Do you know the story from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament that tells about three of Daniel's peers succeeding in the face of adversity? It's the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
These three fellows along with Daniel and all of the other Israelites who had been exiled were living in Babylon under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar, and the king had a statue that was 90 feet high and 8 feet wide erected. The king decreed that, when the music was played, everyone was to bow down and worship the statue in honor of the king's almighty power. As you might suspect, some of the king's men went and tattled that our boys didn't bow to the statue and you might also have guessed that this really made the king mad. He ordered them bound and thrown into a furnace after giving them one last chance to bow down and them refusing.
But an angel of the Lord came and protected the boys and they walked straight out of the furnace unharmed! The king, realizing that the God of Daniel was at work and seeing that these men were willing to serve God all the way to certain death, praised God and restored the guys to even higher positions in his kingdom than they had before.
Yesterday I wrote about how we can tell God's leadership and guidance apart from the world's. Just as importantly as having the eyes to see and ears to hear is having the heart and mind to stand fast to our belief that Jesus is God in human form and that we have eternal life because of His sacrifice. We simply cannot allow even small parts of our belief be brought into question and we certainly don't want for people to know us as Christ followers and then see us holding hands with the devil!
After you put your eyes on God and your ears on His word, it's time to not only share what you know but to stand up to it when your faith is brought into question. Even without speaking a word, your actions will give you away as one of God's faithful children and your effect on the world will be felt by who knows how many of the lost.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Eyes To See And Ears To Hear
For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' - Matthew 13:15 NIV
The theme of rebellion is spelled out numerous times in the Old Testament. God repeatedly gave the prophets the words 'eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear'. I talked yesterday about how the current state of our nation very much reminds of the people of Israel back then. The thing is (and thanks to Pastor Philip for helping me find the words!), we all have God's truth built within us. We all know we're created for something more than what it seems the world might want us to believe. We just aren't always very good about opening our eyes and our ears so that we can see and hear God at work in our lives. This is what I was talking about yesterday when I wrote about God calling to us more and more loudly the farther away we as a nation push Him.
Just when it seems that nobody can make a movie with anything resembling a Godly message or even just a solid set of values instilled in it, we seem to get a rash of them. Just when it seems like the church is dying a slow and painful death, there is an evolution in the church and people become engaged again. The same can be said for every medium of communication out there. Don't believe me? Go take a look at how many Facebook pages there are that are just plain wrong and then compare that with how many there are devoted to the Bible and to God and to sharing Jesus with others.
The problem is, how do we know if it's really God talking to us or someone trying to trick us? After all, it's extremely easy to hear things that sound true and Godly and accept them as God's truth. The thing is, many times there is enough truth in a lie to make it plausible and that makes the lie even more dangerous. We're willing to take information from a source we trust and believe it to be 100% true, even if it's only 98% true. But if 2% of a lie becomes truth to us, what happens the next time we hear another 98% truth? We get a little farther off the mark each time until, looking back, it's hard to ever find the real truth again at all!
Fortunately, there is a sure-fire way to avoid falling into Satan's trap. The great thing about God is He is very consistent. In other words, you will never hear God tell you to do something that He's previously told you was wrong. It simply isn't possible for there to be any gray area with God. If something you hear or read seems to be on the mark, what you have to ask yourself is does it meet up with God's standard which is the Bible? Does this new information or direction meet up with God's will for you as given to each of us by Jesus? If you have eyes to see what God has to show you, then you will have ears to hear when someone tries to trick you into believing the lie by giving you just enough of the truth to make it sound good. God gave you everything you need to succeed in life when He created you in your mother's womb. He had a plan for you before you were even a flicker of a thought in your parents' eyes. Put your eyes on God and put your ears on His word and His Son and live a life abundant in His love and mercy!
The theme of rebellion is spelled out numerous times in the Old Testament. God repeatedly gave the prophets the words 'eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear'. I talked yesterday about how the current state of our nation very much reminds of the people of Israel back then. The thing is (and thanks to Pastor Philip for helping me find the words!), we all have God's truth built within us. We all know we're created for something more than what it seems the world might want us to believe. We just aren't always very good about opening our eyes and our ears so that we can see and hear God at work in our lives. This is what I was talking about yesterday when I wrote about God calling to us more and more loudly the farther away we as a nation push Him.
Just when it seems that nobody can make a movie with anything resembling a Godly message or even just a solid set of values instilled in it, we seem to get a rash of them. Just when it seems like the church is dying a slow and painful death, there is an evolution in the church and people become engaged again. The same can be said for every medium of communication out there. Don't believe me? Go take a look at how many Facebook pages there are that are just plain wrong and then compare that with how many there are devoted to the Bible and to God and to sharing Jesus with others.
The problem is, how do we know if it's really God talking to us or someone trying to trick us? After all, it's extremely easy to hear things that sound true and Godly and accept them as God's truth. The thing is, many times there is enough truth in a lie to make it plausible and that makes the lie even more dangerous. We're willing to take information from a source we trust and believe it to be 100% true, even if it's only 98% true. But if 2% of a lie becomes truth to us, what happens the next time we hear another 98% truth? We get a little farther off the mark each time until, looking back, it's hard to ever find the real truth again at all!
Fortunately, there is a sure-fire way to avoid falling into Satan's trap. The great thing about God is He is very consistent. In other words, you will never hear God tell you to do something that He's previously told you was wrong. It simply isn't possible for there to be any gray area with God. If something you hear or read seems to be on the mark, what you have to ask yourself is does it meet up with God's standard which is the Bible? Does this new information or direction meet up with God's will for you as given to each of us by Jesus? If you have eyes to see what God has to show you, then you will have ears to hear when someone tries to trick you into believing the lie by giving you just enough of the truth to make it sound good. God gave you everything you need to succeed in life when He created you in your mother's womb. He had a plan for you before you were even a flicker of a thought in your parents' eyes. Put your eyes on God and put your ears on His word and His Son and live a life abundant in His love and mercy!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Malachi's Warning
You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows. Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. -- Malachi 2:14-15 NLT
Malachi was sent to a restored nation of Israel, but a nation still recovering from a total lack of spirituality. The nation as a whole had gone wrong and stopped following God and were conquered. Malachi was sent by God to give the restored Israelites fair warning that they needed to be obedient to God and also to foretell of the coming of Jesus. Israel was full of selfish, insincere people. The leadership was weak and divorce was rampant. Sound familiar???
