How’s Your Heart?

~ Connie Haus ~ Leave a comment

how's your heart

Glad hearts, sad hearts, broken hearts, discouraged hearts, healed hearts … what is the condition of YOUR heart?
If you are reading this then it’s a given you have a pumping thumping heart!  It’s what keeps us alive.  If your heart is not pumping … you’re dead!  So pay special attention to your heart.  When we exercise our heart rate goes up, if it gets too slow — watch out!  If your heart beats erratically or if pain suddenly hits your chest … get to a doctor!  Pronto!
What IS the heart?  It’s not just our physical pump … but it encompasses our will, emotions, thoughts … it’s who we ARE.  The heart in this sense could also be called our soul.
So what can we do to protect our hearts besides doing the “natural” things like correct eating, exercise and weight control?
First of all we must recognize that our hearts are inherently evil, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV.)  In plain English that means if we are left to our own devices we will do wicked, evil things!  Have you ever had to tell a little child to lie or to be selfish?  No!  It simply is in the heart to do wrong.
God made us in His image but we forfeited that in the Garden of Eden. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5 KJV.)  Our hearts have been deceived and have turned us aside, “A deceived heart hath turned him aside …” (Isaiah 44:20 KJV).
When my brother was a young man the doctor said he had a heart murmur.  What’s that?  A heart murmur is an unusual sound coming from the heart that can be detected by a stethoscope and may indicate the presence of a heart disorder.  Another definition is “a mumbled or private expression of discontent”.
Well, there are some heart murmurs (heart disorders, discontent) in folks today.  There are evil murmurings and the children of Israel were good at those!  Exodus 16:8 in speaking of the Israelites, “…your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.” Ouch.  There are other verses that clearly state their murmurings were against Moses, Aaron AND the Lord.  Their mumbled expressions of discontent did not please God.
God did not and does not look favorably on murmurers!  Numbers 14:29, “Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness … which have murmured against me.”  Same is true in the New Testament … Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings …”
Is your heart murmuring in discontent?
God delights when we meditate on His goodness, His Word, His promises, His commandments.  Psalms 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”
Is your heart meditating on Him?
There are so many references to the heart in God’s Word.  I’ve read the Bible through many times and in a couple of my Bibles I have made a little heart in the margin every time the word “heart” showed up.  (You can easily find the references in Strong’s concordance.)
Which heart is yours?
Adulterous, anxious, arrogance of heart
Backsliding, blameless, broken heart
Committed, condemned, condemning, contrite, courage-less heart
Crying out for God heart
Deceitful, delighted, deluded, desiring, discouraged, disloyal, dull heart
Entreating, evil, exulted heart
Failing, fainting, faith filled, firm, foolish heart
Glad, godly, good, grieving heart
Happy, hard, hasty, hurt heart
Iniquitous, instructive, intoxicated heart
Joyful heart
Knitted, known (by God) heart
Learning, lost, loving, lowly, loyal heart
Meditative, melodious, merry heart
New, non understanding heart
Observing, obstinate, overflowing heart
Perverse, pierced, praising, proud, pure heart
Receiving, rejoicing, repentant, restless heart
Sorrowful, steadfast, stony, stubborn, swayed heart
Tender, tested, trembling, true heart
Uncircumcised, understanding, unfeeling, united, upright heart
Weak, whole, wicked, willing, wise, worshiping heart
Yearning heart
There’s more to that list!  But here are a few  more …
Heart that is not haughty – Ps. 131:1
Heart God directs – Pro. 21:1
Heart reveals the man – Pro. 27:19
Hearts God sees – I Sam. 16:7
Hearts live forever – Ps. 22:26
His yearning heart for me – Is. 63:15
God judges mind and heart- Jer. 11:20
God’s laws in our heart – Heb. 10:16
God’s love in our hearts – Rom. 5:5
A heart to know God – Jer. 24:7
God is greater than my heart – I John 3:17-21
A day of vengeance in my heart – Is. 63:4 (ESV)
A people in whose heart is My law – Is. 51:7
Say in your heart – Is. 47:8, 10; 49:21
Lay these things in your heart – Is. 47:7
Hearts far from Me – Is. 29:13 (ESV)
In his heart to destroy – Is. 10:7 (ESV)
I saw a sign in a secular store:  “Follow your heart … it’s the only compass you need.”  As soon as I saw the sign I said to the friend with me, “What does that make you think of? The scripture says that the heart is deceitfully wicked!”  Then I went to Hobby Lobby and saw a sign: “Bind my wandering heart to Thee.”  Much better!!
So, where is your heart?  What is the condition of your heart?
“Search me, O God, and know my heart … ” Psalm 139:23
Song:
Give me a love that knows no ill,
Give me the grace to do Thy will;
Pardon and cleanse this soul of mine,
Give me a heart like Thine.
Come to my soul, blessed Jesus,
Hear me! O Savior divine!
Open the fountain and cleanse me,
Give me a heart like Thine.

