Be A Boaz

The more I read Boaz, the more fascinated I am.

To my sons:

Here is what I see in the life of Boaz:

He was kind and gentle.
He was a protector and a provider.
He walked in purity and integrity.
He played his part in redeeming God's people.


Take time to read chapters 2-4. Write out your observations regarding his life. He truly was a type of Christ.

I pray for you, my sons, that you will be as Boaz. His name means strong. He was strong, but he was also tender. May you study him and seek to imitate his life.

I love you!
Mom

Judge Not, Lest You Be Judged

Judge Not, Lest You Be Judged


When God says: judge not, lest you be judged! He means it!

Recently, I had a funny phone conversation with a friend! It seems we (my friend and I) are living everything we ever judged in someone else.

We were laughing, only to keep from crying. It’s a truth we didn’t take seriously. We didn’t fear God.

Beloveds, beware of judging. The root is pride. The results are painful. When you are tempted to judge or see yourself as superior, repent every time.

Learn benevolence towards others. Your good times today may be bad tomorrow. And their bad times today may be good tomorrow.

Judge Not. You do not know what your future holds.

Obstacle Course

In Ps 18:29, David says:

For by You, I can run upon a troop
And by My God, I can leap over a wall.

I like this analogy. Run upon a troop? I’m too scared. Leap over a wall? I’m too weak. Only by God’s grace, could I do either.

LIfe is like an obstacle course. Rarely are there long stretches of smooth, lush terrain. In contrast, we face one hurdle after another. And the only way to move forward is to embrace each challenge as it comes. The righteous are as bold as a lion.

Three things to remember:
See each challenge as God ordained.
See yourself as too weak and too wimpy for the task.
Turn to Him and depend on His strength and abilities, not yours.

In the end, He gets the glory.
Beloveds, embrace the obstacles God has for you. And with every obstacle, pray for God’s glory to be on display.

What obstacles are you facing?
List them. Sometimes there are more than one!
What are some additional scriptures to help you?

t

Today’s Yearning


Beloveds, today’s yearning is for our faithfulness. Not just ours, but also for the generations to come.

One day, I will depart to my heavenly home, and this is my hope. As each of you arrive in heaven, I will see God saying:

Well done, my good and faithful servant.


This picture makes me cry. I yearn for this.
No matter your lot in life, be faithful. Times will get tough. Following Christ is not the easy road, but He is with you. And He will help you.

I look forward to our heavenly reunion. What a day of rejoicing that will be! Until then, be faithful. Faithful unto death.

The Little Drummer Boy

As I pray for church tomorrow, a song keeps playing through my head. The Little Drummer Boy.

A boy with nothing to bring the King, yet he went to worship Him anyway. All he had was his drum, so he played for Him.
In turn, the King smiled at him.

What a beautiful picture of a humble heart. We must go to church in humility, realizing that we are poor and needy, unfit for a King, yet offering all we have.

Beloveds, although your gifts seem meager, use what you have. Do your best for him. And just like He smiled at the little drummer boy, He will smile at you.

Little Drummer Boy by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone in 1958.

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum 

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum 

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum 

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum, 
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
 

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum, 
When we come. 



Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
 
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum 

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum 

That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum, 

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, 



Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, 

On my drum? 


Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
 The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum 

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
 I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
 
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, 



Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
 
Me and my drum. 


Our First Twelve Months

Beloveds, this week is our 18th wedding anniversary.

I just want to share a few things from our first 12 months. We were 31. Very different. Very set in our ways, but loved God.

Contrary to counsel, I didn’t work. Instead, we went door to door doing evangelism, led Bible Studies, did a VBS in our driveway, ministered to the neighborhood kids, helped start two churches, and saw one Muslim man get saved.

Our house was ugly, but I decorated it anyway. I made green, pink, and blue curtains. Our comforter was Florida looking, yellow and blue. We bought all our furniture second hand, second hand. When we finished, I loved it.

