Only for My King study

Today I began facilitating a women's Bible study class, using my book Only for My King. Here are some of the thoughts I shared today.

In chapter one, we looked at the Biblical character Timothy. His life gives us a good illustration of the consecrated life. Everytime we read about Timothy in Scripture, he is obeying and serving God. When he travelled with Paul, he probably met Lydia:

...from there [we went] to Philippi, a Roman colony, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for a number of days. On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul. After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us. (Acts 16:12-15, emphasis added)

Lydia was a Gentile woman who lived in Philippi. I wonder if she felt like a bit of an outsider as she met with these faithful Jewish women to pray. There weren't enough Jewish men in Philippi to have a synagogue there, but a few women gathered for prayer on the Sabbath day. Lydia was a business woman, a seller of fine cloth. She heard the truth, the Lord opened her heart, and she committed her life to Him.

As you read and study today, ask the Lord to open your heart to hear His voice.

As soon as Lydia responded to the gospel, she immediately served the Lord by offering what she had: her home.

That is what the Lord asks each of us to do: serve with what we have, without comparing ourselves to the way others are equipped to serve Him.

Just offer what you have.

Serve the Lord with gladness...(Psalm 100:2)

Pow! it's the KaBam study!

A few more details on Only for My King.

Video: what's that book about?

Today I introduced Only for My King at church, so I thought I'd introduce it here too.

I hope I didn't say "um" quite as many times when I said all this at church!

Only for My King: Cover Art

From the back cover:
Do you need a hero? I'm not talking about a flying man in a mask, but someone whose life is a pattern of service and surrender to God.

Only for My King is a book of heroes. In every chapter you will meet a Biblical example, a historical hero, a contemporary Christian and someone I know personally. They are artists, poets, missionaries and mothers. Each of them will point you to Jesus—the only perfect hero.

You will read scriptures that assure you of the Lord's care and support, hum along with hymns that put scriptures into poetry and pray through Psalms that express the desires of your heart.

This book is not a call to lengthen your To Do List, but an encouragement to surrender each area of your life to your King, trusting Him to empower you for His glory. The old hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be” serves as a framework to pray through our lives, responsibilities and talents as we surrender to Jesus Christ: the King we serve and the Friend we love.

...You serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:24)

Chapter 6 Excerpt: Godly Messages

When my husband attended Western Baptist College, he enjoyed acting in the college drama presentations. One semester the production was called “Bite Size Theater,” and the actors performed several short plays at the same event. One was “Spreadin' the News,” a comedy set in a small Irish town. Mark played Bartley Fallon, a garrulous Irishman prone to gossip and pessimism. The next play in the program was “Corpus Christi” which dramatized the Creation and God's interactions with Adam and Eve. Mark played the part of God. Mark said it was an interesting contrast, playing those two parts! He said it made him consider which character's lines he was speaking in his non-acting life.

The Bible is full of verses that contrast godly speech with ungodly. It also gives us practical advice about the kinds of messages we should be sharing.

A fool does not delight in understanding,
but only wants to show off his opinions. (Proverbs 18:2)
The mind of the righteous person thinks before answering,
but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things. (Proverbs 15:28)
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness. (Proverbs 15:2)
Do you see a man who speaks too soon? There is more hope for a fool than for him.(Proverbs 29:20)
Better to live in a wilderness than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.
(Proverbs 21:19)
An endless dripping on a rainy day and a nagging wife are alike. (Proverbs 27:15)
Since you put away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25)
...Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. (Ephesians 5:4)
No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)
Do everything without grumbling and arguing. (Philippians 2:14)


This is an excerpt from Only for My King, a Bible study that will be available in just a few weeks.

Chapter 5 Excerpt: Aware and Adapting

Only for My King's Chapter 5 is titled "Audience." This addresses the idea of surrendering your audience--your sphere of influence--to the Lord, who is your heavenly Audience.

