Lynna Clark

By Lynna Clark

One of my favorite passages of all times, Nehemiah 8:10-12 says “Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength! And the Levites too, quieted the people telling them, ‘Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.’ So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.”

As Soloman says in Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven…. A time to tear down, a time to rebuild; A time to cry and a time to laugh; A time to grieve and a time to dance. Hard junk; Good junk; Sad stuff; Happy stuff; Days to hurt; Days to boogie… Joy is much sweeter AFTER the sorrow.

Some well-meaning Christians have the idea that we are to live in giddy oblivion, somehow mindlessly skipping through trials with a happy face. Could it be that God knows we are living in a real world, with real heartache? Do you imagine that He is aware of how hard life is?

Yesterday, when I was using the verse about calling Him Abba, Father, I went to BibleGateway.com to find the reference. It was interesting to see that Jesus, when praying in the garden, that the cross and all its shame would somehow disappear, called His Father “Abba.” He was as close to Him then as ever. Yet He knew our sin would be laid on His back on the cross. Did He go skipping up Golgotha? Scripture says that as He prayed in the garden, His sweat was like great drops of blood. What anguish of soul He experienced.

Look at Hebrews 12:2 KJV- Speaking of Jesus it says, “Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He DESPISED the shame. However, for the joy to come, He endured the cross. What’s even more incredible is that saving ME is part of the joy to come. Amazing!

Is it God’s will that we always be happy? Sorry. Should we at least pretend? Nope. Here’s the scoop. Life is hard. But God is good. And no matter how heavy the crap storm we are caught in, there is a joy set before us. We may despise the circumstances, but Heaven is waiting. It is THAT joy that is our strength; the wonderful assurance that no matter what we go through here, it is temporary! Are your eyes fixed on Jesus, the One Who has been here and done this? There’s your joy and your strength. You can make it. He will carry you through the nights of weeping and deliver you to a joyous new morning!

Dear Lord today, we ask for joy. We ask for real understanding of what You’ve done for us. We ask that You remind us continually today that You are in charge and nothing enters our lives that You don’t allow. Make us strong for You. Make our church strong enough to share that joy with others. Thank You for Your great sacrifice at Calvary, because You love us that much!

More: Mark 14:36; Hebrews 12:1,2; Psalm 30:5

By Lynna Clark

Back to Nehemiah 7:70. The Lord gives us another list of numbers and people. “Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work.” Then he tells who gave what. Gifts ranged from 19 pounds of gold, which sounds huge, until you get to the 1.3 metric tons given. What beautiful generosity! The Lord also gives details of those who gave useful things like basins and robes for the priests. Cool. This little paragraph, verses 70-72, looks almost like an “Oh, by the way, some people gave.” It came so naturally.

We attended a revival meeting in Charlotte one time when we were so poor that there was nothing in our pockets. And there sure wasn’t anything in the checkbook. The renowned evangelist bellowed from up front, “As the ushers come by, if they notice you don’t put anything in the offering, they will assume you have nothing and they will hand you something to give!” I could have literally crawled under the pew. I was almost sick on my stomach with worry as the ushers approached us. The dude in the beautiful suit had no idea what we were going through. Kinda makes me bitter just recalling the event. People have a way of tainting our hearts when it comes to giving.

Scripture speaks to us about money in a different tone. The Lord already knows what we have, and what we don’t. Remember the story of the little widow who dropped in her last coin? Jesus was so pleased to point her out to His friends, because He knew how poor she was. At that time in history, rich people were assumed to be granted immediate access to Heaven and favor with God. In the story of the rich young ruler, who went away sorrowful, Jesus says, “Sure is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom.” The disciples say, “Well if the rich can’t enter, who can?” It’s then that Jesus points out that the ones who give up houses, friends, riches, etc. are the ones rewarded a hundred times more!

In the story of the guys given money to invest for their boss, the reminder at the end says, “Faithful in little things, ruler over many.” What is the little thing? It’s money. Money is such a big thing to us. It gets us stuff. To the Lord though, it’s a little thing.