The passage I've quoted is part of a bigger piece of Malachi's warning that not only talks about the sanctity of marriage but also about marrying with Godly intent instead of marrying for ourselves. A mate isn't someone we choose but rather someone God chooses for us. We're made into a new creation together as husband and wife with a Heavenly purpose. We're given the responsibility of creating "Godly children".
Statistics show that most of the divorces filed in the United States are filed by women, by almost a 4 to 1 margin over men. They also show that the younger a woman is when she gets married, the more likely she is to divorce. Lastly, the younger a woman has children also significantly affects the outcome of her marriage. This doesn't show that divorce is a woman's fault, it's just the way they draw their statistics. But what I think it does show is that we don't really stop to consider whether we're marrying the right person at the right time. We don't look for God's hand in our decision making. We just jump in and then three years down the road with a toddler on board, we stop and look around and wonder how the heck this could have happened and why the person we married is now so different.
So we are a generation of people for whom divorce is quite common, like the Israelites. We are a generation of people who's kids have not seen us pay attention to God like we should and have grown up not knowing Him like they should, just like the Israelites. We are a nation whose spirituality overall has fallen into deep decline, again, just like the Israelites.
In recent years, God has been busy making His voice heard more and more loudly. Obedience to Him is on the rise everywhere in the world except for here in America, but here in America He speaks to us as loudly as ever. He's in our TV shows and our movies...Christian radio stations keep gaining popularity. Dave Ramsey is telling us to be Godly with our money and to quit drowning in debt. As faith in God moves further and further into the back of the nation's conscience, God speaks increasingly clearly to us and what He is saying is exactly what He said through Malachi all of those generations ago.
It's time to wake up. It's time for obedience. It's time for us to fully love God and to be bold about sharing it. We need to share it with our youth in order to raise up a righteous generation. We need to share it with our peers because many of them have never experienced it.
Jesus is coming and judgment arrives with Him.
Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” -- Malachi 3:16-18 NLT
Malachi was sent to a restored nation of Israel, but a nation still recovering from a total lack of spirituality. The nation as a whole had gone wrong and stopped following God and were conquered. Malachi was sent by God to give the restored Israelites fair warning that they needed to be obedient to God and also to foretell of the coming of Jesus. Israel was full of selfish, insincere people. The leadership was weak and divorce was rampant. Sound familiar???
The passage I've quoted is part of a bigger piece of Malachi's warning that not only talks about the sanctity of marriage but also about marrying with Godly intent instead of marrying for ourselves. A mate isn't someone we choose but rather someone God chooses for us. We're made into a new creation together as husband and wife with a Heavenly purpose. We're given the responsibility of creating "Godly children".
Statistics show that most of the divorces filed in the United States are filed by women, by almost a 4 to 1 margin over men. They also show that the younger a woman is when she gets married, the more likely she is to divorce. Lastly, the younger a woman has children also significantly affects the outcome of her marriage. This doesn't show that divorce is a woman's fault, it's just the way they draw their statistics. But what I think it does show is that we don't really stop to consider whether we're marrying the right person at the right time. We don't look for God's hand in our decision making. We just jump in and then three years down the road with a toddler on board, we stop and look around and wonder how the heck this could have happened and why the person we married is now so different.
So we are a generation of people for whom divorce is quite common, like the Israelites. We are a generation of people who's kids have not seen us pay attention to God like we should and have grown up not knowing Him like they should, just like the Israelites. We are a nation whose spirituality overall has fallen into deep decline, again, just like the Israelites.
In recent years, God has been busy making His voice heard more and more loudly. Obedience to Him is on the rise everywhere in the world except for here in America, but here in America He speaks to us as loudly as ever. He's in our TV shows and our movies...Christian radio stations keep gaining popularity. Dave Ramsey is telling us to be Godly with our money and to quit drowning in debt. As faith in God moves further and further into the back of the nation's conscience, God speaks increasingly clearly to us and what He is saying is exactly what He said through Malachi all of those generations ago.
It's time to wake up. It's time for obedience. It's time for us to fully love God and to be bold about sharing it. We need to share it with our youth in order to raise up a righteous generation. We need to share it with our peers because many of them have never experienced it.
Jesus is coming and judgment arrives with Him.
Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” -- Malachi 3:16-18 NLT
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sure And Certain
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. -- Hebrews 11:1 NIV
When I was younger, I was sure that I wanted a new car. Nobody was going to talk me out of it and no one was going to tell me I couldn't afford it. I had a good job and I wanted a new car and that was the end of the story. I got my new car, a 1989 Chevy Beretta GT...black with aluminum wheels and a digital dash. The sound system absolutely rocked, and I never had a problem finding people to ride around in it with me. And then I had to buy the tag and start making payments. I was sinking fast and, in the end, I needed a bunch of help and was lucky enough to have parents who accepted me and helped me start to climb out of a big hole.
I believe many of us do exactly the same thing when it comes to God. We start putting our own qualifications on God for our success. We convince ourselves that because it's what we want God must surely want it for us. Then, when what we wanted wasn't what God wanted for us and it doesn't happen we start to wonder why God doesn't love us or what we may have done wrong to make God mad since we didn't get our way.
God doesn't work like that. Just like my parents and the people around me could look at it objectively and see that I had no business buying that car, God has bigger plans for our lives than we could possibly imagine. So, when He doesn't come through for us and deliver on our request it doesn't mean He doesn't love us enough. It means He loves us too much to allow us to settle when He has something so much better in the wings.
Being sure of what we hope for is Jesus' return and the certainty of that which we cannot see is the place Jesus has gone and prepared for each us in eternity. Now, I don't know about you but I don't know how I could possibly look at a God that good and ever question my situation again. I will focus my heart, mind, body, and soul on the tasks put in front of me on Earth so I can reach my goal in Heaven.