Day Two of every chapter features one of my friends. In this chapter, it's Raye:

Aware and Adapting
Our women's Bible Study group takes a break during the summer months. Last year my friend Raye heard some of the moms of young children talking about the need to get together during the summer. She decided that was a need that she could fill. She scheduled several playdates, complete with swimming pool, lunch, Bible stories and crafts. She sensibly delegated a few responsibilities, and invited us all to join. It certainly was an enjoyable day, but some of the activities didn't quite fit the age of the children attending. Raye realized this, and called each of the moms the next day, asking what we thought she should adjust before the next meeting. Raye was aware of the needs of her audience and adapted her plans to fit them.

As I searched for scriptures on this topic, I found Romans 14. Many of the Apostle Paul's friends kept the Jewish dietary laws, but quite a few others ate whatever they wanted to. Some Christians were very cautious about eating meat, wanting to be sure it didn't come from sources who may have offered it to pagan idols. Others just enjoyed meat without asking questions. Some honored the Jewish Sabbath, while others didn't. The church was growing, and there were converts of many different cultures. How could they all agree? Paul gave them this advice:

Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don't argue about doubtful issues. One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him. Who are you to criticize another's household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And stand he will! For the Lord is able to make him stand.

One person considers one day to be above another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind. Whoever observes the day, observes it to the Lord. Whoever eats, eats to the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is to the Lord that he does not eat, yet he thanks God. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and came to life for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living. But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will give praise to God.” So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

...So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. (Romans 14:1-12, 19)

Paul told his readers to be sensitive to each other, and not to waste time arguing. He reminded them that they were serving the Lord, and would answer to Him.

Amy Carmichael: Designed for her Location

Only for My King's Chapter Four discusses the topic of Location--surrendering your location to the Lord, trusting Him to move you to the location of His choice, or use you right where you are.

The historical hero in this chapter is Amy Carmichael.

I remember hearing about Amy Carmichael at church when I was in elementary school. I was fascinated by the story of her praying for blue eyes when she was a child, and her learning to accept God's answer of “no.” Later, her brown eyes allowed her to disguise herself as a native in India to rescue babies and young girls from pagan temples in India. I was impressed that God created her—even the detail of her eye color—to serve Him.

This year I read A Chance to Die, a biography of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot. It was interesting to see how God guided Amy one step at a time. She didn't plan to go to India. She went to Japan first, but ill health forced her to relocate to Sri Lanka and then to India. She learned some valuable lessons in Japan though; one of those was the importance of being sensitive to the culture of her location. For example, the dresses and gloves that were required apparel in Victorian England were distracting to the Japanese women, so Amy wore kimonos. Eventually she would adopt native attire in India as well.

Another lesson came from several Old Testament stories of battles in which God promised the Israelites that He would go before them (Deuteronomy 1:30, I Chronicles 14:15). Amy took that promise very personally, believing that God would not call her without accompanying and preparing her.

Amy's passion was evangelization. Yet when she learned the plight of girls in the temples in India she could not ignore them. The girls were given to the temple, sometimes by impoverished parents, to eventually become prostitutes. As Amy and her staff began to care for more and more children, Amy could no longer travel and witness as she desired. The children needed not only food and shelter but also education and spiritual instruction, and this took time and planning and prayer. It was difficult for Amy to change her focus but she believed that God would be her comfort, her shepherd, and her reward. She surrendered to His redirection.

God redirected Amy again when she fell and broke her leg. Because she never healed properly, she spent the last twenty years of her life as an invalid, overseeing the mission work from her room. Amy had always found time to write, but now she had many more hours to do so. She wrote notes to her workers, letters to friends in England, and many books.

I was startled to learn that during Amy's lifetime, she was often criticized and many people thought she should return from the mission field. She was too unpredictable, she was too unique, and she tended to seek guidance from the Lord rather than from the mission board. Amy represents the hymn phrase: “Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.” Your feet—your obedient surrender to the Lord's choice of our location—are beautiful to Him. Others may not understand your choices of where and how you live or minister, but “you serve the Lord Christ.” (I Corinthians 3:24)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right paths.
Don't consider yourself to be wise;
fear the Lord and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand.
You guide me with Your counsel, and afterwards You will take me up in glory.
Whom do I have in heaven but You?
And I desire nothing on earth but You. (Psalm 73:23-25)

Amy knew her way of ministry was different from other ministries. She made a point of stating that hers was a different life but not a greater life. God asks each of us for our unique obedience. Your location and your situation may be quite different from what you dreamed of, what you pictured, or what everyone expected of you. Your Creator knew you would end up here. Ask Him how you can serve Him today.

