by Kay Simpson | Apr 15, 2020 | blog
As part of Holy Week the following was my podcast. I was so impacted about it and felt the Lord gave it to me word by word. I was prompted to share the written words but didn’t, and then a friend this morning asked me to share it, so here it is. Wednesday of Holy Week is called Spy Wednesday, Great Wednesday, Silent Wednesday, Holy Wednesday. I didn’t grow up focusing on Holy Week celebrations in my traditional church. So, it has been so amazing digging deeper.
I wanted to share two characters that stood out. Both got a bad rap from others. One from her sister and others, and one from most of us. Most stories hold tension between Beautiful and brutal. We call it brutiful. Tragedy and triumph. They always seem to come together in our circumstances. I want to share some thoughts about Mary (Lazarus’s sister) and Judas. Mary prepared Jesus’s body for burial by anointing him. Judas played a part in his death. Mary acted out of love for Jesus and Judas acted out of love for himself. Or money maybe. I believe that both characters have something to teach us.
In scripture Mary anoints Jesus with 12 ounces of pure Nard. A very expensive oil. Probably costing a year’s wages which today is estimated about $10,000. It was an extravagant gesture. Some scripture accounts say she anointed his feet, and some say his head and most believe it was his whole body. Whichever it was the whole house was full of the grounding fragrance of spikenard. She sat at his feet which was inappropriate and wiped them with her hair. Even more of a no no to have her hair down. Judas was dismayed and said so. Basically, calling Mary out for being wasteful. He thought it was too high of a price to pay. He was whining about it to Jesus.
And here is what I thought. When was the last time I sat at the feet of Jesus, no matter the cost? No matter how busy I was or who was watching or who was making fun. When was the last time I left the dishes in the sink and the house a mess and sat at his feet until the fragrance of my prayers and worship filled the atmosphere? When was the last time I tried something new and broke away from old traditions to wipe Jesus feet with my hair? Sitting on the floor is a pretty humbling experience all on its own.
I can’t help but feel like this gesture of love was out of pure gratitude. That it was an act of worship. She adored Jesus. This was a walking out of her belief that Jesus was who He said he was. She believed him and believed in him.
Judas on the other hand betrays Jesus. He meets up with some priests and agrees on a price. Thirty pieces of silver was the amount. Probably worth a couple hundred dollars today. Seems kind of low. Makes us wonder about Judas. Doing some digging, it was speculated that maybe Judas never actually believed in Jesus. That he was looking for Jesus to be something He was not. He was looking for Jesus to be different than He was. He had unmet expectations of how He thought things should be. That was Judas’s choice to make. He was human. He was probably lacking faith. He most likely did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. His choices were a matter of life and death.
How does this relate to us? Do we fail to recognize Jesus and him working in our lives because we expect it to look different? Are we looking for the wrong thing and missing the real thing? We as well are responsible for our own choices. And how we choose may well be a matter of life and death. Are we found betraying or believing? Judas made a deal and was on the lookout for an opportunity to betray Jesus. Is giving our life to Jesus too high a price to pay and we settle for a life lost and tragic? Do we choose the $10,000 or the $200? How much is too much to pay for a man that crawled up on that cross himself for us?
What in our life betrays Jesus like Judah did? Even Peter betrayed him three times. We are not immune. We judge a lost man that was so broken after what he did that he hung himself. Do we ever fail to recognize God for who he is and if so how is that different than Judas betrayal? How have we lost our way without even recognizing it? How is it with our souls?
So here is the question: Could we stop right now and switch characters? Could we drop to our knees at Jesus’s feet and not care about the cost? It is time friends to believe with our whole hearts. To offer our lives in gratitude as worship. The plot twist is that Jesus died for us. It is our choice to receive or not. He came as a humble king to save us. He rode in on a donkey. Take courage friends. While most of us have schedules and lives interrupted could we take the opportunity and do some soul searching and ponder on these two main characters? Take some time to pray, fast maybe, sit with Jesus, journal. If you have been resisting the urge from him, today is the perfect day to surrender our hearts.
