Monday, July 28, 2008

Don't Whine, Shine

Scripture:
"Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob, but you have become weary of Me, O Israel.
Isaiah 43:22

Observation:
God's call on my life is to be His witness. He desires to prove to the world that His way is best. The trouble becomes that I often war against the call. It is not always just open rebellion that pulls me away. Sometimes is it my desire for convenience that gets me. In the midst of the struggles of life I can become quite weary of God. He does not do things as I would have them done nor does He do them in my timing. So, I get angry. During these times in life when circumstances should propel me towards God; quite often the opposite happens.

Application:
As I study Isaiah 43, I see two main aspects of life that require me to hold on to God. The first is when trials come. In verse 2, God points out that there will be deep waters and hot fires for me to walk through. I find His use of words most appropriate. He says WHEN YOU PASS through the waters and WHEN YOU WALK through the fire. The problem I have is that I do not want to pass or walk through anything. I want Him to take me out. I want Him to walk through. I would much rather pray against the coming of the water and fire than to pray for God to strengthen me to go through. As I approach this week, I really need to prepare myself to face the adversity that will come my way and not allow it to make me weary. Regardless of what others teach about faith and deliverance, the counsel of the scripture is that God normally takes us through stuff, not around it.

The second aspect of life that I feel God is working with me on this morning is success and advancement. In verse 3 He says that He will tell the north to give us up and the south to not hold us back. I am a dreamer. I have goals, ambitions, and desires in almost every area of my life. As I work toward those things, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that God is the One who provides success. I read books, study tactics, and focus my efforts on accomplishing the things set before me and as I do this, I begin to depend on me. I carve God out. This verse serves as a great reminder that my preparations should only be a form of obedience to God's commands to work. My trust should be solely placed in Him for the results.

Prayer:
Your ways are not my ways. Your timing is not my timing. Your desires are not my desires. This causes me stress. It causes me to fall away. I get frustrated and tired. I become weary of You. As this happens the warm blanket of Your presence becomes unraveled and I shiver as I attempt to cover myself in the frayed pile of pulled string that is left behind. Out of desperation and pressure, I open myself to all sorts of evil and temptation as my search for relief lures me away from You. This is a crazy cycle of life and I am tired of it. As Your word says in Isaiah 43:18-19, I no longer want to remember the past. Whether those are good memories or bad, I want to constantly look towards the new work that you have planned. I no longer want to look for escape. Strengthen me today to walk through the waters and fires that come. Help me to be Your witness today. As I face adversity and work towards the mission You have called me to, I pray that I handle my struggles with a poise and calmness that reflects my absolute dependence and trust in You. Instead of whining about the way things are, I pray that You allow Your great hope to shine inside of me and serve as a beacon to a tired and weary world.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Broken Shelter

Scripture:
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble." Psalm 46:1

Observation:
This is one of the basic and most common promises in the scripture. God is to be a real help to us. He is to be the one that we turn to in hard times.

Application:
There are seasons in life that I have found this verse to be absolutely true in my life.
I have approached God during hard times and He has given me His peace or deliverance. But there are also times that this verse is a little more difficult to live out. This confuses me. The Word is clear, "a very present help" is what it says. So, what am I supposed to do when that very present help seems to be very far away? The scriptures paint a picture of a very strong shelter, but a lot of times my shelter feels broken.

Prayer:
There are seasons of life when the promises of Your Word and the realities of my life do not line up. In some ways, I find myself in one of those seasons now. I cling to Your promises like one clinging to a rope while hanging over a cliff. I feel the weight of all that I face bearing down on my grip and I fear that I am going to fall. I pray that You sustain me during this time. Give me pure thoughts. Help me to stay in Your word and be poised in what I think. Help me not to be consumed by my emotions. Frustration wells up and my feelings run wild during a time like this. It is really easy to feel like You are not there or that You do not care, but I pray that You keep me standing firm on what I know to be true; not what I feel. Control my tongue. What I speak matters. Your Word tells me in James that the tongue is a fire. It tells me that even though man can tame every wild beast of the field, he can't tame his tongue. I pray that every word I speak be pure. Help me to not speak from frustration or desperation. Give me words of peace and comfort. In the heat of the moment, I am bad to blow off steam and vent my feelings. I pray for Your grace when that happens, but I also pray for a healing inside of me. Create inside of me a connection with you that I feel beyond anything I have ever known or experienced.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

A Sheepish Realization

Scripture:
"In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials." 1 Peter 1:6

Observation:
In verse 3-5 Peter lays three basic blessings that were given to us through Jesus; a living hope, an imperishable inheritance, and protection by God's power. I love the way Peter uses the words "various trials". I am glad that he did not use specifics. If he had listed out his specific trials, I never would have been able to relate to this passage. My trials are not even in the same ballpark as were his.