Billows

~ Connie Haus ~ Leave a comment

billows

Billows.  It’s not a word used very often in these days.  For the last several months I have been posting a hymn nearly every day on Facebook and in so doing I have noticed the word “billows” used quite often.  Here are some of the quotes …

“He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey …” (Love Lifted Me)

“Tho clouds may gather in the sky and billows round me roll, however dark the world may be I’ve sunlight in my soul.” (Sunlight)

“Never mind the tossing billows, take my hand & trust in Me.” (I Will Pilot Thee)

“There’s a deep settled peace in my soul (2x), tho the billows of sin o’er me roll, He abides, Christ abides”!   (Hidden Peace)

“Sweep over my spirit forever I pray, in fathomless billows of love”. (chorus)

“…floods of joy o’er my soul like the sea billows roll …” (Since Jesus Came Into My Heart)

“We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure as the billows roll” (We Have An Anchor)

“How often when trials like sea billows roll …” (Hiding in Thee)

“Tho billows roll, He keeps my soul …” (My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me)

“Master, the tempest is raging the billows are tossing high” (Master the Tempest is Raging)

“Winds of temptation and billows of woe …” (Throw Out the Lifeline)

“When sorrows like sea billows roll …” (It is Well With My Soul)

So, what is/are billows?  The dictionary says, “a great wave or surge of the sea; any surging mass”.  I picture a tsunami … a massive wave coming straight for me.  In one sense it can bring terror but in a positive sense it speaks to me of the overwhelming presence and peace of Jesus!

Picture in your mind that you are standing on the beach.  You’ve just heard the report that a tsunami is coming straight for you and there is no time to run.  But look again … it is not a raging sea to devour you but a great wave of His peace that will overwhelm you in supernatural waves!

Read the above words again with that picture in mind.  A chorus I sing OFTEN … “Peace, peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the Father above.  Sweep over my spirit forever I pray, in fathomless billows of love.”  WOW!   Fathomless.  Billows.  Love.

Fathomless … something I cannot imagine.  Impossible to imagine.  Incomprehensible.  Unending.

Billows … magnificent waves surging over me.

Love … and peace and joy immersing me.  The waves coming to overwhelm you are waves of His peace and love … not terror.

Don’t fear.  Trust Him!  His love will overwhelm you!

WOW!

Spit Balls and Mud Pies

~ Connie Haus ~ Leave a comment

Mud Pies 02

How many times as a parent have you said, “Don’t spit!” and “don’t play in the mud!”? I’m smiling because I’ve said that SO many times!
So how does Jesus get away with it?  I suppose because He’s God for one thing!  But let’s put that aside for a few minutes . . . what would you do if the preacher, or anyone for that matter, came up to you, spat in his hand, pick up a little dirt, made a mud pie and put it on your eyes?  But then, if you were blind, I guess you wouldn’t know, right?  Except all those around you would be gagging. (John 9:1-7).
Where was the health department?
Here’s another one . . . some people bring a man to Jesus who was deaf and could hardly talk and these friends beg Jesus to place His hand on the man.  That’s safe!  But what does Jesus do?  He takes him away from the crowd, puts His fingers in the man’s ears.  Then He spits and touches the man’s tongue!  Huh?  “Father, I want my healing but do I want it that much to have the preacher man do THAT to me?” (Mark 7:31-35).
OK – one more . . . Jesus is coming into Bethsaida and some people bring a blind man to Him again begging Jesus to touch him.  Interestingly Jesus took him by the hand and led him outside the village.  Once again, Jesus spits on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him.  (Mark 8:22-26).
We’ve seen some bizarre things in the church world through the years but this takes the cake.  I’ve never seen this but I can’t say I’m sorry.
However, in each case healing came but why was the spitting necessary and is it to be done today!  Oh my, I hope not – unless Jesus comes down in the flesh to do it!
Maybe Jesus wanted variety.  Maybe He wanted to show that He was not locked into any “regular” way of doing things.  Heaven help us . . . we don’t need preachers going around today spitting on us!
Do we want our miracles in neat boxes, clean, uncluttered and sophisticated?  Or are we willing to say, “Father, I’m in need.  I must have You in any way, any form – You order it!”
We can know that Jesus KNEW what to do in each case.  At times He simply spoke and miracles were done.  He touched lepers (another thing that simply wasn’t done) and healed them.
I just hope that I don’t see any advertisement for “bottles of Jesus’ spit” or “mud pies made by Jesus”!