Fun and funny things I remember:
Surfing in the swimming pool (Dad did anyway!)
The thump in the night
Wet clothes draped across clothes lines in our living room
Bruce (our red neck neighbor)
“The weird wobbers”
Red hair
Aleem, Alia, and Fred, (our neighborhood children)
Watching Muslims do their salats in our neighbor’s living room, facing our house.
Our first meal in a restaurant, six months after we married! Someone else paid.
On the evening of our one year anniversary, eating seafood at a breezy restaurant on the beach.


I cherish these memories! Not much money, but lots of fun.

I also cherish your Dad. He has never wanted me to work, just be by his side. He has never wanted me to worry about money. He bears the responsibility. HIs trust is in God, not himself. Through the good times and the bad times, he is immovable. He says he’s not patient, but he is (with me anyway!) He was a rock then, and he’s a rock now.

A marriage with great memories attached are a gift from God. I pray God will give you that same gift. Until He does, I encourage you to pray and prepare for a spouse, now. It’s work, but it’s well worth it!

Perennials

Last fall, I peered out our bedroom window and noticed a familiar scene.
Rod, with satisfaction on his face, dragging my beloved vine up the driveway.

Wrapped around our mailbox, was once a flourishing vine, one of my favorites. But to Rod, it was an overgrown weed. Yes. Even after 18 years of marriage, we still have clashing ideas when it comes to trees and vines! ;-)

In shock, I ran out to complain. The mailbox was bare. And there were no visible sign of life. Not even the stump.

As difficult as this was, I had a glimmer of hope. God resurrects perennials, EVEN when there is no sign of life. This brings Him glory.

Fast forward. Nine months later, while getting the mail, I looked down and noticed something grand and wonderful. Almost overnight, the vine had grown by a foot. Comfort and joy flooded my heart, not because of it’s coming beauty, but because of the candid reminder of God’s faithfulness.

God prunes us. He disciplines us. He even sends the locust to devour us. But, no need to despair. When we return and repent, He relents. He restores to new life those who are bowed down.

Beloveds, when you are painfully pruned, remember God will never destroy you. We are like perennials. He restores you back to health. He makes a wilderness green. He causes the barren tree to bear fruit. He makes the fig tree and the vine to give their full yield. (Joel 2)

Fear not. Like a perennial, you will return to fruitfulness.

(Taken from the book of Joel)

Perrienials

Proverbs 24:15
For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.

Just like a Perriennel.......

Self-Controlled and Sober-Minded

I Peter 4:7

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers

God is serious.

Embed this command deep in your hearts. We must leave the temporal behind and focus on the eternal. The ESV Study Bible rightly comments on this verse: "believers are to be self-controlled and sober-minded so that they may be devoted to prayer and maximize their usefulness in God's kingdom".

Beloveds, filter your activities and how you spend your time. Ask: Is this eternal? Is this the best use of my time?

Someone who is not self-controlled and sober-minded might be doing good things, but not the best things. Learn to discern the works God has ordained for you. Weed out the rest. Maximize your time in prayer. Maximize your usefulness in God's kingdom.

If you feel passionate about any other thing, fast from it! Forsake it. Remove it from the center of your heart. It's OK to have fun, but not if it gets in the way of prayer and spreading His kingdom. This is a discipline that requires self-control and sober-mindedness. Hopefully, it will be ours for generations to come.

.

The Veto Verse

Today, I sat down and wrote out God's will for my life.

As I stared at my paper, satisfaction and peace flooded my soul. I have a plan. I have purpose!

Then I turned to Proverbs 16, the Proverb of the day.

Proverbs 16:1
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

Phooey! It's that same verse! The veto verse!

Beloveds, God has veto power! Make plans, set goals, but please keep them on the altar!!!

Your plans may or may not be established. And if not, trust Him. When He vetoes your plans, it's a win-win situation. He gets glory, and you get rewards.

How To Be Blessed

From birth, we are like sponges....

