What Lynn Wrote This Week

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7

This verse has been the focus of my personal Bible study this week. For the past two months I have been doing an in-depth Bible study on Psalm 51. Amazing Psalm. The study has taken me down many rabbit trails (as is the usual case), but each rabbit trail has revealed more of who God is and more of who I am. While time hasn't permitted me to share with you every tidbit of truth I've discovered through this study, I hope what I have shared has been a blessing and/or perhaps a challenge.

Today's Friday, and as I have said before, I plan each week to post a summary of where you can find what I have written on the Internet. This week has been somewhat quiet compared with others. I've had to work on taxes and catch up on other projects where I fell behind because of revival week at our church last week.

Enough delay, here is the list.

Presenting Biblical Truths Blog:

• Joab's Fire Chapter 19 Discussion: When we demonstrate mercy to our brother or sister in the Lord, we make the Gospel appealing to the unsaved. http://presentingbiblicaltruths.blogspot.com/2012/01/joab.html
  
• Joab's Fire Chapter 20 Discussion: In times of great sorrow and anguish we have a place of safety in the Lord, but we must be willing to go there and treasure that place as better than any other. http://presentingbiblicaltruths.blogspot.com/2012/01/joabs-fire-chapter-20-discussion.html
  

Faith Journey Books:

• Book Review: More Precious Than Gold, a historical novel by Lynn Dean http://faithjourneybooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-review-more-precious-than-gold.html
  
• Lasciviousness and Such within Christian Romance. A post discussing why a Christian writer needs to be careful how she portrays a romance between her hero and heroine. http://faithjourneybooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/lasciviousness-and-such-within.html
  

Faith, Fiction, Fun, and Fanciful:

• Mommy Where Did You Learn to Forgive? http://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2012/01/mommy-where-did-you-learn-to-forgive.html
  
• The Greatest Sacrifice I Can Give - http://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2012/01/greatest-sacrifice-i-can-give.html
  
• The Right Reaction to Consequences - When you have sinned and you suffer the consequences, how should you act? http://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2012/01/right-reaction-to-consequences.html

The Right Reaction to Consequences

Mercy - to be favorably inclined toward someone who is inferior to you.

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to they lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions." Psalm 51:1

This illustrates David's humility. he beseeches the Almighty God to bend low to David and show him, who is inferior, kindness he doesn't deserve by blotting out his transgressions.

God did not remove the consequences of David's sin (II Samuel 12), but He did forgive David. "...The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." (II Samuel 12:13-14) All that God said would happen to David did. His sins were forgiven, but he still had to live through the consequences.

David accepted it, even when he had to run from Absalom. He didn't resist what happened because He knew it was God's judgment on him.

Just as he trusted God to make him king, David trusted God through the consequences of his sin.

God did have mercy on David. He did put away David's sin and would not let him die.

David didn't wallow in his sin and forsake God. He still loved God. He still pleased God, and we know this because of God's testimony of David in Acts 13:22 ("I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart").

Lord, help me to be as humble as David, receiving what You give me, both mercy and consequence. Help me to not make excuses or lash out in anger or continue in sin or count You unjust.

The Greatest Sacrifice I Can Give

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Romans 12: 1-2

In conclusion of what Paul had been writing about to the Romans, Paul pens the above verse. As a result of our position in Christ and God's mercy and judgments and ways and what He has done for us, we should sacrifice our bodies, transform our minds and not do as the world does. Quite a challenge, eh?

If we did as he said what would we do? Prove God's will--that it is:

• good
• acceptable
  
• perfect

I must ask myself, how am I measuring up?

Am I surrendering to the plea of the mercies of God to live not to myself?

Am I giving Him my body as a holy (which means separated to Him), as a living sacrifice, as acceptable to God?

And to think, that is only my reasonable service.

Am I willing to not just say I'm living for the Lord, but truly let my wants die for Him? Have I come to the point where I can say, "I'll gladly die for You, and I will gladly live for You."

When I think on this, I realize how weak I really am. Forgive me, Lord. Help me to be willing to sacrifice everything for You.

Mommy, Where Did You Learn to Forgive?

My youngest daughter got caught doing something bad. We had a conversation and she said, "I'm sorry, will you please forgive me."

I replied, "Of course." I hugged her and kissed her then I returned to my work singing a song to myself.