When I was younger, I was sure that I wanted a new car. Nobody was going to talk me out of it and no one was going to tell me I couldn't afford it. I had a good job and I wanted a new car and that was the end of the story. I got my new car, a 1989 Chevy Beretta GT...black with aluminum wheels and a digital dash. The sound system absolutely rocked, and I never had a problem finding people to ride around in it with me. And then I had to buy the tag and start making payments. I was sinking fast and, in the end, I needed a bunch of help and was lucky enough to have parents who accepted me and helped me start to climb out of a big hole.
I believe many of us do exactly the same thing when it comes to God. We start putting our own qualifications on God for our success. We convince ourselves that because it's what we want God must surely want it for us. Then, when what we wanted wasn't what God wanted for us and it doesn't happen we start to wonder why God doesn't love us or what we may have done wrong to make God mad since we didn't get our way.
God doesn't work like that. Just like my parents and the people around me could look at it objectively and see that I had no business buying that car, God has bigger plans for our lives than we could possibly imagine. So, when He doesn't come through for us and deliver on our request it doesn't mean He doesn't love us enough. It means He loves us too much to allow us to settle when He has something so much better in the wings.
Being sure of what we hope for is Jesus' return and the certainty of that which we cannot see is the place Jesus has gone and prepared for each us in eternity. Now, I don't know about you but I don't know how I could possibly look at a God that good and ever question my situation again. I will focus my heart, mind, body, and soul on the tasks put in front of me on Earth so I can reach my goal in Heaven.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Top 10 - Why Marriage Rocks
'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." -- Mark 10:7-9 NIV
I love my wife more than I thought was possible. She's my best friend and my soul mate. There is zero doubt in my mind that God put us together and that we have embodied the essence of that passage from Mark. I can only hope that if you are married and reading this you feel as blessed as I do to have a wonderful spouse and God right in between you, binding you together. With that in mind, I give you this week's top 10 list...my top 10 reasons why it rocks to be married.
Have a great Monday and a blessed week!
I love my wife more than I thought was possible. She's my best friend and my soul mate. There is zero doubt in my mind that God put us together and that we have embodied the essence of that passage from Mark. I can only hope that if you are married and reading this you feel as blessed as I do to have a wonderful spouse and God right in between you, binding you together. With that in mind, I give you this week's top 10 list...my top 10 reasons why it rocks to be married.
- 10. Knowing there is someone who likes my weirdness.
- 09. His and hers recliners.
- 08. I always have a date!
- 07. She cooks, I eat...we're a match set.
- 06. Cold nights, warm covers.
- 05. Two awesome kids.
- 04. Her beautiful brown eyes.
- 03. Sharing each other's passions in life.
- 02. Always having someone to scrub my back in the shower. ...and the number one reason why marriage rocks is...
- 01. Waking up next to the most beautiful woman in the world!
Have a great Monday and a blessed week!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Other Side
George drives slowly down a busy road apparently oblivious to what's going on around him. Traffic is backing up and people are honking horns. He's been given the finger multiple times. Why can't he drive the speed limit? You show him your finger as well as you whip around him and move on down the road.
At work, Ellen seems to really be slipping. Her reports have been mistake-ridden for the past month and the boss is losing patience. She's distanced herself from the rest of the group, refusing to go to lunch with anyone. She's just gotten...weird...lately. You and the rest of the gang go to lunch and laugh about the strange stuff she's been doing lately.
Eddie gets picked on a lot. He dresses funny, smells bad, and has been shoved into a locker more times than he can count. He doesn't have any friends to speak of and isn't involved in any school activities at all. Nobody has ever seen his parents. He's dismissed as the loser kid who has no chance of succeeding in life.
It's easy to take a look at someone or at a situation and make a summation about it and then move on about our day, isn't it? We see things at a glance and apply our own assumptions making it our reality when what we need to do instead is really pay attention to what we're seeing and hearing and look for an understanding of what is really going on and an opportunity to do something about it. We're never going to know the other side of the story with our little 5-second summary snapshot. The truth is we wouldn't want people summarily dismissing us like that, would we? Wouldn't you want someone to come to your aid, even if it was just to hear your side of the story?
Matthew 9:12 says, 'On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.' I would argue that all of us have our own unique brand of sickness and that, when someone or something doesn't make sense or seems "weird", we should be seeking out the rest of the story and offering our help.
What I didn't tell you earlier in my stories was that George is driving home after burying his wife. He has no children to comfort him and all of his friends have already passed away. He has no one to comfort him and isn't quite sure how to move on with life. His speed is the least of his concerns right now. Ellen's new boyfriend has decided that she needs to be disciplined, so every night he beats her up. She knows he'll kill her if she tries to leave. She feels trapped and alone. Eddie's mother left when he was very young and his father pretends like he doesn't exist. He never has any food to eat and the only clothes he has he rummages out of the donation drop box in the school parking lot in the middle of the night. Everyone calls him a loser, so he believes they must be right.
Never assume you know someone by their appearance or their actions. Even the shallowest of us are much, much deeper beings than that. We're all God's creation and special. Jesus didn't come for those of us who are "normal". He came for the sick and the hurting and the oppressed. He wants us to help those in need, not to ignore them as we pass by. He wants us to be His hands and feet while He prepares eternity for us and he wants as many of His creation as we can bring to know Him to come with us. When you see someone or something you don't understand, take the time to learn the other side of the story.
At work, Ellen seems to really be slipping. Her reports have been mistake-ridden for the past month and the boss is losing patience. She's distanced herself from the rest of the group, refusing to go to lunch with anyone. She's just gotten...weird...lately. You and the rest of the gang go to lunch and laugh about the strange stuff she's been doing lately.
Eddie gets picked on a lot. He dresses funny, smells bad, and has been shoved into a locker more times than he can count. He doesn't have any friends to speak of and isn't involved in any school activities at all. Nobody has ever seen his parents. He's dismissed as the loser kid who has no chance of succeeding in life.
It's easy to take a look at someone or at a situation and make a summation about it and then move on about our day, isn't it? We see things at a glance and apply our own assumptions making it our reality when what we need to do instead is really pay attention to what we're seeing and hearing and look for an understanding of what is really going on and an opportunity to do something about it. We're never going to know the other side of the story with our little 5-second summary snapshot. The truth is we wouldn't want people summarily dismissing us like that, would we? Wouldn't you want someone to come to your aid, even if it was just to hear your side of the story?