For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:10)

Introduction: Only for My King

Coming Soon: Only for My King, a Bible study of Christian living and Christian heroes.

Here's the introduction:

Do you need a hero? I'm not talking about a flying man in a mask, but someone whose life is a pattern of service and surrender to God. The news brings us reports of failures and villains every day, but patterns of goodness don't often make the headlines.

I'd like to introduce you to my heroes. I researched historical and present-day examples of faith and I noticed my friends following God in everyday choices. Neither historical nor contemporary Christians are perfect—they are ordinary people empowered by God.

In every chapter you will meet a Biblical example, a historical hero, a contemporary Christian and someone I know personally. These heroes are artists, poets, missionaries and mothers. Each of them will point you to Jesus—the only perfect hero.

You will read scriptures that assure you of the Lord's care and support, hum along with hymns that put scriptures into poetry and pray through Psalms that express the desires of your heart.

This book is not a call to lengthen your To Do List, but an encouragement to surrender each area of your life to your King, trusting Him to reshape you and empower you for His glory. I've used the old hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be” as a framework to pray through our lives, our duties and our talents as we surrender to Jesus Christ: the King we serve and the Friend we love.

...You serve the Lord Christ. (I Corinthians 3:24)


If you have Itunes, this link will take you to a playlist of the hymns used in this study. Maybe. If Itunes is being kind today.

Only for My King: Expressions

Only for My King's chapter three discusses surrendering our expressions to the Lord. How do I express ME to the world? Can I use that method of expression to express God's love? This is an excerpt from Day Two, titled "Working Together."

Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God. (I Peter 4:10)

Last winter, I read an interesting concept for a skit at a women's retreat. I shared it with women's ministry leaders and they said, “That's a great idea! Do it!” (I think my ministry leaders are very gifted in the art of delegation.) I took the idea and wrote two skits, and I had an idea for a third: I wanted to demonstrate a devotional technique called “Praying in Color.” This can be as simple as writing a prayer list with colored pencils or coloring in a color book while meditating on scripture, but I wanted to demonstrate something a little more decorative. I can't draw, so I asked my friend Claudia to help me. She was very willing to do the drawing, but she really didn't want to do the talking. I asked another friend, Amanda, for help. We met to talk and drink tea, and Amanda took our ideas home, prayed through them and wrote a script. My husband was in charge of music at retreat; I suggested that we needed a few phrases that connected the next song to the skit. Amanda practiced, and Claudia planned a picture.

At retreat it all came together: Claudia drew a beautiful picture while Amanda read Scriptures and prayed, and Mark sang. The speaker shared a message that included some of the same verses we'd used. We all worked together, using our unique ways of expression, to create something and serve God.

Whatever your hands find to do, do with [all] your strength...(Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's Body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. (Romans 12:4-5 LB)
[I want] their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding, and have the knowledge of God's mystery—Christ. (Colossians 2:2)
For it is God who is working in you, [enabling you] both to will and to act for His good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)

Read the last verse again. "It is God who is working in you." Surrender is not a burden to carry--it is a realization of the Source of our talents and strength, and a choice to honor Him.

(Note: for more on Praying in Color, click here.)

Only for My King: Days

The first chapter of Only for My King discusses dedicating our lives to the Lord. Chapter Two asks "What about today? Who are you serving in the little daily choices?"

...Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...(Joshua 24:15)

When I wake up each morning, the first choice I make is whether to make coffee or tea. If I choose coffee, then I select either the French press for freshly ground coffee beans or the ibrik for Greek coffee. If I'm craving tea, I open the tea drawer to choose between British or Irish or South American while the electric kettle heats the water and I preheat the teapot. These are the first of many choices I make each day. Joshua 24:15 reminds me of a very important daily decision: who am I serving today?

