When I was in High School, we had a concert choir director that came to us from the United States Navy Military Choir. He was skilled and experienced at what he did. Here we were in a small town and this brilliant conductor who had led choirs all over the world, came to strengthen our vocal cords, whip us into shape and turn us into one singular voice. We did not really know how to handle that first semester but by graduation, we sounded pretty good. He pulled out of us things we never knew we could do. It was a season that produced many good things.

One of the songs our director picked for us to sing for graduation was “Remember now thy Creator.” It was solemn, sacred. What I remember more than the song was the devotion he gave us before he taught us the song. Young people, in the days of your youth, these days, remember now thy Creator (Ecc.12). Remember where you came from, who formed you, who loves you and designed you – before the stress of life overtakes you. Remember before you get married and have to please someone else. Remember before the kids come, and money gets tight. Enjoy God now and get to know Him personally while you have loads and loads of time because as you get older that time will disappear. Plant now seeds of prayer, faithfulness, service… and when that harvest comes in –remember Who brought you there and brought in the fruit of the field.

While you are young, plant these things. He was wise. His words touched my heart. He was a Christian and he used his vocation to tell other people about the God he served. Then on graduation day we all walked up the platform to the risers and stood in formation to sing that song. In a secular environment, we belted out the praise of the Lord and the importance of remembering the God who created us all. The solemn, sacred, glorious feeling of that song in that auditorium on that day marked my life. I wanted my future to include taking time for God, getting to know God, and trusting Him throughout my life. The fear of God was not being afraid of an infinite being somewhere out there but living a life in awe and reverence of Him who loved me first.

After reading Ecclesiastes numerous times, it has become part of my vocabulary. I was talking to my sons the other day about these verses and reminded of the Jewish wedding tradition of breaking glass. The bride and groom get married and then they step on a glass and shatter it. In some circles it represents the destruction of the temple and to others it represents that in every life there will always be joy and sorrow, suffering and rejoicing. That is reality, that is truth. When we live in a fantasy realm or merely think positive wishes instead of fact, we become despondent. Faith is the substance of things not seen and yes, we can trust God for things He is wanting to do through us, but the glorious life even when our prayers are heard, is not all roses. Ecclesiastes reiterates that life does not promise perfect outcomes, no matter who you are or what path you have taken. God allows pain and misery to balance our control, to extinguish our manipulations. We live in the balance of His grace and mercy.

In chapter seven the author tells us:

A good name is better than precious ointment: and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth, it is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men: and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Why is the day of death better? Because it will be spent with our Creator, the One who made and fashioned us for HIS good pleasure.

Keeping the tension between joy and sorrow is important because it keeps us tethered to a holy God who is sovereign and always in control. When things are meaningless, vanity and do not make sense –we trust that God is still Lord. When we have run away from the rails of holiness into hedonism, folly, nonsense, and unbridled sin, we are no more satisfied than if we had spent our days in deep academic study and theological debate. Joy is not found in extremes or things not given to the Creator. That is beginning wisdom and carries on through every generation. Cars, houses, projects of enormous size and charity of huge proportions, vineyards, and song – it all ends in the same place. Nothing satisfies whether we go full hog into liberal living or laced up in rigid legalism. That is not our end, it is not our jam as the kids would say. Fearing God, living life in Him –freedom to follow and serve Him, that fills that deep void in every heart. We find meaning in His heart alone.

So, what is our meaning? We cannot enjoy people without valuing their Creator and distinct purpose in life. We cannot enjoy food or drink without contentment. We cannot have a good night’s rest without a clean conscience and having earned an honest day’s wage. Our good friend Jean recently gave her testimony in church (a Church of God) about her life in God and quoted from this book. The young teenagers, married couples, and senior citizens all praised God for His providence in their lives. It was a remarkable service that represented the generations and this book well. We need these seasoned saints to teach us, we need to remember the things they knew better than to forget.

Echoes of my grandparents who lived through the depression can be heard in these thin pages. Reminders of youthful wishes, dreams and vigor can be felt in these pages. Hopes of a future and finances saved can also be heard. Somehow towards the end of our lives we begin to get the message, the overall picture. I am very grateful for professors like my music director, for grandparents who understood lack and luxury. I am thankful for times to connect with God and delight in His presence around the table, with friends and with music and when all else fails and is in chaos, that connection gives us strength and contentment. He is enough; therefore, I am enough.

Maybe that is why Ecclesiastes also tells us that God makes everything (Hebrew Kol), ALL things, beautiful / handsome / pleasant in His time.  Time is another word for season. At the end of our lives, we can look back and see the stretching of limits, the outcomes of our rush to satisfy cravings of various kinds and see what mattered and what did not.

Enjoying God, our family, meals and rest – all this is truly a gift from God.

I look back and can be thankful for a wise older man who conducted our lives and voices to work as one for one purpose – to glorify God. It set my season and my heart to seek the only One who can satisfy.

When you are free to die, free to strive after God instead of all other “fixes”, free to focus on one thing – your relationship with the Creator who made you, there is peace. There is meaning in His words and will. It also gives you rest, daily and at night.

Lord, we remember, we posture our hearts to enjoy you and remain in covenant with you. Use us in this season to delight your heart, Creator and Christ.