Two verses to share. One is about the cost of discipleship. Luke 14:33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. Is that cost too high?
Isaiah 30:15 This is what the sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength but you would have none of it. “
Take some time. Sit is silence. Make some choices.
Come Lord Jesus. Hear our prayers as we count the cost. We get the choice between life and death. I pray we choose life. Amen.
by Kay Simpson | Jan 14, 2020 | blog, encouragement, Uncategorized
Here is a fresh year. A fresh chance to get it right? Or perhaps a fresh chance to extend love and grace even to ourselves. To embrace that the journey has been for us. That the road was just as it needed to be and every lesson was required to walk us closer to Jesus. Closer to resembling Him. That there is nothing to fix and we are exactly where and how we should be.
The one who created us and walks beside us, loves us. We have nothing to prove. He isn’t waiting for us to get it right to love us. Bless us. Accept us. His love doesn’t have conditions. He will leave the ninety nine for us. So if we are in a rough or stuck place, we can stand tall knowing He loves us too much to leave us there and wait expectantly for a way out. Look for the door to walk through. In the kingdom there is no shame or guilt required. There is a loving Father running to welcome us home.
Perhaps the biggest gift of the new year would be to live in His lavish love. That what we have to “get right” is simply letting Him love us and live like we believe it. Focus on Him and not what our neighbor has or what they are doing or how they are living.
He loves us with mistakes, mess ups, and flaws. He wants what is best for us & believes in us. He is for us, not against us.
He’s so trustworthy and will send others across our path to guide us if we are open. He knows us, all of us, our thoughts and feelings and unhealthy addictions. He knows we need Him. It’s a gift to Him when we acknowledge our dependence on Him and walk in the light of His love.
Let’s Be Loved. Let’s give up focusing on getting it right and fixing our lives and soak in love. Every cell of our body needs it, craves it, and lives for it. Let’s live loved. Accept His love. Being loved is all that is required. ❤️
by Kay Simpson | Dec 10, 2019 | Uncategorized
So I sit and ponder the new year approaching. The leaving behind of memories and also parts that did not serve. I totally believe the Lord is doing a new thing if we let Christ in!
Have you ever had or heard of a word of the year? I’ve done it for a long time. Me and Jesus. Something He wants me to focus on for the year. Usually I start asking when the new year approaches like now. So at the beginning of this current year, He gave me a stack of words. Then took the year to explain them. I needed the slow explanation for sure.
Judgement. To lay down judgement. I stomped my feet. But I’m so good at it. I’ve had many years of practice. I’ve perfected it. But the command was clear. Lay it down.
Resentment. He said I had no right to it. It’s no good for me or the other person. If that means resolving a long fight with my neighbor, my brother and being the first to apologize, do it! Make the visit. Make the phone call. Let it Go!
Expectations. I’m not to have expectations of others. I’ve heard it called having manuals about how others are supposed to behave towards us. The Lord recently revealed to me that someone I expected certain things and behaviors from, didn’t have it to give. Not that they didn’t want to, they just didn’t have it. I expected and judged them and that made me resentful. That will make your heart jump for sure.
Defensive. I had zero right to be defensive. That He would defend me. Just keep your mouth closed Kay. Now that is a hard one cause I like to talk. A lot. And often. He gave me a lot to say. Shhh He replied.
Offended. Again. It is not my right. No matter what happens or what is said. No matter what Lord?
Kingdom. I said that’s a weird word. It’s all about the kingdom and that for now my focus was His kingdom. The kingdom between Him and I. He had the material, earthly kingdom covered if I just kept my eyes on Him.
Has it been easy? No! Do I find myself getting offended or defensive. You bet ya. I can judge someone or something in a skinny minute. But all year long he keeps bringing me back to these words and what He asked of me. Having me check myself, my motives, my heart. Ask Him first.