We desire to soak in, and not give out.

Everywhere we go, we crave popularity and praise. We prefer to talk about ourselves. We even evaluate social settings wondering, Am I getting attention? Are people talking to me? Am I being left out?

This is sin. It's called self-absortion.

Beloveds, we must repent and do the opposite.

In every situation, ask God to use you to bless others. Forget about yourself. Focus on others. Seek to build His kingdom. And, in so doing, you will be blessed.

I Peter 3:9 says to:
...bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Field Workers

Sometimes I have stray thoughts. For example, that one of our children will become a doctor. Not so that he could serve as a medical missionary, but so that we might enjoy financial security. Walking by sight, not by faith. This is an absurd thought.

That’s not really the desire of my heart. My real desire is that we will all be “field workers”. God’s kingdom is like a field, and He needs workers for His field. Workers who will be faithful and persevere through the good times and the bad times.

Our responsibilities remind me of field workers. Removing rocks, pulling weeds, plowing, planting, pruning, and watering.
According to the season, all of the above are required.

His field is large, but He assigns every worker one portion of it. Gladly receive your portion of the field and labor diligently to cultivate it. Your work will not be in vain. He makes a barren land into a fertile field. He makes a fertile field into a forrest. And in His time, He will cause righteousness and praise to spring up.

So, improve your skills. Be diligent. Persevere. One day, we will drop our shovels and receive our reward!

The Royals and the Cross

I can’t stop gawking at the royal wedding pictures of Prince William and Kate. Their beauty and majesty is captivating. They look like Ken and Barbie, they live in luxury, and the entire world seems to worship them. How fairy tale-ish !!!

Now contrast the future king of England with the King of Kings. Jesus’ life on earth was just the opposite.

He was born in a lowly stable. He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him. He had no beauty that we should desire him. And He had no where to lay His head.

He was despised and rejected by men.

He was smitten by God.

He was obedient to the point of death.....

Let’s see what scripture has to say about this discrepancy!

Matthew 16:26-
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.


Prince William and Kate enjoy a lavish lifestyle. In a sense, they have gained the whole world. But, unless they repent, they will forfeit their soul.

Christ, on the other hand, suffered as a servant, died on a cross, but now sits at the right hand of God.

Beloveds, forget fairy tales. Take up your cross and follow Christ.

Tornado in a Trailer Park

One of our favorite "funnies" is when Mater (in Cars) says, he's "happier than a tornado in a trailer park!"

Just the thought of it makes me smile. No doubt, tornados seem to enjoy mutilating trailer parks!

But, that is not the point of this blog! I was just trying to get your attention!

Beloveds, life will occasionally be like a tornado in a trailer park! Strong storms and violent winds will rumble through your life. However, there is good news.

You are anchored! You are built on a sure foundation. No matter the wind speed, you will not topple. Wait on Him.
For the same God who sends the storm, will calm the storm.

In the mean time, don't fear the storms. Fear Him. Strengthen your foundation by spending time with Him. Meditate on His Word and obey Him. No matter the severity of the storm, Matthew 7 promises those who hear and obey Him, his house will stand.

Beloveds, by God's grace, we will never look like a mutilated trailer park. We will stand.

Perrienials

A Mountain I Can Not Move

Beloveds, there are mountains I can not move. In other words, there are trying situations that I can not change. You will face the same problem one day.

So, what are we to do?

Lay down and sleep. Trust in the Lord. Give your immovable mountain to Him. He is the One who placed it there, so commit that mountain to Him. He will move it in His time.

In Ps 4:8, David declares in the midst of his impossible circumstances, "In peace I will BOTH lie down and sleep!"

Beloveds, when immovable mountains materialize in your life, be still. Keep silent. Trust in Him. He will move it.

One Small Piece

As a child, I enjoyed working jigsaw puzzles.