Peter was living in Rome during the reign of Nero. This letter was penned somewhere along the time that Nero burned Rome and passed the blame to Christians. Peter's life up to this point had been various trials that were increasing in intensity. When I think through all the disappointments he had already faced and the ones that were yet to come, it is amazing that he held on to his faith. Even when his leader was arrested and crucified, even when he suffered the humiliation of falling away, even when people under his leadership were murdered, and even when death faced him and his own family; Peter stood on his beliefs. He talks about these trials as if they were light and often refers to them as being temporary.

Application:
I feel a little sheepish this morning. I have been complaining a lot lately as I have felt like I have been pressed by trials. I have become discouraged and gotten more than a little frustrated. As I meditate on Peter's words and the circumstances he faced as he wrote them, I hold my suffering cheap as the realization sets in that I don't even know what it is to face trials. My trials are really only inconveniences. My sufferings only bring trivial pain, like a splinter. I know not the weight of true trials and sufferings. This revelation does not come to me as guilt this morning, but as great encouragement. If the early church could find hope, joy and peace while facing the things that were confronting them on a daily basis, how much more effective should I be at facing the trivial things that come my way? 1 Peter 1:13 contains some things that can help me in this journey of strengthening my faith.

First, Peter says that we should prepare our minds for action. In the early manuscripts the phrase used to describe this was the same phrase used when telling someone to gather up their robes. If a person of that era needed to move quickly, they gathered up the loose ends of their robes so that they would not trip. I must apply this to my thoughts. My thinking determines my actions. If I am unsure in my thoughts, I will be unsure in my action. If I am scattered in my thoughts, I will be scattered in my actions. If I am lustful in my thoughts, I will be lustful in my actions. Thought and action are inseparable. I need to gather up the loose ends of my thinking and prepare to act on what God has given to me. It is so easy to get lazy with my thinking. Each day I need to spend time in the Word and in prayer; seeking God's guidance in redirecting my thoughts.

Second, Peter says that we should keep sober in spirit. I like the use of the word "keep" here. It indicates to me that this is something that requires constant attention. I need to intentionally and repetitively work to keep my expectations and emotions under control and in alignment. This is a struggle. Life often fails to meet my expectations and the resulting emotions tempt me to be carried away by frustration and disappointment. Regardless of what comes my way, whether good or bad, I should never lose my focus on the realities of my calling. Life for Christians is not promised to be comfortable and easy. We are repeatedly warned that we will be tempted, pressed, shaken and persecuted. We are told that we will live this life like foreigners looking for their home. I need to learn to be realistic about the fact that easy circumstances are not promised. Peace through difficulties is.

Finally, Peter says to fix my hope completely on the grace to be brought to me by Jesus. This is a great struggle for believers, especially today in the United States. We don't really need God. The world has everything to offer. There are many things that compete with God to capture the focus of our hope. Healthy kids, good jobs, plush savings accounts, networks of friends, choice of church, the right elected officials and many other things all promise hope. Everywhere I look I see an ad that offers me something to hope for. It is inescapable. These offers of hope distract me and start me down a path that leads away from God. God's word to me through Peter is that I should solely base my hope on the work that He has already done in me and the future work that will take place in the world that is to come after this one.

Prayer:
Prepared for action, sober in spirit, and focused on You. My simple prayer this morning is that You bring these three things to bear fruit in my life. Write them on my heart and focus all my energy towards them.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

3 Challenges for Growth

Scripture
"You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you may not be judged." James 5:8

Observation:
There are three challenges issued in this text; be patient, strengthen your hearts, and do not complain against one another.

Application:
God's encouragement to me through James is that I learn to be patient like a farmer. This creates inside of my mind the picture of my spiritual growth being like growing a garden. It takes daily diligence. It takes time to produce. I have to wait patiently for things to grow. My problem is that I don't want a spiritual garden. I want a holy supermarket. If I have a need, I want to walk in and take something off the shelf that solves the problem. Enduring a struggle drives me mad. It frustrates me and can even cause me to doubt God when He is slow to take it away. But this scripture says to just chill out. Allow His time to work. Supermarket food is quick and easy, but it cannot compare to garden food. The same is true with things of the spirit. What God grows in my life over time is much better than any of the quick fixes I might find.

God also encourages me to strengthen my heart. My heart has been weak of late. It is driving me crazy. I have been wrestling with some things that have made me weary. When my heart is emptied or leaking, motivation goes with it. I lose contentment. I lose hope. I lose my drive. I lose my confidence. I lose my ability to stand. So what am I to do with my broken heart? How do I find the leak? I think the primary place I feel needs addressing is my intimacy with God. James 4:7-8 lays out a pretty clear picture of what is going on when I lose my connection with God. "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts." I definitely have been struggling with some submission issues. God is calling me to a higher level of purity and commitment. I have wrestled with Him over this long enough. It is time to submit.

The final encouragement of this passage is to not complain against one another. This one is a little tough. People are messed up and they make it easy to find reason to gripe. There is a difference in confronting someone to work out a difference or to point out a weakness. The scriptures constantly remind us of how important this is to do. What I am talking about it grumbling to myself or to another person. I can call it "venting", but most of the time it is nothing more than petty griping that tears another person down and weakens me in the process. I need to stay clear of it.

