Read: Zechariah 1
“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 1:3
Examine:
God was preparing to restore Israel and there were a lot of great things taking place. As He spoke through Zechariah, He reminded them of the failures of their fathers and warned them to not follow their example. There were three choices at the heart of every failure of the forefathers; they disobeyed a direct word from God, they delayed in following God, or they doubted the integrity of God.
Apply:
A lack of self-control is a double-edged sword. When I try to do right I over do it and set the bar too high. When I loosen my standards and attempt to live moderate I over-indulge and become carnal. I am taken to Paul’s words in Roman 7 when he discussed feeling the same pain. The indwelling power of sin in my flesh is constantly mounting a military campaign against the new nature given to me by Christ. From now until I am taken into heaven the old nature will constantly try to gain victory and control over me and my actions. This tension will never cease, but neither does it have to create misery in me.
There are two things that God is saying that I must obey. First, I have to accept His grace. Part of the tactic the flesh uses against the Spirit of God is to disqualify me. I will incessantly be taunted by my failures. They will be called to remembrance continuously. I have to accept that the grace of God given to me by Christ is enough and simply leave it at that.
Second, Jesus called me to a different set of standards. He said love God with everything that is in me, love others more than myself, center my life on His power, and then go radiate His joy to the world. That is it. That is my law, that is my call, and that is what is expected of me. When I take my eyes off of this and look towards the things I must stop doing I turn my life towards the very thing I hope to avoid.
Pray:
For the second time in the past few weeks I hear You saying I am praying an impossible prayer. I want the tension between the flesh and the Spirit go away but the truth of Your Word says that will never happen. I will always struggle, I will always fail, and I will always want to walk away. Those feelings will never fully die, those longings will never fully cease, and my pursuit of You will always be plagued with failure. There is no more discussion to be had on this and so I set it aside. Thank You for Your grace. I take my eyes off of my sins and turn them back towards You.
Help me to love You with a passion that exceeds everything else in my life. Create a longing in me to put others before myself. Center my life on the power of Christ that dwells inside of me and release me to be a strong witness for the joy I have found in Christ. Let me face radiate it, my words articulate it, and my actions reflect it. Fill my heart to the full with what is right in Christ and use that to change the world around me.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Return to Me Part 2
Read: Zechariah 1
“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 1:3
Examine:
God was preparing to restore Israel and there were a lot of great things taking place. As He spoke through Zechariah, He reminded them of the failures of their fathers and warned them to not follow their example. There were three choices at the heart of every failure of the forefathers; they disobeyed a direct word from God, they delayed in following God, or they doubted the integrity of God.
Apply:
When I need something from God, my expectations are for Him to move quickly. Really it is more like instantly. Honestly, my preferred pace and relationship with God can only be likened to having unlimited access to a genie in a bottle. Things turn sharply though when God wants something from me.
The first step to obeying God for me always seems to be delay. Now, I normally make it sound more holy than that. Some of my best politically correct reasons for not following God are; let me pray about it, I need to test it to make sure it really is God, or the doors have not opened.
The problem is there is not a single example of a man or woman in the scriptures who ever moved forward with complete clarity around their mission or their success. God says that it is impossible to please Him without faith. I must move forward without complete clarity and will always have to trust in what cannot be seen. Lysa Terkeurst gives 5 questions that are helpful in discerning if something is from God:
1. Is it consistent with the scriptures?
2. Does it line-up with God’s character?
3. Is it being confirmed through things I read, hear or see?
4. Is it beyond my abilities?
5. Would it please God?
If it passes those 5 tests, then I can trust that God is calling me to it.
Pray:
If I delay in obeying You, then technically I really have not disobeyed You right? I mean, it is not like I told You no. It is more like I am making sure that I understand so that I don’t make a mistake; right?
It is amazing to me how stupid my rationale looks when I see it on paper. I want to be more faithful and stop delaying in my obedience. Most of the areas I am struggling with right now are in the areas of forgiveness and trust. There are people I need to release. I am holding on to my anger because I want to make sure they learn their lesson. The truth is, I am the only one suffering. You have said let it go and I need to stop planning the wrath of words I have stored up to lead them to repentance. You are my defender and I must let go. Trust is also an issue. There is a fine line between work and faith. Your Word commands hard work. This delicate balance can be seen in the story of Nehemiah as he was building the wall. Though You promised to protect him, he basically kept a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. You want my trust to rest in You, while not abandoning sound reason and the disciplined work that goes along with it. Both are essential and I ask today for the wisdom I need to keep it.
“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 1:3
Examine:
God was preparing to restore Israel and there were a lot of great things taking place. As He spoke through Zechariah, He reminded them of the failures of their fathers and warned them to not follow their example. There were three choices at the heart of every failure of the forefathers; they disobeyed a direct word from God, they delayed in following God, or they doubted the integrity of God.
Apply:
When I need something from God, my expectations are for Him to move quickly. Really it is more like instantly. Honestly, my preferred pace and relationship with God can only be likened to having unlimited access to a genie in a bottle. Things turn sharply though when God wants something from me.
The first step to obeying God for me always seems to be delay. Now, I normally make it sound more holy than that. Some of my best politically correct reasons for not following God are; let me pray about it, I need to test it to make sure it really is God, or the doors have not opened.
The problem is there is not a single example of a man or woman in the scriptures who ever moved forward with complete clarity around their mission or their success. God says that it is impossible to please Him without faith. I must move forward without complete clarity and will always have to trust in what cannot be seen. Lysa Terkeurst gives 5 questions that are helpful in discerning if something is from God:
1. Is it consistent with the scriptures?
2. Does it line-up with God’s character?
3. Is it being confirmed through things I read, hear or see?
4. Is it beyond my abilities?
5. Would it please God?
If it passes those 5 tests, then I can trust that God is calling me to it.
Pray:
If I delay in obeying You, then technically I really have not disobeyed You right? I mean, it is not like I told You no. It is more like I am making sure that I understand so that I don’t make a mistake; right?
It is amazing to me how stupid my rationale looks when I see it on paper. I want to be more faithful and stop delaying in my obedience. Most of the areas I am struggling with right now are in the areas of forgiveness and trust. There are people I need to release. I am holding on to my anger because I want to make sure they learn their lesson. The truth is, I am the only one suffering. You have said let it go and I need to stop planning the wrath of words I have stored up to lead them to repentance. You are my defender and I must let go. Trust is also an issue. There is a fine line between work and faith. Your Word commands hard work. This delicate balance can be seen in the story of Nehemiah as he was building the wall. Though You promised to protect him, he basically kept a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. You want my trust to rest in You, while not abandoning sound reason and the disciplined work that goes along with it. Both are essential and I ask today for the wisdom I need to keep it.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Return to Me Part I
Read: Zechariah 1
“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 1:3
Examine:
God was preparing to restore Israel and there were a lot of great things taking place. As He spoke through Zechariah, He reminded them of the failures of their fathers and warned them to not follow their example. There were three choices at the heart of every failure of the forefathers; they disobeyed a direct word from God, they delayed in following God, or they doubted the integrity of God.
Apply:
For me this starts with doubting God’s integrity. Integrity means that someone is incorruptible, sound, and complete. It means they always speak according to their values and always do as they speak. Trusting in and relying on the integrity of God is a huge weakness of mine. I struggle to write those words, but they are true.
There is a chorus of voices that always seems to say, “What if none of this is real? What if God has not forgiven you? What if the Bible is not correct? What if…?” The “What if’s” seem to open the doors to doubts and then I start hedging my bets. I doubt God’s integrity and then it opens the door for me to live life according to my preferred terms. I do things my way and God is in the background blessing, protecting and insuring my efforts.
Pray:
For 3 days I have sat with this one verse and just stared at it. I know that You are asking me to return to You and I come today ready to submit but afraid of what that means. I no longer want to doubt Your integrity. Your ways are perfect and complete. You are the one, true, only living God. You created the heavens and sent Your Son as atonement. I have been made complete by my acceptance of Your grace. All that was in Jesus has been made available to me. All that is in my life is subject to Your sovereign hand. Every promise You have ever spoken is mine through Jesus.
This also means that my life is no longer mine. I can’t choose my destiny or make my own way. I am no longer able to tend to my own cravings and desires. In accepting the promises that are mine, I also accept the conditions that apply. A covenant is a two-way agreement. Many days I want the terms to only apply to Your side of the covenant. I want You to do all that You say without fail, but I rarely want to be inconvenienced in fulfilling my side of the deal.
Confession is the beginning of healing. Confession is honestly the only thing I can do. Your Word says when I confess and repent You heal, restore, and rebuild. I want to be where You are leading and as frightening as it is, I release my hold on my life to You and agree to stop trying to control things. Your integrity promises to guide my steps and lead me in the best ways. I trust You. These words have never been harder to utter than they are today. Obedience to You has never been more overwhelming than it is right now. Keep me strong for I do not want to follow the example of my forefathers. I do not want to doubt Your integrity, lessen my faith, or lose my crown. Make my weak knees strong, my cloudy mind clear, and my timid faith bold!
“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 1:3
Examine:
God was preparing to restore Israel and there were a lot of great things taking place. As He spoke through Zechariah, He reminded them of the failures of their fathers and warned them to not follow their example. There were three choices at the heart of every failure of the forefathers; they disobeyed a direct word from God, they delayed in following God, or they doubted the integrity of God.
Apply:
For me this starts with doubting God’s integrity. Integrity means that someone is incorruptible, sound, and complete. It means they always speak according to their values and always do as they speak. Trusting in and relying on the integrity of God is a huge weakness of mine. I struggle to write those words, but they are true.
There is a chorus of voices that always seems to say, “What if none of this is real? What if God has not forgiven you? What if the Bible is not correct? What if…?” The “What if’s” seem to open the doors to doubts and then I start hedging my bets. I doubt God’s integrity and then it opens the door for me to live life according to my preferred terms. I do things my way and God is in the background blessing, protecting and insuring my efforts.
Pray:
For 3 days I have sat with this one verse and just stared at it. I know that You are asking me to return to You and I come today ready to submit but afraid of what that means. I no longer want to doubt Your integrity. Your ways are perfect and complete. You are the one, true, only living God. You created the heavens and sent Your Son as atonement. I have been made complete by my acceptance of Your grace. All that was in Jesus has been made available to me. All that is in my life is subject to Your sovereign hand. Every promise You have ever spoken is mine through Jesus.
This also means that my life is no longer mine. I can’t choose my destiny or make my own way. I am no longer able to tend to my own cravings and desires. In accepting the promises that are mine, I also accept the conditions that apply. A covenant is a two-way agreement. Many days I want the terms to only apply to Your side of the covenant. I want You to do all that You say without fail, but I rarely want to be inconvenienced in fulfilling my side of the deal.
Confession is the beginning of healing. Confession is honestly the only thing I can do. Your Word says when I confess and repent You heal, restore, and rebuild. I want to be where You are leading and as frightening as it is, I release my hold on my life to You and agree to stop trying to control things. Your integrity promises to guide my steps and lead me in the best ways. I trust You. These words have never been harder to utter than they are today. Obedience to You has never been more overwhelming than it is right now. Keep me strong for I do not want to follow the example of my forefathers. I do not want to doubt Your integrity, lessen my faith, or lose my crown. Make my weak knees strong, my cloudy mind clear, and my timid faith bold!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Finding Clarity
Read: Haggai 2
“Then the word of the LORD came…” Haggai 2:20
Examine:
Through Haggai the word of the LORD came three times. Each time this happened, the LORD brought great clarity to the people regarding their past struggles, their current state, and their promises for the future.
