A Reason to Rejoice!

Those of us who have known the Good News of the Gospel can sometimes take the crucifixion and resurrection for granted. The busyness of getting ready for Easter family celebrations, egg coloring, candy making, basket filling, cleaning, cooking, shopping, or trying to find something new to wear can sometimes blur the real meaning. That is one of the reasons we minister the Easter musicals – to remember-- really remember.


I’ve been producing these musicals for twenty-three years now, yet I’m still moved by Jesus’ agony in the garden, his pleading with God –“could there be another way?” When I think of the sinless Lamb of God taking on my sin, your sin, every sin that has ever been committed or will be – it’s impossible to comprehend. But Jesus knew. The weight was unbearable. We have a difficult time giving up a meal to fast and pray; yet he submitted to the mocking, beating, scorning, and hanging to the point of death.

As I watch the crucifixion there are times I have to look away. Yet, something draws me back to that bloody body hanging on the cross. It was for me –- my cross, in my place. But the mystery is that it is me hanging on that cross because I’m “in Christ.” It’s me dying to my old life. It’s me dying to my past. It’s me, yet, I feel no pain, no agony, no sorrow except for Him. He carried my griefs, my sorrow, my pain. He took my stripes, my shame. It was my guilt that was nailed to that cross. (Isaiah 53). So, that is what it means. Overwhelming emotion builds – tears flow, gratefulness chokes my throat. “Amazing Grace how can it be, that you my Lord would die for me?”


But the story doesn't end there. The musical continues and, even though I know what’s coming, my heart beats faster as expectation builds. Sitting on the edge of my seat I wait as the lights come up to a tomb with Roman soldiers guarding the grave.

The music gently builds, “Not a word was heard at the tomb that day, just shuffling feet as they guarded the grave. One day, two days, three days had passed, could it be that Jesus had breathed his last. Could it be that his father had forsaken him, turned his back on his son, despising our sin. All hell seemed to whisper, forget him he’s dead. Then the Father looked down at His son and said… Arise, My love. Arise, My love. The grave no longer has a hold on you. No more death's sting, No more suffering. Arise...Arise...my love.”

The music changes dramatically building…and I shift in my seat. " The Earth trembled and the tomb began to shake, (suddenly an angel appears) and like lightening from Heaven the stone was rolled away." We see the angel push the huge, heavy stone away and there is Jesus lying in the fog filled tomb. " And the guards as dead men stand there in fright, as the power of love displayed its might. Then suddenly a melody filled the air riding wings of wind, it was everywhere. The words all creation had been longing to hear, the sweet sound of victory, so loud and clear. "

"Arise, My love." Jesus begins moving – sitting up and excitement builds while angels are dancing in celebration. "Arise, My love. The grave no longer has a hold on you. No more death's sting, No more suffering. Arise...Arise...my love.”

Finally, Jesus rises from the stone and stands, the music builds. "Sin, where are your shackles? Death, where is your sting? Hell; has been defeated. The grave could not hold the King." Jesus begins walking out of the tomb. I just want to stand and shout “hallelujah, Praise God!" Remembering I’m in the sound booth I remain seated.

"Arise, My love. Arise, My love." Jesus begins walks to the front of the stage. "The grave no longer has a hold on you. No more death's sting, No more suffering. Arise...Arise.. Arise!" Jesus stands triumphantly with arms upraised and spread toward the sky while the crowd responds exuberantly with claps of praise and vocal expressions of rejoicing. Hallelujah!

It excites me everytime. I remember it was not just Christ who arose but you and I arose too! Scripture reminds us that not only were we baptized into His death but also into His resurrection! What does that mean for us? New life, new nature, new creation, new beginning, new master, new family, new kingdom, new destiny, new all the way through. Praise God when Christ arose to new eternal life we arose with Him! What is true of Him is true of us. Our past no longer has a hold on us, our old nature no longer has to control us, the old is past and the new has come. Now that is a reason to rejoice! Hallelujah! Rejoice! We’re alive to a New Life!