“Please, God!” or Pleasing God

~ Connie Haus ~ 2 Comments

Pleasing-God

One of the first things we teach our children is to say “please” and “thank you”.  We want them to be polite, gracious and thankful … among other things!  However, there are times when it backfires!
 
We have probably all seen or experienced a child who wants something, or to go somewhere and the parent says “no” or “wait until …”.  But children don’t want to wait.  They want what they want NOW!  They beg.  They plead.  They stomp their little feet.  They pout.  They at times even resort to “Please, please, PLEASE”.  Or is that teenagers??  Oh well!
 
Demanding, even pleading with “please” doesn’t mean we get what we want when we want it.
 
How many times do we get down on our knees and think by our begging God He will answer our prayers?  “PLEASE God, heal me!”  “PLEASE God, get me out of this mess!”  Or maybe you are praying for another but it gets down to almost a demanding tone … “PLEASE GOD! Hear me … answer me … do something to make this better …”
 
We want instant answers but seldom is God in the business of instant answers or giving us what we think we need.
 
Is our life full of demands on God or do we live a life that is pleasing to God?  Ouch.  There is the difference.
 
There is a little phrase in the book of Esther that has always struck me and it is used by Esther six times, “if it please the king” and another time “if I am pleasing in his eyes”.
 
Her desire was not to demand attention by the king but to please him.  I’m thinking that was not always convenient for her or even pleasing to her!  She pleased him sufficiently that the king chose her as the winner of the coveted “Queen” crown out of the year long beauty pageant.  I hardly think it was all fun.  A year of being scrubbed and oiled.  Dabbed with perfumes (hope they didn’t give her headaches like some perfumes do to me!) Given beautiful and expensive clothes to wear (that’s not bad and probably came with matching shoes!) But she had no control over who she was or wanted to be.  She was “taken” out of the life she knew to be thrust into the lustful king’s household.
 
But she submitted!  She was prepared to be presented.  I love her attitude.  It was not “what can I get for myself” but when it was her time to go to the king she could have asked for anything she wanted but she sought counsel from one who knew what the king liked!
 
I want you to think in a different way for just a few minutes of the king and Esther.  Not their personage but their position.  Esther is us.  The king representing Jesus.  Again, we know the king was not a righteous man so I’m just looking at the position he held as king.
 
How do you think the king would have responded if Esther had gone before him all puffed up, prideful, demanding, arrogant, stuck up and cold?  Nope, she would have been rejected.  Remember the king is king!  He would not even have to speak to have her head taken off!  His word was law.
 
How did Esther treat the king?  With honor.  Respect.  Obedience.  Submission.  Confidence.  Loyalty.   Courage.
 
Her life revolved around pleasing him.  We know the story and even when it came time to put herself in danger to plead for her people’s lives she did it in a way that brought dignity to him.  She did not accuse him of wrong doing but pointed out the wrong of others.
 
She knew that going before the king without being called was the most dangerous thing she could possibly do.  So she prepared herself and asked those around her to do the same.  Then she put on her best clothes and stood before the king, I believe in humility and beauty.  The king was smitten with her and accepted her intrusion.  Even then she honored him with catering to his desires not her own until the time was right to present her request.
 
God honored her then and through the king gave her the request she desired.
 
It boils down to this … how are you treating God?  Is your prayer time spent in demanding God answer your prayers?  Or do you spend time, and your life, in seeking to please Him?  There is a HUGE difference!  
 
Are you honoring God with your life?  Are you submitted to His will even when it differs from yours?  Are you obedient to His Word?  Are you loyal to His ways and thoughts?
 
Final question … are you a PLEASE, GOD!!! or are you PLEASING GOD person?

Gotta Get To Jesus

~ Connie Haus ~ Leave a comment

jesus_name_2

“Gotta Get to Jesus” is a song beautifully and powerfully sung by the Collingsworth Family.  Every time I hear it tears come to my eyes.  Why?  Because I’ve been desperate to get to Jesus!
The woman with the issue of blood … under the Levitical law everything she touched was unclean.  Anyone who touched her was unclean.  There were certain rituals then that had to be done for them to be purified.  She could not be considered “pure” until she stopped bleeding. So imagine that this woman had very little contact with anyone for 12 long years!  Then she heard of Jesus and said, “I gotta get to Jesus!”
It wasn’t easy for her to do so.  She had to go out in public.  Perhaps she covered her face so no one would know who she was should they accidentally touch her or she them.  Getting through the crowd to Jesus was daunting but she pressed on.  She got to Him … and she was healed.
Have you every had to push your way through to get to Him?  Despite how people looked at you or what they thought of you?  Perhaps they thought you unworthy but you were determined … gotta get to Jesus!
Jairus was beside himself.  He was an important man but that meant nothing to him at this moment.  He was also a dad and his only child was dying.  His “important” position in “the church” meant nothing compared to the sickness of his precious daughter.  He said, “I gotta get to Jesus”.  Even after he got to Jesus there were delays and in that delay his daughter died.  Oh, but Jesus went anyway and despite the unbelief of those around the bedside, Jesus spoke life back into her body.  He got to Jesus!
Even after we’ve been seen by the Master we don’t always get our answer immediately.  There are setbacks, delays, side bars so to speak.  But don’t give up, hang on to the promise … just get to Jesus!
What about Zachaeus?  He also had heard about Jesus and was seeking Him … gotta get to Jesus!  Oh, but he was a short man and couldn’t see over the heads of those around him.  But where there’s a will, there’s a way because he had to get to Jesus and check Him out.  So he found a tree, climbed it and Jesus saw him!  Then Jesus invited Himself to go home with Zachaeus!  He got to Jesus!
Have you felt you didn’t measure up?  You thought others were thinking you didn’t deserve to get through to Him?  Have you ever thought you didn’t stand a chance to be seen by the Master?  Take the opportunity to step out of your box!  Climb a tree, do the unthinkable … just get to Jesus!
Mary, Martha and Lazarus were siblings that Jesus loved.  He stayed in their home, He ate with them, they ministered to Him.  Then Jesus had to go on His way and while gone Lazarus became sick and died.  However, before he died Mary and Martha sent for Jesus to come pray for their brother.  They said, “We gotta get to Jesus!”  But Jesus didn’t come right away like Mary and Martha thought he would and should!  No, they buried their brother and wondered why He didn’t come.
They didn’t know what Jesus knew … He had a better plan!  Not just a healing but a raising from the dead!  Jesus came four days later and raised Lazarus from the dead. Then they knew His timing for them was the best and they did “get to Jesus”.
Have you been disappointed because you didn’t get your answer as quickly as you wanted it?  Have you thought perhaps God forgot about you?  You thought He loved you and would come at your beck and call … but He didn’t! Time slipped by and your dreams died.  Then Jesus came and answered in a better way.  Perhaps you are still waiting … don’t give up … you just keep pressing in until … you get to Jesus!
Weddings were big occasions and celebrations and now the wine had run out.  This was a cultural catastrophe in Jesus’ time.  Jesus mother in essense said, “gotta get to Jesus and do whatever He tells you to do”.  They did, He told them, they obeyed and the best wine was served last!  I think that wedding reception may have made the headline news the next day … they just had to … get to Jesus!
Have you gotten through to Jesus but He told you to do something that sounded totally impractical or foolish?  You really didn’t want to do it for fear if it didn’t work out you would look the fool?  Remember, His ways and thoughts and far better than our ways and thoughts.  Just get to Jesus!
I personally had a time when I knew … “I gotta get to Jesus”.  I had come to the end of praying, believing, trying, seeking, wondering and pain filled.  I remember throwing myself across the bed and giving it to Him.  Did I get the answer right away? No.  Did I get filled with instant peace?  No.  Was I learning to trust? Yes.  Was it easy? No.  Did I eventually get my answer? Yes.  I continued on until I got to Jesus and He came to me!
How desperate are you to get to Jesus?  He is the ONLY One who has the answers!  We live in a fallen world so yes, even the godly hurt.  Even the godly get sick.  Even christians have financial problems.  Our children get involved in ungodly lifestyles, we face uncertain futures.  What are our choices?  We gotta get to Jesus!
Chorus to “Gotta Get To Jesus”
I’ve gotta get to Jesus
Gotta get to Jesus
I know that He’s the answer to my needs
Only He can solve them
Mend the broken pieces
Gotta get to Jesus
Press on!  Push through!  Gotta get to Jesus!