Apply:
Life gets confusing. There are situations when it is hard to tell what is of my flesh and what is of the Spirit. This is certainly the case when it comes to believing in blessing. The greed of my flesh always wants to take scriptures and claim blessings that are not mine.
There are certain times I struggle to distinguish the voice of my Father and the voice of my enemy. This almost always occurs when there are struggles in my life. Some troubles come because they are just a part of life on earth. Other struggles come as a result of the Father’s discipline.
The other area that gets down-right frustrating and confusing is relationships. There is great conflict in some relationships and it is hard to know when to reprove and when to let go. There are some great opportunities in some relationships right now, but my time and resources are limited. Knowing what to do with each becomes painful when clarity is lost.
Pray:
You are not a God of confusion, but my understanding is very cloudy today. You are a God who speaks, but my hearing is being impacted by the noise around me. You are a God who makes level paths, but my footing feels steep right now. I need a word from you today.
I do not want to falsely grab a promise that is not from you nor do I want to miss out because I lacked boldness. I do not want to resist Your discipline and at the same time, I do not care to cower to an attack by my enemy. There are three ways I know You to speak. A word from You to my heart, a word from the scriptures, and a word from a brother have all been used by You in my past. When these three align together I can know with certainty where I am and where You are leading.
I pray for that level of clarity today in my life and over this work. Circumstances do not bother me, trials do not test me, and discipline does not hurt me. It is the not knowing with certainty what You have spoken that shuts me down. I feel the pressure mounting and I fear that I will miss You, so I ask for direction from You today.
“Then the word of the LORD came…” Haggai 2:20
Examine:
Through Haggai the word of the LORD came three times. Each time this happened, the LORD brought great clarity to the people regarding their past struggles, their current state, and their promises for the future.
Apply:
Life gets confusing. There are situations when it is hard to tell what is of my flesh and what is of the Spirit. This is certainly the case when it comes to believing in blessing. The greed of my flesh always wants to take scriptures and claim blessings that are not mine.
There are certain times I struggle to distinguish the voice of my Father and the voice of my enemy. This almost always occurs when there are struggles in my life. Some troubles come because they are just a part of life on earth. Other struggles come as a result of the Father’s discipline.
The other area that gets down-right frustrating and confusing is relationships. There is great conflict in some relationships and it is hard to know when to reprove and when to let go. There are some great opportunities in some relationships right now, but my time and resources are limited. Knowing what to do with each becomes painful when clarity is lost.
Pray:
You are not a God of confusion, but my understanding is very cloudy today. You are a God who speaks, but my hearing is being impacted by the noise around me. You are a God who makes level paths, but my footing feels steep right now. I need a word from you today.
I do not want to falsely grab a promise that is not from you nor do I want to miss out because I lacked boldness. I do not want to resist Your discipline and at the same time, I do not care to cower to an attack by my enemy. There are three ways I know You to speak. A word from You to my heart, a word from the scriptures, and a word from a brother have all been used by You in my past. When these three align together I can know with certainty where I am and where You are leading.
I pray for that level of clarity today in my life and over this work. Circumstances do not bother me, trials do not test me, and discipline does not hurt me. It is the not knowing with certainty what You have spoken that shuts me down. I feel the pressure mounting and I fear that I will miss You, so I ask for direction from You today.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Sweetened Promises
Read: Haggai 2
“5 According to the promise that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit stands and abides in the midst of you; fear not.” Haggai 2:5
Examine:
The covenant relationship between God and His people was recalled in order to encourage them in their rebuilding. The impact of this statement was directly related to the depth at which the people believed in God and how well they understood His promises.
Apply:
The covenant I am under today is the Messianic covenant. The birth, death, and resurrection of Christ created this covenant and gave me a mission. The mission is not the rebuilding of a temple in the form of a building. The temple under the new covenant is the Holy Spirit’s indwelling the lives of those surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.
The promises on which I stand have been sweetened by the work of Christ. In addition to the promises God made to Israel, which are mine through my adoption in Christ; I also get the added benefit of the promises Jesus made. He has over come the world, there is no longer anything to separate me from God, and His power is upon me to do all that He did and more.
My mission is to actively participate in helping people move from darkness into temples of light. The promises of Christ are all yes and the power to complete the task is already inside of me. The impact of these truths is only limited by my willingness to believe.
Pray:
I look at the work here and I am tempted to think it is hopeless. There is so much broken and things are so far gone it is hard to hold out hope of seeing it get better. In this passage I am reminded of Your promise that I have the blessing of Your power to accomplish anything in Your name. You do not send unless You intend on empowering. In fact, I believe that the power to bring Your glory has been sent ahead of me into this task and I rejoice in the promise that You are making the way before me. I do not fear today. I do not carry stress about the work. I take my eyes off the things I can see and put them on You.
I am no one’s Savior, Christ is. I am no one’s provider You are. I am do not have the capacity to change anyone’s heart, the Holy Spirit does. I am just a vessel You have chosen to use in playing a small roll in this redemption. And I do believe, with all that is in me, that You have chosen to end the pain in this place and reconcile all that is broken to Christ. I believe and hold firm to Your word to me that You are stirring here and desire to do a new work.
“5 According to the promise that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit stands and abides in the midst of you; fear not.” Haggai 2:5
Examine:
The covenant relationship between God and His people was recalled in order to encourage them in their rebuilding. The impact of this statement was directly related to the depth at which the people believed in God and how well they understood His promises.
Apply:
The covenant I am under today is the Messianic covenant. The birth, death, and resurrection of Christ created this covenant and gave me a mission. The mission is not the rebuilding of a temple in the form of a building. The temple under the new covenant is the Holy Spirit’s indwelling the lives of those surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.
The promises on which I stand have been sweetened by the work of Christ. In addition to the promises God made to Israel, which are mine through my adoption in Christ; I also get the added benefit of the promises Jesus made. He has over come the world, there is no longer anything to separate me from God, and His power is upon me to do all that He did and more.
My mission is to actively participate in helping people move from darkness into temples of light. The promises of Christ are all yes and the power to complete the task is already inside of me. The impact of these truths is only limited by my willingness to believe.
Pray:
I look at the work here and I am tempted to think it is hopeless. There is so much broken and things are so far gone it is hard to hold out hope of seeing it get better. In this passage I am reminded of Your promise that I have the blessing of Your power to accomplish anything in Your name. You do not send unless You intend on empowering. In fact, I believe that the power to bring Your glory has been sent ahead of me into this task and I rejoice in the promise that You are making the way before me. I do not fear today. I do not carry stress about the work. I take my eyes off the things I can see and put them on You.
I am no one’s Savior, Christ is. I am no one’s provider You are. I am do not have the capacity to change anyone’s heart, the Holy Spirit does. I am just a vessel You have chosen to use in playing a small roll in this redemption. And I do believe, with all that is in me, that You have chosen to end the pain in this place and reconcile all that is broken to Christ. I believe and hold firm to Your word to me that You are stirring here and desire to do a new work.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
A Brick at a Time
Read: Haggai 2
“4 Yet now be strong, alert, and courageous, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; be strong, alert, and courageous, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, alert, and courageous, all you people of the land, says the Lord, and work! For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:4
Examine:
God could have addressed them all at once by just saying be strong and courageous but He did not. He spoke to them on three levels. Zerubbable represented the practical leadership of Israel as he was their governor and heir to the throne. Jehozadak represented the people spiritually as the head priest of the Levites. The people represented the labor and submission required to get the job done. He finishes this encouragement with a one-word command; work!
Apply:
When I read this passage I have to start with the end. The command is to work. Work demands sustained physical, emotional, and mental effort. Work demands labor and duty in an effort to overcome obstacles and accomplish objectives. Work is a specific duty but is tied to a much larger objective that is never fully done. Work necessitates endurance, ensures testing, and imposes pain. God did not say sit idle while I make it all happen. He said dig in and work!
Nothing of God will ever come because of me and my efforts. There is no way to read the scripture and come to any conclusion other than it is only by God. God balances this by bringing in an equal but opposite truth in by saying that nothing of God ever comes to one who does not work. The tension between these two truths keeps me both moving forward and looking towards God.
Pray:
To accomplish the task that You have given I will have to be strong and courageous in applying wisdom through leadership. There is nothing unspiritual about plans, whiteboards, flip charts, budgets, and task lists. There is nothing unspiritual about addressing practical needs, preparing talks, and outlining strategy. Those are components of great leadership and very much part of the work. Help me be strong and courageous in my leadership today.
Being strong and courageous in my spiritual life is somewhat trickier than doing it in leadership. Leadership is always more tangible in that the information I need is written before me in black and white. Spiritual courage requires a child-like faith of trust that regardless of is written down or what my emotions say You are still God over all. I am trusting in my heart so I ask that You plant in it only the thoughts You desire for me to have. Keep me pure, strong, bold, and courageous in all that You have promised. Keep my fear of man and conflict from hindering the plans you have for me.
The worker in me hates tasks with no end. The labor gets intense as conflict arises, resources become scarce, and people fall away. But the command today is to work. I need for You to remind me today that I will likely not see the completion of the work to which You have called me for I only play a small roll. I need for You to plant deep inside of me a great passion to not focus on the temple You are building here but to just be faithful a brick at a time.
“4 Yet now be strong, alert, and courageous, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; be strong, alert, and courageous, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, alert, and courageous, all you people of the land, says the Lord, and work! For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:4
Examine:
God could have addressed them all at once by just saying be strong and courageous but He did not. He spoke to them on three levels. Zerubbable represented the practical leadership of Israel as he was their governor and heir to the throne. Jehozadak represented the people spiritually as the head priest of the Levites. The people represented the labor and submission required to get the job done. He finishes this encouragement with a one-word command; work!
Apply:
When I read this passage I have to start with the end. The command is to work. Work demands sustained physical, emotional, and mental effort. Work demands labor and duty in an effort to overcome obstacles and accomplish objectives. Work is a specific duty but is tied to a much larger objective that is never fully done. Work necessitates endurance, ensures testing, and imposes pain. God did not say sit idle while I make it all happen. He said dig in and work!
Nothing of God will ever come because of me and my efforts. There is no way to read the scripture and come to any conclusion other than it is only by God. God balances this by bringing in an equal but opposite truth in by saying that nothing of God ever comes to one who does not work. The tension between these two truths keeps me both moving forward and looking towards God.
Pray:
To accomplish the task that You have given I will have to be strong and courageous in applying wisdom through leadership. There is nothing unspiritual about plans, whiteboards, flip charts, budgets, and task lists. There is nothing unspiritual about addressing practical needs, preparing talks, and outlining strategy. Those are components of great leadership and very much part of the work. Help me be strong and courageous in my leadership today.
Being strong and courageous in my spiritual life is somewhat trickier than doing it in leadership. Leadership is always more tangible in that the information I need is written before me in black and white. Spiritual courage requires a child-like faith of trust that regardless of is written down or what my emotions say You are still God over all. I am trusting in my heart so I ask that You plant in it only the thoughts You desire for me to have. Keep me pure, strong, bold, and courageous in all that You have promised. Keep my fear of man and conflict from hindering the plans you have for me.