Prayer:
This mornings journal took me two days to get down. I am grateful that You are so patient with me. I pray that you work in my heart to be patient with myself. I need to continue to allow You the time required to bring about lasting change in my heart. I confess to You my rebellion and how I have resisted change You have been working in my heart to bring. There are things that I have to die to that are hard to give up. I pray that you draw close to me as I draw close to You. Help me find the strength I need to grow in what You ask of me. I pray that You forgive my griping. Teach me to give grace to those who need it, confront the things that need addressing, and stay away from words that profit me nothing. I do not need to vent any more. It leads to nowhere. I just want to be diligent in what you have given me to do. My time in Your Word this morning has really lifted a burden off of my heart. I pray that you pour into me Your strength. Help me today to be the man You have called me to be. I pray that You give me the wisdom I need to lead well.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Stability of Times

Scripture:
"And He will be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is His treasure." Isaiah 33:6

Observation:
My relationship with God should be a tangible part of my life. It should be source of life to me. In the shuffle of everyday routine it is easy to lose sight of the fact that God is there for me.

Application:
The past few weeks have been really unstable for me. My life has been surrounded by high levels of change and it has seemed like they all have come at once. Nothing has come easy. Every move I have made has been countered by an unexpected twist. I have caught myself looking around and feeling like there was very little I could cling too. Pressure and stress mount up against me and attempt to steal my peace. Reading this scripture this morning has really opened my eyes to a few things.

Prayer:
I need You. There is nothing of this world that can provide stability. The economy struggles. Stock markets drop. Team members lose their way. Kids go through phases. Relationships are hit with struggles. Spouses lose sight of each other. There are days that it feels like all these things go awry at once and I am left feeling as if I am walking across a frozen lake on a thin sheet of ice. Teach me to stand on the stability that is Your tangible presence. Your word promises here that You will be the one thing that I can turn to be a firm foundation. As I wrestle through the daily grind of life I pray that you be my salvation, wisdom and knowledge. I can read books and seek a number of counselors, but there is no wisdom like Yours. I pray that you send it to me in full measure. I pray that you help me to deal with each situation I face will a full measure of Your wisdom.

The greatest gift You can give me is a revelation of Yourself. I pray that you open the eyes of my heart to see You in a brand new way. Deepen my understanding of You. Remove anything from my life that takes me away from You and sweeten the fruit of anything that brings me close to You. In all my ways, reveal to me the path that brings You honor.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Not Just Hearing; Doing

Scripture:
"But prove yourselves doers of the Word and not merely hearers who delude themselves." James 1:22

Observation:
I still remember the night my moment came just like it was yesterday. I was working a weekend retreat for high school girls with a group of people. I was the middle of July in Mississippi. Man it was hot. We started on Thursday and ran through Sunday. Each day started at 5 in the morning and ended somewhere around midnight.

On Saturday night of that weekend we threw a surprise party for the girls. It was about 10:30 at night when my moment found me. I sat with my team of workers hiding in a dark cafeteria waiting on the girls to come into the room. My legs hurt. My feet were badly blistered. Pain from both of them made moving, sitting or resting extremely difficult. I looked around the room and a revelation hit me that nearly knocked me off my feet. In all the things that I had experience in my life up to that point; I had never felt more alive than I did that night. God had never felt more real. His Word had never made more sense. My heart had never felt more content. This was the moment that my life began to change. I had been a hearer of the word all my life. I went to church. I read good books. I studied the Bible. My ears were full and my mind was stuffed with knowledge, but never had put it into action. I returned home from that weekend realizing that I would never be the same.

Application:
I need to remember that night. The rhythm of daily life was a way of lull me into a trance. As that happens my life begins to revolve around conveniences and comfort. But convenience and comfort never seem to bring contentment. God's Word calls us into action. It asks us to keep moving. Keep serving. It asks us to not just attend church services or read good books. It asks us to not just try and be a good person. It asks us to live out the Word in our daily lives.

James 1:27 paints the clearest picture of what God expects our life to be, "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." As much as we like to confuse the issue, God's expectations for us are really quite simple in theory. The application of these things are where it gets tricky. Following God requires service. Not just hearing; but doing.

Prayer:
I lose my joy during trials. They get the best of me at times. Frustration and irritation overtake my emotions and I begin to struggle with my flesh. Instead of building up my faith during hard times, I turn to things that should not be part of my life. I don't really seek you for wisdom, I just seek release. There are times that I even justify this sin thinking that it is Your way of allowing me some relief. I really need Your wisdom. Help me weather storms of life in a different manner and learn to allow them to draw me close to You.

In all of Your Word I can only think of a handful of verses that have the potential to be more impactful than James 1:19 & 27. I can only image how different my life would be if I learned how to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. If I focused my purpose in life to care for orphans, look after widows, and stay unstained by the world. These are simple commands that I can't do on my own. I pray that You begin a new movement in my life that leads me to make lasting changes in regards to hearing, speaking, temperament, and service.