Jonalyn Grace Fincher: Why Isn't America Ready for a Female President?

Jonalyn Grace Fincher: Why Isn't America Ready for a Female President?

I read an interesting post that loosely relates to what we have been talking about with Perception Deception Disorder. I thought you might want to read what Jonalyn Fincher, author of Ruby Slippers,had to say and leave your own comment.

I wonder, are we too absorbed in appearance to see beneath the surface to character and integrity? Are we just as guilty as the media of judging by appearance?

I am ready for a Female president but Hillary would not be my first choice. Not because of her looks but because of her character and my own inability to trust her. I must admit that eight years of Bill Clinton in office has certainly affected my opinion. I think its a shame that our first real possibility of a female candidate is one I cannot support with a good conscience. But to me her gender has nothing to do with my choice. I hope this will help more women to dream of the presidency for the future.

Give us our opinion after reading Jonalyn's post.

Clay Balls and PDD

In view of our recent discussion about friends someone sent me the following story.

Clay Balls
A man was exploring caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.

They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.

We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

Perception Deception Disorder would keep us from discovering the treasure inside the ball of clay. We would have just dismissed the ball or thrown it into the ocean. We might not have felt comfortable with the clay ball. PDD keeps us from looking beyond the clay wrapper for the treasure. May we be consciously aware that there's more to a person than the outside appearance. Have you ever found an unexpected treasure in a friendship?

Posture of Deference versus PDD

I just read the post "Deferring to God" on the Gifted for Leadership Blog at www.giftedforleadership.com and it struck a chord for me. Hillary Prag wrote about ministering with a woman named Alice who had found her security and identity in Christ enabling her to trust or "defer to" God rather than play God and try to please or fix everyone. To get the most out of this post you might want to read the post first.


What could have been misinterpreted for insensitivity or nonchalance was simple trust in God.
She was able to walk away from situations that most of us would tackle to resolve so we could stay in someone's favor. Hillary admitted that she and most of her contemporaries were visiciously competing for places of power and working incessantly to build an outstanding resume. Yet, Alice did nothing to impress others.


Alice didn't seem to need to work incessantly to impress or make everyone like her. She could walk off the job trusting that God was at work in the lives of the people she cared about so deeply. Hillary pointed out that "in a society where our identity is measured by our contribution it is much easier to translate our standing with God to our ministry performance."


Perception Deception Disorder is alive in well in the body of Chirst. Our culture tells us that our identity comes from what we do, how well we perform, the car we drive, the home we live in, the position we hold and our successes. This means our identity and self-worth will change with the economy, job losses or successes, crises, etc. Interpreting our standing with God by our performance is normal for those of us who are living in Perception Deception Disorder. This disorder has infected the church. But God chose Abraham to be the "Father of Many Nations" not because of anything He had done but because of who HE could make Abraham. Abraham taught us that the "just shall live by faith." By faith we accept our new identity in Christ of being complete, secure and significant.


When we find our Identity in Christ and who He says we are it never changes; our identity and self-worth are forever settled and sure. We are somebody, we are important, we are significant just because we are His -- His child, His heir, His temple, His bride, His body, His church, His chosen, called out new creations.


Alice was able to trust God because she is secure in God. Our security comes from God – just because we are His; not because of anything we have done. We are secure in His unconditional love, abounding grace and unlimited mercy. If He loved us while we were enemies how much more does He loves us now that we are his children? (Romans 5)

Hillary wondered what it would feel like to believe herself complete before going out to minister. A few words come to mind -- free, empowered, confident yet humble, competent yet trusting and light in spirit.

Colossians 2:8-10 says: "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority."

We are made complete in Christ -- His presence and power residing in us in all the fullness of the Godhead. Our greatest accomplishments cannot compare with God in us.