A few minutes later, I hear her feet coming down the hall. "Mommy, where did you learn to forgive?"

I turned around, called her to my knee and said, "From my Heavenly Father. He has forgiven me of so much, how could I not forgive? He says He'll not call to memory again what He has forgiven. How can I do any less?"

Satisfied, my daughter went on to play, and I sat in my chair in awe. I wasn't angry with my daughter. I didn't hold a grudge for what she had done. The fellowship had been broken between her and I, and it was restored by a simple act of confession on her part and forgiveness on mine. The act did not change her status. She was still my daughter and would always be my daughter.

I love her, but I know she'll likely commit the same wrong again, and yet I am greatly pleased when she comes to me truly repentant, which usually happens in a flood of tears. She is so much like me.

My Heavenly Father is the same way with me. He forgives each time I ask even though He knows I'll fall again. And He will always love me. I'll always remain His child. But He is pleased when I work to restore my fellowship with Him by confessing and repenting, keeping my heart right before Him. He'll always forgive because He promised to and because He loves me.

I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The Apostle John just finished saying that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sin. Still, he writes in I John 2:1, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous".

We are cleansed from all our sin. We still sin, but Jesus' blood covers our sin debt...it is on the altar before God forever. Death has no more hold on us.



For our trip to Disneyland last year I set up a journaling app on the iPad for each of the girls to record their vacation. The app would allow them to put pictures and music to each day along with whatever notes or 'stickers' they'd like. I drove (I always do) and coming from the back of the van I heard the song, "The Blood Is Still There." I'd heard it several times already on the trip, so I asked, "Who is playing that song?" It was my youngest. She was adding it to her journal (I think she must have added it for each day we were there). She said that it was her favorite song. When I asked her why, she just shrugged her shoulders and said that it was comforting.

I'll never forget that. Even today, the song came up. She still likes it, and I'm still amazed that my daughter accepts the message with her child-like faith.

I hope you enjoy the song as well.

What Have I Written in January So Far?

January seems to be getting away from me, but that doesn't mean you can't go back and read what I have written. Funny thing about writing, it lasts pasts the moment.

As you navigate the Internet here's where you'll find something written by me or about me:

• Interview by Lisa Lickel: http://reflectionsinhindsight.wordpress.com/tag/joabs-fire/
• Devotional on Carrie Pagel's blog: http://cfpagels.blogspot.com/2012/01/friend-on-friday-lynn-squire-epiphany.html
• A book review of Joab's Fire by Linda Yezak. Linda has added Joab's Fire to her Canopy Bookstore--a true honor indeed. http://lindayezak.com/tag/joabs-fire/

Faith, Fiction, Fun, and Fanciful Posts:

• A New Year Is a Good Excuse for a New Beginning http://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-year-is-good-excuse-for-new.html
• Blogging 2012 http://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2012/01/blogging-2012.html
• True Christian Faith Requires Humility http://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2012/01/true-christian-faith-requires-humility.html
• God's Will. How Can You Know It? http://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2012/01/gods-will-how-can-you-know-it.html
• Turning from False Guilt to Pleasing God http://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2012/01/turning-from-false-guilt-to-pleasing.html
  

Faith Journey Books Posts:

• The Beginnings of a New Book Review Site http://faithjourneybooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/beginnings-of-new-book-review-site-with.html - This is the introductory post to a new site for both readers and writers who are interested in stories with a high moral standard and with characters traveling powerful faith journeys.

Presenting Biblical Truths Posts:

• Joab's Fire Chapter 17 Discussion: We Can't Change God http://presentingbiblicaltruths.blogspot.com/2012/01/joabs-fire-chapter-17-we-cant-change.html
• Joab's Fire Chapter 18 Discussion: Does Our Testimony Stand the Test? http://presentingbiblicaltruths.blogspot.com/2012/01/joabs-fire-chapter-18-does-our.html
  

I am a regular contributor for the Colonial Quills and these are this weeks posts:

• John Winthrop's Prayer of Faith http://colonialquills.blogspot.com/2012/01/john-winthrops-prayer-of-faith.html
  
• Nathaniel Griffith's Fences on Colonial Quills http://colonialquills.blogspot.com/2012/01/nathaniel-griffiths-fences.html

Turning from False Guilt to Pleasing God

Condemn - to find fault with, blame.