RenaeRoche2024

Nehemiah

I’m not much of a television watcher but I do enjoy watching S.W.A.T. In that particular television show two characters—Hondo and Deacon (and their team) are the good guys, and they work in their area of gifting to get people out of all kinds of messes. They also always win, so there’s that.  They are both leaders but in different roles. This is the first year I’ve read Nehemiah (whose name means the God who comforts) and realized that Nehemiah desperately needed the God of comfort because of all the attacks he faced, within and without. It’s easy to say “God is my comfort” when you sit in an Ivory Tower. It’s a whole other thing when you say it after trial, struggle, death threats and impossible circumstances.

Here are two leaders—Ezra who builds the Temple and Nehemiah who builds the wall. I now think that Nehemiah must also have had some serious bodyguard-like training to do the work he did in protecting the King. Guarding that cup from poison was serious business. We also see him later in the book as more rough guy than sanctified guy. Yet THIS is the guy that GOD chose. God wanted Nehemiahs’ exact skill set to get the job done.  Listen to what Nehemiah does in chapter 13, “I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair.” Now we know why Nehemiah was not called as a priest! He was rough around the edges, just like Peter. This guy took vacation days from work, he rallied military leaders and came in the cover of night to assess the wall and its damage. That’s serious reconnaissance work. We know he had courage because he was traveling in a broken-down city with broken-down walls at night. He had backup– but did not know what he was facing.  Ministry guys are very different from military guys and yet God used the combination to get the job done. Hoo-rah! The saying goes, “hire for your weaknesses, not your strengths,” is so true but many are not able to understand why that is so important.

All this work was done to guard the people but also to preserve and revive their word and worship. It was of utmost importance. Why? The Word reminds us of our covenant with God and the worship reminds us who God is and what He can do. It’s of paramount importance. We see Nehemiah and Ezra calling the people to repent, revive, restore and rebuild. It was a team effort.

In the middle of the book, the priest rises up and remembers what he is called to do. This secular builder inspires the man of God and then the men of God start building their houses, their neighbors houses and the work takes off more quickly than anyone would have realized. Seven trials later—we see Nehemiah starting to get battle fatigue. Maybe you understand that today also? You get in the journey and keep keepin’ on and then one day you just don’t see the point or remember the purpose. After all the spiritual warfare, no one would blame Nehemiah for slowing down or stopping. After all, fourteen years of arguing and torment and flat-out gossip would slow anyone down. But instead of quitting, Nehemiah makes room for Ezra to bring forth the Word, to worship. The scripture that shines forth in this book is “The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength.” Not ripped muscles or abs, not placement in the King’s palace, not credentials or family structure—the joy of the Lord is your strength! Everyone does a little something and the thing takes form, and the wall gets built and worship is renewed. Has God been your source of joy this week?

How do we firm up our spiritual wall? Get your house in order. Get your priorities in order—God first, family, knowing your call and the House of God. Repent, rebuild, renew, restore. When Word, Worship, and the House of God gets damaged or forgotten—people are devastated and moral decline is around the corner. Remember God! Remember His works! Remember what is important!

This past week some of my dreams have come back to life, much to my surprise. God has done things I did not think that were possible. I’m looking back in utter shock at some of the things I laid down in days of disappointment and wonder how I could ever have let those dreams or promises lose steam. Stoke the fire, feed the dream, get back the calling, don’t let another day go until you REMEMBER what God told you and what He wants to do in your life. 

While studying Nehemiah I listened to many good sermons and one of them, preached by Dr. Randall Smith said something that caught my attention—“when building listen not to the need, but the nudge.” He said there will be many needs in life but know your calling and what God is asking you to do. Follow the nudge, not the need. If the Holy Spirit is leading the work of rebuilding the people of God, the Spirit knows best. Ephesians 2:22 tells us, “In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”  We are God’s new building project, and He wants to fill us with Word and Worship. 

If you are battle fatigued today, get revived in the Lord. Rest, refill, refuel, renew, repent and then find your nudge, your place of God calling you. He will fill in the where and why and how.

Nehemiah prays twelve times in this book. That was his secret to success. Prayer.

A family or church that does not pray together –will not see souls won or people restored. Spiritual work requires spiritual disciplines. Heavenly transformation does not come from skill or title but from God above. One commentator said it this way: His prayer helped him not to overreact and take revenge on his enemies. “The problem with doing God’s work is that sometimes we get so engrossed in attacking our enemies and defending ourselves that we have very little resource left for actual constructive work.”[1]

When falsely accused, the temptation is to stop or pause the work. The work for these folks ceased for fourteen years. That is a long time. If their enemies had asked questions, verified their assumptions, sought understanding instead of bearing false witness or accusations against their neighbors, the work could have continued. Nehemiah kept building through prayer and hard work. There are many lessons in this book for us today.

It reminds me of a little boy whose dad died when he as just seven years old, leaving him to care for his mom and two little sisters. He tried several jobs and traveled around cooking for various restaurant owners. When this little boy became a man, he was denied 1,009 times before he made his first sale. He kept going because he was not just building for himself but for his family. Well, 600 franchises later, Colonel Sanders sold his company for $2 million dollars and is ranked as one of the world’s most recognizable celebrities. He kept going despite the shut doors and false accusations. We must also. 

You have a purpose—whether others see it or not. You have a call – regardless of the opposition in your path. To follow God means we keep going. Memorize the following scriptures, get them down in your soul and keep on keepin’ on.

