• Egypt - The World, living to the lusts of the flesh
• Wilderness - The in-between land of testing and growth that we must pass through before we discover the rewards of Canaan. Growing in faith, small victories, yet still struggling with the desert of un-met spiritual expectations & un-achieved victories! If you don't feel like you have "arrived" yet spiritually...You are still in the Wilderness and you are NOT suppose to stay here! There is MORE and it can be gained in THIS LIFE!
• The Promised land - Our spiritual destination (not just in Heaven, but now!) Spiritual maturity and land of overflowing spiritual abundance and joy, victories, miracles, and daily answered prayer as we bring more souls into the Promise land

Most of the Christian world thinks that the "promised land" is only when we get to Heaven. But God designed and planned for us to experience it now as well! (So many verses in the Bible prove this fact!) He never intended for the Israelites to spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness, nor does He intend for us to spend our spiritual lives wandering in the wilderness. He has the promise land, flowing with vegan milk (I added that) and honey...and we are to experience that NOW!!!!!! But too often, we get stuck in the wilderness...because of our doubt, our failures, our unbelief in God and what He wants to do. We think that is where we are suppose to be...so we spiritualize our need to press further away. (After all, we have left the world...we have left Egypt behind! We are a step ahead of everyone else!) So we build sand-castles, we march around mountains, we look for quiet places of security to rest in the shade! But God is calling us to cross the Jordan...by faith to grasp for more...

But learning to deny our flesh, to get up in the morning, to have that time with him when we'd rather sleep in, to press into prayer when we least feel like it, to reach out to others when we'd rather just take care of ourselves...these are not natural tendencies. And unlike the material paycheck that you get when you work at a job in the world, there is no "instant paycheck" that God hands down to you when you spend time with Him. So we don't strive to be disciplined in the spiritual realm. We do what works, what feels good, and get by on the bare minimum. What we don't realize is that getting up in the morning to have that focused time with God, learning to spend hours on our knees interceding for others in prayer, learning to make the spiritual life just as much a discipline as a real job holds - these are MORE important than anything we can do in this world!!!!! And while these disciplines and times of denying the flesh may not give us physical money to put bread on our tables, or make us look good to others, it is spiritual money put in the Kingdom, and eternal souls of ourselves and our families hangs in the balance!! We MUST stop living in the wilderness and cross the Jordan...

But we see the large Jordan, we see the giants of the land (which are actually only Satan's enemies to try to discourage us and keep us back), and we say, "I can't do it! It's too big! I can't cross that!" God says, "I know you can't! Step forward anyway, by faith!" "But I don't have strength, I can't do it!" we cry again and again. "I know you can't, that's why you depend upon me! I will do it for you...but you must take the first step! You must step forward!!!!"

A few step forward and receive not only the wrath of the enemy, but the strength and joy of Heaven and of victory in Him! But most of us...we stay behind to protect our sand castles. We pitch our tents...and we miss the Endless frontier of the Promise Land that lies before us...

Where were YOU????

ARME Oregon 2010

ARME was such a special experience...and it's an experience that when you've worked so hard to help it come together, you don't want to experience it alone. You want to share it! Especially with those that matter in your life...

One particular morning, towards the end of camp, I stood in the back watching the meeting progress. Everything was going smoothly and the place was packed with already 400+ warm bodies. It was incredible to see how people were grasping hold of the truths being shared. And it was exciting to see the people respond to appeals and altar calls. Lives were being changed!

However, I was sad...sad because two people that I really wanted to experience a taste of ARME had not come! They had intended to come, they had told me that they were going to come...but the hours dragged by and still they had not arrived. They actually had a reasonable reason for not arriving when I expected them to, but at the moment, all I could do was complain and feel sad in my heart. "Why aren't they here yet? They are missing the best part!"

Then I started thinking about it all. Here we were at ARME BIBLE CAMP and we had a full house. In fact, we had about 100 more people then we were expecting. People were being blessed, encouraged, and even transformed by the messages. God was working in a big way in the lives of so many. And yet, I was unhappy that 2 people had not come. Then I realized, it didn't matter to me at the moment that everyone else may have been there…the world could have been there!! But because I knew that those two people weren’t, I was sad.

Yet, think how it is with us and God. He may have 99 in the fold, safe and sound and enjoying the fruits of his Kingdom…but if one is not there...if one is on the outside, He is still going to miss them, and He’s going to go out searching!! Me missing the people that I care about in my life is no big deal. But think about God…there are millions of people on this planet, and He loves all of them. He loves those that are saved with a special love…but those that are lost, He loves too…and He misses their presence.

If only we knew how much God sacrificed to come and rescue us…our one lost world that went astray…and yet, we are told, he would have done it if it were only for YOU and if it were only for me!!

The two lost sheep (actually, they really weren’t lost after all) did finally show up at camp and join us. And of course, I was very happy as I wanted them to see how things had come together and to be a part. But what is more important is what I was reminded about God that day…and how he may have a whole host already inside his fold of safety…but if one is out, He misses them, and He’s going to find them at all cost. The only thing that will keep him from finding them and bringing them in is if they refuse to be brought home…

Hmmm….profound thoughts, huh?! At least, I thought so…

Miracles at ARME...

“God is good, all the time…God is good!” We kneel in awe before the throne of God for His goodness and blessings of our Oregon ARME BIBLE CAMP this past Memorial day weekend, May 27-31, 2010. It is truly amazing what happens when we come together on our knees, and when we cling to God for strength!

