A Bold and Revealing Statement

Scripture:
"For I consider that sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us;" Romans 8:18

Observation:
What a bold statement. This world is full of suffering. Bad things seems to happen all over the place, all the time. Taking into account all the hardships that I have observed going on around me just today; I would say this is a very bold statement. When I think about Paul's life and remember all the suffering he went thought, I would say this is a very, very bold statement. As much as this statement is bold, it is also revealing.

Application:
As I reflect upon this verse I would have to say that I don’t agree with it. I am not saying that I think the scripture is wrong, I am only saying that I could not make this statement with any level of honesty. I hate suffering. I do not consider it joy. I look at a parent suffering with a special needs child or starving children or bad family situations and I do not feel anything remotely resembling joy. It actually leaves me feeling scared, confused and angry.

Paul was a man cut out of the same stock as me. He was fully man and in no part was he God. So he had to see the same things in life that I see and feel, why is it he considered them so insignificant? That question leads me to the revealing part of this scripture, I do not really have a view of heaven. I don’t think on it very much and I certainly do not live each day in anticipation of it.

I do not know how to develop my view of heaven. What will it look like? Who will be there? What will I do? What will God be like? What about Jesus, will he still have scars? Will I be able to play golf and will I still slice and if I slice will I still curse and through my golf club? The questions abound.

Prayer:
Father, heaven is real. It is already in existence. The scripture says to be absent from the body is to be present with you so I know that heaven not only exists, but is occupied. It weird's me out to think about it. I am not sure how to go about changing my thoughts towards heaven. I pray for Your wisdom to guide me. Help me learn to live everyday in eager anticipation of the majesty that will be the life to come. Train me to be as Paul in the way that I think about heaven and allow the truth of what it will be to resonate deep within my Spirit. I want to have such a vivid picture in my mind that is will make my struggles seem unworthy of the day that I will be in heaven with You.

A Continuing Task

Scripture:
"but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live…For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out Abba Father!" Romans 8:12; 15

Observation:
In this verse the structure of the sentence sets the verb "putting" in present progressive tense. That means that it is ongoing. Paul did not set the sentence in past progressive tense to indicate that we had already done it. He did not set it in future progressive tense to indicate that we would take care of it at some point in the future. He structured the use of his words to tell us that putting to death the sinful things that we do is a task that will continually be taking place as long as we are in these bodies.

Application
I am not patient by any definition of the word. If I determine to do something, that means that I intend to do it right now and complete it in its entirety. If I put together a 1,000 piece jig-saw puzzle, I want to do it in one night. If I read a book, I want to read the entire thing in one sitting. If I decide that it is time to leave a place, I have to get out of there right then. It frustrates me to delay the completion of something. I want to do it quickly, completely and with perfection. Anything less than that is considered failure to me. This behavior is a strength of mine. It drives me. It, more than any other motivation, has been used by God to help me succeed in many areas of life. It generates inside of me a sense of urgency about advancing my career, working on my marriage, spending time with my kids, and increasing my abilities. It is a compulsion that is nearly impossible for me to control.

But what has blessed me so much in so many aspects of my life and is definitely a strength of mine; has also cursed me in other aspects of life and causes me great torment. There are certain things that only take place over time and with great patience. I really suck at dealing with these things. When dealing with problems that want go away, I become irrational to the point that I can scare myself and others around me. Anger bubbles up and I will explode. I have a very ugly temper if I ever lose it and nothing sets it off like having to endure something that causes me pain. This tendency makes relationships difficult for me. I want my marriage to be the best that it can be and I want it to happen right now. I want things at work to line up and function as they should and I want it now. I want my kids to obey me, do what I say, and do it now. Now, now, now, now. That is what I hear in my head as I go tearing through the people in my life like a bull in a china shop. I hate that about myself.

This driving force in my life is perhaps its most destructive in my relationship with God. I expect to be perfect and to be so overnight. Anything less than immediate results causes frustration for me and will not stop until I have checked it off my list. The trouble is, I will never be perfected as long as I am part of this world. I will always have weaknesses. I will always slip up. There are struggles that will never go away. This often leaves me feeling like a failure and at times causes me to be gripped by fear, the greatest of which is the fear that I am not really saved.

Prayer
Your word here says that I am no longer subject to fear and I am able to call out to You as my daddy. But I don’t feel that way. When I look in the mirror all that I see are the failures of my flesh that I have not been able to put to death. My fight against them leaves me feeling like a person trying to cover up with a blanket that is too small. No matter how much I pull and tug, I just can't get comfortable enough to rest. Your word in verse 1 of this chapter in Romans says that there is not condemnation for those who have been save. But I don't feel that way either. I condemn myself every night.

I pray that You allow me to see myself as You see me. I live in a constant state of fear of You. Not a healthy fear, but a very nasty fear. I am afraid of what Your reaction to my failures is going to be. In my heart, I know that Your grace is sufficient but my mind just will not accept it. I pray for Your peace to overcome the doubts I have. You and I both know that I am not perfect. We both also know that I struggle each day putting to death the things that do not belong in my life. I am not where I need to be, but I am miles away from where I once was. Teach me to rest in the fact that You are working on me and will keep me in Your Grace until You bring me home.

A Healthy Fear

Scripture:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7

Observation:
I fear a lot of things. Spiders. I hate them. You never know one is on you until it is sitting on your face. Snakes. There is absolutely nothing positive about a snake. I will wet my pants and scream like a little girl anytime a get near one. Clowns. There is nothing in the world that will freak me out more than a clown. They are just nasty, demonic looking creatures. I am shivering now just at the thought of these things. If I have a bad experience with any of these three, it will mess me up for days. I will double check every dark or unseen place just to make sure one is not lurking about prepared to inflict some harm on me.

When I read this verse I am tempted to associate the same type of fear that accompanies my phobias with the command to fear the LORD. But that is not the only type of fear. There is a type of fear that leads to a healthy respect and admiration of things. I fear guns. They are dangerous and one mistake can cause serious harm. But I also love guns. They bring me great pleasure. A round of target practice is one of the more relaxing things that I do. I fear four-wheelers. I have had a few bad experiences that have made me realize that I get myself in a mess in a hurry on one. But I love riding them. Not just riding them, but being crazy on them. It is a rush to go blindly flying around a corner or bail off into a pool of water not knowing how deep it is. I fear being a husband and dad. I was not given a manual for my wife after we got married and one did not accompany any of my children home from the hospital. Doing what is right for each of them is a mystery. I live with a constant fear that I might screw them up. But I love being a husband to my wife and a father to my kids. It is my favorite role in life. There is no greater joy.