“…ruler over many.” Ruler where? What’s He talking about? Do you think He saves us so we can float on clouds? I’m not well versed on prophesy. But I do know He speaks often of the Kingdom. Even in the Lord’s prayer, He tells us to ask for it to come. Maybe we’ll be rulers there? Just a thought.

Money; it’s a test of faithfulness; a trust monitor; an opportunity to bless; a proof of our love; a way to build His kingdom; a tool to reach others. And of course you are familiar with the verse that reveals that the “Love of $$ is the root of all kinds of evil.” So it sounds like we need to pay attention to what is important, lest we end up on the wrong side of money. Some gave a bunch, some gave less, but the people in Nehemiah’s day were wise enough to recognize God’s faithfulness in rebuilding their lives and homes. And they returned a blessing to Him. Are we there yet?

Dear Lord, keep us from turning our hearts off when we are prompted to give. Help us think of money like You do… “such a tiny offering, compared to Calvary.” Help us to know how to use all You have blessed us with to honor You. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.

More: Luke 18:18-30; 1 Timothy 6:10,17-19; Malachi 3:10; Luke19:11-27; Luke 21:1-4

By Lynna Clark

Nehemiah 8: 10-12- Very loosely paraphrased:

PARTY TIME!!! Break out the paper plates, not those flimsy, use 3 or 4, and hope the beans don’t leak through and run down your elbow kind. Buy the sturdy ones and the heavy cutlery. Everyone bring a covered dish, or two or three just to make sure there’s plenty! Something yummy like your grandma would’ve made. Don’t forget the sweat tea! And real fried chicken- crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle! Macaroni and cheese so thick you have to bang the side of the pan to get it off the serving spoon. While you’re at it churn up some ice cream for on top of the hot cobbler. Yummmm………..!

Nothing says celebrate like great food! They had worked so hard. Then came the worship. Next was repentance. Then thanksgiving. Now PAR-TAAY!

Hard work; Sacrifice; Giving; God’s Word; Worship; Repentance; Thanksgiving; Sharing; Preparing; Planning; Food; Fellowship; Joy; Strength; all because some people got together and cared about what God wanted, and prayed.

It’s a picture of us and our churches too!

If you’re in any church or close relationship very long, you know there will be short comings. If you hang tough and stay strong, you will experience the joy of family done well. Something about weathering storms together always draws us closer to each other. And we are definitely better together!

Dear God, please hold our church safely in Your everlasting arms. Carry us when we have no strength. Give us great joy in You. Help us to love each other so much that You are blessed. But when we get weary, and You know that we will, help us love You way more than any petty grievance that would separate us from each other. Thank You so much for the wonderful joy of knowing You, and for all the folks in our sweet church!

More:

“Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil.” -1 Thess. 5:16-22

By Lynna Clark

I hope you’ve had fun on the Nehemiah Bus. I know. I wish it had been a ’67 Camaro too. Here’s a little list to help us remember things to pray for our churches and families. Maybe print it out and stick it in your Bible to bring to the Lord as you pray. What if we continued to pray for one of these per day, as in number 1 on the 1st of each month etc.? I wonder if God might be pleased with that?

1. Growth; Expand our territory
2. Blessing and wisdom like never before
3. Success so great it impresses the lost
4. Favor in our communities
5. Our Leadership: great ideas for reaching others
6. Your service, your life, your work to be an offering of praise
7. Encouragement and positive speech
8. Victory against evil
9. Strength in the work
10. Financial wisdom & blessing; generous giving
11. Great harvest of souls
12. Greater love for the Lord and others
13. Protection against evil
14. God’s wisdom and guidance
15. Time management
16. Successful testimony in our community
17. Forgiveness & love for each other
18. Faithfulness in little and large things
19. Equipping of our people
20. Creativity and resources
21. Numbers; Multiply us for His glory
22. Care for each other
23. Steadfastness
24. Honorable, generous giving
25. Leadership- protection, blessings & strength
26. Strong relationship with the Lord
27. Joy & strength
28. Protection for our church
29. Intentional, thankful remembering
30. Future and hope*
    “For I know the plans I have for you says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen!” Jeremiah 29:11

May God sweetly bless each of you as you continue to pray with purpose and anticipation!