Hillary wondered how "to find significance within herself rather than in acts of service." Refute the lie of our culture and PDD. Our significance comes from the same place -- not our intelligence, successes or contributions but from the image of Christ in us and the fullness of the Godhead dwelling within being expressed in all of its glory. Our significance comes from being royalty -- the child of the King of the Universe! It doesn't get much better. I'm a joint heir with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Once we rest in His security, identity and significance then our accomplishments and successes only serve to glorify Him. Alice was able to defer to God because she was not suffering from Perception Deception Disorder but fully identified in Christ, complete, secure and significant in who God had made her to be.

Wonder no more -- simply defer.

PDD -- A True Story

PDD is "Perception Deception Disorder" as we discovered in the previous post. Lisa Boothe sent us a perfect example of PDD in action. I thought I would share it with you here.

Eighteen years ago, while my first two children were small, I ran a family day care during the day from my home, and then worked the night shift at Catalog Resources, which used to be across from Kraft. Working the 6:00 pm to 2:00 am shift, I started on the Telemarketing floor, handling the incoming calls for catalog orders, and just really beginning my computer skills.


My Supervisor’s name was Diane (name changed). And for whatever reasons, it seemed obvious that she did not particularly care for me. Being new, I had lots of questions. I would raise my hand for help while on a “live” call with a customer, and Anna seemed reluctant to come and assist me. There were between 5-7 women (normally), working the phones during the later part of the shift. Diane seemed friendly to most of them but me. She kept her distance.


One night, scheduled for my break, I put my phone on “make busy”, and started walking down the hall towards the bathroom. It has always been a habit for me to hum or whistle, and I was whistling a tune on my stroll. Diane, coming from the break room, was headed my way back to
Telemarketing. I stopped whistling, and looked at her, smiling, and said “Hello, Anna”. Her face was firm and unyielding, with no return of a smile….she replied a forced “hello”, and kept her pace. After a few more steps I hear her utter, “Jezebel”.


“Jezebel”. Now, I did not know at that time who or what a “Jezebel” was. But I did know how Diane said it, and it made my heart sink. I continued to walk to the bathroom as my eyes filled up with tears. Why does this woman appear to detest me so?

That night I picked-up my Grandma’s Bible for the first time in a long time. I read enough about Jezebel to see that Diane was comparing me to a very wicked woman. It is true that a that time of my life, (in my upper 20’s), I did love wearing dark brown or burgundy lipstick---but was that a fatal flaw? I began praying for Diane, and to God for guidance as to how/why this woman could see me in such an evil light.


The time had come for my 60-day review with my supervisor, Diane. I knew she was going to fire me. This woman clearly wanted me gone.


As I waited in the break room for Diane I could feel myself shaking as I was anticipating doomsday. I prayed quietly to myself and sipped on a cup of coffee. In walks Diane with paper and a pen in hand.


To my surprise, my overall evaluation was very good---Diane had monitored a lot of my calls. As she spoke, she would hardly make eye contact with me. When it came time for me to sign my evaluation, I asked her, as nicely and politely as I could, “Diane, have I done something to hurt you?” Immediately taken back at the question, she replied “No – what do you ask that?!?”
This led, finally, to a drop in her huge defensive barriers.

As we talked and tried to get to know one another, her view of me was strongly shaped by her childhood teachings and perceptions. Basically, she was brought up believing, that any woman who “whistled” was a “loose” woman, or a prostitute. My wearing of dark lipstick, in Diane’s mind, further engrained this image. This was a true wake-up call for me. I could not believe what I was hearing. To Diane, this was how she had “sized me up”, it was her reality.


As God works his miracles, over time, Diane and I became very good friends. We did eventually share a huge laughing and crying ceremony over our very rocky start…thank you, God.

Ladies, we do need to be careful not to pre-judge one another. We need to take the time to
get to know one another, and allow each other to be our unique selves…the Chick Café is a wonderful opportunity to do just that.

Walking in God’s love and truth will help us to prevent Perception Deception Disorder. God Bless You!

Lisa B.