The worker in me hates tasks with no end. The labor gets intense as conflict arises, resources become scarce, and people fall away. But the command today is to work. I need for You to remind me today that I will likely not see the completion of the work to which You have called me for I only play a small roll. I need for You to plant deep inside of me a great passion to not focus on the temple You are building here but to just be faithful a brick at a time.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Unrepentant Me
Read: Haggai 2
“3 Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Is not this in your sight as nothing in comparison to that?” Haggai 2:3
Examine:
Some of the people were not broken over their sin, only their loss. Their view of what once was stole their joy from what God was doing now.
Apply:
As a parent, disciplining my kids is one of the most discouraging acts to carry out. There are many times I apply consequences for their choices in the form of taking things away. When I sit down to help them understand what happened, I often become frustrated when their only concern seems to be the loss of allowance, privilege, or toy. They completely miss the point that they hurt others and made a bad choice. Totally miss it…Ouch. Apples do not fall far from the tree.
Pray:
When I read this text I see myself so clearly. I often lament more over the loss of stuff than I do the ugliness of my sin. Once I move on I look back and grieve what once was and allow it to destroy what is available to me today. When I make a mistake I am often more concerned with the consequences than I am the hurt I caused You.
I believe that the first step of gaining wisdom is to confess the foolishness. That is what I want to do today, so here we go. I am not really repentant over much in my life. I fear consequences and or getting grounded by You and so I pray do-over prayers; but I mostly just don’t want a smacking from You. When Your discipline does come, I often flail about in the floor and carry on like I have been massively wronged. I point fingers and demand a better measure of justice by accusing others around me as being guilty of greater sin and yet getting away with it. Man, I do sound like my kids.
Unlike me, Your love is patient and Your wrath is longsuffering. You always take the time to sit with me as many times as it takes to teach me what I need to learn. I feel You sitting with me this morning and I know there are some things I need to release to You. Your discipline is good and it leads me to safety. I do confess my lack of repentance and the poison of my pride. I see clearly in the mirror this morning and I do not like all that I see. My anger, my pride, and my selfishness are all on full display today. I confess them to You and trust You to help change the hardness of my heart.
“3 Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Is not this in your sight as nothing in comparison to that?” Haggai 2:3
Examine:
Some of the people were not broken over their sin, only their loss. Their view of what once was stole their joy from what God was doing now.
Apply:
As a parent, disciplining my kids is one of the most discouraging acts to carry out. There are many times I apply consequences for their choices in the form of taking things away. When I sit down to help them understand what happened, I often become frustrated when their only concern seems to be the loss of allowance, privilege, or toy. They completely miss the point that they hurt others and made a bad choice. Totally miss it…Ouch. Apples do not fall far from the tree.
Pray:
When I read this text I see myself so clearly. I often lament more over the loss of stuff than I do the ugliness of my sin. Once I move on I look back and grieve what once was and allow it to destroy what is available to me today. When I make a mistake I am often more concerned with the consequences than I am the hurt I caused You.
I believe that the first step of gaining wisdom is to confess the foolishness. That is what I want to do today, so here we go. I am not really repentant over much in my life. I fear consequences and or getting grounded by You and so I pray do-over prayers; but I mostly just don’t want a smacking from You. When Your discipline does come, I often flail about in the floor and carry on like I have been massively wronged. I point fingers and demand a better measure of justice by accusing others around me as being guilty of greater sin and yet getting away with it. Man, I do sound like my kids.
Unlike me, Your love is patient and Your wrath is longsuffering. You always take the time to sit with me as many times as it takes to teach me what I need to learn. I feel You sitting with me this morning and I know there are some things I need to release to You. Your discipline is good and it leads me to safety. I do confess my lack of repentance and the poison of my pride. I see clearly in the mirror this morning and I do not like all that I see. My anger, my pride, and my selfishness are all on full display today. I confess them to You and trust You to help change the hardness of my heart.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Pockets of Sin in Me
Read: Haggai 1
“10 Therefore the heavens above you [for your sake] withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought upon the land and the hill country, upon the grain, the fresh wine, the oil, upon what the ground brings forth, upon men and cattle, and upon all the [wearisome] toil of [men’s] hands.” Haggai 1:10-11
Examine:
There are attributes of God that are not fun to think about. Two of those are God’s wrath and His discipline.
Apply:
The Amplified Bible includes a bracket of text in this verse that changes the nature of the whole passage. It is for my sake that God disciplines me and displays His wrath. It would be against His character to not do so. When I think of my children, most of the time they see my anger and wrath it is because I am trying to keep them safe and help them grow up strong. If I, as an imperfect father, do that with my children how much more will my God do that with me since He is a perfect Father.
Pray:
I do not despise Your discipline. There are things going on in my life right now that I know to be Your discipline. It hurts but I thank You for it because I need it. My sense is there are three pockets of sin in me that You are working out of me.
I do not seek You as I should, I am controlled by my desire to please others, and I want people to think highly of me. More than affecting my resources, these three areas of disobedience impact my relationship with You. If I am honest with You and myself the impact on our relationship does not bother me as much as the lack of resources do and that is where I need to start today.
I confess to You that I desire the things of You more than the heart of You. I hold blessings from You in higher regard than I do intimacy with You. I desire success and power more than I pursue being right in Your eyes and at home in Your presence. I know this about myself and see the connection between this attitude in my heart and the discipline I am experiencing.
I can’t change me. I can’t make this problem go away. Neither can You. The outcome of this whole process depends wholly on You applying discipline and me responding appropriately to it.
That is where I am today and from where I am and as best I can I am working towards You in this. My only true desire is to serve You fully and offer You my best. I confess my sin to You, rest in Your grace, and look forward to a new day of learning as I allow You to work in my life. More than blessing, I am trying to set my heart on intimacy and obedience. Thanks for Your patient mercy and loving discipline as I fumble through this process. Knowing that You know I love you and that You see more in me than I see in myself grants me a great deal of peace today.
“10 Therefore the heavens above you [for your sake] withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought upon the land and the hill country, upon the grain, the fresh wine, the oil, upon what the ground brings forth, upon men and cattle, and upon all the [wearisome] toil of [men’s] hands.” Haggai 1:10-11
Examine:
There are attributes of God that are not fun to think about. Two of those are God’s wrath and His discipline.
Apply:
The Amplified Bible includes a bracket of text in this verse that changes the nature of the whole passage. It is for my sake that God disciplines me and displays His wrath. It would be against His character to not do so. When I think of my children, most of the time they see my anger and wrath it is because I am trying to keep them safe and help them grow up strong. If I, as an imperfect father, do that with my children how much more will my God do that with me since He is a perfect Father.
Pray:
I do not despise Your discipline. There are things going on in my life right now that I know to be Your discipline. It hurts but I thank You for it because I need it. My sense is there are three pockets of sin in me that You are working out of me.
I do not seek You as I should, I am controlled by my desire to please others, and I want people to think highly of me. More than affecting my resources, these three areas of disobedience impact my relationship with You. If I am honest with You and myself the impact on our relationship does not bother me as much as the lack of resources do and that is where I need to start today.
I confess to You that I desire the things of You more than the heart of You. I hold blessings from You in higher regard than I do intimacy with You. I desire success and power more than I pursue being right in Your eyes and at home in Your presence. I know this about myself and see the connection between this attitude in my heart and the discipline I am experiencing.
I can’t change me. I can’t make this problem go away. Neither can You. The outcome of this whole process depends wholly on You applying discipline and me responding appropriately to it.
That is where I am today and from where I am and as best I can I am working towards You in this. My only true desire is to serve You fully and offer You my best. I confess my sin to You, rest in Your grace, and look forward to a new day of learning as I allow You to work in my life. More than blessing, I am trying to set my heart on intimacy and obedience. Thanks for Your patient mercy and loving discipline as I fumble through this process. Knowing that You know I love you and that You see more in me than I see in myself grants me a great deal of peace today.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Kingdom Building or Not
Read: Haggai 1
“9 You looked for much [harvest], and behold, it came to little; and even when you brought that home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because of My house, which lies waste while you yourselves run each man to his own house [eager to build and adorn it].” Haggai 1:9
Examine:
While laboriously involved with their own affairs the people were neglecting their spiritual responsibilities. As a result, they never had enough. God would add to their load and blow away what was earned. Until they gave more than lip service to putting God first they continually found themselves running a race with no end.
Apply:
Before I start a task there is an assessment questionnaire I run through to help me ensure that I have all the bases covered. As I read this scripture I am reminded that the most important question to be asked is whether or not this act is building the kingdom or not.
Pray:
When I worked in corporate world the distinction between Your work and mine was fairly black and white. Now, it all gets jumbled up. I can spend a great deal of time building things I want all the while losing sight of building what You desire of me. I am not here to serve myself but that is my default setting. I am asking today for You to scrub me of my own desires and lead me to set my hands only to Your work.
I am ambitious, fiery, determined and arrogant. This is an incredibly dangerous combination when I get off track. I pray that my ambition continue to be seeing Your glory here on earth. I pray that my fire be a holy passion to see people walking in Your will. I pray that my determination be an unwavering pursuit of the prize You place in front of me. The arrogance is the one part of this list that has no holy application. It is sin and I confess it to You today. Arrogance is my flesh’s way of covering up my insecurities. I ask for the confidence I need today to be transparent, strong, humble, and meek. I pray that nothing in me be brash or difficult but I be bold in my faith.
Your house here in Sweetwaters does lie in ruin. How does a child believe when they have nothing to look towards as a model? They lie alone at night shaking from the cold and trembling with fear. They awaken to empty stomachs and raped bodies. The curse of death lingers in the air and reveals itself in the mounds of their parents lying in their front yards. They see no good and have no hope. Building Your temple here is no easy task because we can’t plant western churches here. They do not need building where they can go pretend to be something they are not. They need a holistic movement of Your spirit that brings miracle healing to every aspect of their life. Please keep breaking my heart for what breaks Yours in this place and for the sake of the people I serve keep me aligned with Your direction and provision.
“9 You looked for much [harvest], and behold, it came to little; and even when you brought that home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because of My house, which lies waste while you yourselves run each man to his own house [eager to build and adorn it].” Haggai 1:9
Examine:
While laboriously involved with their own affairs the people were neglecting their spiritual responsibilities. As a result, they never had enough. God would add to their load and blow away what was earned. Until they gave more than lip service to putting God first they continually found themselves running a race with no end.
Apply:
Before I start a task there is an assessment questionnaire I run through to help me ensure that I have all the bases covered. As I read this scripture I am reminded that the most important question to be asked is whether or not this act is building the kingdom or not.
Pray:
When I worked in corporate world the distinction between Your work and mine was fairly black and white. Now, it all gets jumbled up. I can spend a great deal of time building things I want all the while losing sight of building what You desire of me. I am not here to serve myself but that is my default setting. I am asking today for You to scrub me of my own desires and lead me to set my hands only to Your work.
I am ambitious, fiery, determined and arrogant. This is an incredibly dangerous combination when I get off track. I pray that my ambition continue to be seeing Your glory here on earth. I pray that my fire be a holy passion to see people walking in Your will. I pray that my determination be an unwavering pursuit of the prize You place in front of me. The arrogance is the one part of this list that has no holy application. It is sin and I confess it to You today. Arrogance is my flesh’s way of covering up my insecurities. I ask for the confidence I need today to be transparent, strong, humble, and meek. I pray that nothing in me be brash or difficult but I be bold in my faith.