Clouds

~ Connie Haus ~ 1 Comment

clouds 03

I shared a prayer request with a friend and that friend said to me, “Well, your head is in the clouds!”  In other words they thought my prayer request had NO chance of being answered!
Needless to say I was TICKED!  Maybe just plain mad might be more accurate!  Yes, my sanctification flew right outta’ sight!
I got in my car and headed home … FUMING!  I was SO mad.  I just kept muttering, “Who do they think they are?  Telling me my prayer has no chance of being answered!  With God all things are possible!  The nerve of them!”
It wasn’t until I cooled down a bit that I seemed to hear the Lord say, “Connie, think about My activity in the clouds.”
Suddenly I remembered a verse I had read while flying on an airplane, Nahum 1:3, “…clouds are the dust from his feet” (World).  I remembered looking out of the window, seeing all the clouds and thinking, “Wow … I serve a great BIG God.  God is out there skipping along with this plane, holding it in His hands and kicking up a lot of dust as He runs along with us” and I pictured Him grinning and having fun.  Well, perhaps this isn’t theologically “sound” but that was my mental picture!
Thinking about those clouds I began to think of other clouds in scripture … He sent a cloud to protect the children of Israel from the day time heat in the desert, He spoke out of a cloud, His glory is in the clouds, He ascended to heaven in the clouds and He’s coming back in the clouds …
I got so excited that as soon as I got home I took my Bible and concordance, went to the computer and began to make notes …
  1. His Presence and voice are in the clouds … “And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee … ” Exodus 19:9 (KJV); 33:9 & 10; 34:5.
  1. He guides and directs from the clouds … “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way…” Exodus 13:21 & 22 (NKJV).
  1. His glory is in the clouds … “… the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. ” Exodus 16:10 & 40:34 (NKJV).
  1. There are generations of saints cheering us on … “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”.Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV).
I call these my “cheerleaders”!  I picture the saints of old and family members that have gone on before me looking through the gates of pearl waving their hands and yelling, “Go Connie! Don’t give up!  Your answer is on the way, it is right around the corner, hang on a bit longer, don’t despair or get discouraged.  Jesus promised He would hear your heart’s cry!”
  1. Jesus ascended to heaven in a cloud … “… a cloud received Him out of their sight.” Acts 1:9 (NKJV).
  1. Hallelujah! … He’s coming back in the clouds … “they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” Luke 21:27 (NKJV); Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7.
  1. Covers my sins … “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins”.  Isaiah 44:22 (NKJV) … oh, this makes me so happy!
  1. Promises of rain … I Kings 18:43-45.  “The clouds poured out water …” Psalms 77:17 (NKJV).
  1. The clouds are His chariot (maybe even His car?), “…who makes the clouds his chariot …” Psalms 104:3; and “ … the Lord rides on a swift cloud …” Isaiah 19:1 (both NKJV).
  1. The clouds are His chair, “ … and behold a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of man … and another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud …”Revelation 14:14 & 15 (NKJV).
  2. He answers out of the thunderclouds! Psalm 81:7, “In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud …” (guess I could hear that!)
  1. Here is one that I truly love … Matthew 17:5, “ While he (Peter) was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’”  Do you get this picture?  God, the Father, has ENVELOPED these disciples WITH HIS PRESENCE!  WOW!  My picture is this … being in the Artic but having the biggest, furriest, warmest blanket ever made wrapped around me and I am not cold! His Presence is over me, under me, beside me on both sides, behind me and in front of me  I am surrounded by His Presence.  I CAN live in the presence of the Almighty God!
Personal observations:
(1) Clouds enhance the beauty of the sunset or sunrise.
(2) Clouds bring coolness in the heat of the summer.
(3) How many of us as children laid on the grass, looking up into the clouds and saw shapes and made up stories?  Clouds can bring smiles.
(4) Without clouds that bring rain there would be no flowers, no food … no growth!
Even though I live in the California desert I am not a sun fan but I have decided that I am a Son fan and as long as He’s in the clouds … I’m going to keep my head in the clouds because He’s there! Yeah!!!
Music has always ministered to my spirit there’s a song I remember my mother singing and here’s the chorus:
Back of the clouds the sun is always shining,
Back of the clouds the sky is always blue;
God has prepared a golden silver lining
So keep on praying, til the sun shines through!
Fanny Crosby wrote these words, “When clothed with His brightness transported I rise to meet Him in clouds of the sky …”
Steve Fry who wrote,
“Oh the glory of Your Presence,
We Your temple give You reverence.
Come and rise for Your rest
And be blessed by our praise
As we glory in Your embrace,
As Your Presence now fills this place.”
Enjoy His presence with me in the clouds!

