Words of Encouragement

Don't Worry Be Happy

2011-07-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

The men on their way to Emmaus: “and it came to pass that as they conversed and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were held from recognizing him.”

I wonder how often I walk through life and Jesus comes and walks with me but I am somehow prevented from recognizing him.

Lord, I would like to be more aware of when You are walking with me as I travel along through my day. I believe that the light of Your countenance shining upon me will bring me more of Your joy and peace. I’d like that, Lord.

Maybe there are better reasons to be aware of your walking with me than just feeling good. But then, how much of what we do every day has to do with feeling good? I feel good when I hug, make love, eat, take a hot shower, talk with family or friends, drink coffee, make money, succeed, exercise, look good. How many times in the past have I taken drugs or drank so I would feel good. I read a book to feel good. I go to a movie to feel good. I even go to the toilet to feel good. I buy a bed that feels good, and clothes that feel good. I even do kind deeds and then feel good afterwards.

So much of life has to do with feeling good, so why shouldn’t I desire to have more awareness of Your presence so I can sense Your countenance shining upon me so I can experience Your joy and peace? That’s a good thing.

Ps: “In Your presence is fullness of joy.” Deut: “You shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.” Ecc: “Nothing is better than to rejoice”

Help me, Lord, walk in Your ways today so that I may notice You walking with me. If I am happy, joyful or filled with joy today, I’ll know it’s because of Your presence with me!

And He delivers him out of them all

2011-03-22T06:37:00.000-07:00

God is a God of rescue, of deliverance, of redemption. Ps 50:14,15 "offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving ... call upon Me in the day of trouble. I shall rescue you and you shall honor me." And again in Ps 34:19 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and He delivers him out of them all."

Such an amazing thing - that God would deliver us out of all affliction. For every affliction there is a deliverance, a rescue, a redemption - that we may honor Him!

No wonder we may offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving - He has done so much for us! I need to think back on my afflictions and how God has rescued me, as an encouragement to trust Him more.

It's in HOW we touch Him

2011-01-19T15:03:00.000-08:00

A woman came up on the throng behind him - and she touched the border of his garment, for she was saying to herself "If I may but tough his clothes I shall be cured."

Instantly she knew in her body she was healed

Immediately Jesus knowing in himself that the power had gone forth from him, said "Somebody touched Me - for I knew that power went forth from me."

There were many who touched him that day. They were pressing all about him. Some may have touched him just to say they touched him. Others may ahve reached out and touched him as one would touch a movie star in passing if you could.

But that day only one in the crowd was healed.

Who knows how or why all the others touched him, but she touched him with purpose, with intent, with faith.

The Scripture says "He started to look around to see the one who had done this."

What was he looking for? Someone who was changed. Someone who was amazed. This is because you can't touch Jesus with purpose, receive his power, and not be changed and healed.

The woman saw that she could not hide - it was obvious in what those around her saw, especially Jesus.

Many touch You, Lord. Help me know how to touch you with purpose, with intent, with faith.

I'm so happy just to dance with You

2010-12-15T06:03:00.000-08:00

Before this dance is through
I think I'll love you too
I'm so happy when you dance with me.
If somebody tries to take my place
Let's pretend we just can't see his face.
In this world there's nothing I would rather do
'cause I'm happy just to dance with you.
Just to dance with you
It's everything I need.

Lord, I don't like the fact that Josiah died, or how he died.
I haven't liked the way You've done some things in my life.
There have been some prayers that were very important to me that You didn't answer - at least not how I wanted.
But I am happy just to dance with You. I don't want to go dancing with anyone else. I don't want to look around and find another partner. And before this dance is through, I think I'll love You too

Psalm 73. Whom have I in heaven but Thee?
And besides Thee, I desire nothing on the earth.
My heart and my flesh may fail
But Thou art the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Behold, those who are far from Thee perish,
Thou hast destroyed all those who are unfaithful to Thee.
But the nearness of my God is my good.
I have made the LORD my refuge that I may tell of all Thy works.

Could God do evil?

2010-12-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

My wife and I were talking this morning about Dr. Paul Tripp's statement "God will take you places you do not want to go, to accomplish things in your life that you could never accomplish on your own.

This evolved into a discussion of how God wants to accomplish things in/through us before we are taken to glory. There are things we can learn because we are like Him - having the knowledge of good and evil - and having that knowledge and potential within us, within our soul.

The angels, on the other hand, do not have the potential to deal with good and evil within themselves. We do because we're made in God's image. The angels have the capacity to do/be good/evil. One or the other. They had an opportunity to choose and 1/3rd chose to follow the devil into evil. They are now confirmed in that choice. I don't believe they have the capacity to struggle with both internally. That's why they look at man with a longing to understand our salvation. The human experience is a marvel to them.

We have the capacity to choose, as God must have. Every time we choose good over evil, something grows in us that is eternal in nature.

I am convinced this is God's plan for us. We can experience the opposite of God (evil) and fight against it internally, and even win that battle, because we have His Spirit within. We have the capacity to fill our lives with evil or with good, or anywhere in between. Could we have a capacity that God does not have? I don't think so.

The difference is, God has chosen good and always will. Could God do evil? I believe He could. Would He or will He? No. If He did evil would He cease to be God? No. But He would cease to be good, and He would cease to be the God He is today. He says "I change not." He doesn't say "I cannot change."

This is not some idle question without consequence. Because, I believe, it is at the core of who and what we are, and why God has us on earth: to face, internally, the possibilities of good and evil in our own life and character, and be like God - choosing good. The more we do that, the more we become like Him - until, one day (thank God!) He will destroy the evil that daily seeks to pull us down.

On that day death and sin will die. We will attend sin's funeral. Thank you Jesus!

Could God have not created man?

2010-11-08T05:07:00.000-08:00

Ps. 104:20 O Lord how many are Thy works. In wisdom Thou hast made all of them. The earth is full of thy possessions.

Sometimes I wonder if there's life on other planets. I doubt that there is another race like mankind, unless it is perfect and doesn't need redemption. I can't imagine the Son of God going from planet to planet dying for sins!

Perhaps God has placed amazing creatures and plants on other planets just for His own enjoyment, and the enjoyment of His angels.

Yet to think of planets full of creatures that are basically pets would be like living on an island alone with no one to talk to but an aquarium full of fish or a sky full of birds.

They are hardly aware of your presence. Even if they are aware they can hardly provide meaningful or stimulating or satisfying conversation. Even Tom Neale, who wanted to be all alone of Suvarrou for five years had to keep his thoughts and adventures in a journal so he could eventually share it with others.

And so, God, after He created all except mankind said "it is good." Then right after said "let us make man in Our image ..." after which he finally said "it is very good." He did not communicate with any of Earth's creation until He made man.

What was the first thing He did after He made man? He walked with him in the garden and talked with him.

It is clear that man without God is incomplete, for He is the very breath in our lungs and the very beating of our heart. He is the sustainer of all life. He knows even if a sparrow ceases its existence. He knows if I step on a bug, because a life has ended.

Yet in some way it seems that God is not complete without man. Oh, I know He's complete without anything, because He's God. But could (or maybe "would") God have existed on and on forever without ever creating a creature that could respond to His majesty?

He created angels to respond to His majesty. He gave them an opportunity at free will - and 1/3rd fell and followed Satan.

Yet there's something in the nature of angels that He did not want to die for. He was only willing to die for mankind. Angels will not have an opportunity at redemption.

So, here He's got angelic beings who commune with Him and marvel at His majesty, but they are creatures confirmed in their holiness (or in their wickedness). Only man has the free choice of communing with Him or ignoring Him - of loving Him or hating Him.

With mankind, God has creatures who can, by their own choice, honor Him. Creatures that are like God: plural in nature (both male and female), knowing good and evil, like God does. Free in the expression of self, like God. Able to destroy or save as an act of the will, like God. (The animals destroy or spare, but based on instinct, fear & hunger. Man, like God, does it as an act of the will.)

Perhaps most of all, man, having God's infinite powers and characteristics in a finite fashion, is able to respond to God in a sentient manner, of his own choosing - unlike the rest of the aquarium, which can respond only in a limited way, with no personal awareness.

Could God have never created a race like man? Probably. Possibly. Does God do anything that doesn't come out of His nature? His character? Out of who He fully is?

God's creation of man came about because that's What/Who He is. While God is not alone within Himself, communing is such a part of His nature that He somehow found it "essential" or "necessary" to create a race of creatures like Him, who could commune with Him by choice.

All last night the song "Ronnie" by Franky Vallie kept going through my head. I believe God has been singing it to me, to humanity.

I'll replace Ronnie with Adam.

I'll go on living and keep on forgiving
Because you were my first love.

So very warm and tender the way you loved me.
Hey girl, man, can't you remember and want more of me?
Adam, Adam, Adam, why did you go?
Adam, Adam, Adam, I am regretting, but can't stop forgetting
Because you are my first love.

You say how you don't need me because I cheated.
Why didn't you believe me when I repeated
Adam, Adam, Adam, you'll never know
Adam, Adam, Adam, I'll go on living and keep on forgiving
Because you are my first love.