For those that aren’t use to hosting an event for 400+ people, we can tell you, it is no small undertaking. (Now we have even more respect for those that are hosting events for 4,000…like ASI or Generation of Youth for Christ or the like.) Our first ARME camp last year was a huge success and blessing, but to be honest, very stressful for those of us behind the scenes. However, this year was different and much smoother…and I think that difference had to do with the Prayer team of volunteers that have been meeting every Sunday morning and praying together for the past several months. Then, once the camp started, we met as a whole team with the attendee’s to pray in the early am – and poured forth our praises and request together to God. (Many mornings we had 100+ in prayer session!) On top of that, we had a building called “The boiler room” where some of our leaders prayed with people all throughout the day and then also covered the meetings in prayer. We are amazed and praising God for the healing and spiritual rejuvenation that this brought to so many lives. So ARME BIBLE CAMP’s motto “Forward on our Knee’s” has been even more a reality this year! Prayer truly makes a difference. There were a few times when I wondered, “Hmmm….not sure how we are gonna work this or that detail out!” Yet, I had no sooner voiced the concerns or prayed, then God worked things out. I was busy it seems and I didn’t have much time to just rest and enjoy the messages, yet this time, I did not feel stressed. Things came together…they flowed together…and they stayed together…smoothly! Praise the Lord!

This year we made a point to emphasis certain attitudes among our attendees. We’ll share them here, directly from our program booklet, for we think these attitudes are ones that we should all seek to embrace…not just those that come to ARME.

An absolute confidence in Scripture as the foundation and authoritative test of all doctrines and teachings. “If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa 8:20

A respect for the Spirit of Prophecy as a divinely inspired source of instruction, comfort, and warning for our lives today. “Believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” II Chron 20:20

A dependence upon God thru Prayer as it is only thru earnest prayer that we will realize the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16

A quest to be completely surrendered and ARMed through commitment to spend daily time in prayer and God’s Word. “Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand.” Eph 6:11

A striving for holiness of the inner life and purity of heart as it’s only in the heart where no one but God knows that the real victories in our lives are won. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” I Sam 16:7

An attitude of humility and unselfishness as Christ has left us His example in working with others. He came not to be served, but to serve. So as we spend this weekend together, let us put “status” and other “rankings” aside, and let us learn to serve each other...even in the smallest tasks.

An attitude of joy & patience in all circumstances: For as we see the magnitude of God’s sacrifice for us, we realize that the discomforts, cramped quarters, irritations and other trials that we face here on this earth (or at camp) are actually a privilege to endure for Him. “Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations...For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” James 1:2 & Phil 4:11

And finally, an attitude of striving for God’s glory & personal excellence in every aspect of our lives: “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do ALL to the glory of God.” I Cor 10:31

For those that have never attended an ARME and wonder what it’s like…Well, some things you just can’t describe in words. You have to attend to really understand the spiritual impact. But in brief overview, our days went like something like this: Prayer at 6:15 am with our prayer Warrior Melissa Maranda leading. (Again, most of our attendees came to be a part of this and later reported that this was one of the most important aspects of the camp for them!) Following prayer we had inspiring devotions by Martin Kim on prayer, faith, and greater surrender. (Powerful spiritual manna to start the day!) Then we had physical manna - breakfast. (The vegan cooking was delicious, and many people complimented our cooks on the great food!) At 9am we had rousing singing with our musicians Taylor and Craig. Then started the training that everyone came to ARME for… “How can we learn to study our Bible’s more deeply?” We had a long lunch break and time for parents to spend time with their kids, then more sessions in the afternoon. In the evening after a long dinner break, we had our final meeting, sharing ministry spotlights, music, and an inspirational message by one of our speakers. We tried to end earlier so everyone could get a good night sleep and be up for the early morning prayer time!

Over the course of this camp our speakers and trainers included: Pastor Myers, Pastor Bohr, Evangelist Pacaleb, Evangelist Baek, and Scripture Memorization trainer Dan Vis. Between practical pointers, inspiration, and personal testimonies, it was powerful! But that wasn’t all! Simultaneously, we had a children’s program going on led out by Lisa Quade with Feeding His Lamb’s Ministry.What a blessing it was to benefit from Lisa’s many years of experience in Child evangelism. And what a blessing this was for the 40-60 children we had registered as well, as God’s Word was skillfully planted in the garden of their hearts.

Throughout the conference, our speakers shared on a variety of Bible Study topics…from the basic “How To’s” of Bible Study, to “Learning to study Prophecy,” and to learning to give “Bible Studies” to those of other denominations and faiths. Some of our speakers also shared their inspiring testimonies! Finally Sunday evening, we had our Testimony Banquet – a simple, but elegant meal complete with candles and flowers and more scrumptious food. The testimony time itself was the most inspiring though, from the children’s scripture songs and sharing time, to the tear-jerking testimonies as person after person lined up to share about how God had impacted their hearts and lives and had inspired them to dig deeper in the word because of ARME BIBLE CAMP! In fact, goose-bumps ran up and down my arms as I listened. “Was this really true? Had this many people seriously been that blessed?” I wanted to cry out praises to God! I guess as a leader behind the scenes it’s easy to loose the personal impact others are gaining as you are trying to keep the program running on time, keep the schedule on track, and keep up with all the details! But God isn’t stressed and He’s not blinking his eye. He’s just quietly bringing things together as we learn to more fully depend upon Him! Many made decisions for baptism or re-baptism. Even men got up on stage and cried as they shared how they had been impacted– it was powerful, and humbling to those of us who had been working and praying so long. Truly…our God is an awesome God.