Broken Things

~ Connie Haus ~ Leave a comment

broken-jar

I recently visited Hearst Castle on the northern coast of California.  What an example of man’s extravagance!  High up on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it was beautiful!
On the tour we were in the library when our guide pointed to a table not far from us with a beautiful round alabaster vase sitting on it.  She then told us that she was in that very room standing where she was at that moment when the 2003 San Simeon earthquake hit.  Unable to do anything she watched that very expensive vase roll onto the floor and shatter into thousands of tiny pieces.
Broken.  Shattered.  Ugly.  Useless.
I doubt many of us like broken things.  Our society today tosses that which is broken.  It’s easy to go buy something new again.  I know I’ve tossed my share of broken toasters and blenders!  It would have cost more to fix them than buy a new one.
However, God uses broken things and broken people!  In fact He is “near” to those who have a broken heart.
First I want to look at nature …  broken soil produces crops.  The farmer or the person planting a garden has to first dig (break) a hole to put in the seed.  Broken clouds produce rain.  Broken grain produces bread.  Broken bread produces strength as it is eaten.
Secondly, look at how the Spirit of God uses broken things.  Mark 14:3-9 Jesus tells us that the woman who came to anoint Jesus “broke the alabaster box, and poured it on His head”.  Jesus called it a “good work” and said that it would be a memorial!  Without the breaking of the box the ointment would have remained in the box and we would not have the story today.
In Exodus 17:6 the Lord told Moses to take his rod with which he smote the river and to strike the rock and water would come forth. Water to quench the thirst of the Israelites in the desert.
Exodus 15:23-25 the broken tree which was cast into the bitter water made the water sweet to drink.
Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” that means He cares, He’s holding us!  He’s near!  The verse continues that “He saves such as be of a contrite spirit” … brokenness produces humility in us.
Before Jesus gave of the fish and bread to the multitudes who were hungry He gave thanks, broke it and blessed it.  It could not have been passed out to the crowd had it not been broken!  (Matthew 14)
I Corinthians 11:24, “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me”
The broken body of Jesus produced an avenue for us to be made whole.  His body was broken so that our brokenness could be made whole.
To become open we MUST be broken.  We are useful to Him after we are broken.  He does not discard broken people … He came to make us whole and useful for His purposes.
Remember the story of the potter in Jeremiah 18?  The vessel was marred, scratched, unusable, ugly.  “So he made it again another vessel …”  To do that it had to be broken and squashed down and reshaped … but it became another vessel “as seemed good to the potter to make it.”
None of us like to be broken.  It hurts. It’s humiliating!  We want to believe that we can live the Christian life without going through the crisis that will break us.  It happens in many forms … through choices that we make, with our spouses, our children, employment, disappointments … even other family members.  How do we respond to these times?
Allow the brokenness to mellow our spirits, to conform us to His image, to seek Him to let Him make us whole again.
I’ve been there and He WAS there.  Didn’t feel Him for a while but He was close.  And He held me and made my vessel whole again.
In George O. Wood’s book, “A Psalm in Your Heart”, (Volume 1, Psalms 1-75) tells a story to illustrate Psalm 51:17, “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God you will not despise”. Quoting from page 205, “In the marble yard of Florence, Italy, Michelangelo discovered the Duccio block: 17 feet long, with a serious gouge at its center.  Other artists passed by it since any attempt to move the stone could split the block in two.
Michelangelo, however, moved the stone to his studio.  He knew David lay within the Duccio block.  Only a master artist could release that David from the unformed stone.
The human David also had a serious flaw which could have doomed him had anyone other than the Master worked on him.  Psalm 51 tells us about the sin which almost wrecked him and instructs us by example how to repent for our own wrongs … (page 208) The flaw of sin will prove fatal unless I give permission for the Lord to create His life within me.  The block of marble in the Florence quarry had no ability to choose a Michelangelo to work his genius upon it, but I do have a choice to ask the Lord to make a masterpiece of my life — to chisel and perfect His own image into the flawed raw material of my own being.”
Everyone is B-R-O-K-E-N … but Jesus can put you back together again and make you useful!
        One sat alone beside the highway begging
        His eyes were blind the light he could not see
        He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows
        Then Jesus came and bid the darkness flee.
        Chorus:
        When Jesus comes, the tempters power is broken
        When Jesus comes, all tears are wipes away
        He takes the gloom and fills he life with glory
        For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay.
Oh, and the alabaster vase at the Hearst Castle?  The Getty Museum was able to put it back together (!) and you can hardly tell it was broken!