I walk alone, I cry at home
Night after night
day after day
Oh I never cheated
Oh I still repeat it
Adam, Adam, Adam, you'll never know
Adam, Adam, Adam, I'll go on living and keep on forgiving
Because you were my first love.

What do You want from me?

2010-10-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

I've been working through Hebrews 11 & 12 for several days. I've been thinking particularly about prayer and the will of God.

It's clear from other verses that God has a will that is really more of a purpose for me and everyone else (gr. Boulomai). It will be accomplished. He also has desires for me and for others that are not always realized (gr. Thelo). They may or may not be accomplished. He might be waiting for me to ask for it!

Check the use in 2Pe3:9: It is not an act of God's will/purpose (Boulomai) that any perish (i.e., He doesn't destine to destruction), but is truly desiring (Thelo) that all come to repentance.

With this in mind, I've been reading Hebrews 12 - within the context of trouble in our life and "unanswered" prayer. I believe He is teaching me that there are times when "the promises" are not realized, or they are "seen from afar" because of a greater purpose - which at times is my training as a disciple of Christ.

This is probably why, in v. 14-17 he warns me of taking matters into my own hands and creating my own solution without Him, as Esau did. (Or even in crafting a solution & saying to myself "surely God is in this solution" or in saying "God, here's the solution, please bless it.")

Later when Esau sought the blessing he could not get it even though he sought it with tears. I don't think I want to go there.

I believe these would all be valid prayers when I don't think God is giving me what I ask for:
"What do You want from me?"
"What do You want for me?
"What do You want me do do?"
"If there's a reason for this in my life, please show me soon, Lord. I'd rather be a quick-learner than a long-sufferer."

Lord, help me have the strength, the faith, and the presence of mind to approach You in such a way - that I might learn Your ways; that I might run with endurance the race that is set before me.

This is hard, Heavenly Father, because my human nature says that, in learning this lesson, if I decide to believe this way, that I am inviting You to take through Job-like suffering, without deliverance, so that I can learn something. That's hard. So, really, help me have trust in Your goodness and Your love for me!

Everything's going to be alright

2010-10-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

Psalm 90:13-17

Cure for the grieving? For the hurting? For the lonely? For the afflicted? For me? "Satisfy us in the morning with Thy lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days you have afflicted us and the years we have seen evil. Let Thy work appear to Thy servants and Thy majesty to their children. And Let the favor the The Lord our God be upon us - and do confirm the work of our hands. Yes, confirm the work of our hands."

I would paraphrase that last statement as "show me that life, my life, is worthwhile." Where does it begin? "Satisfy us in the morning with Thy lovingkindness." It has to begin with seeking Him. Seeking Him early and seeking Him often.

As Pastor Al said, we learn very little about life from pleasure. The real lessons are learned in pain. Only by seeking the Lord early and often can we change our perspective, our outlook. Only then can we develop a view of life like His.

Satisfy us in the morning with Thy lovingkindness = satisfy us with Your unending commitment, your covenant, your blood covenant of love. "Show me the love" is a fair request to make of God, that is, if we're willing to see it.

It is through God's personal revelation that we come to realize and accept that the bottom line to all of life, for me personally, is: I have Jesus. Because of this everything will be all right. It certainly will not always be good, but it will be alright. "I shall not be greatly shaken."

It's then that our joy and gladness comes from Him. It's then that we begin to live off of verses like these:
Ps 4
many are saying "who will show us any good?" let the light of Your countenance shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled us with gladness more than when the grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, are able to make me dwell in safety.
Ps 73
whom have I in heaven but Thee, and besides Thee I desire nothing on the earth. My heart and my flesh may fail, but You are the strength of my heart.
Ps 109
With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord, and in the midst of many I will praise Him, fort He stands at the right hand of the needy,to save him from those who judge his oul.
Ps 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name ... He satisfies your years with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

The problem in the wilderness

2010-10-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

Psalm 95.

The problem with those in the wilderness is that they "had seen My work" but they "do not know My ways" therefore they "err in their heart."

v.6 - let us worship, let us kneel, He is our God, He is our maker, we are His sheep, we are His people, So, today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart, as your ancestors did.

As I think about it I have to admit that there are times, maybe even too many times, when I've been afraid of hearing Your voice, Lord. I've been afraid of what you'd say, or what You'd demand of me or take from me, or of how You'd disrupt or change my life, my routine.

I'd say I've been guilty of seeing Your works, but not knowing Your ways, for Your ways are all good for those who love and trust You. Forgive me Lord for judging Your plans, Your character, Your intentions, based on my own character or nature - for thinking You are like me, or even like my father.

All Your ways are good, righteous and filled with mercy and lovingkindness. Maybe I haven't heard Your voice more often because I haven't wanted to hear it, or maybe because You have known I'd balk at it.

I confess, even after realizing this and thinking about it, that I am a bit afraid of Your voice still. I ask that you would help me or enable me to see, perceive, trust your ways - not just Your works. Help me to want Your ways and not just Your works. Help me to not err in my heart!

Cause Thy face to shine upon us!

2010-09-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

Psalm 80:3,8,19

Note the progression:

O God, cause Thy face to shine upon us and we will be saved
O God of hosts, cause Thy face to shine upon us and we will be saved
O Lord God of Hosts, cause Thy face to shine upon us and we will be saved

How often do You have to rescue me? In some ways, every day, for You are All Sufficient and I am insufficient.

Lord, You know just how much trouble, misery, despair, fear, and even terror it takes to cause each of us to call upon You, don't You?

I was thinking of it in the context of the book "66 Days Adrift" - how it was an incessant stream of troubles, storms, sharks, and terrors that caused them to call upon You. If it had been less, would they have turned to you? If the duration had been any less, would they have turned to you only for the terrorizing moment?

How much does it take for a person to turn to you for life? I think probably just enough that they see Your goodness and recognize it as such, for it's not troubles that lead us to, but "the goodness of the Lord leads a man to repentance."

I sure don't welcome trouble. We've all had our share. We all need a miracle. Thank You, Lord for the troubles that have driven me to You, and from which You have rescued me.

Some days I just feel all wrong

2010-08-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

Lord, there's some mornings when I wake up & just feel all wrong. I feel like I'm wrong, like my life is wrong, like everything could go badly.

Maybe it's something I did, or watched, or ate, or dreamt. Maybe it's an evil spirit or a memory haunting me. Or maybe it's a reality encounter where I realize how insufficient I am and how fragile life can be.

It's mornings like this, Lord, that I especially need Your presence.

Oh yes, I need it every day. I know that. But it's days like today when it becomes my survival, my salvation.

Ps 27
I would have despaired unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Ps 16
I have no good besides Thee.

Ps 22
Be not far from me, for trouble is near.

Ps 31
I trust in Thee. I say "Thou art my God, my times are in Thy hand."

Ps 34
I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Ps 62
My soul waits in silence for God only. From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock & salvation, my stronghold. I shall not be greatly shaken.

finally - Ps 73
Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And, besides Thee, I desire nothing in the earth ... as for me, the nearness of God is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge that I may tell of all Thy works.

And so, today, Lord, I ask for a real sense of Your presence. Let the light of your countenance shine upon me this day. As I read your word, help me discover You - and maybe in the midst of that discovery perhaps I'll see a glimpse of Your purpose, Your plan, Your goodness for me today.

To me, that is life!

Fear and Trembling

2010-07-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I don't really understand the concept of working out my salvation with fear & trembling.

In Philippians we're told to do it because God is at work in you (not "because your friend/employer/children, etc. are working you over"). He's working to do and to will for His pleasure.

So ... do all without grumbling, without disputing / prove yourselves to be blameless, holding fast the word of life.

Although I don't really grasp the concept of fear & trembling, I do get the sense that how I act and react (blameless/above reproach/without grumbling & disputing) has a greater impact or effect than I realize. I get the clear impression that I should be afraid for the results of reacting wrongly, knowing that whatever good I do will be repaid by God Himself, not the man/woman receiving the good and not the man/woman observing it.

If this was only slightly important he might have said "work out your salvation with kindness & forgiveness" Fear & trembling carries a lot of weight.

And ... how should I go be proving myself to be blameless, etc? Paul said - unto being poured out as a drink offering - even then I should rejoice that my "running" is not in vain, knowing that it is from the Lord that I will receive good back on me.

Lord, some times it's pretty hard to keep a focus on that. I pray I can. I've certainly learned in the past that I'd much rather be paid by you than by man. You're much more generous.

Follow your heart?

2010-07-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

Pr 28:26
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool

Don't follow your heart, lead it.

That little plaque that says "home is where your heart is" always seems misleading to me. The statement is certainly not true for the unfaithful man or woman. In their case home is where their heart should be.

We've heard so much "follow your heart." That may be okay advice when it comes to a career or an educational direction, but not when it comes to life - for the heart is more deceitful than all else and is disparately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 16:9) Do I want that to lead me in the issues of life? Not especially.

Now, my new heart, the heart created by the presence of Christ in my life is much better - perfect in fact. But because sometimes the inclinations I feel are hard to interpret, so that I have a hard time knowing which is inclining me to do one thing or another, I have to lead my heart, not follow it.

Lord, today, lead my heart toward You and do not allow it to be led astray.