Your house here in Sweetwaters does lie in ruin. How does a child believe when they have nothing to look towards as a model? They lie alone at night shaking from the cold and trembling with fear. They awaken to empty stomachs and raped bodies. The curse of death lingers in the air and reveals itself in the mounds of their parents lying in their front yards. They see no good and have no hope. Building Your temple here is no easy task because we can’t plant western churches here. They do not need building where they can go pretend to be something they are not. They need a holistic movement of Your spirit that brings miracle healing to every aspect of their life. Please keep breaking my heart for what breaks Yours in this place and for the sake of the people I serve keep me aligned with Your direction and provision.
I Won't Back Down
Read: Haggai 1
“8 ’Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,’ says the Lord.” Haggai 1:8
Examine:
Each person or group called to a task by God will inevitably face opposition and hardship. In the moments when the task feels too great, the opposition seems too strong, and the resources seem too few God beckons a warriors cry, “Step up, strap it on, and get after it.”
Apply:
This weekend has been a little hard. Over the past week, I have been quantifying the need and outlining projects. As I have done this, the reality of just how great a task has been given to us has become more tangible than I have ever known. In typical fashion, I also got a call from a group that I had held out hope would support us in this task, saying they would not do anymore than what had already been done. It felt like an arrow pierced the plates of my armor and struck deep into my flesh. As I fell back on my hands and grunted in pain, I felt my resolve being tested deeper still as another challenge was immediately pressed against my already pierced defenses.
In the quiet moment as my soul felt like it literally lay sprawled out on the ground, I heard the whisper of my Father bring me this verse. His quiet and calm voice gently asked me what did I want to do? Lie there and quit? Go back home defeated? Leave this life and return to my old one? Or, did I have it in me to get back up and believe in Him to accomplish what He said?
Pray:
As crazy as it feels to quote a rock song to You, that is what is on my heart this morning. In the words of the great theologian Tom Petty:
I won't back down
No I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down
Well I know what's right, I got just one life
in a world that keeps on pushin me around
but I'll stand my ground
...and I won't back down
I can say this today not because of my strength or resolve. I can say this only because I have too much clarity that You have called me to be here and given me the vision that I have. I will not let the decisions of any group of men take my eyes off of the task You have handed me to complete. One door closed this week and with it a chapter of my life and a channel of hope finally shut.
But, my faith was not in that door. My faith is in You. My confidence is in You. My hope is in You. Only You can deliver. Only You can supply. So, with my back against the wall, my profession to You today is that I will not back down. Help me take this mountain and do so only for Your glory. I give to You today my heart and my service. Lead me through this dark valley and help me dine at Your table in the presence of Your enemies. Give me the spark of hope I need to encourage those around me and empower me to take this mountain; by Your grace and only for Your glory.
“8 ’Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,’ says the Lord.” Haggai 1:8
Examine:
Each person or group called to a task by God will inevitably face opposition and hardship. In the moments when the task feels too great, the opposition seems too strong, and the resources seem too few God beckons a warriors cry, “Step up, strap it on, and get after it.”
Apply:
This weekend has been a little hard. Over the past week, I have been quantifying the need and outlining projects. As I have done this, the reality of just how great a task has been given to us has become more tangible than I have ever known. In typical fashion, I also got a call from a group that I had held out hope would support us in this task, saying they would not do anymore than what had already been done. It felt like an arrow pierced the plates of my armor and struck deep into my flesh. As I fell back on my hands and grunted in pain, I felt my resolve being tested deeper still as another challenge was immediately pressed against my already pierced defenses.
In the quiet moment as my soul felt like it literally lay sprawled out on the ground, I heard the whisper of my Father bring me this verse. His quiet and calm voice gently asked me what did I want to do? Lie there and quit? Go back home defeated? Leave this life and return to my old one? Or, did I have it in me to get back up and believe in Him to accomplish what He said?
Pray:
As crazy as it feels to quote a rock song to You, that is what is on my heart this morning. In the words of the great theologian Tom Petty:
I won't back down
No I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down
Well I know what's right, I got just one life
in a world that keeps on pushin me around
but I'll stand my ground
...and I won't back down
I can say this today not because of my strength or resolve. I can say this only because I have too much clarity that You have called me to be here and given me the vision that I have. I will not let the decisions of any group of men take my eyes off of the task You have handed me to complete. One door closed this week and with it a chapter of my life and a channel of hope finally shut.
But, my faith was not in that door. My faith is in You. My confidence is in You. My hope is in You. Only You can deliver. Only You can supply. So, with my back against the wall, my profession to You today is that I will not back down. Help me take this mountain and do so only for Your glory. I give to You today my heart and my service. Lead me through this dark valley and help me dine at Your table in the presence of Your enemies. Give me the spark of hope I need to encourage those around me and empower me to take this mountain; by Your grace and only for Your glory.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Presence of Life
Read: Haggai 1
“7 Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways!” Haggai 1:7
Examine:
In speaking these words to the people charged with rebuilding the temple God reminded them of two important things. First, they were in the mess they were in because they did things their own way. Second, they should not give in to the temptation to quit but should complete the task given to them regardless of the opposition they faced.
Apply:
The scriptures are clear on there being seasons of sowing and seasons of reaping. In my current season, I am both reaping and sowing. The reaping is not fun for me right now, because the seeds I sowed were not good. God disciplines those He loves and I am certain that I am being disciplined because of some bad choices I made. It is not fun, but it is for my good. As I consider the opposition I face today, I must also consider that doing things my own way are what made me vulnerable to this current situation. I have to own that.
The second half of this message from God is the glorious one. I am sowing new seeds today. The seeds I sow today are ones of obedience and I must endure so that the season of new harvest will come in full. There is always going to be opposition to anything that God ordains to be done. Satan will pull out every stop to shut down the things God desires.
Pray:
Give me the gift of wise choices today Father. Let my judgment be right and my actions be just. Move the mountains and shake the heavens to make Your work here in South Africa last longer than the sun and the moon have been given permission to shine. Father, I beg that I may see You Yourself stand up for the poor, help the children of the needy, and come down on the hard hearts and merciless tyrants who refuse to lessen the burden of Your people here. I pray that Your presence would bring life like spring rains and that Your provision would explode like flowers in a fertile valley.
Those who oppose Your work are many, but I rest in knowing that nothing can thwart what You have purposed and planned. They will fall on their knees before You and leaders will turn over their wealth and power to accomplish Your work. I pray Father that You would open Your heart wide for the down-and-out and that You would move to restore the hope of Your people serving You in this place.
For my part, I stand firm on Your promise to me that You have opened a door that no man can close. Lead me today to honor Your name, defend your people, provide for the poor, and stop the abuse of these children. I have considered all of my ways this morning and I choose to continue with what You have asked of me.
“7 Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways!” Haggai 1:7
Examine:
In speaking these words to the people charged with rebuilding the temple God reminded them of two important things. First, they were in the mess they were in because they did things their own way. Second, they should not give in to the temptation to quit but should complete the task given to them regardless of the opposition they faced.
Apply:
The scriptures are clear on there being seasons of sowing and seasons of reaping. In my current season, I am both reaping and sowing. The reaping is not fun for me right now, because the seeds I sowed were not good. God disciplines those He loves and I am certain that I am being disciplined because of some bad choices I made. It is not fun, but it is for my good. As I consider the opposition I face today, I must also consider that doing things my own way are what made me vulnerable to this current situation. I have to own that.
The second half of this message from God is the glorious one. I am sowing new seeds today. The seeds I sow today are ones of obedience and I must endure so that the season of new harvest will come in full. There is always going to be opposition to anything that God ordains to be done. Satan will pull out every stop to shut down the things God desires.
Pray:
Give me the gift of wise choices today Father. Let my judgment be right and my actions be just. Move the mountains and shake the heavens to make Your work here in South Africa last longer than the sun and the moon have been given permission to shine. Father, I beg that I may see You Yourself stand up for the poor, help the children of the needy, and come down on the hard hearts and merciless tyrants who refuse to lessen the burden of Your people here. I pray that Your presence would bring life like spring rains and that Your provision would explode like flowers in a fertile valley.
Those who oppose Your work are many, but I rest in knowing that nothing can thwart what You have purposed and planned. They will fall on their knees before You and leaders will turn over their wealth and power to accomplish Your work. I pray Father that You would open Your heart wide for the down-and-out and that You would move to restore the hope of Your people serving You in this place.
For my part, I stand firm on Your promise to me that You have opened a door that no man can close. Lead me today to honor Your name, defend your people, provide for the poor, and stop the abuse of these children. I have considered all of my ways this morning and I choose to continue with what You have asked of me.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Highs and Lows
Read: Haggai 1
“4 Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house [of the Lord] lies in ruins? 5 Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways and set your mind on what has come to you.” Haggai 1: 4-5
Examine:
This letter from Haggai came during the rebuilding of the temple led by Ezra. Things had started out great. The people had the support of Cyrus and the work was progressing well. They had laid the foundation and had a massive celebration service. Then opposition arose. The enemies of God came against them and struck fear and frustration to the point that the people wanted to quit.
Apply:
Following after God is an amazing journey of highs and lows. There is nothing more amazing than sitting on the top of a mountain with God and experiencing His presence following a breakthrough or the completion of a task. Likewise, there is nothing quite as dark and confusing as the hard opposition that comes against what God desires.
The dark opposition comes in many forms. Regardless of the source, dark times of spiritual warfare are terrible seasons of endurance. In the midst of trials it is always important to stop, consider what is going on, and then return to that task that has been given.
Pray:
I am so very grateful to You for yesterday. I woke up realizing that I was tired and in desperate need of some success. You affirmed a lot for me in the meetings I had and my soul found some much needed rest. Today is a new day and I want to approach it with a sense of possibility. You opened some big doors yesterday and the barns behind them are far more than I would ever be able to fill. Yet, I sit here this morning fully expecting You to use me to do just that. Faith is a crazy-wild ride, but what a thrill!
I look at this verse and my answer is no, it is not time for me to live a padded life. This is a season of deep sacrifice as You rebuild what the enemy has destroyed here in South Africa. By faith I stand firm on what You have given me to do and what You have affirmed as my mission and purpose here.
I am awakened today with a strong sense of dependence on You. Father, I do not need any other means besides You speaking a word over us. I pray that today. We do not have much of what we need. Would you speak for us? The children in the community of Sweetwaters need Your provision and the laborers who have stood firm are in need of Your power to deliver. I ask that their prayers be loud in Your presence today. Just as You moved on the heart of Cyrus to enable, empower, and fund the work of the Israelites, I pray that Your presence would stir and flow over the work here in Sweetwaters.
While I wait on Your power to come, I continue to stand firm in faith. No form of opposition, whether it be from friend or foe, can come against what You have spoken to be done here. You will provide, You will move, and we will see Your glory come in full. I pray that asking and believing without a wavering doubt in my heart.
“4 Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house [of the Lord] lies in ruins? 5 Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways and set your mind on what has come to you.” Haggai 1: 4-5
Examine:
This letter from Haggai came during the rebuilding of the temple led by Ezra. Things had started out great. The people had the support of Cyrus and the work was progressing well. They had laid the foundation and had a massive celebration service. Then opposition arose. The enemies of God came against them and struck fear and frustration to the point that the people wanted to quit.