Turn God Loose

~ Connie Haus ~ Leave a comment

feeding 5k 2

The story of the feeding of the 5,000 is the only story told in all four gospels so it must have something important in it that Jesus wants us to know.
Three of the gospels say that it was after Jesus heard about the beheading of John the Baptist that he withdrew and went to a quiet place but the people seeing Him went after Him.  Jesus was filled with compassion for them and began to teach them.  Apparently He was a bit long winded (notice it was the disciples who complained not those that were listening!) and the disciples came to Jesus to “suggest” He let them go because it had been a long day and the people were hungry.
Not a problem for Jesus!  He told them “well, you give them something to eat!”  That might have been possible if it was a family of four … but 5,000 men? That’s a different story.  Oh, wait … there were a bit more than that if it’s anything like today’s meetings.  There are always more women than men in church and wherever there are women there are bound to be a few kidlets, plus toddlers, plus grammer school age, junior highers, and teenagers! So let’s add another 20-30,000 for good measure!
Jesus asked Philip, “Where should we buy bread so they can eat?”  Jesus already knew what He was going to do but He was asking His disciples to test them!  Did they have enough faith to feed that many?  Did they trust Him to do so?
“Oh, Jesus, we don’t have enough cash on us nor do we have the time to go into town to get enough food of all these folks.  Plus the hour is late, the stores are probably closed and even if they were open I doubt we could buy enough or carry it back and prepare it … You know, there are a lot of issues to deal with here!”
So Jesus asks, “Well, what DO you have?”  “Uh, well, Oh here … this little guy has five loaves of bread and two fishies.  It’s really just a little tiny bit but hey, You asked and I’m answering!”
The disciples give it to Jesus probably a little sheepishly and laughing inside as to the ridiculousless of it.  That doesn’t bother Jesus though and He takes what the disciples give Him and gives instructions to the disciples to organize the multitude into groups of 50 and 100.  
Can you even imagine what the disciples thought?  “Well, let’s humor Him and do what He says” and they go about quickly shouting out instructions to group themselves into 50’s and 100’s.
Jesus takes what they give Him, He looks up to His Father, gives thanks for the little bit He has, blesses it, brakes it into even smaller fragments and then gives it back to the discipes and tells them the craziest thing they’ve heard so far … “Now you give them to eat”.
Break that last paragraph down.  Jesus takes what we offer Him … our insecurities, our lack, our insignificance, our questions, our inabilities and looks up to His Father and thanks Him for us!  Then He blesses our lives beyond measure and tells us … oops, forgot a step there … then He breaks us.  He doesn’t break us to destroy us but to test us.  There is a whole message here on what brokenness does to us and brings forth in our lives.  But after we are given thanks over, blessed and broken then He tells us to “Go give it away!”
I laugh when I picture this.  There are the twelve big brawny disciples lined up in front of Jesus each holding a basket (they must have borrowed them also) and into each basket He puts a few pieces of a torn off loaf of bread and even fewer bites of fish.  And Jesus instructs them “go feed them”!  What in the world did they think?
“OK Jesus … I don’t think so!  This was Your idea.  You started this fiasco, now here take my basket and YOU FEED THEM!”
Or were they tempted to eat what was in their basket because they were hungry also and then turn around and say, “Sorry folks!”
No, they obeyed as crazy as it sounded.  They obeyed I think with shaking knees and perhaps a little bit of fear as to thinking they were the biggest fools of all!  This time Jesus lost it.  We are going to be the laughing stalk of the desert and we will get trampled by this hungry mob!
Nevertheless …. they did what Jesus told them to do.  I wish I knew how the miracle happened.  When they turned around to go out into the crowd were the baskets suddenly full?  Or when the first one took did it just replenish right then?  Or if the basket was full and as it got to the bottom did it fill up real quick?  Or did it stay fragments?  Or, or, or … whatever we know that after EVERYBODY was fed and FULL there were 12 basketFULLs leftover.
I guess if we knew how it happened we would have made a formula out of it or called our church “The First Church of the Multiplied Food” or somesuch.
We come to Jesus and give Him our ALL.  He takes us, blesses us and allows us to be broken that we might give out to others.  We are to turn the God within us loose to others that are in need, to others that are hungry and don’t even know what they are hungering after!  
My husband has often said that the greatest hostage crisis in the world today is the church.  We as God’s people are holding Him hostage by NOT giving Him out.  We have the answer!  We have a great big God inside of us and what are we doing with Him?
All around us are people in need.  Give them Jesus.  Lay hands on the sick. Pray with those in need.  Give what you have.  You are not the miracle … HE IS!  Don’t let fear take over. You are only responsible to give and it is up to Him to do the miracle however He wants to do it.
Today, go TURN GOD LOOSE!
************************************************************
(Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-14)
Thank you to my husband, Ronn, for the above insights.  I’ve heard him preach this often … I’ve just changed it a bit and added my personal insights and style.  Love you babe!