As the history of my life is being written I pray that the finished story be of a man that was not just a hearer of the Word, but a doer. I pray that the people I come in contact with on a daily basis become part of Your story for my life. Continue Your good work in my life and increase my ability to impact others for Your Kingdom.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The End in Mind

Scripture:
"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And to not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased." Hebrews 13: 15-16

Observation:
The text does not say through Jesus lets pursue peace and contentment for ourselves. It does not say through Jesus let's pursue everything we desire to have in our lives. It does not say through Jesus let's live liberally and deny ourselves no joy. It does not say through Jesus let’s attack the world with legalism. It says, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God and to do good and share.

There is a tendency to twist scripture for personal gain or to complicate it to the point that no one really understands what is going on or what they are supposed to do. Text like Hebrews 13 serves as a great reminder to me that the instructions God left for us are not that complicated.

Application:
Steven Covey says that to be successful, you really have to start with the end in mind. The end in mind for our faith has to always be to give praise to God and to do good for others. There is nothing self-serving in following Christ. There are rewards. God promises peace and contentment and treasure both on earth and in the kingdom to come for those who pursue Him. But that can't be the focus. It is like this, if I pursue a deeper relationship with my wife only because I desire to have sex; she is going to feel used. If she pursues a deeper relationship with me because she only desires using me to get things done, I am going to feel used. This is true in any relationship, if I pursue a person only for the gain I get, I will lose the relationship. The same is true of my relationship with God. The ultimate goal is to praise Him and do good for others regardless of what I get out of the deal.

Prayer:
I can't praise You if You are not real to me. I feel like at times Your presence can get lost in the shuffle of everything that I have going in my life. There are times that my questions and doubts drive me from You. There are times that my own selfish ambitions get the best of me. Above everything that I have going in my life, I pray that Your presence become to me the greatest reality I know. I pray that it becomes an inescapable way of life that captures every aspect of me. As I walk through my life today, I pray Your goodness be reflected on me. May Your favor rest upon my life. May all that I do be observed by those around me and create in them a curiosity about You. I pray that you make me aware of the spiritual side of things that I face today. I believe that every choice I make today will carry me towards You or away from You. Help me chose wisely. May everything I do rise up to You as a Holy sacrifice.

Monday, July 14, 2008

The Hall of Faith

Scripture:
"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going." Hebrews 11:8

Observation:
Chapter 11 of Hebrews is often referred to as the hall of faith. A survey of the book lists the names of Biblical greats. Able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, David and others are all listed. Each of these are credited with one thing; they obeyed in faith. There lives were not perfect. Many were living a life outside of God's best or lives that were just stuck in the ordinary trenches of daily existence when their call came. God spoke to them and offered them something that was not based on their past. They did not do anything to qualify. He simply gave them an opportunity and they walked with Him.

Application:
I can get really screwed up in my thinking sometimes. I have generally always worked for the things that I want. There is an independent streak that runs deep inside of me. I have also always targeted dreams and pursued them. I struggle with wanting more. My ambition is not a bad thing, but it does get me in trouble. There are a few things from this passage that stick out to me tonight.

First, everything that I have from God comes by faith not by works. I really get hung up on this one in many ways. I want to work and earn a spot of blessing with God. I know better, but it is hard to get away from doing good things with the anticipation that God will have to reciprocate. That is the wrong attitude. To do things by faith means that I do the right thing simply out of respect for and reverence to God. He deserves my best.

Second, Abraham went when he was called. Waiting on a call is not one of my strong suits. I jump the gun. I get impatient. I get frustrated. I miss God. God moves on His on timeline. The only thing that I am asked to do is seek Him and wait. Waiting. I am sure that there is a word in the English language I despise more that "wait"; I just can’t think of it. But walking by faith means that I trust God to give me direction. Even if I have to wait for it.

Third, Abraham obeyed by going. I have a tendency to obey by saying ok and then getting stuck. I don't get the going part. God moves, but I am left standing frozen just like a little kid standing at the edge of a cliff paralyzed and unable to jump in the water below. I continue making choices that God asked me to not make or I hunker down instead of taking a step when He asks me to do something. Obeying in word or thought profits me nothing. I have to obey by doing the thing being asked of me. The true measure of my faith is determined by my actions; not my intentions.

Fourth, Abraham did not wait on all the details. He blindly walked forward trusting only in the voice of God. He put his faith in what God asked and took a chance. He did not see where he was going. He only knew that the call from God was clear and he went.

Prayer:
I do not know how to pray about this. I feel like I have been struggling with the items above for most of my life and I just don't know what to do. I feel like I have to earn something from You or that You owe me something based on my works. I get confused regarding your calling as the pain of life makes waiting on you uncomfortable. When you finally do speak, I struggle acting on many of the things You have asked of me. I wrestle with balancing the desire to make prudent decisions and the recklessness of the faith to which You have called me.