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me. (Psalm 3:5)

The Lord is the creator of the new day, the sustainer of my life—without Him there wouldn't be a sunrise. Surrendering my day to the Lord means serving Him today and communicating with Him constantly. If I am going to live a consecrated life, it's going to happen one day at a time. To do that, I need to keep in contact with Him, walking with Him, one step at a time. The Apostle Peter's statements in Matthew 16 show us a vivid picture of walking with Jesus one moment and being completely out of step the next.

"But you," He asked them, "who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!"
And Jesus responded, "Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven...”
From then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, "Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to You!"
But He turned and told Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you're not thinking about God's concerns, but man's."
(Matthew 16:15-17, 21-23)

Peter was, of course, a follower of Jesus, and in the first situation here, Jesus asked His followers who they thought He was. Peter knew! Peter had been walking with Jesus and listening to Him, and thereby listening to the Father too.
But in the second conversation, Peter heard what Jesus said and immediately contradicted Him. Peter thought he knew the rest of the story so he told Jesus how it should happen, in his opinion. Jesus did not take this lightly! Peter, though walking with Jesus physically, wasn't in tune with Him spiritually at that moment.
I am grateful that these situations are placed together in the book of Matthew. They remind me that I need to stay in constant contact with the Lord, because temptation comes constantly; Peter experienced it and so will I. But I know the Light of the world, who calls me and enables me to walk in the light, to walk worthy of Him, and to follow His plan for my life.

Only for my King will be available to purchase in September.

Only for My King: Chapter Titles

My next book is called Only for My King: a Song of Service and Surrender. I'll be sharing this study with my Bible study group this fall. I'll have printed copies available in September. Here are the chapter titles:

Life
Days
Expressions
Location
Audience
Message
Resources
Mind
Desires
Treasure

Each chapter explores the theme of serving and surrendering to God by looking at a Biblical character, a historical Christian, a contemporary Christian, and one of my friends. We'll see how people have served God through the ages and how people are serving Him today. The themes are not a list of things to add to your crowded To Do List; it is an encouragement to surrender your life to the Lord and ask Him to direct you in each of these areas, remembering that your King is also your Friend.

There are ten chapters with four daily readings in each. Every chapter will feature a hymn, and I'll include a suggested soundtrack of those hymns, all available at Itunes.

Only for My King: the hymnwriter

Frances Ridley Havergal wrote “Take My Life and Let it Be” in 1874. Her life shows us her determination to put the Lord on the throne of her life. Frances was born on December 14, 1836 in Astley, England. She was a bright child, reading when she was four and writing poetry at age seven. Frances trusted the Lord when she was fourteen years old. She'd been longing to be a Christian since she was six, but it took her several years to be ready to make the commitment. “From then onward,” her friend and biographer Esther Enock wrote, “her real happiness lay in pleasing and serving Him.”

Frances used her gift of poetry to write hymns, sometimes composing music to go with her lyrics. You might recognize her hymns “Like a River Glorious” and “I Gave My Life for Thee.” She also wrote devotionals for children. She prayed as she wrote, constantly asking the Lord what she should write on the next line. Her career suffered several setbacks, including her American publisher's bankruptcy ( n exclusive contract kept her from choosing a different publisher), and the only manuscript for an entire hymnal of her work burning in a fire at her British publisher's building.

Frances wrote “Take My Life and Let It Be” while she was staying with friends for several days. She prayed that each of the ten other guests would be converted or find a new joy in the Lord before the party ended. Her prayers were answered, and on the last night of the visit, she wrote the words to the hymn. She took no credit for this success, but used the experience as an opportunity of new commitment to serving the Lord.

Though Frances never married, she certainly did not lead a solitary life. She constantly witnessed to others, whether talking to laundry maids or lecturing on Psalms at a fashionable school. She was especially concerned about those who follow rituals and rules without finding the joy of a relationship with Jesus. Frances used her music to create opportunities to witness, inviting friends over to play duets, or singing a hymn when asked to share her talent at a party. Frances willingly interrupted her writing when there was a chance to witness, seeing that as her first priority. Frances valued people. When she taught Sunday School classes, she remembered each student's birthday, and prayed for all her students for the rest of her life. Frances' readers wrote to her asking for advice on spiritual matters, and she answered them, sometimes writing over a hundred letters a month.

