Desire Full Disclosure? 5-24-10

“He who loves Me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and will show myself to him.” Jn 14:21

Jesus promises to make Himself known to us, to disclose Himself, to reveal Himself, to manifest Himself in us…but how? Jesus illuminates “the how” when He explains that when we truly love Him, He gives us the third person of the God-head to reside within us: “But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into ALL truth (not partial truth or veiled truth, but comprehensive reality). He will not speak on His own; He will only speak what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come (profound discernment and insight of what will arise and become known). He will bring glory to Me by taking what is Mine and making it known to you. ALL that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you.” Jn. 16:13-15

When we read this verse and ponder its implications, we would be totally NUTS not to commit 120%! ~~So why then by our actions and attitudes do we carelessly cast God aside in our relationships and “things of this life”?

God promises to make us into someone we cannot possibly make on our own. Jesus desires to change us, conform us and bless us will ALL He is…but the hinge is, we have to be willing. I have to desire to be altered! Knowing our obstinate nature, God lovingly allows us to feel His absence by allowing us to come to the end of our talented self-reliance. (e.g. 1Cor. 5:5 as a more extreme illustration)

Personally, I have experienced this kind of breaking 3 significant times in my life, once in my mid-20’s, again in my late 30’s, and then once more in my young 40’s. Each time, I had my fingers wrapped around some “thing” in my life, and God had to break each finger of my hands in order to pry loose my grip, only to have my fingers heal and re-grip something else. In my 20’s it was a control issue after losing a dear friend in college (which manifested itself as an eating disorder); in my 30’s it was my Bay Area life (in general) and our business (in specific); and in the year 2000, it was a lust struggle (which died rather easily because I was so open and honest with my Shaun, and because Shaun’s the only man I have ever loved physically or been in love with emotionally). Each of the 3 scenarios began as a gift of God, but somewhere along the way, God decided to change course. Instead of yielding to His promptings, I chose to grip “the thing”, rationalizing that the “this” was God’s will for me. But instead of being God’s will of blessing for me, the “this” became my own self-induced penitentiary.

Finally after the 3rd significant ‘breaking of Betsy’, I said “uncle”. And since then, I consciously choose to aggressively pursue my relationship with God as the highest priority in my day to day life. This does NOT mean that life is now void of trials or heartache, quite to the contrary actually. Trials and heartache are constantly knocking at the door of my heart, mind and physical life! The difference is that now, I ask Jesus if He will please answer the door.

~~And talk about the grand adventure! … You, like Shaun and me, will be astounded by the illumination and the blessing He continues to pour into and onto those He calls His!

So today, let’s determine to kiss self good-bye for good, and embrace all that awaits us in Jesus! He is so faithful.

God bless you,
Shaun and Betsy

Integrity: Let's Keep Ours! 5-17-10

Just say a simple, `Yes, I will,' or `No, I won't.' Your word is enough... Matt 5:37
This verse used to bother me a bit, because it seemed so simple that it was almost meaningless. OK, I get it… don’t make big fancy vows. Right? Well, sort of. Managing your transactions with people effectively is really an issue of integrity. Let me explain with a simple example: Have you ever invited a friend to a party, ministry event, or a business meeting only to be told, “I’ll try and make it…” or perhaps worse, “I swear I’m going to be there this time…” What percent of the time do they actually show up? Approximately zero.
In reality, we can all relate with this, because as busy people, we have dozens of genuinely good things clamoring for our time & attention. With so many work, family, church and social items on our ever growing “To Do List”, it’s easy to fall into the trap of saying something other than a simple Yes, or No, when we’re asked to do something.
I experienced this recently when I was torn between three really great invitations for a weekend when Betsy & the kids were going to be gone. Rather than sit home alone, I had the chance to play golf with some very important clients, to play water polo with some old friends at Master’s Nationals, or to visit my brother in Texas. I was really torn, because they would all be fun; they are all important in different ways; and people were depending on me in various capacities. All were good, productive opportunities the Lord had put in front of me.
1. Mission: Do we understand God’s “job description” for me at this point in my life? Or as Rick Warren puts it, do we have a Purpose Driven Life? At various times in my life any one of these three options could be God’s anointed priority for me, but I need to be in touch with where He’s leading me now. After all, it’s His mission, not ours. We’re just privileged to be invited to join His employment here on earth. When we get this down we’re more than half way there. Opportunities either fit, or they don’t – most of the time that is…
2. Trust: Sometimes we have to choose between several equally good things. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Rom 8:28. Usually I recall this verse when something really bad has happened, but it applies to us when “buyer’s remorse” sets in over a choice we have made. Maybe I should have gone to the business meeting, or maybe I should be home with my family right now? We all know that queasy feeling… But if I have made a choice with prayerful consideration & wise counsel, I can trust God to work things out according to His plan – even if it seems like I made the wrong choice.
3. Peace: Sometimes we have to make an unpopular choice. In Ps. 25:20-21, David expresses our fears, “Do not let me be disgraced, for I trust in you. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.” and Prov. 13:6 promises us that “Righteousness guards the man of integrity…” How cool is that? The Lord truly has my back!!!
4. Work: Personally, I like what Thomas Edison has to say about this subject. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Don’t be afraid to go out and get stuff done. Twice Proverbs exhorts us not to make excuses in 22:13 & 26:13 “The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, ‘If I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed!’"
Enjoy the coming week and all the good opportunities and decisions coming your way as we transition into summer!
Blessings,
Shaun and Betsy

Life Companion 5-10-10

“This is my beloved and this is my friend.” Sgs 5:16

Do you long to give yourself completely to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively?