These scriptures remind us to keep building (ourselves and the work God has called us to do). Whatever comes your way DO NOT GIVE UP:

Ps. 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.

1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

2 Cor. 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

Gal. 6:9 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Heb. 6:10 God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.

Why were these reforms so important? They needed to return to God being their joy. God being their strength. God being their focus.  What if the men decided to quit or take a break for a while? They were commanded to rise and build. I believe they rose up spiritually before they rose up physically.  We rise up spiritually through word, worship and delighting in God – not programs, events. Jesus is the cornerstone for ALL building. Wonky wall? Go back and find your cornerstone.  The setup for this holy city will put a theological emphasis in place before Jesus comes on the scene. Judaism will become  redefined not by rituals but by a renewed covenant, by repentance, by rebuilding, by restoring and those changes will welcome the Messiah. They got their spiritual agenda back on track, just in time. What is God setting your work, my work up for in the next decade? We can not see the importance now–but God can. Hondo had a Deacon, Nehemiah had an Ezra – find your co-laborers and then rise and build. The world is waiting, Messiah is returning….

Call someone today—ask them to be on your “wall”-building team for God’s plan for your life. Get prayer support, get resource support, get counseling support, whatever you need but KEEP MOVING FORWARD. No matter what nutty or brilliant person questions your motives or judges your call. GOD SEES. GOD KNOWS and it is GOD who will see you through.

Building with you, praying with you,

RenaeRoche2024

This month we are looking at the book of Ezra. His name means “helper,” “strength” or “Yahweh has helped.” This word is descriptive of God when we say He is the stone of help. In Hebrew its “Eben-Ezer.”  This word is also used for a wife, that she is a “helper” to her husband. Don’t think for a second though that this is just some meek servant. The context in each usage of the word refers to God and His ARMY. Imagine God’s huge army coming to assist, support and help YOU in your struggle. That’s enormous help! They would need it to finish what God had required. What is God requiring of you in this hour? Is that same supply of “help” available today?

Look for the big themes when you study Ezra—return, repent, rebuild, restoration, etc. Those words formed the blueprint for rebuilding the Temple and just happen to also be the exact words we need to rebuild the Church today. It is God’s blueprint.

God told His people that He was going to judge them for bad behavior.  If God speaks a warning, He is not playing. True prophecy is not just all bad news though—then or now. It usually contains some appeal that IF we do something demonstrating a turnaround, that God’s favor will return and even bless us. Zerubbabel is stirred by God and commissioned to go back to Jerusalem and build the wall. He not only obeys that call but takes his buddies with him. I don’t know if he begged them or gave them incentives. I don’t know if they heard from God also or just went along because he was their friend.  What I do know is the list of names of those who returned, because it appears in Ezra 2:2 and Neh.7:7.

These guys were commissioned to return and rebuild the temple back in Jerusalem. Maybe they thought this was their one big chance to return to their former homes, occupations, and Temple. Maybe this was their daily prayer until it was realized. But there was one who perhaps did not realize that this event was more about his daughter than it was about him. You see in the list of those who return there was a man who had adopted a little girl whose parents were either killed or died along the way. It’s possible he even returned and stepped into their lives when he returned. He was a godly man and promised to watch over the little girl. We are not told if she was in exile and returned with him or he returned to find her in need of a guardian but nevertheless Mordecai, perhaps the uncle of Esther is the Mordecai in that list.  On top of God using Mordecai to restore the Temple and return, he is granted to be a fill-in dad. Pure religion is this—to help the widow and orphan. Sometimes our moving into a new season is not for ourselves but for others. Whenever we step in to obey God and fulfill His plans, He tends to bless way more than we could think or imagine.

God answers Ezras prayers in chapter 8 when he requests traveling help and mercy. He has to move a large number of people. People who were traumatized and exiled. See chapter 8:23: “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer.” Not only was Ezra their spiritual guide, but he became their travel guide and mobile priest as well. Ezra demonstrated to the people around him that God was his helper. We got to see from the beginning to the end of his journey that God was beside him, assisting all the way.

There are many detours and distractions in their attempts to rebuild. Some cranky folks come along and impede the progress by saying the work was not authorized. It gained momentum and for FOURTEEN years the legitimate work is stopped. This work was stirred by God and sanctioned by the King. Those who stayed should have been thrilled God’s word was finally coming to pass but because they were not the ones leading the revival, they were jealous and tried to abort what Jeremiah had prophesied long ago. It’s also possible that when they were rebuffed with their help they rose up.  However, this did not stop God’s plan or prevent it from being fulfilled because God keeps His promises.

The original folks living in Jerusalem remind me of the prodigal son’s older brother—“but we’ve been here all along.” On the East Coast they have a category for that, they call it the “from here” or “come here” people. Well, the from here people in Ezra’s day did not want the “come here” people directing traffic! Both sides were Israelites and God’s people. All were needed for the rebuild. However, those who were exiled came back very different. Some had married, some had lost spouses, some had taken on Babylonian ways. They were more than a hot mess. The new leaders were shocked at the changes. Ezra got very disillusioned with the carnality of the people around him. Those who had made the long, hard journey now acted carnal, they talked wicked, they walked wicked. So, Ezra, disappointed, cries out to God and prays:

⁴ Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.  Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God ⁶ and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. ⁷ From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.⁸ “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in His sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹ Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.¹⁰ “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands ¹¹ you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. . . .