Finding that perfect puzzle piece always gave me much satisfaction, especially when working a 1000 piece puzzle. Almost every piece would be tiny, with only a vague image splattered across it. Standing alone, the piece seemed insignificant. However, it wasn't. The puzzle was incomplete without it.

Beloveds, our lives are like those tiny puzzle pieces. We are a small piece in God's plan.

Seek to fulfill the ministry God has ordained for you. And although your role may seem insignificant, it's not. On that final day, you will be rewarded for being faithful, not for being great.

Whenever we couldn't find a puzzle piece, we would start searching through the shag carpet or under the couch. It was frustrating. Without it, there was no final rejoicing. Don't be AWOL. Report for duty. Be the small piece God has designed you to be.

Read Col 4:7-18: Identify some of the small puzzle pieces who have helped build God's kingdom.
What was their role? How does Paul describe Tychicus? How does Paul describe Onesimus? What is the common adjective Paul uses to describe them? What are some ways you can be faithful in serving the Lord today?

An Abundance for Every Deed

Today, I finally did the deed I dreaded. Taking another meal to a family in need. Short on money and low on energy, I drove to the grocery store. And as usual, with no time to spare, I had to shop at one of the most expensive grocery stores. I just prayed the ingredients I needed would be on sale. Praise the Lord they were! He intervenes for me in so many ways!

After returning home and unloading the groceries, I heard that voice I so love to hear. His! He whispered, “an abundance for every good deed”. What a comfort to hear His voice. Although I was struggling to obey Him, yet He spoke to me!

At that moment, I knew I didn’t need to worry. He would provide.

The story gets better. Strangely, I looked over the receipt from the store, which I never do. The store had overcharged me for the chicken. I called the store and the manager assured me, “no problem, we will give you full refund”. Rod returned with the receipt and the manager at first gave us full refund for only one package. And then, because of her frustration, just decided to refund ALL the money we spent on chicken. $38!!!!

Beloveds, God’s grace is sufficient. He gives an abundance for every good deed! (2 Cor 9:8)
Read I Kings 17 for a fitting illustration of this truth.

The Memory of the Righteou is a Blessing

Stealing

Lately, I've had several opportunities to steal! Strange.

One opportunity was while in Walmart. The cashier loaded up my cart with an extra trashcan, without scanning it. After getting back to the car, I realized what had happened. It was just $2.50. But, by God's grace, we returned it.

Another was at Harris Teeter. The cashier accidentally, without realizing it, only rang up one basket as opposed to three. $8.00 savings! I paused for a moment to think of how nice it would be to save $8.00.

Thankfully, by God's grace, it was only a fleeting thought. So, we called the manager to come and correct the total.

It seems another incident recently happened at Giant. So, why am I sharing these silly episodes! Because it was an opportunity to steal. At some point, I'm sure you will have that temptation as well. So, lets learn from it!

Our hearts are greedy. Downright greedy. "Tight money" and a greedy heart are a bad mix. A mix so bad it could lead to stealing.

Beloveds, it's better to be right with God than it is to be rich.

Proverbs says:
Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.


So, if you are ever in a position where your money is tight (and it will be at some point!) be on guard against greed. Instead, trust in the Lord. His name is Jehovah Jireh. The Lord Provides. You don't need to steal. He will provide.

(Proverbs 28:25)

Humility

From reading the Psalms, it seems to me that David spent hours praying and pleading for mercy. Why? He saw himself as poor and needy, "small and despised". He knew he needed a Savior. Thus, his writings were drenched in humility. And, his prayer life was frequent and fervent.

This kind of humility doesn't come easy. Many times God will sovereignly design your circumstances, as he did David's, to magnify your weakness. It's like putting on corrective glasses. Suddenly, you realize just how weak, feeble, and stupid you really are. And finally, you make your boast in Christ alone.

Beloveds, until you undergo David-like conditions, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. Maybe you won't have so far to fall!

Do Nothing On Your Own Initiative

We have lots to learn from Gracie and Molly!
Obedience, disobedience, importance of relationship, just to name a few.