Tonight with my own words and thoughts, I rest my prayers on Romans 8:26-27 which says, "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

Bridges to Cross

Scripture:
"But My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him." Hebrews 10:38

Observation:
Yesterday I went running. There is a bridge on the running trail that takes you over 150 yards of swamp. I ran across it with out any hesitation. No second thoughts. I just barreled over it with my daughter trailing right behind me. I put my faith in that bridge with no concerns. I did not have any reason to doubt that bridge. By all appearances, it was safe. But I have crossed bridges in the past that did not make me all that comfortable.

Growing up I can think of one in particular. It was an old and several boards were missing. It always scared me to go across it. Same situation I faced yesterday while running only this time my faith in the bridge was not absolute. I had doubts. Serious doubts. It is easy to cross a bridge when everything looks great but it is an all together different thing when we come across a rickety old bridge.

Application:
When it comes to exercising my faith in God, I often feel more like I am crossing a rickety bridge. I have so many doubts. There are so many things that I just can't see. There are many past experiences that did not happen according to what I believed. All these things can come together and present a pretty compelling case against standing firm. Consequently, my past is checkered with instances of me shrinking back.

God is calling me to a higher place. One definition of faith I have seen says that faith is a belief that is not based on proof. It is based on the word of another or trust in another's character. That is what God is calling on me to do. But faith does not just happen, it requires two things from me; learn His Word and know His character.

Prayer:
I need to learn Your word. As I awake each morning and open my Bible, I pray that You hide Your word in my heart. Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear. Enable me to recall it in times of need. I also ask that You reveal Your character to me. Help me grow in my knowledge of You each day. As these things take place I know that my faith in You will increase. I desire to have a past checkered with experiences that delight Your soul. I do not want to be a person who draws back.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Gladness

Scripture:
"You shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as when men rejoice when they divide the spoil." Isaiah 9:3

Observation:
Brandy and I watched the movie Fools Gold last night. The movie is about a treasure hunt. At the end, they find the treasure and it is placed in a museum. As the movie closes, a camera is showing all the different display cases. One of the display cases shows pictures of all the crew as they are loading the treasure onto the boat. They are all draped in jewelry of gold and rare gems. Their faces are radiating. As they sort through the spoil, they realize that all their dreams have come true. That is the imagery I see in this passage. That is the gladness that was promised to those of us who come to God through the new covenant given in Jesus Christ.

Application:
There are many factors used to determine my standing with God. Rituals, do's, don'ts and other components of religion can become confusing at times and doubt can creep in as I try to assess how well I am doing. This scripture reminds me of one of the basic fruits promised from God; gladness.

I have spent a great deal of time in church and I can honestly say that gladness is not the overwhelming expression I have noticed on the faces of people. If I try to assess the reputation of Christians from the world's perspective, I would say that we are not known for our gladness. As Jesus' ministry is documented in the scripture there are many famous encounters captured. One of these is Jesus cleaning out the temple. He turns over tables as He cracks his handmade whip and runs out the corruption. As I reflect on this story I am reminded of the fact that this is one of the very few scenes where we see Jesus behave this way. In fact, it was out of character for Him.

As I compare that to what the church has become today I am concerned that we are more known as temple cleaners than we are known to reflect God's gladness and promises of peace. His gladness should permeate every aspect of my life. His peace should be reflected in my actions. Rare should be the occasion for me to lash out.

But I feel pressed at times from many organizations to boycott or speak out against things. There is a time and place for that, but I have not seen much benefit from the conversations that surround hot button issues such as the content on tv, abortion, freedom of speech, or prayer in school. I do care about these things. I hate the fact that I have to monitor the cartoon network for content before my kids watch it. Abortion breaks my heart. Freedom of speech has become a sanctuary for filth. Schools have become agnostic. But there is an overwhelming sense in me that if Christians rediscover the joy and gladness of Christ, the world will see a compelling option to the things they turn to in their search for gladness.

Prayer:
I have a desire rising up inside of me that is resonating deep inside of my soul. I want to return to Your gladness. The pressures of life can become overwhelming. The sin of the world is both alluring and sickening at the same time. I could spend all day, everyday, for the rest of my life campaigning against what is wrong and struggling to stay pure. I have in fact done this. But I am tired of all the endless debates and battles. My focus is shifting. My prayers are changing. Now more than ever I pray that You guide Your church to clearly reflect the goodness of Your will. The gladness of Your heart. I pray that we see Your Word and presence for what they are, a treasure beyond compare. Something worth risking everything to pursue. Happiness beyond compare. I pray that You start a new movement. One that leads us back to You. One that will allow us to carry a true representation of Your good news to the lost world. Help us to once again become light to the dark world.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Spoiled

Scripture:
"This One will be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land, when he tramples on our citadels." Micah 5:4

Observation:
One thing that sticks out to me in this passage is the wording. It does not say when we simply see our enemy. It does not say when we come close to our enemy. It says that He will be our peace WHEN (not if) our enemy TRAMPLES on our citadels.

Citadel is defined as a fortress that commands a city and is used in the control of the inhabitants and in defense during attack or siege. Trample is defined as to tread heavily, roughly, or crushingly (usually fol. by on, upon, or over): to trample on a flower bed.