Chapter 10 starts out saying, “While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.” This is a beautiful moment but here is where it takes a wrong turn: Neither God nor Ezra told the people to divorce. Malachi, a contemporary of Ezra, later sets the record straight by preaching that God hates divorce. In this moment someone comes up with an idea and they, in their own strength, are going to make things right. They then followed the suggestion of a man who was in the crowd. Not a revelation or leading from God after wise council, but the mere suggestion of a mere man.

 “Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. ³ Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. ⁴ Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”

Their solution was to send away the women. Conversion, teaching is absent here.

In chaos, in spiritual warfare, in reflection of their own sin, that was their big idea. There is no evidence they sought God’s approval, even took a beat to pause and reflect on the implications for the wives and children! Reconciliation to prevent broken homes was not the plan. Shekaniah wanted the leaders to make a covenant. Note the difference between that and God making a covenant with them or them making a covenant with God at His direction. We make many vows, agreements in our lives but without God’s opinion or intervention it is just a human contract. Their “vow” to fix the problem was just as bad as the problem. Good works are different from God works.

We can appreciate that Ezra was a man of prayer. We can appreciate that he mourned over broken covenant and commandments. We can appreciate that rebuilding and restoration and repentance were part of his ministry—all good characteristics of a leader. Where we MUST stop short is that when he moves on to lead or let others lead in the flesh, it is not God’s heart that he was representing. Galatians tells us, “Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? In the effort to be holy, it got worse.

Zerubbabel rebuilds the temple, Nehemiah rebuilds the wall and Ezra takes on the spiritual and moral challenges to rebuild the people. All three of these leaders working together came close to the heart of what God was wanting for His people. In spite of the many pauses, misses and mistakes, their goal was eventually reached but it was not perfect by any means. We see the human side of Ezra’s leadership here also.

Ezra set his heart from an early age to seek God and know His word. He prepared His heart to know and understand God. Ezra made sure his heart was postured, set, aligned to God so he would know and serve Him forever. This is this man’s legacy. He served him all the days of his life. He became what his name was—help. Not just being a servant but being the help of the  One who ran the Heavens. Divine help. He sought, He heard and He carried out God’s instructions to build the Temple.

A temple made by human hands with both the “from here” and the “come heres,” did not work so well. The Temple in the future would need to be made with the permission of a King and without human hands. A Temple that would be rebuilt perhaps by God Himself. . . . That leader would need to be sent from above. That builder would be worth the wait!

May we be like Ezra in our day—full of prayer, repentance, revival and restoration. May we know and obey God’s word. God help us to follow Ezra’s example and be holy, listening, in covenant with God, in our generation.

Renae Roche 2024

Gods’ plan and the frequent “changing of the guard” is repeated King after King in this power -packed book. The theme of “rise and fall” can be seen throughout Chronicles. If you watch the leaders in our political landscape today, you may see similarities. People tend to group around the leader that most represents what they want in life. There were great kings and there were wicked kings. Some lead well, then ran on their own strength, and fell. We are like that too, right? We do well, then think we did it by our own power, then fall.[1] It’s human nature. We soar in our strength and then realize all our “soaring” was really Gods’ doing to begin with. Those that sought God– had favor and success. Those who were wicked – morally fell, and their people fell with them in death. Chronicles even lists stories of children who were burned and sacrificed. Gods’ people were doing these things! It was shocking to see these leaders take a turn for the worse within just one generation. God shows us why this took place. We can learn much from these cycles.

One surprising section is in chapter 15. Verse thirteen says,

“That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman and they swore unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with trumpets… And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with ALL their heart and sought Him with their whole desire; and He was found of them; and the Lord gave them rest on every side.”

My teenagers Bibles say the people “whole heartedly”  and “eagerly” sought God. It stirred our hearts. Whole–hearted is very different than tepid or lukewarm. My family likes food that is hot and if it is even close to cold, they will let me know it. I used to get grumpy, as it is a fiasco to get everyone to the table on time some nights, but now I capitalize on those moments and remind them that God wants us to be piping hot spiritually as well!

So, what did the leaders who were successful do which set them apart from the wicked leaders? Can we learn from their actions in our generation? In chapter seven we read, “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. ² The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.”  That is some kind of praying! That is not a trite, “thank you for the grub, God” type prayer. Solomons’ prayer so impacts the people, that they erupt in praise: “God is good, and His love endures forever.” Fervent prayer evokes worship. It also produces sacrifice as we gain Gods’ perspective. Solomon “offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So, the king (Solomon) and all the people, dedicated the temple of God. ⁶ The priests took their positions, as did the Levites (collaborative ministry) with the Lord’s musical instruments, which King David had made for praising the Lord…  Solomon consecrated the courtyard and offered (offerings)” … So, Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days…he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel. He blessed them (corporate fellowship) and blessed them in their homes. That is good leadership. We will also see similar traits in King Josiah later in the book when he sets (establishes) people in places of service and then abundantly and intentionally encourages them. There is much we can learn from these Kings.