So…once again, we praise the Lord for an amazing successful ARME BIBLE CAMP and for using this small ministry to make a difference for Him. Our motto continues, “Forward on our Knee’s” and may God receive all the glory, for it was not us, but truly Him!

Walls...

I hate walls...walls that keep me outside when I want to be in, walls that keep me in when I want to be out...I especially hate it when misunderstandings occur between my family or best friends and walls form in our relationships. We all try to pretend the walls aren't there, but I can tell they are like only a mile high. Ugh!! I've learned I can't keep a very close walk with God as long as I allow those walls to stay, so I'm usually doing everything in my power to tear them down... AND...that's what we're told in the Bible to do!

Not only are we to tear down the walls in our hearts, by forgiving...

"And when you stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any, that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive your trespasses." Mark 11:25

But we are to seek to tear down the walls in others, if we know that they have not forgiven us!!

"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer the gift." Mark 5:23-24

But even if they refuse to forgive us...after we've tried to make amends...we are still to reach out in love!

"Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." Rom 12:20

Pretty powerful, huh? God's law truly is of another kind...

But back to walls.

As I've discovered, I'm not the only one that hates walls! The last few days have been a real trial for me with Baron (the famiLEE dog) who does not like his walls...the walls we refer to as a gate and fence. Somehow he seemed to know that Lee's were gone and we'd been left alone at home, and he was determined he was not going to stay in his pen. So somehow he squeezed through his wall (the gate) and got loose. Boy was he happy to be free!! He was high as a kite and bouncing all over everything, and I was afraid he might break something, or me. Thankfully I got him calmed down and put a leash on him, and took him for a run.

However, a few hours after I'd put him back in his pen, he broke out again! This time the gate was wide open! "What? How could he have done that?"

"Ok, fine!" I told him. "I will just tie you up and leave the gate open. And you can roam, at least a few feet."

Well, the next morning he had tangled himself around his feeding trough and a few other things, and was on a very short rope whining as if his life had ended. "Crazy dog!" I thought. "If only you'd stay in your pen and not break out!"

So after untangling him, I went to work...and then, after 12 tiring hours at the hospital, I finally came home. I thought I had removed all possible obstacles or entanglements, but this time he'd gone around some nearby shrubbery and tangled himself up in the bushes. Who knows how many hours he'd been there. By the looks of it, it was awhile. And because of that, he was again on the short end of his rope, unable to reach water or food, or use the phone to call for help. "Baron!? What am I to do with you?" I asked. He didn't answer but just yelped excitedly to see me!

Later while I was working on watering the garden, I watched as he used his nose to unlatch the gate and open it. He had figured out the way to open it without just pushing his weight through. "Hmmmph! So that's what you are doing, huh boy? Well, we'll fix you..." So I went and got a huge 2-ton brick, and placed it in front of the gate. This time, although he unlatched the gate, he could not push it open! Wow - maybe the problem is solved, at least until my famiLee comes home and has new ideas.

However, as I was reflecting on my frustration with Baron...it made me think of the spiritual realm.

Every time Baron got out, his excitement was boundless. He was soooo happy to be free. However, my excitement did NOT equal his! Why? Because I don't want him to get lost or attacked by neighboring dogs, or run over by cars on the road. I want the Lee's to still have a dog when they come home! And I know there is dangers out, even for a big dog! Baron, of course doesn't know that...so, thinking he is doing the best thing, he keeps breaking out. A friend of mine's dog did the same thing...he got run over by the first car that came by! I've personally lost 3 of my pets to passing cars, and one was killed by another dog! (It was tragic!) Obviously we humans know there is danger out there, so we put up walls, fences, and gates to protect our pets, our children, and others that are vulnerable and naive.

But what about the walls God puts up to protect us? I was thinking about it the other day as I was reading the 10 commandments. Many in the world see these commands as mere legalities, mere restrictions, limiting us from true life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But actually, if we really think about it...they are walls given to protect us and to KEEP us ALIVE!! For just like when the dog got out and was killed, when we break outside the boundaries of God's law, only eternal death awaits. "There is a way that seem right unto a man, but the end thereof is death."Prov 14:12

I've been catching up on some of Eric's recent sermons on www.Ellerslie.com and one message really struck a deep cord in my heart the other day...in fact, the same day Baron broke out. It was talking about Nehemiah and rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Eric sums the theme of his message up like this:

"The Christian man or woman represents the greatest threat to Satan's agenda and thusly they are the brunt of his most cruel energies and most cunning stratagems. But we are not left without a defense. The book of Nehemiah showcases how this battle works. Those opposed to Nehemiah were determined to stop the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and in their opposition, they attempted to cajole Nehemiah with 9 distinct lies. These lies are the very same ones used against you and me today. First, we must recognize them as lies and then we must learn how to respond to each of them with the Word of God as our primary weapon.

What more can I say, except it was very convicting, and got me thinking about WALLS again in a positive light. So, if you are up against some walls in your life, or ready for a convicting and inspiring message, go hear Eric's full sermon for yourself at the following link: The Nine Lies

Baron is safe in his pen now. And it's time to go to bed. It's dark outside...I don't like the dark for there's all kinds of strange noises outside! (We'll save the spiritual ramifications of my "fear of the dark" for another blog post!) But let's just say that I'm glad there are walls between me and the great big unknown world that is out there right now. :-)

I guess after all, most of the time, walls are good to have!!

A simple matter of Honor...when no Lee is looking!