Last night we watched the last half of an Agatha Christy movie. True to form, at the most tense moments, I become overwhelmed by a sense of guilt. What I'm guilty of, I do not know. My thoughts turned to what most people would consider a good thing I'd done and find fault with myself (I do think it is just a physical/hormonal reaction to the tense moments of the movies I watch, but it does plague my mind and requires prayerful attention). When the movie was over I shook my head and said to my husband that I can find guilt in my life even when I've done good and not bad.

Sometimes I battle before going to church. I fear going, because I do not want to sit in the pew and be condemned by the sermon. A silly fear, really. Again, a ploy of Satan to keep me from God's house. If Satan's at work, hurt from guilt only intensifies and grows, spreading through me like cancer.

Over the years, I've learned that when the Holy Spirit does the convicting, peace and healing come soon after.

To prepare for church, I pray. What I know needs to be confessed is confessed. What I know needs to be brought before the Lord, is brought before Him. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. (Psalm 51:7-8)

I am perpetually at war with my flesh. If it were not for Christ, I would be condemned, and I would experience condemnation.

However, because of Christ, I have life and can live by the Holy Spirit. All praise and glory be to Him. But what happens when I do sin, even though I am saved?

I John 1:9 says:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We so easily condemn ourselves. We stand in judgment and end up hindering our walk. Self-condemnation freezes us, keeping us from pleasing God.

Pleasing is different than serving. We exist, and therefore we have the potential to please God. Serving requires action.

Even though I will not experience condemnation, when I sin my ability to serve God is hindered. But that doesn't mean I can't please Him after I have confessed and repent.

And when I listen to the lies of Satan, accusing me of wrong doing, I need to resist him. That is why--in those moments of guilt--I pray. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-2)

If I am consumed with false guilt, listening to the lies of Satan, I cannot please God. Because I love God, I desire to please Him.

I had an old horse, Woody, who served me well. He was perhaps one of the most obedient horses I have ever worked with. He truly had a tractable heart. But in his last years he developed arthritis and found even easy work difficult to do. Eventually, he was retired to be a "grooming horse." I loved to brush him. I'd talk to him and give him a treat, and he'd nuzzle me back or rub his head on my arm. This provided me great pleasure and comfort. He wasn't usable as a lesson horse anymore, but he was still a great friend.

Even when I am physically incapable of serving God, I can bring Him pleasure.

I think sometimes we put more value on serving God than He does.

We were created for His pleasure.

So we mess up. So did Peter. So did the woman caught in adultery.

Both experienced God's grace. Both had to live with their past and the consequences of it, but both were created for God's pleasure. And in loving God, they would find peace.

We know that once Christ re-affirmed Peter's love, Jesus had a specific task for Peter to do.

We don't know that of the adulterous woman. Yes, she could have spoken about Jesus to others and that would bring God glory and pleasure.

I pray many times a day for God to let me serve Him. My desire is to serve Him. Yet, I must also desire to please Him. Perhaps this should come first, for by pleasing Him, am I not also serving Him?

I'm a task-oriented person. A Martha-type. Sometimes I forget the importance of basking in the light of Christ. Just the sheer joy of being in His presence.

Being a task-oriented person, I naturally put far too much emphasis on the doing of things rather than on who I am in Christ--of the new creature He has made in me--of being Christ-like. God forgive me.

The fact is, how I behave myself (being loving, kind, patient, etc.) is far more important than accomplishing any task. What brings Him pleasure is allowing Him to dwell in me and manifest Himself through me to others. In other words, not what I do (in terms of accomplishing tasks), but who I am.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me....

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee....

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Psalm 51:10-17

God's Will. How Can You Know It?

We are created for God's glory and good pleasure. All that we do, therefore, should glorify Him. All that we think or say should glorify Him. All our aspirations, our desires, our deepest motivations as well as our most shallow motivations should glorify Him. Our hobbies, our careers, our entertainment, our nourishment, our fellowship, every relationship should bring Him glory.

If we could only hone in every minute aspect of our life to bring Him glory, we would please Him and be in His will.

Yes, sometimes He has a specific plan or direction for you, but you will find he guides you there when you have submitted your thoughts, your motivations, your desires, and your works to Him.