The progress of the gospel

2010-07-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

Phil 1:12
My circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.

I'm sure that if Paul could have chosen from a menu of life options he wouldn't have chosen imprisonment, yet he saw in his circumstances the benefit: the furtherance of the gospel of Christ. He could have thought of all they ways in which his imprisonment worked against his gospel ministry. But instead he was able to see what God was doing in the midst of it all.

I pray, Lord, that you would help me see in whatever trouble comes my way, the opportunities for the furtherance of the gospel. Help me see what You have engineered as an opportunity in the midst of trouble. Help me see my circumstances from Your perspective.

Ahh, now I'm safe

2010-06-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 10:15 "The rich man's wealth is his fortress."

Lord, that surely is true, but I pray it is not true for all wealth/wealthy. On a global scale I know I am very wealthy. I also pray that You would always be my fortress.

Certainly a bit of wealth does give me freedom from concerns, worries & stress. It certainly could give a person a freedom that they would not have otherwise, but I pray it would never give me a sense of freedom from You. I pray that You would always be my fortress until my last breath.

I think of Lynda's Dad and what a testimony his trust in You is to all who would observe. May I never look at my wealth (such as it is ... or such as it could be) and say "Ahh, now I'm safe!" For I know how stupid and foolish that would be. Rather, may I always look to You and say "Ahh, now I'm safe!" Dead or alive - safe in the Jesus' hands.

A little PS:
v. 16
The wages of the righteous is life;
The income of the wicked, punishment.

Wow, that's something to think about - that money can be a reward (life) or a punishment (trouble that goes with it). Help me, once again, to choose life.

Why am I in trouble?

2010-06-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

Exodus 14

God specifically designed a hopeless situation so that His great power and salvation could be seen.

Not only did He purposely lead His people into an area where there was no way out, He had them go back and forth to tease Pharaoh - so that Pharaoh would come after them.

When Pharaoh showed up, God had His people in such a corner that the only solution possible, other than defeat, was a miracle wrought by the hand of God.

The point today is that God did not do this just so that the Israelites, His people, would know that He is the Lord, He did it so that the heathen Egyptians would know!

Ex 14:18: "Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen."

After this great salvation, Israel did fear the Lord and believe in the Lord and Moses. (Ex 14:31: When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.) But I see that before it ever happened, God told Moses that the purpose was a testimony to the Egyptians!

Lord, help me be honest enough with my neighbors and my non-believing friends that they will see the salvation you deliver to me day after day, that they may know that You are the LORD.

The blessing of Obed Edom

2010-06-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

I've often wondered what it means that the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and his household. Did his tools not break? Were his kids obedient? Did he always have enough work to do?

The Ark was parked at his house for three months. This is because of the outburst of the Lord against Uzzah, because they did not transport the Ark according to God's ordinance.

We are told in 2Sam 6:11 "the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household." Then, in 2Ch13:14 "the LORD blessed the family of Obed Edom with all that he had."

In 2Ch15:24 I see that the priests blew trumpets before the Ark, and Obed-Edom was a gatekeeper for the Ark. Finally, in 16:38 I see that Obed-Edom and his 68 relatives cared for the Ark - the ministered before the Ark, as every day required.

I see Obed-Edom's sons names listed in 2Ch26:4 along with the "editorial note" that God had indeed blessed him.

I have found at least one concrete way in which God blessed him and his family: We know that the LORD directs the lot. In 2Ch26:15 the lot fell to Obed-Edom, and "to his sons went the storehouse." They will never lack. What a blessing indeed.

But then, should I marvel at this when God has told me in Ephesians 1:3 that He has "blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ"? Thank you, Lord, for all the promises of blessing and provision you have given me in your word! I am blessed indeed.

Opening the eyes of the blind

2010-06-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

John 8 & 9

Immediately after a very honest and confrontational encounter with the Pharisees in which they wanted to apprehend Him because 1) He told them that they did not know God. (If they knew God, they would know Him and where He was from), and 2)That God was His Father (making Himself equal with God), Jesus encountered the man born blind.

Jesus said this man was born blind to give God glory. He healed the man’s blindness.

Immediately the man was dragged before these same Pharisees. There he testified that it has never been known that a man was healed who was born blind. “You are leaders, and you can’t see that He is the Prophet?” They threw him out.

It is obvious that John wrote about this encounter the way he did so he could emphasize the point Jesus was making to the leaders: Only God can open the eyes of the blind. But because the leaders could not, or would not admit that they were blind, they could not receive spiritual (in)sight from God. Only Jesus can make the blind see.

Lord, I’m sure that a lot of days I don’t even know what I’m missing. Please open my eyes to see, my heart to receive and my soul to respond to You and to the Truth, so that I may see, like the blind man, and bring You glory.

hurt & healed

2010-05-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

Colossians 3
Since you have died, set your minds on the things above ... bearing with one another, tolerating one another, forgiving one another. Put off ... (a long list) & put on ... The first thing we're told to put on is a heart of compassion.

I think it's interesting that compassion is the first thing to put on. Compassion does not come naturally. Selfishness comes a little more naturally. However, after we've been hurt & healed we begin to realize how everybody is in some way or another "disabled" and in pain. This does give us more compassion for others.

The Bible make it clear that in the last days hearts will grow cold. As that coldness continues to grow, compassion will stick out more and more. People in need will be drawn to those with a heart of compassion.

Lord, help me show compassion to someone in need today.

To his own master he stands or falls ...

2010-05-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

Romans 14:4
Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls ... and stand he will."

I guess I never through of myself as being very judgmental. Maybe I even prided myself in just plain not being judgmental.

Until yesterday, when I said what I thought and it was clearly a judgment of another's character and motives. I was busted. Since then the Lord has been showing me how I have been judging the motives of others, and how I have been anticipating their actions/words based on what I have judged their character and motives to be. The result? I interpret the results the way I anticipated.

What God has shown me is that their actual motives will judge me in the end. Jesus said this when He told the Pharisees "Moses shall judge you" and "your sons will judge you," or when He told the people of His generation "the men of Nineveh shall judge this generation" or "the queen of the south will judge you.

Lord, forgive me for reading into the motives of others. Help me to have discernment and wisdom as I deal with others, without judging their motives or character.

Into the Clearing

2010-05-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

I have a friend, Tammy, whose son died just a while back. She recently wrote an amazing ode to her emerging from the darkness. I could identify with it so well. I think that those who have emerged from the darkenss themselves, by God's grace, will identify also.

Into The Clearing

I have been wandering in a dank, dark forest. Wolves have been nipping at my heels throughout the night. I can smell the leaves rotting on the cold, wet ground. It has been an interminable night. I know that God has been guiding me through this trial, but I have traveled too long, and I am bone weary...

I look up,and slowly, in the distance I perceive a ribbon of pink on the horizon. The dark gray of the night lightens to reveal spaces between the trees that surround me. A warm breeze carries the scent of wild flowers to me, and shafts of golden sunlight pierce the darkness.

A melody begins. A sweet alto voice calls out to all that God is faithful. She is joined by a clear tenor, followed by a warm, rich bass.

I step into the clearing, and the warmth of the sun envelops me. I join my soprano with the harmony of the beauty God has created. More people emerge from the darkness and step into the light. We all raise our voices to the One who has brought us through the night. A dance of praise to Him begins. Our fatigue melts away as we are given perfect rest. The night is finally over and God has brought us through.

Good Grief?

2010-05-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

Psalm 119:67
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Thy word.

This sends me back to thoughts of a few weeks ago - that the devil heard God say that if we eat of the fruit we will be like God, knowing good and evil.

I believe that was God's design - for us to know good and evil ... and to choose good. The devil, as usual, twisted it into something perverted.

Jesus learned obedience through suffering. Why wouldn't we? We are made in God's image. I have become convinced that God wants to populate heaven with humans who, knowing good and evil, have chosen good. I believe that when we are transported into glory that we will be confirmed in that choice - being like God, understanding good and evil, and choosing Good. Like the hymn: O that will be, glory for me.

The Psalmist repeats his idea again in 119:71 where he says "It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Thy statutes."

Freaked out by Psalm 23

2010-04-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning quoting "yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil."

I don't know why that scripture was on my mind. Is this to prepare me for something? Is it a warning? I hate to think of what that could mean!

The Psalm says "fear no evil" yet that's exactly what awakening to it gave me - fear.

My death, well, at least if it's quick, doesn't scare me so much. But the thought of Lynda's does. Or one of my children, or grandchild. Okay, so it does say the valley of the shadow of death .. now it's scary to think of the possibility of not being able to mountain bike any more.

I began looking at cross references to "the Lord is my Shepherd." Many of them say "no fear."

Lord, I think I need to remind myself again that Your blessings are for the moment. For this moment. They are not mine to have & hold forever (at least the temporal blessings here on earth). And, if one blessing disappears, or is removed, that You have another, even greater, blessing awaiting me.

Lord, I can see that this is going to be a day of trust. I'm going to have to trust your goodness today. Surely goodness and lovingkindness has followed me all the days of my life. And, I know I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. My cup overflows!