Apply:
Following after God is an amazing journey of highs and lows. There is nothing more amazing than sitting on the top of a mountain with God and experiencing His presence following a breakthrough or the completion of a task. Likewise, there is nothing quite as dark and confusing as the hard opposition that comes against what God desires.
The dark opposition comes in many forms. Regardless of the source, dark times of spiritual warfare are terrible seasons of endurance. In the midst of trials it is always important to stop, consider what is going on, and then return to that task that has been given.
Pray:
I am so very grateful to You for yesterday. I woke up realizing that I was tired and in desperate need of some success. You affirmed a lot for me in the meetings I had and my soul found some much needed rest. Today is a new day and I want to approach it with a sense of possibility. You opened some big doors yesterday and the barns behind them are far more than I would ever be able to fill. Yet, I sit here this morning fully expecting You to use me to do just that. Faith is a crazy-wild ride, but what a thrill!
I look at this verse and my answer is no, it is not time for me to live a padded life. This is a season of deep sacrifice as You rebuild what the enemy has destroyed here in South Africa. By faith I stand firm on what You have given me to do and what You have affirmed as my mission and purpose here.
I am awakened today with a strong sense of dependence on You. Father, I do not need any other means besides You speaking a word over us. I pray that today. We do not have much of what we need. Would you speak for us? The children in the community of Sweetwaters need Your provision and the laborers who have stood firm are in need of Your power to deliver. I ask that their prayers be loud in Your presence today. Just as You moved on the heart of Cyrus to enable, empower, and fund the work of the Israelites, I pray that Your presence would stir and flow over the work here in Sweetwaters.
While I wait on Your power to come, I continue to stand firm in faith. No form of opposition, whether it be from friend or foe, can come against what You have spoken to be done here. You will provide, You will move, and we will see Your glory come in full. I pray that asking and believing without a wavering doubt in my heart.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Dance or Sing
Read: Ezra 3
“12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house [Solomon’s temple], when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, though many shouted aloud for joy.” Ezra 3:12
Examine:
There were two groups of people standing on the hill that day. One group forgot the past and danced with joy over what God was doing in the present. The other group was caught up in what once was, what could have been, and what all was left to do. One group sang while the other cried.
Apply:
Letting go of the past is essential to moving forward with the future. There are three things essential to doing this. First, I have to let go of what once was. No matter how hard I long for something I lost I can never go back. I am where I am not where I was. It is really senseless to long for the past.
I also have to stop thinking about what could have been. As I mature and reflect back over my journey it is easy to morn the loss of time. I have made some massive failures and there are nights when it is tormenting to consider where my life would be if I had only listened to God. It is what it is. Spending energy lamenting over opportunity lost is ridiculous.
Finally, I can’t become fixated on what all is left ahead of me. I hate to rebuild anything. It just seems like a total waste. Here is the insanity of this; the Christian life is always about rebuilding. ALWAYS! I am in the process of growing and learning. I will fall down; I will start over a lot. My pride hates this become it means admitting failure. Failure is not an enemy; the denial of it is.
Pray:
Most all of my anger, depression, and frustration in life are tied to these three things. My fixation on the past and future always comes at the cost of the present. The present is a precious gift yet I lose it almost every day.
You know where I am, the hurts I carry from the past, and the weight I feel about the future. You know that I have not forgotten what lies behind and I do not press forward towards the prize ahead. You and I both know that my life, in regards to this, is not in alignment with Your scripture and I acknowledge to You today that this is the source of almost all of my pain.
The problem with dysfunctional behavior is that it becomes sickly addictive and in a strange way comforting. It is hard to stop it. Please help me help myself. I do not want to lose this day to things that are not valuable. The gift of today is an amazing blessing. While I can’t change anything about my past and there is nothing I can do about the future I can choose to dance and sing over the blessings of today. That is my desire and my only request. Open my eyes today to fully see the abundance You have set before me today.
“12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house [Solomon’s temple], when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, though many shouted aloud for joy.” Ezra 3:12
Examine:
There were two groups of people standing on the hill that day. One group forgot the past and danced with joy over what God was doing in the present. The other group was caught up in what once was, what could have been, and what all was left to do. One group sang while the other cried.
Apply:
Letting go of the past is essential to moving forward with the future. There are three things essential to doing this. First, I have to let go of what once was. No matter how hard I long for something I lost I can never go back. I am where I am not where I was. It is really senseless to long for the past.
I also have to stop thinking about what could have been. As I mature and reflect back over my journey it is easy to morn the loss of time. I have made some massive failures and there are nights when it is tormenting to consider where my life would be if I had only listened to God. It is what it is. Spending energy lamenting over opportunity lost is ridiculous.
Finally, I can’t become fixated on what all is left ahead of me. I hate to rebuild anything. It just seems like a total waste. Here is the insanity of this; the Christian life is always about rebuilding. ALWAYS! I am in the process of growing and learning. I will fall down; I will start over a lot. My pride hates this become it means admitting failure. Failure is not an enemy; the denial of it is.
Pray:
Most all of my anger, depression, and frustration in life are tied to these three things. My fixation on the past and future always comes at the cost of the present. The present is a precious gift yet I lose it almost every day.
You know where I am, the hurts I carry from the past, and the weight I feel about the future. You know that I have not forgotten what lies behind and I do not press forward towards the prize ahead. You and I both know that my life, in regards to this, is not in alignment with Your scripture and I acknowledge to You today that this is the source of almost all of my pain.
The problem with dysfunctional behavior is that it becomes sickly addictive and in a strange way comforting. It is hard to stop it. Please help me help myself. I do not want to lose this day to things that are not valuable. The gift of today is an amazing blessing. While I can’t change anything about my past and there is nothing I can do about the future I can choose to dance and sing over the blessings of today. That is my desire and my only request. Open my eyes today to fully see the abundance You have set before me today.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Labor of the Test
Read: Ezra 3
“11 They sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid!” Ezra 3:11
Examine:
The praise represented in this story is backed by 70 years of pain and turmoil. For 70 years the Israelites paid for the mistakes of their forefathers and during the 2 years leading up to this moment they worked in the midst of much danger to complete the foundation of the temple. At last they completed their small part of a large project and then; they danced!
Apply:
I want the dance, but not the years leading up to it. The years leading up to a breakthrough are painful. They represent God stripping me down and purifying me. They represent God transforming the man I am into the man He desires me to be. The years leading up to a moment of great praise are desert times of heat, pressure, coldness, distance, isolation, and labor. It is in the years leading, however, that God establishes character and the very foundation for the praise. If you take away the testing then praising God is not much more than a temporary high that is no different than a movie, a concert, or a great dinner. The labor of the test sweetens the moment of praise. The labor of the test creates a monument that will never be forgotten. The labor of the test makes me dance harder, sing louder, and love greater. The labor of the test steals me away from entitlement and safely delivers me into the hands of gratitude.
Pray:
Eleven years ago I stood in the back yard of my home in Kosciusko and made a bold declaration. My life was a mess at the time, but I had turned back to You. That moment in my back yard I was really tempted to run from the work that I sensed You desired to do in my life. However, the declaration I made was to stand firm. I told You I was in this for the long run and would not back down again.
Today I sit in South Africa on a cold winter morning and it is an awesome time of reflection. I have seen You hold together a marriage that should have died after its first year. I have seen You guide me through a career path that was full of deep challenges, desperate failures, and despondent seasons. I have struggled as You shifted the focus of my faith from the desires of my flesh toward the perfectness of Your heart. When I made that statement eleven years ago, I would have never imagined some of the struggles or where the journey would carry me.
Today, I am not at a place of total praise and dancing. The labor of the test continues to press me towards the moment of praise, but I am not there yet. I am, however, deeply satisfied to sit here today and say that only by Your grace have I made good on that promise from eleven years ago. I have been very imperfect and my failures cannot even begin to be counted. That said, I have always gotten up, centered my heart back to You, swallowed my pride, and gotten back to work. Thank You for Your faithfulness, Your grace, and Your strength. I look forward to finishing this journey and above all I look toward the day when I leave this life and my reward is handed to me in full.
“11 They sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid!” Ezra 3:11
Examine:
The praise represented in this story is backed by 70 years of pain and turmoil. For 70 years the Israelites paid for the mistakes of their forefathers and during the 2 years leading up to this moment they worked in the midst of much danger to complete the foundation of the temple. At last they completed their small part of a large project and then; they danced!
Apply:
I want the dance, but not the years leading up to it. The years leading up to a breakthrough are painful. They represent God stripping me down and purifying me. They represent God transforming the man I am into the man He desires me to be. The years leading up to a moment of great praise are desert times of heat, pressure, coldness, distance, isolation, and labor. It is in the years leading, however, that God establishes character and the very foundation for the praise. If you take away the testing then praising God is not much more than a temporary high that is no different than a movie, a concert, or a great dinner. The labor of the test sweetens the moment of praise. The labor of the test creates a monument that will never be forgotten. The labor of the test makes me dance harder, sing louder, and love greater. The labor of the test steals me away from entitlement and safely delivers me into the hands of gratitude.
Pray:
Eleven years ago I stood in the back yard of my home in Kosciusko and made a bold declaration. My life was a mess at the time, but I had turned back to You. That moment in my back yard I was really tempted to run from the work that I sensed You desired to do in my life. However, the declaration I made was to stand firm. I told You I was in this for the long run and would not back down again.
Today I sit in South Africa on a cold winter morning and it is an awesome time of reflection. I have seen You hold together a marriage that should have died after its first year. I have seen You guide me through a career path that was full of deep challenges, desperate failures, and despondent seasons. I have struggled as You shifted the focus of my faith from the desires of my flesh toward the perfectness of Your heart. When I made that statement eleven years ago, I would have never imagined some of the struggles or where the journey would carry me.
Today, I am not at a place of total praise and dancing. The labor of the test continues to press me towards the moment of praise, but I am not there yet. I am, however, deeply satisfied to sit here today and say that only by Your grace have I made good on that promise from eleven years ago. I have been very imperfect and my failures cannot even begin to be counted. That said, I have always gotten up, centered my heart back to You, swallowed my pride, and gotten back to work. Thank You for Your faithfulness, Your grace, and Your strength. I look forward to finishing this journey and above all I look toward the day when I leave this life and my reward is handed to me in full.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Not Then, Now
Read: Ezra 3
“2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God. 3 So they set up the altar on its foundation, for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening.”
Examine:
Common sense would hold it to be a better decision to not start the sacrifices until the temple was built and the walls were reconstructed. People who were their enemies surrounded them. The moment the smoke started billowing from the alter the war drums would start beating from the camps of those who hated them and their God. The leaders and the people pushed through their fears and logic in order to honor what God desired of them.
Apply:
There has always been this thought in the back of my mind that once my faith grew strong I would do more for God. I have too many doubts, I know far too little of the Bible and I struggle with too many things. I can’t teach the Word, I can’t really pray that great, and I don’t feel strong enough in my convictions. I have always thought that once God sets those things straight I would then be able to do something great.
My mind says assess the situation and make a prudent decision based on my judgment of the risk. The problem with this line of thinking is that it is completely without Biblical precedent. It is a lie straight from the smoke of hell and it has cost me much in life. The call of Christ is just as I am, from where I am; I must be following hard after Him. It is a call to come and die. I must die to my own terms of obedience. I must die to the image I have of faith. I must die to sense of security. I must die to my ideal situation and just say yes from where I am.