Matthew 9:12 says, 'On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.' I would argue that all of us have our own unique brand of sickness and that, when someone or something doesn't make sense or seems "weird", we should be seeking out the rest of the story and offering our help.
What I didn't tell you earlier in my stories was that George is driving home after burying his wife. He has no children to comfort him and all of his friends have already passed away. He has no one to comfort him and isn't quite sure how to move on with life. His speed is the least of his concerns right now. Ellen's new boyfriend has decided that she needs to be disciplined, so every night he beats her up. She knows he'll kill her if she tries to leave. She feels trapped and alone. Eddie's mother left when he was very young and his father pretends like he doesn't exist. He never has any food to eat and the only clothes he has he rummages out of the donation drop box in the school parking lot in the middle of the night. Everyone calls him a loser, so he believes they must be right.
Never assume you know someone by their appearance or their actions. Even the shallowest of us are much, much deeper beings than that. We're all God's creation and special. Jesus didn't come for those of us who are "normal". He came for the sick and the hurting and the oppressed. He wants us to help those in need, not to ignore them as we pass by. He wants us to be His hands and feet while He prepares eternity for us and he wants as many of His creation as we can bring to know Him to come with us. When you see someone or something you don't understand, take the time to learn the other side of the story.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Hungry
The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. -- Proverbs 10:3 NIV
For those of you who don't know, we were adopted by a little kitty last week. We already had three cats so another was not in the cards, but there we were and there he was with nobody but us to see that he was cared for properly. We've named him Shades because his markings give the illusion that he's wearing glasses.
Shades weighed about as much as an 8 or 9 week old kitty would but, as the vet explained, his teeth show him to be closer to 16 weeks. The little guy has an absolutely ravenous appetite, eating anytime we are so good as to provide kitty food and relentlessly attempting to sneak his way onto our dinner plates. The little guys is hungry! He has had to spend who knows how much of his life fending for himself, eating what he could when he could, surviving by the grace of God. Can you imagine the life? Scrapping for food, avoiding bigger cats, dogs, and maybe even a few birds. Sleeping on alert. All alone in the world. Scared.
Have you ever felt like that? Like there was no help on any side? That the world is out to do you in? What we hunger for, whether we're willing to admit it or not, is leadership...guidance. We spend a lot of time acting confident and insisting we're in control of our lives when the reality could not be further removed from that illusion. We require guidance at every turn.
The proverb I quoted today states that the righteousness won't go hungry while the wicked can't be satisfied. What is righteousness but faith and obedience? I say it a lot, I know, but putting our full faith in God and working diligently to remain obedient to His teachings is our only path to satisfaction, and it's a satisfaction that conquers every aspect of our lives. I speak from experience because I've personally felt the emptiness that belongs to the dark and the satisfaction that comes from the Light.
Steel your heart with faith and your mind with obedience and experience the feeling of a content soul.
For those of you who don't know, we were adopted by a little kitty last week. We already had three cats so another was not in the cards, but there we were and there he was with nobody but us to see that he was cared for properly. We've named him Shades because his markings give the illusion that he's wearing glasses.
Shades weighed about as much as an 8 or 9 week old kitty would but, as the vet explained, his teeth show him to be closer to 16 weeks. The little guy has an absolutely ravenous appetite, eating anytime we are so good as to provide kitty food and relentlessly attempting to sneak his way onto our dinner plates. The little guys is hungry! He has had to spend who knows how much of his life fending for himself, eating what he could when he could, surviving by the grace of God. Can you imagine the life? Scrapping for food, avoiding bigger cats, dogs, and maybe even a few birds. Sleeping on alert. All alone in the world. Scared.
Have you ever felt like that? Like there was no help on any side? That the world is out to do you in? What we hunger for, whether we're willing to admit it or not, is leadership...guidance. We spend a lot of time acting confident and insisting we're in control of our lives when the reality could not be further removed from that illusion. We require guidance at every turn.
The proverb I quoted today states that the righteousness won't go hungry while the wicked can't be satisfied. What is righteousness but faith and obedience? I say it a lot, I know, but putting our full faith in God and working diligently to remain obedient to His teachings is our only path to satisfaction, and it's a satisfaction that conquers every aspect of our lives. I speak from experience because I've personally felt the emptiness that belongs to the dark and the satisfaction that comes from the Light.
Steel your heart with faith and your mind with obedience and experience the feeling of a content soul.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Who Are You?
I am not going to quote the Bible here today. Instead I'm going to point you to Bible Gateway to read the book of Job. Particularly, I want you to read the first two chapters and then chapters 38 through 42.
What happens is that Job is allowed by God to be tested by Satan. Four of Job's friends come and are with him and they all take a shot at explaining why such dreadful things have happened to such a righteous man. The last part of the book that I want you to read is the part where the Lord speaks directly to Job and challenges him to answer a series of questions.
The lesson is that, instead of trying to rationalize why things happen and instead of insisting that when something bad happens that person must have done something to deserve it, we need to put our full reliance on God. We need to understand the fundamental truth that any number of "bad" things are going to happen to all of us over the course of our lives but the only real answer is to have faith enough to show everyone that God is so much bigger than any of it. So much so that we need not worry about the reasons why but rather that God is still very much in control and will deliver us from it.
At the end of the book, Job is not only restored to his previous status but blessed even more on top of that because through his pain his faith didn't falter. Through both the major catastrophes and the minor inconveniences of life let God be your guide and let His Word be your truth and your comfort.
What happens is that Job is allowed by God to be tested by Satan. Four of Job's friends come and are with him and they all take a shot at explaining why such dreadful things have happened to such a righteous man. The last part of the book that I want you to read is the part where the Lord speaks directly to Job and challenges him to answer a series of questions.
The lesson is that, instead of trying to rationalize why things happen and instead of insisting that when something bad happens that person must have done something to deserve it, we need to put our full reliance on God. We need to understand the fundamental truth that any number of "bad" things are going to happen to all of us over the course of our lives but the only real answer is to have faith enough to show everyone that God is so much bigger than any of it. So much so that we need not worry about the reasons why but rather that God is still very much in control and will deliver us from it.
At the end of the book, Job is not only restored to his previous status but blessed even more on top of that because through his pain his faith didn't falter. Through both the major catastrophes and the minor inconveniences of life let God be your guide and let His Word be your truth and your comfort.