When you live alone, you usually don't worry about what anyone else thinks. You can wash the dishes how you want, you can cook the way you want, you can leave the place a mess if you want. After all, it doesn't matter...because you live alone! You can live the way you want...

I've always prided myself on my healthful habits, organizational skills, my cleanliness, and my economy in relating to the environment in which I've lived. I've never seen myself as wasteful or as a splurging slob. (And I'm not!) But since I've come to live with the Lee's, I've realized I still have much room to grow and a lot to learn about healthful living and saving resources. This family isn't just thrifty, they are the King's of frugality! I have to admit that in the beginning I rebelled against this "frugality."

When I first came and began to wash the dishes, Abba (dad Lee) taught me to make sure I soap all the dishes first with the water off, or only a trickle of water so I'm not being wasteful. Then when I rinse them, I should keep them in a pile and finish the rinsing before I put them in the dish rack, so I don't let the water run un-attended as the dishes are being stacked!

As for water that we rinse the food in, if it's not soapy, DON'T pour it down the sink! That gets carried to a barrel outside and then put on the garden to water the plants. That saves excess usage from the well!

Umma (mom Lee) taught me that the parts of the Kale, Broccoli or Cucumbers that I usually cut off and throw away, can actually be saved and used in stew later. They also taught me how to peel things so I don't loose any more nutrients than necessary. She also showed me how to be careful with what sponges I use on the pots and pans so I don't make scratches. (Honestly, I've never worried about that before!) She showed me that rather than trashing perfectly good glass containers or jars, you can wash them and recycle them. There's always a use for something, so be careful what you throw away!

Kyung taught me not only how to make a perfectly good healthy meal out of almost nothing but fresh veggies and rice (I'm serious), but that if you go shopping, it's better to save a few cents and forgo the shopping bag, even if it means carrying everything out in your bare arms! (This one was a little hard for me to swallow at the time, especially as it was raining out, and I was afraid I was going to spill groceries and cans all over the street! But I managed. And after all, we did save $0.10 cents.)

Obba (big brother) taught me that if I need something I should ASK FIRST before I go and buy it, because he probably has it and can loan it to me. Who knows how much they've helped me save in this department. Course sometimes, I'd rather just go buy it...but still. It's good to share and save my money as well. He also taught me that instead of driving 15 minutes into town for just one errand or two, to wait and put all my errands together or go with others in one trip so I can save gas. Growing up in the country miles away from any town or shopping center, this use to be old hat to me...but now I have to admit, I've been in the city too long and have grown lax and lazy! So he is teaching me the right way again...

As for Sue, there are so many things she has taught me...to always be sure to turn off lights when I leave the room, to look carefully through the produce I'm buying to make sure there are no bad spots so we don't have to go home and throw food away, to look for the cheapest prices, to call home and get family to go online and find the cheapest gas station before I fill up, to save my extra napkins from chipotles and bring them home to use, not even to throw the kid's scraps of left-over food away, and to go to her closet if I need new clothes rather than going to the store to buy more! Wow - I could go on and on!

Many of these things I thought I knew...but the Lee's have taught me so much more!

Now I am on my own for a week...they aren't around to watch me. They aren't with me to make sure I conserve or do things just right. Yet, I find myself out of habit, washing the dishes the way Abba taught me to. I barely use a trickle of water! Not because he's looking over my shoulder (he wont even know), and not because I necessarily think it's the easiest way to do it...but most importantly because this is His house, and I want to honor him.

As I wash Umma's pots, I make sure I use the soft scratcher. She's not here to remind me, I do it because I want to honor her. I find myself trying to finish up every last scrap of food so it wont go to waste. Not because I want to eat it, but because as Umma once said, "Even this one grain of rice took a whole year to grow!" And as Christian's we shouldn't be wasteful. But also, this is her house and the famiLee's food, and I want to honor them...even if they aren't here looking!

When I ran to town to get some things for Sabbath, I tried to get all my errands done at once, so I wont have to go back later. Obba's not here to reprimand me for wasting gas, but his wisdom stays with me. When I buy things at the store, I remember Kyung as I look at prices. And as I check out, if possible, I say "No thanks" for the bag, and carry stuff out in my arms. Kinda funny, to find myself doing this without even being prompted. But why waste an extra bag if I can avoid it...and after all, I saved $0.10 cents!

Of course, there are still many things the Lee's have to teach me...and I don't always learn as quickly as I should. But while I might have felt burdened at first with the new conservation measures, and things that I wasn't use to, I'm so grateful for the things I have learned. And I carry on, partly because I know this is the BETTER WAY...but also because I'm so grateful to be part of their famiLEE and I want to honor them!

So tonight as I enjoyed some quiet time alone in the house, doing the dishes (ever so careful not to use too much water, because I know Abba likes it better when I'm mindful), I thought about all the other areas of our lives that "Honor" should play a part...

I've been given an even more valuable house to take care of...and no one's standing around telling me how I should take care of it, or how to make it last the longest. Oh, there's manuals, and I've received a good education in "house upkeep" but still, it's my choice. Usually no one is watching!

Yep, you guessed it! It's the house God has given me...my body AND my mind! Do I honor God by how I take care of it? What I eat, what I wear, what I think about, how disciplined I am in my Bible study habits...how I relate to others?? After all, He's not standing here in person telling me, "Melody! You really need to do this because if you don't your house is gonna break down sooner than it should, or you're gonna run out of resources." Actually the world encourages us, "Just relax! Just do what feels good! Do what you want?" I've even had my Christian friends say, "It doesn't matter if you splurge a little here or there, tell a little white lie now and then, or don't always follow all the rules exactly. After all...God knows your heart! He knows you mean well!" But I wonder...if He knows my heart, doesn't that mean that it hurts him more when I don't live up to what I know to be truth? The people around me, they may admire my house...but they don't truly know what's on the inside...only God! And the more I think about it, the more I believe that it's only when we honor God on the inside, where no one can see, that we are truly being honorable.

