by Donya Dunlap | Aug 16, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
If you are familiar with the story of Moses sending twelve spies into Canaan, you may be thinking I mistyped the title. I didn’t. We are all the twelve spies of Canaan. Not the ten that were afraid or the two that got it right. All twelve.
The Mission
The instructions were simple. Moses pulled one representative from each tribe to make up the team. These were all top-notch guys. If there were an Olympic sport for spying, this team would win gold.
Moses trusted them to evaluate the situation in Canaan and return with information on the people, the cities, and the lay of the land (Numbers 13:17-20). At the end of the 40 days, the team returned with mixed reviews.
The Obstacle
All twelve of the men raved over the quality of the land and its wealth. They had no dispute over the abundance of food or the beauty of the landscape. But when it came to the people of the land, two men saw cities ripe for the taking and ten men saw giants. Really big ones. With big scary muscles to squish them with—translated loosely from the Hebrew.
The Reality
Somedays I feel like linking arms with Joshua and Caleb and charging ahead, guns blazing. On those days, God is big, my hair looks great, and nothing can stop me.
But then there are days when giants happen. Big smelly, hairy giants like literary agents, publishing contracts, and marketing experts. On those days I look at my to-do list, I look in the mirror, and I tell God it can’t be done. Maybe if I had an army to help draft amazing query letters and edit my drafts, and a social media guru or two…maybe then I could do it. But just little me against all those giants? I feel like a squeaky grasshopper in comparison, just like the Israelites felt in comparison to their lanky counterparts.
We all want to be courageous and full of faith. We admire the Joshua’s and Caleb’s in our circles, reading books about how to be more like them. But at the end of the day, we go back to the wilderness.
The Wilderness
There are times when we are the ten spies who choose the wilderness. And there are times when we are the two who have to endure the wilderness because of someone else’s choices. We don’t always have an option as to where we sleep for forty years, but we do have a choice in how we use our daylight hours.
The ten and everyone who agreed with them continued to doubt God and complain about their circumstances until they all died. Joshua and Caleb never did. They stayed faithful, humble, and engaged. When God said it was time to go forward, they were ready, strong, and prepared for a fight.
If your circumstances are looking dry and dusty, don’t argue with God about it. Seek His face. Open your heart to personal change. You may not be able to improve your neighborhood, but you can always improve yourself. Lift whatever spiritual weights necessary to prepare yourself for the battles ahead.
If your time is now and you find yourself paralyzed by giants, move! It’s okay to be afraid. Fear does not disqualify you from service. Choosing to reject God’s promise over your evaluation of the circumstances does.
God can use you afraid. Remember, the battle is the Lord’s. We simply have the privilege of tagging along for the show.
The Mountain
You’re not going to wake up most days feeling like Joshua and Caleb. You’re going to feel like your bones ache and you ate too much pizza the night before. Feelings are valid, but they are not valid excuses for staying in the wilderness. Feelings adjust as you do just as faith grows as it is exercised.
You don’t have to conquer the whole land before you today. Pick your mountain, make your plan, move forward. The land before you is rich with God’s blessings and presence. He will give you the courage and resources as you walk with Him.
Are you standing outside your Promised Land in fear? Share your circumstances below. We all need encouragement from time to time. Allow others to come alongside you as you pick your mountain and prepare to move ahead.
by Donya Dunlap | Aug 5, 2016 | Bible Study, How Great is Our God
Isaiah 45 is a prophetic message from God to Cyrus, founder of the Persian Empire, written some 200 years before his birth. Centuries before the events would transpire, the Maestro of heaven planned to use an idolater, the ruler of a pagan nation, to free Israel from captivity.
I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
Isaiah 45:2-3 KJV
Israel’s Dark History
The years Israel spent in captivity were trying for God’s people. They were forced to leave their homeland and serve wicked kings whose only concerns were power and fulfilling their passions. The stories of Esther, Nehemiah, Daniel and others reveal that one wrong move by a Hebrew could find him in prison, tossed into a pit of lions, hanging from gallows, or thrown in a fiery furnace. Yet through it all, God had a plan.
God told Cyrus that He would give him “treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places” to prove that He was in control. Cyrus might have been king of Persia, but in truth, he was nothing more than one instrument in the vast orchestra under God’s command. Later in the passage God says that He plans to use Cyrus, even though Cyrus was not a believer, for the good of His people to bring glory to His name.