So, help me today Lord, to be filled with trust and not with fear. I hate fear. And, by the way Lord, I didn't particularly like waking up to the 23rd Psalm. Today I'll try to remember Psalm 112: How blessed is the man who fears the Lord ... light arises in the darkness for him ... he will never be shaken ... he will not fear evil tidings, his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

I'm gonna make you mine

2010-04-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

I Jn 4:10
In this is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the satisfaction for our sin.

If You have done this for me, Lord, will you not pursue me to the very end?

How awesome is it to think that you care for me this way, that you will pursue me day in and day out. You will never leave me nor forsake me. You will never give up on me. Wow - you will never give up on me.

I woke up several times during the night singing a song. When I got up in the morning I was still singing the song. I found myself asking God, "Is this a song I should be singing to you? Or are you singing the song to me?" As soon as I asked the question I John 4:10 came to mind. Yes God was (and is) singing this to me:

I'm going to make you mine

I'll try every trick in the book. With every step that you take, everywhere that you look, just look and you'll find, I'll try to get to your soul, I'll try to get to your mind. I'm gonna make you mine.

I know I'll never give up, I'm at the end of my rope. From morning till suppertime you'll find I'll be waiting in line, I'll be waiting in line. I'm gonna make you mine.

Baby I'm gonna make you mine, make you mine, make you mine. Baby I'm gonna make you mine. I gonna make you mine.

I'll be a hard-loving pushin kind of individual, knockin night & day at your door. You'll have to turn me away like an indestructible force. Baby I'm gonna make you mine, make you mine, make you mine. Baby I'm gonna make you mine.

I need someone who will never give up on me, and that someone is You, Lord. You will never give up. Never. Wow. Thank you. I needed to hear that.

And - I do want to be made Yours! Thank you for pursuing me, especially when I'm not pursuing You.

What to do with this? Go to youtube and listen to the song and then think about God singing it to you all day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLemdORSx_E

What should they have done?

2010-04-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

In the boat while Jesus slept.

Combining Mt., Mk., and Lk., "Master! Master! We are perishing ..." "Lord, save us!" "Teacher, don't you care that we are perishing?"

And he said to them "Why are you fearful, you of little faith." "Where is your faith?" "How is it you have no faith?"

So, how should they have responded? Should they have concluded "Jesus is in the boat, so it's not going to sink ... let's just keep rowing and bailing." Or should they have said "Jesus, if you could wake up for a second and calm the water it would be good because it's coming in faster than we can bail." Or should they have concluded that they could rebuke the wind and waves themselves?

I don't know. What did Jesus expect from them? What would a response of faith have been? What would I have done?

Life, consuming death

2010-04-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

Perishable must put on imperishable. Mortality must put on immortality.
Death is swallowed up by victory.

As I watched my friend dying of cancer I found myself thinking "his life is being swallowed up by the cancer." Yet when I saw this scripture the Lord showed me I had it backwards.

We are all walking in death. We're all dying even as we live, day to day. What I saw in my friend is that life (immortality) was consuming his death. The imperishable was swallowing up or absorbing his perishable, his mortality.

When it was finished, death died and he became fully alive. So then the saying became true, death is swallowed up in victory. Death is swallowed up by life. So, death: where is your victory? Life (resurrection life) is so powerful, it can consume and destroy death.

This happens on a personal scale, and it is also happening to the entire creation.

When Christ returns, at the end of the millennium, he will create a new heaven and a new earth. There will be no more death, no more corruption, no more sin. We all will be, in a sense, like God: knowing good and evil, yet confirmed in the choice of good.

This is certainly not in the sense the devil intended it to mean. Perhaps, even before He made man, God had mentioned to the devil that at some point that man would become like God. The devil warped that into a platform for rebellion.

The difference is this: the devil wants (and wants us to want) the non-moral attributes of God, like power, omniscience, omnipotence. God wants us to want His moral attributes. I see "becoming like God" as being confirmed in His moral attributes: goodness, holiness, purity, faithfulness ...

When life makes its final move upon death, those who have trusted Jesus as their savior will be confirmed in this goodness. "When He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is."

He is divine, I am debranch

2010-03-31T06:56:00.000-07:00

There must be a reason for our remaining here in this evil-infested world that goes beyond just whether or not we bear fruit. I mean, if all God wants from Earth is more followers, He could just call them. That is, if you define “fruit” in the narrow sense of bringing others to salvation.

As I think about it, the teaching about fruit has more focus on the pruning than on the grape. The Father’s pruning makes us more like Him. I think it’s His way of taking something created (and quite mundane in comparison with Him) and making it more God-like. In other words: Good, by choice, holy by choice, loving & kind by choice, one with Him by choice. Ephesians 5:26f says “so that He might cleanse us and present us to Himself without spot, or wrinkle, holy and blameless.”

It’s too deep for me to really grasp today. Or maybe it’s just too simple. I believe that His leaving us here to bear fruit has a lot to do with the process, with learning about “remaining in the vine,” as Jesus said. Like in my discussion about “branding” with my friend, Guy. The “brand” is the by-product of what you do and how you do it. No branch can bear fruit “of its own,” or out of its own desire or effort.

In the spiritual life the goal isn’t necessarily the “fruit.” The goal is a healthy, well-pruned branch that knows how to abide in the vine. Fruit is the by-product. The goal is to be more like Jesus, maybe I should strike that and say the goal is to be more in Jesus. The result is fruit. Psalm 17:14,15.

The Spirit of Truth

2010-03-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

Interesting to see that when He (the helper, the Spirit of truth) comes, He will convict the world of sin, but He will guide believers into all the truth.

I did a search on the phrase "the truth." 64 out of 74 occurances are in the New Testament. About 1/3 of these are in John's writings. Another large group is in Romans.

A few come to mind: men traded the truth of God for a lie, men did not love the truth and therefore could not come to salvation, false Christian leaders are always learning, but are unable to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Lynda said "what's the opposite?" I thought, well, the devil was a liar from the beginning. He does not stand in the truth.

But then I realized that there are certainly degrees of a lie. There are not degrees of truth, however. ("No lie is of the truth," "we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.") So, there is no such thing as a "half truth."

An outright lie is the easiest to detect. Slight and deceptive lies are more difficult to detect.

What I've discovered is that in times of wickedness (or in "end" times), men will believe and embrace the lie rather than the truth.

That is just the case today - leaders can speak an outright lie and people believe it. The next day they can contradict it with another lie and they will believe that. If they are confronted with the contradiction, they defend the man!

People buy into bold-faced lies. They don't even need to be disguised any longer. That is scary.

It is also when Psalm 37 speaks to me. "Do not fret because of evil doers, because of the wicked who prosper ... cease from anger ... for it only leads to evil doing." Instead, trust, do good, cultivate faithfulness, delight in the Lord, commit your way to the Lord ..."

So, instead, to paraphrase the Psalm, I need to redirect my focus and be filled with joy!! I need to focus on God, focus on good, focus on the opportunities for good and for ministry that God has placed in my path today.

Lord, help my focus today be on You and on how You want me to live today, and not be caught up in the world - that Your joy may be in me, and my joy may be complete. How amazing is that -- that I can be filled with joy today!

Why am I drawn to the Gospels?

2010-03-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

Today’s blog may be a bit longer than usual. It's certainly taken me longer to write it.

I've been reading the Gospels over & over for a couple of years (so has my friend, Jerry), and now I’ve found myself parked in John 12-17 for some time. I’m not sure why – maybe this will explain.

Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.
· Radiance of His glory – radiance, brightness, shining forth, luminary (apaugasma)
· Exact representation – the image, character, precise reproduction, stamped image (character)

In the Old Testament we witness the deeds and words of God in action with Israel. In the gospels we can watch the express image of Him walking with men day to day. With that in mind I read John 14:6-9

14:6 All who come to the Father must come through Me. This “coming” is present active of erchomai – the act of coming, as in contrast to hako – the arriving. In other words, finding the Father is a process that never ends, but the pathway is always through Jesus (no man comes … but through Me).

14:7 If you had known (egnokeite) Me you would have perceived (adeite) the Father. Both these are in the pluperfect. Pluperfect can be described as an action that happened in the past that affected something in the past or even in the present.

· A good illustration might be: “If you had saved for the last 20 years, you’d have a retirement today.” In other words, “If during the time we’ve been together, you had come to know Me, you would have already perceived the Father.” Jn 10:30 I and the Father are one (present indicative eimi).

14:8 Phillip asked “show us (deizon) the Father”

14:9 Jesus answers in the perfect tense – action that has permanence: lasting, maybe even eternal results. He says, "If you have seen me ..." or “If anyone has used discernment in observing Me, he has seen/discerned the Father.”

Jesus is making it clear that knowing the Father is predicated on knowing Jesus. If we want to know the Father we have to do it though knowing Jesus. This is why the Gospels are so cool.

How I see it:
· In the Old Testament we learn about the acts and character of God.
· In the Psalms we learn about how the man after God’s own heart & God related to one another.
· In the Epistles we learn about the Christian life – how to reckon, how to think, how to act.
· In the Gospels we learn about the person of God as revealed in Jesus Messiah

So the implication: If I want to know God – in depth / personally, I cannot get that today. It’s not like a download. It’s like an investment. I can have it in the future but I have to work on it today. To get it I must study the image of His nature, the luminary of His glory. The more I study Jesus, the more I’ll know the Father.