However, one lesson that continues to cross my mind is this: Gracie doesn't do anything on her own initiative. With a watchful eye, she studies Molly and then imitates everything she does. Gracie has learned to love what Molly loves, and hate what Molly hates. When Molly barks, she barks. When and where Molly potties, she potties. If Molly goes outside, she goes outside. If Molly chases a squirrel, she chases a squirrel. Gracie does nothing on her own initiative.

John 5:30 instructs us to do the same thing: We are to do nothing on our own initiative, but only what we hear and see the Father doing.
Jesus said, "I can do nothing on My own initiative.........

How can we apply this truth?
Realize you are a sinner and incapable of making the right decisions apart from God's help.
Realize you are a sinner and incapable of speaking the right words without the Lord.
Carefully study Christ. Learn His Word and His ways.
Learn to listen, pray, watch, and wait patiently on Him.

Beloveds, the longer you walk with Him, the more you will be able to discern His voice, and know how to follow His initiative.
John 10:27 says that His sheep listen to His voice, and they follow Him...

As His sheep, be His follower. Do nothing on your own initiative.

Whether You Feel Like It or Not

Lately, getting up and reading my Bible has been a chore. Dogged by going to bed too late and not feeling well, my strength and desire for the Word has diminished. This bothers me. Why don't I want to read my Bible? Do I have sin in my life? Or is this just a result of my physical exhaustion? Whatever it is, I must not concede.

Finally, this morning, I reluctantly rose from bed to seek God. Begrudgingly, I began by reading Psalms. After reading one chapter, I was weary and ready to return to bed. However, by God's grace, I continued to force myself to read another chapter and another chapter. I felt bored and unaffected, but finally something supernatural occurred. Like unthawing your feet in front of a warm fire, my cold heart slowly began to warm. The Word gradually began to revive my heart.

It wasn't easy. It took obedience. Obedience to crawl to God's throne whether I felt like it or not.

So, Beloveds, why do I share this with you? If I would have listened to my feelings this morning, I would have missed God. Don't miss out on God. By faith and obedience, spend time in His Word. Whether you feel like it or not, draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. He will unthaw your cold heart.

Precious Promise!

Tonight as I was praying:

Father, please do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think... Please save my children. Please turn my children’s hearts to You.

God quickly brought this long cherished promise to mind!

I John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that If you ask anything according to His will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.


Thanks Lord for this promise! Now I can rest. As sure as the sun will rise, my children will one day worship You and You alone.

David's Possible Praise Song!

After David defeated Goliath, this could have been his praise song!

"Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus!"

Here is the chorus:

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!


Beloveds, my prayer is that we, the Fultz and our descendents, prove Him O'ER and O'ER !!!!!!
O for grace to trust Him more!


If you are still reading, the whole song is below!!! ;-)


"Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His Word,
Just to rest upon His promise, Just to know: "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!


O how sweet to trust in Jesus Just to trust His cleansing blood,
Just in simple faith to plunge me 'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!


Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus, Just from sin and self to cease,
Just from Jesus simply taking Life and rest, and joy and peace.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!


I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!

Win Battles Now; Win Battles Later

Just read I Samuel 17. David and Goliath.

My prayer for you today is that you will win battles now, so that you will win battles later.

While David was under his Dad's care, David learned many things. One was to how to fight and win battles. This is huge, beloveds. Your trials and temptations now will one day be dwarfed by much bigger ones. Some of them will be giants. Impossible for you, but possible for God.

So what can we learn from David for now, so that we can experience victory later?

Learn to love His Word and hide it in your hearts as a priceless treasure....it will one day deliver you.
Learn to trust Him in all situations....he is sovereign over the "giants" in your life
Learn now all things are possible with God..........no matter the giant, He will help you.

Beloveds, run to Him, trust in Him, depend on Him.
If you learn to win now, you will win later.
For the battle is the Lord's (I Sam 17:47)