Prayer:
Peace is a promise from you. Good circumstances are not. I often catch myself surprised by hard times. I want to run away from them. They annoy me and rob my peace. They pursue me at night and take away my sleep. They taunt me. I confess to you today my spoiled behavior. Satan often fools me into thinking that a lack of faith is my problem, but that is a lie. I have full faith that you can and will do something. I just get ticked off at Your timing. I am wrong in that. I pray for the humility and endurance I need to submit to the challenges that are placed before me. Even when the things in my life that offer security are trampled into the ground like flowers, I desire to hold onto my peace in you.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

More than a Feeling

Scripture:
"But beloved we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation." Hebrews 6:9

Observation:
The writer of Hebrews is reminding his readers that there is more to our relationship with God than just our salvation. There is more to it than just rules and regulations. There is more to it than just a secured future.

Application:
Freedom. Security. Love. Acceptance. Peace. Mission. As I sit tonight I am really amazed when I think of all that God has given me through my salvation. Freedom from guilt, fear, condemnation, and legalism. Security in knowing that my life is taken care of. Love beyond anything I can comprehend and love to give that never runs dry. Acceptance to be who I am and allow others to be who they are. Peace that transcends circumstances and adversity. Most of all, a mission. A purpose. A calling. My life matters. It counts. There is something God wants me to accomplish with my life. He has a plan. Every day I live, I get a chance to have an eternal impact on someone's life.

Prayer:
We, as a church, need to be reminded of all that you have given through your Son. We need to really learn to understand freedom, security, love, acceptance, peace and most of all we need to return to our mission. In Matthew 28:19-20 your instructions are clear. We need to go and make disciples. I pray that you paint that vision in the heart of each member of Your body. I pray that every person we see reminds us of the love you have for them. Create inside of us an uncontainable desire to see Your gift come to every person we come in contact with. Haunt our minds with images of this lost and dying world. Give us a sense of urgency to see the peace of Your kingdom brought to all of the earth. Our relationship with You should be much more than just a feeling.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

The Goal of all Searching

Scripture:
"Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing;" Psalm 100:1-2

Observation:
Shout joyfully. Serve with gladness. Sing with joy. Three simple commands. Three calls to express what everyone seeks and longs to have. The goal of all searching is to find these three things.

Application:
This verse really resonates with me. I long to be in a place where I shout because of the joy I feel. The best way I can think of to describe what this verse is saying is that this shout should be the same shout for joy I experience at a ball game. My team scores and I shout for joy.

I also want to serve with a glad heart. There are so many times that I blow this one. Not with the outside world. Normally, I am really good at serving in other places with gladness. It is at home that I really miss out. I get tired and as a result I sometimes feel taken advantage of. As a result, I often end up bathing the kids, or washing dishes, or cutting grass with a attitude of hurt; not of gladness.

As I think about how I approach God, I realize that I really do not come to Him with a song in my heart as often as I approach Him with a bur in my saddle. I come at Him ticked off or frustrated about something in my life that I want taken care of. I come with an agenda. I wonder how my life and relationships would be altered if I began to focus all my energy on developing a song in my heart?

Prayer:
This is such a simple Psalm. I learned it as a child, maybe in the first or second grade. As a result, it has always stuck in my mind as something simple and childish. But as I read it this morning, I am reminded of just how powerful a verse it is. The words contained in these two short verses capture the essence of everything everyone everywhere seeks. Shouts of joy. Gladness in service. A singing heart. Everyone I have counseled with over the past five years has been searching for these in some form or fashion. Every business person I have worked with has been working to find some form of these. Every wealthy family has been planning to create these. Everything I desire in life is wrapped up in finding something that brings so much joy that I shout, serving in an area that creates gladness, or waking everyday with a song of joy on my heart.

The problem is that I often leave out "the LORD" part. I place my focus on things like boats. Trips. Success. Money. Security. Job. Kids. The list just continues. My mind is constantly scanning stations looking for something that I can enjoy. This morning I confess to You two things. First, I confess that I have sought my joy in many other things. Your word says that I am to have no other god before You, but I have made or tried to make gods out of many things. This is my sin and I own it before You. Second, I confess that I do not have the slightest idea of how I am supposed to refocus all my desires for joy and gladness solely on You. I am totally dependent on You. I pray that You move upon my heart to find my joy in You.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Finding Rest

Scripture:
"Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall…" Hebrews 4:11

Observation:
Rest can be defined as: relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs. Prolonged exposure to wearies, troubles, or disturbances can drive a person to all types of moral and mental failures. God's encouragement to the Hebrew church was to find and enter his rest. This morning as I read the scripture, I see three things that can help me find rest.