So, for me: Keep reading the Gospels. As I read, don’t just read what Jesus said and did, but learn Jesus. Learn the how and why of His actions, His character, His motivations, plans, way of living, way of loving.

This is why I’m drawn to the Gospels, because I’m being drawn to the person of God. As I study the Gospels I learn the Person, the Path, the Life. I believe that as I learn the Epistles I learn how to think and how to live, but if I learn Jesus in the Gospels, I learn life, I receive life. You want the life, John? He’s it. Not knowing about Him, but knowing Him. Receive it. Live it. Give it.

Hurt that heals

2010-03-10T06:01:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed the book so much that I had to take some notes from "Same Kind of Different as Me."

When Ron's wife died, Denver said to him "I know when somebody you love is gone that's the last time you feel like thanking God, but sometimes we has to be thankful for the things that hurt us 'cause sometimes God does things that hurt us but they help somebody else."

I thought "isn't that what happened on the cross?"

Later on Ron wrote: "I remember what CS Lewis said about the clash between grief and faith 'the tortures occur,' he wrote, 'if they are unnecessary then there is no God, or a bad one. If there is a good God, then these tortures are necessary, for no even moderately good Being could possibly inflict them or permit them if they weren't'"

This, plus the other quote, reminded me of Paul's "sharing in the sufferings of Christ." Out of Christ's pain, others are made whole. In God's redemptive plan, any pain can make other's whole. That's how we share in the sufferings of Christ, by allowing our pain to heal others.

As Jesus Christ brings me healing through His Holy Spirit, I am transformed into a more compassionate person. Lord, help my compassion spread your mercy to others, for, as Paul said in Romans, it is the kindness of God that leads a man to repentance. The path to God is strewn with His acts of mercy. As written in James, mercy triumphs over judgment.

Lord, please make it brief

2010-03-03T06:51:00.000-08:00

2 Chronicles
I really like 2 Chron because it's Israel's history written from God's perspective. His working in the ongoing history of israel is very evident in this book. The beginnign of kings forsaking, being troubled, seeking, turning, finding. So often I seek like in 10:15 "for it was a turn of events from God." It's obvious that I need that sometimes - a turn of events from God.

In chapter 15 we see the people seeking God, and even covenanting to seek Him with all their hearts "and He let them find Him.

It's all part of the process God was trying to accomplish then, and still now - when He caused them to be subject to Egypt (12:8) "so that they might learn the difference between My service and the service of the kingdoms of the coutries." Lord, if I or my family have to become slaves to something to learn this lesson, please in Your mercy, make it brief.

Book of Battles

2010-02-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

Joshua is certainly a book of battles - of being conquered and of conquering. I cannot read Joshua without coming to the conclusion that success against enemies is clearly tied to my walk with Jesus - a theme throughout the book.

God had made all these grandiose promises to the people of Israel. Their fulfillment was there for the taking. Yet there are several places where they could not conquer - because of partial obedience.

While they were very young (Josh 9) they made a promise without asking for the Lord's counsel. They paid for it for a long long time. God punished them for making it and 400 years later He punished them for breaking it.

Father, Please keep me, my wife, my children from making rash promises or decisions that will harm us or hinder us from fully serving you. Please give us a heart of wisdom that listens to Your Spirit's prompting - especially when it comes to asking Your counsel at critical times in life. We might not even realize that a decision is critical until afterwards. But You know.

Liar Liar

2010-02-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

John 3:21 He who practices the truth. hmmm a truth practitioner.

I'm not sure how possible that is. I think of "Liar Liar" and the scene where he goes into the corporate meeting and tells the truth about everyone. That's so possible. I mean, we're always holding our tongue, aren't we? So is it like: how offensive can you be?

Maybe that's not what a truth practitioner is. The only cross-reference is IJn1:6. Walking in the darkness/walking in the light = not practicing the truth / practicing the truth. Walking in the light = practicing the truth?

Maybe practicing the truth has more to do with the truth about me - the hardest truth to face. Or for that matter, the hardest truth to uncover.

Walking in the light / truth about me - what's that like?

He is so full of life!

2010-02-10T11:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think of the expression "he or she is so full of life." When I think about who this would describe I think of someone who is happy, who is real, who is engaged in life and in the lives of others, someone who is so alive that you want to be with them because it brightens your day and energizes you. It makes you say "I wish I could be more like him."

That's how I was struck with John 1:4 this a.m. What was Jesus like? Well, "He was so full of life that he was (or His life was) the light to everyone who encountered Him." Jesus was so full of life that He could not help but attract a crowd. So much so that upon first meeting or seeing Him people would be "filled with amazement." Or, as Andrew said to Peter after meeting Him just once "come see, we have found the Messiah." Or, people would say "I never heard anyone speak as this man speaks."

People would line the trails to see Him, or climb into trees to get a glimpse. This was not just because He was popular, but because He was so full of life that people would say to one another "He is so unusual you just have to meet Him." Or, "I have never met such a man as this."

I can't imagine Him walking into the temple, standing on a platform and shouting "Ok, folks, I'm going to begin my teaching in 5 minutes, so run and get your friends!" No, He was like a people magnet. He couldn't help but to be noticed, followed, and listened to.

John Chapter 1 gives me some clues:
1. He was seen by others to be the manifested Word of God
2. His life was very "full" (v. 16, of His fullness ...)
3. He was full of grace and full of truth (of His fullness we received grace upon grace ... grace was realized through Jesus Messiah. Truth was realized thought Jesus Messiah)
4. He was glorious (we beheld His glory, like the only begotten of the Father)
5. He was known for unfolding, telling, declaring the Father to those who do not know what He is like.
6. He was light. He shone in the darkness and the darkness could not seize or overtake Him. But as they saw the light, the truth about God, they saw the truth about themselves. So many avoided Him because their deeds were evil.

Lord, help me understand this and notice this as I read the gospels. Help me see beyond the pre-conceived and pre-programmed image of You to see you full of life.

John 1:4,6
He was so full of life that this life was the light of men ... this was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

Standing on the Threshold

2010-02-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

Psalm 84:5
How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Lord, I know there is a special blessing for those who actually go to Zion - to see, hear, smell, touch the very places where you walked. I know that this verse is referring to Zion Zion, and yet, you have placed Zion in my heart, for You have chosen to put the Most Holy Place within my heart.

When I seek You there, You turn the valley of weeping into a spring. There, in Your presence, is where You turn my tears into rains of blessing. In Your presence I go from strength to strength.

When I appear before You, You hear my prayer, You shine Your face upon me, You shield me from the afflictions of life. You put music in my heart, a song of thanksgiving to You.

Pr 15:15, for the afflicted, every day is a bad day. But when You give me a cheerful heart, I have a continual feast. I am most grateful.

A day in Your presence is so much better than a thousand days anywhere else. Anywhere.

There are mornings when I stand at the threshold, mornings when I don't have a strong sense of Your presence.

I would rather stand at the threshold of Your presence than dwell with the wicked. Spending time with you, even just at the threshold, is still better than the best day at the beach or the best ride on the trail. Because I trust in You I am greatly blessed. Many Many thanks, Lord.

It's all Yours, anyway.

2010-01-27T13:50:00.000-08:00

Luke 17, the disciples said "Lord, increase our faith."

It's a statement like "heal us" or "give us this day ..." They're asking for a miracle, and act of God, a gift. Yet Jesus didn't touch them with a magic wand & grant greater faith. In fact He told them a story. The story was about what they needed to to do increase their own faith.

Oh, I know about Romans 12:4 - "metron pisteos" that God gives each a measure of faith, and Ephesians 2:8, that faith is a gift of God. There must be a way to reconcile that with Jesus' statement.

Maybe these verses refer to a starting point - kind of like whether we start with 1 talent, 5 talents, or 10 talents. Or maybe it refers to the type of faith.

Here, in Luke, Jesus answers the request not with a gift or a miracle, but with a parable.

The parable isn't about positive thinking, or positive confessions, or about controlling your thoughts so that you can transplant Mulberry trees. No, the parable is about a servant faithfully serving his master, just doing what he ought to do.

I think what Jesus was saying with this parable is that our desire should not focus on increasing our faith but rather increasing our faithfulness. Increased faith will be the byproduct.

So, Lord, help me today to be faithful. Help me believe than when I am faithful in small things, like being honest and holy in private, that you will reward that honesty and holiness just because you said you would.

Help my attitude be "I've only done what I ought to have done."

Lord, increase my faithfulness. Help me be faithful in what I do, in what I think, in what I say, in what I watch, in what I read, in my relationships, in prayer, in worship, in honesty, in giving, in sharing, in paying my taxes, in showing hospitality, in loving unlovables, in humility, in public in private. Only doing what I ought to do.

Psalm 15 ... my Bible entitles "Description of a Citizen of Zion." It really should say "Description of a Faithful Life."

It's all yours, anyway, Lord.

Life swallowing up death

2010-01-21T06:24:00.000-08:00

I Corinthians 15:53

Last week I was thinking of my friend, Gigi, who is now looking down on us from Glory.

This week I'm thinking of my friend, Norman, who went to Glory about the same time.

