Scripture:
"Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren…" 3 John 5
Observation:
John did not single out individual actions of Gaius to recognize them as being good. He says, "in WHATEVER you accomplish, you are ACTING FAITHFULLY. Through this passage I feel that God is reminding me that what I do is not nearly as important as how I do it. He wants me to act faithfully in what ever I do. What are some practical things I can do to ensure the faithfulness of my labor?
Application:
First, I need to make sure that I only imitate what is good. In verse 11, John speaks to the importance of this. There are so many examples to follow. So many books to be read. So much counsel to receive. There is no shortage of knowledge or information. The trouble is that it is not all good. I need to guard my heart and mind against following evil. It is so easy to get confused and in that substitute good advice for Holy wisdom or insight. I need to never settle.
Second, I need to make sure that I confront issues and not cover them up. In verse 9, John totally calls out some man named Diotrephes. He was setting an example for us in doing this. Confronting people is hard work. It is the one instance when turning the other cheek or a blind eye is the easiest path. Easiest must not take front seat to obedience to God. I am called to protect the flock. I am a shepherd for those that God has given to me. When their actions put them at risk or the actions of another threaten their safety; I must act.
Third, I need to celebrate success. John starts off this passage in verse 2 by celebrating the growth in the life of Gaius. I solve problems. That is the basis of most plans I create. In doing this, I have a tendency to look for things broken and blow right past things done well. I need to make sure that I slow down from time to time and celebrate the success God has brought both in my life and the life of others.
Prayer:
Father God, you made the earth by Your power. You established the earth by Your wisdom. By Your understanding, the heavens were stretched out. I am stupid before You. All the wisdom I can muster falls short of even making sense in Your presence. Your voice is the only thing in my life worthy of hearing. Your wisdom pouring out of me is all that is acceptable as good. I pray today for a movement of You. Help me seek and find only that which is good. Give me the courage to be a man of valor who does not shrink back from confronting tough issues. Create inside of me the confidence I need to call something a success and celebrate it with others. Above all, I ask that You ground me in Your great love. May all that I do be based on Your loving desire to be reconciled with this lost and dying world.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
A Secure Base
Scripture:
"There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18
Observation:
What am I to base the security of my relationship with God upon? This question has tormented me over the years. I have tried everything. I have tried to base it on my ability to live good; that failed. I tried to base it on my ability to understand His word; that failed too. I tried to base it on my ability to take leaps of faith; another royal failure. So what do I do? How do I know if I am on the right path? John lays out a less than obvious choice in this letter; love.
Love is a tricky thing. We throw it around this day and time and it has become a very popular saying. It has almost crossed over and became an everyday salutation between almost any persons remotely connected to each other. God's definition of love is a little different. He says that no greater love has a man than this; that he lay down his life for another. That sets the definition of how I am to love and it also defines the firm base to build my faith upon. I sense tonight that there are a few levels of love to which I need to return.
Application:
The first level of love I need to return to is my love for God. Out of sight, out of mind is how the saying goes. One of the more frustrating things about God is that I never get to see Him face-to-face. Never have, never will. It drives my finite mind crazy. Conceptualizing God is beyond anything I can do. I just can't get my arms around Him. Loving something that I can't conceptualize or get my arms around is a challenge for me. Sometimes, it is easy to allow doubt to creep in and I often find myself standing at a distance from God. I need to allow Him to draw me to another level of love for Him. The creator of the heavens and earth calls me son. He loves me. He sits and waits on me. It is an amazing thought. My past has taught me a passionate pursuit of God leads to encounters with God that make Him as real in experience as He is in the beauty of His creation.
The second level of love I need to return to is my love for Jesus. Over the past month it has been fun reliving the life of Christ as recorded in the book of John. As I read about Him, it is hard not to love Him. He came and gave His life for me. He is my advocate. He sits at the right hand of God and defends me. What an amazing thought. I fail so many times to live according to His calling, yet He destroyed all guilt, condemnation, and fear. I am whole because of the work He did on the cross. I must never allow my love for Him to lessen.
The third level of love I need to return to is my love for those he has given to me. There are seasons of life in which it feels as though it is all that I can do to stay above water. I spend all my energy just trying to keep from drowning. The demands of life come upon me and sweep me away with their powerful currents. If I am not careful, I become a consumer in my relationships. I totally assess things based on the benefits delivered to me. I avoid things that draw from me. I am wrong in doing this. Just as Christ came not to save His life but to give it; so should I. My love for my family, my friends, my co-workers, and the many others associated with my life on earth should always call me to give.
The fourth level is really nasty. There is not a single fiber of my being that offers to accept it. I have to love my enemies and opposition. Man, the prior levels are things I can readily accept and work towards but this one kills me. God loved me, while I was still His enemy, enough to give His Son for my behalf. I can barely manage a smile towards someone when I am ticked at them. My pride is getting the best of me and I have allowed rage to build inside of me. Like a cancer, it has eaten away at my peace of mind and opened my life to torment. Returning to this level of love is the hardest, but it is critical to my life on earth.
Prayer:
I need to come to You tonight and ask for Your deliverance. My anger, pride and bitterness has created an impenetrable prison surrounding me. Offenses of others have piled up and sit as notes of debt I hold against them. It has driven me mad. Literally. It has separated me from fully walking in Your love, grace, forgiveness and blessing. I am done with it and ask to be changed. I release to You those I hold in contempt and forgive others for the hurt I harbor in my heart. I desire more than anything to have my love for You and Your Son to be renewed in my heart. Breath fresh fire and wind into me. Help me find purity, clarity and security in my walk with You. Allow my life to be broken and spilled over into the lives of others around me.
"There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18
Observation:
What am I to base the security of my relationship with God upon? This question has tormented me over the years. I have tried everything. I have tried to base it on my ability to live good; that failed. I tried to base it on my ability to understand His word; that failed too. I tried to base it on my ability to take leaps of faith; another royal failure. So what do I do? How do I know if I am on the right path? John lays out a less than obvious choice in this letter; love.
Love is a tricky thing. We throw it around this day and time and it has become a very popular saying. It has almost crossed over and became an everyday salutation between almost any persons remotely connected to each other. God's definition of love is a little different. He says that no greater love has a man than this; that he lay down his life for another. That sets the definition of how I am to love and it also defines the firm base to build my faith upon. I sense tonight that there are a few levels of love to which I need to return.