All Good Things...
And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over. Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses. -- Deuteronomy 34:5-9
Before I begin, can I just say that if you have to die how cool would it be to have God personally bury your body???
You know how to finish the title, right? All good things...must come to an end. It signifies the inevitability of change, that your current situation is only temporary. Today is the last day of my summer vacation. I've been off work for over a week now and it has been both a productive and enjoyable time, but I've also missed my friends at work and getting to spend the time both morning and afternoon riding to and from with my wife. Even though a more extended vacation sounds good on the surface (and don't get me wrong, I'd jump on it if money wasn't a problem), it's OK that it comes to an end because it means I can get back to my routine and also that my kids get a break from me putting them to work!
I get the feeling that Moses was at peace with what he'd done for God and Israel when he died. It was filled with challenges to be sure and I have to believe he wasn't enjoying himself for a good part of that time, but he obeyed God and delivered his people to their new home. His reward was to climb a mountain so he could see the land with his own eyes before passing away. I think he knew what awaited his spirit after his body died and I think he was ready for the break.
Many of us don't really enjoy change, do we? We like to put things in order and then keep a routine. Change doesn't do anything besides mess our routine up. But the thing is, God looks at change as progress. We can't move forward without change and sometimes the biggest moves forward require little steps back, no matter how big a step back they may seem at the time. I know it's hard, but I want you to try and embrace change when it happens, recognizing it for what it is which is God preparing you for something new. Just because a good thing must end doesn't mean that an even better thing isn't waiting for you right around the corner.
Before I begin, can I just say that if you have to die how cool would it be to have God personally bury your body???
You know how to finish the title, right? All good things...must come to an end. It signifies the inevitability of change, that your current situation is only temporary. Today is the last day of my summer vacation. I've been off work for over a week now and it has been both a productive and enjoyable time, but I've also missed my friends at work and getting to spend the time both morning and afternoon riding to and from with my wife. Even though a more extended vacation sounds good on the surface (and don't get me wrong, I'd jump on it if money wasn't a problem), it's OK that it comes to an end because it means I can get back to my routine and also that my kids get a break from me putting them to work!
I get the feeling that Moses was at peace with what he'd done for God and Israel when he died. It was filled with challenges to be sure and I have to believe he wasn't enjoying himself for a good part of that time, but he obeyed God and delivered his people to their new home. His reward was to climb a mountain so he could see the land with his own eyes before passing away. I think he knew what awaited his spirit after his body died and I think he was ready for the break.
Many of us don't really enjoy change, do we? We like to put things in order and then keep a routine. Change doesn't do anything besides mess our routine up. But the thing is, God looks at change as progress. We can't move forward without change and sometimes the biggest moves forward require little steps back, no matter how big a step back they may seem at the time. I know it's hard, but I want you to try and embrace change when it happens, recognizing it for what it is which is God preparing you for something new. Just because a good thing must end doesn't mean that an even better thing isn't waiting for you right around the corner.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
This Is My Son Whom I Love
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." -- Matthew 3:16-17
Reading that verse, you get a real sense that God was in Heaven running over with pride that his Son was down here among His creation fulfilling the destiny set before Him. This is a father full of pride making sure everyone knows how proud he is that his son has chosen the path of righteousness!
My son is 16 and while he isn't quite finished growing into an adult yet, he's awfully close. More and more I see in him the man he is to become. I've felt that God had special plans for him since before he was born. He has the character traits that make younger kids congregate around him and love him. I can't wait to see how his life unfolds.
Yesterday in particular, he made me a very proud father and I wanted to share that this morning. One of my major goals while I've been on vacation was to get the old, nasty carpet pulled out of my bedroom. It's the last room in the house to get this treatment and it's years overdue. I had hoped to have gotten to it last week, but for many reasons, it hadn't happened. So yesterday I buckled down and started in on it while also needing to get several other chores done that we didn't get to over the weekend. I want you to know that my son handled several loads of laundry and got our kitchen, which was a wreck, cleaned up and the dishes washed. Because of his help, I was able to get my room completely done and put back together before Suzanne got home from work.
The message today is that you should go out of your way to celebrate your kids when they make you proud. It's easy for us to fall into the devil's trap of criticizing and disciplining without end, but it takes conscious action on our parts as parents to make sure they get praised and built up when they do right, and especially when they go above our expectations. Don't be afraid to be brimming with pride and adoration for your kids! I promise, adding praise and adoration to your parenting will transform your kids and affect your family tree for generations to come.
Reading that verse, you get a real sense that God was in Heaven running over with pride that his Son was down here among His creation fulfilling the destiny set before Him. This is a father full of pride making sure everyone knows how proud he is that his son has chosen the path of righteousness!
My son is 16 and while he isn't quite finished growing into an adult yet, he's awfully close. More and more I see in him the man he is to become. I've felt that God had special plans for him since before he was born. He has the character traits that make younger kids congregate around him and love him. I can't wait to see how his life unfolds.
Yesterday in particular, he made me a very proud father and I wanted to share that this morning. One of my major goals while I've been on vacation was to get the old, nasty carpet pulled out of my bedroom. It's the last room in the house to get this treatment and it's years overdue. I had hoped to have gotten to it last week, but for many reasons, it hadn't happened. So yesterday I buckled down and started in on it while also needing to get several other chores done that we didn't get to over the weekend. I want you to know that my son handled several loads of laundry and got our kitchen, which was a wreck, cleaned up and the dishes washed. Because of his help, I was able to get my room completely done and put back together before Suzanne got home from work.
The message today is that you should go out of your way to celebrate your kids when they make you proud. It's easy for us to fall into the devil's trap of criticizing and disciplining without end, but it takes conscious action on our parts as parents to make sure they get praised and built up when they do right, and especially when they go above our expectations. Don't be afraid to be brimming with pride and adoration for your kids! I promise, adding praise and adoration to your parenting will transform your kids and affect your family tree for generations to come.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Top 10 - Church Signs
If Letterman can do it, why can't I?
I don't know why, but I've always gotten a kick out of church signs. Sometimes they are completely cheesy (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) and sometimes they are truly thought provoking, but they always get my attention. They are there to get passers-by to think about the Lord and their faith in the hopes that someone who doesn't know Jesus might show up and hear the Gospel.