I’m pretty stubborn and rebellious and can see why He spread it out over a year. I can also clearly understand how He used it as preparation for moving forward. He showed me the behavior represented by these words was not representing Him to others. And also was a stumbling block to my relationship with Him!
So I don’t know if you are like me and have a lifetime degree in judgement, resentment, expectations. And a masters in offense, here is the rub. Are we representing the kingdom with this story? Or would He ask us to be open to a rewrite?
He told me Love must be the focus. Represent Love. Let the Spirit live and move in me! Stay still and live by His prompting. Anyone relate?
Colossians 3.12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
by Kay Simpson | Nov 4, 2019 | blog, encouragement, Uncategorized
1 Peter 2:9
But… You (WE) are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you (we) may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you (us) out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Recently the staff, leaders, volunteers of Cheerful Hearts retreated to Christ Walk in the Valley together. We were all asked to bring a ministry offering for just one chosen hour. Because…we are all priests. God has chosen us to share and proclaim to one another the goodness of God. Because He is God, there was a thread throughout the weekend. Stones…. Cornerstones and living stones. Spiritual markers. We asked God to walk us through the significant times in our lives where we saw Him show up and deliver us, save us from ourselves, times we knew He was working in our lives and things changed. We could look and see the before and after affects of the movements of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The word but is a transitional word in scripture. These spiritual markers are when we knew we had arrived at a crossroads of significance. But God…decisions were made with His direction and His hand guided us through water, desert, or however the trial looked in our lives. Maybe now is a good time to review the spiritual markers in all our lives. A new year is approaching and there is no better time to look back and take inventory and offer thanks for His marvelous light as we wait with heart felt anticipation for His new move, free to be future focused.
We were called to anoint our lips with Frankincense, knowing as priests our words have the power of life and death. We found ourselves with sparkly black rocks from the woods as a reminder of the coal used in Isaiah 6. “Look this coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out” And then I heard the voice of the Master: Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” I spoke up, “I’ll go. Send me!” We shared the need to open our lips and speak our words and share our stories. Be encouraged by this-They triumphed over (the accuser) him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Revelation 12:11
The wrap around presence of God was there. A new concept to many. His shield protects us and envelops us and His mighty arms are over us. The passion translation of the Bible uses this reference over and over with such tender sweetness. Go and explore for yourself. He is everywhere around us. Take some time to sense His presence.
Sisters, we are His mighty oaks of righteousness. There may be seasons of interior growth that cannot be observed in the tiny acorn. But…don’t think for a minute that it’s not happening. …Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness” planted by God to display His glory. Isaiah 61:3. We are called to stand tall in whatever season we find ourselves in knowing that He already has the answers.
We hope and pray that Cheerful Hearts will always be all the above in the community where the Lord has seen fit to plant the ministry.
by Kay Simpson | Sep 30, 2019 | encouragement
So, the Lord showed me a picture. Me sitting on the couch. On my hands. I had heard of this technique before from a friend. And also, Joseph Prince. Not a new concept.
The Lord wants me to sit and wait on Him. Sit and be quiet. Sit and lean in. To be OK with just me and Him. Silent. Not alone. Not left out. Not too much. Not unsupported.
But sitting on my hands is labor. Because I would rather phone a friend, eat the cake, drink the drink, phone another friend, cry,stomp my feet, scream out loud, eat a bag of chips, place blame on others or my past, surround myself with busyness, and cause chaos. Seek sympathy.
I would rather have my own goals, ideas, dreams and solutions. Worldly and self-focused and perfectly sensible.
But He says sit. Be intentional with your hands clearly tucked away. Ask Him first. Bring it all to His feet. Much more than just laying it down but, bring it to Him. His attention!
The focus is key. Focus on the relationship with Him and let Him be my first thought. My first call. My first choice. It can be hard guys Resting in Him takes thought and intention. That’s why He calls me to practice.I want to be a healthy Christ follower in every aspect, so I choose to listen. Lord help me focus my ears, thoughts, heart, and soul on what You have to say!!
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