So now more and more I pray, "Create in me a clean heart Oh God, and renew a right spirit with me! When no one is looking, when no one is around to applaud my good behavior or pay me tribute, will you still give me strength to do right and honor YOU?"

I don't claim to have arrived, obviously I'm still growing...and God has definitely been putting me through the refiner's fire a lot lately, to help me grow more! But my prayer continues. This is what I long for...this is what I pray for. To not just "look pure" before fellow man, but to truly "be pure" in Heart before God.

So, as I have the honor of looking after Lee's house, as I wash the dishes, scrub the floors, and seek to utilize every last grain of rice, I'm reminded again how grateful I am for what this special Asian famiLee is teaching me....but even more, I'm grateful for what God is teaching me! Yes, I'll continue to seek to conserve the electricity, I'll continue to save the water...out of love and respect and honor. But more importantly because by honoring them, I am truly honoring God! And that's what matters most!!

"Man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart." I Sam 16:7

Left Behind...

Fighting back a torrent of tears, I carefully pulled the big van away from the curb. My family had already disappeared inside the airport terminal and would soon be in the sky, headed for some tropical oasis. It wasn't practical for me to go along, and I had work to do, and things to take care of, so it was expected that I would be left alone at home. Besides they needed someone to keep the garden watered, and the animals taken care of...which I was more than happy to do. But still, those facts didn't make the "ache" of watching them all walk away any easier to bear. As I pulled onto the main highway and began to pick up speed, the airport, and departing planes, faded in the distance. But the tears only came more quickly! Ugh! "Why God, do I always cry when I say goodbye!? Why does it feel sooo horrible to be left behind?"

Then God spoke gently to my heart...and my mind took into view a larger picture. "How horrible would it be Mel, if when I come back to take you and your family home that I found you unready...too many loose ends still trying to take care of, projects undone, work that you needed to do, a heart still seeking for it's own way and unsurrendered to me. What if that happened and I had to leave YOU behind?" I bounced along in the drivers seat as the world whirled past contemplating the horrendous thought! Wow!!! I mean, I don't even think about such prospects because I know He's going to take me home! I intend to be ready. But will I truly be ready?? Is there any thing that may be keeping me unready now??

For many, when He comes...they wont be ready. Imagine how heart-breaking that would be?

Being left behind when your family goes to the Bahamas', Cancun, Hawaii, or Jamaica is one thing...after all, they are only gone for a few days, and you know you will be reunited again soon! But being left behind when God takes his children away to their Heavenly paradise for all eternity, and you know there is NO more chance: No more flights you can get on, no more ships that will go...that is a completely different story!! How utterly tragic would that be?? To be forever left behind by my Heavenly love and King...

Not only has God commanded us to WATCH and BE READY...."Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Mt 25:13) But He's also commanded us to wake up others to their need to WATCH! "And this gospel - of Jesus death, life and resurrection and soon coming - shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall Jesus come!" (My paraphrase of Matt 24:14)

I heard a sobering sermon awhile back. I don't remember if I've alluded to this in previous posts. But basically this preacher was sharing how when Jesus comes back, it will be just like in the days of Noah. Initially we tend to think about all the vanity, sin, and perversion that was in the world at that time. And true, as it was then, it will be in the end of time as well. But God's caution to his people is not regarding living in the sins of the world. Interestingly enough, the things that the Bible mentions in these passages aren't things out of the ordinary.

Reading from Matt 24:37-39

"But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking (what's abnormal or sinful with that?), marrying and giving in marriage (nothing sinful in that) until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And they knew not until the flood came and took them all away."

Then in Luke 14 it talks about the rich man that hosted a "great supper" - representing "a banquet with our Lord." The invitation was sent to many! But they all had excuses...One said, "I cannot come! I just purchased a piece of property and need to go tend to it. Please excuse me!" Another said, "I have just purchased 5 yoke of oxen, and need to go prove them. Please excuse me!" Another said, "I have just married a wife and need to stay with her, so I cannot come." None of these things they were doing were wrong! But they allowed these things to take the focus of their lives at the exclusion of that which was most important...sitting at their Lord's table. What a profound lesson for us today...

I can't begin to share it in the deep way that this speaker shared it. (So please go listen to his sermon if you can.) But the point made was just this: We as Christians in today's world, may think that we are ready for Jesus return, but in reality we have allowed the normal routine every day things of life (keeping food on the table, paying the bills, housekeeping, marriage, family, our pets or hobbies) to take priority in our hearts over Jesus Christ. We have the illusion that hell will only be filled with rapist and murders and thieves etc. But the reality is, that while there will be many true criminals there, the majority will probably be good people that did good things, but allowed the good normal every day things to get ahead of their relationship with Jesus Christ! An "idol" is anything that comes between me and Jesus Christ! Just think about it...it's true! Isn't that what most of the world is doing...holding on to good idols, things that are robbing them of the best? Scary!!!!

Again, there's nothing wrong with doing the mundane things, with eating, with drinking, with work and marriage. The point is, where is our focus and our priority? We must not allow these things to so consume our lives at the expense of our own souls!

