Are you ready for worship?

How do you prepare for worship? Peter gives us some important insight into this question.

1 Peter 1:13, "Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming."
1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..."

When arrival times and dress codes can naturally be among the first responses, it's important to look deeper. Before God delivered the law to Moses on mount Sinai, God called for a "day of preparation." Exodus 19 describes it this way, "And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate (set them apart as holy) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai..."

This was more than taking a bath and putting on their Sunday best; this was taking the right kind of attitude for worship.

Knowing what Jesus said about the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-39), and what He prayed for (John 17), and the central theme to nearly every epistle (love one another); it seems clear our heart is what really must be consecrated as holy to God. David said in Psalms 57:7, "My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music." And Psalms 139:23, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." Coming before God takes reflecting on God's will for us. Knowing and doing His will should get us excited about being in His presence.

Rehoboam, on the other hand, was labeled "evil" because he didn't "set his heart on seeking the Lord." (2 Chronicles 12:14). Having the right heart changes everything!

Hebrews 4:16, "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Our excitement, passion, and confidence comes when our hearts are truly prepared to be in God's presence. Are you ready for worship?

Moses, Jesus, and Freedom

In the Declaration of Independence there is a statement that goes like this, “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive… it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government… it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off [the oppressive type of] Government and provide new Guards for their future security.”

How far does your love for freedom go? These were the thoughts and sentiments that went through many of the colonials during the Revolutionary time period. They wanted to have the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness so much they were willing to make personal, and even serious sacrifices.

Independence Day marks a celebration of our brave ancestors who believed in a nation that could be built around Godliness and morality.

Consider the connection between Moses and Jesus, and their desire for a nation (or kingdom) built around the same sorts of things. They both fought for freedom, they both were called to do something challenging, they both were willing to give up so much to accomplish the task God gave them to do.

Hebrews 3:5-6 helps us see the connection more clearly, “Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.”

Moses and Jesus help us realize the level of commitment God requires of us. Taking time to celebrate our freedom by remembering our heritage of bravery is a great reminder for us to be vigilant and determined to listen to God.

Hebrews 3:7-8 continues by saying, “That is why the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness…’”

I hope the reminders of Mose's commitment to following God has helped to strengthen your resolve to follow Him more confidently.

A Father's Discipline

How do you define God? The dictionary defines Him as the Creator and ruler of the universe and source of all power and moral authority; the supreme being. But most folks won’t be compelled to follow God based on a definition in the dictionary. One concept that Jesus often promoted in His teaching about God was Father. He is our heavenly Father.

There are a lot of roles a father plays: teacher, provider, and disciplinarian, just to name a few. It’s the discipline part that can be one of the hardest aspects of God to accept. However, when we consider the words in Hebrews 12:5-7, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son. So, endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? … (9) How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! … “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness.”

God’s goal is that we would emulate His character; but how could we ever match up? Consider this scene in Genesis 22:1-14, Abraham’s call to be like God. Abraham was called to offer up his one and only son as a sin-sacrifice. The amazing thing is that Abraham was willing to do whatever it took to be faithful to God; He trusted the promises of God. How does our faith match up? He was willing to go through the discipline (the action of conforming to God’s character). Or as Hebrews 12:11 continues, “[discipline] produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Abraham’s heavenly father, and ours, wants us to enjoy the peace that makes up His nature, that He is earnestly helping us embrace. As our children grow older, it doesn’t take much effort to see if our “discipline” worked in their life or not. Our children’s actions can become a great source of pride, or a painful regret.

Proverbs 19:18, “Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don't, you will ruin their lives.” (NLT) At first glance this seems like an odd proverb, but this actually speaks of a father’s love. He wants to make you a better person, but to do that may require discipline. Proverbs 13:24, “He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.” And in Proverbs 22:15, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline will remove it far from him.”

Unfortunately, our culture doesn’t value the act of discipline very much. Whether it’s personal self-control or disciplining a child so they can learn from someone who loves them, rather than learning the hard way; we must learn to see how God has disciplined us so that we can be like Him.

Consider the great lengths that God has gone through to show loving discipline to His followers. Jesus came to offer us a better life. An abundant life (John 10:10), a life with a peace-filled purpose (Ephesians 2:10), an eternal life (John 17:3, John 3:16)!