The Lord then appears to Solomon and lets him know that He has heard his prayer: “When I shut up the heavens, so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,  (when life gets really tough),

IF my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, ….(2 Chr.7:14)

Pause here for a minute. Note what God is sovereign over – Sky, Land and People and the trials that go with that. It says WHEN God does this, so we can expect it. The IF starts a conditional clause, meaning if you do what God requests, then the following things will be done in accordance with that action. It is a third person plural – if they (corporately) will humble themselves. That’s good peer pressure –if we realize results will not come unless everyone is  going hard after God! It would change our meetings and their outcomes. We recently watched the movie, “The Boys in the Boat” and watching their transition from a team of eight to work as one was very motivational. [2] I’ve enjoyed over the years being part of teams that work seamlessly. It is thrilling to watch the results.

The word “humble,” in this verse, means to bend low, to be submitted. It is comes from a word that means to contract wings, like an Eagle.[3] The word suggests going low and bending ones’ knee. I wanted to understand this reference, so I studied eagles flying.[4] Eagles do something when they fly and bend their wings low called a “wing tuck.” [5] The winds catch their feathers and can pull them in many different directions. When their wings are tucked –they are secure and stable. When turbulence comes while they are in flight, instead of jostling on the air streams, they simply draw their wings closer to their body. They free fall, for a few seconds, until it passes. It momentarily prevents stress on their wings. Humble yourself – before the King of all Kings, tuck in, bend low and let Him steady you in the fray.

When we are young, we are tempted to fight the winds. We think we are tough and “ninja” as the kids would say. It is in our DNA to fight and struggle and prove we are strong. It is not however, part of Gods’ DNA, for those reborn. His way often comes with trusting and being still. Think of all the trials in your personal life and in the nation and world currently. When turbulence comes – and it will, we need to hear Gods word in Chronicles to His Kings and to His people now: Reposition yourselves low by bending your wings, your knee. Go low. Be submitted to the Sovereign Lord.

When the winds and rain are beating against your face– you need a reprieve. The answer is to  quiet your heart.  If my people would go low – stop flapping, stop fighting, stop squawking and draw in, do that themselves, (collectively and individually), God will move.

Then, in that posture, we pray. Do not just tell God what you want, but listen and hear what He is speaking – a dialogue. Here it is a give and take. Lord, this is what we see, what do YOU see? This is what we hear, Lord what do YOU hear? What is our/my part Lord and how do we/I carry that out today? It is individual and corporate. It reaches into their homes. Those times must be fostered in our places of worship. It must be taught in our homes. The temple of the New Testament was Christs body. Post Pentecost, WE are the Temple. Gathering people -it was Gods heart then and it is Gods’ heart now.

So, what is the difference between praying and seeking Gods face? There must be a difference, or one word would have sufficed. To seek here is not just a casual looking for something but an all-out search party! It means to strive after, to beg for, to go after, in worship or prayer with great desire, to demand an answer. It looks to secure and actively find what one is seeking. “Well sister Margaret, I just don’t like it when that one person prays, it’s almost like they are bossing God.” Our views of God must line up with Gods words, not some sissified version of Sesame Street. Come on now! It was God who said “if my people would SEEK my face…” If you are “His people” you have permission. The verb tense in Hebrew is not a sweet, polite asking but a demanding, radical begging and pleading. God is not scared of our emotions. “God, we need you now, desperately – please heal our hearts, heal our land!!!”

I remember when I first met my husband. We both smelled so good. I cough thinking about all that fragrance. His truck was clean and shiny. He was early for every date and had everything planned to the T. The energy was electric, and I was highly sought after. I enjoyed that season very much. He is still good on all those things, but the “chase” is not as fervent as in those days –because we are married and secure in our love. While we still enjoy dates, the effort looks a bit different than in those days before we said, “I Do.”  Similarly, Jesus wants to be pursued like a Bridegroom coming to marry His bride – because He is! That’s not old news, that’s good news! 2 Timothy 4:8 tells us there is a reward for those who “long for His appearing”.

We want the “hear, forgive, heal” part. We want Gods eyes to be open and His ears attentive to our prayers, but we are often — remiss to prepare. Remiss to fully seek. Sometimes, we also may have misunderstood scripture and seek Gods’ face without passion or purity.

Also in this scripture is the word SHUV (meaning to turn). It means to go the opposite direction. STOP sinning. To go back, repent from all wickedness.  God does not consider our “rights.” We do not get a say or a vote. He makes this promise conditional – we get the benefits, IF and only if, we follow HIS directions.

IF you, do these things…then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.      

God tells them why things are falling apart, “This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by, will be appalled, and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why He brought all this disaster on them.’” It is one thing to fight an enemy, it is a fearful thing to fight the living God. Turn, turn now.
February is a good month to give God our WHOLE heart. (See the Rest for individuals page on this website if you need a place to start). It is a good month for us to humble ourselves before the Lord. It is a good month to pray and radically seek His face and turn from all our wicked ways. Start with one prayer, free fall into His loving grace, He awaits you.

I would love to hear your stories of what takes place as you follow these scriptures and God then starts to hear, forgive, and heal. I will post as many as possible.

Happy  month!
Renae Roche 2024

[1] Joe Roche, Morning Devotion Jan.15, 2024

[2] The Boys in the Boat. A movie by George Clooney based on a true story. 2023.

[3] Blueletterbible.org 

[4] The word  is “kana”.