As I think through this I see this I see fear as the beginning of knowledge in each example. Fearing what can happen with a gun caused me to learn how to be safe. The fear of getting hurt or getting stuck on a four-wheeler led me to learn how to handle one. Fear of losing my wife and kids creates inside of me a great desire to learn all that I can so that I can be the best I can be for each of them. Fear brings out the best in me. It slows me down, makes me intentional, and motivates me to be better.

Application:
I need to have this same healthy fear of God in my life, but I am really struggling this morning to understand what it is that God is asking of me.

Prayer:
I am really searching my heart this morning to see why You have brought me back to this verse. What knowledge is waiting for me here today? I desire more than anything to have a healthy fear of You. Make me aware of You today. Open my eyes to Your power, Your majesty and Your beauty. Do not let my head lay down tonight before I have seen and felt Your presence in a strong way. Move before me today in a way that will lead me to rediscover my sense of awe and wonder of You. Open my heart to truly understand what it means to fear You.

Twisted Scripture

Scripture:
"Even so consider yourself dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." Romans 6:11

Observation:
The meaning of this verse seems quite clear. We are dead to sin and alive in Christ. This entire Chapter of Romans speaks to the fact that we are no longer held captive to sin and have been made free from it.

Application:
I think that I mostly have this verse backwards in my mind and it seems like this statement from Paul plays itself out backwards in my life. I often feel like I am alive to sin and dead to God. I mean it sounds really bad to say that. I could join the ranks of those who quote verses such as this and act like they mean it, but really what is the point. I do not believe that any thing good can come from denying what I feel inside.

I resist sin as much as I can, but I do not resist it as one who hates the thought of it or is dead to it. I resist it more like I resist a cookie or a piece of cheese cake. And I try to obey the things that God has asked of me but I do not do it as one who is alive in following the command. I obey more like a child who complies only to avoid a further beating.

So what's up with this? What is it about sin that is so alluring to me and what is it about seeking righteousness that feels so burdensome?

Prayer:
I never consider my feelings or emotions to be truthful for I know that they are not. Though they are not true, they are powerful and quite deceptive. I can read a verse like this and before long my emotions and feelings are taken over by Satan and he can take me down to a really low place. I feel very inadequate. I do honestly FEEL like I am still a slave to sin and separated from You. But that is not the truth. According to this Chapter from Romans, You have made me dead to sin and alive to You. Help me take command of my feelings and emotions. I want to consider myself to be the same as what Your word promises me to be. I want to resist sin as one who resists death and I want to follow Your will as one who pursues the best joy. I have the truth of this chapter twisted in my mind, help me as I try to get things straightened out as they should be.

Leaving the Jerk

Scripture:
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Observation:
God did not wait on us to get something right; He reached out to us where we were.

Application:
I can be a jerk. I can be soft-hearted and very caring, but still the same I am also fairly gifted at being a justified jerk. I say justified because I am rarely a off the handle variety of jerk. I am much more of a pushed into a corner, had no other choice, I am only protecting myself kind of jerk. If I were given the opportunity to stand before a group of my peers I could unpack an argument that would easily convince even my staunchest critic to understand my point of view. Matter of fact, I get most of my material from other people.

When I see a homeless guy I am justified in not doing anything because he is not helping himself. When a person has been overly rude to me I am justified in putting him in his place because he needs to understand his weakness. When a person asks favors of me to the point that it becomes very inconvenient I am justified in saying no because I am becoming a door mat. All these things make sense to me, but I often wonder are the valid?

Studying the life of Christ is not always the easiest of things to do, but if I want to know what God would have me do the life Jesus lived is the perfect example of a life lived in perfect harmony with God's desires. I realize more every day that the path that He laid out for me to follow seems impossible. The more I read about Him, the more amazed I become at just how incredible a life He lived. I also can get overwhelmed thinking about it.

Prayer:
I want to walk in the hope of Your Glory. I want to live a life that is happy and filled with moments of celebration and joy. The problem is that I want to live life on my own terms. The fullness of joy that is found in Your Glory can not be found in my own logic. It is found by walking in Your will. This is one of the hardest prayers to pray, but I want to ask for You to open my eyes to life as You see it.

When I see a homeless person, I want to remember that he was once someone's son or daughter. I want to understand the pain of life that he must deal with everyday. I want to sense the desperation that must accompany life on the streets. I want to offer whatever it is that You would have me to give and not even worry about what he will do with it.

When I encounter a person who pushes all my wrong buttons and drives me to the point of losing my temper, I want to remember that though people spit in Jesus' face, beat Him, and nailed Him to a cross He still asked You to forgive them. He still gave his life for them. He never stopped loving people no matter what they did to Him and He always led them to You.

When a person asks more of me than I feel is fare, I want to remember the image of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. He took on the ultimate of humility to serve a group of people to whom He had already given so much. I want to remember all the times He sought time away to recoup but His compassion for the lost and needy compelled Him to keep on giving.

Doing any of this is something that lies beyond my ability. It is only through You working in my life that this can come about. Teach me to know the path that will produce this type of fruit in my life. Help me to celebrate walking in it with You. You know everything I need to live a life pleasing to You. The greatest desire that I have of You tonight is for You to show me how to leave the jerk that is my natural nature and instead embrace the beauty that is in Your Son.

The God of the Task

Scripture:
"Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old. And the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." Romans 4 : 19 - 21

Observation:
Abraham assessed the situation after God spoke to him. He allowed his mind to do what was natural and contemplated the possibility of what was told to him by God. He did this without becoming weak in faith. In short, he questioned the possibility of the task without questioning the God of the task.

Application:
Faith is often packaged very poorly and delivered to me in a manner that is hard to accept. Faith is defined as a belief that is not based on proof. I have explained to people many times the direness of a situation that I faced only to hear them say "You just have to have faith." They say it flippantly and it really frustrates me. I wonder if they honestly do not think that I have thought of that? I wonder to myself, what if they were in my situation; would they be able to "just have faith?" As I read this passage this morning, I get the feeling that I need to have more than just faith. There always seems to be a little something missing.

I think that the first thing I need to have is a relationship with God. Sometimes it is tempting to wait until I am in the middle of something that is larger than me to seek connecting with God, but that is a tough row to hoe. It is better to head into something with God rather than trying to find Him once I am in the middle of something. I need to know how to seek, find, listen and respond to God in everyday life. My relationship with God when everything is good is directly correlated to the relationship I will have with God when circumstances require me to exercise faith.