As I sat beside Norm and watched him struggle for each breath I remember thinking to myself - his cancer is slowly eating up his life, breath by breath.

Then I read I Cor 15:53 and God opened my eyes to see that, once again, I had it backwards. Cancer was not swallowing up his life. Life was swallowing up his death. Immortality was swallowing up his mortality. Slowly he was being pulled into the presence of God; pulled away from this mortal life, where death seems to have final say, and drawn into immorality where true life reigns forever.

It reminds me of my 90 year old father-in-law. When I told him "I'm praying that you will be strong to the very end" he said, "you mean, the very beginning."

Faith as a child

2010-01-14T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 11

Faith is the title deed to things not seen.

I've been thinking about my friend, Gigi, as I read through my journal. Gigi died of a tumor in her brain. She fought it for years before it took her life away from her. After we had laid hands on her and prayed for her one of the Elders remarked about how brave and strong she has been.

Her response is an amazing definition of faith.

She said "Brave and strong? I'm just a scared little girl holding on very tightly to a strong and wonderful God"

New wine demands new skin

2010-01-06T06:14:00.000-08:00

Mk 2:22
I can change. I can become something I am not.

But, I cannot become something I am not without changing what makes me what I am. To try and do otherwise is destined for failure - bursting the skins, tearing the cloth. That's it! It tears the fabric of who I am.

I want change, but not enough to change me. Most of us want both. I think that's what James means by a "double-minded man." We want to be thin without changing how we eat. We want to be wealthy without having to change how we work & spend. We want to be victorious without giving up the things that drag us into defeat. We want to be something we are not without stopping the things that make us what we are.

I want to be more joyful. Joyful? Psalm 51:13 - Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.

I want to be more joyful, Lord. I cannot without a willing spirit - without the willingness to give up the things, thoughts, and actions that take my joy away. Sometimes I'm not sure I know what those are. Once again, Lord, I can't do it without your help. So, Psalm 51:13 is my prayer today.

Shall He do evil that good may come?

2009-12-30T14:45:00.000-08:00

Romans 3:8 gives me relief to know that God does not injure so He can heal. He does not trouble so He can counsel. I was going to say He does not kill so that He may bring life. And yet I think of all the judgment passages where it sure seems to me that He does just that. I should probably separate out my thoughts about how He deals with the wicked and the redeemed.

There is much evil in this world. As a consequence, many bad things happen. Yet at times chosen by God, He steps in and stops some. Others He redeems, others just run their course. But in the midst of that I'm inclined to believe that He only allows into the lives of His children those things that He has chosen - for His own private reasons - reasons which I am not qualified to question.

So, I should be able to, or at least want to, believe that He is sort of a gatekeeper for my and my children's experiences. He does not allow things through that are beyond my, and their, ability to resist or respond. Although, as with me, so with my kids, He probably will not stop us if we crash the gate. But He will repair it and use it for good if we eventually turn to Him ... which we will if we are His.

So, it is good to know that evil may come, but when it does, redemption is not far behind. Jesus said "Everyone shall be salted with fire. Salt is good ..."

Salt is good

2009-12-24T06:38:00.000-08:00

Mk 9:49
Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good.

At first I thought this was about turning lemons into lemonade. It's not. It's about redemption.

I don't like the "everyone will be salted with fire" part. I think about some who have been through the fire and it has destroyed them. Their salt, as Jesus said in Matthew, has become tasteless. No one wants to be around them.

Some fires are large - most are small. They just burn us a little - leave little scars. Those are the ones I need to turn to salt. But I can't do that. I can't turn them to lemonade. To me that's pretty much the same as just saying "that's life - get over it."

Thinking about what the Bible says, I am reminded that God is a God of redemption, and the stories of fires in the Bible are filled with God's redemption. That's what I need - a perspective of redemption. I need to learn / figure out how to turn each trouble, no matter how small, over to God for redemption.

How does that work today with the broken toilet or the broken printer? I do see it happened, Lord, with the broken garage door opener - Johnny is putting in a new one for me as a Christmas gift. That's redemption.

God, help me see how redemption can take place through the printer and the toilet. Open my eyes to see the answer to that. Otherwise, what's the meaning in these fires?

On the one hand I think "this is stupid - things break - just pay to get them fixed." On the other hand I think this is a key to living with joy. I'm not sure how, but God this is my hope.

I sure can't find joy on my own. If You can't do it, no one can, and if You don't, no one will. Open my eyes to see how "salt is good." Thank You, this is my hope for today.

Could I do any less?

2009-11-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

John 11:41: Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me."

Most of our mothers taught us to be thankful - or at least to say "thank you" when someone did something for us or gave us something. Being thankful is just plain good manners - being polite.

This is a thankfulness that can be given without surrendering self-sufficiency and arrogance.

Then there's thankfulness that comes from humility - a thankfulness that recognizes that you have been given things that you do not deserve, that you have not earned, that in reality, you are not capable of providing for yourself.

This is thankfulness that acknowledges the inadequacy and emptiness that can only be filled by a kind Creator who is in and of Himself, all sufficient, generous and loving.

This is thankfulness that, when offered to God, is true worship - a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Psalm 50:22,23
Now consider this
(you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver)
consider this: He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me.
And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.

In the gospels Jesus often gave thanks to the father - an expression of appreciation, and an acknowledgement that, in His humanity, He was totally dependent upon the Father.

Could I do any less?

Who can live with a consuming fire?

2009-11-25T03:59:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 33:14-16
Incredible verses. He begins with what appears to be rhetorical questions, the answer to which you would think to be "no one."

"No one" seems to be the right answer to: who among us can live with a consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning? After all, our God is a consuming fire! Hebrews 12:29.

Yet there is a positive response. There are men who can live with these!

He who:
Walks righteously, speaks with sincerity, rejects unjust gain, takes no bribe, stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking at evil.

What will happen to such men?
1. They will dwell on the heights.
2. They will have the impregnable rock as a refuge.
3. They will have their bread given to them
4. They will find their water to be pure.

Lord, help me be such a man. Help me be careful of how I walk, of how I conduct my business, of what I listen to and what I watch.

Who forgot to bring the bread?

2009-11-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

Mt 16:5 "the disciples ... had forgotten to take bread" Mk 8:15 "... and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them."

Jesus said to them "having eyes do you not see, and ears do you not hear, and do you not remember ... do you not yet understand?" So - Jesus makes 2 points here: one about the religious and political leaven. One about His ability to provide. Not only to provide, but to provide above & beyond.

How does He make His point? By starting the discussion with what they forgot. Does God even control what we forget and what we remember? Did He intentionally cause them to forget the bread so He could make a point? Had they already been discussing the bread issue and saying "It wasn't my responsibility, you were supposed to get the food ..."

So the next time I forget something important, like the bread, I want to remember this much: to ask Jesus what it is He wants to teach or to do differently because I forgot. I think I may learn something. He said "do you not yet understand?" Obviously they didn't or He wouldn't have said that. The next time I forget something important I want to see if there's a lesson God wants me to learn.

Then after that I want to learn what is the political leaven in Mk 8.

Mercy or Judgment?

2009-11-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

James 2:16
Mercy triumphs over judgment

Lord, help me to smile more and frown less.
Help me encourage others to follow their dreams, rather than tell them what won't work.
Help me see the good in others, not the bad.
Help me to have mercy rather than judgment.

I know that's what I need from You.

How about today?

2009-10-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

Matthew 6:34 - "Take no thought for the morrow, sufficient for the day is the evil thereof."

As I read that I wonder how pervasive that attitude is supposed to be in me, in us? So much of my energy is focused on creating something for myself and my family that is better than it is today. So much so that I'm not too happy with today.

As I think of prayer I realize that all prayer looks forward. All prayer is asking for something to happen or be different in the future. Am I not supposed to be looking to the future, especially in prayer?

Then my mind is drawn to the prayer in the beginning of Matthew 6 - "give us this day ..." The focus of the Lord's prayer is upon what I do today. As I meditate my mind travels to Hebrews 3,4 where three times Psalm 95 is quoted "today if you hear His voice do not harden your heart."

I'm beginning to feel that my prayers and focus should be more on today and less on tomorrow. It's so easy to live so far in the future that I don't seek my rest or contentment for today. I keep thinking it will be better tomorrow ... when this is fixed, or that is paid off, or he finds Jesus, or this issue is finally resolved.

The only day I have to seek His kingdom is today. My thoughts and prayers are supposed to be primarily for today, not tomorrow. And if I hear Your voice, Lord, help me not to fear it, despise it, or doubt it.

Actually this reminds me of Romans 8 - the creation anxiously awaiting.

I am awaiting Your voice, Lord, but I'm also anxious about it. Afraid that it will be in the midst of another tragedy or another sacrifice. Something too hard or too weird for me. Father, forgive me for fearing you for evil, and for trusting that bad will happen. You are all good, all the time. Help me hear your voice today, for good - mine, or someone else's.

God is a God of redemption - even when we have to pay

2009-10-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

While Nehemiah is certainly about rebuilding walls and overcoming obstacles, the centerfold of the book is the revelation, conviction, repentance, confession, blessing & rejoicing that took place around the feast of Booths.