Pray:
Over the past few days I have desired from You a sign. I have cried out to You and longed for You to do something tangible to prove Yourself to me. I have asked for the doubts that haunt me to be removed and for the risk I daily face to be shrunk into something more manageable. I have put my needs before You and asked that You make the provision evident. As I have done that, I have seen the needs grow and my resources shrink. I have experienced more conflict and less favor. In the heat of it all the word I heard from You through a friend was, “Jason, you will never know with certainty. The resources will never be enough. The provision will never arrive early. The conflict will always make it seem impossible. If I give you what you are asking for, you will no longer need faith. And without faith, it is impossible to please me.”
I accept this word from You today. I do not like it, but I understand it. As crazy as it seems, I continue to step toward You today in faith. I would like to say I will no longer pray for assurance, but we both know that is not possible. I so appreciate Your grace as I try to figure this life out and grow and mature in my journey back home to You. In the middle of all this mess; I have never loved You so deeply, needed You so strongly, or been so grateful for my life. Thank You for taking me on this journey.
“2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God. 3 So they set up the altar on its foundation, for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening.”
Examine:
Common sense would hold it to be a better decision to not start the sacrifices until the temple was built and the walls were reconstructed. People who were their enemies surrounded them. The moment the smoke started billowing from the alter the war drums would start beating from the camps of those who hated them and their God. The leaders and the people pushed through their fears and logic in order to honor what God desired of them.
Apply:
There has always been this thought in the back of my mind that once my faith grew strong I would do more for God. I have too many doubts, I know far too little of the Bible and I struggle with too many things. I can’t teach the Word, I can’t really pray that great, and I don’t feel strong enough in my convictions. I have always thought that once God sets those things straight I would then be able to do something great.
My mind says assess the situation and make a prudent decision based on my judgment of the risk. The problem with this line of thinking is that it is completely without Biblical precedent. It is a lie straight from the smoke of hell and it has cost me much in life. The call of Christ is just as I am, from where I am; I must be following hard after Him. It is a call to come and die. I must die to my own terms of obedience. I must die to the image I have of faith. I must die to sense of security. I must die to my ideal situation and just say yes from where I am.
Pray:
Over the past few days I have desired from You a sign. I have cried out to You and longed for You to do something tangible to prove Yourself to me. I have asked for the doubts that haunt me to be removed and for the risk I daily face to be shrunk into something more manageable. I have put my needs before You and asked that You make the provision evident. As I have done that, I have seen the needs grow and my resources shrink. I have experienced more conflict and less favor. In the heat of it all the word I heard from You through a friend was, “Jason, you will never know with certainty. The resources will never be enough. The provision will never arrive early. The conflict will always make it seem impossible. If I give you what you are asking for, you will no longer need faith. And without faith, it is impossible to please me.”
I accept this word from You today. I do not like it, but I understand it. As crazy as it seems, I continue to step toward You today in faith. I would like to say I will no longer pray for assurance, but we both know that is not possible. I so appreciate Your grace as I try to figure this life out and grow and mature in my journey back home to You. In the middle of all this mess; I have never loved You so deeply, needed You so strongly, or been so grateful for my life. Thank You for taking me on this journey.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Making Lists
Read: Ezra 2
“These came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:” Ezra 2:2
Examine:
Though such a list of names and locations seems unnecessary to some modern readers, it would have been of great encouragement to the original readers as they saw their own families and towns represented. For them and their families their names were listed among one of the great movements of God. They said yes to God and became part of the recorded history of His greatness and the legacy of their family as well.
Apply:
The Bible is no longer being recorded, but the history of God’s movement is. There is nothing under the sun that goes unnoticed and every time I say yes to God my name goes down as being part of a movement. One day I will stand before God and be judged. Most of the teaching I have heard on this moment focuses on God replaying my failures. There is a lot I am unsure of but this much I know; Jesus said my failures have been removed, as far as the east is from the west. They no longer exist because of my faith in the complete work of the cross.
What I choose to believe to be true about a large part of my time before the throne will be an acknowledgement of my involvement with God’s movements on earth. Every work I join that is connected to Jesus’ mission to reconcile all things to Himself is credited to me and a reward for that is stored up where nothing can destroy it or take it away. Every work I join that is not of Jesus contains its full reward here on earth and the only list it makes is my resume and biography.
Pray:
This morning I am taken back to a moment ten years ago. I had a list on a couple sheets of yellow legal pad paper that numbered 127 items. It was a list of goals I wanted to accomplish with my life. The moment I am remembering now is the morning You told me to throw it away. That list had become my idol and it was time to lose it. It was a hard thing to do and there are honestly days I desire to see that list one more time!
I realize now that that list was about resume building and You asked me to put it aside because Your desire for my life was kingdom building. What started with the destruction of a list has culminated in a ten-year journey of You separating me from my fleshy desires for success in this life. There is very little that has happened over the past ten years that I would have chosen for my family or myself. That said, there is not a single aspect of where this journey has led that I would change.
I wanted to thank You this morning. You ignored what I wanted and gave me what I needed. You had me leave behind what I desired and trade it in for what You desired for me. You had me trash what was temporary and replaced it with something eternal. Thank You. The pain of loss will always be a cheap price to pay whenever I trade in my plans in exchange for Your greater plan.
“These came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:” Ezra 2:2
Examine:
Though such a list of names and locations seems unnecessary to some modern readers, it would have been of great encouragement to the original readers as they saw their own families and towns represented. For them and their families their names were listed among one of the great movements of God. They said yes to God and became part of the recorded history of His greatness and the legacy of their family as well.
Apply:
The Bible is no longer being recorded, but the history of God’s movement is. There is nothing under the sun that goes unnoticed and every time I say yes to God my name goes down as being part of a movement. One day I will stand before God and be judged. Most of the teaching I have heard on this moment focuses on God replaying my failures. There is a lot I am unsure of but this much I know; Jesus said my failures have been removed, as far as the east is from the west. They no longer exist because of my faith in the complete work of the cross.
What I choose to believe to be true about a large part of my time before the throne will be an acknowledgement of my involvement with God’s movements on earth. Every work I join that is connected to Jesus’ mission to reconcile all things to Himself is credited to me and a reward for that is stored up where nothing can destroy it or take it away. Every work I join that is not of Jesus contains its full reward here on earth and the only list it makes is my resume and biography.
Pray:
This morning I am taken back to a moment ten years ago. I had a list on a couple sheets of yellow legal pad paper that numbered 127 items. It was a list of goals I wanted to accomplish with my life. The moment I am remembering now is the morning You told me to throw it away. That list had become my idol and it was time to lose it. It was a hard thing to do and there are honestly days I desire to see that list one more time!
I realize now that that list was about resume building and You asked me to put it aside because Your desire for my life was kingdom building. What started with the destruction of a list has culminated in a ten-year journey of You separating me from my fleshy desires for success in this life. There is very little that has happened over the past ten years that I would have chosen for my family or myself. That said, there is not a single aspect of where this journey has led that I would change.
I wanted to thank You this morning. You ignored what I wanted and gave me what I needed. You had me leave behind what I desired and trade it in for what You desired for me. You had me trash what was temporary and replaced it with something eternal. Thank You. The pain of loss will always be a cheap price to pay whenever I trade in my plans in exchange for Your greater plan.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Promise of Provision
Read: Ezra 1
“4 And in any place where a survivor [of the Babylonian captivity of the Jews] sojourns, let the men of that place assist him with silver and gold, with goods and beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:4
Examine:
God had promised in Isaiah 45 (150 years prior to this declaration) that He would provide the resources of secret places to complete the rebuilding of His temple. In this verse we see that promise coming to life.
Apply:
For me, this comes back to the ministry of Jesus and the promises captured in the New Testament. Jesus said that all my needs were covered. He said that the Spirit of God would move in me such that I would be able to do even greater things than He. He said that if my faith would not waiver I would have anything I asked for according to His name.
Pray:
The past few days have represented a period of intense reflection over the work here, the attacks I am currently facing, and Your will for me in the middle of it all. I am constantly aware of the fact that we have dove head-first into an intense battle. This battle has been raging for years while Your church in America has for the most part sat idle as children are raped, abandoned, and left starving daily and an unfathomable number of people die daily from a horrific disease. Your church in America has sat idle while the saints around the world have held fast to their hope and prayed for relief. Your church in America has lavishly adorned its services and programs in an effort to generate engagement while the saints around the world have huddled together in dirty rooms and offered praise that dwarfs the most expensive services imaginable. Forgive us Father. Forgive me. I think back on the ways I have contributed to both creating and participating in the exuberant waste and my only response is that I am deeply grateful for Your grace.
I sit this morning with the image of Winnie and Pretty and Ignatia and all the other saints in this place singing to You about Your greatness and their love of You and it stirs inside of me deeply. I see Stu and Sam and their team and there is a fire in their eyes and a joy in their heart that offers life I have not seen before. They have all held firm to their hope that You would one day fulfill Your promise and deliver this place. They have not lost hope that Your church would awaken, take what has been so freely given, and invest it in the rebuilding of Your work here. They have lived daily in a world that I can’t imagine and yet their joy in You far exceeds mine.
You brought me here to fight for them, to help resource them, and to love them. I am inadequate to do any of these on my own. I step out in faith trusting that You have truly called me into this work and that You will raise up others around me to support the rebuilding here. Use me as You wish. My life is not my own. I am compelled to do only that to which You have called me. I ask that Your anointing on my life, words and actions be strong and ever present before me.
“4 And in any place where a survivor [of the Babylonian captivity of the Jews] sojourns, let the men of that place assist him with silver and gold, with goods and beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:4
Examine:
God had promised in Isaiah 45 (150 years prior to this declaration) that He would provide the resources of secret places to complete the rebuilding of His temple. In this verse we see that promise coming to life.
Apply:
For me, this comes back to the ministry of Jesus and the promises captured in the New Testament. Jesus said that all my needs were covered. He said that the Spirit of God would move in me such that I would be able to do even greater things than He. He said that if my faith would not waiver I would have anything I asked for according to His name.
Pray:
The past few days have represented a period of intense reflection over the work here, the attacks I am currently facing, and Your will for me in the middle of it all. I am constantly aware of the fact that we have dove head-first into an intense battle. This battle has been raging for years while Your church in America has for the most part sat idle as children are raped, abandoned, and left starving daily and an unfathomable number of people die daily from a horrific disease. Your church in America has sat idle while the saints around the world have held fast to their hope and prayed for relief. Your church in America has lavishly adorned its services and programs in an effort to generate engagement while the saints around the world have huddled together in dirty rooms and offered praise that dwarfs the most expensive services imaginable. Forgive us Father. Forgive me. I think back on the ways I have contributed to both creating and participating in the exuberant waste and my only response is that I am deeply grateful for Your grace.
I sit this morning with the image of Winnie and Pretty and Ignatia and all the other saints in this place singing to You about Your greatness and their love of You and it stirs inside of me deeply. I see Stu and Sam and their team and there is a fire in their eyes and a joy in their heart that offers life I have not seen before. They have all held firm to their hope that You would one day fulfill Your promise and deliver this place. They have not lost hope that Your church would awaken, take what has been so freely given, and invest it in the rebuilding of Your work here. They have lived daily in a world that I can’t imagine and yet their joy in You far exceeds mine.
