The Inspired Innkeeper

Joseph and Mary were making their way through the streets of Nazareth looking for a place to have the baby. By now, Mary was in labor and her water may have broken. Because the city was packed with people waiting to register their families, a place to stay was hard to come by. But they continued on, praying for a place of refuge. The one they knew God would provide.

There was an inn on the edge of town, one of their last hopes. When they knocked, the door opened to a room already bursting with people. Joseph pleaded with the innkeeper but the innkeeper knew he was already swamped with demanding guests. He wanted to help but he couldn’t. The innkeeper began to shut the door, when he had a thought…the stable outback! So he hollered for the couple to come back. He told them they could use whatever they found in the stable. That was the best he could offer.

Joseph thanked the man for his kindness. His main concern was Mary and the baby. The stable was not what he had wanted but it was shelter and private. Now…to witness the born of the long awaited King.

The quote that got me to thinking.

As I read through the typical quotes about how the Innkeeper was such a jerk for rejecting Jesus this year, I began to pray and ask the Lord if this assessment was accurate. I felt the innkeeper was getting blamed for something that was not his fault. The scriptures simply make a statement: …there was no room or place for him in the inn. (Luke 2:7)

As I pondered, these were some of my thoughts:

The Innkeeper had no idea who the couple was. He hadn’t been informed by a dream or visitation like Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. The man was just doing his job the best he could. However, he did give what he had and that was the stable. As they left, Mary and Joseph didn’t feel rejected but blessed with a safe haven to have their child. Did God inspire the innkeeper’s offer?

Jesus had to be born in a place where no one could take credit for or profit from the occasion. God wanted Jesus’s birth alone to be center stage not the cleverness or effort of mankind. Jesus would have no obligation to anyone from the start. Plus, wouldn’t all the noise and confusion from those in the inn spoiled or taken away from the glory God wanted to share with only those He trusted?

Jesus’s birth had to be protected because of those who were out to destroy Him. If Jesus had been born in the inn, the news would have been spread quickly after the confirmation of shepherds and the Wiseman. Caesar was clearly after information leading to the baby’s whereabouts. Would the story have been drastically changed?

It was a place where those whom God chose could come freely. In our view, the stable may not be the most sanitary conditions, but no one was there to shame the shepherds or laugh at and question the wisdom of the men who traveled so far (maybe even steal the gifts). This was God’s moment, God’s way. Peace and praise were the only things that mattered. Was there really a better way?

Today, when we are carrying the King of kings within us, life may not always be what we think it should be. God’s guidance does not always mean it will be the easy way. What it does mean is your faithfulness to find His pathway will always bring the biggest reward of protection, peace and praise. 

Boxes Filled With Love

Volunteering during the holidays brings joy to my heart. So…when a friend asked me to join her in going to Charlotte, I thought why not!

“What are we going to be doing?”

“ We are going to process the shoeboxes at Operation Christmas Child.”

Oh goodie! I’ve never done that before. This should be exciting.

And it was…..!

We came through the door and oh what a sight! The huge warehouse was filled with hundreds of volunteers busy at their workstations. The goal for 2014 had been 10 million boxes and we were there on the last shift on the last day to finish it up. What love and excitement filled the air.

The supervising volunteers gathered a group of us into a boxed off room to show us a video of what we would be doing and how to do it. I kept thinking Lord; just give me a job I can do well. None of it was hard but just overwhelming at first. Then we were shuffled all the way to the last workstation #30.

“All right, who can do what?” the tall blonde lady said.

When she came to box inspector, my hand flew up without a thought.

We must have gone through 300-500 boxes. At first I was slow and careful but soon (mainly when I relaxed) the skills began to flow. We were checking for items that can’t be sent like money, chocolate, anything camouflage/military looking (a Si Robertson doll had to be discarded) because the child could be harmed. There were boxes that were well thought out and others not so much. Some were bursting at the seams and others had to have items added. Why? Because Samaritan’s Purse believes every child deserves to receive a full box.

Out of all the boxes I examined, there is one that remains. Inside, were a used hair bush, two worn shirts, and a pair of well-worn flip flops. At first, I thought who would do such a thing.

Then the Lord spoke to my heart and said,

"Jesus Love us even when we mess up.
Put your hand on min."