In Chapter 8, Ezra read the law to the people. The prayer of repentance and the re-establishing of the relationship with God is an incredible example of this. The praise that comes to God (9:5) is above all blessing and praise! They recognize that the they were sent into exile because of sins of their fathers, but also that they now are receiving renewal because (v17) God is a God of forgiveness - gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness!

What an incredible meditation when in need of restoration! Even when we're paying the price for our sins, God is going to use the obstacles in journey back to bring greater glory to Him.

They knew they were punished for their sins, and yet they knew also that they could pray "do not let all the hardships seem insignificant before You." (10:32)

Nehemiah ends the book with a prayer to God "remember me for good."

This is such an amazing picture of the journey, even on a personal level, from spiritual exile back to restoration. The key? 9:17 - Because of Who God is. He did not forsake them. Same message for me today: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." and "even if we remain faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself!"

Be careful what you talk your wife into!

2009-10-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

Genesis 16.

I think Abram had the hots for Hagar. And I think he had been dropping hints to Sarai. He probably even brought up the prophecy regarding the descendants as stars.

I say this because, given that culture, he could have just taken Hagar. But I think he was a smart man, and wanted Sarai to think it was a good idea, so we see in Ge 16 that Sarai suggested it. I also say it because of her reaction when Hagar despised her because she couldn't conceive. Sarai wasn't angry with God, or with herself for dreaming up the solution. No, she was angry with Abram.

The idea had spawned with him and somehow over time (10 years since the prophecy) he convinced Sarai that this was what God wanted for them. In the aftermath of the conception Sarai realized that many months prior, she had convinced herself that Hagar was God's solution, God's way of fulfilling the prophecy. Then later, she realized it was Abram's solution. That's why she was angry with him. If it was her idea, she'd be lecturing herself about being so stupid.

No wonder, years later, she laughed at the angel's prophecy for her - the prophecy of her pregnancy. She laughed because she had spend over 10 years being angry and perhaps bitter towards her husband, her handmaiden, her God, and her husband's son.

She's probably thinking "and now you offer me this easy solution? Now? Where were You 20 years ago?"

Where was He 20 years before? If the angel had come 20 years earlier with the prophecy for Sarai what would have been different?

Let's see,
1. Abram would not have considered the deadness of Sarai's womb, believed God and had it credited to him as righteousness. We wouldn't have the great example of faith ("he did not waver in unbelief ...").
2. Ishmael's descendants - a good percentage of the Arab nations, would not be on the earth today.
3. The covenant of circumcision might not have occurred.
4. There would not be the tremendous historical animosity between the house of Isaac and Ishmael that may very well culminate in the return of Christ.

So, what's the point? I see two points:
The first is that God is an amazing Redeemer. He will allow us to make our bad choices, but then He will turn them around and bring good out of them.

The second is that there is still a price to pay for our bad choices, so I can see I need to be careful when I begin dropping hints to my wife and waiting for her to suggest I go ahead and do what I wanted to do!

The fear of the LORD ??

2009-09-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ..."

It always bugs me when preachers quote Proverbs 1:7 and then say that this means to reverence God. What does that mean, anyway, "to reverence?" I think that whole concept is out of reach for most of us.

Now the opposite: we're told not to fear evil or the evil one. Does that mean we're not to give him reverence? No. It means we're not to be afraid of him.

What's wrong with being afraid of God anyway?

When I read of His appearance in Revelation and think of Him coming in judgment and I picture the possibility of me burning in Hell and the smoke of my torment rising up forever and ever, I am terrified. My heart is humbled in appreciation that He loves me and has released me from my sins by His blood.

When I think of the possibility of Him deciding to be against me - against my life, against my success, against my relationships, against my future, it scares me to death. I never want Him to be set against me. What more terrible opponent could a man have?

I Samuel 12:15
"If you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers." How can any man survive if God's hand is against him? No matter where you swim, you'll be washed downstream.

When I think that He has the power, the authority, the right to do whatever He wants with my life: to bless me or to crush me, I am simultaneously afraid and filled with trust.

When I understand that were I to be unfaithful to my wife, that He would destroy my relationship with my wife and family, destroy my business, ruin my life - and that He can do that with just a thought, I am humbled into sobriety.

When I read about sowing and reaping, and then read that He is no respecter of persons, I understand that He has determined that I do not have a favored child status. I cannot begin to think that If I do evil, He will look the other way. If I do evil, evil will come upon me. I am afraid of the possibility of that happening to me.

Yes, I am afraid of God. At the same time I know I am His child: forgiven, cleansed, freed from law by grace, blessed, kept from sin. Blessed because He chose to bless me (I Peter 3:9). Kept because I have asked Him to keep me (Jude 24). I have asked Him to keep me because the alternative is way too frightening for me.

Without fear I would not reverence Him.

" ... and what do you do?

2009-09-23T06:40:00.000-07:00

Ex 3:16 "I am"

We all want to be something.

When someone meets you they eventually ask "and what do you do?" In other words, "what are you?" or "what's your identity?" or "how do I categorize you?"

I am a small business owner. I am a father, a husband, a homeowner. Or I am a nurse, contractor, pastor ... etc.

Paul Tripp has a good segment in the Grief Share video about identity. "I am a depressed person." or "I am a grieving person." Grief or depression are not to be an identity. How different it sounds rather than saying "I am a depressed person," to say "I am a child of the King, born again unto new life ... and, by the way, I struggle greatly with depression."

Although he applies it to a negative identity, I need to apply it to a positive identity as well. Sure, I have my own company and I do surveys for non-profits. Yet my identity needs to be found in the Great I Am. "Who should I say sent me?" "I AM" was the answer. What is He? What does He do?

There's a multitude of answers: redeemer, savior, way, truth, life, provider, protector ... but the bottom line = His identity is I AM. God wants me to find my identity in Him, not in what I do. ("and you are complete in Him ...") What I do is secondary at best. What do I do? I seek to know God, and I also have my own company.

Blackaby says "He is far more concerned that you know Him than that you know your abilities. The world tells us to affirm self, God tells us to deny self. Your identity and self-worth are found not in your abilities, but in your relationship to Christ."

That's so hard for me to actually digest. It would seem so pious and hypocritical to answer someone's "and what do you do?" with: "I seek to know Christ, and I also have my own company ..." So, LORD, help me affirm that identity with You, knowing that the world would never take that answer the right way.

Well, I take that back - I think that, delivered the right way, in the right context, it could sound genuine and not phony. Maybe something like "You want the canned answer or the real answer?" "Real? - I seek with all my life to know Christ. For a living I do surveys for non-profits." I'll have to try that some time.

Now, This is the Life!

2009-09-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

I John 1:2
"We proclaim to you the eternal life."

John is not proclaiming a cure for death, or a program you can subscribe to, or even a result of having "saving faith." John is not writing about a path we can walk, upon which there is no death forever. Ne's not writing about heaven and the hereafter.

John is writing about the person of Jesus Christ - who is life indeed. He is life itself. Jesus does not give life, He does not dispense life, He is life.

Therefore John can proclaim in I Jn 5:12 that if I have the Son, I have the life. (This is not anarthrous "life" but "the life") John's writings are full of this statement. I Jn 1:2, 5:12, also in John 6:48, 5:26, 11:25, 14:6 and others.

To have Jesus = to have life. To see Jesus in the world this day = to see life. To know Jesus = to know life. To walk with Jesus = to walk in life. To love Jesus = to love life. The opposite is true, too: to hate Jesus = to hate life and embrace death.

Want to "live life?" Live Jesus. Embrace life? Embrace Jesus. That is why, for me to have life I had to be co-crucified with Him, co-buried with Him, co-raised with Him (Romans 6). When we see Him we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He really is.

Help me, Jesus, today, to walk with You, to see what You are doing, where You are going and where You are working in and around me, that I may participate in Your life today. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to respond. Today.

He could bear their misery no longer

2009-09-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

The feelings of misery teach me so much more than the feelings of victory. The feelings of misery go so much deeper than the feelings victory and penetrate to the very core of who I am, so that the lessons of misery and the transformations of misery are long lasting and far reaching.

Judges says of the LORD "He could bear their misery no longer."

I am so thankful that God is in the midst of misery with us. That he bears it with us as long as He can stand it, and particularly as long as we can benefit from it.

But when He (and we) can bear it no longer, His heart of compassion can wait no longer and He flies to our side to bring deliverance.

I am reminded of my friend, Paul, who at the age of 85 said "I am thankful for suffering. The heart that hasn't suffered can't truly sing."

Thank You, God, for misery and for the deliverance from it. Who else do we have but Thee who can care for us and who is so mighty to deliver? None.

Lord, bless the house of Thy servant

2009-08-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 7:28,29

Several years ago it seemed that God was telling me, through some verses in Genesis, that He would grant a request today for my family.

After Abraham "sacrificed" Isaac, God told him "because you have not withheld you son I will make you a great nation..." I felt that He was telling me that because I had not withheld my son, Josiah, from Him; I had never been angry at Him or held Him responsible, nor blamed Him for allowing Josiah to die, that he would grant my request for my family. So my prayer was that there would always be 3, yea 4 of my descendants who walk with Him throughout every generation until He returns to Earth.