Think about the sacrifices your father made. He wasn’t a perfect man, but did he do what was best for you? Not everyone can say yes to that, but we have a Heavenly Father who is willing and able to offer a wonderful life to those who will accept His discipline to shape us into a people with a character like His.

"What Are You Reading?"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

"Country Life"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

"Unexpected"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

'Random Act of Kindness"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

"Autumn Sonnet"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

"Naked Scalloped Potatoes"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

"Incident on Orwell Street"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

Overcoming Rejection in Christ

We don’t look forward to facing rejection, but it’s part of life. Our culture is built around achieving success, receiving rewards and appreciation for our accomplishments; but how do we prepare for times of rejection? Whether it’s a broken relationship, a lost friendship, or public embarrassment, how we handle those situations will not only impact how others view us, but also could alter how we view God. As believers in Christ, we have the privilege to turning to God’s inspired word to give us the proper guidance and encouragement we need to see us through the tough days. (2 Tim 3:16-17)

Just consider what David reflects on in the most popular Psalm in the Bible, Psalms 23: “The Lord is my shepherd (my guide and protector), I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

First, it’s important to understand that when you face rejection that it doesn’t mean you’re unlovable. However, if the reason you’re being rejected is because of some negative or ungodly choices you’ve made, then allow that pain of rejection to be a light to your path. Humble yourself and repent (1 Peter 5:6-7), seek help to overcome whatever it is, and do the best you can to remove yourself from whatever it is fueling what’s causing your rejection (James 4:7-8).

Otherwise, recognize how He refreshes your soul, how He is with you, how He comforts you, and how He anoints your head with oil (recognizes your value). Although we find these truths all throughout the Scriptures, it’s best illustrated in what Jesus did on the cross. Not just the torture and death of Jesus, but the deeper understanding of His willingness to face all of it so that you and I could be valued as God’s children, perfect in His sight.

Being reminded of the promises of God and seeing how far God was willing to go in order to keep those promises, can be excellent motivators for our daily struggles. We can allow rejection to determine how we feel and allow that feeling to color our idea of who we are, or we can choose to put that behind us and move forward on the basis of something that is far more lasting.

Colossians 1:3-6, “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel (the good news of Jesus's sacrifice for us) that has come to you. In the same way, that good news is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world…”

"Melting Away"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

"The Thanksgiving Tree"

Enjoy this new anthology from the Prosateurs! Inside its covers, you'll find short stories, recipes, humor, articles, memoirs, and more!

Purchase on Amazon here!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!

Purchase on BooksAMillion here!

Purchase on Lulu here!

New Anthology Released!

OKLAHOMA—The writing group Prosateurs announces the publication of the judged anthology Prosateurs: Tales & Truth. The anthology features short stories, recipes, humor, memoirs, poetry, devotionals, articles, and other works from the group’s members. It’s now available from Prosateurs members and online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BooksAMillion, and other retailers.

Author Kathy Akins won Best of the Book with a memoir of her mother’s battle with dementia. “It was honest, sincere, and well-written,” said Submissions Judge Gail Henderson. “A reader both sympathizes and learns from it.”

Henderson co-wrote the poetry collection Undying. She collaborated with noted Oklahoma photographer Michael Duncan to produce Bare, a book of poetry and photography that explores the enigma of womanhood in the world. She wrote Red Bird Woman, a collection of her poetry under the name Gail Wood. Her work has appeared in Blackbirds First Flight, Blackbirds Second Flight, Blackbirds Third Flight, Creations 2012-2014 and ByLine Magazine. She holds a Masters of Education in English and Social Studies from East Central University. Currently she serves on the Board of Directors for Lake Superior Writers, Duluth, Minnesota.

For more information, visit Prosateurs.blogspot.com.

Purchase on Amazon here!
Purchase on Barnes & Noble here!
Purchase on BooksAMillion here!
Purchase on Lulu here!

The anthology authors include:

Kathy Akins has won several awards with her poetry, devotionals, and short fiction. Her works were published in Blackbirds Third Flight and the Creations anthologies 2014-2015. A love for history, family, and animals inspires her stories. She lives in Oklahoma and shares her home with miniature long-haired dachshunds and a rescued Catahoula. Her dachshunds assist her when she presents educational programs for children in her capacity as an American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Ambassador. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and American Christian Fiction Writers. Visit kathyakins.blogspot.com.