So this morning I'm going to give you my top 10 church signs, mixing in some cheesy and some thought provoking...because that's how I roll. Have a wonderfully blessed Monday everyone!
Top 10 Church Signs
I don't know why, but I've always gotten a kick out of church signs. Sometimes they are completely cheesy (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) and sometimes they are truly thought provoking, but they always get my attention. They are there to get passers-by to think about the Lord and their faith in the hopes that someone who doesn't know Jesus might show up and hear the Gospel.
So this morning I'm going to give you my top 10 church signs, mixing in some cheesy and some thought provoking...because that's how I roll. Have a wonderfully blessed Monday everyone!
Top 10 Church Signs
- 10. God expects spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
- 9. If man came from apes... Why are there still apes?
- 8. Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.
- 7. When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.
- 6. Living without God's spirit is like trying to dribble a football.
- 5. "Well done" is better than "well said".
- 4. Forgive your enemies, it will mess with their mind.
- 3. Don't tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is.
- 2. Try Jesus. If you don't like Him the devil will take you back.
- ...and the number one church sign is: A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Rejoice!
Can't tell you how many times we sang this in Sunday School or at church camp growing up...half the room went first and the the other half came in a couple of beats later.
This is the day (this is the day),
That the Lord has made (that the Lord has made).
We will rejoice (we will rejoice)
And be glad in it (and be glad in it). -- Psalm 118:24 NIV
I slept on the couch last night. While I'm certainly capable of making Suzanne that mad, it wasn't the case this time. She had run some errands after work and then we went out to the horse stables for Rachel to give a riding lesson to a friend and ended up getting a bit too much heat. We showered and ate dinner at 9 and she collapsed for the night soon after. Zach and I stayed up playing a video game and when I was ready to go to bed, she was sleeping so peacefully in the middle of the bed that I didn't have the heart to disturb her. I woke up this morning with a stiff back and an aching head...but it was worth every bit of it.
Back then Psalm 118:24 was just a song the kids sang...this morning I am taking it to heart. I may have slept on the couch, and it is probably already 80 something degrees outside, but it's the Lord's creation and I've been given another day doing the things I love with the people I love. What better reason to rejoice?
This is the day (this is the day),
That the Lord has made (that the Lord has made).
We will rejoice (we will rejoice)
And be glad in it (and be glad in it). -- Psalm 118:24 NIV
I slept on the couch last night. While I'm certainly capable of making Suzanne that mad, it wasn't the case this time. She had run some errands after work and then we went out to the horse stables for Rachel to give a riding lesson to a friend and ended up getting a bit too much heat. We showered and ate dinner at 9 and she collapsed for the night soon after. Zach and I stayed up playing a video game and when I was ready to go to bed, she was sleeping so peacefully in the middle of the bed that I didn't have the heart to disturb her. I woke up this morning with a stiff back and an aching head...but it was worth every bit of it.
Back then Psalm 118:24 was just a song the kids sang...this morning I am taking it to heart. I may have slept on the couch, and it is probably already 80 something degrees outside, but it's the Lord's creation and I've been given another day doing the things I love with the people I love. What better reason to rejoice?
Friday, July 16, 2010
Conflicting Views
When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him. -- Proverbs 16:7 NIV
Conflict, it seems, is just a part of life. I don't like it and when I say that I mean that I truly am not a fan of it. If Facebook had a dislike button I would be a member of the Conflict page just so I could use that button! Conflict can be found wreaking havoc in all aspects of life, can't it? Conflicts occur between parent and child, siblings, spouses, many times within ourselves, and also with God.
I think that conflict is a symptom of the real problem, and I think it can make the problem seem far worse than it really is sometimes. Conflict even in small doses serves to really turn the pressure up on us, doesn't it? It seems like things can rapidly get out of control and since most of us fall into the category of disliking it our first instinct is to run from it. I'm generalizing here, and not all conflict is minor to be sure, but I'd bet that most of the time resolving it happens when we examine that relationship or area of our life where it exists and seek God's will for us there.
The Bible tells us that when we live in a way that is pleasing to God, even our enemies will leave us alone. What a novel concept! Why do we (and I'm probably worse about this than you are) spend so much time trying to force our mindset on God instead of spending time with Him and asking to show us how to fix it?
You say you have a teenager that drives you crazy? Yeah, been there and have the T-shirt...how does God handle you when you get rebellious? Can't get your spouse to see your point of view? How much time have you spent looking into theirs? Can't figure out what to be when you grow up? When was the last time you got in touch with your Creator and asked for help?
I know sometimes what I need is a proverbial slap in the face to wake me up when I have let a relationship or an area of my personal life slide, and my belief is that conflict is not only a way to identify the problems but also a great opportunity to ask for and receive God's help. Take a look at your life and ask yourself, are there places where you need to do just that?
Conflict, it seems, is just a part of life. I don't like it and when I say that I mean that I truly am not a fan of it. If Facebook had a dislike button I would be a member of the Conflict page just so I could use that button! Conflict can be found wreaking havoc in all aspects of life, can't it? Conflicts occur between parent and child, siblings, spouses, many times within ourselves, and also with God.
I think that conflict is a symptom of the real problem, and I think it can make the problem seem far worse than it really is sometimes. Conflict even in small doses serves to really turn the pressure up on us, doesn't it? It seems like things can rapidly get out of control and since most of us fall into the category of disliking it our first instinct is to run from it. I'm generalizing here, and not all conflict is minor to be sure, but I'd bet that most of the time resolving it happens when we examine that relationship or area of our life where it exists and seek God's will for us there.
The Bible tells us that when we live in a way that is pleasing to God, even our enemies will leave us alone. What a novel concept! Why do we (and I'm probably worse about this than you are) spend so much time trying to force our mindset on God instead of spending time with Him and asking to show us how to fix it?
You say you have a teenager that drives you crazy? Yeah, been there and have the T-shirt...how does God handle you when you get rebellious? Can't get your spouse to see your point of view? How much time have you spent looking into theirs? Can't figure out what to be when you grow up? When was the last time you got in touch with your Creator and asked for help?