Frances lived a life of surrender and service, aware that she was consecrated—dedicated to the Lord and serving Him in her unique way.

For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity]. (Philippians 1:21 Amplified)

...It is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20 Amplified)

Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. (Romans 12:11)
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

In what area of your life do you need to ask the Lord what to write (or do) next?
Use the Psalms below to ask the Lord to reveal His plan for you.

You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy;
in Your right hand are eternal pleasures. (Psalm 16:11)
He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name's sake.
(Psalm 23:3)
Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You. Reveal to me the way I should go, because I long for You. (Psalm 143:8)
I rejoice in the way [revealed by] Your decrees as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts and think about Your ways. (Psalm 119:14-15)


This is an excerpt from my next book, Only for My King .This 10 Chapter Bible study will be available about September 1st.

Only for My King: the hymn

I knew my next book would be a devotional about serving and surrendering to God. As I prayed about the chapter topics, I found this hymn. It's a summary of serving and surrendering! Read it slowly and ask the Lord which area of your life you need to surrender to Him today.

Take my Life and Let it Be

Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee

Take my voice and let me sing always only for my King
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee
Take my silver and my gold not a mite would I withhold
Take my intellect and use every power as Thou shalt choose

Take my will and make it Thine it shall be no longer mine
Take my heart it is Thine own it shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love my Lord I pour at Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be ever only all for Thee.

--Frances Ridley Havergal

Check out the recording of this hymn by Jadon Lavik, on the album Roots Run Deep, available at Itunes.

Treasured by the King

Here's a sneak peak into Only for My King, my next Bible study.

I love dishes. My kitchen cupboards hold colorful square plates and white rippled bowls we use daily. A nearby shelf displays an assortment of handmade pottery mugs for morning coffee or tea. Across the dining room the china hutch is full of special occasion dishes: a rosy pattern for afternoon tea parties, a wintry village design for Christmas feasts, and a delicate silver floral pattern for spring dinners. In July when the desert heat is unbearable, I drink my tea out of a vintage cup decorated with holly and unexplainably I feel cooler. Every piece is ideal for some specific use. Each piece gives me joy—yet much of that joy comes not from the outer beauty of the dish or cup, but from the fragrant food or drink it holds.

...We possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.(2 Corinthians 4:7 Amplified)

Followers of Jesus, like my dishes, are unique and beautiful in His sight. We are fragile human vessels holding the grandeur of God. Our joy comes from this treasure within us. We belong to a King who treasures us and places His treasure within us.

Only for My King will be available in September. It is a ten week Bible study on the topic of serving and surrendering to God.

Biscuits...

I won't be blogging very frequently for the next two months. I'm working on my next book: Only for my King: a Song of Service and Surrender. This book will include, in addition to scriptures, examples of historic and contemporary people who served (or are serving) God.

One of them is Amy Carmichael. I'm saving most of my thoughts on Amy for the book, but this quote was so funny and so thought-provoking that I had to share it with you now. In this letter, Amy is writing about the new missionaries she's been meeting and what she thinks of the institutions that are training thse missionaries:

I don't pray for milk biscuits [“biscuit” is a British term for “cookie”]...all cut to a pattern and stamped with a single decorous pretty stamp. So many places, to judge by the results, seem to be great biscuit manufacturers and they turn out tidy boxes of biscuits. I pray for soldiers, not biscuits! (p. 303 A Chance to Die, a biography of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliott)

I picture the Little Scholar chocolate biscuit cookies when I read this. Look for them at Albertsons or Cost Plus World Market. They are delicious. They are beautiful. But every single one of them is identical. Amy Carmichael thought that serving God required a bit of uniqueness, and a willingness to be a risk-taking soldier.

I'll let you come up with your own soul-searching application question to this.

A Sneak Peak

Next Book:

Only for My King
a song of service and surrender

and a possible soundtrack:
http://t.co/PM5iBN1
(that's a direct link to Itunes. Where did the playlist widgets go?)

If you know any wake-you-up rather than lull-you-to-sleep versions of any of those songs. do leave me a comment!

I will definitely be changing the "I Will Sing of My Redeemer" to a different version. There are some kids singing on the end and they're cute, but they kind of interrupt the playlist.