Look Up
It can be easy to look at the wickedness around us and feel discouraged. Like Israel in their captivity, we too are in a foreign place. Heaven is our home. Our souls long for the New Jerusalem just as God’s people longed for the old. It looked hopeless, their chances at returning home. Thankfully, our God can use unbelievers to do His bidding just as easily as He can use His children.
If you are in a dark place right now remember, both the prisoner and the prince are in the hand of God. Our lives are fluid. God brings about trials both to keep us dependent on Him and to keep us humble. Regardless of our current situation, God’s ultimate plan is always for our good and His glory. We can rest in this truth.
When Darkness Comes
A.W. Tozer said,
It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.
Over and over again, the Bible tells us of the deep struggles men and women have had to endure before God could use them in a mighty way. Our history books tell us the same. Abraham Lincoln. George Washington. Winston Churchill. Eleanor Roosevelt. These and many more have had to go through deep waters of pain and struggle in order to become great inspirations for others to follow. We will not be exceptions to God’s plan.
If are to be greatly used by God, we must be molded into useful instruments. This can be a painful process. But during these times of transformation, He will provide for us glimmers of hope. These “treasures of darkness” are God’s gifts to let us know He is with us and He is in control. He didn’t forget His people Israel, and He won’t forget us.
It’s been three months since my mother passed away. These months have been full of sadness and instability. But they have also been times of renewed friendships, answered prayer, and unexpected blessings. God has not forsaken me in my trial. He has given me treasures to cling to—lights in the darkness. He won’t forsake you either.
Your Current Reality
As I stated in my last post, “joy is a treasure hunt.” Take a step back from your circumstances for a moment. Look at your situation as if you were above and can see all the pieces like God can. You won’t be able to see the final destination, but you can find the treasures. What blessings have you overlooked that you should thank God for? What gifts has He provided? Look carefully.
I encourage you to read the rest of Isaiah 45:1-7. It’s a wonderful passage full of truths I could never cover in a single post. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
In the month of October, there will be short Bible Study posts similar to the one above on the first 31 chapters of Psalms. To receive email reminders of these and other new posts, please subscribe. As a thank you, you will receive a free ebook, The Wonder Woman’s Manifesto.
Resource: Cyrus – All the Men of the Bible © 1988 Zondervan. All Rights Reserved
by Donya Dunlap | Jul 13, 2016 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
The Bible is a collection of 66 books composed of multiple genres of literature. History, narrative, prophecy, law, wisdom, poetry, parable…even romance! Fiction, however, is not one of them.
Scripture details real events, with the exception of a few passages meant to be figurative. However, by approaching Scripture as a history book, we tend to adopt the attitude that we had in school—that studying is difficult and boring.
If this is how you’ve thought of studying Scripture, you are not alone. But even better news—Bible study is not algebra! Can I get an amen?
Studying Scripture can be fascinating and exciting—and there is absolutely a place for holy imagination. Shall we give it a try?
Biblical “Characters”
It is a common pitfall for fiction writers to go easy on their characters—not so in Scripture. The people in the Bible are just like we are—full of conflict and good intentions, regrets and personality quirks. All their dirty laundry is put on display.
Think about Peter walking the shores of Galilee after the resurrection. He is a tangled mess of emotions. He feels shame for betraying Jesus, relief that He is alive, embarrassment for returning to his old life, love for his friend and mentor, and hope that Jesus really will trust him enough to give him a place in His kingdom work. Can you feel his conflict?
Remember Hannah? We find her sobbing in the temple. She is desperate for a child, beaten down by the constant antagonism of her rival. Her husband doesn’t understand, her body won’t cooperate, and Eli, the priest, accuses her of being drunk. A short time later things start looking up and Hannah has a son, only she gives him away after he is weaned. Can you imagine doing the same?
Moses is hand picked by God for his leadership abilities, yet he had an explosive temper that caused him to go postal on a rock. As a result, he is forbidden from entering the promised land. And that’s after he kills a man, tries to cover it up, and lives as a fugitive for 40 years.
If you were the author…
If you were to write a novel, would you draft chapter after chapter preparing the reader for a coming King and then have Him show up as a helpless baby born in a cave? Then, just when things start turning around, He is killed by the people He was meant to lead. Jesus is not your normal protagonist.
Furthermore, who would invent a hero with super-human strength then have him lose that strength through the deception of a woman and die in captivity by pulling a building on to himself? Samson is probably not going to get picked up by Marvel anytime soon.