Application:
The first level of love I need to return to is my love for God. Out of sight, out of mind is how the saying goes. One of the more frustrating things about God is that I never get to see Him face-to-face. Never have, never will. It drives my finite mind crazy. Conceptualizing God is beyond anything I can do. I just can't get my arms around Him. Loving something that I can't conceptualize or get my arms around is a challenge for me. Sometimes, it is easy to allow doubt to creep in and I often find myself standing at a distance from God. I need to allow Him to draw me to another level of love for Him. The creator of the heavens and earth calls me son. He loves me. He sits and waits on me. It is an amazing thought. My past has taught me a passionate pursuit of God leads to encounters with God that make Him as real in experience as He is in the beauty of His creation.
The second level of love I need to return to is my love for Jesus. Over the past month it has been fun reliving the life of Christ as recorded in the book of John. As I read about Him, it is hard not to love Him. He came and gave His life for me. He is my advocate. He sits at the right hand of God and defends me. What an amazing thought. I fail so many times to live according to His calling, yet He destroyed all guilt, condemnation, and fear. I am whole because of the work He did on the cross. I must never allow my love for Him to lessen.
The third level of love I need to return to is my love for those he has given to me. There are seasons of life in which it feels as though it is all that I can do to stay above water. I spend all my energy just trying to keep from drowning. The demands of life come upon me and sweep me away with their powerful currents. If I am not careful, I become a consumer in my relationships. I totally assess things based on the benefits delivered to me. I avoid things that draw from me. I am wrong in doing this. Just as Christ came not to save His life but to give it; so should I. My love for my family, my friends, my co-workers, and the many others associated with my life on earth should always call me to give.
The fourth level is really nasty. There is not a single fiber of my being that offers to accept it. I have to love my enemies and opposition. Man, the prior levels are things I can readily accept and work towards but this one kills me. God loved me, while I was still His enemy, enough to give His Son for my behalf. I can barely manage a smile towards someone when I am ticked at them. My pride is getting the best of me and I have allowed rage to build inside of me. Like a cancer, it has eaten away at my peace of mind and opened my life to torment. Returning to this level of love is the hardest, but it is critical to my life on earth.
Prayer:
I need to come to You tonight and ask for Your deliverance. My anger, pride and bitterness has created an impenetrable prison surrounding me. Offenses of others have piled up and sit as notes of debt I hold against them. It has driven me mad. Literally. It has separated me from fully walking in Your love, grace, forgiveness and blessing. I am done with it and ask to be changed. I release to You those I hold in contempt and forgive others for the hurt I harbor in my heart. I desire more than anything to have my love for You and Your Son to be renewed in my heart. Breath fresh fire and wind into me. Help me find purity, clarity and security in my walk with You. Allow my life to be broken and spilled over into the lives of others around me.
Strong Prayers
Scripture:
"From my distress I called upon the LORD. The LORD answered me and set me in a large place. The LORD is with me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?" Psalm 118: 5-6
Observation:
The nature of the language in this Psalm is captivating to me. The Psalmist said I called upon the LORD. He did not say I called to. He did not say I cried out. He said I called upon. According to freedictionary.com, to call upon someone is to give an order or make a demand. It is strong language. It is more than just asking. It is more than just whining. It is a demand for action.
I don’t pray that strong anymore. There was a season during which my prayers were laced with language similar to this Psalm but things rarely worked out according to my prayers; so I pulled back. I was hurt. I felt as if God was not moved by my prayer. I became really confused. I became frustrated. I wanted to give up and wished I could just walk away from the whole thing.
Time has passed. Wounds have healed. But I am still left with the scars. My life is still affected by memories of those times. As I reflect on that season of life I realize just how immature and greedy I was. I was running nowhere near God's agenda and was in full pursuit of my own. God was my ticket to success and I resented Him not serving me as I thought He should. What I was asking for was so small when compared to a God so big. It really angered me that He chose to not act.
So what am I to do? What is the response God is asking from me today? There was something in the Psalmist's life that allowed him to demand something from the LORD and find his answer; what lessons do I need to learn?
Prayer:
Father, my heart is a little troubled as I read this passage from Your Word. When struggles hit me, I feel more like I call out to Your versus calling upon You. When faced with adverse circumstances, I get frustrated. When angry people rise up against me I get nervous and often fight against them in my own flesh.
I am grateful this morning that Your Word promises that You are faithful to complete the good work You started in me. I ask that You move in my life in a way that affirms Your perfect nature to me. Fill my heart with praise. Guide my steps securely. Strengthen my faith. More than I desire riches, more than I desire honor, more than I desire success; I desire to walk purely before You, to clearly hear Your voice, and to be securely grounded in Your love for me.
"From my distress I called upon the LORD. The LORD answered me and set me in a large place. The LORD is with me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?" Psalm 118: 5-6
Observation:
The nature of the language in this Psalm is captivating to me. The Psalmist said I called upon the LORD. He did not say I called to. He did not say I cried out. He said I called upon. According to freedictionary.com, to call upon someone is to give an order or make a demand. It is strong language. It is more than just asking. It is more than just whining. It is a demand for action.
I don’t pray that strong anymore. There was a season during which my prayers were laced with language similar to this Psalm but things rarely worked out according to my prayers; so I pulled back. I was hurt. I felt as if God was not moved by my prayer. I became really confused. I became frustrated. I wanted to give up and wished I could just walk away from the whole thing.
Time has passed. Wounds have healed. But I am still left with the scars. My life is still affected by memories of those times. As I reflect on that season of life I realize just how immature and greedy I was. I was running nowhere near God's agenda and was in full pursuit of my own. God was my ticket to success and I resented Him not serving me as I thought He should. What I was asking for was so small when compared to a God so big. It really angered me that He chose to not act.
So what am I to do? What is the response God is asking from me today? There was something in the Psalmist's life that allowed him to demand something from the LORD and find his answer; what lessons do I need to learn?
Prayer:
Father, my heart is a little troubled as I read this passage from Your Word. When struggles hit me, I feel more like I call out to Your versus calling upon You. When faced with adverse circumstances, I get frustrated. When angry people rise up against me I get nervous and often fight against them in my own flesh.
I am grateful this morning that Your Word promises that You are faithful to complete the good work You started in me. I ask that You move in my life in a way that affirms Your perfect nature to me. Fill my heart with praise. Guide my steps securely. Strengthen my faith. More than I desire riches, more than I desire honor, more than I desire success; I desire to walk purely before You, to clearly hear Your voice, and to be securely grounded in Your love for me.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Expanding My World View
Scripture:
"God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations." Psalm 67: 1-2
Observation:
This verse stands out to me this morning like a watchman screaming from a tower. The weight of its conviction sits upon my chest and labors my breathing. The entire chapter is a call to God to allow His name, glory, and face to be known to the entire world. It has reminded me this morning just how self centered I am. I want God to bless me. I want him to bless my state. I want him to bless my nation. I pray for these things often. I seek these things often. But just how often am I broken hearted for the world that does not know Him? God's heart is for all lost people. Every tribe, every nation, every person is on His heart. I know this and deep down I want it so what is keeping me from expanding my world view?
Application:
The first thing that I feel is hindering my world view is my own personal struggles. It is hard to stand before God in peace knowing that I have things in my life left unsettled. I am not talking about general sin. My sinful nature will always be active as long as I am alive on this earth. I will continually sin and always rely on God's grace. It is the pattern sins I am talking about. Those aspects of my life that I tolerate, excuse, ignore or continue to practice; knowing with full knowledge God's displeasure with them. These major areas of darkness consume my energy and prevent me from looking past my own sin to see the lost world around me.
The second thing that I feel is hindering my world view is apathy. Apathy is defined as the absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. I have become apathetic towards the suffering of the world and I have done it on purpose. I have done it to protect myself. Looking upon the suffering of the world is overwhelming. It causes me to doubt God. It torments my thoughts. It urges me to give a rip and change how I live life. I have a responsibility to lost, lonely, abandoned, hurting and forgotten peoples of the world. This is His charge to all of those who walk according to His ways. I have suppressed this call and wrapped myself up in my own little world with my own little problems.
Prayer:
I could continue making excuses and listing the reasons, but I need not do this any longer. I am self absorbed and self centered. I want You to move in my life because it is more convenient for me when You do. That is my truest intention and I have to confess it to You this morning as my greatest sin. Move me past my own personal struggles so that I am confidently planted in Your love for me. In this, allow Your face to brightly shine upon me so that I may be known by the world as one who walks with God. Manifest Yourself in my life in a manner that is undeniably different from anything attainable by man alone. Let Your peace, presence and fragrance follow me everywhere I go. I pray that You protect my heart, soul and emotions as I open myself up to the pain in the world. The suffering I see around me is more than I can bear on my own. Help me to know clearly Your plans to reach the lost and the lonely... whether that is the forgotten children of South America, the starving Somali people of Kenya, or the abused and abandoned living right down the street. It is overwhelming and the amount of need greatly exceeds my personal capacity. I pray that You guide my steps, my thoughts and my heart. Allow me to see clearly the plans You have for me.
"God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations." Psalm 67: 1-2
Observation:
This verse stands out to me this morning like a watchman screaming from a tower. The weight of its conviction sits upon my chest and labors my breathing. The entire chapter is a call to God to allow His name, glory, and face to be known to the entire world. It has reminded me this morning just how self centered I am. I want God to bless me. I want him to bless my state. I want him to bless my nation. I pray for these things often. I seek these things often. But just how often am I broken hearted for the world that does not know Him? God's heart is for all lost people. Every tribe, every nation, every person is on His heart. I know this and deep down I want it so what is keeping me from expanding my world view?
Application:
The first thing that I feel is hindering my world view is my own personal struggles. It is hard to stand before God in peace knowing that I have things in my life left unsettled. I am not talking about general sin. My sinful nature will always be active as long as I am alive on this earth. I will continually sin and always rely on God's grace. It is the pattern sins I am talking about. Those aspects of my life that I tolerate, excuse, ignore or continue to practice; knowing with full knowledge God's displeasure with them. These major areas of darkness consume my energy and prevent me from looking past my own sin to see the lost world around me.
The second thing that I feel is hindering my world view is apathy. Apathy is defined as the absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. I have become apathetic towards the suffering of the world and I have done it on purpose. I have done it to protect myself. Looking upon the suffering of the world is overwhelming. It causes me to doubt God. It torments my thoughts. It urges me to give a rip and change how I live life. I have a responsibility to lost, lonely, abandoned, hurting and forgotten peoples of the world. This is His charge to all of those who walk according to His ways. I have suppressed this call and wrapped myself up in my own little world with my own little problems.
Prayer:
I could continue making excuses and listing the reasons, but I need not do this any longer. I am self absorbed and self centered. I want You to move in my life because it is more convenient for me when You do. That is my truest intention and I have to confess it to You this morning as my greatest sin. Move me past my own personal struggles so that I am confidently planted in Your love for me. In this, allow Your face to brightly shine upon me so that I may be known by the world as one who walks with God. Manifest Yourself in my life in a manner that is undeniably different from anything attainable by man alone. Let Your peace, presence and fragrance follow me everywhere I go. I pray that You protect my heart, soul and emotions as I open myself up to the pain in the world. The suffering I see around me is more than I can bear on my own. Help me to know clearly Your plans to reach the lost and the lonely... whether that is the forgotten children of South America, the starving Somali people of Kenya, or the abused and abandoned living right down the street. It is overwhelming and the amount of need greatly exceeds my personal capacity. I pray that You guide my steps, my thoughts and my heart. Allow me to see clearly the plans You have for me.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sick of Me
Scripture:
"If you abide in me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." John 15: 7-8
Observation:
How much do I rely on Christ? What is my focus? Where am I heading? What am I doing?
What am I asking God for? Do I see Him moving in my life? Is God real to me? Would an outsider observe my life and see signs that were unexplainable outside of God? Does love permeate every aspect of my life?
Application:
These questions dance before me this morning. As I read John 15 this morning, I feel a great challenge to deepen my relationship with Christ. There is more to being a child of God than I am currently living. Right now, I spend most of my time searching for purpose, peace, significance, forgiveness, confidence, contentment, and joy. All these things are ok things, but they are all self-focused. They all center on my feelings.
Prayer:
Most of my prayers to You focus on me. Help me. Heal me. Deliver me. Guide me. Bless me. I'm sick of me. I realize that my enemy has used guilt, shame and fear to take my focus off of Christ and center it on myself. Here is my confession to You this morning. I am clean. Not by my on hands, but through Your Son. I set aside all my guilt and shame today and walk freely in the grace You have provided. My sins are no more I and I will no longer base my sense of confidence and self-worth on my actions. I want to abide in Christ and to have His words to abide in me. I shift my focus today from my personal feelings and look toward Christ. Teach me to walk in the way you would have me go. Create inside of me a passion to pray for the lost and dying world that surrounds me. Allow me to see Your light come into my life and shine for others. Break open my life and pour it out on those around me. I pray that I learn to seek, see, find, ask, and respond in the name of my Savior. I want to be a part of a movement that is bigger than myself. I desire to see Your Spirit be poured out on my community, my state, my country and my world.
"If you abide in me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." John 15: 7-8
Observation:
How much do I rely on Christ? What is my focus? Where am I heading? What am I doing?
What am I asking God for? Do I see Him moving in my life? Is God real to me? Would an outsider observe my life and see signs that were unexplainable outside of God? Does love permeate every aspect of my life?
Application:
These questions dance before me this morning. As I read John 15 this morning, I feel a great challenge to deepen my relationship with Christ. There is more to being a child of God than I am currently living. Right now, I spend most of my time searching for purpose, peace, significance, forgiveness, confidence, contentment, and joy. All these things are ok things, but they are all self-focused. They all center on my feelings.
Prayer:
Most of my prayers to You focus on me. Help me. Heal me. Deliver me. Guide me. Bless me. I'm sick of me. I realize that my enemy has used guilt, shame and fear to take my focus off of Christ and center it on myself. Here is my confession to You this morning. I am clean. Not by my on hands, but through Your Son. I set aside all my guilt and shame today and walk freely in the grace You have provided. My sins are no more I and I will no longer base my sense of confidence and self-worth on my actions. I want to abide in Christ and to have His words to abide in me. I shift my focus today from my personal feelings and look toward Christ. Teach me to walk in the way you would have me go. Create inside of me a passion to pray for the lost and dying world that surrounds me. Allow me to see Your light come into my life and shine for others. Break open my life and pour it out on those around me. I pray that I learn to seek, see, find, ask, and respond in the name of my Savior. I want to be a part of a movement that is bigger than myself. I desire to see Your Spirit be poured out on my community, my state, my country and my world.
Dirty Feet
Scripture:
"Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, his body is clean; and you are clean?" John 13:9-10
Observation:
Often times I struggle when I read the stories of Jesus. I don't struggle with believing them; my struggle is the application of them to my daily life. I often sit and wonder what is the lesson for me? This morning, however, is different. As I read this conversation between Jesus and Peter, I see the application quite clearly.
Application:
I am sure of my salvation. There are definitely times that I doubt it. I mean, I look at some of the things that I struggle with and wonder how I can feel that way. There are days I look to the heavens and the coldness in my heart makes the whole thing feel like a farce. There are moments when God goes silent and the deafness in my ears drives me to the point of abandoning the whole thing. But over time, I have come to understand the lesson that Jesus is teaching Peter in this passage. My salvation is set. It is secure. That said, I am also still walking through a fallen world, living in a fallen body. My feet will get dirty.
Seasons of doubt, struggle, and coldness will come. I am going to sin. I am going to lose my way. I will blow it more times than I can count. In those moments, I often run to God feeling like I need a total do over. I need to be cleaned from head to toe. Then the most amazing thing happens. Jesus gently reminds me, you are clean bro. You're clean.
Prayer:
There is no way that I can process the level of grace that You provide to me. I look at how I treat my wife and kids and it honestly makes me doubt that You could possibly have the patience with me that Your scripture teaches me that You have. I need Your help in understanding my standing with You. I pray that you open the eyes of my heart to see clearly the level of grace that has been poured out on me. In moments of failure, I pray that you allow the voice of my Savior and Shepherd to ring in my ears, "You are clean Jason. Your feet are a little dirty, but I can take care of that." I pray that you also allow a full measure of that grace to pour over into my relationships with others. Help me to walk as You walked. To love as You loved. To forgive as You forgave. In all these things, help me to walk before You in purity of deed, and absolute in mission.
"Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, his body is clean; and you are clean?" John 13:9-10
Observation:
Often times I struggle when I read the stories of Jesus. I don't struggle with believing them; my struggle is the application of them to my daily life. I often sit and wonder what is the lesson for me? This morning, however, is different. As I read this conversation between Jesus and Peter, I see the application quite clearly.
Application:
I am sure of my salvation. There are definitely times that I doubt it. I mean, I look at some of the things that I struggle with and wonder how I can feel that way. There are days I look to the heavens and the coldness in my heart makes the whole thing feel like a farce. There are moments when God goes silent and the deafness in my ears drives me to the point of abandoning the whole thing. But over time, I have come to understand the lesson that Jesus is teaching Peter in this passage. My salvation is set. It is secure. That said, I am also still walking through a fallen world, living in a fallen body. My feet will get dirty.
Seasons of doubt, struggle, and coldness will come. I am going to sin. I am going to lose my way. I will blow it more times than I can count. In those moments, I often run to God feeling like I need a total do over. I need to be cleaned from head to toe. Then the most amazing thing happens. Jesus gently reminds me, you are clean bro. You're clean.
Prayer:
There is no way that I can process the level of grace that You provide to me. I look at how I treat my wife and kids and it honestly makes me doubt that You could possibly have the patience with me that Your scripture teaches me that You have. I need Your help in understanding my standing with You. I pray that you open the eyes of my heart to see clearly the level of grace that has been poured out on me. In moments of failure, I pray that you allow the voice of my Savior and Shepherd to ring in my ears, "You are clean Jason. Your feet are a little dirty, but I can take care of that." I pray that you also allow a full measure of that grace to pour over into my relationships with others. Help me to walk as You walked. To love as You loved. To forgive as You forgave. In all these things, help me to walk before You in purity of deed, and absolute in mission.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Shepherd's Voice
Scripture:
"Now my soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father save Me from this hour?' But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father glorify Your name." John 12:27
Observation:
There are certain verses in the Bible that are flat out tough to read. As I look upon the words of this verse my eyes burn as if they have been splattered with soapy water. In a day and time when everything is designed for my comfort, the words of my Savior remind me of another call that is upon my life. The voice of my Shepherd rings out over the hills beckoning me to join Him where His flock is gathered. His flock is not seeking the convenience of a club with great benefits. His flock is prepared to sacrifice everything to walk in obedience to the call on their life.
Application:
The mission statement of our church is "To help people discover and fulfill their God given purpose for living." Our motto is "It's not just church…It's life." I believe in both of these worthy causes. It is energizing to talk about these things. To think that I have a purpose and that there is more to church than just attending services on Sunday's and Wednesday's stands as a sort of oasis in a desert land of people just doing things out of routine. I grew up following the example of a man who believed in this long before I came to Pinelake and even before Rick Warren brought The Purpose Driven Life to market.
My dad sat this example for me. He has always sought God's mission and fought to make church more than a service. As he lived this example before me, God has used it to call me down the same pathway. I have never been able to settle for anything less than a genuine pursuit of God. In that pursuit, God allowed me the honor of chasing after Him alongside my dad. For nine years I stood beside my earthly dad and together we pursued our heavenly father together. It was an amazing season of life. We had the opportunity to sit together daily and discuss where we were going with both our business and our walks with God. I remember one conversation in particular that stands out in my mind. My dad and I sat down in his office and began discussing where we were in business and in life. God stirred inside both of us the desire to be closer to Him. We wanted to live on mission. In a moment of pure faith, we committed to pursuing God above all things. It was a beautiful moment, but it came with a harsh reality.
In my finite mind I had the whole thing worked out. I would commit to God the works of my hands and pursue excellence in all that I did and the world would respond by yielding her bounty to my worthy cause. Success was all that I was thinking about. Success in my career. I was to become one of the great business minds in the world. Success in my marriage and family. I was to have a marriage that writers would author books about. Success in my faith. I was to lift up my hands in prayer and miraculous things would come about. This was my dream. This was my pursuit. In reality it was a defenseless jaw in the path of a vicious upper cut.
The words of Jesus noted in the passage remind me of the pain associated with allowing the flesh to manipulate things of the spirit. God's ways are not my ways. His desires for me are not the same as the desires I have for myself. Success is not the measuring stick God uses; it is obedience He's after. God definitely has a purpose for my life, but that purpose is not to pad my earthly life. His purpose is for me to spill out my life in pursuit of His desire to introduce a lost and dying world to the beautiful salvation that is to be found in His Son. Over the past 9 years, God has taken me on a journey that I never expected. I sit in a place that I never planned to be. As I reflect back over the dreams that I had for my life, most of them sit smoldering in a pile of burnt rubble. My heart has been broken more times than I can count and I still struggle to process some of what has happened.
In the midst of all this I have made an amazing discovery; success on this earth is a fleeting goal. Earthly prosperity is a shaky wall of defense. I would not trade one single goal or dream for the relationship that I now have with my God. The price I paid to be where I am today is held cheap in my mind when I compare it with what all God has given me. I am grateful for my life, not because of its benefits, but because of its purpose. God has allowed me to join Him in His mission and pursue a kingdom that is worthy or pursuit.
Prayer:
As much as I have learned, I still have so far to go. I am grateful for You reminding me this morning of the example Christ set before me. I still have a tendency to pray in opposition of discomfort for me rather than seeking Your purpose in spite of the personal cost to me. I have clearly heard the voice of my shepherd this morning. That voice finds me outside of the flock. Most of my prayers have once again centered around my desire to be successful. I ask for You to forgive me of my pride. Three things I ask of you this morning; a pure heart, a clear vision, and a secure soul. In all that I do today may my hands be clean before You. Help me to pursue only the things of the spirit. As I seek You today, please grant me a clear vision of what You desire for me. Let Your wisdom stand before me and allow my judgment to reflect Yours. Hold my soul securely in Your hands and affirm me in my standing with You. Help me to stand confidently in Your truth and not waver as the storms of life threaten me.
"Now my soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father save Me from this hour?' But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father glorify Your name." John 12:27
Observation:
There are certain verses in the Bible that are flat out tough to read. As I look upon the words of this verse my eyes burn as if they have been splattered with soapy water. In a day and time when everything is designed for my comfort, the words of my Savior remind me of another call that is upon my life. The voice of my Shepherd rings out over the hills beckoning me to join Him where His flock is gathered. His flock is not seeking the convenience of a club with great benefits. His flock is prepared to sacrifice everything to walk in obedience to the call on their life.
Application:
The mission statement of our church is "To help people discover and fulfill their God given purpose for living." Our motto is "It's not just church…It's life." I believe in both of these worthy causes. It is energizing to talk about these things. To think that I have a purpose and that there is more to church than just attending services on Sunday's and Wednesday's stands as a sort of oasis in a desert land of people just doing things out of routine. I grew up following the example of a man who believed in this long before I came to Pinelake and even before Rick Warren brought The Purpose Driven Life to market.
My dad sat this example for me. He has always sought God's mission and fought to make church more than a service. As he lived this example before me, God has used it to call me down the same pathway. I have never been able to settle for anything less than a genuine pursuit of God. In that pursuit, God allowed me the honor of chasing after Him alongside my dad. For nine years I stood beside my earthly dad and together we pursued our heavenly father together. It was an amazing season of life. We had the opportunity to sit together daily and discuss where we were going with both our business and our walks with God. I remember one conversation in particular that stands out in my mind. My dad and I sat down in his office and began discussing where we were in business and in life. God stirred inside both of us the desire to be closer to Him. We wanted to live on mission. In a moment of pure faith, we committed to pursuing God above all things. It was a beautiful moment, but it came with a harsh reality.
In my finite mind I had the whole thing worked out. I would commit to God the works of my hands and pursue excellence in all that I did and the world would respond by yielding her bounty to my worthy cause. Success was all that I was thinking about. Success in my career. I was to become one of the great business minds in the world. Success in my marriage and family. I was to have a marriage that writers would author books about. Success in my faith. I was to lift up my hands in prayer and miraculous things would come about. This was my dream. This was my pursuit. In reality it was a defenseless jaw in the path of a vicious upper cut.
The words of Jesus noted in the passage remind me of the pain associated with allowing the flesh to manipulate things of the spirit. God's ways are not my ways. His desires for me are not the same as the desires I have for myself. Success is not the measuring stick God uses; it is obedience He's after. God definitely has a purpose for my life, but that purpose is not to pad my earthly life. His purpose is for me to spill out my life in pursuit of His desire to introduce a lost and dying world to the beautiful salvation that is to be found in His Son. Over the past 9 years, God has taken me on a journey that I never expected. I sit in a place that I never planned to be. As I reflect back over the dreams that I had for my life, most of them sit smoldering in a pile of burnt rubble. My heart has been broken more times than I can count and I still struggle to process some of what has happened.
In the midst of all this I have made an amazing discovery; success on this earth is a fleeting goal. Earthly prosperity is a shaky wall of defense. I would not trade one single goal or dream for the relationship that I now have with my God. The price I paid to be where I am today is held cheap in my mind when I compare it with what all God has given me. I am grateful for my life, not because of its benefits, but because of its purpose. God has allowed me to join Him in His mission and pursue a kingdom that is worthy or pursuit.
Prayer:
As much as I have learned, I still have so far to go. I am grateful for You reminding me this morning of the example Christ set before me. I still have a tendency to pray in opposition of discomfort for me rather than seeking Your purpose in spite of the personal cost to me. I have clearly heard the voice of my shepherd this morning. That voice finds me outside of the flock. Most of my prayers have once again centered around my desire to be successful. I ask for You to forgive me of my pride. Three things I ask of you this morning; a pure heart, a clear vision, and a secure soul. In all that I do today may my hands be clean before You. Help me to pursue only the things of the spirit. As I seek You today, please grant me a clear vision of what You desire for me. Let Your wisdom stand before me and allow my judgment to reflect Yours. Hold my soul securely in Your hands and affirm me in my standing with You. Help me to stand confidently in Your truth and not waver as the storms of life threaten me.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Continuing in Faith
Scripture:
"If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:31
Observation:
This verse indicates some thing that I do not like to hear as it points to the fact that becoming a true disciple of Christ is not a "one-and-done" deal. I don't get to check it off the box. It is a continual process.
Application:
I like to complete things. There is some amazing sense of satisfaction in checking something off the list. It is like arriving at a destination. I have done what I said I needed or planned to do; now I am done. That is a great feeling. There is a tendency within me to want to do the same thing in my walk with God. I want to learn something and then move on with it. I want to confess a sin and be tempted no more. I want to release a problem to God and see it permanently resolved. I want to take a step of faith and see everything miraculously become taken care of. I want to have my quiet time and automatically hear from God. These are the expectations that I have: I act, God responds, and we move on together. It should be a simple process.
Here is the problem. I confess a sin and the desire for it becomes stronger. I release a problem to God and all hell breaks loose around it. I take a step of faith and the situation kicks me in the teeth. I sit down for my quiet time with God and all I hear is silence. It is painful to watch as the realities of life consume my expectations just as a hot fire consumes a piece of paper. I sit in the charred ashes of my former hopes and often wonder what do I do next? Then I hear the voice of my Savior speaking in this verse. "Jason, if you continue in My word, then you are truly a disciple of Mine. If you pick yourself back up again and walk after Me, you will learn the truth and be set free."
Walking after God is easy if it is to be done in terms of my expectations, but it is an entirely different thing when it must be done in terms of reality. All I have to do is look at the life of Jesus. He perfectly followed the will of His father, yet all He ever saw was adversity. He did everything that was asked of Him and yet He was followed by a mob of people waiting for the first opportunity to kill Him. His life modeled something I have to learn to accept and understand. God does not exist for my convenience and to make me feel whole. I exist to pursue a relationship with Him and to join Him in accomplishing His purpose; even if that purpose costs me everything in this life.
Prayer:
Learning to be persistent in my faith is one of the hardest things that I face in life. There are a couple of major points of pain in my life that I have literally prayed for and fought against for a decade or more. These things wear on me and I often just want to throw in the towel, but Your presence inside of me draws me and encourages me to keep going. Honestly, that frustrates me and there are times that I just wish You would leave me alone and let me go so that I could do my own thing. I realize that in those moments I have grumbled against You and I acknowledge that as sin. Thank you for never giving up on me. I pray this morning that You empower me to continue in my faith, even in the face of adversity.
"If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:31
Observation:
This verse indicates some thing that I do not like to hear as it points to the fact that becoming a true disciple of Christ is not a "one-and-done" deal. I don't get to check it off the box. It is a continual process.
Application:
I like to complete things. There is some amazing sense of satisfaction in checking something off the list. It is like arriving at a destination. I have done what I said I needed or planned to do; now I am done. That is a great feeling. There is a tendency within me to want to do the same thing in my walk with God. I want to learn something and then move on with it. I want to confess a sin and be tempted no more. I want to release a problem to God and see it permanently resolved. I want to take a step of faith and see everything miraculously become taken care of. I want to have my quiet time and automatically hear from God. These are the expectations that I have: I act, God responds, and we move on together. It should be a simple process.
Here is the problem. I confess a sin and the desire for it becomes stronger. I release a problem to God and all hell breaks loose around it. I take a step of faith and the situation kicks me in the teeth. I sit down for my quiet time with God and all I hear is silence. It is painful to watch as the realities of life consume my expectations just as a hot fire consumes a piece of paper. I sit in the charred ashes of my former hopes and often wonder what do I do next? Then I hear the voice of my Savior speaking in this verse. "Jason, if you continue in My word, then you are truly a disciple of Mine. If you pick yourself back up again and walk after Me, you will learn the truth and be set free."
Walking after God is easy if it is to be done in terms of my expectations, but it is an entirely different thing when it must be done in terms of reality. All I have to do is look at the life of Jesus. He perfectly followed the will of His father, yet all He ever saw was adversity. He did everything that was asked of Him and yet He was followed by a mob of people waiting for the first opportunity to kill Him. His life modeled something I have to learn to accept and understand. God does not exist for my convenience and to make me feel whole. I exist to pursue a relationship with Him and to join Him in accomplishing His purpose; even if that purpose costs me everything in this life.
Prayer:
Learning to be persistent in my faith is one of the hardest things that I face in life. There are a couple of major points of pain in my life that I have literally prayed for and fought against for a decade or more. These things wear on me and I often just want to throw in the towel, but Your presence inside of me draws me and encourages me to keep going. Honestly, that frustrates me and there are times that I just wish You would leave me alone and let me go so that I could do my own thing. I realize that in those moments I have grumbled against You and I acknowledge that as sin. Thank you for never giving up on me. I pray this morning that You empower me to continue in my faith, even in the face of adversity.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The "ALL" Trips Me Up
Scripture:
"Before him there was not king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him." 2 Kings 23:25
Observation:
Josiah's lifestyle stands as a split in time. There was none before him nor was there one after that lived his life as he did. He set an example that redefined what it meant to pursue God.
Application:
What will be said of me? At some point in the future my heart will stop beating and I will go home. In the wake of my death, I wonder what will my kids say? My friends? My family? Those I work with? My wife? Most importantly, what will God say?
Regardless of what others would say, there is something that I know. Deep down, I fully realize that I am not pursuing God with all that I have. Those words used to describe Josiah haunt me. ALL his heart. ALL his soul. ALL his might. ALL. Why did God have to use those three letters. If it just said with his heart, his soul and his might; then I would have some wiggle room. I could justify where I am. But the "all" trips me up.