So as I drove on home alone, instead of crying more for myself and for the vacation I was not able now to enjoy with my family, my heart ached with a longing for my heavenly home and with the determination that when that day comes, I am going to my Heavenly HOME!!!!!! I will NOT be left behind...

Cell Phone vs. the Bible

What would happen if we treated our Bible

like we treat our cellphone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to think about. Where is my Bible?

Where are my priorities??

Unlike our cell phone,

we don't have to worry about our Bible being

disconnected

because Jesus already paid the bill...

And NO DROPPED CALLS!

*Found this on a church website, but author is unknown!

Sunshiny days...

Just wanted to log on and write a little note. I actually have like at least a half-dozen things I'd like to blog about...and probably will yet! But between work, loving on my little "Korean kiddos" that I live with, and helping out with famiLEE life, or working on ministry projects, I have been soooooo busy, I haven't had time to write much lately. Right now my big push is getting ready for year two of ARME BIBLE CAMP!! We had so many amazing miracles and blessings last year, I can't wait to see what God has in store for us this year.

Still loving Oregon to the fullest. Spring here is beautiful!! It rains, it snows, it hails (Yep, just last week - it hailed so hard it covered the ground and looked like SNOW!) And still the sun shines!! You never know exactly what kind of day it will be...and it could change any second. It's definitely an adventure like I've never had before. But it's an adventure I am loving to the fullest.

I still don't know exactly what all God has in store for me up here in the Northwest, but He is growing me and stretching me in ways that are building my life and character, and I'm thankful for what I've been learning. New lessons every day!! And His mercies are new every morning...

Have some exciting plans for the summer...but for now, we'll keep you "wondering" what those are! Stay tuned for more updates & Melodious inspirations to come soooooooon!!!

"ARMe BIBLE CAMP" - Arming People with the Word of God!

This is the promo for our upcoming ARMe Bible Camps we are hosting this summer! One will be here in Oregon and the other in Central California. We are a almost a month away, and already have a large group registered. Can't wait to see what God is going to do THIS TIME!!!

NOTE: Before you play this YouTube, scroll to the very bottom of this blog page and push "PAUSE" on my music playlist. Otherwise, you wont hear the audio on this YouTube properly! :-)

A New Kind of Prayer...

The view out my bedroom window ~ Spring in Oregon

My Korean "abba" (father) reminded us at worship the other day about how we usually pray and how we should pray...VERY PROFOUND. Let me paraphrase his words...

Way One - the Usual way: It's like this....We have a huge sheet of paper with all our requests, wishes, wants, desires, needs, dreams and (etc etc) written on it...and we hand it up to God. "Please God, will you give me your signature on this paper! That's all I'm asking...just your endorsement and approval of my list."

Way Two - the Best Way: In reality, prayer should be....We have a blank sheet of paper, and at the bottom we sign our signature. Then we hand it up to God. "Whatever you want to put on this paper God, whatever it is that you think I need or that would be best for me and my life, I gladly accept. Not my will but thine be done!"

Wow - what a difference, huh?!

Kinda back to that old "Give God the Pen" thing that Eric and Leslie have always talked about. "Just give God the pen, and let Him write your life story & your love story, and everything else in your life, in His way! And it will be better than anything you could have wished up or dreamed on your own..."

But wow, sometimes, it's just not easy to give God the pen & a blank sheet of paper, is it?! After all, He could write ANYTHING...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isa 55:8,9

Reflections on the Lord's Prayer - Is it really ours?

I was visiting some friends a few years ago who had the tradition of repeating the "Ten Commandments" every evening during family worship. They also had the tradition of reciting the "Lord's Prayer" every morning during prayer time at worship. They knew both by heart, (I guess you would if you repeated it every day) and the children seemed to rush through the words breathlessly, as if trying to see who could reach the finish line first. "Do they even think about the words? Do they hear what they are saying?" I often wondered.

Just today, I was reading through the Lord's prayer myself again. Not that I have to read it...I too know it by heart. But is it just something I can smile and whisper to God? Do I really understand the profound depth behind the simple childlike faith and words? Or is my life a mockery to this prayer? Honestly, I haven't thought about it in depth for awhile. But with just a few moments of un-hurried meditation, I am reminded of the rich blessings God has in store for those who really mean...not just pray, this prayer!

Let's look at it again...

"Our Father which art in Heaven..." WOW!!!! Do we think about what this amazing statement means?? It's not... "Our Father which ignores us half the time and doesn't take care of us" or "Our Father which owns the bank down town and buys us fancy toys." It's not even, our "Our Father which is the President of this country, and can tell everyone else what to do!" It's "Our Father which ART (or is) in Heaven!" Just think of it...our FATHER is KING and RULER of ALL!!!! There's no daddy, no authority, no provider, no caregiver, no presence more big and important, and omnipotent than His! He RULES the Heaven's...." Our planet called "Earth" is just a pinprick when you consider the scope of the universe. And yet...God cares soooo much about us, He's asked us to call Him "Father."

Check out this link: "The Heaven's Declare" to gain some scope on the size of our "Our father who art in Heaven."

When we realize the significance of WHO our father is, it's only natural that we will most reverently lovingly, respectful, "Hallow" his name, right? But how do we "Hallow" his name? Well, first off..."Hallowed" in essence means, to be separate from sin, from the profane, from the unclean. So in other words, it could mean that as we latch on to the title of "Our Father," the response of our love and grateful adoration for what He is to us, makes us loath sin and the evil ruler of this world. Thus we allow Him to cleanse us from all that profanes, defiles or separates us from Him. In this heart surrender, we have "Hallowed His name."