Motivation is why we do what we do. Rarely does a person have a single motivation for an action. Motivations are usually formed in layers. There is the obvious outward motivation. Then there is at least one inner motivation. Unfortunately, we are often unaware of our inner motivations.

To do the will of God, we must captivate our inner and outer motivation and purify them. Like threads in a cord, they must be woven together by a desire to please and glorify God. If one thread is weak, it weakens the whole cord.

For example, if a person desires to be a history teacher, her outer motivation might be a sincere desire for her students to learn about history. Some inner motivations that might also drive that person are:

• a personal love for history
• a love of telling/ordering people to do things
• a love to be the center of attention
• a love for the applause of men
• a love to be adored by students
• a lack of desire to do physical labor or whatever alternative she has to teaching
• a love for children

You'll notice in this list that some of the motivations are driven by pride. These are the threads that weaken the cord. Unfortunately, in our human state, we cannot escape these. How then can we glorify God if these exist? Psalm 51:17 says:

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Praise God for His Holy Spirit and for His mercy and grace. Through His Holy Spirit, motivations can be purged as we humbly surrender ourselves to Him. He convicts; our reaction should be to confess and repent. Each time He convicts, our reaction should be the same until that weak thread is removed and replaced with a stronger one or until the Lord calls us home to be with Him.

How are we to contain these motivations? By containing our thoughts.

For example, praise comes our way. how should we respond? A quiet thank you and glory given to God. Every good thing comes from Him. We shouldn't pat ourselves on our backs and puff out our chest and say to ourselves, "I was good, wasn't I." Only by God's grace can we be good.

In our flesh, we are capable of doing many great things, but they are for naught if we do not seek to offer them back to God.

So how are you to know the will of God?

God's will is first for us to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died as payment for our sins, was buried, and rose again so we might have life. Believing in this, we can glorify Him.

After this, you can know God's will by reading and studying the Bible, believing it to be the sole source of God's Words, and through prayer and fellowship with like-minded believers. His will has more to do with who you are than what you do.

Since we are created for His glory and for His good pleasure, then everything we set our minds to do must be done with the pure motivation of bringing Him honor and glory.

• not to please our church
• not to please our pastor
• not to please men
• not to please our family
  
• not even to please yourself

But to please God.

Blogging 2012

I'm setting out to be a rule breaker.

No. Don't remove me from your list. I'm setting out to break the rules of blogging...or to put it another way, I'm not going to follow conventional wisdom...at least for now.

Conventional wisdom or rule #1 - Plan.

My response for 2012: Not planning. :) Wow, big step for the all-time planner of every aspect of my life. Okay, perhaps 'not planning' isn't entirely true. However, I'm going to blog more by the "seat of my pants" than I have in the past.

Conventional wisdom or rule #2 - Content is King

My response. I know who I am. Sometimes I feel like I have a split personality (Romans 7 describes me perfectly). Some might say, "You can't tell her anything." Code for, she has a mind of her own. And others might say, "She cares too much about what others think." Both are true. What does that have to do with content? I'm going to write what I feel compelled to write, whether it is popular or not. I guess that isn't all that different from what I have been doing. The main difference is attitude. I'll not worry if anyone reads it, only that it honors and glorifies God.

Conventional wisdom or rule #3 - Post regularly, on the same day, at the same time of day.

This rule I'm definitely breaking and on purpose. I have a family. I have a church. I have other obligations. I love to write and blogging provides an outlet for that urge to write, but I don't want it to rule my life. I won't be blogging on any specific day or time...only as time and thought allows. Which is usually pretty regular and consistent. The big change is that I won't be worrying about getting my blog post up if life gets in the way.

Now those blogging gurus are shaking their heads and saying that I'll never succeed. But how are they measuring success? Probably not the same way I am.

However, I do have a pseudo plan and you, my readers, can judge whether the content is worth coming back for more.

Here's the plan. I've created three blogs:

Faith, Fiction, Fun, and Fanciful - this is my main blog. It will be where I hang out. I'll have my cup of coffee and chat about life, about what God is teaching me, and so forth. If someone decides to leave a comment and share a bit of her life, well that's wonderful. I'll welcome it (not spam) and enjoy the conversation.