And what about David? His story starts out well. He’s the scrappy underdog who gains the favor of the people through his bravery and becomes everyone’s favorite king. But then he murders his lover’s husband and his son tries to kill him for the throne. That’s not a bad plot twist, but it’s certainly not the happy ending I would write. Still, we think of David today as a hero, not a villain.
Truth really is stranger than fiction.
Why does it matter?
There are two main reasons why I encourage studying Scripture through the lens of fiction.
- It pulls you into the story. Imagine the sights and sounds of Jerusalem at Passover. Breathe in the dust of the walls as you watch the bricks of Jericho’s walls crash into the desert sand. Feel the rough, hand sewn hem of Jesus’ robe as if you were the woman with the issue of blood, desperate for healing. By immersing yourself in the text, you give yourself new eyes to see the familiar stories, and provide an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to speak to you in fresh ways.
- It provides discussion points with unbelievers. Christians believe the Bible to be truth, but there are many that feel the Bible is just a collection of ancient fairy tales. If you find yourself in a friendly conversation with someone holding this belief, ask them if they would write their memoir like the Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John did. If I was writing my memoir, I would probably leave out all the whining, the times when I just didn’t understand what was happening, and the personal failures. The disciples didn’t. Why would they include these details if they weren’t true?
Dust off your imagination!
Timothy tells us that God gave us His word so we will grow in knowledge and service. To do that, we must read and study it.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The next time you open the Bible, I challenge you to put yourself in the story and watch it come alive before your eyes. But be warned—it will change your life in the process.
Join the conversation! Write your thoughts and Bible study tips in the comments below.
by Donya Dunlap | Oct 2, 2015 | Bible Study, The Spiritual Life
Isaiah 30 gives us a vivid picture of exactly what can go wrong when we leave God out of our plans.
As you read the passage, keep in mind that Isaiah was a prophet. He is warning the people of Israel about an upcoming threat of an invading army. Also, he is foretelling what Israel’s response will be and God’s subsequent judgment.
Israel is reproved by God (Verses 1-7)
Israel historically looked to their neighbors for help instead of looking to God. When Israel and Judah are fighting amongst themselves, Israel looks to Syria for help (2 Chronicles 16:2-3). Facing off with Syria, they ask Assyria for help (2 Kings 16:7). When Assyria is the enemy, they go to Egypt for help (2 Kings 18:19-21). According to Matthew Henry, Isaiah chapters 30 and 31 are referring to the invasion of Sennacherib, King of Assyria mentioned in 2 Kings 18.
The children of Israel are declared “stubborn children” because of their determination to leave God out of their plans. When Sennacherib and his armies visit, Israel seeks protection from their neighbor, Pharaoh. God wasn’t impressed.
God rebukes them for going to Egypt for help, which will end up being only a shadow of protection and not a real solution. His help would have cost them nothing and would have brought them a great victory, but Israel refused to seek God’s face.
Isn’t that so like you and me today? We have a decision to make and instead of seeking direction from the Lord, we panic. The hardest thing to do in a crisis is to be still and seek God’s face. But waiting on God is what faith is all about!
Israel’s rebellion is recorded by God (Verses 8-12)
God wanted Israel’s sin recorded forever so others will heed His warning. Israel’s neglect to seek God’s direction wasn’t considered an oversight by the Lord. He considered it a blatant refusal to listen to His Word. By their actions they told the prophets to get out of the way. What boldness! What stupidity! But wait…
God sends us wise parents, pastors, teachers, friends, the Holy Spirit and His very own Word written on the pages of Scripture and still we choose our own way! What’s worse is that we get upset when God doesn’t put His stamp of approval on our plans. Sisters, take heed…if this applies to you as it does to me so often, we’ve been warned!
Israel’s rebellion is judged by God (Verses 13-17)
God’s judgment is described using a word picture. It is as if Israel has built a dam or a wall made of pottery to protect them, but the dam breaks and judgment floods over Israel. The devastation of Israel’s plan is so great that there won’t be a single piece of pottery left big enough to scoop coals from a fire or water out of a well. God says that Israel’s salvation (and ours) would be in:
- Returning – Repenting for looking to others for help and looking to God instead
- Rest – Trusting God to act in His time
- Quietness – Reliance on God and His power to give us strength
- Confidence – Believing that God knows best and will provide for us.
God allowed them to go their own way, but used their plan to draw them back to Him.