Tomorrow

~ Connie Haus ~ Leave a comment
tomorrow 01

Now there are a few things in the Bible that I simply don’t “get” … well, maybe more than a few!  But here is one that stumps me for sure.

Exodus 8:9-10, “Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.”

I don’t know about you but frogs are not my favorite jumping thing!  They’re green, slimy, can be tiny or big, probably carry disease and can scare the heebie jeebies out of you when you are not expecting them.  Just imagine having them in the butter dish, opening the cupboard to get a frying pan, in your bed, in my favorite dress, in the laundry (if you have boys you may have already experienced that!) or sitting on a chair and crunching one.  They are everywhere in your house ruining your clothes and in your food.

Then you have someone come and say, “Hey, I can get rid of those for you …” and I say “Fantastic! Do it tomorrow!”  TOMORROW???

If I was Mrs. Pharaoh and I had just stepped on a juicy green frog and squished it between my toes and heard my husband had said “tomorrow” … he would have had an especially COLD welcome home!  I just hope he said it at 11:59 PM.

How in the world does this relate to me?  There are many things surrounding me that I don’t like, cause me pain or that perhaps God is dealing with me about.  I cannot imagine that I could be suffering some incredible pain when God speaks to me and says, “Just ask and I’ll remove it” and I say “Oh, that would be nice.  Do it tomorrow God!”  Or what if I’m in a nasty situation at work and a solution is offered that would clear up the problem so I can sleep well and I am content to say … “tomorrow would be fine … I think I’d like to have another sleepless night over this”!

What about when He deals with me in regards to the anger or unforgiveness that I am carrying around?  “Someone did me wrong and I have the RIGHT to be angry!  I was right and they were wrong!”  God says, “Give it to me.  Release your anger and offer your forgiveness and I will give you peace.”  “But God, they did this or that to me and I have a right to be hurt!  So let me stew on this a bit longer ‘cause they need to suffer and tomorrow I’ll release it.”

In the meantime I’m the one suffering because I’m waiting until “tomorrow” or whenever to release my pain and give it to God.

I’ve never understood why Pharaoh didn’t jump at the offer and say, “Yes … RIGHT NOW would be a good time!”  But then human nature being what it is …

I’ll live with the frogs one more night!

Easter Poem

~ Connie Haus ~ Leave a comment

Do You

Dinner with friends

Table talk

Betrayal plot revealed

Bread and wine

Hymns sung

Garden visit

Prayer time

Sleeping friends

Sweating blood

Totally alone

Coming crowds

Betrayed by kisses

Swords swing

Mobbed and seized

Deserted by friends

Hurried trial

Falsely accused

Denied by friend

Rooster crows

Much weeping

Blood money

Betrayers suicide

Stripped

Whipped

Beaten

Mocked

Crown of thorns

Purple robe

Blood flows

Nailed to cross

Darkness descends

“King of the Jews”

CRUCIFIED

Messiah is dead

God turns aside

Satan rejoices

Mom cries

Some gloat

Others cheered

Temple veil torn

Earthquake!

Rocks split

Tombs open

Saints raised

Soldiers filled with awe

“This is the Son of God”

Borrowed grave

Laid to rest

Tomb sealed

Guards on watch

 

Jesus is dead

Where’s His kingdom?

Disciples in hiding

Hope destroyed

Vision gone

Sadness

Fear

What now?

 

First day of the week

Earth shakes

Angel comes

Stone rolled away

Guards faint

Women come with spices

Angel speaks

“Don’t be afraid,

He is not here

He is risen!

Go – Tell”

 

Mary comes

Tomb empty!

Where is He?

Tears

Questions

What have you done with Him?

“Mary!”

Oh the joy!

Falling before Him

Love and adore Him

Not just Messiah

Resurrected SAVIOR

 

Disciples in hiding

Doors are locked

Fear of the Jews

Jesus comes

Through the walls!

Standing there in the flesh!

Speaks peace to them

Shows His hands and side

NOW they rejoice

He speaks peace again

Jesus breathes on them

“Receive ye the Holy Spirit”

 

Where’s Thomas?

Doubts abound

Won’t believe until he sees

(is this familiar?)

Eight days later

Inside again

Doors locked

Jesus appears

Bringing peace

Thomas sees and believes!

Do you?