[5]  On Eagle’s Wings, a Revelation About Flight – The New York Times

www.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/science/on-eagles-wings-a-revelation-about-flight.html

  LOVE ONE ANOTHER                                                                                                                                                     LOVE ONE ANOTHER

The new school year is off to a great start. Students are in classes, teachers are teaching, and a handful of people are still wearing masks, reminding us that Covid was real, lest we forget all those we lost. The curriculum in some schools has changed drastically, while courts debate what history should be rewritten. Names have changed, genders have changed and in Florida, living situations have changed as houses washed into the ocean during Hurricane Ian.

It is a different generation than when I went to school. So many things have changed. I’m reminded of many things now that my kids are older and ask questions. Did anyone feel confused when you found out the Underground Railroad had no train or that the Whitehouse plumbers never worked on any sinks? Hmm. Many students struggle to understand the difference between the words red and read and wrestle with other oddities in the English language. I would bet that modern students would also be flummoxed at the long list of narratives to wade through in American politics. Education is anything but simple these days. So, what does this have to do with 2 and 3^rd John. Quite a bit.

Whether you are talking the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Pentagon Papers or something smaller, fraud is a part of our everyday life. It gives truth a run for its money. Lies range from why someone is late for work, to “I’ll be ready in five minutes” to Santa is bringing you presents –or coal for Christmas. The world spins around these bigger and lesser lies. Young people get their “cues” from adults who tell them how things really work.

“What is the world’s greatest lie?” the little boy asks. The old man replies, “It’s this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the world’s greatest lie.”[1] This truth – Its innate to our very being. God is the One who controls and guards over us. God loved us then, loves us now and will love us to the end. That’s true. If we doubt that, then we live in opposition to the God who created us. It’s a big deal. It is core to our being and the basis for our belief about love. It also impacts how we love one another.

Boundaries and legitimate warnings were given to Adam and Eve, yet they still fell for the lie given them that affects all of humankind today. Love echoes all the way back to this couple – did God really say? Do we forge our own way, trust in Gods’ love and care? Or do we look out for ourselves only and grab the apple as Adam did, defending ourselves, providing for ourselves and looking out for me and mine? Our belief system is core (pun intended) to how we receive and give love.

In these tiny little letters at the back of our Bibles, John points out sound advice for the churches he was writing to. He was the beloved disciple who knew Jesus’ best. In the time of persecution, he could not get too detailed. He says the word TRUTH eleven times. That is a lot of times for such short letters. They were to walk in truth, live truth. It is foundational for Christian lives, theology and in order to have a relationship with God.

I recently heard a story about a friend that did not seem accurate. When I traced it back, there were about 30 people who had heard the story, added to it, debated and discussed it but not one person had gone to the source – in person. Speculation had molded over the main issue. Literal hours had been spent dialoguing about this person, but they were left out of the discussion entirely. Research demands that you go to primary sources. If we base arguments, assessments or opinions on hearsay rather than firsthand verification we will never get to the truth. It seems people like to spin a tale for amusement rather than embrace veracity. That’s serious. It also blocks love – for individuals and congregations.

I was looking into lies told in our country, while researching this month. Truth in advertising came into the legal realm after many people had been sued or injured because of lies. One Mexican fast-food restaurant was found to have put oat filler in their meat – it wasn’t seasoned goodness; it was horse food – oats. Volkswagen had the Diesel gate lawsuit, Activia said its yogurt would help with gut bacteria even though they had not run any scientific studies and Red Bull was sued because they told consumers their drink would “give you wings.” [2] Imagine thinking you would get wings from drinking a beverage and then suing to prove you couldn’t. They won. 

Truth is the root and foundation for love. Without it – love is just a feeling or a fad. Small lies, white lies and mistruths do not protect, they block. Changing, misrepresenting and not being forthright makes people give up and will build mistrust. Remember when a man’s word was his bond? A woman’s word should be so guaranteed, you could take it to the bank and cash it? Wouldn’t it be nice if someone’s love was so solid? Love is defined, according to the Bible, as walking in the truth.

John goes on to tell the believers:  LOVE one another. Sounds gooey, nice. But then he defines love – walk in love and this is love that you walk in His commandments. John is not talking about the worlds love; your neighbors love or cultures idea of love. Gods’ love is defined by following His precepts, ways, commandments. What are they?

1. You shall have no other gods
2. You shall not make any graven images- idols
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath – to keep it holy (set apart for God time).
5. Honor your father and Mother
6. You shall not kill
7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not bear false witness
10. You shall not covet

Remember when these were posted in every church, every school? It was a standard, a paradigm all were to follow – a definition if you will. Whether a visual reminder or discussion starter it impacted how we thought and carried out our lives. True love is –true. It brings rest, it represents the living God, so it is not dull, stagnant or a lie. It represents the very person of God because God is LOVE.

Truth is a litmus test for love. No masks, no fraud, no deception.

Perhaps that is why the enemy is frantically trying to get us to lie about what we know is real. You can say a goat is a sheep all day long, but the reality is not going to change. If we learn to deceive ourselves, the truth is not in us. Twisting truth, rewriting history, ignoring facts, and using unjust balances are things God addressed in His word from day one.

You can’t love someone if you are slandering them. You can’t walk in truth towards someone if you fill your conversation with lies and half-truths – “my phone is dead, my schedule changed, I didn’t know you needed me”, etc. When we walk in honesty and Gods will – love will abound.