I know sometimes what I need is a proverbial slap in the face to wake me up when I have let a relationship or an area of my personal life slide, and my belief is that conflict is not only a way to identify the problems but also a great opportunity to ask for and receive God's help. Take a look at your life and ask yourself, are there places where you need to do just that?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Invisible Gorillas
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. -- Colossians 4:2 NIV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -- John 1:1 NIV
I've written about overcoming bad times a bunch lately, or at least that's the way it seems to me. But what about preventing some of those bad times from happening at all? We know God will send us through trying times to suit His will and to prepare us for later blessings, but are there times when we are our own worst enemy? I think there probably are based on my experience. There have certainly been times when I could very easily have chosen a less difficult path, had multiple chances to do so in fact, almost like God was giving me every chance to do so and yet I insisted on doing things the hard way.
There is a story that I read on Yahoo about the Invisible Gorilla test. They tested a group of folks by having them watch a video of some people, half dressed in black and half in white, moving around and passing balls back and forth. The test subjects were asked to count the number of passes between people. After watching the video the majority of them hadn't even noticed that a guy in a gorilla suit had moved in and out of the shot throughout the course of the video.
They then told the next group about the gorilla and played another video that had the same people passing the balls around and the gorilla moving in and out but also had other characters moving in and out. Everyone in this group noticed the gorilla, but about the same percentage as in the first test missed the other characters moving about in the video.
The conclusion is that it is hard for humans to split their focus and even when they manage to split it when they know to expect something else, we still can't further split our focus away from the task in front of us. So the trick, it seems, to avoiding the self-inflicted trials in life is put our focus where it does the most good. Our focus needs to be on God and, more specifically, on God's Word.
By putting our focus on God's instruction book for our lives, we can be prepared for the unexpected just like the folks who watched the second video. We can be prepared for the invisible gorillas when they come calling and avoid getting in our own way.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -- John 1:1 NIV
I've written about overcoming bad times a bunch lately, or at least that's the way it seems to me. But what about preventing some of those bad times from happening at all? We know God will send us through trying times to suit His will and to prepare us for later blessings, but are there times when we are our own worst enemy? I think there probably are based on my experience. There have certainly been times when I could very easily have chosen a less difficult path, had multiple chances to do so in fact, almost like God was giving me every chance to do so and yet I insisted on doing things the hard way.
There is a story that I read on Yahoo about the Invisible Gorilla test. They tested a group of folks by having them watch a video of some people, half dressed in black and half in white, moving around and passing balls back and forth. The test subjects were asked to count the number of passes between people. After watching the video the majority of them hadn't even noticed that a guy in a gorilla suit had moved in and out of the shot throughout the course of the video.
They then told the next group about the gorilla and played another video that had the same people passing the balls around and the gorilla moving in and out but also had other characters moving in and out. Everyone in this group noticed the gorilla, but about the same percentage as in the first test missed the other characters moving about in the video.
The conclusion is that it is hard for humans to split their focus and even when they manage to split it when they know to expect something else, we still can't further split our focus away from the task in front of us. So the trick, it seems, to avoiding the self-inflicted trials in life is put our focus where it does the most good. Our focus needs to be on God and, more specifically, on God's Word.
By putting our focus on God's instruction book for our lives, we can be prepared for the unexpected just like the folks who watched the second video. We can be prepared for the invisible gorillas when they come calling and avoid getting in our own way.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Random Acts
Some of the times when I've felt the most in harmony with God have been when I took hold of an opportunity to do something random for someone I didn't know...no thinking or wondering if I could afford it or if it might be dangerous. No, just doing it because it was put in front of me to do and because it just felt right to do it.
The Bible tells us not to boast of these things, so I won't go into specifics and I will tell you I've failed to act so much more often than the times when I've acted, but I will tell that the spiritual high that I felt in those times that I acted are addictive. They build on themselves. You do something that you know made an impact on someone else's life and you want to do more. Even when you see someone else taking action it compels you to do the same.
Read Psalm 15 and commit yourself to grasping each of the opportunities God sends your way to be a blessing to others, both friend and stranger alike, and may you never be shaken.
Psalm 15
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
The Bible tells us not to boast of these things, so I won't go into specifics and I will tell you I've failed to act so much more often than the times when I've acted, but I will tell that the spiritual high that I felt in those times that I acted are addictive. They build on themselves. You do something that you know made an impact on someone else's life and you want to do more. Even when you see someone else taking action it compels you to do the same.
Read Psalm 15 and commit yourself to grasping each of the opportunities God sends your way to be a blessing to others, both friend and stranger alike, and may you never be shaken.
Psalm 15
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Courageous Prayer
I have a question for you today. When life throws you a curveball and you turn to God, what is your prayer like? Do you plead with God, ask why this has happened to you? Do you bargain with God and say you'll turn over a new leaf if only He'll pull you out of this one last jam? Do you pray boldly and ask that He deliver you from it?
I suspect we've all prayed a bunch of all of those types of prayers in our lives. I know I have prayed in just about every way imaginable and in many, many different types of circumstances. At times I hadn't paid any attention to God for quite some time and yet, when things went awry, there I was praying my prayer to be rescued. While those aren't necessarily bad prayers to pray, they didn't show a lot of courage on my part...and I believe not enough faith either.
I got to wondering if there was an example of a courageous prayer in the Bible, and I found a couple. First, when Jesus sat down on the mountainside to teach His disciples, one of the things He taught them was how to pray. In Matthew 6 He says, "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'
The second was the prayer Jesus prayed right before we was arrested. In Luke 22, He says, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
To pray a prayer that says, I don't like what is happening and I wish it wasn't happening, but let your will be done Lord...that seems to me like an awfully brave thing to pray. By acknowledging God's will for us, I believe we open ourselves up to experiencing His blessings in a whole new way. Could it be that by giving in and allowing Him to take over, that God might smile happily knowing full well what He has in store for us and that it's better than anything we could accomplish on our own or could even imagine?
When things don't go as expected and life hits you hard, will you have the courage to pray to God and ask Him to carry out His will for you? I pray that you do and that His blessings from doing so are so plentiful that you cannot contain them and have to share them with others!
I suspect we've all prayed a bunch of all of those types of prayers in our lives. I know I have prayed in just about every way imaginable and in many, many different types of circumstances. At times I hadn't paid any attention to God for quite some time and yet, when things went awry, there I was praying my prayer to be rescued. While those aren't necessarily bad prayers to pray, they didn't show a lot of courage on my part...and I believe not enough faith either.