- Israel wanted to flee. God sent their enemies after them so they had no choice but to flee.
- They wanted to ride swift horses to escape. God made their enemies swift in their pursuit.
- Israel looked to the great Egyptian army for help. God sent 1,000 running at the rebuke of 1 enemy soldier.
Thankfully, God doesn’t give up on us when we mess up. He is always there to take a bad situation and turn it around for good – both for us and for His glory.
Israel’s repentance is accepted by God (Verses 18-26)
God is always gracious and merciful. Even when we run from Him, He patiently waits for us to listen to the Holy Spirit and turn back.
When we choose His path, He walks with us, opening our eyes to see how He is working through the difficulty. Additionally, He promises to guide us through the Holy Spirit.
Verse 21 is such an encouraging verse.
And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
Fear can cause you to stray from the right path, as can friends, your own determination, emotions and analytical thinking. None of those things are wrong in their place, but when used in the place of God, they become idols. We must remove the idols from our lives in order to receive the blessings God intends for us.
A Symbolic Side Note
The moon and sun are used in Scripture as types of Israel and God. In other words, Israel’s obedience to God reflects the light of God to the nations that are in darkness. So too, can our obedience reflect the light of God to our unsaved friends and relatives.
God can always bring about good in the life of His children. But…It is much easier on us if we do things His way from the very first. Choose to follow Him daily. Reflect His light and watch Him work!
Resources used in this study: Matthew Henry’s Commentary in One Volume, ESV Literary Study Bible, KJV Thompson Chain Study Bible, Handbook of Types and Symbols by Carl C. Harwood, and Halley’s Bible Handbook.
by Donya Dunlap | Feb 12, 2013 | Bible Study, Forgetting the Fairy Tale, The Single Life, The Spiritual Life
From the earliest moments of our journey through life we are bombarded by the concept of the fairy tale. We are dressed in tiny little shirts proclaiming us to be “Daddy’s little princess” and read nighttime stories of bravery, heroism, and love from little hard-bound, picture books. As soon as we can toddle we are given tulle-enhanced dress-up gowns and jewel-encrusted play shoes, a sparkling tiara to hold back our hair and a fairy wand with which to command the bidding of our loyal subjects.
As we grow we read books and watch movies convincing us of the fairy tale romance we all must strive for to be happy. Commercials tell us that we need X product so we can be more beautiful, more successful, more desirable. Magazines hold up airbrushed beauties in the highest esteem. Tabloids tear down anyone with a hint of imperfection, real or perceived.
At every turn, we are receiving messages that are trying to convince us that we can never be happy, satisfied, successful or fulfilled unless we chase the fairy tale life. The problem, however, lies in the very definition of “fairy tale.”
Defining a fairy tale
According to Merriam-Webster.com, a fairy tale’s definition is:
1a: a story (as for children) involving fantastic forces and beings (as fairies, wizards, and goblins) —called also fairy story
1b: a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending
2: a made-up story usually designed to mislead
The synonyms also share some enlightening information with us.
Synonyms: fable, fabrication, lie, falsehood, falsity, fib, mendacity, prevarication, story, tale, taradiddle, untruth, whopper
By its definition, a fairy tale is a lie. In the context of spiritual things, any belief opposite of truth comes directly from the Father of Lies. Watching or reading a fairy tale is a fine choice of entertainment, but living a fairy tale is a dangerous road leading to destruction.
Music, movies, magazines—media feeds us the myth that happiness is just out of our reach. But the truth is, we can find our “happily ever after” if we center our lives on our one true love, Jesus Christ.
Why Forgetting the Fairy Tale?
People have asked me why I decided to write Forgetting the Fairy Tale. My answer is simple. I couldn’t NOT write it. God wouldn’t let me get away from this message.
I had to do what I could to stop the flood of fairy tale casualties.
Everywhere I turned I saw people believing the lies of Satan. Every time I witnessed a young girl choose Satan’s lies over Jesus’ love, my heart would break. Every time I witnessed a marriage fall apart I mourned.
Have you found yourself believing true happiness can be found outside of an intimate relationship with Jesus? If so, I encourage you to read Forgetting the Fairy Tale and its Companion Guide. The truths of Scripture contained in these books are sure to speak to your heart and open your mind to what it means to have Jesus be your everything.
Forgetting the Fairy Tale and the Forgetting the Fairy Tale Companion Guide are both available on Amazon. To read reviews and endorsements of the book, click here.