"Thy Kingdom Come..." we pray. "Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven." This one is really heavy if we seriously think about it. For if we really wanted His kingdom to come, if we really were in earnest about His will being done here AS IT IS DONE in Heaven, every breath and molecule of atomic energy in our being would be directed towards this cause. In Heaven his angelic host rush to do his bidding. But we thinking we are doing "his will" while we are going about being busy with our lives, our hobbies, our interest, our families, our comfort, our friends, our ministries...but is this really following His will as it is in Heaven? Furthermore, have we seen enough, sacrificed enough, and felt enough suffering and pain and persecution for Him that we yearn with every fiber of our being for His Kingdom to come? Or are we rather comfortable, thankful for the blessings He has provided, and enjoying the wait for His return?? Remember those both from years past and present who knew what it meant to give all to follow God's and tell others about Him, and you'll found those that can pray - "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done (through me) even as it is done in Heaven."

We pray, "Give us this day our daily bread" and He has! In fact, He's given us more than our daily bread...we are stuffed and overly plump by all the bread we've eaten (physically and spiritually) yet if we are not careful, we can become obese and unfit for spiritual use. Here in America we have so much food, and so many spiritual resources, we have grown lazy and lax. "Oh father, forgive us!" If we only knew the price for the bread we have enjoyed, and how soon it will be taken from us...we would live much differently...

"Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Wow - this could be painful if God honored this prayer. "Ummmm....you see....I have this grudge toward my mom. She really hurt me a long time ago by something she said, and every now and then she use to hit me when she was angry. There is no way I'm gonna let her forget that." Can you just imagine God.... "Ummmmm, Melody....there's this thing you said a long time ago about me that really hurt....in fact, a couple things, no wait....a bunch of things, or maybe a few million things...oh yeah, and you didn't just say bad things, but you did bad things too...you still do...ummm lots of bad things....there's no way I can let you off the hook for all that. There's just like, no way! I'm not gonna ever let you forget all that!" Ugh! Yep, if God truly forgives us as we have the tendency to forgive our debtors...umm....that's not a very good! We need to learn to be better forgivers like God. As Corrie Ten Boom once said, "He cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (Mic 7:19) and then puts up a sign, "NO FISHING ALLOWED."

"Lead us not into temptation" we pray...and God doesn't. The problem is, we lead Him, and then expect Him to dig us out! "Ummm God, I know I shouldn't be here...but I just came anyway...and now I need help, I don't know what to do! I've made a big mess!" And God's like, "I didn't lead you there....I told you not to go...I answered your prayer...but you went into trouble anyway! What were you thinking?" We obviously weren't thinking about God, were we?

"Deliver us from evil!" we pray - and again, He will and He does constantly, in more ways than we can imagine. As one author writes, "If we only knew the things God saves us from, the power of the enemy that he keeps at bay, we would shudder to see how close we have often walked to disaster and death and yet unknowingly and glibly passed by and gone on our way." But we still have free choice too, don't we? And if we are gonna be safe, we have to STAY CLOSE to Him. If we go out on our own, sooner if not later, evil will find us every time! How unfortunate, this is such a difficult lesson to learn.

And finally we pray... "For thine is the Kingdom, the power, the Glory forever..." but sometimes I wonder... Who really sits on our throne?? Is it really all for His Kingdom, His power and His glory...or for mine??

Wow - what a powerful prayer!! Wouldn't you agree?? And yet I'm sure, we've only just skimmed the surface...

Brighten the Corner where you are...

Most of the time, I just feel like I'm isolated in my own little corner of the planet...just doing what I love to do, loving God and those around me, and yet feeling like I'm not really connecting in a deep way with the world at large.

Sure, I have friends, I am involved in Ministry, I write, I e-mail - LOTS...and I see people every day at home or when I work. But again...I often feel alone in my own little corner...not interacting with hardly anyone it seems beyond a 10 foot radius, and buried and busy in living life in this fast paced "Modern Martha" world. (See entry below!)

But sometimes I forget, that even though I may not feel like I see or interact with lots of people daily, and sometimes I wonder if I'm really making a difference for God...yet somehow, sometimes, people see and are watching you...

A couple months ago I had the shock of my life when I went to work one morning at the hospital.

I was innocently making my rounds, opening charts, taking notes, checking vitals, and making sure my patients were all alive and ready for the day with their new nurse. While looking through one chart, I looked up to see a stranger walking by. I smiled at her, then started to turn back to my chart, but the expression of recognition and surprise on her face held my gaze. My mind reeled, "Do I know this girl? Why is she looking at me with such a gaze, as if she's seen a long lost friend or something? I don't ever remember seeing her before..." I smiled again... "Goodmorning, do I know you?" I queried. She slowly came to my side to give me a hug as she exclaimed, "Melodious Echo...I can't believe it's you!" I allowed the hug, but was still confused and perplexed. "Ummm....I don't remember you...." I said again. She smiled as she burst forth with enthusiasm! "Your blog, I've been reading your blog for awhile now!!!! It has been SUCH a blessing to me...I just can't believe I'm meeting you here in the very hospital where I work. This is amazing..." And on she gushed. Now I was in shock.... "You read my blog?" I asked in surprise....

So the story came out...she had been living back in the midwest, about a year ago, and was struggling with some things in her life and happened to be surfing the Internet one night when she accidently stumbled across my blog. She shared that it had been so inspiring to her (I was just in awe listening to her story) that she has been reading it ever since! Wow - what a shock!! Here I was just minding my own business, in my own little corner, and writing about the experiences in my life (mostly for my family and friends, and because I like to write) yet a complete stranger was being blessed...All I can say is, "Praise the Lord."