I think that the second thing I need to have is a word from God. Many times in my past, I have placed my faith in a thought or desire that was my own. That is not the intended object of true faith. Getting a word from God is tough work. It requires humility. It takes time. It is illogical. There is an innate fear inside of me that makes this part tough. How do I do this? What do I say? What happens if God is silent? How will I know if He speaks? As much as I wonder about the process of doing it, this is a part of the process that is critical. My faith will never be complete and has no chance of delivering anything of value if it is based on anything short of God's word. This does not always mean I get a specific answer from God. Often, God reveals an aspect of His character that He asks me to hold onto. Sometimes it is a past promise. But I have always found that He eventually responds when I ask Him for a word.

The third thing that I need to do is follow my mind's natural process of evaluating my planned direction. It is crazy to not do this. A question left unexplored lingers out there like an unpaid debt. It haunts me. It opens me up to doubt. Allowing my mind to assess and evaluate a situation does not mean that I am searching for a logical way to anticipate what God is going to do. It simply means that I am establishing the odds. I am understanding what it is that I am facing. At the end of the day, it leads me to really appreciate what it is that God is going to do and sweetens the celebration once the work is complete. It also eliminates the potential to doubt. And this is not a one time step. Every single time a doubt rises in my mind I have to explore it and assess what is going on. As I contemplate the doubt, I also must contemplate the word I got from God. At the end of the day, it is God's word that I must return to.

The fourth thing that I need to do is to remember to stand absolute in my belief of God's word. This one is tricky as it is not something that I just determine to do, it is a strength that is born out of my relationship with God. I do not just wake up and chose to be absolute. As I experience God working in my life I learn to trust His faithfulness and that experience leads me to stand unwavering in what I know God will do. I must also walk in obedience and allow God to lead me into and out of things. Each experience I have with God strengthens me to be stronger the next time.

Prayer:
Father, You are amazing. As I look back over my life I am greatly comforted by all that You have done for me. But I am also reminded that I do not live in my past. The journey that I am on with You continues everyday. The things that I face today will require more of me than You have ever asked of me before. That is the essence of growing in my faith in You. I have to constantly allow You to lead me to new places. The trouble is I do not like new places. They make me uncomfortable. I like to know how things are going to end. I like having the confidence of past experience when I am dealing with something. I pray that you teach me how to apply my past encounters with You to the new things that I face each day. Help me as I work out my faith and continue to learn to live a life that is pleasing to You. As I do this, my only hope is in Your grace and favor working in my life.

The Descending Steps of Sin

Scripture:
"God gave them over to a depraved mind…" Romans 1:28

Observation:
Sin is seductive. It starts innocently and grows as long as I give it life. In verses 18-32 of Romans chapter 1, Paul issues a warning and outlines a process. The process reveals how my heart becomes hardened to sin. The warning is how God reacts.

Application:
I see for me today four steps that I can take which will lead to my heart becoming hardened and will allow sin to continue leading me down the descending steps of moral failure.

The first step I see which will start me on this downward journey is I can choose to suppress the truth. Just like Paul says in Romans 1:18-19, I recognize that God's still small voice is always there revealing to me something that I should or should not be doing. In His easy tone God speaks the truth. "Don’t go there. Don’t look. Don’t linger." I feel it more than I hear it. I have to chose to listen to it or suppress it. Listening stops the process and allows God to heal me and provide a way of escape. Suppressing it and continuing on leads to a reaction from God. His response is this; He gives me over to the lusts of my mind.

The second step that I take on the pathway to a hard heart is to choose another image over that of God. This is outlined in Romans 1:21-23. In essence, that is what sin is. I see something that I want but it is on a different path than the one God has for me. Or God asks me to do something but it will lead me in a direction that is opposite of where I want to go. I struggle because reality is I want both. In a moment of intense pressure and emotion I have to decide if I am going to exchange the glory of God for the thing my flesh craves. If I chose against God this time, His response intensifies and my lusts become degrading desires.

The third step in this continuing process is the acceptance of a lie. Early on in sin, I am fighting it. It brings high levels of remorse. I regret it and am broken. When I descend into the third level, I begin to rationalize what I am doing. I justify it. I kill the truth of God and replace it with a lie that fits my lifestyle. This is the phase of the process whereby I become deceived. As my choices get worse, so does God's reaction. At this point, degrading desires give way to a depraved mind.

The fourth step in this process is I lose my relationship with God. The lie takes over and I no longer acknowledge God in any part of my life. I come unraveled at the seams and my life spirals out of control. It is impossible for me to serve two masters. To love evil is to hate God. I can't acknowledge God and hate him at the same time. The depravity of my own mind becomes my worst enemy. This is the point of the process where I do things I would never dream of. This is the point where my life is consumed by my own evil desires.

Prayer:
This morning has reminded me of just how important it is to listen to Your voice. If I am honest with myself and with You, I have wrestled with this prayer. I do not want to pray it. I do not like this message as it brings an inconvenient truth to my life. This week, I saw a pastor at a well known church arrested for soliciting sex from a 13 year old girl. As much as it makes me sick at my stomach and causes anger to burn inside of me, it also reminds me that there is no end to sin. It leads people downward in a pit with no bottom. There is no way to control it. I have to change directions before I self-destruct. I am afraid. I need Your strength to become the man You desire for me to be. Reveal to me today the areas of my life where I am suppressing Your truth, choosing another over You, or accepting lies to rationalize my choices. I do not want to tolerate anything in my life that brings dishonor to Your name.

Being a Consistent Me.

Scripture:
"I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;" Psalm 101:2

Observation:
I have heard it said many times what you do in the privacy of your own home is your own business. This scripture would seem to disagree.

Application:
What does it mean to walk within my house in the integrity of my heart? This really is stirring on my mind. It is so tempting to just come home and let my guard down and just try to find some way to relax and unwind. My days are so hectic and filled with so much stress that I just let go when I get home. So what areas of my home life are not in alignment with the integrity of my heart?

First, I am not intentional enough at home. My work life is planned out. I know on any given day what I need to accomplish and I can reasonably predict what is going to happen. I have goals. I have targeted things that I want to accomplish. It is not that way at home. I tend to resist all these things. After a long day the last thing that I want to do is work on another task list. Be that as it may, what is more important, being effective in work or being effective at home?

Second, I am slothful at home. I never turn down work at work. I constantly keep myself moving and I do all that I can to be a good employee. I rarely resent the fact that I have work to do. I would never just sit on the couch and do nothing. Yet at home, I seem to want to just kick back. Let things go. There are projects that I know need to be taken care of, yet I just sit back or I do them with a worthless heart. I do help Brandy out a good bit with cooking, cleaning and caring for the kids but I approach it with a slothful heart.