By Lynna Clark

Just yesterday I graduated from high school. David and I took our new ten speed bikes to the beach and rode for miles. Never once did I think of the consequences of forgetting sunscreen on the tops of my legs. Well… until that night when I couldn’t sleep for the pounding of my pulse through my broiled thighs.
You know, I never planned to get old. Yet here I am, 49 years later and surprisingly…mature. So many things I want to do but can’t anymore. When did this happen? I shouldn’t be surprised. The Lord has been gently telling me for quite a while now that things would not remain the same as they were in my youth. And even though I have sense enough to apply 946 SPF sunscreen, I no longer have the strength to ride a bike on the beach.
Heavy sigh.
But look at this! Psalm 92:14 is speaking of those who love the Lord and seek to serve Him.
“Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.”
I may not look vital… or green… or even able to produce a significant amount of fruit. But according to the Word of God, He hasn’t given up on me yet. In fact I think he kinda favors old people. Some of those who were used to show off His power were waaay past their prime. Look at Abraham and Sarah; and Elizabeth and Zechariah. Both produced sons in their old age. Side note: I gave David an anniversary gift in a bag that had baby clothes on the outside. I didn’t notice what was on it, okay? But he sure did. “Are you trying to tell me something?” he asked. We got a good laugh out of that but only because it was such a ridiculous thought. That’s probably how the old couples above felt, only the joke was on them. Apparently the Lord has a great sense of humor. Or maybe… He was telling future generations that He likes using old people to accomplish His great purposes.
Folks like me.
Maybe you too. Are you feeling a little past your usefulness? May the Lord give you strength to share a little fruit with those around you today. God knows you still have a lot to give.

By Lynna Clark

My mom was not the nurturing sort. She tended to be a no-nonsense kind of gal. She was so smart and capable especially about practical things. Though she had great respect for the Lord, I began to notice a warmth in her relationship with Him when I was away at college. She would write long letters about important things; like how to bake a turkey for Thanksgiving; with reminders to remove the giblet bag before baking. Huh. Who knew? One of those letters in her neat flowing script included this verse. “In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.” -Psalm 94:19. It was the first time I remember her quoting Scripture. But that verse became so dear to me later in life, especially regarding my mother. You see, eventually she lost the ability to reason.
As I mentioned, she was a very smart, meticulous individual… until she wasn’t. We started noticing changes in her behavior that were so opposite of her personality. Only two months after the first episode, she lost her life to a rare brain disease. I can’t tell you what that single verse in Psalm 94 meant to me, though she had shared it thirty years earlier.
“In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.”
I’m so glad God’s truth never fails. His comfort and peace ushered her into His presence, where she will never be confused or frightened again. In fact, it’s good to think on those comforts every day. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.” -2 Timothy 1:7
May the Lord encourage your heart as you think on Him today.

Dear Sweet Lord, sometimes it feels as if the world around me hast gone completely crazy… and therefore so have I. So many thoughts and fears pound on my heart. Only You can offer the comfort I need. Please Father, I ask that You lift my thinking even to the point of delight in You. Perhaps infuse enough joy to bring others along. Please turn the crashing waves of fear into a peaceful river flowing from Your throne. In You alone I place my trust. Amen

By Lynna Clark

Nehemiah 8: 10-12- Very loosely paraphrased:

PARTY TIME!!! Break out the paper plates, not those flimsy, use 3 or 4, and hope the beans don’t leak through and run down your elbow kind. Buy the sturdy ones and the heavy cutlery. Everyone bring a covered dish, or two or three just to make sure there’s plenty! Something yummy like your grandma would’ve made. Don’t forget the sweat tea! And real fried chicken- crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle! Macaroni and cheese so thick you have to bang the side of the pan to get it off the serving spoon. While you’re at it churn up some ice cream for on top of the hot cobbler. Yummmm………..!

Nothing says celebrate like great food! They had worked so hard. Then came the worship. Next was repentance. Then thanksgiving. Now PAR-TAAY!