Whether in ministry, homes, workplaces or school settings, our integrity is foundational to our relationships and growth. Love is living because God is living. If you do shady business or deceive people, God knows that. If you exclude, gossip, cheat, steal to get your own way or hide your sin, God still sees that, and love grows cold. Ouch, this is even difficult to write – it is so antithetical to modern day Christianity. White lies cover things that make us nervous. White lies smooth over half truths and politically correct leading. White lies prevent truth. Still serious.

I no longer think these two little letters are little. Their message is HUGE. I think they are placed before the book of Revelation for a reason – Jesus is coming back for a pure Bride, a spotless Bride and John wanted to get us ready. Really ready. Love one another and watch yourselves- John made it clear.

We can apply this book by being honest with ourselves and those around us. Say what we mean and mean what we say. The ten days of Awe celebrated by the Jews before Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) was a ten-day spiritual discipline of looking inward, repenting and examining one’s life. Where there are spots and blemishes, we can confess. Where there is gross darkness and sin we can turn around and go the other way. Where there are fractured relationships, we can do the hard work and reconcile. Some observe Lent, some make confession, some do a daily introspection – – however you do it, do it. Because without truth we cannot genuinely love ourselves or others.

Having a love deficit? Check out the level of truth in your inward parts. Are you bathing your heart daily in scripture? Are you refreshing your prayer muscles in worship? Are you allowing the God of the universe to saturate your mind and life in His presence? Real love comes from The Real Love and walking in His ways. It can not be fabricated or mimicked.

Love defined by walking in the truth requires intentionality, prayer and absolute devotion to God and His ways. It reveals the Hoax of the enemy, it grows the church. We must be like Demetrius and prefer others, faithful and full of charity. Where does love come from in a home, church, nation? From Gods heart, His word and commandments. It comes from being right with Him and having a heart that is renewed daily. Do you want to love without guile, pretense or falsehood? Hear David’s prayer:

¹ Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. ² Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ³ For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. ⁴ Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. ⁵ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive  me. ⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. ⁹ Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right  spirit within me. ¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. ¹² Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. ¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  Psalm 51

We cannot muster up love or manufacture it. We cannot force it on others to perform because we want more of it. We can only give what we have first really received. We can point them to the God of all love and encourage them to love like He loves. We can foster love by staying close to this One who has shown us perfect love. LOVE one another is more about living in truth and Gods presence than it is a command to do extra good deeds. When we lay down our good for Gods best – there is room for love– Jesus’ style. Living love is a breeding ground for miracles, Holy expectation, and much joy. It is very opposite of temporary, fading love.

I pray that you press into God today. Let Him cleanse your heart, heal your spirit, help you walk in His word and ways. That’s the spiritual condition for love to grow and thrive. It is also the foundation for loving one another.  Like John, may we love, truly love one another and look for His appearing.

Loving Him and you,

Renae Roche 2022

1. In discussion with others after reading this blog, it came up that to truly love someone you must truly know them. To love them in the way most meaningful to them you must know their love language and how they receive love which requires time, investigation and truth. We also processed comments about facing our true selves and acknowledging the lies we live with and those we refuse. Jesus said, “I am the truth”, so to embrace truth ultimately is to embrace Him.

[1] Source unknown

[2] Julien Rath. Business Insider. Eighteen False advertising scandals that cost some brands millions. Feb.27,2017. BusinessInsider.com  Accessed 10/1/22.

Ephesians  –  “Dressed to the T”   

Ephesians is such a profound book. It was fun to read it with my family. We took turns studying and teaching it. A local thrift store just happened to have a big shield, so we had good visuals to go with the lessons. I’m going to highlight two sections that were especially meaningful.

Ephesians 3:14

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen  you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts.

*Dwell:  “To house, inhabit permanently, to reside. (Not a visiting guest but to take up residence) To settle down, make a  home, dwell fixedly. “

through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established  in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp (dimensions)
how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and

*Grasp:  ” Comprehend.  Not just to obtain but to attain, meaning to vigorously seize, appropriate, and make one’s own.  It comes from two root words: Kata: a preposition denoting motion or diffusion . lambano: to seize, catch, receive.”  

to know this love (feel, perceive, understand) that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. ²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Years ago, I preached  this passage at a seminary. The tough thing about preaching and being recorded is that every mistake is remembered – permanently. Preachers have a much harder time today because you have to carefully say every word for virtual playback.  I  made the mistake of saying this particular school had “arrived”. I was nervous and it just popped out as I was so impressed- and intimidated. The point of the text was that even though we had “knowledge” the arrival of excellence Paul was seeking was not brilliance– but love. I finished and tried my best, but that expression would haunt – and stir me for years to follow. It was foundational for me. Paul wanted the church to be so filled with love that it would surpass knowledge. That is a worthy goal for schools and churches today! Our highest aim should be our love for the Lord, the lost and one another.

Recently we  have moved to the sand hills state. I didn’t fully understand what that meant,  until my plants started dying off. Each of my pots outside had rocks  in the bottom of them for drainage and then local soil. It is sandy and will not  work to “root and ground”  plants, so they die quickly. So much to learn. I miss  black dirt! In the middle of whatever you plant you need traction – something solid for the plants to root in. We need to be “rooted” in Christ. My son planted his little jalapeno plant out back and it quickly wilted. We needed to mark off the area so there was room for it to spread out. We needed to make sure what was beside it wouldn’t kill it off and what was above wouldn’t eat it. It needed to be shielded  from shade and critters. Growth does not come without struggle!  Paul tells the believers that they are to know the width, length, depth, and height of Gods’ love. It starts with good soil , getting rooted and grounded in Christ.