Third, I don’t develop relationships enough at home. If you were to ask me about the people I work with the most, I could roughly outline for you their strengths, weaknesses, and what their current agenda is. I know my guys pretty well and I am very conscious of the impact of my behavior on them. At home, this is a little less certain. I really don't understand why. I love my wife and kids. I spend a great deal of time with them and I have a strong relationship with them. But as I am honest with myself this morning, I just feel like I am not at my best when it comes to really developing my relationship with them.

Fourth, I seek idols at home. This one hurts. From the moment I get home to the moment I leave for work I am seeking relief. That relief takes the form of many things. It can be TV, cooking, playing with my kids, reading a book, or spending time with my wife. I am not looking to serve them nor to serve God. I am looking for a way to relax and feel better about myself. I place the activities above the relationships. That is an idol. I need to learn how to serve them with integrity and in all things look to God for my joy and strength.

Prayer:
This is a tough one this morning. I never like hearing that I am failing, but I really do not like to hear that I am failing at home. Teach me to be intentional with how I interact with my family, but help me avoid becoming overbearing. Guide me as I seek that balance. My family needs the same strengths that I bring to my job. I pray for wisdom as I seek to discover the best way to apply them.

I confess to you this morning that I am indeed slothful in my actions and heart as I take care of my duties in my home. I pray for Your forgiveness. Coming home is not the end of my day. It is simply a transition of roles. Teach me to find rest and satisfaction in leading my home and keep my heart from seeking escape from stress.

My wife and kids are precious gifts. The most important things You have given me. I really focus on enjoying them, but I drop the ball when it comes to being intentional in our development together. Give me eyes that see and ears that hear Your desire for them. Allow me to join You and serve them as You unveil the plans for greatness that you have for each of them.

I confess to You this morning that I have idols in my life. When I come home my mind shifts and I begin to think about finding ways to relax and unwind. I start thinking about finding pleasure. I place that above my relationship with You and so I know that means I am making my personal life an idol. Teach me how to enjoy hobbies and fun activities without being consumed by them. Teach me how to use them to draw closer to You and find deeper joy in You.

I try to live my life in three sections, my work life, my family life, and my personal life. This model does not work. I do not have three lives to live, I only have one. Help me to learn how to maintain my integrity as I work through the many different roles that you have given me. Teach me to consistently lead from the integrity of my heart regardless of the role I am serving.

Finding Peace

Scripture:
"Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance." 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Observation:
This chapter contains an amazing outline of prayer. The outline that really sticks out to me tonight are verses 1, 3, 5, 9, and 13 of 2 Thessalonians chapter 3.

Application:
Sometimes I sit down to pray or study and I just draw a blank. That has happened to me a great deal this month. It is almost like the well goes dry. As I begin to pray, I just can’t find the words. As I prepare to journal, my mind goes in a thousand different directions and it is hard to reign in and come up with any coherent thoughts.

Tonight I have been reminded of the power of just praying the scripture. God has given me His Word as more than just a guide. It supplies me with everything I need to find wisdom and peace. It is life blood to my heart, mind and soul.

Prayer:
There are so many things over which You have given me peace. As those struggles fade into the backdrop of my life it is easy to just move on and forget what You did. I pray tonight that you help me remember others who are facing similar circumstances. I ask that Your Word spread rapidly and be glorified in their lives just as it was in mine.

I ask that You continually remind me that You are faithful. It is only through You that I can be strengthened and nothing else can protect me from the evil one. I pray that my life be a source of glory for Your name and that nothing evil in my life would cause someone to stumble or lose their way. Let me move through my day fully aware of Your faithfulness and fueled by Your strength.

I pray that You direct my heart towards Your love. Your love is perfect in every way. There is no other source of love that is as pure, unconditional and perfect as is Your love. I desire to experience Your love and for it to pour over from my life to those I interact with on a daily basis. I also pray that Your love lead me to the steadfastness of Christ so that I may stand firm in Your purpose, Your way and Your truth; even in the hardest of circumstances.

Help my life be something worth modeling. There are so many choices that confront me on a daily basis and they present many possible outcomes. I am prone to wonder. I am capable of sinning greatly at any time. If You are not there to guide me I will forsake all that you have given me to pursue something of no worth. I know because I have seen me do it many times.

Above all, I pray that I lead a quiet life and do not grow weary from doing good. Doing the right thing is hard. There are times that it is very rewarding, but if I am being honest, it is really difficult. I have to deny myself constantly. I have to fix my eyes on something that is not always so easy to see. I have to delay my gratification in life and my ultimate reward for this labor will not be experienced until I enter the world that follows this one. Over time, this is a hard track to run. Be my strength and inspiration as I pursue the life You have given to me.

I agree with David's prayer to You in 2 Chronicles. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. Blessed are You forever and ever. Therefore, my God, I thank You and praise Your glorious name. Your ways are the only source of continuing peace.

Be a Real Friend

Scripture:
"We urge you brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone…But always seek after that which is good for one another." 1 Thessalonians 5:14-16.

Observation:
The definition of "friend" has really become a loosely used term. What does it mean to be a real friend? Paul lays out a few things to consider.

Application:
The first thing a real friend does is admonish unruly behavior. As I think on this point I realize just how important it is. I also am reminded that I have to be careful. I should move forward only after I have examined my own life. I should also really assess what is taking place in the life of a friend. Unruly here is defined as more than sin or weakness. It is rebellion. It is gross negligence of duty. It would be equivalent to a solider going AWOL. When a person abandons their responsibilities in their spiritual life, family life, work life or any other aspect of life; a real friend is their to confront them.

The second thing that a real friend does is encourage the faint hearted. Life is rough. This world is a fallen place. It is not home. As long as I am here difficulties will be around. Everyone experiences times when they lose heart. A real friend is there to encourage another. Sometimes this is hard, especially when the person's heart is faint over an event that I do not understand like death or illness. I need to be the type of friend that pays attention to the condition of people's hearts and is there to be an encouragement. Even when I don't know what to say.

The third thing that a real friend does is help the weak. Help means to give or provide what is necessary to accomplish a task or satisfy a need; contribute strength or means to; render assistance to; cooperate effectively with; aid; assist. A real friend is there in a time of weakness to provide whatever is necessary to get a person through what they are facing. My friendship with another person should always call me to be there in a time of need regardless of what that need looks like.

The fourth thing that a real friend does is remain patient. This one is hard. We are all broken people. There is not a single person on this earth that is lacking the ability to be a royal pain in the backside. I need to remain patient. I need to surround myself with people willing to be patient with me. I love the way this verse ends, "But always seek after that which is good for one another." A real friend is there to offer a place of forgiveness and grace. He is there to allow a person to simply be the broken human being that he is.