Faith Journey Books - I'm going to be honest. I'm saddened by many of the novels I see published by those publishers who cater to the Christian Booksellers Association. Grieved, might be more accurate. I could rail against the publishers and authors, but to what end? Bitter hearts, I think.

Why am I grieved by these books? Because they are exchanging truth for a lie, and the godliness for the world's favor. They've been deceived into believing that you draw the world to Christ by living like the world and writing books that reflect this. Okay, that is a huge generalization. I realize that, but it is the root cause.

So Faith Journey Books will be a blog (and much more) that recognizes novels containing characters with clear spiritual journeys reflecting Biblical truth. There I will post my thoughts on what makes a good book as well as reviews. It will also be a teaching blog where authors can learn writing techniques. It it will be more...but some of that is still being thought out.

Presenting Biblical Truths - At this blog you'll find the Bible studies for Joab's Fire. When these are completed, we'll move onto my next book, A Week of Faith More Precious than Gold. And after that will be another book, and so on.

Each Friday I'll list the links to the posts for the week from these three blogs, with a short synopsis. At least, that is my tentative plan.

Okay, so I kinda conformed to blogging convention #1, but I'm hoping this will please God. After all, He's the only one I should want to please.

True Christian Faith Requires Humility

Already 2012 speeds ahead, like a thoroughbred from the starting gates, and I'm still wanting to reflect on last year.

True to my nature, I feel lost without a game plan...at least one that is down on paper, all the details worked out, and every aspect examined. But methinks this is the way of 2012...a walk in faith.

Have you ever thought about faith? Yes, we can quote Hebrews 11:1.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

But have you ever dug a little deeper?

I have hoped for success of this, that, or the other area. I've hoped for a husband, and the Lord blessed me with the perfect one for me. I've hoped for children, and He gave me wonderful ones who daily bless me.

But I think faith, as a follower of Christ, goes much deeper than that. The hope Hebrews 11 speaks of is not of this world. The faith, therefore, should not be focused on worldly things.

The faith Enoch had kept him from seeing death. The faith Noah had made him an heir of righteousness. The faith Abraham had caused him to leave all that was familiar to him and focus on a city whose builder and maker is God.

I look at 2012 and I feel a bit like Abraham. I have no idea what the year will bring, but I sense great changes will happen. Our carefully planning last fall did not contain easily foreseeable things. I believe God will be taking me places I've never been before. Whether I'll stay in those places, I don't know. But I do know I must walk in obedience, even as Abraham did.

Obedience is the testimony of faith. James 2:17 says:

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Easy to work obedience when you know precisely what acts you are to perform. Not so easy when obedience simply means watch and pray. At least for someone like me, who has to stay busy. Still, there is a peace when you obey even when it is simply to watch and pray.

A person who truly follows Christ exhibits his faith beyond a list of dos and don'ts. A quietness in the heart that trusts God to lead and keep him safe even when the world screams that's impossible or threatens to 'do you in'. The peace of God resides in that faith.

The willingness to die entirely to oneself and live wholly for the Lord requires faith. A person who makes his life a true living sacrifice isn't setting his hope on what the world will bring him or on the praises of men. Such a person focuses on an eternal hope and is driven by love, believing that the only way to live a full and wonderful life is to die to his physical and emotional desires and needs, and live sacrificially even as Christ did--taking the beating of the world in order to bring someone to a saving knowledge of God. This kind of faith that sent William Carey to India and Hudson Taylor to China. Oh that I could have such faith.

I think of David who knew God had a plan for him and was willing to wait for God to work the plan. That kind of faith requires humility. In fact, true Christian faith cannot act or accomplish anything except it be done in humility.

Last year I faced mountains of opposition that often brought me sorrow, not because of my loss but because of the losses others unknowingly received. Anytime someone chooses to follow the world instead of God, they have tremendous loss--maybe not in this world, but in the world to come. Yet,in the face of those mountains I saw God's hand, felt God's peace. I'd not trade that for anything.

I believe the trials I faced made me more heavenly-minded, stronger in faith, and more at peace. They contended with my pride and revealed to me how very much I needed Christ's perfect sacrifice. They increased my desire to be as Paul and to magnify Christ "whether it be by life, or by death" (Philippians 1:20).

2012 can bring what it may, but my God is greater. To Him be all glory, honor, and praise.