This month – will you have your family each take one of these dimensions to study? How is Gods love deep?  ”How deep the fathers love for us, how vast beyond measure”. I live with a husband who has sailed the ocean deep and his stories are incredible. “Lots of water” does not do justice to the deep blue sea where he lived for many years. We need to get curious when it comes to scripture and dig deep. We can never “fathom” the things in the ocean and wonders that exist there. How wide is God’s love? Wide enough to stretch out a visual message on a wooden cross.  How long is God’s love? Long enough to span time, long enough to reach eternity? Long enough to reach your heart and mine. How high is His love? I remember flying an airplane when I was younger – looking down and seeing little cars and houses and fields. I was in awe of Gods  viewpoint and amazed that He would search all over the world for those whose hearts were postured towards Him. Each one of these dimensions is inexhaustible– but as you study– your heart will stretch in new directions.

Knowledge is wonderful but love surpasses it. We need to be immersed in Gods’ love – and the knowledge of it. Note that grasping also includes “diffusion”. What if that love diffused and spread faster than Corona or Delta or sin? What if the love that we embrace– affected others around us? (One sneeze spreads millions of droplets and can reach from 6 to 27 feet. How far does a hug, a smile, an encouraging music note spread?  It takes less than a second to hum a hymn that will circulate for hours. Church folk should be the best spreaders of love on the planet. Hmm, how do we love fervently while social distancing?  A—chhhhhh—ooooo!

At the end of this powerful book is  the imperative to put on the armor of God.  Our family studied this at a church night, led by our friend Carol a few years ago. She did so while standing with  a full-size soldier in armor. Her handouts were amazing. She introduced us to a weapon we had not considered before : the cloak of Zeal. It  is a fascinating study.

As we reviewed Ephesians afresh this  month, we noticed something interesting in the chapter 6 list:  Praying in the Spirit and praying for your Pastor (Paul) and the saints. I previously looked at it as just a ending remark, but we now believe it is part of the soldiers “dressing and armor”.

The pastor and spouse are front line warriors.  My youngest son said , “They care about us and pray for our safety, and we do the same for them.” That’s pretty important to have people  fight with you. Our pastoral family is going thru something currently and we have felt the battle raging. They  lead the troops and things are not the same when they are not out in front. What happens to them affects the whole body, so we need to cover  them on a daily basis!

One night after I had been hit by many fiery darts, I dragged myself into church and sat there. It was too complicated to ask for prayer, I was discouraged and could not shake the oppression of the day. I grabbed the pew in front of me and said a silent prayer for God to help me make it through the night. Have you ever been too burdened to even pray? The world and enemy can be noisy and confusing. The worship leader hit a few notes on the piano. As we waited for the rest of the church folk to filter in, he played the melody  “I’m going to see a victory.” It slowly replaced my fears and reminded me who wins the final war. Faith started poking my doubts and a smile crept across my face. St. Francis of Assisi said, “preach often and if necessary, use words.”  Those notes silenced the enemy.  It changed the atmosphere and gave traction. Praying for the pastor,  leaders and saints is not trivial – its part of our  armor, necessary equipment to WIN the battles before us. Hear Paul:

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit (worth an entire study) on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

The war for souls Sunday morning is not waged just before the service – it is waged when the pastors plumbing breaks during the week, when the pastor’s spouse gets stuck in traffic, when the sound system is broken down. Praying for our leaders not only ensures that they will make it to church and live to fulfill their calling –but to press through for victory for the congregation. It also ramps up praying for people who come into the church with  chains they can not break by themselves. Prayer, fasting and support are  critical – it makes all Gods’ saints ESSENTIAL. YOU ARE ESSENTIAL if you are part of the house of God.

When our pastor was going through a medical situation, we received updates from people in the church and his family. It helped us to keep focused in prayer and brought great comfort. There’s this one lady that is in our church (Tina) that works in various areas. She is the voice on our telephone prayer chain and she records special phone messages.  I got to spend  some time with her and her husband at a youth event. I know her as the one who ” brought bacon and grilled onions” for the burgers. If you’ve ever been camping—that is a BIG deal. She was the joyful “extra” that made that meal special. She keeps us In the loop when people go to the hospital. Those “touches” from the Lord, those ministries that don’t fit in a five- fold description are an essential part of the Army of God. Flipping burgers and enemies might just be a thing.  (LOL) A single smile goes a long way for a weary sargeant or  soldier. Whether its an angelic host  led by God, a battalion of disciples led by a  Sunday School teacher or saints that are “seasoned” and bring the seasoning, we hold out hope that “We’re going to see a victory.” Michael W. Smith sings, “This is how I fight my battles” and lets us know that we fight surrounded by God. I think  Paul would add – with fierce, prayed up saints surrounding us also!

So,  put on the whole armor but lets also pray in the Spirit, for the leaders and seasoned saints as part of our weaponry.  Ephesians 6 :

“Tychicus , the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing.  I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.” Eph.6:14-21

A AAAA     —cccccchhhhh—-oooooooooooooooooooooooooo…….!!!!!!!   !!!!!

RenaeRoche2021