Prayer:
What a challenge. The desire of my heart is to learn to be that type of friend to others. It is also my desire to be surrounded by these types of friends. Guide me today to confront things that need confronting, to encourage faint hearts, to help where there is weakness, and offer patience to those who need it. My nature fights against this. It is hard work to be a real friend. I thank You have made is possible for me to do all things for which You have called me to accomplish.

Battle Tactics

Scripture:
"For what joy can we render to God for you in return for all the joy which we rejoice before our God…" 1 Thessalonians 3:9

Observation:
As I read this passage this morning, I see a battle plan rolled out. When looking at Paul's writing in this chapter there are 5 things that I see: 1.) Know your enemy. 2.) Pray earnestly. 3.) Don't focus on yourself. 4.) Balance waiting with taking action. 5.) Celebrate victory in spite of losses.

Application:
In verse 5 Paul says that the reason he sent Timothy was that he knew Satan's tactics and feared those tactics had been successful. There are some great reminders for me to remember in this. I need to recognize how Satan fights against me. He is real. God is real. The battle between them is real. I had better know that and be engaged with what is taking place around me. He will systematically wage war in my life. Knowing his tactics will help me know how to respond. Just as Paul was taking pre-emptive action to head off an attack, I should learn to do the same.

In verse 10 Paul says that they were earnestly praying night and day. Prayer is hit or miss for me. It is confusing. What do I say? How do I say it? Am I asking for the right things and in the right ways? As I think about it I am realizing that my prayer life really struggles. There is a transformation that needs to take place in me. Prayer is a critical part of my battle with Satan. If my lines of communication with God are not working I am going to run into trouble.

In verse 3 Paul says that in the midst of all the trouble they were facing his fear was that the Church in Thessalonica would hear of it and fall away. This verse really pierced my heart this morning. I have a tendency to be more than a little self centered. If I am in pain, all I can think about is that pain and its impact on me. But not Paul. His walk with God filled him with so much personal contentment that he was able to communicate clearly with others through his pain. His heart was on establishing God's mission for his life, not on what troubles he faced. He kept in mind the overall mission and did not focus in on the current battle.

In verse 1 Paul says a couple things that I find interesting. First, he says "when we could endure it no longer." Second, he says, "we thought it best." This reminds me no matter what I think or am told, there are times in life that I just have to move. I definitely need to pray and wait on God, but there is a time and place where I just need to take action. It would appear to me that Paul denied his compulsion to take action and prayed over it with others. But then there reached a point that he could no longer wait and even though it was not 100% clear, they did what they thought was best. Sometimes the worst tactic in battle is to not move.

In verses 6-9 Paul celebrates. I don’t have to be much of a theologian to understand that by the worlds standards Paul did not meet the criteria of a life worth celebrating. Yet, he gives me an incredible reminder of the fact that there can be joy in the midst of pain. I need to constantly contrast the struggles with the victories. If I become solely focused on what is wrong, Satan will wear me out. We were made to worship and celebrate God. I can’t do that and be pessimistic at the same time.

Prayer:
Thanks for reminding me this morning that I am in a battle. Continue to open my eyes as to what is taking place around me. I pray that you take control of my quiet time with You and grow it beyond all that I can ask or imagine. I desire that more than riches and fame. Create in my prayer life a level of intimacy that can endure long seasons of staying before You. Help me to never lose sight of others by focusing on myself and teach me to understand the ways of Satan in my life. I want to become proactive in defending the lives of those You have entrusted to me. In the midst of all that is happening in my life help me bring to mind the good so that I don’t get lost in the bad. Give within my heart a sense of joy and celebration that supersedes anything this life can throw at me.

I love You. You have been more than generous to me in this life. Your ways lead to peace. Obedience to You is the best source of peace and the only one that is lasting. My heart's desire is to be wrapped around the center of Your will for my role in fulfilling Your mission.

Three Seeds of Hypocrisy

Scripture:
"For our exhortation did not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit." 1 Thessalonians 2:3

Observation:
Exhortation is delivering a message of warning or encouragement, designed to motivate persons to action. In short, exhortation is a form of conflict. It is entering the life of another person and warning them about their current behavior, encouraging them when their spirits are down, or motivating them to keep moving. When offering this type of conflict to another believer, Paul gives three things to check before confronting another. Make sure you are right, check your life for impurity, and do not deceive. Failing to do so will allow Satan to plant three seeds guaranteed to produce hypocrisy in my life.

Application:
There was a time in my life that I could not dream of confronting someone with anything. I would just rather sit back and not say anything. It is hard work. There is pain, uncertainty, and fear that all work against me speaking out to another person. Over the years, I have gotten much better at it. This has not come easy as it has taken a lot of work on my part. I still have a long way to go but I am feeling stronger. The three things Paul lists here are essential for me to keep in mind.

Being right is definitely the best place to start. There is no worse feeling than to start an argument only to realize that I am wrong. I hate that feeling. I open my mouth only to realize the person I am confronting does not have a problem, I do. Ouch, it really hurts. Sometimes, my pride still kicks in and I try in vain to defend something that I know to not be true. Foolishness. It is much easier on me when I start in prayer and make sure that I am understanding what it is that God is saying. As He frees my thinking from wrong thoughts and emotions, I am better able to see the truth of what is taking place.

Being free from impurity is a tough one. We often project our sins onto another person. It is easier to deal with them there than it is to deal with them in our own life. I had to address this with someone yesterday. I spent an hour listening to him blast people he worked with for their behavior and way of thinking. The funny thing to me was that he was behaving in the same way. He just could not see it. He was totally oblivious to it. I do the same thing. God tries to bring my attention to something and I make the mistake of addressing it in the life of another person before I have spent time dealing with it in my own life.

Being without deceit is the toughest. Most of the time I blow right past this warning. I would never willingly and knowingly mislead another person. Never. Especially when it comes to spiritual matters. There is just no way I would do that to someone. That said, it is possible for me to be deceived and then lead people out of my own deceit. I remember a season in life that I was deceived into thinking that I could pray a certain way and get anything that I wanted; I encouraged others to do the same. I remember a time in my life that I believed excluding certain things from my life was being legalistic; I encouraged others to do the same. The trouble with being deceived is that you do not know you are deceived. It is a blind spot. Something that you literally do not know is wrong. To overcome this one requires a voice from the outside. Most of the time, this voice comes in the form of another brother. It is hard to do, but one of the more crucial steps in confronting someone is to talk it over with another person who will speak the truth to me.

Prayer:
Exhortation is a skill in which You have allowed me to experience great growth. As I look back this morning I realize just how far You have brought me. As far as You have brought me, I have much further still to go. Help me enter relationships and be free from error. I need a perfect picture of You, Your teaching, and Your nature. Help me avoid being wrong in my assumptions about what is taking place. I ask that You also allow my life to be pure before You. I never want to be caught living a life that is opposite of my teaching. Help me to own my own faults before I attempt to help others own theirs. Most of all, I pray to be free of deceit. This is my greatest fear. Speak truth to me from Your word and from others You have placed in my life. Allow me the humility to hear this truth and the courage to embrace it even when I do not see things the same way. Let my heart remain free from these three seeds of hypocrisy.

Hijacked Faith

Scripture:
"Cast Your burden upon the LORD and he will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22

Observation:
This is an interesting way to end this Psalm. For 21 verses David has lamented over what was taking place in his life. He called himself restless, distracted, anguished, terrorized, fearful, and overwhelmed. He even went as far as to say that he wished he had wings so that he could fly away. So, it is interesting that he follows all that with the confession that God will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Application:
There are many things about "Christians" I do not like. One of the major ones is their ability to make things sound some simple. I remember many times unloading my burden to someone only to hear in reply, "Just cast your burden upon the LORD." Huh? I mean really, you have got to be kidding me. Do you think that I have not tried that? Over and over again I have laid my case out before God and asked Him to take away my troubles. Yet, I still feel crushed. As I read this Psalm, it makes me feel somewhat better that David models the fact that he could experience feelings that were in opposition to his faith and yet still have faith.

Hardships are called hardships because they are HARD. They beat me down. They wear me out. They drive me to the very edge of my sanity and at times feel like they will not stop until I am completely overrun. Be that as it may, God is still God. He is still in control. He will eventually prove that He is bigger than anything that I face.

In the meantime, I will suffer. The problem with that is I hate to suffer. I just want it to go away. My prayers are never satisfied unless God immediately removes the discomfort from my life. I really have a hard time holding onto my beliefs while experiencing unrelenting hardships. I have a hard time holding onto my faith when my feelings are in opposition of that faith.

Prayer:
I really need some growth and strengthening in this area. Faith is easy for me when all in life is good. It is easy when my faith and feelings are in alignment. But when that is not taking place, which seems to be the usual, I struggle. I don’t want to be that way. I have wasted so much by allowing frustrations to take me away from you. I pray for Your guidance today. Do not allow me to be swayed by my emotions but instead to be grounded in the truth of who you are. Please don't let the hardships of life hijack my faith.

Living Ready to Go

Scripture:

"For this reason you also must be ready; for the son of man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will." Matthew 24: 44

Observation:

This is a stern warning. Be ready. In the verses previous, Jesus compares and contrasts a few things. He talks through the fact that there will be signs. He won't just show up unannounced. There will be evidence that He is coming. The exact time will not be foretold, but the indications of its nearness will be given. He spoke of the times of Noah. People ignored all warnings and went about living their lives as they saw fit. They were given every opportunity in the world to repent but chose not too. Life was good for them right up until the time that Noah closed the doors of the ark.

Application:

What does it mean to be ready? This questions is laboring on me this morning. The weight of it is draped over my shoulders and causes my steps to be labored and my even my feet to feel heavy. The day will come when my time will either expire or Christ will return. I know with all certainty that those two events will occur. The doors that lead to more chances for me to prepare myself for the next life will close. All the preparations will cease. Second chances will vanish. Everything will be set. As I enter that day in my imagination, I am trying to picture the scene. Am I ready? Do I feel elated? Does joy sweep over my body and cause me to celebrate to coming of the next life and a return to my King? Or am I unprepared? Is the room in which I stand a wreck? Do I feel burdened? Am I overwhelmed with a sense of being caught off guard like one who has forgotten an assignment?

What does the life of one prepared look like? What are the elements that should be there? I need to live each day in preparation for the time that Christ will return. That is the message of this passage but I am nonetheless a little confused about exactly what that lifestyle resembles.

Prayer:

I don’t really know what to pray to You tonight. I feel unprepared. Like there is unfinished business for me here on earth. I am not sure what to do. Help me. You are my only hope. I want to follow You on a walk that leads to confidence. Confidence that I am on the right path.

In my role as a husband, I pray that You guide me to be the man that I need to be to Brandy. Let me move past my own selfish ambitions and truly learn to give to her the same unconditional love that You have given to me. Move upon her heart to forgive my failures. Draw us close to You and remove from our lives anything that would prevent us from living the marriage that You have for us. Let us be there for each other. Guide us as we try to center our lives around You.

In my role as a father to my kids, I pray that I reflect something that draws them close to You. I ask that my life be lived with them in a manner that You can use me in the formation of their lives. I pray for their salvation. Speak to them and allow them to understand the drawing of Your Spirit. I live with a fear that I am not doing all that I need to do with them. Teach me to sharpen the gifts that You have given them. Instruct me in how I should guide them in life. Help me to relax and just trust that they are in Your hands; not mine.

In my role as a servant to my church, I pray for wisdom. Everything that I do has an eternal affect on someone's life. I pray that I make sound decisions that are in alignment with Your will. Just as You were with Joseph and caused his labor to prosper, I pray that You be with me. Help me to do all that you have called me to be. Protect me from those who would seek to harm me. From lose You hope to see me fail. Defend You name and call on my life.

In role as a follower of Christ, I pray to You breath life into my pursuit of You. Holy Spirit, I pray that You move upon my life with great power. I want to hear Your voice, know Your ways, and walk by them. Give me an acute awareness of Your presence around me. Help me to be a son who honors his parents and a brother who is a dependable source of strength to his siblings. I pray that I not lose one single person that you send to me. Teach me to be a disciple and to disciple others as I pursue You.

My trust and faith is not in my works, it is in the goodness of Your name. I am grateful that Your word says that you are faithful to complete everything that you have started in me. May nothing prevent me from living a life that is ready to go home to be with You.

The Ultimate Consequence

Scripture:

"Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me." Psalm 51: 11

Observation:

David really messed up. The consequences of his actions are beyond what I can comprehend. A women was pregnant. A husband was murdered. The King exposed before the people. So much was at stake. David's greatest fear was that God would remove His presence and His Spirit. That has me thinking this morning, what is it that could cause God to retreat from my life?

Application:

Losing my connection with God scares me. As I have thought about David's words this morning I have read through chapter 23 in Matthew. When I read through Jesus' woes to the religious leaders I see four warnings. These four are not the only four in the chapter, but they are the four God is speaking to me about this morning.