Application:
First, deal with bitterness. In Psalm 73:21, Asaph says that while his heart was embittered, he was like a senseless and ignorant beast before God. Life presented Asaph with some hard things to understand. He strived to be and do good, only to see evil people prosper. He resented their blessing and it tempted him to doubt God's goodness. Asaph did a couple of things that I really admire. He kept his mouth shut. In Psalm 73:15 he says that he did not speak of the things that he felt. I look back over my life and most of the words spoken that I regret were words of bitterness. I look back and wish I had just stayed quiet. Asaph stayed quiet until he had sought after God and found the truth. He let God deal with his "pierced soul". The other thing Asaph did was stopped looking for his reward outside of his relationship with God. It is easy to say all that I need is God. It is hard to accept this when it comes at a cost. There are days that I look around and I feel like I am being shorted. This is especially true when I endure a season of difficulty or when something inside of me cries out for relief that can't be found. It is in these moments that I should learn to seek after God the hardest.

Second, prepare a harvest. When things get rough and my soul is at unrest it is easy to give in to depression and stop working. But in Hosea 10:12, God instructs Israel to sow with a view towards righteousness, reap with kindness, and break up fallow ground. He tells them to continue making preparations and to seek after Him until he comes and rains down upon them. As I look at this text, I am reminded of three things that I can do when my spirit dries up. First, I can check my intentions in sowing. Sometimes I do not sow with a view towards righteousness. I sow with a view towards the fulfillment of a fleshly desire. Second, I can check my attitude in reaping. He says to reap in kindness. Often, my attitude in reaping is selfish. Finally, He says to till your fallow ground. Fallow ground is a field that has been prepared for planting but set aside to rest. I think the challenge here from God is to find some area of my life that is lying dormant and put it back to work.

Third, hold fast to my faith. Prolonged adversity that refuses to respond to prayer has a way of dealing a lethal blow to my faith. Hebrews 4:14 reminds us to not let that happen. This entire chapter of the Bible serves as a great reminder of what happens when God's people give up on Him and choose to not believe. This is not the same thing that Asaph dealt with in Psalm 73. Asaph was conflicted. He had questions. He was bitter. But Asaph held fast to what he knew to be true of God. The contrast to this would be the people of Israel as they came out of Egypt. They rejected God because of the hardships in their life and said they would be better off without Him. That is what I have to avoid. Regardless of what takes place in my life, I have to hold fast to my faith. The best way to do that is to stay grounded in His Word. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and can divide my thoughts between good and bad.

Prayer:
I do not want to be like those who have fallen away from their faith. I want to be counted among those who stand firm to Your promises regardless of how crazy it seems. Protect me from bitterness. I sit every day and watch people who have no regard for helping others or pursuing righteousness prosper. They seem to live a life full of enjoyment and peace. Everything they want they have. As I compare my life to theirs, it is easy to feel like I am being left behind and that I am missing out. I ask for You to forgive my envy and bitterness. My relationship with You should be my security.

I have a tendency to draw back when I get confused and stop seeking after you as I should. During seasons of hard times, I want to do the opposite of this. Create inside of me an energy and excitement as I anticipate what You are going to do in my life as a result of what I face. I do not want to be among the weak who quit and shrink back. I want to be diligent in my work and stay prepared to reap the harvest you have for me.

It is often tempting to forsake my faith. There are times that I just get tired. There are times when I wonder if all this is really real. There are more questions than answers. The facts seem to create a case against You. It would not be very hard to make a logical case against You and then just walk away. But I can't. As much as I feel like doing it, there is something inside of me that just can't let go of You. I am very thankful for this, even if it frustrates me. I am also grateful that I can be honest with You and that You can sympathize with my weaknesses. I pray that you strengthen my faith. My weaknesses are ever before me and they have a way of reminding me of all that is wrong with me. But I pray that You help me hold fast to the confession of my faith that says I stand before You without a blemish.

This morning and each day that follows, I pray that finding Your rest be the only goal in my life.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Simple Rules to Live by

Scripture:
"Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men." Titus 3:1-2

Observation:
I think that by and large very little happens on earth that can be considered new. The sins that plague the world today have plagued the world since the beginning of time. Famines. Wars. Diseases. Genocide. Rape. Murder. Stealing. The list goes on. I often hear people refer to today's world in terms of it being worse than any other time period, but I just don't agree. The world has been broken for a long time.

There is one thing that I do feel is growing worse each day, complication. The complexity of today's world is crazy. I remember seeing a sign in Quiznos Sandwich shop boasting of something like 2,000 possible choices for how you want your sandwich. 2,000 choices!? Ridiculous.

I fear that we have done the same with our Faith. We complicate it just like we complicate choices in life. It is refreshing to me when I actually see and read the Bible and realize that though there are some really difficult things to understand, there are also some pretty simply rules to follow. I see three such rules in this passage.

Application:
First, I need to be submissive. This one is not popular at all. It is really amazing to me how hard this is. God ordains people to be in authority over me. If I walk in opposition of that I am walking in opposition of His will. My job is to do all that I can to help the agenda of my leader succeed, even when that requires me to place my agenda on the back burner. The only time the Bible allows me the opportunity to not submit to leadership above me is when it leads me to do something counter to God's Word. Outside of that I should be in alignment. The world is designed to function with a certain order. When people are not submissive to their leadership, things get messy.