“She gave the best she had.”

I fought tears from running down my face. Oh, how quick I was to judge. So then I apologized to the Lord and prayed this sweet giver would be bless for her faithful giving. (widow’s mite) Although, we can’t send used items, the original box was repacked, prayed over, and sent along its way.

****************

Operation Christmas Child is not just a few days in December. There are people volunteering all year around because filling, inspecting, and mailing the boxes is only a part of the total scope. Teams of people come together around the country to serve in the specific areas of prayer, church relations, community relations, and media relations.

And if a child receives a box…then they can participate in a discipleship program.

More than 2.8 million children from 150 countries have participated in The Greatest Journey, the 12-lesson discipleship program created by Samaritan’s Purse. The Greatest Journey is one of the largest discipleship programs in the world, implemented through a global church network to help children know and follow Jesus Christ.

So each child not only gets a gift, but an invitation to eternity.


I pray heart-filled blessings on each child 
who is to receive a box and may each one see and 
fulfill their God-given destinies. 

If you have done it unto the least of these,

you have done it unto me....Jesus 
(Matthew 25:40)

Put you hand in mine and
we can pray together.

Become a part of something greater then yourself this season or even in the coming year. You may think it will be too small to matter but it’s not. God can/will multiply the limited results you see. And…what you don’t see, may have eternal value for someone you may never meet. So…Cast those vain imaginations down and see what you can discover to do in your area. The receiver will be eternally grateful.

My Necklace of Pearls

After years of challenges and moments of despair, I felt like a failure. I asked God if I would ever get to the place where I could really be use by Him again. I wondered because the sense of discouragement seemed to clothe me securely.

The Lord responded with a picture of a beautiful pearl necklace in my mind’s eye and spoke gently to my spirit:

“The circumstances you have gone through trouble you. Some circumstances were caused by your stubbornness and others were demonic assignments. Nevertheless, I have been with you through them all. And now, I need you to grasp each of those lessons in a fresh way.

I designed this special necklace especially for you. The pearls represent each situation you overcame by My guidance and power. Just like the oyster suffers pain in growth, you have suffered pain in growth. The oyster covers his pain with something priceless. You have learned to cover your pain with something priceless as well… My Wisdom and Glory. Now I desire to line up those experiences with a knot of grace between each one so they will never pour back into your lap again. As you learn to wear this necklace of love humbly, I will use you greatly. When I lead, share one of your treasured pearls for My glory. This necklace, my child, is the key to your joy-fill-ed witness for the days to come.”

“Thank you Lord. Your words calm my heart,” I said. But then I asked another question, "How will I ever get rid of this guilt and shame?

"When you are ready to put up your shield of faith to quench all the enemy's negative thought-filled reminders of your past and are willing to let go of your obsession with self-condemnation, then you can and will move on. Afterwards, I will be able to grace-fill-ly knot and secure all those pearls together and secure them around your neck with the blood of Jesus.”

I have wasted so much time meditating on ‘what ifs’ or ‘I should have known better’. Life should have been so different. Then I realized the 'shoulds keep the shame alive'. Yet, again I realized even if I had made wiser decisions then, I would have eventually made an error in judgment later.

Wisdom training is a must in God’s kingdom. I can’t avoid trouble forever. God designs my life to be filled with instructional moments from a variety of sources. What I need to remember at all times is this: God’s grace is sufficient.

Having this special pearl necklace reminds me…all is not lost. God intends to use everything I do right or wrong for His glory. When I get off track, God still marks the journey as valuable and that brings me joy.

How about your pearls that came at a great price? Will you allow God to line them up and show you off? God is so proud of you and the way you hung on to Him. You may feel disqualified. Don’t despair! God plans to use all those 'unseemly parts' to minister grace and hope to many.

Go ahead…quench the enemy’s thoughts of failure, pick a pearl and courageously share how God changed your life.

Missing You

Why was the Lord sending me to a writer’s conference? I thought after Patti gave me a word of direction. Oh…I know. God needs to give me a swift ‘kick in the pants’. I haven’t written much in the last four months even though my computer functions great now. (Thanks to David, my son.)

Day after day, I kept putting God off with what I thought were valid reasons. The couple of weeks turned into over four months. My writing Buddy kept encouraging me to schedule time to write. Until one day, I sensed God stood His ground and send me that word. It was like He was standing there before me tapping His foot, crossing His arms and raising a brow. He knew the urgency of de-cluttering my house had overshadowed the importance of what He wanted to do through my blog. Turns out those valid reasons… they were only hollow excuses.

So with a humbled heart and a new notebook in hand, I journeyed up the mountain nearby to allow God to inspire me over the next four days. Within three big comfortable sofas and a few chairs, there were two gifted speakers and 30 of us inquisitive aspiring writers. I had heard most of the basic information before. However, the intimate setting, the open discussion, and the friendships I was forming delighted me.

As I crawled into bed after the third long day, I asked the Lord again if there was something more specific that He wanted to say. I had been inspired by the group’s creativity and vision but I felt like there was something more I was suppose to receive…maybe something personal.

Early the next morning, as I began waking up before the alarm, I heard the Lord say in my spirit:

“But I miss you.”

I sat up as my heart melted to the core. Tears formed. I knew the Lord had just expressed some of his His deeper feelings. I sensed He felt like a spurned sweetheart/husband. I had pushed Him away long enough and He desired to rekindle the intimacy again. He enjoyed our weekly writing time together because we connected on a much deeper level. I asked for His advice and gave Him praise when the inspiration came. We had even laughed and had fun at times. He enjoyed seeing me thrive in His presence.

My response:

Awwwww…I miss you too.

Needless to say, my writing took on a fresh perspective. I began by renewing my purpose for writing…to share with others what the Lord shares through the everyday events in my life. Later, as I mulled over His words, I was so touched by the Lord’s love and steadfastness to save our writing relationship.

It wasn’t a swift kick in the pants at all. It was the ‘Lover of my soul’ wooing me back to his arms.

But from thence ye shall seek Jehovah thy God, and thou shalt find him, when thou searches after him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.  

Duet. 4:29 (ASV)

Persistant Faith

Last week, I and one other person were privileged to pray for a middle-aged Christian man, Gary, who had liver cancer. I sensed the presence of the Lord strongly when we anointed him with oil and commanded the cancer to leave. As the session ended, I felt like the Lord had stressed three points to Gary. Maybe they will speak to you in your situation, too.

Know The Resurrection’s Power of Christ

The Lord gave me a vision for Gary. I saw the inside of a hole in the ground in the woods. The bottom was covered with a single row of large soft leaves like Lamb’s Ear. When I looked up, I saw the simmering rays of the sun illuminating the bed of leaves. It was a peaceful even joyous scene. Then the sunlight left and a flashlight entered the hole. Its light went from side to side like it was searching for something. Then I sensed it was a grave.

What does this mean Lord?

“You can search all you want, but I am not there. The empty tomb is all the proof you need to know that I rose from the dead to give you power over the works of the enemy. Come boldly before the Throne of Grace.”

Take Communion

Taking communion frequently helps us to remain focused on Christ and what He has done. The Resurrection of Christ was not for the forgiveness of sins alone, but it also gave us the power to renew our mind and receive healing for our body as well

Psalm 103:

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me,

Bless His holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forgot not all His benefits.

Who forgives all of your sins

And heals all your diseases.

Keep the faith.

Then at the end, the Lord said this:

“Tell Gary he does not have to have great faith to receive his healing but he does have to have persistent faith.” Then the Lord gave me this scripture:

Luke 17:5-6

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith-that trust and confidence that springs from our belief in God."

And the Lord answered, “If you have faith (trust and confidence in God) even as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots, and be planted in the sea’, and it would obey you.”

What does persistent faith look like? It means we continue to stand and believe in God’s truth even though we may face opposition, obstacles, and discouragement. How is persistent faith maintained? By pursuing the word of God and listening to the testimony of others who have used persistent faith to win their battles.

Are you going through some tough times? Difficulties like cancer or others like a job loss will test our perseverance no matter how much faith we think we have. The enemy is out to steal, kill and destroy all of us and he will not give up easily. But with God’s steadfast strength, our persistent faith, and the revelations we gain from the study of His Word, we will come out on the winning side, alive and well.

My computer has been severely messed up. I hope to get it fixed soon. Thanks for your patience.