Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

• 1 John 3:1, 7

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

• Galatians 4:4-7

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

• 1 John 2:27

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

• 1 John 4:4

The Boilerplate

My wife took a Bible Study in 2009.  She had become a Christian in 2000, and about the time that she took this class during the week at night, she developed night blindness, or at least the start of it.  I would drive her to a friend’s house, and then the friend would drive her home afterwards.  The focus on the Bible Study was weight loss from a biblical perspective.  I don’t know if any weight was lost by anyone in the Bible Study, but a few members of that group became very good friends.

My wife passed away in March and I found her study guide as I was cleaning up.  I actually found two study guides.  The other study guide was from a Bible study long before committing herself to Jesus.  Her answers were usually copying Scripture or turning the Scripture into her own words.  This Bible Study in 2009 showed signs of how God was working in her life.  It showed Christian growth.

So, instead of writing about a topic at random, I decided to write on the topics in the Study Guide, but instead of using the words of the Study Guide, I thought I would fashion the answers of her questions into a thread to discuss the topic.  And I will not use any comment about other members of the group study (few, and usually prayer requests).  That would be confidential.  Thus, I am writing about these topics “with a little help” from my wife’s answers to study guide questions.

Discussion on this topic

Before we get started with my wife’s comments, here is something from the Study Guide:

But the kingdom of the prince of this world is very different.  Remember that John 10:10 tells us that the devil is the one who kills, destroys and steals. And while God’s kingdom is full of the abundant life, Satan’s kingdom might well be called the ‘Kingdom of the Littles’:
“Little self-control, Little discipline, Little obedience, Little sacrifice, Little accountability, Little responsibility, Little patience
“LEAD TO
“Little blessing, Little freedom, Little contentment, Little unity, Little joy, Little faith, Little hope.”

• Carole Lewis (editor), begin with Christ, first place 4 health

A few weeks later, my wife was asked to go back to this.  After providing the “Kingdon of the Littles”, the author wrote that the participant should circle 2 or 3 that they struggle with …

“The only ones I hesitated in circling were freedom, unity, and joy.”

• My wife’s thoughts about the Kingdom of the Littles

Actually, she did not circle those three.  While this was a gut-wrenching confession, she was being honest.  Okay, maybe a little too hard on herself, but honest (oops – another “little”).

She circled every issue that leads to the lack, or to follow the “little” theme, the scarcity of things from God.  She was blessed beyond measure, but not in earthly riches.  She had grandchildren that she wanted to be near.  She had brothers and sisters that were a three-day drive away.  But I had a job, at the time, in Pennsylvania, that could not afford to fly her here and there as often as she would like.

It was obvious that I was doing a masterful job of maintaining my employment, but just barely.  Thus, the hope of future riches wasn’t there.  She was not content.  Her thought of her glory years was to have family around her, grandchildren, and great nephews and nieces to play with and spoil.

And her ever-present fear and worry that I would not survive the next company lay-off was fodder for Satan to tell her that her faith was weak also.

But she was too hard on herself, and she had grown so that those “littles” were no longer as much of a problem.

I just remembered something.  I interchange the words “issues” and “problems” a lot.  It stems from my old days of being an officer in a Combat Engineering Battalion (Heavy).  There are usually two majors in a battalion, the executive officer, the XO, who deals mostly with personnel and filling in for the commander as second in command, and the operations officer, the S-3, who focuses on the mission, and in Europe when I was there, a lot of construction projects.  Our S-3 commanded that no one had “problems;” they had ”issues” to be addressed.  He would come down hard on a lieutenant or sergeant for ever using the word “problem.”  When I say hard I mean that he did not stop the drill sergeant routine until a grown man cried.  They would never say “problem” ever again, at least not in the S-3’s presence.  One day, I had to go to the XO’s office, and on his door, he had a framed notice that read: “The Major at the other end of the hall has no problems.  At this end of the hall, we solve problems.”  I entered with a smile on my face, and the Major smiled back.  I think he knew I had read his notice.  Oh, if I could have patterned my life after the XO.  He solved problems without raising his voice, with a smile on his face, and always in a calm manner.  I was always too emotional.

My wife saw problems, but they were issues that could easily be addressed by keeping her eyes on Jesus.  And that lesson she was learning.  How was she overcoming the “Littles”?

“By trusting Him and allowing Him to be my master and ruler – rather than me.”

• My wife’s inner thoughts

And how does 1 John 3:1 describe God’s love?

“Great and he lavishes it onto us, and we’re called His children.  He called us His children – that is what we are.  I’m truly blessed with His comfort and love daily – Everything I need He’ll see to it that it’ll be provided.”

• My wife’s inner thoughts

But how did you become a part of His family?

“He sent His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem us and become heirs to His Kingdom.”

• My wife’s paraphrase of the Galatians 4 Scripture above

But why doesn’t the world appreciate God’s love?

“Because the world doesn’t know Him.  They can’t understand why God is in this picture at all – You should be doing it on your own – for beauty, position, etc.”

• My wife’s inner thoughts about 1 John 3:1 and how the world gets it wrong

Odd that she said beauty.  Of course, the theme of the Bible Study was a biblical approach to weight loss and a healthier lifestyle, but she valued beauty.  Regardless of what life had dealt her, both inside her body and out, there was that ever-present smile, just like the XO that I mentioned earlier.  She was in great pain, but you would never know.  Step aside Miss America and Miss World.  True inward beauty is where true beauty lies instead of the perfect figure and how you might look in a bathing suit or evening gown.

And she mentioned position.  One might say “power.”  Some military officers used their position to reign in tyranny.  Some spread fear, like the S-3, but in the end, we all became stronger.  Some of the tyranny led to abuse, like my wife ending up in the hospital due to her commander’s abuses.  But some were like the XO.  You knew the power he wielded, but in talking to you calmly for five minutes, you left his office wanting to please him by going beyond what he required and achieving excellence.  Call it position or power; how you use it makes all the difference.

But my wife was learning how to be content in the arms of Jesus, rather than any earthly measure of success.

But my wife wept over so many people she knew who rejected God’s Word.  She looked toward the 1 John 2:27 Scripture.

“We may not change a non-Christian’s way of thinking but plant the seed of the Lord’s Bible to him/her.”

• My wife’s inner thoughts about evangelism, with the power in God’s Hands

And what of those places or events that might tempt you to get off track or go astray?

“Stay away from them (people, places, things) as much as possible. Say a prayer and ask God’s help continually.”

• My wife’s inner thoughts

I guess what my wife was saying with these two sentences is that we avoid the situation if we can, but if we cannot, we pray continuously.

And what encouragement can we get from 1 John 4:4?

“[You can be encouraged] because God is dwelling in You and He is greater than the world (Satan).  I can look at things a little differently and ask God for His courage and lean on Him.”

• My wife’s inner thoughts

And her final thought for this lesson was “God – He brings us the Holy Spirit.”  May that be our prayer.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory