Scripture:
"And he answered and said to him, 'Let it alone sir, for this year too, until I did around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.'" Luke 13:8-9
Observation:
In this parable a man comes to his vineyard and approaches a fig tree. Once he gets to the tree he finds it to be bearing no fruit. He then enters a conversation with the vineyard keeper about the fact that this is the third year for the tree to bear no fruit and he want is cut down. He accuses it of being a useless waste of soil and wants it gone. The verse above is the response of the vineyard keeper.
This verse reminds me of the fact that my life has a purpose. God, just like the owner of the vineyard in this parable, planted me in His vineyard and expects that I produce fruit. He is patient, but eventually He will grow tired of not seeing me produce.
Application:
This morning my mind is stirring around God's expectations for me. This chapter of Luke contains several warnings about the fact that while I am afforded many freedoms and allowed by God to run loose; He will one day return to me and expect a good result. It is critical that I understand not only that there are expectations on my life, but that I define what those expectations look like.
Traditional teaching from my past always focuses on my behavior. It hammers on superficial things that I should and should not do. But there is part of me that always feels like there is more to following Christ than the legalistic splitting of hairs that I often see taking place in different denominations that make up our churches.
Prayer:
My prayer to You this morning is that You would open my heart and mind to being discipled. Put people in my life that, just like the vineyard keeper in this passage from Luke, will be willing to dig in my life and impart knowledge to strengthen my roots and help me grow.
I pray that I may produce a good harvest for You. I pray for the fruits listed in Zechariah 7:9 for my life. Teach me how to be a man of true justice, compassion and kindness. Let those things become the essence of my character and the fragrance that follows me into a room.
I pray that you give me a heart for the widowed, the orphaned, the poor and the stranger. I never want to be accused of oppressing those who are lacking as this is a group of people close to Your heart.
I also pray that You protect my heart from evil plans. The goal of my flesh is self-preservation. Anger, bitterness, greed, and boredom often offer an enticing pathway for me to follow. That pathway is one that I have followed many times and I hate the man I become when I follow it.
Thank you for my life. I am so grateful for each day I have to live and the opportunity to serve You with each breath I draw. Your grace is amazing. I live each day free from guilt and secure in Your love for me, in spite of my often dumb choices. I offer to You today all that You have provided and submit to Your leading in my life.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Two Things I can't Do
Scripture:
"Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they man immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks." Luke 12:15
Observation:
Living alert is tough. As time passes by complacency becomes difficulty to resist. As complacency slowly takes over, it is impossible to avoid becoming detached from the mission given. Once detachment removes you from your mission your purpose is lost. Lost purpose strips a person of his deepest sense of value.
Application:
Life is not about me. That is a message that I often do not want to hear. Actually, I have learned to embrace the message. It is living it out that still gets the best of me. Everything in the world is designed around me. I can get pretty much what I want, the way I want it, when I want and where I want it. My appetite is only limited by access to resources. This makes depending on God difficult. Many people say that they just could not make it without God, but I often wonder how many really mean it. For me, this world is convenient enough to get by with normal, daily living just fine without depending on God.
That is where the challenge come is. It can't do life normally. There is a higher calling and greater expectations on those who follow after Christ. That is what I love about this verse. "be dressed in readiness and keep your lamps lit." I can feed myself without depending on God. I can do my job without depending on God. I can raise my family, love my kids, entertain my friends, defend my house and do many other things without depending on God.
As strong as I am and as much as I can do on my own, this verse reminds me of two simple commands and are beyond my abilities.
Prayer:
This verse lights a fire inside of me. It reminds me of the fact that I am a man on a mission. You have a calling for me. There is a purpose on my life that offers a sense of value that can be felt deep inside of my soul. There is more to life than just existing. There is more to being a follower of Christ than singing hymns, walking a straight line, and reading the Bible. There are battles to fight. There are people to save. There are challenges to face. And there is a King to serve.
I pray today that you keep me on the edge of my faith. Sharpen my wisdom, open my eyes, and kick me in the pants. I can live life on my own. That is a choice and it is very possible to do. But I chose today to follow after You. Experience has taught me that I can survive quite well on my own, but living for You is a much better thing. No sense of personal fulfillment or enjoyment can compare to the sense of inner peace I feel when I walk in Your pleasure. I desire more than anything to seize this day and celebrate it like a man waiting on His master to return to take him home.
"Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they man immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks." Luke 12:15
Observation:
Living alert is tough. As time passes by complacency becomes difficulty to resist. As complacency slowly takes over, it is impossible to avoid becoming detached from the mission given. Once detachment removes you from your mission your purpose is lost. Lost purpose strips a person of his deepest sense of value.
Application:
Life is not about me. That is a message that I often do not want to hear. Actually, I have learned to embrace the message. It is living it out that still gets the best of me. Everything in the world is designed around me. I can get pretty much what I want, the way I want it, when I want and where I want it. My appetite is only limited by access to resources. This makes depending on God difficult. Many people say that they just could not make it without God, but I often wonder how many really mean it. For me, this world is convenient enough to get by with normal, daily living just fine without depending on God.
That is where the challenge come is. It can't do life normally. There is a higher calling and greater expectations on those who follow after Christ. That is what I love about this verse. "be dressed in readiness and keep your lamps lit." I can feed myself without depending on God. I can do my job without depending on God. I can raise my family, love my kids, entertain my friends, defend my house and do many other things without depending on God.
As strong as I am and as much as I can do on my own, this verse reminds me of two simple commands and are beyond my abilities.
Prayer:
This verse lights a fire inside of me. It reminds me of the fact that I am a man on a mission. You have a calling for me. There is a purpose on my life that offers a sense of value that can be felt deep inside of my soul. There is more to life than just existing. There is more to being a follower of Christ than singing hymns, walking a straight line, and reading the Bible. There are battles to fight. There are people to save. There are challenges to face. And there is a King to serve.
I pray today that you keep me on the edge of my faith. Sharpen my wisdom, open my eyes, and kick me in the pants. I can live life on my own. That is a choice and it is very possible to do. But I chose today to follow after You. Experience has taught me that I can survive quite well on my own, but living for You is a much better thing. No sense of personal fulfillment or enjoyment can compare to the sense of inner peace I feel when I walk in Your pleasure. I desire more than anything to seize this day and celebrate it like a man waiting on His master to return to take him home.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Jesus and Crazy Risks
Scripture:
"But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him." Luke 8:38
Observation:
Naked. Dirty. The shackles still hanging from his bleeding ankles and wrists. He had to be a violent sight. The strength it would have taken to break those chains is beyond belief. It was a scene to behold. The Son of Man steps out of a boat to be greeted by a crazy, naked, bleeding, demon possessed man running towards Him and crying out. Society's answer was to chain him up and throw him away. Jesus' answer was to reach out to him and make him whole.
The things that happen next confuse me a little. Jesus casts a legion of demons out of this man and sends them into flock of pigs. The pigs then run and drown themselves in a lake. The men tending the pigs run into town to tell the story. The people of the town run out to Jesus and survey the scene. Pigs floating dead in a lake. A once naked, violent and crazy man standing fully clothed and talking from a clear mind. The simple son of a Jewish carpenter standing in the center of it all.
Unlike the people gripped by fear in the previous chapter, this group of people did not fall down and worship. They ran Jesus off. It was more than they could handle so they just made Jesus leave. As Jesus was leaving, the man freed from the demons chased after Him and begged Him to let him go with Him. But Jesus sent him home.
Application:
I love my Savior. Jesus had guts. He was insanely calm. If a bleeding, naked, and crazy guy comes running at me screaming; forget it. I'm gone. Running scared and getting out of Dodge is what I'm doing. I get uncomfortable just going downtown to feed the homeless; so much so that I just can't get my arms around what all Jesus did in this scene.
There is something captivating about Jesus in this text. He is not in the synagogue. He is not preaching to a wealthy assembly and gaining favor. He is standing on a hillside with a naked, demon possessed man giving him his life back. Crazy.
I love the reaction of the demon possessed man noted from Luke in chapter 8, verse 38. Everyone else was gripped with fear and quickly moved to running Jesus off. He on the other hand longed to cling to Him.
Prayer:
I am grateful that when You chose to send Your Son to walk on the earth You sent a man willing to take crazy risks. This man was a wreck. There was nothing desirable about him. Nothing about him was inviting. In fact, just getting close to him was crazy. Yet there is Christ standing before him and casting out his demons. Reminds me of what You did for me.
My physical condition was much better than this man's. Fortunately I was wearing clothes, I was not full of a legion of demons and had not escaped from prison, but I was a wreck. I had rebelled against You in every way possible. I tried as best I could to escape Your call on my life, and every effort failed to lead me anywhere but back to You.
The work that You have done in my life since the day I agreed to stop running is greater than anything I could have imagined. There have been so many failures. So many mess ups. But, Each time I have found myself in trouble I have also found myself in the presence of a loving Savior will to take yet another crazy risk by giving me yet another chance.
I am so thankful to You for all that you have given me. I feel a lot like the man in this story in that I would love to leave this place and come be with You, but You have a better plan. You have left me hear to have an impact on the people in my life. I ask that You help me remember that. Create inside of me a hunger to share the stories of what You have done for me. Open my eyes and make me sensitive to opportunities around me to have an impact on the world. Move me to take the same crazy risks Jesus took and reach out to those I would normally walk away from.
"But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him." Luke 8:38
Observation:
Naked. Dirty. The shackles still hanging from his bleeding ankles and wrists. He had to be a violent sight. The strength it would have taken to break those chains is beyond belief. It was a scene to behold. The Son of Man steps out of a boat to be greeted by a crazy, naked, bleeding, demon possessed man running towards Him and crying out. Society's answer was to chain him up and throw him away. Jesus' answer was to reach out to him and make him whole.
The things that happen next confuse me a little. Jesus casts a legion of demons out of this man and sends them into flock of pigs. The pigs then run and drown themselves in a lake. The men tending the pigs run into town to tell the story. The people of the town run out to Jesus and survey the scene. Pigs floating dead in a lake. A once naked, violent and crazy man standing fully clothed and talking from a clear mind. The simple son of a Jewish carpenter standing in the center of it all.
Unlike the people gripped by fear in the previous chapter, this group of people did not fall down and worship. They ran Jesus off. It was more than they could handle so they just made Jesus leave. As Jesus was leaving, the man freed from the demons chased after Him and begged Him to let him go with Him. But Jesus sent him home.
Application:
I love my Savior. Jesus had guts. He was insanely calm. If a bleeding, naked, and crazy guy comes running at me screaming; forget it. I'm gone. Running scared and getting out of Dodge is what I'm doing. I get uncomfortable just going downtown to feed the homeless; so much so that I just can't get my arms around what all Jesus did in this scene.
There is something captivating about Jesus in this text. He is not in the synagogue. He is not preaching to a wealthy assembly and gaining favor. He is standing on a hillside with a naked, demon possessed man giving him his life back. Crazy.
I love the reaction of the demon possessed man noted from Luke in chapter 8, verse 38. Everyone else was gripped with fear and quickly moved to running Jesus off. He on the other hand longed to cling to Him.
Prayer:
I am grateful that when You chose to send Your Son to walk on the earth You sent a man willing to take crazy risks. This man was a wreck. There was nothing desirable about him. Nothing about him was inviting. In fact, just getting close to him was crazy. Yet there is Christ standing before him and casting out his demons. Reminds me of what You did for me.
My physical condition was much better than this man's. Fortunately I was wearing clothes, I was not full of a legion of demons and had not escaped from prison, but I was a wreck. I had rebelled against You in every way possible. I tried as best I could to escape Your call on my life, and every effort failed to lead me anywhere but back to You.
The work that You have done in my life since the day I agreed to stop running is greater than anything I could have imagined. There have been so many failures. So many mess ups. But, Each time I have found myself in trouble I have also found myself in the presence of a loving Savior will to take yet another crazy risk by giving me yet another chance.
I am so thankful to You for all that you have given me. I feel a lot like the man in this story in that I would love to leave this place and come be with You, but You have a better plan. You have left me hear to have an impact on the people in my life. I ask that You help me remember that. Create inside of me a hunger to share the stories of what You have done for me. Open my eyes and make me sensitive to opportunities around me to have an impact on the world. Move me to take the same crazy risks Jesus took and reach out to those I would normally walk away from.
More Than Hard Work
Scripture:
"Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early and to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep." Psalm 127:1-2
Observation:
Scriptures are not against hard work. If one reads through the book of Proverbs he will find that there are many commands for hard work and many warnings against laziness. But this verse stands out. It serves as a powerful reminded that while hard work is a command from God, it is not the secret to success. It does not guarantee anything. If man does not first seek God's agenda all his labors will be in vain.
Application:
This sounds so stinking simple. I can pray before I enter into a work, admit I can't do it without Him, and God will show up to bless the works of my hands. He gets the glory. I get success. Life is good. Simple. Wrong.
I need to jump over to Luke for some additional light on this passage. In Luke 9:23-27 Christ addresses those who are wanting to join Him in labor. It speaks of something that I do not like to hear. I must deny myself. I must be willing to give away my life. I must wake up daily and surrender my desires to Him. Yuck.
After reading that and then returning to Psalm 127, my perspective is a little different. God's call is not for me to ask Him to bless what I am doing. God's plan is for me to join Him in a blessed work that fits His purposes. If I am working on anything else I labor in vain.
I can work my fingers to the bone by getting started early and staying up late, but I will never get caught up. I can take drastic measures to protect my investments, possessions, and life; but I will never feel secure.
The only thing that can bring security is surrendering all and following after God. I have struggled hard with that this weekend. The salary of a minister is not extravagant. The lap of luxury is no longer on my radar screen. That is hard for me. It is part of the cross that I take up daily. I have so many dreams that I have abandoned to pursue God. I have received so much in return for what I left behind, but some days it is still so hard.
Prayer:
You chose different paths for each of us. Some are called to business. Some to humanitarian work. And some are called to full-time ministry. I see this modeled in Jesus' ministry. He told some to stay where they were and others He asked to leave all behind and follow after Him. None is better than the other as the only thing that matters is am I following after You?
I pray today that You provide me with what I need to stay on course with the calling You have for my life. When I become troubled with my work remind me to check my alignment with You. Speak clearly to me. I ask that my prayer time with you be transformed from the often petty time of wishing for things that it often is and instead become an amazing time of connecting with You and receiving direction.
I have wasted much of my life laboring in vain on houses that You did not build. I hate living that way. I confess before You today that none of my dreams, as tempting as they are, have the capacity to bring me joy or contentment. I lay them all down before You again today and ask for Your wisdom to guide me to the house You desire to build with my life.
"Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early and to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep." Psalm 127:1-2
Observation:
Scriptures are not against hard work. If one reads through the book of Proverbs he will find that there are many commands for hard work and many warnings against laziness. But this verse stands out. It serves as a powerful reminded that while hard work is a command from God, it is not the secret to success. It does not guarantee anything. If man does not first seek God's agenda all his labors will be in vain.
Application:
This sounds so stinking simple. I can pray before I enter into a work, admit I can't do it without Him, and God will show up to bless the works of my hands. He gets the glory. I get success. Life is good. Simple. Wrong.
I need to jump over to Luke for some additional light on this passage. In Luke 9:23-27 Christ addresses those who are wanting to join Him in labor. It speaks of something that I do not like to hear. I must deny myself. I must be willing to give away my life. I must wake up daily and surrender my desires to Him. Yuck.
After reading that and then returning to Psalm 127, my perspective is a little different. God's call is not for me to ask Him to bless what I am doing. God's plan is for me to join Him in a blessed work that fits His purposes. If I am working on anything else I labor in vain.
I can work my fingers to the bone by getting started early and staying up late, but I will never get caught up. I can take drastic measures to protect my investments, possessions, and life; but I will never feel secure.
The only thing that can bring security is surrendering all and following after God. I have struggled hard with that this weekend. The salary of a minister is not extravagant. The lap of luxury is no longer on my radar screen. That is hard for me. It is part of the cross that I take up daily. I have so many dreams that I have abandoned to pursue God. I have received so much in return for what I left behind, but some days it is still so hard.
Prayer:
You chose different paths for each of us. Some are called to business. Some to humanitarian work. And some are called to full-time ministry. I see this modeled in Jesus' ministry. He told some to stay where they were and others He asked to leave all behind and follow after Him. None is better than the other as the only thing that matters is am I following after You?
I pray today that You provide me with what I need to stay on course with the calling You have for my life. When I become troubled with my work remind me to check my alignment with You. Speak clearly to me. I ask that my prayer time with you be transformed from the often petty time of wishing for things that it often is and instead become an amazing time of connecting with You and receiving direction.
I have wasted much of my life laboring in vain on houses that You did not build. I hate living that way. I confess before You today that none of my dreams, as tempting as they are, have the capacity to bring me joy or contentment. I lay them all down before You again today and ask for Your wisdom to guide me to the house You desire to build with my life.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Experiencing God
Scripture:
"Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God…" Luke 7:9
Observation:
I just can't imagine what that must have been like. There this group of people was, just following Christ around when a funeral possession comes by. The boldness of Christ is ridiculous in this moment. It is critical that I remember Jesus was fully man and subject to all types of temptation. I just can’t imagine the range of emotions a normal human being would experience as he or she approached the funeral possession of an unknown person and family with the intention of raising him from the dead. Jesus had to be a little nervous and His flesh must have been battling doubt, yet He boldly walks up to the coffin, consoles the women, touches the dead son's hand, and returns life to his body.
The people who were with Jesus that day experienced something amazing. The power of Jesus became so real to them that when they saw it in its glory; fear gripped them. They could not process it and it freaked them out. All they could do was fall on their face and glorify God.
Application:
This passage blows my mind. I freak out just walking up to a person to ask for directions; I can’t fathom what I would feel in the situation facing Jesus. Fear grips me. I fear failure. Embarrassment. Unanswered questions. It is easy to allow these things to push me to live on a fraction of the faith available to me. I hate that feeling. I do not want to settle for the fraction, I want the whole. I want to connect with a God in a way that supersedes the plastic god created by churches and religion. That god just hands me some rules to live by and threatens me to be a good boy.
I want more than that. I want to experience YAHWEH, the I AM God of Israel. The creator of the heavens and earth. The Alpha and the Omega. The one true living God. The God whose power is far beyond what my mind can process. That is why I believe in God. It is not scientific evidence. It is not my study of history and facts. Those things fall short. The concept of God is bigger than simple methods can capture. I simply believe in God because I can't deny the experiences I have had with Him.
In the darkest of moments, in the midst of my deepest doubts, my past encounters with God serve as reminders of the truth captured in this text. Just one, real encounter with God is enough to get you through anything. Just one day in His house is truly better than a thousand elsewhere.
Prayer:
Father my soul longs for more of You than I currently know. I pray that I never be willing to settle to stay where I am. I want more. I want to go deeper. I want to be able to honestly look people in the eyes and be able to share with them my personal life stories that prove one day with You is better than any other way I could have spent it. The temptations of the world, the longings of my flesh, and the instability of my emotions are very real. They are an ever present, tangible presence around me. I do not stand a chance unless Your presence in my life is just as evident. I lay before You this morning beg for You to continue moving in my life and help me continue onward with the calling You have on my life.
"Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God…" Luke 7:9
Observation:
I just can't imagine what that must have been like. There this group of people was, just following Christ around when a funeral possession comes by. The boldness of Christ is ridiculous in this moment. It is critical that I remember Jesus was fully man and subject to all types of temptation. I just can’t imagine the range of emotions a normal human being would experience as he or she approached the funeral possession of an unknown person and family with the intention of raising him from the dead. Jesus had to be a little nervous and His flesh must have been battling doubt, yet He boldly walks up to the coffin, consoles the women, touches the dead son's hand, and returns life to his body.
The people who were with Jesus that day experienced something amazing. The power of Jesus became so real to them that when they saw it in its glory; fear gripped them. They could not process it and it freaked them out. All they could do was fall on their face and glorify God.
Application:
This passage blows my mind. I freak out just walking up to a person to ask for directions; I can’t fathom what I would feel in the situation facing Jesus. Fear grips me. I fear failure. Embarrassment. Unanswered questions. It is easy to allow these things to push me to live on a fraction of the faith available to me. I hate that feeling. I do not want to settle for the fraction, I want the whole. I want to connect with a God in a way that supersedes the plastic god created by churches and religion. That god just hands me some rules to live by and threatens me to be a good boy.
I want more than that. I want to experience YAHWEH, the I AM God of Israel. The creator of the heavens and earth. The Alpha and the Omega. The one true living God. The God whose power is far beyond what my mind can process. That is why I believe in God. It is not scientific evidence. It is not my study of history and facts. Those things fall short. The concept of God is bigger than simple methods can capture. I simply believe in God because I can't deny the experiences I have had with Him.
In the darkest of moments, in the midst of my deepest doubts, my past encounters with God serve as reminders of the truth captured in this text. Just one, real encounter with God is enough to get you through anything. Just one day in His house is truly better than a thousand elsewhere.
Prayer:
Father my soul longs for more of You than I currently know. I pray that I never be willing to settle to stay where I am. I want more. I want to go deeper. I want to be able to honestly look people in the eyes and be able to share with them my personal life stories that prove one day with You is better than any other way I could have spent it. The temptations of the world, the longings of my flesh, and the instability of my emotions are very real. They are an ever present, tangible presence around me. I do not stand a chance unless Your presence in my life is just as evident. I lay before You this morning beg for You to continue moving in my life and help me continue onward with the calling You have on my life.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Conflicting Commands
Scripture:
"But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6
Observation:
Christ was no pacifist. There are many times in the scripture that we see Him react in a manner that clearly demonstrates He was no push over. No one in the temple would have thought Him weak as He turned over their tables, cracked His handmade whip and cleaned the money traders out of the temple. None of His 12 disciples would call Him non-confrontational as they all experienced first hand Him chastise, correct, and confront the 12 as He the journeyed with him. Most of all, the religious leaders of his time would agree that Jesus was no sheep. He called this group of people what they were every time he was around them.
I get a little intrigued by how Christ could reconcile this command with the behavior I see modeled in certain scripture. As I have studied these verses today I have begun to realize that Jesus never acted to defend Himself. None of His outbursts, confrontations, or conflicts were build around taking up for Himself. No, they were all centered on defending His Father, fulfilling His mission, defending the helpless or building up another person. His motives were pure.
Application:
I do not particularly like these verses. They sting for I can be a vengeful person. That word vengeful looks ugly on paper but it is the truth. Once I get angry at a person I brood over it in my mind. I have conversations with them in my head and as I do I build up my anger so that I can tear them down. In the back of my mind I normally carry an arsenal of zingers carefully crafted to help me prove a point and win an argument. My memory is littered with scenes of un-forgiveness as I move through life carrying bitterness towards people who have hurt me in the past.
In my present position, I am given ample opportunity to continue this trend in my life. People can be cruel. Really cruel. There are certain conversations that just stick with me. Many encounters I can’t get past. People attack me from many different angles and no one seems to care what is best for anyone. They want what they want when they want it regardless of what else might be taking place. Many times, I find myself in the uncomfortable position of being the one standing between what they want and the mission of the greater good. It does not often go well for me in those situations.
As I have read these verses this morning I have been convicted of my own personal pride. I want people to like me. There is a part of me that me that still longs for acceptance from others. I want to make people happy and have them sing my praises. This is called sin. I am not on my own personal mission, I am pursuing a calling to a greater mission. One that God has created for my life. I am not on my agenda, but His. I have to move my personal feelings aside and act on behalf of my Father.
Prayer:
Anger is not a bad thing. It is not a sin. Your word never says to not be angry. It does, however, issue warnings about anger. I am instructed to be slow to anger, to be angry and sin not, and to not pursue vengeance. I struggle with all of these. I need Your help. My heart's desire this morning is to transform my anger into zealousness for Your mission. I pray that my desire for You grow until it chokes out my desire for myself. Teach me forgiveness as I struggle to release people from hurts inflicted on me. Train me how to take each thought captive so that I don’t ponder on the motives of others, the actions they take or the response I will give should conflict arise. Center my self-worth around my relationship with You and remove me from the vicious hands of human approval.
You alone are worthy of praise. You alone are able to save. You alone are God. If my anger is to rise up, I want it to rise up in defense of Your will or to protect people unable to defend themselves. You have lavished kindness on me even as I have been ungrateful and evil in my thoughts and actions. Help me today to be merciful, just as You are merciful.
"But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6
Observation:
Christ was no pacifist. There are many times in the scripture that we see Him react in a manner that clearly demonstrates He was no push over. No one in the temple would have thought Him weak as He turned over their tables, cracked His handmade whip and cleaned the money traders out of the temple. None of His 12 disciples would call Him non-confrontational as they all experienced first hand Him chastise, correct, and confront the 12 as He the journeyed with him. Most of all, the religious leaders of his time would agree that Jesus was no sheep. He called this group of people what they were every time he was around them.
I get a little intrigued by how Christ could reconcile this command with the behavior I see modeled in certain scripture. As I have studied these verses today I have begun to realize that Jesus never acted to defend Himself. None of His outbursts, confrontations, or conflicts were build around taking up for Himself. No, they were all centered on defending His Father, fulfilling His mission, defending the helpless or building up another person. His motives were pure.
Application:
I do not particularly like these verses. They sting for I can be a vengeful person. That word vengeful looks ugly on paper but it is the truth. Once I get angry at a person I brood over it in my mind. I have conversations with them in my head and as I do I build up my anger so that I can tear them down. In the back of my mind I normally carry an arsenal of zingers carefully crafted to help me prove a point and win an argument. My memory is littered with scenes of un-forgiveness as I move through life carrying bitterness towards people who have hurt me in the past.
In my present position, I am given ample opportunity to continue this trend in my life. People can be cruel. Really cruel. There are certain conversations that just stick with me. Many encounters I can’t get past. People attack me from many different angles and no one seems to care what is best for anyone. They want what they want when they want it regardless of what else might be taking place. Many times, I find myself in the uncomfortable position of being the one standing between what they want and the mission of the greater good. It does not often go well for me in those situations.
As I have read these verses this morning I have been convicted of my own personal pride. I want people to like me. There is a part of me that me that still longs for acceptance from others. I want to make people happy and have them sing my praises. This is called sin. I am not on my own personal mission, I am pursuing a calling to a greater mission. One that God has created for my life. I am not on my agenda, but His. I have to move my personal feelings aside and act on behalf of my Father.
Prayer:
Anger is not a bad thing. It is not a sin. Your word never says to not be angry. It does, however, issue warnings about anger. I am instructed to be slow to anger, to be angry and sin not, and to not pursue vengeance. I struggle with all of these. I need Your help. My heart's desire this morning is to transform my anger into zealousness for Your mission. I pray that my desire for You grow until it chokes out my desire for myself. Teach me forgiveness as I struggle to release people from hurts inflicted on me. Train me how to take each thought captive so that I don’t ponder on the motives of others, the actions they take or the response I will give should conflict arise. Center my self-worth around my relationship with You and remove me from the vicious hands of human approval.
You alone are worthy of praise. You alone are able to save. You alone are God. If my anger is to rise up, I want it to rise up in defense of Your will or to protect people unable to defend themselves. You have lavished kindness on me even as I have been ungrateful and evil in my thoughts and actions. Help me today to be merciful, just as You are merciful.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Never Ending Battle
Scripture:
"When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time." Luke 4:13
Observation:
Satan does not rest. He never quits. He had gone after Jesus for 40 days. He had delivered Him his best blow and Jesus withstood the attack. He won. The battle, however, was not over. The text does not say Satan gave up. It does not say he admitted defeat. It does not indicate that he went searching for another target. It says he left for an opportune time.
According to Dictionary.com, opportune refers to something that is well-timed and meets exactly the demands of the time or occasion. In other words, he sat back and waited to bring a perfectly timed temptation at exactly the right moment for Jesus to be tempted with it.
Application:
If this is the way Satan went after the Son of God, why in the world would I expect him to treat me any different? I can win a battle, but the war is continually waged. It never ceases. NEVER. It is critical to acknowledge and celebrate victory, but I better do it with my head on a swivel (football term meaning you better be constantly looking all around you). He is coming back to launch another attack. This will keep on until Christ returns.
His temptations are designed so well and timed so perfectly it will seem logical to do it. Resisting will almost always seem futile. It gets exhausting. There are days that I just get tired of fighting. In those moments, it is not that I want to quit; I just want some rest. So what am I to do? As I follow Jesus through this season of temptation I notice a couple things about Him that helped.
First He knew the word. Reading the Bible is difficult. Many times I attribute that to my own ignorance, a lack of time, or the difficulty of applying scripture to life. There are many very logical excuses for not studying the Bible. Logical as they may be, they are lies. Satan lays out a perfectly good piece of logic at the perfect moment. The bait is beautifully laid out before me and it is so easy to bite. Just this morning, as my alarm clock went off, I was reminded of the fact that last night: Bryce woke me up three times complaining about his rear-end itching, Hayes coughed into his baby monitor all night, and Brandy woke me up several times sneezing or sniffling.
As these thoughts came at me I heard a voice inside of me saying, I am tired. I did not get any sleep. I should stay in the bed. It seemed so logical. Then I heard another voice quietly speaking inside my soul. It asked a simple set of questions. What's more important? Do You trust me with all your needs? Do you really need time with Me today? I could not resist that second voice.
As logical as it was to get some rest, God gave me the ability to recognize that what I was experiencing was a battle. Yes I am tired, but I will get some rest tonight. If I miss God's leading in my life today I may miss out on something that I may never get to catch up on. My quiet time with God has become the very life in my blood. I have to always honor reading the Bible and trust in my Father to show up and instruct me, even when the words are confusing or hard to accept. Jesus used scripture to fight against Satan. I must do the same.
Second, Jesus withdrew to quiet places to be alone. Praying at work, in the car or during normal moments of the day is very important. Bringing God into the daily activities of my life is critical, but it is not all there is. I have to follow Christ's example and find times to totally disengage from life and be alone with God. I need to sit at His feet and allow Him to deal with me one on one.
Jesus had a lot to do but we the scriptures note many occurrences of Him withdrawing. In verse 16 of Chapter 5, Luke tells us that Jesus would often slip away to the wilderness to pray. Lonely places, alone with God were a standard part of Christ's routine on while He was on earth, they should be mine as well.
Prayer:
I confess before You and my enemy this morning that I desire closeness to You above all things. I desperately require Your guidance and strength to make this day succeed. I can't do it on my own. I ask that You forgive my weak and lazy moments when I allow my emotions to get the best of me. There are so many times I get so frustrated by the relentless pursuit of my enemy that I forget the unfailing, never-ending love of You have for me. I lose sight of the power You placed in my Spirit the moment I believed in You and accepted Your Son as savior. I also forget that Christ promised to send Your Holy Spirit to be a helper to me. That would dwell inside of me to guide me in all things. This promise, He said, was better for me than it would be for Christ to stay here on earth. It is by this Spirit that I am able to say greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.
Following after You has been the greatest adventure of my life. My love for You defies all my logic and grows every day. My time with You is valued above all things in my life. I look forward to the day and the battles it will bring. I trust in You to guide my steps and speak to me Your words as I need them throughout the day.
"When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time." Luke 4:13
Observation:
Satan does not rest. He never quits. He had gone after Jesus for 40 days. He had delivered Him his best blow and Jesus withstood the attack. He won. The battle, however, was not over. The text does not say Satan gave up. It does not say he admitted defeat. It does not indicate that he went searching for another target. It says he left for an opportune time.
According to Dictionary.com, opportune refers to something that is well-timed and meets exactly the demands of the time or occasion. In other words, he sat back and waited to bring a perfectly timed temptation at exactly the right moment for Jesus to be tempted with it.
Application:
If this is the way Satan went after the Son of God, why in the world would I expect him to treat me any different? I can win a battle, but the war is continually waged. It never ceases. NEVER. It is critical to acknowledge and celebrate victory, but I better do it with my head on a swivel (football term meaning you better be constantly looking all around you). He is coming back to launch another attack. This will keep on until Christ returns.
His temptations are designed so well and timed so perfectly it will seem logical to do it. Resisting will almost always seem futile. It gets exhausting. There are days that I just get tired of fighting. In those moments, it is not that I want to quit; I just want some rest. So what am I to do? As I follow Jesus through this season of temptation I notice a couple things about Him that helped.
First He knew the word. Reading the Bible is difficult. Many times I attribute that to my own ignorance, a lack of time, or the difficulty of applying scripture to life. There are many very logical excuses for not studying the Bible. Logical as they may be, they are lies. Satan lays out a perfectly good piece of logic at the perfect moment. The bait is beautifully laid out before me and it is so easy to bite. Just this morning, as my alarm clock went off, I was reminded of the fact that last night: Bryce woke me up three times complaining about his rear-end itching, Hayes coughed into his baby monitor all night, and Brandy woke me up several times sneezing or sniffling.
As these thoughts came at me I heard a voice inside of me saying, I am tired. I did not get any sleep. I should stay in the bed. It seemed so logical. Then I heard another voice quietly speaking inside my soul. It asked a simple set of questions. What's more important? Do You trust me with all your needs? Do you really need time with Me today? I could not resist that second voice.
As logical as it was to get some rest, God gave me the ability to recognize that what I was experiencing was a battle. Yes I am tired, but I will get some rest tonight. If I miss God's leading in my life today I may miss out on something that I may never get to catch up on. My quiet time with God has become the very life in my blood. I have to always honor reading the Bible and trust in my Father to show up and instruct me, even when the words are confusing or hard to accept. Jesus used scripture to fight against Satan. I must do the same.
Second, Jesus withdrew to quiet places to be alone. Praying at work, in the car or during normal moments of the day is very important. Bringing God into the daily activities of my life is critical, but it is not all there is. I have to follow Christ's example and find times to totally disengage from life and be alone with God. I need to sit at His feet and allow Him to deal with me one on one.
Jesus had a lot to do but we the scriptures note many occurrences of Him withdrawing. In verse 16 of Chapter 5, Luke tells us that Jesus would often slip away to the wilderness to pray. Lonely places, alone with God were a standard part of Christ's routine on while He was on earth, they should be mine as well.
Prayer:
I confess before You and my enemy this morning that I desire closeness to You above all things. I desperately require Your guidance and strength to make this day succeed. I can't do it on my own. I ask that You forgive my weak and lazy moments when I allow my emotions to get the best of me. There are so many times I get so frustrated by the relentless pursuit of my enemy that I forget the unfailing, never-ending love of You have for me. I lose sight of the power You placed in my Spirit the moment I believed in You and accepted Your Son as savior. I also forget that Christ promised to send Your Holy Spirit to be a helper to me. That would dwell inside of me to guide me in all things. This promise, He said, was better for me than it would be for Christ to stay here on earth. It is by this Spirit that I am able to say greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.
Following after You has been the greatest adventure of my life. My love for You defies all my logic and grows every day. My time with You is valued above all things in my life. I look forward to the day and the battles it will bring. I trust in You to guide my steps and speak to me Your words as I need them throughout the day.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Resetting My Sights
Scripture:
"Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open towards Jerusalem); and continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks to his God, as he had been doing previously." Daniel 6:10
Observation:
This country was founded by people rebelling against laws passed by others that were determined to be unjust. Our founding fathers fought against the tyranny of an unjust king and met him on the battle field to earn our freedom. This is a good and noble trait. It has been passed down from the generations and it is still alive today. But somewhere down the line, it lost its focus.
We are still a rebellious nation, but we have created new adversaries. We fight against anyone who wrongs us, causes us inconvenience, disagrees with our opinion, or tries to limit our behavior. It matters not who, what, when or where we live in a world of activism.
Long gone are the days when someone is willing to overlook an offense. My wife sat this past week and observed a lady humiliate a waitress in a local restaurant over a $6 sandwich and a $2 glass of tea. The dignity of a human being traded for $8?
Anywhere I go I feel pressure to protect what is mine, defend myself at all costs, and go after what I want. "I have the right to have things the way I want them regardless of the circumstances" is the message that constantly attaches itself to me as I go through my day.
Then I read this story about Daniel. He is the third highest ranking person in the land and plans are underway to make him second only to the king. He had to know that the document banning prayer was being drafted, yet there are some things that I do not see him doing. He filed no petition. He pled to no crowds. He made not the first scene. When the law was passed and the stage was set, Daniel simply went to his upper room, pulled back the curtains, bent his knees and prayed to God just as he had always done.
Application:
There are so many lessons to be learned from the life of Daniel that I could apply to my life, but I feel this morning that God is speaking to me about one; purity. Daniel lived a pure life. Only Christ lived a perfect, sinless life so I know that Daniel was not perfect; but he set his sights on obedience to God.
My sights must be set on obedience. I feel that many times I set my sights on sin and pray that God helps me miss. What would life be like if I honestly targeted righteousness and prayed for God to help my aim be true?
Prayer:
As I prepare for my day I already know the things that I will struggle with. They are in my sights. I do not want to hit them. I do not want to fall victim to them, yet something inside of me still longs for them.
I pray today that you give me new targets. Help me to find the same pure walk with you that Daniel had. I want prayer life with you that is so real I would rather be thrown into a den of lions than to simply stop praying.
Help that desire to connect with You to grow into the focus of my life. I pray that it overtakes my every thought and action. I ask that my relationship with You truly becomes the centerpiece of my life.
When I am tempted today to react in anger, give me a clarity and calmness. When I am tempted with pleasures that are not pure, give openness to my soul to the delight of Your word. When I am tempted to hate a person, remind me of the grace lavished on my by You. When I think I have bitten off more that I can chew, allow me to sense the overcoming power of Christ living inside of me.
I can't walk before You in perfection; only Christ did that. I can, however, walk before You in purity. There are many examples of this to follow. Teach me their ways.
"Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open towards Jerusalem); and continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks to his God, as he had been doing previously." Daniel 6:10
Observation:
This country was founded by people rebelling against laws passed by others that were determined to be unjust. Our founding fathers fought against the tyranny of an unjust king and met him on the battle field to earn our freedom. This is a good and noble trait. It has been passed down from the generations and it is still alive today. But somewhere down the line, it lost its focus.
We are still a rebellious nation, but we have created new adversaries. We fight against anyone who wrongs us, causes us inconvenience, disagrees with our opinion, or tries to limit our behavior. It matters not who, what, when or where we live in a world of activism.
Long gone are the days when someone is willing to overlook an offense. My wife sat this past week and observed a lady humiliate a waitress in a local restaurant over a $6 sandwich and a $2 glass of tea. The dignity of a human being traded for $8?
Anywhere I go I feel pressure to protect what is mine, defend myself at all costs, and go after what I want. "I have the right to have things the way I want them regardless of the circumstances" is the message that constantly attaches itself to me as I go through my day.
Then I read this story about Daniel. He is the third highest ranking person in the land and plans are underway to make him second only to the king. He had to know that the document banning prayer was being drafted, yet there are some things that I do not see him doing. He filed no petition. He pled to no crowds. He made not the first scene. When the law was passed and the stage was set, Daniel simply went to his upper room, pulled back the curtains, bent his knees and prayed to God just as he had always done.
Application:
There are so many lessons to be learned from the life of Daniel that I could apply to my life, but I feel this morning that God is speaking to me about one; purity. Daniel lived a pure life. Only Christ lived a perfect, sinless life so I know that Daniel was not perfect; but he set his sights on obedience to God.
My sights must be set on obedience. I feel that many times I set my sights on sin and pray that God helps me miss. What would life be like if I honestly targeted righteousness and prayed for God to help my aim be true?
Prayer:
As I prepare for my day I already know the things that I will struggle with. They are in my sights. I do not want to hit them. I do not want to fall victim to them, yet something inside of me still longs for them.
I pray today that you give me new targets. Help me to find the same pure walk with you that Daniel had. I want prayer life with you that is so real I would rather be thrown into a den of lions than to simply stop praying.
Help that desire to connect with You to grow into the focus of my life. I pray that it overtakes my every thought and action. I ask that my relationship with You truly becomes the centerpiece of my life.
When I am tempted today to react in anger, give me a clarity and calmness. When I am tempted with pleasures that are not pure, give openness to my soul to the delight of Your word. When I am tempted to hate a person, remind me of the grace lavished on my by You. When I think I have bitten off more that I can chew, allow me to sense the overcoming power of Christ living inside of me.
I can't walk before You in perfection; only Christ did that. I can, however, walk before You in purity. There are many examples of this to follow. Teach me their ways.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
An Ugly Word
Scripture:
"The LORD says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool at Your feet.'" Psalm 110:1
Observation:
There are days that I really feel like I fight my battles alone. In the heat of these moments discouragement is not hard to find. It can chase me down like a lion hunting a lamb. "Fight!" I tell myself, but it just seems so useless to resist.
This verse offers an invitation of which I needed reminding this morning. Unlike Christ I can't literally sit at the right hand of God, but I think once I remind myself that I surrender to Christ and became one with Him; I can take some instruction from it.
Application:
Surrender. What an ugly word. There is no honor in it. It signifies defeat. It means to totally give up control and ownership to another person. It is not a word we like to hear, yet it is very word God chose to base our faith upon.
I have to surrender my will to God. By doing this, the word takes on a new meaning. It is no longer an ugly word. It is full of honor. It signifies victory. It means I get to trade my control and ownership for a part of God's kingdom.
There are days that I need to be reminded that God is not asking me to be perfect. He is not asking me to defeat every weakness I have. He is asking that I willfully submit to sitting at His side and allowing Him to move in my life. In Ezekiel 36:25-27 I see a beautiful picture of the work that God wants to do in my life.
Prayer:
I ask today that You prove Yourself Holy in my life. I realize that You do this, not to make me look good, but to prove to the world around me how blessed are those who are called by Your name.
I ask that You sprinkle clean water on me and cleanse me from the filth of all my idols. I have many hopes and dreams that often fight to hijack my ambitions and take center stage in my life. These idols open my life to many weaknesses.
I ask that You give me a new heart. Take away this heart of stone that I have and give me a heart of flesh. One that hurts for the things of God to come.
I ask that You put Your Spirit within me so that I may be able to walk in Your statutes and obey Your ordinances. I can't follow You on my own. Unless Your Spirit works within me, I have no hope.
Thank You for Your gift of grace and Your Holy Name. Your word says that You are faithful to complete the work You started inside of me. Your word also says that I have been set free of guilt and condemnation. I am so grateful these words of Yours allow me to openly sit before You, own my junk, and leave feeling empowered and not beat down.
This morning I am reminded that I am on a journey that will one day result in all my enemies, both internal and external, being placed under my feet. Help me to wait patiently on that day.
"The LORD says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool at Your feet.'" Psalm 110:1
Observation:
There are days that I really feel like I fight my battles alone. In the heat of these moments discouragement is not hard to find. It can chase me down like a lion hunting a lamb. "Fight!" I tell myself, but it just seems so useless to resist.
This verse offers an invitation of which I needed reminding this morning. Unlike Christ I can't literally sit at the right hand of God, but I think once I remind myself that I surrender to Christ and became one with Him; I can take some instruction from it.
Application:
Surrender. What an ugly word. There is no honor in it. It signifies defeat. It means to totally give up control and ownership to another person. It is not a word we like to hear, yet it is very word God chose to base our faith upon.
I have to surrender my will to God. By doing this, the word takes on a new meaning. It is no longer an ugly word. It is full of honor. It signifies victory. It means I get to trade my control and ownership for a part of God's kingdom.
There are days that I need to be reminded that God is not asking me to be perfect. He is not asking me to defeat every weakness I have. He is asking that I willfully submit to sitting at His side and allowing Him to move in my life. In Ezekiel 36:25-27 I see a beautiful picture of the work that God wants to do in my life.
Prayer:
I ask today that You prove Yourself Holy in my life. I realize that You do this, not to make me look good, but to prove to the world around me how blessed are those who are called by Your name.
I ask that You sprinkle clean water on me and cleanse me from the filth of all my idols. I have many hopes and dreams that often fight to hijack my ambitions and take center stage in my life. These idols open my life to many weaknesses.
I ask that You give me a new heart. Take away this heart of stone that I have and give me a heart of flesh. One that hurts for the things of God to come.
I ask that You put Your Spirit within me so that I may be able to walk in Your statutes and obey Your ordinances. I can't follow You on my own. Unless Your Spirit works within me, I have no hope.
Thank You for Your gift of grace and Your Holy Name. Your word says that You are faithful to complete the work You started inside of me. Your word also says that I have been set free of guilt and condemnation. I am so grateful these words of Yours allow me to openly sit before You, own my junk, and leave feeling empowered and not beat down.
This morning I am reminded that I am on a journey that will one day result in all my enemies, both internal and external, being placed under my feet. Help me to wait patiently on that day.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
A Double Dose of Stubbornness
Scripture:
"The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them." Revelation 18:14
Observation:
Consequences are no fun. God is patient, but ultimately a day of reckoning comes. Eventually the things that we turn to for pleasure which draw us away from God's will for our life and will usher in God's punishment. He does not enjoy it. In fact, Ezekiel 33 tells us that He takes no pleasure in it and begs us to not do it.
Application:
Stubbornness runs deep in my family. My mom claims that my siblings and I get it from my father, but we all know that she is just as stubborn, if not more so, as is he.
A double dose of stubbornness is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing in that I refuse to be broken and I can stand strong in the midst of adversity. I can outlast anyone in an argument. If you try and overtake me with something you better bring it; I promise you I will put up a fight. I am determined in all that I do to not just succeed, but to succeed well.
The curse of a double dose of stubbornness is that I doggedly pursue anything in my sights. Sometimes I target bad things. Things that are not good for me. Habits follow me around like beggars sitting on the corners of every street I cross. Days come when I feel like I just can't refuse them. I constantly hold out hope that maybe they are not that bad. I know that God has told me to stay away from certain things, but maybe I can get away with it this time. He is slow to bring consequences, but the joys of my habits are immediate.
I have yet to figure this part of me out. Why I struggle the way I do with certain areas of my life I will never know. Thoughts. Passions. Pleasures. Memories. Distractions. Escapes. So many things crop up on any given day promising to bring me the relief I so desperately desire. Staying on the straight and narrow is easy; right up to the point that I must deny myself, and then it becomes brutal.
Prayer:
Denying myself stinks. I hate to do it. There is not one fiber of my natural being that embraces saying no to the things that tempt me. I have allowed myself to become to take pleasure in many things and I am totally powerless to move past my memories of them. In many ways I feel like it is pointless to resist them because deep down I sense that they will eventually overtake me.
I really need Your guidance. I am tired. The repetitive pattern of resisting, failing and dealing with guilt has begun to drain me. I desire victory. I want to stand firm but I just feel so weak. Thoughts that I should not have, unmet desires, dreams, ambitions, and boredom all pile up on me and drown me in a violent sea of longing.
I long for more from life than I currently experience. There are days that I feel like I merely exist. I don’t like that feeling. I want to suck the marrow out of life and drink deeply of joy and fulfillment. I feel like Your word makes that available to me, but I just can't seem to do it in a Holy manner.
Teach me how to live with passion, persistence, energy, pleasure, and fulfillment while remaining centered in Your will. I believe that following after You is the best choice for my life. I ask that you help me stand firm and learn that sometimes my gratification must be delayed. Help me to take my pleasure in being obedient and in knowing that better things are always ahead of me.
Forgive my shortcomings as they are many. I thank You for Your grace and I never take it lightly nor do I take pleasure in testing it. I give to You my heart today and trust that the work of Christ on the cross was sufficient atonement for my failings. Guide me today to securely walk in purity and clarity before You.
"The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them." Revelation 18:14
Observation:
Consequences are no fun. God is patient, but ultimately a day of reckoning comes. Eventually the things that we turn to for pleasure which draw us away from God's will for our life and will usher in God's punishment. He does not enjoy it. In fact, Ezekiel 33 tells us that He takes no pleasure in it and begs us to not do it.
Application:
Stubbornness runs deep in my family. My mom claims that my siblings and I get it from my father, but we all know that she is just as stubborn, if not more so, as is he.
A double dose of stubbornness is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing in that I refuse to be broken and I can stand strong in the midst of adversity. I can outlast anyone in an argument. If you try and overtake me with something you better bring it; I promise you I will put up a fight. I am determined in all that I do to not just succeed, but to succeed well.
The curse of a double dose of stubbornness is that I doggedly pursue anything in my sights. Sometimes I target bad things. Things that are not good for me. Habits follow me around like beggars sitting on the corners of every street I cross. Days come when I feel like I just can't refuse them. I constantly hold out hope that maybe they are not that bad. I know that God has told me to stay away from certain things, but maybe I can get away with it this time. He is slow to bring consequences, but the joys of my habits are immediate.
I have yet to figure this part of me out. Why I struggle the way I do with certain areas of my life I will never know. Thoughts. Passions. Pleasures. Memories. Distractions. Escapes. So many things crop up on any given day promising to bring me the relief I so desperately desire. Staying on the straight and narrow is easy; right up to the point that I must deny myself, and then it becomes brutal.
Prayer:
Denying myself stinks. I hate to do it. There is not one fiber of my natural being that embraces saying no to the things that tempt me. I have allowed myself to become to take pleasure in many things and I am totally powerless to move past my memories of them. In many ways I feel like it is pointless to resist them because deep down I sense that they will eventually overtake me.
I really need Your guidance. I am tired. The repetitive pattern of resisting, failing and dealing with guilt has begun to drain me. I desire victory. I want to stand firm but I just feel so weak. Thoughts that I should not have, unmet desires, dreams, ambitions, and boredom all pile up on me and drown me in a violent sea of longing.
I long for more from life than I currently experience. There are days that I feel like I merely exist. I don’t like that feeling. I want to suck the marrow out of life and drink deeply of joy and fulfillment. I feel like Your word makes that available to me, but I just can't seem to do it in a Holy manner.
Teach me how to live with passion, persistence, energy, pleasure, and fulfillment while remaining centered in Your will. I believe that following after You is the best choice for my life. I ask that you help me stand firm and learn that sometimes my gratification must be delayed. Help me to take my pleasure in being obedient and in knowing that better things are always ahead of me.
Forgive my shortcomings as they are many. I thank You for Your grace and I never take it lightly nor do I take pleasure in testing it. I give to You my heart today and trust that the work of Christ on the cross was sufficient atonement for my failings. Guide me today to securely walk in purity and clarity before You.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Wrong End
Scripture:
"As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams." Daniel 1:17
Observation:
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were the real deal. God gave them all the things that make a person successful. They were the best of the best before they were carved out for special treatment by Nebuchednezzar. They were given access to what ever they wanted. Anything was at their disposal. Nothing was out of reach. They chose to stand for what they believed in. As a result they received not only the blessing of man, but God's hand blessed them as well.
Application:
I start with the want. Steven Covey says to begin with the end in mind, so that is what I do. I see the goal and I want it. That is where I would prefer to start and it is also where I would like to stop. The problem is the end always follows the means. There is work to be done. There is nothing wrong with wanting God's blessing, but it does not come to me just because I want it and ask for it. God's blessings reward the life of a person who has set an example that is pleasing to God. It is lavished on those who will reflect the superiority of obedience to God over the pursuit of fleshly desires.
As I read the first Chapter of Daniel my eyes have become frozen on one phase; "Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself…:(verse 8). Daniel began with the end in mind just as I do. The difference is he aligned his end with God's commands. Ouch. I am more of a “decide on what I want and then make it sound holy” type of guy. Conviction really bites.
Prayer:
I am a little discouraged tonight. Letting go of my own plans and pursuing Yours is weighing on me. When I look at the circles You have placed me in I become acutely aware of my shortcomings. I get so much wrong it seems. I normally confess it, laugh at it with You and move forward determined to try again. But tonight is different. I am sick of certain patterns in my life but I simultaneously feel inadequate to do anything about it. I have spent some time reflecting over the past few days and I am a little short on vision for my life. When that happens the repetitive rhythm of life drives me to complacency. Complacency opens my heart to wondering. I ask You tonight for clarity. Teach me to do Your work. Help me learn to follow Your commands. Enable me to move past the ridiculously hard to kill patterns of sin in my life.
"As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams." Daniel 1:17
Observation:
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were the real deal. God gave them all the things that make a person successful. They were the best of the best before they were carved out for special treatment by Nebuchednezzar. They were given access to what ever they wanted. Anything was at their disposal. Nothing was out of reach. They chose to stand for what they believed in. As a result they received not only the blessing of man, but God's hand blessed them as well.
Application:
I start with the want. Steven Covey says to begin with the end in mind, so that is what I do. I see the goal and I want it. That is where I would prefer to start and it is also where I would like to stop. The problem is the end always follows the means. There is work to be done. There is nothing wrong with wanting God's blessing, but it does not come to me just because I want it and ask for it. God's blessings reward the life of a person who has set an example that is pleasing to God. It is lavished on those who will reflect the superiority of obedience to God over the pursuit of fleshly desires.
As I read the first Chapter of Daniel my eyes have become frozen on one phase; "Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself…:(verse 8). Daniel began with the end in mind just as I do. The difference is he aligned his end with God's commands. Ouch. I am more of a “decide on what I want and then make it sound holy” type of guy. Conviction really bites.
Prayer:
I am a little discouraged tonight. Letting go of my own plans and pursuing Yours is weighing on me. When I look at the circles You have placed me in I become acutely aware of my shortcomings. I get so much wrong it seems. I normally confess it, laugh at it with You and move forward determined to try again. But tonight is different. I am sick of certain patterns in my life but I simultaneously feel inadequate to do anything about it. I have spent some time reflecting over the past few days and I am a little short on vision for my life. When that happens the repetitive rhythm of life drives me to complacency. Complacency opens my heart to wondering. I ask You tonight for clarity. Teach me to do Your work. Help me learn to follow Your commands. Enable me to move past the ridiculously hard to kill patterns of sin in my life.
I Want it Now
Scripture:
"The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the LORD." Lamentations 3:25-26
Observation:
We live in a society that is unlike any other in the history of the world. Everything is immediately available. From noodles to movies to information to account access; just about anything you want the moment you want it. And we have been taught to demand it. This verse strikes at the heart of one of our societies greatest failures, the ability to patiently endure self-sacrifice.
Application:
"You will have to wait." Just looking at those words on this screen incites inside of me an alarm like the drum beats of a warring tribe of natives. Very few things in life cause my temper to flair worse that waiting. It matters not what it is, I do not have the patience to wait. From red lights to people oblivious to the world of fast decisions; they all drive me nuts. I move fast, on purpose and with tenacity. That is my call. It is my gifting; my greatest asset. It is also the source of my greatest weakness.
Here is the problem with God, He is God and I am not. If I were to boil down most of my frustrations in life this would be their essence; God should serve me. My drive to fulfill the desires of my flesh fight to take the God of the universe and reduce Him to a "point and click" service designed to freely convenience my life. I wail out in agony anytime He delays on responding to a request.
Needless to say, this verse is destroying me on the inside. For whatever reason, the Holy Spirit is ripping me up on the inside as I fully come to know the devil that is inside of me. Who am I to question God? What manner of man would throw the fits that I throw over the things I throw them about? I'm a fool.
Prayer:
There is nothing I can say in defense of my actions. My guilt is obvious and its weight is bearing down on me. My patience is short. My temper is quick. My desire to have leaves me feeling like a small boy trying to restrain a horse with a piece of yarn. I'm lost as to where to go and what to do. I pray for Your mercy and Your enabling power to cover me. Thank You that You are a gracious God, slow to anger and full of mercy. Thank You for the redeeming work You did for me through Jesus' sacrifice. I am not happy with this area of my life. Patiently laboring in silence without reward brings out a side of me that quite honestly scares me. The man that I see when I am in a season of hardship, unnoticed labor or delayed gratification brings out a man in me that I can't control. I say and think things in those moments that astonish me. I have seen myself descend to a level I would have thought impossible. Let me bear this yoke now so that I may fully remove it when I am older. Protect me from my greatest adversary of all, me.
"The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the LORD." Lamentations 3:25-26
Observation:
We live in a society that is unlike any other in the history of the world. Everything is immediately available. From noodles to movies to information to account access; just about anything you want the moment you want it. And we have been taught to demand it. This verse strikes at the heart of one of our societies greatest failures, the ability to patiently endure self-sacrifice.
Application:
"You will have to wait." Just looking at those words on this screen incites inside of me an alarm like the drum beats of a warring tribe of natives. Very few things in life cause my temper to flair worse that waiting. It matters not what it is, I do not have the patience to wait. From red lights to people oblivious to the world of fast decisions; they all drive me nuts. I move fast, on purpose and with tenacity. That is my call. It is my gifting; my greatest asset. It is also the source of my greatest weakness.
Here is the problem with God, He is God and I am not. If I were to boil down most of my frustrations in life this would be their essence; God should serve me. My drive to fulfill the desires of my flesh fight to take the God of the universe and reduce Him to a "point and click" service designed to freely convenience my life. I wail out in agony anytime He delays on responding to a request.
Needless to say, this verse is destroying me on the inside. For whatever reason, the Holy Spirit is ripping me up on the inside as I fully come to know the devil that is inside of me. Who am I to question God? What manner of man would throw the fits that I throw over the things I throw them about? I'm a fool.
Prayer:
There is nothing I can say in defense of my actions. My guilt is obvious and its weight is bearing down on me. My patience is short. My temper is quick. My desire to have leaves me feeling like a small boy trying to restrain a horse with a piece of yarn. I'm lost as to where to go and what to do. I pray for Your mercy and Your enabling power to cover me. Thank You that You are a gracious God, slow to anger and full of mercy. Thank You for the redeeming work You did for me through Jesus' sacrifice. I am not happy with this area of my life. Patiently laboring in silence without reward brings out a side of me that quite honestly scares me. The man that I see when I am in a season of hardship, unnoticed labor or delayed gratification brings out a man in me that I can't control. I say and think things in those moments that astonish me. I have seen myself descend to a level I would have thought impossible. Let me bear this yoke now so that I may fully remove it when I am older. Protect me from my greatest adversary of all, me.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Three Plagues of the Day
Scripture:
"And they sang a new song before the throne and before the living creatures and the elders and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth." Revelation 14:3
Observation:
Living a pure life on earth is a constant struggle. Temptations are everywhere. Things are becoming more and more assessable and the publicity of temptations relentlessly pursues you whether you want it or not. Resisting these unholy pursuits becomes exhausting.
But one day the labor will end and the rewards will be given. In that day, a new song will be sung in heaven; one that has not been sung before and one that only those of us who have suffered here on earth will know how to sing.
Application:
There are few traits of those purchased from earth which are listed in verses 4-5 from this chapter of Revelation. The first is they have not defiled themselves with women. Immorality is an incredibly important area for God. I must never remove my attention from this area of my life. The world is literally full of sexual traps set by Satan. He has created a world in which it is nearly impossible to make it through without falling victim. Everywhere you look, the opportunities are there. I must stay in a place of submission to God which results in His holy power guarding my heart, my eyes, my thoughts and my actions. In the midst of the threats created by the traps Satan set, He is my deliverer.
The second trait listed is that they follow the Lamb where ever He goes. I like this one. In the realm of traditional church time is copiously given to teaching people what not to do; but is hardly any focus is given to what we are called to do; follow the Lamb. I believe that God is active and at work around me today. My calling in life is to join Him in that labor. I must pay attention to the opportunities he presents to me daily to offer His love and grace. I was not created to sit back and concentrate on just being good. I was created to worship God with my life's labor. I am a warrior. I am a saint. I am called to join God in great and might works. I am empowered to overcome the world and prove to all who see just how great is God's ability to bless the lives of those who follow Him. The things I am asked to not do are not the end. They are the means that allow me to stay connected with God's mission for my life to serve in the redemption of this lost world.
The third trait list it that no lie was found in their mouth. God despises dishonesty. Outside of immorality I can think of no sin God wars against harder, than the sin of deceit. He hates it. There is no place for dishonesty in the life of a believer. I must stay committed to the truth. The trouble is lies come in many shapes and forms. We have created a system of lies that is really tough to navigate. We have created so many different shades of truth and as a result, we have really broadened the loopholes and it is hard nail down what it means to tell a lie. There are lies we tell to others and there are lies we tell to ourselves. There are lies we tell to avoid consequences and there are lies we tell to reap rewards. Bent truth, half truth, white lies. Anytime I withhold any form of truth in a statement, I am lying. It is really that simple. I must constantly focus on living in the truth.
Prayer:
Moral purity, obedient submission to a greater purpose, and absolute honesty. These things do not exist in the world I live in. What was once heralded as the American way is a memory long lost to the people that we have become. I pray that You bring about a great repentance in our land. Help us return to the values we once held.
As I think about the state of the country, I am also convicted about the fact that this issue or moral defilement, rebellious hatred towards Your truth, and open deceit is a very personal issue. It is not one that any organization can address. It is one that each individual must make for Himself. I ask for Your help. I do not want to be the man I used to be and the glimpses I get of the man I have the potential to become scare me. I ask for Your daily strength and wisdom to overcome the demons that pursue me. There is no way for me to remain morally pure, submissive to Your Word, and without lies outside of Your grace and favor.
"And they sang a new song before the throne and before the living creatures and the elders and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth." Revelation 14:3
Observation:
Living a pure life on earth is a constant struggle. Temptations are everywhere. Things are becoming more and more assessable and the publicity of temptations relentlessly pursues you whether you want it or not. Resisting these unholy pursuits becomes exhausting.
But one day the labor will end and the rewards will be given. In that day, a new song will be sung in heaven; one that has not been sung before and one that only those of us who have suffered here on earth will know how to sing.
Application:
There are few traits of those purchased from earth which are listed in verses 4-5 from this chapter of Revelation. The first is they have not defiled themselves with women. Immorality is an incredibly important area for God. I must never remove my attention from this area of my life. The world is literally full of sexual traps set by Satan. He has created a world in which it is nearly impossible to make it through without falling victim. Everywhere you look, the opportunities are there. I must stay in a place of submission to God which results in His holy power guarding my heart, my eyes, my thoughts and my actions. In the midst of the threats created by the traps Satan set, He is my deliverer.
The second trait listed is that they follow the Lamb where ever He goes. I like this one. In the realm of traditional church time is copiously given to teaching people what not to do; but is hardly any focus is given to what we are called to do; follow the Lamb. I believe that God is active and at work around me today. My calling in life is to join Him in that labor. I must pay attention to the opportunities he presents to me daily to offer His love and grace. I was not created to sit back and concentrate on just being good. I was created to worship God with my life's labor. I am a warrior. I am a saint. I am called to join God in great and might works. I am empowered to overcome the world and prove to all who see just how great is God's ability to bless the lives of those who follow Him. The things I am asked to not do are not the end. They are the means that allow me to stay connected with God's mission for my life to serve in the redemption of this lost world.
The third trait list it that no lie was found in their mouth. God despises dishonesty. Outside of immorality I can think of no sin God wars against harder, than the sin of deceit. He hates it. There is no place for dishonesty in the life of a believer. I must stay committed to the truth. The trouble is lies come in many shapes and forms. We have created a system of lies that is really tough to navigate. We have created so many different shades of truth and as a result, we have really broadened the loopholes and it is hard nail down what it means to tell a lie. There are lies we tell to others and there are lies we tell to ourselves. There are lies we tell to avoid consequences and there are lies we tell to reap rewards. Bent truth, half truth, white lies. Anytime I withhold any form of truth in a statement, I am lying. It is really that simple. I must constantly focus on living in the truth.
Prayer:
Moral purity, obedient submission to a greater purpose, and absolute honesty. These things do not exist in the world I live in. What was once heralded as the American way is a memory long lost to the people that we have become. I pray that You bring about a great repentance in our land. Help us return to the values we once held.
As I think about the state of the country, I am also convicted about the fact that this issue or moral defilement, rebellious hatred towards Your truth, and open deceit is a very personal issue. It is not one that any organization can address. It is one that each individual must make for Himself. I ask for Your help. I do not want to be the man I used to be and the glimpses I get of the man I have the potential to become scare me. I ask for Your daily strength and wisdom to overcome the demons that pursue me. There is no way for me to remain morally pure, submissive to Your Word, and without lies outside of Your grace and favor.
The Trust of Leadership
Scripture:
"For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose." Revelation 17:17
Observation:
Leadership is never an easy thing. It is easy for a leader to look around him and determine what needs to be done. It is an entirely different animal when it comes to actually leading others to join you. People rarely follow anything that does not resonate within their hearts. This passage from Revelation reminds me of the power in purpose.
Application:
One thing that I will never be accused on having in excess is patience. I want what I want, when I want it. Anything that involuntarily slows me down represents an obstacle that must be quickly resolved. I am also very determined and generally can work to get what I want. But, that does not always mean people are behind what I am doing.
There is a huge difference in leading people to accomplish a mission and forcing people to complete a task. Leading people on mission requires me to slow down, think through the purpose behind what is needed, and paint a picture that allows others to find their common purpose in the task at hand. It is slow. Painfully slow. Often it feels like I am stuck behind someone driving 25 mph on the interstate. However, in the end, it is the right thing to do.
Leaders are called by God. I believe that with all my heart. The trouble is that people in leadership often get confused about how to use their power. My time in leadership has taught me this; the purpose of the power bestowed on a leader is to facilitate the fulfillment of God's will in the lives of those you SERVE. It is not to create success. It is not to turn a profit. It is not to grow an organization. Those all can be really good things, but they are a result; not a goal.
The ultimate duty of leaders is to spend time praying over what God has planned for each individual who is served by your leadership and then spending yourself in seeing that plan accomplished.
Prayer:
Leadership is a trust given to one man or woman over the life of another. I need your help in being a good steward with the lives you have entrusted to me. Whether it be my children, wife, family, friends, team members or parishioners; there are many lives relying on me to be faithful with my time, talents, and resources.
I pray that You protect me from pride. I pray that You continue to eradicate selfishness from me. I ask that You afford me the purity of purpose, clarity of vision, and security of success I need to move forward with the mission given to me.
Help me to live my life as a man on purpose and allow me to communicate that purpose in a manner that invites others to find their common purpose in the agenda given to me.
"For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose." Revelation 17:17
Observation:
Leadership is never an easy thing. It is easy for a leader to look around him and determine what needs to be done. It is an entirely different animal when it comes to actually leading others to join you. People rarely follow anything that does not resonate within their hearts. This passage from Revelation reminds me of the power in purpose.
Application:
One thing that I will never be accused on having in excess is patience. I want what I want, when I want it. Anything that involuntarily slows me down represents an obstacle that must be quickly resolved. I am also very determined and generally can work to get what I want. But, that does not always mean people are behind what I am doing.
There is a huge difference in leading people to accomplish a mission and forcing people to complete a task. Leading people on mission requires me to slow down, think through the purpose behind what is needed, and paint a picture that allows others to find their common purpose in the task at hand. It is slow. Painfully slow. Often it feels like I am stuck behind someone driving 25 mph on the interstate. However, in the end, it is the right thing to do.
Leaders are called by God. I believe that with all my heart. The trouble is that people in leadership often get confused about how to use their power. My time in leadership has taught me this; the purpose of the power bestowed on a leader is to facilitate the fulfillment of God's will in the lives of those you SERVE. It is not to create success. It is not to turn a profit. It is not to grow an organization. Those all can be really good things, but they are a result; not a goal.
The ultimate duty of leaders is to spend time praying over what God has planned for each individual who is served by your leadership and then spending yourself in seeing that plan accomplished.
Prayer:
Leadership is a trust given to one man or woman over the life of another. I need your help in being a good steward with the lives you have entrusted to me. Whether it be my children, wife, family, friends, team members or parishioners; there are many lives relying on me to be faithful with my time, talents, and resources.
I pray that You protect me from pride. I pray that You continue to eradicate selfishness from me. I ask that You afford me the purity of purpose, clarity of vision, and security of success I need to move forward with the mission given to me.
Help me to live my life as a man on purpose and allow me to communicate that purpose in a manner that invites others to find their common purpose in the agenda given to me.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Live with Gratitude
Scripture:
"We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken great power and begun to reign." Revelation 11:17
Observation:
It is often easy to forget the need to just stop and give thanks. Getting caught up in the daily grind of everyday routines has a way of just lulling a person into a repetitive pattern of ungrateful existence. As this happens, it becomes hard to focus on God. Losing focus on God removes any purpose for living. No purpose for living results in cynicism. Cynicism sucks the marrow out of life.
Application:
Live with gratitude. That is the call I sense this morning. Getting frustrated, irritated, angry or discouraged only has the power to make living more difficult. My negative feelings only have power to make bad things worse. My positive feelings, however, contain power. Positive feelings awaken something inside of me that provides energy to keep going. This morning, I see a few things that I can always be grateful for.
First, I can be grateful that God is Almighty. He is the Creator of heaven and earth. He controls the universe. At times I lose sight of this and honestly begin to doubt certain aspects of it. I really must learn to continually confess and celebrate the fact that as much as it may feel like things are spinning out of control on earth, there is a God with a plan and purpose running the show. Instead of becoming cynical about why God allows bad things to happen, I must focus on celebrating the good things that He allows to come to pass. God is God and I am not. His ways are not my ways. He is the potter and I am the clay. What right do I have to become angered at the choices He makes?
Second, I can be grateful that God is, was, and will be. He is the God of the past. He is the God of the present. He is the God of the future. There are times in my life when I put enormous amounts of pressure on myself to perform. I worry with where I am, where I need to be, and how long it should take. I feel like I am solely responsible for my destiny and I am afraid that time is slipping away from me. As days roll by, I need to learn that God was in the beginning, He is the same now, and He will remain the same in the future. The world is always changing. People are always changing. Circumstances shift like the tides. What was good today can be totally wrong tomorrow. That is why I need a constant God. He is consistently the same. His character has never changed. His plans have never failed. The most amazing thing of all, He is available to me.
Finally, I can be grateful that God will set things straight. The day is coming when the chaos and pain of life will end. We will be ushered into a new existence in a perfect place. I will one day sit before God and will no longer worship by faith alone. I will worship in His presence. Famine will end. Racism will be no more. Sin will stop. Suffering will be forgotten and never again experienced. All pain will be healed. Fear will be lost. Nature will be at peace. Prosperity will be all anyone knows. If that is what I truly believe is the end result of my faith, why don’t I live in eager anticipation of it? I should celebrate that reality every day and spend my life, energy, and talent in serving its future reality.
Prayer:
I needed You this morning. My attitude towards certain things has really become soured by adversity. Gratitude has slipped away and I have begun complaining. I confess this to You today and pray that You train me to have a grateful heart. Allow me to overflow with thanksgiving and praise. You are the Almighty. You were in the beginning, You are now, and You will be still in the future. I look towards the day You return to earth to make things as they should be. I pray that You don't delay. The suffering I see on this earth is more than I can bear to see. We are a sick, wicked and broken place without Your leadership. Until that day comes though I commit to serving Your purpose and submitting to Your timing, knowing that both are perfect.
"We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken great power and begun to reign." Revelation 11:17
Observation:
It is often easy to forget the need to just stop and give thanks. Getting caught up in the daily grind of everyday routines has a way of just lulling a person into a repetitive pattern of ungrateful existence. As this happens, it becomes hard to focus on God. Losing focus on God removes any purpose for living. No purpose for living results in cynicism. Cynicism sucks the marrow out of life.
Application:
Live with gratitude. That is the call I sense this morning. Getting frustrated, irritated, angry or discouraged only has the power to make living more difficult. My negative feelings only have power to make bad things worse. My positive feelings, however, contain power. Positive feelings awaken something inside of me that provides energy to keep going. This morning, I see a few things that I can always be grateful for.
First, I can be grateful that God is Almighty. He is the Creator of heaven and earth. He controls the universe. At times I lose sight of this and honestly begin to doubt certain aspects of it. I really must learn to continually confess and celebrate the fact that as much as it may feel like things are spinning out of control on earth, there is a God with a plan and purpose running the show. Instead of becoming cynical about why God allows bad things to happen, I must focus on celebrating the good things that He allows to come to pass. God is God and I am not. His ways are not my ways. He is the potter and I am the clay. What right do I have to become angered at the choices He makes?
Second, I can be grateful that God is, was, and will be. He is the God of the past. He is the God of the present. He is the God of the future. There are times in my life when I put enormous amounts of pressure on myself to perform. I worry with where I am, where I need to be, and how long it should take. I feel like I am solely responsible for my destiny and I am afraid that time is slipping away from me. As days roll by, I need to learn that God was in the beginning, He is the same now, and He will remain the same in the future. The world is always changing. People are always changing. Circumstances shift like the tides. What was good today can be totally wrong tomorrow. That is why I need a constant God. He is consistently the same. His character has never changed. His plans have never failed. The most amazing thing of all, He is available to me.
Finally, I can be grateful that God will set things straight. The day is coming when the chaos and pain of life will end. We will be ushered into a new existence in a perfect place. I will one day sit before God and will no longer worship by faith alone. I will worship in His presence. Famine will end. Racism will be no more. Sin will stop. Suffering will be forgotten and never again experienced. All pain will be healed. Fear will be lost. Nature will be at peace. Prosperity will be all anyone knows. If that is what I truly believe is the end result of my faith, why don’t I live in eager anticipation of it? I should celebrate that reality every day and spend my life, energy, and talent in serving its future reality.
Prayer:
I needed You this morning. My attitude towards certain things has really become soured by adversity. Gratitude has slipped away and I have begun complaining. I confess this to You today and pray that You train me to have a grateful heart. Allow me to overflow with thanksgiving and praise. You are the Almighty. You were in the beginning, You are now, and You will be still in the future. I look towards the day You return to earth to make things as they should be. I pray that You don't delay. The suffering I see on this earth is more than I can bear to see. We are a sick, wicked and broken place without Your leadership. Until that day comes though I commit to serving Your purpose and submitting to Your timing, knowing that both are perfect.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Easier Heard Than Done
Scripture:
"I took the little book out of the Angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." Revelation 10:10
Observation:
The Bible can be an incredibly inspiring book. So many times I have picked it up in need of strengthening my faith or seeking direction with my life and I have never failed to find what I needed. But God's Word is not all fun and games. There are times when God speaks to me things that I wish I did not hear and the action that I need to take with the words spoken to me are not all that fun to deal with. Simply stated, some things are easier heard than done.
Application:
The book of Revelation is hard for me to stick with. As my reading plan carries me through it, it has been really tough for me. There is so much of it I do not understand and the questions it brings to my mind threaten my sanity. In the middle of my reading this morning, God has reminded me of an incredible truth. Discovering the right thing to say or do while in the company of friends, advisors, or in isolation is sweet as honey, but acting on what you know can really turn your stomach sour.