Hard work; Sacrifice; Giving; God’s Word; Worship; Repentance; Thanksgiving; Sharing; Preparing; Planning; Food; Fellowship; Joy; Strength; all because some people got together and cared about what God wanted, and prayed.

It’s a picture of us and our churches too!

If you’re in any church or close relationship very long, you know there will be short comings. If you hang tough and stay strong, you will experience the joy of family done well. Something about weathering storms together always draws us closer to each other. And we are definitely better together!

Dear God, please hold our church safely in Your everlasting arms. Carry us when we have no strength. Give us great joy in You. Help us to love each other so much that You are blessed. But when we get weary, and You know that we will, help us love You way more than any petty grievance that would separate us from each other. Thank You so much for the wonderful joy of knowing You, and for all the folks in our sweet church!

More:

“Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil.” -1 Thess. 5:16-22

By Lynna Clark

My husband’s mom is one of the sweetest, funniest, most determined people I have ever met. When her son & I married, she hugged me and called me her “other daughter,” stating matter of fact, that “daughter-in-law” was not a term that fit our relationship. How kind. And she has never treated me less than her very own daughter. Her hugs are like those of her son. She wraps me in her arms and locks down so tightly that I am left breathless; partly because I am overwhelmed with being loved so much, and partly because she is squeezing the life out of me. How rare are hugs like that?

We were in the family car between the funeral home and the cemetery on the way to bury her husband. As we drove by the Krispy Kreme, she noticed the “HOT NOW” light was on. She suggested to the driver that we lead the funeral procession through the drive through. There was no disrespect to her husband of over 50 years. He was certainly used to her off-beat humor. It was her way of making us feel better.

Did I mention that she is stubborn? That is actually an understatement. Because she is in her eighties, we worry that she will do something that will hurt herself, since she doesn’t know she is too old to climb in the attic or down into the creek. She has at least enough wisdom to ask someone to come “watch her” while she puts a ladder on the creek bank so she can climb back up after situating the rocks so that water won’t pool. One spring, her son asked her several times not to climb her rickety attic stairs to retrieve seasonal items. We noticed one day, that Easter had been taken up, and summer was upon us in the decorating sense. So he went over while she was gone and put screws into the attic door so that she could not get the steps down. On the string hanging from the door, he attached a note saying, “Pull all you want. They are not coming down. Call me if you need something.” He is a lot like his mom.

She told us one day, that her favorite word in life is steadfast. She says in that word is expressed all she strives to be. And yes she is, steadfast. Throughout her life of 86 years so far, she has always been faithful, steady, strong, loving, but unwavering on the things that matter. And funny trumps stubborn any day! She goes to a contemporary church on Saturday night. If the band is especially good, they get the OK sign with a little wink that says, “Well done!” Then on Sunday mornings, she attends her traditional church and enjoys their fine choir. She loves both. I respect so much that she is wise enough to understand that we are not in competition. And she never lets age, or the opinions of others hold her back!

You may feel that because of your age, you do not have anything to give. YES YOU DO! YOU MATTER TO THE BODY OF CHRIST! Put your unique background, experience, and expertise to work for Him! And again, someone really needs to hear your story!

Lord, help us look at people like You do, each one having great worth, no matter their stage in life. Help us, no matter our age, health, or background, to realize that You have a job for us to do. Strengthen us to be steadfast, and to faithfully carry out our part in Your great plan!

More: Psalm 92:14; Job 42:12; Isaiah 46:4; Jeremiah 29:11

1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV- “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

PS: Our beloved Nina remained steadfast until she walked right into the arms of her Savior. Though she is no longer my neighbor, I will always think of her as one of my favorite people. She taught me so much about life and love. I miss her every day.

By Lynna Clark

Do you have a Charlie in your church? Charlie in our church faithfully made coffee for every service. And he’d be on a mower in the heat of summer, taking care of the church yard, no matter how bad his health got. We had a week-end message where no volunteers were used, except for kids club, just to show how much we need each other. Charlie was all in a tither because he did not want us going without coffee.

Nehemiah 7:2 says “I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani,… for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.”