The first warning is do not love my image. Power and success are intoxicating. I remember walking through Graceland when I was a kid. There was just something mesmerizing about being in Elvis' house. I got the same feeling when I walked through the Biltmore Estate and I feel the same thing when I see a profile done on a celebrity or successful person. There is just something alluring about it. But it is bait that leads down a nasty path. Jesus says in Matthew 23: 1-12 to stay humble. Don’t get caught up in trying to live up to an image. Your title does not matter. Your own advancement does not matter. It is how you live Your life. When I think about humility, it requires two things. First, I have to do something great. There has to be something in my life worthy of praise. Second, I have to be keep that great thing in proper perspective by looking at the greatness of God. It is to Him that I am compared. If I walk in obedience with Him, great things will happen for me. I must not make the mistake of thinking it happens for my honor.

The second warning I see this morning is to not keep people at my level. I hate to get passed by. It does not matter the circumstances, I really do not like someone getting ahead of me in anything. I remember running track in high school. I would get angry when someone would catch up to me. Since I was running as fast as I could, I would actually resent someone running faster than me. The race would have been much easier if they would just slow down. Racing does not work that way. Neither does following Christ. In Matthew 23:13-14, Jesus confirms this. I must not give into the temptation to dumb things down. I need to constantly pursue a greater depth of relationship with God and I must also encourage other people to reach higher levels as well. My life shuts off the kingdom of God to others when my growth stunts. I need to live each day of my life with the intent and purpose of getting closer to God and hopefully helping someone else advance their journey as well.

The third warning I see this morning is a warning to not be fake. I sin. Actually, I sin a lot. There are days that I feel like it is my best skill in life. It breaks my heart and it also embarrasses me. It is tempting sometimes to put up false fronts. To hide behind lies of comparison. Comparing my life to another is a great way to deflect attention and stay hidden deep in my own weaknesses. In verses 25- 28 of Matthew Jesus addresses this with the Pharisees. He uses the comparison of cleaning a drinking glass. I hate washing glasses by hand. Especially glasses with small openings. It is hard to get down to the bottom of the glass and clean it. But it is essential. It would be crazy to just wash the outside of the glass and put it in the cabinet, yet that is the very thing that I am tempted to do in my personal life. It is much easier to confess anger than it is to deal with my roots of bitterness. It is much easier to confess of lust than it is to work on my relationship with my wife. It is much easier to confess to many other things rather than have to deal with their cause. Especially in front of other people. But I have found that the more open I get with someone regarding my sins, the more I realize that I am not alone. Being genuine is the life to which God has called me.

The fourth warning I see in this passage from Matthew is to keep the playing field level. In verse 15 - 24 Jesus hit the Pharisees hard with this one. They had a really great skill in being able to change the rules of the game to fit their own benefit. I can remember some friends I grew up with that were like this. When ever we played a game, they would change the rules as they were getting beat. I can remember one particular guy who always waited to remember the "5 run rule" once he saw the opposing team scored their 5th run in an inning. He also wanted to cancel the same rule once his team scored 5. If anyone argued, he took his ball and went home. It is easy to do this with my sin. I create classes of sin so that I can focus more of my attention on the ones that I can overcome and feel less guilty about those I want to hang on to. Sin is sin. I also find it interesting that Jesus points out that it is not just about succeeding in purity. In verses 23-24, he hammers the fact that they were neglecting the needy. Part of keeping the playing field level also means that we take care of those around us who are lacking.

Prayer:

You are so gracious. Your name is something that is beyond all that I can imagine. There is no way that I can follow after what You have called me to without Your strength and wisdom. I pray that You be my protection. As I lay my life open be others and be real with my struggles and the victories You have won in my life guard my from those You would be quick to judge. Protect my self image. Give me the courage to risk exposure in order to be an encouragement to others. Surround me with people who can push me to move further along in my walk. Allow me to look upon those stronger than me and not be threatened nor allow me to give in to jealousy. I want to never be guilty of trusting in image, power or position. Everything that I have and everything that I am is all a free gift from You. The only thing I have to boast of is Your great love. Never let me forget that same love given to me is free to all.

A Prayer of Sending

Scripture:

Psalm 20

Observation:

This chapter contains an amazing prayer to offer up for people.

Application:

Last night represented a crossroads for Brandy and I. We have co-led a small group with some very close friends for around 4 years. God has done an amazing work in the lives of each of us. Through that time, there was been an amazing bond developed between the members of the group. Even though the group is healthy, last night was our final meeting.

The reason for splitting the group has nothing to do with our personal preferences. It is God's stirring in us the desire to see other groups planted. There are so many people that need to find a place where they can be loved, accepted, and challenged to grow in the application of their faith to their life.

Each person in this group represents something very special to me. As I sit here this morning, I feel led to pray this Psalm for my former group.

Prayer:

As long as You have given me to be a part of this group of people, I have tried with all that I have in me to be a faithful steward of the time we have had together. I have laid my life open before them and shared every word that You have laid on my heart. I have listened intently to everything that was said, every request that was made, and I have labored in prayer for each of them. I am so very grateful for the times that we have shared and all that You have accomplished in each of them. As we close out this group it is my hearts greatest desire that they go out and multiply the work you have done. This morning, I offer a prayer on their behalf.

Remind them of Your presence during the times of trouble that will inevitably come their way. Be with them in these times of trouble and may you teach them the greatness of Your great name. Let it be the only thing they turn to for deliverance. As they seek You, I pray that You send them help from Your sanctuary and support them from Your high and lofty position. May every sacrifice and offering they make be acceptable before You.

With each step of faith they take, open doors before them and clearly lead them in the way You would have them to go. I pray that You continue to purify their heart with pure desires to be closer to You and that You move before them to fulfill every desire they have to impact Your kingdom. I pray that You prove the power of Your name in their lives.

As we all go our separate ways in our pursuit of You, I pray that You keep us connected. Let us be able to celebrate together the great work that You have planned for each of us. Let us always remember that it is in You we have purpose, significance, victory, comfort and strength. May we always pray for each other and live to see You fulfill all our petitions.

Over the coming weeks we will have to assess our lives and seek the direction that we should take. Please keep us from looking at our own strengths and weaknesses as a determining factor for where we should go. Our own assessments of ourselves are of no real impact. The only thing that we need to seek is Your right hand to guide us and deliver us. Remind us daily that anyone who walks in Your counsel and relies on You for deliverance will never be put to shame.

