, intimate relationship with Jesus. However, the moment we begin to trust in ourselves, in our own effort to continue the walk, we will fail. We may keep up the charade for a while; we’ve all known people who have.

But…it’s like living in the same house with a husband you used to love and now you’re divorced.

Can you imagine?

We may all begin strong, with a passionate, intimate relationship with Jesus. However, the moment we begin to trust in ourselves, in our own effort to continue the walk, we will fail. Click To Tweet

Evie S.

dreams, foolishness, passion, wisdom, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Foolishness: Rejecting Worldly Wisdom to Follow Christ

Devotionals, Stay SaneJanuary 9, 2019January 13, 2019

Sometimes we feel foolish when we veer away from the path that the world prescribes for our lives, but choosing to live out our calling is not foolishness.

Years ago when I was in college, my mom gave me some sage advice. But at the time, I considered it foolishness. It was Thanksgiving break, and I had driven out to her little, off-the-grid homestead for a few days. During our visit, I basically spewed out all of my stress and anxiety about all of the school work that I had to do.

That following week, I would be taking the GRE (Graduate Record Examination), a challenging standardized exam required for graduate school admission. In addition to my GRE prep, a mountain of papers, presentations, group projects, and final exams loomed large on the horizon. Gripped by stress and fear, I could barely function, much less actually enjoy the holiday…

College Nonsense

On my last evening at Mom’s, she offered me some warm mulled wine to calm my nerves and settle my stomach. Sipping the hot, sweet concoction, I sat on a sheep’s fleece in front of a crackling fire in the fireplace. As I futilely attempted to practice my GRE vocabulary flash cards, I felt the strong brew hit my belly.

Just as I was beginning to feel tipsy and a little sleepy, Mom stood directly in front of me, leaned over, and stared me right in the eyes. With her typical dramatic flair, she emphatically stated:

Hopey, you need to quit school and go be a singer. You’ve gotta stop all this college nonsense and do what the Lord put you on this earth to do. Hopey, you have to sing!

Mom’s stark statement shocked me out of my sleepy stupor. Her words struck a chord inside of me because somewhere deep down, I knew that they were true. But at the time, I could not receive what she was telling me.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:14

Utter Foolishness

Rather than allowing myself to seriously consider her advice, as a means of self-protection, I took offense. I told Mom what an idiotic statement she had just made. Utter foolishness. Most likely I spouted off some comment like, “Yeah Mom, why don’t I just drop out of college, forget about graduate school, and go on the road and start busking for a living?! Sounds like a great idea. Really smart. I’ll be sure to get right on that.”

The next morning, as I drove the winding, hilly highway back to campus, I tried to shake the feeling that I was caving. Retreating back to the safety of the ivory tower. Back to the secure halls of higher education where Mom’s silly notion of pursuing my true passion was relegated to the annals of foolishness. I had organized my life in such a way that my education would be my ticket to success. Financial freedom and prestige were my goals. But all of the worldly ambitions I was clamoring for were drowning out the still, small voice of truth that simply said, “Sing”.

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

1 Corinthians 1:27

Her Foolhardy Dream

I comforted myself with the thought that, in her younger years, Mom had been a first class fool herself. A few credits shy of earning her Master’s degree in Music Education from the prestigious Indiana University School of Music, she had run off to New York City to chase her foolhardy dream of singing on Broadway. Mom never actually made it to Broadway, but she did land a number of leading roles in Off-Broadway productions.

One time she told me that she had played the role of Eliza Doolittle in the Off-Broadway version of My Fair Lady. For those performances, she got to wear all of Julie Andrews’ costumes from the Broadway show. Another time she mentioned making $5000 in a single day for acting in a nationally syndicated Huggies commercial.

I had always been curious about Mom’s former life in the entertainment industry, but whenever I pried about her experience, she would sidestep the conversation. Mom had categorically written off those years as her foolish and sinful past. And she claimed that when she had been born again, she had died to all of that. Ultimately, she regarded her years in show business the same way that Paul describes his life before Christ:

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

Philippians 3:8

A Dead End

Fast forward a decade from that Thanksgiving visit, and I then had both a Bachelors and a Masters degree under my belt. I was establishing my career, climbing the supposedly sturdy ladder of professional success. That is, until the Lord–in His infinite grace, mercy, and wisdom–allowed me to hit a dead end. It came in the form of severe depression, crippling anxiety, and unshakable thoughts of suicide. Somewhere deep down inside, Mom’s foolish advice was still reverberating. I knew I was not living out my calling, but I had no idea how to change course. I wanted to end my life.

When I finally hit that wall, I was crying out to the Lord to show me my purpose on this earth or else… And to my utter shock, the Holy Spirit actually answered me very directly! In a profound encounter, He reminded me of who I’ve always been to Him: His songbird.

Today I believe that–despite how it might look to the outside world–the Lord is leading and guiding me in the way that He wants me to go. And I’m learning to follow His lead. I don’t have aspirations of singing on Broadway, but I am learning how to sing to the Lord. How to worship Him in spirit and in truth. And He has given me so many original songs that have carried me through difficult seasons that I would not have made it out of on my own. And He’s showing me opportunities to share those songs with others who are hurting in their own journeys.

Even If You Feel Foolish

Beloved, if the world were to inspect the trajectory of your life–your career, your relationships, all the choices you’ve made–are there some twists and turns that might look foolish? If so, you’re likely on the right path! When sheer worldly wisdom is applied to the life of a true believer, there should be a great deal of the picture that does not overlap. Because on the face of it, certain steps of faith appear like foolishness to the carnal, natural mind. And more often than not, worldly wisdom does not apply to the path of faith that the Lord calls us to walk.

It’s taken many years, but I’m finally coming to appreciate the simple wisdom in what Mom was trying to tell me: Follow your dream. Pursue your passion. Don’t get bogged down in all of the pressures and anxiety that the world tries to heap on you. Don’t do what you’re supposed to do. Do what makes you come alive. Do what you know you are called to do. Whether it’s singing, painting, cooking, teaching, running, writing, serving, inventing… Whatever you know deep down that you were put here to do, do that! And this kind of advice is not foolish; it is life-giving. Despite what worldly wisdom recommends, above all else, follow and trust God with your life. Even if at times it feels crazy. Even if you feel foolish. Do what He has called you to do.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:25

Have you ever taken some “foolish” advice that turned out to be wisdom?

Certain steps of faith appear like foolishness to the carnal, natural mind. And more often than not, worldly wisdom does not apply to the path of faith that the Lord calls us to walk. Click To Tweet

All scripture references from the King James Version of The Bible.

Ray Hennessy