You brought me here to fight for them, to help resource them, and to love them. I am inadequate to do any of these on my own. I step out in faith trusting that You have truly called me into this work and that You will raise up others around me to support the rebuilding here. Use me as You wish. My life is not my own. I am compelled to do only that to which You have called me. I ask that Your anointing on my life, words and actions be strong and ever present before me.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Rebuilding Plan
Read: Ezra 1:
“3 Whoever is among you of all His people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem; He is God.” Ezra 1:3
Examine:
God returned people of Israel to Jerusalem in three stages. Each stage had a specific purpose and was led by a specific man. Zerubbabel led the first with the charge of rebuilding the temple. The second was led by Ezra and this stage was designed to realign the people’s hearts in obedience to God. Nehemiah led the third and its objective was the rebuilding of the walls.
Apply:
Sin is destructive. There are three main things that sin destroys; my worship of God, my obedience to God, and my safety in God. That is what the Israelites were charged with rebuilding (their temple, their hearts, and their defenses) and that is what I will always find as I rebuild what sin has destroyed.
Pray:
I always want to start with rebuilding the walls of protection. When those walls come down and my life or the lives of others come under attack, the first thing I want to restore is a sense of safety and protection. “God if You will just restore peace, then I will praise You.”; I am not sure how many times I have uttered that prayer for myself or on behalf of others. But, You know my heart to well. As soon as things get better I will drift away. Because of Your knowledge of this You hold-back peace and protection until I deal with worship and obedience.
Worship is critical. It is not the singing of songs on a Sunday. Worship is all of me acknowledging all of You. It is a movement of my heart that stirs me to towards Your greatness and reminds me of the pale comparison of the world to You. It is an exchange of the best my life has to offer for the best You have to offer. It is the acceptance of You has my perfect Father, Jesus as my perfect Lord, and the Spirit as my perfect provider. It is a grand celebration of everything You are and a walking away from everything the world has to offer. It is the safety of a relationship that can never be shaken and everything in my life will be birthed, not out of my obedience to You, but out of my worship of You.
That is the place I need to land today. Obedience will come and the walls of defense and protection will be provided. I want to start today, just as I am and just as my life is, and offer You the worship You deserve. I want my worship to be untethered from my desires for a better life and the circumstances that I face. I want my worship to stay before You incessantly and for my prayers to never cease offering You praise. I open the doors of my heart wide to You today and offer it to You to do with as You desire.
“3 Whoever is among you of all His people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem; He is God.” Ezra 1:3
Examine:
God returned people of Israel to Jerusalem in three stages. Each stage had a specific purpose and was led by a specific man. Zerubbabel led the first with the charge of rebuilding the temple. The second was led by Ezra and this stage was designed to realign the people’s hearts in obedience to God. Nehemiah led the third and its objective was the rebuilding of the walls.
Apply:
Sin is destructive. There are three main things that sin destroys; my worship of God, my obedience to God, and my safety in God. That is what the Israelites were charged with rebuilding (their temple, their hearts, and their defenses) and that is what I will always find as I rebuild what sin has destroyed.
Pray:
I always want to start with rebuilding the walls of protection. When those walls come down and my life or the lives of others come under attack, the first thing I want to restore is a sense of safety and protection. “God if You will just restore peace, then I will praise You.”; I am not sure how many times I have uttered that prayer for myself or on behalf of others. But, You know my heart to well. As soon as things get better I will drift away. Because of Your knowledge of this You hold-back peace and protection until I deal with worship and obedience.
Worship is critical. It is not the singing of songs on a Sunday. Worship is all of me acknowledging all of You. It is a movement of my heart that stirs me to towards Your greatness and reminds me of the pale comparison of the world to You. It is an exchange of the best my life has to offer for the best You have to offer. It is the acceptance of You has my perfect Father, Jesus as my perfect Lord, and the Spirit as my perfect provider. It is a grand celebration of everything You are and a walking away from everything the world has to offer. It is the safety of a relationship that can never be shaken and everything in my life will be birthed, not out of my obedience to You, but out of my worship of You.
That is the place I need to land today. Obedience will come and the walls of defense and protection will be provided. I want to start today, just as I am and just as my life is, and offer You the worship You deserve. I want my worship to be untethered from my desires for a better life and the circumstances that I face. I want my worship to stay before You incessantly and for my prayers to never cease offering You praise. I open the doors of my heart wide to You today and offer it to You to do with as You desire.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
If He Speaks It
Read: Ezra 1
“2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia…” Ezra 1:2
Examine:
On this day Cyrus, king of Persia, arose with a stirring inside of him that was unexplainable. He was not a servant of God and yet he arose and decreed that the people of God be released to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. When Cyrus did this two amazing things happened. First, Isaiah’s words, which were recorded 150 years earlier in Isaiah 45, were fulfilled. He called Cyrus by name in this passage and told that he would be the one God used to rebuild the temple. Second, the words of Jeremiah that said Israel would be released to return from exile after 70 years were fulfilled.
Apply:
God is in control. That is the cry I hear in my heart this morning as I read this passage. He appoints the right person at the right time to accomplish His purposes. I spend far too much time assessing the odds and weighing the costs. I just need to pursue God and trust the results. God uses people in His plans but ultimately it is His plans that are played out.
Pray:
It is amazing to me to think about Your greatness today. There are times when life feels overwhelming and honestly You feel quite distant. I long for things that are not possible. I stand in the place where I am today and I am broken by the state of Your saints here. Your judgment on this place is unmistakable, but I am also stirred by the judgment that has to be stored up for the church and the wealthy because of the blind eye we have turned to the suffering of the poor and needy. You created abundance in our accounts so that we might have the honor of using it to help restore hope and life to people who have none. But, we have wasted it.
I look at the world I come from and compare it to the world I walk in today and I am sickened. What I would not give to have all the resources I have wasted in my life returned to me so that I might be able to invest it in the lives of Your saints who are at work here. I am thankful that Your grace covers my mistakes and that Your power has the capacity to restore what has been wasted.
I ask that Your Spirit stir again today as it stirred with Cyrus. I pray that people awaken today with a desire to give what has been stored up to faithful men and women who are dedicated to restoring Your promises to those who have no means of hope. If You speak it, it will be done. That is what I ask today. Please speak on behalf of the saints here. Please pour out the resources that are necessary to rebuild Your kingdom here and undo the damage caused by those who falsely claim Your name. I ask that You prove Your glory and make Your anointing unmistakable.
“2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia…” Ezra 1:2
Examine:
On this day Cyrus, king of Persia, arose with a stirring inside of him that was unexplainable. He was not a servant of God and yet he arose and decreed that the people of God be released to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. When Cyrus did this two amazing things happened. First, Isaiah’s words, which were recorded 150 years earlier in Isaiah 45, were fulfilled. He called Cyrus by name in this passage and told that he would be the one God used to rebuild the temple. Second, the words of Jeremiah that said Israel would be released to return from exile after 70 years were fulfilled.
Apply:
God is in control. That is the cry I hear in my heart this morning as I read this passage. He appoints the right person at the right time to accomplish His purposes. I spend far too much time assessing the odds and weighing the costs. I just need to pursue God and trust the results. God uses people in His plans but ultimately it is His plans that are played out.
Pray:
It is amazing to me to think about Your greatness today. There are times when life feels overwhelming and honestly You feel quite distant. I long for things that are not possible. I stand in the place where I am today and I am broken by the state of Your saints here. Your judgment on this place is unmistakable, but I am also stirred by the judgment that has to be stored up for the church and the wealthy because of the blind eye we have turned to the suffering of the poor and needy. You created abundance in our accounts so that we might have the honor of using it to help restore hope and life to people who have none. But, we have wasted it.
I look at the world I come from and compare it to the world I walk in today and I am sickened. What I would not give to have all the resources I have wasted in my life returned to me so that I might be able to invest it in the lives of Your saints who are at work here. I am thankful that Your grace covers my mistakes and that Your power has the capacity to restore what has been wasted.
I ask that Your Spirit stir again today as it stirred with Cyrus. I pray that people awaken today with a desire to give what has been stored up to faithful men and women who are dedicated to restoring Your promises to those who have no means of hope. If You speak it, it will be done. That is what I ask today. Please speak on behalf of the saints here. Please pour out the resources that are necessary to rebuild Your kingdom here and undo the damage caused by those who falsely claim Your name. I ask that You prove Your glory and make Your anointing unmistakable.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Guarding My Heart
Read: Proverbs 4
“23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Examine:
Solomon was a man of great wisdom but he was also a man of great folly. His inability to guard his heart from temptation ultimately was his downfall. He could have blamed his failures on his position, his wealth and the temptations they afforded him but he did not. Solomon looked in the mirror and accepted responsibility for his actions. He lost control of his heart and consequently lost control of his life.
Apply:
In guarding my heart I must be careful to stay away from feelings of anger and entitlement. Whenever I feel like I deserve something that I am not getting my anger is often kindled. This is not always an explosive anger as it can come in the form of pouting, stewing, or sitting in pity. Either way, it is lethal to my heart. Entitlement starts my fall to temptation by making me feel like I have been cheated in someway. Once I feel cheated, I can justify a lot of behavior as a means of making things right.
Another lethal thing to my heart is pursuing “Why always” questions. Why does she always have to do that? Why does this always happen to me? Why is it always so difficult? These questions are simply pure poison. There is zero value to them other than they lead to the death of my heart. God is a God of continual hope and these are hopeless questions. Hopeless questions are open doors to temptation and failure.
Pray:
The ways of my heart are far beyond me. There are times when something seems to seize me and I find myself trapped in temptation, lost in desperation, or stuck seething in anger. I hate that side of me. I loath it. There is no joy in that man and he will devour anything and everything that either offers the promise of relief or remedy. There are days I like to play victim to that man. I claim that he comes out of nowhere and overtakes me and that there is little I can do about it. Today, I renounce this line of thinking and accept responsibility for my own bad choices in guarding my heart.
I am not vigilant in protecting my heart. Out of my heart are the springs of life and I often pollute those springs with bad thoughts, attitudes, and desires. The only way I can protect my heart is to give it to You blamelessly and willingly. Help me today to press my heart into faithful service. Let the desires of my heart long solely for the goodness of Your will and the pureness of Your joy and hope. Keep me far from things that are not of You and let my joy find its fullness in the things are from You.
“23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Examine:
Solomon was a man of great wisdom but he was also a man of great folly. His inability to guard his heart from temptation ultimately was his downfall. He could have blamed his failures on his position, his wealth and the temptations they afforded him but he did not. Solomon looked in the mirror and accepted responsibility for his actions. He lost control of his heart and consequently lost control of his life.
Apply:
In guarding my heart I must be careful to stay away from feelings of anger and entitlement. Whenever I feel like I deserve something that I am not getting my anger is often kindled. This is not always an explosive anger as it can come in the form of pouting, stewing, or sitting in pity. Either way, it is lethal to my heart. Entitlement starts my fall to temptation by making me feel like I have been cheated in someway. Once I feel cheated, I can justify a lot of behavior as a means of making things right.
Another lethal thing to my heart is pursuing “Why always” questions. Why does she always have to do that? Why does this always happen to me? Why is it always so difficult? These questions are simply pure poison. There is zero value to them other than they lead to the death of my heart. God is a God of continual hope and these are hopeless questions. Hopeless questions are open doors to temptation and failure.