I'm reminded of the old favorite childhood song - "Brighten the Corner where you are!"

1. Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do,
   Do not wait to shed your light afar;
   To the many duties ever near you now be true,
   Brighten the corner where you are.
2. 
   
3. Refrain:
4. Brighten the corner where you are!
5. Brighten the corner where you are!
6. Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar;
7. Brighten the corner where you are!
8. Just above are clouded skies that you may help to clear,
   Let not narrow self your way debar;
   Though into one heart alone may fall your song of cheer,
   Brighten the corner where you are.
9. Refrain:
   Brighten the corner where you are!
   Brighten the corner where you are!
   Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar;
   Brighten the corner where you are!
10. Here for all your talent you may surely find a need,
    Here reflect the bright and Morning Star;
    Even from your humble hand the Bread of Life may feed,
    Brighten the corner where you are.

Get off the computer and write a REAL letter...

When I was young, I use to have lots of pen-pals...I mean, like serious pen-pals. I think at age 11, I had over 100 people in my address book that I wrote regularly. I would often send AND receive an upwards of 10 letters a day in the mail (this is SNAIL-MAIL)...and so as you can imagine, I constantly kept our post-man hopping! What fun that childhood hobby was...

Now I am a grown-up...living in our fast-paced modern world. I still love to write, but have traded the rusty tin mail box for the clean computerized e-mail box. With the speed and convenience of instant e-mail, I think some of the depth and sacredness of the hand-written pages and words have begun to fade from my life and memory...and I have moved on. Yet...it's just not the same. As a friend recently said, "Today due to the computer age and the Internet, Facebook, Twitter (and all the other host of social networks we have out there), we have MORE friends and contacts then ever before...but much more superficiality than ever before too!" And as I stop and think, I realize this is true. Ouch!! Is this what I wanted for my life?? Is this what I wanted for my friends?? It's a question I think we should all stop and ponder...and maybe we need to break out an old dusty notebook or find a piece of pretty stationary...and instead of sending an e-mail, write a real letter to someone dear reminding them how important they are in our lives...and that we aren't content with just staying in the superficial...

In fact, I think that's what I am gonna do WRITE NOW!!!!! :-) The e-mail they will probably delete, but a real letter...they could treasure this for years to come!

Satan's plan to keep us from Christ...

Satan called a world-wide meeting. The huge crowd hushed as he stepped up to speak. "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't keep them from conservative values, but we can do something else." He paused. Everyone listened with batted breath...

"We can keep them from forming an intimate abiding experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining a vital connection through their day!"

"How shall we do this?" shouted the evil angels. "Simple!" Satan replied. "It's soooo simple. Keep them busy, busy, busy, busy....busy in the nonessentials of life and invent un-numbered schemes to occupy their minds." he paused as he looked over the assembly.

"Tempt them to spend and spend, then borrow and borrow. Keep them from their children. Convince the wives to go to work and the husbands to work six and seven days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can constantly struggle to keep up with the 'Jones' and live a fast paced sensory-overloaded lifestyle. Then tell them that they are doing it FOR their children. Hah! That one works well. As their family fragments, soon their homes won't offer an escape from the pressures of work, and they will grope for more and more things to fill their lives.

"Continue to overstimulate their minds so that they cannot hear the 'still small voice' that God speaks in. Entice them to play the radio or DVD player whenever they drive. Entice them to keep the TV, DVD's, MP3's, iPods, cell phones, text messages, computers, YouTubes, twitter's, Facebooks, music, game shows and noise constantly going in their homes. Do not let them rest from this day or night. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ.

"Fill their homes with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogues, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free services, products, gimmicks and many other false hopes.

The evil angels smiled with glee. "Oh boy, this is gonna be fun!"

Satan continued. "Even in their recreation and time off, let them be excessive and consumed with the superficial. Have them return from their recreation at the theme park, the ball game, the mall, the concerts, the movies, the vacations on fancy cruises....or wherever they like to go, let them go, but make them come home exhausted, disquieted and unconnected with God, unprepared for another week. Don't let them go out and enjoy the simple things of nature. Make sure they stay in the fast lane, at amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, movies, or hanging out with others worshiping the idol of materialism at malls and shopping centers. Make them proud of their lifestyles, that are just different enough from the world to look "better" - but of course, we know "better is not the best." As long as they keep disillusioned that they are one step ahead of worldings...we still have them trapped.

"When they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk, so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions. Don't let them encourage or uplift each other up. Keep those who are gifted encouragers, especially busy and worn out. Keep them like the 'Martha' of old, constantly rushing hurriedly about.

"Above all, when these so-called Christians get together, keep them from praying for one another. Let them be involved in soul winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes that have no time to seek power from Christ. Make them proud of their accomplishments and boastful of their offerings and good deeds. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family unity for the good of the cause. And eventually, they will collapse, wither and die...and our mission will be accomplished."

The meeting was quite a gathering. And everyone talked excitedly about what they were going to do. Soon they set off eagerly to their assignments of trying to distract the world and keep the Christians too busy, busy, busy to know the Lord. Amazingly, they discovered...their task was easier than they expected!

*Original Author Unknown - I have added my personal touch by adding some relevant details and expanding a bit from the original. (Thanks to Pastor & Mrs. Page for bringing this allegory to my attention at our recent "ACTS for Christ" conference!)