Second, I need to be nice to others. This sounds a little childish on the surface, but to many it makes a huge difference. I went to Disney in May with my family. It did not take very long to realize that common courtesy is missing. It has left the building. People would literally knock my kids down and never look back. It was total chaos. I see this most everywhere I go. We have turned our society into a "me and mine" world. I love how God words it in this passage. Malign no one. Show every consideration for all men. I can’t even imagine how our nation would change if we really lived this out. No malicious talk. Everyone giving respect and careful thought to each other. In short, hospitality would permeate our lives.

Third, I need to anticipate good deeds. As I noted earlier, the world is broken. It always has been and it always will be. Opportunities to do good deeds are never very far away. I need to become an activist for meeting the needs of others. This is God's heart. It is impossible to study the scriptures and not see that one of God's greatest desires for us is that we develop a deep love for each other and a sense of responsibility for taking care of those in need. I should live each day in eager anticipation of doing something for someone else. I need to discover what I have a surplus of and put it to use in the lives of others. I do not have a lot of money. Actually, I have no money. I live comfortably, but I do not have any excess. I have a tendency to dwell on this when I think of good deeds, but I have to get past that. I need to discover what I have a surplus of and then give it away. Maybe that means I smile more often. Maybe I tip a little extra at a restaurant. Maybe I just offer common courtesy more often. I can serve the food at the soup kitchen. The list of ideas is limitless. I just need to be intentional.

Prayer:
Your Son modeled the perfect life. He is the only one to do so. When I look at the scriptures, I always come back to Matthew 20:28. "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Your call on my life is for me to give it away. I pray that you help me live my life in hopes of giving it away to others. I want to give myself to my leaders. I want to give myself in consideration of others. I want to give myself to meeting the needs of others. This is not something that I can do outside of Your empowerment. It is a task that is just too hard. I rely on Your guidance and strength to bring this about in my life. Open the eyes of my heart to live life looking for opportunities to give it away.

Learning to Stand Firm

Scripture:
"These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you." Titus 2:15

Observation:
There are aspects of the Bible that are not all that popular. There are teachings that cut to the marrow of certain lifestyle choices. When people hear these teachings, they immediately war against what is said.

Application:
Following God in obedience leads to many conversations that are rewarding beyond anything I could have imagined. I have walked people through some really tough times. I have spoken the truth in conversations that were really not all that conducive to the truth being spoken. In all these things I have seen God do some miraculous things and watched as He transformed lives before me. I am humbled by the opportunities He has given. There is no greater joy than to bump into someone I have worked with and see that a smile now rests where despair was once displayed.

On the other hand, I have had an equal amount of experience with conversations that did not go all that well. Worse still, there are many conversations that needed to be had, but I lacked the courage. I still replay those times in my head. It is amazing how fresh the wounds are. I still feel as much regret now as I did way back when. Over the years I have thought back through these failures. As I relive them tonight and read this text, there are a few things that stick out as things that can help me learn to stand firm.

I have to live my life as an example. Paul points this out in verse 7 and again in verse 12. There have been many times that the depravity of my choices prevented me from speaking out. There was simply too many holes in my lifestyles to speak out against anything. It would only take a couple of comments and the embarrassment of my own moral failures would have sent me in full retreat. If my life reflects good deeds, pure doctrine and sound speech it will go a long way towards strengthening my ability to stand firm in speaking the truth.

I also have to be affirmed in the end. Christ will return or death will overtake me. These are two simple and inescapable facts. Regardless of how I chose to respond to this fact, it remains the same. I need to learn to embrace it. Death for a Christian is an amazing transition to a life I can't imagine. Christ's returning is a joyous celebration leading to the same transition. Paul calls it our blessed hope. Why is it that we so easily forget to remember the value of the world that lies beyond this one? Being sold out to what is going to happen removes many obstacles that would otherwise prevent me from speaking the truth.

Finally, I just have to speak. Regardless of how I feel, my voice must not be silenced. It is never very difficult to find an excuse to keep my mouth shut. I doubt myself a lot. I wonder what I will say. How will it sound? What will the response be? What type of questions will be asked and can I handle them? What if I am wrong? Most of all, I wonder who am I that I should instruct another person. These questions are all legitimate questions that address valid concerns. Be that as it may I have to move past them. Part of God's expectations on my life is that I exhort others and allow them to exhort me. We are all in this together. Confronting weak spots is a critical aspect of the Christian life. I might as well get used to it.

Prayer:
You know my tendencies. You know my fears. You know my weaknesses. It is funny to me as I come to revelations about myself and then I realize that You have known about them all along. Your grace amazes me. I get so impatient with others as I wait on them to discover their weaknesses and finally listen to what I have been saying, but You just patiently stand along side me waiting for me to respond. I pray that you continue to bring my life in alignment with what you want me to be. Teaching and exhorting others is definitely part of that plan. I struggle with this. There are so many fears. I pray that You bring about revelation knowledge that will help me to stand firm in Your word.