Prayer:
If I knew how to do this on my own, then I would not be in the situation that I face. I am hopeless when it comes to pursuing You as I should. I can't do it. I need You to do a work in my heart, soul and might. As best I can from where I am, I turn to You this morning and declare with all that is within me that my greatest desire is to pursue a relationship with You that is deeper than anything I have ever experienced. I pray that You help me find a higher standard of purity, a clearer sense of vision and a firmer sense of security as I daily discover Your purpose for my life. Guide my every choice and my every decision. I have failed You so many times in the past, but I am grateful that Your Grace has removed my guilt. I live before You today a man forgiven of much. I want to walk before You tomorrow as a man who has accomplished much.
"Before him there was not king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him." 2 Kings 23:25
Observation:
Josiah's lifestyle stands as a split in time. There was none before him nor was there one after that lived his life as he did. He set an example that redefined what it meant to pursue God.
Application:
What will be said of me? At some point in the future my heart will stop beating and I will go home. In the wake of my death, I wonder what will my kids say? My friends? My family? Those I work with? My wife? Most importantly, what will God say?
Regardless of what others would say, there is something that I know. Deep down, I fully realize that I am not pursuing God with all that I have. Those words used to describe Josiah haunt me. ALL his heart. ALL his soul. ALL his might. ALL. Why did God have to use those three letters. If it just said with his heart, his soul and his might; then I would have some wiggle room. I could justify where I am. But the "all" trips me up.
Prayer:
If I knew how to do this on my own, then I would not be in the situation that I face. I am hopeless when it comes to pursuing You as I should. I can't do it. I need You to do a work in my heart, soul and might. As best I can from where I am, I turn to You this morning and declare with all that is within me that my greatest desire is to pursue a relationship with You that is deeper than anything I have ever experienced. I pray that You help me find a higher standard of purity, a clearer sense of vision and a firmer sense of security as I daily discover Your purpose for my life. Guide my every choice and my every decision. I have failed You so many times in the past, but I am grateful that Your Grace has removed my guilt. I live before You today a man forgiven of much. I want to walk before You tomorrow as a man who has accomplished much.
Wrestling with Me
Scripture:
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 6:38
Observation:
Jesus faced a crucial crossroads during this chapter of His life on earth. He had fed the 5 thousand. Upon participating in this event, the crowd was prepared to anoint Him as King. He was poised to do anything He wanted to do. The wording of this verse indicates to me that Jesus, just like any other man would, wrestled with a will that was in opposition to God. But He chose to surrender to God's will for His life. He chose to not seek His own end, but to discover and pursue God's mission for His life.
Application:
There are a couple of lessons that I can learn from this. First, Jesus paid attention. Throughout this chapter, there are a couple occasions where Jesus perceived something that was not being said and He reacted to the situation accordingly. It is so easy to get caught up in the daily routine of living. Once things settle into a rhythm, focus can be lost. I need to live alert. I need to constantly look past what I see and pay attention to what the spirit is saying inside of me.
Second, Jesus withdrew to solitude to sort things out. I have a tendency to avoid solitude. There is something about being alone with God that is hard. I can only think of a handful of times that I have actually went away to be alone with God. I can think of only one time that lasted longer than a few hours. I just plow away at things and pray that God will guide my steps. But Jesus was different. He stepped away and got a clear sense of God's direction, then He pursued it. He walked with confidence because He knew the will of His Father.
Third, Jesus denied His own desires and pursued God's will. Man, I hate this one. I do not like to struggle. I hate wrestling with anyone, but I especially hate to wrestle with me. I spend most of my time praying that God will change my desires so that I do not have to fight myself. But Jesus did something different. He faced His own desires, told them no, and pursued God's purposes. It is easy to chase after God when that is all that my heart desires, but it is an entirely different challenge when my heart desires other things.
Prayer:
Teach me to pay attention to what is happening around me. I pray that you slow things down and allow Your voice and guidance to become clear to me. Help me to see beyond what is evident and perceive things as Christ did. I pray that You draw me away when I need to reconnect with You. Help me to find the time and places to go to be alone with You. Make Your will clear to me. I pray that you allow it to become abundantly clear to me Your will for each choice I make. Help me to know Your voice in a new way.
The calling I feel deep in my heart is that you take me to another level of purity in my life, make Your vision clear to me, and affirm me in the security of my salvation. These three things I desire more than anything of the world I could have. They are my greatest treasures to pursue. The only reward I desire. Allow these three things to become my only passion in life.
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 6:38
Observation:
Jesus faced a crucial crossroads during this chapter of His life on earth. He had fed the 5 thousand. Upon participating in this event, the crowd was prepared to anoint Him as King. He was poised to do anything He wanted to do. The wording of this verse indicates to me that Jesus, just like any other man would, wrestled with a will that was in opposition to God. But He chose to surrender to God's will for His life. He chose to not seek His own end, but to discover and pursue God's mission for His life.
Application:
There are a couple of lessons that I can learn from this. First, Jesus paid attention. Throughout this chapter, there are a couple occasions where Jesus perceived something that was not being said and He reacted to the situation accordingly. It is so easy to get caught up in the daily routine of living. Once things settle into a rhythm, focus can be lost. I need to live alert. I need to constantly look past what I see and pay attention to what the spirit is saying inside of me.
Second, Jesus withdrew to solitude to sort things out. I have a tendency to avoid solitude. There is something about being alone with God that is hard. I can only think of a handful of times that I have actually went away to be alone with God. I can think of only one time that lasted longer than a few hours. I just plow away at things and pray that God will guide my steps. But Jesus was different. He stepped away and got a clear sense of God's direction, then He pursued it. He walked with confidence because He knew the will of His Father.
Third, Jesus denied His own desires and pursued God's will. Man, I hate this one. I do not like to struggle. I hate wrestling with anyone, but I especially hate to wrestle with me. I spend most of my time praying that God will change my desires so that I do not have to fight myself. But Jesus did something different. He faced His own desires, told them no, and pursued God's purposes. It is easy to chase after God when that is all that my heart desires, but it is an entirely different challenge when my heart desires other things.
Prayer:
Teach me to pay attention to what is happening around me. I pray that you slow things down and allow Your voice and guidance to become clear to me. Help me to see beyond what is evident and perceive things as Christ did. I pray that You draw me away when I need to reconnect with You. Help me to find the time and places to go to be alone with You. Make Your will clear to me. I pray that you allow it to become abundantly clear to me Your will for each choice I make. Help me to know Your voice in a new way.