I got to wondering if there was an example of a courageous prayer in the Bible, and I found a couple. First, when Jesus sat down on the mountainside to teach His disciples, one of the things He taught them was how to pray. In Matthew 6 He says, "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'
The second was the prayer Jesus prayed right before we was arrested. In Luke 22, He says, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
To pray a prayer that says, I don't like what is happening and I wish it wasn't happening, but let your will be done Lord...that seems to me like an awfully brave thing to pray. By acknowledging God's will for us, I believe we open ourselves up to experiencing His blessings in a whole new way. Could it be that by giving in and allowing Him to take over, that God might smile happily knowing full well what He has in store for us and that it's better than anything we could accomplish on our own or could even imagine?
When things don't go as expected and life hits you hard, will you have the courage to pray to God and ask Him to carry out His will for you? I pray that you do and that His blessings from doing so are so plentiful that you cannot contain them and have to share them with others!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sovereign Lord
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” -- Jeremiah 32:17 NIV
We've been talking about truth at church over the past couple of weeks, and about how and why people seem to turn so easily from God and put their faith in other things.
For me, even though there have been times in my life when I questioned God, I can't fathom how any rational person can look around them and not see God everywhere they look! The Earth is God's creation, we are God's creation. How amazingly it all fits together so nicely. We depend on the Earth to survive and the Earth depends on us to be good stewards of all that God has given us. The way all types of life evolve and flourish, the way that the human brain works...how can all of that be just coincidence or aliens or anything other than our Sovereign Lord???
I looked up the word sovereign to get some insight into the use of it here. A couple of my favorite definitions, the ones that really say "God" to me are:
Those are all really great adjectives to describe our Lord. He is greater on every level than we are capable of being, and He created each of us with ultimate love and ultimate skill so celebrate that today and give thanks to our Sovereign Lord!
We've been talking about truth at church over the past couple of weeks, and about how and why people seem to turn so easily from God and put their faith in other things.
For me, even though there have been times in my life when I questioned God, I can't fathom how any rational person can look around them and not see God everywhere they look! The Earth is God's creation, we are God's creation. How amazingly it all fits together so nicely. We depend on the Earth to survive and the Earth depends on us to be good stewards of all that God has given us. The way all types of life evolve and flourish, the way that the human brain works...how can all of that be just coincidence or aliens or anything other than our Sovereign Lord???
I looked up the word sovereign to get some insight into the use of it here. A couple of my favorite definitions, the ones that really say "God" to me are:
- supreme, preeminent, indisputable
- being above all others in character, importance, excellence, etc.
Those are all really great adjectives to describe our Lord. He is greater on every level than we are capable of being, and He created each of us with ultimate love and ultimate skill so celebrate that today and give thanks to our Sovereign Lord!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
After The Rain
For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. -- Genesis 7:17-18 NIV
Over the past week or so, we have seen an almost unprecedented amount of rain here in Oklahoma. All Things Fellowship marched with a float in the Bethany Fourth of July parade last week and almost all of it was done in the pouring rain.
Sometimes rain can be fun, like it was in the parade. At other times, the rain brings floods and a disruption of our daily lives. But today I want to focus on the rains that can invade our hearts and our souls. Those rains are never fun, are they? We can be stressed by them, maybe even to the point that we feel like we're being punished for our sins.
It's in these times where we feel isolated and stressed, like we're going to break under the strain, that we need to call on God to be our ark. Just like Noah and his family, God is capable of sustaining us when the floods come. And you know what? Like after a spring rain, things are fresh and new after the spiritual rains have subsided.
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. Genesis 9:1-3 NIV
And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:12-13 NIV
God sent floods over the whole Earth, but after the water had receded He established a new beginning for Noah. The rainbow is a reminder to us that after the rains is the time for a fresh start and a renewed devotion to God. When there is rain in your life, rely on God to keep you afloat and be renewed in your love for and obedience to Him when the waters recede!
Over the past week or so, we have seen an almost unprecedented amount of rain here in Oklahoma. All Things Fellowship marched with a float in the Bethany Fourth of July parade last week and almost all of it was done in the pouring rain.
Sometimes rain can be fun, like it was in the parade. At other times, the rain brings floods and a disruption of our daily lives. But today I want to focus on the rains that can invade our hearts and our souls. Those rains are never fun, are they? We can be stressed by them, maybe even to the point that we feel like we're being punished for our sins.
It's in these times where we feel isolated and stressed, like we're going to break under the strain, that we need to call on God to be our ark. Just like Noah and his family, God is capable of sustaining us when the floods come. And you know what? Like after a spring rain, things are fresh and new after the spiritual rains have subsided.
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. Genesis 9:1-3 NIV
And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:12-13 NIV
God sent floods over the whole Earth, but after the water had receded He established a new beginning for Noah. The rainbow is a reminder to us that after the rains is the time for a fresh start and a renewed devotion to God. When there is rain in your life, rely on God to keep you afloat and be renewed in your love for and obedience to Him when the waters recede!
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Humble Faith
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” -- Romans 12:3 NIV
I never really thought of it quite that way, but the thought that our faith isn't so much something we develop as it is something that God develops in us is an interesting concept.
Here we are learning and failing and scrapping and trying each day to be our best for God, but what this verse from Romans tells me is that maybe it all has more more to do with us loosening our grip and allowing God to put us where we need to be. I also think I understand the first part of this verse to tell us that the mechanism that allows us to let go is humility.
Practice being more humble and honest with yourself concerning God, continually work on loosening your grip on your life and what you want for it, and watch God increasingly develop your faith.
I never really thought of it quite that way, but the thought that our faith isn't so much something we develop as it is something that God develops in us is an interesting concept.
Here we are learning and failing and scrapping and trying each day to be our best for God, but what this verse from Romans tells me is that maybe it all has more more to do with us loosening our grip and allowing God to put us where we need to be. I also think I understand the first part of this verse to tell us that the mechanism that allows us to let go is humility.
Practice being more humble and honest with yourself concerning God, continually work on loosening your grip on your life and what you want for it, and watch God increasingly develop your faith.
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