May You, my King, answer me as I call on Your great name. May You do all that You have placed on my heart for each person I pray over this morning. Not because of anything that rests in me, but because of Your great desire to prove Yourself worthy to a world that is lost and longing for a relationship with You.

What was He Thinking?

Scripture:

"Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD and said, 'Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?'…O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears." 1 Chronicles 17: 16;20

Observation:

Experiencing life with God is the only way to truly learn who God is.

Application:

I am not much of a theologian. As a matter of fact, if I were to get into a theological debate with someone I would get beaten like a one-armed man picking a fight with Mike Tyson. I am also not very good at memorizing scripture. I have tried many times and many different techniques, but none of them seam to really stick. I can get the general idea and remember it later, but a 10 year old from the Bible drill team would humiliate me until I was sitting in a corner crying over the loss of my dignity. In addition to this, I rarely feel capable of praying for people. Sometimes, people will unload what has happened to them and I just think to myself, man that is really bad. They look to me to answer something that I just can't even begin to process. I have more doubts than questions. I have never made it a day without sinning. I lose my temper. I am prone to wonder. The list goes on.

Sometimes I think to myself that God must be crazy. What was He thinking? There are hundreds of people who are better equipped to do what I do. Why did He chose me? Yet, He refuses to let me go. In addition to that He has given me some really unusual talents. In place of theology, He has blessed me with a version of the gospel that is structurally sound, but simplistic in form. Instead of a memory full of verses and their locations; He has given me the ability to relay His message in terms of life application. Instead of the ability to unload a bold and powerful prayer in the moment of crisis; He gifted me with the ability to just sit and cry with suffering people. Instead of taking away my questions He gives me unwavering faith in spite of them. My temper keeps me humble. My wondering ends up deepening my faith. Every wart in my life is used by Him to further His purpose.

There is a certain peace that comes from the realization that all I have done to arrive at where I am is make a lot of mistakes and generally not be very good at anything. The only thing that I have ever been naturally good at is getting back up and trying harder. That is all that I know. But I have to be honest, I like who I am. I am comfortable being me. There is no pride in that, as I review the list above I am reminded that only a fool would be proud of a life that produced those things.

Nevertheless, God is very real to me. I do not know that I could have gotten to that point any other way. I can read all the books on religion. I can get up and practice being a "good" boy all the days of my life. I can spend energy being superficial and fake, but at the end of the day it would only lead me to an empty life. Instead, I would rather keep moving forward and making mistakes. God does not come to life while I sing a song or listen to a message delivered from the pulpit. God comes to life when I follow Him to the edge of my faith and find myself in a position that I have no hope other than for Him to show up. God becomes intimate with me when He enters a mess I have made and walks me out. Then I sing a song because it is already on my heart. I find Him in a message because it helps me change how I live on a daily basis.

Prayer:

There are so many times that I sit and look at other people and feel woefully inadequate. I see their gifts and I become embarrassed. Often, I am not even sure what my gifts are. This has caused me lots of grief. I just wish that You had made me differently. I would like to be a theological genius so that I can answer questions with absolute certainty. I would like to have the Bible memorized so that I could recall anything that I needed. I would like to always have a word of prayer no matter the circumstances. I really want to be complete and perfect. In short, I want to be a man that has no need to rely on You.

That is pride on my part and I confess that to You. Instead, of all the things I would like to be, I just want to rest in what You have made me to be and Your ability to show up and do what only You can. I will face the things that come my way, not because I know that I can handle them; but because I know that You can. You always show up. I have that faith in You. Continue to help me stay engaged with life and do not allow my shortcomings to get the best of me.

Finding Gratitude

Scripture:

"Our Fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember Your abundant kindnesses. But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea." Psalm 106: 7

Observation:

A lack of gratitude opens the door for rebellion. A lack of understanding leads to a lack of gratitude. Not living intentionally leads to a lack of understanding. A lack of knowledge leads to not living intentionally.

Application:

Things rarely happen in isolation. There is almost always a chain of events that lead up to an outcome. I have a bad habit of only focusing on the outcome or the circumstances that I face. That is an exhausting habit and leads me nowhere. I need to learn to dig into things before they result in an outcome or I find myself in a circumstance that is painful.

The first place I need to start is with my knowledge. There are so many things that I do not know. My knowledge of God and His ways must be developed. Not just Sunday school type information of God, but a true knowledge of who God is, how He works, what He expects of me and what I can expect as a reward. 99% of the frustration I experience in life is almost always tied back to me misunderstanding something related to this list of questions.

Once I have knowledge, I need to live intentionally with it. Having knowledge of something is of no value. None. Not a bit. It is intentionally putting into practice the things I know that brings value to my knowledge. Class room knowledge of a subject is always easier to accept than is the application of that knowledge in the real world.

As I start to live intentionally with the knowledge that I have, I must then walk in understanding. This is best done by paying attention to the bigger picture. This is hard to do. It is difficult to stand in the midst of hardships and not get aggravated. Most of the time I just want it to go away. But this is a bad way to live. Hardships are a given in this life. Any teaching that leads me to think that following God leads to a life free of struggles and trials is a lie. When I live looking at the bigger picture; I can truly understand what God has done around me. I also can keep in mind that this life is not the end. It is not home. Everything that I gain in this world will be lost. Everything I lose in this life for the sake of God will be gained in the world to come. There is not a single thing that I face in life that God does not use to better my eternity.

This type of understanding inevitably leads to gratitude. Every aspect of my life works better when I live with gratitude. An ungrateful heart is a weary load to bear for both me and everyone around me. There are few things in my life that are more destructive than a lack of gratitude. When I think back, most of the trouble I get myself into is tied back to me reacting to internal anger that I feel when gratitude is absent from my life. Living in this manner is my safeguard to rebellion.

Rebellion against God is rarely a choice. It is a result of choices that have already been made. It is an outcome that is determined by the beliefs I have and decisions I make based on those beliefs. When I get to a point in life where there is a great deal of frustration, I need to learn to recognize that I am more than likely sideways with God and I need to make adjustments to my thinking.

Prayer:

This past week I have been reminded of just how impossible it is for me to believe in you or have knowledge of Your ways. Without the working of Your Holy Spirit, there is simply no way that I can comprehend anything about You. I pray that You continue to open my heart and mind to Your truth. Let You word continue to come alive before me that I may grow in my knowledge of You. I commit to You this morning to live intentionally with that knowledge. I do not desire to live any other way than to make each day count. Help me to see the bigger picture and live a depth of understanding that produces gratitude in my heart. Not just a superficial gratitude that is based on good things happening, but a depth of gratitude that can withstand the trials of life and keep my heart happy and my lifestyle healthy.