Debbie Anderson wrote the novel Friend or Foe in 2018. A longtime storyteller, she has written stories since she was a child. The oldest of eight children she used these stories to entertain her siblings. She spent eighteen years in the travel industry. As a result she has been to nearly every state and six countries. She left the travel business after 9/11. Since then she has written business documents such as manuals and procedures for the electronic and oil industries. She writes short stories, memoirs, novels, children’s stories, and how-to books. She has been published in Creations 2017.

Stephen B. Bagley co-wrote the poetry collection Undying. He wrote Murder by Dewey Decimal, Murder by the Acre, Tales from Bethlehem, Floozy and Other Stories, and EndlesS. He wrote the plays Murder at the Witch’s Cottage and Two Writers in the Hands of an Angry God and co-wrote Turnabout, Hogwild, and There’s A Body in the Closet. His writings have appeared in Writer’s Digest, Blackbirds First Flight, Blackbirds Second Flight, Blackbirds Third Flight, ByLine Magazine, Nautilus Magazine, Tulsa World OKMagazine, and other publications. He graduated from Oklahoma State University. He is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. Visit StephenBBagley.blogspot.com.

Kelley Benson is a pastor who has a passion for using everyday opportunities to help people recognize how God works in their lives. He and his wife Jade are raising their  children to see how God should be part of everything people do. Since 1997, he has participated in a wide range of ministries and been involved with the investment industry, the insurance industry, teaching, and carpentry. He published On Target, a book of devotionals, and writes a weekly newsletter. His articles were published in Creations 2013-2015. He is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. Visit kelleybenson.blogspot.com.

Nita Beshear began writing as a young child. If her family wasn't moving from one state to another, they were moving across town. Stories gave her continuity. Her friends in her stories went with her to every new home. Beshear writes nonfiction, historical novels, and short stories. Her books include Devoted to Quilting and Beyond the Grief: A Widow's Survival Guide. Her fiction appeared in Romance-The Spice of Life. She is a member of the Material Girls (the Allen Oklahoma Quilters), McAlester McSherry Writers, Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., and Duncan and Okmulgee Toastmasters. Visit nitabeshear.wordpress.com.

Wendy Blanton published the novels, The Dragon’s Lady, Rogue Pawn, and Sword and Scabbard, under the name Elizabeth Joy. Her short stories appeared in Blackbirds First Flight, Blackbirds Second Flight, and Blackbirds Third Flight. She writes novels and short stories in several genres. She graduated from the University of Mount Olive, North Carolina, and served in the United States Air Force. An apprentice bard, she tells Celtic folk tales at Scottish Highland Games and other venues. She and her husband are members of the Clan Campbell Society. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. Visit wendyblanton.wordpress.com.

D. E. Chandler wrote the thriller Bone Sliver. In 2013, her poem, “Oppenheimer” and her short story “One Way Window” won honorable mention and publication in Outside the Lines. In 2015, her poem “Carroll After Dark” won first place and publication in the Tulsa Review’s 2015 Spring contest issue. Her works were also published in Blackbirds Third Flight, The Green Country Guardian, The Sapulpa Herald, and Sapulpa News and Views. She graduated from Rogers State University. She lives with her husband Tom in Oklahoma. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. and Oklahoma Women Bloggers. Visit dechandlerwrites.com.

Barbara Shepherd has received more than 300 writing awards. She is the Oklahoma 2017 Voice of the Fair Poet, a Lone Stars Poet, a Woody Guthrie Poet, and a former Nominee for Poet Laureate of the State of Oklahoma. Shepherd served as a field editor for Taste of Home and contributed to other magazines, including: Outlook, Oklahoma D.O., Oklahoma Woman, Edmond Life and Leisure, Bella, and ArtBeat. Her books include: The Potbelly Pig Promise, River Bend, Vittles and Vignettes, and Patchwork Skin. Her writing appeared in: Women’s War Memoirs, Heavenly Patchwork, Voices In Time, and numerous other publications. Visit barbarashepherd.com.

Joanne Verbridge was born in Oakland, California, spending her early life experiences in Northern California. Family brought her to Oklahoma where she enjoys writing memoirs and crafting. She works to inspire her young nieces to take an interest in story telling and writing. Her memoirs, short stories, and articles have been published in Oklahoma newspapers and in the Creations anthologies 2012-2015.