That is still my prayer. Still my hope. Still my expectation. That answered prayer would, without question, be the greatest blessing, the greatest answer to prayer You could give me, LORD.

So yesterday I read a prayer that seems quite suited to me:
"And now, O LORD God, Thou art God, and Thy words are truth, and Thou hast promised this good thing to Thy servant. Now therefore, may it please Thee to bless the house of Thy servant, that it may continue forever before Thee. For Thou, O LORD God, hast spoken, and with Thy blessing may the house of Thy servant be blessed forever."

I don't ask for wealth, or riches, or fame, or any kind of greatness. I could leave Earth today a happy man knowing that this prayer is answered in my family.

An unremarkable life

2009-08-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

Judges 3:11

"bla bla bla ... and Othniel the son of Kenaz died."

Othniel's life was not very remarkable, but he did get honorable mention.

I think that most of what we do is pretty unremarkable. It may be remarkable to a few of our contemporaries for a brief time. But essentially we live, we serve God or ourselves, we have a little influence over our families, then we die. We are remembered for a brief time by those who loved us, but before long they're gone too, and history says "so and so died ..."

I know it sounds depressing, but really it isn't. It is reality - we have this moment. Make the most of it, for ourselves and for those around us. Make it meaningful for eternity because that is all that will last. The rest will pass by and in a hundred years be a footnote in history, at best.

What can I do that's great? Help those around me know the Lord - not just salvation, but in all ways possible. Judges 3:11 comes very shortly after "and after Joshua died there arose a generation that did not know the Lord."

Lord, help me, then see ways to point others to you. Today.

Where is God when you need Him?

2009-08-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 31

I wonder why, when Moses was about to die, why God told him of the apostasy the people would commit. It may have been mostly for Joshua, who was with him.

Anyway, God said that they would go after other gods / God would be angry with them / and that He would forsake them and "hide My face from them."

The people's response would be "Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?"

Isn't human nature something? And, aren't we all the same? We reap what we sow and then say it's because God is not here for us .. where is God when you need Him? Actually, He's wanting to help us. Why then do we then blame Him, instead of ourselves, or the enemy, Satan?

Thank you God, that you are faithful to Yourself and to Your word, and even faithful to us. If I sin & repent, you are there to rescue. You are amazing!

Because the LORD hates us

2009-08-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 1

It seems that some of the saints who are grieving may say the same thing that the congregation of Israel said when they were presented with the challenge - and the blessed promises - of moving out of the wilderness. For the saints, moving out of the wilderness of grief.

The Isrealites said: (v.27) "Because the LORD hates us He has brought us out ... to deliver us into the hand of the enemy to destroy us. Where can we go? ... This is too big for me ..."

It seems that the biggest key to successful grief recovery is to believe God. Believe in His goodness, and that His plans for me are good. Believe that He does not devise evil by decree. Believe that He is a God of redemption and renewal and of victory and blessing.

He wishes to bring me into a larger place - a place of blessing. A place of stability. A place of victory over my enemies.

He means to use this death or grevious situation for may salvation, to bring about LIFE. I need to let Him.

God loves to redeem. To turn bad into good / dark into light / evil into righteousness. Every time my chain has been jerked, God has brought me into a new place, a better place, than I was before. He's really good at it! Thank you, LORD.

Can a little deception accomplish great good?

2009-07-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

John 13:27

The tricky thing about deception – it doesn’t happen when I’m thinking about it.

I wonder, when Jesus said to Judas, “what you do, do quickly” if Satan had so convinced Judas that this was the right thing to do that Judas actually felt good about his betrayal? I wonder if, when Jesus acknowledged his plot, if Judas believed he was part of some grand plan to usher in the reign of Messiah, and that somehow he was called to a special task that was part of God’s plan to save the world? Well, he was, but certainly not in the way he thought.

Lord, how easily we are deceived. It scares me to see how quickly I could become convinced that wrong is right; that a little bit of deception could accomplish a great deal of good. This helps me see how, more than ever, and more than I could ever realize, I need Your strong presence in my mind and actions this very day – to keep me from deception. Help me, Jesus, to know Your voice so well that the voice of a stranger I will not follow.

Sure I could say “I’m a Christian, of course I’ll recognize the right voice.” Yet, when I see what Christians have done in Your name and how mighty Christian leaders have fallen, I know I’m not immune from self-deception. Please, dear God, keep me from that. Protect me from my own self-deception. Deliver me from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Lord, keep me from partial obedience

2009-07-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Numbers 33:55,56

Numbers is such a heavy book. It seems to be the book of discipline - almost like when a child is young, say in his 2's, and needs to learn that the parent is serious about discipline and obedience- maybe even kind of like Corinthians in the NT.

Numbers 17 is almost the epitome, where the sons of Korah descended alive into Sheol! It says that they "sinned at the cost of their lives."

Lord, please keep me, my family, my entire lineage from such sins. Keep me, keep us, from the blasphemy of defiance (Nu 15:30), from the blindness of unbelief (Nu 14:10), from leaving an heritage of unfaithfulness (Nu 14: 33), and from the curses of incomplete or partial obedience to You (Nu 33:55,56).
Deut 5:29 "Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever."

Evil blinds us to the truth

2009-07-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

I Samuel 22,23

Men who intentionally turn from God cannot see the truth, and they can't stand the truth that they already know. Both David and Saul knew the truth - that David would be the next king, by God's decree. Saul hated that fact. I'm sure there were times when David wasn't too fond of it either. Like it or not, there was no changing what God had already decreed.

David worked in the strength of that truth and eventually was victorious. Saul worked against the truth and it destroyed him and his family. How much better it would have been for Saul if he had worked with the truth instead of against it.

Lord, I know you desire truth in my innermost being. Help me to stop hiding from the truth. I want to face the truth about me and my world, and work with the truth, not against it. Help me have David's kind of perception and surrender and wisdom!

What's Your Passion?

2009-07-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about the men's meeting in which the pastor went around the circle and asked every man to state what his passion is. It's like you're less than a man, or less than a man-Christian if you don't have a passion. So they (we) all said things like: "to lead men to Christ" or "see men lead their families" or "help eradicate porn" ...

When Lynda and I talked about this I said I didn't have a passion. Now that I think about it, that's wrong. I would say my passion is to know God - and I hope, more and more, to make Him known. But that sounds too canned or trite to the one who is looking for a more man-Christian answer ... when I feel that those answers are really more contrived.

Reading today Mt 22:34-40 I am reminded of my "mission" - receive life, live life, and give life. That can sound so unplanned ... serendipitous ... existential. Yet when Jesus said that the greatest is to love God with all your being (and can you get any greater?), and secondly to love your neighbor. This is followed by a very serendipitous way to love my neighbor. It does seem to me that what Jesus is saying is pretty much: 1. love God (receive and live life) 2. love neighbor (give life).

We want to complicate life with our agendas (alias passions) - agendas which make us feel that we are doing something for God's kingdom. Like we're advancing or protecting God's kingdom. All this while God wants us to live in His kingdom. Oh I see people "called" to great ministries or tasks, like Jeremiah, or Elijah, but they are one in a million - not the norm. Maybe I should write a book "I don't have a calling." Although that's a little misleading because my calling is this: to love god and love my neighbor.

Now, I know many would argue that the Great Commission is greater than this / supersedes this / maybe even replaces this. Personally I think I'll stick with receiving, living, and giving life.

Jesus wants to save all of me.

2009-06-08T13:22:00.000-07:00

Mt. 6:33

Day after day I carry my load. I don't mind too much, or I'd do something about it. But I'm used to carrying it. Most days I don't think it's too bad.

Then one day You added something to my load and suddenly it became way too heavy for me to carry. I turned to Jesus to take that added item off my load.

Frankly, Lord I only wanted help with the thing that was making life miserable. I never realized You wanted to show me how to lighten the whole. What I didn't know at the time was that You wanted to save all of me.

"Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Lord, I am so grateful that You are not in the band aid business, but in the business of redemption. You're amazing the way You take the one thing I give to you and use it as leverage to grant me LIFE instead of existence. Thank You that Your burden is light.

If Your presence does not go with me ...

2009-06-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

Ex 33

When the journey was resumed Moses begged God's presence to go with them. Ex 33:5 I AM said "if I go up in your midst for one moment I would destroy you." But Moses persisted "If your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here ... is it not by Your going with us ... that we may be distinguished from all the other people who are on the face of the earth?"

Isn't that so true for me today.

Lord, if You aren't going to be with me today ... if I can't meet with you today and enter Your presence, then what's the use of even starting the day at all? Help me to be so marked by Your presence that I will be distinguished from those who do not know You, dear God.

I am afraid that, as I say that, the "marking" may be through more pain and terror like I experienced when Josiah died. As soon as I say that, I am reminded that Moses asked to see Your glory. As he did, what You showed him was Your goodness. Your goodness is your glory. Help me to always have an unshakable faith in Your goodness. For as I believe in Your goodness I can face each day and the uncertain thoughts of tomorrow more confidently.
God, you are so good and trustworthy, and I am so thankful for that. If it weren't true life would have destroyed me by now.

One bad choice

2009-05-15T07:41:00.000-07:00