God to the Christian says: “No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled, and content with being loved by Me alone. Not until giving yourself totally to Me, to have an intensely personal and unique relationship with me alone, will you be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with Me, exclusive of any other desires or longings.

I want you to stop planning, stop wishing and allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing, one that your cannot imagine! I want you to have the best! Please allow Me to bring it to you.

You just keep watching Me, Expecting the greatest things, keep experiencing the satisfaction that I Am. Keep listening and learning the things I tell you. You just wait, that’ all. Don’t be anxious. Don’t look at the things you want; you just keep looking off and up to Me….Or you’ll miss what I want to show you.

And then when you are ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you could dream of. (I am working even at this moment to have both of you ready at the same time.) You see, until you are ready, until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life that I have prepared for you, you will not be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me and this perfect love.

I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting beauty, perfection, and love that I over you with Myself.

Know that I love you utterly. I am the Almighty God. Believe it and be satisfied.”


Shaun and his college roommates had this poem taped on their bathroom mirror. At 20 years old, after we’d been dating a while, Shaun gave me a copy. Two years later this poem appeared on our wedding invitations and today, nearly 30 years later, sits embossed on a pillow upon our bed. ~~We pray that this poem will speak to you or to someone you love.
Shaun and I had a message on integrity prepared for this week’s R&R message, but will save this more serious topic for next week, because… It’s my Shaun’s birthday today!!! (I love you and am so proud to be your wife, Babe! …I am one blessed woman.)
Blessings to each of you!
Shaun and Betsy

Hamburger A or Hamburger B? 5-3-10

“…This is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us.” 1John 3:18-19

The Lord has put two things on my heart this week, and I am having trouble explaining it in a page length. But here goes the feeble attempt and we pray it blesses some of you! (The following is written in regards to a Christian friend who is justifying leaving her husband and family.)

First thought: Whenever our hearts condemn us, a red flag should shoot up in our minds. Truth be told, it’s the devil that condemns our hearts with feelings of shame, but it’s the Holy Spirit who quickens our hearts with feelings of conviction.

Remember the old Burger King commercial: Hamburger A vs. Hamburger B? Using this word picture, here’s the question: Are we choosing to believe our feelings (Hamburger B) OR are we choosing to believe what God’s Word tells us (Hamburger A)?

…I’m nothin’, why bother trying anymore…VS. Ps. 139:14
…I know I’m married, but I can’t help the feelings I’m feeling for so & so… VS. Prv. 5:18-19
…I’m not addicted, I’m just stressed…after all, it’s just one bottle a night... VS. 1Pet. 2:16
…I’m so envious of so & so, I can’t think straight; if only I were more like…VS. Prv. 14:30

Our hearts are deceptive and cannot be trusted! (Jer. 17:9) So what happens when my feelings are in conflict with what my mind knows to be true … when my heart doesn’t feel what my head knows to be right … when God’s Word clearly tells me something contrary to what I’m choosing to believe in an area of my life?

I must understand this fact: there is never a time where I’m more vulnerable to Satan’s scheme’s that when I’m nursing an area of compromise in an area of my life.

I must get it through my self serving head that Satan is quite effective at his job and will manipulatively use this area of hypocrisy in my life to bring me down and in doing so, tarnish God’s image to all around me.

If I’m wise, I will boldly call it out for what it is: a LIE from the pit of hell. And I will purposefully choose to believe what God’s Word is telling me (Hamburger A). I must purposely choose to believe God at his Word and do whatever I have to do to live a life consistent to Jesus.

Second thing God has put on my heart this week: This world system believes that followers of Jesus are ignorant, uneducated and are therefore gullible. In actuality, it is the world that is ignorant and uneducated about TRUTH and therefore is gullible to the will of their flesh and to the devil’s schemes!

Where we believers get into trouble is when we get spiritually lax, and then behave as if we are unsaved, choosing to believe what our hearts and the world are saying over what God’s Word tells us. 1Tim. 4:1 tells us, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” And 2 Tim. 4:3 further warns, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires (our flesh), they will gather around them a great number of teachers (the world) to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

This week, let’s live boldly for our Lord, and call upon His power to help us in our areas of weakness and to infuse us with His truths!
Much love to you,
Shaun and Betsy