Prayer:
One of my greatest fears in life is that You are going to ask me to do something that I don’t want to do. It is easy to say that I will follow you anywhere, but deep inside I know that there are places I just don’t want to go, words I just don't want to speak, or changes I just don’t want to make. I can't count the number of times that I have found myself feeling like John felt in this passage. In a moment of clarity I have received clear instruction and everything inside of me came alive and I felt fired up and ready to go. But then a little bit later the emotions died down, the fire from the vision died down, and the reality of the road ahead made my stomach turn. Repeatedly, in those moments, I let the sourness in my stomach overtake my ambition to change and fall short of accomplishing the task handed to me.
I confess to You this morning my weakness and frailty. I need Your strength in my life. More than anything, I desire to walk before You secure in our relationship, grounded in purity, and clearly on my mission. I pray that you do a work in my life that allows me to live securely in the land You have given me so that those observing my life may know that You are God. I am grateful that in You is all the strength, wisdom, ingenuity, peace, comfort, and leadership I need.
I am amazed at the power of Your Grace. In the midst of confessing my own sins and shortcomings, I can do it without fear, guilt or shame because of the blessing of Your grace. Thank you for the gift of forgiveness that came through Your Son. My standing before You is not based on my performance and in that truth lies my only hope.
"I took the little book out of the Angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." Revelation 10:10
Observation:
The Bible can be an incredibly inspiring book. So many times I have picked it up in need of strengthening my faith or seeking direction with my life and I have never failed to find what I needed. But God's Word is not all fun and games. There are times when God speaks to me things that I wish I did not hear and the action that I need to take with the words spoken to me are not all that fun to deal with. Simply stated, some things are easier heard than done.
Application:
The book of Revelation is hard for me to stick with. As my reading plan carries me through it, it has been really tough for me. There is so much of it I do not understand and the questions it brings to my mind threaten my sanity. In the middle of my reading this morning, God has reminded me of an incredible truth. Discovering the right thing to say or do while in the company of friends, advisors, or in isolation is sweet as honey, but acting on what you know can really turn your stomach sour.
Prayer:
One of my greatest fears in life is that You are going to ask me to do something that I don’t want to do. It is easy to say that I will follow you anywhere, but deep inside I know that there are places I just don’t want to go, words I just don't want to speak, or changes I just don’t want to make. I can't count the number of times that I have found myself feeling like John felt in this passage. In a moment of clarity I have received clear instruction and everything inside of me came alive and I felt fired up and ready to go. But then a little bit later the emotions died down, the fire from the vision died down, and the reality of the road ahead made my stomach turn. Repeatedly, in those moments, I let the sourness in my stomach overtake my ambition to change and fall short of accomplishing the task handed to me.
I confess to You this morning my weakness and frailty. I need Your strength in my life. More than anything, I desire to walk before You secure in our relationship, grounded in purity, and clearly on my mission. I pray that you do a work in my life that allows me to live securely in the land You have given me so that those observing my life may know that You are God. I am grateful that in You is all the strength, wisdom, ingenuity, peace, comfort, and leadership I need.
I am amazed at the power of Your Grace. In the midst of confessing my own sins and shortcomings, I can do it without fear, guilt or shame because of the blessing of Your grace. Thank you for the gift of forgiveness that came through Your Son. My standing before You is not based on my performance and in that truth lies my only hope.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Accepting Discipline
Scripture:
"For why will you die O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, declares the Lord God, therefore repent and live." Ezekiel 18:31
Observation:
I hate to discipline my kids. Just the other night, I looked at my son and begged him to not get a spanking. It breaks my heart to punish them, but it is absolutely necessary for their well being that I do it. Nothing good results from losing control of my kids and control does not come without a price. I have to apply consequences to their bad behavior in order to create incentive for them to deny what they really want to do. I do not enjoy that part of parenting, but I really enjoy my kids more when I can control their behavior.
Application:
There are many times that I feel powerless when it comes to sin. So often it feels like I am powerless against it. I lose my temper before I know it. I lust after something without much warning. It seems as if I continually do things that I swear I will never do again and lack the ability to get out of that cycle. In the middle of this, it is tough to keep my perspective.
Prayer:
As I read in Revelation 7:12 this morning I was reminded that to You belong all blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, and power. It makes no sense that I would trade those things for the temporary benefits of sin. I am thankful for the consequences of sin in my life and for Your loving discipline. There is no condemnation or guilt for those who are sealed with You in Christ, but there is pain associated with sin. I must admit that if there were not consequences for bad choices, my life would be a wreck.
I confess to you this morning that I am powerless to stand before You pure and that my hope is in You. Lead me today to walk in a manner that taps into Your presence. May Your Glory be revealed to others through my actions. May Your wisdom guide my every decision. May Honor be given to You by the things I accomplish. May Your power come down and fill the very fabric of my being. May I find the path of blessing today as I seek to live my life. Your Grace is sufficient for all that I need.
"For why will you die O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, declares the Lord God, therefore repent and live." Ezekiel 18:31
Observation:
I hate to discipline my kids. Just the other night, I looked at my son and begged him to not get a spanking. It breaks my heart to punish them, but it is absolutely necessary for their well being that I do it. Nothing good results from losing control of my kids and control does not come without a price. I have to apply consequences to their bad behavior in order to create incentive for them to deny what they really want to do. I do not enjoy that part of parenting, but I really enjoy my kids more when I can control their behavior.
Application:
There are many times that I feel powerless when it comes to sin. So often it feels like I am powerless against it. I lose my temper before I know it. I lust after something without much warning. It seems as if I continually do things that I swear I will never do again and lack the ability to get out of that cycle. In the middle of this, it is tough to keep my perspective.
Prayer:
As I read in Revelation 7:12 this morning I was reminded that to You belong all blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, and power. It makes no sense that I would trade those things for the temporary benefits of sin. I am thankful for the consequences of sin in my life and for Your loving discipline. There is no condemnation or guilt for those who are sealed with You in Christ, but there is pain associated with sin. I must admit that if there were not consequences for bad choices, my life would be a wreck.
I confess to you this morning that I am powerless to stand before You pure and that my hope is in You. Lead me today to walk in a manner that taps into Your presence. May Your Glory be revealed to others through my actions. May Your wisdom guide my every decision. May Honor be given to You by the things I accomplish. May Your power come down and fill the very fabric of my being. May I find the path of blessing today as I seek to live my life. Your Grace is sufficient for all that I need.
Monday, September 1, 2008
A Needy Man
Scripture:
"But I am afflicted and needy; Hasten to me, O God! You are my help and deliverer; O LORD, do not delay." Psalm 70:5
Observation:
I have a strong sense in my spirit that God is calling me to find new levels of purity, clarity, and security in my life. I have no doubt that this is the work He is doing inside of me. This directive came to me several weeks ago and continues to consume most of my thoughts and prayers. As I have sought these three things in my life I have been tormented by my inability to achieve them. I have found my relentless pursuit of these things to be exhausting, frustrating, irritating, humbling, and revealing.
I am truly powerless to bring them about. Purity alludes me as my motives, desires and longings remain bent towards self-gratification. Clarity remains hidden by the dark clouds created by my own fleshly desires. Security is hijacked by a band of tormenting feelings of inadequacy and fear of failure. I have worked tirelessly on achieving something that I have come to realize I can't do.
Application:
Needy. Using that word to describe myself delivers a striking blow to my pride. I can confess many things and own many failures but calling myself needy really sticks in my craw. But that is my reality. As strong as I like to pretend to be at the core I am a needy man whose only hope is a generous God. I need to call out to God and desperately pursue Him. As I seek obedience I must realize that He is my only hope.
Prayer:
I feel like I have lost my way. As I struggle to figure out the direction I need to take with my daily life I am honestly fatigued. There are battles I face that I just can’t win. I know that Your word is true. It is my only hope. As I sit here this morning I realize that there is something out of place. I can’t access Your strength and power to move forward with the things I feel that You have placed on my heart to do. I just can’t get it done on my own. I have cried out to You until I am literally tired. I no longer have words to express the level of frustration I feel. Hasten to me. Soften my heart. Open my eyes so that I may know my sin. Teach me to walk in repentance. My greatest desire is for my life to reflect your purity. My leadership to reflect Your clarity. My inner strength to reflect Your security. I sit waiting. I confess to You this morning that I am without the strength needed to resist my flesh and stay clear of my inner demons and temptations. You are my hope and my deliverer. Come to me quickly. You alone are worthy of honor. To only You belongs my praise. Your grace covers me and my belief in Your Son as my savior is my greatest treasure. Use me as You see fit
"But I am afflicted and needy; Hasten to me, O God! You are my help and deliverer; O LORD, do not delay." Psalm 70:5
Observation:
I have a strong sense in my spirit that God is calling me to find new levels of purity, clarity, and security in my life. I have no doubt that this is the work He is doing inside of me. This directive came to me several weeks ago and continues to consume most of my thoughts and prayers. As I have sought these three things in my life I have been tormented by my inability to achieve them. I have found my relentless pursuit of these things to be exhausting, frustrating, irritating, humbling, and revealing.
I am truly powerless to bring them about. Purity alludes me as my motives, desires and longings remain bent towards self-gratification. Clarity remains hidden by the dark clouds created by my own fleshly desires. Security is hijacked by a band of tormenting feelings of inadequacy and fear of failure. I have worked tirelessly on achieving something that I have come to realize I can't do.
Application:
Needy. Using that word to describe myself delivers a striking blow to my pride. I can confess many things and own many failures but calling myself needy really sticks in my craw. But that is my reality. As strong as I like to pretend to be at the core I am a needy man whose only hope is a generous God. I need to call out to God and desperately pursue Him. As I seek obedience I must realize that He is my only hope.
Prayer:
I feel like I have lost my way. As I struggle to figure out the direction I need to take with my daily life I am honestly fatigued. There are battles I face that I just can’t win. I know that Your word is true. It is my only hope. As I sit here this morning I realize that there is something out of place. I can’t access Your strength and power to move forward with the things I feel that You have placed on my heart to do. I just can’t get it done on my own. I have cried out to You until I am literally tired. I no longer have words to express the level of frustration I feel. Hasten to me. Soften my heart. Open my eyes so that I may know my sin. Teach me to walk in repentance. My greatest desire is for my life to reflect your purity. My leadership to reflect Your clarity. My inner strength to reflect Your security. I sit waiting. I confess to You this morning that I am without the strength needed to resist my flesh and stay clear of my inner demons and temptations. You are my hope and my deliverer. Come to me quickly. You alone are worthy of honor. To only You belongs my praise. Your grace covers me and my belief in Your Son as my savior is my greatest treasure. Use me as You see fit
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