Faithful. Do you know someone like that, always faithful, no matter what? Some people you can just count on. Like the one who sets up tables and cleans up after a meeting; others work on making the sound the best it can be; some keep the nursery or work with kids club; [there’s a golden crown in Heaven for those brave souls!] Some practice hard to make the music just right; and then there are those who smile a big ol’ smile and greet you like you are somebody. You always feel better when they’re around! Are you looking for your name in that list? Consider it there! Your church is full of faithful people just like you.

Where was Charlie before church? If I remember correctly, he was outside one day at his house. Not a lot of good going on in his life. A faithful man stopped by and talked to him about mowing the church yard… and about eternity. From then on Charlie was the Lord’s, and ours. When he died, I remember the sadness and grief and the realization he would no longer be puttering around fixing things. Since Charlie is with the Lord now, I wonder if they sit and chat about our church. The book of Job shows a scene from Heaven where God asks Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job: He is the finest man in all the earth- a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.” And then the crud really did hit the fan. But God knew that it would. And He knew that He would still have bragging rights on His boy Job in the end.

Once when we were going through a particularly rough patch, I said to my husband, “Why in the world do you think the Lord is allowing us to go through all this at once?” He replied something I will never forget. “If the only reason is so God can brag on us a little, that is enough.” What a beautiful image, God bragging on us. I wonder if He speaks with those gone before us, proud of the people at our church. I wonder if He says to Charlie, “Don’t worry. Scott’s making coffee.”

Today our simple prayer is that God will keep us faithful. Although it is a simple prayer, it is vital to our ministry. Pray for us all to be [as the verse says] “faithful, fearing God more than most.”

More: Proverbs 28:20; Matthew 25:20-22; Job 1

A verse I think of as my Charlie verse is Acts 4:13 that says in part, “for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”

It was easy to see that Charlie had been with Jesus.

By Lynna Clark

Have you ever wished for Cliff Notes of the Bible? Like yesterday when I gave you all that Scripture and you started hearing, “Blah blah blah designer shoes blah blah …” Well, here ya go.

I came across a passage that sums it all up. In Matthew 22: 34-40, Jesus is being questioned by the religious experts of the day. These guys were careful to obey the details of the law down to the length of their sleeves. Trying to trick Him, they asked what He considered to be THE most important law. His reply is well known, but not well practiced. “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important. Love your neighbor as yourself.” Then He says it.

“All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” So here’s the scoop. If we get those two things right, all the other stuff falls into place. The God of details gives us an easy button. Well, at least He narrowed it down to two things. So should I take that job? Can I fulfill Christ’s royal law of love there? No? Then the money is not worth it. Should I work in the yard today? Will I in any way defeat the goal of loving God and loving people? No? Then go for it.

Just a little jump off the Nehemiah bus for today. Because if we bear down on these two things, Christ says we’re good to go. Love God. Love people. And it’s also amazing that He places loving others “equally important” as loving Himself!! Knowing that He is a jealous God and wants us to love Him with every ounce of our being, makes that statement even more astounding!

Can I be real with you? Loving Him and loving people is certainly harder some days than others. I bet you already knew that. Here’s what I prayed. You fill in the blanks where you have been.

Strengthen me Lord to love You so much that I never doubt You again. When people hurt me and You are silent, help me rest in Your Word and believe You when You tell me You love me. When we both lose our jobs, both cars break down, the house has a tax lien, and medical bills mount up, [summer of 1990] help me remember that You love me. When I blow my cool and bless out the person I feel to be responsible for our job loss; when I slam the door so hard the windows are still rattling, [also summer of 1990] help me to know that You still love me. When I lose my strong and beautiful mother because she gets an illness that is so rare that only 3 in one million in the U.S. get it [winter of 2004]; When my very first grandson dies before I hold him in my arms, [summer of 2010] help me to rest in the fact that You love me. And when we come out on the other side of heartache with a stronger understanding of Your great love, help us use that understanding to love people better. Everyone is going through something. Strengthen me, and all of us today, to lighten someone’s load just a little; Because You love me while I am most definitely unlovable.
More: Ephesians 3:14-21; Romans 8:31-39; Matthew 22:34-40