Pray:
The ways of my heart are far beyond me. There are times when something seems to seize me and I find myself trapped in temptation, lost in desperation, or stuck seething in anger. I hate that side of me. I loath it. There is no joy in that man and he will devour anything and everything that either offers the promise of relief or remedy. There are days I like to play victim to that man. I claim that he comes out of nowhere and overtakes me and that there is little I can do about it. Today, I renounce this line of thinking and accept responsibility for my own bad choices in guarding my heart.
I am not vigilant in protecting my heart. Out of my heart are the springs of life and I often pollute those springs with bad thoughts, attitudes, and desires. The only way I can protect my heart is to give it to You blamelessly and willingly. Help me today to press my heart into faithful service. Let the desires of my heart long solely for the goodness of Your will and the pureness of Your joy and hope. Keep me far from things that are not of You and let my joy find its fullness in the things are from You.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Always Finding God
Read: Proverbs 4
“Then he taught me and said to me, ‘Let your heart hold fast to my words; Keep my commandments and live;’” Proverbs 4:4
Examine:
This conversation between David and Solomon is recorded in 1 Chronicles 28:10. There are three main words Solomon heard David encourage him to hold fast. First, develop a personal knowledge of God. Appreciate, obey, cherish and understand God for yourself. Second, serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind. Third, inquire of God and seek Him as your first and most vital necessity. When you seek Him in that way you will always find Him.
Apply:
I can’t live off of the expression of God I see in others. Reading books and learning from leaders is a critical part of gaining wisdom, but another person’s experience of God is not mine and will never be of any real value for me. I have to know God for myself and stand firm on my own faith.
To God, the motives behind my actions are at least as important as the actions themselves. God wants me to pursue Him with a heart that is blameless and a mind that is willing.
Truth be known, it is easy to slip into a mode where I seek God as a catalyst or protector of the things I have decided to do. I get myself into the middle of something and then turn to God for assurance, protection or deliverance. God wants me seeking Him like my life depends on finding Him in that instance.
Pray:
I am in a place where my faith has never been. I have been led to this place by Your Spirit and prepared for this work by the great men and women You have allowed to be part of my life. The crazy part of this journey is that it is one that I have had to go on my own. The faith of others helped get me here but I can’t stand on their faith. I have to know You myself as wisdom, power, provision, protection, and deliverance. I have to see with my own eyes You move mountains and shake the heavens. My heart is blameless before You today and my mind is set solely on You. I do not want to seek You second today. I come to You first and want to return to You only. Lead me today. Let my lips hold fast to praise and help my prayers be continually before You. I ask that You not veil Your face today but that I may see it in its full radiance.
“Then he taught me and said to me, ‘Let your heart hold fast to my words; Keep my commandments and live;’” Proverbs 4:4
Examine:
This conversation between David and Solomon is recorded in 1 Chronicles 28:10. There are three main words Solomon heard David encourage him to hold fast. First, develop a personal knowledge of God. Appreciate, obey, cherish and understand God for yourself. Second, serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind. Third, inquire of God and seek Him as your first and most vital necessity. When you seek Him in that way you will always find Him.
Apply:
I can’t live off of the expression of God I see in others. Reading books and learning from leaders is a critical part of gaining wisdom, but another person’s experience of God is not mine and will never be of any real value for me. I have to know God for myself and stand firm on my own faith.
To God, the motives behind my actions are at least as important as the actions themselves. God wants me to pursue Him with a heart that is blameless and a mind that is willing.
Truth be known, it is easy to slip into a mode where I seek God as a catalyst or protector of the things I have decided to do. I get myself into the middle of something and then turn to God for assurance, protection or deliverance. God wants me seeking Him like my life depends on finding Him in that instance.
Pray:
I am in a place where my faith has never been. I have been led to this place by Your Spirit and prepared for this work by the great men and women You have allowed to be part of my life. The crazy part of this journey is that it is one that I have had to go on my own. The faith of others helped get me here but I can’t stand on their faith. I have to know You myself as wisdom, power, provision, protection, and deliverance. I have to see with my own eyes You move mountains and shake the heavens. My heart is blameless before You today and my mind is set solely on You. I do not want to seek You second today. I come to You first and want to return to You only. Lead me today. Let my lips hold fast to praise and help my prayers be continually before You. I ask that You not veil Your face today but that I may see it in its full radiance.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
No Easy Journey
Read: 2 Thessalonians 3
“Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Examine:
Paul knew that there was no way he could pray for us to have an easy journey. There is absolutely no way possible to follow Christ and not experience adversity, loss, and pain. It just simply can’t happen. While he could not pray for a journey full of easy circumstances he knew that he could pray for the perfect peace of God to make the circumstances irrelevant.
Apply:
As I continue to examine my prayer life I stand amazed at how many of my prayers focus their attention on improving circumstances. I also see that when I pray for others I am feel pressed to pray a prayer that will lead them to a better place in life. There is a lot I can learn from Paul. To be a Christian is to engage in the mission of Jesus. It is a call to set aside every encumbrance and dedicate my life to serving God’s kingdom. Encumbrances come in many forms but one of the main ones I see today is my desire to live easy.
Pray:
I do not want sleepless nights. I do not want long days of toil. I do not want to scrape by and depend on You for my daily food. I do not want to make people angry by offending them with the truth and I for sure do not appreciate someone trying to confront me with the truth when my life is not as it should be. I do not like discipline, I resist rebuke, and I steer clear of correcting others. According to Your Word that makes me a fool.
I hear what You are saying to me today. I honestly do. I also recognize that I may not be mature enough to fully accept it. It is hard to let go of the dream that praying to You can become a magical experience in which all that is wrong in my life is set straight. It is hard to agree to praying Your will be done and really mean it. My deepest desire in prayers is to see hard things become easy; but I hear You saying that my consuming passion in prayer should be to see unholy things become holy.
My thirst for righteousness does not yet exceed my desire for comfort, but the transformation is taking place. I do not resist You in any way this morning. I submit to continuing this journey and I am grateful that Your grace understands my immaturity. I ask for the strength, faith, wisdom and knowledge I need today to truly desire Your will and Your kingdom above my own.
“Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Examine:
Paul knew that there was no way he could pray for us to have an easy journey. There is absolutely no way possible to follow Christ and not experience adversity, loss, and pain. It just simply can’t happen. While he could not pray for a journey full of easy circumstances he knew that he could pray for the perfect peace of God to make the circumstances irrelevant.
Apply:
As I continue to examine my prayer life I stand amazed at how many of my prayers focus their attention on improving circumstances. I also see that when I pray for others I am feel pressed to pray a prayer that will lead them to a better place in life. There is a lot I can learn from Paul. To be a Christian is to engage in the mission of Jesus. It is a call to set aside every encumbrance and dedicate my life to serving God’s kingdom. Encumbrances come in many forms but one of the main ones I see today is my desire to live easy.
Pray:
I do not want sleepless nights. I do not want long days of toil. I do not want to scrape by and depend on You for my daily food. I do not want to make people angry by offending them with the truth and I for sure do not appreciate someone trying to confront me with the truth when my life is not as it should be. I do not like discipline, I resist rebuke, and I steer clear of correcting others. According to Your Word that makes me a fool.
I hear what You are saying to me today. I honestly do. I also recognize that I may not be mature enough to fully accept it. It is hard to let go of the dream that praying to You can become a magical experience in which all that is wrong in my life is set straight. It is hard to agree to praying Your will be done and really mean it. My deepest desire in prayers is to see hard things become easy; but I hear You saying that my consuming passion in prayer should be to see unholy things become holy.
My thirst for righteousness does not yet exceed my desire for comfort, but the transformation is taking place. I do not resist You in any way this morning. I submit to continuing this journey and I am grateful that Your grace understands my immaturity. I ask for the strength, faith, wisdom and knowledge I need today to truly desire Your will and Your kingdom above my own.
Friday, July 1, 2011
A Great Massage
Read: 2 Thessalonians 3
“Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. “ 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Examine:
Paul’s heart and the focus of his life was to see the Lord’s message spread rapidly and be honored everywhere. Salvation was not something he took lightly nor was it something he viewed as being private. God had granted him something amazing and also charged him with sharing it.
Apply:
God has been working with me deeply on two fronts; prayer and evangelism. I do not like the word evangelism. It is a word that has be ravaged by religious doctrine and teaching. I feel like I just need to start over and create my own definition of this word. Jesus said it best when He commanded us to allow His power to come upon us and then go be His witnesses to the world. That is what I am called to do. That is what all believers are called to do. I should focus my heart everyday on being overwhelmed by the power of God and then set my agenda towards being His witness.
God has been really working on my heart about my prayer and I have tried to focus on improving it, but this has proven to be a massive failure. Prayer normally ends up feeling like I am giving God an update on my life and informing Him of my preferred outcome for the situations I determine to be most important. There is a time and a place for making my requests known but that cannot be the sole focus of my prayers. Paul’s prayer and the prayers of Jesus were focused on discovering the will of the Father and then seeing His will rapidly become a reality on earth. That should always be the basis of my prayers.
Pray:
The coolest thing in the world to me about You is the more honest I am with You the more peace I find in my heart. It is like with every confession of weakness I find in You a deep well of strength and power. This morning I sense You stripping away at two weak spots in my life. As I feel this taking place the only way I know to describe it is it feels like getting a great massage. The tenderness of Your touch as You gently work out the tense spots of my faith relaxes me greatly and reminds me that You are not difficult to deal with when I deal with You in honesty. I have no request of You this morning. I just want to thank you so very much. It is good to be in Your presence. My eyes are set on You and my ears are tuned in to You. I trust You to lead my heart into a full understanding and expression Your love and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
“Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. “ 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Examine:
Paul’s heart and the focus of his life was to see the Lord’s message spread rapidly and be honored everywhere. Salvation was not something he took lightly nor was it something he viewed as being private. God had granted him something amazing and also charged him with sharing it.
Apply:
God has been working with me deeply on two fronts; prayer and evangelism. I do not like the word evangelism. It is a word that has be ravaged by religious doctrine and teaching. I feel like I just need to start over and create my own definition of this word. Jesus said it best when He commanded us to allow His power to come upon us and then go be His witnesses to the world. That is what I am called to do. That is what all believers are called to do. I should focus my heart everyday on being overwhelmed by the power of God and then set my agenda towards being His witness.
God has been really working on my heart about my prayer and I have tried to focus on improving it, but this has proven to be a massive failure. Prayer normally ends up feeling like I am giving God an update on my life and informing Him of my preferred outcome for the situations I determine to be most important. There is a time and a place for making my requests known but that cannot be the sole focus of my prayers. Paul’s prayer and the prayers of Jesus were focused on discovering the will of the Father and then seeing His will rapidly become a reality on earth. That should always be the basis of my prayers.
Pray:
The coolest thing in the world to me about You is the more honest I am with You the more peace I find in my heart. It is like with every confession of weakness I find in You a deep well of strength and power. This morning I sense You stripping away at two weak spots in my life. As I feel this taking place the only way I know to describe it is it feels like getting a great massage. The tenderness of Your touch as You gently work out the tense spots of my faith relaxes me greatly and reminds me that You are not difficult to deal with when I deal with You in honesty. I have no request of You this morning. I just want to thank you so very much. It is good to be in Your presence. My eyes are set on You and my ears are tuned in to You. I trust You to lead my heart into a full understanding and expression Your love and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
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