The calling I feel deep in my heart is that you take me to another level of purity in my life, make Your vision clear to me, and affirm me in the security of my salvation. These three things I desire more than anything of the world I could have. They are my greatest treasures to pursue. The only reward I desire. Allow these three things to become my only passion in life.
Friday, August 1, 2008
A Reason to Rejoice
Scripture:
"For behold I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness." Isaiah 65:17
Observation:
This world is broken. It is hard to observe it and come to any other conclusion. There is beauty on earth, but there is also a lot of pain. The sin of the world is evident. The depravity of man is hard to escape. Nothing is sacred, clean, or trustworthy any more. It is easy to allow the weight of this to wear me down as I realize the odds that face me as I determine to live the life to which God has called me. This verse reminds me that rejoicing and gladness are a gift that God gives to His people. What are some things that I need to rejoice in today?
Application:
The first thing that I need to rejoice in is that this world is not all there is. In Isaiah 65, God tells us that He has created a new place for us. A place where there will be no more crying. No more weeping. Baby's will not die. Old men will live on. Humanity will experience total peace. But that is not all. Even nature will balance out. Lions will lie down with lambs. Wolves with sheep. It says the beast of the field will eat straw like the ox. I have heard of streets of gold and other such things describing heaven, but honestly, they do not do much for me. But when I think of heaven in terms of Isaiah 65, I get excited. The only way I can really imagine heaven is to think of a perfect earth…. take all the pain, suffering and losses out of life on earth. No fighting. No tension. No death. No fear. No limits. No hunger. No loss. This is the reality for God's children. This is what awaits us.
The second thing I need to rejoice in is that I am one of God's children and my judgment has been taken away. I was born again based on my belief in Jesus being the Son of God. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus allowed me to become joint heirs with Him as one of God's sons. I live in peace everyday knowing that God's wrath is no longer towards me. There is no condemnation for me. I am a son. God loves me, not as an imperfect earthly father would, but as a perfect heavenly father. There are many things that I can't imagine about God, but this vision of Him I can. I was blessed with an amazing earthly father. Although he was not perfect, his love for me and our relationship serves as a great picture of what God's love for me looks like. No matter how bad I have messed up in my life, he has never stopped loving me and I have never stopped being his son. My relationship with my dad is one of my greatest earthly treasures. As much as I covet my relationship with my dad, my relationship with God is even higher. I can rejoice in the fact that my heavenly father loves me perfectly.
The final thing that I need to rejoice in is that I have an eternity to live. John 3:16 says that I have eternal life through Jesus. A life-time on a broken earth is nothing in comparison to an eternity in a perfected heaven. That is the ultimate of rewards. The things of this earth will pass away, but there awaits for me an eternity to spend in the presence of God, living in a perfected world. Every imaginable source of joy and pleasure will be available. Nothing wicked will be remembered. Nothing of harm will be found. Peace, joy, and fulfillment will be all that is known. Every good work that I complete on earth, will be stored up as a reward for me there. It is the ultimate of trust funds. An inheritance beyond belief. It is definitely a reward worthy of constant rejoicing and celebration.
Prayer:
I pray today that You fill my heart with reminders of Your goodness. I pray that you allow me to constantly rejoice in the fact that my best days always lie ahead of me. My life here on earth on its best day is only a pale comparison to the beauty that will be my life in heaven. My hardest day on this earth is merely a token price to pay for the eternal life that awaits me in heaven. My relationship with You is my greatest treasure. Help me to rejoice in that daily and to await Your return with eagerness.
"For behold I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness." Isaiah 65:17
Observation:
This world is broken. It is hard to observe it and come to any other conclusion. There is beauty on earth, but there is also a lot of pain. The sin of the world is evident. The depravity of man is hard to escape. Nothing is sacred, clean, or trustworthy any more. It is easy to allow the weight of this to wear me down as I realize the odds that face me as I determine to live the life to which God has called me. This verse reminds me that rejoicing and gladness are a gift that God gives to His people. What are some things that I need to rejoice in today?
Application:
The first thing that I need to rejoice in is that this world is not all there is. In Isaiah 65, God tells us that He has created a new place for us. A place where there will be no more crying. No more weeping. Baby's will not die. Old men will live on. Humanity will experience total peace. But that is not all. Even nature will balance out. Lions will lie down with lambs. Wolves with sheep. It says the beast of the field will eat straw like the ox. I have heard of streets of gold and other such things describing heaven, but honestly, they do not do much for me. But when I think of heaven in terms of Isaiah 65, I get excited. The only way I can really imagine heaven is to think of a perfect earth…. take all the pain, suffering and losses out of life on earth. No fighting. No tension. No death. No fear. No limits. No hunger. No loss. This is the reality for God's children. This is what awaits us.
The second thing I need to rejoice in is that I am one of God's children and my judgment has been taken away. I was born again based on my belief in Jesus being the Son of God. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus allowed me to become joint heirs with Him as one of God's sons. I live in peace everyday knowing that God's wrath is no longer towards me. There is no condemnation for me. I am a son. God loves me, not as an imperfect earthly father would, but as a perfect heavenly father. There are many things that I can't imagine about God, but this vision of Him I can. I was blessed with an amazing earthly father. Although he was not perfect, his love for me and our relationship serves as a great picture of what God's love for me looks like. No matter how bad I have messed up in my life, he has never stopped loving me and I have never stopped being his son. My relationship with my dad is one of my greatest earthly treasures. As much as I covet my relationship with my dad, my relationship with God is even higher. I can rejoice in the fact that my heavenly father loves me perfectly.
The final thing that I need to rejoice in is that I have an eternity to live. John 3:16 says that I have eternal life through Jesus. A life-time on a broken earth is nothing in comparison to an eternity in a perfected heaven. That is the ultimate of rewards. The things of this earth will pass away, but there awaits for me an eternity to spend in the presence of God, living in a perfected world. Every imaginable source of joy and pleasure will be available. Nothing wicked will be remembered. Nothing of harm will be found. Peace, joy, and fulfillment will be all that is known. Every good work that I complete on earth, will be stored up as a reward for me there. It is the ultimate of trust funds. An inheritance beyond belief. It is definitely a reward worthy of constant rejoicing and celebration.
Prayer:
I pray today that You fill my heart with reminders of Your goodness. I pray that you allow me to constantly rejoice in the fact that my best days always lie ahead of me. My life here on earth on its best day is only a pale comparison to the beauty that will be my life in heaven. My hardest day on this earth is merely a token price to pay for the eternal life that awaits me in heaven. My relationship with You is my greatest treasure. Help me to rejoice in that daily and to await Your return with eagerness.
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