Anne

“...When Nat fell 20 feet from the roof, he had fallen on his back.  In his fall a ladder collapsed on top of him.  His head landed on a pile of shingles that lay on the concrete.  Otherwise he would have been dead on impact.  His back was severely traumatized.  As yet he could not move by himself.
     When I went to see him two weeks after he “woke up”, I found him sitting, propped up with pillows on the bed.  Lisa had gone to take a nap. The ventilator had been removed just the other day, so that Nat could breathe and talk by himself.
     “Josh.”  Nat smiled as I walked in.
    “Hey, Nat,” I replied.  “Climbed any mountains yet?”
     Nat looked pained and glanced away.  “This is one of the hardest mountains yet.”
     Silently I sat in the chair beside the bed.  What do you say to someone like this?  If you’re not careful it sounds too trite or unfeeling.  Then…the song came to my mind.
     “Nat,” I said.  “I brought you that song.”
     Nat’s eyes glided back to me.  “Read it, please,” he murmured.
     Trying to swallow the tightness sticking in my throat, I read:

The challenge now is here—
What cause is there to fear?
I will follow to the place where God has called.
And though the task ahead is great,
There is no need to wait;
God’s command is “conquer cities fenced and walled.”
This mountain I shall own,
But not for me alone—
For my children I shall claim this promised land.
Because the Word of God is sure,
The future is secure;
All the pow’r we need is in God’s mighty hand.

    I paused.
     Nat was staring at the ceiling.  “How can I claim it for my children, when…”
     “Listen, Nat.”  My own voice startled me as I answered hopefully, “It’s not about physical mountains.  You said that the things we go through are for others after us.  Like your and Lisa’s baby.  If you’re strong now and just take this mountain one step at a time, God will give you strength.  You can do this, because God will help you.  You’re not alone.  Listen to the last verse now.”
     My hand was shaking while I read,

Take courage and be strong—
We’ll sing the victor’s song,
All the blessings God has promised we may claim.
So let us hasten to obey,
Our Saviour leads the way;
He will help us win the battle for His name.
Give me this mountain!  Give me this mountain!
To the land where giants grow,
That’s the place I want to go.
Give me this mountain, give me this mountain!
I shall conquer in the power of the Lord.

     Nat listened, his jaw tightening.  At last he took a deep breath and said, “Let us go up and possess it.””  --Give Me This Mountain and other inspirational stories, by Anne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Hello! Life sometimes feels like the story above. Caught between a rock and a hard place, you don’t know what decision is best. One might cost you a great deal of unpopularity; but if you try to do it “the easy way”, God isn’t going to be very happy with you.
     It’s hard to be a man in today’s world of goddess and tans-gender worship. Especially a man who is trying to fight as a brave soldier of Jesus Christ. But don’t give up the good fight!
I learned that firsthand over this past weekend with a woman I was teaching English. A native of China, she has lived in the US for over 12 years; but hardly knows a word in English. She’s lived mostly in cloistered Chinese neighborhoods all those years, and hasn’t needed to learn it; but recently moving to Virginia proved knowing English useful. Since I work at the volunteer literacy center, I was assigned to help her learn English. At first she was very nice, and seemed genuinely interested in doing her lessons well. But soon I noticed that she is a control freak. A diva. Pampered all her life, she’s been given what she wanted every day of her life (and if she didn’t have it she threw lip-quivering, whining, screaming temper tantrums). The woman of over 50 displayed her hand to me at a lesson we had at the library the past Wednesday. After a 2-week vacation to China, she came back very refreshed and renewed. She was bubbling over with stories to tell (which I wrote down and planned to use as a writing exercise). My sister had a lesson with her student at the same time at another table and suggested we come together for 10 minutes of conversation so the two students could have a communication session. We began talking about food, our various cultures and comparing things we are used to doing, and how different it is in different countries. But my Chinese student thought she’d take it a step further. In the space of ten minutes, she insulted Becky’s student (who is from another country) three times!
     I didn’t address her conduct at once. For one thing, I needed to cool off and calmly think over what to say. I emailed her and told her we must meet on Saturday. After resisting several times, she finally agreed and I waited for her. She never came. Mhm. Fighting the good fight!
Although I never outright had a witnessing session with the woman, I made it clear to her I was not interested in her pagan Chinese medicine (acupuncture). I politely informed her that I honor my God in everything I do. So I also made it clear that the lessons were not on her terms...they were on God’s terms, on my authority.
     What is the most necessary weapon in our spiritual warfare? The Bible says, “Quit ye like men: be strong.” To be strong, we must recognize our weakness, and that takes humility. So to “quit” us like men, we must first submit ourselves to the Commander-in-Chief. What He says, goes! Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity...If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha (Let him be accursed; the Lord cometh with judgment). 1 Corinthians 16.
     We know where the armor of the Lord is located: Ephesians 6:10-18.  The passage begins: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Please take the time to study what we should be clothed in, while we stand on holy ground, fighting. Because usually, the closer we are to God, the greater the fight is going to be.
Secondly, to fight the good fight of faith, we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. So sensitive, that at the smallest whisper of His command, we obey. He knows the timing; we don’t. A typical response of a man when he is unsure of himself is either to jump into the middle of things to prove he’s “got it together”; or to stand back hesitating in fear so long that he misses the opportunity and lets the enemy win the fight. Neither is a good option. Usually a man will display himself with temper rages, pride, and insisting he is right, even when he’s not. That hurts everyone involved, especially those he loves, for whom he is held responsible.
     The best plan of action is stated like this: Moses my servant is dead (hear the call); now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. (All those who are also called of the Lord with you.) Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses...There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them...This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1)
Please also take the time to study these passages:
-Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ! Romans 8:28-39
-Be stedfast. 1 Corinthians 15; 1 John 2; Hebrews 11
-Understand the will of the Lord. Ephesians 5-6; Romans 12; Hebrews 13; Matthew 5-7
-Study examples; David, Caleb, Gideon, Moses: 1 Samuel 16:14-17:58; Numbers 13:26-33, 14:22-38; Judges 7; Hebrews 11:23-29, Exodus 4, 9:22-35, 15:1-19, Deuteronomy 33:1-4, 26-29, 34:1-12.
-Follow Jesus’ lead. Matthew 4, Luke 4; Luke 6, John 7; John 9-11, Matthew 25, 28; Isaiah 54, John 18; Mark 1, Luke 22-24; Matthew 1, John 21.
     With love in Christ, Anne